Chapter 96
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: Unwanted Attention
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Just as Cho Ak-ryang and Yeom Sa-in were lost in reminiscence.
A commotion arose from the direction of the villagers working by the river.
Looking closer, they were arguing with some unfamiliar men.
Yeom Sa-in frowned.
“Why are those bastards here?”
“You know them?”
At Cho Ak-ryang’s question, Yeom Sa-in nodded with a displeased look.
“The First Hall of Qingcheng. The men from the Qingcheng Sect’s secular martial school I mentioned earlier.”
“The First Hall of Qingcheng?”
Cho Ak-ryang smirked.
The name could be interpreted in various ways depending on how one heard it.
“Let’s go see.”
“There’s really no need to…”
Seeing the worry in his friend’s eyes, Cho Ak-ryang smiled reassuringly.
“Don’t worry, it won’t be what you’re thinking. Besides, kids like that won’t even know my face.”
Secretly relieved, Yeom Sa-in descended the hill with Cho Ak-ryang.
As they drew closer, they could overhear the conversation.
“Please. This is for a special occasion.”
Among the three men from the Qingcheng secular school, one with a particularly sturdy build spoke pleadingly.
“Why on earth won’t you accept our order?”
Gu-chil stepped forward, representing the villagers.
“We’re too backed up with work to take any additional orders.”
“Then just ten sets! Please, just enough fabric to make ten robes.”
Gu-chil let out a sigh.
“That’s even more difficult, as we have a minimum quantity for orders.”
Cho Ak-ryang and Yeom Sa-in were able to grasp the situation from the conversation.
“Still, we implore you. The one who will wear these robes is none other than the Sect Leader of our Qingcheng Sect.”
The other men from the Qingcheng school chimed in.
“We heard this is the only place that can produce a blue color close to the sky.”
“If our Sect Leader wears a robe made here, would that not be a glorious thing for you as well?”
Listening from a distance, Yeom Sa-in scoffed.
“I heard the Qingcheng Sect is getting a new Sect Leader. It seems they’re quite desperate to get on his good side.”
Wanting to present a gift to the new leader was understandable, but this was not the way.
In truth, even with every villager working, they were struggling to keep up with the existing orders.
“Look, I already told you we can’t.”
Finally, Gu-chil’s expression hardened and his voice rose. In response, the men from the martial school changed their attitude.
“You’re still saying no after we’ve pleaded so earnestly?”
“This is too much. You must know who we are.”
“Isn’t this all about making money in the end? Why can’t you do it? Didn’t we say we’d pay you well?”
Gu-chil flinched as the burly men, a head taller than him, grew angry.
But he did not back down.
“This isn’t about money. How many times do I have to tell you it’s a matter of trust with our existing clients?”
Unable to watch any longer, Yeom Sa-in stepped in.
“That’s enough.”
The men from the martial school froze, recognizing Yeom Sa-in.
Though he worked in the dyeing trade, they were well aware of his influence in the region.
He was a renowned figure, respected by many and known to have connections with government officials.
“I, I Gyeom, martial instructor of the First Hall of Qingcheng, greet Elder Yeom, a man of pine and cypress integrity.”
The man who identified himself as I Gyeom respectfully clasped his fists.
“To meet an elder of your great renown is an honor that spans three lifetimes.”
Yeom Sa-in was not pleased to see the man, who had just been browbeating Gu-chil, change his tune so quickly.
“Leave.”
The abrupt dismissal left I Gyeom and his companions bewildered.
Yeom Sa-in spoke to them.
“The man you were just threatening is the one who manages the workers here. If he says no, it means no.”
“Threatening? You misunderstand.”
“Misunderstand?”
Yeom Sa-in stared at I Gyeom with cold eyes.
“Do you take my eyes for knotholes?”
“Th-That is…”
As the flustered I Gyeom stammered, unable to respond.
Another man who followed him spoke up.
“If we fail to achieve the desired result, our master will be greatly disappointed.”
“Your master? The head of the First Hall of Qingcheng?”
The man nodded at Yeom Sa-in’s question.
“Yes. Ban Yeo-hae, the Wandering Dragon of Qingcheng, the only secular disciple to have been personally taught the Wind-Riding Sword Arts and the Great Net Sword Arts by the Sect Leader. He is our master.”
Yeom Sa-in found their attempt to subtly pressure him by invoking their master’s name laughable.
After all, Cho Ak-ryang, one of the Five Absolutes Under Heaven, said to be the strongest in the martial world, was standing right beside him.
Their eyes, failing to recognize him right in front of them, were no different from knotholes.
“If your master is disappointed, he’s disappointed. Is there any reason I should know about that?”
Faced with Yeom Sa-in’s firm attitude, I Gyeom sighed.
“What good will come from making an enemy of us?”
Yeom Sa-in snorted.
“I know well enough that there’s nothing to be gained by getting close to sword-wielders.”
His face flushing for a moment at those words, I Gyeom spoke again.
“I heard the White Sand Society has been targeting this place recently.”
“And?”
“They are men who will stop at nothing to get what they want. However, if they learn that our sect is protecting this place, they wouldn’t dare to make a move.”
“So you want us to accept Qingcheng’s protection?”
I Gyeom smiled and nodded.
“How about we use this opportunity to help each other and grow this village…”
“Not interested.”
Rejecting the offer in a single breath, Yeom Sa-in once again ordered them to leave.
“I won’t see you out. Go safely.”
The men from the martial school, led by I Gyeom, snorted in frustration.
Displeasure was evident on all their faces. However, faced with Yeom Sa-in’s stubborn gaze, they had no choice but to turn back.
As they moved away, Cho Ak-ryang smiled bitterly.
“You’ve gotten tangled up with some troublesome people.”
“Hmph! They can’t do anything to us right away. As long as they carry the name of a righteous sect, they won’t dare to openly antagonize the government.”
“Not the Qingcheng Sect.”
“…?”
“I’m talking about the White Sand Society.”
Salt constituted a large portion of the taxes collected by the imperial court.
Even the Black Market, which would engage in any transaction for profit, didn't touch the salt trade. That would be tantamount to openly asking the court and the government to kill them.
The White Sand Society was a group of salt smugglers dealing in contraband salt.
“Hmph! A bunch of salt bandits.”
“They’re not to be taken lightly. They’re the kind of people who live for the moment, with their lives on the line.”
The viciousness and tenacity of the White Sand Society were said to be beyond imagination, to the point that even the Sichuan Tang Family, known as the most venomous of the venomous, was said to concede a step in terms of ferocity.
In particular, the poison salt they spread was as infamous for its deadliness as the Tang Family’s Corpse Rot Toxin, a forbidden toxin in the martial world.
“How did the White Sand Society become interested in this village?”
At Cho Ak-ryang’s question, Yeom Sa-in raised his hand and pointed.
Following his hand, Cho Ak-ryang’s gaze fell upon carts laden with dyed fabrics.
“I see.”
Guessing the situation, Cho Ak-ryang nodded.
What they were after were the carts, to secretly transport their contraband salt.
To be precise, they needed the credibility of the Dye Flower Village to pass through inspections easily.
Cho Ak-ryang turned his head and stared in the direction where the man named I Gyeom had disappeared.
“Those guys didn’t look like they’d give up easily either.”
Yeom Sa-in let out a low sigh.
“It’s been quite a while since our dyed fabrics became famous. Now we can’t even keep up with the orders. There are more than a few people who want to grow the village with us. Recently, even some well-known large trading companies have been approaching us, talking about investment.”
“Isn’t it good to make a lot of money?”
At Cho Ak-ryang’s words, Yeom Sa-in shook his head.
“Good for whom?”
“…?”
“In the end, there will only be more people trying to take a piece. Among them, there will surely be some who carry swords.”
Yeom Sa-in’s eyes took in the sight of the busy village men.
“I don’t want them to be in danger. What I can protect is only this much.”
“You always choose the hard way, stubbornly going around when there’s an easy path. You live such a tiresome life.”
“Can I compare to you?”
Cho Ak-ryang smirked at the retort. Yeom Sa-in said to him.
“You do nothing. Don’t even worry about it. Just rest well before you leave.”
“That’s the plan.”
Cho Ak-ryang smiled and nodded.
In his nonchalant demeanor, Yeom Sa-in failed to notice the terrible something crouching behind that smile.
‘Qingcheng…’
Struggling to suppress the murderous intent surging from deep within his heart, Cho Ak-ryang made a vow.
‘This wretched fate just never seems to end.’
* * *
“The Qingcheng Sect is after the Dye Flower Village?”
Late at night.
An irritated voice erupted from a corner of a shabby shrine on the outskirts of a village near Dujiangyan.
“Yes. Men from the Qingcheng Sect’s secular martial school contacted Elder Yeom and told him to accept their protection.”
Gwak Eon, the leader of the Dark Dragon Division belonging to the White Sand Society, scowled, his already fierce expression twisting further.
“Hah… Why the hell are those bastards suddenly stirring up shit?”
At Gwak Eon’s peak irritation, a one-eyed man, his second-in-command, spoke cautiously.
“I believe it’s related to the change in their Sect Leader.”
Seeing his leader frown, the one-eyed man quickly elaborated.
“The inauguration ceremony for the Qingcheng Sect Leader is coming up soon, isn’t it?”
“So?”
“Since a new Sect Leader is taking office, other sects will send congratulatory delegations, won’t they? They’ll bring gifts, too.”
“What does that have to do with the Dye Flower Village?”
“Apparently, the dyed fabrics produced in that village are incredibly popular these days. They say you can’t get them even if you have the money. You know how obsessed Taoists are with their robes. It’s the perfect return gift, something they can brag about later.”
“…?”
“Think about it. Among the Nine Great Sects, besides Shaolin, Emei, and Diancang, aren’t they all Taoist sects? Huashan, Wudang, Zhongnan, Kunlun, Kongtong…”
Gwak Eon waved his hand, cutting off his subordinate.
The more he thought about it, the more his anger boiled.
“Dammit. Just when I’d carefully laid my claim, some other bastard is about to snatch it away.”
As reckless as they were, the name of the Qingcheng Sect was a burden.
At that moment, the one-eyed man spoke suggestively.
“Why don’t we beat them to the punch?”
“Hmm?”
“In the end, everything in that village depends on Elder Yeom’s decision. We just need to secure him. Once the rice is cooked and has become a meal, what can the Qingcheng Sect possibly do?”
“How? We’ve tried to persuade that man so many times, but we’ve failed every time. That stubborn old man isn’t someone who can be swayed by money or threats.”
“Let’s make a deal with his life.”
“Forget it. He’s the type to offer his neck and tell you to kill him.”
“Not his own life.”
The second-in-command’s single eye gleamed as he smiled grimly.
“I hear that old man is extremely fond of the village children.”
“Is that so?”
For the first time, Gwak Eon’s face brightened.