Chapter 226
"It's been a while." Byeok Taesu said with a gentle smile. Byeok Taesan looked at his brother for a moment before nodding. His internal energy was filled to the brim, a testament to how many elixirs he had consumed. "You can stop taking the medicine now. Any more will just turn to waste. Focus on your training. From the looks of it, you're just one step shy." The martial art Byeok Taesu practiced was the Blood-Coveting Demonic Arts, modified by Byeok Taesan. It had become a demonic art that coveted elixirs instead of blood
Thanks to this, his body had grown much stronger, and his dantian was so full of internal energy it felt like it would burst. However, since he hadn't engaged in actual combat training, his skills weren't particularly high. That was the point Byeok Taesan was making. "If you say so, I'll do it. Alright. I'll give it a try." Byeok Taesu looked at Byeok Taesan with a pleased expression. Perhaps because it had been a while, he could see glimpses of his younger brother from the old days. He seemed much gentler than on the day he had destroyed the Golden Jade Pavilion
"I doubt you came all this way just to see my face..." At Byeok Taesan’s words, Byeok Jehyeok, who had been watching quietly, quickly spoke up. "Did you happen to establish a trading company?" Byeok Taesan nodded. "I made one to take down the Golden Moon Trading Company." At those words, Byeok Jehyeok’s jaw dropped. "So... it was you." News that the Golden Moon Trading Company's headquarters had fallen recently shook the world of commerce. The company itself hadn't disappeared yet, but with its headquarters destroyed, word was spreading that its branches were also in a bad state
And to think Byeok Taesan was the one behind it. Then again, the fact that it was Byeok Taesan somehow made it seem plausible. He was not just Byeok Taesan, but also the Heavenly Demon. What was destroying one trading company to the Heavenly Demon? "But... I heard you're moving the company here to Wuhan." Byeok Taesan nodded without much thought. "I'm not interested in Wuhan's commercial districts, so don't worry. You can have Wuhan." After all, the Hyeoncheon Trading Company would devour the world
Just then, Byeok Taesu stepped in. "That's not what I meant." When Byeok Taesan looked at him, as if asking what he meant, Byeok Taesu continued. "I don't understand why you insist on treating us like strangers. Seeing you build a manor like this and gathering people, it seems you intend to form a faction. Is there a need to draw a line with your own family?" Byeok Taesu’s eyes were filled with disappointment as he spoke. Seeing this, Byeok Taesan chuckled. Indeed, hadn't this man been desperate to give him anything and everything since their time at the Golden Jade Villa? "So what are you suggesting?" "Let's merge." Byeok Taesan nodded
"Fine by me." Honestly, he didn't care who ran the trading company. He didn't want to be bothered with it either. All Byeok Taesan needed was for the company to make money, and for his subordinates to use that money to run Hyeoncheon Manor. He could just live a carefree life, doing whatever he pleased. Byeok Taesan had agreed so readily—no, without even a moment's hesitation—that it was Byeok Taesu and Byeok Jehyeok who were left stunned. They didn't have much time to be surprised. Mere moments after the words were spoken, Hwaok suddenly entered the reception room
Hwaok approached the two and spoke quietly. "I heard you've decided to merge the companies." The two men stared blankly at Hwaok. "Were you by any chance listening from outside?" At Byeok Taesu's question, Hwaok smiled brightly and shook her head. "No. The Young Master just summoned me and told me." Hwaok returned to her original point. "We were just in need of talented people to properly manage the company, so this is perfect. As you know, the ultimate goal of the Hyeoncheon Trading Company is to control all the commercial power in the world." Faced with such a grand-scale statement from the very beginning, Byeok Taesu and Byeok Jehyeok felt overwhelmed by Hwaok
But while Byeok Jehyeok might be inexperienced, Byeok Taesu was the man who had firmly established the Golden Jade Trading Company as the top merchant group in Wuhan. "It's been a long time since I've had something enjoyable to work on. I look forward to working with you." Hwaok bowed her head and said. "The pleasure is all mine. I look forward to working with you as well. For the time being, we will operate both the Golden Jade and Hyeoncheon companies simultaneously, gradually absorbing everything into Hyeoncheon
Ultimately, you will be in charge of the Hyeoncheon Trading Company." Byeok Taesu nodded. "Understood." A spark like lightning seemed to flash in his eyes. The thought of being able to help his younger brother with something he excelled at gave him renewed strength. Hwaok then turned to look at Byeok Jehyeok. "As for the younger young master..." Just as Hwaok was about to assign something to Byeok Jehyeok, Byeok Taesan cut in. "Build up your body first." Hwaok replied with a wry smile. "I will see to it
As for his martial arts..." "I'll give him something suitable. He should be decent enough after dying a couple of times." At the mention of dying, Byeok Jehyeok swallowed hard, his eyes filled with fear. Hwaok reassured him. "Think of it as a near-death experience. It's nothing serious. It'll be over in a flash." "A-A near-death experience, you say?" Byeok Jehyeok was flustered. "I-Is that how you normally train?" His question was, more accurately, whether this was the standard training method in the Heavenly Demonic Cult
But he didn't dare utter the name 'Heavenly Demonic Cult,' so he omitted it. Hwaok smiled gently. "Yes. I did it too." Hwaok had meant to reassure him, but now Byeok Jehyeok found her frightening as well. "I... I see." *** Rumors about the Heavenly Martial Alliance were boiling over across the land. What began as whispers spreading secretly had now grown to the point where any gathering of people would inevitably have a group discussing the Heavenly Martial Alliance. And the rumors then turned to who had received a recruitment offer from them
The Heavenly Martial Alliance was not a place just anyone could enter. To prevent any spies from Nameless from infiltrating, eligibility was granted only to those who passed a thorough vetting process. Furthermore, one had to be a skilled individual, handpicked from their respective family or faction. Whether it was in martial arts, strategy, or information gathering, one had to possess a skill that everyone would acknowledge to receive a recruitment offer. As a result, receiving an offer became synonymous with being recognized by the world
The name Heavenly Martial Alliance was being etched into the world in this manner. This entire plan originated from Sima Wihong. Sima Wihong wanted to place the Heavenly Martial Alliance above the Martial Alliance, the Black Alliance, and the Five Great Families. First, Sima Wihong compiled an initial recruitment list and publicized it widely. He didn't just announce the list; he created and spread individual rumors for each and every person on it. The location for the Heavenly Martial Alliance was decided to be Luoyang
But for now, that fact was kept strictly under wraps. It was to prevent those with ulterior motives from causing trouble. Sima Wihong's plan was to establish the Heavenly Martial Alliance in a swift, decisive move after all preparations were complete and announce it to the world. So far, everything had proceeded smoothly, just as Sima Wihong had planned. But Sima Wihong did not let his guard down. Times like these, when things were going well, were when one had to be most careful. Usually, when things go smoothly, one's mindset also loosens
And carelessness always leads to accidents. That was why Sima Wihong never relaxed his vigilance. He also frequently tightened the atmosphere to ensure those working under him maintained their tension. However, not everything in the world goes as planned. Sima Wihong had debated visiting Byeok Taesan but ultimately decided against it. But even after making that decision and focusing all his attention on the Heavenly Martial Alliance, the lingering attachment wouldn't disappear. This was, in fact, a highly unusual occurrence
Normally, once Sima Wihong made a decision and set upon a path, he would completely forget all other paths. He never wavered. But this time, throughout his work on the Heavenly Martial Alliance, his lingering feelings for Byeok Taesan shook his resolve. He found it strange himself. But he had no intention of changing his decision. Sima Wihong threw himself even more fervently into the Heavenly Martial Alliance. Thanks to his efforts, preparations for establishing the Alliance were concluding much faster than initially expected
*** A group of people was entering Luoyang. This city, Luoyang, was where the Heavenly Martial Alliance was to be established. And the people currently on the move were from the Martial Alliance. They were the Martial Alliance's Heavenly Sword Group. The Heavenly Sword Group had found itself in a very difficult situation after Bang Durip went missing. When Bang Durip went to Changsha, he had taken the vice-leader and several squad leaders with him. In the process, a significant number of squad leaders were killed or injured
Furthermore, they had failed to achieve any real results and had only earned disgrace. The rumor that Bang Durip had fled with the Hyeoncheon Sword, a relic of the Heavenly Demon, was still circulating everywhere. Naturally, the way people looked at those who participated in that affair was anything but favorable. Everyone had become extremely uncomfortable. Sima Wihong had handled the matter simply. He decided to hand over the Heavenly Sword Group to the Heavenly Martial Alliance. The Heavenly Sword Group no longer existed within the Martial Alliance
Instead of their usual uniforms, they wore clothes they had each procured themselves. The reason the Heavenly Sword Group came to Luoyang was to prepare for the establishment of the Heavenly Martial Alliance. They were not alone; scribes for handling paperwork had come with them. From now on, they had to lay the groundwork for the Alliance. There was much to do. Some were tasked with finding a suitable manor for the Heavenly Martial Alliance. Others were to identify any underworld figures or hooligans in the vicinity who might cause trouble
They were also to thoroughly investigate the martial sects, warrior families, and trading companies of Luoyang to identify any potential issues. With the large number of Heavenly Sword Group members, the work proceeded at a very rapid pace. Once the initial assessment was done, they would finish everything in a single, overwhelming sweep. Although hundreds of people were combing through Luoyang, they didn't draw much attention. Luoyang was so populous that most things simply got lost in the crowd
And just as the Heavenly Sword Group went unnoticed in Luoyang, the people tailing them were also barely perceptible. Especially when the pursuers were masters of stealth. A man with a face so plain you wouldn't remember it moments after seeing him was quietly following the members of the Heavenly Sword Group. Already inconspicuous due to his ordinary appearance, a strange energy enveloped the man's body, further diminishing his presence. He followed the Heavenly Sword Group with perfect naturalness, carefully observing what they were doing
Information about the Heavenly Martial Alliance, aside from what Sima Wihong had decided to reveal, was treated as top secret, but that didn't mean no information had leaked out. No matter how strict the control, not everyone had a mind like Sima Wihong. A moment of carelessness could lead to an unintentional leak of information. The information that the Heavenly Martial Alliance's location had been decided as Luoyang had been leaked. And Nameless had caught wind of that leak. Nameless was paying close attention to the Heavenly Martial Alliance
It was only natural, as the Heavenly Martial Alliance was a force specifically created to fight Nameless. Luoyang was teeming with informants sent by Nameless. The man followed the Heavenly Sword Group until they returned to their lodgings. And even after they entered, he continued his surveillance without pause. A meaningful conversation might take place inside. He watched until the members of the Heavenly Sword Group fell asleep, then headed to a rendezvous point. The rendezvous point was a large, lavish tavern in the center of Luoyang
On the first floor of the tavern, countless people were drinking and chattering boisterously. The man headed for the stairs at the far end of the first floor. His destination was the third floor, a place not just anyone could go, as the prices for all drinks and dishes were four times higher than on the first floor. On the third floor, only the man's colleagues were present. There were five of them in total, and they were the supervisors of the informants Nameless had deployed in Luoyang. "You're late." As one of the five spoke, the man nodded
"They took their time going to sleep. Have you all confirmed your information?" "We have." A map of Luoyang was spread out on the table. The man tapped three locations with his finger. "I think they'll choose one of these manors." "Then we just need to start our work on all three." "Can you be the one to tell the Elder that?" "If we're too late, it could be trouble..." Everyone wore a troubled expression. Finally, the man who had arrived last sighed and spoke. "I'll tell him. You all take care of the underworld thugs and the trading companies." The others' faces brightened as they nodded
"Be careful." Various other topics were discussed after that. "By the way... is this the real beginning?" "Well, seeing as the Elder has made his move, it seems likely... but we'll have to see to know for sure." "How we handle the Heavenly Martial Alliance will be the key." "I suppose so. And... we still have plenty of time. Ten years." "Ten years seems long, but it'll fly by once we get busy. A moment's hesitation and we could be waiting indefinitely again." "If the Elders think so too, they'll make some sort of decision." "Tsk, they're all so busy with their own training, I wonder if they'll be able to make a proper decision." "They will
This is something they've waited hundreds of years for. There's no way they'd miss such a good opportunity." "I hope so." "Alright, let's wrap it up. We need to be completely gone by tomorrow or the day after, so manage your people well." They downed the last of the wine in their cups and then scattered in all directions. They had taken but a few steps before their bodies seemed to dissolve into the air and vanish. End of