Chapter 42
Chapter 42
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: Red Tiger Demon (3)
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Seeing this, Bai Dong-il trailed off awkwardly.
“He… he's a sworn brother I made over drinks!”
“No matter how magnanimous the Red Tiger Demon is, I doubt he'd go around making sworn brothers at a drinking party.”
At Ouyang Jue's words, Bai Dong-il couldn't bring himself to say he was his real brother and instead drew his sword.
*But does he know?*
*‘That action itself is an answer.’*
Ouyang Jue clicked his tongue lightly.
“Step aside. My priority is dealing with the Red Tiger Demon, so I'll let you go this time.”
“Dealing with him?”
Only then did Bai Dong-il's gaze fall upon the corpse.
A stab wound pierced the center of his chest.
Blood trickled intermittently from the wound.
Bai Cheong-il's face had long since gone pale; it seemed too late for even the most divine physician to save him.
*‘Truly, my brother is...’*
Overcome with grief, Bai Dong-il drew his sword.
*Clang!*
Seeing this, Ouyang Jue's gaze turned cold in an instant.
“Can you handle the consequences?”
“…”
“Even the Red Tiger Demon, your so-called sworn brother or whatever, couldn't defeat me. What makes you think you can be my opponent?”
Ouyang Jue shook his head lightly.
“I have no desire to kill both of a family's legitimate sons in a single day. Get lost.”
At those words, Bai Dong-il inwardly smirked.
*‘He’s exhausted!’*
Such a shallow judgment flashed through his mind.
“Hah! I will kill you to avenge my brother!”
“…How foolish.”
Without even drawing Severing Manifestation, Ouyang Jue caught Bai Dong-il's sword with his bare hands and twisted his wrist.
*Crack!*
The blade snapped completely.
And even the flicker of interest on Ouyang Jue's face died out.
“Do you not possess even the slightest skill?”
Even the child, Jo Hun, would have twisted his sword to prevent it from breaking.
But Bai Dong-il hadn't even done that.
It was as if he had never learned swordsmanship at all.
“It seems the Black Dragon Gang Leader abandoned you. That must be why it's known to the world that he has only one son…”
“…”
Despite Ouyang Jue's taunt, Bai Dong-il couldn't find a proper response.
Because it was the truth.
Bai Dong-il had not learned a single martial art from the Black Dragon Gang.
However, to retreat with his brother's body before him would be against all propriety.
*‘He was the only brother who ever treated me well.’*
A look of resolve crossed Bai Dong-il's face.
“Put him down and leave.”
“Do you intend to trample on my final act of goodwill?”
*Bai Cheong-il certainly did a poor job of teaching his younger brother.*
Despite Ouyang Jue's muttering, Bai Dong-il stood rooted to the spot, not moving from the alley.
Even as he trembled with shame.
Even as fear made his legs shake, Bai Dong-il did not step aside.
A strange smile played on Ouyang Jue's face.
*‘Not very fitting for someone from the Unorthodox Faction. No, perhaps he wasn't raised that way.’*
The latter was clearly the more likely possibility.
He had no internal energy, his swordsmanship was pathetic, and even his resolve was weak.
Ouyang Jue asked him.
“Why are you so obsessed with this man?”
“He's family!”
“…Right. Not because he was particularly good to you?”
At Ouyang Jue's remark, Bai Dong-il's face hardened in an instant.
Ouyang Jue's lips twisted into an ugly sneer.
“You're gravely mistaken.”
“Wh-what mistake are you talking about!”
“Do you think he was good to you out of pure, benevolent intentions like you seem to have?”
“…”
Ouyang Jue's words gradually turned into barbs that scraped at a corner of Bai Dong-il's heart.
“That's not it. If he truly cared for you, why would he have neglected you without teaching you a single martial art? On top of that…”
Ouyang Jue gestured with his chin toward the area behind Bai Dong-il.
“Isn't that a scenic spot with no connection whatsoever to the Black Dragon Gang? Unless you came to see the lake, there'd be no reason to go over there, would there?”
“Shut up!”
Confusion spread across Bai Dong-il's face.
“Even if my brother thought that way, he was someone who always welcomed me with a smile. Don't insult my brother, who was a true man!”
“So, would the Red Tiger Demon have told you to fight me here?”
At those words, Bai Dong-il froze.
*‘He took the bait.’*
Ouyang Jue immediately unleashed a dense killing intent.
“Go back. This is your last chance.”
“…Hk!”
As Bai Dong-il turned his back and ran off somewhere, Ouyang Jue raised his head high.
“Beggar, you were watching, weren't you?”
“Of course.”
“Then I expect you'll show some of that old beggar's intuition.”
At that, the Iron Wind Beggar bared his yellow teeth and grinned.
“Heh, isn't that obvious!”
Having received confirmation, Ouyang Jue watched the retreating figure of Bai Dong-il with a look of pity.
*‘Foolish bastard.’*
At least Bai Cheong-il had spirit and thought of his subordinates until the very end.
That was why he left a final request for me to burn his body.
And that wasn't all.
Wearing a merchant's human-skin mask, he came to find me even after seeing the annihilated Shaanxi branch, because the existence of the gunpowder warehouse hadn't been revealed.
In contrast, Bai Dong-il was dull-witted.
His skills, his nerve, even his intelligence.
He was a far cry from his brother, Bai Cheong-il.
Ouyang Jue hoped that Bai Dong-il would flee as far away as possible.
Because that was the goal.
*‘Now he’s a dear friend who will expose the location of the Black Dragon Gang's headquarters and secret caches.’*
A sneer appeared on Ouyang Jue's face. If not for this purpose, he would have struck off Bai Dong-il's head long ago.
Watching this, the Iron Wind Beggar frowned.
“I keep thinking this, but you're a truly insidious fellow.”
“You're only just realizing that?”
Ouyang Jue smiled faintly.
Now, Bai Cheong-il's corpse would be sold off 'bit by bit' at a high price to powerful figures who held a grudge against him.
***
The next day.
Ouyang Jue gathered the Beggars' Sect members who had assembled that day, along with Sang Hyeon-geom, in an empty lot.
“The matter of Bai Cheong-il, including the Shaanxi branch, has been concluded.”
A total of thirty gold taels.
The land and manor in Chang'an, the heart of Shaanxi, were one thing, but this was money obtained from discreetly dealing with Bai Cheong-il.
Of course, it was not a task handled by Ouyang Jue's own hands.
After all, it was improper for a Daoist to engage in business using personal grudges.
*‘The Iron Wind Beggar is one thing, but I didn't expect Bai Chuan to be so resolute.’*
Ouyang Jue realized that the Golden Ring Merchant Guild could be more than just simple errand boys; they could be much greater allies.
With that, he turned his gaze to Sang Hyeon-geom and the beggars.
“When are you giving it to us?”
“Ahem, hem!”
Greed and reluctance coexisted strangely.
The former belonged to the Beggars' Sect, as expected, while the latter was felt from Sang Hyeon-geom, the secular master of the Mount Hua Sect.
At a glance, there seemed to be no way to satisfy both parties.
However, Ouyang Jue had already thought of a solution to this matter.
Ouyang Jue asked the Iron Wind Beggar.
“As I understand it, the sole precept of the Beggars' Sect is that you must not accept money from private transactions, but only through begging. Is that incorrect?”
At that, the Iron Wind Beggar nodded firmly.
“That's right.”
Seeing the beggars' faces fall for a moment, Ouyang Jue continued.
“However, it seems the… no, the great heroes of the Beggars' Sect here will not be satisfied with just that.”
“Th-that's right!”
“The young lad really gets it!”
Ouyang Jue felt like an animal tamer and couldn't hide his amusement.
“In that case, may this junior, Ouyang, make a proposal?”
Just then, Sang Hyeon-geom, looking at the beggars with displeasure, spoke up.
“…As long as it is a method that will enhance the honor of the Mount Hua Sect, anything is fine.”
“Aish! You long-nosed bastard!”
“The mood was just getting good!”
“Haha, please calm down.”
Ouyang Jue let out a gentlemanly yet pleasant laugh, befitting a rising star of the younger generation.
“I anticipated this, so I have come up with a way to satisfy both the precepts of the Beggars' Sect and the honor of Mount Hua.”
Not having heard this part before, the Iron Wind Beggar readily asked.
“And what is that?”
“We will establish a clinic.”
“A clinic?”
“Yes.”
Ouyang Jue briefly recalled the man who was being harassed at the inn while he was observing the Black Dragon Gang.
“We will use that gold to build a clinic that helps those who have been afflicted since birth.”
“What?”
One or two of the beggars grumbled.
“Then what's in it for us?”
“If you beg there, your meals will be free.”
At that, the beggars cackled.
But Sang Hyeon-geom's face still looked troubled.
“Alright, as you say, that money will be enough to establish the clinic, but how do you plan to maintain it?”
Ouyang Jue answered as if he had expected the question.
“I plan to receive discreet support from the Daoist sects located in Shaanxi.”
“From them?”
Sang Hyeon-geom judged that it wasn't an impossible proposition.
After all, the number of small and medium Daoist sects was well over several dozen.
But whether they would quietly provide support was what made him tilt his head in doubt.
Just then, Ouyang Jue grinned.
“I have already finished discussions with the Zhongnan Sect.”
“…?!”
At those words, not only Sang Hyeon-geom but even the Iron Wind Beggar's eyes widened.
The Zhongnan Sect!
Wasn't it the place where Lü Dongbin had achieved enlightenment in the past, a sect that took great pride in being the origin of Daoism, and one with which the Mount Hua Sect had only maintained a vague friendship due to their different paths as Daoist sects?
To hear that such a sect had promised its support, Sang Hyeon-geom couldn't help but become excited.
“Is that truly the truth!”
“Would I have any reason to lie about such a matter?”
Only then did Ouyang Jue begin to explain the details.
“It is known to the world that the Beggars' Sect dealt with Du Jeol-gwang, but those present here know who subdued him.”
“…”
As everyone seemed to agree in silence, Ouyang Jue opened his mouth without delay.
“After that incident, I made an effort to contact the Zhongnan Sect frequently.”
Ouyang Jue briefly explained what had happened.
Both when he met Ha Jin-ak at Mount Hua, and after he descended the mountain.
Ouyang Jue and the Golden Ring Merchant Guild had continuously exchanged carrier pigeons, enough for even Liu Zhangming to notice.
At that time, Ouyang Jue had given one instruction.
To contact the secular members of Zhongnan and subtly inform them who had dealt with Du Jeol-gwang.
His intention was that he might one day be able to borrow the goodwill of the Zhongnan Sect.
*‘Just like now.’*
Zhongnan could get a piece of the credit for themselves, and Mount Hua would gain the honor of having forsaken a great sum of gold to help the weak.
How could the smaller sects that followed them refuse?
It could be sustained for at least the next three, no, five years.
If even a few fools could be saved during that time, that would be enough.
*‘…Doing this, I suppose I seem a bit like a Daoist myself.’*
Normally, he would have pocketed it without a second thought.
Ouyang Jue unconsciously scratched the back of his head.
That day, Ouyang Jue earned a new title.
Plum Blossom Sword Hero.
Anyone who knew his true character would have laughed their heads off.
But Ouyang Jue, who had proposed creating a clinic for the weak, had already done enough to be called a hero.
***
Was it ten days later?
Arriving at the entrance of Mount Hua, Ouyang Jue had to face an unexpected person.
“Sect Leader? What brings you all the way here?”
“…”
“Aigoo, if you meant to encourage me, you could have done so up on the mountain, haha.”
“Jue.”
Bai Duanxian's expression was so serious as he spoke that Ouyang Jue momentarily wondered if he had made a mistake.
But the words that followed were different from what he expected.
“Well done.”
“Who do you think I am?”
Ouyang Jue thumped his chest, looking proud.
“I, Ouyang Jue, am the Plum Blossom Sword Hero.”
At those words, Bai Duanxian broke into a bright smile.