Chapter 96
Chapter 96
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: Mount Mao (1)
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After entering Chang'an, Ouyang Jue headed straight for the Golden Ring Merchant Guild without a second thought.
He hadn't made any prior arrangements. This was out of a concern that Bai Chuan might grow complacent, succumbing to greed.
Ouyang Jue's eyes glinted sharply.
However, upon arriving at the Golden Ring Merchant Guild and stepping into the courtyard, he found it filled with early-blooming magnolias.
“What is all this…?”
As a momentarily bewildered Ouyang Jue looked around, Bai Chuan, who had been clacking away at his abacus, spotted him and cupped his fist in greeting.
“Great Hero Ouyang! What brings you here?”
“I came to acquire some supplies. But what's with all these flowers?”
“Ah, about that.”
Bai Chuan grinned and mentioned the name of an ancient scholar.
“In Qu Yuan's ‘Songs of Chu,’ is it not written, ‘I drink the dew of the magnolia in the morning and chew the petals of autumn chrysanthemums in the evening’? Although these magnolias haven't fully bloomed, I thought I could sell them to the young men preparing for the civil service examinations. I was planning to brew and sell magnolia wine.”
At his words, Ouyang Jue gave an embarrassed smile.
“Somehow, you seem more learned than I, a Taoist, ha ha.”
“You flatter me. I merely heard the advice from one of the guild's junior merchants.”
Remarking that the man was an odd fellow who wanted to make all three of his sons scholars, Bai Chuan made a light joke and led Ouyang Jue into the Golden Ring Merchant Guild.
Unlike the splendid exterior of the building, the office where Bai Chuan worked was moderately frugal, hinting at his usual disposition.
Bai Chuan seated Ouyang Jue in the seat of honor and asked after his well-being in a gentle voice.
“Have you been well?”
“Thanks to you, Guild Master, the internal affairs of the Mount Hua Sect have been greatly settled. I am also grateful that you handled that matter perfectly.”
“Considering what you have done for me, Great Hero, it was no difficult task. More importantly, my son recently…”
As if he had been waiting for this moment, Bai Chuan began to boast endlessly about his wife and child. Watching him, Ouyang Jue smiled wistfully.
‘When I first saw him, he was a man on the verge of death. I wonder if the position makes the man, or if this was the place he was always meant to return to.’
Seeing what he had done before and how he was now, it seemed to be the latter.
Having earned Bai Chuan's trust, Ouyang Jue took out the concealed map of the Central Plains.
“What is this?”
“A complete map I just borrowed from the government office. A merchant's knowledge of Shaanxi may be more accurate, but you'll surely need a map when traveling to other provinces.”
At those words, Bai Chuan's face lit up as he accepted the map of the Central Plains with both hands.
“How could you give me something so precious…!”
“The government office might inquire about it, so you alone should copy the map for yourself, Guild Master. Then, draw only the necessary parts to lend to your merchants.”
As Ouyang Jue seemed to be giving him the map outright, Bai Chuan hesitated and asked.
“I am truly sorry to say this, but with my skills, it would take at least seven days and nights to copy this map…”
He had expected as much.
Ouyang Jue chuckled and shrugged.
“It matters not. I already know it so well it's boring.”
“A-Are you serious?!”
If that was true, didn't it mean he knew the entire continent of the Central Plains inside and out?
As Bai Chuan raised his voice in astonishment, Ouyang Jue tapped his lips twice with his index finger.
“Your voice is too loud, please lower it. No matter how good my relationship with the Shaanxi government office is, they won't overlook the removal of a map.”
“Ah, my apologies, Great Hero. It was just so unexpected…”
“I understand.”
After all, wasn't this a case of a Taoist, not yet of age, lording it over a merchant approaching his forties?
Ouyang Jue felt awkward, thinking he had boasted unnecessarily. But Bai Chuan would never know.
Just how many places he had wandered through.
With a strange smile, Ouyang Jue urged Bai Chuan on.
“That aside, how many supplies can you give me?”
“…Ah!”
Only then did Bai Chuan store the map in a secluded place and hurriedly call for a merchant.
Ouyang Jue watched him carefully before sending a strand of telepathic message.
-I will retrieve the map later, so please keep it safe.
Bai Chuan nodded gravely and glanced at Ouyang Jue.
Now that his surprise had subsided, something struck him as odd.
The supplies Ouyang Jue had requested would barely last a week.
Furthermore, he had asked for the Golden Ring Merchant Guild's mark to be left on each and every item. It was as if he wanted to show them to someone.
Bai Chuan inwardly predicted Ouyang Jue's next move.
‘Perhaps he intends to use the lack of supplies as a pretext to visit another place?’
Figuring the name of the Golden Ring Merchant Guild would be mentioned to some extent, Bai Chuan made a pointed joke.
“Our guild's name is just starting to become famous, so I would appreciate it if you would think twice before doing anything that might tarnish it.”
“…I will try.”
However, an expression contradicting his answer appeared on Ouyang Jue's face, and Bai Chuan sighed inwardly.
* * *
“That's just too much!”
The Wudang elder, Master Profound Sword, cried out in exasperation as he mentioned the Golden Ring Merchant Guild.
“After all that our Taoist friend has done, for that Guild Master to treat him so poorly… He may be a merchant, but he certainly lacks courtesy.”
“I don't think he did it out of any ill will toward me. He seemed incredibly busy when I stopped by the guild.”
“Hmph, tsk tsk.”
As Master Profound Sword chided the Golden Ring Merchant Guild for its lack of virtue, Ouyang Jue watched him intently, his fingers interlaced.
It occurred to him again that Master Profound Sword had acted strangely before.
“That Jin fellow should still be at Mount Hua…?”
“You don't know? Well… that fellow is so particular.”
During the Nine Dragons Tournament, when Ouyang Jue tilted his head as if he truly didn't know, Master Profound Sword had been reluctant to continue.
“If our Taoist friend piques his interest, that fellow will be the one to make contact first.”
And with that, he had announced the start of the Nine Dragons Tournament.
Wasn't it strange?
Even though Master Profound Sword was a Wudang elder, he was beneath Jin Mu-wol in both seniority and martial skill.
Even the Sect Leader of Wudang would not be able to speak so casually to Jin Mu-wol.
Yet Master Profound Sword had referred to Jin Mu-wol in such an absurd way. ‘That Jin fellow.’
Even if they were from different Taoist sects, Master Profound Sword's words were extremely disrespectful.
‘Was he actually trying to sound me out, to see if I knew Jin Mu-wol back then?’
If he had known, Ouyang Jue would have shown at least a flicker of anger.
To speak of the Celestial Being of Plum Blossom Cave in such a way was practically an insult to the entire Mount Hua Sect.
Ouyang Jue's gaze gradually deepened.
‘He's no ordinary man.’
In the first place, Jin Mu-wol was known to be dead.
As far as Ouyang Jue knew, the only outsider who knew of Jin Mu-wol's survival was the Sect Leader of the Zhongnan Sect, the All-Virtuous Master.
To everyone else, he was a Taoist master thought to have died more than fifty years ago.
‘But Master Profound Sword alone…’
To solve this mystery, Ouyang Jue had come to the Wudang Sect—or more precisely, to find Master Profound Sword.
“There is something I would like to ask…”
“And what is that?”
“Back then, during the Nine Dragons Tournament. You asked me something, did you not?”
At his words, Master Profound Sword blinked as if recalling the past, then his expression suddenly hardened.
But he quickly returned to his usual affable demeanor and replied.
“What are you referring to? It must be my age, but there are many things I can't seem to remember clearly.”
“Is that so.”
Hearing Master Profound Sword claim he couldn't remember well, Ouyang Jue narrowed one eye.
“You mentioned ‘that Jin fellow’ before, did you not?”
“…Ah! That's right. I asked if that Jin fellow was still at the Mount Hua Sect.”
Master Profound Sword gave a perfectly nonchalant smile.
“So, is that Jin fellow doing well?”
“That's unexpected. I didn't know you were concerned about him, Master.”
“…!”
At those words, Master Profound Sword's face went rigid.
‘Jin Mu-wol, could it be that he is still alive?’
Could the words of that eccentric who visited me a year ago have been true?
Master Profound Sword stroked his chin unconsciously.
“So, how has that Jin fellow been lately?”
“He's been living peacefully. Handling some blades, as he usually does.”
“Indeed! He was always good at handling them.”
“His skill at selling in high volume with low margins is quite excellent. It's no wonder he's the top merchant of the Golden Ring Merchant Guild.”
“…What?”
Seeing Master Profound Sword's dumbfounded reaction, Ouyang Jue let a faint smile play on his lips.
He even tilted his head as if he knew nothing at all.
“Weren't you talking about Merchant Jin Mu-chang, who often stays at the Mount Hua Sect?”
“…”
“Or, well, were you asking about someone else?”
The smile on Ouyang Jue's face deepened.
“Oh, my. My apologies. Daring to judge by your expression, Master, it seems you weren't hoping for news of Merchant Jin Mu-chang.”
“Taoist Friend Ouyang!”
Master Profound Sword, who had shouted in a burst of anger, calmly collected himself.
‘A disciple of Mount Hua, speaking like some ruffian!’
While Master Profound Sword was calming his boiling temper, Ouyang Jue had already figured it out.
‘It seems Master Profound Sword doesn't know.’
No matter how cleverly he had evaded the topic, the usual Master Profound Sword would have easily hidden such an expression.
That meant he had harbored considerable expectations based on what Ouyang Jue had said.
Furthermore, hadn't he immediately responded to the part about handling blades?
‘Grandmaster Jin Mu-wol is currently the Celestial Being of Plum Blossom Cave. He doesn't use a real sword. Even when we crossed hands before, he used a tree branch… Damn it, now that I think about it, he treated me like a child.’
At most, he might know whether he is alive or dead; if he knows a little, he's probably half in doubt.
Ouyang Jue leaned toward the latter. Otherwise, there would have been no reason for the man to immediately seek him out just to exchange pleasantries when all he came for was supplies.
‘I'm sorry, but I'm not that easy a person to deal with.’
Ouyang Jue beamed.
It was the good-natured smile he had practiced right after descending from Mount Hua.
But to Master Profound Sword, that smile felt like a smirk mocking him.
“I'll see that you get a fair amount of supplies. We will soon be holding a scripture training session within the Wudang Sect, so it's time for you to descend the mountain.”
Uncharacteristically, Master Profound Sword sent Ouyang Jue away with a stiff tone.
* * *
‘Did I tease him too much?’
Recalling Master Profound Sword's resentful glare, Ouyang Jue let out a small laugh.
But in the end, he had brought it upon himself.
Did an elder of a sect have nothing better to do than try to sound out a junior, not even of age, in such a roundabout way?
He had tried to casually probe someone who couldn't hold him accountable. Even if Ouyang Jue reported this to the Mount Hua Sect, he would simply deny ever saying such a thing.
In other words.
‘He still isn't certain that Jin Mu-wol is alive.’
Of course, this was just a hypothesis, but he was more than sixty percent certain.
The experience he had accumulated in his past life as the Bloodhound and his knack for observing others guaranteed it.
‘Well, I've solved my immediate curiosity.’
He now understood the situation with the Golden Ring Merchant Guild and the intentions behind the strange words Master Profound Sword had uttered.
So, from now on, he planned to seek out the history connected to the old Demonic Cult and the extraordinary individuals hidden throughout the martial world.
‘Originally, I planned to get through this without that man's help.’
But if the reason for the Mount Hua Sect's fall was tied to ancient history, he would have no choice but to borrow that man's help.
Ouyang Jue considered that man to be the foremost among all extraordinary individuals, a benefactor who had made him who he was today.
He had never understood the Zen riddles that man had muttered, not even in the moment he faced the Heaven-Bearing Asura.
So… in this life.
Ouyang Jue's gaze turned to the east.
To Jiangsu, which bordered the sea, and to the most sacred mountain within it—that was where the man was.
Mount Mao.
The Omniscient One was there.