Chapter 205
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 205
Chapter Title: What?!
"This incident..."
There was no need to agonize over it.
It was the Blood Cult's Soul-Mixing Poison affair. That was it.
"Gwang Hoe-cheon. Or from our perspective, eliminating Hyeong Ui-cheon. No, wait—that's not right. It was under the pretext of wiping out the Blood Cult bastards, so eliminating Gwang Hoe-cheon? Eh, it doesn't really matter in the end."
Ha Mu-baek stared fixedly at Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul as he muttered to himself.
"Ahem. Anyway, that bastard Gwang Hoe-cheon's Dan-an Merchant Group—we've absorbed the whole thing. Right down to their main trading house."
"So that's why you've all been so busy."
It wasn't just handling the Wuchang incident.
They'd been running around nonstop, truly frantic.
Even Heavenly Eye Pavilion Lord Gong Son Dan-gyeong looked worn out.
When it came to processing paperwork, Gong Son Dan-gyeong's skill was on par with Ha Mu-baek's.
Dark circles shadowed his eyes.
Sorting out the hellish mess in Wuchang was a massive task, but that was well within Gong Son Dan-gyeong's capabilities.
On top of that, they'd absorbed the Dragon Training Pavilion's Dan-an Merchant Group.
A trading outfit based in Jangsa, no less.
"That old fox Gong Son wouldn't have done it for nothing..."
"We split it down the middle. Half goes to the Dragon Training Pavilion's treasury, half to the Alliance Lord's residence and Heavenly Eye Pavilion."
Ha Mu-baek nodded.
Of course.
The Righteous Heaven Alliance's purse strings were held by the Golden Sea Pavilion.
Not just the money, either.
It managed the alliance's internal affairs and even personnel assignments for the scribes.
And that Golden Sea Pavilion fell under the Elder Council's influence.
In other words, the Elder Council controlled the alliance's funds.
They could toy with the purse strings of the Alliance Lord's residence and Heavenly Eye Pavilion at will.
The Alliance Lord's side had their own revenue streams, of course.
But more money was always better.
A major merchant group had gotten tangled up with the Blood Cult, so they'd snapped it up.
The Dragon Training Pavilion, Alliance Lord's residence, and Heavenly Eye Pavilion—keeping it out of the Elder Council's reach.
"They say the bear does the work while some random guy pockets the cash. And now we've dumped the messy stuff on ourselves too. Feels like I've taken a huge loss here."
Ha Mu-baek turned to meet Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul's gaze this time.
"Namgung Corps Leader must be grinning from ear to ear with that sudden budget windfall."
"Hm. Then word of this'll reach the Elder Council soon enough."
"Eh, it's already absorbed. Nothing they can do about it. Strategist Gong Son handled everything by the book."
True enough. That meticulous man wouldn't have left any loose ends.
The Elder Council wouldn't find a single thing to nitpick.
'Hold on.'
A sudden realization.
That explained why Gong Son Dan-gyeong had bothered coming all the way to Wuchang.
While the Elder Council was squabbling over the Blood Cult's Soul-Mixing Poison, he'd zeroed in on Gwang Hoe-cheon's Dan-an Merchant Group and moved decisively.
Of course, he'd handled the poison issue flawlessly too.
Even providing clues on the Demonic Cult's great laws and demonic arts.
"Anyway, it's given us a ton of budget breathing room."
"What if the Righteous Heaven Alliance cuts our funding as an excuse?"
"Heh. The Dragon Training Pavilion's budget is set by alliance rules."
"Rules the Elder Council can change on a whim, right?"
"Needs the Alliance Lord's and strategist's approval."
Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul shot back.
"Aren't you from the Pang Clan, Pavilion Lord? One of the Five Great Clans."
Ha Mu-baek tilted his head quizzically.
The Elder Council's core was the Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Clans' orthodox faction.
The Alliance Lord and strategist hailed from the New Eight Schools faction.
"I don't care about that stuff. The Dragon Training Pavilion is what matters to me."
Ha Mu-baek suddenly thought Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul might value this place more than his own Pang Clan.
"With the increased budget, we can finally give the Fierce Dragon Corps proper support."
Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul nodded at Ha Mu-baek's words.
"Yep. All their gear's getting replaced with top-grade stuff. Shields included, swords too."
That was good news.
Even if Fierce Dragon Corps Squad Seven and Ha Seol-ran were using swords Ha Mu-baek had forged.
"And the big one: for the Fierce Dragon Corps only, we're scrapping the break period."
"What?!"
Ha Mu-baek shot up from his seat at that.
What kind of bolt-from-the-blue nonsense was this?
Officially eliminating the one time they could rest freely?
"Frankly, is the Fierce Dragon Corps in any position to lounge during breaks? Those were set for Hidden Dragon and Wa Dragon standards."
"..."
"These guys can't train hard enough as it is. Giving them breaks too was..."
"Because of the budget?"
"Feeding and housing a hundred cadets costs money. Add instructors on top."
Fair point.
The Dragon Training Pavilion during breaks was dead quiet.
Running on minimal staff and supplies.
Ha Mu-baek and Squad Seven ate and slept there, sure.
But the whole corps? Night and day.
"We'll extend training hours too. Shield arts more seriously, and I'll have you devise matching sword and combined techniques."
"Jegal the instructor's gonna be swamped."
Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul stared straight at Ha Mu-baek.
"What?"
"You're the one who should do it."
"What?!"
Ha Mu-baek bolted up again.
Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul kept staring.
"You've got the skills to spare, don't you?"
"Jegal the instructor could handle it too."
"He's got too much on his plate already. And crucially, he's a Hidden Dragon instructor. Fierce Dragon matters need Fierce Dragon instructors, right?"
"Urgh."
No arguing that.
Fierce Dragon cadets trained under Fierce Dragon instructors.
Perfectly logical, so nothing to say.
"Sigh. Fine, one instructor..."
As Ha Mu-baek tried wriggling out of the hassle,
"You trying to turn into a deadbeat too?"
Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul's blunt provocation.
"Damn it."
Ha Mu-baek shut his mouth.
Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul eyed him.
"Sigh. Got it. I'll do it."
Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul smiled faintly.
"Great. Starting tomorrow, then."
"Sigh. Fine. Show me the new gear when it arrives. Gotta tailor the training."
"Will do. That Squad Seven transformation was impressive."
With that, Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul rose from his chair.
The uninvited guest gone, Ha Mu-baek sat alone in the lodging.
Perched on the bed, he gazed at the ceiling.
"Sigh. Well, they're heading to the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest anyway..."
Ha Mu-baek muttered softly.
They were off to face Blood Cult scum in the end.
Demonic Cult rats slinking out too.
Ha Mu-baek had business there himself.
Had to hunt down those hiding bastards.
"Might as well drill 'em properly now. Make sure as many come back alive as possible."
Survival rate of five out of ten?
Ha Mu-baek vowed to erase that crap.
He'd come to the Dragon Training Pavilion by force.
Become an instructor by force.
A year like that.
For the first time, as Fierce Dragon instructor, Ha Mu-baek made a choice of his own.
Seemed forced on him, but he couldn't drift through the days forever.
A year was rest enough.
"Time to get serious again. Gotta become a real hardass for those Fierce Dragon punks."
A chilling smile crept across Ha Mu-baek's lips. Plans for drilling them filled his mind, layer by layer.
The good times were over.
For Ha Mu-baek.
For the Fierce Dragon cadets.
Fierce Dragon Corps Squad Seven's training ground.
Meant for five, but nine had gathered.
Squad Seven, Squad Twenty, and the Namgung siblings.
"So what's this about?"
Dang Jin-san whispered to Namgung Ji-hu.
None here could yet block sound with qi.
So they spoke softly.
Namgung Ji-hu's face darkened.
His lips moved, but no words came easily.
Namgung Ji-yu watched him intently.
Finally, impatience won out.
"It's clan business. Clan stuff, but..."
Namgung Ji-yu trailed off.
No one pressed her.
Obviously.
Namgung Clan matters.
Outsiders like them had no say.
"Father doesn't see us as his children."
Namgung Ji-hu said in a grim tone.
"Ji-hu!"
Namgung Ji-yu cried out in shock.
"You know it better than I do, sis."
"..."
Namgung Ji-yu fell silent.
The seven watched quietly.
"Just before returning to the Dragon Training Pavilion, he laid out his policy on the young clan heir."
Namgung Ji-hu spoke listlessly.
Everyone there sensed it from the mood.
Namgung Ji-hu hadn't been named young heir.
And the path ahead would be rough.
Hence his state.
"Emperor's Sword Form."
Namgung Ji-hu suddenly named the Namgung Clan's strongest technique.
"He'll reveal the first half to direct descendants and close branch sons. The one with the best mastery becomes young heir and gets the second half. Father's words."
"..."
No one spoke.
"Namgung direct line..."
"Me and sis. That's it."
Namgung Ji-hu answered before Dang Jin-san finished.
"He wants us competing with our cousins."
Namgung Ji-yu added.
Dang Jin-san's jaw dropped.
He was from the Sichuan Tang Clan too.
He'd never heard of a clan picking heirs like this.
Martial clans propped up the martial world, but differed from sects.
They were blood-bound groups.
Barring special circumstances, eldest son succession was the norm.
Some clans might differ, but as far as Dang Jin-san knew, Namgung followed eldest son rule.
The current clan lord—Namgung Ji-hu's father—was the eldest himself.
And now, with healthy sons, pitting them against rivals for young heir?
Namgung Ji-hu's lament made sense now.
"The first half of Emperor's Sword Form is something any direct descendant can learn."
Namgung Ji-yu explained.
"The second half symbolizes the clan lord. Uncles have all mastered the first half and live at the main house. Cousins never qualified before, but Father granted it by clan lord decree."
"Meaning cousins get uncle help training Emperor's Sword Form."
Namgung Ji-yu nodded at Baek Ri-pyeong.
"And Ji-hu has to train the sword form he learned just days before returning—alone at the pavilion."
Namgung Ji-yu nodded again at Yeon Ha-min.
Silence fell.
No wonder Namgung Ji-hu's face was so dark.
This was blatantly rigged.
Openly handing young heir to someone else.
"Father's been like this since we were kids. Always cold eyes on sis and me. Like we were strangers. Warmer toward cousins, even."
Resentment laced his voice.
"We busted our asses for his approval... Everyone else in the clan accepted us, but Father! 'Go to the Dragon Training Pavilion' was all."
So they'd entered as first-year Hidden Dragon cadets a year ago.
Shocking everyone.
That was the story.
"Well, complaining won't change it."
Dan Mok Un-roe spoke up.
All eyes turned to him.
"You're Namgung Ji-hu. Top young expert in the righteous faction. Master the first half of Emperor's Sword Form with pride. Swing your sword once more instead of resenting your father."
Dang Jin-san grabbed Dan Mok Un-roe's arm.
Too blunt.
"I finally found my clan's secret manual recently... Can't learn it. Read it endlessly, but no clue what it says. Twenty times sitting down, not one character makes sense."
Namgung Ji-hu, about to retort, stopped.
"At least you got proper transmission. The rest is on you."
Namgung Ji-hu gazed steadily at Dan Mok Un-roe.
They'd sparred before the Summer Combat Festival.
He remembered those eyes.
Deep in them, envy.
Longing for arts, envy of his own skills.
A guy who'd reached festival quarters with mere Three Talents Sword.
He himself stopped at round of eight.
No excuses like bad draws.
This punk did what he couldn't.
Got the manual, but couldn't learn it—frustrated.
Ridiculous.
A guy who couldn't even decipher a manual reached quarters through relentless Three Talents practice.
And here he was, fully taught but whining about no family guidance, blaming his father.
Namgung Ji-hu rose from the log.
Stepped away.
Toward the Hidden Dragon training ground.
Dan Mok Un-roe was right.
Better to swing the sword one more time than waste breath on resentment.