Chapter 528
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 528
Chapter Title: The Money is Too Little
Long, long time since they'd seen each other.
He shared tearful reunions one after another with the martial hall's family.
Today was a holiday with no trainees around, they said.
Was that why?
Without other people's eyes on them, the tears flowed even more freely, even deeper.
Yu Gwi-gwang shed tears at the sight of his family, who must have suffered while he was away.
His family wept at the sight of their patriarch, who had spent five years in that hellish place between life and death.
Their tears didn't stop until the sun went down.
Because Yu Gwi-gwang had returned, they couldn't throw a full-blown feast, but they prepared a mountain of food for a celebratory dinner anyway.
It had cost quite a bit to suddenly prepare so much food, but Yu Hyun-gwang didn't regret a single coin.
Without his brother's sacrifice, Yun Martial Hall might not even exist today.
Sure, an unexpected money problem had cropped up today, but he decided to put it out of his mind.
Celebrating his brother's safe return was far more important than any such trifle.
Thus, the long, long day finally drew to a close, and deep night fell.
The family members headed to their respective rooms.
[Hey, come see me for a bit. Usual spot.]
Yu Hyun-gwang halted in his tracks as he was walking.
His brother's voice whispered softly in his ear.
But his brother was over there, walking off with his sister-in-law.
'Sound transmission?'
A supreme technique that even first-rate experts could only imitate.
For his brother to use it on him now meant he had returned as at least a first-rate martial artist.
Great fortune.
Fortune for the family, fortune for the hall.
He'd heard even his great-grandfather had barely reached first-rate, but after his grandfather lost the manual, second-rate was the best they could manage.
Yet his brother had ascended to first-rate.
He'd luckily found another copy of the lost manual, but his brother had reached it without even that.
The moment that realization hit, another thought followed.
'Just how harsh must his life have been...'
A realm his father had yearned for and trained desperately for, yet failed to reach—in a mere five years.
A pang tightened in his chest.
After entering his room.
He waited for his wife to fall asleep.
Then he rose and headed there.
An empty corner of the now-vacant stable: a storage shed.
This had been the brothers' secret spot since childhood.
His brother was already waiting.
It was their first night together with his sister-in-law in ages—how had he arrived first?
The thought crossed his mind, but one didn't pry into a couple's private affairs.
"So it really was you using sound transmission, brother..."
Those were the first words out of his mouth.
"What, thought it was a hallucination?"
Yu Hyun-gwang nodded unconsciously.
He truly had.
Even as he slipped out after his wife slept, he'd wondered if he was doing something foolish over an auditory hallucination.
His brother smirked at the reaction.
"Well, you know my level well enough, so maybe that's natural. A lot happened."
He offered no further details.
Yu Hyun-gwang didn't press for them either.
How much must he have gone through to reach that realm?
"But why call me out on a night like this...?"
Tomorrow was another day, who knew.
But tonight.
The first night back.
How much pent-up emotion must there be?
With his sister-in-law, with Seon-ah, too.
"Your face bothered me."
A curt reply.
"My... face?"
Yu Hyun-gwang could only ask again.
"The first time I saw you... there was a heavy worry weighing on your expression."
A look he'd seen countless times in Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest.
On Poong Geon's face, squad leader of Black Unit Two in the Demon-Sealing Corps.
On the face of his own squad leader in Fierce Dragon Corps.
Sometimes, on his own face, when he'd become squad leader.
It had to be a major concern.
So Yu Gwi-gwang had to address it first.
"Th-that..."
He'd thought the joy of his brother's return had wiped it from his face, but apparently not.
His brother had seen through it.
Yu Gwi-gwang said nothing more, simply gazing steadily at his brother.
Yu Hyun-gwang couldn't withstand that look.
"The truth is..."
In the end, he had no choice but to tell him everything that had happened that day.
The owner of the money house, old man Kang, from whom they'd borrowed when Yun Martial Hall was in financial straits—he'd summoned him.
Old man Kang's son had trained at Yun Martial Hall for a time, so that's where they'd borrowed from.
When they couldn't repay and the hall's ownership transferred to old man Kang, Yu Gwi-gwang had joined Fierce Dragon Corps and sent money back, reclaiming the hall.
They'd sent fixed amounts monthly to old man Kang, finally fully regaining the hall two years ago.
But today, old man Kang had suddenly called Yu Hyun-gwang.
And shown him the IOU.
"I'm sorry to bring this up now, but... I was sorting old documents today and found this. The interest rate was wrong."
The original rate was 40%, but due to an error, they'd only charged 20%.
So, repay the remaining interest within a month, or he'd hand the debt to Black Veil House.
It couldn't be.
They'd verified it together, and when all debts ended two years ago, they'd stamped the IOU.
A year ago, they'd sorted and discarded it.
It was bizarre that old man Kang still had it.
But the document clearly bore his late father's stamp from the original loan, and his own as well.
What a farce.
The initial rate was 20%, but after default and reclaiming the hall as debt, it should have compounded at 40%—yet they'd only calculated the original 20%.
The clause was right there at the bottom of the IOU.
But Yu Hyun-gwang didn't remember it.
He should check his copy, but the debt ended two years ago.
Sorted and gone a year ago.
'I was too careless. Discarding important documents like that.'
He berated himself, but it was too late.
The newly demanded repayment: 100 gold taels.
An absurd amount.
The original principal: 50 gold taels. And the remainder was double that?
He couldn't believe it.
Yu Gwi-gwang tilted his head after hearing it all.
"That's strange."
"You think so too, brother?"
"Yeah. The money's too little."
"What?"
Yu Hyun-gwang blinked in surprise at the unexpected words.
"The hall was lost eight years ago. That's when I headed to Fierce Dragon Corps."
"Yes."
"Even just the 20% interest over eight years would exceed 190 gold taels, by money house reckoning."
"Whaaat?!?!"
Yu Hyun-gwang jumped at the unbelievable figure.
"You've already paid more than that to old man Kang over the years. Finished two years ago. Didn't nearly all the monthly stipend I sent for five years go to it?"
Yu Hyun-gwang nodded.
As a Dragon Training Pavilion cadet, his stipend was 20 silver taels monthly, but after Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest, it rose sharply.
He'd sent 10 gold taels every month—360 gold taels in three years.
Most went to the hall's debt. An enormous sum, thinking back.
For an original 50 gold taels borrowed?
The realization choked him.
10 gold taels.
An immense sum.
Four people living ordinarily spent around 20 silver taels a month.
10 silver = 1 gold, so 2 gold taels sustained four for a month.
10 gold: enough for twenty people a month. And that arrived monthly.
Yu Hyun-gwang felt suffocated.
He'd been too ignorant about money.
"At minimum, over 190 taels. If we calculate pure 40% interest from two years ago when you cleared it, it'd be far more. Yet he only demands 100? Something's off. Money house folk wouldn't forgo profit."
Suspicion filled Yu Gwi-gwang's eyes.
That's how money house people were in Fierce Dragon Corps.
They wouldn't miss even a speck of profit.
Merchants by nature, but money house dogs were the greediest money ghosts.
Thanks to them, Yu Gwi-gwang had sharpened his eye for finances.
"Tomorrow, we'll visit old man Kang together."
"Understood."
After sending his brother Hyun-gwang off, Yu Gwi-gwang patted his bosom.
The pouch Ha Mu-baek had given him before leaving Fierce Dragon Corps.
120 gold taels inside.
Used about 2 for travel here, 118 left.
But given the situation, it didn't feel like it'd resolve neatly with that.
'Something's there.'
A foul stench seemed to tickle his nose.
Yu Gwi-gwang headed back to his room, worries in tow.
"Huh? Wha-what? This is...?"
Poong Geon stared at his sword in bewilderment.
The blue aura cloaking it.
Sword force.
No matter how he looked—whether he did, or from where Gwan Ha-kyeong watched nearby.
Definitely sword force.
Sword force, yes—but why was it surging on his sword right now?
This couldn't be happening.
He knew his own level best.
He couldn't have reached such a supreme realm.
Yet following Ha Mu-baek's instructions exactly, sword force had sprouted forth.
Did this make any sense?
"Whoa! Squad leader! Congratulations!"
Even mid-guidance spar, Gwan Ha-kyeong shouted loudly.
"N-no, this... really mine?"
Poong Geon was still dazed.
"You'll die like that."
At that moment, Ha Mu-baek's cold voice rang out as his sword flew in with sharp momentum.
"Eek."
Clang!
Instinctively swung, his sword blocked Ha Mu-baek's.
Ha Mu-baek's sword didn't stop.
It meticulously probed Poong Geon's weaknesses; he blocked more on instinct than reason.
Ha Mu-baek targeted vitals but struck a breath slower, allowing blocks.
"Hah. Haha..."
Watching from the side, Jong Gwang-yeo let out a hollow laugh.
Earth Shatter Sanhwa Sword Method, Sanhwa Hall's signature.
The Fierce Dragon Corps deputy leader knew its flaws better than he, the hall lord.
Relentlessly hitting lethal spots.
Yet just barely blockable.
Clearly intentional—what realm allowed such control?
'Fortuitous encounter.'
Jong Gwang-yeo had come to witness Sanhwa Martial Hall—the first branch's—beginnings, and saw a new world.
The sword force Poong Geon unwittingly manifested stabilized amid Ha Mu-baek's persistent, lethal assault.
About then?
Ha Mu-baek's sword halted.
"That's enough."
"Th-thank you. Sword force from me? How in the world..."
Poong Geon spoke dazedly.
"Your vessel was already full. Just needed a nudge to overflow. That's all I did."
"Th-thank you."
He bowed once more.
"Haha, truly grateful, Deputy Leader. This fool enters peak realm. You did what even his master couldn't."
Spar over, Jong Gwang-yeo approached, cupped hands, and expressed thanks.
"As I told Hall Lord Poong earlier. Under Pavilion Lord Jong's guidance, he'd have reached it soon enough."
Ha Mu-baek's modesty deepened Jong Gwang-yeo's smile.
"M-Master."
Then Poong Geon cut in.