Chapter 111
Chapter 111
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 111
Chapter Title: Homecoming and the Elders' Council
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"Adu."
"Yes?"
"This little monk is Adu of Shaolin—say it."
"I'm not a little monk."
"Nah, you are."
"What's a little monk?"
"You don't know? Don't your head monk and the other monks go around calling themselves little monks?"
On the road back to the main house from the Sword King Tournament.
Adu stuck to them like glue, never tiring.
To be precise, everyone from Baek Yang-hui on had come to see Adu as one of their group, so he'd naturally joined the journey.
"You're a monk, but you always go on about 'I did this, what about me?' It makes you sound so childish. Just throw in 'this little monk' now and then, and you'll seem way more dignified."
Riding in the carriage, Baek Yang-hui's main focus was correcting Adu's speech patterns.
It looked like they'd be traveling together for quite a while, so he figured he'd nip the kid-like habits in the bud early.
'Acting childish is something I absolutely hate. Except for our little Hwa-hwa and Yeon-yeon, of course.'
Thinking about returning home to see the adorable little Gu Hwa-hwa and Baek Yeon-yeon, now blossoming like a flower, brought a natural smile to his face.
Right beside him, Gu-ak wore the exact same smile, lost in thoughts of his daughter and wife.
"We should be entering Jiangxi Province soon."
"Even if it's late, we can cross the river by tomorrow."
It had taken a little over a month for Baek Yang-hui's group to make it back to the clan.
The distance from Gusu to Wuju's Eonam County was considerable, and the injuries and fatigue from the Sword King Tournament were immense, leaving no room for haste.
'Plus, we had a lot of stops along the way.'
Contrary to plan, they'd caused a massive uproar at the Sword King Tournament.
It was due to the Blood Cult's sudden intervention, but that meant they had to clean up even more thoroughly.
For instance, checking what the Haomen knew and how much.
"It's a relief the Haomen doesn't know a thing."
"Yeah. We could've ended up framed for colluding with demonic cults, dragging the main house and Baek Clan into it."
To stir up chaos at the Sword King Tournament, they'd sold Jang Bo-do to the Haomen.
The Taihua branch chief had dug into Baek Yang-hui's background at the time, but apparently got killed by the Blood Cult before passing it on to other branches.
Thanks to that, no one in the world remained who knew Baek Yang-hui had started the Sword King Tournament rumors.
'Thanks. I avenged you, so rest easy.'
After arriving in Jiangxi Province by boat on the Yangtze, the journey sped up.
With the Baek and Tang clans' influence stronger here, they received various aids, like changing horses through the Heaven-Covering Escort Agency.
And so, five days after reaching Jiangxi, the group arrived at Baek Clan Manor.
"Young Master Hui!"
One chief steward and the household servants under the Finance Pavilion rushed out barefoot.
"Young Master Hui!"
"Hahaha, Chief Steward!"
Han Seok-eon hugged Baek Yang-hui like a long-lost grandson after ten years apart, lifting the six-foot youth and spinning him around.
It was astonishing that the five-foot elder had the strength to hoist him.
"I heard the rumors! You pulled off another big one—properly this time!"
"Rumors? What rumors are going around?"
"According to Baek-ri Pavilion's investigations on top of the rumors, you went into the Sword King Tournament!"
'Ah. With Brother Tang and Sister Tang treating so many injured—enough to surpass Baek—healing them inside, rumors were inevitable.'
The Tang siblings had treated a massive number of wounded inside the Sword King Tournament grounds.
No wonder the rumors spread uncontrollably.
"I've already requested the elders' council ahead of time! Let's go right in!"
"Chief Steward, let me rest a bit from the journey..."
"Out of the question!"
'Heh heh heh. I really want to rest.'
But there was no helping it.
The clan elders were naturally dying to hear about what happened at the Sword King Tournament.
"Hui. It's been far too long."
In the patriarch's chamber, used for every elders' council.
Baek Mu-ryang entered, saw Baek Yang-hui, and smiled warmly.
"Father."
After three months of seclusion, he'd left immediately for the escort mission and returned after another three, making it a full eight months since seeing Baek Mu-ryang.
Not six, because before that, Baek Mu-ryang had been in seclusion.
'Father's aura has changed quite a bit.'
For the past couple of years, Baek Mu-ryang had stepped back from miscellaneous duties to focus on honing his martial arts.
To the point where, except for elders' councils, he was almost always in secluded training.
Considering he'd once juggled busyness with daily education for his children, it was quite unexpected.
But Baek Yang-hui understood his father.
'In a martial clan, the patriarch's prowess is paramount. The pressure must be immense.'
Compared to when he first joined, the Baek Clan's power had grown over a hundredfold.
Father probably couldn't settle for merely the Peak Realm anymore.
You needed strength as patriarch to command more followers.
'Secluded training isn't easy at all. Father truly lives up to being the patriarch.'
Cutting off all life's pleasures to devote solely to martial arts.
It was akin to self-torture.
People get bored with the same food after three days—repeating training alone for years?
Anyone without ironclad resolve would go mad.
"I heard you accomplished something great. Every time you go out, you return having achieved something. Truly impressive."
"No, Father. It's all thanks to your guidance."
Baek Mu-ryang smiled softly.
"I'd like to hear the details, so shall we begin the council?"
The clan's power had grown immensely, but the attendees remained largely the same lineup.
Yeo Un-hyeok, Pavilion Master of Baek-ri Pavilion, the intel division.
Gwak Mun, Baek Clan's top loyalist and Discipline Pavilion Master.
Gu-ak, Pavilion Master of Reformation Pavilion, commanding half the Baek warriors.
Han Seok-eon, Finance Pavilion head and de facto number two, overseeing the chief stewards.
Plus Patriarch Baek Mu-ryang and eldest son Baek Yang-hui.
'Uncle Gwak Mun's come a long way from the old days—total transformation.'
Having consumed two Spirit Pills, his dantian held over fifty years of inner energy.
His skills, honed with blood and sweat morning and night, plus Baek Yang-hui's periodic advice, had him at the pinnacle of second-rate, on the cusp of first-rate.
'This is plenty for now. He's Discipline Pavilion Master, not a combat unit.'
With such thoughts, he glanced aside.
Toward the sole non-Baek attendee, Jin Geum-bo.
His face mixed tension and anxiety.
'Don't worry. I'll keep my promise.'
The elders' council soon began.
"Young Master Hui, tell us quickly. What on earth happened at the Sword King Tournament!"
"A few days before you arrived, envoys from the Frost Moon Sect came. Please speak on that too."
"The father-son duo from Taiyuan Jin Clan visited the main house. Word is they've agreed to become a vassal family—is that true?"
Man, I've stirred up a lot on this escort route.
Questions flying from all sides—it's dizzying.
"I'll explain in chronological order. Shall we start with the Frost Moon Sect?"
Han Seok-eon itched to hear about the Sword King Tournament profits first but held back.
Meanwhile, Baek Yang-hui began his account.
"It started as a quarrel, but we parted on good terms with the Frost Moon Sect."
He detailed defeating a Peak Realm expert in a spar.
Pointing out flaws in their Moon Ripple Fist Method and sharing improvements.
Then explained why he'd done so.
"I thought allying with the Frost Moon Sect could fill a chronic weakness in the main house."
The Baek Clan's issue and Achilles' heel.
Everyone present knew it well.
"Lack of elders. Shortage of experts."
"Indeed, it becomes more pronounced as the clan grows."
"The main house's essence is as a martial clan. In the end, martial prowess is what matters."
Baek Mu-ryang's face darkened slightly.
He blamed himself for the current dilemma.
Seeing this, Baek Yang-hui quickly continued.
"Thus, I believe we should accept the Frost Moon Sect as allies to the main house."
"Allies."
"Wouldn't that trouble the Tang Clan's position?"
The corner of his mouth twitched upward.
The words he'd waited for.
"Exactly. Ultimately, the goal is to absorb the Frost Moon Sect."
"Hmm..."
In essence, this was the plan.
Start as allies or friends, demonstrate the gap in prowess, make them yearn to unite.
"Is it feasible?"
"Even if shorter than ours, the Frost Moon Sect boasts over a century of history as a martial sect. Their pride won't be low."
"Leave it to me. I'm confident."
He recalled the events at the Frost Moon Sect and the emotions on their elders' faces.
Absolutely certain he could swallow them whole.
"Well, Young Master Hui always has a plan."
"Nothing he's ever guaranteed has failed to come true."
"And Soaring Sword Dragon—what a splendid moniker!"
It had been nearly three months since the enthusiasts at the Frost Moon Sect chanted "Soaring Sword Dragon."
Rumors of Baek Clan's Soaring Sword Dragon were finally spreading in Jiangxi.
"A sword dragon soaring toward the heavens!"
"Earning the 'dragon' title reserved for the finest among the younger generation—truly worth celebrating."
"This goes beyond Young Master Hui personally; it'll surely boost the main house's prestige. Just like when you earned White Pool Hidden Dragon."
"Impressive, Young Master Hui!"
"Thank you, everyone."
He flashed a grin before continuing.
"Next, the matter with Taiyuan Jin Clan. They provided great aid before entering the Sword King Tournament."
Looking at Jin Geum-bo, he pressed on.
"Without Merchant Jin, we couldn't have even entered. Risking his clan's survival to choose the main house, and his business acumen benefiting us—these two reasons led me to promise him vassal family status under the Baek Clan."
Silence fell as they pondered.
Baek Yang-hui first checked Han Seok-eon's expression.
'No need to worry.'
The finances expanded daily, overwhelming the chief stewards' office.
Head Han Seok-eon hadn't slept over two hours a day in nearly a year.
"According to Baek-ri Pavilion Master, Merchant Jin's business skills are exceptional. I request the patriarch assign him to the chief stewards' office."
Baek Mu-ryang, receiving Han Seok-eon's plea, looked gravely at Jin Geum-bo.
"Merchant Jin, one question."
"Speak, Patriarch."
"Why do you wish to become part of our house?"
After deep thought, Jin Geum-bo glanced at Baek Yang-hui and replied.
"The Jin Clan's long-cherished wish was to clearly expose the Sword King Tournament's truth—the entity that cost us everything. Young Master Hui promised and splendidly fulfilled that. Thus."
Swallowing hard, Jin Geum-bo continued.
"This Jin vows to repay the Baek Clan with horse-bone loyalty and utmost effort."
Baek Mu-ryang stared intently, then smiled faintly.
"I trust you. And welcome you. From this moment, Merchant—no, Vassal Jin Geum-bo is assigned to the chief stewards' office."
"Thank you! Thank you!"
Jin Geum-bo bowed repeatedly in gratitude.
Once composed, the council resumed.
"Finally, we can hear about the Sword King Tournament."
"Hui, tell us quickly."
"What exactly happened, Young Master Hui?!"
"......Heh heh heh heh."
Letting out a greed-laden chuckle like a worm, he rummaged and pulled something out.
"First, something to show you."
A large chest thudded onto the table.
Opening the lid released a dull golden glow.
Gold they'd collected and piled up in advance.
"Ten thousand taels of gold!"
"......!"
"Gasp......!"
"T-Ten thousand taels?"
Han Seok-eon beamed happily.
Then collapsed.
"Chief Steward Han!"
"Oh no! Channel qi into him!"
"E-Even if I die... no regrets......"
Even unconscious, Han Seok-eon's thumb and index formed a gold-ingot circle.