The Meeting at Ningbo
The wound on his arm, once soaked through with blood, was already knitting itself shut.
"A monster. That's what I am now…"
Gwak Yeon murmured the words without feeling, his gaze drifting back out the carriage window.
It was nothing more than simple detoxification and recovery. Whether he had truly reached the level of Invulnerability to All Poisons was still unclear, but every trial so far had proven one thing: his body shrugged off ordinary toxins as if they were nothing.
He let out a dry snort of laughter and lifted the scabbard at his waist, turning it over in his hands.
No color. No distinctive shape. Not a single ornament. Everything about it was relentlessly ordinary—except for the weight. That, at least, was solid and substantial.
Cultivate it well. Personally, I'd like to see it become a Manhyeong-geom—a Transforming Sword—that suits your martial arts… but that part is up to you.
The blade he drew was the same. A dull-hued iron sword without a single distinguishing feature. It looked sturdy enough, at least…
It may look plain, but I forged it the way a lotus grows—layer upon layer of different shells. If you prove yourself worthy, it will show you a form that satisfies.
Remembering Ha Mu-won's words, Gwak Yeon took hold of the hilt and quietly pushed his internal energy into the steel.
Was it his imagination? Something stirred faintly deep inside the blade—but the outward shape did not change in any meaningful way.
If I may be so bold, to see this sword's true face in full in any short span of time, you would need more internal energy than your father himself.
"Hm."
He had wondered whether the man was serious, but Gwak Yeon still remembered the proud, craftsman-bright smile Ha Mu-won had worn that day. A quiet curiosity stirred in him—what hidden faces could this unremarkable sword possibly be concealing? And perhaps that curiosity itself would serve as a decent enough motive to grow stronger than he had ever been in his previous life.
And the truth was…
"…Well. For now, sturdy is enough."
Ha Mu-won hadn't taken any money, after all. Instead, he had asked that the price of the weapon be settled with a full account of how Gwak Yeon fared against Baek Jung-hyeok while the sword was still unawakened.
Of course, that was no loss for Gwak Yeon.
"Baek Jung-hyeok? To deal with a bastard like that, it's not as if I need some legendary treasure."
From the perspective of a man who had already walked through the slaughterhouse of his past life, the boy was hardly a threat worth fretting over.
What mattered more was this: from the moment of his rebirth until now, with the duel against Baek Jung-hyeok standing right before him, Gwak Yeon had held to a single goal.
The eradication of great evil.
In that light, defeating Baek Jung-hyeok was simply a necessary step—one that would let him pry information on the dark forces of the martial world from Family Head Gwak Seo-ryong. It was no different, at its core, from the process of beating answers out of Hangzhou's underworld gangs.
Until his strength surpassed what he had possessed in his previous life, he would keep his true nature hidden beneath the roof of a great martial family, and gather intelligence on the great evils of the jianghu as efficiently as he could.
That was what Gwak Yeon was aiming for.
Of course… I'll need to be careful in the duel itself.
The fight with Baek Jung-hyeok did not frighten him. But if anything suspicious showed itself, he would also have to watch for the attention of greater evils that victory might draw.
He smiled faintly.
This sword, already growing familiar in his hand. This vampire's power of detoxification. Even the "information" that Heoksijo had spoken of—the spiritual bird he had caught not long ago and then released again.
This much was enough.
That spiritual beast…
A smile touched Gwak Yeon's lips as he recalled the conversation he had shared with Heoksijo that day—and in that same moment, the tang of salt brushed his nose.
He cast his gaze far beyond the window and sharpened his eyesight. White waves shattered against the shore in the distance.
Rattle, rattle—!
They had arrived.
"You've endured the journey well, Young Master."
They had reached Zhejiang's greatest port city—the last place where the Jusan Baek Family, the Cheonhae Merchant Group, and the Seoho Gwak Family could speak before the duel.
Ningbo.
Regarded as Zhejiang's foremost harbor, the city had grown immensely wealthy through trade. It sat at the confluence of the Yong River and the Yuyao River, a city where sea routes ran eastward to connect with foreign powers beyond the borders.
The roots of the Cheonhae Merchant Group were planted right here.
"We've come from the Seoho Gwak Family."
"Ah! Please, come in. We've been expecting you."
Their wealth was immediately obvious in the fact that they maintained an entire separate manor of halls devoted solely to receiving guests.
"This way."
Following their guide through the manor's halls, Gwak Yeon found extravagance at every turn. Around an artificial pond stood sculptures of silver and gold, and the soaring pavilions bore murals of a different color on every wall.
A merchant group I never even heard of in my past life… Impressive.
There had to be a reason the Cheonhae Merchant Group had chosen this place for the final talks before the two families' clash. Not merely to advertise the fairness of the duel—but to display under whose patronage the match was being held.
"From this moment on, it begins, Young Master."
"Enough. They'll handle themselves well enough. Yeon, you focus only on the duel. Don't waste your energy on anything else."
"…Yes."
Whether it was Wi Jong-geuk, leader of Biryongdang, glancing around with concern for Gwak Yeon, or Family Head Gwak Seo-ryong speaking as if nothing were amiss—both men walked with a straighter bearing than ever before.
The fact that they no longer bothered to restrain their presence was itself proof that the struggle for the upper hand had already begun.
Knock, knock.
That it was not limited to their side became clear the moment the guide rapped on the ornate door.
When no answer came, the merchant group's attendant knocked again—and in that instant, voices drifted through from the other side.
"What sort of caravan would we be escorting?"
"One carrying sample goods from a large order placed by the Hubei Pang Family."
"The Hubei Pang Family? Hahaha! Fellow candidates for the Seven Great Families—perfect for us to handle! Isn't that right, Jung-hyeok?"
"With such enormous profit at stake, we ought to be careful."
"We'll stake the name of the Jusan Baek Family on it, so set your mind at ease! Still, I'm curious when we should send the escort force."
"Well, the sooner we depart, the better for us."
"Hahaha! Right after the duel ends would be ideal!"
Baek Ryang-san, carrying on as if they had already won—and Yeo Geum-hwi, carefully avoiding any direct correction while dodging every essential point. A pair of slippery old foxes.
Gwak Seo-ryong wore exactly that kind of expression as he glanced at Wi Jong-geuk with a thin smile.
Wi Jong-geuk nodded—and kicked the door clean off its hinges.
CRASH!
…What?
Gwak Yeon turned his head, mildly startled. But among the faces visible beyond the shattered fragments, almost no one looked surprised.
"Hah! If it isn't the Gwak Family!"
"Master Gwak?"
A white-haired martial artist chuckled under his breath, while the massive man beside him scowled and spoke.
"Did you just… smash the door of our headquarters?"
"Ah. So it was a door."
Gwak Seo-ryong strode toward them without the slightest hesitation and opened his mouth.
"I knocked at the appointed time and got no response, so I assumed it was a wall."
The massive man burst out laughing at that. Gwak Seo-ryong offered him a greeting.
"Wouldn't you agree, Guild Leader Yeo?"
"That does make a certain sense. Haha. Have you been well?"
"Well enough, thanks to you."
"Please, sit here."
The massive man indicating the cushioned chair to his left was Yeo Geum-hwi—the man of golden power who led Zhejiang, master of the Cheonhae Merchant Group.
"Hahahaha! Looking right past me like that—your eyes must already be shot, Gwak!"
Seated opposite him and greeting Gwak Seo-ryong in a booming voice was Baek Ryang-san: father of Baek Jung-hyeok, whom Gwak Yeon would soon face, and Family Head of the Jusan Baek Family.
Yeo Geum-hwi. Gwak Seo-ryong. Baek Ryang-san.
The three of them carried the peculiar air of old friends reunited after a long absence, yet they had gathered for a single purpose: under the notarization of Yeo Geum-hwi, who was sponsoring the event, they would make one final confirmation of the terms agreed upon before the duel.
"It won't be long before the Seoho Gwak Family's plaque comes down!"
"We raised it even higher this time—didn't you hear? Though I suppose that throat of yours has already blown out your own eardrums."
"Hahahaha!"
In truth, Yeo Geum-hwi had deliberately arranged this gathering so he could take in even the friction between rival families before the fight. Of course, what he truly wanted to observe was not the clash between the family heads. For long-term profit, one had to study the presence and temperament of those who would lead their families into the future.
"Speaking of which… aren't you Wi Jong-geuk?!"
"I trust you've been in good health."
"I've heard the rumors. Since I last saw you, you've been climbing steadily up the Gangho Seoyeollok, haven't you?"
"My thanks for the congratulations."
"…Congratulations?"
Baek Ryang-san stroked his thick beard and raked his eyes over Wi Jong-geuk, who stood behind Gwak Seo-ryong.
"I don't acknowledge you. What is there to congratulate?"
A razor-edged silence filled the broad chamber. In the sharp killing intent that had suddenly spread through the room, every gaze fixed on Wi Jong-geuk.
"Loaded yourself up like a nervous little mutt. Pathetic. Did the Gwak Family here claim they were marching off to war?"
"Ah. You mean this?"
Wi Jong-geuk unslung the great saber from his back and answered the man who had jerked his chin toward both the blade at Wi's waist and the massive dao across his shoulders.
"I heard a rumor that some cowardly bastard planned to poison the duel platform in advance. I brought it along so that if anything of the sort happened, I could kill every last person involved."
"Kill them, you say?"
"Yes."
"Heh."
Baek Ryang-san's cheek twitched. For a moment it seemed rage would erupt at the sheer gall of saying such a thing in this place—but then the hearty laugh of a man who had always favored the bold and free-spirited nearly broke free.
"Ha—"
"You insane bastard—who the hell do you think you're standing in front of?!"
It happened in an instant.
Baek Jung-hyeok, who had been lounging behind Baek Ryang-san, flung out a curse and his hand blurred—and something shot from his robes with vicious speed.
It was also over in a flash.
Beneath the great blade that swept left and right in front of Wi Jong-geuk's body, a single iron dart clattered to the floor, trailing sparks.
"…What do you think you're doing?!"
"This son of a bitch—drawing a blade in front of my father?!"
"Young Master Baek is being rash. I am not one of your subordinates."
"What?!"
The staring contest that followed flooded the reception hall with seething fighting spirit, yet no one moved to stop them.
Yeo Geum-hwi sat with both hands resting on his belly, inwardly applauding as he watched the spectacle unfold.
Yes. This was the kind of collision he had wanted to see.
The young one has fine spirit.
That was his assessment of Baek Jung-hyeok. A martial family needed that kind of flavor. The rough edge of someone who might not enter a fence easily, but would run wild without regard for time or place for the sake of those close to him.
But… far too green.
Not because he had vented his emotions in a place like this. That, at least, could be managed if the reins were held properly. What undermined confidence was how easily he had exposed both the weapon he carried and the methods he used.
He's got a long way to go before he catches up to his father.
Baek Ryang-san, Family Head of the Jusan Baek Family, might look explosive—but beneath it lay a thorough grasp of every situation. Look at him now: the laugh he had let out so casually was already gone, and he sat calmly picking at his ear, watching to see how his son would handle things.
It was shamelessness of the purest sort—the attitude of a man saying, Your fight is yours to settle. Go carve out your own rice bowl.
Of course, he did not seem to be the only one of that mind.
Gwak Seo-ryong.
Even the Family Head of the Seoho Gwak Family simply stood with his arms folded, turning his head slightly—and the one he was watching was not Wi Jong-geuk.
"You little shit! Want me to show you right here who the subordinate is?!"
Unlike Baek Jung-hyeok, who had thrust himself forward in front of the great elders, the second son of the Seoho Gwak Family simply stood where he was.
…Gwak Yeon.
Among the rumors Yeo Geum-hwi had collected, there had been some concerning that one as well. But rumor was only the foam wrapped around information. He wanted to see the substance beneath the foam for himself.
Are you being cautious—or are you afraid?
This gathering existed because of the duel between those two. A son of a martial family ought to step forward, whether he liked it or not.
"I don't know about the rest, but it seems pretty clear whose name sits lower."
"What?"
"Embarrassing. To bicker with someone who hasn't even made the top three hundred in the jianghu."
"You little—!"
"Watch your mouth. That's my second warning."
"Arrogant bastard! Fine—let's just settle it. Father! Forget him—I'll take this one instead and put my name on the Gangho Seoyeollok!"
That was when it happened.
"Both of you, stop."
A cool, settled voice spread through the reception hall.
It was Gwak Yeon.
Baek Jung-hyeok snapped his head around and opened his mouth with a look reserved for insects.
"…Both?"
A prickling killing intent flooded the chamber in an instant.
The one called Zhejiang's foremost Rising Star fixed Gwak Yeon with a murderous presence sharp enough to make the hairs on a man's head stand on end—a gaze of contempt that demanded he recognize the gulf between them.
Gwak Yeon took it without the slightest reaction and slowly nodded.
So he does step forward.
A gleam of interest lit Yeo Geum-hwi's eyes. So the boy at least had a mouth willing to claim its own rice bowl. The second son's presence, long overshadowed by the first and third, was rather impressive after all.
"Does 'both' include me as well?"
"You reckless little brat."
"……What?"
The moment Baek Jung-hyeok had turned his hostility on Wi Jong-geuk—a man of the Gwak Family—Gwak Yeon had begun his provocation.
Not merely impressive.
Yeo Geum-hwi was revising his information on the Seoho Gwak Family's second son in real time.
Of course, he could not possibly have guessed.
"You, right now—"
"No. Not a brat so much as… someone who can't even tell who he's supposed to fight or where—"
For the sake of gathering intelligence on the dark forces.
Whether it was Wi Jong-geuk or anyone else—this fight was one Gwak Yeon absolutely could not yield to another. That urgent determination was something Yeo Geum-hwi had no way of knowing.
"—aren't you just a pup that can't even tell shit from piss?"