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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Cheongsung Sect (1)
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The transfer of assets didn't take long.
They had paid their taxes properly, and there were also assurances from Jang Ung and Ga Won-seong.
Thanks to that, the officials of Sacheon were quite cooperative.
"There's quite a lot here."
-What are you looking at?
'The ledgers of the King Yama Loan House.'
Loans borrowed from King Yama himself.
There were plenty whose interest had ballooned to dozens of times the principal.
"Those without means have no choice. What shall we do?"
At Ji Gong's question, Dang Yu-wol smirked.
'One of the reasons the Blood Cult was able to invade Sacheon so easily in the past was this.'
-You're saying they decided on revenge because of the Crimson Merchant Group's King Yama Loan House?
'Exactly. The harsh usury drove Sacheon's common folk to rise up.'
-And with their guidance and aid, the Blood Cult swiftly seized control of Sacheon.
In other words, leaving this King Yama Loan House intact would only benefit the Blood Cult.
'No need to let it stand.'
"Tell everyone: they don't have to repay these debts."
"Really?"
"Yes. And we received help from Magistrate Jang Ung and the Sacheon officials in this matter."
"That's true, my lord."
"Include their names when you announce it."
Ji Gong carried out the order without a word.
The very next day after all of the Crimson Merchant Group's assets were transferred to the Tang Clan, word spread that the Tang Clan—which had absorbed the Crimson Merchant Group—would forgive all debts from their King Yama Loan House.
"Yaaah!!"
"Never thought I'd live to see the day!!"
"Tang Clan! You're the best!!"
"Magistrate Jang Ung! Stay as Seongdo County's magistrate forever!!"
"Long live the Sacheon Governor!!"
"Long live is only for His Imperial Majesty."
"Oh? Then ninety-nine thousand nine hundred ninety-nine cheers!!"
Sacheon's many citizens praised the Tang Clan, Seongdo County's magistrate Jang Ung, and the Sacheon officials.
And that was enough to stir the remaining two factions of the Sacheon Merchant Alliance.
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"Yangji Merchant House this time?"
A man in luxurious Daoist robes atop a horse spoke up.
The Daoist following him grinned.
"Yes, Senior Brother Ju."
"We should get more assignments like this."
Daoists were human too.
They needed something in their mouths to move.
Thus, these 'assignments' were a fine source of income for martial Daoists.
"Who would've thought Yangji Merchant House would pay two hundred taels in gold for this."
"It just shows how threatening the Tang Clan is."
"Even so, isn't it a place that's already done for?"
"Heh. If Senior Brother Ju, the disciple right before the sect leader, goes in person, even the Tang Clan won't put up much resistance."
"Obviously."
"Besides, you're the Top Sword of Cheongsung Sect."
Top Sword of Cheongsung Sect.
The title given to the strongest swordsman among Cheongsung Sect's disciples.
"Haha! That's right! For me, Ju Seong-chae, the current Top Sword of Cheongsung and direct disciple of the sect leader, this is a walk in the park!"
"Exactly, Senior Brother!"
"Still, two hundred taels in gold for something like this. Yangji Merchant House's head must be swimming in money."
"Considering how he amasses it, it's no surprise."
"Oh?"
"Yes. They hold all the shops the Tang Clan used to own."
Monopoly over the shops.
Meaning they could set prices however they pleased.
"Right. I hear he's pulled other shops under him too?"
"Yes. He expanded rapidly on the foundation of the Tang Clan's former holdings."
"Tch. What a ruthless bastard. To think we have to be his blade."
"Don't think of it too bitterly."
It might chafe for lofty Daoists.
But what could be done?
This was one of Cheongsung Sect's key sources of income.
"They're just tools we're using to make Cheongsung the hegemon of Sacheon anyway."
"True. The donations from Yangji Merchant House aren't small."
Yangji Merchant House provided the money.
Cheongsung Sect provided the martial prowess.
A clean transaction between them.
"Seongdo County is just ahead. They said they'd come out to greet us... Ah, that must be them."
In the distance, Yangji Merchant House's banners fluttered.
And beneath them stood quite a crowd.
"Welcome!! Daoists!!"
"Hahaha! It's been a while, Head Merchant Yang!!"
The head of Yangji Merchant House.
Gu Won-il's smile held none of the contempt from earlier.
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The welcome banquet was lavish enough.
Enough that one could tell Cheongsung Sect's Daoists were always satisfied whenever dispatched to Yangji Merchant House.
"Was the food to your liking?"
"Delicious."
"I put in some extra effort to host you Daoists this time."
"Amitabha..."
"I even hired a chef who once served the imperial palace."
"Oh dear. I hope we haven't been too much of a burden, Head Merchant Gu."
Honestly, it had been a bit excessive.
The cost of what they ate and drank exceeded ten taels in gold.
But such things didn't matter.
"By the way, has something big happened at Yangji Merchant House?"
"Oh, no. Nothing for you Daoists to worry about."
"How can you say that after accepting such generous donations?"
"Haven't Cheongsung Sect and Yangji Merchant House been old friends for so long?"
The place Yangji Merchant House had betrayed the Tang Clan to ally with was Cheongsung Sect.
It had been quite some time, considering.
At the two Cheongsung Sect Daoists' words, Gu Won-il cautiously opened his mouth.
"If you put it that way... Yes. Recently, something troubling happened in Seongdo."
"Troubling... Because of the Tang Clan?"
It was a situation they all knew anyway.
Seeing no need to hide it further, Gu Won-il nodded.
"Lately, a mad dog has been rampaging in the Tang Clan."
"Mad dog..."
"They mean Dang Yu-wol, the Tang Clan's young clan head."
"Yes. Because of that bastard, my dear friends—the head of Gihwan Escort Agency and the head of Crimson Merchant Group—have passed away."
"Heavens..."
"Amitabha... Truly tragic."
Once the perfunctory condolences ended, Gu Won-il bowed his head deeply.
"I want to avenge them."
"How could the Tang Clan commit such heinous acts..."
"Could the Daoists please help me?"
This was the purpose behind all those hefty donations to Cheongsung Sect.
At Gu Won-il's plea, the Top Sword of Cheongsung Sect—Ju Seong-chae—nodded confidently.
"Of course. How could we, as upright faction members, ignore a matter of justice?"
"Then...?!"
"We'll head to the Tang Clan tomorrow."
For Gu Won-il, head of one corner of the Sacheon Merchant Alliance's Yangji Merchant House, it was quite welcome news.
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"Aren't you pushing yourself too hard?"
Ji Gong looked at Dang Yu-wol with concern.
To fully absorb the Crimson Merchant Group into the Tang Clan, there was much to do.
And Dang Yu-wol was handling it all alone.
"I'm fine."
"But... you've been pulling all-nighters for days now."
"This is nothing."
-Well, compared to your days in the Blood Cult, this is practically paradise.
'True. Compared to being exploited by them.'
He'd had to juggle dozens of tasks at once back then, with no room for error.
And seek revenge amid it all.
Dang Yu-wol had handled it adeptly.
This was nothing to him.
"More importantly, what's the latest on Yukwol Hall and Yangji Merchant House?"
"According to Pavilion Master Sanggwan Ryu, Yukwol Hall shows no movement... but Yangji Merchant House sent someone to Cheongsung Sect."
"I see."
"They sent quite a sum of gold, so... the Top Sword of Cheongsung might come."
"You know him?"
"We clashed about a decade ago."
"How'd it go?"
"...I lost. But now, I'm not sure. I was at peak realm then too."
"If he comes, can you fight him?"
"If you order me to stake my life, I will."
"No need."
There were better uses for someone as versatile as Ji Gong.
Dang Yu-wol replied indifferently and focused on his documents.
"Young Clan Head!! Big trouble!!"
"What?"
"Ch-Cheongsung Sect Daoists have come outside!!"
A Tang Clan servant burst in, breathless.
Fear filled his face.
"They're smashing our disciples to pieces right now!"
"Oh? Got it."
"What will you do?"
"Can we just let them wreck our house?"
"Top Sword Ju Seong-chae has mastered the Great Arhat Invincible Divine Art. It greatly boosts poison resistance..."
Even Ji Gong acknowledged Dang Yu-wol's poisons.
But what of foes immune to them?
'That's the case, huh? Thoughts?'
-Hm. Great Arhat Invincible Divine Art. Needs caution.
'Can't poison him with your poisons?'
-Not impossible. But it'll take multiple attempts.
'Got it. Then we'll catch him another way.'
-You have a plan?
'I've got a few tricks up my sleeve too.'
Dang Yu-wol stood and headed outside.
It was just as the servant had said.
"Ugh..."
"Kuh...!!"
The Tang Clan warriors and disciples guarding the main gate lay rolling on the ground.
And standing before them were just two Daoists.
One hadn't even drawn his sword.
"Amitabha. And you are...?"
"Dang Yu-wol, acting clan head of Sacheon Tang Clan."
"Younger than expected."
"So? What's with the rampage in someone else's home?"
"We've come to uphold the ways of the jianghu."
"The ways of the jianghu. Quite upright when the Tang Clan was the one suffering, I suppose?"
At Dang Yu-wol's sneer, the sword-wielding Daoist—Ju Seong-chae—closed his eyes briefly.
Words he didn't want to hear.
"The Tang Clan was part of the upright faction too."
Ju Seong-chae's expression hardened.
"Whenever problems arose in the murim, the Tang Clan lent their aid without hesitation."
"Amitabha..."
"But when the Tang Clan fell on hard times, what did your precious upright faction do?"
They had nothing to say to that.
But the murim was harsh by nature.
No loyalty for those who couldn't survive.
"Fine. Whatever. You trashed the place here to take my head, right?"
"We don't seek that much."
"Then?"
"Merely to cripple your dantian and restore what the Tang Clan took from the Sacheon Merchant Alliance."
Killing him outright would have been kinder.
Dang Yu-wol bared his teeth at the pathetic words.
"Try it."
His hand gripping the dagger rose slowly.
Seeing it, Ju Seong-chae smirked inwardly.
'Daring to draw a blade before a sword sect master?'
Cheongsung Sect was a Daoist sect, but renowned as a sword faction too.
Before himself, at the super peak realm, a mere poison user draws a sword?
"The jianghu's sword is merciless. Blame not us."
A light step forward.
Yet his body moved like flickering shadow, swift.
"Azure Cloud Crimson霞 Sword! Third Form! Moon-Gazing Sword!!"
Like blue clouds and red sunset spreading, black-red sword qi bloomed from his blade.
In an instant, it arced in a crescent, scattering moon-shaped sword qi.
Dang Yu-wol calmly raised his sword qi to block it.
"Azure Cloud Crimson霞 Sword! Seventh Form!! Weaving霞 Submerged Silk!!"
The sword qi thinned endlessly, sharpening.
Dozens shot out, weaving a net like silk threads.
Ju Seong-chae swung it fiercely at Dang Yu-wol.
'Impressive sword qi, but he can't block true sword arts.'
This ends it.
So thinking, Ju Seong-chae gaped at the feat before him.
Slowly.
His dagger moved.
The moment the green sword qi-clad dagger touched the net.
"Wh... what..."
A powerless spiderweb can't resist even a child's swung branch.
Likewise, the sword net scattered futilely.
Unbelievable.
Impossible.
Ji Gong, watching tensely, ready to intervene.
-...What did you just do?
Even Ye-ui, dwelling in Dang Yu-wol.
No one present could help but be stunned by Dang Yu-wol's display.