Chapter 156 - The Black Flame Dragon Quelling the Chaos

"I-It's finally over."

Jin Taesan's voice was thoroughly laced with deep emotion.

Wang Geumsan also had dark circles under his eyes extending down to his chin, but his expression looked as if he had gained the whole world.

"I suppose I can call you the Merchant Group Leader of a proper merchant group now."

"And shouldn't you, Lord of Wangga Manor, now be called the master of one of the top two merchant groups rather than the top four?"

"Ah! Is that so? Merchant Group Leader Jin?"

"Of course, Lord Wang."

"Mwahahahaha."

"Hahahaha!"

It had been a time of hardship.

To transform the Cangqiong Merchant Group he had suddenly taken over into the Daecheon Merchant Group, there were more days Jin Taesan could not sleep than days he could.

Wang Geumsan had to reduce his sleep to manage the world's branches, which had doubled due to the newly pioneered trade with the Western Regions.

On top of that, Wang Soso had come up with a plan to expand their commercial sphere in Jiangxi Province through a joint venture between the Daecheon Merchant Group and the merchant groups of Wangga Manor.

The starting point for that was the iron ore mine owned by the Taiyi Sect.

The iron ore mine owned by the Taiyi Sect had the largest iron reserves in Anhui Province, and through it, Wangga Manor expanded its dominance over the commercial sphere by controlling the price of iron in Anhui Province and the Jiangxi region.

"From today onward, I plan to do nothing but sleep for a week straight."

"Is that the case for you too, Merchant Group Leader Jin? I plan not to leave my house for the next fifteen days."

Sharing drinks, Jin Taesan brought his hands together and respectfully formed a fist salute.

"Anyway, it is all thanks to the Lord of Wangga Manor that the Daecheon Merchant Group could establish itself so quickly."

"What are you saying? If the Taiyi Sect hadn't supplied the iron, we wouldn't have been able to expand our influence this greatly in the first place."

Wang Geumsan spoke with modesty, but Jin Taesan knew he had been incredibly considerate toward the Taiyi Sect.

What could the world-renowned Wang Geumsan possibly lack that he would leave Wangga Manor to come work at the Daecheon Merchant Group in Hefei?

"I truly thank you once again."

"Haha, I appreciate you saying that. Regardless, I also feel much more at ease thinking I've repaid my debt."

It had already been two years, but Wang Geumsan still praised Jin Sowoon endlessly whenever he drank.

'... That damn brat.'

However, even at words praising his own son, Jin Taesan naturally ground his teeth.

It was a good thing, but regardless, the cause of all this overwork was Jin Sowoon.

"Then shouldn't the Daecheon Merchant Group slowly expand its influence now?"

Just as he said, the securely established Daecheon Merchant Group desperately needed to expand its forces due to the incoming rush of work.

However, from Jin Taesan's perspective, lacking both manpower and time, he had no desire to push himself and whittle away his body once again.

"Since my sect is still in closed doors, I plan to take the expansion a little slowly."

Wang Geumsan clicked his tongue.

"Tsk tsk, business is all about riding the momentum. With such laziness, when do you plan to grow the Daecheon Merchant Group into the number one merchant group in Anhui Province?"

"..."

Jin Taesan looked at Wang Geumsan with a straight face, but Wang Geumsan didn't stop.

"Didn't the Gyeryong Merchant Group eventually collapse? You should be thinking of quickly taking their place. Merchants these days lack spirit, I tell you, spirit. Back in my day..."

"... Wang Soso wanted to open a trade route with the Murim Alliance, so why did you stop her?"

"... Hmm?"

"Didn't Soso covet it because of the volume and stability of the goods traveling nationwide through the Murim Alliance? Why did you stop that?"

Wang Geumsan let out a cough.

"It's because it becomes difficult for a great merchant like me to place my roots in either the white or the black side."

"That's why I said our Daecheon Merchant Group would help you, didn't I? Furthermore, if the children of the Taiyi Sect go to the Alliance..."

"Ahem! It is fine. I cannot be indebted to the Taiyi Sect any further!"

Wang Geumsan was firm.

But Jin Taesan also did not back down.

"Our Taiyi Sect will not consider that a debt!! What you have already bestowed upon us is incredibly immense!"

"No, I said I cannot be in debt!! Being indebted to a benefactor goes against my beliefs!"

While they were huffing and puffing at each other to give the other more work, a servant entered.

"Merchant Group Leader."

At the servant's call, both men answered simultaneously.

"What is it?"

"Why, what is the matter?"

"..."

Sensing the fierce atmosphere, the servant read the room before looking at Jin Taesan and speaking.

"A guest has arrived."

"A guest?"

"Yes. He asked me to convey that he came on behalf of Young Master Jin Sowoon."

The two men replied at the same time once again.

"That brat Sowoon?"

"He came looking for our Jin Sowoon?"

"..."

When Wang Geumsan let out a fake cough, Jin Taesan instructed the servant to bring the guest inside.

"Ahem, then Merchant Group Leader Jin, I will take my leave now..."

"Aren't you curious? Let's meet him together."

"Even so, I am an outsider..."

"I have things to say as well, so stay!"

"Ahem... Understood."

A short while later, an elderly man stepped inside.

"Are you Merchant Group Leader Jin Taesan?"

Surprisingly, the old man recognized Jin Taesan as soon as he saw him.

"I am. But how did you know?"

"You look exactly like the lad Sowoon, so I couldn't help but know."

The old man let out a hearty laugh before apologizing.

"Ah, my apologies. On our first meeting, no less. It's just that we were quite close."

Jin Taesan nodded and guided him to a seat, and as soon as the old man sat down, he pulled a banknote out from his robes.

"... What is this?"

"This is the money I promised Sowoon."

"Money?"

"Eh?"

As Jin Taesan hastily unfolded the banknote, the amount written inside was sixty taels of gold.

"Since the village has just started to revive, the profits are only that much so far."

"...?"

"...?"

Catching the strange atmosphere, the old man continued speaking.

"Could it be, he didn't tell you?"

"What story are you talking about?"

"I told him we would distribute dividends from the profits of our Heukryong County."

"Heukryong County?"

"If it's Heukryong County..."

Jin Taesan and Wang Geumsan met each other's eyes simultaneously.

Recently, the Ssangmak Stronghold that had been committing atrocities near Mount Cheonmok disappeared, and the Ssangryong Stronghold was established in its place.

Because the Ssangryong Stronghold only collected a reasonable toll and even provided escorts while passing near Mount Cheonmok, the merchant processions that had been detouring around Mount Cheonmok began returning one by one.

Thanks to that, rumors circulated that the nearby villages had also been affected by the merchant boom and a new commercial sphere had emerged.

One of those villages was Heukryong County.

"I certainly did hear that news..."

Jin Taesan had also considered the vicinity of Mount Cheonmok to advance into a new commercial sphere, but he had been feeling burdened because the large stronghold called Ssangryong Stronghold was right next door.

However, upon suddenly hearing the strange claim that they were distributing profits from that place, it was only natural that neither Jin Taesan nor Wang Geumsan could wrap their heads around it.

"Perhaps... did Sowoon not mention it?"

"..."

"Sowoon clearly promised that he would return the profits from each village, including Heukryong County, as well as Geumpyo County, Eunho County, and Dongryong County, to the Taiyi Sect."

"..."

"Ah, the reason we named the villages after those children was also for that reason."

Jin Taesan and Wang Geumsan's mouths dropped wide open.

They had brushed it off, thinking it must surely be a coincidence, to think it was actually related to the Taiyi Sect.

"What on earth happened?"

The old man detailed everything Jin Sowoon had done during the standard exam, and after hearing the whole story, Jin Taesan ground his teeth.

"This damn brat..."

Putting aside the fact that he dragged his junior disciples into such a dangerous endeavor, if something so important had happened, why hadn't he spoken up sooner?

"Haha, it seems Sowoon did not take our talk of distributing dividends very seriously."

"... I apologize. I raised my child poorly."

As Jin Taesan bowed his head, the old man jumped in surprise and waved his hands.

"Please do not say such things. If it weren't for Sowoon, not just our family, but our village would not have been able to live like we are now."

"..."

Jin Taesan could not lift his head in embarrassment at the old man's glowing praise, but Wang Geumsan nodded with a proud expression as if it were his own achievement.

"Then, Elder, did you travel all this way just to keep that promise?"

At Wang Geumsan's words, the old man waved his hand.

"Oh my, calling a country bumpkin an elder. Please just call me Old Man Heo. I came to keep my promise and also to give my greetings. The Taiyi Sect was in closed doors so I couldn't enter, and came here instead."

"Haha. You also possess a very excellent character, Old Man Heo. Do you happen to like drinking? Would you like a glass?"

Thus, a drinking session began among the three men, now including Village Chief Heo.

"And since you mentioned running a merchant group, do you perhaps have any intention of opening a branch in our village?"

"A branch?"

"Yes. As the volume of goods has increased and many people come and go, there are those looking to buy land and buildings in the village and move in. But since the Taiyi Sect has a merchant group anyway, wouldn't it be better if you came in?"

Just as Jin Taesan was about to decline, suddenly feeling like his workload was about to multiply.

Wang Geumsan eagerly lunged at the opportunity.

"Oh! That is a very good idea. The Daecheon Merchant Group here was just looking for a place to invest, actually."

"... No, Lord of Wangga Manor, what are you..."

Before Jin Taesan could even refuse, Old Man Heo quickly interjected.

"Oh! Is that so? We happened to have left the best spot in our village empty."

"You can expand your commercial sphere starting from there. Hahahaha."

"Since the Taiyi Sect is coming directly, our village people will be very relieved as well."

Things progressed before Jin Taesan even had a chance to stop them, and Wang Geumsan looked at Jin Taesan with a triumphant face.

"..."

Jin Taesan felt dizzy at the thought of drowning in a mountain of work once again.

And that resentment naturally returned to the one who was the root cause of this work.

GRIND.

'Jin Sowoon, you punk!!'

* * *

"Ah!"

At my sudden yelp, Seong Moran's eyes went wide.

"What's wrong?"

"My ears suddenly felt itchy. Is someone cursing me?"

"Geez—you startled me."

Perhaps it was because of the dreary atmosphere, unlike the docks or the entertainment district, but Seong Moran and Namgung Seonhwa stroked their chests in relief.

"It's right here."

Our group entered the Yujang Sect, guided by Jang Ujae.

"...!"

I forcibly swallowed the curses threatening to burst out at the sight unfolding before my eyes.

'Damn it.'

The scene before me stimulated my memories, making the recollection of the Taiyi Sect in my past life vividly surface.

Was my expression too serious? Jang Ujae spoke as if making an excuse.

"Those children were born and raised in the Yujang Sect. We tried to temporarily evacuate them to an orphanage or a nursery, but there was nowhere that would take them in..."

Children who didn't even seem to have hit puberty yet were holding real swords that didn't fit their bodies, unable to relax their tense expressions.

Just as I was about to reply to Jang Ujae's words, vivid memories surged up even faster, blocking my words.

- The children of the Taiyi Sect were trembling in fear at the real swords they were given for the first time.

"The Dark Blood Gang is famous for their cruel and relentless methods, so we are also prepared for the end."

The adults of the Yujang Sect were tearing cloth to bind their swords securely to their hands.

- The adults of the Taiyi Sect had prepared for battle, each clutching an Exploding Blood Pill in one hand.

"If the war starts, we probably won't last a single day."

Large braziers were lit throughout the Yujang Sect, and broken shards of pottery were plastered and secured to the walls with mud.

- The women of the Taiyi Sect were making rice balls and running back and forth within the sect to distribute them. Nobody took more than a single rice ball.

The mud beneath the calm surface billowed up, muddying the lake of my memories.

At the same time, sharp screams that pierced my eardrums came to mind.

["Aaaagh!"]

["S-Save me!"]

["Keugh!"]

The screams and sights of the Taiyi Sect members dying at the hands of the Demonic Cult in my past life were so vivid that it made my head throb.

While I remained silent, Namgung Seonhwa asked carefully.

"... Are you not going to surrender?"

"We had considered that as well, but..."

"...?"

"The Sinjeong Sect and the Hyeonsin Martial Arts Hall, which had already declared surrender, were annihilated."

"Even if they are the Underworld..."

"We cannot understand the current situation either. It is already on a level that defies common sense."

It wasn't a simple war of nerves, but something on the level of being called a war.

"Even so, involving children in the fight doesn't seem right. How about sending at least the children to the Cangqiong Merchant Group for now?"

Jang Ujae could not hide his surprise.

"... You would do that for us?"

"It is what I had in mind from the start when Young Master Jin said he would join. Of course, the Cangqiong Squad from the Cangqiong Merchant Group will also come as backup."

"Thank you. Thank you."

Jang Ujae bowed his head several times.

A short while later, we were able to meet the Sect Leader and the elders at the Yujang Sect's grand training ground.

They, too, had faces full of worry like the other warriors of the Yujang Sect.

"Father, I have returned."

"Yes, how did it go?"

"Unfortunately, I was told that the Orthodox Council cannot help us."

"Hah... How could..."

The Sect Leader of the Yujang Sect slumped into his chair in despair.

"... But who are those people?"

"Ah, yes. This is Jin Sowoon, our academy representative."

"I offer my greetings. I am Jin Sowoon of the Taiyi Sect."

"Black Flame Dragon!"

"That young man is him?"

I had never spoken the alias with my own mouth even once, but it seemed Black Flame Dragon had now truly taken root as my alias in name and reality.

Truly impressive, Peak Master of the Four Emperors Peak.

"A pleasure to meet you. I've heard so much about you that my ears are ringing. Thank you for coming here."

"Don't mention it. This is naturally a place I had to be."

"I am truly grateful that you think so. Even a young man like you has rushed here like this."

The Sect Leader's face was still full of sorrow.

Jang Ujae quickly stepped forward.

"Father, and over here are Lady Seong Moran of the Iron Sword Sect and Lady Namgung Seonhwa of the Namgung Clan. Lady Namgung Seonhwa has offered to support us with the Cangqiong Squad."

Exclamations burst from the people surrounding the Sect Leader.

"The Cangqiong Squad!"

"We couldn't be more thankful."

"Truly, thank you. Lady Namgung."

It was Namgung Seonhwa who felt rather awkward at the Yujang Sect's intense reaction.

"I want to help as much as possible, but even then, a hundred people will be the maximum. In a situation where all of Yueyang is this chaotic, there is a limit to the personnel we can spare."

The Sect Leader shook his head.

"No. With that alone, it is the same as us having incurred a massive debt we cannot repay. If the Yujang Sect survives this war, I will never forget the debt I owe the Namgung Clan for the rest of my life."

At the Sect Leader's words, the atmosphere became solemn once again.

Jang Ujae quickly moved and sent the children off to the Cangqiong Merchant Group.

After a bout of busyness passed, I, our group, Jang Ujae, and the academy students gathered in one place.

"Young Master Jang, how many members does the Yujang Sect have?"

"Currently, excluding the children, it is just under three hundred."

How could even the numbers be so similar?

"It's exactly a five-fold difference."

The total number of members in the Dark Blood Gang exceeds one thousand five hundred. It's a number mixed with Peak Realm and Third-Rate warriors, but when the numbers differ this much, the level of skill no longer matters.

'From the start, the Yujang Sect couldn't be called a sect with many experts, either.'

No matter how much we struggled and fought, it was not a number we could face.

Judging by the broken pottery plastered on the walls, they didn't even have any mechanical traps or strange array formations.

"Representative."

When I looked at Jang Ujae, he replied with an even darker expression.

"Right now, there are even more numbers gathered in the Dark Blood Gang than that."

"..."

"I heard they've been sending letters not only to Hunan Province but also to neighboring provinces to gather experts as well."

If it was as Jang Ujae said, it was clear that the Underworld factions in Yueyang were currently testing the waters with the Murim Alliance by annihilating even the opponents who surrendered.

And, confident that the Murim Alliance wouldn't make a move, they were planning to swallow all of Yueyang whole at this opportunity.

"... This really won't be easy."

"..."

Did he hear my muttering?

Jang Ujae's face turned dark.

I quickly comforted him.

"Young Master Jang, there's no need to worry too much. It just so happens that I'm acquainted with the Yueyang Branch Chief. If we mediate through him, negotiations will be possible to some extent."

"Is that true?"

If the Yueyang Branch Chief, who is from the Tang Clan, steps in after Namgung Seonhwa, they would surely feel a sense of crisis as well.

Then the war in Yueyang would die down a little.

'Yueyang is bound to fall back into the hands of the Murim Alliance in the future anyway. The blood they shed now has no meaning.'

I spoke to our gathered group.

"I'll make a trip to the Murim Alliance's Yueyang Branch for now."

"Right now?"

It was an urgent situation where we couldn't distinguish between day and night.

"The Dark Blood Gang will probably try to move as fast as possible. So before that..."

CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG!

A loud bell continuously rang and echoed throughout the Yujang Sect.

The warriors of the Yujang Sect, including Jang Ujae, stood up from their seats in unison.

I asked Jang Ujae.

"What is it?"

Jang Ujae stared toward where the bell was ringing with a deathly pale expression.

"... It is the signal that the enemy is coming."

"The enemy?"

At that moment, a massive battle cry cutting across the night sky rang out thunderously.

"""WAAAAAAAH!"""

"Attack! Don't leave a single one alive!"

"""WAAAAAAAH!"""

That battle cry, filled with killing intent, began to sound closer and closer.