Chapter 165 - Blood Sea Spreading in Sichuan

We stayed at the Yujang Sect for three more days.

It was partly because my body was not in good condition, but mainly to attend the joint funeral for the Yujang Sect members who died in this war, including the Yujang Sect Leader.

The funeral was held modestly, and the Yujang Sect tried to return to their daily lives as quickly as possible.

"Representative Jin."

Jang Ujae, who had not slept a wink for the past three days as the chief mourner, approached me while fighting off his fatigue.

"You have been through a lot."

"Not at all. Is your body feeling any better?"

Apart from the funeral proceedings, I was given a room and devoted myself entirely to recovery for the three days.

Thanks to that, my emaciated body was slowly returning to normal, and my fatigue was also recovering.

"I have gotten much better."

"Don't mention it."

"I was very worried that your mind and body might have been harmed because of us."

Just as he said, I received exceptional hospitality at the Yujang Sect for the past three days.

Meat side dishes were continuously brought to my room for all three meals, and hot water was prepared every night so I could relieve my fatigue more quickly.

"I am grateful for the Yujang Sect's hard work."

"... Um."

Jang Ujae hesitated.

"Is there something you want to say?"

At my question, Jang Ujae scratched his head sheepishly.

"Well... it's late, but would you allow me to join the representative group?"

Currently, more than half of the officer positions in the academy representative group were empty.

I didn't stop anyone from joining, but no one wanted to join.

"Would you be okay with that? If you join, the others probably won't look upon it kindly."

When I expressed my concern instead, Jang Ujae quickly grabbed my hands.

"Thank you. I was worried you might find me detestable and refuse to accept me."

"...?"

"My father's final words were to no longer lean on anyone and to move forward on my own. Furthermore, I wanted to repay even a little of the grace I've received from Representative Jin."

Jang Ujae was currently standing at the center of the Murim Academy's external factions.

If he joined, it would be the same as one of the factions I hadn't been able to win over joining me.

I had no reason to refuse.

"If you do that, then it's good for me..."

"Thank you. Thank you."

Jang Ujae bowed his head repeatedly before I could even finish speaking.

I should be the one expressing gratitude instead...

* * *

After the Dark Blood Gang lost the 'decisive sparring match,' for some reason, the Underworld's unreasonable war no longer occurred in Yueyang.

Threats recommending surrender and restricting them to closed doors continued, but conversely, the Orthodox sects also united as one and resisted the Underworld's persecution.

In addition to that, the influence of the warriors who came from the Murim Alliance was also significant.

After they arrived, those who committed indiscriminate murders disappeared.

"... That is just your thought."

"Pardon?"

Dang Hyeokjae said as he drank the tea he had brewed himself.

"Those guys committed the act knowing from the start that the Murim Alliance wouldn't make a move. Do you think they would stop just because reinforcements arrived from the Murim Alliance?"

"Then what is the reason?"

Dang Hyeokjae's somehow unpleasant gaze stuck to my face like taffy.

"It must be because they don't want to offend the Underworld Alliance's joint successor."

I couldn't control my expression.

"Who the fuck is going around spreading such nonsensical rumors?"

"Anyway, it's certain that the move you showed against the Dark Blood Gang left a deep impression on them. Thanks to that, the guys committing ruthless murders have decreased."

Since the result was good, I couldn't say anything.

"... Phew."

"But did you really learn the Sword Demon's martial arts?"

"Well, it just ended up that way somehow."

"Hoh... An even more terrifying rumor than the Underworld Alliance's joint successor will spread."

"Wasn't the Sword Demon a figure straddling the line between orthodox and heterodox to begin with?"

"Didn't you say it was a martial art you stole from that Sword Demon?"

"..."

Could there really be people who believe that nonsensical rumor?

"Rumors about your relationship with the Sword Demon are currently continuing to spread throughout the capital. Among them, there's even a rumor that you are the Sword Demon's hidden son."

I had planned to just return to the academy, but I'll have to stop by Haomun and request a job.

GRIND.

Because if I didn't silence this nonsensical rumor, I felt like the qi deviation that hadn't come even during my unreasonable training would suddenly burst forth.

"Ahem, anyway, I should pack my bags again, right?"

Seeing Dang Hyeokjae cough dryly and speak as if it were obvious, I tilted my head to the side.

"Haven't you already unpacked all your bags?"

How could this man, who was convinced I would die at the hands of Sword Evil, ask if it's okay to pack his bags again now?

I was so dumbfounded that I was completely at a loss for words.

"Fortunately, Axe Evil stepped forward instead of Sword Evil. All's well that ends well. And!"

Dang Hyeokjae suddenly raised his voice.

"And! I even unreasonably brought over our clan's physician from Changsha!"

"..."

"Do you know how severe of a warning I received from the Tang Clan because of this? Even setting aside my activities as the Yueyang Branch Chief, bringing over the physician from Changsha could be seen as the Tang Clan's intent to participate in this war."

"... So isn't that why you didn't exchange a single word with the Tang Clan physician?"

"..."

"... Ahem, there were circumstances I couldn't speak of..."

I shook my head back and forth.

"Anyway, this incident made me think I need to reconsider the investment funds. With the investee having this little loyalty, it kills my desire to invest."

"A-hem!"

Dang Hyeokjae coughed dryly a few times in discomfort, then pulled out a bundle from one side and placed it on the table.

"What is this?"

"Open it. I prepared a present to commemorate our contract."

"..."

When I untied the bundle, there were about twenty objects that looked like bronze-colored flower buds inside.

"This is..."

"It's an improved version of the White Hair Fire Tube, the Thousand Hair Fire Tube."

"... Does it really contain ten times more ox hair needles than the previous work?"

"No, it doesn't. The number has increased by about twenty percent, but the structure is the exact same."

"Then why is it called the Thousand Hair Fire Tube?"

"Wasn't the White Hair Fire Tube designated as a forbidden hidden weapon by the Tang Clan?"

"..."

Did he think the people of the Tang Clan would consider it a different item just because he changed the color and the name?

It wasn't like the Tang Clan people were blind.

"To begin with, the main reason the Tang Clan designated my hidden weapon as forbidden was because of its high manufacturing cost. They probably won't care much."

Dang Hyeokjae spoke with confidence.

He was completely untrustworthy. If the Tang Clan said anything, I would just have to hand Dang Hyeokjae over.

Anyway, seeing the White Hair Fire Tube again after a long time made me feel deeply moved.

The memories of using this to save Namgung Seonhwa from among hundreds of enemies came flooding back...

"Wait..."

I looked at Dang Hyeokjae and asked.

"Wouldn't it have been useful if you gave it to me before the battle with the Dark Blood Gang?"

"... If I had them back then, of course I would have given them to you."

"... Don't tell me you started making them after everything was over?"

"..."

No wonder the eyes of a man living a leisurely life as a Branch Chief were bloodshot and his eyelids were drooping.

Was he trying to cover up his slip of the tongue?

"You really... thought I was going to die to Sword Evil, didn't you."

Dang Hyeokjae avoided my gaze and downed his empty teacup in one go.

SLURP.

You bastard, your teacup has been empty for a while. Why are you making sounds with your mouth?

Dang Hyeokjae slyly rolled his eyes to gauge my reaction before speaking as if nothing was wrong.

"It's all in the past, isn't it..."

This guy is seriously!!

* * *

If one had to name the ultimate victor of the incident that occurred in Yueyang this time, it would be Haomun, not the Dark Blood Gang or the Black Axe Palace.

As the Gang Leader and Vice Gang Leader of the Dark Blood Gang disappeared at the same time, a fight for the hierarchy began among the Hall Leaders of each hall, and the Dark Blood Gang suffered internal agony.

In the meantime, Haomun occupied the shops they owned while avoiding the Dark Blood Gang's influence, and was additionally able to seize the properties of the Orthodox sects that had fled Yueyang in the dead of night.

This was possible because most of the people working in the shops they owned were Haomun members.

On top of that, a person whose weakness was held by Haomun through debt was designated to take the position of the subsequent Yueyang Branch Chief.

He would likely neglect his duties due to his love for gambling, but because of that, he was an exceptionally excellent pawn for Haomun to manipulate.

"This is all thanks to you, Young Master Jin."

"Not at all. If it weren't for you, Haeryeong, I wouldn't have been able to do it alone."

"Far more property has flowed in than we expected. How about taking this opportunity to expand into Yueyang?"

"Expand into Yueyang?"

Yueyang was too far from the Taiyi Sect.

To begin with, it wasn't a distance where influence could easily reach, and the Taiyi Sect itself wasn't a powerful sect capable of influencing the world.

"It seems premature for the Taiyi Sect to expand."

Haeryeong smiled and nodded as if she already knew.

"Of course, that would be the case. But wouldn't it be entirely possible for the Daecheon Merchant Group?"

"The Daecheon Merchant Group?"

"Yes. The foundation of commerce is leaving a profit by buying cheap goods from each province and selling them for a higher price in another province. When a merchant group establishes itself, the very first thing it does is create a branch."

"Oh, has the Daecheon Merchant Group already established itself to that extent?"

I had heard that my father took over the Cangqiong Merchant Group and changed its name to the Daecheon Merchant Group.

But I thought it wouldn't be easy to establish themselves in this short amount of time.

"Your father seems to have an excellent talent for business."

Was it because he had lived his entire life suffering sorrow as the penniless External Hall Leader that he had now become like a fish meeting water?

Regardless, hearing that my father was working happily was a more than satisfying story as his son.

"That's a good proposal."

"If you give the word, we will prepare the rest."

"My father will be pleased."

Thinking of my father receiving this letter and shedding streams of tears in deep emotion made the tip of my nose sting.

Doing this filial duty that I couldn't do in the past made my mind feel much more at ease.

Having received a gift, it was human nature to repay the favor.

"A great war will break out in Sichuan in the future. It would be best for you to prepare a little for that."

"In Sichuan, you mean?"

"Yes."

"Hmm..."

"They aren't the most dangerous beings, but they are the ones who will cause chaos comparable to them."

"Even without that, the Murim Alliance is paying attention to Sichuan. Is it to the point where even the Murim Alliance should be afraid?"

I shook my head.

"The internal problems will be a far greater reason for the chaos to be caused than the external ones."

Even though I only said this much, Haeryeong nodded as if she understood.

"Receiving your help like this every time, I don't know if we're treating you properly as a Guest."

"You are doing more than enough."

Now that the general conversation was over, it was time to bring up the main topic.

Unlike before, I spoke in a serious voice.

"There is something I would like to request."

Haeryeong, who had been smiling, stiffened her face coldly.

"What is it?"

I forced my lips apart, which refused to open, and spoke.

"The rumor going around about me being the Underworld Alliance's joint successor... please do something about that rumor."

"..."

"Ah, and the rumor about being the Sword Demon's hidden child as well. My father is definitively the one who uses the name Jin Taesan. You can tell just by looking at our faces."

Even though I spoke with the utmost seriousness, Haeryeong's face somehow looked as if she had been struck.

This is really, really important!

* * *

Jang Dowon and his granddaughter Seol-yeon decided to organize their properties and move to the Taiyi Sect as soon as their shop in Yueyang was cleared out.

Dang Hyeokjae decided to continue his term and move together with Jang Dowon's party when he moved.

He said he absolutely didn't have the confidence to go all the way to Hefei by himself or something.

For my part, I had a lot to prepare before Jang Dowon and Dang Hyeokjae came to the Taiyi Sect, so I didn't mind much.

"Huu... It's the Murim Academy."

Seong Moran let out a long sigh as if she felt regretful.

I consoled her.

"Are you disappointed? We can just go play again during this winter break. What's there to worry about?"

Seong Moran suddenly scrunched up her face.

"What kind of talk is that!"

"Pardon?"

The Geum-eun-dong Brothers also shook their heads as if they were fed up.

"Senior Brother. If you are going to Yueyang, rather than following you, I will devote myself to training at the academy during this winter break."

"Eldest Senior Brother, come to think of it, as the representative officer group, I think we will need someone to stay behind at the academy too."

Why? We wore nice new clothes, ate delicious things, and even rented the largest boat to play in the water in Yueyang.

Hong Saryeon glared with blazing eyes, as if she had read my inner thought of 'What's the problem?'

"Doesn't it occur to you that everything besides that was a problem?"

When even she grumbled, I kept my mouth firmly shut.

What's the problem with martial artists getting swept up in an incident.

As I looked all around the academy's interior, I felt something strange and tilted my head.

"Isn't it strange?"

"What is?"

"It seems like there are too few people."

The break was ending, and it was now the time right before the semester resumed.

It was normal for the academy interior to be bustling with academy students preparing for the new semester.

Yet, I could only see about half the usual number of academy students.

At that moment, a voice could be heard.

"It's because of the Nine Sects and One Gang's event."

The one who answered was Cheol Sunjik, who was walking down the path.

Accompanied by Nam Hwaseong and other members of the Twelve Peaks and Castles, he continued speaking with a triumphant expression.

"Could it be that they did not receive permission from you, Representative?"

"An event?"

"The Elder's Hall stated they were organizing an event for the up-and-coming generation and took the members of the Nine Sects and One Gang out on a field trip."

I asked back impassively.

"Where did they go?"

I never expected them to get my permission for this event anyway.

"Sichuan."

However, at the answer I heard, I unwittingly lost my composure.

So it eventually came to this. I had roughly thought it would turn out this way when we met in Yueyang, but I never expected them to move this swiftly.

"You must be uncomfortable."

"About what?"

"Didn't they leave for an academy event without listening to the academy representative's words?"

"It's not like it was solely the academy students' intention. If the Elder's Hall took them out, what justification would the academy students have to refuse?"

The problem, however, was that the members of the Elder's Hall were driving the disciples of their own sects to their deaths.

"..."

"Anyway, thanks for the information."

Leaving behind Cheol Sunjik, whose face stiffened, I headed to the dormitories.

I had prepared gifts so that Moyong Jaehwa and Eun Seollan, who couldn't go to Yueyang together with us due to supplementary classes, wouldn't feel disappointed.

However, Dongryong and Saryeon, who had gone to look for Moyong Jaehwa and Eun Seollan, returned alone.

"Huh? Where are they?"

"They said Brother Jaehwa went out?"

"Huh?"

"It's the same for Seollan."

"Where would they even go."

Dongryong answered.

"I heard they were forcibly mobilized for the Nine Sects and One Gang's event."

"Huh?"

Fuck, what kind of bullshit is this?

"They say it's the same for Seollan. The Nine Sects and One Gang forcefully included those without affiliations."

These crazy bastards are crossing the line, aren't they?