Chapter 376

Chapter 376 – Who Questions Whose Qualifications? (1)

If one were to pick the busiest person in Mount Song, Eun So-cheong would definitely be mentioned as she was spending equally busy days.

After Namgung Chang's death, the trading conditions with the Martial Alliance had also improved, so she worked even harder with more enthusiasm.

"First, the priority is to build a large warehouse in Dengfeng County."

Eun So-cheong stared intently at the map spread out on the table. She was looking at the map to find the optimal location for the warehouse. Several candidate sites were marked with red dots on the map.

"This place is good but too expensive."

The land prices in the best locations had already skyrocketed. As countless martial artists flowed into Dengfeng County, weapon workshops and brothels targeting their purses opened one after another. With people suddenly gathering, land prices also rose accordingly.

Because of this, Eun So-cheong and numerous merchant groups were troubled. War was a great opportunity for them too, so they couldn't help but invest.

"I'll have to go see it myself after all."

Since it involved such a large sum of money, it seemed right to see the site directly before deciding.

Eun So-cheong immediately called the martial artists from her merchant group and left Shaolin Temple. Coming down Mount Song, she headed to an old estate located in the north of Dengfeng County.

The old estate where high officials were said to have lived long ago was so dilapidated that it would cost a lot to repair it properly. However, the site was so spacious that once purchased, there would be no problem utilizing it.

Eun So-cheong even met the owner and concluded the contract while she was at it.

"Good. This should be fine for the time being."

A smile appeared at the corners of her mouth.

Following Huayin County where Mount Hua Sect was located, she had also secured a base in Dengfeng County where Shaolin Temple was located. Though the financial bleeding was severe, it was still a sufficiently valuable investment considering the future.

"Miss, isn't the bleeding too severe?"

The merchant accompanying Eun So-cheong looked at her with a worried expression.

"Right now it will be a big burden on our finances, but looking at the future, it's an investment we must make."

"That may be true, but… if by any chance Shaolin Temple and the Martial Alliance lose to the Demon Cult, all of this will turn to ashes."

"If the Demon Cult rises to power anyway, we're finished."

"Mmm!"

"There was no choice from the beginning. It's only a matter of timing."

"I understand. If Miss's resolve is that firm."

Only then did the merchant acquiesce and step back.

Though young, Eun So-cheong's business acumen was at an excellent level. Especially her broad vision for reading the big picture and bold disposition were admirable even to veteran businessmen who had long rolled around in the merchant world.

The merchants and martial artists belonging to Eun Family Merchant House acknowledged Eun So-cheong as the official successor of Eun Family Merchant House. Her actions and results shown until now had made it so.

Eun So-cheong moved her steps with a lighthearted mood. She had to hurry to return to Shaolin Temple before the sun set.

'Is Jin-bo still training?'

She hadn't been able to see Bang Jin-bo's face for several days. Bang Jin-bo was shut up in the annex receiving training from Dam Ho. The door was tightly locked so that not only Shaolin's monks but even Cho Yeon-woon couldn't enter inside. Naturally, Eun So-cheong wasn't allowed entry either.

Eun So-cheong pouted her lips. It was her natural habit that appeared when dissatisfying things occurred.

The merchants and martial artists who saw her face smiled subtly. It was because of her innocent expression that didn't befit the successor of Eun Family Treasure House. Having watched Eun So-cheong for many years, they knew this expression was a habit that developed after meeting Bang Jin-bo.

'Does this mean that cook will become our master?'

'Goodness! They say you can't know what will happen even one step ahead…'

It was when the merchants and martial artists were each lost in their own thoughts.

Crash!

Suddenly with a loud noise, the wall of the inn ahead broke and five or six men tumbled out.

"Urgh!"

"Damn it!"

The faces of the rough-looking men clearly showed defeat. They wiped the blood flowing from the corners of their mouths with their sleeves and looked at the inn wall they had just broken through.

"You bastard!"

"How dare you pick a fight with us, the Six Heroes of Dragon Spring!"

At that moment, someone leisurely walked out through the broken wall.

He was a martial artist with a youthful face who appeared to be in his late teens to early twenties. With a hero's headband tightly tied on his head and wearing a blue robe, he looked very handsome. Most impressive was the large sword hanging and swaying at his waist.

The massive sword that looked twice as wide and heavy as an ordinary sword didn't match at all with the boy's face that hadn't yet lost its childishness.

It gave an incongruous feeling like a rich young master who had never cooked before holding a kitchen knife.

The boy grinned at the men.

"Six Heroes of Dragon Spring? I've heard of the Six Dogs of Dragon Spring…"

"Grr!"

"Your notoriety is quite remarkable. There's no one in Dragon Spring who doesn't know you. They say there's no one in Dragon Spring who hasn't been bitten by six puppies, is that true?"

At the boy's words, the faces of the men who had called themselves the Six Heroes of Dragon Spring contorted uglily. Because the boy's words were true.

The Six Heroes of Dragon Spring had committed all kinds of atrocities in the Dragon Spring region of Zhejiang Province. Since there were no major sects in Dragon Spring itself, there was no one to stop their evil deeds.

They killed at whim and raped countless women. The reason these men who had reigned as emperors of Dragon Spring came to Dengfeng County was ironically because of the Demon Cult.

The Demon Cult's bloody storm was already sweeping the world. The southern Central Plains had fallen under their influence. The situation was the same for Zhejiang Province where Dragon Spring was located.

There were no massive sects like the Nine Great Sects in Zhejiang Province. Thanks to this, they had been able to commit all kinds of atrocities and remain safe until now, but paradoxically, when the Demon Cult's bloody storm swept the world, they couldn't receive protection.

They had even considered joining the Demon Cult. But the Demon Cult thoroughly rejected mediocre martial artists. They judged that joining the Demon Cult would only result in being used and then discarded. So they decided to join the Martial Alliance instead.

Their goal was to moderately whitewash their past history, join the Martial Alliance, and achieve merit. But today, unexpectedly, an unfamiliar boy they were seeing for the first time had recognized their identity and was picking a fight.

Gwak Jeong-chi, the leader of the Six Heroes of Dragon Spring, shouted.

"So… you're saying you'll fight us now?"

"Fight? What kind of talk is that…"

"Then?"

"I'm just going to crush you to death. You won't be any help in the fight against the Demon Cult. Rather, the probability of you stabbing us in the back is only high."

"Such…"

Gwak Jeong-chi's jaw muscles twitched.

He had lived as the emperor of Dragon Spring, committing all kinds of atrocities. Not only his martial arts but also his boldness were good, so he had never been pushed back in momentum by any enemy until now. But strangely, he felt reluctant toward the boy before his eyes.

Then the second and third of the Six Heroes of Dragon Spring shouted.

"Big brother, there's no need to listen to more of this brat's words. Let's kill him."

"Let's do it. Since when have we stayed still after hearing someone's threats?"

They didn't even wait for Gwak Jeong-chi's answer and drew their weapons. They were only accustomed to threatening and plundering others, not to enduring insults or provocations.

"W-wait a moment…"

Gwak Jeong-chi tried to urgently stop them, but it was useless. Already consumed by anger to the top of their heads, they charged at the boy regardless of consequences. With the situation like this, Gwak Jeong-chi had no choice but to join the attack. After all, he was the eldest of the Six Heroes of Dragon Spring.

Swish!

In an instant, powerful sword energy and blade energy swept toward the boy. The Eun Family Merchant House martial artists watching this scene looked at each other's faces in surprise.

"Th-that?"

"Shouldn't we stop it?"

Eun So-cheong was equally surprised by the sudden fight that unfolded before her eyes. However, she tried her best to maintain composure.

On one hand, she was also curious about what the boy trusted to provoke the Six Heroes of Dragon Spring like that. So she watched the boy without moving.

"Die! You arrogant brat."

"Haaah!"

The Six Heroes of Dragon Spring's attack swept fiercely like a storm. Even until then, the boy showed no movement.

Eun So-cheong saw the corners of the boy's mouth curl up slightly just before the sword and blade energy touched his body. It was a mischievous smile like someone who couldn't help being delighted.

The moment she saw that smile, Eun So-cheong felt an inexplicable eeriness.

Shhhhriek!

At that moment, a sharp sound of air being cut echoed through the street. People who had been watching the fight with excited faces screamed and sat down at the sharp sound that stimulated their eardrums.

Eun So-cheong blinked blankly.

The sword and blade energy that had been so fiercely attacking just moments before had disappeared like a lie, and the Six Heroes of Dragon Spring stood frozen in the same posture they had been attacking the boy.

It was as if time had stopped. But there was one thing that had changed. As if by magic, the boy's hands now held a large sword.

The boy was smiling while maintaining the posture of extending the large sword.

Not only Eun So-cheong but everyone on the street blinked. Among all those people, not a single one had seen when the boy drew his sword.

"What?"

At that moment, Eun So-cheong felt something moist on her face and unconsciously rubbed it with her hand. Eun So-cheong's eyes widened as she looked at the hand that had rubbed her face. Because her hand was completely stained red.

"Blood?"

Only then did she realize that what was on her face were drops of blood.

It wasn't only Eun So-cheong. The faces of the Eun Family Treasure House martial artists and merchants around her were also spattered with drops of blood.

That's when it happened.

Crash!

The Six Heroes of Dragon Spring who had been standing dumbly suddenly collapsed like rotten straw.

"Ugh!"

"Urgh!"

People who had been staring at that scene blankly suddenly retched. Because the Six Heroes of Dragon Spring hadn't simply fallen but had collapsed after being dismembered into dozens of pieces.

Fresh blood pooled abundantly under the crimson pieces of flesh piling on the ground.

People witnessed the horrible miracle of humans becoming chunks of meat in a single moment and fell into extreme chaos.

All of it was a massacre created by the boy.

The boy swung his large sword to shake off the blood on the blade. Then two characters carved on the blade, "Zhan Mo" (Demon Slayer), became clearly visible.

Someone who recognized the characters shouted.

"It's definitely the Demon Slaying Swordsman. Only the Demon Slaying Swordsman can unleash such terrible swordsmanship."

"That boy is the Cruel Demon Swordsman Dae Gun-sang? My goodness!"

"Dear lord! You mean the Four New Stars?"

Screams erupted from various places.

Until now, the highest young prodigies of the martial world had been the Nine Martial Dragons. But the martial world was vast and talent was constantly produced. The Four New Stars were the greatest talents of the martial world to emerge after the Nine Martial Dragons.

Heavenly Bow Archer Yeom Cho-wol.

Life-Taking Guest Oh Gyeong-ui.

Cruel Demon Swordsman Dae Gun-sang.

Fantasy Fairy Nok Su-bing.

Their presence was intense precisely because they had distinguished themselves in the era of war. They had achieved merit in the fight against the Demon Cult, and thanks to this, they were engraved even more deeply as intense impressions in people's minds.

Among the Four New Stars, the one particularly famous for his cruel methods was precisely the Cruel Demon Swordsman Dae Gun-sang.

Like the word "Zhan Mo" (Demon Slayer) in his alias, he was famous for mercilessly slaughtering demons. And cutting them into dozens of pieces at that. That's how he earned another alias, Human Butcher.

Eun So-cheong frowned.

As a merchant sensitive to the martial world's situation, she too had heard about the Four New Stars. Including the cruel nature of the Cruel Demon Swordsman Dae Gun-sang. But she hadn't known that the famous Dae Gun-sang was such a young boy.

No matter how generously she judged, he looked only about two or three years older than Eun So-cheong. To have such terrifying martial prowess and cruel methods at such a young age.

Eun So-cheong felt like she was witnessing the emergence of a new killing star. That's why her spine felt chilly.

That's when it happened.

Dae Gun-sang, who had been looking at the massacre he created as if appreciating it while smiling, suddenly turned his head to look at Eun So-cheong and the Eun Family Merchant House martial artists.

"Oh no! Blood happened to splatter in your direction."

Dae Gun-sang said as he approached Eun So-cheong.

As he said, blood was spattered all over Eun So-cheong and the Eun Family Merchant House martial artists. But Dae Gun-sang didn't even glance at the other martial artists and only looked at Eun So-cheong.

"Sorry! I unintentionally caused trouble."

"It's nothing."

"My name is Dae Gun-sang. And you?"

"……"

Eun So-cheong kept her lips tightly shut. Because somehow she didn't want to answer. But Dae Gun-sang's intense gaze was forcing her to answer.

In the end, she had no choice but to open her mouth.

"I'm Eun So-cheong of Eun Family Merchant House."

The moment he heard her answer, a strange light flashed through Dae Gun-sang's eyes. And his characteristic mischievous and playful smile appeared at the corners of his mouth. But having seen Dae Gun-sang's cruel methods, his smile no longer looked playful to Eun So-cheong's eyes.

"Eun Family Merchant House?"