Chapter 317 – Fist Demon's Unyielding Spirit (2)

The expression on Namgung Chang's face as he looked at Jeok Gyeong-cheon showed clear disbelief. Seeing such Namgung Chang, Jeok Gyeong-cheon smiled.

"Why don't you believe it?"

"Didn't you die during the Orthodox-Demon War? Everyone knows that…"

"There were unavoidable circumstances."

"What kind?"

"I'd like to tell that story over a drink. Aren't you people the pinnacle and future of the current martial world?"

Jeok Gyeong-cheon looked at Namgung Chang with a pleased expression. Namgung Chang could not refuse his words.

Jeok Gyeong-cheon was a figure from at least one generation before him. Though he had been overshadowed by the Four Divine Emperors, his martial prowess belonged to the very top of the martial world at that time. How else could he have earned the nickname Heavenly Sword King?

An absolute master of the previous generation who was unmatched when he held a blade. Moreover, now that decades had passed, it was hard to imagine what level his martial prowess had reached.

Namgung Chang stared intently at Jeok Gyeong-cheon. Even while being conscious of his gaze, Jeok Gyeong-cheon's relaxed expression didn't change at all.

'What is this?'

Namgung Chang now looked at Alliance Leader Nam Cheon-san.

The Nam Cheon-san he knew was strong in martial arts but not someone with very broad connections. The Divine Spear Sect he led as sect leader was also not a very powerful sect compared to the major martial world sects. That was the reason Nam Cheon-san was chosen as Alliance Leader.

Nam Cheon-san, true to his nickname Divine Spear, had strong martial arts but lacked political skills and diverse connections. Therefore, he had no choice but to be isolated within the Martial Alliance. That was also what Namgung Chang and others wanted.

What was needed was a hunting dog to protect the Martial Alliance leadership and core sects, not a threatening beast.

At this moment, Namgung Chang was feeling an eerie sensation.

Nam Cheon-san was smiling. From Nam Cheon-san's appearance, he felt an unknown threat.

'How did the Alliance Leader bring in the Heavenly Sword King?'

Even the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Families had no idea that Heavenly Sword King Jeok Gyeong-cheon was still alive. Yet Nam Cheon-san, who was in a desperate situation, had found and brought in Jeok Gyeong-cheon.

'How?'

This was the question filling his mind right now. But he was the Martial Alliance's Military Advisor.

Though numerous doubts filled his mind and many things seemed suspicious, his face was smiling.

His belief was that under any circumstances, one must never lose one's smile and composure. So he smiled.

Jeok Gyeong-cheon nodded as he watched such Namgung Chang.

'Indeed, they say he's the brain of the Martial Alliance, and he's quite capable.'

As soon as they sat facing each other across a table, servants brought wine and side dishes.

"Please drink first."

"Thank you."

Namgung Chang calmly accepted the wine Jeok Gyeong-cheon poured for him. Jeok Gyeong-cheon then filled Alliance Leader Nam Cheon-san's cup to the brim before filling his own cup as well.

"Let's drink."

Jeok Gyeong-cheon first brought the wine cup to his mouth.

Nam Cheon-san and Namgung Chang also drank following him.

The wine went around several times. In an instant, their faces turned red.

The first to speak was Jeok Gyeong-cheon.

"It feels good drinking with younger colleagues like this. If I had known it would be like this, I should have come out a little earlier."

"How have you been living all this time?"

"Many things happened."

"If you've been living fine like this, why were you in hiding?"

"Didn't I tell you? Many things happened. It would take a long time to tell you about all of them."

"This is the Martial Alliance. And I am the Military Advisor of the Martial Alliance. If I put my mind to it, I can spare quite a lot of time."

"Is that so?"

Jeok Gyeong-cheon looked at Namgung Chang with a fresh expression.

It was because Namgung Chang's appearance of not being intimidated at all even when seeing him, a figure from the previous generation, felt quite refreshing.

Jeok Gyeong-cheon again downed his wine cup. Perhaps because it was very strong alcohol, his throat was aching.

"As everyone knows, when the first Orthodox-Demon War was reaching its final stages, we launched a surprise attack on the Demon Cult's main stronghold. The Demon Cult's stronghold was literally covered with deadly traps and countless cult members. So we had to cross death lines countless times. I don't know how many people died. The Four Divine Emperors led us, and we followed the Four Divine Emperors deep into the stronghold. Many people were wounded and fell behind or lost their lives. I too suffered wounds that made me unable to move just before the final gateway and fell behind."

A shadow fell over Jeok Gyeong-cheon's face.

With the place where the Cult Leader was right before his eyes, he had chosen to fall behind by his own decision. He judged that in his physical condition, he would only be a burden rather than helpful.

"Instead, I blocked the gateway to prevent the Demon Cult's reinforcements from entering. I fought and fought and fought again. Forgetting myself and the situation flowing around me. When I came to my senses, I was lying among countless corpses. I didn't even have time to understand what had happened. At that time, I really wanted to live. I crawled out of there like an insect."

He didn't remember how he escaped from the stronghold. When he regained his senses, he was far away from the stronghold.

Namgung Chang asked:

"Then why didn't you return to the Justice Alliance at that time?"

"My wounds were too severe. I couldn't even move. So I found a quiet place and practiced energy circulation for healing. It took a full five years before I could move by my own will."

"Hmm!"

"Even until I healed my wounds, I desperately wanted to return to the Justice Alliance. But once my wounds healed, all desires disappeared. Since the Demon Cult was annihilated, I wondered what I had left to do. So I chose to live in retirement for peace of mind."

"For decades?"

"That's right. Why don't you believe it?"

"Honestly, that's how I feel."

"When you reach my level, you'll understand. How all the things I had cherished until then became meaningless one day, and the boundary of material desires disappeared. Also, when I thought my role in the martial world had ended, all motivation vanished."

"It's hard for me to understand easily."

"It would be. But my words are true."

"I understand. I'll accept it that way and move on. Then why did you come back to the martial world?"

"That's also because of the Demon Cult."

"The Demon Cult?"

"Though I abandoned all desires, I still couldn't forgive the Demon Cult. That's the reason I came back to the world. So I secretly contacted the Alliance Leader and swore to dedicate everything I have to help the Alliance Leader."

"You made a difficult decision."

Namgung Chang brought the wine cup to his mouth.

Though he was forcing a smile, his mind was working in complex ways. Jeok Gyeong-cheon was saying he would help the Alliance Leader, not the Martial Alliance. That was tantamount to declaring he would side with the Alliance Leader rather than the entire Martial Alliance.

Jeok Gyeong-cheon's joining was welcome from the entire Martial Alliance's perspective, but it had to be uncomfortable for Namgung Chang and the Martial Alliance leadership. So Namgung Chang had to confirm once more.

"Then you're saying you'll help the Martial Alliance fight the Demon Cult from now on?"

"I'm prepared to follow anything if it's the Alliance Leader's command. Because that would be for the Martial Alliance."

Namgung Chang's eyes trembled. But his surprise wasn't over yet.

Jeok Gyeong-cheon said while pouring wine:

"There are several more people like me. Friends who survived the final war. They want me to tell you they want to help the Alliance Leader defeat the Demon Cult."

"You're saying there are more people like Senior Jeok?"

"That's right."

"Hmm!"

A groan flowed from Namgung Chang's lips. Seeing such Namgung Chang, Nam Cheon-san smiled.

"Since senior masters from the previous generation are helping us, this is great fortune for the martial world. Isn't that right, Military Advisor?"

"That… is correct."

Nam Cheon-san's voice was full of strength, while Namgung Chang's voice diminished.

The two men's voices formed a strange contrast.

***

The boat stopped at the riverbank.

Dam Ho and Black Ghost got off the boat. The boat that had unloaded them was flowing down the river again.

Dam Ho watched the departing boat with indifferent eyes. On the boat's deck, Geom Yul-cheon stood looking at him.

The two men looked at each other silently.

Finally, only after the boat disappeared far away did Dam Ho mount Black Ghost.

"Let's go."

Black Ghost, stepping on land after a long time, moved his steps lightly as if in a good mood. Dam Ho closed his eyes while entrusting his body to Black Ghost.

Whether deciding to cooperate with Geom Yul-cheon was the right thing to do was unknown for now. Still, Dam Ho trusted his own eyes.

The Geom Yul-cheon he saw would break rather than bend. A person who would definitely keep his word once spoken. Exactly the same type as himself.

Geom Yul-cheon had Geom Yul-cheon's role, and he had work only he could do.

Dam Ho's location was still Sichuan Province.

First, he had to escape Sichuan Province.

He could have escaped Sichuan Province together with Geom Yul-cheon, but they parted ways because their assigned roles were different.

Dam Ho drove Black Ghost along the official road. Once he just set the direction, Black Ghost would go on his own, so Dam Ho concentrated on energy circulation and meditation.

The fight with Cheon Oh-gyeong had hurt him but also truly gave him the beginning of another enlightenment.

He replayed the fight with Cheon Oh-gyeong countless times on Black Ghost's back.

The scene of Cheon Oh-gyeong deploying Sword Stream, the scene of himself jumping at him with Solitary Path techniques repeated countless times.

Starting with Charging Technique, techniques like Explosive Star Strike, Single Yang Strike, and Reaching Heaven Strike were deployed. But none of those techniques could harm Cheon Oh-gyeong.

Cheon Oh-gyeong's movements were very beautiful.

Though rough from not deploying proper martial arts for a long time, his movements were very fluid and definitely aimed at his vital points. In comparison, Dam Ho's techniques were very rough.

It was because of his beast-like nature.

The tenacity of never letting go once biting someone's throat until it was severed, combined with the will to definitely kill, made it very ferocious.

Six Harmonies Blood Mountain River, the final chapter of Solitary Path, was a representative example.

If twenty-four consecutive strikes landed, no absolute martial artist could endure it, which had already been proven through Cheon Oh-gyeong. But Dam Ho thought that alone wasn't enough.

Suddenly, a rough voice flowed from Dam Ho's lips.

"One line."

A line leading from life to death.

A line of death starting with Charging Technique but ending with Six Harmonies Blood Mountain River. Dam Ho wanted that line.

Dam Ho imagined.

Himself creating a line of death.

In his imagination, he was perfect.

Snort!

Then Black Ghost snorted, and Dam Ho awakened from imagination and returned to reality.

The first thing Dam Ho saw after opening his eyes was a group blocking the official road. Martial artists all wearing green robes had set up a checkpoint on the official road and were inspecting passersby.

Many people were lined up in a long queue with anxious expressions.

"Hey, stand in line properly."

"Where are you going?"

The martial artists in green robes checked the identity and destination of everyone trying to pass through the official road.

It was an official road anyone could pass through. People could say nothing to the martial artists who occupied such an official road and acted unreasonably.

People knew. That those currently blocking the official road were martial artists belonging to the most fearsome organization in Sichuan Province.

Those in green robes were martial artists from the Tang Clan, the family with the most absolute power in Sichuan Province along with the Qingcheng Sect and Emei Sect.

Since some time ago, all of Sichuan Province had maintained a fearful atmosphere due to martial artists from the Tang Clan.

The Tang Clan had sealed Sichuan Province and restricted people's movement. Therefore, people's complaints grew daily, but for some reason, the Qingcheng Sect and Emei Sect, who should check the Tang Clan, remained silent.

For ordinary people who didn't know the detailed circumstances, it was frustrating. But they dared not rebel against the Tang Clan that dominated Sichuan.

They just prayed to pass through the checkpoint quickly while standing in long lines.

Dam Ho drove Black Ghost toward the checkpoint. Then the Tang Clan martial artists guarding the checkpoint immediately showed wariness.

"Who is that guy?"

"Stop right there!"

They pointed weapons at Dam Ho.

"Suspicious fellow. Get off your horse and reveal your identity."

Dam Ho silently looked at them. Then they raised their voices even more.

"Won't you get off your horse quickly?"

"……"

Dam Ho got down from Black Ghost's back.

For a moment, the Tang Clan martial artists who had been radiating murderous energy flinched. It was because they saw Dam Ho limping as he got off his horse.

"Fist Demon?"

Namgung Won was waiting for Jin Ja-gang across the river.

With both hands splinted and wrapped in bandages, Namgung Won gestured to Jin Ja-gang with his eyes.

It seemed there were things left to discuss. Jin Ja-gang also had questions to ask.

Jin Ja-gang pointed upstream. Namgung Won tilted his head. He probably thought Jin Ja-gang would leap across the river.

Jin Ja-gang shook his head and went up to a bridge upstream to cross the river.

Jin Ja-gang and Namgung Won met on a small hill by the riverbank.

Namgung Won urged Jin Ja-gang.

“You probably know, but meeting the alliance leader here is a secret.”

“I understand.”

“Even so, the alliance leader seems to quite like you. I didn’t expect him to give you a sword token.”

“This is a sword token?”

Jin Ja-gang showed the jade pendant with silk threads. On one side of the jade was carved a long pattern like a sword.

Namgung Won nodded with a start.

“Anywhere with the same marking, you can receive help from Yangtze River Sword Sect.”

“If I receive help, all my movements will be revealed to Yangtze River Sword Sect.”

“That would be so. So you’ll need to use it carefully.”

“Should I take that to mean I shouldn’t trust Yangtze River Sword Sect?”

Jin Ja-gang asked back to confirm what Taoist Haewol had said.

Namgung Won frowned but answered honestly.

“Sects that should have been the alliance leader’s hands and feet have withdrawn. They’re even considering joining the Righteousness Association. You don’t need to trust anyone, including me.”

“I see. I thought it was a good deal, but it was a poisoned apple.”

Namgung Won thought quietly, then chuckled.

“If it’s a poisoned apple, isn’t it the most fitting gift for you, Poison Dragon?”

Jin Ja-gang didn’t deny those words either.

Jin Ja-gang thought briefly about the Righteousness Association.

“Righteousness Association…”

The Righteousness Association was Baek Li-jung’s organization. Paradoxically, the Righteousness Association was an organization that inherited Taoist Haewol’s spirit. Yet they were withdrawing from Yangtze River Sword Sect, which Taoist Haewol created, to join the Righteousness Association.

“Indestructible Heavenly Sword’s momentum grows day by day. They even consider those who don’t acknowledge the Righteousness Association as spies of demonic heretics who incite discord.”

Moreover, Baek Li-jung had even threatened to personally hunt down and eliminate disruptive forces. This meant he wouldn’t hesitate to use force.

Even long-established great sects would find this burdensome, so for small and medium sects, being branded this way would be extremely troublesome.

Of course, the Righteousness Association’s growth might be what Taoist Haewol wanted. He had hoped for the rotten things to gather in one place.

“What about Shaolin Temple? I’d like to know what evaluation Yangtze River Sword Sect has made of Shaolin Temple’s intentions.”

At Jin Ja-gang’s question, Namgung Won showed his injured arm and answered.

“Shaolin Temple leads absolute public opinion in the martial world without taking anyone’s side. But the Breaking Sect gaining power means the policies the Embracing Sect pursued until now have failed. Now that the Breaking Sect has come to the forefront, they’ll intervene much more actively.”

“They’ll side with the Righteousness Association but won’t become their lackeys.”

“Because it’s Shaolin Temple.”

“One more question.”

Jin Ja-gang showed the Iron Umbrella Sect ledger.

“I couldn’t find anything unusual in this ledger. Has Yangtze River Sword Sect discovered anything?”

“No. We sent it hoping you might figure something out.”

“Hmm.”

“Hundreds of medicine sects in the Central Plains have met with misfortune. Honestly, it’s difficult for us to pay attention to sects in Yunnan.”

“I heard Yeongpa Merchants is a large trading company in Sichuan. Do you know anything about this trading company?”

“Yeongpa Merchants?”

Namgung Won asked back as if wondering what he meant.

“Yeongpa Merchants is a trading company based in Zhejiang Province. If there’s a similar trading company name in Sichuan, I wouldn’t know…”

Zing…

Jin Ja-gang realized he felt uncomfortable in one corner of his chest.

He felt a sense of discrepancy.

Not Sichuan but Zhejiang?

Sichuan was in the west of the Central Plains, Zhejiang at the eastern end. They were polar opposites in location.

Jin Ja-gang answered without showing his feelings.

“Thank you for the information.”

“Anyway, the sword token is great power. I hope you’ll refrain from actions that would bring trouble to Yangtze River Sword Sect.”

“I’ll do my best.”

Namgung Won agreed as if he expected as much. If Jin Ja-gang listened well to others, could he be called Poison Dragon?

“See you again.”

Namgung Won left with a light farewell like Taoist Haewol.

It seemed to be a characteristic of those who moved secretly.

Jin Ja-gang chuckled while touching the sword token.

“Look here. You said you wouldn’t entrust me with what comes after, but what did you give me?”

Seeing Namgung Won’s serious expression when he saw the sword token, this wasn’t an ordinary jade pendant but something equivalent to Taoist Haewol’s sacred object.

Jin Ja-gang shook his head and put the sword token in his bosom.

Then he immediately moved and returned to Chongqing where the gambling den was.

It was to get help from Qingcheng Sect.

* * *

Less than half a day after contacting Qingcheng Sect, an elderly clerk came to the lodging where Jin Ja-gang was staying. He was a clerk with long experience working for trading companies in Sichuan.

“I once received help from Qingcheng Sect. So, you have questions about the commercial world?”

“I’d like to know about Yeongpa Merchants. Are Yeongpa Merchants active in Sichuan different from Yeongpa Merchants in Zhejiang?”

“No, they’re the same. Yeongpa Merchants in Sichuan is indeed a trading company based in Zhejiang.”

“Did Qingcheng Sect also trade with Yeongpa Merchants?”

“The Three Rivers of Sichuan originally all traded with Min merchants, but only the Tang family’s great estate changed their trading to Yeongpa Merchants ten years ago. Probably around that time, Yeongpa Merchants expanded into Sichuan and Yunnan.”

Even the Tang family?

And ten years ago would be right before the bloodshed between medicine and poison sects.

It would be strange to think Yeongpa Merchants expanded from Zhejiang to Sichuan while establishing trade with the Tang family ten years ago.

“If it’s a trading company based in Zhejiang, it’s very far from Sichuan. The costs would be high compared to the profits gained.”

“In such cases, they probably just borrowed the name Yeongpa Merchants.”

The clerk explained.

“The ten great trading houses of the Central Plains have very large influence, but they’re mainly located downstream of the Yangtze River, so in Hubei or Jiangxi, making commercial activities relatively weak upstream in Sichuan or Yunnan. But since the distance is too far, rather than direct expansion, they operate by joining hands with small local trading companies.”

“It seems similar to the Martial Alliance.”

“Small trading companies benefit greatly from borrowing the names of large trading houses. It’s good for dealing with officials, and above all, funding becomes solid. Large trading houses can expand their networks nationwide to increase influence and gain great advantages in specialty goods trading.”

“Then ultimately, it’s highly likely that what traded with Iron Umbrella Sect was a local Yunnan trading company using Yeongpa Merchants’ name.”

“That’s right. It could be one place or several places.”

Jin Ja-gang pondered over Iron Umbrella Sect’s transaction ledger.

Iron Umbrella Sect’s sect leader Gang Gyu was different from other Yunnan poison sect leaders.

“We too… had no choice…”

These were Gang Gyu’s last words.

He certainly knew something and hinted at it to Jin Ja-gang.

So there was a very high possibility that related evidence remained at Iron Umbrella Sect.

Otherwise, there would be no reason for people to go around Yunnan poison sects eliminating evidence, and Northern Heaven wouldn’t need to impersonate government troops to find Iron Umbrella Sect’s stolen goods.

What were they trying to hide, what were they trying to find?

Then the clerk said.

“May I look at the ledger?”

When Jin Ja-gang handed over the ledger, the clerk slowly flipped through it.

“Looking at the records, this is a transaction with Yeongpa Merchants from three years ago, but no matter how I look, there’s nothing special.”

It was natural that three years ago was the last entry. After that, Iron Umbrella Sect disappeared, so there was no one to write entries.

The clerk mentioned in passing.

“Trading houses settle accounts once a year. Leaders of all trading companies included in the trading house gather at the main house with original accounting ledgers to report deficits and profits. And at that time, the main house copies and stores the original ledgers.”

Jin Ja-gang suddenly had a thought from the clerk’s words.

“Then you mean records from the past might remain at Yeongpa Merchants’ main house?”

“If they used Yeongpa Merchants’ name, no matter how small the trading company, they must participate in the main house’s meetings and report. There would definitely be records.”

Jin Ja-gang realized that one logic ran through all events.

Taoist Haewol had said all events that occurred were related to profit.

‘If there are those who benefit, they are the ones behind it.’

Those who benefited from Iron Umbrella Sect’s existence.

Those who benefited from Iron Umbrella Sect attacking medicine sects.

Ten years ago, Yeongpa Merchants suddenly extended their reach into Sichuan and Yunnan. The timing was too exquisite to dismiss as simple territorial expansion. Moreover, didn’t they say that usually sects don’t change their trading partners? Yet the Tang family changed their trading partner…!

‘There might be something with Yeongpa Merchants.’

Zhejiang was a long journey.

But it needed to be verified.

If he could find records of Yeongpa Merchants trading with Yunnan or Sichuan around ten years ago, he could confirm it.

However.

Before that, one thing.

Jin Ja-gang had something weighing on his mind.

“Yeongpa Merchants is a large trading company that travels between Yunnan and parts of Sichuan, including Kunlun Sect. It seems natural that Iron Umbrella Sect used Yeongpa Merchants.”

Those were his words.

If he had believed those words, if he hadn’t happened to hear about Yeongpa Merchants from Namgung Won, Jin Ja-gang probably wouldn’t have found clues about Yeongpa Merchants.

For Yeongpa Merchants based in Zhejiang Province to trade with Iron Umbrella Sect was clearly awkward. Yet he said it was natural for Iron Umbrella Sect to use Yeongpa Merchants.

He even knew that Kunlun Sect traded with Yeongpa Merchants. It was definitely not a mistake.

Before leaving for Zhejiang, he had to meet him and confirm.

* * *

Flutter flutter flutter!

A messenger bird flew.

Pyo Sang-guk, who had gone deep into the mountains to release the messenger bird, finally sighed in relief.

He had barely separated from Yeong-woon and So-min by saying there was urgent business at Zhongnan Sect. It took quite some time because Yeong-woon and So-min wanted to come along.

But having succeeded in separating the two and releasing the messenger bird, now Zhongnan Sect would also know about Iron Umbrella Sect and Yeongpa Merchants.

About Poison Dragon, his martial arts, and poison too.

“Whew.”

Pyo Sang-guk sighed again and took out a small bottle from his waist. He took a sip of the liquor inside.

As he was about to sit on a rock to rest briefly.

“You seemed anxious.”

Pyo Sang-guk got goosebumps all over his body at the suddenly heard voice.

But he quickly changed his expression and greeted cheerfully.

“Oh, Brother Jin!”

Jin Ja-gang was looking at Pyo Sang-guk from a distance.

Pyo Sang-guk swallowed dry saliva and acted casually.

“What brings Brother Jin here? Did meeting Yangtze River Sword Sect go well? And weren’t you going to Sichuan?”

Jin Ja-gang answered.

“The other two crossed east to Huguang and went to the Martial Alliance in Jiangxi.”

Pyo Sang-guk was heading north toward Shaanxi where Zhongnan Sect was located.

“Ah, I’m urgently returning because something happened at my home sect.”

Jin Ja-gang nodded as if that could be the case.

“It must be very urgent business.”

“That’s right. I don’t know what it is, but an emergency summons came down…”

“Come to think of it, Brother Pyo seemed to continuously emphasize being an orthodox sect member, a hero of Zhongnan Sect.”

“Suddenly… what do you mean?”

“But while the other two were seriously injured, you were hardly hurt.”

“Brother Jin?”

“Even when the leper assassin brought Thousand Ghost’s invitation. You smashed his head without listening to everything he said.”

“What are you saying, Brother Jin? Of course I was angry at their evil deeds…”

“Thinking about it, there were quite a few suspicious signs. Most were minor actions. You were also the first to say we should catch Poison Dragon to gain merit. You probably said your positive energy would make Poison Dragon’s poison useless.”

“Well…”

Pyo Sang-guk’s face contorted.

“After that, Brother Pyo often showed hostility toward me. Should I say you tried to find malicious flaws in me somehow.”

Limp, limp.

Jin Ja-gang began approaching Pyo Sang-guk while limping.

While doing so, he opened his mouth and asked quietly.

“I’ll ask just once. Why did you lie to me that Yeongpa Merchants was a Sichuan trading company?”