Chapter 528

Wang Yan saw his own body convulsing in his eyes.

There are people in this world who should not be made enemies. But he had made such a person his enemy.

Jin Ja-gang was precisely that kind of person.

Making Jin Ja-gang an enemy was Wang Yan’s mistake.

The last light of life went out in Wang Yan’s eyes.

What he saw at the end of his life was the scene of Jin Ja-gang collecting the promissory notes.

Whoooosh.

Flames blazed up and completely engulfed the hall.

Jin Ja-gang left with Yeong-gwi, taking all the promissory notes and ledgers.

* * *

The martial arts tournament held by the Baek Li Family was a great success day after day.

When word spread that the Poison Dragon would come, the martial arts tournament seemed to shrink for a time, but they couldn’t ignore the carrot Baek Li-jung presented. Even those who wouldn’t participate in the tournament sent appropriate gifts through messengers to get a foot in the door of the future Murim Alliance.

The martial arts tournament with nearly a thousand gathered participants ran longer than the original plan and was extended by three more days.

This also meant that the sparring matches to establish rankings were fought that fiercely. As the sparring became intense, there were frequent casualties of those unable to withdraw their strikes in time.

The five prepared sparring stages weren’t enough, so five more sparring stages were set up. Martial artists regained their vitality after a long time. Thanks to fighting and bleeding without rest, bloodstains covered the sparring stages entirely.

Several people watching the sparring happening in various places conversed.

“As expected, martial artists must find their existence in fighting. It’s good to see everyone full of vitality.”

“Fighting is proof of survival for those living in jianghu, and the exhilaration felt when pressing down on opponents and standing above them is more addictive than any pleasure.”

There were also somewhat pessimistic ones.

“Does it look that way? To my eyes, it looks like they’re fighting over thirty years of future livelihood like hungry ghosts.”

“Wealth and honor naturally follow success. No, if you’re going to say such things, you shouldn’t have come here in the first place, should you?”

“There’s a misunderstanding. When did I say I disliked it? How could one survive in this treacherous jianghu by falling behind others?”

Since people gathered from all kinds of sects and families, once conversation started flowing, people would join in from here and there, opening forums for debate.

But then all sparring stopped and martial artists began to gather at the largest sparring stage in the center.

“It seems Unbreakable Heavenly Sword is coming out.”

Baek Li-jung climbed onto the sparring stage, clasped his fists in all directions, and waited holding his sword. Unlike others’ sparring to establish rankings, he was receiving challenges.

The martial artists surrounding the sparring stage said.

“It’s already been six days, and he hasn’t lost a single day. Unbreakable Heavenly Sword’s martial arts are extraordinary.”

“The Wudang Sect and Mount Hua Sect were defeated on the first day, and he’s received over thirty challenges since then but hasn’t lost once.”

“Especially his sparring match with Wudang Sect Leader Jade Dew Immortal was most impressive.”

Jade Dew Immortal was one of the Three Daoist Masters and a master with such excellent sword techniques that he was even mentioned as a candidate for the next Martial Alliance Leader. However, perhaps because of Taoist Haewol’s incident, he hadn’t shown himself in jianghu for quite a while.

Then he suddenly visited the Baek Li Family.

Since Jade Dew Immortal could press down Baek Li-jung and become the Martial Alliance Leader, everyone held their breath and watched the sparring match.

However, people’s expectations and reality were completely different. Baek Li-jung fought Jade Dew Immortal for thirty seconds, not allowing even one counterattack and consistently pressing Jade Dew Immortal throughout. Jade Dew Immortal struggled and was driven to the edge of the sparring stage, then declared defeat himself.

Everyone nodded and added a word each.

“It was overwhelming.”

“He didn’t seem like the Unbreakable Heavenly Sword of before. Even if the former Alliance Leader had returned alive, he couldn’t have made one of the Three Daoist Masters unable to lift a finger and rendered completely immobile.”

“Right. Unbreakable Heavenly Sword’s divine might was tremendous. I heard he once lost to the Poison Dragon, but seeing today’s martial prowess, it seems he won’t lose to the Poison Dragon anymore.”

“No, doesn’t it seem he’s already surpassed the Poison Dragon? No matter how great the Poison Dragon is, he wouldn’t be at a level to fight consecutive battles with supreme masters without suffering even one injury.”

Baek Li-jung received challenges every day during the six days of sparring and never lost once. He didn’t suffer even a minor injury.

How did he become so strong in such a short time?

There were also bad rumors, but seeing Baek Li-jung’s heroic appearance and eyes filled with righteous light, it was hard to think that way.

Today was the sixth day.

Tomorrow was the last day of the martial arts tournament.

At this point, no one even came forward to challenge Baek Li-jung. Since he had defeated all the masters from major sects and prestigious families so far, at this rate, he would ascend to the position of Martial Alliance Leader tomorrow.

“The moment when Unbreakable Heavenly Sword is proven to be jianghu’s number one in name and reality.”

“He’s not even that old, so it will probably be Unbreakable Heavenly Sword’s era for a long time.”

Baek Li-jung becoming Martial Alliance Leader was already a foregone conclusion. People’s attention was already focused on what would happen after he became Martial Alliance Leader.

“I’m curious. If the Murim Alliance is rebuilt, they’ll probably attack Sichuan first, right?”

“The Emei Sect participated while Qingcheng and the Tang Family didn’t, so those two will definitely be wiped out. Then… will the massive interests Sichuan held be newly created?”

Greed.

The light of greed appeared in the eyes of those speaking. If the massive business rights Sichuan held transferred to the Murim Alliance… how many spoils would there be?

“We’ll have to give it our all.”

Someone’s words made others nod their heads as if infected.

Meanwhile, on the sparring stage, Baek Li-jung, who had been waiting for an opponent, was putting away his sword and descending with clasped fists.

* * *

Baek Li-jung tilted his wine cup with satisfaction.

As expected, Jin Ja-gang didn’t come.

And showing overwhelming military power from the beginning of the martial arts tournament was effective. Even those who had been complaining before became quiet after Jade Dew Immortal was defeated helplessly. There were no particular troublemakers either, and tomorrow the martial arts tournament would end smoothly. All that remained was to ascend to the throne of power.

Baek Li-jung raised both arms and imagined sitting on the throne.

The one who rules jianghu.

The one who can decide the life and death of hundreds of thousands of jianghu people at will.

The one who holds absolute power and gold simultaneously.

“That’s me.”

Laughter came.

Baek Li-jung laughed heartily.

But…

Strategist Wen Shu entered Baek Li-jung’s room with a face pale as a sheet.

He sensed from his complexion that it was bad news. However, what could possibly inconvenience Baek Li-jung right now?

“Why is your expression like that? Did the Poison Dragon come?”

Baek Li-jung even thought he wished Jin Ja-gang would come now. He wanted to press down on Jin Ja-gang conspicuously and make him worship him.

But there was no warning from the Hungry Ghost King. Jin Ja-gang wasn’t coming.

That guy would also know now. That he’s different from before.

That he can’t carelessly face him.

“Tell me quickly. You know how much I favor you, don’t you? Seeing you with such a troubled expression makes my heart ache.”

Wen Shu bowed with his waist bent and said in a trembling voice.

“Lord Wang has departed on the path of no return.”

The Hungry Ghost King died…

The Hungry Ghost King died!

Clang!

Baek Li-jung threw his wine cup and opened his eyes wide.

“The fortune!”

“…Pardon?”

Wen Shu, who had been glistening with tears, became dazed at Baek Li-jung’s words and raised his head.

“The money, I mean, the money!”

Wen Shu’s dazed face gradually changed as he looked at Baek Li-jung’s expression. He had contemptuous eyes as if looking at the dirtiest thing in the world.

Baek Li-jung was smiling. With a very bright face. With the corners of his mouth reaching his ears.

Wen Shu glared at Baek Li-jung with bloodshot red eyes. His face turned bright red, unable to hide his anger.

Baek Li-jung grabbed Wen Shu’s cheeks with both hands and lifted him up. Wen Shu’s feet dangled.

Baek Li-jung pressed below Wen Shu’s eyes with his thumbs.

The eyes began to bulge out.

A groan flowed from Wen Shu’s mouth.

“Kuuuuuk! Kuk…”

In a cool voice lowered from before, Baek Li-jung asked.

“The fortune? Lord Wang’s business?”

Wen Shu answered, shedding bloody tears in pain.

“The Poison Dragon… took all the ledgers and promissory notes… kuk… and ran away…”

Fury instantly filled Baek Li-jung’s face.

Thud! Thud!

Wen Shu rolled on the floor clutching both eyes.

“Uaaaaaagh!”

Baek Li-jung spat out words as if chewing them.

“See? What did I say? I told you to be careful of the Poison Dragon, didn’t I? To make a decision before it’s too late. If you had requested my protection earlier, you wouldn’t have died trying to hold onto those few pennies without letting go.”

Wen Shu screamed while shouting.

“You… what kind of person are you…!”

Baek Li-jung’s voice cracked and made a strange hoarse sound.

“The reason I only burst your eyes is because eyes aren’t particularly necessary. So make sure your loose tongue doesn’t make your head unnecessary.”

At the strange voice like a beast growling, Wen Shu froze and could only swallow his groans.

Baek Li-jung became very restless, unlike before.

He kept pacing around the room muttering. Then he plopped down heavily on a chair.

He was so severely hungry that he even felt dizzy.

His breathing became labored and rose to his chin.

Huff huff. Sssup huh sssup huh.

He couldn’t stand thinking that all that money the Hungry Ghost King had went into Jin Ja-gang’s hands instead of his own.

He thought he had completely overcome the hunger, but hadn’t he?

Ah, Baek Li-jung realized.

This hunger would only be healed by reclaiming his money that Jin Ja-gang took.

He didn’t know where the end of greed was, but this hunger would only calm down upon reaching that end.

“How… what should I do?”

He was frantic thinking Jin Ja-gang might spend even one penny of his money right now.

I must prevent him from spending my money.

My money, precious as blood…

Baek Li-jung forcibly raised the writhing Wen Shu and told him his plan.

Having heard Baek Li-jung’s words, Wen Shu shed bloody tears with hollow eyes and wept.

“You… you’ve gone mad… Mad! You’ve gone mad!”

Thud!

Baek Li-jung no longer listened to Wen Shu’s words. Not because he couldn’t hear them, but because he didn’t need to.

* * *

The last day of the martial arts tournament.

Baek Li-jung prepared a grand banquet that wasn’t in the plan.

Everyone was bewildered since it wasn’t a place prepared after ascending to Martial Alliance Leader and was suddenly arranged. However, they couldn’t turn away the well-prepared delicacies and high-quality liquor that was hard to taste normally, considering it was hastily prepared.

Martial artists joyfully ate and drank, enjoying the last day.

In the middle of eating and drinking, some began to retch as if they had drunk too much. There were also those who vomited and collapsed.

They were all masters of some skill, so there was no reason for them to suddenly get drunk. Someone circulated their internal energy to check, then shouted.

“It’s poison!”

Some complained of stomach pain, some vomited blood. Someone cried that their internal energy scattered due to energy-dispersing poison. It wasn’t all the same poison, but everyone was hit by different poisons and showed different symptoms.

At that moment, a young man in black clothes with a covered face entered through the Baek Li Family’s estate gate.

Martial artists vomited blood and shouted.

“Poison Dragon… the Poison Dragon has appeared!”