Chapter 303 - Underworld's Divine Star Black Flame Dragon

The second day of the Silver River Merchant Group's founding anniversary ceremony.

The banquet continued no differently from yesterday.

Only, it did not have the same lively atmosphere as yesterday.

There was music, but no dancing girls, and though people came and went, no one from the Silver River Merchant Group greeted the guests one by one.

It was a banquet, and yet the mood did not feel like a banquet at all.

"Their hospitality is a complete mess. Tsk."

"... That's the complaint you have right now?"

Wang Soso looked at me as if she could not believe what she was hearing.

"Hm? Why?"

"The Merchant Group Leader was always boasting about two things: that Jeong Sogun entered the academy, and that he rose to the position of Grand Banner Chief."

"So?"

"... What do you mean, so? You destroyed both of those things in one blow."

It was not my fault his proud son went down in one blow, was it?

'I didn't even hit him that hard.'

If he had drawn a weapon, he should have crushed me in an instant.

If he had, he would not have lost so absurdly.

In fact, the impact that flowed into my hand when I blocked his spear qi had been nothing to scoff at.

'If he's a son of the Silver River Merchant Group, he must have taken spiritual pills or spiritual elixirs every quarter, right?'

The reason Jeong Sogun went down in one blow was entirely because of his own arrogance.

His arrogant belief that he could easily subdue someone like me had destroyed him.

If not for that, we could have exchanged a few more moves.

Well, I would have won in the end anyway.

"From what I saw, he doesn't have the skill to be a Grand Banner Chief. He clearly bribed his way into that promotion..."

"That is not the important part."

Wang Soso was still looking at me in disbelief.

With worry added on top of it.

"Maybe... we might not be able to maintain our connection with the Silver River Merchant Group anymore."

Well, considering I even made him piss himself on a day of celebration, maybe that was only natural.

"That does not matter."

"Pardon?"

"Our Taiyi Sect has Wangga Manor, does it not?"

"..."

Wang Soso's face went blank, like someone who had been struck in the back of the head out of nowhere.

I looked at her and smiled playfully.

"Surely Wangga Manor is not planning to abandon the Taiyi Sect?"

"W-What are you saying!"

"Then is that not enough?"

"I-It is, but... from the Taiyi Sect's perspective, you never know what might happen..."

Why was the daughter of Wangga Manor worrying as if she were one of the Taiyi Sect's people?

"You never know how things will turn out. Wangga Manor's power might weaken... and then the Silver River Merchant Group's power would grow stronger..."

"Are you telling us to flit back and forth like bats?"

"That is not what I mean."

"Enough. In the end, if Wangga Manor becomes the greatest merchant magnate in the world, will that not solve every problem?"

"..."

"Then even if the Silver River Merchant Group hates me and the Taiyi Sect, there will be no problem."

"T-That's true."

Wang Soso blinked a few times, then carefully asked me,

"... Oppa, do you think Wangga Manor will become the number one merchant group in the world?"

I firmly shook my head.

"I do not know."

"Pardon?"

In my past life, Wangga Manor had slowly declined after Wang Soso's disappearance drove Wang Geumsan out of his mind.

At my answer, Wang Soso's expression fell.

Looking at her face, I added,

"But all you need to do is make it happen."

"... You, oppa?"

"If there is anything I can help with, I will do so as much as I can, but in the end, the Lord and you will be the ones to make it happen."

The three great merchant magnates who had torn Wangga Manor's assets apart and devoured them had ultimately been of no help during the Orthodox-Demonic Great War.

So I would support Wangga Manor in every way, both materially and morally.

After all, my job was to throw away any so-called predetermined future and rely on new possibilities.

Wang Soso, who had been looking at my face, clenched her fist tightly.

"You're right. If that happens, there will be no problem."

Then she nodded again and again, as if she had resolved herself.

She was still young, but she really was admirable.

I lightly patted her on the head.

"Let us head back soon."

"Yes!"

Wang Soso answered in the brightest voice she had used since coming to the Silver River Merchant Group.

#

After we sent word to the Silver River Merchant Group that we would be returning to our sect, and while the coachman prepared the carriage,

Jeong Soeul visited the annex.

"What is it this time?"

Wang Soso, who until now had reacted like a cat bristling whenever she saw Jeong Soeul, greeted her today with a strangely relaxed smile.

"Is there somewhere in my own home that I am not allowed to go?"

And, conversely, this time it was Jeong Soeul who reacted prickly.

"Of course not. But I was thinking that even if one is the owner, it is not proper etiquette to enter a room given to a guest without permission."

And the one caught between the two women's battle of nerves was me.

"Soso, finish preparing to leave."

With a "Hmph!" Wang Soso went in to gather the rest of her luggage, leaving only me, who had brought no luggage in the first place, and Jeong Soeul in the sitting room.

After a brief silence, her beautiful voice reached my ear.

"... I warned you so many times, yet in the end, you still went and caused trouble."

"Trouble?"

I tilted my head.

At my calm expression, Jeong Soeul let out a dry laugh.

"Ha. Surely you are not so stupid that you have no idea how serious what you did was?"

The subtly seductive attitude she had shown until now was nowhere to be seen.

I changed my attitude to match.

"What exactly did I do? You told me to show a talent, so I showed one, and even when they picked a fight with me, I held back."

"Ha...! How ridiculous...!"

"Hm, I am starting to feel offended by how rude you are being. Why not either speak properly or get the hell out of my sight?"

"G-Get the hell out?"

Jeong Soeul could not hide her shock at my harsh words.

Before long, her shoulders began to tremble.

"... Do you really intend to keep pretending to be a stupid Underworld thug to the very end?"

I did not know whether I was pretending to be stupid, but one thing was certain.

It was quite enjoyable to see the true face of the "Silver Tiger."

More importantly, this woman seemed a little less frightened because she had not been in the inner chamber at that time.

This would not do.

I took in a deep breath and shouted.

"What? Stupid? Are you insulting me right now!"

When I rose abruptly while unleashing killing intent, Jeong Soeul flinched and stepped back.

"W-What are you doing right now! D-Don't tell me, here...!"

SHING.

As I approached, even drawing my sword, Jeong Soeul's body shook like a rabbit pinned by a tiger's glare.

"Ngh..."

After looking down at her for a long while, I finally withdrew my killing intent.

"Haa, haa, haa, haa."

I glanced down at the floor where she stood and said,

"At least you are better than your brother or your father."

"..."

Jeong Soeul glared at me as if she wanted to kill me, perhaps because she found something so humiliating.

Annoyed, I waved my hand and dismissed her.

"Did you come all the way here just to say that?"

Her body trembling, she finally opened her mouth.

"... Father said he wished to see you before you left."

Hmm... Now?

#

The Merchant Group Leader's office was different from the one in the Daecheon Merchant Group.

Unlike my father's office, which was right beside the administrative offices, the office of the Silver River Merchant Group Leader was located deep in the innermost part of the Silver River Merchant Group, beyond a long corridor.

"Did you sleep comfortably last night?"

Sitting alone in the large, splendid office, the Merchant Group Leader stared at me with a stiff face.

Tsk, tsk. He looks as though he aged overnight... I cannot help feeling sorry for him.

"The banquet is still in full swing. Is it all right for the guest of honor to be out here?"

Far from answering me, the Merchant Group Leader showed no reaction at all, and only after a long while did he open his mouth heavily.

"I was considering whether or not to stamp my seal on the contract sent by Wangga Manor."

"Was that not all settled yesterday?"

"Do you think that because I spoke of it before others, I cannot render the transaction void?"

"You could, but you will not."

"A martial artist speaking of credit. How interesting."

He clasped his hands and covered his mouth.

His eyes grew sharper than ever.

"But tell me... do you know this? This transaction may be the last one before both the Daecheon Merchant Group and the Taiyi Sect come to an end."

"Is that what you intend to do?"

"If my anger does not subside."

"..."

"I could return the Taiyi Sect to its original state, when it had nothing... No, by methods even worse than that, I could tear the Daecheon Merchant Group and the Taiyi Sect to shreds."

Unlike the young tiger, the seasoned tiger's eyes flashed.

"If you plan to rely on Wangga Manor, forget it. Wangga Manor is ultimately made of merchants as well. Faith and gratitude are merely bothersome and expensive to buy with money, not things that cannot be bought with money."

As expected, his skill at threats was art.

But a threat only counted as a threat if it worked.

After listening in silence, I nodded and answered breezily.

"Then please do so."

"What?"

For an instant, the Merchant Group Leader's expression, which had been full of hostility, changed into something complicated.

"I do not think I did anything wrong, and your displeasure has not gone away. In that case, there is no solution that will satisfy everyone, is there? Then each of us must solve the problem in the way we want."

"... Are you in your right mind? Or are you truly that confident?"

Looking at him, I lightly shrugged.

"I am merely not afraid of a future that has not yet come. If a problem arises, I can solve it then."

"..."

His expression grew even more complicated.

The Merchant Group Leader stared blankly at me in silence for a long while, then suddenly said,

"... You have not held a wedding yet, I hear?"

What kind of out-of-nowhere question was that?

Just as I felt it was not even worth answering,

"What do you think of Soeul? Her eyes are filled to the brim with ambition, but for that very reason, she will also support her husband well. She is a wise girl."

"Pardon?"

What was this man suddenly saying?

"Or does Soeul not please you? In looks, she is inferior to no one I have ever seen."

While I was dumbfounded by the completely unexpected question, the Merchant Group Leader continued.

"Chaos will come to the world soon. Do you know that?"

... Huh? What is this?

"And when that chaos arrives, countless orders will be destroyed. If you do not wish to be swept away by a great storm, you must put down firm roots. Do you think Wangga Manor will put down firm roots in the Taiyi Sect?"

He was not saying it directly, but somehow, the Merchant Group Leader seemed to have some idea of the future.

If so... had the Silver Tiger taking over the Silver River Merchant Group also happened more or less according to his intentions?

'Well, the Silver Tiger I met in person revealed her true colors right away. She was not someone with the caliber to swallow the Silver River Merchant Group on her own.'

Compared to Jeong Sogun, Jeong Soeul was exceptional.

But as the Merchant Group Leader, he could not pass the merchant group to his second daughter while his eldest son was still there.

It occurred to me that perhaps he had created an environment where the "Silver Tiger" could seize the merchant group on her own.

He made a proposal to me with firm eyes.

"Put down roots in the Silver River Merchant Group. Then the Taiyi Sect will not be swept away by the storm."

It was truly an enticing offer.

If I had heard such a thing in my past life, would I not have buried my head almost to the ground while saying, "Why, thank you very much"?

I would have held the wedding I could not have held in my past life, too.

However...

"Thank you for the offer, but..."

I had already tried putting down roots by leaning on someone else in my past life.

In the great tree called the "Murim Alliance."

And I had learned the lesson in my bones.

"The Taiyi Sect will put down its own roots."

You cannot endure the storm by parasitizing another's roots.

Only through my own power could I drive my roots firmly into the earth.

I looked straight into the Merchant Group Leader's eyes.

"Without anyone else's help."

"... It seems the world looks easy to you."

"Well, I suppose it might feel that way to you."

The Merchant Group Leader stared intently at me for a long while before finally rising.

"... Perhaps the root called the Silver River Merchant Group is too solid for Sogun."

"Pardon?"

After uttering words whose meaning I could not understand, the Merchant Group Leader opened a wooden box.

Then he took out a large gold seal and slammed it down on the contract.

"Deliver it to Lord Wang. And tell the Daecheon Merchant Group Leader that I look forward to working with him from now on."

For the first time, the Merchant Group Leader showed me respect.

"Thank you."

I, too, lightly lowered my head in return.

#

Naeng Okhwan entered the dark cave.

'His tastes really are fucked.'

He simply could not understand the mind of someone who would leave perfectly good buildings aside and insist on setting up a damn laboratory in a cave like this.

Instead of torches, expensive night-shining pearls were embedded in the ceiling of the passage.

Torches changed the quality of the air or some such nonsense.

It was such a pathetic reason that he had not even properly understood it.

When he reached the end of the passage, a vast cavern appeared, and Naeng Okhwan entered while making his presence known.

"I'm here."

"..."

When he went inside, the owner of the cave stood there with a frown.

"What? Why?"

"I believe I told you to wear protective robes."

Naeng Okhwan looked around at the corpses hanging nearby and said,

"Fuck, do you think I'd be contaminated by those things?"

"I am not worried about you. I am worried your idiot disease might spread to the corpses."

"You son of a bitch."

Seeing Naeng Okhwan lean forward as if he were about to charge, the owner of the cave set the knife and tongs in his hands down on the floor.

"Why has a man who failed his mission come all the way here to loiter?"

Then, as if he had remembered something, Naeng Okhwan's attitude changed at once.

"... Ah! Right, right. I saw him."

"Him?"

"The one who destroyed the iron jiangshi you made."

For an instant, the man's expression twisted.

"I did not make that trash. The underlings made it..."

"Ah, whatever. It was still made in your cave, wasn't it?"

"You damned ox..."

A broad smile spread across Naeng Okhwan's lips.

He had been thoroughly beaten for failing his mission, but seeing that rotten expression lifted his mood a little.

It had been worth coming all the way to this filthy cave just to see this.

At any rate, the man reacted immediately if his pride was pricked even slightly, which made it so enjoyable.

Naeng Okhwan dropped into a chair and remarked,

"Anyway, he was an amusing bastard."

"Amusing?"

"Yeah. How should I put it? He was a bit like you, Jang Ogeuk."

The man called Jang Ogeuk bared his fangs, then tilted his head.

"What do you mean?"

"What else would I mean? I mean he had a face that made me want to kill him."

"... Naeng Okhwan. Do you truly wish to die?"

"Ugh, forget it. Anyway, I understood a little why Lord Little Demon has taken an interest in him."

At Naeng Okhwan's words, Jang Ogeuk fell into thought for a moment.

Then he soon voiced a question.

"Did he perhaps use the Great Star-Absorbing Art?"

"The Great Star-Absorbing Art?"

"Je Geumhak's Heaven-and-Earth Extreme Demonic Qi has become completely mixed together. That is why his treatment is slow."

"Oh-ho... Is that so?"

"Did you find something out?"

At Jang Ogeuk's expectant gaze, Naeng Okhwan shrugged.

"How would I know? I did not fight him."

"... You utterly useless piece of trash."

"Heh-heh-heh. Did you think I would bring you something useful?"

"If your business is finished, get lost. I am busy."

Behind Jang Ogeuk as he turned away, Naeng Okhwan's serious voice flew in.

"Teacher instructed me to tell you that it is time to begin the 'fourth stage.'"

At Naeng Okhwan's words, Jang Ogeuk's eyes settled calmly.

"Has it come to that already?"

"Yes. The bastards of the Blood Demon Sect were even bigger idiots than expected."

"The 'Day of Heaven's Opening' is not far off, then."

"When that day comes..."

Naeng Okhwan, who had been about to continue, swallowed his words.

Because even someone as rash as him could not easily speak of that.

"Yes, when that day comes..."

Jang Ogeuk also swallowed the rest of his words and exchanged a meaningful look with Naeng Okhwan.