ALL NOVEL Ch 21
A towering height and an imposing physique.
With furrowed, bushy eyebrows, an elderly yet formidable figure was glaring fiercely at the Great Black Inn by Lake Poyang.
His intense gaze blazed like the sun through his disheveled hair, with a hint of steel beneath his tattered martial clothes.
An awe-inspiring, god-like presence!
Though his graying hair suggested he was well past fifty, his body retained the vitality and strength of a man in his twenties.
Perhaps intimidated by his massive, robust frame, passersby in front of the inn continuously watched their step, carefully avoiding any provocation.
Soon, the thunderous voice of the elderly man rang out.
“Ilryong! You ungrateful disciple! Your master is here! Come out this instant!”
This was none other than Iron Bear King, the Green Forest Monarch.
The man who, with just two fists, united the Green Forest. The legendary master of the True Martial Rebellion Fist.
Iron Bear King, even taller than the giant Jang Ilryong by a head, roared louder.
“Do I have to break down the place to get you to come out?”
At that moment, Jang Ilryong dashed out, parting the curtain of the inn.
His face was pale as if he’d seen a ghost.
He was even barefoot.
“Ah… Master, how did you…?”
In a flash, the shadow of the Iron Bear King flickered and vanished.
“Aagh! Let go, let go!”
An unbelievable sight!
The enormous Jang Ilryong was dangling like a twig.
The Iron Bear King had grabbed him by the back of his neck, flashing a grin full of white teeth.
“Is there a place in the martial world that the Green Forest’s shadow does not reach? I’ve held back this long for the sake of Namgung’s reputation. But now, enough is enough!”
In that moment, his eyes burned like molten lava.
“So, you’ve become a righteous hero, have you?”
“Eek!”
Jang Ilryong shut his eyes in fear.
When his master’s eyes looked like that, a beating was sure to follow.
“N-No, that’s not what I meant… please, let me explain….”
“The great righteous hero is planning to bow down to the Green Forest?”
Crack.
The Iron Bear King tilted his head left and right, stretching his neck, while Jang Ilryong shouted in frustration.
“Damn it! This is why I ran away! You won’t even listen and start hitting again? Am I some dog to be beaten every time?”
The Iron Bear King snickered, examining the muscles of his equally brawny disciple.
“So? Has your Eternal Iron Body proven useless?”
Eternal Iron Body.
An external martial art where enduring brutal beatings was a basic training method.
Paired with the True Martial Rebellion Fist, this legendary art was so difficult that no one had mastered it in a hundred years.
Thus, the Iron Bear King had high hopes for Jang Ilryong. The amazing resilience of his beastly disciple was beyond human capability.
“Fine. Shall I destroy the weak point I granted you? You have nothing to say if I take it back, since it was my gift.”
The weak point, the “Zhaomen.”
For external martial artists, Zhaomen was a fateful vulnerability.
If an opponent discovered their Zhaomen, even a martial master couldn’t wield their strength properly. Since they had to constantly guard this weak point, their movements in attack and defense were restricted.
The Eternal Iron Body had a Zhaomen as well. However, if one reached true mastery, that weak point would vanish.
The legendary Indestructible Diamond Body.
Not even the great external martial arts of Shaolin could rival the Eternal Iron Body.
At that moment, a sharp cry rang out from somewhere, sounding like a banshee’s wail.
“Aaah! It’s Namgung!”
Atop the roof of the inn, a pale-faced woman with disheveled hair gasped, holding her hand to her mouth.
Her gaze fell upon two middle-aged figures, wearing deeply-tipped straw hats, who had just arrived in front of the inn.
In an instant, the Iron Bear King noticed the sword the man was carrying and gritted his teeth.
“The Emperor’s Divine Sword!”
The middle-aged man, who had let out a quiet sigh, lifted his straw hat, his eyes widening in surprise.
“Iron Bear King?”
**A Killing Glare**
Iron Bear King’s gaze right now could kill with its intensity.
Just two weeks ago, Black Lotus abruptly ordered the dissolution of their forces.
They hadn’t even boarded a single ship, and now they were to disband?
Green Forest had mobilized no less than seven thousand troops to Dangcheon Port, waiting over two months, camping out and biding their time for the waters to rise.
Feeding and housing an army of seven thousand for over two months cost an enormous sum in silver. This was an all-or-nothing endeavor.
For Green Forest, failing to seize control of Anhui would mean the end of everything.
But now they were scrapping the entire plan?
It felt like a bad joke, and Iron Bear King nearly cursed aloud, barely containing his rage. At that moment, Black Lotus’s envoy delivered even more shocking news.
Alliance broken.
At first, he thought he’d misheard, so he pressed the envoy several times.
However, Black Lotus’s envoy confirmed it clearly: the alliance was over.
They had been the ones to initiate the alliance, bowing down first, and now they were overturning it?
After days and nights of persuading the conservative Green Forest’s Seventeen Heroes to finally unify Green Forest’s resolve?
Iron Bear King wanted to crush the envoy into dust with one punch but barely managed to control himself.
Afterward, he immediately sent his men to investigate the situation in Jiangxi.
It didn’t take long to get a clear picture of the situation.
Rumors of the great deeds of Azure Sky Sword, Namgung Su, had already spread far and wide.
Though the strange rumors were hard to believe, it was undeniable that Azure Sky Sword was at the center of all these events.
Around Iron Bear King, a dense aura of fighting spirit began to rise.
“Hey, you petty thief.”
Azure Sky Sword Namgung Su gave a weary smile.
Though Iron Bear King treated him like a common criminal, oddly enough, he didn’t feel any anger.
“It’s all a misunderstanding.”
“Misunderstanding?”
Iron Bear King clenched his fists tightly.
His muscles twitched violently, and a dark, heavy energy unique to True Martial Rebellion Fist enveloped his fists.
The realm of Fist Qi.
A state that all martial artists dreamed of in their heart of hearts. It was a mark that his martial arts had reached the pinnacle of transformation.
“One more misunderstanding, and Green Forest will be wiped out? Even a lowly creature will bare its fangs when cornered! Are you planning to annihilate Green Forest? Is this the will of the Martial Alliance?”
“…….”
There was no point explaining anything to a madman who had lost his cool.
Namgung Su sighed softly and slowly adjusted his sword stance.
Between right and wrong, there was no need for further words.
Namgung was a sovereign in his own right.
He spoke solely through his sword.
Words were meaningless.
The sword’s power expanded like the vast sky, engulfing the surroundings.
Namgung Su’s eyes gradually glowed with a deep azure light.
In the face of this undeniable symbol of absolute mastery, Iron Bear King bit his lip hard enough to draw blood.
Seven Martial Thrones.
The seven heavens of the righteous martial world.
That title had always crushed Green Forest.
In the past, when he wandered as a lowly rogue, he could only look up at those illustrious families of righteousness.
A surge of fury and fighting spirit took hold of Iron Bear King’s mind in an instant.
True Martial Rebellion Fist.
Third Fist.
Nine Stances of Defying Heaven.
**Thunderous Roar!**
As Iron Bear King slammed his powerful foot to the ground, the earth in front of the tavern upheaved.
Nine deadly fist auras surged towards Namgung Su, who raised his sword with a composed expression.
Azure Sky Boundless Sword
First Four Forms.
Heavenly Thunder Rock Cannon.
Dozens of sword rings materialized instantly, lingering in the air for a moment before launching forward like cannonballs to intercept the surging fist auras.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Powerful shockwaves scattered in every direction.
Namgung Su, still expressionless, formed a protective aura around himself. Countless fragments ricocheted off the azure shield that enveloped him and fell harmlessly to the ground.
His sword then began to tremble violently.
The Sovereign Sword Form.
First Three Forms—Profound Sovereign Way.
First Four Forms—Heaven Severing Infinite Strike.
The pure, absolute level of mastery that only those in the realm of ultimate martial arts could manifest filled the room.
The overwhelming energy of the Sovereign Sword Form flowed through each movement, creating a seamless series of sword techniques.
While the people on the street usually relished a good fight, they couldn’t withstand the Sovereign’s oppressive presence, scattering in every direction.
Profound Sovereign Way.
A sword technique that dominates a specific range with overwhelming power.
No matter how supreme one’s martial skill, within the range of this sovereign power, even an expert’s abilities were suppressed. Iron Bear King was no exception.
Those familiar with the Sovereign Sword Form feared the Profound Sovereign Way more than even the final three forms, which were said to embody all the Namgung family’s four-hundred-year legacy.
Iron Bear King’s face was filled with disbelief.
The fierce energy of Tyrant Dragon Heart Skill, which had been swirling wildly within him, gradually subsided. His inner energy threads were breaking one by one.
As he grappled with his astonishment, the colossal force of the Sovereign Sword closed in on him.
Heaven Severing Infinite Strike.
A sword of Absolute Sovereignty, said to cut even the heavens, was now hurtling towards him with relentless arrogance.
Trembling.
‘…Is this the true extent of his power?’
Iron Bear King broke into a cold sweat.
Apart from a few scuffles in his youth, today was his first time facing a master of the Seven Martial Thrones from the righteous martial world.
He clenched his lips hard enough to draw blood and hunkered down.
With his inner energy depleted and unable to respond with his fists, the only thing he could rely on was his invincible external technique: Eternal Iron Armor Body.
Thud!
Expecting a massive impact, Iron Bear King cautiously opened his eyes when nothing happened.
“Huh?”
The overwhelming force that had been suppressing his inner energy had vanished. The furious sword aura was no longer there.
Iron Bear King looked at Azure Sky Sword Namgung Su, his face twisted in frustration.
Namgung Su had already sheathed his sword and was standing with his hands behind his back.
That calm, half-open gaze.
‘I, Iron Bear King… am I so insignificant as a warrior that I don’t even deserve his respect?’
The only reason that high-and-mighty righteous man retracted his sword aura was one thing: mercy.
Confident that his final strike would have taken Iron Bear King’s life, he withdrew his sword.
Iron Bear King trembled with rage at the humiliation.
‘Damn him! That righteous bastard, always so full of himself!’
He felt utterly defeated.
Was the gap between them truly this vast?
To reach the ultimate state of the Transformation Realm, he’d poured his life’s passion and obsession into his training, to the point of madness.
The absolute realm had been so close, yet so elusive, for all those years.
But what could he do?
A martial artist could only prove themselves with skill.
To pick another fight with someone he’d already lost to would be disgraceful.
Iron Bear King felt a deep frustration at Green Forest’s reality—their lack of skilled masters, the limit of their strength.
However, his concern for his top disciple was a different matter entirely.
That young genius held too much promise to be neglected.
The child who would one day fulfill the ten-thousand strong dream of Green Forest.
“Hmph! Let’s go!”
At that moment, Jang Il-ryong, who had once again been grabbed by the scruff of his neck, cried out in terror.
“Hey! I left the mountains! I’m not going back!”
Left the mountains?
Though his disciple’s insolence infuriated him, what bothered him more was Jang Il-ryong’s eyes, fixed admiringly on Namgung Su.
BAM!
With a loud thud, Jang Il-ryong flew through the air, landing in a heap in the backyard.
After a moment buried in the dirt, he rose with a furrowed brow.
“Damn! Is this what it means to be a disciple? Can’t we have a little love like the righteous sects do? Not that I expect it—but this is just too much!”
Iron Bear King touched his hand with a surprised look.
“…Rebounding energy?”
How many times in his life had he been this stunned?
**Rebounding Energy.**
A level just below the Invincible Diamond Body in the realm of external martial arts, a stage that should be impossible for someone his age to reach.
This moment vividly displayed the unparalleled talent of Jang Il-ryong, a prodigy in the field of external arts.
But talent alone isn’t enough to achieve mastery in martial arts, is it?
That little rascal hadn’t been slacking off in his training after all.
“Has the Eternal Iron Armor Body reached the Stele Armor stage?”
The Stele Armor refers to the Eight-Tenth level in the progression of the Eternal Iron Armor Body.
“Nope. It’s at Polar Light.”
“Po… Polar Light?”
The Polar Light stage.
Nine-Tenth level! Only one step away from the peak of the Invincible Diamond Body?
What had happened in the six years since he left the mountain to allow him to reach such a level?
Without his instructor’s own training methods to temper him? How was this possible without the Blood of the Green Bear or the daily intake of Bear Blood?
Jang Il-ryong sighed.
“Sigh… it was all that beating! After I left the mountain, I didn’t even train that hard. I just rested well, ate well, and my progress doubled.”
“What?”
The unique training method known as the Dragon Heaven Strike was considered the most efficient way to cultivate the Eternal Iron Armor Body, proven over generations.
Even Iron Bear King himself had been struck by his master for over ten years.
Could it be that the method was flawed?
Iron Bear King was thoroughly shaken.
“No way? That can’t be right?”
“Here, look.”
Jang Il-ryong pulled off his shirt, revealing the distinct sheen of the Polar Light stage, a metallic gleam that radiated like a mineral.
“Now, do you believe me?”
It was undeniably the manifestation of Polar Light.
Seeing the proof firsthand, Iron Bear King had no choice but to accept it.
Jang Il-ryong grinned and spoke again.
“My master also fell for it.”
The ten years he had endured the Dragon Heaven Strike were all for nothing?
Reflecting on it, he realized his master was indeed capable of such a prank.
The infamous Green Forest Warlord’s eccentric personality was legendary across the martial world.
“Damn, so that’s why he always had that strange expression.”
The master’s face wouldn’t have been filled with joy over his student’s success but rather with mischievous glee.
With this newfound understanding, Iron Bear King’s eyes turned vengeful.
But he quickly composed himself.
“Ahem. Anyway, it’s time to return to the mountain. Put this back on, boy.”
Thud.
He dropped the green robes at Jang Il-ryong’s feet.
Jang Il-ryong had no desire to wear the dreaded Blood Armor again.
“No way!”
“You little—!”
Watching the scene, Azure Sky Sword Namgung Su cautiously interjected.
“No matter the path, as long as one reaches the ultimate truth… your disciple has grown into a worthy martial artist. What’s the rush?”
“Hmph! Mind your own business!”
Namgung Su looked at Jang Il-ryong with a gentle expression.
“A stranger? Nonsense. He’s already serving as a patrol leader for our family’s outer ranks, a proud member of the Namgung family’s forces. How could I call someone under our roof a stranger?”
“Ridiculous! He’s my disciple! The future leader of Green Forest’s hundred thousand warriors!”
“Enough!”
Namgung Su’s eyes, now blazing with a fierce blue aura, locked onto Iron Bear King.
His voice, filled with anger, was directed straight at Iron Bear King.
“How can the master of a faction be so careless? I won’t deny the master-disciple bond forged by fate! But to treat a disciple as personal property is unacceptable!”
“What, what did you say?”
“Why crush the will of a young man with the spirit of a true warrior? Shouldn’t a master respect a disciple’s earnest aspirations? One has only one life! Don’t let selfish desires lead you to disregard it!”
Namgung Su’s words struck Jang Il-ryong deeply.
This righteous man seemed to understand and stand up for him even more than his own master.
Jang Il-ryong had always vaguely wanted to join the righteous sects.
But now he knew for sure—his ideal truly lay along the path of righteousness.
Namgung Su’s voice, now stern, continued.
“It’s time for you to leave.”
“W-what?”
Namgung Su addressed Jang Il-ryong, who stood there dazed.
“This man, allied with the Black Lotus Gang, dared raise claws against me with seven thousand soldiers. I stayed my hand only because of you. But now, I see he’s not worth the restraint.”
Jang Il-ryong’s heart pounded.
All the masters of Mount Daesan and the unorthodox factions he’d met, regardless of rank or title, were simply… people.
They reacted with anger when betrayed, harbored desires for women, and pursued power and wealth no differently from ordinary folk.
But Namgung Su was different.
In his every movement, his aura, his words, and his martial arts, one could sense the philosophy and conviction of a man who walked the righteous path.
**The Authority and Dignity of the Seven Martial Seats**
There are many emotions one person can feel toward another, but today, Jang Il-ryong felt “respect” for a human being for the first time.
He wanted to live like the Azure Sky Sword Namgung Su.
The overwhelming power that commanded the martial world, the unwavering convictions at his core, and that aura and dignity of a king!
He wanted to be like him in every way.
Now he understood why the history of the unorthodox sects was so short.
They were people bound together solely by power and self-interest.
In their hearts, there was only greed, devoid of the dignity and tradition passed down through the generations in honorable families.
If people of such character were the elders, the pillars of a martial sect, what kind of loyalty would that inspire in their subordinates?
Even he now felt a burning desire to resemble Namgung Su.
What must it be like to be Namgung Jang-ho, his older brother, to live as the child of such a great man?
Namgung Jang-ho must have spent his life cultivating himself in such an environment.
With a newly serious expression, Jang Il-ryong respectfully cupped his fists and bowed toward Namgung Su.
“As a disciple, how can I ignore my master in danger? If you are determined to end my master, then I, too, must step forward.”
Jang Il-ryong’s usual playful demeanor was nowhere to be seen.
His aura was sharp, his gaze steadfast.
It wasn’t because of some notion of filial duty or the master-disciple relationship that defined martial society.
Despite his desire to leave Mount Daesan, it was his master who had saved him from a life of wild wandering and taught him the path of a warrior.
What kind of man could he call himself if he abandoned that loyalty?
“Hahaha!”
The Azure Sky Sword Namgung Su stroked his long beard and laughed heartily. A warm look had entered his eyes.
Namgung Su slowly turned his gaze toward Cheolungpae.
“Cheolungpae.”
Cheolungpae listened silently, not moving an inch.
“If you have eyes, look into those of your disciple.”
The righteous path is that of chivalry.
Even if a blade hovers at one’s throat, one who walks the path of a warrior will always stand against injustice.
Namgung Su found Jang Il-ryong’s upright determination, his unyielding resolve even in front of the Seven Martial Seats, admirable.
Jang Il-ryong’s fierce gaze, radiating unwavering belief, was as clear and vast as the blue sky.
“He is already an honorable Namgung. He has left your embrace.”
Cheolungpae’s face twisted with various emotions before settling into a resigned expression.
“…You insolent rascal.”
With that, he turned and began to walk away.
Namgung Su’s gaze shifted back to Jang Il-ryong, who stared blankly at his departing master’s back.
“Will you not regret this?”
Namgung Su’s tone toward Jang Il-ryong had softened, like a master speaking to a disciple.
“No.”
Jang Il-ryong slowly bowed toward his departing master.
Why was his tear-streaked face so satisfying to see?
Even so, Namgung Su reminded him that the world he lived in was the martial realm.
“One who lives by martial arts inevitably builds grudges. That man dared raise a blade against my family. Though I spare him today for your sake, next time, he will face punishment. Are you prepared to endure all this?”
With unwavering eyes, Jang Il-ryong nodded.
“Yes.”
Namgung Su’s face lit up with satisfaction at his firm resolve.
But soon, Namgung Su’s expression returned to one of sternness.
“Where is Jo Bonggong?”
* * *
It had already been two hours since the Azure Sky Sword Namgung Su led Namgung Jang-ho and Jegal Yun back into the guest room after they completed their duties.
Occasional scoldings and spine-chilling shouts could be heard, and Yum Sang-rok couldn’t help but shake his head.
“Wow, they’re really getting it.”
Jin Ga-hee turned to Jang Il-ryong with a strange expression.
“Wouldn’t it be better to just get hit a few times? He’s really draining the life out of them.”
Jang Il-ryong’s chest felt heavy, as if he, too, were being reprimanded.
“Geez, it wasn’t even us who caused trouble…”
His respect for the Azure Sky Sword was starting to wane.
The same words, repeated over and over…
He could almost predict what he would say next.
Elderly figures in the righteous sects don’t only have good points, Jang Il-ryong realized.
If that’s the teaching method of noble sects, then his perspective was changing.
Jin Ga-hee was right—it would be better to take a few hits.
If the five major noble families were like this, what would it be like at the famously strict Shaolin Temple, the Wudang Sect, or the Mount Hua Sect?
They probably endured even longer speeches until their minds were ground to dust.
Just then, there was a commotion in the inn’s front courtyard.
The sounds of horses neighing and voices of strong men echoed.
Jang Il-ryong didn’t need to look to know it was the grand procession of Jo Ga-daesang.
“Brother Jo-hwi!”
Only Jo-hwi could resolve this situation and rescue his poor senior brothers, so Jang Il-ryong quickly hurried down.
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
Despite his sturdy frame, he moved up the steps like a squirrel.
Jang Il-ryong stepped out of the guesthouse with a welcoming expression.
Under the banner of the Jo Trading Association flying high in the sky, dozens of neatly lined carts were parked in an orderly manner.
Exhausted horses snorted as they drank water, while the association’s workers bustled around, unloading large bundles.
Jang Il-ryong spat on both hands and then looked at Yeom Sang-rok and Jin Ga-hee, who had come out with him.
“What are you doing? Why aren’t you moving quickly?”
Flexing his well-toned muscles, Jang approached the procession of the trading company, while Yeom Sang-rok looked annoyed.
“Damn, what a life I have.”
The infamous assassin Soma-gyeom of the Black Heavenly Lotus had been reduced to a mere porter!
As Jang unloaded a large bundle, he noticed Jo-hwi holding a banner and froze.
“Mister, we’re screwed. Hurry up to the guest room on the second floor.”
Jo-hwi tilted his head in confusion.
“Why? What’s going on?”
“The clan master has arrived. Your brothers have been getting beaten up for two hours straight.”
“…Hmm.”
Jo-hwi’s face also grew tense.
He hadn’t expected the Namgung Clan to react lightly, but he hadn’t anticipated the clan’s master himself to come all the way to Poyang Lake.
“Please tell the innkeeper to serve everyone plenty of food. There are quite a few people, so we may need to inquire about several inns nearby.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll handle it all.”
“I’m counting on you, Manager Jang.”
Knowing Jang Il-ryong’s efficiency, Jo-hwi felt more at ease.
As Jo-hwi entered the inn and lifted the curtain, a loud voice echoed from upstairs.
“Where has your mind been wandering? Regardless of friendship, it is right to stop someone from wrongdoing! Why do you stand there mute like a fish? Speak up if you have a mouth!”
The stern voice unmistakably belonged to Namgung-su, the renowned Swordsman of Blue Heaven.
Jo-hwi shook his head slightly and went up to the second floor, opening the door to the guest room.
“Have you been well, Clan Master?”
“Jo Bong-gong…?”
Before Namgung-su could finish speaking, Jo-hwi strode over and retrieved a map of Poyang Lake hanging on the wall.
He then spread the map wide on the table.
“No matter how I look at it, there is no place better suited for Namgung Clan’s sub-stronghold than here.”
“A… sub-stronghold?”
A sub-stronghold is an auxiliary base of power.
Until now, no single martial sect or family had established a sub-stronghold.
Only massive powers like the Martial Alliance or the Heavenly Demon Sect could even consider it.
But look at where Jo-hwi’s finger was pointing—the heart of the Poyang Lake trading area, Yeilpo (Beautiful Sun Harbor).
Known for the phrase “Nanchang’s great and beautiful sun,” anyone who lived near Poyang Lake knew of Yeilpo.
It was where all the goods from merchant ships passing through Poyang Lake gathered.
With its enormous trade potential, Yeilpo was practically synonymous with Nanchang itself.
To set up a Namgung Clan sub-stronghold at the center of such a lucrative trading area?
If it were possible, it would mean enormous profits for Namgung Clan.
But where was Nanchang?
Right in the middle of the Black Heavenly Lotus’s territory.
Sensing Namgung-su’s worry, Jo-hwi quickly took out a contract from his pocket.
“This is the agreement between Jo Trading Association and Black Heavenly Lotus. Please take a look.”
“Ah, alright.”
Namgung-su, as if spellbound, started reading the contract.
As he read, his face gradually showed signs of shock.
“It’s no secret that Jo Trading Association and Namgung Clan are united. Both you and we can leverage that. First, send some of the clan’s warriors to us. They’ll disguise themselves as members of our association.”
Namgung-su blinked in astonishment, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“Now, hold on, Jo Bong-gong…”
Jo-hwi quickly interrupted Namgung-su.
“Beginnings are always done subtly like this. Haven’t you heard of the phrase *riding the tiger*? Now that we’ve come this far, let’s take over Jiangxi together.”
Take over Jiangxi?
The Black Heavenly Lotus’s territory, a coveted area that even the Martial Alliance dared not touch, and now a mere trading association and family were planning to take it?
Jo-hwi began reciting some of the key terms of the contract.
“Did you see the clause stating that no interference from the Black Heavenly Lotus is allowed in our commercial activities? This means that if you carry the Jo Trading Association’s name, everything will go smoothly. Just as the clan provided me with the Azure Sword Token when I was in need, I now intend to repay that favor.”
Jo-hwi spread his arms on the table and looked Namgung-su squarely in the eyes.
“Now, I’ll let you borrow the name of the Jo Trading Association.”
“… What nonsense!”
Jo-hwi interrupted Namgung-su’s words again, pulling a document from his pocket.
“Look, look at the scale of the land Jo Trading Association has acquired over the past two months. Six million two hundred thousand pyeong. I intend to pass on a quarter of this land to you at the same price I paid.”
“To… to our clan, that much land?”
As a clan master, Namgung-su’s role was fundamentally one of “management.”
An immense scale of six million two hundred thousand pyeong.
And it wasn’t just any land—it was prime territory in the Poyang Lake trade area.
Being offered a quarter of such a highly lucrative area was an irresistible proposal.
“What are you hesitating for? All you need to do is not put up Namgung Clan’s banner. And for anyone involved, make sure they are from your clan’s branch families. If the Black Heavenly Lotus finds out, it will be problematic for me as well.”
“…”
Jo-hwi suddenly became stern.
“Why is someone of your rank, a Seven Martial Seat, hesitating? Just imagine the Namgung trading company and escort agency moving into Yeilpo. It would probably generate more revenue than the entire business district of Hefei. The scale is on a different level!”
Namgung-su was gradually being persuaded.
“Plus, those Black Heavenly Lotus bastards have already been thoroughly humbled by me, so they won’t dare approach us for a while. Their only response, if they can even come up with one, will probably be something trivial, like relocating their warehouses. We have some time until then, so we must act quickly.”
Finally, Namgung-su showed interest.
“If we send the clan’s warriors, who should they be?”
“Not those with known faces—no main commanders, vice-commanders, group leaders, or vice-leaders. Please select individuals who are relatively unknown in the martial world. Right now, we need intelligence operatives. Choose steadfast, patient individuals and send them to me. I’ll handle the training and placements myself.”
“Understood. I’ll arrange that.”
Jo-hwi spoke again, seriously.
“If everything goes well, Namgung Clan could easily earn around 100,000 gold coins a year from Poyang Lake.”
“One… one hundred thousand gold coins!”
From somewhere nearby, Jang Il-ryong, who had been observing the scene, wore a hollow expression.
Ah, my righteous clan!