Survival Guide for the Reincarnated - Chapter 29

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 29

“Your words are entirely correct. No, I agree. The beggars of the Beggar Sect earn their martial arts because they have the qualifications to do so. If someone without qualifications were to earn martial arts, that would be beyond going against heaven’s principles—it would be treason.”

“So you killed him?”

“That’s right. He was one who sullied the name of the Beggar Sect. Not just this fellow, but I’m planning to go straight to Yang-ryeong and clean up that place as well.”

Woon-hwi, who had been quietly observing Cheon Su-gang, then took back the ledger he offered.

“I’m thinking of using this to remove the responsibility that lies with our Beggar Sect. Would that be acceptable?”

“Yes. That should be fine.”

“And it seems you played around with some of the amounts written in that ledger… That’s fine. I’ll make sure to send the appropriate compensation to Seol-ap here soon. Is this also acceptable?”

A strange smile appeared on Woon-hwi’s lips.

“I have no reason to refuse, but rather than immediate compensation, I’d like to receive formal ‘future assistance.'”

“Future assistance, and formal…? Hehe… Good. Very good. I shall do so. And don’t go carelessly handing things like this to others.”

“I handed it over because you’re someone worth handing it to.”

A strange smile also appeared on Cheon Su-gang’s lips.

“Is this our first meeting?”

“It is our first meeting. But strangely, it feels like I’ve known you for a long time.”

“Hmm… It seems I wasn’t the only one who felt that way.”

It was strange.

Truly strange.

The way Cheon Su-gang and Seol Woon-hwi looked at each other was the kind that couldn’t be explained by ordinary reason.

Perhaps it should be called fate.

“Senior. Though I am your junior, may I dare offer you one piece of advice?”

“If it’s something you have to say, I’d like to hear it.”

“An excellent blade always envies an outstanding sheath. If it’s a sword that grows sharper with time, that envy will turn into jealousy.”

At those words, Cheon Su-gang’s eyes deepened.

“You know what the end of jealousy is. It’s natural for an awl in a pocket to eventually poke out, and such an awl that pokes out…”

“Will ultimately be pulled out.”

Silence flowed.

Cheon Su-gang clearly understood what Seol Woon-hwi was trying to say.

So he was a bit flustered.

At first, he thought these were words and actions relying on the reputation of Ten Thousand Year Snow Palace, but as the conversation continued, he realized that wasn’t the case.

Behind Seol Woon-hwi, there was no Ten Thousand Year Snow Palace.

Behind him, only he himself existed.

Faith in himself.

Confidence that rose straight up to the point of arrogance.

His words and actions were unrestrained, and his words carried weight.

“…I also want to ask one thing. Can you answer me?”

“Anything.”

“Were you, no, are you… really that ‘foolish branch master’?”

Seol Woon-hwi smiled.

“A tree that was foolish has simply bloomed flowers.”

“Hmm…”

“The day is cold. Please go in carefully, senior.”

* * *

-A tree that endured winter has welcomed spring.

After saying that and bursting into hearty laughter, Cheon Su-gang departed.

Manager Seong approached Seol Woon-hwi, who was sitting quietly under the eaves, lost in deep thought.

“…It’s heaven’s fortune that a person like Cheon Su-gang withdrew like that.”

At those words, Woon-hwi stopped thinking and chuckled.

“Heaven’s fortune…”

“Isn’t it?”

“Manager Seong.”

“Yes, young master.”

“You seem to not know well, but I’m not someone who relies on heaven’s fortune.”

“…Pardon?”

“It’s called responding clearly to heaven’s mandate. Responding brightly to heaven’s will could be seen as natural in some ways.”

“Isn’t it?”

“Well, then let me ask—where is this heaven’s fortune that Manager Seong speaks of? If you just sit and wait, will heaven help you on its own?”

“Young master… that’s going too far.”

Seol Woon-hwi chuckled and continued.

“It’s called following reason naturally. Following principles and flowing naturally. But even those principles are ultimately words created by humans. True principles belong to those who move, not to those who sit blankly waiting for heaven’s fortune.”

“…Then what do you think about heaven’s mandate?”

“Heaven’s mandate is even simpler. It exists within the footsteps of those who move themselves. Sitting still and waiting for heaven’s fortune or heaven’s mandate is merely an excuse.”

“…”

“I don’t wait for heaven’s fortune and heaven’s mandate. In that time, I take one more step forward and create my own heaven’s fortune. That is true natural order and heaven’s mandate.”

He smiled broadly.

“Heaven helps those who help themselves. Isn’t that right?”

“…I can’t adapt to this.”

“To what?”

“What you’re saying sounds like I’m looking at a supreme master who has reached the Five Realms of Martial God, but you’re still at the Flame Qi Four Stages, so the disconnect is quite severe.”

Woon-hwi merely smiled.

Cheon Su-gang made the right judgment.

Certainly, Woon-hwi’s sword right now cannot reach Cheon Su-gang.

Cheon Su-gang’s heart is certainly made of mere light flesh, but it has a solidity that the current Woon-hwi cannot reach.

The same goes for Cheon Su-gang.

Cheon Su-gang could snap Woon-hwi’s neck in one go like twisting a chicken’s neck, but he doesn’t.

Just as Woon-hwi felt, Cheon Su-gang also knows that Woon-hwi’s neck is incomparably solid.

In fact, regardless of how the Beggar Sect’s affairs turn out, Cheon Su-gang is a man who focuses only on the matters at hand. Woon-hwi showed him the ledger because it was worth showing.

Now there will be no interference from the Beggar Sect in the process of taking Yang-ryeong.

If there is any, it will only be on Woon-hwi’s side.

As I’ve said repeatedly, for an organization to maintain itself, it must inevitably carry out something called retaliation.

If it’s an organization that turns away when someone gets hurt, there’s no reason for it to exist.

“The letter sent to Yang-ryeong?”

“I delivered it to a beggar from the Beggar Sect. It will probably arrive today.”

* * *

In the northern part of Yang-ryeong County, there’s a place called Blue Cloud Mountain.

On this Blue Cloud Mountain is located the Ju-ryeong Sword Gate, and right now in the sect leader’s hall of this Ju-ryeong Sword Gate, exactly four men were gathered.

Which family dominates Yang-ryeong County?

If you grabbed residents living in the county and asked them, probably about five out of ten would answer Ju-ryeong Sword Gate, and the remaining five would give different answers.

Exactly four sects.

Ju-ryeong Sword Gate, Jang Sword Gate, Blue Cloud Blade Sect, and Mysterious Heaven Palace.

The foremost among them is Ju-ryeong Sword Gate, and the other three sects compete for the positions behind it.

Jang Mu-hwi, the sect leader of Jang Sword Gate, asked a man who appeared to be in his late twenties sitting in the highest seat.

“I say, ‘Vice Sect Leader’. When exactly will the sect leader come out?”

At those words, Han So-cheon, the vice sect leader of Ju-ryeong Sword Gate, took a breath and answered.

“…I understand how you feel, but I don’t know the details of when my father will come out either. Isn’t that how closed door training usually works?”

“Even so, it’s been nearly a year already, so shouldn’t it be about time for him to come out…”

There was a man who interrupted Jang Mu-hwi’s words.

It was Do Cheon-haeng, the sect leader of Blue Cloud Blade Sect.

“What on earth happened to Lord Bing Seol Geom Heun?”

“I don’t know either.”

“…Missing, you say. It was just the other day that he said he was going to Seol-ap, so how did he go missing?”

The events that occurred in Yang-ryeong in just a few days were impossible to explain logically.

And there was something that was the reason these people had gathered together like this, and the most inexplicable incident of all.

Ho Mu-cheong, the sect leader of Mysterious Heaven Palace, put down the letter that had been in his chest.

All four of them had received this letter.

Ho Mu-cheong’s letter read as follows:

–

At this time when the energy of Ten Thousand Year Snow Mountain grows deeper, Seol Woon-hwi of Seol-ap respectfully sends this letter.

Over the past years, our Seol-ap has lost far too much. The Han-reung Jade Crystal of Cheong-ryeong Mine was ours, and have the sect leaders of Yang-ryeong County forgotten that there was a promise to share the profits of Seol-han Mine fairly?

The resources and funds that Ya Woon-sang took from us – this was not simple theft but an insult to Seol-ap. And the Four Major Sects were also deeply involved in that insult.

I have made very generous calculations.

I valued the Han-reung Jade Crystal at its lowest price, applied the cheapest market rates for training resources and spirit medicines, and even calculated the interest at the minimum.

The amount that Mysterious Heaven Palace must repay to Seol-ap is 9,800 gold coins.

This is also the price for Seol-ap’s damaged pride.

After receiving this letter, please give your answer immediately.

The deadline is one day.

If there is no answer within one day, I will take that to mean you intend to pay the price with blood.

The ancient sages said:

First approach with courtesy, then approach with force.

This letter shall be that courtesy.

The laws of Murim that have continued for tens of thousands of years remain unchanged.

I await your wise judgment.

Seol Woon-hwi.

*Please be informed that this letter has been delivered simultaneously to the Four Major Sects.

–

The Palace Lord of Mysterious Heaven Palace received it like this, and the sect leaders of the other sects did as well.

Only the amounts and designations were different – in the end, this was a bill.

With ridiculous amounts written on it.

The Palace Lord of Mysterious Heaven Palace crumpled up the letter.

“…I’ve decided.”

Ho Mu-cheong’s eyes began to gleam with murderous intent.

“I’m going to completely bury that bastard, the branch leader of Seol-ap.”

It wasn’t just Ho Mu-cheong, but Han So-cheon, Jang Mu-hwi, and Do Cheon-haeng felt the same way.

Mysterious Heaven Palace owed 9,800 gold coins, Blue Cloud Blade Sect 10,000 gold coins, Jang Sword Gate 30,000 gold coins, and Ju-ryeong Sword Gate 2 million gold coins.

These were amounts that couldn’t even be repaid in the first place – unrealistic amounts.

Especially Ju-ryeong Sword Gate’s amount.

To handle that much money, you’d need to be at the level of the great merchant guilds or major sects that dominate the Central Plains.

No, even they would find it impossible.

Two million gold coins was that kind of amount.

“…Let’s make a plan.”

Especially Jang Mu-hwi of Jang Sword Gate, who had lost warriors at the mine, was the most enraged among them.

He wanted to tear Seol Woon-hwi apart and kill him right now, but it was still too early.

Literally, they needed to make a plan.

Like it or not, that bastard was of Ten Thousand Year Snow Palace bloodline.

“I’ll try contacting his maternal family sects.”

This was Han So-cheon’s suggestion.

“Let’s take this opportunity to completely obtain ownership of both mines and abolish the agreement.”

This was what Do Cheon-haeng of Blue Cloud Blade Sect said.

“If he’s sending letters like this, it means he’s been acting like a fool all this time, so I’ll look into how his backing has changed.”

“Then I’ll mobilize information organizations to find out where Lord Bing Seol Geom Heun disappeared to, and since we need to properly collect compensation for the lives of our people who died at the mine, I’ll find out the maximum amount Seol-ap can mobilize.”

Ho Mu-cheong of Mysterious Heaven Palace and Jang Mu-hwi of Jang Sword Gate each spoke their piece.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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