The Battle for the Heavenly Sword - Chapter 54

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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54
Woo Geom-san Contends for Hegemony
“Even though he has mastered high-level swordsmanship, he rejected my offer to recruit him and chooses to live cooped up in the mountains. How foolish is that? So, I decided to call him Woo Geom, the Foolish Sword.”
Those were the words So Seol-yeong, the Young Sect Master of the Man-sang Alliance, had spoken to the cute-faced woman after returning from Guangu County.
Whenever she had occasion to speak of Woo Geom-san thereafter, So Seol-yeong always referred to him as ‘Woo Geom’.
Having heard the name so many times, the term had naturally slipped onto the tip of the cute-faced woman’s tongue as well.
“Woo Geom, the Foolish Sword… Well, it doesn’t sound too bad.”
“I’m sorry.”
“But who might you be?”
“Ah! I haven’t introduced myself. I am Jeong I-yeong, and I lead the Cheanan Squad of the Man-sang Alliance.”
“So you are Leader Jeong. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“The pleasure is mine, Woo Ge— no, Young Hero Woo!”
“You may continue to call me Woo Geom, it doesn’t matter.”
“No, it won’t do. One must use proper titles. I have committed a discourtesy.”
Woo Geom-san looked straight into Jeong I-yeong’s face.
She was polite and quick to apologize.
On top of that, she possessed a cute appearance.
She had all the right qualities to easily win people’s favor.
However, Woo Geom-san was not beguiled by her exterior.
To lead an entire squad within the Man-sang Alliance at such a young age meant she was bound to be an extraordinary person.
In the Jianghu, one of the types of people to watch out for most was someone with an incredibly harmless and pleasant appearance.
People with such looks could easily lower others’ guard and slip right past their boundaries.
Woo Geom-san asked in a calm voice.
“But what brings Leader Jeong all the way out here? Did you perhaps come because of our transaction?”
“I happened to be in the area on business, and since I heard there was a transaction scheduled today, I decided to drop by.”
“Business?”
“It’s official business, so it’s a bit difficult for me to disclose. I hope you understand…”
Jeong I-yeong replied with a beaming smile.
She clearly had a smile on her lips, yet not a single wrinkle formed around her eyes.
Woo Geom-san stared intently at Jeong I-yeong.
Even as she met Woo Geom-san’s gaze, Jeong I-yeong did not erase the faint smile from the corners of her mouth.
Woo Geom-san crinkled the bridge of his nose.
Instead of the scent of cosmetic powder, a faint scent of blood wafted from Jeong I-yeong.
Though he could not know exactly what her business entailed, he could at least tell it was no ordinary matter.
Woo Geom-san replied with a nonchalant expression.
“I understand.”
“Thank you. Since meeting like this is a stroke of fate, dinner will be on us. What do you say?”
“We haven’t even negotiated the price for the tea yet.”
“We can always negotiate over food, can’t we? Isn’t that right, Master Seo?”
Jeong I-yeong turned her gaze to Master Seo, who was standing blankly to the side.
The moment he caught her eye, Master Seo gave a violent start and replied.
“O-Of course. Since we have the previous negotiation as a baseline, it shouldn’t be difficult to reach an agreement based on that.”
“We would like to receive a bit more than what we traded for last time. Would that be acceptable?”
“Not a large amount, but if it’s just a little more, I can raise it right now. How much more do you want?”
Master Seo poured out his words like a waterfall, as if someone were chasing him.
Seeing him act so differently from usual, Woo Geom-san furrowed his brow.
‘Is he terrified? Of that woman…’
Master Seo was someone who had spoken his mind perfectly well even when he came with So Seol-yeong, the Young Sect Master of the Man-sang Alliance. Yet, for some reason, he was showing such a thoroughly frightened display at a single word from Jeong I-yeong.
Woo Geom-san figured that Master Seo’s reaction must be related to whatever Jeong I-yeong’s business had been.
“Just raise it by exactly ten percent. Then I will hand over all the tea we brought.”
“Fine! Let’s do that.”
“Just like that?”
Woo Geom-san widened his eyes.
The ten percent he suggested was by no means a small amount of money. He had proposed it expecting the price to be whittled down during negotiations, so he had not anticipated Master Seo accepting it like this without attaching any conditions whatsoever.
“It’s not a lot, just a mere ten percent, so it won’t be an issue. If you wish, I can calculate the payment right here on the spot. Just tell me how much you brought.”
When Woo Geom-san stated the weight of the tea, Master Seo calculated the payment immediately without adding a single word of complaint. Seeing this, Jeong I-yeong spoke as if she had been waiting for the moment.
“Well, now that the negotiations have concluded smoothly, let’s all eat together. This is my treat.”
Since she was pressing the matter this far, it was impossible to refuse any further.
Woo Geom-san nodded his head and replied.
“Very well.”
“What do you like? Ah, I’ll just order every single dish the inn has to offer, so you can pick and choose what you like.”
Jeong I-yeong immediately called the innkeeper and ordered him to bring out every available dish.
The village youths, Master Seo, and Jeong I-yeong sat around the largest table in the center of the restaurant.
Sitting opposite Woo Geom-san, Jeong I-yeong spoke.
“Would it be alright if I tried some of the tea we purchased today?”
“Since we have received the money, the tea belongs to your side now. Do as you please.”
“Ah, that’s true.”
Jeong I-yeong nodded and looked at Master Seo.
Receiving her glance, Master Seo hastily barked an order to a worker.
“Go to the storehouse and fetch a bit of the Yunjung Tea.”
“Yes! Master.”
The worker ran off at top speed and brought back the Yunjung Tea.
Master Seo personally and meticulously brewed the tea before handing it to Jeong I-yeong.
“Please try it.”
“Thank you, Master Seo!”
Jeong I-yeong smiled brightly and sipped the Yunjung Tea.
As she savored the tea bit by bit, a highly satisfied expression surfaced on her face.
“It really is delicious. It’s not inferior to Longjing Tea at all. No wonder the Young Sect Master ordered the entire volume to be brought to the Main Headquarters.”
“That is a relief.”
“Thank you for entering an exclusive contract with us for such high-quality tea. We are making very good use of it thanks to you. Oh, those last words weren’t mine, they were spoken by the Young Sect Master.”
So Seol-yeong had accurately pierced through the true value of Yunjung Tea.
Good tea was bound to forge good relationships.
Likewise, a famous tea possessed the power to mend even twisted relationships.
Most famous teas renowned throughout the Jianghu were difficult to obtain through ordinary means, and Yunjung Tea was even harder to come by since it was produced in such small quantities.
So Seol-yeong had utilized Yunjung Tea to build relationships with many prominent figures.
Though there might not be a massive profit immediately, no one was ignorant of the fact that the relationships established now would become a tremendous source of strength for her later on.
Woo Geom-san was not so dull as to miss the underlying meaning woven into Jeong I-yeong’s words.
“I am glad to hear that Yunjung Tea holds that much value.”
“Don’t even get me started. It has caused quite a stir among the prominent figures of the Jianghu. It’s to the point that even I, being stationed at the Main Headquarters, hadn’t been able to taste it. This is my very first time having it.”
“If you ever visit Yunjung Village, I shall ensure you can drink as much as you like.”
“Is that a promise?”
“If you can make it up there, that is.”
“What a pity. I heard it’s located so deep in the mountains that it takes ten whole days just to make the climb. It’s difficult for me to carve out that much time, so it’ll be hard for me to visit for the time being.”
“Whenever you do have the time, you are welcome to come.”
“I will do that.”
Listening to the conversation between the two, Baek Wol-sang felt an inexplicable chill run down his spine.
They were clearly exchanging ordinary conversation, yet he received the distinct impression that blades were flying wildly back and forth.
It was the same for Master Seo.
The face with which he looked at Jeong I-yeong held a faint sense of terror.
The Man-sang Alliance was fundamentally operated through its Main Headquarters, four sub-divisions, and dozens of branch offices.
Each sub-division and branch office operated its own independent martial force, but they could not even be compared to the martial force of the Main Headquarters.
Among them, the most famous and devastatingly powerful organizations numbered exactly three.
The Cheanan Squad, the Deungchu Squad, and the Poyeong Squad.
The mission of the Cheanan Squad was precisely to locate items that could turn a profit.
Scouring Under Heaven to find goods that could benefit the Man-sang Alliance and informing each sub-division so they could facilitate trade was their primary duty.
The Deungchu Squad played the role of deploying whenever a problem arose during negotiations to ensure that the agreement proceeded smoothly.
Finally, the Poyeong Squad was tasked with deploying immediately to reclaim goods whenever a major problem befell the merchant group, such as when transported items were lost or plundered.
Though the nature of their respective duties differed, they shared one common trait.
They were all terrifyingly strong.
Furthermore, they could alter the nature of their mission at any time.
In the case of the Cheanan Squad, they primarily searched for profitable items, but they possessed the martial power to pivot into an inspection squad or a punishment squad at a moment’s notice.
It was the same right now.
Though Woo Geom-san and the Yunjung Village youths were unaware, a massive storm of blood had just swept through the Western Branch Office of the Man-sang Alliance.
It was a bloody storm brought about by the Cheanan Squad.
The Western Branch Manager, Zhang Zhihuang, had lost his life to Jeong I-yeong’s blade, and numerous individuals had been brutally executed by the martial artists of the Cheanan Squad.
For it had been revealed that the one who instigated the Black Snake Spear, Go San-gyeong, to assassinate So Seol-yeong was none other than the Western Branch Manager, Zhang Zhihuang.
Go San-gyeong had protested that he had merely intended to frighten her, but Jeong I-yeong had not listened to his words.
To her, only one thing mattered: So Seol-yeong had faced a great crisis due to Zhang Zhihuang’s instigation.
Moving past a simple relationship of master and servant, So Seol-yeong was a precious younger sister to Jeong I-yeong. She was an existence greater than blood kin to her.
Unable to forgive Zhang Zhihuang for putting such an existence in danger, she had dealt with him in an even more ruthless manner.
Master Seo had witnessed that entire spectacle right by Jeong I-yeong’s side.
He had seen the scene where Jeong I-yeong burst into cackles after severing the limbs of the resisting Western Branch Manager, Zhang Zhihuang.
She had unleashed a madness so profound that it wouldn’t have been strange if she were called a temptress or a demoness.
Master Seo prided himself on having a stout heart, but the scene he witnessed that day was shocking enough to keep him from sleeping for several days.
Because of this, Master Seo could not even breathe heavily while sitting next to Jeong I-yeong.
If he could, he wanted to storm out of this place right this instant, but he couldn’t. That was how much he feared Jeong I-yeong.
Since he knew the true face hidden behind that smiling countenance, Master Seo had no choice but to be extremely cautious.
Master Seo could not comprehend Woo Geom-san, who was conversing so nonchalantly with Jeong I-yeong.
Since Woo Geom-san had also trained in martial arts, he ought to have noticed Jeong I-yeong’s madness to some degree, so how could he remain so utterly unperturbed?
Woo Geom-san asked with a calm expression.
“As the Leader of the Man-sang Alliance’s Cheanan Squad, there must be almost no place Under Heaven you haven’t traveled to?”
“Don’t even bring it up. I spend at least more than half the year outside, you know? Thanks to that, I can’t even remember when I last stepped foot inside the Main Headquarters.”
“You must go through a lot of hardship.”
“Well, I endure it because I receive a corresponding amount of compensation.”
“How is the current state of the River Martial World? Since the war between the Cheonmyeong Association and the Nine Great Sects ended a long time ago, hasn’t it become somewhat stabilized?”
“Ho! It’s unexpected that you know the term ‘River Martial World’. That phrase isn’t really used much outside of the Seven Great Water Gates.”
Jeong I-yeong’s eyes flashed sharply, as if she were trying to read Woo Geom-san’s inner thoughts. However, Woo Geom-san replied as if it were of no consequence.
“Since our trading partner is the Man-sang Alliance, I looked into things myself.”
“Knowing that doesn’t make it easy to find out, but let’s just let it slide for now. Just as Young Hero Woo said, after the war with the Cheonmyeong Association ended, not only the Seven Great Water Gates but the entire Jianghu stabilized significantly. However, no one can be certain how long the current peace will last.”
“Why is that?”
“Usually, when the tiger is away, the fox tries to king it, right? Currently, ten factions and five clans are rising up at a frightening pace. That’s why our Man-sang Alliance is also keeping a sharp eye on their movements.”
Although they maintained a powerful martial organization, the Man-sang Alliance was fundamentally a coalition of merchants.
Naturally, they had no choice but to be sensitive to the direction of power within the Jianghu.
The fact that the Man-sang Alliance was keeping a sharp eye on them meant that the factions she mentioned possessed a formidable amount of underlying strength.
While Woo Geom-san fell into thought for a moment, the innkeeper and the waiters brought out the food.
Once the table was completely filled with dishes, Jeong I-yeong spoke.
“My throat is sore from explaining everything. Let’s have a drink.”
“Let’s do that.”
Woo Geom-san nodded his head.
Since he was an adult now, he occasionally enjoyed a drink.
However, he never drank to the point of becoming completely intoxicated.
He merely drank enough to please his palate and liven up the atmosphere.
Jeong I-yeong picked up the alcohol bottle.
“Let me pour for you first.”
“Thank you.”
Woo Geom-san replied as he proffered his cup.
Jeong I-yeong tilted the bottle and began to pour the liquor.
The moment the liquid pooled into the cup, Woo Geom-san’s hand trembled slightly.
The weight of the tiny cup had suddenly increased to ten thousand catties.
When he lifted his head to look, Jeong I-yeong was wearing a smile.
Woo Geom-san instantly grasped her intention.
‘Is this a test?’
It was clear she was attempting to gauge Woo Geom-san’s capability with a mere cup of alcohol.
If he could not even handle the force infused into a single cup of liquor, it would mean he was an insignificant martial artist; conversely, if he counterattacked, she could accurately determine the extent of Woo Geom-san’s capabilities.
Whichever path Woo Geom-san chose, Jeong I-yeong stood to lose nothing. However, Woo Geom-san’s response completely deviated from her expectations.
He simply let the immense force infused into the cup flow away into nothingness.
Muwi Eunggi.
Just because the opponent pressed down heavily, there was no need to oppose it with strength.
It was enough to simply let it flow according to the natural course of things.
As Woo Geom-san lightly shook his hand, the immense force pressing down on the cup vanished as if it had been a lie.
In that instant, Jeong I-yeong, who had been pressing down on the cup using the entirety of her internal energy, staggered.
As the force she was firmly leaning against disappeared, she nearly slammed the alcohol bottle straight into the table.
She barely managed to catch her balance and avoid such a disgraceful display, but a look of stark bewilderment was plain across Jeong I-yeong’s face.
“…….”

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