The Introverted Heavenly Demon - Chapter 53

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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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The Introverted Heavenly Demon Episode 053
Forbidden Iron
Jang Yeon Hwi, whose expression had grown serious, looked directly into my eyes and spoke.
“Therefore, this is… something that should not exist in Kangho. It is perhaps the only matter where the Orthodox and the Demonic, the Martial Alliance and the Sun and Moon Divine Sect, share common ground.”
He seemed to hope I would empathize with his words.
And if such an object truly existed—an explosive far more devastating than ordinary gunpowder—then there would be no way to refute what he was saying.
Of course, I did not believe that even the most exceptional martial artists would fall easily to this forbidden iron, as Jang Yeon Hwi suggested.
One need not reach the level of the top ten masters of Tianxia; even those at the pinnacle stage just below them transcended human limitations so profoundly in both body and spirit that no scheme could easily overcome them.
However, if this forbidden iron truly developed into a lethal hidden weapon, it could prove devastatingly effective against martial artists below the first rank.
If a particular sect or clan monopolized such weapons, it would be no exaggeration to say the balance of power in the Murim could shift entirely.
Naturally, they would face tremendous condemnation from all martial artists across Kangho.
“I have been monitoring this for quite some time. I discovered that there exists a merchant guild attempting to distribute forbidden iron—produced only in the Western Regions—into Kangho. As you know, Sichuan serves as the midpoint connecting the Western Regions and Kangho, making it their operational base. Therefore, I could not simply stand by and watch.”
As I listened to Jang Yeon Hwi’s continued explanation, I recalled the words the merchant had murmured while unconscious after being attacked by the Cheong Yun Merchant Group.
“Then, are you saying that my maternal grandfather had his subordinates attack merchants to prevent the distribution of forbidden iron?”
“Indeed. We tracked merchants attempting to illegally import forbidden iron by contacting merchants from the Western Regions, seeking to ascertain the true nature of their operations.”
“To ascertain the situation… but the methods employed seemed excessively cruel for such purposes, did they not?”
At the time, I had suspected that the mysterious men—the martial artists of the Cheong Yun Merchant Group—were attempting to extract information from the attacked merchants.
According to Jang Yeon Hwi’s explanation, this aligned reasonably well with the facts.
“Of course, I do not believe the use of force is righteous. However, in maintaining the peace and order of Kangho, are there not unavoidable circumstances where problems must be resolved through strength? I trust the Minor Sect Leader will understand.”
Regardless of my personal ethics, as the Minor Sect Leader of the Sun and Moon Divine Sect, I could not principally disagree with what he said.
“Then, have you discovered who stands behind this?”
The merchants attacked by Jang Yeon Hwi and the Cheong Yun Merchant Group belonged to a small, nameless guild.
There was no way they could have orchestrated such a massive undertaking on their own.
Understanding the meaning behind my words, Jang Yeon Hwi smiled faintly and nodded.
“Indeed. Through investigations over the past several days, I have confirmed that the Mingxin Merchant Guild stands behind the smuggling of forbidden iron.”
“The Mingxin Merchant Guild?”
“Yes. It is a name the Minor Sect Leader should be familiar with.”
The Mingxin Merchant Guild.
It was certainly a name I had heard several times since arriving in Chengdu.
It was currently the second-largest guild in the Southwest Jianghu Region, and before the Cheong Yun Merchant Group’s rapid rise over the past decade, it had been among the most prominent.
Thus, it was the Cheong Yun Merchant Group’s greatest rival, and moreover….
“Is it not the guild competing with my maternal grandfather for the position of Sangdo Alliance Master at this Merchant Conference?”
“Precisely. Consider this, Minor Sect Leader.”
Jang Yeon Hwi, his face brimming with satisfaction, no longer seemed intent on concealing his delight.
“If I expose at the Merchant Conference that the Mingxin Merchant Guild is conspiring to smuggle forbidden iron into Kangho, what would happen?”
“The Mingxin Merchant Guild’s reputation would plummet severely, while conversely, the Cheong Yun Merchant Group’s credibility would skyrocket.”
“Exactly. If matters proceed as such, my securing the position of Sangdo Alliance Master at this Merchant Conference would be assured.”
So that was it.
The reason Jang Yeon Hwi had been hastily attacking merchants in succession.
It was because he wanted to complete his investigation before the Merchant Conference.
“I understand, Maternal Grandfather. Now that I’ve heard your explanation, my doubts have been resolved.”
Jang Yeon Hwi laughed heartily, his face brimming with satisfaction.
That is, until he caught sight of my face, still regarding him with cold, piercing eyes.
He cleared his throat and spoke again.
“Of course, I too find it lamentable when I consider the lives sacrificed in this process. The subordinates that Poong Cheong Jin killed just moments ago, for instance. However, when pursuing grand ideals in the Kangho, one cannot afford to dwell on trivial matters—wouldn’t you agree?”
“You speak wisely.”
“I appreciate your understanding, Minor Sect Leader….”
“…or so we shall say, for now.”
“…?”
Jang Yeon Hwi’s expression hardened once more in an instant.
Yet I myself was struggling to suppress the urge to rise from my seat immediately, unwilling to endure any more of Jang Yeon Hwi’s nonsense.
For the peace and order of the Kangho, he claimed….
Fine words, certainly, but was he not merely wrapping up his true intention—to expose the Mingxin Merchant Guild’s secrets, eliminate the Cheong Yun Merchant Group’s competitors, and swallow the entire Southwest Commercial Road Alliance whole?
All while sacrificing countless lives in the process.
“I wish you the best of luck at tomorrow’s Merchant Conference, Guild Master. I shall take my leave now.”
“…Won’t you stay a while longer?”
“No. I still have matters to attend to.”
At this very moment, I possessed neither the justification nor the practical means to stop Jang Yeon Hwi’s scheme as the Minor Sect Leader of the Sun and Moon Divine Sect.
But had I intended to withdraw now, I would never have come here in the first place.
Now, neither the Sect Leader’s commands nor the pursuit of justice held importance for me.
“Very well. I hope the Minor Sect Leader’s endeavors bear fruit. Time grows short for my stay in Chengdu, so I must make haste.”
“Of course, that is my intention.”
I had no intention whatsoever of becoming a pawn in the hands of someone like Jang Yeon Hwi, who wielded others like chess pieces for his own ambitions, only to discard them.
With a stern expression, I left Jang Yeon Hwi to his thoughts and departed from his office.

* * *
The following day, Pungwharu was flooded with merchants in numbers that made the previous evening’s gathering seem trivial by comparison.
Representatives from countless merchant guilds across the Southwest Jianghu Region filled the entire expansive front courtyard of Pungwharu.
It was the first day of the Merchant Conference—held once every decade, when the leadership of all major merchant guilds convened to address critical matters concerning the Southwest Commercial Road Alliance.
Representatives from dozens of merchant guilds occupied seats beneath tents that densely packed the front courtyard.
The Cheong Yun Merchant Group’s position was nearest to the training platform erected at the front, situated within a tent considerably more expansive than those of the other guilds.
The ornate chair where Jang Yeon Hwi, who commanded the Cheong Yun Merchant Group, sat was positioned closest to the training platform—the very epicenter of today’s conference.
And the chair placed directly beside his was precisely where I would sit.
“Minor Sect Leader. It may prove somewhat tedious, but I would appreciate your patience.”
Jang Yeon Hwi spoke these words with a smile as he guided me to my seat.
“Please don’t worry. But are you certain I need do nothing at all?”
“Indeed. Not only you, but at the Merchant Conference, no one is granted speaking rights unless they are an official representative of a merchant guild.”
This was one of the long-standing rules established by the Merchant Conference itself.
While each guild was free to bring outsiders unaffiliated with their organization, outsiders remained precisely that—outsiders.
Such invited guests were permitted nothing more than to sit quietly; they could fulfill no other role.
The rule existed to prevent the Merchant Conference from being swayed by the influence of external powers.
For me, however, this arrangement posed no hardship whatsoever.
If I were to deliver a speech before all these people…
The mere thought conjured the specter of some terrible calamity.
“Say, look over there. Could that young man possibly be…”
“Quiet! Keep your voice down. He’ll hear you!”
Simply sitting still like this was entirely manageable for someone as introverted as myself.
“Is that boy truly the Minor Sect Leader of the Sun and Moon Divine Sect?”
“Indeed, his aura is far less murderous than the rumors suggested.”
“They say he’s killed countless people with merely a glance.”
“I heard he brainwashes martial artists and enslaves them as servants.”
‘Good grief. That never happened!’
Who in the world was spreading such preposterous rumors?
Without thinking, I glared toward the direction of the voices, and the merchants whose eyes met mine visibly flinched, quickly averting their gaze.
“But what connection exists between the Cheong Yun Merchant Group and the Sun and Moon Divine Sect?”
“You didn’t know? Jang Dan Ju of the Cheong Yun Merchant Group is the father-in-law of the Baek Sect Leader of the Sun and Moon Divine Sect!”
“What? Is that truly so?”
The overwhelming attention directed toward me was burdensome beyond measure, yet Jang Yeon Hwi seemed to relish it subtly.
While pretending not to hear the murmurs around him, his expression betrayed unmistakable satisfaction whenever conversations touched upon matters related to himself.
‘Just start already…’
The formal commencement of the Merchant Conference drew near, and while most guilds had arrived, one tent near the front remained conspicuously empty.
The vacant tent occupied a position close to the training platform and was comparable in scale to the Cheong Yun Merchant Group’s tent.
Then, suddenly, a commotion erupted from the distant entrance of Pungwharu.
A major merchant guild appeared to be arriving; the sound of footsteps and the shifting movements of people making way for them were unmistakable.
“The Mingxin Merchant Guild has finally arrived.”
“But why is it so noisy?”
Listening to the murmurs around me, it seemed the merchant group that had arrived last was indeed the Mingxin Merchant Guild.
The leadership of the Cheong Yun Merchant Group appeared tense upon their arrival, and Jang Yeon Hwi also turned his head to observe the direction from which they approached.
From their perspective, the Mingxin Merchant Guild was a rival competing for the position of Sangdo Alliance Master, and since we planned to expose their conspiracy to distribute the forbidden iron, they would naturally be intensely focused on observing their group.
And the stories that followed proved quite intriguing to me as well.
“The Mingxin Merchant Guild Master is wearing monastic robes today, it seems.”
“How absurd. After all this time….”
“Since when has he made such a fuss about being a lay disciple of the Shaolin Temple?”
“But who is that monk?”
I had heard before that the Mingxin Merchant Guild Master was a former lay disciple of the Shaolin Temple.
It was not uncommon for disciples of major sects like the Shaolin Temple to operate in Kangho as lay disciples.
It appeared the Mingxin Merchant Guild Master intended to actively showcase his connection to the Shaolin Temple at this Merchant Conference to display his influence.
Though I was curious to see the Shaolin monks I had only heard about in rumors, I maintained a stern expression befitting my position as Minor Sect Leader of the Sun and Moon Divine Sect, keeping my gaze fixed forward.
But then.
“Merchant Guild Master Jang, it has been a while.”
“Merchant Guild Master Hwang Heum Gyeol. I trust you have been well?”
As the Mingxin Merchant Guild arrived, the surrounding area fell suddenly silent, and I could hear the Mingxin Merchant Guild Master and Jang Yeon Hwi exchanging greetings from nearby.
“Thanks to your kindness, I have been doing well. Ah, by the way, I have someone I would like to introduce to you.”
“A disciple of Shaolin, I presume.”
“Indeed. Please exchange greetings.”
But then, a familiar voice suddenly mixed into their conversation from somewhere.
“Amitabha Buddha. I have long heard of the renowned name of Merchant Guild Master Jang of the Cheong Yun Merchant Group. I am Hye Woon, a disciple of Shaolin, and I offer my respects.”
The moment I heard that voice, certain emotions began to resurface within me.
A subtle irritation, anger, the bittersweet taste of tangled feelings, embarrassment, and shame.
“Venerable Hye Woon is a second-generation disciple of the Shaolin Faction, and despite his youth, he is called one of the Eight Divine Monks of Shaolin—a true prodigy.”
Without realizing it, I turned my head, stood up abruptly, and looked in that direction, only to meet the gaze of a young monk who had removed his hood to reveal his shaved head.
“Ah….”
Hye Woon, too, seemed uncertain how to interpret what lay before his eyes, blinking repeatedly while his mouth hung slightly agape.

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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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