The World’s Greatest Martial Arts Instructor - Chapter 174

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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 174. Is Such a Thing Possible?

 

 

One-eyed with a single eye.

A massive frame.

A face dripping with sweat at the slightest movement.

At least the winter had reduced the sweating somewhat.

Thanks to his thick layers of fat, he felt less cold and wore thinner clothes.

All the carriage windows were open, cooling his body’s heat with the cold wind.

Changsha in Hunan Province.

Hyeong Ui-cheon, the head of Danan Trading Company, the foremost trading company there.

He had entered Muchang to expand his company’s influence.

Leading numerous subordinates and merchants.

The place he had settled was a massive estate called Wolryong Manor on the outskirts of Muchang.

Construction had begun a year ago and was only recently completed, intended to serve as Danan Trading Company’s Muchang branch.

Hyeong Ui-cheon was positioned in a room on the top floor of the largest and most splendid pavilion at the center of Wolryong Manor.

It was a pavilion built with every coin he could invest.

Wolryong Pavilion.

To lift his massive and heavy body to the top floor, he had even installed mechanical devices.

An elevator mechanism that used the power of horses to go up and down.

Thanks to this, Hyeong Ui-cheon could ascend to the top floor and comfortably enjoy the view of Muchang.

There were few places in Muchang higher than this Wolryong Pavilion.

One of them, the Director’s Pavilion of Gyoryong Hall, was visible in the distance.

“Finally found you. It was quite difficult. How well you hid yourself. Kuk.”

A bleak and rough voice flowed from his mouth.

It was an extremely unpleasant voice. A harsh voice like scraping metal.

It definitely wasn’t a naturally born voice.

It was the kind of voice that would come from an injured throat or vocal cords.

His two eyes gleamed sharply.

Because of the beggars loitering around the estate.

“There are many beggar bastards here too. No, is that natural? That old man Byeokryeokgae must be here.”

Danan Trading Company was the foremost trading company in Changsha, the capital of Hunan Province.

Not only that, it was also one of the four great trading companies of Hunan Province.

The head of such a place had personally come to Muchang.

Naturally, it couldn’t help but draw the attention of the Beggar Sect beggars.

However, he was looking at the Beggar Sect beggars with a different meaning.

 

***

 

The boat arrived at Muchang.

As Ha Mu-baek and Baek Ri-pyeong disembarked from the boat, the atmosphere at the dock was unsettled.

“What could be happening?”

Baek Ri-pyeong muttered curiously.

“You. You’ve become talkative.”

At Ha Mu-baek’s words, Baek Ri-pyeong just smiled broadly.

Compared to when he first came to the Maengryong Corps, he had definitely become more talkative.

Thinking back to that time, among the Group Seven Cadets, the only one who talked much was Dang Jin-san alone.

Thinking of that time, all the cadets had become much brighter.

Everyone had gathered with serious faces back then.

Of course, Ha Mu-baek was the same.

Now his face had also become much softer.

“The same goes for you, Instructor.”

Baek Ri-pyeong replied after his smile.

Ha Mu-baek also chuckled at his answer. As if he too was aware of it.

‘I don’t know from whose head this scheme came, but I should be grateful.’

The assignment to Gyoryong Hall carried out by the Jeongcheon Alliance Main Headquarters to demote Ha Mu-baek.

For Ha Mu-baek, it had rather become a blessing in disguise.

He had found peace of mind, came to be with his family, and stepped into a new realm beyond his wall.

Moreover, he had plenty of leisure.

There was nothing bad about it.

He didn’t even have to clash with those annoying Jeongcheon Alliance elders.

‘Ah, but troublesome matters do occur from time to time.’

Even now, hadn’t he just returned to Muchang after dealing with such troublesome matters?

While Ha Mu-baek was briefly lost in thought, Baek Ri-pyeong listened to the words of the merchants around them.

As it was a branch of the Yangtze River, the dock was overflowing with merchants.

Since worry had settled on their faces and the atmosphere was unsettled, the dock’s energy felt the same way.

“It seems Changsha’s foremost trading company is trying to expand its influence to Muchang. The company head entered Muchang today.”

“I heard that too.”

Ha Mu-baek spoke briefly in response to Baek Ri-pyeong’s words.

There was no way Ha Mu-baek couldn’t hear what he could hear.

“You seemed uninterested. But I wonder why a trading company from Hunan Province would specifically come to Muchang in Hubei Province.”

The merchants were also discussing this problem with dark faces.

Muchang was a large city located along the Yangtze River with active commerce, but no major trading companies had established themselves there.

It was also an environment where they couldn’t establish themselves.

Then suddenly, a major trading company from Changsha had pushed into Muchang.

“Don’t get too friendly with Jin-san.”

Ha Mu-baek spoke casually as he walked. They seemed to be growing similar.

“And for you, what’s in your chest right now should be more important than that, shouldn’t it?”

At Ha Mu-baek’s words, Baek Ri-pyeong brought his hand to his chest.

Very preciously.

The day before leaving Zhongnan.

Jong Pae-jin had come to find Baek Ri-pyeong.

And the secret manual he handed over.

It was the secret manual of the Heavenly Star Milky Way Sword Technique. Moreover, it was a manual with annotations of what Jong Pae-jin had realized through his training.

Since he couldn’t teach directly, he said he wanted to pass it on this way.

The Heavenly Star Milky Way Sword Technique, which only Second Disciples recognized for their skills were allowed to learn.

Baek Ri-pyeong couldn’t learn it due to Ju Jae-seung’s interference. And he was cast out to the Maengryong Corps.

The emotion he felt when Jong Pae-jin presented the Heavenly Star Milky Way Sword Technique.

Baek Ri-pyeong felt he would never be able to forget it.

The Heavenly Star Milky Way Sword Technique was the Heavenly Star Milky Way Sword Technique.

Although Baek Ri-pyeong had refined the Heavenly Star Sword Technique and shown movements that surpassed its limits.

Hadn’t he barely managed to defeat Ju Si-un, who wielded the Heavenly Star Milky Way Sword Technique in the martial duel?

It had been a truly difficult battle.

The secret manual of that sword technique had come into his hands.

On the boat to Muchang, Baek Ri-pyeong read and reread the manual.

He read and reread the annotations as well.

His body was itching with eagerness to quickly return to Gyoryong Hall and train.

It was just that the chaotic atmosphere at the dock had briefly captured his attention.

When Ha Mu-baek reminded him of the secret manual’s existence, Baek Ri-pyeong’s eyes blazed with passion once again.

Celestial Milky Way Sword Technique.

He wanted to learn it as soon as possible.

 

***

 

Byeokryeok-gae Bang Ho-gun frowned.

He had known since the estate construction began that merchants from Changsha would be entering Muchang.

They had conducted such large-scale construction for a whole year.

So he had even sent people to Changsha.

He thought there was no reason for them to suddenly expand into Muchang.

It would be easier to expand their influence further in Hunan Province rather than advancing into Hubei Province.

In fact, Hubei Province’s commercial world was complicated.

Instead of having massive trading companies, huge sects were established there, controlling the commercial rights.

Wudang of Wudang Mountain.

Though they seemed like lofty Taoist practitioners as a Taoist sect, they were also human.

Naturally, they needed money to make a living.

Through their lay disciples, they occupied one-fifth of Hubei Province’s commercial world.

The Zhuge Noble Family of Yungjoong Mountain.

One of the Five Great Noble Families, a family strong in martial arts but also in scholarly pursuits.

No, unlike typical murim families, they were actually more famous for their scholarly achievements.

This was inevitable, as they were descendants of Zhuge Muhu.

Accordingly, they were also skilled in commercial affairs, controlling two-fifths of Hubei Province’s commercial world.

The Yeon Noble House of Uichang.

Currently boasting the strongest influence among the Five Great Noble Families.

Since such influence required financial power as its foundation, they also occupied one-fifth of Hubei Province’s commercial world.

The remaining one-fifth.

That was Gyoryong Hall’s share.

Acting as Jeongcheon Alliance’s martial arts academy naturally required a lot of money.

The Jeongcheon Alliance couldn’t fully support this.

One reason Gyoryong Hall was established in Muchang was this.

While it was a strategic stronghold where the Yangtze River and Han River merged, it was also a commercial hub.

Hunan Province was different.

Vast plains, the Yangtze River, and Dongting Lake.

While it was fertile land, there were no major sects.

The region south of Mount Heng was under Sahae Alliance’s sphere of influence, but even just the northern region was impressive.

The only major sect established there was Seonyu Valley.

Originally, there had been one major sect in Changsha.

The Danmok Noble Family.

After they were destroyed during the war with the Blood Cult, no sect took their place.

Only several minor factions had established themselves.

Thanks to this, numerous trading companies competed in Hunan Province, with four companies controlling Hunan’s commercial world.

Among them, the Danan Trading Company, which controlled Changsha’s commercial world, had pushed into Muchang.

So the merchants who had been living peacefully in harmony with Gyoryong Hall were becoming tense.

The Beggar Sect was also curious about their intentions.

 

***

 

Peng Do-yul received Namgung Hwa-in, the head of Gyoryong Hall’s Geumdang, who had suddenly come to visit.

Geumdang was the place responsible for Gyoryong Hall’s finances.

It was also the place that used the budget from Jeongcheon Alliance to directly operate a trading company and control Muchang’s commercial world.

Golden Dragon Trading Company.

The head of Geumdang was also the company head, and it was the trading company operated by Geumdang.

It was also the place that controlled Muchang’s commercial world.

Namgung Hwa-in, the sixth cousin of the Namgung Family Head, was more skilled in commerce than martial arts, so he served as Gyoryong Hall’s Geumdang head.

He was also someone Peng Do-yul completely trusted.

“What’s the matter?”

“Hyeong Ui-cheon has entered Muchang.”

“Hm?”

At Namgung Hwa-in’s words, Peng Do-yul searched his memory. He had heard the name before, but couldn’t easily recall it.

Then he remembered the story Namgung Hwa-in had told him a year ago.

“You mean the head of that trading company that was building the estate?”

“Yes. Hyeong Ui-cheon, Dan-ju of Wolryong Estate and Danan Trading Company.”

Namgung Hwa-in spoke with a serious expression.

“Is it that serious a matter?”

At Peng Do-yul’s question, Namgung Hwa-in nodded vigorously.

“If even two-tenths of the Muchang commercial rights controlled by Golden Dragon Trading Company are lost, there could be a hole in Gyoryong Hall’s budget.”

Peng Do-yul’s face also became serious at the response.

That was something that absolutely must not happen.

The reason Peng Do-yul could provide full support to Gyoryong Hall cadets was Namgung Hwa-in’s Geumdang.

Because he earned enough money to secure the budget.

He was already planning to increase this year’s budget even more.

The shields that Zhuge Ming provided to Maengryong Corps graduates with his own money.

He planned to have Gyoryong Hall prepare those.

With even higher quality shields.

He was already planning to discuss this matter with Namgung Hwa-in, but suddenly hearing that there might be problems securing the budget.

“Then what should we do?”

Peng Do-yul asked with a serious expression.

“We need to establish countermeasures. To prevent Danan Trading Company from taking root in Muchang. Since they’re a company that suddenly appeared and took control of Changsha’s commercial world, it won’t be easy.”

Danan Trading Company was truly a company that had popped up out of nowhere.

Originally, Hunan Province’s commercial world was controlled by three trading companies, but they suddenly appeared and devoured Changsha’s commercial world.

That’s why Namgung Hwa-in was so tense.

“Is such a thing possible?”

Though he didn’t know much about the commercial world, Peng Do-yul knew that was an extremely difficult thing to do.

“He’s a remarkable person in many ways. Suspicious too. That’s why the Beggar Sect seems to be watching him as well.”

“Hmm. We should keep an eye on him too for now.”

“Yes. So about that, the first half budget might be reduced a bit.”

Namgung Hwa-in brought up his real reason for visiting Peng Do-yul.

“Hm? What do you mean by that?”

“To establish countermeasures against Danan Trading Company, we first need to secure as much flexible funds as possible.”

Having said that much, Namgung Hwa-in stood up and left the Administrator’s Office.

Peng Do-yul watched his retreating figure with a dejected expression.

He hadn’t even been able to bring up the shield matter.

 

***

 

Baek Ri-pyeong returned to the training ground.

The cadets welcomed Baek Ri-pyeong warmly. He had said he needed to return to Zhongnan, but he had safely returned to Gyoryong Hall.

“But is this really a good thing? We’re going to Sanwol Demon Forest next year, aren’t we?”

Dang Jin-san’s question.

However, Baek Ri-pyeong smiled. Because this place felt most comfortable to him.

“We have to go. And we’ll come back alive.”

At that answer, Dang Jin-san smiled broadly.

“Right. We just need to not die there.”

That’s why they were sweating profusely in cultivation even now.

Dang Jin-san approached Baek Ri-pyeong and whispered quietly.

“So, how was the Instructor? According to Instructor Han, he’s beaten people until they went insane before?”

At that question, Baek Ri-pyeong flinched.

The Sect Leader had gone mad after all.

“Well, just so-so…”

He could only give such a vague answer.

“Dang Jin-san. Would you like to get beaten like that once?”

Then Ha Mu-baek’s voice was heard.

“Ah, I should hurry and cultivate.”

Dang Jin-san quickly moved and began cultivating the Three Talents Sword Technique.

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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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