Chapter 9
At the quiet ferry dock, the golden sunset was reflected on the river, shimmering softly.
There was not a soul in sight—only the sound of the tranquil water filled the surroundings.
As they walked along the dock, Hyang-I suddenly spoke up.
"Since you have become the manager of the Hao Sect's Ansun branch, I will address you with respect from now on."
... A childhood friend I've known since we were young using formal speech.
It felt a bit awkward, but Jaseong simply nodded.
"Those people on the ferry over there are the ones I'd like to introduce to you, leader."
Hyang-I gestured at the ferry, where two people were waiting.
One was an elderly ferryman with a wrinkled face and a thick, gray beard.
The rough skin weathered by hardship and knobby hands evidenced years of rowing.
The other appeared a few years older than Jaseong—a young errand boy.
With clear eyes and soft features, he was plainly dressed but gave a tidy impression.
"These two are the members of our Hao Sect Ansun branch."
At Hyang-I's introduction, both the elderly ferryman and the young errand boy performed a cupped fist salute to Jaseong and greeted him politely.
"Ferryman Elder Jang greets the leader."
"Errand Boy Wiso greets the leader."
After the two finished introducing themselves, Hyang-I continued.
"Counting myself, a courtesan of the Moon Castle Pavilion, the Hao Sect in Ansun has just the three of us as members."
... Calling this a 'branch' feels almost embarrassing.
"And this is the operating fund we received from headquarters."
"Operating fund?"
"Because the Lord of Black Blood Hall appointed you as a third-rank manager of the Hao Sect, it was sent down from above."
Hyang-I took a leather pouch from her bosom and handed it to Jaseong.
The pouch was filled with a substantial amount of silver coins.
If spent frugally, it was enough for a commoner family to live on for half a year.
However...
It was woefully insufficient to actually run an organization.
"The Lord of Black Blood Hall instructed us to recruit those who had learned martial arts. With force on our side, we could establish our influence in this region. But... with this amount of money, recruiting warriors is out of the question. We must cover the expenses of all three of us, including yourself, from this fund."
"... So, you're saying we need more money."
"That's right."
"Then how has the Hao Sect made money until now?"
"We collect good information and sell it."
"Good information?"
"To some, certain information is worth its weight in gold. Some bits of information could even be a lifesaving treasure. Someone with a strong sword can subdue ten men, but the one with information can command those ten men like an army. That's the power of intelligence."
Listening to Hyang-I's continuous explanation, Jaseong was a little surprised.
To think that his childhood friend, whom he'd seen since they were young, possessed this side to her.
It was only natural to be taken aback.
"But there's no telling when valuable information will come our way. All we can do is wait. It's not a guaranteed source of immediate income. That's why the Lord of Black Blood Hall suggested another way to expand our power..."
"Another way?"
"We're to crush and absorb a nearby small Dark Path gang."
"...!"
Jaseong's eyes twitched.
It wasn't an unreasonable idea.
The Dark Path operates solely by the logic of strength.
So, if you display a power greater than the head of a Dark Path group, everyone would naturally submit.
"The Lord of Black Blood Hall said you are capable of it with your skills."
"...."
"But I am opposed to it. Facing a Dark Path gang alone could be far too reckless."
Hyang-I spoke with a tone full of concern.
At her words, Jaseong fell into brief contemplation.
"What Dark Path factions are there here in Guizhou Province right now?"
"In Guizhou Province's Dafang, there are the Kaiyang Society. In the neighboring Gaeyang, there is the Fierce Sky Faction, another Dark Path faction. These two have been rivals for a long time."
... Kaiyang Society and Fierce Sky Faction.
Jaseong had already heard of their names during his days as a junior guard.
"What about other powers besides the Dark Path?"
"In Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou Province, there are many Righteous Faction sects and martial halls. Recently, however, an extremely influential sect has entered Guiyang and changed the power dynamics."
"An influential sect?"
"I suppose you haven't heard, since you've been training martial arts in the mountains... It's called the Mocheon Sect. It's a sect established by a branch of the Murong family, one of the Five Great Clans."
At that moment, Jaseong's eyes stirred.
Murong family, Peng Family in Hebei, Zhongnan Sect, and the Demonic Cult.
They were the enemies of his elder brother and sister-in-law.
Especially in the past, the head of the Murong family had humiliated and mocked Jaseong.
—'Revenge is a word fit for one with the proper vessel. A lowly bastard like you has no right to speak it.'
Recalling this memory, a chilling light flickered in Jaseong's eyes.
'Mocheon Sect... I'll have to remember that.'
Naturally, Hyang-I knew why Jaseong's gaze had changed.
She was also there on the day the Red Light District streets were drenched in blood from the fight between the Righteous Faction and the Demonic Cult.
"In truth, expanding our influence is not as easy as it sounds. Making money by collecting valuable information depends on luck, and subduing and absorbing a Dark Path gang requires overwhelming force."
"...."
"That is why, until now, the Hao Sect had no branch in Ansun. If our growth continues to stagnate..."
"?"
"Headquarters will stop sending funds, and the Ansun branch will be shut down."
She spoke with concern in her voice.
But at that moment—
—Student, heed the Heaven's Mandate.
Suddenly, a majestic voice echoed in Jaseong's head.
Next,
Flutter—flutter—
A translucent slip of paper fell before Jaseong's eyes.
Written on it were the words:
[Second Heaven's Mandate — Expand Your Influence]
It was a Celestial Realm slip only Jaseong could see.
The first mandate had been to form a group; now, it was time to expand it.
Reading the words, Jaseong paused to think.
'... This must all be preparation for fulfilling the Heaven's Mandate. If I am to eliminate all the martial world bigwigs listed in the Kill List, I will need a suitable force... for my revenge, too...'
Like before, the Heaven's Mandate was a daunting mission.
As Hyang-I had just worried, to expand their influence, they would have to either raise a huge operating fund to recruit warriors or crush and absorb the Dark Path gangs. Both were difficult paths.
But Jaseong was unbothered.
He already had an idea.
"Let's first gather enough operating funds to recruit 2nd-rate warriors. That will be faster than trying to subdue an entire Dark Path gang."
"Uh... that would be the safest way, but whether it's the quickest... There's no good way for us to make a big profit right away..."
"There is a way to make a lot of money, all at once."
At Jaseong's words, not only Hyang-I, but also Wiso and Elder Jang looked puzzled.
"A way to make a lot of money at once...? And what would that be?"
"First, hand me the leather pouch."
"... All of it? What for?"
"Gambling."
"What...?"
* * *
Jaseong's idea of raising the Ansun branch's operating fund through gambling would have sounded absurd to anyone.
But Jaseong had a 'plan'.
'... With this method, I can accomplish the second mandate in one stroke. And as a reward, I'll be able to inherit the next stage of the Heaven Evading Way.'
First, Jaseong headed for Gaeyang in Guizhou Province.
That was where the Dark Path faction Fierce Sky Faction operated a gambling hall.
The biggest gambling hall in Guizhou Province: Golden Hall.
Its wealth was truly immense.
Thousands, tens of thousands of nyang changed hands there each day.
'Back when I was a junior guard, I followed escort warriors with heavy monthly salaries here a few times... I only watched them gamble, though...'
Gaeyang in Guizhou Province was not far from the Red Light District where Jaseong was.
He could reach it by crossing a few mountain ridges.
The problem was the bandits.
The mountains of the Central Plains were swarming with bandits like cockroaches.
"Hey, stop there."
Jaseong was climbing a mountain slope when a menacing voice sounded from beyond the brush ahead.
Then, pushing through the brush, the owners of the voices emerged.
Three men stood on the desolate mountain path.
Rough beards, ragged clothes, and weapons that looked as though blood had barely dried before being used again, all revealed their identity as bandits.
"So our territory finally gets some prey, but it's just a useless brat."
"Kid, hand everything over. The more obedient you are, the less you'll get hurt."
The three bandits, faces twisted in greed, looked at Jaseong.
It was enough to terrify anyone his age.
But Jaseong remained expressionless.
On the contrary—
Srrrng—
He drew the sword at his waist.
'A perfect chance to test the Heaven Evading Three Talents Sword Technique.'
Jaseong even welcomed the opportunity as he assumed the opening stance of the Heaven Evading Three Talents Sword Technique.
Of course, the bandits snorted when they saw him draw his sword.
"Hah, so the brat's got a sword."
"He's really lost his mind. Does he even know who we—?!"
Before the bandit could finish, Jaseong surged forward, drawing on the internal energy from his dantian.
Shuaaak!!
"?!"
The bandits were startled by the incredible speed.
They had never imagined the boy, whom they saw as easy prey, would be skilled in martial arts to this degree.
But the real shock was yet to come.
'The move that sweeps away all armies with a horizontal swipe—Heaven Evading Sweeping All Armies.'
Jaseong's sword flashed like lightning.
Then,
Chuaaak!!!
A lightning-fast arc slashed through the air, and one bandit fell.
"...!"
"...!!"
The speed was so incredible that their eyes couldn't follow.
The Heaven Evading Three Talents Sword Technique, which he had spent countless days and nights mastering, finally shone.
The remaining two hastily raised their weapons, trying to defend against Jaseong's follow-up attacks.
Chuak! Chuaaak!
But in the end, they couldn't block him.
For Jaseong, now in the Samadhi State, their openings were all too clear.
And with mastery of the Heaven Evading Three Talents Sword Technique, it had become trivially easy for him to thrust into an opponent's gaps.
'Erase all unnecessary movement,
even your breathing,
even your very self,
and focus solely on bringing the sword to the target in the shortest path possible.
That is the essence of the Heaven Evading Three Talents Sword Technique: One.'
These extremely restrained, ultra-simplified sword moves granted Jaseong incredible speed with his sword.
With no superfluous movement, there was no hesitation;
with no hesitation, the opponent could not predict him—a peerless swift blade.
It was so fast, no time was given for the enemy to react.
—Remember, sometimes the simplest thing is the strongest.
At that moment, Jaseong recalled the words of Baek Cheon-gwang.
For him to have faced the Ten Masters with only this sword technique was no exaggeration.
* * *
After dispatching the bandits, Jaseong didn't forget to collect their loot.
"... Not bad."
Their pouches bulged with silver and copper coins.
It was clear how much murder and plundering these men had committed in the mountains.
Jaseong continued his journey across the mountains.
When night fell, he climbed high into a tree, tied himself to a sturdy branch, and slept.
There were man-eating beasts as well as bandits in the mountains.
Even as a junior guard, this was how he camped while on the road.
'... Murong family, Peng Family in Hebei, Zhongnan Sect... and Demonic Cult.'
Embracing his sword and dozing lightly in case more bandits appeared, Jaseong muttered the names of his enemies.
Strangely enough—good luck or bad—on the next day and the day after, more bandits showed up.
Jaseong used the Heaven Evading Three Talents Sword Technique on group after group.
Sometimes five, sometimes seven bandits at a time surrounded him, but the result was always the same.
With each real combat, Jaseong grew more practiced.
His breath and swordwork became more refined, and he deeply grasped the essence of "One".
As a result—
"Our chief, who came from the Giryeon Fortress, was cut down with a single swing...?!"
He could now slay even middle-aged men from the reputed Giryeon Fortress with just one blow.
By minimizing wasted movement as taught by the Heaven Evading Three Talents Sword Technique, he moved more quickly and efficiently.
"They're like walking moneybags."
After repeatedly emptying the bandits' pouches, Jaseong's own was now even fuller than when he'd first left the Red Light District.
He even considered wiping out all the nearby bandits instead of going to the gambling hall to raise the operation fund.
'Of course, according to my plan, I'll be able to earn much more money at Fierce Sky Faction's gambling hall.'
After seven days and nights, Jaseong finally arrived in the city of Gaeyang, home of Fierce Sky Faction.