Chapter 27
While the Mocheon Sect of Murong Dangcheon was in chaos, Fierce Sky Faction took control of all of the Kaiyang Society's businesses, including their gambling halls and brothels.
It was only natural, as they had won the fight.
The dark path members of the Kaiyang Society were also dealt with.
They destroyed all of their dantians, turned them into cripples, and dumped them in the mountains.
Though brutal, among the dark path, this was to be expected.
If you handled it half-heartedly, it could come back to bite you later.
After everything was settled, Fierce Sky Faction's lord's cave-like inner chamber.
There, with the faint aroma of Longjing tea spreading in the air, Jaseong sat facing Pacheon Gong.
"You brat. Isn't there something you want to say to me?"
Pacheon Gong asked after taking a sip of steaming tea.
"What should I say?"
"I heard that someone ransacked the Kaiyang Society's headquarters before we did. Apparently, they were women clad in black clothes."
At Pacheon Gong's words, Jaseong smiled faintly.
'As expected, he's like a ghost.'
Just as Pacheon Gong had guessed, those women in black clothes were actually agents of the Hao Sect Ansun Branch.
Right after defeating the Seven Freaks of Zhejiang the other day, Jaseong had sent a carrier pigeon to Hyang-I.
He then ordered the agents she had recruited—those stationed at the Kaiyang Society's headquarters, Dafang—to ransack their headquarters.
Surely there would be evidence of collusion between Mocheon Sect and Kaiyang Society there.
"As you guessed, I had the Hao Sect's subordinates ransack Kaiyang Society's headquarters. And I brought this."
Since he had no intention of hiding it from Pacheon Gong, Jaseong took a small wooden box from his robe.
Inside were the pieces of correspondence between Mocheon Sect and the Kaiyang Society.
"So that's where it went—I see you picked it up."
Pacheon Gong burst out in hearty laughter.
Of course, those were letters he had also been looking for.
It was because Mocheon Sect had moved the Kaiyang Society from behind to strike at Fierce Sky Faction.
Of course, Pacheon Gong needed to get his revenge on Mocheon Sect too.
"If we use these letters, we can inform the martial world that Mocheon Sect, a branch established by the Murong family, colluded with the dark path. That would put Mocheon Sect in a seriously difficult position, and maybe even shake the Murong family itself."
For Jaseong, who had lost his eldest brother due to the Murong family's head and its blood relatives, this meant taking that first step toward vengeance.
"But there's a problem with these letters."
"A problem?"
"There are no seals of Mocheon Sect or Kaiyang Society."
"......"
That was true.
The letters Jaseong had acquired lacked any seals to show they had been sent by Mocheon Sect or Kaiyang Society.
No matter how much the content proved their collusion, without a seal it would be difficult to prove if they were real.
Jaseong could only regret this, but surprisingly, Pacheon Gong solved this regret for him.
The next moment, Pacheon Gong smiled and took out a thumb-sized golden frog from the drawer.
"This time, something I picked up will be of use."
"What is that?"
"It's a golden frog with the seal of the Murong family, the main branch of Mocheon Sect. I found it at the Kaiyang Society's headquarters."
"......!"
"Most likely, Mocheon Sect gave it to the Kaiyang Society as payment for being hired to attack our Fierce Sky Faction. Anyway, if you add this to the letters you acquired, we'll have proof of their collusion."
"... You really are a step ahead. So, leader, how do you plan to use that golden frog and these letters?"
"I have no intention of using them right now. I'll let them sit."
"You'll let them sit?"
"Have you ever seen a tiger hunting? A tiger never hunts in pieces—it waits for the right moment and ends everything in a single strike."
Pacheon Gong said, his gaze chilling.
"At the moment, Mocheon Sect is suffering terribly from a lack of funds. That means, sooner or later, they'll be forced to take another reckless gamble. When that time comes, I'll use these letters and the golden frog all at once to completely destroy Mocheon Sect in one blow."
He truly was a seasoned old expert, who had survived for decades in the martial world as a former Hao Sect leader.
'A truly admirable old man—there's a lot I can learn from him. And if I use the spy I planted in Mocheon Sect, Murong Jin, I can take them apart even more thoroughly.'
Pacheon Gong spoke again.
"By the way, what did you do with the gold bars I gave you?"
"I haven't spent them all yet."
"Did you hire warriors to guard the Ansun Branch?"
"I plan to once I return to Ansun. My subordinates have already found some candidates at the Wandering Warrior Village."
"There's no need to hire them right now."
"Why?"
"Do you remember the bet we made? I said that if you could withstand a hundred strokes from me within a year, Fierce Sky Faction would become your branch's backing."
"......!"
"There's no need for that bet now. You already defeated three of the Seven Freaks of Zhejiang, and even took care of the Red Demon... You should be able to withstand a mere hundred strokes from me anytime now."
A pleased smile spread across Pacheon Gong's face.
He looked just like a master, proud of a well-raised disciple.
In front of him, Jaseong felt himself moved deeply, despite himself.
Then Pacheon Gong spoke again.
"Thanks to you, Fierce Sky Faction was not destroyed that night. In return, our Fierce Sky Faction will become the backing for Hao Sect's Ansun Branch."
"......!"
Backing.
This meant he could rely on Fierce Sky Faction's vast wealth and more than a hundred black clothes warriors.
It was an opportunity for Jaseong's Hao Sect Branch to grow tremendously.
"I'll send some of Fierce Sky Faction's best to the Ansun Branch. So there's no rush to hire the wandering warriors. And... take this too."
Pacheon Gong handed Jaseong a wooden box.
Amazingly, inside it were not one, but a whole pile of gold bars.
"... Are you sure I can take this much?"
"That's nothing compared to what I have."
"... This is nothing?"
"Do you know what I thought as I left Hao Sect after losing my right leg?"
"......?"
"I decided to set up tremendously profitable businesses all over the Central Plains and gain financial power. In the underworld, gold is power. Thanks to that, I earned as much as ten branches of the Ten Thousand Gold Hall."
"......!"
"So don't worry—just take it. And whenever you need more funds or anything, come to Fierce Sky Faction. You, brat, are a benefactor to Fierce Sky Faction."
Pacheon Gong said with a gentle smile.
In front of him, Jaseong once more felt a deep sense of gratitude.
To him, Pacheon Gong was like a tree that gives everything without hesitation.
Even amid the harsh winds of the martial world, the connection with Pacheon Gong left warm comfort in his heart.
* * *
After this, Jaseong returned to the Red Light District in Ansun.
Brilliant red lanterns cast their crimson glow in every alleyway.
The laughter of courtesans and the voices of drunkards filled the alleys.
The thick smell of alcohol and the subtle scent of incense on the wind combined to create the mood of an autumn night.
Jaseong walked toward the entrance of Moon Castle Pavilion.
Standing there was a beautiful woman with feline, upturned eyes and soft, curved features.
Her red skirt sparkled in the moonlight, and the fan in her hand gently waved, spreading a faint fragrance.
"Hyang-I."
Jaseong called to her softly.
"Leader, you're back safe!"
Hyang-I rushed up to him with a delighted face.
"I was really worried this time. You faced the Seven Freaks of Zhejiang head-on... It was so dangerous. Do you know how many experts those people assassinated in Killing Valley?"
"Well, everything ended up okay, didn't it?"
"But who are those people behind you?"
With curious eyes, Hyang-I looked at those standing behind Jaseong.
There, two men stood in silence.
One was short and stout, with a heavy chain at his waist.
The other was tall and thin, a long sabre at his side.
Their mere presence suppressed the noisy atmosphere of the Red Light District.
"Say hello. These two will be serving as warriors for our Ansun Branch from today."
"Warriors...?"
The two Jaseong introduced were Fierce Sky Faction's executives, Little Devil and Silent Traveler.
They were among the top experts in Fierce Sky Faction; when the 5th and 6th Freaks of Zhejiang tried to slaughter all of Fierce Sky Faction's executives, these two endured to the very end.
Of course, Jaseong had intervened and killed the 5th and 6th Freaks, but these two's skills were enough to be at the entrance to first-rate level.
"Fierce Sky Faction has become our Ansun Branch's backing..."
Hyang-I's eyes widened as she heard the story.
It was no wonder, as the power of the Ansun Branch had increased dramatically in an instant.
"Was everything peaceful in Ansun while I was gone?"
"I do have something to report."
"What is it?"
"With the funds you provided last time, I placed informants in all the brothels and inns in southern Guizhou City. Now all information coming and going in southern Guizhou City will reach your ears. Even who had a second child, or who's having an affair—every trivial thing."
Jaseong grinned.
As expected, Hyang-I handled things flawlessly.
"Good job."
"And the ferryman, elder Jang, finished verifying all the warriors we might hire from the Wandering Warrior Village. But since you brought experts from Fierce Sky Faction now... What do you want to do?"
After a brief hesitation, Jaseong replied.
"The Leader of Fierce Sky Faction said he'll send warriors when needed."
"So there's really no need to hire warriors right now, is there?"
"I'll go and visit the Wandering Warrior Village myself later."
"... You'll go yourself?"
"And take this."
"What is—ah?!"
At the sight of the wooden box Jaseong handed over, Hyang-I let out an involuntary squeal.
Because it was filled with dazzling gold bars.
"You could buy several brothels with this, right?"
"Y-yes, that's true... but where did this money come from...?"
"The Leader of Fierce Sky Faction gave it to me."
"What...?"
"Use it to buy brothels and inns."
"Buy entire brothels and inns...?!"
"Look for places we can use as the headquarters of our branch. We can't just keep relying on someone else's place forever, can we?"
"......!"
Hyang-I looked down at the box, her face as if in a dream.
Only a few months ago, they'd been worrying the branch might close due to lack of funds.
But now, the gold bars in her hands could instantly make the Ansun Branch the best in all of Guizhou City.
* * *
Having delegated Hao Sect's affairs to Hyang-I, Jaseong devoted himself to training as always.
He had grown enough to defeat three of the Seven Freaks of Zhejiang, but he didn't rest on his laurels and continued his training with even more intensity.
After all, his goal was not merely opponents like the Seven Freaks.
'... Murong family, Peng Family in Hebei, Zhongnan Sect, and the Demonic Cult.'
Reciting the names of his enemies, Jaseong wielded his sword in the training yard.
As the snowy winter faded and spring came to the grounds, his Heaven Evading Three Talents Sword Technique grew ever more profound.
From the extremely simple sword forms arose the mystery of One(單), which in turn evoked the mystery of Strength, and, together, even allowed the mystery of Speed to thrive.
His inner energy also grew much stronger.
With the Heaven Evading Breathing Technique, the golden true ki accumulated in his dantian.
Although it was still small since Jaseong had trained for only a year and a half, it wielded tremendous power, since it was a breathing method created by an immortal.
'Heaven Evading Breathing Technique, Heaven Evading Three Talents Sword Technique, and even Heaven Evading Phantom Step... I've mastered truly impressive skills. If I could learn a sword immortal's secret art as well, I'd become many times more powerful...'
Unfortunately, Jaseong had not yet chosen an secret art as the third reward from Heaven's Mandate.
The warning from the Night Cat Celestial Spirit still echoed in his ears.
—These secret arts, containing the sword immortal's enlightenment, are incredibly difficult to learn. Over two-thirds of executors of Heaven's Mandate have failed to master them. Especially the Celestial Gate Opening Art—no executor has ever succeeded.
With this warning in mind, it was naturally difficult to make a selection.
But as he was resting for a moment after his training—
〈Disciple. Uphold Heaven's Mandate (天命).〉
Suddenly, Lü Dongbin's voice rang out in Jaseong's mind.
Next,
Fwap— Fwap—
A semi-transparent slip fell before Jaseong's eyes.
On it, the following phrase was written.
[The Fourth Mandate – Accumulate Prestige (威名 蓄積)]