Pay‑to‑Win King of Martial Arts (Novel) - Chapter 78 - Preparation (2)

Chapter 78 – Preparation (2)

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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I narrowed my brow. That was because I did not know exactly what the term formal match meant.

Perhaps noticing that, Su Je-heon looked at me.

“Does Young Hero Muk know what a formal match is?”

“I do not.”

“I see. It’s nothing much. Since the orthodox sects cannot kill one another just because a conflict arises, they decide it through sparring matches. Usually, a formal match occurs when they can’t find a compromise.”

“Ah. I see.”

I understood. Well, living on the same land of the Central Plains, clashes were bound to happen. It seemed to be a system the Martial Alliance had created to resolve such conflicts.

“But then wouldn’t that mean that no matter what conflict arises, the sect with the stronger force wins unconditionally in the end?”

“That is true. But we do not know a better method than this. If perhaps you do, then do tell us.”

In truth, even when merchants fight, it ultimately comes down to who has more money. In light of that, it wasn’t all that strange that the outcome of conflicts martial artists created would be settled by force.

“Then doesn’t that make things favorable for the Wudang Sect?”

I said that while turning to Cheong-ui. The answer came from Su Je-heon instead.

“Not necessarily.”

“Is that so?”

“This is a secret, but in truth a formal match is not a favorable fight for anyone. Once you forcibly suppress the other side with strength, there are bound to be people who keep talking afterward.”

“That makes sense. But haven’t they all made an unspoken agreement about that?”

“There are people everywhere under heaven who make agreements and then say something different afterward.”

I had no choice but to acknowledge Su Je-heon’s words. In reality, such people were scattered through the merchant world like stars in the night sky.

If you won, there would be people who said you had suppressed them by force, and if you lost, then naturally you would be mocked for losing. If you traced it back to the root, in the end the real problem was that the conflict had arisen in the first place.

There was a similar side to merchants’ fights as well. If you simply crushed the other side with money, there would always be backlash afterward. You had to fight while watching legitimacy, justification, reputation, and public opinion carefully. It seemed martial artists were not much different.

“So it is a fight with no victor.”

“Hm. Is that so.”

“It will be awkward for you. Of course, you didn’t intend it, but the Wudang Sect’s reputation will be worn down.”

Su Je-heon smiled brightly. I tilted my neck slightly.

This was something I could grasp by intuition. For some reason, this Martial Alliance Leader was needling me. Had he called me here for this?

I had heard the name Su Je-heon, but I did not know exactly what kind of personality he had, or with whom he was close. That meant he could be on the Zhuge Clan’s side. Once I thought that, I had to pull myself together.

“But it is a strange matter. As far as I know, the Zhuge Clan Head is not someone who would demand a formal match over a single lay disciple.”

“Hold on. Are you saying that all of this is because of Hui-yeong?”

Cheong-ui cut in, sounding displeased. But Su Je-heon only smiled slyly.

“No, how could that be. Conflicts like this are originally caused by circumstances both sides cannot avoid.”

“Your way of speaking is strange.”

“Ha ha. Since it has been a long time since the Wudang Sect last held a formal match, you seem to have become a little sensitive.”

Cheong-ui drew his brows together. There was something very crafty about Su Je-heon’s manner of speaking. He was the one who had spoken in a way that invited misunderstanding, yet he treated the other person as overly sensitive.

It truly was a way of speaking I disliked, but it was also a way of speaking that could needle people very efficiently. I had learned that Su Je-heon was not adept only with the sword.

“But it doesn’t seem like there is no victor.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Won’t the credit shift to the Martial Alliance for wisely managing the enormous conflict between the two sides? It looks like the Wudang Sect and the Zhuge Clan do the work while the Martial Alliance makes the money.”

If it had been someone else, he might have swallowed down his anger inwardly and endured it. But in this part, I too was an expert.

On top of that, I did not have particularly good feelings toward the Martial Alliance. In my previous life, the Martial Alliance had not killed me, but it had certainly provided the cause.

Unexpectedly, Su Je-heon did not get angry. He only shrugged and laughed.

“So you’ve seen through it.”

“That is why the famous houses try not to go as far as a formal match if they can help it. They know very well that they have nothing to gain from fighting among themselves.”

Cheong-ui, who had been silent, added that. It seemed that even Cheong-ui, who belonged among the people of character I had seen, had failed to manage his expression because of that reason. In the end, a formal match was a muddy brawl.

“But we do not want that either. Since we are in the position of managing the orthodox martial world, we would rather they not fight as much as possible.”

“If peace exists, then wouldn’t the Martial Alliance become an organization that is no longer necessary?”

“I dream of the day peace comes and the Martial Alliance is dissolved.”

Cheong-ui seemed more flustered than Su Je-heon by my blatant hostility. Even so, Cheong-ui did not stop me.

“Even so, since the Zhuge Clan has openly called for a formal match, there is nothing we can do for you. By now, rumors that a formal match will break out between the Wudang Sect and the Zhuge Clan are probably already spreading quietly through Nanjing.”

“Couldn’t the Martial Alliance have spread them on purpose too? To show off its own presence.”

“My, my. I don’t know what it was, but it seems I have offended Young Hero Muk’s feelings. I apologize.”

“Very well. I accept.”

I accepted the apology simply. In truth, that had been my goal from the start. To receive an apology from him, even if only on the surface.

“And thank you. For giving me instruction. It helped me a great deal.”

“You’re very skilled at handling people.”

I smiled. Even if you received an apology and expressed gratitude in the same way, the order was important. If I had expressed my gratitude first, then Su Je-heon’s apology would have lost much of its meaning. That was how one took the initiative in conversation.

“I think this is the first time I’ve seen someone this sharp among Wudang’s disciples.”

Su Je-heon looked at Cheong-ui and laughed. Cheong-ui smiled along awkwardly. Well, among Daoists who lived with leisure and ease, there probably were not many fierce people like me.

After that, the two of them said they had important matters to discuss and sent me outside. In the end, I could not clearly determine why Su Je-heon had insisted on calling me in. All he had done was gently needle my temper.

If I thought of it simply as him having a bad personality, it would be easy to move on, but Su Je-heon did not seem like such a shallow man. If he had simply had a bad personality, then when I counterattacked, he would have pointed at me and called me rude.

In any case, I came out of the Three Purities Hall, returned to the Hall of Exhausting the Way, and immediately went to sleep. I had been so exhausted from organizing the investment proposals for days without sleep.

I was so tired that the moment my head touched the floor, my consciousness vanished.

***

“He seems too sharp for the Wudang Sect to contain.”

Su Je-heon, who had kept his mouth shut, only spoke after Muk Hui-yeong’s presence had disappeared. Cheong-ui answered calmly.

“Do you think so?”

“Is that why you took him in as a registered lay disciple?”

“That is not the reason.”

“Could it be, as the rumor says, that the boy really refused becoming a main-sect disciple?”

“So even that embarrassing rumor has spread to Nanjing.”

Su Je-heon nodded. Ordinarily he would have been surprised, but after seeing Muk Hui-yeong, he thought it might well be possible.

“It seems you want him a little.”

Cheong-ui smiled faintly. Su Je-heon flinched. As expected of the Wudang Sect Leader. He was not someone easy to take lightly.

“Was it that obvious?”

“The Alliance Leader always picks fights with the people he is interested in. I heard you did the same to Strategist Sama.”

“Ahem. Telling others what happened when only the two of us were there. No loyalty at all. No loyalty.”

Su Je-heon drank his tea while averting his eyes awkwardly.

“In any case, I briefly crossed swords with him. You’ve taught him incredibly well. If someone that age shows that level of skill, how could I not salivate a little?”

“We have not taught him very much.”

“There you go again with that modesty.”

“It is not modesty. It is actually true. That child has only been learning martial arts for a little over a year now.”

At those words, even Su Je-heon, who had been managing his expression, could not help being surprised.

“That goes against all common sense. Is that possible no matter how much of a genius he is?”

“That much I do not know either. In any case, do not covet him. That child belongs to the Wudang Sect.”

“Tsk. Fine.”

Su Je-heon raised both hands like that, but inwardly his desire only flared hotter. This was a child who had rejected becoming a main-sect disciple of the Wudang Sect by his own will. That meant he had something he himself aimed for. If that alone were matched, it might be possible to bring him into the Martial Alliance.

The Martial Alliance was always short on manpower. Usually, martial artists with good talent and comprehension were tightly seized by the Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families and never let go.

‘I should somehow try to tempt him over at least once.’

With martial skill and eloquence of that degree, he would certainly be able to take on a major post even within the Martial Alliance. Su Je-heon made that resolve inwardly and shifted the topic.

“In any case, I hope you prepare well for this formal match. Even so, it is fortunate that the Wudang Sect is involved in this formal match. It seems unlikely that any disgraceful incident will occur.”

“That goes without saying.”

Confidence showed in Cheong-ui’s words.

After all, if the Wudang Sect and the Zhuge Clan held a formal match, anyone would side with the Wudang Sect a hundred times out of a hundred. Su Je-heon was the same.

What felt unsettling was that it had been the Zhuge Clan that proposed this formal match.

“We are rather worried that the Zhuge Clan might use underhanded methods.”

“That is understandable enough. Since the Martial Alliance will supervise it, such a thing will not happen.”

“I ask that of you.”

That was where the conversation between the two great masters ended.

Su Je-heon had wanted to see Muk Hui-yeong one last time before leaving, but after hearing that he had already fallen dead asleep, he had no choice but to turn back.

***

“Did you sleep well.”

That was the first thing I heard when I opened my eyes. When I looked toward the sound, Cheong-hwa was sitting in a chair.

“…Yawn.”

I stared blankly at Cheong-hwa, then yawned. Perhaps because fatigue had piled up, the tiredness would not leave me.

“Opening your mouth wide like that in front of your master. You’re behaving very well.”

“Maybe because I slept so long, my throat is a little dry.”

“Surely you’re not asking me to bring you something?”

“Of course not.”

I shook my head quickly from side to side like a rain-soaked puppy. There was no better method than that for clearing my head.

“But why are you keeping watch even over me sleeping?”

I asked while changing clothes.

“Because I was worried you might go roaming outside the Wudang Sect again.”

“Have I ever gone out without telling you, Master?”

“I figured it was about time you started.”

“This disciple is hurt.”

“Honestly. You only call yourself a disciple at times like this.”

Cheong-hwa shot me a sidelong glare as though I was absurd. Just as I finished changing clothes, the door suddenly flew open.

“Junior Brother!”

“That startled me.”

Standing at the door were my senior brothers Myeong-gyeong, Myeong-seong, and Myeong-jin.

“You’ve been asleep for two whole days, two whole days!”

“I stayed up for almost four nights, so isn’t it fine if I sleep for two nights?”

“Is that the problem? Right now every moment is urgent!”

“What is?”

“The date for the formal match has been set.”

Ah. The formal match. They did say we were doing something like that. But if it was a formal match, wouldn’t the experts representing the Wudang Sect and the Zhuge Clan be the ones to go out? Someone like my master, for example.

“You’re going out in it too!”

Just as I was thinking such complacent thoughts, Myeong-gyeong said something shocking.

“…What?”

I turned toward Cheong-hwa. Cheong-hwa was grinning.

The miserable thing was that somehow, I had felt this was going to happen.