Pay‑to‑Win King of Martial Arts (Novel) - Chapter 96 - Huizhou's Nobles (1)

Chapter 96 – Huizhou’s Nobles (1)

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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One might ask how exactly one could test one’s increased internal energy through discourse on swords. But internal energy is not used only for locking together and contesting strength directly.

Internal energy is refined qi. The weaker a person’s qi, the duller and more withered he becomes. The stronger his qi, the sharper and fuller he becomes.

That is why, when one’s internal energy increases, one can see lines of movement that were invisible before, and eventually become able to execute them as well. In other words, internal energy is the strengthening of the senses.

“You’ve attained enlightenment. An enlightenment far beyond mine.”

As expected, Myeong-il noticed that immediately. Of course, he had no idea that I had done something insane and swallowed two miraculous medicines at once.

Originally, enlightenment could come in many different ways. One could consume a miraculous medicine and raise one’s internal energy, gain insight into qi and refine one’s internal energy personally, or break through some blocked theory in martial study.

It was certainly a strange feeling. That sensation of seeing a path that had not been visible before.

Naturally, once the number of variations that my martial arts could unfold increased, the pattern of our discourse on swords would change as well.

My enlightenment also helped Myeong-il. Because if the number of variations I could execute increased, that meant the number of forms Myeong-il had to receive also increased.

Myeong-il and I engaged in discourse on swords almost without pause. There was only one thing that interrupted it: when one of us wanted to physically attempt a movement that had come up during our discourse on swords.

Especially since he did not know when I might leave, Myeong-il almost desperately craved discourse on swords from me.

Naturally, that discourse on swords also became an opportunity for me to organize my own martial learning. There was a saying that teaching and learning help each other grow. As I taught, I relearned the concepts I had already mastered, so how could that not be growth?

Because we were in darkness, we had no idea how time was passing. When we got hungry, we felt around for the jar fixed to the wall and ate fasting pills. When we got sleepy, we slept in short bursts.

That was why the opening of the Cave of Repentance’s door felt so abrupt.

“Hui-yeong. Come out.”

The one who had come to fetch me was my master, Cheong-hwa.

Beyond Cheong-hwa, the sky was spread vast and distant with a night full of stars.

“So this is finally my release.”

“This is not a prison. It is the Cave of Repentance.”

“Same thing. It feels like the weather has gotten quite a bit colder. How long has it been since I entered the Cave of Repentance?”

“A month?”

“What? You said I’d only be locked up until half a month had passed.”

“Normally, once you enter the Cave of Repentance, it’s for at least half a year. One month is an extremely early release.”

Since the merchant companies that held salt certificates were fixed anyway, there was not much difference between going after half a month and going after one month.

Cheong-hwa peeked into the cave’s interior. I knew who he was looking for. To begin with, there was only one person here besides me.

“Senior Brother Myeong-il is probably organizing the enlightenment he gained while doing circulation and regulation of breath.”

“Mm, ah. Right. As long as he’s doing well, that’s enough. More importantly, Myeong-il is your Senior Brother now too?”

“That’s how it turned out.”

Cheong-hwa smiled awkwardly and led me out. Myeong-il was not his direct disciple, but as a martial nephew, he must still have been worried.

“By the way, why are you letting me out in the middle of such a dark night?”

“You’ve been in darkness for a full month. If you were suddenly exposed to sunlight, it would damage your eyes. Even for a martial artist.”

“Ah. Right, that makes sense.”

As we walked, Cheong-hwa quietly looked at me. Then he smiled.

“You gained enlightenment.”

“Can you tell?”

“I can see that your gaze has become refined.”

At the moment, physically, nothing about me had changed at all. That was because I had spent most of my time in the Cave of Repentance on discourse on swords, mental-image training, and refining internal energy. Even so, noticing it was certainly impressive.

“Did Myeong-il seem to be doing well?”

“You’ll be surprised when he comes out.”

I smiled meaningfully. Myeong-il had grown enormously through his discourse on swords with me.

Of course, that was not solely because of me. He had a foundation built by his own training in the Cave of Repentance, so he must have taken a great deal from our discourse on swords.

“That would be good.”

Cheong-hwa smiled. Suddenly, my thoughts turned to Myeong-il’s past.

I did not know whether my master had gone through a past as tragic as Myeong-il’s, but I was certain that, at the very least, he too had parted from his parents while still alive.

“What is it. Do you have something you want to say?”

Cheong-hwa noticed my gaze and looked at me. In Cheong-hwa’s eyes, filled with the night sky, I could not see loneliness or solitude. Then there was no reason for me to dig.

Instead, I decided to ask something else.

“Master.”

“Yes.”

“Is Wudang family?”

“Family.”

Unexpectedly, Cheong-hwa took a long time to answer. Only the sound of crushed leaves crackled beneath our feet, and the night wind was cool.

“I thought about how much the word family is abused in this world. Don’t black-path groups usually say things like they’re family, or brothers?”

“They do.”

“And even in actual families, not every parent embraces with love, nor does every child grow up with respect.”

“I agree.”

“And what about the word love? Isn’t it something even lovers who will part tomorrow say? Or something swindlers say all the time as well.”

“It’s also something I say to customers all the time.”

Looking at me, Cheong-hwa gave a bitter smile. His eyes seemed to say, so you were one of the ones polluting those words.

“That is why I cannot call it family. The moment I call it family, it ceases to be family. So let Wudang simply be Wudang.”

“I see. It’s like the Dao that can be spoken of is not the eternal Dao.”

“That’s right. You really have become a bit of a Daoist too.”

Cheong-hwa smiled with satisfaction. That made me smile as well. Family, hm. For the first time in a long while, I thought of my father too.

***

After making one final check of the people who would be going to Huaiyin, I headed to the Outer Court. When I got there, the person I was looking for was already outside.

“Muk Hui-yeong.”

“Yeo Hong-yang.”

The person I had come to meet was Yeo Hong-yang, heir of Heaven’s Gift Merchant Company and son of the Yeo Clan, one of the members of the Huizhou Fifteen Clans.

The two of us naturally made our way to the octagonal pavilion that served as a resting spot and sat down.

“I was wondering when you would come find me.”

“I’ve had a lot to do.”

“I suppose so. No matter how small a merchant company may be, a Company Lord has an enormous amount to do.”

“Ahem. Isn’t it against the merchant’s code for a mere hall master to speak casually to a Company Lord?”

“If he’s a hall master of Heaven’s Gift Merchant Company, then he outranks even the Company Lords of most mid-sized merchant companies.”

“It was a joke. You really know how to make things boring.”

“Because it was a boring joke.”

It was true that sparring with blades between martial artists was fun, but verbal clashes between merchants were fun as well.

“Anyway, you more or less know why I came, don’t you?”

“Of course.”

Yeo Hong-yang and I exchanged looks. There was, in truth, only one reason I had come to see him.

The salt yard I intended to go to was located squarely in Huizhou merchant territory. And Heaven’s Gift Merchant Company, Yeo Hong-yang’s company, was one of the Huizhou merchant companies.

“Shall I speak first?”

Yeo Hong-yang put on an air of ease. Right now, Yeo Hong-yang and I were not registered lay disciples of Wudang. We were people representing merchant companies.

And in this seat, the initiative clearly belonged to Yeo Hong-yang. I nodded.

“Heaven’s Gift Merchant Company wants to invest in the Radiant Crystal Merchant Company.”

“Ha ha. Has that been discussed with your father?”

“No. Our hall is handling it directly. For something like investing in the Radiant Crystal Merchant Company, one hall alone is enough.”

Grounded confidence could be seen in Yeo Hong-yang’s manner. The scale of Heaven’s Gift Merchant Company and the Radiant Crystal Merchant Company truly was vastly different. One of Yeo Hong-yang’s halls alone would likely be operating more capital than the entirety of the Radiant Crystal Merchant Company.

That was that. And as for this question, my answer had already been decided.

“I refuse.”

“Refuse? Investment?”

“You wouldn’t just be investing. You’d be sending a few people over under the name of advisors too.”

At my words, Yeo Hong-yang flinched, but soon returned to an easy expression.

“They would literally only be acting as advisors. It wouldn’t be a bad arrangement for you either. Since it’s your first time running a merchant company, haven’t there been a lot of ups and downs?”

“Not really. If the boat is small, it’s no good having too many boatmen.”

“That’s a rather regrettable judgment.”

Yeo Hong-yang gave a hollow laugh. The reason I refused was simple. Even if I trusted Yeo Hong-yang himself to some extent, I could not trust the people who would come as advisors.

Those who came as advisors would, in most cases, be people who came carrying orders from their own merchant company. I had not founded the Radiant Crystal Merchant Company just so it could serve as the vanguard of some other merchant company.

“Well, it can’t be helped.”

Yeo Hong-yang shrugged. He seemed to have realized from my firm tone that there was no room for negotiation.

“Then is it your turn to speak now?”

“Looks like it.”

Yeo Hong-yang’s expression grew slightly bored. Since his own proposal had just been rejected, his mood could not have been entirely good.

But what I had to say was not something one could listen to with a face like that.

“I want to invest in you.”

“What?”

“You. I’m talking about you.”

Yeo Hong-yang did not immediately understand what I meant. So I explained it more simply.

“I give money to you, and you cooperate with me.”

“Ha.”

Once he understood, Yeo Hong-yang’s expression turned cold.

“So you’re saying you want to use me as a Huizhou spy? Is that what you meant to say?”

“Think of it that way if you want. In truth, it’s not all that different.”

“I thought you were smart, but I suppose I was mistaken. Is that really something you ought to be saying to the heir of Heaven’s Gift Merchant Company right now? Do you think I have less money than you?”

“An heir? Since when were you the heir?”

I covered my mouth and pretended to be surprised. Yeo Hong-yang’s face reddened.

In a household as large as Heaven’s Gift Merchant Company, they naturally had many children. That was only obvious. If one had only a single child and that child turned out to be foolish, then there would be no one to inherit.

So to be precise, Yeo Hong-yang was not the heir. He was merely a candidate for heir.

“So you came here today to pick a fight with me.”

“No. I came to give you an opportunity.”

“Listen to yourself. Just because you started one tiny merchant company, you think you’re something now?”

Yeo Hong-yang kicked away his seat and stood in anger. Naturally, it would have wounded his pride. It was not unreasonable for him to react like this.

“Yeo Hong-won. You want to beat him, don’t you.”

Yeo Hong-yang turned back to look at me. By now, his eyes were almost blazing.

“So you somehow managed to learn my eldest brother’s name.”

“I know something more important than that. Namely, that if things continue as they are now, you have no chance of beating him. Isn’t the fact that you were sent here as a Wudang lay disciple itself proof of that?”

At my words, Yeo Hong-yang bit his lip. It must have struck a sore spot.

When one was supposed to be busy inheriting a merchant company, being rotated away as a lay disciple for several years meant precisely that one had already slipped a little behind in the succession struggle. Of course, Yeo Hong-yang probably hoped for a comeback, but that was not easy.

And crucially, I knew the person who would inherit Heaven’s Gift Merchant Company. After all, I had also done business with the future Heaven’s Gift Merchant Company.

After Merchant King Yeo Bul-jin, the one who inherited Heaven’s Gift Merchant Company was Yeo Hong-won.

Still seething, Yeo Hong-yang returned to his seat and sat down again.

“Let’s hear it, then. Exactly how are you going to help me beat my brother?”

“Oof, if I say one wrong thing, it looks like it’ll be a disaster.”

I smiled. In any case, one primary objective had already been achieved. Getting Yeo Hong-yang to sit back down.

The expansion of the Radiant Crystal Merchant Company was beginning here.