Chapter 12

“Senior Brother, isn’t this wonderful? We can finally breathe a little easier.”

After inspecting the silver ingots and weapons Geum Jeoksan had laid out, Myeongseon couldn’t stop smiling.

“Indeed it is. It seems the time has finally come for our Wudang to rise again.”

“It’s all thanks to your tireless efforts, day and night.”

“No, it’s thanks to Jinhye’s concern for our sect. He’s done us a great service.”

As Myeonghyeon continued to shower Jinhye with praise, the elders looked at the disciple with confidence.

“Jinhye.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“They may not stay long, but we must show them every courtesy. See to guiding the guildmaster yourself.”

“Understood.”

Jinhye answered Myeonghyeon respectfully.

“Sect Leader, he may say he wants nothing in return, but the Cheongyang Merchant Guild is still a merchant guild, is it not?”

“Hmm?”

“When a merchant guild forms ties with a martial school, there are naturally things we ought to help them with.”

Myeonghyeon nodded at Myeonggong’s words.

There was only one reason merchant guilds formed ties with martial schools.

Protection.

Running a merchant guild meant facing all manner of dangers.

They might encounter mountain bandits or river pirates, or get into disputes with other guilds.

Most guilds hired martial artists as guards for that reason, but guards alone weren’t enough.

So they paid a “fee,” calling it a gesture of goodwill, and received armed support in return.

That made securing ties with a stronger power a matter of great importance to a merchant guild.

Back in Wudang’s heyday, renowned guilds from across the Central Plains had lined up at its doors. Unable to bring themselves to turn them away, the sect had reluctantly helped them on countless occasions.

But things were different now.

Wudang’s influence didn’t even reach nearby Danjiangkou.

While Wudang declined, the Jegal Clan had expanded its territory and seized every business interest. No one wanted ties with Wudang anymore.

“Why don’t we give them a little glimpse of Wudang’s enduring strength?”

“A glimpse?”

“Yes. How often could merchants have seen martial arts of any real caliber? The Cheong generation’s training should be more than enough. We can call it an ordinary practice session and put a little care into it…”

“Hmm. Not a bad idea.”

Myeonghyeon nodded at Myeongseon’s suggestion.

“Then shall I have preparations made while Jinhye shows them around?”

Myeongseon was more eager than anyone.

Responsible for Wudang’s household affairs through these difficult times, Myeongseon had no intention of letting this budding relationship with the Cheongyang Merchant Guild slip away.

“Elder Myeongseon. Sect Leader.”

Jinhye, who had been listening quietly, ventured to speak.

It was improper for a first-generation disciple to interject in the elders’ presence, but no one objected, so highly did they value Jinhye’s contribution in introducing the Cheongyang Merchant Guild.

“I haven’t had the chance to mention it, but I’ve already had the disciples of Yeongeun Palace prepare something.”

“Oh!”

Everyone marveled at Jinhye’s foresight.

“Well, what have you prepared?”

“For the past month, with my master’s assistance, I’ve been training them in the Nine Palaces Sword Formation.”

“The Nine Palaces Sword Formation?”

The elders turned to Jinhye’s master, Myeonggong.

Already aware of the preparations, Myeonggong merely smiled in satisfaction.

The Nine Palaces Sword Formation was Wudang’s pride. If Myeonggong and Jinhye had personally trained the disciples, there would be no shame in displaying their strength.

“Ho ho. You really have been doing great things for us. Well done.”

Myeonghyeon gave Jinhye another approving look.

“Now, hurry along. Our guests will be waiting.”

“Yes.”

With a respectful reply, Jinhye carefully withdrew.

“Ha ha, goodness. Myeonggong has raised a fine disciple.”

“Indeed. Who knew Jinhye was so thoughtful?”

“Every piece of news lately seems to be good, Senior Brother.”

One after another, the elders joined in praising Jinhye.

“Quite so. First what we heard about Jinmu, and now Jinhye. It seems the sun is finally coming out for our Wudang.”

“Indeed, indeed. You’ll be able to sleep soundly for once.”

Well aware of Myeonghyeon’s troubles, each of the elders offered words of comfort.

“Then I shall take my leave as well.”

As Myeonggong rose, Myeonghyeon nodded with a smile.

---

“Guildmaster. Isn’t this a little excessive?”

Yi Chiseong, chief steward of the Cheongyang Merchant Guild, asked in a low voice as they waited in a corner outside Purple Firmament Palace, having left ahead of the others.

Like the guildmaster, the steward had narrow, triangular eyes with a mean look to them.

“What is?”

“Never mind the other goods—that was an entire chest of silver ingots. For that much, we’d be better off forming ties with the Jegal Clan…”

With Wudang falling into ruin, the strongest power in Hubei Province was now the Jegal Clan of Mount Longzhong.

“Tsk, tsk. You see one step ahead, but never two.”

“Sir?”

“You fool. Do I look that thoughtless to you?”

Geum Jeoksan stroked his beard, a nasty look on his face.

“What do you mean?”

“A chest of silver ingots. A great deal of money, certainly. But what would giving it to the Jegal Clan get us?”

“…”

“This is the Jegal Clan we’re talking about. No one knows worldly affairs better. At least one or two of their damned scholars are bound to know about us.”

“Well…”

A clan versed in commerce as well as scholarship. They surely would.

“Knowing we make our money through smuggling, would they risk their precious reputation to form ties with us?”

“…”

“They’d accept the silver, of course. But afterward? They’d pretend not to know us. We’d only be throwing money away.”

“That’s true. But Wudang has no power…”

“It doesn’t. In fact, it needs to stay that way. Otherwise, we’ll have other flies swarming around it.”

Geum Jeoksan’s eyes grew more malicious by the moment.

“Wudang may be falling into ruin, but the public sees it differently. Even a three-year-old knows Wudang is the principal Taoist lineage of the Central Plains, a more upright order than any other in the world.”

“True.”

“Imagine word spreading that we’ve formed ties with such a place. And that we readily provided funds for Wudang’s development despite its lack of power.”

“Ah!”

“I dare say our reputation throughout the Central Plains will change. We may take a loss now, but things will improve in time. The authorities have been watching us lately, as it happens. Suppose some highly respected Wudang Taoists turned up at our operations to lend a hand…”

“I see. The authorities would view us differently.”

Yi Chiseong nodded.

Though Wudang had weakened since closing its gates, its name had endured for a thousand years. Dozens of the martial arts practiced by government fighters could surely be traced back to Wudang.

That name still had more than enough power.

Only Wudang itself failed to realize it.

“Yes, it’s a great deal of money. But it will give those Taoists a taste for wealth. They’re so desperately poor that once they’ve had a taste, they won’t be able to give it up. They may hold their heads high now, but later they’ll be clinging to us, begging.”

“Truly remarkable, sir.”

Yi Chiseong could only marvel at Geum Jeoksan’s cunning.

“Remarkable? Heh heh. You think that’s all?”

“Sir?”

“I’ve already struck an agreement with Taoist Jinhye.”

“What sort of agreement?”

“Wudang has yet to appoint a head disciple.”

“Ah!”

The head disciple.

The person who would become the next sect leader. What if that person were Jinhye?

“That fool, in his greed, thinks he’ll become head disciple and use us. But once we’re pulling his strings, he’ll be pounding the ground in regret.”

“Of course! I can only admire your foresight, Guildmaster.”

At Yi Chiseong’s astonishment, Geum Jeoksan stroked his beard, his eyes gleaming with malice.

Learning every detail of Wudang’s circumstances through Jinhye had been a heaven-sent stroke of luck for him.

“Heh heh heh. You Taoist fools. I’ll squeeze you for everything I need.”

As Geum Jeoksan smiled slyly, Jinhye emerged from Sangcheong Palace.

“Guildmaster. My apologies for keeping you waiting.”

“Ho ho, not at all. The refreshing air of this Taoist sanctuary makes me feel cleansed to the very heart.”

Geum Jeoksan changed his expression in an instant to greet Jinhye.

“Well, shall we go?”

“Yes.”

---

After Jinhye and Geum Jeoksan had gone.

A smile crept onto the lips of Jinmu, who stood behind a wall with his arms folded.

He had sent Cheongu and Cheongsang back to Chungheo Hermitage and was on his way to Purple Firmament Palace.

Spotting Geum Jeoksan and Yi Chiseong talking in the distance, he had concealed his presence and approached to find out what sort of people they were.

And then.

That goateed bastard.

No wonder he’d looked so mean.

Of course, the idea was admirable enough to deserve praise.

Under-the-table payments. Bribes, in other words.

Something Jinmu would have to encourage everyone to accept someday to corrupt Wudang.

But.

This goat-faced bastard dares to piss all over territory I’ve already claimed?

The plan to corrupt Wudang had to proceed entirely under his direction.

It was Jinmu’s pleasure, his purpose in this second life.

Yet some unexpected bastard had barged in to help with something he needed no help doing.

And then.

You’re going to make Jinhye the head disciple?

Jinmu’s brow furrowed deeply.

He had to become the head disciple himself.

Only then could he obtain the Two Principles Mind Art. Only then could he secretly cultivate his Black Dragon Primordial Art without his internal energies clashing, and regain his former power.

He intended to reclaim that power and take over Wudang as a stepping stone in his grand plan to bring the entire Orthodox Martial Alliance under his control.

“And these pieces of trash want to get in my way?”

Jinmu unfolded his arms, his expression icy.

For the sake of my plan, I’ll smash your little scheme to pieces.

And Jinhye in particular.

You little bastard. You dare compete with me? Just you wait.

Jinmu slowly followed them toward Yeongeun Palace.

First, he needed information.

Know yourself and know your enemy, and you would win a hundred battles out of a hundred. He already knew himself all too well. Now he needed to know his enemy.

---

The Eight Palaces of Wudang.

They formed the foundation of the sect.

Purple Firmament Palace, Jeongdong Palace, Yeongeun Palace, Ujin Palace, Okheo Palace, Namam Palace, Oryong Palace, and Taehwa Palace—the eight palaces lay along the great mountain ridges in the shape of a dragon.

At present, however, only the Five Palaces and One Hall remained, since the burned palaces had yet to be rebuilt.

The six elders of the Myeong generation each also served as the master of one of those five palaces or the hall.

Among them, Yeongeun Palace oversaw the precepts the disciples were required to observe.

Befitting that responsibility, many of its Taoists possessed outstanding talent. Its master, Myeonggong, was also one of the finest martial artists of the Myeong generation.

“Truly an impressive display of power.”

Watching the second-generation disciples train, Geum Jeoksan was sincerely awed.

Even from this distance, their keen fighting aura made his skin prickle.

They might only be second-generation disciples, but they looked better than any martial artist employed by his guild.

The way they thrust their swords in unison, then filled the air with dazzling techniques, was especially beautiful, like a group dance.

“You said these were second-generation disciples? I can’t help being astonished.”

“Ha ha, you’re too kind. They still have a long way to go.”

While Jinhye and Geum Jeoksan watched the training, others entered Yeongeun Palace.

“Mas…ter?”

Jinhye hurried toward Myeonggong, the master of Yeongeun Palace, only to frown at the figure following behind.

Why is he here?

The person following Myeonggong was none other than Jinmu.