0068 : Demon Subduing Hall
To identify the areas in which my martial arts were lacking, I decided to head to Luoyang for a few days. After all, it is the largest city in the world, bustling with various martial arts sects and opportunities to utilize wealth. Currently, I had no debts of gratitude, so I figured that as long as I did not engage in unnecessary antics, I could spend my time in Luoyang rather smoothly and ordinarily.
Most importantly, I was at a loss about what to do next. Rather than wandering around a shabby countryside, I thought it would be better to stay in Luoyang to organize my thoughts and find a direction. Moreover, if things did not go well, I could challenge the Twin Gate Sect again for training.
‘The fear of martial competitions has diminished significantly now.’
Due to the incident at the Iron Blood Sect, I had been somewhat huddled. However, thanks to Jin So-cheong taking me along to crush the Zhongnan Sect, I had healed a lot from that mental trauma and regained my confidence. Although there was no remarkable advancement in my exceptional martial arts at the moment, my motivation was quite high.
Upon entering Luoyang, I resolved to buy a house—one that felt like a base where I could train alone and think. So, I began searching for merchants dealing in real estate, most of whom were minor officials.
It seemed they thought that if they hastily allowed private trading rights, it would lead to chaos in Luoyang, so they were mostly low-ranking officials leading the transactions, even if they were of the tenth rank. Of course, they typically collaborated with private merchants to handle the specifics. In significant matters, they would report to superiors of a higher rank to process transactions, eventually reporting to the head of the Six Ministries.
The official I found stated, seated nonchalantly at his desk in a government office and appearing to be about an eighth-rank official.
“Hmm… Did you say your name was Baek Woong? You want a house of that level? You’ll need at least five hundred strings of silver.”
He seemed to express skepticism, likely due to my young age. However, given that wealthy young masters from affluent families in Luoyang sometimes engaged in large transactions, he did not dismiss me outright.
“Will this suffice?”
“……!!”
As I presented a gold bar, his eyes widened in surprise. Naturally, the value of the gold bar far exceeded that of five hundred strings of silver.
“There’s no need for change. Just don’t make too much noise.”
“Ah, um…”
He quickly tucked the gold bar away and glanced around, seemingly checking to see if anyone had noticed. Then he spoke.
“Of course! That’s more than enough. Don’t worry; I’ll take care of everything. Is there a specific area where you want to get a house?”
“I’d like to obtain a house near the Twin Gate Sect in Luoyang.”
“The Twin Gate Sect? Let’s see…”
The official pulled out a map of Luoyang and discreetly concealed the gold bar in his robe. He scrutinized the large map for a moment before pointing to a specific location with his finger.
“Here! There’s a nice place about fifty houses away from the Seo Clan. A nouveau riche bought it for land speculation, but since the price was set too high, it’s partially up for sale—a great location with no defects at all.”
“What do you mean it hasn’t sold well?”
“Don’t misunderstand. That’s only because the nouveau riche tried to inflate the price too much, causing people to back off. If I handle this, I can make sure this house becomes yours without a word of complaint. Just trust me.”
“Alright, I understand.”
“It will take about three days. Come back then for the house documents and the seal transfer.”
I hesitated for a moment and asked,
“By the way, could you tell me who the richest person in Luoyang is?”
“Hmm… It seems you might have some intent behind that question.”
The official laughed, perceiving that I wanted to rise in status by spending money. After glancing around cautiously, he whispered,
“Everyone keeps it hush-hush, but the richest in Luoyang is the Han Clan. They possess a staggering twenty battlefields and five postal stations across the continent and supposedly have another stronghold in Shandong. They just keep a low profile to avoid offending officials, but they are a true tycoon with wealth rivaling that of a nation. Of course, since they hide it, only those in the know are aware.”
This was new information to me. During my time gathering information in Luoyang through Jeong So-yi, I had never heard this before. I was taken aback and questioned further.
“Isn’t the Han Clan one of the Twin Gate Sect’s affiliates, led by the Iron Blood Swordmaster Jang Seo-ihan? How could a mere martial arts clan possess such wealth…”
“I don’t know all the details, but I’ve heard they’re a very old family. They’ve been around since before the last dynasty, so perhaps it’s their heritage that has allowed them to accumulate such wealth. In fact, high-ranking officials often visit the Han Clan when seeking financial support.”
“……”
“If you’re considering establishing a connection with them, I’d recommend approaching the Han Clan as an esteemed guest. The current head of the Han Clan appreciates talent and often recruits skilled individuals as his retainers. If luck is on your side, you could become close with them.”
This was unexpected information.
I thanked the official and stepped outside, my mind racing.
‘The Han Clan is the richest in Luoyang?’
I knew I had nine gold bars left. Two had been given to Mang Yang and one to the official I just met. With just these gold bars, becoming incredibly wealthy was not an issue, yet I felt curious about the Han Clan. No matter how formidable they were, there must be limits as a martial arts clan; how had they amassed such wealth?
Since I didn’t have a clear goal at the moment, I thought it might be beneficial to uncover the secrets of the Han Clan.
‘Everything is interconnected.’
This was a realization I had come to in my previous life. Although it seemed that all events in this world were separate and unrelated, they were, in fact, all intricately woven together. Information that might appear useless could have unforeseen impacts later on.
I decided to set my goal in Luoyang to become an important esteemed guest of the Han Clan. The house I planned to purchase could serve a purpose later, so I decided to focus first on visiting the Han Clan to become a guest and uncover their secrets.
I roughly knew the location of the Han Clan. Though Luoyang was vast, I had memorized the vicinity of the Twin Gate Sect, so after wandering for about half a si jin, I arrived. Contrary to the fact that they were the richest in Luoyang, the Han Clan’s estate was not larger than other Twin Gate Sect establishments. There were no guards standing by the front gate either.
‘What’s this? Why are there no guards?’
Feeling puzzled, I approached the main gate of the Han Clan to knock.
At that moment.
“What a strange kid. What in the world are you doing here?”
Suddenly, I sensed a presence and heard a voice simultaneously. I quickly turned to my right and saw someone standing just a short distance away, like a night goblin. Cloaked in black, with a giant blade slung over his shoulder, this imposing figure had sharp eyes. Nevertheless, I couldn’t afford to focus on his appearance.
‘A top-tier master! Close to perfection…’
His swift movement was almost imperceptible, indicating a remarkable level of skill. As the saying goes, you can tell a lot about a person from their hands and feet; somehow, in such an inconvenient outfit, he was able to move without making a sound, which seemed impossible for an average practitioner. I deduced that his internal energy was also at a considerable level.
I glanced around and said,
“I heard that the head of the Han Clan gathers talented individuals as esteemed guests. That’s why I’ve come to demonstrate my abilities.”
“Hmm… So you want to become a guest. What is your name?”
“I am Baek Woong.”
“What do you all think?”
Swoosh!
With that, several martial artists emerged from various directions. They appeared to possess martial skills equal to that of the man with the giant blade. Among them, a man in a red robe crossed his arms and spoke.
“I think there’s no fault in his skills. His energy is truly formidable.”
“Yet, how can one so young… seem suspicious.”
“We must tread carefully. Young one, report this matter to the little master first.”
“Understood.”
Swish!
The man with the giant blade seemed to be the youngest among them; he nodded and vanished into the Han Clan’s interior. Meanwhile, the martial artists surrounding me remained vigilant and cautious. Observing their defensive stance, I became aware of a troublesome situation.
‘This is a problem… My internal energy is so overwhelming that I cannot conceal my strength. Most average practitioners will discern my level of internal energy instantly.’
It would be frustrating to be dismissed because my abilities were not acknowledged, but this presented a dilemma as well. To those of superior skill, my energy would feel like a tempest. Of course, I too could sense energy levels beyond the ordinary, but being met with direct scrutiny wherever I went was not ideal.
I decided to ease their vigilance by speaking.
“I am not a suspicious person. I merely seek to have my skills recognized by the world, and thus have come to the Han Clan.”
The man in the red robe answered curtly.
“Have you ever seen a suspicious person admit it themselves?”
“Hmm.”
“Baek Woong, you certainly look suspicious. I doubt even the three of us combined could match your level of internal energy, which can be described as truly remarkable. In my lifetime, I’ve never heard of a young martial artist who can surpass the Xuan Yuan Four Blades at such a young age.”
“……”
Xuan Yuan Four Blades!
I wasn’t well-acquainted with them, but they were certainly a faction of martial artists. It seemed all four of them wielded blades and had considerable renown in the martial world.
However, I found it hard to believe that such powerful masters were content to serve as retainers for a mere martial arts clan. The higher one’s level of skill, the more inflated their self-confidence; most top practitioners wouldn’t want to serve under any trader for the sake of appearance. This was why it was so difficult to lure top-tier warriors even with a substantial financial incentive. Given their skills, they could roam the world freely, yet here they were, satisfied with being guests, even if it was the Twin Gate Sect.
Moments later, the youngest of the Xuan Yuan Four Blades appeared again, accompanied by about ten other skilled practitioners. They seemed to possess skills just as impressive as those of the Xuan Yuan group. At the forefront stood a scholar-like man who stroked his beard and said,
“Little Master, I have never seen someone like him in my lifetime. Even if a prodigy from the prestigious Nine Great Clans practiced the Fabled Techniques for over half a century, they wouldn’t reach even a fraction of this boy’s internal energy. He possesses a kind of unparalleled skill I have never witnessed before.”
At that, the young master, referred to as the little master, nodded. He was strikingly handsome, appearing to be around my age.
“Then if the Ki Ryong Shingun has said so, it must be true.”
The middle-aged scholar known as Ki Ryong Shingun asked me in a serious tone,
“You said your name is Baek Woong. Who is your master?”
“I cannot disclose that.”
“Why can you not reveal it?”
“Because my master has not permitted me to do so. Besides, isn’t prying into such matters against the code of the martial world?”
As I answered calmly, Ki Ryong Shingun let out a low hum and said,
“With your level of skill, you could gain fame in the martial world without needing to join the Han Clan. Why do you want to join?”
“Isn’t the decision of where I go up to me? I prefer to live quietly rather than making a name for myself in the martial world.”
“Are you here to seek wealth?”
“Not particularly. I just want to know what kind of place the renowned Han Clan is.”
At my response, Ki Ryong Shingun and the other esteemed guests frowned.
“How audacious!”
However, the little master seemed to have a different opinion. He rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought before speaking.
“Baek Woong, in that case, shall we go to meet the master together? It seems this matter should be judged by the head.”
“Isn’t this a bit too loud?”
“Haha. We cannot be lax in receiving a world-renowned young hero.”
His radiant smile looked almost like a painting. I had never seen such a handsome person since Nangong Huan, and I felt my eyes widen. At the same time, I felt a sense of self-doubt about my own appearance, which paled in comparison, not even matching the little master’s toenail. No matter how strong my internal energy became, such aspects could not improve.
I followed the little master into the heart of the Han Clan. Naturally, a dozen esteemed guests followed, keeping a watchful eye on me, ready to strike at any moment.
‘This feels refreshing.’
I hadn’t fully grasped the extent of my strength while among figures like Lee Kwang or Jin So-cheong, but now, standing here, I experienced a sudden realization of the immense power I had amassed. Of course, engaging in combat with top masters was not something I desired, so I quietly followed the little master.
Soon, we arrived at a tranquil courtyard. The little master turned to the accompanying masters and said,
“You all may withdraw now.”
“But…”
“You know that the head is not weak enough to need your worry, right?”
Upon hearing this, the esteemed guests of the Han Clan seemed convinced and retreated gracefully.
“We will wait outside, then.”
Watching the guests retreat like a receding tide drew my attention. It seemed they had absolute confidence in the little master’s martial prowess. As I entered the courtyard with the little master, I spotted a young girl admiring a pond from a small wooden bridge placed over it.
‘Who is she?’
The girl had an unparalleled beauty. She appeared to be in her early twenties, youthful and innocent-looking, with hair as dark as ebony, elegant clothing, and skin as white as snow, all in perfect harmony. Unlike Sagong Rin or Mo Yong Yeon, her beauty resembled that of a doll.
She glanced over at me and spoke.
“Are you Baek Woong?”
Boom!
At that moment, I felt an overwhelming wave of energy crashing over me. I felt a sudden halt in my breath, not merely due to her beauty, but because the intangible aura she emanated was excessively powerful. Simultaneously, it was the kind of force I had only felt once in my lifetime.
Unconsciously, I blurted out the name of that force.
“The Unseen Qi…!!”
A look of surprise flickered in the girl’s eyes.
“You know about the Unseen Qi? It seems you haven’t crossed the threshold of half transformation, yet you must have been mentored by a remarkable master. Such individuals are rare in the world; I’m curious to know whose disciple you are.”
“Wh-Who are you…?”
At my question, the girl chuckled softly. From her laugh, I realized that she was an extraordinary master who had indeed crossed that threshold, as she had subdued my spirit merely through her aura.
“I am Han Baek-ryeong, the head of the Han Clan.”
“……!!”
“Now, shall we assess your lineage?”
A wave of light energy surged from Han Baek-ryeong’s hand. I instinctively countered with my Thundercloud Palm, and although I seemed slightly superior in raw power, her pristine white energy then layered itself three times, increasing its strength, causing me to stagger back in pain after taking two steps.
Boom!
Immediately after our energy collided, Han Baek-ryeong lifted a stone from the ground using her skills in the Void Art and flicked it lightly with her finger.
Clang!
“Ugh…”
I hastily drew my sword in a flash, attempting to deflect the stone, but in that moment, I felt as if my sword would shatter. The force behind the stone was overwhelmingly strong. If it had been another skilled practitioner instead of me, their sword would have likely broken, and their heart would have been pierced. As I stumbled backward, Han Baek-ryeong said,
“So, you are a disciple of the Blue Dragon. He has already withdrawn from the Four Divine Guards, yet what would compel him to send his disciple to Luoyang to stir up trouble?”
Her voice, tinged with a hint of age, resonated through the air.
“I… I don’t know who that is. My master is separate.”
“Separate?”
“Yes. I have been secluded in the mountains, only just coming down, and I came here solely because the Han Clan was recruiting talented individuals.”
“Hmm…”
I instinctively felt that if I admitted I was a disciple of Lee Kwang right then, it could lead to my demise. The Han Baek-ryeong before me seemed to be an extraordinary master, rivaling Lee Kwang, and her emotions did not appear to be favorable. She scrutinized me with suspicion and said,
“Fine. Even if what you say is true, your martial arts closely resemble his. How will you explain that?”
“My lineage is learned through an heir’s transmission. Even if we share similar martial arts, it is entirely possible that our masters differ.”
“What? Could it be…?”
She appeared pensive, as if something had crossed her mind, and then she said,
“… I believe you. Your heart is steady. You do not seem to be evil.”
“Thank you.”
Han Baek-ryeong crossed her arms.
“What is it that you wish to gain from the Han Clan? Speak frankly.”
“I need a suitable opponent to refine my martial arts. I thought that by being a guest of the Han Clan, I would encounter such opponents.”
My words were sincere. I hadn’t anticipated things would come to this, but regardless, to master my techniques of Ten Thousand Swords and Thundercloud Palm perfectly, I required a significant amount of practical training experience. It was a part of my plan to progress as quickly as possible.
Han Baek-ryeong smiled softly.
“Oh? It seems you’ve arrived at just the right time. You will obtain what you seek.”
At that moment, I had no idea what she meant by “just the right time.”
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