"Association Head."

"..."

"Association Head? Association Head!"

"...Ugh?"

Go Hyeon snapped to his senses at Im Saeng's call.

"Um... this is also part of the plan, right?"

"..."

"Please tell me. You had thought of this situation too, right?"

Go Hyeon blinked his eyes at Im Saeng's question.

He had never imagined that Tang Cheonyeong would so brutally crush the young master of the Lee family.

The one who should have fallen by now was, of course, Tang Cheonyeong.

According to his plan, he should have been begging to be saved, and at least one of his arms should have been cut off.

But.

Pow! Pow-pow! Pow-pow!

Lee Wonik, who should have been teaching the Tang Family's estate a lesson in Ganyang, was instead being minced like a piece of meat in a butcher's shop.

"Association Head?"

"Huh?"

"Expected..."

"I did! I did. Of course, that's right."

Go Hyeon forced a neutral expression at Im Saeng's words and pretended it was all planned.

"Is that... really true?"

"Of course."

It had to be.

This was a matter that could shake the very foundation of the merchant association.

He was a punk who looked down on even the scion of the Lee family.

If he looked weak here, the members of the merchant association might all switch over to the Tang Family's estate.

Like the punks from the hunters' association and the herb gatherers' association before...

Then what about him?

He could no longer stay in Ganyang.

He would have to leave his beloved hometown, deprived of everything he had built over thirty years.

Because he would no longer be of any benefit to the merchants.

He would be lucky if they didn't throw stones at him.

"Phew... that's a relief. I knew it couldn't be, but I was worried what would happen if this was the entirety of the plan."

"Th-the entirety?"

"I knew it. If it's you, Association Head, I believed you had considered what would happen next."

"...Huh?"

"Keuk keuk, look. The young master of the Lee family has become a complete rag. With his son beaten like that, do you think the Lee family head will stay still? He'll try to crush the Tang Family's estate immediately. Is that all? The Lee family is a vassal of the Cheongseong Sect. No matter how much of a Taoist he is, he must have received quite a bit over the years... he won't stay still."

"...Ah!"

"The punks who got on bad terms with the Unorthodox Faction over the Yin Hand Chamber incident will now be at odds with the Orthodox Faction as well... As expected, your insight is extraordinary, Association Head. I always learn a thing or two from you."

...He himself had learned.

He hadn't foreseen the situation Im Saeng had described.

This punk, how many steps ahead did he see in that short time?

"Association Head? Why such an expression?"

"..."

Im Saeng tilted his head in confusion as Go Hyeon stared blankly.

"Well... it's just that I was thinking how truly clever you are."

"Pardon?"

"How did you read my thoughts so accurately? That was my plan exactly."

It was Im Saeng's plan.

His own plan had ended with calling Lee Wonik.

"Aigoo, how many years have I served you, Association Head? It's second nature."

"Huh? Oh-ho-ho-ho."

"Seeing Lee Wonik being brutally beaten, I thought. There's no way the Association Head would have tried to do something to the Tang Family's estate by calling such a useless punk... could he be, perhaps, bait?"

"Umm."

He wasn't useless.

He was well aware of Lee Wonik's skills.

Tang Cheonyeong was just too strong.

"Keuk keuk, that punk has finally fallen for your brilliant scheme and taken the bait."

"That's right. That's how it turned out."

"I look forward to what's to come."

"Uh... oh-ho-ho."

Go Hyeon just laughed, and feeling guilty, he avoided Im Saeng's gaze and looked downstairs...

"Yikes, that punk is looking this way."

Go Hyeon quickly pulled Im Saeng's collar and ducked.

"Now, there's no good in being discovered, so let's retreat quietly."

"Yes."

Go Hyeon and Im Saeng, with their upper bodies deeply bowed, waddled away like ducks to a place where they couldn't be seen from the first floor.

And then.

"What? What are those things?"

Cheonyeong, who was catching his breath after Lee Wonik fainted, spotted the figures on the second floor and tilted his head.

Go Hyeon, and Im Saeng?

But Go Hyeon, whose eyes met his, hid himself with a startled expression.

But it was a railing.

A kind of safety support added to prevent one from accidentally misstepping and falling to the floor below.

In other words, it had holes like a ladder, and the back was clearly visible...

What on earth was that supposed to be?

If he hides... he'll be so hard to see.

This is like a pheasant sticking only its head in the ground to avoid a predator...

And what's with the duck walk?

It was clearly an action taken in panic.

That's why it was more suspicious.

There was no way he had come because he was curious about where the five hundred nyang he had donated was being used.

Moreover, Im Saeng, next to Go Hyeon, was the representative of the Ganyang Inn Union and the owner of Hoeseong-ru, the best tavern in Ganyang.

The Myriad Virtue Inn must have been a thorn in his side, yet he came here to eat and drink?

Nonsense.

If Im Saeng ate the food of the Myriad Virtue Inn, it would be like chewing sand, and the alcohol would be bitter and more bitter.

Yet he came here.

Sitting in a prominent spot on the second floor...

The fact that he was in that spot until just now meant that he had watched without fear even when the warriors' fight broke out, and also that he had run away in surprise the moment his eyes met mine?

"Hoh? Look at this."

Cheonyeong looked at Lee Wonik, who was hanging limply, grabbed by the scruff of his neck.

The situation was roughly taking shape in his head.

The young master of the Lee family, ranked as high as forty-ninth, had appeared in Ganyang with his guards.

A trip? Well, that could be.

But such a sudden event always leaves the question of 'why'.

Why him?

What if the answer to that 'why' was because of someone's invitation?

And what if a situation was deliberately created where the waiter had no choice but to make a mistake?

It was a situation that could have been easily forgiven, but what if the purpose was to pick a fight?

"...No matter how I think about it, that's the only answer."

If that's really the case?

"...Keuk keuk, so you plotted such a crude conspiracy against me? Things might get much easier than I thought."

Go Hyeon, Im Saeng, and Lee Wonik and the Lee family.

"Why are you staring?"

"Hehe, just because."

"Just because?"

"Hehehe."

Nosanggae frowned at Cheonyeong's narrowed gaze.

You're also part of the plan I just made.

Now, shall I start to flesh out the plan?

Add some flesh to the basic framework, and sprinkle some seasoning...

Dammit, why is my head spinning so fast in this direction?

* * *

The sphere of influence in the Sichuan martial world was largely divided into the Orthodox Faction in the west, led by the Cheongseong Sect and the Emei Sect, and the Unorthodox Faction in the east, led by the Nine Dragon Chamber and the Black Heaven Sect.

The Unorthodox Faction, those kinds of people, gathered and scattered according to profit as if it were a daily routine, and would stab their own masters in the back if the opportunity arose, so they were a separate matter.

The Orthodox Faction had many places that boasted history and tradition for generations.

The origins of the Emei Sect and the Cheongseong Sect alone were so old that they were recorded on faded paper in old books.

The same was true for the branches that extended from them.

The vassal families of the Cheongseong Sect and the Emei Sect.

The sects established by the disciples of disciples, and their disciples, had spread to various parts of Sichuan and established themselves as local powerhouses for a long time.

The Lee family, which had been a traditional powerhouse in the central region of Sichuan, was one of them.

Long ago, a man named Lee Mokpyeong, who was the youngest disciple of a Taoist named Beom Jangsaeng, had settled in Misan to seek the way of the secular world, and that was the beginning of the family.

But as vassal families often do, the Lee family could not follow only the teachings of Taoism.

How could the family of a disciple who had left the mountain be called Cheongseong?

So, to survive, they accepted the logic of the secular world, and after going through various ups and downs, they became the representative family of Misan.

Over that long period, prosperity and decline were repeated, and under the current family head, Lee Hakpyeong, they were once again dreaming of a leap forward.

The first of which was winning the Assembly of Elders to be held in the coming year.

It was once a festival of the Sichuan martial world, hosted by the Cheongseong Sect and graced by the Emei Sect.

A stage of opportunity where one could make their name widely known just by reaching the main tournament.

But because it had not been held for a long time, it was slowly disappearing from people's memories.

But, the Cheongseong Sect wanted to hold the tournament again.

Unlike in the past, they said they would give participation rights to all the rising generation of both Orthodox and Unorthodox factions.

Moreover, the prize offered was the original copy of the Seventy-Two Wave Sword Manual, the representative sword style of the Cheongseong Sect.

The Sichuan martial world began to stir.

The Lee family was no exception.

If they could just obtain the sword manual...

It might not be in the generation of the current family head, Lee Hakpyeong, but his son's generation would surely see the light.

Also, if a descendant with outstanding talent was born, it was a precious treasure among precious treasures that could be used to aim for the number one sword in Sichuan, and further, the number one in the world.

He had to obtain it.

For the future of the family.

Fortunately, perhaps due to the care of their ancestors, Lee Hakpyeong's eldest son, Cheongik, was born with extraordinary talent.

He was sufficient as a talent to represent the martial world in the future.

Wasn't he already making a name for himself, being called one of the Twelve Dragons of Sichuan?

Not only that, but his character was also so upright.

He wanted to raise him strictly, but it was impossible to have his way.

"Cha-ap!"

"Hut! That punk?"

Lee Hakpyeong, who had come to the training ground with the purpose of personally instructing his son as always, was startled with his eyes wide open.

Twelve changes in one sword strike.

It was the ultimate of the Clear Wind Red Haze Sword, which represented the Lee family.

It was originally a variation of the Blue Cloud Red Haze Sword, but it was named so because it could not use the same name as the Cheongseong Sect. But he was confident that its power was no less than that of the Cheongseong Sect.

His son was perfectly displaying the family's sword art.

It was just that his internal energy was still lacking, but in terms of the application of the forms alone, his skill seemed to be no less than his own, the family head.

What could he scold such a punk for?

He didn't mind being called a doting father.

He was just pleased.

And what about his footwork?

It was the Flying Stream Steps, which had inherited the lineage of the Cheongseong Sect and had undergone practical development.

The way it seemed to fly lightly on the wind multiplied the power of the Clear Wind Red Haze Sword.

His hands were sweating on their own.

The day was not far when the son's sword, on the battlefield, would be unfurled with killing intent, and the whole sky would be covered in red blood.

He could already picture the family standing tall as the number one family in Sichuan in the distant future.

Right, if he had raised that one punk, it was enough.

The character of his second son was somewhat violent and self-righteous... but he was probably still young.

Barely of age.

He would gradually get better.

Still, wasn't he a punk who cared deeply for his brother?

He had heard that he was searching various places to obtain spiritual medicines to make up for his brother's shortcomings.

This time... he said he was going to Ganyang.

He had received a report that the merchant association head there would offer a hundred-year-old knotweed to the Lee family.

He had overheard that there had been a power struggle in Ganyang recently, and the Yin Hand Chamber had been dismantled by a newly established family.

The Ganyang Merchant Association must have been anxious.

Although the Yin Hand Chamber was a place full of ruffians with little skill, the Unorthodox Faction forces that the chamber master had connections with were considerable.

The one that had replaced such a Yin Hand Chamber was... Tang... something, he thought.

What did the name matter?

Whatever it was, the Ganyang Merchant Association head must have been very anxious to trust them.

He had heard that they didn't even have many warriors.

So he must be trying to establish a connection with the Lee family of Misan, which was adjacent to Ganyang.

To protect the commercial district of Ganyang on behalf of Tang, whatever.

"Hmph, it wouldn't be bad to try expanding our influence to Ganyang at this opportunity."

Because it took more than a penny or two to obtain the spiritual medicines that would make his eldest son, Cheongik, even stronger.

"I hope the knotweed the second one brings is of high quality."

Just as Lee Hakpyeong was smiling with a satisfied expression, watching his eldest son training, sweating profusely.

"Family Head! Family Head!"

"...?"

The Outer Hall General Manager of the Lee family, Jang Hoyeon, came running, looking extremely urgent.

His face was... ashen.

(End of Chapter)