Chapter 222: Myriad Gold Manor Master
“What?”
Moyong Hyeon, unusually, questioned his father. He too realized that the place called Seong-un Inn was no ordinary place.
Hadn’t he personally witnessed the once-rampaging Seomun Ak turn into a completely different person?
However, being personally sent there by his father was a different matter entirely.
— Wahaha! That Seomun Ak really beca an inn waiter?
When the rumor spread that Seomun Ak had beco a waiter at the secluded inn in Yichang, every martial artist reacted similarly.
Moyong Hyeon was no exception.
He figured the guy had caused trouble his whole life, and the Seomun Clan Leader had finally exploded.
But now, it was his turn.
Moyong Hyeon stared directly at his father.
However, Moyong Cheon’s gaze held no room for negotiation.
“Go.”
“…Yes, sir.”
Moyong Hyeon trudged off reluctantly.
As he approached Jin Seong-un’s group, Moyong Hyeon pondered what to say.
“You’re an outstanding talent, Master Moyong.”
Jin Seong-un spoke without warning.
As Moyong Hyeon looked puzzled, Jin Seong-un continued.
“Lately, watching you, I’ve felt that you’re remarkably skilled in a certain area.”
Moyong Hyeon, who had looked like a cow being led to slaughter, brightened slightly.
He had seen and experienced enough to know how exceptional Jin Seong-un was. Receiving acknowledgnt from such a person was a joy to anyone.
Of course, Jin Seong-un’s words left out a few key nuances.
An outstanding talent in the ‘innkeeping industry.’
Exceptionally skilled in ‘calculation.’
Unaware of this, Moyong Hyeon, pleased at being recognized as a martial artist, responded proudly.
“Do people often tell you that you have a good eye?”
“Well, I hear it from ti to ti.”
Jin Seong-un and Moyong Hyeon nodded, speaking of entirely different things.
As a small misunderstanding ford on one side, the Wudang Sword Immortal, who was looking after Hyeon-un and Baek Sang, glanced around and asked,
“What do we do about the children?”
This was the most important issue to resolve before leaving this place.
The expressions of the Beggars’ Union mbers grew solemn.
Though they sotis considered interests and pragmatism, they were ultimately people who carried the spirit of the Orthodox Faction in their hearts.
Beongak, the Hall Leader of Arhat Hall from Shaolin, spoke.
“It would be right to return the children who can go back to their families. But in truth, most of them cannot.”
Everyone nodded.
How could they possibly track down the families of these children across the vast Central Plains?
Of course, the Murim Alliance and other factions would do their best, but realistically, more than half of the hundreds of children would not be able to return to their families.
All of them had disciples, masters, parents, or children of their own, so the weight of the matter grew heavier.
“What if the Murim Alliance took responsibility?”
The Poison Lord of the Tang Clan suggested.
He ant that the Murim Alliance should raise the children, but the responses were pessimistic.
“Chief Strategist Sama Baek is already cutting down on sleep to handle everything.”
Everyone knew the lines on Sama Baek’s face deepened year by year.
He was a man who had devoted his life to the stability of the Murim Alliance, the Orthodox Faction, and the Central Plains.
With his character, he would undoubtedly raise the children with the utmost sincerity and excellence—but that was exactly why it must not happen.
“Hm, you're right. That was careless of . Then our Tang Clan of Sichuan will take half—”
“That won’t do.”
Beongak quickly interjected.
Everyone nodded in agreent, seeming to share the sa thought.
The Tang Clan of Sichuan was known for having poisonous insects and toxins roaming freely through their manor.
Even the air carried a faint poisonous scent.
Raising children in such a place would make them all turn eccentric like the Tang Clan’s martial artists.
Seomun Ak glanced at Poison Phoenix Tang So-yeon and nodded.
‘Can’t let them end up like her.’
Poison Phoenix, noticing Seomun Ak’s gaze, mouthed “What are you looking at?”, proving the point once again.
Everyone fell deep into thought.
They were estimating how many children each faction could take responsibility for.
In their hearts, who wouldn't want to do the right thing? But as leaders guiding their clans and sects alongside their heads and masters, they couldn’t ignore the practical realities.
As a brief silence settled—
“We, the Wudang Sect, will take them all.”
“Senior Brother—no, Sect Leader! What are you saying?”
Hyeon-un turned pale and looked at the Wudang Sword Immortal.
What was he planning to do once they returned, with the wrath of the Pavilion Master looming? Even Hyeon-un might get caught up in the scolding.
But there was sothing Hyeon-un didn’t know.
‘The children brought in last ti were exceptional.’
The Wudang Sect had previously taken in children under the condition that Jin Seong-un received a sword from the Sword Immortal.
Those children were primarily managed by the Head of Martial Studies. Astonishingly, he reported that every single one of them possessed extraordinary martial potential.
Naturally so.
The children were hand-picked by Mu-gung and Hanma Heaven precisely for their outstanding aptitude, to serve a great purpose.
Everyone admired the Sword Immortal’s declaration. Especially Moyong Cheon, who applauded and said,
“Ah, as expected of the true Sword Immortal of this era. Though the Moyong Clan would like to contribute as well, it would be wrong to get in the way of your decision. We shall instead promise material support.”
An elder of the Mount Hua Sect gave Moyong Cheon a sideways glance. Several sects vied for the Sword Immortal title, and Mount Hua was one of them.
Moreover, the Moyong Clan and Mount Hua Sect weren’t exactly on friendly terms. So Moyong Cheon was both praising the Wudang Sect and taking a jab at Mount Hua.
Moyong Hyeon, impressed by his father’s actions and words, silently vowed to beco a man like that soday.
This was the Moyong Clan.
Jiangsu Province, Nanjing.
A massive and luxurious estate, as if an imperial palace had been relocated. Thousands of rchants ca and went each day, making it a gathering place for all the wealth and people of the Central Plains.
Myriad Gold Manor.
Unlike the bustling outer manor, the deepest part of the inner manor—where only the top brass and blood relatives of Myriad Gold Manor could reside—was peaceful.
There, in a quiet pavilion beside a lotus pond, two n with strikingly similar features sat facing each other.
The surroundings were eerily still, and the flowers around the pavilion blood with dazzling beauty.
It was because the space itself was shaped by a formation. The breeze created by the formation gently swept past the two n.
After a long silence, the middle-aged man spoke.
“Cheong-a is dead.”
Though he spoke of his daughter’s death, his tone was remarkably calm and dry.
The man sitting across from him, Ha Joo-myeong, responded in the sa manner.
“Yes. She was killed by Jin Seong-un and the martial artists of the Orthodox Faction. At that ti, Hanma Heaven’s Mu-wol-do, eldest son of the Heavenly Poison Alliance Leader, as well as the Grand Elder and Hanma Captain of Hanma Heaven, and even the Hanma Unit were all annihilated.”
“I see.”
Neither touched their teacups even as the tea cooled between them.
They simply gazed at each other with unreadable expressions.
Ha Joo-myeong spoke.
“I intend to hold the Demonic Cult accountable.”
“They won’t respond. They aren’t people who move for money.”
“If they do, good. If not, then when the day cos that the Orthodox Faction presses for answers, the record of our protest against the Demonic Cult will serve as our justification.”
Myriad Gold Manor Master Ha Sang-yun nodded.
Ha Joo-myeong continued.
“The third child was also killed by that man, Jin Seong-un. What should we do?”
“Why ask
that?”
“He was your son.”
At Ha Joo-myeong’s question, the Manor Master let out a dry laugh. He seed like a man who had transcended sothing—or perhaps a man who had simply resigned himself.
The Manor Master observed the scene before him for a mont and then spoke.
“This space is dull. Things crafted by human hands ultimately fail to overco the natural order.”
“You are mistaken. Money too is a human creation. Is there anything in the world more flawless than money?”
The Manor Master stared at his son.
As always, he wore a mild smile, yet the Manor Master felt a hint of emotion from him.
This wasn’t a father’s intuition. It was a deduction based on all available circumstances.
“Are you glad Cheong-a and Joo-yeon are dead?”
“Of course not. They were my blood brothers.”
“Yet you intended to kill them soday, didn’t you? After all, you’re one who shares nothing with anyone.”
“You misunderstand . I don’t know why you would say such a thing.”
Ha Joo-myeong spoke without the slightest change in expression.
The Manor Master stared into his teacup for a while, then finally took a sip.
At that, Ha Joo-myeong smiled faintly.
“You’re drinking at last.”
“At least for today, there’s no poison. If the Manor Master were to suddenly die right after the second and third sons, wouldn’t the world start suspecting you?”
“There was never any poison. You are plagued by bizarre delusions.”
The Manor Master let out a soft laugh.
How could they be delusions?
It was Ha Joo-myeong who had sent the third son, Ha Joo-yeon, to Yichang. And it was he who knowingly allowed Lee Seowon to sneak into the Myriad Gold Manor and examine the ledgers of Mu-gung.
“So, you plan to let
live until the marriage with the princess is completed.”
“I shall take my leave.”
Ha Joo-myeong stood, bowed, and stepped down from the pavilion. A breeze blew again, passing between father and son.
As he walked away, Ha Joo-myeong suddenly turned and looked back at his father.
He was still sitting like a stone, watching the flowing river and the swaying wildflowers.
Ha Joo-myeong watched him for a mont, then casually waved his hand through the air.
“You said it was dull.”
In an instant, the scenery turned completely white.
Snow began to fall ceaselessly from the sky, piling softly across the land.
And across the river, in the middle of the snowfield, a woman lay dying in a pool of blood.
It was Ha Cheong-a. The Manor Master’s eyes wavered for the first ti.
Only then did Ha Joo-myeong show a satisfied expression and step out of the formation.
Ha Joo-myeong headed straight for his office.
Not the official one located in the outer manor, but his private space where he spent most of his ti.
The walls were completely bare, devoid of any decoration that might suggest it belonged to the Myriad Gold Manor.
In the utterly empty room, only a desk and a chair sat alone, creating an eerie atmosphere.
This was who Ha Joo-myeong was.
He cared nothing for luxury, indulgence, wine, or won.
He had never yearned deeply for anything, nor had he ever truly lost anything. He had never known fear or sorrow. Naturally, he had never felt joy, happiness, or love either.
Aside from money and the Myriad Gold Manor, nothing in the world held any aning for him.
That had been true—until just a few days ago.
“Jin Seong-un.”
Reclining in his chair, Ha Joo-myeong softly repeated the three syllables.
He liked the way they felt as they left his lips. He liked the image of the man that ca to mind, liked his voice, liked his actions.
Ha Joo-myeong knew instinctively.
That Jin Seong-un was the only one in the world who resembled him. The only one who could understand him.
That realization stirred two emotions in Ha Joo-myeong. Overwhelming joy—and a loathing so deep it made him want to kill.
Both emotions were new to him.
“Jin Seong-un.”
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