General Manager Xin was startled.
"You're going to treat the Blood Hand Grand Seal? You didn't say that earlier."
"You didn't give
silver ingots then."
When True Man Changshan unexpectedly showed an interest in money, General Manager Xin glared at him with a displeased eye.
'This old man, is he really a dicine immortal? Is he another fake?'
He had heard that dicine immortals had no desire for material things, but it seed that was not the case.
"But I need dicinal herbs. I'll have to go to the mountains for a bit."
At True Man Changshan's words, Zhang Ming jumped.
"You can't."
When Zhang Ming stubbornly blocked him, General Manager Xin looked back and forth between the two with a puzzled eye.
"You absolutely cannot without the permission of the Sect Master."
"You brat. A person's life is at stake. I really need the dicinal herbs."
"I'd rather send the kids."
"What do those brats know about dicinal herbs?"
As True Man Changshan and Zhang Ming bickered, General Manager Xin beca curious.
"Is there a reason why the True Man cannot go to gather dicinal herbs?"
"That's..."
Zhang Ming was at a loss.
True Man Changshan loved to gather dicinal herbs. When he went, a month or two was normal. A few years ago, he had gone saying he would be back shortly and had co out of the mountains after three years.
After that, the sect master had forbidden him from gathering dicinal herbs and only sent him if it was absolutely necessary, after he had sworn an oath in the ancestral hall on the date of his return.
"A person's life is at stake, so would I spend ti in the mountains?"
At True Man Changshan's words, even Zhang Ming finally relented.
"Seven days! You must return within seven days."
"Is treating the Blood Hand Grand Seal a joke? It will take three months."
"In three months, Sect Master Bai will be dead. Even you, Martial Uncle, cannot bring the dead back to life, can you?"
Zhang Ming blurted out and then, realizing his slip of the tongue, glanced at General Manager Xin.
A ray of brilliance flashed in General Manager Xin's eyes, but neither True Man Changshan nor Zhang Ming saw it.
"I will give you one month."
"Alright then."
True Man Changshan said happily and left the room.
General Manager Xin asked, "Is it difficult for the Sect Master to last long?"
"Umm..."
Zhang Ming was at a loss and then said, "It seems he is holding on with the dicinal water in the stone coffin, but the dicinal effect seems to be almost gone. Are there more dicinal herbs?"
"They are almost all gone now. And the money has run out too."
General Manager Xin looked mournful.
"It is said that one must do everything possible for a true man. True Man, please go to Qingcheng and pray to the gods of heaven and earth for the Sect Master's recovery."
"I was going to go anyway."
Zhang Ming was planning to leave even if General Manager Xin hadn't said anything.
He was planning to report the appearance of the Blood Hand Grand Seal to the sect master and investigate the past actions of the fake True Man Changshan.
'Aigoo. I did sothing useless. I should have just stayed still.'
General Manager Xin's stomach churned at the sight of the wooden box filled with silver ingots. It felt as if his own money was being spent.
"Before you go, could you draw a portrait of the fake True Man Changshan? When the body arrived, it was decomposed, so it was difficult to properly identify his face in life."
"I understand. I will draw it for you right away."
* * *
As True Man Changshan was coming to his room, he saw Ajok pacing.
"Child, what is it?"
Ajok shook the bundle of dicinal herbs and said, "I have co to have dicine made."
"dicine? Where does it hurt?"
"It's not for , it's for my master. I need a dicine that clears the head."
"Hmm. It's good to take that regularly."
True Man Changshan took the bundle of dicinal herbs, untied it, and was startled.
Quickly retying the bundle of dicinal herbs, True Man Changshan looked around.
"Is there no one else?"
"I'm here."
"Not you."
Ajok looked around and said, "There is no one."
"Where did you get this?"
"My master dug it up in the mountains."
"Hmm. That one dug it up?"
True Man Changshan blinked his eyes, thought for a mont, and then said, "I'll go and pack my things, so wait."
A mont later, True Man Changshan ca out with his own luggage.
The two ca to the Songhua Hall.
True Man Changshan said to Yang Soryeong, "You want
to make dicine?"
"Yes. It would be good if it's a dicine that clears the head and cools the chest."
"Hmm. For that, I need more dicinal herbs."
"I have money."
Yang Soryeong answered, thinking of the money Baekji had hidden.
"No, that's not it. I have to go to the mountains and dig them up myself."
Ajok interjected.
"How can an old person go to the mountains? I will go."
"Does Eldest Senior Brother know what kind of dicinal herbs they are? Let's just carry the True Man on our backs."
Senior Oh said.
True Man Changshan chuckled and said, "Aigoo. The cute things. I'm fine."
True Man Changshan held up the bundle of dicinal herbs that Yang Soryeong had given him.
"These are very precious dicinal herbs. No one should see them."
"Are they that precious?"
"They are. One of them is very special. There was a ti when dozens of people died fighting over one root of it. So hide it well. I'll be back in a few days."
Yang Soryeong, Ajok, and the others couldn't believe that the dicinal herbs they had been eating regularly in the mountains were so precious.
'This old Taoist is also a braggart.'
That's all they thought.
True Man Changshan handed over the bundle of dicinal herbs and repeatedly warned them not to show it to anyone.
Yang Soryeong was moved that True Man Changshan had readily agreed to her request and was even going up the mountain himself to get the dicinal herbs.
"The True Man will surely be blessed."
"Hmm. I should be blessed. Yes, I should be."
True Man Changshan had to go up the mountain anyway to treat the Blood Hand Grand Seal.
Unaware of this fact, Yang Soryeong, Ajok, and the others were moved and saw True Man Changshan off to the foot of the mountain.
"Are you really okay going alone?"
When Yang Soryeong asked, True Man Changshan said with sparkling eyes, "Gathering dicinal herbs is a very fun thing to do."
* * *
After True Man Changshan went up the mountain and Zhang Ming and the other Qingcheng Taoists left, General Manager Xin felt much lighter.
He also hardened his resolve.
'At this rate, I'll have to spit out everything I've taken. Let's just be satisfied with half and leave. I should have left earlier. I was greedy for no reason and only suffered a loss.'
He felt a renewed pang of regret for the five thousand taels he had given to Zhang Ming.
To keep Bai Renguang alive, he had to pour dicinal water into the stone coffin, and that would cost an endless amount of money.
Besides, soon, Mo Dahou, who had left to find the culprit who had killed the fake True Man Changshan, would return.
Mo Dahou looked like a bear, but he was quick-witted and cunning.
In terms of scheming, he was a level or two above Hu Yeonjo, so it might beco troubleso if they confronted each other.
General Manager Xin summoned the White Mountain Brigade Leader, Yu Mungwang, and the Great Light Brigade Leader, Hu Yeonjo.
"It seems rumors that the Sect Master has collapsed are already circulating. The tribute paynts have decreased significantly. It seems I will have to go on a tour myself."
"Do so."
Hu Yeonjo said indifferently.
He was waiting for the Sect Master to die soon. If Bai Renguang died, he would imdiately take the position of the next White Mountain Sect Master. So, he had no intention of leaving the White Mountain Sect estate even for a single step.
Since Yu Mungwang had to protect Bai Renguang, he obediently nodded.
"The General Manager is going through a lot of trouble."
"What can I do? Soone has to do it."
General Manager Xin had already converted the embezzled money into bank notes and hidden them in his safe house outside the estate.
He was planning to take that money and the tribute paynts and leave right away.
Just then, a White Mountain Brigade mber reported from outside.
"The White Temple Brigade Leader has returned."
General Manager Xin shot up.
"What? Already... no, did he finally catch the culprit?"
"It doesn't seem so."
General Manager Xin slumped down in his seat.
"He ca back without even catching the culprit?"
Inwardly, he lanted.
'I should have left earlier. Earlier...'
Hu Yeonjo frowned and said, "With what face did he co back without even catching the culprit?"
"..."
The White Mountain Brigade mber had no way of knowing.
"Where is he now?"
Yu Mungwang asked.
"He went to the Young Sect Master's residence."
Yu Mungwang shot up.
"Strengthen the guard at the Sect Master's stone chamber. Deploy two shifts."
Worried that Mo Dahou might harm Bai Renguang, Yu Mungwang said as he left the room.
"I will go and see Brigade Leader Mo."
Just then, a gruff voice was heard.
"There's no need to co out."
Mo Dahou appeared with his trusted subordinates.
"It's been a long ti. I've been sleeping in the wind and dew, searching high and low for the criminal, while soone has been sitting in the estate, eating, sleeping, and shitting... you're all so plump."
"Brigade Leader Mo! Your words are out of line."
"Hmph! Sleeping in the wind and dew? You expect
to believe that? To , it looks like you were holed up in so brothel."
General Manager Xin and Hu Yeonjo stood up at the sa ti and retorted.
"No need to co out. Let's talk in the room."
Mo Dahou instructed his trusted subordinates.
"If anyone cos close, kill them."
"Yes!"
Mo Dahou's trusted subordinates drew their swords and spread out.
"Sit down, sit down. Why are you all standing?"
Mo Dahou's montum was murderous.
"Let's sit down."
Mo Dahou sat down at the table first and unbuckled his sword, placing it on the table, scabbard and all.
When General Manager Xin reluctantly sat down, Hu Yeonjo and Yu Mungwang also sat down.
The four of them sat around the round table, and a cold chill filled the air.
"Let's talk openly. The Sect Master doesn't seem like he'll last long."
Mo Dahou had already been to the stone chamber where Bai Renguang was.
"..."
When silence fell, General Manager Xin hurriedly changed the subject.
"Have you found any trace of the culprit?"
When General Manager Xin asked, Mo Dahou snorted.
"Is there even a real culprit?"
At Mo Dahou's words, Hu Yeonjo chided him.
"Otherwise, why would the Sect Master be in that state?"
"I don't know. Only the person who first discovered the scene would know."
Mo Dahou glared at General Manager Xin.
General Manager Xin's veins bulged.
"Are you suspecting
now? That I know how to use the Blood Hand Grand Seal? Do you think that makes sense? I..."
He almost blurted out, 'If I knew how to use the Blood Hand Grand Seal, would I have left you all alone?'
"Who said they suspected General Manager Xin? Who among us knows how to use the Blood Hand Grand Seal?"
Mo Dahou said.
Although the four of them had never fought each other, they roughly knew each other's skills.
In the White Mountain Sect, it was tacitly known that Mo Dahou was the strongest, Hu Yeonjo was half a level below, followed by Yu Mungwang, and General Manager Xin was also considered a fairly high-level master.
Although Mo Dahou was the strongest, if the other three joined hands, it would be difficult for him to handle.
The four of them, while not trusting each other, were people who could gang up on one of them as a common enemy and kill them.
So, even Mo Dahou couldn't act rashly.
Mo Dahou said in a subtle voice, "The important thing now is not to catch the culprit, but to plan for the succession, isn't it? If the Sect Master dies, who will take charge of the White Mountain Sect? Especially when the Young Sect Master has beco a blank slate."
"There is an acting sect master."
"Ha!"
Mo Dahou imdiately retorted, as if he couldn't believe it.
"Acting sect master? Isn't that all General Manager Xin's work? Looking at the situation, the Sect Master couldn't have said anything."
"I just followed the ways of the martial world. The Sect Master, the Young Sect Master, and the fiancée are still alive, aren't they?"
"The ways of the martial world? Fine. A good word. But does it make sense in the ways of the martial world to serve a woman who doesn't even know martial arts as the sect master? Are we even a martial sect?"
Mo Dahou said, looking at Hu Yeonjo and Yu Mungwang.
"..."
"..."
Hu Yeonjo and Yu Mungwang just listened. Mo Dahou's words also had a point.
"The head of a martial sect should have martial arts befitting it."
"Is being strong enough? You have to know how to use your head too."
Hu Yeonjo said gently.
'You're the stupid one.'
General Manager Xin found Hu Yeonjo pathetic. In his view, not only in martial arts but also in using his head, Mo Dahou was better. But Hu Yeonjo was under the illusion that he was smarter.
"In any case, we need a leader now."
Mo Dahou said with wide eyes.
"In the White Mountain Sect, am I not the next in line after the Sect Master?"
"Officially, the martial force brigades are equal."
General Manager Xin retorted.
"..."
"..."
Silence fell.
Just then, soone reported from outside.
"The general manager of the Yang rchant Guild has arrived."
(End of Chapter)
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