Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1206

Liquor was poured into the glass until it spilled over. It sloshed with each small movement. Jang Il-so had been looking into the glass without a word. Now, he tilted his head back. His face showed he didn’t care.

“Did he leave?”

“Yes, Lord Vice Master. He just left the fortress.”

“Tsk.”

Jang Il-so clicked his tongue. He looked unhappy as he drank from the glass.

“So faint of heart. I had some expectations since he was a recognized figure in the Upper Realm, but…”

“…Under normal circumstances, I would agree with you, but in all honesty, it’s remarkable he regained his senses in just an hour.”

“Hmm?”

“Considering he had a private audience with you, Lord Vice Master, in your current state.”

“Tsk, tsk. You are being too nice to me lately. Power changes people.”

Ho Ga-myeong heard Jang Il-so’s words. It wasn’t really a scolding. He smiled gently and asked.

“Shall we dismiss him, then?”

“Kkeueung.”

Jang Il-so groaned softly and shook his head.

“That won’t do. Even the big shot from the Upper Realm is such an idiot, where else would I find someone to replace you?”

He took a slow breath and continued.

“Faint of heart is one thing, but I thought he’d have some brains since he’s a merchant…”

“He probably didn’t understand,” Ho Ga-yeong chuckled, agreeing. “To them, you’re just a cruel ruler, Lord Vice Master. So, when a cruel ruler uses his money to help people, it’s no surprise they are confused.”

“That’s why they’re fools.”

Jang Il-so clicked his tongue softly and continued without concern.

“A merchant who only wants money doesn’t even know what money really is.”

“⋯⋯.”

“The reason rulers promote virtue and order isn’t because they are virtuous, but because it’s the best way to control the foolish masses. If they understood that, they wouldn’t react like that. Even if others don’t, shouldn’t a merchant know that virtue and order are profitable?”

Ho Ga-myeong sighed.

“It may be obvious to you, Lord Vice Master, but it’s not easy for ordinary people like us.”

“You’re exaggerating. You would naturally know that much.”

“⋯⋯Perhaps.”

Ho Ga-myeong smiled wryly.

A ruler becomes a tyrant not just because they want more, but because they are not smart. A smart, greedy king knows he needs law and order.

Because that brings the most profit to the king.

If everyone in the world did what they wanted and ignored order and law, it would become chaos. And it would take a lot of power and money to fix that chaos.

But if people follow virtue and respect order, the king can get money from them without any effort. Very easily.

“We should learn from those righteous sects. Things like virtue, order, and justice. Those accustomed to such things won’t readily draw a sword against others, even when they’re starving to death.”

“⋯⋯.”

“Just as a wolf is tamed with food to become a dog, a person is tamed with virtue to become a slave.”

Jang Il-so chuckled.

“Those pompous righteous sects justify killing people with swords as a means of virtue, so why shouldn’t I use their virtue as a weapon?”

“You are absolutely right.”

If the rumor spreads that the Wicked Blade Sect has emptied its warehouses to save the common people, the people of Gangnam will not easily oppose the Wicked Blade Sect in the future.

Maybe Jang Il-so will be seen as cruel to the martial artists but very kind to those who haven’t learned martial arts. Maybe they will even turn against the righteous sects to repay the favor they received.

Whatever happens, it would not be a loss for Jang Il-so or the Wicked Blade Sect. If such great profit can be gained by using money and others, why hesitate?

“However…”

Ho Ga-yeong smirked.

“It’s a bit funny. At this rate, I can’t guarantee that you won’t be known as the greatest hero in the world.”

“Haha! Hahahahaha!”

Jang Il-so burst into wild laughter.

“A hero? Haha! That’s not bad! Hahahahahaha! Then will I become the Mad Blade Hero of Guangdong?”

Jang Il-so laughed so hard he clutched his stomach. He knew it was hard to deny that such a thing was possible.

Hypocrisy and virtue are very close. If someone spends their whole life being a hypocrite and dies without revealing that their virtue was hypocrisy, wouldn’t they become a virtuous person who spent their whole life doing good?

It doesn’t matter what Jang Il-so’s reasons are for doing good. If those who are helped by his virtue begin to praise him, maybe he will be seen as a hero in the future.

“Haha! Good. A hero… A hero, that’s cool, isn’t it?”

“It’s not just a joke… It’s partly serious.”

“Hmm?”

Jang Il-so looked at Ho Ga-myeong with a glint in his eyes. Ho Ga-myeong then spoke seriously.

“If a hero is someone who gives up what they have to help others, then it’s not exactly wrong now. No matter how much money the Wicked Blade Sect has, this will cost a huge amount of money, right?”

“Tsk. You’re acting like a penny-pincher.”

Jang Il-so frowned.

“The money that Man Geum-daebu, that money-grubbing bastard, has is more than enough.”

That was certainly true. The Black Ghost Clan was the richest group in the world. Even Ho Ga-myeong, who managed the money of the Myriad Man Association, was surprised by how much money they had from selling salt.

However…

“Lord Vice Master, the Sect is a huge group. We can manage for now, but we can only spend our savings for so long.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Jang Il-so waved his hand, not concerned.

“So don’t save a single penny and use it all to buy grain and supplies.”

“Lord Vice Master, if we do that…”

“Tsk, tsk. Ga-myeong, don’t worry so much. Think about it.”

Jang Il-so slowly stood up. Then, he walked step by step towards Ho Ga-myeong.

“What is money?”

“…Yes?”

“And what is gold?”

“That is…”

Ho Ga-myeong started to answer, but then stopped. A meaningful smile appeared on Jang Il-so’s lips.

“Yes. Do you understand? Money is nothing by itself. People give it value. Without people agreeing on it, money is just useless paper, and gold is just a soft metal that can’t even make a sword.”

“⋯⋯.”

“What does gold mean to someone who is starving? No matter how much gold there is, it’s not worth even a grain of rice to a hungry person.”

“⋯⋯That is true.”

“Soon… Yes. It will come soon.”

A strange feeling crossed Jang Il-so’s face.

“A time when a single measure of rice that can fill a hungry belly is more important than mountains of bills, a time when rusty iron that can make a sharpened sword is more precious than rivers of gold!”

Ho Ga-myeong looked at Jang Il-so and even forgot to breathe.

Jang Il-so slowly drew a line across his blood-red lips with his finger.

“When that time comes, what the world thinks is right will be thrown to the ground, and what the world thinks is lowly will rise to the sky.”

He smiled like a devil and spoke quietly, in a strange way.

“That time… The time that burns everything the world has built up is coming soon…”

A chilling blue light shone from Jang Il-so’s eyes.

“It will begin from my hands.”

Ho Ga-myeong shivered.

For most people, ‘stability’ is like a symbol of peace. But for this man, stability is not like that. The only reason this man needs stability is one thing.

To not have to worry about what’s behind him. Only then can he focus on crushing and killing the enemy.

What Jang Il-so is doing is the ultimate good. But the result of that good ultimately leads to the ultimate evil. What should we call the act of building an extremely unjust system of evil by doing extremely just good?

No, there is no need to call it anything.

‘Because it’s meaningless.’

Jang Il-so does not care about good and evil. Whether it is good or evil, he does not hesitate and simply acts to get what he wants.

If he has to do good to gain the world, he will gladly do so. Even if he has to commit the ultimate sin, he will not hesitate for a moment.

What he wants is simply desire. A desire that burns purely black.

Jang Il-so had completely erased the murderous look from his face, as if nothing had happened. He lightly placed his hand on Ho Ga-myeong’s shoulder.

“What we need then cannot be bought with money. So… shouldn’t we use up all that money before it becomes useless paper?”

“⋯⋯I understand.”

“Good.”

Tap. Tap!

Jang Il-so tapped Ho Ga-myeong’s shoulder twice and turned around. Then, he went to the table and picked up the glass. He emptied it in one gulp and said.

“In that sense.”

“⋯⋯Yes?”

Jang Il-so said without turning his head.

“It’s starting to bother me. I don’t have the patience to keep the knife behind my back.”

“You mean Hainan.”

Ho Ga-myeong understood right away and nodded.

“Don’t worry. I just heard that the Nine Great Sects and the Cheonwoo Alliance are fighting so much they can’t fix it.”

“Hmm?”

“If this happens, they won’t be able to move easily because they’ll be watching each other. Then Hainan will be truly alone. I’ll take care of it.”

“You?”

“I can’t let you, Lord Vice Master, deal with the likes of Hainan yourself. Leave it to me.”

“Hmph…”

Jang Il-so hummed and paused. Then, he slowly nodded.

“That would be good too. Do as you wish.”

“Thank you.”

Ho Ga-myeong bowed deeply. When he slowly raised his head, Jang Il-so was already looking out the window. He was still, deep in thought.

Ho Ga-myeong tried to be as quiet as possible as he left the room, so he wouldn’t bother Jang Il-so. Only when he was far enough away did he start walking a little faster.

‘Hainan…’

Ho Ga-myeong’s eyes flashed coldly.

He had only left them alone so far to avoid giving those in the Yangtze River a reason to move. The Wicked Blade Sect had enough power to destroy Hainan at any time.

‘It’s time to repay them for the shame I felt on Plum Blossom Island.’

This is not just revenge on the Nine Great Sects.

He was going to make sure that all those who begged for mercy knew what happens to those who oppose the Wicked Blade Sect.

“In the way of the Demonic Path.”

Ho Ga-myeong smiled coldly and walked faster. A strange excitement filled his steps.