Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 414

“…Wasn’t that the Young Master of the Eunha Merchant Guild who went in just now?”

“Looks like it.”

“…How far does he intend to take this?”

Baek Cheon watched the main building, deeply uneasy. He wondered what Chung Myung was planning.

Chung Myung and Hyun Young had taken the young master of the Ghostly Shadows Sect inside, where Hwang Jong-i was waiting.

“Are they really planning to do this?” Baek Cheon wondered.

“…I suppose so,” Yoon Jong replied.

“I don’t understand. Why are you so anxious?” Yoo Iseol asked, her brow furrowed.

Baek Cheon’s face twisted into a grimace.

“Yes, of course, it’s great news that Mount Hua is starting a new business. It’s not something to worry about,” he said, his voice laced with sarcasm.

“That’s right,” Yoon Jong agreed, but his expression betrayed his worry.

“But the problem is that Chung Myung is leading this business. Has anything that rascal has ever started ended quietly and peacefully?”

“And the trouble usually falls on us,” Yoon Jong added, his face serious.

“That’s what I’m saying,” Baek Cheon replied, his eyes fixed on the main building.

“This time, it really needs to end without any trouble,” Baek Cheon and Yoon Jong sighed in unison.

“…The business idea is definitely interesting,” Hwang Jong-i said after thinking for a long time. He looked at the map on the table with a serious expression.

“This is really… what should I say…” He paused, searching for the right word.

Clever? Maybe. But it was more than that.

It wasn’t exactly ingenious, since many delivery companies were already trying hard to find ways to deliver goods faster.

They all knew that time is money.

But this idea…

‘This is something that others couldn’t come up with,’ Hwang Jong-i thought.

Normal delivery companies would never think of hiring martial artists from groups like the Ghostly Shadows Sect.

Martial artists considered such work to be beneath them, not worthy of their skills.

Only Chung Myung, and Mount Hua, could make something like this happen.

However…

‘Will the young master of the Ghostly Shadows Sect even understand this?’ Hwang Jong-i wondered, looking at Do Woon-chan with concern. Do Woon-chan had been quiet for a while, but then he spoke.

“Um… Young Guild Leader,” Do Woon-chan began hesitantly.

“Yes?” Hwang Jong-i responded.

“No. It’s not that I don’t understand, I do understand, but…”

“No, it doesn’t seem like you understand yet?” Hwang Jong-i asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

“It’s not that, I do understand, but…” Do Woon-chan repeated, still unsure.

“No. It doesn’t seem like you understand?” Hwang Jong-i said again, his serious face softening.

‘It’s not about understanding,’ he realized. He had forgotten for a moment that Chung Myung was the one pushing this forward. Chung Myung would somehow make it work with his incredible energy.

“I fully understand. This could make a lot of money,” Do Woon-chan said, finally seeming to grasp the idea.

“It’s more than that,” Hwang Jong-i replied.

He knew he needed to add a little fuel to the fire. He looked at Do Woon-chan and spoke carefully.

“I don’t think you realize how much money this could bring. This is a chance to make more money than you can imagine.”

“…Yes?” Do Woon-chan asked, his eyes widening slightly.

“Don’t just think about delivering goods quickly. How many disciples does the Ghostly Shadows Sect have? They can’t work like normal delivery people.”

Do Woon-chan tilted his head, confused.

“Then…”

“For business people, time is more valuable than gold. In urgent situations, they will pay a lot of money to move goods even one day faster.”

Jo Gul nodded in agreement. Hwang Jong-i continued his explanation smoothly.

“Those are the people we need to focus on. People who want to move goods as quickly as possible. People who will pay any amount of money to save time. And also…”

He paused, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

“Even people who want to show off that they can afford to pay so much money to move goods.”

“Yes? What does that mean?” Do Woon-chan asked, puzzled.

“Haha. That’s a bit complicated, so let’s skip it for now,” Hwang Jong-i said with a smile.

It would be hard for them to understand how much rich people like to show off their wealth. There was no point in explaining it further.

“Anyway, if we do well, we can earn ten times, or even a hundred times, the normal rate for moving one item. This is a huge opportunity.”

“Come on. A hundred times is too much,” Chung Myung said, waving his hand dismissively.

“No, Young Guild Leader. This is really…” Hwang Jong-i protested.

“Hahaha! Young Guild Leader Hwang Jong-i is exaggerating a bit. A hundred times just for moving one item? Haha!” Chung Myung chuckled.

“No, this is…” Hwang Jong-i started to argue, but then he stopped and closed his mouth.

Chung Myung was smiling, but his eyes were not.

‘Ah…’ Hwang Jong-i realized something.

If the Ghostly Shadows Sect Leader found out how much money they could make, he might demand a very large amount of money for himself.

‘He’s already thinking about that,’ Hwang Jong-i realized. Chung Myung was already considering something that even he, as a merchant, hadn’t thought of. It was a little scary.

“Anyway!” Chung Myung clapped his hands together and slammed the table.

“This will be a big help to the Ghostly Shadows Sect too! Really!”

Do Woon-chan, who had been thinking hard, tilted his head.

“But I don’t understand… If it’s so important, why don’t rich people just hire martial artists to carry the goods themselves?”

“How are they going to hire them?” Chung Myung asked, raising an eyebrow.

“…Yes?”

“It’s not like fast martial artists are just walking around on the street. If it was that easy, the delivery companies would have already hired them all.”

Especially since martial artists who are only good at being fast are even rarer. But he didn’t need to say that.

“And even if they did hire them, there’s still a problem,” Chung Myung added.

Do Woon-chan tilted his head and asked Hwang Jong-i,

“What’s that…”

“If they hire someone to carry something, it will be something precious or a very important document. But what if the person steals it and runs away?”

“…They’d be ruined,” Do Woon-chan realized.

“Yes. Even if they call the police, it’s hard to find someone who has decided to run away in this huge Central Plains. Especially if that person is incredibly fast.”

Do Woon-chan nodded slowly.

“So, it’s not just about being fast. There needs to be someone who will take responsibility for the job. If the item is lost, they can pay back several times the amount. And if the person causes trouble, there needs to be someone who will chase them to the ends of the earth and punish them!”

He didn’t know about the first part, but he understood the second part very well.

‘They’d be dead,’ Do Woon-chan thought, glancing at Chung Myung. He shivered, remembering what the smiling young Taoist had shown him earlier.

“Hey. Who would do such a thing if they didn’t want to die?” Chung Myung said, a hint of menace in his voice.

Hwang Jong-i smiled and said,

“The Eunha Merchant Guild can promise to pay if something is lost. It shouldn’t happen, but if there is a problem, we have enough money to cover it.”

And Mount Hua even more so.

He had been shocked when he found out how much money Mount Hua was making from its businesses and tea trade. Mount Hua would be the richest family in Shaanxi within ten years.

“Most importantly, the Eunha Merchant Guild is trusted by important people and rich people all over the Central Plains. If we start this business together, everyone will trust us and let us carry their goods.”

Come on, you! This is going to make a fortune!

Hwang Jong-i was getting very excited. This was a business that no other merchant group had ever done properly. If they did it right, they would not only make money but also become known as the best delivery company in the Central Plains.

Hwang Jong-i knew how much money a good reputation could bring, and he started to move around in his seat because he was excited.

“But…” Do Woon-chan hesitated.

But, Do Woon-chan’s reaction was not what they expected. He seemed lukewarm.

“I understand everything, truly. I know this is a great opportunity, but…”

Do Woon-chan’s eyes showed an even stronger, determined look than before. He was not swayed.

“I am sorry, but I must decline,” he said.

“…Young Clan Leader?” Hwang Jong-ui could not believe what he heard.

Do Woon-chan shook his head. “I have decided to dedicate my life to rebuilding the Silent Night Sect. Money is not important to the Silent Night Sect right now. What is important is for the Silent Night Sect to regain its former glory. To do that, martial arts are most important. As martial artists, I believe you will understand my intentions.”

Do Woon-chan was happy. He felt he had explained his intentions clearly and politely. He smiled brightly at Cheong-myeong.

But the reaction he received was completely different from what he had expected.

“What’s he on about?” Cheong-myeong asked.

“⋯⋯.”

“Seriously, is this old man dreaming?”

“Cheong-myeong, he is a guest,” Hyeon-yeong said.

“But he’s dreaming.”

“That is true.” Hyeon-yeong chuckled, finding the situation more and more ridiculous.

Cheong-myeong made a disapproving sound at Do Woon-chan before speaking. “Mister. No, Young Clan Leader.”

“⋯⋯Yes?” Do Woon-chan responded.

“Do martial artists live by digging up dirt?” Cheong-myeong asked.

“⋯⋯.” No, they eat meals to live, Do Woon-chan thought.

“Mister, have you been to Shaolin Temple?” Cheong-myeong asked.

“I, I have not had the opportunity to visit,” Do Woon-chan replied.

“Even Shaolin Temple, the most famous sect, starts the day very early. They wake up before sunrise to clean the areas for visitors and prepare places for them to pray. Do you train harder than those Shaolin students?”

“⋯⋯.”

“Mister, listen carefully,” Cheong-myeong said.

“Yes?”

“A sect needs money to grow.”

“⋯⋯.”

“Many small sects appear in the Central Plains. They say they are special or have secret teachings. They become famous quickly, but then disappear. Do you know why these sects vanish after a short time?”

“⋯⋯I, I am not sure,” Do Woon-chan admitted.

“It’s because they don’t have money.”

“⋯⋯.”

Do Woon-chan’s eyes widened, and a tremor ran through them as he considered Cheong-myeong’s words. It was a logic he had never heard before.

“No, let’s be honest. Do you think they didn’t want to build grand buildings and be successful like Shaolin? But all they do is train under waterfalls, talking about martial arts. So, no matter how strong they become, they end up just barely making a living, struggling to find food!”

Whether it was logical or not, Cheong-myeong’s intense argument was shaking Do Woon-chan deeply.

Cheong-myeong’s voice grew stronger and more forceful.

“Money! First and most importantly, money! If the Silent Night Sect wants to be successful, people need to want to join, right? Think about it. The sect next door serves meat three times a day, but the Silent Night Sect only eats grass roots. Who would join the Silent Night Sect in that situation? I wouldn’t!”

Hyeon-yeong nodded with a pleased expression, as if it were a truly touching speech.

Cheong-myeong stared earnestly at Do Woon-chan.

“You said you want to revive the Silent Night Sect, right?”

“Y-yes, that is correct,” Do Woon-chan confirmed.

“What are you going to revive it with?” Cheong-myeong asked.

“⋯⋯.”

“Do you think it will be revived just by becoming a little stronger in martial arts? Who would even notice that? If the Silent Night Sect becomes known for being incredibly fast, do you think people will come begging to join?”

Do Woon-chan was speechless, as if he had swallowed honey. He could only shake his head.

“First, the sect needs to be magnificent! Build a hall in an expensive area of a big city! Put up a sign there that says Silent Night Sect, just like that! Then it’s over!” Cheong-myeong’s eyes gleamed strangely.

“If you want to revive the sect, you need to make money first, money! A sect without money will always end up as a small or medium sect, you know?”

“⋯⋯.”

“If you knew how much money the Nine Great Sects are raking in, you’d probably pass out! The very fact that they can stay in those mountains and train in martial arts from morning till night shows that they’re rich! They have so many mouths to feed, and they’re doing it comfortably!”

“⋯⋯That, that is true, but⋯⋯.”

“Repeat after me. A sect is money!”

“T-the, a sect is money!” Do Woon-chan repeated.

“Do you know why the Mount Hua Sect is doing so well these days?”

“⋯⋯Because they make a lot of money?”

“Now you get it!” Only then did Cheong-myeong nod with a satisfied expression. But Do Woon-chan was confused by the constant complaining that seemed to burst his eardrums.

But he understood one thing for sure.

‘It’s money.’

Of course, it wasn’t as if he had never thought about this before. The Silent Night Sect was also struggling financially compared to its past. He had been worrying about how to feed and house his disciples.

However, the order he had assumed was completely reversed.

‘They don’t become rich because they are strong, but they become strong because they are rich.’

Indeed, how could those who didn’t have enough money to earn enough money for food devote themselves to martial arts all day?

This was a statement that resonated very deeply.

If another sect had made such a proposal, he would have been suspicious. But this was Mount Hua itself. Why would Mount Hua, which was very successful right now and had defeated the Ten Thousand People Clan, try to trick a small sect like Silent Night Sect?

“Um… May I ask just one more question?” Do Woon-chan asked.

“Ask as much as you like,” Cheong-myeong replied.

“⋯⋯If we agree to do this, can we really make a lot of money and revive our sect?”

Cheong-myeong smiled contentedly and reached out to firmly grip Do Woon-chan’s shoulder.

“Young Clan Leader.”

“Yes?”

“Who should you learn from if you want to start fishing?”

“Well… a fisherman, of course.”

“Had you ever heard the name Mount Hua five years ago?”

“⋯⋯No, I had not.”

“And now?”

“Well…” The whole world is talking about Mount Hua.

“Exactly? We are the experts.”

“⋯⋯.”

Do Woon-chan had never heard words that inspired such strong confidence.

“We came from a very low point! No, not even the bottom, we crawled up from the underground sewer!”

“⋯⋯Cheong-myeong, even so, the sewer is a bit harsh.” Hyeon-yeong commented.

“Just trust us and leave it to us. I will make the name of the Silent Night Sect be known all over the world! I don’t offer this to just anyone!”

Those words were the deciding factor.

“If, if you can do that for us, then my answer will inevitably change,” Do Woon-chan said.

“That’s right, that’s right. Alright, then sign here. Elder?” Cheong-myeong said.

“Yes, yes. The Clan Leader’s seal is here. Is this what I use to stamp it?”

“Krooh! As expected!”

Very quickly, the document was completed, and the signature and seal were put on it.

Do Woon-chan, who had signed the document in a daze, nodded with a slightly confused look. But only for a moment, as his face quickly filled with determination.

‘This is a good opportunity, if anything.’

Putting everything else aside, it was clear that this Mount Hua Sect was the sect that had achieved what he most desired. Even if he didn’t make a lot of money from this, just learning their secrets would be a useful thing to do…

“Cheong-myeong.” At that moment, Hyeon-jong, who had been quietly watching, spoke with a slightly uneasy expression.

“Yes?”

“⋯⋯You’re not tricking them, are you?” Hyeon-jong asked.

“Eyy. Me? Surely not? Hee hee.” Cheong-myeong scratched the back of his head with an awkward smile.

In that instant, Do Woon-chan’s face began to slightly change.

‘Can I really… trust them?’

But, unfortunately, the signature had already been signed.