Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]: Chapter 199

Nine Dragons Chronicle (199)

In the main office of the Jeongcheon Alliance [Righteous Heaven Alliance, a prominent martial arts organization], Zhuge Tak was reading a letter with a displeased expression.

This was because the report from Sichuan contained information about him.

“The Nine Dragons Clan Head knows the secrets of the main family.”

Zhuge Tak did not believe that the Nine Dragons Clan Head was simply trying to sow discord among the orthodox sects, as the report suggested.

“How does this person know the secrets of the main family that have been so thoroughly hidden?”

Zhuge Tak was silent for a while, deep in thought. An inexplicable expression appeared on his face.

“At that time, twelve people received the Great Law, but all except me and Yeon failed and died. I heard that even after that, the Great Law was implemented, but it did not achieve great results and is still being supplemented.”

Zhuge Tak looked as if he couldn’t figure out where the secret had leaked from.

“You can’t say such things based on circumstances alone. In particular, he mentioned the exact name, Brain Meridian Divine Body Art, and said that he had modified it.”

Zhuge Tak wondered if Hwa-rin was related to the Baegyo [White Cloud Clan, often associated with unorthodox or heretical martial arts].

“Baegyo….”

Zhuge Tak was silent again. He frowned at times, as if he was drawing countless things in his head, and at other times his expression brightened as if it was okay, and then he frowned again.

“The fact that he survived the Four Emperors is more of an unsettling factor than the fact that he fought and won against two of the Hundred Great Masters.”

The Four Emperors he knew did not reveal their martial arts well, but once they did, they always killed their opponents.

However, there was an exception: he spared those he recognized and even gave them helpful teachings.

The Nine Dragons Clan Head had survived the Four Emperors, so he was worried that if he approached him thinking he was just one of the Hundred Great Masters, he might suffer a setback.

“If I leave him alone, the secrets of the main family will be revealed to the Murim [martial arts world]….”

It was said that three men make a tiger [a Chinese idiom meaning a false rumor becomes believable if repeated by many].

Even if it wasn’t true, people would accept it as true if three people said the same thing.

If the Nine Dragons Clan Head continued to mention it, people would have questions, and those questions would become arrows flying towards the Zhuge Clan.

“Do I have no choice but to ask Yeon for help?”

Zhuge Yeon, whom Zhuge Tak mentioned, was the strongest martial artist in the Zhuge Clan, and in the Murim, she was called White Eyes Sword Madman.

She had to become blind due to the side effects of the Righteous Sky Lightning Force True Technique. In addition, she also suffered from a condition similar to autism.

However, this was a blessing in disguise for her, and no one could stop her obsession with martial arts, especially her obsession and determination with the sword.

Even though she couldn’t see in front of her, she had such an excellent brain, extrasensory perception, and physical ability that she could grasp the opponent’s swordsmanship just by the wind caused by the movement of the sword. She mastered not only the Zhuge Clan’s swordsmanship but also the Jeongcheon Alliance’s swordsmanship, creating her own unique swordsmanship, and she was constantly researching and developing it.

“If Yeon meets him, she will be able to accurately grasp his martial prowess. If he is someone that even Yeon cannot handle, it would be better to win him over than to suppress him by force.”

After coming to this conclusion, Zhuge Tak was silent again, habitually checking to see if he had missed anything.

* * *

Hwa-rin and Baek Gun-seong’s group, who had left Sichuan and arrived in Dali County, Yunnan Province, went to find the Dali Family.

The prestige of the Dali Family was so great in Dali County that they didn’t even need to ask where the Dali Family was.

“Brothers, it seems that all of these are workshops run by the Dali Family.”

As if the entire Dali County was within the Dali Family’s territory, the majority of the shops and even the private houses were people who lived off the Dali Family.

That’s why people sometimes call Dali County the Dali Kingdom.

“Is all of this the Dali Family’s?”

“That’s right. The land, buildings, and shops in Dali County are all owned by the Dali Family. And the people are also the Dali Family’s people, so people call this place the Dali Kingdom.”

“What a great family. The Namgung Family, Jinryangsa [Golden Wheel Temple], and the Blood Heaven Demon Clan are said to be large, but they can’t compare to the Dali Family.”

Lee Hyun, the young clan leader of the Jongjang Family, the youngest of the group, exclaimed in admiration.

“If the Dali Family was a martial arts family rather than a merchant family, they could be called the greatest martial arts family in the Murim.”

“I think so too. It seems that no powerful family in the Murim, Merchant, Writing or Government world can match the Dali Family.”

“It is also the largest power, except for the Imperial Palace where His Majesty the Emperor resides.”

Everyone nodded at Hwa-rin’s words.

They slowly toured Dali County and were surprised once again by the number of people coming and going.

“It seems that the Dali Family doesn’t just sell marble, Brother.”

Danri Hyeok-jin asked Hwa-rin.

“Marble is their main business, but they also produce and sell a wider variety of things. And the timber imported from Myogang or Wolha is said to be one of the popular materials in the Central Plains, so if we trade with the Dali Family, we won’t have to worry about construction delays due to a shortage of timber.”

“Can we trade with them?”

“We came here to trade, so we have to get something out of it. You must also have things you need, so take a good look.”

“Yes, Brother.”

Walking along the main road of Dali County, they came to a tall, long wall that resembled a fortress wall rather than a mansion wall.

“I’ve only heard about it, but it’s really amazing to see it in person.”

Baek Gun-seong seemed surprised by the majesty of the Dali Family and stood there for a long time.

“What are you doing? Aren’t you coming?”

When Hwa-rin urged them, they moved their feet but stopped again at the main gate.

“It’s a sign engraved on marble with diamond fingers.”

Song Jung-ki, the young clan leader of the Heuknansa Family, exclaimed in admiration after seeing the sign.

“If they can engrave letters on marble with martial arts, the Dali Family’s martial arts must be amazing.”

“They need to have the power to protect all of this. If they don’t have the power to protect their assets, they can’t get this much wealth.”

Everyone agreed with Hwa-rin’s words.

‘There must be more than one or two people coveting wealth… The Nine Dragons Clan was the same.’

For the Nine Dragons Clan, which owned the Nine Dragons Pavilion, a goose that laid golden eggs, it was like a rite of passage that had to be gone through once.

“This is the Dali Family’s main residence. What business do you have here?”

“I am Ju Hwa-rin, the head of the Nine Dragons Clan in Seoseong Province. I have an appointment with the Dali Family’s head and came here.”

“Ah, you are the head’s guest. Please wait a moment.”

The warrior guarding the entrance contacted the inside, and after a while, the huge door opened wide, and the scenery inside came into view at a glance.

‘It seems wider than the land where the Blood Evil Alliance is located.’

“Please come inside. A carriage will be here shortly.”

Following the warrior’s words, Hwa-rin stepped inside, and the others followed Hwa-rin into the Dali Family.

“Brother, it’s amazing.”

Danri Hyeok-jin also seemed intimidated by the size of the Dali Family.

“Straighten your back and broaden your shoulders.”

Hwa-rin gave advice to Danri Hyeok-jin.

“You are also the head of a respectable family.”

Danri Hyeok-jin looked at Hwa-rin.

“Can you say that the situation of the Danri Family is difficult now, so it will continue to be difficult and difficult in the future?”

“That’s….”

“Of course, no matter how hard you try to revive the Danri Family, it won’t compare to the Dali Family, but there’s no need to be discouraged.”

Danri Hyeok-jin’s fist clenched.

“You just have to do your best in what you can do. Just laying the foundation for the Danri Family to grow is enough for you to do your job. After that, the revival of the family will be done by your children, grandchildren, and descendants.”

Danri Hyeok-jin bowed his head at Hwa-rin’s words.

“So you don’t have to try to do everything. Just do your best in what you can do, and that’s it.”

“Thank you, Brother.”

Danri Hyeok-jin’s eyes were moist.

“And treat Soso well.”

While Hwa-rin was nagging Danri Hyeok-jin, a four-horse carriage slowly approached the entrance.

“A carriage as a means of transportation inside the mansion.”

For those who visited the Dali Family for the first time, it was just a series of surprises.

When the carriage stopped in front of them, Hwa-rin sat in the coachman’s seat, and the others boarded the carriage, which had enough space inside for fourteen people to ride.

“I don’t even have the energy to be surprised anymore.”

“Me too. I’ve heard that the Dali Family is great, but I didn’t think it was this much… I just thought it was a slightly larger family.”

They were able to see the outside scenery through the window while riding in the carriage.

“Taat!”

In the training hall, the Dali Family’s warriors were practicing martial arts. There were not just one group of them, but several groups of people were training martial arts in the training hall.

“I think they are the Dali Family’s bodyguards. Their spirit is properly infused, and they are quite good.”

“The warriors in the front seem to be comparable to the Alliance’s Hongryeong Corps [Crimson Dragon Corps, an elite fighting force].”

“To protect Dali County, that much force is not enough.”

Hwa-rin listened to their conversation from the coachman’s seat and said.

“Just think of this place as a country. There are no strong sects in Yunnan Province. So when invasions from the border or foreign countries occur, the Dali Family is the first to step up.”

Hwa-rin explained to them how much the Dali Family was working for Yunnan Province.

“Yunnan Province and Dali County have been protected by shedding so much blood. The people here express respect and awe beyond respect for the Dali Family.”

“It’s amazing that one family can do that.”

“The same goes for the Moryong Family in Liaoning Province. They have been living and dying together with the people in that area, so they have been able to be with the people for over a thousand years.”

Among the Ten Great Families, the Namgung Family was the largest, but the Moryong Family was the oldest.

The Moryong Family was once a local clan that ruled Liaoning Province and part of Heilongjiang Province. Until the Emperor of the Central Plains absorbed Liaoning Province and Heilongjiang Province, it was the land ruled by the Moryong Family.

Therefore, the Emperor of the Central Plains treated the Moryong Family as a Seong Clan [a clan recognized for its contributions to the empire] and praised their past efforts, and they were still receiving many benefits from the Imperial Palace.

Hwa-rin said it so that Danri Hyeok-jin could hear it.

“The power of a family does not come from power or money, but from manpower, that is, people. So you must listen to the people’s words, listen and judge, and always seek ways to live well together.”

“Hyeok-jin is lucky. He has such reliable brothers by his side.”

Danri Hyeok-jin bowed his head once again at Baek Gun-seong’s words.

“Raise your head. Didn’t you hear what Hwa-rin said? You came here as the head of the Danri Family. There is no one here who is higher in position than you.”

Danri Hyeok-jin looked at Baek Gun-seong.

“You are the head, and they are all young clan leaders.”

“But the influence of the family is different, isn’t it? You tell me to be the head, but I have nothing.”

“Why not!”

Hwa-rin shouted.

“If a man comes out with two balls, that’s all he has [a crude idiom meaning a man is born with everything he needs]. How can you do anything without that confidence?”

Danri Hyeok-jin lowered his head as if he was startled by the sudden rebuke.

Baek Gun-seong was watching Danri Hyeok-jin and was about to advise Danri Hyeok-jin, who seemed to have developed a habit of lowering his head whenever he did something wrong, but Hwa-rin spoke first.

“Raise your head. And straighten your back and broaden your shoulders!”

Hwa-rin was in the coachman’s seat, but he could see Danri Hyeok-jin’s appearance inside, so he began to nag.

“Hey, stop it. My ears are bleeding. How can you tell him to straighten his back and broaden his shoulders while killing his spirit like that?”

Baek Gun-seong reluctantly said something, and Hwa-rin finally stopped nagging.

“Don’t be too discouraged. I’m saying this because I care about you.”

“I know. It’s just that I’m so incompetent that I’m angry at myself.”

“Why?”

“Just because I’m so ashamed of resenting, complaining, and living as I pleased when I was young.”

“Then you can do well from now on. My father always says something like this.”

Everyone looked at Baek Gun-seong as if they were curious.

“If there are more days to live than the days you have lived, it is more beneficial to plan for the future than to regret the past.”

“What does that mean….”

“Do well in the future. If you felt that way, think positively rather than complaining and make more efforts for your future with the belief that you can do it.”

A faint smile appeared on Hwa-rin’s lips as he heard Baek Gun-seong’s words from the coachman’s seat. Then he looked up at the sky and said to himself in a low voice.

“Hyung [older brother], it seems that Hyeok-jin has many good brothers now. So I don’t think I have to worry anymore.”