Chapter 296

Director Choi Yangsu of the Zhangxing Company’s Nakeun Branch was fidgeting, making it seem as if he were sitting on a bed of nails—uncomfortable and restless, as if laid upon a log.

Even if news from the Central Plain was slow, could it be any slower than in a town filled with merchants?

Besides, merchants were always on high alert, ears wide open, waiting for opportunities to make money.

This was a rare chance, one that came only once every ten years!

Wasn’t this the moment when grain transformed directly into gold?

With such a perfect opportunity at hand and news that a gang of bandits was taking out the merchants one by one, it was no wonder he couldn’t sit still and was on edge.

Still, he had made quite a few preparations.

Unlike the mediocre merchants of Nakeun, he was the grandmaster of the great Zhangxing Company, known throughout the world.

So, unlike other small businesses, he had a strong connection with the government, and the Nakeun Military Commander himself had promised to lead patrol officers and guard the main gate.

“Director!”

“Yeah, did she leave? Did she go back?”

“Well, she’s broken into the inner courtyard—”

“What! How could that be!? The Commander promised to guard the entrance!”

“The Commander is indeed guarding the entrance right now, but she crashed through the wall to get in…”

At this, the Director’s outfit nearly burst open.

Crashing through a wall? That’s something a band of bandits would do!

No, even a bandit wouldn’t go that far; they’d find a way in through the entrance or climb over the wall, but wouldn’t just break the wall down!

“Wait, did you just say the Commander is still guarding the entrance?”

“Yes. He’s keeping his promise to guard the entrance…”

The Director’s outfit tore open again.

Having requested the entrance to be guarded, he was now hearing that the bandits had already invaded while the Commander was just standing there… guarding the entrance. Talk about mixed signals!

Not to mention, he had clearly said to avoid getting involved with bandits, so it seemed like he was being firm about that. It was as if he was throwing the bill at them while letting bandits stroll by.

As the Director’s heart thumped loudly, one of his subordinates offered some encouragement.

“But you called in all of the great disciples of the Nakeun Military Commander! No one in Nakeun would dare to disrespect him!”

“Director!”

Before the subordinate could finish speaking, another employee rushed in.

Seeing the expression on the employee’s face, the Director felt he could guess the bad news without even asking.

“Sigh. Why did the bandits pass through without a hitch?”

“Well, it seems they were acquaintances.”

“Pfft. In a backwater town like this, I didn’t expect much. If someone with even a bit of renown came, they’d pounce like a dog chasing its tail.”

Still, to do business in Nakeun meant finding a way to present some gold to the Nakeun Military Commander, so they’d borrowed some prestige from the Commander.

However, he had his own trust in another.

“And what about the elder?”

“He should be meeting her right about now.”

“Right! If the elder steps in…”

The elder was a master of the Realm of Transformation, known throughout the Central Plain as an unparalleled expert.

Surely, a cheeky, wicked, and ignorant girl wouldn’t stand a chance against him.

The Director’s expression eased a bit.

There’s a saying in the Central Plain: one person fights a thousand. It referenced the famous war god, Xiang Yu, known for both brute strength and strategic genius, a true god of battle.

Despite being notoriously clueless and wanting to solve everything with force, he ultimately failed.

Anyway, it was exactly in a situation that would come to mind as one person against many.

Facing a single absolute master, the excitement in the crowd that had been building up suddenly fizzled away like a candle before the wind.

Qing observed the old master’s face carefully, spotting his rising aura; although not quite a saint, he certainly wasn’t a villain either.

Qing was generally kind-hearted.

Killing creatures with high evil karma wasn’t her concern, as she was always kind to humans.

Unless someone made a terrible first impression, she treated everyone with basic courtesy, often recognized as the last few civilized people of her time.

Qing clasped her hands and bowed.

“Hello. I am Seomun Qing, may I ask for your name, elder?”

Her excessively polite manner somewhat softened the elder’s stance.

“I am Yu Radal.”

With that, she took in a breath of air.

Is he famous? I’ve never heard of him…

But if she didn’t know him, she could still find a way.

As Qing held her breath, she took a timely exhale.

“Yu Radal!” “A Legendary Vagabond!” “Nine Life Wanderers!”

If she didn’t know much, shouting out the name should count for something.

After all, acknowledging a famous person was respectful, even if Qing had no clue who he really was. But she was trying to play along.

She was unsure if he was at the peak of supreme martial arts or a master of the Realm of Transformation, but his reaction seemed to lean towards the latter.

While the elder was indeed very famous, Qing knew only that he was a renowned expert, a fact she had just found out.

As for his evil karma score—36 points? That’s pretty decent for a swordsman, meaning he wasn’t a bad old man at all.

Thus, she decided to strike up a conversation and give it a shot.

“Elder, there’s a great disaster in the city right now—”

“Stop. I know nothing of such matters.”

Unintentionally, Yu Radal effectively cut off Qing’s hellish gossip.

“You know I’m a wanderer, right? As a wanderer, I wield my sword only when I’m paid. Is the sword going to choose a person? I’ve already received my payment, so I’m just a sword waving in someone else’s hands.”

It was exactly the kind of boast an old vagabond would make.

Living long as a vagabond, he took pride in his status.

“I was asked not to let anyone pass, so that’s what I’ll do. If you want to pass, you must handle it like a warrior.”

As he said this, he took hold of the sword hilt at his waist and pulled it out with a sharp sound. What seemed endless fell clattering to the ground.

What spilled over was nine iron rods, known as the Qi Gate Weapons, renowned in the martial world and what gave Yu Radal his name.

Indeed, a wanderer’s weapon.

However, “you handle it like a warrior” was correct.

But Qing, over the disbelief, asked back, “Elder? Haven’t you surpassed the Realm of Transformation already? I expected you’d just give me a bit of a pass or something!”

“Hehe. I wasn’t born in the Realm of Transformation. What reason do I have to bear adversity just because I’ve lived long?”

“Uhh….”

Is it because he’s a wanderer? He’s not wrong, yet something feels off.

While no doubt confident enough to boast so, she also wondered if, despite his mastery at the peak, he was still going to play cautiously.

After all, she had also encountered masters back then, no matter the stage of martial arts she was in.

Qing, invoking her martial energy, stated firmly, “As a disciple of the Divine Maiden Sect, I, Seomun Qing, request to learn from you!”

“So how much respect should be shown to lure a master like the Nine Life Wanderer as a guest?”

Afterward, the Director, now somewhat relaxed, pondered aloud.

Merchants generally prefer becoming the heads of their own small businesses rather than work under someone. They hope to gain independence someday, preferably by eating the competition.

So, when working under someone, they learn all the ways of doing business, which naturally raises the question of how much money it would take to hire a master of the Realm of Transformation.

“To entertain a master known across the world, you’d need more than gold. Why would someone known for wealth hesitate over money?”

“Then what would the elder require?”

“Ahem. Compassion. Ah, speaking of compassion, once a merchant brought her sick child to say, ‘This child is of the bloodline of the Nine Life Wanderer. If you heal him, I will repay you hugely!’

“What? Did fortune just roll in like that?”

“But mastering the ability to grab onto fortuitous moments is the true skill. Ahems.”

The Director, sensing something wrong, lowered his voice further to add:

“Do you think an obvious con artist would just waltz in like that? If a ragged woman came in claiming her daughter is the offspring of a legendary master, are you going to treat her? Especially if she’s someone you can recognize is a notorious con?”

“Well, how much could that healing cost? If treating him meant hiring a legendary master, wouldn’t it be a deal?”

“Tsk tsk. You’re saying that because you’ve heard the tale. If a familiar face came claiming her daughter is of the bloodline of a legendary master, would you believe it? There are countless cons attempting to cheat the merchant associations! Are you running a charity? You want to go broke?”

When a mother is desperate to save her sick child, the worst of them won’t hesitate to deceive.

Merchants, as it turns out, were inundated with all sorts of scammers.

From pill peddlers claiming to have refined a miraculous medicine, to those who say they need to sell family heirlooms, or even folks with flashy new business opportunities.

And what of the treasure maps they supposedly unearthed requesting funds for their research? These types were always coming in like clockwork.

“Thus did the wisdom of the merchant shine through the haze of deceit. Or rather,”

It was also possible that regardless of the deception, one could always justify the expenses afterward if that child were to survive.

The Director swallowed the last part of his thought.

After that moment, Yu Radal appeared in Jang An and met up with the representative.

Did he feel paternal instinct, or was it merely loneliness in his old age? It’s unknown, but once he set his eyes on the Representative, he ended up treating her as if she were his real daughter.

Then Yu Radal proclaimed, ‘I, being the fool, failed to realize I had my own flesh and blood, yet foolishly almost allowed my child to perish due to a minor fever. I have accepted compensation for my daughter’s life and shall repay it as a wanderer should.’

“Wow, what a splendid story!”

“Right? Plus, it’s already been over five years since he settled down as a guest in the company. Even so, the life price for his daughter remains unpaid—making me envy the merits of the merchant.”

Thus, the Director also felt some relief.

Surely he wouldn’t forsake the gratitude for saving his child?

Then, Yu Radal paused.

“Wait a moment. Did you say Divine Maiden Sect? How would a disciple venture out alone? Isn’t that sect a mysterious group that cuts ties with the world once you join?”

“The girl merely regards Seomun Sulin as her master and has not formally joined the Divine Maiden Sect, so she can be out and about. Moreover, if a disciple can hold their own, they can leave the sect for a while as long as they ask for permission.”

The Divine Maiden Sect was not a completely closed-off sect.

For the main disciple, if they wished to go out for a bit, they could simply ask for permission.

How else would notably recruits from the Divine Maiden Sect meet men and name their heirs?

Since they couldn’t meet men atop the Sacred Maiden Peak, they’d inevitably go out, find someone, and maybe even fall in love.

Yu Radal’s expression grew more stern.

“Wait. Did you just say you’re the latest disciple of Seomun?”

The term “latest disciple” referred to those who became disciples outside the clan while staying close to the master, meaning they utterly avoided the clan’s traditions.

It indicated that, for whatever reason, they couldn’t join the clan, which also implied their bond with the master was unusually strong.

Other unusual disciple types included “bloodline disciples” who inherited the master’s teachings completely and “namesake disciples,” who borrowed the master’s name but held little connection.

In religious sects, it was common to enter for a short time, learn the basics, and walk away with a name, something that was rather akin to lodging at a temple.

Curiously, upon hearing “Seomun,” Qing’s eyes widened.

“Wait! Do you know my master?”

“Cough. I should have mentioned that first.”

As soon as Yu Radal said that, he performed a flashy spin with the Qi Gate Weapon and managed to tuck it all back, leaving just the handle hanging at his waist.