Chapter 43 : Chapter 43

Chapter 43. I Know. I Know Well (1)

“What……. do you mean?”

“I said I wish to see the Clan Head of the Jinju Eon Clan.”

“…….”

“Shall I speak more blatantly?”

“…….”

“I have something to say to the last blood relative of the Jinju Eon Clan, Miss…… Eon.”

Puck!

In the middle of speaking.

The Tower Lord of Jinju Tower threw a punch toward Han Cheong-un.

A quite heavy and disciplined punch.

But it was a punch of a level too conscienceless for Han Cheong-un to just get hit.

Han Cheong-un grabbed that fist with his bare hand without even lifting the spear.

“Eek…….”

The Tower Lord of Jinju Tower tried to push the fist using strength, but it was useless.

Whether pushing or pulling the fist against Han Cheong-un, it didn't budge. And in that state, Han Cheong-un sighed and said.

“It seems you trained Outer Arts diligently, but Inner Arts cannot follow.”

“Kueuk…….”

“Regrettable. To think this is the Eon Clan Fist of the Jinju Eon Clan that once commanded Jianghu…….”

Han Cheong-un sighing in regret.

At that, the Tower Lord of Jinju Tower gritted his teeth and shouted.

“Shut up!”

And he grabbed his own wrist with the opposite hand and pulled back with all his might, barely pulling out the fist.

Then he glared at Han Cheong-un and said.

“Who are you? Surely a spy of the Five Great Families?”

“That friend over there is the legitimate grandson of the Sichuan Tang Clan for now.”

Han Cheong-un pointed to Dang Jin crossing his arms behind him and said.

Then he gritted his teeth and said.

“Are you trying to corner us despite over a hundred years having passed? These cursed Five Great Families bastards!”

“Calm down. Although that friend is from the Five Great Families, I am unrelated.”

“……What?”

“I came to give help to the Jinju Eon Clan.”

“…….”

“I know your situation, so I understand. But is it right to pick a fight recklessly without distinguishing friend from foe? First, please trust me.”

“Tr…… Trust what of you…….”

“That much is up to you.”

“…….”

“Whether you trust me or not, you make that choice. I will respond accordingly.”

Agony appeared on the face of the Tower Lord of Jinju Tower.

Indeed, how should he accept the opponent's words?

Trusting recklessly makes no sense.

A hundred years since the Jinju Eon Clan fell.

Wasn't it that they could barely maintain a thread-like existence by doubting and doubting constantly to survive?

Trust?

That is a choice only people with power and leisure can make.

“We…….”

“Did you look for me?”

When the Tower Lord of Jinju Tower was about to say something.

Another beautiful voice intervened in the conversation of the two.

And what appeared was…….

“Oh…….”

A woman of beauty that admiration almost came out of Dang Jin’s mouth unknowingly.

When she appeared, Han Cheong-un bowed politely and said.

“Are you Miss Eon Sohui of the Jinju Eon Clan?”

“…….”

She sighed.

‘As expected, he knows my appearance too.’

He might have guessed from the atmosphere, but somehow it didn't seem like that.

That young warrior confirmed and pointed out the identity seeing her appearance.

‘Introducing myself as Jang Munhui here won't work.’

She smiled bitterly, bowed, and said politely.

“Yes. I am Eon Sohui of the Jinju Eon Clan.”

“Miss…….”

The Tower Lord of Jinju Tower spoke pitifully.

Then Jang Munhui, no, Eon Sohui said.

“Butler Jang. It’s fine, so don't worry.”

“But…….”

Eon Sohui looked at the Tower Lord of Jinju Tower and called him Butler. Probably that is the true identity of the Tower Lord of Jinju Tower.

‘A retainer pledging loyalty even though a hundred years have passed since the family fell……. Amazing.’

Is it because they are of the same Murim family?

Dang Jin nodded with subtle admiration.

And Han Cheong-un bowed politely and said.

“I am Han Cheong-un, the Sect Leader of the Ultimate Path Gate.”

“Nice to meet you. Sect Leader Han. Then……. Shall we change the location and talk first?”

“Sounds good.”

Han Cheong-un obeyed the request to change the location obediently.

* * *

The place Eon Sohui took Han Cheong-un and Dang Jin to. That place was exactly…….

“Is this perhaps your room, Miss?”

“It is the place with the strictest security in this building.”

“It does look like that.”

They passed more than five doors on the way.

And the rooms on both sides were empty; probably they were kept empty originally for security.

Eon Sohui poured tea herself into teacups and said.

“Even if we talk here, there won't be any leakage to the outside.”

“I see. I will drink the tea gratefully.”

As Han Cheong-un received the tea and drank calmly, Eon Sohui smiled softly and said.

“You drink well without any suspicion.”

“Did you perhaps put poison in it?”

“Oh my? Was it okay even if I did?”

“Please spare me.”

“I know.”

Saying so, Eon Sohui glanced at Dang Jin sitting next to Han Cheong-un.

It seemed to mean, ‘How could I poison it when a figure of the Sichuan Tang Clan is here?’

Dang Jin felt strangely uncomfortable with that gaze but drank the tea without saying anything for now.

And Eon Sohui spoke harboring a smile beautiful enough to bewitch people just by looking.

“May I ask a question to Sect Leader Han?”

“Please do.”

“How did you know our identity?”

“…….”

“Perhaps, is it a difficult question to answer?”

It is difficult.

Of course, it is difficult.

‘Since I cannot reveal that I am a regressor…….’

It was extremely difficult.

* * *

Jinju Eon Clan.

This family was a prestigious family that once boasted strength enough to bisect power in Hebei together with that Hebei Paeng Clan.

It is said that if the Clan Head of the Eon Clan at that time had made up his mind, it would have been possible to change the Five Great Families into the Six Great Families.

But for a family, if there is a heyday, there is also a period of decline.

The succession strife that occurred in the Jinju Eon Clan.

Although it is something that happens enough in any Murim family, the Jinju Eon Clan was a bit serious at that time.

Fratricidal war occurred between brothers, and eventually, a situation of bloodshed occurred, causing the family's power to decline greatly.

And taking advantage of that gap, the Hebei Paeng Clan attacked the Jinju Eon Clan.

Although they attached this and that as justification, the practical reason was one.

One Mountain One Tiger.

There must be only one tiger on one mountain.

It must have been the true intention of the Hebei Paeng Clan not to want to share territory with another family in the limited space called Hebei.

The weakened Jinju Eon Clan collapsed too easily, and those driven out of Hebei had to undergo years of hardship.

The remaining Four Great Families watched and then joined in, falling for the Hebei Paeng Clan's sweet talk.

Afterward, wherever they went in the world, the Five Great Families joined forces to find the persistently hiding Jinju Eon Clan and prevented them from setting foot.

The Jinju Eon Clan, which once shook Jianghu with its reputation, wandered the world like duckweed, and before anyone knew it, even its existence became obscure.

People naturally thought they were annihilated. But it wasn't so.

Although the Jinju Eon Clan declined, one last blood relative remained.

That was exactly Eon Sohui.

The last descendant inheriting the blood of the Jinju Eon Clan.

She lost her father before she was born and lost her mother as she was born.

Those who raised her were the retainers who had pledged loyalty to the Jinju Eon Clan.

They raised her like a daughter and consistently informed her of the fact that they were her retainers and she was the last head of the main family of the Jinju Eon Clan.

Growing up in such an environment, Eon Sohui naturally came to think that the revival of the family was the most important mission in her life.

But what to do?

The Jinju Eon Clan lost most of the martial arts that could be called the core already.

Although the training method of Outer Arts and techniques remained, the core Internal Energy Art disappeared, and the Secret Ultimate Arts passed down only to the Clan Head were all lost.

Without the martial arts of the Jinju Eon Clan, the Eon Clan cannot revive. What should she do?

Agonizing, Eon Sohui thought.

‘First is money. Earn money and raise the family again based on financial power.’

Even if it didn't help in raising the family, it was fine. Watching the retainers who fed and clothed her with money earned by hard physical labor, she realized the desperateness of money.

‘Money must be there. Absolutely.’

Having made up her mind like that, she took action immediately.

The first thing she did was to sell all the jewelry she possessed.

“Miss, that is…….”

“Sell it and change it to money. Butler.”

“Miss. Please reconsider. That is…….”

“It is an order as the Clan Head.”

Butler Jang hesitated.

The jewelry Eon Sohui possessed.

It was practically her mother's legacy.

He couldn't bear to follow the order to sell it for money. To such a butler, Eon Sohui sighed and said.

“I am just entrusting it for a while. I will increase the seed money several times and retrieve it again.”

Butler Jang closed his eyes tight and answered.

“Yes. Understood. Miss.”

Butler Jang followed the order shedding tears inwardly.

‘That we are incompetent and have to sell the Madam's legacy……. Like this, how can I see the ancestors when I die?’

But he didn't know.

“I just have to earn and retrieve it again. There are plenty of ways to earn money.”

That their Clan Head was a girl possessing the World's Best Business Talent.

* * *

She investigated information first.

Where there was a bad harvest, where an epidemic circulated, and somewhere else flood damage occurred…….

She collected as much information as possible through the Beggar's Gang.

Then she bought ox carts as many as possible, loaded food on them, took them to the region with bad harvest, and sold them.

In the region with bad harvest, she purchased medicinal herbs and clean cotton cloth, etc., went to the region with the epidemic, and sold them again.

And bought timber in that region, went to the place where houses collapsed due to flood damage, and sold it again…….

In that way, she sold goods by always listening to information and procuring necessary goods to necessary places.

To existing merchants who always sold fixed goods in fixed places, her actions must have looked like risky tightrope walking.

Business that leads to huge losses if failed even once is not business but gambling.

But you see.

“Oh……. Ooh…….”

“My god, how can such a thing…….”

Originally, for a merchant to earn big money, they are bound to gamble naturally.

Because the money that can be earned in case of winning in that gamble is much more than those who do as they used to do.

Two years after creating the merchant group.

Eon Sohui increased the existing seed money hundreds of times.

She earned enough money to buy back all her mother's jewelry and even buy the manor of the Jinju Eon Clan in Hebei already.

However…….

“Butler Jang. What will happen if we return to Hebei now?”

“Miss…….”

“Will we be able to settle down and put forward the name of the Jinju Eon Clan again?”

“…….”

He couldn't answer.

Because he knew well that it wasn't possible.

It is impossible for one without power to even reveal their name confidently.

That was the world of Jianghu.

“As expected, power would be needed.”

Even if not as much as the past, they must regain martial arts.

She doesn't even hope for the Secret Ultimate Arts passed down to the Clan Head.

Even with just one decent Internal Energy Art, she would be able to restore the martial arts of the Jinju Eon Clan considerably.

Then how to obtain that Internal Energy Art?

‘Internal Energy Arts obtainable with money are limited to about second-rate at best even if giving a thousand gold.’

No.

Even if possessing an excellent Internal Energy Art, it is a problem.

If it is not an Internal Energy Art obtained through legitimate routes and legitimate means, it only gives an excuse for attack to other sects eventually.

She must obtain a proper first-rate Internal Energy Art confidently.

For that…….

“More money would be needed.”

“Miss…….”

“And……. I have to stop by the Namgung Clan for a while.”

“Yes. I will prepare.”

Words like ‘What do you intend to do?’ didn't come out anymore.

The outstanding ability and effort shown meanwhile.

Eon Sohui was already recognized as a respectable Clan Head of the Jinju Eon Clan by the retainers.

And Eon Sohui, who arrived at the Namgung Clan, bet her everything and threw the winning move of her lifetime.

“Do you not want a daughter-in-law worth ten million taels of gold?”

Clan Head of the Namgung Clan, Sword Saint Namgung Hyun.

It is what Eon Sohui said at the seat meeting him.

And she revealed all her position and said.

“What I want is the supreme Internal Energy Art possessed by the Namgung Clan and letting just one of the children I bear use the surname of the Eon Clan.

If you do just that, I will use all my abilities only for the Namgung Clan and make the Namgung Clan the World's Best Family.”

Eon Sohui bet everything.

She tried to trade with the Namgung Clan betting all her talent, value as a woman, and everything in her life.

The Clan Head of the Namgung Clan felt interested in her.

“Amazing. Even though still a young child, the spirit is excellent.”

“…….”

“It’s almost a waste that you are a woman.”

That was the part Eon Sohui herself regretted most than anyone else.

But that was an inevitable part.

Born as a woman, she just did her best in what she could do.

‘I just have to refine martial arts using the Internal Energy Art, and pass down that martial arts to one of my sons to inherit the Jinju Eon Clan.’

He is a child who is a descendant of the Jinju Eon Clan and also of the blood of the Namgung Clan on the other hand.

Then other Five Great Families won't be able to touch that child recklessly either, and if martial arts are refined as time passes…….

‘Someday the Jinju Eon Clan will revive. It is enough if I become the cornerstone for that future.’

It was a trade proposed looking ahead to the distant future hundreds of years later, not her generation.

And the Clan Head of the Namgung Clan said.

“First, I want you to prove that much value.”

“Prove?”

“You called yourself a daughter-in-law worth ten million taels of gold.”

“Yes.”

There was no lie in that part.

She was confident she would become so.

But the Clan Head of the Namgung Clan told her to prove that part.

As for the method…….

“First, how about one hundred thousand taels of gold?”

“One hundred thousand taels?”

“Right. Earn one hundred thousand taels of gold within two years from now and bring it before me. If you do so, I will contemplate your proposal.”

“I will do it within one year.”

“……?”

“So I want a definite answer, not contemplation.”

“Huh……. Truly a heroine.”

At this point, the Namgung Clan Head also felt a slight thought of wanting to make her his daughter-in-law sincerely.

However…….

“Good. Since you attached a difficult condition yourself, you won't refuse.”

“Yes.”

“Good. One year from now. If you show one hundred thousand taels of gold before me, you will become my daughter-in-law. Also, I will keep all the promises you proposed.”

“Thank you.”

Eon Sohui clenched her fist tight.

Success.

She made it succeed.

She finally succeeded against the Clan Head of the mighty Namgung Clan.

Would people believe it?

That a daughter of a fallen Eon Clan dragged the Namgung Clan, the head of the Five Great Families, into the board with only guts and eloquence.

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