Despite Mujin’s courteous explanation, not a single person raised a hand.
The Gate Masters shouted at once.
“You ungrateful bastards! Who do you think taught you martial arts and kept you from starving?”
“You betray our kindness like this? Can you still call yourselves human?”
The martial artists looked at them in disbelief.
One of them spoke up.
“You almost make it sound believable. When we were captured, you ran away without even looking back, as if we did not exist.”
“We came here to save you now, didn’t we?”
“We heard everything. You said you were knocked unconscious and dragged here, didn’t you?”
“There is no chance we are ever going back, so give it up.”
“They say we kept them from starving. What a joke.”
“Do you have any idea how hard we worked trying to keep them fed?”
The atmosphere turned frigid.
“How in the world did you win them over like this?”
Mujin smiled at the three Gate Masters’ desperate outcry.
“By treating them appropriately. It is very simple. You give people treatment worthy of their abilities. Easy, isn’t it?”
“What?”
“For those with talent, you help them develop it. Even those without talent should be helped to pursue their dreams. If they grow stronger, it benefits everyone. Isn’t that right?”
Everyone nodded as they listened to Mujin.
Then one man raised his hand and called out.
“If you have no more questions, may we return to training?”
“We could have swung our swords more than a hundred times in the time wasted here!”
They were brimming with enthusiasm.
Mujin nodded approvingly.
“That is exactly the attitude I like. All right, I apologize for interrupting your training. Go train hard and become the sturdy pillars of the Escort Sect.”
“Yes!”
They answered energetically and hurried toward the training grounds.
“Well, you have seen it now, haven’t you? Give up your lingering hopes. They are martial artists of the Escort Sect now.”
“N-no...”
“So easily...”
“Right? It feels empty, doesn’t it? That is what life is like. It is like a fleeting spring dream. So there is no need to struggle so desperately.”
The three Gate Masters stared at Mujin.
“Now, Gate Masters, I have granted your final wishes. You have no regrets left, correct?”
“Wishes? What wish did we make?”
“Come now. Not this again. It makes things difficult when you keep changing your story.”
“When did we ever make a wish?”
“You said you wanted to see your subordinates. I granted that wish, so do not make this difficult.”
“Th-then what are you planning to do with us?”
“What else? I have settled your final wishes, so now you may go rest peacefully in the next world.”
“Our regrets are not settled!”
“I have many regrets!”
“So many that I could spend the rest of my life trying to settle them and still fail!”
Mujin smiled at the Gate Masters as they struggled desperately to survive.
“That is what life is like. But there is no need to worry. Once you are dead, you will forget every regret you leave behind.”
SHIIING—
As Mujin drew his sword, the three Gate Masters’ faces drained of color.
“P-please spare us!”
“We will never come near this place again! We swear it!”
“Please! Just spare our lives!”
Their pleas did not move Mujin in the slightest.
“Still, we have shared a connection, so I will send you off without pain. That is my specialty, after all. Killing people painlessly.”
As though he were genuinely delighted at the thought of killing them, Mujin smiled brightly and swung his sword.
“Wait.”
A voice stopped the blade.
“Eek!”
The three Gate Masters recoiled at the blue-tinted blade that had halted right before their throats.
Step— step—
Someone approached.
When they raised their heads, they saw Jeok Wigang standing there with his hands clasped behind his back.
Jeok Wigang studied the three Gate Masters for a long moment, then let out a sigh.
“Ha... It is difficult to justify killing them. They are not especially evil, either.”
Mujin spoke at once.
“This subordinate will take care of it cleanly.”
“No. I think it would leave a bad taste in my mouth. Just... take those three into the Escort Sect too.”
“They are of no use. They are already old, and their cultivation is pitiful.”
“Use them anyway. At worst, make them stable hands.”
“Understood.”
Mujin put away his sword with an unhappy look.
He should have swung it just a little sooner.
“H-hey! Aren’t you the son of the Gate Master of the True Martial Sect? Why does the Escort Sect obey your orders?”
Jeok Wigang looked at the three Gate Masters and grinned.
“Why else would they?”
“Huh?”
Jeok Wigang sighed at their stupid expressions.
“You really are frustrating. You may truly be useless.”
Mujin’s face brightened.
“Exactly, isn’t it? I think it would be better to take care of them cleanly.”
“No. We should give them a chance, at least.”
Leaving Mujin dejected behind him, Jeok Wigang addressed the three Gate Masters.
“Why do you think they obey me? Because I own the Escort Sect.”
“T-that is impossible.”
“I was wondering what pretext I could use to deal with you. Thank you for creating one yourselves. Do not worry. I will make sure you do not starve.”
The three Gate Masters looked around frantically, searching for a way out.
Mujin let out a quiet laugh.
“Trying to run? Go ahead. I am curious which is faster—my sword or your legs.”
The three Gate Masters jerked back in fright and quickly shook their heads.
“N-no. This will be where we live from now on, so we were only looking around to familiarize ourselves with it.”
“Th-that is right.”
“Is that so? And here I was, misunderstanding you.”
CLACK—
The sound of the sword settling into its scabbard made the Gate Masters shudder.
“Then, former Gate Masters, would you follow me? I will kindly explain the process of joining the sect.”
With miserable expressions, the three Gate Masters lowered their heads and followed Mujin away.
From that day onward, all the assets of the three sects were transferred to the Escort Sect.
Only two sects remained in Yullyang County: the True Martial Sect and the Escort Sect.
*****
When Jeok Wigang returned to the True Martial Sect, Jeok Rihyeon held out the ginseng.
“Father, what is this?”
Though he already knew, Jeok Wigang feigned ignorance.
“It was a gift from the Escort Sect, but it feels far too burdensome. I was thinking of returning it.”
“A thousand-year ginseng.”
“So it is? I thought it did not look like ordinary ginseng. A thousand-year ginseng... This is excessive.”
“Take it. It was given in good faith. Would it not be rude to refuse?”
“Even so, is this not too excessive?”
“They must have the means to offer something like this. Keep it.”
“Can I really accept it?”
“Of course. Chew it thoroughly. You will have a great deal to do from now on, Father.”
“What? A great deal to do? What is this ominous feeling?”
“What is ominous about it?”
“That sounded like you are planning to work your father to the bone.”
“Work you to the bone? Anyone listening would think I was the most unfilial son in the world.”
“Am I wrong?”
“I merely mean that you will have a lot to do.”
“You brat. That is the same thing. What are you plotting?”
“I am planning to greatly expand the True Martial Sect.”
“What? It is already big.”
“Come on. What is big about a sect that barely has two hundred disciples?”
“You brat! Two hundred disciples is a large sect! We are neither one of the Nine Sects and One Gang nor one of the Five Great Families. That is enormous for us. And do we not operate our own merchant company as well? Include all the people attached to it, and our numbers grow further.”
“It is still too small. It needs to become far larger than the Nine Sects and One Gang or the Five Great Families.”
“That is not as easy as it sounds. Do talented people just fall from the heavens?”
“Why would there be no talented people? Look at how many I brought back.”
“The people you brought are talented, but you cannot build a great house with only that handful. To expand the house, you need many people, but above all, you need the means to support a house once it grows. We do not have those means.”
“Then we expand the merchant company.”
“Even if we want to expand it, that is not easy.”
“Would you like me to try?”
“What? You?”
“Yes. I think I can do it.”
Jeok Rihyeon considered the unexpected suggestion.
A merchant company could not be expanded through hard work alone.
It required innate business acumen.
As he looked at Jeok Wigang, Jeok Rihyeon sank into thought.
The position of Merchant Master was currently vacant.
The previous Merchant Master had stepped down not long ago, supposedly taking responsibility for the failed trading run.
In truth, he had run away.
He must have decided that the True Martial Merchant Company no longer had a future.
Honestly, given its current situation, it would be difficult for anyone to restore it quickly.
And now Jeok Wigang wanted to enter such a difficult place.
As Jeok Rihyeon looked at him with worry written across his face, Jeok Wigang grinned.
“What? Are you worried about entrusting a merchant company in poor condition to me?”
“Huh?”
“Trust me and give me the chance.”
Jeok Rihyeon hesitated for a moment at Jeok Wigang’s confident words.
Then he nodded.
“Well, you are the eldest son. You should have something to do as well, should you not? Fine. Give it a try.”
With the Deputy Merchant Master assisting him, he should be able to manage well enough.
“Thank you. I will make it the greatest merchant company in the Central Plains.”
“Hahaha. That is right. A man should dream big.”
“It is not a dream. I will make it reality.”
“You will need talented people for that. Are you truly confident?”
Jeok Wigang smiled and took something out, handing it to him.
“What is this? A bank draft?”
Jeok Rihyeon accepted it, glanced at the amount, and went rigid.
The sum Jeok Wigang had given him was enough to operate the True Martial Sect for ten years.
“Gasp! H-how much is this?”
“Do not worry about talented people. Use the money I gave you first to build more halls in the sect.”
“N-no, how could I use money you worked so hard to save?”
“I saved it to make the True Martial Sect bigger, so spend it freely.”
“Really?”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you truly mean to make the True Martial Sect bigger?”
“Yes. I am going to make it a place where even the Five Great Families must bow their heads.”
“Then you should become the Gate Master. Shall we choose the successor again?”
Jeok Wigang shook his head.
“No, thank you. Wiun can do it. I am content to help quietly from behind.”
It was a shame.
If Jeok Wigang became the Gate Master of the True Martial Sect, it would instantly become the strongest sect in the Central Plains.
But since Jeok Wigang did not want it, Jeok Rihyeon could not press him further.
He knew better than anyone that Jeok Wigang would never take on something he did not wish to do.
Still, there was no cause for concern.
Had Jeok Wigang not just said it himself?
That he would quietly help from behind.
That alone was reassuring.
The True Martial Sect would have nothing to fear in the future.