Chapter 369. The Sect That Will Fall in the Most Spectacular Fashion in History.

“What did you talk about with Alliance Leader Ju for so long?”

At Ghost Demon’s question, I said to the Four Great Villains,

“Let’s talk as we go.”

“Go where?”

“For now, let’s walk in the direction of Baekeungji.”

After watching the Jaecheon Alliance Leader deal with the Tongcheon Gang and then leave, we also set off somewhere. I had spoken with the Jaecheon Alliance Leader about the Tongcheon Gang, and also about Haomun.

I slowly headed toward Baekeungji, sorting out my thoughts, and while doing so, chatted idly with the Four Great Villains. As we chatted, I came up with a few plans, then brought up the main point.

“The Tongcheon Sect will be invested in by the Jaecheon Alliance and Haomun.”

“Right.”

Lust Demon tilted his head and asked me,

“But does Haomun have that much money?”

I looked at Lust Demon.

“I don’t really know either.”

“How do you not know when you’re the sect leader?”

“The chief administrators probably have a rough idea. It’s true that there’s a lot. First of all, the Great Rakshasa I killed had a lot of money. Was it Teacher Su? That bastard had a lot too. But the Paegeom Society had far more money than those two combined. Even so, that was nothing compared to a portion of the Southern Mount Green Forest Alliance’s assets. Since all of that has piled up in Haomun, Haomun has a lot of money.”

Whenever the four of us walked down the road, it naturally felt as if the street grew deserted. Well, there was nothing we could do about it. No matter who looked at us, we probably did not look like ordinary people.

I summarized what I had told the Jaecheon Alliance Leader and relayed it to the four of them.

“……I told Alliance Leader Ju to invest not only in the Tongcheon Gang, but also in Haomun.”

“Why all of a sudden? You said you have lots of money.”

“I’m tying us together. Money is especially important in the black path.”

The eldest brother, who had been quiet, asked me,

“What do you intend to do with the Jaecheon Alliance’s investment?”

I pointed down the road and said,

“Let’s occupy the inn beneath Baekeungji that Usa and his lot had occupied. Since Usa killed all the people there anyway, we need to avenge them somehow. It’s an empty place, and there’s even the pit I made with the Sun Moon Radiant Heaven. In any case, the site is spacious.”

The Four Great Villains stopped at the same time and looked at me.

“And?”

I looked around at the three of them and said,

“First of all, I can’t go to Ilyang County for the time being. Look at what that bastard Usa did. Wherever I am, the damage will be severe. But it’s fine. After all, wherever I am is Haomun.”

Lust Demon nodded.

“For some reason, I’ve been wanting to see Yoran these past few days, but you’re right. We can’t go back right now. Isn’t that so, Master?”

Sword Demon nodded.

“That is correct.”

Ghost Demon agreed as well.

“Martial arts training is important too, but since she’s still young, living an ordinary daily life is more important for now. If we go now, all of Ilyang County could become entangled with the murim.”

After getting the three men’s agreement, I pointed down the road again.

“So anyway, I told Alliance Leader Ju to invest in Haomun. In return, the investment funds don’t have to be much. If he has spare horses, he can give us horses, or we can receive carriages. He can support us with construction workers too. I told him to handle it as he sees fit. Still, since he has his dignity as an alliance leader, he won’t be able to make a paltry investment. However, I demanded proof that the Jaecheon Alliance invested.”

“Proof?”

“I asked for a flag. When I asked what was written on it, he said just Jaecheon. So I asked if we could plant Jaecheon’s flag first at the inn we take over, and he said it was fine. When I asked if he knew what that meant……Alliance Leader Ju told me to do as I pleased. He seems quick-witted, so I think he roughly understands what it means.”

Ghost Demon looked at a teahouse on the street and said,

“Wait. This is absolutely not a conversation to have while walking. Eldest Brother, let us have a cup of tea.”

“Let’s do that.”

We sat around a table in the teahouse, placed an order, and continued our conversation.

Ghost Demon organized what he had heard and said to me,

“So Haomun plans to take over that empty inn, and you told the Jaecheon Alliance Leader to invest in its reconstruction. And as proof of investment, he puts out a flag.”

“That’s right. If someone connected to the place appears and demands the inn back, we’ll have to pay them its value. I’ll take care of that, so don’t worry about it. I plan to make the reconstruction splendid.”

The Four Great Villains each drank a cup of tea brought by the waiter, then looked at me. It seemed they had all roughly caught on to what I was trying to say.

After swallowing the hot tea I had not had in a long time, I said,

“……I’m also going to contact the Murim Alliance and tell them to invest in Haomun. I’ll summarize and send them what Usa did this time. I should appropriately squeeze some money out of Alliance Leader Im too.”

“Hmm.”

“Likewise, the amount doesn’t matter much. We can receive support in supplies. But we must receive proof. It would be better to receive it as a flag. I’m thinking of placing a flag with Alliance written on it right beside the Jaecheon flag. Once the inn is completed to a certain extent, let’s invite both alliance leaders and serve them alcohol or tea. Since they’re investors, it wouldn’t be bad for them to come and have tea at least once.”

The three men stared at me with surprised expressions.

“Would that be possible?”

“You know from seeing the two of them. They’re not people who would fear or avoid having a cup of tea. If the two of them get into an argument while drinking tea and end up having a bout, that’s even better. We’ll make them a cup of tea and watch a fight that’s hard to see anywhere else.”

Lust Demon asked,

“Who would win?”

“Now, we all raise our hands at the same time. If you think Alliance Leader Im will win, right hand. If you think Alliance Leader Ju will win, left hand. One, two, three.”

The four of us raised our right hands at the same time.

Sword Demon lowered his hand and said,

“If their forces clash, both sides will bleed heavily, but if it is a duel, Alliance Leader Im cannot be defeated.”

I agreed as well.

“Right. In any case, I’ll demand investment from both alliances, but that’s not the end of it.”

“…….”

I looked at Ghost Demon.

“Second Brother has been making good use of the Six Harmonies Sword that the Unhyang Sect Leader gifted him, so it’s about time you paid him a visit.”

“Hmm.”

“Give him my thanks for the Six Harmonies Sword. Check on the Mok Clan’s situation too. And relay my words.”

“What should I say?”

“Tell him the Haomun Leader plans to build an inn beneath Baekeungji that he considers his main base, so he should invest.”

As soon as I finished speaking, the three men, who had been holding back until now, burst into laughter.

“Hahaha…….”

I looked at the three men with a serious expression.

“Why are you laughing? I’m speaking seriously. What do you think we need to get from the Unhyang Sect Leader?”

Ghost Demon answered.

“The Unhyang flag, I suppose.”

“Ask the Unhyang Sect Leader for a favor. Tell him to contact the White-Robed Scholar and say that the Haomun Leader told him to put up investment money. If the Unhyang Sect Leader says it’s hard to get in touch with him, then Second Brother should personally go all the way to Senior Cheonak’s mountain villa. In any case, what I want is not the White-Robed Scholar’s money, but the Martial Emperor’s flag.”

What had begun as an investment in an inn was gradually turning into something larger. Along with that, the eyes of the Four Great Villains were growing wider and wider.

“Mm.”

I looked around at the three of them and said,

“I’m going to see it with my own eyes. Whether it’s on the walls or the roof of the inn, I intend to watch the flags of the Murim Alliance, the Heavenly Alliance, the Martial Emperor, and Unhyang fluttering there. They’re precious investors, so we ought to show it off at least that much.”

The Sword Demon said,

“Third Brother is extorting money from the entire jianghu.”

The Lust Demon looked around and said,

“Who’s going to deliver the message to the Murim Alliance?”

The three of us silently looked at the Lust Demon. The Lust Demon met the Sword Demon’s eyes, then nodded.

“I’ll go, Master.”

“You should.”

The Sword Demon continued.

“I more or less understand your intent. But what we expect and what the person in question has in mind may differ. Let’s hear it in detail. And they should know what exactly they’re investing in.”

I nodded.

“What we’re making is a kind of gate.”

I looked around at the three of them, then continued.

“If you go northeast from the gate, there’s the Murim Alliance; to the north is Baekeungji; to the southeast is the Heavenly Alliance; and a little farther off are the White-Robed Scholar and Cheonak as well. The inn we’re rebuilding will serve as the gate. In any case, right now I’m the Demonic Cult’s number one public enemy. The Right Emissary defected like that, and Eldest Brother is with us too, so no matter what they think, it’s all my fault. For a while, the Demonic Cult may reorganize its battle lines, and successors may take the seats of the Left and Right Emissaries of Radiance, but a clash will happen.”

“…….”

“If it takes time, that’s actually better. I intend to keep training. But I want to make it clear to both enemy and ally alike. The form and structure of the building we’re expanding and rebuilding with their investment may be an inn, but this place is the main headquarters of the Hao Clan. We never made a headquarters before, so this will be the first. I’ll strike back from here. It only has meaning if we hold out here.”

The Ghost Demon called the waiter and ordered wine.

I looked at the Sword Demon.

“Eldest Brother, successors to the Left and Right Emissaries will be chosen, won’t they?”

“They will.”

Seeing the Sword Demon nod, I asked,

“Can you predict who?”

The Sword Demon sank into thought.

“Hard to say. For the moment, Great Lord Yang may take one of the positions. There is also the possibility that someone may be sent from the First Young Master’s maternal family.”

“Where is the First Young Master’s maternal family?”

The Sword Demon shook his head.

“That, I cannot know. The First Young Master’s maternal family, at least, is a family the Cult Leader reached out to first and allied with by blood. Great Lord Yang, from the Second Young Master’s maternal side, also did not reveal himself at first. In truth, even his appearance now is an unexpected situation. As for the maternal family on the Third Young Master’s side, the old man you said you killed before was probably their greatest master, so there’s no need to concern ourselves with that side.”

“Ah, that old man.”

The Lust Demon asked,

“How did you kill him?”

I looked at the Ghost Demon and said,

“There was a demonic old moth that leapt into the Sun-Moon Radiant Spring. He was extinguished. In any case, the successors will have to achieve merit, so they’ll appear before me again one way or another. Or they may come to retrieve Eldest Brother’s Radiance Sword. If I make the Hao Clan’s headquarters, they’ll come to the headquarters. Because I’ll be here. Think about it.”

I drew a large circle with my finger.

“I intend to combine the money of the orthodox sects, the unorthodox sects, the scholars, and the Hao Clan to build it spaciously and splendidly. In exchange, we won’t accept guests who aren’t people of the jianghu. We’ll make it a place where alliance leaders, sect masters, or those called kings occasionally come to drink tea or wine. It will be called an inn, but everyone will know this place is the Hao Clan. Let us live a splendid life here, for the first and last time. We’ll make the place for training martial arts no worse than Cheonak Villa too…….”

The Lust Demon asked,

“And after that?”

After drinking the wine the Ghost Demon poured for me, I laughed.

“We’ll plant the flags of the forces belonging to the Hao Clan one after another. Of course, Namcheonryeon, Nammyeonghoe, Heukseonbo, and Heukmyobang, and I’ll also have them bring each of the flags of the unorthodox forces belonging to the Heavenly Alliance. And Alliance Leader Im will take care of contacting the orthodox forces. So that the flags of the Nangong, Ximen, and Baili clans can be planted nearby too. Once that happens, the most splendid inn in the history of the jianghu will be complete. An inn with flags of every color fluttering, you might say.”

As I poured wine, I said,

“The name of the gate, the headquarters of the Hao Clan, the name of the inn that drew in all sorts of investors, will be New Zaha Inn. Let’s continue training here. I intend to focus mainly on the sword. I have enough internal energy, but internal energy alone has its limits.”

I told the three of them about our future.

“One day, when a force appears that we absolutely cannot stop, Zaha Inn will be engulfed in flames as we fight. The gate will have been breached. The inn we built so splendidly will, sadly, be swallowed by fire, the walls will collapse, and the ceiling will come crashing down. When that happens…….”

The Lust Demon muttered,

“Doesn’t that mean we’re ruined?”

I shook my head.

“That’s where the real Hao Clan begins. We fight the most splendid battle in the most splendid inn in history, and then we go completely broke. The flags of the Murim Alliance, the Heavenly Alliance, the scholars, the unorthodox path, and the orthodox path will all be burned together in the demonic path’s advance. The investors will also realize they can’t recover the money they invested. The rumor that the Hao Clan’s headquarters has been utterly ruined must spread throughout the jianghu. From that point on, an alliance commemorating the completely ruined Hao Clan must set out and launch a counterattack. If we don’t do this, the scattered forces won’t be able to unite. I go under first, and the alliance comes after. That’s why we have to extort the money first. This is why money is important.”

“…….”

“If the Hao Clan falls to the bottom as I expect, only then will I be able to go to Ilyang County or see Yoran with a somewhat lighter heart. Going to see one’s disciple is such an arduous thing.”

The Sword Demon laughed as he nodded.

“It truly is arduous.”

The Ghost Demon asked me,

“When should we depart?”

I told Second Brother my thoughts.

“Leave whenever you feel like it. Train, and then one day, if the thought suddenly comes to you that it’s time to leave, go then. Let’s live with only our direction decided. There’s no need to concern ourselves with the rest. Because that’s luck. Going quickly doesn’t necessarily make it good, and going slowly doesn’t mean you’ve fallen behind. The goal is to establish a Hao Clan that all sorts of forces take part in. And to do our utmost to stop them, then fall.”

The Lust Demon said,

“Why do we keep going under? We might not go under.”

“If the Cult Leader appears one day in person with his forces, won’t we have no choice but to go under?”

“That’s true.”

I personally poured wine for my brothers, then asked,

“……Is everyone ready to go under?”

The Sword Demon, Ghost Demon, and Lust Demon raised their cups. I lifted the last cup I had poured and said,

“Let’s go under more splendidly than anyone in the history of the jianghu.”

“Good.”

“We were already ruined anyway, so let’s be ruined again.”

“Thinking that we’ll all go under together doesn’t feel too bad.”

Holding their wine cups, the Sword Demon, Ghost Demon, and Lust Demon spoke in turn.

I am the representative of ruined lives and the sect master. While dreaming of Zaha Inn, which had not even been built yet, already going up in ruin, I drained my wine together with the villains.

Fortunately, the wine tasted sweet.