Chapter 186: Clan Assembly (2)
True to its reputation as a thriving commercial city, Hanjung’s per capita income was remarkably high.
It rivaled even places like Guryongseong, Seongdo, or Anhui, where the Lion Clan was based.
With such high income levels, the next concern was naturally children’s education.
Wealthy merchant families began sending their children, except for the eldest son destined to inherit the trading house, to various martial arts sects as lay disciples. They sent them with money bags in tow.
Thus began the era of the Great Study Abroad.
Though these lay disciples couldn’t inherit the true mountain techniques of the main sects, the world is vast and geniuses exist.
Replacing the Nine Dragons Fortress, which lacked the concept of lay disciples, three talents who studied at Huashan, Wudang, and Shaolin returned as masters.
One of them even reached the pinnacle of skill.
Considering the lay curriculum, which mostly ended with learning only the basics, this was truly astonishing.
With their families’ backing, these returning scholars began establishing martial arts sects in Hanjung.
They taught their disciples martial arts modified from the fundamentals learned at prestigious schools. Supported by their families’ substantial capital, they became major pillars of the Hanjung martial world.
Thirty years passed like this.
Now, the martial world of Hanjung revolved around the sects founded by these overseas returnees.
Among them, three boasted the greatest prosperity.
