Chapter 96 Moshan (1)

Chapter 96 Moshan (1)

After entering Chang’an, Gu Yangji headed straight for the Golden Ring Trading Company without hesitation.

He hadn’t made any prior arrangements. It was out of caution, lest Baekcheon become complacent and fall prey to greed.

Gu Yangjeok’s eyes flashed sharply.

But upon arriving at Geumhwan Trading Company and stepping into the courtyard, it was filled with early-blooming magnolias.

“What on earth…”

Gu Yangji looked around in momentary confusion when Baekcheon, who had been tapping his abacus, spotted him and bowed.

“Great Hero Gu Yang! What brings you here?”

“I was just about to take some supplies. But what are all these flowers?”

“Ah, that.”

Baekcheon chuckled and quoted an ancient scholar.

“As Qu Yuan wrote in his Chu Ci, ‘In the morning I drink the dew of magnolias, in the evening I chew the flowers of autumn chrysanthemums.’ Though these magnolias haven’t fully bloomed yet, I thought I might sell them to young scholars preparing for the imperial exams. I planned to brew magnolia wine and sell it.”

At those words, Gu Yangji gave an embarrassed smile.

“How is it that you seem more knowledgeable than this Taoist? Haha.”

“That’s an outrageous thing to say. I merely sought advice from a junior merchant at the trading house.”

Calling him a strange fellow who wanted to make all three sons scholars, Baek Cheon made light-hearted jokes as he led Gu Yangjeok inside Geumhwan Trading House.

Unlike the building’s ornate exterior, Baek Cheon’s office was modestly frugal, hinting at his usual temperament.

After seating Gu Yangji in the seat of honor, Baek Cheon inquired after his well-being in a gentle voice.

“Have you been well these past days?”

“Thanks to the head of the trading house, the internal affairs of the Huashan Sect have been greatly organized. Also, I am deeply grateful for how perfectly you handled that matter back then.”

“Considering what you did for me, it wasn’t that difficult. But lately, my son…”

Baekcheon, as if he’d been waiting for this moment, began pouring out stories about his children and wife with unrestrained enthusiasm. Watching him, Gu Yangjeok smiled wryly.

‘When I first met him, he was barely clinging to life. Does the position make the man, or was this always his rightful place?’

Judging by what he’d done before and how he was now, it seemed to be the latter.

Having gained Baek Cheon’s trust, Gu Yangjeok pulled out the hidden Zhonghua Map.

“What is this?”

“A complete map I just borrowed from the government office. A merchant from Shaanxi might know better, but you’ll surely need a map when traveling to other provinces.”

At those words, Baekcheon brightened and accepted the Zhonghua Map with both hands.

“How can I accept such a precious thing…!”

“The authorities might question us later. You must copy the entire map yourself and keep it. Only sketch the necessary sections to lend to the merchants.”

As Gu Yangji seemed ready to hand over the Zhonghua Map, Baekcheon hesitated and asked.

“I truly apologize to say this, but with my skills, copying this map would take at least seven days and nights…”

He had expected as much.

Gu Yangji chuckled softly and shrugged his shoulders.

“It matters not. This Dao already knows it thoroughly, to the point of tedium.”

“You… truly?!”

If that were true, it meant he knew the entire Zhonghua Continent inside and out!

Baek Cheon gasped in astonishment, raising his voice. Gu Yangji tapped his index finger twice against his lips.

“Your voice is too loud. Please lower it. Even if I have decent relations with the authorities in Shaanxi, they won’t tolerate the smuggling of Daoist texts.”

“Ah, I’m sorry, Great Hero. It was just so unexpected…”

“I understand.”

It was like a young, inexperienced Daoist trying to show off wrinkles in front of a merchant nearing forty.

Gu Yangji felt embarrassed, realizing he’d boasted unnecessarily. But Bai Tian couldn’t possibly know.

How many places he had traveled to.

Gu Yangji urged Bai Tian onward, a peculiar smile playing on his lips.

“That aside, how much supplies will you be providing?”

“……Ah!”

Only then did Baekcheon retrieve the scroll from its hidden spot and hastily summon the merchant.

Gyu Yangjeok watched this intently before sending a telepathic message.

-The scroll will be retrieved later, so keep it safe.

Baekcheon nodded heavily and glanced sideways at Gyu Yangjeok.

His startled mind had calmed, but a puzzling thought remained.

The supplies Gu Yangjeok requested would barely last a week.

Moreover, he requested the Golden Ring Trading Company’s mark be left on every single item. It seemed as if he wanted to show them to someone.

Baekcheon inwardly speculated on Gu Yangjeok’s intentions.

‘Could it be he plans to use the supply shortage as an excuse to visit other places?’

Anticipating the Golden Ring Trading Company’s name would be mentioned, Baekcheon made a pointed remark.

“Our company’s name is starting to gain some renown. I would appreciate it if you would carefully consider avoiding any actions that might bring us disgrace.”

“…I’ll try.”

But a look that contradicted his words appeared on Gu Yangjeok’s face, and Baekcheon let out a light sigh inwardly.

* * *

“That’s simply outrageous!”

The shaman’s elder, Hyeon Geomjin, raised his voice, mentioning the Golden Ring Trading Company.

“How much has the Daoist helped us until now? Yet the head of the guild treats him so poorly… As a merchant, I can understand, but as a person, it’s lacking in decency.”

“I don’t think he specifically harbors resentment toward me. Even when I visited the guild just now, he seemed constantly busy.”

“Aye, tsk.”

As Xian Jianjin criticized the Golden Ring Trading Company’s lack of virtue, Gu Yangji watched him intently, his hands clasped behind his back.

It suddenly occurred to him that Xian Jianjin had displayed strange behavior before.

“If it’s that Jin guy, he should still be at Huashan…?”

“You don’t know? Well… that bastard’s personality is notoriously picky.”

During the Nine Dragons War, when Gu Yangji tilted his head as if genuinely puzzled, Hyun Geomjin hesitated to continue.

“If Dou shows interest, that bastard will make contact first.”

Then he declared the opening of the Nine Dragons War.

Wasn’t that strange?

Even if Xian Jianjin was a Wudang elder, he was not only of a lower generation than Jin Muwol, but his martial prowess was also inferior.

Even if he were the head of Wudang, he couldn’t casually speak down to Jin Muwol.

Yet Xian Jianjin referred to Jin Muwol with such an outrageous term. That Jin bastard.

No matter how different their sects were, Xian Jianjin’s words were incredibly rude.

‘Was he actually testing whether I knew Jin Muwol back then?’

If he had known, Gu Yangji would have shown at least a hint of anger.

Speaking that way about the Heavenly Man of Plum Blossom Valley was essentially the same as insulting the Huashan Sect.

Gu Yangji’s eyes gradually deepened.

‘He’s no ordinary person.’

Jin Muwol was a man long believed dead.

As far as Gu Yangji knew, the only outsider aware of Jin Muwol’s survival was Master Manshen of the Zhongnan Sect.

To everyone else, he was a hermit presumed dead over fifty years ago.

‘But Xian Jianjin alone…’

To unravel this mystery, Gu Yangji had sought out the Wudang Sect—more precisely, Xian Jianjin.

“I have one question I wish to ask…”

“What is it?”

“Back then, during the Nine Dragons War. You asked me something, didn’t you?”

At those words, Xian Jianjin blinked as if recalling the past, then suddenly stiffened his face.

But he soon returned to his usual easygoing expression and answered.

“What are you talking about? I’m getting on in years, you know. There’s a lot I can’t quite remember properly.”

“Is that so?”

Gu Yangjie frowned at Xian Jianjin’s claim of poor memory.

“Didn’t you mention that Jin Ga fellow before?”

“…Ah! That’s right. I asked if that Jin fellow was still with the Huashan Sect.”

Xian Jianjin smiled nonchalantly.

“So, is that Jin fellow doing well?”

“That’s surprising. I didn’t know the Immortal was concerned about him.”

“…!”

At those words, Xian Jianjin’s face stiffened.

‘Jin Muwol… Could that bastard still be alive?’

Could the words of that eccentric who sought him out a year ago truly be correct?

Xian Jianjin unconsciously stroked his chin.

“So, how is that Jin fellow these days?”

“He’s just living peacefully. Practicing swordsmanship as usual.”

“Indeed! He was always quite skilled with it.”

“His knack for selling in bulk is truly remarkable. No wonder he’s the foremost merchant of the Golden Ring Trading Guild.”

“……What?”

Seeing the stunned reaction on Hyun Geomjin’s face, Gu Yangjeok let out a faint chuckle.

He even tilted his head as if he knew nothing about it.

“Weren’t you referring to Merchant Jin Muchang, who often stays at the Huashan Sect?”

“……”

“Or were you asking about someone else?”

Gu Yangji’s smile deepened.

“Oh dear. My apologies. Judging by your expression, Master, it seems you weren’t inquiring about Merchant Jin Muchang after all.”

“Gu Yangji!”

Xian Jianjin’s voice rose in sudden anger, but he quickly regained his composure.

‘How dare a disciple of Huashan speak like a thug!’

While Xianjian Jinren struggled to control his boiling temper, Gu Yangjie had already assessed the situation.

‘Seems Xianjian Jinren doesn’t know.’

No matter how skillfully he had dodged the question, the usual Xianjian Jinren would have easily concealed such an expression.

That meant Gu Yangjie himself had harbored considerable expectations about what he had said.

Moreover, hadn’t he immediately responded to the mention of wielding a sword?

‘Master Jin Muwol is currently the Heavenly Being of Plum Blossom Valley. He didn’t use a real sword. Even when sparring before, he used a branch… Damn it, thinking back, I was treated like a child.’

Knowing much would mean knowing life or death; knowing a little would mean being half-believing, half-doubting.

Gu Yangji leaned toward the latter. Otherwise, there’d be no reason for him to come looking for me just to exchange pleasantries, merely hoping to get some supplies.

‘Sorry, but I’m not that easy a person.’

Gu Yangji flashed a bright smile.

It was the kind smile he’d practiced when he’d just come down from Huashan.

But Xian Jianjin felt that smile was mocking him.

“I’ll give you a fair amount of supplies. There’s going to be a Daoist ritual training session within the Wudang Sect soon, so you should head down now.”

Xian Jianjin dismissed Gu Yangjie with an uncharacteristically stiff tone.

* * *

‘Did I push him too far?’

Gu Yangjie chuckled softly, recalling Xian Jianjin’s irritated glare.

But in the end, it was his own fault.

What was he testing? Why would a sect elder resort to such roundabout questioning against a late-stage cultivator who hadn’t even reached the age of majority?

He’d foolishly tried to test someone he shouldn’t have. Even if he reported this to the Huashan Sect, he knew they wouldn’t say such a thing.

In other words.

‘He still isn’t certain Jin Muyu is alive.’

Of course, it was merely a hypothesis, but he was more than sixty percent certain.

His experience accumulated during his previous life as a Blood Dog and his keen insight into others guaranteed it.

‘At least my immediate curiosity is satisfied.’

He now understood the nature of the Golden Ring Society and the hidden motives behind the strange words uttered by the Sword Saint of the Present.

Therefore, he intended to investigate the history connected to the old Demon Sect and seek out the eccentric figures lurking throughout the martial world.

‘Originally, I planned to navigate this without that bastard’s help.’

If the reason for Huashan Sect’s downfall was tied to ancient history, he would inevitably need that bastard’s help.

Gu Yangjie considered that bastard the undisputed top among the eccentric masters and regarded him as the benefactor who had made him what he was today.

He hadn’t understood the cryptic riddles that bastard had spouted, not even in that moment when he faced the Great Heavenly Water Demon.

Therefore… in this life.

Gu Yangji’s gaze turned eastward.

In Jiangsu, bordering the sea, on the most sacred mountain of all, that guy resided.

Mount Mo.

There, the Man Tongzi was.