Did You Bring It? (3)

“Did you see it yesterday?”

“What?”

“You know, that… the manor where the Heavenly Friends Alliance members reside.”

“Ah. That. Why bring it up all of a sudden? That place has long become a famous landmark in the river mouth.”

The listener chuckled dryly. As he said, the manor where Mount Hua resides had already become very famous in the river mouth.

“Don’t even mention it. This time, that… Mr. Jang has fallen ill and is bedridden.”

“Again?”

“What do you mean again? I told that gentleman to hire more people earlier, but he didn’t listen.”

“Didn’t listen? Man, he did hire people. But those he hired couldn’t last three days and ran away!”

“That’s true.”

“Oh dear. That gentleman is down again. He’s raking in money like with a rake.”

“Hey, is money the problem? People have to live first.”

“Heh heh heh. I’d be fine dying if I could earn that much.”

The Mr. Jang they spoke of is none other than the operator of the largest food supply store in the river mouth of the Yangtze. Mount Hua, located in the manor, requested him to supply ingredients, bringing him both fortune and misfortune.

“No, what kind of food do they eat so much of?”

“Aren’t they warriors who use their bodies? Naturally, they eat more than ordinary people.”

“Even so, the amount they eat could feed all of this land and still have leftovers. And it doesn’t seem like there are that many people…”

“Who knows? How could we understand how the warriors of the murim world live?”

There was no need to do anything publicly. The enormous amounts of meat and grain entering the manor were enough for the Mount Hua manor to become a famous landmark in the river mouth.

“And Mr. Yu is also bedridden.”

“Why Mr. Yu? He isn’t related to food supplies, is he?”

“Hey, you keep saying nonsense. What does Mr. Yu do? Isn’t it cutting grass?”

“Right?”

“I heard that the manor is overflowing with beasts from Yunnan, and the amount of grass they consume is no joke.”

“Ah, so that’s why Mr. Yu recruited a large number of workers last time… Wait a minute? But he must have hired at least twenty then. And now he’s bedridden?”

“What do you mean twenty? It’s been over thirty for a while. Half of them are now bedridden. They cut grass day and night, and the mountains around the river mouth are about to become bare hills.”

“Huh… haha. Well then.”

The listener shook his head repeatedly. The more he heard, the stranger the matters became.

“They eat so well, but why do the people you see passing by look like that? I thought the Beggars’ Union had joined the Heavenly Friends Alliance.”

“Heh heh heh. That’s right, that’s right. I heard they train more intensely than they eat.”

The speaker shook his head.

“I thought those great prestigious Justice faction members were like lofty cranes above the sky, too noble to even look up to, but after seeing their training, I’m no longer envious.”

“Envious? I’d run away even if they offered me free admission. What kind of thing is that for a person to do?”

“Exactly.”

No matter how much the major martial sects try to get closer to the common people, that distance is not easily closed. Because people cannot easily shake off the aversion to those who carry swords even in peacetime.

Even if they intellectually understand that these people are good, the fear that they could be cut down with a single sword at any time is something anyone would inevitably have.

But now, the Heavenly Friends Alliance was closing the gap with the common people in a way even they did not expect.

“I heard they also hired a large number of cooks this time?”

“Don’t even mention it. They hired thirty new cooks this time. Besides that, they also hired people to manage the manor and care for the beasts.”

“Haha. Well then.”

“It’s fortunate. How fortunate. So many were half-starving because those bandits ran wild and couldn’t even go hunting. Now those people all go to that manor to work and get paid. Thanks to that, incidents in the river mouth have some breathing room.”

“But… is the Heavenly Friends Alliance really that rich? I heard that food, hay, and wages cost a lot of money.”

“Tsk tsk. You fool.”

“Hmm?”

“Of course the Heavenly Friends Alliance has money. With all those powerful sects gathered, how could they not?”

“That may be, but…”

“And it doesn’t cost as much money as you think.”

“Hmm? What do you mean?”

The speaker chuckled.

“Hey, you. Honestly, hasn’t the Heavenly Friends Alliance done a lot for us? They saved Yangtze river lands, which were falling apart. Didn’t they also stop those Demonic Cult bastards from moving north?”

“What obvious words are you saying? Who in Yangtze river isn’t grateful to the Heavenly Friends Alliance? Not only that, they saved people in the Yangtze River region where the pirates and the Four Sects Alliance ran rampant with nowhere to go.”

“Right, right. But if they take full wages and sell goods for full price, what kind of people are they?”

“So?”

“The workers all say they’ll only take half wages, and Mr. Jang and Mr. Yu sell without making profit except for the workers’ wages.”

“Haha. Really? They’re thoughtful people. So? Does Mount Hua like that?”

“Would they like it? It caused an uproar.”

“…Why another uproar?”

“I heard elder Hyun Jong, the sect leader of Mount Hua, went mad asking why they weren’t properly charging money. He said they should take full wages and proper profit.”

“Hoo… As expected of Mount Hua’s sect leader.”

“Exactly. So the workers begged the sect leader by grabbing his pants leg.”

“What, what did they say?”

“They said if they took full wages and profit, they’d be beaten to death by other people in the Yangtze river. Honestly, that’s not wrong. I wouldn’t have stayed quiet either.”

“Hahaha. That’s really funny. Having to beg not to take money.”

“The sect leader said absolutely no, but in the end, he couldn’t break the people’s will. They said they wouldn’t work if paid full price, but people urgently need work. What can you do? Even a sage-like person has things they can’t control.”

“If you think positively, we Yangtze river people have beaten the sage?”

“You could say that.”

The two looked at each other and chuckled.

As Mount Hua and the Heavenly Friends Alliance began residing in the Yangtze River region, the dying city started to revive. With not just one but several major sects residing there, even petty crimes and accidents disappeared like melting snow.

“By the way, did you bring this up to tell such obvious stories?”

“Oh dear, I digressed. So, did you not see it?”

“What exactly did you say I didn’t see? Did something happen at that manor?”

“No, for a few days now, strange light has been leaking from the manor every night. Did you really not see it?”

“I go to sleep as soon as the sun sets…”

“Tsk tsk tsk. Make sure to see it tonight. I’ve watched for days, and when the night deepens, suddenly a dazzling purple light flashes from the manor. My goodness, when that light bursts out, a thick fragrance that seems otherworldly also comes out… I’ve never seen such a sight in my life.”

“Really?”

“Do you think I’d joke after eating expensive food? You can check it out tonight.”

“Right. If true, it’s really amazing. What on earth is happening at that manor? Purple light and fragrance…”

The man, slightly tilting his head, suddenly clapped his hands.

“Could it be… that the Mount Hua person is ascending to immortality?”

“Hey, you! No matter how great those people are, ascending to immortality isn’t that easy!”

“No, no. Honestly, who in the world can ascend to immortality? Only those with the aura of a sage can do it, right?”

“What does that have to do with this?”

“Think about it. Would that Wudang sect leader ascend? Would that damned Shaolin abbot attain enlightenment?”

“…”

“Is there anyone else in the world called a sage besides elder Hyun Jong, the sect leader of Mount Hua? I wouldn’t be surprised if he ascended tomorrow…”

“Ah, no. Elder Hyun Jong is indeed a great Taoist, but… that’s another story…”

“What? Are you disrespecting Elder Hyun Jong now?”

The moment those words escaped, passersby all turned to look at them.

“Who?”

“Who the hell dared disrespect Elder Hyun Jong?”

“What crazy bastard dared do that in here!”

Before the fierce gazes could fall, several strong men rolled up their sleeves and approached. Seeing this, the man panicked and shouted.

“No! No! It’s a misunderstanding! How could that be! Elder Hyun Jong of Mount Hua is the most honorable person in the world! Yes! Yes!”

As his desperate screams to avoid being beaten echoed through the street, the Hyun Jong they praised was literally on the verge of ascending.

“Ughhh.”

Thud.

Hyun Jong collapsed onto the floor.

“I’m… dying…”

“Sect leader! Are you alright?”

“Ugh…”

From Hyun Jong’s face, now darkened, came continuous groans of pain. Beside him, Hyun Sang and Hyun Young lay unconscious.

“What did I… want to enjoy wealth and glory for…”

“H-here’s some water, sect leader!”

“Ugh…”

Groans kept escaping from Hyun Jong’s mouth.

‘He unnecessarily raised my internal qi.’

That damned guy kept feeding him spiritual pills for health, so I thought he cared about the sect leader. But he’s using it all up here, so frugally!

“The thing is sect leader… it’s already the fifth day.”

“…It should be almost done.”

Hyun Jong nodded and stared at the door from which white steam continuously escaped.

At that moment.

Flash!

A dazzling purple light burst out from the tightly closed door.

“It’s done!”

At the same time, before the loud voice inside could fade, someone kicked the door open and came out.

Bang!

“Ugh!”

Hyun Jong stared blankly at Chung Myung who kicked the door open. Carrying a large bundle bigger than his body on his back, he was exhaling purple steam from his mouth.

“After refining a few times, your skill has improved! I thought all Heavenly Violet Pills were the same.”

“Ugh. Chung Myung, is it done?”

At those words, Chung Myung tapped the bundle on his back.

“Perfect! This Heavenly Violet Pill will be much more effective than before. Hehe!”

“…Then that’s a relief.”

We worked those old guys day and night for five days; it better be effective… damn it.

“Hehehehe. Let’s see if anyone can complain after taking this. They’re all dead, bastards!”

Chung Myung chuckled and swiftly moved.

“Ch-Chung Myung…”

Hyun Jong, staring blankly at his rapidly retreating back, weakly lowered his half-stretched hand. Then he slowly turned his head to look at the elders.

“…Everyone, you’ve worked hard.”

“…Damn.”

“…”

Faint curses echoed softly along with the subtle fragrance of the Heavenly Violet Pill.