The Red Moon (2)

Out of nowhere, he asks first after the well-being of the man who will be the next Patriarch.

Gong Cheong was taken aback, but like a seasoned merchant he smiled and nodded.

“He is well. Busy with many matters, but he is the sort to immerse himself in work.”

“I see.”

“By chance, have you met our First Young Master?”

He was with him for a full ten years.

“How could that be? I was only curious whether the one who will inherit Divine Iron is keeping well and not hurting his health.”

Jin-hyeon pointed at Ha Suk-heon and spoke.

“If he is to lead a power that keeps good ties with the Cheongyang Association, he should mind his health twelve times a day.”

“Ha ha! So that was it.”

He set the tone first by saying it might be rude, since though he had no special intent it could be taken sensitively.

“He is doing very well. At times I worry for his health because he buries himself in work, but he manages himself and there should be no great issue.”

“That is a relief.”

Jin-hyeon’s smile faded.

‘So, you’re alive and well.’

Had the Divine Iron Merchant House, more precisely his foster father, not taken him in, he would have died.

That grace could only be repaid with death.

And he died at the hands of Gyeong Do-cheon, who carried his foster father’s blood.

With that stroke, with that one life, he buried all grace.

Thereafter he vowed that if fate tangled them again, he would grind him to dust.

He was wrong.

Jin-hyeon had to admit that in his gaze toward Divine Iron, his first resolve after returning, there remained a residue of feeling he could not erase.

Because he lived, after all.

Though he had grievances toward his foster father and was killed by his foster brother, he was grateful for the grace that let him prove his worth.

And beyond those two, the bonds and loyalty with the countless smiths who swung hammers with him were real.

‘It was nothing but the grudge-ridden folly of a man who didn’t even know who he was. Have I ever once truly troubled myself to think about them?’

It wasn’t easy to decide to burn it all for one betrayal. The benefactor’s house that had given him the ‘home’ he thirsted for and fed and raised him well for ten years, even if by need.

Had they treated him like a stranger it would be different, but they taught Jin-hyeon, who had never known family, what blood ties were.

That was everything in Jin-hyeon’s life.

Even his dream of becoming the greatest smith had been a goal set because he thought he must repay grace.

‘That is all.’

Yes. Merely that.

He would never have regretted spending his whole life on that one thing.

‘Because it was only that, I staked my life, and after losing my life, it meant nothing.’

The Soul-Refining Qi that had wandered madly to rein in his killing intent now burned high and pure.

‘But to me, it had meaning.’

Discomfort stabbing into his gut, a fury like his eyes would be torn out.

‘The reason I rage and struggle to control my killing intent is that I have not forgotten that grudge. What that bastard Gyeong Do-cheon did had clear meaning to me.’

They say enlightenment comes at every moment in life.

That applied even to Jin-hyeon, who had lived through dozens of lives as one man and shared those experiences.

‘Then why did I bury grace and resentment so simply?’

At a sudden streak of insight, Jin-hyeon felt goosebumps.

‘I was waiting.’

For me to grow strong as myself.

For not only my might but my mind and spirit as a person to be superbly honed.

To mature enough to unravel my grace and resentment as I desire.

Jin-hyeon had been waiting until now for that moment.

Thus his rage and killing intent toward Gyeong Do-cheon had properly ripened.

‘If so.’

Can I, as I am now, bring down the Divine Iron Merchant House?

The answer leapt out at once.

“Even a stray like me would hope for a day to greet Divine Iron’s young master.”

Ha Suk-heon burst into a chuckle.

“With such talent and eye, how can you call yourself a stray? Even if you don’t join us Cheongyang, I will find a way to persuade Hero Gong.”

Ha Suk-heon’s eyes, glancing subtly at Gong Cheong, shone.

Gong Cheong grinned.

“Even if the Elder said nothing, for someone like Teacher I should take the lead in arranging a meeting.”

“Heh heh, a great merchant indeed. Your eye is excellent, Hero Gong.”

“How could it be my eye? It is thanks to Teacher’s aura, so uncanny even a dullard could sense it.”

The two vied to praise Jin-hyeon as if with honeyed tongues.

Then Heo Jang-un spoke.

“If there is a chance, grant me a taste of that skill as well.”

The remark chilled the good mood in an instant.

Gong Cheong was alarmed.

“Hey, man. How can you speak so rudely on a first meeting? The Third Elder is here.”

Heo Jang-un shrugged and said,

“As you know, I have an unusual competitive streak. I’ve not broken the habit from back home.”

“Even so!”

Ha Suk-heon waved a hand.

“Do not be too hard, Hero Gong. Before etiquette, a warrior’s competitive spirit deserves respect. What say you, Teacher?”

Hearing that while already in a foul mood, there was no way gentle words would come from Jin-hyeon.

“If you can shoulder the result, there are surprisingly many things one can do in this world.”

It meant, ‘Even if you come at me, you’re no match.’

At those words even Ha Suk-heon and Gong Cheong couldn’t speak at once.

The faces of the two veterans stiffened awkwardly.

Heo Jang-un smirked.

“They say defeat is a matchless elixir to a warrior. May that chance come to me as well.”

It was nothing if not arrogant.

Jin-hyeon gave a short laugh and answered.

“Even what is good for you becomes poison in excess. Do not overdo it.”

Heo Jang-un’s smiling face twisted slightly.

Ha Suk-heon raised a hand.

“Now, now, let’s stop there. Look at you two. True men of Murim, flaring up in an instant.”

Gong Cheong also wiped away the awkwardness and smiled.

“Ha ha, Teacher’s old-school manner made me forget his age. So you have a competitive streak as well?”

He smoothly reframed the matter as arising from warriors’ rivalry, not Heo Jang-un’s rudeness.

Jin-hyeon smiled and took the line.

“I try not to, but perhaps from lack of cultivation, I have moments like this. I ask your understanding.”

It was a line open to many readings.

Gong Cheong took it in the good sense.

Heo Jang-un, who had been openly scowling, suddenly looked to Ha Suk-heon.

‘!’

Heo Jang-un swallowed before he knew it.

The glance from Ha Suk-heon’s eyes was no ordinary one.

‘Damn.’

He had itched at them bowing too much to some stray who came from nowhere and picked a quarrel, and the mood had turned on a dime.

Gong Cheong spoke with a grave face.

“The semifinal is soon. Why don’t you go and loosen up?”

It was a dismissal to leave.

Heo Jang-un rose slowly and looked at Jin-hyeon.

There was no expression at all on Jin-hyeon’s face.

He seemed to ignore Heo Jang-un’s very existence.

Heo Jang-un flushed, but turned without a word and left the tea house.

Gong Cheong hastened to speak.

“My man made a grave mistake. Please forgive him.”

Ha Suk-heon waved it off.

“These things happen. Do they not, Teacher?”

“Of course. I only snapped back, but I rather like men like that. Much better than the timid, isn’t it?”

“Heh heh heh! Teacher truly knows people.”

Thus the three drank tea and spoke pleasantly.

Though there had been an awkward moment, all three were adept at handling the mood.

Ha Suk-heon led the talking, yet Jin-hyeon and Gong Cheong were not exactly silent.

A warm conversation flowed for over half an hour.

Jin-hyeon blended in without a trace of awkwardness, yet his eyes sometimes fixed on the characters ‘Divine Iron’ on Gong Cheong’s chest.

Another quarter hour passed like that.

“I truly enjoyed our talk today.”

Jin-hyeon rose first.

Ha Suk-heon started.

“Where are you going, Teacher?”

“In any case the one I taught has reached the final. I should at least watch who her opponent will be.”

So many things happened when it wasn’t Seol So-ha’s duel that he had barely seen the contestants’ faces.

“Ho, now that you say so, time has flown.”

Ha Suk-heon and Gong Cheong rose.

“The two of us have more to discuss, so regrettably we cannot go with you.”

“It’s fine. Please speak at your ease.”

“Then shall we have a drink tonight?”

“Tonight is a bit difficult… what about tomorrow?”

Pure joy touched Ha Suk-heon’s face.

He had finally cleared the first gate.

“Good. Very good. Even after the duels end, the crowds will last several days. Take in the sights and come by my quarters tomorrow.”

“Understood. I will drop by around sunset.”

“Heh heh, please do.”

And so Jin-hyeon left the tea house.

Gong Cheong spoke in a subtle tone.

“Congratulations, Elder.”

“Mm? What do you mean?”

“Ha ha ha! Since you used even me to secure the talent you fancy, how about you buy the drinks today?”

Ha Suk-heon let out a big, helpless laugh.

“Your wit is as sharp as ever. Very well, I’ll buy today.”

Leaving the tea house, Jin-hyeon walked without aim.

‘Divine Iron… Divine Iron.’

Aside from the start, he had not asked Gong Cheong anything about Divine Iron.

He feared that if he talked on, he might slip without knowing it.

He did know that under the same sky, Gyeong Do-cheon was breathing somewhere.

But he ignored it. A wretch like Gyeong Do-cheon was not what mattered.

Even now, he had spent each day with meaning, and that time was far more precious than burning it with rage toward Gyeong Do-cheon.

But not now.

Gong Cheong, second in the Divine Iron Merchant House’s Trade Routes Department, was a man close to Gyeong Do-cheon.

Thinking that perhaps even Gong Cheong knew Gyeong Do-cheon had killed him, killing intent rose of itself.

But aside from the first surge, controlling it was not hard.

Like food left to age, his emotions had ripened.

‘For the Cheongyang Association’s Third Elder and Divine Iron’s trade deputy to show such familiarity means the two groups are very close.’

Gu Yong-seon’s words that the Cheongyang Association was biding its time to unify Sichuan were true.

No, though not proven, Jin-hyeon was certain it was true.

The Divine Iron Merchant House monopolized most of the fine iron from Sichuan.

And over seventy percent of the province’s top craftsmen belonged to them.

When a needle moves out, thread must follow.

To swallow not a part but all Sichuan, the Cheongyang Association could only choose to join with the Divine Iron Merchant House.

‘Cleaning.’

He had spoken much with Mun Jung about the Cheongyang Association.

And many of the reports Mun Jung gathered concerned the karma the Association had piled up.

Even if half of that were true, the Association deserved to be erased.

Jin-hyeon had made his judgment and completed his preparations with Mun Jung.

It had moved swiftly.

But for the Divine Iron Merchant House to pop up out of nowhere.

‘So that won’t do.’

He reined in his feelings quickly.

‘I must see it for myself after all.’

Jin-hyeon stopped and looked up at the sky.

His foster father was there.

‘Before my own feelings, now that it has tangled like this, I cannot pass by feigning ignorance.’

There was certainly a tender ache.

He had to see his foster father, at least.

If possible, he wished to see his foster grandfather as well.

But there was no regret or pity for Divine Iron’s fall.

‘When the final ends, I will go to them.’

Just then.

Heavenly Wolf Qi let out a low cry.

Even sunk in thought, his keenness had not dulled much.

Thanks to the Soul-Refining Art. He slowly looked left.

A small grove to the left of the path.

There stood a rough-looking man.

In one hand he held a long staff of pure white iron.

Jin-hyeon gave a faint smile.

“You didn’t show yourself then. I figured one left alone wouldn’t matter. You couldn’t make trouble while the Radiant Sword Festival was on anyway.”

“…”

“So you searched alone without telling the clan.”

Jin-hyeon knew whose white-iron staff that was.

It was the beloved weapon of Divine Spear Patriarch Song Cheol-gwang.

“I buried it deep, yet you found it. Did you leave the corpse as it was?”

“Yes.”

“It doesn’t seem you brought anyone. What brings you to me in broad daylight?”

The man who guided the way at Song Cheol-gwang’s summons, who guarded Song Geon at the Eight Martial Houses’ heirs’ gathering.

Jong Baek, the illegitimate son of the Divine Spear Patriarch, spoke with a stony face.

“I have come to avenge my father. Grant me the satisfaction.”