Chapter 042
In the Central Plains, if asked to name the largest trading company, most people would unhesitatingly point to the Heavenly Dragon Trading Company. Although the Auspicious Cloud Trading Company had recently been gaining momentum and threatening the position of the established Ten Great Trading Companies of the Central Plains, it hadn't yet grown enough to be counted among them. Still, it was true that they had achieved enough growth to challenge the established order. Of course, from the perspective of the Heavenly Dragon Trading Company—which held the top position among the Ten Great Trading Companies—the emergence of the Auspicious Cloud Trading Company (formerly the Auspicious Cloud Trading Group) was hardly worth a sneer, at least in terms of commercial success. Everyone in the Central Plains knew that the "Wudang Sword Hero" was behind the Auspicious Cloud Trading Company, which despite its limited number of branches was being flooded with requests to open more locations due to its enormous influence throughout the Central Plains.
"This is giving me a headache…"
"But we can't continue to ignore the Auspicious Cloud Trading Company. If the other trading companies start aligning with them…"
Jin Agyeong, the Chairman of the Heavenly Dragon Trading Company, frowned and sank deeper into her armchair as she listened to the report from her chief manager.
"I already know that. There are people making under-the-table contacts with the Auspicious Cloud Trading Group, aren't there?"
"Yes."
"Ah, my head hurts. How can a single novel shake the Ten Great Trading Companies? Is that even possible?"
It was truly incomprehensible. The Ten Great Trading Companies had firmly maintained their positions for decades. True, the Auspicious Cloud Trading Group also had a fairly long history and had once held the lowest position among the Ten Great Trading Companies, but that was in the past. Who would have thought that the Auspicious Cloud Trading Group, which everyone believed had collapsed and disappeared, would grow enough to rise as the Auspicious Cloud Trading Company?
Even Jin Agyeong, who had inherited the Heavenly Dragon Trading Company five years ago and was considered a seasoned merchant, hadn't predicted this situation.
"But we can't ignore the influence of the Wudang Sword Hero at this point. Even our trading partners frequently mention the Wudang Sword Hero…"
"It's just a novel! How can it turn the Central Plains upside down like this?!"
She simply couldn't understand it. Of course, the chief manager understood Jin Agyeong's feelings. Who would have thought that a novel would emerge and rapidly conquer the entire Central Plains in less than a year? Moreover, the rumors surrounding the "Wudang Sword Hero" were all so outlandish, which only added to the confusion.
There were stories about Wudang accepting numerous disciples with crowds gathering daily, creating bustling scenes. Or about pilgrims flocking to Shaolin Temple just because Baek Sugyeong had visited there. And that wasn't all. She'd heard that sales at shops in Xuchang had doubled simply because he had stayed in the city where the Murim Alliance was based.
"Is this the kind of influence one person can have… is that even possible?"
"But it's reality, Chairman."
"Ugh…"
Jin Agyeong pressed her forehead and groaned.
Unbelievable as it was, this was all the influence of one person. Truly, to Jin Agyeong, he was like a natural disaster. For a merchant, such a walking variable was the most difficult to deal with. Moreover, while natural disasters had no will of their own, this walking variable was a human being just like her, which was the problem.
Jin Agyeong removed her hand from her forehead and said:
"I hear attention is focused on Luoyang these days?"
"Yes. I've heard that information networks from the Hao Sect and Beggars' Sect are unusually concentrated there. There's even talk that one of the three Commanders of the Hao Sect has made an appearance…"
"A Commander is a top executive of the Hao Sect, right?"
The chief manager nodded at Jin Agyeong's words.
While it's commonly said that the Hao Sect and Beggars' Sect have the fastest information in the martial world, when expanding beyond the martial realm, trading companies have the fastest information networks. The information network of merchants traveling throughout the Central Plains is no less effective than those of the Hao Sect or Beggars' Sect, and in terms of information gathering speed, they sometimes surpass them.
Although some underestimate the information power of trading companies due to the prominence of the Hao Sect and Beggars' Sect, the trading companies' intelligence capabilities are far from lacking.
"There are also rumors that the Drunken Immortal Beggar, the leader of the Beggars' Sect's Rear Nine Halls, has been spotted."
"Drunken Immortal? That drunkard?"
"Yes."
"What on earth is in Luoyang…?"
The chief manager said:
"It's believed to be because the Auspicious Cloud Trading Company recently opened a branch in Luoyang, but there might be other variables."
"…How on earth did they get past that difficult clan leader of the Dragon Gate Li Clan?"
That was Jin Agyeong's question. No matter how much the Auspicious Cloud Trading Company had exclusive rights to the "Wudang Sword Hero," how could the Dragon Gate Li Clan's leader have allowed them to open a branch in Luoyang? It didn't make sense.
Even the Heavenly Dragon Trading Company had been forced to withdraw from opening a branch in Luoyang several times due to territorial pressure from the Dragon Gate Li Clan. That's how strong the Dragon Gate Li Clan's influence was in Luoyang.
"How did they manage to persuade that picky person?"
"We don't know. We can only speculate that they might have used the Wudang Sword Hero as leverage for negotiation, since they handle it."
"If we had partnered with Teacher Sugyeong first…"
Jin Agyeong bit her lip.
If she had met Baek Sugyeong before he wrote the "Wudang Sword Hero," not only would this situation have been avoided, but the position of the Heavenly Dragon Trading Company would have been further solidified.
But that was already in the past.
The Auspicious Cloud Trading Group, which everyone thought had been swept away by the currents of time, had risen again and built enough power to be called a trading company, growing to the point of threatening the established Ten Great Trading Companies.
While the Heavenly Dragon Trading Company had grown by supplying goods to various sects and the imperial palace in the Central Plains, the Auspicious Cloud Trading Company had penetrated areas that the Heavenly Dragon Trading Company hadn't even considered.
"They can't compete with us just by targeting niche markets. The Auspicious Cloud Trading Company must know that well."
"That's true. But they hold a powerful card."
"That's the problem. That…"
That was the biggest reason for Jin Agyeong's headache.
The "Wudang Sword Hero" card held by the Auspicious Cloud Trading Company was too powerful.
For now, it was just the "Wudang Sword Hero," but as Teacher Sugyeong's works increased, that power would clearly grow stronger. If the Auspicious Cloud Trading Company started producing all kinds of merchandise based on the Wudang Sword Hero?
While the Heavenly Dragon Trading Company's position might not be shaken, the Auspicious Cloud Trading Company's growth would clearly gain tremendous momentum.
"I need to meet Teacher Sugyeong somehow. What about the instructions I gave?"
"We've asked the Hao Sect to find out where he went, but it seems to be taking some time. Soon we should hear…"
At that moment, interrupting the chief manager's words, there came a thunderous sound as the door burst open.
"Chairman, urgent news!!"
"W-what is it?!"
"T-Teacher Sugyeong is staying in Luoyang! And at the Dragon Gate Li Clan…!"
Jin Agyeong's expression changed dramatically at the employee's report.
"Contact the Auspicious Cloud Trading Company immediately!!"
...
"…Hmm. I wonder what would be best to do here."
Baek Sugyeong had been immersed in his writing until someone from the Heavenly Dragon Trading Company arrived.
Having concluded the Huai River Gang battle, the story was moving to the next phase. Jin Un now needed to return to Mount Wudang to gain new power, having realized his own imperfections during the battle with the Broken-Sword Venerable.
"If I combine the internal enemy at Wudang who envies Jin Un's success with the Heavenly Pole True Cult's desire to establish another foothold in the Central Plains by detaining Jin Un upon his return to Mount Wudang, that could make for a good plot…"
Although the Heavenly Pole True Cult had lost the Broken-Sword Venerable and the Poison Demon Lord, there were still seven Demon Lords remaining.
But Jin Un had enemies beyond just the Demon Lords.
The Heavenly Pole True Cult had actively worked underground to establish numerous footholds throughout the Central Plains, and Jin Un, having encountered the enemy without fully understanding all these footholds, had only eliminated the ones he knew about.
In other words, Jin Un was now in a situation where he could be counterattacked at any time.
"Should I advance the 'Three Pure Ones Limitless Sword' to a new level, or…"
Baek Sugyeong paused his brush and fell into thought.
This was a point that required some consideration.
Throughout the seven volumes, Jin Un had defeated numerous enemies with the Three Pure Ones Limitless Sword. But after sustaining significant injuries in the battle with the Broken-Sword Venerable, the Three Pure Ones Limitless Sword had reached its limit.
Should he evolve it into a new martial art? Or should he create a new martial art based on lost, forgotten supreme techniques of Wudang?
It was quite an important decision.
"Since it's become Jin Un's signature move, it would be a shame to discard it…"
Of course, as one's level rises, it's not unusual to diversify the martial arts one uses.
It's just that the level of enemies Jin Un had been defeating with the Three Pure Ones Limitless Sword had also been rising, and now it was time to discard the Three Pure Ones Limitless Sword which symbolized his past limitations.
"Creating a new sword technique based on the 'Three Pure Ones Limitless Sword,' which represents the old shell. This direction seems right."
And naturally, the internal energy technique must also advance to the next level.
Having progressed from One Element to Twin Spirit, the next step would be Limitless.
Having left Wudang's Dark Peak and soared far into the vast martial world, the path beyond Twin Spirit to Limitless would be accompanied by Dark Heaven.
Dark Heaven Limitless Divine Art with True Martial Thirteen Swords.
Since Wudang revered the True Martial Great Emperor, the name would include "True Martial," and the essence of Wudang's numerous sword techniques would be distilled into thirteen, hence "Thirteen."
True Martial Thirteen Swords—the name of what would become Wudang's strongest sword technique.
Along with the Dark Heaven Limitless Divine Art, it would be the name of the new supreme technique that would support Wudang.
Baek Sugyeong smiled with satisfaction.
"…Good."
It was the moment when Jin Un's new martial art was decided.