I decided to go to Luoyang for a few days to identify the shortcomings in my martial arts. It was the largest city in the world, with various martial arts factions and many opportunities that could be achieved through the use of wealth. Since I currently have no grudges or favors, I should be able to live in Luoyang without any trouble as long as I don't do anything unnecessary.
Most importantly, I have no clear idea of what to do right now. I thought it would be better to stay in Luoyang and organize my thoughts, and find something to do, rather than wandering around a poor village. Moreover, if things don't work out, I can always challenge the Shuangmen Sect again and continue my training.
'Now, the fear of duels has largely disappeared.'
I had been somewhat hesitant due to the incident at the Iron Blood Sect, but thanks to Jin So-chung breaking the Southern Sect for me, I was able to heal much of the psychological trauma and regain my confidence. Although I haven't made any significant progress in my martial arts, I am now in a state where my enthusiasm is still high.
I decided to buy a house when I entered Luoyang. I wanted a place where I could practice and think in peace, something like a base. So I started looking for merchants who dealt with real estate, who were mostly low-ranking officials.
Perhaps they thought that giving the right to trade to civilians would disrupt the order of Luoyang, so a low-ranking official, though only 10th rank, was in charge of the matter. Of course, they usually worked together with civilian brokers to handle the details. In case of major issues, they would report to their superiors, and ultimately to the Shangshu of the Six Ministries.
The official I approached said, sitting at his desk in the government office with a haughty air, he seemed to be about 8th rank.
"Hmm... You said your name is Baek Woong? You want a house like that? It will cost you at least 500 taels of silver."
He seemed to doubt me because of my young age, but he didn't dismiss me outright, perhaps because he knew that young masters from wealthy families in Luoyang sometimes made large transactions.
"Will this do?"
"......!!"
When I took out a gold ingot, his eyes widened as if they were about to pop out. The gold ingot was worth several times more than 500 taels of silver, so it was natural.
"You don't need to give me change. Just don't make a fuss."
"Ah, yes..."
He quickly hid the gold ingot under his arm and looked around, as if checking if anyone had seen him. Then he said,
"Of course! Of course, it's more than enough. I'll take care of everything, so don't worry. Do you have a specific area in mind where you want to buy a house?"
"I want a house near the Shuangmen Sect."
"Shuangmen Sect? Let me see..."
The official took out a map of Luoyang and, while subtly putting the gold ingot in his pocket, pointed to a spot.
"Here! There's a good place about fifty zhang away from the Xu Clan. It's a house that a nouveau riche bought for land speculation but couldn't sell, so it's now half on the market. The scenery is beautiful, and there are no defects, so it should be quite suitable."
"But why couldn't it be sold?"
"Don't misunderstand. It's just that the nouveau riche set the price too high, and people were intimidated. If I handle this, I can make this house yours without any trouble. Just trust me."
"Yes, yes. I understand."
"It will take about three days. Come back then. I'll transfer the house documents and seal to you."
I quietly asked him,
"By the way, who is the richest person in Luoyang?"
"Hehe... You seem to have some intentions."
The official, thinking I was trying to advance through financial contributions, twisted his mustache and laughed. He glanced around for a moment and then whispered,
"Everyone keeps it hush-hush, but the richest person in Luoyang is the Han Clan. They own as many as twenty trading posts and five escort agencies across the continent, and they have another base in Shandong. They just live quietly to avoid offending officials, but they are true tycoons, almost on par with a country. Of course, it's a fact known only to a few because they keep it hidden."
I had never heard of this before. When I gathered information about Luoyang through the innkeeper, I didn't hear this story at all. Surprised, I asked,
"The Han Clan? Isn't one of the Shuangmen Sects the Iron Blood Sword's Zhang Xierhan? How can a martial arts faction accumulate such wealth?"
"I don't know much, but I heard they are a very ancient family, dating back to before the previous dynasty. Perhaps they built their wealth through the strength of such a family. In fact, high-ranking officials often visit the Han Clan when they need financial support."
"......"
"If you want to connect with them, I recommend becoming a guest of the Han Clan. The current head of the Han Clan likes to recruit talented and skilled people as guests. If you're lucky, you might be able to get close to them."
Unexpected information.
I thanked the official and walked out, thinking.
'The Han Clan is the richest in Luoyang?'
I knew I had nine gold ingots. I had given two to Wang Liang and one to this official. With these gold ingots, becoming a tycoon would be no problem, but I became curious about the Han Clan. No matter how great they were, they were still a martial arts faction. How did they accumulate such wealth?
Since I currently had no clear goals, I thought it would be good to investigate the secrets of the Han Clan.
'Everything is connected.'
This was something I realized in my previous life. Although everything in this world seems unrelated, everything is intricately connected. Even seemingly useless information might have an impact later.
I decided to make becoming an important guest of the Han Clan my goal in Luoyang. I would keep the house I bought for later use and decided to visit the Han Clan to uncover their secrets.
I had a rough idea of the Han Clan's location. Although Luoyang was vast, I had memorized the location of the Shuangmen Sect, so I could arrive in about half an hour. The Han Clan, despite being the richest in Luoyang, was not much larger than other Shuangmen Sects. There were no guards at the gate.
'What's this? Why are there no guards?'
I found it strange but walked to the main gate of the Han Clan to knock.
At that moment,
"Strange kid. What are you doing here?"
Suddenly, I felt a presence and a voice at the same time. I quickly looked to the right and saw someone standing about ten zhang away, like a dwarf. He was a tall man dressed in black, carrying a large sword on his shoulder, with sharp eyes. But I couldn't focus on his appearance.
'A first-class expert! And one close to the peak...'
His lightness and skill in movement were almost imperceptible, and his internal strength was formidable. Only a highly skilled person could move so quietly in such cumbersome clothing.
I looked around and said,
"I heard that the head of the Han Clan likes to recruit talented people as guests. I came to show my skills."
"Hmm... A guest aspirant. What's your name?"
"Baek Woong."
"What do you think, gentlemen?"
Swoosh!
Swoosh
At the same time, martial figures appeared from all directions. They seemed to be as skilled as the man with the large sword. A man in red crossed his arms and said,
"Your skills seem impeccable. Your internal strength is truly terrifying."
"But how at your age? It's suspicious."
"Be careful. Young master, inform the young lord about this first."
"Understood."
Whoosh
The man with the large sword, who seemed to be the youngest, nodded and disappeared into the Han Clan. The experts who surrounded me in a triangular formation remained vigilant, ready to attack if necessary.
'What a fresh feeling.'
I had been around people like Li Guang and Jin So-chung, so I hadn't fully realized how strong I was. But being here made me realize the power of my internal strength. Of course, I had no intention of fighting with peak experts, so I quietly followed the young lord.
A short while later, we arrived at a quiet courtyard. The young lord said to the experts following him,
"You may withdraw now."
"But—"
"The head of the Han Clan is not so weak that he needs your worry."
The guests of the Han Clan seemed to understand and bowed, then withdrew.
"We'll wait outside."
I was impressed by how the guests of the Han Clan withdrew like the tide. They seemed to have absolute trust in the head of the Han Clan. As I followed the young lord into the courtyard, I saw a small wooden bridge over a pond and a young girl admiring the pond.
'Who is she?'
The girl was a beauty of unparalleled charm. She looked to be in her early twenties, with a youthful and innocent appearance. Her jet-black hair, elegant clothes, and porcelain skin were in perfect harmony. Unlike figures like Gong Lin and Murong Yan, her beauty was almost doll-like.
She glanced at me and said,
"Are you Baek Woong?"
Boom
At that moment, I felt an overwhelming aura surge towards me. I felt my breath catch, not because of her beauty, but because of the powerful, intangible aura she emitted. It was a force I had felt only once in my life.
Without realizing it, I blurted out the name of the force.
"Intangible Qi...!!"
Her eyes sparkled.
"You know Intangible Qi? You don't seem to have undergone rejuvenation, but you must have been taught by a master of incredible skill. There are very few such masters in the world, and I'm curious who your teacher is."
"Who... who are you...?"
She chuckled, and I realized she was a peak expert who had undergone rejuvenation, as she had suppressed my mind with just her aura.
"I am Han Baoling, the head of the Han Clan."
"......!!"
"Let's see, what is your lineage?"
Whoosh
A light palm force was released from Han Baoling's hand. I countered with Thunder Cloud Palm, and it seemed I had a slight edge in pure power. However, as the white palm force layered into three levels and increased in strength, I felt my shoulder shatter and had to take two steps back.
Crack
Immediately after the palm clash, Han Baoling lifted a stone from the ground using a technique to draw objects with force and flicked it lightly.
Clang!
"Ugh..."
I quickly drew my sword like a flash and deflected the stone, but I felt as if my Thunder Blade might break. The force in the stone was too powerful. If it had been another expert, their sword would have broken and their heart pierced. As I stepped back, Han Baoling said,
"So, you are a disciple of Qinglong. He must have left the Four Divine Guards, so why did he send you to Luoyang to cause trouble?"
Her voice carried a hint of anger.
"I... I don't know who that is. My master is someone else."
"Someone else?"
"Yes. I trained in the mountains and just descended. I came here because I heard the Han Clan recruits talented people."
"Hmm..."
I instinctively felt that if I admitted to being a disciple of Qinglong Li Guang, I would die right here. Han Baoling seemed to be a peak expert on par with Li Guang, and her emotions didn't seem positive. She looked at me with suspicion and said,
"Alright. Even if that's true, your martial arts are too similar to his. How do you explain that?"
"My lineage is passed down through multiple masters. Even if the martial arts are similar, it's possible to have different masters."
"Huh? You can't be serious..."
She seemed to be pondering something. Then she said,
"...I believe you. Your heartline is steady; you don't seem evil."
"Thank you."
Han Baoling crossed her arms.
"What do you want from the Han Clan? Speak honestly."
"I need a suitable opponent to refine my martial arts. I thought I might find such an opponent as a guest of the Han Clan."
My words were sincere. I hadn't expected things to go this far, but I needed a lot of practical experience to perfect Heavenly Execution and Thunder Blade. This was my plan to advance as quickly as possible.
Han Baoling laughed softly.
"Is that so? You came at just the right time. You will get what you want."
I didn't know then what she meant by "just the right time."