Chapter 121: Completing the Absolute Formation (1)

When Deungae clasped his fists and greeted the gathered crowd, the others merely nodded in acknowledgment.

He had been brought by the Young Master.

That alone was enough for them to look at Deungae with eyes of trust.

The Three Chivalrous Sisters felt a twinge of embarrassment upon seeing that.

As people gathered, Yong Biyang raised his voice loudly.

“Let us hold a banquet this evening. Guests have come to the main house, and we didn’t even hold a welcome ceremony when new members joined previously. Tonight, we’ll eat and drink to our hearts’ content.”

The most surprised person at Yong Biyang’s words was Gi Yooyeon.

He wasn’t the man she had known.

The husband she remembered had never been so exuberant.

He was someone who would have nagged that hosting a banquet was unnecessary hassle, even if it were warranted.

So, the fact that he now willingly proposed to host one naturally shocked her. Gi Yooyeon still didn’t know that her husband had changed.

And as she watched her husband Yong Biyang laugh heartily and chat boisterously with everyone, she tilted her head in confusion.

In Yong Hwarin’s room, Jong Munhye and Nan Myeonggwak were present.

Deungae was currently too absorbed in eating and drinking at the banquet hall to be here.

The reason these people had gathered separately from the banquet was because Jong Munhye and Nan Myeonggwak had urgently called for Yong Hwarin.

“We’ve finally completed it.”

“You completed the formation?”

“Yes.”

Nan Myeonggwak and Jong Munhye looked at Yong Hwarin with sparkling eyes, full of confidence.

“Can I see it?”

Seeing how certain they were, Yong Hwarin felt that perhaps something impressive had been born.

As the formation diagram was laid out, Jong Munhye began to explain.

“As you know, the Heavenly Central Sect lacks any form of cover on all sides. If enemies swarm from all directions, we’d have no choice but to suffer helplessly.”

That had been the greatest concern. Even if a formation were to be installed around the area, the scope was far too broad.

“After much thought, we came up with an idea.”

“Go on.”

“We plan to create a few artificial lakes around here and set up the Illusory Mist Formation.”

The Illusory Mist Formation was considered a basic formation in formation arts.

It used surrounding objects to generate mist, and while such tactics were useful in the battles of regular soldiers, they were useless against high-level martial artists with keen perception.

Still, Yong Hwarin continued listening, believing this was not just any ordinary level of strategy.

“To defend such a wide area, the Illusory Mist Formation is ideal. But we’ve added something new to it.”

“What could one possibly add to an Illusory Mist Formation other than poison? But poison is meaningless if one doesn’t breathe it in. For martial artists with even moderate training, holding their breath briefly is standard. Will it really be effective?”

Yong Hwarin pointed out exactly the issue they must’ve wrestled with.

“Exactly. But things change if the poison isn’t ordinary.”

“What kind of poison gives you such confidence? Are you thinking of the Five Mist Poison used by the Seomun Clan in the Bamboo Forest?”

“It’s similar in nature, but the effect is worlds apart.”

Yong Hwarin’s curiosity was piqued upon hearing it was more effective than the Five Mist Poison.

“I’ve only heard of the Five Mist Poison being mixable with mist. What is it you’re referring to?”

“Have you ever heard of Glue Smoke Poison (膠煙毒), Young Master Yong?”

“Glue Smoke Poison?”

“Even the Tang Clan wouldn’t know about this poison. It’s one of the old poisons of the Cult of Betrayal. Glue Smoke Poison is made by collecting and refining various insect venoms and mixing them with glue into a sticky toxin. When infused with the Cult’s techniques, it becomes airborne. Most poisons are heavy and settle to the ground, but this one mixes with the mist and amplifies its toxicity. What’s crucial is that, once mixed with the mist, it transforms into a smoke-like form. If inhaled, the glue binds to the lungs and won’t detach, resulting in death. Furthermore, it’s also a contact poison. Even without breathing it in, once it touches the skin, it doesn’t come off. Anyone who brushes against mist infused with Glue Smoke Poison will inevitably be poisoned. This poison is so dangerous that it’s been banned even within the Cult of Betrayal, and has never appeared in the world.”

Yong Hwarin listened silently before opening his mouth.

“Hmm, there seem to be a few problems. First, where will you get all those poisonous insects? Second, if you deploy the formation using this Glue Smoke Poison, wouldn’t our own members be harmed?”

The insight with which he grasped the issues at once made Nan Myeonggwak and Jong Munhye inwardly impressed.

“The poisonous insects are abundant on Mount Cheonjung. That mountain is known for its intense yin energy and infamous for its swarms of venomous bugs. We realized this while gathering insects to send to Lord Jong Seok. That’s when the idea of Glue Smoke Poison came to us. As for your second question, we would construct a barrier formation to prevent the poison from infiltrating the main sect grounds. That’s precisely why we need the Bamboo Forest Soul-Locking Formation.”

Yong Hwarin finally smiled.

“If this Glue Smoke Poison is truly viable, then no one will be able to breach the Illusory Mist Formation.”

When he acknowledged it, the two beamed with joy.

“Exactly. The main sect will become a perfect fortress.”

“I don’t care how much it costs. Complete the Glue Smoke Poison and set up the Illusory Mist Formation around the sect.”

“Understood.”

Just before Yong Hwarin left the room, he called out to Jong Munhye.

“Hyemae, how is our junior doing?”

Jong Munhye had been attending to the meals of Jong Seok, who was undergoing closed-door training.

“He’ll need more time to complete the Eight-Star Level.”

“Provide everything he needs without hesitation.”

“Yes.”

Once Yong Hwarin left, the two returned to focusing on how best to install the Illusory Mist Formation.

As Yong Hwarin stepped outside, he muttered to himself.

‘But… did the sect always have so much money?’

Collecting enough poisonous insects for Glue Smoke Poison and digging multiple small lakes would cost no small sum.

A single sect’s monthly expenses were no trivial matter.

Until now, Yong Hwarin hadn’t considered the finances of the Heavenly Central Sect, but this incident made him decide to take a proper look into the clan’s financial capacity.

But since tonight was a banquet, Yong Hwarin decided to join his comrades for a drink for once.

Indeed, after all his meridians had been connected, Yong Biyang’s personality had changed significantly.

He happily conversed with others and exchanged drinks.

Seeing his formerly introverted father now appearing so lively pleased Yong Hwarin.

Around the Twin Dragons of Fury Swords and Mo Biyoung, discussions on martial arts were lively, while the newly arrived Deungae entertained the crowd by lifting an entire wine jar with one hand.

Meanwhile, Yong Seollan, being a vibrant child, darted around chatting with everyone, making it dizzying just to watch her.

“Brother.”

He turned as Yong Kijoong called from behind.

“Thanks to you, laughter hasn’t left the sect.”

“This is not my doing.”

“I haven’t seen Father laugh so joyfully in such a long time.”

“Yes, same here.”

“I want to protect this laughter of our sect for as long as I can.”

“So do I. You must work to make this sect a place of happiness. I’ll make sure no one takes that happiness from us.”

“I’ll trust you with everything, Brother.”

Yong Kijoong poured a drink into his cup and raised it.

The two toasted, looking at each other with a smile.

Yong Hwarin, the type to act the moment something came to mind, headed to the Chief Administrator’s Office as soon as morning came.

When Yong Hwarin appeared there, the working disciples were startled and stood up at once to greet him properly.

This was the first time the Young Master had ever visited the Chief Administrator’s Office.

In small-to-midsized sects like this, it was typical for the Chief Administrator to handle the sect’s finances.

“What brings the Young Master here?”

“I need to speak with the Chief Administrator.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“I won’t beat around the bush. What is the current financial state of our sect?”

“We lost a lot of influence to the Dabie Sect long ago, so our profits have decreased, but we’re still holding on for now.”

“I doubt that’s true. Didn’t we lose more than a third of our economic interests to the Dabie Sect? Please be honest. I need to know the exact financial state so the plans I’m making don’t run into obstacles.”

The Chief Administrator brought out a ledger and began to explain.

“The taxes collected from surrounding farms last year were pitiful. Due to poor harvests, the Sect Leader cut them in half. Also, escort requests from merchant unions have been drying up for several years now, so the flow of money has slowed drastically.”

“So then, can we last through this year with our current funds?”

From the sound of it, things were more serious than he expected.

“To be frank, the sect’s funds will only last for about half a year.”

The words hit Yong Hwarin like a bolt.

“Why didn’t anyone tell me?”

“You think we didn’t try? We already reported this to the Sect Leader. The reason he attended the opening ceremony at the Martial Pavilion in Phoenix-Head was to maintain ties with influential families and to attract escort requests from other merchant unions.”

“Ah.”

Yong Hwarin had found it odd that his father would attend a mere opening ceremony of a martial hall. But he never imagined such hardships were hidden behind it.

“The Sect Leader told us not to inform you, Young Master, so we kept silent.”

Yong Hwarin closed his eyes.

Even in his previous life, though he held the title of Young Master, he had been completely ignorant of sect affairs.

And with no knowledge, who would ever follow him?

‘But this time is different.’

Having once operated a merchant union, he knew just how vital money was to a sect like Heavenly Central Sect.

People often thought that martial sects fell due to a lack of martial might—but more often, it was a lack of funds that caused collapse or disbandment.

With money alone, one could hire mercenaries or recruit skilled martial artists through tribute and restore power.

But with strength and no capital, dissolution was only a matter of time.

After all, martial artists didn’t survive on iron alone.

‘I’ve been so absorbed in martial arts training that I’ve neglected our finances completely.’

If the Dabie Sect launched a war, Heavenly Central Sect, with its weak finances, would be the first to wave the white flag.

War was, before anything else, a contest of wealth.

With only six months of funds left, a drawn-out war would exhaust them in a month or two and end in defeat.

Food and weapons required enormous capital.

‘I need money.’

For the first time, Yong Hwarin was faced with a problem that couldn’t be solved through martial strength alone.

He had always had confidence in his ability to earn money no matter the circumstances.

But he also understood that earning money required investment, and that a return on investment wouldn’t happen overnight.

The only shortcut was usury.

‘I need to find a way to make a windfall somehow.’

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep