Chapter 114

Chapter 114
Chapter 114: White Sprouts’ Three Threes

“Sam-bro, are you feeling all right?”

“Yeah. I appreciate your concern, Sam-bro.”

“Think nothing of it. After all, we’re the Baek A Three Threes!”

“You said it! Now that you’ve joined us at the main house, Sam, our trio is finally complete!”

“……Wait, am I really part of this nickname too?”

“Of course you are. You can’t have the Baek A Three Threes without three Sams.”

Among commoners who lacked both wealth and formal education, naming children after numbers was a standard practice, giving rise to names like Wang Sam or Wang Chil. Because the Baek A Group comprised many orphans and individuals from modest backgrounds, overlapping names were bound to happen, resulting in three boys who all shared the name Sam.

“Wang Sam! Jang Sam! And Jin Sam! Reunited as the Baek A Three Threes!”

“It’s complete at last!”

Jin Geum-bo’s son, Jin Sam, hesitated before speaking up quietly. “The thing is, my name uses a different character for Sam……”

“What difference does that make? A Sam is still a Sam.”

“In that case, Sam-bro, why don’t you ask your father to change the character to match ours while you’re at it?”

“Well, that might be taking things a bit too far.”

Overhearing the lively exchange among the three Sams, Yang-hui let out a soft chuckle.

‘What a bunch of cute kids, fooling around like that.’

It was a welcoming sight, indicating that their growing familiarity was blossoming into genuine camaraderie. Spending over a month enduring rigorous beatings side by side had naturally forged a deep sense of brotherhood—or, more accurately, a bond forged through shared hardship.

‘In any case, this gives me a chance to step back from Probing Pressure Points for a short while.’

For a full month, he had spent nearly every day meticulously massaging almost every inch of the Baek A Group’s bodies. The technique demanded a immense amount of qi, leaving even Yang-hui drained. Had he not consumed eight additional Spirit Pills at the Sword King Hall to push his internal energy past two jia, he never could have sustained it.

Body tempering disciplines generally divided into two main paths: external and internal. While there remained room for external growth, it was time to incorporate internal cultivation in tandem—strengthening the acupoints while maximizing both the speed and efficiency of his qi circulation. Most importantly, he needed to unblock his remaining sealed acupoints. Linking every acupoint by opening the Ren and Du meridians stood as a key requirement for reaching the Super Peak realm.

‘Thanks to relentlessly applying Probing Pressure Points without a single break, my qi circulation has improved dramatically.’

Carrying the memories of his past life allowed Yang-hui to manipulate qi with unmatched precision. Yet, masterfully controlling qi and possessing a superior foundation for qi circulation were distinct advantages; the former relied on technique, whereas the latter depended on the body’s structural strength.

In simple terms, a path becomes firmer and smoother the more frequently it is traveled. Acupoints operated on the same principle. Channeling qi through them to the brink of capacity forced the pathways to become far sturdier and broader.

This was precisely why he had utilized an almost ruthless method for Probing Pressure Points—to simultaneously condition his own body by projecting Harmonious Heaven Qi through his hands and feet.

“Big brother!”

A cheerful, energetic voice echoed nearby. Yang-hui turned around, his face brightening into a warm smile.

“Yeon-ya!”

Baek Yeon-yeon bounded toward him with the vibrant energy of a young deer.

“Big brother! Eek! It feels like it’s been forever!”

Baek Yeon-yeon remained as loving and adorable as ever—his cherished younger sister, growing into a fine young woman just as she had in his previous life.

“It really has been. Are you back from the academy?”

“Yep! I get to stay at the main house for a whole month.”

“I see. Welcome home.”

Unlike Baek Heon-so, who dedicated himself entirely to the martial path, Baek Yeon-yeon had been attending the academy for roughly two years. For the clan to establish itself as a true hegemon and respected power in the region, martial prowess alone was insufficient; they also required scholarly standing and cultural influence. In that regard, the Baek Clan held an advantage: their stepmother, Jeong In-hwa, was the daughter of a prominent local scholar. This connection had enabled Baek Yeon-yeon to study at Yangsu Academy, the most prestigious institution in Gangseo Province.

‘The issue is that in my past life, Yeon-ya’s death was tied directly to Yangsu Academy.’

Named after Ouyang Xiu—one of the Eight Masters of the Tang and Song—the academy was located in Jiangxi’s capital, drawing students exclusively from influential families and elite clans.

‘However, her standing this time is vastly different from my past life, where she barely secured entry through a recommendation. Things won’t end the same way.’

Even so, he made a mental note to take precautionary measures whenever the right opportunity arose.

As he was catching up with Baek Yeon-yeon and enjoying their sibling bond…

“Little brother.”

Gu-ak approached silently and called out to Yang-hui. Baek Yeon-yeon’s eyes immediately lit up as she noticed Gu Hwa-hwa perched comfortably on Gu-ak’s shoulder.

“Hwa-hwa!”

“Ah! Sis!”

Leaping forward, Gu Hwa-hwa was caught in mid-air by Baek Yeon-yeon, who spun her around playfully.

“Eeeek! I missed you so much, Hwa-hwa!”

“Me too! I missed you, sis!”

“Aww, really? Here, good girl! You’re so adorable!”

“Kyarruk! Kyarruk!”

Yang-hui and Gu-ak stood side by side, quietly watching the scene with fond smiles. With the two biggest sweethearts of the Baek Clan Fort together, the charm in the air was overwhelming.

“By the way, Brother Gu, what brings you over?”

“I almost forgot. We have a visitor.”

“A visitor?”

“Chu Yong-wol from the Baek Merchant Group. The Chief Steward is entertaining her right now, but she specifically asked to see you.”

‘Hm. She must be here regarding the next novel.’

Come to think of it, nearly three years had passed since his last publication. He had been completely consumed by other pressing matters, and he hadn’t required a major influx of funds recently anyway.

“Understood.”

He made his way to the Chief Steward’s office and pushed the door open.

“Chief Steward Han. I’ve arrived.”

Han Seok-eon and Chu Yong-wol, who had been conversing with grim expressions, turned toward him.

“Young Master Baek! It has been too long!”

“Indeed it has, Miss Chu.”

Chu Yong-wol, who used to tower over him during their early meetings, now required him to look down considerably to meet her gaze—standing roughly a head and a half shorter than him now.

“Miss Chu, I’ll have the next manuscript prepared shortly. Since One Stroke Writer’s renown is reaching far beyond Gangseo Province, let’s use this next release to expand our reach even further.”

“Ah, Young Master… That is actually not the reason for my visit today.”

“Then why are you here?”

Chu Yong-wol’s expression turned grave as she continued. “I have come to request the assistance of the Baek Clan.”

‘Assistance?’

The Baek Merchant Group, which had originated from the Baek Bookstore, was expanding rapidly through the book and paper trade. There was no obvious reason why a thriving commercial operation would suddenly require the intervention of a martial clan.

“Are you in need of escort services?”

“No. We need defense.”

‘Defense.’ He immediately grasped the underlying situation.

“Don’t tell me the merchant guilds in Namchang are targeting the Baek Merchant Group?”

“Young Master Baek’s intuition is as sharp as ever.”

Chu Yong-wol let out a weary sigh and began to elaborate. “While One Stroke Writer’s true identity remains hidden, everyone in the region knows that our merchant group operates hand in hand with the Baek Clan.”

“That is true. Whenever our clan required goods or commercial assistance, we always worked through your group.”

“Because of that connection, the guilds in Namchang—specifically their escort agencies—are putting heavy pressure on us. That is the issue I came to discuss.”

Although the Baek Merchant Group was headquartered in Namchang, they exclusively contracted the Baek Clan’s Heaven-Covering Escort Agency for all their transport operations. Naturally, the local escort industry in Namchang was taking issue with being excluded.

‘The reason they are starting a conflict is…’

Namchang served as the capital and primary hub of Gangseo Province. Within that city, a particular faction felt increasingly threatened by the rising power of the Baek Clan.

“The Namchang Supreme Sect. The White Clothes Sect is pulling the strings.”

“Precisely. To be exact, they are operating through the Changil Escort Agency.”

The connection was self-evident.

“They derived their name directly from Namchang Supreme.”

“Yes. Changil is the largest escort agency in Namchang. Furthermore…”

“They are deeply aligned with the White Clothes Sect.”

“Spot on.”

The overall strategy was transparent.

“They cannot pick a direct fight with us without damaging their righteous reputation, so they are utilizing Changil to strike at the Baek Merchant Group, which is known to be our ally.”

“That is our assessment as well.”

Had this merely been a minor, independent escort agency, they could have easily brushed it off. However, with the backing of the White Clothes Sect, the matter required serious attention. It was far better to nip the threat in the bud before it escalated into a major conflict.

‘The White Clothes Sect… A notably aggressive force. In my previous life, they completely eradicated the Jeongwol Sect.’

To firmly establish the main house as the supreme authority in Gangseo, controlling the capital city of Namchang was an absolute necessity. Now, their rivals were offering him the perfect pretext on a silver platter.

“Young Master Hui, how do you think we should proceed? Should I convene the elders’ council first?”

‘Doing that would only force Baek Mu-ryang out of his secluded training once again.’

“There is no need for that. This is not a major issue.”

“Not a major issue? Do you already have a strategy in mind?”

Yang-hui offered a light grin in response to the eager, shining eyes of Han Seok-eon and Chu Yong-wol.

“The timing is actually ideal. I was already thinking it was about time for us to expand our presence into Namchang.”

Since he intended to pause the Baek A Group’s Probing Pressure Points training for the upcoming month anyway, taking a short journey was the perfect solution.

“I will personally head to Namchang and take care of the matter.”

“Oooooh!”

A radiant expression of relief and excitement swept across Han Seok-eon’s face. “The living god takes action once more! Go forth and return with mountains of silver!”

‘Well, this time it is more about spending a mountain of silver.’

Even so, he intended to extract far greater benefits from the investment, making it a profitable venture in its own right.

That very day, he packed light and set out from the Baek Clan Fort alongside Chu Yong-wol. Unlike previous journeys accompanied by the Dang siblings, Gu-ak, and Chui-dal, Yang-hui traveled light this time.

‘I don’t particularly miss the others, but without Chui-dal around, things feel a bit empty.’

Without the companion who had bickered with him across two lifetimes, the journey lacked its usual spark—especially inside a quiet carriage with little else to pass the time.

“Yang-hui. Little monk is hungry.”

‘……Ah, right. I forgot this guy was here.’

Occupying fully half of the seating space was A-du.

“Hold on a little longer. We’ll arrive in Namchang soon.”

“Will you buy rice cakes? Donate rice cakes to the little monk.”

A-du held out his giant, pot-lid-sized hand as if showing it off. Filling a hand that large with rice cakes would cost silver rather than simple copper coins.

“Sure, I’ll make a donation. But you have to earn your keep today as well. Remember what I told you? Those who do not work…”

“…should not eat! Little monk is a hard worker. Amitabha.”

The carriage continued its steady rhythm, wheels rattling along the road. Roughly an hour after the skyline of Namchang appeared in the distance, the carriage pulled to a halt right before the front gates of the Changil Escort Agency.

Yang-hui stepped down and cupped his fists respectfully toward the gatekeeper.

“Please inform those inside that a distinguished guest has arrived.”

“Pardon me, young hero, but whom do I have the honor of announcing?”

“Yang-hui of the Baek Clan. They will recognize the name once you pass it along.”

As expected, Yang-hui’s party was promptly invited inside. After a brief wait in the reception hall, the leader of the Changil Escort Agency entered the room.

“Hmm. I certainly did not expect an uninvited visitor like you. I am Yeo Gu-wi, the Agency Lord of Changil Escort Agency.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Agency Lord Yeo.”

“What brings the famous Soaring Heaven Sword Dragon to our humble establishment?”

A sharp blend of vigilance and guarded indifference was visible on the Agency Lord’s face.

‘He probably expects me to try flattering him or pleading for a peaceful resolution.’

Moments like this called for shattering expectations in grand fashion.

“To put it simply: I am here to buy the Changil Escort Agency.”

The Agency Lord’s face instantly contorted in anger. “Sell our ancestral business? Are you here to mock me? Just because you’ve earned a bit of fame does not give you the right to be arrogant, young man!”

As the Agency Lord bellowed in anger, Yang-hui merely maintained a faint, composed smile.

“Three thousand nyang of gold.”

“It doesn’t matter how much you off—Wait, what did you just say?”

Utter shock replaced the anger on the Agency Lord’s face. It was an overwhelming sum of money—far too immense to reject without hearing the full offer.

‘It’s time to show the White Clothes Sect what real financial power looks like.’