Volcanic Age

Jinan, Shandong Province.

The prestige of the Gold Will Merchants grew day by day. In fact, it had grown so much that it was unrecognizable to Zhou Xuchuan when he arrived in Jinan.

Apparently, in the half-year since he'd been gone, they had accumulated even more wealth and expanded.

He and his party, which included Luo Xiaoyue and five Phantoms, headed straight for the Gold Will Merchants.

"Hey, look over there."

"Is that…"

Visitors who had lined up at the entrance since early morning whispered to each other as they noticed Zhou Xuchuan.

"Hehe. Well, this is the downside of being famous."

Come to think of it, he had returned to Mount Hua before he had the chance to fully enjoy the fame that came with his new title, the Plum Blossom Order Sword.

It felt strange yet good to have complete strangers recognize him at a glance and praise(?) him.[1]

This was something he never could have dreamed of in his past life, and he couldn't help but feel proud of himself.

"But don't you think it's a little strange?" Luo Xiaoyue muttered, her voice laced with doubt.

“What is?”

“Their gazes.”

"That's because you're covering your face. Don't be so upset just because your usual attention is gone."

"It's not like that…"

Luo Xiaoyue sighed as if there was nothing she could say to Zhou Xuchuan.

"The way that they recognize you seems strange, senior brother. Almost as… senior brother?"

Zhou Xuchuan stopped walking the moment he entered the garden.

Only seconds after he had written his name down at the entrance and stepped inside the pavilion, something strange in the center of the well-maintained garden caught his eye.

It was only then that the two of them realized the reason behind the peculiar gazes they had felt at the main gate earlier.

"... senior brother."

"Don't ask."

They could feel sharp stares from those around them, but they ignored them.

In front of them stood a statue, about eight feet tall. Its face was so detailed, the sculptor's skills had to be impressive. The most shocking part, however, was that the statue wasn’t made of stone or iron, but of pure gold.

Even more important was who the statue was modeled after.

"Oh dear! It's you, Great Hero!"

THUD, THUD, THUD!

Li Yicai, who seemed to have gained even more weight in the half-year Zhou Xuchuan hadn't seen him, ran out barefoot into the garden. Sweat poured down his double chin like rain as he rushed over.

He used to look like any old merchant, but now that he had become incredibly wealthy, he had gained a considerable amount of weight.

"I, the Gold Will Merchant Head Merchant Li Yicai, have been waiting for the Great Hero like a woman who sent her husband to war! Hehehe!"

Although his appearance had changed, his personality and attitude remained the same.

He rubbed his hands while laughing sinisterly, looking exactly like one of those treacherous retainers from the theaters. His smile practically dripped with honey.

"I missed you so much, Great Hero, that I made a statue of you in the garden and bowed to it every morning. Isn't it wonderful? Just look at it!"

Li Yicai smiled brightly and stroked the base of the golden statue. The way he moved his hands made Zhou Xuchuan shiver.

Now he understood why people had recognized him and whispered as he passed by.

Zhou Xuchuan walked slowly toward the golden statue and stopped in front of it. As if he'd been waiting, Li Yicai opened his mouth and began to speak.

"Yes, Great Hero! Now, to explain the origins of this golden statue…"

His words quickly turned into screams.

"AGK!! GREAT HERO! HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK THIS COST? GREAT HERO! GREAT HERO!"

"I'm going to destroy this!"

***

Zhou Xuchuan stood in front of familiar faces.

“It’s been a long time, everyone.”

Jinan had become like a second hometown to him.

The days he spent at the Gold Will Merchants had always been extremely comfortable. More than anything, he was happy to see the familiar faces again.

"Sob, sob… It's really been a while. It's good to see you. Sob. Great Hero! Sob!"

Li Yicai formally greeted him while crying and holding the broken pieces of the golden statue. It was strange to see him like this, gently stroking the statue’s head.

"Stop your crying and give me a general report of what's been going on."

"Understood…"

Even though Zhou Xuchuan asked for a report, there wasn't much for Li Yicai to report on. He had already sent Zhou Xuchuan the rough details of the important matters through letters.

The Gold Will Merchants had gradually expanded their territory and where they conducted business.

In addition to their grain deliveries, they had expanded into new ventures, starting with weapons production and eventually establishing inns and outposts. Granted, since these were side ventures, they weren't on a large scale.

So far, they mainly focused on military supplies and equipment.

The Gold Will Sword Sect was also growing steadily, with each of the three corps doing quite well. After all, wasn't the Merchant King's eye for talent unparalleled?

He would immediately expel anyone the moment there were any problems, replacing them swiftly to maintain the highest quality.

He was cold but efficient.

"Sir Wu Qu has been participating in the training for about three months now and has frequently been teaching the recruits."

"Oh, really?"

That wasn't a bad thing. Actually, on the contrary, it was something to be welcomed with open arms.

After all, weren't they getting lessons from a man nearly on par with the Ten Empyrean Overlords, the Sword Demon? Zhou Xuchuan was satisfied and expected good results.

"Yes. At first, the recruits were angry about a guest coming in to teach them, but after getting badly beaten, they kept their mouths shut and followed orders."

"Are you saying they attacked the elder? He must be taking things seriously, then."

Zhou Xuchuan wasn't joking. He was being serious.

"And what's Shengji doing now?"

“He’s sleeping.”

"When the sun is this high in the sky?"

"He mentioned developing something new a while ago and has been up all night for several days. While it's probably already time for him to get up, I'll call an attendant to wake him up."

"It's fine. It's not like we don't have the time, so let him sleep. Instead, there’s someone I’d like to introduce to you."

Li Yicai's gaze naturally shifted to the side.

"The heroine of the gangho, the disciple of the Iron Blood Plum Sword of the Five High Elders of Mount Hua, the Young Lady Luo Xiaoyue. It's an honor to meet you. The rumors were true, you really are the Number One Beauty Under Heaven. My eyes were almost blinded by your beauty."

Luo Xiaoyue was surprised not only by the flattery that seemed to flow like water, but also by how Li Yicai recognized her even without her introducing herself.

"Do you know who I am?"

"Of course I do. No one who visits the Mount Hua Sect can remain indifferent to the beauty of the Young Lady. Above all, you're the Great Hero's precious person, even if you aren't always by his side. So, how could I not know who you are? After all, I know everything about the Great Hero."

"To the point where it's a little annoying."

"Hehe. Great Hero. I don't know what to do with myself when you praise me like that," Li Yicai shamelessly responded.

"I've already told him about you, junior sister. Besides, the Gold Will Merchants are quite capable. Not only are they knowledgeable about the merchant world, but they’re also well informed about the murim. They are most likely more informed than we are."

"As knowledge is money."

“Isn’t knowledge power?”

“For a merchant, money is power!”

Indeed, it was a reasonable statement.

"Well, while it’s unfortunate that I didn’t get the chance to introduce myself, it’s convenient that you already know who I am. I’ll be in your care." Luo Xiaoyue bowed and greeted politely.

"Oh dear, oh dear. There's no need for a Young Lady like you to be so polite to a merchant like me. Please, feel free to treat me however you wish."

Li Yicai waved his hand as if embarrassed, but a faint smile spread across his face, betraying his happiness.

‘As expected of the junior sister of the Great Hero. While I saw many talents of the younger generation as the company's reputation rose, there were only a few who treated me like this without looking down on me.’

Martial artists generally looked down on merchants, and the Golden Will Merchants were no exception.

They didn't expect to be treated well in the first place, and most people they actually met treated them with hostility and contempt, just as expected.

In particular, the talents of the Righteous Faction had many youngsters who were full of arrogance and pride.

Only a few, like Zhou Xuchuan and Zhuge Shengji, were in that special category that treated everyone with respect. And today, Luo Xiaoyue was also added to that category.

It had been a long time since Li Yicai had thought of the phrase, 'birds of a feather flock together' in a positive sense.

"Oh, there’s someone else I’d like to introduce."

"Oh, Do you have another companion? I’ve been so focused on your handsome face, Great Hero, I forgot myself. If you just tell me where they are, I'll send someone to pick them up right away."

"No need. They're already here.”

Zhou Xuchuan tapped the ground with his index and middle fingers. Instantly, as if they had always been there, a man and a woman appeared on either side of him.

"Agh!!"

Li Yicai screamed and fell over. To him, it seemed as if they had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

"These two will be your hands and feet from now on."

"My hands and feet?" Li Yicai asked, still shaken.

It was a man and a woman. Both were wearing revealing clothes and had emotionless faces. Black cloth covered their eyes.

They were two of the five Phantoms who had followed Zhou Xuchuan and Luo Xiaoyue from the Valley of Phantoms.

"If the two of them join forces, they can kill a Peak expert easily. If they go all out, a Transcendent expert isn't out of the question, either. These two are mainly skilled in assassination and intelligence gathering, so use them as your servants."

Li Yicai wasn't a small-time Head Merchant anymore. He was getting considerable attention.

While he had guards around him, they weren't enough, and it wasn't as if the Sword Demon could always stay by his side.

"I've already given them orders, so they'll follow any order you give them. However, please treat them as people, not tools. They've had pitiful lives."

"U-understood.”

Even if they had gone through the Mind-Killing, they were still people, not tools.

In a way, they were also victims.

The sins they had committed wouldn’t disappear, but it was hard to say that all of it was entirely their fault.

Although being victims of the Valley wasn't an excuse for their actions, it was still too pitiful for them to live lives where they were only ever used.

Even if they had lost their minds and it was meaningless, Zhou Xuchuan still wanted them to receive some form of compensation.

"Those two will always be by your side, Head Merchant. As they don't have names, I would appreciate it if you could name them for me."

The man and woman moved from Zhou Xuchuan’s side to stand by Li Yicai.

As their faces were emotionless, they didn't even seem like people.

"Then, let's end things here for today. I'm a little tired from traveling. I'll come visit you again tomorrow."

"Understood. Please get some rest."

After exchanging their farewells and opening the door, a servant and a maid greeted them and guided them to their respective rooms.

About an hour later, Zhou Xuchuan returned.

“What can I help you with?” Li Yicai asked, not surprised as if he had been expecting him.

Zhou Xuchuan checked to see if anyone was listening before going straight to the point.

“I came to get the secret manuals I left behind.”

"Understood. I was wondering why the Shaolin Temple was so quiet."

‘As expected, his insight and intuition are frightening.’

Although Zhou Xuchuan didn't give him any details, Li Yicai had still noticed everything.

The Blood Monk's manual, the Martial Alliance and the Shaolin Temple, the Prajna Divine Art.

Li Yicai's ability to grasp the situation was extraordinary.

It wasn’t for nothing that he reigned as the Merchant King during the Era of War and Chaos.

‘I'm so glad that he's my ally.’

To be trusted by him was was like gaining a thousand troops.

"It has been so hard to keep this secret to myself!" Li Yicai sighed, his hands feeling along the floor.

After searching for a while, his fingers found a gap too narrow to be seen. Even with his thick fingers, he managed to grip it firmly.

Next, he took out a wooden skewer from his bosom, inserted it into the narrow gap, and flipped the floor panel open.

"I change its location at least once every two days, and I'm the only one who knows where it's hidden. I've had to renovate my house quite a bit because of this."

The manual, carefully held between his swollen fingers, was handed back to its rightful owner, the grave robber Zhou Xuchuan.

“Thank you for your hard work in keeping it safe.”

After checking the contents to confirm their authenticity, Zhou Xuchuan put the manual in his bosom. While he wasn't particularly suspicious, he was just worried that it might have been secretly switched out by a third party.

"Please send the Shaolin Temple a message. Tell them I'm bringing it. Since the Martial Alliance Leader has already made them a promise, they'll understand the message. Now, I'll really take my leave this time to go and rest."

1. The ? is part of the raws. ☜