It took several days to sort out the old man's inheritance.

Lady Son seemed to suspect my true identity, but Cheongcheon made sure she couldn't think of anything else, leaving her utterly bewildered.

"Lady Son, there has been a report that the wine at Jeokhwa Tower has been watered down," I said.

"W-what nonsense is that!" she exclaimed.

"I cannot disclose the identity of the informant. May I check the liquor storage?"

"…Podu, can we talk privately for a moment?"

With the Podu known for his integrity and incorruptibility showing such a serious face, all the nearby merchants could only tremble in fear.

"Lady Son, I noticed several bruises on the courtesans. Is there violence happening within the brothel?"

"Th-that’s not it…."

"Looking at the kitchen, it seems a hygiene inspection is in order. Please bring the person in charge."

"W-why all of a sudden…!"

Cheongcheon wielded his authority effectively.

It would have been difficult for anyone else, but Lady Son was someone he had been waiting to confront.

After all, it was Lady Son who had chased away Cheongcheon's pregnant mother in the past.

Cheongcheon, having turned Lady Son pale, came over to me and said, "Lady Son will soon find herself in prison. The charges will include tax evasion, assault, and threats. If everything is tied together, she won't be able to get out until she dies."

"When is this 'soon'? I have some difficulties at the moment."

"…Would six months be enough?"

After considering the timeframe for a moment, I nodded.

"That should be sufficient. She has been excessively greedy for money. That's why I was planning to replace her at the right time."

I knew that Lady Son had embezzled a significant amount of money from the brothel.

If she were to be dragged to the authorities immediately, it would cause problems for the operation of Jeokhwa Tower, which would be troublesome.

However, if it were a few months later, it would be possible to replace her.

After I had firmly established myself as the successor to Old Man Heo.

"And from now on, Jeokhwa Tower will…."

As Cheongcheon struggled to speak, I provided him with the words he wanted to hear first.

"I will abolish the Blue Tower and only operate the Red Tower. Not immediately, but gradually. The courtesans who worked at the Blue Tower should also be provided with other means of livelihood, right? If they wish, I will arrange for them to work at inns, taverns, or shops."

Generally, the Blue Tower is a place for selling one's body, while the Red Tower provides drinks and entertainment.

Naturally, the Blue Tower earns more money, but I intended to clean up all the illegal and dirty businesses that Old Man Heo had been involved in.

Cheongcheon looked at me intently and said, "…Thank you."

"There's no need for thanks. It's not because I'm kind, but for the sake of my future reputation."

Old Man Heo, who was a major player in the loan sharking business, had many dirty rumors surrounding him and numerous enemies.

If I were to inherit his business as it was, I would also inherit his bad reputation and rumors, along with his enemies.

Engaging in dirty dealings inevitably breeds grudges.

'Money is good, but there's no need to invite unnecessary grudges that would disturb my peace of mind.'

As I mentioned earlier, my principle in this life is to avoid creating grudges as much as possible, and if they do arise, to uproot them entirely.

'I also need to consider my future relationship with Cheongcheon.'

Cheongcheon owed me a debt for his hidden troubles and his life (as he needed to fix the side effects of the Blood Demon Art), but I did not intend to treat him like a subordinate.

A one-sided relationship cannot last long.

Moreover, relationships can easily change when circumstances shift.

I smiled and extended my hand for a handshake with Cheongcheon.

"Let's work well together from now on. And speak comfortably. We seem to be of similar ages."

"…Alright."

Cheongcheon looked at my hand for a moment with a strange expression before shaking it.

"I think it's rather fortunate."

"What's fortunate?"

"That you inherited that man's legacy."

Cheongcheon did not want to inherit Old Man Heo's legacy, but it seemed he felt a sense of responsibility regarding it.

He thought that if he did not inherit it, either Heo Il or Lady Son might take it and continue to exploit the common people even more ruthlessly.

That was why he had kept the will instead of burning it immediately.

"But I believe you won't do anything dirty like those people."

"As you can see, I prefer to keep things clean."

"Except for the unlucky parts."

We exchanged smiles, looking at each other.

In any case, my relationship with Cheongcheon ended on a friendly note.

I had established a connection within the authorities, and Cheongcheon had saved a life he almost lost due to the Blood Demon Art while also relieving his burden.

Everything was good except for one lingering thought.

'Who was that black-clad person?'

The one who informed Cheongcheon about the side effects of the Blood Demon Art.

I tried to guess his identity, but nothing came to mind.

The Blood Demon Art is not an overwhelming martial art, but it is certainly not something that could be casually known in the marketplace.

With diligent and proper training, depending on the practitioner's qualities, it could potentially reach a peak level.

'If he is not a martial arts instructor from the Blood Sect, then he must be at least a major figure like a Grand Master or a Sect Leader to know the techniques….'

Has the Blood Sect truly fallen? If it has fallen, where did all the wealth and martial arts they accumulated go? What happened to the new techniques left by the four masters and the ones I reestablished?

"I'll see you next time."

"I'll come to ask if I have any questions about the techniques you taught me."

"Anytime."

After parting with Cheongcheon, I pondered various thoughts as I headed to meet Bok Man-chun.

"You've come."

Bok Man-chun, being a former vagabond, adapted quickly to the changed circumstances.

Without me asking, he promptly reported to me.

"Here is the list of inns, taverns, and shops owned by the late elder. Although it's nominal, we also have a battlefield and a post office. If you look here…."

Bok Man-chun was not only Old Man Heo's bodyguard but also took on various dirty jobs when martial force was needed.

He had accompanied Old Man Heo on outings and had seen many businesses, showing great interest in commerce.

"You've organized this well. Thank you for your hard work."

"Haha, it's nothing."

Although there was an older chief, I treated Bok Man-chun like a chief.

In fact, I was considering assigning him the chief position in the future.

After discussing some general business matters with Bok Man-chun, I brought up a personal request.

"Sir Bok, could you procure some elixirs for me?"

"Elixirs? What kind are you referring to…."

I told Bok Man-chun the type of elixir I needed, as he blinked his one eye.

"I would prefer one with strong Yang energy. The stronger the medicinal effect, the better, and if it has poison, that’s fine too."

"Hmm…."

Bok Man-chun thought for a moment and said that while it would be difficult at the moment, he could procure it with some time.

"I still have some connections in the vagabond market. If I put out feelers, I should be able to find something."

The vagabond market was a place where the martial force of vagabonds was bought and sold, but over time it had transformed into a black market where anything that could make money was traded.

A place where anything could be obtained as long as you had money.

Having been a vagabond for a long time, Bok Man-chun likely had significant connections there.

'Since the main trading target is vagabonds, I know that weapon trading is also considerable.'

Suddenly recalling the iron ore in my bag, I asked, "Could you introduce me to a blacksmith who is very discreet and skilled?"

"A blacksmith? Are you planning to make weapons?"

"I'd rather not go into detail."

Seeing my meaningful smile, the perceptive Bok Man-chun realized and lowered his head.

"I apologize. That was an unnecessary question… I'll look into it."

"Again, I must emphasize that he must be very discreet. This could involve several lives. Time is not an issue."

"…Yes. I will keep that in mind."

Bok Man-chun nodded with a serious expression.

Having finished my business, I stood up from my seat.

"Then I will take my leave as I have matters to attend to."

"Already? At least have a drink…"

"I have many places to stop by today. Let's definitely have a drink next time."

"I must have been thoughtless again. Please take care."

After assigning various tasks to Bok Man-chun, I went to find Go Ju-yeol at the Murim Alliance's Gangseo branch.

Of course, I had already removed my disguise.

"To think the culprit was your own son! Such a heavenly punishment…!"

When I informed him that the case had been resolved, Go Ju-yeol patted my shoulder and said, "You've worked hard."

"I didn't do much. The culprit set fire and committed suicide. In the end, I couldn't find any clues about the martial arts."

In the public eye, the culprit who killed Old Man Heo was known to be Heo Il, and naturally, the one who practiced the martial arts was also Heo Il.

I did not inform the Murim Alliance that the martial artist who killed Old Man Heo was using the Blood Demon Art.

I had no way to explain how I knew about the Blood Demon Art, and I had a strong feeling that if I did, I would get caught up in troublesome matters.

So I did not tell Go Ju-yeol anything about the truths I had uncovered.

'I feel a bit guilty, but….'

Seeing my expression, Go Ju-yeol made an assumption and comforted me.

"It's alright. It's not easy to track down a martial artist just by looking at the scars on a corpse."

"…Yes."

"Don't worry about the entrance exam. I will write in my report that you greatly assisted in this investigation, so you can speak confidently during the interview. I will also ask for a gratitude plaque to be made quickly."

In truth, I no longer needed a gratitude plaque from the Murim Alliance, but I smiled gratefully at Go Ju-yeol for his kind heart.

"Yes, thank you."

Go Ju-yeol still seemed busy with alliance matters, so I decided to eat later.

As I left the Murim Alliance, I thought, 'At least I have significantly reduced my worries about money.'

By chance, I had inherited the legacy of one of the top ten loan sharks in the city.

Although I planned to close down all the dirty businesses, it meant I now had a foundation to start a new venture.

'Should I learn about business like this? Or….'

After pondering for a moment, I shook my head.

"If I do business, I should do it in a way I'm good at."

I still did not know much about commerce.

Getting involved in something I didn't understand would likely lead to losses.

What I excel at is teaching and learning martial arts.

So, I should leave the existing businesses to those who are good at them and earn money through what I excel at while gradually learning about business.

'In any case, my mind feels much more at ease.'

Even if I were to fail the entrance exam for the Blue Dragon Academy, I wouldn't be in immediate financial trouble.

This is a fairly large city, so I could buy a vacant estate near the Blue Dragon Academy and open a martial arts school.

I could also invite my father, who was struggling alone in the countryside, to come up.

'Should I take this opportunity to expand the academy business significantly?'

With various thoughts in mind, I returned to the inn where I was staying.

I immediately threw myself onto the bed.

"Ugh. I'm so tired."

As I lay on the bed staring at the ceiling, the door creaked open a bit, and Ak Yeon-ho peeked his head in.

He looked displeased, his lips protruding as if he had something to complain about.

"Where have you been running around alone for the past few days?"

"Just some matters. Knowing too much can be dangerous."

"Hmm…."

Ak Yeon-ho squinted his eyes and entered my room, sniffing the air.

"Are you secretly meeting a woman? I can definitely smell perfume…."

Having just returned from Jeokhwa Tower, it was no surprise that there was a scent of perfume.

However, feeling too lazy to make excuses, I waved my hand dismissively.

"Nothing's going on. I'm going to sleep, so don't disturb me."

"Even if you're sleeping, you should at least look at this."

Ak Yeon-ho handed me a notice he had taken from the marketplace.

I quickly read through the contents written below.

I read it twice.

Thinking I might have misread it, I read it once more.

But it was not a mistake.

I pointed to a part of the announcement with my finger and asked Ak Yeon-ho, "What kind of madness is this? Students are going to vote to choose the instructors?"

The date for the entrance exam at the Blue Dragon Academy was fast approaching.