Because of the repeated booms that erupted in the main hall, even the outside was a bit noisy. However, due to Han Yeop's order, the Guard Division and the guests of the Ouyang Family waited with uncomfortable expressions.
Dan Woosung confirmed from Ouyang Hou's expression that he was being looked down upon, and asked,
"Did you bring those stragglers outside?"
Ouyang Hou responded,
"Why do you ask?"
"Don't we need witnesses? If you want to cut off my arm and leave safely, I mean."
As long as a neutral witness confirms that it was a legitimate duel, even if someone dies, it would be acceptable. Usually, a neutral person would act as the witness, but from Dan Woosung's perspective, it was better for the guests of the Ouyang Family to serve as witnesses.
And just as Dan Woosung said, if the Guard Division of the Eunha Merchant Group saw the First Young Master getting horribly beaten, not even the Captain of the Guard Division would let it go quietly. In any case, Ouyang Hou was an outsider.
Ouyang Hou sneered.
"First Young Master, you talk as if you could actually kill me. I can't tell if you're just trash or if you're a man who actually knows how to think."
Dan Woosung retorted,
"Don't divide the world into either-or. Can't I be trash and clever at the same time? Anyway..."
As Dan Woosung deliberately trailed off, Ouyang Hou nodded.
'Fine. One arm won't be enough for you, huh. With a witness present, what's there to hesitate about?'
As if biting at the bait Dan Woosung had thrown, Ouyang Hou swung his sword toward the main hall doors.
Thunk! With that sound, the doors burst open, and Ouyang Hou said,
"Guard Division and guests of the Ouyang Family, act as witnesses. The First Young Master has agreed."
The Guard Division and the guests of the Ouyang Family swarmed in and, as if dividing into camps, took positions behind Ouyang Hou and Dan Woosung.
Mok In-Seop spoke.
"First Young Master, please be careful."
Ouyang Hou asked,
"Are we ready?"
Dan Woosung replied curtly,
"Life-and-death duel."
"Of course."
Dan Woosung's expression remained calm.
His opponent was the very cause of Lee Jin-Eon's death, the one who had instigated fratricidal strife and plotted to swallow the merchant group. A man with a character twisted enough to hatch vile schemes wherever he went. Whether the Ouyang Family or an even greater force was behind him didn't matter—Dan Woosung had no intention of letting him live.
From the preliminary bout, he had already assessed the sword's speed and the depth of internal energy.
That was enough information for Dan Woosung. Various processes and endings suited to different scenarios automatically replayed in his mind.
The two who had been glaring at each other silently clashed again.
Amid a rapid exchange of sword wind and fist wind, Ouyang Hou took the center of the main hall, while Dan Woosung moved in a circular motion outside of that zone. There were moments when the sword brushed dangerously close to Dan Woosung's body, and other times when he dodged the stabbing blade with impressive skill.
Each time, Ouyang Hou was inwardly astonished.
'So this bastard's main strength is in fists, huh.'
It wasn't the thunder energy that was frightening—his varied responses made it seem like he'd fought countless swordsmen. Even for the experienced Ouyang Hou, many of these counters were things he was seeing for the first time.
He would push the sword's edge away with his bare hand or strike the wrist with fist wind before the sword could even be swung.
Only then did Ouyang Hou realize that Dan Woosung's movements had been flowing like water the entire time, and he broke into a cold sweat without even knowing it. Growing anxious, Ouyang Hou began to swing his sword faster. He was no longer looking at the duel as a whole, but recklessly drawing on his internal energy in advance.
Meanwhile, in Dan Woosung's eyes, he could see the trajectory of the flowing sword, and coolly read the psychological state contained in it.
'He's nervous. Ouyang Hou, now's when you bring out the technique you're most confident in.'
Dan Woosung waited for Ouyang Hou's devious trick. After all, personality and swordsmanship always influence each other. After exchanging over a dozen dangerously close attacks and defenses, Ouyang Hou went for the finish.
He targeted Dan Woosung's right shoulder, then used the force from his left palm to strike his face, and finally, after retrieving the sword, he split it into three afterimages with the intention of stabbing Dan Woosung's abdomen.
The attack unfolded exactly as planned.
Dan Woosung slightly leaned his shoulder back to dodge the first strike.
He countered the force aimed at his face with his fist, neutralizing it...
Just then, Ouyang Hou lunged forward to thrust the final decisive blow. But the sword neither advanced nor split into three.
As Ouyang Hou took a step forward, Dan Woosung also closed the distance and grabbed Ouyang Hou's wrist. Immediately, he crushed the wrist bone and injected thunder energy.
It was a clear display of the difference in psychological insight. Even before the sword hit the floor, Dan Woosung stomped down on the top of Ouyang Hou's foot with his left foot like a thunderbolt. In fact, it was a thunder kick.
Crack...!
Ouyang Hou barely managed to stifle a groan. But his lower body wouldn't move. The thunder energy had surged from his toes, through his calves, and up to his thighs.
Only then did the sword clatter to the floor...
Dan Woosung struck Ouyang Hou's abdomen with his left fist, and as the man's body rose into the air with a thud, Dan Woosung brought his right hand down and drove him onto his knee, placed beneath Ouyang Hou's lower back.
Thwack! Crack!
Ouyang Hou's spine shattered, his entire body arched like a bow, then collapsed limp from Dan Woosung's knee, and the moment he hit the ground, foam frothed at his lips.
Dan Woosung, standing without a scratch, looked down at Ouyang Hou. The match had ended in an instant, and Ouyang Hou lay there, unable to even grasp how he had lost.
"Senior!"
The guests of the Ouyang Family rushed in and surrounded Ouyang Hou, checking if he was still alive. But their desperate cries alone spoke the result of the duel.
One man turned his head sharply and glared at Dan Woosung.
Dan Woosung looked at him and said,
"Are you glaring like that because you want to be killed too? You all know better than anyone what Ouyang Hou tried to do to our merchant group. If you have any conscience left, take the corpse and leave while I'm letting you."
Having reported to his father and returned, Lee Hwa-Eon watched the disaster that had unfolded in the main hall with a pale face.
'Good heavens...'
As the guests of the Ouyang Family hoisted up the breathless Ouyang Hou and left, one man remained and spoke to Dan Woosung.
"First Young Master, I confirm there were no irregularities or issues in this duel. I'll report it as a witness."
"You seem to have more to say—go ahead."
"The Ouyang Family will likely continue to request duels disguised as revenge. You'll have no choice but to accept. I wish you martial fortune."
At the words that were borderline a threat, the entire Eunha Merchant Group fell silent.
Once the outsiders had all left, everyone gathered turned their eyes to Dan Woosung. Han Yeop also came out briefly and was receiving a report from Mok In-Seop about what had happened.
As Dan Woosung looked around, he realized that all the men of the Eunha Merchant Group had gathered. The atmosphere was charged. Everyone seemed to be expecting Dan Woosung to say something. Some even seemed to hope he would say something like, "My sect is powerful, so don't worry."
There would be no such thing.
Because the Eunha Merchant Group has the Fist King now.
Dan Woosung spoke.
"The Eunha Merchant Group is mine."
At his sudden and seemingly out-of-the-blue declaration, the members of the Eunha Merchant Group stared at him blankly. Dan Woosung continued.
"It's also my father's, and it belongs to the many laborers who carry heavy burdens. It belongs to the stablehands, who always look apologetic even though they've done nothing wrong. It belongs to the Guard Division, who rise even on cold dawns to stand watch. It belongs to my uncle, who has lived more earnestly than anyone else because of the grace my grandfather showed him...
Dan Woosung nodded.
"So even if our merchant group stacks money as high as a mountain, not a single coin will go to bastards like Ouyang Hou. This matter is the Ouyang Family's disgrace, not my wrongdoing. Even if someone raises an issue, the responsibility lies with me, not the Eunha Merchant Group. That's why I fought him alone. So now, everyone, lighten up your faces."
Only then did people begin to smile.
Unexpectedly, Mok In-Seop started clapping first, and others, swept up in the moment, joined in with applause.
Lee Hwa-Eon also clapped, but the youngest, Lee Ja-Eon, who had been loitering and watching from the sidelines, did not. He was swallowing curses under his breath.
'If I had gone to Jinhua Mountain, I'd be the one getting that applause. Damn it.'
Lee Ja-Eon stared at his eldest brother with eyes full of rage. When he made eye contact with Dan Woosung, he gave a few half-hearted claps and quickly dropped his hands.
Dan Woosung called out to his younger brother in front of everyone.
"Chief Steward."
"Yes."
"In that spirit, buy me an elixir."
"Excuse me? An elixir? What kind...?"
Dan Woosung grinned and replied.
"Of course, the best one this Jianghu has to offer."
The members of the merchant group chuckled and turned to look at Lee Hwa-Eon. All of them had expressions as if waiting for the Chief Steward's approval.
Lee Hwa-Eon also laughed heartily. Honestly, there was no need for his older brother to boost his prestige like this in front of everyone. His brother had plenty of personal wealth, and even if he asked separately, it would have been bought.
With a rare, bright expression, Lee Hwa-Eon responded to Dan Woosung.
"Since it's for you, brother, our Eunha Merchant Group will purchase the finest elixir available. I hope you grow stronger quickly, and give a proper beating to whoever you face in the next duel."
"Hahahaha..."
As the people burst into laughter, Lee Hwa-Eon smiled too. And it wasn't just words. In truth, from now on, the fate of the Eunha Merchant Group partly rested on his older brother's martial strength.
Looking at his older brother, Lee Hwa-Eon said,
"Brother, not just me, the entire merchant group will support you. Get stronger, quickly."
Dan Woosung looked back at Lee Hwa-Eon and nodded.
"That's what I want."
As everyone scattered to return to their duties, Lee Ja-Eon, wearing a face full of pent-up rage, was left standing alone.
He was replaying the scene of Dan Woosung's final clash with Ouyang Hou in his head.
He was almost in a trance.
"So, at this point, Ouyang Hou throws out a sword strike, but it was a feint. Palm strike! But that was also a fake. Two false openings, the third must've been the real one, right? Thrust! Die! And then, the bastard—his response... like he expected it all, closed the gap, twisted the wrist, and bam on the foot!"
While mimicking Dan Woosung's movements, Lee Ja-Eon was waving his hands and feet like a madman. Still, his analysis was surprisingly sharp—impressive in its own way.
As he punched upward, Lee Ja-Eon made a whoosh sound with his mouth.
"Then just slam the abdomen, and snap! Break the back so he croaks!"
He tilted his head slightly and muttered.
"Damn, that was a perfect win. Haa..."
Only then did Lee Ja-Eon realize he had been acting like a lunatic by himself and looked around. Fortunately, no one was there.
Letting out a deep sigh, Lee Ja-Eon turned toward his quarters.
"They're not buying me any elixir? This is discrimination. Damn bastards..."