He evenly applied pain to one shoulder using only his own strength.
In truth, the rule was that the one who screamed first lost, so Lee Ja-Eon had already been defeated. However, the two were gripping each other's shoulders like affectionate brothers.
It was a heartwarming sight.
As soon as they reunited, they placed their hands on each other's shoulders and looked closely into each other's faces.
Lee Ja-Eon barely suppressed a groan, then gripped the First Young Master's shoulder even harder. It was too infuriating and unfair to be losing to this bastard.
Dan Woosung's voice calmly continued.
"Refrain from drawing your sword on family. And to think you even directly injured your own second brother... No matter what mess I caused, Father never collapsed like that."
Lee Ja-Eon was holding back a scream that was about to burst from between his lips.
"Ah…"
While his whole body trembled, he released his right hand from the First Young Master's shoulder and swung a punch at Dan Woosung's face. He was frustrated by having lost the contest of grip strength, so he figured he'd at least knock the First Young Master out with a punch to the face.
With a crack sound, Dan Woosung caught Lee Ja-Eon's flying fist with his left hand and said,
"Such a temper…"
To Dan Woosung, he just looked like a brat, which made him smile without realizing. Then, Dan Woosung subtly infused thunder energy from the White Lightning Tenfold Technique into his right hand.
"Ggh… khh…"
The scream that had been held back wormed its way out of Lee Ja-Eon's mouth. As his whole body trembled, he collapsed to his knees on the floor under the pressure of Dan Woosung's right hand.
Dan Woosung looked down at Lee Ja-Eon.
It's easier to handle things when the pecking order is made crystal clear. And it means you can finish things without having to kill someone.
Dan Woosung kept injecting thunder energy with an expressionless face until Lee Ja-Eon started drooling white foam between his lips. Only when Lee Ja-Eon, trembling all over, had half-fainted, did Dan Woosung stop the infusion and speak.
"Third."
When Lee Ja-Eon didn't respond like someone struck by lightning, Dan Woosung slapped his cheek to snap him back.
Smack!
"Ja-Eon… Hey."
Dan Woosung, too, was inwardly a bit flustered. Lee Ja-Eon's internal energy was weaker than expected, and he might've fainted completely. The human body is funny like that. In these moments, a slap really is the best medicine.
"You brat, snap out of it."
With another slap, Lee Ja-Eon's head snapped to the side. Shaking his head vigorously, he finally came back to his senses. He inhaled sharply.
"Hff."
Crouching, Dan Woosung grabbed Lee Ja-Eon's chin and examined his face, then raised his right hand again as if to slap him once more and said,
"Wake—"
Lee Ja-Eon quickly responded.
"I'm awake."
Truly, a beating was the best medicine.
Dan Woosung lowered his hand and said,
"Good. I thought you were going to die. The third son of the Eunha Merchant Group, who trains harder than anyone, can't die in such a meaningless way."
Lee Ja-Eon looked at his older brother, breathing heavily.
He wondered if this really was the same older brother he had relentlessly tormented since childhood. Of course, it had all been done behind the adults' backs, so only the brothers themselves knew of the past.
Dan Woosung suddenly let out a sigh.
Memories of the First Young Master surfaced, and looking at Lee Ja-Eon like this helped him understand their relationship. Feeling a little spiteful, Dan Woosung slapped Lee Ja-Eon's cheek again.
Thud!
This time, there was emotion behind it, and blood streamed down from both of Lee Ja-Eon's nostrils.
Dan Woosung spoke to the bleeding Lee Ja-Eon.
"Let's settle the past with this, Third. Answer me quickly, if you don't want another slap."
"…Got it."
"And show some respect. Am I your friend?"
Wiping the blood from his nose, Lee Ja-Eon replied,
"…Ah, understood."
Lee Ja-Eon was overwhelmed with emotion, knowing that a difference in martial power at this level could mean death.
He had trained so hard, yet had been beaten by the older brother he'd always looked down on—it was enough to make him feel bitter.
But that "hard work" was only by Lee Ja-Eon's standards. Compared to Dan Woosung, who had wandered the vast Jianghu, it was nothing. A mere drop in the ocean—like a puppy who doesn't know the tiger's might.
Dan Woosung already knew that the person who recommended Gongsun Myung was Ouyang Hou, but he asked anyway to be certain.
"Who brought Gongsun Myung in?"
"What do you mean, 'brought in'? What are you talking about?"
Dan Woosung studied Lee Ja-Eon's expression and asked,
"Who hired him? Was there someone who introduced him?"
Lee Ja-Eon answered carelessly, as far as he knew.
"Gongsun Myung was probably introduced by Ouyang Hou, the Captain of the guard division. I heard he was recommended because of his skills."
Dan Woosung replied,
"You sure? If you're lying, don't expect any brotherly affection from me."
"It's true. Second Brother knows too."
"Ouyang Hou never tried to approach you guys?"
"There was nothing like that."
"Alright. I'll keep that in mind."
Suddenly feeling uneasy, Lee Ja-Eon asked,
"Why? Did something happen at the safe house?"
"How did you pick your personal guards? They didn't seem to be from the guard division. Did you hire them?"
Lee Ja-Eon replied hesitantly.
"Ah, they were guests of the Ouyang Family that Ouyang Hou recommended…"
As he was speaking, Dan Woosung slapped Lee Ja-Eon again. It was lighter than before, but the smack echoed.
Lee Ja-Eon asked, as if it was unfair,
"Why'd you hit me again?"
Dan Woosung said,
"Third, get your head on straight. Are you trying to hand over the entire Eunha Merchant Group to the Ouyang Family? Why do people Ouyang Hou shoved in keep increasing in the group? We're already paying them hefty tribute, and now we're even covering their salaries. Does that make sense to you?"
Rubbing his cheek, Lee Ja-Eon widened his eyes. He wasn't an idiot. He'd begun sensing something was wrong in his conversation with his older brother.
He already knew his guard had picked a fight over something trivial, so the situation was even more suspicious. Getting slapped and having a nosebleed wasn't nearly as serious.
Before that, with the matter involving the Smiling Immortal Sect, their father had already been in a foul mood. Being ignored by the Ouyang Family only added fuel to the fire. As a merchant who valued trust above all else, their father hated this sort of conduct most of all.
As Dan Woosung stood up, Lee Ja-Eon quickly asked,
"How will you respond?"
"If it turns out you colluded with the Ouyang Family, I won't stop at just breaking your arms and legs. Speak now, before things get out of hand."
He said this without even a change in expression, and Lee Ja-Eon swallowed hard.
"W-What? That's not true. It'll never happen. Why would the Eunha Merchant Group belong to the Ouyang Family? Father built this business. I won't let someone else take it. I'll kill them all myself. That's why I'm learning martial arts."
Dan Woosung grabbed Lee Ja-Eon's head and spoke, this time with a chilling murderous glint in his eyes.
"Brother, I hope that's the truth."
Only then did Lee Ja-Eon truly become afraid. It felt like his older brother had returned completely insane.
"Y-Yes…"
"You just keep training in martial arts. Don't worry about anything else. I'll handle the Ouyang Family. Got it?"
"Yes, understood."
Lee Ja-Eon looked at his older brother.
Just how was he planning to deal with the Ouyang Family? He figured the only reason the Ouyang Family used such tactics was because they were part of the White Path. With all of Jianghu watching, they couldn't devour them like a snake in the dark, so they had to use these roundabout methods.
In truth, it was something to investigate and decide on — whether the Ouyang Family itself was deeply involved, or if it was just Ouyang Hou, sent under the guise of a representative, acting on personal greed.
Dan Woosung, who had just finished thoroughly beating the third brother, spoke in an indifferent tone.
"I'm leaving. Keep training. Earlier, when you were chopping the wood, your left foot placement was off, so your waist couldn't deliver power properly."
"Mm…"
Dan Woosung took a few steps, then stopped and looked back when Lee Ja-Eon didn't reply. In reality, Lee Ja-Eon was in shock after receiving advice on martial arts from his older brother. He couldn't tell if the First Young Master had gone insane, or if he himself was losing it.
Lee Ja-Eon finally responded.
"Ah, understood."
Dan Woosung gave a very natural-sounding order.
"And, go apologize to the Second Brother. Not just an apology, but a formal atonement. Got it?"
Lee Ja-Eon replied,
"Yes, I'll do that."
"Once he forgives you, visit Father and tell him Hwa-Eon forgave you. That will put him at ease, and he'll recover quickly."
"Yes."
As Dan Woosung disappeared, Lee Ja-Eon covered his face with his hands.
It felt like a storm had passed. Being hit by his older brother wasn't all that upsetting — it was the words he left behind that stuck in his chest.
Then Lee Ja-Eon suddenly wore an expression of realization.
"Huh? Could it be?"
He struck the ground with his fist, his imagination spiraling out.
"I should've gone to Jinhua Mountain! He must've met a reclusive master there! That's the only way that weakling could've become like this!"
A young man who had always longed for Jianghu, now trapped in his own 'Jianghu-style' delusions. Lee Ja-Eon repeatedly slammed his fists into the innocent ground.
"I should've! I should've! I should've! Gone to the safe house!"
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Lee Ja-Eon suddenly clenched his hand and winced in pain. The regret of a Jianghu fanatic hit him all at once.
"Damn it… I nearly broke it."
.
.
.
In the narrow corridor leading from the garden to the main hall, the guards stationed there tilted their heads in confusion as the First Young Master appeared completely unharmed and walked toward them. They glared at Dan Woosung as he passed.
Dan Woosung also looked at the guards staring him down from both sides and continued on toward the main hall. Then, two guards stepped in front of him to block his path.
Mok In-Seop, who had been crouching in the main hall, stood up and spoke coldly to the two guards.
"You two, step aside while we're still talking. What do you think you're doing?"
Because they were externally hired guards who had injured his fellow guard division members, Mok In-Seop already had a bad impression of them.
Just as Mok In-Seop reached for his sword, his eyes widened in shock and he froze.
The two guards blocking Dan Woosung were now floating in the air, both clutching their throats. Mok In-Seop hadn't even seen how the First Young Master moved.
"Ggh!"
"Gkk!"
With two thuds, the guards crashed to the ground and rolled around, grabbing their throats and wheezing. The grip strength was one thing, but the strange energy also gave a burning sensation around their necks.
Dan Woosung looked at Mok In-Seop, who grinned and opened the main hall doors.
Without even glancing at the fallen men, Dan Woosung said,
"Your guards are trash."
Reading the room quickly, Mok In-Seop grinned slyly and replied,
"What shall we do?"
Dan Woosung spoke in a mocking tone.
"If they're useless, they're out. I heard they even fought with the other guards. We don't need men who just stir up trouble."
"Agreed."
As Dan Woosung headed toward his quarters, he added,
"They're fired."
Mok In-Seop wanted to burst out laughing but deliberately held it in. In truth, he wasn't sure if the First Young Master even had the authority to fire them, but given how things had played out so far, it looked like everything would go the way he wanted. The stuffy situation within the merchant group was finally starting to clear up.