As Kim Ah-soo walked ahead through the secret passage of Golden Manor, I could feel the tension in the air.

The path was complex, like a maze. Everywhere—on the walls, ceiling, and floor—were deadly traps and mechanisms hidden from sight. The tension from Kim Sa-yeon, who was following behind, was palpable.

After winding through the complicated path known only to those who knew the way, we arrived at the secret vault where Golden Manor’s treasures were stored.

“We owe you our lives, so I should give you all my wealth, but realistically, that’s impossible.”

“I’m not asking for that much.”

“It would be nice to set an amount and repay you, but how about this instead? You can take as much as you can carry from here. But no wagons, and no help from others.”

“Does that mean I can take whatever I can carry?”

“Yes.”

“Can I use my internal energy to carry it?”

“Of course.”

“Then I’ll be taking quite a lot.”

“Well, if it weren’t for you, we’d all be dead. This much is the least I can do for you.”

“Thank you.”

“I’ll give you an hour. Is that alright?”

“That’s enough.”

I slowly walked into the treasure vault.

As Geom Muguk entered the vault, Kim Sa-yeon turned to Kim Ah-soo and asked, “Are you alright?”

“What do you mean?”

“Considering his martial arts skills, he might take more than expected. Aren’t you worried?”

Kim Sa-yeon smiled like it was a joke, but deep inside, she was worried that her father might later be upset or even fall ill. Her father had dedicated his life to amassing wealth, and now much of that wealth could be lost to someone else.

But Kim Ah-soo’s response was unexpected.

“Is there anything inside here more valuable than the lives we’ve saved today?”

Kim Ah-soo patted his daughter’s shoulder.

“Just the fact that you and Yang-i are alive is enough. If I had lost both of you...”

Kim Ah-soo couldn’t finish the sentence. He had lived his life being told that his heart would never bleed, but when it came to his children, he was like any other father—full of love and emotion. He just hadn’t had the chance to express it.

Through this experience, Kim Ah-soo came to a deep realization.

He would never regret giving up all his wealth for his blood, but he regretted neglecting them for the sake of accumulating riches.

And there was another reason why he wouldn’t regret losing everything.

There are many kinds of death. If one dies for a purpose they’ve fought for, they die without regret, but in this case, it was the betrayal of someone he had trusted. He probably couldn’t even close his eyes in peace after dying.

“That swordsman... he’s not ordinary.”

“Yes. Despite his young age, his skills are extraordinary.”

“It’s not just his skills that I saw.”

“Then, what did you see?”

“I’ve been thinking about how to express it, but I couldn’t find the right words. That swordsman has an energy that words can’t describe.”

Kim Ah-soo had met many people in his life. But someone with such a unique presence and composure, especially at such a young age, was something new to him.

“Money can be earned again, but an encounter with someone like him happens only once in a lifetime.”

What’s more, the man was young. Kim Ah-soo hoped that his daughter and grandson would carry on the connection with this young man in the next era of Golden Manor.

“Thus, I don’t mind him taking everything. The more he takes, the deeper our connection will become.”

I can say with certainty that I’ll never step into a treasure vault like that again in my life.

On one side, gold pieces were piled up like a mountain, so bright that just looking at them hurt my eyes. Statues of Buddha and warriors, tableware, ornaments, tigers, toads, tortoises, pigs—everything was made of gold. Initially, it seemed well-organized, but as the items grew in number, they had just been piled up like a mountain.

In a nearby display case, rare jewels were arranged—rings, necklaces, bracelets, and even hairpins made from jade.

On the opposite display table, porcelain was displayed, and behind them hung famous paintings by renowned artists. Truly, every rare treasure was there.

Then, something that excited me was displayed beside it.

Dark night pearls and antidote pearls—tiny yet highly valuable, especially the antidote pearls, which were the finest quality.

There were five of each. These were far more valuable than any jewels in the vault, as they were difficult to obtain even with money.

I happily collected the night pearls and antidote pearls first, tucking them into my pockets.

The immense value was now in my hands, but this was just the beginning.

Next, I picked out rings that I could sell for a high price and slipped them on my fingers, then stacked bracelets and necklaces until they weighed heavily on me.

I started looking for something to store the gold pieces in. A large sack would have been perfect, but there was nothing suitable to hold it all.

Should I just take off my clothes and use them?

As I thought about this, I spotted a roll of cloth in a corner. Upon closer inspection, it was fabric from the celestial silkworm.

I cut it as large as I could with my sword, making a large bundle, and then began gathering the gold pieces.

Since I could use my internal energy, I was able to move things around, packing as much as I could. I left the paintings and porcelain behind. They were fragile and could easily break, and I didn’t know their exact value.

I didn’t consider Kim Ah-soo’s situation. At least when it came to wealth, he wasn’t someone I needed to worry about.

After an hour, I had completely filled the bundle, which was now heavy with treasures.

Seeing me walk out of the secret vault, Kim Ah-soo and Kim Sa-yeon were stunned.

I was carrying a bundle much larger than my body. It was so massive that I couldn’t even imagine how much it weighed.

The door to the vault was so large that I could walk through without issue. Otherwise, I would have had to break down the wall to get out.

“I’ll only take this small amount.”

When I placed the bundle down, the floor shook with a thud.

Seeing the rings on my fingers, the necklaces and bracelets hanging from my neck and wrists, Kim Ah-soo laughed heartily.

“Hahahaha!”

“Aren’t you supposed to be crying?”

“It’s true that I’m sad to see my wealth slip away, but I’m happy that you’re no hypocrite. The hypocrites I’ve known would have only taken a few items, hiding their true feelings. But how bitter would they be inside? I can’t stand hypocrites. Greed is the most precious and important emotion that drives a person.”

He was a supporter of greed. It was through greed that he had risen to become the wealthiest man in Fujian.

“Using the celestial silkworm fabric to make a bundle was a very clever decision.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s a shame to part ways. At least let’s have a drink.”

“I’m not one to drink with treasures by my side. We’ll meet again.”

“If you ever need help, don’t hesitate to come back to me.”

“Of course. Make sure to earn plenty until then.”

Kim Ah-soo laughed again. I could feel that his fondness for me had increased, simply by showing my honesty regarding wealth.

“Where should I go if I want to meet you?”

“Leave a message in my name at any of the West Lake Inns across the Central Plains, and I’ll come to see you.”

The West Lake Inns were secret contact points operated by our headquarters. They served as a means for important messages to reach significant figures.

“Truly, you are an extraordinary person.”

Kim Ah-soo understood. Only exceptional people would run an operation like this.

“Until we meet again, stay safe.”

“I’ll wish you luck in your endeavors.”

After forming a deep connection with the Golden Manor master, I left the place feeling content. This relationship with Kim Ah-soo would prove beneficial to me in the future, and I was glad to leave with a good feeling.

I secured a wagon in the village and loaded it with treasures before heading to the sect.

On my way back, I sold the gold and treasures. There was far too much for any one place to handle, so I stopped by several cities to sell the jewels along the way.

Having wandered the Central Plains my entire life, I knew exactly where to find buyers and how to sell. I sold everything except the night pearls and antidote pearls.

The money I earned, I deposited in the most trusted money shops—the Zhongyuan Money Shop, the Dalu Money Shop, and the Fengyun Money Shop. What I had collected amounted to 3.8 million taels, much more than I had anticipated.

“Thank you, Golden Manor’s master. You may not know it, but this money will be the foundation of an organization that will one day become a legend in the martial world.”

I left 3.5 million taels in the shops and took 300,000 taels in promissory notes to return with.

Upon returning to the sect, I immediately went to meet my father. As always, he stood guard at the Heavenly Demon Hall like a mountain.

Walking down the blood-red path, a sudden question crossed my mind.

My father must hear reports from Sima Myeong several times a day here and make crucial decisions. Some people live because of those decisions, while others die.

Is my father satisfied with this life?

Just like me, and like Ian, did my father get pushed into this position of the Heavenly Demon by fate? What he truly desires must be hidden deep inside.

“I heard you were expelled.”

“I went to earn money.”

“Why money?”

“I can’t keep using your money forever. I’ll probably need

a lot in the future.”

“What for?”

“I want to have my own organization.”

“An organization?”

My father’s expression became slightly cold.

“Even the demon lords have their own subordinates, don’t they? If I’m to fight them, I need my own organization.”

“It’s impossible. If you have one, your brother will want one too. The demon lords’ children and disciples will try to have their own. No way!”

I didn’t expect to get approval right away. It wasn’t an urgent matter.

One or two good subordinates would gather, and eventually, when the floodgates open, the dam will break.

I didn’t press the issue, and my father didn’t bring it up again.

“Did you make a lot of money?”

“Yes, I made quite a bit.”

I took a thick envelope from my pocket and handed it to him.

“This is for you.”

When my father reached out his hand, the envelope flew through the air and landed in his hand. It was a smooth, fast movement, a perfect demonstration of the skill of gathering things from the air.

He checked the envelope. Inside were promissory notes for 100,000 taels.

“What is this money?”

“It’s your allowance.”

“What?”

My father was startled. The surprise wasn’t that it was a large amount, but that I called it an allowance.

“I have a lot of money.”

“I know. You’re the richest person in the world. The money I just gave you is my first allowance, given with gratitude for bringing me into this world and raising me.”

After looking at the promissory notes for a moment, my father suddenly asked.

“Are you sucking up to me?”

“I’ll be sucking up to you to the point that it will be embarrassing, but not for this allowance. I just wanted to give it to you once. Now, please rest, Father.”

I bowed respectfully and walked away /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ down the blood-red path.

My father’s gaze burned the back of my head until I left the room. He was probably very flustered right now.

He would be the first Heavenly Demon in history to receive allowance from his son.