Chapter 74 74: Mountain Spring Pavilion's Side

Everyone in the courtroom had complex emotions running through them, even the sect master of the Yellow lotus sect who had on a stoic expression had his eyes flicker imperceptibly.

Despite a cultivation world being brutal at the end of the day, they were still human and they couldn't help but sympathize with the torment endured by the citizens of the now Green bud kingdom, years on end to the point they were willing to give up everything for a chance at reprieve.

"We three brothers decided to start the Mountain springs pavilion 40 years ago. With our borders finally opened we wanted to see and experience the outside world which despite being core formation experts over 100 years old we were never able to," Liu Yun continued on as if all this had nothing to do with him and he was just an impartial narrator saying another person's side of things. However, he wasn't completely calm as he wanted to portray as Yang Qing detected sorrow in his voice and his hands were twitching as if holding himself back from clenching them into a fist.

"We couldn't travel without money and from our firsthand experience we realized capital is an important resource to have that can get you almost anything..." Liu Yun said with conviction in his tone.

It was understandable since their freedom from the Iron thorn royal family was paid for with resources or anything they held of value. This belief that with enough resources you can buy anything wasn't held by Liu Yun alone but was a seed that had been planted in almost every citizen of the Green bud kingdom.

Because everyone pulled their resources together, every single person felt their resource had a part in buying back their freedom despite their quality and quantity being different from each other. It was for this reason that the Green bud kingdom was developing into a mercantile kingdom.

Every year there would be dozens of merchant organizations formed by the citizens of the Green bud kingdom.

...…

"We, therefore, pulled everything we had together and started the Mountain springs pavilion. It wasn't much but we also received additional support from some of the citizens of our country once they heard we wanted to venture out as merchants.

Because of being locked up in the kingdom for so long there were those who were afraid of leaving the kingdom despite yearning for it. They couldn't overcome that mental barrier just yet from years of being threatened with death or worse should they attempt to leave. So they supported us as a way to cheer for us and also experience the outside vicariously through us.

The iron thorn kingdom may have brought nothing but torment and pain, a literal never-ending nightmare but it also gave us something else. It destroyed all forms of social constructs and the ensuing barriers that come along with it. No difference between noble or commoner, rich or poor, cultivator or non-cultivator. We all developed one identity. The people who suffered unbelievable torment together and came out the other side together.

Our sense of togetherness might be the only good thing that royal family ever gave us…" Liu Yun's gaze seemed to blur as he smiled a smile that wasn't a complete smile but a smile filled with gratitude but also pain.

"Sorry, it seems I wandered off-topic there.." Liu Yun regained his clarity as he bowed in apology.

"It's okay Owner Liu Yun. I did say to offer as much detail as you can. You have nothing to apologize for. The courtroom offers not only unbiased judgment but it also offers solace to those who want to unburden themselves," Yang Qing said as he used a gentle force to stop Liu Yun from bowing.

Liu Yun was surprised to find he couldn't bend an inch despite trying. It was like there was a soft cushion that was as sturdy as an immovable mountain in front of him. It gently absorbed all his force without moving an inch.

"The Order is really a place full of monsters. If only…" Liu Yun quickly shook his head free of the negative thoughts that were almost brewing.

"What's done is done. We all agreed to start out new lives unshackled by our past. Enough has been taken from us, huh big brother," Liu Yun before he regained clarity and decided to focus on the matter at hand. He had to ensure they got what was owed. That sum may not mean much to the Yellow lotus sect or other rank 4 merchant organizations but to them, it was life and death.

"We struggled at first when we started since we didn't know how things worked. We got tricked a few times and almost gave up but we soon got the hang of things and we grew slowly by slowly in good repute and the quality of our goods and services.

Every deal matters to us whether big or small because of our background we personally saw how anything no matter how insignificant it may seem has value enough to buy back your freedom.

It was in that spirit that we were so ecstatic when we managed to strike a deal with the Yellow lotus sect a sect whose reputation as one of the strongest rank 4 sects is known far and wide.

Getting a deal with them was a validation that we had finally taken a big step as merchants," Liu Yun paused as gave a complicated look toward the sect master of the Yellow lotus sect before he continued. He experienced both the greatest moment and worst moment as a merchant thanks to them.

"It took months of negotiations, going back and forth before we managed to reach an agreement.

We agreed to give the Yellow lotus sect a loan of 9,000,000 middle-grade spirit stones which was to be repaid back in 8 years with a 10% annual interest charge.

The repayment schedule was to be done monthly with the repayment amount being 137,000 middle-grade spirit stones.

We didn't ask for any collateral since we trusted the reputation of the Yellow lotus sect and it wasn't like they would flee.

Everything started off well with the sect maintaining its schedule, there were even times it made the payments a month prior. With this, 3 years passed by smoothly with no issues but all that changed in the 4th year.

We don't know why but they stopped making their repayments. The first month came and there was no repayment. At first, we thought something unavoidable must have happened for them to miss their payment. So we decided to be patient and not press them on the matter. Then came the second month still no payment. It was then that we got a bit worried and had to send one of our representatives who had been handling their repayment account to go find out what was happening since neither I nor my senior brothers were close by.

They denied her entry despite visiting them for almost 2 months, not telling her why. Since I was the only leader closest at the time, I decided to handle the matter myself.

On reaching the sect, yes they opened their doors but they kept me secluded in one of their guest courtyards for 2 weeks before they even sent someone to talk to me.

At the end of the 2 weeks, one of their core elders came by with Zhao Qi in hand saying that their disciple will pay the whole debt. If I have anything to discuss, I should do it with Zhao Qi and the Yellow lotus sect has nothing to do with it. They considered their debt with us closed.

I thought they were joking but when a day ended with no one coming back I had to reevaluate the situation which only drew more questions than answers. The only thing I could think of at the time was the sect was in a difficult position that they had to use one of their disciples as payment.

I decided to leave and use our established channels to see if there was anything happening in the Yellow lotus sect that I wasn't aware of. I left Zhao Qi at the sect and went my way.

A few weeks later was when I discovered through my channels that the Yellow lotus sect was faithfully servicing the loans it had with other organizations except ours.

Disappointment, anger, and all sorts of negative emotions that I had long tried to forget all bubbled up in that instant.

Why the Mountain springs pavilion? Is it because we have the shallowest foundations among the organizations they deal with so it's easier to welch on our deal than the rest? Or was it a scheme of theirs from the start to get free spirit stones from some bumpkin merchants?

Dozens of questions funneled through my mind but at the end of the day none of the answers to those question matter," Liu Yun said as his expression turned cold.

"What does matter though is the Yellow sect repaying its debt in full and not use a foundation level disciple as some form of repayment. All I want is the spirit stones they owe and we will be done.

I understand the Mountain springs pavilion doesn't have the power to force them and I've seen enough bloodshed to last a lifetime to try my hand at it again, especially for something as foolhardy as spirit stones but I still can't find it in me to forgive that debt not after how the sect has treated us.

I hope the Order can help us get paid what we are owed I'll even waive any interest charges they just need to pay me back the 6,450,208 middle-grade spirit stones they owe. Since they have shown themselves to be untrustworthy, I hope it will be done in a single lump sum payment. Thank you for the time." Liu Yun said as he gave another polite bow and stepped back.