Book 13: Chapter 12: A Mantis Blocking a Chariot

The Luoyang Sword Family, the Elders' Hall.

Originally, the Elders' Hall of the Luoyang Sword Family could only be freely entered by those whose status was equivalent to that of an elder.

Or, only when exceptionally designated by family law.

Therefore, the Elders' Hall was a place where people had no reason to visit unless they had specific business.

"…Oh, to meet in a place like this."

"Haha. Such a major spectacle has broken out. How could I not come and see?"

The main road in front of the front gate of the Elders' Hall.

Was bustling with crowds today of all days.

"Did you hear?"

"Of course I heard, isn't that why everyone has gathered here?"

"I heard it is practically the same situation as the Eldest Young Master declaring war on the Elders' Hall first."

Just like their conversation.

It was because the moves of the Eldest Young Master, which had started this morning, rapidly drew attention inside and outside the Sword Family.

"Hmm…"

The one stroking his short beard, unlike most of the other people jostling on the main road.

Was sitting in a teahouse opposite the Elders' Hall, looking down at the main road.

Since that teahouse was an annex of the Elders' Hall, access was restricted just like the Elders' Hall.

This also meant that his status was extraordinary.

"Stirring up the Law Enforcement Court in the morning, and the Elders' Hall in the afternoon…"

Normally, the sounds of coughing from those putting on airs would have been heard more.

But today of all days, they were whispering until their mouths ran dry.

"Even if he is an Eldest Young Master who enjoys being in the spotlight, this is absurd. Turning the entire Elders' Hall into an enemy out of nowhere…"

One clicked his tongue softly.

"He has lost his mind. He has lost his mind."

One shook his head in disbelief.

"Just because he started to be treated like the Eldest Young Master lately, is he mistaken that he has become the real acting patriarch?!"

One got excited while spitting saliva.

"Isn't it like a mantis rushing at the wheels of Duke Zhuang of Qi's carriage?"

"No matter what they say about him being a divine calculator or whatever, in the end, he is merely a child who has just become an adult."

There was a commonality among those who openly revealed their hostility toward the Eldest Young Master Yeon So-hyeon like that.

"The Eldest Young Master will pay the price for disregarding our blood relatives."

They were none other than.

The Yeon clan blood relatives of the Luoyang Sword Family.

"It makes no sense for such a child to lead the Main Family!"

"Even for the future of the Main Family, this must not happen."

"Did you hear the information that he turned his back on the Sixteen Families of the Imperial Capital and took the side of the Emperor, who was no different from being imprisoned?"

Nonsensical.

"The day that bastard of an Eldest Young Master becomes the Young Patriarch will be the day our Sword Family is destroyed."

They were pretending to worry hard about the future of the Sword Family, but of course, their inner thoughts were completely different.

[…Once the candidate for the new Bank Director is appointed, our problem will also be solved.] the middle-aged man of the Yeon collateral branch, who had been looking at the corrupt blood relatives, turned his head at the monologue coming from opposite him.

[The Deputy Bank Director is the key person we were trading with. No matter what, if he wants to survive, he will eventually have no choice but to save us as well.] the middle-aged man sitting by the window clicked his tongue inwardly at their behavior.

[Wasn't the fact that he could rise to that position in the first place all thanks to our pulling him up?] just because they conversed through sound transmission, could that dark inner mind be hidden?

'Dirty old men.'

'Whether it is the Main Family or us of the collateral branch, it is the same sight of rotting from the very top.'

"…It's strange."

"Strange? What have you been paying so much attention to since a while ago?"

To the middle-aged man's question.

The young man with a short beard, who had been looking outside for a while, answered without even taking his eyes away.

"I can understand our blood relatives swarming this teahouse."

"Since there was that uproar in the morning, how could they not gather to watch how things go?"

"Right. Those old men have their ears placed all over the place. But…"

The young man with a short beard raised his hand and pointed at the main road.

"But what about them? How on earth did they hear the information and swarm here so quickly?"

Even if those who were bright regarding the information within the Luoyang Sword Family and familiar with the power landscape were an exception.

For the majority, this matter was a fairly complex issue.

"…That is."

"Moreover, the speed at which the rumor spread is too fast. Although the Luoyang marketplace will eventually hear this rumor too, doesn't it feel too fast?"

Hearing those words, the scene unfolding below began to approach the middle-aged man with a completely different feeling.

"Step back!"

"Do not block the way, step back!"

The warriors and guards of the Elders' Hall were sweating profusely as they pushed back the crowd to secure the entrance.

The crowd had gathered on the level of warrior.

That even the warriors of the Elders' Hall, who possessed extraordinary internal energy and impressive careers, showed difficulty.

"…Then, are you saying that someone leaked the rumor?"

At the middle-aged man's words, the young man with a short beard nodded his head.

"It was not just leaking a rumor."

The young man narrowed his eyes.

"They organized the information easily, processed it, and optimized it into the form of a rumor, bringing the structure to life so that the majority of the Main Family could not help but feel interest immediately."

A professional.

Furthermore, the seasoned skill of a top-class professional was felt.

"…Who on earth?"

The middle-aged man's question could not be finished.

"The Eldest Young Master of the Main Family arrives!"

Those who were practically physical-scuffling with the guards.

And the high-status Yeon clan blood relatives who were exchanging gloomy conversations via sound transmission.

Without exception, shut their mouths.

"…"

"…"

And looked far away in one direction.

"…"

Just like his companion, the middle-aged man.

The young man with a short beard also set aside his questions, jumped up from his seat, and looked in the direction where everyone's gaze was focused.

"…"

Far beyond the wide main road where the summer haze was rising, a procession of women first caught their eyes.

'They are…'

Their beauty was dazzling with the elegant attire of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment and lightly applied makeup, but.

Their actual presence lay in their orderly yet stable steps that seemed planted on the ground, and.

Their sharp eyes guarding all directions flawlessly.

And the single sword each of them was wearing.

'The warriors of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment.'

At first, it was just.

The maid division of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment, which had been regarded as the Eldest Young Master's nasty hobby to show off that he could use precious martial artists as mere maids.

"A fierce momentum."

Small whispers went back and forth among the crowd.

"…Are they the Asuras of the Valley of Sin?"

"They were also called the divine army guarding the Sacred Ground."

"I heard they practically slaughtered the unorthodox martial artists of Luoyang?"

Their status.

Had completely changed due to the series of preceding events.

And following such a maid division, there was one who naturally received the gaze.

Clank, clank.

Five swords.

A fierce momentum and impression reminiscent of a Rakshasa.

Although no one in this place knew him personally.

Nevertheless, there was no one who did not recognize him.

"…The Life-Snatching Ghost Sword."

"The Sword Family's most ferocious sword."

A long time had passed, but.

His name, far from fading, was shining even more vividly.

"…So it was true that the Life-Snatching Ghost Sword offered his sword to the Eldest Young Master."

"The rumor was true."

The one who revealed himself after the Life-Snatching Ghost Sword was a figure who was like the symbol of the Luoyang Sword Family's military power.

"H-he is indeed huge."

"Look at that giant sword."

"I heard he caused an earthquake in Luoyang city with a single blow of that sword…!"

A man who suddenly stood out in the middle of the procession with his overwhelming height and bulk.

Sword Mountain Mountain Splitter, Yeom Gwak-chu.

"The hero of the Northern War!"

However.

The reaction of the Yeon clan blood relatives looking down from the teahouse was different from the crowd below.

"For Elder Yeom to be in that procession together means—" but of all times, why now?

"Is he now clearly revealing that he belongs to the Eldest Young Master's clique?"

When the Elders' Hall is boiling.

"Tsk, tsk."

When those who felt uncomfortable were coughing and clicking their tongues.

[For Elder Yeom to show such behavior at this of all times—] while looking at the uncomfortable assembly, the middle-aged man spoke to the young man with a short beard via sound transmission, but.

"It must be an intention to clearly stand on the side of the Eldest Young Master and throw his weight behind him in this matter."

Even knowing such intentions of his aide.

The young man with a short beard spoke out loud, not minding his surroundings at all.

"It means the Eldest Young Master did not set himself at odds with the Elders' Hall without any measures either."

Instantly.

"…"

"…"

Gazes as sharp as swords flew from all directions, but.

"Uh, ahem."

Unlike the middle-aged man who was sweating coldly and flustered, the young man with a short beard did not care and pointed over there.

"And, it seems Elder Yeom is not the only one standing on the Eldest Young Master's side."

The eyes of the Yeon clan blood relatives watching the approaching procession narrowed.

It was just that Elder Yeom was seen first thanks to his height and bulk.

Next to him, dozens of figures were together.

"That is Elder Yu."

At the sight of the old lady who had her white hair neatly tied up, someone who recognized her clicked their tongue.

"That's not all."

"Aren't they all the elders who originally supported the Fourth Young Master…?!"

The ones lined up next to Elder Yu were definitely the elders who had been known as the Fourth Young Master's clique.

"To think they participated in the procession of the Eldest Young Master, not the Fourth Young Master, in this situation…"

What does that sight mean?

One of the Yeon clan blood relatives spoke out the answer to that question, which no one wanted to mention.

"The rumor that the Fourth Young Master decided to go under the Eldest Young Master, rather than a simple alliance or cooperation, was true…"

"Then, the rumor that the two forces are pursuing unification too?"

"Must be true."

At their conversation as their complexions worsened, the young man with a short beard stroked his chin with interest.

'The Fourth Young Master decided to go under the Eldest Young Master…?'

He had met the Fourth Young Master in the past.

Therefore, he knew well how outstanding a genius the Fourth Young Master Yeon Bi was.

For such a Fourth Young Master to go under the Eldest Young Master.

'Unless the Fourth Young Master was a lacking person in the first place, the internal opposition must have been immense.'

But what was the result?

In a situation where the entire Elders' Hall was practically confronting the Eldest Young Master, the elders of the Fourth Young Master's clique.

Participated in the procession of the Eldest Young Master Yeon So-hyeon as if to show off.

Then the conclusion was only one.

'It means the Eldest Young Master is such an outstanding person.'

With a face full of growing expectation, he focused on the procession.

'I want to see the face of that great Eldest Young Master.'

"But there are too many people for just the Fourth Young Master's clique, though…?"

As if answering the middle-aged man's query.

"Wait, is that person…?!"

One of the Yeon clan blood relatives pointed at the procession of elders with a surprised face.

"Isn't that Elder Ham and his faction?!"

"Elder Ham?!"

The astonished people practically clung to the window, forgetting their dignity, and began to look outside.

"Isn't Elder Ham the Deputy Lord of the Elders' Hall?!"

"The Deputy Lord went into the Eldest Young Master's force?!"

The old man who, surrounded by the elders of his faction, exchanged conversations while showing his 'gold teeth' without any sign of tension.

Was definitely Elder Ham, the Deputy Lord of the Elders' Hall.

'Oh my…!'

The complexions of the Yeon clan blood relatives, who were hurriedly looking down, began to worsen.

'Why on earth is the Deputy Lord with the Eldest Young Master?'

'Why would the person who was aiming to be the next Lord do so?'

That the scale of power, which existed but was invisible, was clearly moving.

Everyone in that place began to feel it.

'…The Eldest Young Master had the Deputy Lord join him in this situation? How on earth?'

The young man with a short beard turned his gaze toward the Elders' Hall.

There, the figures of the elders who came out to greet the Eldest Young Master, even if just as a formality, were present.

"…"

"…"

He could clearly confirm that their complexions, as they chattered among themselves, were turning dark red with anger and embarrassment.

'The matter is becoming even more interesting.'

* * *

One of the elders who had come out to greet the Eldest Young Master, even if only as a formality, cried out in a low voice.

"What on earth is going on…?!"

And he was not the only one excited.

"For the Deputy Lord to enter the heir's clique…?!"

"At least if he is the Deputy Lord, shouldn't he maintain political neutrality…?!"

To them, a low scolding from an elder belonging to the heavyweight rank was heard.

"Your opponent is the Eldest Young Master, what did you expect? Naturally, unexpected things of this level occur…!"

The heavyweight elder continued his scolding.

"Even so, our numbers are overwhelming, and the decision is made by vote, is it not? Why is everyone making such a fuss?"

The heavyweight elder cast his gaze around, displaying his disapproval.

"Far from winning gracefully in a fight we ought to win, you are showing ourselves getting dominated from the start in front of this large crowd."

To the elders who snapped out of it at those words and managed their expressions, the sound of the heavyweight elder clicking his tongue was heard.

"Tsk, tsk…"

What was the use of managing their expressions only now?

The crowd had already directly watched the elders' embarrassment from afar.

"Indeed."

That word of agreement did not come from among the elders.

"For the elders of the Main Family to display embarrassment over a mere matter like this."

The halted procession parted, revealing the figures of the elders, including Elder Yeom, at the front.

As the elders politely parted and stepped back, the owner of the voice revealed himself from between them.

"I worry that at this rate today, the face of the great Luoyang Sword Family's Elders' Hall will be greatly damaged."

A black fine silk coat draped over his shoulders, fluttering in the wind.

A speech full of mockery in which arrogance was felt.

A gaze looking down on the elders with his head tilted.

"…Before you care for the face of the Elders' Hall like that, how about caring for your own face which will be ruined in the future?"

The heavyweight elder bared his teeth at the one who was wearing a twisted smile under the hot sun.

"Eldest Young Master."

The smile on the face of the Eldest Young Master, Yeon So-hyeon, deepened, revealing his sharp canines.