Book 14: Chapter 1: Ripple

“This, this…” while the guarding warriors were driven out of their wits, the Life-Snatching Ghost Sword, who was waiting outside the Elders' Hall, burst into laughter.

“It seems he finished it cleanly.”

As he placed his hand on the cracked outer wall of the Elders' Hall even from the cut surface, a sharp qi that felt as if it would carve flesh at any moment could be chillingly felt.

“……”

At that strike of the sword, which felt even ecstatic, the Life-Snatching Ghost Sword licked his dry lips from the competitiveness and exhilaration that he could not help but feel as a warrior.

“…I really chose my lord well.”

* * *

“This Sword Family.”

The declaration in the Great Hall, which was the pivot of the Elders' Hall.

“Is this Eldest Young Master Yeon So-hyeon's.”

If.

That declaration had come out of the Eldest Young Master's mouth just a moment ago immediately after the voting results were announced the hostile elders would have snorted, and the elders on the Eldest Young Master's side would have also expressed difficulty.

However.

“……”

Implanting those words into the minds of the elders at the end, the Eldest Young Master left the Great Hall with his black coat fluttering.

“……”

Now at least at this very moment, it was so accurate and exquisite that although it was merely a gaze, to the elders, that gaze felt as if they were cut by a sharp blade.

“……”

The Eldest Young Master's chilling gaze swept past the audience.

“……”

Not a single one of the elders dared to even open their mouth.

“In the future.”

“……!”

“……!”

“Remember it.”

“…Fuu.”

It was unknown who let out the first sigh.

However, only after hearing that sigh did everyone realize that they had forgotten even to breathe.

“…Haa.”

“…Huum.”

The sounds of releasing the forgotten breath broke out in multiple places here and there, and only then, while the elders covered in dust that fell from the cracks in the ceiling were moving their seats, the first one to snap out of it and move was at those words, color immediately returned to the faces of the elders of the Eldest Young Master's faction, who had been equally stunned.

“Cough, cough.”

“Now, now.”

“The Eldest Young Master said…” none other than Elder Ham, the Deputy Lord of the Eldest Young Master's faction.

“He said there will be a banquet at Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment this evening to celebrate the inauguration of the faction. So do not forget, everyone.”

“Oh…!”

“Is the Eldest Young Master finally opening Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment?”

“We will be able to fully enjoy the secret scenery of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment that we have only heard about…!”

Since they had prepared themselves to be ridiculed by their fellow elders or to be pointed at once the faction was inaugurated the fact that it was announced flawlessly and successfully by the Eldest Young Master's single sword— no, that the inauguration of the faction was announced not just successfully, but with grand success, was felt at this moment.

“I heard there is also a top-quality hot spring inside Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment, is that true?”

“Haha. Shouldn't we verify that ourselves now…!”

“Haha, indeed…!”

Would the elders of the great Luoyang Sword Family, who were accustomed to all kinds of pleasure and luxury, be excited over a mere banquet?

“Let's drink until our noses are crooked today!”

“Of course!”

They simply could not help but express the chillingly delightful thrill that arrived a step late, even by making a fuss like this.

‘Yes…’ their gazes unconsciously glanced toward the entrance of the Great Hall.

‘…That person.’

That entrance was the very one through which the Eldest Young Master, Yeon So-hyeon, had just exited.

‘Is my…’ even considering how terrifying the name of the Second Young Master, Yeon Ja-cheong, was, in reality, the head of the Second Young Master's faction was not the Second Young Master, but his mother, Grand Madame Ouyang, who was one of the mistresses of the Luoyang Sword Family.

‘Our, leader…!’

And though it was unknown what surprise announcement the Third Young Master, Yeon Jeok-gwang, was preparing in the end, the leaders of the Third Young Master's faction were elder Namgung Hyeok-cheon, who was the greatest supporter, and those who were the pillars of the former Martial Alliance.

‘However.’

For them the leader of the Eldest Young Master's faction was none other than the Eldest Young Master himself, and with a single sword, he proved that he was the person most suited to be the head of the Luoyang Sword Family.

“Now, now, today is a joyful day to announce the inauguration within our faction, but…” turning his gaze from the elders of the Eldest Young Master's faction, deputy Lord Elder Ham spoke to all the elders present in the Great Hall.

“We are all family of the same Sword Family. If anyone comes to congratulate us, we will welcome them with the etiquette of family for today!”

That statement, too would have been better left unsaid before the Eldest Young Master demonstrated the Grand Patriarch's sword.

However

“……”

Then, before any response could even come out, the elders of the Eldest Young Master's faction surged out of the venue.

“……”

Now it was different.

“So,” deputy Lord Elder Ham smiled, showing his gold teeth, and held out his hands.

“do not feel burdened, and please come with a light heart to enjoy the banquet to the fullest!”

“Now, let us go.”

“Ha…!”

“Those fellows…!”

Even if the hostile elders on the Third Young Master's side jumped up and pointed fingers the elders on the Eldest Young Master's side had already completely left.

“……”

Unable to even think of recovering the body of the bloodline elder who died after being bisected, eventually, once they had all left, the elders' mouths opened.

“……”

The next to exit without a word were the elders of the Yeon family bloodline.

‘It is like a procession of the dead.’

‘To think that the once-mighty Yeon family bloodline would end up in such a state in an instant…’ no one held back those who filed out of the venue with the color of death and eyes like dead fish.

“…Heh.”

“…Amazing.”

“…It was one of the most memorable faction inaugurations in my life.”

Someone shook their head.

“…I heard rumors that the Eldest Young Master was hiding his martial arts, but…” they raised their voices to change the turning atmosphere again.

“…to think he crossed the wall at that age.”

“Are you sure he crossed the wall?”

“It was none other than the Grand Patriarch's martial art.”

“It is a martial art that cannot even be imitated without crossing the wall.”

“Such a thing…” among the elders, many of whom were of non-warrior origin, that topic could not help but become a hot issue.

“…Could it be that the Grand Patriarch passed it down to him directly?”

“Ah. If that is the case…” and the whispering voices starting here and there quickly spread across the entire Great Hall, like fire catching a dry autumn field.

“…What do the elders of our faction intend to do?”

“What do you mean…?”

“Do not pretend not to know. Aren't you talking about the banquet at Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment this evening?”

“Umm…” elders who were scanning each other's reactions slowly brought out their true intentions as the atmosphere was not too bad.

“It is a bit uncomfortable, but…” another elder from the Third Young Master's side interjected as if to support him.

“It is not like they are asking us to join the faction, is it?”

“It is just congratulating them.”

“True…” a hot-tempered middle-aged elder of the Third Young Master's faction raised his voice toward the buzzing audience.

“And I am curious about the inside of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment, as it is rumored to be so beautiful…” somehow, at the atmosphere in the venue that was gradually turning strange, the elders of the Third Young Master's side expressed their fluster.

“No way! By any chance!”

“Seduced by such words, surely there is no one among us who plans to nose around Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment this evening, is there?!”

“Think about it!”

“What will happen if the already arrogant Eldest Young Master gains even more influence here?!”

“So far, the force secured by the Eldest Young Master is only thirty percent!”

“If the rest of us unite tightly, it is seventy percent!”

“It means that whatever the Eldest Young Master wants in this Elders' Hall in the future, we can overwhelm him!”

However even at those words, the elders' reactions were lukewarm, and the gazes of those speaking grumblingly were by no means favorable.

“No, I mean. It is not like we said we would join the Eldest Young Master's faction…” we were just wondering if we could go pay a congratulatory visit.

“It is also a kind of custom to congratulate when a faction or clique is newly inaugurated…” at those words, the middle-aged elders of the Third Young Master's side, who were trying to shift the atmosphere, flared up.

“No matter the case,” aren't you reacting too sensitively?

“What…?!”

“Then, are you saying that that bastard of an Eldest Young Master, who walked into the Elders' Hall with muddy feet, caused this mess, and humiliated us…!”

“we are now even going to congratulate him?!”

“Is everyone in their right mind?!”

Bang!

A middle-aged elder of the Third Young Master's side slammed the desk.

“Where did you all throw away your pride?!”

He raised the hand that had slammed the desk and pointed outside, visible through the gap split by the Eldest Young Master's sword.

“What will people say as they look at our Elders' Hall from the outside?!”

Even without that, a countless crowd had gathered for unknown reasons.

The defeat of the Elders' Hall along with the Eldest Young Master's single sword that was clearly visible even from afar, was certain to spread like wildfire.

“Will we hear that the defeated dogs are now wagging their tails to that Eldest Young Master bastard?!”

When such explicit and vulgar expressions began to pour out, even the elders who had been watching the situation in silence stood up from their seats.

“Ahem…! Watch your mouth, man!”

“Isn't that going too far with your words?!”

“In the first place, didn't things get bigger because the Third Young Master's side was running amok?!”

“And why do you subtly insert us into your side?!”

“Do you think we will run to the Third Young Master's side just because we took a blow from the Eldest Young Master?!”

“Did you forget that we were neutral in the successor issue of the Main Family from the start?!”

As the backlash returned much stronger than expected, the middle-aged elders of the Third Young Master's side were flustered.

“Ah, no. That is not it…!”

“We were only…!”

Although they appeared to be united as one body due to the Eldest Young Master's blatant and public provocation in the morning just as they said, they were those who had never been one.

“What do you mean, no?!”

“Despite being a successor faction, you couldn't even properly keep the Eldest Young Master in check, ruining things to this point…!”

A heavy voice was heard from the Great Hall, which was turning into a mess.

“A rash remark.”

Those who were heating up and rebuking the Third Young Master's side shut their mouths one by one.

“On behalf of our Third Young Master's faction, this old man will offer an apology to our fellow elders.”

It was because the owner of the apologizing voice was none other than the second-in-command of the Third Young Master's faction and the former Vice Alliance Leader of the Martial Alliance.

“…Ahem.”

“Huum, huum.”

As the one with a heavy voice apologized so straightforwardly the elders who had been excited did not want to waste their energy unnecessarily in this situation any longer.

“…Then, taking it that the apology is accepted, we will leave first.”

According to his words, the elders of the Third Young Master's side who were still seated rose in unison.

“Of course, as our Third Young Master's side also received congratulations in accordance with custom during our past inauguration,” the old expert of the previous generation spoke in a gentle and calm voice.

“we will not point fingers at the elders participating in the Eldest Young Master's faction's inaugural banquet either. However…” he spoke as if pleading in a tone of sincere concern for the other elders.

“Even if we do not point fingers at each other inside, how others outside will view it is…” narrowing his eyes, he scanned his surroundings and continued.

“something I believe you, my fellow elders, know all too well.”

He left those words behind he led the members of his faction and departed the venue.

“…….”

That the narrowed eyes of the departing old expert lingered once more on the trace left behind by the Eldest Young Master, Yeon So-hyeon, at the end, was something no one noticed.

“…….”

“…….”

The Great Hall, which fell into silence for a moment, was soon filled with the noise made by the elders leaving the Great Hall one after another.

“…Ahem.”

“I shall get going now.”

“Then let us go have a late lunch together.”

“You all worked hard.”

“…Lord.”

Looking at the backs of the departing elders, Elder Hwangmok, who was in charge of the proceedings asked the Lord of the Elders' Hall, who had been silent for a while.

“How many of them will attend the Eldest Young Master's banquet?”

However there was no answer.

“…….”

As if possessed by something the Lord of the Elders' Hall could not take his eyes off the scar left by Yeon So-hyeon.

“Lord?”

Only then, snapping out of it, the Lord of the Elders' Hall replied to Elder Hwangmok.

“…We will have to wait and see how many of them will attend. However,” kneeling down he carefully touched the trace of the stamping foot left by the Eldest Young Master,

“From that very moment,” touching it with an attitude that was even reverent, and continued.

“there is no doubt that the order of the Main Family is being rebuilt.”