Book 14: Chapter 12: Line

The sword that the former Sect Leader of Diancang raised high toward the sky, reflected the blue moonlight and red light in a dizzying blur.

“That the only one to whom this sword of Diancang should be offered is the rightful heir of this family, the Eldest Young Master…!”

“Diancang…?!”

Breathless gasps escaped the mouths of those filling the grand banquet hall.

“Ah…?!”

“At this point. For Diancang to abandon the Third Young Master's side first and defect to the Eldest Young Master's side…?”

Unlike the outside of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment the distinguished guests who had entered this grand banquet hall were, each and every one of them, possessors of power and wealth, individuals with extraordinary political senses.

“Isn't the Diancang Sect one of the pillars even within the Third Young Master's New Martial Alliance?”

They sharply read the rapidly changing state of play.

“Moreover, Diancang suffered almost no damage in the recent riot at the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering arena construction site.”

The former Sect Leader of Diancang sensing Yeon So-hyeon's shadow strongly at the time, had pulled the Diancang Sect out of the scene, doing something no different from 'desertion without leave.'

“At that time, due to the existence called the Dark Venerable, the Hengshan Sect's Northern Hengshan Sect suffered damage close to annihilation.”

“In the midst of that, the Sect Leader of Diancang was the figure who saved Diancang while accepting the disciplinary action.”

“Furthermore, unlike the stigma of surviving by offering his own sect to the Sword Family…” the murmurs gradually grew louder, and the former Sect Leader of Diancang, who was holding his sword high, was, contrary to his solemn outward expression, smiling inside to his heart's content.

“in truth, because he chose the path of quickly becoming a subordinate sect, it is also a fact that Diancang received many benefits from the Sword Family.”

“For a person with such a keen sense of smell to switch lines to the Eldest Young Master at this point…” the gazes of the gathered guests crossed in the air.

“Does it mean the tide within the Luoyang Sword Family is leaning toward the Eldest Young Master…?!”

'The tide of politics.'

'Is not given, but made.'

However those who could do so were extremely few even in this vast State of Zhongyuan, and the figure he had chosen, Eldest Young Master Yeon So-hyeon, was someone who could be called the forefront of that small minority without lack.

'Now. Sect Leader of Zhongnan.'

His gaze met that of the Sect Leader of Zhongnan, who was kneeling and apologizing to the Eldest Young Master.

'Now you have no other choice.'

The Sect Leader of Zhongnan remained frozen just as he was, on his knees.

Although his long cultivation barely maintained his expression

“……”

The former Sect Leader of Diancang did not miss the slight trembling in his eyes.

'Since Diancang has offered its sword to the Eldest Young Master here, Zhongnan ought to do the same…!'

The former Sect Leader of Diancang offered his sword to the Eldest Young Master in admiration, but Zhongnan, which was expressing a deep apology, backs out instead?

'If that happens, Zhongnan's name will fall to the ground and become everyone's laughingstock.'

Though a bit late, the loyalists of the Third Young Master's side, realizing how the situation was turning, hurriedly rushed forward and raised their voices.

“W-Wait a moment…!”

“Sect Leader of Diancang…!”

“Do not make such an emotional judgment!”

Shouting, they did not even have the mind to care about their clothes, which had become disheveled as they scrambled through the gathered guests.

“We know you were greatly hurt by the strict discipline from the Strategist Department, but…!”

“to decide Diancang's fate so emotionally while heavily drunk like that!”

“It is rash, too rash!”

They were shouting at the former Sect Leader of Diancang, but in reality the one they were appealing to and trying to awaken, was not the former Sect Leader of Diancang, but it was directed at the Sect Leader of Zhongnan, who was kneeling before the Eldest Young Master.

'the Sect Leader of Zhongnan…!'

'You must not make a foolish choice, swayed by the emotion of the moment!'

“It is fine to take a little time and think it over as much as you want!”

“Right now, the Sect Leader's vision is too narrow!”

Did the former Sect Leader of Diancang not know that what they were saying was meant for the Sect Leader of Zhongnan?

“Ahem…!”

He intentionally raised his voice.

“Although the Eldest Young Master went into seclusion for a long time due to unavoidable circumstances unknown to others, he has now returned and is magnificently proving his qualifications to all quarters! And yet!”

The former Sect Leader of Diancang, conversely, pressed the Third Young Master's loyalists as if interrogating them.

“Yet, in truth, while Luoyang was under attack by Evil Tyrant Heaven's pirates and the underworld organizations that revere the Second Young Master, where was the Third Young Master?!”

He spread his hand toward the Eldest Young Master.

“While the Eldest Young Master here personally resolved all that chaos, did the Third Young Master not neglect the Main Family, focusing only on his own training?!”

The ringing voice of the old man, who was even drunk, was so clear that it spread far away.

“To such an Eldest Young Master, who dares discuss qualification for succession?!”

It was enough to turn the stomachs of the Third Young Master's loyalists.

“Nonsense…!”

“During that long period when the Eldest Young Master abandoned his responsibilities, our Third Young Master sufficiently demonstrated his qualifications!”

“He merely established achievements by taking advantage of the moment when the Third Young Master was briefly absent, so such sophistry…!”

With veins bulging on their necks pointing fingers went back and forth.

“Therefore, the Eldest Young Master…!”

“Not to mention the Third Young Master…!”

It was the moment when the usual landscape of the succession debate in the Elders' Hall was reenacted, and that behavior did not need very long to result in a mistake by the Third Young Master's loyalists.

“…In the past, my martial brothers.”

As a voice leaked from the mouth of the kneeling Sect Leader of Zhongnan

“……”

The Sect Leader of Zhongnan raised his eyes and looked up at the Eldest Young Master.

“……”

Everyone in the crowd instantly shut their mouths and looked at him.

“committed a crime of such magnitude that the entirety of Zhongnan should bear responsibility. But…!”

“Instead of holding all of Zhongnan collectively responsible, the Eldest Young Master made a decision for the future of both Zhongnan and the Main Family.”

'Oh no…!'

The loyalists of the Third Young Master's side widened their eyes, and the Sect Leader of Zhongnan shouted in an even more solemn voice.

“At this moment, I am not considering any qualification of the Eldest Young Master, or any political benefits for myself…!”

As if rebuking the Third Young Master's side, he raised his voice even higher.

“Please do not disparage and distort my intentions!”

“N-No…!”

They realized.

Due to the debate which had rushed into a political struggle it had conversely ended up pushing the Sect Leader of Zhongnan forward.

“We did not mean it that way…?!”

“It was solely to refute the words of the Sect Leader of Diancang…!”

The Third Young Master's loyalists looked at the former Sect Leader of Diancang.

“……”

Smirk.

The old serpent who had survived the turbulent era when the old sects lost their status to the noble families and the Martial Alliance collapsed.

'Splendid. This joy of being the main agent and dominating the board…!'

Although he could not become a dragon and ascend, in the end, instead of a dragon pearl, the serpent who had survived by harboring a venom deadlier than anyone else's and honing his survival instinct was there, mocking the loyalists of the Third Young Master's side.

'how long has it been since I felt this ecstasy…?'

“I, the Sect Leader of Zhongnan! And our Zhongnan Sect…!”

Remaining prostrate, he drew his sword and offered it to the Eldest Young Master.

“will henceforth serve only the Eldest Young Master as the sole heir of the Main Family!”

“Sect Leader—!”

“You mustn't—!”

Although the Third Young Master's loyalists tried to manage the situation by shouting something, even if late, Yeon So-hyeon was one step faster, and it was after he had already accepted the sword.

“Thank you.”

“As the Eldest Young Master of this Luoyang Sword Family, I will never forget your upright loyalty toward the Main Family from now on,” and the Eldest Young Master's voice sank low into every corner of the spacious grand banquet hall.

“that the sword of Zhongnan, together with the sword of the Main Family, will remain as a name shining forever in the history of this continent.”

The voice was so heavy that one could not dare guess his age, and blending with the dreamy scenery of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment, the promise he made aroused the impression that it would inevitably be fulfilled like a prophecy.

“I promise in the name of the Eldest Young Master, Yeon So-hyeon.”

“A magnificent decision!”

“Is this the famous loyalty ceremony of the Sword Family! It is my first time seeing it in person!”

Enthusiastic applause poured from the guests who were friendly to the Eldest Young Master to begin with.

'Damn it…!'

Although the fists of the Third Young Master's loyalists were clenched so hard they turned white, their complexions were even paler than their bloodless fists.

'if even Zhongnan leaves like this, following Diancang…!'

'At this rate, the foundation of the New Martial Alliance might shake…!'

The New Martial Alliance.

Though it was grandly called the Martial Alliance outstanding names like Mount Hua, Wudang, and Shaolin were missing.

It was an organization of those who had become subordinate sects of the Luoyang Sword Family and those who kept pace with the Namgung Clan.

But if the Diancang Sect and Zhongnan Sect, which barely maintained the lifeblood of the old sects, left from there however, before their thoughts and judgments could continue, the one who stepped forward clapping more enthusiastically than anyone was the venomous old serpent, the former Sect Leader of Diancang.

“A splendid decision!”

“Sect Leader of Zhongnan, welcome!”

“For the tide to tilt so heavily is not something that should merely be called the tide!”

He shouted in a passionate manner.

“This should be called the mandate of heaven!”

Somehow something ominous was felt in that exaggerated way of speaking.

Along with that shout, the gaze of the Third Young Master's loyalists reflexively followed the direction the former Sect Leader of Diancang was looking, and seeing the person standing at the end of the serpent's gaze among the crowd, they were shocked.

“……!”

“……!”

“The Great Master of the Kongtong Sect!”

The one standing there was another pillar of the New Martial Alliance who had come with them

“……”

The Great Master of the Kongtong Sect.

The former Sect Leader of Diancang shouted in a ringing voice.

“Shouldn't Kongtong also uphold this mandate of heaven and serve the Eldest Young Master?!”

Clearly even just a few hours ago, it was something to be dismissed with a snort.

However

“……”

Instead of a snort, the Great Master of Kongtong twitched his long eyebrows and shut his mouth firmly, and everyone could immediately notice that he was clearly shaken, and unlike Diancang or Zhongnan, the Kongtong Sect was originally unrelated to this matter, and the loyalists of the Third Young Master's side, clamoring in desperation, only then realized.

“……”

Was seriously contemplating the proposal.

“……”

The spectacle of the shift in power unfolding before his eyes was powerful enough to make the Great Master of Kongtong hesitate.

“Mandate of heaven?!”

“W-What nonsense is that?!”

'From the beginning…!'

'From the start…!'

This was a huge trap.

The Northern Hengshan Sect was annihilated diancang had betrayed and Zhongnan had offered its sword to the Eldest Young Master, so what remained was— virtually, the name of the New Martial Alliance would become nothing but an empty title.

'Among the members of the New Martial Alliance, the Kongtong Sect is the only one from the old sects!'

'If even Kongtong, the last one left, turns its back on us…!'

'From the start, the Sect Leader of Diancang, no.'

Their gazes turned toward the person standing behind the former Sect Leader of Diancang.

'No, the Eldest Young Master…!'

'intended to endanger the survival of the New Martial Alliance in one fell swoop and heavily shake our side!'

“No, you must not, Great Master!”

“Those words are not even worth considering!”

Although they shouted desperately to the Great Master of Kongtong, they too felt it.

“……”

That they could not offer any benefits to the Kongtong Sect right now.

That they had no way to stop him from calculating and contemplating.

'At this rate…!'

'Is this the futile end…?!'

As the silence of Kongtong's Great Master stretched

“……”

They felt their vision turning black and their minds going blank.

“Great Master…!”

“Please…!”

However news of salvation came to the Third Young Master's side.

“Urgent news! Urgent news!”

One of the late-arriving guests ran into the grand banquet hall.

“Just now, the Mount Hua Sect and Wudang Sect announced an alliance with the Third Young Master's side!”

He shouted until the end, panting for breath.

“Mount Hua and Wudang have joined the New Martial Alliance!”

It was the counterattack of Namgung Hyeok-cheon and the grand tacticians of the left and right.