Chapter 155: v7c5 - Old Hounds (2)
Volume 7 Chapter 5 – Part 5 Old Hounds (2)
Read it only at Nineheavens.org
===================
“Oh dear, this is going to lead to a major disaster!”
The former patriarchs were stamping their feet without any dignity.
“A bolt from the blue on a perfectly fine day! What on earth is going on right now…!”
They did not know what to do, as if they had become misers who saw their warehouse containing all their wealth catch fire.
Then, one of them shouted.
“General Yue!”
At that shout, the gazes of the gathering turned toward the former patriarch called General Yue.
“Indeed! There was General Yue!”
“General Yue needs to step forward and stop this!”
The former patriarch of the Yue Family, who came from a military family guarding the Imperial Capital just like the Yang Family, rolled up his sleeves.
However, he did not dare step forward hastily.
Because it looked as though the pot-lid-like grip of the Yang Family’s former patriarch, Yang O-dan, would stretch out at any moment and snap the neck of the Eldest Young Master, which looked slender and weak.
“So that was it, indeed.”
Without even casting a glance at those making such a fuss, the Eldest Young Master, Yeon So-hyeon, opened his mouth again.
“It was the ‘Min Family’ of the Imperial Capital.”
“I said you will regret it if you do not stop that bizarre behavior!”
Although it was a statement hitting right at the mark in the middle, the former patriarch of the Yang Family did not budge, like an old devil.
Yet, Yeon So-hyeon showed no interest in his words, and did not even budge at his threat.
“Indeed.”
As if treating the aura of an expert who had crossed the wall like a gentle breeze.
“That Min Family. If it is those who are displaying great prestige by producing the new Empress, it is not strange even if they have already reached out a hand behind the back to a former patriarch of the Sixteen Families.”
“…!”
At those words, the actions of the former patriarchs who had been making a fuss on the side came to a halt.
“Min Family…?”
“We certainly heard Min Family.”
How could they not know the name of that family?
Since the Min Family was one of the families that influenced the Emperor’s decision when they had to step down taking responsibility for the results of the Northern War, and consequently saw massive gains.
“Hmm.”
The gazes of the old devils pierced the Yang Family’s former patriarch like arrows.
“Does everyone believe such nonsensical rubbish?!”
Taking advantage of Yang O-dan momentarily flinching under the gaze of the gathering, Yeon So-hyeon laid out his reasoning.
“I see, now I understand. Since you became the administrator of a super-large project, you intended to walk a tightrope between the Min Family, whom you had already contacted, and ‘us’.”
A clear sneer hovered on his lips.
“The combination of the Min Family, the Empress’s maiden home, and a military family guarding the Imperial Capital. This seems to carry a highly dangerous scent.”
At those words, Yang O-dan jumped.
“What…?!”
He barked at Yeon So-hyeon.
“From a while ago, I cannot make head or tail of what you are trying to do by making such nonsensical, far-fetched accusations! If you wish to spout off so confidently, how about presenting at least a single piece of evidence first?!”
On one hand, the gathering was persuaded by Yeon So-hyeon’s words and glared at Yang O-dan with peculiar eyes.
But at the same time, they also cast doubtful gazes toward Yeon So-hyeon.
As he said, Yeon So-hyeon’s words were merely assertions.
Because they suspected whether he was trying to eliminate one of them for some reason, using that overflowing strategy of his.
“Evidence?”
At that moment, Yeon So-hyeon spoke in an arrogant tone.
“I am the evidence.”
His gaze arrogantly looked down at Yang O-dan.
“How could I, who listens to the whispers of astronomy and reads the flow of heavenly secrets, not be able to look inside the mind of a mere human?”
How absurd these words were, yet at the same time, how persuasive they were!
Reflexively, the former patriarchs nodded.
“W-what does that…?!”
Because there was not a single shred of evidence, even Yang O-dan, who claimed he was being subjected to absurd framing by Yeon So-hyeon, was speechless, his throat clogged.
“Grrr…!”
By this point, if anyone in the gathering had looked at their feet, they would not have been able to suppress their astonishment at the bizarre sight.
Because black energy filled with eerie qi was laid low on the floor like mist.
However, having already begun to be affected by the energy flowing out from Yeon So-hyeon’s feet, they were losing their usual sharp senses.
That was the same for Yang O-dan, an expert who had crossed the wall, and the former patriarch of the Yue Family called General Yue.
If they were in their usual state, they would have noticed at least the existence of the sound transmission flying into Yeon So-hyeon’s ears.
“Everyone!”
Yang O-dan said, as if declaring to the former patriarchs.
“I will not just sit and listen to such absurd insults and groundless framing! I will pull out of this project!”
Before the other former patriarchs could even say anything, he took stride after stride.
“Oh my, where do you think you are going.”
Yeon So-hyeon lightly stepped forward and blocked his path.
‘A mere scholar who doesn’t even know martial arts dares to block my path? Ridiculous!’
Yang O-dan mocked him inwardly, stepping through footwork intricately, intending to instantly pass by the Eldest Young Master.
But— softness to hardness.
“Mhm?!”
Yang O-dan was flustered.
Although he stepped through his footwork, with each leisurely step the Eldest Young Master took, the directions he needed to advance were thoroughly blocked.
“W-what is this…?!”
He tried stepping through his footwork a few more times, but this time, beyond the directions being blocked, he was conversely pushed back a few steps.
Yeon So-hyeon’s footwork was beyond bizarre, reaching the point of being miraculous.
‘What on earth is this trick? Is it a type of Qi Men formation unfolded borrowing the form of footwork?’
He was still unable to think that Yeon So-hyeon, who was called the Swordless One, was using martial arts.
“Eldest Young Master! I do not know what trick you are employing, but if you continue to act so insolently, you will get seriously hurt!”
He shouted carrying heavy internal energy, but Yeon So-hyeon snorted loudly.
The former patriarchs watching the scene could not even comprehend it and were merely going, “Huh? Huh?”
It was the limit of those who were not bestowed the talent of internal energy.
“W-what on earth is this…?!”
At least the former patriarch of the Yue Family, who was watching the situation at a glance from the side, stared at the Eldest Young Master, known as the Swordless One, with a face full of shock and suspicion.
Yang O-dan pulled up his internal energy throughout his entire body and protected his upper dantian.
‘…Let’s not be deluded!’
Even in the midst of finding it hard to make proper judgments due to being affected by demonic energy, he instinctively protected his mind.
It was a correct response originating from countless experiences and a lofty boundary.
‘If only I can leave this place, there are plenty of paths afterward!’
Protected by the function of the mind art protecting the upper dantian, his mind ran at a rapid speed.
‘But in the midst of this, harming the Eldest Young Master would be the worst of the worst moves.’
Merely leaving the spot could be excused as being due to groundless speculation.
But if he harmed the Eldest Young Master, whom they cherished, there would be no way out.
Since, regardless of the truth, he would end up facing the wrath of all the former patriarchs except himself.
‘This madman-like genius…!’
Only then did he feel fear toward Yeon So-hyeon, who had once again bound all the former patriarchs together.
But the cup was already overturned, and the water was already spilled.
‘Still, I cannot just remain in this spot in this situation!’
He resolutely decided to make a move.
‘I will subdue him in a single breath so he cannot do anything foolish!’
Once he cast aside hesitation, what followed flowed like water, showing his boundary.
“Do not blame me for my hand being excessive!”
His two hands swooped down as if covering Yeon So-hyeon’s entire body at once.
First, he would dislocate the opponent’s knee joints to seal his bizarre tricks, and simultaneously strike five acupoints at once to subdue Yeon So-hyeon in a single breath.
At least, that was his intention.
“Hmph!”
Hardness to softness,
Like a reed laying its body down before a typhoon, Yeon So-hyeon’s knees let the force loaded in Yang O-dan’s grip slip away.
And at the same time, Yang O-dan’s lofty technique of trying to subdue five acupoints at once had its source blocked instead as his arm was caught in Yeon So-hyeon’s steel-like grip.
“?!”
With only that exchange of a single move, Yang O-dan snapped back to his senses.
‘This is not ordinary! From now on, I will regard the opponent as a person of the same boundary as me!’
Giving up on his left hand, which did not move as if pinned under a ten-million-jin Mount Wuxing, his free right hand moved like lightning.
“Hmm!”
It was the Yang Family Secret Transmission, the Tiger-Restraining Iron-Seizing Hand.
Alternating between feints and variations in an instant, a subduing move unfolded within those hundred illusions and hundred changes, aiming for the opponent’s neck.
But the Eldest Young Master saw through the truth and falsehood, ignored the feints, and suppressed the flow merely by lightly tapping the wrist that brought about the changes.
Consequently, what remained was merely a simple hand gesture that was fast and strong.
The immense force residing in that hand gesture futilely crossed Yeon So-hyeon’s side.
‘In the first place, what I aimed for was this side!’
But that was not the entirety of his intended move.
Would his boundary be for nothing?
He had already entered the center of the footwork Yeon So-hyeon was executing simultaneously with unfolding the move.
At the same time, lightning-like leg techniques struck Yeon So-hyeon’s left back-knee three times, and tangling that foot with his own foot, he pushed the opponent backward.
It was as if his arm, which Yeon So-hyeon had bound unbelievably strongly, conversely served as an axis that could transmit force completely.
Using fingers, claws, palms, and legs at will, striking muscles, subduing joints, and aiming for acupoints, he used various techniques in an instant so that everything blended together like a single flow.
It was Yang O-dan showing what subduing close-combat techniques that reached high boundaries were like.
However—
“Argh!”
A scream burst out from Yang O-dan’s mouth unconsciously.
His own foot, which he thought had tangled the opponent’s foot, was conversely twisted by Yeon So-hyeon’s absurd leg strength.
Even the arm he had used as an axis was conversely twisted by the opponent’s mysterious technique.
Yeon So-hyeon had returned Yang O-dan’s force through the principle of neutralizing force in that short instant.
Uniting the weight and internal energy Yang O-dan had loaded with Yeon So-hyeon’s own physical strength, he snapped his arm, which thick internal energy had protected.
“W-what kind of mad…!”
Yang O-dan wanted to separate himself from Yeon So-hyeon’s hands and feet that were restricting his body and withdraw, but—
…as if bound by adamantine chains, he could not escape at all.
At that moment, he felt the opponent’s freezing breath on his face.
That breath was so cold that the steel-like facial skin protected by internal energy felt as if it would freeze.
“Now…”
A voice like boiling molten iron knocked on his ears.
“…have you performed all the tricks you can?”
Reflexively, the eyes of Yang O-dan, who lifted his head, saw the ghost fire burning pale-blue around the opponent’s eyes.
The time of taming with bait was over.
Now it was turn to beat the dog that scrambled up and rushed forward without knowing its place, and show who was holding their leash tightly.
* * *
Luoyang Sword Family, Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment.
The shrine where the memorial tablet of the Medicine Fairy, Yak So-yu, was enshrined.
The Second Young Lady picked up a wooden Buddha statue with a dubious expression.
“This is the Buddha statue that child carved while controlling his anger…?”
Il-ryeong also nodded with a slightly weary look.
“…Yes, it is.”
“…This.”
Though she was of a cool-headed character acknowledged by herself and others, she could not find the words to continue speaking for a while.
“…Whenever Master felt he could not control himself, he carved Buddha statues.”
“…Since when did that child start carving these?”
Il-ryeong bowed her head.
“I heard that they began to increase from approximately two months ago.”
“Then, has it not been barely any time…?”
“….”
The Second Young Lady lifted her head and looked left and right.
Indeed, how deep was the Grand Patriarch’s love for the Grand Madame.
The shrine was larger in scale than the main hall of an average temple by its internal area alone.
And every space of that shrine was filled with wooden Buddha statues.
Some were large, some were crooked, some were laughing, and some were crying.
Wherever one looked, there were only Buddha statues, and more Buddha statues.
Buddha statues stacked in several layers along the shelves surrounding the walls in multiple tiers.
Those Buddha statues were overflowing onto the wide wooden floor, looking as if they had burst out, unable to endure.
“…What on earth.”
Leaving behind only the space to bow and offer incense.
The Buddha statues filling all the spaces were staring at the visitor in unison.
“….”
Overwhelmed by the sight that felt of nothing but madness, the Second Young Lady could not say anything further.