Chapter 183: v8c8 - Turning Point
Volume 8 Chapter 8 – Turning Point
Read it only at Nineheavens.org
===================
The Lee Family elder from a military background shouted from behind those holding shields while clutching a baton.
It was because he had seen another elder get blown away by a single blast of internal qi from a distance.
“Hold! You must not be pushed back even a single step! Hold on with grit by any means!”
Servants of a family were bound to play the role of combat soldiers in this kind of situation.
However, the servants of the Lee Family mobilized in the emergency were different in quality from the commonly seen servants of conscript level who merely filled the numbers.
The Lee Family invested massive funds every year to carefully select, recruit, and raise their servants.
With the addition of the martial artists leading them, they truly became a military unit worthy of the name of an influential family.
“You bastards! Hold! Shoulder to shoulder with the person next to you and hold!”
“Damn it! Squeeze out every ounce of your strength!”
The decurions of the Lee Family, ahead of anyone else and with harsh curses, were pushing back the heavy shields of the enemies with the weight of their entire bodies.
The Lee Family’s military unit, confronting the enemy in a long oblique formation, was somehow enduring the immense pressure of the heavily armed judicial execution forces.
It was an unbelievable achievement.
However.
At the central clash point of the formation, a voice laden with internal energy resounded.
“To obstruct the execution of official duties of an official appointed by His Imperial Majesty the Emperor by force! You bastards are indeed the rebels!”
There was someone returning the very words heard in Cheonghak District to the Lee Family.
The owner of that clear voice was, of course, Yeon So-hyeon.
The flagstaff of the Eldest Young Master, which was practically an iron bar, shook strangely.
“Everyone, kneel!”
The Lee Family’s forces, who had been holding out while pushing back the flagstaff by any means, lost their balance all at once and fell forward.
There were even those who fell flat forward and broke their jaws, beyond merely kneeling.
“Everyone, make way!”
As the flagstaff struck left and right furiously along with Yeon So-hyeon’s shout, the Lee Family’s forces were flung to the left and right by groups of three or four and tumbled backward.
From the rear rank, forces constantly refilled the empty spaces.
Yet, Yeon So-hyeon’s flagstaff was stirring that narrow space as if it were an uninhabited territory.
“Haha!”
The sight was like a match for ten thousand enemies.
The reason lay in the series of spear techniques that Yeon So-hyeon was currently executing with the flagstaff.
That spear technique originated from a nameless secret manual called the Fengxian Spear Technique, which was none other than the martial arts of Lu Bu, who had been a match for ten thousand men.
That spear technique, which had been put up for auction over a hundred years ago as the Lu Family declined over the course of time, was currently owned by the Luoyang Sword Family.
“Dear me…!”
The face of the Lee Family elder holding the baton flushed crimson with anger.
What was the use of showing a miraculous struggle against the heavily armed judicial execution forces?
If the center where Yeon So-hyeon was collapsed, it was obvious that the meaning of the oblique formation itself would fade.
The forces had to buy time by all means until the elders destroyed the key evidence or fled with it.
“What are the martial artists doing?! Block that fellow this instant!”
Several of the Lee Family’s martial artists, who were mainly deployed on the left side of the oblique formation, threw their bodies into the air.
Stepping on the heads and shoulders of the forces with movement techniques, they rushed toward Yeon So-hyeon.
Of course, Yeon So-hyeon saw through such a response as clearly as looking at his own palm.
Through the forces of both sides packed so tightly that there was no room to step, what other way would there be to attack him besides the air?
In an instant, Yeon So-hyeon’s martial arts changed.
“Hup!”
The martial artists descending from the air flew back as if bouncing to the opposite side along with an explosion.
The explosion seemed to have occurred once, but it was an overlapping shock to the extent that the martial artists’ entire bodies were twisted.
The Zhongnan Sect.
Ultimate Eight Consecutive Flag Stances.
Instead of the Fengxian Spear Technique, which was created in ancient times and only had spear techniques without internal qi cultivation, this was a supreme art containing the essence of Zhongnan that Yeon So-hyeon chose.
The martial artist who had tried to launch a surprise attack by seeping through the legs of the forces pushing roughly was already stepped on beneath Yeon So-hyeon’s feet.
The sniper from the Eastern Kingdom, who had been recruited by investing massive funds, died after the short arrow he had shot bounced back and hit him.
“Is this mere level all the Lee Family can show?!”
A Daoist-class Lion’s Roar shook the battlefield once, and the spear technique matching ten thousand enemies, modified by Yeon So-hyeon, stirred and poked in all directions.
At that sight, the back of the Lee elder holding the baton was drenched in cold sweat.
‘Th-this crazy…! At this rate, the formation will collapse!’
It was not the time to spare his hands.
“…I request your help.”
The martial artists who nodded at his words stepped forward, holding their respective weapons.
Every single one of them was a person whose name was known in the Jianghu, staying as a retainer relying on the Lee Family.
However, they had no opportunity to show off their skills as much as their reputations.
“——-!!”
The towering wall that the left end of the Lee Family’s oblique formation touched was shattered, and the Ironclad Fortress descended upon the side of the formation.
It was the moment the left end of the oblique formation, which had been maintained with the thickest forces, was crushed all at once.
“Wh-why did that pop out from over there?!”
It was a nightmarish sight.
The Lee Family elder who was commanding clutched his head.
‘How could we have missed that giant carriage pulling back…?!’
This had all happened because he was holed up among the shields in the very rear rank due to Yeon So-hyeon’s Hundred-Step Divine Fist.
In other words, the commander’s field of vision was excessively narrow.
As the Ironclad Fortress began to stir the rear rank with a dense spray of blood, the commander of the judicial execution forces, who had been waiting for the right moment, flashed his eyes.
“Now! Advance one step!”
As the shout laden with internal energy resounded, the judicial execution forces, which had been silently maintaining their formation and draining the strength of the Lee Family’s forces, advanced one step all at once.
“One step!”
Along with the repeated command of the judicial execution forces, the Lee Family’s formation, which had held out well until now, shook as if in a lie.
“Uh, uh…?!”
“D-do not be pushed back!”
However, having already lost their strength, they were being pushed back unilaterally.
That was the tactic the judicial execution forces had created from long experience.
As was usually the case when they set out for judicial execution, influential families were bound to exercise their right of self-defense through force.
Since the forces of such families were in a situation where they would lose their livelihood immediately, they often exhibited strength beyond imagination right after the start of the battle.
‘Once we drain that strength, the rest is easy.’
The commander of the judicial execution forces waved his hand to signal.
“Hup!”
Thereupon, through the opened gap, the investigators who had been silently waiting in the rear rank leaped out without exception.
“Argh…!”
“We must, must hold…!”
Weapons carrying their internal force began to flash chillingly in all directions.
The Lee Family’s formation, whose strength was now completely drained, began to collapse as it was.
“Push forward with all your might!”
As Yeon So-hyeon’s Lion’s Roar resounded loudly across the battlefield, all of the judicial execution forces charged in at once.
Short spears flashed, blood splattered, and screams filled all directions.
A unilateral slaughter unfolded. “…….”
Amidst those moving in confusion, the eyes of the commander of the judicial command forces and Yeon So-hyeon met in the distance.
His gaze looked strangely full of dissatisfaction, probably because Yeon So-hyeon had issued the commands both at the start of the battle and at the decisive moment just now.
Nevertheless, he did not seem to have any intention of expressing his dissatisfaction directly.
Yeon So-hyeon’s command was that timely.
“I apologize.”
Yeon So-hyeon, who muttered to himself and slightly raised his hand to express an apology to him, turned around.
“Give up.”
He spoke to the Lee Family’s martial artists who stood awkwardly.
“The tide of battle has already turned.”
The weapons they threw away tumbled onto the ground.
There was no choice of resisting until the very end.
At their behavior, the elder who was commanding the Lee Family’s forces flew into a rage.
“Just what are you doing! Should you not fulfill your duty as retainers?!”
At his words, the martial artist who had surrendered first shrugged his shoulders.
“Since one has only one life.”
To plunge into a battle already finished and burn one’s life until the end.
It was not cost-effective to calculate it based merely on the grace received while staying as a retainer.
“You honorless—!”
The baton he had been swinging in anger spun in the air and fell to the ground.
The owner of the baton collapsed backward with his jaw shattered.
“He is a noisy one to the very end.”
Drawing back the flagstaff he had thrust forward, Yeon So-hyeon smiled coldly and shouted.
“Everyone surrender! The battle is over!”
The shout laden with his internal energy resounded. “…….”
On top of their comrades’ corpses, the remaining forces of the Lee Family who had struggled until the end released the weapons from their hands.
* * *
“Found it. It is a mechanism.”
As the investigator manipulated the candlestick, a secret door was revealed, and the forces went inside.
“I-I surrender! Sur—!”
The words were cut off, and screams and the sound of thudding leaked from inside.
While the investigator was rummaging through the space behind the bookshelf and had smoked about half a cigarette, an elder of the Lee Family covered in bruises was dragged out.
At the gaze of the forces asking what to do, the investigator waved his hand.
“Take him away.”
They threw the elder bound in ropes outside.
“Oh! I’m dying!”
The garden located in the inner part of the family residence was already full of those dragged out in this manner.
An elder who had fled over the wall only to be captured by those waiting outside.
An elder who was dragged out after being discovered hiding in some corner.
An elder who was caught while pretending to be a servant after changing into shabby clothes.
An elder who resisted with useless martial arts.
If there was a common point, it was merely that all of them had been beaten soundly and had swollen faces.
The investigators thus displayed ghost-like abilities to apprehend the criminals and find evidence.
Behind the magistrates receiving reports, Yeon So-hyeon’s figure was visible.
“It was a splendid tactic and excellent command.”
At Yeon So-hyeon’s words, the commander of the judicial execution forces bowed his head slightly.
His expression was unexpectedly friendly.
“Thanks to the Eldest Young Master, we were able to suppress them much faster than usual. The troop casualties were also that much fewer.”
He had experience building up military merits by participating in various major local conflicts, including the Northern War.
“I thought there would be nothing more to be surprised by on the battlefield, but the Eldest Young Master has surprised this official.”
“You flatter me.”
“This official does not speak empty words of flattery.”
Those guarding the surroundings hid their surprised expressions at the commander’s words.
Their commander was a man of so few words that it would be fair to say he was usually silent.
For him to praise someone so highly like that was something even those who shared meals with him saw for the first time.
“Now, completed with this!”
Beyond them exchanging conversations, Suran, a solver belonging to the Spring of Luoyang, was helping with the first aid of the injured.
Suran and Cheong Ho-wi were not granted permission by Yeon So-hyeon to participate in the battle.
It was not that he disregarded their realm, but the reason was that today was too different from the back alleys where they usually active.
And indeed, as Yeon So-hyeon said, the resistance of the Lee Family was distantly different in its level from the organizations of the underworld.
“Young lady! Thank you!”
“Oh, dear. ‘Young lady’ indeed.”
Waving her hand to the wounded soldier who expressed gratitude and headed to the main unit, Suran turned her gaze toward Cheong Ho-wi. “…….”
There was a bit of worry contained in her gaze, which was due to the fact that the person her colleague Cheong Ho-wi was talking to was the Patriarch of the Cheong Family.
Lord Cheong spoke to Cheong Ho-wi.
“You rascal. Did it make you feel relieved to kick your way out of the family?”
Contrary to his words, Lord Cheong’s tone was gentle.
“…I am sorry, Uncle.”
Cheong Ho-wi scratched the back of his head with his single remaining hand.
He was one who had left the family because if he were active while belonging to the Spring of Luoyang, he could have eventually caused harm to the family.
“Even so, I am glad that you seem to have grown greatly after leaving the family. For you to become a big enough person to accompany that Eldest Young Master.”
At Lord Cheong’s words, Cheong Ho-wi wore a bitter smile.
“Rather than saying I accompany him, it is more fitting to say I was granted permission to tag along by the Eldest Young Master.”
“Do you not know that even that alone is a great thing?”
“Your words are correct.”
The time Cheong Ho-wi had known Yeon So-hyeon was extremely short.
Even so, it was certain that he was a grand enough figure to receive recognition from the Patriarch of the Cheong Family simply by accompanying him.
“But…”
“What is it you worry about?”
Cheong Ho-wi opened his mouth with difficulty.
“…I worry that instigating things on such a large scale without even physical evidence might act as a heavy burden on the Cheong Family.”
“Certainly. As you said, it will be a burden.”
Lord Cheong nodded in agreement and laughed.
“Since our family stands on the front line along with the Eldest Young Master, we will be severely battered by the other families of the Second Young Master’s side from now on.”
“If so, why…?”
“That is because.”
Lord Cheong’s gaze looked at Cheong Ho-wi.
“Reckoning with this old Patriarch’s shallow insight.”
Facing the pupils imbued with wisdom whose depth could not be known, Cheong Ho-wi sucked in his breath.
“Daring to appraise the current Luoyang, I would call it a turning point in history. From this point, it will be decided whether the State of Zhongyuan will regress or move forward.”
Lord Cheong spoke in a calm voice, but it was a remark containing insight that encompassed the entire continent.
“And I have thought that the only result of that would be the decline and ruin of the State of Zhongyuan.” “……!”
“However, coincidentally at this point, I was able to meet one person.”
He directed his gaze far away, toward Yeon So-hyeon.
“Since he has appeared, no matter what the result may be, that Eldest Young Master will be at the center of that transformation.”
The person named Yeon So-hyeon held the status of Eldest Young Master in the rare grand family called the Luoyang Sword Family.
He was also one whom Gong Ryang, the Patriarch of the Kong Family—which was the head of one of the Sixteen Imperial Capital Families and a reformist representing the State of Zhongyuan—pushed forward while risking everything.
That deal, which bound the old devils of Mount Beimang, the Sichuan Tang Family, and the Dali Duan Family together, was beyond imagination in both its scale and its methods.
Though his footsteps had only just taken their first steps out into the world, with that single step alone, he was shaking this giant metropolis, Luoyang.
“…Our Cheong Family will continue to reform the State of Zhongyuan together with him from now on. The beginning of that was precisely now.”
He was confident that the boy would exist as a turning point in the history of the continent as well.
“Does this answer your question?”
“…Yes, Uncle.”
Cheong Ho-wi broke out in a cold sweat.
Meeting the Patriarch of the Cheong Family after a long time, he felt anew that he was indeed a grand enough figure that calling him a great man was only natural.
Both the Patriarch of the Cheong Family who read the flow of history, and the Eldest Young Master Yeon So-hyeon who moved the entire family of which he was the Patriarch.
They were individuals who distantly exceeded the limits of what he could dare measure.
“I also have much interest in the reform you mentioned, but…”
Cheong Ho-wi scratched his head with a bitter smile.
“It seems the only thing a lacking rascal like me can do is simply help the people before my eyes.”
At his words, Lord Cheong laughed boisterously.
“Your words are also correct. Changes at the lowest level can also become a giant flow that cannot be resisted.”
Cheong Ho-wi could understand the words omitted from that remark.
‘Ah! So that is why the Sword Family’s Eldest Young Master started the House of Benevolence and Love…’
At that moment, the chief investigator sent a telepathic transmission from afar to report to Lord Cheong.
[Although all investigations are going smoothly so far, the Patriarch of the Lee Family is nowhere to be seen.]
Lord Cheong groaned inwardly and immediately relayed that content to Yeon So-hyeon via telepathic transmission.
Yeon So-hyeon, who was discussing urban tactics with the commander in the distance, replied via telepathic transmission with a smile.
[If it is the Patriarch of the Lee Family, you do not have to worry.]
At that reply, Lord Cheong shrugged his shoulders.
As expected, the Eldest Young Master was a figure who always deviated from his expectations.