Chapter 340: v14c15 - Orthodox Way
Volume 14 Chapter 15 – The Righteous Path
“Atonement…” whispers from the distinguished guests were flowing from all over the grand banquet hall.
“…Did they take refuge in the Fairy Cult for atonement?”
“Although the Northern Hengshan Sect lost many members, it doesn’t mean their remaining strength can be ignored.”
“Indeed, that’s true.”
As everyone whispered and discussed the joining of the Northern Hengshan Sect, right when the warriors of the Northern Hengshan Sect and the Eldest Young Master, Yeon So-hyeon, were exchanging words, clearly, the information intentionally leaked by the Third Young Master’s side once again
“I look forward to working with you.”
“…Thank you for accepting us, Eldest Young Master.”
“New news!”
Entered in a hurry, but although some did react to the new news, while the distinguished guests quickly calculated, and pondered how to get closer to the Eldest Young Master by any means, the Sect Leader of Zhongnan, who knelt and apologized to the Eldest Young Master, had looked
“it was said that the Emei Sect also decided to join the Third Young Master’s New Martial Alliance!”
“The Emei Sect?!”
“However…” while Yeon So-hyeon clearly demonstrated his presence as the Eldest Young Master of the Luoyang Sword Family, since even Gong Ryang, the Old Demon who inspired fear with his formidable dominance, was seated as the Governor of Luoyang, it was only natural for the subordinate sects of the Luoyang Sword Family that composed the New Martial Alliance to cling to the Eldest Young Master.
“rather than the Third Young Master’s side right now,” it quickly fizzled out, and they began discussing the Hengshan side again.
“the momentum of the Eldest Young Master rapidly securing forces is more surprising.”
“Since the Eldest Young Master will bestow a base for the Northern Hengshan Sect in Luoyang…” luoyang, one of the largest cities in the State of Zhongyuan.
“…once the base is secured, they will stably procure income and talent.”
“No. Rather than before the annihilation, Hengshan will develop even more grandly. Because this is Luoyang.”
“Heh, heh, Eldest Young Master. With so many allies like this, this old man also feels reassured.”
“Elder Gong Ryang, who speaks so, is like ten thousand horses and a thousand troops to me.”
“…Isn’t it like a tiger gaining wings?”
“The speed at which the Eldest Young Master’s forces grow is like the momentum of the Yellow River swelling during the rainy season.”
“…Deciding to attend this place today was a very excellent judgment.”
“I, too, was thinking so.”
“……”
Just as the Great Master of Kongtong tried to shake off the hand again by gathering his internal energy, the Third Young Master’s loyalists sent sound transmissions first this time.
“……”
Completely unrelated to the general flow of conversation, the Great Master of the Kongtong Sect, who had been unable to find room to squeeze in from the front row, had his shoulder grabbed.
[It is now…!] there were also those who secretly exchanged glances.
[Before it is too late, let’s pull Kongtong out of here…!] they were the loyalists of the Third Young Master’s side.
“It is a summons from the Strategist Department!”
“Now, let us go! Great Master!”
“W-Wait a moment…!”
[Just now, Elder Namgung Hyeok-cheon ordered the entire Kongtong Sect to return immediately.] as the Great Master of the Kongtong Sect bared his teeth with hostility, pushing past those who were practically clamoring, a loyalist from the Third Young Master’s side shouted, why.
[In addition to the summons of the Strategist Department. Does Kongtong intend to ignore all of this?] because it was not words targeting the Great Master individually, but they explicitly mentioned Kongtong, it was practically a threat.
“……!”
“You people…!”
[Calm down a bit and think about it, Great Master!] they quickly changed their stance this time and shook him.
[Diancang and Zhongnan have betrayed, and Hengshan is also in a state of completely turning against us!] the Third Young Master’s loyalists raised their voices as if they could not understand.
[In this situation, if only the Kongtong Sect returns in a steadfast manner, how could anyone treat Kongtong poorly?] the Third Young Master’s loyalists looked at his opening mouth with expectation, and at those words, a voice like a scream burst from the mouths of the Third Young Master’s loyalists.
“……”
Although it was a very brief moment that the eyes of the Kongtong Sect’s Great Master wavered, they did not miss that minute gap.
[If we treat Kongtong, which returned keeping its loyalty in such a situation, poorly, everyone under heaven will point fingers at Namgung and the Strategist Department!] closing his eyes tightly once, the eyes of the Kongtong Sect’s Great Master when he opened them again were bloodshot, and although they were wavering greatly, his mind was firmly decided.
[Naturally, rewards no less than what the Eldest Young Master offers will surely be given!] as if driving a wedge, the sound transmission flowed into the mind of the Kongtong Sect’s Great Master.
[Moreover, reaching this point, if you join the Eldest Young Master’s side late, what do you think will be left?] moreover, unlike the other sects, even if Kongtong chose to join now, there was not much justification other than blatant pursuit of interest.
[With the joining of Mount Hua and Wudang, the influence of the New Martial Alliance across the entire State of Zhongyuan will grow even larger!] already, Diancang, Zhongnan, and even Hengshan had joined, so even if they joined late, shuffling their feet, Kongtong would not escape being treated like a borrowed sack of barley on the Eldest Young Master’s side.
[And not a little profit will go to Kongtong in the future!] wrinkles formed on the face of the Kongtong Sect’s Great Master.
“……”
For every single word they said was true.
“…….”
“…Our Kongtong.”
“The Kongtong Sect…?”
“……”
The surrounding distinguished guests, who were watching the unfolding atmosphere and situation of the Third Young Master’s side with curiosity also shut their mouths, pretending not to listen, and were paying close attention to the Kongtong Sect Great Master’s words.
“Our Kongtong, still, will offer our sword to the Eldest Young Master.”
“Great Master?!”
“Are you in your right mind right now?!”
“Indeed. I might not be in my right mind. But…” the Great Master of the Kongtong Sect nodded firmly.
“My intention is firm.”
“No, just why?!”
“Why choose the punishment cup in this situation?!”
“Great Master!”
“At least tell us the reason!”
“……”
The Great Master of Kongtong, after silencing himself for a moment to organize his thoughts, opened his mouth and uttered a single word.
“The righteous path.”
“……”
The Third Young Master’s loyalists, who wore dumbfounded expressions for a moment, as if it were absurd, let out hollow laughs without exception.
“…The righteous path.”
“What kind of anachronistic and bizarre—” knowing that they would not understand with just a word anyway, the Great Master of the Kongtong Sect smiled bitterly.
“Although the Eldest Young Master has shown many schemes and stratagems with his divine calculation until now, he has never once deviated from the Orthodox Way.”
“So what does that have to—” the Great Master of the Kongtong Sect cut him off.
“That is, precisely, the credit and trust that a ruler ought to have. That is the very virtue the Eldest Young Master possesses…” even while uttering those words, how unfamiliar and distant those words felt.
“and also, that is the decisive reason I resolved to follow the Eldest Young Master.”
“…Hah.”
‘…I think I finally understand.’
So relieved.
He seemed to understand.
“If what the Great Master is talking about right now is those righteous-sect-like talks of chivalry and righteousness that were not even said during the old Martial Alliance era—” the Great Master of Kongtong shook his head firmly.
“No.”
“I, too, know well that we have already degraded too much to utter such noble values.”
A bitter smile appeared on his lips.
“However,” although that smile was largely self-deprecating, at the same time, like the smile the Sect Leader of Zhongnan had worn, it looked somewhat relieved.
“it is the same even from the perspective of the sect’s interests.”
“…What do you mean?”
The Great Master of Kongtong replied.
“Rather than such sweet words promising a future filled with tens of thousands of benefits from the Third Young Master’s side,” he said flatly.
“a single word of promise from the Eldest Young Master seems more likely to be fulfilled.”
In other words, unlike the Eldest Young Master that the Third Young Master’s side possessed neither credit nor trust.
“Nonsense!”
Naturally, the Third Young Master’s loyalists instantly flared up.
“What kind of baseless logic is that?!”
“You might as well pretend to be a saint, what kind of nonsense are you talking?!”
The Great Master of Kongtong lightly shook off his gripped shoulder, escaping from them as he asked, he continued his questioning.
“Is that so?”
“The Eldest Young Master has never once broken the words he spoke until now, and it seems he never will in the future. How do you think of that?”
Surprisingly at that moment, that no one, readily, could answer that question, was the greatest asset and achievement that the Eldest Young Master, Yeon So-hyeon, had accumulated since ending his seclusion.
“……”
Indeed, would the Eldest Young Master break the words he promised in his future moves?
“……”
The Third Young Master’s loyalists shut their mouths at that question.
“That is the trust and credit, the virtues of the Eldest Young Master, which I mentioned earlier.”
Gnash.
The sound of grinding teeth leaked from the mouths of the Third Young Master’s loyalists.
“……”
But, in the end since even they had nothing else to say, they could only say words that, if typical, were typical.
“…Great Master. You will regret this decision.”
“No matter what the Eldest Young Master does, we will surely make the Kongtong Sect break miserably.”
“Go ahead, cling to the Eldest Young Master, receive the resentment of your disciples, and enjoy being treated like cold rice.”
“Since you won’t even get ancestral food after death, you might as well eat cold rice while alive.”
Despite being typical, the chilling killing intent carried in their words was real, and however, when he turned his head, before he knew it, the face of Gong Ryang, who had approached their side, was right in front of him.
“……”
The Great Master of Kongtong, whose spine grew cold, could only keep his mouth firmly shut.
“Ho?”
“……?!”
When the startled loyalists of the Third Young Master’s side reflexively stepped backward Gong Ryang, sitting in his wheeled chair, approached them as much as they had retreated and said, Gong Ryang asked, wearing a smile that carried a thick scent of blood.
“Are you threatening someone who wishes to throw themselves under the Eldest Young Master’s shadow right now?”
“Right now, in Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment, the residence of the Eldest Young Master, do scum like you dare display killing intent?”
“N-No…!”
“It is not that…!”
Even if they hurriedly shook their heads and waved their hands, it only added to the cold reactions of the surroundings.
‘Oh no…!’
‘We were in such a hurry that we forgot the location…!’
Turning pale, the loyalists of the Third Young Master’s side shrank back and retreated toward the entrance.
“W-We shall take our leave now!”
The distinguished guests, who did not wish to be directly involved, did not block their path, but Gong Ryang’s teeth were yellow due to age, and his dental alignment was collapsed, with many parts replaced by gold teeth or even missing, but the teeth of the Old Demon were, to them, a shape more fearsome than the teeth of the mountain lord, so it was only natural that they forgot their dignity and fled from Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment immediately.
“Since I, Gong Ryang, have remembered all of your faces,” Gong Ryang bared his teeth toward those who were hurriedly retreating.
“your sects, families, and martial halls will not even be able to set foot near this land of Luoyang in the future.”
“Eek…!”
“…Thank you, Elder Governor of Luoyang.”
As the Great Master of the Kongtong Sect expressed his thanks, Gong Ryang lightly shook his head.
“No.”
“The target of your gratitude is incorrect.”
“Pardon?”
Gong Ryang, returning to his usual soft expression, smiled.
“Would this old man have acted as the master of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment on my own accord?”
Kicking out a guest is the master’s authority.
“Ah…!”
In the place where the Great Master of the Kongtong Sect reflexively turned, realizing what Gong Ryang’s words meant the figure of the Eldest Young Master, Yeon So-hyeon, stood.
“E-Eldest Young Master…!”
Yeon So-hyeon smiled.
“I welcome Kongtong’s joining.”