Book 14: Chapter 6: Precedent

The Luoyang Sword Family.

The Third Young Master's camp.

Step, step.

The heavy sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway.

“……!”

Those who recognized the owner of the footsteps hurriedly bowed their heads and stepped aside to the left and right.

Under normal circumstances the owner of the footsteps would have felt a small satisfaction from each of those sights, but now, on the contrary, the sound of his own footsteps reflecting back from the hallway only sounded anxious, and he even felt as if he were being chased somehow.

“…….”

“Stop! This is the central area of the Grand Tactician Department…!”

The eyes of the warriors, who were trying to control entry as usual, widened.

“E-Elder Namgung…?!”

The owner of the footsteps.

Namgung Hyeok-cheon, the head of the Third Young Master's faction, spoke in a low voice.

“Open it.”

For a moment the two warriors from the former Martial Alliance who guarded the door exchanged glances, but their opponent was not someone they could block in the first place.

“…….”

“E-Elder Namgung Hyeok-cheon has visited the Grand Tactician Department!”

Along with a loud shout as soon as the door opened, Namgung Hyeok-cheon stepped inside.

“Well, well.”

Amidst the thick scent of ink, in a somewhat slightly displeased tone an old man with the air of a Daoist immortal whose age was difficult to guess, Grand Tactician Sima welcomed him.

“Elder Namgung. For what business did you personally visit this humble place?”

It was not an illusion that it felt sarcastic.

Since the days of the former Martial Alliance the prestigious families represented by the Namgung Clan the Strategist Department, and the Nine Sects had constantly fought to seize power within the Martial Alliance, and this rag-like relationship filled with resentment born from those long years of power struggles

Was continuing even here, in the Luoyang Sword Family.

“…….”

Therefore without even serving a cup of tea, he asked for the business first while keeping Namgung Hyeok-cheon, the head of their own Third Young Master's faction, standing on the spot.

“…Have you heard the news of the Eldest Young Master?”

In the uncomfortable air, Namgung Hyeok-cheon asked with a stiff expression.

“We have ears too, so of course we heard it.”

Especially Grand Tactician Sima, whose family had a direct grudge relationship, unlike his usual attitude “You are speaking of how the elders led by Elder Namgung Hyeok-cheon were unilaterally beaten up and defeated by the Eldest Young Master at the Elders' Hall, correct? Dear me…”

The old man clicked his tongue and muttered as if to himself.

“Our Strategist Department certainly sent a direct warning to Elder Namgung about the possibility of the Eldest Young Master's side intervening, but…” the old man consistently maintained an attitude filled with hostility.

“If not that, the Eldest Yo—” the corners of Grand Tactician Sima's mouth twisted, revealing his teeth, but Namgung Hyeok-cheon cut off his words first.

“The Eldest Young Master.”

“If it is the news that he made Elder Peng of the Hebei faction a master, I also just heard it.”

At that, Grand Tactician Sima twisted the corners of his mouth even more and said, Grand Tactician Sima said as if mocking him.

“Then, you must also know that the elders on our side flocked to Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment.”

“In that case, shouldn't Elder Namgung be controlling them right now...?”

Normally no matter who it was, someone would have lost their temper first, and it would have been the moment the meeting broke up.

“…Even if we suppress their curiosity about martial arts now, it is obvious that it will lead to an even greater longing. If that happens, they will only be swayed by the Eldest Young Master even more.”

However, today, even as Namgung Hyeok-cheon's eyebrows trembled slightly with anger he continued to speak seriously.

“In that case, it is better to let them loose for a moment now.”

“…….”

At Namgung Hyeok-cheon's atmosphere, which was somehow different from usual, Grand Tactician Sima shut his mouth without making any further sarcastic remarks.

“If so…” instead of Grand Tactician Sima, the young Grand Tactician Zhuge, who was watching the situation, stepped forward and opened his mouth.

“The reason Elder Namgung came here is—” Namgung Hyeok-cheon suddenly brought up the story of the Second Young Master.

“—The Second Young Master's side.”

“They split internally into the Luoyang faction and the Jiangnan faction to fight over achievements, only to be defeated individually by the Eldest Young Master. And...”

Grand Tactician Zhuge nodded and opened his mouth to take over the words.

“And when it came to the decisive moment, they were defeated by the Eldest Young Master without even being able to bring out their entire power.”

Why was he bringing up the story of the Second Young Master right now?

Grand Tactician Sima narrowed his eyes and observed the conversation between the two.

“From the perspective of the Second Young Master's side, it was a futile defeat to the point of beating the ground in regret.”

Namgung Hyeok-cheon took over Grand Tactician Zhuge's words.

“The snare laid by the Eldest Young Master was too massive, and also swift and precise. Before they could mobilize all the tactics and power they could employ, the outcome was already decided...”

The Second Young Master's side could not even properly bring out the power of Evil Tyrant Heaven nor could they mobilize the entire power within the Sword Family, and they were defeated without even revealing all the strength of their allies.

“With just a single victory, the Eldest Young Master virtually drove the Second Young Master's side into ruin.”

Tactician Zhuge licked his drying lips once and asked, Namgung Hyeok-cheon closed his eyes for a moment.

“The reason you are bringing that up now is...”

“…….”

“To you, the worst enemy is not Evil Tyrant Heaven, nor the Sichuan Tang Family, nor the Grand Patriarch who is currently lying bedridden.”

The Chief Manager of the Inner Courtyard had raised his hand to point outside, in the direction of the Elders' Hall.

“It is the Eldest Young Master over there.”

“…With the brilliant brains of the Grand Tacticians, you must be feeling it.”

Namgung Hyeok-cheon, having made up his mind firmly once again, opened his eyes and spoke.

“The direction we are heading in right now is no different from the path the Second Young Master's side walked.”

At those words, the Grand Tacticians on both sides groaned simultaneously.

“…….”

“…….”

“No. It is not just a matter of being no different.”

Namgung Hyeok-cheon declared flatly.

“We are following that exact same precedent.”

“…….”

“…….”

Neither of the Grand Tacticians on the left and right dared to deny those words.

For they too were clearly feeling that point right now.

“Our plan to reveal the Third Young Master, who has risen to the ranks of a master, at the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering to draw attention all at once—” Grand Tactician Sima nodded heavily and took over Namgung Hyeok-cheon's words.

“—is already no different from failure.”

Grand Tactician Zhuge clicked his tongue quietly.

“Although there were many plans we had prepared in succession after that...”

Regarding who would become the center of power, they were competitors, but that, after all, was only on the premise that the Third Young Master and they would win.

“At the point when the Eldest Young Master preemptively and unconventionally showed off his military strength like that...”

“now, everything has become meaningless.”

“The Eldest Young Master...”

Namgung Hyeok-cheon put into words the fact that he had been unconsciously avoiding all this time.

“can be said to be superior to anyone else in any aspect.”

“…….”

Grand Tactician Zhuge bit his lip.

His sense of rivalry toward the Eldest Young Master had already turned into an inferiority complex, and the more he learned about the Eldest Young Master and the more he was revealed, the more that gap was felt to be desperately despairing.

“Now is not the time for our camp to be divided like this.”

Namgung Hyeok-cheon said seriously.

“Setting aside the elders from the Nine Sects, at least our prestigious families and the Strategist Department must unite first.”

He put into words the message he had heard from the Chief Manager of the Inner Courtyard.

“Our true enemy, the greatest threat, is that Eldest Young Master.”

“…….”

Grand Tactician Sima let out a long sigh, then nodded his head to show agreement.

“…You are correct.”

The shrewd Grand Tactician was not foolish enough to not know what was important.

“Let us put aside our feelings starting from now.”

“Good.”

Namgung Hyeok-cheon sat cross-legged right there on the floor and rolled up his sleeves.

“From now on, I will share all the information I know. Therefore, the Grand Tacticians on both sides as well—” the two Grand Tacticians also sat down on the spot just like him.

“Of course.”

“The very first information that the Strategist Department will share with you...”

Grand Tactician Sima continued Grand Tactician Zhuge's words.

“is news about the north.”

“The north...?”

Since both the Nine Sects and the prestigious families active in the State of Zhongyuan when it came to information about beyond the border, they could not match the Strategist Department of the former Martial Alliance, which had established information networks throughout the State of Zhongyuan.

“An unusual movement is currently being detected among the barbarian tribes of the north.”

“If it is an unusual movement, to what scale...?”

At Namgung Hyeok-cheon's question, Grand Tactician Sima disclosed the newly arrived information.

“It is to the extent that the Imperial Court is moving.”

“…The Imperial Court?!”

The name of the Imperial Court indeed had a completely different weight.

No matter how powerless the current Emperor was, that was strictly a story within the politics of the Imperial Capital.

If it was to the extent that the Imperial Court was directly preparing a response, the scale of what was happening in the north could never be ordinary.

‘To grasp the situation inside the Imperial Court. As expected of the Strategist Department...’

Namgung Hyeok-cheon groaned inwardly.

“Our plan to reveal the Third Young Master using the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering has failed.”

“If so, we should change the direction of the plan entirely from the roots.”

Namgung Hyeok-cheon's eyes narrowed.

“If that is the case...!”

When Namgung Hyeok-cheon immediately understood the meaning of their words, Grand Tactician Zhuge nodded.

“That is right.”

“Currently, the Third Young Master's location is close to the north.”

Grand Tactician Sima spoke with a sinister smile that did not match his Daoist immortal appearance.

“Perhaps right now, we might have seized an even greater opportunity than the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering.”

However they did not know the fact that the Emperor's envoy was already visiting Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment.

* * *

Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment, VIP Room.

“…….”

To the Prince Consort who was looking around with a deeply moved expression Il-ryeong, one of the triplet maids, asked carefully.

“Since the Prince Consort resided in the Imperial Court, I thought you would be familiar with this level of luxury, but...”

“Ah, actually,” at those words, the Prince Consort showed a bashful smile.

“it just feels new to me that I am inside Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment like this.”

He touched his short beard and continued to speak.

“For someone who was merely of a collateral branch of the Yeon family to enter the VIP Room of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment like this...”

At those words, Il-ryeong wore a startled expression.

“I have heard that there was a person of the Yeon family in the Imperial Court, but was that you, Prince Consort?!”

“Yes. But...”

The Prince Consort smiled.

“since I am a person of the Imperial Court now, my origin does not matter at all anymore.”

He turned his gaze.

“Moreover, not only me, but General Geum Mun-hwi, who is in charge of my guard, was also originally...”

However, as it turned out general Geum Mun-hwi, who was in the place the Prince Consort pointed to, was too busy observing the outside of the window with an exceptionally tense expression.

“…….”

“General.”

When he called, the general, unlike his usual self looked back with a startled expression.

“Ah, yes. Please give your command.”

Since that appearance was somehow like a commander heading into battle for the first time the Prince Consort could not help but chuckle and ask him.

“No, General Geum Mun-hwi, the Iron Lion whose bravery is well-known even in the north, why are you so tense?”

If it had been the usual General Geum Mun-hwi he would have cleared his throat and blushed, but he held the scabbard at his waist so tightly that his large hand turned white as he continued speaking.

“Prince Consort, you might not feel it because you still lack qi perception, but...”

“Just the number of masters that can be felt in this Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment right now exceeds ten. Furthermore...”

As if something had just happened they were revealing their hostile aura without any intention of hiding it, showing it off as is.

“right now, the number of masters gathering at Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment is more than double that.”