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Chapter 59: Council Of Elders' Meeting
Chapter 59: Council Of Elders' Meeting
Chapter 59: Council Of Elders' Meeting
The warriors guarding the Council of Elders looked at Yi-gang with dismayed expressions.
The authority of the Council of Elders’ Meeting was the highest within the Baek Noble Clan. Without permission, one could not attend the Council Meeting. It’s the same even for the child of the Clan Head.
Especially now when Baek Ryu-san was bedridden due to illness.
However, while there were those who tried to block Yi-gang’s way, no one could stop him.
“All the elders are present. Even if you are the young master, you cannot enter.”
The last person to block Yi-gang’s path was the general. The general stood in front of the entrance to the Council of Elders without entering.
Even Yi-gang, who had been unstoppable up to this point, had to halt in front of the general.
“General.”
“Young Master.”
“It’s been a while.”
The general was one of the few people in this clan who looked after Yi-gang. He was also the most loyal retainer whom Yi-gang’s father trusted the most.
“So, I cannot enter.”
“That’s right. Those who don’t have permission cannot participate in the Council of Elders’ Meeting.”
“So, is that why you are standing here as well, General?”
“…”
The general, as always, was responsible for the major and minor affairs of the clan.
He, always busy without a moment’s rest, was here. Yet, he was waiting outside, not inside the Council of Elders Chamber.
The general, too, was not able to attend the Council of Elders’ Meeting.
“Am I not a member of the Baek Clan?”
“In the current situation, I represent the Clan Head.”
“Hehe, that might be so, but…”
“My father collapsed, and my younger brother was stabbed.”
Yi-gang skipped the pleasantries and stated directly.
The general’s expression hardened.
“If it’s a Council of Elders’ Meeting regarding that matter, then I must enter.”
Yi-gang’s eyes might be bloodshot, but there was no hint of anger in his voice. He was controlling his emotions. This was not a normal state of mind for him.
Yi-gang walked straight up the stairs. The general, who was standing at the foot of the staircase, inadvertently had to step aside.
“If the general also wishes to enter.”
“…Young Master.”
“Let’s go in together.”
Who wouldn’t want to? Standing here without being able to enter was a humiliating experience.
The general gazed up at Yi-gang’s back. It was he who had been assisting the Clan Head over two generations.
And in the current Yi-gang, he saw glimpses of young Baek Ryu-san.
“How have you grown up so quickly…”
The general followed behind Yi-gang.
His duty was to protect the backs of the Baek Clan members.
And Yi-gang had, in no time, become an exemplary member of the Baek Clan.
The number of elders affiliated with the Council of Elders was not just one or two.
It was only natural that members of the Baek Clan with more seniority than the Clan Head would enter the Council of Elders.
Nevertheless, among the elders, there was a hierarchy and factions. The purity of their bloodline, the strength of their martial arts, and the strength of their influence determined their power.
It was a principle that the Clan Heads from previous generations all went into seclusion, so they were naturally excluded. Currently, the core of the Council of Elders was divided into two factions.
Siblings of the Clan Head from the previous generations, that is, the maternal aunt and uncle of the current Clan Head, Baek Ryu-san.
The woman, gaunt with sharp eyes, was Baek Seo-ok, known as the Ice Iron Rakshasa. She’s Yi-gang’s great-aunt and the leader of the faction that supported Ha-jun as the Young Clan Head.
On the other hand, there was a giant man, with streaks of white hair in his beard, who seemed younger than his age. He was Baek Do-yeom, known as Rage Sword Phantom, Yi-gang’s great-uncle. He was the leader of the traditionalist faction that insisted Yi-gang, being the eldest, should become the Young Clan Head.
Excluding Grand Elder, these two venerable masters, who held the greatest say, were, as always, quarreling today.
Bang!
With a strike of Baek Do-yeom’s palm on the wooden floor, a loud sound echoed.
“Brother Do-yeom, your words are harsh! Are you still going on about that even now? Ha-jun was stabbed by some ruffian’s knife. And still, you…”
Baek Seo-ok wore a look of disdain.
“It’s you who’s being stubborn until now. Lower your voice.”
“Damn it, stop pretending to be so noble. Tradition is tradition, but with the current Clan Head incapacitated, who will manage the clan? Do you think I can’t see through your schemes?”
“Has the Clan Head passed away? He will regain his strength and rise soon. It’s only natural that the Council of Elders manages the clan until then.”
“This damned… Ugh! We must appoint the Young Clan Head immediately. Red Dragon Corps Commander has still not found the assassins, and there’s no progress whatsoever!”
At that, Baek Jin-tae, who had been silent, chuckled.
“Heh heh, Uncle, you’re really too much. My team and I have been trying our best.”
“What the hell are you saying now?”
“The one who stabbed Ha-jun seems to be a significant lead. Please wait just a bit longer.”
Baek Jin-tae, with a sly grin as if he had a trick up his sleeve, couldn’t help but smile. Even knowing that, Baek Do-yeom could only be infuriated.
“You damned mutt! You find this amusing? Right now, Ryu-san and your nephew…”
His anger was about to erupt. However, fortunately for Baek Jin-tae, someone appeared at that moment, diverting Baek Do-yeom’s attention.
Crash—!
The door burst open.
A young boy entered, pushing aside the servants who tried to prevent his entrance.
Baek Do-yeom’s mouth fell open in surprise.
“It’s… It’s that kid!”
The person who had entered was Yi-gang. On his left was the Biyeon Squad Leader, Neung Ji-pyeong, and on his right stood the General Manager.
Yi-gang first bowed to the area where Grand Elder was seated.
“I wasn’t invited, but given the urgency of the situation, I came quickly.”
Countless eyes were now fixed on him.
The first to speak was Baek Seo-ok, “Yi-gang, I heard you were returning soon, but I didn’t expect you to come here directly.”
“Great-Aunt.”
“Why have you come?”
“Isn’t this meeting about my father and Ha-jun? Considering my position, it’s imperative that I attend.”
His tone was peculiar. Baek Seo-ok furrowed her brow and then reprimanded Yi-gang.
“You should still maintain decorum. You stormed into the Council of Elders with your subordinates.”
Yi-gang let out a sarcastic laugh.
Even before entering, he had heard the arguing. In such a situation, it was ironic that someone who was squabbling over who would manage the clan was now speaking about maintaining dignity.
“You still speak of something as empty as decorum? The Clan Head has fallen, Ha-jun is teetering between life and death after being stabbed by a suspicious man, and I too have been ambushed. Decorum, you say?”
His tone was sharp, as if it were covered in thorns.
“Nonsense. The decorum of our clan has already been trampled on the ground!”
At the sharp criticism, Baek Do-yeom abruptly stood up.
“Yi-gang!”
Although Baek Seo-ok, the actual recipient of the sarcasm, remained expressionless, Baek Do-yeom was visibly enraged.
“How dare this brat speak to his elders like this! Where do you think you are, speaking so carelessly?”
His booming voice was so loud it hurt the ears.
“Get out, you brat!”
“I will leave!”
Yi-gang stood his ground, not yielding an inch. Baek Do-yeom’s face turned various shades of red and purple, looking as if he might strike Yi-gang at any moment.
However, he dared not actually do it.
Even if he wasn’t yet the Young Clan Head, Yi-gang was undeniably the heir to the Clan Head. Even as an elder, one couldn’t treat Yi-gang so thoughtlessly.
“However, before I leave, I must take this man with me.”
Saying this, Yi-gang strode towards the center of the hall. There, a bloodied man was kneeling, bound.
It was Jeong Gu of the Low Down Sect.
“Yo-Young Master…”
With swollen eyes blackened from bruises, Jeong Gu looked up at Yi-gang.
Yi-gang was about to release his restraints.
“Hold on, Yi-gang. Don’t touch him.”
“Uncle.”
Baek Jin-tae, with a sneering smile, stopped Yi-gang.
“That bastard colluded with Ha-jun and the Biyeon Squad, and took them to Black Ghost Manor.”
“…”
“He’s a tough one. He hasn’t confessed who’s behind all this until the end.”
Then, Baek Jin-tae added in a whisper,
-Everyone knows this already from the Biyeon Squad member’s report. That you, Yi-gang, are involved.
With that, he gave Yi-gang a sly wink.
Yi-gang had ordered an investigation from Jeong Gu, separate from the Red Dragon Corps’ investigation, to track down the assassins. Looking at the results, he did find some clues. Although things didn’t go as planned.
“You’ve pulled out all his nails, haven’t you?”
“Isn’t it because of this bastard that Ha-jun got hurt? Hehe, it’s suspicious. Maybe he’s connected with the masked man. Perhaps he set a trap.”
Jeong Gu murmured weakly.
“He didn’t.”
Yi-gang shook his head.
“You’re barking up the wrong tree, Uncle. He found clues that even the Red Dragon Corps couldn’t find.”
“Heh heh, is that so? It does seem that way.”
Baek Jin-tae laughed carelessly as if it didn’t matter.
Yi-gang pulled out a short sword from his attire and swung it. The rope that restrained Jeong Gu was cut and fell.
He grabbed the blood-soaked Jeong Gu by the armpits and lifted him up. His hands and clothes got dirty, but he didn’t care.
Baek Jin-tae didn’t try to stop Yi-gang’s actions, but others did.
“What are you doing now! Put him down!”
Baek Do-yeom intervened.
“Even if he didn’t set the trap, it’s still his fault that Ha-jun got stabbed and the clan’s warriors died!”
“And your point?”
“Just because we didn’t destroy the Xi’an Branch of the Low Down Sect, they should be thankful!”
It sounded like a stubborn argument, but in Jianghu where might makes right, it wasn’t far-fetched.
The Low Down Sect Leader would probably just send a letter of protest if their Xi’an Branch was destroyed.
However, Yi-gang wasn’t about to obediently follow that line of thought.
“If someone gets stabbed by a sword, you punish the person who wielded the sword. What’s the point in blaming the sword?”
The incident occurred just last night. The elders did not yet know that Yi-gang was the one who had set up Jeong Gu and the Low Down Sect.
“I was the one who asked the Low Down Sect to investigate with the sword. If you want to punish someone, punish me.”
“You… you did this?”
“Yi-gang, so you’ve finally caused trouble!”
Regardless of what the elders said, Yi-gang, supporting Jeong Gu, slowly walked away.
As Baek Do-yeom, unable to watch any longer, tried to forcibly stop Yi-gang—
“Enough. Let him go.”
It was a voice aged with wisdom and time.
All the elders stood up in reverence at once.
Yi-gang sighed and turned around. Neung Ji-pyeong took over supporting Jeong Gu’s weight.
“Yi-gang, you’ve grown a lot. Now you don’t even shy away from speaking your mind in front of the adults.”
“Grand Elder.”
Always seated behind the curtains was Grand Elder Baek Young-ryeong, Yi-gang’s great-grandmother.
She stood there, leaning on a cane made of white wood. Her hair was snow-white, and her face was full of wrinkles. The lady, well past her hundredth year, slowly approached Yi-gang.
All the previously noisy elders quieted down. It was out of respect for the elder who had once safeguarded the clan in turbulent times.
She took Yi-gang’s hand, stained with Jeong Gu’s blood.
“Your once tiny hand has now become that of a martial artist’s.”
Yi-gang’s hand had developed many calluses over time. The wrinkled hand of the Grand Elder tenderly caressed Yi-gang’s hand.
“…Prepare to become the Young Clan Head.”
Yi-gang’s eyes widened in shock, and even the elders took a sharp intake of breath.
Baek Seo-ok, who had been supporting Ha-jun, and Baek Do-yeom, who insisted that Yi-gang should become the Young Clan Head, were both left with their mouths agape.
The neutral Grand Elder had voiced the succession of the Young Clan Head title.
“Ryu-san, like you, had a frail body. His lung disease did not develop suddenly. There will be a way to heal your body as well.”
“Grandmother.”
“Your younger brother might die this time. Even if he doesn’t, his injury is not one that will heal easily. Be prepared.”
Under normal circumstances, Yi-gang would have argued.
“…”
However, he couldn’t say anything right now.
To object here would be akin to a child’s tantrum. The Immortal Sword carefully interjected, ?Didn’t they say that in the Azure Forest they can heal you? The story about the person known as Golden Needle Phantom, who promised to treat your father??
If he spoke of this now, he might be able to avoid being forcibly made the Young Clan Head.
However, Yi-gang decided not to.
‘Not now.’
After pondering deeply, he finally spoke, “I will heed Grand Elder’s words.”
“That’s right.”
“But, there’s one thing.”
“One thing?”
“I will assume the title of Young Clan Head only after capturing the one who sent the assassin after me and the one who harmed Ha-jun.”
“We can’t postpone this indefinitely. Time is of the essence.”
“One month,” Yi-gang said, as he caressed the Shooting Star Fang tucked into his waist.
“Please grant me just one month.”
In that time, he would settle everything.
Yi-gang resolved himself to do so.