Volume 6 Chapter 7 – Yeon Family Bloodline
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Translated by Rain
Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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At that time.
Luoyang Sword Family, Special Grade Closed-Door Cultivation Ground.
“For that child to leave like that, what on earth happened?!”
A shout filled with profound internal energy bounced between the cliffs on both sides, resounding loudly.
“I am sorry!”
The Training Hall Lord was kneeling on the floor, bowing her head.
“Do you think I am wishing for an apology from someone like you right now?!”
When the middle-aged woman stamped her foot, the paving stones laid on the floor shattered.
So exquisite was the technique that the impact was restricted only to the middle-aged woman’s surroundings, inflicting no damage on the pavilion of the closed-door cultivation ground.
Even in the midst of extreme anger, the moderation of drawing a line in her mind showed that the middle-aged woman was an extraordinary person who had already reached a high realm mentally.
“W-we are currently deploying people in all directions to find the Second Young Lady, so news should arrive soon…”
The middle-aged woman snorted fiercely.
“Do you not know that if that child makes up her mind to move, those whom someone like you can mobilize cannot find even her shadow?”
“…”
It was the truth.
The Training Hall Lord bit her lip and merely bowed her head.
“Has your pride been hurt despite your position?”
At that sight, the middle-aged woman clicked her tongue.
“Even though I entrusted you with a heavy responsibility at a young age because you are of the same Yeon family bloodline, to fail to properly carry out such a simple task as holding that child here.”
“I have no excuse.”
The Training Hall Lord immediately reported the matter to the middle-aged woman before her eyes, the Guard Pavilion Lord, the moment the Second Young Lady left.
What if she had delayed her report in an attempt to resolve the matter on her own somehow?
The fact that she belonged to the same Yeon family bloodline would not have served as any shield for her.
“Prepare this place in anticipation of that child’s return.”
The middle-aged woman, the Guard Pavilion Lord, spoke with burning eyes.
“Next time, even if you have to kidnap a sparring opponent that child might find interesting, bind her here. Do you understand?!”
The Training Hall Lord knocked her head against the paving stones.
“Yes! Pavilion Lord!”
Looking at the blood flowing along the paving stones, the Guard Pavilion Lord spoke.
“You must remember. I will not tolerate a failure like this, which does not suit our Yeon family bloodline, a second time.”
“Yes! I will obey your command!”
The Training Hall Lord answered while slamming her head against the hard paving stones, but the opponent had already turned around and was walking away.
“Seo-rin. What on earth are you thinking?”
The Guard Pavilion Lord of the Luoyang Sword Family, and the master of Seamless Heavenly Robe Yeon Seo-rin.
And Yeon Ju-tae, the older sister of the currently unconscious Grand Patriarch, clicked her tongue.
“No matter what vain thoughts you harbor, in the end, you will have no choice but to accept your born destiny.”
* * *
“So, you are saying you have absolutely no idea?”
Even at the fierce interrogation of the Training Hall Lord’s assistant, the Second Young Lady’s dedicated maids merely shrugged their shoulders.
“As we have said repeatedly, our mistress suddenly ran out while having dinner.”
“As we have said repeatedly, we tried to hold her back, but how could we, with our weak power, hold our mistress?”
“Didn’t even the warriors of the training ground fail to endure for a single quarter of an hour?”
“What could we possibly do?”
The warriors of the training ground were currently receiving treatment for their injuries.
Because this place was equipped with all kinds of support for the best closed-door cultivation, measures for their injuries could be taken extremely quickly.
“If it is revealed later that there is even a sliver of falsehood or concealment in your words…”
The Training Hall Lord’s assistant narrowed his eyes.
“You will feel the anger of the Guard Pavilion Lord directly, not me.”
The Second Young Lady’s dedicated maids answered shamelessly without even their complexions changing.
“Please.”
“Do as you wish.”
He walked out the door, and the sound of his presence receded.
After confirming that no one was around, a dedicated maid sighed.
“You… you leaked information about the Eldest Young Master on purpose, didn’t you? How on earth are you going to deal with the aftermath of this later?”
The dedicated maid, who had leaked the story about the Eldest Young Master under the guise of a slip of the tongue, sat down and crossed her legs.
“We are not the Training Hall Lord’s maids, nor the Guard Pavilion Lord’s maids, nor the maids of that dreadful Yeon family bloodline, are we?”
“…That’s true.”
She looked out the window at the distant place submerged in darkness.
“We are our mistress’s dedicated maids.”
The luxurious closed-door cultivation ground wedged between these cliffs could not feel more suffocating.
* * *
Luoyang Sword Family, Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment.
The members of the Emei Sect had no way to withstand Yeon Seo-rin’s pressure.
“…We are withdrawing.”
At the Emei Sect proctor nun’s words, the rest of the nuns headed toward the horses and carriages.
“Hmm. What a pity. I heard the sword of Emei is quite fierce.”
“…”
The proctor nun’s face twitched at the Second Young Lady’s words murmured leisurely from behind, but what could she do?
Right now, there was no martial monk here to match the Second Young Lady who had reached such a high realm, nor was Abbess Chongmu here to do anything using generational status.
Amid the jeers pouring toward the Emei Sect, the carriage of the Tea Fan Maidens opened, and the self-defense teacher who had been riding with them stepped down.
“…”
A fiery scolding from the proctor nun fell upon her as she stood still, taking in the appearance of the Second Young Lady.
“What are you doing, standing there blankly?!”
“Ah, ah! I am sorry!”
She hurriedly boarded the Emei Sect’s carriage, and the Emei Sect’s procession left the street as if fleeing.
The Second Young Lady, who had completely lost interest in the departing Emei Sect, shouted toward the crowd.
“Quiet! Where do you think this is, to dare cause a commotion! All of you, disperse as well!”
The sound of her scolding rang out refreshingly.
“Come on, let’s go back now.”
“We didn’t get to see the Tea Fan Maidens in the end, though.”
“But didn’t we get to see the Second Young Lady?”
Although her words were as good as a command, no one in the crowd showed any sign of displeasure.
For that was the unique temperament that Yeon Seo-rin possessed.
As everyone dispersed and went their ways, a welcome voice was heard from the direction of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment’s main gate.
“Sister. Why did you take such heavy steps all the way here?”
At the voice of her younger brother, whom she had not heard in a very long time, she turned around with a bright smile.
“Ha!”
Yeon So-hyeon, who revealed himself at the main gate, was looking at his sister with a characteristic smile and his arms crossed.
Looking at him, Yeon Seo-rin spoke.
“So-hyeon, you are still tiny.”
That was the older sister’s first greeting to her younger brother after reuniting for the first time in years.
* * *
Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment Garden.
The sun completely disappeared from view, and the moon rose brightly in the darkness.
Other than the chirping of insects, nothing stood in the way of the siblings’ reunion.
“I heard they are precious guests. Is it alright for you to leave those guests waiting and engage in idle chatter with this sister of yours?”
“It is fine.”
Yeon So-hyeon smiled at Yeon Seo-rin’s words.
“They must be recovering from the fatigue accumulated during their long journey, so do not worry.”
“This brat…!”
At that, Yeon Seo-rin took large strides forward and roughly stroked Yeon So-hyeon’s hair.
“Won’t you say this sister is more important even as empty words? It makes my steps, having rushed here in a single breath upon hearing your news, feel quite embarrassing.”
Yeon So-hyeon burst into laughter with a clear sound.
“I merely meant that their situation is like that. How could I compare my second sister, whom I would not trade for anything in the world, to anything else?”
“You brat. That mouth of yours is still like flowing water down a green mountain.”
“Hahaha.”
“You should have grown taller in the meantime instead.”
Yeon Seo-rin, wearing a spiteful expression, ruffled the hair of Yeon So-hyeon, who was a span shorter than her, even more roughly.
“Right. Have you met the other siblings?”
“I met Bi, but…”
Yeon So-hyeon smiled bitterly.
“Doesn’t sister know better? That in the current family, it is hard to meet even our own blood relatives as we wish.”
At those words, Yeon Seo-rin fell silent for a moment.
“…Yes. That’s right.”
Her sigh-filled words mingled with the scattering petals.
“…To think we have to ultimately see siblings pointing swords at each other in this wretched family.”
Yeon So-hyeon wore a smile smelling of grass.
“Do not worry. Even if blood flows, that blood will never stain sister’s hands.”
“What do you mean by that?!”
At the words full of the scent of blood, which did not match that smile, Yeon Seo-rin shouted abruptly.
“Are you saying this sister of yours is that untrustworthy?!”
She slapped Yeon So-hyeon’s back with all her might.
“I am the Seamless Heavenly Robe, highly renowned in the Jianghu!”
Although dignity naturally overflowed from her words, it did not work on Yeon So-hyeon.
Just like in the past.
“…There is no need to overexert yourself. I know sister’s situation well.”
“…”
Yeon Seo-rin, who stared at Yeon So-hyeon for a moment, let out a sigh.
“Damn it.”
She sat down on the grass of the garden and looked up at the night sky.
Yeon So-hyeon also sat down silently beside her.
“…This Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment is still so beautiful.”
The moonlight shattered like jewels on the lake, and the flowers in full bloom in the garden quietly laid down their bodies in the spring breeze.
“Now the family has changed so much compared to when our Fairy Mother was alive…”
The term ‘Fairy Mother’ was a pet name and respectful title Yeon Seo-rin used to refer to Yak So-yu.
“We can never return to times like that anymore, can we?”
“…”
Deep longing was imbued in her words.
“So-hyeon.”
“Yes, sister.”
She spoke while looking up at the sky.
“You see, I am a blockhead.”
“…”
When Yeon So-hyeon did not reply, she looked back at him and wore a mischievous smile.
“When we were young, you used to tease me first, calling me stupid.”
Yeon So-hyeon smiled faintly.
“Now that sister seems to know herself well, what more can I say?”
“You really never lose a word, do you?”
Yeon Seo-rin laughed softly.
Yeon So-hyeon quietly waited for her words to continue.
“No matter how hard I tried, I could not change anything with this stone head of mine.”
“…”
The darkness deeply cast over this incredibly vast family was as dark as its scale, firmly binding even the most free and honorable warrior.
“The fact that you broke your confinement and stepped forward must mean a storm to wash away this dirty family will blow in.”
“…I will save what can be saved as much as possible.”
The weakening of the Luoyang Sword Family’s power meant the collapse of the peace between forces that was precariously maintained in the Central Plains Empire.
In the quietly flowing silence, Yeon Seo-rin organized her thoughts.
Although silence was bound to be uncomfortable, the silence flowing between these siblings was simply comfortable and gentle.
“…Yes. Since the old days, you were a fellow who accomplished whatever you set out to do.”
She stood up from her seat.
“You have grown a lot, So-hyeon. You have become manly. It wouldn’t be lacking to call you a great man now.”
Yeon So-hyeon pouted his lips.
“…You were teasing me for still being small until just a moment ago.”
Yeon Seo-rin smiled bitterly.
“You rascal. There is no need to mimic our childhood for my sake.”
At those words, Yeon So-hyeon slowly withdrew his smile.
Yeon So-hyeon’s face, with the laughter gone, looked like an entirely different person under the moonlight.
“…”
Her gaze directed toward Yeon So-hyeon.
“You have grown truly terrifyingly. I almost didn’t recognize you at first.”
Yeon So-hyeon merely looked at the night sky with a calm expression.
“…Only now am I certain. What I had thought since childhood was correct.”
She slowly nodded.
“No matter what others say, the one who inherited our father’s bloodline the most clearly was indeed you, So-hyeon.”