Chapter 71
Chapter 71
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: Ancient Clan Martial Genius (71)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Thank you for making such a weighty decision."
"But what if they lock the gates of Jenan and refuse to come out?"
If it had been merely a dispute between clans, they would have minded their reputation despite the high likelihood of defeat. Most martial artists valued their future standing more than their lives.
But this was wartime. Any number of irregularities could occur.
Rather than bearing shame, the dying old elders might prioritize the clan's survival.
Yuk Ryul had fully considered that point as well.
"If they won't crawl out, we'll drag them out by force if we must. Fortunately, the young master's head is in our hands."
"......The young master?"
Immortal Hwanryeong's face went blank for a moment before he slapped his knee in admiration.
"Then this will resolve easily! Earlier you said it wasn't a storm, but now I see you were merely being modest!"
Yuk Jin-yang was flustered by the naturally flowing conversation. The plan was simpler than he had expected.
"And if even that fails to draw them out of Jenan, what then?"
The other two responded skeptically to the question.
"If they have any sense of shame, they won't."
"The sect leader is right. That would be burying their clan's honor in the mud. The hot-blooded fools will likely charge out seeking vengeance for the young master."
It won't be like that. A foreboding premonition led Yuk Jin-yang to speak again.
"I have an idea as well. Would you like to hear it, just in case?"
Jenan was shrouded in a menacing atmosphere.
The vibrancy it had enjoyed as Shandong's central hub and trading city was nowhere to be found.
Merchants had cut off their visits, and escort agencies were hastily relocating their branches. The excuse they gave was plausible enough. They planned to avoid the flames no matter who won.
Ridiculous. Reports from spies indicated Kaifeng remained as prosperous as ever.
As horrific news poured in from all sides, the remaining people barricaded their doors. The gazes directed at the Hwangbo Clan were far from kind.
Hwangbo Ryun, head of the Hwangbo Clan's elder council, sighed as he gazed out the window.
"This position was far too heavy for me to bear."
The servants attending him flinched at the elder council head's lament. Hwangbo Ryun pretended not to notice, a sneer on his lips.
Despite its grandiose title, the elder council head was chosen purely by seniority, unrelated to skill or merit. It was the halo of being the former patriarch's brother and the current patriarch's uncle that secured it.
He held no real authority. With the patriarch away joining the emperor's forces and the young master dispatched to Gokbu County, he had merely shouldered temporary responsibility.
Before old age had set in, he wouldn't have cowered like this. Back then, Hwangbo Ryun was a martial artist whose name rang across the land. In Shandong, no one hadn't heard of the Flame Strong Fist.
But time was merciless. His body, unable to defy the Heavenly Dao, had grown frail, and his skills had plummeted far below their peak.
He knew his own shortcomings well. He couldn't guarantee victory even against the Five Harmony Alliance's patrol warriors. All that remained was the wisdom and cunning gained from weathering chaos in his old age.
"Elder Council Head!"
A side branch clansman burst in with an urgent voice. His twisted expression left no room for reproach. To mask his surging anxiety, Hwangbo Ryun raised his voice.
"What is the commotion?!"
"Council Head, the Five Harmony Alliance scum have brazenly advanced right up to the city gates!"
Hwangbo Ryun flew into a rage.
"Didn't I tell you? Even if the enemy comes and provokes a fight, do not engage. It's already been discussed and settled with the garrison commander."
"But, but...! Those bastards have hung the young master and Young Lord Jeong Jun's heads on poles at the gates, demanding battle. Please order an sortie!"
Hwangbo Ryun's face drained of color.
"Lies. It must be a ploy to deceive us. Probably corpses from others dressed up convincingly."
"Council Head..."
The messenger, face heavy with sorrow, barely held back tears to continue.
"The poles they carry also bear those men's clothes and weapons."
"N-No!"
Hwangbo Ryun shot to his feet in panic. He knew exactly how the clan members would react upon seeing it.
They would surely be unable to contain their fury, fling open the gates, and seek a duel to the death. If the enemy was strong enough to behead the young master and direct kin, the remaining forces here stood no chance.
"Which gate have the Five Harmony Alliance appeared at? The west gate? Or the south?"
"Will the elder council head step out yourself?"
"You fool. Step out for what? We must stop the hot-blooded young ones immediately. Go inform the other areas of my will at once. The gates must not be opened under any circumstances!"
"But they are shaming our clan—how can we endure such a sight?"
"Do you intend to ruin the greater cause over a moment's rash excitement?"
With a stern shout, Hwangbo Ryun unleashed his lightness skill and dashed out of the patriarch's quarters. A scuffle was unfolding before Jenan's west gate. It was fortunate some were trying to enforce the elder council head's orders.
But the rumor had already spread far and wide. Even those meant to guard other directions had all swarmed to the west.
Hwangbo Ryun drew a deep breath and unleashed a roar.
"Everyone, stop!"
His voice exploded like a lion's roar, reverberating thunderously. The sonic wave of his voice art swept the front, shaking the air. All froze in shock, turning to look behind them.
"Why do you think those who so prided themselves on propriety and righteousness are now breaking human decency to provoke you?"
No one answered Hwangbo Ryun's question. In this moment, the elder council head's authority held sway. Relieved inwardly, he pressed on.
"They've surely dug a trap and are waiting. If you wish to avenge the young master, calm your excitement first. Only by coldly assessing the situation can revenge be possible."
"Forgive me, Council Head. My thinking was shortsighted."
"You are right."
"I am truly ashamed."
It was just as their excitement began to subside.
Dong— Dong—.
Sudden heavy bell tolls rattled their ears. The source was the north gate, directly opposite the south gate where they stood.
Everyone's faces went slack with bewilderment. Only Hwangbo Ryun grasped the situation.
"A diversion..."
Hwangbo Ryun muttered blankly, his expression dazed.
Jenan north gate.
Handpicked Five Harmony Alliance warriors rustled in the bushes. In their hands were thick, long coils of rope.
Iron hooks adorned the ends, designed to grip city walls firmly. They had borrowed them from the Mount Tai Sect.
The wall defenses were lax.
The forces atop the watchtowers consisted solely of barely armed watchmen. Numerous but utterly unthreatening. No martial artists trained in eye techniques were present to scout the enemy.
"The Hwangbo Clan fools must have lost their minds seeing their young master's head on the pole."
"Thanks to those idiots, this will be easy."
The Five Harmony Alliance warriors whispered aloud. To conserve even the minimal inner energy needed for transmission.
Yi Jeong-baek glanced sidelong at Yuk Jin-yang beside him and added,
"Schemes within schemes. A brilliant display of profound cunning."
Yi Jeong-baek was in command of this detachment. Yuk Ryul, whose face was relatively well-known, had taken the south gate.
Yuk Jin-yang's plan was simple yet effective. He had added one ploy to his uncle's idea of enraging the enemy to lure them out: a diversion.
Jenan was vast. With hundreds of watchmen and dozens of clan members, airtight defense of the metropolis was impossible. Vulnerabilities were inevitable.
"Time to go."
Yi Jeong-baek whispered.
The group advanced slowly, whirling the ropes in circles. Threatening whistles cut the wind as they spun.
Once in range, Yi Jeong-baek shouted,
"Loose!"
The ropes flew in unison. A spectacular procession of lines sliced through the air.
The soldiers atop the walls panicked at the sudden assault.
"W-What's happening?"
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"
"What the... I heard the enemy was at the south gate?"
"Sound the bell! You, go to the south gate and report the situation!"
Kwachik! Kkiiik!
The hooks at the rope ends embedded into the walls. Iron and stone ground together with harsh friction.
Five Harmony Alliance martial artists leaped up and began scaling the ropes. The leg strength and speed of lightness skill practitioners far exceeded mortal limits. The distance closed in an instant.
A few soldiers drew blades to slash the ropes. But the arm-thick cords resisted, suffering mere nicks and fraying at best.
Had they trained in martial arts, the outcome might have differed. But the Hwangbo Clan's warriors were busy venting fury at the south gate.
The Five Harmony Alliance warriors seized the walls in short order. Their momentum was fierce and unrelenting, like a wildfire sweeping the plains.
After a spray of blood, silence fell. No enemies survived. Yi Jeong-baek climbed the watchtower to survey. At the edge of vision, countless dots swarmed like ant hordes.
The warriors murmured about the next target.
"There, the Hwangbo Clan's main compound to the west. Let's head that way."
"Shouldn't we go south to link up with the outer forces?"
"Hold."
The buzz cut off. Gaze hardened by the thrill of bloodshed turned to Yuk Jin-yang. Having breached the walls, one would expect a swift push—yet his demeanor remained utterly calm.
Yi Jeong-baek asked,
"Brother Yuk, another plan?"
"See the three-story building to the east?"
His finger pointed to a structure of red bricks.
Granaries were never built of wood. To guard against external fires, they required stone or brick by law and common sense.
Thus, Jenan's granary stood out amid the wooden homes, emanating an alien presence.
Yuk Jin-yang calmly explained his thinking.
"The enemy is caught in infighting anyway. If they have any brains, they'll redeploy south gate forces."
"So no need for us to hunt them down?"
"And the Hwangbo main compound is just a building even if burned. Symbolic, sure."
"But not worth as much as torching the grain they've scraped together. Good. Let's go play with fire."
Yi Jeong-baek grinned mischievously.