Chapter 73 - Mad Demon Six Families
As I stepped into the family head's hall, the family's elders and heavyweights all rose to their feet, waiting for me.
The cheers of the martial artists still echoed from outside the door. The elders had heard them too—their faces betrayed a flicker of unease.
'Even the Divine Cult can't completely ignore public opinion.'
'When a weakling tries to act strong, the tricks are all the same.'
The outer walls of the family head's hall, shattered by Pa Cheon's attack, had been repaired, but the deep V-shaped gouge in the floor remained untouched.
They could have fixed the floor anytime, but I'd ordered them not to.
It was left as a warning message. And yet, some elders still harbored other thoughts. Impressive, in a way.
"We greet the family head."
The First Elder bowed his head slightly to me. Flanking him were the rest of the elder faction, lined up neatly.
On the opposite side stood the former family head's faction. What stood out was Mu Yeong-do, the trusted confidant of the previous head Sado Mu Yeol, positioned there. The Divine Cult revered the strong, and following strength was no shame. As the highest expert among them, he even looked like he was leading the former head's group.
I'd accepted him on the condition that he return half the illicit gains. A mature Peak realm expert didn't drop from the sky.
I took my seat at the head of the table.
"Sit."
I said it while eyeing the First Elder. His eyebrow twitched. The bratty kid was using informal speech, and it clearly irked him. Back when I was the Second Young Master, we'd barely crossed paths, and he'd at least shown respect.
I was doing it on purpose, acting arrogant. People react strongly when prodded like this, and it would reveal what the First Elder was plotting.
'If he flies off the handle that easily, he shouldn't even be First Elder.'
He was the classic wuxia cliché of the "sly old fox," so it wouldn't be easy.
"I don't plan to drag this meeting out."
I spoke.
"The former head Sado Mu Yeol consorted with shady characters and rotted the family from within. The family grew in size, but its core was hardly worthy of true Divine Cult members."
At my words, the elders avoided each other's eyes, pretending otherwise.
"First, I'll reorganize the bloated divisions, halls, and pavilions. Any that fail to produce results will be merged or dissolved."
The elders flinched visibly. My words were basically declaring, "I'll cut off all your limbs, so stay put."
"Results" were vague enough to hang on anyone's nose or ears. If I didn't like them, they were gone.
They might grumble inwardly, but they'd just witnessed my overwhelming prestige in the family—no room for complaints.
"Any objections?"
"We shall follow the family head's will."
The First Elder spoke first. The others looked surprised, but I took it in stride.
Those with dirty secrets always play nice up front.
"We shall follow the family head's will!"
The lower heavyweights, clueless and swallowing their mustard, shouted back.
"Any other business?"
With no one daring to meet my eyes, no one would push an agenda... except the First Elder cleared his throat pointedly.
"First Elder."
"There is something the family head must know."
"What is it?"
"The Six Families Assembly."
Just as I thought—the Six Families Assembly.
I'd predicted that if he was scheming, it'd be around that. Same as in Return of the Murim Warrior. Predicting the future was a possessor's privilege, to an extent.
"The Six Families Assembly is the alliance of the six great families under the Divine Cult. For a new family head to be recognized as one, they need approval from at least two of the other five."
The Mad Demon Six Families weren't eternal. Families like the Dao Ga, or the Baek Ga of their lackeys, rose and fell. Even Sa Wol's original house, the Gwangmyeongseongga, had been wiped out.
Hence the custom... but.
"If succession happens legitimately within the family, no separate approval is needed. That's the unwritten rule."
I asked the First Elder.
"Are they trying to interfere in our internal affairs?"
"If the succession was legitimate, yes."
The First Elder looked not at me, but at heavyweights from other families as he spoke.
"The family head wasn't formally appointed as young master; you ascended directly from Second Young Master."
"Thus, not a legitimate succession."
I pulled out a black pill and crushed it. The ultimate acid lung poison, obtained from my deal with Dok Ma, silently spread through the hall.
Dok So Gong's acid lung poison was potent enough, but his master Dok Ma's was even more so. So insidious you couldn't even tell it was poison.
"Kuh?!"
"My qi... why...?"
The elders' faces paled as their qi circulation faltered. Their gazes locked on me, shock dawning on their faces.
Probably thinking, "This killing intent without warning?!"
That's why staging mattered. None dared meet my eyes directly.
The First Elder at least pretended composure, but his trembling fingertips betrayed his agitation.
"Even after winning the duel for the head position, it's illegitimate? Is the Cult's law beneath the Six Families' approval?"
"There are rumors Sado Mu Yeol was poisoned."
Sophistry, but I had no counter. Or rather, it was Sado Gwang and Pa Cheon's doing.
Duels were a Cult member's duty and right, anytime, anywhere.
But Pa Cheon had preserved his post by saying "Beat my subordinate first." Same for me.
I was confident I'd lose in one second to anyone here. And Cult HQ crawls with such experts like pigeons on the street.
Arguing duel legitimacy here would be like declaring I'd accept every challenge.
I agreed with Pa Cheon.
The First Elder wasn't the type to set the board. Someone external.
'Then, the Chu Ga... the Demon Brain's doing?'
Il Wol Chu Ga.
The strategist family serving the Cult for generations.
Their family head was nicknamed "Demon Brain."
'In Return of the Murim Warrior, if Sado Gwang had lived ten more years, Demon Brain wouldn't be the Chu Ga head's title.'
Demon Brain was about 0.7 Sado Gwang in schemes. And 0.7 was terrifying enough.
'Stirring up ambition again?'
As strategists, the Chu Ga had served the previous Heavenly Demon Do Il Gwang. Punished with five years' seclusion, during which Sado Ga rose to Six Families under the current Heavenly Demon's protection.
The Chu Ga's traditional role was Heavenly Demon's shield—now stolen, so Sado Ga was a thorn in their side.
'Wish I could toss the Six Families title away.'
The coming war was the issue.
This Return of the Murim Warrior world ran on clichés.
Many things had changed because of me, but even my actions triggered clichés.
So surely this one too: Fate cannot be defied.
The war would happen no matter what.
My original goal was preventing it, but experience said I couldn't.
Then I needed to survive until returning to my world.
'That's why I need the Six Families title.'
In war, they'd hold key positions, strategizing safely instead of arrow fodder.
"When's the next Six Families Assembly?"
"One month from now."
"Need two approvals from the five within a month."
Honestly, the biggest headache yet.
Not starting from zero, but Sado Gwang had generously shit everywhere.
Tangled webs of plots, tricks, slanders—barely balanced now.
Untangling to gain support? Daunting.
'Worst case, borrow the Heavenly Demon's power.'
But that might trade fox for tiger's den.
Sado Gwang—dead or alive?—just his name ground my teeth.
"If the family head gains their approval and keeps the Six Families name, our house will unite anew."
In other words, fail and they'd rebel openly.
"I'll handle it. You stabilize the internals."
"Yes, sir!"
I left the hall with a massive headache.
"No shit."
Back in my room, I sighed heavily.
Absolute inside Sado Ga, but outside? Not so much. Even Dok Ma treated me as beneath him. As head now, he'd show more face, but.
Prestigious Six Families? Worse.
Il Wol Chu Ga.
Jeok Yong Hyeok Ga.
Goe San Cheol Ga.
Eum Hyeol Jin Ga.
Gu Eum Kwak Ga.
'Which hurts most? All headaches.'
Hyeok Ga were mad deluding themselves as Red Dragon descendants; Cheol Ga blacksmith maniacs obsessed with forging; Jin Ga shadowy blood arts psychos; Kwak Ga just psychos.
Conclusion: all mad.
'Biggest are Chu Ga and Kwak Ga.'
Kwak Ga especially—Nine Yin homage to old wuxia legends.
Clear-eyed maniacs everywhere, judging righteousness despite being Cult. Hated Sado Ga's scheming rise.
'Thanks for the ice-cold analysis.'
Chu Ga masterminded this—would stonewall me. Then persuade Kwak Ga...
Not duel—spar. Duels risk death/injury, so spar, their logic. Un-Cult-like, but insanely strong. Including head, five Super Peak experts.
As I agonized—
I said casually, feigning nonchalance.
"What is it?"
Sa Wol materialized from thin air. She bowed.
"A visitor from Gu Eum Kwak Ga."
"......Kwak Ga? Who?"
Sa Wol answered.
"Kwak Ga's young master, Kwak Jeong."