Chapter 8: The Great Elder's Arrogance Pierces the Heavens
Yeop Wu emerged from the grand gates of the Ye Family Mansion and cupped his fists toward the three visitors.
"Lord Gang of Qingcheng, Patriarch Li, and Patriarch Zhang—my apologies, but the Great Elder is currently resting and unable to meet. He will awaken in half a shichen, so I ask that the three of you kindly wait a little."
Li Yu, patriarch of the Li family, furrowed his brow and asked,
"You're telling us to wait here for half a shichen?"
"If the three of you do not wish to, you need not wait."
With that, Yeop Wu turned and left them behind.
At present, the Ye family had no reason to defer to them. Though the Ye family's power still lagged behind the other three clans, the Ye household firmly believed they would soon surpass them all.
Gang Yeom, the city lord of Qingcheng, spoke in a calm tone.
"It seems having one Yeop Rang means we no longer register in their eyes."
Zhang Lie, patriarch of the Zhang family, chuckled in response.
"They say even the chickens in a house soar to the heavens if one member rises high. But isn't the Great Elder overstepping his bounds with such insolence?"
Zhang Lie turned to Li Yu and Gang Yeom.
"What say you two? We've pondered long about uniting our three clans, and now it seems the answer has come."
At his words, glances passed between the other two. They nodded in agreement. The Ye family's arrogance had forged this alliance.
Half a shichen later, as the three entered the Welcoming Guest Hall, the Great Elder received them.
"My deepest apologies. This old man fell into a deep slumber and unwittingly neglected you all. I beg your magnanimity!"
Gang Yeom smiled and replied,
"No need for such words. The Great Elder must have been quite busy lately, so it's only natural you'd be weary. Of course!"
The Great Elder laughed.
"Hahaha! Don't stand there, my friends—come, sit."
As the three took their seats, Li Yu spoke first.
"We congratulate the Ye family on the birth of a Heaven's Chosen One! This is a joyous occasion for all of Qingcheng, is it not?"
The Great Elder burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! It means the heavens themselves look favorably upon the Ye family!"
He took a sip of tea before continuing.
"I thank you all once more for coming to celebrate Yeop Rang."
At that moment, Li Yu stood and cupped his fists.
"Great Elder, it's true that some unfortunate incidents have occurred between our Li family and the Ye family in the past. I beseech your vast magnanimity to overlook them."
Zhang Lie also cupped his fists in agreement.
"Great Elder, our Zhang family has committed many offenses against the Ye family as well. We ask your forgiveness."
In truth, the Zhang and Li families were mortal enemies of the Ye family. In battles with the Zhangs, even the Ye family's crown prince had perished. Yet now, with a Heaven's Chosen One who had awakened a heavenly anomaly in their midst, even foes had no choice but to bow their heads.
The Great Elder silently sipped his tea. As silence stretched, Zhang Lie glanced at Gang Yeom, the city lord. Only then did Gang Yeom smile and join in.
"Great Elder, we are all people of Qingcheng. Crammed together in this narrow city, it's only natural we bicker at the slightest provocation. Now that the Ye family enters a revival, your true rivals should no longer be us who dwell here together, but the greater powers beyond. Isn't that right?"
The Great Elder gave a faint smile.
"Since Brother Gang says so, I shall speak no more. Let us settle it thus. As you all know, the Ye family has faced hardships these past years. So, might I ask that, going forward, the Ye family hold the mining rights to the gold mines around Qingcheng for the next ten years?"
His words darkened the three men's faces. In Qingcheng, the gold mines were their lifelines. Each discovery sparked bloody battles among the four powers. Without such resources, they could not cultivate martial artists. It was a matter tied directly to their survival.
If the Ye family monopolized the mines, the others would be unable to recruit talent. They had anticipated demands before arriving at the Ye mansion, but this was far more ruthless. The Great Elder eyed them one by one before smiling.
"No need for such worry. In ten years, Yeop Rang will already be a mountain peak transcendent. Haha..."
Mountain peak transcendent!
The three men's eyes widened in shock. The mountain peaks were otherworldly sect powers beyond the mundane world. Their strength dwarfed Qingcheng's clans. A mountain peak transcendent could annihilate the other local powers in an instant. The Great Elder's words were nothing less than a threat.
The three exchanged glances. Gang Yeom stood and cupped his fists.
"We understand the Ye family's hardships. Thus, we shall cede Qingcheng's gold mine rights to the Ye family for the next ten years."
Only then did the Great Elder cup his fists.
"My thanks for your understanding."
The three paid their respects and departed the Ye mansion.
Once they were gone, Yeop Wu rushed into the room.
"Great Elder, monopolizing the mines will surely incur their wrath."
"Wrath, you say?"
The Great Elder sneered coldly.
"Once Yeop Rang becomes a mountain peak transcendent, those clans are doomed to extinction. I've demanded mere mines in place of their lives— that's us granting them mercy. They should be grateful to us!"
Meanwhile, the three who had left the Ye mansion were seething with rage.
"Such insolence!"
Zhang Lie's lips trembled.
"This is them trying to strangle us to death!"
Li Yu's face was flushed with fury.
"The Ye mansion has birthed a Heaven's Chosen One who awakened a heavenly anomaly, but this level of arrogance!"
Gang Yeom shook his head.
"Enough. This is a time to endure. Let us return and observe. Even the sun sets at night. Their tyranny will end someday!"
With that, the three departed the Ye mansion in dejection.
Word spread quickly that the Ye family had claimed the mining rights. Qingcheng was now the Ye family's domain. Ye disciples strutted through the city, proclaiming themselves the foremost clan. The elders made no effort to restrain them—in fact, they encouraged it.
Yeop Rang's fame only grew. People began to worry for Yeop Hyeon, who faced him in the duel.
"Heard the news? Yeop Hyeon hasn't left his quarters in days."
"How could he dare? There's no one in the entire Jiang Kingdom who can rival Brother Yeop Rang! And Yeop Hyeon? He'd be lucky to reach his toes!"
"Sigh, if only he'd bowed his head from the start, he might've saved his life."
At that very moment, inside the Gyeok Ok Tower, Yeop Hyeon ceaselessly swung the Spirit Water Sword. He yearned to become a true sword warrior. Having endured countless hardships, he knew the value of power all too well.
Without power, one was treated worse than a dog!
Yeop Hyeon, who had sacrificed so much for the Ye family, was abandoned cruelly the moment he lost his strength.
After endless training, Yeop Hyeon had finally reached the stage where he could slice a single hair with his blade. He was still merely an ordinary sword cultivator capable of swift strikes. The path to great sword cultivator remained distant.
Lost in practice, unaware of time's passage, the day of the Life-Death Platform duel was now merely three days away.
Yeop Hyeon exited the Gyeok Ok Tower and entered Yeop Ryeong's room. There lay Yeop Ryeong, trembling on the bed. Frost coated her hair white. Yeop Hyeon hurriedly grabbed the jade vial and uncorked it. It was empty. No pills remained. Gazing at Yeop Ryeong, he spoke in a quavering voice.
"Ryeong, just hold on a little longer. Brother will be right back!"
He rushed out and sprinted madly toward the Ye mansion's medicine hall.
"Yeop Hyeon's come out of his room!"
At the shout, Ye disciples swarmed around him—an act they never would have dared before. With Yeop Rang's backing, they no longer feared Yeop Hyeon.
Among the crowd was Yeop Bong, the Great Elder's grandson and Yeop Rang's own brother. Yeop Bong glanced at Yeop Hyeon and sneered.
"Yeop Hyeon, where are you rushing off to? Did your little sister finally croak? If so, congratulations—one less mouth to feed! Hahaha!"
Yeop Hyeon's rage-filled fist slammed into Yeop Bong's throat. The crack of shattering bone echoed through the hall. Yeop Bong's eyes bulged as if to pop out.
In a flash, Yeop Hyeon drew his dagger.
Slash!
With a gruesome sound, Yeop Bong's head thudded lifelessly to the floor. Sheathing his dagger, Yeop Hyeon glared murderously at the frozen Ye disciples and roared,
"Speak ill of my sister with that filthy mouth again, and I'll make sure you never speak at all!"
The hall fell deathly silent. Terror filled every Ye disciple's eyes. Everyone in the Ye family knew how dearly Yeop Hyeon cherished his sister. Yet slaying Yeop Bong—the Great Elder's grandson and Yeop Rang's brother—was beyond the pale.
No time to delay, Yeop Hyeon hurried to the medicine hall. An elder was just emerging—the elder Yeop Gyeom, who managed it. Spotting Yeop Hyeon, Yeop Gyeom glared and bellowed,
"Yeop Hyeon! What are you doing here?!"
Without a word, Yeop Hyeon flung open the chest storing the pills. It was empty. He fixed Yeop Gyeom with a stony gaze.
"The Nourishing Spirit Pills?"
Yeop Gyeom narrowed his eyes.
"I've stored them elsewhere. The Ye family has decided to cut off pills for your sister..."
Before he finished, Yeop Hyeon seized a fist-sized weight from a nearby shelf and hurled it at Yeop Gyeom. The elder dodged in panic.
In an instant, Yeop Hyeon was before him. He drove a fist toward Yeop Gyeom's head. Alarmed, Yeop Gyeom clenched his own fist and thrust forward.
The clash of fists boomed dully. Yeop Gyeom's body was hurled into the corner of the medicine hall. Yeop Hyeon pressed the attack on the elder, pinned against the wall with nowhere to retreat. Yeop Gyeom's pupils shrank.
"I'll give them! I'll give you the pills!"
His shout halted Yeop Hyeon's fist inches from his face. Yeop Gyeom stared at him in horror. Though long retired from the front lines, he was still at the sixth rank of Qi Transformation Realm.
Yet a single blow from Yeop Hyeon—known to be at the fifth rank Unceasing Realm—had shattered him like this!
Trembling in fear, Yeop Gyeom hastily handed over the white jade vial. Yeop Hyeon confirmed only fifteen Nourishing Spirit Pills remained inside. His brow twitched, and Yeop Gyeom cried out desperately.
"Yeop Hyeon, those pills are exceedingly rare—not even available in Qingcheng. What you hold is all that's left from the last batch brought from beyond!"
Yeop Hyeon fell silent a moment, then tucked the vial into his bosom.
"You've devoted your life to the Ye family for so long. Taking this much should be fine, no?"
He turned and strode out. At the door stood the Great Elder, leading a group of elders, glaring at Yeop Hyeon with murderous eyes.
"My grandson... killed over a mere word or two?"
"You raised him poorly. I merely disciplined him in your stead."
The Great Elder slowly clenched his fist. Yeop Hyeon met his gaze with equal ferocity.
The Great Elder bellowed,
"Kill this bastard!"