The Youngest Member Chapter 116

The Orthodox Path Grand Alliance, the Martial Alliance.

The tallest building there was a five-story hall. At the top of the hall was the Alliance Leader's office, and below it were the Chief Strategist's office and the grand eting hall.

Those called by the Alliance Leader gathered in the grand eting hall.

A eting room permitted only to fifteen people in the world, excluding the Belil Tian Alliance Leader and the Sima Hui Chief Strategist.

"Thank you all for making the long journey."

Belil Tian, who was naturally seated at the head of the table, spoke in a level voice and looked around the room.

On the left and right of the long table were the respected mbers of each faction.

Since the still-unstable Sichuan Tang family and the Zhuge family were not in attendance, there should have been thirteen people, but today's attendees numbered fourteen.

A woman with sharp eyes like a well-honed silver sword blade, the Sword Maiden, Namgung Ihwa. Next to her sat a man with a strikingly similar atmosphere. He was not originally a mber of the grand eting.

Belil Tian realized that the attendees of the eting were subtly paying attention to him.

'How did the Sword King...'

He was a man who originally pushed aside not only the affairs of the Martial Alliance but also the affairs of the Namgung family to wander around the world, yet he had sohow visited the Martial Alliance in ti for the grand eting.

The Sword King, like Belil Tian, was a master of the Heaven Beyond Heaven realm in the Orthodox Path martial world. Naturally, if he said he would attend the eting, there was no one who could stop him. There was no reason to, either.

Since the Sword King was the Sword Maiden's older brother, it could be expected that the main statents in this eting would co from his mouth.

"Then, shall we begin the eting?"

The Sima Hui Chief Strategist said as he looked around the room.

As everyone nodded, Sima Hui was about to bring up the story of the Zhuge family first.

It was then.

"May I speak first?"

"..."

The Sword King had preempted the right to speak.

Sima Hui covered his mouth with his folding fan, looking displeased.

The Sword King was not usually so rude, but the matter he had brought was that important.

In fact, it was Sima Hui's role to conduct the grand eting, but he deliberately did not imdiately grant the Sword King's request to speak.

It was a asure taken in consideration of the Alliance Leader's dignity.

"Speak."

"Thank you, Senior Belil Tian."

The Sword King, who had greeted the Alliance Leader with his eyes, looked around the room. As he uncharacteristically hesitated, a look of tension flickered across everyone's faces.

"I think the Dark Heavenly Son has returned."

In an instant, everyone's eyes widened as if they would pop out.

It was a natural reaction for those who were hearing the news related to the Dark Heavenly Son for the first ti, and Belil Tian and Sima Hui had expressions that said they had not expected those words to co from the Sword King's mouth before their own.

Sima Hui managed to compose his expression and asked.

"Senior, what do you an by that?"

"Do you rember that mission from before? The one where the Black Tortoise Unit and the Heavenly Tiger Unit were dispatched..."

It was then.

Belil Tian quickly sent a telepathic ssage to the Sword King.

- Don't talk about Woojin. No, it would be better not to talk about this story at all.

The Sword King paused for a mont and then naturally continued.

"Ahem, anyway, since you are all busy people, I will get straight to the point. I was chasing the Sword Demon. I had to have a match with him with swords at least once."

Everyone nodded.

The Sword King and the Sword Demon had been compared for a long ti.

Naturally, the Sword King was confident of his victory, so he wanted to settle the score with the Sword Demon as soon as possible.

Of course, that Sword Demon guy would have been the sa. Although their ideologies were different, as martial artists who used swords, they could understand each other's hearts without having to say it.

"So, did you et the Sword Demon?"

It was the Qingxuan Zhenren, an elder of the Qingcheng Sect. As a martial artist who also used a sword, he had many questions about the relationship between the Sword King and the Sword Demon.

The Sword King nodded.

"I did. As I chased him very persistently, it eventually happened."

Everyone had tense expressions. If the two had t, a conclusion would surely have been reached.

However, unexpected words flowed from the Sword King's mouth.

"I was having a match with him. He was quite strong. To be honest, until the middle, I thought I wouldn't be able to return to the Namgung family. It was hard to even block his sword."

"...Hah!"

To hear such words from the mouth of the world's Sword King.

Sighs erupted from here and there.

"But from the midpoint onwards, I slowly took control of the flow. That Sword Demon guy's swordsmanship was frighteningly outstanding in its sharpness and montary power, but it didn't last long. Anyway, it was the mont I was about to strike his neck."

The Sword King took a needless pause. At that, everyone looked only at the Sword King's mouth with faces that said they were dying of curiosity.

"He ran."

"...?"

Everyone could not hide their surprise.

It was surprising that such a light tone ca from the mouth of a man who was the head of a family, and it was also surprising that the legendary swordsman, the Sword Demon, had run away in the face of death.

It was understandable, because the period of comparison between the Sword King and the Sword Demon was very long, so the loser would not be alive even if he lived.

He would probably receive the ridicule or pity of the entire martial world.

But, in such a situation, he had run away.

"I know him well. I have heard of his every move for a very long ti, and thanks to that, although I have only t him a few tis, I can easily predict what kind of personality he has and what actions he will take. The Sword Demon is a guy who would attempt mutual destruction if driven to death. Such a guy ran away without any lingering attachnt, no, with a firm resolve. It must an that a place he had to return to had appeared."

In an instant, a huge presence filled everyone's minds.

After the Dark Heavenly Son disappeared, the most mysterious among his disciples was the Sword Demon. He rarely showed himself, as if he had no more lingering attachnts to this world, and he didn't particularly create any incidents.

If such a man had tried to return, even enduring sha, they could not help but think of the Dark Heavenly Son.

Tap, tap.

The Chief Strategist lightly tapped the table with his folding fan.

With that small gesture, the atmosphere was instantly refreshed.

"Thank you for coming to deliver such important information in person. Indeed, the movents of the Dark Heavenly Son's disciples have been noticeable recently. The story I am about to tell also involves a disciple of the Dark Heavenly Son."

The Chief Strategist, feeling that sothing was happening, naturally continued the Sword King's words and brought up the na of the Sichuan Tang family, the story he had originally intended to tell.

"It is the matter of the Sichuan Tang family."

The Chief Strategist told them about the incident that had occurred at the Sichuan Tang family. Of course, he thoroughly hid the fact that the Qingcheng Sect, the Zhongnan Sect, the Hebei Peng family, the Murong family, and the Ten Thousand Gold Fortress had been ntioned from the elder's mouth.

While speaking, he carefully observed the people's expressions, but it seed that they all had a few cunning snakes in their bellies, as there was no sign of it on the outside.

'Of course, I can't rule out the possibility that the Tang family's elder was lying...'

Sima Hui was having a strong premonition as a strategist. A premonition that there were at least three people in this room who had conspired with the Sichuan Tang family.

Until Sima Hui's explanation was over, no one had a particular reaction. Since it was a matter that had already spread quite a bit, they had just heard it in more detail and officially through Sima Hui's mouth.

However, as soon as Sima Hui's explanation ended, there was a man who imdiately opened his mouth. It was again the Qingxuan Zhenren of the Qingcheng Sect.

"Why did the Black Tortoise Unit and the Heavenly Tiger Unit go to the Tang family? It's a relief that the matter was resolved well, but the timing seems rather coincidental."

The very mont the Young Family Head, Tang Bicheon, was about to kill Tang Soyeon to carry out his plan. The Black Tortoise Unit and the Heavenly Tiger Unit were in Sichuan at that exact mont.

Sima Hui retorted without a hint of fluster.

"We sent them after discovering a strange movent in the Sichuan branch of the Black Plaque Star. As the Qingxuan Zhenren said, it was a coincidental event."

"What about carelessly interfering in another's succession?"

The Qingxuan Zhenren suspected that the Alliance Leader and the Chief Strategist had sent them to monitor the Tang family. Although it was true, it was not sothing that could be admitted as it was.

"Alliance mber Tang Soyeon is a successor of the Tang family and at the sa ti a mber of the Martial Alliance's Heavenly Tiger Unit. If we cannot protect our mbers even when they are right in front of us, what is the aning of the Alliance's existence? Also, thanks to that, we were able to discover the connection with the Demonic Doctor... By any chance, is the Qingxuan Zhenren not pleased with this matter?"

The Qingxuan Zhenren let out a groan and backed down.

It seed he could not win against the Chief Strategist with words.

And so, the incident that had occurred at the Sichuan Tang family was concluded by being handled internally by the Military Affairs Departnt.

The Chief Strategist, as if a snake slithering over a wall, brought up the next topic.

It was the story of promoting the Black Tortoise Unit Commander, Cheol Jiak, to the Inspection Hall Master. Naturally, the Qingxuan Zhenren was about to flare up and step forward again, but the Chief Strategist's words ca first.

"The authority to appoint a Hall Master is the Alliance Leader's inherent right, so I hope you all understand."

In the first place, unlike the ard units and ard divisions, the Halls, due to their special nature, were closer in essence to the Martial Alliance itself rather than the Five Great Families and the Nine Sects One Union.

Along with the Chief Strategist's assertion, Belil Tian deliberately made a solemn expression. It was an attitude that said, "Let's see what happens if you raise an objection."

No matter how much he was an elder of the Qingcheng Sect, he could not be arrogant in front of the Martial Alliance Leader.

Fortunately, since there were many who originally thought well of Cheol Jiak, there were no further objections.

And so, Cheol Jiak was officially promoted to Inspection Hall Master, and Zhuge Lin to the commander of the Black Tortoise Unit under the Inspection Hall.

However, the real problem was the Chief Strategist's next words.

"We plan to establish an additional ard unit under the Inspection Hall."

This was not the Alliance Leader's inherent right.

Appointing soone to a position that originally existed but was vacant, like the Inspection Hall, and establishing a new organization were problems of a different dinsion.

For a new organization to be created within the Martial Alliance, a majority of the fifteen elders attending the grand eting had to agree.

If the Sichuan Tang family and the Zhuge family were treated as abstentions, at least seven people had to agree.

The Belil Tian Alliance Leader added to the Chief Strategist's explanation.

"It is only natural for things to rot if they stagnate. Since we have recently recruited a large number of skilled new Alliance mbers, I thought we'd try to make a change."

The Sword Maiden, who had been quiet all along, suddenly opened her mouth.

"That's a good idea. Kids these days are different from our ti and can't stand boredom. So, what's the na of the new organization?"

"The Hidden Dragon Unit."

At the sa ti, the expressions of a few people hardened.

The na Hidden Dragon Unit itself implied an ard unit composed of successors.

If a new ard unit were to be established, a commander would naturally have to be chosen. Of course, since they couldn't appoint newcors, they could just decide on a promotion candidate from among the deputy commanders of other ard units.

However, in the current discussion of the Alliance Leader and the Chief Strategist, a different intention was clearly felt.

The one who stepped forward this ti was again the Qingxuan Zhenren.

"Our Qingcheng Sect will cast a vote of opposition."

It was a strong move made in a situation where they hadn't even brought up who to appoint to the position of Hidden Dragon Unit Commander. That was how strongly the Qingxuan Zhenren had stated his position.

The Alliance Leader looked at such a Qingxuan Zhenren and asked casually.

"Why is that?"

"Aren't you going to say that you will appoint that Cheon Woojin guy to the position of commander?"

"That's right."

The corner of the Qingxuan Zhenren's mouth twisted into a sneer.

"He's a guy who hasn't even been in the Alliance for a year. I know he's strong. He's already killed two key figures of the Five Great Families, Elder Zhuge Sheng and Young Family Head Tang Bicheon."

The Qingxuan Zhenren deliberately ntioned the Five Great Families.

It was to provoke the Namgung family, the Peng family, and the Murong family.

Sure enough, the Peng family and the Murong family showed a very displeased expression.

However, the two from the Namgung family were quiet.

Originally, when Zhuge Sheng had died, the Sword Maiden was a woman who had insisted on disciplining Cheon Woojin, calling him an arrogant fellow.

However, her older brother, the Sword King, had a favorable view of Cheon Woojin. Since the Sword Maiden also knew that fact, she remained silent, at least next to her older brother.

And so, the Namgung family's position seed neutral.

However, as the Hebei Peng family and the Murong family openly cast votes of opposition, the situation took a turn for the worse.

The Chief Strategist looked at the side of the Nine Sects One Union as if he had expected it.

Unlike the Qingxuan Zhenren, who had cast his opposition early on, the others seed to still be contemplating. Since half of the Five Great Families had opposed, their support was needed for things to go smoothly.

Of course, the Chief Strategist had prepared seven other plans in case things went wrong, but it was better to finish it in one go if possible.

"It's ambiguous."

Shaolin and the Beggars' Sect cast their votes in favor.

However, the remaining sects were split half and half or were still organizing their positions.

Belil Tian pressed his temples. It seed the eting would drag on. The factions that had not yet given their opinions were of the attitude that they would decide after further discussion.

Naturally, since the Qingxuan Zhenren was a childhood friend of the deceased Zhuge Sheng, he poured out words that were unfavorable to Cheon Woojin.

"Uncontrollable military power is no different from a disaster. Also, a sword has no eyes."

He said it as if to himself, but everyone heard it.

The Qingxuan Zhenren was warning. If you don't want to end up like Zhuge Sheng or Tang Bicheon, choose correctly.

At that sight, the Alliance Leader managed to suppress his anger and said.

"As far as I know, Alliance mber Cheon Woojin's military power has never once been directed at the righteous Orthodox Path."

"Alliance Leader, to be honest, isn't Alliance mber Cheon too young? He still has little experience, so how can you entrust him with the important position of a commander?"

The Alliance Leader was dumbfounded. The Qingxuan Zhenren was not a humble person, so normally, he was soone who would never have considered a commander to be an important position.

"According to the Alliance's laws, there is no age requirent to be a commander. I'm sure you won't be discussing seniority with the disciple of the White Flower Sword Immortal senior. Since his military power and ideology have been verified in that way, wouldn't it be possible to appoint him?"

The Alliance Leader and the Qingxuan Zhenren had a staring contest.

Normally, he would not have dared to have such a battle of wills with the Alliance Leader, but it seed the Qingxuan Zhenren really did not want to appoint Cheon Woojin to a key position.

How much ti had passed like that?

Thud.

In an instant, everyone's gaze turned to the entrance of the eting room.

Who would dare to enter without permission during a grand eting, the highest eting of the Martial Alliance?

Soon, everyone made different, strange expressions.

Most were bewildered, the Sword King and the Beggars' Sect's elder had amused expressions, and the Qingxuan Zhenren's face was openly crumpled.

The man who had appeared out of nowhere was none other than Cheon Woojin.

"You brat!"

The Qingxuan Zhenren shot up and let out a roar. Since it contained a subtle internal energy, it would not have been strange for an ordinary young martial artist to fall backward.

However, Cheon Woojin just stared blankly at such a Qingxuan Zhenren and then said to the Alliance Leader in a nonchalant tone.

"I'm sorry. I mistook the location of your office, Alliance Leader."

Everyone could not help but be dumbfounded. How could a martial artist of Cheon Woojin's level confuse the fifth and fourth floors?

No, in the first place, even if it were the Alliance Leader's office, was it alright to just fling open the door and enter like this?

However, Cheon Woojin was surprisingly bad with directions.

He had really just gotten confused and co to the wrong place.

A certain man ca running down urgently from the fifth floor behind Cheon Woojin.

"Ch-Alliance mber Cheon! It's not here...!"

He had told Cheon Woojin that there was a waiting room in front of the Alliance Leader's office, so he should wait there for a mont until the eting was over.

However, when he went up to the fifth floor with simple refreshnts, there was no one there.

He could not have possibly predicted that he would just open the door of the fourth-floor eting room.

Cheon Woojin bowed his head and apologized to everyone.

But, Cheon Woojin's thought process was a little different from others.

Although it was not his intention, since he had t the Alliance Leader anyway, it led to the surprising thought that he could just talk now and go.

It was an idea that an ordinary person would never have had while being glared at by the heads of each faction.

"Alliance Leader, I'll do that."

"...Do what."

"The Hidden Dragon Unit Commander."

The Chief Strategist bowed his head and covered his forehead.

He had planned to coax, appease, and persuade the opposition in this room to get the desired result, but the person in question had suddenly barged in and said such a thing.

Still with his head bowed, he slightly raised his eyes and looked at the Qingxuan Zhenren's face.

'He's going to explode at this rate.'

His face was in a state similar to that specially made by the Thunderclap Gate.

(End of Chapter)