The Youngest Member Chapter 74

There was no alliance as large as the Martial Alliance in the current era.

The alliance leader, Beili Tian, was called one of the Three Pillars of the World and was a person who had reached the pinnacle as a martial artist of the white path, and below him, the Nine Sects One Gang and the Five Great Families supported him as solid pillars.

As the alliance grew so large, talented people who wanted to unfold their will flocked from all over the country, and naturally, it beca a place where the most outstanding people gathered, along with the imperial palace.

And in such a Martial Alliance, a general eting was held for the first ti in three years.

It was a place where not only the alliance leader and the commander-in-chief, and the representatives of the Nine Sects One Gang and the Five Great Families, but also all those with the right to speak, including the hall masters and above, attended.

And at that important place, a low-ranking alliance mber who had only been in the alliance for a few months attended.

It was the Black Tortoise Unit mber, Cheon Woojin.

"His cri is truly heavy! Not only should his dantian be destroyed and he be locked up in prison, but his direct superior, the Black Tortoise Unit Commander, and the person in charge of this selection exam should also be disciplined!"

"Ahem, True Person Cheonghyeon, please calm down. The person in charge of the selection exam was the head of the Righteous Will Unit, but hasn't he been dismissed for a long ti? How can you ask for responsibility from soone who is not here?"

True Person Cheonghyeon of the Cheongseong sect was enraged, and True Person Jinmyeol of the Ei sect, who was next to him, cald him down.

This eting was to discuss Cheon Woojin's treatnt and future matters related to the Zhuge family.

Those who were close to Zhuge Seong said that Cheon Woojin should be imdiately arrested and imprisoned, calling him a potential demonic head.

On the other hand, those who took a neutral stance were those who did not think highly of Zhuge Seong's snake-like aspect.

Although they were a minority, there were a few who openly showed favor to Cheon Woojin. A representative example was the Martial Alliance Leader, Beili Tian.

"Commander-in-chief Sima."

"Yes, Alliance Leader."

The commander-in-chief of the Martial Alliance, Sima Hui, bowed his head.

As the alliance leader opened his mouth, the noisy atmosphere beca focused.

"If it is the formation installed in the Zhuge family's main hall, is it right that it is the Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation?"

"Yes, I have already confird it again with the scholars of the Zhuge family belonging to the military affairs departnt."

"I see. What is the purpose of the Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation?"

As the alliance leader asked so, True Person Cheonghyeon's expression crumpled. Because the aning of that question was clear.

Sima Hui tapped his thigh with the folded fan and said.

"It is a formation that dries up and kills the opponent. Although it is said that there are seven death gates and one life gate, it is impossible to open the life gate from the inside. In the end, the person trapped inside will die with their mind or body withered."

"I see."

The Martial Alliance Leader, Beili Tian, who had nodded his head, looked at True Person Cheonghyeon.

Among those who said that Cheon Woojin should be punished, the one with the loudest voice was True Person Cheonghyeon. According to the commander-in-chief, he had a deep connection not only with Zhuge Seong but also with the head of the Gu family, Gu Yongbaek.

A newcor who had just joined the alliance had killed his close friend and had his close friend's son locked up in prison. For True Person Cheonghyeon, Cheon Woojin could not be anything but a thorn in his side.

"Hey, Cheonghyeon."

"Yes, Alliance Leader."

"Elder Zhuge Seong tried to kill our Martial Alliance mber, but was killed by a backlash. Whose fault is this?"

"If you say so, it will only sound like it was entirely Zhuge Seong's fault. However, the cri of disobeying the alliance's order and running away on his own, the cri of using force in the process, and the cri of causing a disturbance in the Zhuge family without following the proper procedures are clearly heavy."

True Person Cheonghyeon's attitude was firm. Although his seniority and martial power were below that of the Martial Alliance Leader, Beili Tian, behind him was the Cheongseong sect.

The Martial Alliance Leader, Beili Tian, looked at True Person Cheonghyeon and asked again.

"Then, what punishnt do you think is appropriate?"

"As I said, his dantian should be destroyed and he should be locked up in prison. He is a potential demonic head. He has such a disposition, and he has the martial might to support it. You all know. Is that guy's martial might common sense? Is there anything more frightening than the fact that such an out-of-spec existence could go anywhere?"

True Person Cheonghyeon intentionally looked at the representatives of the Five Great Families instead of the representatives of the Nine Sects One Gang next to him.

Basically, the Nine Sects One Gang had deep roots. In the white path, old tradition was power in itself.

Therefore, they were less concerned with profit.

Because the position of the Nine Sects One Gang would not be shaken even if they did not want such things, they revered justice and righteousness to their heart's content.

However, the Five Great Families were different. Although they were martial artists, they also had a rchant-like aspect. Compared to the Nine Sects One Gang, their tradition was short. Therefore, they filled the lacking parts with financial power and authority.

They were extrely wary of and blocked those who challenged their power. In the first place, they were the ones who had created the pretense of the Five Great Families to increase their solidarity and would never allow the invasion of other families or individuals.

For such people, an existence like Cheon Woojin could not be anything but uncomfortable. In fact, Cheon Woojin had gone beyond challenging their power and had killed the real power of the Five Great Families.

A middle-aged man, who had received True Person Cheonghyeon's eye signal, opened his mouth.

"True Person Cheonghyeon's words are not wrong. In the end, it is fortunate that the matter was resolved well, but if we turn a blind eye to the wrongdoings that occurred in the process, how can the prestige of the alliance be established?"

It was a thick voice that suited his huge build.

Next to him, a middle-aged woman with particularly white skin and sparkling black-blue pupils nodded her head.

"Our Nangong family also agrees with Elder Peng's opinion. Although what Elder Zhuge Seong did was a shaless act, if we do not punish the one who broke the alliance's laws, the martial artists of the Martial Alliance themselves will not take the alliance's laws seriously."

Her voice contained a cold power. It was not cold like ice, but cool like steel.

Beili Tian pressed his temples. The Sword Princess of the Nangong family was the Sword King's younger sister. While the Sword King had not been able to calm his vigor even in his middle age and had wandered outside, she had decided on the major and minor affairs of the family.

In other words, the Sword Princess's words were the will of Nangong.

Looking at the atmosphere, it seed that the Sichuan Tang family and the Murong family also had a similar position.

True Person Cheonghyeon, who had received the support of the Five Great Families, beca emboldened and pointed at Cheon Woojin, saying.

"You bastard, if you have a mouth, try to make an excuse! It may seem like your martial might has reached the heavens right now, but there is no one in this room who was not called a genius as much as you when they were young. Tsk, how can his attitude and gaze be so arrogant?"

Cheon Woojin looked at him blankly. At that sight, True Person Cheonghyeon beca even more enraged and urged him to answer.

Soon, Cheon Woojin said in a dry tone.

"It's all true, so what is there to make an excuse for?"

"W-what!"

That plain answer made True Person Cheonghyeon's red face even redder. Even the elders of the Five Great Families criticized Cheon Woojin, and so of the Nine Sects One Gang who were listening raised their voices, telling them to stop.

Thanks to that, the commanders, hall masters, and other officials belonging to the Martial Alliance had no chance to open their mouths.

The commander-in-chief, Sima Hui, who was watching the situation, tapped the knee of the head of the Punishnt Hall next to him under the desk.

'If we leave it like this, the Martial Alliance will be split in two. Leaving aside that guy's rights and wrongs, should such a thing happen because of one low-ranking alliance mber?'

Anyway, it was the authority of the Punishnt Hall to discipline an alliance mber. The commander-in-chief sent a look, telling him to finish the matter quickly.

Seeing this, Chupunggae let out a groan. Because it seed that a troubleso thing would happen just by imagining it.

'If I step forward now, the Beggars' Sect and I will take all the bla. I should wait a bit and then...'

However, the commander-in-chief judged that if he delayed any longer, the righteousness of the comrades of the white path might be damaged.

And so, he said.

"The Punishnt Hall has finished its investigation and has co to a conclusion, right? Before the commotion gets bigger, let's have Hall Master Chupunggae announce it."

"This is..."

The gazes were focused on Chupunggae in an instant.

The gazes were exactly half and half.

'If you're thinking of just letting it slide because you're watching the Martial Alliance Leader's expression, don't even open your mouth. From that day on, it's over with the Beggars' Sect.'

'If you give an excessive punishnt to please the Five Great Families, our Ei sect will have no choice but to correct our evaluation of the Beggars' Sect.'

The opinions of the two groups, represented by True Person Cheonghyeon and True Person Jinmyeol, were implicitly poured out.

Chupunggae, who had gotten up from his seat, let out a sigh and tried his best to ignore their gazes.

"As the commander-in-chief said, our Punishnt Hall has finished all investigations and has co to an internal decision."

"That's a good thing. Is there an empty seat in the prison?"

True Person Cheonghyeon sneered.

Although Chupunggae was also an elder of the Beggars' Sect, since he had reached that position at a relatively young age, he was inferior in seniority to the elders of the other Nine Sects One Gang and the Five Great Families.

Chupunggae inwardly hoped that a corruption scandal would break out in the Cheongseong sect soday and continued.

"True Person Cheonghyeon's words are right. That guy has several cris. Moreover, the biggest cri is that he went to the Zhuge family and caused a disturbance when the investigation was not yet finished. Although there were no deaths, I heard that as many as forty people were injured."

At his words, everyone inwardly clicked their tongues. Leaving aside the rights and wrongs of the matter, what kind of rising talent could invade one of the Five Great Families single-handedly and cause that much damage?

In that atmosphere, the words of the head of the Punishnt Hall continued.

"His dantian should be destroyed and he should be locked up in prison so that he can never see the light again. According to the alliance's laws, that is the right thing to do."

The Martial Alliance Leader, Beili Tian, looked at the head of the Punishnt Hall.

As he felt his side burn, the head of the Punishnt Hall quickly added.

"However, Elder Zhuge Seong's corruption has been clearly revealed. He used the black path and the Shadowless Divine Thief to interfere with the mission of the Martial Alliance. In the process, he frad the innocent Black Tortoise Unit Commander and Deputy Commander. Cheon Woojin is the newcor of that Black Tortoise Unit. We cannot ignore such a special characteristic."

As the head of the Punishnt Hall spoke vaguely, the commander-in-chief, Sima Hui, who was next to him, asked.

"Hall Master, are you saying that Cheon Woojin's actions can be seen as an extension of the treasure map recovery mission?"

"That's right. The mission given to the Black Tortoise Unit was to recover the treasure map of the Three Great Talents, and punishing those who interfere with the mission is allowed by the alliance's laws. In a broad sense, alliance mber Cheon was hindered by Elder Zhuge Seong while carrying out the mission, and he just solved it and finished the mission to the end. Although his response was sowhat excessive, it can be said that it was because Elder Zhuge Seong had activated the Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation."

True Person Cheonghyeon's expression gradually crumpled. Because for so reason, the words of the head of the Punishnt Hall were gradually going in a strange direction.

"Anyway, the opinions of both sides are also reasonable. The Punishnt Hall has also taken this into consideration and has decided to punish alliance mber Cheon for his cri."

The head of the Punishnt Hall licked his dry lips and then said.

"The Punishnt Hall, which has been delegated the alliance leader's punishnt authority, will punish Cheon Woojin, who has broken the alliance's laws and acted on his own, with a four-month mission ban..."

"Crazy talk! Chupunggae, are you playing with us right now!"

"This is a public place. True Person Cheonghyeon, please refrain from excessive words, and if you have a different opinion, please go through the Cheongseong sect later..."

"Opinion, my ass! Aren't you openly taking that guy's side! If this is how it's going to be, our Cheongseong sect will cut the sincerity we send to the Martial Alliance in half."

True Person Cheonghyeon let out a continuous roar. The Cheongseong sect was the one that had sponsored the most money to the Martial Alliance among the Nine Sects One Gang of the era.

Naturally, as they had sent many martial artists to the Martial Alliance, the position of the Cheongseong sect was solid, and True Person Cheonghyeon was backed by it.

However, when one was drunk on power, their judgnt would sotis beco clouded.

Chupunggae was a dog raised by the Dragon Head Sect Leader and the alliance leader. Although he was usually gentle and would often wag his tail, when his eyes turned, he would turn into a mad dog, drooling and opening his mouth wide.

There was the easiest and simplest way to make Chupunggae's eyes turn. It was to break the alliance's laws or to commit corruption.

He knew that Cheonghyeon was close to Zhuge Seong and Gu Yongbaek. But wasn't his seizure-like symptom too severe?

Chupunggae caught a strange scent. Every ti Cheonghyeon opened his mouth, an unknown foul sll brushed past the tip of his nose.

Chupunggae's eyes turned.

"Cheonghyeon, you bastard."

"W-what! You beggar bastard, how dare you...!"

"Am I your close friend? Isn't this a public place? Have you forgotten that the alliance leader and the commander-in-chief are also in this room?"

"T-that...!"

Cheonghyeon glared at the head of the Punishnt Hall with a face that was about to explode.

However, Chupunggae did not even care. In his mind, he was just full of the thought that he should search the Cheongseong sect as soon as the eting was over.

"I will say this clearly. If anyone spouts nonsense before I finish speaking, I will punish them severely with the alliance's laws, whoever they may be."

Each hall of the Martial Alliance was a place that had received a share of the alliance leader's authority. If the head of the Punishnt Hall were to swing the iron mace of the alliance's laws, it would be difficult for anyone below the alliance leader to resist.

In the quieted atmosphere, the head of the Punishnt Hall continued.

"Originally, it was a four-month mission ban, but thinking about it, I will reduce it to one month, considering the rit of arresting the Shadowless Divine Thief and carrying out the mission to the end despite the severe interference."

"W-what...!"

"I'm not finished, so shut up. And as for Zhuge Seong, I will punish him for the cri of making a mockery of the Martial Alliance's event and even trying to kill an alliance mber. But Zhuge Seong is dead. So the Zhuge family will have to bear that cri."

The fact that the Zhuge family, which was a pillar of the white path, had made a mockery of the Martial Alliance and had even tried to commit murder was a great sin.

The Martial Alliance recomnded a three-year closure to the Zhuge family.

Of course, it was an order disguised as a recomndation.

The closure of a family ant stopping the related businesses as well. A family like the Zhuge family would have enormous businesses. He couldn't even guess how much the loss would be for three years.

* * *

After the eting ended, the results quickly spread throughout the Martial Alliance. The Martial Alliance was literally turned upside down. At the center of all the controversies that had recently swept through the Martial Alliance was one person.

He entered the dining hall with his usual calm attitude.

The mont he appeared, the dining hall beca chaotic.

The gazes of the martial artists who were eating and the martial artists who had just finished eating and were about to leave were focused on Cheon Woojin.

In that chaotic atmosphere, there was a person who could not quench his thirst and was just continuously drinking water.

'Damn it...'

The White Dragon Unit Commander cursed inwardly.

The starting point of all this was himself.

If Zhuge Seong had been alive and had been arrested and brought to the Martial Alliance, his evil deeds would also have been quickly revealed. But for so reason, Zhuge Seong had died on the spot.

Even while the Martial Alliance was in an uproar, his na was not being ntioned anywhere.

He was too lucky.

It was a situation where he had narrowly escaped death.

In the anti.

Their eyes t.

The monster was holding a tray and was coming this way.

The White Dragon Unit Commander's heart pounded as if it would explode.

(End of Chapter)