Chapter 217: Omen (4)
It was time for the Elder’s Meeting.
Usually, the Lord of the Gu Clan makes most decisions, but if there are multiple issues to resolve, it’s essential to gather the key figures of the clan.
As the name suggests, the majority of these members are Elders.
In the Gu Clan, there were originally four Elders.
Well, now it seems there are only three.
Excluding the Second Elder, the Third and Fourth Elders hold various positions and powers, just like the First Elder.
If the First Elder was overseeing the Gu Sunmoon, then the few business matters concerning the clan and related information fell to the Third and Fourth Elders.
It’s strange that the Second Elder, Gu Ryoon, doesn’t take on any responsibilities at all.
But it turns out, this Gu Ryoon, known as the Flaming Fist, never intended to fulfill the role of an Elder.
He probably was forced into it by his father, the Lord of the Clan.
Is that why he wanders outside the clan so often?
He always claimed he was managing external affairs, but from what I see, it looks like he was just out having fun.
Every day, he would return with some ridiculous items, seemingly acquired through drinking bets.
I can’t help but wonder what kind of crazy person brings back someone else’s valuables every time they venture out.
Ah, not to mention, I had asked the Beggar King to gather some intel.
Has he done it yet?
I hope he runs into no trouble.
But then again, it’s possible.
The Beggar King seems a bit off lately.
He used to be dependable, but now he’s behaving more like a typical beggar.
Oh, and I had asked him to investigate the Dishonored Venerable.
That thought made me uneasy.
[I heard about that, but it’s still absurd. For a master like him to pretend to be a Young Prodigy, truly shocking.]
…He must have his reasons.
The Dragon Warrior, Bi Eejin.
He was part of the Bi Clan, the same as the Dishonored Venerable, Bijuu.
He was the second son of the Lord but had no claim to inheritance.
Now he was one of the Six Dragons and Three Phoenixes.
He was the Young Prodigy of the Bi Clan, who had vanished after his first tournament.
He had once gained a reputation due to his association with a Heavenly Venerable and his title of ‘Dragon’.
But with time, people stopped talking about him.
They only remembered him as a talented relative of the Bi Clan.
Yet, his true identity was that of the Zenith of Fists, one of the Three Venerables, the Dishonored Venerable Bijuu.
Eternal Youth. I can hardly believe he actually achieved it.
Eternal Youth?
It was an ancient tale.
They say that when a martial artist reaches the pinnacle of their skill, they can turn back time and regain their youth.
It rejuvenates an old martial artist and is often spoken of as an opportunity to reach even greater heights.
However, that’s not the reality.
Eternal Youth tends to bring with it far more disadvantages than benefits.
This was also the reason why the Dishonored Venerable went into hiding, similar to the Sword Venerable.
He remained unseen until the Heavenly Demon emerged and chaos ensued.
If not for that, he may never have revealed himself.
If the Heavenly Demon had not appeared, he would have likely stayed hidden for even longer.
I would’ve done the same.
Eternal Youth sounds miraculous.
It allows someone to reclaim their youth and extend their lifespan.
But it comes with a hefty price.
One must relinquish everything they have earned.
The level that a martial artist has worked hard to achieve, along with all the martial arts they’ve mastered over time.
Only through discarding it all can one obtain Eternal Youth.
What they’re left with is only the recollection of their experiences.
In a way, it might resemble my scenario, where I returned to the past.
But no, it’s fundamentally different.
The major issue with Eternal Youth is quite simple.
The body of a Heavenly Venerable, one who has achieved ultimate mastery, is perfect.
From birth, one’s natural talent is determined, enabling a martial artist to break through their limits.
However, Eternal Youth stifles the potential of such a body.
A weakened physique.
An inadequate vessel.
The body gained through Eternal Youth is so frail that it could crumble with just a light touch.
This was a sentiment echoed by the Dishonored Venerable himself.
The only remnants after forsaking all were a weak body and antiquated memories.
Yet for some reason, he chose this path.
As a consequence, he had no choice but to hide within his clan, away from the outside world.
Did the Second Elder know of this?
He received a recommendation letter from the Dishonored Venerable, and even a ring.
It seems he was indeed aware of the situation.
But did he pass that burden onto me?
I felt a headache coming on.
The absurd rumor of me being his disciple still lingers on.
All thanks to that dreadful letter.
Why did it have to be me, among all the martial artists in the world?
The Dishonored Venerable is strictly a close-combat fighter; he doesn’t even dabble in ranged martial arts.
This whole mess is the fault of that damned letter.
Not to mention, I never actually used it properly.
It only brought misunderstandings, without giving me any actual benefits.
My head was on the verge of exploding from frustration.
I hope he doesn’t catch wind of this and create more problems.
I have a basic understanding of his temperament.
I just wish he wouldn’t find out.
That’s why I asked Chuwong.
As for the Silent Fist… It would be nice to gather information on him, but it’s not critical.
I wasn’t sure how reliable Chuwong’s findings would be.
However, the main goal was to strengthen my future relationship with the Beggar King.
It wasn’t vital information, to be honest.
I wasn’t even sure if Chuwong was aware of that.
But such thoughts aren’t my main concern right now…
I was aware of the piercing gazes upon me.
Four pairs of eyes.
All glaring fiercely, except for the Steward, whose eyes radiated kindness.
I kept forgetting…
That I was standing in the midst of a crucial meeting.
An Elder’s Meeting regarding my punishment.
I had to remain there, facing my father.
The Lord’s seat.
Father sat there, regarding me intently.
“…This Elder’s Meeting is convened to discuss the actions of the First Son.”
Even without Qi, his words weighed heavily on the atmosphere.
“First Son.”
“Yes.”
“Do you have anything to say?”
“I have nothing to say.”
I replied truthfully.
I had no more words to share.
I had already conveyed everything, to my father and everyone else.
They would soon confirm it.
“Ahem…”
Someone coughed from my left.
Clearly displeased with my answer.
“If you have nothing to say, does that mean you admit to killing the First Elder?”
Is that the Third Elder?
It’s been a while since I’ve seen him.
I can’t recall what happened to him in my previous life.
I believe he was still alive when I left the clan.
I responded without hesitation.
“I don’t need to admit anything. I killed him.”
“Ha…! You killed a clan member, an Elder, with your own hands! How can you be so composed!”
He bellowed at me.
I grimaced.
I could sense his ulterior motive.
“Anyone who does something wrong deserves punishment, be they clan member or not.”
“But why should you be the one to decide the punishment?”
“Who else would do it?”
“What?”
“If you knew what the First Elder had done, would you have intervened directly?”
He looked taken aback.
He wasn’t satisfied with my rebuttal.
“Even if what you say is true, the Lord should determine the punishment after an investigation.”
“But the Lord is currently away, and the criminal could very well escape. Hence, I took action.”
“Are you calling the Elder a criminal?”
“He committed a sin. Should I regard him as a hero? What nonsense are you spouting?”
“You…!”
“If you’re losing your wits, just go to your room and take a nap. Or perhaps there’s something you’re worried about, like the First Elder?”
Boom!
Just as I was spitting out my retort, a force coiled around me, urging my mouth shut.
A heavy aura suddenly descended upon the meeting.
“Do not cross the line. Don’t forget why you stand here.”
“…My apologies.”
The ramblings of the senile elder irked me.
I spoke out of turn.
[Didn’t you say you’d calm your temper?]
But how could I hold back when it was so apparent he was trying to manipulate the situation?
I just couldn’t fathom what these people were thinking.
They should be incinerated and imprisoned, yet my father seemed unbothered.
Father resumed speaking.
“As the First Son mentioned, we have confirmed the existence of a secret compartment in the First Elder’s residence.”
Thank goodness they found it.
“Given the strong barriers surrounding it, we need to conduct a thorough inspection.”
“Lord, this matter cannot be easily dismissed.”
Suddenly, the Fourth Elder, who had been silent, interjected.
“This is a case where a direct relative has assaulted an Elder. We can’t-”
“I have no intention of letting it down lightly.”
“…Hmm.”
“But we should first verify everything the First Son claimed about the First Elder.”
Father briefly turned his gaze towards the Fourth Elder.
“Or do you wish to pass judgment before confirming the facts? That too would be against our regulations.”
“Well, no…”
The Fourth Elder replied meekly.
The Steward went on, trying to bring order to the proceedings.
“This meeting is not solely about the First Son’s punishment for killing the First Elder.”
Father cast a fierce look around the room.
“It’s also concerning his actions taken without the Lord’s authorization and his escape from custody prior to any formal verification.”
That much was true.
Not everything was confirmed yet.
This meeting addressed the aspects that were already established.
Don’t make a fuss.
That was the silent warning.
“Do you accept your guilt?”
“I do.”
I had committed these actions knowing I was liable.
“I will forgive the jail escape, as it was done to rescue the First Daughter and you offered considerable assistance, so I will take that into account.”
This was something he had stated previously.
After all, I had aided in rescuing Gu Huibi through the Marble of Celestial Captivation.
He gave me leeway due to that.
But ultimately, Father confiscated the Marble of Celestial Captivation.
Although Gu Huibi had grumbled about it, Father scolded her instead.
She clearly had no good intentions surrounding the marbles, and I was fine with that.
“Yet, even in the absence of the main Lord, you acted recklessly and proceeded without proper consent.”
“And you have slain an Elder. You will be held accountable for your actions.”
If the First Elder were still alive, we could have extracted valuable information from him.
However, I made a foolish decision and killed him.
I had the option to overpower him and wait for information.
“First Son, do you have any objections?”
“I do not.”
My response caused whispers among the Elders.
They seemed baffled that I didn’t protest.
…I certainly threw quite the tantrum at the last Elder’s meeting.
A monumental one.
-Why is this my fault…! She started it…!
-You think I don’t realize that none of you are on my side in this wretched clan?
Those memories clung to me, though I would rather forget them.
I wished I could rid my mind of that ugly past.
Father studied me for a moment before he spoke again.
“…We will now conclude the discussion regarding the punishment for the First Son.”
They hadn’t spoken much, yet it felt as if the meeting was drawing to a close.
Why had he even summoned the Elders if it was a foregone conclusion?
He could just decide everything on his own.
Is this truly the right course of action?
If it seemed inappropriate, the Elders could rise up and voice their objections to his verdict.
Did Father have a strategy in mind?
[You don’t appear to be frightened at all.]
Why would I be fearful at my age?
[But you’re squabbling like a child with an aged man, at this stage?]
That man wasn’t in my league.
I waited calmly for my Father’s resolution.
I had indeed crossed several lines.
Consequently, I anticipated a couple of months of confinement.
The Elders likely wished for a delay in my ascension to the Young Lord position, but I knew that wouldn’t happen.
I hoped for the best, but I also knew it wouldn’t materialize.
Sure enough, Father announced my confinement.
“The First Son shall be confined for two months.”
“…Two months?”
I blurted that out impulsively.
It felt rather brief compared to the severity of my actions.
An “oh my” was shared among the Elders, who stood up looking astonished.
“Lord of the Clan… you-”
“And additionally.”
Before the Elders could voice their opinions, Father continued.
“Immediately after your confinement, I command you to join the Swordsmen Army on the battlefield for a year.”
“…Pardon? What did you just say?”
“The discussion is finalized.”
“Wait… Father?”
I called out urgently, but he had already exited the building as if the matter was settled.
“…Did I hear that correctly? The Swordsmen Army?”
Two months of confinement, followed by being thrust into the fray for a year?
That has to be a joke, right? Surely I must have misheard him.
The battlefield falls under the jurisdiction of the Fifth Army.
And to top it off, Gu Huibi leads that army.
That meant he intended for me to work under Gu Huibi in the Fifth Army for an entire year.
This was reminiscent of the torturous punishment I had faced in my previous life, and the mere thought of it invoked a wave of revulsion.
But I was being forced to repeat that experience?
“…What the hell?”
Now it made sense.
Father’s reluctance to consult the Elders was clear.
He intended to administer a punishment that they might condone without having to solicit their opinions.
I recalled the statement my father had made to me the day before.
-I won’t be on your side either.
Indeed, he was serious about that.
“But come on, this seems excessively harsh…”
In that moment, I resolved to leave this place at the earliest opportunity.
Stepping outside, I was greeted by a familiar face awaiting me.
“Young Master! Over here!”
Approaching me with a skip in her step was Wi Seol-Ah, holding tofu for some inexplicable reason.
“…What’s this?”
“It’s said that when you get out of prison, you eat tofu.”
I took a hesitant bite of the tofu she offered, my face still sour.
“…It’s good.”
“Right?”
“It’s so delicious. It’s enough to bring tears to my eyes.”
“Really? I’m so glad I bought it!”
Seeing Wi Seol-Ah beam so brightly, completely unaware of my feelings, I let out a sigh and gently patted her head.
It somehow made me feel better.
“Young Master, Young Master.”
“What is it?”
“Someone is waiting for you over there.”
“Huh? Who?”
I followed her gaze.
Then I spotted a familiar figure dressed in a red uniform.
I initially thought it might be Namgung Bi-ah or Tang Soyeol, but contrary to my expectations, it was a person who made me decidedly uncomfortable.
“…Greetings.”
Looking a bit worn down, his handsomeness remained untouched.
Despite appearing drained, he still possessed that same striking face.
And right now, he was likely harboring a significant dislike for me.
“…First Son.”
Gu Jeolyub, the Young Leader of Gu Sunmoon, was waiting for me.
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