Chapter Title: The Returned Prodigal Son (2)
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"Is that so?"
"Yes."
With his upper garments shed, he clasped his hands behind his back with his left hand and raised his sword with his right, aiming it at the mid-level guard. He held that stance for so long that Yeon Wi's upper body was drenched in sweat.
A cold autumn breeze created a faint, translucent haze rising from his body. His breathing was somewhat ragged, but he didn't pant loudly.
"What did it look like to you?"
"Pardon?"
"I asked what it looked like between the two of them."
Gang Yun honestly shared what he had sensed.
"It was only for a brief moment, so I couldn't see it clearly. But the atmosphere didn't seem bad."
"I see."
"Yes."
After staring at the sword tip for a full hour, Yeon Wi finally relaxed his stance.
Srrrring.
The sound of the blade sliding into its sheath was smooth, like a single line of song.
'He ordered it himself?'
Yeon Wi was inwardly puzzled by Gang Yun's report.
The eldest hated the second son to the point of loathing him. To the extent that he treated him as if he didn't exist.
And Yeon Wi knew why the eldest loathed the second son.
Yet he had confessed to ordering it himself? Willingly?
"Anything else unusual?"
"Nothing."
"Understood."
Gang Yun bowed crisply.
"I'll summon the Law Blade Pavilion Master."
"No need."
"Pardon?"
"I said no need to summon him."
A genuine look of bewilderment crossed Gang Yun's rigid, wooden doll-like face.
"You're not punishing the second young master separately?"
Yeon Wi silently fixed his gaze on Gang Yun.
Gang Yun's face paled. Meeting the family head's eyes felt like hundreds of swords piercing through his body.
"Squad Leader Gang."
"Y-yes!"
"Don't forget your position."
"My apologies!"
"You're dismissed."
Gang Yun bowed deeply and retreated with impeccable courtesy.
Yeon Wi looked up at the sky.
There wasn't a single cloud. The breeze was refreshing, and the sunlight was just right.
'Nothing to worry about too much, then.'
During the ancestral rite, he had been stunned to see the eldest suddenly embrace the second son.
The human tongue may easily twist into lies, but actions are hard to stain with falsehood. The eldest, holding the second son and overcome with emotion, had clearly been filled with deep sincerity.
And toward him as well.
Yeon Wi felt an inexplicable unease at the sight of his eldest son, who had never once approached him like that before.
'Is he having some strange thoughts?'
At eighteen, he was fully grown. If he weren't from a martial family, he would have married long ago.
Yet the eldest had never shown a truly adult side. Even as his father, Yeon Wi had no idea what thoughts filled his son's head.
Yeon Wi drew the sword from his waist sash and tossed it onto the weapon rack.
Thud!
The rack shook violently. It looked like any ordinary long sword on the outside, but this specially forged blade weighed a full twenty catties—a heavy sword.
"Wang Jeon."
"Yes, family head."
A faint voice echoed from the empty air.
"When did the South Palace Family say they'd arrive?"
"Around four days, they said."
"Is one of their heirs coming too?"
"Yes, the South Palace family head's youngest daughter. She came to audit classes at the academy where the second young master studies. She arrived a few days ago."
"I see."
He had no interest in the family head's daughter. But one of the South Palace Family's key figures was visiting the Yeon Family. It had been a long time since they'd hosted such an important guest.
"Tell the Guest Hall Leader to prepare for the guests within two days."
"Understood."
A faint weariness flickered in Yeon Wi's stern eyes.
It didn't seem to be because of his two sons, at least.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
There was much to think about and much to organize. Though it was punishment, the time was precious to Yeon Ho-jeong.
Back in his room, Yeon Ho-jeong sorted his thoughts.
"In the end, this is what I must do. Prepare and prevent it."
The Yeon Family would be exterminated in one year and five months.
Furthermore, twenty years from now, the Evil Lewd Cult would turn the Central Plains into hell.
Neither was a matter to take lightly. The Yeon Family was his clan, and the Evil Lewd Cult's chaos would burn the entire Central Plains. If he couldn't stop the cult, the clan would be in danger anyway.
What's more, the Evil Lewd Cult's first strike in the Central Plains had begun in Jiangsu Province, where the Yeon Family resided.
'Beyond the Evil Lewd Cult, there are two more great enemies on par with them. To block their assaults in advance, even starting preparations now wouldn't be enough.'
His head felt like it was overheating.
After a few deep breaths to calm himself, Yeon Ho-jeong made his decision.
'Enough. Evil Lewd Cult or whatever, that's not the priority now. The clan is.'
Having returned to the past, he could do many things he hadn't been able to before.
But Yeon Ho-jeong didn't set too many needless goals. He was quick to judge what mattered most in any situation and what to prioritize for his objectives.
Right now, the clan was what mattered.
To protect the clan?
Yeon Ho-jeong lightly slapped his own cheek.
"First, let's check the body."
Sitting cross-legged on the floor by his bed, he examined his physical state.
'As expected.'
He had checked several times in the ancestral hall, but it was still disappointing.
'Where do I even start?'
Compared to his peers, his internal energy reserves were considerable. Even Yeon Ji-pyeong, who overwhelmed him, fell short in raw internal energy.
But as with all things in the world, quality mattered more than quantity.
'Flying Swallow Heart Method at the seventh stage?'
The Flying Swallow Heart Method was the Bi Mountain Yan Family's foundational technique. It wasn't advanced, nor did it excel at projecting energy outward.
It was merely basic, yet at eighteen, he had only reached the seventh stage.
Yeon Ho-jeong felt a pang of bitterness inside.
'Definitely not exceptional talent.'
To switch to another martial art, the Flying Swallow Heart Method needed to reach at least the ninth stage.
Yeon Ho-jeong had only grasped the ninth stage a few days before the clan's destruction. Yet Yeon Ji-pyeong had mastered it completely at sixteen.
The gap in their talents was that vast.
Yeon Ho-jeong closed his eyes.
'Now, something like the Flying Swallow Heart Method would be a breeze. Better to knock it out right away.'
Even after twenty-six years, the formulas were vividly etched in his memory.
He silently recited the heart method's formulas.
Shhh.
A subtle haze rose from his cross-legged body.
True energy hadn't yet manifested visibly. His internal energy was ample, but the body wasn't accustomed to projecting it.
But that lasted only a moment.
Weeeeng.
A signal came from his dantian.
Compared to his Black Dark Emperor days, his dantian, meridians, acupuncture points, and very bones were all amateurish. Yet his mind had completely dissected the Flying Swallow Heart Method. He could force it onto this body somehow.
A moment later.
Weeeeng! Weeeng!
A faint pale green glow clung to the haze rising from his shoulders.
It was dim, flickering in and out.
Cold sweat beaded on Yeon Ho-jeong's forehead.
'Not easy.'
Still, it wasn't impossible.
Pop!
His shoulder twitched.
Thud! Thud!
From upper arms to forearms, both arms writhed uncontrollably.
His crossed legs did the same. True energy was extending into his limbs, methodically clearing the blocked meridians.
Another half hour passed like that.
Drenched in sweat, a drop fell from Yeon Ho-jeong's nose with a thud.
Drip.
Dark red blood trickled from his nose. True energy had reached his head, where countless acupuncture points converged.
'Done.'
A small smile curved Yeon Ho-jeong's lips.
'One final circuit of the governor and conception vessels.'
Zing! Zeeeng!
A slightly brighter pale green haze leaked from his entire body.
"Hoo."
Yeon Ho-jeong exhaled deeply, opened his eyes, and uncrossed his legs.
"Thought it'd be easy, but it's tougher than I figured."
He stood up.
Clenching and unclenching his fists repeatedly, Yeon Ho-jeong nodded.
"A bit more respectable now."
His body was the same, but the nature of his internal energy had changed, and far more meridians were open. Now he finally had a proper foundation to cultivate true internal energy.
A terrifying cultivation speed.
"The real work starts now."
After a brief contemplation, Yeon Ho-jeong shook his head.
"I've already decided, so why overthink it? No more wasting time."
After a thorough bath and changing clothes, he headed straight for the family head's chambers.
Along the way, countless people greeted Yeon Ho-jeong.
"Greetings to the eldest young master."
"Eldest young master."
Ceremonious bows, never lacking in propriety.
But there was no respect or awe for a superior in their greetings. Nor did they look down on him, of course.
To an outsider, it might feel coldly rigid. No matter their inner thoughts, their outward words and actions fit perfectly within strict bounds.
'Rule by law, with no room for flexibility.'
The clan's atmosphere struck him anew.
And naturally, he compared it to the Black Emperor Castle's.
'Better than Black Emperor Castle, at least.'
In the long term, the Yeon Family's atmosphere seemed superior. It might seem stingy on affection, but at least command and obedience were absolute.
But it was rigidly so. This atmosphere was bound to breed problems down the line.
'Not my concern, though.'
Moments later, he stood before the family head's building.
Two guards stood at the entrance. Middle-aged warriors, one with a sword, the other a blade strapped to his back.
"Greetings to the eldest young master. What brings you here?"
"To see my father."
The sword guard's eyes gleamed.
The eldest young master had never once sought out the family head first.
"Did the family head perhaps give separate instructions without our knowledge?"
"Nothing like that."
"Then you cannot enter."
Yeon Ho-jeong frowned.
"It's urgent. Send word inside."
"My apologies. The family head has strictly ordered that no one be admitted before noon."
A strict order, no less?
"Bad timing on my part. Then, relaying a message for me later should be fine, right?"
"Of course."
"Good. Then pass this on."
"Speak."
"Tell him I'll learn the Azure Net True Formula ahead of schedule."
The guards' eyes widened in shock.
"Pardon?"
"Didn't hear me? Tell him I'll master the Azure Net True Formula early."
Yeon Ho-jeong turned to leave.
"Take care."
"W-wait!"
"Hm?"
"Did you just say Azure Net True Formula?"
"Yeah?"
The guards gaped like fish.
Yeon Ho-jeong furrowed his brow.
"You aren't actually hard of hearing, are you?"
"...."
"Make sure you relay it exactly. No backtalk later."
As he walked away, leaving the stunned guards behind, Yeon Ho-jeong caught sight of a boy.
"Ji-pyeong?"
"Ah? Brother, you're here?!"
"Yeah, came to see Father."
Yeon Ji-pyeong looked at Yeon Ho-jeong with wide eyes.
In a clan where everyone wore rigid masks, Yeon Ji-pyeong showed the most honest, human reactions. Yeon Ho-jeong found himself smiling unwittingly.
"Wh-what brings you here?"
"Just some things. But what are you doing here? Come to see Father too?"
Yeon Ji-pyeong pouted.
"I was looking for you since you weren't at your quarters."
"Me? Why?"
"I said I'd treat you to a meal. Even scouted a nice restaurant."
"Oh?"
Yeon Ho-jeong cleared his throat as if just remembering.
"No need to go out for that. We can eat here just fine...."
He couldn't finish. Yeon Ji-pyeong's ox-like eyes were welling up.
His mouth suddenly felt dry.
"How about we get some air and eat out, then?"
Yeon Ji-pyeong's face lit up instantly.
"Yes!"
Excited, Yeon Ji-pyeong led Yeon Ho-jeong toward the main gate with a swaggering stride that rivaled a triumphant general.
Yeon Ho-jeong sighed inwardly.
'Wait for me, Azure Net True Formula.'