The Ruler of Darkness

Gong Yo, the younger brother of the Gong Clan’s Head of Mount North Mang, looked back at the huge gate he had just exited.

It was one of the prestigious clans in Luoyang.

Sensing the uncomfortable mood from the old man’s disapproving gaze, a retainer of the Gong Clan carefully asked,

“…So they won’t move after all?”

“That’s right.”

The elderly Gong Yo got into the carriage without even accepting the butler’s help.

Unlike the Clan Head Gong Ryang, who had a disability, the younger brother Gong Yo was sturdy and healthy to a degree that didn’t match his age.

As the carriage began to move, Gong Yo said to the retainer,

“…It seems 2nd Young Master’s faction of the Sword House was busy making moves last night. They must have threatened about half of them.”

Gong Yo was visiting the households of high-ranking officials he was acquainted with, but there was no one who would become an ally yet.

Not a single one.

“Everyone usually emphasized their close ties with the Gong Clan and talked big, but in the end, they got scared and couldn’t even think of moving.”

Things had progressed according to 2nd Young Master’s intentions.

“Rather than recklessly getting involved and being caught between the power struggle, they chose to stay still and secure their positions.”

Stroking his long beard, Gong Yo replied,

“…But you don’t seem to have such a gloomy expression, Elder?”

“Is that so?”

Gong Yo smiled faintly.

“Because things are flowing according to that Eldest Young Master’s expectations.”

“Pardon?!”

Gong Yo didn’t answer further and looked far into the scenery through the carriage window.

‘I’d like to meet that Eldest Young Master in person.’

***

Luoyang Sword House.

Special-grade closed cultivation training hall.

The Third and Fourth Young Ladies, who had even used lightfoot technique to arrive at the closed cultivation training hall, couldn’t help but click their tongues.

“Oh my…”

As soon as they entered the closed cultivation training hall, they were greeted by the sight of patients filling up the corridors, receiving treatment from doctors.

The patients were all warriors.

“…Judging by their appearance, they all seem to be Second Sister’s sparring partners.”

“They’re completely wrecked.”

“Looking at the wounds, it seems to have been a real sword sparring…”

“Young Ladies…!”

The training hall master who spotted them tried to stop them but changed his mind.

“…Originally, there was a strict order from the Captain of the Guards not to let anyone in. But please come in and try to dissuade the Second Young Lady. I would be grateful.”

At that moment, a member of the closed cultivation training hall hurriedly ran over.

“The last remaining sparring warrior has collapsed!”

“What about the Second Young Lady?”

“She has no intention of stopping the real sword sparring! She says to bring a new opponent right away!”

“…”

Third Young Lady Yeon Da-eun and Fourth Young Lady Yeon Da-hye exchanged glances.

Could it be that they had come at the wrong time?

***

Fortunately, their concerns ended as just concerns.

“Ooh! Our cuties are here! How long has it been?!”

Second Young Lady Yeon Seo-rin sheathed the precious sword she was holding and greeted them with a bright expression.

However, apart from that expression, as if proving how ominous this place had been until just now, all the staff members who would normally be present had fled, leaving only her in the outdoor training yard.

“…Second Sister. What is all this about?”

At the Third Young Lady’s displeased words, Yeon Seo-rin laughed heartily.

“I had some insights and tried to make progress, but they couldn’t keep up with me. Come, come this way.”

The Fourth Young Lady’s gaze turned to Yeon Seo-rin’s wounds.

“Shouldn’t you receive treatment first?”

No matter what kind of real sword sparring she had engaged in and to what extent, Yeon Seo-rin not only had disheveled hair but was also bleeding thinly from the sword wounds all over her body.

“It’s fine, it’s fine. These will heal quickly with some golden sore medicine.”

Yeon Seo-rin guided them to an outdoor table set up on one side.

“Well. Seeing you two, who are difficult to meet, coming to visit like this, even I, with my dull mind, can guess the reason.”

With her unique intuition, she accurately pinpointed the Third and Fourth Young Ladies’ questions without any clues.

“You must have come because you’re curious about So-hyeon’s intentions.”

At her words, the Third Young Lady swallowed her dry saliva.

Her second sister always felt bizarre to the point of being eerie, possessing a highly developed intuition.

“…Yes. We heard that you met our big brother some time ago.”

“That’s right. I did.”

“Do you have anything you heard or can guess? What is our big brother aiming for by causing this upheaval?”

“Hmm?”

At Third Young Lady Yeon Da-eun’s words, Yeon Seo-rin tilted her head as if she didn’t understand what she was talking about.

“Can’t you tell just by looking?”

Muttering that she thought they would have figured it out to that extent, she answered,

“Of course, So-hyeon is trying to become the Minor Patriarch.”

At her words, even the usually calm-faced Fourth Young Lady’s eyes widened.

“Big brother becoming the Minor Patriarch…”

Her attempt to speak was drowned out by the Third Young Lady Yeon Da-eun’s scream-like words.

“That’s like hitting a rock with an egg!”

They had thought that what Yeon So-hyeon was aiming for was to make his name known among the formidable successors and later establish a branch family.

“After being silent for ten years, he’s trying to become the Minor Patriarch now, with the gap that has formed…”

The Second Young Lady scratched her head.

“Well, that’s right. That can only be the judgment from a common-sense perspective. Generally speaking.”

She smiled as if it was amusing.

“Come to think of it, how many people in this world are confident that So-hyeon can become the Minor Patriarch?”

The Third Young Lady abruptly stood up from her seat.

“No need to even count! That’s beyond general and common sense, it’s in the realm of impossibility!”

The Second Young Lady, who had been counting something while folding her fingers, rubbed her ears at her shouting.

“…Is that so? If you, who are intelligent, think that way, then I guess it is.”

“The situation is already turning unfavorable!”

The Third Young Lady trembled at her reaction.

“No matter how shocking it was for our big brother to visit Mount North Mang as his first outing, now that 2nd Young Master is personally heading to the Imperial Capital, the power of the old horses of Mount North Mang is as good as blocked!”

Fourth Young Lady Yeon Da-hye agreed.

“Because none of the high-ranking officials the old horses need to move will want to get involved in the power struggle between the Sixteen Clans and the Luoyang Sword House.”

“Is that so?”

At those words, Yeon Seo-rin showed a meaningful smile.

“That’s different from what I ‘see’.”

“Pardon?”

At that meaningful smile, the twin sisters widened their eyes and looked at Yeon Seo-rin.

“Why do you think that the second bastard blocked So-hyeon?”

“Obviously, because that’s how things are going…”

“No.”

At those words, the Third Young Lady Yeon Da-eun’s hand, which had been standing up and clenching her fists, unknowingly dropped.

“This is So-hyeon blocking the second bastard.”

“…?”

While the Third Young Lady was pondering those words with her head tilted for a moment, the Fourth Young Lady’s mouth opened.

“…Indeed, that was it.”

Fourth Young Lady Yeon Da-hye unknowingly stood up from her seat.

“Originally, in the confrontation between 2nd Young Master and the Eldest Young Master, ten out of ten would have predicted 2nd Young Master’s victory.”

“Ah…!”

As soon as she heard those words, the Third Young Lady also realized it.

“Then the neutral power holders in Luoyang would have mercilessly sided with 2nd Young Master and torn apart the Eldest Young Master!”

“But as our big brother made Mount North Mang his first move, 2nd Young Master had to be satisfied with preventing the neutral power holders from getting involved in this game.”

That was right.

It was as they said.

Now, 2nd Young Master could only mobilize those who were already under his influence or those who were throwing their bets on the side that seemed advantageous, like the First Support Division of the Business Support Group.

“Yeah, that’s right.”

The Second Young Lady laughed heartily.

“That’s why I said, ‘It’s not the second bastard blocking So-hyeon, but So-hyeon blocking the second bastard.'”

It was the Second Young Lady’s unique intuitive insight that could penetrate the essence without being bound by chronological order or cause and effect.

“So-hyeon made his opponent, who was armed with superior forces, come up to the ring barehanded.”

It was another hidden intention of Yeon So-hyeon.

Yeon Seo-rin, who had been talking up to that point, smiled at the Third and Fourth Young Ladies.

“Usually, you’re different, but seeing you like this, you really seem like twins.”

The twin sisters, who had been standing up with the same posture and raising their fists, blushed and sat back down obediently.

The Third Young Lady pretended to clear her throat and said,

“…But even so, the difference in size between the opponents is fundamentally too big.”

“It’s like the difference between a giant and a child.”

“Even excluding the neutral power holders, there will be more than enough people 2nd Young Master can mobilize.”

“That’s true.”

Yeon Seo-rin readily acknowledged it.

“There will be plenty of people who will be crushed by So-hyeon in the future.”

“Pardon?”

“Huh?”

From the Head of the Business Support Group who had protected and raised them to the Second Sister in front of them.

It felt like their confidence in their big brother’s abilities was excessive.

Did they see something different from themselves in their big brother?

“…”

“Fourth Young Lady.”

It was the training hall master.

“Someone has come from the main family’s intelligence department.”

The Fourth Young Lady was originally the information secretary to the Head of the Luoyang Sword House’s Business Support Group.

Even in the Head’s absence, it was natural for her to receive information from the intelligence department.

After making sure the training hall master and the person from the intelligence department had left, the Fourth Young Lady returned to her seat and opened the note.

“This is…?!”

“What is it?”

The Third Young Lady, who had snatched the note from the side, also couldn’t help but stiffen upon reading the contents.

“…The relocation of the poor in Hodu Village has begun. The Eldest Young Master is independently continuing the project in Hodu Village?”

Hearing the Third Young Lady’s words, Yeon Seo-rin burst into laughter.

“As expected of So-hyeon! To overthrow a larger opponent, you have to frantically shake their center of gravity!”

With this, 2nd Young Master’s side’s response would inevitably be scattered once again.

‘If it’s to this extent, could it be…?’

For a moment, the Third Young Lady, who had thought that her big brother might even achieve victory against 2nd Young Master’s side, shook her head.

“…This is not enough.”

“It’s still just the beginning for both sides.”

The Second Young Lady, who had somehow understood what she meant, smiled with an amused expression.

“…At first.”

“Hmm?”

The Fourth Young Lady spoke.

“At first, you said that, Sister. You asked if we had come because we were curious about our big brother’s intentions.”

But when the twin sisters asked about the purpose of Yeon So-hyeon’s actions, it was the Second Young Lady who was taken aback.

“What were those intentions you mentioned, Sister?”

The Third Young Lady also nodded along.

“Ah, that’s what you mean.”

The Second Young Lady scratched the back of her head.

“I thought you had come because you were curious about So-hyeon’s next move…”

“Sister, you know our big brother’s next move?!”

“What is it?!”

The twin sisters’ gazes poured out at her as she muttered to herself, saying, “Haha, I may be lacking in brains, but I’m quick-witted.”

“I heard a little bit from So-hyeon in advance…”

“Sister!”

Yeon Seo-rin opened her mouth as if she couldn’t resist.

“Probably, after this, So-hyeon will continue to alleviate the opponent’s pressure and seek to expand his influence, just like now.”

****

Headquarters of the Fairy Sect.

The Lowest Hall.

“Eldest Young Master. I have received news from a Crescent Moon Pavilion agent.”

A smile appeared on Yeon So-hyeon’s lips as he unfolded the note passed on by Jung-ah.

“It says that a few high-ranking official families who want to meet me in secret are contacting the Crescent Moon Pavilion.”

At those words, Jung-ah expressed her doubt.

“Weren’t they all restrained by 2nd Young Master?”

She knew that those who weren’t restrained last night were only the families who had already joined hands with 2nd Young Master’s faction.

“Of course.”

Yeon So-hyeon threw the note into the brazier.

“But not everyone will cooperate obediently with that bastard 2nd Young Master.”

Any force was bound to have enemies, and that was the same for 2nd Young Master’s faction.

Those who had grudges against 2nd Young Master or had deep dissatisfaction were secretly trying to lend their strength to Yeon So-hyeon, who had clashed with him.

“Come to think of it, I heard that the news of yesterday’s events has spread throughout Luoyang.”

“Yes. After hearing the rumors, they gathered information and judged that I wouldn’t easily fall to 2nd Young Master.”

The more successfully Yeon So-hyeon continued to confront 2nd Young Master in the future, the more people would want to join hands with him.

“It’s the perfect time to expand our influence.”

At that moment, a member of the House of Compassion approached Yeon So-hyeon and bowed his head cautiously.

“Eldest Young Master. There is a man and a woman outside who wish to see you.”

“Few people know that the Master is here, so who are they?”

At Jung-ah’s question, the member of the House of Compassion showed a slightly perplexed expression.

“They only said that if you mention ‘Spring,’ the Eldest Young Master would know…”

The smile on Yeon So-hyeon’s lips deepened.

When 2nd Young Master and Yeon So-hyeon, who exerted influence over the Luoyang underworld, confronted each other, it was natural for them to come find him.

The ‘Spring of Luoyang,’ who had never directly contacted Yeon So-hyeon before, had come to see him.