Jeoksa Family Council Meeting

  The meeting room was larger than it needed to be, as most

  things were in the world of practitioners. The same was true of the

  table in the center, it could comfortably seat far more than the dozen

  members of the Jeoksa Family Council present at the meeting. At the head

  of the table stood an empty chair, the patriarch’s seat.

  At what would be his right, sat an old woman. The great

  elder, the only person in the Family with the authority to question the

  patriarch, through sheer seniority. It was a miracle that she was still

  alive. No one knew her true age but her already small frame had shrunk

  even more as she developed a permanent hunch some decades ago.

  Although she still retained her full power as a Master

  Practitioner a good deal over level 70, her body had grown so frail with

  age that if she were to use her full power, she would likely crumble

  under her own strength.

  Her eyes glanced at the empty chair next to her. She sighed and called over an administrator.

  “Where is my damned nephew?”

  The administrator bowed as he answered discreetly, “Great Elder, the

  patriarch had a meeting with Lord Jeoksa Changmin in his office a

  couple of hours past, and he asked to not be disturbed.”

  The old woman pointedly looked over at the Lord Changmin,

  sitting in his seat at the table, and then back at the administrator.

  “Clearly, the meeting is over. Fetch him, now.”

  The young administrator scurried out, attracting various looks as he went.

  “Well,” the great elder continued, calling everyone’s attention back to her, “our dear patriarch will join us shortly. Let us begin. First on the agenda—“

  Lord Changmin stood up, his chair scraped the floor to

  produce a shrill screech, startling everyone. “Actually, Great Elder, I

  have a matter of great importance I must bring to the council’s

  attention. I would have preferred my father to be here, but in a way, I

  suppose it’s for the best he be spared the news I must share.”

  A scowl, which would have dissuaded those with lesser

  willpower than the second young lord, appeared on the great elder’s

  face. “This had better be good, or I will not forgive the interruption.”

  A simple nod was all the acknowledgment Lord Changmin offered before he voiced his business.

  “Approximately three weeks ago, my brother, the heir apparent, betrayed the Jeoksa Family!”

  Shock tore through the room.

  Lord Hyuk, the heir apparent in question, shot to his feet.

  “How dare you! I would never!”

  “Lord Changmin, need I remind you of just how serious

  such an accusation is?” asked the great elder in a tone more serious

  than anyone had heard from her in many years.

  “I understand,” Lord Changmin responded, mixing

  seriousness with an unmistakable smugness. “As we all know, Lord Hyuk

  likes to frequent our city’s brothels. There is one in particular which

  he prefers, the Bloom Lotus Pleasure House. He is quite besotted with a

  courtesan in their employ.”

  “Stop this, brother!” Lord Hyuk shouted before being restrained by a couple of guards at the great elder's silent orders.

  Lord Changmin continued, unbothered by his brothers

  outbursts, “Three weeks ago, on the night of the thunder festival, Lord

  Hyuk gave this courtesan a gift.” He reached into the bag at his feet

  and took out the Skill book. With everyone in the room at the edge of

  their seats, anxious to see what Lord Changmin would show them, he threw

  it onto the table. “He gave her, a common prostitute, the Skill book

  for our Jeoksa Family’s secret Foundational Skill, [Jeoksa Style,

  Thousand Thunder Extermination]!”

  Silence.

  The shock of the betrayal was beyond anything they could

  have expected. Most of the council members had believed this was merely going to be Lord Changmin’s latest attack at his brother, and that it would be of

  little significance.

  They were wrong.

  Shouting erupted, most of it pointed toward Lord Hyuk.

  The heir apparent himself was more shocked than any of them. He had given the courtesan a gift, after all, but it wasn’t this. He would never, no matter how drunk.

  “No, that’s not true! I didn’t— That’s not—“ He tore his

  gaze from the book to his younger brother, seething with rage. “He’s

  trying to frame me! You… What have you done?!“

  The great elder rose to her feet, which didn’t add much to her height. “Hyuk, be silent! Changmin, continue.”

  “Thank you, Great Elder,” Lord Changmin said, trying to

  hide just how much he enjoyed the situation. “I would not come to the

  council with this matter if I was not certain of the truth.” He reached

  back into his bag and took out a dozen folders which he passed around to

  each council member. “I have conducted a thorough investigation and

  uncovered irrefutable proof of this heinous crime. For one, there are

  records and witnesses confirming that Lord Hyuk entered the vault the

  night before the thunder festival. I have also secured the recipient of

  the so-called gift, Lord Hyuk’s favored prostitute.” He gestured at the

  guards by the entrance. “Bring her in.” The guards escorted a young

  woman into the meeting room, the courtesan Myung-Hee. “This is the whore Lord Hyuk betrayed our Family for.”

  The sight of his beloved treated as a vile traitor and

  criminal was too much for the heir apparent. “Myung-Hee! Get your hands

  off of her! Changmin, you bastard!” The guards who were restraining Lord

  Hyuk pushed him back into his chair and covered his mouth.

  A smug smile, so quick and small that it would be

  imperceptible unless you were paying extreme attention, like Lord Hyuk

  was, flashed on Lord Changmin’s face. He cleared his throat and faced the

  courtesan. “Myung-Hee,” Lord Changmin said, “tell the esteemed

  members of the council what you told me.”

  The woman held back the tears welling up in her eyes.

  She swallowed, loud enough to be audible to the Peak and Master

  Practitioners in the room. Her unease was of no concern to Lord Changmin

  as he urged her to begin.

  “I—“

  “Lord Changmin, allow me.” The great elder interrupted

  the confession before it began and walked around the table, slowly. The

  sound of her cane tapping against the floor with every step echoed

  around the room. Once she stood right in front of the courtesan, she

  stared into her soul. Despite the great elder’s short stature, Myung-Hee

  couldn’t stop her body from trembling as she looked down on the

  Family’s oldest senior. The great elder activated a Skill. It produced a

  blue flame in her hand. She reached out and grabbed the courtesan’s

  hand and asked, “Did Lord Jeoksa Hyuk gift you the Skill book for our

  Family’s secret Skill, [Jeoksa Style, Thousand Thunder Extermination]?”

  Myung-Hee forced herself to answer. “Yes!”

  The flame glowed green.

  “Did you understand what it was you were given and the severity of the matter?”

  “Yes…” Myung-Hee swallowed and looked away in shame.

  Green, again.

  “Did you have any intention of reporting the matter, given the fact you understood its severity?”

  “Yes!” Red. “…no.” Green.

  “Did you make any attempt at refusing the gift?”

  “Yes, I did!” Green. “I told him it was too much.” Green.

  “And what did he say in response?”

  “He said, ‘Who do you think I am. There is no such thing as too much.’”

  Green.

  Lord Hyuk forced his way back to his feet and threw the

  guards off of him. “That wasn’t the gift! I—“ The guards were back on

  him in no time, but even as they tried to restrain him, the Peak

  Practitioner would not be silenced. “You!” he shouted at his brother.

  “You did this! You framed me, you little bastard!” He turned to the

  great elder, pleading. “Please, I didn’t do this. You have to believe

  me! Use the [Truth Seeking Flame] on me, let me prove it!”

  Lord Changmin chuckled loudly before shaking his head

  disapprovingly. “What good would that do, brother? Someone of your level

  could easily overwhelm the great elder’s Skill. Face it, you’re done.”

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  The door burst open, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.

  The administrator sent by the great elder to fetch the

  patriarch returned with a handful of guards in tow. “The patriarch is

  dead! He’s been murdered in his office!”

  A cold silence smothered the room.

  The heir apparent’s voice broke the silence. “Was this

  your plan, brother! Frame me and murder our father to usurp the

  throne!?” The guards lost control of him, and he dashed toward his

  brother. “Die, you traitorous bastard!”

  He arrived in moments, his fist clenched and readied at

  his side, crackling with powerful electricity. Even Lord Changmin hadn’t

  anticipated the development and was caught off guard by the attack with struck like a viper.

  Just as the attack was about to make contact, a cane fell

  upon the fist and swept the stretched out arm around behind Lord Hyuk’s

  back. The electricity contained within the fist was extinguished, and

  the heir apparent found himself half buried in the floor by his

  brother’s side.

  THUD

  Lord Changmin belatedly put his guard up. It was for

  nothing, his brother never reached him. The great elder stood on Lord

  Hyuk’s back, her cane holding his arm in place on his own shoulder

  blades.

  “Halt this madness.”

  Her voice crackled like thunder. Only the highest leveled in the room

  could handle the sound, the rest covered their ears in pain. She payed no mind to the damage she'd just done to herself by wielding her strength. “Nobody

  move while I sort this out.” She glanced at Lord Changmin before she stepped off of her great nephew’s back and strode up to the

  administrator who brought the news of the patriarch’s death.

  With a flick of a finger, the blue flame reappeared on

  her hand. She reached out and grabbed hold of the administrator and used

  some unknown Skill hide their words, to speak with him privately.

  Nobody dared make a sound as she asked her hidden

  questions. Every now and then the flame turned green. The [Truth Seeking

  Flame] didn’t need your words to be spoken out loud, it read your

  energy and your spirit for the truth, or rather what you considered to be true.

  After a short while, the administrator bowed and left the meeting room, all without saying a word.

  The great elder turned to face the council, her eyes focused onto Lord Changmin. “Lord Jeoksa Changmin, explain yourself.”

  His eyes furrowed in confusion, “What do you mean, Great Elder?”

  “You were the last person to see the patriarch alive.”

  Even more confusion found its way to his face. “How so? I have not seen my father for several days.”

  “DO NOT LIE TO ME, CHILD!”

  All the glass in the room shattered by her thunderous voice. “Witnesses

  saw you wait for the patriarch in his office just hours ago. He told

  his aide he was meeting you and did not wish to be disturbed. Now he is

  dead, murdered, and you serendipitously bring forth evidence to damn his

  heir—“

  Lord Hyuk perked up. “I told you he framed me. I didn’t—“

  “SHUT YOUR MOUTH, YOU TRAITOROUS FOOL!

  Your crimes have not been forgotten.” Her eyes, glowing like the sun,

  returned their focus onto Lord Changmin. Her chest heaved as she drew

  heavy breaths. “What say you, are you loyal or are you usurper?”

  Lord Changmin sighed before clicking his tongue. “Well,

  this is certainly an unexpected turn of events, but since things have

  gotten to this point, I might as well advance my own plans.” He took out

  a small rod, covered in tiny holes, from within his robes. As he held

  it in his hand in front of him, small bright lines spread around the

  cylinder. “I am sure some of you recognize his.” Faces dropped around

  him. “For those of you who do not, this is the Tang Clan’s [Heavenly

  Blaze Exploding Torch]. It is powerful enough to kill even strong Peak

  Practitioners.” With his other hand, he pulled out a token with the Tang

  Clan’s crest on it. “And this, is a Communication Token with which I

  have just summoned a squad of elites from the Tang Clan, led by a Master

  Practitioner.” Gasps and exclamations sounded, but Lord Changmin didn’t

  pause. “By this time tomorrow, each of you will have a choice to make.

  Accept me as your new patriarch, or die with my traitor of a brother.” He glanced at the great elder

  and winked before he threw the [Heavenly Blaze Exploding Torch] toward

  the council.

  Most council members were Peak Practitioners, but they

  barely had time to raise their hands to shield themselves. Not because

  they were weak, but because none of them expected Lord Changmin to

  actually throw the weapon. None except the great elder.

  In a fraction of second, she landed on the meeting room table to intercept the [Heavenly Blaze Exploding Torch].

  In one smooth motion, quick enough that few in the room

  could even see it, she caught the cylinder in a chamber of energy

  between her hands, brought it closer to her body and sat down with her

  legs crossed.

  BOOM

  Brighter than the sun, the explosion blinded everyone.

  When they opened their eyes, the room was mostly unaffected by the blast.

  On the table sat the great elder.

  They had never seen her look so small. Even though she

  had always been quite small of stature, her presence was always larger

  than any other in the room.

  That presence was now gone.

  Her hands were charred and some fingers were missing. The

  front of her torso was badly burned, though not quite as bad as her

  hands and forearms. Her face was locked in a serene expression.

  Cracks formed throughout her body—her life had already

  flickered out, and without her force of will, her frail body couldn’t

  withstand the power of her essence. Most of that essence was spent when

  she blocked the explosion, however, so the cracks only spread so far

  before the last remnants of the great elder’s existence sizzled out.

  POV Jeoksa Jaemin, Core Elder of the Jeoksa Family

  Jaemin stared at the lifeless body of the Family’s great

  elder. Around him, the other Elders on the council screamed and shouted.

  No one knew what to do.

  Some had immediately given up due to the loss of both of

  the Family’s Masters—just a few minutes apart from each other, at

  that—and they wanted to quickly surrender and accept Changmin as their

  new patriarch.

  Others demanded that they chase after the traitor and execute him before the Tang Clan’s death squad arrived.

  Elder Jaemin had prepared for this moment, but he was

  caught off guard by Lord Changmin’s betrayal, and the involvement of the

  Tang Clan. Still, he wouldn’t let that dissuade him.

  The Heavenly Demon would just have to deal with whoever they send.

  Core Elder Jeoksa Jaemin stepped up and slammed his hand

  into the table. “We are the Elders of the Jeoksa Family, cease your

  childish squabbling!” The sudden outburst silenced the room.

  “Surrendering to the Tang Clan is not an option. Not only would it mean

  accepting a traitor as our patriarch, what’s worse, we would become a

  hollow shell of a Family. Puppets and fodder for the Tang Clan.” He

  faced the elder who had been arguing for a them to hunt down the traitor. “Chasing

  after Lord— no, the traitor Changmin, is pointless. A squad of elite

  Tang Clan practitioners, led by a Master, will arrive tomorrow, and if

  we waste time hunting him down instead of preparing, then our Family

  will fall whether he lives or dies.”

  One of the older elders, of the traditionalist faction, threw both hands up in frustration. “And what do you suggest then, Elder

  Jaemin!? We just lost both our Master practitioners. Without them, we

  won’t stand a chance to defend ourselves!”

  Elder Jaemin took a breath. The moment of truth had come.

  He had rehearsed and prepared, and he put on the performance of a

  lifetime. “I suggest we fight fire with fire. As External Elder, I have

  nurtured relationships with several powerful allied Groups. Since the

  traitor Changmin brought in external support in his coup, I suggest we

  do the same in our defense.”

  Another elder, of the progressive faction this time,

  said, “Even if you could rally us some support, there isn’t any Group

  close enough to make it here in time that would willingly become enemies

  with the Tang Clan, and the Great Martial Alliance behind them in the

  process.”

  “There is one.” Elder Jaemin paused for dramatic effect,

  maximizing his influence over the other Elders. Having the elders of the

  Family hang on his every word sent a delightful tingle down his spine.

  “Seven years ago, Patriarch Hyun sent me to the Red Sea to recruit

  support from a new local power that had risen in the region. The

  intention was to secure safe passage for our younger generation as they

  journey through the wastelands to gain life experience, as well as open

  up potential trade routes. When I arrived, however, I found a force far

  greater than we ever expected, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.”

  Murmurs broke out among the elders of the council.

  “Heavenly Demon, why do I know that name?” asked the older elder.

  Another responded, “He’s the criminal wanted by the Great

  Martial Alliance and the western kingdom. So, he’s been hiding in the

  Barren Wastelands?”

  “Correct,” said Elder Jaemin. “And more importantly for

  us, he is strong. I don’t know his exact level, but I experienced his

  power for myself when I was there. He’s either a high Master or perhaps

  even a Grandmaster.”

  The older elder had taken it upon himself to represent

  the elders of his faction and continued voicing his opinions. “If this

  Heavenly Demon is truly a Grandmaster, can we even get his help? The

  price to move a Grandmaster might be beyond what we can afford.”

  “I believe I can.” His pride was unmistakable, Elder

  Jaemin’s confidence grew with every word. “During these years, we’ve

  built a good relationship. With Patriarch Hyun’s support, I helped

  provide him and his cult with resources they would otherwise struggle to

  find in the Barren Wastelands, which they call the Red Sea. I will

  reach out to my contact and request their help. In the mean time, some

  of you need to begin preparations for the fight to come, and others need

  to deal with our fallen Masters. And throw the traitor Hyuk in the dungeons." He glanced disdainfully at the former heir apparent. "We reconvene here in two hours.”

  There were no disputes.

  Core Elder Jaemin had a good reputation with both

  factions and now that both of their respective candidates had betrayed

  the Family, they agreed to follow his plans.

  He could see it in their eyes, the fact that he even had

  an actual plan gave them hope that all their political maneuvering and

  scheming wouldn’t be in vain. As if reading them like books, he knew

  their thoughts. If they could support him and use this emergency to

  curry favor, they may yet squeeze out some benefits.

  While the elders set various protocols in motion, Elder

  Jaemin made his way to an inconspicuous house on the outskirts of the

  city.

  News of the chaos in the palace had not yet reached

  beyond its walls so the city operated as usual. Vendors shouted after

  customers, and customers shouted back as they haggled. People talked.

  People argued. People laughed.

  It was a welcome break from the intensity of the current events.

  The house was simple, cheap. Compared to the villas

  further toward the city center, it was practically a shack. It was a

  well crafted and fully functional home, but a shack nonetheless.

  There was no door, just a curtain covering the entrance.

  It seemed to him to be a strange location to meet, without even the

  privacy of a door, but he wasn’t about to question their choices.

  He moved the curtain aside and stepped into the house.

  Immediately, the air shifted.

  The noise of the outside world vanished in an instant. It

  was hard to put his finger on what it was, but it felt like the air

  within the confides of the room had lost its freedom.

  Air and wind, two sides of the same coin, had always been

  a symbol of freedom. You could make use of it, influence it, but you

  could never grasp it. Entire sects had been built on the concept. And

  yet, someone had grasped the air in this room and held on with an iron

  fist, and his instincts told him exactly who was responsible.

  “Elder Jaemin, you handled the situation well.” A voice

  rang out from the room. “It was an unexpected development for the second

  son to have already established plans with the Tang Clan before our own

  work began, but I believe there are always benefits to reap in times of

  hardship.”

  The air seemed to take pride in carrying the sound of the

  voice. It was not just that it was clear, or loud, but rather… pure.

  Like the world itself ensured the man’s voice reached Elder Jaemin’s

  ears just as intended, without distortion or external influence.

  A shiver flushed through the elder like a tsunami.

  It was the voice of a god, the Demon God.

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