Will You Perform The Ritual Or Die (2)

In the Discussion Hall.

The most esteemed individuals from various places gathered in this hall to discuss both major and minor issues.

On one side, Baek Gyu and Yu Jinsan sat with their fingers crossed and nervous expressions.

For some reason, the hall fell silent. It was as if everyone was waiting for something.

The silence seemed to stretch endlessly, like waves on a lake.

At the moment when tension peaked in silence, someone arrived and announced the news.

“Clan Leader, I am Gwang Ho.”

Baek Gyu called out, as if he had been waiting.

“Come in.”

Gwang Ho entered with measured steps and then knelt on one knee.

Everyone looked at him with anxious expressions, as if their fates depended on it.

Gwang Ho took a moment to catch his breath and take in the scene…

“The Demon Heaven Alliance is conducting the shaving ritual!”

All the people erupted in cheers.

“I knew it!”

“Hahaha!”

“It is as the elder said!”

It was a situation where they were given the choice at the end of the day, and they accepted the proposal without hesitation.

Now that they officially had the support, the path to Ho County’s reign opened up. While everyone celebrated, only Yu Jinsan silently held his teacup.

Baek Gyu, smiling, asked.

“What’s with your face? Aren’t you happy?”

“It was something I expected. The real fight starts now.”

“And what do you think will happen?”

Yu Jinsan took a sip of tea and spoke with a grave expression.

“Now that the warriors of the alliance have all shaved their heads, rumors will start to spread. Our enemies must have heard by now. What would I do if I were them?”

“Shouldn’t we first eliminate those who boldly stand against us? It is embarrassing but simple to say.”

“Correct. Even the quick-witted leader of the alliance knows this. Nevertheless, he made this decision because he trusted you.”

“But…”

Baek Gyu couldn’t bring himself to end it. He lacked the confidence to apologize for deceiving them with the hair-shaving ruse.

Yu Jinsan understood his dilemma.

“I’ve never claimed to be a skilled warrior, have I? And isn’t it the same for you? They simply misunderstood. Technically, we didn’t scam them.”

“But should we not tell the truth? The so-called absolute warrior of our clan is actually a three-year-old child. What do you think the alliance will say if I reveal this?”

The clan elders, who were listening, couldn’t contain their laughter.

They were all curious about the expression the Alliance Leader would make upon discovering the truth.

“Let us remain silent for now. There’s no need to shatter their spirits. The most pressing matter is their defense.”

“But we can’t conjure up a non-existent skilled warrior to send to them, can we?”

The elder to Baek Gyu’s left stifled his laughter.

“How about we recruit capable children and offer support to the alliance?”

“That’s a possibility. But is a handful of reinforcements enough to stop them?”

“If we’re to send them off, we must dispatch 30% of our men along with the Clan Leader.”

“But if our numbers dwindle too noticeably, they’ll deduce that our clan sent reinforcements. Then the sword will be pointed our way.”

The situation was more complex than they had anticipated, and the room fell silent, with all eyes turning to Yu Jinsan.

As the silence settled, every gaze naturally found Yu Jinsan.

He sighed, speaking softly, as if he had anticipated this outcome.

“For the time being, we should make the clan and the alliance wear the same uniform. It will confuse the enemy. They won’t mind since they’ve already shaved their heads.”

“This is a viable strategy. From now on, neither will act as separate entities.”

As expected, they were evil people who held no dignity.

Yu Jinsan nodded as if he were pleased with their unsuspecting appearance.

“Then the enemy won’t be able to tell whether the warriors belong to the clan or the alliance. In that situation, both places can send their troops.”

“Both send troops… What do you mean?”

Yu Jinsan took the wallet from his pocket and laid out all the coins on the table.

He then split the dozen in half and swapped positions one by one.

“On the outside, we all look the same, but among them, everything from third to first-rate warriors will be mixed in. I’ve now moved the second and third-rate units to the right side. Although the numbers on the left are greater, in reality, the seemingly empty side on the right holds more power.”

Baek Gyu clapped his hands, looking shocked.

“I understand. We’ll secretly send the lower-ranking warriors of the alliance here for disguise, and then I’ll lead the elite of the alliance to handle it.”

“Please do so. I will wait there, defeat anyone who comes, and immediately counterattack to gain the upper hand. From now on, we’ll complete the work in a way that minimizes damage.”

“I am well aware. If the tide of the war turns against us, the opponents will not refuse my challenge.”

When the discussion was finished, Yu Jinsan stood up.

“I hope everything goes as planned. I have to go see my granddaughter now, so I’ll take my leave. Let’s talk more slowly next time.”

At that moment, Baek Gyu and the other officials all stood up simultaneously and presented their bows.

Yu Jinsan couldn’t believe he was being given such an honor here. This was something that wouldn’t happen in the Justice Sect.

“I think it’s true that the experiences of life cannot be ignored. Who in the world could see through your trick?”

“There was a guy who got scolded for saying something like that before. When we say trick, don’t we sound like the evil ones? Call it the wisdom of an adult.”

Everyone laughed at Yu Jinsan’s light joke.

“Hahaha! As expected of Hyung.”

“Go on now, Elder!”

He put one hand on his shoulder and then walked out. Light steps took him to the center of the manor.

When he finally arrived, there was a large pavilion with a well-manicured garden, a place where members of the clan would gather.

A growling sound kept coming, and when he opened the door to the pavilion, he saw his granddaughter eating milk fruit among the women.

“Grapa!”

He bent down and hugged his granddaughter, who was running toward him. A happy smile appeared on the child, who felt a bit heavy.

“Hehe. Were you having a good time?”

“Ate it. Heheh.”

Seeing her stomach, which was bulging ahead, she must have eaten a lot. He couldn’t help but smile at the sight of her face covered in crumbs.

While he was wiping her mouth, a woman came up to him.

“So jealous, Grandpa! The child is so cute and intelligent!”

“She understands everything, you know. I wish my daughter would be able to follow my words.”

“How did you get such a cute granddaughter?”

“Who does she resemble? With thick eyebrows and clear features, she’s destined to be the most beautiful.”

Yu Jinsan was surrounded by about a dozen middle-aged women.

The constant barrage of questions was driving him insane, and he began to feel dizzy, so he nodded.

“Thank you all. Did this child cause any trouble?”

The women shook their heads right away.

“Would that ever happen?”

“What kind of trouble could such a pretty child cause?”

“Are you trying to take her away already?”

Yu Jinsan held the child and patted her for a moment and thought.

It seemed that leaving the child in the care of women skilled at raising children from time to time would help the child’s emotional understanding.

He also needed some time alone.

“She is a poor child whose only blood is her grandfather. It feels nice to see her smiling like this for the first time. If it isn’t too rude, may you continue to hang out with her a little longer until the sun goes down?”

Fortunately, they all nodded with sincere looks.

“Please leave it to me. I can take care of any number of people.”

“Hoho. This child is cute, so we get to have fun too.”

The women, who managed the affairs of their households and the clan, had some fun being with the child after being instructed by the leader’s wife.

After finishing his story, Yu Jinsan picked up the child and looked at her.

“Grandpa will come to pick you up later, so just hang out here a little longer. You can stay well, right?”

“Don’t go, Grapa~ huh.”

He felt weak seeing her cry and flail her arms, but it was a time when he had to make a decision.

“I’m just going to get some snacks.”

The child, dubious upon hearing the word ‘snacks’, blinked her big eyes and asked.

“Seol’s snack?”

“Of course~ So just play here for a little while.”

“Umm… come back fast.”

Even though she had eaten her fill, she still wanted more snacks. He couldn’t help but laugh.

Yu Jinsan hugged the child, handed her back to the women, and then walked out. He headed for the residence on the outskirts of the manor.

‘Now, even a moment’s hesitation feels like a luxury to me.’

Upon arrival, he quickly entered the room and sat down cross-legged. His goal was to build up internal qi through cultivation.

After he became a member of the clan, his strength accumulated several times faster. This was because the environment was beneficial, and he could focus and devote himself solely to internal qi training without having to worry about his granddaughter.

He even sacrificed his sleeping time to continue his internal qi practice. Dangers everywhere were growing stronger with each passing day. However, his body was aging, and his left arm couldn’t swing the spear properly, which made him anxious.

He had to become stronger to protect his granddaughter. He had no moment to relax.

‘The only way to go is Body Reformation.’

Body Reformation—a phenomenon in which bones and flesh were transformed into the optimal form for martial arts.

Once that happened, his body would rejuvenate slightly, and so would his left arm injury. After that, he could refine his spear technique, and he would have nothing to fear.

‘We are almost there now.’

He was unsure about other things, but he had trained his internal qi to the point where he could rival any expert warrior. Now was the time to test it.

The profound qi, originating from his dantian, was slowly circulating through the blood vessels of his entire body.

The waves of internal qi, as calm as the sea, were holding their breath and accumulating power, waiting for the right moment.

The thirty-six acupuncture points used in martial arts—in Yu Jinsan, all those blood vessels, except for those in his head, were open.

If he could open just those last two, he would pierce the gate of Life and Death, and the transformation would be complete.

At some point, his internal qi began to converge at a single point.

‘You can do it, Jinsan!’

After a while, his innate qi began to surge toward that spot like flowing lava.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

It was the sound of the qi rushing and striking against the blocked areas.

With each hit, the wave of qi, which had taken the shape of an awl, gradually lost strength, but he couldn’t give up now.

It was time for the sixth attempt.

Suddenly, a shiver spread through his entire body.