* * *
At a garden inside the Black Dragon Sect.
A man with a slightly plump, oval-shaped face and round features was holding pruning shears, trimming the old branches of a tree.
To anyone watching, he looked like an ordinary gardener, but he was none other than Eun Ja-ho, the Vice Sect Leader of the Black Dragon Sect.
He was the man who practically held the most influence within the Black Dragon Sect.
However, he was also the man who had been forced to yield the position of Sect Leader due to the overwhelming difference in Martial Arts prowess between him and Blood Thunder.
He was hard at work.
Step, step.
An Elder of the Black Dragon Sect approached from behind him.
“Huu- thinning out unnecessary branches is no easy task, is it.”
Sensing the presence, Eun Ja-ho spoke first without even turning his head.
“Hahaha.
You should leave such tasks to the servants.
It may look easy, but it is grueling work.”
“The problem is that I am never satisfied when I have someone else do it.
Even if I try to just pass by, the ugly, overgrown branches bother me…”
Snip.
Eun Ja-ho said as he cut off an ugly, protruding branch.
“Haha.
I will have to gather the servants and train them strictly so they can meet the Vice Sect Leader’s standards.
By the way, for what reason did you call for me?”
“…”
The Vice Sect Leader, who, at the Elder’s question, had been silent for a long time, cut off a branch and handed it to him.
“Why are you suddenly giving this to me?”
“Does our Sect not also have a jagged branch?”
Wondering what he meant, the Elder pondered for a long while before speaking.
“That is true.
There are a few jagged ones.
But which of them are you referring to?”
“Dam Ye-rin.”
“Hmm.”
At the unexpected name, the Elder stroked his white beard, contemplating what to say.
Then, the Vice Sect Leader tapped the large, tall tree and continued speaking.
“Our Sect is currently in the midst of growing, just like this tree.
Because of that, we catch the eyes of others, and the jagged parts that have not yet been pruned are unsightly.”
“But, Vice Sect Leader, she is undeniably a Descendant of the Sword Emperor.”
“I know.
It must be burdensome.
But it has already been five hundred years since the era he ruled the world.
What meaning does his bloodline have to us?
Rather than being cut down by others for being unsightly, shouldn’t we prune it ourselves to survive?”
“Are you saying…”
“Yes.
The Cheonjin Sect wants her head.”
“Hmm… That is a difficult problem.
The Sect Leader will never agree to it.”
Eun Ja-ho nodded.
“That is why I do not plan to inform the Sect Leader.”
Eun Ja-ho turned around and began trimming the branches again.
“And since we will not intervene directly, there will be no reason for us to receive public criticism.”
“Hmm.
If we can handle it without intervening…”
“We just need to provide information.
Today, Dam Ye-rin will meet with people from the Azure Dragon Sect.
I ask that you find out what they discuss first.”