Return of the King, Dominating the City-Chapter 1610 - 1504: One More Time

The sleeping figure suddenly opened its eyes abruptly. Despite being physically weak, it stubbornly broke free from Song Yun’s hand. Casting a nauseated glance, it said to the two women in the distance, "Please bring me a basin of water, I need to wash my hands."

The assassination attempt failed, leaving Song Yun and the figure heavily injured. Both of them hid in the house, not daring to go out. Song Yun’s injuries had improved significantly. With the daily help of Senior Sister Zhaoyun in applying ointments and giving massages, he was now able to walk normally. However, he was still unable to muster the strength to engage in combat. The figure, on the other hand, was more severely injured and was still bedridden.

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This was an antique study room. The redwood furniture showed some age, and the crimson paint on the bookshelves had faded considerably. In some places, the paint had even peeled off. The bookcase was densely packed with books, featuring precious rare editions with traditional Chinese characters on ochre covers, brand new white books, and even a thick "Oxford Dictionary." On the desk sat a bamboo pen holder filled with assorted-length and thicknesses of wolf hair brushes. A stack of white paper, an inkstone; the old man was sitting in a chair, engrossed in painting.

He was painting a woman, who Song Yun later found out was his master’s wife, whom he’d never met and who had passed away early on. The Mistress in the painting was very beautiful, graceful and elegant, with an extraordinary charm. The old man was highly focused, painting with extreme precision, stroke by stroke. He was also fast, hardly giving himself time for thought or recollection. The brush constantly moved over the scroll, only pausing to dip in ink. Of course, there was no reason not to be fast. From the first time Song Yun saw him painting this woman until now, he had been doing it for more than ten years. Every day at noon, he would paint an identical one at the same time, with the same person, the same clothes, the same expression, and even the same demeanor.

Song Yun knew that he would need some time to finish his painting, so he didn’t disturb him. However, his eyes kept darting around the bookshelf behind the old man. Damn it, only after leaving did he realize how many treasures were hidden in their sect. Just selling a few randomly picked items could fetch an astonishing price. Even Chef Zhang’s kitchen knife was an antique. Song Yun’s eyes had already locked onto several yellowing ancient books, prized editions from a few famous Ming Dynasty figures, which would certainly cause a stir if taken out and sold.

"Stealing books can’t really be considered stealing," Song Yun was contemplating in his mind when to make a move and "borrow" them away, when he heard the sound of the old man putting down his brush. Turning his head, that painting he had seen thousands of times was already completed.

"Speak," the old man said, sitting in the red mahogany chair, taking a sip from the slightly warm tea on the table.

"Old man, I messed things up. Don’t you have anything to say?" Song Yun asked, sitting opposite the old man, looking at him.

"If you messed it up, you messed it up. Talking more wouldn’t change anything." The old man had a very indifferent demeanor.

"Aren’t you going to yell at me?" Song Yun asked knowingly.

"In all these years, have I ever scolded you over such things?" The old man raised his head, his deep eyes gazing at Song Yun meaningfully.

Song Yun felt a wave of emotion. Indeed, as the old man said, since childhood, he had always been a troublemaker. No matter how big a mess he made, the old man would always take the blame for him. Sometimes, when left with no choice, he would give him a beating, but he had never scolded him.

"How do we handle things next? I injured the Second Elder, and the Third Elder lost an arm because of me. The Elder Council and those supporting the Second Elder won’t let this slide," Song Yun said with a bitter smile.

"Then let them come and settle it," the old man said with a cold sneer.

"We’re not going to do anything?" Song Yun asked, puzzled. This old man is too steadfast.

"We’ll act."

"What will we do? Old man, can you discuss it with me and say a few more words at once?"

"Alright." The old man nodded in agreement.

"Damn, that’s still just one word, isn’t it? What are we going to do?"

"You will prepare to take over as the Sect Leader. I have kept Azure Dragon’s letter, which represents his wishes."

"At this time? We just had a conflict; how could the Elder Council agree? Surely they will cling to that incident and wish for nothing more than to skin me alive. Isn’t it too soon, I’m not ready for it mentally. Old man, why do I feel like you’re always trying to push the leadership position away? The Hong Sect hasn’t even attacked, and you’re already thinking of getting away?" The position of Sect Leader right now is undoubtedly a hot potato. Didn’t you see the powerful Azure Dragon use it as an excuse for a trip? Let alone for Song Yun, who truly wasn’t interested in taking up the position right now.

"Not too soon. Our informants have reported back. The Hong Sect is consolidating with several smaller sects. Their main area of influence is in the south, so a large-scale advance north is unrealizable for now. However, they will use these newly combined smaller sects to conduct initial probes, and they’ve already made arrangements with the Second Elder to conspire internally and externally to swallow the Green Dragon Sect." The old man put down his cup and spoke gravely.

"What should we do now?" Song Yun asked the old man. "Damn, wouldn’t it be better for me to borrow some external support? My Shura Alliance is no pushover, and is the title of East South King just for show?"

"Don’t be rash. The Hong Sect has been semi-retired, yet their force is notoriously domineering. We should stabilize internally first and then defend externally. Confronting the Hong Sect is inevitable. Avoiding it is futile, so we must destroy their probing pieces in the first encounter. If they dare advance north, then we’ll face them there." The old man looked out the window, his expression somewhat distant.

"You mean to do another hit on the Second Elder?" Song Yun exclaimed. The old man’s crazy. Someone who had just been ambushed would surely have withdrawn into their shell, protecting themselves thoroughly, leaving no opportunity for attack.

"Not assassination. It’s a forceful elimination."

"Forceful elimination?" Song Yun felt a rush of excitement, confirming once more. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

The old man nodded lightly, a tacit understanding instantly realized between master and apprentice.

"How are we going to explain it to the Elder Council?" Song Yun asked with a bitter smile. Those seniors in the Elder Council, with nothing better to do, love to meddle and wield shocking power. When united, they can even dismiss the current Great Elder, they’re incredibly formidable.

"Why explain it to them?" The old man countered.

"But they are on the Second Elder’s side."

"There will be no Elder Council in the Green Dragon Sect from now on," the old man sternly declared, looking at Song Yun, his tone emphasizing each word.

This truly shocked Song Yun. It seemed that the old man was planning something grand and was hoping to resolve it once and for all.

Just as Song Yun expected, peace lasted no more than two days. The Elder Council sent a summons to the current Great Elder of the Green Dragon Sect and the "perpetrators" Song Yun and the figure.

They demanded an inquiry into Song Yun and the figure in the Law Enforcement Hall, while reviewing the old man’s position as Great Elder. If the review passed, the Elder Council intended to remove the old man from his Great Elder post and officially elect a new Great Elder. Of course, the decision-makers would solely be the elders of the Elder Council, as they "represented" everyone else in the sect.