Chapter 414: An Awesome Strike
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The Ridge Council, the committee of the ridge, determined almost everything in May Night's Ridge. Its headquarter was known as the Ridge Council House and had been the solemn, unshakable establishment in the heart of all residents in the ridge for it had been rumored that the House had existed along with the Ridge.
It was a rather ancient building, with stone walls covered in thick mosses, tangling scented vines over the roof and every corner. One would hear the chimes coming from the roof whenever the breeze came by. The corridor was made out of woods, that each step creating gentle squeaks. The handles of the corridor were unadorned and classy.
It was such a fascinating place that it had become an ultimate goal to every resident in the Ridge, that one day they would be able to step into the House and present their own findings.
Ever since the Ridge was founded, the House had been in charge of evaluating all families' development of alchemy studies, and certainly every single project or invention would require approval from the House itself. The committee was a wise one that would generously reward talents in the ridge. Not only these contributing researchers would receive helps on finance and materials, they would also gain access to the House's database, the reference room which contained all records, the unknown dark secrets of every other branch starting from the establishment of the Ridge. Guan Ling the very genius surely had tasted this nectar of knowledge before, the precious formulas of other branches in microchip were originated here as well.
And today, the first meeting of the year would commence. This time with the goal of assessing the report on critical temperature control submitted by Guan family.
The head of the council was an wizened old man in his late seventies. His expression was almost imperceivable with layers of wrinkles. His eyes were looking muddy, his hair was messy. His apparel was torn, discolored and tainted.
Guan Zhengyuan's eyes were bright the moment he spotted the old man, as hurriedly he led his few men there.
"Just a moment please, leader."
The old man held his steps upon call. He chuckled as he turned to Guan Zhengyuan and waited him ahead, "If it wasn't Zhengyuan."
"Are you well all these while?" said Guan Zhengyuan with a bow. The apprentices bowed as well.
"I am in my seventies. I can't do very well, but not really bad either. I must say, Zhengyuan, brilliant job this time. The first report for the meeting this year... happened to be from your family I reckoned? It is certainly unexpected."
"It's nothing really. All thanks to Zhu Feng and Yan. You know how I do in alchemy, I can't really help much," said Guan Zhengyuan honestly, with modesty of a child.
"Oh, Yan? You meant the one who did the report this time? Guan Yan was it? Who is that?" muttered the old man as he glanced at the report in his hand.
"That's Yan," Guan Zhengyuan quickly grabbed the shrinking violet at his back. "Come, have a word with our chairperson."
"Greetings...," mumbled the young man.
"Hello to you too. Alright, alright, leave the gentleman alone, Zhengyuan, you're frightening the rabbit," chuckled the old man again, with a loving look at Yan.
His murky eyes then went upon Ye Chong, "So this must be Ling's student... Zhu Feng... was it?" Well, Ye Chong was still otherworldly by nature, as he exuded simply a different kind of aura than the other Guans. It was not strange that the old man would recognize him right away.
"Zhu Feng, please come and have a word too," said Guan Zhengyuan sincerely.
"Zhu Feng has met the head right here," said Ye Chong formally, the traditional Guan style greetings, with a bow.
"Fair enough. You did well after you got back home. You certainly did not disappoint your teacher. You know I've been by Ling's side since she was very young. She's intelligence, also hardworking. Please keep up the good work and let the name of your teacher last in harmony," lectured the elderly.
Although Ye Chong couldn't really recall anything Lunatic Guan was expecting of him, he could tell the kindness in the words of the old man. "Understood," said Ye Chong. The conciseness did not seem to please Guan Zhengyuan, even though the old man seemed to like it very much.
"Alright, it's time to go. The meeting is starting soon. Get prepared, Yan, well, don't panic, just present whatever you know," exhorted the old man.
This was the first annual meeting this year. Every member of the House had attended promptly, along with representatives from all 14 families who were highly interested in the latest creation of the new celeb, Guan family.
Guan Yan's shaking eyes shifted upon every little pair of gazes below. His breathing hastened, his cheeks were red and he could almost hear his heart thumping. He needed water...
It had been a dream for him to stand there and expound his findings but he never really expected the day to come, this fast...
He tried pinching his face, wondering if it was a dream.
"Guan Yan." And he heard his name announced, it would be time for him to speak up.
His legs were melting as if, his head was buzzing for no reason. He was searching for that one familiar face in the hall, through every corner and stopped at last.
Mr. Zhu Feng was there, standing at the corner silently. He looked calm. No encouragement, no lecture, no slam and clap to wake him from his daydreaming. Somehow, Guan Yan had calmed down.
Shi Wuwei's face was grim as he watched Guan Yan presenting relaxingly. He was not in a good mood to be honest. Shi Mingbei next to him was looking at Ye Chong too. Their expressions were indescribable.
Technically, every representative of other families looked with an indescribable expression as well. They never expected such a heavy plot twist, such a comeback from a banishing family. Their stares enviously were projected at Guan Zhengyuan. And everybody knew who the real culprit of this mutation was, it was no one other than that indifferent young man at the corner.
Looking at Guan Yan, Ye Chong was feeling odd too. At first he presumed Guan Jin would be the talent who would discover a breakthrough the first. But fate was strange and capricious, eventually it turned out to be Guan Yan the silent and ordinary one who made the breakthrough.
The hall was silent, with Guan Yan's innocent voice resounded in the space. The audience was listening to him attentively, while being unaware of the horrible happening out there.
...(at the outside)...
Guan Jin was biting her finger as she proudly looked at the porch of Shi family, where large pile of bodies laid. The survivors of the family were looking frightful.
"What? Nobody wants a challenge?" asked Guan Jin innocently as she lifted her tiny chin, leading a row of young Guan apprentices.
10 points to Guan family.
0 to Shi.
It was a shocking figure. Guan Jin led 30 trained apprentices to hit on Shi family, as an mini examination for the trainees while being also a form of demonstration to the families outside.
Of all timings! Thought Shi family in fear. They were truly unlucky today. Shi Wuwei, the leader of the family had already brought the adepts to the House, while the other adepts had headed out for a mission a while ago.
No one would have expected being raided when the family was at the weakest.
The remaining members did not take the challengers seriously at first, since... well those were just a bunch of primary schoolers... with the leader being a 12-year-old girl.
They thought they could kick these children back to kindergarten while receiving compliments from the leader, but things just changed.
Nothing flashy, nothing fancy, the children were simply fast. And it was such insane speed that destroyed everything the Shi's knew about battles, as they started to realize how unnecessarily flashy their moves were. Combination of potions? That did not matter. The appropriate countermeasure for the little attacks? That never existed. The chance of fighting back? Wait, they could fight back?
The army of children felt like the chivalrous swordsmen whose strikes landed rapidly. The attack had been done before the foe even drew the sword.
"Teehee~ Good bye Shi family!"
Guan Jin led the army away in bright smile of victory.
On that day, two things happened. And every family held their flasks. The two incidents seemed unrelated at first, till they involved Guan family. The House meeting, the Shi massacre.
It was a sign, a sign of Guan's resurrection, resuscitation of hope.
Of course the family raised again as they stepped on the bodies of Shi's. The Shi family had weakened dramatically. It had been rumored that Shi Wuwei fainted after coughing a splash of blood upon returning home.
The raise of Guan family actually created a brief peace period in the ridge.
People were anticipating the next war, between Guan family and Shi family. IT would be a never-before-seen major war between two large families, and the outcome of this war would affect the balance of forces between the old and new generations in the ridge.
It was a brewing storm.