Mok Gyeong-un's unexpected words caused the guard Go Chan's expression to harden. He hadn't anticipated Gyeong-un would directly mention this, even though the clan leader had survived and there was no need to bring it up.
"Is he so desperate to provoke Lady Seok?" Go Chan wondered, realizing that Gyeong-un was treading dangerous ground. This information was tantamount to Lady Seok's secret, and revealing knowledge of it could easily justify her killing him on the spot.
Go Chan tensely observed Lady Seok, noticing her expression had become even more venomous than usual. However, she didn't immediately burst into anger. She had come here suspecting Gyeong-un might have seen or learned something, but his brazen attitude caught her off guard. Admitting knowledge of her secret was practically begging to be killed.
"What's his angle?" Lady Seok pondered. Was he being bold because he thought he held leverage over her? If so, it was a grave miscalculation. Gyeong-un was already marked for elimination once Mok Yeong-ho became clan leader.
With snake-like swiftness, Lady Seok's hand shot out and gripped Gyeong-un's throat. Go Chan recognized the move as that of a first-class expert, befitting her background from the Jin Hua Seok family. He realized that only someone of Master Gam's caliber could hope to match her—Gyeong-un was clearly outmatched.
Surprisingly, Gyeong-un's eyes gleamed with interest rather than fear. He was impressed by her unexpected strength and unique technique. "This woman is stronger than I thought," he mused, recalling that the intelligence reports had mentioned her martial arts background. Her strength far surpassed Go Chan's, despite her delicate appearance.
Lady Seok's eyes narrowed as she observed Gyeong-un's reaction. She had intended to intimidate him with the threat of instant death, but he showed no sign of panic or even discomfort. This composure was at odds with her memory of him as the most cowardly of her husband's sons.
"You..." Lady Seok began, her voice laced with suspicion. Go Chan tensed, wondering if Gyeong-un's ruse had been discovered. A master of Lady Seok's level might be able to discern whether someone had martial arts training just from gripping their throat.
"...have you been hiding your true nature?" Lady Seok finished, much to Go Chan's bewilderment. He wasn't sure whether to be relieved or more worried by this unexpected turn.
"So this is your true self..." Lady Seok continued, her grip tightening.
Gyeong-un spoke with difficulty, "Isn't there... something more... important to discuss?"
"What?"
"If the clan leader... were to pass away... it would be difficult... for the eldest son... to become the new leader..."
"You insolent brat!" Lady Seok snarled, her grip intensifying. "Do you think I can't kill you right here? Who do you think you're trying to negotiate with?"
"This... is a bit painful," Gyeong-un managed to say, his expression barely changing despite the crushing pressure on his throat.
Lady Seok frowned, puzzled by his lack of visible distress. Gyeong-un continued, "Isn't negotiation... only possible... when there's some... wariness... between parties?"
"Wariness? You think I would feel that towards someone like you?" Lady Seok scoffed. Gyeong-un was known as the weakest of the four sons in martial arts, and with his mother dead and maternal family in ruins, what could he possibly use to intimidate her?
Suddenly, Gyeong-un uttered a single word: "Monk."
In that instant, Lady Seok felt an eerie chill run down her spine. Before she could react, an invisible force struck her, sending her stumbling back four paces. Her eyes widened in shock.
"What was that?" she wondered, unsettled by the unseen attack. She had instinctively raised her qi to defend herself, but the sensation was deeply unpleasant and even frightening.
Gyeong-un sat up, casually stretching his neck. "Having one's throat grabbed isn't exactly pleasant," he remarked with unsettling nonchalance.
Lady Seok glared at him. "You... what did you just do?"
"What do you mean?" Gyeong-un replied innocently.
"Just now, there was clearly..."
Lady Seok struggled to explain the bizarre sensation she had experienced. It wasn't Gyeong-un himself who had touched her, yet that strange feeling was undeniable.
"Are you interested in negotiating now?" Gyeong-un asked, perching on the edge of the bed.
"Negotiating? Don't be ridiculous. You may have some hidden trick up your sleeve, but do you think such luck will save you again?"
"Not convinced yet? Then how about we try something with one of your maids? The one on the left should do."
"What are you—" Lady Seok's question was cut short by a sudden scream.
Everyone in the room turned towards the sound, their eyes widening in disbelief. One of Lady Seok's maids was inexplicably levitating a meter off the ground.
"Mmph! Mmph!" The maid tried to cry out, but her mouth seemed to be sealed by an invisible force.
The onlookers were stunned into silence. How was this ordinary maid suddenly floating in mid-air?
Lady Seok's mind raced. She had heard of advanced internal energy masters who could manipulate objects with their qi, but it was impossible for this young man to possess such skill. Besides, she would have sensed the use of such powerful qi.
Go Chan was equally baffled. Had the impostor Gyeong-un been hiding such an extraordinary ability?
Gyeong-un casually raised his hand and made a slicing motion across his throat. Instantly, the floating maid's face contorted, blood vessels bulging as her eyes rolled back. She looked on the verge of death.
"S-Stop!" Lady Seok shouted, horrified.
"Stop what?" Gyeong-un asked innocently.
"Whatever sorcery this is, stop it at once!"
"Well..."
"You!"
"I'm just proving that I'm qualified to negotiate with you. Surely one life is a small price to pay for that?"
Gyeong-un smiled, while Lady Seok's expression grew increasingly grim. The maid, who had served her since her days at the Seok family home, was moments from death.
"Enough! I'll hear you out! Just stop this immediately!" Lady Seok finally conceded.
With a slight nod from Gyeong-un, the maid collapsed to the floor, unconscious but alive. The other maids rushed to check on her, sighing in relief when they found she was still breathing.
Lady Seok's mind was filled with questions about Gyeong-un's mysterious power. It seemed completely unrelated to qi, more akin to sorcery or some supernatural force. When had he acquired such an ability?
Realizing the danger of confronting him without understanding his capabilities, Lady Seok reluctantly asked, "What do you want to negotiate?"
"With the clan leader's death imminent, you need the clan's seal, don't you?" Gyeong-un replied.
Lady Seok didn't respond, but her silence was telling. The seal was indeed crucial for securing the succession.
"If you knew about this, why reveal it now? Wouldn't it have been better to keep it hidden?" she asked, puzzled.
"Why, you ask?"
"Yes. Surely you, as a member of the Mok family, would want to become the clan leader yourself."
This was the crux of Lady Seok's confusion. Why would he disclose information that could have given him an advantage?
"I'm not particularly interested in becoming the clan leader," Gyeong-un stated plainly.
"What?" Lady Seok was momentarily speechless. How could he not desire leadership of one of the most influential martial arts families in northern Anhui?
"You expect me to believe that?"
"Is it so hard to believe?"
"If it were you, would you believe it?"
"Probably not. You might think I'm lying."
"Without a convincing reason..."
"Well, firstly, as I said, I'm not interested. Secondly, I'd rather not waste time getting involved in a succession dispute."
Lady Seok frowned. Was this boy really dismissing the leadership of the Great Yeon Mok Sword Clan as a waste of time? After all her efforts to secure the position for her son, Mok Yeong-ho, his attitude was both baffling and infuriating.
"If you truly want nothing, then tell me the location of the clan seal and the secret manuals. Then I'll believe you've truly given up," she challenged.
Gyeong-un scoffed. "I can't do that."
"Then I can't fully trust your words—"
"Don't trust me then. I'll just make the same offer to the second son's faction."
"What?"
Lady Seok's composure cracked.
"You heard me correctly. Let me explain since you seem to have trouble understanding. I may not want it, but are you and the eldest son, Mok Yeong-ho, the only ones who desire the clan seal?"
Lady Seok's expression froze completely.
Gyeong-un smiled knowingly. "It seems you've realized who's holding the knife handle now."