Reincarnation of the Cloud Dragon - Chapter 88

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This chapter is translated by Falnar Novels Team.
Support us by reading on our official site: https://falnarnovels.com
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Chapter 88.
Yun Gwak, who had brought Yalü Hee to a halt, began to move.
One step from beneath the eaves of the Ceremonial Hall. His pace was unhurried, yet without hesitation.
He walked slowly toward the Castle Gate.
The warriors guarding the Castle Gate rose to their feet. As he passed, they bowed their heads once more. His very presence was the grain that moved the hierarchy of this estate.
He passed through the Castle Gate.
A single figure descended into the plaza beneath the sunlight.
Tall of frame, broad of shoulder.
Over a black martial robe, a deep crimson sash. The massive sword strapped across his back was a full measure longer than Yalü Hyeon’s.
Four leather cords wound in a lattice pattern across the sword’s surface—of the orthodox style, yet bearing a refinement that surpassed Yalü Hyeon’s.
Yalü Hyeon’s breath caught first.
“…Elder brother.”
As he drew closer, the face from Yalü Hee’s memory overlaid with the present one.
A jawline more defined than before, eyes grown deeper, a presence etched into his very being. Yet the way that man had called to her remained unchanged.
Yalü Cheok.
The great hope of the Guang Feng Yalü Family.
The eldest son of the house.
And the man I had looked up to longest within these walls.
Yalü Cheok’s gaze touched Yalü Hyeon first, then settled upon Yalü Hee.
That look was neither cold nor warm. It was both, yet impossible to define as either.
“So you truly came.”
His voice was low.
Yalü Hee’s lips moved with the faintest tremor.
“You remain unchanged, brother.”
A faint expression crossed Yalü Cheok’s lips—a shallow tremor that might have been a smile, or perhaps not.
He could have stepped closer at that very moment.
But that was when it happened.
“Young Master!”
A steward hurried from the direction of the Ceremonial Hall. His face bore the weight of years, yet his stride was swift and measured.
He approached Yalü Cheok’s side and bowed deeply.
“The Family Head requests your presence in the Inner Hall. The elders of the Pae Roe Ul Ji Family and the senior members of the Cham Wol Dok Go Family have already arrived.”
Yalü Cheok’s gaze wavered for a moment.
His position as the eldest son of the house and his gaze toward the sister standing before him crossed, ever so briefly.
Yet he did not stop.
“Hee.”
This time his voice was even lower.
“We shall speak shortly.”
With those words, Yalü Cheok turned away.
The steward followed half a step behind him, and the Castle Gate warriors and servants of the Outer City opened a path in unison.
Even as he disappeared toward the Castle Gate, the gazes of the other guests standing in the plaza scarcely scattered.
“This way, guests.”
The guide standing before the Reception Hall bowed respectfully.
The broad Outer City plaza before the Castle Gate teemed with visitors. Carriages from every direction lined the grounds in neat rows, while servants scurried about unloading luggage. Some surrendered their weapons, others produced invitation cards, and still others received registration tokens—each guest following their designated path.
Yet amid the bustling crowd, order remained impeccable. The lines were precisely demarcated, and people advanced in their assigned sequence without deviation.
Inside the Reception Hall, several thin ledgers lay open across the tables.
The ledgers varied according to the color of each invitation card.
The guide spoke with measured courtesy.
“I shall verify your invitation cards. Please present them in turn, as I must record the number of your party, any weapons, and your affiliated house. I apologize for the inconvenience.”
Yeon Ha Ran withdrew her invitation card first.
“Here it is!”
Her hand trembled faintly as she extended the paper, her barely concealed excitement evident in her expression.
Yeon So Ran pressed her sister’s elbow once, but it was already too late.
The guide accepted the card and unfolded it.
Soft, ochre-toned paper.
A deep indigo border ran along its edges. The guide’s eyes flickered with the subtlest shift in regard.
“Two young ladies of the Yeon Family, I see. This is an Elder’s invitation.”
Yeon Ha Ran’s eyes sparkled.
“An Elder’s invitation means—”
“You will be shown to guest quarters prepared in the Inner Hall, within the Inner City. A servant will guide you shortly.”
The guide continued without hesitation.
Yeon Ha Ran’s face brightened.
“My goodness, the Inner Hall?”
At those words, the attention of those nearby shifted toward her.
Guests escorted to quarters within the Inner Hall of the Guang Feng Yalü Family were exceedingly rare.
Yeon So Ran maintained an outward composure, though her gaze dimmed for a moment—a tremor closer to relief than anything else.
She had known the Yeon Family possessed connections to the elders of the Guang Feng Yalü Family, but to have their standing confirmed through the hierarchy here felt entirely different.
Next, Yeop Cheong A presented her invitation card.
It was thin, pale gray paper, understated in every way.
No ornamental flourishes adorned it—only a small mark pressed into the lower corner. Its material differed noticeably from the Yeon Family’s card.
The guide’s fingertips paused briefly.
“Miss Yeop of the Cheongrim Yeop Family, I presume.”
The air shifted subtly at those words.
“As you understand, the number of guests permitted within the main residence is limited. Therefore, we shall arrange accommodations for you at the Outer City inn. We trust you will understand.”
Yeon Ha Ran’s mouth fell half-open.
“Sister? Yeop Sister isn’t coming with us?”
Yeop Cheong A nodded. Her face betrayed neither surprise nor disappointment—the expression of one who had already anticipated this outcome.
“Once the martial tournament begins, access to the Inner City will proceed according to registered protocols—”
“…I understand. If you could direct me to the external lodging location….”
Yeop Cheong A’s voice remained composed.
That very composure seemed to deepen the weight in the hall. Yeon So Ran’s smile hardened a beat too late. Yeon Ha Ran’s face still struggled to fully comprehend the situation, her gaze alternating between her sister and Yeop Cheong A.
That was when it happened.
Yalü Hyeon stepped forward.
“Wait.”
The guide turned immediately.
“Young Master?”
Yalü Hyeon’s expression was far from pleasant. Displeasure at the judgment just rendered against Yeop Cheong A weighed upon his features.
“…Must I also present an invitation?”
The guide flustered and bowed his head.
“That cannot be, Young Master. You are a member of the main house….”
“Then.”
Yalü Hyeon’s gaze turned toward Yeop Cheong A.
Yalü Hyeon paused briefly, then continued.
“I should have the right to invite a guest as well.”
“Of course… but…”
Yalü Hyeon turned toward Yeop Cheong A.
“I have invited no one to this martial tournament. My allocated quota should be sufficient. Miss Yeop Cheong A will be registered as my guest.”
Yeop Cheong A’s head rose slowly.
Their eyes met briefly. Her gaze wavered once. An unexpected turn of events.
Yeon Ha Ran, who had been watching, could not hide her expression, her mouth falling open.
“…Young Master. I am not worthy of such consideration….”
“Did we not promise at the inn to meet at the main house’s martial tournament? Then this is as good as a direct invitation from me.”
Yalü Hyeon’s voice remained calm. Yet beneath that composure lay an unwavering resolve.
Yeop Cheong A’s gaze dropped briefly to the floor. She raised her fists in a respectful salute.
“…Thank you, Young Master.”
The guide hesitated for a moment. His gaze fell upon the steward standing beside him. The steward nodded lightly.
A silent approval. The guide quickly reopened his ledger.
“Understood. Miss Yeop will be registered as the Young Master’s guest.”
“Wow… Sister Yeop! This is wonderful! We can stay in the Inner City together!”
Yeon So Ran said nothing.
Yet what had been vague until moments before became crystalline with those words.
In this household, hierarchy superseded kinship, and authority took precedence over propriety. And Yalü Hyeon wielded that authority with such natural ease.
This was what it meant to be of the direct line of the Guangfeng Yalü Family.
As the guide’s brush moved, the mark indicating Yeop Cheong A’s lodging in the Outer City Inn was erased, replaced by a new notation for the Outer Hall of the Inner City.
A single brush stroke made the household’s hierarchy all the more apparent. All were astonished by the fact that even Yalü Hyeon, a direct descendant, had limited quota for invitations.
‘Indeed… this is the authority of the Twelve Orthodox Families… the Guangfeng Yalü Family.’
The classification of people was not accomplished through words, but through definitive records.
Next came Kang Hui’s turn.
He placed his invitation on the table with a soft thud. It bore an ink seal on a pale green background.
The moment the guide received the invitation, his expression shifted subtly. His hand turning the pages of the ledger slowed by a beat.
“…This is an invitation from Young Master Yalü Cheok.”
At those words, a low murmur rippled through one corner of the Reception Hall. One of the waiting guests leaned toward his companion and whispered in hushed tones.
“Yalü Cheok himself?”
“The Black Dragon Gang, you said? From Qinghai….”
“That’s the place where the Feng Yun Ranking’s hierarchy shifted recently.”
Yun Cheon remained silent. His face betrayed no reaction. The guide checked the ledger, confirming Kang Hui and Yun Cheon’s names, then looked up.
“I shall escort you to the Outer Hall guest quarters of the Inner City, just as I would the Young Master’s guests.”
Kang Hui let out a soft chuckle.
“So the Outer Hall means we’re not quite outside the house, then.”
The guide merely smiled politely.
There was no verbal answer, but that silence spoke far more clearly.
The guide’s gaze finally turned toward Yalü Hee.
“And the young lady….”
In that moment, the ambient noise around the Reception Hall diminished ever so slightly. Everyone was curious about how Yalü Hee would be accommodated.
The guide seemed to choose his words carefully, his lips moving with deliberation.
“Will you first wish to pay your respects to the Family Head?”
His tone remained courteous throughout.
Yet his meaning was unmistakable.
Without the Family Head’s permission, Yalü Hee could not be deemed an insider of this household.
Yalü Hyeon was accepted without question as an inner member, but Yalü Hee was not.
Yalü Hyeon’s face hardened first.
“What?”
The guide immediately bowed deeper.
“It is beyond my authority to decide such matters. According to protocol—”
“You bastards…!”
Yalü Hyeon’s voice cut through sharply.
“How dare you treat my sister like an outsider?”
Other guests standing nearby discreetly turned their heads away.
Just as low whispers threatened to rise again, Yalü Hee stepped forward first.
“That’s enough, Hyeon.”
Yalü Hyeon turned back in disbelief.
“Sister!”
“This isn’t the guide’s decision—it’s the Family Head’s will. Can’t you see that?”
Yalü Hee’s voice was composed.
There was neither resentment nor barely restrained anger in her tone. Yalü Hyeon, as the legitimate heir of the family, had never truly felt the weight of family hierarchy, but for her, this was familiar terrain.
“I came here as a member of the Black Dragon Gang, after all.”
She turned to the guide and added,
“I can’t share quarters with the men, so arrange for me to stay with Yeop Cheong A.”
The guide quickly bowed his head.
“…As you wish.”
Veins bulged across the back of Yalü Hyeon’s hand.
“But sister, to come to the main house and still—”
“I said that’s enough.”
Yalü Hee cut him off sharply.
“Don’t you see the people waiting behind us? Making a scene here will only invite gossip.”
“…!”
At her words, Yalü Hyeon finally closed his mouth.
“…Could it be that Father truly….”
“I was planning to participate in the martial tournament as a member of the Black Dragon Gang anyway. Don’t worry about it.”
Yet in his eyes remained a vivid shock—the realization that his family’s power was far colder and more intricate than he had ever imagined.
One person had been quietly observing this entire exchange.
It was Yeon So Ran.
Just before Yalü Hyeon decided to have Yeop Cheong A treated as his guest, his gaze had briefly turned toward Yun Cheon.
Though ostensibly not in a position to seek permission, he had clearly confirmed Yun Cheon’s will.
The pieces on the board in Yeon So Ran’s mind rearranged themselves once more. Yalü Hyeon had consistently treated that man as if he were his superior.
Yalü Hyeon was the legitimate heir of the Guang Feng Yalü Family, yet the true center of this group was that man.
‘That man… he may not simply be the master of a small gang in Qinghai….’
Her gaze lingered briefly on Yun Cheon’s back as he stood ahead.
Composed shoulders even before the Guang Feng Yalü Family. A man who had not spoken a single word throughout the entire commotion. Yet he carried more weight than anyone else standing in that place.
The Black Dragon Gang appeared to have been relegated to the Outer Hall’s guest quarters, but perhaps he was someone destined to climb even higher.
Yeon So Ran gently grasped Yeon Ha Ran’s sleeve.
“…Ha Ran. Let’s ask Young Master Yalü for a favor.”
“A favor? What kind?”
“To have us assigned lodging with his group.”
Yeon Ha Ran blinked, not understanding. Yeon So Ran quickly moved toward Yalü Hyeon.
“Young Master!”
“What is it, Yeon So?”
Yalü Hyeon turned his head.
“We’ve grown fond of your company on this journey, and it would be a shame to part from the group now. Would it be possible for us to also come as your guests? Then we could stay in the same quarters.”
Yeon So Ran wore a sociable smile on the surface. But her calculations were already complete within.
The guide asked again, as if to confirm.
“…Are you certain you won’t stay in the Inner Hall?”
“Yes, we’ll defer to the elders there.”
The Inner Hall appeared prestigious, but the connections the Yeon sisters could forge there would be nonexistent.
The Outer Hall seemed a step lower. Yet it housed promising young talents of the future. Now, where one stayed in this house mattered less than whose company one kept.
Yeon So Ran’s resolve appeared unshakeable. Finally, Yalü Hyeon spoke to the guide.
“If that is their wish… then treat these young ladies of the Yeon Family as my guests as well.”
The guide hesitated briefly, but with the two young ladies’ intentions so clear, he could say no more.
“Very well, I shall arrange it.”
In that moment, Yeon Ha Ran carefully nudged Yeon So Ran’s side.
“Sister… but didn’t you say we were in the Inner Hall? Why are you giving up the better place—”
Yeon So Ran whispered softly without sparing a glance.
“Stay quiet.”
Yeon Ha Ran muttered under her breath, ensuring only those nearby could hear.
“Still, the Inner Hall looked better….”
Yeon So Ran turned her gaze toward her younger sister.
“Ha Ran.”
“What is it, sister?”
“Here, it matters less where you stay than whose side you’re on.”
Yeon Ha Ran’s expression showed she only half understood the meaning, but she sensed her sister’s voice was quieter and firmer than usual, so she asked nothing further.
Just then, another steward emerged from within the Reception Hall. He bowed respectfully before Yalü Hyeon.
“Young Master. The Family Head requests your presence. Please proceed to the Inner Hall at once.”
Yalü Hyeon’s expression remained displeased, but he said nothing more.
Instead, he turned toward Yun Cheon and spoke with a formality that surpassed his usual manner.
“Gang Leader.”
Yeon So Ran’s eyebrows twitched ever so slightly.
“I must first pay my respects to the Family Head. I entrust my sister and companions to your care.”
Yun Cheon gave a brief nod.
“Go.”
Yalü Hyeon glanced once at his sister. Yalü Hee nodded slightly.
‘It’s fine. Go.’
Yeon So Ran’s eyes gleamed as she witnessed this exchange.
‘Just as I thought!’
Only then did Yalü Hyeon follow the steward deeper into the Reception Hall.
Only then did Yeon Ha Ran truly understand the hierarchy of this group.
‘Though he remains quiet, everyone follows Yun Cheon’s will….’
Yalü Hyeon gauges the situation, Kang Hui follows as if it were natural, and even Yalü Hee stands with him.
“Then, allow me to guide our guests to the guest quarters. This way….”
A guide led the remaining party toward the Outer Hall. Yun Cheon, Kang Hui, Yalü Hee, Yeop Cheong A, Yeon So Ran, and Yeon Ha Ran—all except Yalü Hyeon would stay in the Outer Hall of the Inner City.
“Wow…!”
As they passed through the Reception Hall and stepped deeper inward, the structure of the Guangfeng Yalü Family’s estate gradually revealed itself.
The Outer City was vast and bustling.
A space where carriages, luggage, servants, and guests mingled with weapons and banners. Yet the moment they entered one layer deeper into the Inner City, the very air transformed.

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This chapter is translated by Falnar Novels Team.
Support us by reading on our official site: https://falnarnovels.com
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