Chapter 12

Chapter 12

 

“Kgh!”

Dang Cheondeuk vomited blood and sank to the ground.

TREMBLE, TREMBLE!

Dang Cheondeuk looked around with trembling eyes. Around him, there were already no elders still alive.

The Right Envoy of Light approached him.

“Since you are, at least in name, the Clan Lord of the Tang Clan, I will kill you with my own hand.”

Watching the Right Envoy of Light approach with a smile, Dang Cheondeuk braced one hand against the ground.

Bluestone was laid in front of the Flying Heaven Pavilion, and on those bluestones were drawn black lotuses, the beautiful emblem of the Tang Clan.

And Dang Cheondeuk was lying prone on that bluestone floor.

At the sight of Dang Cheondeuk looking as though he could barely hold on, the Right Envoy of Light laughed.

“Yes, that posture suits you.”

At the Right Envoy of Light’s words, Dang Cheondeuk slowly lifted his head. Then he looked at the Right Envoy of Light and smiled.

“If it is the Demonic Cult’s Right Envoy of Light, you are not lacking as a companion on the final road of the Clan Lord of the great Sichuan Tang Clan.”

As he spoke, Dang Cheondeuk pressed the patterns carved into the bluestone in order.

Because he was lying prone on the ground, the act of pressing them could not be seen.

Then, with his finger placed on the final pattern, Dang Cheondeuk looked at the Right Envoy of Light.

“If it is the fourth-ranked Right Envoy of Light of the Demonic Cult, that is.”

At Dang Cheondeuk’s words, the Right Envoy of Light instantly stepped forward and raised his hand. An expert of the Right Envoy of Light’s level could kill from a distance, but for an instant, rage overtook him, and he tried to beat Dang Cheondeuk to death with his bare palm.

“Who said I am fourth! I am third!”

The instant the Right Envoy of Light raised his hand, Dang Cheondeuk pressed the pattern.

CLACK! GRIND!

And then…….

The Right Envoy of Light’s palm fell onto Dang Cheondeuk’s head.

THWACK!

SPLATTER!

A smile appeared on Dang Cheondeuk’s face as his head burst open. In his fading eyes, he could see a flash of light erupting from the ground.

‘Value your life…… Dang Myeong…….’

BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!

The explosives, hidden weapons, and poisons buried throughout the Flying Heaven Pavilion area began to erupt in an instant.

BOOM! BOOM!

***

RUMBLE!

At the sudden powerful tremor, the Tang Clan people turned their heads without even realizing it.

Dang Myeong, who had been speaking with the Unit Commander of the Secret Shadow Unit, quietly stared for a moment toward the place where the tremor had come from, then looked at the family members.

The family members were looking at Dang Myeong with anxious eyes. Receiving those gazes, Dang Myeong said, “The elders of the main house have just passed away.”

They stopped short!

At Dang Myeong’s words, the family members’ eyes flushed red. Looking at those family members, Dang Myeong opened his mouth.

“In our current situation, we cannot even weep aloud. Everyone…… hold your tears inside.”

“Kgh!”

“Ugh!”

Watching the family members clutch their mouths with their hands as tears streamed down their faces, Dang Myeong fluttered his long robe, stood facing the direction of the Tang Clan, and gave a Cupped-Fist Salute as he said,

“I, Dang Myeong, Clan Lord of the Sichuan Tang Clan, swear here and now. Even if I die ten times, a hundred times, I will surely revive the main house, and I will never live under the same sky as the Demonic Cult.”

Still holding his Cupped-Fist Salute, Dang Myeong bowed.

THUD! THUD! THUD!

After bowing three times with his head striking the ground, Dang Myeong kept his forehead pressed to the earth and opened his mouth.

“The main house…… will surely fulfill this oath.”

At Dang Myeong’s quiet but firm oath, the Tang Clan family members all struck their heads against the ground at once.

THUD! THUD! THUD!

After bowing three times, the Tang Clan family members also made quiet but firm vows.

“I, Dang Jang, will surely revive the main house, and I will never live under the same sky as the Demonic Cult.”

“I, Dang Miryeong…….”

“I, Dang So…….”

“I, Dang Pae…….”

All of the Tang Clan family members began making their vows, quiet but resolute. The elders and Clan Lord of the Tang Clan…… were the grandfathers and fathers of everyone here.

Today…… those grandfathers and elders had all died.

Dang Myeong rose and looked at the family members.

“From this moment on, I lift the restriction on martial arts for all family members. Experts of the five units, please teach them upper-tier martial arts while considering each family member’s aptitude and talent.”

At Dang Myeong’s words, the Unit Commanders of the five units bowed their heads.

“As you command.”

“As you command.”

Looking at those Unit Commanders, Dang Myeong turned to the Unit Commander of the Secret Shadow Unit.

“Let us…… continue our discussion.”

Seeing that Dang Myeong wanted to speak about the hidden affairs of the Tang Clan, the Unit Commander of the Secret Shadow Unit looked at him and asked, “Are you all right?”

At the Unit Commander of the Secret Shadow Unit’s question, Dang Myeong steadied his breath and said,

“I am not all right. But…… I must be all right. I have to look after the family members.”

At Dang Myeong’s words, the Unit Commander of the Secret Shadow Unit nodded and opened his mouth.

“As you know, unlike other clans, the main house has no concept of branch lines. Thus, there are no Sichuan Tang Clan forces in other regions, and only the Sichuan Tang Clan in Chengdu exists.”

The Sichuan Tang Clan did not distinguish between direct lines and branch lines. Of course, there was the concept of succession from Clan Lord to Young Lord, but there was no major difference.

There was no difference between the martial arts learned by the direct line and the branch lines.

Other noble clans, however, had direct lines and branch lines. So their branch lines either ran businesses outside the clan or formed branch sects.

“But we do have businesses.”

Dang Myeong also knew that the Sichuan Tang Clan had businesses.

“This is the list of people who, for generations, have been entrusted with the main house’s businesses and have run them.”

The Unit Commander of the Secret Shadow Unit took a book from his robes and held it out.

Dang Myeong opened the book and examined the businesses.

“The Central Plains Escort Agency was also the main house’s?”

Dang Myeong asked, slightly surprised that even the Central Plains Escort Agency, one of the Five Great Escort Agencies of the Central Plains, belonged to the Sichuan Tang Clan. The Unit Commander of the Secret Shadow Unit nodded.

“It was created to gather information in the Central Plains.”

After checking each business written in the book and its annual income one by one, Dang Myeong handed it back to the Unit Commander of the Secret Shadow Unit.

“How many of the main house’s family members are currently outside?”

“Currently, twenty family members have gone traveling in the Central Plains, and there are ten members of the Secret Shadow Unit there.”

“The Secret Shadow Unit members and family members must not return to the main house.”

“I know. I have already issued orders regarding that.”

At the Unit Commander of the Secret Shadow Unit’s words, Dang Myeong nodded.

“And…… there is one matter I must tell you.”

When Dang Myeong looked at him, the Unit Commander of the Secret Shadow Unit turned his gaze to the side.

Over there, Dang Hong was moving among the family members, performing pulse diagnosis.

“I intend to teach Dang Hong as the next Unit Commander of the Secret Shadow Unit.”

“Uncle Dang Hong?”

“Dang Hong’s loyalty to the Young Lord is deep.”

The Unit Commander of the Secret Shadow Unit looked at Dang Myeong and slightly raised his own arm. At that sight, Dang Myeong nodded.

The Unit Commander of the Secret Shadow Unit had also heard everything when Dang Myeong told his father about his previous life.

He knew that Dang Hong had protected Dang Myeong at the cost of his life.

“Is being the Unit Commander of the Secret Shadow Unit…… not difficult?”

At Dang Myeong’s question, the Unit Commander of the Secret Shadow Unit’s eyes softened.

“Every member of the Secret Shadow Unit has only one thought: to serve the main house.”

At the Unit Commander of the Secret Shadow Unit’s words, Dang Myeong paused for a moment, then asked,

“If Uncle Dang Hong says he will do it…… understood.”

At Dang Myeong’s answer, the Unit Commander of the Secret Shadow Unit nodded and rose.

“You should train now.”

After the Unit Commander of the Secret Shadow Unit withdrew, Dang Myeong went to a corner of the cave, sat upright, and entered the Great Heavenly Circulation of the Three Yang Divine Art.

***

One month later…….

RUMBLE! RUMBLE!

A head slowly emerged from the roaring waterfall.

SPLASH! SPLASH!

The figure checked the surroundings once through the curtain of water, then shot outside.

Then the figure, who had quickly disappeared, leaped back into the waterfall.

Behind the waterfall, unseen from the outside, there was a rock wall.

Beside it was a gap, and entering that gap connected to the Tang Clan’s secret passage.

“How is it?”

At Dang Myeong’s question, the Unit Commander of the Secret Shadow Unit paused for a moment, then said, “There are no Demonic Cult experts visible, and I see Righteous Faction experts at the main house.”

“Righteous Faction experts? Qingcheng? Emei?”

“No. They are the Heungcheong Sect, Taeul Sect, and Nine Swords Sect from Chengdu.”

“Why them?”

“They are too far away, so I do not know the reason.”

Then the Unit Commander of the Secret Shadow Unit looked at the Secret Shadow Unit members.

“Search Chengdu and the outskirts and find out the situation.”

“As you command.”

After the Secret Shadow Unit members hurriedly left the passage, Dang Myeong thought for a moment and said,“Tell the family members to prepare to leave.”

“Understood.”

At Dang Myeong’s words, the Unit Commanders scattered and prepared the family members. A short while later, the Secret Shadow Unit members hurried back.

“The Demonic Cult has left.”

“How?”

“They say six combat units of the Demonic Cult were annihilated at the main house, and the Right Envoy of Light barely retreated with only his life.”

“And Qingcheng and Emei?”

“There is only talk that they had them surrounded and then withdrew.”

At the Secret Shadow Unit member’s words, Dang Myeong nodded and said,“We return…… to the main house.”

At Dang Myeong’s words, emotion and rage appeared together on the family members’ faces.

Dang Myeong went out through the passage. And behind Dang Myeong, the enraged martial artists and family members of the Tang Clan began to follow.

***

At the site of the Sichuan Tang Clan, experts of the Heungcheong Sect, Taeul Sect, and Nine Swords Sect were gathered.

They had cloth wrapped around their faces and bodies in all directions, and they had set up cauldrons and were boiling water.

Flourishing Flower Sword Lee Dojin, Sect Master of the Heungcheong Sect, who had been boiling water, looked to the side. Beside him were small boxes.

The experts were sprinkling something like ash powder onto the boxes and spraying water over them.

“Does this really work?”

At Lee Dojin’s words, Daoist Johwa, Sect Master of the Taeul Sect, nodded.

“This is a secret method I bought for a great sum from a renowned medical family. They say that if you mix ash powder with water boiled with various medicinal herbs and sprinkle it, it neutralizes poison.”

“Still, this is poison the Tang Clan scattered even while seeking mutual destruction…….”

At Lee Dojin’s worried words, Daoist Johwa snorted.

“If you are frightened even now, then simply withdraw.”

At Daoist Johwa’s words, Nine-Move Invincible Jang Suman, Sect Master of the Nine Swords Sect, laughed.

“That is right. If you are frightened, you can withdraw.”

Jang Suman smiled as he looked at the Sichuan Tang Clan. Looking at the Sichuan Tang Clan, burned everywhere and collapsed, Jang Suman smiled.

“And we have no time. Soon, there will likely be countless thieves coming for the Sichuan Tang Clan.”

“That is correct. The great prestigious sects are also aiming for the Sichuan Tang Clan’s spiritual medicines, poisons, and hidden weapons, but they are holding back because of face.”

Daoist Johwa smiled as he looked at the boxes.

“Do you know what kind of spiritual medicine might be inside? What kind of poison? And what value it might have?”

“With the Sichuan Tang Clan annihilated, for us to be this close is so…….”

Jang Suman’s face hardened as he spoke. In the distance, he saw a group of people approaching.

And when he saw those approaching people, Jang Suman’s face turned pale.

“Si…… Si…… Sichuan…… Tang Clan.”

At Jang Suman’s words, Lee Dojin and Daoist Johwa looked where he was looking.

People were coming from afar.

And the one standing at the very front among them was…….

“Silver…… Dragon Heavenly River Dang Myeong…….”

At the sight of Dang Myeong, the Young Lord of the Sichuan Tang Clan, the three men’s faces hardened. Moreover, it was not only Dang Myeong. Behind him, the people of the Sichuan Tang Clan could also be seen.

And among them was Dang Jang, said to be the greatest expert of the Sichuan Tang Clan.

***

STEP. STEP.

Dang Myeong bit his lip as he looked at the Sichuan Tang Clan, burned, collapsed, and reduced to kindling.

“Fa……ther…….”

“Ugh!”

“Ugh, ugh!”

“The house…… our home…….”

“Ugh!”

Hearing the voices of the family members behind him, Dang Myeong turned his gaze toward the Righteous Faction experts.

Then he looked at the boxes placed beside them. The boxes were engraved with the Tang Clan’s emblem.

“Thievery…….”

Looking at the Tang Clan’s boxes, Dang Myeong opened his mouth.

“Lee Dojin, Daoist Johwa, Jang Suman…… cut off their heads. And Secret Serpent Unit, Flat Bat Unit, Heavenly Flight Unit, bring me the heads of every direct-line member of the three sects.”

“As you command!”

With that shout, the Secret Serpent Unit, Flat Bat Unit, and Heavenly Flight Unit launched themselves toward Chengdu. And the remaining combat units, the Martial Spirit Unit and the Myriad Martial Unit, approached them.

At that sight, Lee Dojin and Daoist Johwa hurriedly gave Cupped-Fist Salutes.

“Young Hero Dang Myeong, this is a misunderstanding…….”

“That is right. It is a misunderstanding. We heard something had happened to the Tang Clan, so we came here to help.”

At the two men’s words, Dang Myeong said, “Give your explanations…….”

Dang Myeong looked at the burned Tang Clan Fortress.

“To my father. Kill them.”

At Dang Myeong’s words, the experts of the Martial Spirit Unit and the Myriad Martial Unit launched themselves toward them.

THWIP! THWIP!

In an instant, the hidden weapons of the Martial Spirit Unit shot toward them, and the martial artists of the Myriad Martial Unit charged toward the experts of the three sects behind them.

The three Sect Masters were skewered by the hidden weapons of the Martial Spirit Unit experts and collapsed in an instant.

Even if they were Sect Masters, they were merely leaders of second-rate sects, not even equal to a single combat unit member of the Sichuan Tang Clan.

“Gah…… Run! 

“Flee!”

The experts were startled and began hurriedly running away.

But the Tang Clan experts were not people who would let them go. Right now, the Sichuan Tang Clan needed targets on which to vent its fury, and thieves stealing goods from the burned main house were more than sufficient targets.