Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 

Dang Myeong was in a daze.

He had definitely died before making it back to the Sichuan Tang Clan.

He remembered the moment of death, the pain of dying… and the grief and anguish of watching the people of the Tang Clan, his brothers and family, die.

And yet… he had woken up.

“Young Lord, why are you sitting there looking so blank?”

Dang Hong lightly touched his shoulder, and Dang Myeong turned to look at him.

“Uncle.”

At Dang Myeong’s call, Dang Hong looked at him quietly, then said,

“You called for me, so say something.”

“Ah…”

Staring blankly at Dang Hong, Dang Myeong looked at his arms. He quietly stared at Dang Hong, both of whose arms were still there, before finally speaking.

“I must have had a nightmare.”

“A nightmare?”

“A very frightening one.”

“What kind of dream was it?”

At Dang Hong’s question, Dang Myeong paused for a moment, then shook his head.

“It was such a horrible dream that I do not even want to think about it, so I cannot tell you.”

Then Dang Myeong let out a sigh and said,

“But… loyalty and chivalry both betrayed me. I was abandoned by them.”

“My, my… then it really was a dreadful dream.”

Dang Myeong sighed and nodded, then suddenly looked around.

He could not clearly remember where he was. As he glanced around, he saw young Tang Clan disciples studying medicinal herbs in a herb field.

“Were we in the middle of herb studies class?”

At Dang Myeong’s words, Dang Hong looked at him with both confusion and concern.

“Are you feeling unwell? You were just talking about herbs a moment ago, and now you are asking that?”

“Was I?”

“Yes. Were we not talking about Taeu Herb?”

“Taeu Herb?”

At the mention of Taeu Herb, a memory rose in Dang Myeong’s mind.

“Taeu Herb is a truly fine herb. It is good to eat, good when crushed and applied to the skin, and it has almost no toxicity, so it has almost no side effects.”

“Your love for Taeu Herb is truly remarkable, Uncle.”

“It cannot be helped. Just think about it. When you eat Taeu Herb, it cleanses the blood, and when you crush it and rub it on sore muscles, it cools them and relieves the pain. For a martial artist, it is a treasure beyond comparison. Which is why I…”

“Taeu Mubodan.”

“Hm? Young Lord, have you been spying on me?”

“What?”

“How did you know I made Taeu Mubodan?”

“Huh?”

At Dang Hong’s words, Dang Myeong looked at him with startled eyes.

“Did you not tell me?”

“Tell you what? I came up with this a few days ago. It is the greatest medicinal pill of my life. I have not told anyone about it yet.”

“A few days ago? Do you mean four days ago?”

At Dang Myeong’s words, Dang Hong narrowed his eyes and looked around.

“Have you really been spying on me? Did you perhaps receive command authority over the Secret Shadow Unit?”

The Secret Shadow Unit was the intelligence organization that answered directly to the Tang Clan Lord. If it was the Secret Shadow Unit, then of course they would know his every move.

“Did you really make Taeu Mubodan four days ago?”

“I did. What is wrong with you, really?”

Dang Hong looked at Dang Myeong with concern.

“I am starting to get a little worried here.”

At Dang Hong’s joking words, Dang Myeong held out his wrist and fell into serious thought.

At the sight, Dang Hong quietly took his wrist and checked his pulse. Most Tang Clan masters were also skilled physicians.

Because the Tang Clan dealt in poison, they studied medicine as well. That was why, instead of trying to explain that he was fine, Dang Myeong had simply held out his wrist.

He was telling him to examine him and see for himself.

“You do not seem sick anywhere, but is something troubling you? You seem very shaken.”

“Is today July fifth?”

“It is.”

At the words July fifth, Dang Myeong slipped a hand into his robe and pulled it back out. In his hand was a silver needle case.

He opened the silver case, took out a needle, and stuck it into his own finger.

“Oh, goodness! That acupoint hurts so badly people only use it for torture. Young Lord, what are you doing?”

At Dang Hong’s words, Dang Myeong bit his lip. Just as Dang Hong had said, the moment the needle pierced that point, a shocking wave of pain surged through his whole body.

This is not… a dream. I… came back to three days earlier.

Staring blankly at the needle buried in his finger, Dang Myeong’s eyes fell on the disciples studying herb lore.

They were still children under ten years old. No, not merely disciples. They were members of the Tang Clan household, bearing the Tang surname.

The reason does not matter. How I came back here, three days earlier… none of that matters. I have been given… a chance. A chance to protect the household.

Dang Myeong bit his lip and pulled out the needle.

“And a chance for revenge.”

“Revenge?”

Dang Myeong glanced at the puzzled Dang Hong. He could trust Dang Hong.

If he could not trust Dang Hong, who had died fighting the enemy for his sake, then who could he trust?

But he could not tell him about his situation. He would think he had gone mad.

And if people thought he had lost his mind, then he would not be able to protect the clan or save the lives of the household.

So Dang Myeong began recalling, one by one, the things that had happened three days earlier, then abruptly looked up at the sky.

When I was talking with Uncle, Father called for me. A messenger pigeon had arrived from Qingcheng and Emei.

Just as that thought crossed his mind, a martial artist hurried over.

“Young Lord.”

At the man’s call, Dang Myeong looked at him.

“Has the Clan Lord summoned me?”

“…Yes.”

The martial artist seemed startled that he already knew, but he still saluted with clasped fists and bowed his head. Dang Myeong let out a breath, started walking, and looked at Dang Hong.

“Uncle.”

“What is it?”

“When I speak with the Clan Lord… please lend weight to my words.”

“To your words? What is this about?”

“Please do not ask why… just stake your life on supporting what I say.”

At the words stake your life on it, Dang Hong looked at him and said,

“As the Young Lord?”

“As the Young Lord.”

At Dang Myeong’s answer, Dang Hong saluted with clasped fists and lowered his head.

“Dang Hong, commander of the Flying Heaven Unit, receives the Young Lord’s order.”

At Dang Hong’s respectful words, Dang Myeong steadied his breathing and hurried toward Dangcheon Pavilion, where the Clan Lord was.

Inside Dangcheon Pavilion, where the Tang Clan’s major affairs were decided, the senior figures of the clan had gathered.

And…

Dang Myeong let out a deep breath. Two people had entered his sight.

One was a strongly built middle-aged man, and the other was a beautiful middle-aged woman.

They were Dang Jang, commander of the Secret Serpent Unit, and Dang Miryeong, commander of the Flat Bat Unit, the two who had marched out to help those damned Qingcheng and Emei.

And the two who had never returned.

Please, the two of you, do not go this time. I will stop you.

“Young Lord.”

Dang Hong spoke softly to the motionless Dang Myeong, and Dang Myeong took a breath before stepping inside.

“Young Lord, you are here.”

Dang Miryeong greeted him politely in her lovely voice, and Dang Myeong smiled and saluted with clasped fists.

“My respects, Aunt.”

“Do you happen to know why the Clan Lord called us all here?”

“I do not.”

“Hm… what could this be? To gather all of us like this.”

As Dang Miryeong spoke, Dang Myeong gave an awkward smile. Then Dang Jang, commander of the Secret Serpent Unit, slowly looked him over.

Dang Jang, commander of the Secret Serpent Unit, was the strongest expert in the Sichuan Tang Clan. Aside from a few masters of the previous generation, there was no one in the clan who could truly match him…

That was the kind of master he was.

The Sichuan Tang Clan had gone that far for Qingcheng and Emei. They were willing to send even their strongest expert, along with an armed force.

“Young Lord, has something happened lately?”

“Why do you ask?”

Dang Jang looked Dang Myeong up and down before speaking.

“You have grown stronger.”

“What?”

“You have. Not only your martial strength… your bearing has changed as well.”

“My bearing?”

At Dang Jang’s words, Dang Myeong looked down at himself. He did not feel anything in particular.

Seeing that, Dang Jang looked at Dang Hong. At that look asking if he knew anything, Dang Hong stared at Dang Myeong as if puzzled, then let out a small sound and tilted his head.

“Now that you mention it… your bearing really has changed a little.”

At Dang Hong’s words, Dang Jang clicked his tongue softly.

“You are always attached to his side, and yet you noticed later than I did?”

“My apologies… but since I am always with him, would it not be harder for me to notice the change?”

Dang Hong answered with a smile, and Dang Jang clicked his tongue again before looking at Dang Myeong.

“I do not know what happened, or whether you obtained some fortuitous encounter… but your bearing has improved. You feel like a martial artist who has fought life-and-death battles countless times.”

“Life-and-death battles…”

“Whether it is some ancient miracle medicine or some chance encounter… nothing is more precious than a fight where life and death hang on the smallest mistake.”

At the words life-and-death battles, Dang Myeong understood what it meant that his bearing had changed.

He was the Dang Myeong who had watched his clansmen die again and again and fought his way through a road of blood.

So… of course his bearing had changed.

“Bearing has nothing to do with internal energy or martial arts themselves… but to a martial artist, bearing is important. If you temper it now, it will help your martial skill as well.”

“Thank you for the instruction.”

At Dang Myeong’s reply, Dang Jang folded his arms and stared coldly at the raised platform in the Flying Heaven Pavilion.

“There is not even enough time to train…”

Those words suited Dang Jang perfectly, a man so obsessed with training that the title of strongest expert in the Sichuan Tang Clan fit him well. Dang Myeong also turned to look at the platform.

Even though I died… did I bring my experience back with me?

His bearing had changed because he had returned with the experience of those life-and-death battles.

Dang Myeong clenched his fist and quietly raised his inner power.

He needed to know what, if anything, had changed in his body.

FWOOSH! FWOOSH!

As he drew up his inner power, Dang Myeong began circulating his qi through a full cycle. At the sight, the gathered Tang Clan masters turned to look at him.

[Everyone, look away. It seems the Young Lord has entered a moment of insight.]

At Dang Jang’s voice transmission, people quietly turned their heads and fell silent.

And Dang Hong sharply guarded the surroundings. A moment of insight was critically important to a martial artist. It was a turning point that could divide life from death.

Unaware of what those around him were doing, Dang Myeong focused all his attention on examining the state of his body.

As he circulated his inner power, Dang Myeong felt something strange.

I can feel a boundary.

Dang Myeong’s martial realm was at the level of a peak master.

And yet… he could feel a wall.

Which meant that if he broke through that wall, he could step beyond the peak realm and enter the realm of Sword Aura Manifestation.

Did those three days… really do that much?

Three days of desperate struggle against death… that was what had made Dang Myeong grow.

As Dang Myeong sank into his own thoughts, a broad-shouldered middle-aged man entered the hall.

[It seems the Young Lord has gained some insight.]

At Dang Jang’s voice transmission, the middle-aged man glanced at Dang Myeong. After briefly sensing Dang Myeong’s energy, the man smiled.

Then, without making a sound, he slowly stepped up onto the platform.

The middle-aged man standing on the platform was Cheonsu Poison King Dang Cheondeuk, lord of the Sichuan Tang Clan. He watched Dang Myeong for a moment.

After waiting briefly, Dang Myeong opened his eyes. Realizing everyone was watching him, he hurriedly saluted with clasped fists and lowered his head.

“My apologies.”

At Dang Myeong’s words, Dang Hong smiled and saluted with clasped fists.

“Congratulations on your achievement.”

“Congratulations on your achievement.”

Along with Dang Hong’s greeting, the other Tang Clan masters also saluted with clasped fists and offered their congratulations.

Dang Myeong returned the salute and bowed his head as well. Watching him, Dang Cheondeuk finally spoke.

“That is enough.”

At Dang Cheondeuk’s words, the murmur in the hall ceased, and he continued.

“It is good that the Young Lord has gained some insight, but an even greater matter now confronts our clan.”

When Dang Cheondeuk said greater matter, everyone looked at him.

“The Demonic Cult has appeared at Qingcheng and Emei.”

“What? How could that be?”

“Did they cross the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains?”

At the crowd’s shocked murmurs, Dang Cheondeuk nodded.

“A messenger pigeon has just arrived from Qingcheng and Emei. The message is simple: the main force of the Demonic Cult has surrounded them. They request aid.”

After reciting the brief message from the messenger pigeon, Dang Cheondeuk swept his gaze over the room.

“That is why I have called you here. I wish to hear your opinions.”

At Dang Cheondeuk’s words, Dang Jang saluted with clasped fists and lowered his head.

“We must march at once and rescue them.”

“That is right.”

As the others also argued that they should deploy immediately, Dang Myeong nodded.

He too had argued for immediate deployment back then.

“Qingcheng and Emei are blood allies who stand or fall with us. If they collapse, we will be next. Saving them is the same as saving ourselves.”

What a foolish, pathetic thing that was to say.

With that muttered thought, Dang Myeong stepped forward and saluted with clasped fists.

“I oppose the deployment.”

At Dang Myeong’s words, everyone in the Tang Clan looked at him with startled, bewildered eyes.

No one had expected Dang Myeong, of all people, to oppose sending troops.