Chapter 7: Sichuan Tang Clan (2)
"……No, what on earth happened?"
"That's what I'm saying. They say Young Master returned after cutting off the Red Mist Sword's arm. It's just impossible to believe."
"……But how did Young Master defeat a First Rate Martial Artist?"
"You fools, that's not the issue right now."
"Right, the Murim Alliance Leader said he would come here once he wraps things up over there."
"……Th-the Murim Alliance Leader?"
"A-at this rate, our Sword Emperor will end up…."
The whispers of the servants and servant girls echoed everywhere like eerie incantations.
Afraid they might get caught up in something bad, none of them even dared to approach the Young Master’s room.
"Ugh! Just a moment, please!"
But just then, a young servant squeezed through them and appeared.
The servant, Jang Il, caught his breath from running and conveyed a message inside Sewoon’s room.
"Y-young Master. The Clan Head has summoned you to Heavenly Protection Hall."
Since Sewoon’s return, the core figures of the clan had all gathered in one place to continue the meeting.
Given the ordeal he had faced, they had allowed Sewoon a brief time to rest, but now even that time was running out.
However, no matter how long Jang Il waited, no answer came from inside the room.
"……Young Master?"
Could it be that he had fallen asleep during that time?
After pondering for a while, Jang Il took the risk of being rude and slowly opened the door to Sewoon’s room.
Normally, he would never dare to do such a thing, but he acted on the Clan Head's urgent command to bring Sewoon quickly.
Weaving through the maze-like room, Jang Il finally reached the corner.
And what appeared before Jang Il's eyes was—
‘……!’
Far from sleeping, Sewoon was standing there in an incredibly calm manner.
Sewoon hadn’t even noticed Jang Il’s presence and was lost in thought.
For some reason, seeing that distant look on Sewoon’s face, Jang Il couldn’t bring himself to speak.
The look in Sewoon's eyes reminded him of a war veteran returning from a long battle.
"……Hm?"
Then, Sewoon noticed Jang Il’s presence.
Their eyes met, and Jang Il flinched, quickly delivering the Clan Head’s message.
"I-I’m sorry, Young Master. The Clan Head has summoned you to Heavenly Protection Hall."
Sewoon's gaze changed for a moment at Jang Il’s words.
"Yes, it's about time they called."
Eyes as dark as ink, unfathomably deep, stared at Jang Il.
The previous atmosphere vanished without a trace, and a frost-like dignity radiated from Sewoon’s entire being.
Faced with his master’s changed demeanor, Jang Il could only feel flustered.
‘……What on earth happened in just half a day?’
Wasn’t this the same Sewoon who pouted and grumbled this morning about not wanting to meet Lee Hoseong?
He certainly didn’t look like the Sewoon who, due to his timid and fragile nature, often worried even the household staff.
"You're Jang Il, right?"
"Y-yes?"
"Your name."
"Ah! Y-yes. That’s correct, Young Master."
The confusion that had filled Jang Il’s mind was abruptly ended by Sewoon’s question.
Why was it? Sewoon looked at him with a faint smile that seemed slightly sorrowful.
"Yes, it’s really good to see you again."
"……Pardon?"
Jang Il blinked, completely bewildered.
Why was the Young Master acting like this?
Hadn't he been the one to wake him from bed just this morning?
"I’ll go alone. You can rest now, Jang Il."
"Y-yes? Ah, no, I couldn’t possibly let you go alone…."
"It’s fine."
Sewoon, while changing his clothes, cut him off and placed a hand on the boy’s head.
"Don’t worry. Nothing will happen."
Jang Il couldn’t say anything.
The hand patting his head felt incredibly warm.
Leaving Jang Il behind in the room, Sewoon walked out alone.
Swoosh.
The long hem of the green robe, which only direct blood relatives of the Tang Clan could wear, fluttered.
To Jang Il’s eyes, Sewoon’s steps looked both resolute and heavy.
In that moment, Jang Il sensed it instinctively.
Because of his master, another storm would surely arise within the Tang Clan.
Passing the outer residence where his room was, Sewoon walked down a long corridor leading to the inner residence.
‘Nothing has changed at all.’
Before Sewoon’s eyes appeared a hall, unusually well-maintained compared to the places marked by the traces of time.
This was the grand conference hall where all major and minor matters of the Sichuan Tang Clan were decided.
Heavenly Protection Hall.
"To even say that right now…!"
"……Then how can we stop this from happening…!"
From beyond the door, it sounded as if a bloody battle was taking place.
Agitated shouts from those awaiting him erupted beyond the door.
The martial artists and servants standing guard glanced nervously at Sewoon.
Seeing them, Sewoon steeled his resolve.
‘This is the beginning.’
He vowed to change everything with his own hands from here on.
Clack!
Sewoon grabbed the door handle of Heavenly Protection Hall and flung it open wide.
Then he heard—
"We must send the Young Master to the Murim Alliance’s Court of Justice immediately!"
A voice delivering the shocking statement that he should be handed over to the Murim Alliance.
As if arrows from allies were simultaneously aimed at their general on the battlefield.
Everyone inside turned their gaze to Sewoon.
Disappointment, anger, worry, resentment.
Their eyes held a myriad of different emotions.
But most of them were anything but favorable.
Ssssh.
A chilling silence settled in, not even the sound of breathing could be heard.
A long table shaped like the character ‘冂’ was placed, with members of the Sichuan Tang Clan seated around it.
And Sewoon, who had just entered, stood in the center as if on trial.
Rustle.
Suddenly, he dropped to one knee and bowed respectfully.
"Young Master Tang Sewoon. I have come by the order of the Clan Head."
"-!!"
He should have been overwhelmed or swept away by the intense atmosphere, but Sewoon showed not the slightest sign of being intimidated.
His composed and dignified demeanor reminded one of a finely honed sword.
Everyone present widened their eyes in astonishment at the unexpected sight.
Especially the man seated at the head of the table, the current Clan Head of the Sichuan Tang Clan and Sewoon's father, known in Jianghu as the Hundred Poison Hand, Tang Muyeol—his eyes gleamed with intrigue.
"……Rise."
"Yes."
At Tang Muyeol’s words, Sewoon rose immediately, as if he had been waiting for the cue.
He accepted the stares directed at him with confidence, showing not a trace of guilt.
Some of the attendees let out a disbelieving sigh.
In that icy atmosphere, Sewoon finally spoke.
"Looks like you were in the middle of a heated discussion. Please, continue where you left off."
"Ahem, hmm."
"……Since the Young Master has said so, then allow me to continue."
Because of the gravity of the matter, everyone had hesitated to speak.
A burly man, whose face resembled a toad, finally opened his mouth.
At that moment, Sewoon’s eyes flashed coldly.
‘Poison Toad, Tang Hoyeol.’
He was the Chief Escort of the Ten Thousand Seas Escort Agency, one of the five branches that currently composed the Sichuan Tang Clan.
In its prime, the Tang Clan boasted over twenty branches.
But now, there were only five left.
The inner and outer affairs were handled by Inner and Outer Affairs Hall.
The blacksmiths of the Tang Clan were in Ten Thousand Iron Hall.
Heaven’s Medicine Hall managed the physicians.
Fire Rain Hall was composed of all the clan's combat units.
And the Ten Thousand Seas Escort Agency, of which Tang Muyeol was also the Escort Chief.
Due to various circumstances, the Ten Thousand Seas Escort Agency had come to hold the clan’s financial lifeline and was now the most influential branch.
Tang Hoyeol, notorious in Jianghu for never letting go of his prey once targeted, glared at Sewoon with narrowed eyes.
"Young Master, I beg your pardon, but I must ask that you go to the Murim Alliance’s Court of Justice for the sake of our clan."
Once again, Tang Hoyeol repeated the suggestion that the clan’s successor be handed over to the Alliance.
Surprisingly, Sewoon remained silent without even a trace of anger.
"Chief Escort! How dare you speak so rudely to the clan's rightful successor!"
"Uncle Hoyeol! What on earth are you saying since earlier—!"
Tang Jun, the Hall Leader of Heaven’s Medicine Hall, also known as Iron-hearted Physician, and Sewoon’s sister, Poison Phoenix Tang Serin, were not having it.
They scolded Tang Hoyeol, their necks straining with fury.
In particular, Tang Serin was trembling with such rage that her body quivered.
"Chief Escort! You know better than anyone that not a single person dragged to the Court of Justice has returned unharmed! And you want to send our Sewoon there?!"
"That’s right! Such a thing must never happen!"
As Tang Serin and Tang Jun raised their voices, Tang Hoyeol paused, then let out a heavy sigh and continued.
"Hoo… I, too, am in deep anguish. How can it be easy for me, as one of the same blood, to suggest sending the clan’s successor into the lion’s den?"
"Then how could you—!"
"—But I say this because it is the only way for our clan to survive!"
"What utter nonsense—!"
"Lee Hoseong, the youngest disciple of the Murim Alliance Leader and the Grand Disciple of the Qingcheng Sect, had his arm severed and his dantian destroyed, rendering him crippled!"
At Tang Hoyeol’s words, the eyes of everyone present in the hall shook as if struck by an earthquake.
The issue they had all tried to ignore was now at the center of attention.
"If we do not send the main culprit to the Court of Justice, how else can we possibly resolve this catastrophe?"
"Th-that’s—!"
"Chief Son, is there any faction within the Murim Alliance that will turn against Qingcheng and support us?"
"……."
"Or, does our clan have any masters capable of stopping the Sword Emperor who is said to be coming soon?"
Son Geon, the chief of Inner and Outer Affairs Hall, could say nothing.
In truth, everyone here already knew.
No one in the Murim Alliance would rise to help the Tang Clan.
Though Qingcheng was said to be second only to Shaolin, Wudang, and Mount Hua, the Tang Clan was plummeting into oblivion.
Watching the situation unfold, the faces of the Tang Clan members grew pale.
Some even began to show visible resentment in their eyes.
"Young Master should have considered the aftermath for the clan before challenging them."
"Chief Escort!!"
"And I dare ask one more thing."
With more people siding with him, Tang Hoyeol grew bold and ignored Tang Jun’s angry shout as he posed the question.
"Young Master, did you perhaps use one of the clan’s Forbidden Artifacts to defeat Lee Hoseong?"
"Gasp!"
"……!"
It was a question everyone wanted to ask but hadn’t dared to.
After all, for someone like Sewoon, who was only at the level of a Third Rate Martial Artist, defeating a First Rate Martial Artist like Lee Hoseong seemed possible only through that means.
Everyone waited nervously for Sewoon’s answer.
Using a Forbidden Artifact in Jianghu was a serious matter that could lead to being declared a public enemy of the martial world.
As all eyes turned to him—
Finally, Sewoon spoke.
"You’re wrong."
"……?"
Once again, Sewoon said something difficult to interpret.
Tang Hoyeol frowned deeply.
"That is not the question you should be asking me."
"What? Are you treating this situation like some kind of joke, Young Master?!"
As if scolding a childish brat, Tang Hoyeol shouted in a harsh voice.
Whoosh!
At the same time, a chilling qi burst from his entire body.
The power of a Peak Master Level expert was terrifyingly overwhelming.
Tang Hoyeol was currently one of the Tang Clan’s top masters.
He had intended to use his qi to scare the boy and shut him up.
But it was Tang Hoyeol who was startled instead.
‘How can this brat…?!’
Sewoon, the very target of his assault, remained calm and dispersed all of his qi without resistance.
Even the others in the room slowly began to realize something was off.
Just as the mood was shifting in a direction he hadn’t intended, Tang Hoyeol faltered.
At that moment, the gazes of Clan Head Tang Muyeol and Sewoon met in midair.
And then, Tang Muyeol finally spoke.
"Young Master, why did you fight Lee Hoseong?"
Upon hearing those words, Sewoon looked at his father, and the corners of his lips curved softly.