Chapter 85. The Eldest Daughter of the Tang Clan of Sichuan
The drunkards fell silent, their expressions darkening for some reason.
It was because the Tang Clan of Sichuan had made their appearance.
A martial clan that didn’t quite sit comfortably within the label of an orthodox sect.
While other orthodox sects might smile even when suffering losses in the name of benevolence and justice, the Tang Clan of Sichuan felt like the type to kill you from behind if you caused them harm—regardless of virtue or morality.
Thus, they gave off an impression far removed from righteousness.
A martial clan that gave off the aura of the unorthodox.
Still, they were members of the Murim Alliance… they had money, occasionally helped commoners, and sometimes even went out to suppress particularly vicious unorthodox factions nearby.
‘Yeah, they’re kind of like a righteous sect… sort of…’
The customers stared at the Tang Clan entering the street with visibly uncomfortable eyes.
Perhaps it was because they had just been admiring the beautiful and noble-looking disciples of the orthodox sects that the Tang Clan’s uniquely gloomy aura felt all the more stark.
And even more so...
The Tang Clan’s key figures stood at the front.
The Clan Head, the Young Lord, and a young man standing alongside them.
“Gasp! Isn’t that the Black Sky Demon?!”
“D-Did I say anything careless? Did I say out loud that the Tang Clan of Sichuan shouldn’t even be in the Murim Alliance?”
“…You just did.”
“Damn it!”
Even the Black Sky Demon, infamous as the Mad Green Hound, was among them.
But among those standing in the same line as them, there was one unfamiliar figure.
Someone no one had ever seen before, prompting the onlookers to rack their brains.
Aside from the Black Sky Demon, was there anyone in the clan who could stand beside the Clan Head?
‘There shouldn’t be…’
As if sensing the piercing gazes, the woman lifted her head.
In that instant, the inn fell silent.
Her face was peculiar. The cold expression combined with the bright sunlight felt jarringly out of place, sending a chill down one's spine.
The beauties of the orthodox sects earlier had given off a warm feeling, like white flowers, but this young woman evoked the exact opposite sensation.
Before the paleness of her skin, it was the red of her lips and the jet-black of her hair that first drew the eye. The vivid contrast was captivating, yet there was something dangerous about her beauty—something that said: don’t get too close.
It was, how should one put it?
Rather than the daughter of an orthodox sect, she looked more like the favored child of a demonic sect leader.
Her face didn't merely leave an impression; each feature was distinctly etched into the mind: the slender jawline, the high nose bridge, the large, elongated eyes, the red lips, and the small mole touching the shadow of her eyelashes.
The customers, like mice facing a snake, scrutinized every minor detail of this natural predator.
Before long, they began to realize that the Tang Clan Head had similarly sharp features.
Ah, she must be the daughter of the Tang Clan Head.
As it happened, Zhuge Cheon-yu had passed by not long ago, so naturally, the two daughters of noble clans were compared.
If Zhuge Cheon-yu was like a modest cotton flower, then the Tang young lady was like a poppy. Both were beautiful, but the impression they gave differed vastly depending on one’s taste.
“Your theory about noble clan beauties is starting to sound convincing.”
The one who had insisted that children of noble clans were almost always beautiful gave a nod.
“I wasn’t just talking nonsense. If you look closely, you can see the distinct aesthetic preferences of each clan. The standards of beauty in Namgung and Zhuge are completely different from those of the Tang Clan.”
"Indeed."
The man sitting across from him chuckled in agreement.
Unlike when others had passed by and everyone had chimed in with martial knowledge, when the Tang Clan walked by, they all fell silent as if by tacit agreement.
Part of it was due to the fear of the Black Sky Demon, infamous for his madness, but it was also because their thoughts had become tangled.
There had been many rumors about the appearance of the Tang Clan’s eldest daughter.
One said she was hideously scarred from a fire she had survived as a child with her mother. Another, that she was so beautiful, even the Young Lord of Namgung fell in love with her at first sight.
Thus, more than her appearance, it was the rumors about her that people often discussed.
A genius who uncovered the Divine Physician on her own.
A young lady of righteous spirit who first alerted the Central Plains of the resurgence of the Blood Sect.
Naturally, people had imagined that an orthodox sect’s young lady would have a soft and kind appearance—so her looks came as quite a shock.
‘…I thought she was a kind young lady, so why does she look like the favored daughter of a demonic sect leader?’
Even if someone claimed she was a master from the fallen North Sea Ice Palace, they’d find her cold expression believable.
“She looks completely different from what I imagined,” someone murmured, and the others in the inn silently nodded in agreement.
“Today’s full of surprises. It’s shocking enough that the Tai Chi Sword Saint’s disciple has such a delicate build, and now the Tang Clan’s eldest daughter turns out to have such a striking face.”
“Is that really something to be shocked about?”
An old monk drinking in the center of the room responded.
“I heard the Tang Clan eldest daughter belongs to the Tang Clan’s Medical Hall and researches poison. Haven’t you all heard it at least once? The rumor that the Tang Clan experiments with poison on people.”
It was one of the notorious rumors about the Tang Clan that everyone knew.
There was said to be a separate hall within the Medical Hall just for storing poisons—so many that it warranted a whole pavilion.
There were also horrifying rumors that they kidnapped people to experiment on them inside.
“They say the Tang Clan's eldest daughter studies poisons, not medicine. She’s one of the most skilled technicians in the Tang Clan, and even her own people are wary of her. If someone conducts experiments on humans, they can’t really be called a righteous person, can they?”
“Isn’t that just a rumor? And be careful what you say. Didn’t you see the Black Sky Demon walking with her? He’s notorious for not tolerating even marketplace gossip, beating both commoners and martial artists alike without mercy.”
One customer quietly warned the old monk out of concern.
“Hahaha, now that’s the real rumor. Who would survive if the Black Sky Demon beat them? If he’d been killing civilians left and right, he’d have become a public enemy of the murim long ago.”
The old monk laughed loudly and waved his hand.
“Everyone, come closer. Seems what you know is all outdated gossip. Let me share some new information. But in return, each of you has to buy me a drink.”
The people hesitated at his words—partly wanting to hear more, partly reluctant to get up and move.
“Let’s start with that Tang Clan eldest daughter. Did you know she came to the Hubei branch not long ago? There’s even a rumor she met the Tai Chi Sword Saint—ah, I’m getting thirsty.”
“Waiter! Bring us some liquor!”
“Bring the whole barrel!”
As soon as the old monk mentioned the Tai Chi Sword Saint, the crowd rushed over with bottles in hand.
***
“We’ve finally arrived.”
Tang Hae-han murmured as if sighing.
Relief flickered across the travel-worn faces of the group, but So-hwa couldn't ease her expression. The glances from the onlookers at the inn still left an uncomfortable feeling.
“This is the residence prepared for the Tang Clan.”
A headquarters martial artist guided them to the pavilion, but instead of entering, the Clan Head addressed his retainers.
“You all go ahead and unpack. I will go pay my respects to the Alliance Leader.”
At the mention of the Alliance Leader, So-hwa turned her gaze. But the martial artist from the headquarters interjected with a cautious tone.
“The Alliance Leader will not be receiving guests today.”
“Is he unwell?”
“...Yes, it seems so.”
The headquarters martial artist answered after a slight pause.
Though the response was unsettling, Tang Ji-ha couldn’t insist on meeting the ailing Alliance Leader, so he nodded in acceptance.
“Then I’ll visit separately another time. Please inform him that we’ve arrived.”
“Yes, Clan Head. I will do so.”
The headquarters martial artist responded respectfully, then turned to the Tang Clan members standing behind him.
“Also, during the event period, please refrain from going outside as much as possible.”
“Hm? Since when was there such a rule? Why aren’t we allowed to go out?”
Tang Min frowned openly and voiced his displeasure.
“No, the rules haven’t changed. It’s just that the Alliance Leader has asked everyone to remain inside the headquarters for now due to the current circumstances.”
Tang Min scoffed and brushed off the warning.
“If it’s because of that Blood Sect bastard, what a disgrace for the Murim Alliance. A single martial artist from the Shaanxi branch got taken out, and now everyone’s trembling, locking the chicken coop like something big happened. What’s so scary about a few chicks getting hurt, tsk tsk.”
“……”
The headquarters' martial artist silently stared at the Clan Head. It was a plea for help, but perhaps unable to intervene, the Clan Head avoided his gaze.
To make matters worse, the Tang Clan's eldest daughter posed a question to the headquarters martial artist.
“So in any case, you’re saying we’re allowed to go out, yes?”
…Did it really sound like that?
“Leaving isn’t strictly forbidden, but each sect has its own discipline, so going out freely may not be possible. With the Martial Arts Tournament approaching, it’s important to maintain one’s focus.”
The headquarters martial artist spoke indirectly, hoping the Clan Head would step in—but it was the Mad Green Hound who answered again.
“If someone’s going to lose just because they went outside, they were bound to lose anyway. Winning or losing is what matters; what does going out have to do with it?”
As the headquarters martial artist’s face turned pale, the Clan Head reluctantly interjected.
"It's important not to cause trouble. We aren't the only ones staying at headquarters, so we can't be a nuisance, can we?"
“Hah, come now, Clan Head, you know better than that. Isn’t everyone out there drinking and making friends? If only our kids are locked in here, they’ll get beaten and hold grudges, or they’ll beat someone else and get hated in return. You’re just giving others the chance to talk behind the Tang Clan’s back. At least if they’re out there, they’ll be careful with their words for the sake of appearances.”
“……”
“Ah, why are you looking at me like that? You know what I mean, Clan Head. I still vividly remember when you were young. Namgung Clan Head and Elder Peng gossiped about you being weak-hearted behind your back, so you challenged them to a life-or-death duel. The Grand Elder had a hell of a time trying to handle that…”
“Is there no need to report to the headquarters when going out? I noticed we had to sign a register when coming in.”
So-hwa quickly changed the topic as Tang Min began dragging out her father’s embarrassing past.
The headquarters martial artist, flustered by the Mad Green Hound’s astonishing lack of tact, closed his open mouth. He then quickly answered Tang So-hwa's question.
“It’s the same as when entering. You must fill out the register when going out. If you’re going far, please also note your destination.”
“Even if I’m only going into Wuhan?”
“Ah, that much is fine.”
“…What, you planning to go out somewhere?”
Tang Min narrowed his eyes and asked.
“Yes, I plan to visit Wuhan’s streets today.”
“Why? Where are you going?”
This time, the question came from the Clan Head.
So-hwa hesitated for a moment, but answered honestly.
“I plan to visit the Platinum Pavilion operated by the Anguk Merchant Group.”