Chapter 68
Chapter 68
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: You Can't Do This
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Just a few hours earlier.
I headed to the Crimson Hall where Dang Yuchang was.
"Let's talk."
"If you've come to mock me—"
"Just sit here, yeah?"
Ignoring the guy snorting like an enraged wild boar, I went inside and plopped down on a chair.
His glare from the doorway was downright murderous.
Why did that venomous look remind me so much of his mother?
Was it because of the maternal genes?
Dang Gyujin, who shared the same blood, wasn't like that.
"Sit somewhere. We've got a lot to discuss."
"I have nothing to say to you."
"Fine? Then just stand there and listen. I'll say what I need to and go."
"You—"
"Oh, right, I've been meaning to mention this. How about using some respect from now on? You're not some rootless bastard picked up from under a bridge. What makes a brat like you talk down to your senior like that? Don't you know the ways of the elders?"
"Longevity... precedes youth?"
"Words like that from the Vice Leader's mouth—"
"Refusing to practice it himself while demanding it of others—truly embodying the essence of the demonic path—"
Dang Yuchang's eyes blazed fiercely.
He clenched his teeth, his fists trembling as he forced down his rage.
He must have wanted to lunge at me a hundred times over inside.
But he couldn't. He knew all too well he was no match for me now, and my status was far too elevated for him to mouth off carelessly.
In the Sichuan Dang Clan, the authority of rank was absolute.
Insolence could mean summary execution, depending on the degree.
"...If you're trying to provoke me, that's far enough. You don't suddenly want my respect now, do you?"
Dang Yuchang's eyes gleamed coldly as he swallowed his anger.
Oh, this was unexpected.
I'd pegged him as just some hot-headed rookie.
But the lesson I'd taught him before wasn't entirely wasted.
"Too bad. If you'd snapped back there, I'd have taken your head right off."
"That won't happen. I'll survive no matter what."
"Good attitude."
Nothing in this world matters more than your life.
Bide your time with the resolve to sacrifice all, and opportunity will come eventually.
He seemed to realize the family's power had fully shifted to me.
"That's why I'm giving you a chance."
"A chance?"
"Go to your maternal clan."
"...What?"
"I'll let you go without any interference. There's no place for you here anyway, right?"
Dang Yuchang's maternal clan. That meant the South Palace Clan.
"I refuse."
"Why?"
"You have to ask? My roots are with the Dang Clan to the end!"
These Dang Clan folks never let go of their pride in their surname, even in death.
But this was perfect.
It was exactly the answer I wanted to hear.
"If there's no place for me in the branch family, I'll go to the main Dang Clan. Even starting as a lowly warrior—"
"What if there's no place for you in the main Dang Clan either?"
"What are you—"
I tossed the stack of documents I'd brought onto the desk.
Thud!
"...What's this?"
"Take a look. You'll understand."
Dang Yuchang eyed me suspiciously before picking up the documents and starting to read.
Watching him, I wondered.
Dang Yuchang—whose blood ran closer, the South Palace or the Dang?
The documents I'd handed him were proof of Namgung San-yeong's collusion with the New Religion.
More precisely, evidence that the South Palace Clan had joined hands with them, but to Dang Yuchang's eyes, it'd look one and the same.
Namgung San-yeong's dealings with the New Religion hadn't been announced publicly yet.
The internal gag order was tight, so even Dang Yuchang didn't know.
If his blood leaned toward the South Palace, he'd propose a deal with me. Beg me to spare him.
But if it was Dang blood?
Crumple.
"You expect... me to... believe this?"
The papers crumpled hard. Veins bulged on his hands and eyes.
"There's proof—why wouldn't you believe it?"
"But this—"
"Something no true Dang would do. Getting caught trying to drag in outsiders and ruin the clan."
"......"
"Well, at least you're smart enough to see reason. That's a relief."
Grit!
Dang Yuchang ground his molars.
His mind must be a whirlwind.
For someone so full of pride in being a Dang, learning he'd nearly harmed the clan would snap him awake.
So he'd want to lead the charge in punishing the traitor—but that traitor was his beloved mother, closer than his own father.
How immense that sense of betrayal must be?
Finally, after a long pause, Dang Yuchang dropped his head limply.
"...I'll take Mother and go to the South Palace."
He'd realized there was no longer any place for him in the Dang Clan.
But he couldn't abandon his mother either. That was his choice.
"No. Too late."
"What do you mean? Just moments ago, you—"
"Yeah, that was the deal until then. The Grand Matron betrayed the branch family? No point announcing it publicly—let's end it quietly, I said. But you kicked that away, didn't you?"
"!!"
"If you'd followed my lead from the start, I'd have let it slide. Now I have to add conditions. Accept this, and I'll consider it."
"......What?"
Dark circles sank under Dang Yuchang's eyes.
I smirked and gave him some instructions. His face grew stiffer with every word.
* * *
The proposal I made to Dang Yuchang was simple.
—Help completely purge Namgung San-yeong.
I could remove her anytime even now.
But that wasn't all I wanted.
The connection to the South Palace Clan.
It was about rooting out all the South Palace spies she'd planted in the Nine Dragons Branch Family and the Sichuan region.
Of course, Dang Gon had already eliminated the spies inside the branch family, like Mu-yeong.
But the external contacts linking outward hadn't been touched yet.
And those were likely the ones helping the North Sea Sect sneak secretly into the Nine Dragons region.
"Someone like Namgung San-yeong would never reveal all her cards."
'Exactly. That sly old fox relying only on Mu-yeong? Doesn't add up.'
Before launching a full assault on the Demonic Sect, I needed to sever the South Palace influence first.
Easier to crush them one by one than both at once.
That's why I used Dang Yuchang to extract her 'last remaining card'... and it worked perfectly.
"If her own son gently coaxes her, she'll spill her final hand."
"A perfect move, my lord."
"Making mother and son turn on each other! The Vice Leader's character—no, stratagems reach the heavens!"
Dang Yuchang, architect of this mess, clenched his fists in turmoil, while Dang Gyujin gazed bitterly at Namgung San-yeong.
"Mother, even in the end—"
"No! This is a frame-up! A frame-up, I tell you! Can't you see? That wicked thing set a trap to drive a wedge between us—"
Namgung San-yeong seemed oblivious to her own ravings.
The shock must have been that great.
Betrayal from her trusted son, despair from her daughter's resentment, shame at being exposed to the enemy, rage, regret—all of it.
I spoke.
"I gave you chances, over and over? Said I'd preserve your honor as Grand Matron if you stayed quiet. But you threw that away."
"You broke the promise first! You said with your own mouth you wouldn't tell the branch family about the Black Bone Ghost Valley incident! Yet you imprison me like this—did you think I wouldn't seek my own way out—"
"That's your excuse as Grand Matron."
"!!"
"Did anyone hold a blade to you and threaten? Tell you to betray us? You reaped what you sowed."
"Keuh! That blade-hearted bastard!!"
"But it is true the Vice Leader backed you into a corner to force the betrayal—Guhk!"
"Nothing simpler than silencing a loose tongue like that."
Namgung San-yeong rushed desperately to Dang Gyujin and grabbed his shoulder.
"Jin-ah! Listen to me! You're being deceived!"
"Mother."
"That scum! That lowly devil is seducing you with his silver tongue! Hear me out, and you'll wake from this dream—"
Dang Gyujin gently pushed her hand off his shoulder.
"Please, just stop."
Her hand fell away.
To Namgung San-yeong, it felt like a death sentence.
"How could you—"
"Isn't this enough? I know you've worked harder than anyone for us, so please...!"
"How could you all, how could you do this to me—"
Namgung San-yeong trembled and staggered back.
Her face twisted grotesquely as she looked back and forth between Dang Gyujin and Dang Yuchang.
"You can't do this, you all can't do this—I've loved you so much, so very much—"
What does it feel like to be abandoned by family?
I couldn't know.
'Yeon Un-hwi' had been an orphan since he had memories.
But if forsaken by my master? Imagining it vaguely made my chest tighten sharply.
Was that the pain of a severed gut?
Yet I felt no pity for Namgung San-yeong.
As I said, this was self-inflicted.
Hadn't she been the one to steal a family from 'Dang Un-hwi' in the first place?
'Hwi-ah, there's something I need to tell you—'
I'd heard 'Dang Un-hwi's' story from Dang Gyujin just that afternoon.
After the request to become his sword, Dang Gyujin had cautiously revealed bits of the past.
It explained why he'd carried guilt toward 'Dang Un-hwi' all those years,
And why he'd been the only one in this dysfunctional family to care for him.
So Namgung San-yeong playing the victim was laughable.
She'd taken his family, and now that it was returned, she writhed in agony.
"My lord, the rift between soul and flesh is resolving rapidly!"
Then Number Fifteen cried out in surprise.
In that instant, I knew.
The last lingering resentment in this body was gone.
The line dividing 'Dang Un-hwi' and 'Yeon Un-hwi' vanished, and 'Dang Un-hwi' fully merged into 'Yeon Un-hwi'.
My middle dantian writhed once more.
The subtle misalignment between upper and lower dantian connected naturally.
True unity of spirit and flesh was achieved.
Fwaaa—
As I quietly reined in my surging inner energy, Dang Gon and Master Zhuge appeared behind me with the two guards who'd held the rear.
I'd sent Dang Gon to Feng Hua Hall in advance before coming here.
"Grand Matron, you must come with us to the Nan Xie Hall."
Master Zhuge's gaze was icy.
Realizing it was her death knell, Namgung San-yeong let out a roar.
"Dang Un-hwi! Dang Un-hwiiii!!"
Kwaaaang!
Screeeeech—
Namgung San-yeong charged at me, eyes rolled back.
Her momentum was lethal.
Demonic possession.
She must have decided to kill me, the prime culprit in her downfall.
The two guards moved to protect me.
But someone stepped forward first.
Dang Gyujin.
Swish!
Kiyaaaa—
Unsealing his blue ghost mask, he drew his sword.
Blocking Namgung San-yeong.
In this moment.
Dang Gyujin was my sword.