Chapter 100
Chapter 100
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 100
Chapter Title: The Wrong Friend
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Bu Eun-seol’s eyes glinted with interest as he looked down at the fallen poison men.
“Peculiar shields.”
The cross-section of a sundered shield revealed not cast iron, but a strange, shimmering hue, as if it were forged from a very special alloy.
That was why the Muk-geom, which could slice through steel like paper, had not been able to cleave through the shields so easily.
“It looks as though these shields were crafted specifically to counter a master with a unique sword art.”
At that moment, Shim-dok’s eyebrows shot up. He didn’t answer, but his silence was an admission.
“Do you think you’ve won just because you cut down my poison men?”
Having regained his composure, Shim-dok shouted as he drew upon his poison arts with all his might.
“Don't make me laugh! The likes of you are…”
*Flash!*
Just then, Bu Eun-seol swung the Muk-geom again, sending two streams of sword energy to Shim-dok’s left and right.
‘He’ll surely alter the sword energy’s path to aim for my head!’
Having observed Bu Eun-seol’s swordsmanship, Shim-dok swiftly executed the Claw of the Lingering Blood Soul to deflect the attack.
*Swish!*
But the sword energy, which cut fiercely through the air, did not drop downward. Instead, it crisscrossed and spun around his shoulders.
*Spurt!*
Blood sprayed into the air, and Shim-dok’s arms suddenly went limp. The sharp sword energy had severed all the tendons in his shoulders.
“Grk.”
Shim-dok let out a groan.
The flesh wound was nothing, but two streams of internal energy contained within the sword qi had partially melted his meridians.
The sheer power of his internal energy, exceeding a full sixty-year cycle, naturally produced an effect similar to an Internal Arts Heavy Hand Technique.
“Ugh.”
A searing pain flared in his shoulders. Shim-dok bit down, swallowing his groan.
“You bastard!”
Shim-dok tried to draw on his Asura Ghost’s Blood Poison Art once more, intending to spread his poison in all directions.
“...!”
But his eyes widened in shock.
His internal energy wouldn’t manifest, as if his dantian had been completely sealed.
‘Th-This is…’
The two wisps of true qi that had infiltrated his upper shoulder blades had melted most of the meridians around the major Hand Yangming channel.
“What… what kind of sword art is this?”
Shim-dok felt a surge of fear.
There were countless sword arts in the martial world, but none that could melt away meridians with a single cut.
“A sword art of my own creation.”
“You created a sword art?”
“I did.”
Bu Eun-seol offered Shim-dok a faint smile.
“You should feel honored. This is the first time since I entered the martial world that I’ve infused it with so much true qi.”
Shim-dok swallowed hard.
Bu Eun-seol’s bright smile looked like that of a demon baring its white teeth in the darkness.
*Swoosh!*
At that moment, Dang Gon unleashed his Poison Spirit Annihilation Art, slowly clearing away the poison.
“You can finish him off.”
When Bu Eun-seol gestured at Shim-dok, Dang Gon frowned.
“The man’s a cripple, the tendons in both his shoulders have been severed. What is there to finish?”
“Have you already forgotten what I said?”
“I haven’t. But there’s a world of difference between being ruthless and committing a massacre. Our family may use poison and hidden weapons, but we are still a clan of the Orthodox Faction that walks the righteous path…”
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
“What I’m asking is, how can someone like you, who shows mercy even to the enemies who tormented your clan, fight and shed blood with your own family?”
“That’s…”
“Do you wish to be a hero of the martial world? Or do you wish to be the head of the Tang Clan?”
—*Do you wish to be a hero of the martial world? Or do you wish to be the head of the Tang Clan?*
Bu Eun-seol’s words echoed in Dang Gon’s mind.
To live as a hero of the martial world, he would have had to leave the Sichuan Tang Clan in the first place.
The head of a clan bears the heavy responsibility of protecting its members from countless enemies.
“You’re right.”
A solemn light entered Dang Gon’s eyes as he took out the Blood Parting Dart from his sleeve.
“I must show them that anyone who touches our clan will die. That is the ironclad rule of the Sichuan Tang Clan.”
*Paa!*
He shot the Blood Parting Dart, severing Shim-dok’s neck in an instant.
*Whip!*
As he retrieved the dart after it circled back, Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
“Don’t retrieve your weapon.”
“Why not?”
“We need to let them know that someone from the Sichuan Tang Clan killed Shim-dok.”
“Are you telling me to take all the credit for your work?”
“All I did was leave a single cut on that man’s body. And even that would have been impossible without your Poison Spirit Annihilation Art.”
He said as much, but in reality, Bu Eun-seol had been the one to deal with Shim-dok.
Yet, he was trying to give all the credit to Dang Gon.
“I can’t do that.”
When Dang Gon shook his head firmly, Bu Eun-seol spoke with a hint of annoyance.
“Do you think I’m going through all this trouble just to build my own reputation?”
“But…”
“I told you, didn’t I? That you could become a great successor to the Tang Clan.”
—*You could become a great successor to the Tang Clan.*
The day he received the Pear Blossom Leaf, Bu Eun-seol had said those words. And he had kept his promise ever since.
“Why do you… help me so much?”
To Dang Gon’s choked question, Bu Eun-seol grumbled.
“I know, right? It’s my fault for making the wrong friend.”
Friend. It was one of the most common words in the world.
But when spoken from the lips of a true man, that word is more precious than a thousand gold pieces and heavier than Mount Tai.
“You…”
Deeply moved, Dang Gon spread his arms and stepped forward.
“Don’t you dare try to hug me or say thank you.”
Bu Eun-seol said with a look of disgust.
“If you do, I’ll take back the Pear Blossom Leaf immediately.”
With that, he turned and was the first to leave the Cave of No Return.
* * *
—The Blood Poison Valley, a rising power in Sichuan, has been attacked, and its Vice Valley Lord, Shim-dok, is dead!
The Blood Poison Valley, which had been rapidly expanding its poison arts and influence to threaten the hegemon of Sichuan, the Tang Clan, was said to have been suddenly attacked.
As a result, the rare treasures and deadly poisons stored in the valley were lost, and Vice Valley Lord Shim-dok was killed.
And who was Shim-dok?
He was a master of the highest caliber who had roamed the martial world for decades, and his poison arts were difficult to block even for the masters who threatened the Tang Clan.
—The ones who killed Shim-dok and raided the Blood Poison Valley were the third son of the Sichuan Tang Clan, Dang Gon, and the masters of the Poison Battle Hall!
And another unbelievable rumor began to spread through the martial world.
Astonishingly, the ones who killed Vice Valley Lord Shim-dok were said to be Dang Gon and the Tang Clan’s Poison Battle Hall.
—How can that be?
At first, the people of the martial world dismissed it as a ridiculous rumor.
But as various information brokers successively confirmed the fact, the martial world gradually began to stir.
* * *
Inside the office of the Seohwa Pavilion.
*Thump!*
The door to the office was violently thrown open, and a man with glaring eyes stormed in.
It was Dang Bi.
“Brother!”
Dang Bi, huffing with rage, shouted at Dang Ryeong, who was sitting at a rosewood desk, practicing his calligraphy.
“Why did you give that bastard the Poison Battle Hall?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Are you pretending not to know?”
Dang Bi bared his teeth and stomped his foot.
“I’m talking about Dang Gon! That bastard attacked the Blood Poison Valley with the Poison Battle Hall!”
Dang Bi pounded his chest as if bursting with frustration.
“The rumor is rampant throughout Sichuan… no, throughout the entire martial world! That the Tang Clan has produced an outstanding figure!”
In truth, the reason the rumor had spread so quickly in such a short time was that Heuk-pyo had disseminated it to information brokers on Bu Eun-seol’s orders.
But unaware of this fact, Dang Bi was under the delusion that Dang Gon’s fame had surpassed Sichuan and was now echoing throughout the world.
“Haha.”
Dang Ryeong let out a low laugh.
“Hasn’t our third brother merely solved a nuisance that was recently encroaching on our clan’s power?”
“Then have you heard this rumor?”
“What rumor?”
“They're saying Dang Gon has been chosen as the Young Lord of the Sichuan Tang Clan! All because his two brothers were hiding their heads in their shells like turtles!”
“Hmph.”
Dang Ryeong’s face hardened at Dang Bi’s crude words.
“So, has one of the two turtles who hid their heads come looking for the other?”
“Brother, that’s not what I meant…”
“Enough.”
Dang Ryeong put down his brush and spoke coldly.
“Our third brother has returned after achieving a great merit. I merely provided the support of the Poison Battle Hall so he wouldn’t be in danger.”
“Brother.”
“You are now rebuking our third brother, who has brought great fame to our clan’s name. And such behavior is an insult not only to me but to the entire clan.”
In an instant, Dang Bi’s expression changed.
He now realized that cornering Dang Gon, who had achieved a great merit, would only diminish his own standing and face.
“I… didn’t think of that.”
Dang Bi clasped his hands and bowed his head.
“Thank you for enlightening me, Brother.”
“That’s enough. You may go.”
“Then I shall take my leave.”
As Dang Bi left dejectedly, an unprecedented killing intent flickered in Dang Ryeong’s eyes.
“This complicates things.”
In truth, Dang Ryeong had known for a long time.
He knew that the Clan Head, Dang Pae, had inwardly chosen Dang Gon as his successor.
The only reason Dang Ryeong could laugh it off was that Dang Gon met none of the qualifications to become the Young Lord.
But now, things were different.
The Dang Gon of today was, in name and in reality, fully qualified to be the successor.
“I suppose there’s no other way.”
A chilling smile graced Dang Ryeong’s lips. His eyes were fixed on Dang Bi’s retreating back.
* * *
Upon his return to the Sichuan Tang Clan, Dang Gon received a welcome of unprecedented warmth.
As he entered the main house, the elders of the inner court, including Dang Pyo, and his blood relatives came out to greet him. Dang Pae bestowed great rewards upon Dang Gon and his entire party.
To Dang Gon, he gave one of the Tang Clan’s treasures, the Silver Shell Armor. To Bu Eun-seol, he gave the Jade Shell Pearl.
And to the young men of the Poison Battle Hall, he granted fifty taels of gold each.
Dang Ryeong and Dang Bi also sent their subordinates to offer congratulations, but it was a mere formality. They did not visit Dang Gon in person.
Then, a few days later, Dang Pae delivered some groundbreaking news.
—The next Young Lord will be decided by the winner of a martial arts tournament!
The blood relatives of the Tang Clan were shocked to hear this news.
Until now, the selection of the Young Lord, the next head of the Sichuan Tang Clan, had always been the sole decision of the current Clan Head.
So why, out of the blue, would he decide the Young Lord based on the winner of a martial arts tournament?
—The matchups will be Dang Ryeong versus Dang Bi, and Dang Gon versus Dang Cheong.
A tournament was one thing, but to include Dang Cheong, who couldn’t become the Clan Head, as a successor candidate?
The Tang Clan’s relatives were bewildered.
—Dang Ryeong, Dang Bi, Dang Gon, and Dang Cheong all have comparable support, and their characters each have their own strengths and weaknesses.
—In other words, since all are qualified to be the Clan Head, their rank shall be decided by martial prowess!
However, once the reason was conveyed, the relatives nodded in understanding.
Dang Pae’s words were logical and fair, showing no favoritism to anyone.
Besides, how could they dare to disobey the strict command of the Clan Head?
With four days left until the selection of the Young Lord, an air of conflict hung over the Tang Clan.
Inside the banquet hall of the Cheongyang Pavilion.
Dang Gon, having returned from the Blood Poison Valley, was resting from his journey and drinking alone with Bu Eun-seol.
“It’s all been so hectic.”
Dang Gon, downing a large cup of Geomnamchun, smiled and shook his head.
“The clan’s affairs, the rumors spreading through the martial world… it all feels like a dream.”
“It’s not a dream.”
Dang Gon chuckled at Bu Eun-seol’s reply.
“Not long ago, I thought I was all alone in this wide world, with no one to rely on.”
He wiped his mouth and looked at Bu Eun-seol.
“But since you came… I’ve received my father’s official recognition and gained a support base that rivals my brothers’.”
Picking up his cup again, Dang Gon chuckled and said.
“Not only that, but because I’m known to have killed Vice Valley Lord Shim-dok, I’ve even been given a title. The Tang Family Soul Collector, or something like that.”
In a single moment, Dang Gon had gained everything.
But none of it was his own doing. It would have been impossible without Bu Eun-seol.
Was that why? The expression on Dang Gon’s face as he drank was not a happy one.
“What’s with that look on your face? Don’t you like your new title?”
At Bu Eun-seol’s words, Dang Gon smiled bitterly.
“It’s just that I can’t shake the feeling that this is all a dream.”
“What do you mean?”
“Father must not want me to become the Young Lord.”
Dang Gon said, putting down his cup.
“Putting everything else aside, in martial arts alone, I can’t match Dang Bi. To hold a tournament to choose the successor is no different from choosing that ferocious Dang Bi.”
He let out a deep sigh and shook his head.
“I thought I had finally caught up to them. I even had my hopes up, to be honest. But a martial arts tournament… and I’m pitted against Dang Cheong, of all people? I feel miserable.”
“You’re mistaken about something.”
Bu Eun-seol filled his cup and said with a smile.
“Your father wants you to become the Young Lord.”