Chapter 75
Chapter 75
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: The Tang Clan's Aspiration
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Yuseong pondered whether to ask Tang Harin if she was married.
If she had a husband, he wondered if the man would approve of her current attire and behavior.
But then he recalled something.
"The direct daughters of the Tang Clan don't bring in sons-in-law, do they?"
The Tang Clan was particularly secretive about their martial arts, poisons, and memorization techniques compared to other sects.
Even the suppliers and trading partners were all composed of collateral blood relatives.
Given their habit of marrying powerless families and keeping even their husbands under control,
her husband, if she had one, probably wouldn't have much influence anyway.
"Well, whether she's married or not, it doesn't really matter to me."
Unlike Yuseong, however, Nangong Yurin seemed eager to know.
Having endured several teasing remarks from her on the carriage ride over, she hesitantly asked Tang Harin.
"So... if your younger sister's marriage is soon, does that mean you, Young Lady Tang, are already married?"
"No? I'm not married. I have no intention of meeting men either. That's why I told her not to worry about me and go ahead with her marriage."
Tang Harin's expression darkened for a moment before returning to normal.
Yuseong suddenly felt a question arise.
"But why did she act that way toward me...?"
He had once suspected she might have feelings for him based on certain behaviors, and he was baffled at that moment.
As he conversed with the Tang Family Patriarch, Cheongun Elder mentioned Yuseong.
"That young man over there is the Medical Pavilion Leader."
Yuseong quickly approached the Tang Family Patriarch and greeted him.
He had felt the man's gaze while talking with Tang Harin.
Since he spoke casually with his daughter, the patriarch responded in kind.
"I've heard plenty of rumors about the Medical Pavilion Leader even here. So it was you who ultimately detoxified Yucheon Immortal."
The Tang Family Patriarch's expression seemed slightly bitter.
Throughout the journey to the Sichuan Tang Clan, Tang Harin had repeatedly expressed regret that she should have been the one to detoxify Yucheon Immortal, so Yuseong could guess the source of his bitterness.
Even though they had been asked first by the Qingcheng Sect and arrived ahead of everyone, they hadn't succeeded in detoxifying him themselves, which must have bruised their pride.
Yuseong wasn't one to boast anyway, but it seemed wise to be extra cautious in front of the patriarch now.
"It was just luck. I had prior experience detoxifying the Dao King."
"I heard you detoxified the Dao King's poisoning in a single day, and this case was even more severe, wasn't it? Impressive either way. But how did you end up friends with Harin?"
"Well... Harin suggested we be friends, so I agreed. Turns out we're the same age."
"Tsk, is that so? You must have it tough."
The Tang Family Patriarch glanced at Tang Harin and clicked his tongue.
She was giggling and playfully tapping Nangong Yurin's shoulder.
Judging by Nangong Yurin's troubled expression, she was teasing her as usual.
The patriarch clearly knew his daughter's personality well.
He let out a sigh.
"Still... sigh, please don't spread too many rumors about Harin."
A flicker of pity crossed his eyes as they drooped slightly.
Yuseong didn't know the details,
but among all the people who had come out to greet the Murim Alliance group, no one else dressed as openly as Tang Harin.
Even the Tang Clan itself viewed her as unique.
After exchanging greetings, Yuseong didn't leave but waited nearby the Tang Family Patriarch.
"Hm? Do you have more to say to me?"
The patriarch asked.
"Actually, separate from Murim Alliance business, I have one favor to ask of the Tang Clan."
"What is it? If it's simple, I can accommodate."
The conditions made him a bit uneasy, but he decided to bring it up.
Unlike with the Qingcheng Sect, he hadn't come here on an official request for aid, so to them, he was just one member of the Murim Alliance group.
He might not get another chance to speak privately with the patriarch.
"The truth is, I possess a small amount of Heavenly Fortune Stone. I want to process it into needles, so I consulted many renowned craftsmen, but they all said the only place capable of working it is the Sichuan Tang Clan."
"Haha, that's right. No one in the world has better blacksmiths than our Tang Clan."
The Tang Family Patriarch looked pleased.
Everyone loves a compliment, after all.
According to information from the House of Revelry, there had been a place called Iron Manor, but it had long since collapsed, so the patriarch wasn't wrong.
"So they can process the Heavenly Fortune Stone?"
Yuseong's expectations swelled.
But.
"What a shame. Processing Heavenly Fortune Stone is no easy task. It requires adjusting the temperature of specially made forges, and we're backed up with family weapon production, so it won't be possible."
The Tang Family Patriarch's expression was firm.
Should he look for another way after all?
"Father! Just do it. Yuseong has a lot of research to do with me, and you can't make him worry about something this trivial?"
Tang Harin, who had approached unnoticed and been listening quietly, jumped in to take Yuseong's side.
Nice assist!
Her personality was far from ordinary, and he'd regretted deciding to be friends at times, but she had his back in crucial moments.
"Harin, this is my decision. Stay out of it."
Perhaps feeling his dignity challenged in front of guests, the patriarch's expression hardened.
But Tang Harin wasn't one to back down.
"The research involves 'the Tang Clan's aspiration,' you know?"
"What did you say?"
The Tang Clan's aspiration.
Yuseong, who had heard nothing about it from Tang Harin, was baffled, but the patriarch's reaction suggested potential.
"Right? We agreed to research together. You have to process the Heavenly Fortune Stone, Father—no take-backs."
"Is that true?"
Tang Harin poked Yuseong's back with her finger.
Yuseong was sharp enough for this.
"Of course. I promised to actively assist with Harin's research."
"You heard him? Do as Yuseong says. You can't expect him to focus on trivialities like that?"
"Urgh... Producing the family's weapons isn't trivial... Fine. If it's to help with your research."
He had no idea how important this research related to the Tang Clan's aspiration was, but he'd achieved one of his main goals here easily.
The sweetness of connections.
***
After all the Murim Alliance members were assigned lodgings, Yuseong strolled the Tang Clan grounds with Tang Harin.
Dispatching personnel to support the Murim Alliance involved various entangled interests.
It wasn't just a matter of lending a hand; in worst cases, Tang Clan blood might be spilled.
The negotiations wouldn't be easy.
Of course, that was for the negotiation team to handle, and since Yuseong had to stay here for a while, he was getting a tour of the Tang Clan.
"That's the forge. Heavenly Fortune Stone processing will take at least five days. They need to raise the forge temperature first."
"Raising the forge temperature isn't simple, I take it?"
"Heavenly Fortune Stone requires much higher heat than regular iron. Even our best forge needs special ore to boost the temperature."
Hearing the explanation, Yuseong realized that without Tang Harin's help, processing the Heavenly Fortune Stone wouldn't have been easy.
Even the patriarch had seemed reluctant.
Yuseong resolved to support her more actively.
"By the way, what's this 'Tang Clan's aspiration'? How can I help?"
"You haven't heard? It's common knowledge among those in the know."
Tang Harin walked on, beginning her explanation of the Tang Clan's aspiration.
"Have you heard of Poison Persons?"
Yuseong nodded.
Poison Person.
It was why the Sichuan Tang Clan, currently the lowest among the Five Great Families, had once been ranked second.
Unlike the other active Great Families, the reclusive Tang Clan was highly regarded because,
much like the Nangong Family consistently producing Transformation Realm masters, they steadily produced Poison Persons.
The Tang Clan's Poison Persons were terrifying existences who could annihilate hundreds of masters alone if conditions were met.
"But hasn't it been ages since the last Poison Person?"
"Right. To be precise, our lineage ended when the last Poison Person ancestor died to Demonic Cultists during the Righteous-Demonic Great War three hundred years ago."
"Ah... So no one with the talent has appeared since?"
"Absolutely not! We're direct descendants of a Poison Person ancestor, blessed with exceptional poison arts talent generation after generation! Look at me, for starters!"
Tang Harin spread her arms wide, staring straight at Yuseong with her blazing green eyes.
"...You look overflowing with talent."
Her prominent poison sacs asserted their presence.
He'd already confirmed her vast knowledge and deep poison arts cultivation.
Yuseong was convinced.
Pleased with his acknowledgment, Tang Harin explained why the Poison Persons had vanished.
After their Poison Person ancestor died in the Righteous-Demonic Great War, the Tang Clan suffered a Demonic Cult raid, losing part of the method to become one.
"In any case, restoring the method to create Poison Persons—that's the Tang Clan's aspiration. I'm leading the research, so even Father can't interfere. Oh, right—that's also why the Tang Clan left the Murim Alliance. When our main forces were wiped out, the Alliance failed to protect us, souring relations."
Three hundred years had eased much of the grudge, but the Tang Clan had no desire to shed blood like that again.
'Processing the Heavenly Fortune Stone won't take long, but I wonder how long the Murim Alliance negotiators will need...'
Whether they persuaded the patriarch or gave up, Yuseong seemed stuck helping with Tang Harin's research for the time being.
"So what exactly do you need my help with?"
"As I said, we'll test various lethal poisons first. I was debating whether to ingest them without antidotes, but then you showed up—perfect."
"..."
She had poison arts resistance beyond ordinary people, but planning to ingest antidote-less lethal poisons herself...
'Is her head giving off gray smoke too if I checked?'