Chapter 232
Chapter 232
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 232
Chapter Title: Vitality and the Venomous Advance
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At the pinnacle of the Heavenly Palace, Namgung Jangcheon gazed out the window.
Seeing the crowd gathered at Namgung Hyeok's residence, he let out a hollow chuckle.
"Hah, those fools are at it the moment they arrive."
Geum Gwangmo brought tea and smiled faintly.
"Isn't their overflowing vitality a good thing?"
"That? To my eyes, it looks like they're out for blood."
"......It doesn't look that way to me."
"Watch. I nearly had my throat slit just now. Almost lost my eldest son."
"......The atmosphere in the family has changed a lot since the Second Young Master returned."
Geum Gwangmo averted his gaze and quickly changed the subject.
Namgung Jangcheon chuckled hollowly before nodding slowly.
"The atmosphere, huh."
Indeed, the clan's mood was different with and without Namgung Hyeok.
The clan's vitality had always been abundant, but there was that subtle difference.
'Namgung Hyeok has truly been recognized as a member of the clan.'
Namgung Hyeok's presence in the Namgung Clan had grown that much larger.
When he had been bedridden, groaning from the Nine Yin Severed Meridians, no one paid him any mind.
In a martial house, the weak were ignored and forgotten.
Especially for Namgung Hyeok, whose condition with the Nine Yin Severed Meridians could have killed him at any moment—his presence had been all the more faint.
On top of that, he had even been pointed out as the culprit weakening the household, so the looks directed at him couldn't have been kind.
But now, it was as if all that had been a lie—Namgung Hyeok was at the core of the clan.
Everyone paid attention to his every move and felt exhilaration from it.
In fact, his presence now overshadowed even that of the Family Head himself.
Everyone rejoiced or despaired based on Namgung Hyeok, after all.
Well, it was well-deserved.
Namgung Hyeok's contributions to the Namgung Clan swiftly regaining its former glory were immense.
"It's probably because he's been stirring up so much trouble lately."
"In many ways, the Second Young Master's influence is coming across positively, isn't it? The Eldest Young Master has become more sociable, and the Third Young Master sends letters almost every day."
"Hmm."
"And our once-frigid relations with the Hebei Peng Clan have improved, haven't they?"
"It was just aligned interests."
"But in the old days, we couldn't have taken the Black Dragon Sect's interests so easily. The Peng Family Head would have tried to crush us with force."
Geum Gwangmo was right.
The Peng Cheonwi he knew was not one to easily yield the sect's interests and power.
They would have moved to suppress the Namgung Clan's growing strength and swallow the Black Dragon Sect's interests for themselves.
Namgung Jangcheon chuckled hollowly.
"What is it you want to say?"
"Thanks to the Second Young Master, my workload has increased, so you need to properly reward his merits."
"A reward......"
"Putting it off will just lead to gossip."
"Gossip?"
"With all the merits the Second Young Master has racked up, you've never once given him proper recognition. People are talking a lot."
Namgung Jangcheon snorted at Geum Gwangmo's words.
Were people thinking he was trying to withhold rewards or something?
"I was already planning to issue rewards soon, since things are going well for the clan."
"Oh!"
"Of course. Did you think I hadn't considered it? Hah!"
As Namgung Jangcheon narrowed his eyes, Geum Gwangmo laughed heartily and averted his gaze.
Namgung Jangcheon took a sip of tea and quietly spoke.
His demeanor had sobered.
"Any leads on those assailants?"
"They're elusive, so it's not easy. We're short on manpower, and we're moving cautiously to avoid alerting them, so progress is painfully slow."
"They might be the same ones who attacked the main house. No, it's almost certain."
Geum Gwangmo nodded in agreement with Namgung Jangcheon's words.
"They're unfathomable. I can't figure out what they're after."
They had aided Namgung Baek's rebellion and suddenly appeared at the Black Dragon Sect.
Namgung Jangcheon's mind grew complicated by the erratic movements of the black-clad figures.
Geum Gwangmo continued.
"The Peng Clan is actively investigating, so we'll catch their trail soon."
"Yes. We must."
Namgung Jangcheon nodded slowly.
Something ominous was afoot.
"It feels like the martial world is on the cusp of upheaval. I even wonder if we're their only target."
"Is it because of what happened at the Black Dragon Sect?"
"The Black Dragon Sect's roots are in piracy, and no matter how grand a faction they are, cannons and gunpowder are managed by the court and the imperial house—not something a single sect can handle."
Namgung Jangcheon's expression grew grave.
Just thinking about what the Black Dragon Sect planned to do with those firearms made his head ache.
If the group they intended to hand them over to was these people......
"What of the authorities' movements?"
"They haven't even traced how the firearms were obtained. They said they'd keep us informed, but I wouldn't hold my breath."
"Hmm!"
"......Shall we reach out to the Justice Heaven Alliance?"
Geum Gwangmo asked cautiously.
Namgung Jangcheon nodded.
"Yes, that might be better. The Justice Heaven Alliance would already know."
It was the world's supreme alliance, the Justice Heaven Alliance.
There was no place their eyes didn't reach, no place their power didn't extend.
If the Justice Heaven Alliance moved, the martial world would quake.
Namgung Jangcheon exhaled lowly.
"The changes in the martial world may have already begun."
"......"
"Send word. In the name of the Family Head."
* * *
Deep within the Sichuan Tang Clan stood the Palace of Ten Thousand Heavens.
The clan's leadership—elders, the Clan Head, and others—sat around a round table, filling the palace.
In stark contrast to the bustling crowd, the interior of the Palace of Ten Thousand Heavens was deathly silent.
A strange tension and ominous air hung over the hushed hall.
No one would guess from the atmosphere alone that these were the elites of the Sichuan Tang Clan, one of the Five Great Clans representing the orthodox martial world and a pillar of Sichuan's martial scene.
Their aura was so unique, it suffocated the spirit.
Thud, thud!
Into the silent Palace of Ten Thousand Heavens strode the Sichuan Tang Clan's Family Head, Tang Uicheon.
"We greet the Family Head!"
"We greet the Family Head!"
"Welcome, Family Head!"
The leadership rose and clasped their fists in salute.
Tang Uicheon lightly waved them down to sit.
He took his seat at the head and asked urgently.
"What in the world happened?"
Tang Uigeum, the clan's chief steward and master of the inner compound, answered.
"The Five Poisons Sect has appeared in the border regions near Xichang."
"It's definitely the Five Poisons Sect?"
"Yes! Their attire and martial arts match exactly."
Groans erupted from various corners of the Palace of Ten Thousand Heavens at Tang Uigeum's confident words.
Tang Uicheon furrowed his brow.
"Why have the Five Poisons Sect, who should be in the Southern Frontier, come all the way to Sichuan's borders through Xichang?!"
His voice was low but laced with fury.
No one in the Sichuan Tang Clan could hear the name Five Poisons Sect without agitation.
Just as Huashan and Zhongnan, or the Namgung Clan and Hebei Peng Clan were famed as bitter enemies, so too were the Sichuan Tang Clan and the Five Poisons Sect.
For ages, they had clashed endlessly over control of poisons.
Moreover, they divided each other as righteous and evil based on their roots, making their rift deeper than most.
Thus, from Tang Uicheon on down, no one in the Sichuan Tang Clan could hide their excitement at the name.
Tang Uigeum replied.
"It was a sudden assault. Their momentum was ferocious, like wildfire......"
"Speak precisely!"
"A force numbering around a thousand has invaded the border regions through Xichang!"
"A thousand?!"
Even Tang Uicheon, fuming with rage, faltered at the number.
The leadership stirred at the news of a thousand Poison Humans from the Five Poisons Sect.
"Are these bastards declaring war?!"
"How dare they cross into our territory!"
"We should have wiped their seed out during the Demonic Blood Tribulation!"
"Hmm!"
The elders bared their fangs in outrage.
Meanwhile, the Clan Head level expressed concern.
"A thousand-strong force is burdensome even for the main clan, isn't it?"
"Poison Humans from the Five Poisons Sect, no less! Each one capable of claiming hundreds of lives alone......"
"How did a thousand of them cross into Xichang?!"
"If it's revenge for a century ago......"
It was incomprehensible.
But whatever the reason or method, this was no ordinary crisis.
Whenever the Five Poisons Sect moved, bloodshed followed without fail.
Tang Uicheon groaned.
"Are they heading straight for Sichuan?"
"They're advancing unstoppable. Our warriors at the border were annihilated......"
"......"
A cold glint flashed in Tang Uicheon's eyes.
He had let the name Five Poisons Sect rile him too much.
A clan leader must remain rational.
'The situation is dire.'
Even the Sichuan Tang Clan, which repaid favors threefold and grudges tenfold, found the Five Poisons Sect burdensome.
'But no matter the numbers, for our clan's warriors to fall so easily!'
The Sichuan Tang Clan currently lacked the capacity.
They were locked in territorial disputes with Qingcheng and Emei in Sichuan, plus various other issues preventing them from facing the Five Poisons Sect.
What should a wise lord do in such times?
"Seeking aid from Qingcheng and Emei......"
"We've already requested, but no response."
"What?"
"They seem to view the Five Poisons Sect as solely our enemy."
"......Hmph! Those Nine Great Sect bastards!"
Damn it all.
Viewing the Five Poisons Sect, who might invade Sichuan, as only the Tang Clan's foe?
Tang Uicheon ground his teeth.
'I'll have revenge on them, personally!'
He swallowed his fury toward the Nine Great Sects, clenching his jaw.
Sweeping his gaze around, he spoke.
"Contact the Five Great Clans!"
"All of them?"
"Yes!"
"But......"
"In the end, the Five Great Clans are our allies. They can't abandon one of their own!"
Skeptical reactions arose from various parts of the hall.
"They'll probably ignore us......"
"After all we've done over the years."
"Hmm! Will they really step up? I doubt it."
"Hah, hahaha. It's not like they've snubbed us just once or twice."
"Why not hire ronin to prepare for the Five Poisons Sect?"
Veins bulged on Tang Uicheon's forehead.
He glared at the leadership and spat through gritted teeth.
"At least one will come running! If they do, the Tang Clan will honor that clan as our benefactor!"
"Family Head, that's......"
"I, Tang Uicheon, guarantee it. Transmit my words: The Tang Clan does not speak empty words! Send the payments as advance!"
The leadership fell silent at Tang Uicheon's rage-filled voice.
When the Sichuan Tang Clan's Family Head was determined, that was that.
Tang Uicheon said with fierce eyes blazing.
"I'll make them weep blood and regret ever eyeing Sichuan!"
And he'd make them regret even that regret, Tang Uicheon vowed.
He'd show exactly what happened to those who touched the Sichuan Tang Clan!
'Five Poisons Sect! No matter the reason they came, if even one of the Five Great Clans sends aid, I'll sweep them away immediately!'
The Tang Clan's leadership echoed his icy rage.
But none in the Sichuan Tang Clan could have foreseen it then.
That among the destinations of the letters they sent, one held a fiend who would chew up and spit out even the jaws of hell.