Chapter 236
Chapter 236
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 236
Chapter Title: The Sichuan Tang Family's Scale
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The Sichuan Tang Family's compound was enormous. After passing through the Tang Family Village, surrounded by walls like a fortress, a grand estate of majestic proportions came into view.
Sichuan Tang Family.
Just seeing the signboard with those bold, dragon-and-snake-like strokes made its majesty sink in.
A family with over seven hundred years of history—it carried the weight and power of those centuries.
The Thunder Dragon Squad and the Peng siblings paused for a moment, their mouths falling slightly open in awe.
Geon Cheon-hwi, Tak Hyeok-dong, and Jang Ung whispered among themselves.
‘What kind of gate makes you walk for a full incense stick's time just to get to the house?'
'I thought our main house was big, but compared to the Sichuan Tang Family, it's like a turtle shell. The Peng Family's just a booger.'
'Hey, watch your mouth. Peng-hyung's right there!'
'Ahem! They won't hear anyway.'
Rebuked, Tak Hyeok-dong glanced sideways at Peng Jung-hyuk for no reason.
'But I figured the Sichuan Tang Family would be littered with hidden weapons and poison everywhere. It's just a house?'
'Well, it is a house. You think they sleep on poison?'
'It's just different from what I imagined, that's all.'
The Hebei Peng Family raised kids sleeping with knives like dolls from infancy, and the Hwangbo Family had them punching wooden blocks.
'The Tang Family might sleep on poison, who knows.'
Geon Cheon-hwi and Jang Ung clicked their tongues and shook their heads at Tak Hyeok-dong's disappointed expression.
As the three bantered back and forth, Peng Jung-hyuk's eyes bulged with veins.
'Hmph! Hngh! It's not that big!'
'Oppa, it's freaking huge.'
'This is inefficient! The Peng Family is the pinnacle of practical, compact architecture—a fortress of mechanisms!'
'But it is big, though.'
'Size isn't everything!'
As Peng Jung-hyuk ground his teeth to defend his pride, Peng Yeon-hwa burst into giggles.
Worrying about the weirdest things.
'And what's with that sister?'
She'd been eyeing everything with sparkling eyes from earlier. It was easy to guess what she was thinking without asking.
She was probably plotting spars with the Tang Family warriors.
The twitching of her sword hand gave it away.
Even So Geol-gae, the Beggar Clan's little division head trailing behind, kept scanning the Sichuan Tang Family's interior.
As everyone shared their impressions of the family's scale, Tang Ui-cheon spoke up.
"It's been a long time since guests have entered our main compound."
Most visitors from outside never made it past the Tang Family Village.
Cases like this, entering the Sichuan Tang Family unimpeded, were truly rare.
"No one can scale our walls without the main family's permission. Not even the demonic cultists during the Demonic Blood Tribulation could enter without it."
"Demonic Blood Tribulation?"
"Indeed. Even those vicious demons couldn't breach these walls. They all turned to poisoned water and soaked into the ground first. This very earth is stained black with their toxic remains. Hahaha!"
Damn, the Tang Family's as ruthless as ever.
Tang-style humor on display?
Poison freaks.
Nangong-hyeok chuckled.
Tang Ui-cheon eyed him with satisfaction.
"Since the main family has acknowledged you, you needn't worry about hidden weapons or poison."
"Oh, thank you, sir."
"Haha! Come, let's head inside. You must try Sichuan cuisine."
Tang Ui-cheon led them laughing.
Entering the grand hall behind him, a veritable mountain of delicacies awaited.
The tables groaned under the weight, savory aromas assaulting their noses.
'Rice.'
'It's rice.'
'Whoa, it's steaming hot.'
'Gulp! I have to eat that.'
'Shit, how long's it been since I smelled food like this?'
Ten whole days.
Ten days.
They'd rushed nonstop from the Nangong Clan, choking on dust.
Covering over four hundred li a day.
What would take ordinary folk ten days, these superhumans crossed in a single day each.
It wasn't humanly possible.
Racing along official roads like madmen, leaping mountain ridges, they'd arrived in distant Sichuan.
For those who'd chewed jerky on the run, anything hot—even muddy water soup—would've been bliss.
So how could their eyes not roll and stomachs not rumble with these delicacies before them?
The vibrant colors of spicy, lavish Sichuan dishes captivated them utterly.
Twitch twitch!
Tang Ui-cheon chuckled heartily.
"Finish your meal first, then we'll talk. Eat comfortably. We'll clear out!"
Tang Ui-cheon and the Sichuan Tang Family members departed.
The moment they left, everyone pounced on the feast like wolves.
Chomp chomp!
Crunch crunch!
"Graaah! This hits the spot!"
"Whoa, real food at last!"
"Insane, insane! Food, food!"
"No food and just running! Damn it!"
"Aaaaoooh!"
"Son of a bitch, you feed 'em then make 'em run!"
Some even tossed spoons aside and shoveled with hands.
The tables turned into battlefields in seconds.
Tak Hyeok-dong and Geon Cheon-hwi wrestled over a chicken leg.
"Even cold water has an up and down! That's mine!"
"There's more over there!"
"There? There? I'll corn your ass!"
"Have some decorum! Even dogs don't mess with folks eating!"
"Eat yours first!"
Tak Hyeok-dong crammed meat into his mouth.
Jang Ung stabbed chunks with his twin blades.
Geon Cheon-hwi had long since silently claimed a rice bowl.
Hunger spared no noble heirs.
The Peng siblings dove into the food war with the Thunder Dragon Squad, while So Hye-yeon nimbly snatched dishes with her chopsticks.
Even Nangong-ryong of the world savored with half-glassy eyes—the undisputed king was So Geol-gae.
"Kehhehehe! What's this jackpot?"
"Crazy, using his beggar bowl as a ladle?!"
"That beggar!"
"Hey, grab him! Grab him!"
So Geol-gae scooped food ladle-style with his beggar bowl, jamming dishes spoon-style into his mouth with the other hand—a divine feat.
Like hungry ghosts at chow.
"Tsk tsk, even ghosts would eat cleaner than you lot."
Food scraps flew everywhere as Nangong Clan folk rampaged across the tables.
Twitch twitch!
'Whose fault is all this?!'
The one who'd made them froth and run for ten days shouldn't be sitting pretty!
'You can't just stay pristine alone!'
That monster bastard!
But none dared voice it.
One word, and they'd dig their own pit in the Sichuan Tang Family—they just buried heads and stuffed faces.
Nangong-hyeok clicked his tongue.
"Sigh, my fate. What hardships? Back in the day, I'd have carts of guys running for me."
Ah, the good old days!
Nangong-hyeok reminisced(?) while elegantly downing Seven-Veiled Chaos Brew.
Gulp gulp gulp!
"Grah! Killer! Worth the run!"
Crazy!
The group groaned.
* * *
Tang Ui-cheon let out a soft sigh.
"Rushing here without a proper meal for the main family! Their spirit and blood run truly hot, don't they?"
"They say they ran four thousand li. Astonishing. Heroes earn the name for a reason, Family Head."
"With the world's sects turning away, one letter brings them sprinting here—that alone proves them true heroes of the rivers and lakes."
Tang Ui-cheon was genuinely moved.
How long since his blood last boiled past forty?
Even he, devoid of illusions about jianghu loyalty, felt it—his household doubly so.
Tang Ui-geum and Tang Ui-ok brimmed with warmth and gratitude.
When all shunned ties to the Sichuan Tang Family, only the Nangong Clan stepped up unhesitatingly—they couldn't help but feel immense goodwill.
"None looked ordinary. The young masters especially, and their companions—all elite without doubt. A bit rough around the edges, but that only made them seem stronger."
"We underestimated the Nangong Clan."
"Rumors of their resurgence aren't groundless."
Tang Ui-cheon nodded deeply.
He realized the Nangong Clan's revival went beyond Nangong-hyeok and Nangong-ryong's feats at the Orthodox Alliance tournament.
"I was worried, truth be told. They're mostly later-generation disciples. But they'll surely aid the main family greatly."
"Yes!"
"The clash with the Five Poisons Sect isn't ordinary combat. With proper training, we can deploy them immediately."
A duel of poison sects.
Once it began, the area would choke with toxic mists—ordinary warriors wouldn't dare intervene.
They needed thorough preparation.
Tang Ui-geum asked quietly.
"Family Head, will you speak after their meal?"
"Once they've rested from the journey. Keep tabs on Five Poisons Sect movements meanwhile."
"Yes!"
Two of the Five Great Clans united? Crushing the Five Poisons Sect would be trivial.
'End our long grudge, seize their poison arts, and we'll leap another level.'
Sichuan Tang Family and Five Poisons Sect—each held what the other needed.
This war would fill those gaps, propelling them forward.
'Still no clue why they're lurking there, but...'
Crisis breeds opportunity.
'We'll crush the Five Poisons Sect this time, shattering Sichuan's balance!'
Become Sichuan's martial overlord, top the Five Great Clans, etch the Sichuan Tang Family's name across the world once more.
Tang Ui-cheon steeled his resolve with fierce determination.
"See the Nangong Clan wants for nothing—lavish treatment."
"Yes, Family Head."
"A day or two of utmost hospitality, and they'll be content?"
"We'll treat them like the Orthodox Alliance Leader. Haha!"
Tang Ui-cheon chuckled lightly at Tang Ui-geum's words.
Thus passed seven days.
* * *
"Those madmen are still guzzling booze?!"
Tang Ui-cheon gawked at Tang Ui-geum.
Tang Ui-geum stared back with hollowed eyes.
"...They drink nonstop, day in, day out. Consumption's not dropping—it's rising. We can't keep up."
"These lunatics breathe booze! How, without sleep?!"
"Maids and servants are collapsing one after another. Demanding liquor and snacks round the clock... They're addicted, addicted!"
Tang Ui-cheon's jaw dropped.
Servants fainting from over-serving booze?
Unheard of.
"Th-they came to help, and...!"
Too absurd; he couldn't continue.
Do they fill veins with wine?
Aid or plunder?
"I can't take it. I'll smash it up myself!"
The warmth of seven days prior vanished from his voice.
How long till they recovered and got to work?!
Tang Ui-cheon stormed to the guest hall, face twisted.
Tang Ui-geum and Tang Ui-ok followed.
Summoned for Five Poisons Sect, yet no chance to even broach it.
No opportunity carved out—naturally, his gut churned.
Tang Ui-cheon flung open the noisy doors to the uproarious hall.
"Now, about the Five Poisons Sect..."
Huff huff!
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
Clatter clatter! Clatter clatter clatter!
The scene inside dropped jaws from Tang Ui-cheon to his trailing executives.
Their eyes darted wildly, lost.
White silks flung into air, dozens of liquors raining from ceiling to floor, towers of snacks piled high.
A den of drink and debauchery.
This hall had been pristine mere days ago—now half-naked brutes hosed booze everywhere, hurling meat like hidden weapons into rivals' mouths...
What the hell were these guys doing?!
Speechless, Tang Ui-cheon's gaze caught Nangong-hyeok cackling in the corner.
Heh heh heh.
Amid thirty rowdy drinkers, Nangong-hyeok's sleazy laugh stood out; Tang Ui-cheon furrowed his brow.
A grin far from heroic spirit.
Crunch crunch.
Nangong-hyeok, gnawing a long black stick, locked eyes with him mid-air.
"Huh? Family Head?"
This bastard, so casually...
Hold on.
What was that thing he was chewing...?
"Th-that's..."
"Oh, this? Found it lying around, so I'm munching."
"Th-that's poison, you idiot!"
Nangong-hyeok chuckled heartily.
"Pardon?"
"What you're chewing!"
"Oh, this?"
Nangong-hyeok smirked.
"Ah, poison, huh? No wonder it's bitter."
Crunch crunch!
"......"
Tang Ui-cheon felt bone-deep that some seriously oddballs had arrived.