Chapter 8
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: A Line Crossed (2)
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The banquet began.
A lively atmosphere filled the grand hall, the first such feast in a long while.
“The Family Head is arriving.”
The hall fell silent in an instant.
Cheon Wigang, the head of the Cheon Family, appeared, dressed in immaculate robes.
*Rumble!*
Cheon Wigang's presence, like that of a finely honed sword, was the very model of a master swordsman.
The absolute ruler of the Cheon Family, Cheon Wigang, took his seat on the dragon-carved throne.
“We have a special guest today.”
Cheon Wigang gave a signal.
“Next, let us welcome the honored guest from the Sichuan Tang Clan.”
*Murmur, murmur!*
Why would people from the Sichuan Tang Clan be here?
Most had not heard of this beforehand, and the hall was filled with surprise.
“Ah…”
But the commotion soon subsided.
It was because of Dang So-hye, who had just appeared.
No flowery words could do justice to the beauty of her form as she walked slowly forward.
*Ssshh.*
A chill seemed to emanate from her, yet with just a faint, small smile, she radiated a brilliance like the sun, observing the entire world.
“The Ice Flower…”
The beauty of Dang So-hye, also known as the First Beauty of Sichuan, was renowned throughout the Central Plains.
Why would someone like her come to the Cheon Family?
Questioning gazes turned toward Cheon Wigang.
As soon as Dang So-hye was seated in the designated guest of honor's seat, Cheon Wigang rose and declared to all.
“The Cheon Family and the Sichuan Tang Clan intend to advance our relationship through marriage.”
“...!”
“Then, surely not…”
“With that scoundrel, the Great Young Lord?”
Who could possibly be marrying Dang So-hye?
The only plausible person was Cheon Muryang.
“That is correct.”
*Thud!*
Cheon Wigang's announcement was nothing short of shocking.
“The Great Young Lord… where is the Great Young Lord?”
Everyone looked for Cheon Muryang.
*Creeak!*
The banquet hall doors, which had been firmly shut after the members of the Sichuan Tang Clan entered, swung open.
“...!”
The ones who appeared as the doors opened were Cheon Muryang and Cheon Seonhak.
“I am here.”
A few wondered why he entered with Cheon Seonhak, but there was a more important matter at hand.
Cheon Muryang headed toward his seat.
Whether by design or coincidence, it was next to Dang So-hye.
“We meet again, Young Lord.”
“...”
Cheon Muryang didn't even turn his head.
He simply stared straight at Cheon Wigang, who was watching him.
“Family Head.”
“Speak.”
“Please call off this marriage.”
The silent banquet hall once again began to stir with commotion.
*Twitch!*
Cheon Wigang's brow furrowed.
It looked like nothing more than the tantrum of a childish brat, unable to understand for whose sake this was being done.
A heavy pressure naturally emanated from him.
Just as he was about to roar in anger...
“I, too, agree.”
Another voice, carrying an undeniable presence, stopped him.
This time, bewilderment filled Cheon Wigang's eyes.
“Seonhak...?”
He had never expected his own younger brother to oppose this.
“What is the meaning of this?”
“I mean that I agree with the Great Young Lord's opinion. Please reconsider the marriage with the Sichuan Tang Clan.”
“...”
Cheon Wigang did not hide his fury.
*CRASH!*
*Crack!*
Cheon Wigang shot up from his seat with enough force to shatter the chair.
Though the windows were clearly closed, a fierce gale swept through the hall.
“Hah!”
A pressure so intense it could make one's heart drop.
Cheon Wigang, standing at its center, exuded the majestic aura of an absolute ruler.
“How dare you!”
But Cheon Seonhak did not back down.
“Do you truly intend to defy my will!”
“For what purpose are you bringing the Tang Clan into this? Do you not know there is nothing to be gained?”
*Grind!*
As the tense clash of auras continued, the banquet was ruined.
The servants who hadn't learned martial arts cowered in fear, and even those who had...
...dared not do anything in the face of such pressure.
They could only wait for it to pass.
“Everything is for the sake of the family! Do you truly not understand?”
“I do not.”
There was not an inch of retreat.
Just before it escalated into a catastrophe...
“That is enough.”
Cheon Muryang's voice cut in between the two.
At that, as if he had been waiting, Cheon Seonhak relaxed his aura.
“...”
Cheon Wigang, too.
Though he felt a lingering unease, he withdrew his presence.
Silence fell as if nothing had happened.
“My mind has not changed. I will not go through with this marriage. You might as well cast me out.”
“You insolent whelp!”
“However, I must do what needs to be done.”
Cheon Muryang rose from his seat.
He drew his sword and swung it toward Dang So-hye in a single motion.
*Swish!*
A sword flew in to intercept.
Its owner was one of the bodyguards who had provoked Cheon Muryang.
*CLANG!*
The Heavenly Light Sword was repelled.
It was a clear difference in strength.
Watching this, Dang So-hye stared at Cheon Muryang with cold eyes.
“What is the meaning of this?”
“Hand it over. The antidote.”
“The antidote...? Are you saying you'll make an enemy of the Tang Clan over a mere servant?”
“She is not a mere servant.”
“...?”
“She is my person.”
“How amusing.”
Dang So-hye took a glass vial from her robes.
It was likely the antidote.
“I can't just give it to you. Ah, don't misunderstand. It's simply our family's motto.”
“...”
“Unless you agree to a condition.”
Dang So-hye subtly dangled the bait.
Bait he had no choice but to take, even knowing what it was.
“Name it.”
“Defeat my bodyguard.”
“Is that all?”
“Yes. Is this not the way of martial families?”
“Fine. I accept.”
*Smirk.*
Cheon Muryang smiled.
Everything was going according to plan.
Unaware of this, Dang So-hye could only look at his smile with puzzlement.
“You. Step forward.”
“...”
In an instant, the banquet hall became a training ground.
It was the man who had swung his sword at Woryeong.
“What is this foolishness?”
Cheon Wigang stepped forward.
A duel?
Who was dueling whom?
It was a duel that shouldn't even be happening.
“I will handle this.”
“...!”
Cheon Wigang felt something was strange.
The old Cheon Muryang would have run away long ago.
But he didn't.
Cheon Muryang declared he would handle it and raised his sword.
‘Come to think of it…’
Only then did Cheon Wigang notice what had changed.
‘He's lost weight? How did that happen?’
Cheon Wigang glanced at Cheon Seonhak.
As if he had never opposed him with his aura, Cheon Seonhak gave a slight nod.
‘Is that so.’
Cheon Wigang said nothing.
It was a tacit approval.
Cheon Muryang held the Heavenly Light Sword with a solemn stance.
His opponent, however, was relaxed.
‘Right. You're still stronger. I know it, and you know it.’
Despite his outward appearance, Cheon Muryang did not rush in.
He slowly waited for the right moment.
‘There will only be one chance.’
His caution could easily be mistaken for a bluff.
At least, that was how Dang So-hye's bodyguard saw it.
‘The scoundrel Great Young Lord... putting on a brave face out of pride until the very end.’
He sneered inwardly.
They had already crossed swords.
He remembered how Cheon Muryang's sword had been deflected even when he hadn't used his full strength.
That meant a significant gap existed between them.
There was no way that scoundrel could block his sword.
‘This is going to hurt quite a bit.’
*Swish!*
His sword shot forward with piercing sharpness.
It was a thrust the scoundrel Great Young Lord would be helpless to counter.
He wasn't using his full power, but he judged this would be more than enough.
“Good, you moved just as I expected.”
The thrust followed a straight trajectory.
But, just before it reached Cheon Muryang...
...its path twisted.
“...!”
It wasn't just the sword.
His entire body felt as if it were being sucked toward Cheon Muryang's blade.
*Whoosh!*
A small gust of wind erupted at the center of it all, and at the same time, that wind soared upward as if ascending to the heavens.
“Th-this is!”
*Vwoom!*
The clear ring of the Heavenly Light Sword echoed.
Then, a sharp wind, like a tempest, engulfed him.
The rage coiled within it was palpable.
“You touched something you never should have.”
“...!”
*Slice!*
Blood stained the blade of the Heavenly Light Sword.
*Thud!*
His right arm dropped to the floor.
“Aaaaargh!”
The bodyguard screamed.
But Cheon Muryang's gaze, fixed on the bodyguard and Dang So-hye, was colder than ice.
“No one touches a person of the Cheon Family. You'd do well to carve that into the Tang Clan's motto.”
“...I can't just let that remark slide.”
Dang So-hye was not alone.
The Tang Clan retainers who accompanied her were by no means weak.
*Shing!*
They all drew their swords in unison.
Furthermore, a middle-aged man who had been silent until now unfolded his arms and stood beside Dang So-hye.
“It seems it's time for you to step in, Uncle.”
Dang So-hye called him uncle.
A strange energy began to radiate from his entire body.
*Vwoooooom!*
“Hey, you're not the only one with an uncle. I'll need you to step up.”
“Hmm... very well.”
At that, Cheon Seonhak stepped forward.
That wasn't all.
“Also, the Young Lord is not alone.”
“...?”
Neung Ryeoun and Cha Myeonghak stepped forward.
Behind them stood the trainees inspired by Cheon Muryang, each holding a sword.
“You all…”
“This is the Cheon Family estate. The Young Lord is the Great Young Lord of the Cheon Family. Who would dare harm the Great Young Lord here, in his own home?”
Neung Ryeoun was holding a wooden sword.
Seeing this, Cheon Muryang laughed.
“Right. This is what a proper family looks like.”
“...”
The situation was not in their favor.
Dang So-hye was not foolish enough to be unaware of this.
“The situation is not good.”
“I know.”
“But to retreat now would be humiliating.”
“Yes. Even if we must retreat, we should at least get our money's worth for the trip, shouldn't we?”
The taut tension was like the string of a zither about to snap.
At this, Dang So-hye stepped forward.
“Family Head.”
“Speak.”
“I never knew the Cheon Family treated its honored guests this way.”
“No, I was not speaking to you, young lady.”
Without even glancing at Dang So-hye, Cheon Wigang asked Cheon Muryang.
“Tell me who laid a hand on a person of the Cheon Family.”
“My handmaiden, Woryeong, was poisoned.”
“Poison…”
Finally, Cheon Wigang's gaze turned to Dang So-hye.
“Is that true?”
“Over a mere handmaiden! Are you pressuring the Tang Clan over this?”
“I believe I told you, she is not a mere handmaiden.”
*Rumble!*
Cheon Wigang's gaze grew fierce.
“It seems... the marriage with the Tang Clan is off. You should know this and take your leave.”
*Grit.*
Dang So-hye's face twisted.
Even that was beautiful, but to Cheon Muryang, it was simply foul.
“How, how dare you!”
“If you will not withdraw…”
Cheon Wigang finally drew his sword.
In that moment, not only the silent Cheon Dragon and Cheon Phoenix Sword Corps, but everyone attending the banquet drew their swords.
“The Tang Clan will learn why the sword of the Heavenly Dragon shakes the martial world.”
“Y-you!”
“We must retreat.”
“...”
Dang So-hye knew this was not the time to be stubborn, so she suppressed her emotions.
“Today's humiliation... I will never forget it.”
“Enough. Hand over the antidote.”
“...”
Dang So-hye threw the glass vial containing the antidote to Cheon Muryang.
“Then we shall be on our way.”
As soon as he had it, Cheon Muryang left the banquet hall.
He was going to give the antidote to Woryeong.
She seethed with rage watching him leave, but Cheon Wigang's order to depart followed.
“Are you still here?”
In the end, the members of the Tang Clan had to sheathe their weapons and were chased out of the Cheon Family estate as if they were fleeing.
“Cheon Muryang…”
Dang So-hye had never been treated like this anywhere.
And so, her anger froze solid, like frost in the height of summer.
“He's completely different from what we expected.”
“Indeed. They called him a scoundrel of the age, but that information was wrong. Tsk.”
The two of them looked at the man whose arm had been severed.
The situation was entirely different from what they had anticipated.
“What a shame. This was a golden opportunity to use the Cheon Family to advance into Zhejiang.”
“...We will meet again, Cheon Muryang.”
Vowing to settle the score one day, the members of the Tang Clan departed.