Chapter 45: Tang Clan Meeting - 2
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 45: Tang Clan Meeting - 2
"............."
"............."
The meeting hall froze at Tang Jin-cheol’s radical declaration.
The Godok Hall, out of nowhere? What on earth was he talking about?
What was the Godok Hall?
It was a restricted poison zone, teeming with toxic creatures and miasmas capable of lethal poisoning even a first-class master. Furthermore, it was riddled with mechanical formations and traps so dangerous that a single mistake could cost one's life.
Under the pretext of forging a powerful successor, the Godok Hall was a relic of the worst kind of tradition—a tool used to incite fratricide and purge the influence of in-law factions. Even the most depraved members of the evil and heretical sects would recoil at its cruelty, which was why the practice had been all but abandoned several generations ago.
Yet today, the current Clan Head, Tang Jin-cheol, was attempting to reopen the Godok Hall in his own era.
"That is preposterous!"
The first to raise his voice was the First Elder, Tang Ju-gi.
"No matter how difficult the selection of a successor may be, reopening the Godok Hall is unthinkable. Please, reconsider, Clan Head!"
He cut through the air with a resolute tone. No matter the struggle for succession, reviving an evil custom that incited kin-slaying was madness.
"He is right! The Godok Hall is an absurdity!"
"We cannot revive such a gruesome and wicked tradition!"
"We cannot incite conflict between brothers!"
"Absolutely not!"
Starting with the First Elder, the other elders began to voice their dissent one by one. Every single one of them opposed the reopening of the Godok Hall.
"Please, reconsider this once more, Clan Head. This is far too extreme a measure," even the Grand Elder, Tang Hak-ju, stepped forward to dissuade Tang Jin-cheol.
As the opinions poured in, the meeting hall heated up once again. Of course, the atmosphere was different from when they were bickering amongst themselves. Now, they were united in their opposition to the Godok Hall.
Slam!
"Enough."
As the heat grew excessive, Tang Jin-cheol struck the table once more.
"Then do the elders and grand elders have a better solution?"
At Tang Jin-cheol’s question, everyone in the hall fell silent, as if they had been struck dumb. None of them could think of a proper alternative either.
There were fifteen candidates. Choosing just one among them was an incredibly daunting task. But even so, the Godok Hall was simply too much.
"Why not select the successor through a fair contest instead of the Godok Hall!" First Elder Tang Ju-gi finally spoke after the long silence.
"And how long would that take?" Tang Jin-cheol replied indifferently.
How long would it take to have fifteen sons compete, evaluate them, and finally select a successor? Even if they held a contest, who would determine the fairness and credibility of the evaluations? If left to the elders and grand elders, it was obvious that the most powerful faction would simply install their own candidate.
That would inevitably lead to backlash and deepen the rift of resentment. Once that rift festered to its limit, a bloody wind would sweep through the Tang Clan.
Currently, warriors from five different in-law factions were stationed within the clan. They were ready to draw their swords at any moment for their respective factions, possessing the potential to escalate any situation to the absolute worst.
He couldn't let that happen.
Did they think he wanted to open the Godok Hall? No matter how many there were, they were all his sons, sharing his blood. No matter how cold-blooded he might be, he wasn't some heartless monster. What father would want to drive his children into a death trap?
But for the stability of the clan, it was an unavoidable choice. The factional infighting over the succession had grown too large to control. The elders and grand elders had already split into camps, and the in-law factions had become far too powerful.
Everything had to be cleaned up.
Opening the Godok Hall was an unthinkable act for a father, but for a Clan Head, there was no better option.
"Even if we proceed with a contest, who will judge its fairness, rationality, and legitimacy?"
"That would be for the Council of Elders and the Hall of Elders to..."
"Then in the end, the one supported by the strongest faction will become the Young Clan Head. Could you all truly accept that?"
".........."
".........."
There was no way they could. They were well aware that under the current circumstances, a fair contest was impossible.
"I am well aware that each of you elders and grand elders belongs to a faction and is engaged in a power struggle. I also know that you are receiving help from in-law factions in those struggles."
The hall began to stir at the Clan Head's words. Things that had been done implicitly were being officially addressed for the first time.
"If this succession struggle intensifies further, the Tang Clan will eventually be torn apart by these outside influences. Surely, that is not what you want?"
"........."
"........."
Everyone remained silent. They knew the Clan Head was right.
"Since we are only human, I believe it is natural to desire power. I have no intention of suppressing that. However, I believe we must at least refrain from actions that diminish the strength of the Tang Clan. And I believe the elders and grand elders agree with me on this."
The atmosphere shifted as the elders and grand elders began to accept Tang Jin-cheol’s sincere words. Although they were fighting for their factions, they were still blood relatives of the Tang Clan. No one wanted to see the clan's power wane.
"Therefore, I hereby declare the opening of the Godok Hall to eliminate the source of this turmoil. Of course, I will not indiscriminately throw every direct descendant into the hall as was done in the past. I have established several regulations for entry."
Tang Jin-cheol took a breath and continued.
"First, entry into the Godok Hall is strictly voluntary. Should there be any coercion or threats, I will personally step forward to deliver severe punishment."
Tang Jin-cheol did not want his sons sacrificed to the political games of these old foxes, so he played a strong hand. Only those with their own will could apply for entry. He didn't know how effective his words would be, but at the very least, they wouldn't be able to pressure the candidates openly.
"Second, entry will only be permitted to those who have achieved at least the 5th stage of the Ten Thousand Streams Return to the Source Divine Art."
The Ten Thousand Streams Return to the Source Divine Art was a secret cultivation method passed down only to the direct bloodline of the Tang Clan. It treated both poison and internal energy as part of a single world, circulating them constantly to achieve harmony. Depending on the need, one could turn internal energy into poisonous qi or convert poisonous qi back into internal energy. For those who handled poison arts, it was the ultimate divine art.
However, because it sought harmony between poison and energy, one could only reach high levels of achievement if their body was strong enough to withstand the poison within and the internal energy accumulated over a long time. Reaching the 5th stage was equivalent to achieving the status of at least a first-class martial artist.
"As you all know, the interior of the Godok Hall is filled with poisonous qi so potent that even first-class warriors find it difficult to endure. In my judgment, children who have not reached the 5th stage of the Ten Thousand Streams Return to the Source Divine Art will be poisoned before they can take a single step. Therefore, I am setting the 5th stage as the minimum requirement for entry."
Tang Jin-cheol’s words were true. The toxins within the poison zone were beyond imagination; children with slow progress in the divine art would surely die of poisoning before they even set foot inside. The elders and grand elders nodded, though their expressions remained uneasy. It was a valid point, but many candidates had not yet reached the 5th stage.
"The final condition is that I will allow participants to withdraw midway."
The room buzzed at his words. This was unprecedented since the creation of the Godok Hall. Wasn't the Godok Hall a place where one fought with their life on the line until only one remained?
"However, anyone who withdraws from the Godok Hall will lose their right to the succession and will be barred from participating in clan affairs under any circumstances."
The grand elders and elders agreed to this as well. If both the right to succession and the rights of a direct descendant were stripped, even if they survived, they wouldn't dare attempt a rebellion or plot.
"I hope you will understand this with a broad mind, as the final mercy of a heartless father trying to leave at least some path of survival for his children."
Having finished his speech, Tang Jin-cheol closed his eyes. Though he had declared the opening, his heart was heavy with the thought of driving his children toward death. As a Clan Head, it was the best choice, but as a father, it was the worst. Still, on the off chance that there was a child who valued their life more than honor, he wanted to give them a way out. That was why he added the unprecedented condition of allowing withdrawal.
After Tang Jin-cheol finished speaking, a cold silence hung over the once-heated meeting hall. No one spoke, and everyone glanced at each other.
It was then.
"We obey the Clan Head's command!"
Grand Elder Tang Hak-ju was the first to speak.
"We obey the command!"
Next was First Elder Tang Ju-gi.
"We obey the command!"
"We obey the command!"
As soon as they finished, the other elders and grand elders began to follow suit one after another. It was the moment the reopening of the Godok Hall was decided.
*
There are numerous pavilions within the Tang Clan estate. In the Tang Clan, which formed a society centered on bloodlines, the estate was divided between direct and branch families. Among them, direct descendants were each assigned their own pavilion.
Tang Se-gi had also been assigned a small pavilion, but it was located so far in a corner that very few people ever passed by. For Sun-woo, who had taken over Tang Se-gi's body, this was a stroke of luck.
After the Great Matriarch, who had visited his pavilion, left, Sun-woo fell into deep thought. He was thinking about her.
She was far too young and alluring to be a married woman who had borne several children. The small mole under her eye enhanced her charm, and her slightly sharp eyes added a layer of haughtiness. When such a woman radiated motherly affection, she couldn't help but be beautiful.
The memory of her warm breath and the sensation of her breasts was still vivid. Her breath, which leaked out like a sob, stimulated his hearing to the point of madness, and the sensation of those large tits when she held him in her arms had made his phallus stand erect.
Gulp.
He swallowed involuntarily, feeling the strength surging into his cock. As she left the pavilion, the image of her rear swaying gently haunted his mind. Of course, she hadn't swayed her hips intentionally in front of him, but for Sun-woo, that movement provided an unbearable surge of heat.
He wanted to pull down that red skirt right now, strip off her traditional undergarments, and bury his cock madly into the secret forest hidden between the black thicket.
How warm would her insides be? How tight would her grip be?
Sun-woo found himself imagining having sex with her. His eyes began to glaze over with lust. His breathing grew ragged. He wanted to grab his cock right then and there and shake it to his heart's content.
But Sun-woo raised the hand that was heading for his crotch and slapped his own left cheek.
Slap!
With the slap, his glazed eyes returned to normal, and his ragged breathing began to steady.
Slap!
Slap!
'Fuck, am I crazy?'
Slapping himself a few more times, Sun-woo began to reflect. This damn libido was the problem. If he thought about it, his first time with Ok-ryeong was also largely due to this insanely overflowing sexual desire.
Ever since Sun-woo and Jang Sam’s memories had merged into one, every emotion he felt seemed twice as sensitive and rich. He got excited faster, felt deeper sorrow, and grew angrier. This applied to his sexual desire as well; a lust far greater than anything he'd known before had emerged. When the libido of a vigorous man in his twenties was added to the mix, the repercussions were significant.
There were internal reasons why his lust flared up enough to cause an erection from even light contact. Sun-woo was troubled by this cock that stood up at the slightest provocation. He could manage his emotions as they came, but the fact that his sexual desire kept making his phallus stand was a problem. Unless he found a solution, he was bound to face a major disaster.
Of course, no easy answer came to mind. He couldn't exactly cut off his cock just because it got hard all the time, could he? It was, after all, proof of how healthy he was.
'Ah, whatever.'
When no answer came despite his brooding, Sun-woo stood up and began to get dressed. He intended to take a walk around the mansion to cool his frustrated mind. He had been ordered to stay under house arrest, but wasn't the entire Tang Clan estate his "house"?
Sun-woo soon put on a relaxed expression and prepared to step out of the pavilion.