Chapter 63: The Succession Contest Begins - 1
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 63: The Succession Contest Begins - 1
Twitch. Twitch.
A man’s entire body began to spasm as if he had been struck by lightning.
Tremble, tremble, tremble.
"Hahaha! He has awakened! He has finally awakened!"
Soon, the man began to scream in pure ecstasy. It was the very thing he had been longing for. He couldn't help but be overjoyed.
After his fit of manic laughter, the man quickly composed himself. He was currently on a main road; he couldn't afford to draw unnecessary attention.
The man looked toward the main gate of the Sichuan Tang Clan in the distance. The Sichuan Tang Clan—a family called the greatest in the Central Plains, far beyond just being the best in Sichuan.
They would make an excellent sacrifice to herald the arrival of his great master. The man felt an itch of excitement spreading through his entire body.
*
Great Elder Tang Hak-ju was currently in a difficult position.
"Why are you silent?"
The cause was the woman standing right before him: the Second Madam, Lee So-ok. He was nursing a massive headache because of her preposterous proposal.
"Second Madam, it is impossible to send anyone other than the succession candidates into the Godok Hall."
"Are you saying we should just leave Jeong-ah in danger? Jeong-ah is the Eldest Young Lord! He is the most legitimate successor to this clan!"
"Even so, rules are rules. The Godok Hall is designed to test a candidate's worth as the future leader through competition. How can you suggest we send others inside?"
Tang Hak-ju firmly rejected Lee So-ok’s absurd demand. No matter how much she wanted the Eldest Young Lord to win the competition, smuggling outsiders into the Godok Hall was out of the question.
"Is not the ability to borrow the strength of others also a form of skill? If someone admires our Jeong-ah's character so much that they are willing to risk their life to enter the Godok Hall with him, who are we to stop them?"
It was pure sophistry. Lee So-ok was spouting nonsense.
"The Clan Head will not stand for this."
"Is not the ability to avoid getting caught also a test of skill?"
Lee So-ok let out a seductive laugh. Watching her, Tang Hak-ju shuddered.
She was a temptress among temptresses. It was baffling how enchanting she remained; even though she was nearing seventy, her laughter still had the power to fascinate.
However, Tang Hak-ju quickly shook his head. He couldn't fall for it. If he didn't stop her now, an irreversible catastrophe might occur. The woman before him was severely underestimating Tang Jin-cheol.
The strongest master in the Tang Clan, a man of peerless power, was the Poison King Tang Jin-cheol. If he discovered that such a foul trick had been played during the sacred contest, he would certainly show no mercy—whether it was to his Second Madam, Lee So-ok, or to the Great Elder himself.
He had to stop her. Even if everyone else was swayed, it was a certainty that the Clan Head would never tolerate this. Tang Jin-cheol was that kind of man. He possessed both the strength and the authority to enforce his will.
At Tang Hak-ju’s stubborn resistance, Lee So-ok furrowed her fine brows. Why was this stiff old man being so uncooperative? Was he trying to get her beloved son killed?
Who was Tang Jeong? He was the legitimate son of the Poison King Tang Jin-cheol and the Eldest Young Lord. Who else but him was fit to inherit the position of Clan Head?
From the beginning, she had hated the idea of the Godok Hall. Why force a competition when there was already a legitimate heir? She was even worried that her precious son might die.
It was then that 'he' had told her he would enter the Godok Hall to protect Tang Jeong. He had promised to help Tang Jeong become the successor by any means necessary. But now, this narrow-minded old man was standing in the way, and she couldn't help but feel irritated.
"Great Elder, do you actually support Jeong-ah? To me, it looks like you're practically praying for his downfall."
"Second Madam, please judge the situation rationally instead of being swayed by emotion. If the Clan Head finds out, it will be the end for all of us."
"I will take full responsibility. Just proceed."
She flatly cut off Tang Hak-ju’s concerns. What did it matter if they were caught? Even if they were, a few months of disciplinary probation would surely be enough.
Tang Hak-ju sighed deeply at her reckless attitude. It seemed she truly didn't understand the man named Tang Jin-cheol. When it came to matters of Clan Law, Tang Jin-cheol was more decisive than anyone in dealing out punishment. If they were caught, the heads of everyone involved would roll.
Yet, Lee So-ok treated it as a trivial matter, which only increased his frustration.
‘Stupid woman.’
She was an utterly foolish woman. If it weren't for her beautiful face and her prestigious family background, she was so stupid, greedy, and selfish that she never would have set foot in the Tang Clan.
A flash of regret crossed Tang Hak-ju’s mind. As someone who valued tradition, he had been the first to align himself with Lee So-ok because she was the first to produce a legitimate son. He hadn't realized that the rope he grabbed was rotten to the core.
If he could go back in time, he would stop himself at any cost. But they were already in the same boat. If he jumped ship now, he would be left in a precarious position. He couldn't allow that.
"Do you have a specific plan?" Tang Hak-ju sighed and asked.
"Great Elder, just do exactly as I say."
Hearing that, Lee So-ok continued with a hauntingly seductive smile.
*
Third Madam Geum Jeok-hwa was currently staring at the man before her with a look of extreme displeasure.
He was the benefactor of the Mangeum Bank, which was operated by the Geum Clan. Since the Mangeum Bank managed business funds using money deposited by customers, they tended to pursue only safe and certain ventures, even if the profits were small. Because they were operating with other people's money, the ironclad rule of the Mangeum Bank was never to take unnecessary risks.
This rule had been strictly followed for generations, allowing the Mangeum Bank to build great wealth through reputation and trust. However, her father, the current head of the Mangeum Bank, was not satisfied with this. He was always discontented, thinking it would be better to earn tens or hundreds of times more through risky ventures rather than making small, safe profits.
He had been bold—and eventually broke the ancestral rules. He invested a massive sum into a Western Merchant Caravan Expedition. While spices, jewelry, and various rare ornaments from the West guaranteed enormous profits, the journey was treacherous, and the path inevitably led through areas swarming with bandits and marauders. The risk was far too high.
Blinded by greed, the head of the Mangeum Bank went through with it anyway, and the resulting loss was so great that the bank was pushed to the brink of bankruptcy. The caravan heading West had been completely plundered by unknown enemies. Upon hearing the news, customers began withdrawing their money, and the Mangeum Bank faced imminent collapse.
Unable to find a solution, the head of the bank could only stomp his feet in frustration, blaming his own foolishness. It was then that this man appeared. He invested a staggering amount of capital into the Mangeum Bank, allowing it to survive. Since then, the man had become an irreplaceable benefactor and a precious client.
That relationship had continued to this day. Today, through his connection with the head of the bank, he had arranged a meeting with Geum Jeok-hwa and made her an outrageous proposal.
"Do you really think that makes sense?"
"Is anything in this world truly impossible?" the man replied with a chuckle. "If this matter is handled well, making the Fourth Young Lord the successor will not be difficult."
"Nonsense. Do you think the Clan Head will just stand by?"
Unlike Lee So-ok, she was a woman who understood the Tang Clan Head well. Even though she was his wife, he would cast her aside without hesitation if she committed such an act.
"Madam, you must look further ahead. If the Fourth Young Lord is not appointed as the successor, do you think you will be able to maintain your current influence?"
He was right. If the Fourth Young Lord, Tang San, failed to become the successor, her position would be shaken, and her voice within the family would naturally lose its power. Ultimately, she would be pushed aside into the back rooms.
"You must stake everything on this. You seem to be taking this too lightly. The other wives may have already made their moves."
The man spoke with a feigned air of gravity. He wasn't wrong. It was certain that the other wives were using every trick in the book to gain an advantage.
Even so, Geum Jeok-hwa felt uneasy. It was due to her fear of the Clan Head and her suspicion of the man before her. What did he have to gain by helping her? Their only connection was that he was a client of the Mangeum Bank. She doubted his motives.
"What is your objective?" Geum Jeok-hwa asked point-blank. She felt that beating around the bush would be a waste of time.
"Hahaha, I'm not sure what you mean." The man let out a hearty laugh.
"I don't believe this is something you would do out of pure goodwill. Furthermore, we aren't close enough for that, and this doesn't seem to benefit you in any way," Geum Jeok-hwa continued calmly.
Certainly, if he helped, Tang San would likely win the contest and become the successor. But it was suspicious—him showing up out of nowhere to make such a ridiculous proposal. If they were caught by the Clan Head, not only she but the man himself would face death. Why would he take such a risk?
"That is certainly true. We are not that close. However, it is not as if there is no benefit for me." The man grinned as he continued. "Are you aware that the Bank Head is currently expanding his business by using the Tang Clan's name?"
She was aware. Forgetting how he had almost ruined everything with reckless ventures, the Bank Head was conducting various businesses using the Tang Clan's prestige. Though he had failed several times, the Tang Clan's name was still attractive enough to draw in numerous investors.
"Since I have also invested a lot of money in the Mangeum Bank, I do not wish for your influence within the Tang Clan to diminish."
Geum Jeok-hwa fell into thought at his words. As he said, if her influence waned, the businesses her father had started by selling the Tang Clan's name would collapse in an instant. The damage would then naturally fall upon the investors. The man seemed to want to avoid that.
"I will think about it more."
Even so, she couldn't readily accept his proposal. While it was true she had to stake everything, the risk was too great. To commit fraud in the succession contest... the Clan Head, who valued the family's honor above all else, would never let such a transgression slide.
‘Clever girl.’
The man cursed inwardly at Geum Jeok-hwa’s reaction. This was a completely different situation from the brainless Lee So-ok. In the case of Lee So-ok, who was filled with lust and greed, he only had to whisper sweet nothings and stimulate her desires to get her to follow him. But this woman was far too cautious.
"Then I shall visit you again tomorrow."
The man bowed deeply and quietly withdrew. He knew that pushing her now would only be counterproductive.
Creak.
The door closed, and Geum Jeok-hwa stared intently at it. The proposal he offered was incredibly dangerous, but it was so sweet that it was hard to refuse. She sank into deep thought.
*
Sun-woo closed his eyes and circulated the Yin-Yang Harmony Divine Art.
Vrooooooom!
Green poisonous qi began to swirl around Sun-woo’s body. It was a massive amount, incomparable to before.
Snap!
Opening his eyes, Sun-woo concentrated the swirling poison into his palm. His palm began to glow with a vibrant green light. He had manifested a Poison Palm.
Thwack!
Sun-woo struck the stone wall with his Poison Palm.
Sssssssss!
As soon as the palm touched it, the stone wall began to melt away. The power was immense. If it had been a human made of flesh and blood, even their internal organs would have dissolved.
Watching the melting stone wall, Sun-woo cheered inwardly. He had perfected his own Poison Palm.
"Hehehehe."
He couldn't stop himself from laughing. Through an unexpected stroke of luck, he had gained an unimaginable ability. The existence of the Poison Palm would make him even stronger.
"That's impressive."
Just then, Tang Seo-yoon’s voice came from behind him.
"When did you get here?"
"When you were melting the wall with your Poison Palm."
She spoke calmly, but she was inwardly shocked. Simply emitting poisonous qi and concentrating it into one spot required a high level of technical skill. Yet, the man before her had achieved it in just a few weeks. She looked at Sun-woo as if he were a monster.
"Am I that handsome?"
Feeling her gaze, Sun-woo spoke playfully.
"Crazy bastard."
At Sun-woo’s joke, she let out a small laugh.
"How is the Great Matriarch?"
"You don't have to worry about her anymore."
Since that day, Sun-woo had frequently visited the Great Matriarch’s quarters. As Tang Seo-yoon had requested, it was to stabilize her unstable condition. Sun-woo had given her plenty of attention, whispered sweet words of love into her ear, and satisfied her desires. She likely wouldn't be making any more extreme choices. Having confirmed Sun-woo’s affection, she was blissfully happy.
"Then all that's left is the Godok Hall."
"Right. Now we just have to wait for it to open."
Sun-woo was confident. With his realm at the Upper Stage of the Super-Peak and the poison arts he had acquired through Tang Seo-yoon, it was clear that no one could defeat him. How could the other candidates, who were at most in the Peak Realm, possibly handle him?
Sun-woo couldn't help but smirk.
"Hehehe."
Everything was going perfectly.
*
A massive crowd had gathered before the giant iron gate. At the very front stood the Elders and Great Elders of the Tang Clan, and behind them were numerous direct and collateral bloodline members.
Today was a historic day. It was the day of the contest for the position of successor, the one who would lead the next generation. Everyone was excited. Their own standing within the clan would change drastically depending on who won the competition. From the Elders to the collateral members, there wasn't a single person who wasn't tied to a faction. Everyone watched with bated breath, hoping for the victory of the candidate they supported.
Step. Step.
Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed from behind the crowd. A middle-aged man dressed neatly in green martial arts attire appeared.
The Head of the Sichuan Tang Clan. The Poison King, Tang Jin-cheol.
At Tang Jin-cheol’s appearance, the massive crowd parted to the left and right, and he began to walk through the opening. Behind him, the succession candidates also began to walk in sync with his steps. The protagonists of the contest had arrived. Everyone held their breath as they passed.
Stopping before the iron gate, Tang Jin-cheol turned around to face the crowd. These were hundreds of members of the Tang bloodline. Tang Jin-cheol drew upon his internal energy.
Vrooooooom!
It was a staggering amount of energy, so dense it almost seemed to take physical form.
"I declare the opening of the Godok Hall!"
Unleashing his power, Tang Jin-cheol shouted the declaration. His internal energy was so strong that his voice thundered in their ears as if he were shouting right next to them.
"Waaaaaaaah!"
Immediately following the declaration, the cheers of the crowd filled the air.
The succession contest had finally begun.