Chapter 682: The Cunning Vixen
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 682: The Cunning Vixen
"Tang Jin-seol is here?"
"Yes, she is currently in the VIP room."
Geum Jeok-hwa replied with an exceedingly polite demeanor.
"..."
Upon hearing this, Sun-woo’s brow furrowed deeply.
He was already on edge, unable to discern Eon Jung-gi’s true intentions. Having Tang Jin-seol appear under these circumstances was a massive headache.
"...I suppose I have to go?" Sun-woo asked, glancing at Tang Seo-yoon beside him.
Tang Seo-yoon gave a slight nod. No matter how much he wanted to avoid the encounter, they couldn't simply leave her be.
"Sigh."
Sun-woo let out a soft sigh. Every fiber of his being wanted to refuse, but he eventually stood up and began to walk slowly. He knew all too well that this was unavoidable.
Tang Seo-yoon followed closely behind Sun-woo’s heavy, reluctant footsteps.
*
"If you aren't sure, don't say anything. If you show even the slightest opening, she’ll sense something is wrong."
Tang Seo-yoon gave Sun-woo one final, earnest warning. She urged him to be cautious—extraordinarily cautious—when speaking with Tang Jin-seol. If a woman as brilliant as her noticed even a tiny discrepancy, she would immediately become suspicious.
"Don't worry. I don't plan on squeezing out answers to difficult questions either," Sun-woo replied calmly.
He had to perfectly deceive Tang Jin-seol, the flesh and blood of Tang Jin-cheol. To do that, he needed to be prudent and careful.
"Good. If a difficult question comes up, I'll step in. Just brush it off or stay silent."
"Understood."
Sun-woo nodded with a small smile. Having Tang Seo-yoon by his side made him feel naturally reassured.
"Alright, let's go then."
Satisfied with his response, Tang Seo-yoon urged him forward. Soon, the two of them stood right before the door to the VIP room.
"Whew..."
Sun-woo took a deep breath.
Grip.
He grabbed the door handle and slowly began to push it open.
Creeeeeak.
The sound of the hinges echoed as the door swung wide. As it opened, the interior of the room came fully into view. The first things he saw were two elegant noblewomen. One of them, though beautiful, left a strong impression of being sharp and venomous.
‘Tang Jin-seol!’
Sun-woo recognized her identity instantly. He remembered catching a glimpse of her back when he was at the Cheonmu Alliance.
"I greet you, Brother."
Tang Jin-seol offered Sun-woo a polite greeting.
"It has been a long time. Have you been well?"
Their gazes locked.
"Yes, I have been doing quite well," Tang Jin-seol replied with a soft smile. "I should have visited sooner... I am truly sorry for only coming now."
"No. I am just as much to blame for not visiting you."
"Weren't you incredibly busy rebuilding the Tang Clan, Brother?"
"And haven't you been busy with the succession competition? Think nothing of it," Sun-woo said in a level tone.
"Thank you for your consideration, Brother."
The two exchanged warm pleasantries, creating a seemingly harmonious atmosphere.
"By the way, what brings you to the Tang Clan?" Sun-woo asked, feigning curiosity.
He knew from her letter that she was coming, but he didn't know her purpose. He wondered why she had chosen to visit now of all times.
"Does there need to be a reason to visit? I simply wanted to stop by my childhood home after so long," Tang Jin-seol replied smoothly. "I wanted to see you and Seo-yoon, and catch up on things."
She maintained her gentle smile.
‘Bullshit.’
Sun-woo scoffed inwardly. This was the same Tang Jin-seol who hadn't shown her face even when the Tang Clan was half-destroyed. Hearing her claim she visited out of sibling affection made him want to laugh out loud.
"Is that truly the only reason?" Sun-woo asked, looking at her with a suspicious expression.
"There is no other reason," Tang Jin-seol replied with an alluring smile.
"..."
Sun-woo looked thoughtful, as if trying to parse her true motives.
"By the way, Brother, your aura seems to have changed."
"...Changed, you say?"
"You seem much softer than before."
Tang Jin-seol spoke with a look of genuine curiosity. In the past, Tang Jin-cheol had been as sharp as a master-crafted blade. But today, his demeanor was gentler than usual. His edge had been blunted. It was only natural for her to wonder.
"That's likely because of the new wife," Tang Seo-yoon interjected quickly. "The Sixth Lady he recently took in has a very charming and affectionate personality. He’s probably been influenced by her."
"Oh, is that so? She’s charming?" Tang Jin-seol asked, turning her gaze toward Seo-yoon.
"Yes. If you saw her, you’d understand immediately why our stubborn brother has softened so much."
"How fascinating. To think our sharp-edged brother could become so gentle." Tang Jin-seol looked amused. "You must introduce us later, Brother."
"I shall arrange a separate time for an introduction," Sun-woo replied, keeping his expression as calm as possible.
"That’s a promise, then."
Tang Jin-seol smiled softly, and Sun-woo gave a silent nod.
"Anyway, Seo-yoon, your face is glowing. Are you perhaps seeing someone?"
"Of course not."
"Oh, come now. You can't hide anything from my eyes."
Tang Jin-seol began to lead the conversation with ease.
"I only recently broke off my engagement... I think it's far too early to start a new relationship."
"......Oh dear...... I’ve made a mistake......"
"No, please don't worry about it."
"Why on earth did that Jang Sun-woo break off the engagement? To my eyes, you are the most beautiful woman in the world..."
"I'm sure he had his reasons."
"I just don't understand...... Who does he think he is to hurt our lovely Seo-yoon like that?"
"Isn't he impressive enough? He is, after all, the World's Greatest Martial Artist."
"Hmph. Even so, wasn't the foundation that allowed him to become the World's Greatest the Tang Clan? Do you think he could have made such rapid progress without the Tang Clan's martial arts? It's not like he had a home or a family of his own."
"That's not entirely untrue, but..."
"It is absolutely true. Without an outstanding teacher like our brother, he never would have achieved such heights. For such a fellow to betray the Tang Clan without a shred of gratitude... Even if he ever comes crawling back, you must never accept him."
"That... won't happen."
"By the way, he seems to focus more on swordsmanship than poison arts...... Do you happen to know what kind of swordsmanship he learned?"
"I'm not sure about that either..."
"It's strange...... The fact that a martial artist from the Tang Clan has never once shown any poison arts."
"That's probably..."
Tang Jin-seol dominated the conversation, her expression shifting from laughter to gravity as she spoke.
‘She’s incredible.’
Sun-woo couldn't help but feel a twinge of admiration. He was impressed by how she completely concealed her snake-like true nature. If Eon Jung-gi was a sly raccoon, Tang Jin-seol was a fox—a vixen who manipulated people exactly as she pleased.
Through her conversation with Tang Seo-yoon, she was subtly gathering the information she wanted. Using the broken engagement as a pretext, she naturally brought up Jang Sun-woo. Then she probed into whether he had visited the Tang Clan after leaving the Cheonmu Alliance, his family relations, his ancestral home, and other personal details, coaxing out answers to her questions.
Watching this, Sun-woo realized he couldn't let her control the flow of the conversation any longer. The more lies one told, the more flaws appeared. If he left things as they were, her suspicions might deepen.
"Brother, you truly are amazing."
Tang Jin-seol’s voice reached Sun-woo’s ears while he was lost in thought.
"In what way..."
"To have raised such an outstanding disciple as Jang Sun-woo without the rest of the family noticing."
"......He is no longer a disciple of the Tang Clan."
Sun-woo immediately drew a line. He had no desire to continue the conversation about himself.
"Just because the bond is severed doesn't mean the origin of his martial arts disappears."
Tang Jin-seol ignored his intent and pressed on.
"But Brother, why didn't you destroy his Dantian and sever his tendons? Tang Clan martial arts are not permitted to those outside the bloodline, are they?"
"I have merely granted a reprieve."
"Then you intend to cripple his martial arts eventually?"
Tang Jin-seol’s eyes sparkled as she spoke.
"You seem to have a great deal of interest in him."
Sun-woo finally spoke up, looking directly at her.
"I'm just frustrated. To see that brat who tarnished the great honor of the Tang Clan walking around unscathed."
"The Clan Head will handle it. You need not concern yourself."
Sun-woo spoke with a deliberately stern expression. Tang Jin-seol was technically an outsider now. Interfering in the clan's affairs beyond what was necessary was overstepping her bounds.
"I have overstepped. My apologies, Brother."
Faced with Sun-woo’s stern attitude, Tang Jin-seol apologized immediately.
‘Cunning woman.’
Her ability to push and pull was truly worthy of a vixen. She was curious but never obsessive. Because of that, even when she crossed the line multiple times, she didn't come across as particularly unlikable.
‘I need to end this for now.’
Sun-woo decided it was best to wrap up the meeting here.
"Seol-ah."
Sun-woo called her name in a calm tone.
"......Yes, Brother."
"It is getting late. Why don't you get some rest?"
"Our reunion isn't over yet, Brother."
Tang Jin-seol shook her head slightly.
"It is only the first day. For today, focus on recovering from your journey. We can talk more later."
Sun-woo spoke with a firm expression. He felt it was best to break up the gathering for now.
"I shall do as you say, Brother," Tang Jin-seol replied with a soft smile.
*
Tang Jin-seol gripped the door handle. She slowly applied pressure.
Creeeeeak.
With the sound of the hinges, the door slowly opened, revealing a refined, classical interior.
Step. Step.
Tang Jin-seol walked in slowly.
Flop.
She collapsed onto the bed. The plush texture of the mattress pressed against her back. It was soft enough to induce sleep instantly.
"It's exactly the same."
She let out a short sentiment. The bed was just as it had been twenty years ago, before she was married off.
Chuckles.
A smile played on her lips. Even though she had left, it seemed the Tang Clan still remembered her.
She was lost in her nostalgia when—
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Someone began to knock on the door.
"Who is it?" Tang Jin-seol asked, her expression hardening.
"Eon Jung-gi."
A profoundly dignified voice drifted in from outside.
Slide.
Hearing the voice, Tang Jin-seol sat up.
"Come in."
She looked toward the door.
Creeeeeak.
The door opened, and a man standing seven feet tall appeared. He was the Head of the Jinju Eon Clan and a hero of the Great War of Righteousness and Demons.
The Fist King, Eon Jung-gi.
"It has been a long time," Tang Jin-seol said calmly.
"Indeed," Eon Jung-gi replied with an equally composed face.
"How did you know I was here?"
"I smelled it. The scent of a vixen."
Eon Jung-gi spoke with a mischievous grin.
"You are as rude as ever."
"A man only changes when he's about to die." Eon Jung-gi let out a deep chuckle. "Besides, aren't you the one who planned to use me? You should be glad I haven't cracked your skull open."
"But you came to the Tang Clan knowing that, didn't you?"
"The bait was too appetizing. I couldn't help but bite."
"I'm glad the bait was to your satisfaction." Tang Jin-seol smiled as if amused.
"But regardless of the bait, I don't like your methods. So don't expect any courtesy from me."
"Well, do as you please. I wasn't exactly expecting politeness from the Head of the Eon Clan anyway," Tang Jin-seol said with a coy expression.
"So, what do I do now? Should I start stirring things up in the Tang Clan immediately?"
"No. Be patient a little longer."
Tang Jin-seol shook her head.
"You're driving me mad," Eon Jung-gi said, his brow furrowing.
After meeting Tang Jin-cheol, Eon Jung-gi was itching for action. To be told to be patient now—how could he not frown?
"I need time to grasp the internal situation of the Tang Clan. Until then, restrain yourself."
Tang Jin-seol’s cold eyes glittered. Hearing her words, Eon Jung-gi’s face began to contort with frustration.