Chapter 26
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Clang!! This Isn't the Tang Family of Sichuan! (1)
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Dang So-so felt goosebumps rising all over her body from the breath tickling her ear.
It was a truly tyrannical breath.
A powerful aura that felt like it belonged to an emperor.
'Nangong...?'
Dang So-so sensed an energy so overwhelming that just being near it made her dantian twist.
And she knew exactly what this energy was.
Back when she was young, she had crossed swords with Nangong's daughter during a spar, and she had felt it then.
An excessively tyrannical yet pure and beautifully clear energy was emanating right beside her.
Blood Ghosts exuded their signature aura.
A sinister, filthy energy steeped in the grudges of their victims.
Just looking at it made her dantian churn, as if it would corrupt her at any moment, the energy swirling around.
They were like vengeful spirits that had lived for centuries.
Having forgotten all memories of their righteous sect days, they now instinctively craved others' blood.
Yet the Blood Ghost before her eyes was somehow emanating Nangong's energy.
It was confusing.
At the same time, anger surged within her.
'Just how far...!!!'
How deeply had these repulsive creatures infiltrated the righteous factions?
'Has the Zhuge family surrendered too?'
It seemed Zhuge's daughter had ultimately sided with this Blood Ghost.
'Does the Heavenly Mechanism Strategist know about this?'
Heavenly Mechanism Strategist—the moniker of Zhuge Hyun-deok.
She wondered if perhaps the Blood Ghost had infiltrated without Hyun-deok's knowledge.
But she quickly corrected herself.
'...No, it's too much of a stretch to think the jade plaque the Blood Ghost showed was fake.'
Hyun-deok wouldn't have handed over something as precious as the Zhuge family's forbidden jade token.
Which meant...
'The Zhuge family has betrayed the righteous factions.'
The betrayal of the Zhuge family.
In the end, they had succumbed to this power.
Dang So-so figured Nangong must know about it too.
Dang So-so had not participated in this Dragon-Phoenix Tournament.
Her younger sister and brother had gone, but...
She had already participated in the Dragon-Phoenix Tournament at the young age of seventeen, earning a moniker, and fierce rumors swirled about her even in Sichuan.
There was no need for her to go, and with urgent internal matters in Sichuan to resolve, she chose to stay behind.
She could be called a genius whose fame had spread before Ji-yeon and Hwa-ryeon rose to prominence.
Having reached the realm of Immunity to Ten Thousand Poisons at eighteen, she held great prestige within the Tang family.
The sister her siblings admired and the pride of the Tang family.
Of course, when someone excels too much, misfortune is bound to follow.
And her not participating in this Dragon-Phoenix Tournament was that misfortune.
The later-generation disciples who attended would have recognized Ha-yeon at first sight.
With that distinctive pure energy impossible to hide.
Knowing nothing, Dang So-so merely glared at Ji-yeon.
'...With that brilliant mind of hers, is petty trickery all she can come up with?'
Abandoning the mindset of the righteous factions and safely spectating from the embrace of some evil rabble.
How cowardly.
But she was different from Zhuge's daughter.
At least that's what Dang So-so thought as she gritted her teeth.
'If I keep my wits about me and counterattack.'
Maybe she could manage somehow—that's what Dang So-so thought as she swiftly ducked low.
-Fwooooosh!!!!
"...!!!"
"You seem to have too much faith in yourself."
Dang So-so, who had thought herself different from Ji-yeon, ended up meeting a similar fate.
The only difference was that she was struck on the chin instead of the forehead.
"Urk..."
"Sleep it off. These righteous folk have no respect for their elders whatsoever..."
Dang So-so lost consciousness before she could hear the end of Ha-yeon's grumbling.
'...Blood Demon. It really is the Blood Demon.'
The Tang family's Hidden Fragrance Poison Phoenix thought that as she closed her eyes.
Of course, Ha-yeon was not the Blood Demon.
Ha-yeon vented her frustration by stomping repeatedly on the head of the fallen Tang family girl.
"...Tch. Just what about me screams Blood Ghost so much that they keep charging at me?"
"......"
[......]
Snow Python and Ji-yeon averted their eyes from me.
Watching them, I gripped the hilt of my wooden sword.
"...If you have something to say, why not spit it out?"
"N-No, Master."
[Is stomping on righteous sect girls a hobby of yours...?]
"Want me to stomp you too?"
As I let out a heavy wave of displeasure, Snow Python coughed awkwardly and looked away.
With a sigh, I stopped pressing on Dang So-so's head and moved my foot to her abdomen where her dantian was.
"Master!? Are you going to cripple her dantian!? N-No! She's a daughter of the Tang family, the renowned Hidden Fragrance Poison Phoenix, Tang So-so...!! Absolutely not! Absolutely not! If you incur the Tang family's wrath, diabetes won't even begin to cover it! For real!"
Ji-yeon was making a huge fuss.
"...What does the Tang family have to do with diabetes?"
"Ugh... Why wouldn't it?"
With another sigh, I sorted out my thoughts.
I knew it too.
The Tang family's creed: repay favors twofold, grudges tenfold—a family so extreme even casinos would weep.
Whether through misfortune or luck.
But this was just a threat, so it didn't matter.
'Thirteen.'
Thirteen downed.
One left.
"Hey."
Aiming my wooden sword at the farthest tree, peach blossom scent exploded even without a breeze.
"What are you?"
As I spoke, someone staggered into view.
"Well... This wasn't how I planned to reveal myself."
"...?"
A beggar—but his skin was like white jade, ears long and pointed, stature tall and stately, face sharply chiseled.
And the energy rising from him felt just like...
'...Similar to mine?'
It was similar to mine.
Otherworldly, like an immortal.
A demeanor that seemed refined yet not quite.
But definitely familiar.
I glanced at Snow Python and Ji-yeon, silently demanding an explanation, and Ji-yeon cleared her throat before speaking.
"Th-This person is! None other than the sect leader of the Beggars' Sect, one of the Nine Great Sects—Grand Hero Wei! How in the world are you here!?"
Ji-yeon's exaggerated tone.
Almost desperately signaling that they posed no threat.
I nearly let out a hollow laugh but clenched my teeth instead.
'Damn it...!!!'
How the hell is that a Beggars' Sect member?
He smells like shampoo, for fuck's sake.
The atmosphere around us shifted in an instant.
Probably because of the peach blossoms blooming in the dead of night.
It didn't suit the beggar at all.
"...You don't look like a beggar."
As I said that, Snow Python and Ji-yeon freaked out.
But the Beggars' Sect leader before me just chuckled heartily.
"I suppose noble blood can't be hidden."
"...You dare say that with a royal family around?"
"......"
Grand Hero Wei smiled faintly at my words and introduced himself.
Damn elves and their pride.
Cancerous tumors, malignant growths that existed solely to plague wuxia novels.
"As one righteous sect member to another, let's exchange names. I am Majestic Wind Horn, sect leader of the Beggars' Sect and the eyes and ears of the Martial Alliance. All I have to offer is this cheap liquor."
Righteous to righteous, huh.
Suddenly, my fondness for Wind Horn skyrocketed.
As expected of an elf.
Even fallen to beggar status, he hadn't lost his dignity one bit.
This was the kind of talent the martial world needed.
Worried he might think ill of me, I hurriedly greeted him as well.
"This girl is Seo Ha-yeon of the Orthodox Righteous Sect. I'm not even in my twenties yet, so feel free to call me little sister."
"Very well, Seo little sister."
"...!!"
My eyes sparkled for a moment.
Right, so what if the Beggars' Sect leader is an elf... no, a Long-Eared clansman?
"By the way, little sister, your hair color is a bit unusual. Your eyes too."
"Ahaha... It does lead to a lot of misunderstandings."
I gave an awkward smile, and Wind Horn looked at me with pity, murmuring "Oh dear, oh dear."
"Ahem, anyway, now that I've revealed myself, I don't think you need to threaten me anymore, little sister."
"Ah."
I nodded and lifted my foot from the Tang girl's abdomen.
"The Tang family's dantians contain hundreds to tens of thousands of poisons, so be careful."
"Thank you for the advice, Grand Hero."
I smiled sweetly and turned my gaze to Ji-yeon and Snow Python.
"Ah, no... How...?"
[Heh.]
Ji-yeon's blue eyes trembled violently.
And Snow Python let out a hollow, empty laugh.
Ji-yeon was utterly bewildered.
Not only had the Beggars' Sect leader—who was said to rival the Sword Sovereign in strength—suddenly appeared,
but her master was acting all meek and compliant in front of him, like a tamed dog.
'What is this...?'
Seeing the old monster, who must have lived over a thousand years, giggling like a girl before a Long-Eared clansman who didn't even seem a hundred, made Ji-yeon's head throb.
Was this the same overbearing master she knew?
Could a person change this much just because he was called 'righteous'?
As her confusion compounded,
"Since we've met like this, it's fate. Let me give you some useful information, little sister."
"...For free?"
"Normally, it'd require a little this and that..."
Wind Horn rubbed his fingers together, gesturing for money.
Then, shocking words tumbled from his mouth.
"You seem strong, and I want to build a connection, so exceptionally today, it's free."
"Yay!"
Free information, just like that.
Not from some random Beggars' Sect beggar, but their grand leader.
'That's not something to get excited over with a 'yay,' Master...!!!'
Ji-yeon nearly fainted several times today.
No, she actually wished she could pass out like Dang So-so.