Turbulent Tang Clan

Hwa Ryeon, wearing her deathcap hat, glanced around the bustling Tang Clan before clasping her hands in a formal salute to the patriarch.

"Greetings, daehyup."

"What brings the Huashan Plum Sword Seal to our humble abode?"

"Please, no formalities."

Hwa Ryeon gave an awkward smile as she spoke. In truth, she had a connection to the Tang Clan. As a child, she'd sparred numerous times with Dang Soso, the Tang family's genius daughter. They never chatted much afterward, so no deep friendship formed. Still, the patriarch had expressed profound gratitude to Hwa Ryeon for humbling his rising star's arrogance.

"Didn't the Sword Empress or sect leader come with you?"

"No, they didn't."

The two conversed in a somewhat comfortable tone as they headed to the guest hall.

'It's a bit... chaotic.'

Hwa Ryeon kept glancing around at the disorderly atmosphere. Though she'd lost her memory of Huashan's Fire Arrow secrets and abandoned the Ga Mae Hwa Mae Hwa transmission, her innate martial talent and years of honing it remained. Moreover, clearing out the false Huashan techniques had allowed the plum tree in her heart to grow even larger.

To Hayeon's eyes, it would look like her martial arts themselves had advanced—she'd gained razor-sharp intuition. With that, Hwa Ryeon turned to the patriarch.

"Daehyup, things seem a little disorderly around here."

"Ah... it's internal clan matters. No need to worry."

"I see."

Hwa Ryeon nodded for now. After walking a bit further, they entered the guest hall, sat down with tea and refreshments between them, and began catching up on lost time.

Hwa Ryeon spilled everything—from the Dragon-Phoenix Tournament tales to her complicated circumstances. When she mentioned leaving Huashan, the patriarch looked mildly surprised. No one would expect Huashan to let her go easily. They'd sooner cripple her dantian and toss her into the streets like a cripple. Declaring she'd abandon her sect was no different from disowning ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her family.

But thanks to the Sword Empress and sect leader's tearful consideration, she'd escaped unscathed.

"I've completely forgotten Huashan's secrets... but I haven't lost how to swing a sword or my instincts."

"So the Plum Sword Seal is no longer the Plum Sword Seal."

"...That's right."

Honestly, Hwa Ryeon felt hollow. Learning that the swordsmanship she'd devoted her life to was false—and had been disrupting the world's martial and righteousness—she was lucky not to have fallen into qi deviation.

'...She taught me with a warm yet sharp sword to keep me from heart demons.'

Come to think of it, she'd never seen her benefactor's face. Wishing to at least once, Hwa Ryeon spoke up.

"My new master—the esteemed one who became my teacher—had business here. So after my expulsion, I came straight to Sichuan."

"Such a long journey, how...?"

Hwa Ryeon couldn't say it. That the Sword Empress had carried her all the way.

'...Not a child anymore, so too embarrassed to admit it.'

"You'll understand when you meet my master."

"...Sozhu, are you sure? The Tang Clan will respect your choice. You're the benefactor who straightened out our wayward daughter. But in the jianghu, abandoning your sect for a new master is..."

It was like forsaking parents for new ones. For Hwa Ryeon, it was exactly that—leaving those as close as family.

Of course, it was the Sword Empress's own proposal. She'd return someday to restore forgotten Huashan truths and correct the falsehoods. But to outsiders ignorant of the details, she was just an ungrateful runaway.

Yet Hwa Ryeon believed this was a grave trial she must bear for loving Huashan.

"...I'm fully prepared. That's why I left so decisively."

"Then the Tang Clan will welcome your master as a distinguished guest too."

"......"

Hwa Ryeon smiled brightly. She was a supreme expert whose skills demanded such treatment.

"She's an elder master of extraordinary prowess... a peerless expert, though a bit unpredictable..."

"It's improper for a disciple to judge their master so."

"My apologies."

"We'll prepare a guest room. Rest and recover from your journey."

"Thank you for your kindness, daehyup."

Hwa Ryeon bowed with a smile and rose. At that moment—

Knock knock. The sound of someone outside turning the doorknob.

"Who is it?"

The patriarch called out, and a girl's voice—slightly younger than Hwa Ryeon's—replied from beyond the door.

"Father, I came to tell you Big Sis Soso is returning."

"Understood. I'll head out soon."

Dang Soso was coming back to the Tang Clan. The patriarch gave Hwa Ryeon an awkward smile.

"Sozhu, would you mind seeing Soso after so long? She's been desperately seeking you."

"Ah... yes, of course, daehyup."

"Sorry about this."

"No, let's go together."

Hwa Ryeon smiled awkwardly too, thinking:

'...Already tired.'

Dang Soso was quite...

'Hwa Ryeon sozhuuu...! Please, just one more spar, pleeease... Spar! Spaaar!'

'Why are you doing this...'

...a bothersome one. Soso had clung to her, sobbing that Hwa Ryeon was the first to beat her. It was unofficial, and Hwa Ryeon wasn't famous yet, but with no worthy opponents and Soso's growing arrogance, Hwa Ryeon's skill was enough to earn that obsession.

The Tang warriors, along with me, Ji Yeon, and Soso, gathered the villagers' corpses and the scattered Scattering Hole Poison around them before hurrying back to the clan.

Something nagging along the way, though.

"This way, and we'll be there soon, daehyup."

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"...Why do you keep calling me daehyup, Dang sozhu?"

Dang Soso insisted on "daehyup." Every time I asked her to use "sozhu" instead—

"How could I...! How dare I call a great, noble true orthodox hero like you 'sozhu'...! If it's punishment, please withdraw it..."

—she'd gush like this, a stark contrast to calling me sapa scum, blood ghost, blood demon, trash, human scum before.

'...Her shifts are extreme.'

"Hng... true orthodox..."

"True orthodox" did tempt me a bit. I smirked slyly, savoring it.

"......"

Seol Mang clicked her tongue in disapproval. Excuse me? Who was it for that I'm clinging to this orthodox path?

'Should I kill her?'

I slipped some killing intent her way, and Seol Mang averted her eyes slyly.

"......"

Sighing, I told Soso:

"Dang sozhu, just call me sozhu. I'm not even thirty yet."

Just keep it casual with "sozhu."

"......?"

Soso tilted her head oddly. The nearby Tang warriors did too, but soon—

—Ji Yeon's transmission reached them from behind. She knew I'd hear, but openly mocking her master would be disrespectful, so she used this method.

Yeah, I was getting treated like a senile geezer, but for now, I nodded, satisfied.

No reply from Ji Yeon. Turning, I saw her staring, as if she had a lot to say.

'...This kid's respect for me is fading.'

Wasn't she the one who followed me because she liked me? The thought that I might be misunderstanding something flitted by.

Anyway, after settling the title issue, we pressed on without delay. Using lightness skill, we reached the Tang Clan atop its cliffside perch in no time. Viewed from above, it was enormous.

"...Bigger than the Zhuge family."

"The Zhuges just look small shrouded in mist, master."

Ji Yeon's pronunciation sounded like she was gritting her teeth. I smirked, patted her head, and grinned.

"I know. Just teasing."

Ji Yeon sighed and looked away. Why was she so touchy? Puberty?

Seol Mang dodged the question. Ji Yeon and Seol Mang both seemed off today.

'Time to instill some discipline once we reach the Tang Clan.'

I smiled brightly.