Dear Sisters
The Tang Clan Tower, designated as the venue for the upcoming banquet, was bustling with activity. The clan had to dilute the toxins drifting through the town so that ordinary people could withstand them, and take strict precautions to ensure no one touched the dangerously venomous flora and fauna. Although the Tang Clan Tower had occasionally hosted events in the past, those had been exclusively for the martial artists of the Jianghu; preparing for ordinary guests made this far busier than usual.
Tang Hwi felt as though even having two bodies wouldn't be enough.
I literally have two bodies, and it's still not enough.
He was currently utilizing the Wudang Sect's Yang-ui-shingong at its absolute peak to maintain a physical clone, yet he was still completely drowning in work.
Even though Hwi's martial arts had reached the Master Realm, running all over Yibin City to secure vendors, manage logistics, and simultaneously prepare the banquet hall at the Tang Clan Tower was simply too much for a single body. That was why he was using two, yet he was still so busy he barely had time to breathe.
The root of the problem lay in the sheer scale of the Tang Clan's influence over Yibin City.
The Tang Clan Tower, Yibin City—everything is touched by the Tang Clan's hand. It makes it incredibly difficult to push my own ideas through.
Since the clan's motto was highly revered, Yibin City had continuously benefited from the Sichuan Tang Clan's benevolence.
Consequently, the locals never hesitated to cooperate with the clan's wishes, insisting on handling every single matter strictly according to the "Tang Clan way."
Even when their methods seemed grossly inefficient to someone like Hwi, who had lived through multiple reincarnations, few dared to change them, citing tradition. Hwi was torn between marveling at the sheer solidarity of his clan and feeling frustrated by how stubborn and difficult they were to manage.
In any case, because he had to personally step in and fix the shortcomings of the existing systems in Yibin City and the Sichuan Tang Clan, time was tight, and even two bodies felt insufficient.
The only saving grace was that the people of the Tang Clan Tower listened well to Hwi, the Patriarch's son, showing little resistance when he introduced new methods. Furthermore, thanks to the connections of Bang So-yul, the successor of the Beggars' Sect, he was able to source necessary goods from merchant groups outside Yibin City.
It was a stroke of luck to build a connection with the Beggar Phoenix. Thanks to her, securing the necessary supplies hasn't been difficult... though there is something slightly strange about it.
Since it was merely a vague suspicion without any concrete evidence, Hwi brushed it aside and focused entirely on his duties as the general manager.
While his clone was busy procuring supplies in Yibin City, Hwi's original body, working at the Tang Clan Tower, was meeting with the Head of the Poison Hall. Since they were hosting a grand banquet, he had a proposal to make.
"A performance using venomous beasts?"
"Yes. Even when people from the Nanman region tame ordinary beasts, the people of the Central Plains find it incredibly exotic and mysterious. Imagine how amazed they will be if fellow Central Plains martial artists perform with highly venomous creatures."
"You absolute madman...!"
Tang Si-eon, the snow-white-haired Head of the Poison Hall, glared at Tang Hwi with deep disapproval.
"Even if the Poison Hall is dedicated to researching toxins, there are lines we do not cross! You want to turn those precious children, who provide us with our vital poisons, into a mere sideshow to entertain guests at a banquet? Do you honestly think I would ever allow such a thing?"
Although Tang Hwi was the Patriarch's son, Tang Si-eon was the uncle of the current Patriarch, Tang Su-ryeon. In terms of seniority, excluding the retired Elders and the Grand Patriarch, he was the highest-ranking member of the Tang Clan. He was one of the very few people who could speak so bluntly to Hwi.
Perhaps because of that, Hwi didn't feel offended at all. In fact, he felt a twinge of guilt for being about to corner an elderly man who looked like he might meet the Grim Reaper any day now.
"Elder, the Poison Hall is currently running low on funds, is it not?"
"What nonsense are you spouting now?!"
"I am well aware that maintaining the habitats for near-spiritual beasts like the Two-Horned Serpent and the Human-Faced Spider drains a significant portion of your budget. They were brought all the way from Nanman, yet their growth has been sluggish, correct? I heard the Secretary Pavilion has been complaining about the exorbitant costs of creating and maintaining the formations required to replicate the Nanman climate."
"Damn it! Those ink-stained wretches in the Secretary Pavilion, I'll...!"
In truth, it was public knowledge, so there was no real reason to blame the Secretary Pavilion. It was just that relations had soured because the Secretary Pavilion had been nagging them about slashing their budget allocation for the upcoming quarter.
"I noticed that a massive chunk of the Poison Hall's budget goes to the Zhuge Clan every time those formations need repairs. I can resolve that issue for you."
"...You?"
Tang Si-eon's face practically screamed, What could a brat like you possibly know about formations? It was a look that bordered on outright mockery, but Hwi merely nodded with a calm, unbothered expression, as if he were simply stating an undeniable fact.
"Yes. Me."
"......You reckless brat. I heard you've grown up lately, and it seems something really has changed."
"I've simply matured, albeit much later than I should have. If anything, I'm lagging behind, so I must work twice as hard from now on."
Perhaps it was the wisdom of his advanced years, but sensing that this Hwi was fundamentally different from the boy before he awakened his past-life memories, Tang Si-eon's demeanor grew unusually solemn.
"But do not look down on the field of formations just because you've picked up a few scraps of knowledge. Have you ever wondered why the Zhuge Clan is universally recognized in the Jianghu as the absolute masters of formations? The mathematical formulas required to construct them are so incredibly complex that modifying or repairing them isn't something you can achieve just by reading a few books. And secondly, with that thick skull of yours, it's utterly impossible."
"What will you do if I actually succeed, Elder?"
"I am simply telling you that the impossible is impossible, you brat!"
"I understand. But I am asking, what will you do if I actually pull it off?"
"What?"
Tang Si-eon's brow furrowed at Hwi's relentless questioning. Having lived nearly eighty years, he could easily guess why the young man was pressing so hard for an answer. Hwi clearly wanted something from him and was trying to bait him into a wager, planning to win and claim his prize. And that prize would undoubtedly be his beloved venomous beasts.
Hands off my precious children. From his perspective, Hwi's arrogance was soaring straight through the heavens. Formations are widely considered one of the most difficult fields of study in existence!
It wasn't as if Si-eon himself hadn't tried his hand at formations. For the sake of his beloved spiritual beasts, he had studied them with everything he had. Yet, his efforts had fallen miserably short of replicating the Nanman climate, which was why he had ultimately been forced to commission the Zhuge Clan.
If he had been the only one who tried, he wouldn't have reacted this way. He had enlisted the help of the most brilliant minds in the Tang Clan, and even their collaborative effort had failed to yield a self-sustaining solution. Under such circumstances, how could he possibly trust a former degenerate who claimed to have "matured" and wanted him to hand over the reins?
Even if Hwi had turned over a new leaf and studied diligently, any true talent would have shown itself long ago. A genius was like an awl in a pocket—no matter how hard one tried to hide it, the sharp point was bound to pierce through eventually.
"Ha! If you actually succeed, I, the Head of the Poison Hall, will throw my full support behind you. Shall I endorse you as the candidate for Young Patriarch?"
"Then let's do exactly that."
"Hah."
Si-eon was dumbfounded by the sheer audacity. Annoyed, he glared at Hwi with sharp, piercing eyes.
"And what if you fail? Surely you aren't expecting this old man to be the only one risking something in this wager?"
"What is it that you want?"
"Give up on becoming the Young Patriarch and join the Poison Hall permanently. And while you're at it, convince Ga-hui to take up the mantle of Young Patriarch instead."
Hwi's eyes narrowed. Tang Ga-hui had already formally reported her decision to decline the position of Young Patriarch to Tang Su-ryeon, and it had been accepted. It was supposed to be a settled matter, yet Tang Si-eon wanted to overturn it.
"And what if my sister refuses to accept it?"
"What else? You will still belong to the Poison Hall, and the position of next Patriarch will fall to the youngest."
"So you have no intention of forcing her."
"Only a wretched elder would force such a sweet, gentle child. It is just that her talent is far too precious to let go to waste, so I wanted to make at least one last attempt. In truth, my heart wishes nothing more than to let her live exactly as she pleases."
The fierce, venomous spark in Tang Si-eon's eyes completely vanished, replaced by a weary softness. His expression of profound sorrow and concern for Tang Ga-hui made it clear to anyone watching just how deeply he cherished her.
Perhaps it's because he has no children of his own. He practically projects his paternal instincts onto my sister, treating her like his own daughter.
Of course, he didn't literally view her as his biological child. He simply cared for Tang Ga-hui with a devotion so profound that it was indistinguishable from a father's love.
Hwi had been somewhat concerned since Si-eon belonged to the same generation as the secluded Elders and the Grand Patriarch, but seeing him like this put those worries to rest.
Before I regained my memories of my past lives, he would fly into a rage every time we met, so I never realized.
But now, he knew for certain. Tang Si-eon, the Head of the Poison Hall, was a good man.
"I accept the wager. It seems we will soon become famous as the first of the Five Great Noble Clans to host a public performance featuring Two-Horned Serpents and Human-Faced Spiders."
"No, you damn brat! I told you we aren't doing that!"
"Do not worry, Elder. This is a wager I am destined to win."
"...Kyahhh!"
Tang Si-eon let out a bizarre, strangled shriek.
Did he get heatstroke? Hwi thought, utterly baffled by the old man's reaction.
With the terms set, the two of them headed straight to the Poison Hall to settle the wager.
"The modifications are complete. I have realigned the Five Elements; while this might slightly reduce the overall durability, the stability has been vastly improved. There will be absolutely no need to spend additional funds on maintenance, which means I have won our wager. Still, I must give credit where it is due—as expected of the Zhuge Clan, it was a remarkably well-designed formation."
"......"
"Elder?"
Tears began to well up in Tang Si-eon's eyes.