A Devoted Son
As the inheritor of the Eon Clan's secret legacy, Tang Sua knew all too well that their Jiangshi Art was incomplete. When her clan was annihilated and subsequently absorbed into the Sichuan Tang Clan, they had been forced to make do with whatever scraps of records remained, leaving them with nothing but a half-baked imitation. The proof lay in the fact that while the Sichuan Tang Clan possessed the Jiangshi cultivation methods, they lacked the Jiangshi creation techniques. How could anyone truly perform the Jiangshi Art when they could neither manufacture a proper Jiangshi nor grasp anything more than mere fragments of the deeper secrets?
Currently, Tang Sua—a descendant carrying the mingled blood of both the Eon and Tang clans—possessed nothing. She had neither the recipe to manufacture the ultimate Jiangshi, nor the complete cultivation method to transform herself into a living Jiangshi and reborn as a supreme master. Yet, out of nowhere, Tang Hwi—the very boy who had tormented her son—was offering to hand over that exact legacy.
"How can I believe you? What if I give you my support, only to find out you were lying to me?"
"Even I do not know the method to manufacture the ultimate Jiangshi," Tang Hwi replied smoothly. "However, I do know how to reach the Sihaeseon—the Corpse Immortal stage—which is the absolute culmination of the Jiangshi cultivation method you currently practice."
"How... how could you possibly know that?"
Because one of my past lives was spent in the Jinju Eon Clan, he thought. Of course, he could not say that out loud. Instead, Tang Hwi merely smiled and offered a plausible excuse.
"I stumbled upon it by pure chance while practicing my basic arts recently. It seems the method to attain the culmination of the Jiangshi Art was torn into pieces and hidden away in the clan's archives. Unless someone without talent was desperately noseying around in every obscure text, it never would have been found. I suspect that when the Jinju Eon Clan was facing ruin, the elder who decided to submit to our clan tore the manual apart and hid the pieces, placing his faith in his descendants."
"How is that 'placing faith' in us?"
"Well, they probably figured that since their descendants would struggle to master the Tang Clan's poison arts, they would eventually wander through various basic techniques and stumble upon the hidden fragments sooner or later. Don't you think?"
"..."
Though the explanation was incredibly flimsy, it possessed a strange plausibility. Tang Sua found herself unable to offer any real counterargument.
"In truth, ascending to the Transcendental Realm through Jiangshi cultivation requires either peerless, once-in-a-generation talent, or the execution of a corresponding grand ritual," Tang Hwi continued, his voice dripping with mock sympathy. "You must have suffered greatly, Aunt."
"...You really did find it."
Watching Tang Sua let out a heavy sigh, Tang Si-eon's jaw dropped. There was no mistaking her reaction—it was a clear confirmation.
"What in the world?! Are you saying there is a specific grand ritual that allows a practitioner of the Jiangshi Art to reach the Transcendental Realm?!"
"Elder, that is precisely why they were annihilated," Tang Hwi explained. "On the surface, they were subjugated under the pretext of practicing sinister corpse-refining arts. But in reality, the Jianghu could not tolerate a clan that possessed a grand ritual capable of elevating someone to a half-step Transcendental Realm."
"..."
Tang Si-eon fell silent. It made perfect sense why they would hide such a grand ritual before submitting to the Tang Clan. If the Tang Clan had known, they would have undoubtedly conducted ruthless human experiments to force its activation. And if the rest of the world caught wind of it, the Tang Clan would have shared the exact same fate as the Jinju Eon Clan—utter destruction. Because the leader of the Eon Clan had hidden it, they had bought precious time, ensuring that this grand ritual could eventually be inherited solely by those of their own bloodline.
But of all people, why did it have to be this brat who found it?
To Tang Sua, the fact that Tang Hwi had uncovered the Eon Clan's secret legacy was a source of profound grief. She desperately needed that grand ritual to fulfill the lifelong ambition of her lineage. Yet, the key to that ambition was held by the very bastard who had brutally beaten her son. Had she accumulated some terrible karma in her past life? Was this her punishment? If the Jade Emperor truly existed in the heavens above, Tang Sua wanted nothing more than to scream a torrent of curses directly into his face.
"In any case, I am willing to hand this grand ritual over to you, Aunt."
"And the price on the scales is the support of the Dark Poison Pavilion?"
"Yes. That is all I ask for."
"..."
The cherished ambition of her lineage versus her duty as Tang Yuseong's mother. Watching Tang Sua waver and struggle between these two choices, Tang Hwi laughed inwardly. The people of the Jianghu were far too obsessed with their "legacy." Even if their ancestors had desired it, what did it matter if they themselves did not want it?
Well, I suppose I was no different in my early lives, so I can't blame her.
This detached perspective was a form of enlightenment, born from Tang Hwi's countless cycles of reincarnation. He had seen clans rise to glorious heights, bustling with prosperity, only to crumble into ruin within a few generations. Having witnessed this cycle repeat endlessly, he had realized that the will of one's ancestors was ultimately meaningless. The ancestors were merely the past; those who lived in the present were the ones who truly mattered. Nevertheless, he understood Tang Sua's feelings well enough. He patiently waited, giving her all the time she needed to decide.
"I... have a condition of my own."
After a long silence, she looked up at him.
"Is the legacy of your clan not enough?"
"No, it is more than enough. But that is my stance as Tang Sua, the Head of the Dark Poison Pavilion. As the mother of my child, I must secure this one promise from you."
"And what might that be?"
"Apologize to my Yuseong publicly, in front of everyone. Get down on your knees and beg for his forgiveness."
Simply offering to share the grand ritual was an immense favor. Tang Sua knew very well that since Tang Hwi was the sole possessor of this secret, she was in no position to make demands. For a martial artist, kneeling to apologize was a devastating blow to one's pride. Demanding he do so in front of the entire clan was, without exaggeration, a deliberate attempt to humiliate him. Tang Hwi could easily take offense, break off the deal, and seek the support of the other two pavilions instead. As the inheritor of the Jiangshi Art, she knew this was a foolish, self-destructive move. And yet...
I am... that boy's mother.
Before she was a martial artist, she was Tang Yuseong's mother. No parent could stand idly by after their child had been deeply scarred and left weeping. To do nothing would mean she had no right to raise him—it would mean she was unfit to be a parent. Tang Cheon had been a great patriarch, but he was a terrible father. Tang Sua had sworn to herself that she would never abandon her own child the way she had been. She could not let this slide.
Perhaps I truly lack the qualification to inherit the true depths of the Jiangshi Art.
Even Tang Si-eon, standing right behind her, had flushed red with anger, clearly viewing her demand as an excessive insult. If her peers ever found out she had jeopardized the clan's ultimate legacy for the sake of her child, they would surely condemn her. Tang Sua braced herself for the bitter, humiliating rejection she was certain would follow.
"Very well. I accept your condition."
"...What?"
"Young Master?!"
Tang Sua stared blankly in disbelief, while Tang Si-eon gasped in sheer horror.
"Young Master, this is madness! It would be one thing to apologize in private, but to kneel and beg for forgiveness in front of the entire clan?! If you show such weakness, the Grace and Enmity Pavilion, which prides itself on strength, and the Secretary Pavilion, which values prestige, will look down on you!"
Tang Sua knew Tang Si-eon was entirely correct. This wasn't a rational attempt to settle a past grudge in private; it was merely a mother's petty, emotional desire for vengeance to soothe her son's wounded pride. Looking at it objectively, holding a grudge for five years over a childhood beating made her look like the unreasonable one. Yet, despite all this, Tang Hwi calmly nodded.
"Elder Tang. If they wish to look down on me, let them."
"Pardon?"
"Even if they view me unfavorably, I simply have to persuade them otherwise. Just because a task becomes more difficult does not mean taking the righteous path is wrong."
"Well... that is true, yes."
A drop in his reputation merely meant persuasion would require more effort, not that it was impossible. When Tang Hwi's calm gaze silently asked what the issue was, Tang Si-eon found himself utterly speechless.
"I have no intention of brushing off my past actions as mere childhood foolishness," Tang Hwi said, his voice carrying a profound weight. "Since it is a just demand, I have no reason to refuse. As Aunt said, it was entirely my fault that I acted like a pathetic bully and beat my own cousin five years ago. True forgiveness can only be granted by the victim."
A strange, transcendent aura of the Dao seemed to drift from Tang Hwi's words. It was a sublime presence, reminiscent of an immortal sage who had achieved complete enlightenment and grasped the ultimate truths of the universe. Though he spoke of simple, obvious things, his words carried the weight of cosmic principles and the fundamental duties of humanity. Faced with the righteous, noble demeanor of a true grand hero, both Tang Sua and Tang Si-eon were left utterly speechless.
Was I... wrong about him?
To honest, Tang Sua had not believed the rumors of Tang Hwi's sudden reformation. While she had seen and heard enough to know there was some truth to it, she had assumed it was all a calculated facade of hypocrisy. She had fully expected him to reject her demand or try to negotiate it down to a private apology. Yet, he had accepted it without a single shred of hesitation—as if carrying his own karma was only natural. The heavy, resolute spirit radiating from Tang Hwi—who willingly cast aside his pride to acknowledge his sins and take responsibility for his past—was undeniably that of a legendary hero.
"Just as you requested, Aunt, I will gather the entire clan and kneel before them to beg for Yuseong's forgiveness. So... will you forgive me now?"
"...Yes."
Tang Sua had no choice but to admit it. Tang Hwi had truly reformed. He was a changed man.
"I forgive you, my nephew."
He was a magnificent man, possessing the noble soul of a true grand hero.
"Mother. What I am about to do to you is rape. So please, do not blame yourself."
"Hwi, Hwi-ya?!"