A Devoted Son

A rumor began to circulate throughout Sichuan. It whispered of the young master of the Sichuan Tang Clan, a man who had supposedly cast aside his trashy past and reformed himself, preparing to formally apologize to his younger cousin. Of course, if that were all, it wouldn't have caused much of a stir. The reason this rumor became a full-blown sensation was because it claimed he would beg for forgiveness on his knees in front of a massive crowd, as if performing a solemn penance. For a young master of the Sichuan Tang Clan—no nameless nobody, but a rising star who had just begun to amass formidable renown—to humiliate himself in such a manner was a devastating blow to his reputation.

As the rumors spread, representatives from the Nine Great Sects and One Gang, who constantly vied for power with the Tang Clan in Sichuan, even went so far as to visit and lodge near the Tang Clan Tower. Among them were the Qingcheng Sect and the Emei Sect. Though one was rooted in Taoism and the other in Buddhism, their identities as martial sects far eclipsed their religious origins; they merely based their martial arts principles on those philosophies, operating in reality as typical sects of the Jianghu. From their perspective, they had gathered to witness and further tarnish the reputation of Tang Hwi, who was widely whispered to be the most promising candidate for the position of Young Patriarch. The more the Tang Clan's authority crumbled, the more the Qingcheng and Emei Sects stood to gain. Naturally, the reverse was also true.

This was why, even as she sat in the pavilion enjoying the gentle breeze, the anxiety never left Tang Ga-hui's face. She ran her fingers like a comb through the hair of Tang Hwi, who lay with his head resting in her lap. She felt a pang of regret that her exceptionally large breasts completely blocked her view of his face.

"Hwi, will you really be alright?"

"I am perfectly fine, sister. The Tang Clan is not so fragile that it can be shaken by the idle gossip of street thugs, and I am not a weak man who wavers over such meaningless slander."

"Yes, I know. I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠believe in you, Hwi. But you must never underestimate the malice of others."

Tang Ga-hui offered a bitter smile. That faint, wistful smile held a quality that would instantly trigger any man's protective instincts. Normally, she would have hidden such vulnerability to keep Tang Hwi from worrying, but right now, her massive breasts prevented them from seeing each other's faces anyway.

I, too... suffered so much because of the rumors that swirled through the Jianghu.

After Qi Deviation had left a hideous scar on her face, Moyong Geon had broken off their engagement. Following that, cruel whispers had spread, claiming she was inadequate in bed or lacked the qualities of a proper wife. Rumors had legs, traveling thousands of miles in the blink of an eye, ballooning and gathering fresh, ugly fabrications along the way. Having once been crushed under the weight of the world's malice, she desperately wished for Tang Hwi to be spared from such pain.

Tang Hwi sat up and slid close against her side. He wrapped his arm around the waist of Tang Ga-hui, who exuded an incredibly seductive aura in the qipao she had worn just for him, and whispered into her ear.

"Do not worry, sister. No matter what the world says, nothing can shake me."

"...How can you be so certain?"

"Because—"

Squeeze.

"Ah, ahh... ♡"

Without warning, he ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠grabbed Tang Ga-hui's breast, kneading and playing with it like a child with a favorite toy. It was so soft and elastic that his large fingers sank deep into the flesh with every squeeze, the rich curves spilling out between his knuckles. Caressing her as they sat side by side in the pavilion, as if claiming her body as his own, Tang Hwi spoke with absolute conviction to soothe her fears.

"With my beloved family supporting me like this, how could I ever fall prey to a Heart Demon? Rather than wasting my time worrying about the whispers of cowards who can only slander me behind my back, fondling your breasts like this, kissing Ga-in, and making Mother my woman is infinitely more rewarding and precious."

Tang Ga-hui's face flushed crimson. Having long since been tamed by her younger brother's touch, it was only natural that her body heated up the moment he laid hands on her. Sensing her temperature rising with unspent lust, Tang Hwi smiled warmly. He gently pushed her down onto the pavilion floor and climbed over her. As if words were no longer necessary, he slipped his hand beneath his sister's skirt to stroke her private, intimate folds, sealing his lips over hers in response to her intense, yearning gaze.

When Tang Hwi finally pulled away, a thin thread of saliva stretched between them. It was a vivid testament to how deeply they had lost themselves in devouring each other, causing Tang Ga-hui to blush even deeper.

"You are so wicked, Hwi."

"But you love it, don't you?"

"...Yes. I love you, my sweet brother... ♡"

Shortly after, wanton, breathless moans echoed softly through the gardens of the Patriarch's Pavilion.

The rare sight of a bustling crowd near the Tang Clan Tower unfolded once again. Today was especially packed, as it was the day the reformed young master of the Tang Clan was scheduled to make a public, official apology to his cousin. Since this was the residential area for the Tang Clan's branch families, a faint trace of poison lingered in the air, but none of the martial artists gathered here were weak enough to be bothered by such a minor toxin.

Of course, among those who had gathered to watch the spectacle, a small minority had only come because their superiors had ordered them to. They had absolutely no personal interest in the matter. One such individual was Mujeong, the famous 'Red Dragon' of the Qingcheng Sect and a member of the Nine Dragons.

He wore a vacant, listless expression, his indifferent eyes barely managing to hold back a yawn. In truth, he couldn't care less about anyone else's reputation. He was merely a young man possessed of an extreme, bone-deep laziness.

Recruited as a disciple by an elder of the Qingcheng Sect solely due to his raw martial talent, he was, astonishingly, a Peak Realm expert who had fully mastered the Red Cloud Sword at the young age of twenty-four. To reach the late Peak Realm despite training with utter half-heartedness was a feat impossible without truly monstrous genius. No matter how much the Qingcheng Sect supported him with internal energy cultivation and resources, one still needed the innate talent to absorb and utilize them.

He had only come because he had been ordered to witness Tang Hwi's apology with his own eyes—a task that conveniently exempted him from his daily martial training. It was a simple mission: sleep in as much as he wanted, skip the tedious training, and just show up on the final day to watch. He had absolutely no reason to refuse.

Using the travel expenses provided by the Qingcheng Sect, he had purchased a chair nearby, leaned back in it, and closed his eyes. Figuring he would wake up naturally when the time came, he ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠planned to simply camp out and sleep right there.

"Zzz... Zzz..."

While he was fast asleep, the crowd began to stir.

"Oh! That must be the Young Master Tang from the rumors!"

"They said he came to admit his faults, but he is far more striking and handsome than I expected."

"Tsk, tsk. To think a man aiming to become the Young Patriarch would bow his head and kneel in public like this."

Tang Yuseong and Tang Hwi finally made their appearance.

Tang Hwi was not particularly surprised by the sheer number of presences his martial senses picked up. Rumors in the Jianghu always had a way of spreading like wildfire. However, even he couldn't help but feel momentarily taken aback when he spotted a late Peak Realm expert who had traveled all this way just to take a deep nap.

Is he insane? What kind of courage does it take to sleep in the middle of a crowd packed with martial artists? ...No, is he just brainless?

Even for Tang Hwi, seeing someone sleep so soundly in the middle of a street teeming with martial artists was a first. Though deeply bewildered, he maintained a perfectly calm facade as he walked forward. He needed to apologize to Tang Yuseong quickly so that the news would spread across the Central Plains.

And my aunt will feel a deep sense of debt toward me.

In reality, Tang Hwi was merely admitting his past wrongs, but the present was vastly different from the past. His current reputation was incomparable to his days as a worthless scoundrel. If he had apologized back then, his loss would have been a mere 'one.' Apologizing now meant losing 'ten.' Thus, Tang Sua would feel immensely indebted to him. An apology that could have been settled easily back then was now being delivered at ten times the cost.

Aside from the family living with me in the Patriarch's Pavilion, I need at least one woman on the outside who will stand firmly by my side to truly secure my position.

Though it was a plan for the distant future, winning over Tang Sua would make it far easier for Tang Hwi to act as he pleased within the Patriarch's Pavilion. He envisioned a sanctuary where no outside servants were allowed—only his personal family—while Tang Sua handled all necessary external affairs on his behalf.

For that, I can easily bow my head as many times as it takes, and I will gladly sink my knees into the dirt.

The value of things was always relative. To some, such public humiliation might be so shameful they would rather die, but to Tang Hwi, who had lived countless lifetimes, his personal honor was more trivial than a pebble rolling on the side of the road.

"Yuseong."

"Ah, yes... Brother."

Perhaps due to the severe beatings of the past, Tang Yuseong still found the reformed Tang Hwi deeply uncomfortable. The title of 'Brother' felt awkward on his tongue, and his demeanor was incredibly stiff.

This, too, is a karmic debt I must pay in this lifetime.

After sending the transmission, Tang Hwi stood before his cousin—and Tang Sua's only son—Tang Yuseong.

Thud. He dropped to his knees.

"I wish to apologize for what happened five years ago. I am truly sorry."

Next, he bent his waist and slammed his forehead against the ground. Thud.

"B-Brother?!"

Tang Yuseong gasped in sheer panic, while the surrounding martial artists shook their heads, wondering if this man possessed even a shred of shame. Everything was proceeding exactly as Tang Hwi had planned. This news would spread far and wide, and with every passing rumor, Tang Sua's sense of debt toward him would only grow.

"Blinded by my own twisted malice and self-pity, I became a worthless scoundrel and committed acts against you that can never be undone. Can you ever find it in your heart to forgive someone like me?"

Given Tang Yuseong's weak-willed nature, he would undoubtedly accept the apology, bringing this ridiculous farce to its swift conclusion.

But—

"...No, I won't."

"Wh-What?"

Even a reincarnator did not know ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠everything.