A Father's Resolve
Time is too short.>
Tang Myung's words hung in the air, and Tang Cheon-deuk paused for a moment before turning his gaze to the leader of the Milyeong Unit.>
“Proceed with the mission.”>
“Understood.”>
The Milyeong Unit leader glanced at Tang Myung once, then stamped his foot into the ground. As he vanished, Tang Cheon-deuk turned back to his son.>
“Explain yourself.”>
Tang Myung took a deep breath and launched into the events that had unfolded so rapidly.>
Tang Cheon-deuk listened in silence. He opened his mouth at intervals but asked no questions, simply absorbing every word.>
Tang Hong was the only one who let out a few startled gasps or low groans in between.>
Yet Tang Myung finished his account and met his father's eyes.>
“I… have already died three times.”>
Tang Cheon-deuk studied him for a long moment, then spoke.>
“Raise the Samyang Divine Art.”>
Tang Myung drew a steadying breath and began circulating the technique.>
A fierce aura exploded outward, making his face contort with discomfort. In previous lives his father had poured inner energy into him to open the paths of qi and blood, but now he alone must forge those channels anew, and the pain was unmistakable.>
Tang Cheon-deuk reached out and pressed a palm to his son's forehead. Tang Hong's expression tightened at the sight.>
Even as his closest confidant, Tang Hong had found it hard to believe the impossible tale. If the Family Head refused to accept it, he might kill Tang Myung and seize the secret technique for himself…>
After a careful inspection of the inner energy pathways, Tang Cheon-deuk let out a small sigh.>
“The method I taught you was correct.”>
“Thank you for believing me.”>
Tang Cheon-deuk accepted a cup of tea from a servant, sipped it slowly, and stared into the distance for a long moment, clearly needing time to process the impossible.>
Tang Hong could not contain himself any longer and whispered, “Family Head… do you truly believe this absurd story?”>
Tang Cheon-deuk answered without hesitation.>
“The core of the Samyang Divine Art is fixed, yet the character of each disciple's mastery will differ.”>
“It will differ?”>
“You will understand soon enough. And right now, the specific character of your Samyang Divine Art is mine. That means I taught it to you personally, not just the secret manual.”>
Tang Cheon-deuk looked at his son.>
“Tang Myung's words are the truth.”>
Tang Hong, who knew nothing of the Samyang Divine Art, looked bewildered.>
Tang Cheon-deuk glanced at him once, then turned back to his son.>
“The real issue is the Demonic Cult's attack.”>
“Yes.”>
“He saw Guangming Wusa?”>
“Yes.”>
Tang Cheon-deuk was silent for a moment before continuing.>
“Guangming Wusa is the fourth absolute expert in the Demonic Cult hierarchy. His martial prowess is comparable to the top ten in the martial world… and the Tang Family has no one who can face him.”>
“He said he is third.”>
“Impossible. The left is third and the right is fourth in the Demonic Cult's ranking. That has been the order for generations…”>
Tang Cheon-deuk shook his head.>
“The important thing is not that.”>
After a brief pause he met his son's eyes again.>
“If Guangming Wusa has personally appeared… the Demonic Cult intends to wipe out the Tang Family completely.”>
“The Tang Family is strong. They cannot—”>
Tang Hong tried to interrupt, but Tang Cheon-deuk shook his head sharply.>
“The Tang Family is strong, yet we must acknowledge the enemy's strength as well.”>
Tang Cheon-deuk placed his hands behind his back and glanced beneath the octagonal pavilion. A Tang Family expert was hurrying over with light footwork.>
“It seems a messenger arrived from Qingcheng and A-mi.”>
Tang Cheon-deuk waited, recognizing the meaning from the story Tang Myung had told him.>
When the expert handed over the letter, Tang Cheon-deuk read it and gave a single nod.>
“Everyone not currently on a mission—infants included—must gather at the Flying Heaven Pavilion.”>
“Understood.”>
As the warrior departed, Tang Cheon-deuk pondered for a moment then spoke.>
“How many Demonic Cult warriors have surrounded the Tang Family?”>
“Roughly over a thousand.”>
“A thousand…”>
Tang Cheon-deuk stroked his teacup, his face grim.>
“He also said an attack would come at the Zhuge Clan residence.”>
“Yes.”>
Tang Cheon-deuk glanced at Tang Hong.>
“Send a message to the Zhuge Clan. Say the Demonic Cult is targeting their residence.”>
“Understood.”>
Tang Hong hurried out of the pavilion. Tang Cheon-deuk turned to his son.>
“Attack.”>
“Yes?”>
“Attack with everything you have. Treat it as training.”>
Tang Myung raised his inner energy and hurled himself forward.>
A burst of force exploded outward.>
Tang Cheon-deuk dodged and blocked the strikes one by one, teaching as he went.>
“Aim at the center of each blow.”>
Tang Myung drew a hidden weapon, hesitated, then switched to striking with his fist.>
After half a shichen of rapid instruction, Tang Cheon-deuk stepped back.>
Tang Myung stopped, and his father spoke.>
“I deliberately created a flaw in your attack just now. Do you remember?”>
“Yes.”>
“Even a higher-ranked expert than you would fall for it.”>
“Thank you.”>
Tang Cheon-deuk began walking again and asked.>
“How will you overcome this crisis?”>
“The best way is to widen the front line.”>
“Widen the front line?”>
“The Demonic Cult will be wary of the Tang Family's poisons and traps.”>
“That is why they burned Tang Family Town first.”>
“Right now, in the Tang Family grounds, the Demonic Cult experts are spaced roughly two shichen apart.”>
“Why?”>
“The first time I died, the Visa Unit and Pyeonbok Unit left first, and about three shichen later the Demonic Cult experts appeared.”>
“They waited for the two units to pull away, received news one shichen later, and then departed. So two shichen… and then three shichen?”>
“Yes.”>
Tang Cheon-deuk paused, then continued.>
“Widening the front line means placing traps beyond the Tang Family's outer walls.”>
“But those traps cannot hold for long either.”>
Tang Myung let out a frustrated sigh.>
Tang Cheon-deuk looked at him, smiled, and clapped his shoulder.>
“Still, this father is proud of you.”>
“Father?”>
“How terrifying death is… yet you have faced three deaths without fear and are still determined to protect the Tang Family. How magnificent and splendid that is.”>
“I have already failed three times.”>
“That is not your problem.”>
Tang Cheon-deuk walked away laughing, and soon reached the Flying Heaven Pavilion.>
Inside and outside the pavilion, the Tang Family grounds were packed with people. Newcomers holding the hands of young children were already arriving.>
Tang Myung watched the innocent, cheerful children and the curious adults with a bitter expression.>
There were roughly six hundred people in total. Adding those scattered on missions made the Tang Family's total around seven hundred.>
Tang Cheon-deuk climbed onto the stage and spoke.>
“Guangming Wusa of the Demonic Cult is leading his experts to attack the Tang Family.”>
Gasps of shock rose from the Tang Family retainers.>
Tang Pung stepped forward.>
“Family Head, what kind of information is this? Where did it come from?”>
“We have no time for persuasion. From this moment, my word as Family Head is truth. Believe it.”>
Tang Pung looked at him, clenched his fist, and bowed deeply.>
“Tang Family retainer Tang Pung obeys the Family Head's command.”>
The other retainers followed suit, fists clenched and heads bowed.>
“Tang Family retainer Tang Jang obeys the Family Head's command.”>
“Tang Family retainer Tang Mi-ryeong obeys the Family Head's command.”>
Tang Cheon-deuk bowed with fists clenched as well.>
“Thank you.”>
Tang Cheon-deuk looked at each of them in turn and spoke.>
“Qingcheng and A-mi are now surrounded by the Demonic Cult.”>
“Qingcheng and A-mi?”>
“Ugh!”>
Tang Pung let out a small sound of surprise. The experts who had been muttering fell silent.>
“Continue.”>
Tang Cheon-deuk nodded and explained the situation. Tension filled the faces of the Tang Family experts.>
Tang Cheon-deuk then said.>
“The Tang Family will not send reinforcements.”>
Everyone swallowed hard.>
“The Tang Family… will escape from here.”>
“Esc…!”>
Those who heard the word jumped in shock, then hurriedly clamped their mouths shut.>
Tang Cheon-deuk spoke in a low voice, and the Milyeong Unit moved.>
Tang Cheon-deuk looked at the stage, then at his son.>
“Remember this.”>
He began walking across the stage, each footfall heavy.>
The floor beneath the stage split open, revealing a black hole.>
“Visa Unit and Pyeonbok Unit, check the passage and secure the area once you reach the end.”>
“Understood.”>
“Each unit should immediately gather the supplies they need and return.”>
“Understood.”>
As the three units dispersed, Tang Myung turned to the experts.>
“Outer and inner experts, send the Tang Family retainers down through the passage.”>
“Understood.”>
The experts carried the people out of the hall and dropped them into the passage.>
Tang Pung approached Tang Cheon-deuk and bowed.>
“There is one request from the Family Head.”>
“Speak.”>
“For hundreds of years this place has been our home. We cannot simply surrender it. Therefore the elders and I…”>
Tang Pung smiled.>
“We will show these Demonic Cult scum the hell that awaits them.”>
Tang Cheon-deuk laughed.>
“Of course. The Tang Family cannot be handed over without a drop of blood.”>
“Thank you, Family Head.”>
“And I will stand with you.”>
Tang Pung was startled, but Tang Cheon-deuk shook his head.>
“Family Head must protect the Tang Family.”>
“For the family grounds to fall into enemy hands… if the Tang Family Head is not there, the entire world will laugh.”>
Tang Cheon-deuk looked at his son.>
“From this moment, you are the Tang Family Head.”>
Tang Myung bit his lip, then bowed with fists clenched.>
“I receive the command of Tang Family Head Tang Myung.”>
No time remained to refuse or protest. And…>
“It is my father's decision.”>
Tang Cheon-deuk pulled the Bicheon Ring from his finger and placed it in his son's hand.>
“This is the Bicheon Ring.”>
Tang Myung's lips quivered as he looked at the symbol of the Tang Family Head, and Tang Cheon-deuk smiled.>
“Tang Jang knows the Bicheon Ring's activation method. Learn it well… and go.”>
Tang Myung looked at his father, bowed, and replied.>
“I hope I will not see you again.”>
Tang Pung and the others looked at him with puzzled expressions. Tang Cheon-deuk simply smiled.>
“Yes, we will not see each other again. Hahaha!”>
If they did meet again… it would mean Tang Myung had died once more. Then the plan would have failed.>
It was better not to meet.>
Tang Myung let out a heavy sigh and stepped into the passage. Tang Hong and the Bicheon Unit followed immediately.>
Tang Cheon-deuk watched them for a moment, then turned to the elders.>
“Then… prepare yourselves.”>
Tang Pung and the elders nodded and stepped out of the hall.