A Shadowy Warning in the Heart of the Martial World
Tang Myung sat in the sealed training chamber, absorbing the Three Yang Divine Art from Elder Tang Song.
Behind him, Tang Song pressed his palm firmly against the young family head’s back, guiding the flow of energy.
As Tang Myung circulated the art, Tang Song spoke in a steady voice.
“I congratulate the Young Family Head on achieving the full mastery of the Three Yang Divine Art.”
Tang Myung took a deep breath, halting his circulation, and replied calmly.
“My inner nature is the lesser yang, so I must admit it’s regrettable.”
“If I possessed the greater yang, the release of energy would come easily, making the use of throwing weapons and strong currents far more convenient.”
Tang Song studied him quietly.
“The greater yang releases energy, the yangming regulates it, and the lesser yang absorbs it. The Three Yang Divine Art is composed of these three natures. I possess the yangming, so my internal energy remains the most stable. Aunt Tang Mi-ryeong has the greater yang, which is why her throwing weapons and poisons are faster and more powerful.”
Tang Song turned to face him directly.
“Young Family Head, your lesser yang allows rapid accumulation of internal energy. While the other natures are useful, it is best to master the one you naturally possess and cultivate it to perfection.”
“I understand.”
Tang Song regarded him with a thoughtful gaze.
“I have discussed the Three Yang Divine Art with Tang Jang.”
“With Uncle Tang Jang?”
“Tang Jang possesses superior martial strength, yet my understanding of the Three Yang Divine Art surpasses his.”
Tang Myung nodded in approval.
Tang Song had never cultivated the art himself, yet he had practiced throwing weapons for decades.
Reviewing its principles from time to time prevented him from forgetting it, but he had never trained in the technique. Still, his comprehension was deep.
That was why he occasionally visited the closed-door training grounds to observe Tang Jang’s practice.
“How is Uncle Tang Jang’s training going?”
“He seems to be on the verge of a small enlightenment that will allow him to break through the wall.”
“A small enlightenment… that would indeed be difficult.”
Tang Song nodded.
“That small enlightenment is precisely what blocks countless masters from crossing the wall.”
He then met Tang Myung’s eyes.
“While discussing the Three Yang Divine Art with Tang Jang, one question arose in my mind.”
“A question?”
“I suspect that the Three Yang Divine Art is… a part of some greater martial technique.”
Tang Myung’s eyes widened in surprise.
“A part of a martial technique? You mean the Three Yang Divine Art is an incomplete art?”
The family’s premier divine art having flaws? Tang Myung’s voice carried clear concern.
Tang Song shook his head.
“It is not a flaw in the sense of incompleteness. The Three Yang Divine Art is, in itself, the Tang Family’s supreme martial art.”
After a moment of reflection, he continued.
“No… the Three Yang Divine Art is an unparalleled divine art across the entire Wulin. It could complement any sect’s martial skills and, once mastered, would even enhance their power.”
“Then what exactly do you mean?”
Tang Song pondered briefly before speaking.
“When one cultivates the Three Yang Divine Art, one feels a sense of deficiency… as though one could advance one step further.”
“One step further?”
“Perhaps even the Young Family Head will sense it once he reaches ten-tenths mastery. The art itself seems to be yearning for something more.”
“I… do not quite understand.”
Tang Song gazed at him for a long moment.
“Young Family Head, or rather, the previous Family Head… when you spoke of your previous lives, I was present in that very place.”
“I remember.”
Tang Song studied him again.
“It was truly unbelievable at the time. Yet the events that followed convinced me of your words. Should something like that ever happen again, I ask that you question me directly about the previous Family Head.”
“That the Three Yang Divine Art is part of another martial technique?”
“If it concerns the secret of the Three Yang Divine Art, then only the Young Family Head may know it. In my opinion, that secret must not be revealed in the battlefield.”
Tang Myung fell silent, then nodded.
“I hope such a thing never occurs… but if it does, I shall verify it.”
Verifying it would mean dying once more… and the Tang Family would be in grave danger. Tang Myung hoped with all his heart that it never would.
Tang Song rose to his feet and bowed.
“Furthermore… are you still planning to follow the Family Head’s policies as they stand?”
“The hardline approach?”
“I know what the Young Family Head intends, yet… the Tang Family alone cannot confront the entire Wulin.”
Tang Myung listened for a moment.
“Elder, your words carry weight. But if we show weakness now, the Tang Family will be torn apart from all sides.”
Tang Song watched him gravely and sighed.
“Then are you truly determined to lead the Tang Family into battle?”
Tang Myung nodded.
“I will.”
“…” Tang Song hesitated, then said, “Then I shall lead the Visa Unit.”
“No. This time I must go myself.”
Tang Myung’s firm tone left Tang Song at a loss for words. The Tang Family was preparing for martial expedition.
For one reason alone: to punish the demonic sects that had targeted the Tang Family.
Although all the demonic masters who had attacked had been slain, their sects remained.
The Tang Family would dispatch its strongest experts to punish them—led, of course, by the Young Family Head himself.
Tang Song worried about exactly that.
“The Nine Demonic Lords who escaped could target the Young Family Head.”
Those nine escaped demonic lords were all Peak experts capable of rivaling the elders of the Five Great Sects and the Four Families.
The Visa Unit experts would guard the Young Family Head, but an unexpected ambush would place him in grave danger.
Tang Myung sighed.
“I share that concern.”
“Nevertheless, the Young Family Head wishes to go himself?”
Tang Song’s question received another nod.
“The previous life seems to make the Young Family Head reckless.”
Tang Myung’s expression hardened slightly.
In truth, there was some truth to that.
He had died three times and begun anew. Perhaps he could die again. The end of his previous life was unpredictable, but he still had more chances left.
After a pause, Tang Myung nodded.
“If I say I feel no such recklessness, it would be a lie. Yet… this matter is necessary. We must prove that the Tang Family still stands.”
Tang Myung looked at him.
“If the demonic sects had attacked the Tang Family before, we would have eradicated their roots.”
Tang Myung met his eyes again.
“Among the Four Families and Five Great Sects, the Tang Family is regarded as the weakest.”
“That cannot be true.”
“It is the truth. A cowardly family that relies on poison and throwing weapons… that is why the Wulin undervalues and belittles the Tang Family.”
Tang Song remained silent. He too understood how the Wulin viewed the Tang Family.
“Yet the entire Wulin would never wish to provoke the Tang Family. That holds true for the Four Families and Five Great Sects alike. The reason… you know it as well.”
Tang Song nodded.
“A grudge is a hundredfold stronger.”
“Precisely. The Tang Family repays even small grudges. For large ones, there is nothing to say… we simply repay them. Whether the offender is from the righteous or demonic path, we pursue them. That is why the Wulin fears the Tang Family. We shall prove it. The Tang Family still repays grudges.”
Tang Song sighed.
“Understood. Please take care of your safety.”
Tang Myung bowed once more and left the closed-door training grounds.
***
As Tang Myung walked the grounds of Tang Clan Castle, he surveyed his surroundings. Servants moved busily everywhere.
Although the Tang Clan Castle had been completed, the Tang Family servants still had much work to do. The Tang Family meant poison and throwing weapons.
To create poison, one needed toxic plants and medicinal herbs.
While purchased goods were possible, the Tang Family had always maintained herb fields, poison fields, and breeding grounds for poisonous insects, vipers, and similar creatures.
Therefore, whenever the servants saw empty space around the Tang Clan Castle, they planted herbs and toxic plants there.
These same plants served as defensive barriers. They posed no threat to Tang Family members, but anyone unfamiliar who passed through them would quickly fall victim to their deadly poison.
Watching the servants plant the toxic plants, Tang Myung entered the training field.
The Visa Unit members had already gathered.
Tang Cheongi, who would temporarily lead them, bowed deeply. Tang Myung nodded and addressed the unit.
“This expedition will target three locations: Blood Crimson Gate, Heavenly Pool Gate, and Black Demon Palace—all sects within Sichuan Province.”
“Supply wagons?”
Tang Hong replied with a bow. “Three horses laden with supplies.”
Tang Myung followed the direction of Tang Hong’s gesture. Two large boxes were strapped to each horse’s side.
The experts of the Tang Family wore thrower belts. Within them were densely packed throwing weapons. When one ran out, they would simply swap belts and continue fighting.
Otherwise, replenishing mid-battle would have been impossible.
“Let us depart.”
As Tang Myung mounted one of the horses, the servants began to do the same.
With Tang Myung leading the charge, the Visa Unit members followed.
Twenty-four Visa Unit experts and twelve Bicheon Unit members—thirty-six Tang Family masters in total—rode out from the Tang Clan Castle and advanced northward.
As the Tang Family masters left the castle and headed north, pigeons soared into the sky above Chengdu.
***
White Jade City, the border between Shaanxi and Sichuan Province, housed a vast estate.
On its signboard, written in rough, martial-style characters, was the inscription “Wulin Alliance.”
This was the Wulin Alliance’s foremost outpost, built precisely to guard against the demonic cult.
White Jade City lay between the Black Fog Valley and the Stone Pavilion, where the Alliance’s main force was stationed.
When battles broke out between the two valleys, the masters would depart from White Jade City.
Because the Wulin Alliance had been founded to suppress the demonic cult, its base was not in the central plains but on the outskirts of Sichuan Province.
Pitter-patter! Pitter-patter!
The sound of pigeons arrived. The Wulin warriors who checked the messages hurried away with alarmed expressions.
In the main hall of the Wulin Alliance, people had gathered in a large circle around the central platform.
These were the elders sent by the sects that formed the Alliance. The Wulin Alliance currently operated under a majority-vote system, as it lacked a leader.
When the Alliance was first established, attempts had been made to choose a leader, but opinions diverged and the process had been postponed until later.
A middle-aged man in green robes ascended the platform and spoke.
“I am Zhuge Mun-hu.”
Brother of the current Zhuge Clan Head and military strategist of the Wulin Alliance.
“The pigeons that arrived from the Ten Directions a moment ago… the Tang Family has exterminated the Blood Crimson Gate.”
Gasps of shock echoed through the hall.
“Oh dear!”
“Amitabha.”
“Namo Amitabha.”
Zhuge Mun-hu surveyed the elders before continuing.
“One hundred ninety members of the Blood Crimson Gate… all of them have been exterminated.”
The elders’ faces turned grim.
“You mean… you killed them all?”
“Yes.”
“What of it? The Blood Crimson Gate was a demonic sect that committed evil acts. Their disappearance is actually beneficial for the Wulin.”
Elder Ping An of the Common Paragon Sect nodded among the righteous group.
But others remained stiff.
The Four Families and Five Great Sects were righteous, so the demonic path had its own trio of the strongest: Blood Demon Palace, the leader of which was the elder Blood Master Gu Qiming.
He began to drip icy killing intent.