Unyielding Resolve
As a faint rumbling continued to echo through the heavens, Tang Myung felt a surge of joy in his heart. Just then, Tang Mi-mi gazed up at the sky, exhaled a long sigh, and snapped her fingers.
Tap!
Immediately, several elderly men in white robes materialized.
‘Experts.’
Tang Myung was startled by the elderly men’s light-footed movement, but Tang Mi-mi gave a casual wave of her hand.
The elders hurriedly vanished again before reappearing moments later.
They carried wooden tables and chairs over, carefully placing them before the group.
“Sit.”
At Tang Mi-mi’s command, Tang Myung and Tang Hong took their seats. Once Tang Mi-mi and Tang Bul-gwi were also seated, the elderly men appeared once more, placing a teapot and cups before vanishing.
Tang Mi-mi lifted the teapot and poured the tea, then offered it over.
“How much of my story have you heard from the previous family head?”
After listening to the contents she had conveyed in the letter, Tang Myung nodded.
“I heard it properly.”
Tang Mi-mi gently stroked the teacup.
“Haa.”
Exhaling again, she looked up at the sky for a moment.
“So, what brings you here?”
“My hometown… has fallen into a crisis of total destruction.”
“Although the family head and elders have died, the younger generation remains, and the foundation in Sichuan Province is still intact. The Tang Family can rise again.”
“We can rise. As long as it is not the Demonic Cult.”
“The Demonic Cult?”
“They will target my hometown once more. This time, they will come as experts at the Gang Qi Materialization realm.”
“Why do you think that?”
“Because the Light Sword Immortal suffered a fatal injury at my hometown and retreated. The demons do not forget their grudges. They will definitely come again.”
“Gang Qi Materialization… There are no experts at that realm in my hometown?”
“My uncle, Tang Jang, is the strongest expert in the Tang Family, but he is sealed behind a wall.”
“Tsk!”
Tang Mi-mi clicked her tongue lightly and spoke.
“I would love to help you… but I cannot leave this place.”
“What? What do you mean?”
At Tang Myung’s question, Tang Mi-mi paused before replying.
“I cannot leave the Heavenly Grant Forest.”
“Did you receive some kind of oath? Or did you promise something to someone?”
Tang Mi-mi shook her head.
“No matter how heavy my oath is, if my hometown faces a crisis, I can change my words as easily as flipping my palm.”
“So you received an oath?”
“An oath… Yes, I suppose you could call it that.”
“What kind of oath?”
Tang Myung’s question made Tang Mi-mi look up at the sky.
“How is my martial arts?”
“The greatest under heaven.”
Yet Tang Myung was not flattering her. He truly believed it. At his words, Tang Mi-mi shook her head.
“It is not the greatest under heaven.”
“What? I have never seen someone stronger than Great-Grandaunt. The sect leaders of Shaolin and Wudang would not be a match for her.”
“Shaolin and Wudang… Hah! Of course, those two cannot rival me. A single flick of my finger would kill them. But…”
After a moment of thought, Tang Mi-mi spoke.
“There are many experts in the world that you do not know about. We call those who reach our level the Deity Realm.”
“Deity Realm?”
“It means entering the boundary.”
Tang Mi-mi looked at Tang Myung.
“Think of it as ascending to immortality.”
“Ascending to immortality? Did Great-Grandaunt become an immortal?”
Surprised, Tang Myung watched as Tang Mi-mi smiled and shook her head.
“It means entering the stage of becoming an immortal. That is why it is the Deity Realm. If you cultivate further here, you reach half-immortality from the Deity Realm. After that, you become half-ascended and finally achieve full ascension to become an immortal.”
“Ah… I pay my respects to Great-Grandaunt’s great accomplishment.”
Although the word ‘immortal’ sounded like something from legends, seeing one of Tang Mi-mi’s moves made him believe it was possible.
How could a human produce such a move in the sky?
At Tang Myung’s words, Tang Mi-mi sighed and shook her head.
“No… it has become a poison.”
At the word ‘poison,’ Tang Myung looked at Tang Mi-mi.
“Can one who reaches the Deity Realm not interfere in human affairs?”
Though he knew little about the Deity Realm or Ascension, the thought crossed his mind that if she had become a poison, it might be an oath.
“There are several restrictions, but I can still interfere in human affairs.”
“Then what is the problem?”
“The problem is…”
Tang Mi-mi looked around.
“I cannot leave the Heavenly Grant Forest.”
“The Heavenly Grant Forest?”
“When one reaches the Deity Realm, they communicate with heaven and earth. They release their own energy and absorb that of heaven and earth, becoming one with this land. Therefore, I cannot leave the Heavenly Grant Forest. I have already become one with this land.”
Tang Mi-mi lightly tapped the table, and the elderly men reappeared.
Tang Myung once again marveled at their sudden appearance.
Tang Mi-mi said, “This is why I summoned these people to serve me.”
“Then who are they?”
“They are the worst criminals that have never existed in the world again. You need not worry about them.”
“Criminals?”
“Exactly. Therefore, it seems they are treated as servants because killing them is considered a blessing for them.”
Watching the servants, Tang Mi-mi sighed.
“In any case, since I cannot leave the Heavenly Grant Forest… I have no way to save the Tang Family’s crisis.”
At Tang Mi-mi’s words, Tang Myung thought for a moment before asking.
“You mentioned Great-Grandaunt had restrictions. May I ask what they are?”
“First, I cannot leave the Heavenly Grant Forest. Second, I cannot carry out large-scale slaughter that could cause a problem with karma. Third, I cannot pass on the enlightenment I gained from reaching the Deity Realm to future generations. Fourth, I cannot kill those of my own sect who have reached the Deity Realm. That is all.”
“Those of my own sect who have reached the Deity Realm? Besides Great-Grandaunt, who has reached the Deity Realm, are there others?”
“I do not know. But if I think about it, if the Tang Family produced me, they would not have produced anyone else from other sects.”
At Tang Mi-mi’s answer, Tang Myung thought for a moment before asking.
“Then… how did Great-Grandaunt know about these things?”
“I do not know. I simply gained the knowledge.”
“Simply?”
“Yes. When I reached the Deity Realm, something like the rules of the world seeped into my mind.”
“Indeed… So it is the Deity Realm.”
Tang Myung muttered, astonished by such incredible things, and Tang Mi-mi replied.
“Then what do you intend to do?”
Tang Myung looked at her for a moment before speaking.
“Could we perhaps move the people of my hometown to the Heavenly Grant Forest?”
“It does not matter. But before that…”
Tang Mi-mi looked at Tang Myung.
“Do you remember the words I left in the Tang Family?”
Tang Myung looked at her. Tang Mi-mi gazed at him with deep eyes.
“The family head personally asked for forgiveness… is that it?”
“Correct.”
Tang Mi-mi looked at Tang Myung.
“Kneel and beg for forgiveness. Then I will help you. As long as you remain within the Heavenly Grant Forest, no one under heaven will be able to threaten the Tang Family.”
Tang Hong looked at Tang Myung.
“Young Master.”
Tang Myung noticed Tang Hong habitually saying ‘Young Master’ and looked at Tang Mi-mi, then bowed.
“When I came here, I thought of Great-Grandaunt and had many thoughts. Among them were thoughts for the family and thoughts to apologize to Great-Grandaunt.”
“So, have you reached a conclusion?”
At Tang Mi-mi’s question, Tang Myung paused before speaking.
“I cannot apologize.”
Tang Mi-mi slammed her palm on the table.
Thud!
“How dare you!”
The elderly men behind her flinched in fear.
Huaaah! Huaaah!
And a massive aura began to surge from Tang Mi-mi’s body.
“Ugh!”
Tang Hong groaned and was pushed back. Tang Myung also raised the Samyang Divine Art to resist the pressure pressing on his body.
Splash!
Under the pressure that nearly caused blood to flow from his nose and pores, Tang Myung bowed while clenching his fists and exerting his strength.
“Great-Grandaunt’s situation… is a pity… Great-Grandaunt… learning the Samyang Divine Art has been… beneficial and fortunate for the family… I also… know that.”
“Then do you admit that exiling me was the mistake of the Tang Family?”
“This… I admit.”
“Then why can’t you apologize? Why can’t you beg for forgiveness!”
At Tang Mi-mi’s roar, Tang Myung spoke while clenching his fists.
Splash!
As soon as he opened his mouth, blood flowed from his lips. The pressure was that immense.
“As the younger generation, I can admit my fault and apologize. But… as the family head of the Tang Family, I cannot admit my fault or apologize.”
“… Why?”
“Because the family head at that time committed no fault.”
“What?! No fault!”
In her fury, Tang Mi-mi shouted.
“The Samyang Divine Art you learned was one I improved. I also created the ultimate martial art based on it. Even so, you say that learning the Samyang Divine Art was wrong?!”
“It was wrong.”
“You dare!”
Tang Mi-mi raised her hand, and Tang Hong quickly stepped in front of Tang Myung.
“Cough!”
But Tang Hong’s sudden movement caused internal injury, and he spat blood.
He had moved hastily while ignoring a pressure that would have been unbearable even if standing still, and thus suffered internal injury.
“Ugh!”
Watching Tang Hong spit blood again, Tang Myung stepped back and reached out to support him.
Watching that, Tang Mi-mi reduced the pressure.
“Ugh!”
With the pressure reduced, Tang Myung let out a groan and collapsed to his knees. Yet, supporting himself against Tang Hong, he looked at Tang Mi-mi and said.
“Speak. Why is it wrong? What is wrong!”
“Because it violates the family law.”
“It is nothing but a hollow family law. If it can bring prosperity to the family, such things should be ignored.”
“Then who makes that decision?”
“What?”
“The family head is there to make that decision.”
Tang Myung looked at Tang Mi-mi.
“If the younger generation makes such a decision, where and how will the Tang Family go? Whether the choice is good or bad, the hometown must support and follow the family head’s choice. Therefore…”
Tang Myung quickly wiped his mouth and nose with his hand and spoke.
“As a successor of the family, I can beg for forgiveness for the decision at that time… but… as the family head, I cannot admit my fault or beg for forgiveness. The one who violated the family law is Great-Grandaunt, and the family head at that time carried out the family law.”
“Do you think that is correct?”
“Yes. Personally, I will apologize to Great-Grandaunt and beg for forgiveness. However, as the family head, I cannot apologize or beg for forgiveness.”
At Tang Myung’s words, Tang Mi-mi looked at him for a moment, then stood from her chair. She gazed at him briefly before looking up at the sky.
Watching Tang Mi-mi silently gazing up at the sky, Tang Hong swallowed.
If Tang Mi-mi truly wanted to kill them, she could do it without lifting a finger.
[Just in case… if something happens, I will take responsibility. Family Head, you must return alive.]
Tang Hong’s voice transmission made Tang Myung smile bitterly and gently take his hand.
[Even if there are a hundred uncles like Tang Hong, Great-Grandaunt would not be able to protect me.]
At Tang Myung’s voice transmission, Tang Hong remained silent for a moment before smiling bitterly. It was not a lie.
Tang Mi-mi looked at Tang Myung, then gazed at him briefly and spoke.
“Even if you die, your thoughts will not change?”
“The Tang Family does not change.”
At Tang Myung’s words, Tang Mi-mi smiled bitterly.
“Yes, my hometown will die and die, but it will not change. Hahaha!”
With a small laugh, Tang Mi-mi looked at Tang Myung, bowed, and said softly.
“Younger generation of the Sichuan Tang Family, Tang Mi-mi pays respects to the Family Head.”
At the etiquette of Tang Mi-mi, Tang Myung stared at her in surprise.
“Great-Grandaunt?”
At Tang Myung’s call, Tang Mi-mi opened her mouth while maintaining the bow.
“I have been away from the family for over a hundred years… but I have always been the younger generation of the Tang Family. Even if the family abandoned me, I did not abandon the family.”
“Do you not mind not begging for forgiveness?”
At Tang Myung’s words, Tang Mi-mi paused before speaking.
“What I wanted to hear from the Family Head was my sincere apology and forgiveness. I have always imagined such a day. The Family Head personally coming to me to apologize and pleading for me to return…”
“That would have been.”
“Now, my heart is very strange.”
Watching her, Tang Mi-mi briefly looked up at the sky before continuing.
“On one side of my heart, I still wish that the Family Head would kneel and beg for forgiveness for the past. But on the other side…”
Tang Mi-mi smiled as she looked at Tang Myung.
“This is the Tang Family.”
Tang Mi-mi laughed.
“Yes, this is the Tang Family I know. This is the Tang Family I miss.”
Tang Mi-mi looked at Tang Myung.
“Move the younger generations to the Heavenly Grant Forest. I will ensure that no one under heaven touches the Tang Family. Also…”
Tang Mi-mi looked at Tang Myung with deep eyes.
“I will teach you the Gold Dan Zen Art.”