The Ancestor's Revelation
Tang Myung nodded at Zhuge Jin-do's words.
“Thank you for your consideration. Then, have you come to the main family because you need antidotes and poisons?”
“It is not that I am unaware of the Tang Family's current situation, but right now, experts from the righteous and demonic factions belonging to the Murim Alliance are stationed in the three places of Seokjip, Baekok, and Padang. To fight the Demonic Cult, the Tang Family's support is desperately needed.”
Tang Myung gave a small nod at Zhuge Jin-do's reply.
“I understand what you mean.”
Tang Myung thought for a moment before speaking.
“The main family currently has plenty of poisons, but not many antidotes.”
“That must be the case.”
“However, the Heavenly Grant Forest is rich in medicinal herbs. If you give me about fifteen days, I should be able to produce a fair amount of the Baekbangdan.”
The Baekbangdan was the antidote the Sichuan Tang Family distributed to the outside world.
Unless it was one of the world's most extreme poisons, it would neutralize the toxin. Even against extreme poisons, it served as an emergency antidote that prevented the poison from spreading.
“If you do that, the Murim Alliance will be deeply grateful.”
“As fellow members of the Murim, if there is anything the main family can do, then of course we must.”
Zhuge Jin-do glanced around lightly and spoke.
“By the way…… where is the master of the Heavenly Grant Forest?”
“Are you referring to Great-Gramaunt?”
“While coming to the Heavenly Grant Forest, I heard many stories about the elder who is its master. The Tang Family and the Zhuge Clan are not strangers to each other, so I would like to pay my respects to the elder.”
Just as the Nine Great Sects shared generational rankings among themselves, the Five Great Clans did the same.
That was why Tang Myung treated Zhuge Jin-do as an uncle, and Zhuge Jin-do treated Tang Myung as a nephew.
While heading from Sichuan to Yunnan, the Murim Alliance party had received information about the Heavenly Grant Forest from the Qingcheng Sect.
And…… what they heard was truly shocking. The elder of the Tang Family known as the master of the Heavenly Grant Forest was a master powerful enough to rip off both arms of a Gang Qi Materialization expert and kill him several decades ago.
That was why Zhuge Jin-do and his group were trying to learn more about the master of the Heavenly Grant Forest.
Just from what they had heard, she was a Gang Qi Materialization expert. If she lent her strength to the Murim Alliance, it would be a tremendous help.
“Of course you should pay your respects. Great-Gramaunt would be disappointed if people from the Zhuge Clan came and left without greeting her.”
“Then where is Great-Gramaunt?”
At Zhuge Jin-do's question, Tang Myung turned his body.
He began walking ahead, and the Murim Alliance members followed behind him.
As they followed Tang Myung, Mun Sun sent a sound transmission to Zhuge Jin-do.
[Is what the Qingcheng Sect said really true?]
Zhuge Jin-do nodded at Mun Sun's transmission.
[There is no reason for Qingcheng to lie to us. Moreover, the Great Menglong Temple's head monk's junior claimed to be a gatekeeper. It is because he fears the master of the Heavenly Grant Forest. That is why he sent a high monk to try to curry favor with the Tang Family.]
[They are that afraid of a single Gang Qi Materialization expert? Does the Great Menglong Temple not have any Gang Qi Materialization experts?]
[It is possible they have none…… but even if they did, the Great Menglong Temple should be able to handle one Gang Qi Materialization expert. In my opinion, the master might be even stronger than that.]
[If she is stronger than Gang Qi Materialization…… are you saying she might be a Transcendent Peak expert?]
Currently, Gang Qi Materialization experts were considered the highest realm in Murim.
First-class experts who could use Sword Qi.
Peak experts who could use Gang Qi.
Gang Qi Materialization experts whose Gang Qi manifested like flames beyond the form of Gang Qi.
And the legendary Transcendent Peak experts who condensed Gang Qi into true Gang Qi.
However, Transcendent Peak experts were a realm that existed only in legends.
[If the Tang Family truly has a Transcendent Peak expert…… the balance of Murim will shift.]
[Amitabha…… it would be a blessing for Murim.]
[Indeed. It would be a blessing for Murim.]
Yet both Mun Sun and Zhuge Jin-do were thinking differently in their hearts.
‘If the Tang Family truly has a Transcendent Peak expert, the Five Great Clans could suppress the Nine Great Sects. Moreover, since the Sichuan Tang Family does not expand beyond Sichuan…… there would be no loss for the Five Great Clans.’
‘A Transcendent Peak expert in the Tang Family…… then the Qingcheng Sect's standing in Sichuan will diminish.’
While the two were thinking such thoughts, Tang Myung came to stand before a woman.
The woman was smiling as she handed small pills to children.
“It's sweet and tastes good, right?”
“Yes!”
“Good. I've made plenty, so come again if you want more.”
‘What a peculiar woman.’
‘Was there such a woman in the Tang Family?’
Mun Sun and Zhuge Jin-do's faces showed confusion at the sight of the young woman with white hair and white eyebrows.
Both were close enough to the Sichuan Tang Family that they could not claim to know everyone, but a woman with such distinctive features would have been impossible to miss.
“Great-Gramaunt, guests have come to pay their respects.”
‘Great-Gramaunt?’
‘This person is Great-Gramaunt?’
‘Such a young woman is Great-Gramaunt?’
The people looked at Tang Mi-mi with startled eyes. Seeing them staring at her in surprise, Tang Mi-mi spoke.
“You came to greet me, yet you do not?”
At Tang Mi-mi's words, Zhuge Jin-do came to his senses and quickly cupped his fists while bowing his head.
“This junior…… ahem!”
Though the situation made it clear that the young woman was Great-Gramaunt, the words felt awkward, so Zhuge Jin-do cleared his throat before continuing.
“This junior Zhuge Jin-do offers his greetings. I am overjoyed to see that Grandmother Tang is in good health.”
Mun Sun looked slightly flustered at Zhuge Jin-do referring to himself as a junior, then cupped his fists and spoke.
“Amitabha, Mun Sun of Qingcheng offers his greetings to Lady Tang.”
“Namo Amitabha, Sunhwa of Emei offers her greetings to Lady Tang.”
“Chojin of Qingcheng offers his greetings to the master of the Heavenly Grant Forest.”
As everyone bowed simultaneously, Tang Mi-mi looked at them and nodded.
“You all come from places with deep ties to the main family.”
Then Tang Mi-mi placed a wooden box that had been beside her onto her lap.
“I have nothing particular to give to juniors who came to greet me…… and since you have traveled a long way, take one of these each. It is fortunate, as I had prepared them for the children.”
When she opened the wooden box, it was filled with red pills.
She picked one up and held it out, and Zhuge Jin-do respectfully accepted it. As the others each received one and the lower-ranking disciples stepped forward, Tang Mi-mi looked at Jeong Myeong and Zhuge Mun.
“You said your names were Jeong Myeong and Zhuge Mun?”
“I am Jeong Myeong.”
“Zhuge Mun greets Great-Gramaunt.”
Though they had already greeted her, when Tang Mi-mi spoke to them again, the two offered their greetings once more.
Tang Mi-mi watched them quietly before speaking.
“The Family Head often spoke of the two of you. He said Zhuge Mun was a kindred spirit.”
At the word “kindred spirit,” meaning a close friend who understood one's heart, Zhuge Mun smiled.
“We are friends whose hearts connect.”
“Good. Continue to stay close in the future.”
Smiling, Tang Mi-mi placed a red pill into Zhuge Mun's hand and took out a small bamboo tube from her robes to give him as well.
“Eat this in a truly desperate moment. It will save your life.”
“Thank you.”
Though he did not know what effect the medicine Tang Mi-mi had given him had, the fact that she said it would save his life suggested it was an emergency life-saving pill.
Then Tang Mi-mi looked at Jeong Myeong.
“Tang Myung told me. He said you are a friend who would die for him.”
“Ah……”
Jeong Myeong looked at Tang Myung as if moved. Then he laughed.
“This friend thinks too highly of me. My life is far too precious for me to die for him.”
Tang Mi-mi laughed as she watched Jeong Myeong make excuses out of embarrassment.
“Indeed, life is precious, so always cherish it.”
Then she gave him both the bamboo tube and a red pill.
After giving red pills to the others as well, Tang Mi-mi spoke.
“The red pill I gave you is the Blood Clearing Pill. If you take it and circulate your qi, it will melt and expel the turbid qi accumulated in your blood and meridians.”
For a martial artist, expelling turbid qi meant an increase in their martial prowess. Moreover, it would greatly aid their future training.
“Thank you for giving us something so precious.”
“How would you know the effects just by hearing about them? Take it, experience the effects, and then offer your thanks.”
“Th-thank you.”
As the martial artists carefully held the Blood Clearing Pills in their hands, Tang Mi-mi spoke.
“Go over there and take it while circulating your qi.”
When Tang Mi-mi pointed to an open area, Mun Sun asked.
“We will do it separately later.”
“What is the point of putting it off? You are right in front of me, so it is safe. Do it now.”
Refusing again would be discourteous, so Mun Sun cupped his fists and bowed his head.
“Then I will follow your command.”
Curious about the effects of the Blood Clearing Pill and eager to confirm them immediately, Mun Sun and the martial artists went to one side and sat down. Tang Myung spoke.
“If it is all right, Mun and Myeong, come talk with me for a while.”
“Yes, let us do that.”
“I am also curious about how you have been.”
As Tang Myung was about to take the two aside, Tang Mi-mi spoke.
“There is no need to move. Do it here. I am also curious about the stories of you young ones.”
“Understood.”
At Tang Myung's reply, Tang Mi-mi lightly clapped her palms.
Then servants appeared carrying chairs, a small table, teacups, and a teapot.
Clack, clack, clack!
The servants set down the chairs, teacups, and teapot on their own, placed a bamboo tube filled with water, bowed their heads, and disappeared.
Whoosh!
At the servants' lightness skill, which made them appear and vanish like smoke, Zhuge Mun quickly spoke.
“Who are they? I have never seen such experts in the Tang Family before.”
“They are servants who serve Great-Gramaunt.”
“Servants? Experts like that?”
Surprised by Zhuge Mun's question, Tang Myung laughed and spoke.
“Do not be surprised when you hear this. One of them is…… a Gang Qi Materialization expert.”
Thud!
At the words “Gang Qi Materialization,” Jeong Myeong's mouth fell wide open in shock.
“A Gang Qi Materialization expert is a servant? Are you joking with us right now?”
“Why would I joke with you?”
Tang Myung laughed and looked at Zhuge Mun.
“You are my kindred spirit.”
Tang Myung looked at Jeong Myeong.
“And you are my friend with whom I share life and death.”
“Hah!”
Hearing him seriously call them kindred spirit and life-and-death friend to their faces, the two let out sighs and spoke.
“So it is true, then.”
“It is.”
[Then Great-Gramaunt…… what does she look like?]
When Zhuge Mun sent a sound transmission, Tang Mi-mi spoke.
“I want to hear as well, so do not use sound transmission. Speak aloud.”
At Tang Mi-mi's words, Zhuge Mun looked at her in surprise.
“You can hear…… sound transmissions?”
“I cannot hear them. But I can sense the waves of qi and air, so I know when sound transmission is being used.”
Even that alone was shocking enough. After a moment of silence, Zhuge Mun opened his mouth.
“This great-grandson has a question.”
“To me?”
“Yes.”
“Ask.”
“How old are you, Great-Gramaunt?”
“My age?”
“You look so young that you seem like my younger sister…… this great-grandson is quite flustered.”
“Hah!”
At Zhuge Mun's words, Tang Mi-mi laughed as if amused. Meanwhile, shock appeared on Jeong Myeong's face.
It was the expression of someone wondering how she could joke like this with Tang Mi-mi.
Seeing Jeong Myeong's reaction, Tang Mi-mi laughed.
“That child Jeong Myeong is a born rigid Taoist.”
“Amitabha. My friend has spoken rudely.”
“It is the antics of a child several generations younger, so it is fine.”
Smiling, Tang Mi-mi looked at the sky for a moment before speaking.
“I counted my age up to ninety, then stopped counting after that.”
Tang Mi-mi looked at Tang Myung.
“If you want to know my age, you would have to look through the family records.”
“Ninety…… then you must be at least over a hundred years old?”
“I suppose so.”
At Tang Mi-mi's answer, Jeong Myeong and Zhuge Mun spoke in surprise.
“Could it be…… that you have undergone Rejuvenation?”
“Looking at my current state, you could call it Rejuvenation.”
“Then…… could you possibly be at the Transcendent Peak realm?”
Gang Qi Materialization experts did not undergo Rejuvenation.
“I reached the Transcendent Peak realm thirty years ago.”
“Thirty years? Then you are at the Transcendent Peak realm?”
“No, I am not at the Transcendent Peak realm.”
“Then…… could it be!”
When Zhuge Mun looked at Tang Mi-mi in shock, Jeong Myeong stared at her with eyes full of astonishment.
“You have…… surpassed the Transcendent Peak realm?”
“That is correct.”
Thud!
Jeong Myeong and Zhuge Mun looked at Tang Mi-mi with shocked eyes.
The Transcendent Peak realm alone was considered legendary in Murim…… yet she had surpassed even that realm?