Chapter 169
Chapter 169
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 169
Chapter Title: To Sichuan (3)
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About twenty li northwest of Chengdu, the heart of Sichuan, lay a village of over seven hundred households centered around the Tang Clan—Sichuan's overlord and one of the Five Great Clans of the martial world. The people called this village Tangjia Ta.
Deep into the night, Tangjia Ta was shrouded in darkness, but the Joxian Hall, where the Tang Clan's major and minor affairs were decided, blazed as bright as midday.
Centered around the grand chair at the head seat, the Tang Clan's leaders gathered without exception at the long row of tables facing each other.
Given the gravity of the topic, the atmosphere in Joxian Hall hung heavy.
"You've all heard by now, but Emei Sect's leader, Abbot Geumjeong, has requested aid from our clan."
Before Clan Head Tang Yu could finish, Soaring Heaven Poison Eagle Tang Hagyo cut in bluntly.
"I heard someone from Emei came. What's your plan, Clan Head?"
It might have seemed rude, but Tang Yu, who knew Tang Hagyo's impatient nature all too well, brushed it off with a light laugh.
"That's what this meeting is for, Uncle."
"What's there to discuss? With the Heavenly Demon Cult swarming into Sichuan, we need to send reinforcements right away."
"Tsk tsk, not the Heavenly Demon Cult—it's Hwicheon."
Elder Tang Yeosong clicked his tongue as he corrected him.
"Same difference, brother."
"Fair enough, you might be right. Anyway, things looked bad, and now they've finally asked for help."
"The sects in the south are already gathering at Emei."
Tang Hagyo chimed in agreement at Elder Tang Geuk's words.
"Not just the south. They're mobilizing in droves everywhere."
"Makes sense. They wouldn't just sit idle with those bastards eyeing Sichuan."
"Exactly."
Tang Hagyo nodded and turned to Tang Yu.
"We should set aside old grudges for now. This isn't the time to quibble over right and wrong—it's time to smash those scum."
At the mention of not quibbling over right and wrong, Tang Yu's expression hardened slightly. It reminded him of his third son, Tang Hong, who had stirred up trouble by chasing skirts at the Martial Alliance.
"What do you think, Father?"
Tang Yu forced his expression to smooth and asked former Clan Head Tang Ingeom, who sat with arms crossed.
"Hah, don't drag me into this. It's for the Clan Head to decide."
Tang Yu managed an awkward smile at the indifferent reply.
"Bullshit."
The sudden curse drew all eyes to one side.
Undeterred by the stares, Tang Cheonhwa jabbed the ribs of Tang Manho beside him and continued.
"Don't you remember what it was like when our dear brother here first became Clan Head? Whining like that and all."
"There's an old saying: the frog forgets its tadpole days..."
"Brothers!"
Tang Ingeom bellowed.
"Did I ever say I wanted to be Clan Head? You two ran off because you didn't want it, forcing it on me. I was barely thirty then."
His lips trembled with decades of pent-up resentment.
"Did we do that?"
Tang Cheonhwa tilted his head.
"Probably. After you lost to the Sword Empress, you went mad for martial arts, and I was obsessed with herbs, never home. Hmm, now that I think about it, you must've had it rough, little brother."
Tang Manho glanced at Tang Ingeom's reaction, suppressing a laugh as he spoke.
"Sounds about right. You've suffered in our stead all these years. So, I'll go to Emei— you rest easy."
"Hah!"
Tang Ingeom turned away with a look of utter disbelief.
"I'll go."
At Tang Hagyo's declaration, Tang Yeosong quickly added his own.
"Me too."
As voices rose from all sides volunteering, Tang Cheonhwa shouted threateningly.
"Quiet! I'm going."
"Great-Uncle, you can't."
Tang Cheonhwa's head snapped toward the voice.
"What nonsense is that?"
Even under his murderous glare, Hidden Rat Hall's leader Tang Gyu didn't flinch.
"Word is, the Sword Empress is coming to our clan."
The mention of the Sword Empress sent ripples through the entire hall, Tang Cheonhwa included.
"The Sword Empress? To the Sword Empress Residence, you mean?"
"Yes."
"Heh heh! Fun times in my old age. Should I feel honored?"
Tang Manho smiled, not missing the spark in Tang Cheonhwa's eyes.
"Waiting for a rematch?"
"Rematch with a kid? Maybe if I'm teaching her a lesson."
"Still, it's the Sword Empress."
"True, but it's an honor nonetheless. Receiving her challenge note twice."
"How many in the martial world have gotten the Sword Empress's challenge twice? Congratulations, Uncle."
As Tang Yu offered congratulations, well-wishes poured in from around the room.
"What congratulations..."
Tang Cheonhwa waved it off with an awkward smile, but he couldn't hide the quiet pride.
"Oh, and Brother, you need to stay at the clan too."
Tang Yu, who had been planning to lead his household to Emei himself, asked in surprise at Tang Gyu's words.
"Why?"
"The Sword Empress is visiting for the Sword Empress Residence. We have to match her status properly."
"But..."
"Your brother's right. Cleaning up trash is important, but watching over the Sword Empress Residence is far more crucial."
Tang Yu swallowed his words at Tang Ingeom's advice.
About fifty li west of Tangjia Ta lay Cheonung Bang, the Heavenly Bear Gang.
Founded by a lay disciple of the Qingcheng Sect, it wasn't large in numbers or history, but it had grown based on solid skills.
Yet that very Heavenly Bear Gang was now drenched in blood by uninvited guests who appeared out of nowhere.
Not just their numbers—over a hundred strong—but each intruder's skill outmatched the gang's warriors.
The gang leader and key experts had mostly left to aid Emei, but even if they'd stayed, the outcome wouldn't have changed. The attackers were that superior.
"Yo Gong."
Early morning, the abbot of Demon Buddha Temple—who had stained Heavenly Bear Gang red the night before—visited the hall once used by the gang leader.
"Come in."
Yo Gong entered the room and momentarily froze at the corpses littering the floor. He quickly regained composure and bowed respectfully.
Thunder Sound Temple's Elder So Binta slowly rose.
His body was as solid as a man's half his age—over seventy—with skin free of wrinkles rivaling the young.
"I prepared as best I could. Satisfied?"
Yo Gong glanced at the three corpses around the bed and asked.
"Yes. They were all quite usable."
So Binta, who had indulged in lust all night and absorbed their vitality at the end, smiled in satisfaction.
"But what's this so early in the morning?"
"Word just came: Tang Clan reinforcements are mobilizing."
"Oh? How many?"
"Around a hundred."
"More than expected."
"Yes. Considering the Tang Clan has just over three hundred stationed there, it's basically their entire fighting force."
Yo Gong could barely contain his excitement at the thought of crushing the Tang Clan soon.
"What about Tangjia Ta? Don't they have plenty left?"
"Tangjia Ta's lot are just trash. The real prizes are at the main clan."
"Doesn't matter. Once headquarters moves, the Tang Clan's fate is sealed."
So Binta chuckled arrogantly, cupping the teapot in both hands.
Moments later, steam rose, and the water bubbled fiercely.
"Care for a cup?"
"Thank you."
As So Binta floated tea leaves in the boiling water, he asked.
"So, when do they plan to strike the Tang Clan?"
"Everyone's exhausted from the forced marches. They'll rest a couple days to recover."
"Lingering here too long risks them noticing us."
"No need to worry. They're all rushing to Emei, too busy to notice. Plus, Heavenly Bear Gang's back mountain connects right up to the Tang Clan's doorstep. We can move through the mountains undetected."
"You'll handle it well. From the mood, Hwicheon will have a tough fight ahead."
"Yes. Once Qingcheng and Tang reinforcements arrive, they'll be in real trouble."
"Perfect!"
So Binta and Yo Gong exchanged grins.
Thunder Sound Temple had planned to devour Hwicheon via Demon Buddha Temple and advance into the Central Plains martial world, but the Heavenly Demon Cult proved stronger than anticipated, forcing a change.
After Hwicheon fell to the Heavenly Demon Cult, they decided to carve out their own power base in Sichuan first. The biggest obstacle? Sichuan's Tang Clan— which had to be eliminated.
Thunder Sound and Demon Buddha Temples proposed ambushing Tang Clan reinforcements—and even Qingcheng's—to Hwicheon's leadership.
Hwicheon's heads welcomed the offer to handle their strongest foes with open arms, but once away from Hwicheon, the temples acted entirely differently.
Considering Hwicheon's forces, if Qingcheng and Tang reinforcements reached Emei safely, Hwicheon would suffer massive losses win or lose.
Judging they could seize Sichuan bloodlessly by toppling the Tang main base and wiping out the battered victor, Thunder Sound Temple skipped attacking Qingcheng's group—despite the chance—and hunkered down at Heavenly Bear Gang, waiting for Tang reinforcements to move.
"By the way, when will headquarters' reinforcements arrive?"
"Who knows. Hopefully not late, but hard to say. No need to fret, though—even if they're delayed, hitting the Tang Clan won't be a problem."
"Of course."
Yo Gong knew too well the prowess of So Binta and Thunder Sound Temple's elites; failure wasn't in his mind.
As Sima Geon's group neared Tangjia Ta, they encountered a suspicious band of unknown monks around noon.
"Tangjia Ta?"
Sima Geon eyed the young monk in reddish robes, unlike the gold-robed ones.
"Yes. First time here, so the roads are tricky."
The young monk smiled brightly.
"We know to follow this path straight."
Sima Geon pointed to the narrow country lane winding through the fields.
"But how far is it?"
"Not sure exactly—first-timers like us—but we heard about half a day."
"I see."
"You monks seem to come from afar. Mind if I ask your business at Tangjia Ta?"
"Heading to the dharma assembly at Baekma Temple. Passing by, we thought to visit the famed Tangjia Ta."
"Ah, a dharma assembly."
"Yes. Thank you anyway. You've saved us from wandering."
The young monk clasped hands and bowed.
"No trouble."
Sima Geon nodded lightly and turned to Cheol Woo, who watched with keen interest.
"They're holding a dharma assembly."
"Heard. Demon Buddha Temple's lunatics holding one? End of days, end of days."
The monks' faces twisted demonically the moment "Demon Buddha Temple" left Cheol Woo's mouth.
"Y-you bastards, who are you? How dare you speak of headquarters..."
"Idiot, if you're hiding, do it right. That robe you're wearing, the rakshasa tattoos on your wrists—sloppy as hell."
Cheol Woo grinned and continued.
"Thought we killed you all back then, but guess not. Oh, right—heard quite a few like Seongji Sunryeon escaped."
The monk's eyes shook wildly.
The nightmare tales from surviving brothers, and the monsters.
"D-Divine Demon Division."