Chapter 77
Tian Ailang returned to the Dangga, dragging his weary body drained from successive waves of internal energy exhaustion.
As he passed through the main gate, he saw lingering poison mists that hadn't fully dissipated, and people bustling about, frantically sprinkling powders to neutralize them. The outer hall looked somewhat deserted, most having evacuated.
Crossing the outer hall toward the inner one, he found that detoxification here was mostly complete—the acrid, lingering scent of neutralized poison hung in the air, but the mists had largely cleared. And then Tian Ailang encountered a strange atmosphere.
The Dangga Chil Yeong, the elders, and over a hundred warriors had surrounded him as he entered the inner hall. At their center, Dang Jeong-a and the Myeondok Pavilion Lord were raising their voices in heated argument.
"Myeondok Pavilion Lord! I've explained it to you!"
"Young lady. I respect you. Even judging by the Infantile Supremacy Poison—as arrogant and greedy as its name—and the Ancient Solitude Poison found in the patriarch's chambers, I acknowledge the patriarch's wrongs. But this is a matter for the Dangga to resolve internally. The pride of the Dangga cannot allow us to simply overlook an outsider's interference in this situation."
"It was because of my desperate pleas that this happened! Clan Leader Tian bears no fault! If anything, he lost his own people because of the patriarch and the Dangga Twelve!"
"Young lady, that doesn't matter. In the murim world, where there are debts of enmity and favor, they must be settled accordingly. Especially for the Dangga, which has built its position on resolute settlements of such debts. Thus, we cannot spare the one who killed our patriarch within our own halls. However, in consideration of your words and the surrounding circumstances, we'll end it by executing only him."
"Myeondok Pavilion Lord! Are you defying the orders of the current highest authority?"
Dang Jeong-a's fury surged as she drew up her inner energy. But the Myeondok Pavilion Lord calmly faced her, absorbing the pressure. With a polite yet firm, deliberate voice—like a stern lecture—he addressed her.
"Young lady. With the patriarch gone, especially in the absence of the young patriarch, it is only natural to follow your command. And in times of crisis, it is natural for the Dangga to unite. But!"
The Myeondok Pavilion Lord continued gravely.
"This is the Dangga. No matter the reason, outside interference in our internal affairs is absolutely forbidden. Do not forget your identity as part of the Dangga, young lady. Remember the contempt we once endured. Keep in mind how we rose to this position. If you wish to punish me later, I will gladly accept it."
Shaking her head at his words, Dang Jeong-a spoke even more resolutely.
"Myeondok Pavilion Lord. The Dangga must change. And Clan Leader Tian is the benefactor who shielded us from the Dangga's flaws and from becoming enemies of the entire murim. We must repay grace, not seek vengeance!"
Even at Dang Jeong-a's cry, the Myeondok Pavilion Lord stubbornly averted his eyes. It was a far cry from the warm gaze he'd once cast upon her as she crossed into the restricted wards.
The Myeondok Pavilion Lord bellowed to the other Dangga members.
"The Dangga never forgets vengeance! And we always repay it! That man dared to kill our patriarch within our halls! As Myeondok Pavilion Lord, I command you—execute him!"
At the sudden shout, Dang Jeong-a urgently countered.
"As rightful heir of the Dangga, I command! All Dangga members, cease action immediately and withdraw! This man is the Dangga's benefactor!"
The conflicting orders threw the Dangga members into confusion. Though Dang Jeong-a held superior authority, the Pavilion Lord's words rang truer to their instincts as Dangga clansmen, leaving the encirclement wavering in disarray.
Tian Ailang's brow furrowed at the sight.
"What is the meaning of this?"
His low voice carried clearly to everyone gathered in the inner hall.
"I overlooked the Dangga's atrocities in killing my people because of a request, even prevented a catastrophe that would have befallen the common folk... and now you order my execution."
As his displeasure stirred his inner energy, the nearby warriors felt a queasy churn in their guts.
"You speak of strict command structures, yet ignore the orders of the acting patriarch..."
"Khmm."
Nearby Dangga members swallowed uncomfortably. It wasn't just his words—the mere instability rippling from his dantian independently drew cold sweat from them.
"How could anyone trust you to keep promises?"
Catching Tian Ailang's gaze and words, Dang Jeong-a wore an apologetic expression. She quickly steeled herself with a resolute face and shouted to the crowd.
"Hear me, all of you! My father and patriarch, Dang Cheon-geum, committed heaven-defying sins! First! As you've heard, he unleashed the forbidden martial art Infantile Supremacy Poison, which could have inflicted massive harm not only on allies but on civilians! Had we not responded properly, many families would have been sacrificed today. If Clan Leader Tian hadn't rushed to the scene with his thunderclap and lion's roar to evacuate and prepare the civilians, countless innocents in Sacheon Castle would have met unjust deaths because of the Dangga! We would have lost our value as an orthodox sect!"
The Dangga Chil Yeong's eyes shook violently at her words. They recalled witnessing from afar, while evacuating the outer hall, Tian Ailang's thunderous display and divine might that scattered the poison mists—saving the civilians and outer hall retainers in the process.
"Second! He used Ancient Solitude Poison—taboo throughout the murim—on the leaders of the Yunnan Unorthodox Alliance and their sons! No matter the goal, such methods are unforgivable. It undermines the legitimacy we've earned as an orthodox sect through our poisons! This alone will draw the Murim Alliance's severe scrutiny!"
Dang Jeong-a scanned the crowd focused on her. The Myeondok Pavilion Lord scowled but listened silently. She pressed on, her expression rapidly hardening to ice.
"Third! The sin of attempting to use the absolutely forbidden Poison Maiden on his own daughter!"
At the words "Poison Maiden," even the Myeondok Pavilion Lord—who hadn't known until now—along with the other elders and Dangga Chil Yeong, startled and stared at Dang Jeong-a. The warriors unfamiliar with it murmured in confusion about what it meant.
"P-Poison... Poison Maiden...? Is it truly true?"
The Myeondok Pavilion Lord looked aghast. The other elders and Dangga Chil Yeong gathered similar shocked gazes. Dang Jeong-a nodded under their stares.
"The Dangga Twelve tried to abduct me from Naryeom to turn me into a Poison Maiden—I had no time to seek your aid. From that moment until now, Clan Leader Tian has been the one helping me."
She infused even more power into her voice.
"I was willing to bear the sin of filial impiety to right the Dangga! To save myself from corrupt greed! And to protect the Dangga I love, cherish, and you all!"
Dang Jeong-a strode through the Dangga warriors encircling Tian Ailang, positioning herself before him, then turned her back to him and faced the crowd.
"Even setting aside how he saved the Dangga, Clan Leader Tian is my lifesaver! By Dangga law, I, Dang Jeong-a, stake my life to repay that grace. If you seek to punish him, you must face me first!"
The Myeondok Pavilion Lord, inner hall elders, Dangga Chil Yeong, and warriors felt her ironclad resolve. Her genuine intent to fight them if they attacked Tian Ailang.
The Dangga Chil Yeong exchanged glances, then approached Dang Jeong-a.
"We, the Dangga Chil Yeong, will fully support the young lady's stance in this incident!"
Dang Cheol, son of Myeondok Pavilion Lord Dang Yeom and the eldest acting leader among them, declared it on their behalf. The sudden action from his son drew a scowl from Dang Yeom.
The Dangga Chil Yeong were the family's promising later-generation talents, but they'd long been undervalued. To solidify his power structure, the patriarch had sidelined the elders' children with minor roles or outright exclusion. The Dangga Chil Yeong had been left roleless, mere surplus trainees honing martial arts, until Dang Jeong-a's vigorous advocacy granted them real duties.
Initially, assigning them roles came with restrictions—no residence in the inner hall, no private mingling with its members. They'd only inspected outer hall guards. But through Dang Jeong-a's persistent care and support, they'd gained oversight of all outer hall warriors and permission to reside inner hall-side.
This fostered their loyalty to her, manifesting now. Tian Ailang's efforts to save civilians had also swayed their hearts.
As the Dangga Chil Yeong sided with her, inner hall warriors subtly shifted to stand beside Dang Jeong-a and them. Many hailed from major Dangga factions, pushed to the outer hall by the patriarch's checks but gradually reinstated through her efforts.
The Myeondok Pavilion Lord and inner hall elders watched the shifting mood. They glanced at Dang Jeong-a, still radiating unyielding will.
"Doesn't this new face of the Dangga look rather fine?"
Inner Hall Pavilion Lord Dang Seok-ho elder smiled as he spoke, and Inner Hall Vice Pavilion Lord Dang In-pung elder nodded in agreement beside him.
"I think so too. Loyalty born not from coercion and commands, but spontaneously. Isn't that right, Myeondok Pavilion Lord?"
Dang Yeom realized that, before long, only his own Myeondok Pavilion warriors remained around him. Even they fidgeted, eyeing him while inching toward Dang Jeong-a.
Excluding the absent Dark Hall, Martial Hall elders and their forces lost in the chaos, every influential figure in the Dangga now backed Dang Jeong-a. At this sight, Myeondok Pavilion Lord Dang Yeom fell into deep thought.
He recalled a past when Dangga members had spontaneously united to voice their opinions. Dang Yeom thought back to that spirited young man of the time and himself at his side.
Fifty years ago, in the war against the Demonic Cult, the previous patriarch fell, and young Dang Cheon-geum ascended, rallying the Dangga as one. Amid postwar chaos, the clan members—much like now—voluntarily pooled their strength under his strong leadership, lofty ambitions, and exceptional talent. On that foundation, Dang Cheon-geum swiftly elevated the Dangga to the ranks of the Five Great Families.
Under his unchallenged power, the unified Dangga soared to prominence without fracture. But over time, internal communication withered. Dang Cheon-geum formed the Dangga Twelve and lorded over the clan with overwhelming authority. The bold, communicative youth vanished, replaced by a greed-ridden elder.
Still, Dang Yeom believed the current Dangga existed because of that peerless patriarch and served him dutifully. Even if it wasn't the right path, even knowing the patriarch had strayed, he consoled himself that at least he worked for the clan.
Yet witnessing this scene, Dang Yeom realized the truth. His actions "for the Dangga" were mere avoidance. He'd dodged responsibility by claiming adherence to Dang Cheon-geum's order was service to the clan. Despite sensing the patriarch's wrong path, he'd lacked the courage to rebuke him. As one of the clan's top elders, he'd lived indolently, never discussing these qualms with peers.
And those stepping up to correct it were merely the "foolish girl" he'd dismissed and a righteous, spirited youth reminiscent of the young patriarch.
His intent to punish that youth stemmed from aged stubbornness layered over past errors.
Dang Yeom felt his old conscience flush with shame, a wry smile twisting his lips. His mind urged that for the Dangga's new future, his outdated thoughts should become mere fertilizer. Yet his heart clung to the vengeful feelings for the patriarch he'd shared for over fifty years.
He glanced at Inner Hall Pavilion Lord Dang Seok-ho elder, who'd weathered similar years. His eyes mirrored Dang Yeom's turmoil but shone with a lighter, freer resolve. The Inner Hall Vice Pavilion Lord Dang In-pung elder differed only in degree, as did the Dangga Chil Yeong and other warriors.
All mourned and raged at the patriarch's death, yet their love for the Dangga—and willingness to muster courage for its future—shone through.
Dang Yeom gazed at Dang Jeong-a, drawing people in and radiating light like the young Dang Cheon-geum. The sight evoked a hollow yet proud chuckle.
"Heh heh. Seems I've wasted my years after all."
Myeondok Pavilion Lord Dang Yeom shook his head to clear his thoughts and offered Dang Jeong-a a cupped-fist salute.
"This old man will follow your opinion as well, young lady."
He then saluted Tian Ailang.
"Benefactor of the Dangga, if this old man has offended you, I sincerely apologize."