Chapter 153: The Tang Clan (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 153: The Tang Clan (1)
Sichuan Province.
Being adjacent to Gansu Province, the headquarters of the Sun-Moon Demonic Cult, the region was heavily under the Cult's influence. While the Cult prioritized monitoring Qinghai Province, home of the Kunlun Sect, and Shaanxi Province, home of the Mount Hua Sect—which bordered Gansu to the west and east—its grip on Sichuan was by no means weak.
Fortunately, Sichuan Province was not a land that submitted easily. Its extremely isolated terrain, combined with the locals' inherent wariness of outsiders, fostered a strong resistance and hostility toward the Sun-Moon Demonic Cult. The unorthodox factions of Sichuan, led by Geonhong Palace of the Eight Great Unorthodox Powers, were actively fighting back.
On the other hand, the righteous factions of Sichuan lacked a great sect comparable to Geonhong Palace, leaving them significantly weaker than their unorthodox counterparts. Even so, they never gave up the struggle.
Their resilience was thanks to the sects that bound them together. Two, in particular, stood as the focal points of Sichuan's righteous factions: the Qingcheng Sect and the Emei Sect.
Though they formed the core of the righteous alliance, neither sect was particularly large. In terms of sheer size, they were no more than ordinary small-to-medium-sized sects. However, their actual combat power had long surpassed what sects of that scale could ever hope to achieve.
Each possessed numerous superior peerless arts rooted in Taoism and Buddhism, and the average martial prowess of their disciples was exceptionally high. They were not merely strong; they also protected the local populace and acted with chivalry. Furthermore, both sects had produced a "Number One of Sichuan" in the past, giving them a firm symbolic status among the righteous.
Qingcheng and Emei simply lacked the long history of other great sects. Given enough time and painstaking effort, they possessed more than enough potential to one day join their ranks.
This was precisely why the current Qingcheng Sect was burning.
The disciples of the Qingcheng Sect, having escaped their home on Mount Qingcheng, were desperately using their lightness skills to flee south. Their goal was Mount Emei. The third-generation disciples, whose lightness skills and stamina were still lacking, were carried on the backs of the elders. Their flight was so frantic that they could not afford to slow down for even a moment.
"Sect Master, I can sense Demonic Qi in the distance. It seems the demonic practitioners held back by the formation have resumed their pursuit."
"They broke through the Illusionary Void Empty Being Formation already? The Sun-Moon Demonic Cult is truly determined this time."
"We will fall back and buy you some time."
At the bold declaration from the first-generation disciples, the few remaining elders of the Qingcheng Sect shook their heads.
"We will step forward when the time comes."
"First-generation disciples, conserve your strength."
Hyeonbaek, the Sect Master of the Qingcheng Sect, felt the third-generation disciple in his arms tremble. The child must have been terrified to hear the demonic practitioners were closing in.
‘And Mount Emei is still so far away.’
The Sun-Moon Demonic Cult's offensive was incredibly fierce. While they had always been aggressive, this time they seemed intent on wiping the Qingcheng Sect from existence. Normally, the Cult's Sichuan Branch would take the lead, but this time, two of the Nine Cult-Protecting Guards—one of the Cult's main forces—had been mobilized.
The Qingcheng Sect Master, who had been scanning the rear to ensure no one was left behind, suddenly whipped his head forward. He had belatedly sensed a presence up ahead.
As Hyeonbaek halted, the rest of the Qingcheng Sect disciples stopped with him. The elders and first-generation disciples also froze, having finally noticed a man perched on a large boulder.
Though they couldn't precisely gauge his aura, it was clear he was a formidable master—one they couldn't be certain of defeating. The dozen or so corpses scattered around him only heightened their wariness.
Hyeonbaek’s eyes were fixed on the blood dripping from the sword held low in the man’s hand.
‘What an incredible aura. It's overwhelming.’
His hand falling to the hilt of his sword, Hyeonbaek stepped forward.
"Who goes there?"
"Ah, forgive my late introduction."
The man who stepped out from the shadows was remarkably young. He appeared to be from the generation of rising stars, yet his brilliant eyes were incredibly clear and deep. Meeting those blue eyes, Hyeonbaek was stunned once more. How could someone so young possess such a profound gaze?
"I am Namgung Jun, the Azure Firmament Hall Master of the Azure Heaven Association."
"The Azure Heaven Association!" Hyeonbaek exclaimed, his voice rising in surprise.
Still tense, he belatedly examined Namgung Jun's attire. The man wore an indigo martial uniform with four clouds embroidered on the sleeves. A bamboo hat rested on the boulder behind him.
"Are you truly a hero from the Azure Heaven Association?"
"I am glad to see you are safe."
"And those people...?" Hyeonbaek asked, glancing at the corpses beyond Namgung Jun's shoulder.
"They were Bright Order Ranks moving separately. It seems they were trying to circle around to block your path."
"Good heavens."
His heart sank. Hyeonbaek was speechless. Had it not been for Namgung Jun, the Qingcheng Sect might have been annihilated before they even escaped this area. He looked back at his disciples, every one of them watching him intently.
"Don't worry about the demonic practitioners pursuing you," Namgung Jun said. "The Azure Firmament Hall has already moved to intercept the pursuit team. They will join us shortly."
"Thank you. Thank you so much."
Namgung Jun surveyed the Qingcheng Sect disciples. Most were in terrible shape. Except for the youngest, the majority were wounded. Some of the first-generation disciples and elders bore injuries that were far from light. It was clear they had made it this far on sheer determination, desperate to save the young disciples and preserve Qingcheng's martial lineage.
"Were you on your way to the Emei Sect?"
"Yes, that was our plan."
Namgung Jun offered a careful suggestion. "The distance to Mount Emei is still quite substantial. Wouldn't it be better to rest and receive treatment along the way?"
"While that would be ideal, finding a physician who can tend to so many is no easy task. With the Sun-Moon Demonic Cult on our heels, we had given up on the idea."
"If you continue like this, more disciples will inevitably collapse."
As Hyeonbaek groaned, unable to argue, Namgung Jun spoke again.
"I know a trustworthy physician who can handle a large number of patients."
*
The Tang Clan of Chengdu, Sichuan Province.
Originally a family that walked the line between the orthodox and unorthodox, they had begun secretly supporting the Azure Heaven Association ever since forming a connection with a certain young man from the association. In fact, a significant number of the association’s Clouds operating in Sichuan had received the Tang Clan's assistance.
Thus, Namgung Jun brought the survivors of the Qingcheng Sect to the Tang Clan. With demonic practitioners running rampant, it was the only place they could safely receive treatment and regroup.
"Young Hero Namgung. You have truly grown into a fine, imposing man."
"Young Master Tang. It has been a long time."
Tang Bo-seon, the Young Clan Head of the Tang Clan, came out of the main gate himself to welcome Namgung Jun. He clicked his tongue in admiration as he took in Namgung Jun's changed appearance. The last time they met, he had been a scrawny, diminutive boy. Now, his height had shot up, and solid muscle was visible beneath his robes. Having grown from a boy into a man, Namgung Jun carried the bearing of a true swordsman of the Jianghu.
"I made preparations after receiving your message," Tang Bo-seon said. "The villages surrounding the Tang Clan are inhabited entirely by our clansmen, so the area is called Tanggata. Since Tanggata surrounds the clan estate, no information about the Qingcheng Sect will be easily leaked."
"Thank you for your consideration."
Noticing the defined muscles on Namgung Jun's forearms, Tang Bo-seon spoke again, this time with a voice transmission.
—From the look of you, you've made more progress in opening your severed meridians. How is it going?
—I opened the fourth one not long ago.
—That is truly astonishing. You have suffered greatly.
Perhaps because his own younger sister suffered from severed meridians, Tang Bo-seon didn't just marvel; he gave a bitter smile. He seemed to understand, if only slightly, the pain Namgung Jun must have endured. After all, wasn't Namgung Jun's condition even more severe than Tang Yeo-jin's?
Yet, the way he stubbornly overcame it was magnificent. Enduring the pain to steadily walk his own martial path made him seem like a true swordsman. Though Namgung Jun was much younger, Tang Bo-seon couldn't help but feel a sense of respect.
Sensing Tang Bo-seon's intense gaze, Namgung Jun offered a gentle smile.
—How is Lady Tang?
—Thanks to a spirit elixir we obtained from Yunnan, we've barely managed to complete the preparations for her treatment. However, I don't know if my sister can endure the process. Her physical condition is not very good.
—Her body must have weakened significantly due to the Three Yin Severed Meridian.
—Indeed.
After a long moment of thought, Tang Bo-seon asked cautiously, "Young Hero Namgung. Could you perhaps lend us your aid?"
Namgung Jun replied without a hint of hesitation. "If there is something I can do to help, of course I will."
"You don't even hesitate."
"Our paths have crossed for a reason. There is no need for me to hold back."
Realizing Namgung Jun was trying to ease his burden, Tang Bo-seon simply bowed his head. "Thank you. I will send someone for you soon. For now, please rest."
*
Namgung Jun visited the Qingcheng Sect, who were staying in the Tang Clan's guest house. Hyeonbaek, who was standing outside with his hands clasped behind his back, greeted him with a respectful bow.
"Hall Master Namgung."
"I understand your internal injuries are quite severe. Why are you out here instead of resting?"
"Sitting still is even more uncomfortable. The image of Mount Qingcheng keeps flickering before my eyes."
Recalling the Namcheon Palace, which had been completely exterminated, Namgung Jun nodded in understanding. While the surviving disciples were surely heartbroken, the burden on Hyeonbaek, who carried the responsibility for the entire sect, would be even heavier.
"How is the condition of the disciples?"
"Exceedingly well," Hyeonbaek said. At the mention of his disciples, a faint smile appeared, as if all his worries had been washed away. "If not for you and the Tang Clan, I don't know how many more we would have lost." Not only would they have had to face their enemies, but many would have succumbed to their worsening wounds.
Sensing a presence in the distance, Namgung Jun turned his head. In a nearby courtyard, the third-generation disciples of the Qingcheng Sect were practicing their martial arts, even in this situation.
"They are training. I shall take my leave."
"It is fine," Hyeonbaek assured him. "They are not practicing our sect's specific arts, merely reinforcing the basics. It is nothing secret."
A woman training among the third-generation disciples caught Namgung Jun's eye. From her appearance, she was a second-generation disciple. She seemed highly respected, as the younger disciples clearly followed her lead, even under these circumstances.
"The aura of that second-generation disciple is quite remarkable."
"That is Blue Lotus Flower Yu-seon. She is the future of our sect, expected to be the next Sect Master. Not only is her talent for martial arts outstanding, but her temperament is also incredibly calm and kind. Yet, she isn't needlessly soft; she is a child who knows when to step forward and when to retreat."
Hyeonbaek's explanation grew long, but Namgung Jun listened with a smile. He had been the same in his past life. When boasting about one's disciples, the words just flowed.
"To possess both martial prowess and a fine character... she is indeed a rare talent."
"She is the reason I can still smile, even after abandoning our home. Though, she must be suffering from a severe inner demon of her own."
"Why is that?"
As if recalling the attack on the Qingcheng Sect, Hyeonbaek's expression gradually stiffened. "While escaping Mount Qingcheng, Yu-seon was nearly killed by a woman from the Demonic Cult. She looked to be not even twenty, younger than Yu-seon, yet her martial arts were extremely high. I had to personally intervene to save her."
"Could the woman from the Demonic Cult you speak of be the Seventh Young Lady of the Demonic Cult?"
"Indeed."
The woman born with the Nine Yang Severed Meridian. Stories about her had been circulating frequently as of late. And since she was born with a unique constitution just like him, Namgung Jun's interest was piqued.
He immediately turned to Hyeonbaek.
"I would like to hear that story in detail."