Storming the Gates of Yuhongak
Boom!
The front gate of Yuhongak melted away amid a thunderous explosion.
The martial artists inside Yuhongak wore blank expressions. Who in broad daylight would dare smash the front gate of Yuhongak itself?
“……What am I looking at right now?”
“Did the gate of Yuhongak just get destroyed?”
“Am I still drunk? Why am I seeing things?”
Those farther inside were slow to grasp the situation. Their faces were full of disbelief. In the entire history of the Tang Clan, the gate of Yuhongak had never once been smashed.
“Assassins who can’t even read a situation like this—tsk.”
Tang Cheonwi strode casually inside.
“Young Master?”
“Why is that bastard here?”
“No, more importantly—was it that son of a bitch who smashed the Yuhongak gate?”
The faces of the Yuhongak martial artists twisted in an instant. They had no intention of treating Tang Cheonwi with respect. It was the sort of behavior that revealed just how high-handed Yuhongak truly was.
A martial artist with a crooked air approached Tang Cheonwi.
“Young Master, do you even know where this is, that you would come so fearlessly?”
He at least used the title of Young Master. Of course, his attitude remained thoroughly arrogant.
“I’ve come to see my little aunt, so guide me.”
“Keuk, hahahaha!”
The martial artist with slanted eyes laughed until his throat was bared.
“The Lord of Yuhongak is not someone the Young Master can meet just because he wishes it. Make an appointment and come again.”
He shoved Tang Cheonwi’s shoulder.
“Tang Ildo.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“This is insubordination, right?”
“Since he insolently shoved the shoulder of the Young Master of the Great Sichuan Tang Clan, it is clearly insubordination.”
“No problem if I punish him?”
“According to the clan’s laws, even summary execution is possible.”
“You memorized all the laws? Quite capable.”
“Even if I look like this, I’m the youngest of the Black Scale Guard. I belong to a unit that’s extremely strict about the laws.”
“Then I’ll trust you.”
Tang Ildo’s eyes sparkled. He would get to see Tang Cheonwi’s skills once again—and from up close. Just how would he deal with the Yuhongak martial artist? His gaze was fixed entirely on Tang Cheonwi.
But……
“Looking so expectant—what am I supposed to do? I have no intention of showing martial arts.”
Tang Cheonwi only operated his Tyrant Blood Poison Qi.
Showing the Stopping Formula of the Tyrant Blood Poison Qi would terrify them far more than displaying martial arts.
Tyrant Blood Poison Qi had many characteristics: poisoning, slowing, paralysis, absorption. The Stopping Formula was the mental formula that produced a paralysis effect. It required at least seven-star mastery of Tyrant Blood Poison Qi. Yet Tang Cheonwi, who was only at the three-star level, was freely utilizing it. Even Hwancheonjihwan was no longer surprised.
“Huh?”
“My body…… won’t move as I want.”
“What’s going on?”
Tang Cheonwi slapped the cheek of the Yuhongak martial artist in front of him.
Slap!
“Ack.”
The man tried to whip his head around, but his neck refused to obey.
“You know why I hit you, right?”
“Damn it! I’ll right now……”
Toward the martial artist who had barely managed to rise, Tang Cheonwi’s hand stretched out again.
Slap!
A cheerful sound rang out. The Yuhongak martial artist’s cheek swelled bright red.
“Still don’t know?”
“Fuck!”
A curse burst from the martial artist’s mouth—a voice thick with resentment. His face clearly wanted to sever Tang Cheonwi’s throat on the spot.
“Hmm, I think I’ve treated you all too gently. Go ahead and scream as much as you like.”
He changed the operation of Tyrant Blood Poison Qi—from the Stopping Formula to the Poison Formula. It was the most basic method of control. Yet that very basic method was also the essence of Tyrant Blood Poison Qi.
A green haze spread instantly through the surroundings. The time it took for the poison qi to fill all of Yuhongak was less than a minute and a half.
“Gaaah……!”
“S-suddenly—ugh!”
“Aaaaargh!”
Yuhongak erupted in screams. The interior became a hellscape in the blink of an eye. Tang Ildo’s spine chilled once more.
This is it. This feeling I had when I was out of my mind!
It was not mere fear or dread. It was an emotion blooming from the deep darkness of the abyss—terror.
That poison qi is stimulating people’s emotions. What kind of internal energy mental method induces terror?
There was no internal art among the Tang Clan’s methods that induced terror.
I don’t know if it comes from Young Master’s inherent presence, or if the internal energy itself induces terror.
If there was one thing he knew for certain, it was this: the mental method Tang Cheonwi had mastered seemed similar to the Tang Clan’s, yet distinctly different.
While everyone writhed in agony, the master of Yuhongak finally appeared.
“What kind of outrage is this!”
A woman of venomous beauty shouted. It was Tang Cheong, Lord of Yuhongak.
To her razor-edged voice, Tang Cheonwi replied with perfect nonchalance.
“I said I wanted to meet my little aunt, but these rude bastards blocked my way. So I gave them a bit of education.”
By then Tang Cheonwi had completely withdrawn his Tyrant Blood Poison Qi. The poison qi that had filled Yuhongak was nowhere to be found.
“I heard you went on an outing, so it seems you’ve returned.”
“Thanks to that, it was a very refreshing trip.”
When Tang Cheonwi jerked his chin at Tang Ildo, the latter flung the fainted Yuhongak martial artist forward.
“Let’s get straight to the point. I believe you know who this is.”
“Are you toying with this aunt of yours right now? Is he not a Yuhongak martial artist?”
“They brought over twenty Yuhongak personnel to kill me. Did you not know?”
“I know nothing of the sort.”
A cold smile formed on Tang Cheonwi’s lips. I knew she’d play dumb.
“If you don’t even know that over twenty people did something foolish, isn’t that rather incompetent? Have you been sitting in that position so long you’ve forgotten your duties?”
When he openly insulted her, the man standing beside his little aunt roared.
“How dare you! No matter if you’re the Young Master, what kind of outrageous words are these!”
Tang Sangrip, First Squad Leader of Yuhongak. A master who had only just reached Peak, and his little aunt’s right-hand man. His position within the clan was solid.
“Who the hell are you to meddle? Are you so great that you can exchange words with me, the Young Master?”
The Tang Clan overflowed with masters. Unlike other clans, Peak-level experts were not so rare they could be counted on one hand. The Sichuan Tang Clan was, after all, the greatest family under heaven.
“You—!”
Just as Tang Sangrip was about to flare up, his little aunt stopped him. That a fine crack had appeared on her face was something only he noticed.
“I acknowledge this aunt’s incompetence. But won’t you also reflect? Since you constantly act like a scoundrel, there are many family members who hold grudges against you.”
Acknowledging incompetence while covering the crime of instigating assassination—it was a choice typical of his little aunt.
“So you’re saying it wasn’t little aunt who instigated it.”
“How could I dare try to kill you, the Young Master? If such a fact were discovered even by chance, it would not end with mere expulsion from the Tang Clan. Elder Brother the Clan Head, as well as Second Elder Brother, would personally step forward and kill me.”
“Then hand them over.”
Tang Cheonwi’s smile deepened. It was the look of someone who had just sprung the trap.
“What do you mean?”
“You must hand over the families of those who tried to assassinate me.”
Tang Ildo’s eyes widened as he watched.
A brilliant stratagem. Young Master wasn’t just strong in martial arts……
It was an extremely awkward situation for Tang Cheong. If she protected the families of the Yuhongak martial artists who had ambushed Tang Cheonwi, it would look as though she were shielding the insolent. If she handed them over, the loyalty and trust of the Yuhongak martial artists would shatter.
Either choice leads to bad results.
Tang Ildo’s gaze shifted to Tang Cheong. What choice would she make? He waited only for her mouth to open.
“……Must you oppress me so?”
“Since little aunt cannot control Yuhongak, please think of it as your nephew warning them in your stead.”
Tang Cheonwi had no intention of backing down. This was a fight that had already begun. It could not stop until one of the two was dead. Moreover, had Tang Cheong not betrayed Yuhyeon? He intended to return the pain Yuhyeon had suffered a hundredfold. First, he planned to shake this Yuhongak to its foundations. That was precisely why he had come straight here the moment he returned from his outing.
“First Squad Leader, hand over the families of the traitors to Cheonwi.”
“Lord! Really that bas—”
Tang Sangrip was about to say “bastard,” but changed his words. He had no choice after receiving Tang Cheong’s all-too-sharp gaze.
“……Will you follow the Young Master’s will?”
“Our Yuhongak martial artists tried to assassinate the Young Master and failed. They committed a grave crime—shall we continue covering for the traitors’ families?”
“S-sorry.”
Tang Sangrip no longer opened his mouth. A bitterly cold chill was flowing from his master.
“Don’t feel too bad. At least Yuhongak can escape the stigma, right?”
Tang Cheonwi scratched her insides while giving orders to Tang Ildo.
“What are you standing around for? Together with Tang Sangrip, bring the families of the rebels before me right away.”
“I’m the former Clan Head’s direct subordinate, though?”
Tang Ildo resisted briefly, but scratched his head under Tang Cheonwi’s gaze.
“I’ll capture them right away!”
Tang Ildo left Yuhongak with Tang Sangrip. Everyone present was radiating hostility toward Tang Cheonwi. Of course, it was all settled with a single sentence.
“Show killing intent and you’re dead.”
The Yuhongak martial artists who had first charged at Tang Cheonwi averted their gazes. Heads bowed, their bodies trembled. They must have been recalling the pain and fear they had felt moments earlier.
When he witnessed the morale of the Yuhongak martial artists thoroughly broken, his little aunt’s expression grew even more venomous.
“……”
She was barely holding back her fury. It was clear she was tasting a profound humiliation.
It’s not over yet. You’ll have to endure this much humiliation.
To those who had betrayed Yuhyeon, he would deliver pain worse than death. The first of them was none other than Tang Cheong—Lord of Yuhongak, known as Poison Flower Rain.
Only then will my revenge be satisfying.
A cruel, fierce killing intent settled in Tang Cheonwi’s eyes.
About half a shichen later, the families of the Yuhongak martial artists who had ambushed Tang Cheonwi were captured and brought in. Their number easily exceeded thirty. They trembled without knowing the reason.
“Lord…… Have we done something wrong?”
“……If you tell us the reason, we will correct it.”
Tang Cheong only looked at them, saying nothing. Then Tang Cheonwi opened his mouth.
“If you won’t explain the reason, I will.”
Tang Cheonwi looked down at those kneeling and stated it plainly.
“Your family members tried to assassinate me but failed and all lost their lives. We captured you to hold you accountable for that crime, so don’t feel wronged.”
They opened their eyes wide and turned to Tang Cheong.
“That’s impossible! That he tried to kill the Young Master—”
“We are also members of the Tang Clan, so why would we try to kill the Young Master?”
“There must be some misunderstanding.”
“Lord of Yuhongak, please resolve our injustice.”
There were families who truly felt wronged. Yet there were also families who already knew of the failed assassination. They watched for an opportunity—an opportunity to kill Young Master Tang Cheonwi. To end his life in a single blow while he stood defenseless. As retired members of Yuhongak, they were certain they could succeed.
The moment the Young Master stood with arms crossed, his back turned—they saw a gap.
Now!
I’ll avenge my husband.
Swish—!
Three shadows suddenly sprang out from among the families. Their targets were Tang Cheonwi’s neck and heart.
“Die!”
Those who reached Tang Cheonwi’s side in an instant poured out everything they had.
Boom!
Poison powder exploded in the air.
Hiss—.
Hidden weapons—feather needles—advanced through the poison smoke. At the same time a sword stabbed toward Tang Cheonwi’s neck.
But……
Clang! With that sound, the hidden weapons and the sword lost all force and bounced away.
“What’s this windfall? You’re giving me the justification to kill all of you?”