Chapter 169

Chapter 169
## Chapter 169: To Sichuan (3)

—

Roughly twenty li to the northwest of Chengdu, the bustling core of the Sichuan province, sat a village comprised of more than seven hundred residences. This settlement served as the outer perimeter for the Tang Clan—the absolute masters of Sichuan and a prominent pillar of the Five Great Clans of the central plains. This place was known to all as Tangjia Ta.

While the late hours had plunged the rest of Tangjia Ta into shadow, the Joxian Hall, the nerve center for the Tang Clan’s internal and external governance, remained illuminated as if the sun had never set.

Positioned around the primary seat of authority, the high-ranking members of the Tang Clan sat arranged along parallel tables, their faces grave.

The weight of their current predicament filled the Joxian Hall with a suffocating tension.

“The news has likely reached you all: the Emei Sect’s supreme leader, Abbot Geumjeong, has formally petitioned our family for military assistance.”

Tang Yu, the Clan Head, had barely finished speaking when he was interrupted by the blunt voice of the Soaring Heaven Poison Eagle, Tang Hagyo.

“I’m aware an envoy from Emei arrived. What is your stance on this, Clan Head?”

To an outsider, the tone might have seemed disrespectful, but Tang Yu was intimately familiar with Tang Hagyo’s impulsive streak. He dismissed the tension with a soft chuckle.

“That is precisely why I have summoned you all for this consultation, Uncle.”

“What is there to debate? The Heavenly Demon Cult is pouring into our province like a flood. We must dispatch our warriors immediately.”

“Good heavens, it isn’t the Heavenly Demon Cult itself—it is Hwicheon.”

Elder Tang Yeosong clicked his tongue in a corrective manner.

“It amounts to the same thing, brother.”

“Perhaps so. Regardless, the situation has deteriorated to the point where they are finally begging for our help.”

“The southern organizations are already congregating at the Emei Sect’s mountain.”

Tang Hagyo nodded in agreement following the remarks of Elder Tang Geuk.

“Not merely the south. Alliances are forming everywhere.”

“It’s only natural. No one is going to sit idly by while those villains attempt to sink their claws into Sichuan.”

“Precisely.”

Tang Hagyo turned back to Tang Yu with a firm nod.

“We need to push aside previous animosities for the time being. This isn’t a moment for moral hair-splitting—it’s a moment to eradicate those vermin.”

When the subject of ignoring right and wrong came up, Tang Yu’s expression flickered with a brief flash of irritation. It brought to mind the antics of his third son, Tang Hong, who had caused a minor scandal chasing women at the Martial Alliance.

“What is your perspective, Father?”

Tang Yu smoothed his features and looked toward the previous Clan Head, Tang Ingeom, who sat with his arms folded across his chest.

“Don’t look at me. The decision rests solely with the current Clan Head.”

Tang Yu gave a strained, awkward smile at the dismissive response.

“What a load of rubbish.”

The sudden profanity caused every head in the room to turn toward the source.

Ignoring the collective gaze, Tang Cheonhwa poked the ribs of Tang Manho, who was sitting beside him, and spoke up.

“Have you forgotten how our ‘dear brother’ acted when he first took the seat? All that whining and complaining.”

“As they say, the frog rarely remembers its time as a tadpole…”

“Brothers!”

Tang Ingeom’s voice boomed through the hall.

“Did I ever volunteer for this position? You two fled the responsibility because you didn’t want the burden, leaving me to handle it. I was barely thirty years old!”

His voice wavered with the frustration of decades past.

“Is that how it happened?”

Tang Cheonhwa tilted his head as if searching his memory.

“Most likely. After your defeat at the hands of the Sword Empress, you became a martial arts recluse, and I was perpetually lost in the mountains hunting for rare herbs. Now that I recall, you really did have a difficult time, little brother.”

Tang Manho watched Tang Ingeom’s face, fighting back a smirk as he chimed in.

“That sounds accurate. You’ve endured a lot for us over the years. Therefore, I will lead the contingent to Emei—you should stay here and rest.”

“Hah!”

Tang Ingeom turned his head away, his face a mask of incredulity.

“I’ll be the one to go.”

Following Tang Hagyo’s assertion, Tang Yeosong was quick to volunteer as well.

“Count me in as well.”

As the room filled with the voices of elders eager for battle, Tang Cheonhwa silenced them with a sharp shout.

“Enough! I am the one going.”

“Great-Uncle, that is not possible.”

Tang Cheonhwa’s eyes narrowed as they landed on the speaker.

“What sort of idiocy are you spouting?”

Despite the intense pressure emanating from the elder, Tang Gyu, the leader of the Hidden Rat Hall, remained composed.

“Reports indicate that the Sword Empress is currently traveling toward our clan.”

The name of the Sword Empress caused a visible stir throughout the hall, even affecting Tang Cheonhwa.

“The Sword Empress? Are you saying she is heading for the Sword Empress Residence?”

“That is correct.”

“Heh heh! Life certainly remains interesting in my old age. Should I consider this a privilege?”

Tang Manho smiled, noticing the competitive fire reigniting in Tang Cheonhwa’s eyes.

“Are you looking for a second match?”

“A second match with a mere girl? I’ll simply be providing her with a lesson.”

“Even so, she is the Sword Empress.”

“True. But it is quite a distinction to receive a challenge from her twice in one lifetime.”

“How many people in the world can claim to have been challenged by the Sword Empress twice? My congratulations, Uncle.”

As Tang Yu offered his respects, a chorus of well-wishes echoed from the other members.

“It’s no big deal…”

Tang Cheonhwa waved his hand dismissively with a bashful grin, though his sense of pride was written clearly on his face.

“Furthermore, Brother, you must also remain at the clan.”

Tang Yu, who had intended to personally lead the Tang warriors to Emei, looked at Tang Gyu with confusion.

“For what reason?”

“The Sword Empress is visiting specifically for the Sword Empress Residence. We must ensure the clan’s leadership is present to receive her with the appropriate dignity.”

“But the war…”

“Your brother is correct. Dealing with those thugs is a task of importance, but protecting the legacy of the Sword Empress Residence takes precedence.”

Tang Yu suppressed his objections, yielding to Tang Ingeom’s counsel.

—

Approximately fifty li to the west of Tangjia Ta was the home of Cheonung Bang, the Heavenly Bear Gang.

Established by a secular follower of the Qingcheng Sect, the gang wasn’t particularly storied or massive, but it had carved out a reputation through genuine martial prowess.

However, that same Heavenly Bear Gang was currently a scene of carnage, its halls painted red by a group of unannounced invaders.

The attackers numbered over a hundred, and their individual strength far exceeded that of the local gang members.

While the gang’s leadership and elite fighters had already departed to support Emei, their presence likely wouldn’t have altered the grim result. The disparity in power was simply too great.

“Yo Gong.”

As dawn began to break, the head of the Demon Buddha Temple—the man responsible for the previous night’s slaughter—entered the private chambers of the gang leader.

“Enter.”

Yo Gong stepped into the room, pausing for a split second as he looked at the corpses scattered across the floor. He quickly masked his reaction and offered a deep bow.

Elder So Binta of the Thunder Sound Temple rose slowly from his seat.

Despite being over seventy, his physique was as robust as a man in his prime, and his skin was eerily smooth and youthful.

“I made the best arrangements I could under the circumstances. Are you content?”

Yo Gong asked, eyeing the three lifeless bodies near the bed.

“Indeed. They served their purpose well.”

So Binta, who had spent the night siphoning the life force of his victims through carnal means, smiled with predatory satisfaction.

“But why have you come so early?”

“A report has just arrived: the Tang Clan is beginning to move their reinforcements.”

“Oh? In what numbers?”

“Roughly one hundred men.”

“That is more than I anticipated.”

“Yes. Given that the Tang Clan usually maintains a standing force of about three hundred at their base, they are deploying nearly their entire elite guard.”

Yo Gong struggled to hide his delight at the prospect of the Tang Clan’s imminent downfall.

“And what of Tangjia Ta? Surely there are many left there?”

“The residents of Tangjia Ta are non-combatant trash. The only ones that matter are in the main estate.”

“It makes no difference. Once the main force is out of the way, the Tang Clan is finished.”

So Binta let out an arrogant laugh, placing both hands around a teapot.

Seconds later, the water inside began to hiss and boil violently from his internal energy.

“Would you care for a drink?”

“I would be honored.”

As So Binta steeped the tea in the roiling water, he spoke again.

“So, when is the scheduled strike on the Tang estate?”

“The men are fatigued from the rapid movement. They will take two days to recuperate their strength.”

“Staying in one place for too long risks our exposure.”

“There is little to fear. Everyone is preoccupied with the gathering at Emei. Furthermore, the mountains behind the Heavenly Bear Gang lead directly to the Tang Clan’s doorstep. We can traverse the peaks without being seen.”

“You have planned this well. From the looks of things, Hwicheon is in for a brutal confrontation.”

“Yes. When the Qingcheng and Tang forces arrive, they will find themselves in a desperate situation.”

“Excellent!”

Both So Binta and Yo Gong shared a dark smile.

The original strategy of the Thunder Sound Temple was to use the Demon Buddha Temple to swallow Hwicheon and expand their influence into the Central Plains. However, the unexpected strength of the Heavenly Demon Cult had forced them to pivot.

With Hwicheon likely to fall to the Cult, they decided to establish their own kingdom in Sichuan. The primary hurdle was the Tang Clan, which now had to be destroyed.

They had proposed to the Hwicheon leadership that they would ambush the Tang and Qingcheng reinforcements.

The Hwicheon leaders, eager to have their most dangerous enemies handled, agreed readily. However, once the monks were away from Hwicheon’s eyes, they pursued their own agenda.

They calculated that if the reinforcements reached Emei, Hwicheon would be decimated regardless of the victor.

By letting the battle play out, destroying the Tang home base, and then wiping out the exhausted survivors of the war, they could seize Sichuan with minimal effort. Thus, they had ignored the Qingcheng group and were lying in wait for the Tang warriors to depart.

“On another note, when can we expect the arrival of the main temple’s reinforcements?”

“It’s hard to say. Hopefully soon, but it’s difficult to track. Regardless, we have enough strength here to handle the Tang Clan ourselves.”

“Certainly.”

Yo Gong had total confidence in the elite status of So Binta and the Thunder Sound Temple warriors; failure wasn’t even a consideration.

—

As the party led by Sima Geon approached the outskirts of Tangjia Ta around midday, they crossed paths with a peculiar group of monks.

“Is this Tangjia Ta?”

Sima Geon scrutinized the young monk dressed in reddish robes—a distinct departure from the usual golden attire.

“It is. We are new to this region, and the paths are a bit confusing.”

The monk offered a cheerful smile.

“We were told to keep to this main road.”

Sima Geon gestured toward the narrow dirt path cutting through the farmland.

“How much further do we have to go?”

“We are also visitors, so we can’t be certain, but we heard it’s about half a day’s travel.”

“I see.”

“You all seem to be from quite far away. May I ask what brings monks to a place like Tangjia Ta?”

“We are traveling to a dharma assembly at Baekma Temple. Since we were nearby, we wanted to see the famous Tangjia Ta for ourselves.”

“A dharma assembly, you say.”

“Indeed. Regardless, thank you for the directions. You’ve kept us from getting lost.”

The monk pressed his palms together and bowed.

“It was no trouble.”

Sima Geon gave a slight nod and turned his gaze to Cheol Woo, who was watching the exchange with a sharp, knowing look.

“They say they are attending a dharma assembly.”

“I heard. The madmen of the Demon Buddha Temple holding a holy assembly? The world must truly be ending.”

The monks’ friendly expressions vanished, replaced by a look of demonic malice the moment the name “Demon Buddha Temple” was spoken.

“Y-you… who are you? How do you know of our headquarters?”

“You fool. If you’re going to go undercover, you should do a better job. Those robes, and the rakshasa tattoos on your wrists—you’re being incredibly careless.”

Cheol Woo smirked and leaned in.

“I thought we had finished your lot off back then, but it seems a few survived. Ah, that’s right—I heard a handful of them, like Seongji Sunryeon, managed to crawl away.”

The young monk’s eyes filled with pure terror.

He remembered the horror stories told by the survivors—the tales of the unstoppable monsters.

“The… the Divine Demon Division.”