Chapter 53
Chapter 53: Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven
Yanghwi shifted his gaze back and forth between the Tang Clan’s contingent and the Namgung Clan’s entourage.
The presence of the Tang Clan made absolute sense given the correspondence he had dispatched, but what purpose could these Namgung wretches possibly have here?
Namgung Cheonhu, the primary scion of the Namgung noble house. There was no mistaking his identity.
Once more, a vivid awareness of having leapt into the past washed through his senses.
After all, Namgung Cheonhu was the very individual destined to be supplanted and cast out ten years down the road by his younger sibling, the second young lord Namgung Cheonyeong.
Given that he had successfully defended his status as the clan heir at least until reaching his majority at twenty, it was exceedingly probable that he presently held the title of young lord.
Or it was possible his formal installation had not yet occurred.
Yanghwi narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.
In his previous life, he held no memory whatsoever of Namgung dogs wandering anywhere near the borders of Ak’an County.
Yanghwi was blessed with a mind so razor-sharp that he could memorize massive volumes after flipping through them a single time.
Had even a stray whisper concerning the Namgung lineage reached his hearing in that earlier lifetime, forgetting it would have been an impossibility.
— Brother Gu. You must take the floor on my behalf.
— What? You intend to stay silent, Little Brother?
— Exactly. For the time being, simply echo whatever words I feed you.
Stepping forward into view, Gu Ak began reciting the statements Yanghwi conveyed through internal energy transmission.
“I am Gu Ak, Master of Baekik Pavilion under the Baek Estate.”
Bringing his hands together in a martial salute, Gu Ak directed his attention toward the Tang Clan delegation and proceeded.
“We came forth to receive esteemed guests invited by our estate, yet it appears uninvited guests linger here as well. If we have interrupted your discussion, we are willing to step aside and wait.”
The one who spoke in return was the Tang Clan’s young lord, Tang Gun.
“I am Tang Gun, young lord of the Tang Clan. You have not merely sent written word, but have ventured out personally to receive us. I express sincere appreciation for the warm hospitality of the Baek Estate.”
“Ah, so you are the young lord.”
Despite the youth before him, he represented the legacy of a legendary martial family. Gu Ak addressed Tang Gun with fitting deference.
“May I inquire as to how you are acquainted with the gentlemen standing over there?”
Namgung Cheonhu, who had been quietly evaluating the retinues of both the Tang Clan and the Baek Estate by turns, intervened in the dialogue.
“I am Namgung Cheonhu, young lord of the Namgung house.”
So he has attained the mantle of young lord already. That indicates Namgung Cheonyeong eventually dethroned an elder brother fifteen or sixteen years his senior—one who had occupied that prestigious seat for over a decade—purely through overwhelming natural genius.
While Yanghwi was absorbed in calculation, Tang Gun’s eyes widened a fraction.
“Namgung! What purpose draws the young lord to such a distant place? Unless I am mistaken, the Namgung noble house resides within the lands of Anhui.”
A quiet edge of caution bled into the posture of Tang Gun and the accompanying Tang Clan fighters as the inquiry was raised.
Yanghwi understood the underlying cause intimately.
While the finer details of his earlier days had been hazy to him back then, it seemed apparent that even in this era, the Nine Sects and the Five Great Houses were actively containing and pressuring the Tang Clan.
His memories wandered back toward his initial encounter with Tang Gun in his past incarnation.
During that era, while traversing the realm to refine his martial prowess, an unexpected crisis had caused him to cross paths and forge an unbreakable kinship with the siblings Tang Gun and Tang Yeon.
Following the deepening of our camaraderie, every gathering over wine became an outlet for him to lay bare his grievances, unleashing all his bottled bitterness over the rampant injustice they endured.
“I feel compelled to inquire, Young Lord Namgung Cheonhu. What motive guided you to this spot? Could it be that you were awaiting our arrival?”
Namgung Cheonhu offered a slight nod.
“Precisely. It came to our attention that our valued partner, the Tang Clan, was facing adversity, prompting me to step forward with assistance.”
“Assistance, you claim?”
“Regarding the Sex-Crazed Fox. As well as the founding of your regional branch.”
Tang Gun’s expression turned rigid.
While the former matter might have leaked, the latter undertaking had been orchestrated under absolute discretion.
“Observing the Tang Clan—whom we hold dear as comrades in a sense—enduring such strain was not something I could idly ignore… though I confess I failed to foresee this particular complication.”
Namgung Cheonhu redirected his focus toward Gu Ak, who stood forward as the voice of the Baek Estate.
“The Baek Estate. A moniker that has never once reached my ears.”
His speech skirted the boundary of informal address. Factoring in their age disparity, it was an undisguised expression of condescension toward his counterpart.
Gu Ak’s brow twitched as a spark of indignation flared within his chest.
— Brother Gu. Restrain yourself. Endure it.
“I am Gu Ak, Master of Baekik Pavilion of the Baek Estate based in Ak’an County, an establishment honored by the motto One Chivalrous Deed a Day.”
“Is that so? Noted.”
Namgung Cheonhu immediately swung his attention right back toward Tang Gun.
It was a blatant slight by every standard. Yanghwi sent another mental missive.
— Brother Gu. You must swallow this slight.
— You truly expect me to stand here and stomach such unvarnished disrespect?
— Truth be told, I view this as an advantageous turn.
Yanghwi was genuinely pleased by Namgung Cheonhu’s dismissive arrogance.
It was only expected. Why would our Baek Estate ever catch the consideration of haughty fools who strut about with their chins tilted toward the clouds?
Although he had anticipated precisely such a reaction, a part of him had fretted over whether their recent actions might have stirred too loud a commotion.
Thanks to the young lord’s blinding conceit, his worries were thoroughly alleviated.
Continue staring solely upward. While your gaze remains locked onto the heavens, we shall quietly take root and thrive right beneath your feet.
Cultivating our strength in silence until the hour arrives to slide a blade straight into your gullets.
Throughout Ak’an County—or rather, across the breadth of Muju—we can carve out our reputation and expand our dominance entirely unhindered.
Carrying that conviction, he sent his voice into Gu Ak’s consciousness once again.
— Hold your ground for just a moment longer, Brother Gu. You will taste sweet satisfaction before long. We have the Sex-Crazed Fox firmly under lock and key, after all.
— …Hmph, point taken. That will certainly wipe the arrogant smirk from their faces.
“Young Lord Tang Gun. Would you grace me with your company? I have arranged extensive resources to support your family, which will undoubtedly prove invaluable. Not merely in hunting down the Sex-Crazed Fox, but in solidifying the establishment of your branch as well.”
— Strike now, Brother Gu!
Gu Ak cut in without missing a beat.
“How unfortunate, Young Lord Namgung, but your grand offer is completely pointless.”
“What are you implying by that?”
“The Sex-Crazed Fox was captured alive by our estate days ago.”
For the very first time, the calm, indifferent mask worn by Namgung Cheonhu fractured.
“What did you just utter?”
Gu Ak responded, his face glowing with pure, unmitigated relish.
“I stated a simple reality. The Sex-Crazed Fox, whom your noble clan marked as a public fugitive, is currently bound fast inside the depths of our estate’s subterranean cells.”
“…”
Watching the fleeting shock ripple across Namgung Cheonhu’s features, Yanghwi zeroed in on a vital clue.
That wretch is genuinely flabbergasted that the Sex-Crazed Fox was apprehended.
A dark deduction began piecing itself together within his mind.
Could the Namgung house have actively aided the Sex-Crazed Fox’s flight?
Reflecting on the situation, the circumstances were suspiciously irregular.
Regardless of how adept that degenerate fox was at slipping away to preserve his life, how could he have evaded capture for several months while being hunted relentlessly by the First Poison squad, the premier combat force of the Tang Clan?
If the Namgung house covertly shielded the Sex-Crazed Fox, intending to serve him up to the Tang Clan at the optimal juncture to saddle them with a massive debt of gratitude…
It was a despicable, crooked scheme for a clan claiming the righteous path, yet it aligned perfectly with the deceptive nature of the Namgung Clan.
“Even if the Sex-Crazed Fox relies purely on bloated internal energy without refined technique, he remains a master brushing against the apex realm. By what means did you subdue him?”
The fact that he specifically pressed for an explanation laid bare his true anxiety.
He was desperate to discover how someone who should have remained impeccably concealed had been dragged into the open.
“Unlike orthodox demonic figures, an insatiable lecher is extraordinarily simple to track. Creatures driven by such urges can never reign in their base desires. Once we isolated his hiding place, we sprang an ambush, and ensnaring him was almost laughably effortless. Does that satisfy your curiosity?”
“…Understood.”
— Brother Gu. Deliver the finishing blow and let us lead the Tang Clan away.
“Young Lord Tang Gun. The master of our household has long revered the chivalrous renown of the Tang Clan that echoes throughout Sichuan. The moment news arrived that your esteemed house faced complications, he issued strict orders to mobilize our total support. Would you honor our halls with your presence, so that we may surrender the Sex-Crazed Fox into your custody?”
Gu Ak’s words carried consummate respect, devoid of the slightest hint of discomfort or prejudice toward the Tang Clan.
The matter is settled. The Namgung interlopers have nowhere left to wedge themselves in.
Were it almost any other martial organization, they would have seized upon the patronage of the Namgung noble house over the humble Baek Estate without a second thought.
Cultivating ties with the mighty Great Namgung promised infinitely more leverage than partnering with an unheralded faction like the Baek Estate.
Yet the Tang Clan was built on an entirely different foundation.
Surpassing nearly every other righteous order, the Tang Clan treasured deep affection, righteous virtue, and martial honor above all, maintaining decorum and principled conduct as the bedrock of their code.
Even if much of it stems from a defensive pride shaped by the martial realm’s cold wariness of their heritage… in the entire world, the Tang Clan’s righteous heart is the solitary force that rivals Father’s own.
In Yanghwi’s heart, the paramount hero of chivalry beneath the heavens was his father, Baek Muryang.
Accordingly, this private appraisal represented the ultimate accolade Yanghwi could ever bestow upon an outsider.
“Young Lord Namgung. To my regret, the timing is ill-suited for collaboration. I shall dispatch an envoy later to convey our gratitude for the consideration you have displayed today. May we cross paths again under more favorable skies.”
Delivering a cupped-fist salute, Tang Gun turned on his heel toward Gu Ak and bowed with matched courtesy.
“Permit me to state my greetings once more. I am Tang Gun of the Tang Clan. I cannot begin to describe the relief and joy your correspondence brought me. I offer my profound thanks for the generous reception provided by the Baek house!”
Casting a look back at the motionless, stone-faced Namgung Cheonhu with a smug grin, Gu Ak addressed Tang Gun warmly.
“Do not mention it. We have merely begun to display our hospitality, haha. Allow us the pleasure of guiding you directly to our estate, Young Lord.”
Blending their ranks, the Tang Clan and the Baek Estate departed as a single body, heading toward the Baek family grounds.
Abandoned on the mountain ridge, the retainers of the Namgung house and Namgung Cheonhu could only stand and track their retreating silhouettes.
“Young Lord. The situation appears to have unraveled in an inconvenient direction.”
“So it would seem. Perhaps the error lay in attempting to utilize a bottom-feeding cur like the Sex-Crazed Fox.”
“I ought to have steered him with greater firmness into lands devoid of any settlements. I beg your pardon for my operational blunder.”
“Cease this talk. The labor expended to cross this great expanse has ended in failure. What was their name—the Baek Estate? What manner of clan are they?”
“According to local knowledge, they are merely an insignificant, third-rate martial clan occupying this territory. Should you instruct it, I shall initiate an extensive probe into the Baek Estate.”
Hearing his underling’s suggestion, Namgung Cheonhu let out a mocking chuckle.
“Waste resources investigating a third-rate clan? Why throw away effort on an endeavor that yields nothing? Disregard them. We depart.”
“As you command!”
Leaping through the air as they turned their path back toward Anhui, a passing notion drifted through Namgung Cheonhu’s thoughts.
The Baek Estate. Tripping blindly over the very trap our household engineered… Nothing more than an outrageous fluke of fate.
As the proud heir to the Great Namgung, standing at the pinnacle of the Five Great Houses across the central plains, his mind could conceive of the outcome in no other terms.
Gu Ak and Yanghwi brought the members of the Tang Clan through the gates of the Baek Estate.
Fastened right beside the weather-worn timber gates, a banner fluttered gently in the wind.
[We Welcome with Honor Our Friends from Sichuan (歡貴四川之友)]
Reading the declaration celebrating the arrival of honored companions from Sichuan, Tang Gun felt an unexpected tremble course through his spirit.
The martial world has done nothing but ostracize our lineage merely because we master venom and hidden armaments!
The Baek Estate, was it? An unprompted swell of warmth washed over his thoughts.
Yet, along with it, a tiny seed of wariness sprouted in the back of his mind.
To encounter such open, unreserved hospitality—a warmth they were never afforded anywhere else—implied that some concealed agenda might be lurking beneath the surface.
And yet.
That fleeting skepticism dissolved into ash the very second Tang Gun laid eyes on the master walking out to meet them.
“Young Lord Tang Gun. I am Baek Muryang, Lord of the Baek house. Welcome to our humble domain.”
Tang Gun was a man molded by rigorous family teachings dedicated to righteousness, chivalric valor, and strict propriety.
Just as the old proverb stated: kindred spirits recognize their own; those walking the same path perceive one another instinctively.
The unshakable rectitude and brilliant upright spirit pouring from Baek Muryang were utterly impossible to counterfeit.
Through Tang Gun’s discerning gaze, Baek Muryang’s noble aura and candid demeanor were unquestionably sincere.
Though their name never reached my ears before now, observing the Lord of the House leaves no question as to the heights this clan will one day reach.
“How could the esteemed master of a household address someone who is not yet a family head with such profound deference? I implore you, speak without formality.”
“Haha, are you certain you are comfortable with that?”
“Naturally. You have extended great benevolence to my kin; it is only fitting that I make such a humble request.”
“In that case, I shall abandon stiff speech. I appreciate the Young Lord’s kind understanding.”
With the introductory pleasantries concluded, Tang Gun brought the conversation straight to their urgent goal.
“I am aware this strains decorum, but would it be permissible to lay eyes on the Sex-Crazed Fox right away?”
Baek Muryang gave an unhesitating nod.
“Being familiar with the Tang Clan’s uncompromising codes, I understand your urgency completely. Hwi, show them the way.”
“Understood, Father!”
Seeing the young boy answer with vibrant enthusiasm, Tang Gun suddenly remembered the earlier exchange on the road.
This boy addressed me as Brother Tang before, did he not?
Evidently, he was the master’s direct scion.
To be treated with such casual warmth by a child he had never crossed paths with had left him somewhat disoriented…
“Brother Tang! Over here!”
“…Young master. That manner of address feels rather familiar, does it not?”
“Do the ancient texts not proclaim that all souls within the four seas travel along the same road? In exchange, you are welcome to call me Brother Hwi, Brother Tang.”
“…”
Following a short pause, a bright grin split Tang Gun’s features.
“Very well, Brother Hwi. You possess an undeniable talent for winning people over, do you not?”
Yanghwi let out a light laugh upon seeing Tang Gun’s smile.
Had Tang Gun belonged to any ordinary household, Yanghwi would not have ventured forward so boldly.
Even so.
He shared with me in our prior lifetime that the world shunned and avoided the Tang Clan at every turn, inflicting deep emotional scars during his early years. That revelation earned him significant goodwill.
“It isn’t that I have a gift for making companions; I simply experienced an immediate kinship toward you, Brother Tang.”
“Hahaha! Plying me with sweet words while remaining entirely polite and pleasant proves you possess a true mastery of the craft!”
“At any rate, the holding cells lie down this path. Please forgive the crude condition of the place.”
Constructed during the clan’s former era of prosperity, the subterranean dungeon now held the Sex-Crazed Fox, who lay sprawled across the stones in a mangled, bloodied heap.
The wounds he suffered during his capture had received just enough medical attention to keep his breath flowing.
Catching sight of Tang Gun garbed in robes embroidered with the Tang insignia, flanked by the hardened martial experts at his sides, the Sex-Crazed Fox cast a vicious glare in their direction.
“You truly hauled the Tang dogs here! Magnificent! Listen to me closely, you Tang wretches! Even this whelp knows full well that I utilized your household’s aphrodisiac poisons! BWAHAHAHA!”
The scoundrel clearly held absolute faith in the rumors smearing the Tang Clan’s name.
A thoroughly pointlessly spiteful display.
Tang Gun’s demeanor, however, shifted into something unexpected.
“Brother Hwi. It appears you have become privy to our family’s hidden shame.”
Observing Tang Gun speaking with an expression carved from granite, Yanghwi choked back the urge to grin.
It seems he wishes to gauge my reaction.
“Indeed. Now that such a secret is out in the open, I imagine our only recourse is to weave an even tighter bond between our houses.”
Tang Gun stared in momentary astonishment before breaking into roaring laughter.
“Judged purely by your nerve, you put fully grown warriors to shame! Hahaha, you speak the absolute truth! Once an intimate secret is shared, forging a tighter bond is the only logical path forward! Hahaha!”
The booming merriment vanished in a flash.
His countenance darkening until it resembled an executioner from the netherworld, Tang Gun cast a stern look toward the Chief of the First Poison and his unit, giving a curt nod.
Noxious, virulent qi began wafting silently into the room.
Typical of the Tang Clan; they waste no breath and move directly for the execution.
Sensing the lethal turn, Yanghwi stepped between them without hesitation.
Whether the villain drew another breath or perished on the spot held no weight to him, but there remained an essential truth he had to extract first.
“Brother Tang, before your strike falls, there is an inquiry I must put to him. Grant me a brief moment.”
“Hm? By all means.”
Stepping toward the Sex-Crazed Fox, Yanghwi lowered himself into a crouch and leveled his gaze at the prisoner.
Since this wretched beast was marked for death regardless, he meant to wring out every scrap of intelligence the man possessed.
“Tell me something. Did an outside party aid your movements while you were fleeing?”
“…”
The Sex-Crazed Fox clamped his jaws shut. Yet his face revealed everything.
Staring down the maw of certain execution, even an experienced fiend of the unorthodoxy failed to preserve his composure.
Direct hit. The Namgung noble house was up to their necks in this scheme.
Even if the wretch’s life was measured in seconds, Yanghwi was determined to drag every hidden reality out of his mouth.
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