Sichuan Tang Clan (2)

Tang Jeonghu asked with a cold expression.

“You are twenty-four now, correct? You will be twenty-five next year. It is somewhat late, but fortunately, your beauty and martial arts are exceptional enough that you can still be useful to the main family. Had I known this would happen, I would have sent some useless child from a collateral branch to the front instead. I sent you merely to preserve appearances.”

Although he was speaking about his own daughter, his cold and businesslike voice held no emotion, as though he were appraising an object.

He did not seem to have considered even for a moment that Tang Yeo-eun might refuse him.

His tone suggested that it was only natural.

Indeed, although Tang Yeo-eun trembled faintly from the shock, she could not bring herself to voice her own opinion.

Eventually, she barely managed to speak.

“C-Clan Head, I….”

However, her voice seemed unable to reach Tang Jeonghu.

No, it seemed he simply did not care.

“Your marriage partner is from the Hongsa Sword Sect. It is a renowned sword family. Moreover, the man you will marry is Young Hero On Jeung, the Hongsa Sword Dragon, who has recently gained fame as the Hongsa Sword Sect’s greatest talent. Since you happen to favor the sword, I thought he would be a suitable match for you. Young Hero On is currently visiting the main family, so while he remains here, try to get to know each other.”

The Hongsa Sword Sect? The Hongsa Sword Dragon, On Jeung?

My memory immediately recalled those names.

The Hongsa Sword Sect had been among those who came to the Righteous Chivalry Guild with the Tang Clan’s warriors last time, and the Hongsa Sword Dragon, On Jeung, was the very bastard who had ordered his subordinate to threaten me into selling Black Wolf.

He was the one who had immediately abandoned his subordinate and fled once Brother Hwa Yeong-bin arrived.

I easily found his face among the assembled martial artists.

He stood among warriors dressed in red martial uniforms, staring at Tang Yeo-eun with a greedy smile.

Come to think of it, he had said back then that he would soon become a member of the Tang Clan, but I had never imagined he meant this.

The unwelcome connection left me dumbfounded.

At that moment, Tang Yeo-eun seemed to gather her courage and forced herself to speak.

“Clan Head, I have not yet given any thought to marriage.”

Her voice came out with difficulty, accompanied by a desperate gaze.

However, the instant her voice spread through the hall, the atmosphere inside became as frigid as an ice cavern.

Every martial artist standing in formation stared at Tang Yeo-eun in shock.

Their gazes seemed to ask how she could possibly object to the Clan Head’s words, and the Great Hall, packed with countless martial artists, became so silent that not even a breath could be heard.

The Poison-Dark Sovereign Tang Jeonghu’s gaze also turned cold.

After staring at Tang Yeo-eun for a moment with eyes as frigid as blades of ice, he spoke coldly.

“Do you believe that matters?”

It was a very brief question.

However, under the heavy meaning contained within it, Tang Yeo-eun could not bring herself to meet his eyes and had to lower her head deeply.

Her eyes brimmed with tears.

Tang Jeonghu was effectively telling her this.

Whatever she thought, and whether she approved of the marriage or opposed it, did not matter.

Judging by the reactions of those around us, such thinking seemed completely natural within the Sichuan Tang Clan.

Tang Jeonghu raised his voice slightly in anger and asked again.

“Did I not ask you?”

Tang Yeo-eun, still trembling faintly with her head lowered, finally opened her mouth.

“…I apologize, Clan Head. My thoughts are unimportant. I will do as you wish.”

At her answer, the chill hanging over the Great Hall eased slightly.

It seemed everyone had been tense.

Tang Jeonghu then spoke in a somewhat softened voice.

“Return to your room and rest for a while, then meet Young Hero On.”

It meant that the discussion was over and she should leave.

It seemed Tang Yeo-eun’s marriage had now become a settled matter.

That was when it happened.

I stepped forward and said,

“My apologies, Clan Head, but I cannot permit Lady Tang’s marriage.”

In an instant, everyone in the Great Hall froze.

They all stared at me in astonishment.

Their piercing gazes seemed capable of boring straight through a person.

However, I turned my attention to only one of them: Tang Yeo-eun, who now stood beside me.

She looked at me with tears in her eyes.

As I met her sorrowful gaze, I suddenly remembered Lady Na.

I recalled how she had abruptly been summoned to Na Manor and forced into marriage by her stepmother.

Just as I had not allowed that to happen to Lady Na, I could not allow Tang Yeo-eun to be married in this manner.

No, I absolutely would not permit it.

Tang Jeonghu stared at me with a terrifying gaze and slowly asked,

“You cannot permit the marriage?”

His eyes carried many meanings.

Who are you, and by what right do you dare say such a thing?

Although I had stood behind her all this time, he had paid me no attention as though I did not exist. Now, however, his entire focus was upon me.

His gaze seemed capable of tearing me to pieces by itself.

I met his eyes without flinching and spoke.

“I am Seonu Jin of the Seonu Clan of Guizhou, currently serving as vice-captain of Lady Tang’s platoon within the Flying Dragon Thirteenth Unit. And….”

I suddenly turned my head and looked at Tang Yeo-eun.

Her beautiful eyes were filled to the brim with tears.

She looked at me with an expression mingling astonishment and desperate hope.

I smiled warmly at her and continued.

“Yeo-eun and I have promised our futures to each other.”

At that moment, it was as though a typhoon swept through the Great Hall.

There was no sound, but the atmosphere resembled a powerful explosion that had thrown everyone into confusion.

Killing intent far stronger than before poured toward me from every direction.

I suddenly recalled what had happened at Na Manor.

Back then, I had half-jokingly and half-seriously offered to pretend to be Lady Na’s betrothed.

She had immediately rejected me that time.

However, it did not seem that would happen now.

Tang Yeo-eun was staring at me with eyes filled with shock and emotion.

A single tear rolled down her cheek.

I looked at her affectionately, raised my hand, and slowly wiped away her tear.

Then I sent her a voice transmission.

—Yeo-eun, you must become strong. Never forget that only you can change your own fate.

A faint gleam appeared in her eyes after she heard my transmission.

I could see a measure of strength returning to her gaze.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere within the Great Hall had become as cold as a field in midwinter.

In particular, when I gently wiped away her tears, everyone stared at me with the greatest shock imaginable.

Tang Jeonghu shot to his feet.

He unleashed the crushing presence of a Supreme Realm master to pressure me and shouted,

“How dare you! A mere Seonu Clan of Guizhou covets a daughter of our Sichuan Tang Clan?! Do you take the Tang Clan lightly?!”

It was an overwhelming presence.

The pressure made it feel as though his killing intent alone might crush me.

However, even within that force, I instead took a step forward.

Then I placed my body between Tang Yeo-eun and him.

Tang Jeonghu’s eyes twitched slightly as he stared at me, seemingly surprised.

The Sichuan Tang Clan was one of the Five Great Clans Under Heaven, and the presence of its Clan Head, Tang Jeonghu, was certainly formidable.

However, I had personally met the Soul-Ensnaring Libertine Son Eunsang, Blood Demon Jeon Mugwang, and the Sword Saint of Heaven, Hae Unbaek. I had even directly endured the presence of my master, Jeong Myeonggang, the Radiant Chivalrous Sword Eccentric and an absolute master of the previous generation.

Thus, Tang Jeonghu’s presence was not especially astonishing to me.

Enduring his pressure solidly, I said,

“How could I dare use the name of the Seonu Clan to look down upon the Sichuan Tang Clan? I speak of the Sichuan Tang Clan, foremost even among the Five Great Clans Under Heaven.”

In truth, not many people considered the Sichuan Tang Clan foremost among the Five Great Clans Under Heaven.

However, perhaps precisely because of that, I felt the hostility surrounding me lessen slightly after I said it.

Smiling faintly to myself, I raised a finger and pointed toward one side.

“I merely take pride in the fact that, as a marriage partner for Yeo-eun, I am far superior to someone like that.”

The man I pointed toward stood there.

It was the Hongsa Sword Dragon, On Jeung, glaring at me as though he wanted to kill me immediately, his eyes stained with rage and jealousy.

Everyone’s gazes now turned toward him.

After looking at him briefly, Tang Jeonghu asked me,

“Are you claiming that you are superior to Young Hero On, a member of the prestigious Hongsa Sword Sect and a man who has earned the epithet Hongsa Sword Dragon?”

I inwardly cheered at his question.

‘It worked!’

For me to stop an undertaking of the Tang Clan within the Sichuan Tang Clan itself—in other words, to oppose the will of the Poison-Dark Sovereign Tang Jeonghu—was nearly impossible.

That was true both politically and in terms of martial force.

However, if there was even the slightest possibility that I could prevent this marriage, I believed it would lie in directly comparing myself with On Jeung.

Therefore, the moment Tang Jeonghu asked me to compare myself with him, an opportunity appeared.

I gave a derisive smile and looked down on On Jeung as I said,

“The Hongsa Sword Dragon? A red serpent, perhaps, but calling him a dragon seems absurd.”

On Jeung, who had barely restrained himself until then, finally exploded in rage.

“You insolent bastard!”

Swoosh!

His red sword swept toward me with the agility of a venomous serpent.

It was a fast and sharp sword technique wreathed in crimson sword aura.

Exclamations rang out from the surrounding crowd.

“Fast!”

“Sword aura at his age!”

“As expected of the Hongsa Sword Dragon!”

However, I snorted and lightly moved my feet.

My figure, executing the Bizong Sect’s Thousand Wind Steps, began to scatter like flower petals blown by the wind.

Shhhh!

My softly drifting figure effortlessly evaded his serpent-like sword techniques.

Even amid that, I asked Tang Jeonghu with a completely relaxed expression,

“Clan Head, may I dare display a few inadequate sword techniques before the Head of the Tang Clan?”

The corner of Tang Jeonghu’s mouth rose slightly as he now watched with some interest.

On Jeung had dared to draw his sword recklessly within the Tang Clan’s Great Hall, while I had lightly evaded it and politely asked permission before drawing mine.

There was no need to state which of us held the advantage.

Tang Jeonghu answered briefly.

“Permission granted.”

At that instant, Black Wolf revealed its blade to the world.

Dense, pale-violet sword aura boiled fiercely over its white blade.

First Form of the Seonu Thirteen Swords.

First Flash of the Divine Responding Wing.

A colossal pale-violet wing formed from blades covered On Jeung’s entire front.

Swoosh!

“Wh-What is this?!”

Startled, On Jeung soon gritted his teeth and unleashed another sword technique. Perhaps his pride would not allow him to retreat, for it seemed to contain all his strength.

More than ten crimson serpents shot toward the wing of light like radiant arrows.

However, his sword technique never reached me.

The wing of light surging forward flapped as though alive and diverted his attacks aside.

On Jeung’s eyes widened in shock.

“!”

The surrounding people also cried out in astonishment.

“H-How can this be?!”

“My heavens!”

In the next instant, Black Wolf dispersed its sword aura as though it had never existed and placed its blade against On Jeung’s neck.

It was an overwhelming victory.

On Jeung stared blankly at the sword touching his neck.

“Th-This cannot be….”

Then, when he suddenly looked at Black Wolf, his pupils expanded sharply.

It seemed he had only now remembered that we had met before.

I smiled gently at him and slowly sheathed my sword again.

Then I looked at Tang Jeonghu and said,

“Does this man still look like a dragon to you? He does not to me.”

On Jeung now glared at me through gritted teeth, his eyes filled with hatred.

However, even he could no longer act rashly.

Tang Jeonghu gave a faint laugh and said,

“Impressive. That was remarkably striking skill for one so young. However!”

He once again unleashed a frost-like pressure and spoke to me.

“Becoming a son-in-law of the Tang Clan cannot be accomplished through personal skill alone. On Jeung is the heir of the Hongsa Sword Sect. In other words, if he becomes a resident son-in-law of the Tang Clan, the Hongsa Sword Sect will become part of our family. Do you believe your personal ability possesses value comparable to the entire Hongsa Sword Sect?”

Many of the martial artists nearby nodded at his question.

It meant they all agreed with Tang Jeonghu.

I suddenly realized that these words were the true heart of the matter.

I also understood why the Tang Clan Head had suddenly pushed forward with this marriage.

Judging from the situation at the Righteous Chivalry Guild last time, the Tang Clan was probably still engaged in a territorial struggle with the Qingcheng Sect.

Since both were orthodox factions representing Sichuan Province, neither side could openly begin a war.

‘So the Tang Clan needs hands and feet that can fight those territorial battles on its behalf without tarnishing its own name. A faction precisely like the Hongsa Sword Sect.’

To bring them completely under its control, the Tang Clan had probably needed a method such as a marriage between bloodlines.

That must have been why their thoughts had hurriedly turned even to Tang Yeo-eun, who was serving at the front.

I was certain.

My assessment of the situation was undoubtedly correct.

However, after understanding that much, the situation began to feel increasingly hopeless.

‘If that is what they want, I have far too little to offer them.’

It was true.

If they wanted that kind of partner, then no matter how great my martial prowess was, I could not compete with On Jeung.

Of course, the Seonu Clan of Guizhou was also one of the Eight Houses of Guizhou.

However, to people who needed a pawn capable of immediately fighting vicious battles within Sichuan Province, the Seonu Clan located in Guizhou Province would be a useless background.

Moreover, unlike On Jeung, I was not the heir of the Seonu Clan, so accepting me as a resident son-in-law would not mean bringing the Seonu Clan under their control.

‘Damn it.’

This was troublesome.

When I glanced to the side, On Jeung, who had been consumed by rage and humiliation, had regained his composure and was now giving me a sneering smile.