The Tang Clan (4)

After declaring the Tang Clan’s entry into the Kangho, Tang Jin-hyeon poured his efforts into managing the clan.

First, he met Oh Gyeong’s disciple, Gwan Ho. Gwan Ho was a man who clearly looked ill, but his skill was remarkable. In a head-on battle, he had no chance of victory, but if he set out to assassinate someone, he was a master dangerous enough to put even Han Cheol-sang’s life at risk.

Gwan Ho, who was more blunt than expected, immediately swore loyalty, saying he would become a member of the clan. If not for Oh Gyeong, he would never have entered, so the bond between the two was unusually deep.

In that way, Gwan Ho became the Crimson Blood Unit Leader, and the assassins of the Crimson Blood Pavilion gathered under the name Crimson Blood Unit.

From the very beginning, Tang Jin-hyeon and Oh Gyeong trained the Crimson Blood Unit thoroughly. Most of that training involved correcting the habits of assassination martial arts, and naturally, it was no easy task.

However, the members of the Crimson Blood Unit had witnessed the legendary Oh Gyeong for themselves, as well as the martial arts of Tang Jin-hyeon, the man Oh Gyeong served, so they approached training far more actively than expected. They too knew that living proudly as warriors of a martial family was a hundred times better than life as assassins.

Tang Jin-hyeon offered the Three Yang Heart Method, fist and palm arts, and more for the Crimson Blood Unit, and further, for the Tang Clan as a whole. It was because he considered it the optimal cultivation method for building the body in the early stages.

The Crimson Blood Unit immediately abandoned their assassination arts and trained in the Three Yang Heart Method, and afterward, those who trained the Three Yang Heart Method to suit their bodies immediately learned Oh Gyeong’s Return-to-Origin Divine Art.

They may have been people raised by a disciple who was like his own child, but offering up a divine art and supreme learning soaked with a lifetime of blood and sweat could not have been easy. Even so, Oh Gyeong didn’t hesitate.

In that way, in only three months, the Crimson Blood Unit changed beyond recognition. Before even speaking of skill, they had abandoned most of their bad habits as assassins and taken shape as martial artists.

The changes were not limited to the Crimson Blood Unit.

When Tang Jin-hyeon took charge of the Crimson Blood Unit, Oh Gyeong helped Han Cheol-sang with his training, and when Oh Gyeong took charge of the Crimson Blood Unit, Tang Jin-hyeon helped Han Cheol-sang with his training.

After learning his master’s teachings, Han Cheol-sang had refined his martial arts through real combat, but he had never received direct instruction from masters this exceptional. Thanks to that, he developed even faster than the two had expected.

The same was true of Im Yeo-wol and Do Il-gang. Among them, Im Yeo-wol made the Three Yang Heart Method almost perfectly her own, to the point that Tang Jin-hyeon personally transmitted the Guiding Reversal Art to her.

While handling the clan’s major and minor affairs, Gyeong Hang trained in the Three Yang Heart Method and greatly improved his health. He didn’t learn martial techniques, but the Three Yang Heart Method he learned as a substitute for health-preserving arts surprisingly suited his body perfectly.

Even Do Min changed. Astonishingly, she received direct instruction from Oh Gyeong, who said there was a martial art that suited her perfectly, apart from the Return-to-Origin Divine Art, and promptly grabbed hold of her and rebuilt her from the basics.

In that way, the Tang Clan passed its days in constant change. It was a period in which not a single day was wasted carelessly.

Time flowed quickly.

Before anyone knew it, winter and spring had passed in a rush, and summer arrived.

Even though nearly half a year had passed, the interest of Sichuan’s people in the Tang Clan showed no sign of cooling. No, rather, as time passed, they became even more deeply interested.

The smiths within the Tang Clan made countless goods from high-quality iron, and the failed items among them were either melted down to make other goods or handed over for free to people who needed them.

Most of the people who needed them were those doing business in Ziyang County. The smiths’ skill was so good that not only weapons, but also farm tools, kitchen knives, iron bowls, and other items needed in daily life were of excellent quality. A slight defect was hardly even a defect.

Those who had once made art at the Divine Iron Merchant House had come out into the world with that excellent skill and were bringing abundance to people. Thanks to that, the Tang Clan’s standing in Ziyang County, and even in Jianyang County, was truly tremendous.

Of course, the smiths did not accept requests to repair things. In such matters, they remained thoroughly as artisans belonging to the Tang Clan.

Thanks to that, people headed to the nearest Yeo Family Ironworks, and the hammerers of Yeo Family Ironworks could improve their skills by learning over the shoulder from the divine craftsmanship of the Tang Clan smiths.

Furthermore, Gyeong Hang realized the time had come and, beginning in spring, started actively interacting with the merchants of Ziyang County and Jianyang County. Since the necessary transactions had been completed, it was to make the force known as the Tang Clan even more solid.

As summer passed in that way, the southern region of Chengdu, Sichuan, was becoming a massive city centered around the Tang Clan.

The actual members had hardly changed, but the Tang Clan’s influence became so firm that it could be called the greatest in Sichuan.

Once again, autumn arrived.

“Hengshan has begun to move.”

Mun Jung’s face as he drank tea was far calmer than it had been last winter.

“Thanks to the help of the Five Tigers Merchant Guild, the scheme to make it seem that Sang-eon and the Lotus Seven Swords had headed straight beyond Gansu without stopping in Sichuan succeeded. In any case, the Mount Hua Sect’s infiltration of Sichuan was also a long-term plan, so I thought it would take a year for Hengshan to move… but this is somewhat fast.”

“…”

“Of course, that does not mean they will be able to touch Sichuan. They may suspect something, but they have no certainty.”

“They will still come poking in at least once.”

“That is only natural.”

“Preparations?”

“Do not worry. I am better than you at coaxing old men.”

“That is a relief, then.”

“However, though it is a long-term plan, the Mount Hua Sect must be growing anxious too. They will want to make Sichuan their own territory even a day sooner.”

“They would.”

“To stop that, as we said before, we have no choice but to bring it into the realm of politics.”

“It doesn’t necessarily have to be politics.”

“Do you have another idea?”

“Many. I will have to weigh which plan is the most reasonable.”

“Good. Since you seem to have your own thoughts, let us discuss this part again later.”

“Have a drink.”

The two clinked their cups refreshingly.

Mun Jung drained his cup completely and smiled.

“I am surprised from time to time.”

“By what?”

“The fact that it hasn’t even been a year since I met you. When I think about everything that has happened, it feels as if several years have already passed.”

“I think it feels exactly like it hasn’t even been a year.”

“You are still as mannerless as ever.”

“Is it not time to think of it as my nature by now?”

“Good grief.”

There were not many people under all heaven who could make Mun Jung let out a playful sigh.

Clicking his tongue, he took a carefully folded piece of paper from inside his robes and handed it over.

“What is this?”

“You may have your own ideas, but I did my own work as well. Even while busy.”

“Do you want praise?”

“I am asking you to acknowledge it. That you weren’t the only one who was busy.”

“I wasn’t busy though.”

“…”

“As for work, my people did all of it. I did nothing.”

“Enough. Just look.”

Sarak.

There was boldness in the hand that unfolded the high-quality paper.

“…Oho?”

“What do you think?”

“He is much better than the ones we narrowed down before. This is a good one.”

“He is perfect for you to disguise yourself as. His past is good, his abilities are good, and his post leaves nothing to criticize. Of course, you will have to show the exact abilities that man possessed as well.”

“Don’t worry about that.”

“So what do you think?”

“I like him. There is no need to weigh all sorts of complicated things. This fellow will do.”

A pale hand picked up the wine bottle.

“You must have worked hard.”

The empty cup was filled again.

Mun Jung smiled.

“As it happens, he is said to be coming to Sichuan in a month. He is someone it would be fine to kill, so I will set the stage.”

“We need to properly confirm his face before killing him. We cannot kill him carelessly.”

“I know that too.”

“Good.”

The two emptied their cups again.

“Recently, rumors about the Sichuan Branch have been good. The same goes for the Investigation and Defense Court.”

“Their public-order work for the people was not poorly evaluated to begin with.”

“The Branch is actively looking after people now, is it not? Resolving the resentment of the wronged, supporting those harmed by disasters. Now it finally feels somewhat like the Sichuan Branch.”

“You people are doing that too, are you not?”

“There is a great difference between a single clan and the Branch.”

Mun Jung inwardly gave a bitter smile.

He said that, but the Tang Clan’s influence had grown as great as all the former Sichuan Eight Martial Houses combined. If one considered only influence, it was like looking at a great sect on the level of one of the Nine Sects in another region.

Of course, it was only influence. If one considered their fighting strength as a Murim clan, there was a difference like heaven and earth between them and the Nine Sects and Five Great Families.

Even so, Mun Jung thought that was fine.

Before puffing out their bellies and filling the clan with sword-wearing men just because they were a Murim clan, actively broadening their influence like this, winning the hearts of the people, and maintaining friendship with the Branch would bring far greater benefit in the long term.

They were not an impressive fighting force right now, but later, if the Tang Clan made up its mind to gather people, they might show the latent strength of a great sect in an instant. That was the Tang Clan’s potential, and also its strategy.

“You have changed a lot too.”

“Have I?”

“Not your personality. Your martial arts.”

A faint blue radiance rose in his black pupils.

“Can you feel it?”

“The level of your martial arts itself does not seem very different, but your qi presence has changed a great deal. In the past, it was savage enough that one felt they would be bitten to death if they touched you, but now it is free and unrestrained like the wind.”

“If you can feel that much, then your training hasn’t been careless either. Unlike me, it seems you have actually developed.”

“Does one only develop when one’s realm rises? Rather, I know very well that changing one’s qi presence is far more difficult. Development can be achieved with effort, but changing one’s qi presence is possible only by changing oneself completely.”

“Even if you gild my face with flattery, I cannot give you better wine today.”

“In any case, your mouth is a problem.”

Mun Jung grumbled. Even so, he wasn’t in a bad mood. Compared to speaking with his subordinates at the Branch, this young man, who was young and mannerless but treated him like a friend, was far more comfortable.

“What are you doing today? If you have no work, let us have a drink at the Grand Pavilion.”

“I told you I cannot give you wine.”

“I can buy it, can I not?”

“It isn’t because the wine is precious. It is because I have no time to drink.”

“Ah, is that so? Are you busy?”

His deep, calm eyes looked toward the western sky.

It was not yet quite sunset, but the sun looked as if it would soon spread its distinctive red ink over the whole world.

“Seeing as you are asking me to drink, it seems you have some time.”

“It is my first rest in a month.”

“Then will you come with me?”

“Where?”

“The forge.”

Mun Jung’s eyes shone.

“You have not introduced me all this time. Are you finally showing it to me?”

“To introduce you, and also to collect my sword.”

“Sword?”

“The Ironworks Master of Yeo Family Ironworks has been staying at our clan forge. He said he would join forces with the hammerers to make my sword.”

“Oho.”

“We should get up now. Those people need to be done for the day too.”

“Good, let us go together.”

When the two stood, a servant who had been waiting in the distance came to clear the wine table.

“Oh, Gwang-sam.”

The servant lowered his head.

“Yes, Patriarch.”

“We didn’t touch any of the side dishes. Eat them if you are hungry.”

“Keukeuk, thank you.”

It wasn’t a laugh that should have come from a servant’s mouth, nor an expression that should have appeared on a servant’s face.

Watching the servant’s back as he excitedly carried off the wine table while laughing slyly, Mun Jung clicked his tongue.

“You live without distance even with your servants.”

“They may be called servants, but it is just an employer-employee relationship. We have to be friendly with each other for the work to go well, and that also makes me feel like giving bonuses.”

“Heh heh heh.”

“Let’s go.”

“Let’s.”

Mun Jung looked at the master of the Tang Clan with a smile.

His back as he walked with long, loose strides, white hair fluttering, was now filled with the weight befitting the head of a proper martial faction.