Chapter 555: Side Story 55

Chapter side_55

At first glance, the Sichuan Murim looks quieter than other places, but in reality, the inside is not like that. Since it’s a place where the Sichuan Tang Family, which can be called the main axis of the Heavenly Dao Society, and the Qingcheng Sect and Emei Sect of the Murim Alliance coexist, they are unknowingly fighting for influence.

In such a situation, the Heaven and Earth Cult slipped through the cracks.

They were unknowingly bewitching people in the shadows to make them cultists, and were gradually expanding their influence, so the three places that could be called the main axes of the Orthodox faction had no choice but to suffer from headaches.

Thus, these three places were currently racking their brains to root out the Heaven and Earth Cult.

In the midst of that, a piece of news flew into the Sichuan Tang Family.

“Is this true?”

“As a result of investigating from various angles, it’s certain.”

“To toy with us in this way….”

Tang Mun-hye read the letter brought in urgently and made an absurd expression. Traces of the Heaven and Earth Cult, which they thought would be operating secretly in the land of Sichuan, gathering cultists too openly had been discovered.

Furthermore, right at the center of it was blatantly the Saintess of the Heaven and Earth Cult.

She crumpled the letter fiercely.

“Even if they look down on the Tang Family… they looked down on us too much.”

“…….”

In this very Sichuan, where the influence of the Sichuan Tang Family was the strongest, and in the provincial capital at that, gathering believers openly wasn’t enough, they even carried out activities nonchalantly.

Furthermore, it was the Saintess of the Heaven and Earth Cult.

It was also a shameful matter that they hadn’t known this fact until now.

Tang Mun-hye fiercely crumpled her face.

If this fact reached the ears of the Heavenly Dao Society or the Murim Alliance, troublesome matters would arise.

It would smear the name of the Sichuan Tang Family.

Then what should be done?

“Form a subjugation squad. We must completely… root them out without leaving a single one behind.”

“Understood.”

At Tang Mun-hye’s resolute word, the man bowed his head.

She was a woman called the most outstanding talent in the history of the Sichuan Tang Family. Although she couldn’t become the Minor Sect Leader, there were many who quietly trusted and followed her.

Thus, there was no one who talked back to her words.

“…The Heaven and Earth Cult will learn to the bone why the Sichuan Tang Family is a vicious breed.”

Everyone calls the Tang Family a vicious breed.

However, the people of the Tang Family also never say that is wrong. If they were wronged, they would of course repay it tenfold, and their methods were also incomparably cruel.

Thus, this was also the reason why many people gathered their mouths to say that for a long time, the Alliance Leader of this Sichuan was not the Qingcheng Sect or Emei, but the Sichuan Tang Family.

The pride of Sichuan, and yet the most feared existence.

That was precisely the Sichuan Tang Family.

Tang Mun-hye stopped in front of a bronze mirror and tightly tied her hair up. Soon, she wore a single short sword on her waist and put on gloves specially crafted by the Tang Family on her hands.

Finally, she tied and hung several pouches containing uniquely shaped pills on her belt.

Soon, a peculiar smile hung on the mouth of her who turned around.

It was like the eyes of a beast of prey that had discovered its prey.

* * *

“There was a fortune teller like that? Heoheoheo- How amusing.”

“I’m telling you, it was really strange.”

Dan So-mi, who was sitting at the guest house eating food, was chattering away about what had happened on the street. An absurd expression was clearly revealed, and just looking at that made one feel how flustered she had been.

However, Namgung Cheon sent a warm gaze while placing candied fruits in the hands of Dan So-mi, whose appearance seemed very cute as she chattered.

It was as if he was looking at his granddaughter, so it made Namgung So-hye, who was watching from the side, click her tongue.

Let alone Dan So-mi, who was still like a child even though she had reached adulthood, the appearance of Namgung Cheon looking at such a child was too different from the appearance she had seen in her childhood.

“Why didn’t you treat me somewhat exactly the same when I was young, Grandfather.”

“Keo, keokeom! W-What are you talking about. Have I not always been gentle to you, heoheoheo.”

Namgung So-hye made a dumbfounded expression.

In her childhood, Namgung Cheon was truly the sky among skies. He already had the moniker of the Sword Emperor, and he spent more days at the Murim Alliance than at home, so it was hard to even see his face.

Then when she occasionally saw his face, that in itself became a terribly awkward matter.

He would pester her claiming to guide her martial arts, and if she couldn’t do it properly, a tremendous scolding would be heard. A scolding like thunder striking right next to her, that is.

Just thinking about it was terrible.

If her father saw his appearance shown to Dan So-mi now, it was obvious he would have made a fuss asking if it wasn’t a different person.

Therefore, a long sigh leaked from Namgung So-hye’s mouth.

“My childhood was truly… a pain….”

“N-No, i-it wasn’t to that extent. And it was all… for your own good. Heoheoheo.”

“Hoho- It truly turned out well. It’s thanks to Grandfather. Thanks to you, I’ve been a nanny, which isn’t even in my destiny, and a maid… Ah! I’ve even farmed. Do you know farming? I’ve farmed.”

Namgung So-hye smiled with hollow eyes, saying haha! Her appearance, which looked as if her soul had left her, was enough to make the beholder feel pity.

“It’s all experience. It doesn’t sound like a particularly bad experience.”

At that moment, Dan Wu-hyun smirked while sipping a cup of alcohol.

Whether farming or doing whatever, experiencing it at least once didn’t seem so bad. Especially if there was something to be gained from it.

However, perhaps unable to accept it, Namgung So-hye gulped down a cup of alcohol and roughly set the cup down.

Seeing her face already turn bright red, it seemed she was drinking it down without clearing her drunkenness.

“Sigh… my destiny. Just what sin did I commit in my past life to be doing this….”

“You’re staying because you like it, so who are you complaining to about that? I wouldn’t stop you even if you said you’re leaving.”

“You shut up. Or I’ll really cut off your head.”

“What did you say?! Are you trying to pick a fight or what?!”

Namgung So-hye grabbed her sword with a blurry gaze.

Instantly, Jang Sam-tae was startled and turned behind Sa Do-hak, clenching his fists tightly. If it had been ten years ago it might be a different story, but he knew that taking on Namgung So-hye now was no different from a moth jumping into a fire.

Because she had grown that tremendously.

Of course, Jang Sam-tae wouldn’t be like the past either, but the difference between Namgung So-hye, who always devoted herself to training, and a person who lived carefreely doing various chores, was bound to exist.

“Haa…. I should have gone together when Uncle Zhuge left….”

This time, she, who blew the bottle of alcohol in gulps, let out a long sigh and voiced her regret. If she had left together back then, Namgung So-hye’s name would have been known all over the world of the Central Plains by now.

She wouldn’t have been treated the same as the likes of Jang Sam-tae in a place like this.

“I think you are being helpful in your own way.”

“Yes?”

“Eh?”

“W-What did you say?!”

At that moment, Dan Wu-hyun casually opened his mouth.

In that instant, Namgung So-hye’s eyes opened wide, and everyone couldn’t hide their shock with their mouths wide open. It was because they never thought that Dan Wu-hyun of all people, the great Dan Wu-hyun, would say such a thing.

Even Dan So-mi, who had been quietly listening to the story, stopped putting a candied fruit in her mouth and stiffened like a stone statue, unable to move easily.

“W-What did you just say?”

“I said, I think you are being helpful.”

“I-Is it true?”

Dan Wu-hyun smirked instead of answering.

Perhaps she thought it meant affirmation, in an instant, Namgung So-hye’s face turned bright red and it looked as if it popped! and exploded.

Even though she unconsciously dropped the cup she was holding, she didn’t even think to pick it up.

“Heoheoheo- It’s a good thing. Seeing Patriarch Dan speak like that.”

“What wind has blown into you? Is the sun going to rise from the west tomorrow? Is the world ending?”

“A d-disaster might come. That fortune teller definitely said something like that earlier….”

Dan So-mi inadvertently voiced terrifying words.

However, without thinking in such a way, it was truly difficult to easily accept the fact that such words had come out of Dan Wu-hyun’s mouth.

Even if he was kind to Dan So-mi, he wasn’t to others, was he.

“L-Lord! What about me? How about me! Am I not the most helpful one in the manor!?”

Instantly, Dan Wu-hyun glanced at Jang Sam-tae.

Soon, he let out a small sigh and turned his gaze again.

“By the way, it’s a bit noisy outside.”

“No! I’m asking how about me! Me! Why are you only doing this to me?!”

“Be quiet.”

“Wow…. You’re really too much!”

Jang Sam-tae slumped his shoulders with a deflated expression. He too had wanted to hear praise, but Dan Wu-hyun didn’t seem to have even the slightest intention of doing so.

At that moment, Dan Wu-hyun slyly looked out the window.

“It seems something has happened.”

“Heoheo- You mean the sound we’ve been hearing since earlier? It seems another fight has broken out.”

“What do you mean? Seeing the poison energy swaying in the wind, it must be the Tang Family bastards doing some dog-like deeds again.”

Sa Do-hak nodded and spoke as if he knew without even looking. There was a poison energy faintly transmitted riding the wind.

It wasn’t at a level that would harm a human body, but the fact that such a thing was scattered meant that the Sichuan Tang Family had used poison towards someone.

That soon meant that the Tang Family’s retribution had begun in the vicinity.

“I don’t know what kind of bastards they are, but they’ve ended up pitifully.”

“Heoheoheo- Even if the Tang Family is vicious, they are not cruel. Also, since they too aim for the right path, they probably aren’t doing bad deeds.”

“Then you got stabbed in the back by that Murong bastard, didn’t you?”

At Sa Do-hak’s words spat out in an instant, Namgung Cheon’s eyebrows twitched. Soon, he slyly grabbed and lifted the sword placed next to him and smiled.

However, at that smile, the drunk Namgung So-hye blew away her drunkenness and stuck next to Dan So-mi, and Jang Sam-tae stealthily widened his distance.

“Heoheoheo- Do you want to die after a long time?”

“Am I wrong? Isn’t it a fact that you got stabbed in the back by a close friend?”

“Heoheoheo.”

“Hahaha.”

Crack, crack-!

Suddenly, the energy of the two people that spread out began to clash. It was so fierce that the entire guest house shook greatly and began to crack.

If they weren’t careful, it might end up like the Fresh Immortal Guest House.

Clack-!

At that moment, Dan Wu-hyun lightly set down his liquor cup.

In that instant, the energy of the two people suddenly disappeared, and the taut momentum subsided at once.

Namgung Cheon and Sa Do-hak glanced at Dan Wu-hyun.

“You monster-like bastard….”

“Heoheo- It still doesn’t reach you.”

“It’s noisy. This is enough.”

Dan Wu-hyun paid no attention to their gazes and received them smoothly. As if he was confident he wouldn’t even bat an eye even if they raised their energy to the extreme.

Knowing such a situation, Sa Do-hak frowned even more fiercely, and Namgung Cheon made a despondent smile and shook his head.

Even though they themselves felt they had become overwhelmingly stronger than ten years ago, they felt incredibly aggrieved that they weren’t even a threat to that unhuman-like person.

“Let’s go back and rest now. Because I plan to depart early in the morning.”

Soon, Dan Wu-hyun looked back at the two and smiled.

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