Chapter 259: Dreaming Of Being Different From The Other Party (3)
Chapter 258 – Dreaming Of Being Different From The Other Party (3)
“Even if that is true as you say, doesn’t it mean that the great Sichuan Tang Clan should join hands with a public enemy of the Martial World to manufacture the Demonic God Pill?”
Tang Go-ryun felt a chill even as he uttered the words himself.
Indeed, if this were to be known to the world, the reputation of the Sichuan Tang Clan would not only plunge to the bottom, but they might even be branded as a traitor to the orthodox path.
Had he not clearly seen with his own two eyes how rapidly the Namgung Clan, which was entangled with the Heavenly Great Killing Star, fell into ruin?
If the Jianghu Martial World stands as one and turns a blind eye, there is no way out.
He deeply realized that while a wealthy merchant’s ruin lasts three generations, it is hard for a Jianghu clan to avoid extermination once branded.
Yet, to join hands with the Thousand Poison Elder, a public enemy of the Martial World?
Moreover, as the Thousand Poison Elder was an unorthodox martial artist who handled poison, he was in a strange confrontation with the Tang Clan.
Even if the Thousand Poison Elder really visited, it was natural to feel reluctant to readily join hands with him.
Reading that hesitation, Namgung Cheon said nonchalantly.
“Rather, it might be a good thing.”
“What is?”
“The Thousand Poison Elder is a public enemy of the Martial World. Couldn’t you lure him in on this occasion to manufacture the Demonic God Pill and also capture the public enemy of the Martial World?”
“……!”
“Ayy, when being two-faced is the Tang Clan’s specialty.”
At the words Namgung Cheon threw like a joke, Tang Go-ryun wore a slightly displeased expression.
However, he was chewing over Namgung Cheon’s words.
‘Indeed… if we can capture him as a public enemy of the Martial World…….’
After all, manufacturing the Demonic God Pill was also a special order from the Alliance Leader, was it not?
It would be a problem even if they could not manufacture it like this.
Namgung Cheon subtly continued.
“Instead of thinking of joining hands with a public enemy of the Martial World, why don’t you think of utilizing the Thousand Poison Elder? Wouldn’t the world applaud instead?”
“But would the Thousand Poison Elder be so innocently deceived?”
“He might not be deceived. But it will be hard for him to refuse the offer. Because the Thousand Poison Elder desperately wants the Double-Headed Centipede Venom.”
“Are you blindly trusting the trashy books circulating in the market too much, Young Patriarch? The title also seemed strange……”
“Isn’t there nothing to lose by believing? Moreover, what’s wrong with the title? How popular is ‘Poisons of the Martial World Made by Madmen’?”
“Mmh? The title seems a bit different from earlier.”
“Yes? Well, since I read so many different trashy books. Hahaha.”
“Mmh. In any case, if the Thousand Poison Elder visits, a way might open up. What does Patriarch Namgung Geom think?”
“I am of the same mind as the Young Patriarch. If your clan can capture the Thousand Poison Elder after utilizing him well, wouldn’t it be killing two birds with one stone?”
It was certainly true.
Tang Go-ryun thought for a moment and nodded.
“I understand. Then let us execute the operation to lure the Thousand Poison Elder. I hope that trashy book you read will be of help.”
Of course it would be of help.
Since I know the Thousand Poison Elder well.
Namgung Cheon grinned while putting away his inner thoughts.
“It will have an effect. Because it is a good book.”
* * *
Information about the herbs and poisons recently collected by the Sichuan Tang Clan began to spread secretly.
Of course, it was a rumor deliberately spread by the Sichuan Tang Clan to lure the Thousand Poison Elder.
However, there was someone who reached the Sichuan Tang Clan faster than the Thousand Poison Elder, and that was Tang Ye-seol, who had returned straight to the family after her defeat in Shaanxi.
Meanwhile, Tang Go-ryun welcomed Tang Ye-seol, who had returned home with a exhausted body, with a cold attitude.
“I heard the news of your defeat early on.”
At Tang Go-ryun’s ice-cold attitude, Tang Ye-seol bit her lip hard and replied.
“I am sorry, Father.”
“What is there to be sorry to me about? It is to the bereaved families of the dead subordinates that you should be sorry.”
“…….”
“The Alliance Leader stayed in our clan for a while and then left. Since you are a daughter who married out, he did not hold our clan responsible.”
“……!”
Tang Ye-seol clenched her teeth once again.
Her father had pushed her away from the position of the next patriarch once again like this.
In the past, the reason was that she was a woman, but this time, since she became a defeated warrior, another appropriate reason was added.
At this point, Tang Ye-seol did not speak gently either.
“That is a relief. Because the label of being from the same clan as a half-witted younger brother was quite bothersome.”
“Seol-ah……”
“Forget it. After all, it is just what a daughter who married out said. I will stay at the main house for a short time and leave soon.”
“Seol-ah.”
“…….”
“I know your abilities well. Do you see this father as struggling to push you out of the patriarch position?”
“Is it not?”
“What is the Tang Patriarch to you? Would you be satisfied with just being the Tang Patriarch?”
“What do you wish to say?”
“You are the Red Wave Corps Leader. You took a key post in the Alliance at a very young age. Your talent is that outstanding. Yet why do you only look at our clan? Do you truly think my harsh treatment of you is because you are a girl?”
“Are you saying it is not?”
“It is frustrating. You are not a child to play in the well of Sichuan. Yes, the Tang Clan is narrow for you. Sichuan is also narrow. You are a child who must play in the Jianghu.”
“……!”
As Tang Ye-seol opened her phoenix eyes wide, Tang Go-ryun let out a shallow sigh.
“It seems saying harsh words to raise you strong since you were young has accumulated misunderstandings instead.”
“I cannot believe it.”
“Do you truly intend to pretend not to know this father’s will……”
“Pretend not to know? How can this look like ‘pretending’? Father always took care of my younger brother more! You always put my younger brother forward! I was in the background. While always hinting to U-gi that he would become the next patriarch, what did you say to me? To help him well when he becomes the patriarch! I grew up hearing that until it wore out my ears! Have you ever praised me even once like you did for U-gi?”
“Seol-ah……!”
“I am sorry. It seems I took out my anger from the defeat on the Patriarch. I will excuse myself. I am tired.”
“My words are not finished.”
“If you have something to say, please keep it short.”
At Tang Ye-seol’s ice-cold voice, Tang Go-ryun let out a low sigh.
Although they say nothing goes as planned like a child’s affairs, to think that communication would be this difficult.
The thought occurred to him that the parent-child relationship, which should be nurtured most in the world, might be the most distant distance in some ways.
It felt as if a river of love and hate flowed grandly between the daughter sitting opposite him and himself.
“The Namgung Clan is here.”
“I know. I saw them as I came in.”
“Aren’t you going to ask the reason?”
“Will you tell me if I ask?”
“Of course. Aren’t you the Red Wave Corps Leader? Since it is related to the Alliance, you should know.”
Tang Ye-seol let out a chuckle of self-deprecation.
“Indeed. I am the Red Wave Corps Leader. Speak.”
“The Namgung Clan requested our clan to manufacture the Demonic God Pill.”
“The Demonic God Pill……!”
As if she was surprised this time too, Tang Ye-seol flinched and raised her head.
Tang Go-ryun faced that pretty face and calmly conveyed the circumstances so far.
Tang Ye-seol, whose expression changed moment by moment, asked quietly after hearing the whole story.
“So, what does Father intend to do?”
“Of course, I intend to follow the Alliance Leader’s will. Otherwise, I would not have brought up this story to you, the Red Wave Corps Leader.”
“I see.”
“The Alliance Leader said to hand over the Demonic God Pill to you once it is made. You can return to the Alliance carrying that.”
“I understand. That means we must deceive the Namgung Clan’s eyes until then.”
“Indeed.”
Tang Ye-seol nodded calmly and stood up.
“I understand. Then I shall withdraw now.”
“Yes, rest well.”
As Tang Ye-seol bowed her head and turned to leave, Tang Go-ryun spoke quietly.
“Seol-ah.”
“…….”
“I am glad you are safe.”
Such a voice… I won’t be deceived anymore.
Tang Ye-seol left the Patriarch’s Pavilion just like that without any response.
Only the long sigh of Tang Go-ryun, who was left alone, filled the room.
* * *
The time when the sun was setting.
Ting… clink. Ting… clink.
An old man sitting on the window sill of the tavern repeated flipping a iron coin with his finger and catching it.
He was an old man whose face was full of pockmarks and liver spots that were unpleasant to look at. His back of the hand was also full of all kinds of burn marks and small scars.
Even while flipping the iron coin, the old man stared intently at the Tang Clan manor over there.
“Hehehe. Interesting. Interesting.”
Ting… clack!
Finally catching the iron coin, he stuffed it into his pocket, picked his nostril with a finger, and blew it away.
“You dare to fish for me? For this Thousand Poison Elder?”
Between the lips of the grinning old man, yellow teeth were revealed clearly.
Strangely, his tongue was turning black, so at a glance, it could be said to be a very bizarre appearance.
The Thousand Poison Elder wore the bamboo hat placed on the bed, slipped out of the bedroom, and went down the stairs.
‘By the way, how did they know that I am aiming for the Double-Headed Centipede Venom?’
Extremely few people knew that fact.
Moreover, the orthodox martial artists could never know.
Yet the Sichuan Tang Clan acted as if they knew.
Actually, it had already been a month since he came to the provincial capital of Sichuan.
It was to find the Double-Headed Centipede Venom.
He had spent his whole life looking for only the Double-Headed Centipede Venom, and just in time, he heard the news that the Sichuan Tang Clan was collecting all the rare herbs and poisons in the world.
So, thinking that there might be the Double-Headed Centipede Venom, he came here. As a result of a secret investigation, he barely found out that the Double-Headed Centipede Venom was in the Sichuan Tang Clan.
He had been looking only for an opportunity to infiltrate the Sichuan Tang Clan like that, but…….
‘These guys suddenly leak information about the Double-Headed Centipede Venom deliberately. Hehehe.’
From a few days ago, rumors that the Double-Headed Centipede Venom was in the Sichuan Tang Clan suddenly began to spread.
What kind of place was the Tang Clan?
It was a place where secrets were kept more thoroughly than anywhere else.
Yet such a rumor spread?
They must have spread the rumor deliberately.
There was a smell. A fishy smell.
It could be called the sharp instinct of one who survived without being caught as a public enemy of the Martial World.
This was surely a trap to fish for him.
As if proving that fact, three days after the rumor spread, the martial artists standing guard decreased.
The rumor spread, yet the martial artists standing guard decreased instead.
‘Do these dog-like bastards think of someone as an idiot?’
He did not know from whose head it came.
However, since they invited him like this, it would not be polite to pretend not to know.
‘I shall visit. Since I am also curious why the Tang Clan is suddenly calling me.’
The Thousand Poison Elder slowly moved his steps along the high walls of the Tang Clan.
It was the final check for tonight’s visit.
He appropriately found the parts that were deliberately lax and the parts that were truly lax.
It was just when he had walked roughly a round around the Sichuan Tang Clan like that.
Bump.
When he turned around after bumping shoulders with someone, did some fresh green brat stand there grinning?
What is this? Mmh? This bastard is clearly the Namgung Clan’s Young Patriarch, a guest of the Tang Clan.
Namgung Cheon, who received the Thousand Poison Elder’s gaze, grinned and apologized.
“Oh, I am sorry. You were so small that I did not see you. You should grow a bit taller.”
What is this crazy bastard talking about?