Chapter 243: To Offer (4)

-Murmur murmur!

The hall of the Sichuan Tang Clan was in turmoil.

It was due to the sudden revelation of Tang Clan Leader Tang In-hae’s ugly secrets.

This truth, confessed by his own mouth, shocked the Tang Clan members, who trusted each other more than anyone else as a clan of a single bloodline.

Although everyone in the Tang Clan had kept silent due to the oppression against the Fire Faith Order and the unfavorable gaze of the Central Plains people, the Ye Clan was their branch family.

Therefore, even if they couldn’t openly protect them, they had kept their secrets as a way to support their clan’s branch family.

‘But the Clan Leader reported this?’

It was the Tang Clan that had arranged a hiding place for the surviving Ye Clan members.

That hiding place was a secret shelter secretly utilized by the Tang Clan.

However, upon hearing the news that the Ye Clan had been discovered and captured by the imperial army, they had been puzzled.

Moreover…

‘…Killing Jang Mun-no.’

Jang Mun-no of the Haeyeong Sect.

He was the one who had gained the greatest reputation among the branch family members.

Although not well-known to the people of the Central Plains, his talent in poison techniques was also remarkable, so he had received teachings from Tang Yeon-jong, the Thousand Poison Hands, the Clan Leader from two generations ago.

[What a pity. It would have been great if he were from the main family, not the branch family.]

Tang Yeon-jong, the Clan Leader from two generations ago, often expressed his regret that Jang Mun-no was from the branch family, not the main family, due to his outstanding talent in poisons.

Because of this, due to the jealousy of the previous Clan Leader and the main family members eligible for succession, not long after Tang Yeon-jong’s passing, Jang Mun-no was expelled from the Tang Clan for an incomprehensible reason.

Knowing this fact…

‘He finally caused trouble.’

The Tang Clan members couldn’t help but click their tongues at Jang Mun-no’s death.

However, what disappointed them the most was…

“The Clan Leader tried to abandon us?”

“How could the Clan Leader do that?”

“How could a leader…”

The fact that he had tried to abandon all the Tang Clan members and flee alone.

If it had come from someone else’s mouth, it might have been different, but since he had confessed it himself, the disappointment was indescribable.

Because of this, the gazes of the Tang Clan members towards Clan Leader Tang In-hae were growing cold.

However, not everyone agreed with this.

“Everyone, calm down! You don’t really believe these words, do you?”

“That’s right! The Clan Leader is employing a desperate measure to save us.”

“Don’t fall for the enemy’s trick!”

There were also those who defended the Clan Leader until the end.

They were the direct descendants of the Tang Clan’s main family.

Unlike the branch families or side families, they were the ones with a closer blood relationship, so they believed this sudden confession by the Clan Leader was a desperate measure.

Therefore, they stepped forward to defend the Clan Leader in order to prevent the Tang Clan members from being divided.

It didn’t matter whether those words were true or not.

They had to prevent the division at all costs.

However…

“Then how do you explain the carriage?”

A warrior from the Tang Clan’s side family stepped forward and asked.

When the decisive evidence was brought up, some of those defending him were at a loss for words.

Everything else was just words, but there was no room for excuses when it came to the Clan Leader’s personal carriage being outside.

“That’s right. If the main family is in crisis, why did he ride the carriage and leave?”

“Exactly! If this is a desperate measure, how do you explain that?”

“How could the Clan Leader think of abandoning all the clan members and fleeing alone?”

Once it started, the complaints poured out like a flood.

Unable to refute the matter of the carriage, the direct descendants of the main family quickly changed the subject.

“Ha! Are you really going to fall for the enemy’s trick?”

“The truth of the Clan Leader’s words is not important right now.”

“That’s right! If we are divided, it will be as the enemy wants. Everyone, calm down.”

However, their words only fueled the anger.

“What do you mean the truth is not important!”

“The Clan Leader tried to abandon all the clan members and flee, so what trick did the enemy play here?”

“Ah. Come to think of it, most of the direct descendants, including the Young Clan Leader, are currently at the Righteous Alliance, aren’t they?”

“Ha! Seems like those from the branch families and side families are not part of the Tang Clan.”

As complaints and anger erupted from all around, the direct descendants were at a loss.

Coincidentally, the fact that a significant number of the direct descendants were dispatched to the Righteous Alliance only worsened the situation.

‘This… how…’

Tang Clan Leader Tang In-hae’s eyes wavered at the accelerating division.

Although it was true that he had tried to abandon them and flee, if he was going to die anyway, he had intended to sacrifice himself for the first time to save the Tang Clan members.

But how did it come to this?

The Tang Clan members, who had prided themselves on being closer than any other group as a martial clan consisting of a single bloodline, were divided into the main family, side families, and branch families.

-Gnash!

Clan Leader Tang In-hae bit his lip tightly and glared at Mok Gyeong-un.

Was this also intentional?

Or was it something that had been building up and erupted with this opportunity, regardless of his intentions?

Whatever it was, the confession he had made to sacrifice himself was leading to the worst situation.

At this rate, even after his death, the division within the Tang Clan might continue.

Just like a crack in a teacup gradually grows and eventually shatters.

‘What have I done?’

It seemed his decision was wrong.

He had thought he should do the right thing one last time, unable to bear witnessing the deaths of the Tang Clan members in front of his eyes, but his choice was wrong.

‘I should have fought the bastard to the end and died.’

Then none of this would have happened.

Even if the fact that he had tried to flee was revealed, in the end, he would have remained as the Clan Leader who had sacrificed himself for the clan members.

But it was too late.

‘Ahhh!’

He had confessed the secret with his own mouth, so what could he do now?

It wasn’t something that could be taken back just because he regretted it.

-Grip!

Clan Leader Tang In-hae clenched his fists and glared at Mok Gyeong-un, saying,

“…You must know that they are truly innocent. Since I have revealed all the faults I have committed as you wanted, end it with my life alone.”

Tang In-hae had resigned himself to everything.

Even if there were signs of division, he had no choice but to leave the rest to those who remained.

The only thing he could do for them was to sacrifice himself.

It was also the only way to wash away his faults, even if just a little.

-Step step!

Mok Gyeong-un walked towards him.

Tang In-hae used his arms to support himself on the ground and straightened his back, wanting to show a dignified appearance in his final moments.

However…

“When did I say I would end it with just you?”

‘!?’

For a moment, Tang In-hae couldn’t hide his bewilderment.

He had firmly believed that if he revealed that others were not involved and confessed his faults, he could end it with his sacrifice alone.

“You bastard, what…”

“I didn’t say anything, so I don’t know why you’re making judgments and doing things on your own.”

“How could you!”

“Did I ever force you to do anything?”

“…”

At that question, Tang In-hae was momentarily at a loss for words.

Come to think of it, Mok Gyeong-un had only said that a tragedy would occur due to someone’s fault, but he had never intentionally said or demanded anything afterward.

He had simply killed the Tang Clan members one by one.

To torment him.

Realizing this, Tang In-hae was suddenly seized by a sense of futility.

‘shit!’

He had revealed all his faults in the hope that Mok Gyeong-un would spare the lives of the Tang Clan members, so this situation felt even more miserable.

It was like playing the drum and gong alone.

Clan Leader Tang In-hae raised his head and glared at Mok Gyeong-un with a murderous gaze.

Realizing that all of this had been in vain, all the futility turned into anger, and it was directed at Mok Gyeong-un.

-Rumble!

Tang In-hae soon drew upon his energy.

What was the point of racking his brain and looking for opportunities at this point?

It was better to draw upon his remaining energy and confront the bastard with the resolve to die together.

‘I’ll kill you!’

He vowed to kill this bastard alone, even if it meant exhausting all the remaining Formless Poison.

-Simmer!

The air around Tang In-hae wavered like a mirage.

This occurred because the poisonous energy of the colorless and odorless Formless Poison had no special characteristics unlike other poisonous techniques.

-Thud!

Tang In-hae soon pushed the ground with both hands.

With that, his body soared nearly seven jang in an instant.

He had wanted to close the distance with the bastard as much as possible and seek an opportunity, but that was impossible anyway.

Then, even if it caused some damage, he had no choice but to use the sweeping strike that caused the widest range of damage to target the bastard.

‘Formless Poison Technique^[14]. Poison Origin Extreme^[15]!’

Tang In-hae rotated his body and scattered the poisonous energy of the Formless Poison in all directions, as if using the Tang Clan’s secret technique, Thousand Flowers Rain^[16].

-Swish swish swish swish swish!

It was as if he was shooting projectile energy in all directions, and an invisible rippling something poured down like rain.

The radius reached nearly twenty jang.

Surprised by Clan Leader Tang In-hae’s sudden action, the Tang Clan warriors within that radius looked at him in disbelief.

‘Clan Leader?’

‘Is he really going to fight in that state?’

None of them had guessed that the Clan Leader would use a secret technique with the resolve to sacrifice them.

They simply thought that since the situation had come to this, he was going to fight until the end.

However…

-Swish swish swish swish swish!

The poisonous energy of the Formless Poison soon scattered like rain in all directions.

Although it was an invisible and odorless poison, there was one thing that could be detected.

It was the sound.

“What, what is that?”

“Take cover!”

The Tang Clan masters, sensing something flying towards them, shouted in panic.

But it was already too late by the time they noticed.

It was a secret technique unleashed with full power by Tang In-hae, the Thousand Poison Hands, known as one of the Eight Stars, the top masters of the martial arts world.

Its speed was much faster than launching hidden weapons with martial power, so it wasn’t something that could be dodged even if noticed.

-Swish swish swish swish swish!

The invisible poisonous energy of the Formless Poison soon struck everyone within the radius.

“Ugh!”

“This, this is?”

The moment the poisonous energy touched them, the Tang Clan warriors instinctively realized that it was poison.

And when they realized that it was colorless and odorless…

“It’s the Formless Poison!”

“The Clan Leader unleashed the Formless Poison!”

“This is insane!”

“E-Everyone, back away!”

-Rumble!

With their shouts, chaos ensued in an instant.

The Tang Clan warriors, who knew the terror of the Formless Poison better than anyone else, simultaneously used lightness skills and retreated backward.

Since they had never properly witnessed the Tang Clan’s new secret technique, the Formless Poison Technique, they couldn’t estimate the range of this sweeping strike.

However, its true nature was soon revealed.

“Aaaaargh!”

“M-My body!”

Soon, red and black spots quickly appeared on the bodies of those poisoned by the Formless Poison, and they screamed in pain, unable to endure the agony.

But the skin rash didn’t progress slowly.

Despite all of them being skilled in poison techniques, the skin began to melt away, starting from the areas where the rash had appeared.

-Sizzle!

“Ahhh!”

“S-Save me!”

The melting skin soon exposed the flesh, muscles, and even the bones.

The poisoning symptoms, progressing incomparably faster than any other poison, instantly turned the hall into a scene of hell.

-Thud!

“Haa… haa…”

Finally, Tang Clan Leader Tang In-hae, who had unleashed the ultimate secret technique of the Formless Poison Technique, landed on the ground.

His face, supporting his body with both arms, was utterly miserable.

Although it was solely to kill the bastard, even the dozens of Tang Clan members within the radius of the sweeping strike had been poisoned by the Formless Poison.

‘…Please understand.’

The only secret technique that possessed both range and speed was the Poison Origin Extreme, so there was no other way.

In the first place, this technique was created to confront even supreme masters of the great master level.

However, it had a fatal drawback: if there were allies within the radius, the damage couldn’t be avoided.

But there was no other choice now.

If he could kill the bastard through this sacrifice, the Tang Clan could overcome the worst crisis…

‘!?’

At that moment, Tang In-hae’s expression froze.

While the ground turned black due to the aftermath of the Formless Poison and everyone’s bodies were melting away, there was a single person unscathed in the center.

‘This… how?’

It was none other than Mok Gyeong-un.