Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1186

1187. The Setting of Darkness (1)

“……”

Tang Gwan’s face turned extremely cold as he read the letter.

Grand Elder Nokpung cautiously asked,

“Clan Leader, what is in that letter…?”

Whirr.

The fire that flared from Tang Gwan’s hand incinerated the letter.

“The Supreme Clan Leader has stepped forward to hold one of the leaders of the Three Sects who initiated this war.”

“……!”

Anxiety flickered across the faces of the Green Wind Squad members.

However, the anxiety was fleeting. They were of the Tang Clan bloodline and were elites. Their loyalty to the clan was higher than anyone else’s, and they naturally believed in the martial prowess of Clan Leader Tang Gwan and Supreme Tang Hyeong.

Dark King Tang Hyeong.

Although he was given the title of king, it was a nickname tinged with the unfavorable views of the Murim [martial arts world], who looked down on poison and hidden weapons. In terms of actual martial prowess, he was thought to be no less than the Three Emperors, and the Tang Clan members believed that if he used poison properly according to the situation, he could even defeat the powerful Minister Mu Heo.

In other words, to them, Tang Hyeong was the greatest in the world. Although his health was not good, they did not think he would lose in a fight against one of the leaders of the Three Sects.

However.

“Just in case, wouldn’t it be better to go as a support force?”

Tang Gwan was silent.

Grand Elder Nokpung stepped back and waited. He realized that Tang Gwan was deep in thought.

‘Father.’

The content of the letter was clear: absolutely do not come to the battlefield and return to the clan.

After returning, put the clan on a war footing and actively respond to the changing situation—that was Tang Hyeong’s message.

Tang Hyeong, who had never used such a strong tone since their relationship had improved. As the head of the clan, he would offer advice, but he would never say that he must do this.

However, the sentences in this letter were full of forceful persuasion. It was more than persuasion; it was an order.

It meant that it was not the time to think about his son’s pride. It also meant that the situation was that urgent and dangerous.

Decisively.

‘Are you planning to see this to the end?’

It was not a tone to use with the Clan Leader. Even if the well-resolved relationship between father and son were to break again, it meant that the Clan Leader should absolutely not come here.

Tang Gwan knew Tang Hyeong’s love for his children well. He was a man who could die ten or a hundred times for his children and for the clan.

In other words, this letter proved that the Supreme Clan Leader and Dark King had resolved himself to die.

‘Why would you go this far….’

While understanding his father’s strong determination, Tang Gwan couldn’t comprehend it, and he felt a shock as if he had been hit on the back of the head with a hammer.

‘Abnormal Heart Meridian.’

His father was dying. Everyone in the world was, but his father’s life was truly short.

His condition was not good even before he left for Gansu. Due to an internal energy abnormality, his Qi was increasing, but the amplified poison was shortening his lifespan.

He was maintaining his life by delicately handling the amplified Qi and slowly releasing it out of his body, but if he were to unleash it all at once, his heart meridian would be immediately damaged.

Just one fight.

His father was using this one chance to use his martial arts at full power.

“Green Wind Squad, listen.”

Tang Gwan turned his head towards the direction of the clan.

“Everyone returns to the clan. Instead, take this with you.”

Tang Gwan handed over a small dagger. It was one of the few clan treasures symbolizing the Clan Leader.

“From now on, the main family will enter a war footing. The level is black, and we will mobilize all the clan’s forces with the mindset of fighting against the entire world.”

“C, Clan Leader?”

“I am going to the Supreme Clan Leader now.”

Grand Elder Noksu knelt down.

“We will follow you!”

Tang Gwan smiled. It was unlike him, a truly benevolent smile.

“I am not going as the Clan Leader. I am going as a martial artist and as a son of a man.”

“……!”

“According to the Supreme’s message, I will never interfere in the fight. If the enemy attacks me, I will flee back to the clan without looking back.”

The Clan Leader was saying that he would flee with dignity. To a Sichuan Tang Clan warrior, fleeing was akin to death.

However, none of the members were shocked by the Clan Leader’s words.

They knew. They knew what Tang Gwan was going with that mindset.

As a son, he would see his parent’s death, but as a Tang Clan warrior, he would not interfere in the fight according to the Supreme’s words.

It meant that he would keep both the duty of a Tang Clan warrior and the duty of a son. Seeing such a Clan Leader, the members could not say anything.

“Go!”

“Understood!”

Thus, the Green Wind Squad headed to Sichuan Chengdu, and Tang Gwan headed to Mount Ak.

Tang Gwan’s face was full of urgency as he poured all the divine energy from his upper dantian [energy center] and ran at top speed.

It was the day before Tang Hyeong fought against Cheon Wi-Ryong.

* * *

Whirr!

Kyu-Hong, who had created a pillar of fire with a tremendous explosion, stopped in his tracks.

“Amplifying Fire Poison, is it….”

Tang Yu-Gwang, who was looking at Kyu-Hong with a strange gaze, as if he was dazed and sad, smiled bitterly.

“It’s a poison made by Yu-Jeong.”

“That’s right.”

Trickle.

Blood flowed from Tang Hyeong’s eyes, nose, and mouth.

Still, he stood tall. His insides were a mess with various internal injuries, and the unstable Qi waves were shaking his body, but he still did not fall.

“The direct line also created a similar poison. It is the Exploding Fire Poison.”

“I know.”

“However, the Exploding Fire Poison, despite its tremendous power, had strict activation conditions, and even when all the conditions were met, there were many misfires. Since it was an explosion caused by an incomplete and unstable combination, there were many accidental explosions.”

“That’s right.”

“The Amplifying Fire Poison created by Yu-Jeong is less powerful than the Exploding Fire Poison, but its activation conditions are not strict, and it is a famous poison that specifically targets masters of the Yang-Fire Arts who have an advantage in compatibility.”

Tang Yu-Gwang smiled bitterly again.

“And the previous Clan Leader announced Yu-Jeong’s creation as an invention of the direct line’s Poison Pavilion Master.”

“That’s right.”

Tang Yu-Gwang looked up at the sky.

He had bound the leader of the Blood Fiend Sect, one of the Three Sects, with the Pungdo Bak Hon Jin [a powerful binding technique], and burned to death a disciple leader who was a master on par with the Limitless Supreme.

As a member of the Tang Clan, it would be hard to experience such glory again in his later years. Tang Yu-Gwang wanted to share this glory with all those who had died, representing the branch family.

But even then, could the grievances of the dead really be resolved?

It was easy to share glory with the dead, but no one knew if the dead would really receive that glory and be happy. In the first place, unless one had experienced death, one could not be sure if there was life after death.

So Tang Yu-Gwang felt empty. Even when he had set out with Tang Hyeong, he thought he could resolve at least some of his resentment, but now that he had achieved the great feat, he couldn’t help but feel so hollow.

Tang Hyeong said calmly.

“It was Yu-Jeong’s poison that killed the Blood Fiend Sect’s disciple leader, a super master approaching the Saintly Realm.”

“You and I are the only ones who know that.”

“No, everyone will know.”

“Will they really?”

“They will. Because I left it in the clan’s historical records that Yu-Jeong was the one who invented the Amplifying Fire Poison.”

Tang Yu-Gwang was startled and turned to look at Tang Hyeong.

Tang Hyeong’s pale face looked like a corpse. But his relaxed calmness proved that he was still human.

“Did you think I was just playing around while improving my relationship with Gwan and staying near the Clan Leader’s residence?”

“Then…?”

“I have been working in my own way to correct the past mistakes. One of them was to correct the mistakes made by our predecessors and reorganize them into the clan’s official historical records.”

Tang Yu-Gwang’s eyes widened as if they were about to tear.

“Then?!”

“I have compiled all the items and martial arts invented by the branch family. I went through my memories and the branch family’s documents, burned the incorrectly recorded documents, and wrote new ones.”

“……!!”

“Of course, it was possible because the Clan Leader allowed it. Thanks to that, I spent my later years quite busy.”

Tang Yu-Gwang’s eyes, widened in shock, trembled as if an earthquake had struck.

“Is it true?”

“Yes.”

“Did you really restore the honor of the branch family members?”

“I did as much as I could. I have written down the parts I don’t remember separately, so our children will continue to correct the wrong history.”

Not my children, but our children.

Tears flowed from Tang Yu-Gwang’s eyes.

Tang Hyeong’s statement that he would eliminate the discrimination between the direct and branch families and make everyone one family.

Tang Yu-Gwang was able to dispel a significant portion of his pent-up resentment just by that statement. He thought it was enough that the arrogant and proud Tang Hyeong had said such a thing.

But Tang Hyeong was truly restoring the honor of the branch family members of the past.

Moreover, if the Clan Leader had allowed it, the Clan Leader would also take good care of the branch families in the future, just like Tang Hyeong.

“……Kuh-heuk.”

Tears flowed from Tang Yu-Gwang’s eyes as he knelt down and lowered his head.

A few drops of tears became the catalyst for opening up a lifetime of resentment.

“Uheoheoheong!!”

Tang Yu-Gwang wailed, hitting the ground. It was a cry of releasing resentment, a shout of joy, and a mourning and consolation for the brothers who had gone ahead.

After wailing for a long time, Tang Yu-Gwang looked up at the sky again.

‘Brother, do you see? Yu-Jeong, are you watching?’

The sky of Sichuan, which had been so dark, now seemed so bright.

‘Now our efforts have been recognized.’

It was the moment when a lifetime of resentment was resolved.

He had lost the will to live and thought he would be happy to die every day, but for the first time, he thought it was good that he had not died. If he had died, he would not have felt this vivid joy, sorrow, and glory.

Wiping away his tears, Tang Yu-Gwang said to Tang Hyeong.

“Thank you. Thank you so much.”

“Don’t thank me. It is something that only the scum of the Demonic Path would do, to be thanked for doing what is natural.”

Tang Hyeong closed his eyes.

“I am not a person worthy of thanks. Rather, I and the direct line should apologize.”

“Yes, that’s right too. You guys should apologize.”

Although he said that, Tang Yu-Gwang already thought he had received an apology. It was not an apology in words, but an apology shown through actions.

That was more than enough. No, it was overflowing and excessive.

Just as Tang Yu-Gwang was about to speak again.

Thud! Trickle.

More blood poured from Tang Hyeong’s nose. At the same time, blood flowed from his ears.

Tang Yu-Gwang was startled to see Tang Hyeong kneeling down and collapsing on the spot.

“You!”

Tang Hyeong, who had forcibly swallowed the blood that had welled up, pulled out a small sword from his waist.

It was the small sword that Tang Gwan, Tang Ho, and Tang Yun had used for training.

“I have a request for you, brother.”

“A request….”

“If by any chance the Sect Leader breaks through the Pungdo Bak Hon Jin, we need a way to kill him. As you know, if he really breaks through the Pungdo Bak Hon Jin, it is proof that he is someone who is difficult to deal with with the common sense of the Murim.”

It seemed he couldn’t hear. Tang Hyeong’s words continued quickly.

“I will be the axis of the Poison Dragon Killing Formation. Lay down a poison formation in the area. I want to eliminate even the slightest possibility.”

Tang Yu-Gwang’s face contorted.

It wasn’t because of the words that the Pungdo Bak Hon Jin would be broken. Of course, the Pungdo would never break, but Tang Hyeong was trying to sacrifice himself until the very end.

“You crazy bastard! The Pungdo is invincible! What you’ve done so far is enough! So let’s go back to the clan together!”

“From now on, I will convert my rampaging internal energy into an inner core. Please take care of it.”

He couldn’t hear, so they couldn’t communicate. Tang Yu-Gwang became desperate.

“Stop talking nonsense and get up! If we go to the clan, there’s a way…!”

That was when it happened.

The flames on Kyu-Hong’s body, which had been burning fiercely, subsided.