Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1531

The words hung in the air, sharp and unexpected: “Dismantle the Tang Family.”

It was Tang Soso who had spoken, a daughter of the very family she condemned.

A stunned silence fell over the hall. The flickering candlelight danced on the faces of the sect leaders, each one frozen in disbelief. Even the legendary Five Swords and the usually unflappable Chung Myung were speechless, their mouths gaping open in shock.

Hae Yeon, his voice trembling slightly, finally broke the silence. “M-Master… are you truly serious?”

If even the calm and collected Hae Yeon was questioning her sanity, what more could be said? The air crackled with tension.

Tang Gun-ak’s eyes showed a mix of confusion, anger, and sorrow. He looked at Hyun Jong and Unam, who quickly shook their heads, looking scared.

“O-Oh, it’s a misunderstanding!” Hyun Jong exclaimed.

“Soso! What on earth are you saying!” Un Am added, equally alarmed.

Hyun Jong and Un Am jumped up as if afraid of being burned.

Tang Soso was a student of Mount Hua, but they would never tell her to say this. If they had, they would be in big trouble and have no excuse.

“Huh…” Tang Gun-ak sighed, unable to find the right words. She was his daughter, raised with care, even though he had sent her away. Now, she was talking about dismantling the family.

Just as tears were about to well up in his usually stern eyes, Tang Soso continued.

“It’s an overstatement. What I mean is that the Tang Family’s system needs to change.”

“Change the system?” Tang Gun-ak seemed intrigued and looked at Tang Soso again. Her eyes were straight and clear, showing that she was serious.

“Are you saying the Tang Family’s strength has weakened?” he asked.

“No,” Tang Soso said firmly.

“Even if the Sichuan Tang Family’s power was strong, this needs to be done.”

“Explain more clearly,” Tang Gun-ak requested.

“The Tang Family isn’t a great help in battle, as things stand now,” Tang Soso stated.

Tang Gun-ak’s eyes twitched.

He couldn’t forgive this statement, even coming from his daughter. It felt like she was underestimating the Tang Family’s power, which was known to be outstanding on the battlefield.

However, Tang Gun-ak stopped himself from scolding her when Soso added:

“To be precise, the Tang Family’s power cannot be ‘properly’ used with the current system.”

Hyun Jong looked worried and started to speak.

“Soso, that’s…”

Tang Gun-ak stopped Hyun Jong, saying, “Alliance Leader, please wait. My daughter wouldn’t say something like that without a reason. I want to hear what she has to say.”

“Hmm,” Hyun Jong hummed and stepped back.

Tang Gun-ak looked at Tang Soso with new interest. He realized that she knew the Tang Family inside and out. Because she was free from the Tang Family’s secretive nature, he thought she might have valuable insights.

“Continue,” he said.

“Yes,” Tang Soso nodded and went on. “Of course, the Tang Family can sweep the battlefield. But the biggest problem is that two or three people are doing what one person could do.”

“……”

“If one person uses poison, having two people use the same poison doesn’t make it twice as strong. The same is true for throwing weapons; two people throwing weapons doesn’t automatically double the distance they reach.”

“Hmm,” Tang Gun-ak narrowed his eyes.

“That’s wrong. Even if it doesn’t increase the potency, it can widen the range. And even if it doesn’t increase the distance, it can fill the space more densely,” he argued.

“Yes, that’s also true. But is that really efficient?” Tang Soso countered.

“What do you mean?” Tang Gun-ak asked.

“Even if all of that is true, the problem remains. To cover a wide range, more poison must be spread. To densely pack hidden weapons, more hidden weapons must be thrown.”

Tang Soso’s face showed conviction and determination.

“That only speeds up the use of poison and hidden weapons. It might be okay for a short battle, but if the fight goes on, both will run out. What can the Tang Family do then? They’ll have to watch from behind.”

“That’s…” Tang Gun-ak started to say.

“I agree with Soso’s words,” Tang Pae added.

Tang Gun-ak looked at Tang Pae, who was nodding with a stiff face.

“While escaping from Hainan, I realized it too. If we make quick decisions, the Tang Family can be stronger than any other group. Especially in big battles. But if the battle lasts, we’ll be helpless.”

Tang Gun-ak’s eyes turned cold.

Tang Pae was the young leader of the Tang Family, and now he was criticizing it.

“Young lord, watch your words. The Tang Family isn’t that weak. Do you think our ancestors didn’t know about these problems?” Tang Gun-ak questioned.

“Yes, they could have prepared for it somehow, if they hadn’t lost all the fire pits and the poison storehouse,” Tang Pae responded.

Tang Gun-ak was speechless. His son’s words had hit a sore spot.

“There isn’t enough time to restore them. No matter how hard we try, if the war continues, we won’t be able to produce enough poison and hidden weapons. What can the Tang Family do then?” Tang Pae asked.

Fundamental and situational limitations.

The siblings were pointing out the Tang Family’s weaknesses. Tang Gun-ak felt uncomfortable and awkward.

However, there were two reasons why Tang Gun-ak couldn’t get angry.

First, he wasn’t someone who got angry easily. Second, these siblings had experienced the most desperate battles in the Tang Family recently.

And there was one more reason.

“It seems you two have already discussed this,” he observed.

“Yes,” Tang Soso confirmed.

“That’s right,” Tang Pae agreed.

Tang Gun-ak, with a serious expression, said, “Continue.”

“If the Tang Family wants to be known, there’s an easy way. Prepare enough poison and hidden weapons, use them all in one battle, and then leave. The other groups wouldn’t bother with the Tang Family after that, so we’d have a good reason to leave,” Tang Soso suggested.

Tang Gun-ak’s eyebrows twitched.

That meant taking the credit and benefits while avoiding sacrifices.

It might be tempting for the Tang Family, but other members would not like it. It wasn’t something to say in a place like this.

However, Tang Gun-ak didn’t care about those issues, because the Sichuan Tang Family could never choose that path.

“If not that, then what?” he asked.

“We need to find a way,” Tang Pae said firmly.

“A way for the Sichuan Tang Family to share its fate with everyone, not by showing off its strength or relying on tools.”

Tang Gun-ak’s face grew heavy.

“Are you saying this can’t be solved by fighting alongside Mount Hua?” he asked.

He remembered how strong the Sichuan Tang Family was on the Yangtze River and how threatening they were when fighting with Mount Hua.

However, Tang Pae shook his head and asked, “Is the Tang Family just meant to support Mount Hua?”

“……”

“As you said, following Mount Hua will reduce weaknesses and increase power. But that would mean the great Sichuan Tang Family would only be a support for Mount Hua.”

“Hmm,” Tang Gun-ak hummed.

“How much of a burden would that be on the Heavenly Union?” Tang Pae wondered.

Tang Gun-ak stared at Tang Pae, noticing a change in him.

Tang Pae had always wanted to raise the status of the Sichuan Tang Family. When that desire was too strong, he couldn’t accept Tang Gun-ak’s defeat and even attacked Chung Myung.

But now, he was saying the Sichuan Tang Family shouldn’t burden others, even though there was a way to take only the benefits and reduce the harm.

Tang Gun-ak couldn’t fully rejoice or regret that change. He took a long breath and asked, “I’ve heard enough. What’s your plan? What do you think we should do?”

Instead of answering, Tang Pae looked at Tang Soso.

From now on, it was her turn.

“Family Head, you think the Tang Family is strongest when united. That’s true, but the real strength I see is our versatility,” Tang Soso explained.

“Versatility?” Tang Gun-ak questioned.

“Yes. The Tang Family can do everything. They are sensitive to changes, so they can be scouts. They can support many people with hidden weapons. And most importantly, they can save the injured. Just one Tang Family member can improve the survival rate,”

The Five Swords and the young leaders agreed with that statement.

They knew how important a physician was during the trip to Hainan. If it hadn’t been for Tang Pae and Tang Soso, many of them would have died in Jiangnan. In fact, they might not have survived at all without them.

“What does that mean?” Tang Gun-ak asked.

“We need to divide the Tang Family’s members. Instead of moving together, we should split them into groups of four or five to support those on the battlefield,”

Tang Gun-ak’s eyebrows twitched.

“For what purpose?” he inquired.

“For mobile medical support that can keep up with elite warriors,”

Tang Gun-ak’s eyes sank deeply.

“That’s…” He paused, deep in thought. After a long silence, he raised his head.

“Dividing the Tang Family means I can’t give orders to everyone.”

“Yes,” Tang Soso confirmed.

“That means the Tang Family’s members will have to listen to others, not the Tang Family.”

“Yes, Family Head,” Tang Soso replied.

Tang Gun-ak’s voice became sharper.

“Those giving the orders will be the heads of other groups, the elders, and even the chief disciples. The Tang Family’s members will have to listen to a chief disciple, not even the young lord. Do you understand what that means?”

“Yes,” Tang Pae answered this time. Anger filled Tang Gun-ak’s eyes.

In a way, this was worse than dismantling the Tang Family.

It meant the Tang Family, which had always rejected outsiders, would have to endure the humiliation of following the orders of other groups. It would be different if the Heavenly Union was giving the orders, but this was unacceptable.

“You understand, do you…” The anger turned into a blue killing intent, directed at his own children. Tang Gun-ak was now acting as the head of the family, not a father.

“Tell me why you have to endure all of that. If you can’t answer properly, you will pay for insulting the family!” he demanded.

For Tang Gun-ak, it was a question with a firm resolve.

However, the answer came easily, almost anticlimactic, because it was already prepared.

“Because I’m sure,”

“Sure of what?” Tang Gun-ak asked.

Tang Soso calmly faced Tang Gun-ak’s killing intent. Her unwavering voice reached him clearly.

“These changes in the Tang Family will change the battlefield, perhaps forever.”