Return Of The Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 192

In a grand hall nestled deep within the Sichuan mountains, a cold voice echoed during the head family conference of the esteemed Sichuan Tang Family. This family, with centuries of history, reigned as overlords of Sichuan and stood as a pillar among the Five Great Families of the world.

“So?”

Tang Gun-ak, the head of the Sichuan Tang Family, spoke with a chilling calmness, his voice devoid of any warmth.

“Are you saying you were defeated by those Huashan rivals and returned without accomplishing anything?”

“Yes.”

“Not by the Huashan Divine Dragon or the Hwajung Sword, who have recently gained recognition… but by the second son of the Sahaesu Merchant Guild?”

“Yes.”

A flicker of murderous intent flashed in Tang Gun-ak’s eyes.

“Do you understand what this means?”

“I do.”

Then, Tang Pae, the young master of the Sichuan Tang Family and Tang Gun-ak’s assistant, spoke with clear displeasure.

“For someone who understands, you seem awfully relaxed.”

Tang Zan glanced briefly at Tang Pae before returning his gaze to Tang Gun-ak.

Tang Pae pressed on, his voice cold. “You are a direct descendant, the son of the family head.”

Tang Zan remained silent.

“Yet, you were beaten by that nobody, Jo Gul, and came back. Do you know what the people of Chengdu will say when they hear this?” Tang Pae continued.

“I do.”

“Everyone will gloat. Some will think the Sichuan Tang Family is not so special anymore. Eventually, some will rebel against the family and work with outsiders.”

Tang Zan lowered his head slightly.

“This one small thing could cause a big problem. Surely you’re not foolish enough not to see this?”

“Of course not, brother.”

“This is an official meeting.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Tang Pae snapped, his voice sharp. “How will you take responsibility for all this? Because of your mistake, the Sichuan Tang Family’s reputation will be ruined, and our control over Sichuan will be weakened. Your life isn’t enough to fix this.”

“I am ready for punishment.”

“Then…!”

Tang Gun-ak interrupted quietly, “Tang Zan.”

“Yes, Head of the Family.”

Tang Gun-ak looked at Tang Zan with cold eyes and asked slowly, “You said you were prepared?”

“Yes.”

“That means you know how big your mistake is, right?”

“Of course.”

“Then why do you look so relieved?”

This was what Tang Gun-ak really wanted to know.

The Tang Zan he knew was fiercely competitive. None of his sons wanted to win more than Tang Zan.

Tang Zan endured the Tang Family’s brutal training, which would have made anyone else give up, driven by his determination to become stronger.

Even Tang Gun-ak had run away from the Tang Family’s training three times before adulthood, making Tang Zan’s spirit truly remarkable.

Tang Gun-ak valued Tang Zan among all his children because of this.

Yet, Tang Zan seemed calm even after his defeat.

Tang Gun-ak thought this might be even more important than what happened at the Sahaesu Merchant Guild.

Tang Zan spoke, “Because I gained something.”

“…Gained?”

“I have found the path I must take, and I have learned the world is vast. I know there are many people stronger than me, and I am motivated to work harder. Why should I fear some simple punishment?”

Tang Gun-ak frowned. “Many people stronger than you? Are you talking about the second son of the Sahaesu Merchant Guild?”

“I lost to him. But if we fought again, the result might be different. However… that’s not the case with the others.”

“The Hwajung Sword and the Huashan Divine Dragon, then.”

“The Hwajung Sword will certainly be stronger than Jo Gul. And the Huashan Divine Dragon is…” Tang Zan stopped speaking.

Tang Gun-ak waited for his son to continue.

“I don’t know,” Tang Zan said after a long silence, surprising Tang Gun-ak.

“You don’t know?”

“Yes. I do not know him. Whether he is strong or weak. No… I still don’t know. I cannot understand him.”

Tang Pae smiled faintly and interjected, “Maybe you’re just too weak to understand.”

“…Perhaps that is so.”

“Head of the Family, there’s no need to listen anymore. Punish Zan and send me to the Sahaesu Merchant Guild. I will handle the matter and return.”

Tang Gun-ak glanced at Tang Pae.

Tang Pae flinched under his gaze and immediately lowered his head. Tang Gun-ak then looked at Tang Zan with interest.

It was the first time Tang Zan had ever evaluated someone like this.

“From what you say, his strength doesn’t seem outstanding, is that right?”

“…That is how it seemed to me.”

“And yet, you are most aware of the Huashan Divine Dragon among them.”

Tang Gun-ak’s eyes gleamed. “Why? You don’t care about fame in Jianghu. What was so special about him?”

“He…” Tang Zan began after thinking for a moment.

“He said that one more throwing knife should be added to my throwing knives.”

“What?” Tang Gun-ak shot up from his seat.

He was no longer calm. A terrifying aura filled the room. Tang Pae and Tang Zan trembled.

The fact that he was showing such force in front of his children showed how shocked Tang Gun-ak was.

“What did you say?”

“…He mentioned the twelfth throwing knife.”

“That statement is undoubtedly true, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

Tang Zan narrowed his eyes, thinking, ‘He knows about the Twelve Flying Knives?’

The Sichuan Tang Family’s throwing knife technique, known as the Eleven Flying Knives, has a secret twelfth knife for those who master the first eleven.

This is the Twelve Flying Knives.

It is the ultimate technique of the Sichuan Tang Family, a secret among secrets.

People think of the Myriad Manifestations of Heavenly Rain and the Invisible Poison when they think of the Tang Family, but the Twelve Flying Knives is just as powerful.

It was so difficult that it had almost been lost.

“What is the chance that the child knew that beforehand?”

“…I…”

“No, it’s impossible. There shouldn’t be anyone in Jianghu who knows about the twelfth throwing knife.”

It was a secret even within the Sichuan Tang Family.

How could an outsider know?

Perhaps it was possible; no secret is perfect. But how could a young child know? And wasn’t he a disciple of the fallen Huashan sect?

Tang Gun-ak’s eyes turned cold. “Describe the duel.”

“Yes.”

After hearing the details from Tang Zan, Tang Gun-ak groaned. “He used the Hidden Explosion Dagger?”

“Yes.”

“And yet, you were defeated…”

That was surprising, but the result of the match wasn’t important now.

“The Hidden Explosion Dagger is just a step towards the Twelve Flying Knives. The completed Hidden Explosion Dagger must have the secret twelfth throwing knife. The Hidden Explosion Dagger draws attention, while the Rotation Dagger targets the back.”

“Yes.”

“So, he only saw the Hidden Explosion Dagger and knew the technique was incomplete, saying another throwing knife was needed?”

Tang Zan remained silent.

“It’s impossible.”

Tang Gunak spoke quietly to himself, not noticing his children were there.

“If that’s possible, it means their understanding of martial arts is better than mine. No, no. Maybe he didn’t think about it logically. Maybe it was just a feeling. But to know that just from a feeling…”

Genius.

Even that word isn’t enough.

“Has a genius appeared in Mount Hua?”

Tang Gunak’s face hardened.

Then, as if he had decided something, he walked to Dang Zhan.

“Get ready.”

“Yes?”

“I will go to the Saehae Commercial Group myself.”

“L-Lord?”

Dang Pae shouted, shocked.

“Lord! You shouldn’t do something like that yourself! It is not right for someone as important as you…”

Tang Gunak’s eyes narrowed, fixing on Dang Pae like sharp knives. Dang Pae felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead and instinctively took a step back.

“Tell me,” Tang Gunak’s voice was low and dangerous, “how has the Dang Clan become the most powerful family in Sichuan for hundreds of years?”

“Well, that is…” Dang Pae stammered, avoiding his father’s gaze.

“Answer me directly, Pae!” Tang Gunak snapped.

Dang Pae’s throat felt tight. He swallowed hard, trying to find his voice. “It’s… because our ancestors risked everything to build the family.”

“Wrong!” Tang Gunak’s voice boomed through the room, making everyone jump.

It is not only the Dang Clan that has risked their lives to build their family. Even now, many families are betting everything to build their families. But, the reason why the Dang Clan is much greater than them is only one!

Tang Gunak looked at his sons and whispered as if telling a great secret.

“It is because we never give up.”

“…”

In some ways, it might seem like actions that might seem small or unimportant. But never giving up has made the Dang Clan what it is. Never giving up means not missing even the smallest things! It means chasing down and getting rid of anything that could hurt the family, even from far away! It means doing anything if it helps the family!

Tang Gunak glared at Dang Pae and said.

“Do you want to be a gentleman?”

“…No.”

“Remember this. The Dang Clan doesn’t need gentlemen. Those who care about their reputation shouldn’t even think about leading the Dang Clan. Only those who can do anything if it helps the family, even if everyone in the world criticizes them, can be the head of the Great Sichuan Dang Clan! Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“I-I will remember that, Lord!”

“Not good enough,” Tang Gunak said, scolding him, and walked away without stopping.

“I am going to the Saehae Commercial Group. I need to see if that guy is a genius or someone who just talks big but isn’t really strong.”

Dang Zhan closed his eyes tightly.

Things were getting out of control.

“No! Why aren’t you going!”

“Ah, I’m just not going.”

“Why is this guy suddenly acting like this again!”

Yoon Jong hit his chest in frustration.

It was impossible to guess what this guy would do.

“Really? You’re really not going?”

“Yeah.”

Yoon Jong started to get angry.

“Then stay here! We’re going to Yunnan! You can live here!”

“Whatever.”

“Ggrrrr.”

Yoon Jong scratched his head hard.

He was about to say something else when…

“Senior Brother.”

Yoo Iseol spoke carefully to Baek Cheon.

“What?”

“Will the Dang Clan stay quiet?”

Baek Cheon sighed.

“Of course not. They will try to find us. So, shouldn’t we go to Yunnan as soon as we can? Who knows what might happen if we stay here.”

“Then what about the Saehae Commercial Group?”

“…Huh?”

“The Dang Clan must be angry. But we are not here. Then? What about the Saehae Commercial Group?”

She meant that the Dang Clan’s anger might be aimed at the Saehae Commercial Group.

Baek Cheon looked at Jo Pyung.

Jo Pyung chuckled and shook his head.

“You don’t need to worry about that. The Saehae Commercial Group has had a good relationship with the Dang Clan for a long time. Something like this wouldn’t cause any problems…”

“The Sichuan Dang Clan? That Sichuan Dang Clan?”

Jo Pyung stopped talking.

He didn’t need to say anything else. The words ‘Sichuan Dang Clan’ said enough about how determined and cruel they were.

“I am a little worried too.”

Yoon Jong said in a serious voice.

“The fact that they broke in here late last night means that they thought it was important to make Jo Gul look bad. But instead of doing that, they were just embarrassed, so they must be very angry.”

Baek Cheon frowned.

‘Does this mean that leaving quickly won’t solve the problem?’

Baek Cheon looked at Jo Pyung again.

Jo Pyung’s face looked a little embarrassed, even though he was trying to smile.

Only then did Baek Cheon understand.

‘He was trying to send us away.’

Jo Pyung must have known all of this was going to happen. That’s why he tried to get the Mount Hua disciples out of Chengdu and send them to Yunnan before the Dang Clan attacked.

No matter how strong the Dang Clan was, they couldn’t chase them all the way to Yunnan.

And he must have thought that the Saehae Commercial Group would just face the full anger of the Dang Clan.

‘How could I have missed this?’

Baek Cheon’s face turned red. He was so happy that Jo Gul had defeated Dang Zhan and that he had a way to go to Yunnan that he had missed this simple thing.

Then?

Baek Cheon quickly turned his head.

Chung Myung’s strange behavior started to make sense. Maybe Chung Myung knew this. But he couldn’t say in front of Jo Pyung that he was worried about the Saehae Commercial Group and couldn’t leave.

“No. Still, does a grown-up have to act like that, you rascal?”

“Huh?”

“…Never mind.”

Baek Cheon sighed.

“Lord of the Commercial Group.”

“Yes, Young Master Baek Cheon.”

“It seems that the trip to Yunnan will have to wait.”

“…Young Master.”

Baek Cheon shook his head.

“This happened because of us. We have to take responsibility.”

“Why is it because of us? It’s because of Sajuk.”

“…Anyway.”

Baek Cheon said firmly, trying to stay calm.

“We will not leave. Even if we do leave, it will be after we finish things with the Dang Clan.”

Jo Pyung’s face, which had been trying to look calm, started to fall apart.

“Do you know how dangerous the Dang Clan is? It’s true that Geol-ah defeated Dang Zhan, but Dang Zhan is just a child compared to the real power of the Dang Clan! Leave now! If you don’t…”

“Ah. That’s okay now.”

“Huh?”

Jo Pyung looked confused at Chung Myung’s sudden comment.

Chung Myung smiled and said.

“They came much faster than I thought. It seems they have already arrived.”

“…”

As soon as he said that, it suddenly became noisy outside.

“T-This, already!”

Jo Pyung jumped up from his seat. He had to get them to run away now…

“L-Lord!”

At that moment, they heard a very urgent voice.

“The Lord of the Sichuan Dang Clan has come in person!”