116. Gossip about the sect

Han-won quickly hung the torch back in place and asked politely.

"There is no one in the Medical Hall at the moment. If it is all right, may I deliver the letter for you?"

"Yes. It's not so much a letter as it is a list of medicinal herbs."

"Ah, I see. The Divine Physician must have left something behind when he departed in such haste that day. I will deliver it to the physician of the Medical Hall as soon as he returns."

Han-won stepped forward to receive the letter from the Four Seasons Hall Lord.

Glancing down at the paper, he understood what the Hall Lord had meant by saying it was not a letter. Written on it were only the names of medicinal herbs and their quantities.

Still, he found it surprising that the Four Seasons Hall Lord would come in person to deliver it.

It seemed he went in and out of the Alliance Leader's residence to personally manage his health.

‘So it's true, then, what they say—that he's very close to the Alliance Leader.’

Yet even after handing over the letter, the Hall Lord did not withdraw.

He gazed at the pavilion for a moment, then asked.

"It seems you have brought a messenger bird."

"Ah, yes."

Thinking it was nothing significant, Han-won answered without giving it much weight.

As he turned his body, Zhuge In-hwi smiled.

"It seem lost and uneasy. You would do well to give it some water."

"... Pardon?"

When Han-won, not understanding, asked again, the Hall Lord showed him a mysterious expression before quietly turning away.

Once the Hall Lord had vanished, Han-won shook his head.

"As expected, Zhuge..."

The way of speaking of the Zhuge Clan.

It was a manner of speaking that made one feel uneasy.

'If someone talked like that in the Tang Clan, they'd be beaten and told to speak clearly.'

Han-won clicked his tongue, thinking how fortunate he was to be Tang Han-won and not Zhuge Han-won.

***

"Wow, Wuhan really has so many fascinating things. This street is new to me, too."

"......"

"Ohhh, what's that pavilion? Why is it standing all alone and white like that?"

"......"

“Young Lord, no—Hak, let’s try eating that! I’ll pay for it, so come here.”

An excited Tang Hae-han dragged Tang Hak around this way and that. Tang Hak followed like a paper doll being pulled along, but his expression showed no sign of amusement.

"Wow, amazing. How could they slice the fish so finely? If it were just a little spicier, it'd be perfect."

Before they knew it, Tang Hae-han had entered a tavern, happily eating a fish dish.

Here and there, people were drinking, but Tang Hak stuck to tea.

Regardless of mood, if his father were to catch him in a disheveled state, he truly felt he would die.

He could almost see the Clan Head in front of him, coldly saying it was a disgrace to the clan.

Startled as though he'd seen a ghost, Tang Hak shoved meat into his mouth for no reason.

"Hey, you'll choke. Eat it with tea."

Tang Hae-han frowned as he refilled Tang Hak's teacup.

At that moment, laughter came from behind.

"Haha, what's there to regret, brother! It was just bad fortune in the draw."

"That's right. As the second son of the Namgung Clan Head, of course, Namgung Jin would have had elixirs and learned their secret manuals."

They seemed to be martial artists of the Murim Alliance.

Glancing over, Tang Hae-han identified them. They were martial artists of the Peng Clan.

But the Peng Clan martial artist, who had been receiving consolation, suddenly twisted his face and set down his cup.

"Come to think of it, isn't it unfair? The direct descendants start from a different point, so this isn't a fair competition."

"Well, there's some truth to that."

Everyone nodded, but then someone said with a laugh,

"Well, not all direct descendant disciples are outstanding, are they?"

The Peng Clan martial artists all whipped their heads around.

A group drinking at the neighboring table had intruded on their conversation.

"The Tang Clan's direct descendant didn't even make it to the semifinals, did he? Since the young warrior made it that far, where even the direct descendant didn't, you should take pride in it."

Perhaps trying to comfort them, a young man at the next table smiled and raised his cup.

Tang Hae-han furrowed his brows sharply. He was furious, for it was obvious who they meant.

'Who are these bastards?'

Planning to later report them to the Black Sky Demon, Tang Hae-han glared and studied the man's face—then flinched.

Beside him was a serene beauty: Zhuge Cheon-yu, the one said to be treasured dearly by the Zhuge Clan Head.

'Wait, then these guys are from the Zhuge Clan?'

Utterly dumbfounded, Tang Hae-han let out a hollow laugh.

'Hey, hey, of all people, you guys are talking down on martial arts talent?'

Tang Hae-han's eyes turned triangular with anger.

If we're talking pure strength, aren't they the ones ranked dead last among the Five Noble Clans? And they dare belittle the Tang Clan? Without their tricks and formations, they're nothing!

The Zhuge Clan thought the Tang Clan was nothing without poisons and hidden weapons, and the Tang Clan thought the Zhuge Clan was nothing but punching bags without formations and schemes.

Whether or not their martial arts were superior, both clans possessed specialties outside of martial arts, which is why they kept each other in check.

In any case—

Even as members of a noble clan, to strike at another clan's young successor was crossing the line.

When Tang Hae-han rose to his feet, Tang Hak grabbed his hand.

"Sit down, brother."

"But their words are vile. Aren't they vile? Let go. Tomorrow, I'll make sure they spend the whole day spewing fire from their rectums."

Tang Hae-han had spoken informally out of habit, then quickly corrected himself to polite speech, mindful of the martial artists from the other clan.

"If brother makes a scene, the Clan Head will be put in a difficult position."

"I'll do it without being noticed, so don't worry."

When Tang Hae-han pulled something from his sleeve, Tang Hak forced him back into his seat with strength.

And, uncharacteristically, spoke in a heavy voice.

"Don't do it."

At Tang Hak's cold face and voice—something he'd never seen before—Tang Hae-han froze on the spot.

He had only ever seen him sweating as he tried to break up fights between him and Tang So-hwa, so this resolute demeanor was hard to process.

Tang Hae-han couldn't stand up; he only opened and closed his mouth.

As silence fell, the voices from the next table grew clearer.

"The atmosphere in the Tang Clan must be terrible. I heard the expectations placed on the Young Lord were huge. Didn't they boast he was the greatest prodigy since the Black Sky Demon? Yet after becoming heir, he didn't even reach the semifinals... There's no greater disgrace to the Tang Clan."

"Exactly. If Young Lord Peng wins next year, then the Tang Clan will be the only one among the Five Noble Clans whose heir never took first place."

"Ah, but that's nothing new. Probably just a tradition of the Tang Clan. I heard not once has a Tang heir ever won the tournament."

"Not even the Black Sky Demon?"

"From what I heard, the Black Sky Demon stepped down from the heir's seat as soon as he learned the clan's secret manuals. He said he wanted to try out what he'd learned and went wandering the jianghu. Back then, he spilled so much blood that he earned the title of Black Sky Demon... Would a tournament have even satisfied him?"

A brief silence fell.

A Peng Clan martial artist, nervous, spoke up.

"They say the Tang Clan martial artists hold back during tournaments, fearing they might kill their opponents. Maybe that excuse is actually true."

"Haha, that's a different matter altogether."

Before long, the martial artists of the Peng Clan and Zhuge Clan were talking as if they had joined tables.

"Are the other sects so different? Swords and sabers are just as deadly as hidden weapons. Honestly, when people say the Tang Clan would've produced a champion if the Black Sky Demon had entered, it's an admission that even with hidden weapons, the truly exceptional can achieve results in the tournament."

"That's true. The young warrior from the Zhuge Clan is right. The Tang Clan brats always chanted that if the Black Sky Demon had entered, they would've had a champion—but in saying so, they admit they lost simply because they weren't good enough."

They snickered as members of two noble clans mocked another clan.

It was common that when more than two sects gathered, they made another sect their drinking fodder. But for the one being slandered, it was far from pleasant.

Yet Tang Hae-han couldn't lash out.

Tang Hak's face was growing darker and darker, leaving him no room to vent his anger at those men.

Never before had he seen the ever-bright Young Lord look so grim, and Tang Hae-han didn't know what to do. Lacking any talent for comfort, he only opened and closed his mouth, about to suggest leaving, when it happened.

"If you are so confident in your skills, then why not face the Young Lord Tang Hak in a real fight?"

The laughter was crushed beneath the clear voice.

The one who had poured cold water on the conversation sipped leisurely from her cup, a smile on her lips.

Her red, wine-stained lips parted again.

"By young warrior Peng's own words, since you reached the semifinals, doesn't that mean you are stronger than the Young Lord? If you truly believe the rules of the tournament did not disadvantage the Tang Clan, then discard all rules and ask to fight."

"......"

"Why are you silent? You said it was nothing but the Tang Clan's excuse, so wouldn't it be enough for you to prove it yourself?"

"Y-young lady..."

A Zhuge Clan martial artist laughed awkwardly, trying to dissuade Zhuge Cheon-yu. But she only frowned and raised an eyebrow, as if wondering what the problem was.

"Why?"

"I think it would be best if the Young lady stopped drinking."

"Is that so?"

Zhuge Cheon-yu obediently pushed her wine cup aside. Then she turned her head back to the Peng Clan martial artist.

"So then, when will you fight? I know of a fine place. If you tell me, I will arrange it. I will also send word to the Tang Clan's Young Lord."

"... Ahem."

The Peng Clan martial artist coughed.

His discomfort showed plainly across his whole body, but Zhuge Cheon-yu did not retreat.

"Are you perhaps not confident?"

"Not confident?!"

"It seems you fear the prospect of fighting the Tang Clan to the death."

"I-it's dangerous, that's why!"

"Danger? If victory is certain, then it's a fight with nothing to fear, isn't it? What martial artist would be afraid of brawling with a child from the streets with no rules? All you'd have to do is knock away the darts and blades from the child's hand."

"......"

"Of course... if you thought one of those hidden weapons might pierce your eye or your heart, that would indeed be frightening."

Zhuge Cheon-yu unconsciously reached for her wine again, then awkwardly grasped her teacup instead.

"If you lack the courage to fight, then refrain from mocking others so easily."

She raised the teacup to her lips and added:

"Isn't that very frivolous attitude a disgrace to the Peng Clan?"

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