Chapter 221: The Greatest Clan Under Heaven (1)
We began our return to Sichuan Province, carrying the spoils of subjugating the Azure Cold Serpent and a few gifts from the North Sea Ice Palace.
A procession of three full carts. At this scale, one might expect someone to cause trouble at least once…
Was it because everyone in the group was a martial artist? Or because more people now recognized me and Seo Mun-Hwarin’s faces?
Whatever the case, we didn’t run into a single vagabond or back-alley bandit—even those who usually wouldn’t know the latest news in the martial world or Green Forest. We arrived peacefully in Chengdu, Sichuan.
…Well, except that we ended up facing someone more fearsome than any mountain bandit at the end of the journey.
From a distance that even a martial artist at the Flowering Stage could barely discern with the naked eye, we could already see him.
Not here to greet us, but rather to block the entrance, arms crossed, standing guard at the gate—Tang Jincheon.
That was when the peaceful return turned into a trial.
As I involuntarily swallowed hard, the carts pressed forward in silence. I glanced at Tang Sowol and asked quietly.
“Think he’s angry?” “Y-Yes. Best to be mentally prepared.”
A dilemma I hadn’t really faced in this life, or the previous one, for that matter.
Well, maybe I’d felt something similar before my parents passed away… It’s been so long I barely remember.
With my heart heavy like a thousand pounds, I sighed deeply and asked again.
“What should I say to my father-in-law…?”
“I was scolded a lot as a child, so I know. In times like this, the best thing is to start with an apology. And add a little charm.”
“…I think I’ll just apologize.”
“Tsk. What a pity.”
Tang Sowol sighed, wiping her mouth with genuine disappointment.
Did she really want to see me act cutesy or something?
Between her stories of being scolded as a child and the little things she does without thinking…
Sometimes, I really think Tang Sowol is no ordinary person.
With that thought and my resolve steeled, I stepped down from the cart as we neared Tang Jincheon.
Just as we discussed earlier, both Tang Sowol and I bowed deeply and spoke in unison.
“We’re sorry, Father! And… we missed you very much!”
“I’m sorry, Father-in-law. I should’ve at least sent a letter…”
“That’s enough. There are more people than I expected. Let’s go inside first.”
His tone was unexpectedly calm. I almost felt relieved, thinking perhaps he wasn’t that angry.
Then I noticed Tang Sowol’s face had gone pale.
I sent her a covert transmission.
—What’s with that look? He seems to be letting this go.
No. This means he’s planning to scold us later, when no one’s around.
—Ah.
I’m screwed.
“My son-in-law, I suppose it’s been nearly four years since we met, now that winter is almost over.”
Tang Jincheon spoke while gazing into the distance as if reminiscing.
“All this time, I’ve thought the same thing about you—you’re far too mature for your age.”
This time, his eyes met mine directly, and in his voice was a mix of pride and sadness.
“I understand. It couldn’t have been helped. As I said before, I looked into your past. I know what you went through.”
The sadness in his voice grew slightly heavier.
“What you endured would be difficult even for an adult. You had to grow up fast—whether it was to survive, to avoid being belittled, or to seek revenge.”
His tone deepened with sincerity. Because he was genuinely concerned for me, I too began to feel genuinely guilty.
When we first met, Tang Jincheon had shown a mix of gratitude for saving his daughter and suspicion toward the man who “stole” her.
But after our engagement, and after I became an official member of the Tang Clan, that distance vanished. Now, he treated me almost like a real son.
And then he said something that flipped all my guilt into outright panic.
“I know you’re talented, but talent alone couldn’t bring you this far. You must’ve reflected deeply and reached your own realizations. So I didn’t say anything before… but now, I must.”
“…Say what?”
“My son-in-law, you need a good scolding.”
“...”
“I understand you lost your parents early and had to survive the harsh martial world of Zhejiang on your own. Perhaps that’s why you sometimes act more like an outsider or even a demonic path cultivator.”
“…Excuse me?”
“But regardless of your past or how far you’ve come, what you need now is an elder who’ll correct you when you go astray. I’ll take on that role, however inadequate I may be.”
After saying that, Tang Jincheon began pointing out—without sugarcoating—everything wrong with what I’d done by going to the North Sea Ice Palace.
The potential ripples from the movement of a Flowering Stage martial artist, the anxiety caused by my unexplained departure, the complications of interacting with martial artists outside the Central Plains, and the fact that I hadn’t even properly explained major incidents like the Heaven-Slaughter Star…
All fair points. I had no excuse.
After finishing his lecture, Tang Jincheon pointed toward the wall.
“So raise your hands and stand there.”
“…What?”
“As I said, when you do something wrong, you should be punished. I know this won’t be hard for you, but still—go stand there with your hands up.”
I was speechless.
But thinking of the worry he must’ve endured, I had no choice. I bowed my head and went to stand near the wall with my hands raised.
Tang Jincheon was right. My parents had died long before I regressed, so it had been a very long time since anyone scolded me like this.
There was a tinge of nostalgia… and yes, some embarrassment that a grown man—one who had even lived another life—was standing with his hands up.
Just as I was trying to process that strange mix of emotions, Tang Sowol stepped forward in protest.
“W-Wait, Father! No matter what, this is too much for Cheon Hwi! I was the one who insisted on going this time!”
“Good. I’m glad you said it. Sowol, Cheon Hwi is at least still young. But you? You’re not even young anymore! How long are you going to keep acting like this? And you keep dragging more people into it! If your mother were still alive, I wouldn’t know how to face her!”
“Ah… Aaa…”
Tang Jincheon seized the chance and scolded her relentlessly. Head bowed and shrinking in guilt, Tang Sowol ended up standing beside me, raising her hands.
And then—without anyone telling her to—Seol Lihyang quietly stepped up next to me and raised her hands too.
Seo Mun-Hwarin hesitated for a moment, then took her place beside Tang Sowol.
“…What are you doing, Sect Master of the Seomun Clan?”
“I-I am an elder, and I failed to guide them properly, so…”
“I’m not about to scold someone who’s ill. Please stop.”
“‘Ill?!’”
Seo Mun-Hwarin leapt in shock, as if she couldn’t believe what she just heard. Well… given that she’s still suffering the side effects of Rejuvenation, he’s not wrong.
So three of us stood with our hands raised while one person stared blankly into space, repeating, “I’m not sick…”
How long did that go on?
Eventually, Tang Jincheon sighed and spoke again.
“Huuu… So? What happened this time that sent you all the way to the North Sea Ice Palace? And what did you do there that led to a whole envoy returning with you and that mountain of baggage?”
“Well… it began when I was delivering Shaolin’s position on the Heaven-Slaughter Star incident to the Murim Alliance Leader.”
Starting from the encounter with the North Sea Ice Palace martial artists at the Murim Alliance, I explained everything—from the defeat of the Azure Cold Serpent to returning with the spoils.
At first, Tang Jincheon looked at Seol Lihyang with surprise. But as the story progressed, his expressions shifted many times, and by the end, he let out a sigh that was somewhere between amazement and resignation.
“Hoooh… In any case, Lady Seol, you may lower your arms. You weren’t even told to raise them.”
“Yes. Y-Yes…”
Seol Lihyang slowly lowered her arms.
Meanwhile, Tang Jincheon seemed to ponder something before speaking again.
“In the end, you returned with something that greatly benefits the Tang Clan once more.”
“Right, Father. So… perhaps now…”
“Just hold that pose for another half a shichen, then go rest in your rooms. I’ll speak with the delegation from the North Sea in the meantime.”
“Huh?”
“My daughter, you’re not a child anymore. Don’t make that sound.”
“…I’ll say it if I want.”
“…Sigh. I give up.”
Tang Jincheon shook his head and turned to leave for his office.
Just as he reached the door, he casually tossed out one last comment, as if it were no big deal.
“Oh, by the way—your sister-in-law is pregnant. When you have time, go congratulate Cheong.”
“…Brother?!”
Tang Sowol’s eyes widened. Sure, in the martial world, it’s common to marry late, but wasn’t Tang Cheong already well past thirty?
He was the sub-leader, and raising his level was important, but considering heirs was just as crucial. In fact, you could say he was late.
With a complex expression, Tang Sowol nodded.
“Y-Yes, of course. We should congratulate him. Right, Cheon Hwi?”
“…Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Hmm. Why do you think?”
Feigning innocence, she tilted her head. Then, confirming her father had left, she lowered her arms and added casually.
“By the way, don’t we still need to visit the Black Lotus Sect?”
“Hm. I suppose so. The Sect Leader personally invited us, and Sama Yuryeon helped us during the Poison Demon incident.”
“Yes. Since those two even got married, we should at least show our faces once.”
…Am I being pressured right now?
“Oh, come on. Pressured? No way. It’s just… Father did mention we should start preparing soon, so I’m a little conscious of it.”
“Yeah, that sounds like pressure to me.”
“Well, we still have some unresolved matters to handle first.”
She glanced briefly toward Seol Lihyang and Seo Mun-Hwarin, then added lightly.
“There’s still a lot you haven’t told me, Cheon Hwi.”
True enough. Though Tang Sowol hadn’t pressed me, I had never properly told her anything about my regression.
***
Since then, Tang Sowol never pushed me to talk.
And maybe because of that, I spent days racking my brain, trying to find a way to weaken or circumvent the mental restrictions.
Meanwhile, many changes came to the Tang Clan.
The Azure Cold Serpent’s bones and scales were reborn as hidden weapons by the artisans. The leather became whips. The venom, though weak, was rich in cold energy and began research in both the Hundred Poisons Hall and Medical Hall.
Though results were far off, they were all rare and potent spirit beast materials, and the process would surely deepen the Tang Clan’s knowledge.
Also, with the help of North Sea Ice Palace engineers, we began building a training hall for Seol Lihyang.
By now, she was far too tied to the Tang Clan to be considered just a guest. She even received an official position—albeit honorary—under Tang Sowol’s jurisdiction, making her a vassal of the Tang Clan in name.
As for our steward, he collapsed once under the flood of work, but thanks to powerful elixirs and attaining a state of inner clarity, he became… a more enduring worker—no, a stronger martial artist.
At this point, another rumor began circulating in the Central Plains.
That the Tang Clan of Sichuan had surpassed the Namgung Clan…
…And should now be called the Greatest Clan Under Heaven.