Chapter 77
Baekji gestured to Tang Yunseol and Yunqing.
"They're the family head's son and daughter. The father is seriously injured and about to lose his position as family head, so you have to let them say a word. Come here. Sit here."
Then, he also said to Nangong Zhao, who was standing behind him.
"The chief investigator of the Martial Alliance's military affairs department has also come. Welcome. The family head of the Tang family is about to change. Say hello. The temporary family head here is..."
When he said 'temporary family head', the elder frowned, but Baekji pretended not to know and pointed at Tang Tian'e and said, "I heard he was kicked out after being framed for raping and trying to kill a woman in his younger days. Fortunately, he caught the real culprit and came back after decades, but just then, the family head was on the verge of death. So, he suddenly became the temporary family head. His life turned around in one fell swoop, isn't it amazing?"
"Honored One! Watch your words. What do you mean, his life turned around? He just found his original place late. And he is not a temporary family head, but a formally appointed one."
The elder stopped Baekji, who was strangely disparaging Tang Tian'e.
The elder had seen the Alliance Leader only once. He had never imagined that the disciple of the endlessly dignified Alliance Leader would be so reckless.
"Ah, I see. Come to think of it, you could see it that way. Then shall I call him the new family head? You have to distinguish him from the former family head. He's not even dead yet, so wouldn't it be confusing?"
"But you know what's more amazing? The new family head went out of the house for decades and suffered, and then achieved enlightenment. He said he would step down from the position of family head after overcoming the family's crisis. I've never seen a person with so little greed. Isn't it amazing?"
"Umm... but you know. If the young family head disappears for good, should that Young Master Yi become the family head? What do you think? New family head?"
At Baekji's words, who was beating the drum and playing the janggu by himself, Tang Tian'e could only make an awkward expression.
Although he coveted Tang Yunlong's young body, he had no interest in the still young Tang Yunqing's body. Of course, he had no intention of handing it over to Tang Yunqing.
Although the atmosphere was chilly, Nangong Zhao could not help but show his respects.
He took a step forward, cupped his fists, and after showing them to Tang Tian'e, the elder, and the people of the Tang family, he said, "I am Nangong Zhao from the Martial Alliance."
"He is the chief investigator of the military affairs department, a key position among key positions. Moreover, he is the direct descendant of the Nangong family, the 'Azure Sky Young Dragon'. He looks reliable at a glance, doesn't he? As expected, a prestigious family is different."
Nangong Zhao, whose face flushed at Baekji's encouraging words, quickly retreated.
The 'Eight-Armed Divine Beggar' grabbed Nangong Zhao's sleeve and asked, "What is that chatterbox? Why is he talking so freely?"
Before Nangong Zhao could answer, Baekji spoke first.
"Beggars, go outside. You smell. Begging is done at the main gate."
In an instant, the atmosphere became chilly.
It was true that the 'Eight-Armed Divine Beggar' was a beggar. But to tell the chief patrolman of the Beggars' Sect to beg outside the main gate.
The elder, unable to watch any longer, said a word.
"Honored One! He is the chief patrolman of the Beggars' Sect. Watch your words!"
"The chief patrolman of the Beggars' Sect? Then he's not a beggar?"
Baekji tilted his head, approached the 'Eight-Armed Divine Beggar', looked him up and down, and then asked Hong Gai, who was next to him.
"Hey, Hong Gai! Is the chief patrolman not a beggar?"
Hong Gai could not dare to answer.
The 'Eight-Armed Divine Beggar' was so dumbfounded that his nostrils just flared. He had not known that he would be humiliated like this at the Tang family.
"Y-you brat..."
He was so angry that his arm trembled.
"Oh dear! It seems you've even gotten a stroke."
Baekji took out a silver ingot from his money pouch and placed it in the 'Eight-Armed Divine Beggar's' hand.
"An old beggar shouldn't sleep on the street. Your mouth will get crooked and you'll get a stroke. Get a room at an inn and take a bath. You'll feel better if you sleep well."
"Yiik! ...?"
In an uncontrollable rage, the 'Eight-Armed Divine Beggar' was about to strike Baekji's hand as if having a seizure, but his eyes widened.
The wrist that Baekji had grabbed could not move, as if it were shackled.
'Wh-what?'
The 'Eight-Armed Divine Beggar', who had had no rival since entering the 'true realm', was horrified and looked at Baekji.
When the 'Eight-Armed Divine Beggar' raised his internal energy, Baekji winked and said with his mouth, ―Don't use your strength. Your wrist will break.
When the two faced each other, Nangong Zhao hurriedly interjected.
"Honored One Bai! The Chief Patrolman has come as a mediator at the request of Miss Yunseol. Do not be rude!"
Baekji pressed the 'Eight-Armed Divine Beggar's' wrist firmly and then released it. The 'Eight-Armed Divine Beggar' almost screamed at the extreme pain.
Baekji said to Nangong Zhao, "Rude? What do you mean, rude? Who was being rude? It's only natural to give alms to a beggar. It's not rude."
Baekji pointed at the various people in the family head's hall and said, "This is a place where the people of the Tang family have gathered to resolve the crisis of the Tang family. Well, the chief investigator of the Martial Alliance's military affairs department can be here as an observer."
Baekji said to the Beggars' Sect beggars, "But not you Beggars' Sect beggars. It doesn't look good for the Beggars' Sect to interfere in the affairs of the Tang family. Put yourself in their shoes. Would you like it if the Tang family... for example, if that elder of the council of elders interfered in a place where the Beggars' Sect's leader is being decided?"
―The affairs of the Tang family are resolved by the Tang family.
There was nothing wrong with Baekji's words.
The people of the Tang family strangely even felt a pleasant sense of satisfaction.
When the Honored One of the Household of the Tang family pushed back the 'Eight-Armed Divine Beggar', the chief patrolman of the Beggars' Sect who had rudely rushed in, they somehow felt a sense of pride.
The 'Eight-Armed Divine Beggar's' wrist, which had been grabbed by Baekji, was throbbing. Although it was for a moment, it was hard to accept, as if it had been a dream.
For him to have been unable to move, with his wrist grabbed by a young brat.
The thought of wanting to test him again and the fear that he might show an unsightly appearance in front of many people crossed his mind.
The situation itself was too unrealistic.
Baekji pushed away the Beggars' Sect beggars with his bamboo staff.
"The meeting will be over soon. Go and wait in front of the main gate."
The 'Dragon and Tiger Beggars', who did not know the 'Eight-Armed Divine Beggar's' situation, were furious.
Since the chief patrolman was silent, they could not step forward and just glared at Baekji with wide eyes.
The 'Eight-Armed Divine Beggar' and the Beggars' Sect beggars, who had been pushed back by both force and words, were kicked out of the family head's hall.
The 'Eight-Armed Divine Beggar' glared at the family head's hall and then turned his body.
"Let's go! That brat is right. We can't interfere in the affairs of the Tang family!"
He spat out a lame excuse, then spat out phlegm and left the Tang family.
* * *
At the Yonghua Inn, a young woman with disheveled hair and a middle-aged scholar with a glossy complexion were sitting by the window, eating an early breakfast.
No matter how you looked at it, the two did not look like father and daughter.
The waiter, who had been glancing at them, went into the kitchen and grumbled in a low voice, "I'm envious. Even an old man like that has a young concubine..."
Crack!
Hongyan, who had been chewing on a bandit, gritted her teeth.
As she stood up with her chopsticks, Jian Yi raised his hand and stopped her.
"How can you hide your identity while responding to every piece of gossip from the common folk?"
"It's fine if they say anything about me... but to dare... to call an adult old..."
"That's enough. More importantly, is it certain that that Blood Fiend brat came here?"
Jian Yi and Hongyan had followed the Blood Fiend to Chengdu.
"Although the Yellow Weasel wandered for a while, from the way it's acting now, it's certain."
In the middle, the Yellow Weasel had not been able to smell the 'Thousand Li Tracking Incense' and had been going around in circles. Hongyan, who had been at a loss, had turned in the direction of Chengdu, and the Yellow Weasel had run vigorously, and they had followed it.
The 'Thousand Li Tracking Incense' was most effective when applied to the neck or shoulders. This was because even if one bathed, the hands could not reach, so it would not be washed off.
The Blood Fiend had gotten it on his hands while groping Menghua's chest. Since he was constantly striking people's necks and burning their fresh blood, the smell was disappearing quickly.
Although the 'Thousand Li Tracking Incense' was a treasure, it was a toil for the one who was chasing. Since the Yellow Weasel was mainly active at night, they had to change day and night to track it.
Jian Yi and Hongyan had chased the Yellow Weasel all night and had only arrived in Chengdu at dawn.
Although Jian Yi was a master who would not be fazed even if he stayed up for several days and nights, Hongyan was not.
After staying up for several nights, her face was pale and her mind was hazy.
Moreover, she was anxious because the smell of the 'Thousand Li Tracking Incense' was fading.
"Blood Fiend, what is that brat planning?"
Jian Yi asked, fanning himself with a folding fan even though it was winter. She had not known before that the Western Divine General was a scholar who enjoyed such question-and-answer games.
Although Jian Yi asked lightly as if to himself, it was a toil for Hongyan who had to answer.
It felt like she was taking a test.
"Is the Tang family the target?"
"The Blood Fiend is the Blood Sect Leader's closest confidant. It means that he does not leave the headquarters unless it is absolutely necessary."
"I see."
"For such a brat to appear here and there, doesn't it mean that the Blood Sect will soon reveal itself to the world?"
"Ah, the Divine General's words..."
"Ahem!"
When Jian Yi gave a warning, Hongyan quickly bowed her head.
"I'm sorry. Scholar... it's not yet attached to my mouth."
Jian Yi had told Hongyan to call him 'scholar'.
"I also think so."
"If the Tang family is the target, is it the Poison King?"
"Probably... wouldn't it be?"
Hongyan said in an unconfident tone.
If Tang Qianhui, a member of the Five Great Families and renowned as the Poison King in the martial world, were to fall into the clutches of the Blood Sect, a great chaos would arise.
The Martial Alliance would rush in like fire, and then the activities of the Demonic Cult members would be restricted.
'The good old days are over.'
She had been eating and living well as a courtesan of the Hongmeng Brothel, but now a storm of blood was about to blow in the martial world.
"We'll have to watch the Tang family carefully."
To watch meant for Hongyan to find out information about the Tang family.
'If only I could get a good night's sleep...'
Hongyan was short on sleep from chasing the Yellow Weasel at night and gathering information during the day.
Fortunately, she didn't have to loiter around the Tang family.
The merchants who had come in for breakfast were whispering.
"They say there was a big commotion at the Tang family last night. An assassin got in."
"A brat with big guts."
"An assassin... did someone die?"
"That's... since the Tang family is hushing it up, how would we know?"
"A big incident is about to happen. Let's hurry and eat and leave Chengdu."
Jian Yi closed his eyes and listened to the merchants' words, fanning his folding fan gently.
'As expected, they are aiming for the Tang family.'
Jian Yi judged that the Blood Fiend was aiming for the Tang family.
"Yana."
"Yes."
"I'm tired from staying up for several nights. Let's rest well and go to the Tang family in the evening."
"Yes, Scholar. I will arrange for a room right away."
Hongyan, who was so happy at the word 'sleep', answered demurely.
* * *
When Baekji drove out the Beggars' Sect beggars, only the Tang family members were left.
The elder pointed at Tang Yunseol and Yunqing.
"Lock those two up!"
"What are you talking about!"
Baekji stood in front of the Tang siblings.
"Even if the Poison King is seriously injured and has stepped down from his position as family head, it's not right to lock them up in prison right away. You have to time your purges."
"A purge? How absurd. That's not it. Yunseol tried to poison her older brother, and Yunqing is guilty of helping her escape. This is a grave crime that should be punished by execution right away."
The elder explained as if teaching him.
"Ah, right, you said that happened. We decided to ask about that later."
"That's why we're not executing them right away, but locking them up."
"Yes. Is that so..."
As Baekji was about to step back, Nangong Zhao became impatient.
Just then, Baekji's telepathic message hit his eardrums.
―What are you doing! A request for protection! Have you forgotten!
"Just a moment!"
Nangong Zhao took a step forward and cupped his fists.
"The two have requested the protection of the Martial Alliance!"
(End of Chapter)