Chapter 9. Sichuan Tang Clan (1)
When I opened my eyes, I was greeted not by the all-too-familiar sight of the cave ceiling I had been staring at for over a month, but by a simple, ordinary ceiling.
"Ugh…"
As I tried to sit up, pain flared across my entire body—not from open wounds, but from sore muscles. Muscle pain. This was the inevitable result of neglecting external training.
Thanks to the Wave-Breaking Death Art, my internal energy had been developing quickly, but there were no shortcuts when it came to external training. It couldn't be helped.
Letting out a long sigh, I glanced around the room.
The room was spacious and luxurious, but rather than flashy, it exuded a calm, refined atmosphere.
I vaguely remembered seeing Tang Sowol and a middle-aged man who resembled her before passing out. That would mean…
"This must be the Tang Clan."
Looking down at myself, I noticed my bare upper body was tightly wrapped in bandages.
Though my wounds appeared to have been treated, judging by the lingering muscle pain, not much time had passed since I was brought here.
I figured I should try to get up and move around despite the discomfort. Just as I was bracing myself to endure the pain and fully rise—
Creak—
The door suddenly opened, and I locked eyes with Tang Sowol, who was carrying an armful of supplies.
"Cheon Hwi-da! You're finally awake!"
"I just woke up. Ah, would you mind lending me a hand? My frail body seems to be struggling just to get up."
"What are you trying to get up for in that state?"
Shaking her head in exasperation, Tang Sowol lightly pressed her hand against my forehead. Lacking the strength to resist, my body obediently collapsed back onto the bed.
Even though I had only managed to sit up halfway, it had been quite painful, making her casual dismissal of my effort feel rather futile.
Feeling a mix of mild annoyance and disbelief, I stared at her, only to see her shrug as if she were completely oblivious, before sitting down beside me.
"Just rest for now. I'll assign a servant to you, so if you need anything, just tell them."
"I'm not fond of lying around idly."
"And I'm not fond of injured people wandering around aimlessly. Why don't you stay put until you've fully recovered?"
"Your stubbornness has grown while I was asleep."
"Well, that's to be expected. This is the Sichuan Tang Clan, after all. Even a dog raised in its own house learns to assert itself a little, don't you think?"
"You're hardly a dog, Tang Sowol."
"Woof."
Tang Sowol barked like a puppy, then gazed down at me with a mischievous smile.
"Cheon Hwi-da, it seems you still don't quite grasp the situation."
"It's hard to come to terms with the idea of the Tang Clan's youngest daughter barking like a dog."
"No, not that."
Snickering, she poked my cheek a few times.
"You've been kidnapped, Cheon Hwi-da. This time, the situation is the complete opposite of before."
"Hah."
Was she really bringing that up now, as payback? Dumbfounded, I stared at her face for a moment.
Apparently satisfied that she had teased me enough, she gave a contented nod before pulling out fresh bandages and medicine from the bundle she had brought.
"It's time to change your dressings. I'll help you sit up."
"You're the one who pushed me back down in the first place."
"Which means it's my job to help you sit up again, doesn't it? Just relax, and I'll take care of everything."
With that, she slid her arm under my shoulder and carefully lifted my upper body.
She unwrapped the old bandages and began cleaning the wounds with a damp cloth, her movements surprisingly skillful.
"Don't tell me you've been doing this the whole time I was unconscious?"
"What do you think?"
"I'd prefer it that way. I don't like strangers touching my body."
"Congratulations, then. Just as you hoped, I've been the one taking care of your injuries all this time. You can rest easy."
"Thanks, but isn't this the kind of task you'd normally leave to a servant? The Tang Clan even has its own medical department, doesn't it?"
"There are servants and doctors, of course, but you woke up before I could call them."
"Hm?"
"It took us five days to bring you here from the cave. You were unconscious for about that long. When I came to check on you one last time, you were trying to get up on your own."
So I regained consciousness not long after arriving at the Tang Clan.
"Wait… are you saying you personally looked after me for five whole days?"
"There's no need to thank me. After all, I owe you my life—it's only right that I do this much."
"No, I mean… did you also handle things like… uh, helping me relieve myself?"
"…What?"
"If you did, you'll have to take responsibility. You didn't think you could just examine my body thoroughly and get away with it, did you? I've heard rich kids tend to be more… liberal."
"Th-That's…!"
Tang Sowol's face turned bright red, her lips moving soundlessly as she struggled to find a retort. Despite her embarrassment, her hands didn't stop as she continued changing the bandages and applying fresh ointment.
Amused by her reaction, I couldn't help but watch her. Unfortunately, she seemed to calm down after a short while.
"…There was nothing inappropriate, so please don't worry. For more delicate matters, my father handled it."
"…Your father? You mean… the Poison King?"
"Yes! He used Sammae Purification, so no physical contact was necessary! So please, let's end this conversation here!"
"Well… if that's the case."
Seeing that she might genuinely get angry if I teased her any further, I decided to stop.
Despite her flustered state, Tang Sowol didn't pause her work, and before long, she had treated all the minor wounds, leaving only the large gash across my chest.
When she unwound the bandages covering my chest, a faint scar from a clean slash was revealed. Tang Sowol, who had been grumbling under her breath, suddenly froze.
"…This was really dangerous. If the cut had been any deeper, your internal organs would have spilled out."
"It wasn't dangerous. I knew it would only graze my skin, so I deliberately allowed it."
"It looks like it'll leave a scar, though."
"Scars on a warrior's body are proof of survival. It's something to take pride in."
"Of course. You're the benefactor of the great Sichuan Tang Clan, after all. Feel free to be as proud as you want."
Tang Sowol's fingers traced the scar gently, her touch slow and careful. Her dark eyes flickered with a mixture of regret and gratitude.
"Just so you know, my father and I agreed to present a slightly different version of events to others. Don't be surprised if the story sounds… altered."
"Altered? How so?"
"We'll say that the fight was an official duel, and that you voluntarily accompanied me afterward. That way, it won't cause any unnecessary complications."
"I doubt people will be that gullible."
"That's the beauty of it. My father is the Poison King and the head of the Tang Clan. Anyone with half a brain will have no choice but to believe it—or at least pretend to."
"Ah…"
True enough. With Tang Jincheon being one of the few masters at the Flowering Stage and the patriarch of a powerful clan, no one would openly question his words.
And even if there were whispers behind the scenes, his influence would be more than enough to suppress them.
Still, the real issue was the fact that unorthodox martial artists had attacked Tang Sowol in the first place.
While grudges and debts were taken seriously in the martial world, the Sichuan Tang Clan took it to another level, having enshrined such principles in their family code.
Someone had dared to harbor a grudge against the Tang Clan and attempted to harm their beloved daughter.
Although I had killed the ringleader, the Hundred-Kill Saber, that alone wouldn't be enough to quell the Tang Clan's fury.
The Tang Clan would undoubtedly lodge a formal complaint with the Black Lotus Sect, and they wouldn't hesitate to pursue any group even remotely connected to the incident.
With that, my involvement in the matter would gradually be pushed to the background and eventually forgotten.
As I nodded to myself in thought, Tang Sowol finished applying the ointment and began wrapping the final bandage around my chest.
"Regardless of how things turn out, you're still my savior. Neither my father nor I intend to let this matter go lightly."
"Good. I wasn't planning to let it go either. I'll accept whatever reward I can get."
"I like your honesty. But for now, focus on recovering. I'll assign a servant and a physician to take care of you, so don't worry about anything else."
"Got it."
Gathering up the used bandages and dirty cloths, Tang Sowol stood up. I closed my eyes, intending to focus on circulating my internal energy for faster recovery.
Just as I began to center my mind, Tang Sowol's voice reached me from the doorway.
"Cheon Hwi-da."
"Do you have something else to say?"
"Once you've fully recovered, my father will call for you to discuss your reward over a meal."
"Good. It's not every day you get a chance to make a direct request to the head of the Tang Clan."
"What you ask for is up to you, but… um…"
"Go ahead. Just say it."
"If my father says anything strange, please don't be too surprised. As you might have guessed, he's a bit… overprotective, since I'm the youngest."
"That's understandable. Any father would be concerned after their daughter went through something so dangerous."
"…It's not quite like that…"
After hesitating for a moment, Tang Sowol sighed, seemingly unable to find the right words.
"Never mind. It's pointless to explain now. Just… keep it in mind, okay?"
"…?"
Muttering to herself, she waved her hand dismissively.
"Anyway, I'll be going now. Make sure you get plenty of rest."
Creak—
Leaving behind only those brief words, Tang Sowol closed the door and disappeared.
After staring at the firmly shut door for a moment, I refocused on my breathing and resumed circulating my energy.
As Tang Sowol said, recovery was my top priority right now.
***
Ten days passed.
Not only had my body fully healed, but I felt stronger than before I collapsed.
Of course, given the amount of mid-grade medicinal herbs I had consumed at every meal to aid my recovery, it was only natural.
Once I regained enough mobility, I began practicing with my sword in one of the Tang Clan's training grounds.
Since I didn't have any particularly secretive techniques to hide, I figured there was no need for privacy. Nonetheless, they insisted on providing me with a private training hall.
It was a clear indication of how highly the Tang Clan regarded me. Every servant and guard I encountered bowed respectfully, which felt somewhat awkward at first.
I had grown accustomed to people bowing to me during my time in the Black Lotus Sect, where I had even served as a branch leader.
But receiving bows filled with respect and gratitude rather than fear or contempt was something entirely new to me, and I wasn't sure how to feel about it.
Perhaps that was why I began avoiding crowded areas and focusing solely on my training.
The Sichuan Tang Clan wasn't considered one of the Five Great Clans without reason. When I truly dedicated myself to training, there was no more comfortable place than this.
The Black Lotus Sect's facilities had been decent, but they couldn't compare to the treatment I was receiving here.
Thus, early in the morning, I was in the private training hall, swinging my sword, when I noticed Tang Sowol quietly squatting in a corner, watching me.
"If you've come, you should've said something. Why are you lurking like that?"
"Lurking? I'd prefer you call it a considerate gesture to avoid interrupting your training."
"Fine, let's call it consideration. But you usually come around evening. It's not even lunchtime yet—what's the matter?"
After the previous ambush, it seemed Tang Sowol had grown more aware of her own limits. I had heard she had been diligently training every day, focusing on hidden weapons since she couldn't yet use her poison arts.
Despite frequently complaining about how difficult it was, she hadn't skipped a single day.
For her to skip training and come this early meant it was something important.
I sheathed my practice sword and turned toward her. She stood up in sync with me, dusting off her clothes with a smile.
"My father has summoned you. He wants to have lunch with you and discuss a few things."
"Ah…"
Finally, the time had come.