Chapter 195
Chapter 195
- Open Bolt
Kugugugung!
A monstrous sound echoed from the heart of Chengdu.
Buildings collapsed one after another as if an earthquake had struck, and screams of people fleeing the debris were heard from all directions.
The sight of people rushing out from inside the collapsed walls of the Tang Clan frightened the commoners, who also ran away.
Those in the outer walls could at least flee, but the situation was different for those in the inner walls.
Most of them were crushed by the murderous intent pouring from the direction of the Council of Elders, unable to move. Those with low martial prowess even fainted without knowing why.
The Grand Elders, who had rushed to the Council of Elders in surprise at the commotion, were equally terrified.
The sight of Grand Elder Dang Gak, whose martial prowess was comparable to that of the previous Patriarch, lying on the floor with a broken neck, was utterly surreal.
“I let you off too easily. I should have flayed your skin, salted it, and preserved it.”
Dang Jung muttered coldly and stomped on Dang Gak's head, crushing it.
Dark blue Poison Qi surged violently, grotesquely melting Dang Gak's bones and flesh.
Dang Jung, who never laid a hand on the Tang Clan's bloodline no matter what.
The sight of him crushing a direct descendant, who had once competed for the position of Young Patriarch, and even a Grand Elder, as if he were crushing an ant, was enough to shock everyone.
Realizing the gravity of the situation due to his merciless actions, the Grand Elders knelt.
The Head of the Council of Elders, prostrate on the floor, crawled trembling and pressed his forehead against Dang Jung's instep.
“Elder, I was wrong. We were wrong, Elder. Please forgive us.”
Despite his pleas, Dang Jung mercilessly kicked the Head of the Council of Elders. Approaching the Head of the Council of Elders, who was rolling on the dirt floor, Dang Jung pressed his foot on his neck.
“Keuheok!”
“You are all the same. The Old Man told you so, yet you stood by and watched. Did you think the Old Man would never come out again? Did you wish for an old man in the back room to die in secluded cultivation?”
“N, no… Keuheuk, keok!”
Dang Jung seemed indifferent to his suffering, foaming at the mouth. Dang Jung indifferently removed his foot and asked the Head of the Council of Elders.
“Where is Zan?”
“E, Elder. Zan is an innocent child… The child is not at fault.”
“What did our puppy know to suffer such humiliation? Don't make me say it twice. Where is Zan?”
“Zan is also a child of the Tang Clan. Elder. Please have mercy…”
At the Head of the Council of Elders' desperate pleas, Dang Jung bared his fangs and laughed savagely. His hair flew in all directions.
“Mercy? That's a joke. I've been letting you do whatever you wanted, considering Gak's face. I turned a blind eye to your foolish attempts to make your grandson the Patriarch, thinking that being pushed out by Cheon-gi must have been the regret of a lifetime, that your insides must have been rotting. And what was the result?”
“E, Elder…”
“Blood washes away blood, that is the law of the Jianghu. Today's events are the Old Man's fault for being too lenient, so I will set a proper example to prevent the same thing from happening again. This is the teaching I give to you.”
The Head of the Council of Elders' face turned blue at the will to leave no seeds of future trouble.
But how could they defy the will of the king who had declared that he would open the gates and reign?
All they could do in the face of the raging storm of wrath was to bow their heads and beg for the king's mercy.
“Grandfather! What is this…!”
Dang Mu-hyeok, who had belatedly rushed over, shouting, also knelt on one knee, overwhelmed by the pressure the moment he met Dang Jung's eyes.
Dang Mu-hyeok opened his mouth, barely suppressing the nausea that had risen to his throat.
“Grandfather, please reconsider…”
“Reconsider? Are you telling me to reconsider? Should I chop up your body and fix it on top of a bamboo spear?”
Dang Jung roared and grabbed Dang Mu-hyeok by the collar, lifting him up.
Everyone covered their ears in agony at the roar that shook the air. Blood dripped from Dang Mu-hyeok's ears, which had directly received the Lion's Roar.
“Keuheok…! Keueoeok…!”
“That's your daughter. Your daughter! What kind of person in the world would stand by and let their daughter be driven to her death? Are you even human? Even beasts take care of their young!”
Dang Mu-hyeok's face turned blue as he vomited blood. Dang Geunmyeong, who had crawled on his knees, stopped Dang Jung, about to break his neck.
“E, Elder…! He is… the Patriarch… You must deal with him according to the clan rules, keok.”
“What good is it to keep this worm alive!”
“Elder, please think of the child… The child is waiting.”
Dang Geunmyeong, who was panting and pleading, lowered his head, unable to withstand the pressure of the eyes burning with blue flames.
In all the years he had served Dang Jung, this was the first time he had seen him so enraged.
Dang Jung, who had been snorting at Dang Geunmyeong's difficult advice, gritted his teeth and eased his Qi.
“Be grateful that you are the Patriarch. If it weren't for the safety of the Tang Clan, I would have torn you apart and killed you right away.”
Dang Jung, who had growled, threw Dang Mu-hyeok away like trash.
Dang Mu-hyeok's limbs, rolling on the floor, were bent at strange angles, but Dang Mu-hyeok, who had already fainted, could not even let out a small groan.
“Tell Sim Hong-i to keep that guy alive. A terrible guy.”
Dang Jung, who had coldly snapped, soared into the air without looking back.
Those who had coughed up blood as the receding pressure disappeared rose one by one. But everyone had suffered internal injuries and their faces were not good.
The Head of the Council of Elders, who had been staring blankly at Dang Gak's horribly mangled corpse, spat out phlegm mixed with blood.
“Kulk, kulk! What are we going to do about this…!”
“First, let's move the Patriarch to the Medicine Hall. He has severe internal injuries. More than that, Zan…”
“Let's just leave it alone, as his anger may subside and he may change his mind.”
“No, we must solve it ourselves. If the Elder sees her unharmed when he returns, he may be even more enraged.”
“But Zan is now eighteen years old. Isn't it pitiful that she has to die because of her grandfather's greed?”
“The exiled child is also eighteen years old. She was even sixteen when she was exiled. Didn't you even have the resolve that this would happen when you exiled the Poison King's disciple?”
“Was I the only one who stood by? Elder Oh didn't want to confront Dang Gak either, did he?”
“So, you're saying this is my fault?”
Dang Geunmyeong sighed and put strength into his trembling legs at the sight of the Grand Elders blaming each other even in this situation.
It was a pathetic sight, but there was no time to delay while watching that. He had to send a letter to the child immediately, informing her that Dang Jung's secluded cultivation had ended.
\ \ *
“W, what did you say?”
Madam Jo, who had fainted from the ear-splitting scream and then woke up, trembled, clutching her chest at the maid's words.
Grand Elder Dang Gak was dead.
It was said that he had been killed by Dang Jung for being exposed for manipulating the illegitimate girl to be exiled.
There was also news that her husband was recovering from serious internal injuries.
“Where is my lord now? Is he badly hurt?”
“The Head of the Council of Elders told me to pretend not to know and wait.”
Madam Jo's face turned white at the answer.
It was just said that he was recovering to hide the Patriarch's absence, but it meant that he was unconscious.
It also meant that the Poison King was so enraged that he had harmed the Patriarch.
‘If that old man mentioned my name…’
Madam Jo gnashed her teeth and curled up.
The fact that the old man, who had been a thorn in her side, was dead was nothing special, but she was afraid that the fire would spread to her.
Madam Jo, who had been biting her nails, soon regained her composure and straightened her back.
No. If Dang Gak had told my story, I wouldn't have been able to open my eyes safely in my quarters.
Dang Gak took all the blame. The dead have no words, so if I just keep my mouth shut, there will be no problem.
But what if the old monster, who had been around for over a hundred years, found out about the trick I had played?
Her neck might be broken in the blink of an eye. Considering the cruelty shown to those whom the Tang Clan has named as enemies, it would be fortunate if she died without pain.
Maybe his family and his children too…
Madam Jo, her spine tingling, bit her red lips and burrowed into the blanket.
“Madam, are you alright…”
“Get out of here! Everyone leave!”
Madam Jo, screaming, chased the maids out and pulled the blanket over her head, closing her eyes tightly.
It's okay. Everything will be resolved when his Eldest Son becomes the Patriarch. Dang Young-ho is beyond redemption, and Dang-un is about to die.
Who else can lead this family if not Dang Hwa-yeop. Once I become the Patriarch's mother, no one will be able to threaten me.
When that day comes, even my older brother, the Precious Child of the Zhuge Clan, will not be able to treat me carelessly.
Madam Jo had no doubt that her son would protect her.
‘Yes. It's better this way. The possibility of being played by the tongue of a snake-like old man has disappeared…’
She tried to empty her head, comforting herself. But no matter how hard she tried to calm her mind, she couldn't fall asleep.
Madam Jo shuddered and opened her eyes again at the illusion of Dang Gak's skull, half of his face melted, reaching out to her.
“Is anyone there! Bring me some hot tea!”
He pounded his stuffy chest and screamed. Madam Jo did not find peace even at the sound of the maids running busily.
Lifting up her clothes, which were damp with sweat, she scratched her skin with her fingernails and glared at the air.
A chilling fear of death was strangling Madam Jo.
