Chapter 1420: Even If It Seemed Meaningless (Part 5)

"... What did you just say?"

"I, I'll report again!"

A frightened person shouted with a pale face.

"Currently, the leader of the Evil Tyrant Alliance, Jang Ilso, has mobilized the full force of the Evil Tyrant and burned down Qingcheng and EMei! The next target seems to be the Tang Family!"

"Jang Ilso?"

On the face of Tang Sangsu, the general [could also be vice-commander] of the Sichuan Tang Family, the color drained in an instant.

"Why did Paegun suddenly appear in Sichuan?"

No answer came to the question filled with anger. Everyone knew it wasn't a question, but a statement.

"Where are they now?"

"As per the information from the scouts, they are currently on Emei Mountain! We've dispatched a reconnaissance team, so accurate information will come soon!"

Tang Sangsu struggled to stand on legs that seemed to lose strength for a moment.

'What should I do?'

He was the general of the Sichuan Tang Family. With the patriarch and the Sogaju gone, he held the duty to protect this place and the members of the Sichuan Tang Family that remained here.

But now that things had come to this, the burden felt too heavy and overwhelming.

The Evil Tyrant Alliance and Jang Ilso. They were not opponents that a mere general could face.

"Has there been no contact from Gaju-nim? Has a message from Gaju-nim been delivered along with the Beggar's Union?"

"N-no such message was received..."

Tang Sangsu's fingertips trembled.

From Emei to here was certainly not a distance that can be called close. But if the opponent was the Evil Tyrant, they could arrive in less than half a day.

'We need to escape!'

The first thought that came to his mind was too clear.

There were no forces here that can be called a military force. Those in charge of the Tang Family's combat had almost all followed the lord and went to the Yangtze River.

Of course, among those who remained, there were those who could fight, but it was impossible for them alone to oppose the Evil Tyrant Alliance and protect the Tang Family.

How did the remaining forces here deal with the Evil Tyrant Alliance, who reduced Qingcheng and Emei at full force to ashes?

"Inform all the disciples immediately! Abandon the stronghold and escape..."

"General."

At that moment, someone called Tang Sangsu in a calm voice.

Tang Sangsu turned to the direction where the voice came from and was startled for a moment.

A cold-looking elderly man, who was not here a moment ago, suddenly appeared and stared at him intently.

Tang Sangsu bowed his head.

"I greet the elder."

Cold sweat began to seep out.

He wasn't facing an enemy. How can he call the elders of the Tang Family enemies? But it wasn't a particularly welcome relationship either.

'...the Elders Council...'

The elders had been completely pushed aside in the power struggle with the lord. They lost their power and fell within the family. But now, one of the elders suddenly revealed himself.

"I've heard the situation."

"Yes? Ah... Yes! Elder. We need to escape from the enemies right now! Otherwise..."

"... Stay calm."

"...Yes?"

Confused, Tang Sangsu blinked his eyes. Tang Byeok (當闢), an elder of the Tang Family, stared at him and clicked his tongue.

"Can the general take responsibility?"

Tang Sangsu stared blankly at Tang Byeok. Responsibility? Is this the situation to discuss responsibility?

"What do you mean by that..."

"Even if the lord has delegated the family affairs to the general, it wouldn't have been a decision considering the current situation. Isn't that so?"

"...Y-yes."

It wasn't an incorrect statement.

If the Tang Gunak had even slightly considered the possibility of such an event happening, he wouldn't have delegated all authority to Tang Sangsu, the general.

At the very least, he would have left some authority to Tang Pae, the Sogaju of the Tang Family, to prepare for the situation.

Tang Byeok cast a cool gaze at him once again.

"If you understand, transfer that authority to someone suitable. The current situation is beyond what the general can handle."

Tang Sangsu swallowed dryly.

"W-what do you mean...?"

"But who...?"

Tang Byeok furrowed his brows.

"Don't harbor unnecessary suspicions. I'm not referring to myself, obviously. It's challenging even for me. The one who can decide the fate of the family in the current situation is none other than the Grand Elder."

Tang Sangsu's face changed multiple times in a short moment.

Tang We, the Grand Elder of the Elders Council.

No, the former (前) Grand Elder of the Elders Council. Since the Elders Council had now been disbanded, they couldn't use that title anymore. However, in the past, he held influence within the Tang Family comparable to that of Tang Gunak, the head, if not more.

If he hadn't completely lost power after losing to Chung Myung, he would still be manipulating the family, even now.

"But the Grand Elder We has been stripped of all positions..."

"Are you bringing up such things in the current situation?"

"..."

"Then? Do you, as the head, have the courage to handle everything that will happen based on your decisions? Even if your wrong judgment leads to irreversible consequences for the Tang Family?"

Tang Sangsu's hands trembled.

He couldn't handle it. To Tang Sangsu, who was only maintaining the position of the head with the façade of being the direct descendant, it was too heavy a burden.

"What will you do?"

But giving decision-making power to Tang We was also an impossible task. After all, wasn't he stripped of all authority by the order of Tang Gunak? How can he give such heavy authority back to someone who was considered a criminal within the Tang Family?

"General!"

"..."

"The question is not whether the one wielding the sword is righteous, but whether the one wielding the sword has the strength to do so. Does the General have the courage to wield the sword deciding the fate of the Tang Family?"

Tang Sangsu's shoulders shook slightly.

"The courage you need to show now is to recognize your own shortcomings and step back. Don't commit more sins for the Tang Family!"

"...I will meet Grand Elder We."

Only then did Tang Byeok nod firmly.

"That's the way."

Tang Sangsu closed his eyes with a heavy heart. Trying to forcibly ignore the shaking emotions within.

'For the Tang Family.'

Everything was for the sake of the Tang Family.

"Hmm."

Thus, the deep emotions of the Tang Family. [not sure]

The elderly man sitting on the bed in the room looked at the figures standing before him with a strange glint in his eyes.

Tang Sangsu swallowed dryly.

It was strange when you thought about it. The person in front of him was already an elderly, powerless man who had lost his martial arts long ago. There should be no reason for him, who had diligently mastered martial arts, to feel intimidated.

Moreover, since the elderly man before him had committed a crime, been sentenced to hell, and was only allowed to live in the back room thanks to the lord's mercy, there should've been even less of a reason to hesitate.

However, Tang Sangsu couldn't bring himself to meet the gaze of the elderly man before him.

The immense power and influence that Tang We, the former Elders Council head, held in the past, the fierce determination to conquer even the strongest demon of the Tang Family, all of that still lingered in Tang Sangsu's memory, putting pressure on him.

Tang Sangsu discreetly raised his head and then lowered his gaze again.

'What kind of gaze is this...'

Normally, a person who lost their martial arts becomes either an invalid or, at the very least, loses their previous vigor.

However, the gaze from Tang We seemed as sharp as, if not sharper than, the time when he had a prominent position in the past. Rather, it was emitting an even more intense glint.

"So..."

"Yes, Grand Elder."

The wrinkled face of Tang We twitched for a moment.

"I am not the Grand Elder now, call me the Chief Elder."

"...Yes, Chief Elder. About the current situation... Jang Ilso of the Evil Tyrant Alliance is mobilizing his subordinates, and it seems they will soon arrive at the Tang Family. Therefore, we must lead the subordinates and escape from here as soon as possible..."

"Tsk, tsk."

At that moment, the sound of a clicking tongue escaped Tang We's mouth. Tang Sangsu, who involuntarily shrank, couldn't continue speaking.

"Abandoning the family... Do you know what that means?"

"...Huh?"

"The Tang Family doesn't abandon its territory. It would be better to accept total obliteration than to show your back, wouldn't it?"

"B-but it's impossible for us to handle them on our own!"

"Why is it impossible?"

Tang Sangsu raised his head abruptly. Hearing such absurd words, he began to suspect whether Tang We was forcing unnecessary pressure with baseless arguments. However, the gaze of Tang We remained calm and sharp.

"Whatt? Does it seem like this old man has lost his mind?"

"N-no, that's not it..."

"General, do you know why the Tang Family refuses to retreat?"

"Um... because we are the Tang Family?"

"You're talking like a child. That's wrong."

"Huh?"

Tang We spoke calmly.

"The reason Tang Family doesn't retreat is that if we retreat, everything will be over literally."

"..."

"Other martial arts sects can rebuild their foundations as long as people are alive, as long as they preserve martial arts. Given enough time, they might even surpass their former glory. But not us. Do you know why?"

Tang Sangsu wanted to say he didn't know, but he couldn't. The moment he heard the question, the reason crossed his mind.

"Baekro..."

"That's right."

Cold sweat trickled down his spine.

The only furnace in the Tang Family was the Baekro [White Furnace] (白爐). It contained all the techniques accumulated by the Tang Family for centuries.

Once the Baekro was broken, no matter how hard one tried, it couldn't be recreated.

"What does it mean to lose Baekro?"

"...And even if it's not Baekro, making a new Cheongro [Blue Furnace] (毒庫) is not easy."

Tang We paused and looked down for a moment.

"Moreover, compared to something really important, Baekro is just a small part. If we abandon this place, it means the Tang Family's Poison Depot will burn. We will lose all the poisons accumulated since the time of our ancestors, and even the precious toxins found by searching the world with their blood and sweat will be reduced to ashes. Do you understand what that means?"

It was unthinkable.

If a person survived, the name of the Tang Family would remain. However, the Tang Family would never be the same as before.

How could a Tang Family that had lost both poison and hidden weapons could still be considered the Tang Family?

If all those who could fight survived? What did that even mean? When there was no poison to throw and hidden weapons to disperse.

Who would be afraid of the Tang Family, which couldn't use poison or hidden weapons?

Martial arts don't disappear from a person's body. If the techniques remain in their head, they can reproduce them at any time.

But burnt poison cannot be recovered, and precious toxins found throughout the world cannot be obtained again just by making an effort.

To recreate the poison that the Tang Family had now, it would take hundreds of years, or perhaps the Tang Family would never reach the same level as it was now.

Looking at Tang Sangsu's desolate expression, Tang We sneered.

"Now, do you understand now why we cannot retreat? Why our ancestors didn't retreat? Rather than dying, they chose to protect this place."

"But, Chief Elder, in the past, we certainly avoided the Heavenly Demon..."

"The Demon Sect never cared about places like the sects. It was especially strange of them to deliberately set Mount Hua ablaze. But... do you think Paegun would leave the Tang Family untouched?"

...There was no way. Jang Ilso would surely destroy this place thoroughly. To ensure that the Tang Family could never rise again.

"Do you understand? Our ancestors knew that, and that's why they turned this place into the a fortress. They dug traps and set up defenses so that outsiders could not trespass! The moment we retreat, it's the end for Tang Family. Our ancestors knew that."

Tang Sangsu bit his lip tightly.

"However, is it worth ending the Tang Family's name just to save a few lives? Is that something someone with the Tang surname can say?"

A blue spark flashed in Tang We's eyes as he glared at Tang Sangsu.

All Tang Sangsu could do in the face of that accusing gaze was remain silent.

"Gather the disciples."

"Chief Elder..."

"Anyone with the Tang surname must be gathered without exception. No matter who the opponent is, the Tang Family does not retreat. We will fight until the last person, until the last tile is burned. Until the end. Understand?"

Tang We stood up from his seat.

"I will do the same."

Those words were like a wedge to Tang Sangsu. Even an old man who lost his martial arts was willing to prepare for a fight, and Tang Sangsu was contemplating retreat with what kind of face?

Tang Sangsu eventually nodded his head.

"I will gather the disciples."

"Hurry."

"Yes."

Tang Sangsu bit his lip tightly. Yes, this was all for the sake of the Tang Family. So, it was definitely not a wrong decision. Absolutely.