Genius Martial Arts Trainer

Chapter 292

Bloodlines

One day ago.

Tang-gata, a land built with poison and hidden weapons, was a place no outsider could dare to enter without the permission of the Tang Clan.

But Tang-gata had already turned into ruins, and countless tents surrounding it restricted access.

Once, only the Tang Clan’s permission was needed to enter Tang-gata, but now, permission from the owners of those tents was required.

The owners of these tents, which restricted entry to Tang-gata, were gathered in one tent for a meeting.

“How long do you plan to just wait like this?”

Asked Myunghwan Zhenren, an elder of the Jeomchang Sect who had traveled from Yunnan Province. In response, the leader of the Emei Sect, known as Geumsun Shinni, rolled her prayer beads and answered.

“I know you’re anxious. However, moving without proper preparation is no different from self-destruction. Haven’t you experienced that once already?”

Calming Elder Myunghwan, Geumsun Shinni turned to the middle-aged man in the tent and asked.

“Can the supplies be sufficiently prepared by today?”

“Don’t worry. We can complete the preparations by today.”

The blunt answer from the man caused Geumsun Shinni, Elder Myunghwan, and Cheonghyeon Zhenren, the leader of the Qingcheng Sect, to each show complex expressions.

Their faces were mixed with impatience, vengeance, greed, and worry.

“If the preparations are done by today, will there be enough time to take care of Tang-gata?”

Cheonghyeon Zhenren asked, and the man answered.

“According to the news, Shaolin and Wudang are fighting against the Martial Alliance. This news is from two days ago, but considering the time it would take them to get here, we should have about a day’s leeway.”

Geumsun Shinni sighed inwardly at his answer.

“In the end, it means we must break down the walls of Tang-gata within a day.”

Of course, with Emei, Qingcheng, and Jeomchang united, it might be possible to break down the walls in a day.

And with the additional supplies provided by that man, it was certainly achievable.

Without that man’s support, it would have been impossible to turn Tang-gata into such a mess.

That man had started trading with Emei and Qingcheng a few years ago, as the head of a trading company.

At the beginning of the war, believing only in their superior strength, they had suffered a great defeat while trying to attack Tang-gata. After that, with his support, they changed their strategy. ȑaꞐȮ฿ЁS

They blocked all directions to cut off Tang-gata’s exchanges and used the medicinal herbs provided by the man along with the inner strength of the sect disciples to gradually expel the poison and reclaim the territory.

Although the damage was certainly reduced, the siege was prolonged, and they still had not managed to bring down Tang-gata.

But Geumsun Shinni’s discomfort was not due to the speed of the siege.

‘...I’m worried about how that man will react if the disciples suffer significant losses in tomorrow’s battle.’

They were already heavily indebted to that man’s trading company due to the war.

If their sect was strong, they could forcibly nullify the debt or indefinitely extend the repayment period.

However, if many disciples died and the sect’s strength weakened, the sect could be at the mercy of that man’s trading company.

Despite knowing this future, Geumsun Shinni couldn’t back out now.

They had come too far already.

‘Let’s hope the Tang Clan’s treasury still holds enough gold and jewels to repay the debt.’

Ironically, she, a Buddhist, found herself thinking like a bandit.

* * *

At that time, inside the Tang Clan, a similar meeting was taking place.

“Father, is there still no news about reinforcements?”

To the question from the young master, Tang Pae-jin, the head of the Tang Clan, concealed his true feelings and answered.

“Why does the heir of the Tang Clan seek to rely on external forces?”

“But...”

“Enough! We can overcome this crisis with our own strength. If you have nothing useful to say, leave immediately.”

At Tang Pae-jin’s command, the young master closed his mouth.

However, Tang Pae-jin himself was also uneasy.

The Sichuan Tang Clan was not like the Namgung Family; they were not reckless enough to blindly shout ‘We are the best!’ without considering the war situation or the power of both sides.

Despite this, Tang Pae-jin spoke in such a manner because he couldn’t ascertain the external situation.

The united forces of the three sects had blocked all directions, making it impossible to gauge the situation of their allies.

Moreover, discussing such matters could lower morale, so he had no choice but to speak like the Namgung Family.

‘We’ve bought quite a bit of time, so reinforcements should be coming soon.’

Tang Pae-jin shook his head slightly to dispel the thought that their allies might have abandoned them.

It was not solely due to his absolute belief in the alliance.

‘How can the head of the great Sichuan Tang Clan entertain such weak thoughts?’

As the wall began to be overtaken, the Tang Clan warriors had no time to attack those approaching the wall.

Consequently, the number of enemies climbing the wall kept increasing.

“Ugh...”

The screams of the clan members from atop the wall also grew in number.

“......”

Tang Pae-jin, watching the deaths of his clan members with a grim face, was about to step into the battlefield himself.

If it weren’t for the presence he felt behind him.

“...Father?”

Somehow, his father, the Elder Patriarch and Dark King, Tang-gak, had approached from behind.

“What brings you here?”

“With such chaos in the family, how could I not come out?”

At Tang-gak’s response, Tang Pae-jin was momentarily speechless.

The Tang Clan was being destroyed, and the family was in crisis, but Tang Pae-jin had instructed everyone to keep it from his father. He had told the entire family.

“Do not worry, Father. We can handle this.”

At his son’s obvious lie, Tang-gak gave his usual playful smile.

“Ha ha ha. If the family is in crisis, the elder naturally has to step forward. How can I survive using the children as shields?”

It was only natural for a master to step forward when the family was in crisis.

However, the reason Tang Pae-jin hadn’t told Tang-gak the truth was simple.

Tang-gak had suffered severe injuries to his blood vessels and dantian in a previous duel with the Head of Unhyangwon.

How many sons could ask their father, diagnosed to die if he used his internal energy again, to step into battle?

Looking at Tang Pae-jin’s conflicted expression, Tang-gak thought.

‘It took you long enough to decide.’

No matter how much he tried to hide it, Tang-gak knew about the war that had been raging for over fifteen days.

He knew why his son had hidden it from him and hadn’t interfered until now.

But now, he could no longer turn a blind eye.

Too many children had already lost their lives in this war.

“Patriarch.”

“Yes, Father.”

Tang Pae-jin felt an inexplicable unease at the unusually gentle expression on his father’s face.

“What do you think humans live for?”

“......”

It was an oddly timed question for such an urgent battlefield.

But Tang-gak didn’t seem to expect an answer from Tang Pae-jin, as he provided it himself.

“Considering human instincts, the answer is simple, Patriarch. Survival. To continue their bloodline is the essence of life.”

To survive, build a family, bear children who continue one’s bloodline, and for those children to have their own children.

Life continued that way.

Thus, families (sega) were created through endless continuity.

“So, what meaning is there in me surviving alone while my precious descendants die?”

Tang-gak thought.

If he died and the family survived, it was a lifetime of survival.

If all the children of the family died and he lived, it was just a few more years of survival at most.

“So, Patriarch, do not blame yourself or miss this old man. All the children I will save from now on are the Patriarch and this old man.”

With those final words, Tang-gak activated the internal energy he had sealed for years.

“!!!”

“It’s the Dark King!!!”

The sudden appearance of Tang-gak on the fortress wall drew shocked exclamations from all around.

“Ha ha ha. Did you miss me so much?”

Their cries were drowned out by Tang-gak’s wicked voice.

No, they were drowned out by the sight of hundreds of hidden weapons flying from his hands, covering the sky.

Mancheonha-u (Ten Thousand Blossoms of Rain).

The greatest skill symbolizing the Tang Clan greeted the invaders.