Chapter 52. Tai Chi Sword Saint

With graying hair and beard, he looked like an old man, but his massive build and upright posture made him seem like a man in his middle years.

‘What is he going to say…’

Having often heard Tang Min mockingly call him “Tai Chi Bear!”

So-hwa had assumed that the Tai Chi Sword Saint would not be friendly toward the Tang Clan.

“Yes, please go ahead.”

So-hwa clasped her hands and gave him a martial greeting. But instead of returning the greeting, the Tai Chi Sword Saint looked her over from head to toe.

Just as her eyes narrowed at the strange behavior, he suddenly burst into hearty laughter.

“Haha, I’ve heard a lot about you, but this is the first time seeing you in person.”

A gentle smile curved the corners of his lips.

“Nice to meet you.”

His unexpected goodwill felt unfamiliar, but So-hwa quickly understood the reason behind his attitude.

“Jeom-chil has told me a lot about you.”

Since Yeon-ah would have had no reason to speak ill of her, So-hwa relaxed.

“Is Young Lady Jeom-chil doing well?”

“Of course. She’s doing very well. In any case, you must be tired and want to rest. Let’s talk on the way—I’ll walk you to your quarters.”

So-hwa walked along as he escorted her. Though it was late, the path was well lit by the unusually bright moonlight and lanterns placed along the way.

“To be honest, it was hard to believe someone like you existed in the Tang Clan. I thought Jeom-chil might have been mistaken because she’s still young.”

So-hwa felt offended that he had suddenly insulted her family, but his following words made it clear why the Tai Chi Sword Saint had thought that way.

“The only member of the Tang Clan I’ve ever interacted with was the Black Sky Demon, so my misunderstandings ran deep. That person isn’t even human. There’s a reason he’s called a Green Hound. Completely vulgar to the core. When I’d criticize him, saying a prestigious clan’s name was wasted on him, he’d tell me that’s just the Tang Clan’s tradition. So I genuinely believed that.”

To insist that the Tang Clan’s tradition includes a reckless temperament that even the Tang Clan is ashamed of—and for the elders to allow it?

So-hwa, frowning, soon understood the situation.

Indeed, when Tang Min insisted like that, there likely wasn’t anyone beside him bold enough to correct him and say it wasn’t the Tang Clan’s tradition. In a way, it was behavior befitting someone known as the Mad Green Hound.

Just as embarrassment began to flicker in So-hwa’s eyes, the Tai Chi Sword Saint laughed.

“You must have been only seventeen at the time, yet it seems you were born brave. There are even senior Wudang disciples who get scared just hearing the name Blood Sect, but not you. Even when someone is using Fire Art was on the loose, you came all the way here for our sake.”

Though it hadn’t been for the Hubei Branch members, So-hwa bowed her head slightly instead of blurting out the truth. From the outside, it looked like a modest gesture in response to praise.

Before long, they had left the central hall. As they did, martial artists passing by lowered their heads—it was the disciples of Wudang.

“We greet the Grand Elder.”

“Yes. You’ve worked hard.”

Their eyes were filled with deep respect for the Sword Saint.

So-hwa watched them with a bitter feeling.

He was of a similar age and fame to Tang Min. Why was it that their Grand Elder couldn’t receive such looks?

She resolved that when she returned, she should at least try to treat him a bit more gently herself—when suddenly, the Wudang disciples’ gazes turned toward her.

Their glances, though quick, were filled with goodwill.

The Tai Chi Sword Saint noticed the looks and smiled as he explained.

“Normally, elders and below don’t get access to Murim Alliance intelligence, but since the person involved in that case was my disciple’s close friend, all Wudang disciples know about the Mount Emei incident.”

He added, as if praising her.

“I heard that even without the Black Sky Demon, you protected a young girl and an old man among the vicious Blood Sect members, and even stopped the Namgung Clan from interrogating them. That really left an impression on the Wudang disciples.

“Normally, when someone young faces armed forces from another sect, they shrink back. But you stood your ground to protect those weaker than yourself. That was admirable.”

“… But Sword Saint, you didn’t witness it yourself.”

“Jeom-chil acted it out so well. It was as if I had seen you with my own eyes.”

So-hwa’s eyelashes trembled slightly. She couldn’t even begin to imagine what strange things Yeon-ah might have said.

Wanting to end this uncomfortable conversation, she changed the subject.

“But I’m curious—why did the Sword Saint come down to the branch? I heard from the Grand Elder that you rarely leave Mount Wudang.”

“Did he say that? That I bury myself only in martial arts within my sect?”

To be exact, he’d said the man was a pathetic shut-in who wouldn’t even lift his butt from the floor, but of course, So-hwa didn’t repeat that part.

Without batting an eye, So-hwa offered words she had never once heard from Tang Min’s mouth.

“He often said that, because so many people respect the Sword Saint, you refrain from interfering in Murim Alliance matters out of concern for the weight your words carry—he called you a prudent man.”

The Tai Chi Sword Saint’s mouth curved slightly at an angle.

“If the Black Sky Demon had known how to speak like you, he would’ve had a different nickname—something with ‘noble’ in it, perhaps. At least, he wouldn’t be called the Mad Green Hound behind his back… Ah, here I am, insulting the pride of the Tang Clan in front of a Tang Clan member. My apologies.”

Well, he’s not really the pride of the Tang Clan…

So-hwa couldn’t say that either, so she remained silent.

“You really are different from the Black Sky Demon. You’re quiet. Just as Jeom-chil said—you seem to have a cautious nature.”

“Young Lady Jeom-chil hasn’t known me for long, so she doesn’t truly know my character. I’m grateful for the kind opinion, but I fear the Sword Saint may have too high expectations of me.”

“Haha, don’t worry about that. Since you’re from the Black Sky Demon’s clan, I naturally deduct half of what I expect. What’s left feels just about right.”

So-hwa couldn’t tell whether the Sword Saint liked Tang Min or disliked him. But perhaps guessing that So-hwa might misunderstand, the Sword Saint soon revealed a fondness for Tang Min.

“Still, I like people like the Black Sky Demon. Straightforward and honest. He gets under your skin sometimes, but he’s far safer than those who use their silver tongues to manipulate others.”

The Sword Saint turned his head, casting his gaze into the distance. So-hwa followed his line of sight. At that moment, she noticed the surrounding architecture had changed.

With a bitter tone, the Tai Chi Sword Saint spoke.

“From here on, it’s the East Quarter.”

Unlike the West Quarter, which was lined with simple pavilions, the East Quarter was grand and extravagant.

So-hwa had heard that the Hubei Branch was divided into zones, but she hadn’t realized the disparity between them was this extreme.

Feigning ignorance, So-hwa replied calmly.

“So this is where we’re staying.”

“Of course. You’re a distinguished guest—naturally, we must host you in the finest building. There was no disagreement about that among us.”

Suddenly changing his tone, the Tai Chi Sword Saint shifted the topic.

“You asked earlier why I came down to the branch.”

He looked around with sunken eyes.

“As you can see, the Hubei Branch is effectively run by the East Quarter—by the Zhuge Clan. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Most of the operating costs are covered by the Zhuge Clan, and they have many bright minds who handle inter-branch affairs wisely. I have no objection to them being the face of this branch. However—”

However.

The word that often precedes the real point hung in the air, followed by a moment of silence.

“Everything the Zhuge Clan covers financially is actually funded by a certain merchant group. The Zhuge Clan has grown particularly close with them, and now even our Wudang is getting entangled.”

Though the Sword Saint only said “a certain merchant group!”

So-hwa had a feeling she knew exactly which one he meant.

It must be the Anguk Merchant Group.

She listened silently to his words.

“From time to time, the East Quarter even sends branch martial artists to assist them. It’s not right to feign ignorance after receiving help, but this branch exists to serve the Murim Alliance. Becoming the backing of a particular merchant group is a dangerous path.”

His worries continued.

“They say they’ve started asking our West Quarter disciples to help with the merchant group’s affairs, too. The kids sent to the branch are too gentle—they don’t even question it. They’re siding with the East Quarter instead, which struck me as strange, so I came down to the branch myself—to draw the line.”

He let out a sigh.

“But it’s not easy. I keep ending up dancing to the Zhuge Clan’s tune. Even now—look—we handed over the medicine and treatment method you brought to the East Quarter.”

“They said they’ll send it back to the West Quarter tomorrow, so it should be fine.”

The Sword Saint gave a dry chuckle.

“I’d wager tomorrow, they’ll come up with another reason it needs to stay in the East Quarter.”

Before they knew it, they had arrived at the guest quarters. The Black Tiger Unit martial artists who had been following behind also stopped. The Sword Saint sighed again.

“I knew you all were tired, yet I still dragged you along, babbling like this.”

He hesitated, then finally spoke with difficulty.

“I hope it doesn’t come to this, but… if by chance they really don’t return it to the West Quarter tomorrow, could you write up another treatment method just for the West Quarter? I’ll find a way to get more Extreme Ice Grass.”

So-hwa looked quietly at the Sword Saint, then turned her gaze. At her signal, Han-won brought over the baggage he had been carrying and handed it to her. So-hwa opened the box, chose the largest Extreme Ice Grass, and gave it to him.

She passed it over as if it were nothing, and for a moment, the Sword Saint didn’t understand her gesture.

“You’re… just giving this to me?”

Tang So-hwa replied with a calm face.

“You’re a close friend of the Grand Elder, so of course. If I let such an esteemed person go through trouble, I’d be severely scolded once we return.”

“… Wouldn’t I get scolded instead for accepting something so precious?”

Perhaps age really couldn’t be ignored, for the Tai Chi Sword Saint had read Tang Min perfectly.

But since she was giving it up for Tang Min’s sake, strictly speaking, it wasn’t a lie.

Tang Min and the Tai Chi Sword Saint were of similar age, and in similar situations—one hidden away in the Tang Clan by others, the other choosing not to descend from Mount Wudang.

Surely their knowledge of the Murim overlapped as well. If the Sword Saint personally went searching for the Extreme Ice Grass, he might learn that Tang Min was the one who acquired it.

So-hwa still didn’t know who Tang Min intended to use the poison on—but she had a feeling the Sword Saint did. So she blocked his movement to protect Tang Min’s secret. She couldn’t let an outsider learn a clan elder’s disgrace.

Unaware of her intentions, the Sword Saint looked at So-hwa with an unreadable gaze. But unsettlingly, his dark eyes glimmered faintly, as if moist with emotion.

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