The Genius Youngest Disciple of the Wudang Sect

Chapter 385

I glanced at the Family Head and reflected on my misunderstanding of him. To be honest, although the Tang Family was considered an orthodox family, I had also thought of them as a family close to the unorthodox sects. Perhaps that impression was more deeply ingrained because they used poison and hidden weapons. That might be why I had believed the rumors of their excessive tribute without question.

"To say it again, I have never received such excessive tribute. You are part of a sect that plays a role in the Nine Great Sects, so don't you know well? In the first place, how much more money would we have even if we extorted money from the surrounding commoners?"

He was right. To be honest, I didn't know before I became a member of one of the Nine Great Sects, but a huge sect like the Nine Great Sects and One Union consumes much more money than one might think. Therefore, it's impossible to cover all the necessary funds just by collecting tribute from the surrounding people. In the first place, the Wudang Sect was also a poor sect before it formed a sponsorship agreement with the Eungnam Merchant Guild.

"But we cannot not receive tribute. In the end, the fact that they are paying tribute to us serves as a reminder to both us and those who pay that they belong to us. So we have been receiving only the bare minimum of money...."

He continued the rest of the story in an aggrieved voice. He said that the Four Evils Alliance bastards, dressed in Tang Family clothes, told the surrounding people that they needed a lot of money because of the recent fight with the Four Evils Alliance, so they would receive ten times the original tribute. Naturally, people who had no way of knowing whether that person was a disguised Four Evils Alliance member or a real Tang Family member had no choice but to pay ten times the amount for several months. Of course, that money flowed to the Four Evils Heaven, not the Tang Family.

"But Family Head. Did you really not know even though they did such an obvious thing?"

"....... I didn't know."

He let out a deep sigh.

"At that time, we were having a truly big fight with the Four Evils Alliance. So we didn't have the leisure to find out that they were carrying out such a petty plan. Moreover, we even lost that fight. It was only after being pushed back and losing several areas that we realized they were doing such a thing. But what could we do? Those areas had already been taken, and they were gaining the support of the commoners by reducing the tribute again. Of course, that tribute is twice what we originally received."

"So even though they are receiving twice the original amount, people feel like they can live because it's only one-fifth of what it was just before."

"Yes. They are trying to pressure us by using the psychology of the commoners."

"They are more malicious than I thought. But they don't seem to be people who just fight. The way they attack Qingcheng or Emei, and the way they take control of this surrounding area, it doesn't seem like thoughts that would come from an ordinary person's head."

"I think so too. That's why I said earlier that they have a strategist."

I nodded. To be honest, I had never heard that the Four Evils Alliance had a strategist in my past life. I only knew that they had taken control of Sichuan and were about to perish together with the orthodox martial world, but only they were annihilated because the orthodox martial world was stronger than expected. However, thinking about it, it seemed almost impossible for an unorthodox sect to take control of this huge region of Sichuan without such schemes or tactics.

"Family Head."

"Yes?"

"First, through today's conversation, I think I know what I need to do and what I should do to help the Tang Family."

"What can you do for us?"

"It's simple. First, to drive the Four Evils Alliance bastards out of this nearby area, and further, to help deal a big blow to their main force."

"Driving them out of this nearby area?"

"If the problem is that the Tang Family cannot use its strength because they hide in alleys or around private houses when it's time to fight, I think we can help with that. My senior brothers and I are actually specialized in fighting in such narrow places."

"Specialized?"

"We are confident in one-on-one fights, but there are only five of us. However, if we fight in a place like a narrow alley, the number of people who can attack us at once is limited. So it actually becomes easier to deal with them."

"I understand that. But how are you going to deal a blow to the main force?"

I shook my head and corrected his words.

"I didn't say I would deal the blow, but that I could help deal the blow."

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"It's completely different. Being able to help means that I can grasp their location and prepare for you to deal a blow to them. Isn't it the Tang Family's specialty to deal a blow to a large number of opponents when certain conditions are met?"

The Family Head's eyes widened. He seemed not to have thought of dealing a blow, perhaps because he had lost confidence due to continuous defeats.

"First, we will gather information by roaming around Chengdu in our own way. If there are fights in between, we won't avoid them."

"Yes. Please do so."

"Could you give us a few messenger pigeons that recognize this place as home? If there's a need to contact you in between, I'll fly a messenger pigeon."

"Yes. When do you plan to leave?"

"Tomorrow morning."

"Then I'll tell them to bring the messenger pigeons to your room before breakfast."

"Yes. Thank you."

I bowed my head and greeted him. In fact, we were the ones helping him, but I acted this way on purpose. It was to make him feel as little burden as possible. The purpose of my coming all the way here this time was ultimately to create a foundation to further increase the strength of the orthodox faction in Sichuan and to suppress the power of the Four Evils Alliance as much as possible. It would be good if I could also make it possible to receive support from the Central Plains. In such a situation, there's no need to put forward my pride.

"Then let's finish eating. We were in the middle of a meal, but I've made you talk too much."

"Not at all. It was a necessary conversation."

I said that while starting to put food into my mouth diligently again. The Family Head laughed heartily seeing me like that, and he also began to focus on the meal.

* * *

The Family Head of the Tang Family, Tang Jincheol, who returned to his quarters after finishing the dinner banquet with the Wudang Taoists, stood by the window with a complex expression and looked at the sky.

"I have been trying to cover my own eyes and do nothing all this time...."

He didn't show it, but he was able to realize many things from the not-so-long conversation today. The most important thing he learned was that he had become too accustomed to defeat.

"Just because it's an unfavorable fight doesn't guarantee a loss, and just because it's a favorable situation doesn't mean you'll necessarily win...."

In fact, when Unhwi told him at the banquet earlier that alleys were a favorable battlefield for them, he was going to say that it was nonsense for five people to deal with such a large number. But... he couldn't bring himself to say such a thing after seeing Unhwi's face full of confidence.

"And he said he would create an environment where we can use our strength best...?"

In a way, those words could sound arrogant. In the end, it meant that Unhwi would do what they couldn't do. Moreover, it was a tone as if it could be done very easily.

"Heh.... If that's really possible...."

To tell the truth, he is still unsure if that's possible. But if the Wudang Taoists really pull it off.... If they provide the starting point for them to counterattack the Four Evils Alliance....

"Might we be able to display the potential of our Sichuan Tang Family?"

He decided to stop talking to himself and moved away from the window. Just by Unhwi and him having a conversation, the fate of this huge land called Sichuan began to shake.

* * *

The next day. My senior brothers and I left the Sichuan Tang Family. First, the place we went was the inn where we could first overhear the rumors about the Sichuan Tang Family. The reason I went there was because there was an inn operated by the Hao Mun nearby. It seemed difficult to obtain useful information from the Sichuan Tang Family at the moment. So I judged that it would be wise to get information from the Swallows even if I spent a bit more of my money.

"Unhwi-ya. There's something I want to ask."

On the way back there, Un Cheol asked me.

"Yes. What is it?"

"How far does what you want to achieve in Sichuan go?"

"What do you mean by how far?"

"I need to know that so I can prepare my heart. Is your goal to annihilate the Four Evils Alliance, or is it to create an environment where the Sichuan Tang Family and they can properly clash, as you said yesterday?"

I chuckled and told my senior brother.

"Senior brother. Have you forgotten what our purpose is?"

"What is it?"

I spoke while tapping the bundle I had carefully brought.

"Our purpose was to deliver these to the sects of Sichuan and clear up the old past with them. Wasn't it?"

"Ah.... It was."

Not only Un Cheol but also the other senior brothers seemed to have forgotten the real purpose, as they had expressions of 'oh, right'.

"Once they are ready to receive proper help, we don't need to annihilate the Four Evils Alliance ourselves. In fact, it's hard to do that with just five people. We just need to send a letter to the Central Plains when they've made up their minds. Tell them that the Tang Family is ready to receive help, so send warriors."

"I see. I had forgotten that important thing."

"The reason we're trying to fight the Four Evils Alliance bastards now is ultimately to instill confidence in the people of the Sichuan Tang Family that they can do it, and to make them ready to receive our help. So we just need to do exactly that much."

At my words, the tension of my senior brothers seemed to loosen a bit. Perhaps my senior brothers were thinking that I was planning to clash head-on with the Four Evils Alliance, which might number in the tens of thousands. I'm not such a reckless person.

"And even if the opponent's numbers are large, there's no need to worry. In fact, it's rare for the rank and file and the low-level ones to be united with a tremendous sense of belonging and loyalty. Most of them are gathered because of money. So if we somehow remove the masters above the middle managers.... the ones below will naturally disintegrate."

It's the most efficient way to deal with such a rootless organization. Most of the unorthodox sects I dealt with were cases where the rest of the disciples would kneel and ask for their lives once the sect leader was overwhelmingly defeated.

"I see. Understood. I was nervous for nothing."

"Why are you like that when this isn't the first or second time we've fought like this?"

"Even if it's not the first or second time, I get nervous every time I fight."

It's actually a good sign. If there's no tension at all, you might get hit by a stray blade while being careless. It was then.

"Who are you and where are you from? You seem to be coming out of Chengdu, what is your destination?"

About ten warriors standing on the path blocked our way. There were no people catching us when we were in the merchant procession, but we met them immediately like this now that we were traveling alone. That's right. They were the Four Evils Alliance bastards.

"Senior brothers. Did you hear what I just said? Who among them should we hit first?"

"It must be the bastards who just shouted at us."

"Right. We have a long way to go, so let's deal with them quickly."

My senior brothers nodded. The Four Evils Alliance bastards made bewildered expressions seeing us having a conversation while ignoring them. A moment later, that expression will surely be dyed with astonishment and fear. Because I'm going to make it so.

(End of Chapter)