Genius Martial Arts Trainer

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?”

“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 he dismissed his negative thoughts, his eyes fell on his youngest daughter, who could be described as precious.

“Southern Poison Master. How much poison does the Southern Poison Hall have left?”

Because it was an official meeting, he addressed her by her title. Tang So-mi answered.

“We used all the remaining medicinal herbs to produce additional supplies, but without new supplies, we don’t have enough.”

“Then, what we have now is the last.”

“Yes, Clan Leader.”

Tang Pae-jin maintained a calm expression despite Tang So-mi’s answer.

The Southern Poison Hall was established after Tang So-mi’s return from the Southern Barbarians. Specifically, it was created to research the medicinal herbs she brought back from the south.

Without the new poisons developed by the Southern Poison Hall, it would have been difficult to hold out as they had.

However, with all directions blocked, it was impossible to bring in new medicinal herbs from the south, and now they were reaching their limit.

‘The remaining water and food will last at most four days.’

In four days, they would have to switch from defense to offense.

“Order the blacksmiths to continue producing hidden weapons. And the guards on the walls…”

In the dire situation, Tang Pae-jin gave instructions with a composed face.

There was nothing special about his orders. There was little left for the Tang Clan to do.

Although some gained strength from his tone, Tang So-mi, being perceptive, knew her father’s demeanor and expressions were forced.

She also understood how dire the clan’s situation was.

Yet, in the face of the clan’s possible collapse, the one who came to her mind was a young monk.

‘Please, come quickly.’

It was an earnest wish from her, who was usually confident and mischievous.

* * *

The next dawn.

Despite Tang So-mi’s earnest wish, the enemy’s movements were faster than Mu-jin’s arrival at the Tang Clan.

Hundreds of warriors, each dressed in the attire of three different sects, passed through the ruined Tang-gata and approached the walls of the Tang Clan.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The harsh sound of metal echoed from the Tang Clan’s walls, and the Tang Clan warriors, who were resting in shifts, quickly gathered at the walls.

“Form the ranks!”

Following the shout of Tang Pae-jin, who had already prepared and come to the battlefield, the Tang Clan warriors assembled on the walls, ready for battle.

And as the united forces approached the walls within an appropriate distance.

“Attack!”

At Tang Pae-jin’s command, the warriors stationed on the fortress wall took out the hidden weapons from their prepared medicine containers and began throwing them.

It was a desperate measure.

Due to the prolonged battle, their supplies had been cut off, and there wasn’t enough poison left. Hence, they couldn’t just recklessly scatter the poison everywhere.

Clang!

The warriors from the three sects approaching the fortress wielded their weapons or used their martial arts techniques to deflect or avoid the hidden weapons.

Thud!

“Ugh…”

However, it was impossible to block or avoid all the hidden weapons soaring through the air, so some were inevitably hit.

Among them, some were struck in vital spots and died instantly, but most only suffered minor scratches.

Even minor scratches were enough for the poison to spread.

“Move the poisoned ones to the rear!!”

At that moment, the resonant shout of Geumsun Shinni from the Emei Sect echoed across the battlefield.

Thanks to their supplies, they had a large stockpile of antidotes and medicinal herbs ready.

“Second unit, rescue the poisoned! Third unit, follow the path opened by the first unit!”

Following the new orders, hundreds of warriors advanced towards the fortress wall again.

The combined forces of the three sects easily numbered over a thousand.

With the force of such overwhelming numbers, the number of warriors reaching the Tang Clan’s fortress wall steadily increased.

From that point on, it was unlike any typical war.

All of them were martial artists. As soon as they reached the vicinity of the wall, they used their light footwork techniques to ascend the fortress without any special siege weapons.

“Kill them!!”

“Defeat the vile Tang Clan bastards!”

Before long, the Tang Clan’s wall turned into a hellish scene of chaos.

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.@@novelbin@@

“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.