Chapter 110

It was a situation that the Tang Family’s martial artist couldn’t handle anymore.

Naturally, someone from above had to jump in.

I saw the man appear in a hurry, almost rolling along the ground with his martial arts stance.

Honestly, Qing was already getting a bit bored with it all.

Regardless of everything, the warriors of the Sicheon Tang Family were not villains.

Having acted haughtily and made a big fool of themselves, they would likely pretend to hold back in the future.

When word of such arrogance spread to Qing’s hometown, there’d be some pretense of restraint for sure.

So, if by this point a polite apology were to be offered, there was a chance they’d graciously forgive him.

However, the Tang Family had been towering as kings of Sichuan since the Great Master Mucheondae’s time.

When your nose is in the sky, you won’t be able to see the ground no matter how hard you look down.

The man suddenly threw something.

Thud. A hefty object landed right in front of Qing.

It was a whole gold ingot.

“The commotion can end here. That should suffice as compensation for the grievances.”

Qing took in the sight of the yellow gold bar.

They had already been humiliated, and now they were reaping some benefit too.

Qing, still lying down, reached over to pick up the gold ingot.

Gold, being a heavy metal, felt weighty in his embrace, and Qing’s annoyance melted away.

Indeed, a single gold ingot conveys more sincere intention than a hundred apologies.

So, it seemed the noise should’ve wrapped up right there.

If only the man hadn’t opened his mouth.

“Look at that! He’s clearly trying to pocket some cash. The Tang Family has faced this humiliation and even offered gold; who’s the real victim here?”

The man was scheming to win over public sentiment.

He painted Qing as a pitiful victim, turning him into a shameless blackmailer trying to extort gold.

Naturally, Qing felt wronged.

Sure, extortion was correct, but he hadn’t even thought about gold.

But you know what they say, no one’s happy when a cousin buys land.

Having caused such a ruckus, and now walking away with a gold ingot, the onlookers’ gazes instantly turned icy.

“Consider yourself lucky. You may think you got away because a precious guest is here, but if it hadn’t been for that, you’d have turned to a pile of ashes. Be grateful and pray to your ancestors when you get home.”

And with that, he didn’t forget to issue a warning.

If they showed any weakness, there was no guarantee that a second or third Qing wouldn’t show up.

The man’s response was quite clean and commendable.

He painted the complainant as a gang of extortionists, generously offering just a single gold ingot to win some favor while also preventing a recurrence through a stern warning.

However, the problem was that it was now time for that esteemed one to step in.

Once again, that ‘greater’ grandson would say that if you don’t know your enemy, no matter how clever your plan, it amounts to foolishness.

Wait, these guys just crossed the line when I was willing to let it slide?

Qing poked Choi Riyong in the side.

In response, a voice filled with rage turned the man around.

“Melting into a pile of ashes, huh? Go ahead. Let’s see if you, a supposed figure of the prestigious sects, dare to act disgracefully under heaven. Is this how the Tang family operates?”

The man abruptly came to a halt.

“Hey, old man, it’s easy for you to talk big. But you should choose your battles. You dare act this way in the heart of the city?”

“If even a mere lackey behaves so brazenly, I can only imagine the state of the Tang brats.”

At this point, it was clear that they were ready for a fight.

The man understood the implications as well.

“I tried to talk it out nicely, but it seems that won’t do. Some people only come to their senses when blood is spilled…”

The man was suddenly cut off.

Choi Riyong had conjured a sphere of starlight in his palm.

It was a technique every martial artist dreams of mastering.

This was known as the King of Glories.

Of course, it wasn’t some incredibly rare technique.

Any skilled master capable of the Realm of Transformation could use it.

Only then did Qing stretch out his hand, pretending to mediate.

“Grandpa, stop it. You’ve gone too far. You’re thinking of wiping them all out?”

“Well, should I just swallow that insolent talk?”

“Still, killing them all is a bit cruel, don’t you think?”

Choi Riyong smoothed out the King of Glories.

“Hmph. With a heart as soft as yours, how will you navigate the harsh Martial World? Hmph. You, consider yourself fortunate.”

In reality, even the King of Glories, with Choi Riyong’s martial background, would only use it once without any remaining energy.

The man stood pale, devoid of any color.

So high and mighty, he hadn’t seen the light in Qing’s gaze until now—definitely someone of the great Daoist clan was before him.

“I-I did not recognize the experts…”

“Enough. Just how high up are you to dare kick my old man’s bowl and chase us out of the restaurant?”

“That is…”

“What’re you doing? You’re just going to laugh and eat after causing this mess?”

“Please, just give me a moment!”

The man dashed back into the restaurant.

—-

In the Central Plains, where the Heavenly Flower was a celebrated beauty of the Tang Family, Tang Nan-ah was currently in an important engagement.

She was fawning over her future sister-in-law, trying to impress her big brother in the Central Plains.

Pang Choryeo was famous in many ways.

A muscle fanatic and someone who claimed to have married the Great Sword, with a strangely boastful nature. She was also known for her impressive height and physique, which were rather unladylike.

Not to mention, her boisterous personality and carefree demeanor were also well-known.

However, none of this really mattered much to the women of the Central Plains.

What mattered to them was that Pang Choryeo was a comfortingly friendly older sister who posed no threat in love.

And above all, she was Oki-rin’s sister!

When discussing family affairs, the older sister wielded incredible power.

So, Tang Nan-ah expressed her gratitude to the unidentified impostor.

Pang Choryeo had come to Sichuan after hearing rumors about her con artist.

It was an opportunity to capture her future sister-in-law’s heart.

“Hehe, sister, is this the renowned dining place famed for its cuisine? Surely it will suit your taste.”

“Hmm. To build muscle, I need to eat muscle, right? Can’t I just gnaw on some meat? Ah, is there enough meat?”

“Oh, I ordered a special with extra meat, so…”

Tang Nan-ah fluttered her hands beneath the table in a frenzy. Fortunately, a Tang Family warrior guarding the interior hurried to the kitchen.

“Really? I appreciate the thought.”

“Hehe. Well, it’s your meal, after all.”

“Hmm.”

However, it isn’t easy to carry on a conversation when both parties have different tastes and preferences.

“Oh my, sister, your skin is so radiant. Do you use any special creams or tonics?”

“I don’t use that stuff. Too bothersome. It gets sticky when I sweat.”

“Oh, I see….”

“……”

“……Ah! Sister, I saw a craftsman at the workshop last time! He was a master at handling gold and silver. Would you be interested?”

“What use would a master of gold and silver be? Gold and silver are too soft to make weapons.”

“Oh, I see….”

“……”

Just as Tang Nan-ah was trying to butter her up (with zero success), a desperate voice broke through her thoughts.

– Hey, it’s not the time to idly eat soup. There’s a real problem brewing. Didn’t I tell you that handling my spear would be too much?

“Oh, sister. May I step away for a moment?”

“Uh, sure.”

“Hehe, I’m sorry. I’ll be right back!”

Tang Nan-ah hurried towards a side room.

“Cousin, what’s going on? What could be more important than my marriage?”

“There’s an elder from the Realm of Transformation among the attendees today. They’re quite furious right now.”

“Of all days? Who is it? If it’s some madman…”

“Definitely an elder from the Badan or Daoist clan. They’re demanding to see who was dumb enough to kick their food bowl and toss them out.”

“Oh, come on. Why today of all days?”

Tang Nan-ah stamped her feet.

While the noble families claimed they were free of obligations during meals, this was mostly just talk.

The noble families had roots deep enough to have connections with all the clans, so it would be disrespectful to neglect a high-ranking elder.

Qing had dealt comfortably with Pang Dae-san and Namgoong Shin-jae, as their similar ages meant they could get away with informalities as long as no huge disrespect occurred.

So, the only one foolishly suffering from this tangled lineage was the disciple of the great Daoist teacher, Chang-bin.

“I can’t keep them waiting much longer. Hurry.”

“I know, I know! What rotten luck…”

“What should we do about this mess?”

A sinister glint flashed in Tang Nan-ah’s eyes.

“What should we do? We handle this the way we always do.”

—-

“Friend, what’s your true identity? And who is this old man?”

“Me? Seomun Qing. Grandpa? The one who takes care of me.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“What’s it to you? You think I approached him because he’s a master? I didn’t act rudely, did I? Knowing it now, what’s gonna change?”

“Oh…”

Jayu was in awe.

Seeing people for just who they are and developing friendships based on that speaks to a genuine character beyond background or skill.

He wasn’t just some quirky woman, but a truly eccentric Daoist sage.

In reality, Qing had merely said that casually, not wanting to bother.

After all, he was just a bored guy who let some rich-looking dudes hang around while thinking they’d pay for his drinks.

Naturally, he’d accept whatever generous offer they made thanks to his connections.

Making friends like this isn’t how it usually works.

You don’t need a grand story or tragic background to become friends.

For a while, they’d hang out, then part ways, a fleeting connection.

If any sparked a chance later, they might maintain friendship for longer.

At that moment, a figure darted out from the entrance of the tavern.

Dressed in flowing crimson silk, they knelt and smoothly performed a respectful bow.

Qing was amazed by the graceful apology.

It seemed she wasn’t a rookie at it.

Had she been eating meals just to practice her apologies?

She was truly a master of apologies!

“Elder, I’m honestly deeply sorry for the offense. I acted out of sheer selfishness in trying to entertain a precious guest… Waaaah, what do I do? I’m so sorry, sniffle…”

And then, with her beautiful face, she began to stream hot tears.

Qing was once again struck with admiration.

Wow! What a masterpiece! Those tears are truly from the heart!

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