Chapter 521

Tang Nan-ah’s ears perked up.

Her expression was as serious as it gets.

Anyone could tell she was getting ready to use the Listening Technique.

The Listening Technique is all about collecting sounds to catch distant noises or small ones, mainly used for eavesdropping.

Seeing this, Tang Jin-cheol, the second-in-command of the Tang family, felt a wave of unease.

Of course, it wasn’t anything new; it was just his younger sister being her usual self.

But still, he couldn’t just let her eavesdrop on the Leader of the Martial Alliance like this.

This wasn’t like the usual eavesdropping on family meetings, elder gatherings, or the tea time gossip sessions in the guest hall. This was crossing a line for the innocent yet overly curious prankster Little Sister.

So, it was time he firmly scolded her as a brother, even if it broke his heart.

“Hey, you can’t just—”

“Shhh. Just be quiet, Oppa.”

“B-but…”

And that was the end of Tang Jin-cheol’s stern warning.

Do you know the power hierarchy in the Tang family?

Tang Nan-ah was at the top, while those old geezers who chugged down medicinal tonics like they were water sat below her, along with the head honcho of the family, Tang Tu-juk, trailing far behind.

Thanks to this ranking, Tang Jin-cheol was at the very bottom, unable to even fit in with his fingers and toes counted!

So how could he possibly go against the true ruler of the Tang family?

The soundproofing in the Martial Alliance guest hall was decent, not bad at all.

It wasn’t meant for serious discussions anyway; it was more a place for casual chats and tea sipping.

And above all.

What sort of rogue would dare to eavesdrop on the Leader of the Martial Alliance’s conversation?

Even the most ignorant and rude lot would know better than to eavesdrop on a leader in the Martial Alliance.

There would be consequences for their clan or faction.

And most importantly, the Leader Jo Hyun-ryang was a top-tier master among the elite experts of the world—how could anyone handle the fallout of that?

But Tang Nan-ah, she could pull it off.

And if she got caught?

The eldest daughter of the Tang family, a notorious brat, would tearfully apologize, saying, “I was just too curious, sob sob,” while doing a full-body bow, and she’d likely get off scot-free.

Just like she always had!

So, Tang Nan-ah was innocent in her eyes.

As a leader of the Martial Alliance, it was only natural she’d pay attention when someone shouted “Cheonhwa-geom!” in shock, right?

And since they’d been so careless in their chatter, they didn’t even put up minimal defenses to block out unwanted eavesdropping.

Why? Because they were too relaxed.

They didn’t realize that the unofficial princess of Sichuan was eavesdropping from the next room.

Of course, Jo Hyun-ryang had an unfair reason to be upset.

Last Martial Tournament, Tang Nan-ah was just an innocent bystander, so who would imagine she’d eavesdrop on an adult’s conversation?

And let’s face it—spreading rumors was practically the calling card of a notorious brat!

That’s why Tang Nan-ah had to clench her fist and stand her ground.

“Hey, where do you think you’re going? You need to see the Leader!”

With that, Tang Jin-cheol coolly tried to stop his sister.

Tang Nan-ah looked at her brother and said,

“Oh, right.”

“Yeah, I know you’re excited to be out of Sichuan, but first, see the Leader—”

“Give it to me.”

Tang Nan-ah confidently held out her hand.

“Huh? Give what?”

“The gold coins and the poison, all of it.”

“Hey? The gold coins are fine, but why the poison? I only have grandpa’s old stuff here, not the deadly ones—”

“Just hurry. I have my reasons for needing it.”

“Tang Nan-ah. This isn’t just any place; you can’t act recklessly—”

But then Tang Nan-ah’s expression flipped completely.

Her eyes sparkled and she stared wide-eyed, and with her perfectly functioning nose she began sniffing, all while wearing a sly smile.

“Come on, Oppa. Just give it to me quickly. I really need it!”

“Uh? Well, uh, no way…”

“Oppa! Please? Huh? Huh?”

If Qing had seen her, she would have thought Tang Nan-ah was pulling some cute act, but, well, she’s also the heartless villain who didn’t shy away from any method.

And most importantly, she definitely knew that her antics worked well, considering how her life had unfolded so far.

“Hey, be careful with that poison, okay? Use it wisely.”

Amazingly enough!

Using poison cautiously makes it less dangerous!

Tang Jin-cheol found himself pulling out poison vials from who-knows-where, handing them over without pause.

As Tang Nan-ah received them, she stuffed them into her clothes and waist so fast that they magically disappeared as if they never existed.

It was a strange yet basic skill that anyone from the Tang family could master.

“Big Brother, you’re the best! Now, I’m off to play!”

In an instant, she shot up and dashed out the door.

Seriously, she only calls him ‘oppa’ when it’s convenient for her!

Looks like she made a lot of friends at the last Martial Tournament.

With all the emergency poisons and whatnot being handed over, Tang Jin-cheol was left in a state of helplessness, wearing a satisfied smile.

The Martial Alliance actively encourages bonding among its members.

As the orthodox martial artists get to know each other better, the stronger their ties become, increasing the alliance’s influence.

That’s why the Martial Alliance practically begs their members to socialize, throwing in all sorts of support.

If you submit documents saying who you’ll be hanging out with, you gain various perks.

They even invite relevant figures and let you reserve rooms for gatherings or provide you with necessary facilities.

The Fan-gong Association isn’t an officially registered social group under the Martial Alliance.

But how could the Martial Alliance possibly ignore the presence of the Cheonhwa-geom and elite figures from the Five Great Families mingling together?

The reception committee was anxiously wondering if anyone would show up or if it would turn into a senior citizens’ meeting.

Seriously, this social gathering was filled with elite members from the Five Great Families!

Even if it was a solid martial arts meeting (and a great food tour), it had immense potential for development.

After all, high-profile social gatherings generally don’t require registration with the Alliance, so the reception committee could only feel wistful.

However, despite the remarkable name of the Fan-gong Association, none were interested in joining, not even one person.

And they likely never will.

Anyway, the Fan-gong Association enjoys some unofficial conveniences from the Martial Alliance.

For example, they can roam freely in Muchen Pavilion without permission, and those in charge have even instructed members of the Alliance to treat them well.

Even though they use the backyard as their personal training ground, no one bats an eye.

It’s basically a silent agreement of acceptance.

As a result, Fan-gong Association members find it completely natural to settle in the Muchen Pavilion.

Today, they’ve taken their positions and are chatting, with the most glamorous Oki-rin settled in the ladies’ section while Meng Shin-hyeon is busy stacking weights and iron rods for training.

Pang Dae-san is swinging his elegantly tuned sword, and in the corner, Je-gal Lee-hyun is sweating buckets while lifting weights.

“Hmph, living it up, aren’t we? While Qing is locked in battle, you lot are just wasting time?”

Tang Nan-ah suddenly appeared, scolding them.

It was amusing, considering she hadn’t been sighted till now, yet her loud voice made heads turn.

But honestly, it was her words that caught their attention.

“What do you mean by that?”

“What do I mean? Plainly put, I’m heading to help Qing. You can come or not.”

Tang Nan-ah was tossing around tidbits after eavesdropping; all the talk about Heroes and Cheonhwa-geom flew out of her mouth.

“Wait, did Namgung hyung join?”

For some reason, Pang Dae-san’s eyebrows twitched.

But Tang Nan-ah didn’t catch on.

She simply didn’t care about him.

“Hmph. So, what about Geomhwa? But whatever, I’m going!”

“Hmm.”

Pang Dae-san unleashed a low, charming voice as he steadied his sword.

That was an affirmative response.

Not long ago, Tang Nan-ah had found that handsome demeanor impressive; now she just saw it as cringy. Give me a break with the posing!

“Well, we should get going! But, can we handle this on our own? We must notify the Combat Unit and at least bring a Master with us—”

“Did you not hear? Qing asked us to hold back on the Martial Alliance’s support. If we bring a Master, what does that make Qing?”

“Uh, yeah.”

So, if the direct heirs of the Five Great Families joined in, the issue of Martial Alliance support becomes irrelevant?

Thanks to Je-gal Lee-hyun being the brawn with the brains of a sage, he figured it was wise to stay quiet and just go along with it.

And so, one part of the Fan-gong Association prepared to head out.

—-

“Next!”

With blood splattered all over, Qing stood tall.

She hadn’t made a sound, but her chest rose and fell heavily as she struggled to catch her breath.

Given that her situation was more than obvious, everyone quickly caught onto her condition.

The revenge seekers’ eyes were shining.

Was this not the perfect opportunity?

Was she injured? She was covered in blood, and it was impossible to tell if it was her own or someone else’s.

As they considered their chances, they realized how desperate their plans appeared; revenge is only sweet when successful—if it fails, they just die a dog’s death.

So the revenge seekers were hesitant—should they charge in or wait? They pondered whether someone could spark the fight and help weaken her in the process.

But in the end, no one stepped forward.

Why? Because they realized something revolutionary: while interceding for the Supreme Martial Artist, they could still accept the Life and Death Match.

They still had plenty of time to prepare since it wasn’t even halfway into the event.

Wouldn’t it be fantastic if the Realm of Transformation experts could step up at times like this?

However, the Realm of Transformation experts felt just as conflicted.

Stepping up against a young warrior, especially one at the Supreme level, would be a significant loss of face.

It’s one thing if they could easily win.

But if they lost, or even showed a struggle, it’d lead to humiliation beyond measure.

Are they truly invincible?

Based on the Life and Death Match they’d witnessed, it was evident she had the primary desire to kill.

She was quite adept at exploiting every twist and turn.

The type no seasoned master wanted to face off against.

Weak or strong, a blade is a blade, and even a simple poke can lead to injury, and injuries are a gateway to defeat.

Thus, the experts from the Realm of Transformation were still observing, striving to minimize variables.

With the group now taking a collective approach, other similar fighters would certainly emerge.

So there was no rush, right?

Hence, no one took action.

But that lack of action meant something else entirely to the crowd.

One person standing against multiple foes would showcase a supreme martial prowess indeed!

That’s why they itched to shout about that astonishing feat.

“Hey, guess what? I just came back from the Life and Death Match with the Cheonhwa-geom where I settled some grudges—can you believe it?…”

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