Chapter 408: The Lazy One Investigates (3)
"Look."
Wi Yeon-ho stared at Dang-jin with a grumpy face.
"Why are you asking me to look at someone who is dying? That's a weird hobby."
"He's not dead yet."
"He's almost dead."
Wi Yeon-ho frowned as he looked at Dang-jin, who had dried up like a mummy.
"With his innate qi shattered, how could he possibly live? This person is just a burnt-out shell. His martial arts are so strong that he's still alive, but there's no way to restore him."
Wi Jeong-han grimaced.
"Is it that serious?"
"If there were a way, I would have already treated him. This is the Tang Clan, you know. Even though I might not know much about the martial world, I know that the Tang Clan's medical skills are as famous as their poison techniques. But there's no solution for this person. Even if a kid comes, it would be the same."
"Hmm…"
Wi Jeong-han sighed.
He had hoped that someone as capable as Wi Yeon-ho might have a solution, but it seems that was just his wishful thinking.
"…Damn it."
The reason he had dragged Wi Yeon-ho here was twofold.
One was the hope that perhaps there was still a way to save the dying person, and the second was the urgency of needing this person to recover consciousness to hear testimony about what had happened.
But both hopes were shattered at the same time.
"…I never thought demonic deviation could be this terrifying."
"Demonic deviation?"
"Yes, qi deviation."
Wi Yeon-ho squinted.
"This isn't qi deviation."
"Huh?"
Wi Jeong-han was startled by his calm tone.
Both he and Dang Cheon-gun shared a similar opinion, but neither was as certain as Wi Yeon-ho.
"Why do you say that?"
"Qi deviation, simply put, is going off the wrong path. The qi fails to flow where it should and instead diverts to another route."
"Right."
"Then the qi, having nowhere to go, knocks around trying to return to its path. But the qi continues to flow from behind. Eventually, the converging qi and the flowing qi collide. That is what qi deviation is."
"Hmm, that's a very fresh expression."
"Depending on the degree of the collision, the stagnant qi might begin to flow again or become blocked, and sometimes it violently clashes and causes surrounding areas to burst, resulting in calamity."
Wi Jeong-han nodded vigorously.
"Indeed. But what does that have to do with this?"
"There's no qi left."
"…Huh?"
"Don't you get it? All these people have dried up. Their qi and energy collided, destroying their bodies, but their internal qi drained entirely. Even if this person manages to recover, he will never regain his former martial arts."
Wi Jeong-han's face became exceptionally stiff.
'Just as I thought.'
He could finally pinpoint the source of the unease he felt, or rather the intense sensation that could be called déjà vu.
He had already heard this story.
No, he had seen this situation happen several times with his own eyes.
A person dried up like a mummy, devoid of any vitality, and martial arts that could never be restored, gradually dying away over time…
"Father?"
"Hmm…"
Wi Jeong-han shook his head.
"No, it's nothing."
"Is everyone like this?"
"…Apparently so."
Wi Yeon-ho's face hardened slightly.
"This is strange. This doesn't seem like something that can happen naturally. There are many cases where things go wrong while practicing martial arts, but for someone's internal qi to be completely sucked dry like this is quite rare. Especially for multiple people to show the same symptoms?"
"I think the same as you. This is not merely a problem from practicing martial arts. There's something… it might sound strange when I say this, but it feels like there's a conspiracy behind it."
"Even if you say conspiracy…"
Wi Yeon-ho scratched his head.
"Is there anywhere that could benefit from destroying the Sichuan Tang Clan?"
"Oh, you can think of that too? You're using your head, huh? I thought you just randomly wandered about."
"It's crucial to be sharp to avoid laziness."
"…Damn it."
Wi Jeong-han shook his head and spoke.
"There are far too many places that could benefit."
"Excuse me?"
"Even though the Sichuan Tang Clan is weakened lately because of someone, it is still regarded as a grim reaper in Sichuan. Their influence on Sichuan and the martial world is immense."
"Influence?"
"Yes, influence. Moreover, the actual benefits they hold are no small matter. Likely, the interests that the Sichuan Tang Clan possesses could exceed thousands of gold."
"Hmm."
Wi Yeon-ho scratched his cheek.
In that case, it wouldn't be surprising if someone wanted to topple the Sichuan Tang Clan.
"Do prominent families typically hold such benefits?"
"Indeed. Whether it's business licenses, leasing rights… there are places that even engage in war industries."
"Wow, they do quite a lot more than I thought."
"It's only natural. While the martial artists from the old factions can sustain themselves through wealth received from entering the clan, families do not accept disciples from the outside, so they need a source of income."
"Then why doesn't our family do that?"
"..."
"The only thing we have is the land for tenants. Why haven't we done anything about that earlier?"
"We did. We did everything."
"Huh?"
"…But we squandered it all."
"..."
Wi Yeon-ho wiped his eyes silently.
The Guangdong Clan…
Truly, it was a pitiful place, the Guangdong Clan.
"Anyway, I understand. It seems this is out of our hands now."
"What will you do?"
"I need to report. Since I brought back the adaptation, I should ask the military officer what to do next."
"Didn't you say you had some idea?"
Wi Yeon-ho casually asked. He felt that Wi Jeong-han seemed to have sensed something.
"It's uncertain. And…"
Wi Jeong-han trailed off.
If what he was thinking was true, the repercussions of this incident would be immense. So it was wise to be cautious with words until it became certain.
Even if it was his son.
Wi Yeon-ho also seemed to realize that Wi Jeong-han was reluctant to speak.
"You don't have to say it. Just…"
"Hmm?"
Wi Jeong-han looked at Wi Yeon-ho with a newfound gaze. It was rare for Wi Yeon-ho to speak hesitantly, especially with such a serious expression.
"I hope this suspicion is not the kind of thing I'm thinking."
"What do you mean by that?"
Wi Yeon-ho glanced around.
"Surely, as you said, there are countless people who want to bring down the Sichuan Tang Clan, right?"
"Indeed."
"But isn't the reason it hasn't been achieved until now due to a lack of ability?"
"That would seem so."
"…In other words, it means that those able to accomplish what has been impossible until now have appeared."
Wi Jeong-han sealed his lips.
He understood what Wi Yeon-ho was trying to say.
"If they can do it to the Sichuan Tang Clan, they could do the same elsewhere. If this current incident has indeed been orchestrated by someone…"
Wi Jeong-han raised his head to look at the sky.
What Wi Yeon-ho said was correct. If this situation was deliberately provoked by someone, then the Sichuan Tang Clan would not be the only one exposed to their influence.
"I need to establish communication with the Martial Alliance as soon as possible."
At that moment, a low voice came from behind them.
"Of course, I have no dissatisfaction with that fact."
Both Wi Yeon-ho and Wi Jeong-han turned their heads back.
"Have you arrived?"
Wi Jeong-han bowed slightly.
Dang Yong-min was watching them with a sour expression.
"Is the investigation going well?"
"Of course."
Wi Jeong-han's demeanor was polite. However, it was not overly respectful. That attitude irritated Dang Yong-min.
'That country bumpkin clan head thinks he can rely on just one son!'
The status of the Guangdong Clan and the Sichuan Tang Clan did not even require comparison. No matter how much Wi Jeong-han was the clan head of the Guangdong Clan, he could not equal the elder of the Sichuan Tang Clan.
However, Wi Jeong-han's attitude was not one of concern for someone superior.
Under normal circumstances, Dang Yong-min would not have tolerated it at all.
But now, Dang Yong-min was exercising his utmost patience. No, he had no choice but to.
Right behind Wi Jeong-han, who was maintaining a somewhat polite demeanor, Wi Yeon-ho was tilting his chin up, exuding an attitude of 'So what?'.
If it were any other young man, he would have been immediately reprimanded…
'If I yell at him and open my mouth, then my fist will be shoved inside!'
That brat is impossible.
What made Wi Yeon-ho fearsome was not merely his strength. Although Wi Yeon-ho was strong, Dang Yong-min, due to his status, had confronted many strong opponents. Among them were several who exceeded Wi Yeon-ho in fame or ability.
But those people had their pride.
A person becomes cautious when they have something to lose. No matter how strong they are, they cannot act entirely on their own.
That is how the martial world is maintained…
'That brat seems to have no concept of pride.'
And it seemed he had no thoughts of his own.
While other strong figures might be like a flowing river, Wi Yeon-ho was like an unexpected gust of wind. Unpredictable and hard to counter.
If one tries to control him carelessly and gets caught in that gust, they would experience embarrassment. Dang Yong-min had no desire to end up like Dang Pyeong.
Dang Pyeong's nose, having been hit by Wi Yeon-ho, still could not return to its original position.
"Cough, cough."
Clearing his throat to dispel the awkwardness, Dang Yong-min thoroughly averted his gaze from Wi Yeon-ho and fixed his eyes on Wi Jeong-han.
"Establishing communication with the Martial Alliance is fine. That's why the Clan Head invited you. However, you must show us the contents of that communication first."
"Are you saying you will conduct a review?"
Wi Jeong-han's face slightly hardened. However, from Dang Yong-min's perspective, this was a natural demand.
"Imagine if the Clan Head had sent an investigation team to your headquarters. Would you say that it's fine for all the reports they gathered to be leaked outside?"
"Hmm…"
Wi Jeong-han sighed.
They were not imposing arbitrary demands. If the roles were reversed, he would be concerned too.
"I understand what you are saying. However, due to the special nature of this investigation, I cannot show you the contents."
"Then that is impossible."
"Wait!"
Wi Jeong-han glared with wide eyes.
"I stake my family and my name that irrelevant information will not be written. Only the points regarding this incident and the investigation I conducted will be included."
"Look here, Clan Head Wi."
A faint smirk appeared on Dang Yong-min's face.
"Perhaps in other places, your title as the Great and Upright Clan Head and the name of the Guangdong Clan may hold significance, but here, it is the Tang Clan. In this place, your title holds no value whatsoever."
Wi Jeong-han's face turned stiff.
This was a profound disrespect.
Just as Wi Jeong-han was about to speak, a lethargic voice came from behind.
"Then what about my name?"
"..."
Seeing the startled expression on Dang Yong-min's face, Wi Yeon-ho asked again.
"What if I stake my name?"
The troublemaker began to stir up trouble.