Reverse Scale (2)
The banquet began.
With the grand feast held after a long time, a boisterous atmosphere filled the hall.
"The family head will dine."
The venue fell silent in an instant.
The family head of the Cheon Clan, Cheon Wigang, appeared dressed in neat attire.
Kuuuuung!
Cheon Wigang's presence—sharp and well-honed like a finely forged sword—was truly the epitome of a swordsman.
The absolute ruler of the Cheon Clan, Cheon Wigang, took his seat upon the chair carved with dragons.
"Today, we have invited a special guest."
At Cheon Wigang's signal,
"Next, we welcome the honored guests from the Sichuan Tang Clan."
Murmur, murmur!
Why would members of the Sichuan Tang Clan be here?
Most had heard nothing of this beforehand, and their surprise was evident.
"Ah...."
Yet that commotion soon subsided.
It was because Tang Sohye revealed herself.
As she walked forward slowly, no flowery words of praise seemed sufficient to describe her beauty.
Srrr.
At first, there was a chill to her presence, yet with just a faint, gentle smile, she radiated a brilliance like the sun calmly gazing upon the entire world.
"Ice Blossom (氷花)...."
Known also as the most beautiful woman in Sichuan, Tang Sohye's beauty was famed throughout the Central Plains' martial world.
And yet—why had she come to the Cheon Clan?
Eyes filled with questions turned toward Cheon Wigang.
The moment Tang Sohye took her seat at the designated guest table, Cheon Wigang rose and announced to all,
"The Cheon Clan and the Sichuan Tang Clan seek to advance their relationship through marriage."
"...!"
"Then, could it be...?"
"That mad eldest young master?"
Who would be marrying Tang Sohye?
There was only one possible candidate—Cheon Muyang.
"That is correct."
Kooong!
Cheon Wigang's declaration was nothing short of shocking.
"The eldest young master… where is the eldest young master?"
Everyone searched for Cheon Muyang.
Creeeak!
The banquet hall doors—shut tight after all the Tang Clan members had entered—opened once more.
"...!"
The figures who appeared were Cheon Muyang and Cheon Seonhak.
"Here I am."
Some wondered why he had entered together with Cheon Seonhak, but there was a more pressing matter.
Cheon Muyang headed toward his seat.
Whether it was deliberate or not, it was the seat beside Tang Sohye.
"We meet again, young master."
"...."
Cheon Muyang did not even turn his head.
Instead, he looked straight at Cheon Wigang, who was staring at him.
"Family Head."
"Speak."
"Please consider this engagement null and void."
The once-quiet banquet hall erupted into noise again.
Twitch!
Cheon Wigang's brows furrowed.
It looked no more than the childish obstinacy of a boy who couldn't even tell whom this was for.
A heavy pressure naturally began to rise.
Just as he was about to unleash his fury—
"I am of the same opinion."
Another voice, carrying a presence that could not be ignored, stopped him.
This time, confusion surfaced in Cheon Wigang's eyes.
"Seonhak...?"
He had not expected his younger brother to oppose him.
"What do you mean by that?"
"I mean that I agree with the eldest young master. Please reconsider the marriage with the Sichuan Tang Clan."
"...."
Cheon Wigang did not conceal his anger.
Bang!
Crack!
He slammed his foot down and rose with such force that the floor seemed ready to shatter.
Though the windows were clearly closed, a violent gust of wind swept through the hall.
"Ghk!"
A pressure that made hearts seize.
Standing at its center, Cheon Wigang emanated the awe-inspiring presence of an absolute ruler.
"How dare you!"
However, Cheon Seonhak did not yield in the slightest.
"Are you truly defying my will?"
"For what purpose are you bringing in the Tang Clan? You know well that there is no real benefit."
Crrrk!
As their opposing presences clashed, the banquet hall fell further into disarray.
The maidservants who had not learned martial arts shrank back in fear, and even those who had—
Dared not respond in any way to that pressure.
They could only wait for it to pass.
"Everything is for the sake of the clan! Do you truly not understand that?"
"I do not."
There was not a single step of retreat.
Just as things were about to spiral into catastrophe—
"That's enough."
Cheon Muyang's voice cut between the two men.
At that, Cheon Seonhak released his presence as if he had been waiting for it.
"...."
Cheon Wigang did as well.
Though a sense of unease lingered, he withdrew his pressure.
As if nothing had happened, silence settled once more.
"My decision remains unchanged. I will not go through with this marriage. If you must—then expel me instead."
"You insolent wretch!"
"But I still have my duty to fulfill."
Cheon Muyang rose from his seat.
The moment he drew his sword, he swung it toward Tang Sohye.
Swoosh!
A sword came flying in.
Its owner was one of the bodyguards who had provoked Cheon Muyang earlier.
Clang!
Cheongwang was knocked aside.
It was a clear difference in strength.
Seeing this, Tang Sohye fixed Cheon Muyang with cold eyes.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Hand it over. The antidote."
"The antidote, you say… Are you saying you'll make an enemy of the Tang Clan over a mere maid?"
"She is not a mere maid."
"...?"
"She is mine."
"How interesting."
Tang Sohye took out a glass vial from her robes.
It was likely the antidote.
"I can't just give it to you for free. Ah, don't misunderstand—this is simply my family's creed."
"...."
"But perhaps, if there were conditions."
Tang Sohye casually tossed out the bait.
A bait he would have no choice but to bite.
"Say it."
"Defeat my bodyguard."
"That's all?"
"Yes. Isn't this the way of martial families?"
"Fine. I accept."
Grin.
Cheon Muyang smiled.
Everything was proceeding exactly as planned.
Unaware of this, Tang Sohye could only look at that smile with puzzlement.
"You. Step forward."
"...."
In an instant, the banquet hall turned into a training ground.
It was the man who had swung his sword at Wolyeong.
"What is the meaning of this?"
Cheon Wigang stepped forward.
A duel?
Who was to duel whom?
It was a contest that should never have been possible in the first place.
"I will handle this."
"...!"
Cheon Wigang felt something strange.
The old Cheon Muyang would have fled long ago.
But he didn't.
Instead, Cheon Muyang declared that he would handle it himself and raised his sword.
'Now that I think about it…'
Only then did Cheon Wigang notice what had changed.
'He's lost weight? What happened?'
Cheon Wigang glanced at Cheon Seonhak.
As if to say you see it too, Cheon Seonhak nodded.
'So that's it.'
Cheon Wigang said nothing more.
It was tacit permission.
Holding Cheongwang in a solemn stance, Cheon Muyang faced his opponent.
But the opponent was relaxed.
'Yes. For now, you're still stronger. I know it. You know it too.'
Contrary to his aura, Cheon Muyang did not charge in first.
He waited patiently.
'There's only one chance.'
His caution might have looked like empty bravado.
At least, that was how Tang Sohye's bodyguard judged it.
'The mad eldest young master… clinging to his pride until the very end.'
He sneered.
They had already crossed blades once.
He remembered clearly how Cheon Muyang's sword had been knocked away without him even using full strength.
That meant there was a decisive gap.
That mad young master would never be able to block his blade.
'It'll hurt quite a bit.'
Swoosh!
His sword lunged forward sharply.
A thrust the mad eldest young master could not possibly respond to.
He wasn't using his full strength, but this was more than enough.
"Good. Just as I hoped—you moved exactly how I expected."
The thrust traced a straight line.
But just before it reached Cheon Muyang—
The trajectory twisted.
"...!"
It wasn't just the sword.
It felt as though his entire body was being sucked into Cheon Muyang's blade.
Whoooosh!
A small wind erupted around the point of impact, then surged upward as if ascending to the heavens.
"T-this—!"
Woooong!
Cheongwang let out a clear sword hum.
Then, a storm-like gale of sharp wind engulfed him.
Within it, a seething rage could be felt.
"You touched the Reverse Scale ."
"...!"
Slice!
Blood stained Cheongwang's blade.
Thud!
His right arm dropped to the floor.
"Aaaaargh!"
The bodyguard screamed.
Yet Cheon Muyang looked at him—and at Tang Sohye—with eyes colder than ice.
"No one touches the people of the Cheon Clan. You'd do well to carve that deep into the Tang Clan's creed."
"...That's not something we can simply ignore."
Tang Sohye was not alone.
The Tang Clan retainers who had accompanied her were far from weak.
Srrring!
They drew their swords all at once.
At the same time, a middle-aged man who had remained silent until now unfolded his arms and stepped to Tang Sohye's side.
"It seems it's time for my uncle to step in."
Tang Sohye addressed him as her uncle.
A strange aura welled up from his entire body.
Goooooo!
"Hey, it's not like you're the only one with an uncle. We'll need you to step in as well."
"Hm… very well."
At that, Cheon Seonhak stepped forward.
And that wasn't all.
"And the young master is not alone."
"...?"
Neung Ryeoun and Cha Myeonghak stepped out.
Behind them, trainees who had been inspired by Cheon Muyang stood with swords in hand.
"You all..."
"This is the Cheon Clan. The young master is the eldest young master of the Cheon Clan. Who would dare harm him here, in the Cheon Clan?"
Neung Ryeoun was holding a wooden sword.
Seeing this, Cheon Muyang smiled.
"Good. Now this finally makes three."
"...."
The situation was unfavorable.
Tang Sohye was not foolish enough to fail to recognize that.
"This isn't looking good."
"I know."
"But if we withdraw just like this, it'll look ridiculous."
"Yes. Even if we retreat, shouldn't we at least recover the cost of coming all this way?"
The taut tension was like the string of a seven-stringed zither on the verge of snapping.
At that, Tang Sohye stepped forward.
"Family Head."
"Speak."
"I didn't expect the Cheon Clan to treat honored guests like this."
"No, I wasn't speaking to you, miss."
Without even sparing Tang Sohye a glance, Cheon Wigang asked Cheon Muyang,
"Tell me. Who touched someone of the Cheon Clan?"
"My maid, Wolyeong, was poisoned."
"Poison, you say...."
Only then did Cheon Wigang's gaze turn to Tang Sohye.
"Is that true?"
"Over a mere maid! Are you truly pressuring the Tang Clan over something so trivial?"
"I told you already—it's not a mere maid."
Kugugugung!
Cheon Wigang's gaze grew fierce.
"It seems... the marriage with the Tang Clan must be called off. Take that understanding with you when you leave."
Crack.
Tang Sohye's face twisted.
Even that was beautiful—but to Cheon Muyang, it looked nothing but ugly.
"H-how dare you!"
"If you refuse to withdraw...."
Cheon Wigang finally drew his sword.
At that moment, not only the Silent Heavenly Dragon Sword Corps and the Heavenly Phoenix Sword Corps, but everyone attending the banquet drew their blades.
"The Tang Clan will learn why the Heavenly Dragon's swords dominate the martial world."
"T-this—!"
"We must withdraw."
"...."
Knowing this was no time for stubbornness, Tang Sohye forcibly erased her emotions.
"Today's humiliation... I will never forget it."
"Enough. Hand over the antidote."
"...."
Tang Sohye threw the glass vial containing the antidote to Cheon Muyang.
"Then we'll take our leave."
The moment he caught it, Cheon Muyang left the banquet hall.
It was to give the antidote to Wolyeong.
Though resentment boiled within them at the sight, Cheon Wigang's expulsion order followed immediately.
"Why are you still here?"
In the end, the Tang Clan members had no choice but to put away their weapons and flee the Cheon Clan grounds as if being chased out.
"Cheon Muyang...."
Tang Sohye had never been treated like this anywhere before.
As a result, her anger froze cold—like frost in the height of summer.
"You're completely different from what I expected."
"So it is. They called him a peerless madman, yet that information was wrong. Tsk."
The two looked at the man whose arm had been severed.
The outcome was nothing like they had anticipated.
"How unfortunate. It was a perfect chance to use the Cheon Clan as a foothold to enter Zhejiang."
"...We will meet again, Cheon Muyang."
With that promise of the future, the Tang Clan departed.