A cold atmosphere settled.The Alliance Leader immediately continued, as if sweeping away that chill. “If you think it is unfair that only the Tang Clan leaves, you may go together to search for Young Lady Tang. Then you can directly watch over the Tang Clan yourselves. After those who accompany the pursuit return, we will verify them at leisure.”The Zhuge Clan Head spoke again. “To summarize, Alliance Leader, you are saying there is a Blood Cult spy among us, so you will inspect all Alliance members. However, the Tang Clan is the exception—you will allow them to go outside and then check them after they return.”Though the Zhuge Clan Head subtly distorted the Alliance Leader’s words, the Alliance Leader did not waver and answered briefly. “That is correct.”“What will you do if the Tang Clan does not return?”Someone asked, dissatisfied. The Tang Clan Head answered. “As soon as I find my household member, I will return and submit to as much interrogation and examination as you wish.”The Tang Clan Head met the eyes of the Mount Qingcheng elder, then turned his gaze aside. A few people showed a lingering sense of unease, but they could not refute the Clan Head’s words. If they stopped him now, it would create the mood for a life-and-death duel. A duel was not frightening, but there was no justification—no reason that would be acceptable in everyone’s mouths to fight to the death against an Alliance member who said he was going out to find his child. Even the Zhuge Clan Head, who had raised the issue, kept his mouth shut.As the silence continued, the Alliance Leader spoke. “The Tang Clan may go. Just write down the list of those leaving headquarters.”“Yes, we will do so.”The Clan Head immediately stood up. But Tang Min, who stood behind him, blocked him. Tang Min’s gaze was fixed on the Alliance Leader.“Alliance Leader.”He spoke with a serious face he had never shown before. “The member of our household who disappeared is a child whose inner thoughts are hard to read, but he does not act frivolously. Yet that child left following-incense as he entered your quarters.”Tang Min spoke in an uninflected voice. “Also, when leaving, he even asked the Clan Head to keep Daoist Wu So’s Boeun pae safe. Yet inside your quarters, some Blood Cult bastard was imitating that child.”Tang Min’s voice was calm, without rise or fall. “As you mentioned at the start of this meeting, the Duel Tournament is an important event of the Martial Alliance. Yet you, Alliance Leader, did not show yourself for over ten days under the excuse of chronic illness, and today you appear looking very healthy. You asked that Young Lady Sohwa be sent to you along with the Divine Physician.”Tang Min’s cold gaze fixed on the Alliance Leader. “Are all of these coincidences?”A deep silence settled.Tang Min’s sharpened voice cut through that silence as he asked again. “Alliance Leader, it seems you already knew that the Blood Cult whelps were targeting the Tang Clan’s household member—am I mistaken?”No one was able to intrude into the conversation.The faces of the Tang Clan Head and the Taeguk Sword Sovereign, who knew Tang Min well, darkened, and those listening wore puzzled looks. The Heukcheon Amgui, famous for being headstrong, was asking with an oddly composed calm.However, the Alliance Leader’s face was instead placid. As if he were someone who had seen Tang Min like this before.Tang Min took a deep breath, closed his eyes, then opened them. Everyone thought the Heukcheon Amgui would finally run amok, but Tang Min said something unexpected. “If the Alliance Leader is not connected to those bastards… then please help us.”The Heukcheon Amgui, having reined in his own anger, made a difficult plea. “We request headquarters’ support in finding our household member.”Tang Min had seen through that something was hidden behind Tang Sohwa’s disappearance. Thus he set aside his pride and asked for help. As the Sichuan Tang Clan under the Alliance, he asked for the headquarters’ support. The Alliance Leader seemed to know the hidden underside.Dozens of gazes at the Alliance Meeting turned toward the Alliance Leader. But the Alliance Leader seemed not to see them. He simply met the Heukcheon Amgui’s eyes in silence.Through the gaze of that old man, a past no one remembered flowed. The stench of blood from Geumeunsan, long forgotten, filled his breath.He could not refuse the Heukcheon Amgui’s request. This was someone who had, countless times, followed him to cast away his life and enter desperate straits.If only the situation were not as it is…After a long time, the Alliance Leader spoke heavily. “I understand the Tang Clan’s circumstances. However, with the Blood Cult having infiltrated headquarters, it is difficult to turn headquarters’ personnel outward.”Facing the Heukcheon Amgui’s disappointment, the Alliance Leader spoke the gist. “Therefore, please allow me to accompany you alone.”Shocked gazes came pouring in. But the Alliance Leader paid such reactions no mind. He merely added, as if in excuse to the Heukcheon Amgui, “I tried to protect Young Lady Tang.”A sigh escaped naturally. Along with that breath came a powerless thought. However, it seems I cannot go against even this.Then someone clicked his tongue. “I will go as well.”The Taeguk Sword Sovereign, who had been quietly watching the situation, spoke. “From the start, I was not someone who had to attend the Duel Tournament, so my absence should not hinder the event. Thus I will go with you.”The Taeguk Sword Sovereign looked to the Wudang Sect Leader seated beside him as if asking permission. He nodded slightly, supporting the Sword Sovereign’s choice.Perhaps he had expected it; the Taeguk Sword Sovereign smiled and looked at the Heukcheon Amgui. He began a joke, as if to break the heavy mood. “Besides, look at that. Those leaving right now clearly look short on numbers, don’t they? I should at least watch their backs.”As the Taeguk Sword Sovereign stood, someone from Mount Hua stood as well. “If it is the road of pursuing the Blood Cult, Mount Hua must also know of it. Mount Hua bears a great debt to the Blood Cult.”The Mount Hua Sect Leader did not waver at Wu So’s movement, as if he had already given permission. His gaze was even sharper than Wu So’s. It seemed the grudge against the Blood Cult was still deep.If one wished to accompany them, this was the chance. The mood was like that. However, no one else volunteered to go along.The Alliance Leader regarded the venerable ones of Mount Hua and Wudang. By a strange twist, those two had stepped forward to accompany them. It was unfamiliar that those who always stayed behind to guard the retreat were the ones going foremost. Of course, this time it was not a situation where the disciples they risked their lives to protect were in danger.The Alliance Leader did not open his mouth. He only gave a small nod.Then Zhuge Inhwi beside him spoke to the Alliance Leader. “If the Alliance Leader will leave headquarters, then I will also go with you.”“Enough.”But the Alliance Leader, who had not opposed others joining until now, cut him off sharply. Something was odd, but Zhuge Inhwi spoke in a calm tone. “Since this is an incident that occurred at headquarters, the Sagye Hall must know of it. Looking at those who are going now, we dare not send personnel from Chuhyeon Pavilion; they would only hold you back. It is right that I go.”“You must remain and root out the Blood Cult. Where do you think you’re going, when the blood on your head hasn’t even dried?” The Alliance Leader deliberately scraped Zhuge Inhwi’s nerves, insulting him before everyone, but Zhuge Inhwi did not waver. The Administrator repeated the same assertion. “If it is the road toward the Blood Cult’s base, the Sagye Hall must know of it. And hearing what the Tang Clan physician just said, it seems Young Lady Tang and a Blood Cult bastard have entered a formation; you will need me.”It seemed many inwardly hoped for Zhuge Inhwi to go along; those including the Tang Clan did not try to stop the Administrator’s joining.It was then.“Since there is the alliance of the Five Great Families, the Zhuge Clan should of course lend a hand.” The Zhuge Clan Head curved his neat lips and backed the Administrator. “Administrator, take a few of the Zhuge Clan’s youngsters. We have many who are skilled in formations—they will help. Our main house is nearby, so it won’t take long.”At the Zhuge Clan Head’s words, the Administrator’s gaze slid. The Zhuge Clan Head, who had been needling the Tang Clan Head up to now, spoke of the Five Great Families’ alliance and told him to take Zhuge swordsmen. Anyone could see it was not a proposal for the Tang Clan’s sake. He kept pressing the Administrator to emphasize ties with the Zhuge Clan; it was blatant.The Alliance Leader, the Taeguk Sword Sovereign, Wu So, the Administrator—seeing plainly the stature of those who had stepped up to aid the Tang Clan, the Zhuge Clan Head still mentioned sending “the Zhuge Clan’s youngsters.” The intention was clear: not to expend precious personnel, but to hand over a few lives he could spare.The Administrator met the Zhuge Clan Head’s eyes and smiled. “Thank you. In that case, Juwon and Daejeong… ah, may I choose the youngsters who will accompany us?”The Zhuge Clan Head seemed pleased that Zhuge Inhwi mentioned the Zhuge Clan’s household by familiar names, and answered at once. “Of course. If the Administrator requests their detachment, it will be an honor for those youngsters as well.”“Thank you, Clan Head.” The Administrator’s lips tilted. “Then please send Juwon and Daejeong, Hyeonso, and also Cheonyu.”At Zhuge Inhwi’s words, the Zhuge Clan Head’s face went rigid.Cheonyu. It was Zhuge Cheonyu, a direct daughter of the Zhuge main line. Outwardly, he pretended to cherish her while using her to grip a power that would become a funding source. Recently, marriage talks had been going back and forth with the Anguk Merchant Group, which circulates the greatest capital in the Central Plains. For the Clan Head, this was not merely sending a child; it was laying out the Zhuge Clan’s vast capital.However, Zhuge Inhwi, without changing his expression, asked in a steady voice. “We must depart in haste, so I will take them immediately. Since they are all youngsters who came to accompany the Duel Tournament, two ke should suffice for them to prepare, yes?”“……”The Zhuge Clan Head, unable to do this or that, held his silence—then the Alliance Leader spoke again. “Vice Alliance Leader, in the meantime, interrogate the Blood Cult man in the dungeon and root out the infiltrators. I feel sorry to leave and saddle you alone with the task, but I’m counting on you.”“Yes. Leave it to me.”The Alliance Leader wrapped up the meeting, as if the Zhuge household’s business did not exist in his eyes at all. The Zhuge Clan Head, having missed the moment to object, forced a smile.After the passing of turmoil.In all the countless times repeated, not once had this happened: a force organized for the rescue of the Ten-Thousand Poisons and Cures Master.Hardly had the Alliance Leader and a little more than ten martial artists gone out when headquarters locked every gate.

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