Chapter 62: Tang Sogyeom
For a moment, I couldn't help being caught off guard.
I had never imagined someone would recognize my title in a place like this.
He knows who I am?
I was also curious.
I hadn't introduced myself, so how had he recognized me at a glance?
I composed my expression and answered,
“I am called by that title, yes... but may I ask how you know me?”
The handsome young man in green robes smiled brightly and gave me a martial salute.
His voice was clear and pleasant.
“I thought it might be you, and it seems I was right.”
He bowed slightly.
“It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Tang Sogyeom, from Sichuan.”
Hm?
Sichuan?
And his surname was Tang.
A Tang from Sichuan, wearing green robes...
Could it be?
I asked carefully,
“Are you perhaps from the Sichuan Tang Clan?”
Tang Sogyeom smiled gently.
“That is correct.”
“I come from a branch family, so it is nothing worth boasting about, but I am a member of the Sichuan Tang Clan.”
The moment he said that...
the way we looked at him changed slightly.
The Sichuan Tang Clan.
When it came to poison and hidden weapons, they stood at the very peak of the martial world.
The name itself carried considerable weight.
And although Tang Sogyeom modestly claimed to be from a branch family...
he had introduced himself openly as a member of the Tang Clan.
That alone suggested he held a respectable position within the family.
I returned his greeting with a light martial salute.
“Han Mujin of Kunlun.”
I gestured toward the others.
“These are my fellow disciples.”
Hyeongwon, Yu Seola, and Myeongjeon each gave brief greetings.
Tang Sogyeom's smile grew brighter.
“It is an honor to meet the talented disciples of Kunlun like this.”
Then he asked,
“Are the four of you perhaps on your way to the Dragon-Phoenix Awakening Tournament?”
“Yes.”
“As am I.”
Tang Sogyeom looked genuinely pleased.
“What a fortunate meeting.”
Then he briefly glanced around the hall.
Perhaps because of the commotion earlier...
many people inside the inn were still sneaking glances toward us.
Tang Sogyeom turned back to us.
Then, with another polite martial salute, he asked carefully,
“If it would not be an inconvenience... may my companions and I join you?”
“As fellow martial artists, I would like to share a few words.”
He waited respectfully for our permission.
I looked toward the others.
Hyeongwon gave a quiet nod.
Yu Seola glanced at Tang Sogyeom with obvious curiosity.
Myeongjeon merely shrugged as if he saw no problem.
I felt the same.
It wasn't often that one met a member of the Sichuan Tang Clan in person.
The clan was famous throughout the world...
yet remained highly secretive, with many things kept hidden from outsiders.
That alone made me curious.
And who knew?
Like Jin Gwangung had said...
perhaps one brief meeting at an inn could someday become an unexpected connection.
I nodded toward Tang Sogyeom.
“Of course.”
And just like that...
we welcomed Tang Sogyeom and his companions to our table.
My first meeting with outsiders during my first true journey through the martial world.
Whether it would become a good connection or a bad one...
I supposed time would tell.
A short while later, Tang Sogyeom's three companions came over to our table.
Each gave us a brief martial salute.
“Please excuse the intrusion.”
“We appreciate your hospitality.”
“It is good to meet you.”
Tang Sogyeom naturally introduced them.
“This is Young Master Jang Ho of the Iron Mountain Sect in Hebei.”
A broad-shouldered man lowered his head heavily.
“Jang Ho of the Iron Mountain Sect.”
His temples bulged noticeably.
It looked like he had trained external martial arts extensively.
Tang Sogyeom continued.
“And this is Young Master Sim Doyun of the White Cloud Sect.”
“The White Cloud Sect is well known in the northwest for its sword arts.”
At the introduction, Sim Doyun quietly bowed.
His calm, disciplined eyes left a strong impression.
Tang Sogyeom introduced the last person.
“And this is Young Master Gwak Munseok of the Gwak Family of Jiangdong.”
“This is also Young Master Gwak's first journey through the martial world.”
Gwak Munseok smiled simply.
“Gwak Munseok.”
“I hope I will not be a burden.”
As I accepted their greetings...
I tilted my head inwardly.
Iron Mountain Sect.
White Cloud Sect.
The Gwak Family of Jiangdong....
They were probably reasonably well known in their own regions.
But compared to the Sichuan Tang Clan, their status was clearly lower.
How did Tang Sogyeom end up traveling with them?
Still...
it wasn't something worth asking outright.
So I kept the thought to myself.
“A good meeting deserves good wine.”
Once everyone had taken their seats...
Tang Sogyeom ordered a bottle.
The waiter soon brought it over.
Tang Sogyeom began pouring drinks.
After one round had emptied and the cups were filled again...
we exchanged a few more introductions.
Once we had grown somewhat familiar with each other...
I finally asked the question that had been bothering me.
“Young Master Tang.”
“Yes, Young Master Mujin.”
“I asked earlier, but I'm still curious.”
I looked at him.
“How did you know the title Kunlun's Young Hero?”
“And how did you know I was the one?”
Tang Sogyeom smiled and nodded.
“You may not be aware of it yourself...”
He said,
“but your name is already well known even within the Sichuan Tang Clan.”
“Well known?”
What did that mean?
The Thousand Poisons Old Demon had indeed been one of the Hundred Great Poisoners Under Heaven...
but in the end, he was still only one martial artist.
I couldn't understand why killing someone like that would be enough to attract the attention of the Sichuan Tang Clan.
Tang Sogyeom continued.
“I heard every single person who went missing in Black Spirit Valley had been poisoned.”
That was true.
The missing disciples had all been affected by Trance Powder.
A kind of anesthetic poison that induced a near-death state for a period of time when inhaled in large quantities.
It was the poison powder the Shadow Corps used when kidnapping test subjects.
Tang Sogyeom continued.
“Even now, no one has properly identified exactly what poison the Thousand Poisons Old Demon used at the time.”
“Our Tang Clan makes poison our profession, so naturally we took particular interest in the incident.”
I asked,
“So that's how my title reached the Sichuan Tang Clan?”
Tang Sogyeom didn't answer immediately.
