The arena became extremely silent.

He had lost.

Tang Hak had lost.

Everyone in the Tang family was at a loss for words as they came to terms with this reality.

‘It wasn’t even Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon.’

To lose to a woman who was nothing more than a party member…

Even though Yu Yiseol was a disciple who was much older compared to Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon, she was still way younger than Tang Hak.

And what happened to Tang Hak…

Those who watched it gulped.

What had just transpired held a huge meaning.

There were many sects in the world, but there were very few that were patriarchal like the Tang family. The Tang family was heartless and never passed on their legacies to their daughters, no matter how much they loved them.

And Tang Hak, who was regarded as the best in such a family, was defeated by a female disciple of Mount Hua.

Tang Soso clenched her fist.

“…we won.”

Her eyes trembled

Yu Yiseol had defeated Tang Hak. It must have been shocking for others, but it was much more than just a surprise to Tang Soso.

She had beat Tang Hak.

It was something that she had never even thought of.

Of course, their conditions were different. Because she was born as the daughter of the Tang family and didn’t have the legacy of the Tang family, she would never get to experience this… she would never be able to defeat Tang Hak.

But Yu Yiseol did it.

“…amazing.”

Tang Soso’s face was blank as she looked at Yu Yiseol.

After looking at Yu Yiseol, who was being treated because of the poison for a long time, she felt her body lighten up.

‘Uh?’

‘Why is that person going up there again?’

Chung Myung was walking up the stage.

‘They had won the spar, so why?’

Chung Myung got on the stage and looked around. Naturally, everyone’s eyes turned to him.

Even though his figure attracted so many gazes, he didn’t seem bothered. He was waiting for this moment. It was only around the time when most of the people didn’t understand why he was there that Chung Myung opened his mouth.

“To be honest.”

He opened his mouth quietly in a voice which wasn’t too high or low.

“I was expecting so much from the Sichuan Tang family…”

And he tilted his head.

“But I don’t understand what this is?”

Everyone looked at Chung Myung with startled eyes.

This was outright disrespect.

“Ahh. Don’t look at me with such angry faces. If you were in my position, you would think the same.”

Chung Myung pointed to Tang Hak, who was being carried away.

“Look.”

“…”

Everyone shut their mouths.

The loser had no right to speak.

“It is the most basic requirement for a warrior to understand their own abilities and that of their opponent before a spar.”

Chung Myung smiled.

It was obvious that every member of the Tang family felt anger at his words. But not a single one could openly express their anger.

This was expected.

Tang Hak wasn’t defeated by Chung Myung. He was defeated by one of his party members.

If Yu Yiseol was stronger than Chung Myung, she would have been the one to have the title of ‘Divine Dragon’. In other words, the probability of Tang Hak ever being able to go against Chung Myung was nil.

And still, he wanted to spar?

This was no different from being openly humiliated.

To look down on others and to overestimate yourself. This was something that one who led a family or a sect shouldn’t do.

“What I am asking is…”

Chung Myung looked around and said,

“Who was the one who suggested this nonsensical spar?”

Naturally, everyone turned their gazes to one direction. No one could openly say it out loud, but as soon as they were asked that question, their heads reflexively turned to the person who had asked for the spar.

All eyes went to Tang Woe.

“Ahem.”

Tang Woe coughed in vain with a face that indicated that he was feeling uncomfortable.

‘Damn it.’

Things had become messed up.

Tang Hak couldn’t be qualified as an opponent of Chung Myung. How could Tang Woe not know that? Wasn’t that why he had tried to poison him?

But when Tang Hak had lost to Yu Yiseol, everything had crumbled.

It might have looked bad, but even if he had achieved a difficult victory, he could have become the successor of the family. The important thing was to win, not how he won.

However, since he was defeated by Yu Yiseol, all of Tang Woe’s plans became meaningless.

Furthermore…

The countless eyes that were now pointed at him had the expression of asking him why he was so adamant about going through with this spar.

‘Will I really have to explain this myself?’

Would everything be fine if it was revealed that he had poisoned Chung Myung even before the spar to win?

As if he could say that!

Now he had to endure this abuse. Without thinking, without understanding the capabilities of his grandson, he was now forced to become an idiot who got verbally abused by Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon.

Tang Woe looked at Chung Myung, suppressing the anger that was about to explode any moment.

‘All because of him!’

He wanted to jump there and tear Chung Myung apart. But all he could do was stare.

Because he couldn’t bear to hear any news going around that an elder of the Tang family had attacked a younger disciple of another sect, he reigned in his anger.

Chung Myung smiled and looked at Tang Woe.

“Ah, you old man.”

Chung Myung, who emphasized the word ‘old’, tilted his head.

“But it is strange. I heard that the group of elders of the Tang family usually give advice to the Lord… but how can someone who doesn’t even know the capabilities of his own grandson and his opponent be qualified to give advice to the Lord of the family?”

“H-How dare you!”

Unable to control his anger anymore, Tang Woe ended up losing his cool.

“Look. The Lord who placed the bet ended up winning. Who is giving advice to whom here again?”

“You…”

Tang Woe’s face contorted.

Chung Myung was now hitting his sore spot. What has been done cannot be rectified. And unfortunately for him, he didn’t get what he planned.

But it was a fatal hit to Tang Woe to have his defeat revealed out in public like this in front of so many family members.

Because of this role as an elder who gave advice to the Lord.

Naturally, an adviser couldn’t be stronger or more powerful than the Lord, but he could have more insight than him. It was only natural for those who had grown up in the forefront of the family and lived with the title of ‘elder’ to use their insight and experiences for the betterment of the family.

“It is good that you are the elder. It sounds nice too. But I feel like you are holding onto the ankles of others without any qualification.”

“You better watch your mouth. I see that Mount Hua’s disciple has a lot of arrogance.”

Unable to keep it in any longer, he spoke coldly. However, Chung Myung, who heard this, pointed to Wang Woe instead of fearing it.

“Look.”

Chung Myung smirked.

“You don’t seem like you care, though. You seem to not know who is being arrogant here.”

“…what was that?”

Chung Myung shrugged and looked around.

“Do you know why that happened?”

No one could answer. Those who knew it didn’t speak, and those who didn’t know couldn’t answer.

“It’s simple.”

As if to explain it to the ignorant masses, Chung Myung raised his hand and pointed to the stage.

“It is because you are weak.”

“…”

Tang Woe’s eyes went wide.

“You are weak, so you don’t know how strong the opponent is. And you are going to give advice to others?”

Chung Myung shook his head.

“I should be glad that you cannot do this anymore.”

“…young man!”

“It is still the case. If you hadn’t been caught up with such weird thoughts, you wouldn’t have suffered such disgrace, and the Head of the family would have been free to pursue what he wanted. This is the price he has to endure for listening to the old men trying to control everything from the backroom.”

It was at that moment.

“Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon.”

Tang Gunak spoke in a low voice.

“Be careful of what you speak. They are the elders of the Tang family.”

“Kuak. Our Lord has such a good heart.”

Chung Myung wontedly exclaimed loudly and then spoke with a cold expression.

“You still treat the baggage on your shoulders as adults and elders.”

“You!”

Tang Woe jumped up from his seat.

“Just because I have been listening to you until now, you think you can keep crossing the line?! How long do you think I can endure this?”

“Look. You have no sense.”

“What?”

“All this time, I kept telling you that you shouldn’t speak out without knowing your opponent. How can you not understand a single thing, and what? Elder?”

Chung Myung looked straight at Tang Woe.

“Prove it. Do you have the qualifications for being an elder?”

“How…”

What Tang Woe wanted to ask was.

‘How can I prove it?’

Right. But, realizing that it was what Chung Myung wanted to know, he shut his mouth right away. Unfortunately for him, he had already said enough.

“Simple. You keep saying that you are being too patient with me. That is what the strong do to the weak.”

“…what?”

“Which is why I said you don’t have the eyes to see things for what they are.”

Chung Myung tapped his sword.

“Because I am stronger.”

“…”

“Let’s have you prove that insight. If the elder beats me, then the elder has good insight, and if I win, we can prove that those eyes of yours are of no use.”

“ha…”

Tang Woe smiled in dismay.

“Haha. Hahahahaha!”

In the end, Tang Woe, who stopped laughing, asked Chung Myung venomously.

“You want to spar with me?”

“Wow. I have been explaining for way too long, and you still do not understand. It shouldn’t be that difficult.”

“…”

Tang Woe patted his neck.

One word… just one word, and things had turned upside down. But he couldn’t stand it anymore.

“Just because you got some title, you seemed to have lost your reasoning completely. Do you want to spar with an elder of the Tang family?”

“Excuse me.”

Chung Myung took a deep breath.

“I know that your hearing isn’t that great because you are old, but it is hard for me to keep saying the same thing over and over again too. What am I to do?”

Tang Woe bit his lip.

But thinking about it, it wasn’t outrageous at all. Anyway, the situation had already become unsalvageable.

If he took down this cheeky bastard in front of all these people, he could close the situation even if his reputation would take a nosedive.

“Lord!”

Tang Woe looked up at the Lord of the Tang family and said,

“What do we do? If I kill that child, you will understand, right?”

Tang Gunak spoke with a blank face.

“Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon is a friend of the Tang family.”

“…”

“So, I cannot stop what my friend is doing.”

“Ha?”

Tang Woe became embarrassed as he heard what the Lord said.

“Hahahaha! It must have been real fun.”

Tang Woe immediately moved to the stage. And before the fluttering robe could even stop, he looked at Chung Myung with a serious face.

“You went too far. You should have stayed within your limits.”

“Look.”

“Um?”

Chung Myung laughed.

“I am not talking recklessly. After this is done, you will have to live as one family, so how are you going to carry your face around after the spar?”

Tang Woe didn’t respond.

He couldn’t find any reason to talk to him anymore. He just wanted to use the most poisonous needles and daggers he had on him and kill the brat in front of him.

“Ah, I am asking just in case. Are you going to use poison?”

Tang Woe bit his lip.

He was someone who used poison as his main weapon. And if he couldn’t use it, he would lose a third of his abilities.

But…

‘That would still be enough to kill him.’

Just as he was about to say he wouldn’t use it, Chung Myung said.

“If you want to use poison, there will be one condition.”

“…condition?”

“It is more of a bet than a condition.”

Chung Myung looked at Tang Gunak, who smiled.

He didn’t know what it was, but it meant he trusted Chung Myung. And the words which followed were shocking even for Tang Gunak.

“If your side wins, things will be as you wanted. Mount Hua will leave the Tang family and won’t ever look back at this place. Right… that idiot successor too, the Lord will make that one into a successor.”

“…Uh?”

Tang Gunak’s surprised voice was heard, but he couldn’t stop them now.

Tang Woe, who couldn’t believe it, asked Chung Myung.

“Are you insane?”

“Don’t worry. I am completely sane. You still haven’t heard the other part of the bet.”

“…and that is?”

“If I win…”

Chung Myung’s smiling face turned cold.

‘Don’t bother thinking what it is.’

Because he was going to do something they couldn’t imagine.

Chung Myung took a deep breath and said.

“Disband your party of elders and step down. To the Lord of the house, there will be no advisers like you anymore.”

The cold voice of Chung Myung penetrated the ears of everyone in the room.