Chapter 394

Jin Ja-gang had become an asura and was rampaging.

Even when the martial artists tried to reform their lines, Jin Ja-gang didn’t let them do so. He clung tenaciously like a leech and burrowed into the gaps between martial artists.

The martial artists’ skills were extremely high. But permission hadn’t yet come from Tang Qing to kill Jin Ja-gang. Neutralizing Jin Ja-gang, who had already reached the ranks of masters, by only injuring his limbs was an extremely difficult task.

Therefore, the number of martial artists continued to decrease.

But Tang Qing, who should have been giving commands, issued no orders and was only lost in his own thoughts.

No, to be precise, he was watching the situation properly. But he was deliberately not giving orders. If he killed Jin Ja-gang, he wouldn’t know what scheme was being played. Perhaps even this was part of Jin Ja-gang’s calculations, but he couldn’t help it. That guy was such a vicious type that even capturing and torturing him wouldn’t make him talk.

But since he still wasn’t presenting any breakthrough plan and was just fighting with his body, Tang Qing was dying of curiosity.

“Strange…”

Tang Qing muttered.

“Strange. Something’s definitely strange. Something’s off.”

No matter how positively he thought about it, looking at Jin Ja-gang’s actions, it seemed like he had rushed in to die.

Except for the first move, there didn’t seem to be any hidden tricks.

“Knowing full well I’d be prepared, why did he come alone?”

But it wasn’t as if Jin Ja-gang planned to kill everyone here including Tang Qing by himself.

Having just exchanged moves, Jin Ja-gang was certainly strong. Strong enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with renowned masters of the martial world. Adding the worst poison called Asura Blood, he could kill masters beyond his skill level.

In five years at the earliest, ten years at the latest, Jin Ja-gang would become one of the martial world’s notable figures.

But that was all for the future.

“Why does he look like someone desperate to die right now? Why? Someone with such a bright future, why?”

Tang Qing narrowed his eyes and observed his dying subordinates.

Each time Jin Ja-gang swung his hand, thud thud, blood spurted and flesh flew about. A martial artist from behind struck Jin Ja-gang’s head with a spear shaft, and Jin Ja-gang scattered blood while throwing Soul Seizing Thread backward to sever his opponent’s neck.

Nearly sixty casualties had already occurred. All the work of Jin Ja-gang alone.

But Tang Qing didn’t care about the death count. Things have priorities, and values have importance. The deaths of subordinates were just numbers, but not grasping Jin Ja-gang’s intentions made Tang Qing directly uncomfortable. Made him anxious. That was more important to Tang Qing.

“Did I… miss something. Did I…”

Watching Jin Ja-gang fight made his poisoned right foot throb.

“Did I… did I miss something, or is that guy really crazy?”

Either way would be very unpleasant for Tang Qing.

Tang Qing irritably stamped his feet.

Suddenly, Tang Qing realized what he had missed.

“Could it be… the meaning of the joint petition wasn’t what I thought?”

As Jin Ja-gang said, the joint petition itself wasn’t rebellion. It was authorization conducted through normal procedures.

The joint petition meant the three Poison Sect Cliques had transferred their authority to Jin Ja-gang, but nowhere was it written that they would oust King of Hell. The talk about ousting King of Hell was only what Jin Ja-gang spoke at this place, and might not have been the three Poison Sect Cliques’ intention.

Could the three Poison Sect Cliques have signed the joint petition to rebel against him knowing they would die?

Then why did Jin Ja-gang bring out the joint petition?

To show Tang Qing that he had the support of the three Poison Sect Cliques?

“Ahhh.”

Thinking this way, some parts made sense.

“Crazy bastard.”

Soon Tang Qing shouted.

Retreat!

A sound like thunder and lightning burst forth.

Despite the sudden order, the martial artists stopped attacking Jin Ja-gang and immediately withdrew. But Jin Ja-gang had Soul Seizing Thread wrapped around one martial artist’s neck until the very end.

The martial artist with Soul Seizing Thread around his neck struggled. Since everyone had withdrawn from around Jin Ja-gang, Tang Qing could see Jin Ja-gang clearly. Jin Ja-gang also looked at Tang Qing.

Then, as if to show off, he pulled the Soul Seizing Thread.

The Soul Seizing Thread wrapped around the martial artist’s neck slipped out smoothly.

Thud.

The martial artist’s head rolled to the ground and was buried among numerous severed bodies.

Jin Ja-gang had suffered tremendous wounds all over his body. There were even wounds with finger-sized holes where he’d been pierced through.

But with such a blood-soaked body, he looked at Tang Qing and smiled. Jin Ja-gang’s mouth opened wide, revealing blood-stained white teeth.

“Am I very late?”

Tang Qing’s eyes flashed.

“This bastard…”

Jin Ja-gang didn’t even answer. His smile only deepened.

Tang Qing said.

“Truly insufferably cunning.”

“Did it seem that way?”

“You disguised it as plotting rebellion but didn’t actually carry it out! Rather, you made me break the rules by bringing troops to suppress rebels!”

Tang Qing pressed.

“Right or wrong, speak! Am I mistaken!”

“Wasn’t that already discussed earlier?”

“Yes. And you threw yourself as bait. You made evidence on your own body that I brought troops to attack you. So I couldn’t make excuses.”

Jin Ja-gang’s smile faded.

Now conversely, a smile began to appear at Tang Qing’s lips.

“Did you want my recognition that badly? So you kept pressuring me by talking about rules?”

Without waiting for Jin Ja-gang’s answer, Tang Qing said.

“Good! I acknowledge you! The method of making me King of Hell unable to keep the rules was good too. I highly evaluate how you proved yourself by bringing the three Poison Sect Cliques under your command. But!”

Tang Qing made a bizarre expression, smiling while frowning.

“Your plan has a big flaw. If I kill you, the plan you worked so hard to prepare becomes nothing in the end. In other words, it’s a completely useless plan unless I acknowledge and spare you.”

Tang Qing giggled.

“Of course it was worth risking your life to be stubborn. You made my liver turn cold.”

Jin Ja-gang looked at Tang Qing expressionlessly.

Tang Qing continued speaking.

“Refusing offered authority and struggling to seize it… yes, that’s perhaps your way of proving your worth. I respect that.”

Jin Ja-gang scratched his cheek. Blood trickled from the wounds on his cheek.

“Should I be grateful?”

Tang Qing smiled and shook his head.

“Everything about you is good except that impudent tongue. It stimulates listeners and keeps making them feel bad. But I’ll endure it just for today. Come, tell me. What do you really want? Having seized the successor position supported by the three Poison Sect Cliques, what do you want to obtain from me?”

Jin Ja-gang listened to Tang Qing’s words with his head tilted, then picked up a broken spear from the ground. He wiped the blood-stained spear shaft clean with his clothes, then gripped the spear tightly and raised his internal energy.

Then he pulled back his shoulder and threw it at Tang Qing with all his might.

It was visibly not a simple threat but his full effort. The spear shaft he’d been gripping was crushed!

Martial artists grabbed spears and blocked in front of Tang Qing.

Crash!

The broken spear brutally pierced through the martial artists. It only stopped after piercing through three people. The spear point that penetrated a martial artist’s back protruded and reached right to Tang Qing’s nose.

Tang Qing’s expression froze while still smiling.

“What?”

Other martial artists blocked in front of Tang Qing and cleared away the dead.

Jin Ja-gang stared at Tang Qing and said.

“What do you take people’s words for? I said I have no interest in positions inherited from enemies.”

“…What?”

Tang Qing’s pupils shook.

If not that, then what exactly brought Jin Ja-gang to this place?

Tang Qing fell into confusion once again. Thick veins bulged on his forehead.

“Don’t test… my patience. After doing such nonsensical things, was it really to oust me?”

“I’ve said it several times. I clearly acted according to procedures and presented an agenda following proper procedures. Where is there anything to misunderstand?”

“You’re telling me to believe that?”

“You even doubt the rules and procedures you set yourself.”

Tang Qing’s pupils moved left and right even faster. He tried to find flaws in Jin Ja-gang’s words and actions.

“Don’t be ridiculous! Let’s say your words are true. Then where are the others? The ones who entered Sichuan!”

A faint smile appeared at Jin Ja-gang’s lips.

“Are you curious? Where they are?”

“Speak quickly!”

Jin Ja-gang unexpectedly answered immediately without delay.

“Tang Family Main House.”

“What?”

Tang Qing asked incredulously.

“Those guys attacked our family? You can’t seriously believe that after monks destroyed some outer walls, our family would suffer just because I’m not there?”

Jin Ja-gang answered as if it were an obvious question.

“Then why would they go there?”

“When even the monks couldn’t see the inner courtyard, do you think those guys could set even one foot in the inner courtyard?”

Jin Ja-gang answered casually.

“They’re probably in the inner courtyard by now.”

He was openly saying he had stalled for time.

The martial artists were also flustered. It was absurd, but they wondered if it could really be true.

Sparks flew from Tang Qing’s eyes. Tang Qing ground his teeth until they might break.

Crack!

“I showed mercy and tried to endure somehow because I pitied the fellow, but he dares… dares to mock me?”

But Jin Ja-gang’s snicker made Tang Qing’s anger rise even more steeply.

And simultaneously brought greater suspicion.

What if, as Jin Ja-gang said, he had fallen for a scheme and come outside while the Tang Family Main House was really being attacked?

No, wait.

He couldn’t believe everything Jin Ja-gang said.

If they were really attacking the Tang Family Main House, he wouldn’t have revealed it so readily. If he were Jin Ja-gang, he wouldn’t have told.

Maybe they weren’t targeting the Tang Family Main House but somewhere else…?

Then where would that be?

The question returned to the beginning again.

Doubt brought more doubt, and other suspicions followed.

Tang Qing was now about to explode.

The series of events that had occurred were difficult for Tang Qing to understand what results they were aimed at.

Grind, his teeth kept gnashing. The feeling of being played by Jin Ja-gang was never pleasant.

He wanted to get Jin Ja-gang in his hands, not be mocked by Jin Ja-gang.

Tang Qing’s patience was gradually reaching its limit.

“Fine!”

Tang Qing glared at Jin Ja-gang with a reddened face and said.

“Let’s go see. We’ll know when we see.”

Killing intent streamed from Tang Qing’s eyes.

“But we can’t go nicely.”

Tang Qing leaped up.