Chapter 469

The young martial artists looked at Jin Ja-gang with eyes of reverence.

Though the same age as them, he had already become an absolute expert, a legend that wasn’t a legend.

Jin Ja-gang said nothing and met the eyes of the young martial artists one by one. The young martial artists tensed their bodies as they received Jin Ja-gang’s gaze.

Conversely, Jin Ja-gang also felt a different sensation than before.

Kyaaaa, giggle giggle.

White Ape and Poison Heaven were making noise noisily, yet surprisingly most didn’t even pay attention. They were focused solely on Jin Ja-gang. They were waiting for Jin Ja-gang’s words. Their expressions clearly showed their earnest attitude of not wanting to miss a single word from Jin Ja-gang.

Why does Tang Ha-ran try to respond to their wishes?

Jin Ja-gang realized the reason.

How desperate they are.

Just as much as I wanted to survive, they too are desperate.

Jin Ja-gang opened his mouth.

“White Ape.”

White Ape hung her head upside down from Jin Ja-gang’s shoulder and looked at Jin Ja-gang.

“Take Poison Heaven away.”

White Ape realized it wasn’t time to play around. She quietly carried Poison Heaven and withdrew far away.

Though some might think that scene strange, it was only for a moment. The young martial artists quickly focused on Jin Ja-gang.

Jin Ja-gang opened his mouth.

“Why are you all here?”

The young martial artists were briefly flustered by Jin Ja-gang’s question but soon began sharing their thoughts one by one.

Because they wanted to participate in the flow of history the Tang Family and Jin Ja-gang were creating.

Because they felt no hope in other organizations.

Among them, someone even answered with the primal desire of wanting to succeed, but Jin Ja-gang didn’t scoff.

“Whether to accept you all will be decided by the acting family head and the leadership meeting. Probably most of you may have to return from this place.”

Nevertheless, not many were disappointed. Because there was hope that if even a few remained, they could be among them.

“So for you all who came this far, I want to say one thing.”

The young martial artists stared at Jin Ja-gang’s mouth, not even blinking and swallowing dry saliva.

Jin Ja-gang said.

“The Tang Family is not righteousness. If you came thinking the Righteous Alliance or Shaolin Temple is absolute evil and the Tang Family is absolute good, then you came to the wrong place.”

The young martial artists weren’t greatly shaken even by this unexpected statement.

One of the youths cupped his fists and asked boldly.

“I am surnamed Yang from Zhejiang. I presume to ask. Does Poison Dragon Hero mean the Tang Family is also a lesser evil, and that lesser evil is still better than the worst?”

Jin Ja-gang answered immediately.

“Evil and good are relative. What I define as evil may be good to others.”

“But I think it’s the essence of the martial world that the strong take what is good.”

“Then are all the weak evil?”

“That’s…”

Jin Ja-gang looked around at the others. His gaze asked if anyone had something to say.

A young female martial artist cupped her fists and spoke.

“I’m a disciple of the Shen Family from Xixia. The law governing the martial world is survival of the strong. I think even you, Hero, cannot deny that.”

“In a martial world where swords and sabers run rampant, denying martial force is like denying oneself. I won’t deny it. However, as I said, don’t try to see the world too simply. There’s a fact that must precede survival of the strong.”

The young martial artists’ eyes gleamed.

Several hesitated then shouted almost simultaneously.

“Chivalry!”

“Isn’t what you spoke of chivalry, Hero?”

Jin Ja-gang answered.

“Martial force without chivalry is merciless violence. The moment you bully the weak because you’re strong, you will become pure evil.”

“It’s difficult to understand. Earlier you said it’s hard to distinguish between good and evil.”

“That answer, both I and you all already know.”

The young martial artists paused briefly, then recalled the word they’d forgotten.

And when that word burst from Jin Ja-gang’s mouth, they felt a thrill.

Greater righteousness.

Greater righteousness!

How long has it been since they recalled this word!

How much had they wanted to hear this one phrase in a martial world rampant with money and schemes!

When it came from the mouth of someone who was no different from their hero, the emotion they felt was indescribably great.

Everyone had come here seeking something.

They came without knowing what it was themselves, and realized it in this moment.

Because they wanted to see such a martial world, a martial world overflowing with greater righteousness and chivalry!

The young martial artists’ hearts swelled.

Jin Ja-gang continued speaking as if flowing.

“Every individual has their own righteousness. Every organization has the righteousness the organization pursues. Like the Jialing River, Wu River, and hundreds of tributaries combine to form the Yangtze River, each righteousness combines and separates to ultimately form a grand greater righteousness. Greater righteousness is the cause that all commonly pursue and the standard of proper chivalry. For proper greater righteousness to be formed, countless righteousnesses must clash and clash again. Therefore, each righteousness cannot be said to be wrong, and rather, numerous righteousnesses coexisting is the proper martial world.”

It wasn’t Jin Ja-gang’s story.

It was what Taoist Haewol had told Jin Ja-gang.

Through Jin Ja-gang’s mouth, it was being transmitted again to young martial artists longing for a new era…

Jin Ja-gang said quietly while thinking of Taoist Haewol.

“Act chivalrously according to greater righteousness. When greater righteousnesses of equal size clash, decide with martial force. That is survival of the strong… that’s what I think.”

Jin Ja-gang’s words ignited the young martial artists’ chivalrous spirit.

When the young martial artists were too moved to continue speaking.

From inside, Tang Ha-ran led the Tang Family’s leadership and many warriors out.

The meeting seemed to have ended earlier than expected.

“It’s the acting family head…”

Though acting, she was the Tang Family’s face and representative now. The young martial artists immediately bowed their heads and cupped their fists in courtesy.

“We’re very glad you came to visit our family.”

Tang Ha-ran gave instructions to the warriors.

The warriors each placed a hammer before the young martial artists. Quite heavy, difficult to swing properly without sufficient strength.

The young martial artists were bewildered.

Is lifting the hammer a test? Or… are they supposed to beat the person next to them to death with this hammer?

While they were bewildered not knowing which, Tang Ha-ran gestured to Jin Ja-gang with her eyes.

Jin Ja-gang looked at Tang Ha-ran and the faces of the leaders beside her in turn.

The leaders’ expressions were half concern, half expectation.

Jin Ja-gang realized what was decided in the meeting.

Jin Ja-gang strode toward the main gate of the Tang Family Main Estate. It was a new gate with the plastered parts fully exposed, only recently restored after Shaolin Temple’s vajra monks broke it.

Jin Ja-gang tore off the splint on his shoulder.

After rolling his shoulder and loosening stiff muscles, he extended both arms forward.

Ten threads of Asura Scripture flew out and embedded in the thick main gate of the Tang Family Main Estate. In that state, he drew up his internal energy to the maximum and released it through the Asura Scripture.

Asura World-Annihilating Soul!

Shhaaak!

The Asura Scripture sliced horizontally and vertically, and the newly decorated main gate of the Tang Family Main Estate, iron and wood alike, was cut into pieces.

The young martial artists were greatly flustered by actions as shocking as the tremendous power.

A perfectly good main gate!

But that wasn’t the end. The leaders also picked up hammers and began striking the outer walls of the Tang Family Main Estate.

Bang! Bang!

Only then could the young martial artists understand what the hammers placed before them meant.

Tang Ha-ran said.

“Everyone, this is our family’s answer to you.”

The young martial artists choked up. For them, merely a hundred or so people, the Tang Family decided to break its existing closed rules.

The young martial artists lifted their hammers in unison.

“Uaaaaaaah!”

Without exception, they rushed and struck the outer walls of the Tang Family Main Estate with hammers. Being so solidly repaired, they didn’t break properly, but it didn’t matter if they couldn’t actually break them.

Just tearing down the walls of the Tang Family Main Estate that surrounded the manor like an iron wall already had symbolic meaning.

Jin Ja-gang looked at Tang Ha-ran and nodded. Tang Ha-ran smiled at Jin Ja-gang.

This is the path the Tang Family, Jin Ja-gang, will take forward.

Kwa-bang!

Just then, a particularly loud noise occurred, and one part of the outer wall completely collapsed.

Crash.

With everyone’s attention drawn, through the hole appeared an old man with a small stature carried on a laborer’s back. The old man was trembling while holding up a finger broken at an angle that couldn’t bend.

The old man’s body was twisted so he couldn’t seem to move properly except for his fingers.

The young martial artists were greatly surprised.

Seeing him collapse a wall that even hammers couldn’t break with just one finger, he must be an expert with tremendously advanced martial arts!

Someone with high knowledge muttered.

“Master Mu-gak…?”

A person who would have been difficult even to think of if he hadn’t revealed himself in Henan a while ago, being from too long ago.

“Demon-Subduing Monk Mu-gak?”

“It’s the Demon-Subduing Monk.”

The young martial artists murmured.

“Why is an expert from the Breaking Sect here?”

The Tang Family’s leaders also knew it was Demon-Subduing Monk Mu-gak, but their expressions didn’t change much. This was Sichuan and the Tang Family. And the Poison Dragon was here too. There was no reason to be afraid or scared.

Receiving everyone’s gaze, the old man asked Jin Ja-gang and Tang Ha-ran.

“That greater righteousness you spoke of. Will you let in an old man on death’s door?”

Jin Ja-gang immediately answered.

“No.”

“…”

It became an extremely awkward moment.

However, those of the Tang Family who knew Jin Ja-gang wore expressions showing they naturally expected Jin Ja-gang would do that.

Jin Ja-gang pointed his finger outside.

“Go out the way you came.”

Demon-Subduing Monk Mu-gak.

Having never been treated this way anywhere, he became an unwelcome guest before Jin Ja-gang.

Mu-gak frowned even more with his already twisted face.

“Go out, and enter through the main gate.”

Mu-gak laughed as if dumbfounded. But how could he not follow Jin Ja-gang’s words!

Mu-gak asked the laborer. The laborer carried Mu-gak out through the broken hole and came back in through the main gate.

“Is this okay now?”

When Jin Ja-gang nodded slightly, Mu-gak patted the laborer’s back.

“Good work.”

Then he called a young man nearby.

“You look like you can use some strength. Come here.”

“What? M-me?”

“Hurry and throw me.”

The youth threw Mu-gak toward the outer wall in bewilderment.

Mu-gak touched the outer wall with his broken, twisted finger.

Crrrack!

The outer wall collapsed as is and opened wide. The iron structures firmly supporting inside the outer wall crumpled as if melted, and the stones turned to powder and scattered.

Even while falling and rolling on the ground, Mu-gak laughed loudly.

“That’s refreshing indeed!”

Kekekekeke!

The young martial artists glanced at each other, then grinned and began hammering again.

Bang! Bang!

The solid outer walls that had protected the Tang Family for long years, but had also isolated and separated the Tang Family from the outside, were collapsing.