Chapter Text
Ah.
Cheonma’s head has been cut.
The Demonic War has ended.
But there was no one to cheer, everyone is dead. Even the person who slayed him, the Plum Blossom Sword Saint, is dead.
On the Hundred Thousand Mountains, a figure limply walked towards the fallen warrior and demon.
“Taoist hyung..”
“…thank you.”
His mouth trembled. It was all he could muster up. Was the war really a happy ending?
Everyone died, except for Tang Bo.
He looked at the sky, it was dark. But the sun is coming up, slowly, it has begun to shine. Covering the entire mountain of bodies in bright rays of sunlight.
‘A new beginning.’ He thought.
Yes.
A new era has started.
But Tang Bo looked down, he was ashamed. He can’t come back down.
‘How can I save face when I’m the only person alive? I’m just a coward behind taoist hyung.’
‘I couldn’t even save a single person, let alone taoist hyung.’
Tang Bo bit his lips. He clenched his fists, nails dug into his palm and it started to bleed. But no matter how hard he grief, the dead doesn’t come back.
He shook his head.
‘It is meaningless to be sad forever.’
If it was Chung Myung, he’d probably nag Tang Bo.
‘Brat, what’s the use of being depressed? The war has ended, we can now drink without worries! And our descendants can now live in peace. That is all that matter!’
And probably smack Tang Bo’s head until it’s swollen. Thinking about it made Tang Bo smiled bitterly.
‘Hyung, we made a promise. Yet I’m the one alive.’
‘I will take care of your sect’s children instead. So please rest. You’ve fought well.’
‘I’ll take care of the rest.’
But as Tang Bo tried to climb down the mountain, he couldn’t move. No matter how hard he infused his qi into his body, it won’t budge.
‘Is this my limit?..’
‘No, it doesn’t make sense!’
‘Hyung was able to behead Cheonma while he’s eighty-two. I have to at least be able to move while I’m seventy-eight!’
Tang Bo desperately try to move but he only stood still on the mountain. Then, he collapsed.
Right next to Chung Myung, his friend.
‘Ah, I can’t believe myself.’
As he lie on the mountain, his face towards the sky, a wave of tiredness hit him. It made him realize.
‘Right, I fought hard. Even if I can’t save everyone, I tried. That is enough.’
Tang Bo slowly close his eyes, ready to leave. He had overworked himself to the extreme and deserves a rest.
‘Like hell I can!’
He quickly tried to open his eyes, fighting against the tiredness feeling.
‘If I go like this, everyone will curse me in the afterlife! Especially taoist hyung!’
Tang Bo tried to move his body, even a finger would be enough. He tried to fight against the tiredness and stay awake. He really tried. But he couldn’t keep up anymore, and lost the mental battle.
Before his mind completely collapsed, he had one last thought.
‘Maybe a rest isn’t so bad. But I’ll have to wake up soon.’
‘I’ll rest a little.’
‘Just a little.’
‘…’
————————————
The smell of moist and rotten flesh lingers around his nose. His eyes twitched before opening. A clear blue sky welcomed him.
‘It’s peaceful.’
‘How long have I been asleep for?’
Tang Bo internally question as he slowly sat up. He looked down and clenched his hands, making sure they’re working.
‘As expected, I was tired. That’s why I couldn’t move.’
He grinned and stood up, stretching his body.
‘It will take a while to get back to my senses.’
Tang Bo looked around. The once human corpses were now reduced to skeletons, he sighed and paid his respect.
He turned around, about to descend the mountain, but a voice yelled out.
“You trespasser!”
The voice angrily spoke, directed to him.
“M-me?” Tang Bo furrowed his eyebrows, taken back at the person’s behavior.
“Who else would be here on this sacred Hundred Thousand Mountains except you and me!”
The voice responded back, a guard approached him, pissed.
‘Sacred?’
The guard stopped to analyze Tang Bo, looking at him up and down.
“I thought you beggars would be more humble and stay away from here. This is no place to beg! Go away!”
‘But I’m not a beggar though..’
Tang Bo was confused, the Demonic War had ended, why is the guard making such a big fuss?
“Hasn’t the Demonic War just ended?” He blurted without a thought.
But the guard looked extremely offended like Tang Bo was a madman.
“Just ended? It had ended more than a hundred years ago you ignorant fool! What were you doing at that time?!”
Tang Bo’s eyes widen at the word ‘hundred’ and he grips the guard’s shoulders with both hands.
“A-A hundred years? A hundred years?! Nonsense! It was just..! Wait no, I-“
He fumbled over his words, trying to speak. Looking away, Tang Bo tried to organize his thoughts, his hands still on the guard’s shoulders.
If a hundred years had truly passed, that means the Tang family might…
Suddenly, a sense of panic surged inside him.
“T-Tang family! The Tang family! What happened to it over all those years? The whole Kangho was in ruined, all of the elders were killed. I just hope that..!”
Tang Bo grits his teeth.
‘…they didn’t become what I feared most.’
He looked back at the guard like his life depended on the answer.
“Hah, Have you been living under a rock? The Sichuan family has complete control over Chengdu city. Everyone knows that.”
The guard scoffed. What is a fool who knows nothing doing here at such place?
Tang Bo released his hands, standing there, frozen. The guard seemed to notice that and quickly turned away to climb down the mountain, giving him one final warning.
“If you know that, then get out of here now, this is no place to mess around!”
“Ah wait…”
He reached out to try and stop the guard. But before he could do anything, the guard disappeared in a blink of an eye and left Tang Bo with nothing but confusion.
Tang Bo’s eyes trembled, what is going on?!
He was glad that the Tang family is still alive, but complete control over Chengdu? They wouldn’t do such thing-
He noticed a terrible smell and held his nose.
“Ugh! What is that?!”
Then he looked down at his ragged clothes. He could only blankly stare at it.
‘Ah.’
‘So that’s why.’
The once green robe was now covered in dirt, making it almost completely black. No one would have guessed the robe was previously green.
Tang Bo had not wash in a hundred years. And he had slept on multiple corpses, of course he would get dirty.
If people didn’t pay close attention to his clothes’ pattern, they might mistake him for a beggar. That was why the guard had called him a beggar.
Nodding at his conclusion, Tang Bo descended down the mountain and approached a nearby river.
Crouching down, he looked at the clear river that was reflecting his face.
‘But it looks like I haven’t slept long.’
His appearance has not a changed at all. Despite being a hundred and seventy-eight, Tang Bo had a fairly smooth and bright skin, his hair still dark brown.
‘Why hasn’t my body changed a single bit?’
Pinching his face to check if it was true, he found that there wasn’t any wrinkles formed on his face. He sat down and checked his dantian. Surprised at the result.
‘What is going on?..’
How did his dantian not go dull? How is his body still so healthy and lively despite being more than a hundred years old?
Tang Bo had so many questions, but no one to answer it.
‘It’s like time was frozen.’
He frowned.
‘What should I do now? Should I visit the Tang family or Mount Hua?’
‘If I go to Tang family, no one will believe I was the Throwing Daggers Tang Bo.’
‘But if I go to Mount Hua, I also can’t convince the disciples that I was taoist hyung’s friend.’
He shook his head. Going anywhere won’t work, but he needs to keep his promise.
Tang Bo pulled off his robe and decided to wash himself. He should at least look formal when meeting his descendants.
“…”
“Ah, screw it! They would have to believe I’m their ancestor first!”
He stood up midway washing and started to get dressed again.
Wearing his dirty robe, Tang Bo started his journey to Chengdu. He knew Chengdu like the back of his palm, although the roads had changed a lot compared to what he remembered. Since a hundred years has passed, of course.
On his way there, Tang Bo was giggling to himself like a little child. There was a big grin engraved on his face, he was really excited to see how much the Tang family and Chengdu as a whole has changed.
————————————
Finally, he arrived at Chengdu’s gate. It was new, much more newer than what he remembered. It was understandable, since the gate was probably destroyed when those Demonic bastards attacked.
Walking around the city, Tang Bo frowned as he didn’t recognize any of the buildings. They were in shambles during the war, but it eased him that Chengdu was able to get back on their feet.
The atmosphere was noisy and upbeat, just like before the Demonic War. It had bought back pleasant memories from Tang Bo before all the chaos had happened.
Tang Bo stopped in front of the Tang Family, the gate was new yet somewhat familiar. He couldn’t help but smile softly. Tang Bo took a deep breathe and knock on the gate.
‘I can’t believe I’m nervous in front of my own family.’
He sighed as he waited for someone to open the gate. But he soon scratch that thought off.
‘Well, I did ran away from them…’
The door opened and one of the Tang Family’s servants faced him. They were looking at him with sharp gazes. Tang Bo didn’t mind it and introduced himself.
“Greetings.”
He clapped his hands with a small smile, it was nice to see your descendants after the war being so peaceful.
“And what purpose do you have in the Tang family?”
The servant narrowed their eyes in suspicion. The Tang Family wasn’t fond of strangers and are very wary of everyone.
“I’d like to meet the family head.”
“For what reason?”
“Erm..”
Tang Bo hesitated, he knew that they would behead him if he tried to claim himself as their presumed deceased ancestor. But it’s a gamble, and surely he can find something to prove it. Like his strength perhaps?
“You may not believe it, but I am the Throwing Daggers Tang Bo.”
He coughed as he slowly looked up at the servant’s disgusted expression. They really weren’t having it.
“Tch, we all know that no one survived the Demonic War. Everyone’s bodies were left on the Thousand Mountain Range. You’re not fooling anyone.”
The servant said with an irritated expression. But Tang Bo wasn’t having it either. Rejected by your own descendants? Like hell will he accept that!
“You never know until you test it for yourself. Plus, I know a little secret of our family~”
Tang Bo grinned mischievous as he narrowed his two fingers. The servant only sighed, they weren’t believing anything but guided Tang Bo in anyways.
He was moved to a normal guest room, with some snacks to chew on as he wait for the servant to ask for the family’s head presence.
Moments go by and the door opened as a servant asked him to follow them to the family’s head.
Before entering, the servant coldly spat at him “Be respectful, got it? He’s still the family head even if you’re our ancestor or something.”
‘Ah, kids these days… Being so rude to your own ancestor!’
Tang Bo wanted to beat this servant up so badly but he can only do that after he has proved himself, after all, this is Kangho.
Opening the door, Tang Gunak, the Tang Family’s head was sitting while sipping tea.
“I greet the family head.”
Tang Bo bowed as he greeted Tang Gunak. Despite having a friendly smile, he was suffering inside.
‘I can’t believe I’m bowing to my own descendants! My own descendants, who’s supposed to bow to me instead! Me!’
Tang Bo can only silently cry as he swallowed his pride. But he has to hold it in. Just hold it in.
Tang Gunak gestured Tang Bo to sit down. He placed the cup of tea on the table and spoke in a serious tone. His face wrinkled in anger.
“So, you’re claiming to be our respected ancestor, Tang Bo?”
‘That’s because I am you bastards!’
Tang Bo proudly placed his hand on his chest, exclaiming confidently.
“That’s right.”
This seemed to upset Tang Gunak as his eyebrows furrowed. He suddenly remembered something the servant reported.
“I heard that you know a ‘tiny secret’ of our family?”
He raised in eyebrows, interested to see what a self proclaimed ancestor knew about their family. A family who rarely even reveal themselves.
“Of course, it’s simple.”
Tang Bo grinned, he was smiling like Tang Gunak has fallen into his trap, even though there were none.
“I’ll give you a hint. It’s something related to the number twelve.” He raised a finger up, smiling delightfully.
This made Tang Gunak nervously sweats, but he narrowed his eyes, keeping his cool.
“What about that number?”
“Are you feigning ignorant or what? Nevermind, I’ll tell you.”
Tang Bo disappointedly crossed his arms, annoyed to see that his descendants didn’t know that or are pretending it.
“There were originally twelve daggers instead of eleven. Of course, the twelve one was hidden and rarely used, that’s why it’s not known. Plus, it’s hard to master.”
He proudly lift his head up, having a smug smirk painted on his face. When he looked back at Tang Gunak, there was a disbelieved expression on him. Shocked to see that Tang Bo knew it.
“Y-you…how do you know this?!”
Tripping over his own words, Tang Gunak couldn’t understand how did he knew it. He was so shocked that he couldn’t control his emotions.
“Didn’t I tell you? I’m the Throwing Daggers Tang Bo.”
He chuckled with a smile as he shrugged. Blaming Tang Gunak for not believing him. Tang Gunak could only kept silence, gulping to himself.
‘This is like Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon… Who advised me to add a twelfth dagger.’
“So, do you believe me now? Being your ancestor and such?”
Tang Gunak can only nervously nod. He had spoken rudely to his ancestor, god knows what can he do for the heavens to forgive him?!
“We apologize for not knowing sooner..”
“What is there to apologize for? I also wouldn’t believe it if my ancestor from a hundred years ago were to appear in front of the gate. It’s not your fault.”
“Yes…”
Tang Bo seemed to be enjoying the situation, he couldn’t stop smiling like a proud elder who saw his children grew up. I mean, who wouldn’t?
(Obviously Chung Myung but his way of showing affection is different)
The whole place was flipped upside down, no one would have imagined their ancestor that fought in the Demonic War to return. Absolutely no one, but it happened anyways.
As the bunch of servants rushed to serve Tang Bo with their best of food and drinks, like how they did to Chung Myung. He was happily sitting and enjoying the treatment he finally got.
“This is very big news, so we need to make sure it doesn’t get out yet.”
“Of course.”
Tang Bo calmly said as he drank a whole bottle of alcohol in one sip. How long has it been since he can peacefully enjoy a drink? He can’t help but feel so relaxed and content.
But it’s not really the same without Chung Myung. Not anymore.
Tang Gunak awkwardly cough to try and clear up the atmosphere. He decided to changed the subject.
“Our esteemed elder, now that you’re back. What do you plan to do?”
Tang Bo eyes lit up at the idea, or reminder. He was so focused on messing with his family he had forgotten his second objective.
“Well, I’m planning to visit Mount Hua.”
He answered with a smile, the image of an angry Sword Saint Chung Myung popped up in his head.
“Pardon, but why Mount Hua?..”
Tang Gunak asked without thinking but quickly shut up as he remembered Tang Bo’s best friend was Mount Hua’s Plum Blossom Sword Saint.
“I have a promise to fulfill.”
With a hum, Tang Bo answered as he sipped another bottle of alcohol. He could swore that from above, Chung Myung was cursing him that wasn’t what he said.
“Alright then, I will send a letter to Mount Hua for your visit.”
Tang Gunak nodded and took out a paper with a brush as he diligently start writing a letter. While Tang Bo sat as he admired the window view.
The view he missed dearly.
The view of Chengdu.
“Oh and I need new clothes. These have terrible stench after a hundred years. Maybe prepare a bath too.”
“…Yes, Esteemed Elder.”