The Reformed Genius of the Sichuan Tang Clan - Chapter 49

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 49
A few days later,
Dang Yu-hyeon settled into a chair at Haeng-bok Point with the ease of someone who belonged there.
“Seon-woo Yun.”
“Yes?”
“Busy?”
Seon-woo Yun answered with a gesture, pointing to the Bamboo Strips and documents piled mountainously across his desk.
“Can’t you see what’s on my table?”
“I see it fine.”
“Then why are you asking if I’m busy!?”
Seon-woo Yun tapped the Bamboo Strips sharply, venting his frustration.
The Hao-mun already gathered all intelligence flowing through Jungwon.
Taking charge of the Sichuan branch — which had seen the most upheaval recently among all their operations — and conducting investigations into the Jamwol Clan on top of that meant even three bodies wouldn’t suffice.
‘Both are my doing, though.’
Still, he had no intention of using the man outright.
That wasn’t something you did to someone you wanted to regard as a person among persons.
“I brought you something interesting.”
“Hmm?”
Seon-woo Yun, who had turned away with a pout, let out a curious sound.
“What is it? At least tell me.”
“A token of the Yeonpa Bangpa.”
Dang Yu-hyeon held out the token he’d taken from Peng Cheol-gu.
After examining the token, Seon-woo Yun leaned back and laughed despite himself.
“Haha! Seriously, Dang? Are you a man from a hundred years ago? The Yeonpa Bangpa doesn’t use these anymore.”
Dang Yu-hyeon felt oddly stung and spoke bluntly.
“What do you mean? There’s no other sect around here that uses the character for ‘flame’ besides the Yeonpa Bangpa.”
“That’s what I’m saying. That’s the old version. These days, here and here and here are a bit more rounded.”
Seon-woo Yun grinned and pointed out each corner in turn.
“Goodness. So even someone as clever as you doesn’t know everything. Hehe, ow!”
Dang Yu-hyeon gave him a flick on the forehead and sank into thought.
“Don’t hit me — use your words! With all this work, I can’t afford to lose more brain cells!”
“One flick won’t make you dumber. If it did, your head’s the problem.”
“Ugh. You really are shameless, just like a young noble should be.”
“So I’ve grown comfortable, have I?”
“Which means I’m still useful, doesn’t it? Hehe.”
“Not useful — I see the person.”
They skipped lightly through several exchanges, but the conversation never broke stride.
As Seon-woo Yun’s expression shifted to something touched, Dang Yu-hyeon tapped the token to refocus him.
“Do they have roots?”
“I don’t know either.”
“You belong to a sect.”
“I’m just a kid.”
‘Never mind. What can I expect from someone his age?’
Dang Yu-hyeon shook his head.
“If you really don’t know, ask someone from the Jegal Family. They’re smart.”
“Hm. That’s not a bad point.”
By fortunate timing, he knew of someone from the Jegal Family he could meet in this area.
Though they wouldn’t want to run into ‘Dang Yu-hyeon.’
“But why bother? I’m right here.”
“Uh.”
Seon-woo Yun’s eyes narrowed as if he’d just witnessed something he shouldn’t have.
“Hahahaha!”
At the unguarded response — one that showed he’d grown comfortable enough not to layer lies over the truth — Dang Yu-hyeon burst out laughing.
“I already have my suspicions. It’s just a matter of when I confirm them.”
“So you already know everything? Then why ask?”
“Because confirmation sooner is better than later in this case.”
Dang Yu-hyeon chuckled and drew out the Mother-of-Pearl Box.
“More importantly, look at this. Can you open it?”
“How hard can it be to open a simple box?”
“It’s locked.”
“That’s usually how it is.”
Seon-woo Yun set down the bamboo strips and examined the mother-of-pearl box from every angle.
“Hmm. The lock mechanism is unusual. Conventional methods won’t work—it needs a dedicated key, I’d say.”
“What if we break it open with force?”
“The contents would likely be destroyed.”
‘So we have no choice but to find the key.’
Dang Yu-hyeon took the mother-of-pearl box with visible regret, running his tongue over his teeth.
“They said the key is at the Yongbong Conference.”
“Who said that?”
“Some old man.”
“Hmm?”
The information was thin.
Seon-woo Yun, sensing this too, narrowed his brow.
“Do you believe that?”
“I’m not sure yet. But he didn’t seem to be lying.”
Which meant he intended to trust the man.
After a moment’s thought, Seon-woo Yun extracted one of the bamboo strips and handed it to Dang Yu-hyeon.
“If you’re planning to participate in the Yongbong Conference, be careful. There’s one participant with an unknown identity.”
Dang Yu-hyeon raised an eyebrow.
The Yongbong Conference was where the rising talents of the Martial World proved their mettle.
It wasn’t unusual for participants to emerge from independent sects or smaller schools.
‘Seon-woo Yun must know this too.’
Yet the fact that he’d used the term “unknown identity” suggested there was something worth suspecting.
Dang Yu-hyeon studied the name he’d only meant to skim over.
Hae Mu-yeong. Eighteen years old.
From Shanghai.
Parents killed by pirates at age three. Raised by grandfather afterward.
Grandfather notorious in the village for an eccentric temperament.
Ran away at ten. Whereabouts unknown thereafter.
Reserved and taciturn.
“Ran away at ten, then reappeared at eighteen—it’s a perfect setup for the ‘story’ of a naive child who grew strong and came back.”
“And the grandfather’s eccentric nature serves well enough as a reason for the flight.”
Seon-woo Yun nodded in agreement with Dang Yu-hyeon’s words.
“The problem is, even if all this is true, it’s far too neat.”
Rather than answer, Dang Yu-hyeon simply nodded.
“Still, don’t worry too much. At least while the Yongbong Conference is in progress, they won’t be able to pull anything.”
“You think they might be trying to ruin the conference itself?”
“If that were the case, they’d have come prepared with numbers, not sent one person.”
As Dang Yu-hyeon gestured, Seon-woo Yun smoothly handed over the brush.
“So don’t worry—just prepare a few things for me. It won’t be a loss for you.”
“Of course not.”
Dang Yu-hyeon scrawled on the paper and set down the brush with a sharp tap.
“I’ll be going.”
“Yes. Take care, now.”
* * *
‘Forgive me. I can’t go easy.’
As Dang Yu-hyeon prepared to depart for Sung-san, where the Yongbong Conference was to be held, these thoughts crossed his mind even as his mother offered her parting words.
Ju Ye-hwa, the first wife of Dang Gang-heon, clasped Dang San’s shoulder rather than offering an embrace, speaking as she did.
“San.”
“Yes.”
The held shoulder flinched slightly, as if in pain.
“Don’t kill anyone.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“And no poison either.”
“I’ll do my best at that as well.”
Mother and daughter smiled with identically narrowed eyes.
‘As befits the first wife—quite elegant.’
Crimson silk robes, so at odds with the Dang Family’s green.
Each movement set beaded ornaments swaying, their clear chimes ringing softly.
‘And elegance, as always, conceals poison.’
For the declining Dang Family to adorn itself so lavishly was proof enough that they wielded considerable power and had strong backing.
‘She’s no exception either.’
Dang Yu-hyeon’s gaze shifted to Dang San.
A face stamped from the same mold as Dang Yu-hyeon’s own.
Yet the braided hair lent her a refinement and grace that he lacked.
‘Same face, yet so different.’
But people like that were always cunning serpents at heart, swallowing a dozen schemes while pretending innocence.
‘My eyes don’t deceive me.’
Satisfied that there was nothing more to gain from Dang San, Ju Ye-hwa turned and wrapped her arm around Dang Yu-hyeon’s shoulders.
“Yu-hyeon.”
‘That hurts.’
The woman’s grip was startlingly strong; his body flinched involuntarily.
“Yes.”
“Do you remember all the people you’ve provoked these past years?”
She meant those he’d clashed with back when he was a reckless troublemaker.
“Yes. I remember them.”
“All of them?”
“Every one.”
“Do you remember how you provoked each of them?”
“I do.”
Once he’d glimpsed a ‘memory’, he couldn’t forget it.
Nothing particularly shocking, but his mind simply worked that way.
“Then take it easy. Your safety comes first.”
She meant he should be careful, given how many enemies he’d made.
‘But some of them started the trouble with me.’
In that case, he couldn’t just stand there and take it.
‘Easy? I’ll give them everything I’ve got.’
Dang Yu-hyeon broke into an amiable smile.
“I’ll do my best.”
“……Sigh.”
A sound that acknowledged this one was beyond hope too.
“Fine. Both of you, don’t overdo it and come back safe.”
Not the usual parting warnings about injuries or caution.
Those words alone revealed what this family was truly like.
‘Definitely not normal.’
Who?
All of them.
Dang Yu-hyeon turned his head like a man searching for solid ground.
Not far off, the Second Lady, Yu Cheong-a, held Dang Eun-ho and Dang Young in her embrace.
Every emotion played across their faces—the saying that one’s nature shows through one’s clothes held true.
‘At least that side looks decent…….’
“Just please don’t cause any trouble.”
‘Nevermind.’
Regrettably, that side wasn’t normal either.
“Stop breaking things, and think before you speak!”
“I’ll do my best.”
“Mother, don’t worry. I’ll really try my hardest.”
Though they acknowledged their mother’s words, neither would bend to her wishes.
Despite being half-siblings, the same blood clearly ran through them.
‘Father. Look at these children. It seems our family’s raised them all wrong.’
Dang Yu-hyeon’s eyes grew moist as he glanced upward, then turned back to Ju Ye-hwa.
Ju Ye-hwa regarded him steadily with eyes like deep waters.
This was a moment where he might be scolded for what she’d glimpsed.
But what she spoke was not rebuke, but counsel.
“Be careful.”
Words spoken as if she’d glimpsed his intentions.
So Dang Yu-hyeon offered a different reply than he might have before.
“I will remember.”
Boom—boom—boom.
The drum signaling departure thundered across the compound.
Dang Yu-hyeon had already made his resolve.
Whatever awaited him at the Yongbong Conference, he would not submit meekly.
‘And I will show them.’
The Dang Family still stands firm.
The seed of the greatest master under heaven yet lives.
Sichuan Dang Family’s Prodigal Who Turned Over a New Leaf
Author |
Yi Il-yeong
Publisher |
Samyang C&C Co., Ltd.
Editor-in-Chief |
Editorial Department
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Samyang C&C Co., Ltd. – Dream Books
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7th Floor, Gwangseong Building, 28 Bongeunsa-ro 114-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
UCI |
G720:N+A063-20260615052
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blog.naver.com/dreambookss
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@dreambookss
Submissions |
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The contents of this book may not be used in any form or by any means without the written permission of Samyang C&C Co., Ltd. – Dream Books.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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