Ascension of the Heavenly Demon - Chapter 101

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 101

 

 

To reach Dongho Lake, one must go to Wuhan.

While it wasn’t necessary to pass through Muhan Ferry, crossing the river was inevitable either way.

A ferry was needed.

However, the river was wide with strong currents, making fishing boats operating near the riverside dangerous, and the bandits’ large boats they had ridden were too conspicuous.

To go quietly and return, they needed a boat that wouldn’t draw attention…

It was while he was searching the riverside, considering various factors.

Rustle.

At the faint noise that pierced his ears, Mujin reacted first before Zhuge Munhyeon, his obsidian-like eyes gleaming as he swung his hand filled with killing intent.

Thanks to releasing the third seal and absorbing demonic energy, his senses had developed dramatically.

Seeing him respond quickly to a surprise attack, he was indeed worthy of being called my disciple.

But the familiar attire that popped out from the thicket.

‘A beggar?’

Oh no!

Mujin’s hand had already been swung with terrifying power, and his cunning mind instantly changed positions.

Hey, you fool!

Attacking without even checking?

Why are your movements so fast?

And why are you using so much force?

You’d tear apart even a wild boar.

Zhuge Munhyeon quickly swung his Silver Cold Staff to prevent Mujin from being condemned as a cold-hearted Taoist who killed a poor beggar.

Clang!

He barely managed to change the direction of the hand, but the dull impact made his grip tingle, and the penetrating shock resonated painfully through his wrist and elbow.

To think the energy hastily drawn up was this powerful…

How did he become so strong?

“Young Master, why…?”

As Mujin looked bewildered at his blocked attack, Zhuge Munhyeon frowned and shook his tingling hand as he spoke.

“How can you try to kill someone recklessly?”

“Pardon?”

“Don’t you see the Nine Mends Hundred Patches? It’s the Beggar’s Sect.”

“Ah, that… I was just thinking of subduing them.”

Subduing?

With all that killing intent?

If I hadn’t blocked it, they would have died.

It seems he still doesn’t know how much power he possesses.

“Geez, really… Let’s control your strength a bit. You’re not the same as before, you know? Hm?”

“I apologize.”

Mujin gathered his aura with a dejected expression.

Well, thinking about it, it couldn’t really be called his fault.

The one who suddenly jumped out was at fault, so what was wrong with responding with excellent reflexes?

Sighing, Zhuge Munhyeon finally looked at the beggar who had collapsed in surprise.

His eyes were wide, showing he was quite startled.

But why was a beggar here?

Did the Hyogam Branch Leader have something to convey?

But looking closely, his body didn’t seem to be in good condition.

It wasn’t a wound from the recent shockwave, but seemed like an injury from much earlier.

“Hey there. Are you alright?”

“…”

He approached to check his condition, but the man just wore a dazed expression as if stunned.

Well, such an energy wave had burst right before his eyes.

Setting aside his muffled eardrums, he was worried whether he had suffered internal injuries.

But then.

“Oh, you?”

It was a familiar face.

The one he had saved when visiting the Black Cat Sect’s Akju Branch not long ago… his name was…

“Benefactor, it’s Jeokju.”

The beggar, who had come to his senses and calmed his startled heart, straightened his posture as he spoke.

Ah, right. Jeokju.

That seemed to be his name.

“But why are you here?”

“After the Black Cat Sect incident, I followed behind you.”

“Followed?”

“Please forgive me for acting without permission.”

“Hmm…”

He understood.

He had only told him about his connection with Purple Ghost, not revealing his exact identity.

But he didn’t feel very good about it.

It meant he hadn’t noticed he was being followed.

In the midst of this, to think he hadn’t even perceived being followed by a beggar whose body wasn’t even in good condition from being beaten up.

‘I was complacent. Complacent. To only react after hearing the sound.’

Damn, back in the Demonic Sect when his life was constantly targeted, he had to sense all human presence approaching within ten zhang, but living as part of the orthodox sects seemed to have made his mind lax.

As Zhuge Munhyeon’s eyes grew fierce with inexplicable irritation, Jeokju spoke as if making excuses.

“I apologize once again. I had no intention of startling you. I was trying to come out of the thicket to greet you, but…”

“If you had greeted twice, your life wouldn’t have remained intact.”

As he grumbled, Jeokju wore an apologetic expression.

“But are you looking for a boat?”

“What about it?”

“If you need to go somewhere secretly, I can help you.”

“Pardon?”

“I have a boat I came on. There’s also an abandoned ferry near Akju that we use… You should be able to avoid the eyes of officials and nearby forces.”

“…”

“If it’s alright with you, I’ll escort you.”

At Jeokju’s appearance, bowing so deeply as if to bury his head to the ground, Zhuge Munhyeon pondered for a moment.

The part about secrecy was probably just a guess.

Since he had followed behind, even if he didn’t know the purpose, he would have figured out his identity.

If he had been trying to cross normally it would be one thing, but seeing him searching the riverside, he would have predicted that much.

Hmm, but coincidentally they needed a boat.

Since he had intervened at just the right time and appropriately, he’d overlook the following this once.

“Ahem, next time come out from the front. Don’t throw your life away needlessly.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

 

* * *

 

It’s a boat slightly larger than a fishing vessel.

Perfect for crossing the river.

It was regrettable that it couldn’t block the sunlight, but it was large enough for the three of them to travel.

Zhuge Munhyeon, sitting on the boat’s edge, asked Jeokju who was acting as boatman and rowing the oars.

“But why did you follow me?”

“Well… it seemed improper not to even know your benefactor’s name.”

“So you secretly followed me? Just to know my name? What a fine excuse.”

When he sneered with a voice that seemed to hold resentment, Jeokju made an expression of deep regret.

It wasn’t just about the name.

He had brought up their connection with Purple Ghost, whom they had betrayed.

But after following them and learning their identity, he couldn’t help but be amazed.

To think it was Zhuge Munhyeon, who had recently been shaking Hubei Province with his fearsome reputation as the Violent Dragon.

Meanwhile, hadn’t the Zhuge Family established a headquarters in northern Hubei Province and was helping rebuild the Beggar’s Sect by making former branch manager Purple Ghost the Bang Leader?

For those with nowhere to turn, they needed to create some connection by any means necessary.

“But what happened to the Beggar’s Sect across the river?”

“Pardon?”

“As you must have heard, the northern Beggar’s Sect has established itself on Yungzhong Mountain. I understood that all the sect members who surrendered to the Black River Sect had completely turned traitor. Since you say they’ve started a rebellion, I’m curious.”

“Ah, that is…”

When he asked out of sudden curiosity, Jeokju’s complexion darkened as he explained the past events he couldn’t detail in their previous meeting.

The Beggar’s Sect branch that had been at a crossroads of choice at the time.

Purple Ghost tried to maintain their pride as a righteous sect, while the deputy branch manager who opposed him wanted to surrender to the unorthodox sects by following the flow of the times.

Eventually internal strife broke out, and the majority of sect members sided with the deputy branch manager.

That was understandable, since the Beggar’s Sect was under pressure from the Black River Sect at the time.

The Zhuge had no power and Wudang was too far away, so there were no righteous sects in Hubei Province they could rely on.

Yacho, who was Purple Ghost’s fellow disciple, was also one of those traitors.

“We had no choice but to surrender to the unorthodox sects, but it was very different from what we expected.”

“…”

“From the moment he became a member of the Black Cat Sect, the deputy branch manager acted as if he had become a true unorthodox sect member.”

At Jeokju’s words, Zhuge Munhyeon nodded silently.

He could see it without being told.

It was because he had seen the warriors of the Black Cat Sect’s Akju branch.

Originally, greed (: to covet) is like that.

According to the Classic of Mountains and Seas, there was a legendary monster called Tam that knew no satisfaction and devoured everything in the world, and when only darkness remained, it eventually ate its own body.

Human greed is the same.

The more you have, the more you want to have.

With comfort added to material desires, they must have gradually been tainted by the unorthodox sect lifestyle while losing the Beggar’s Sect’s true purpose.

“By the time we realized something was wrong, it was already too late. Yacho Sasuk regretted betraying the former branch manager and gathered sect members opposed to the Black Cat Sect to plan a rebellion. Although our power was weak and we couldn’t do anything about the Black River Sect, he thought that if we could eliminate the Black Cat Sect, we could prevent the Beggar’s Sect’s power from being used for evil purposes.”

At those words full of remorse, Taoist Mujin nodded as if understanding that feeling and let out a sigh, while Zhuge Munhyeon scoffed.

What use is an apology after stabbing with a sword…?

However.

‘Huh? Wait a minute, this might actually be better than I thought?’

When one of his various thoughts appealed to him, Zhuge Munhyeon pondered deeply and organized his thoughts.

What if the rebel forces joined the Yungzhong Mountain Beggar’s Sect and operated in Black River Sect territory?

There would be no greater help for the Zhuge Family.

They would be able to operate spies without much effort.

Most importantly, the area for searching for the Ascension Method would expand.

In other words, the number of people to work under him would increase.

If that’s the case?

“You said your name was Jeokju?”

“That’s correct.”

“By any chance, do you know how large Yacho’s forces opposing the Black Cat Sect are?”

“Ah, well, since the Black Cat Sect has recruited the majority of sect members… there aren’t many.”

“Even if there aren’t many, please tell me about it.”

“Hmm… excluding the personnel monitoring each Black Cat Sect branch in southern Hubei Province, there would be roughly three hundred.”

“Th-three hundred?”

At Jeokju’s words, Zhuge Munhyeon’s mouth fell open.

So the number he could recruit was over three hundred?

Since it was Gaebangdo that once approached nearly one hundred thousand sect members, the scale was impressive.

Of course, not all of them would be combat personnel, but if that many people engaged in espionage, they would be able to know every detail of all Black River Sect territories.

Furthermore, it would certainly be of great help in finding the Ascension Method.

Thinking this way, his heart became gentle.

Considering their usefulness, the fact that they had secretly followed him was already forgotten and gone.

Hehe, such admirable fellows.

They started a rebellion for my sake and have been waiting like this. Then I shall accept their sincerity and recruit them into the Beggar’s Sect to work them to my heart’s content.

“Jeokju.”

“Oh my, please lower your speech. I’m not worthy of receiving honorifics from my benefactor.”

“Haha! But you’re my elder, aren’t you?”

“However…”

“More than that, you didn’t follow me just to know my name, did you? Providing a boat and all.”

“Th-that is…”

Jeokju, who seemed to have his intentions discovered, made an awkward expression.

I know, you fool.

But it would be shameless to speak with a traitor’s mouth, so I’ll do it for you.

“Come to Yungzhong Mountain.”

“Pardon?”

“You say you regret your wrongs and want to fight the Black Cat Sect, so how could I pretend not to know? Naturally, we Zhuge should help you.”

“Th-those words mean…”

“Join us. Return to being the righteous Beggar’s Sect once again.”

Though it was something he had desperately hoped for to the point his heart would race, Jeokju’s face wasn’t very comfortable.

Even if Zhuge Munhyeon had given permission, he knew the Bang Leader of Yungzhong Mountain’s permission was needed.

However!

When I’m the one doing it, who would dare stop me?

“Jeokju.”

“…”

“As they say, wounds don’t heal just by stabbing with a sword and then regretting it.”

“What do you mean by that…”

“If you stabbed by mistake, you should naturally apply medicine and bandage the wound. So please join Yungzhong Mountain.”

“…Pardon?”

It was a plausible analogy, but somehow difficult to understand.

What wound?

Since it was said by a descendant of the eloquent Zhuge Family, there must be meaning to it…

Watching him ponder, Zhuge Munhyeon grinned.

Don’t try to understand, fellow.

Since I couldn’t just tell him to come under me and search for the Ascension Method, I just babbled whatever came to mind.

Though I’m wearing the facade of a Zhuge, my true nature is the Heavenly Demon, so I’m clumsy at persuading others.

In the past, I only gave commands saying ‘Do it!’

“Infinite Buddha, Jeokju.”

“…?”

“Young Master Zhuge Munhyeon seems to want to speak about the heart of repentance.”

“The heart of repentance?”

“It refers to the mind that realizes one’s mistakes and tries to correct them. Who among us has walked a path without mistakes and misunderstandings? If one goes without realizing, they would become evil, but if they realize and try to change, they become a better person. Isn’t that right, Young Master Munhyeon?”

At Mujin’s words, Zhuge Munhyeon hurriedly nodded his head.

It’s fortunate that you’re here.

Your aura is still full of killing intent, but your words are naturally those of a Taoist.

But fix your hair.

It’s blown by the wind and your obsidian eyes are showing.

“Also, since you’re from Gaebangdo, you must know the situation across the river, right?”

“Ah!”

“Blood Shadow Pavilion changed its name to Jade Family Head, Demon Shadow Tower to Second Family Head, and countless other unorthodox forces are being guided by the Zhuge Family’s great will to walk the righteous path. There’s nothing shameful about joining us. Amitabha.”

At the persuasive words accompanied by a Buddhist greeting, Jeokju’s expression became complicated.

A return to the Beggar’s Sect that revered chivalry…

This was what he had longed and yearned for.

Moreover, if the Zhuge Family, which encompassed northern Hubei and had grown close to the Wudang Sect, would help?

Having quickly made up his mind, Jeokju spoke to Zhuge Munhyeon.

“Young Master. Would you meet with Yacho Sasuk?”

At those words full of determination, Zhuge Munhyeon grinned and said.

“Keep rowing the oar.”

“…”

“The boat has stopped.”

“Ah…”

Jeokju began rowing the oar even more earnestly than before.

Their fate depended on the rowing.

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