Ascension of the Heavenly Demon - Chapter 118

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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 118

 

 

 

 

 

He returned around sunrise.

 

He said he’d just have one drink, but what could he have been so curious about?

 

He sometimes exclaimed in admiration, sometimes pondered, and sometimes nodded his head before showing a satisfied expression.

 

Zhuge Munhyeon did not attend the negotiation meeting.

 

He detested engaging in psychological warfare to receive even one more penny or pay one less penny amid verbal battles.

 

Point a sword and shout ‘Hand it over,’ and if they refuse, it’s war.

 

That was the method he had long pursued.

 

So it was better not to go.

 

He wasn’t particularly worried either.

 

Young Family Head Zhuge Munho was fulfilling his role sufficiently, he had even brought Zhuge Junggi as an advisor, and the always reliable Uncle Zhuge Domyeong was there too.

 

However…

 

“Why did you do that to me?”

 

“…”

 

“He was none other than Geomchi… It was a chance to see that person’s swordsmanship…”

 

Mujin, who had slept soundly and woken up, was being bothersome while expressing great regret.

 

“It’s because of Young Master Munhyeon.”

 

“…”

 

“Take responsibility!”

 

Hmm, if he was that curious, he could just go directly to the Namgung Family and fight them…

 

If he used Wudang’s name, the Namgung Family wouldn’t turn him away at the gate.

 

“How’s your body?”

 

“…I won’t tell you. How can you only think of yourself? Wouldn’t just observing have been fine?”

 

“…”

 

He seemed sulky.

 

He quietly gripped the Silver Cold Staff.

 

Mujin, startled, suddenly said he was getting hungry and ran off quickly.

 

Instead of improving his skills quickly, only his intuition had improved.

 

Thanks to that, Zhuge Munhyeon was left alone and sat in the rare quiet atmosphere, fixing his gaze on the paper Namgung Ilhak had written and left behind.

 

Famous craftsmen from various places.

 

It seemed Namgung Ilhak had also wandered around the world quite a bit.

 

All the famous places under heaven were written down.

 

“Hmm, if I were to visit them all, I’d grow old and die searching all under heaven.”

 

There were far too many.

 

Why were there so many damn ironworking guilds under heaven, and why were craftsmen swarming like grains of sand…

 

It would be nice if someone decided the answer by saying to go here. There were too many names written down, making it impossible to judge how to plan the journey.

 

Traditionally, destinations should be clear.

 

Though he had been revived with plenty of days to live and wasn’t weak enough to die on the road, going wherever his feet took him would be truly meaningless.

 

“Damn it, would it kill him to point out who makes iron staffs the best?”

 

He vented his frustration on Namgung Ilhak for no reason, but actually, it wasn’t incomprehensible.

 

He had been troubled too.

 

After all, an iron staff is just an iron club, so it only needs to be sturdy.

 

There’s no need to sharpen a blade.

 

Therefore, everyone makes excellent iron staffs well.

 

Very few would know how the Silver Cold Staff was made.

 

Because anyone can make them well.

 

Moreover, what could be obtained through craftsmen were only memories and rumors.

 

There was such a person.

 

Someone had made similar items before.

 

“Damn it.”

 

Curses came out for no reason.

 

It was irritating that the information he had obtained as necessary was instead making his head complicated.

 

To think that what he had obtained through a martial duel was information that only gave him a headache…

 

“Hmm, should I mobilize the Beggar’s Sect?”

 

He pondered briefly, but that was still premature.

 

With Yacho’s joining, he could obtain information about Hubei Province, but it was limited.

 

The Beggar’s Sect had not yet extended its branches throughout all under heaven.

 

In the end.

 

“I’ll have to run around here and there by myself.”

 

The water in the cup was emptied along with a bitter smile.

 

Then suddenly, one name caught his eye.

 

“Tang Family?”

 

The king of Sichuan.

 

Even now when orthodox and unorthodox factions were mixed and all under heaven had become a battlefield, only Sichuan remained peaceful.

 

Because of the Tang Family.

 

Though they neither dreamed of all under heaven nor competed for hegemony, people always placed their name in one of the highest positions.

 

The reason their name caught his eye at this moment wasn’t because they were guys full of poison arts. Nor was it because he had beaten the guy called the Poison King in his previous life like a dog for using poison underhanded during a martial duel.

 

Their history was long.

 

And during those long years, they had consistently refined forging techniques.

 

Hidden weapons and weapons.

 

Most of the famous ones had passed through the Tang Family’s hands.

 

Therefore, records would remain.

 

Places commonly called ironworking guilds repeatedly went through rise and fall, endlessly collapsing and emerging within a hundred years, but only these guys had tenaciously survived.

 

As the kings of Sichuan.

 

When the Demonic Sect was rampant, when the martial world beyond the secular world joined forces to invade the Central Plains, when unorthodox factions gained power and unified all under heaven.

 

They had always maintained their position.

 

“…I don’t want to go.”

 

That was his true feeling.

 

It didn’t matter how he got involved with other guys, but he absolutely didn’t want to get involved with the Tang Family.

 

How should I put it…

 

The Sichuan Tang Family was, hmm, uhm… that kind of clan that was hard to handle.

 

These guys didn’t care about the distinction between orthodox and unorthodox and didn’t refuse fights with the demonic path.

 

Those guys, full of both poison arts and so-called craziness, would bite like fire ants regardless of who their opponent was once a grudge formed.

 

It would be normal to be scared when beaten up, but they were the type to charge forward ready to die instead.

 

There were quite a few places that suffered after stirring them up for no reason.

 

How else could there be records of the demonic path taking a detour around Sichuan when they set out to conquer the Central Plains?

 

On top of that, they were even closed-off, often absolutely not trusting anyone who wasn’t family, and being completely self-centered in personality… they could be called an unorthodox faction wearing the mask of orthodoxy, a Demonic Sect covered in orthodox skin.

 

So he didn’t want to go.

 

But why did his damn eyes keep fixing on the name Tang Family and refuse to move…

 

He was in the midst of pondering over and over.

 

“Mu, Munhyeon!”

 

It seemed the negotiations had ended faster than expected.

 

The door of the inn where he was resting burst open, and Zhuge Munho came running with a joyful face, making a fuss.

 

To come first, leaving all the others behind.

 

That guy calling himself Young Family Head has no dignity.

 

Anyway, it seems the negotiations went well.

 

Seeing how he’s making such a fuss wanting to boast, he must have achieved results beyond expectations.

 

I can roughly guess.

 

Apart from the compensation, there must have been friendly discussions, and for this, he probably offered something big.

 

“Do you know what happened at the negotiation table? Do you know what their Young Family Head said? You’d really be shocked if you heard it! The thing is, haha! I don’t know how to put this!”

 

“…”

 

For his elder brother who seemed desperate to talk, Zhuge Munhyeon lightly gripped his Silver Cold Staff.

 

Whack!

 

“Argh!”

 

Zhuge Munho, struck directly on the crown of his head, clutched his head with both hands and crouched down.

 

The leadership who arrived late seemed startled, but they only wore bitter smiles without scolding him.

 

There were no outsiders present, and this wasn’t the first or second time they’d seen such a scene.

 

“Agh! Really! Why are you hitting me!?”

 

“Why is someone calling himself Young Family Head so frivolous and lacking gravity in everything?”

 

“Do I look serious right now?”

 

“Why? Did you form a friendly relationship or something?”

 

“That’s right, man! For the next ten years, the Namgung Family will… Huh? How did you know that…?”

 

“Because Elder Geomchi said that’s what would happen.”

 

“Ah…”

 

When told that he already knew everything, Zhuge Munho’s expression cooled like soup that had been left half-boiled.

 

“Damn, damn, damn!”

 

“…”

 

He even started pounding the desk with his fists.

 

What was so disappointing that he was lamenting like this?

 

Was my surprise more important than the negotiations?

 

Watching Zhuge Munho making a fuss, Zhuge Munhyeon sighed and soon spoke to his uncle.

 

“You’ve worked hard.”

 

“Hard work, what hard work? It’s thanks to you.”

 

“What did I even do…?”

 

“It seems Elder Geomchi persuaded the Young Family Head and negotiation team of the Namgung Family. In addition to forming friendly relations, they offered the condition of guaranteeing safety for merchant groups heading to Anhui Province that have connections with the Zhuge Family.”

 

“That’s good news.”

 

“Good? It’s an achievement too significant to end with just ‘good.’ With this, the southern commercial rights have opened, which is no different from giving breathing room to the merchant groups connected to the Main House.”

 

Zhuge Domyeong’s expression twisted bizarrely as he said this.

 

He’s smiling.

 

He’s extremely pleased.

 

More than usual…

 

That’s why it’s scary.

 

That damn quack physician, what kind of acupuncture did he perform on a person’s face? Even if he had spat saliva instead of using acupuncture needles, it probably wouldn’t be this bad.

 

I resolved that someday, when I obtain good medicinal ingredients, I must cure that condition first.

 

A new goal.

 

I will definitely restore his proper smile.

 

Then suddenly.

 

“Ah! Uncle.”

 

“Hm?”

 

“The Tang Family is your in-laws, right?”

 

“That’s true, but…”

 

His eyes seemed to ask why I was suddenly asking about that.

 

Zhuge Domyeong had married Dang Yeojin, a woman from the Tang Family, and had two sons.

 

Zhuge Mungi and Zhuge Junggi.

 

Among them, Zhuge Mungi had left for the Tang Family with his mother Dang Yeojin after being beaten by me at Cheonseong Pavilion and hadn’t returned.

 

What’s important here is the fact that they’re family.

 

More precisely, they’re maternal relatives.

 

Then?

 

“Are you on good terms? With the Tang Family?”

 

“What?”

 

He seemed even more puzzled about why I was asking such a thing, but Zhuge Munhyeon persistently pressed.

 

“Tell me. Quickly. Yes?”

 

“Well… we were on good terms.”

 

“…Were?”

 

“Well… even though I got along well with the in-laws…”

 

I could tell without him saying more.

 

When the Cheonseong Pavilion incident happened, the couple had fought severely.

 

But!

 

They hadn’t divorced, and their marriage was still ongoing.

 

Whatever the situation between the couple, it would be fine as long as he got along well with the in-laws.

 

“But why are you asking about my friendship with the Tang Family?”

 

When Zhuge Domyeong expressed his puzzlement, Zhuge Munhyeon smiled and answered.

 

“It’s about time you two reconciled.”

 

“What?”

 

“Don’t they say that fights between spouses are like cutting water with a knife? Since it was a fight that happened because of me, I can’t just stand by and watch.”

 

“Ha, this kid… Who told you to worry about such matters? It’s fine.”

 

Zhuge Domyeong spoke decisively.

 

Fine, my foot.

 

You might not have any, but I do.

 

The Tang Family is exclusive, but they’re very generous when it comes to family.

 

With this, my next destination was decided.

 

I’m going to the Tang Family.

 

Using the name of Zhuge Domyeong, a maternal relative, and with the purpose of reconciling the two as a nephew who couldn’t just stand by and watch their discord.

 

Who was it that said?

 

You have to clean up the mess you made yourself.

 

Problems after the negotiations with the Namgung Family?

 

They were resolved well, so why worry about them?

 

Anyway, the subsequent matters were for the family to handle, so I didn’t need to step forward.

 

Also, the Zhuge Family’s position in Hubei had now become quite solid.

 

Although a place called the Black River Gate occupied the south, in a situation where we had exchanges with Wudang and formed friendship with the Namgung Family, those bastards wouldn’t dare openly antagonize the Zhuge Family!

 

No need to worry about it anymore.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

The Zhuge Family, returning after a long time, was like a festival house again.

 

It was truly chaotic.

 

Beyond friendship with the Namgung Family, they could now conduct trade all the way to Anhui, so nothing could be better than this.

 

The voices praising the family from the Hubei Province merchant groups under the Zhuge Family’s protection rose to an indescribable degree.

 

The retainers also praised the Young Family Head’s negotiation skills for achieving results beyond expectations.

 

Of course, only the Family Head and a few retainers knew that Zhuge Munhyeon’s contribution was behind it all.

 

They deliberately didn’t announce it separately.

 

All the credit had to go to the Young Family Head.

 

Because there was a need to solidify his position within the family in preparation for the future.

 

Zhuge Munho felt very sorry about it, though.

 

I don’t care about such achievements, so you can have them all.

 

Solidify your position in the family, and when you become the Family Head later, live well in luxury.

 

What I desire is simply…

 

“The Tang Family?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Hmm…”

 

At the words I brought up immediately after ending the banquet, Family Head Zhuge Dowon frowned.

 

The reason I sought out the Family Head.

 

I needed justification.

 

Justification to convince none other than Mother.

 

If it were within the family’s territory, she wouldn’t worry too much, but to go all the way to Sichuan, the Young Family Head’s power alone wouldn’t be enough.

 

Since I’d have to leave Hubei and travel a long distance.

 

I need the Family Head’s permission.

 

If I leave under the family’s orders, even Mother absolutely cannot oppose it.

 

So, Family Head.

 

Please just say one word telling me to go and return refreshed.

 

Quickly now.

—————
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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