Ascension of the Heavenly Demon - Chapter 121
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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 121
“Stop right there!”
A martial artist standing guard at the village entrance blocked Zhuge Munhyeon’s approach, his eyes gleaming menacingly.
It didn’t seem to be a festival.
More like a blockade.
If they were blocking the crossroads and conducting inspections, something bad must have happened in the village.
But why are these guys, who aren’t even government troops, inspecting people who aren’t even from the murim?
And judging by their appearance, they’re from an unorthodox sect.
Probably Black River Gate, or their subordinates.
As a descendant of the Zhuge Family, he felt slightly displeased.
Dangyang County belongs to Uichang administratively.
In other words, it’s located on the Muju Official Road that divides Hubei north and south, so it can’t be considered Black River Gate’s territory.
A buffer zone where various forces intermingle.
That’s why he came without bothering to hide his identity.
Dangyang County even had a branch of Demon Shadow Tower, which had changed its name to Second Family Head and joined under the Zhuge Family.
So why are the likes of Black River Gate acting like owners?
“State your identity.”
“…”
At the martial artist’s high-handed attitude, the tip of his eyebrow twitched slightly.
He didn’t like that look in his eyes.
Full of suspicion.
And who are you to tell me what to do?
Maybe he should add a bit more red to the brilliant reds and yellows of full autumn.
But!
I’ve now become someone who knows propriety and can appreciate scenery.
On such a fine day, why talk of fighting?
Hitting because you’re in a bad mood, killing because you don’t like something, making a bloody mess because you’re being inspected – that’s not the behavior of an orthodox faction member.
Let’s endure it.
Though I desperately want to poke out those suspicious eyes of that bastard and blind him, let’s comply obediently.
It’s not difficult.
Just think of it as dismounting from your horse to show courtesy as a passing guest, and showing your token instead of your sword.
He hasn’t even drawn his blade to threaten yet.
“I am Munhyeon of the Zhuge Family.”
When he pulled out and handed over his token, the martial artist looked him up and down, but he exercised patience.
Actually, a sword isn’t necessary.
He could kill someone with that token too, but this guy doesn’t seem to know that.
“What brings the Zhuge Family here?”
“…”
Even after confirming his identity, he doesn’t drop his suspicion.
And despite using semi-formal speech, the response comes back in casual speech. It’s been like this from the start.
“I’m wandering.”
“Comfortable bunch, aren’t you? Wandering in Black River Gate’s territory in a situation like this – seems you have no fear?”
I don’t know what kind of situation this is, but this guy keeps getting on my nerves.
Why does he keep talking as if this is Black River Gate’s territory?
Should I just drive them out and plant the Zhuge Family’s flag here?
While lost in serious contemplation.
“I am Mujin from Wudang Mountain.”
“…Hup!”
The martial artist’s eyes flashed at the Taiji token Mujin presented.
His posture immediately became respectful.
He even received the Taiji token with both hands to examine it.
“Are, are you a Wudang Taoist?”
“Yes. I’m traveling.”
“You should have said so earlier. I didn’t recognize you since you weren’t wearing Taoist robes. Here, let me return your token.”
Both hands again.
He even bowed his waist slightly.
His words and actions were filled with courtesy and manners that weren’t there before.
This is reality.
Even though they had gained control of northern Hubei Province, the Zhuge Family’s power couldn’t make Black River Gate fear them.
They probably recognize them as an enemy with equal strength.
But Wudang is different.
Though exchanges were cut off during the era of warring factions, they were still leaders representing the orthodox murim.
Mount Tai and the North Star.
That’s how Shaolin and Wudang are called.
One represents Buddhism, the other Taoism, and these two sects with their long history are called the birthplace of martial arts under heaven, so orthodox faction warriors respect them deeply in their hearts.
Even the Demonic Sect, which has different origins, respects and reveres them.
But the starkly different attitude makes me even angrier.
This bastard…
Wudang is scary but Zhuge is laughable?
I endured it because the day is clear and the scenery is nice, but how can I bear this rudeness?
It seems education is necessary after all.
Following propriety is important, but if you keep bowing and scraping, you’ll look ridiculous.
But then.
“Are you Young Master Zhuge Munhyeon?”
A man with a thoroughly intimidated expression came running from a spot some distance away from the martial artists.
“I am Han Yu, Squad Leader of the Second Family Head’s Dangyang County Branch patrol.”
He bowed his head.
Since Dangyang County doesn’t only have a Black River Gate branch, they were also helping with inspections…
That doesn’t seem to be the case.
It looks like he was cowering at a distance, oppressed by Black River Gate, then came running when he heard his name.
“Squad Leader Mak. These people are guests of the Second Family Head. May I escort them?”
A sigh escaped involuntarily.
He’s asking for understanding with his words, but his posture somehow looks like he’s seeking permission.
“Hmph! Do so.”
The attitude of the martial artist responding is the same.
He even tosses back the other’s token carelessly…
I should grab this!
“Let’s go.”
Han Yu spoke respectfully.
That makes me even more furious.
What are they so afraid of from guys like that to act so subservient?
Zhuge Munhyeon, suppressing his boiling anger with effort, glared at the martial artist once before turning his head sharply and following Han Yu.
You should know how lucky you are.
In the old days, I would have torn your mouth open first, then gone to find your superior to question how they educate their subordinates and cut off all your heads.
With that feeling, he grumbled and asked Han Yu.
“Those guys are from the Black River Sect, right?”
“That’s correct. They’re dispatched from the Yidu Branch Office nearby.”
“The Yidu Branch?”
“Yes.”
“But there should be their branch in Dangyang too…”
“Well… there was a massacre.”
“A massacre?”
“Yes. Someone killed everyone at the Black River Sect’s Dangyang branch and set it on fire.”
“My, what a righteous incident!”
“…Excuse me?”
Han Yu tilted his head at the surprised exclamation.
Are there righteous incidents among calamities?
And why are his eyes full of laughter?
“Ahem, so the nearby branch started investigating. That’s exactly why they’re conducting inspections.”
“Hmm… So such a thing happened.”
His boiling anger completely subsided.
While it’s unfortunate that people died, they were martial artists.
They fight several times a day, and sometimes die in those fights. Also, branches disappearing overnight is quite common.
Why is the evil faction called evil?
There must have been someone who held a grudge.
Looking at how they treat outsiders, it’s more than deserved.
But the inspection is both natural and foolish.
Why would the perpetrator remain at the scene?
They’ve already fled.
The criminal always returns to the scene?
That might be possible.
If they’re a pervert, they might return to reminisce about the scene of their deed.
But when they’ll return is unknown.
In other words, conducting inspections is no different from fixing the barn after losing the cow.
“Because of that, our position has become very difficult.”
“Huh? Why is that?”
“When a Black River Sect branch is attacked, we naturally become the prime suspects…”
“Hmm…”
That’s true.
Recently, the Zhuge Family has rapidly expanded their territory, and in such a situation, when one side in the buffer zone collapses, the other side naturally can’t avoid suspicion.
No wonder…
Now he somewhat understood why those eyes were looking at him that way.
A massacre occurred.
The Second Family Head’s branch is suspected.
Accordingly, someone came from the Yungjoong Mountain Main House.
‘They had no choice but to be hostile.’
He did well to endure.
If he had tried to correct their manners by talking about rudeness, it would have been war immediately.
As expected! You guys are the culprits!
…they would have raged like that.
“Phew…”
Zhuge Munhyeon applauded his own patience for preventing a disaster.
“But the branch didn’t do it, right?”
“Excuse me?”
“Ah, just wondering.”
“There’s no way we would do such a thing!”
When he asked with half-closed eyes in a whisper, Han Yu jumped up and waved his hands frantically.
Why are you so surprised?
He really just asked out of curiosity.
Sometimes such cases exist.
They hadn’t been subordinated for long and provided no help in the fight against the Namgung Family.
They surrendered out of fear from the suddenly expanded Zhuge Family’s momentum.
Having no achievements and not establishing their position, they might think they need to do something.
The most effective thing would be territorial expansion.
Especially Uichang, being a crossroads of the Yangtze River flowing to Hubei and including one of the largest ports along with Wuhan, brings enormous profits.
In other words, the expected benefits are great when it enters the territory.
If they had done such a magnificent (?) deed for the Zhuge Family, he was somewhat prepared to help them.
“Young Master, that’s preposterous. Please don’t say such things. How could we dare attack a Black River Sect branch? We don’t even have the military power to slaughter them all in one night.”
“…I see.”
He nodded with slight disappointment at Han Yu’s disgusted expression.
How unfortunate.
Who would have thought that a force under the great Zhuge Family would be so passive.
“For now, I’ll escort you to the Branch Manager. Since the Main House contacted us that you would be visiting, he’s waiting.”
“Let’s go then.”
At Han Yu’s words, satisfaction bloomed instead of disappointment.
Main House.
While it means a large and excellent family, it’s also how lower families respectfully address higher families.
If the branch’s patrol squad leader speaks that way, it means the Second Family Head has now shed their past and is truly serving the Zhuge Family.
* * *
“Welcome. I am Hwang Gal, Branch Manager of the Second Family Head’s Dangyang County branch.”
“I am Zhuge Munhyeon.”
Branch Manager Hwang Gal, who received word of their arrival, came out to the main gate to greet them.
However.
“Those people are…?”
Zhuge Munhyeon frowned as he looked at the warriors wearing completely different uniforms.
The clothes weren’t the only strange thing.
If they were branch warriors, they should have stood behind the branch manager and shown welcoming expressions to the guest.
But they were beside him.
They walked alongside.
As if surrounding the facing branch manager and Zhuge Munhyeon, they looked him up and down and had their hands on their sword hilts as if ready to draw at any moment.
An extremely threatening attitude.
In other words, they are not Second Family Head warriors.
“Ah, they’re from the Black River Sect’s Yidu Branch.”
“Why are they from the Yidu Branch here?”
“Well, that is…”
When he pressed for details, Hwang Gal looked troubled as if he might break out in cold sweat.
He could guess the answer without hearing it.
They’re being investigated.
According to Han Yu, they’re the prime suspects.
He understands.
Anyone would be like that.
They were part of the evil faction until recently, and given how strong the Black River Sect was, it’s understandable they’d be intimidated.
However.
“What’s your purpose for visiting Dangyang County?”
“…”
The Black River Gate martial artist, Jin Yeorak, asked with an arrogant attitude.
His eyes are sharp.
Meanwhile, he looks me up and down.
“Hmm.”
My brow furrowed involuntarily.
That bastard, asking about my business right after meeting.
And not “what is it” or “what do you want” but “what’s it”?
“Well, this is…”
Zhuge Munhyeon frowned and shook his head back and forth.
This branch office belongs to the Lee Family.
The Lee Family has become part of the Zhuge Family.
We’re practically family.
Therefore, right now I’m not a guest but the owner, and Black River Gate is not the owner but the guest.
They have committed a reversal of host and guest.
Generally, a host should welcome guests with courtesy and sincerity, but guests should also visit with at least basic manners.
Even I, who was from the Demonic Sect, never forgot courtesy when I visited various places for martial duels.
Even though death awaited at the end.
But these bastards have no such thing.
The corners of Zhuge Munhyeon’s mouth split to both sides as he looked at Jin Yeorak.
It was a smile that felt somehow eerie.
“Quite rude, aren’t you? Coming to someone else’s house.”
No matter how much I’ve become a descendant of the Zhuge Family and am exercising extreme patience… no wait, precisely because I’m a descendant of the Zhuge Family, I can’t tolerate this even more.
If they don’t know etiquette and proper conduct, I need to teach them.
Because that’s what we truly value most.
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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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