Ascension of the Heavenly Demon - Chapter 134
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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 134
“You picked up an old item?”
“Yes.”
“No, how could this be…”
On Ryu’s eyes were bloodshot as he stared wide-eyed, even panting for breath.
He couldn’t adapt to this.
Could a person change so drastically in an instant?
He seemed like a completely different person.
“To pick up such an item on the road, surely heavenly fortune must have blessed you.”
“Is that so?”
“No! How can you answer so indifferently!”
“…”
“‘Is that so?’ you say! When you obtain such an item, even offering sacrifices to the heavenly gods wouldn’t be enough!”
Was this really something to get scolded over?
This was an unfamiliar feeling.
“And in the midst of all this, instead of thinking to protect such an item for generations, how can you just carelessly stick it in your belt and walk around! What if you lose it?”
“…”
“This is an item that should be treasured properly!”
This was too excessive.
Even the veins in his neck were bulging…
“Seven Star Forged Heart! Divine Brush Iron Blade! Eternal Brush Destiny! Heavenly Crafted Precision Carving! Even expressing it like that wouldn’t be enough for such a tremendous item. It’s a treasure, I tell you, a treasure!”
Faced with his extremely excited appearance, Zhuge Munhyeon and Mujin could only blink their eyes, unable to utter a single word in response.
Seven Star Forged Heart, with an unwavering mind like the Big Dipper.
Divine Brush Iron Blade, holding a carving knife like the brush of a god.
Eternal Brush Destiny, containing a bond that won’t change over long ages.
Heavenly Crafted Precision Carving, engraving as precisely as if made by heaven.
‘It’s not even a martial technique, yet he’s attached every good phrase to it. And what does it matter if I carry my own item on my waist or kick it around with my feet?’
At that moment, someone similar to On Ryu came to mind.
Grand Artisan Baek Mu of the Heavenly Workshop, who was in charge of mechanisms at the Zhuge Family.
He was the same way.
Even shoveling had techniques like martial arts – Earth Digging for digging ground, Dull Advance Break for bluntly smashing, Flying Earth Method for scattering soil, and even One Strike Earth Severing for cutting through earth in one scoop.
What complete nonsense.
He’d probably beat people to death with a shovel too.
But all craftsmen seemed to be like that.
Anyway, if the disciple of a renowned carving master got this excited just from seeing engraved letters, then as Eunhangon had thought, it must indeed be remarkable.
After all, it was something that didn’t budge at internal energy but reacted to spirit energy, so it couldn’t be ordinary.
His expectations grew a little more.
“Do you happen to know anyone who could do this kind of carving?”
“It’s not carving, it’s seal carving. That’s the proper way to express it.”
“…”
On Ryu corrected him sharply.
This bastard…
His fist clenched slightly, but then On Ryu immediately poured out his words.
“I can say with certainty that there’s only one person who could leave such seal carving…”
“Who is that?”
“Well, that’s…”
On Ryu, who had been speaking well until now, suddenly hesitated.
Why?
Was there some story he couldn’t tell?
Now he was really curious.
“Please tell me.”
“…Gakseon.”
“Gak… what?”
After carefully opening his mouth, On Ryu frowned and watched for reactions.
Gakseon, the immortal of carving.
What a straightforward name.
He probably thought he’d be ridiculed.
“I know you won’t believe me. I know you’ll laugh at me. I don’t know how my words will sound to you, but my master definitely said he had met Gakseon.”
“Hmm.”
“It’s true! Look at this!”
On Ryu pulled out something he had been wearing around his neck.
Why this?
“This is my master’s keepsake. He said Gakseon gave it to him.”
“…”
“The letters engraved here are done in exactly the same way as those on your item.”
The necklace that On Ryu pointed to with his finger, as if trying to prove his words, had tiny letters engraved on it.
At a glance, it seemed similar, but then again, maybe not.
But he wasn’t a carving master himself, so how could he recognize the commonalities between the two?
“So you’re saying Gakseon actually exists and your master met him? And Gakseon definitely carved this?”
“That’s right.”
“Hmm…”
Zhuge Munhyeon, having barely calmed his excitement, crossed his arms and furrowed his brow.
“Hah, I thought you wouldn’t believe me. But…”
“Huh? Who wouldn’t?”
“Pardon?”
“Who doesn’t believe you?”
“…You believe me?”
“Of course I believe you. I don’t know about others, but I believe you!”
“…”
He, he believes me?
On Ryu was the one who was flustered instead.
He looked at him with eyes that seemed to say, ‘Why would you believe this? No one has believed me until now?’
Meanwhile, Mujin was also nodding beside him as if he believed it too.
Of course, other people wouldn’t have believed him until now, he would have just been called crazy.
But!
I’m the one who until recently was searching for the legends of Dongho Lake that others considered absurd.
The Hyeoncheon Records also contain records of meeting Half-Immortals, and not long ago I even met a madman who was cultivating to become a Half-Immortal, so why wouldn’t I believe it?
I don’t know if he’s the immortal of carving or not, but I definitely believe in his existence. There probably isn’t anyone in the Central Plains who would believe his words as much as I do.
And naturally, I expected as much.
To engrave letters on such a remarkable item like Eunhangon, one would have to be at least an immortal. Of course!
But the more he learned, the more unsolvable questions arose.
Why would someone make such an item?
Who could he have made it for?
And why would he have picked up this precious item on the road?
“Damn, this is complicated.”
Just as his thoughts were deepening.
“Let me ask you one thing.”
“Please go ahead.”
He decided to start by confirming the part that had puzzled him from the very beginning.
“What’s the reason the Demonic Sect is chasing you?”
“Pardon?”
There was no point in continuing to worry about things that couldn’t be solved.
Turning his attention elsewhere wasn’t a bad choice either.
“The ones who tried to kidnap you, even risking their lives, were from the Demonic Sect. Knowing that, I asked the Beggar’s Sect to bring you here.”
“That… I don’t know either. I only just heard that the Demonic Sect was looking for me.”
“Hmm.”
As expected, this too remained an unsolved mystery.
They chased someone unrelated to them?
But why?
Could it be that those bastards are also looking for Immortals?
That’s overthinking it.
Very much so.
He knew the Demonic Sect better than anyone.
They don’t believe in Ascension to Immortality.
He was probably the only one.
When he thought he had achieved everything and had nothing left to accomplish, it was a choice made to relieve boredom.
At least until he learned that ascension was possible, though he had reincarnated.
“Do you happen to know what kind of writing this is?”
“I don’t know that. This is the first time I’ve seen such characters.”
“I see.”
His business was finished.
Now that he knew the being called Gakseon was the one who carved the writing on the Silver Cold Staff, he thought that finding the creator might reveal more.
However.
“Do you have somewhere to go?”
“Pardon?”
“The Demonic Sect never lets go of a target they’ve set.”
“…”
“They’ll definitely come again. You’ll need a safe place.”
“…It doesn’t matter. I forgot my purpose for living long ago.”
On Ryu’s eyes lost their vitality and returned to emptiness.
“That doesn’t seem to be the case though?”
“…?”
“When you were looking at the Silver Cold Staff, you had a strange competitive spirit. It felt like you wanted to try making the same thing.”
“Th-that’s…”
“If it’s alright, I’d like to introduce you to a place to live.”
“A place to live?”
“Go to the Zhuge Family and find Master Baek Mu of the Heavenly Workshop. He’s someone who greatly values craftsmen. Also, there won’t be anyone there who holds prejudice or condemns you because of the treason your master was involved in. And if you sincerely create excellent carvings—no, seal carvings—and that person called Gakseon comes looking, please tell him my story. Tell him I very much want to meet him.”
At those rather serious words, On Ryu’s expression showed he had much to think about.
“Oh, whether you go to the Zhuge Family or not, it would be better not to talk about that necklace and Gakseon.”
“Pardon?”
“I have a feeling it might get you involved in something unpleasant. Don’t use the name On Ryu either. Or the name Hyanwon. I’ll erase the traces of your past. Hmm, how about the name Danyeong?”
Danyeong, meaning to cut off one’s shadow.
It carried the meaning of not being bound by the past.
Well chosen.
Seeing him nod, he seemed to think so too.
But he asked with an expression that showed he couldn’t quite understand.
“Why are you helping me?”
“Well. Doesn’t everyone have moments when they need help? Perhaps because the future looked too dark for you to see, I thought someone should create an opportunity.”
After thinking for a long while, On Ryu silently nodded.
It seemed he had decided to live.
As Danyeong.
Even if one temporarily forgets their life’s purpose, there’s no one who doesn’t want to live.
People live with different positions and various reasons, sometimes unable to bear what immediately confronts them, unable to receive help, suffering in anguish, and eventually making wrong choices.
A pitiful life.
If only there had been one small opportunity, they would have found the courage to live again…
‘Huh! I’m having such thoughts too.’
A slight smile came to his lips.
He had lived being treated as a cold-blooded person without compassion or tears, yet now he knew how to worry about others. He had changed a lot.
Feeling somewhat embarrassed, he spoke encouragingly.
“Work hard at making things.”
“What do you mean?”
“Anything, so busily that you can’t even worry. If you do that, you might find yourself living. And pass on your master’s teachings to someone else. Whether to your own child or to someone else.”
“But…”
“Try it once. Don’t be scared from the start. If you still can’t find an answer even then, make your own choice at that time. It’s your life.”
The conversation was over.
When Zhuge Munhyeon immediately stood up and pulled away the straw mat, On Ryu urgently called out to him.
“Wait a moment.”
“What is it?”
“Would you accept this?”
What On Ryu held out was the necklace that Gakseon had given to his master.
“You said it was a keepsake?”
“It’s my shadow.”
“Your shadow?”
“At one time, I tried countless times to make something identical. But it only deepened my despair.”
“Hmm.”
Zhuge Munhyeon looked at the necklace in On Ryu’s hand.
A shadow…
Perhaps that might have been the case.
Not the shadow of his master who was involved in treason, but perhaps he had exhausted himself trying to imitate something he could never catch up to.
That might be why he was even more excited when he saw the Silver Cold Staff.
He had severed his connection with the shadow he had been suppressing.
Like the name he had given him.
His expression looked somehow relieved.
He didn’t know what effect his words had on the man’s heart, but at least it was fortunate that he seemed to have decided to live.
“I’ll keep it safe and return it when you ask for it someday.”
“Thank you.”
It was heavy.
Not because it was made by an Immortal, but because it was an object containing a man’s long anguish.
After receiving the farewell, Zhuge Munhyeon came out and called Maeng Jin.
“Would you erase all traces of On Ryu?”
“Pardon?”
“It would be good if you could process him as a dead person instead.”
“Hmm… I understand.”
“And please send it to the Zhuge Family.”
“I shall do so.”
Maeng Jin answered obediently.
However, he seemed to have something he wanted to say.
“Um… how is it?”
“Pardon?”
“I did modify the formation a bit as you suggested… but I have no expertise in formation techniques, so I’m not sure if I did it properly.”
“…”
Zhuge Munhyeon chuckled at the sight of him twisting his body like straw rope as he spoke.
“Asking the Military Strategy Hall for help would be…”
“…”
“They are the experts in that field, after all.”
That was answer enough, and Maeng Jin became dejected.
“Oh! By any chance, is there a way to obtain information about the Demonic Sect?”
“The Demonic Sect…?”
“Yes. I’d like to know what’s been happening recently.”
“Is it information you need?”
“Just their general movements would be enough.”
There was no need to investigate in detail.
It would be sufficient to know who became the Sect Leader after the internal war ended, and what kind of movements they’ve been showing lately.
Strangely, it bothered him.
If they sent martial artists from their secret camp all the way to Hubei Province to kidnap On Ryu… there must have been movements in other places as well.
“Hmm… well. If it’s truly necessary, we’ll try to pull some strings.”
“Would that be possible?”
“Haha! Is there anywhere under heaven without beggars? Following various connections here and there, even if we’re heading in different directions, we should be able to grasp their general movements. However, it will take quite some time. The messenger pigeon network has been severed for so long…”
“I don’t mind however long it takes.”
“Understood. If we happen to find out quickly, we’ll contact you immediately.”
“I’ll be in Sichuan for a while, so please contact me there.”
“Yes.”
Maeng Jin answered readily, but seemed to have lingering regrets as he glanced around before asking again.
“Is it really that bad? I put quite a bit of effort into changing it.”
“…”
He didn’t give an answer.
Digging into others’ affairs to the Beggar’s Sect, formation techniques to the Zhuge Family.
Experts don’t exist for nothing.
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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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