Ascension of the Heavenly Demon - Chapter 145

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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 145

 

One person cultivated to live as a Taoist rather than a demon, while another cultivated to survive in a place where no one would care for him.

 

Day after day, the air was filled with the smell of sweat and the sound of groaning echoed.

 

It was the sound of skills improving.

 

No, it was daily progress and monthly advancement.

 

Though he didn’t know the details of either Tang Family martial arts or Wudang martial arts, the teachings of someone who had once earned the title of Number One Under Heaven were like a divine opportunity.

 

Especially Zhuge Mungi absorbed knowledge as quickly as water filling an empty cup.

 

Mungi, Elder Brother of Junggi.

 

Perhaps unlike his younger brother, he had inherited his father’s martial talent.

 

Who would have thought he’d complete the basic course of the Three Yang Divine Palm in just a few days and advance to the intermediate course.

 

It was the result of effort.

 

He was much better than Gwan Hwiping, who slacked off whenever he got the chance.

 

His thirst for martial arts must have been severe all this time.

 

He must have earnestly tried, hoping someone would teach him.

 

Even so, how could a descendant of the Zhuge Family live like a fool at Hogu Ferry Terminal.

 

Under Zhuge Munhyeon’s full guidance, who absolutely could not leave things as they were, their skills grew like bamboo shoots after rain.

 

Time flowed like a shot arrow, and finally the family’s delegation arrived at Hogu Ferry Terminal.

 

And.

 

“What do you mean? You’ll escort the delegation?”

 

“Just as you heard.”

 

At the calm answer, Dang Hun couldn’t help but feel bewildered.

 

He had already received approval from the Main House.

 

Though he hadn’t mentioned it yet as it was joyful news meant to be a surprise, Zhuge Mungi had attained the long-desired position of Deputy Branch Manager.

 

Excluding blood relatives, it was quite a rapid promotion.

 

But suddenly he says he’ll escort the delegation.

 

He even says permission from Shadow Bang Leader Tang Yung has already been granted.

 

What does the Bang Leader know?

 

He knows hidden weapons, he knows Main House affairs.

 

How could he know the circumstances of Hogu Branch to grant or deny permission!

 

“Sigh, if that’s your decision, there’s nothing I can do. Since you say the Bang Leader’s permission has been granted… Fine. While you’re gone, I’ll have to pay a little more attention and look after things. But when you return, you must work hard as Deputy Branch Manager.”

 

“No, I intend to decline the Deputy Branch Manager position.”

 

“What? What do you mean? How can you refuse a position you worked so hard to obtain?”

 

“I’m not unaware that it’s a good position.”

 

“Don’t tell me? Are you thinking of following your brother back to the Zhuge Family?”

 

“No. There’s probably no place for me there anymore.”

 

“Then why are you declining the Deputy Branch Manager position?”

 

“I plan to go to the Tang Family’s main base at Star Blade and start over.”

 

“What? You fool, if there’s no place for you in the Zhuge Family, do you think there’s a place for you at the Main House?”

 

“There probably isn’t.”

 

“You know this and still say such things? When I eventually get promoted to the Main House, you’d be more than qualified to take the branch manager position…”

 

“I also know that you think of me that way.”

“Then why on earth?”

 

“I’m thinking of establishing my own foundation. From the center of the family…”

“Nonsense! Who would acknowledge you when you’re not even blood-related?”

 

“My mind is unchanged.”

 

“My opinion remains unchanged.”

His face flushed red as he was about to explode in anger, but Zhuge Mungi slowly prostrated himself in a bow.

 

His face flushed red with anger in an instant, but Zhuge Wenqi slowly prostrated himself and bowed.

“You… hmm.”

 

Dang Hun, who had wanted to scold him thoroughly about not dreaming impossible dreams, soon closed his mouth.

 

“You… hmm.”

This was someone who had never called him that even once before.

 

Uncle….

And now this guy…

 

“You’ve made up your mind.”

 

He could have called him by his personal name, but he always addressed him as branch manager and did his utmost in his role as an aide.

“Damn fool. The hardships are so obviously visible…”

 

“You’ve made up your mind.”

“It’s nothing. Get out of here.”

 

“…Yes.”

 

“Damn bastard. The hardships ahead are so obvious to see…”

That coldness wasn’t resentful to him.

 

“Nothing’s wrong. Get out of here.”

He already knew that the appointment letter sent by the Family Head had arrived. The Patrol Leader had quickly come to tell him it was good news.

 

But in the end, he hadn’t shown him the appointment letter.

 

At his uncle’s cold dismissal as he abruptly turned his head away, Zhuge Wenqi smiled faintly, bowed once more, and left the room.

Standing outside the Branch Manager’s room, Zhuge Mungi looked up at the sky for a moment.

 

Because they know what was sent.

Like his own heart that had become light.

 

“What the hell, let’s give it a try.”

 

But he never did produce the letter of appointment.

Deputy Branch Manager was a good position, but there probably wouldn’t be any advancement.

 

Zhuge Wenqi, standing outside the branch manager’s room, looked up at the sky for a moment.

But with Zhuge Munhyeon’s help in cultivating the Three Yang Divine Palm, he had realized something.

 

If there’s no place to stand, you create one.

 

Like his own heart that had become lighter.

Perhaps somewhere there might be a path of his own, so it would be worth trying a little harder.

 

I clenched my fist tightly.

However.

 

Deputy site manager—it’s a good position, but there probably won’t be any advancement.

Being a branch manager would be the end of it.

However, with Zhuge Munhyeon’s help, he gained enlightenment while training the Three Yang Divine Technique.

If there’s no place to stand, then create one.

I didn’t know where that path would lead, but it seemed like taking a road that others hadn’t traveled wouldn’t be so bad.

Perhaps there might be your own path somewhere out there, so it would be worth trying a little harder.

Rather than growing old and dying while settling for being a pushover, I wanted to challenge myself in a bigger world.

However.

“Mother will nag me about this.”

 

Zhuge Mungi thought of his mother Dang Yeojin and let out a bitter laugh.

 

No matter how the people of the Zhuge Family or the Tang Family viewed her, she was more precious to him than anyone else. She was a pitiful person.

 

Though she had turned her back on the Zhuge Family out of pride, her life hadn’t been as smooth as she had thought it would be.

 

There was no place for her in the Tang Family either.

 

If only his father had entered as a son-in-law instead…

 

“Well, I’ll have to work through it step by step.”

 

Zhuge Mungi took a deep breath and began walking.

 

He had to join the delegation.

 

* * *

 

The path from Hogu Ferry Terminal to Star Blade, where the Tang Family’s main manor was located, wasn’t difficult.

 

They just had to follow the straight main road.

 

There was no danger on the journey either.

 

What madman would dare pick a fight with a procession flying the Tang Family’s Green Snake Banner in Sichuan territory?

 

Horses and carriages.

 

The journey was so peaceful it was almost leisurely.

 

Of course, unlike the others, Zhuge Munhyeon was spending his time quite busily.

 

While traveling, he had to nag Mujin, and during rest stops, he had to nag Zhuge Mungi.

 

Nagging wasn’t easy either.

 

If done carelessly, how would it be any different from meaningless muttering?

 

First, one had to carefully observe the other person’s situation and avoid approaching emotionally.

 

Since anger breeds anger, the key was maintaining a mind like Clear Mirror Still Water to prevent gradually building rage during the nagging process.

 

Words had to be logical.

 

Even if you talked all day, if your words went back and forth without consistency, the other person wouldn’t understand, making it all pointless.

 

You had to focus on the key points and explain them in detail.

 

Also, to make them snap to attention and listen properly, you shouldn’t hesitate to curse occasionally, and you mustn’t forget the rod of love.

 

After the nagging ended, you also had to check if they understood properly.

 

In other words, effective nagging wasn’t one-sided criticism but should contain sincere advice and encouragement toward the other person, and must be done with the purpose of bringing about change.

 

I’m reminded once again that nagging isn’t easy.

 

Damn it. It’s exhausting, so exhausting.

 

Who would have thought I’d end up cultivating nagging techniques.

 

Of course, he didn’t forget to occasionally build rapport with Tang Yung either.

 

Though it was annoying how he kept trying to learn about personal matters, he endured it since he had a purpose.

 

“…The Tang Family is organized quite diversely, isn’t it?”

 

“Indeed, there aren’t many places as subdivided as the Tang Family.”

 

Tang Yung nodded with a satisfied expression at the praise filled with ulterior motives.

 

Thanks to this, he learned about the structure of the Five Directions.

 

Though he had wandered All Under Heaven for years, he had only sought out strong opponents to fight and didn’t know the intimate details of each family clan.

 

“So does the Tang Family make everything they use in their workshop?”

 

“That’s about right. The workshop has direct or indirect connections with almost every mine in Sichuan, and we control over a hundred iron guilds and blacksmith shops.”

 

Tang Yung boasted about the Tang Family’s wealth.

 

Must be nice to be rich.

 

“Wow, that’s amazing.”

 

“By the way, you seem quite interested in the workshop? All your questions have been about it.”

 

“Well… the Zhuge Family has a similar place. It’s called the Heavenly Workshop.”

 

“Ah, I see. It’s probably a place that manufactures mechanisms?”

 

“Yes, it’s not as big as the Tang Family’s, but the Heavenly Workshop also has quite skilled craftsmen. Since we need to make devices and gears that go into mechanisms, they have very precise abilities.”

 

Since we couldn’t match the Tang Family in quantity and wealth, I emphasized the qualitative aspects.

 

Look, we have something like that too.

 

It was childish bragging, but I didn’t want to lose for no reason.

 

“Indeed, there are some similarities in certain aspects. But the Tang Family’s workshop mainly manufactures weapons.”

 

“Weapons?”

 

“Hidden weapons get consumed tremendously.”

 

“Ah…”

 

“So the craftsmen at the Tang Family workshop have incredibly fast hands.”

 

“I see. Come to think of it, since you’re the Hidden Weapons Bang Leader, you must have a close relationship with the workshop.”

 

“Of course! That workshop master is my sixteenth cousin younger brother.”

 

“Ah…”

 

Sixteenth cousin… impressive in many ways.

 

So they do consider that degree of relation as family.

 

“But aren’t you interested in things like the current state of Murim?”

 

“The state of Murim?”

 

“Yes. Since Zhuge has now reclaimed its former position in Hubei, a rising star like you should take interest. You’ve already earned the title Violent Dragon, so it wouldn’t be bad to form a gathering of promising young talents like the old Five Dragons and One Phoenix.”

 

“Not really…”

 

I wasn’t interested in kids’ social clubs.

 

Right now, Zhuge Munhyeon’s only interest was visiting the Tang Family workshop to ask about the Silver Cold Staff.

 

“You may not know this well, but the situation in the Central Plains has been turbulent lately.”

 

“Ah… I see.”

 

“Like Zhuge, martial sects everywhere are recovering their past power and expanding their territories. Not only that, though you may not have heard, the Demonic Sect in the west has begun actively moving.”

 

Zhuge Munhyeon’s eyes, which had been nodding indifferently, suddenly flashed open.

 

The Demonic Sect?

 

They’re making moves?

 

“Haha, now you’re showing interest. Well, the relationship between the Central Plains and the Demonic Sect has always been a matter of concern. Especially for promising young talents like you.”

 

“…So what about the Demonic Path?”

 

“This is just what I heard through the grapevine, but it seems their internal war ended recently.”

 

That was something Zhuge Munhyeon had roughly expected.

 

He had already met warriors from the secret camp and even fought them.

 

“I heard the new Sect Leader is a ruthless person. When he ascended to the position of Sect Leader, he massacred all the warriors of similar age to himself.”

 

“What? A massacre?”

 

“That’s right. They say all the martial artists within roughly ten years of age difference, both older and younger, were killed.”

 

“What! But why?”

 

“How would I know? What those crazy bastards are scheming in their minds.”

 

“….”

 

How strange.

 

Why would the Sect Leader target his peers….

 

“Anyway, their movements are quite unusual. There hasn’t been any direct attack yet… but Demonic Cult members have started appearing here and there in Sichuan. What’s strange is that these bastards only attack craftsmen, as if they’re trying to make something.”

 

“What? Craftsmen?”

 

“That’s right, anyway, there’s no understanding what those crazy bastards are thinking.”

 

It was surprising news, but his eyes couldn’t help but narrow drowsily.

 

Why does he keep calling them crazy bastards?

 

It wasn’t wrong, but even facts become unpleasant when you keep hearing them. They’re still my descendants after all.

 

“Anyway, that’s why I mistook you for a Demonic Cult member when I first saw the Mujin Seal. I thought these bastards had even infiltrated Hogu.”

 

“I see.”

 

“It seems like something big will happen soon. The martial world needs to prepare as well. Perhaps we’ll need to unite the Nine Sects and martial families to form an alliance like in the past. Promising young talents like you will need to work hard.”

 

“Hmm….”

 

Tang Yung continued to ramble on about improving relations between the Zhuge Family and Tang Family, but new concerns had settled in Zhuge Munhyeon’s mind.

 

Why would the Demonic Path do such things?

 

Before coming to Sichuan, he had seen movements to kidnap sculptors, and now in Sichuan, he heard they were attacking craftsmen.

 

‘Damn it, how would I know? What those crazy bastards are thinking….’

 

He deliberately shook off the unnecessarily complicated thoughts from his head.

 

Right now, he only needed to think about solving the secret of the Silver Cold Staff.

 

Let’s put the Demonic Path aside for now.

 

Later, when he regained his past level of cultivation, he could visit them and cheerfully greet them saying ‘I am the Heavenly Demon.’

—————
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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