Ascension of the Heavenly Demon - Chapter 16

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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 16

“Why are you so surprised?”

“Ah, well, that… because you said it was Hyeoncheonja’s secret cave.”

“Do you know of Hyeoncheonja?”

“I saw it at the Ten Thousand Books Pavilion.”

“Well I’ll be, the Ten Thousand Books Pavilion seems to have all sorts of books.”

His breathing had even become rough, causing Zhuge Doyun to make a puzzled expression. However, since he hadn’t read all the books in the Ten Thousand Books Pavilion either, he could only tilt his head in wonder.

“Father, please tell me in detail.”

“You rascal…”

Though he couldn’t understand his son’s reaction at all, he soon continued speaking.

“Recently, due to heavy rains, the secret cave where that person cultivated in his later years collapsed. They contacted us asking for help since their sect’s power alone cannot rebuild it. There must be something important there.”

“Something important?”

“Who knows. But think about it – he’s known to have achieved Ascension to Immortality, so there might be secrets to that or something.”

Father probably just said it casually.

But at that moment, Zhuge Munhyeon’s eyes widened as if they would tear.

The secret to Ascension to Immortality.

That might be it.

If Yu Gilcheon really did achieve Ascension to Immortality, if that’s the case!

‘He gave me a fake…!’

His blood felt like it was rushing backwards, ready to burst through the top of his head.

He barely held back because he was in front of Father.

“For now, we’re researching it. The mechanisms and Formation Techniques of that secret cave were made by our very own Zhuge Family. Though relations have soured now, back then we were all under the Martial Alliance’s umbrella.”

A subtle pride could be felt on Zhuge Doyun’s face.

It was probably the feeling that no one but the Zhuge could possibly do it.

But that wasn’t what was important.

If secrets to Ascension to Immortality remained there?

He wanted to head to Wudang immediately.

He had to compare, didn’t he?

Whether what he knew and what that bastard left behind were the same or not.

But he hadn’t built up enough skill to go there and cause a ruckus.

Then what should he do now?

“Father!”

“Hm?”

“When are you going to Wudang?”

“Well, we need preparations too, so it will take some time. And it’s not just Wudang, is it? There are so many places that want knowledge of our Zhuge Family’s Formation Techniques and mechanisms…”

Before he could even finish speaking.

“I want to become an apprentice at the Military Strategy Hall!”

“Hm?”

“In return, please include me in the personnel being sent to Wudang!”

At his thoroughly excited son’s appearance, Zhuge Doyun wore a sinister smile.

He didn’t know why this reaction, but his son seemed quite interested.

Well, he was the type to jump up from sleep at the mention of martial arts.

In that case?

“Hmm, really?”

“I can do it! I absolutely must become an apprentice at the Military Strategy Hall!”

At his son’s appearance, suddenly even filled with determination, Zhuge Doyun was inwardly flustered.

It’s good that he wants to do it, but…

Why does this feel uneasy?

This guy’s expression looks exactly like he’s about to cause some trouble.

But for now, his joy was greater.

“Good. Report to the Military Strategy Hall starting tomorrow.”

“Thank you!”

A secret cave that might contain Hyeoncheonja’s secrets to Ascension to Immortality.

I absolutely cannot give this up.

* * *

“Who are you?”

“I am Zhuge Munhyeon.”

In front of the Military Strategy Hall.

The guard standing at the entrance looked at his snow-white scholar’s robe and asked politely.

It was natural that he didn’t recognize his face.

This was his first time visiting the Military Strategy Hall, whether officially or unofficially. No, this was his first time coming to the main house itself since being banned from entering Cheonseong Pavilion.

But the guard, who had been pondering while looking at the authority token Zhuge Munhyeon presented, spoke with a startled expression.

“If it’s Munhyeon… Ah! That little bast…”

“…”

“Ahem. You’re the family head’s son. I’ll escort you inside.”

At the guard’s appearance of clearing his throat and showing courtesy, Zhuge Munhyeon’s eyes narrowed.

Somehow it seemed like a word he shouldn’t have heard just passed by?

Disrespectful little bastard.

Shortened to little bastard.

This damn!

How old was that nickname that he thought of it immediately upon hearing the name?

It would be justified to shout at him and rip out his tongue right now, but he barely held back thinking of Hyeoncheonja’s secret cave.

Wudang.

It would be troublesome if he got fired from his apprenticeship after causing trouble.

I too am now a person who knows patience.

“Where is Father?”

To his question asked while barely suppressing his anger, the guard answered.

“He’s attending an emergency meeting in the Great Hall, so you’ll have to wait a moment.”

“A Great Hall meeting? At this hour?”

“Yes. There have been frequent meetings lately.”

“He told me to come early and then… Anyway, thanks.”

“Not at all. I’ll call the servant girls to escort you inside.”

“No, don’t bother. I’ll just look around while waiting.”

“Yes.”

The guard bowed politely and withdrew.

Entering inside, Zhuge Munhyeon looked around at the numerous spaces spread out along the corridor.

A place that researches the Zhuge Family’s strategy and Formation Techniques.

He had heard of it, but this was his first time actually seeing its interior.

Rooms extending long along the walls.

Inside them were scholars sitting at desks, concentrating.

There were those who seemed to be agonizing, clutching their heads, others rapidly moving their brushes to write something, and those who seemed to be searching for something while quickly flipping through books.

But regardless of gender, they all had one thing in common.

‘Dirty, so dirty.’

Every single one had an exhausted expression with sunken eyes.

Meanwhile, their hair was all matted together from who knows how long without washing, and their grimy clothes that hadn’t been changed in ages even gave off a stench.

Even Demon Cult members who paid no attention to their appearance weren’t this bad. They looked like slaves being exploited for their wisdom.

Those terrifying Zhuge bastards…

So that’s how they created their strategies.

No wonder they said they could endlessly produce wisdom that would astonish the heavens – such unseen efforts were happening behind the scenes…

Zhuge Munhyeon carefully muffled his footsteps as he moved away from the room.

He was worried he might disturb their concentration.

It definitely wasn’t because of the smell.

Then he discovered a place that strangely caught his attention.

A square space located in the center of the corridor.

It was the central courtyard.

A garden created between the inner house and outer house.

But what was arranged inside looked as if an entire mountain had been transplanted there.

Mountains and rivers, fields and villages…

“Ah!”

After observing for a while, Zhuge Munhyeon finally realized what it was.

Yungzhong Mountain.

The place where the Zhuge Family and their followers had formed a village.

The river flowing north was definitely the Han River, a tributary of the Yangtze River.

“Wow! Amazing. Did they actually create a miniature terrain to study strategies?”

He couldn’t help but be impressed.

The Zhuge Family scholars had apparently created a model of the region where they lived to study methods of defending against enemy attacks.

But then.

“Formation techniques?”

Even though he had become familiar with them over seven years through Han Siheon, the Formation Department head at the Military Strategy Hall, it took him a while to recognize them.

Countless cutting formations were spread throughout the miniature terrain, creating interconnected networks.

“I’ve really become a Zhuge Family person. Who would have thought I’d feel curiosity when seeing formation techniques?”

He naturally shook his head and smiled wryly at his own transformation.

In the past, he had no interest in formation techniques. He could just destroy them with brute force.

But perhaps from seeing them so often, he had grown accustomed to them and developed a strange curiosity.

What type of formation technique was that?

What functions did it possess?

Before he knew it, Zhuge Munhyeon was crouching in front of the miniature Yungzhong Mountain.

He was waiting for Father who was attending the Great Hall meeting anyway. With no one he knew around, he needed something to pass the time.

“Let’s see, they slightly twisted the Five Elements directions? The Eight Trigrams positions are also strange…”

It was a formation composition he’d never seen before.

Having studied for quite a while, he was confident in his understanding of formation techniques, but he couldn’t determine the Life Gate and Death Gate at all.

What on earth was this?

He’d never seen this kind of formation technique before…

Suddenly, his competitive spirit flared up.

As the son of the Zhuge Family’s Military Strategy Division Head, he absolutely could not accept not even knowing the type of formation technique.

Without realizing it, Zhuge Munhyeon began scratching the floor with his finger while analyzing the formation’s structure.

* * *

While Zhuge Munhyeon was deeply absorbed in the formation technique, a young man in one of the nearby rooms was watching him with a strange gaze.

Eighteen years old, Yeo Mungi.

He was someone who had completed his coming-of-age ceremony and officially become a member of the Military Strategy Hall.

As a branch family member, entering the Military Strategy Hall, which played the most important role in the Zhuge Family, was truly remarkable.

There had been many descendants of the Zhuge Family among his competitors at the time.

Though he was still a green newcomer, he had proudly passed by beating them all – how great must his pride be?

His discovery of Zhuge Munhyeon was by chance.

Seeing him wearing a snow-white scholar’s robe, he figured he was probably a Zhuge Family descendant who hadn’t yet had his coming-of-age ceremony.

But the timing was too late for him to be here as an apprentice.

That started in early spring.

And why had he never seen him before?

He had attended Cheonseong Pavilion until the previous year to learn basic martial arts. Judging by their similar age, their time at Cheonseong Pavilion must have overlapped.

While watching carefully, didn’t he suddenly crouch down in front of the miniature model built in the central courtyard?

That was understandable.

That thing, which looked like Yungzhong Mountain had been transplanted there, often caught people’s attention.

But then.

“Huh? Could this be the Eight Formation Diagram?”

“…”

Yeo Mungi was startled by the sudden exclamation.

He, he recognized that?

How on earth?

It was natural that he jumped up.

The Eight Formation Diagram spread on the model had been personally deployed by the Military Strategy Division Head. Except for section chief-level figures with exceptional knowledge of formation techniques, it was absolutely impossible to recognize.

Unlike other formation techniques, that one was secretly hidden.

A formation within a formation spread throughout Yungzhong Mountain in preparation for future dangers.

Of course, it wasn’t perfect yet since it was still being researched.

It was research that had begun as a means to protect the family according to rapidly changing circumstances.

He himself had only learned about it much later.

Only after hearing that the Eight Formation Diagram was hidden within it.

But how on earth…

Could someone who hadn’t even had his coming-of-age ceremony recognize it?

Meanwhile, judging by his exclamation, he had clearly figured it out by observing on the spot rather than hearing it from someone.

Who exactly was that guy?

He, who had been confident that he was the most outstanding among his peers when it came to formation techniques, felt an inexplicable excitement and approached the guy.

Of course, during this time, Zhuge Munhyeon was continuing his analysis, feeling thrilled by what he had discovered.

“Oh? Look at this? All the formations are interconnected, aren’t they?”

The countless cutting formations spread on the model were perfectly interwoven with each other.

It wasn’t just the Eight Formation Diagram.

The deeper one went, the greater the formation’s pressure became.

If someone attacked the Zhuge Family and the formation technique activated?

“This is an iron fortress…”

Even his past self would have found it difficult to break through.

Zhuge Munhyeon was excited as if he had encountered a new strong opponent that thrilled him.

Whether it was a person or not, he couldn’t resist anything that aroused his desire to challenge.

“Let’s see, from there it seems like going that way would work… Hmm, then should I immediately change direction next?”

Before he knew it, he was visualizing the formation’s movements in his head while pondering breaking methods.

But then.

“Who exactly are you?”

“Huh?”

Suddenly, there was a hand gripping his shoulder firmly.

Was it because he had been concentrating too hard? Or was it because he was thinking of ways to deal with formation techniques from a martial artist’s perspective while envisioning action scenes?

Thwack!

He reflexively swung his fist.

into his opponent’s face…

“Ah, damn it.”

He had tried not to cause trouble.

So why did he have to attack from behind… no, speak to him?

Zhuge Munhyeon approached the fallen man.

“Hey! Breathe, breathe!”

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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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