Ascension of the Heavenly Demon - Chapter 174

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 174

 

There are indeed strategies for escape.

 

Escape on the battlefield is an important matter for preparing for the future, and an effective method to reduce damage, which is why various military treatises place great importance on methods of efficient retreat.

 

Methods of exploiting enemy tendencies, methods of utilizing surrounding terrain, methods of repeatedly using feints and reality, and so on.

 

Naturally, the Zhuge Family has them too.

 

Whether utilizing formation techniques or causing confusion to enemies through various stratagems.

 

But what must precede all of that is time.

 

Time to assess the enemy.

 

Time to survey the terrain.

 

Time to devise strategy.

 

But right now, when we must only look ahead and run, where is there such a thing?

 

Escape doesn’t suit my personality to begin with.

 

Though I pride myself on having accumulated countless experiences in my previous life, my experience with escape is lacking. No, it would be fair to say I have none.

 

Why would I?

 

What could I possibly lack that would make me run away?

 

Occasionally there were those who mistook my simple journey home for escape and chased after me.

 

Was it the Evil Path Alliance?

 

That disciple who came chasing after me, ranting and raving about his master’s death – I don’t even remember his name.

 

How absurd it was.

 

Even as Yang Gui, the Evil Path Alliance Leader, was dying, he earnestly begged him never to think of revenge.

 

And if you’re going to come, come alone – why drag along subordinates in droves?

 

I was simply trying to return to the embrace of the Demonic Path.

 

Despite making my intentions clear, they kept blocking my way, going on about irreconcilable enmity, so I killed them as they blocked me.

 

Such is my escape.

 

The reason I’m running when I could walk is because of Mujin and Tang Ihwa, not because I fear the enemy.

 

With such a mindset, I’ve been breaking through whatever comes my way.

 

Wherever I go becomes the path.

 

“You bastards! This is as far as you go!”

 

“….”

 

Before we knew it, warriors from a nearby branch office who had come running after seeing the signal flare that went off behind us formed a human barrier and pointed their swords at us.

 

It was a hastily constructed barricade.

 

They hadn’t yet fully formed their formation.

 

However, while it might not matter for myself or Mujin, it could be burdensome for Tang Ihwa.

 

In that case?

 

“Ihwa!”

 

Suddenly, Zhuge Munhyeon twisted his body and reached out his hand, and Tang Ihwa instinctively grabbed that hand.

 

It felt like she should do so for some reason.

 

But his grinning smile made her uneasy.

 

What on earth was he trying to do…?

 

At that moment, Zhuge Munhyeon gripped the hand he had caught and forcefully pulled, throwing Tang Ihwa into the air.

 

Though she had a larger build than most, she was thrown into the air like a weed pulled from its roots.

 

Drawing a long parabolic arc over the barrier formed by the Beast Palace warriors… very high…

 

“Huh? Huuugh!”

 

Perhaps too shocked by the unexpected situation, a hoarse voice like that of a fifty-year-old man burst from Tang Ihwa’s mouth.

 

With a person thrown overhead, it was natural for the heads of the warriors forming the barrier to look up.

 

As if entranced, their gazes followed the parabolic arc drawn by Tang Ihwa’s body.

 

Foolish things, looking elsewhere with me right in front of them.

 

“Mujin! Catch her well!”

 

“…What?”

 

Though Mujin was momentarily puzzled, having traveled together for quite some time, he immediately understood what Zhuge Munhyeon was trying to do.

 

The Silver Cold Staff gripped in his hand.

 

The moment he spun his twisted body around and headed for the barrier, his foot stomped hard on the ground.

 

“Damn it… you could have at least warned me!”

 

Though Mujin grumbled with a grimace, he had already launched himself half a beat faster than Zhuge Munhyeon.

 

Mujin’s form shot up with a thud, stepping through the air as if treading on it, quickly chasing after Tang Ihwa.

 

It was the Tiger Leap Step and Cloud Ladder Technique , the essence of Wudang light body techniques.

 

He’ll handle it well on his own, yet still complains…

 

With this, the two had crossed the barrier.

 

What remained was.

 

“Hey kids, you should be looking at me. Where exactly are you looking?”

 

“…?”

 

Zhuge Munhyeon’s Silver Cold Staff was swung roughly with a wicked smile.

 

The atmosphere layered upon layer with his full internal energy, surging out like a tsunami.

 

Whoooosh!

 

A gust of wind, followed by the powerful strike of the Silver Cold Staff.

 

At times like this, it’s really good that it’s not a blade.

 

Bones might break, but at least nothing would be cut.

 

Kwaaaaang!

 

Dozens of Beast Palace warriors who had their attention stolen by Tang Ihwa and Mujin were all sent flying, spurting fountains of blood.

 

A large hole was punched through the barrier made of standing people.

 

Without even thinking of looking back, Zhuge Munhyeon ran at full speed toward the gap.

 

Meanwhile, Mujin, who had caught Tang Ihwa in his arms, landed softly on the ground.

 

“Don’t hesitate! Run!”

 

“Yes!”

 

The escape began again.

 

“Damn it! Chase them!”

 

The Beast Palace warriors stuck to the rear of Zhuge Munhyeon and his group as they ran straight ahead like arrows.

 

The tail grows longer.

 

It doesn’t matter.

 

After all, they only needed to reach the Beast Palace.

 

Watching Zhuge Munhyeon’s fluttering robes as he ran ahead again, Mujin no longer harbored any complaints about the lack of planning.

 

A plan?

 

What’s that?

 

He had just witnessed it with his own eyes.

 

Though somewhat reckless, Zhuge Munhyeon himself was the plan.

 

As always, he just needed to follow silently.

 

However.

 

“You startled me!”

 

Dang Ihwa’s face turned bright red.

 

She had never been held in anyone’s arms except her family since birth.

 

Suddenly being embraced by an outsider… no, by the Taoist, must have been embarrassing.

 

A woman’s heart was truly incomprehensible.

 

“If you have energy to be angry, run faster. They’ll catch up soon.”

 

Of course, Zhuge Munhyeon, who had no intention of understanding a woman’s heart, cleanly ignored her.

 

“Th-this…”

 

Though her face turned even redder, she had enough sense to immediately do her best to deploy her Lightness Skills.

 

In fact, she wasn’t in a position to be leisurely about other things.

 

Compared to Zhuge Munhyeon and Mujin, she was far too slow.

 

Whoosh!

 

Finally, she threw away the hammer she was carrying.

 

“M-Miss Dang?”

 

“Don’t worry about it. It’s to run faster.”

 

“But…”

 

“I don’t want to be a burden.”

 

Though Mujin kept glancing back, regretting the discarded hammer, Dang Ihwa concentrated all her attention on running with furrowed brows.

 

Zhuge Munhyeon chuckled at their conversation.

 

As expected, a daughter of a wealthy family was indeed different.

 

The hammer used by the daughter of the Dang Family craft workshop couldn’t be an ordinary item. It was even a Formation Device capable of disassembling and transforming into new objects.

 

Throwing away such a Formation Device to run even a little faster meant she had made her resolve.

 

It meant she wouldn’t cause trouble.

 

‘Even if they’re troublesome, Prestigious Families are still Prestigious Families. There are really many useful kids.’

 

Though the Orthodox Four Horses were always in irreconcilable positions, to Zhuge Munhyeon who had memories from several generations ago, she seemed like a quite clever and strong-willed Junior Scholar.

 

‘Since her resolve is sufficient, shall we increase the speed more?’

 

Hadn’t he been unable to run at full speed because of her until now?

 

Though she lacked Internal Energy, she had much more trained muscle strength than others from her long workshop life. Even in lung-tearing pain, she would somehow try to keep up… so it should be fine to run faster now.

 

* * *

 

“These bastards…”

 

Tam Wolf Group Leader Maeng Hun couldn’t help but feel bewildered.

 

The enemy’s escape.

 

But what on earth was this supposed to be?

 

The path they had taken was consistently straight, as if they had some purpose in drawing a straight line on the ground.

 

Meanwhile, they made no attempt to conceal their tracks.

 

They were advancing forward with ignorant determination.

 

It was as if they intended for someone to chase them.

 

“Group Leader, if we continue like this…”

 

“Hmm.”

 

At his subordinate’s words, Maeng Hun’s brow furrowed deeply.

 

That’s right.

 

The Beast Palace.

 

Those bastards were now running toward the Beast Palace.

 

But why?

 

With what intention?

 

The Beast Palace had many forces arranged in a circle around the main palace.

 

In other words, the closer they got, the more sects and forces would be waiting for them.

 

Escape would be impossible.

 

But then why were those bastards running toward the Beast Palace?

 

For what purpose?

 

His head became complicated.

 

Moreover, the one leading the escape was from the Zhuge family, a military clan that had once managed All Under Heaven with outstanding wisdom.

 

‘Damn it, I can’t figure out the reason at all. If they were escaping from Byeoksan, they should have chosen one of the paths leading to Sichuan, Guizhou, or Guangxi… Why are they heading deeper inside?’

 

Incomprehensible actions always brought questions in their wake.

 

As if there was some intention behind it…

 

And such worries always had a way of striking unexpected points, ultimately leading to misjudgment.

 

‘Could it be? This bastard?’

 

At a thought that flashed through his mind, Maeng Hun’s eyes widened.

 

“Bait?”

 

Maeng Hun suddenly turned his head and looked toward Byeoksan.

 

The corners of his eyes trembled.

 

Such an obvious escape route.

 

They were drawing attention far too excessively.

 

Thanks to that, all of the Beast Palace’s forces had been concentrated on them. All nearby subordinate forces and branch offices were also chasing after Zhuge Munhyeon’s group.

 

Even the Wolf Spirit Group that he had asked to scout was turning around and coming back.

 

What if, just what if, they intended to help someone else escape? What if they were prepared to sacrifice themselves for someone more important than themselves?

 

It might be speculation.

 

But he was from the Zhuge Family.

 

Strategy aside, they were the ones who operated the most outstanding Formation Techniques in All Under Heaven.

 

What if they had deployed Formation Techniques to deceive their eyes and hidden someone within those formations?

 

“…Myeongwi!”

 

“Yes! Group Leader!”

 

“Go to the nearby branch office immediately and send out messenger pigeons.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“Open the path leading to the main palace.”

 

“Wh-what do you mean?”

 

“Tell the nearby forces not to bother creating barriers, but to guard the left and right of their route and only block direction changes. Also, tell the Yeongrang Corps and other forces to continue the search we previously requested.”

 

“…”

 

“If they’re heading toward the main palace anyway, there’s no escape route as long as they can’t change direction. We need to be wary that their real target might be somewhere else.”

 

“Understood.”

 

Myeongwi immediately responded and broke away from the formation.

 

“These bastards… Whatever you’re aiming for, it absolutely won’t go according to your will!”

 

Maeng Hun, determined never to fall for the Zhuge Family’s schemes, carved another nonexistent illusion into his heart and spurred the pursuit even harder.

 

Of course, this was something Zhuge Munhyeon had never intended at all.

 

* * *

 

“Young Master Munhyeon, the Beast Palace’s movements are a bit strange.”

 

After running for quite a while, Mujin frowned as he looked left and right alternately.

 

They had never changed direction even once.

 

When they encountered shallow streams, they leaped over them, and when they met houses, they ran across the rooftops.

 

But at some point, the barriers that warriors had been blocking their path with disappeared.

 

“What could be happening?”

 

“Who knows.”

 

Just because he asked didn’t mean he would know.

 

It’s not like he could read other people’s minds.

 

However.

 

“They must understand now too.”

 

“What?”

 

“That hastily made barriers are hard to stop us with, and that at the end of the direction we’re running lies the Beast Palace’s main base. Even the village idiot would think we have no way to escape. We’ll have to stop eventually.”

 

“Then?”

 

“Rather than accepting casualties, they’ll tighten the left and right flanks and strengthen the rear.”

 

“Ah… Doesn’t that make the problem more serious?”

 

“Actually, this works out well.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“They’re opening the path for us, so why wouldn’t we go? Let’s think of it as being invited.”

 

“…”

 

“Come to think of it, if they’re acting like this, we can stop running now. Let’s catch our breath.”

 

Because Zhuge Munhyeon suddenly slowed down, Mujin and Dang Ihwa couldn’t overcome their momentum and ended up passing him.

 

“Phew, after running for so long, my legs hurt.”

 

He smiles and even jokes around.

 

They haven’t shaken off the pursuit yet. In the midst of this, they’re right in the middle of what’s no different from enemy territory.

 

And soon, the main camp of the Beast Palace.

 

Yet he remains completely calm.

 

As if he’s out on a leisurely trip.

 

This man… does he even have an emotion called worry?

 

Mujin, who had chuckled without realizing it, spoke as if something had occurred to him.

 

“Ah! The hammer!”

 

…If I had known it would come to this, I shouldn’t have let her throw it away.

 

Without her hammer and unable to use hidden weapons, she’s just that woman.

 

She won’t be of any help at all.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————