Ascension of the Heavenly Demon - Chapter 189

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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 189

 

Silence flowed.

 

Only low, steady breathing echoed between their gazes as they stared at each other.

 

Then, looking at the Eunhangon that Zhuge Munhyeon had placed neatly on his knees as he sat, Chiljangjja spoke.

 

“Eunhangon… is that a name you gave it?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

“Hmm, a good name. Indeed, the Zhuge are skilled in astronomy and geography, particularly fond of naming things after stars.”

 

I acknowledge it.

 

The martial arts representing the Zhuge Family start with Small Star and Big Star – Socheonseong and Daecheonseong. Besides those, there’s also Bukdu, Cheongang…

 

There are tremendously many materials related to martial arts named after stars.

 

There was also a saying that one must read the heavens and observe the earth to know the future.

 

Originally, the Zhuge Family was more skilled in astronomy and geography than in academics itself.

 

History says so.

 

That developed into creating formation techniques and mechanisms.

 

As a result, their academic cultivation naturally developed as well.

 

However, many people think the Zhuge are the smartest people in the world, but that’s a misunderstanding.

 

I thought so too, but living and rubbing shoulders with them showed me otherwise.

 

There are more idiots than I expected.

 

Even excluding Zhuge Munho and Zhuge Junggi, Gwan Hwiping’s case is somewhat mediocre.

 

Being good at academics, having learned the Thousand Character Classic and Four Books and Three Classics at a young age doesn’t make one smart.

 

It’s just something taken for granted from living that way all their lives.

 

Something like “everyone else does it, so you should too”?

 

So they’re just good at studying.

 

Still, the reason the Zhuge Family became famous for wisdom is probably a prejudice that arose from a few outstanding individuals representing the family, lumping them all together.

 

A clear fallacy of generalization.

 

Though they are smarter than people from other families.

 

While I was lost in thought and unconsciously smiling, Chiljangjja continued speaking.

 

“I don’t clearly know the origin of what you call Eunhangon either.”

 

“…”

 

“However, its original name is Palgwe Cheonryun. It’s known as a sacred treasure with the ability to destroy evil and annihilate demons.”

 

“A sacred treasure?”

 

“As far as I know, yes.”

 

“Hmm, what is a sacred treasure?”

 

“Exactly what it sounds like. It’s a vessel for those who have reached the realm of immortals and can handle spiritual energy to contain their own energy.”

 

At Chiljangjja’s words, Zhuge Munhyeon glanced down at the Eunhangon placed on his knees.

 

A sacred treasure…

 

Was it an Immortal’s weapon?

 

Come to think of it, that half-immortal I met at Dongho Lake did covet it greatly.

 

“Could you tell me more about sacred treasures in detail?”

 

Zhuge Munhyeon’s attitude was very respectful.

 

Though he was a Taoist with poor speaking skills and had lived far less than himself who remembered his past life, as long as he was teaching something unknown, he deserved treatment equivalent to a master. He had to face him from the position of a learner.

 

Respect and reverence were natural.

 

“Well, I wonder if what I know will be of any help to you… but we who do blacksmithing divide weapons into several grades.”

 

“…”

 

“I don’t know if you’ve heard, but we call things made by ordinary craftsmen mundane weapons. Most things made by those who learned general blacksmithing techniques are called that.”

 

I listened attentively.

 

Though I didn’t know much about blacksmithing, I couldn’t miss a single word of his conversation.

 

According to his explanation, when a craftsman who makes mundane weapons finally understands iron and can imbue meaning into it, what they create is called a refined weapon – commonly known as famous swords and treasured blades.

 

Then, when blacksmithing skills reach their peak and one is called a master craftsman, items made to exert power not just for the creator but for specific users are called renowned weapons.

 

Weapons called “so-and-so’s weapon” or “someone’s beloved blade” were exactly that.

 

In a way, it was similar to martial arts.

 

The various terms that distinguish from Chung-Hyeon-Tan levels, third-rate to transcendent masters, and reaching the realm of energy projection.

 

Like how accumulated comparisons over long periods became a framework, weapons were also divided this way.

 

“Perhaps that’s the highest level of items humans can create.”

 

“Then what about sacred treasures? Which category does this thing called Eunhangon, or rather Palgwe Cheonryun, fall into?”

 

“That cannot be divided by the standards of general blacksmithing techniques.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“Didn’t I say? What’s permitted to humans is only up to the level of renowned weapons.”

 

“Then?”

 

“From then on… it would have to be called the realm of gods.”

 

“The realm of gods?”

 

“Yes. Since nothing has been revealed yet. So we just call them divine weapons or sacred treasures, dividing them only conceptually.”

 

I had doubts.

 

Nothing has been revealed, only concepts exist.

 

But then why does he know Eunhangon’s true name and call it a sacred treasure?

 

“Chiljangjja.”

 

“Speak.”

 

“But how can you definitively say Eunhangon is a sacred treasure? How can you say it’s something handled by Immortals?”

 

“Because records remain.”

 

“Records?”

 

“Yes, I achieved the level of master craftsman but couldn’t become a divine craftsman. For me, who sought to reach the Way through blacksmithing techniques, it was painfully agonizing.”

 

“…”

 

“So I wandered All Under Heaven to reach divine craftsmanship and achieve my Way. I sought out and learned from those with greater skills than mine.”

 

I chuckled softly.

 

Wasn’t that just like the martial journeys that Warriors undertake?

 

It’s called “all rivers return to the sea.”

 

Though the paths they walked were different, the destination they sought was the same, so it was quite understandable.

 

“When my steps, exhausting and difficult enough to make me want to give up everything, reached Kunlun, it was like my last chance. If I couldn’t discover anything more, I intended to return to Gongdong.”

 

“So you saw something at Kunlun?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Could it be that thing?”

 

“Correct. It was exactly the Palgwe Cheonryun in your hands.”

 

“Ah…”

 

“Though unrecognized for being in Qinghai, which is like the frontier of the Central Plains, Kunlun is the birthplace of Taoism. Countless Taoist legends exist there.”

 

The story about that was content Zhuge Munhyeon knew well.

 

Kunlun.

 

A sect existing above the clouds.

 

How much I must have fought with those bastards who were like the first gateway to the Central Plains.

 

As the saying goes, know your enemy and know yourself, and you’ll never be defeated in a hundred battles.

 

When I deployed my secret network to gather information about Kunlun, I could learn various things besides their military strength.

 

Most were absurd stories I laughed off at the time, but thinking about it now, they feel different.

 

Back then, I didn’t truly believe that Immortals existed.

 

My desire to achieve Ascension to Immortality was also just interest born from life being boring.

 

I didn’t know I’d actually achieve it.

 

I didn’t know there would really be Ascetics, or that things called Half-Immortals would exist.

 

Anyway, various legends exist among Kunlun’s tales.

 

That it’s the axis of the universe, the starting point of earth’s creation, and the womb of divine object creation, that there are immortality trees that grant eternal youth and longevity when consumed, that the Queen Mother of the West first opened the world…

 

I once scoffed at stories that it was the land of gods in ancient times.

 

“While wandering there, I read records carved on the walls inside an old cave.”

 

It’s absurd.

 

Most of the legendary tales circulating in the market start with such walls or cliffs and whatnot.

 

But now it sounded different.

 

At least because he believed in Half-Immortals.

 

“The records were too old, so the stone wall had weathered and I couldn’t read all the contents, but it said that in the distant past, there was a time when Yo and Gwi lived together with humans.”

 

“Yo, yokai?”

 

“That’s right. Beings born with spiritual roots who are familiar with spirit energy.”

 

“By any chance, are they called Half-Immortals?”

 

“Half-Immortals? Hmm… that designation wasn’t accurate. But since they are those who couldn’t achieve immortality, it’s fitting to call them Half-Immortals.”

 

His heart pounded.

 

Both because it was the first time he heard the term spiritual roots, and because there was someone other than Hyeoncheonja who believed in the existence of Half-Immortals.

 

“Originally, spiritual roots don’t suit worldly corruption, so beasts are more often born with them than humans. When wild animals driven by instinct obtained spiritual roots, how could the world be peaceful?”

 

“…”

 

“So people joined forces to create weapons to fight against the yokai.”

 

“Su, surely not?”

 

Naturally, gazes turned to the Silver Cold Staff.

 

“That’s right, that is the Eight Trigrams Heaven Wheel. In Taoism, they say the Eight Trigrams discuss the principles of nature, containing heaven within them, mountains and lakes, and the power of fire and water, thunder and wind.”

 

“…”

 

“This is no less than the power of Immortals, so it can be called divine, and it was actually written that not only yokai but even those who reached the realm of Immortals dared not oppose it. In other words, it’s a weapon that can kill not only yokai but Immortals as well.”

 

“Just who was it that left writing on that wall? By any chance, wasn’t the name Gakseon written there?”

 

He asked just in case.

 

On Ryu, whom he had met before, believed that it was Gakseon who carved the letters on the Silver Cold Staff.

 

“Gakseon… that’s a name I’ve heard several times. Seeing that you know that name, you must have considerable interest in Taoism.”

 

“Ah, that’s…”

 

Zhuge Munhyeon pondered whether to show the necklace hanging around his neck.

 

The one that On Ryu’s master received when he met Gakseon.

 

It was an object with the exact same characters carved on it as the Silver Cold Staff.

 

“Unfortunately, the author’s name wasn’t written there. Nor which era he was from. But he described in detail the shape of the Eight Trigrams Heaven Wheel and the inscriptions contained within it.”

 

“He explained the inscriptions?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

“Then… does that mean we can know the content of the inscriptions written here?”

 

Zhuge Munhyeon barely suppressed his heart that felt like it would burst from excitement reaching its peak as he held up the Silver Cold Staff and asked, but Chiljangjja calmly shook his head.

 

“I’m sorry. That part was erased. However, it’s certain that those inscriptions are not of this world.”

 

“Ah…”

 

“That’s why I recognized the Eight Trigrams Heaven Wheel, and the reason I started traveling again to achieve divine craftsmanship.”

 

“I see.”

 

Zhuge Munhyeon couldn’t hide his disappointment.

 

Because he had hoped he might learn something more.

 

Chiljangjja dreams of becoming a divine craftsman.

 

He wants to someday make objects like the Silver Cold Staff to achieve the Way.

 

But what if he learned it was originally made by an Immortal?

 

His will would be broken.

 

He would lose his zest for life.

 

Zhuge Munhyeon didn’t talk more about Gakseon, and changed the subject without showing the necklace.

 

“That’s fortunate. Thanks to you, I’ve learned many things besides it being made of cloud iron.”

 

“Cloud iron?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Who said that? That the Eight Trigrams Heaven Wheel’s material is cloud iron.”

 

“The, the Tang Family’s workshop leader.”

 

“That bastard Dangmunchung?”

 

“…Isn’t it?”

 

“Puhahaha! That blockhead craftsman must have babbled without knowing anything.”

 

“…”

 

“The Eight Trigrams Heaven Wheel isn’t made of cloud iron.”

 

“What?”

 

“It looks similar, but I know because I tested it with cloud iron myself. You absolutely cannot make something like the Eight Trigrams Heaven Wheel with cloud iron.”

 

“What do you mean by that?”

 

“There was someone with the same intention as me. A Taoist called Yeongmun from Wudang.”

 

“What?”

 

The moment he heard that name, Zhuge Munhyeon’s eyes narrowed.

 

Yeongmun?

 

Why is he coming up here?

 

“Hm? Is that a name you know?”

 

“Ah, that is… he’s someone who is sworn brothers with my father. He even recited blessings on the day I was born…”

 

“Ho! Is that so? What a strange connection indeed. It seems fate continues to link us. Perhaps even the moment you and I met was predetermined from the beginning. Come to think of it, the fact that the Eight Trigrams Heaven Wheel is in your hands… Immeasurable Buddha.”

 

Chiljangjja smiled and chanted a Buddhist invocation.

 

As if all connections were turning within a single wheel.

 

Like inevitability rather than coincidence.

 

Anyway, you have to give it to these Taoist bastards – when they can’t explain something, they just chalk it all up to fate.

 

Perhaps reading that look, Chiljangjja cleared his throat and continued.

 

“Ahem! Anyway, Yeongmun tested it directly. He was someone who researched methods of containing spirit energy in the human body in pursuit of Ascension to Immortality, even though he wasn’t born with spiritual roots. But cloud iron couldn’t withstand even his meager spirit energy. It means it’s impossible to realize what was recorded. So I came to Yunnan searching for new materials. I stayed for quite a while thinking it might be in Byeoksan.”

 

“I see.”

 

“That’s how I became close with Beast Palace, and I frequently visited while making their items.”

 

“…”

 

“And one day, I saw a child with spiritual roots.”

 

“You’re talking about Dan Yeonhwa.”

 

“That’s right. It was the first time I saw someone born with spiritual roots, so I couldn’t hide my surprise, and my attempt to confirm it right away was mistaken for kidnapping… I just wanted to take her to a place without people so I could ask her various things without interference from others.”

 

The subsequent situation was roughly understandable.

 

“Why they call that kidnapping, I really don’t understand.”

 

“…”

 

Chiljangjja frowned as if he truly didn’t understand.

 

Trying to take someone to a place without people – that’s kidnapping.

 

You socially deficient blacksmith Taoist bastard.

—————
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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