Ascension of the Heavenly Demon - Chapter 191
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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 191
Swoosh!
Swoosh swoosh!
Swoosh swoosh swoosh!
Swoosh swoosh swoosh swoosh swoosh…
It was the sound of heads turning toward Zhuge Munhyeon from those seated in the hall.
From Dan Chuyeong to the lowest-ranking warriors, and even the servant girls.
What kind of wave are they doing?
Did they hold a military parade or something?
Making a person feel so embarrassed…
But it was understandable.
Only Dan Chuyeong knew the explanation about spirit energy, but the fact that Dan Yeonhwa’s original ability would disappear the moment she gained sight had been announced beforehand.
They had accepted it, saying it was regrettable but unavoidable.
But she can see?
“I say, Munhyeon?”
“Zhuge… Young Master?”
“Ahem!”
“An explanation…”
Eyes that had lost all trace of laughter pierced into his chest.
Not just one or two, but the gazes of everyone present.
He could clearly feel their desire for answers, but how would he know?
I had only trapped the energy of the death thread in my middle dantian; this was my first attempt on someone else’s body.
That meant I didn’t know what problems might arise.
But no matter how much I explained, they wouldn’t understand.
As great as their joy was, their anger would be equally great, and if I made a mistake, I would surely only hear accusations like ‘You performed a procedure on our Young Lady without even being certain of the prognosis!’
“Young Lady Dan.”
“Yes?”
At his quiet call, she answered with her eyes crinkling.
Don’t you understand the atmosphere?
Is this really something to smile about right now?
Why are you the only one being so carefree and cheerful?
You should be appropriately demure!
“You can still see, right?”
“Of course. I can see more clearly than before. Even things far away. I’ve been grateful this whole time, Young Master Zhuge.”
Though she was inappropriately bright for the atmosphere, Zhuge Munhyeon finally let out a sigh of relief.
“Phew.”
“Hah.”
Sounds of relief could be heard from around them as well.
But if her sight had returned, why could she still read spirit energy?
“But you can still see spirit energy like before?”
“Yes. It’s not as clear as before, but… I can still see it now. The energy flowing through Young Master Zhuge’s body.”
Strange.
Why?
But when an unsolvable question arose, directly confirming it was the fastest way to get answers rather than trembling in anxiety and worry.
It seemed I would need to examine her body a bit.
Since this was a situation where I might fall from being a revered benefactor to an eternal enemy.
“I’d like to examine your physical condition for a moment, would that be alright?”
“…”
Having to show her bare skin to a man once again.
But the first time is the hardest.
Her face reddening, she nodded slightly instead of answering.
“Palace Lord.”
When he looked at Dan Chuyeong after seeking Dan Yeonhwa’s permission, Dan Chuyeong urgently gave orders.
“Clear the nearby pavilions immediately and don’t let even a single ant approach!”
“Yes!”
A medical room was quickly prepared in a pavilion near the banquet hall as night deepened.
The entire area was filled only with silence, with occasional worried breathing heard intermittently.
The guards surrounded the pavilion to control anyone approaching.
If anything happened to Dan Yeonhwa’s body, the sharp claws of all kinds of beasts would be raised and swung.
“How is it?”
“Hmm…”
After examining Dan Yeonhwa’s body and withdrawing his hands, Dan Chuyeong asked with an extremely tense expression.
“First, the seal is perfect. I don’t sense any particular abnormalities. It doesn’t seem like spirit energy is leaking out either.”
“But why hasn’t the ability disappeared?”
“That’s… it seems a lingering fragrance remains.”
“Lingering fragrance?”
“Yes.”
“Boy, explain it so I can understand.”
Dan Chuyeong frowned.
His heart was urgent.
Worried that some other problem might have developed with his daughter.
But he didn’t need to worry about her problem.
Though I had worried that there might be an issue with sealing the spirit energy, she was now in a similar state to myself.
Since this was my first time using it on someone else, the spirit energy wasn’t completely removed and remained in her blood vessels.
Like myself, where the energy of the death thread that had swept through my entire body remained in some blood vessels and mixed with my internal energy.
“Boy! I told you to explain!”
At the repeated urging, Zhuge Munhyeon let out a small sigh.
Why do you keep shouting?
I understand though.
A father’s heart toward his child would all be like that.
How worried must he be?
“Ah, Palace Lord.”
“Yes, speak. Quickly!”
“I think it’s actually better this way?”
“What?”
“Think about it. You were also saddened by it, weren’t you? The spirit sight disappearing.”
“That, that’s…”
“But what if the spirit sight that should have disappeared along with the blindness remains? And if there’s nothing wrong with her body? I think the disadvantages have disappeared and only the advantages remain?”
At those words, Dan Chuyeong, who had been wearing a blank expression for a moment, had eyes that grew larger and larger.
She can see ahead.
Though not as much as before, her spirit sight remains as well.
If he couldn’t understand even after I said that much, Dan Chuyeong would be a stupid fool.
“Is, is that true?”
“For now, yes. Well, just in case problems arise later, I should teach Young Lady Dan a few things.”
“A few things?”
“Should I call it a method to strengthen the seal?”
“That’s possible?”
“It should be possible. Since I didn’t touch the vital points during the treatment process, she should now be able to learn simple heart methods.”
“….”
I thought curing her blindness would be everything, I thought there could be no greater blessing than that….
But the blessing became an even greater blessing.
An ability that as the Beast Palace Lord he could never give up, yet as a father he should rightfully abandon.
The anguish of having to choose between the two had melted away all at once.
“You rascal!”
At that moment, Dan Chuyeong forgot all dignity and pulled Zhuge Munhyeon into a tight embrace.
Even if you’re happy, there’s a limit.
Let go.
Before I hit your solar plexus.
I don’t really like men hugging each other.
And why is his strength so good on top of that?
I tried to push him away with effort, but he had no intention of letting go.
I can’t… hit him either.
Should I use internal energy to pry him off?
Dan Chuyeong, who had been hugging him for a long while, was so delighted that he suddenly opened the door and shouted.
“Extend the banquet! Treat Zhuge Munhyeon and the guests from the Central Plains even more preciously! From now on, the Beast Palace shall treat him as my equal!”
“….”
Equal?
He must have been incredibly happy.
Since he now lacked nothing as both Palace Lord and father.
But opening the door like that.
Though she’s wearing undergarments, Dan Yeonhwa is currently topless, you crazy father.
Zhuge Munhyeon sighed and gently pulled the blanket up for her.
‘Still, my mind is at ease. I didn’t think it would resolve this well.’
* * *
The banquet continued for nearly five days.
Zhuge Munhyeon and his party received treatment far beyond what they deserved.
Chiljangjja’s situation was the same.
Misunderstandings disappeared and only mutual trust remained.
It’s all because of me.
I feel proud.
On top of that, spiritual elixirs and gifts….
I heard they even arranged a separate messenger to send gifts to the Zhuge Family.
Just hearing the rough list, it was excessive.
Who would have thought they’d send so many spiritual herbs?
With that much, it seemed like it would serve as an excuse to Mother, who must be worrying about me coming all the way to Yunnan from the Tang Family.
The Family Head would serve as a shield, so there’d be no getting my back beaten.
‘It’s like the Buddha’s divine palm, the Buddha’s divine palm.’
Come to think of it, the greatest person in the world would probably be the mother of the world’s greatest martial artist.
No matter how much your lightness skills reach the divine realm.
Can you avoid a mother’s hand striking your back?
One worry was relieved.
Anyway, the Beast Palace was able to gift so many spiritual herbs to the Zhuge Family because of the regional characteristics where spiritual creatures and herbs abound.
In other words, should it be called a natural treasure vault?
Nevertheless, the reason people couldn’t approach carelessly was partly due to the perception that discouraged outsider visits and control by Yunnan forces, but the biggest problem lay elsewhere.
Swamps everywhere, rapidly changing weather, and extremely dangerous venomous creatures lurking in the dense jungle.
Yunnan was exactly the kind of place where you’d die a miserable death if you entered without knowing better.
Therefore, only those with extensive experience in Yunnan could search through the jungle to find spiritual herbs.
The Beast Palace was also a place with such capabilities.
Through communication with beasts and utilizing their instincts, they had advantages in traversing the jungle compared to other places.
Also, Dan Yeonhwa’s existence.
Her ability to read spiritual energy was the primary contributor to the Beast Palace enjoying its golden age.
In such circumstances, not only curing the blindness that had been a long-standing worry but also maintaining her abilities, the generous treatment of Zhuge Munhyeon was perhaps natural.
And so time passed.
“The scale is larger than I thought.”
“Yes. It can be said to be the biggest event in our palace.”
Looking at the young martial artists gathered below the hill of the main palace for the Wild Spirit Festival’s opening ceremony, Zhuge Munhyeon couldn’t help but admire.
I was invited as an honored guest to grace the occasion.
They could have just told me to come, I don’t know why they bothered sending an invitation.
Anyway, I had heard about the Wild Spirit Festival in my previous life, but this was the first time seeing it directly.
It was both a hunt and a coming-of-age ceremony.
It was also the most important annual event where the Beast Palace determined its future strength.
The Beast Palace’s junior disciples who had turned sixteen and transformed from boys to young men had to participate without exception and capture a beast that would accompany them for life.
This not only determined the young man’s future but also the future of the family and household to which that young man belonged.
For those learning beast combination techniques, the ability of their companion beast was more important than anything else.
Zhuge Munhyeon was there as both an honored guest and participant.
“The Wild Spirit Festival begins now! Junior scholars, I pray that you may meet lifelong companions and live in harmony for a hundred years!”
When Dan Chuyeong’s opening speech, which sounded like a wedding officiant’s address, ended, cheers from not only the young men but everyone gathered resonated thunderously throughout the Beast Palace.
The event had truly begun.
Like everyone else, Zhuge Munhyeon’s party also prepared to set out for the hunt.
‘Sigh, how troublesome. I shouldn’t have mentioned Baek-a.’
I could only smile bitterly.
Who would have thought that words I casually spoke because they kept pestering me about gifts would turn out like this? What kind of fuss is this just to raise one pet?
But it’s also awkward to refuse.
Because the Beast Palace had already finished all preparations for me, doing their absolute best.
“The Beast Palace’s Wild Spirit Festival, how truly exciting.”
Mujin had dark circles under his eyes.
His heart must have been pounding with excitement at experiencing something new, certainly keeping him awake last night.
Dang Ihwa was the same.
Though she belonged to the workshop, she was also from the Tang Family, so she was thoroughly excited at the thought of possibly encountering venomous creatures in the jungle that she had never seen before.
Oh, and she also recovered the hammer she thought she had lost.
The Beast Palace had picked up what she dropped and kept it.
Chiljangjja, who joined as if it were natural, continued exchanging conversation with Dang Ihwa.
It was all talk related to blacksmithing.
About how iron should be….
Well, birds of a feather flock together.
Blacksmiths must have things in common with each other.
And.
“Master Zhuge, let me introduce the people who will accompany us.”
“Yes.”
Dan Yeonhwa was also with us.
She was the first to suggest having me participate in the Wild Spirit Festival, and her determination to repay the favor by helping me catch a good beast seemed resolute.
“This person is our guide, someone called Yeophwa.”
“Nice to meet you.”
“I will guide you safely.”
She’s a middle-aged woman.
Since she was guiding an honored guest, someone with the most outstanding abilities in the Beast Palace was selected.
“And this person is….”
There were quite a few guard warriors.
It was not only for himself as an honored guest, but also for Dan Yeonhwa’s protection.
Since she hadn’t learned martial arts.
Finally.
“This is the cook.”
“…A cook?”
“Yes. There has never been one assigned in previous Wild Spirit Festivals, but Father specially selected one for Young Master Zhuge. He will prepare Central Plains cuisine for you.”
“Ah….”
Such luxury was excessive.
To have a cook following along while exploring the jungle and hunting beasts.
Just as he was holding back a chuckle at the absurdity, the stout-figured cook politely greeted him.
“Please take care of me. I am Yeon Yanggyeong, who will be responsible for the honored guest’s meals from now on.”
“…What?”
“I am Yeon Yanggyeong.”
“….”
He seemed like someone who would be good at making sweet and sugary foods… In any case, that was how the Beast Palace’s Wild Spirit Festival began in earnest.
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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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