Ascension of the Heavenly Demon - Chapter 192
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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 192
Clang! Clang clang!
The beaters spread out widely to surround the forest, hidden somewhere as they strike iron drums that create unpleasant sounds to agitate the nerves of whatever beasts might be hiding.
“Over there!”
The trackers who found footprints deduce the type of beast and its direction of movement, then announce it.
Once that process is complete, the young men participating in the Wild Spirit Festival are deployed.
They are barehanded.
No weapons are given to fight the beasts.
It is hunting, but not for killing—for obtaining.
They must choose a creature to their liking and subdue it with bare hands.
Deep wounds scraped by claws remain as glorious marks instead.
Of course, Zhuge Munhyeon did not join the young men.
Bothersome.
Not interested.
Whether they caught beasts or people, it had nothing to do with him.
Later, picking up a passing rabbit and saying “I’ll take this one” would be sufficient.
However.
“Hmm, looking around, I don’t see any creatures with decent energy yet. But don’t worry. If we go deeper, we’ll see some good ones. I’ll carefully select and tell you about the very best one.”
Dan Yeonhwa showed an extremely enthusiastic attitude.
Instead of serenity, her expression was full of determination.
Flames even blazed in her eyes.
Really…
Zhuge Munhyeon shook his head while chewing the food prepared by Cook Yeon Yanggyeong.
Once the Wild Spirit Festival began, everyone became busy.
While he remained at the temporarily established gathering point, Dang Ihwa entered the jungle with a guide’s help.
Her enthusiasm to identify new poisons and Yunnan’s minerals was evident. Her overflowing curiosity was truly befitting a daughter of the Tang Family.
Meanwhile, since Dan Yeonhwa was with Zhuge Munhyeon, the guard warriors couldn’t move, so Mujin followed her.
In the end, only Zhuge Munhyeon and Dan Yeonhwa had the fortune of tasting the sweet, sweet, and sweet food.
“First, please calm down and have some food. The cabbage is so~ sweet. You truly live up to your reputation, don’t you?”
“Is cabbage the issue right now? Just wait and see. I’ll find a creature with far greater potential than Baek-a.”
At the sight of Dan Yeonhwa clenching her fists while making this vow, Zhuge Munhyeon seemed to sigh involuntarily.
I said it’s fine.
Running your mouth about wanting Baek-a’s offspring for no reason…
“Young Lady.”
“Yes! Young Master Zhuge.”
“That’s not what’s important right now.”
“What do you mean? What could be more important than this right now? Don’t worry. I’ll take the lead and find one.”
She had become quite spirited, unlike when I first saw her.
Well, since she could now see, such changes would naturally occur.
Until now, she had no choice but to rely on others, so what she could do alone was limited.
How wonderful must it be?
How many things must she want to do?
All of that combined would make her so enthusiastic.
However.
“Young Lady.”
“Yes!”
“What you need to do now is learn how to control the seal.”
“That’s…”
“I can’t stay in Yunnan indefinitely to watch over you. This journey was taken without permission from the main house, so I must return soon.”
“Ah…”
Actually, the main house isn’t a concern.
It’s Mother I’m worried about.
“The Wild Spirit Festival is fine, but right now it would be better to learn how to control the seal first.”
“But…”
“That comes first.”
Dan Yeonhwa stared intently at Zhuge Munhyeon, who kept chewing Yeon Yanggyeong’s food while speaking.
Her eyes trembled finely.
It even seemed like moisture was gathering… Su, surely she’s not about to cry?
No, what did I do wrong?
Just as the flustered Zhuge Munhyeon was about to add something to her reaction.
“Young Master Zhuge is truly a respectable person.”
“…Pardon?”
“To think your concern for others is greater than your desire to have a good beast. Not just anyone could do that.”
Her reaction… somehow feels like a strange misunderstanding has occurred?
“I will deeply engrave Young Master Zhuge’s heart in mine. And I will learn. I will do my best so that your goodwill doesn’t lose its light.”
“…”
Flames blazed fiercely in her eyes.
Was she always this type of person?
Where did her previous serenity go…
But whatever the case, it was enough that he had diverted her attention.
At least while learning, she wouldn’t bother him by insisting on choosing beasts for him.
“First, receive my bow.”
“Pardon?”
“I have never learned anything from another person before.”
“…”
“Since you said you would teach me, Young Master Zhuge, you are my first master.”
“Ah, th, that’s…”
There was no time to stop her.
As if she didn’t care whether her precious clothes embroidered with splendid patterns on silk got dirty or not, she dropped to her knees with a thud in front of Zhuge Munhyeon.
“Ah, Young Lady!”
“Oh my!”
The nearby guard warriors and Cook Yeon Yanggyeong, who had been preparing food in advance, were startled and tried to stop her, but.
“Do not interfere. I am showing respect to my master.”
She firmly restrained them and looked straight at Zhuge Munhyeon while kneeling.
“Master, I have never learned the etiquette between master and disciple, so I am lacking. Please do not scold me.”
Then she bowed.
There was nothing to fault.
What did the etiquette between master and disciple matter anyway?
The sincerity contained in words and actions is more important than bowing well and following procedures properly.
She was extremely respectful, and sincerity emanated even from her fingertips touching the dirt ground.
So he did not stop her.
He simply looked down quietly at her bowed head.
‘A disciple…’
A smile suddenly formed on his lips.
Had he ever received such sincere treatment from anyone in his life?
He had taught many, but had never considered anyone as a disciple.
There had only been those around him full of nothing but the word “Master.”
He had never felt the same sincerity from those he taught as he felt from her.
Just the belief that they could become stronger, greed and ambition.
That was all there was to it.
‘I didn’t particularly pay attention to it…’
Now her words and actions touched his heart.
And he could see others with similar hearts overlapping above her.
Mujin, who had never bowed or called him Master, yet trusted him wholeheartedly and followed him almost blindly.
Zhuge Munho, who once hated him but now regarded him closer than anyone else.
Gwan Hwiping, who was a bit lacking but tried hard… let’s exclude him.
Those elder brothers complain too much.
Anyway, it seemed like more and more people were regarding him as a master.
‘Damn, I must be getting old. My nose tip is stinging like this.’
Zhuge Munhyeon, who only looked like a young man on the outside, rubbed his stinging nose tip and said.
“Miss Dan, please get up now. You’ll ruin your clothes.”
“Master! How can you speak so formally to your disciple?”
“What?”
Dan Yeonhwa, having finished her bow, still knelt but straightened her back and looked up at Zhuge Munhyeon.
“Though I do not know the Central Plains etiquette for addressing a master, I have heard the saying that king, teacher, and father are one. I have also heard that one must not step on even a master’s shadow. So how can you speak formally to me?”
“…”
“Perhaps, am I too lacking to be accepted as a disciple?”
King, teacher, and father are one.
A master’s shadow is sacred and must not be stepped upon.
…Being the daughter of the Beast Palace Lord, she seems to have picked up many sayings.
“I will do my best. I will absolutely not bring shame to your teachings. I will not abandon the righteous heart of Master, who shows kindness wherever you go, and I will strive to become someone respected by following that path. Please accept me as your disciple.”
What a stubborn girl.
Though I’m not sure about the kindness and righteous heart part.
“Miss Dan, what I intend to teach is nothing grand. It’s just…”
“There is no such thing as grand or not grand in teachings. I will not get up until you treat me comfortably as your disciple.”
“…”
Could this be the same woman who was so delicate and pure just a while ago? Her expression was so resolute.
To think a person could change so much just from opening her eyes.
He could hear the murmuring around them.
He could feel their gazes.
The precious jewel of Beast Palace, so dear to them, was kneeling while he looked down at her…
Damn, I can’t force her to get up either.
After pondering for a long while, Zhuge Munhyeon sighed.
Fine, let’s just accept her.
Come to think of it, this would be better than the gift sent to the family in advance.
The daughter of a renowned external force leader regarding a family descendant as her master – what could be more remarkable than this?
“Fine, get up.”
“…Then?”
“I’ll accept you as my disciple. Really, so stubborn.”
At his grumbling words, her face immediately brightened.
“Thank you, Master!”
“Get up.”
“Yes!”
Only then did Dan Yeonhwa spring to her feet.
Her lips, her eyes.
There wasn’t a place where laughter wasn’t contained.
What was so good that she was grinning like that?
“Yeonhwa.”
“Yes.”
“I’ll tell you in advance, I don’t raise inadequate disciples.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
“Also, I can’t be gentle when teaching someone.”
“I will keep that in mind as well.”
“I won’t be staying in Yunnan for many days, but since I’ve decided to teach, I’ll do my best.”
“I will also do my best to learn.”
“Can you promise not to complain?”
“…Shall I stake my wrist on it?”
She playfully extended her slender, delicate wrist.
She stakes her wrist so easily.
“If your wrist is cut off, you’re finished as a martial artist too. Treasure it.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
“It is said that the bond between master and disciple is heavier than mountains and rivers, and though separated by a thousand li, the heart’s connection never breaks.”
“…?”
“Though we do not share blood like family or closeness like friends through friendship, the bond between master and disciple is heavier than mountains and rivers, and the connection of hearts does not break even when separated by a thousand li.”
“Ah… I will keep that in mind!”
Dan Yeonhwa let out a small exclamation and nodded while repeating Zhuge Munhyeon’s words as if memorizing them.
And she realized anew.
He really is from the Zhuge Family.
Until now, she had just thought of him as someone who had grown through martial arts, but his expressions were so full of formality.
“If you promise, and if your current mindset doesn’t waver, I will treat you as my disciple from this moment.”
“Thank you, Master. I will absolutely not waver.”
“Good. Then shall we start with some light training?”
“Right away?”
“Yes.”
“Master, my heart is already pounding wondering what teachings I will receive.”
Zhuge Munhyeon, who had been smiling at Dan Yeonhwa’s enthusiastic appearance, soon wiped away his smile and said.
“…Horse stance.”
“Hor… What? Earlier you said you would teach me how to control the seal…”
“You lack basic physical strength. Strength starts from the lower body.”
“…”
“What are you doing? Didn’t you say you’d work hard?”
“Yes!”
She immediately took the horse stance.
“Extend your arms, spread your legs wider! Lower your stance! What is your body, a log? Can’t you do it properly? What kind of training do you expect to receive with that kind of mental state!”
“…”
“Look at that expression? Can’t you focus? This won’t do. You need to rebuild your mental fortitude first.”
“Me-mental fortitude?”
“Do you see that tree over there?”
“Yes?”
“What are you doing? Run!”
“Yes!”
Before she could even adapt to his suddenly changed expression and tone, Dan Yeonhwa ran toward the tree.
“What’s this? So leisurely? Run again!”
“…”
Once he accepted someone as a disciple, there were no exceptions regardless of who they were or where they came from.
That was the Heavenly Demon’s teaching method.
Teaching should be equal regardless of status, gender, or age.
The former Heavenly Demon who became a master was merciless, Dan Yeonhwa had to run until the sky looked yellow and she was gasping for breath, and the watching guards and cooks could only stamp their feet anxiously.
The words about wanting to serve as master… you said them first.
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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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