Ascension of the Heavenly Demon - Chapter 195
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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 195
“Listen well, everyone!”
As soon as they arrived at the village near Aenoe Mountain, Jeong Haeryong gathered all the warriors and began a lengthy speech.
“From now on, the final schedule of the Wild Spirit Festival will take place here at Aenoe Mountain!”
“….”
“We have already coordinated with the Monstrous Poison Gate, and there will be surveillance in preparation for any unforeseen circumstances. If you see anyone wearing dark green robes or clothing with the twin-headed snake emblem, do not be wary even if they wear hoods or face coverings, but greet them with a light bow. They will clear the path on their own.”
“Yes!”
“Also, as important as capturing beasts is checking whether there are any outsiders other than the Monstrous Poison Gate. While searching the mountain, if you discover traces of human habitation, or find huts that are inhabited or have been abandoned for a long time, immediately fire the signal flares you’ve been given to report it.”
“Understood.”
“Keep in mind that Aenoe Mountain has rarely been visited by Beast Palace or other Yunnan forces, so you must always be careful in your movements.”
“Yes!”
“Good! According to the divided groups, the drivers will depart first and the searchers will follow behind them. Participants who have not yet captured beasts or wish to capture better beasts should move with the trackers. Workers should join after setting up the camp.”
The long speech ended and preparations began by groups.
Whether they had already captured beasts or not, there was no warrior participating in the Wild Spirit Festival who didn’t want to climb Aenoe Mountain.
Aenoe Mountain, where human footsteps rarely reached and very little was known about it.
Climbing there would be the first time in several generations.
Naturally, curiosity arose.
Countless beasts and venomous creatures that had hidden deep in Aenoe Mountain, avoiding human contact.
Surely their numbers would be greater than anywhere else.
The quality of the beasts would also be much better.
While everyone began their preparations, Zhuge Munhyeon also hurried to prepare for departure.
Though he wore the guise of the Wild Spirit Festival, this was also something Dan Yeonhwa had arranged for him, even changing the event location.
“Aenoe Mountain, what a truly precious experience this will be.”
Dang Ihwa, who carried a massive hammer on her back, held ink in a small container and grasped a blank book in her hand, her eyes shining.
She intended to keep records.
About Aenoe Mountain, which no Tang Family member who had traveled to Yunnan had ever recorded.
“Hmm, I’ve heard the name Aenoe Mountain too. If we’re lucky, we might discover minerals I’ve never seen before.”
Chiljangjja also seemed to have high expectations.
“Infinite Buddha, to think I can experience not just Yunnan but even Aenoe Mountain. When I return to Wudang later, I’ll have many stories to tell my senior brothers.”
Mujin was nominally among the leaders.
He bore the heavy responsibility of passing on what he experienced and learned to his juniors, like the seniors above him.
But in reality.
He was nothing more than an immature Taoist completely absorbed in thoughts of bragging, ‘You guys didn’t see that, right? I saw it!’
However.
“You’re going too?”
“Of course.”
“Don’t you know what dangers might arise?”
Seeing Dan Yeonhwa remove her usual palace robes and tightly tie her sleeves and trouser cuffs with strings, Zhuge Munhyeon frowned.
She had just begun cultivation.
Though she had gained some muscle strength, it was at a pitifully minimal level.
Her Heart Method cultivation was the same.
Though she was born with considerable talent befitting the Beast Palace Lord’s daughter, she was barely at the beginning of the Qi Filling stage.
To the Beast Palace people, she was their precious child, but to others, she was nothing but baggage.
“You don’t even know how to use lightness skills.”
“Of course! But I have a method so good that I don’t need to know lightness skills.”
“What?”
When he looked at her incredulously, she confidently turned her head slightly.
Following her gaze, he saw a portable palanquin.
Beside it stood two warriors with bulging temples who clearly had undergone rigorous training.
“These are the ones who will serve as my feet.”
At those words, the two warriors exchanged glances with Dan Yeonhwa.
Their expressions seemed to say they could be trusted completely.
Those crazy…
How can she be so confident?
To think there was someone with an even more bourgeois mindset than Mujin.
Well, she’s always been like that.
Born with such fortune, she naturally takes it for granted, but this isn’t a leisurely outing—who climbs mountains in a palanquin?
‘She only looks pure on the outside; inside she’s completely different.’
Shaking his head, Zhuge Munhyeon sighed and said.
“Just stay here. If you get into danger unnecessarily, the Palace Lord will worry.”
“It’s fine. How could I send Master alone? I must assist you from the side.”
“You don’t need to.”
“Don’t say such things. Above all, if we discover someone with spirit energy, who will see them? Only I can see them.”
Dan Yeonhwa looked at her companions Chiljangjja, Mujin, and Dang Ihwa in turn, then spoke with a prideful expression.
I don’t need you.
I have Eunhangon, a capable spirit energy detector.
The one who instantly found the location of the death thread in the formation and mercilessly killed that ascetic at Dongho Lake.
But he couldn’t bring himself to tell the truth to her, who was overflowing with enthusiasm.
How could he trample on a growing sprout?
I am no longer the Heavenly Demon.
I’ve become someone who knows how to speak considerately of others’ feelings.
“Yeonhwa. If something happens to you, I won’t be able to face the Beast Palace Lord who even secured cooperation from the Monstrous Poison Gate to change the event location. So just stay here. I fully understand your feelings.”
“Master, how can you say such things?”
“….”
“Even if something happens to me, it will be entirely due to my own decision, and no one will blame Master.”
Her stubbornness was extraordinary.
In times like this, just beating her up would be the best strategy, but with Beast Palace warriors everywhere, he couldn’t execute it…
“You worry about your disciple so much that I don’t know what to do with myself.”
“….”
As if I’m worried.
Suppressing his irritation and transforming it into a smile, Zhuge Munhyeon tried to persuade her once more.
“Yeonhwa. With your outstanding talent, you achieved Qi Building in just a few days of Heart Method cultivation. That’s certainly praiseworthy. Yes, the palanquin bearers can substitute for your feet. But what if danger suddenly strikes? You can’t even perform a proper technique yet.”
It was a remark aimed at hitting her weak spot.
But suddenly, Elder Jeong Haeryong, who was beside Dan Yeonhwa, laughed loudly and answered.
“Ha ha ha! Master Zhuge, don’t worry about that part.”
“….”
“What are you doing? So Master Zhuge’s worries disappear, form a formation to protect the Young Lady!”
“Yes!”
No sooner had he spoken.
The warriors who had come as guards quickly positioned themselves with the palanquin at the center.
It wasn’t just the warriors.
Soaring birds of prey circled in the sky, and beasts raised their claws to make up for the warriors’ shortcomings.
“This is our Beast Palace’s Beast Spirit Protection Formation.”
“….”
At his words filled with pride, the warriors and beasts responded with even greater vigor.
These things that aren’t even cats are panting… truly ridiculous.
“The purpose of the Beast Spirit Protection Formation is to protect the Palace Lord, the Young Lady, or key figures. It’s a formation technique created through the unified breathing of humans and beasts, and we’re confident its defensive power surpasses any other formation.”
Skip the explanation.
Who asked to hear it?
“Look. You don’t need to worry about me.”
“….”
At her bright smiling face, Zhuge Munhyeon let out a sigh.
They’re all sticking together stubbornly like that… Just do whatever you want.
Whether you ride in a palanquin or get protected by a guardian formation.
You’re going to be stubborn anyway, so saying more will only make my mouth hurt.
“…Let’s go up.”
“Yes!”
With their different purposes, they climbed Aenoe Mountain with hopeful steps.
What’s so good about it.
While everyone else was smiling, only Zhuge Munhyeon felt irritation rising.
* * *
Clang clang clang clang!
The final event of the Wild Spirit Festival began with the sound of metal drums loudly echoing through Aenoe Mountain.
Beaters scattered widely in all directions startled the beasts as they pushed through and climbed the mountain, while trackers followed behind searching for signs.
Footprints, droppings, and such things.
Originally, beasts have a strong territorial instinct and always move along the same paths.
So when such things are discovered, the pursuit teams begin moving in earnest.
However.
“Isn’t this a bit strange?”
“…Indeed.”
It had been quite a while since they entered the foothills of Aenoe Mountain.
At Yang Seol’s words, who was leading the third team of beaters that had set their route toward the valley, tracker Gu Muheon nodded.
After the beating began, it had been long since the base of Aenoe Mountain was filled with the sound of metal drums.
But there were no traces anywhere.
Even if this was just the foothills, there should at least be traces of rabbits.
“Go find out how the others are doing.”
“Yes.”
At Gu Muheon’s words, Yang Seol quickly sent hand signals to his subordinate beaters.
Usually in the Wild Spirit Festival, beaters make up the largest number.
About thirty people.
Double the number of trackers or pursuers.
And what they do isn’t limited to just beating metal drums and shouting.
Though they were low-ranking, they too were warriors belonging to the Beast Palace and had enough skill to discover traces of beasts.
But the responses that came back to Yang Seol’s signals were all the same.
No traces.
“Hmm, strange. Truly strange.”
There should be traces.
Considering how long it had been without human presence, they should have started being discovered everywhere even just past the foothills.
Especially near the valley they were assigned to should have been even more so.
Because the location of water is fixed.
“Could it be a place where poisonous creatures live or poisonous plants grow wild?”
“Hmm….”
At Yang Seol’s words, Gu Muheon nodded slowly.
It was a plausible theory.
Other beasts don’t establish territory where poisonous creatures lurk.
Then they would need to change their search direction.
Though poisonous creatures or plants were certainly hard to obtain, they weren’t something young warriors could handle.
There could be casualties if they weren’t careful.
However, the reason Gu Muheon hesitated to decide was because of additional orders.
Because they also had to check for traces of outsiders besides beasts.
“Yang Seol.”
“Yes.”
“Withdraw the beaters for now.”
“Are you thinking of deploying trackers?”
“We need to check.”
“Understood. Then what should we do? Should we wait until the investigation is finished?”
“No. We need to match schedules with the other teams. Move to the ridge on the left side of the valley and restart the beating. You take command of the advance until I return.”
“Yes.”
Yang Seol ran off to relay the orders.
Having predicted danger, Gu Muheon didn’t force it and changed routes.
However, he planned to form a team with only personnel capable of dealing with poisonous creatures and thoroughly examine the valley.
Because the mission had to be completed.
The search went smoothly.
The skilled pursuers scattered to both sides of the valley and quickly went upstream.
The waterway gradually narrowed, and the current quickened on the increasingly steep slope.
Even when they reached the middle slope, no poisonous energy was felt.
And.
Roar roar roar roar!
A massive waterfall they encountered at the end of the valley.
The foam created by the cascading water crashing down splashed in all directions like rain, and mist spread thickly, rising up to their knees.
“What a spectacle.”
“Indeed. It’s incredible. To think such a place existed.”
At Gu Muheon’s admiration, his subordinate warrior Im Saeng nodded.
“If I had known it would be like this, I should have brought everyone up. Such spectacles aren’t common.”
“But it’s strange. I don’t sense any poisonous energy, so why can’t we see any traces of beasts….”
“What can we do? This is our first time on Aenoe Mountain too.”
“True… Let’s go down for now. We need to rejoin the others.”
“Yes.”
The warriors who had been overwhelmed by the majestic waterfall prepared to return.
But one warrior was nowhere to be seen.
“Jinho! What are you doing over there?”
“Ah, I was just….”
“Come on. Hurry and follow.”
“Yes! I’ll follow right away.”
It was when the embarrassed Jinho was pulling up his pants.
In the mist.
A massive shadow that suddenly surged from the silence tore Jinho’s body to shreds.
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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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