Ascension of the Heavenly Demon - Chapter 213

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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 213

Whether they had received word from the main house, Hougu Port was already filled with a farewell procession.

Meanwhile.

“Why did you come?”

“What?”

“Is it okay for someone who’s not even part of the branch anymore to be here? Shouldn’t you be running around until your feet sweat at the main house?”

Zhuge Mungi’s face, who had been standing next to the Hogu Branch Manager, twisted with anger.

This bastard….

I came all this way because he was leaving.

Zhuge Mungi barely managed to calm his facial muscles that were twitching as he swallowed the rising curses, speaking with a forced smile.

“Are you going back?”

“Can’t you tell by looking? Even coming out to see me off.”

“….”

The forced smile twisted grotesquely.

This damn bastard.

The gratitude he had harbored until now melted away instantly like ice thrown into a boiling pot.

“Mungi.”

“What!”

“Bastard, getting all worked up.”

He couldn’t help but get worked up.

Anyone would be angry seeing that smugly grinning face.

Seeing Zhuge Mungi clenching his fists and trembling with rage, Zhuge Munhyeon chuckled and patted his shoulder.

“Work hard.”

“What?”

“Remember what I said before?”

“…?”

“You don’t need to stubbornly stick to just one thing. Just because others don’t take a path doesn’t mean it’s the wrong path.”

“You?”

“Still, be prepared. Breaking through barriers as solid as steel is harder than you think.”

At Zhuge Munhyeon’s words, spoken with a winking smile, the angry expression disappeared from Zhuge Mungi’s face.

He was making an analogy about his situation.

The Tang Family, solid as steel and centered around family.

An outsider living within that place.

“Samyang is good martial arts. It was once the Tang Family’s main technique…. Since you’ve chosen the path of a martial artist, if you work hard, you’ll eventually see your own path.”

“….”

“Now you’ll be able to do well enough without my help. You won’t have to start from the bottom.”

At those words, Zhuge Mungi gritted his teeth.

Not from anger.

Because he could feel the sincerity in his words.

Zhuge Munhyeon.

Their past had begun as a bad relationship.

If you really looked at it, it was a bad relationship that started because he had done wrong first.

Even so, he had only resented and resented and resented again.

But when they met again, he had opened a path for him without any grudge.

That day when Eunhwa Mountain was attacked.

He had him write a letter to alert them of the crisis, and gave him an important position in the process of cooperating with the Zhuge Family to install formations and mechanisms.

The role of advisor to Young Family Head Dang Yeon.

This farewell too came about because he was representing the Young Family Head who had become busy with recent events in Sichuan.

He had come with apologies for not being able to see him off personally.

Bottom?

That was ridiculous.

In terms of position, he belonged to the next Family Head’s guard unit.

He had even received the great honor of representing the Young Family Head this time.

His future was practically guaranteed, and he had gained prestige incomparable to some deputy branch manager of Hougu Port.

The opportunity had been given, so what remained was his own effort.

All of that… was thanks to his cousin Zhuge Munhyeon.

His way of speaking was irritating and unpleasant, but how could he fully express that gratitude?

“Munhyeon.”

“What?”

“Thank you. And I’m sorry. I mean it.”

Zhuge Mungi conveyed the sincerity he had kept pressed deep in his heart.

It was quite a touching moment.

However.

“What bullshit.”

“Huh?”

“Who do you think gave you advice for your own good?”

“…?”

“Get a grip, Mungi. If you get mistreated at the Tang Family, it damages the Zhuge Family’s honor, doesn’t it? But of all people, someone like you had to insist on living at the Tang Family… I had no choice but to help. Please don’t misunderstand. Okay?”

At Zhuge Munhyeon’s words, his face twisted again.

“I’ll check on you from time to time. Just let me hear that you’re not doing properly. Then I’ll come back and break your legs.”

“….”

“Remember my words well. Got it?”

Due to Zhuge Munhyeon stabbing at his feelings until the end, his clenched fists trembled again.

This damn bastard….

“And write a letter to Uncle Domyeong. How is it that even as you age, you’re still so thoughtless? Aren’t you worried about Father living alone all this time?”

“….”

He couldn’t say a word.

Because he felt like curses would come out the moment he opened his mouth.

“Tsk tsk, to think I have to leave you at the Tang Family. I’m deeply worried. Worried indeed.”

He could only grind his teeth.

Whether he did or not, Zhuge Munhyeon shook his head and sighed, then turned his gaze to Dang Ihwa.

“Ihwa.”

“Yes.”

“See you again.”

“I’ll visit the Zhuge Family soon.”

“Do as you like.”

Zhuge Munhyeon, who had said farewell with a smile, boarded the ship with his companions.

Eom Ho and others, who were nominally Dan Yeonhwa’s guards and envoys of the Beast Palace, were with him.

And.

“Brother Mungi!”

“…?”

“Tell Aunt! Let’s forget about the past.”

“What?”

“I’ve forgotten everything. Me and my mother too. So when you think of it, bring her to visit. You can come back when times are hard too. We’re family forever.”

Zhuge Munhyeon, standing at the ship’s rail, shouted loudly.

Soon the ship moved away.

Zhuge Mungi’s fists, who had been watching that sight endlessly, trembled with a different meaning than before.

‘That damn bastard….’

It was also a ‘damn’ with a different meaning.

He should have been the first to apologize for what happened that day.

But now all of that was buried as memories of an immature childhood.

‘Family, huh…’

He’s still an annoying bastard to the very end.

It seems he really wanted to go that far to confirm his position to the Tang Family people.

The benefactor who saved the Tang Family’s workshop leader.

The Young Family Head’s friend.

Such Zhuge Munhyeon’s ‘elder brother’.

It seemed like he would need to write a letter to Father today.

* * *

Yungzhong Mountain in Hubei Province, the Great Hall of the Zhuge Family.

Right now, a serious discussion was taking place there.

The Family Head sitting in the seat of honor.

Below him, among the retainers and elders lined up with the Young Family Head at the front, Gaebangju Purple Ghost was also seated.

“The Demonic Sect, you say?”

“When we compiled information from various regions known so far, that side is the most likely.”

“Hmm…”

At Purple Ghost’s words, Family Head Zhuge Dowon frowned, and murmuring continued among the retainers.

The Gaebang that established itself on Yungzhong Mountain.

Their power had grown enormous and solid to a degree incomparable to when they first came to Yungzhong Mountain.

Thanks to the Zhuge Family’s territorial expansion, they extended their influence to northern Hubei and parts of the Black River Gate region, recruited sect members to create secret branch offices, and expanded their territory to Shaanxi, Henan, Anhui, and even Hunan.

Recently, as Zhuge Munhyeon strengthened friendship with the Tang Family, sect members from areas near Sichuan were also expressing their intention to join.

In other words, they were growing into the most influential intelligence force in the current Murim.

However, the information they provided after compiling rumors and intelligence about recent incidents occurring in the Central Plains was more shocking than expected.

New movements of the Demonic Sect.

“Huh, so you’re saying all the kidnapping cases happening in various regions recently are the work of the Demonic Sect? You said Gaebang’s information assets haven’t crossed beyond Sichuan yet, so how did you obtain such intelligence?”

“Actually, it seems there was a hint from Young Master Munhyeon.”

“Munhyeon?”

When Purple Ghost mentioned Zhuge Munhyeon, the murmuring subsided and not only the Family Head but also the retainers listened attentively.

“Yes. This is something we learned quite late too… It’s about when Young Master Munhyeon went to Dangyang.

“Ah, Dangyang County.”

Since the Dangyang County incident was quite famously talked about at the time, everyone nodded and felt proud.

Of course, the one whose shoulders rose highest among them was Zhuge Doyun.

Just thinking about that time made him so proud.

A place where there was a small branch of the Second Family Head, who had competed with the Zhuge Family under the name Mayeongru in the past before being subjugated.

Zhuge Munhyeon, who was traveling to Sichuan, had passed through that place and eliminated Demonic Sect members who attacked a Black River Gate branch.

Due to that incident, the Second Family Head’s influence in Dangyang County greatly increased, and control over the Uichang ferry also fell into the Zhuge Family’s hands.

It was truly an enormous achievement.

Uichang and Wuhan, the two largest ferries in Hubei Province, had become the Zhuge Family’s territory.

Also, through this, the Zhuge Family gained tremendous profits from Yangtze River trade.

Of course, there were efforts by retainers who didn’t miss the opportunity, but it was Zhuge Munhyeon who created that foundation.

Thanks to this, the Zhuge Family gained much greater influence than the Black River Gate, which controlled the south of the Yangtze River.

Now they were in a position where they had to watch the Zhuge Family’s mood.

“Anyway, at that time, it seems he asked our sect member in Dangyang County to keep an eye on the Demonic Sect’s movements.”

“Oh! Munhyeon did?”

“Yes.”

“Huh! That guy, really, just how far did he predict?”

At the Family Head’s admiration, people nodded and exclaimed from here and there.

“I knew it when that kid started talking before even a hundred days had passed.”

“Hey, it was from when he was still in the womb. I’d never seen such a pregnant woman’s belly before!”

He’s the son of Palmun the Genius, isn’t he? That much might be natural.”

It was as if they were competing.

Who had recognized the talent first.

Of course, the more this happened, the higher Zhuge Doyun’s shoulders rose without knowing limits.

“Now, quiet! Let’s continue listening first.”

“Yes.”

Zhuge Dowon organized the assembly and gestured to Purple Ghost to continue speaking.

“The sect member who started investigating the Demonic Sect side at Young Master Munhyeon’s request at that time is called Maeng Jin.”

“…”

“The distance from Hubei to where the Demonic Sect is located is far and our information network didn’t reach there, so it took quite a long time. By the time he tried to report what he found out, Young Master Munhyeon had already left for Yunnan.”

“Mm, that’s right.”

That part was also a story everyone knew.

Pride was added to the retainers’ faces once again.

He achieved great merit in Sichuan too, raising the family’s reputation and selling mechanisms and formations… no, leading cooperation with the Tang Family, then went to Yunnan and even obtained trading rights.

Beast Palace, already one of the strongest forces in Yunnan, had directly sent letters of gratitude and plenty of gifts.

Also, news had arrived a few days ago that they, who boarded ships at Hogu Po in Sichuan with the delegation, had arrived at Uichang ferry, so they would reach Yungzhong Mountain soon.

When the assembly started murmuring again, Zhuge Dowon struck his armrest and shouted.

“Hey! Be quiet! Why all this fuss!”

Anyway, whenever his nephew’s story came up, the excitement wouldn’t easily subside.

Of course, even ten mouths wouldn’t be enough to praise that guy, but what was important now was Purple Ghost’s information.

“Gaebangju, please continue.”

“Yes.”

Purple Ghost just smiled.

Though the flow of conversation was interrupted, his feelings toward Zhuge Munhyeon were no different from those of the Zhuge Family people.

“Maeng Jin, who was monitoring the Demonic Sect’s movements at Young Master Munhyeon’s request, reported that the flow of kidnapping gangs and the ghost market in the Central Plains is heading toward Jade Gate Pass. He said they moved disguised as wandering people, but it definitely seemed like they were kidnapped.”

“Then it must be the Demonic Sect for certain.”

“As of now, yes.”

“Then should we see this as them building up their forces again?”

“Yes. As you know, Family Head, it hasn’t been long since the Demonic Sect’s forces were unified by the new Sect Leader. The fact that kidnapping of Central Plains people has begun can be seen as evidence that they are gathering strength again.”

“Hmm…”

Historically, the Demonic Sect had always shown similar movements.

When the interior stabilized, they would gather forces and cause calamity within just ten to twenty years.

Their eternal wish.

The movement to conquer the Central Plains was not far off.

“This is troubling. The Central Plains are fragmented and not united…”

It was when he was sighing, unable to suppress his complexity.

“Family Head.”

“…What is it?”

“I apologize for interrupting the meeting. There’s urgent news to report, so I had no choice but to interrupt.”

“It’s fine. Report quickly.”

The messenger’s voice that entered the conference room.

“Young Master Munhyeon has arrived at the entrance of Yangyang County.”

“What? Already?”

The assembly murmured louder than before.

This time even the Family Head couldn’t stop them.

No, he was already the first to lift his bottom and stand up.

“G-Gaebangju, let’s continue this conversation later.”

“Of course we should.”

Now was not the time to discuss the Demonic Sect that could strike at any moment, but rather to first elevate the Zhuge name everywhere and welcome back the returning descendant.

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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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