Ascension of the Heavenly Demon - Chapter 217

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 217

After the meeting ended, Zhuge Munhyeon left the adults who said they had more things to discuss and looked at Zhuge Munho with a smile.

“Young Family Head.”

“Huh? What’s with you? You’re suddenly making me nervous.”

How surprising.

Even when I address him with proper respect, he complains.

“It’s just that it’s starting to show quite a bit.”

“What?”

“I’m saying you’re starting to carry yourself like a Young Family Head now.”

“Geez, I was startled thinking something was about to happen.”

“There’s plenty to be startled about.”

“How could I not be startled? It’s you we’re talking about.”

“…”

It’s me?

Just what does this guy think of me?

“So what are you going to do now?”

“Do about what?”

Zhuge Munho tilted his head.

“What do you mean what? You made bold declarations in front of the adults. That you want to become a Family Head of the Zhuge Family who can be proudly recognized anywhere.”

“Well… that was just my aspiration.”

“You’ll have to work hard to achieve that aspiration.”

“Me?”

“Then who else would do it?”

“No, I was just… I thought what you said made sense so I was just trying to help? And you’re the retainer. The Family Head and uncles all…”

“Don’t talk nonsense, Elder Brother.”

“Huh?”

“Am I the Young Family Head?”

“…”

“If I were doing this alone it would be different, but since we’re doing this together, naturally Elder Brother should take the lead and guide things.”

“Me, me?”

“Then should I do it?”

“Of course you should…”

“Geez, I told you to stop talking nonsense.”

Zhuge Munhyeon scratched his ear as if the idea was ridiculous.

“This is an opportunity.”

“Huh?”

“Think about it. If the Family Head becomes the Alliance Leader, what would Elder Brother become?”

“What would I become?”

“Naturally, you’d become the Young Alliance Leader.”

“…”

When he spoke as if it were completely obvious, Zhuge Munho blinked his wide-open eyes.

Y-Young Alliance Leader?

That’s completely absurd…

The Murim Alliance wasn’t just some family or faction, but a council.

There was no such thing as a Young Alliance Leader.

But he couldn’t respond to even that absurd statement.

Because he always felt small when standing before Zhuge Munhyeon.

“First, call Junggi.”

“Junggi?”

“Of course. Since Elder Brother will be leading this gathering, from now on we need to organize people around Elder Brother. There’s no one as smart as that guy.”

“Around me? I’m just participating in the retainer meeting…”

“Oh no! That’s not right!”

“…”

“This gathering will be centered entirely around Elder Brother. All judgments and decisions will be made by Elder Brother. The Family Head said so too. That he would support you from behind in every way possible. Let’s do this properly this time.”

Zhuge Munho stared blankly at the back of Zhuge Munhyeon, who patted his shoulder and walked toward Waryongheon, the Young Family Head’s pavilion.

Standing at the front was naturally something that Zhuge Munhyeon, the retainer, should do, so why had such a heavy responsibility suddenly fallen on him?

This feels like I’ve been saddled with something…

* * *

Waryongheon.

Zhuge Junggi, who had been called away from his work at Cheonchaek Hall, frowned.

Since the Young Family Head had summoned him, he couldn’t refuse to come, but…

“What do you want me to do?”

Smack!

He got hit on the back of the head for asking back.

“Did this guy eat his manners with rice? How dare you speak informally to the Young Family Head?”

“…Damn it.”

“Won’t you lower your eyes?”

“…”

Under the fierce glare, Zhuge Junggi quietly averted his gaze.

Calling me rude.

Is that something you should say?

You only call him Elder Brother and Young Family Head in name, but you’ve never once spoken respectfully to him…

But fists were close.

Who was Zhuge Munhyeon?

In his youth, he was famous for the nickname “disrespectful bastard who knows no hierarchy,” and now he was a supreme peak-level bastard whom no one in the family could control.

Criticism and pointing out faults?

If he did that, he’d immediately be pointed at by the family elders and those around him. He might even be called before the elders for a round of ideological education.

His achievements weren’t just one or two things.

The incident where Blood Shadow Pavilion and Demon Shadow Tower even changed their names to submit to the Zhuge Family, opening the secret cave of the Wudang Sect to find their ancestor’s relics, receiving gracious treatment from the Tang Family while establishing close cooperation and friendly relations, and recently even bringing envoys from the Beast Palace.

Those were just the major achievements.

Things like leading the growth of the Yi Family branch in Dangyang County or establishing a branch in Dangang District didn’t even count as achievements.

This wasn’t about commemorating the great achievements of a dead person – the accomplishments of the living Zhuge Munhyeon were already being recorded as ‘biography.’

How else could ‘Zhuge Munhyeon’ be the future aspiration of the Cheonseong Pavilion trainees, who were called the pillars of the Zhuge Family?

Before him, who had the family’s solid support, Zhuge Junggi was just a powerless strategist from Cheonchaek Hall.

“…What do you want me to do?”

“Well…”

To the question asked while suppressing his feelings, Zhuge Munho glanced around nervously and trailed off.

“Young Family Head, you need to be confident! How can you show such a timid appearance before a subordinate? You’re someone who might become the Young Alliance Leader someday!”

“…”

At the sharp rebuke, Zhuge Munho sighed.

It’s because of you mixing informal and formal speech, you bastard.

His position wasn’t much different from Zhuge Junggi’s.

But then.

“What’s this Young Alliance Leader thing? Was there such a position in the family?”

His incredulous question was immediately punished.

Smack! Thud!

This damn bastard!

He hit the table so hard that his forehead struck it.

That bastard’s habit of hitting people…

To think this guy is the future hope who will lead the pillars of the Zhuge Family.

“Young Family Head. Please speak.”

“Ahem!”

At the repeated urging, Zhuge Munho gathered his thoughts and calmed his breathing.

There was no avoiding it.

Since Zhuge Munhyeon, backed by the adults’ support, seemed determined… he had no choice but to enjoy it.

“Junggi.”

“Yes.”

“You’ve probably heard enough to know, but the Demonic Sect’s recent movements are unusual.”

“So they say.”

“Therefore, the elders think the Central Plains also need to prepare.”

“Prepare?”

“Yes. As they say, it’s better to be prepared than sorry. If the Demonic Sect rises in the next ten to twenty years, we’ll need the power to stop them.”

“That may be true, but… why should we… worry about it. Of course we should!”

Zhuge Junggi, who had been tilting his head, quickly changed his words after catching a glimpse of Zhuge Munhyeon’s raised hand.

“So what are you planning to do?”

“We want to hold a gathering.”

“A gathering?”

“A gathering of the Nine Sects and martial families. Through discussions with them, we’ll revive the Murim Alliance.”

“…What? Re-reviving the Murim Alliance?”

“Yes.”

“So now, you’re saying our Zhuge Family will oversee this momentous matter?”

“No, we’re not just overseeing it, we plan to lead it.”

“Le-lead… you mean?”

“We plan to call them to the Zhuge Family, convey our intentions, and announce the revival of the Murim Alliance.”

“…”

Zhuge Junggi couldn’t speak for a while.

The revival of the Murim Alliance.

There would be no better strategy to prepare against the demonic path.

But to lead it… and the gathering place being Yungzhong Mountain?

“As Young Family Head, I’ve agreed to take overall responsibility for making this happen.”

“…”

“So I’d like you to create the detailed plans for it.”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Why, you ask?”

When Zhuge Munho frowned, Zhuge Munhyeon raised his hand again with a menacing expression.

“Damn it! Stop that!”

“…Oh? Is this rebellion?”

“Rebellion or whatever, the back of my head isn’t the problem right now! What are we supposed to do? Leading a gathering? At Yungzhong Mountain? Say something that makes sense!”

“…”

“Young Family Head! I understand your intentions. I don’t understand why the elders made such a decision, but if it’s the family’s decision, we must follow it. I’ll accept that you’ve taken responsibility for it. But why should I do such work? What am I to plan such important and crucial matters? Naturally, the Heavenly Strategy Master should step forward for this.”

Zhuge Junggi spoke as if arguing back.

Zhuge Munhyeon, looking at that tempting back of his head, considered whether to hit it or not but decided to hold back.

Sometimes persuasion was necessary too.

This was the Zhuge Family, after all.

Discuss, discuss again… and ultimately persuade.

Of course, sometimes he’d have to use his hands.

“So? You’re saying you don’t want to do it?”

“Of course!”

Zhuge Junggi, provoked by Zhuge Munhyeon’s words, shouted angrily.

He was arguing back again, but he’d let it slide once more.

“Why?”

“Why?! Don’t you know? I’m just a strategist in Cheonchaek Hall!”

“So what?”

“What?”

“Then what am I that I fought the Namgung Family for our family, went to the Tang Family to save people, and even went to Beast Palace to establish relations with them?”

“Th-that’s…”

He was at a loss for words.

Saying ‘You’re… just you?’ wouldn’t be a logical explanation.

Apart from being the Zhuge Family’s greatest master, he was just the son of the Military Strategy Hall Master.

Nothing else.

“Junggi, people need to have what’s called ownership consciousness. If you keep making excuses that you can’t do it because your position is low, you can’t do it because you’re young, you can’t do it for this reason or that, what do you think will change?”

“I-I…”

“Don’t you remember? When we fought the Namgung Family.”

“…”

“Who devised the strategy then?”

He had nothing to say.

“What were you back then? You were just a Cheonseong Pavilion trainee who was good at Go. But you did it in the end. As the Young Family Head’s strategist.”

“Hmm…”

“Now you’ve improved from then and even gained the position of chief strategist of Cheonchaek Hall, so why are you saying you can’t do it?”

“…”

Zhuge Junggi’s face contorted.

Chief, my ass.

Working all night was routine.

But anyway, why was this guy so good with words?

It’s not like he went somewhere to learn rhetoric separately.

He was buried in logic.

He could still refuse, but a strange competitive spirit arose in a corner of his heart.

When the Namgung Family attacked, when they were subjugating Blood Shadow Pavilion and Demon Shadow Tower.

What he couldn’t say despite having proper strategies because he was young, Zhuge Munhyeon had boldly accomplished.

It was the same now.

Right, what couldn’t he do?

He couldn’t make assumptions without even trying anything.

“…If we reveal our intentions recklessly from the start, there will be backlash. Even if we openly send letters, we’ll just be ignored.”

When he spoke with his face heavily frowning, Zhuge Munhyeon and Zhuge Munho smiled.

This kid, he’d do well.

“Continue.”

“What’s next?”

The two elder brothers encouraged their younger brother’s opened mouth.

“It would be better to start with a small gathering first. If we gather those who share our intentions for a meeting and spread some rumors about its contents… everyone will start taking interest.”

“Good thinking. There’s no need to overdo it from the start.”

When Zhuge Munho nodded in agreement, perhaps with his mind working faster, Zhuge Junggi began earnestly expressing his thoughts.

“We don’t need many. Since Dan Sojo from Beast Palace is here as an envoy, inviting just Wudang and the Tang Family would be sufficient. If we just subtly leak through the Beggar’s Sect that they’ve moved, the Nine Sects and martial families will have no choice but to prick up their ears.”

He found himself nodding naturally.

The Wudang Sect, which along with Shaolin occupied the position of Mount Tai and Big Dipper, was the leader of the Taoist sects. Also, the Tang Family of Sichuan was undoubtedly a powerhouse of the western martial world.

All eyes would be focused on them.

After all, the Zhuge Family now even has envoys from the Beast Palace present.

“Good, then you two work together to flesh out the plan.”

As Zhuge Munhyeon stood up from his seat with a satisfied smile, both of them looked at him simultaneously.

“Just the two of us… you say?”

“Don’t tell me you’re planning to just dump the work on us and bail out?”

Facing the two who questioned him simultaneously, Zhuge Munhyeon answered with a grin.

“Bail out? Who’s bailing out? I’m a retainer here. I’m just saying we should each do what we’re good at.”

“What we’re good at?”

“I lack the talent for planning, so I need to prepare by building up my strength. The first meeting might be fine, but once the second meeting begins, everyone will try to gauge the Zhuge Family’s power.”

Everyone has their own area of expertise.

While they planned, refined, and executed their strategies, Zhuge Munhyeon had to cultivate martial power stronger than anyone else’s.

Though time was running short…

Human effort sometimes fills the gaps left by insufficient time.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————