Ascension of the Heavenly Demon - Chapter 22

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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 22

 

 

“Gasp!”

Not only the Honyeonbang martial artists but even the Zhuge Family martial artists widened their eyes and stared.

The enemy’s body had been sliced with a single sword strike.

Wearing a snow-white scholar’s robe, he was definitely a member of the Zhuge Family who had not yet undergone his coming-of-age ceremony.

And that face?

“I am Zhuge Munhyeon, apprentice scholar of Byeongjudang.”

“Ah…”

They remembered him as the youngest among them.

But why did the son of the Byeongjudang Master possess such martial prowess?

“How long are you going to stand there in shock? Shouldn’t fighting come first right now?”

“…”

“You can handle the small fry, right?”

As Zhuge Munhyeon winked and smoothly swung his sword, a blue trajectory curved like a whip and scattered, cutting down the enemies.

“Sw-sword energy?”

“I told you not to be surprised and fight.”

Zhuge Munhyeon smiled and moved his steps to another location.

Single Line Golden Chain Formation.

Literally the character “one” .

It was a battlefield stretched long horizontally.

Zhuge Munhyeon’s steps, which began from the edge, proceeded straight ahead, and he swung his sword to draw countless blood paintings in the air.

Seeing him devastate the battlefield while walking with his robes fluttering, the Zhuge Family martial artists snapped back to their senses.

This was no time to be dazed.

As he said, now was the time to fight.

They couldn’t let go of the advantage they had finally gained.

However, unlike before when the eyes of the martial artists following Zhuge Munhyeon were filled only with desperation, now hope was dwelling in them.

 

* * *

 

With Zhuge Munho desperately swinging his sword, Yeom Sangcheol had no time to look around.

Even though there was a slight difference in skill, he had to worry about his neck at any careless moment.

“You bastard! You’ve improved a lot!”

He exclaimed as if impressed, but the power contained in Yeom Sangcheol’s attacks grew stronger.

Zhuge Munho was still young.

Even if he had grown stronger, he lacked experience.

Clang!

The sound of metal rang out and sparks flew.

As their energies intertwined, wounds increased on both their bodies, but after about a hundred seconds passed, a gap gradually began to form.

Their combat experience was different, and the weight of power carried in their weapons was different.

Thud!

A straight-thrust foot drove deep into Zhuge Munho’s abdomen.

Oh no!

In the moment he staggered.

“Die! You brat!”

Yeom Sangcheol, sensing his victory, aimed for the waist with a horizontal strike.

But at that moment.

[Tsk tsk, I told you to just reduce their numbers. Idiot, your weapons are different to begin with, so why are you trying to overpower someone stronger with force? First, roll to the left. You’ll die at this rate.]

A voice echoing in Zhuge Munho’s head.

It was sound transmission.

Who on earth?

Though startled for a moment, Zhuge Munho quickly rolled to the left as the voice instructed.

The moon blade barely grazed over him.

[I told you to stay alert, didn’t I? Do you really want to die?]

“…!”

[At your level, the strength of energy doesn’t determine victory. What matters is how you use it. Since your balance is already broken anyway, don’t bother trying to endure and just sit down. Hold your sword diagonally and deflect the opponent’s attack.]

Though he didn’t know who was speaking, Zhuge Munho, having no other choice, sat down on the ground and raised his sword diagonally.

Screech!

The swung moon blade scraped along the sword’s surface and deflected away.

[What are you doing? Do you only attack with your sword? Extend your left palm and strike the opponent’s knee.]

There was no time for hesitation.

As soon as his words ended, he realized that Yeom Sangcheol’s knee was exposed, and Zhuge Munho, as if entranced, spread his left hand wide and struck out.

Crack!

His wrist ached.

And.

“Argh!”

The knee supporting Yeom Sangcheol’s body shattered, and his leg bent in the opposite direction.

Victory and defeat reversed in an instant.

Yeom Sangcheol, whose balance suddenly collapsed, grimaced in pain.

Swish!

Zhuge Munho stepped forward with all his might and swung his sword.

A clean horizontal line drew an arc passing through Yeom Sangcheol’s neck.

Slice, thud…

His head rolled on the ground.

The blood that had spurted like a fountain fell down like rain.

“Hooray!”

Cheers were heard.

When Zhuge Munho, too dazed to even feel the joy of victory, turned his head.

“You weren’t completely stupid. The ending was good.”

“…”

At the center of the cheers, Zhuge Munhyeon was grinning.

“Wh-why are you here?”

Many questions flashed through his mind, but what came back before answers was the surrounding cheers.

“Deputy Branch Leader! We won! It’s a great victory!”

“…”

Zhuge Munho couldn’t join in with the cheers of the branch office martial artists intoxicated with victory, and only stared at Zhuge Munhyeon, who sat waiting with an indifferent expression.

The sound transmission that had suddenly come.

It was definitely Zhuge Munhyeon.

Who else could it be?

Most importantly, they had annihilated the Honyeonbang martial artists with wounded but no deaths.

“How on earth?”

“Oh my, we were shocked too. We never imagined that the Young Master of Byeongjudang possessed such martial prowess…”

“What?”

“If he hadn’t suddenly appeared and helped us by tearing through the formation, we almost couldn’t have stopped them. Who could have imagined he had reached the level of sword energy?”

“Hmm.”

Zhuge Munho let out a groan of surprise.

He already knew that Munhyeon wouldn’t have neglected his cultivation all this time.

But he had thought that his inability to resist at all in the tavern the day before was due to the vague fear planted by childhood memories.

But sword energy?

“Still, the truly remarkable one is the Deputy Branch Leader. To behead Yeom Sangcheol? Congratulations.”

“…”

Even at his subordinate martial artist’s congratulations, Zhuge Munho only frowned.

Victory?

What nonsense.

If not for Zhuge Munhyeon’s sound transmission, he would have been the one to die.

Just thinking about that moment made goosebumps rise on the back of his neck.

But how on earth did that guy instantly see through the opponent’s weakness and give advice that would lead to his victory?

To accomplish such a thing in the midst of battle, one would need to be at a much higher level than the opponent or have incomparably more combat experience.

It was only possible if one could perfectly grasp the opponent’s movements.

So he figured it out in an instant?

What the hell is that bastard…

“For now, we’ll clean up the battlefield.”

“Do so.”

“Yes!”

While the martial artists went ahead to collect and sort the dead, Zhuge Munho pondered for a long time before reluctantly moving his steps.

“Ahem, Munhyeon.”

“What?”

His heart seemed to sink at the curt reply.

Why did he always feel so intimidated when standing before this guy?

But he had to give his thanks.

The one who led this war to victory wasn’t himself, but precisely him.

Zhuge Munho barely managed to pull out the words stuck in his throat.

“Thank you.”

“What?”

“Thanks to you, I kept my life. The branch martial artists survived too.”

After staring at him intently for a while, Zhuge Munhyeon spoke.

“Don’t you think you’re frowning too much to be giving thanks?”

“Ah, that’s…”

“Well, whatever. I’ll pass on gratitude you don’t mean anyway. It’s not like I saved you because you’re pretty… I just helped because blood called to blood.”

It was just then that Zhuge Munhyeon waved his hand dismissively as if he had no interest in such pleasantries and turned his head.

“It wasn’t empty words, but sincere.”

“Huh?”

“I know. I really hated you before. I lost sleep from resentment more than once or twice.”

“…”

“But I eventually realized it was my own problem. Rather, the desire to become stronger than you became motivation to work even harder. So I was grateful. Thanks to you, I abandoned the arrogance of being the most outstanding among my peers. My thoughts about branch family and side family martial artists changed a lot too.”

“Hmm.”

Zhuge Munhyeon, who had started to take a step, let out a habitual exclamation as if mulling over the other’s words.

“And I’m sorry about yesterday’s incident. That was also my fault. The younger brothers acted that way for my sake, unable to escape from twelve-year-old memories, so I hope you won’t take it too much to heart.”

“Kuk.”

“…?”

When he chuckled at the words spoken with difficulty, puzzlement appeared on Zhuge Munho’s face.

“What’s with the embarrassing apology?”

“…”

“There’s plenty to take to heart. Why would I care about weak bastards yapping like pebbles scattered on the roadside?”

“Ah…”

At his dismissive laughter, Zhuge Munho wore a bitter smile.

Pebbles scattered on the roadside.

Apparently, that’s how they appeared to Zhuge Munhyeon.

Well…

“But can I ask you something?”

“What?”

“Did you perhaps… get kicked out of the Young Family Head position because of that incident?”

“Huh?”

“Well, Father said so. The day you and I fought.”

Zhuge Munhyeon frowned as he recalled past memories and spoke carefully.

“Puhup!”

“…Why are you laughing?”

“Because it’s funny.”

“What, you bastard? Here I was worrying about you?”

When his face scrunched up, Zhuge Munho, who had been laughing for a while, let out a big sigh and spoke.

“Munhyeon. Something like the Young Family Head position doesn’t matter to me at all.”

“What?”

“I realized my shortcomings after that time. Young Family Head? What’s so important about that position? If I work hard, I might become that someday. But right now, becoming stronger myself is more important.”

“Ah…”

He had worried that he might have been hurt for nothing.

It was fortunate if that wasn’t the case.

Really…

‘Huh! For me to have such thoughts…’

Zhuge Munhyeon, who had unknowingly felt relieved, was startled for a moment.

During his Demonic Sect days, he had never worried about anyone.

“Ahem! Just don’t forget to report the contribution I made later.”

Feeling awkward, Zhuge Munhyeon cleared his throat and changed the subject.

“You know what I mean, right? You have to make sure to clarify that not only killing those small fries, but also killing that big guy was all thanks to my help. Got it?”

Zhuge Munhyeon glared as if making a threat.

But because that action was so out of the blue, Zhuge Munho couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“You’re laughing at this? Is what I’m saying funny? You don’t even know how important this conversation is…”

“Sorry. I couldn’t help myself.”

Because he was threatening while even twisting his lips, Zhuge Munho apologized with an embarrassed expression.

“Try laughing again. I’ll tear your mouth completely apart.”

“…”

“Anyway, make sure to publicize my contribution. Got it?”

“I will. For sure.”

“Then that’s settled.”

As soon as he heard the answer, Zhuge Munhyeon smiled brightly as if he had never acted threateningly.

But perhaps because of that?

The intimidated feeling he had when standing before him seemed to ease a little.

“Can I ask you something too?”

“What?”

“What level are you at right now?”

“Why do you ask that?”

“Well… it’s hard to see us as being at the same level.”

“Same level? Kuk, kukukuk.”

Zhuge Munhyeon suddenly burst into laughter.

This guy, this guy.

Who exactly is he calling the same level?

Against someone who, if he set his mind to it, would have no rivals in the Zhuge Family except for the Family Head who was at the Ui Qi level.

Anyway, kids have such short thinking.

Can’t you tell just by looking?

“Why are you laughing?”

“Of course I’m laughing, you bastard. How could I be at the same level as you?”

“Then?”

“I’m roughly at Tan Qi level.”

He had no intention of keeping it secret.

Now he was going to reveal it.

But at those casual words, Zhuge Munho couldn’t help but gasp in shock.

Generally, the stages of a martial artist’s qi manipulation are divided into five levels.

Chung, which forms and fills the dan; Hyeon, which manifests qi externally; Tan, which shoots forth the manifested qi; Ui, which imbues it with intent; and Gang, called the absolute realm.

These are also expressed as: Chung as second-rate, Hyeon as first-rate, Tan as peak level, Ui as transcendent peak, and Gang as the transcendent realm.

But Tan Qi?

To say that Zhuge Munhyeon, who had just turned fifteen, was at the same level as the Elders or the Hyeonho Dan Leader was truly shocking.

“No way, Ta, ta, ta…”

“…”

Smack!

If left alone, he seemed like he’d just keep going “ta-ta-ta,” so he gave him a light tap.

In case he might have a heart attack.

But it seemed the shock was greater than the pain or anger from the shock therapy.

“A-are you really at the Tan Qi realm? You’ve already reached peak level?”

“Why are you so surprised? If you can’t believe it, should I show you?”

“…”

“It’s not that difficult.”

Zhuge Munhyeon smiled wickedly and lightly flicked his finger.

Thud!

The ground was gouged out.

“Ji, ji, ji…”

“Not ‘ji-ji-ji,’ it’s just Jipung, you bastard.”

Zhuge Munho stammered in disbelief and got smacked on the back of his head once more.

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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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