Ascension of the Heavenly Demon - Chapter 23

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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 23

“Munho!”

“You’ve arrived?”

Not long after the battle ended, Branch Manager Zhuge Cheong and Hyeonho Unit Third Leader Jeok Un, who had heard the horn signaling an attack, arrived leading reinforcements.

“The Honyeonbang bastards are…”

“Completely annihilated.”

“Huh? Com-completely annihilated?”

“That’s right. Joyangdae Moon Blade Yeom Sangcheol and all fifty martial artists are dead.”

Having arrived in haste, Zhuge Cheong, who hadn’t yet grasped the situation, wore a bewildered expression.

Come to think of it, all the dead were wearing Honyeonbang uniforms.

He had thought they had merely held them off…

Since no enemies were visible, he thought they had fled, but complete annihilation?

“A great victory! The Deputy Branch Manager beheaded Yeom Sangcheol!”

At the words of branch martial artist Gokcheon, who had finished collecting the corpses, Zhuge Cheong could only blink his eyes.

But soon his face brightened.

“Admirable! Truly admirable. You saved countless family members.”

“Indeed. I knew the Deputy Branch Manager’s achievements were exceptional, but to kill Yeom Sangcheol, who has such a notorious reputation in northern Hubei? The Main House will be greatly pleased when they hear of this.”

Not only Zhuge Cheong but even Jeok Un spared no praise, yet Zhuge Munho’s face wasn’t particularly bright.

This wasn’t his achievement.

The praise should go to Zhuge Munhyeon.

Without him, it would have been them who died, not Yeom Sangcheol and the Honyeonbang martial artists.

“It was only possible because Munhyeon helped.”

“Huh?”

“If Zhuge Munhyeon, the son of the Byeongjudang Master, hadn’t arrived in time to help, we would have been the ones to die.”

“What are you talking about?”

“It was his doing. He helped the branch martial artists cut down fifty Honyeonbang martial artists. He also helped me kill Yeom Sangcheol.”

“…”

At Zhuge Munho’s words, their laughter ceased as they looked toward Zhuge Munhyeon nearby.

He was a Byeongjudang apprentice.

But how on earth?

“You brat! What the hell did you do? Do you know how worried I was?”

“The nagging… It worked out fine, didn’t it?”

“Is that something to say? What if you had gotten hurt! What would I report to the Byeongjudang Master!”

“Sigh, stop it. You’re going to burst my eardrums. There’s a limit to nagging too.”

Really, as befitting a scholar.

Why does he have so many worries?

At Yeo Mungi’s nagging, Zhuge Munhyeon frowned and rubbed his ears.

And watching that scene with a bitter smile, Zhuge Munho spoke again.

“His level was already at the peak.”

“Pe-peak, you say? You mean Tan Qi?”

“Yes. I saw it myself.”

“…”

They were struck speechless.

Since Zhuge Munho said he saw it, they couldn’t disbelieve it, but he was only fifteen years old.

To reach the peak realm at an age when he hadn’t even had his coming-of-age ceremony?

Wasn’t that saying he was on par with the elders of the Main House? Even searching all of Murim, would there be a martial artist with such genius?

Even if he had received Beolmosesu from birth, it wouldn’t be faster than that.

But why did he enter as a Byeongjudang apprentice?

If his martial arts level was that high, he should have rightfully started his apprenticeship in the Hyeonho Unit…

And why hadn’t word spread until now?

“Hey, calm down for now. I need to go have a conversation with the higher-ups.”

When they were staring blankly, still shocked, Zhuge Munhyeon, having separated from Yeo Mungi, approached the command and suddenly asked.

“What will you do now?”

“Huh?”

“You were attacked, weren’t you?”

“Ah…”

An answer didn’t come immediately.

Because he hadn’t even sorted out his thoughts about Zhuge Munhyeon yet.

“Naturally, we should retaliate, right?”

“What?”

“Retaliation, retaliation. Didn’t martial artists from the Main House die? Innocent workers died too.”

“Ah!”

Only then did Zhuge Cheong come to his senses and catch his breath for a moment.

He had received that much of a shock.

“First, we return to the Yanghyeon Branch.”

“What?”

“Even though we were attacked, we can’t attack rashly.”

“No, what kind of…”

Zhuge Munhyeon felt irritation surge, but quickly shut his mouth.

He had really become civilized.

He had almost asked what kind of bullshit that was.

But returning to the branch?

If you’re attacked, isn’t it normal to retaliate immediately?

Having barely calmed his mind, Zhuge Munhyeon asked in a tone full of displeasure.

“Why?”

“What do you mean why?”

“In cases like this, shouldn’t we retaliate immediately?”

“Hmm…”

Zhuge Cheong pondered for a moment.

If it were just the childish words of a fifteen-year-old, he would have scolded him immediately.

Asking what a brat who knows nothing is interfering with.

“Munhyeon! Watch your words.”

Just like Jeok Un was doing now.

“I’m asking why you’re hesitating, aren’t I? If you’re not going to answer, Third Leader, then step aside.”

The words were respectful, but his glaring eyes made Jeok Un flinch involuntarily.

It was behavior that would naturally make one frown, but he couldn’t scold him.

Even if it was petty behavior, it couldn’t be helped.

That’s how people are.

Having already learned of his skills, he couldn’t treat him carelessly.

Meanwhile, he was a descendant of the Zhuge Family who had achieved merit worthy of praise for ten or twenty days, and his talent was among the best in All Under Heaven.

Having confidence in his own abilities and achieving such feats, he probably couldn’t contain his overflowing vigor.

Hadn’t he himself been like that once?

Moreover, at an age entering adolescence…

“Phew, I heard your skills are remarkable, so I believe it without doubt. You also helped block the attack of Yeom Sangcheol and as many as fifty enemies, and having already reached the peak, you’re stronger than me. But war isn’t as easy as you think.”

“…”

“I know you don’t understand. You don’t want to retreat. But our current situation isn’t very good.”

Though Zhuge Cheong explained in a calm voice, Zhuge Munhyeon could only sneer.

Was this branch manager trying to teach him?

Him, who had lived his entire life fighting fiercely in the Demonic Sect, a world of survival of the fittest and strongest?

“Let’s return for now. I’ll explain everything there. Don’t we need to treat the wounded as well?”

“…”

As Zhuge Cheong smiled and tried to appease him, Zhuge Munhyeon gritted his teeth and frowned.

Damn it, with the branch manager acting like this, he couldn’t be stubborn to the end either…

Fine, let’s hear what this explanation is all about.

* * *

Zhuge Family Yanghyeon Branch.

When they returned after leaving only martial artists to monitor Honyeon Territory’s movements at the border point, the branch was filled with cheers.

Word of their great victory had already spread.

But despite the continuous congratulations, Zhuge Munhyeon’s face was so distorted that no one could approach him.

In the past, he would have charged in immediately without considering the consequences.

Regardless of the situation or anything else, he would have smashed through Honyeon Territory’s front gate and cut off the territory lord’s head first.

Retaliate double for what you receive.

That was the Demonic Sect’s way.

But now that he was a member of the Zhuge Family, he could only suffer inwardly.

This damn family, what are they so cautious about?

“Munhyeon.”

“Yes.”

At Zhuge Cheong’s call, Zhuge Munhyeon crossed his arms and answered curtly.

“Do you see this?”

“…”

“This is the current power distribution map of the Zhuge Family.”

The map spread on the desk showed the area around Yungzhong Mountain in diagram form.

But somehow that shape…

‘Miniature terrain?’

It was identical to the miniature terrain that had been in the Byeongjudang Central Court.

“Do you see the marked forces around us?”

“Yes.”

“Those are the unorthodox sect forces currently surrounding the Zhuge Family.”

“…”

To the west, Wudang occupied the largest territory, while to the south and east, unorthodox sect forces were marked.

There were four in total, all of similar scale.

And the Zhuge Family’s branches were confronting them at the contact points.

“This represents the current situation the Zhuge Family faces.”

“…”

“From your expression, it seems the Byeongjudang Master hasn’t told you about the strategic aspects yet.”

At his bitter smile and words, Zhuge Munhyeon just stared at the map with a sullen face.

“Yes, compared to the Zhuge Family, Honyeon Territory could be considered a somewhat smaller force. But that’s only when looking at the entire main house. In a situation where the main house can’t intervene, it’s impossible for just the branch to handle Honyeon Territory.”

“Is the main house unable to intervene because of the other forces?”

“That’s right.”

He understood.

The current Zhuge Family had become so weak that they had to combine two martial artist units from the main house into one.

“Therefore, establishing formations was a very important matter for us.”

“Hmm. With the formations damaged by floods, now would be an opportunity for them.”

“Correct. But I believe there are other reasons behind this attack besides that.”

“Are there other reasons?”

“An alliance.”

“An alliance?”

“Yes, those four are the type who would join hands with each other anytime for profit.”

“I see. So this attack wasn’t just carried out randomly?”

“Correct. Even if they had the purpose of disrupting formation construction, if Honyeon Territory mobilized as many as fifty martial artists for an attack, there’s a high possibility they formed an alliance with other forces.”

“Hmm.”

He understood to some extent.

To fight Honyeon Territory, the branch would have no choice but to receive support from the main house.

But if they went too far, they’d be defenseless against attacks from other forces.

It was a situation where they might lose other branches or even endanger the main house.

“Is thirty the maximum force the main house can support?”

“That’s right.”

The number of martial artists included in the repair corps.

Thirty martial artists including Third Unit Leader Jeok Un.

It wasn’t about the numbers being important, but the level was far too low.

The real reason for hesitating to attack was probably exactly that.

‘Zhuge… has really become weak.’

Just as he frowned, Zhuge Cheong spoke.

“However, the main house is also working to escape this crisis.”

“The Eight Formation Diagram.”

“Indeed, you must have seen it at Byeongjudang.”

At Zhuge Cheong’s words, Zhuge Munhyeon slowly nodded.

The reason Byeongjudang was trying to deploy the Eight Formation Diagram around Yungzhong Mountain for protection.

Now he understood.

They planned to turn the main house into an impregnable fortress, then deal with external enemies.

Once the Eight Formation Diagram was completed, the main house would become an iron fortress. Having already tried to break through assuming past levels of skill, he knew its defensive power more than well enough.

Zhuge was preparing for the future in their own way.

They probably planned to protect the main house with the Eight Formation Diagram, then destroy their enemies one by one.

However.

“It’s incomplete.”

“I know.”

“There’s no set date for when it will be finished either.”

“We have to endure somehow.”

“Endure…”

A sneer naturally formed at the corner of his mouth.

“Branch Manager.”

“Speak.”

“Will Honyeon Territory wait for us?”

“What?”

“Didn’t you say so yourself? That perhaps the surrounding enemies might have secretly formed an alliance?”

“Th-that’s…”

“What do you think was the reason they carried out a large-scale attack to prevent us from reconstructing the formations that were deployed on the mountain ridge?”

“…”

Zhuge Cheong couldn’t give any answer.

The words Zhuge Munhyeon threw created ripples that shook his heart, and an anxious look flashed through his eyes.

Was it because he was too stupid to know?

How could that be?

They are the Zhuge Family.

They were once people who managed All Under Heaven.

But they have declined, and because of that, the current generation lacks experience.

Having only been robbed constantly and struggling just to protect what they had, they would have chosen more stable methods that were less likely to be taken away.

Even managing the family clan instead of All Under Heaven is overwhelming.

When they don’t even know when the Eight Formation Diagram will be completed, just waiting for it to be finished is almost laughable.

This is like… while everyone else uses long tree branches to knock down persimmons, they’re lying under the persimmon tree with their mouths open waiting…

“Branch Manager, if you let the little rats in the storehouse steal a few grains… eventually they’ll clean out entire sacks.”

“…”

“What’s important is raiding the rats’ den and eliminating the root cause.”

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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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