Ascension of the Heavenly Demon - Chapter 231

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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 231

At first, he had planned to try persuasion.

Like a true descendant of the Zhuge Family, he would use words to make them understand and persuade them… and if that didn’t work, he would show his strength as a last resort.

But he changed his mind.

There wasn’t just one method of persuasion.

He could beat them first, then persuade them once they became docile.

It was just changing the order, but the latter method was much more difficult.

He had to show such overwhelming force that it would completely break their fighting spirit.

Thus, he unleashed even more massive spiritual energy than before while pressuring Namgung Cheongeuk with transparent eyes.

‘Hmm…’

Namgung Cheongeuk, standing before Zhuge Munhyeon, could only grit his teeth and grimace.

Was it his imagination that the figure just standing there seemed to grow larger and larger?

Before he knew it, he seemed to have grown as tall as the sky, looking down at him.

His entire body felt crushed under that gaze.

He felt as small as an ant crawling beneath a person’s feet.

Should he draw his sword?

Should he pour out everything he had achieved?

Even while contemplating, his breath was being cut off.

It was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

Even if he held a blade in his hand, how would it be any different from a mantis confronting a large cart?

Above all, a fierce battle was already taking place in his mind.

In that brief moment, Namgung Cheongeuk faced Zhuge Munhyeon using every technique he knew.

What moves he would deploy, and how he would respond with the power he was showing now.

It was a virtual battle, a war of strategy.

Hundreds, thousands.

He launched attacks based on all the martial arts he had learned, but ultimately could not reach him.

Finally, he reached his limit.

He couldn’t think of a way to resist.

It was like a storm remaining in one place.

Though calm for now, once it began to blow, that force seemed like it would sweep through the guest hall and devour the entire main house, chewing it to pieces.

How could he block it?

No, could he even block it?

Though he had reached the realm of Gang Qi, he now realized that his Gang Qi was utterly useless.

Cold sweat flowed from his sense of helplessness, soaking his back.

How could this be possible?

He was merely a young man in his early twenties.

Even if he had gained some fortune, strength should be proportional to training time…

Grind.

Namgung Cheongeuk, who had been clenching his teeth in vain, finally chose not to resist and dispersed his energy.

He decided to accept reality.

He decided to acknowledge his strength.

The moment he decided to fight, he might have had to stake the fate of the Namgung Family.

“Phew, even if one had been exposed to martial arts from before birth, it would be difficult to reach your level.”

“…”

At Namgung Cheongeuk’s words, Zhuge Munhyeon felt strangely guilty.

Sharp fellow…

He probably hadn’t figured him out, but he was getting close to the right answer.

I am that Heavenly Demon who beat your great-great-grandfather like a dog.

He just swallowed the words he couldn’t bring himself to say.

And since he had broken his fighting spirit, there was no need to maintain his power any longer.

Zhuge Munhyeon, who had gathered his spiritual energy through Yang Ui and operated the Small Heavenly Star Technique, immediately dispelled the barrier.

The storm-like time passed and tranquility returned.

“Now that this is settled… shall we continue our conversation?”

As he smiled brightly, Namgung Cheongeuk, with a grimacing face, spoke as if spitting out words.

“Hmm, we’ll need a new table and chairs.”

“Indeed we will.”

“It will take a long time to prepare, so let’s move to another location.”

“As a guest, I should follow the host’s wishes.”

Zhuge Munhyeon, who kept grinning, was truly detestable.

Just moments ago, he had given him a sense of despair that even staking his life wouldn’t be enough to win, but now he was smiling like a carefree boy.

“Follow me.”

“Yes.”

Namgung Cheongeuk turned around and flung open the door.

Creak.

The door with its broken latch tilted crookedly and opened precariously.

“…Where shall we escort you?”

The warriors outside spoke respectfully, asking about their destination.

‘What…!’

Namgung Cheongeuk couldn’t help but feel bewildered.

His guard warriors were composed of carefully selected individuals.

Several of them had already surpassed Ui Qi, and most were skilled masters worthy of being called supreme peak.

Naturally, their energy perception was also excellent.

But the atmosphere was strangely calm.

While it was natural for them to sense but not prepare for his momentarily surging internal energy, they should have prepared for Zhuge Munhyeon.

They should have prepared for battle, formed a formation around the guest hall, then sounded the alarm to activate an emergency order throughout the entire family.

But they weren’t even holding swords in their hands.

He couldn’t sense any fighting spirit, let alone killing intent.

Rather, their gazes were glancing past him toward Zhuge Munhyeon.

They were surprised by the fact that he was unharmed.

As if they had no idea what had happened inside…

‘Could that formation technique be?’

In that moment when he couldn’t help but be surprised, the conversation he had with Zhuge Munhyeon inside came to mind.

-Hmm, I did deploy something like a formation technique.

-Are you trying to trap me?

-Please don’t misunderstand. This is just to avoid revealing my power.

A formation technique not to trap others, but to hide his own power.

But was that possible?

Formation techniques also had tolerance limits.

No matter how great the Zhuge Family was, they couldn’t exceed those limits.

Hiding the power unleashed at full force by a Gang Qi warrior?

That was nonsense.

He had never heard of such a formation technique.

In the first place, the durability of the formation technique couldn’t possibly withstand that power.

The energy unleashed by a Gang Qi warrior with determination becomes a tangible rather than intangible force, affecting the surroundings.

Even the swirling energy winds would normally shatter surrounding objects.

In other words, since the axes forming the formation couldn’t withstand it, hiding the energy made no sense.

But despite that… he had hidden it?

‘So the son of the Eight Gates Genius has already surpassed his father in talent for formation techniques as well?’

What if it wasn’t to hide his own power, but to trap someone?

‘I would have been completely trapped.’

Though it was one surprise after another, he didn’t want to express it.

Praise for someone who was no different from an enemy?

“What are you doing just standing there? Is there something on my face?”

“….”

Detestable in every way.

Starting with that constantly grinning face.

“Ahem!”

Namgung Cheongeuk deliberately coughed loudly and walked with heavy, stomping steps.

Detestable.

Absolutely detestable.

He had never met such a detestable person in his life.

At those rough footsteps filled with such emotions, a smile formed on Zhuge Munhyeon’s lips as he followed behind.

‘The Namgung Family Head is quite adorable too.’

It was like watching a woman who had turned sulky and petulant.

Zhuge Munhyeon chuckled inwardly as he followed, and Namgung Cheongeuk’s face grew even more distorted.

* * *

“Drink. It’s Longjing from West Lake.”

“Oh! To offer such a precious thing.”

As befitting the owner of the Namgung Family, even the tea he drank was extraordinary.

Rich fragrance, smooth taste, jade-like water color, and beautifully unfurling tea leaves.

It was a precious thing said to possess the so-called Four Perfections and called the ‘Green Empress.’

Though it didn’t have special effects like spiritual herbs, it made the moment of savoring its taste into the finest of times.

Since it was tea he couldn’t easily see even in the Zhuge Family, or even when he was the Heavenly Demon, Zhuge Munhyeon poured the tea water straight into his mouth.

“Ah! Hot….”

“….”

He seemed to have been in a hurry.

He nearly burned his tongue.

“Tsk, how reckless.”

Namgung Cheongeuk frowned at the flustered display.

But he didn’t want to find fault with that attitude.

Considering the power he had shown before, that lightness seemed almost contrived.

“It’s just the two of us, so there’s no need to hide.”

“…I’m not hiding anything though?”

“You bastard….”

“This is me. There’s no need to disguise myself just to be conscious of others’ eyes.”

“What?”

“Why would I hide it? Pointlessly.”

Perhaps because he had been burned once, Namgung Cheongeuk sighed at the sight of Zhuge Munhyeon blowing on his teacup and slowly sipping.

No need to hide.

Though it was a truly simple statement, it suited Zhuge Munhyeon very well.

Why would I hide?

I’m strong.

It had that kind of confident feeling.

“True, a strong person doesn’t need to hide themselves.”

“Exactly.”

“What exactly is that power?”

“Pardon?”

“That power you showed.”

“….”

“It was different from ordinary martial power. It wasn’t gang qi either… Should I say it felt like something purer, a power that had reached an unfathomably high realm?”

At Namgung Cheongeuk’s question filled with curiosity, Zhuge Munhyeon set down his teacup.

“It’s a secret.”

“What?”

“Isn’t it the way of martial artists to hide three parts out of ten?”

“….”

At the serious answer, Namgung Cheongeuk stared intently at Zhuge Munhyeon.

He said he wouldn’t hide anything….

Just moments before, he had said so with his own mouth.

“You know it’s taboo to pry into others’ martial arts and internal energy, right? It’s very rude. To ask such elementary questions, it’s not befitting of a Family Head.”

“….”

This damn bastard!

It felt like he was scratching, no, gouging out his insides.

Every single word had the talent to infuriate people.

Barely suppressing his surging anger, Namgung Cheongeuk changed his question.

“Then let me ask differently.”

“…?”

“If we had fought….”

“You would have died. Perhaps the entire Namgung Family.”

The answer was arrogant.

And with such a calm expression at that.

But having felt that power face-to-face, he couldn’t refute it.

“Was that everything?”

“Of course not.”

“What? That wasn’t everything?”

“Really, stop trying to pry, will you? This makes conversation difficult.”

At the sight of him even shaking his head, Namgung Cheongeuk’s eyes trembled.

It seemed he should form ties with Shaolin and learn the Immovable Heart Method.

“Huu… Fine. I acknowledge it. That you’re strong.”

“Thank you.”

“But why did you use Yi Yongbaek? If you have the confidence that comes with such skill as you say, you could have come through the main gate?”

“I could have.”

Zhuge Munhyeon nodded readily.

“But why?”

“Well….”

Everyone has their circumstances.

Without using spirit energy, the possibility of defeating the Namgung Family alone was nil.

But if he used spirit energy, he worried about what might happen afterward.

The area where he could hide his power with barriers was extremely limited.

If Yeongmun’s words were correct, having crossed the forbidden boundary between cause and effect, someone would surely come looking for him.

If by any chance it was an evil person coveting spirit energy, the problem would become serious.

But there was no need to explain everything to Namgung Cheongeuk.

“Because I didn’t come here to fight.”

“….”

“If I had come through the main gate, you wouldn’t have let me in quietly. A fight would have broken out, and if either side suffered damage, we wouldn’t be having a conversation like this now. No matter how strong I am, the Namgung Family wouldn’t retreat. At least, it’s not a place that runs from enemies, right?”

At Zhuge Munhyeon’s words, Namgung Cheongeuk looked at him silently.

He’s a strong guy.

But he’s also someone who knows how to acknowledge his opponent.

That acknowledgment wasn’t too bad.

“May I have some more tea? It tastes good.”

When Zhuge Munhyeon smiled while holding up his empty teacup, Namgung Cheongeuk nodded.

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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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