Ascension of the Heavenly Demon - Chapter 25

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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 25

 

 

Zhuge Munho, who had come outside, still couldn’t calm his startled heart.

He had seized control of the conference room atmosphere in an instant.

And in the process, made everything go according to his will.

A mere fifteen-year-old at that.

Because his martial arts were strong?

That couldn’t be it.

This guy is somehow different.

“Hey, Munhyeon.”

“What?”

He had only called his name, but the immediate retort that flew back made him momentarily shrink.

Though he was someone who could be confident anywhere, whenever he stood before Zhuge Munhyeon, he somehow felt intimidated.

“Do you perhaps need me to gather information?”

“As if.”

“Then why…?”

“Because you look so pathetic.”

He didn’t even call him elder brother anymore, but such things didn’t bother him.

“P-pathetic?”

“What the hell have you been doing all this time to become a deputy branch manager?”

“Huh?”

“Think back to when you fought Yeom Sangcheol. How were you able to win?”

“That was because you used sound transmission…”

“Does sound transmission suddenly make you incredibly strong? Does power you never had just spring forth?”

“…That’s not it, but.”

Thinking about it, that didn’t seem right.

“What I gave you was just a bit of help. You were the one who executed it. But how were you able to win? When everyone knew you were weaker?”

Now that he heard it, that was true.

How exactly was that possible?

“I told you, didn’t I? Fights between evenly matched opponents aren’t decided by who has more or less internal energy.”

Seeing Zhuge Munho’s ears perk up, he didn’t seem to be a complete fool.

What could he do?

Though he had no interest in raising kids, since this guy had to play an important role in this fight despite the annoyance, it was his duty to teach him ways to become stronger.

“You want to become stronger, don’t you?”

“What?”

Zhuge Munho’s eyes widened.

Yes, he understood that feeling.

A martial artist’s desire to become stronger was greater than a merchant’s desire to see a bit more profit.

“Is there… perhaps a way?”

“Methods are everywhere.”

“Wh-what is it?”

“First…”

“First?”

“Go and bring Gwan Hwiping.”

“Gwan… Who’s that? I’ve never heard that name among the martial artists. Perhaps a Military Strategy Hall scholar? Or a worker?”

The sight of him frowning and tilting his head was truly frustrating.

Gwan Hwiping.

Zhuge Gwan, Zhuge Hwi, Zhuge Pyeong.

“Our brothers.”

“Ah…”

“Why is the direct line called the direct line? If they’re guys who take pride in being sacred blood, they should have the skills to fight ahead of others to protect their household. Go bring them to the back garden training ground. I’ll train you all together.”

“Tr-training? Got it.”

Zhuge Munho ran off as if he’d been waiting for this.

Whatever it was, if it meant becoming stronger, there was no reason to hesitate.

A short while later.

“No, elder brother, where exactly are you… Eek!”

“M-Munhyeon.”

“Why is that bastard here?”

At their different reactions, Zhuge Munhyeon slightly frowned.

“Bastard? These guys… haven’t come to their senses yet? Then shall we start with a ‘poke’?”

“What?”

“That would be better.”

It wouldn’t leave scars and once they experienced it, they’d listen well.

Thud.

At the sound of him smiling while releasing the iron rings from his limbs, Zhuge Munho and Gwan Hwiping were startled.

“W-waaaaait!”

“Gaaah! I didn’t say anything…”

“Ugh. Why do we have to suffer when Pyeong was the one who said it?”

Their different personalities seemed to produce different screams too.

Of course, Zhuge Munho, who hadn’t been poked, quietly looked away from his younger brothers’ pain.

Endure it, for this current pain will return to you as great fortune…

When the initial pain ended.

Zhuge Munho and Gwan Hwiping straightened their backs and listened attentively.

Zhuge Munho was at the Hyeon level, the rest were just before it.

Roughly speaking, they were at first-rate and second-rate levels.

So listen up, you guys, open your ears and listen carefully from now on.

You’re facing an opportunity right now.

Because someone who was once the Heavenly Demon is personally bestowing teachings upon you.

Of course, you have no right to refuse.

Because I intend to teach you by force if necessary.

“What heart methods have you learned?”

“Well, the Great Heaven Sacred Art…”

“Hmm, fine. I can’t hear the incantation formulas right now, and even if I taught you new ones, you wouldn’t understand them.”

“…”

“What you need right now is experience, I suppose?”

“Experience?”

He nodded at Zhuge Munho’s representative question.

“Yes, experience.”

“What do you mean…”

“You know that martial arts levels are commonly divided into Chung-Hyeon-Tan-Ui-Gang, or second-rate, first-rate, peak, super-peak, and transcendent levels, right?”

“Yes.”

“But you see, when actual combat breaks out, the one with the higher level doesn’t always win.”

“…”

“Unless you surpass the super-peak level, below that it’s actually back and forth. The conditions that create victory in life-or-death combat aren’t about having more or less internal energy.”

Zhuge Munhyeon’s words were simply puzzling.

He knows that he has reached the pinnacle level.

But how can he speak as if he knows realms beyond that?

“Don’t have doubts about things like that. This is basically cramming education anyway. Just memorize what I tell you. If you don’t like it, say so.”

If you don’t like it, say so… could they really do that?

In their eyes, they could only see Zhuge Munhyeon’s finger that had delivered them death-like agony.

“Now then, what determines victory or defeat? It’s things like combat situations, that day’s physical condition, surrounding terrain, and mindset.”

“…”

“In other words, countless variables exist in battle, and the person who reduces those variables the most has the advantage. The higher the master, the fewer those variables. After all, they’ve had long training periods preparing for various situations and are ready to respond to unexpected attacks.”

“But isn’t that experience that can’t be accumulated through ordinary training?”

“That’s right. In the end, the more you fight, the more life-or-death experiences you have, the more advantageous you become.”

“Hmm… But that’s not a situation you can easily encounter. To risk your life, you’d have to meet superior masters…”

“Good point. In that regard, unorthodox sect martial artists accumulate far more experience than orthodox sect martial artists. Because they risk their lives every time. So from now on, I’m thinking of letting you guys accumulate that lacking experience.”

“Let us accumulate experience? Don’t tell me you’re going to have martial duels with us…”

“Pfft! Would you even be opponents? You guys would be knocked out before I even used a few moves.”

It was a harsh sneer, but since it was true, everyone kept their mouths tightly shut.

“Do you see over there?”

The place Zhuge Munhyeon pointed to with his finger.

It was rippling as if space itself was slightly twisted.

“A formation?”

“That’s right.”

“Don’t tell me we’re going to accumulate experience inside the formation?”

“Yes. It’s a method only possible within our Zhuge Family.”

“No, how exactly?”

“Tsk tsk, you guys call yourselves descendants of the Zhuge Family and haven’t even thought about it once?”

“What?”

“If you use an illusion formation well, couldn’t you create phantom enemies? If you fight phantoms that consider you their mortal enemy and attack you, wouldn’t you have to risk your life countless times?”

“…Don’t tell me?”

“I’ve been doing that since I was seven years old.”

“Ah…”

“You understand what I mean, don’t you, Munho? Why I was able to help you.”

“Hmm…”

Zhuge Munho nodded with a short groan.

He had been curious all along.

He could understand reaching the pinnacle level at a young age due to natural talent.

But how exactly had he accumulated combat experience?

How had he instantly found the feints and real attacks while watching his fight with Yeom Sangcheol?

It was difficult at the age of fifteen…

Moreover, hadn’t he never left the Zhuge Family?

But now his doubts were finally resolved.

Continuously since he was seven years old.

Though it wasn’t materialized death, he must have experienced moments akin to death countless times.

Given Zhuge Munhyeon’s level, he must have increased the intensity of the illusion formation each time his achievements rose.

For a full eight years at that.

‘I was too complacent. I thought my efforts were the best.’

Zhuge Munhyeon had created his own method and was working himself to death.

200 geun weight, illusion formation training.

The reason he became strong was effort based on talent.

“Hmm…”

Suddenly he felt sorry.

Because he had misunderstood all this time.

Before he knew it, respect for the young martial artist who had silently walked his own path despite being slandered and earning the name of scoundrel had grown in a corner of his heart.

“At most three days from now. Shouldn’t you be able to fight properly in the battle with Honyeon Territory?”

“…”

“What are you doing? Why aren’t you going in?”

Seeing them hesitate, Zhuge Munho gritted his teeth at the smiling figure.

Click.

He too unfastened the iron rings he had been wearing.

Thud, thud thud.

Zhuge Munhyeon, who gauged the weight by the sound, squinted one eye.

Tsk~. You call that thing iron rings too?

Even if not as much as his own, it should have been at least 100 geun.

Just as he was clicking his tongue and shaking his head, Zhuge Munho met his eyes with a serious expression.

“Munhyeon.”

“What?”

“Thank you. For showing me the path.”

“Pfft! It’s nothing to be thankful for. The hardship is just beginning.”

“I know it’s a difficult path. But… I’ll try my best.”

“Well, suit yourself.”

When he grinned, Zhuge Munho smiled back the same way and walked toward the formation.

“H-hyung!”

“I trust Munhyeon. I’ve seen it and experienced it myself. So you guys trust me.”

After saying this like an entreaty, he slipped into the rippling space, leaving Gwan Hwiping restless.

Trust what a fifteen-year-old is saying now?

He couldn’t bring himself to take a step.

“What are you doing?”

“Huh?”

“I told you to go in.”

“No, we don’t really need to…”

Don’t need to?

You won’t do it?

That won’t do.

You guys are on the same team as Zhuge Munho from now on.

Even if he steels his resolve and trains non-stop inside the formation for three days, there are limits.

While he had helped in the fight with Yeom Sangcheol, he wouldn’t help in future battles.

There would definitely be a gap.

And the ones who would fill that gap were you guys, Gwan Hwiping.

“Heheh.”

Zhuge Munhyeon smiled sinisterly out of habit and deployed his Heavenly Mystery Bewildering Steps.

Then he grabbed and threw.

“Ahhh!”

First, Zhuge Pyeong was sucked into the formation.

What remained was…

“I’m going! I’m going, I tell you!”

“…”

You should have done that from the start.

Watching all the brothers enter the formation, Zhuge Munhyeon wore a satisfied smile.

“It’s my family, so you can’t be weak. Starting with you guys, I’ll grab you by the hair if necessary to make you strong.”

Ascension to Immortality is one thing, but I can’t stand seeing the place where I am being ignored by others.

Just a few days at most?

No, depending on how intensely you train, you might achieve the results of several years of training in just those few days.

“Well then, shall we go gather some basic information that will help with our strategy?”

 

* * *

 

Joyang County, where the Honyeon Alliance was located.

Zhuge Munhyeon, who had left the Branch Office, secretly infiltrated the village.

It wasn’t particularly difficult.

How vast was this land that they could notice one person moving around? It’s not like they had spread a dragnet across everything.

Just push through some bushes, cross some water, and pass over one mountain.

Though tensions had heightened and martial artists were stationed at several crossroads, discovering someone moving alone would be like finding a needle in a haystack, unlike large-scale troop movements.

Still, it was annoying all the same.

“If I had known this would happen, I shouldn’t have killed them all and left a few alive…”

This damn personality of his was the problem.

He couldn’t easily forgive those bastards who didn’t even seem like martial artists charging at him with blades.

“Sigh, now that I’m with the Orthodox Sects, I should learn to show some mercy.”

Zhuge Munhyeon let out a sigh and hid in the shadows at the alley entrance, looking toward the main road.

There were few pedestrians.

Instead, there were far more martial artists keeping watch with sharp eyes.

It seemed they had heard the news that Yeom Sangcheol and fifty martial artists had died.

“Well, it’s not like I’m here to fight. I just need to ask a few things.”

To ask questions, it would be better to choose someone separated from the group.

The process after that was simple.

Secretly kidnap them. Beat them. Then interrogate them. Obtain what he wanted. Considering the aftermath… dispose of them cleanly.

Very easy and quick.

He had done it many times before.

But…

“Huh? What’s that one doing?”

Zhuge Munhyeon stared intently at one spot on the street.

Those who used to be everywhere in the past, but were rarely seen anywhere these days.

A beggar.

Whether secretly monitoring the Honyeon Alliance or like himself, they were hiding and conducting espionage.

What was dangling from their waist was definitely… a sect token.

From the Beggar’s Sect.

How welcome… but why was the chest bulging and the hips so wide?

“Hmm, do the Beggar’s Sect folks employ female warriors these days too?”

The world had really changed a lot.

—————
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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