Ascension of the Heavenly Demon - Chapter 36

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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 36

 

 

Heroic Martial Armory.

It’s roughly the treasure vault of the Zhuge Family.

Following Father’s instructions, I had to receive education about mechanisms from the Grand Forge Master, so I came here before dawn.

Of course, Zhuge Munho and Gwan Hwiping came along too.

I felt a bit annoyed at their grumbling about why they were being called from dawn.

These guys seem to have never heard the saying that the early bird catches the worm.

And what do they mean early?

A true martial artist should rise at the beginning of the Hour of the Tiger (3 AM) to breathe the clear air and refine their internal energy.

These guys who’ve only achieved minor accomplishments are getting lazy just because they returned home…

I barely held back from grabbing them by the hair and dragging them here.

Why would a surprise gift be called a surprise gift?

“H-Heroic Martial Armory?”

“Gasp!”

“No way!”

“What is this?”

Their faces, startled upon seeing the signboard, are quite a sight to behold.

“Munhyeon, why are we here so early in the morning?”

“Why do you think? Looking at the weapons you guys use breaks my heart. How can those who will do great things for the Zhuge Family in the future use things that aren’t even refined steel?”

“We’re going to do great things for the Main House… really?”

“Of course.”

I’ll definitely make it so.

Having used them, I found that while their talent is somewhat lacking, they’re reasonably useful.

Of course, there’s a lot to fix…

“I got permission from the Family Head.”

“He gave permission?”

“Yes. Not only did we annihilate the Honyeon Territory and bring Gaebang Island under our control, but we also transformed the Small Heavenly Star Technique into a peerless technique.”

“But that was all your achievement…”

Zhuge Munho frowns and mutters.

He seemed sorry, as if I was stealing his credit.

This guy…

He’s really grown well.

When he was young, he used to gang up with other kids and bully people, going on about social status.

Well, when I was training him, I noticed he was quite diligent.

Though not as good as me, he was born with the talent of effort, so he should be able to achieve his goals.

“Are we strangers? Aren’t we blood brothers? We should share good things.”

“M-Munhyeon…”

When I spoke with a convincing expression, he immediately looked like he was about to cry.

Good, now he understands.

What choice do I have?

Since it’s hard for you guys to get stronger right away, I should at least give you decent weapons to help…

“Permission was granted for the First Hall and Second Hall. He said to go in and pick whatever you like.”

“F-First Hall and Second Hall?”

“Yes. But it would be better to skip the First Hall and go straight to the Second Hall. After all, weapons are like extensions of a martial artist’s body, so the more history they contain, the better.”

“Ah…”

They floundered in their excitement.

As Zhuge Munhyeon said, the Heroic Martial Armory is divided into three sections.

First, the First Hall contains weapons that have been touched by master craftsmen and are comparable to divine weapons, while the Second Hall is filled with items called divine weapons that hold historical value. For instance, things with descriptions like ‘used by so-and-so.’

So I’m skipping the First Hall.

Weapons without history are essentially unproven.

Well, regardless, to someone who lived as the leader of the Demonic Sect, they’re no different from farming tools.

When Zhuge Munhyeon approached, the Guard Warriors who had already received the Family Head’s orders deactivated the mechanisms.

Clank clank clank.

With metallic sounds, the heavy iron door split and slid inward, revealing a corridor.

“Come on, let’s go in.”

“Yeah!”

Zhuge Munhyeon passed by the First Hall and headed straight to the Second Hall.

Weapons neatly arranged in a vast space.

“Wow…”

Zhuge Munho and Gwan Hwiping couldn’t move a single step from the entrance, wearing expressions of awe.

Just how long are they going to keep being surprised?

“What are you doing? Are you just going to stare?”

“Huh?”

“You can’t know weapons just by looking at them; you have to hold them to understand.”

“I-is it okay to touch them?”

“Of course.”

Will you just touch them?

You can smell them and taste them too if you want.

“Thank you, Munhyeon.”

“Really, thank you.”

“I think I misunderstood you. I only thought of you as a guy who speaks casually to his elder brother and has no manners whatsoever… Mmph! Mmph!”

Zhuge Pyeong, perhaps so moved that his mind was wandering, started revealing his true thoughts before being stopped by the other brothers.

I almost got angry and hit him.

Be grateful to your brothers.

“I-isn’t this the Silver Dragon Spear?”

“That’s right, it is.”

There was a description saying it was used by someone named Zhuge Hwiyun, who served as an elder about a hundred years ago.

The characteristic feature is dragon scale patterns engraved on the spear shaft, but the blade is steel.

“Whoa! The Jade Staff!”

“T-the Seven Star Bow is…”

“Ahhh…”

Everyone was feeling ecstatic just from looking, but Zhuge Munhyeon was only feeling indifferent.

What’s so great about such inferior items?

They’re just an engraved spear, a staff mixed with jade, and a bow that shines in seven colors.

How are these things treasures…

Truly, a spear should be made of black gold like the Divine Dragon Spear, swords should be like Ganjiang and Moye, and bows should be at least like the Phoenix Bow.

There’s nothing that catches my eye.

“Everyone pick the most useful ones. Don’t be intimidated and hesitate even after finding something good.”

“Okay!”

All four answer in unison.

How satisfying.

This must be the joy of sharing.

“Hmm, but I should probably pick a weapon to use temporarily too…”

No matter how skilled a master is, it’s better to use good weapons. If the skill levels are similar, the one with better quality weapons usually wins.

The same applies even after realizing the realm of Gang Qi.

That’s why when divine weapons appear in Murim, everyone rushes in and bloodshed occurs.

“Stay here and watch. I’m going to visit the Third Hall.”

“What?”

“Th-Third Hall?”

“That place is off-limits!”

The four people whipped their heads around and stared with wide eyes.

“I never said it was off-limits to me, did I?”

“…”

This is the difference between you and me.

You guys are only allowed up to the First and Second Halls, but naturally I can access the Third Hall.

Compare what’s actually comparable.

“Pick out something good. This is your only chance.”

Zhuge Munhyeon walked away leisurely, and the four watched his retreating figure with eyes full of envy.

The Third Hall of the Heroic Martial Armory he entered was completely different from the previous two places.

First of all, there weren’t many items.

However.

“This is definitely the Third Hall, right?”

I thought there would be mostly junk, but it’s quite impressive. No wonder the Family Head wouldn’t allow the other guys access.

No matter how good a weapon is, if it meets the wrong owner, it’s no different from scrap metal. Also, carrying something that doesn’t match your skill level is a perfect way to meet a miserable death.

First, a sword named ‘Flower Butterfly’.

It has good color.

“Is this Hyeon Steel?”

Though inferior to Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron, which is called the finest among minerals, Hyeon Steel wasn’t something you could easily come across.

Even in the Demonic Sect’s Secret Treasury, filled with treasures plundered from all under heaven, items made of Hyeon Steel were considered top-grade.

Moreover, it seemed like you could inflict wounds with just the sword blade’s sharpness alone, so calling it a famous sword wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

However.

“It’s a good sword, but the name…”

Flower Butterfly.

And why is the handle, which seems to be made from White Snake skin, so flashy?

“What a shame. If it had been just a bit more modest, I would have taken it.”

Zhuge Munhyeon clicked his tongue and shifted his gaze to the next weapon.

Shadowless Dagger, Wind Demon Wheel… Drunken Immortal Blade?

There really is all sorts of stuff here.

There’s even a blade that looks like something beggars would use.

It was while he was wandering around the Third Hall, unable to find a suitable item.

“What’s… this?”

It had the name ‘Road-Picked Staff’ attached to it.

It’s just an iron club.

To be precise, it’s an octagonal iron club.

Moreover, “road-picked” means it was picked up from the street.

“How absurd…”

He couldn’t help but feel bewildered.

To think they’d boldly store something like a club picked up from the roadside in the Third Hall of the Heroic Martial Armory.

He was about to pass by while shaking his head, but strangely, his eyes kept being drawn to it.

Looking closely, each octagonal face was densely filled with patterns he’d never seen before. The crawling caterpillar-like shapes seemed like letters, but also didn’t…

“Hmm, how strange. It’s not Sanskrit either, were there such characters?”

His feet wouldn’t move away easily.

It seemed to be intensely claiming, ‘Take me with you on your path to Ascension to Immortality!’

Just an iron club, yet…

But Zhuge Munhyeon grasped the octagonal club as if entranced. It felt like fate somehow.

Whoooosh!

…there was no such light.

Wooooong!

…it didn’t emit any crying sound either, but the feeling of it fitting snugly in his hand wasn’t bad.

“It’s a material I’ve never seen before.”

Zhuge Munhyeon tilted his head, then suddenly tried rapidly injecting Internal Energy.

There was no change whatsoever.

“Oh?”

Is this really something worthy of being stored in the Third Hall?

Normally, when Internal Energy is injected, even the most exceptional items would show some slight trembling, but this thing absorbed the Internal Energy completely as if it were a vast ocean.

As if saying that such a level couldn’t satisfy it.

“Then let’s see…”

Zhuge Munhyeon grinned and began earnestly drawing up his Internal Energy.

Sword Energy bloomed.

So naturally and smoothly.

“Huh…”

How incredibly mystical.

Even after pouring in all his Internal Energy, there wasn’t even the slightest tremor?

And this from a mere club supposedly picked up from the street.

Just to be sure, he tried injecting Internal Energy into the Flower Butterfly sword he’d passed over for its disagreeable name.

Wooooooong!

The sword body trembled and resonated, making quite a fuss.

“This is the normal reaction.”

He experimented with the club once more, but again it smoothly manifested Sword Energy without any reaction.

Even Blood Soul, forged from Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron by a great craftsman and offered to him during his prime as the Heavenly Demon, couldn’t do this…

“Well I’ll be, this is the first time I’ve felt competitive spirit toward a mere club.”

What to do?

He needed a sword…

“Hmm…”

Well, what does it matter?

After all, a true master can cut diamond with a blade of grass.

The feeling of it clinging to his hand is good.

Looking closely, the flowing patterns on its surface resembled waves or the Milky Way, which was quite pleasing.

Just you wait, you impudent club.

I’ll definitely make you tremble and cry in response to my Internal Energy.

“Your name from now on will be… Silver River.”

The river of heaven, the Milky Way.

Though it was a name that just came to mind, it wasn’t bad.

It also matched well with the Small Heavenly Star Technique he had learned.

Thus, as Zhuge Munhyeon left the Third Hall, an octagonal iron club was tucked behind his waist.

“Did you all choose?”

“Yes!”

“Then let’s go.”

“Huh? What about you?”

“Me? There wasn’t anything particularly useful, so I just picked something random.”

“…”

He grinned and showed Silver River to the four who were carefully cradling their respective weapons.

‘What’s… that?’

‘They store stuff like that in the Third Hall?’

‘If you’re just going to bring an iron club, you should have given up your chance to go to the Third Hall.’

Gwan Hwiping muttered with an expression of utter disbelief.

Just then.

Clang clang clang clang!

Silver River, having met its new master, danced gracefully like the Milky Way flowing across the sky.

Above Gwan Hwiping’s head…

The impact felt quite satisfying—it seemed he had chosen well.

 

* * *

 

After leaving the Heroic Martial Armory, Zhuge Munhyeon gave the four time to cultivate and familiarize themselves with their new weapons before heading to the Military Strategy Hall.

As promised to his father, he needed to go to Heavenly Workshop, a subordinate organization of the Military Strategy Hall, to learn mechanical arts.

Grand Artisan Baek Mu.

That seventy-year-old man was said to be quite famous even within the Zhuge Family.

Though his exceptional skills earned him recognition from the family, he had refused the position of elder in his youth and declined even the senior advisor position in his old age, saying he disliked being relegated to the back room.

Only mechanisms!

He was someone who had spent his entire life researching that one thing.

Father had earnestly instructed him to be respectful, saying this was the person the family respected most after the Family Head.

But does he exercise separately?

His body is quite fit for his age.

The muscles in his forearms…

“Hmm, I heard from the Family Head. You’ve decided to participate in repairing the Wudang Sect’s secret cave?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm, you’ll need to learn diligently then.”

“If you teach me, I will give it my all.”

When Zhuge Munhyeon bowed his head with an enthusiastic expression, the old man spoke with a benevolent smile.

“Do you know how to dig with a shovel?”

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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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