Ascension of the Heavenly Demon - Chapter 48

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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 48

“Oh! Jang Hongsik of the Honyeon Alliance?”

“Yes. When I looked into it, he turned out to be a really bad guy, you know? They say he even sells people, so how could I just stand by?”

“That’s right, that’s right. You can’t just leave alone someone who commits such wicked deeds.”

“I executed him for justice.”

“Well done. Truly a good deed. Still, from now on, show some restraint in your actions. You must try to guide anyone, and shouldn’t you give them at least one chance to reflect on their life and repent their wrongs?”

“Mm, I understand. I’ll engrave Uncle’s words in my heart as golden rules.”

“Good, heh heh heh! How prettily you speak.”

On the path ascending Wudang Mountain.

Zhuge Munhyeon stuck close to Yeonghwa’s side like a dear nephew, chattering away with only pleasant words.

I know too.

Winning someone’s favor?

It’s not befitting behavior.

Solemn and serious… it’s something the Heavenly Demon would never have thought to do.

But when did I die?

I am now Zhuge Munhyeon.

Naturally, I must be faithful to the present and not hesitate to build and utilize connections for my purposes.

Meanwhile, is Yeonghwa just any ordinary Taoist?

He’s the Palace Master of Wudang’s Woojin Palace.

He oversees external affairs, helping secular families and martial clans with connections, and has close ties with this Secret Cave repair corps as well.

In other words, someone who gives work and money.

Getting close to him will surely benefit both myself and the family clan.

Who knows?

Maybe Wudang will become a force friendly to the Zhuge Family?

With no interest in territory, detached from money, forbidding greed, leaving the secular world and obsessed only with alchemy for Ascension to Immortality… there’s no better ally than that.

Hadn’t the attitude of Wudang disciples toward people from the Zhuge Family already completely changed?

Since an elder and Palace Master was climbing the mountain while exchanging such intimate conversation with a descendant of the Zhuge Family, the Wudang disciples following Yeonghwa weren’t imposing any particular restrictions.

Rather, they were approaching the Zhuge Family members first, asking what certain items were used for, what Zhuge Martial Arts were like, and whether they could spar sometime.

The flowers of conversation were in full bloom.

Sigh, if only the family members knew that all this was due to my tearful efforts.

“By the way, is Uncle Yeongmun on the mountain?”

“No. He left on wandering travels and hasn’t returned for quite some time.”

“Wandering travels? Even though he’s an elder, he goes on wandering travels?”

“Heh heh, do you know about wandering travels?”

“Of course? It’s wandering All Under Heaven for cultivation. Training and gaining experience, sometimes meeting extraordinary people of All Under Heaven for duels.”

“You know well.”

“Come on, aren’t I the one who received Wudang’s blessing?”

“Heh heh heh heh!”

Zhuge Munhyeon, winking as he smiled, was becoming a complete smooth talker.

“Yeongmun originally had a free-spirited nature. So he never really welcomed practicing at the Mountain Temple.”

“Ah, so that’s why…”

“Perhaps that’s why he didn’t believe the path of Ascension to Immortality lay only in practicing at the Mountain Temple.”

“Ascension to Immortality?”

“Indeed.”

“Don’t tell me Uncle Yeongmun dreams of Ascension to Immortality?”

“Heh heh, how could Ascension to Immortality be Yeongmun’s dream alone? It’s the dream of all Taoists who have learned Alchemy. It’s just a matter of where and what kind of enlightenment one obtains.”

Oh my heart.

Just hearing the words ‘Ascension to Immortality’ makes my heart race.

Yes, well said.

I was planning to ask about several things anyway.

Since the topic came up, let me ask thoroughly.

“But from what I know, there are quite many Taoist masters in Wudang who achieved Ascension to Immortality through mountain cultivation?”

“How could there be just many? Long ago, our founding patriarch was the first to achieve Ascension to Immortality and went into the embrace of the Heavenly Venerable, and many have achieved their dreams following after.”

“For instance… someone like Gonyang?”

“Oh! Did you know about Grand Master Gonyang?”

“I’ve read so many books. Actually, he’s quite famous too.”

“True, he was someone who achieved many accomplishments both internally and externally.”

Yeonghwa nods his head.

Yu Gilcheon, that bad bastard, denied it so vehemently.

Now, here’s the key point.

“From what I know, Hyeoncheonja also achieved Ascension to Immortality…”

“So it is told. On the day that master departed, it’s recorded that five-colored auspicious energy descended brilliantly upon Wudang’s peak and the heavens seemed to open.”

“Ooh!”

Zhuge Munhyeon, appearing excessively surprised, immediately continued speaking.

“Then could it be that repairing the collapsed Secret Cave is because of something like Hyeoncheonja’s Immortality Secret Manual?”

“Huh? Immortality Secret Manual? What are you talking about?”

Yeonghwa looked at him with a puzzled expression and tilted his head.

Ah, was my question too hasty?

Damn…

“Just wondering. Since he achieved Ascension to Immortality, I thought he might have left something like that behind… Usually when people are about to leave this world, they want to leave behind their achievements and such. Like leaving behind Secret Caves and such.”

Though it was quite a desire-filled statement, Yeonghwa, who couldn’t know what was inside, just laughed “heh heh.”

“This fellow has become absorbed in the fortuitous encounter stories people commonly tell.”

“…”

“Immortality Secret Manual… Well. This is the first I’ve heard of it.”

First he’s heard of it?

Damn, so there isn’t one?

“Perhaps he might have left something. Since no one has entered to see, even if he left something behind, no one would have seen it.”

“What? No one has entered?”

“The master left such a dying wish. Didn’t he make the same request to your family? To block the entrance with formations and mechanisms that no one could break through. Didn’t you hear?”

“That, that was such a long time ago.”

“True… much time has passed.”

At Yeonghwa’s words, Zhuge Munhyeon couldn’t help but fall into deep contemplation.

Damn. So is there something or isn’t there?

Since even Wudang hasn’t been able to enter inside, I can’t make any judgment.

But why did Yu Gilcheon block the entrance to the Secret Cave?

I can’t understand that intention either.

It’s not like I can revive the dead to ask…

“But Uncle.”

“What is it?”

“Why does Wudang want to repair the Secret Cave? It’s a place no one has ever entered anyway.”

“Heh heh, isn’t that obvious? If it hadn’t collapsed, it would be fine to not enter since it’s there, but knowing it has collapsed and leaving it alone would be no different from neglect.”

“Ah…”

I let out a short exclamation, but what do I care about these Taoists’ stuffy thinking?

If it collapses, that just becomes a tomb…

“Before it’s too late, if any remains are left, we should properly collect them, and if they’ve turned to dust, we should at least bring back the Cheongyang Sword that he used and enshrine it in the ancestral hall. Wouldn’t that be the proper duty of a disciple?”

“That’s right.”

Zhuge Munhyeon nodded and fell silent for a moment, lost in thought.

After all, he wouldn’t know what was inside without seeing it directly.

He would confirm it himself.

If Yu Gilcheon had left something behind…

“I’ll definitely help repair the secret cave so we can find Master’s Cheongyang Sword.”

“Just hearing those words makes me grateful.”

“But what if I go inside and end up seeing something that Hyeoncheonja left behind?”

“Hm?”

“That would be somewhat awkward, wouldn’t it? Since it’s Wudang’s property…”

“Ho ho ho! What are you worried about? The Way of the martial world is said to reveal itself to those with clear eyes and be heard by those with clear ears. Since destined connections are predetermined, if you see something, wouldn’t that be your destined connection?”

“So you’re saying I can enter without worry?”

“What are you talking about? You’ve already received the blessing of Yeongmun, so you’re not unrelated to Wudang, and if you’re a Zhuge, that’s a renowned noble family, so whatever is passed down must be the will of the Heavenly Venerable. Immeasurable Buddha…”

At the sight of him chanting with a benevolent smile, Zhuge Munhyeon inwardly wore a sinister smile.

Thank you, Yeonghwa.

You’re a true Taoist, not a fool.

I will definitely open Hyeoncheonja’s secret cave and obtain the Cheongyang Sword for you.

But if he left behind the secret of Ascension to Immortality, that’s mine.

That’s what we agreed on. You understand, right?

“Our conversation was so enjoyable that we’ve already reached the middle slope. We’ve arrived at Sword Release Pool.”

“…?”

“Ho ho, you seemed well-versed in Taoist etiquette, but it seems you haven’t heard about Wudang’s Sword Release Pool?”

“Well, that’s…”

At Yeonghwa’s words, Zhuge Munhyeon scratched his head with an embarrassed expression.

He had heard it existed at Wudang, but this was his first time seeing it directly.

In his previous life, he had always stepped on treetops and reached the summit of Wudang Mountain in one breath. Whether when challenging Wudang’s supreme master or when he came seeking Yu Gilcheon with determination to achieve ascension.

Since he had never climbed the mountain path, he had no way of knowing what was on the middle slope.

Also, when had he died? It had been enough time for the landscape to change several times over, so what was so important about a mere pond?

“That place is Sword Release Pool.”

“…”

Where Yeonghwa’s fingertip pointed was a pond on the flat ground of the middle slope.

And beside it stood a magnificent tree casting its shade, and on every lush branch that stretched out… swords? And they were all heavily rusted.

“Those weapons hanging on the Sword Tree are what those who came to Wudang but couldn’t return left behind.”

“Ah…”

In other words, they died.

Those swords were essentially relics.

“Hmm, actually, this place was created quite long ago but had become obsolete and nearly disappeared. Sword Release Pool regained its fame during the time of Master Hyeoncheon I mentioned earlier.”

“…”

“At that time, there was an evil spawn in the martial world that shouldn’t even be associated with.”

Listening to Yeonghwa’s explanation of Sword Release Pool’s history, Zhuge Munhyeon tilted his head.

Yu Gilcheon had lived in the same era as himself.

But an evil spawn… This was the first time he’d heard of such a person.

“Master Hyeoncheon subdued that bastard through battle and imprisoned him in Taiji Cave, they say.”

“In Taiji Cave?”

“That’s right.”

Imprisoning an evil spawn in the sacred Wudang training ground where those achieving ascension stay? That wasn’t what that place was for… Wait, could it be?

“It was truly a shameful history for Wudang. But Master Hyeoncheon walked the thorny path alone, confirming that evil spawn’s death to the very end and saving the martial world. Therefore, the martial world began the custom of releasing swords into the pond on the middle slope to commemorate that achievement. That is the origin of this Sword Release Pool.”

“…”

At the words spoken as if telling an old story to a grandchild, the smile disappeared from Zhuge Munhyeon’s face.

Hey, wait a minute…

You, that’s… not what I think it is, right? Right?

Finally, the corners of his eyes began to tremble.

“Uncle.”

“Yes?”

“By any chance, was that evil spawn’s name…”

“Hmm, it’s hard to even speak the name… That evil spawn was called Heavenly Demon Baek Ganghwi.”

“…”

Heaven… Baek…

So that evil spawn was me?

Heh heh, oh heh heh, oh heh heh heh heh heh.

Damn it!

Yu Gilcheon, that bastard!

If you’re going to die, die gracefully!

What? Evil spawn? Can’t be associated with?

And you spread rumors that you imprisoned me?

Maybe I should just dig up that secret cave, desecrate the corpse, and burn down all of Wudang Mountain starting with Sword Release Pool.

“Hm? What’s wrong?”

“…The emotions… are overwhelming.”

Zhuge Munhyeon barely suppressed his rising fury and smiled through gritted teeth.

“Boy, how is it that you’re more enraged than I am? Well, that’s understandable. According to the records from that time, the evil spawn called Heavenly Demon was no different from a calamity sent by heaven. Immeasurable Buddha.”

“…”

Stop it, Yeonghwa.

I might wring your neck before setting fire to Wudang.

Damn! These people really…

“Munhyeon, that’s all in the past. Compose your emotions and hang the weapon from your waist there.”

“…Yes.”

Still angry, Zhuge Munhyeon approached the Sword Tree with gritted teeth and heavy footsteps.

Yeonghwa couldn’t hide his satisfaction.

“To think that child, an outsider, would be so enraged by Wudang’s old shame. Since that child says he’ll repair the secret cave, Master Hyeoncheon must be truly pleased. Ho ho, what a wonderful connection indeed. Immeasurable Buddha.”

But the direction Zhuge Munhyeon was heading was strange.

Not toward the Sword Tree but…

“Ho ho! Munhyeon, not that way. That’s the Horse Tree.”

I know that too.

I have eyes.

I’m just contemplating whether to pull up the Horse Tree and smash your head with it right now.

It looks thick enough that it would feel quite satisfying in my hands…

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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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