Ascension of the Heavenly Demon - Chapter 50

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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 50

Jinbu Hermitage, assigned as their lodging.

Located not far from Jasogung, it came with a two-room pavilion and a spacious courtyard.

A Taoist boy was also assigned to cook meals for the guests and tend to the courtyard.

After Mujin, who had guided them there, returned.

“Hey, what the hell is wrong with you?”

“…”

“Why are you glaring and frowning at a disciple who came to guide us out of goodwill? That’s really rude, you know.”

Zhuge Munho spoke as if frustrated.

But Zhuge Munhyeon still had an expression of incomprehension.

“Didn’t you see it?”

“See what?”

“Those eyes.”

“Huh?”

“Wasn’t it strange?”

“Strange? What exactly was strange? From what I could see, there was no one with such intelligence. The dignity felt from his gestures, his gait and attitude, even his way of speaking made me think he was some kind of Immortal.”

“…”

“Honestly, I don’t know why you act like this sometimes. You were so gentle with the Elder… Ah, are you perhaps jealous or something?”

“What?”

“Sigh, fine. I understand. You probably never thought there could be someone better than you in this world. Well, I’ve never seen anyone like you either. The world really is vast.”

Zhuge Munho said, clicking his tongue.

Hmm… Ahem…

I was being stupid.

What was I expecting from you guys?

But that’s a bit harsh, isn’t it?

As if I’ve been living thinking I’m the only talented one in the world, and now I’m shocked and jealous after seeing someone better… This bastard!

Smack!

Zhuge Munhyeon’s hand struck the back of Zhuge Munho’s head.

“Ow! Why did you hit me!”

“Because you deserved it. Who are you calling a small-minded fool!”

“…”

I didn’t say that.

But how could he argue when those eyes were glaring at him like that?

Zhuge Munho could only rub his stinging head and curse inwardly.

Damn bastard!

What’s bothering him this time…

That personality is really the problem.

No matter how much I try to care for him, his selfish behavior makes all my good intentions disappear.

Taoist Mujin is a hundred times better than you!

…But he could only lament his own weakness for not being able to shout that out loud.

Then Zhuge Munhyeon, who had been wearing an indifferent expression, spoke to the four of them.

“Horse stance.”

“Huh?”

“We need to train.”

“Ah, but we just arrived! We haven’t even unpacked yet.”

“Arriving is enough, what unpacking? Where do weaklings like you have time to rest? You saw the Wudang Taoists, right? That Mujin guy and all the others are extraordinary. When you see excellence, you shouldn’t just admire it and move on—you should diligently think about catching up.”

“…”

“While I set up the training formation, just do horse stance. You’re all wearing your iron rings, right?”

At those words, Zhuge Munho began trying to appease Zhuge Munhyeon with an awkward smile.

“Munhyeon, I think you misunderstood what I said. You know, you know. Where could there be anyone better than you? I just meant that Taoist Mujin is also as good as you… something like that. You know how I feel, right?”

“…”

Nice try.

Coming from someone who already thinks I’m petty.

Zhuge Munhyeon chuckled and slowly raised his hand.

Startled, Zhuge Munho hurriedly ran to the courtyard and took the horse stance.

“Hey, aren’t you guys going to do it?”

“D-do we have to do it too?”

“Do we have to do it too? Are you idiots crazy? In terms of weakness, you’re worse than Wudang Taoist boys! And you’re asking about Tan Qi like this?”

Zhuge Munhyeon’s eyebrows curved menacingly.

Gwan Hwiping hurriedly ran to stand beside Zhuge Munho and took the horse stance in formation, grumbling.

‘Ah, why did Elder Brother say something unnecessary!’

‘Don’t you know that guy’s personality?’

‘Really, he has no sense at all!’

‘…’

At his younger brothers’ complaints, Zhuge Munho could only groan inwardly.

Who could he blame?

There’s even an old sage’s saying to think ten times before speaking once… his mouth is his enemy.

And while they were training in horse stance, Zhuge Munhyeon, who was creating a training formation in one corner of the courtyard, suddenly paused as Mujin came to mind.

“Strange. Really strange. There’s no way that Taoist’s eyes could be like that…”

People are born with certain temperaments.

Speech patterns, personality, behavior.

But in the case of martial artists, temperament can also be cultivated later depending on what martial arts they learn.

Of course, it’s difficult to notice unless one has exceptional ki sensitivity or examines the opponent’s pulse points to observe the flow of qi and blood.

There are cases where people hide their energy, and they sometimes learn special martial arts for that purpose.

Still, there’s one thing that can never be hidden, and that’s the look in one’s eyes.

Not the physical appearance like phoenix eyes, dragon eyes, or turtle eyes, but methods of judging the energy contained within the eyes—like Jangbulhoe (concealed but not dim), where light dwells without being dark; Anburu (peaceful but not foolish), calm yet not stupid; and Balbullo (radiating but not leaking), emanating without spilling.

The Demonic Sect had similar concepts, often judging talent by looking at disciples’ eyes—Heukyyo (Black Obsidian), where the black pupils stood out like deep darkness absorbing everything; Hyeolwol (Blood Moon), tinged with the color of blood; Gumi (Nine Tails), full of demonic energy; Amroe (Dark Thunder), with destructive tendencies hidden in tranquility; and Mangryang (Specter), unpredictable and fickle.

But when he first saw Mujin, a red bloody light flashed in those pupils.

It was a momentary instant, and it soon disappeared into the deep pupils filled with immortal energy, but having lived his entire life in the demonic path, he could immediately recognize that intense light.

“Yangmyeonjimok (Eyes of Two Faces).”

That’s what they called having two different natures equally.

One who could become either good or evil.

“Strange. If he’s a disciple of Jasogung, that means he’s being personally raised by the sect leader… Didn’t they know? Or perhaps…”

A thought suddenly occurred to Zhuge Munhyeon as he frowned.

-How can this be, the energy of Cheonsal Star (Heaven Killing Star)… If left alone, great disaster will befall the world.

…Such words followed by the Taoist meddling of taking him as a disciple. Saying they couldn’t kill a young life, so they’d suppress it with immortal energy instead.

Of course, such intentions often moved heaven to change one’s destined fate, and many grew up to become outstanding Taoists.

But some went mad from their rising demonic nature and became disasters. When the evil nature that had been constantly suppressed by Taoist teachings finally exploded, it often caused tremendous calamity.

Therefore, some extremists within the Demonic Sect would deliberately throw those born with demonic nature in front of passing Taoists as a strategy.

To grow as potential threats.

To destroy from within.

A win-win situation—good if it works, fine if it doesn’t.

“No, that’s not it. Since the Demonic Sect is too distracted by internal strife to think straight, it wouldn’t be some scheme. Maybe one of the Wudang Taoists picked him up during their travels?”

But that possibility was also slim.

If that were the case, both the blood moon and benevolent energy should have coexisted in Mujin’s eyes.

Then the good energy should have gradually devoured the blood energy and ultimately suppressed it.

“He was hiding it. Definitely.”

In other words, an artificially acquired gaze.

He must have been exposed to demonic arts after learning Taoist secret techniques.

The situation was reversed. If the blood energy devoured the good energy in that state, he would likely fall to demonic corruption.

“Strange. What happened? Don’t tell me… did he learn some demonic arts in the Library, thinking it was some kind of opportunity?”

The Wudang Sect’s Library that stored tens of thousands of Taoist scriptures and secret manuals.

Could there really be only good things stored inside?

How many years had they endured in the treacherous martial world, and how many disciples had traveled All Under Heaven under the name of wandering knights?

The secret manuals of demons and villains they had killed were often stored inside as well.

“Hmm, it seems like leaving him alone will cause big trouble…”

What if the blood energy was in the process of devouring the good energy?

“Ah, forget it. Let’s just leave it alone. Who am I to worry about some Wudang disciple’s affairs?”

After pondering for a while, Zhuge Munhyeon scratched his head vigorously and shook off his concerns.

Who was he to worry about someone else’s family matters?

“Hey! Aren’t you going to raise your arms?”

Glancing back, he pointed at his brothers’ arms that were starting to drop from the weight of the iron rings.

Wudang wasn’t the problem—the Zhuges were the problem.

If he interfered in others’ affairs and got blamed for it, he’d be the only one suffering.

“Mu, Munhyeon. When will the formation be completed?”

“Why are you being so quiet since earlier?”

“I want to train in formations.”

“…”

Gwan Hwiping pleaded tearfully.

Anyone watching would think they were crazy about formation training…

It was all because the horse stance was too difficult and the iron rings too heavy, yet they were making excuses about formations.

“It’ll be ready soon. Lift one leg.”

“…Okay.”

The four had become cranes of Wudang Mountain after one careless comment.

* * *

The next day, geological surveys began on the collapsed Hyeoncheonja’s Secret Cave.

Below Oro Peak on the western side of Wudang Mountain.

‘He built a secret cave near Yangbu Hermitage.’

Though he didn’t know all thirty-six cave dwellings, he recognized it immediately since he knew several famous locations.

Near Taiji Cave where he had cultivated.

It wasn’t without reason that Wudang’s outstanding Taoists had secluded themselves there in their final years for wall meditation toward ascension.

If Wudang Mountain’s peaks were positioned like an ascending dragon, then Taiji Cave would be located beneath its jaw, commonly corresponding to the reverse scale.

Though it might incur the dragon’s wrath, it was also where earth energy gathered in one place.

Yangbu Hermitage was located below that.

The terrain was excellent.

To borrow a geomancer’s words, it was a sunny spot bathed in sunlight all day, with the Azure Dragon and White Tiger positioned far to the left and right, and the Vermillion Bird and Phoenix firmly supporting it from north to south.

Not only that?

The distant Sword Release Pool on the mountainside…

Damn it! Thinking about it makes me angry again.

Those cursed Malco Taoists.

Even if they’re dead, how could they record someone so badly?

Hearing words that would make someone jump out of the afterlife while still alive really makes me want to turn Wudang Mountain into a barren hill.

“First, we’ll check the geology.”

“Please do so.”

Yeonghwa nodded at Baek Mu’s words.

With outsiders entering Wudang to do construction work, how could there not be a supervisor?

He, the master of Wujin Palace, had come personally, and beside him was Mujin, dispatched from Jaso Palace.

‘Hmm, that’s strange. Did I see wrong?’

Mujin, whose gaze from the previous day had vanished like a lie, was unmistakably a promising young Taoist.

“Munhyeon.”

“…Yes?”

Baek Mu called Zhuge Munhyeon, who was observing Mujin with narrowed eyes, in a subtle tone.

“You go and take a look too.”

“Yes? Me?”

“Of course! You might have to oversee the Heavenly Workshop’s field workers after me someday!”

“…”

Me?

What nonsense.

He had planned to step in when the expert earth excavators roughly cleared the dirt piles and began full-scale mechanism repairs.

“Oh! It seems Munhyeon has talent in field work as well.”

“Indeed. He’s truly a genius of the ages. After learning for just one month, he surpassed the skills of field workers who had worked for decades.”

“I see. His martial arts talent seemed outstanding, and now he has field work talent too… The Zhuge Family seems to have gained a great blessing.”

“Haha! Indeed.”

They’re having a grand time.

I am a martial artist.

In my previous life and now, I have absolutely no intention of doing field work.

If you want to assign work, use Zhuge Munho and Gwan Hwiping.

That’s why I brought them.

However.

“I thought your promise to definitely find the Cheongyang Sword was just courtesy, but it wasn’t empty words. I can entrust this to Munhyeon with even greater confidence. Immeasurable Buddha.”

“…”

At Yeonghwa’s chuckling words, Zhuge Munhyeon picked up a shovel again today.

He said he trusted him.

He even muttered a sincere Buddhist invocation.

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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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