Ascension of the Heavenly Demon - Chapter 72
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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 72
Thud!
A Go board is placed down.
“Play again.”
“…”
The next day, Zhuge Munhyeon was left speechless at the sight of Zhuge Junggi who had come all the way to his home.
What kind of behavior is this, barging in out of nowhere?
And why is he speaking informally?
A mere junior, at that.
“Shouldn’t you be at Cheonseong Pavilion right now?”
“That’s right.”
“Then why are you here causing a ruckus?”
“Because this is more important than Cheonseong Pavilion.”
“What?”
“Play again!”
Zhuge Junggi opens his eyes fiercely and glares.
He really has no fear.
I can’t even hit him…
“Hah, what a leech. Can’t you accept defeat even after losing?”
“No, I accept it.”
“If you accept it, then why are you coming to my house and causing a scene?”
“That was probably a mistake. I definitely never placed a stone in that position.”
Zhuge Junggi’s words make me feel guilty.
Since I secretly moved it.
Because I didn’t want to lose.
But I have no choice but to push forward.
How can I say I did such a despicable thing? Especially with Zhuge Munho and Gwan Hwiping there…
“Anyway, losers always have excuses, don’t they? Whether you placed the stone there or not, you already admitted it was a mistake, yet you can’t accept defeat?”
“Th, that’s…”
“Just go. Focus on receiving your Cheonseong Pavilion training. I don’t have time to play with a brat like you.”
“Brat? We’re only one year apart!”
“You little! Do you know how big a difference one year is? Hey, you’d drown in just the drops of alcohol I’ve spilled. And such a guy even speaks informally to me!”
“Hmph! What great behavior. A kid drinking alcohol all the time.”
“What?”
“And why do you speak informally to Elder Brother Munho? He’s not just one year older, but five years older?”
“…”
I’m completely speechless.
It’s a ‘you do it so I do it too’ argument, so I can’t refute it.
“Anyway, play again!”
What a leech-like guy.
If I keep arguing with him, there’ll be no end to it.
But I can’t exactly knock him out with a solid flick to the head…
“What are you doing? Aren’t you going to cultivate? Get rid of this guy.”
“…Okay.”
When I glare at him irritably, Zhuge Munho pulls Zhuge Junggi away.
“Let’s go.”
“What?”
“That guy isn’t the kind of person you think he is. If you keep being stubborn for no reason…”
Zhuge Munho glances around nervously and omits the words ‘you might really die.’
“You’re doing the same thing, Elder Brother.”
“What?”
“Your younger brother speaks informally all the time, yet how can you say nothing about it? You should scold him harshly to set his manners straight! How can you personally tear down the Zhuge hierarchy?”
“Th, that’s…”
He couldn’t answer.
Junggi. If you were in my position.
You’d learn that there are people who don’t need to follow etiquette… and you’d quickly realize that it’s actually more comfortable to let them speak informally.
“Why can’t you answer!”
“…Because I’m receiving teachings from him.”
It was a reason I barely managed to find.
But Zhuge Junggi had a personality that absolutely couldn’t accept anything his mind couldn’t understand.
“Even if you’re receiving teachings, it’s not like you’re in a master-disciple relationship! That’s not a valid reason.”
“…Just get out.”
Zhuge Munho couldn’t play along anymore either.
Because the ferocious monster’s expression was getting more and more twisted.
I have no choice but to drag him out by force.
And cover his mouth too…
“I’ll take him to Cheonseong Pavilion and come back.”
“Mmph! Mmph mmph!”
Zhuge Munho forcibly dragged away the resisting Zhuge Junggi.
The next day.
“Play again!”
“…”
The day after that.
“Let’s play again!”
“…”
This guy’s persistence is truly extraordinary.
Is speaking informally really worth going this far?
“I’ll take him and come back.”
“No.”
“Huh?”
“I’ll do it.”
When Zhuge Munhyeon, unable to bear it anymore, got up, Zhuge Munho was startled and blocked his way.
“N, no!”
“Huh?”
“Munhyeon, no matter how much it’s you, trying to kill family…”
Whack!
Hit by the swinging fist, Zhuge Munho clutched his head with both hands and crouched down.
“Kill who! Who do you take me for, a murderer?”
“Ugh… Weren’t you?”
“Geez! I’m really burning up inside, burning up.”
“My mistake… Then what are you planning to do?”
“What do you mean what? If I go to the Cheonseong Pavilion Master and complain that this guy keeps coming over, he’ll at least tie him up.”
“Ah…”
That’s right, if Zhuge Munhyeon personally goes and pleads, the Cheonseong Pavilion Master wouldn’t just leave it alone.
Of course, since he’s a descendant personally looked after by the Family Head and the elders of the house.
“He’s cultivating.”
“Yeah.”
Zhuge Munhyeon grabbed Zhuge Junggi by the scruff of his neck and dragged him out.
“Let go! I said let go!”
As Zhuge Junggi struggled and screamed loudly, drawing attention from those around them, Zhuge Munhyeon quietly pressed his pressure points and demon pressure points.
Let’s just leave the cursing with his eyes alone.
If I press wrong, he’ll go blind.
Zhuge Junggi was dragged away like a log.
“Oh? Young Master Munhyeon!”
“Sayo?”
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”
“Indeed, I was actually thinking of visiting you soon since I have a favor to ask.”
“A favor? Please feel free to ask anytime. If it’s Young Master’s request, I’ll prioritize it above all else.”
“Haha, not right now, but later.”
As Sayo became filled with enthusiasm and even clenched her fists, Zhuge Munhyeon waved his hands and laughed.
The numerous sects remaining in the Hyeoncheon Records.
There was a growing need to learn about them.
It would be difficult to search alone, and there’s no place better than the Beggar Sect when it comes to finding people.
Starting with Hubei Province, where their influence reaches.
“Thanks. But you seem busy lately?”
“We’re in a situation where we need to unite all the Gaebangdo in northern Hubei Province. But who is that person you’re dragging…?”
“Oh, this? Yeah. A guy obsessed with Go.”
“Pardon?”
“Don’t mind him.”
“Ah… yes.”
Sayo ended up laughing awkwardly.
He’s a person, but calling him “this”?
And what does being obsessed with Go mean?
Sometimes he really had many aspects that were hard to understand.
“But where are you going in such a hurry?”
“Ah! I urgently need to see the Family Head.”
“The Family Head?”
Zhuge Munhyeon tilted his head.
Sayo’s expression wasn’t good.
An urgent matter…
What could have happened now?
“Well, I’m also heading to Cheonseong Pavilion, so shall we go together?”
“Let’s do that.”
Zhuge Munhyeon walked alongside her and asked what the urgent matter was.
Sayo, whose complexion had darkened, said:
“The Namgung Family is showing strange movements.”
“Strange movements?”
“Yes. I just received a messenger pigeon and found it odd, so I’m on my way…”
Zhuge Munhyeon’s brow furrowed slightly.
The Namgung Family…
Come to think of it, I haven’t heard news of the apology letter and compensation arriving.
I’m pretty sure I said I’d come to take an arm if they didn’t keep their promise.
This made me even more curious.
“What exactly do you mean by strange movements?”
“About a hundred warriors from the Namgung Family’s Blue Sky Sword Corps arrived in Wuhan by waterway.”
“In Wuhan?”
“Yes.”
Zhuge Munhyeon thought this was finally the news he’d been waiting for.
Those guys…
But to send a hundred members of the Blue Sky Sword Corps, the warrior corps representing their family.
They seem to be repenting their wrongs more than I thought.
Something big must be coming.
With that many people, the compensation won’t be small.
“What’s strange is that the Blue Sky Sword Corps is being led by Mok Jaun, the Regional Lord of the Namgung Family’s Martial Hall.”
“Mok Jaun?”
“Yes. He’s one of the elders.”
“Hehe, those guys… But even an elder?”
“Pardon?”
“Oh, never mind.”
Zhuge Munhyeon shook his head while unable to hide his satisfaction.
Mok Jaun or whatever, what do I care?
But if he’s an elder, they’re definitely trying to show proper courtesy in their apology.
Well, that’s how it should be.
An elder should come to match the Family Head’s level, shouldn’t he?
I wonder if my reputation might rise even more from this.
“It seems strange somehow.”
It would seem strange.
Suddenly a hundred Namgung Family warriors appeared with an elder.
But only Zhuge Munho and Gwan Hwiping know about beating up the Nine Wall Sword and sending him away.
I didn’t plan to tell them in advance.
Originally, the fun of these things is in surprising people.
“Leave it be. Why worry about it? They probably have some important business in Hubei.”
“They’re investigating the situation in Hubei Province.”
“Well, they might… huh?”
“We haven’t been able to grasp the detailed situation in the southern regions yet since our influence is still weak there, but the Namgung Family warriors have scattered in all directions and are investigating the evil sects in northern Hubei Province. I’ve instructed the sect members not to get too deeply involved in case of friction, but… something seems strange.”
That’s right.
That is a bit strange.
Why would guys who came to deliver an apology letter and compensation be unnecessarily investigating evil sects? And in the north at that?
Just as he was tilting his head in confusion, he noticed the expression on Zhuge Junggi’s face as he was being dragged along.
He was wearing a mocking smile.
As if he knew something.
That annoying smile bothered Zhuge Munhyeon strangely, so he released the guy’s pressure points.
“Hey.”
“What?”
“…”
Here he goes again with the informal speech and back talk.
But since that smile from earlier bothered him, he let it slide for now.
“Brat.”
“B-brat?”
“Why were you smiling just now?”
“Can’t I even smile as I please?”
“Don’t grumble uselessly and tell me straight.”
“Damn bastard, are you going to kill me if I don’t talk?”
“Should I do that for you?”
Zhuge Junggi, who had been confident all along, quietly averted his gaze from the eyes that had suddenly turned cold and menacing.
What kind of gaze was so murderous?
“Tell me, why did you laugh?”
“Because the Namgung Family’s movements are so obvious?”
“What?”
“You’re investigating the Unorthodox Sects, right? What could be the reason? Obviously, they’re eyeing Hubei.”
“Eyeing Hubei?”
“You’re so dense.”
His fist clenched tightly.
As killing intent flickered in his eyes, the startled Zhuge Junggi quickly continued speaking.
“I learned about the current situation in the martial world at Cheonseong Pavilion. Just as our Zhuge Clan has been expanding its territory recently, heroes from various regions are moving just as actively.”
“So?”
“Unlike us, the Namgung Family, which has walked the path of a martial family by nature, must have already seized all the important interests in Anhui. What remains is unnecessary land. But Anhui alone wouldn’t satisfy them. Martial families always harbor ambitions to hold All Under Heaven in their hands.”
“…”
“The north is where the Shandong Hwangbo Family has been building their power for a long time, and Zhejiang Province is where Bota Gate has strong influence. The Jiangxi region is said to have formed an alliance of Unorthodox Sects. Then the places where Namgung can easily extend their power are Henan and Hubei. If they advance into Henan, even if not Shaolin, the secular families there would be outraged. Hwangbo wouldn’t stay still either. They’d feel like their future territory was being stolen in advance. So where does that leave? Right here in Hubei where we are.”
Zhuge Munhyeon was quite surprised internally by the words that calmly read the situation.
Despite being a brat, he’s quite capable.
“How do you know such things?”
“Don’t you know who my father is?”
“So Uncle told you this?”
“How could that be? I just roughly pieced it together from occasionally hearing Father worry and mutter to himself. But to catch us off guard, they’d need to annihilate the Unorthodox Sects in one go, which would be difficult with just a hundred men… If additional Namgung Family warriors enter Wuhan, then we can be certain.”
“…”
“And despite such a large force moving, there’s no word of Black River Gate taking action.”
At those words, Sayo nodded.
Black River Gate hadn’t moved.
In other words, there had been secret cooperation in advance.
Probably a secret pact to condone the Namgung Family’s movements.
But to predict all of that just from the given situation?
“Ha! What an amazing fellow.”
“Amazing? You’re more amazing. The fact that someone who plays Go couldn’t predict even that much. Damn, to be defeated by such a guy.”
He was surprised by the young fellow’s insight, but for some reason wanted to punch him.
Everything he said was so irritating.
But that wasn’t what was important right now.
If the Namgung Family’s intentions were as Zhuge Junggi said?
“Sayo.”
“Yes.”
“Are your concerns the same as what this fellow said?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm, is that so?”
Zhuge Munhyeon’s brow furrowed.
It seemed he should visit the Family Head’s Hall first rather than Cheonseong Pavilion.
The Namgung Family.
He told them to bring an apology and compensation, but they backstab him like this?
“Let’s go to the Family Head’s Hall.”
“Damn it! Why are we going to the Family Head’s Hall? Let go, let me go!”
When Zhuge Junggi threw another fit, Zhuge Munhyeon silently suppressed his pressure points.
Why, you ask?
Because despite having no manners, his abilities seemed quite outstanding.
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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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