Ascension of the Heavenly Demon - Chapter 94

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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 94

 

 

After going to the horse stable to obtain a horse, Zhuge Munhyeon immediately mounted the Muyang Official Road that diagonally connected the western part of Hubei Province.

He’s a ninety-year-old man.

Each day would be different, so how could he hesitate?

His heart was anxious.

Of course, even if he met and conversed with him, he might already hear answers he knew, and he might not find clues about the Ascension Method.

But it’s about everyone pitching in.

You can’t get full from the first spoonful.

Since you feel satisfied eventually by taking one spoonful at a time, Zhuge Munhyeon did his best even in this moment that might be useless.

But to think there would be one in Hubei Province too.

Well, didn’t Hyeoncheonja and Jeong Sama join forces back then to search through all the Central Plains like catching lice?

Though it was sixty years ago, if you want to find it, it’s not impossible to find.

If you repeat asking and investigating, contents about the Ascension Method will pour out from somewhere.

Surely traces must have remained everywhere.

‘Hmm, then the Beggar’s Sect taking the northern part of Hubei Province was a great help in gathering information…’

That means the wider the Beggar’s Sect’s influence spreads, the more information they can obtain.

‘How about trying to unify All Under Heaven while we’re at it?’

It was then that he chuckled and thought of his ambitions.

“Munhyeon! Munhyeon!”

“…?”

As if a voice carried by the wind had reached his ears, he heard someone desperately calling his name.

When he turned his head, some crazy guy was chasing after him on horseback.

“Mujin?”

It was him.

After meeting Zhuge Munho, he had told him, who was with Gwan Hwiping, that he had somewhere to go so just cultivate…

“Why are you here?”

“I heard you left the manor and hurriedly followed.”

“What?”

“You know, don’t you? I absolutely need you, Munhyeon. Being by your side is no different from cultivation for me.”

“Hmm…”

Mujin’s words made some sense.

What he needed now was to overcome and absorb the demonic nature sealed within his body rather than cultivating Wudang Martial Arts.

But he was troubled.

He felt guilty about secretly hiding the Hyeoncheon Records.

Also, he needed to find the Ascension Method…

‘Ah, no. That’s not it. Anyone can search for the Ascension Method. If he gets curious later, I can say I became interested in the Ascension Method when I entered the secret cave. Or I could say I became academically interested while reading related records in the Ten Thousand Books Pavilion.’

As long as the Hyeoncheon Records don’t get caught, it’s fine.

Even if they were discovered, didn’t the Wujin Palace Master once say that even objects have fate, so they belong to whoever obtains them?

“My thinking was short-sighted.”

“Not at all.”

“Good, let’s go together.”

“Thank you.”

“Let’s save our conversation for after we reach a resting place a bit further ahead.”

“Yes! I’ll follow diligently.”

Having received permission to accompany him, Mujin smiled brightly and cracked his horse whip.

However.

“Um, excuse me, how far are you planning to go…”

“A hundred li ahead.”

“A, a hundred li?”

“That’s right.”

Though it was already deep into the night, with the road so well-paved, what need was there for rest?

One hour of sleep per day is enough.

When you die anyway, you’ll be lying down forever…

“Um, I think we’ve come about a hundred li…”

“Just a hundred li more!”

“…”

Zhuge Munhyeon cracked his horse whip even more vigorously.

A hundred li, then another hundred li… like that, four hundred li.

They could run.

But Mujin, who had been a Wudang Taoist, hadn’t ridden horses much. No matter how excellent his martial arts and abundant his internal energy, how could his untrained buttocks and groin be protected?

“Let’s go just a hundred li more! The goal is right in front of us!”

“…”

From then on, Mujin became silent.

And unlike a Taoist, curses began accumulating in his heart.

Damn it, is “hundred li” some neighborhood dog’s name?

After forcibly enduring and enduring again, when the two finally discovered a shabby inn, they could finally take a rest.

By the time the restaurant had already closed and there was no way to satisfy their hunger.

“Now, speak up.”

“Pardon?”

“What’s the problem? You must have a reason for seeking me out.”

“…”

Problem.

Yes, his reason for seeking out Zhuge Munhyeon was clear.

He had told him to release the sealed demonic nature one by one and convert it to internal energy, and had even taught him the method, but that was by no means an easy task.

He had only overcome two seals.

The demonic nature he had barely suppressed could no longer be controlled by any of Wudang’s heart methods.

He organized what he needed to say and was just about to speak.

“Well…”

But his eyelids were so heavy…

But damn it!

Mujin overcame his sleepiness and poured out the words he had kept in his heart.

And Zhuge Munhyeon looked at Mujin, who had buried his head on the desk and was muttering incomprehensible words, as if he found him pathetic.

 

* * *

 

“Hey, wake up.”

“…”

“Hey!”

At the hands shaking him, Mujin opened his eyes wide and looked bewildered.

“How long are you going to sleep?”

“Sleep?”

“That’s right. Because of you, I also rested at the desk.”

“The, the desk…”

That’s right.

Only then did Mujin realize that he was in the darkened restaurant of the inn where he had first sat down.

“Huh! Wait, did I fall asleep?”

“Yeah. Why did you start talking and then fall asleep mid-sentence?”

“What? I didn’t say anything though?”

“You were muttering to yourself incomprehensibly.”

“…”

At that moment, Mujin’s face contorted miserably.

He had thought he had poured out everything in his heart.

Ah, damn it. It was a dream…

“Let’s go.”

“Already?”

“I planned to rest for just one hour, but because of you we rested for two hours.”

“…”

“Move quickly. We’re in a hurry.”

Zhuge Munhyeon didn’t wait for Mujin’s answer and mounted his horse after paying for the rest.

Mujin, who followed him out, trembled with fear.

His buttocks and groin felt like they were being branded with a hot iron… and he had to ride a horse again…

“What are you doing?”

“Um, couldn’t I just run instead?”

“What about the horse?”

“…I think we could sell it to the inn owner.”

“This guy claims to be a Taoist but doesn’t have even a speck of frugality. Do you think you’d get a fair price selling it here? Even if you sell it, you should wait until we reach a big village. And why are you deciding to sell someone else’s horse on your own?”

Though Zhuge Munhyeon even frowned and got angry, Mujin absolutely did not want to ride a horse anymore, even if it killed him.

“Then I’ll pay for it myself.”

“…Fine, do whatever. Sell it quickly and come out. Make sure to deliver any shortfall to the Main House’s horse stable later.”

“Yes!”

Actually, the horse’s price wasn’t necessary.

He wasn’t an ordinary retainer but a guest who should be treated preciously from the Zhuge Family’s perspective.

But to Zhuge Munhyeon, he was just a disciple with weak stamina.

The sprint resumed.

Seeing Mujin carefully chasing after the horse, trying not to let his groin touch, Zhuge Munhyeon sighed and slowed his running speed.

The sight of him panting and following behind bothered him.

Noticing that the speed had dropped significantly from before, Mujin was grateful inside.

‘To think I cursed such a considerate person…’

He almost felt resentful toward Gwan Hwiping, who had spoken ill of him.

Thanks to this, Mujin, who now had some breathing room, casually struck up a conversation with Zhuge Munhyeon.

“By the way, where is this place called Danpung County?”

“Next to Wuhan.”

“What? We’re going that far?”

“That’s why I told you not to abandon the horse.”

“Well, that’s…”

“Geez, really. Coming along for no reason and then…”

Though he was complaining, knowing that he had deliberately slowed down out of consideration, Mujin could only smile awkwardly.

And now was his chance.

At this speed, it would take at least two or three more days to reach Danpung County.

Since they would be doing nothing but running the whole time, he thought more intimate conversation would be possible.

“Young Master Munhyeon.”

“What?”

“Well, what I was trying to tell you yesterday… it’s about the Sealing Technique you taught me before.”

“Looking at your sorry state, I roughly guessed.”

“I thought you might have.”

“Absorbing demonic energy isn’t easy, is it?”

“That’s right. I somehow managed to succeed up to releasing the second seal, but from the third seal onward, the demonic energy couldn’t be controlled.”

“That’s only natural.”

“What?”

Mujin couldn’t help but be startled.

Natural?

Then did he already suspect his problem?

Suddenly his heart began to race.

So much so that even the burning pain in his groin and the ache in his beaten buttocks disappeared.

“Do you perhaps know a method?”

“Let me ask first.”

“…”

“If my guess is correct, you used Wudang’s Heart Method to absorb demonic energy and turn it into righteous energy.”

“That’s right! I tried to burn away the wickedness using our sect’s Six Yang Heart Method!”

At Zhuge Munhyeon’s words, which seemed to already guess what method he had used, Mujin’s eyes widened as he spoke.

“That’s exactly the problem.”

“What?”

“I told you, didn’t I? Righteous energy and demonic energy are ultimately just energies that started from primordial chaos and were divided. Do you think it can be burned just because you try to burn it?”

“But up to the second seal…”

“Right, you succeeded. But listen. Energy is power that originates from life. It’s something received from nature through breathing. Demonic energy is what happens when that becomes corrupted.”

“…”

“What do you do when someone tries to suppress you? Naturally you’d resist, right?”

“I suppose so.”

“What’s sealed in your body is uncontrolled demonic energy. That means it has life force of its own. But what happens when Six Yang True Energy tries to forcibly burn it? Naturally it resists. The sealed energy naturally becomes stronger. So you need to overcome it with the previous two energies, but since you burned them away, they weren’t properly absorbed and you lack the power to resist, so there’s no way you could endure from the third onward.”

“Ah…”

At Zhuge Munhyeon’s words, Mujin had a great realization.

Indeed, energy has life force of its own.

That’s why sometimes it can demonstrate self-healing power even when the person containing the energy loses consciousness.

To think he forgot that basic principle…

“Then what should I do? Should I give up from the third onward? Please tell me a method.”

“Give up? That’s nonsense. Even if it has life force, it’s energy confined within your body. You can’t let it act like the master, can you?”

“But…”

“Mujin.”

“Yes.”

“To see the stars, you must enter the darkness yourself.”

“…!”

“Leave the demonic energy alone. Let it become familiar with your body. And slowly find a way to mix them. Sometimes there are things that shine even in places where nothing can be seen.”

At that moment, Mujin stopped walking as if he had received a great shock to his head.

“In the darkness… Ah…”

It was a sudden enlightenment.

How could he have tried to suppress it?

Originally, the yin-yang divided into Taiji started from primordial chaos, so they were the same thing…

He finally understood the meaning of what Zhuge Munhyeon had first told him.

Standing there in a daze with his eyes closed, he contemplated and contemplated again.

Like trying to find that thread, that one star shining in the darkness, barely visible.

And then.

“You damn bastard! What kind of enlightenment do you get in the middle of the street while running!”

In such a time-pressed situation, what was he supposed to do if he just stopped like that?

Looking at him, he had definitely started knocking on the door of the Selfless State while standing.

This is absolutely maddening.

Selfless State. It’s a moment that martial artists dream of, but even the slightest shock to the body in that state could be dangerous.

In other words, if left alone like that, even bumping into a passing snail could cause serious shock and turn him into a cripple.

“Ah, damn it!”

He was furious, but what could he do?

Even if he hated him, he was still his disciple.

The one who inherited his final mental insights…

“You damn bastard, just wait until you wake up.”

Grinding his teeth in frustration, Zhuge Munhyeon diligently gathered stones and began constructing a formation around Mujin, who stood motionless.

After a full day had passed like that.

“I’m sorry.”

“Shut up, you bastard!”

“I’m sor…”

“I said shut up! I’ll really smack you!”

Despite repeated apologies, Zhuge Munhyeon continued to explode in anger, while Mujin could only gloomily watch his mood.

Though he had suddenly fallen into the Selfless State and gained more than expected, it had caused a delay of one full day in reaching Hyogam County where the Beggar’s Sect branch was located.

“For the Ninety-Year-Old Elder, each day makes a difference…”

Even as Zhuge Munhyeon continued pouring out complaints, Mujin could only follow behind with his head hung low like a criminal who had committed a mortal sin.

“Aren’t you going to hurry up and follow?”

“I-I’m coming!”

Despite the complications, they arrived at the Hyogam County Beggar’s Sect branch with hopeful hearts.

But then.

“Da-Danpung County, what happened to it?”

“Well… it was attacked by bandits…”

“Bandits?”

“Yes.”

“No, why would those bandit bastards attack Danpung County?”

“We’re not sure about that either. The rainy season has passed and the period of hardship is over, so we don’t know why they attacked the village…”

“…”

“The sect members dispatched from the branch were also injured in the bandits’ attack, and some were kidnapped.”

At the words of Ham Young, the Hyogam Branch Manager of the Beggar’s Sect, Zhuge Munhyeon felt his body go numb as if struck by lightning.

“Th-then what about the villagers?”

“Since no bodies were found, it seems they were kidnapped.”

“Kidnapped?”

“Yes. We’ve already reported to the Main Hall and the Zhuge Family. We’re currently investigating the bandits, so we should be able to find them soon.”

He couldn’t hear the words that followed.

These, these, these bastards…

His face contorted with rage.

He had rushed here like a madman for two full days, skipping sleep and barely eating, to find the Ninety-Year-Old Elder who knew information related to the Ascension Method…

He had worked so hard worrying that something might happen to the elder’s health… and those bandit bastards had to interfere?

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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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