I Prayed for a Murim Reincarnation, But I Was Born as the Youngest Imperial Prince - Chapter 75

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 75
Seonwu was slightly taken aback, and for a moment, he let slip an undignified tone of voice even though he was standing before Zhuge Ganyun rather than Lee Jun.
However, Zhuge Ganyun failed to notice anything amiss and simply bowed his head low.
“That is correct, Your Highness. Though he may not hold a seat among the current Eight Hidden Demons spoken of in the Wulin, his threat level is no less than that of the Eight Demon Sovereigns themselves, meaning you have truly suppressed a massive figure.”
“Ahem, well, I suppose if he weren’t a figure of that caliber, there is no way he could have trifled with the Zhuge Clan’s formation to this extent.”
Seonwu quickly composed his manner of speech, while Zhuge Ganyun merely analyzed the situation.
“Yes, Your Highness. Having vanished thirty years ago, we assumed he was dead… but looking at it now, it seems he had been plotting for a very long time, targeting our Main House.”
“So he went into hiding to study and comprehend your formations, and finally reached a level where he could discreetly break them while making it difficult to detect?”
“Yes, and under normal circumstances, his plan would likely have been to summon one of the Eight Great Archdevils—whom Your Highness is also aware of—to strike at our Main House.”
Zhuge Ganyun put himself in Sima Muyue’s shoes to deduce the villain’s scheme.
“However, even if he could deceive the eyes of our Main House, how could he ever deceive the eyes of the dragon looking down from the heavens? His stratagem was discovered by Your Highness, and after being forced to launch an attack with incomplete preparations in his haste, he was suppressed in this manner. Truly, Your Highness’s virtue is immense.”
The Zhuge Clan Head performed a deep bow once more.
“As our family has escaped this great crisis through Your Highness’s grace, how could we ever forget this favor, which is engraved in our bones, and not tie grass to repay it?”
‘Uh, well, it’s not like I knew anything when I pestered him to show me the formation.’
Seonwu wondered what to do about this misunderstanding, but decided to just play along.
What’s good is good, right?
“Ahem, rise. The people of the Wulin are also subjects of the Imperial Court, so it is only natural for Imperial Royalty to protect them.”
As the Zhuge Clan Head stood up, he politely bowed from the waist once more.
“Your favor is overwhelming.”
“Well. Still, if you feel indebted, can I expect you to show your utmost loyalty in the future?”
“Of course, Your Highness. If I received the grace of preserving my family and yet remained ignorant of that gratitude, Your Humble Servant would be worse than a beast.”
Standing behind them, Dan Suyeong watched the Zhuge Clan Head with a look of deep satisfaction.
‘Now that is the proper attitude to display toward one’s lord.’
Compared to him, that bastard Zhuge Jun was incredibly arrogant and rude, simply because he didn’t know His Highness’s true identity!
‘Since His Highness won’t grant permission, I can’t even reveal his identity to inject some proper manners into the boy.’
It was a truly regrettable thing.
Seonwu nodded his head.
“Then, we should devise a strategy regarding exactly how much of my active role in this matter should be revealed.”
“First, to what extent do you wish for it to be disclosed?”
“Hmm, it must absolutely never be revealed that I am actually King Wuryong. I intend to travel incognito through the Wulin to see if there are any deep-seated evils.”
[Aren’t you just going out to play?]
Since Lee Jun was not present, the Demon-Subduing Divine Dragon Sword exposed Seonwu’s hidden intentions instead, but Seonwu simply ignored it.
The unity of public and private matters.
Killing two birds with one stone.
Do you think such phrases exist for no reason?
[I told you, it’s a Chivalrous Journey.]
“If my identity is exposed, a proper inspection won’t even be possible, will it?”
“I understand, Your Highness.”
“However, since it’s good to have a reputation as a chivalrous hero, it would also be odd to claim that Dan Suyeong and I did absolutely nothing. There needs to be some merit attributed to capturing this fellow.”
This requirement had to be met, and that requirement had to be met as well.
It was a rather fastidious request, but Zhuge Ganyun devised a strategy without a single moment of hesitation.
“In that case, let us proceed like this. First, we shall state that the reason our Main House noticed this conspiracy in advance was because the Imperial Court secretly passed word to me, the Clan Head.”
“What kind of word?”
“That the Imperial Court had been secretly tracking the Archdevil of Ruin, who vanished thirty years ago, and finally discovered that he was hiding right in front of our Main House. Fearing that this might be connected to a grand conspiracy immediately thereafter, they conveyed that fact only to me.”
“And under those circumstances, you felt that there might be a problem with the Three Great Formations, so you decided to activate them as a test?”
“Precisely.”
That made sense.
This way, rather than attributing it to two masters from the Eunhak Sect, it could be handled as the discreet approach of a hidden messenger from the Imperial Court.
Who was that secret envoy?
Why do you need to know?
So you can go and inform the enemy?
“We should frame it as the Yuelongwei achieving the merit. Admiral Lee will be pleased.”
“If we also say that the Brahma Bell from the West was secretly loaned for a short time by the Imperial Court’s secret envoy, won’t the entire Wulin come to know of the Imperial Family’s grace? This will also have the effect of soothing those who are anxious over the Namgung Clan being investigated.”
“Excellent.”
“Furthermore, we shall say that Your Highness was searching for the enemy’s command post while observing the battlefield, and managed to pinpoint its location by taking advantage of the opening created when the Brahma Bell from the West rang out.”
Which was exactly what had happened.
Seonwu realized that the alias of the Heavenly Strategist was indeed well-deserved.
“Hmm, however, this person was still in the Transcendence Realm. If it’s told that just the two of us, Dan Suyeong and I, took him down, the world will view my martial prowess as being in the Transcendence Realm.”
“Do you wish to be known as being in the Peak Realm for the time being?”
“That is so.”
“Then, how about we say that the Archdevil of Ruin was unable to display his original martial prowess because he was busy summoning and commanding a large number of demonic monsters, and furthermore, the two of you gained the upper hand through a surprise attack?”
Seonwu calculated it in his head for a moment, and it sounded quite plausible.
‘True. Normally, even if someone is in the Transcendence Realm, if they were ambushed and unable to exert their usual strength, it makes sense that the two of us could manage to coordinate a successful pincer attack, right?’
“That works.”
“However, if we do that, the question remains as to what the secret envoy who delivered the Brahma Bell from the West was doing. This is because anyone capable of delivering a divine weapon of that caliber would surely have come as an envoy with a cultivation of at least the Transcendence Realm.”
“Ah, that’s true. Then what shall we do about that?”
“We can simply say that they left immediately afterward due to another urgent matter, and our Main House had no way of knowing what it was. Whether they were pursuing another enemy or had other business, won’t people just imagine whatever they like?”
“That’s reasonable. Good, let us proceed with that.”
With this, he and Dan Suyeong would gain a reputation as chivalrous heroes who had captured a legendary Great Archdevil.
At the same time, his martial prowess would still be perceived as being around the Peak Realm, so he wouldn’t have to worry about excessively powerful enemies appearing out of nowhere.
‘For now, I really don’t want to clash with masters who are in the Realm of Creation.’
As for completely tearing apart Changtian Jianzun of the Namgung Clan?
That wasn’t a fight using martial arts; it was done by mobilizing political power.
To the thoughtless demonic practitioners, he still needed to look moderately less developed.
“Good. Things might be a bit chaotic, but shall we stay at the Zhuge Clan for a few days and receive some treatment befitting saviors? We also need to wait for the results of the Namgung Clan’s investigation.”
“Please do so. Though it is a humble place, we shall do our utmost to entertain you.”
“No, if it’s too extravagant, it will arouse suspicion, so just keep it moderate.”
“Yes, I will keep that in mind.”
* * *
The Clan Head and Seonwu thus decided to align the details of the story.
To make it seamless, Seonwu also sent a secret letter to the Emperor explaining the circumstances of the situation.
Upon receiving the letter from his adorable youngest son, the Emperor smiled contentedly and summoned Admiral Lee of the Yuelongwei.
“It seems our youngest wishes to hand a free merit over to the Yuelongwei.”
“A minister should be earning merits for the Imperial Court, so for the reverse to happen leaves Your Humble Servant feeling truly incompetent. This is an individual our Yuelongwei should have found and dealt with long ago.”
“Is it ever easy to find a discreetly hidden Great Archdevil? Just focus on assisting my youngest well in whatever he wishes to do.”
“To gain a reputation for a merit we did not even earn is truly overwhelming.”
Still, since it was for the sake of the Prince continuing his incognito travel, what choice did they have?
As the Yuelongwei, they were simply taking a free reputation.
Even though it was the inspection of the Yuelongwei that the entire world feared.
It was the absolute power of the Emperor that could force even that Yuelongwei to get their stories straight.
And the one who could move that Emperor was his dearly pampered youngest son.
Thus, this matter was settled very cleanly and simply.
* * *
The initial cleanup of the Zhuge Clan was completed swiftly.
This was possible because the damage was not extensive.
Of course, things like the psychological shock, or the investigation into how they failed to notice a problem developing in the formation until this point, remained unresolved, but it wasn’t something that would paralyze the family immediately.
Therefore, they could not fail to repay the one to whom they owed a debt of gratitude.
The Zhuge Clan Head spoke of the ‘alternative truth’ agreed upon with Seonwu to the members of the family.
“…And that is how it transpired.”
“Then, if not for the grace of His Imperial Majesty, our Main House truly would have come close to utter ruin.”
“It would have been so. We would have suffered the tragedy of family extermination.”
“No wonder. Now I finally understand why you suddenly ordered us to activate the Three Great Formations, Patriarch.”
Hearing the information secretly conveyed by the Imperial Court and worrying that they might be ignorant of some tampering with the formations was a truly plausible explanation.
‘Had there been no issue, it would have been a massive waste, but as a result, it forced the enemy to move prematurely and allowed our sect to survive, making it a truly bold and wise decision.’
Accordingly, the authority of the Zhuge Clan Head soared even higher now.
Even though the First Elder was also in the Transcendence Realm, he could no longer speak down to the Clan Head as he had before.
“Furthermore, while we were busy blocking the demonic monsters before our eyes, the two great heroes of the Eunhak Sect struck down the Archdevil of Ruin who was directing them from behind, so in truth, it must be said that the two heroes achieved the greatest merit.”
“That is indeed true.”
Having already heard of the two men’s exploits, the members of the Zhuge Clan could not deny it either.
Surviving this crisis was thanks to the information and the divine weapon, the Brahma Bell from the West, provided by the Imperial Court on one hand.
And on the other hand, it was because the two from the Eunhak Sect had defeated the Archdevil of Ruin, who acted as the commander-in-chief.
‘Of course, our Main House also blocked and suppressed the demonic monsters, but….’
There was no need to ask which was greater between the merit of capturing the enemy commander and the merit of defeating the enemy soldiers.
Furthermore, due to their nature, demonic monsters were an enemy where capturing or failing to capture the commander made a vastly greater difference compared to a human army.
The merit could only be considered that much greater.
“Our Main House shall never forget the grace of the two great heroes.”
“Haha, aren’t demonic practitioners public enemies? We fought together, so how can you call it a unique favor?”
“No. Their blades were pointed squarely at our Main House this time, and we were perched on a hundred-foot pole, facing a crisis of total extermination that we could never have escaped without the two heroes. How can we treat this lightly? If we fail to properly repay such grace, the entire Jianghu will call our Main House shameless.”
As Seonwu and the Clan Head played along with their coordinated words, Lee Jun surreptitiously sent a sound transmission.
[Hey, exactly how much of this is real?]
[The Brahma Bell from the West is something I loaned out, so it is indeed the grace of the Imperial Court, and getting them to activate the formation to uncover the enemy’s plot was honestly just a coincidence.]
[Is it true that the one you suppressed was the actual Archdevil of Ruin?]
[Honestly, I didn’t really know, but after hearing about the circumstances and his appearance, your father said there was no mistake.]
[Then it must be true. Wow, is this luck or skill?]
On the surface, it looked like luck.
But in a world where Qi, inner energy, and sorcery existed.
Having luck on one’s side could also be a hidden talent.
‘The term “Mandate of Heaven” isn’t something that can be dismissed as mere coincidence in this world either.’
If he was a Prince who possessed the power of the dragon, did this kind of good fortune follow him around as a matter of course?
Even Lee Jun could not tell.
‘I suppose I’ll find out after seeing it repeat a few more times.’
[In any case, thank you so much. Man, I owe you a massive debt.]
[Ayy, what’s a debt between us? Anyway, it’s a relief we stopped what could have been a real disaster. If I imagine your family vanishing while you and I were traveling around outside, it sounds horrifying to me too.]
Seonwu recalled Lee Jun’s past words that the Jianghu wasn’t just a pleasant place.
That having chivalrous heroes, punishing evil, and saving people meant….
In inverse terms, it meant there were situations where people needed to be saved.
Firefighters aren’t needed in a world where fires don’t break out.
‘And the demonic practitioners of this world aren’t just on the level of ordinary criminals.’
When he thought about how the entire Zhuge Clan and the villagers attached to it had almost died completely, the weight of a Chivalrous Journey began to feel somewhat different.
‘It’s not that I didn’t know before that demonic practitioners and demonic monsters existed and that a war was ongoing, but….’
Because humans feel things differently when they see figures on paper versus seeing them right before their eyes, Seonwu was struck with the stark realization that this country was not a peaceful and safe land.
‘It’s not that the Republic of Korea was free from crime, but….’
At the very least, a major incident on the scale of an entire massive clan and its surrounding village being wiped out all at once would never occur.
This wasn’t a crime; it was an actual battle.
A war that demanded the strength of the entire nation, where continuous battles were fought at the border while guerrilla warfare persisted in the rear.
[It really is a war.]
Lee Jun, who could guess the thoughts leading up to that sound transmission, replied to Seonwu.
[It is. I’ve suppressed a few minor demonic monsters until now, but this is my first time dealing with such a massive incident. You did a great thing, Hero.]
[Oh, are you acknowledging me as a chivalrous hero?]
[An officially sanctioned hero is still a hero, right?]
[Shh, what do you mean officially sanctioned? I’m pure.]
Lee Jun snorted.
[Pure? A pure hero doesn’t carry around rare treasures that only exist in the Imperial Court, nor do spiritual pills spill out from their robes. They also can’t command state authority power to clean up the aftermath of an incident at will.]
[Uh-huh, that’s just utilizing what I have to the absolute maximum. The result is good, isn’t it?]
[The result is good, sure, but shouldn’t you be called a reigning King traveling incognito rather than a hero?]
[That’s also a hero, whatever!]
Seonwu insisted that he was a hero regardless.
As proof, every single member of the Zhuge Clan, excluding that bastard Lee Jun, was calling him a Great Hero and shouting their gratitude for his grace, weren’t they?
“The Great Hero arriving at this precise time was truly the supreme fortune of our Main House.”
“If the Great Hero hadn’t noticed and executed that demonic head, how arduous a battle would it have become?”
Everyone was showing their gratitude like this.
‘Ahem, this time I truly acted like a Great Hero.’
In the beginning, punishing two small Unorthodox Factions and looking after the people’s livelihood was a form of chivalry, but the scale had been tiny.
That much wasn’t enough to be a Great Hero; it felt more like being called a Young Hero.
Saving the traveling merchants from the Qingjuebiao afterward was also rewarding, but again, he had only saved a few people.
Hearing the title of Great Hero for that felt a bit minor.
‘And the martial duel with the Namgung Clan was just proving my martial prowess, so it’s ambiguous to call it a chivalrous act.’
The corruption investigation being carried out right now was officially the work of the Imperial Court and unrelated to him, so that couldn’t contribute to his reputation either.
But things were different now.
Even though his realm itself was the Transcendence Realm rather than the Realm of Creation, hadn’t he captured a Great Archdevil whom the Zhuge Clan Head certified to be just as dangerous as the current Eight Hidden Demons due to his wicked brain?
‘Hehe, a unique alias will be generated for me before long.’
Though an alias would probably be generated for Dan Suyeong as well.
How beautiful would it be for the two martial brothers of the Eunhak Sect to spread their names across the Jianghu side by side!

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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