The Fortunate Sword God of the Zhuge Clan - Chapter 14

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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 14.
At Muhun’s boldness, Jegal Cheonseong furrowed his brow.
“Yes, the action itself is praiseworthy.”
Muhun’s words weren’t wrong in themselves.
What he and Seo Yong had done was indeed Righteous Action.
“But don’t obscure the point. You understand that the real issue is why you didn’t inform me first, don’t you?”
At Jegal Cheonseong’s firm voice, Muhun nodded.
“As I explained from the beginning, I discovered through the Array Formation that Master Huang had fallen into danger.”
“Then you should have told me that very moment. If the enemy were only four third-rate masters, the Array Formation wouldn’t have been breached.”
“That’s precisely why I had to act quickly.”
Sensing Jegal Cheonseong’s unspoken question, Muhun continued swiftly.
“If you target an opponent trapped inside an impenetrable formation, what do you think is the most efficient method?”
“There are several approaches, but drawing him out of his own accord would be paramount.”
“Exactly. So what do you think they would have done to draw Master Huang out?”
Jegal Cheonseong grasped where Muhun was leading.
“They would have tried to entrap his family or relatives.”
Muhun nodded in agreement.
“Moreover, Seo Yong was right there beside me. Thanks to knowing the prowess of a master-class warrior through you, I calculated I could handle it sufficiently.”
Jegal Cheonseong did not deny this.
“But that gives you no reason to act yourself.”
Still, his anger toward Muhun did not fade.
“If that were the problem, you could have sent Seo Yong ahead first and then reported to me afterward, could you not?”
“Seo Yong doesn’t know the geography of this place—how could I send him first? Besides, he’s not under my command—how could I order him about like that?”
Muhun met his father’s gaze steadily, his expression composed.
“Most importantly, isn’t it the responsibility of the one who begins a task to see it through?”
At those words, Jegal Cheonseong’s eyes trembled.
Muhun had spoken the very words Jegal Cheonseong himself had once said.
He was quoting his father, just as when Muhun had wished to take on the Ha Soo-oh matter.
“Those words are true. Yes, perhaps as you say, praise should come first. If you were…”
“If I were merely ordinary, you mean?”
Muhun intercepted his father’s words.
“…Yes.”
Yes, that was precisely what Jegal Cheonseong himself had been about to say.
He knew better than anyone the condition of Muhun’s body.
Yet hearing those words from Muhun’s own mouth struck his chest like a stone.
Jegal Cheonseong knew that Muhun always believed his Severed Pulse Condition was a burden upon the clan.
That was why the boy had always seemed melancholy—until the Ha Soo-oh affair became a turning point.
He had resolved the incident perfectly, created his own martial technique, and shown miraculous improvement in his illness.
Now Jegal Cheonseong worried whether his words just now—or rather, his son’s reading of his heart and speaking it aloud—might have wounded the youngest.
‘Still, Muhun’s health must come first.’
The Ha Soo-oh matter had taken place under circumstances where he could respond immediately, so he had permitted it.
But if situations like this one kept drawing his son into places beyond his reach, how could he know where that fragile boy might be hurt?
Such a thing must not happen.
The moment Jegal Cheonseong hardened his resolve, Muhun broke the silence and spoke.
“I don’t misunderstand your concern, Father. As I’ve said before, I’m always grateful.”
At Muhun’s words, as if reading his mind, Jegal Cheonseong’s eyes wavered.
“But that’s precisely why I had to prove something to you.”
“And what would that be?”
“That I can survive even outside your protection.”
Muhun had indeed seen straight through his father’s heart.
“Is that what you want—to practice Righteous Action? Muhun, righteousness cannot be pursued by the body alone. There are those who labor night and day at their desks, striving to achieve righteousness through scholarship.”
How could Muhun not know this?
Perhaps no one in Zhongyuan understood it better than he did.
“Of course. I respect those people greatly.”
“Then why do you need to prove you can act directly?”
Muhun paused for a moment, then spoke with quiet conviction.
“Because I’ve found a way to completely cure my Severed Pulse Condition.”
Jegal Cheonseong’s expression transformed to shock.
“Is that truly so? What is it?”
“Gongqing Stone Liquid.”
Without hesitation, Muhun answered, and Jegal Cheonseong exhaled as if bewildered before responding with a grave expression.
“Muhun, that is merely a legendary elixir. It does not exist.”
“The Dokgo Sword Technique that Dokgo Sohyeop has mastered by now was also nothing but legend before he encountered Sohyeop.”
“We don’t even know if that man truly learned the Dokgo Sword Technique, and even if he did, how could martial skill compare to an elixir? Even granting a hundred concessions that it exists….”
Jegal Cheonseong drew a deep breath and continued.
“The Gongqing Stone Liquid is but a single drop, requiring nearly a thousand years of concentration in a place where Natural Qi gathers without scattering.”
“That is correct.”
“Setting aside other elixirs—can you even find such a place? And if you do find it, what guarantee is there that the Gongqing Stone Liquid will actually be there precisely when you arrive?”
“I cannot say with certainty, but I do possess information regarding that location.”
Jegal Cheonseong’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“You possess information? Where did you obtain such information?”
“When the Hubei branch leader of the Beggar Sect—from whom Father often gathers intelligence—visited previously, he gave me a hint.”
“Branch Leader Hwang?”
Muhun nodded.
“Yes. Upon seeing my circumstances, he clicked his tongue with apparent sympathy and asked if I might search for a place in Sichuan where Natural Qi is said to gather.”
At those words, Jegal Cheonseong shook his head.
“If Branch Leader Hwang said so but never gave you further information afterward, it means he could not find it himself.”
“That is true. Yet his words became my hope.”
Though he spoke of hope, Muhun possessed certainty.
In fact, one Beggar Sect member who had listened closely to Branch Leader Hwang’s words found the Gongqing Stone Liquid years later and achieved great success, eventually rising to the position of Dragon Phoenix Assembly leader in the Beggar Sect.
“Did he tell you where this place is?”
Muhun answered without hesitation.
“It is Qingcheng Mountain, as Father surely knows well.”
Jegal Cheonseong sighed once more.
“If such a thing existed, would the Qingcheng Sect, which resides on Qingcheng Mountain, not have known of it?”
“The information is said to have originated from a Qingcheng Sect member.”
“Yet none have found it still.”
“That is so. But I have reached a different conclusion.”
Muhun abruptly rolled up his sleeve and drew out the Judgment Brush and paper.
Then he began to sketch upon it.
“Qingcheng Mountain is, as its name suggests, a place blanketed in emerald woods and valleys. There could be no better location for Natural Qi to gather.”
“…Muhun. I do not wish to trample your hopes, but would it not be better to abandon this?”
“I humbly beg you to hear me out a moment longer.”
Muhun continued drawing without pause.
With his Perfect Memory, Muhun rendered the form of Qingcheng Mountain with absolute precision.
“Look here, at this location.”
Muhun pointed with his finger at a depression between two peaks.
“For a mountain composed of multiple peaks like Qingcheng Mountain, would there not be at least one such place?”
“That is true. However….”
Muhun drew a line with the Judgment Brush, beginning from the direction of the northern peak.
“At the northern extremity of Qingcheng Mountain lies a gentle earth vein where Cold Qi easily collects. Yet the surrounding ridges are high, leaving this direction as the only path of escape.”
Then Muhun drew another line, this time from the south.
“Conversely, at the southern extremity are clustered lower peaks. Warm Qi rises and spreads easily, but due to the arrangement of these peaks, it cannot disperse in multiple directions and instead gathers only this way.”
The two lines Muhun had drawn converged precisely at the depression he had indicated moments before.
“The Cold Qi from the north and the Warm Qi from the south flow toward each other, meeting at this exact spot where they become trapped and intermingle. What do you suppose occurs when two opposing forces meet with nowhere else to go?”
“…They would condense. Yet that alone does not explain why the Qingcheng Sect and the Beggar Sect have not found it until now.”
“That too has a simple answer.”
Muhun began placing dots at each peak and valley he had drawn.
Jegal Cheonseong’s eyes narrowed.
What had appeared merely as part of a mountain range before now looked entirely different once the dots were marked.
“…The Eight Trigrams?”
“Precisely correct.”
Muhun spoke quietly.
“Moreover, it takes the form of the Eight Trigrams that serve as the foundation of Array Formation. If a vast Natural Qi exists at the center, then Qingcheng Mountain….”
“…Has a massive Array Formation created by nature itself installed upon it?”
Nature creating an array formation directly?
It was rare, but not unheard of.
“I have concluded as much. In fact, I am nearly certain of it.”
It exists. That much is assured.
If so, for one who possesses Karmic Connection, it would not be difficult.
Isn’t Array Formation his area of expertise, then?
Muhun’s eyes gleamed as he gazed at Jegal Cheonseong.
That brightness in his gaze and the persuasiveness of Muhun’s explanation stirred something in Jegal Cheonseong’s heart.
“…Even so, the chance of success seems far too slim.”
“That may be true. But if we don’t find it, we can simply return.”
An elixir of the caliber of Gongqing Stone Liquid—it’s only right to inform not only Qingcheng Sect, but the Sect Leader as well.”
“Your words are just. But if we do, it won’t be only I who faces danger—the entire martial world would be at risk.”
Jegal Cheonseong’s face grew shadowed with concern.
“Then you mean to say that only you and a handful of others would venture there? Deceiving everyone?”
“That is so.”
“Muhun…”
To act against righteousness?
Yes, it was possible.
It was strange, too—the information Muhun had uncovered was his own discovery, and using it for his own benefit hardly seemed a grave violation of propriety.
Yet Jegal Cheonseong remained troubled.
Muhun added further words.
“Father, if you will, consult the Heavenly Divination today and decide based on what you see.”
Jegal Cheonseong looked somewhat taken aback. “Heavenly Divination?”
“Yes. When you last read the signs, you said you saw a great auspicious omen for the Orthodox Faction, did you not?”

Muhun curved his lips in a slight smile.
“You interpreted that as stemming from me. So if that auspicious sign shines brightly again, permit me to go.”
“How could you know that sign wouldn’t appear precisely because I refused to send you?”
“It would not be so.”
Muhun shook his head.
“How could one who lacks even the courage to seize an opportunity placed before his eyes become the harbinger of the Orthodox Faction’s fortune?”
***
It was already midday when Muhun emerged after his lengthy explanation.
He took a light meal and sought out Seo Yong to pass on the application methods of Tianshan Continuous Power as promised.
He had thought the approach might prove somewhat difficult for Seo Yong at this stage, but it was Muhun’s mistake.
“…You’ve already succeeded?”
“Haha! Truly remarkable technique! You’re not just a genius, are you?”
“No, I went through quite a bit of trial and error… But really, who’s calling whom a genius here?”
Because the method was one that Seo Yong of his past life had taught him, Seo Yong grasped it after just a single explanation.
“Whether it’s because this Cultivation Method was designed for your own nature, or simply because it’s been structured for anyone to master easily—there’s some risk, admittedly, but you’ve minimized even that. You truly possess remarkable talent.”
Though unintended, Seo Yong found himself praising his own work through another’s voice.
Muhun laughed sheepishly.
‘Designed for anyone to master easily—did he really take such care with it? Seo Yong.’
He offered silent gratitude to Seo Yong of his former life, then posed a question to Seo Yong of this one.
“Seo Yong, do you have any interest in embarking on an adventure?”
“Hmm?”
Having nearly secured his father’s permission, Muhun sought to recruit Seo Yong as one of the few who would accompany him.
“An adventure, you say! Are you going too?”
“I asked you—would I not be going myself?”
“Haha! Then it’s splendid! Something entertaining is bound to happen if I go with you.”
Seo Yong broke into a radiant smile and continued.
“Besides, for my own ambitions, experiencing more of such entertaining trials would only serve me better.”
At Seo Yong’s words, Muhun’s lips curved upward.
“Right, you mentioned it at our last meeting. To surpass your father and become a Sect Leader?”
“Heh, yes. As you know, our fathers are hardly ordinary men, are they?”
Seo Yong gazed quietly upward at the sky.
That sky, bearing the hue of the aura emblematic of the Namgung Clan, felt particularly vast today.
“I wish, someday, to be called the greatest Sect Leader in history.”
Muhun let out a soft laugh.
“What? Do you think my ambitions are too grand?”
“Not at all.”
Muhun burst into hearty laughter and waved his hand dismissively.
“You’ll become exactly that.”
Muhun was certain of it.
After all, Seo Yong had done precisely that.
“Ha! Much obliged! Hearing it from you makes me feel like it might actually work!”
Seo Yong laughed heartily, his gratitude plain.
“So when does this adventure of yours begin? I’m already eager to know!”
Muhun considered for a moment before answering.
“Probably about seven weeks from now. That timing seems just right.”
Seo Yong’s expression fell at this.
“What? That soon? Must it be then? Couldn’t it be any other time?”
“Hmm? Is something the matter?”
Seo Yong scratched the back of his head, disappointment evident on his face.
“Well, you see. The Jegal Clan Leader was concerned about you, so he gave me a gentle scolding, but….”
A smile tugged at the corner of Seo Yong’s mouth.
“My father, on the other hand, praised me lavishly and said that when I return, he’ll formally appoint me as a Minor Sect Leader.”
Muhun’s eyes widened at this news.
It was six months earlier than his previous life.
“Is that truly so?”
“It is. Which is precisely why I’m afraid I’ll be quite busy after seven weeks pass.”
“Then this adventure is hardly the priority! My sincere congratulations!”
Muhun laughed warmly and offered his genuine felicitations on Seo Yong’s appointment.
Seo Yong’s face brightened with joy.
“I’m grateful. It’s thanks to you.”
“It’s nothing to do with me. You earned this through your own merit. Still, our next meeting will require considerable time, it seems.”
“Quite so. Had it been only another month, I could have joined you on the adventure!”
Seo Yong spoke wistfully, though truth be told, even if his appointment came a month later, it would have been difficult for him to embark on such a venture once invested with the rank of Minor Sect Leader.
A Minor Sect Leader’s position, particularly in a great clan like the Namgung Clan, commanded such weight that a single move could draw the attention of the entire family.
Even his elder brother Jegal Muyoung had voiced complaints about this more than once.
The title of Minor Sect Leader carried that much gravity.
“The time given to us may not be long, but there will be other opportunities for us to venture together, even if not this one.”
Though by then, it would be no light adventure, but one bearing the weight of Righteous Action.
“Yes. Once this journey begins, our next meeting will be four months hence.”
“Four months? Ah, that’s right.”
Muhun nodded in agreement with Seo Yong’s reckoning.
“At the Dragon Phoenix Assembly.”
The Dragon Phoenix Assembly.
A gathering where the rising talents of the Orthodox Faction competed in martial exhibitions.
Though martial exhibitions sounded casual, it was in fact an event where the prodigies of the Nine Major Sects and One Alliance and the Five Great Clans displayed their abilities, and it was renowned as the birthplace of new heroes.
Then Seo Yong posed a question Muhun had not anticipated.
“You’ll be participating, won’t you?”
“Me? In the exhibition?”
“Yes.”
What did he mean by this?
Of course, as the second son of the Jegal Clan, Muhun would attend as an observer, but….
“How could I possibly compete there?”
“Isn’t this adventure you’re undertaking precisely to restore your body?”
Something flickered in Muhun’s eyes at Seo Yong’s words.
“How did you know that?”
“Ha! If you—someone who has never left Hubei—suddenly start speaking of an adventure, the reason isn’t hard to fathom, is it?”
Muhun’s eyes widened in admiration at Seo Yong’s insight.
Indeed, Seo Yong was remarkably perceptive in conversation, often catching such details.
It was one of his talents as an excellent Sect Leader.
“Hearing you say that, I’ve come to hope that you’ll restore your body and participate in the Dragon Phoenix Assembly.”
“Even if I do restore it, it’s not certain, and even if it works, I won’t reach the level needed for the Assembly. I’ll merely become ordinary again.”
“No.”
Seo Yong flatly rejected Muhun’s objection.
He still wore a smile, but his demeanor had grown entirely serious.
“I wish to face the sword of the one who created such a Cultivation Method.”
Muhun could see a burning intensity in Seo Yong’s eyes.
At the same time, a strange guilt bloomed within him.
That intensity was not directed at Muhun, but at the future version of Seo Yong himself.
“…I see.”
But he could neither reveal this truth nor dismiss that fervent resolve.
That’s why Muhun offered his best answer in that moment.
“I’ll give it my best effort.”
“Good. I’ll be waiting for results.”
Muhun nodded at a promise he could scarcely bear to keep.
“If you’ll excuse me, then—I should attend to other matters.”
“Mm? You have another appointment?”
In answer to Seo Yong’s question, Muhun gestured toward the medicine shop.
“A physician can hardly expect patients to come calling if he abandons his post.”
***
“…You came.”
As Muhun entered the medicine shop, the man seated on the cot turned to regard him.
True to his station as a first-rate martial master, his recovery had been remarkably swift—far beyond what an ordinary person could manage.
“Your health seems to have improved considerably.”
“It has.”
The man studied Muhun for a moment, then abruptly descended from the cot and knelt before him, offering a deep bow.
Muhun, caught off-guard, tried to help him to his feet.
“What is this—”
But raising a first-rate martial master was far beyond Muhun’s physical strength.
“Thank you.”
“No, please—”
“Not just for saving my life, but for giving me a reason to live.”
At these words, Muhun’s eyes widened.
“Truly?”
“Yes, I…”
The man raised his head slowly.
Meeting his gaze, Muhun felt a sudden chill run through him.
“I’m going to kill every last one of the men who murdered my master. Only after that… will I be able to die.”
In his eyes burned a murderous intent—the kind Muhun had seen only on ancient battlefields in his previous life.
“…I see.”
Vengeance.
It was scarcely a noble emotion on which to sustain a life.
Especially when that life’s final destination was himself.
Yet Muhun had no right to speak against it.
He carried the same hunger in his own heart.
“Before that, I owe you a debt I must repay. You saved me, sheltered me, fed me… if there’s anything you want, anything at all, tell me. I’ll do what I can.”
After listening to this, Muhun regarded him for a moment before speaking.
“Do you plan to leave once you’ve repaid your debt?”
“Yes. I can’t stay here forever. Someone like me shouldn’t be in a place like this.”
“I see. Do you already know where you’re going?”
The man shook his head.
“…No.”
“Do you know who these enemies of yours are?”
He shook his head again.
“…No.”
“Then how do you intend to find them?”
Struck by the logic of the question, the man crossed his arms and pondered before answering.
“I have a lead. I’ll follow it.”
At these words, Muhun’s eyes widened.
“A lead? What might that be?”
“…Why do you need to know?”
“If I knew nothing, I could feign ignorance—but I’m aware of an assassination organization operating under the name of the Orthodox Faction. I can hardly ignore such knowledge. Our main branch will need to gather intelligence.”
Of course, Muhun already knew the truth about these men, but he would need evidence to convince others and warn them of the danger.
Unaware of this reasoning, the man regarded Muhun with a strange expression.
“You’re really something—remarkably virtuous. Is the Orthodox Faction always like this?”
“It’s what we aspire toward, though we often fall short. Thank you for the compliment, but caution may be warranted.”
The man nodded slowly, then opened his mouth.
“Well, after I killed them and was searching the bodies for food, I found a slip of paper with ‘Sichuan’ written on it. I was thinking of heading there.”
At this answer, Muhun’s eyes narrowed.
Sichuan.
By a strange coincidence, the very destination he himself was about to pursue had just been named.

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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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