The Fortunate Sword God of the Zhuge Clan - Chapter 15

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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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Episode 15.
Mu Heon’s mind raced.
Could they also be after the Gongcheong Stone Oil?
‘…No, that’s unlikely.’
The Gongcheong Stone Oil had been discovered by a mere second-rate master.
Considering that he later became a Dragon Phoenix Meeting Place keeper and served the Jengsa Alliance, the odds of him being a spy were slim.
Then there had to be some other reason.
‘…They wanted to sever the lineage of the Dok Go Sword Technique. The most obvious reason would be to eliminate any potential threat to the Imperial Palace.’
What in Sichuan could pose a threat to the Imperial Palace?
‘The Qingcheng Sect exists, but when it comes to Sichuan, one thinks first of the Sichuan Tang Clan.’
There was no record of the Tang Clan being attacked by anything in this era.
Short of open warfare, striking at the Tang Clan—who possessed the finest poison technique under heaven—carried far too much risk, and had it happened, Mu Heon would never have forgotten.
‘There’s either a martial art I don’t know of, or they’re after something the Martial Alliance wouldn’t record.’
Mu Heon sensed he was on the right track.
‘One more task to add to the list.’
That meant he’d need to travel to Sichuan and gather information about local attractions and legends.
If something was out there, his Luck Affinity made him all the more suited to find it.
Mu Heon sketched out dozens of plans on the spot.
And he attached a single condition to most of them.
Finding a martial master to escort him all the way to Sichuan and Qingcheng Mountain.
He’d originally thought of Seo Yong, but now that he couldn’t go.
A man fitting those requirements perfectly stood right before him.
“Dok Go Hyeon. You said you’d repay the debt you owe me, didn’t you?”
“Hm? Yes. Say whatever you want.”
“Would you consider taking work as a Salaried Retainer?”
“What?”
“A Salaried Retainer drawing stipend from the main house. A type of temporary hire.”
A man indebted to Mu Heon, with confirmed integrity.
A skilled first-rate martial master who’d survived more than ten assassinations from the Black Assassins.
And on top of that, their destinations aligned?
With such a man right before him, there was no reason to hesitate.
“The work is simple—escort me as far as Qingcheng Mountain in Sichuan. Our paths already overlap, so it’s advantageous for us both, isn’t it?”
At Mu Heon’s proposal, Dok Go Hyeon fell silent, mulling it over.
“…No.”
Soon Dok Go Hyeon shook his head, scratching it.
“The math doesn’t work out.”
“Hm?”
“You said it yourself—I want to repay a debt. If I take money from you, that becomes a job, doesn’t it?”
Dok Go Hyeon spoke without hesitation, though his expression showed disappointment.
“I’ll do the escort work free. That’s how the accounts balance, right?”
At Dok Go Hyeon’s words, Mu Heon’s lips curved up slightly.
“Indeed, you live up to the name ‘Hyeon’.”
At Mu Heon’s praise, Dok Go Hyeon shook his head with mild embarrassment.
“Tch, pointless flattery… So when do we leave?”
“Well, I’d prefer if we could depart seven weeks from now.”
“Prefer? Is there some problem with going?”
Mu Heon nodded slightly at the question.
“Father’s permission must come through first. I can’t decide on bringing you in by myself.”
Dok Go Hyeon raised an eyebrow at Mu Heon’s answer.
“What, so we might not be able to go?”
At this, Mu Heon shook his head.
“That won’t happen.”
Mu Heon looked up at the sky, where the sun still hung at its zenith.
“Heaven itself will persuade Father, not I.”
***
That night.
After reading the Heavenly Divination for some time, Jegal Cheonseong returned to his chamber with a faint sigh.
“What did the heavens say?”
Namgung Cheon, who had been sipping Gum Nan Chun in the room beforehand, asked with curious eyes.
Jegal Cheonseong opened his mouth with a grave expression.
“The auspicious omens surrounding him remain unchanged. No—they’ve grown even brighter.”
“Hah-hah-hah!”
Namgung Cheon laughed with unbridled delight and drained the remaining Gum Nan Chun in one swift gulp.
“Truly wonderful! Even heaven itself declares that Mu Heon shall become a hero of the Martial Alliance!”
“…Yes. It is well. If the Heavenly Divination speaks thus, fortune should follow—but….”
Despite having witnessed the auspicious omens, Jegal Cheonseong’s expression remained troubled.
“Cheonseong.”
At this, Namgung Cheon turned grave and spoke.
“I have watched him since birth. I am also the father of two children. Your concern is one I understand well. However….”
Namgung Cheon refilled Jegal Cheonseong’s cup with Gum Nan Chun.
“When a son wishes for something and heaven itself wills it, you cannot keep him cradled in your arms forever. Can you?”
Jegal Cheonseong lifted the cup Namgung Cheon had poured.
“…You speak truth.”
“Tsk, tsk. Yet your eyes betray the opposite answer.”
“My heart feels as it does. But I cannot call what is right by any other name.”
Jegal Cheonseong drained the Gum Nan Chun in one long draught.
“So Seo Yong is to become a Minor Clan Leader now?”
“Yes. He should have been appointed long ago, but his youth made me delay it. This incident has given me reason at last.”
This time, Jegal Cheonseong refilled Namgung Cheon’s cup, speaking as he poured.
“Children truly transform in an instant, without even a moment’s inattention.”
Namgung Cheon likewise filled Jegal Cheonseong’s cup.
“Is it not the way of things that the waters that follow sweep forward those that came before?”
Both men drained their Gum Nan Chun simultaneously.
“It is not a matter of watching or not watching.”
Jegal Cheonseong’s mouth curved into a thin smile.
“It has been long since I heard you speak like a true Alliance Leader in private.”
“I am always true to my seat. If not I, who else? Hah-hah!”
Without even clinking their cups, both men drank the Gum Nan Chun at once.
“But tell me—when did you teach Mu Heon medicine? I hear he even performed surgery himself?”
“I’ve seen him read through several medical texts. The boy forgets nothing once he’s laid eyes upon it…but I confess, I did not expect such a result.”
“And yet you claim never to have taken your eyes off him. It seems there is much you do not know.”
“Ha, well said. In my youth, I believed there was nothing under heaven I could not understand.”
Jegal Cheonseong gazed quietly up at the ceiling.
“My learning remains shallow.”
Namgung Cheon chuckled softly and poured for them both again.
“What Seo Yong and Mu Heon accomplished this time—does it not remind you of our own youthful days?”
“Are we now reduced to exchanging the gossip of doddering old men?”
“Kha-ha-ha! What could be finer than that?”
Jegal Cheonseong’s lips rose in a smile as well.
“Indeed, I too wished to speak of such things. However….”
Jegal Cheonseong set down his cup and his expression grew grave once more.
“We must discuss the Imperial Decree before we part ways.”
Namgung Cheon’s countenance darkened as well.
“Yes. At first, I could make no sense of it….”
Namgung Cheon emptied his cup in one go and continued.
“But when I learned that the man Mu Heon saved was the heir to the Dok Go Sword Technique, it seemed no mere jest anymore.”
“Indeed.”
Jegal Cheonseong nodded gravely.
When he first laid eyes upon the Imperial Decree, its purpose had been utterly opaque to him.
“To list martial arts that exist only in legend and demand we find the source of them—what manner of command was that?”
According to the edict, the purpose was to record history.
It was not an entirely unreasonable justification, yet it struck a discordant note.
Though martial artists were indeed subjects of the Ming, they had not been interfered with for centuries under the guise of the Non-interference in Martial Affairs principle.
“And yet these martial arts truly still exist, and by circumstance, their heir was being hunted by assassins of unknown origin. Most strange.”
Jegal Cheonseong took a slow sip of Gum Nan Chun.
Namgung Cheon, who had been watching him intently, posed a question.
“What is your assessment?”
“Of which matter do you inquire?”
“Did the palace send those assassins?”
This was not the question of a close friend, but of a Military Advisor posed to his Alliance Leader.
“There’s no evidence for such a claim. However….”
Jegal Cheonseong answered in his capacity as strategist.
“Suspicion has taken root, so we must certainly prepare for that possibility.”
“In what manner?”
“First, we keep the existence of the Dok Go Sword Technique under wraps.”
Namgung Cheon’s eyes widened slightly.
“You mean we shouldn’t follow the Imperial Decree?”
“Not at all. We should still search for other martial techniques. Only—we must conceal that we ourselves were involved in this matter.”
Jegal Cheonseong continued, his voice steady.
“Regardless of their intentions, there’s no need to alert them that something worthy of suspicion has transpired.”
Namgung Cheon nodded slowly.
“Outwardly we comply, but inwardly we prepare for contingencies.”
“Precisely. And we must confide this plan only to a select few, lest we create unnecessary atmosphere.”
“We should inform the Dragon Phoenix Meeting Place. Who else would you trust?”
At Namgung Cheon’s question, Jegal Cheonseong paused briefly before speaking.
“The strongest among us should know first, in case we must act. Guard, are you here?”
“Yes.”
At Jegal Cheonseong’s summons, his personal guard appeared silently at his side.
“I have a task for you.”
“Command me, and I shall obey.”
Jegal Cheonseong withdrew the Pangan Brush and wrote a few characters on paper, which he handed to the guard.
“Within days, Mu Heon will depart for Qingcheng Mountain. Can you escort him there?”
“Of course.”
“Ha! So you’ve decided to let him go after all! A wise choice!”
Jegal Cheonseong continued his instructions to the guard, setting aside Namgung Cheon’s laughter.
“Once Mu Heon enters Qingcheng Mountain, slip away for a time to attend to another matter. The Qingcheng Sect will be present, so nothing grave should befall him there.”
“Where should I go?”
“Remain in Sichuan. It won’t be far.”
Jegal Cheonseong took a sip of Gum Nan Chun and continued.
“Deliver this letter to the Tang Clan Leader.”
***
The next day.
As Mu Heon had hoped, Jegal Cheonseong granted him permission to journey to Sichuan.
“But you mean to take that man with you?”
Jegal Cheonseong posed the question with a note of reluctance.
“Yes. Dok Go is virtuous, skilled, and our destination is the same.”
“I don’t suspect him, but wouldn’t the guard alone suffice for your protection?”
“The guard would be more than adequate to Qingcheng Mountain itself, but I cannot know what may unfold within the mountain.”
“With the Qingcheng Sect standing firm, what could possibly occur?”
At Jegal Cheonseong’s doubt, Mu Heon’s mouth curved upward.
“Shouldn’t one always prepare for the worst?”
It was sound reasoning, and Jegal Cheonseong nodded slowly.
“I can only hope such troubles never come to pass.”
Jegal Cheonseong then turned his gaze to Dok Go Hyeon, standing beside Mu Heon.
An heir to the Dok Go Sword Technique.
Now that he had sensed the Imperial Palace’s suspicion, he wished his son would remain untangled from this man.
Yet the Imperial Palace still didn’t know whether this man lived or died.
Since they themselves had to feign ignorance of him, it would be no harm if this journey gave him reason to depart.
Having settled on his calculations, Jegal Cheonseong opened his mouth.
“Please look after my son.”
Dok Go Hyeon, who had expected orders rather than a request, answered in bewilderment, bowing his head.
“Yes. That is… yes. I shall do my best. Thank you.”
Dok Go Hyeon regretted ever opening his mouth.
He was not without perception, but having rarely used formal speech, his words came out clumsier than intended.
Jegal Cheonseong nodded as though unbothered.
“When do you intend to depart?”
“I mean to prepare as thoroughly as possible. I’m thinking seven days hence.”
“Good—the more thorough the preparation, the better. If you need anything, speak freely.”
“My thanks.”
Jegal Cheonseong dismissed Mu Heon and Dok Go Hyeon without further words.
Worry still lingered abundantly.
Yet Jegal Cheonseong was not a man weak-willed enough to overturn a decision once made.
So rather than voice further concerns, he chose instead to trust his son and his own guards.
And the next day, the Namgung Clan departed from the Jegal estate.
Before boarding the carriage, Seo Yong turned back to Mu Heon and Dok Go Hyeon and spoke.
“Then I’ll see you at the Dragon Phoenix Meeting Place. And Hyeon.”
“Hm?”
Called by name for the first time, Dok Go Hyeon found himself releasing a questioning sound almost unbidden.
“Ah, does it feel awkward to be called this way?”
“No, it’s… not a problem.”
“Good, then.”
Seo Yong nodded with satisfaction.
“When next we meet, might I request a bout? I’d like to witness your Dok Go Sword Technique firsthand.”
At Seo Yong’s sudden proposal, Dok Go Hyeon’s eyes widened slightly before he let out a soft laugh.
“…You’re a Peak Master. Wouldn’t I be outmatched? Besides, there’s no guarantee we’ll meet again.”
“Ha! We simply won’t use Internal Energy in the match! And…”
Seo Yong’s lips curled upward in a smirk.
“I have a feeling we’ll meet again. My hunches are usually right, so you might as well trust me on this.”
Dok Go Hyeon opened his mouth to respond to Seo Yong’s words, then closed it again.
“…Fine. Why not—let’s cross swords then.”
“Ha! Much obliged!”
With his business concluded, Seo Yong climbed into the carriage and offered his farewells.
“Stay well, both of you! Especially you, Mu Heon—take extra care!”
Mu Heon received the farewell with a slight smile.
“Go safely now.”
Seo Yong gave a light nod.
Then the carriage stirred to life and soon disappeared from view.
Though the reunion with an old friend had drawn to a close, Mu Heon felt no regret.
‘We’ll see each other again soon enough.’
Like Mu Heon, Dok Go Hyeon gazed after the carriage as it vanished, muttering to himself.
“…This doesn’t add up.”
Dok Go Hyeon turned to Mu Heon and spoke.
“Don’t you think so?”
“Hmm?”
“I mean, call it what you will, but it feels like only I’m coming out ahead here, doesn’t it?”
“You’ll have to scale mountains just to guard me—what sort of arrangement is that?”
“Getting to Sichuan comfortably is hardly anything to speak of.”
Dok Go Hyeon shook his head firmly.
“This isn’t right. It’s as if I’m only piling on more debt.”
Mu Heon raised one eyebrow and asked.
“I find what you’re doing sufficient. What does it matter what you think?”
“I don’t find it sufficient. That’s what matters.”
Dok Go Hyeon muttered something to himself for a moment, then nodded.
“You said once that you never forget anything you’ve seen or heard, didn’t you?”
At Dok Go Hyeon’s abrupt question, Mu Heon lifted his shoulders slightly.
“Yes, that’s true. Definitely a fact.”
“…Is it that way for everyone in the Jegal Clan?”
“The household members of the main branch are all quite sharp, but this particular trait belongs to me alone.”
“Then you’d never make a mistake from forgetting something, would you? I envy that.”
Envy.
Mu Heon could not agree.
Partings from those he loved, the deaths of those once alive.
All those things that faded for others with time—Mu Heon remembered vividly, intact.
But rather than explain this, he laughed it off.
What use was there in complaining?
There were indeed many advantages to it as well.
“But why ask so suddenly?”
At Mu Heon’s question, Dok Go Hyeon scratched his head.
“Ah, I’m about to explain something to you, and since it’s rather lengthy, I wanted to confirm first.”
“Explain? About what?”
Dok Go Hyeon answered as though it were nothing.
“The Dok Go Sword Technique.”
“Hmm? What did you say?”
Mu Heon, uncertain he’d heard correctly, asked him to repeat himself.
“I wanted to give you something, but this is all I have. So I’ll teach it to you as a way of repaying my debt. The Dok Go Sword Technique.”

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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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