The Fortunate Sword God of the Zhuge Clan - Chapter 8

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

Episode 8.
That evening, Mu Hun arrived at the Clan Master’s Hall to claim his promised reward.
Before entering, Mu Hun meant to announce himself, but Jegal Cheonseong was quicker.
“Has Mu Hun arrived?”
For Jegal Cheonseong, the patriarch of the Jegal Clan, perceiving his son’s presence was among the easiest of tasks.
From beyond the door, Mu Hun gave a light nod.
At Jegal Cheonseong’s level of cultivation, whether behind the door or within, he would see Mu Hun’s movements with ease.
“Yes, Father. May I enter?”
“Since I have summoned you, how could you not?”
Creak—
In that instant, the ornately decorated door swung open slowly, though Mu Hun had not so much as laid a hand upon it.
“Spare me the formalities. Come in at once.”
From within the Clan Master’s Hall, seated upon the Reclining Dragon Seat, which was adorned with the figure of a recumbent dragon, Jegal Cheonseong gazed upon Mu Hun and smiled.
‘He used the Void Gathering Object just to open the door.’
The Void Gathering Object itself was the mark of a master, yet a master who possessed such refinement as to open a door with such gentleness was rarer still.
Mu Hun broke into a smile at the sight of his father in robust health and stepped into the Clan Master’s Hall.
‘It has truly been far too long.’
The moment he passed through the antiquated door, the rich fragrance of peonies embraced him.
It was the most celebrated flower of Hubei, and the scent his mother had loved.
In each corner of the chamber lay strategic designs that Jegal Cheonseong, the current military commander of the Martial Alliance, had laid out upon a Go board.
Mu Hun too had learned this method, plotting his own strategies upon a Go board in the same manner.
‘This fragrance, this room, and Father sitting there—all of it has been far too long.’
Since his father’s passing, he had entered this chamber only once.
The peony scent released by the mechanism his father had designed himself remained unchanged even then.
The Go boards still full of strategies yet to be employed were the same.
But Father was not there.
At that indescribable sense of loss, Mu Hun had not set foot in the Clan Master’s Hall again—not once since.
Unaware of this, Jegal Cheonseong spoke to Mu Hun, who stood gazing blankly around the chamber.
“Why do you look about as though stepping into this place for the first time? Did you not enter this chamber just days ago?”
At his father’s words, Mu Hun nodded, his smile unchanged.
“Indeed, I did. Yet even if I came every day, would it not be your chamber, Father?”
“Hah, you have a glib tongue. Very well. Come, sit.”
At Jegal Cheonseong’s words, Mu Hun nodded and seated himself across from his father.
Surely, just as his father had said, days ago the two of them had sat thus, separated by a single table.
‘I have lived merely caressing that memory, and yet—this return is a precious thing indeed.’
As Mu Hun, lost for a moment in emotion, fell silent, Jegal Cheonseong spoke first.
“Has Ran left the main estate?”
Jegal Cheonseong called her by name rather than addressing her as a maid.
Like Mu Hun, he had committed to memory the name of every soul beneath the Jegal Clan’s roof.
Such careful attention hidden beneath his solemn bearing was part of what earned him his exalted renown.
“Yes. I conveyed appropriate farewells through another attendant.”
“Farewells… I see.”
Jegal Cheonseong raised one eyebrow lightly.
He was not unaware that the “farewells” Mu Hun spoke of had included suitable assistance.
But such things he could overlook.
After all, it was Jegal Cheonseong himself who had entrusted Mu Hun with the matter’s conclusion.
“If you have gone to such lengths, there is no need for further concern—but are you well?”
“…What do you mean by that, Father?”
At Mu Hun’s question, Jegal Cheonseong let out a soft cough.
“Ahem. I wondered if perhaps you had developed feelings for that girl Ran, and that is why you looked after her so.”
At this unexpected remark, Mu Hun sat frozen for a moment before bursting into loud laughter.
“Ha ha! You mean I have feelings for Ran, Father? That is quite amusing, I must say.”
Though Ran and Mu Hun appeared to be of the same generation at first glance, in truth they differed by more than forty years.
Even back when they had actually been of similar age, Mu Hun had felt gratitude toward Ran but had never harbored romantic affection.
“It was no jest, but… if you are well, then that is what matters.”
Jegal Cheonseong stroked his mustache as he continued.
“Taking an interest in women is by no means a bad thing. Indeed, experiencing such things at your age teaches you to avoid folly when you are older.”
“You speak truly, Father.”
“Speak truly? How would you know without having experienced it? Well… I trust you will see to it yourself.”
It is not that I have not experienced such things, Father.
Unable to voice such words aloud, Mu Hun merely offered a smile.
“In any case, you performed splendidly today. Mu Hun.”
Jegal Cheonseong steered the conversation toward praising the young man’s accomplishments.
“I read the Heavenly Mandate today. Did you see it as well?”
“Yes, Father. I did.”
“Then you must have sensed the favorable omens added to the Martial Alliance.”
Jegal Cheonseong’s expression radiated deep satisfaction.
“I suspect those omens were added through your own actions.”
At his father’s high praise, Mu Hun laughed with modest embarrassment.
“I fear your praise may be excessive, Father.”
“Not in the least. Your insight, your decisiveness, your judgment today—these are qualities even the Alliance’s seasoned leaders rarely possess.”
Jegal Cheonseong stroked his mustache thoughtfully.
“Your entire bearing, from your disposition to the very way you speak, has become wholly different since two days ago.”
Mu Hun felt a small jolt at his father’s words.
Though the same person remained, it would hardly be strange to call him a different man entirely.
‘If Father is as perceptive as that… he may one day discern the truth of my regression.’
Jegal Cheonseong, who could read the Heavenly Mandate and knew of the Seven Star Organization’s existence, might eventually arrive at the answer.
‘I must take greater care with how I speak.’
Mu Hun had resolved to reveal nothing of his regression to anyone if he could help it.
Of course, if a figure of wisdom like Jegal Cheonseong learned of Mu Hun’s regression and the events yet to unfold, they could devise countermeasures together.
More importantly, considering what would befall Jegal Cheonseong in the future, it would serve Mu Hun’s interests to warn him beforehand.
But the difficulty lay with the Heavenly Mandate itself.
‘My regression is the Seven Star Organization’s own contingency measure—a second choice after their failure to manipulate the Heavenly Mandate.’
To reveal this would invite calamity far beyond the usual consequences of exposing the Heavenly Mandate’s secrets.
‘Moreover, considering that their failure stemmed from the Heavenly Mandate already being twisted, I must refrain from any action that might allow me to influence it further.’
Therefore, Mu Hun resolved to exercise even greater caution in his father’s presence.
Yet regression was hardly something one could easily imagine or suspect.
It seemed Jegal Cheonseong had not yet perceived the truth.
“A sudden transformation at your age is no cause for alarm. And if the direction of that change is as it appears, I can only welcome it with open arms.”
Jegal Cheonseong’s lips curled in a broad smile as he lavished praise upon his youngest son.
“You have grown into a fine man. I am proud of you.”
In truth, these were the words he had wanted to speak that afternoon in the hall.
But he had deliberately held his tongue, lest it invite the suspicion that he showed his son undue favor.
Not because Jegal Cheonseong was sparing with praise, but because he belonged to one of the Five Great Families.
Mere breathing could spawn outlandish rumors at such heights.
Such was the weight of a prestigious orthodox name.
Knowing his father’s heart, Mu Hun beamed and cupped his fist in salute.
“I am honored by your commendation, Father.”
His father had praised him before, but rarely to such an extent for his deeds.
More precisely, not since the day in his childhood when he first read the Heavenly Mandate.
Jegal Cheonseong nodded, gazing at his son with eyes bright with pride.
“I have given thought to a fitting reward for you….”
Jegal Cheonseong clicked his tongue regretfully.
“Martial techniques or precious medicines would hold no meaning for you, and while I considered procuring a rare tome, it seemed somewhat light against the measure of your service.”
“Whatever you grant me, Father, shall be a great reward.”
“Hah, your silver tongue has grown, though I confess I did not know you had mastered flattery as well.”
Jegal Cheonseong chuckled.
Yet hearing his youngest’s flattery warmed his heart nonetheless.
“But that alone does not satisfy me. Tell me yourself—what reward would you wish for your service today?”
At his father’s question, Mu Hun paused.
He had anticipated this turn of events.
Had he been in Jegal Cheonseong’s position, he too would have struggled to decide what to offer.
“Then, if I may be so bold, there is one request I would make.”
“Speak freely. I am inclined to grant most reasonable wishes.”
Yet even so, what Mu Hun would ask was not easily spoken.
“Might I have permission to refine the clan’s core technique, the Small Heavenly Star Technique?”
At this unexpected request, Jegal Cheonseong’s brows rose slightly.
“…You wish to refine the Small Heavenly Star Technique?”
“I do.”
The Small Heavenly Star Technique.
Not merely the direct lineage of the Jegal Clan, but any practitioner of martial arts within the clan learned the fundamental meditation method that was the bedrock of Jegal teachings.
As a member of the direct lineage, Mu Hun naturally had the right to study it.
And yet….
“It cannot be permitted. Learning it is one matter, but modification is absolutely forbidden.”
Jegal Cheonseong’s refusal came in an uncompromising tone.
“The Small Heavenly Star Technique is certainly an excellent foundational meditation method. The accumulated knowledge of our main house has made its risk exceedingly low. However… you feel pain the moment your energy stirs even slightly.”
In fact, Mu Hun had once attempted to learn the Small Heavenly Star Technique in his childhood.
Yet with merely the slightest movement of energy from his lower dantian, he had coughed up blood.
After that day, Jegal Cheonseong had never so much as mentioned martial arts in Mu Hun’s presence.
“I understand your wish to study martial arts as a member of this family’s direct line, but your talent alone is more than sufficient without such arts. Consider another path.”
Mu Hun met his father’s worried gaze with an expression of perfect calm.
Jegal Cheonseong recognized in those eyes that his youngest son would not yield.
“You know yourself better than anyone, do you not?”
At his father’s words, laden with regret, Mu Hun allowed the faintest smile to touch his lips.
“Precisely because of that, I must modify the Small Heavenly Star Technique.”
“What do you mean?”
Mu Hun covered his mouth with his sleeve and released a shallow cough before speaking.
“The direction in which I wish to modify it departs significantly from the original purpose of accumulating inner force.”
In his past life, Mu Hun had lived to the age of fifty-eight.
Even had he not sacrificed his life to bend the Heavenly Mandate, he would not have lived much longer.
It was hardly exceptional longevity.
Yet the original Mu Hun had been told by countless physicians that he would not reach thirty.
That he had lived to such an age was because of the modified Small Heavenly Star Technique.
In his past life, he had modified the Small Heavenly Star Technique at twenty-nine, when nearly all of his meridians had become blocked.
To begin this cultivation ten years earlier would clearly yield far more positive results.
But for that, he needed his father’s permission.
It was unthinkable to modify martial arts while the Clan Master watched with disapproving eyes.
And more than anything, he desired to receive the approval from his father that he had not received in his past life.
That was what Mu Hun’s heart desired.
“My Meridian Blockage Syndrome arose because yin energy filled what should have been a man’s body bearing yang energy, blocking the major channels.”
“Yes, that is so.”
“Yet blockage of the major vessels does not mean energy cannot move at all. Otherwise, blood itself could not pass through.”
Light flickered in Jegal Cheonseong’s eyes at his son’s words.
Certainly, alongside the large blood vessels through which blood flowed, the human body contained countless minute vessels—so small they were invisible to the naked eye.
They were called the Whole Body Fine Meridians.
Yet few martial artists knew of them, and even among physicians, knowledge was rare.
It was nearly impossible to imagine without having cultivated one’s inner force throughout the body to the level Jegal Cheonseong had reached.
And yet Mu Hun had deduced this truth through insight alone.
“You speak correctly. We call them the Whole Body Fine Meridians.”
“Indeed. The Whole Body Fine Meridians—a most fitting name.”
Though he already knew this, Mu Hun nodded as if hearing it for the first time.
“Then, would it not be painless to circulate inner force through these Whole Body Fine Meridians? Since they remain unblocked.”
“That too is correct. However….”
It was easier said than done. Such precise control of inner force was not something ordinary practitioners could achieve.
It required both inborn sensitivity and extensive experience in manipulating one’s inner force.
Even Mu Young would struggle with such refined control.
“Knowledge alone does not allow one to accomplish such a feat.”
“Under normal circumstances, that is true. But the Small Heavenly Star Technique makes it possible. Indeed, only the Small Heavenly Star Technique can accomplish it.”
“Why is that so?”
“As you yourself said, the Small Heavenly Star Technique is among the most stable meditation methods under heaven, and it harmonizes perfectly with the body of a member of the Jegal Clan.”
Mu Hun tapped his finger against the table and continued his explanation as if drawing a diagram.
“The direction I wish to modify it is as follows.”
Mu Hun drew a figure of his own body shape, then sketched the major vessels within it.
“The focus is not on accumulating inner force, but rather on dispersing the faint energy that already exists within the body.”
Mu Hun’s finger moved without hesitation, drawing the pattern of the Whole Body Fine Meridians.
Though no actual image remained on the table, the certainty in his gesture revealed precisely what he was depicting.
“Therefore, processes such as Opening the Conception Vessel are unnecessary. The most important matter is finding the minute pathways within the body. Once discovered, one can apply this method there.”
Drawing on the vast wealth of martial knowledge he had accumulated across his entire past life, Mu Hun persuaded Jegal Cheonseong.
The highly stable Small Heavenly Star Technique allowed relatively easy combination with other martial arts.
Having already used it and continuously refined it in his past life, Mu Hun’s detailed explanation left even Jegal Cheonseong with no choice but to nod.
“This is… a method of operation similar to the Tai Chi Fist of the Wudang School. Indeed, if one proceeds in such a manner, it would be possible to transmit inner force through the Whole Body Fine Meridians.”
“Yes, sir. In handling the harmony of Yin and Yang, there are few martial arts of such caliber.”
“Quite right. The Tai Chi Fist is widely known as a Health-Nurturing Technique, so it’s hardly surprising that you’re familiar with it.”
Jegal Cheonseong gazed at Mu Hun with narrowed eyes.
“However, apart from this, transmitting force through the Whole Body Fine Meridians is a method unknown unless one practices it directly.”
A heavy note of suspicion colored Jegal Cheonseong’s voice.
“Yet the manner in which you explain it is far too brilliant. It’s an efficient method that only a master who has surpassed even the pinnacle would understand.”
In response to Jegal Cheonseong’s suspicion, Mu Hun cupped his fist and bowed his head.
“To hear you speak so graciously leaves me at a loss for words.”
“You understand my words are not meant as praise.”
Jegal Cheonseong pressed Mu Hun as if interrogating him.
“Who taught you such a method?”
Mu Hun paused for a moment at Jegal Cheonseong’s question before smiling.
Memories of the past had surfaced.
“There is no one who taught me this, sir.”
It was not a lie.
Certainly, in his previous life, Mu Hun had perfected the theory but did not know the detailed methods of application.
It was Namgung Seo Ryong, the one destined to be the next Alliance Master, who had aided him.
-I will not witness your early death so long as I draw breath.
And Seo Ryong, true to his word, had departed the world before Mu Hun himself.
Thus, to say that no one had assisted in the refinement of the Small Heavenly Star Technique was no falsehood.
At least not in this lifetime.
“You know well, Father, that I was not trained under a martial instructor.”
It was certainly Jegal Cheonseong who had deliberately kept Mu Hun away from martial arts.
He who was always watchful lest Mu Hun’s appetite for martial training lead him astray.
Therefore, Mu Hun’s claim that he’d had no opportunity to learn such things contained no logical flaw.
“…Your words are just.”
Jegal Cheonseong acknowledged Mu Hun’s words with an unsettled expression.
“Your refinement of the Small Heavenly Star Technique appears to have no defects.”
Jegal Cheonseong nodded reluctantly.
Though suspicion lingered, the Small Heavenly Star Technique that Mu Hun had refined would clearly prove beneficial to his son’s health.
How could a father refuse his son even a modest improvement in well-being?
“I will permit you to practice it. However, on your first attempt, you must do so in my presence.”
Mu Hun bowed deeply in gratitude.
“Thank you, Father. And rest assured, there is no cause for concern.”
Mu Hun closed his eyes and gently operated the refined Small Heavenly Star Technique.
Jegal Cheonseong was startled by his son’s sudden action, but soon recoiled in astonishment for an entirely different reason.
The pallid complexion of Mu Hun, who had activated the refined Small Heavenly Star Technique, regained a faint glow.
Moreover, a hint of vital Yang energy—impossible for one afflicted with Meridian Blockage Syndrome—began to manifest.
The Small Heavenly Star Technique was showing unmistakable effects.
Mu Hun himself was somewhat surprised by this result.
‘Hm, I expected good effects given his youth, but to this degree…’
Having practiced it daily for nearly thirty years, the technique itself was simple to execute.
Yet a response of this magnitude had never occurred before.
At the same time, Mu Hun was certain.
If he continued to practice this consistently, a single significant opportunity would surely allow him to overcome his Meridian Blockage Syndrome.
As Mu Hun slowly opened his eyes after concluding the practice, his face bore an expression of overwhelming emotion.
“…Truly….”
Upon seeing his father’s expression, Mu Hun was momentarily startled.
Though he quickly covered his face with his hand, he had distinctly seen small teardrops glistening in his father’s eyes.
“…A remarkable technique indeed.”
Jegal Cheonseong quickly wiped away his tears and cleared his throat as if nothing had happened.
“…Thank you, Father.”
Mu Hun, understanding his father’s heart, pretended not to notice and offered only a subtle smile.
“Ahem, well… does this technique have a name?”
“Pardon?”
Mu Hun was slightly taken aback by Jegal Cheonseong’s question.
“If it is a technique refined from the Small Heavenly Star Technique, perhaps giving it a new name would be….”
“Since the method of operation differs and its purpose is distinct, would it not be proper to classify it anew?”
Mu Hun nodded in agreement while feeling an inward sense of wonder.
‘Seo Ryong speaks just like me. Is it a common trait among those who’ve reached such heights?’
In truth, Mu Hun had never felt the need to give this cultivation method a separate name.
But under Seo Ryong’s persistent insistence, he eventually bestowed one upon it.
“Yes, I do have a name in mind, actually.”
“Ah, and what might that be?”
Mu Hun recalled the circumstances surrounding the method’s completion and nearly let out a hollow laugh.
-Since it’s a method uniquely yours, how about calling it the Mu Hun Divine Art?
-It’s not a divine art in the first place, and I’d rather not attach my own name to the method anyway.
-Ha, the Heavenly Demon himself attached his name to his martial arts. What’s stopping you?
-Heavenly Demon is an alias, isn’t it? And I’d prefer you don’t suggest I use mine either. I have no intention of doing so.
-Hmm… then what if we drew from things you excel at?
“The Heavenly Mandate Calculation Technique.”
At Mu Hun’s answer, Jegal Cheonseong’s shoulders lifted in a light shrug.
“Heavenly Mandate and calculation—things you’re skilled at woven together. Clever.”
“Yes, though it’s rather plain…”
Mu Hun finally gave in and let out a hollow chuckle.
“Doesn’t it suit me reasonably well?”
***
That night, after Mu Hun had demonstrated the Heavenly Mandate Calculation Technique and retired to his room.
Jegal Cheonseong had scarcely slept for nearly two hours, remaining seated in place.
With his eyes closed, someone might have mistaken him for dozing, but Jegal Cheonseong’s mind churned ceaselessly.
Soon after, Jegal Cheonseong opened his eyes and spoke.
“Ryeong, are you there?”
At Jegal Cheonseong’s voice, something like a shadow peeled silently from the wall.
“You called, Clan Master.”
A man whom Jegal Cheonseong had once marked for assassination but had instead taken as a bodyguard—Ryeong answered in an emotionless voice.
“You saw Mu Hun’s Heavenly Mandate Calculation Technique just now, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“If he’d simply channeled his internal energy through the Whole Body Fine Meridians, I wouldn’t be troubled as I am now.”
Jegal Cheonseong slowly turned to face Ryeong.
His gaze was emotionless, yet Ryeong recognized it as the expression Jegal Cheonseong wore when deep in thought.
“Because it’s a method both you and I know, suspicion clings to it.”
“Indeed, it does.”
At Ryeong’s affirmation, Jegal Cheonseong nodded and issued a command.
“Send a letter to that Namgung fellow.”
“Yes. What message shall I convey to the Alliance Lord?”
“Tch, what would I say to him?”
Jegal Cheonseong rolled his neck with a dismissive air.
“Tell him it’s been a while—let’s share a drink.”
“I shall obey your command.”
Ryeong vanished as silently as he had appeared when first summoned.
Jegal Cheonseong gazed up at the full moon hanging bright and clear beyond the window.
‘I doubt it’s true, yet the resemblance is uncanny.’
The way Mu Hun had demonstrated the Heavenly Mandate Calculation Technique—channeling internal energy through the Whole Body Fine Meridians.
It bore a striking similarity to the method employed by the current Alliance Lord, Namgung Cheon.
‘Though it did seem somewhat more efficient…’
If Namgung Cheon had indeed taught Mu Hun this method.
‘Cheon, no matter who you are, you won’t escape this unscathed.’
While Mu Hun’s illness had ultimately been cured, the slightest misstep could have resulted in irreversible consequences.
‘Still, since the outcome was favorable, I suppose it can be overlooked.’
And yet such a dangerous method taught to an ailing second son would not be easily forgiven.
Beyond that, it had been quite some time since the two had raised a glass together outside the Alliance.
***
Meanwhile, Mu Hun too gazed up at that same full moon.
“How beautiful is the sky, gazed upon without concern for Heavenly Mandate—a fool’s sky, yet lovely nonetheless.”
Mu Hun, his inner age evident in his grandfather-like laugh, took a quiet sip of water as always from the same place it sat.
‘Father would surely have noticed traces of Namgung in the Heavenly Mandate Calculation Technique.’
Jegal Cheonseong perceiving this and contacting Namgung Cheon.
This too had unfolded exactly as Mu Hun had planned.
It was an essential step to secure approval for the Heavenly Mandate Calculation Technique, so he had resolved to extract maximum advantage from the revelation itself.
‘It’s been too long. Seo Ryong.’
Mu Hun smiled warmly at the prospect of reuniting with his old friend.
‘If I can bring you into the fold, then perhaps I might truly have a chance at curing my ailment.’
Mu Hun turned over in his mind the events that lay ahead, and the measures he would need to take.
‘First, I need to confirm whether the abilities that manifested during my Regression are working as I expect.’
Once he verified that, and brought Namgung Seo Ryong fully into his circle, then he would set out on his journey in earnest.
‘I had always thought regaining my health was merely a possibility…’
That sensation from when he had performed the Heavenly Mountain Transmission Technique moments ago.
For just an instant, Mu Hun had felt a warmth he had never once experienced in his entire life.
It must surely be what martial artists called the flow of inner force.
‘Because I am still young, because the meridians have not yet completely sealed—that effect appeared.’
This gave Mu Hun the certainty that, even now, he still had time to overcome the sickness.
Conquering this affliction was not merely a personal ambition of Mu Hun’s.
When he considered what lay ahead, it was only natural that a sound body would prove advantageous.
‘And the only time this is possible is now.’
Mu Hun’s mind was crowded with tasks that had to be resolved in their proper season.
If there was room to breathe, he had roughly two months.
After that, there would be no time to rest.
Within that window, he had to find it.
The legendary miracle elixir said to resurrect even the dead—the Void-Purified Stone Milk.

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