Chapter 16
Chapter 16
Translator: Penny
Episode 16
"Why are you so surprised?"
"Ah, well, it's just... I heard it was the Virtuous Celestial's Secret Cave."
"You know the Virtuous Celestial?"
"I saw him at the Ten Thousand Scrolls Pavilion."
"Hmph, it seems the Ten Thousand Scrolls Pavilion has quite the collection."
Zhuge Doyun's breathing grew ragged, and he wore a puzzled expression. But even he hadn't read every book in the Ten Thousand Scrolls Pavilion, so he merely tilted his head in confusion.
"Father, please tell me more."
"That brat..."
Though he couldn't understand his son's reaction, he continued speaking.
"Recently, a torrential downpour caused the Secret Cave where the Virtuous Celestial had been cultivating in his later years to collapse. They contacted us for assistance, saying their faction lacked the resources to rebuild it. There must be something important there."
"If it's something important?"
"Well, who knows? Since he's rumored to have achieved Ascension, there might be some secret to it."
His father was likely just speaking offhand.
But at that moment, Zhuge Munhyeon's eyes widened so fiercely they seemed about to tear.
The secret to Ascension.
It was possible.
If Yu Gilcheon had truly achieved Ascension... if that were the case!
He gave me a fake...!
His blood surged so violently it felt like it would burst through the crown of his head. He barely managed to restrain himself in front of his father.
"We're currently researching it. After all, it was our Zhuge Clan that created the Secret Cave's mechanisms and formations. Though our relationship with the Martial Alliance has soured now, back then we were all under their umbrella."
A subtle pride radiated from Zhuge Doyun's face.
"Only a Zhuge could have accomplished this," he seemed to think.
But that wasn't the crucial point.
What if the Secret to Ascension remained there?
He wanted to rush to Wudang immediately.
He needed to compare.
To see if what he knew matched what that bastard had left behind.
But he hadn't yet attained the strength to cause a scene there.
So what should he do now?
"Father!"
"Hmm?"
"When are we going to Wudang?"
"Well, we need to prepare first, so it'll take some time. And it's not just Wudang, you know. There are countless places eager for the Zhuge Family's knowledge of Formations and Mechanisms..."
Before he could finish speaking, his son blurted out, "I want to become an apprentice at the Byeongju Hall!"
"Huh?"
"But in exchange, include me in the group being sent to Wudang!"
Zhuge Doyun smirked slyly at his son's fervent enthusiasm. He wasn't sure why his son was reacting this way, but it seemed he was genuinely intrigued. After all, the boy would leap out of bed even in his sleep at the mention of martial arts.
So, then...?
"Hmm, really?"
"Yes! I must become an apprentice at the Byeongju Hall!"
Zhuge Doyun was inwardly taken aback by the sudden, resolute expression on his son's face.
It's good that he wants to do it, but... why do I feel so uneasy? That look on his face... it's like he's about to pull something off.
For now, however, his joy far outweighed his unease.
"Excellent. Report to Byeongju Hall tomorrow."
"Thank you!"
The Secret Cave, rumored to hold the Virtuous Celestial's Secret to Ascension? This was an opportunity he couldn't possibly pass up.
"Who are you?"
"Zhuge Munhyeon."
Standing before Byeongju Hall, the guard on duty respectfully inquired, noticing the snow-white scholar's robes.
It was only natural that the guard didn't recognize him. This was Zhuge Munhyeon's first visit to Byeongju Hall, whether official or unofficial. In fact, it was his first time returning to the Main Clan since being banned from the Heavenly Star Pavilion.
After examining the token Zhuge Munhyeon presented, the guard hesitated briefly before exclaiming in surprise, "Munhyeon... Ah! That good-for-nothing..."
"..."
"Ahem. You're the Hall Master's son. Please, come inside."
Zhuge Munhyeon's eyes narrowed slightly as the guard cleared his throat and adopted a more formal demeanor.
Did I just hear a word I shouldn't have? A complete and utter disgrace, with no sense of propriety. In short, a disgrace. I'll show him! How could he remember that ancient nickname the moment he heard my name? I should have immediately roared at him and ripped out his tongue, but I barely restrained myself, thinking of the Virtuous Celestial's Secret Cave. He's a Wudang disciple. If I cause trouble and get dismissed from the cleanup, it would be disastrous. I, too, have learned patience now.
"Where's Father?" he asked, barely suppressing his anger.
The Guard replied, "He's attending an emergency meeting in the Main Hall. You'll have to wait a while."
"A Main Hall meeting? At this hour?"
"Yes. Meetings have been frequent lately."
"He told me to come early... Well, thank you anyway."
"Don't mention it. I'll inform the gatekeeper to escort you inside."
"No need to trouble yourself. I'll just look around while I wait."
"Yes, sir."
The guard bowed politely and withdrew.
Zhuge Munhyeon stepped inside and surveyed the numerous chambers lining the corridor.
This was where the Zhuge Clan studied strategy and formations.
He had heard of it, but this was his first time seeing the interior.
Rooms stretched along the walls, each occupied by scholars seated at desks, absorbed in their work.
Some were tearing at their hair in deep thought, others scribbling furiously with their brushes, while still others flipped through books with practiced speed, as if searching for something specific.
Yet, regardless of gender, they all shared one striking characteristic:
Filthy. Utterly filthy.
Every one of them wore an expression of exhaustion, their eyes hollow and sunken.
It was hard to tell how long they hadn't bathed; their hair was completely matted, and their filthy clothes, which they seemed to have worn for ages, reeked.
Even the Demonic Cult members, who cared nothing for appearances, weren't this bad. They looked like slaves whose wisdom had been exploited.
Those terrifying Zhuge bastards... So this is how they devise their strategies. No wonder they're said to possess wisdom that could startle the heavens. Such hidden effort...
Zhuge Munhyeon carefully muffled his footsteps as he retreated from the room, not wanting to disturb their concentration.
Definitely not because of the stench.
Then, something peculiar caught his eye: a square space in the middle of the corridor.
The Central Courtyard.
The garden lay between the Inner Quarters and the Outer Quarters.
Yet its design resembled an entire mountain range, as if a mountain had been transplanted whole.
Mountains, rivers, fields, and even a village were all meticulously recreated.
"Ah!"
After studying it for a long while, Zhuge Munhyeon finally realized its true nature.
It was Yungjungsan, the place where the Zhuge Clan and their followers had established their village.
The river flowing north was undoubtedly the Han River, a tributary of the Yangtze River.
"Wow! This is incredible. Could they have miniaturized the terrain to study strategies?"
Admiration escaped his lips involuntarily.
It seemed the Zhuge Family scholars had created a model of their territory to research ways to defend against enemy attacks.
"A formation?"
Despite having grown familiar with formations under Han Siheon, the Chief of the Byeongju Hall's Formation Department, for seven long years, it took him a moment to recognize it.
Within the miniaturized terrain, countless Deadly Formations were deployed in interconnected patterns.
"I've become a true member of the Zhuge Family," he muttered, shaking his head with a wry smile. "Who would have thought I'd ever feel curious about formations?"
In the past, he'd never given formations a second thought. He'd simply smash through them with brute force.
But after seeing them so often, whether out of familiarity or genuine curiosity, a strange fascination had taken root.
What kind of formation is this? What capabilities does it possess?
Before he knew it, Zhuge Munhyeon had crouched down in front of the miniature model of Yungjungsan.
Since he was waiting for his father, who was attending the Main Hall Meeting, and had no acquaintances around, he needed something to pass the time.
"Let's see... the Five Elements' directions have been slightly skewed? And the Eight Trigrams' positions are off too..."
It was a Formation structure he had never seen before.
Having studied Formations for quite some time, he was confident in his understanding, yet he couldn't discern the Life Gate from the Death Gate.
What is this? I've never seen a Formation like this before...
Suddenly, his competitive spirit surged.
As the son of the Zhuge Family's Byeongju Hall Master, he couldn't possibly admit to not even recognizing the type of Formation.
Without realizing it, Zhuge Munhyeon began scratching the floor with his finger, analyzing the Formation's structure.
As Zhuge Munhyeon remained deeply engrossed in the Formation, a young man in a nearby room watched him with a peculiar gaze.
Yeo Mungi, eighteen years old, had officially become a member of the Byeongju Hall after his coming-of-age ceremony.
As a member of a branch family, entering the Byeongju Hall—the most crucial division within the Zhuge Clan—was a remarkable achievement.
Many of his competitors had been direct descendants of the Zhuge Clan.
Though still a green rookie, he had surpassed them all to earn his place, and his pride was palpable.
His discovery of Zhuge Munhyeon was purely accidental.
Seeing the boy in a snow-white scholar's robe, he assumed he was a Zhuge Clan descendant who hadn't yet undergone his coming-of-age ceremony.
But it was too late in the year for an apprenticeship, which typically began in early spring.
And why haven't I seen him before?
He had attended the Heavenly Star Pavilion until the previous year to learn basic martial arts. Given their similar ages, their time at the pavilion must have overlapped.
As Yeo Mungi watched intently, the young man suddenly squatted down in front of the Scaled Landscape model in the Central Courtyard.
That's understandable. The miniature replica of Yungjungsan is bound to draw attention.
But then...
"Huh? Could this be the Eight Trigrams Formation?"
"..."
Yeo Mungi was startled by the sudden exclamation.
He recognized it? How?
Of course, he immediately stood up.
The Eight Trigrams Formation displayed on the model had been personally arranged by the Head of the Byeongju Hall. Only individuals with exceptional knowledge of formations, such as Chief-level figures, could possibly recognize it.
While other formations might be known, this one was kept strictly confidential.
A formation within a formation, spread across all of Yungjungsan, prepared for the impending danger.
Of course, it wasn't perfect yet, still under development.
This research had begun as a means to protect the clan amidst rapidly changing political circumstances.
He himself had only learned about it much later, after hearing that the Eight Trigrams Formation was hidden within.
But how could someone who hadn't even undergone their coming-of-age ceremony recognize it?
Judging by the exclamation he'd heard, it was clear the boy hadn't been told about it but had deduced it on the spot.
Who is this kid, anyway?
He had always prided himself on being the most skilled in formations among his peers. Now, feeling an inexplicable excitement, he approached the boy.
Meanwhile, Zhuge Munhyeon continued his analysis, reveling in the discoveries he was making.
"Ho? Look at this! All the formations are perfectly interconnected!"
The numerous Deadly Formations spread across the model were flawlessly interwoven.
It wasn't just the Eight Trigrams Formation.
The pressure from the formations intensified the deeper one ventured.
What would happen if someone attacked the Zhuge Clan and triggered the Formation?
"This is an Impregnable Fortress..."
Even his past self would have struggled to breach it.
Zhuge Munhyeon felt the thrill of facing a new, formidable opponent.
Whether human or not, anything that ignited his competitive spirit drove him wild.
"Let's see... I should probably go that way first... Hmm, then I'll need to change direction immediately?"
He was already mentally mapping the Formation's movements, devising strategies to break through it.
But just then...
"Who the hell are you?"
"Huh?"
A hand suddenly gripped his shoulder tightly.
Was it because he was too focused? Or because he was thinking about how a martial artist would counter a Formation while fighting?
Thwack!
His fist swung out reflexively.
Right into the opponent's face...
Ah, damn it. I didn't mean to cause trouble. So why attack from behind... no, why even speak to me?
Zhuge Munhyeon approached the fallen figure.
"Hey! Breathe! Breathe!"
📝 Translator’s Note:
You may notice that certain lines or phrases in this novel appear both in their original Korean (or Hanja) form and in English translation.
This is intentional — these phrases are classical idioms, divine titles, or poetic expressions that carry layered meanings.
To preserve their original tone and authenticity, the raw text has been kept for reference, while the English interpretation is provided right before or after it. This helps convey both the literal and cultural nuance of the original work.
but if you guys dont want tha raw for future chapters or my future other novels u can just text me on discord and say so discord name Mr.Penny