Chapter 25
Chapter 25
Translator: Penny
Episode 25
Zhuge Munho, now outside the conference hall, still couldn't calm his racing heart.
A mere fifteen-year-old had seized control of the entire meeting's atmosphere in an instant.
And, against all odds, had bent the proceedings to his will.
Could it be because of his martial prowess?
Impossible.
There was something fundamentally different about this boy.
"Hey, Munhyeon."
"What?"
The sharp retort, delivered at the mere mention of his name, instantly made Munho shrink back.
Though he usually carried himself with unwavering confidence, he inexplicably felt intimidated whenever he stood before Zhuge Munhyeon.
"Do you... need me to gather information?"
"Of course not."
"Then why...?"
"Because you look so ridiculous."
Munhyeon didn't even bother with the "Elder Brother" formality anymore, but Munho couldn't care less.
"R-ridiculous?"
"What have you been doing all this time, reaching the position of Deputy Branch Head?"
"Huh?"
"Remember when you fought Yeom Sangcheol? How did you manage to win?"
"That was because you used Sound Transmission to..."
"Does Sound Transmission suddenly make you stronger? Does it conjure up power you didn't have before?"
"...Not exactly."
Come to think of it, that didn't seem right.
"What I provided was just a little help. You were the one who executed the plan. But how did you win? Everyone knew you were weaker."
He had a point.
How did I manage that?
"Didn't I tell you? Battles between evenly matched opponents aren't decided by who has more Internal Energy."
Zhuge Munho's ears perked up. He wasn't a complete fool after all.
What can I do? I have no particular interest in raising children, but since I need him to play a crucial role in this fight, I suppose it's my duty to show him how to push himself further, even if it's a hassle.
"Hey, you want to get stronger, right?"
"Huh?"
Zhuge Munho's eyes widened.
Yeah, I understand that desire. A martial artist's hunger for strength burns hotter than a merchant's greed for profit.
"H-hey, is there... a way?"
"Ways? They're everywhere."
"W-what are they?"
"First..."
"First?"
"Go fetch Gwan Hwipyeong."
"Gwan... who's that? I've never heard of a martial artist with that name. Could he be a scholar from Byeongju Hall? Or maybe a laborer?"
His furrowed brow and tilted head were truly exasperating.
Gwan Hwipyeong. Zhuge Gwan, Zhuge Hwi, Zhuge Pyeong. My brothers, you know.
"Ah..."
"Why are direct descendants called 'direct descendants'? If they pride themselves on possessing sacred blood, they should have the skill to fight ahead of others and protect their families. Go to the rear training grounds and bring them here. I'll train them myself."
"T-train them? Understood."
Zhuge Munho dashed off as if he'd been waiting for this opportunity.
Anything that would make him stronger was worth pursuing without hesitation.
A short while later.
"Elder Brother, where are you going... Ugh!"
"M-Munhyeon."
"Why is that guy here?"
Faced with their varied reactions, Zhuge Munhyeon frowned slightly.
"That guy? These fools... still haven't learned their lesson? Then let's start with a 'tap,' shall we?"
"What?"
"That would be best. No lasting injuries, and they'll listen better after experiencing it once."
Thud.
The sound of iron weights being released from their limbs, accompanied by laughter, startled Zhuge Munho and the others.
"W-wait aaa minute!"
"Gah! I didn't say anything..."
"Ugh... Why are we being punished for what Pyeong said?"
Their screams varied according to their personalities.
Of course, Zhuge Munho, who hadn't been targeted, subtly ignored his brothers' suffering.
Endure this, for the pain you suffer now will return to you as great fortune...
As the initial wave of agony subsided, Zhuge Munho and the others straightened their backs and strained their ears.
Zhuge Munho is at the Profound Mechanism, the rest are right before it. That means they're roughly at the first-rate and second-tier levels. So listen up, you brats! Open your ears and listen carefully from now on! You've stumbled upon a rare opportunity. You're receiving direct instruction from the former Heavenly Demon himself. Of course, you have no choice in the matter. He intends to teach you, whether you like it or not.
"What Heart Methods have you mastered?"
"Well, naturally, the Great Celestial Art..."
"Hmm, fine. I can't assess your current Mnemonic Verses immediately, and you wouldn't understand new ones anyway."
"..."
"What you need most right now is experience."
"Experience?"
Zhuge Munho, speaking for the group, nodded.
"Yes, experience."
"I don't understand..."
"You know that martial arts proficiency is typically divided into stages: Filling, Manifestation, Ejection, Aura, Second-Tier, First-rate, Peak Stage, Transcendent Peak, and Transcendent Stage, right?"
"Yes."
"But you know, when a real battle breaks out, the one with the higher cultivation level doesn't always win."
"..."
"Unless you've surpassed the Transcendent Peak Stage, it's really just a back-and-forth struggle. In a life-or-death battle, victory isn't determined by the amount of Internal Energy you have."
Zhuge Munhyeon's words were puzzling.
They knew he had reached the Peak Stage.
But how could he speak as if he understood the realms beyond that?
"Don't bother questioning it. This is just rote learning. Memorize what I tell you. If you don't like it, say so."
If you don't like it, say so... Could they really?
All they could see was Zhuge Munhyeon's finger, the one that had inflicted such agonizing pain on them.
"Alright, then what determines victory? It's things like the battle situation, your physical condition that day, the surrounding terrain, and your mental state."
"..."
"In other words, combat involves countless variables, and the person who minimizes these variables the most gains the advantage. The more skilled you are, the fewer variables there are. This is because you've trained longer to prepare for various situations and are ready to respond to unexpected attacks."
"But isn't that the kind of experience you can't gain through ordinary training?"
"Exactly. Ultimately, the more you fight and the more times you've risked your life, the more advantageous you become."
"Hmm... but those aren't situations you can easily encounter. To risk your life, you'd have to face a high-level expert..."
"That's a keen observation. In that regard, martial artists from the Heretical Factions gain far more experience than those from the Orthodox Factions. They risk their lives with every encounter. That's why I intend to provide you with the experience you lack, starting now."
"Provide us with experience? Don't tell me you plan to spar with us..."
"Pfft! As if you could even be a match for me! You'd be knocked out before you could even make a few moves."
The scornful laughter stung, but its truth silenced them all.
"See that over there?" Zhuge Munhyeon pointed to a spot where the air shimmered, as if space itself were slightly distorted.
"A Formation?"
"Exactly."
"You mean we're going to gain experience inside a Formation?"
"Exactly. It's a method only the Zhuge Clan can use."
"No, but how exactly?"
"Tsk, tsk. You Zhuge Clan descendants haven't even considered this once?"
"What?"
"If you use the Phantom Formation properly, couldn't you create illusory enemies? If you fought against phantoms that see you as their sworn enemy and attack relentlessly, wouldn't you have to risk your life countless times?"
"...Could it be?"
"I've been doing this since I was seven years old."
"Ah..."
"You understand what I mean, Munho. That's why I was able to help you."
"Hmm..."
Zhuge Munho nodded with a short groan.
I had been curious about this all along. Given his innate talent, it's understandable that he reached the Peak Stage at such a young age. But how did he gain such extensive combat experience? How could he instantly discern the feints and true attacks in my fight with Yeom Sangcheol? That's incredibly difficult for a fifteen-year-old... And hasn't he never even left the Zhuge Clan's grounds? But now the mystery is solved. Since he was seven years old... Though not literal death, he must have experienced countless moments akin to it. Judging by Zhuge Munhyeon's current level, he must have been increasing the intensity of the Phantom Formation with each advancement in his cultivation. For a full eight years. I've been far too complacent. I thought my efforts were the best I could do.
Zhuge Munhyeon had forged his own path, striving relentlessly as if his life depended on it.
Two hundred geun of weight, training in the Phantom Formation.
His strength stemmed from his innate talent, honed through relentless effort.
"Hmm..."
A sudden wave of guilt washed over him.
He had misjudged Munhyeon all along.
In a corner of his heart, respect began to blossom for the young martial artist who had silently walked his own path, despite being framed and branded a scoundrel.
"At most, three more days. Shouldn't we fight properly against the Honyeon Faction?"
"..."
"What are you waiting for? Get inside already!"
Zhuge Munho gritted his teeth at the mocking smile on their faces as they hesitated.
Click.
He too released the Iron Weights he carried.
Thud, thud, thud.
Zhuge Munhyeon narrowed one eye, gauging the weight by the sound.
Pfft! You call that an Iron Weight? It should weigh at least a hundred pounds, even if it can't match mine.
As he clicked his tongue and shook his head, Zhuge Munho met his gaze with a serious expression.
"Munhyeon."
"What?"
"Thank you. For showing me the way."
"Pfft! There's nothing to thank me for. The real hardship starts now."
"I know it's a difficult path. But... I'll try my best."
"Well, do as you please."
Zhuge Munhyeon grinned, and Zhuge Munho returned the smile before walking toward the Formation.
"H-hyungnim!"
"I trust Munhyeon. I've seen it with my own eyes and experienced it firsthand. So you all must trust me too."
As he spoke with earnest urgency, Zhuge Munho vanished into the shimmering space, leaving the others restless and conflicted.
Should I really trust the words of a fifteen-year-old?
He couldn't bring himself to move.
"What are you doing?"
"Huh?"
"I told you to go in!"
"No, we don't really need to..."
Don't need to? You're refusing? That won't do. From now on, you're part of Zhuge Munho's team. Even if Zhuge Munho steels his resolve and trains relentlessly within the Formation for three days, there will still be limits to his progress. While Zhuge Hwipyeong assisted him in the battle against Yeom Sangcheol, he wouldn't be able to help in future conflicts. A gap would inevitably widen between them. And it's you, Gwan Hwipyeong, who will have to bridge that gap.
"Hmm."
Zhuge Munhyeon, his face twisting into his habitual sinister smile, unfurled the Heavenly Mechanism Evasive Steps.
He grabbed them and threw them.
"Aaaah!"
Zhuge Pyeong was the first to be sucked into the Formation.
The remaining ones...
"I'm going! I-I'm going, I said!"
"..."
Should have done this sooner.
Watching his brothers disappear into the Formation, Zhuge Munhyeon wore a satisfied smile.
"My clan can't afford to be weak. Starting with you lot, I'll drag you by the hair if I have to and make you strong. Ascension is Ascension, but I won't tolerate my clan being looked down upon. A few days at most? No, depending on how intensely they train, those few days could yield the results of years of cultivation."
"Alright, let's go gather some basic information that will help with our strategy."
Yanghyeon, home to the Honyeon Faction.
After leaving the Branch, Zhuge Munhyeon secretly infiltrated the village.
It wasn't difficult.
How could anyone notice a single person moving across such a vast territory? It wasn't like a Heavenly Net had been cast.
All he had to do was push through some undergrowth, cross a stream, and traverse a single mountain.
Though martial artists had been stationed at key checkpoints due to heightened tension, detecting a lone traveler was like finding a needle in a haystack—impossible unless a large force was mobilized.
Still, it was a nuisance.
"If I'd known it would be like this, I should have spared a few of those bastards instead of killing them all... Damn this personality of mine. I can't stand seeing these so-called martial artists, who barely deserve the title, brandishing swords and attacking me. Ugh, now that I'm with the Orthodox Factions, I suppose I should learn to show some mercy."
Zhuge Munhyeon sighed and hid in the shadows at the alley entrance, peering into the main road.
Few pedestrians were about.
Instead, the road was swarming with martial artists, their eyes sharp and vigilant.
They must have heard about the deaths of Yeom Sangcheol and the fifty martial artists.
"I'm not even looking for a fight. I just need to ask a few questions."
If he wanted to ask questions, it would be best to target someone who had strayed from the group.
The rest would be simple.
Secretly kidnap them. Torture them. Ask them what they want. Get what he needed. Clean up the mess afterward.
It was quick and easy.
He'd done it countless times before.
But...
"Huh? Who's that?"
Zhuge Munhyeon stared intently at a spot on the street.
They used to be everywhere, but now they were rarely seen.
Beggars.
Were they secretly monitoring the Honyeon Faction, or were they hiding and spying like him?
The object dangling from their waist was unmistakably... a Beggar's Sect token.
A member of the Beggar's Sect.
How... welcome. But why is their chest so prominent and their hips so wide? Hmm, are the Beggar's Sect using female martial artists these days? The world has changed so much.
📝 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