Chapter 33
Chapter 33
Translator: Penny
Episode 33
"Who are you?"
"Zhuge Munhyeon, son of Zhuge Doyun, Head of the Byeongju Hall."
Jang Hongsik scrutinized him with sharp eyes, impressed by his confident declaration of identity.
Young, yet the lingering chill from that fleeting moment of dread left him with an unsettling unease.
Wait, why is he attacking from behind? Could it be...?
"You wouldn't happen to be..."
"Judging by your expression, you've figured it out."
Zhuge Munhyeon grinned, and Jang Hongsik clenched his jaw so tightly that the muscles flexed near his jawline.
An ambush.
They must have exploited the chaos of the frontal assault to strike at the main formation.
But the Four Protectors and Fifty Disciples remained.
Could they have spared enough forces to attack the Yanghyeon Branch? According to Sayo...
Jang Hongsik's eyes snapped open.
Anxiety-fueled thoughts coalesced, racing through his mind.
Sayo, who had sought him out.
What if all her words about warning him about the Yanghyeon Branch's movements had been lies?
"That bitch Sayo..."
"Ho? Getting sharper? No wonder you're the Faction Leader."
"..."
"That's right. She agreed to cooperate in exchange for rescuing the Beggar's Sect Branch Head you captured."
"Th-that... That treacherous bitch! I was going to take her in!"
"Take her in?"
Zhuge Munhyeon's face twisted in disgust at the lewd implication.
But.
"Well, that's a relief."
"What?"
"It means she hasn't done anything unforgivable yet, and she's still alive."
"..."
"But getting angry won't help. There were only a few stragglers left at the Honyeon Faction Manor. We've mostly cleaned them up, and our men are finishing the job. By now, they've probably rescued Sayo and the Beggar's Sect Branch Head too."
"What did you say?"
"The bottom line is, you're not going back. You're going to die here."
"Kill me?"
"Yes. Right here, by my hand."
Zhuge Munhyeon smiled coldly, his eyes glinting with malice as he slowly drew his sword.
"Still, even though the world has changed, how could a guy like you lead a sect that opposes the Zhuge Clan? Back in the day, even the Heretical Factions had some decent fighters."
"What?"
"You should have known your limits. Even protection money has its limits, and usury has its legal interest rates... But you guys don't care about any of that, do you? You deliberately make it impossible for people to repay their debts, then sell them off? Or was it kidnapping you do?"
"So?"
"So what? There's no need to keep trash like you alive."
Jang Hongsik's eyes gleamed with amusement as he stared at the sword pointed at him.
What a truly absurd situation.
In the midst of this, he noticed Zhuge Cheong taking a step back.
Does he actually trust this little brat?
The kid's aura is quite impressive. When I first felt that chilling sensation, I had experienced a strange unease. But facing him now, I understand. Ejection Qi. Impressive for someone so young. However, if he thinks reaching the Ejection Qi realm automatically means he can fight Peak Stage masters, he's sorely mistaken. Some fools confuse the two, but Peak Stage and Ejection Qi are entirely different concepts. Even if one's Internal Energy Mastery deepens to the level of Ejection Qi, true Peak Stage status requires accumulating substantial experience. Only when all learned Forms become second nature and Internal Power is perfectly controlled can one be considered to have reached the Peak Stage. Thus, Peak Stage is forged by time. Yet this young whelp dares to challenge me with nothing but Ejection Qi? It's utterly absurd. Victory and defeat aren't determined by Internal Power alone.
Still, whether it was the brash brat who stepped forward so confidently or the foolish adults who entrusted him with this task...
"Ha ha, this is truly..."
Jang Hongsik shook his head in disbelief, drawing his sword.
"Well, what would the Zhuge Clan know? They understand nothing about Martial Arts."
"Huh?"
"Little one, what a pity. Your exceptional talent might have led you to great things, but now you'll be crushed before you even bloom."
"..."
Zhuge Munhyeon blinked, his eyes narrowing at Jang Hongsik's mocking expression.
What nonsense is this? Bloom? Is he using some kind of metaphor? A mere Peak Stage brat acting like he knows everything... Does he even know what Full Bloom means?
"I've heard enough of your stories, you silver-tongued brat. Now... die!"
As Jang Hongsik sneered inwardly, his sword rose high, a brilliant azure energy enveloping its blade.
With a force that threatened to cleave Zhuge Munhyeon's body in two, the sword crashed down.
The lightning-fast strike left no time for anyone to intervene.
"M-Munhyeon!"
Zhuge Cheong's panicked shout echoed as the full-force blow slid harmlessly down the angled blade of Munhyeon's sword.
Clang!...
Sparks erupted from the clash of metal, decorating the air with fiery brilliance.
As expected... Jang Hongsik's internal power still runs deeper. No need to confront it directly. Deflecting overwhelming force is all it takes. The key is focus.
Whoosh!
In the same instant he deflected the attack, Munhyeon unleashed a sharp, horizontal sword strike.
"Hah!"
Startled by the seamless transition, Jang Hongsik recoiled, pulling his waist back to retreat.
Idiot... He's skilled enough, but he can't see the next move. Leading the weak has kept him from ever facing true opponents. He's grown complacent, his belly filled with nothing but fat.
The moment Jang Hongsik's feet landed, Zhuge Munhyeon, a strange smile playing on his lips, immediately closed the distance with another step.
Swish!
Another sword strike.
"Ugh!"
A short groan escaped Jang Hongsik as his face contorted in pain.
His abdomen was now shredded.
Crimson droplets clung to the tip of Zhuge Munhyeon's sword, which stretched out horizontally.
"Hmm, too shallow?"
"This... this bastard!"
Jang Hongsik staggered backward, clutching his stomach as he glared at Zhuge Munhyeon, who was rising to his feet with a swagger.
"Hey, kid, it's just a scratch. Your guts aren't spilling out—what's with all the theatrics?"
"..."
"What was that you said earlier? You'd crush the flower before it blooms? Then try harder. Once your ankles are severed, you'll finally understand what you've been trampling on."
The first clash.
By all accounts, Zhuge Munhyeon had emerged victorious.
As Jang Hongsik's murderous intent erupted in waves, the warriors knew a second clash was imminent.
"Attack!"
"Waaaaah!"
The opposing warriors lunged at each other.
As if completely detached from the chaos around him, Zhuge Munhyeon approached Jang Hongsik with Ordinary Steps, his movements light and effortless amidst the fierce battlefield.
"You bastard!" Jang Hongsik roared, the blue energy coalescing on his sword blade extending into a long, tail-like arc.
Sword Qi.
Swaaak!
The Sword Qi sliced through the air with blinding speed, bending like taffy into a graceful arc.
Zhuge Munhyeon halted, leaning back sharply.
Dizziness washed over him.
The chilling aura of death brushed past his neck, leaving goosebumps in its wake and a crimson welt where it grazed his skin.
But...
"Heh heh heh."
Zhuge Munhyeon's lips stretched into a grotesque grin, almost tearing at the corners.
This feeling... This thrill... The exhilaration of knowing I could die from his opponent's next strike.
A forgotten sensation surged through his body, raising the fine hairs on his skin.
"Yes, this is it! This is how it should be! This is what makes a fight worth fighting!"
Zhuge Munhyeon's lips curled into a chilling smile, his eyes hardening with an indescribably ferocious madness.
"Give me more! Hurry!" he roared, lunging forward as if demanding to be entertained.
The opponent's sword strikes grew even more violent. Zhuge Munhyeon, pressing closer, sustained new wounds, bloodstains beginning to darken the pristine white of his robes.
The clash between their auras intensified relentlessly.
Fragments of Sword Qi scattered in all directions, shattering the ground and leaving axe-like gashes in the manor's pillars.
The battlefield was a chaotic tangle of clashing forces, yet a clear space had formed around the two combatants.
This was due to the fear of being caught in the devastating sword strikes they unleashed.
Clang!
Their swords collided with tremendous force, sending sparks flying as they recoiled, creating distance between them.
"Hah... hah..."
Jang Hongsik's face flushed crimson from the heat, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
In stark contrast, Zhuge Munhyeon asked calmly, "Is that all you've got?"
"What?" Jang Hongsik retorted, his face etched with exhaustion.
"Is that the full extent of your power?"
"You insolent brat..."
Jang Hongsik glared, his face twisting in fury. After a moment, Zhuge Munhyeon sighed.
"Jang Hongsik, give it your all. Otherwise, you won't even survive a single strike."
"Shut up, you brat!"
Jang Hongsik channeled every last ounce of his energy into his sword and swung it with all his might. Zhuge Munhyeon took a step forward, gliding low to the ground.
This was Heavenly Mechanism Evasive Steps, Cloud Flow Chasing Form—a technique that allowed him to flow like clouds, penetrating his opponent's defenses.
His sword swept across the ground as he closed the distance rapidly.
First Light of the Star, a single star awakening from the darkness.
Single Meteor Line, becoming a meteor streaking across the night sky.
A cyan energy blade extended from his sword, arcing in a graceful arc.
"You fool! Is that all you've got?"
Jang Hongsik gripped his sword with both hands and raised it to block the incoming strike.
Krrrrumble!
The sword's cry transformed into a thunderous roar.
"Die!"
With a single, explosive shout, he brought his sword crashing down vertically.
The two streams of Sword Qi were about to collide in a cross.
The weaker one would shatter.
But then...
"Foolish."
Zhuge Munhyeon stamped his foot and twisted his body, causing his sword blade to instantly change direction.
Azure Star Falling: a blue star plummeting from the heavens.
Yet there was no reason it couldn't surge upward, defying gravity to ascend back into the sky.
"Ugh!"
Jang Hongsik, who had poured all his strength into his strike, gasped in shock at the suddenly rising blade and tried to redirect his sword.
But his momentum was too great; the blade couldn't stop in time and continued its downward arc. Zhuge Munhyeon's sword, meanwhile, surged upward in a parallel line to Jang Hongsik's.
Higher and higher.
From groin to crown.
Crack!
Jang Hongsik's body split in two.
It was a brutal sight, but the death of the enemy commander always brought forth a roar of triumph.
"Jang Hongsik is dead!"
"Munhyeon has captured the Honyeon Faction Leader!"
The Zhuge Family warriors roared in triumph at the news of Jang Hongsik's death, their battle intent boiling like water in a cauldron.
This was a morale boost.
It breathed new life into their exhausted bodies, fueling their strength and amplifying their confidence in victory beyond its usual intensity.
Meanwhile...
"Uwaaah! Run for your lives!"
The Honyeon Faction warriors, witnessing the death of their Senior Commanders, abandoned the battlefield, their battle intent shattered.
But they were like a headless snake—writhing aimlessly with no chance of survival.
"Pursue them! Slaughter them all!"
The Zhuge Clan warriors, their momentum surging, hacked down the crippled Honyeon Faction warriors again and again.
There was no need for Zhuge Munhyeon to step forward and add his strength.
No warrior in the Honyeon Faction could reverse their current overwhelming momentum.
"Waaaaah!"
When the last sword finally came to a halt, the Zhuge Family warriors, realizing their victory, erupted in a roar that shook the plains.
Having never experienced such a feeling before, their hearts felt like they were about to burst with exhilaration.
"We won! We crushed the Honyeon Faction!"
Intoxicated by their first true victory, the warriors of the Yanghyeon Branch floundered in their unyielding excitement.
Though Zhuge Munhyeon's contribution had been significant, what did it matter?
This was a victory earned through collective effort.
The Formation Masters had played their part, and the Warrior Corps had played theirs.
This outcome was the result of each person faithfully fulfilling their assigned role.
"Just a little fun," Zhuge Munhyeon said with a smirk, flicking the blood off his sword.
📝 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