Chapter 41
Chapter 41
Translator: Penny
Chapter 41
Sayo was the most unnerved by the icy glare Zhuge Munhyeon cast upon the midnight intruders.
It wasn't the suddenness of the attack that startled her.
Ah, these madmen...
She had almost persuaded him, had finally managed to calm that monster down. Why now?! How utterly infuriating. Did you fools lose your minds after filling your bellies with warm food and getting a little fat? How could former members of the Beggar's Sect be so utterly clueless?
Anyone who controlled the Danggangu region should have known basic information about its residents. This wasn't just some commoner; it was the Musician who led the Danggangu Artist Association, the Zhuge Clan's esteemed in-law.
More importantly, he was the maternal grandfather of Zhuge Munhyeon, that unfathomable monster.
Ah, could they have actually believed Wudang's claims? That the Zhuge Clan wouldn't dare cause trouble within their territory? This is absurd. To be clear, Danggangu is not Wudang territory.
Those who have renounced the secular world may form alliances with families seeking aid, but they do not control surrounding regions like the Martial Clans. That's why there's a Zhuge Clan ○○ Branch, but no Wudang Sect ○○ Branch. At most, they might have a Lay Family or Martial School.
Even if the world had changed and they had established a branch, the Wudang Sect would never interfere in a conflict involving the Zhuge Clan's family. For these former Beggar Disciples to have made such a judgment was utterly ridiculous.
"Heh heh heh, look at these fools? They actually came here themselves?"
Zhuge Munhyeon's eyes began to gleam with murderous intent.
His aura was so savage that even standing near him made one's body shrink back in fear.
Now, there was no stopping him.
She had barely managed to seize a chance to save him, but he had thrown it away himself.
The hand that had gripped her sleeve went limp and fell away. With a sigh, her head drooped low.
Then it happened.
Click, thud!
The hopeful sounds of something being released and hitting the floor echoed in succession.
"...Huh?"
Sayo lifted her head in confusion to see Zhuge Munho and Gwan Hwipyeong, their wrists and ankles freed from the iron weights, wearing expressions of relief.
Why are they doing this?
"Munhyeon! Stay put."
"What?"
"As the saying goes, 'Why use an ox-cleaver to butcher a chicken?'"
Just as a chicken-butchering knife differs from an ox-cleaver, every task requires the appropriate tool.
So you think you're chicken-butchering knives?
Zhuge Munhyeon glared at them, his face twisted in a scowl. Zhuge Munho subtly averted his gaze but spoke with unwavering confidence.
"I know you're angry, but do you really need to waste your energy on these petty soldiers?"
"What do you want to say?"
"Leave these guys to the Elder Brothers. You stay and take care of the Esteemed In-Law. As a member of the Zhuge Clan, I can never forgive anyone who harms the Esteemed In-Law! I'll deal with these bastards myself!"
Before anyone could respond, Zhuge Munho strode toward the intruders with a resolute expression.
...I'll deal with them myself! What the hell was that supposed to mean? Was he trying to look cool?
"Let's go!"
"Yeah!"
"These bastards dare to break down our gate?"
Gwan Hwipyeong rolled up his sleeves and followed closely behind.
Zhuge Munhyeon, having missed his chance to intervene, could only stare in disbelief.
"Seriously, why are they getting angry?"
He wanted to tear these intruders to shreds, but they were acting on behalf of the Esteemed In-Law...
His anger began to subside slightly.
"Elder Brother Munho."
"Hmm?"
"If you hold back, you'll die."
"O-of course!"
Zhuge Munhyeon reluctantly withdrew his aura, his expression stiff. Sayo, who had been consumed by worry, brightened at the sound of the invaluable Sound Transmission.
Will this suffice?
It was Zhuge Munho.
He had understood her intentions.
As you heard, Munhyeon is watching, so I can't show any leniency.
I ask for little. Just spare their lives, Sayo replied via transmission, finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.
At least she wouldn't die. That was enough. Since the Palmun Gang had initiated the conflict, even if the suppression process was somewhat excessive, there would still be ample opportunity for reconciliation. Of course... she couldn't guarantee the lives of the high command.
"You lot."
"...?"
"Do you even know where you've come?"
Zhuge Munho stepped forward, his sword raised, his eyes flashing. Yeom Dongmin, the chief of the Palmun Gang—commonly known as "Wildcat"—smirked.
"As if we wouldn't know. Judging by your appearance, you're just a bunch of Zhuge Clan brats."
"Brats?"
"That's right, kid."
Yeom Dongmin's words made Zhuge Munho's fury surge so violently it felt like it would burst through his forehead.
"These bastards... They knew we were the Zhuge Clan's in-laws and still dared to act like this? I was trying to resolve this peacefully, but..."
"Pfft! In-laws? You weren't even treated properly. And what's so special about the Zhuge Clan anyway? Who cares about a crumbling family like yours?"
"Ah, is that so?"
Zhuge Munho wore a smile, but inwardly, a thousand fires raged.
This was the reality. Such was the Martial World's perception of the Zhuge Clan: reduced to the level of a mere branch, even Beggar Disciples who had fallen to the status of vagrants dared to scorn them.
"So, Zhuge brat, you think you can take us on with just four of you? Tsk, tsk. No wonder your clan is in such a state, with you young fools running around clueless."
Yeom Dongmin's expression was brimming with unwarranted confidence.
"Do you even know who I am?"
"..."
"I currently hold the position of Right Chief of the Palmun Gang, but I was once Yeom Dongmin, a Samgyeon Disciple of the Beggar's Sect."
Yeom Dongmin's murderous aura, dripping with contempt, coiled around Zhuge Munho like a viper, yet the latter remained utterly unfazed.
After all, he had spent his life alongside a truly terrifying individual.
And the Right Chief? A Samgyeon Disciple? What's the big deal? He had only learned about the Palmun Gang today.
"Hah, so you attacked even knowing they were the Esteemed In-Law's residence from the Main Clan? Good. That means you were prepared for the consequences."
"What consequences? Prepared? Kuhahaha! Have you ever seen such lunatics? These greenhorns haven't even tasted blood yet..."
"..."
"These fools, who don't even understand how the world works, killed eight people just to save one old man, and then blew up our gang's building with explosives? You're the ones who should be prepared for the consequences!"
"Huh?"
Zhuge Munho couldn't hide his disbelief.
He had expected them to rampage, but... They destroyed the building too? And it couldn't have been explosives in the middle of the fight. He must have completely demolished it. What a terrifying bastard. How thoroughly did he smash it to make them mistake it for explosives?
Just as he was thinking this, he heard:
"Haa, I save you from a monster, and you can't even show a little gratitude? Just rambling on and on..."
"Elder Brother Munho! How long are you going to listen to this bullshit?"
"Damn it! Can't you feel the monster's gaze? It's been glaring at us since earlier! Just finish this quickly!"
Gwan Hwipyeong and the others snapped impatiently, each urging them to fight.
My younger brother is glaring at us. If we don't start now, we'll be in danger.
"Did you hear that? They're done talking."
"What?"
"You're incredibly lucky we stepped in instead of that monster."
"What do you mean—"
Yeom Dongmin's face twisted into a grimace.
Whoosh!
A blinding flash filled his vision, followed by a searing pain near his cheek.
Drip.
Yeom Dongmin touched his cheek, feeling something wet. He realized it was blood.
And then...
"Huh?"
Zhuge Munho was even more surprised.
He'd only tried it once, but it had actually worked.
His younger siblings, standing beside him, stared in shock at the blood trickling down Yeom Dongmin's cheek.
"Hey, guys... it actually works?"
"I guess so?"
This was the result of their arduous and tedious training.
And it was enough to ignite a fierce fire in their hearts.
They had vaguely sensed their growing strength, but seeing it confirmed with their own eyes was something else entirely.
In their hands were weapons carefully selected from the Martial Armory—legendary blades forged by master craftsmen and steeped in history.
Zhuge Munho's confidence surged, overflowing as he turned to Yeom Dongmin.
"I'll spare your life."
"...!"
Zhuge Munho shot forward, kicking off the ground, with Gwan Hwipyeong hot on his heels. Simultaneously, the Beggar Disciples—no, the martial artists of the Palmun Gang—charged into the fray.
But Yeom Dongmin remained frozen.
The wound on his cheek hadn't been inflicted by Sword Qi.
It was the Sword Wind, the gust of air created by a swung blade.
Yet harming someone with Sword Wind alone was far more difficult than using Sword Qi.
It required a speed that surpassed the limits of the human body.
S-surely these brats aren't just rookies?
He swallowed hard, his throat dry.
What if all four of them have reached a level beyond Sword Qi? With our current numbers, it's impossible...
Thud! Crack! Splatter!
Impossible...
"Hah... Now it's just you left, huh?"
"..."
The four youths had crushed the dozen former Beggar Disciples in mere breaths.
"H-how...?"
"Becoming a thug seems to have dulled your senses, huh?"
Zhuge Munho chuckled at the startled Yeom Dongmin.
"Haven't you heard? The Zhuge Clan has been rising again ever in a while we crushed the Honyeon Faction."
"The Honyeon Faction... destroyed?"
"That's right. And we were the ones who did it."
"Th-that's impossible..."
Yeom Dongmin finally snapped to his senses, stung by the Zhuge Clan's arrogant declaration.
He had provoked the wrong enemy.
By abandoning the Beggar's Sect and choosing a new path, he had become blind to the rumors.
Damn it...
With esteemed guests present, the leader Palmun himself was hosting the gathering.
The news of the branch building's collapse had prompted Palmun to secretly order Yeom Dongmin to investigate... only for him to now face a massacre at the hands of the Zhuge Clan's young masters.
Reflecting on their earlier conversation, it became clear that the man glaring menacingly from the back was even stronger than the one who wielded the Sword Wind.
This was not the time to fight.
The Palmun, hosting the banquet and tending to their guests, remained blissfully unaware of the danger. Yeom Dongmin knew he had to warn them immediately.
After a quick glance at his fallen subordinates, Yeom Dongmin turned and fled without further hesitation.
"What's that?"
Zhuge Munho frowned at Yeom Dongmin's cowardly retreat, preparing to give chase.
But a shadow moved even faster.
Whoosh!
In a single, lightning-fast leap, Sayo closed the distance and reached out to grab Yeom Dongmin.
Ping!
With a sharp, piercing sound, a razor-edged Flying Blade spun around Yeom Dongmin's body like a whirlwind before embedding itself firmly in the ground.
"Ugh!"
Yeom Dongmin let out a strangled cry as he was yanked in the opposite direction of his escape.
It was the Silver Thread connected to the Flying Blade.
And then—
Thud!
Sayo's knee slammed into his face as he fell.
"You damn bastard! Abandoning your subordinates to save your own skin?! What kind of Samgyeon Disciple are you?!"
The way she mercilessly stomped on the fallen Yeom Dongmin showed just how furious she was.
After all, she took immense pride in the Beggar's Sect.
In any case, they had completely subdued all the invaders who had trespassed on the Manor.
But then—
"...What are you doing?"
Zhuge Munhyeon, who had been observing silently, spoke in a chilling voice.
What's this murderous aura?
Zhuge Munho and Gwan Hwipyeong felt a chill run down their spines, wondering if they had done something wrong.
"Munhyeon-ah, what do you mean? We took them all down," Zhuge Munho said with an awkward laugh.
"Well, we were a bit late, weren't we?" Gwan Hwipyeong added.
"Exactly! It's all because Elder Brother insisted on having that pointless conversation."
"Right? What was the point of talking?"
Gwan Hwipyeong shook his head, blaming Zhuge Munho.
Those bastards only care about saving their own skins...
But Zhuge Munhyeon's response was completely different from what they expected.
"Took them down? Who told you to do that?"
"Huh?"
"I'm pretty sure I said not to hold back, didn't I?"
"...Th-then what?"
"Of course we should kill them. Why? Just because they're not Martial Artists and are the Musician In-Law's relatives, you think we should forgive those who attacked the Manor so easily?"
"..."
"What? Can't do it? Then I'll do it myself."
Zhuge Munhyeon had only let them handle it because they volunteered. He never intended to spare their lives from the start.
He rose, Silver River staff in hand, and approached the fallen men. No one dared stop him.
How could anyone stop him when he radiated such murderous intent...?
But just then, a second chance to save the Beggar Disciples arrived.
"Cough, cough. Munhyeon-ah."
"...!"
The voice that spilled through the flung-open door froze Zhuge Munhyeon in his tracks.
Baek Hansang awoke because the physician, who had been handsomely compensated, had diligently cared for him, releasing the Sleep Acupoint.
His voice calmed the beast that had been radiating murderous intent, lulling it into a peaceful slumber.
"Grandfather."
"Yes, you rascal. Are you alright? Any injuries?"
"Yes."
"That's all that matters. That's all that matters."
Tears streamed down Baek Hansang's aged face as he embraced Zhuge Munhyeon.
Even in his unconsciousness, he had been worried.
Before falling asleep, he had seen his grandson come to save him...
Thanks to this, the monster withdrew its murderous aura and regained its composure. Sayo and Zhuge Munho sighed, patting their chests in relief.
Heaven had intervened. The manor's courtyard had narrowly avoided being drenched in blood and gore.
📝 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