Chapter 44
Chapter 44
Translator: Penny
Chapter 44
Bang!
The door shattered.
The noise alone would have been enough to ruin anyone's mood, but several people near the entrance were also struck by flying splinters, their faces twisting into furious glares as they turned to look.
Whoosh...
A young man stood silhouetted against the wind rushing into the tavern, his snow-white robes billowing around him. Zhuge Munhyeon swept his gaze across the interior and grinned.
"Hyah! The world's really changed. Even beggars have given up begging to sit in taverns and drink openly. But making such a racket in the middle of the night when everyone else is asleep? That's just not right."
"..."
The initial reaction was stunned silence.
The martial artists filling the tavern blinked in bewilderment, their faces blank.
What exactly was going on here? Who was this guy, suddenly bursting through the door and shouting? He wasn't even carrying a sword, just some strange metal club...
Then they spotted their comrade lying unconscious outside the door.
Bewilderment quickly turned to fury.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Tsk, tsk. Can't you see?"
"What?"
"I heard you sent someone to find me, so I came to see what kind of scum you are."
"...That damned old Musician geezer? Zhuge?"
One of the men muttered, recalling Baek Hansang.
Whoosh!
The Silver River Staff swung, decapitating him.
The man's head flew across the room, smashing into a table as it landed. The tavern's atmosphere instantly turned menacing as the Palmun Gang warriors drew their clubs from their waists in unison.
"Even when they turn their backs, they're still the Beggar's Sect. Look at those beggars drawing their clubs first thing."
Zhuge Munhyeon chuckled, slinging the Silver River Staff over his shoulder and tilting his chin. "I originally planned to kill them all, but after holding back a couple of times, I feel a bit better. What fault do subordinates have for following orders? The rotten higher-ups are the ones to blame. You're not my kind, but I'll give you a chance."
"A chance? What bullshit are you spouting!"
Whoosh!
The Silver River Staff swung again, producing the exact same result as before.
Zhuge Munhyeon let the blood-dripping staff hang limply, his expression sour. "When someone's talking, you should listen, not interrupt."
"..."
The Palmun Gang couldn't help but panic.
Two attacks.
No one in the tavern had anticipated Zhuge Munhyeon's movements. They only saw him momentarily sink into the ground before reappearing.
"Alright, let's try this again."
"..."
"You get one chance. Listen carefully and decide. If you abandon the Palmun Gang and return to your original Beggar Disciple status right now, I'll spare you. Otherwise... well, you can figure out the consequences yourself."
"Original Beggar Disciple status?"
"Exactly."
"You lunatic! The Beggar's Sect has been gone for ages!"
It seemed two attempts weren't enough for them to grasp their predicament.
He extended his leg.
His foot slid across the floor as he simultaneously swung the Silver River Staff.
Whoosh!
Despite its grandiose name, the staff was essentially an octagonal iron club.
"Gah!"
A direct hit to the face would shatter every tooth.
Zhuge Munhyeon struck the head of the man, who collapsed, screaming in agony.
The limp figure could no longer cry out.
"Didn't I tell you? I never intended to spare you. So... anyone else want to make a choice?"
This was a warning.
As Zhuge Munhyeon raised his head, his cold gaze swept across the Palmun Gang members and former Beggar Disciples. They flinched and hastily retreated from his side.
Then...
"I am Sayo, the Mysterious Demon Sword, disciple of the Purple Ghost! You've all heard my name, I presume!"
"...Purple Ghost?"
"Mysterious Demon Sword?"
The commotion outside prompted several to throw open the windows.
Sayo stood at the gate.
Behind her, her comrades stood in a line.
And kneeling before them was Yeom Dongmin, the Right Chief.
Upon receiving the report that the Manor had collapsed, Palmun, in a fit of rage, had ordered his men to capture the culprit. But why...?
"Everyone except Yeom Dongmin has severed ties with Palmun, who colluded with the Heretical Factions and tarnished the Beggar's Sect's name, and returned to their original positions. Therefore, I urge you! If there are any among you who harbored discontent with Palmun's actions but were forced to comply, come forward and surrender now!"
"..."
"If you persist in fighting, I can no longer protect you. Furthermore! For defiling the Beggar's Sect's Code of Chivalry alongside Palmun... you will be executed."
At these words, the occupants of the tavern exchanged glances and began to murmur among themselves.
"Alright, everyone heard me, right? I'm not usually this patient, but Sayo begged me. So, make your choice."
But no one moved.
They only glanced at each other, gauging each other's reactions.
"Tsk, tsk, all so indecisive... Fine. I'll give you some time to think. I'll count down from ten. Ten!"
Zhuge Munhyeon folded one finger.
A ripple of unease spread through the crowd.
A few who had been watching each other flinched and began to step forward.
"Nine!"
The numbers dwindled, and Zhuge Munhyeon's smile deepened.
Action erupted.
Toward the doors, toward the windows...
Though only a handful had broken ranks so far, cracks had already appeared in the group's cohesion.
And he hadn't even finished counting down yet.
"You fools! Are you really letting a mere brat and a beggar woman push you around?!"
A burly, bearded man appeared on the second-floor railing of the tavern, his booming voice echoing through the entire area.
Is that Palmun? But he doesn't look like a beggar... more like a mountain bandit. And calling her a beggar woman? That's harsh. Especially coming from someone who was a beggar himself not long ago.
"Elder, we apologize for the trouble. We never expected such a wild beast to show up..."
"Don't worry about it. Aren't we all family now? We can laugh off such minor flaws."
"Thank you."
From their conversation, it seemed the middle-aged man with the anchovy-like head standing beside Palmun was an Elder of the Seven Kill Sect.
You've all met your match.
So, Palmun, you ordered your men to beat my grandfather? You also ordered the attack on the Manor and his capture?
He didn't bother with the rabble crowding the first floor. Even if they resisted, his brothers would handle them with their own plans, sweeping in from the sides and rear.
Therefore...
"Heh heh heh, excellent. Perfect. Why would I refuse such a gift—you offering your own head on a platter?"
Zhuge Munhyeon grinned so wide his face seemed about to split as he gazed up at the second-floor railing. Palmun frowned.
"You fools! Are you going to keep watching and ruin my drink? Even if he's skilled, he's just a brat. Capture him with the Dog-Beating Staff Formation and bring that beggar girl here. The Elder's side has been looking lonely lately; we'll offer her to him for some 'cloud and rain' pleasure."
As Palmun's words faded, the martial artists' eyes sharpened.
The leader's presence always had this effect—it was as if his mere presence gave them strength, even without offering any tangible assistance.
After a moment of hesitation, they quickly assessed the situation and sprang into action, thinking, What can one man do? Especially a Zhuge Clan brat...
Zhuge Munhyeon chuckled in disbelief as the Dog-Beating Staff Formation rapidly took shape.
Fools... Courage should be used wisely; misplaced courage is mere recklessness. To think they would use the Dog-Beating Staff Formation against the son of the Zhuge Clan—a man who had once been the Heavenly Demon and now possessed a thorough understanding of formations. I'll dismantle the core for you in advance.
Without hesitation, Zhuge Munhyeon took a decisive step forward, plunging into the nascent Dog-Beating Staff Formation as it began to coalesce.
Thud!
The force of Zhuge Munhyeon's powerful kick shook not only the tavern floor but the entire building, causing the martial artists to lose their balance and stagger.
Seizing the opportunity, Zhuge Munhyeon activated the Heavenly Mechanism Evasive Steps and swung the Silver River Staff at his targeted opponents.
Crack!
The sound of bones breaking echoed through the tavern.
With each strike, he shattered the key nodes of the Dog-Beating Staff Formation, preventing it from even fully forming.
"Elder Brother Munho!"
Without a backward glance, he leaped onto a table and soared to the second floor in a single bound.
Immediately after hearing the shout, Zhuge Munho and Gwan Hwipyeong charged in simultaneously. The martial artists, who had been solely focused on Zhuge Munhyeon, were thrown into chaos and panic.
"Left! Enemies on the left!"
"Right?"
"Ugh! They're coming from behind too!"
The beauty of a surprise attack lay in the enemy's inability to gauge the true scale of the opposing force.
Though only four attackers had struck, each had grown to rival dozens of martial artists.
The rest could be left to them.
All that remained was...
"Th-that bastard?"
Zhuge Munhyeon, arcing through the air, brought his Silver River Staff crashing down on Palmun. Startled, Palmun hastily drew his Green Bamboo Staff to block.
Clang!
A deafening roar erupted, and the shockwave shattered tables on the second floor, sending martial artists scrambling in confusion.
"Ugh..."
Palmun, forced back by the impact, stood shakily on the railing, glaring up at Zhuge Munhyeon, who stood unmoving above him, his face twisted in a sneer.
"Ho? Not bad. To block that and still be standing? You really are the Branch Head, huh?"
"Hmm..."
Unlike Zhuge Munhyeon, who grinned widely, Palmun's expression twisted into a mask of agony.
Just one strike... The hand gripping the Green Bamboo Staff had split open, blood dripping steadily. He had lost the clash of strength. His Internal Energy had surged violently, nearly forcing him to vomit a mouthful of blood. Yet why was the man so composed? And the railing, of all things... C-could it be? At that age, Intent Qi?
"Just what are you?" Palmun asked, a thin trail of blood still trickling from the corner of his mouth despite having swallowed.
"Zhuge Munhyeon."
"..."
Hearing the name did nothing to ease Palmun's twisted expression.
That wasn't the answer he sought.
The question implicitly asked how someone so young could possess such formidable martial prowess, and why the Zhuge Clan would harbor someone like him.
But before he could even retort, the question was turned back on him.
"Why did you do that to my grandfather?"
"What?"
"Jade Sound, Silk Strings Baek Hansang."
"Jade Sound? You're...?"
"His grandson."
"..."
"He's already advanced in years, yet your actions have worsened his health. A man who should have lived to his natural lifespan might now only reach a hundred because of you."
"What?"
It was a forced wordplay.
But the target of this wordplay was radiating a bone-chilling murderous intent, pressing down on him with such force that his mouth refused to open.
And the aura was growing stronger by the second.
Crack.
The railing beneath his feet began to splinter under the immense pressure, and Palmun, bearing the full force of it, felt his knees buckle.
"I'll spare the others, but you... you're going to die."
"..."
What would have happened if he hadn't come to Danggangu? How much suffering had this bastard inflicted on that old Musician geezer, simply because he was a powerless musician?
The thought reignited his fury.
Zhuge Munhyeon stepped down from the railing and advanced slowly toward Palmun, one step at a time.
Crack. Crack.
With each step, the floor shattered beneath his feet.
Even if they were evenly matched, resistance would be futile. Crushed by Zhuge Munhyeon's murderous aura, Palmun couldn't muster the courage to face him.
Blocked by the Ejection Qi barrier, Palmun faced an opponent far beyond his capabilities.
Even as the man's face loomed inches away, Palmun couldn't move a finger. Overwhelmed by the intensifying pressure of the man's Intent, he could only grit his teeth and endure.
"Just one guy, they said. Why are you just standing there?"
"..."
"As a Senior Commander, shouldn't you be doing something instead of trembling like this?"
Crack!
With a chillingly cold murmur, the man's palm struck Palmun's face, snapping his head to the side.
If not for the grip on his collar, the force would have sent Palmun flying.
"Strength isn't meant to bully the weak."
Crack!
With each softly spoken word, Palmun's face continued to jerk violently from side to side.
His mouth split open, blood flowing freely as flesh tore away.
"Before you die, I'll tear your cheek apart first. Then I'll shatter your kneecaps. That's only fair."
Crack!
Having lost all will to fight, Palmun was now nothing more than an insect caught in a child's hand, unable to resist as its wings were torn off.
But just as the child raised his hand to deliver another slap...
"You bastard! Die!"
"..."
While Zhuge Munhyeon's attention was focused on Palmun, an Elder from the Seven Kill Sect had secretly circled behind him and launched a surprise attack.
They were using Palmun as bait. Are they idiots? Why shout during a sneak attack?
📝 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