Chapter 45
Chapter 45
Translator: Penny
Chapter 45
Clang!
A deafening roar erupted from the clash of palms.
Though Zhuge Munhyeon had sensed the attack coming from behind, he had no choice but to release his grip on Palmun and sidestep to evade it.
"Impressive, you managed to dodge that..."
"You practically announced your cowardly assassination attempt with that shout."
"Remarkable... for a mere youth to possess such skill..."
I told you, didn't I? This bastard can't even understand simple words.
Zhuge Munhyeon sighed, seeing no point in further conversation. "Very well, be amazed. But you'll be even more astonished soon. I didn't come here just to kill him."
"What? Hahahaha!"
The Elder of the Seven Kill Sect, who had been laughing so hard he was nearly crying, suddenly turned cold.
"You've only defeated Palmun, yet you're already so arrogant, you little whelp."
"Talking big after resorting to a sneak attack from behind."
The Seven Kill Sect Elder's eyes twitched slightly at the biting mockery.
He had a guilty conscience.
"As expected of the Zhuge Clan, you're all talk."
"Seriously... those who lack skill always resort to empty words when they're cornered."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"If you think you can actually win, come at me directly. Stop cowering behind your Sound Transmission to your lackeys."
"What?!"
"Did you really think I wouldn't notice?"
This floor wasn't just occupied by Palmun and the Elder.
The Seven Kill Sect warriors guarding the Elder were also present.
They were the ones who had retreated when Palmun was slapped.
When his ambush failed, the Elder pretended to engage in conversation to distract Zhuge Munhyeon while secretly using Sound Transmission to order his warriors to form an encirclement formation and close in.
Those despicable bastards...
The moment he chuckled, Zhuge Munhyeon suddenly dropped into a low stance, spinning his body like a whirlwind as he swung the Silver River Staff.
Crack!
A martial artist who had been stealthily approaching from behind took a brutal blow to the ankle, spinning wildly before crashing to the ground. His companions recoiled in shock, scrambling backward.
Think this is the end?
Zhuge Munhyeon immediately began pummeling the fallen man's body as if flogging him.
Thwack!...
He rained down blow after blow with the iron staff, each strike lethal enough to kill. The brutal sounds of bones shattering sent involuntary shudders through the martial artists.
Whether the man had already lost consciousness or was dead, the relentless beating was horrifyingly cruel.
They never saw this coming, did they?
Even though the Zhuge Clan was on the decline, no one could have imagined that their young master, Zhuge Munhyeon, would be this ruthless.
After crushing a martial artist into a bloody pulp, Zhuge Munhyeon raised the Silver River Staff, aiming it at the remaining warriors.
"So, who's next?"
"..."
"You? Or you?"
Blood dripped from the Silver River Staff as Zhuge Munhyeon pointed at each warrior.
Yet amidst the carnage, his eyes gleamed with a chilling, murderous intent. The warriors instinctively recoiled.
It was the gaze of a predator.
Though his physical form had changed, the venom he had cultivated throughout his life remained. Even seasoned martial artists found it difficult to withstand.
At such a young age, his speech lacks any trace of propriety. I thought he was just a frivolous fool...
"No one? Then wait quietly. I'll kill the Elder first, then take you all down one by one."
The martial artists, initially frozen by Zhuge Munhyeon's chilling smile and overwhelming murderous intent, began to perform unexpected feats of desperation.
One leaped over the railing to the first floor, while another smashed through a window to escape.
Hey guys, you don't have to rush. Who's chasing you? If you're going to flee so frantically after just one threat, you're making me feel awkward.
From the start, Zhuge Munhyeon had intended to let the small fry go.
He needed someone to report the events in Danggangu to the Seven Kill Sect.
Someone had to tell them:
There's an incredibly powerful master in the Zhuge Clan. And wouldn't you know it, while this formidable figure was visiting, Elder Yeom dared to provoke the Zhuge Clan's in-law, resulting in his glorious demise along with the Palmun Gang.
Only then would the Seven Kill Sect believe the Zhuge Clan had a legitimate reason to seize Danggangu.
After waiting for the small fry to flee, Zhuge Munhyeon turned to the Elder and asked, "So, you couldn't run away, even as an Elder? Well, you wouldn't have made it out of the tavern anyway."
The Elder remained silent.
"Alright, time to kill you."
This was taking too long. I'm not usually this talkative.
As he took a step closer, the Elder's expression turned desperate. The arrogant bluster he'd displayed moments ago had vanished completely.
He knew it too.
He was no match for him.
"Wait, hold on!"
"...?"
The Elder suddenly stretched out his hand.
"Zhuge Clan's son, think carefully."
"What?"
"I am an Elder of the Seven Kill Sect—"
He didn't bother hearing the rest.
The moment he saw his outstretched hand, he clasped it, twisted, and broke it.
There was no need to hear the name of such an insignificant wretch. He was going to die anyway.
"Aaaah!"
Before the Elder could react, his arm was twisted backward in an instant, and he screamed in agony as if his life were ending.
All from a single twisted arm.
But the Elder, overwhelmed by the pain, couldn't even think about mobilizing his Internal Power or retaliating.
Hmm, this is better than grabbing someone by the collar. It inflicts pain and completely immobilizes them. Now, let's finish this.
Zhuge Munhyeon maintained his grip, pulling the Elder's arm taut, and brought the Silver River Staff down forcefully on the Elder's head.
Thwack! Crack! Thud!
With his arm pinned, the Elder couldn't escape and became a helpless target for the Silver River Staff, his life ending pathetically.
Zhuge Munhyeon tossed the limp body aside like a discarded sack and returned to Palmun.
He was already frozen in terror, as stiff as a stone.
Though the Palmun Gang used clubs, he had never seen anyone beat a man to death without so much as a flicker of emotion.
"P-please spare me!"
Now was the time to prostrate himself.
Resisting this monster would be futile.
"I was wrong! My greed got the better of me when I tried to save the Palmun Gang brothers. If you forgive me just this once, I'll turn over a new leaf and live a life of good deeds, never sinning again. I mean it! I'll give you all the wealth I've accumulated my entire life. L-look! Those gold ingots I was going to give to Elder Yeom!"
"..."
"There must be at least one gwan's worth. You can weigh them if you like."
Palmun glanced sideways at the small chest near the table.
The offer was tempting.
One gwan of gold... how much was that worth?
"Hmm. Since you're offering, I'll gratefully accept."
"Thank you! Thank you so much!"
Palmun's face lit up with joy.
But...
Crack!
Zhuge Munhyeon shattered his expectations, crushing Palmun's knee without mercy.
"Aaaah!"
The agony of raw bone being crushed was something no one could truly understand without experiencing it firsthand.
"Y-you bastard! This isn't what we agreed on!"
The curse was justified.
But an agreement?
What a joke.
He'd promised to take the money, not to spare his life.
The Silver River Staff, which had slumbered for ages in the Martial Armory, had met the wrong master and was now working tirelessly.
The first floor had already been cleared.
Zhuge Munhyeon had shattered the axis of the Dog-Beating Staff Formation, rendering it powerless. Caught in a surprise attack from all sides, the formation collapsed almost instantly.
Furthermore, several members surrendered immediately, allowing Sayo to swiftly resolve the situation.
However...
"Looks like it's over?"
"The screams have stopped. Should we go up?"
"You go first. I'll follow last."
Gwan Hwipyeong, having cleared the first floor, gazed up at the second-floor railing, muttering to themselves.
They should obviously help.
But all they could hear were deafening thwacks and screams, which made it impossible to muster the courage to ascend.
"Do you think Young Master Zhuge is alright?"
"Why would he be?"
"With Palmun and the Seven Kill Sect Elder here, along with their guards..."
Zhuge Pyeong sighed at Sayo's concern. "Young Miss Sa," he said.
"Yes?"
"Is there something wrong with your ears?"
"...?"
"That's the sound of bones breaking under an iron club. And screams? Munhyeon is so tough he wouldn't make a sound even if his arm were torn off. Worrying about him? You're too meddlesome."
Gwan and Hwi nodded in agreement, their expressions serious.
Sayo stared at them blankly.
What kind of people are these guys? Are they even brothers?
"Anyway, it seems things have been roughly settled."
"Yes."
Sayo snapped out of her daze and nodded at Zhuge Munho's words.
"I'm just worried about those who escaped from this floor."
"Ah, that? They'll be fine."
"Huh?"
"Munhyeon wouldn't have let them go without a reason. If my guess is correct, he intended to use them as messengers."
"Messengers?"
"Yes. Someone needs to inform the Seven Kill Sect that the master of Danggangu might soon change."
"Ah... But wouldn't that provoke them to attack us?"
"That's possible. But if they do, the situation will become even more complicated."
"Huh?"
"As Munhyeon said, we have the moral high ground. Moreover, if Wudang learns that the Seven Kill Sect used the Palmun Gang to manipulate events behind the scenes and deceive their own eyes, do you think they'll simply stand by and watch them run wild?"
"...I see. That makes sense."
Sayo finally relaxed, nodding in agreement.
Now that Wudang knew about the Palmun Gang and Seven Kill Sect's alliance, they wouldn't act rashly.
After all, the Zhuge Clan's warriors had already driven them away.
But what if they refused to accept defeat and attacked Danggangu anyway? Wudang wouldn't stand for that. Their pride wouldn't allow it...
"Do you think Young Master Zhuge Munhyeon considered all this?"
"Probably. He might seem carefree on the surface, but he's deeper than anyone I know."
"Haa... He's truly remarkable."
"Indeed. I keep trying to catch up, but he just keeps pulling further ahead."
Zhuge Munho smiled bitterly, and Sayo shook her head, a gentle smile gracing her lips.
"Do you really need to catch up?"
"Huh?"
"You possess an extraordinary capacity for understanding and acceptance. That's what truly makes you remarkable."
"...?"
Sayo secretly believed he was better suited to be the Young Patriarch.
What mattered most to a Patriarch wasn't strength, but the ability to unite the clan members through empathy and understanding.
However, Zhuge Munho didn't grasp her meaning and only tilted her head in confusion.
Meanwhile...
"Those two... still being all lovey-dovey."
Zhuge Munhyeon, who had finished cleaning the second floor, leaned against the railing and glared down at the pair, his face twisting into a scowl.
What could he do? They were young and in love... At least they had avenged their grandfather and laid the foundation for the Zhuge Clan to secure Danggangu. Now all they had to do was wait for someone to rush over from the Main Clan before departing for Wudang.
Of course, before that...
"Elder Brother Munho! I'm heading back first. Clean up properly and come later!"
"What?" Zhuge Munho asked, but Zhuge Munhyeon didn't even glance back as he leaped out the second-floor window.
He clutched a chest in his arms.
I can't leave this behind. If Munho sees it, he'll definitely claim it for the Main Clan. This is our poor grandfather's retirement fund. Isn't his constant need for money why he keeps taking dangerous Requested Performances outside Qingyan?
"Munhyeon! Munhyeon... Ugh!"
Zhuge Munho, who had frantically rushed up to the second floor, grimaced at the scene of unspeakable horror.
A corpse so mangled it was barely recognizable...
But after such a heroic feat, he couldn't fault Munhyeon for fighting a little... brutally.
"P-people can get really... really angry, so maybe... that's why..."
"Ugh! What is this?!"
"How could anyone do something like this...?"
"...That bastard must have been a member of the Demonic Cult in his past life, right?"
Gwan Hwipyeong, who had arrived late, grimaced in disgust.
"And this bastard just left after making this mess?"
"How are we supposed to clean this up?!"
"He's a real piece of work! He definitely was in the Demonic Cult in his past life."
As they grumbled, Zhuge Munho's eyes narrowed.
These brats... They don't even realize who helped the clan secure Danggangu!
Thwack! Thwack!
Before he knew it, Zhuge Munho had smacked the three of them on the head.
"Ah! Why did you hit us?!"
"Shut up, you bastards! All you do is whine about your younger brother behind his back instead of stepping up! What? The Demonic Cult? Is that all you can say? Our in-laws were attacked—it's only natural to be a little ruthless!"
"E-Elder Brother, that's not what we meant..."
"What are you waiting for? Clean this up now!"
"..."
Gwan Hwipyeong, thoroughly cowed by Zhuge Munho's roar, suppressed their nausea and began clearing the debris and collecting the corpses.
He's learned, he's learned. As the saying goes, "One who stays near ink becomes black." This is why you need to choose good younger brothers. But why are we the only ones cleaning? Shouldn't Elder Brother Munho help too?
Seeing their grumbling, Zhuge Munho subtly gripped his sword hilt.
So this is how Munhyeon must have felt all this time. Some kids only listen after a good beating.
📝 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