Chapter 53
Chapter 53
Translator: Penny
Chapter 53
"Oh, shit. I almost died."
As expected, the locking pin mechanism had worked.
The moment he entered the facility, it activated, and needles rained down from all directions.
What if he had only been at the Ejection Qi level? He would have become a hedgehog and later been discovered by rescuers who heard he had entered the cave. But let's forget about the past. It's okay since I'm alive. What matters is from now on.
The mechanisms and formations of the Secret Cave's structure remained intact, without collapsing.
"That's strange. It's night outside, but it's bright in here... I can't even see any night-luminescent stones."
Fortunately, he could still see inside, even if only dimly. Zhuge Munhyeon walked slowly along the narrow passage with a smile on his face.
There was no fear. He was and still is a man brimming with a competitive spirit. What's the difference between a person and a mechanism? The stronger the opponent he had to fight, the more exciting the anticipation became. Now I have to fight this fucking trap. My steps grew lighter, and the sound of my footsteps vanished without a trace.
After walking like that for a while, the passage, enveloped in silence, turned.
Zhuge Munhyeon stopped at the entrance and looked around.
There's no way it could end like this...
He examined the faint traces scattered on the floor and walls with sharp eyes.
"This is a formation."
The very air felt different.
It was clear that the formation was unfolding, disrupting the flow.
Amazing. I never thought they'd be able to set up a formation in this narrow passage... It seems the legendary Zhuge Liang was truly skilled.
Zhuge Munhyeon recalled all the formations Han Siheon had deployed to trap him...
But none of them looked alike. Then something suddenly occurred to me. The Eight Trigrams Formation?
If I hadn't seen the Eight Trigrams Formation spread out on terrain that resembled a miniature version of Yungjungsan on my first day at Byeongju Hall, I wouldn't have known. That day, I forgot even the passage of time, completely absorbed in figuring out how to break through the Eight Trigrams Formation. I tried it. I felt it.
"Damn, I'm going crazy. Is this really the Eight Trigrams Formation?"
It had been lost to the family, existing only in records until his father recreated it.
What lay spread out on the ground back then was also unfinished.
But now, a completed miniature version was unfolding before his eyes.
"Haa, what should I do with this?"
He just couldn't bring himself to step in.
He didn't know this formation.
A method of entering it without knowing what would happen.
Zhuge Munhyeon was forced to stand still at the formation's entrance, pondering for a long time.
But soon.
"It makes no sense to turn back after coming all this way."
He made up his mind.
Let's move forward. It isn't entirely impossible. The Eight Trigrams Formation was developed as a military formation. To fully realize its effect, a wide terrain is required. Therefore, even if the formation were fully completed, the limited space would prevent its effectiveness from being maximized. If this is truly the Eight Trigrams Formation, then its beginning is... the Returning Fog.
A disorienting fog spread thickly, eventually forcing one to return to where they entered.
Damn it.
The moment he took a step, the fog thickened, and his pace quickened.
Thank God. When they cleared away the rubble and discovered the iron bar, they saw the structure of the Secret Cave that Byeongju Hall scholars Yang Hun and Yeo Mungi had roughly predicted. The Middle of the Cave.
In that case, the mechanism would be the last, after the pin trap, leaving only the Eight Trigrams Formation.
The moment he passed the Returning Fog Formation in a single breath and entered the second section...
Ssaeaeak!
What flew with a sharp noise was a heavy, club-like object. Among them, something the size of a person...
"Ugh!"
Startled by the projectile emerging from the dense fog, Zhuge Munhyeon quickly turned back.
Kwaaaaang!
A heavy crash against the wall.
And...
Click.
A clear, beautiful sound that made the back of his neck tingle.
By sheer luck, his hand, which had been leaning back and touching the floor, ended up pressing something.
"Oh, shit! It's been so long and it's still working!"
He was so angry he couldn't help but laugh.
Even if I'm unlucky, how could I be this unlucky? The saying that even if you fall backward, your nose will break seems to apply perfectly to situations like this.
But now wasn't the time to sigh.
The floor sank with a click, and an eerie feeling rose from below.
Yu Gilcheon... You made this so difficult. You even kept shoddy records of people's reputations, but when you died, you left behind a mountain of dirty traps.
"You fucking bastard!"
Zhuge Munhyeon roared in fury, unleashing every skill he possessed.
Flipping, twisting, soaring, running...
The wind stirred his imagination, and he wrestled with memories from his time as the Heavenly Demon.
This is the first time in my life I've ever worked so hard. The Zhuge Clan is truly terrifying. Why on earth are these guys so depraved?
After enduring such hardships and running over and over again, Zhuge Munhyeon finally came face to face with the iron gate.
"Ah..."
It's over. Eight Trigrams.
To be precise, it was like a miniature version of the formation, so it wouldn't have even demonstrated a tenth of its original power, but where was that?
Hadn't he overcome the essence of the Zhuge family's formation and mechanisms with a skill that wasn't even close to that of a master?
"Oh, oh, oh, oh."
When he looked back, the formation had disappeared, and the mechanisms that had been tormenting him were nowhere to be seen.
Baekmu's words rang true. This place was designed for intruders to enter and die. I understood why the Wudang Sect hadn't done it themselves, instead entrusting the task to the Zhuge family. Because everything here was uncertain. It must have taken at least a year to lift the ban without risking one's life. What had they done to cram so much into this narrow passage? The pressure plates were all activated by the mechanisms, and every touch was met with a sharp blade... Oh, shit. It's a good thing some things didn't work because they were broken; I almost died several times. If the poison traps had been in good condition, it wouldn't have been easy to overcome even if I had detected them.
But eventually, he got through it.
That thing that was like hell... Even if you told me to do it again, I couldn't.
Thanks to that, his snow-white robe was torn to the point where it was hard to tell if it had ever been worn, and the exposed body was covered in wounds, blood flowing freely...
But... I couldn't contain the overwhelming emotion that was welling up inside me at that moment. I'm so moved that I'm on the verge of tears.
Now, one iron gate. Based on the structural analysis predicted by Yang Hun and Yeo Mungi, Yu Gilcheon will be there. And something he left behind... Surely not, you little punk. You didn't install something weird on the iron gate, did you?
He couldn't help but be suspicious.
Because I've been through so much. Because I've almost died about twenty times.
Catching his breath, Zhuge Munhyeon slowly approached the iron gate, moving cautiously and listening intently for any further clicking sounds.
And the iron gate hidden in the darkness was revealed.
On it was an inscription:
O, Fated One, you have endured hardship. Since you have come this far, I believe that Heaven has a purpose for you.
"..."
The corners of Zhuge Munhyeon's eyes, which had been blankly staring at the words, suddenly shot upward.
This crazy kid! Fated One? You establish these mechanisms and formations, and then you talk about a 'Fated One'? You'd be dead before you even get to be 'fated'!
The moment he grew angry, dumbfounded...
Rip.
The tattered clothes could no longer hold up and slid down his body.
"Oh my!"
Zhuge Munhyeon unconsciously grabbed the hem of his clothes.
Even though he knew he was alone, he instinctively tried to cover his naked body.
"Damn, there should be clothes inside."
Zhuge Munhyeon, who had tightly wrapped his lower body to conceal it despite his upper body being exposed, grumbled and pushed open the iron door.
Creak. Crunch, thud!
The door slammed open with an unpleasant bang.
Is it because it's been closed for so long?
He pushed it slightly, then stepped back a little, avoiding the crack in case something came out from inside.
Fortunately, it was quiet.
He peeked his head in and looked around, but he couldn't see anything unusual.
"Phew..."
Only then did Zhuge Munhyeon feel relieved. He swung the door wide open and stepped inside.
It was a grotto.
And a skeleton sat in a circular hollow carved out of rock.
It wore a robe with a distinct Taegeuk pattern that looked as though it would shatter into dust if touched.
Though only bones remained, Zhuge Munhyeon recognized him immediately.
"...Yu Gilcheon."
Why was that? Even if we met in the afterlife, I thought I would come at him with my fists flying. But when I actually saw him, my heart grew heavy, and my expression turned calm.
After staring at him for a long moment, Zhuge Munhyeon slowly approached. He plopped down in front of him and looked him in the eye.
"You've aged a lot."
If anyone had heard him, they might have pointed their finger and called him crazy, but that was the feeling at that moment.
An encounter with the past.
Though he was nothing more than a silent relic, Zhuge Munhyeon's eyes reddened as if he were reliving a moment from his life.
"Still, you, you fiend, were too harsh. What is evil? Evil... It's not like I committed any reckless murders."
As if he had returned to his days as the Heavenly Demon, Zhuge Munhyeon lamented his disappointment.
"Anyway, I'm sorry. We're like old friends, so if I'd known you'd be waiting like this, I should have brought you a bottle of alcohol. But, well, you wouldn't have done that either, so just understand."
Even while grumbling, he found himself laughing.
It was obvious even without looking. If the Heavenly Demon had died, they would have danced so wildly that the hems of their robes would have fluttered.
"I couldn't achieve Ascension with what you gave me, but thanks to you, I was able to travel a long way to meet wonderful parents. I'm grateful for that. I never imagined I'd change like this, but they're quite warm."
Even though he was alone, it felt like he was having a conversation.
It seemed as if Yu Gilcheon's smiling face was superimposed on the remains.
"You didn't wish for this, did you? Even if you cleanse yourself of your demonic energy for the sake of Ascension, your true nature won't change. So, you should live again and experience human affection."
Zhuge Munhyeon, who had been giggling so loudly that the room gently resonated, gazed at the remains, trying to decipher their hidden meaning.
"So, where are you now? Did you truly ascend to the heavens? Or were you, like me, reborn somewhere and living?"
The questions he had been pondering poured out.
But there was no answer.
He had attained enlightenment, leaving behind only a skeleton that seemed to be smiling.
"Anyway, that's why I hate those Daoist priests. They always ask questions. Let's stop talking. Memories should remain just memories. If you left anything behind, I'll take it. And the Clear Yang Sword. I heard your descendants will keep it in the Patriarch Hall."
Zhuge Munhyeon rose with a smile and extended his hand toward the remains.
I don't know what this fool did to deserve so much, but now it's time to let his body rest in peace.
Fwoosh.
As soon as he grabbed his collar, his remains scattered like dust and settled.
"I'll borrow your clothes. As you can see, mine look like this now."
Zhuge Munhyeon chuckled and draped the robe over his body.
It was old, but still wearable.
He carefully gathered up some of the bone fragments and glanced at the sword lying nearby. Then, he drew the blade from its rusted scabbard.
Shing.
A famous sword truly lived up to its reputation.
It possessed a distinct shine, ready for immediate use.
Engraved on the bottom of the sword were the characters Cheongyang (Clear Yang).
Zhuge Munhyeon stared at those two characters for a moment before quickly sheathing the sword and looking around.
He was searching for something Yu Gilcheon had left behind.
Fortunately, the entrance was blocked by the mechanism formation to prevent anyone from approaching, so it seemed there was no need to hide it separately.
On a study table in the corner of the room lay a book titled Hyeoncheonbirok (Secret Records of the Virtuous Celestial).
"Hey, did you even keep a diary?" Zhuge Munhyeon asked with a smirk, opening the book.
And there it was:
The Scourge has disappeared.
... was written.
Oh, that damned brat. From the very first line, the diary was brimming with joy and ecstasy.
📝 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