Chapter 60
Chapter 60
Translator: Penny
Chapter 60
Swish!
It was the rainy season, with torrential downpours striking without warning.
The swollen river surged with high waves, its waters churning and flowing in a muddy, yellowish-brown torrent.
During this period, even small boats dared not venture out into the treacherous currents. Only ferries crossing the river or short-distance transport vessels remained in operation.
This was partly because weaker vessels couldn't withstand the raging currents, but more importantly, operating boats during this season made them prime targets for river pirates who flouted national law.
The Yangtze River Waterway Alliance.
These self-proclaimed "Masters of the River" had divided the Yangtze into several zones, each under their control.
Normally, things were manageable.
The alliance enforced a peaceful system of tolls, and the fees were quite reasonable.
How many ships must pass through the River Pirates' toll stations along the vast Yangtze River?
The saying "the more, the better" existed for a reason.
Even those paying the tolls weren't entirely at a disadvantage. If a ship ran aground or encountered trouble within the pirates' territory, the pirates would actively assist.
In essence, it was a system of mutual aid.
The pirates earned tolls, while merchant ships gained guaranteed safety.
But the rainy season changed everything.
Principles? Those were luxuries for times of plenty.
When ships stopped sailing, it was a lean period for the pirates, akin to the spring famine.
Living hand-to-mouth, they had no concept of saving or preparing for the future.
Eyes bloodshot, they scanned the river relentlessly, desperate to catch just one ship.
Their tempers grew violent.
Instead of just demanding tolls, they seized entire cargoes and kidnapped people to sell as slaves.
This was such a time.
The most dangerous season on the Yangtze River.
Yet a massive ship, as if claiming the entire river for itself, plowed through the turbulent currents.
It boasted three towering sails.
A Grain Transport Ship, stretching over ten zhang from bow to stern.
For the river pirates, this was the ultimate prize.
Grain Transport Ships were built by the government or merchant guilds to transport grain.
Even if carrying only rice, it would hold dozens of seom; if loaded with valuables, it could sustain them through a famine.
The pirates rowed frantically, surging over the waves.
Like ravenous beasts, they converged from all sides, desperate to be the first to board and plunder the ship.
The boarding ship drew closer.
With murderous glares, they drew their maces, spears, and other weapons, preparing for battle. They intended to start with a sword strike.
There might be an escort.
But since they lived on the edge of death anyway, they didn't care how many they killed. If a comrade died, their share of the loot would only increase—all the better.
But then...
Flap!
As the distance closed, they spotted a flag fluttering vigorously atop the mast. Their faces twisted in fury.
"Damn it! So much for that. Turn the ship around!"
The expected cargo was a lie.
The ship was packed with people.
Amidst the chaos, the flag unfurled, revealing elegant, formal script written in the yeseo style:
Azure Vault Controls Swords, Clear Wind Ten Thousand Li.
"Seriously, what kind of idiot would sail all the way to Hubei just to scavenge for scraps? What a joke! They should have stayed holed up in Anhui where they belong."
The identity of the flag was revealed: they were the Namgung Clan.
Even though the world was fractured into warring factions, blurring the lines between righteous and corrupt, they remained a formidable force in Anhui.
They might be weaker than in their glory days, but provoking them would force the Yangtze River to prepare for war.
At best, it would be a mutually destructive conflict.
No matter how desperate the situation, one had to distinguish between what was edible and what wasn't.
Since they claimed to be merely passing through, there was no need to stir up trouble.
"What are you waiting for? Turn the ships around! This has ruined my appetite."
"Yes, sir!"
The ships began to turn back.
The young man, who had been meticulously observing the River Pirates' movements from the Grain Transport Ship, clicked his tongue in annoyance.
Roughly twenty years old, he radiated youthful vigor, as was typical for his age.
"Tch, what a bunch of cowards. Why even draw their swords?" he muttered, clearly displeased by the pirates' decision to turn back without engaging.
"Enough. Come sit down," a middle-aged man called from beneath the sunshade stretched across the deck, which also offered shelter from the occasional rain. The young man approached with a pout and settled beside him.
"Aren't you disappointed, Paternal Uncle?"
"What do you mean?"
"This was a perfect opportunity to enhance our reputation! If we had subjugated the River Pirates from Anhui to Hubei Province, imagine how the people would praise our Namgung Clan!"
The middle-aged man chuckled at the young man's grumbling.
"And if we subdue them?"
"Huh?"
"We'll suffer no losses at all?"
"Losses? What losses? They're just numbers. How could such rabble even compare to the Namgung Clan's reputation...?"
"Tsk, tsk. That's your problem."
"Huh?"
"Why can't you restrain yourself? Always letting your competitive spirit run wild?"
"What did I do? You're just making things up."
The young man pouted at the reprimand, and the middle-aged man shook his head.
Sigh... There are ways to resolve this without fighting...
Even in a world where everyone had become enemies, few factions dared to disregard the Namgung Clan's name and initiate hostilities.
The Namgung Clan felt the same way.
While Anhui might be worth fighting for, there was no need to come all the way to Hubei for a pointless battle.
The hot-blooded young man, however, seemed to have a different opinion.
"But Paternal Uncle," he said.
"What is it?"
"Do we really need the Zhuge Clan?"
The question carried considerable weight.
"What do you mean?"
"In today's Martial World, isn't strength more important than wisdom?"
"..."
"I've heard they've lost their former glory and been pushed back by the Heretical Factions, barely managing to hold onto Yungjungsan..."
"Enough, you insolent brat! How dare a direct descendant speak such words?"
The middle-aged martial artist rebuked the young man with feigned sternness.
The young man's name was Namgung Yu.
Namgung Yu was the second son of Namgung Cheonwi, the current master of the Namgung Clan.
A prodigy among prodigies, he possessed exceptional talent with the sword. By the age of twenty, he had reached the Ejection Qi realm and comprehended the essence of the Azure Vault Boundless Sword Technique. He was widely regarded as the future representative of Namgung's swordsmanship.
"You can't be serious, right?" Namgung Yu grumbled, glancing at the warriors seated on the deck. "I just don't understand Father's intentions. Why would we need to lead the Heavenly Wind Unit—the most elite warriors of the Azure Vault Corps—even though we're already considered the best among them? Why can't we just handle this ourselves?"
Exactly twenty Sword Ghosts were present. These were not mere bodyguards, but the elite core of the Namgung Clan.
The Heavenly Wind Unit of the Azure Vault Corps.
Their reputation had already swept across the entire Anhui region.
Their name wasn't for nothing. These warriors had achieved countless military victories, raising the Namgung name to unparalleled heights. Wherever the Heavenly Wind Unit struck, not a blade of grass remained standing.
"Paternal Uncle, why are you being sent as an envoy? This makes no sense!"
"Makes no sense, you say..." The middle-aged man chuckled softly at Namgung Yu's words.
This was Namgung Cheonung, the Nine Splitting Sword. Having reached the Transcendent Peak, he was a martial artist so renowned that his name was known throughout Anhui.
"Yu-ya."
"Yes, Uncle."
"Where do you think the Namgung Clan's ambitions lie?"
"Well... isn't it to rule the world?"
"Exactly. The Main Clan has always gazed upon the Azure Heaven, dreaming of first dominating the Five Great Clans, then uniting the Nine Great Sects, and ultimately bringing the entire world under our feet."
Namgung Yu's eyes sparkled at Namgung Cheonung's words.
Ruling the world.
He had heard this phrase since he first gripped a wooden sword in his small hands, and it always made his heart race.
It meant becoming the master of the world.
"But the power of the sword alone can only make you the strongest in the world, not fulfill the ambition of ruling it."
"..."
"The reason the Martial Alliance once ruled the world wasn't because the Alliance Leader was strong, nor because they had a Warrior Corps composed of the Nine Great Sects and the main forces of the Martial Families. It was because of the Zhuge Clan. Their wisdom as strategists allowed the Martial Alliance to wield such power."
"Ehh, if they were so great, why are they in such a state now?"
"Because they lack power."
"Huh?"
"The Zhuge Clan was never exceptional in martial arts. They believed that wisdom, not strength, could govern the world."
"Then their wisdom must not have been that impressive after all, right?"
"Why do you say that?"
"Even those brilliant minds couldn't foresee how the world would change. If they had prepared in advance, they wouldn't have fallen into such decline."
"Heh heh, they were only human. Who among us can claim to have never made a mistake in their lives? It's just that, as you said, their failure to read the currents of the world proved to be a fatal error. But what if they had possessed greater power? Would they have fallen into decline as they have now?"
"Hmm..."
"I don't think so. If they had been even slightly stronger, the course of the world would have changed. Their wisdom would have amplified their power tenfold."
"..."
"Yu, the world is stirring again. Warlords are gathering their forces to challenge for supremacy. We need their strength—so much so that we must obtain it, by force if necessary."
A cold glint flickered in Namgung Cheonung's smile as the ship sailed toward Hubei Province.
It had been quite some time since their visit to Wudang.
During that period, the Zhuge Clan had undergone significant changes.
First, the Danggangu Branch had begun operating normally.
Wudang's assistance proved invaluable. They actively helped stabilize the branch, even establishing an unprecedented Wudang Branch and deploying their disciples there.
They also made sure to mention they were repaying the favor they owed Zhuge Munhyeon.
Recently, the Master of the Yuzhen Palace personally led his disciples to attend the Zhuge Clan's coming-of-age ceremony, gracing the occasion with their presence.
Those guys... I'll set aside my anger toward the Virtuous Celestial for now.
Then, on one fateful day when he turned sixteen, the Zhuge Clan finally celebrated a long-awaited joyous occasion.
"Are you sure you're really okay with this?" Zhuge Doyun asked, his expression filled with concern.
"Of course! I've already prepared the countermeasures. You know I helped the Heavenly Craft Workshop install the mechanisms, right?"
"I know, I know. But Munhyeon, it's not as simple as that. Newly created Formations are always like this. They seem perfect in theory, but the reality is completely different once you experience them firsthand."
"That's exactly why it's even more important to test it thoroughly. Someone needs to verify it, don't they?"
"That's true, but... why does it have to be you?"
"Then who else would do it? Among those with my level of skill, who else has such a deep understanding of Formations?"
Zhuge Doyun pressed his lips into a tight line, his face creasing into a frown.
Just recently, after three months of large-scale construction, the Eight Trigrams Formation, which he had researched for years, was finally installed on Yungjungsan.
The problem was that they still couldn't be certain if it was functioning properly.
Formations were inherently unpredictable.
While familiar formations might be reliable, newly established ones, however theoretically sound, remained untested until experienced firsthand.
Thus, Zhuge Munhyeon had volunteered to inspect the formation.
He had already experienced the Eight Trigrams Formation at Wudang, albeit in a partial form. Yet he was confident that his understanding of its weaknesses far surpassed his father's.
"Come now, stop worrying and activate the formation. I'll dismantle it within a day anyway."
"Haa, you never cease to amaze me. Why do you always rush to the forefront when it comes to clan matters?" Zhuge Doyun shook his head.
Clan matters? No, this is for my own sake. To grow stronger, I need harsher training. Only then can I sever the heads of those Half-Immortal bastards, wherever they may be hiding.
He had already experienced a miniature version of the Eight Trigrams Formation in the Virtuous Celestial's Secret Cave, but that was merely a scaled-down replica. For proper cultivation, he needed the full power of the Eight Trigrams Formation.
"Oh, and you know this is a secret from Mother, right?"
"Of course..."
Naturally, he knew.
If he let slip, he'd likely end up worse off than before.
Zhuge Doyun sighed and prepared to activate the Formation. Zhuge Munhyeon glanced at the others nearby.
"Elder Brother, let's go."
"Okay."
"Gwan Hwipyeong and the others too."
"Huh? We're coming too?"
Heh, these guys. Then who's going to attend to me? Still not used to me, it seems. Not coming when I call them "Elder Brother"...
But with their father still present, Zhuge Munhyeon maintained his most amiable expression and spoke in a low voice.
"...Do you want to be dragged along?"
📝 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