Chapter 63
Chapter 63
Translator: Penny
Chapter 63
An hour later, after entrusting their horses to Yeomcheon, Namgung Cheonung stepped into the Formation, a sneer playing on his lips.
"The Fog Formation," he murmured.
This Formation obscured vision with dense fog, disorienting intruders and forcing them to wander in endless circles.
Though Formations were merely auxiliary tools in combat, their effectiveness was surprisingly potent.
Countless warriors who underestimated these constructs had met their end trapped within. This was why martial artists from Prestigious Clans studied Formations from a young age—not for deployment, but for dismantling.
They understood that just as swordsmanship evolved from basic cuts and thrusts into myriad variations, Formations, rooted in Yin-Yang, the Five Elements, and the Eight Trigrams, could be unraveled with a grasp of their fundamental principles.
"These things are really getting on my nerves. Let's just smash them, Paternal Uncle."
Namgung Cheonung shook his head lightly at Namgung Yu's words.
Of course, he understood the sentiment. Being trapped was never a pleasant experience.
"Yu, calm yourself. What good will it do to get worked up over these scholars?"
"..."
"Use only the strength you need. If you waste your power on such a basic formation, how can you claim to have crushed their pride?"
"But their level is so low! This trash is supposed to be a Formation?"
"Don't be impatient. The Zhuge Clan will eventually fall beneath our Namgung Clan, anyway."
"Haa..."
Namgung Cheonung smiled faintly as he watched Namgung Yu sigh.
Exceptional talent and skill, but still so young. How could one blame youth for its lack of patience? Everything came with time. After all, the pillar that would one day support the grand roof of the Namgung Clan wouldn't materialize overnight.
"However! Remember that this is the Zhuge Clan's Fog Formation. Complacency is forbidden! Don't be misled by the mist or chase after its shifting currents. It's merely an illusion, a trick of the eye. The terrain itself won't change, so focus your senses on your feet."
"Yes, sir!"
Namgung Cheonung strode forward with dignified steps, followed slowly by Namgung Yu and the warriors of the Heavenly Wind Unit.
They simply needed to walk straight, avoiding the obstacles underfoot.
Eventually, this path would end.
One thought lingered:
"Tsk, tsk. I thought they had some hidden scheme, given all the talk about a "test." Zhuge's son is truly naive. Wasn't this formation remarkably crude?"
Though he had urged Namgung Yu to remain calm, Namgung Cheonung couldn't help but sneer inwardly.
"Increase your speed! We'll reach Yungjungsan in one swift move!"
"Yes, sir!"
At Namgung Cheonung's command, the Heavenly Wind Unit quickened their pace.
Despite the dense fog, their movements remained unhindered, as if nothing could impede their progress.
Gradually, the fog began to dissipate, its effects waning as they moved further from the formation's core.
Realizing they had reached the exit, Namgung Cheonung took a decisive step and broke free of the formation.
"Haa... What kind of nonsense was that, really?"
Namgung Yu followed, his expression one of utter disdain, when he suddenly noticed something strange.
Namgung Cheonung had come to an abrupt halt, standing motionless.
"Paternal Uncle..."
As Namgung Yu approached, he too froze in place.
The surrounding landscape.
Hee-hee-hee!
The neighing of horses and the clatter of hooves.
"Huh? You're back again?"
Yeomcheon, who had been guarding the horses, tilted his head and asked, "Did you forget something...?"
Yeomcheon's question was innocent enough, but Namgung Cheonung's face flushed slightly.
He had walked straight ahead... He had focused his senses on his feet, relying on touch rather than sight to avoid being misled...
"Um..."
Just as Yeomcheon was about to ask again, Namgung Cheonung abruptly turned and strode back into the formation.
Namgung Yu and the warriors of the Heavenly Wind Unit followed suit.
"What was that about?" Yeomcheon wondered, puzzled.
They seemed angry...
But how long had it been?
"Huh?"
The Namgung Clan warriors had returned again.
"..."
"..."
This time, before anyone could even ask, they abruptly turned and retreated back into the formation.
"Why are they acting like this?" Yeomcheon, who had no idea what was going on, could only tilt his head in confusion.
Namgung Cheonung's eyes widened as he re-entered the Fog Formation, which he had initially dismissed as simple. His breathing grew heavy and ragged.
Seeing his uncle's furious expression, Namgung Yu dared not speak, instead cautiously observing him.
This was the third time this had happened. His anger was justified.
"That bastard... he must have had something up his sleeve," Namgung Cheonung muttered under his breath, stepping forward to lead the formation.
He had intended to bypass the Formation without destroying it.
But the mist within the Formation brushed past his cheek as if mocking him, making it nearly impossible to suppress his fury.
Very well. I'll gladly play along with your game. To the tune of your drum...
Thump!
Namgung Cheonung stomped his foot with tremendous force, unleashing a torrent of Internal Energy.
The dense mist recoiled as if startled, scattering in all directions to reveal the hidden landscape.
In the end, it was nothing more than an illusion. Since deciphering what it concealed had become too difficult, brute force was the only option. Wasn't that a form of deciphering too? More importantly, Zhuge Munhyeon had only instructed him to break through the Formation, without specifying any particular method.
"Yu."
"Yes, Paternal Uncle."
"I must retract the words I spoke to you earlier."
"Please don't trouble yourself, Paternal Uncle. I have no intention of speaking ill of you. In fact, I'm relieved that we can break through with force."
"Very well."
Namgung Cheonung had been forced to reverse his earlier advice to Namgung Yu, but he could no longer tolerate being manipulated.
He couldn't allow himself to be toyed with indefinitely.
"Form the Wedge Formation!"
The Sword Formation surged forward, its sharp, sword-like tip leading the charge.
Their intent was clear: to shatter the core of the formation and advance.
Understanding his intent, the Namgung Clan warriors immediately rallied behind Namgung Cheonung.
"We'll break through in one strike! Don't fall behind!"
"Yes, sir!"
Before the response had even finished echoing, Namgung Cheonung kicked off the ground and shot forward like an arrow.
Whoosh!
The terrifying speed sucked in the surrounding mist, which trailed behind him like a tail.
"Haaap!"
Namgung Cheonung, still running, extended both hands to his sides, channeling his Internal Energy.
Kwaaang!
Transcendent Peak.
The entire Formation trembled under the force of the martial artist's dual palms, a realm commonly referred to as Intent Qi. The mist lost its power and dispersed, revealing a faint glimpse of the outside world.
"Over there!"
Just as he pinpointed the direction and leaped forward—
Swish!
The mist vanished abruptly, and the world plunged into darkness as if storm clouds had suddenly gathered overhead.
"What's happening?"
Namgung Cheonung, who had believed he had broken through the Formation, couldn't help but feel a surge of urgency.
But more than that—
Click.
The sound of something touching his foot sent a chill down his spine.
Whooosh!
A powerful gust of wind heralded the approach of something.
"Hah!"
Startled, Namgung Cheonung hastily crossed his arms to block the attack.
KWAOOOONG!
A heavy impact reverberated through his defenses.
"Paternal Uncle!"
Namgung Yu rushed toward Namgung Cheonung in alarm.
Crack.
An unseen lever-like mechanism caught on his collar and shifted.
Immediately afterward...
SHWEEEK!
With a piercing shriek that tore through the air, a barrage of projectiles shot in from the side.
Hidden weapons?
The moment he recognized the threat, Namgung Yu swiftly retreated, drawing his sword and swinging it in a wide arc.
PABABABABAK!
The fiercely swung blade created a wall of steel, shattering the incoming projectiles... stones?
From that point onward, the attacks continued in a relentless chain reaction.
As the Namgung Clan warriors scrambled to react to the sudden assault...
Click, click...
The grinding of mechanisms echoed from all directions, triggering a barrage of unexpected attacks: falling rocks, collapsing wooden pillars, and sudden ground collapses.
Darkness, fog, and invisible assaults.
Even the most skilled martial artists would struggle to avoid injury in such a situation.
"Damn it!"
In that instant, Namgung Cheonung's mind flashed back to Zhuge Munhyeon's enigmatic smile. The agreement... Could it be? Was he serious?
Namgung Cheonung had never imagined the Zhuge Clan would dare attack them.
Crack!
Feeling utterly betrayed, Namgung Cheonung's face flushed crimson. Heat surged from his dantian, spreading through his entire body.
Snap!
The cord binding his hair snapped, sending his locks flying wildly. His eyes blazed with fury, radiating an intense, incandescent light.
Hwiii...
As he raised his sword high, the Internal Energy gathered within it split into strands as thin as hair, scattering in all directions.
This was Sword Silk, a technique said to be usable only by martial artists who had reached the Transcendent Peak stage.
"I'll shatter everything!"
The Sword Silk, which had stretched to nearly ten meters following the sweeping strike, plummeted toward the ground.
KWAHHHHH!
The earth trembled, then erupted in a violent explosion.
For a fleeting moment, the surrounding air turned a ghastly ochre hue.
Whoooosh.
A sudden gust of wind swept in, carrying dark clouds and mist that swiftly engulfed the briefly revealed landscape once more.
And then...
Click.
A faint sound echoed as someone in the group righted themselves.
Thwack!
Simultaneously, something surged from the ground and struck Namgung Cheonung's torso with tremendous force.
"Th-this..."
He couldn't break it. Despite channeling all his internal energy into one of his most formidable techniques, he had only managed to momentarily disrupt the formation's influence.
"Don't move!"
The formation still held considerable power. A formation within a formation. And it was equipped with mechanisms. In this pitch-black environment, where it was impossible to discern what might strike from where, reckless movement was out of the question. To think they'd install such mechanisms on a flat plain, not even in a confined space.
A missed attack struck his side, sending a sharp pain through his flank.
If he was struggling this much, he couldn't guarantee the safety of Namgung Yu or the Heavenly Wind Unit. One wrong move...
The outskirts of the Third Section, quite a distance from the Yungjungsan Main Clan.
The Defensive Formation had been established not only to protect the Zhuge Clan's Main Clan but also the surrounding residents.
After activating the third Formation, Zhuge Munhyeon sank to the ground, a curious smile playing on his lips.
He could have sat on a chair, but that would have dulled his ability to clearly sense the vibrations in the earth.
Just now, a faint tremor had reached his fingertips.
It was clear the Second Section had been breached.
"Hmm, more impressive than I expected. The silent effect combined with shock dispersion... if the influence extends this far..."
Zhuge Munhyeon wore an expression devoid of any concern.
The first section, the Fog Formation. This was merely a welcoming gesture. A place meant to convey, "Since you're not permitted entry, turn back now." If you wandered lost in the fog, you'd inevitably find yourself heading back out.
But the second section was different. Once the Formation activated and you crossed the Fog Formation, you were deemed to harbor hostile intent, triggering an attack.
However, the attacks weren't lethal. Most were simply stones or trees. Still, if you were unlucky, a direct hit could crack your skull and lead to a messy death. But that was your choice.
And then came the third section. This was where things got truly dangerous. The real blade attacks began here. And the fourth section... Ugh, that's where hell truly begins.
"How far can they survive... cough."
Zhuge Munhyeon inadvertently thought of death and cleared his throat.
Still, it was fascinating. Watching the trapped enemies from outside the formation... It was like a god looking down at the mortal realm from the heavens. This must be why the Zhuge Clan couldn't abandon formations and strategy. Didn't it feel like moving stones on a Go board?
"Heh heh, this is why I can't abandon Ascension."
It wasn't just about feeling like a god—it was about becoming one for real. Just you wait. I will definitely become a god. Ascend... to godhood! Ascend... Hmm, is this it?
📝 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