Chapter 67
Chapter 67
Translator: Penny
Chapter 67
"Hey, are you really going to do this?"
Zhuge Munho looked like he was about to cry.
Ah, what am I supposed to do with this lunatic?
Seriously... I'm so scared my legs are shaking.
Should we just turn back now and tell the adults the truth?
Gwan Hwipyeong lowered his voice and whispered as quietly as he could.
He can hear everything, you know.
Are they doing this on purpose?
Zhuge Munhyeon, his eyebrow twitching crookedly, glanced back and snapped, "Shut up."
"Okay."
"That's what I was going to do anyway."
"Pyeong told me."
"Damn it!"
Though their expressions looked like they were about to explode with displeasure, their words and actions immediately became obedient.
They had already personally experienced that their younger brother was the most terrifying being imaginable.
His status had suddenly skyrocketed to unimaginable heights. Even if he beat them to a pulp, a simple explanation that it happened during training would have the family elders nodding and smiling.
Damn it, how did I get mixed up with a guy like this...? He's no brother of mine. He's a demon, a demon! I need to get a talisman or something.
"..."
Hmm, should I deal with Gwan Hwipyeong first? On the other hand, it was impressive. After enduring so much violence disguised as training, one would expect them to become docile. Yet they still grumbled every time. Why can't they just keep it to themselves?
Shaking his head, he quickened his pace.
"Munhyeon, why are you so determined to chase after them?" Zhuge Munho asked again, his tone conveying utter incomprehension.
Anyone would say their current actions were wrong.
They had slipped away from the family elders' notice to pursue the Namgung Clan warriors who were returning home.
He didn't know why. How could he possibly understand what was going through that monster's head? No, he didn't even want to know. Knowing might lead to something even more terrifying. He was simply terrified by the violence in Munhyeon's single word, "Let's go," and followed him like a hypnotized puppet, unable to muster a proper response.
His eyes looked like they could kill anyone without hesitation.
"Tell us why. We need to prepare ourselves mentally."
"Hmph."
Zhuge Munhyeon chuckled in response.
"I wanted to test something."
"Test?"
"I couldn't resist seeing the skills of the Nine Splitting Sword, who's quite famous in Anhui."
"The Nine Splitting Sword's skills?"
"Exactly."
Zhuge Munho tilted his head, pondering Munhyeon's nonchalant reply. His eyes widened to the size of lanterns.
Gwan Hwipyeong staggered, his feet tangling in shock.
"Hey!"
"You... you can't be serious?"
"Are you insane?"
For that moment, even they couldn't whisper.
Curious about the Nine Splitting Sword's skills? Does that mean he wants to fight him?
"Why are you so surprised?"
"..."
Zhuge Munhyeon frowned at the four men who had stopped in their tracks, staring at him with jaws practically unhinged.
He's really become human. Explaining things like this, one by one? In the past, he would have simply issued orders. Defiance? Disobedience? Such things were unheard of. When an order was given, they would risk their lives to carry it out.
"Aren't you curious?"
"No!"
"Absolutely not!"
Zhuge Munhyeon shook his head at Zhuge Munho's shout and Gwan Hwipyeong's simultaneous reply, as if they had rehearsed it.
What a strange bunch. Isn't it natural to want to test your strength against someone reputed to be strong?
The Nine Splitting Sword had never revealed his true abilities.
Nor had the Heavenly Wind Unit.
Though he had speculated about their power based on reputation alone, he had never entered a formation activated in tandem with them, making it impossible to gauge their true strength.
All he knew were the rumors:
Transcendent Peak.
A renowned martial artist from Anhui.
The representative swordsman of the Namgung Clan.
Now, sixty years after his death, with no way to accurately assess the current martial prowess of the clans' representatives, words alone wouldn't suffice.
He needed to experience their power firsthand.
And what if he were to ascend prematurely? What if he were to suddenly depart one day?
Someone had to be the Zhuge Clan's pillar of support.
That someone was Zhuge Munho and Gwan Hwipyeong.
Their own wishes were irrelevant.
He had already decided. He had been raising them with this in mind, and this was how they repaid him?! His fist clenched involuntarily, but blood ties... He forced himself to reason with them again.
"Brothers, this is an extremely important matter."
"..."
"The Nine Splitting Sword is a kind of benchmark. Do you think you can gauge their strength just by knowing the number of martial artists they have? We need to face them directly to understand the true level of the Namgung Clan's warriors."
"Um... is it really necessary to know their exact level?"
"What?"
"They're said to be at the Transcendent Peak stage. Isn't that enough to understand their capabilities?"
"How foolish. Do you really think that dividing martial artists into stages like 'Transcendent Peak' or 'Intent Qi' fully represents their true strength? I've told you before—a martial artist's cultivation stage isn't a reliable measure of their actual power."
"That's true, but..."
"You have to fight them directly. You have to see and feel it for yourself."
"Why bother? Why us?"
Zhuge Munho cautiously conveyed his refusal, and Gwan Hwipyeong's expression seemed to echo his sentiment.
They were clearly determined not to go.
"Hmm."
"A gentleman seeks harmony without conformity, while a petty man seeks conformity without harmony." It was said that a gentleman strove for harmony and cooperation even when disagreeing with others. Yet these two traveled together but remained uncooperative. Well, there were many ways to persuade someone. If words failed, physical action would suffice.
After a moment's hesitation, Zhuge Munhyeon slowly rolled up his sleeves.
Seeing Zhuge Munhyeon's tightly clenched fist and bulging forearm muscles, Zhuge Munho flinched in surprise before defiantly extending his finger.
"Munhyeon! This way is the shortcut!"
"What are you waiting for? Hurry up!"
"We don't have time for this!"
"We need to run faster to catch up in time!"
Zhuge Munho and Gwan Hwipyeong resumed their pace, sprinting forward with even greater speed than before.
"Damn it..."
On the way back, the sunset painting the western mountains was breathtakingly beautiful, but its glow only deepened the desolation hanging over the slumped warriors of the Namgung Clan.
The lengthening shadow of Yungjungsan seemed to chase them, threatening to swallow them whole, and their bodies felt as heavy as if weighed down by stones.
Even on horseback, they couldn't pick up speed.
Part of it was exhaustion from battling the formation, but the weight in their hearts, wounded by their bruised pride, was the greater burden.
Namgung Cheonung stared at Namgung Yu, unconscious and being carried on the back of a Heavenly Wind Unit warrior.
Grind.
His teeth clenched involuntarily.
What would he tell the Main Clan? That they hadn't even reached Yungjungsan? That they couldn't even break through the formation? Everything was true, yet it was too shameful to utter aloud. Having experienced it firsthand, he could no longer fully endorse the call to attack the Zhuge Clan. The Eight Trigrams Formation he had encountered was like an impenetrable fortress surrounding Yungjungsan. Above all, Zhuge Dowon's eyes radiated genuine intent. He looked capable of anything, as if he would ally with anyone if Namgung attacked. To be dismissed by a mere scholar who holed himself up in his study, reading the world in his mind—it was humiliating. Returning empty-handed, having become a laughingstock, this journey would forever be remembered as the most humiliating chapter in Namgung Cheonung's life.
"Just wait and see. I will never forget this day."
Gritting his teeth, Namgung Cheonung quickened his pace, just as he crested the hill.
"You're finally here?"
A youthful man sat on a roadside rock, greeting them with a cheerful wave as if he had been waiting for them. The sky above, still untouched by the setting sun, stretched out behind him.
"I'm relieved. I was worried you might have already passed by."
The man's oily voice twisted Namgung Cheonung's face into a furious grimace, his complexion flushing crimson like a boiling cauldron.
"Zhuge Munhyeon..."
"Yes, that's me."
"What trickery is this?"
A chilling, blue-tinged killing intent flickered in Namgung Cheonung's eyes.
Bearing the humiliation of a defeated general, his rage surged with such force that it stirred a cold wind.
Zhuge Munhyeon rose with an unconcerned expression and a sly smile.
"What tricks? Since I welcomed you, it's only proper I see you off. Besides, I just remembered I still have some business to attend to."
"Business?"
"Yes."
Zhuge Munhyeon grinned, blocking the path as he stood in the center.
"This brat needs to learn to control his youthful temper."
"What are you saying?"
"Unlike us, you're a true martial family, so you understand. Resolving disrespect between martial artists requires more than just words."
"What's your point?"
"Normally, if someone disrespects another clan's Patriarch and loses, they leave behind an arm or cut off an ear as an apology. That's how I understand things. How does the Namgung Clan handle such matters?"
"Th-this bastard?"
"But!"
"...?"
"How could a descendant of a noble clan stoop to such vile acts? Even our Patriarch showed generosity by providing a carriage for the patient..."
Namgung Cheonung's fury surged to his head as he watched the man smirk.
This damned bastard... Now that he thought about it, it was all this man's fault.
"So, what do you want?"
"What else? A proper apology for this incident, and appropriate compensation. Oh, and not a body part, of course... I'm being generous—a few coins will suffice."
"Mo-money?"
"Yes. As you know, the Zhuge Clan is still struggling financially, even though things have improved slightly recently. Reinstalling the broken formation will cost a considerable sum."
He ground his teeth.
The fact that even this young whelp dared to mock him was infuriating beyond endurance.
And why should he pay for repairing the broken formation? He had merely responded to their request for assistance, as the boy himself had said.
Yet he had to restrain himself.
He loathed the boy's insolent attitude, but they were still within Yungjungsan's territory.
Even if they had provoked the conflict, harming their descendants within Zhuge Clan territory could lead to further slander and false accusations.
"...Convey my apologies instead."
"Huh?"
"We've already come this far. Since we can't turn back now, tell Patriarch Zhuge that I regret the situation. As for compensation, I'll discuss it with the Patriarch of the Main Clan upon my return."
"Hmm, it seems you've misunderstood something."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Why would the Nine Splitting Sword apologize? He's simply not of the same caliber—not even close."
"...!?"
"If your Patriarch wishes to apologize to our Patriarch, he should send a formal letter himself. How dare someone who performs menial tasks presume to..."
Namgung Cheonung finally snapped, his face contorted with rage as he watched Munhyeon shake his head and sigh.
"You insolent wretch! You've grown so arrogant you've forgotten your place!"
"..."
"I was trying to be considerate of Patriarch Zhuge's position and tolerate your insolence. But how long did you think I'd let your arrogance slide?"
A surge of Internal Energy erupted from him, sending a dust cloud swirling outward.
Crack!
The killing intent in his energy shattered small stones on the ground, and nearby blades of grass were sliced with razor-sharp cuts.
Munhyeon... Please... Heaven and Earth, have mercy on us.
Zhuge Munho and Gwan Hwipyeong, forced to watch from behind, felt like they were dying.
Why did this madman keep provoking the Nine Splitting Sword's nature?
But then...
"I never asked you to endure anything."
"What?"
"Patriarch Namgung's apology and promise of appropriate compensation—that's all I need."
Zhuge Munhyeon's precise words made Namgung Cheonung, who had been trembling violently, grit his teeth.
"Then come and take it. If you have the ability."
"Hmm..."
Zhuge Munhyeon frowned deeply in thought before releasing the Iron Weights shackling his arms and legs.
Click, thud.
As the heavy weights sank into the ground with a dull thud, Zhuge Munhyeon's smile took on a sinister edge.
"Then I will."
"...?!"
"But if you try to back out later, you'll truly lose an arm this time."
📝 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