Chapter 76
Chapter 76
Translator: Penny
Chapter 76
Oksayeong's eyes widened.
Following suit, Zhuge Munho, Gwan Hwipyeong, and even Zhuge Junggi, who stood beside Zhuge Munhyeon, all stared in disbelief.
Suddenly? Out of the blue?
Yet, under their collective gaze, Zhuge Munhyeon remained unfazed, a hint of amusement playing on his lips as he awaited her response.
"Pfft, hahahahahahaha!"
The sheer absurdity of the situation caused Oksayeong to burst into laughter.
"Such brazenness... I'll overlook the casual address. This isn't the time to argue formalities—we were enemies anyway."
"..."
"But to suggest we join the Zhuge Clan? Are you insane?"
"No."
"You're serious?"
"Yes. Where else would you turn?"
"Hah..."
Oksayeong's derisive chuckle quickly turned into a fierce glare.
The murderous intent she exuded chilled the surrounding air, and the warriors who had retreated now drew their swords in unison, aiming them at him.
Fuck!
Ah, what are we going to do with this madman?
Elder Brother Munho is the Young Patriarch, so why is he acting up like this?!
We weren't supposed to follow him here...
Is this his idea of persuasion?! Then he shouldn't have asked for my help!
Gwan Hwipyeong, Zhuge Munho, and Zhuge Junggi exchanged furious glares, their eyes burning with silent curses.
He had ruined what could have been a successful negotiation.
Who would take kindly to this?
To come to enemy territory, sit face-to-face with their leader, and declare, "Join my side"?
He should have just proposed an alliance.
But the water had already spilled.
The suffocating murderous intent filled the air, threatening to pierce their bodies.
Yet even amidst such anxiety and dread, Zhuge Munhyeon spoke with an expression utterly devoid of tension.
"If it's a rejection, I'll just head back. I've always hated these probing conversations."
"Head back? You're awfully confident. You think you can come here, insult me, and leave unscathed?"
"Hmm, I never insulted you. I simply came to make a proposal. Since I've been rejected, I should leave. And... I think I'll make it back just fine."
"Good heavens... Who do you think I am?"
"Why? Who are you supposed to be?"
"What did you say?"
"Nothing special..."
Zhuge Munhyeon was deliberately provoking his opponent, fueling her anger with dismissive taunts.
"Hahahaha! It's been ages since I laughed like this. Very well. I was briefly tempted when I heard the Zhuge Clan's Young Patriarch had arrived. I thought if we could find common ground, I might offer a temporary truce and withdraw my northern warriors."
"..."
"But to suggest joining the Zhuge Clan? Even for someone so naive, don't you realize where you are right now?"
Oksayeong's eyes gleamed with murderous intent.
Zhuge Munho and Gwan Hwipyeong, tense and alert, positioned themselves protectively around Zhuge Junggi, their hands gripping their swords.
"Didn't you consider what might happen if you came here? What if I took you hostage and demanded peace from the Zhuge Clan? Or ordered you to block the Namgung Clan? Did you think about any of that?"
"Hmm, I suppose that could have happened. But you won't do it."
"Is that what you think?"
"Yes."
Zhuge Munhyeon's radiant smile made him look like a carefree child.
"Heh heh heh, then I'll show you how I'll use you!"
With those words, Oksayeong's hand shot out like lightning.
A finger, held straight and steady, aimed for a nerve point.
She intended to subdue him with a Pressure Point Strike.
Judging by appearances is always a mistake. Young or immature doesn't mean weak.
"Mu, Munhyeon!"
Zhuge Munho startled and moved to intervene, but Zhuge Munhyeon casually stepped back and seized Oksayeong's finger.
Then, with a slight twist, he snapped it.
Crack!
"Ugh!"
The finger bent backward at an unnatural angle, triggering a chain reaction: her arm twisted, her body lurched backward, and she collapsed to her knees in a perfectly natural sequence.
But Zhuge Munhyeon wasn't about to stop with just a broken finger.
Thwack!
The moment Oksayeong knelt, Zhuge Munhyeon seized her by the hair and grabbed a shard of broken liquor bottle from the floor.
The glass was shattered into a razor-sharp edge, as keen as a finely honed sword blade.
"Didn't expect things to turn around, did you? I could take you hostage, you know."
"...!"
Oksayeong's eyes widened in shock at being suddenly taken hostage.
No one dared move.
The entire sequence—twisting her finger and pressing the broken glass to her throat—happened in less than a breath, with seamless fluidity.
"Now, you know what to do, right? Drop your swords, everyone. Your Pavilion Master dies."
The warriors hesitated at the smiling threat.
In times like these...
Swish.
Blood trickled down from a fresh wound on the back of Oksayeong's neck.
"D-drop it! Drop your swords, you bastards!"
The events had unfolded too quickly for anyone to fully grasp what was happening. But Oksayeong, now facing imminent decapitation, screamed desperately.
This bastard hasn't even flinched while threatening me. I'm really going to die.
Clang.
Seeing Oksayeong's blood-curdling screams, the warriors exchanged nervous glances before dropping their swords.
Swords were crucial.
Unless one had mastered Aura and could wield their hands like blades, the presence or absence of a sword could multiply their combat effectiveness several times over.
Even a frail old man became terrifying when armed with a weapon.
"Alright, everyone, step back. All the way to the wall. I don't like crowds."
"Step back! Now!"
Oksayeong, prompted by Zhuge Munhyeon's quiet murmur, shouted the command loudly.
As the martial artists retreated, Zhuge Munhyeon released Oksayeong.
"...Huh?"
"What?"
"What are you doing?"
"Wait, you're letting go of the hostage you just captured? Why?"
Oksayeong wasn't the only one bewildered by this action. Everyone present was utterly confused.
Click, whoosh!
Zhuge Munhyeon, having removed the iron weights from his hands and feet, chuckled softly.
"What's the problem? I can just catch her again later."
"..."
His radiant smile made everyone think the same thing.
Ah, you crazy bastard... What is a hostage, some kind of fish? No, even releasing a fish would make it hard to catch again. Why let go of something you've already caught?!
Naturally, Oksayeong was the most astonished.
Releasing a captured enemy general? Is this arrogance born of confidence in his skills? Or just youthful recklessness? But that look in his eyes... hmm.
She could have counterattacked immediately, but Oksayeong, still unable to decipher his motives, spoke with a mocking smile.
"Iron Weights, huh? Do you think removing them will suddenly make you stronger?"
"It will. But don't misunderstand. This isn't just for training; it's also to seal away my power."
"Seal?"
"Yes. If I use it all, I'll inevitably kill. But as a member of the Zhuge Clan, indiscriminate slaughter is... problematic."
I've heard some ridiculous things in my life, but this takes the cake. Sealing away his power to avoid harming others?
"But those Iron Weights..."
Oksayeong glanced at the Iron Weights embedded in the floor.
Their weight had driven them deep into the ground.
She couldn't confidently claim she could defeat him.
He was clearly no ordinary opponent.
And that confident glint in his eyes... He truly believed in his own abilities.
"Impressive. I've never heard of someone like you in the Zhuge Clan..."
"You'll be hearing about me often from now on... Ah, wait, you won't. The Blood Shadow Pavilion will soon be a sea of blood in the Namgung Clan's hands."
"Hmm..."
"Still, I'll ask one more time before I leave. Are you really not interested?"
"Join the Zhuge Clan?"
"You have no other choice. You'll perish anyway. The others might survive if they surrender, but you'll never make it out alive. The Namgung Clan won't let you live."
When a sect fell, its leader shared its fate.
Perhaps even the High Command...
Because leaving loose ends was an ironclad rule.
Especially for Heretical Faction members like them, not even a shred of mercy would be shown.
"So you're saying the Zhuge Clan can protect us if they intervene?"
"Exactly."
"That Zhuge Clan?"
"Of course."
"How?"
"If you're curious, make the promise first. We'll verify the details later."
"..."
"If you join us, your status will be guaranteed. But be warned, you won't live as lavishly as you do now. You'll have to follow the Zhuge Clan's tax rates and operate only legitimate businesses. It's politically advantageous for us to publicly reform the Heretical Factions, regardless of our true motives."
"Reform?"
"Exactly. We need to be mindful of how the Orthodox Factions perceive us. Take the Wudang Sect, for example—they're our allies."
He let the information slip casually, leaving Oksayeong to draw her own conclusions.
"W-we're allied with the Wudang Sect?"
"Ah, I shouldn't have said that. Well, it doesn't matter. You'd find out eventually if we form an alliance. How else do you think we seized Danggangu? Right?"
"Hmm..."
Oksayeong's eyes flickered with complex thoughts, as clear as day.
"What if I betray you later?"
"Betrayal? Go ahead and try."
"What?"
"Then I'll make you experience a world so hellish, you'll wish you were dead."
"..."
"Decide quickly. We don't have time. According to the Beggar's Sect, the Namgung Clan's momentum is quite fierce. They're likely advancing north even as we speak."
"The Beggar's Sect?"
"What about them?"
"How long has it been since the Beggar's Sect fell...?"
"We rebuilt it. We've already consolidated all of northern Hubei Province under our control."
"You consolidated the Beggar's Sect? Then could it be...?"
"Exactly. How else would we have such detailed intelligence on the Namgung Clan's movements?"
"Hah..."
Oksayeong felt all the strength drain from her body in an instant.
No wonder the beggar gangs nearby hadn't disappeared... Was the Zhuge Clan behind this all along?
"What if I still refuse?"
"Then we'll have to go to the Demonic Shadow Lodge."
"The Demonic Shadow Lodge?"
"Yes. The Namgung Clan intends to drive out all the Heretical Factions from Hubei Province, and once the Blood Shadow Pavilion falls, they'll be next. Persuading them should be easier; they'll have already witnessed the pavilion's collapse and will likely want to survive by aligning with the Zhuge Clan."
Oksayeong stared intently at Zhuge Munhyeon.
So, this was all part of his plan from the start.
Even so, his audacity was remarkable.
To infiltrate deep into enemy territory, engage in a bold conversation, and even attempt to sway her to his side.
"Let me ask you something."
"Go ahead."
"What level of martial prowess do you possess?"
"Hmm, let's see... I could easily handle six martial artists of your caliber."
"What? What did you say?"
"Believe it or not, it's true. Join our side, and you'll see for yourself."
This has to be an exaggeration. Six of me?
But no matter how much she pondered, there was no other option.
Without an alliance with the Zhuge Clan, there was no solution. The promise of guaranteed status and influence was enough.
Moreover, it seemed the Zhuge Clan had been preparing for this all along.
Even Wudang and the Beggar's Sect...
Their conquest of the Honyeon Faction in Joyang County and seizure of Danggangu were no mere flukes.
"So, even if the Namgung Clan hadn't attacked, the Zhuge Clan intended to take Hubei Province anyway."
"It's our land by right."
For some reason, those words sounded perfectly natural.
Her hesitation didn't last long.
"Damn it, I'm cornered after all."
"Have you made your decision?"
"I'll join Zhuge's forces. After we've blocked the Namgung Clan..."
"A wise choice. Shall we draft a Provisional Alliance Agreement?"
"A Provisional Alliance Agreement?"
"Of course. We need temporary proof to withdraw our martial artists stationed in the north, if not the west. The Main Clan will require the same."
"...Understood. Let's proceed."
"Excellent. Draft the agreement and send it to the Yungjungsan Zhuge Clan. This fellow will explain the rest."
Zhuge Munhyeon grinned, pushing Zhuge Junggi forward.
"Hey, why me?"
"Then who else?"
"What?"
"Strategies should be devised by strategists, don't you think? Now, explain what we'll do first."
"..."
One minute he's telling me to persuade them, and the next he's doing everything himself. But he was already scrutinizing the Blood Shadow Pavilion's power map.
"First, we need to withdraw from the Jongsang and Anryuk Branches."
"No need to become easy prey, right?"
"Exactly. Now is the time to conserve our strength. We can reclaim the territory later. As you said, since the Blood Shadow Pavilion has allied with us, we have the moral high ground. We can simply claim the Namgung Clan invaded Zhuge Clan territory."
"Hmm... Then we should first check how much the Namgung Clan has mobilized toward the Beggar's Sect."
"We should. We must withdraw before it's too late... If the Namgung Clan realizes we're retreating, they won't let us go easily. They'll assume a united enemy is too difficult to defeat in one strike."
"Hmm."
Zhuge Munhyeon nodded in agreement with Zhuge Junggi's words and rose from his seat.
"Let's go."
"Huh? Where?"
"To the front lines. Gathering the martial artists will take time, so we'll go ahead and help with the withdrawal."
His mischievous grin sent another wave of unease through the group.
And then...
"A good idea. You mean to save as many lives as possible? Go ahead."
"..."
"Someone needs to stay behind and refine the strategy. We also need to coordinate with the Main Clan."
"It's alright. The Beggar's Sect will come."
"No, even the Beggar's Sect doesn't have anyone who truly understands strategy..."
Thwack!
This time, he struck Zhuge Junggi's neck.
He worried that too many blows to the head might make him stupid.
Damn it... If only he'd listened. Is it just because he's going through puberty?
"Elder Brother Munho."
"Hmm?"
"Carry him on your back. Release the Iron Weights now. We're moving to the front lines at full speed. As fast as possible."
Now that Zhuge Junggi was on their side, they couldn't afford to ignore even a small sacrifice. They needed to cultivate him as a valuable asset for the Zhuge Clan's future expansion across the world.
📝 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