Chapter 209
Chapter 209
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 209
Chapter Title: A Warm Welcome at Zhuge Clan
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Silver Shadow Guest and Tang Jeok furrowed their brows.
As members of the Sichuan Tang Clan, they were always met with cheers and attention no matter where or when they appeared.
But what was this now?
The muscular young man who had thrown open the main gate didn't spare them a single glance. Instead, he rushed straight toward those two and greeted them warmly.
'How dare he ignore us?'
Tang Jeok's face hardened coldly as he turned to the Zhuge Clan warrior standing beside him.
"Who's that guy?"
The warrior glanced at Zhuge Seonghyeon, whom Tang Jeok's finger was pointing toward, and replied.
"That's our clan's Third Young Master."
"Third Young Master...?"
Tang Jeok's eyes widened round.
The Zhuge Clan's Third Young Master was a figure not well-known in the martial world.
He had never attended banquets and had never ventured out into the world.
Vague rumors had circulated that the clan was hiding him away for protection.
'And he looks like that?'
Disbelief colored his eyes.
Who would ever imagine that guy as the Zhuge Clan's Third Young Master?
His bronze skin and baggy clothes couldn't hide his bulging muscles.
And that booming, hearty voice echoed all the way over here.
'...This isn't some kind of joke, is it?'
He found it so hard to believe that he eyed the Zhuge Clan warrior suspiciously.
But the warrior's gaze on Zhuge Seonghyeon brimmed with unmistakable pride.
As Tang Jeok's brow furrowed...
"Then who are those two?"
A low voice came from nearby.
Silver Shadow Guest had approached without a sound, eyeing Cheonhwi and Danmokrin sharply.
"My apologies."
The Zhuge Clan warrior bowed his head.
"I don't know anything about them."
"I see."
Silver Shadow Guest closed his eyes briefly, then opened them.
Having wiped away his killing intent, he gestured to his subordinates and issued an order.
"Set the goods down."
"Understood."
The Tang Clan warriors moved in perfect unison, unloading items from the carriage.
Silks and ornate wooden boxes.
As Silver Shadow Guest inspected the varied goods and the Zhuge Clan warrior hurriedly noted them in the ledger, he spoke up.
"We'll return in three days, then."
The unexpected words startled the Zhuge Clan warrior, who paused his writing and spoke.
"Won't you be staying at our clan?"
"Aren't preparations still underway?"
"That's true, but... we have guesthouses ready for visitors..."
"No need to go to such trouble. We'll stay at an inn nearby."
"Thank you for your consideration."
"Let's go, then."
With that, Silver Shadow Guest climbed into the carriage.
Tang Jeok followed, frowning as he spoke.
"Uncle. If we let this slide again..."
"Then you want to start a fight?"
Silver Shadow Guest's voice was low.
"This is the Zhuge Clan. With their sixtieth banquet approaching, how would others see us if we caused a needless commotion?"
As Tang Jeok's expression soured, Silver Shadow Guest added,
"But if it's anywhere outside the Zhuge Clan, you can do whatever you want."
Tang Jeok's eyes darkened in an instant.
He understood his uncle's meaning.
"Understood."
Tang Jeok's lips twisted slowly into a smirk.
Thinking of Cheonhwi and Danmokrin left behind, he wore a chilling smile.
'I'll deal with you later.'
Moments later, the Tang Clan carriage departed.
But Zhuge Seonghyeon and Cheonhwi were too busy talking to notice or care.
"I never dreamed you'd actually come, Young Hero."
Zhuge Seonghyeon couldn't hide his excitement.
The Cheonhwi he'd known hated anything bothersome, so he'd thought there was little chance of him attending despite the invitation.
Yet here he was.
Cheonhwi chuckled at the massive man bowing repeatedly.
"I was planning to visit sometime anyway. I've always been curious about what the Zhuge Clan was like and wanted to see for myself."
"Is that so?"
Zhuge Seonghyeon's face brightened as he relaxed his grip on Cheonhwi's hand.
He was delighted that Cheonhwi was taking an interest in the clan.
"Don't worry about touring the clan. As promised last time, we'll treat you with utmost hospitality."
Emphasizing his words, he turned to the veiled Danmokrin and asked casually,
"And who might this young lady be...?"
Danmokrin gave a light fist salute.
"Long time no see, Young Master Zhuge."
"Ah! It's you, Lady Rin."
Recognizing her voice immediately, Zhuge Seonghyeon hurriedly returned the salute and greeted her.
"It's been a while."
Zhuge Seonghyeon greeted her calmly, but inwardly he was shocked.
He'd expected Cheonhwi to come alone, or perhaps with Jeokgeom or Seollan.
But with her?
"Since you're together, I take it you two have grown quite close."
"H-Have we?"
Zhuge Seonghyeon smiled inwardly at her response.
He could hear the brightness in Danmokrin's stammering voice.
His eyes turned to her once more.
Her face was hidden by the veil reaching her shoulders, but he could clearly picture her smiling happily beneath it.
'Good for her.'
Zhuge Seonghyeon smiled naturally.
Even he, who wasn't the most perceptive, could tell she was interested in Cheonhwi.
And it wasn't just him.
Anyone who saw them back then would have noticed.
Her gazes and attention toward Cheonhwi had been so blatant.
'Meanwhile, the Young Hero seemed utterly oblivious. It was almost pitiful.'
Back then, the two had looked downright pitiable.
While Danmokrin kept trying to stick close every moment she could, Cheonhwi had ignored her consistently.
Recalling that time, Zhuge Seonghyeon looked at the now much closer pair and spoke.
"In any case, Young Hero, why don't we head inside and continue talking?"
"Yeah, that sounds better."
Cheonhwi nodded.
All eyes were on them, likely due to Zhuge Seonghyeon's dramatic entrance.
"I'll take your luggage."
Zhuge Seonghyeon effortlessly lifted Danmokrin's bag and slung it over his shoulder.
Holding it like a lumberjack, he looked down at Cheonhwi with a pleased grin.
"Let's head in quickly. There's someone I can't wait to introduce you to."
"Who's that?"
At Cheonhwi's question, Zhuge Seonghyeon smiled, thinking of the person.
"My older brother."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ One of the Zhuge Clan's guesthouses.
Sitting in a chair, Zhuge Seung-ho scratched his head with the whisker in his hand.
"Someone you want to introduce me to."
This would have been unthinkable before.
And for good reason—Zhuge Seonghyeon had never gone out before, so his connections were limited to people within the clan.
"That guy's introducing outsiders to me now. He's changed a lot. Or rather, he changed a long time ago."
He chuckled as he spoke.
He was recalling when Zhuge Seonghyeon had returned from his mission.
'No one recognized him back then.'
When Zhuge Seonghyeon first returned, no one in the clan had recognized him.
Not even himself or their father.
And it made sense—how could he not have changed?
His once-pale skin from avoiding the sun had tanned deeply, and his scrawny body had bulked up massively.
At first, he'd thought a bandit had wandered in.
'It was chaotic, but looking back, it was pretty funny.'
Smiling at the memory, he set down the whisker.
"Wonder who it could be."
Zhuge Seonghyeon's departure had been kept secret, so no one knew exactly when or where he'd gone.
"Probably someone connected to wherever he went."
At that moment.
Bang—
The guesthouse door flew open, and Zhuge Seonghyeon strode in, shoulders loaded with luggage.
"Brother! You've been waiting."
Zhuge Seung-ho chuckled at his beaming brother's excited appearance.
His size had grown enormous, but his expressions and heart were unchanged.
"Didn't I tell you to make them wait? More importantly, where's the person you wanted to introduce... Gr-Grand Hero?"
As he looked up while speaking, his eyes landed on the man and woman behind Zhuge Seonghyeon. He forgot his words and gaped.
"Wh-What's wrong, Brother...?"
As Zhuge Seonghyeon panicked at his brother's slack-jawed, drooling stare and moved toward him...
Step—step—
Someone passed him by.
It was Cheonhwi.
'Just as I thought.'
Having guessed the identity from the moment Zhuge Seonghyeon said 'brother,' Cheonhwi spoke to him.
"Long time no see."
"Long time no see, Grand Hero!"
Zhuge Seung-ho shot to his feet.
Bowing to Cheonhwi, he stammered in surprise.
"How did you end up here...?"
"What? Can't I visit? You told me to come to the Zhuge Clan sometime."
As Cheonhwi reminded him of his own past words...
"That's not what I meant."
Zhuge Seung-ho said, startled.
"I just never imagined the Grand Hero, who kept his identity hidden, would visit our clan in person."
"That's up to me."
"Hahaha, fair enough."
Zhuge Seung-ho laughed at Cheonhwi's same old confident demeanor.
"...You two already know each other, Brother?"
Zhuge Seonghyeon cut in between them.
He looked back and forth between Zhuge Seung-ho and Cheonhwi in bewilderment.
It was bizarre.
Cheonhwi and Zhuge Seung-ho seemed to have zero connection.
At the question, Zhuge Seung-ho nodded.
"Remember that incident I told you about? When I was chased by the Ilwol Sect..."
"We had a brief encounter."
Cheonhwi cut off Zhuge Seung-ho's attempt to elaborate on the past.
"Right?"
"Exactly, Grand Hero."
Reading Cheonhwi's annoyed tone and expression, Zhuge Seung-ho whispered into Zhuge Seonghyeon's ear.
"I'll tell you the details later."
As Zhuge Seonghyeon nodded...
"No food? We were stuck waiting in the carriage and haven't eaten."
Cheonhwi grumbled.
He'd been eating well during the journey so far, but this time he'd been lining up since dawn and was quite hungry.
At Cheonhwi's complaint, Zhuge Seonghyeon quickly set down the luggage and turned.
"I'll prepare a meal right away."
"No, wait a second."
As Zhuge Seonghyeon moved to leave, Zhuge Seung-ho hurriedly said,
"It's not mealtime. With the banquet preparations, making a separate meal will take time."
"Then what should we..."
Zhuge Seonghyeon looked troubled.
He'd promised utmost hospitality, and now it was blocked from the start.
Then Zhuge Seung-ho smiled.
"Do we have to eat in the clan?"
With that, he looked at Cheonhwi.
"Grand Hero, how about dining out? Paeng Cheolwi and Hwangbo Sohyeon are staying at a nearby inn for the banquet. We could join them..."
"Sounds good."
Cheonhwi agreed without hearing the end.
"I'll guide you there."
Zhuge Seung-ho stood immediately.
"The food better be good."
"Not as good as our clan's chefs, but it's one of the best around here."
"Now I'm looking forward to it."
As Cheonhwi rose to follow...
"Senior Brother."
Danmokrin, who had been silent since arriving at the guesthouse, finally spoke.
"Now that we're at the Zhuge Clan, shouldn't we change into proper robes first?"
Oh, right. The Sect Leader said to wear sect robes when arriving at clans.
Recalling the Sect Leader's instruction he'd briefly forgotten, Cheonhwi scratched his head.
What a hassle. But no choice.
"We'll change and come back."
Moments later, the two emerged from the room in their luggage, now in sect robes.
"These robes are definitely better than our originals."
"No veil, so it feels a bit awkward."
Meanwhile, Zhuge Seung-ho, seeing the two in changed clothes, froze.
'Wh-What is...?'
Black and white contrasting sect robes.
And the emblem embroidered on them caught his eye.
'That's a plum blossom...? No way!'
Eyes bulging, his lips trembled slightly as he asked Cheonhwi,
"Um... Grand Hero. Are you perhaps a Daoist of the Mount Hua Sect?"
"Yeah. Didn't you know?"
At Cheonhwi's nonchalant reply, Zhuge Seung-ho screamed inwardly.
'How was I supposed to know?!'