Chapter 212
Chapter 212
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 212
Chapter Title: The Zhuge Clan Lord's Sixtieth Birthday Banquet
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The rumor that the Sacheon Tang Clan and Mount Hua Sect had clashed spread like wildfire throughout Tai'an in no time at all.
It was only natural.
Tai'an was already teeming with members of various factions under the Northern Heaven Society, all gathered for the sixtieth birthday banquet of the Zhuge Clan head. In such circumstances, the sudden appearance of Mount Hua Sect was more than enough to draw every eye.
Then, conflict had erupted between a Mount Hua Taoist and the Sacheon Tang Clan. On top of that, Tang Jeok—the Venom Dragon, one of the clan's top later-generation talents—had even unleashed his poison arts.
If anything, it would have been stranger if the rumors hadn't spread.
"I heard the Venom Dragon was carried back by his escorts?"
"So those two actually fought?"
"Blood might be spilled on such an auspicious day... things just got complicated."
Everyone fretted over the aftermath of the incident.
Any other sect or clan might let it slide, but the Sacheon Tang Clan was infamous for repaying grudges tenfold with relentless tenacity.
Yet strangely, the next day came and went with no movement from the Tang Clan side.
This gave rise to all sorts of new rumors.
Tang Jeok had simply passed out drunk.
Jeon-Ga Seung-ho, Do-ryong, and Paeng Cheol-wi—the young masters who had dined with the Mount Hua Taoist—had mediated the fight.
A few even suggested the Tang Clan was staying quiet to avoid disrupting the banquet, but that was utter nonsense.
After all, they had already unleashed poison arts right there in the Tai'an inn.
People spun all manner of guesses about what had happened, but no one knew the truth of that day, and time simply marched on.
Finally, three days later...
The day of the Zhuge Clan head's long-awaited sixtieth birthday banquet arrived in Tai'an.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Knock knock.
Cheonhwi, deep in meditation, opened his eyes at the sound of knocking.
"Senior Brother. May I come in?"
Damok Rin’s voice followed, and Cheonhwi stepped down from the bed.
"Come in."
The door opened moments later, and Damok Rin entered.
Perhaps because it was a banquet, she wore light makeup.
It wasn't overdone or lacking—just the refined beauty one might expect from high society.
Her cheeks flushed peach-pink, she gazed at Cheonhwi with eyes full of subtle anticipation.
"It's already that time?"
Cheonhwi showed no interest whatsoever.
Her expression fell immediately.
She had dolled herself up, but as expected, she couldn't capture even a shred of his attention.
She quickly shook her head.
That wasn't what mattered now.
"Senior Brother, we need to hurry. The banquet's about to start."
She urged him on.
They had been invited by the Zhuge Clan, but to the countless uninvited guests who didn't know that, the two of them might as well be gatecrashers.
And if they arrived late on top of that?
It would only make things more awkward.
Unlike the fidgety Damok Rin, Cheonhwi moved at a leisurely pace.
"Where did I put the item the Sect Leader wanted me to deliver to the Zhuge head?"
Seeing him dawdle so calmly, Damok Rin spoke urgently.
"Senior Brother, can't you hurry just a little...?"
"What's the rush? We'll just take it slow. Rushing won't change anything anyway."
"But if we show up late and draw glares from everyone..."
"We're already getting plenty of those."
Cheonhwi chuckled softly.
Glares? He'd been swimming in them non-stop for the past three days staying at the Zhuge Clan grounds.
No need to mind them, he thought, still taking his time. Eventually, after about an hour...
"Alright, got everything. Let's go."
The two slipped out of their annex and headed to the banquet hall.
How long had they walked?
"You've arrived. We've been waiting."
A middle-aged man greeted Cheonhwi and Damok Rin warmly at the entrance to the banquet grounds.
It was a very familiar face.
He was the inner steward, who had already visited them several times.
"Please, come in."
He stepped aside to clear the way.
With the interior of the grounds now revealed, Damok Rin looked around in surprise.
"There are so many people."
The banquet hall was packed with countless banquet tables, most occupied by people deep in conversation.
"Long time no see."
"Haha, indeed! How have you been?"
"Heavens! You're still kicking!"
"You trying to kill me?"
Damok Rin's expression tensed as she quickly scanned the hall.
'All from factions under the Northern Heaven Society.'
She could guess their identities from the uniforms at the tables.
"What are you waiting for? Let's go."
Cheonhwi brushed past her.
"Huh. For the Zhuge Clan head's sixtieth, quite a crowd."
He stepped into the bustling hall.
And in that instant...
"......"
The rowdy banquet fell silent as if doused with cold water.
Sharp gazes zeroed in on the entering Cheonhwi and Damok Rin.
Gulp.
Damok Rin's mouth went dry under the intense stares.
She was used to attention, but this was different.
No goodwill—just piercing wariness.
Gazes like knife thrusts had sweat beading on her skin.
'I knew we'd draw eyes, but not like this...'
She glanced sideways.
Even Cheonhwi, who had seemed bored moments ago, now had a furrowed brow.
'Even Senior Brother tenses under stares like these...'
As she felt a moment of kinship, Cheonhwi muttered while walking.
"Tch. All this delicious food right in front of me, and I can't eat it."
"Pardon...?"
His grumbling—so far from what she'd expected—drew a deflated sound from her lips.
"Tch, what a shame. Fen liquor, Fragrant Snow Brew, and all these dishes look amazing. A rare chance for top-notch cuisine."
Whetting his appetite at the aromas of food and wine wafting through the air, he scanned the room and sat at an empty table in the corner.
"Too bad. I'll have to ask for some to take later."
Cheonhwi dug in immediately upon sitting.
Ignoring the onlookers from all sides, he kept wielding his chopsticks relentlessly. The crowd could only let out awkward laughs.
"......Bold one."
"Hahaha, thick-skinned or just oblivious to us?"
Feeling foolish for their own tension, the crowd's wariness eased.
Instead, murmurs spread.
"Truly amazing. Who'd have thought a Mount Hua Taoist would actually attend the banquet."
"It's been ages since one of the Nine Great Sects visited an Eight Great Family celebration in person."
"What's their aim?"
As they whispered about the pair's table...
Step step.
An elder and a hearty-looking young man approached the Mount Hua Taoists.
Those who recognized them gasped involuntarily.
"Gasp! Iron Heart Sword Elder?"
"Isn't that young man Soryeom Sword, the Damok Clan's heir?"
Everyone held their breath at their appearance.
Iron Heart Sword Elder was a renowned hero of the jianghu, rarely seen at banquets.
And with him was Soryeom Sword, the Damok Clan's heir apparent, all but confirmed as the next young clan head.
As eyes sparkled toward them, Damok Rin's pupils shook upon seeing the pair.
She had half-expected to run into Damok Clan members here.
But not these two.
'Why have Grandfather and big brother come all this way...?'
She knew they rarely attended such events.
Stunned, she stared blankly as Soryeom Sword cupped his fists in greeting.
"A pleasure."
Pretending not to know Damok Rin at all, he smiled with his eyes.
"This one is Damok Chan. If it wouldn't be rude, might I hear your Taoist titles?"
Damok Rin was slightly flustered by his act but quickly stood and returned the gesture.
"......Rin."
Damok Chan's eyes lit up.
"Ah, Lady Rin."
Relief tinged his voice as he turned to Cheonhwi.
His brows twitched.
Cheonhwi had been too busy eating to even greet him properly.
"......And your title, young master?"
Cheonhwi glanced up, mouth full, and looked at Damok Chan.
"Munch, munch. Cheonhwi."
He tossed out the words curtly and refocused on his food.
"......I see."
A vein bulged on Damok Chan's forehead.
But he kept smiling, leaned toward Damok Rin, and whispered.
"I'll visit later."
His voice was for her ears only. He met her gaze squarely.
More talk here would only draw more attention.
Damok Rin nodded faintly.
Damok Chan flashed a grin, about to turn, but shot Cheonhwi a glare.
Feeling it, Cheonhwi sipped his tea and lifted his chin.
"What're you staring at?"
His rudeness to the end irked Damok Chan, but he suppressed it.
"......Nothing."
As if he couldn't stand the sight any longer, Damok Chan whirled away.
"Shall we go, Grandfather?"
"Haha, alright."
Iron Heart Sword Elder, who had only watched, mouthed words to Damok Rin.
'I'll root for you.'
Reading his lips, her eyes widened, then she beamed.
She mouthed back softly.
'Thank you.'
Iron Heart Sword Elder smiled warmly and departed with Damok Chan.
Damok Rin watched them go with a sentimental expression.
"Not going after them?"
Cheonhwi set down his teacup.
"Chances to meet later are slim. If you've got words, now's the time."
Damok Rin shook her head.
"......We agreed to later. And right now, I'm a Mount Hua Taoist. How could I concern myself with other matters?"
Cheonhwi eyed her steadily.
Her smiling face showed no hint of regret.
"Hm, fair enough then."
Cheonhwi picked up his chopsticks again, and Damok Rin sat to eat as well.
Meanwhile, after the Damok Clan's brief greeting and departure, interest in the pair surged.
Especially among the youth, whose eyes gleamed.
The Nine Great Sects were rarely seen in person.
And not only had this duo shown up bold as brass, they were strikingly handsome to boot.
How could they not draw fascination?
"Who knew Mount Hua had such a beauty among their Taoist women? She'd have been famous in the jianghu by now."
"That young man's quite the looker too. Do they recruit Taoists by face these days?"
"Should I try talking to them?"
The young men and women hovered without daring to approach.
"Gasp!"
Suddenly, someone recoiled in alarm, backpedaling.
Those who turned at the reaction instinctively retreated too.
"T-Tang Clan?!"
Tension gripped the crowd.
Of all people, the Tang Clan had appeared.
Recalling the rumors that had swept Tai'an days ago, they hurriedly widened the space.
Expecting an explosion the moment the two sides met, onlookers held their breath, forgetting to even breathe.
By contrast, members of the other Eight Great Families seated at a distance watched with thrilled anticipation.
"This just got interesting."
"Their reaction will tell us what went down that day."
As the Tangs drew near the table—and finally faced them...
"......!"
Tang Jeok's face drained of color upon spotting Cheonhwi belatedly. He spun to flee the opposite way but froze at the sight of the silver-robed elder staring fixedly at Cheonhwi. He urged the elder on.
"Let's go somewhere else, Uncle."
The Silver Shadow Guest's eyes darkened.
Seeing Tang Jeok shrink in preemptive fear at the Mount Hua Taoist, his gaze hardened.
'......What a disappointment.'
The Silver Shadow Guest had long favored this second young master, Tang Jeok, over the clan heir's flighty ways for the next clan head position.
Cold, decisive temperament.
Plus a ruthless drive to see things through—perfect for the Tang Clan.
But now, his mind changed.
'Have I been wrong about him all this time?'
He pitied Tang Jeok's wide-eyed terror, trembling like a leaf.
He knew of the collapse from the escorts' reports.
Defeated by that Mount Hua Taoist.
And beaten relentlessly until admitting defeat.
Humiliating, yes—but somewhat understandable to the Silver Shadow Guest.
There were many experts in the world, and losses happened.
But the aftermath? Disgraceful.
When the Silver Shadow Guest checked on the returned Tang Jeok and moved for revenge, the young man had desperately blocked him, insisting it was over.
In other words, he feared reprisal.
How could he not be disappointed?
'For a Tang Clan scion to cower like this over some Mount Hua later-generation disciple...'
The Silver Shadow Guest made no effort to hide his dismay.
"If that's what you want."
"Thank you."
He shot a cold glance at the relieved Tang Jeok, glanced briefly at Cheonhwi, then turned.
"Follow me, then."
The Sacheon Tang Clan's unexpectedly quiet withdrawal stunned everyone.
"They're just leaving? What the hell happened at that Tai'an inn?"
"Maybe the rumors were wrong—nothing really went down with the Tangs?"
"Looked like they backed off..."
Cheonhwi, who had watched silently, smiled in satisfaction.
'Yeah, this is way more convenient.'
That day's hassle had been annoying, so he'd awakened the Absolute Dominion Art to crush Tang Jeok's spirit.
Ensuring he'd never dare challenge him again.
'Unless he reaches the Heavenly Martial Realm someday, he'll never break free.'
The banquet hall buzzed for a while longer.
Boom!
Suddenly, a drum resounded loudly.
The sound drew all gazes and attention—including those on Cheonhwi and Damok Rin—instantly to the source.
A man holding drumsticks high struck again.
Boom!
The shockwave rippled out briefly.
Step step.
Footsteps followed.
Soft sounds.
Yet they strangely stirred the chest, making hearts race.
'Well now.'
Cheonhwi's eyes narrowed as he set down his chopsticks.
'Infusing sound arts into footwork? That's some tricky martial arts.'
The footsteps halted abruptly.
A middle-aged man stood at the head seat.
Neatly trimmed beard, not towering or massive in build.
But his straight back and dignified bearing made him seem gigantic.
Surveying the hall, his mouth slowly opened.
"Thank you all for attending my sixtieth birthday banquet."
A flat, unadorned voice.
Yet listeners perked their ears, eyes gleaming.
Little Crouching Dragon Zhuge Shin.
As the Zhuge Clan head who upheld the family now took the stage, all leaned in.
Smirk.
Cheonhwi's lip curled faintly.
'Now that's unexpected. I thought the Zhuge Clan was just brains...'
His face alight with interest, he eyed Zhuge Shin intently.
'That's skill surpassing even the Shinchang Yang Clan and Nangong Clan heads.'