Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Zhuge Gen's BBQ Service
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The lodging assigned to Jinmu's group was the innermost palace hall in the Wuhuan Branch Family.
It had been decided that way because Jinmu wanted somewhere quiet.
He preferred to be even a little separated from other people.
And.
"Hey, Zhuge Gen."
"......Yes."
"What do you mean 'yes'? We're not strangers, so speak casually like before."
"......"
Zhuge Gen felt an urge to smash Jinmu's smiling face.
'This damn bastard.'
He had been told to attend as a servant, but when Jinmu insisted he wanted someone comfortable, Zhuge Chungeon had eagerly volunteered him to make up for his mistake. He had even earnestly instructed him to serve well.
"......It's fine. How could I speak casually to the Wudang Sword Immortal? This feels right."
"Oh, really? We're about the same age though......"
Same age, my ass.
Zhuge Gen was twenty-eight years old. Eight years older than Jinmu.
This guy was definitely doing it on purpose.
'This damn Taoist bastard.'
Zhuge Gen swallowed his rising anger with effort.
"Hmm, then I'll speak casually alone. That okay?"
"......Do... as you... please."
"Why does it sound like you're gritting your teeth?"
"......No... way."
"Well, whatever."
Jinmu chuckled.
"Come to think of it, Wudang has deep ties with your family, doesn't it?"
What is this guy trying to say now?
"Oh yeah, you were right. We said we'd meet again later, didn't we?"
"......"
"How's that mustached friend doing? The one who picked a fight saying he'd test our Cheongsang. Oh, wait, he might have been discarded by now?"
Grind, crunch.
Zhuge Gen ground his teeth quietly so no sound escaped.
"Must be disappointing, huh? You said no, but you moved the Isung Merchant Group to mess with the Ilhae Merchant Group."
"Nothing like that happened."
"Come on, that's all in the past. I'm not blaming you."
"......"
"You put surveillance on me, sent the Dark Heaven Squad to kill me."
"I said nothing like that happened."
Zhuge Gen forced a smile as he replied.
"Tch, everyone knows it."
"Jinmu Dojang...... nothing like that......"
"Hey now, after that duel, didn't your father acknowledge it all?"
"......"
Zhuge Gen glared at Jinmu, his eye twitching.
"Don't worry. I have no intention of blaming you now for any of that. I'm not one for grudges. I'm all clean and pure, like clear spring water. No need to fret. Haha."
"......"
"Such things aren't rare in the martial world."
"What are you trying to say?"
"What do you mean? Just let's forget the past and get along from now on."
"......"
Zhuge Gen looked puzzled at Jinmu's words, delivered with a gentle, amiable smile.
Was he always like this?
When he'd been summoned instead of a servant, he'd thought it was to humiliate him. He'd come fully prepared. But what was with that clean expression? It wasn't like he'd expected at all.
Was it a misunderstanding on his part?
Well, Wudang Taoists were like that. Incredibly magnanimous and tolerant.
Take the Ilhae Merchant Group incident.
It had all been the Zhuge Branch Family's scheme.
Even knowing all the facts, Wudang hadn't demanded any compensation.
On the contrary, Jingung, who acted as the link to the merchant group, had visited Zhuge Murin after the incident, politely asking for their continued favor. And today, Jinmu coming to the Wuhuan Branch had even greeted him warmly first. The ones who'd been angry were Zhuge Chungeon and Zhuge Seon.
The sound transmission he'd sent while apologizing was a bit nagging, but considering their past enmity, that level of reaction was nothing.
"What do you say? Shall we share a drink and resolve our not-quite-enmity?"
"Ah......"
He'd misunderstood Jinmu.
That was it.
He must have been narrow-minded because he didn't know him well.
Seeing Jinmu's bright smile, Zhuge Gen's heart fully melted, and he chuckled.
"Very well. Let's do that. I know even you, Jinmu Dojang, enjoy liquor and meat, so I'll reserve a famous tavern in my name."
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
"......Pardon?"
"A Taoist can't drink in a tavern where everyone can see."
But he'd definitely seen him gorge like a madman at the Bangcheon Pavilion before.
Without a care for anyone's eyes.
"Let's just grill here. And bring some liquor."
Well, Bangcheon was different from here.
This place had the Orthodox Alliance, after all. He must be more conscious here.
"A-alright."
Zhuge Gen nodded.
"I'll tell the servants to bring meat and liquor."
"Why?"
"Pardon?"
"Servants make me uncomfortable."
"......"
For a moment, Zhuge Gen couldn't comprehend and shut his mouth. In that gap, the quick-witted Cheongsang approached.
"Sasuk, shall I start the fire?"
"Huh? Why you?"
"Pardon?"
"This is the Zhuge Family. Right, Zhuge Gen?"
As Jinmu grinned at him, Zhuge Gen blankly stared back.
"We're having a drink? Grilling meat, drinking liquor?"
"So the servants......"
"Uncomfortable, I said."
Finally grasping Jinmu's meaning, Zhuge Gen twitched his eye and pointed at himself.
"So you're saying I should do it personally?"
Nod, nod.
"Ah!"
And with Jinmu's curt nod, it all became clear.
He meant to put him to work.
"Wh-what are you doing? Start the fire, fetch the meat, and grill it."
This, this bastard!
Zhuge Gen's face flushed beet red.
Misunderstanding my ass! This damn Taoist bastard!
"What? Don't want to? We're resolving past enmity here."
"......"
"Should I go see the Wuhuan Branch Lord myself?"
Zhuge Gen glared fiercely at Jinmu before roughly turning away.
"Ah, I'm hungry, so hurry up."
"......"
"Oh, and the Golden Dew Liquor suited my taste. Get that."
Jinmu's voice followed as Zhuge Gen stormed out of the garden with furious steps.
"Haha, isn't it great how we're clearing up misunderstandings like this?"
Zhuge Gen's face twisted like a wrathful demon at Jinmu's laughter.
Regardless, Jinmu kept laughing contentedly, reveling in his own magnanimity.
How generous was this?
No grudges like making him starve for past sins or breaking his limbs.
He'd only asked for a little service.
Sizzle.
The storm-like time finally ended.
He had to grill meat on the iron plate without rest because he ate so well.
Tough, no juices, he'd complain.
He couldn't even remember how many empty liquor bottles he'd replaced midway.
When he brought whole bottles, he'd say the aroma would fade and ruin the taste.
That hog-nosed Taoist bastard.
He'd run around so nonstop that his clothes were soaked with sweat.
He wanted to rip open that pig-like bastard's mouth shoving meat down like pouring it in, but every time, Zhuge Chungeon this, Zhuge Seon that came to mind.
Gulp.
After devouring an unimaginable amount, the pig-like guy—Cheongu, was it?—finally patted his belly contentedly.
"My, you're grilling so enthusiastically, it's almost embarrassing."
He squinted his barely visible eyes amid the fat and scratched the back of his head.
"Sorry. Sasuk said absolutely not to get involved."
Then at least help subtly without being obvious.
He just ate.
The grilled meat vanished so fast he didn't know when.
"Cheongu, how can you ignore his sincerity? This is all Zhuge Gen here trying to resolve our past enmity."
Jinmu scolded Cheongu instead.
"Is that so?"
"Of course. Anyway, are you full?"
"A bit short......"
"Oh dear."
As Cheongu gently rubbed his belly and Jinmu looked at him sympathetically, Zhuge Gen snorted and glared.
That guy alone had eaten over ten servings.
"Well, I'm a bit short on liquor too."
There were already five empty bottles rolling around.
"Sasuk, it's late."
Cheongsang awkwardly smiled and tried to stop Jinmu, unable to watch.
At least he was a good kid.
But.
"Tsk tsk, it's not even midnight yet!"
Jinmu clicked his tongue reproachfully.
Cheongsang was too soft usually. He wished he'd be more ruthless like against those thugs.
With a personality like this, how would he compete with all those martial scions at the Dragon-Phoenix Meet?
But only a day had passed, and they had four more days at the Zhuge Branch.
"Well, nothing for it. Let's call it a night and rest."
At Jinmu's words, Zhuge Gen unwittingly sighed in relief.
"Alright, that's it for today. Thanks to you, I had a great time."
Today?
"Ah, tomorrow morning, hangover soup please."
"......"
"You have to rehydrate after drinking. When you see your Branch Lord, tell him I had a great time thanks to you."
"......Yes, thank you."
Zhuge Gen gritted his teeth and replied.
"Alright, shall we rest too?"
"Yes, Sasuk."
As Jinmu's group rose and headed to their rooms, Zhuge Gen ground his teeth and stood.
"Ah!"
Jinmu stopped midway, as if remembering something, and turned back to Zhuge Gen.
"Hey, clean up before you go. I want to help, but you said you'd do it all, so I can't ignore your sincerity."
He'd never said he'd do it.
"Alright, see you tomorrow. Cheongsang, Cheongu. Let's go in."
"......Yes, Sasuk."
As Jinmu yawned largely, looking tired, and urged them, Cheongsang and Cheongu followed him inside.
"......"
The charcoal from the grilled meat.
The mess of scattered liquor bottles.
"This fucking......"
Zhuge Gen couldn't contain his surging rage.
"Just you wait. Just you wait. Just you wait. I'll definitely become the Sword Saint's disciple."
With a face like a demon's, he muttered the same words repeatedly and began cleaning up.
Yes. Jinmu was the magnanimous Taoist of great Wudang, knowing no grudges.
Late at night.
Jinmu woke, his lower belly bloated from the excessive Golden Dew Liquor.
Snore, whoosh.
His belly rose and fell like a low hill.
Cheongu thrashed about, snoring loudly from exhaustion, while Cheongsang lay straight, not twitching a muscle.
Jinmu chuckled at how their sleeping styles revealed their personalities.
'No more sleeping together next time.'
Anyway, after four more days, they wouldn't see each other for a while.
Avoiding Cheongu's room-shaking snores, Jinmu went out to pee.
The palace hall assigned to them.
Whether due to the title Wudang Sword Immortal or Zhuge Seon's influence, it was spacious enough for three.
In the courtyard before the four-room hall stood a quaint pavilion, and there was even a large pond with a stream.
Trickle trickle.
After refreshingly(?) relieving himself, Jinmu strolled the rear garden since he was awake.
The serene darkness evoked memories of a long-forgotten past.
Evil Hegemony Heaven, eighty years, loyal Cheon U-myeong, piles of treasures in storage......
The long years as Hyeokryeon Mugang.
No regrets.
He'd enjoyed everything there was to enjoy.
Still, once he mastered the Two Forms Heart Art, he'd definitely go retrieve them.
He had no intention of settling for just the Orthodox Alliance.
Whether Orthodox Alliance or Evil Hegemony Heaven, he'd leave the masters as is and reign above them.
If needed, he'd swallow even the Demonic Cult.
If possible, the emperor too...... but rebellion, so later.
Everyone would be happy, right? Just thinking made him pleased.
Lost in thought, Jinmu suddenly halted.
Huh?
Where was this? Here?
Snapping to, he realized he'd wandered far from their assigned hall.
Lost in thoughts, he'd walked too much.
"Stupid me. If someone targeted my life, I'd be dead for sure."
Jinmu laughed wryly and turned, when.
"Jinmu Dojang?"
"......?"
Who?
A woman he'd never seen greeted him.
A woman he'd never laid eyes on before.
And...... why was she so beautiful?