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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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Immediately after the Banun Clan’s assault on Wuhan.
While the Zhuge Family was busy assessing the damage and beginning repairs, Namgung-Woo secluded himself in an inn.
It was a form of self-imposed confinement.
He had recognized his weaknesses, his vulnerabilities.
Now, he needed to confront them and overcome them.
‘Was I… too complacent?’
He felt a sense of injustice.
He had done his best.
He had hidden his name, concealed his age.
Though the latter was quickly revealed after meeting Peng Ha-ryeong.
He had been careful with his martial arts as well.
His core movement techniques:
Infinite Steps, Heavenly Wind Divine Movement, Thousand Li Courtyard.
They were surprisingly unremarkable.
Perhaps Infinite Steps, with its emphasis on explosive forward momentum, could be considered somewhat aggressive, but that was a trait shared by many offensive footwork techniques.
The underlying principles were vastly different, but superficially, they appeared similar.
Strength in simplicity.
That was the philosophy behind his movement techniques.
Exceptional efficiency, high speed, precise control – his techniques maximized the essential qualities of footwork.
They lacked the distinctive features of techniques like Ladder to the Clouds, which allowed one to walk on air, or the Myriad Transformations Unmatched Steps, which used force fields to disrupt an opponent’s flow.
But they also minimized the risk of revealing his identity.
It wasn’t just his movement techniques.
His Heavenly Thunder Emperor Divine Art and Thirteen Lightning Sword Techniques were similar.
Lightning-based techniques were common.
Many martial artists were drawn to their destructive power.
Almost every one of the Seven Great Families had at least one lightning-based technique.
Even those who hadn’t fully grasped the concept of Qi often discovered the existence of bioelectricity within their bodies as they progressed in their martial arts training.
And the Seven Great Families had countless members who had reached that level.
Mastering a basic lightning-based technique wasn’t particularly difficult, as long as the technique itself was sound.
The challenge lay in maximizing its power.
Of course, high-level techniques like the Heavenly Thunder Emperor Divine Art were rare.
But there were others, like the techniques of the Thunderbolt Clan, which the Yang brothers had learned.
So, those alone weren’t enough to identify him as a Namgung.
Even Dongfang Huo hadn’t recognized him based solely on the Thirteen Lightning Sword Techniques.
‘The Sky Vault Great Evolution Divine Art and the Sky Vault Unfettered Swordsmanship. I thought it would be fine since Dugu Bin didn’t recognize them.’
The Dugu Family, who should have known more about the Namgung Family than anyone.
Since even a direct descendant like Dugu Bin hadn’t recognized them, he thought he was safe.
He believed the martial arts of this world and his were different.
‘But Dongfang Huo did. They’re the same. At least, the outward appearance and the underlying principles are.’
What was Chu-rok Murim?
Could he dismiss it as a mere coincidence?
What was that voice he had heard at the end?
‘I’ll set aside unanswerable questions. What matters is what I do now. Focus on the present.’
Avoid or confront?
He doubted he had a choice, but the act of choosing itself held meaning.
It wasn’t about control.
It was about his attitude towards life.
‘If I consider this world a temporary stop, avoidance would be the right choice.’
In that case, his priority would be survival and finding a way back.
But if he considered this world his final destination…
‘I can’t run.’
Building the Azure Sky Group wasn’t enough.
He needed a grander, more concrete goal.
He thought of the two families he had observed.
The Peng Family, whose mere presence brought stability and whose strong bonds protected them.
The Zhuge Family, whose presence attracted those seeking belonging and who faced adversity together.
‘I need to reach that level. No matter the form it takes.’
But such power couldn’t be achieved alone.
So, he would start with self-improvement.
If he wanted to lead, he needed to cultivate himself first.
‘I need to become stronger.’
He had already chosen his path.
He opened his eyes slightly, turning his Ever-Clear Vision inwards, observing his internal state.
The three energies within him.
The Qi flowing from his upper, middle, and lower dantians began to intertwine.
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Wuhan was in turmoil.
Everyone had anticipated the war, but no one expected it to begin so abruptly and so brazenly.
A preemptive strike by the Banun Clan on Wuhan?
That was plausible.
But using smuggled gunpowder to breach the Zhuge Family estate?
That was shocking.
“Even for the unorthodox factions, who often disregard the law, and even with the Imperial Court’s weakened authority, how could they risk such a blatant violation?”
That was the common sentiment.
But Zhuge Zhong, the Ten Hands of Ice, thought differently.
“They can.”
“Are you serious?”
Namgung-Woo, sitting before him, raised an eyebrow.
He might not be an expert on law, but he knew that every nation strictly controlled military weapons like gunpowder.
Indeed, the Great Ming Code included regulations on gunpowder management.
Zhuge Zhong knew the code by heart.
He knew the severity of the punishment for violating it.
But he didn’t expect any real legal repercussions.
He knew about the Banun Clan’s backer, the one Zhuge Chong had told him about.
She was powerful enough to cover this up.
“Are you familiar with Imperial Consort Wan?”
“I’ve heard of her.”
“She not only murdered the Emperor’s only legitimate son but also forced the miscarriages of countless concubines who carried his children. Yet, the Emperor forgave her.”
The elders and court officials, witnessing these atrocities, had managed to smuggle out and raise one prince before giving up. Imperial Consort Wan, perhaps satisfied, had stopped her heinous acts. But the children she had harmed were not few.
Yet, Emperor Shenghua had turned a blind eye.
“Furthermore, the newly established intelligence agency, the Western Depot, formed after the Beijing Incident… Its Director, Wang Zhi, is Imperial Consort Wan’s man. If she supports the Banun Clan, the Imperial Court will likely ignore this incident.”
If Guo Duan were still alive, even Imperial Consort Wan wouldn’t be able to control the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
But with Guo Duan gone, the Embroidered Uniform Guard was being rapidly absorbed into the Western Depot.
It wasn’t just the situation in the capital.
Zhuge Zhong thought of the ongoing campaign against the Wayseekers of the Mist.
They had destroyed the main headquarters and captured most of the leadership, but some had escaped and were still being pursued.
Even this partial success was likely unsatisfactory for the Imperial Court, which had invested heavily in the campaign.
Public opinion wouldn’t be favorable either.
The Imperial Court, rather than wasting resources intervening in Hubei, might prefer to let the Murim factions weaken each other.
Zhuge Zhong had given up on the Imperial Court.
The balance of power had shifted.
It was an era of every man for himself.
The absolute authority of the Imperial Court over the Murim had vanished.
Even the Emperor’s influence had waned.
All that remained was a turbulent era.
“But rather than discussing such dry matters, I’d like to talk about something else.”
Namgung-Woo was puzzled.
It wasn’t that he had no idea what Zhuge Zhong wanted to discuss.
It was that there were too many possibilities.
The enemies he had fought.
The formal expression of gratitude Zhuge Chong had mentioned.
Personal matters.
There were numerous topics to discuss.
“I was wondering why you summoned me.”
“Is that so? First… I apologize that the Family Head couldn’t come personally.”
“It’s alright. I’ve heard about his condition.”
Zhuge Chong, injured, had personally overseen the initial recovery efforts.
He had only begun to recuperate after the situation stabilized.
He was in no condition to receive visitors.
“Instead, as the Acting Family Head and the Family Head’s younger brother, I will discuss a few matters with you, Hero Nam.”
Namgung-Woo realized Zhuge Chong hadn’t revealed his true identity.
Zhuge Zhong genuinely believed his surname was Nam.
‘Does he intend to discuss the Namgung Family matter privately later?’
He was about to speak, thinking that discussing the details of the request with Zhuge Zhong, the administrator, might be more efficient, when a voice called out from outside.
“Please wait, Young Master! The Administrator is currently…”
Hurried footsteps approached, stopping just outside the door.
Click!
“Uncle.”
A young man, about Namgung-Woo’s age, entered despite the protests from outside.
Zhuge Zhong frowned, his voice sharp.
“I’m in the middle of official business. Even as the Family Head’s son, this is a clear overstep. I will discipline you for this later. Leave.”
His tone was severe.
He might not be a skilled martial artist, but as the second-in-command of the Zhuge Family, his authority was considerable.
But the intruder, despite the warning, stood his ground.
“I accept any punishment for my disrespect. But I couldn’t bear it any longer.”
“…Jun-ah.”
A hint of regret colored Zhuge Zhong’s voice as he spoke the young man’s name.
Zhuge Jun.
Zhuge Chong’s second son and the most likely candidate to become the next Family Head.
When Namgung-Woo arrived in Wuhan, Zhuge Jun was away, securing support from other sects.
He had rushed back after hearing about the attack.
And he had heard.
The rumors and facts about Namgung-Woo.
Zhuge Zhong understood his feelings.
He sighed but didn’t force him to leave.
Zhuge Jun bowed to Namgung-Woo.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Zhuge Jun.”
“Nam Woo.”
As soon as Namgung-Woo returned the greeting, Zhuge Jun stated his purpose.
“I hear you’re close to Ha-ryeong.”
Zhuge Jun.
He was known by many titles.
One of the Seven Dragon Four Phoenixes, the most promising young martial artists, known as the “Dragon of Foresight.”
The greatest prodigy of the Zhuge Family, having reached the Peak Realm at the age of twenty.
And…
“If I may ask, what is your relationship with her?”
Peng Ha-ryeong’s former fiancé.
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