Chapter 134: Chapter 134

“Why is the Zhuge Family Head here?”

At the scene visible outside the window, Namgung So-hye whispered, lowering her voice. Even Zhuge Yeon, who was also So-hye’s friend, was sitting while holding Dan So-mi, so how on earth was she supposed to accept this ridiculous situation?

“They’re even drinking alcohol.”

Namgung Cheon chuckled.

In that scene visible outside the window, people were gathered.

Inside a large pavilion, Dan Woo-hyun, Zhuge Yeon, Zhuge Un, and Sa Do-hak sat together, chatting and drinking.

Perhaps because of Jang Sam-tae’s cooking skills, Zhuge Un’s face was seen brightening up.

However, Namgung Cheon’s mood was not good.

There was good alcohol, but he could not drink it. It was obvious that if he showed himself, his voice would give him away in an instant, just like during Namgung So-hye’s case.

But why, of all people,

‘Is that guy drinking it?’

Frowning, his hands trembled.

If it was alcohol, Namgung Cheon was also good at drinking. Although not as much as Zhuge Un, he was the type to drink quite a lot if there were good people and delicious food.

There was Jang Sam-tae’s food, and there was high-quality alcohol.

If people who were like family were gathered there, wouldn’t that alcohol taste like honey?

Namgung Cheon regulated his breathing.

“Grandfather! Please calm down.”

“O… Of course. I am calming down.”

He did not like this.

Even worse, because those guys had come, they had skipped their meal, so how hungry must he be? When one grows old, the joy of living could be said to be delicious food and alcohol…

Namgung Cheon resolved not to let Jang Sam-tae off easy later.

If he made food, shouldn’t he naturally bring it here? However, since they were drinking, laughing, and chatting among themselves, the anger in his heart did not easily subside.

“It seems the person the Zhuge Family Head was looking for was Young Master Dan.”

“He was looking for him?”

“He said he received help last time. He said he saw an outstanding expert… and that he would definitely bring him to the Martial Alliance.”

“Haha, as if that fellow would ever go to the Martial Alliance.”

Namgung So-hye also nodded her head.

She knew Dan Woo-hyun’s personality well.

He was one to give orders to others, not one to receive them.

No matter how brilliant the brain of the Zhuge Family was, rushing in without knowing Dan Woo-hyun’s personality was a foolish thing to do.

Consequently, Zhuge Un would gain nothing.

He had only wasted expensive alcohol.

Namgung Cheon clicked his tongue.

“It is good alcohol.”

Dan Woo-hyun truly thought so.

The aroma spread throughout his mouth. It was a clean taste that was smooth when swallowed and left no aftertaste.

Even if it was the same Shaoxing wine and brewed around the same time, if managed poorly, alcohol could become worse than cheap poison, but this alcohol now was truly worth its high price.

Without even touching the side dishes, he only savored the alcohol.

As if this were only natural.

“Hahaha, thank you for thinking so. It was worth bringing it.”

“It must not have been easy to obtain such alcohol, so thank you.”

“Yes, yes. Even in the eyes of this old man, this is a masterpiece of wine, a masterpiece.”

Sa Do-hak poured the alcohol and turned his head in a direction where Zhuge Un could not see him to drink it. Since most people in high positions like Zhuge Un remembered Sa Do-hak’s face, if he were caught, the situation would become quite troublesome.

Knowing that, Sa Do-hak was also careful.

“So, may I ask the reason why you are giving me this alcohol?”

“It is a simple story. I want to forge a connection with you.”

“A connection…?”

Dan Woo-hyun let his voice trail off slightly.

A connection is not something that is forged just because one wants to forge it.

It is something that flows naturally.

However, with such good alcohol by his side, he even thought, ‘What does it matter?’ That was how well the alcohol suited Dan Woo-hyun’s taste.

“As you know, the current orthodox path of Martial World has fallen into quite a difficult situation.”

“They reaped what they sowed.”

“Mmm… Those words are not wrong… but it breaks my heart. In any case, in this situation, the Sword Emperor is absent, and the Beggar Emperor is still living in seclusion, so we need even just one more expert like you.”

“I have no interest.”

Seeing him cut it short, Zhuge Un’s eyes widened. Good alcohol, and the one in front of Dan Woo-hyun was from the Zhuge Family, one of the pillar families of the Eight Great Families.

Even though the Family Head was saying this, he had no interest?

Did he have no thoughts regarding the Martial World?

“Do you… have no thoughts regarding the Martial World?”

“Well… whether I have thoughts or not, what moves me is my own will. The same goes for helping someone.”

Dan Woo-hyun smirked.

Everything was his own will.

Extending a helping hand to someone, and also killing someone, were only possible if they came from Dan Woo-hyun’s mind.

“That is true, but…”

“Furthermore, is there any benefit to me by helping the orthodox path of Martial World?”

“Ho… Honor and…”

“I am not interested.”

Sa Do-hak nodded his head beside him.

He did not care about things like honor.

If he were such a fellow, he would not have been stuck in a place like this in the first place. He would have already taken him to the Demonic Cult to let him enjoy wealth and glory.

It did not work.

All of Zhuge Un’s cards.

In the first place, he had been a bit complacent.

Who the opponent was, and what kind of personality he had.

Rushing in blindly without even grasp of such things was a mistake.

‘Well, if he were offered millions, he would probably jump at it.’

Sa Do-hak shrugged and gave a dumbfounded laugh.

A man who had no interest in honor, status, or power.

Yet he was obsessed with money.

No, should it be called obsessed? It was merely that he wanted to collect a lot of money for Dan So-mi’s future. If not for Dan So-mi, even money would not have worked.

Sa Do-hak wore a pleased expression, thinking of the Shaolin Temple statue in his room.

“Shall we look at it a bit differently?”

At that moment, Zhuge Yeon stepped forward.

She swallowed a glass of alcohol in one gulp and set it down roughly. She seemed to be a woman with a bold personality, somewhat different from Namgung So-hye.

For someone like that, she seemed a bit weak to alcohol.

Her face was already flushed bright red.

“Differently?”

“If the current Martial World is left like this, your family will also eventually be threatened by the Demonic Cult or the unorthodox path. Is it fine if such a thing happens?”

“That is an interesting story.”

“Yes! It is very interesting. But in reality, such a thing could actually happen.”

“So, what are you all, who are neither the Martial Alliance nor the Heavenly Way Association, trying to do by joining hands with me now?”

“Ugh…”

“Ahem!”

Dan Woo-hyun set down his wine cup and quietly looked at the two.

Of course, what she said was not wrong.

It was just that there were bound to be things they did not know.

“Whether it is the Demonic Cult, the unorthodox path, or anywhere else… if they dare to lay a hand on my manor or my daughter, I will kill them all.”

Thud!

In an instant, the air changed.

Sa Do-hak quickly covered Dan So-mi’s ears and used his own energy to resist Dan Woo-hyun’s momentum. Cold sweat poured all over his body in an instant, and resisting it alone felt like it consumed all of his mental energy.

Not to mention Zhuge Un, even Zhuge Yeon was lost for words.

They did not know what to say.

No, what was this atmosphere?

What was this energy?

The momentum flowing from Dan Woo-hyun’s body was something they had never felt before. It was something that subdued a person’s mind and body, no, even their soul.

Moreover, the masked old man next to him…

‘De… Demonic energy…?’

What he poured out to resist the energy emitted by Dan Woo-hyun was definitely the feeling of demonic energy. If so, were these people members of the Demonic Cult?

Zhuge Un barely managed to steady his trembling hands.

Maintaining a calm mind, he looked at Dan Woo-hyun.

“Are you… a person of the Demonic Cult?”

“The Demonic Cult? Haha, what a joke.”

“Is it not that the old man is using demonic energy…?”

“That is simply his martial arts.”

Zhuge Un had a face like someone who had been hit on the back of the head, having realized something.

Yes, just because one emitted demonic energy did not mean they were of the Demonic Cult. There were also those who left the organization and wandered, and there were also those who happened to learn demonic arts by chance.

Furthermore, there were those who did not care about such factions.

Demonic arts, orthodox arts, unorthodox arts.

Those who were always neutral, including the orthodox, unorthodox, demonic, and even those outside the Central Plains.

The Dan Woo-hyun in front of his eyes now seemed like that.

Zhuge Un let out a deep sigh.

“You are a very interesting person. Originally, from the moment one learns martial arts, they are bound to decide the path they must go with their own convictions…”

“Martial arts are originally a tool to protect oneself. What conviction is there in that?”

In an instant, Sa Do-hak looked at Dan Woo-hyun with a shocked expression. He had also been thinking the same thing as Zhuge Un. Because his master was of the Demonic Cult, or because the place he was born was the land of the Demonic Cult.

Others held swords to seek revenge, and some learned martial arts to obtain power and honor. That was why many were divided into orthodox, unorthodox, and demonic, and only a tiny fraction of them walked the path of neutrality.

Most of those who walked a neutral path were so weak that they could not even be called small or medium sects.

Since they had no power to raise their voices, those who had to watch their surroundings to survive walked the neutral path.

However…

‘No conviction in martial arts?’

He swallowed a dry cough with a gasp.

But on second thought, Dan Woo-hyun’s words were correct.

It was not that there was conviction in martial arts, but the conviction of the person using it dwelt within the martial arts. Therefore, it also meant that martial arts could not be divided into orthodox, unorthodox, and demonic in the first place.

Sa Do-hak looked at Dan Woo-hyun with a strange expression.

‘They say he is the descendant of the Martial God… his way of thinking is indeed different.’

He smirked.

Perhaps if he had received the same question, he would not have been able to give such an answer. This would have been the same for Namgung Cheon or Gwon Mu-jin. Thus, he realized once again how deep and wide the existence of Dan Woo-hyun was.

‘There is a reason why I cannot return.’

Sa Do-hak let out a chuckle and turned his head.

Since Dongfang Gu was there, the Demonic Cult would run well on its own, but leaving that position vacant for a long time was also somewhat unsettling.

But he could not return.

Did it make sense to leave the side of such a human?

It was too much of a waste.

Just by being near him, he learned things he had not known. Because he believed there was nothing left to learn, the shock was greater day by day.

“If your thoughts are such, I will not criticize them. However, do keep this in mind. It is easier when a crowd protects something rather than a single person. Even if it is not the Martial Alliance or the Heavenly Way Association, the Zhuge Family wants to be with you.”

“I see.”

Zhuge Un rose from his seat.

It seemed difficult to forge a deeper connection with Dan Woo-hyun at this place right now. If so, he could just reorganize and come back again later.

It was not as if this manor would vanish like the wind.

“Let us meet again next time. I will bring even better alcohol then.”

“I shall look forward to it.”

Dan Woo-hyun saw Zhuge Un off with a smile.

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