Chapter 71: Chapter 71
The Five Great Clans.
The five clans whose authority was the highest among the countless families spread out like stars. Along with the Nine Great Sects and One Clan, they were one of the pillars supporting the Martial Alliance, and they even boasted far greater influence than local government offices.
Even men of the Unorthodox Path who swung their blades and fists in the marketplace while drunk would come to their senses and quietly return home upon hearing the name of the Five Great Clans.
In the current Central Plains martial world, such was the existence of the Five Great Clans.
The front courtyard of such a clan among the Five Great Clans was forcefully breached by an outsider.
Even though Cheon Woo-jin was leisurely crossing the courtyard of the Zhuge Clan, not a single person stepped forward to stop him.
It was because everyone had witnessed with their own eyes what a tremendous disaster the gale originating from his Crane Feather Fan was, and what kind of humiliation Zhuge Hyeon, who was counted among the very best martial talents in the Zhuge Clan, had suffered.
Like that, without hindrance from anyone, Cheon Woo-jin stood before Elder Zhuge Seong.
The look in Zhuge Seong’s eyes as he gazed at Cheon Woo-jin was subtle.
‘An incomprehensible martial artist.’
Though his opponent was young, there was no complacency.
In truth, when he had only heard about him through rumors, he had underestimated him. However, upon seeing the martial prowess he dared display right in the front courtyard of the Zhuge Clan, he immediately corrected his evaluation.
A martial artist who had reached at least the Peerless Realm.
In the present age, there were at most thirty martial artists called peerless masters. Yet, an ordinary low-ranking warrior of the Martial Alliance was presumed to be a master of the Peerless Realm.
‘It was wrong from the start.’
Trusting the words of the White Dragon Squad Leader and the intelligence from the clan’s martial artists planted in the Martial Alliance as they were had been a mistake.
His abilities were far superior to what was known to the world.
The ability to see through the scheme secretly carried out using the Shadowless Divine Thief and the Xiangyang Society, the wisdom to uncover the identity of extremely trained subordinates, and the drive to march straight into the Zhuge Clan in one breath.
Above all, even the martial strength to back up every single one of those things.
Zhuge Seong’s eyes gleamed with greed. He was a greedy man. He loved money, and he loved power. That was why he pushed aside his older brother, the Family Head, and seized all authority himself.
Yet the area where Zhuge Seong was the greediest was none other than talent. Having a proper person beneath him was more valuable than a thousand pieces of gold.
‘The Black Tortoise Squad Leader truly has good fortune with people.’
He wanted to snatch him away.
Hundreds of Zhuge Clan martial artists surrounded them, and before him stood Zhuge Seong himself, an elder.
Yet, look at those calm eyes gazing back at him.
There were herb gatherers who remained calm even before a tiger, and there were porters who did not panic even upon meeting mountain bandits.
There were also rising stars who held their heads high even before the Martial Alliance Leader or the master of the Heavenly Demon Cult.
History proved that in the end, such individuals reached the heavens in their respective domains. That young fellow before his eyes was of that kind, born with the disposition of a grandmaster.
When Zhuge Seong’s thoughts reached that point, Cheon Woo-jin finally stood before him.
“Why did you pull such a scheme?”
It was a plain question. In truth, he had his deductions.
In order to seize the clan’s power and make his own son the next Family Head, Vice Squad Leader Zhuge Rin must have been a thorn in his side.
If so, was the Black Tortoise Squad Leader merely dragged into the matter for no good reason?
As if noticing Cheon Woo-jin’s thoughts, Zhuge Seong broke into a faint smile.
“If you are so curious, I shall tell you. However, this is not a conversation to be held here.”
Having said so, Zhuge Seong turned around and entered the pavilion.
Cheon Woo-jin glanced once at Zhuge Seong walking away and the surrounding Zhuge Clan martial artists, let out a soft sigh, and followed behind him.
* * *
The small martial arts training ground of the Zhuge Clan’s Family Head Hall.
Inside that space permitted only to the Family Head, two men stood facing each other.
Elder Zhuge Seong, who was not the Family Head, yet held all practical power within the clan.
And Cheon Woo-jin, a low-ranking warrior of the Martial Alliance.
The two men stood in silence. A smile continuously lingered on Zhuge Seong’s face as if he found this deeply intriguing.
Cheon Woo-jin spoke once more.
“Send a communication to the Martial Alliance. Confess your crimes yourself, and restore the two framed individuals to their proper places.”
It was neither a proposal nor a request.
It was a clear warning.
The more Zhuge Seong conversed with him, the more greed welled up within him.
‘If only I could keep a fellow like this by my side…’
He could easily obtain the realm under heaven.
The martial artist inferred to be at the Peerless Realm was merely around twenty years of age. His future potential was boundless. If his own intellect, the Zhuge Clan’s power, and that fellow’s martial strength and boldness were combined, there would truly be nothing to fear under the heavens.
They could surpass the Namgung Clan and Sichuan Tang Clan to claim the supreme seat of the Five Great Clans. Zhuge Seong’s eyes gleamed with greed and ambition.
Seeing this, Cheon Woo-jin let out a sigh.
“You have no intention of talking.”
“Why do you think that?”
“Because the look in your eyes is murky.”
“Haha, in my younger days, I was called a handsome young gentleman. Was that not how I managed to embrace that precious daughter of the Hebei Peng Clan? I still consider myself quite decent to look upon.”
Having said so, Zhuge Seong reflected his face in a distant mirror and chuckled.
“Look here. Let me be blunt. Yes, it is all indeed my doing. Just as you said, I shall restore the Black Tortoise Squad Leader and Vice Squad Leader to their proper places. I will probably receive a harsh rebuke from the Alliance Leader. The Zhuge Clan will likely also suffer considerable damage.”
Laying a hand on a martial combat squad of the Martial Alliance carried such consequences.
Because their status was that of the Five Great Clans, it would end with disciplinary action and punishment; had it been a sect or clan of smaller scale, it would have been immediately annihilated by the Martial Alliance.
Zhuge Seong’s words continued.
“Furthermore, I will not covet the hidden cave of the Three Eccentrics that you claimed either. However, just tell me whose cave it was. I have a hard time holding back my curiosity.”
“It was Man Gi-ja’s hidden cave.”
A strange glint flashed in Zhuge Seong’s eyes.
“I regret it immediately. If it is Man Gi-ja, is he not that madman who left behind the most records in the world? His treasures would shine with far greater value in the hands of a man like me rather than an uncultured martial artist. Ahem, but I suppose one cannot take back words once spoken.”
Zhuge Seong smacked his lips repeatedly as if he were truly disappointed.
Soon, organizing his thoughts, Zhuge Seong continued speaking.
“Cutting straight to the point, I know you are a formidable master, but you cannot face the Zhuge Clan alone. In the end, you will die. You have committed an act incomparable to messing with the likes of the Gu Clan. However, I intend to give you an opportunity.”
Even while saying so, Zhuge Seong observed every detail: Cheon Woo-jin’s expression, subtle gestures, and even his breathing. Reading the minds of people was his specialty.
However, the fellow before him was exceedingly difficult to read, just like an old master with profound depth of mind.
Fundamentally, it was because there were no clues whatsoever.
‘No fear. No useless habits. No emotion flickering across his eyes; the human being himself is simply plain and dry.’
He was of the kind who would be troublesome as an enemy, but boundlessly useful if kept as a subordinate.
When Cheon Woo-jin remained silent as if prompting him to say more, Zhuge Seong inferred that his mind was wavering and continued his words.
“Become my hands and feet. It is the only way you can live. No, not merely survive. You will enjoy tremendous status and power. Wealth and women will naturally follow. Moreover, the Zhuge Clan will support you both materially and spiritually. We will generously teach you peerless martial arts under heaven and allow you to consume spiritual medicines as if they were everyday meals.”
“Oh.”
Cheon Woo-jin let out a low exclamation. Of course, he had not been swayed by Zhuge Seong’s words. It was merely pure astonishment upon realizing that, though he had only heard about the Five Great Clans by name, they truly possessed that much wealth.
However, Zhuge Seong seemed to be misunderstanding something.
A thick smile spread across his face.
“Indeed. If one is a martial artist, one cannot help but be tempted. I am showing the utmost goodwill to you, who opposed me. That is how much I recognize your value. A gentleman naturally covets talent. Ah, as a note, I have even less desire to keep such a man as an enemy.”
It was an elegant manner of speech, but the intent contained within was firm.
Come under me, or die.
There were only two choices. It was an attitude brimming with the confidence of someone holding practical power in the Five Great Clans.
Cheon Woo-jin nodded his head.
“Now I understand. What kind of place the Zhuge Clan is, and what an incredible person you are.”
At that, Zhuge Seong’s smile deepened even further.
Indeed, as a martial artist and as a man, it was a proposal that could never be refused.
However, Cheon Woo-jin’s following words were completely different from his expectations.
“Rehabilitation is impossible.”
“…”
Zhuge Seong’s expression hardened stiffly.
Soon, for a fleeting moment, killing intent gleamed in his eyes before subsiding.
Zhuge Seong realized with certainty.
‘It tears at my insides with regret.’
A fellow like that would never bend his will. He had offered to give everything he could give, but was rejected. There were no longer any means or tricks to persuade him.
If so, only one task remained. Before such an outstanding sprout grew into a giant tree and drove deep roots into the martial world, before anyone else could reap the benefits, kill him.
Zhuge Seong nodded, then gestured in the air.
Rumble!
At that same moment, the floor of the Family Head Hall’s small martial arts training ground collapsed.
Even in the face of the surprise trap, Cheon Woo-jin leaped into the air without a single change in his expression.
Yet the sky collapsed immediately after. There was no way to escape. It was an unrealistic occurrence.
A strange glint appeared in Cheon Woo-jin’s eyes.
“A formation.”
Master White Elder had said that the Zhuge Clan’s underlying strength lay in formations. However, he had also added, ‘Well, not that it will be much of a threat to you, Woo-jin.’
For that reason, White Elder and Black Elder did not teach Cheon Woo-jin knowledge related to formations. Because of that, Cheon Woo-jin had failed to notice the formation laid out in the small training ground.
Like that, Cheon Woo-jin plummeted endlessly into the Zhuge Clan’s formation.
Suddenly, the conversation of his masters came to mind.
– “Hey, Baek bastard, aren’t you going to teach Woo-jin formations? When I was young, I often suffered quite a bit of grief because of formations.”
– “Black Elder, are you and Woo-jin the same? Teaching him unnecessarily is a waste of time. When he goes out into the martial world later and experiences it a few times, he will naturally learn it on his own.”
– “What if he dies…?”
– “Would he die? That kid?”
– “…”
Recalling his masters’ words, Cheon Woo-jin smirked softly.
He fell into a space filled with darkness. Around him were eight gates whose shapes and sizes shifted from moment to moment.
Seven Death Gates and one Life Gate.
It was the Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation that Zhuge Liang, the greatest figure of the Zhuge Clan, was said to have deployed against the soldiers of the State of Wei.
Zhuge Liang, a genius of past and present, had personally improved and advanced an already formidable formation. According to records passed down through generations in the Zhuge Clan, not even five martial artists had broken the Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation throughout the long history of the martial world.
It was at that moment.
Suddenly, voices drifted in from midair.
– “E-Elder! The Disciplinary Hall Master of the Martial Alliance has arrived.”
– “What? Why has that mad dog bastard come here?”
– “He says he is tracking the traces of a martial artist who fled the Alliance. It seems he is speaking of that person, Cheon Woo-jin.”
– “This has become troublesome. Guide him in.”
– “Excuse me, what about that martial artist named Cheon Woo-jin…”
After a brief pause, Zhuge Seong’s voice followed.
– “He left. He left forever. Bring the Disciplinary Hall Master directly to me before he can pry anything out of the clan’s children. If this matter becomes known to the outside world, it will be truly awkward.”
Soon, the voices faded away.
Zhuge Seong was certain of Cheon Woo-jin’s death, and was already treating him as a deceased person.
However, the person in question, Cheon Woo-jin, was simply serene.
Rather, he looked around the interior of the formation with curiosity, and occasionally observed while boldly rapping loudly on gates without even knowing whether they were Death Gates or Life Gates.
The flow of energy changed from moment to moment. The eight gates altered their positions and forms as if corresponding to the stars in the night sky across the four seasons.
Even if what one chose was the Life Gate, the moment it was opened, it became a Death Gate.
In theory, the Life Gate could never be found without the caster’s permission. One would simply choose a Death Gate to die quickly, or postpone the choice endlessly until starving to death; those were the only two options.
The conclusion reached by Cheon Woo-jin, who had been observing for a good while, was the same.
If so…
Cheon Woo-jin put away the Crane Feather Fan he was holding. He drew the Crescent Moon Staff carried on his back.
Soon, a dark, murky energy swirled around the Crescent Moon Staff, clashing wildly against the energies within the formation and producing thunderous roars.
Rumble!
Cheon Woo-jin murmured while gazing at a single gate with an unperturbed face.
“I wonder how many times it can withstand.”
Soon, the pitch-black energy wrapped like a haze around the Crescent Moon Staff ultimately swallowed the surrounding energy and completely took dominion over it.
Cheon Woo-jin had perfectly inherited the martial arts of his two masters.
The martial arts of his two masters had distinct characteristics.
Defense, evasion, pursuit, flexibility, chaotic melees against multiple opponents, and even large-scale warfare where allies and enemies were intermingled.
In almost all areas, White Elder’s martial arts were superior.
But there was only one thing.
Pure destructive power.
In that, White Elder’s martial arts could never surpass those of Black Elder. No, in Cheon Woo-jin’s eyes, they would not even amount to half.
It was not that White Elder’s martial arts were weak. It was merely that Black Elder’s martial arts, the peerless martial art created by the Dark Emperor, were overwhelmingly strong.
If facing a thousand people, White Elder’s martial arts were right, but if facing a single absolute master, it was fitting to wield the Crescent Moon Staff.
A formation was equivalent to facing a single master. After all, merely carving out a tiny crack was enough to bring the entire structure down.
Cheon Woo-jin then raised his Crescent Moon Staff. Even though it was merely a light movement, the surrounding air sank heavily.
Black Dragon Dotting the Eye.
A martial technique created by the Dark Emperor when he gained enlightenment while painting a black dragon on white paper and dotting its final pupil.
It did not even consider defense or evasion. It struck down only at a single point with the greatest force to destroy it.
The power held within the tip of the staff shattered anything in its path.
Soon, the dark Crescent Moon Staff shot forth, laden with immense energy.