Pay‑to‑Win King of Martial Arts (Novel) - Chapter 47 - I Still Don't Know Yet (2)

Chapter 47 – I Still Don’t Know Yet (2)

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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We were resting in our quarters when word came that the Zhuge Clan’s Clan Head had arrived. As soon as he returned, the Zhuge Clan Head wanted to see us, the guests of Wudang, immediately.

“The floor is warm, so I don’t want to get up.”

“Are you a child?”

At my drowsy complaint, Myeong-seong immediately shot back. Myeong-il, meanwhile, simply ignored it and was putting on his outer robe.

“Adults are people who can hide the fact that they’re children themselves. That’s all adulthood is at its essence.”

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

“You’ll understand when you’re older. How much adults want to whine like children and lie around.”

Myeong-seong shook his head as if he couldn’t understand at all and began getting ready. I stole a glance at Myeong-il and Myeong-seong. Myeong-il was steady, but Myeong-seong’s expression was grave.

The truth was, I had said that nonsense because Myeong-seong didn’t seem in a very good mood. For some reason, ever since we first met the people of the Zhuge Clan, Myeong-seong had seemed to remain in a bad mood.

I wasn’t sure why he was in a bad mood. He hadn’t gotten into a war of words like Myeong-il, and he hadn’t been looked down on like I had. But children were like a single dry blade of grass. You never knew when they might snap.

Under the guidance of an attendant, we went to the Clan Head Hall of the Zhuge Clan. The Clan Head Hall was so splendid and imposing that it brought to mind a palace within a palace.

“From this point on, please follow in a single line. If you make a mistake, a mechanism may activate.”

The Clan Head Hall was covered in formations even more complex than the ones spread over the clan’s main gate. In the mist, mechanisms clacked and hummed, making it impossible to walk without tension.

Even so, if they laid out such a menacing formation even in ordinary times, wouldn’t it feel suffocating? I felt sorry for the attendants. Tsk, tsk.

Perhaps because I was walking in tension, my back ended up soaked with sweat. By the time that damp back was becoming unpleasant, we were finally able to emerge from the formation.

“You may go right in.”

The attendant opened the door and guided us. There, Cheong-hwa and Zhuge Chan, the hall master of the external business division, were already present, along with some half-aged men who seemed like elders, and Zhuge Yan as well. And in the middle of all of them sat a middle-aged uncle with a kindly face, smiling.

“At last, all the guests have arrived. As Clan Head, I must apologize that I was unable to greet you immediately. I had business on Longzhong Mountain.”

“It’s quite all right.”

It had been a while since I had seen Cheong-hwa looking so stiff he seemed practically rigid. He, who was always relaxed, apparently felt uncomfortable in front of the head of one of the Five Great Families.

“It has been a while, Dojang Cheong-hwa. Has the Sect Leader been well?”

“Of course. He remains vigorous.”

“Heh heh. Good, good. We should go share tea together sometime later. We are close enough to be neighbors, yet too hard to visit.”

After finishing his exchange with Cheong-hwa, the Clan Head turned his gaze to us. He looked at Myeong-il, Myeong-seong, and me once each, and the length of time he gave each of us was exactly the same.

“Young heroes of Wudang. A pleasure. I am Zhuge Gyeom, the head of the Zhuge Clan.”

Zhuge Gyeom, was it. I had scarcely heard the name before. It seemed he wasn’t a Clan Head who had left much of a mark.

“I am Myeong-il of Wudang.”

“I am Myeong-seong of Wudang.”

“I am Muk Hui-yeong, a lay disciple of Wudang.”

When we politely gave martial salutes, Zhuge Gyeom smiled and waved his hand, meaning that we should lower them now.

“I’ve seen Dojang Myeong-il before, and Dojang Myeong-seong is one I am meeting for the first time.”

Zhuge Gyeom’s gaze passed over Myeong-il and Myeong-seong and came to rest on me. In his eyes were interest and curiosity.

“You’re the Registered lay disciple that Wudang has brought out after so long, aren’t you?”

“That is correct.”

“For that prideful Wudang Sect to take in a Registered lay disciple. Though I am not a man of Wudang, as one of the same orthodox camp, my expectations are high.”

“I will try to live up to them.”

Feeling burdened, I merely lowered my head. At that moment, someone knocked on the door from outside.

“Enter.”

With Zhuge Gyeom’s permission granted, an attendant carefully entered.

“The sparring grounds are all prepared.”

“Oh. So they are.”

Ah. So we were beginning the sparring right away. Then again, Jun County and Xiangyang were so close that calling it a recovery from travel fatigue would’ve been embarrassing.

Following the attendant, we went straight out to the sparring grounds. There were the two little brats of the Zhuge Clan we’d seen earlier, along with one peer around my age.

The three immediately lowered their heads when they saw the Clan Head coming forward.

“We greet the Clan Head.”

“That will do. This isn’t an official setting. It’s only an occasion to exchange with a nearby sect, so address me comfortably.”

“…Understood, Father.”

For some reason, Zhuge Hyeon seemed to find the word Father difficult to say. The other little brats of the Zhuge Clan also muttered Father awkwardly. There was quite an age difference, but it seemed they were siblings. Then if Zhuge Yan were added in as well, perhaps they were brother and sister.

“There will be plenty of time for conversation, so shall we first begin with the sparring? There is more to be gained by reviewing it together and speaking afterward.”

As Zhuge Gyeom smiled, a rumbling sound filled the air, and the ground at the center suddenly rose up. I watched blankly, and before I knew it, a rectangular sparring platform had been formed.

The posts at the corners of the platform were connected by ropes, but the lengths differed from post to post.

“Oh.”

Without realizing it, I let out an exclamation. To use mechanisms to make the ground itself rise. As expected, the Zhuge Clan was not only skilled in formations, but also in mechanisms.

Perhaps hearing my exclamation, Zhuge Gyeom turned and grinned at me.

“The Sichuan Tang Clan is famous for mechanisms, but the Zhuge Clan is no less capable.”

“Is that so?”

“Indeed it is.”

There was unmistakable pride in Zhuge Gyeom’s voice. Of course, this alone was already amazing. If you asked whether it was useful, I’d answer not particularly, but it certainly looked impressive.

“Shall we have the children spar first?”

That was what Zhuge Chan, the hall master of the external business division, said. It seemed he intended to leave my sparring match for the very end.

“Let us do so.”

“Understood. Then, Mun-ah. Come out.”

So one of those little brats was called Zhuge Mun. Zhuge Mun stepped forward and glared openly at Myeong-il.

Without needing any instructions from Cheong-hwa, Myeong-il naturally stepped out as well.

“I am Zhuge Mun of the Zhuge Clan.”

“Myeong-il of Wudang.”

At Myeong-il’s halfhearted answer, Zhuge Mun’s face immediately twisted. Zhuge Mun and Myeong-il drew their swords at the same time. Zhuge Mun’s momentum was sharp, while Myeong-il’s was calm.

“Begin.”

With Zhuge Chan’s solemn declaration, Zhuge Mun charged at Myeong-il. Myeong-il only watched Zhuge Mun, making no movement at all.

Anyone could see that it was an act of contempt. I could see Zhuge Mun’s face twist even more.

“Haaat!”

With a rather predictable shout, Zhuge Mun thrust sharply at Myeong-il.

Myeong-il only moved at the very moment Zhuge Mun’s sword was a mere three chon away from his solar plexus.

“Oh. He’s improved quite a bit.”

Watching from the side, Cheong-hwa added that one remark. In truth, even to my own eyes, it was obvious. He was faster than before, stronger than before, and more graceful than before. Overall, he had advanced far beyond how he’d looked when fighting me. The title of foremost genius among the third-generation disciples had not been won at a gambling den.

Myeong-il’s sword was fast yet graceful. Based on Azure Cloud Steps, Myeong-il varied his footwork as he circled around Zhuge Mun and pressed him continuously. From a distance, it might have looked wavering and slack, but all of it was the process of diverting force.

“This…!”

From Zhuge Mun’s point of view, it had to be maddening. He seemed catchable, yet couldn’t be caught. He seemed reachable, yet couldn’t be reached. But from my point of view, the difference between Zhuge Mun and Myeong-il was vast. The very fact that it all continued to look so precarious was proof of that.

So it really was true that the Zhuge Clan had less martial talent than the other great families. Then again, if they were both clever and physically strong, what would other people live on? As expected, the Jade Emperor had made all the necessary arrangements for mankind.

“It’s a meaningless fight.”

Naturally, neither Zhuge Gyeom nor Cheong-hwa could have missed what I saw. Yet Zhuge Gyeom did not look disappointed. Rather, he seemed relieved, as if to say it was only natural. Was he acknowledging the shortcomings of his own son? If so, that made him a rather fine father.

Just as Zhuge Gyeom said, the fight was meaningless, and Myeong-il defeated Zhuge Mun with ease. When Myeong-il’s wooden sword came to rest at Zhuge Mun’s throat, Zhuge Mun’s own sword was still far from even Myeong-il’s collar. Only then did Zhuge Mun seem to realize the gap in skill between them, and his face flushed red.

“This sparring match goes to Dojang Myeong-il.”

Zhuge Chan declared the outcome with plain directness. Zhuge Mun hurried down from the platform as if ashamed to remain there, while Myeong-il descended with the same quiet gait as before.

“You’ve grown much stronger.”

“Of course. Beating someone at that level.”

Myeong-il truly seemed to think so, showing no sign at all of pride. Perhaps thinking he needed to break this mood quickly, Zhuge Chan urgently called out the next pair.

“Next, Han-ah.”

Next came Zhuge Han and Myeong-seong. For some reason, though he had mounted the same sparring platform as Myeong-seong, Zhuge Han was glaring not at him, but at Myeong-il, who had already stepped down.

That was when I saw Myeong-seong’s face. In the corners of his trembling eyes was humiliation.

Only then did I understand why Myeong-seong had been in such a bad mood. Even during that brief first meeting earlier, the people of the Zhuge Clan had paid Myeong-seong no attention at all. Since Myeong-il was the foremost genius, that was only natural. It was society’s cold logic that attention naturally went to the more capable.

“Begin.”

Zhuge Han and Myeong-seong rushed out at the same time and clashed in the center. Myeong-seong too displayed graceful, unbroken movement.

Honestly, perhaps because I was watching right after Myeong-il’s swordsmanship, it did seem a little lacking by comparison. Still, I thought Myeong-seong was doing more than well enough. It was plain to my eyes that he too had improved greatly.

In truth, Zhuge Han was barely able to keep his wits at all beneath Myeong-seong’s chaotic and pounding sword blows, doing nothing but block. But was it really all right for the Zhuge Clan, who had invited us, to show only themselves being beaten like this?

When I stole a glance at Zhuge Gyeom, I was startled. Zhuge Gyeom wasn’t watching the sparring match, but me.

I hurriedly turned my head away, but Zhuge Gyeom’s smile remained like an afterimage. It was the sort of smile that seemed to see straight through my thoughts.

‘He really is an uncomfortable sort.’

Perhaps it wasn’t merely because of rank or position that Cheong-hwa found him uncomfortable. That thought simply came to me.

“Urk!”

At that moment, the tip of Myeong-seong’s wooden sword struck Zhuge Han in the solar plexus and sent him flying off the sparring platform. The match had been one-sided, and Myeong-seong had shown no sign of danger at all.

Then a thought suddenly struck me. There was no way the head of the Zhuge Clan couldn’t judge the level of his own children’s martial skill. The same was true of Wudang’s disciples. If the gap was this large, there was no choice but to know. Yet even so, why had he arranged such a setting? To deliberately force them to taste defeat?

“Young Hero Muk.”

It was Zhuge Gyeom who broke my thoughts. Since he addressed me so suddenly, I straightened my back and answered.

“Yes.”

“Ha ha. There’s no need to be so tense.”

“Ah, yes.”

“And no need to watch people’s reactions so closely either. In a fight between martial artists, what great matter is there in victory or defeat? What does it matter who wins and who loses?”

“That is true.”

But why had this man been talking only to me from the start? Uncomfortably. When I glanced toward Cheong-hwa, he pretended not to notice, which made it seem he had no desire to rescue me.

“The martial talent of the Zhuge Clan may be unimpressive, but Hyeon’s swordsmanship is still worth watching.”

“Then I will have to face him with my full effort.”

“As you should. Certainly you should. And yet…”

Smiling, Zhuge Gyeom trailed off. Then the smile vanished, and suddenly his voice turned cold.

“Do not dare think of winning.”

“What?”

Just as I, dumbfounded, asked back, Zhuge Chan called us from atop the platform.

“Hyeon-ah and Young Hero Muk, please step onto the sparring platform together.”

Without hearing any further answer, I had to go out to the platform. Cheong-hwa likely hadn’t heard that exchange. I had felt the voice resonate only at my ear. Zhuge Gyeom had probably used sound transmission.

‘What the hell.’

The head of a great family, and he’s resorting to threats. To be honest, I hadn’t cared much before, but suddenly I wanted to win no matter what.

“Are you ready?”

Zhuge Chan looked from Zhuge Hyeon to me and asked. Both Zhuge Hyeon and I nodded.

“Begin.”

I tightened my grip around the sword hilt. The sparring match had begun.