Sword God Reborn

Chapter 124 : How do you know

Cheon Mubaeck went out first, and Zhuge Seola followed a little later. Her handmaiden, Yua, who was waiting for Zhuge Seola to come out, immediately followed closely behind her and whispered as she looked at Cheon Mubaeck's back walking away in the distance.

"Is that the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero who stole our lady's heart?"

"Shh!"

Zhuge Seola turned her head in surprise.

"What are you talking about, Yua!"

Zhuge Seola's appearance, blushing and lowering her voice, was certainly impressive. Yua, who had grown up with her since childhood, smiled sullenly.

"You even put on makeup when you arrived in Henan, and adorned yourself from head to toe..."

"Th-that's because I came as a representative of the Zhuge Clan! I have to show a good image."

"Hmm. Is that so? You seem to have dressed up more beautifully than at the gathering of the Hubei later generation experts."

"...You really."

"It's okay, my lady. You're really beautiful right now. If I were a man, I wouldn't be able to resist falling for you."

"Huh?"

"Besides, I heard the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero is only eighteen? Phew. Then it's over. He's probably already getting butterflies."

Zhuge Seola was twenty this year, and Yua was older at twenty-three.

'How cute.'

Anyone could see that she was conscious of him.

When they came to Henan, they often slept outdoors. So she didn't even dress up. It was difficult to even wash properly, so what makeup? But as soon as they got close to the escort agency, the fact that she insisted on finding an inn to wash and dress up even showed a sense of excitement, so would only Yua feel it? The people of the Zhuge Clan who came with her must have all noticed.

"Look. The escorts and porters are all stealing glances at your face."

"Umm. Still, it's not like that. Yua, you be quiet!"

"Look. Even the servant next to the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero over there is staring at your face, lost in thought."

At that moment, Cheon Mubaeck, who had gone out first, approached with his servant and a few escorts.

Zhuge Seola put her index finger to her nose as if to tell Yua to be quiet.

Cheon Mubaeck said.

"Alright. First, let's check the buildings that have already been built."

"Yes. I understand."

Zhuge Seola responded naturally, as if she had never been flustered. She moved along with the representatives of the Zhuge Clan's scholars and craftsmen, as guided by Cheon Mubaeck.

* * *

Zhuge Seola walked, looking at Cheon Mubaeck's back with a strange gaze. Yua's words kept echoing in her head. As Yua had said, she often felt the presence of the escort agency's people looking at her face with admiration and surprise.

But.

'That guy isn't even looking?'

Cheon Mubaeck walked ahead and didn't pay any attention at all.

Zhuge Seola, who was bothered by that, had a complicated mind.

At that moment, a telepathic message pierced her mind.

'Was the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero a master of ice arts?'

It was the middle-aged warrior who was following as her guard.

'A master of ice arts?'

'I feel a powerful supreme yin energy. But I have never heard a rumor that the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero uses ice arts...'

At those words, Zhuge Seola looked at the middle-aged guard with new eyes.

Although she herself was a famous later generation expert, she could not easily feel Cheon Mubaeck's well-refined internal energy.

She had felt a strangely cold internal energy for a moment, but it was so faint that she thought it might be a mistake.

In other words, it was a realm that was difficult for her to even look up to.

But the middle-aged warrior had seen through it.

He was indeed a warrior that her grandfather had personally assigned.

'It's probably because he absorbed the supreme yin energy last time.'

'I have heard about it, but...'

The middle-aged warrior tilted his head as if it was difficult to understand.

'It is a well-refined supreme yin energy. There must have been a clash because he had internal energy even before absorbing the supreme yin energy, but there is no sign of that at all. It feels as if he has been handling supreme yin energy since he was a child. Like a master of ice arts.'

The middle-aged warrior's sharp gaze did not leave Cheon Mubaeck for a moment.

'Since it is the word of the Thousand Year Slender Blade, then it must be certain that Young Master Cheon has learned ice arts.'

'But it's not just supreme yin energy. There is something more, but I cannot grasp anything beyond that.'

Thousand Year Slender Blade, Muyong.

Muyong had come along as Zhuge Seola's guard, but on the other hand, he had come to find out about Cheon Mubaeck. Following the order of the grand clan head, Zhuge Seon. Muyong had hidden his internal energy well like an ordinary peak warrior, and had deliberately erased his presence.

So no one paid attention to him.

Except for Cheon Mubaeck.

'It's not the Zhuge family's internal energy. A guest retainer? Hmm. To use such a guest retainer as a guard. The prestige of the Zhuge Clan is greater than in the past.'

Cheon Mubaeck had fully grasped Muyong's full power.

'The very top even among the peak. Perhaps a master close to the realm of entering the divine.'

In an instant, various thoughts flashed through his mind.

'If I only use the Heaven-Shaking Soul Art?'

He could certainly defeat him. But he himself would have to be prepared for a rather severe internal injury.

'If I only use the supreme yin energy with the Ice White Divine Art?'

Well. This was not certain.

Because Cheon Mubaeck had never properly used ice arts before.

'At least it's a contest. I can't say I'll win.'

Then.

'If I use both at the same time?'

If he used both at the same time using the immortal energy?

Of course, it would be a huge strain on his body. He would have to overwork his head to the point of it turning to mush.

But if he exerted his maximum concentration in a short period of time, he could use all three powers at the same time for a very short while.

'A certain victory within fifty moves.'

He was confident of an overwhelming victory.

Of course, if they actually fought, a different aspect might emerge, but it would not deviate greatly from the category.

'I have to find a way to handle the immortal energy so that I can handle both energies at the same time.'

Immortal energy was not something that suddenly appeared.

Even the Taoists of Wudang or Mount Hua could only barely feel the immortal energy after decades of cultivating the Tao.

There was no established method to feel and obtain immortal energy like martial arts or internal energy heart arts.

But Cheon Mubaeck was certain of one thing.

'The five sacred relics, including the Primordial Root Scripture.'

He had already comprehended, analyzed, and endlessly recited the verses of the Primordial Root Scripture to obtain even a faint immortal energy.

'I have something to do.'

The remaining four sacred relics.

He had to find them.

* * *

"It would be good to have a mechanism formation here that draws in the enemy rather than killing them."

"Why is that?"

Unexpectedly, the installation of the Guardian Array of Wondrous Questions did not go smoothly and ran into conflict.

The Guardian Array of Wondrous Questions was a mechanism formation with a completely established format.

Even if there were variations depending on the place of installation, there were no major changes.

But at Cheon Mubaeck's request, not only Zhuge Seola but also the scholars and craftsmen objected.

"If we draw the enemy in here, we have to kill them at the next mechanism. An enemy who has come this far means they are a powerful master."

"That's right. That's why we have to draw them in."

"What?"

Zhuge Seola made a face that was hard to understand.

At this moment, Zhuge Seola was not being led along by Cheon Mubaeck's intentions.

"The Guardian Array of Wondrous Questions is for protecting the clan from enemies. If we draw the enemy in here, the enemy can get a path to the main base at once."

"No, we can just draw them in and kill them right away."

"In that case, wouldn't it be better to just dig a definite trap here as originally planned?"

"An enemy who has dug this far will just smash any ordinary mechanism before it's even activated."

"That may be true, but..."

Zhuge Seola trailed off. There were not many enemies in the world who could come this far. At least, one had to be at the realm of entering the divine to be able to break through this far.

Cheon Mubaeck's words were also right. A master who had broken through this far could not be stopped by an ordinary mechanism formation.

"Draw them in and kill them at once."

"That doesn't make sense. How do you kill a master who has broken through this far at once? To kill such a great master at once, you would need a tremendous poison that would kill them instantly... huh?"

Zhuge Seola's eyes, which had been muttering, widened. Cheon Mubaeck's satisfied smile was reflected in her retina.

"It's poison, right? Right?"

Zhuge Seola's large eyes sparkled.

To be honest, Cheon Mubaeck was impressed by Zhuge Seola's extensive knowledge.

'This is why genetics are good. She's smart.'

Knowledge and wisdom were different.

Zhuge Seola had a vast and extensive knowledge in her head, unbecoming of her twenty years of age. This was evident from the way she clashed and conflicted with Cheon Mubaeck regarding the Guardian Array of Wondrous Questions.

Up to this point, it was not particularly special to Cheon Mubaeck.

The part that truly made him exclaim in admiration was her wisdom.

She had the ability to analyze and deduce the situation in an instant based on her extensive knowledge.

"Wow! I get it now. So that's why you've been demanding this kind of modification until now? You're gradually consuming the opponent's internal energy. In fact, for someone who can break through the Guardian Array of Wondrous Questions to some extent, no mechanism can completely block them. But after consuming their internal energy and stamina, if you use poison at this point? My goodness. It's certain. You can finish them."

Zhuge Seola muttered to herself in excitement.

At that, the faces of the scholars and craftsmen, who had been reluctant at first, also changed strangely. They soon nodded their heads as if it was plausible.

As could be seen from their appearance, simply thinking of poison did not mean they understood this whole situation.

Zhuge Seola had perfectly understood Cheon Mubaeck's intention and, furthermore, had proposed a better plan.

"Then it would be better to modify the previous mechanism as well."

"Modification?"

"Yes. To be poisoned here, you have to thoroughly consume the opponent's internal energy. Most masters drive out poison with their internal energy. Then if we modify the mechanism formation in that direction..."

"Indeed, that's a good idea. But there's no need for that."

"What? Why is that?"

Zhuge Seola's suggestion was reasonable and acceptable to Cheon Mubaeck.

But there was a poison that made it unnecessary to accept that suggestion.

"I will use the Ten Thousand Poisons of the Yangtze River and the Stone Poison."

"The Ten Thousand Poisons of the Yangtze River! The poison that the eels of the Yangtze River spew? That's a tremendous poison. But with that alone..."

"The Ten Thousand Poisons of the Yangtze River is like a dumpling you eat before a meal. The real thing is this Stone Poison."

"Stone Poison?"

Zhuge Seola tilted her head. Even for her, the name Stone Poison was a poison she was hearing for the first time.

Cheon Mubaeck smiled and explained the power of the Stone Poison he had stolen from Dang Junpa. Surprise appeared on Zhuge Seola's face as she heard the story.

"My goodness, for such a poison to exist. At this level, it wouldn't fall short even when compared to the secret poisons of the Sichuan Tang Clan."

"Then how about it? If we use the Ten Thousand Poisons of the Yangtze River and the Stone Poison in this mechanism?"

Zhuge Seola, who was lost in thought with her arms crossed for a moment, nodded her head.

"It's certain. At this level, it's much better to maintain the current state than to change the mechanism in front."

"Then how about doing as I think?"

"Hmm."

Zhuge Seola hesitated for a moment.

Then, as if a thought had come to her, she made a confused expression.

"But... listening to Young Master Cheon talk, it feels like you know the Guardian Array of Wondrous Questions very well."

"...Well, since we're talking together, I'm just grasping the general concept."

"That alone is amazing... but you know it in such detail, as if you've been in the Guardian Array of Wondrous Questions once before?"

Cheon Mubaeck was silent.

Zhuge Seola sent a suspicious gaze. Of course, it was a slightly playful gaze. Cheon Mubaeck inwardly felt that she was like a cat, but he did not show any emotion on his face.

"How do you know?"

At the direct question, Cheon Mubaeck shrugged his shoulders.

"How could I know. It's not like I can enter the Guardian Array of Wondrous Questions."

Zhuge Seola put her hand on her waist and then sighed.

"That's right. Then this is all Young Master Cheon's intuition. Really... you're amazing."

Something of various complex emotions was felt for a moment.

From surprise and admiration for the opponent, to a feeling close to awe.

Perhaps it was jealousy of the intuition that she did not have.

But Zhuge Seola soon corrected her expression.

"You're not the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero for nothing. How about studying at our Zhuge Clan later?"

"Study?"

"I think you could become the number one strategist in the world. If it's Young Master Cheon. With that much martial power and the qualities of a strategist. Wow. Just thinking about it is amazing."

Half of it might be a joke, but half of it was serious. Cheon Mubaeck chuckled.

"Do you let outsiders study inside the Zhuge Clan?"

"No. Outsiders are not allowed. Unless they become a blood relative or family of the Zhuge Clan... Eek! Don't misunderstand. It's not like that!"

"What misunderstanding?"

"No, just don't."

When Cheon Mubaeck tilted his head, Zhuge Seola shook her head with a flustered face.

Her flushed face clearly showed her flustered state. When Cheon Mubaeck stared blankly, Zhuge Seola hurriedly changed the subject.

"Do you know the only person who destroyed more than thirty percent of the Guardian Array of Wondrous Questions?"

"You mean the absolute master of the unorthodox faction, the Blood Heaven Demonic Fiend, 200 years ago?"

Wasn't it one of the famous stories in the history of the martial world?

"That's what the world knows, but that's not the truth."

At that moment, the corner of Cheon Mubaeck's eye twitched strangely. But Zhuge Seola, who was flustered and changing the subject, continued without noticing the change.

"At that time, there was another unidentified master who had followed the Blood Heaven Demonic Fiend in. The Blood Heaven Demonic Fiend didn't attack the Zhuge Clan, but had come to the Zhuge Clan to request protection to save his life."

"..."

"In fact, that master destroyed everything. To catch the Blood Heaven Demonic Fiend."

"..."

"Thirty percent? No. In fact, it's more than that. The details are a secret, but... it was not the Blood Heaven Demonic Fiend, but that nameless master. Phew. Because of that person, the Zhuge Clan couldn't show its face in the martial world for fifty years... huh? What's wrong? Your expression is a bit reluctant?"

"It's just... because I heard a surprising secret of the martial world."

"Right? It's surprising, isn't it? Who on earth could that master have been? With that much martial power, his name would have been left in history."

Cheon Mubaeck smiled bitterly.

Because he was the only one who knew that identity.

(End of Chapter)