“You’re leaving already?”
Zhuge Ho looked disappointed when Jeok Wigang told him he was heading back.
“Yes. Something urgent has come up, so I think I need to go.”
“Something urgent? Is there anything our family can do to help? Just say the word. If there’s anything within our power, we’ll do it.”
Jeok Wigang thought for a moment.
They would all need to know eventually anyway.
Since he was already here, telling Zhuge Ho now would save time later.
“There may be quite a lot I need your help with. First, I’d like to discuss the current situation in the martial world. Could you spare some time?”
Seeing the gravity in Jeok Wigang’s expression, Zhuge Ho realized that something serious must have happened and nodded.
“Of course. Let’s go to my room.”
Listening-Eye Beggar, who was standing nearby, spoke up.
“What’s going on? Is this something I shouldn’t hear?”
“Come with us.”
“Much appreciated.”
Once they were seated across from each other, Jeok Wigang carefully began.
“Have you ever heard of White Horse Heaven?”
“No. This is the first time.”
“Then you know about the Four Divine Demons, of course.”
“Who in the Central Plains doesn’t? Of course I know them.”
Jeok Wigang told him about the Four Divine Demons and White Horse Heaven.
By the time he finished, Zhuge Ho was stunned.
The Four Divine Demons had been terrifyingly powerful, yet they were only somewhere around the middle ranks of White Horse Heaven?
Then just how powerful were the ones above them?
“Is all of that really true?”
“Yes. Based on everything we’ve learned so far, I’m almost certain.”
“Good heavens...”
Listening-Eye Beggar backed Jeok Wigang up.
“The Beggars’ Union has already identified White Horse Heaven as a threat as well. We’re currently putting everything we have into tracking its people down.”
“But there’s been a complication. I thought White Horse Heaven still needed time before it could enter the Central Plains in earnest... but I recently discovered that the person who serves as White Horse Heaven’s strategist is already here and actively plotting.”
Not only Zhuge Ho but Listening-Eye Beggar as well visibly flinched.
“What do you mean? They’re already operating here?”
“Every group from White Horse Heaven we’ve discovered so far was being controlled by a man called the Demon-Brain Divine Demon and acting on his orders.”
“When you say groups from White Horse Heaven... does that include the Four Divine Demons?”
Jeok Wigang nodded.
“Yes. The Four Divine Demons were carrying out his orders without even realizing it.”
“Without realizing it?”
“He erased portions of their memories and implanted commands in their subconscious minds.”
“Erased their memories and implanted commands in their subconscious? Then even capturing them wouldn’t let us uncover the enemy’s true nature.”
“Exactly. They believe they acted of their own free will, never realizing that what they thought was their own will was actually an order.”
Zhuge Ho had been quietly listening to Jeok Wigang and Listening-Eye Beggar speak when something began to bother him.
The way they were talking made it sound as though they knew the Four Divine Demons personally.
“W-wait...”
He interrupted them and cautiously addressed Jeok Wigang.
“There’s something I need to ask after hearing all this.”
“What is it?”
“It’s just... the way you’re speaking... makes it sound as though you know the Four Divine Demons rather well. Surely... you don’t?”
“I do.”
You do?
Do what?
Zhuge Ho blinked.
“You mean... you know the Four Divine Demons?”
“Wasn’t that what you were asking?”
“Y-yes.”
“Then yes. I know them.”
Zhuge Ho stared blankly at Jeok Wigang, apparently unable to organize his thoughts.
A moment later, something seemed to click, and he laughed as he lightly shook his head.
“Ah! Of course. You’re the Heavenly Martial Emperor’s grandson. You must have grown up hearing all sorts of stories about the Four Divine Demons.”
“That’s not what I meant. The Four Divine Demons... are under me now.”
Zhuge Ho’s thoughts ground to a halt again.
He simply stared.
Listening-Eye Beggar nodded.
“You heard him correctly. The Four Divine Demons are already Young Master Jeok’s subordinates.”
“W-w-wait! What in the world are you saying?! Th-the Four Divine Demons... are Young Master Jeok’s subordinates?”
Suddenly, Zhuge Ho remembered the three men who had accompanied Jeok Wigang.
Experts so formidable that merely looking at them had sent chills down his spine.
“D-don’t tell me... Those men who came with you...”
“They’re three of the Four Divine Demons.”
“There were only three. What about the fourth?”
“We found him here.”
“Found him... here?”
“He was working as the Zhuge Family’s martial arts instructor.”
“Ghk!”
Zhuge Ho’s jaw dropped so far it looked ready to dislocate.
Good heavens.
How was any of this possible?
One of the Four Divine Demons—the great demonic masters who had once plunged the entire martial world into terror—had been living inside his own family?
And worse, Zhuge Ho had actually hired that demonic master as their martial arts instructor.
He had always found it strange that a man possessing such extraordinary martial skill and knowledge had been content running a mere martial arts school.
But to think he had been one of the Four Divine Demons.
“The Heaven-Conquering Divine Demon, Kang Mujin. That is the true identity of the Zhuge Family’s martial arts instructor.”
“Th-the Heaven-Conquering Divine Demon? The one who was said to be the most infamous even among the Four Divine Demons...?”
He couldn’t believe it.
Kang Mujin had never struck him as such a man.
But more importantly—
How in the world had Jeok Wigang managed to make the Four Divine Demons his subordinates?
“You said the Four Divine Demons serve you. How exactly did you manage that? Surely it wasn’t easy.”
“It wasn’t. They kept running away, so I was constantly having to chase them down.”
The Four Divine Demons had run away?
“They fled from you?”
“Yes. We only managed to find them again with help from the Beggars’ Union.”
“Good heavens...”
No matter how he looked at it, the story was impossible to believe.
The Four Divine Demons had run from Jeok Wigang.
Didn’t that mean they were afraid of him?
“They’re afraid of you?”
“I suppose so?”
“Can you trust them?”
“No.”
“Th-then why keep them as subordinates?”
“They know better than anyone what’ll happen to them if they betray me.”
“What exactly does that mean?”
Zhuge Ho looked thoroughly confused.
Listening-Eye Beggar chuckled.
“Oh, they know. If they don’t want Young Master Jeok beating the hell out of them, they’ll behave themselves.”
“Beating them? Are you saying the Four Divine Demons actually live in fear of being beaten by him?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
Zhuge Ho glared at Listening-Eye Beggar.
“I’m serious! Do I look like I’m joking right now?”
“You joke every chance you get.”
“This time I’m telling the truth! Young Master Jeok, you tell him.”
“He’s right. The reason they ran away in the first place was because they didn’t want me beating them.”
“Young Master Jeok... are you really that strong?”
Listening-Eye Beggar immediately jumped back in.
“Strong? Of course he is! He’s a Beyond-Heaven Realm expert who could shatter Mount Tai and send it flying with a single blow!”
“Do you have to turn everything into a joke? Try being serious for once.”
“I’m going insane here! I’m telling you the truth! Hell, I saw it with my own eyes and I still have trouble believing it, so I suppose someone who only hears about it would have an even harder time. But it’s true. If I’m lying, I’ll smash this gourd I treasure.”
Saying he would smash his gourd did not simply mean breaking his begging bowl.
It meant leaving the Beggars’ Union.
Listening-Eye Beggar had just staked his entire life on his words.
“If you’re willing to go that far...”
Then Zhuge Ho had little choice but to believe him.
Even so—
Shattering Mount Tai with one blow?
Surely that part was an exaggeration.
Zhuge Ho turned back to Jeok Wigang.
“Then have you located this Demon-Brain Divine Demon?”
Jeok Wigang shook his head.
“We’ve confirmed that he exists. Nothing more. We don’t know where he is.”
“Isn’t that extremely dangerous?”
“That’s why I need help.”
Zhuge Ho’s expression hardened with determination.
“Name it.”
“I’m going back now to inherit Heavenly Martial Castle.”
“What?”
The determination vanished from Zhuge Ho’s face in an instant, replaced by bewilderment.
“You know my grandfather, right?”
“O-of course. But... haven’t the candidates to succeed Heavenly Martial Castle already been decided?”
“They have. Grandfather kept telling me to take the position instead, and I kept refusing. I’ve changed my mind.”
Was that really the sort of position someone could simply decide to take?
Wait.
More importantly—
“The Heavenly Martial Emperor personally offered you the position of Lord of Heavenly Martial Castle?”
“Yes.”
“Then the existing successor candidates surely won’t accept that quietly. Will you be all right?”
“If they have a problem with it, they can become stronger than me.”
Jeok Wigang said it as though it were the simplest thing in the world.
Now Zhuge Ho desperately wanted to see it.
He wanted to witness Jeok Wigang taking control of Heavenly Martial Castle.
“Then... may I come with you?”
“What?”
“No, better yet. Since things have come to this, the Zhuge Family will join Heavenly Martial Castle as well. That was what you were going to ask for, wasn’t it? For us to unite against White Horse Heaven?”
“That is one of the things I wanted to ask. But there’s no need for the Zhuge Family to join Heavenly Martial Castle itself. I intend to establish a Martial Alliance with Heavenly Martial Castle at its center.”
“Oh! An excellent idea. A Martial Alliance... Even the name makes the blood stir. The Zhuge Family will join. And we’ll take the lead in persuading the other great families as well.”
“Thank you. You don’t need to worry about the Tang Family. They’re already family.”
“Good heavens! You managed to win over those stubborn people? Impressive. If the Tang Family has already agreed, the other great families shouldn’t be too difficult. As for the Nine Sects and One Gang...”
Listening-Eye Beggar grinned.
“The Beggars’ Union has already agreed to stand with Young Master Jeok. The Emei Sect and Qingcheng Sect have as well.”
“Incredible. Young Master Jeok, you truly are the martial world’s hero.”
“No. I’m simply doing this because I want my family to live in peace. I don’t have any grand ambition behind it.”
Zhuge Ho laughed.
“Ha ha ha! As the saying goes, ‘Cultivate yourself, order your family, govern the state, and bring peace to all under heaven.’ Is it not precisely the man capable of protecting his family who can protect the world? Hearing that this is the heart behind your actions only makes me trust you more. From this day forward, the Zhuge Family will follow you.”
Zhuge Ho gave Jeok Wigang a martial salute and bowed deeply.
Jeok Wigang smiled and returned both the salute and the bow.
“I look forward to working with you.”
“No, it is our Zhuge Family that should be asking that of you. We’ll settle our affairs as quickly as possible. Once you formally take the position of Lord of Heavenly Martial Castle, we’ll come to Heavenly Martial Castle.”
“Understood. Oh, and may I take your Young Family Head with me?”
“Hyeon?”
“Yes. I’d like to take him back and put him through some proper training.”
“Proper training?”
“Oh. My grandfather will personally train—”
“Take him immediately!”
What more was there to hear?
The Heavenly Martial Emperor himself was going to train his son.
There was no question whatsoever.
“Understood. Then I’ll take Zhuge Hyeon with us when we leave. There’s one more favor I’d like to ask.”
“What is it?”
“I’m planning to take the Young Family Heads of the other great families with me as well. Could you write letters to their families on my behalf?”
“May I mention in the letters that the Heavenly Martial Emperor will personally train them?”
Jeok Wigang nodded.
Zhuge Ho smiled.
“Then there won’t even be any need to wait for their answers. Their families will probably tell you to take them immediately. Just bring them with you.”
“Understood. I’ll leave that to you, then.”
“Ha ha ha! Of course. Don’t worry about a thing. I’ll handle everything.”
Zhuge Ho thought Jeok Wigang was worrying over nothing.
This wasn’t just anyone offering to teach them.
It was the Heavenly Martial Emperor.
What parent in their right mind would refuse?
This wasn’t merely an opportunity.
It was a once-in-a-thousand-years fortuitous encounter.
If one of the youngsters dared say they didn’t want to go, their family ought to knock them unconscious, carry them there on their back, and dump them at the gates if necessary.
Zhuge Ho was positively thrilled.
He could hardly wait to see just how powerful his son would become after receiving the Heavenly Martial Emperor’s personal instruction.

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