Jo Wihye couldn’t believe the current situation.

To think she would be defeated. And so overwhelmingly by that child.

But as the sensation of the red thorns brushing past her neck became more vivid, she had no choice but to return to reality.

Amazingly sharp thorns. She was at a loss for words at the enormous scale of the vines that had broken through her forest and rushed this far.

How much effort would it have taken to implement a phantom body of this level within a formation?

[Someday, please help this child.]

Suddenly, the words that Yu Sia had left her before she died came to mind.

A child who had been left alone in the family. The family head was busy, and Dang Hujeong did not take care of him.

Under the protection of the family, Zhuge Cheonwu had grown up enjoying many things, but there was no love or affection in it.

Unable to watch any longer, she had tried to help the child’s growth, but it was always only for that moment.

Zhuge Cheonwu was weak and had no talent. At his skills that did not improve even after learning for several years, not only the family but also she herself had half given up.

Because later, even that child had lost the light in his two eyes due to the cold treatment and disappointment of those around him.

If there are no expectations, there is no hope. A child who has lost himself will just be swept away as if drifting around.

In the midst of that, Dang Hujeong had tried to erase Yu Sia’s traces, and not long after, that misfortune had befallen her as well.

In the end, she decided to retire.

She left Zhuge Cheonwu as he was and left the family’s manor, feeling sorry for not being able to keep her promise with Yu Sia.

And several years later, what Jo Wihye saw was the figure of Zhuge Cheonwu who had become arrogant.

A scoundrel who ran wild, believing only in the halo of his family.

Behind her pitiful heart, there was a part of her that was relieved. So it was meant to be like that.

She was comforted that it didn’t matter that she had given up her expectations for the child, that it didn’t matter that she had let go. That the result would have been the same even if she hadn’t done her best.

But to have such a result.

Jo Wihye, who had returned to reality, swallowed dryly without realizing it.

That cold gaze looking down at her.

The boy who had been alone under everyone’s neglect had grown up to be chillingly so.

Zhuge Cheonwu opened his mouth towards this side with an indifferent voice.

“Now the person to worry about has changed.”

* * *

“To think the director was defeated…”

“Why does that scoundrel have such a formation?”

“Shh! Watch your mouth.”

“Too late.”

“Gasp!”

The formation teachers who began to murmur at the clearly divided result.

But the person concerned just silently accepted the result.

“I have lost. You are amazing.”

As soon as Jo Wihye’s declaration ended, the thorny vines that had surrounded her scattered.

As this side recovered the energy of the formation, the phantom bodies disappeared.

Soon, as the power that had been pressing down on her disappeared, she cupped her fists and paid her respects.

“Jo Wihye, the director of the Hubei Northern Formation Hall under the Zhuge family. I will be the formation guarantor of the winner, Zhuge Cheonwu-nim.”

It was the declaration of a director who served as the head of a branch. It would be a great help in the future.

“Then please arrange for the formation certification exam as soon as possible.”

“Unfortunately, my power alone is not enough. To hold a meeting outside of the regular exam, the recognition of other directors is also necessary.”

With that, she told me the location of the formation halls in the southern and eastern parts of Hubei.

“Are you saying I have to defeat the other directors as well?”

“Yes. Because that will make the stage bigger.”

A confident gaze. I nodded my head. It was also ridiculous to expect high-ranking formation masters to gather quickly just by defeating one director.

‘First, I’ll raise the rumors and my reputation.’

My two eyes sank.

‘Since I’m causing trouble anyway, I’ll do it for sure.’

Just as I was about to head to the next formation hall in the wheelchair that was being moved by Tang Surin, Jo Wihye called out from behind.

“Uh… there’s something that your mother left behind in her lifetime. She said to give it to you when Cheonwu-nim showed his prominence in formations.”

With that, Jo Wihye handed me a book wrapped in a bundle from one side. A rather thick volume.

‘I thought she appeared late for some reason, but did she bring this?’

I received the book with a strange feeling.

“What is this about?”

“I have never seen it. Because that is my last loyalty to your mother.”

As if to prove her words, the knot of the tightly wrapped bundle had traces of not having been untied for a long time.

I stared at it for a moment and then told the escort.

“Let’s start moving. We can start by raiding the eastern formation hall, which is close from here.”

“Yes.”

Just as the escort who had heard the order was about to guide us to the carriage, Jo Wihye suddenly blocked my path.

“I will accompany you.”

“Why?”

“That’s right, who are you?”

I ignored Tang Surin’s words and tried to read Jo Wihye’s intention. If she was planning to play the role of a nanny now, I had no intention of looking at it favorably.

“…If you go alone, the other directors might not face you.”

“Do they usually send back a dojo challenge? And that too, when a direct descendant has come?”

“Shall I take care of her? Gaga?”

I stroked my chin as if in doubt. No matter how much of an outcast Zhuge Cheonwu was in the family, he could act up because he had the strong backing of being a bloodline of the Zhuge family.

But what kind of guts did a mere formation hall branch under the Zhuge family have to refuse a duel?

“There are many excuses to make. They could say they are sick, or they could promise to do it next time, saying they have urgent business. If you fight the formation teachers one by one from the bottom up, there’s a chance it will turn out like that.”

Since she was also a director, she seemed to have a good grasp of how this field worked.

‘They would certainly be prepared to that extent.’

If an outsider applied for a dojo challenge, after confirming the opponent’s identity and minimum challenging ability, a low-ranking formation teacher would step up.

If the new teacher lost, then a senior would step up, and after that, the person with the next best skill after the director would fight.

That’s how they bought time to analyze and prepare for the opponent. Using the procedure as an excuse.

‘If they think my skills are strong, there will be guys who avoid the duel.’

“Then is it different if you go?”

“Yes. If it’s a dojo challenge started by someone brought by another director, then from that point on, it becomes a battle of pride. As the stage gets bigger, it’s also difficult to make excuses like being in a bad condition.”

If the dojo challenge that Cheonwu had been doing until just now was a confrontation between a group and an individual, then with Jo Wihye’s accompaniment, it would become a confrontation between a group and a group.

There would be more eyes watching, and the ridicule that would come back when one ran away from a duel would be much more severe.

For example, it’s less burdensome for a professional soccer player to lose a 1-on-1 against a rookie who has come to prove himself, or to make an excuse and back out.

But it was a different story to lose a duel against a rookie brought by the ace of a rival team, or to make an excuse and run away.

In a place like this Central Plains, word of mouth was the media. Among them, a director who led many disciples and influenced the industry was like a local newspaper company, so it was not easy to show a disgraceful appearance such as running away openly.

“Then you’ll be resented later?”

Even among the beggars of the Beggars’ Sect, there is a code of conduct.

Unless there was a grudge between the directors, if a dojo challenge came in like this, it was clear that there would be unpleasant back talk about Jo Wihye.

“It’s something I’ve already prepared for. Although it’s late, I want to help you even like this. And… I can’t be the only one who suffers, can I?”

At Jo Wihye’s sly appearance, I readily gave up one side of the carriage. Seeing that, Tang Surin emitted a faint killing intent, but it quickly dissipated when I offered her the seat next to me.

“Let’s depart now.”

Not long after departing, Jo Wihye quickly fell asleep.

It seemed she was sleepy because she had a formation battle right after returning from an external schedule.

And on top of that, the shock must have been great since the formation was broken right in front of her eyes. The mental damage must have been great as she was crushed by force.

Tang Surin kept chattering and rubbing against me from the side, so I grabbed her head and gave her a lap pillow, and she became quiet.

And so, having achieved peace in the carriage, I touched the book I had received from Jo Wihye.

‘Zhuge Cheonwu’s mother.’

It felt somehow unfamiliar. Come to think of it, since it was a possessed body, it was a natural thing.

When I became conscious of this, I was reluctant to open it for no reason.

Because the owner of this book was not me.

No matter how shameless I was, I was not a guy who would casually steal and read something left for a child.

‘But I’ll still read it.’

It was an item left as a keepsake for her only child. Whatever it was, it would contain content that would be helpful for my future life.

Whether it was a hidden fortune, or relatives, or whatever.

Right now, I was not in a position to be picky about this and that.

‘Still, I’ll repay you. I’ll make your body and name known throughout the Central Plains.’

At least it would be a much better ending than living as a scoundrel and only harming others and dying miserably.

Although it was a rationalization close to deception, I decided not to mind.

Because life was like that, and since it had come to this, I had no choice but to live.

‘So what is this about?’

When I untied the tightly tied bundle, a book revealed itself.

Sentences written in a neat handwriting.

‘A memoir?’

Seeing the number three written on the cover, it seemed the content started from the middle.

When I opened the cover, it was intense from the beginning.

[And so, I met Hohyeon.]

‘This is…?!’

Zhuge Hohyeon, this was the name of the head of the Zhuge family. And so, as I was reading the content, I suddenly raised my eyebrows.

‘This is literally a journal.’

A kind of memoir that contained the life of Yu Sia.

‘Although I don’t know what happened to the first part.’

Whether Yu Sia or Zhuge Hohyeon had traveled here and there in their youth, there were also mentions of places like Qinghai and Tibet.

Yu Sia’s interest was ancient history. It seemed she had done some research. Since Zhuge Hohyeon also appeared in the middle, it seemed both of them were very interested in ancient history.

As such, their story was also like a drama. They would fight over a ruin they had found by tracking the old legends of the residents, or they would meet in an unexpected inn and have a happening like, ‘You’re that rude guy from back then? You’re that crazy woman?’.

Then, they got to know each other’s side and their hearts connected, and they fell in love, a common story.

At that time, Zhuge Hohyeon already had a fiancée, and even had a child.

But he himself didn’t seem to have any particular attachment.

Because Zhuge Hohyeon himself had said that he was finally able to leave the family only after having his first child.

A passage that would have made Zhuge Taeseong tremble with a sense of betrayal if he had known.

Of course, the most pitiful one would have been Dang Hujeong.

‘No matter how I look at it, there’s no reason for her to care about me.’

I couldn’t quite understand why Dang Hujeong had shown such an interest in me.

Putting aside that question, I continued to read the journal.

After that, despite the opposition of the family, Zhuge Hohyeon took Yu Sia as his second wife.

But whether it was because of a chronic illness, she had Zhuge Cheonwu in a weakened state, and she, who had predicted her end, had left a journal like this.

And so, when I turned over the last remaining page, the content that should have ended continued.

[There is a hidden divine object in the Zhuge family.]

‘This is?’

[In the process of classifying ancient documents, I was able to find a clue about a hidden place that exists within the Zhuge family. Although I haven’t found out where it is yet… I was able to be sure of one thing.]

[The treasure vault of the Zhuge family. The decisive key to finding the divine object is there.]

‘Don’t tell me?’

I quickly read through the explanation.

[That divine object is an object that has been passed down as a legend of the Zhuge family.]

[Seven Star Ladle.]

‘It’s one of the top-tier equipment that can be obtained if you go the sorcery route.’

A weapon that I had read about in passing in the strategy guide. I was about to start looking for it, but to think I would get a clue like this.

I began to read the rest of the content seriously.

‘As expected, the Seven Star Ladle was there.’

The treasure vault of the Zhuge family. I had only heard of it, but I had never entered it myself.

‘This is going to be a bit of a hassle.’

The family’s treasure vault does not let just anyone in. I knew that the original strategy was also possible only by using a trick or taking the final tech, but fortunately, I was a direct blood relative.

‘Then there’s a way.’

Since I had also found out where the key clue, the Seven Star Ladle, was, all that was left was to make a plan.

As I was thinking that, the carriage suddenly stopped.

“Young Master, we have arrived.”

Thanks to riding in the carriage for half a day, I was able to reach the next formation hall. Since the formation halls were quite close, the movement was easy.

“Wake up.”

I woke up Tang Surin, who was pretending to be asleep, and got on the wheelchair.

As soon as the carriage approached, the gate of the formation hall opened, and soon, the formation teachers who had seen the emblem of the Zhuge family came out as if they had been waiting.

“Young Master? What can I do for you?”

Those who showed a look of vigilance upon seeing my appearance. Of course, among them, there were also many who showed a sign of not wanting to associate with me or being annoyed.

Considering Zhuge Cheonwu’s notoriety, it was perhaps a natural thing.

‘I’ll have to change their perception first.’

I looked at the faces of those who had come out as if to surround this side and declared.

“I’ve come to do a dojo challenge. Tell the director here to come out.”

(End of Chapter)

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep