LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 30 - Episode 7: Demonic Cultivator (4)
Chapter 30 – Episode 7: Demonic Cultivator (4)
The group ventured deeper into the valley.
“Ah, there’s a trap over there. Can you tell what kind it is?”
“If you touch the wire, spikes will shoot out from both sides.”
Hang Gon lightly poked the wire with his staff as per Zhuge Jun’s instruction.
The moment the staff touched the wire, a snapping sound was heard, and dozens of wooden spikes shot out from both sides.
It was a vicious trap designed to catch someone regardless of whether they moved forward or backward.
Of course, that’s only if you didn’t know about it in advance.
“Thank you, Young Master Zhuge. You have good eyes.”
“It’s nothing. Thanks to you, Hang Gon, disabling the trap was easy.”
Zhuge Jun had been analyzing the terrain, working backward to figure out where traps would be most effective. While Hang Gon, through his experience working with the Iron Flame Gang was helping him with his limited expertise in mechanical devices.
“Ah, there’s another mechanism.”
“Would you like to handle this one, Escort Im?”
“Leave it to me!”
Im Jun-gyu snorted and swung his great axe down.
Though not yet worthy to be called as a First-Rate martial artist, his skills had grown enough to channel his strength effectively.
He easily cut down the dead tree, causing the mechanism to collapse.
But then—
Buzz—!
“Venomous mosquitoes, huh.” Zhuge Hyeonmong remarked casually as the tree fell, releasing a swarm.
They no longer had the Clear Spirit Pill and Sima Lin hadn’t carried extras either, and even if she had, they wouldn’t have been particularly effective.
‘But I’ve already analyzed the spell formula.’
This wasn’t the first time he’d seen this type of magic; he’d encountered it multiple times.
Zhuge Hyeonmong had figured out the sorcery the Demonic Cultivator was using.
It involved implanting demonic qi into small creatures and controlling their behavior through specific signals.
Therefore—
‘Gather.’
All he had to do was completely disassemble and reconstruct the structure of the spell formula, which even the Demonic Cultivator himself fully understood and hijacked the signal.
The mosquitoes, instead of attacking, formed a ball in mid-air. Peng Ak, without waiting for a signal, slashed through them with a single stroke.
With a sound that’s akin to an explosion rather than the wind being cut, the mosquitoes burst apart all at once.
Peng Ak sheathed his saber. He wore a somewhat uneasy expression.
“Hmm.”
“What’s wrong?”
“No, I’m just wondering if it’s okay for it to be this easy.”
Zhuge Jun gave an awkward smile at Peng Ak’s words.
He understood exactly what he meant.
Normally, hunting down a Demonic Cultivator isn’t this easy. Especially when they are trying to locate and eliminate the target at their lair.
Knowing that capture means certain death, the Demonic Cultivators utilize every means at their disposal, often resorting to bizarre, supernatural techniques that defy logic and cause immense damage.
The Demonic Cultivator they were currently hunting was no exception.
‘The traps, the poisons—if we had proceeded normally, it would have been dangerous.’
If they had gotten lost in the fog and accidentally triggered a trap, even First-Rate martial artists couldn’t guarantee their safety.
Moreover, in a state where their senses were dulled, and with venomous creatures possibly popping out from anywhere, they would naturally become exhausted from staying alert.
Zhuge Jun suddenly felt a pang of regret.
‘To have such talents and remain hidden in obscurity.’
If only the Zhuge Family hadn’t abandoned the Arcane Faction, perhaps they wouldn’t be facing their current crisis.
Some elders in the family insist that the Arcane Faction nearly uprooted their family, claiming that the family’s decline began from that point. However, he suspects there must be something at play here.
“Anyway, it should be about time for them to appear.”
“They might have fled.”
No matter how brave the Demonic Cultivator might be, they would surely sense danger with such a direct approach.
Moreover, thanks to the efforts of the two Zhuges, they’d easily navigated through various traps. This would cause unimaginable pressure for the Demonic Cultivator; perhaps they already fled out of fear.
‘Hmm. Maybe that’s for the best.’
Just as Zhuge Hyeonmong was thinking this, a vague shape appeared through the hazy fog.
“That’s…”
“Isn’t that the Wuhou Shrine?”
The Wuhou Shrine was built to honor the achievements of Zhuge Liang. While there exist official shrines, there are also unofficial one built by those who deeply respected Zhuge Liang.
But since a temple was built for people to visit, the location of this temple was somewhat strange.
“Hmm. It might not be an ordinary shrine.”
“Not an ordinary shrine?”
Zhuge Jun’s face reddened slightly.
“Well, it’s a bit embarrassing to say, but it might have been built by someone from the Zhuge Family.”
“Why is that embarrassing?”
“Because it could be considered an eccentric habit.”
Zhuge Jun sighed.
“You know how people in our family sometimes create puzzles for fun? Occasionally, they’ll create such puzzles and, if they’re pleased with them, dedicate them to the family’s founder, Zhuge Liang. On the surface, that’s what it is… but in reality, they’re often created to test future generations. They hide some form of reward and give it to those who solve the puzzles.”
“A reward?”
“Yes, like insights or techniques.”
“Why?”
Peng Ak asked in genuine confusion but immediately regretted it.
This was the Zhuge family, after all.
There must surely be some reason.
‘Just because they can.’
Zhuge Hyeonmong thought while listening to the conversation.
He had experienced it a few times as a child.
‘They’d say they wouldn’t give me candy if I didn’t solve the problem.’
Meanwhile, Zhuge Jun stopped participating in the conversation and concentrated on his qi perception.
Just like when he had suspected Zhuge Hyeongmong of being a Demonic Cultivator, he was now checking if there was any presence inside the Wuhou Shrine.
“How is it, Jun?”
“I don’t sense any demonic presence. But that doesn’t mean we can let our guard down. Even though the Profound Heaven Crouching Dragon Divine Art is excellent for detection, it’s not foolproof, and even if it could, my mastery isn’t that high.”
“We have no choice but to go in.”
Peng Ak came to that conclusion.
“Just in case, Brother, please wait outside.”
Zhuge Hyeonmong nodded.
It would be unwise to recklessly enter the Wuhou Shrine when they didn’t know what traps might be waiting.
‘I should check for any traces related to me, but I guess it can’t be helped.’
Honestly, even if he went in, it’s not as if he could secretly conceal evidence from the eyes of three martial artists.
Zhuge Jun, Peng Ak, and Hang Gon entered the Wuhou Shrine.
Meanwhile, Im Jun-gyu secretly sighed in relief.
To be honest, entering the Wuhou Shrine where a Demonic Cultivator might be lurking didn’t appeal to him given his level of martial arts.
“Do you think he fled? The bastard, I mean.”
“Who knows?”
Zhuge Hyeonmong shrugged at Im Jun-gyu’s question. Despite his recent bravado, he wasn’t omniscient.
While he certainly hadn’t acted without thinking, there were definitely instances where luck had played a role, yielding results beyond his expectations.
“Well, if it were me, I’d have fled already. There must be an exit in this valley, right?”
“I suppose so. He might be far away by now.”
“Is that so? If it were me, I would I would strike when least expected…”
That’s what he would do.
For example, using the Wuhou Shrine as bait to lure people in.
The moment this thought occurred to Zhuge Hyeonmong, he unleashed his mana.
There was no special spell formula imbued, but who kept each and every strand of mana under control, Zhuge Hyeonmong could sense what his released spell touched.
The Demonic Cultivator was there, suppressing its breathing and demonic qi while watching him.
A chilling sensation washed over him.
“Slip!”
Zhuge Hyeonmong raised his magic wand and pointed it at Im Jun-gyu’s feet.
Startled by the sudden shout, Im Jun-gyu stumbled and slipped. At the same time, a sharp slash passed through where his head had been.
Even as he fell, he saw a shadowy figure flashed above him. He saw how strands of his hair were cut by the shadow’s razor-sharp claws.
But it wasn’t a ghost.
Thwack!
If it were really a ghost, there is no way it could have forcefully kicked Im Jun-guy’s side with its back leg.
Using Im Jun-gyu as a foothold, the shadow lunged at Zhuge Hyeonmong.
“…!”
For a moment, it felt as if time slowed down.
Zhuge Hyeonmong instinctively cast a Body Strengthening spell on himself.
As he retreated, he recalled every method he could think of.
Spells to make objects slippery, or conversely, to increase friction. A spell to catch insects. A spell to slightly heat objects. A spell to summon wind.
‘Nothing.’
Magic, which had seemed omnipotent, offered no way to stop this shadow.
‘No, there is one, but…’
Even in that situation, a way to turn the tables came to mind, but Zhuge Hyeonmong stopped himself at the last moment.
It was merely a possibility; he lacked certainty.
There was only one thing he was certain of.
Zhuge Hyeonmong remained motionless.
He simply looked at the Demonic Cultivator, who had pressed a claw to his throat.
“Oh?”
Gal Sa-ryang was intrigued by Zhuge Hyeonmong’s lack of resistance. Most people would flinch, but he didn’t move at all.
“Why aren’t you trying to escape? Don’t you value your life?”
“My life isn’t in immediate danger right now.”
Facing the Demonic Cultivator, Zhuge Hyeonmong answered calmly.
“You’re planning to use me as a hostage to escape from here, aren’t you?”
At Zhuge Hyeonmong’s composed words, Gal Sa-ryang realized.
‘It’s this bastard.’
This scholarly-looking man who clearly hadn’t trained in martial arts—he must be the culprit who had ruined his grand plan.
Even without anyone telling him, Gal Sa-ryang was certain of this.
“Let me tell you why I thought that. It’s because—”
“Enough. Do I have time to listen to such things now?”
Cutting off Zhuge Hyeonmong’s words, Gal Sa-ryang’s hand quickly pressed on Zhuge Hyeonmong’s pressure points and meridians.
As his blood flow was blocked, Zhuge Hyeonmong felt his vision blur and he thought,
‘No, at least hear me out…!’
Right after, Zhuge Hyeonmong’s consciousness plunged into darkness.