The Zhuge Clan!
Located on Mount Tai in Shandong Province, this family was called Divine Strategist Zhuge.
The Zhuge Clan was known as a family excelling in wisdom rather than martial arts.
But that was no longer the case.
It was now a clan possessing martial power close to the top seat even among the Eight Great Clans.
And the figure who forged the current Zhuge Clan was the present Patriarch, Xiao Wolong, Zhuge Xin.
"Patriarch."
The door to the Patriarch's quarters where Zhuge Xin resided burst open, and the Chief Steward entered.
"What is it?"
"A letter has arrived for you, Patriarch."
"A letter?"
Patriarch Zhuge's eyes narrowed.
It was rare for the Chief Steward to come personally just for a letter.
That meant the sender of the letter was no ordinary person, or the contents written within were of a serious nature.
Patriarch Zhuge stiffened his expression and asked.
"Where did it come from?"
"The Huashan Sect."
"The Huashan Sect...?"
It was a place he hadn't considered at all, so Patriarch Zhuge frowned.
It was completely out of the blue.
'The Huashan Sect sent a letter?'
The Murim Alliance and the Bicheon Society were in a hostile relationship.
And the core of that Murim Alliance were the Nine Sects and One Faction, led by the Huashan Sect, while the core of the Bicheon Society was the Zhuge Clan.
They were by no means in a relationship to exchange letters.
"Have you read it?"
"No, I haven't."
"Hand it over."
After receiving the letter from the Chief Steward, Patriarch Zhuge first looked for the sender.
"Huashan Sect's Cheonhwi?"
'A disciple of the Thousand Character generation?'
Patriarch Zhuge furrowed his brow.
If he was of the Thousand Character generation, he held quite a senior position, but he was a figure Patriarch Zhuge had never heard of.
"A disciple of the Huashan Sect sending a letter directly to me. Is he looking down on our clan?"
Glaring coldly at the characters written 'Cheonhwi', Patriarch Zhuge swiftly untied the string binding the letter.
"Hmm?"
Instantly, Patriarch Zhuge's eyebrows twitched.
"He's requesting a commission to make this mechanism formation?"
It was a blueprint.
Drawn in extreme detail.
"The Huashan Sect requesting a commission from our clan for a mechanism formation, how dare... Hah!"
Scoffing as he looked at the blueprint, Patriarch Zhuge's eyes widened abruptly.
"Th-This is..."
Flustered, his eyes darted rapidly.
"Patriarch?"
The Chief Steward called out to the Patriarch in alarm, but the Patriarch was already entirely focused on the letter.
'H-How can this be! What kind of mechanism formation is this? Is this an array formation? I've never seen such an array formation before...'
His pupils trembled slightly.
The contents of the letter were simple.
Exactly seven pages of letter and blueprints.
However, it was a blueprint that would make anyone who knew even a little about mechanism formations exclaim in shock.
'It's a mechanism formation and array formation I'm seeing for the first time in my life.'
Patriarch Zhuge bit his lip.
No matter how powerful the Zhuge Clan's martial strength was now, what was the root of their family?
They were skilled in staff techniques, barehanded techniques, and hidden weapon arts, but more than those, the clan was famous for its Strange Gate Array Formations, Divination Principles, and Earthwork Mechanism Techniques.
Yet, he could not understand it.
The mechanism formation written in this letter!
His hands trembled violently.
Clenching his hands as if crumpling the paper, Patriarch Zhuge glared and shouted.
"Bring Seonghyeon right this instant!"
A short while later, in the Patriarch's quarters, Patriarch Zhuge and a young man looking thoroughly exhausted were putting their heads together over the letter.
"What do you think?"
"...Gulp."
The young man, Zhuge Seonghyeon, swallowed dryly.
"It is completely different from the methods known to our clan."
Patriarch Zhuge half-closed his eyes.
'Even Seonghyeon doesn't know?'
His head throbbed.
Zhuge Seonghyeon currently lacked talent in martial arts, but when it came to mechanism formations and array formations, he was a genius beyond compare.
"Father!"
At that moment, Zhuge Seonghyeon raised his head.
Looking at Patriarch Zhuge with eyes sparkling like starlight, he spoke.
"We must not let this slip by. If we learn the details of this mechanism formation, it will be of great help to our clan's mechanism formation development, which has been stagnant for a long time."
"To that extent?"
"Yes."
Patriarch Zhuge was slightly surprised.
The history of the Zhuge Clan's mechanism formation research was profound.
Yet, to think this blueprint would be of help to that mechanism formation research.
Meanwhile, Zhuge Seonghyeon couldn't hide his excitement.
The blueprint and mechanism formation he was seeing for the first time in his life stimulated him.
"May I ask who sent this letter?"
"A fellow named Cheonhwi of the Huashan Sect."
"Cheonhwi..."
Zhuge Seonghyeon murmured the Dao name.
Seeing the reclusive Zhuge Seonghyeon show interest, Patriarch Zhuge's eyes flashed.
'Perhaps this is for the best. It's about time Seonghyeon made his debut in the Murim anyway.'
Patriarch Zhuge moved his lips.
"I'm thinking of accepting this commission, but there's no one suitable to send to the Huashan Sect."
Saying that, he looked at Zhuge Seonghyeon.
"Would you like to go?"
Zhuge Seonghyeon hardened his expression.
Then, he nodded broadly.
"Yes. I will go to the Huashan Sect."
* * *
"Hah, hah."
"I can't take it anymore."
Without even glancing at Seol-ran, Jeok-geom, and Sim Wi-jin who were collapsed on the floor, Cheonhwi looked at the spiritual pills in the box.
Exactly one hundred spiritual pills—they were all made by appropriately mixing the medicinal herbs and poisonous herbs sent by the Bifung Merchant Group a few days ago.
"It's fascinating."
Lord Sohee touched the spiritual pill.
The pitch-black spiritual pill displayed a captivating luster.
Cheonhwi immediately took out three spiritual pills.
And gave them to Lord Sohee.
"Are you giving these to me?"
"For your hard work."
Cheonhwi said nonchalantly.
Just when Jeok-geom and Seol-ran were not enough to test its efficacy, Sim Wi-jin and Soryeong provided great help.
"Thank you."
Lord Sohee smiled softly.
Cheonhwi packed the box without even looking.
"This time went well!"
Shin-ui, who was standing next to him, crossed his arms.
However he ended up making spiritual pills with Cheonhwi, it was an opportunity for him to learn a lot.
'Hmm, it might be possible to use poison on martial artists in a different way.'
Nodding his head, he asked.
"Have you decided on a name for the spiritual pill?"
"Well. It's just pitch-black and smells."
Cheonhwi said as if it was a bother.
"Let's call it the Dark Fragrance Pill."
Surprisingly, it was a perfect name.
"Then I'll be going."
"Where are you going?"
"I have to feed them the spiritual pills."
Cheonhwi picked up the box and disappeared right away.
A short while later, the place Cheonhwi arrived at was Dorimpyeong.
Cheonhwi passed through the second-generation disciples immersed in cultivation and approached Hyeoncheong, who was standing guard as a Dharma Protector in the center.
"What brings you here!"
Hyeoncheong, who had been observing the disciples, discovered Cheonhwi belatedly and welcomed him.
"I'm here to give you spiritual pills."
"Spiritual pills?"
Cheonhwi immediately set the box down.
Soon, the box opened, and a subtle fragrance softly spread out.
Hyeoncheong was surprised to see the large number of spiritual pills.
"Where did you get these?"
"I made them myself."
"Y-You made these yourself?"
"Yes."
Just as the utterly shocked Hyeoncheong was looking at Cheonhwi with an expression of disbelief.
"Just feed them and have them circulate their qi."
"You made them for the disciples."
Hyeoncheong smiled joyfully and inspected the spiritual pills in the box one by one.
"Good. I will distribute them right now."
"Ah! But there are some side effects to that."
"Side effects?"
"It'll be a bit painful when they eat it."
Cheonhwi explained kindly, but.
"Haha. Such a trivial pain is something everyone can endure."
Hyeoncheong, who had firmly trusted Cheonhwi from before, said nonchalantly and infused his inner energy to project a resonant voice.
"Everyone, finish your qi circulation for now!"
Although Hyeoncheong's words were sudden, the second-generation disciples hastily finished their cultivation.
A moment later, seeing that everyone had opened their eyes, Hyeoncheong pointed at Cheonhwi and spoke.
"Cheonhwi here has brought spiritual pills for you."
"Pardon?"
"Spiritual pills?"
"From Martial Uncle Cheonhwi?"
The second-generation disciples' eyes sparkled.
Spiritual pills were normally given by the sect only to those with a bright future ahead of them.
So the fact that they were being bestowed upon all the disciples like this was highly unprecedented.
The second-generation disciples immediately bowed their heads.
"Martial Uncle!"
"Thank you!"
Amidst the resounding cheers, Cheonhwi chuckled as he looked at the second-generation disciples who had no idea of what was about to unfold.
That probably won't last long.
Even Jeok-geom and Seol-ran, who would drop dead at his word, had rebelled after repeatedly trying to eat the spiritual pills and failing to endure it.
"Then I will hand them out one by one."
The second-generation disciples moved immediately.
Soon, the second-generation disciples who each received a spiritual pill swallowed dryly.
The spiritual pill, showing a pitch-black luster, gave off a subtle, unique fragrance.
Soon, they looked at Hyeoncheong.
Staring intently at Hyeoncheong's mouth like baby birds waiting for their mother bird to bring them food.
"Eat them all."
Hyeoncheong's mouth finally opened.
"Yes, sir!"
At the same time, everyone swallowed the Dark Fragrance Pill.
At the same time, they assumed the lotus position and began their qi circulation, but.
"Hmm?"
Hyeoncheong was slightly taken aback.
Sensing that something was off, he looked at the complexions of the second-generation disciples.
Their complexions, which had clearly been fine, suddenly turned dark and their expressions contorted.
"Ugh—"
Soon, everyone let out groans.
And a moment later, screams erupted.
"Aaaargh!"
"I-It hurts."
Panicking as he looked at the disciples crying out in pain, Hyeoncheong asked urgently.
"Is this really a spiritual pill?"
Hyeoncheong said, pacing anxiously.
He trusted Cheonhwi, but with the disciples who had just taken the spiritual pills now rolling on the floor, it was natural to be confused.
"Yes."
"But those are symptoms of poisoning..."
"It's a fortuitous encounter, so you have to endure that much."
"They're not going to die, are they?"
"They won't die from just this."
Cheonhwi said quietly.
Just as he said, it was only painful, but they didn't die.
"Th-Then what must we do for these children to be alright?"
Hyeoncheong asked impatiently.
Right now, Dorimpyeong was in pandemonium.
"They'll be fine once they absorb it all. Of course, it'll be a bit painful in the meantime, but for that extent, it's a cheap price to pay."
Hyeoncheong was momentarily dumbfounded.
"So you're saying they'll be like that until they absorb that energy?"
"That's right. Oh! Come to think of it, I heard it hurts a little less if you circulate your qi."
Cheonhwi's calm voice pierced the ears of the second-generation disciples who were rolling on the floor.
"Uurgh!"
One of them, gritting his teeth, started to circulate his qi.
Seeing his expression gradually become more comfortable, the second-generation disciple next to him was surprised and also began circulating his qi.
From one person to two.
The number continued to increase until now, without a single exception, everyone had fallen into qi circulation.
"It's gotten pretty quiet."
The screams had disappeared.
"Ugh..."
"Th-This isn't a spiritual pill, it's poison..."
Instead, the sounds of suffering and groans continued in Dorimpyeong for several days.
After that, time flowed quickly.
Mount Hua, which until recently was full of fallen leaves, was now dyed entirely white with snow piled up thickly.
Winter had arrived before they knew it.
As much as the scenery, the Huashan Sect had also changed significantly.
Particularly, thanks to the Dark Fragrance Pill created by Cheonhwi showing substantial effects, it was mass-produced with the help of Hyeoncheong, the Master of Jaeryeong Pavilion, and given even to the first-generation disciples.
Martial prowess that was rapidly increasing.
Furthermore, the second-generation disciples rapidly built their skills centered around Hyeoncheong's teachings, and not to be outdone, the first-generation disciples were also steadily stepping up their realms.
Like that, while the Huashan Sect was very quietly accumulating strength for the day it would soar later.
Crunch, crunch.
There was a group climbing Mount Hua.
"So this is the Huashan Sect..."
Zhuge Seonghyeon raised his head.
Looking at the superb view of Mount Hua covered entirely in white snow, he exhaled a breath.
Hoo—
The warm breath appeared and disappeared.
Soon, he tightly gripped the letter in his embrace and whispered.
"So the one who created this blueprint, a fellow named Cheonhwi, is in that place, right?"