How to Live as a Mage in the Murim World

Chapter 26 – Episode 6: Green Forest Road Alliance (5)

Demon Cultivators grow their Demonic Arts through unconventional and often gruesome methods. One of the most common methods is absorbing yin qi from corpses in graves or drinking the blood of virgins who haven’t yet reached puberty.

Murder was often just a basic prerequisite of their practice.

But the effects are undeniable.

Even if it were merely third-rate martial arts sold in marketplaces, like the Three Calamity Heart Technique or the Three Calamity Sword Technique, would become unbelievably powerful when tainted by demonic qi.

However, such practices left distinct traces.

Not just the brutality, but when practicing demonic arts, they inevitably released dense demonic qi.

“I had my suspicions, but it seems to be true.”

Sima Lin, who had half-forgotten why she had even come along, said this.

After briefly sharpening her senses to gauge the demonic qi, Sima Lin nodded.

“The corpses have lost their vitality and are emitting the stench of decay, but judging by the smell of blood, it hasn’t been long. Judging by the direction, it seems they were attacked on their way to the Green Forest Road Alliance.”

“One person was killed to advance the Demonic Art, while the others were simply slaughtered.”

“The Demonic Art is quite advanced. The Demonic Cultivator must have killed over a hundred people. The weapon seems to be claws? It’s an unusual weapon, so it should be easy to track.”

“The Demonic Art being practiced could also be a hand technique.”

The young martial artists, who had been acting as if they were on a leisurely outing, immediately began discussing the situation in detail upon seeing the corpses.

Zhuge Hyeonmong inwardly clicked his tongue as he observed them discussing in front of the corpses without changing their expressions.

‘Martial artists will be martial artists.’

After the previous incident, seeing corpses no longer bothered him, but he couldn’t remain as composed as they were.

Then, suddenly, Zhuge Hyeonmong turned his gaze in a certain direction.

He sensed some presence approaching.

“Over here!”

“That damn bastard showed up again!?

These were the voices of men filled with anger.

Zhuge Hyeonmong easily guessed their identity.

‘Bandits?’

It seemed they weren’t the first to arrive at the scene of the massacre.

“Hmm. Should we step aside?”

“Why? We’ll be fine. They’re probably bandits seeking refuge in the Green Forest Road Alliance.”

Not just Jo Gwol but the other martial arts masters didn’t seem particularly concerned. But soon their expressions changed slightly.

“Over here! There are people here!”

“Well. It’s a bit late to avoid them now, isn’t it?”

“It’s too late anyway. We’re surrounded.”

“What? When did this happen?”

Tang Hwa-ryeong exclaimed in surprise. How could a group of first-rate martial artists not notice being surrounded by bandits until now?

Zhuge Hyeonmong calmly spoke.

“They’ve probably been spreading out and closing in on this area for a while.”

“They must have been surrounding this place from a distance.”

“They’ve been tightening the net, so it’s no wonder we didn’t notice.”

When the same thought was expressed simultaneously, Sima Lin frowned.

One might think it’s convenient to have three people thinking the same thing, but Sima Lin didn’t see it that way.

It meant there was no room for her to stand out.

“Anyway, it seems we don’t have time for leisurely conversation.”

No sooner had Sima Lin finished speaking than a group of men with fierce expressions appeared. Dressed in various leather garments, with disheveled hair ranging from wild to bald. They were the very image of bandits.

They had somehow surrounded the area.

“Who are you people! What are you doing here… Ah, no.”

The bandit at the front of the group, who had been speaking, widened his eyes upon seeing the young martial artists.

“M-martial arts masters! They’re martial arts masters!”

“They’re acting as if they’ve seen a monster.”

Tang Hwa-ryeong said this while releasing her aura.

The other martial arts masters did the same. Even though the bandits’ level was lower, they couldn’t just stand still while being surrounded.

“Wait. What’s going on here?”

Jo Gwol and Hang Gon stepped forward with distorted expressions.

“These people are guests visiting the Green Forest Road Alliance. How dare you point your killing intent toward them!”

“Hmph, who knows if the culprit isn’t among them! Even if the culprit isn’t among them, these young martial artists go around killing bandits under the guise of justice—how is that any different from that murderer?”

Zhuge Hyeonmong was dumbfounded by the bandit’s twisted logic.

How could executing bandits for their crimes be the same as a murderer who kills for the sake of killing?

The young martial artists also scoffed in disbelief.

But none of them bothered to argue.

Not because there was no room for rebuttal, but because they knew it would be pointless.

“Bandits will be bandits. Talking about reforming them is just a pipe dream.”

As Peng Ak spat out those words, Zhuge Hyeonmong exhaled a weary sigh.

Something heavy and damp seemed to be weighing down the atmosphere.

‘It feels unnaturally damp and dark… Huh?’

Zhuge Hyeonmong noticed something.

The air around them was indeed unnaturally murky and heavy.

An energy that didn’t seem to belong deep in the mountains. And a subtle sensation that confused the senses.

‘Demonic qi?’

Though he had never felt this energy before, Zhuge Hyeonmong was certain it was demonic qi.

A faint demonic qi permeated the air, subtly agitating everyone, and making them more volatile.

‘But it can’t reach me. Ah, I see.’

He had an idea.

Zhuge Hyeonmong took a step forward.

Thud

“Huh?”

“Brother? Why are you stepping forward all of a sudden…”

In this tense situation, everyone’s gaze naturally turned to Zhuge Hyeonmong as he moved.

Ignoring them, Zhuge Hyeonmong stood at the center of the demonic qi and took out the box containing the Clear Spirit Pill.

“That’s…”

Sima Lin’s eyes widened at the sight of the box.

Why did Zhuge Hyonmong possess the Clear Spirit Pill she’d given to Zhuge Jun?

‘The medicinal properties might diminish a bit, but it can’t be helped.’

The demonic qi couldn’t invade Zhuge Hyeonmong because the combined energy of the Clear Spirit Pill and the incense burner shielded him.

If that was the case, perhaps he could use this energy to drive away the demonic qi around them.

Zhuge Hyeonmong lightly tapped the box with his magic wand.

The magic power residing in the wand stimulated the energy surrounding the Clear Spirit Pills.

Whoosh!

Like a wave crashing, a refreshing air swept through the area.

Simultaneously, the sinister demonic qi was pushed away and erased by the refreshing air.

“…!”

As the demonic qi dispersed and disappeared, several people with keen perceptions noticed this and looked at Zhuge Hyeonmong in surprise.

‘He drove away the demonic qi?’

Even among orthodox martial arts, only those who practiced martial arts specifically designed to counter the demonic qi could replicate such a feat, yet Zhuge Hyeonmong had just accomplished it.

Moreover.

“Please calm down, everyone.”

Zhuge Hyeonmong’s words carried a mysterious resonance, causing even the highly agitated bandits to stare at him as if entranced.

“Who are you?”

“I am Zhuge Hyeonmong…”

“The Reincarnation of Zhuge Liang! The Second Coming of the Marquis of Wu!”

“You mean the Mountain Lord’s strategist?”

Zhuge Hyeonmong’s expression froze.

He had heard that title so many times that it was starting to grate on his ears.

‘I wish they’d stop with the nonsenses already.’

But the bandits continued their clamor.

“The Reincarnation of Zhuge Liang has brought the young martial artists to catch that bastard!”

“Heaven hasn’t abandoned us!”

“The Reincarnation of Zhuge Liang! Zhuge Hyeonmong! Zhuge Hyeonmong! Long live the Green Forest Road Alliance!”

Zhuge Hyeonmong’s face turned red.

At this moment, there was only one thing Zhuge Hyeonmong had wished for.

‘If only I had seven Rings.’

If he had reached the realm Laurent had achieved, he would have immediately thrown a fireball to silence them all.

“Now, now, let’s not waste time. Let’s head to the mountain stronghold.”

At the bandits’ words, a whispered voice transmission suddenly rang in Zhuge Hyeonmong’s ear.

-We’ll talk later.

It was Sima Lin’s voice transmission.

Feeling a slight tickle in his ear, Zhuge Hyeonmong placated the bandits and sent them off to the Green Forest Road Alliance, then exhaled a long sigh.

“Whew.”

“You’ve worked hard, Brother.”

“Though I don’t appreciate being treated as this guy’s underling.”

Tang Hwa-ryeong grumbled a bit.

But perhaps because they had escaped the situation, she didn’t say more.

Even though they were all skilled martial artists, there was no guarantee they could safely escape if such a large number of bandits attacked at once.

“By the way, why do you have the Clear Spirit Pills I gave to Young Master Zhuge Jun? And what was that mysterious technique just now?”

At Sima Lin’s point, the young martial artists’ gazes turned to Zhuge Hyeonmong.

Given the previous incident and the mysterious ability he had just displayed, it was clear he was no ordinary person.

Zhuge Hyeonmong looked at Zhuge Jun.

And Zhuge Jun nodded.

“It’s a family secret, so it’s difficult to explain.”

“A family secret? But young master…”

“Yes. Although I currently have no direct ties to the Zhuge Family, my ancestors were once part of the Zhuge Family. I’ve inherited various techniques as their descendant.”

“That’s true.”

This was something they had agreed upon in advance.

Zhuge Hyeonmong’s magic could easily be mistaken for sorcery.

And within the Central Plain, the Jianghu more so, practicing sorcery is something to be frowned upon. If handled poorly, his reputation would be tarnished, and in the worst-case scenario, it could lead to a crusade against him for deceiving the people and being branded as a heretic.

But with the Zhuge Family as his backing, the situation isn’t that bad.

“So, it’s not a Zhuge Family secret technique now, is it?”

“…”

Sima Lin nodded and then spoke.

“Would you like to make a wager?”

“A wager?”

“Yes. A wager. On who can find the Demon Cultivator first.”

Zhuge Hyeonmong tilted his head at Sima Lin’s words.

Although he wasn’t deeply involved in the martial world, he knew how dangerous Demon Cultivators were. They aren’t the kind to be taken lightly, much less as the subject of a wager.

But Sima Lin seemed to think differently.

“Judging by the traces, there’s only one Demon Cultivator. On the other hand, don’t you think there are a bit too many people to share the credit?”

At her words, the young martial artists subtly nodded.

The people gathered here were all descendants of prestigious sects and martial families, and all were first-rate martial artists. They had confidence in their ability to handle a Demon Cultivator.

‘Besides, if it’s someone who’s been hunting bandits, they can’t be that formidable.’

“Of course, I don’t intend to act rashly. If the Demon Cultivator turns out to be more powerful than expected, I won’t push myself to chase them. Moreover.”

“It’s more advantageous to split up and search since we don’t know where the Demon Cultivator is.”

“…Yes, that’s right. And truthfully, I have some unpleasant history with the Iron Flame Gang, so I’d rather not face them.”

‘Then you shouldn’t have come in the first place.’

Zhuge Hyeonmong thought this but nodded.

“Alright. What shall be the stake?”

“You invited us here to improve the reputation of the Green Forest Road Alliance, right? If you win, the Sima Noble Family will forget its grudge against the Iron Flame Gang.”

“…!”

That was a bigger offer than expected.

Geographically distance aside, if a giant like the Sima Noble Family decided to exert their influence through the Murim Alliance, the impact wouldn’t be insignificant.

Zhuge Jun frowned.

A large wager wasn’t necessarily a good thing. It meant that the counterpart could demand more in return.

‘Besides, if she’s making such an offer, she must be quite confident.’

She likely already had some clues that would help her win the bet.

“And what happens if Lady Sima wins?”

“Hmm, how about you withdraw from the Green Forest Road Alliance and reveal the secrets of your techniques? I’m particularly curious about what miraculous skill you performed with our family’s Clear Spirit Pill.”

Sima Lin’s proposal was akin to asking a martial artist to reveal their martial arts secrets.

But Zhuge Hyeonmong readily nodded.

“Very well. I accept your proposal.”

“…Good. You’re more straightforward than I expected.”

Sima Lin smiled faintly.

‘I’ve won this match.’

Not only did she know information about the local geography, but she also had a subordinate skilled in tracking techniques.

Seo Ryeonhwa was already tracking the traces, so they were essentially far ahead already.

While Sima Lin was thinking this, Zhuge Hyeonmong questioned Jo Gwol.

“Mister Jo Gwol. Is there a canyon nearby? A place concentrated with yin qi?”

“There is. It’s a valley called Ghost Well Valley (鬼穴谷)…”

“That’s where it is. Let’s go.”

“…?!”

Everyone doubted their ears at Zhuge Hyeonmong’s words.