MAEPG: Episode 255

Episode 255 The Zhuge Clan (1)

Yungjung Mountain, Hubei Province.

This was the home of the Zhuge Clan, a powerful force in the Jianghu, and also the location of one of the Dragon Veins.

Since Dragon Veins were closely tied to feng shui, it was no exaggeration to say that most powerful factions were based in such auspicious locations.

Whether they became powerful because they occupied a blessed land, or the land became blessed because of their presence, was a matter of perspective.

Thanks to this, the Zhuge Clan had maintained relative stability amidst the chaos, actively defending their territory while waging war to secure additional Dragon Veins.

And the Zhuge Clan was renowned for their formations and sorcery.

The defenses around Yungjung Mountain were practically impenetrable.

‘…Or so we thought.’

The Second Elder, in charge of the Zhuge Clan’s outer defenses, gripped his sword, glaring at the uninvited guest.

They were currently inside the Great Luo Forbidden Crushing Formation, the sixth of the seven formations protecting Yungjung Mountain.

Excluding the final formation, designed for enemies who had already infiltrated the clan’s inner sanctum, this was practically their last line of defense.

And their formations, their pride and confidence… had been breached.

It was a disgrace, but they had an excuse.

‘He bypassed the formations through the sky… and reached this point?!’

Formations, by their nature, relied on specific objects or natural terrain, making them specialized against ground-based attacks.

Of course, the Zhuge Clan had incorporated sorcery into their formations to defend against aerial attacks… but they hadn’t anticipated an opponent who could freely traverse the sky and bypass an entire mountain!

‘Even if it’s not a very tall mountain…’

They had initially dismissed the intruder detected at the mountain’s entrance.

But when he swiftly broke through the first formation and entered the second, they had immediately issued an emergency mobilization order…

He was moving too fast.

‘We have to buy time!’

They had to stall him until the rest of the clan was ready.

The Second Elder gritted his teeth, his face grim, and spoke.

“…Final warning. State your reason for trespassing.”

Even with the Great Luo Forbidden Crushing Formation’s support, it was unwise to act recklessly against such an unknown and powerful opponent.

Stalling for time and gathering information was the best course of action.

But unexpectedly, the intruder nodded and replied.

“Ah, my apologies. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Harris. I’ve come to ask a few questions.”

“…Uninvited visits are usually called intrusions.”

“Oh! Is that so? As you can see, I’m not from around here. Hahaha!”

The Zhuge Clan warriors exchanged bewildered glances at his nonchalant reply.

He was clearly a foreigner, his appearance too distinctive… but to use cultural differences as an excuse…

‘No, wait… Is he even human? …A demon? Is that why he doesn’t understand human customs?’

The Second Elder’s face contorted in confusion.

He had considered the intruder a clear enemy… but his casual demeanor made him question his initial judgment.

“…If that’s the case, please wait here. We need time to prepare for our guests. You can at least do that much, can’t you?”

He decided to play along, stalling for time.

His duty was to buy time, not to fight. The higher-ups would decide what to do.

“Oh, my apologies. I seem to have caused some inconvenience. Very well.”

The intruder nodded readily, his demeanor surprisingly agreeable.

Harris, the golden-haired, green-eyed foreigner with long, pointed ears, smiled faintly.

______________________

‘My goal is to gain influence, not to antagonize every faction. The bandits were beneath me, but the Zhuge Clan doesn’t seem to be exploiting the locals.’

He had caused a commotion to showcase his power and establish his presence… but that was just a common PR tactic.

And though he didn’t show it, he was impressed by the formation that had forced him to descend from the sky.

‘So, this is a real formation. Impressive.’

More precisely, he was fascinated by the flow of Ki that connected the land, the warriors, and even himself.

The meticulously calculated flow of natural energy was like a work of art.

And that same fascination was felt in a completely different dimension—.

By the Immortal King in the Immortal Fortress.

[Hmm, this is interesting. To forcibly suppress a powerful being like Harris… And the five formations he passed through are all connected to this one, amplifying its power. Are formations really this powerful?]

Hans, who had been conducting his research alone in his chamber, tilted his head slightly, muttering to himself.

He had incorporated ‘formations’ into his repertoire after learning about them on Earth, and they had proven to be incredibly versatile.

Just adding a few formations to his magic circles or altars could dramatically enhance their effects. It was a technique he couldn’t ignore.

But even with his knowledge, bypassing the Zhuge Clan’s ultimate formation was impossible.

Harris had only been able to penetrate this far because he had exploited the formation’s weakness against aerial attacks.

[They must have a few secret techniques, considering their reputation. …I’m quite envious.]

Knowledge was power.

As Hans was burning with desire for new techniques,

Harris was still focused on the flow of Ki within the formation.

‘It’s connected to the eight trigrams of the Gentle Eight Trigrams Secret Art.’

Harris, already sensitive to energy, had become even more attuned to the world’s Ki after learning the martial art.

And this formation, manipulating the flow of Ki to harmonize with nature, was a perfect learning opportunity.

‘The nature of Ki, its flow, the laws of this world, and the cultivation technique that encompasses all of it…’

He felt a strange tingling sensation and began to circulate his own Ki, recalling the principles of the Gentle Eight Trigrams Secret Art.

And Hubert, who was sharing his senses, also shifted his focus, assisting him with his analysis.

‘There’s no need to follow the established method if our circumstances are different.’

Martial arts in this world had originated from humans trying to mimic naturally powerful beings.

From the ferocious beasts that threatened their survival to the agile herbivores.

And then they had incorporated natural phenomena like waterfalls and lightning, eventually even abstract concepts like the moon and the sun, death and abundance.

‘And the Gentle Eight Trigrams Secret Art seeks harmony with all things… with nature itself. Something I already possess in abundance.’

Then there was no need for that part. He could discard it.

He began to modify the incomplete Gentle Eight Trigrams Secret Art, replacing the part about harmonizing with nature with his overwhelming affinity derived from skills like “Assimilation with Nature” and “Call of Nature”.

Goooo—

A massive surge of natural energy disrupted the flow of the formation.

He sensed the leader of the warriors shouting something, but he ignored it.

He had skipped the unnecessary steps and taken only what he needed.

Hubert had already completed the overall analysis, so there was no problem in proceeding.

‘Harmony. Supplementing weaknesses with strengths and growing together.’

The surging energy flowed into Harris’s body, forming a small core in his dantian.

His body strained under the sudden influx of power, but Harris, a transcendent being with a perfected spirit, quickly adapted.

And finally,

《The individual meets the conditions and unlocks its potential. You have acquired the special skill “Natural Body”.》

《The individual gains enlightenment through repeated training. You have acquired the skill “Gentle Eight Trigrams Secret Art (Modified)”.》

He had expected it to take much longer, but he had achieved significant progress much sooner than anticipated.

And Harris instinctively knew.

That with “Natural Body”, he could now form bonds with a wider variety of spirits.

‘…I can’t wait to get back to Auterica.’

A faint smile appeared on Harris’s face as he suppressed his surging energy.

Perhaps, he might even be able to summon a Spirit King, a near-divine being.

“Ah!”

And then, he finally noticed his surroundings.

He looked around, a sheepish expression on his face, as he met the gazes of the warriors who were glaring at him, their faces pale and covered in sweat.

“Ugh, what… what just happened…?”

“Ha… Ha…”

It couldn’t be helped.

While he had been immersed in his own world, the barrier… no, the formation, unable to withstand the surge of energy, had crumbled.

‘This is awkward. It wasn’t intentional.’

He had inadvertently destroyed their formation while pretending to cooperate.

It was practically a declaration of war.

‘Should I just take over by force and make them obey…’

As his thoughts turned towards a more aggressive approach,

“…Gentle Eight Trigrams Secret Art. Could it be… you’re a descendant of the Heavenly Ki Sect?”

A heavy, aged voice echoed through the air.

Harris, already sensing the approaching crowd, turned to face the speaker.

An old man, his eyes closed, leaning on a staff, slowly walked towards him, followed by several warriors.

“Gasp! Grand Elder?!”

The warrior who had been confronting Harris exclaimed in surprise, but the old man ignored him and continued in a grave tone.

“The secret art of manipulating natural energy to control phenomena… a technique that counters our formations. It disrupts the very flow of Ki that forms the foundation of our formations.”

Harris paused.

As expected of the renowned Zhuge Clan.

He seemed to know the name and the effects of the technique.

“Hahaha… What a twist of fate. I thought its lineage had ended when the Immortal Master and his disciple perished… And at this level… you’ve reached the Mysterious Realm.”

The atmosphere around them instantly became tense.

They had sensed his overwhelming power, but the Grand Elder’s words carried a different weight.

Even against a Mysterious Realm expert, they were confident they could hold their own with the help of their final formation… but their opponent possessed a power that countered their specialty.

It meant certain defeat if they fought him head-on.

“I’ve been rambling for too long. Welcome, honored guest. So, what brings you to our clan?”

The Grand Elder turned to Harris, who was stroking his chin thoughtfully, and spoke.

The Grand Elder, a figure of immense authority within the clan, was addressing him as an ‘honored guest’ and offering him a welcoming gesture.

It was a better start than he had hoped for.

“Ahaha, I have a few questions… and a favor to ask. So…”

It wasn’t a request, but a demand, in this situation.

Of course, he couldn’t push his luck too far if he wanted to maintain a good relationship.

“Could we talk inside? It seems rude to keep our guest standing outside for so long. Our hospitality…”

Harris’s demeanor shifted, his tone now arrogant.

He had seized the opportunity to gain the upper hand.

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