The Martial God with Psychic Powers

Yeon Woo Jin found Zhuge Yun’s behavior odd for a moment, but soon shook his head.

Whatever it is, the kid’s been feeling miserable lately. If this helps him vent it out, then fine.
With that thought, he followed along.
Zhuge Yun rushed to the kitchen and gave strict orders to the chefs.

He demanded the finest dishes be served—claiming he’d personally cover all the expenses.
He even vacated his own quarters to provide a room for Yeon Woo Jin.
From that moment on, Zhuge Yun treated Yeon Woo Jin like a master—utterly reverent in his every action.

Originally, Woo Jin had planned to observe Zhuge Yun’s condition gradually over time. But with this level of treatment, his thoughts changed.
That night, Yeon Woo Jin called for Zhuge Yun.
He asked him directly why he wanted to become stronger.

The reason was pride.
He had been humiliated at the Divine Dragon Assembly, and his pride had been shattered.
And worst of all—it had happened right in front of the woman he admired.
Yeon Woo Jin nodded quietly.

If that was the case, it wasn’t hard to understand why Zhuge Yun was so desperate to grow stronger now.
They often said a man’s pride was more precious than his life.
But even so, Woo Jin couldn’t grant him strength for such a shallow reason alone.

“You want to become stronger… just to impress a woman?”
At Yeon Woo Jin’s blunt question, Zhuge Yun quickly shook his head.
“No. At first, I’ll admit, there was a bit of that… but not anymore. I am the young master of the Zhuge Clan. One day, I will lead this family. But can I run the clan properly in this state? I have so many people I’m responsible for protecting—can I even fulfill that duty?”

Yeon Woo Jin activated his Eyes of Truth—the boy wasn’t lying.
“More than anything…” Zhuge Yun’s voice softened. “For someone bearing the name Zhuge… my mind is slow, unworthy. If I’m to lead this clan properly, I need strength to compensate.”
“If you gain strength, will you take revenge on those who hurt your pride?”

At that, Zhuge Yun frantically waved his hands.
“N-No! I don’t want to become that small-minded kind of man.”
He was telling the truth.

“…But, well… I would like to show them the strength of the Zhuge Clan. Just a little.”
Seeing him glance over timidly as he spoke, Yeon Woo Jin chuckled softly.
Then nodded.

“Well, I suppose that much is fine.”
“Th-Thank you.”
“Good. My time here is short, so let’s begin right away.”
“This late at night? You must be tired from the journey… let’s start tomorrow.”

“I’m fine. The road ahead is long.”
“…Understood. I’ll take you to my private training grounds.”
“No need for that.”

“Excuse me?”
“Young Master, you’re sick. We need to fix that first.”
Sick?

Zhuge Yun frowned in confusion.
He’d lived perfectly fine without any illness.
“What do you mean? I’m not sick.”

Yeon Woo Jin smiled faintly.
“We’ll start with treatment.”
From inside his robes, he pulled out a needle case, making Zhuge Yun’s eyes widen.

“Y-You practice medicine too?”
“Yes. I’m quite confident in my skills.”
There wasn’t a trace of humility—he openly declared his martial and medical prowess alike.

Should he trust this man?
As Zhuge Yun hesitated, Yeon Woo Jin spoke again.
“Whenever you circulate your internal energy, don’t your Yin and Yang Governing Vessels go numb?”

“That’s… because our clan’s cultivation method is unique.”
Yeon Woo Jin shook his head.
“No, it’s because there’s a problem there.”

“If that’s true, wouldn’t everyone in our clan have the same issue?”
“Correct. I believe it’s hereditary.”
“…What?”

“You don’t seem to understand.”
Papapat—
In an instant, needles struck the Yin and Yang Governing Vessels.

“Gah! Wh-When did you—?!”
If those had been hidden weapons, he’d already be dead.
“Try circulating your internal energy.”

“Huh?”
“You’ll feel the difference.”
Still uncertain, Zhuge Yun hesitantly drew his energy.

“…Huh?”
His eyes widened in shock—the flow of his energy was far smoother and faster than expected.
The constant numbing sensation that had always distracted him was gone.

With that discomfort absent, he could focus entirely on breathing and circulation.
Yeon Woo Jin’s words were true.
He really had been sick.

A hereditary illness… shared by most of his bloodline.
Papapat—
As the needles were removed, the numbing sensation crept back in.

“Do you believe me now?”
Zhuge Yun nodded silently.
The man before him wasn’t just a martial monster—his medical skills were practically divine.

No one in his family had ever identified this illness, yet this man found it simply by listening to his symptoms.
But why would someone like him run an escort agency?
That was the part he couldn’t understand.

Perhaps… there was a deeper story.
For now, he could only gaze at Yeon Woo Jin with admiration.
“The treatment process will be extremely painful.”

“I can endure it! As long as I can grow stronger, I’ll bear any pain.”
If strength awaited him at the end of suffering, he would endure anything.
Confirming Zhuge Yun’s resolve, Yeon Woo Jin nodded and pointed to the bed.

“Then let’s begin. Take off your shirt and lie down.”
“…Y-Yes, understood.”
 

****
The next morning.
Zhuge Yun awoke after losing consciousness from the excruciating pain of last night’s treatment.

He had never experienced pain like that in his entire life.
“Guh—!”
As his senses returned, a horrid stench filled his nose, forcing him to clamp his hand over it.

He glanced around, searching for the source—then froze at the sight of his bedding.
The sheets were stained black.
The foul smell emanated from there.

“This… must be the waste expelled from my body.”
Still covering his nose, Zhuge Yun shot to his feet, searching for Yeon Woo Jin.
Just then, the door opened, and Woo Jin entered—covering his nose as well.

“You’re awake?”
“What… happened last night?”
“During treatment, waste was expelled from your body. I thought about calling for help, but it might’ve caused a misunderstanding, so I just moved you aside.”

“I lost consciousness… I’ve troubled my benefactor.”
Yeon Woo Jin smiled faintly.
“First, check your condition.”

“Understood. But… let’s move somewhere that doesn’t reek.”
“Good idea.”
As they stepped outside, Zhuge Yun ordered the servants to burn everything on the bed.

Closing his eyes, Zhuge Yun focused on his breathing techniques.
When he opened his eyes again, shock filled his expression.
“This… can’t be.”

The rate at which his internal energy gathered had changed completely.
And without that constant discomfort, his concentration was perfect.
Even his mind felt clearer.

Before, every session left him drained from forcing his focus—now, that burden was gone.
Confirming his condition, Zhuge Yun stood up and bowed deeply to Yeon Woo Jin.
“Thank you, benefactor! I, Zhuge Yun, will repay this grace for the rest of my life.”

A young heir to a prestigious clan, yet neither arrogant nor ungrateful—he knew how to express sincere thanks.
With this young master leading the Zhuge Clan, I bet they’ll become the strongest generation yet, Yeon Woo Jin thought.
Zhuge Yun humbly smiled.

“If that happens, it will be entirely thanks to you, benefactor.”
Yeon Woo Jin liked the boy’s humility.
He handed something to Zhuge Yun.

Curious, Zhuge Yun inspected the object—a booklet.
Reading the faded title, his eyes widened in shock.
“Wh-What is this? The… Great Celestial Star Divine Art?”

Why was this here?
“H-How did you…? This is a technique that should only exist in Mushincheon…”
His pupils quivered as he stared at Yeon Woo Jin.

“C-Could it be… are you from Mushincheon?”
Yeon Woo Jin nodded.
A chill ran down Zhuge Yun’s spine.

Only now did he realize how small their world had been.
The Divine Dragon Assembly? Child’s play.
A martial artist his age from Mushincheon, already at Mythic Realm.

That realization made him laugh in disbelief.
The so-called elites he had obsessed over defeating suddenly felt like a joke.
But… why was this man giving him the technique?

“Take it. I came to return it to the Zhuge Clan.”
“R-Really?”
“Yes.”

With trembling hands, Zhuge Yun accepted the Great Celestial Star Divine Art.
At that moment, Yeon Woo Jin added cautiously, “On my way here, I took a look at the Great Celestial Star Divine Art.”
So what?

He had cured his illness, and now he was returning the Zhuge Clan’s secret martial art.
He was a benefactor to the clan—what did it matter if he had glanced through their technique? Perhaps he was simply curious.
“That’s fine.”

“It’s just… as I read through it, there were parts I thought could be improved, so I made a few adjustments. Would you care to see it?”
“…What?”
What was he saying now?

He had made adjustments to the technique after only glancing at it?
Yeon Woo Jin produced another book entirely.
It was not the Great Celestial Star Divine Art—this was an entirely different, brand-new manual.

Heavenly Illusion Transfiguration Divine Art.
That was the title written on the cover.
“I thought this name suited it better, so I came up with it,” Yeon Woo Jin explained casually.

But Zhuge Yun could no longer hear his words.
As he skimmed through the Heavenly Illusion Transfiguration Divine Art, his body froze in place.
A flawless martial art.

It was, without exaggeration, a technique designed entirely for the Zhuge Clan.
Such a creation would be impossible without a complete understanding of the Great Celestial Star Divine Art.
And he had [N O V E L I G H T] done this… merely during the journey here?

It couldn’t be a lie—the booklet was pristine, and the ink on the cover wasn’t even dry yet.
The man standing before him was a master-level martial artist, capable of creating new techniques from scratch.
And that man was… running an escort agency?

Why?
What could someone like him possibly lack?
“J-Just… what are you, benefactor?”

There was no way this was an ordinary person.
Creating such a flawless technique after only reading through their clan’s secret art? Was he even human?
Suddenly, Zhuge Yun recalled the name Yeon Woo Jin had introduced himself with upon their first meeting.

He was fairly knowledgeable about the famous families of Mushincheon.
Yeon Woo Jin.
What martial families of Mushincheon carried the surname Yeon?

His mind raced, gears turning rapidly.
With his mind clear and sharp, the answer surfaced almost immediately.
Yeon Cheon Baek.

“Guh…!”
The name that flashed through Zhuge Yun’s mind was that of the Lord of Mushincheon himself.
Could it be?

Was it really…?
“Seems something came to mind,” Yeon Woo Jin remarked, amused.
“H-How are you related to the Lord of Mushincheon?”

Zhuge Yun’s voice trembled as he questioned him.
Yeon Woo Jin smiled lightly.
“He’s my grandfather.”

“H-He’s… your grandfather? Truly?”
Yeon Woo Jin nodded without hesitation.
“B-But why… why are you working for an escort agency?”

“Oh, my grandfather asked me to return martial arts manuals to the rightful sects. I wondered how to do that efficiently—so I started an escort agency. It makes approaching people much easier.”
“If you just said you were returning manuals, the clans would’ve lined up to accept them. Why go through all this effort?”
“There’s a standard. If they don’t meet it, they get nothing. My grandfather agreed to that as well. The Zhuge Clan passed with flying colors.”

“May I ask what those standards are?”
“Did they act like a righteous sect? Did they help the suffering? Did they refrain from oppressing the weak?”
The Zhuge Clan had always been a sect among sects.

Whenever people suffered nearby, they stepped up to help.
They offered wisdom so others could rebuild their lives.
They never oppressed the weak.

Even when Yeon Woo Jin’s group revealed they were escort workers, Zhuge Yun had remained courteous to the end.
“Then other sects will soon have their manuals returned as well?”
“If they meet the standards, yes.”

Zhuge Yun noticed Yeon Woo Jin’s calm, composed smile.
That’s it.
Only a true powerhouse could smile with such ease.

Suddenly, Zhuge Yun became curious about Yeon Woo Jin’s true strength.
He had revealed his Mythic Realm cultivation and shown his sword control—but that couldn’t be the extent of his abilities.
Where did his true limits lie?

Carefully, he asked.
“Um… just how strong are you, benefactor?”
“Didn’t I already show you?”

“I mean your full power. Your true strength.”
“Hmm… in Mushincheon, aside from my grandfather, there’s no one who can defeat me.”
“…What?”

In truth, even Yeon Cheon Baek couldn’t defeat Yeon Woo Jin.
But his grandfather was the one person Woo Jin always placed above himself.