I Will Start Doing Business In Jungwon From Today [EN]: Chapter 210

Moryong Hwi drew his sword with lightning speed at the words that felt like a death sentence—a warning that he would lose his life if he didn’t give it his all.

Kang Sang-yeong chuckled at his reaction.

“You still don’t understand, do you? Did you think I was going to have a sword fight with the Sect Leader?”

“What?”

“I told you, you have to risk your life.”

While Kang Sang-yeong was still speaking in riddles, the sword in his hand floated into the air.

“From now on, this sword will slowly fly towards the building behind you. It looks like the Ancestral Hall, is that correct?”

As soon as the words ‘Ancestral Hall’ were uttered, the Taoists of Wudang turned pale. They would sacrifice the Sect Leader’s life, but they couldn’t allow the Ancestral Hall to be defiled.

“Now, this sword will fly towards that Ancestral Hall. The moment the blade touches it, the Ancestral Hall will surely collapse.”

A chilling smile played on Great Elder Kang Sang-yeong’s face.

“I was going to end it with a contest, but since the Sect Leader is determined to see this through to the end, what choice do I have? The Sect Leader shall have his wish. Try to stop this sword from reaching the Ancestral Hall. If you can stop it, I will admit defeat and we will leave.”

Moryong Hwi’s face paled more than anyone else’s.

“Our leaving means we’re ending things here, so the Sect Leader will be carrying the entire Central Plains martial arts world on his shoulders.”

No sooner had Kang Sang-yeong finished speaking than the sword slowly began moving towards the Ancestral Hall.

“You villain! Finally, your demonic nature is revealed. How dare you try to damage the Ancestral Hall!”

The hem of the Wudang Sect Leader’s robe swelled and fluttered as he gathered his inner energy.

“I was a fool to mistake a demon for a righteous martial artist, even for a moment.”

As the Sect Leader channeled his power, all the Wudang disciples prepared to attack.

Moryong Hwi had already leaped to intercept the sword, and the disciples of Mount Hua, including No Hye-gwang, also began to show their resolve, seemingly willing to sacrifice themselves for Wudang.

“Prime Minister, shouldn’t you take cover? It seems like there will be a big commotion.”

Jang Cheong-un was anxious about the unexpected turn of events. Already, the elite imperial guards had formed layers around Jo Gwang-yun, protecting him.

At Yeom-sin’s signal, the warriors of the Changryong Gate [a military division] also drew their swords to clear a path.

However, the calmest person on Wudang Mountain right now was Jo Gwang-yun.

“It’s alright. Nothing will happen. They’re all just making a fuss because they’re foolish.”

“Yes?”

Jang Cheong-un blinked, not understanding, and Jo Gwang-yun clicked his tongue.

“Tsk, tsk. How can the captain of the guard, who should be protecting His Majesty, be so slow to grasp the situation, brother?”

“Yes, Prime Minister.”

“Whose fight is this?”

“Well, it’s Wudang and the Demonic Cult…”

Jo Gwang-yun shook his head.

“More concisely. Just look at the core of the matter.”

“Ah… It’s the fight between the Great Elder and the Sect Leader.”

“Right? If the Sect Leader can’t stop that flying sword, he can just admit defeat now and it’s over. That Great Elder isn’t stupid, is he? Why cause trouble when the victory is already decided? In my opinion, the Demonic Cult is constantly trying to avoid bloodshed. And the righteous sects are making such a fuss without even realizing that, geez…”

“I see. If the Great Elder and the Sect Leader crossed swords…”

Jang Cheong-un bit his lip as if ashamed.

“He’s the Sword Saint, the best swordsman in the Central Plains. The Great Elder judged that even with his martial arts prowess, it would be difficult to subdue the Sect Leader without inflicting serious injuries. If even one of the Sect Leader’s arms were to be cut off, the situation would become much more dire, that’s obvious. So, he came up with such a clever plan. Our old Sect Leader’s judgment has become very clouded with age. Hehe.”

Jo Gwang-yun smiled, as if not wanting to miss a single interesting moment, and began to look around the arena.

Yeom-sin, who was watching from the side, carefully spoke.

“Prime Minister, shouldn’t you send a telepathic message [a method of communication using inner energy] to the Sect Leader before the situation worsens?”

“No. Let’s watch a little longer. I’ve become curious to see how strong that Great Elder’s martial arts really are. Aren’t you curious, Great Warrior Yeom?”

“I am, but with the combined attack of Wudang and Mount Hua, bloodshed will be unavoidable.”

“I think differently.”

Despite Yeom-sin’s worries, Jo Gwang-yun did not lose his smile.

“The Demonic Cult must subdue the Central Plains martial artists perfectly today without shedding a single drop of blood. If they shed blood here, the entire Central Plains martial arts world will fight the Demonic Cult to the death. A bloodless entry will be out of the question.”

“Is that possible against Wudang and Mount Hua?”

Jo Gwang-yun raised his hand and pointed to the Demonic Cult warriors.

“Look. Only thirteen came. If they weren’t confident, they would have brought thousands.”

Even as Jo Gwang-yun spoke, the sword was slowly flying towards the Ancestral Hall. Moryong Hwi was pouring all his concentration and inner energy into stopping the sword in front of the Ancestral Hall.

The problem was that the Wudang disciples were closing in on the thirteen Demonic Cult members. All of them with their swords drawn.

Mount Hua was backing them up, so their numbers were overwhelming.

The Demonic Cult members had left their swords at Haegeomji, so they were all empty-handed. But even though a huge number of martial artists were closing in on them, none of them looked panicked or afraid.

When the Wudang disciples came within striking distance, Jeon Hyo-myeong’s roar burst out.

“Stop! Otherwise, you will suffer great misfortune!”

But there was no way they would stop, having already drawn their swords.

Jeon Hyo-myeong looked at Kang Sang-yeong and waited for instructions. Kang Sang-yeong was currently engaged in a fierce battle of wills with Sect Leader Moryong Hwi over a single sword.

Even a slight lapse in concentration could result in serious internal injuries.

When Kang Sang-yeong nodded slightly, the twelve Demonic Cult members, including Jeon Hyo-myeong, unleashed an explosive force and gathered their inner energy.

From that moment on, the demonic energy that emanated enveloped all the Wudang disciples and even affected the disciples of Mount Hua who were backing them up.

The weaker disciples were already spitting blood and collapsing on the spot, and those who could withstand it began to regulate their breathing.

Yu Gyu-seong and No Hye-gwang, who were aiming for Kang Sang-yeong, felt despair.

Just thirteen Demonic Cult members had tied up the feet of the two most prestigious sects in the Central Plains. It wasn’t just because the disciples with weak inner energy had fallen.

Their demonic energy inspired fear.

Even the disciples who were barely holding on were trembling like aspen leaves, and some were burying their heads in the ground, trying to escape the fear.

The two were no different.

They were trying to block the invading demonic energy by gathering their energy, but they began to feel a fear that went beyond anxiety and unease.

It was the moment when the Central Plains martial arts world was completely subjugated by just thirteen people.

* * *

Jang Cheong-un clenched his long spear tightly, but he couldn’t calm his trembling body, and eventually his knees buckled.

“Th-This can’t be…”

He never thought the day would come when he would kneel before overwhelming power.

Moreover, it was shameful.

As a martial artist, he believed that he would not lose his dignity even in the moment of death, but now he was trembling with fear!

Yeom-sin was the same.

He was gritting his teeth and holding on, but he was sweating profusely and trembling so much that he could collapse at any moment.

Jo Gwang-yun, who was looking back and forth between the two, found it difficult to understand what was happening.

He could feel that the Demonic Cult members were trying to take control of Wudang by emitting fierce energy. But aren’t Wudang and Mount Hua renowned experts?

He himself was enduring it without much difficulty… No, he wasn’t even enduring it. He was just feeling it.

It was hard to believe that the experts of these two giant sects were struggling in such a battle of nerves.

In particular, seeing Yu Gyu-seong, No Hye-gwang, and even the leaders of Wudang and Mount Hua unable to move and sitting on the floor to regulate their breathing, he wondered what strange trick those Demonic Cult members had used.

He turned his eyes to observe Sect Leader Moryong Hwi.

He was struggling in the fight against Kang Sang-yeong and seemed to be completely exposed to the demonic energy, with blood flowing from the corner of his mouth.

Jo Gwang-yun began to feel nervous when he realized that he was the only one who was unharmed on this Wudang Mountain.

If even one of the Demonic Cult members attacked him, it would be difficult to block or avoid.

In the end, Jo Gwang-yun was exposed to the Demonic Cult members.

Everyone was kneeling, prostrating, or sitting down.

He was the only one standing upright.

And Kang Sang-yeong noticed Jo Gwang-yun’s appearance.

At that very moment, Kang Sang-yeong lost his concentration at the sight that was hard to believe.

Cough-!

A single cough shook his blood and energy, and blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.

The sword flying towards the Ancestral Hall fell to the ground, and thanks to that, Moryong Hwi was able to end the difficult fight.

But the other Demonic Cult members did not stop, so Jo Gwang-yun was still the only one unharmed.

Kang Sang-yeong wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve and leaped forward.

Kang Sang-yeong, who landed in front of Jo Gwang-yun, asked with a sharp glint in his eyes.

“Who are you?”

Jo Gwang-yun calmly met his sharp gaze and said solemnly.

“If you kneel before me, you are a citizen of this country, and if not, you are a spy of the barbarians.”

Kang Sang-yeong recalled the words of the white-haired cavalry general.

‘The Honorable One!’

Jang Cheong-un, who could not rise to his feet, barely opened his mouth towards the surprised Kang Sang-yeong.

“R-Retreat… Th-That person is… the Prime Minister of this country… You… you are not someone you can look at carelessly.”

“Prime Minister?”

“Y-You villain! Why don’t you kneel down quickly?”

Kang Sang-yeong was more shocked by the fact that the man in front of him was unharmed than by the fact that he was the most powerful man in the country, the Prime Minister.

“How are you unharmed? I don’t think your martial arts are strong enough to overcome our energy.”

Kang Sang-yeong pressed for an answer, but did not get the answer he wanted.

“Your inner energy is weak, so you are no different from those who have fallen over there! Can’t you pull yourself together? Do you not know what kind of consequences this impiety you are committing will bring?!”

Before Kang Sang-yeong could recall the cavalry general’s warning, Jo Gwang-yun shouted once again.

“I heard that the number of your group is 100,000. I will dispatch 100,000 cavalrymen to match that number. If that is not enough, I will add even a million more soldiers. Under those hooves, under those spear blades, not a single life will survive. I will thoroughly trample and punish this impiety! Why don’t you lower your body quickly!”

The strength of a country can be measured when it exercises its physical power. Imagining the sight of a mere 100,000 cult members being torn apart by 100,000 cavalrymen and a million soldiers, the weight of the man in front of him, the position of Prime Minister, and the word ‘honor’ were palpable.

Kang Sang-yeong took a step back and lowered his head slightly.

If there were no Wudang and Mount Hua warriors in this place, he would have knelt down, but he could not bear to show the Cheonmyeong Cult kneeling in front of them.

“I am an ignorant citizen, and I have failed to recognize your honor. Please forgive me.”

“I will consider forgiveness after you withdraw the demonic energy you are emitting.”

Kang Sang-yeong raised his head and showed a desperate expression. If he withdrew the demonic energy now, the swords of Wudang and Mount Hua would dance, and this place would turn into a sea of blood.

Jo Gwang-yun, who understood his meaning from his expression, shouted loudly with inner energy.

“The contest between the righteous and the demonic is over! From now on, anyone who wields a sword or uses martial arts will not be forgiven. Only those who want to walk the path of annihilation may defy my orders!”

As soon as Jo Gwang-yun’s warning ended, Kang Sang-yeong sent a telepathic message to the Demonic Cult members who had come with him.

At that very moment, the demonic energy that had filled Wudang Mountain disappeared without a trace.

* * *

End