I Will Start Doing Business In Jungwon From Today [EN]: Chapter 211

The atmosphere inside the Wudang Sect was utterly chaotic.

Even Mo Yong-hwi was in such a state that he couldn’t move for a while due to healing from severe internal injuries, so there was no need to mention the injuries of others.

The Demonic Path warriors were also unable to move, as they were all focusing on circulating their energy to recover from the severe depletion of their internal energy.

Jo Gwang-yun and Kang Sang-young, being the least injured, left the others to recover and settled in a secluded pavilion within Wudang.

“Prime Minister, I would appreciate it if you would answer the question I asked earlier.”

“I don’t know either.”

Kang Sang-young blinked at Jo Gwang-yun’s smiling response.

“I don’t know the reason, but I can’t sense the aura that martial artists emit. I suspect it’s because my body is similar to that young friend, your younger brother…”

Jo Gwang-yun gestured toward Jeon Hyo-myeong.

“That friend, he has pierced the Upper Dantian [an energy center in the head], right?”

“Then, does that mean you too, Prime Minister?”

The moment Jo Gwang-yun nodded, a throwing knife seemed to fly up from his waist, though he made no move to draw one.

“It seems you can use the Upper Dantian in this way to infuse the internal energy of the Lower Dantian [the primary energy center in the abdomen]. Accumulating internal energy is also very easy through the Upper Dantian.”

“But Prime Minister, not being able to sense the Upper Dantian and the absence of a threatening aura are separate matters.”

“Is that so? Then does the Great Elder know the reason?”

“The fear and dread that powerful demonic energy inspires are also felt by us Demonic Path warriors, especially when facing a stronger master. But there is only one case where that fear is completely absent.”

“What case is that?”

Kang Sang-young carefully gauged the situation and said.

“Forgive me, but does the Prime Minister’s body possess anything unusual that ordinary people do not?”

Jo Gwang-yun casually loosened the collar of his upper garment.

“I have something like this… What do you think?”

A clearly visible pattern.

The moment Kang Sang-young saw the pattern engraved on Jo Gwang-yun’s chest, his eyebrows shot up, and he opened his mouth wide, unable to speak.

Kang Sang-young’s shock did not subside easily. He stared intently at the pattern for a long time, then slowly got up and left the pavilion to consult with the other elders.

Jang Cheong-un, Yeom-sin, and Noh Hye-gwang, having recovered somewhat, approached Jo Gwang-yun when they found him alone in the pavilion.

“Are you alright, Prime Minister?”

Jo Gwang-yun smiled at Jang Cheong-un’s question.

“I don’t know who should be worrying about whom… Try to do something about that trembling body of yours. It’s unsightly. A Royal Guard Captain…”

“I… I apologize, Prime Minister.”

Jeong Cheong-un stepped back quietly with a flushed face, and Noh Hye-gwang asked.

“What did you talk about?”

“It seems this pattern on my body is related to the Demonic Sect. He was quite shocked when he saw it.”

Jo Gwang-yun knew right away that this was why his master had sent him here.

“What is it?”

Jo Gwang-yun pointed to the thirteen Demonic Path warriors approaching him again and said.

“Well, they will have to explain it now.”

Kang Sang-young, who had returned, bowed his head slightly, and the remaining twelve also bowed.

“We greet the Prime Minister.”

Jo Gwang-yun waved his hand dismissively.

“Instead of greetings from those who are clumsy with etiquette, I want you to tell me what I want to hear first. What exactly is this pattern on my chest?”

“Prime Minister, before that, could you tell us when that pattern was engraved?”

Jo Gwang-yun glared at Kang Sang-young’s cautious question.

“You are not qualified to ask me questions. Your position is to answer my questions truthfully. Answer me now!”

Even with Jo Gwang-yun’s roar, no one opened their mouth. Seeing their hesitation, Jo Gwang-yun shouted again.

“Do you think I, the Prime Minister of this country, have time to argue and play mind games with you? Even if you are hiding something, I don’t particularly care to know. I am banishing you from the country immediately. You will never set foot on the Central Plains again.”

Jo Gwang-yun rose to his feet, delivering the banishment order.

He wasn’t the one who was anxious and burning inside. He was curious about the secret behind the pattern on his chest, but even if he knew it, nothing would fundamentally change.

He already held a vast landmass of a nation in his grasp.

Even if he possessed something more significant than this, his current status wouldn’t be greatly altered.

As Jo Gwang-yun was about to step down from the pavilion, Kang Sang-young said urgently.

“Prime Minister, please have everyone step away. I will tell you.”

“You still haven’t come to your senses. Are you now going to give orders instead of asking questions? Just say it!”

Noh Hye-gwang and Yeom-sin, who were about to step aside, stopped.

Kang Sang-young glanced at the two of them and bit his lip. And slowly, with difficulty, he opened his mouth.

“That pattern… is proof of qualification to become the Supreme of our Cheonmyeong Order [Heavenly Mandate Order].”

Noh Hye-gwang and Yeom-sin were speechless with shock, but Jo Gwang-yun frowned.

“These guys…! Are you trying to play word games and hold me back? What? Proof of Supreme qualification? So? Does that mean I may or may not become the Supreme of your Cheonmyeong Order? Where do you dare try to read my face?”

As Jo Gwang-yun shouted again, Kang Sang-young knelt down.

“It is the truth. Now, we thirteen Cheonmyeong Order elders must awaken the true power of the Cheonmyeong Order within the Prime Minister, who is qualified. After that, you will become the true leader.”

“You mean awaken my potential?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“By absorbing all the energy of the elders.”

Now Jo Gwang-yun’s memory of that day became clear. And he also understood why they had become corpses in such a state.

When the elders were transferring their energy to the qualified person, he had interrupted that crucial moment.

Jo Gwang-yun confirmed his guess.

“Then is the current leader vacant?”

“Yes.”

“For how long?”

“Over a hundred years.”

“In those hundred years, has a qualified person never appeared?”

“No. There was an opportunity for a new leader to be born several decades ago, but the heavens interfered and it failed.”

What kind of expression would they make if they knew that the interference from the heavens was standing right in front of them?

“Then it could fail this time too. Due to the interference of the heavens. What happens if it fails?”

Kang Sang-young couldn’t answer easily. Didn’t all of their fathers die?

Jo Gwang-yun shook his head at the hesitating Kang Sang-young.

“Failure means mass death, right?”

“Unfortunately, that is correct.”

Jo Gwang-yun was so dumbfounded that he burst out laughing.

“Are you now asking me, who is responsible for the national affairs of this country, to risk my life to become the leader of the Cheonmyeong Order, which is just a religious group in the frontier? Is that even reasonable?”

Kang Sang-young said hastily.

“No. There has only been one failure in the history of our Cheonmyeong Order. Moreover, that incident was clearly caused by some physical shock. As you know, even a small shock can be dangerous when a martial artist is circulating energy or using internal energy. It is no different from that.”

“So you mean it’s safe as long as there is no such interference?”

“That is correct.”

Jo Gwang-yun thought for a moment and opened his mouth.

“Let’s say I become the leader. But there doesn’t seem to be any benefit, so why should I become the leader?”

Kang Sang-young and the Cheonmyeong Order elders were at a loss for words.

To talk about benefits when discussing the position of the Supreme?

“Prime Minister, the leader of the Cheonmyeong Order is chosen by heaven…”

“Quiet.”

Jo Gwang-yun raised his hand and stopped the elder from speaking.

“At best, it’s a position that receives the loyalty of only a hundred thousand followers, right? I now receive the loyalty of tens of millions of people in the Central Plains.”

One of the elders, becoming desperate, spoke in succession.

“The leader who has absorbed the internal energy of our elders will possess martial arts so powerful that they can literally collapse Mount Cheon. The best in the world…”

“Stop. I can control the entire Jianghu [martial arts world] without such martial arts. What’s so great about martial arts…”

At this moment, Kang Sang-young brought up the words that Jo Gwang-yun wanted to hear the most.

“Prime Minister, our Cheonmyeong Order members have never seen the death of a leader.”

“What?”

“The leader whom my father served last held the position of Cheonmyeong Order leader for a full two hundred and fifty years and disappeared quietly. We believe that he ascended to immortality.”

“Did you just say two hundred and fifty years?”

“Yes. Even the person who held the position of leader for the shortest time held it for over a hundred years. The successive leaders of the Cheonmyeong Order have attained enlightenment and relinquished the position of leader, but no one has ever directly witnessed their death.”

That was truly tempting.

Even Emperor Qin Shi Huang, who dreamed of immortality, only lived for fifty years.

No matter how long a human lives, a hundred years is an unimaginable amount of time.

Those who hold power in one hand and live in wealth and glory naturally dream of longevity. Jo Gwang-yun was no different. He also wanted to enjoy this power and wealth for a long time.

For him, the dream of extending his life by over a hundred years was more tempting than a thousand pieces of gold.

“Then that… is it reaching the realm of rejuvenation?”

What’s the point of just living long? You have to live long and healthy. Becoming young again is an even greater temptation than longevity.

“We cannot guarantee that. And you are still healthy, Prime Minister. It will not be the realm of rejuvenation.”

Kang Sang-young hurriedly continued, seeing Jo Gwang-yun’s disappointment.

“But you will maintain your current appearance for a very long time. And when you get older and your hair starts to turn gray, depending on your level of martial arts, you may even reach the realm of rejuvenation.”

“So that’s what you mean…”

Jo Gwang-yun was lost in thought.

Perhaps he could fulfill the dream that Qin Shi Huang could not.

As the highest authority in this country for a hundred years… If he lived for two hundred years by luck?

While maintaining a healthy body.

There was no sweeter temptation than this.

After thinking for a long time, Jo Gwang-yun frowned.

A very important point from what they had said earlier came to mind.

“Did you say that you would transfer your internal energy to me? That I would absorb your internal energy?”

“Yes.”

Kang Sang-young said quietly.

“Then what about you? Do you lose all your internal energy?”

“Perhaps that is the case. We may even lose our lives.”

Is living just being alive? For a martial artist, a Jianghu person, losing the source of their power is like a death sentence.

This time, Jo Gwang-yun was genuinely surprised.

“Do you have to create a leader to that extent? Even at the cost of your lives?”

“That is the destiny of our elders. It is not a matter of questioning the reason or calculating the practicalities.”

He speaks of pureness that does not calculate practicalities to Jo Gwang-yun, who always calculates benefits. It was not sarcasm, but a desperate plea.

“Alright. I will gladly become your leader.”

High risk, high return.

This time, he bet his life as a chip, with a lifespan of two hundred years as the stake.

Jo Gwang-yun reluctantly agreed, but the Demonic Path warriors did not have happy expressions. Perhaps their true intention was to have him refuse until the end.

Because now they will either become ordinary humans without internal energy if they are lucky, or corpses if they are unlucky.

“Hey! Are you out of your mind?”

There was also someone who shouted as soon as Jo Gwang-yun’s approval was given.

“You are a disciple of Mount Hua. You, who swallowed that precious elixir of Mount Hua, are going to become the leader of the Demonic Sect?”

Noh Hye-gwang could not accept the fact that his sect, Mount Hua, would have a deep connection with the Demonic Sect.

There were also people who shouted for different reasons than Noh Hye-gwang. It was Jang Cheong-un and Yeom-sin.

“Prime Minister! It is not allowed. How can you volunteer for such a danger?”

“Please reconsider. It is unfortunate for their fate, but it is not something that the Prime Minister should be responsible for!”

Jo Gwang-yun unbuttoned his clothes in front of them.

“This is my destiny. If the will of heaven is so… I may be able to reject the will of heaven right now, but in the end, it will flow according to fate.”

He couldn’t bring himself to say that he wanted to live a long time.

End