Chapter 13

A man advanced before him, his dark black robe fluttering in the wind. Jowoo's face was filled with complexity as he looked at the man's back. This man in the black robe was the leader of the Zhengtian Corps (正天團), a direct military force under the Wu Lin Alliance's inspection department. Jowoo couldn't help but feel tense, having already heard about the immense power of the Wu Lin Alliance's inspection department. Although he had been summoned to the Namgung family a few times before and scolded, the atmosphere this time was completely different. As Jowoo passed through the main gate of the Namgung family and was about to sign the guestbook to receive a visiting card, a warrior from the inner courtyard who had come to greet him stopped him.

"The head of the inner courtyard has ordered that the distribution of visiting cards be skipped. Please follow me."

"Um? I understand."

Jowoo was slightly surprised. The Namgung family rarely ignored etiquette and procedures. However, skipping the visiting card indicated that something was happening urgently. As Jowoo was led into the inner courtyard by the warrior, the leader of the Zhengtian Corps bowed respectfully.

"I hope you will set the right intentions."

Right intentions?

What does he mean by that?

Jowoo awkwardly returned the bow.

"Let's go in."

After completing the formalities, Jowoo entered the Changlong Hall (蒼龍殿), where the overwhelming atmosphere made his heart chill. 'Hmm? It seems almost everyone is here.'

First, the most prominent figure was the family head, Namgung Su, in the most honored seat. To his right stood the head of the inner courtyard, Namgung Baek, and to his left, the head of the outer courtyard, Namgung Woo. Behind the family head stood Namgung Seongchan, the head of the Changtian Hall and Jowoo's master. Namgung Jangho, the head of the small sword corps, also stood by the family head, his eyes glowing intensely. The leaders and captains of each corps and squad were lined up on both sides like a furnace. Indeed, the great Namgung family!

The ruler of Anhui and one of the five major families, the Namgung family's status was truly immense. However, there was another person who caught his eye.

'Zhuge Yun?'

His usual playful demeanor was nowhere to be seen, replaced by a cold, almost ominous expression. Soon, Zhuge Yun's businesslike voice echoed.

"First, I will convey the alliance's stance to you, representing the Jowoo Trading Company."

His calm voice continued, briefly explaining the incident of the collapse of the Nan Chang intelligence organization, the implications of the event, the serious situation of the Black Heaven Alliance's movements toward Hefei, and the Wu Lin Alliance's position. He then closed his mouth firmly. Despite the complexity, the Wu Lin Alliance's intention was simple.

Incorporate all your business ventures into the Namgung family.

And accept the supervision of the Wu Lin Alliance.

Also, pay a fixed tribute every month.

Otherwise, we have no reason to protect you from the Black Heaven Alliance's clutches.

The way they were making threats was so simple that it was almost absurd.

The sky of the righteous path.

The Wu Lin Alliance, the embodiment of justice.

But isn't this almost like a gang?

Jowoo's cold gaze turned to Zhuge Yun.

"The elders of the alliance seem to be mistaken."

Zhuge Yun asked, "What kind of mistake do you mean?"

"Are you judging me only by the standards of the martial world?"

Jowoo scanned the room, biting his lip.

"Do you think I can't turn Nan Chang into another Hefei?"

Zhuge Yun felt a chill run down his spine at Jowoo's response.

"Turn Nan Chang into what Hefei is now?"

That could mean giving wings to the Black Heaven Alliance.

"What!"

"Basically, I am a businessman. I don't shy away from dangerous ventures for profit. However..."

Jowoo's voice deepened.

"There are many who want to take the wealth I've built with my life. In such a situation, most businessmen think this way."

His next words were enough to shock everyone.

"Who will bring me greater profit?"

Unable to contain his anger at this shock, the head of the inner courtyard, Namgung Baek, shouted roughly.

"Are you saying that if you can make more money, you wouldn't hesitate to become a dog of the Black Heaven Alliance!"

"If they're going to take everything, what can I do?"

Jowoo stared persistently at Namgung Baek and continued.

"Human greed is truly endless. Head of the inner courtyard, have I ever harmed the Namgung family's interests?"

"Is that what you call it! If you had ever inspected the family's business premises..."

"No."

Jowoo's face, tinged with a mocking smile, scanned the room.

"Three years ago, Hefei's population was about 86,000. Now it's 170,000. Let me ask again."

Jowoo looked at Namgung Baek again.

"Has my business harmed the Namgung family's interests?"

In fact, the Namgung family's income had slightly increased over the past three years, thanks to the significant population growth in Hefei. However, human greed is always relative. Compared to the profits the Jowoo Trading Company was making by dominating Hefei, the Namgung family's gains were negligible, naturally leading to dissatisfaction.

"Listen, you..."

"If the elders of the family ask me to make concessions, I will do so. Although we have different surnames, I am still a member of the Namgung family."

Jowoo's eyes, as cold as the North Star, turned to Zhuge Yun.

"But not the alliance. Go and tell your superiors. I have no intention of belonging to either the righteous or the evil side."

A solemn voice suddenly echoed.

It was the family head, Namgung Su.

"Between righteousness and evil... throughout the history of the martial world, only a few have been able to take such a stance. They all had a common characteristic."

Jowoo nodded.

"You're right. An elder I know always said, 'A person who falls into the swamp of compromise will inevitably become weak. The only way to become strong is to protect your people and values with your life.'"

Suddenly, the black rings in Jowoo's eyes disappeared.

His white eyes were now filled with a vast divine light.

Rumble!

The great hall shook violently!

"I will take the path of the strong."

A cold, black-and-white world unfolded before him.

The flow of air.

Dust shimmering in the sunlight.

The aura emitted by martial artists.

Steam rising from the teacup.

The world he saw was all transformed into physical diagrams.

All kinds of functions and equations were scattered everywhere.

Numerous physical calculations naturally seeped into his mind.

At first, he couldn't accept it at all.

The state of no-self (無我境).

The blissful enlightenment in the realm of imagination felt like a mere ten minutes.

But when he emerged from the realm of imagination and checked his body, he was speechless with disbelief.

The faded, worn-out school uniform.

Dust piled thickly all over his body.

The venerable Sword Spirit laughed heartily, saying three years had passed, but he couldn't believe it.

Most astonishing was the change in his body.

Potential abilities that a human body could never manifest were all neatly blossomed.

The venerable Sword Spirit called this state the Sword Heaven Omnipotent Body (劒天全能之體).

The side effect of his pupils turning ghostly white was a bit of a problem, though.

Jowoo calmly scanned the room.

If they were perceptive, they would know that this was not his full power.

The mediator (中間子).

A position that only the strong can take.

The venerable Sword Spirit affirmed that there were fewer than ten experts in the current martial world who could surpass him.

He was sufficiently strong.

The one who looked at Jowoo with the most shock was the family head, Namgung Su.

'What on earth!'

A martial soul (武魂) embedded in the eyes.

Except for special martial arts like the Divine Heart Technique, this phenomenon undoubtedly indicated the Absolute (絶大) realm.

This young man, Jowoo, had reached the same level as the Namgung family's Heavenly Eye (蒼天眼).

Throughout history, many geniuses have been called such.

Even they considered it a miracle to surpass the Transformation (化境) realm at the age of forty.

And now, a young man who had just passed his twenties, not just the Transformation realm, but the Absolute realm?

It was an absurd notion.

Has there ever been such a martial artist in the history of the martial world?

The Venerable Sword Spirit, Changtian Jianxian, Namgung Seongchan, burst into laughter, looking at Jowoo, who stood calmly with his martial soul revealed.

"Ha ha ha!"

Such a disciple?

No matter how talented, it's a joke!

Even without revealing his true strength, this kid exuded a presence that surpassed his own.

An expert at a level he couldn't read, even though he had just entered the Absolute realm.

How could he be my disciple?

Namgung Seongchan looked at Xiao Zhuge, Zhuge Yun, with half-open eyes.

"Can you feel it, our inspection captain?"

"What? What do you mean?"

Zhuge Yun's brain always froze when faced with inexplicable phenomena.

Namgung Seongchan smiled warmly.

"He is in the Absolute (絶大) realm."

"Absolute realm!"

The presence or absence of an Absolute realm expert can determine the rise and fall of a sect.

Among the nine great sects, only four possessed Absolute realm experts: Shaolin, Wudang, Huashan, and Kunlun.

The dominant force in Yunnan, the Diancang Sword School, had not produced an Absolute realm expert in seventy years.

The traditional Daoist sect Zhongnan, which shared Shaanxi with Huashan, had not produced one in a hundred years.

The nuns' residence of Emei had not produced one since the founder's extinction.

An Absolute realm expert is so rare that a sect might not produce one in a generation.

The value and destructive power of a single Absolute realm expert are indescribable.

A single expert can be the entire sect itself.

"To break his will, we would need to bring the alliance leader or deputy leader."

Namgung Seongchan's words left Zhuge Yun speechless.

But he couldn't forget his mission.

"I will return to the alliance for now."

As Zhuge Yun left the great hall with a pale face, the family head, Namgung Su, finally opened his mouth.

"What does the Namgung family mean to you?"

Jowoo slowly reined in his white eyes, thought for a moment, and answered.

"An uncle-like feeling."

An uncle who would always clean up after his mischief!

An uncle who would buy him anything he wanted when he threw a tantrum!

To Jowoo, the Namgung family felt just like that.

"Like a family."

The family head, Namgung Su, was slightly misunderstanding but it wasn't entirely bad.

Namgung Su's deep eyes turned to the head of the inner courtyard, Namgung Baek.

"How about appointing this young man to the position of Fenggong (奉公)?"

At the family head's words, Namgung Baek's mind began to race. He had immediately read the family head's intention.

Namgung Baek recalled the family rules and thoroughly examined them.

He was looking for any disqualifying factors.

After some thought, he spoke.

"To appoint someone who is not a direct descendant of the family to the position of Fenggong, one condition must be met, family head."

"What condition?"

Namgung Baek swallowed hard.

"Marriage. He must marry a woman from our family."

"Hmm..."

The family head, Namgung Su, had to be serious. Marrying off a daughter of the family was not a simple matter.

The biggest problem was...

"It's impossible, Father."

Namgung Jangho's answer made all the martial artists in the great hall sigh deeply in agreement.

The first person they thought of was naturally Namgung Xiaoxiao.

But Xiaoxiao was completely smitten with that muscular man, bringing him meals every day.

"Hmm..."

The family head, Namgung Su, looked grave.

However, an Absolute realm expert is extremely rare in a sect's contemporary era.

Although the venerable Namgung Seongchan had achieved the Heavenly Eye, the ambition of a family leader knows no bounds.

If they could recruit Jowoo, they would have three Absolute realm experts.

Huashan and Shaolin each had two, but the Namgung family would have three!

This was an opportunity they couldn't miss!

"Isn't there... Xiaomei?"

Everyone's heads snapped toward the family head.

What about him?

While the effort to recruit an Absolute realm expert was understandable, did he have to sell his conscience as well?

Namgung Jangho, alarmed, tried to dissuade his father.

"Father, no, family head. Xiaomei is only nine years old."

At that moment, Jowoo erupted.

"Are you crazy! Or these elders? What do you think I am! That's too young, too young!"

"Too young?"

The family head, Namgung Su, tilted his head in confusion, and Jowoo firmly refused.

"There is such a thing. Anyway, no. Absolutely not!"

But there was someone who went even further.

"If you don't accept the position of Fenggong, you must return the Heavenly Sword Token."

Namgung Seongchan, smirking.

"Unfair!"

To give and then take back?

How could he be so heartless?

Jowoo looked flustered.

Of course, he had his own martial strength and had built a strong relationship with the government.

But without the Heavenly Sword Token, he would face all sorts of troublesome issues.

He couldn't always solve conflicts with force or report them to the government, could he?

The king of Anhui was clearly the Namgung family.

Namgung Seongchan knew his weakness precisely.

"You said you consider the Namgung family like family, didn't you?"

"Ah..."

The position of Fenggong was a polite term, but it ultimately meant subordination.

"You can continue your successful business, and the family will never covet your profits. However..."

Namgung Seongchan's eyes opened slightly again.

"Sharing life and death, that is the fate of a family and the Namgung family, isn't it?"

Yes, very family-like.

No matter how he thought about it, there was no way out. Running a business without the Heavenly Sword Token would be too difficult.

Jowoo's shoulders slumped.

"Fenggong... I will accept. But I absolutely cannot agree to the marriage!"

The family head, Namgung Su, looked satisfied and turned to the head of the inner courtyard, Namgung Baek.

"Prepare a meeting by summoning the council of elders and the family law hall."

"What? Suddenly, for what?"

The family head, Namgung Su, smiled warmly.

"Can't we just change the family rules?"

"Ah?"

Namgung Baek was momentarily stunned by the simple and clear logic.

Yes.

If the council of elders and the family law hall unanimously agreed, the family rules could be changed.

The Namgung family, which placed such importance on procedures, was willing to change the family rules to recruit him. Jowoo realized the power he had built.

"Can I leave now?"

Namgung Baek shook his head.

"No, you can't."

"What else is there?"

Jowoo's irritated voice made Namgung Baek glare even more.

"Didn't you see the reception hall on your way here?"

"I came here without even receiving a visiting card."

Namgung Baek pointed to the reception hall.

"All the influential people of Anhui have gathered. It's all because of your Hefei Club."

"Why? Is there a problem with the Hefei Club?"

"Of course there is! The children of prominent families are squandering their family's wealth at the Hefei Club! Even the children of county magistrates, who should be studying, are wasting their time there! Not to mention, bachelor parties for men about to get married? What about the bachelorette parties for women about to get married? Do you know how many families have broken off engagements because of the Hefei Club?"

Jowoo flinched but then stood confidently.

"I'm not forcing anyone to buy expensive liquor. They're spending their money as they please. What do you want me to do?"

"But this guy