Chapter 84

Chapter 83

Johwi, with a stern expression, abruptly raised his intent.

Rrrrrr—

A low resonant sound.

The face of the great monk Gong Cheon, who boasted of the unparalleled inner strength of the Shaolin Temple and could even use the supreme ability of the Banya Daengnyeong, showed a look of shock.

"A, Amitabha...!"

The move Xiaojianxin displayed was extremely simple.

It was the technique of manifesting one's will into reality, Yiqishangren, which any master of intent above the Absolute Realm could perform.

It was also known as Xinjishat, which meant one could strike wherever the mind reached, and it was a high-level realm that could be called the true realm of no-sword.

The problem was that the density and destructive power of the intent Xiaojianxin was spreading in all directions were beyond imagination.

Could such an overwhelming power really be called the same level as the intent they could use?

The heads of the families and the abbot of Shaolin, gathered in the conference room, were all unable to move due to the immense pressure of the intent that was sweeping around them like a storm.

They could only grit their teeth and endure, unable to make any response.

The overwhelming pressure of the intent continued for more than an hour, and it finally disappeared when Johwi was about to speak again.

"This is one percent of the power I can exert."

"Huh...!"

"What...?"

At this moment, three of the Eight Great Seats, the absolute rulers of the orthodox martial world, were gathered.

Johwi had simultaneously suppressed the heads of the Five Great Families, renowned throughout the world, and the abbot of Shaolin Temple using the extremely simple method of Yiqishangren.

And yet, he said that this was only one percent of the power he could exert?

Pang Yuchuan could not say anything.

He had encountered countless masters while navigating the Jianghu of the Sword Mountain Forest, but he had never heard or seen such a realm.

An infinite sense of futility.

It was as if all the days he had trained with the resolve to carve his bones were rendered meaningless.

"This is the Invincible Seat. Even if we combine all the strength of the Jianghu, we cannot rashly claim victory. Do not doubt the Invincible Seat any longer. He is a god-like being."

Namgung Su stroked his ancient Changtian Sword and then closed his eyes with a melancholic expression.

"That a being who has achieved such a great realm aims to annihilate the Central Plains..."

Namgung Su could not understand.

Even he, who had reached the Absolute Realm, sometimes felt an overwhelming sense of emptiness that made all human affairs seem meaningless.

How could someone who had achieved such a great divine realm care so much about human affairs to want to kill so many people?

"We often refer to those who have reached the divine realm and attained immortality as 'Zuo' or 'Sung Zuo.' There is a clear hierarchy among them."

"Hierarchy?"

"Yes. They call all the power that distinctly defines their existence 'Existential Power.' It is a way for the immortal beings to measure each other's strength. Their status and hierarchy seem to depend on the level of their Existential Power."

"Then shouldn't they just wander in the world of such divine beings? Why does Dharma desire our lower realm?"

"Amitabha! It is just Xiaojianxin's claim! Do not conclude that the patriarch of our sect is that Zuo!"

Gong Cheon's fierce opposition did not shake Namgung Su's gaze.

"I have never considered you an outsider. I trust him more than anyone. Not believing his words means not trusting Namgung. Let's not discuss this issue any further."

Gong Cheon, seemingly greatly shocked by Namgung Su's words, could only mutter mantras with a stern face.

The idea that Bori Dharma, who sought to annihilate the world, was something the Shaolin Temple could never accept.

Namgung Su's declaration was essentially a declaration of enmity with Shaolin.

No matter how great the Namgung Family was, the other families could not stand by and watch them declare enmity with Shaolin.

Pang Yuchuan's face turned grave.

"Namgung Family Head. Once water and words are spilled, they cannot be gathered again."

The Five Great Families, who constantly competed for honor as the top families, were a community of fate that had to share life and death in critical moments.

If Shaolin declared the Namgung Family as enemies, the Five Great Families would have to bear it together.

"The Emperor's word is unchangeable!"

Pang Yuchuan looked at Namgung Su, who was firmly gripping the Changtian Sword as if about to draw it, with a frightened expression.

The resolve and pride of the Pang Family were great, but the Namgung Family was no less.

"Haha."

Johwi, looking at the heads of the Five Great Families and Gong Cheon with a disdainful gaze, burst into a hollow laugh.

"Even the people in this small room can't unite, and you dare to say you can block a god? Shit, I must be crazy. Alright, everyone, get out."

Gong Cheon, who had been muttering mantras with a grave expression, spoke in a heavy voice.

"Amitabha. Do you have no intention of retracting your words that defame our patriarch?"

"Get lost, you damn monk."

Once again, a vast wave of intent spread.

An infinite intent, or rather, Existential Power, that could not be measured.

Johwi was finally beginning to reveal his true strength.

Rrrrrr—

The intent, like a wave of energy, transformed into an infinite physical force.

Everything it touched began to turn to dust and scatter.

The entire conference hall, which had just been a massive structure, was completely vaporized as if it had never existed.

The scene of the massive hall, which had boasted of its heavy structure, turning to dust and scattering in an instant was utterly unreal.

As Johwi's incomprehensible intent spread into the vast sky, the world turned dark again.

Just as he had done at the Wulin Alliance, he made the day disappear with a single person.

The pitch-black darkness, devoid of any light, enveloped everything, and only then did the heads of the Five Great Families realize that all the testimonies of the Wulin Alliance members, who had been possessed by ghosts, were true.

Their hearts felt as heavy as lead.

How could someone control the forces of nature like this!

How could a mere human freely control the movements of the sun, moon, stars, and planets!

"Listen, Shaolin monk."

Despite addressing the abbot of the world-renowned Shaolin Temple as a mere monk, Gong Cheon was not angry; he was trembling as if awaiting punishment.

"Will you not retract your words that defamed our patriarch?"

"Get lost, you damn monk."

Once again, a vast wave of intent spread.

An infinite intent, or rather, Existential Power!

Johwi was finally beginning to reveal his true strength.

Rrrrrr—

The intent, like a wave of energy, transformed into an infinite physical force.

Everything it touched began to turn to dust and scatter.

The entire conference hall, which had just been a massive structure, was completely vaporized as if it had never existed.

The scene of the massive hall, which had boasted of its heavy structure, turning to dust and scattering in an instant was utterly unreal.

As Johwi's incomprehensible intent spread into the vast sky, the world turned dark again.

Just as he had done at the Wulin Alliance, he made the day disappear with a single person.

The pitch-black darkness, devoid of any light, enveloped everything, and only then did the heads of the Five Great Families realize that all the testimonies of the Wulin Alliance members, who had been possessed by ghosts, were true.

Their hearts felt as heavy as lead.

How could someone control the forces of nature like this!

How could a mere human freely control the movements of the sun, moon, stars, and planets!

"Listen, Shaolin monk."

Despite addressing the abbot of the world-renowned Shaolin Temple as a mere monk, Gong Cheon was not angry; he was trembling as if awaiting punishment.

"Will you not retract your words that defamed our patriarch?"

"Get lost, you damn monk."

Once again, a vast wave of intent spread.

An infinite intent, or rather, Existential Power!

Johwi was finally beginning to reveal his true strength.

Rrrrrr—

The intent, like a wave of energy, transformed into an infinite physical force.

Everything it touched began to turn to dust and scatter.

The entire conference hall, which had just been a massive structure, was completely vaporized as if it had never existed.

The scene of the massive hall, which had boasted of its heavy structure, turning to dust and scattering in an instant was utterly unreal.

As Johwi's incomprehensible intent spread into the vast sky, the world turned dark again.

Just as he had done at the Wulin Alliance, he made the day disappear with a single person.

The pitch-black darkness, devoid of any light, enveloped everything, and only then did the heads of the Five Great Families realize that all the testimonies of the Wulin Alliance members, who had been possessed by ghosts, were true.

Their hearts felt as heavy as lead.

How could someone control the forces of nature like this!

How could a mere human freely control the movements of the sun, moon, stars, and planets!

"Listen, Shaolin monk."

Despite addressing the abbot of the world-renowned Shaolin Temple as a mere monk, Gong Cheon was not angry; he was trembling as if awaiting punishment.

"Will you not retract your words that defamed our patriarch?"

"Get lost, you damn monk."

The meeting with Xiaojianxin ended in less than an hour, and the heads of the Five Great Families and Gong Cheon left with heavy hearts.

The heads of the Five Great Families decided to organize their families and join the Zhaogada Shanghanghui, and Shaolin also declared that it would recall all its disciples active in the Jianghu and enter seclusion.

When the news spread that the Five Great Families had left the Wulin Alliance and joined the Zhaogada Shanghanghui, the impact was enormous.

Many martial artists, who had witnessed the divine might of Xiaojianxin, began to seek membership in the Zhaogada Shanghanghui.

Even the people of the northern Jianghu, who were shaken, began to flock to Jiangxi, and the Zhaogada Shanghanghui grew to a size that could be called a new Wulin Alliance.

With such immense financial power, the Zhaogada Shanghanghui overcame even the disadvantage in military strength, and it seemed only a matter of time before it stood as the greatest power in the world.

However, paradoxically, the problem arose from that financial power.

"The number of troops we can accept is limited to about one hundred thousand."

Zheyu Yun's self-deprecating answer made Yan Shanglu's eyebrows twitch.

"Only that many?"

"That's only if we allocate all the profits of the Zhaogada Shanghanghui to maintaining the troops. It would only be possible if we gave up all investment aspects, such as buying raw materials in advance."

Johwi muttered seriously, as if to himself.

"Ultimately, the Zhaogada Shanghanghui will have to shrink bit by bit."

The climate of the seasons is never even.

Crops vary each year, and if raw materials are hastily procured at the last minute, the scale of the business can easily waver with even a small variable.

In the business world, where countless variables are scattered, not being able to secure raw materials in advance means the business will inevitably shrink.

"That's right. If we can't invest and can only sustain ourselves, eventually all the assets of the Zhaogada Shanghanghui will be depleted."

Jin Jiaxi tilted her head.

"How did the Wulin Alliance feed over a million members?"

"The alliance's resources are not limited to the business sector. The Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families contribute a substantial amount of money each month."

The amount contributed by the Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families to the Wulin Alliance each month was enormous.

Among them, the financial power of the Huashan Sect, which possessed the world-renowned Zixia Sword Mansion, was said to be the most impressive.

Wealth and reputation are always proportional.

Because Huashan was the most prestigious sect of the era, the procession of incense guests never ceased, and the scale of the lay and monastic communities was the largest among the Nine Great Sects.

"Besides, there was a miraculous Dharmic Treasure."

"Yes, that was the biggest factor."

Zheyu Yun laughed helplessly at Johwi's sneer.

That was the Zheyu Family's karma and disgrace, which he did not want to mention if he could.

Yan Shanglu suggested a simple solution.

"Then why don't we have the Five Great Families contribute to the operating costs of the Zhaogada Shanghanghui?"

"I don't want that."

Johwi shook his head firmly.

Everyone looked at him in surprise.

Is there a time when this miser refuses money?

"Are we some back-alley gangsters? The Five Great Families are already operating independently without depleting the Zhaogada Shanghanghui's resources. Why should we burden them with feeding and housing the martial artists gathered under the name of the Zhaogada Shanghanghui?"

Zheyu Yun continued in a solemn tone.

"Joining under a force's banner means pledging loyalty. Why did the Five Great Families abandon their independent survival and gather under the shadow of the Zhaogada Shanghanghui? It's because they are afraid. They are afraid of the Central Plains' destruction and the difficulty of surviving."

"Shit, would a drenched rat child come into my raincoat to take shelter from the rain and then demand silver?"

Zheyu Yun was speechless at Johwi's childish example.

They were the five strongest families among the countless martial families in the Central Plains, who had fought for the honor of the greatest family for a long time.

How could they treat the Five Great Families like a drenched child?

"Most importantly, do you have the confidence to save the world from the Invincible Seat's clutches? I can't even confidently say that I can protect them."

Suddenly, Zhang Yilong interjected.

"Even if Brother can't stop the final destruction of the Central Plains, we still have the underground complex, don't we?"

Johwi's intensely focused gaze turned to Zhang Yilong.

"Did you build that?"

"Brother?"

"If we have to charge for the use of the underground complex, shouldn't Elder Zhang Sanfeng be the one to do it, not us?"

Zhang Yilong closed his mouth like a honey-eating mute, and Johwi looked at Zheyu Yun again.

"Temporarily halt all construction of the Zhaogada Tianxiang Complex. Redirect all the funds allocated to it to maintaining the military."

Zheyu Yun, who knew best how obsessed Johwi was with the completion of the Zhaogada Tianxiang Complex, was greatly surprised.

This meant that Johwi was putting his heart into it now.

Namgong Zhanghu, who had been silently watching, spoke in a heavy voice.

"If it's too difficult to accept more people from the northern Jianghu, just lock the door. I don't understand why you are so fixated on accepting troops. If the Invincible Seat's abilities are similar to or even surpass yours, what does the size of the army mean?"

Namgong Zhanghu, who had witnessed Johwi's unimaginable divine might, could not understand why he was so fixated on the size of the army.

The same was true for Johwi's comrades.

Suddenly, Johwi pointed at Namgong Zhanghu.

"Namgong, who has dedicated his life to the sword, and I, Xiaojianxin. Of course, I am much stronger. But if we exclude martial prowess, and if we evaluate the intensity of the human aspirations we have harbored in our hearts, which side would be superior?"

Gang Biwu immediately pointed at Namgong Zhanghu without hesitation.

"Excluding me, he is the man with the strongest