Invitation to the Chatroom of the Gods - Chapter 130



Only Krnovel

Episode 130 – Fisherman’s Geography

Now, the fish is twitching like a live fish coming out of the land.

Then he started to cry, begging for his life, saying that he was really wrong, and asking for this to stop.

It seems that even at this very moment, merit is piling up like crazy······.

“Why on earth?”

I really wondered why it was like that.

That’s understandable, since I didn’t do anything.

The only thing I can say I did was serve as the shaman’s ‘temporary’ chief priest.

But, isn’t it impossible to accumulate merit with just something like that?

“Surely, what did the swordsmen do?”

This one seemed more possible, but after thinking about it carefully, this wasn’t really the case either.

The Hyeopgaekdan was currently at Sacheondangmun with Dang So-hyang, so they had no place to accumulate virtue, and it would be fortunate if they could not destroy Sacheondangmun.

[Hwan─ ─Deok(─)] – ──9──9──

That’s over 9,999 years of merit that would cause the scepter to make a mistake.

“Then why?”

······No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t figure out the reason.

Even though he still has merits that he should receive from Senior Jang Sam-bong, he still looks like that.

I don’t know how much it will be, but it will certainly be a considerable merit.

And this is why I ended up taking on the role of ‘temporary’ chief priest for the shaman.

“You have to take what you get.”

Shouldn’t you receive some merit for all the hard work you’ve done?

Of course, by defeating the officer, he was able to receive the merit of saving the shamans and lay disciples.

But I couldn’t receive anything else.

Now, shamans are in danger of extinction.

Because the crisis facing the shaman was not resolved, the corresponding merits were not accumulated, and furthermore, the most important merits from the senior shaman, Jang Sam-bong, could not be received.

Anyway, I couldn’t leave the shaman at this point, nor could I ignore the shaman.

And in fact.

“It’s a bit strange that shamans are being wiped out.”

That wasn’t the result I wanted either.

The reason I came to see a shaman in the first place was not to destroy my family.

It was to impart the ‘teachings’ of Jang Sam-bong to the shaman.

The intention was to correct what was wrong, not to completely overturn it.

First of all, the shaman was not in collusion with the devil’s cult.

It’s just Janggyo Jinin and Yang Jongcheon.

The ‘circumstances’ were only revealed to these two people.

So, it is absolutely not true that all shamans were in collusion with the devil’s cult.

Of course, he was not a member of the Demonic Cult.

And even if all shamans were in collusion with the devil’s cult, they couldn’t ignore the shamans.

Putting everything else aside, the shamanism was a sect left in this land by none other than senior Jang Sam-bong.

And I am the direct disciple of Senior Jang Sam-bong.

The shamans could be considered my disciples, and all the shamans could be considered my disciples.

So absolutely! Absolutely not!

“We must prevent the extinction of shamans.”

It wasn’t because of that little bit of merit that I was sitting in a shaman’s temple.

Only until I have received the merit, absolutely – no, I will not allow my disciples and priests to be destroyed.

Whether it’s the Murim Alliance, the royal family, or anything else.

In any case, for that reason, I took on the role of temporary head of the shamanic household, but as the saying goes, I had no intention of taking on the role as a ‘temporary’ person for the rest of my life.

None other than the shaman’s later index, Yang Jong-cheon.

I was thinking of taking charge only until Yang Jong-cheon became a military officer.

So, I had to teach Yang Jong-cheon firmly so that he could change his mind as soon as possible.

“Where did he suddenly go?”

Yang Jong-cheon’s whereabouts suddenly became unknown.

At first, I thought he would come back if I waited, but even now, ten days have passed and he has not shown any intention of coming back.

“Did I hit you too hard···?”

To be honest, I was so angry that I hit him hard.

So I wondered if he was dead, but that wasn’t the case.

If that was the case, then instead of his whereabouts becoming unknown, he should have left a corpse behind.

So did he become a monk because he was upset?

However, there is no reason for a shaman who is not a member of Shaolin to become a monk.

In the end, I had no choice but to wait until Yang Jong-cheon returned on his own feet, and until then, I had to lead the shaman, even if only temporarily.

Kkuek-!

The boy suddenly screamed strangely and fainted.

I poked and poked the dragon’s head, but there was no reaction, so it seemed like he had fainted.

But, as always, I don’t know the reason.

I just shook my head and put the fainted doll into my bosom.

“I guess I should start getting ready now.”

Even if it’s temporary, a long-sleeved person is a long-sleeved person.

Even for the sake of the merits that had yet to be accumulated, he had to prepare an excuse to avoid the destruction of the Murim Alliance and the imperial family.

······But how on earth?

If the Murim Alliance and the royal family join forces and push forward, I can’t do anything.

No matter how hard I try, I cannot fight against the Murim Alliance and the royal family.

What can I do with the power that I have gained by fighting and defeating the entire Demonic Cult by myself?

“······.”

It’s really dark before my eyes.

* * *

The shocking words of a non-seondang leader who says that Cheongun is currently leading a shaman.

“Does that mean that Hwa-ryong-dae-hyeop will take on the role of the head shaman?”

“Nothing has been officially announced, but······ considering the actions taken so far, it is certain.”

At the words of the non-elected leader, the leader of the martial arts world, Deung Gwang-hyeok, kept his mouth shut.

That would be the case, as it was clear that the shaman was in collusion with the devil’s cult.

However, the fact that Cheongun was leading such a shaman was no different from a demon leader.

He had to be made a public enemy in the martial arts world and an order to kill him had to be issued immediately.

“Ha! I knew it!”

“What the hell is Hwa-ryong-dae-hyeop! Isn’t he really a wicked demon head?”

“I found out that the shaman was also taken over by that Cheongun guy.”

“That’s right! To begin with, it was nonsense to say that shamans were the sect’s lackeys!”

“Then, Mr. Janggyo Jin was trying to protect the shaman from that guy Cheongun…?”

“Oh, that’s not it. According to the results of a thorough investigation by the secret party-.”

“Eight! How can you know something like that! We must kill that Cheongun bastard right now!!”

So, it was at that time that the elders of the Murim Alliance raised their voices, thinking that this was the moment.

“I, our family will be leaving this matter.”

People belonging to the Tang faction suddenly began to take a step back.

The Murim Alliance is a union of political factions, and the Sacheondangmun, the five great factions, were also members of the Murim Alliance.

Thus, the people of Sacheondangmun who attended the general meeting were quite skeptical about making Cheongun a martial arts master.

Did my feet go numb when everyone’s eyes were on me?

The people of the Tang Dynasty began to blow on it fluently.

“That, that… It’s not something else. Not long ago, the Jang Gang Hyeopgaekdan visited the Tang Gate.”

It had been revealed long ago that Cheongun was not only the Great Swordsman of Hwalong, but also the Great King of the Yangtze River.

Therefore, the members of the Jang Gang Hyeopgaekdan are no different from people of Cheongun.

“They kidnapped Miss So-hyang…”

Dang So-hyang, the eldest daughter of Sacheon Dangmun.

It is said that the Jang Gang Hyeopgaekdan kidnapped Dang So-hyang and held her captive.

“Since Miss So-hyang also happened to be there, I protested and asked her to be returned to me···.”

There was no one who did not know that the protest was ‘intimidation or threats’.

Grace doubles, resentment tenfold.

Even in the martial arts world, there was no one who did not know the methods of the Sachon Dangmun, which were notorious for their wickedness.

“But those guys called Jang Gang Hyeopgaekdan···”

How dare you touch your godmother?

I brought a dowry to wish you a nice wedding, but you still want to leave?

Like, are you bringing out our old personalities?

Come to think of it, didn’t you guys sell your godmother out of fear when we were in the Jang Gang Su Ro Chae era?

“So, I had a brief quarrel with the elders of the party···.”

They say Sacheondangmun has been reduced to rubble.

“If Miss So-hyang hadn’t stopped me···.”

They say that Sacheon Dangmun was almost destroyed.

“We, we have no choice either···.”

So it just became a mess.

“From then on, the Tang family issued an order to never touch even a single finger of the Hwa-ryong Daehyeop, no matter what happens…”

In other words, it meant that the Tang clan would take a step back from making Cheongun a martial arts master.

“No, does that make sense now?”

“Isn’t that just a story you made up just to get away with it?”

Then the elders of the Murim Alliance shouted without exception.

The power of Sacheondangmun is by no means weak.

If that were the case, it wouldn’t have been called the Five Great Dynasties.

But, the family was destroyed by those who were once thieves, not even members of the same Odae family?

“That is···.”

The person in charge slowly opened his mouth as if he knew that.

“The officers of the swordsmanship corps were at the ‘peak’ of their level, and the warriors of the swordsmanship corps were at least ‘first-class’···.”

Dozens of peak masters.

Thousands of first-class drones.

······How do you win that?

Even the old file room would be reduced to rubble if that much power were to pour in.

Of course, it was unbelievable.

But looking at the shivering people of the Tang Dynasty, it seemed that it was not a lie at all.

It seemed to be true that the story about the Sacheon Dangmun sect almost being destroyed because of a mistake was made.

From the beginning, the Sacheon Dangmun sect was rumored to be so vicious that it was impossible to think of it as a legitimate sect.

Isn’t there a reason why the Sacheondangmun couldn’t even dream of revenge and was so scared?

“······.”

“······.”

It was only a matter of time before the elders of other martial arts alliances became members of Hapjuk.

The thought of making Cheongun a martial arts master also disappeared.

No, think about it.

Cheongun single-handedly took down the shaman who was the head of the Gupailbang.

The Jang Gang Hyeop-gaek-dan pushed the Sacheon Tang-mun, one of the five great sects, to the brink of destruction.

If you make Cheongun a martial arts master, you will have to deal with Cheongun and the Jangganghyeopdan at the same time.

Then, it seems like the entire Murim Alliance would have to join forces to attack in order to handle it, but the problem is, isn’t that impossible?

The Murim Alliance was a union of political factions, but the elders knew all too well that if you looked into each faction individually, it was nothing more than a gathering of factions desperate to find their own way to survive.

Can’t you tell just by looking at the fact that Sacheondangmun is taking a step back right now?

It’s impossible to find anything like a concerted effort by everyone.

Does that mean we should ignore the Murim Alliance?

It’s embarrassing.

Although it is called the Murim Alliance in name only, it is a union of political factions representing the martial arts world.

We need to make a statement on this matter in some way.

But just one.

“Was there no particular word from the royal family?”

If the imperial family had intervened, the story would have been very different.

They say the royal family will step forward, so what does the Murim Alliance have to do?

Of course, the imperial family does not interfere with the affairs of the martial arts world due to the inviolability of official duties.

However, since this matter was related to the ‘Demonic Cult’, there was ample justification for the royal family to intervene.

“I think it would be better to leave this matter to the ‘royal family’···.”

Also known as jam processing.

In common parlance, it was meant to show that ‘it’s not our responsibility!’

“That, that’s right! That’s it!”

“Even if the Emperor protects Cheongun, if he is in collusion with the Demonic Cult, wouldn’t he definitely draw his sword?”

“Come to think of it······ Strictly speaking, isn’t the ‘Demonic Cult’ not under the jurisdiction of our Murim Alliance?”

“Yes, that’s right! Our Murim Alliance shouldn’t be interfering in government affairs for no reason.”

If you violate the rule of non-invasion of official duties, even if you are part of the martial arts alliance, you will suffer great harm.

“Then for now······ it would be better to just leave the shaman alone, right?”

“If we just leave it alone, the imperial family will take care of it···.”

“If we sneak in when the royal family steps in, we can save face for the Murim Alliance!”

Fisherman’s fortune.

While Cheongun and the Hwangsil are fighting, the Murim Alliance can gain both profit and reputation without putting in any effort.

The elders of the Murim Alliance all shouted in unison.

The leader of the martial arts world, Deung Gwang-hyeok, who was watching the scene, could feel goosebumps running down his entire body.

First, I was creeped out by the attitude of the elders who changed their stance as if turning over the palm of their hand.

It was just regrettable that they were the core figures leading the Murim Alliance.

Yet, Deung Gwang-hyeok could also feel the chill of hope.

Cheongun’s choice and response made Deung Gwanghyeok like that.

······Even if Cheongun grows up, isn’t he too big?

No, I already knew that Cheongun was a great person.

But the thoughts were also very deep and deep.

I didn’t know that he had thought about the chaos in the martial arts world that would result from the vacancy in the shaman position, and had even thought of a solution to it.

I really didn’t know that by covering up for the shaman who was covered in the filth of the devil’s cult, I would end up taking all the blame on myself by turning that filth on myself.

I never could have imagined that the martial arts world would be shaken in that way.

There was no blood or killing in the process.

It was done solely with righteousness and justice.

······How on earth can a person do that?

It’s definitely not easy for a person to do that.

Even if it is justice or righteousness, in the end, people put their own safety first, but Cheongun chose chivalry over his own safety.

Deung Gwang-hyeok’s whole body was tingling and he was shivering.

The world that Cheongun will create in the future.

I couldn’t even imagine what it would be like.

But in fact, this wasn’t the first time I felt this thrill.

There was a time when I first felt this way when I met Cheongun at the Yongbong branch.

Through his debate with Cheongun, he was able to see the martial arts that Cheongun possessed, and through this, Deung Gwanghyeok was able to feel that the world was being born with Cheongun at its center.

I was able to see the ‘hope’ that the world that had been stagnant and rotten for hundreds of years could change.

Thus, we were able to gain ‘certainty’ that the world in the next generation would be different from now.

but······.

“Ugh, ugh···!”

“Then let’s just pretend we don’t know for now···.”

Deung Gwang-hyeok had no choice but to change his mind.

As I looked at the elders one by one, sweat dripping down their faces, I could feel my confidence being shattered.

The world is being born.

‘haha······.’

It was only Deung Gwang-hyeok’s delusion.

First of all, the stronghold of the Gupaebang clan that had reigned for hundreds of years collapsed.

But what was built on top of the collapsed castle was not ‘chaos.’

It won’t be needed until the next generation.

This is something we can see in the not-so-distant future, in just a few years.

A world in turbulent change.

“Then, the Murim Alliance will not take any particular action against Hwalong Daehyeop assuming the position of the head of the shamans.”

The day when Deung Gwang-hyeok will be able to witness the leap into a new era with his own eyes while he is still alive is not far off.

But there were still many mountains to overcome.

Right away, I had to overcome the huge mountain called the imperial family.

And no matter how lucky you are, it is difficult to overcome the pressure of the royal family······.

“Surely His Majesty wouldn’t just let this go, would you?”

“That’s a given!”

“Since Cheongun is connected to the Demonic Cult, His Majesty will have no choice but to draw his sword.”

“Then, even if our Murim Alliance holds Cheongwoon responsible in the future, His Majesty won’t say anything.”

“If you look closely, isn’t it like I kicked the Emperor in the back with my own foot?”

“Hahahahahaha! This is it, it’s so good that the tooth I was having a hard time with just falls out!”

The laughter of the elders of the Murim Alliance never left the conference room.

* * *

The young emperor’s head hurt so badly that he thought it would burst.

There was silence in Taehwajeon as even the ministers had no proper solution.

And that was when it happened.

“Your Majesty, Grand Commander Han Byeol-ja. May I say something to Your Majesty?”

Taewi (太尉) is a title of official position, also called ‘Sima (司馬)’ which means in charge of horses. Simply put, it was an important position of commanding the ‘military’.

The security of the imperial palace where the emperor resides is managed entirely by the Royal Guard and the Eastern Guard.

However, those two only guard and protect the ‘Emperor’.

So the area encompassing the palace.

In other words, the ‘Five Military Commands Office’ was in charge of all defenses of the imperial city of Beijing.

The Imperial Central Army, the Jingun (禁軍), was also affiliated with one of the Five Military Commanderies, and the Taiwei (太尉) was a powerful position that could be said to be the person in charge of the Five Military Commanderies.

The Office of the Inspector General, the Office of the Six Ministries, and the Office of the Commander-in-Chief.

These three were the most important of the key government offices, called the “Three Dukes” because they decided on the country’s affairs.

“Speak.”

“There is an unspoken rule that the government and the martial arts world do not interfere with each other.”

Official duties are inviolable.

As the Grand Prince was in charge of the military, he was well-versed in the world of martial arts.

Moreover, his level was by no means low. Last time, I heard that the Grand Prince of Murim said that the Grand Prince’s level had surpassed the peak and reached the beginning of the flower realm.

The Grand Prince of Murim added that although he did not know much about the realm of Hwagyeong, he could discuss it as a candidate, if not as one of the ten best in the world.

There were many top-notch masters in the imperial court, so it was not for nothing that the saying, “Well water does not violate a river” came about.

Let me say this again.

“Mudangs are, after all, a group of martial artists, so we have no reason to be interested in them.”

“Keep talking.”

“Therefore, unless we investigate separately, we have no idea that shamans are connected to the devil’s cult.”

Of course, it would have been something that could not have been known if Ju Gwan-cheon had not burst out like a rooster announcing the dawn.

Even though shamans are said to be the Bukdu of the martial arts world, they are still only a part of the ‘martial arts world’.

It was a world and a group that the imperial family paid no particular attention to.

In other words, there is sufficient justification to declare, ‘Our royal family did not know that the shaman was related to the Demonic Cult!’

So, Taewi and Hanbyeolja hesitated for a moment and then slowly opened their mouths.

“This matter should be handed over to the Murim Alliance······.”

“Are you saying we should pass the work on to the Murim Alliance now?”

Also known as jam processing.

In common parlance, it was meant to show that ‘it’s not our responsibility!’

But what kind of nonsense is that?

Moreover, it was definitely not something that would come out of the mouth of the Grand Commander, one of the three dukes who decide on the country’s affairs.

But really, why is that?

“······.”

“······.”

“······.”

None of the ministers disagreed with that opinion.

However, the Emperor, as a ‘monarch’, could never agree to those words.

“Is that what you call talking now?”

The emperor’s thick eyebrows furrowed.

Even if you try to find a solution, what’s the big deal?

And now, let’s say that the situation of the Demonic Cult has not been revealed to the world.

But it was an issue that couldn’t be hidden forever.

Because Ju Gwan-cheon is roaring like a rooster right now, everyone in the Imperial City, not just the palace, knows about the related facts.

If it weren’t for that death, I could have somehow gotten over it, but the thing has already happened.

However, Ju Gwan-cheon was at a loss as to what to do, knowing that he was wrong.

In any case, the rumor that the shaman was in collusion with the devil would inevitably spread throughout the world.

Therefore, it is a useless opinion that only evades immediate responsibility.

But what the heck.

“Cow, Soshin… May I say something about the Grand Prince’s opinion?”

A new voice of opinion was heard, as if to say that this was simply not the case.

These were the words of Ju Gwan-cheon, the deputy inspector of the royal palace and one of the three dukes along with the Grand Prince.

To be exact, the first person in charge of the Office of the Inspector General, the Grand Inspector, rather than the second in command, Ju Gwan-cheon, was called the Three Dukes (三公), but even so, the influence of his words was by no means low.

Anyway, does he mean to say that he will take responsibility for the aftermath of the incident that he caused?

Joo Gwan-cheon took a step forward and opened his mouth.

“To add a little to the Crown Prince’s words, I do not mean to simply pass the buck.”

“Tell me more.”

“Instead of passing the buck to the Murim Alliance, how about taking action after seeing how the Murim Alliance responds?”

“Are you moving after seeing the response of the Murim Alliance?”

“The Murim Alliance is an alliance of martial arts groups called Jeongpa.”

As the second-in-command of the Dochalwon, Ju Gwan-cheon knew the world of martial arts well, even if he was not as good as the Grand Prince.

The Dochalwon (都察院) is an imperial inspection agency that supervises and monitors local officials and investigates incidents and accidents that occur in the local areas.

Most of the incidents and accidents were caused by troubles caused by people in the martial arts world, and the masters of the martial arts world were particularly problematic.

······In fact, it would be right to say that while chasing Cheongun, I became immersed in the world of martial arts.

In any case, it could be said that Ju Gwan-cheon knew the world of martial arts as well as anyone in the martial arts world.

“The fact that you are in collusion with the Demonic Cult is enough of a reason to make you a ‘martial arts master’.”

A public enemy in the martial arts world.

To put it simply, he is a ‘traitor of the martial arts world’.

“Are you saying that in the martial arts world, being a demonic cult is treated like treason?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Therefore, I believe that the Murim Alliance will issue an order to kill Cheongun.”

“The order to kill······.”

“It means that all the martial artists in the world will try to kill you just by looking at you, Your Majesty.”

“Ugh···!”

“Of course, if Cheongun is truly a member of the Demonic Cult, I can protect the shaman until the end···.”

Naturally, Cheongun was not a member of the Demonic Cult.

If that were the case, I wouldn’t have had such worries.

They must have already concluded that they would just treat him as a traitor and tear his limbs apart.

But since that’s not the case, isn’t it driving me crazy and delirious right now?

I don’t know what Cheongun was thinking when he took on the role of head shaman, but he was definitely not a spy for the demonic cult.

So what if there is pressure from the Murim Alliance?

“Won’t Cheongun eventually give up being in charge of the shaman?”

Even if you are a great person, you cannot be free from the pressure of the Murim Alliance.

In fact, the Murim Alliance was a bit of a burden to the royal family.

You could think of it as a kind of wasp’s nest.

Each individual hornet’s nest is nothing special, but if all the hornets’ nests in the world joined forces and attacked, it would honestly be scary.

The result may be a victory for the royal family, but the damage is not insignificant.

If we deal with it, it seems like the royal family will also see blood.

Let’s just say, these kids are absolutely crazy.

So, it is nothing more than creating an unspoken rule that official duties are non-invasionable.

A promise and contract stating that the government and military will not interfere with each other.

In any case, the royal family cannot take the Murim Alliance lightly.

So what difference does Cheongun make?

If the pressure from the Murim Alliance comes, Cheongwoon can never ignore him.

To begin with, wasn’t Cheongun originally a shaman?

There is no attachment or responsibility to the shaman, so there is no reason to protect the shaman when one’s life is in danger.

As of now, Cheongun’s protection of the shaman is a facade with no justification or practical benefit.

So there was a possibility that Cheongun would beat up the shaman in charge.

No, it was almost certain that it would be so.

Then, there will be sufficient justification for awarding a reward.

So I was able to blow my nose without using my hands.

Fisherman’s fortune.

While Cheongun and Murimmaeng are fighting, the royal family can gain both profit and reputation without putting in any effort.

“For now, I think it would be okay to pretend not to know based on the principle of non-interference in official duties, but then take action after seeing how the Murim Alliance responds, Your Majesty.”

Joo Gwan-cheon bowed his head as he finished speaking.

“That’s right!”

The young emperor was very pleased and said, “That’s right!”

* * *

It had already been nearly twenty days since I took over as the temporary head of the shaman’s office.

And the boy also woke up and fainted repeatedly for nearly twenty days······.

Whew Whew···.!

Even now, he was lying on the floor, shaking all over.

I wonder how long it’s been since he woke up and he’s doing this again.

Looking at his appearance, it seemed like he was going to faint again soon.

Why is it that just by breathing, my merits accumulate like crazy?

“Why is he doing that?”

······I really wonder why it’s like that.

Anyway, it had been almost twenty days since I took over as the temporary head of the shaman’s office.

As a result, the shamans who had lost their vitality began to come to their senses one by one, but until then, nothing significant had happened in the shaman world.

therefore.

“······Why aren’t you coming?”

The Murim Alliance and the royal family were nowhere to be seen.

The Murim Alliance should have long ago expelled the shamans from the martial arts world and brought in troops.

It would not have been strange for a million troops to have swarmed the imperial court, accusing them of treason.

It was not at all strange that the world was in an uproar because of this.

But what the heck.

It’s so quiet.

Is this the calm before the storm?

Or are you really just going to let it go without a hitch?

“······Why aren’t you coming?”

It was at that very moment that such a question arose.

“Ji, Jinin!! Master Yang Jongcheon-!”

The Murim Alliance and the royal family did not come, but Yang Jong-cheon returned.