Chapter 553
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“It feels like a storm is brewing in here.”
The three great powers faced each other, creating an atmosphere that could only be described as the most perilous moment in the world. The first to speak up was the Master of the White Lotus Sect.
[Were you the Leader of the Bancheon Alliance? It’s my first time seeing you in person.]
Mangnyang directed his attention to the Master of the White Lotus Sect.
“I am honored to meet the esteemed Master of the White Lotus Sect.”
[What were you thinking holding this trilateral meeting?]
“……”
A simple yet incisive question! The Master of the White Lotus Sect was no pushover, just like everyone else present. Not only was he scrutinizing Mangnyang, but both the Master of the Twelve Joules and Zhuge Bu were too. Mangnyang calmly responded to the inquiry.
“It’s for the sake of the common people.”
[For the common people…?]
“While the Master declared an advance into the Central Plains, there are two powers in this world that absolutely cannot allow that. Even if I hadn’t called this meeting today, a clash would have occurred eventually. And the impact of that unforeseen conflict would be on the powerless commoners.”
[…Commoners.]
The Master of the White Lotus Sect rubbed his chin, seemingly surprised.
[Are you saying the Leader of the Bancheon Alliance initiated this meeting to minimize the harm to the common people?]
“That’s right.”
[Heh… A curious character indeed.]
He chuckled heartily. Whatever tone was hidden in the words “curious,” I had no idea. The Master of the Twelve Joules, who was listening from the other side, chimed in.
“Interesting talent.”
It seemed the heads of the two major powers were quite impressed with Mangnyang. Then Zhuge Bu, who was listening, interjected.
“I understand the intent of the Leader of the Bancheon Alliance. So, what conclusion do you hope to reach in today’s meeting?”
“Why do you ask me?”
“You summoned the leaders of the major powers from your vast worldview. Naturally, I should ask your opinion.”
Though it sounded reasonable enough, they were really just wanting to hear the opinion of the neutral Bancheon Alliance before deciding their own course of action.
“Fine. Then I will first share the opinions of the Bancheon Alliance with the lords of the world.”
Mangnyang took a deep breath and spoke.
“The Imperial Palace should permanently cede the provinces of Gansu, Qinghai, and Sichuan to the White Lotus Sect for their independence. Additionally, the Master of the White Lotus Sect should be appointed as the National Master of the Great Ming Empire to foster goodwill in the future. In return, the White Lotus Sect must abandon any attempts to enter the Central Plains or engage in rash conflicts for the next twenty years. Naturally, they must also give up on venturing into the Central Plains Martial World.”
“……!!”
Zhuge Bu’s expression twisted dramatically. The shock of Mangnyang’s proposal was evident, as it was indeed radical. And it wasn’t just Zhuge Bu— the Master of the Twelve Joules also rested his chin on the table, seemingly intrigued, while the Master of the White Lotus Sect continued to keep his hand on his chin.
Zhuge Bu stuttered out a response.
“Do you… know what you just said?”
“I do.”
“To partition the territory of the Great Ming Empire and grant independence to the White Lotus Sect! Not to mention, the territories you mentioned far exceed the given limits of the Central Plains.”
Before he could finish, the Master of the White Lotus Sect interjected.
[That’s a reasonable proposal.]
The Master of the Twelve Joules added,
“I’m in favor. A concession like that to the White Lotus Sect to ensure peace in the Central Plains would certainly be a winning deal.”
“……”
Zhuge Bu bit his lip at the immediate support of the two major power leaders. No matter how this trilateral meeting was viewed, if the balance of power tipped beyond half, his voice would be restricted. However, Zhuge Bu was no slouch himself, and he calmly opposed Mangnyang’s proposal.
“Such decisions cannot be made without the Emperor’s approval. Moreover, the territory of the Great Ming Empire was built upon countless sacrifices! To cede the territory as we please is to negate our history!”
Mangnyang responded with a dismissive tone.
“It seems we’re not on the same page. You appear smart, but are you pretending not to understand? Or do you truly not grasp why my proposal is reasonable?”
“What…?”
“Regardless, if the White Lotus Sect gains momentum, it will be impossible to protect those three provinces with the current military strength of the Great Ming Empire. You know the reason behind that all too well, and thereafter, a bloody war will erupt between the top experts of the White Lotus Sect and the Great Ming Empire. Do you really think an evil hand can lead us to a scenario so obvious?”
“……”
“I offered a reasonable compromise. It makes me doubt whether you are truly in charge of the Imperial Palace.”
Zhuge Bu fell silent. Sighing, he finally said,
“It seems I underestimated this gathering. I apologize for my rudeness.”
“What do you intend to do?”
Swish!!
In an instant, a figure appeared beside Zhuge Bu like smoke. It was a handsome middle-aged man whose face I recognized well. The newly appeared middle-aged man saluted as he introduced himself.
“Excuse me. From now on, I will convey the Imperial Palace’s position as the Lord of the Inner Imperial Pavilion, Zhuque.”
[Hmm… So it was you. The aura that kept circling around was suspicious.]
The Master of the White Lotus Sect and the Master of the Twelve Joules seemed to have already caught on to the cloaked presence. Zhuque Zhuge Yulong then sat down and addressed Mangnyang.
“Indeed, Leader of the Bancheon Alliance, your proposal neatly balances principle and benefit. It seems you have prepared well.”
“Flattery won’t get you far. What will you do?”
“To be clear, I must refuse.”
The moment Zhuque delivered his firm statement, the atmosphere in the room froze. For him to declare that his words were the Emperor’s was significant, so it was natural that the Master of the White Lotus Sect spoke somewhat coldly.
[Are you suggesting we disregard mediation and go for an all-out war?]
“Master of the White Lotus Sect, don’t be hasty. I will express this slowly.”
With a smirk, Zhuque deftly dodged the killing intent from the Master of the White Lotus Sect.
“Those three provinces can be ceded immediately. The position of National Master can be granted right away, and the status of a new kingdom can be acknowledged. However, the problem lies in our inability to trust you, Master of the White Lotus Sect.”
“We can provide; however, there’s no guarantee you will uphold your promises. Making agreements without trust is utterly meaningless.”
At this, Mangnyang appeared flustered.
“Given how numerous our forces are present and a promise was made, it wouldn’t be honorable to break it. To say that is to underestimate the honor of the Master of the White Lotus Sect. If this agreement is broken, it will be a laughing stock for the entire world.”
“Hehehe…”
Zhuque let out a slightly sinister laugh.
“I don’t think the Master of the White Lotus Sect is afraid of becoming a laughingstock. There’s a fanaticism I sense in your willingness to throw everything away for your ultimate goals.”
“…….”
Zhuque seemed to have a firm grasp of the Master of the White Lotus Sect’s nature. It appeared he understood to some extent the “certain purpose” the Master was pursuing. After all, there would be no point in repeatedly mentioning trust otherwise.
[You…]
Before the Master could say anything, the Master of the Twelve Joules interjected brusquely.
Zhuge Yulong calmly interlaced his fingers.
“We promise to fully cooperate in searching for the Dharma text, Master. However, in return, we require a ten-year non-aggression pact with you.”
In that moment.
Grrrrr!
A fearsome killing intent enveloped Zhuque.
Time seemed to freeze as it felt like Zhuque’s neck was in the grip of an invisible beast. At some point, the Master of the White Lotus Sect’s aura was constricting around Zhuque’s throat, murderous energy in high gear; had he truly wanted to, he could have crushed more than just Zhuque’s neck.
“Enough with the theatrics, alright?”
But at that very moment, a chilling energy encircled and neutralized the beastly grip. The Master of the Twelve Joules had activated the Mind Control Technique to restrain the offensive from the Master of the White Lotus Sect. In that instant, the top experts in the Absolute Realm unleashed their powers, causing unimaginable tension to swell.
“……”
Mangnyang’s complexion had already turned pale. Both the Master of the White Lotus Sect and the Master of the Twelve Joules controlled the atmosphere with their powers, making it impossible for someone like Mangnyang, with his skill level, to endure. Thankfully, he was only conscious because Lee Cheong-un had alleviated that pressure.
In a situation ripe for explosion!
The Master of the White Lotus Sect withdrew his aura, saying,
[Cooperation… I detest cooperation that’s merely for show.]
“There’s nothing superficial about it.”
Zhuque, having just teetered on the brink between life and death, replied with unshaken confidence.
“We know the essence of the Non-Birth Mother’s Dharma text. While I’m not sure why you’re seeking it, our god is willing to provide ample cooperation in this matter. If you wish, we can inform you within a year where ‘another’ piece of the Dharma text is located.”
[I can’t trust that.]
[……]
It was clear that the Master of the White Lotus Sect was deep in thought. Moreover, the Master of the Twelve Joules didn’t visibly intervene either, and I couldn’t help but admire Zhuque’s diplomacy.
‘Impressive… He deftly turned the flow in his favor against those two.’
He pinpointed exactly what the Master wanted and instead hit them with a weak spot.
Such remarkable audacity and cleverness!
Even though Zhuque had the weakest martial strength among the leaders of the three great powers, he was undoubtedly a genius and a hero in his own right. And finally, the Master of the Twelve Joules, who had been hanging back the furthest, decided to speak up.
“Let’s say you hand over that Dharma text to the Master of the White Lotus Sect; what will you give me? There’s no reason for me to sit quietly here.”
“Master of the Twelve Joules.”
“Ah, no need. Just know that a significant obstruction would await you.”
While the expression behind the puppy mask was hidden, one could almost guess he was smirking deviously. From the look of it, the Master of the Twelve Joules was cunningly pressuring Zhuque. To that, Zhuque retorted.
“Preemptive offer~ I like that.”
With a wily grin, the Master of the Twelve Joules casually crossed his arms.
“……”
“Oh! And the Kingdom of Duke Du is also ours.”
Upon hearing that proposal, Zhuque appeared taken aback for a moment. He then drank heavily from the cup on the banquet table before muttering,
“You’ve lost it.”
“Why? Isn’t it a perfectly reasonable offer?”
The Master of the Twelve Joules seemed to be grinning from ear to ear.
“If you don’t like it, just drop it. Unlike you, I can cause quite a ruckus.”
Meanwhile, the Master of the White Lotus Sect watched from the side, showing interest.
[You’re quite the entertaining character.]
“I hear that often.”
Zhuque appeared to ponder deeply for a moment. Then he turned to the Master of the Twelve Joules and said,
“What makes you so confident as to act so recklessly?”
“Huh?”
“You’re aware that you have no god behind you. Even if you’re powerful, you’re just a human force; why act so brazenly? Can’t you realize that your chances of victory diminish as time goes on?”
It sounded a bit crazy, but Zhuque’s words were in fact true. No matter how powerful the Master of the Twelve Joules was, he couldn’t compare to divine power. In contrast, the White Lotus Sect had indirect connections to a god through the Heavenly Spirit Pill and the Wong Jung Shin, while the Master of the Twelve Joules had no such ties.
Then the Master of the Twelve Joules boldly responded,
“I believe in myself and act accordingly. Is that enough?”
“…….”
“And let me ask you something. Whether it’s you or the Master of the White Lotus Sect, both are putting all your strength into living in the present… Why waste your energy like that?”
The Master of the Twelve Joules’ words bore a delicate weight. The Master of the White Lotus Sect reacted even more strongly to this, replying,
[What does that mean, Master of the Twelve Joules?]
“Well, it’s nothing really… Simply put, no matter what we do in this era, there’s no escape from the end.”
He scratched his head.
“It seems you all think about the future of humanity, but isn’t that a fool’s errand?”
[……]
“……”
Everyone fell silent.
After a long moment, the Master of the White Lotus Sect spoke.
[We all know that the time of reckoning for humanity is near. It’s quite amusing.]
Then Zhuque opened his mouth.
“Hehe… Thoughts? What sort of thoughts?”
“Are you saying that you foresee the [Old Ruler] rising to obliterate everything, leaving neither the living nor the dead, burying humanity into the chaos of a living hell?”
There was a hint of rage in Zhuque’s voice. The Master of the White Lotus Sect appeared to glance at him, slightly taken aback.
……
A thick silence ensued.
And it was broken by raucous laughter.
“Ahaha, hahahaha!!!”
The Master of the Twelve Joules burst out laughing, as if he heard the most ridiculous thing.
His laughter appeared innocent, but it carried an underlying, chilling madness.
After a while, the Master of the Twelve Joules slowly regained his composure and stated,
“The night when the constellations boil in accordance with your predictions is not far off. The day when everything dries up in madness and despair… I have long been preparing for.”
“……?”
His meaning was vague. The Master of the Twelve Joules creatively emphasized,
“Now, how about we stop the nonsense and come to an agreement? I don’t have the strength to waste here.”
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