Chapter 255: King's Philosophy (1)
Chapter 254 – King’s Philosophy (1)
No, has he gone crazy?
Tang Go-ryun widened his eyes and looked at Namgung Cheon.
What? Hit by the storms of time with his entire body?
Was that something to say to the Alliance Leader?
To disperse the suddenly awkward air, Tang Go-ryun burst into an exaggerated laugh.
“Hahaha! Young Hero Namgung is good at joking.”
“A joke? I always speak sincerely.”
Looking at Namgung Cheon, who replied innocently without even grasping the atmosphere, Tang Go-ryun clenched his teeth and let out a suppressed voice.
“Hehehe. I got it, so moderately… moderately… let’s stop there.”
After speaking, Tang Go-ryun, fearing that more unnecessary words would come out, quickly looked at Namgung Geom and brought up the main point.
“By the way, what brings you all the way here?”
Namgung Geom glanced at the Alliance Leader and spoke with a calm expression.
“I came because I have an urgent matter to discuss with Patriarch Tang.”
“What is it about? Please tell me.”
Tang Go-ryun replied calmly, so Namgung Geom glanced at the Alliance Leader with an uncomfortable expression.
However, the Alliance Leader still budged not a bit, maintaining a faint smile.
At that moment, Namgung Cheon suddenly cut in again.
“Alliance Leader. Aren’t you tired?”
“Mmh?”
“No, is it really fine for you not to sleep? You must be very tired after coming all the way from Wuhan, so why don’t you go in and sleep?”
“Hoho. I will take care of myself.”
“Alliance Leader, you are not just by yourself. You are the one who leads the Jianghu. You must take care of your health.”
“I am still fine.”
“What do you mean fine? You already took all the storms of time by yourself. You will collapse at this rate. Please go in and sleep.”
Strictly speaking, it was a request to please get lost, but looking only at the words, it was an extreme consideration for his precious body, so he could not be singled out and scolded.
Ultimately, Mok Cheon-ak chuckled and showed a meaningful expression.
“It seems it is a conversation I should not hear.”
He spoke softly, but his eyes were cold.
Namgung Geom calmly received that gaze and replied.
“It is a private conversation to be shared between clans.”
“Is that so? It seems the two clans are closer than I thought, enough to share secret conversations behind others’ backs.”
Noticing the bone hidden in the words, Tang Go-ryun smiled faintly and spoke.
“Patriarch Namgung. Since the Alliance Leader happened to visit by chance today, how about we talk together? Perhaps the Alliance Leader could share his valuable opinion, could he not?”
By chance? Valuable opinion?
Namgung Geom sneered, and soon his expression turned cold as he stared intently at Tang Go-ryun.
“Patriarch Tang.”
“Yes, Patriarch Namgung.”
“It is a matter that your clan and our clan must discuss closely.”
“Mmh. Is that so?”
Tang Go-ryun’s eyes shook strangely.
Namgung Geom did not continue speaking either, quietly observing his reaction.
Since they did not know how Mok Cheon-ak had swayed Tang Go-ryun, this was enough to make him understand.
At that moment, Namgung Cheon, who sat next to Namgung Geom, grumbled to himself.
“Geez, that old geezer. Getting old and only growing more curious. He is a real busybody.”
You crazy bastard! Everyone can hear you!
Tang Go-ryun quickly turned to Mok Cheon-ak with a flustered look.
This time, as if even Mok Cheon-ak could not let it pass, he asked with a chilly expression.
“Young Patriarch. What did you just say?”
“Yes? What? I did not say anything.”
“…….”
“Ah, see. Because you do not sleep enough, you are hearing auditory hallucinations like that. Alliance Leader. I am saying this out of true loyalty. Please go in and rest quickly.”
Go in and sleep already, you old serpent.
When Namgung Cheon spoke innocently while hiding his honest thoughts, the Alliance Leader let out a cold laugh and stood up surprisingly obediently.
“Seeing how you drive me away like this, it seems the three of you have something urgent to discuss. Then I shall excuse myself. Go ahead and talk.”
Unexpectedly, as the Alliance Leader rose from his seat, Namgung Cheon and Namgung Geom looked slightly bewildered this time.
‘More obediently than expected? Has he already fully swayed Patriarch Tang?’
If so, it would be even harder to persuade Patriarch Tang.
Still, since they could not even bring up the story if the Alliance Leader were present, it was a better situation.
As the Chief Administrator entered and personally guided the Alliance Leader out, only the three people remained in the room at last.
Tang Go-ryun also assumed a slightly more relaxed expression and looked at the two, asking.
“What is the urgent matter you wish to discuss?”
Namgung Geom glanced at Namgung Cheon.
“Will you tell him?”
Namgung Cheon nodded and spoke with a serious expression, unlike before.
“Patriarch Tang.”
“Speak, Young Patriarch.”
“Please listen carefully to what I am about to say from now on.”
“Hahaha. You are so solemn from the start that I feel somewhat nervous.”
Namgung Cheon silently placed the wooden box he had brought on the table. It was not very large, but its luxurious material was enough to catch Tang Go-ryun’s attention.
“What is this?”
This time too, Namgung Cheon opened the lid of the wooden box without a word.
Whether it was a specially treated wooden box or not, a thick medicinal aroma wafted out the moment he opened the lid.
While Tang Go-ryun showed a surprised expression, Namgung Cheon pointed at the contents of the wooden box and asked.
“Do you know what this is?”
“That, of course……”
Was it not the Tang Clan that would feel sorrowful if ranked second in their deep knowledge of spiritual pills?
Yet Tang Go-ryun could not easily continue speaking.
Although he could tell the spiritual pill in front of him was definitely extraordinary, he had never seen it before.
“Honestly, I do not know well. It is certainly no ordinary spiritual pill. It is a truly mysterious spiritual pill.”
“Why is that?”
“Righteous energy and evil energy are subtly mixed, as if creating yet another energy. However, it is hard to tell what kind of impact this strange energy will have on the human body. Where on earth did you get such a thing?”
At Tang Go-ryun’s words, Namgung Cheon and Namgung Geom exchanged glances.
In truth, they still could not distinguish whether Tang Go-ryun knew everything but was pretending to be deceived, or if he really did not know.
In any case, they needed Tang Go-ryun’s cooperation right now.
Namgung Cheon spoke on the premise that he did not know.
“These are the ingredients for the Demonic God Pill.”
Instantly, Tang Go-ryun slammed the table and sprang to his feet.
“No, what on earth does that mean? Ingredients for the Demonic God Pill! Does that mean you openly visited our clan carrying ingredients for the Demonic God Pill? Even if our clan is a place that manufactures all poisons under heaven, to bring a wicked spiritual pill made by the Demonic Cult? Are you mocking me?”
Tang Go-ryun looked back at Namgung Geom like a genuinely bewildered person, yet pointed out.
“Patriarch Namgung! What is the meaning of all this? Please explain!”
However, the one who answered this time too was Namgung Cheon.
“These spiritual pills were discovered in the Demonic Pill Valley.”
“The Demonic Pill Valley?”
“Yes. Among them, these are ingredients for the Demonic God Pill. Actually, they tried to manufacture the Demonic God Pill in our clan but failed.”
“Such a crazy act! To manufacture the Heavenly Demonic God Pill when it would not even be enough to burn it immediately? Are you in your right mind!”
With his face flushed red, Tang Go-ryun seemed genuinely angry.
However, because Namgung Cheon and Namgung Geom had anticipated this reaction to some extent, they maintained their calm rationality throughout.
Instead, Namgung Cheon stared intently at Tang Go-ryun and spoke.
“Patriarch Tang.”
“What is it?”
“What do you think poison is, Patriarch Tang?”
“Ha!”
Tang Go-ryun let out a hollow laugh.
“Are you trying to discuss poison with me right now?”
“Yes. Rather than discussing it, I want to receive your teachings. Isn’t the Sichuan Tang Clan the place that knows poison best under heaven? And you are the master of that Tang Clan. I wish to hear your valuable opinion. What is poison?”
At Namgung Cheon’s serious attitude, the absurdity faded from the Tang Patriarch’s face.
He soon hardened his expression and spoke.
“Poison is medicine.”
Originally, the truth was bound to be extremely simple.
The words he just uttered were the very philosophy of the Tang Clan.
“Interesting. That poison that kills people is medicine. Why is that?”
“It is a simple logic. You must have heard the phrase ‘curing poison with poison.’ A potent medicine can become a deadly poison, and conversely, a deadly poison can become a potent medicine. Poison is a double-edged sword. Depending on how it is used, that poison can harm me or become a medicine for me.”
“Right here in this Tang Clan, you mean?”
When Namgung Cheon asked with a grin, Tang Go-ryun squared his shoulders and said.
“Indeed. That is this place, the Sichuan Tang Clan.”
“That is why I came.”
“……What?”
Namgung Cheon slammed the lid of the wooden box shut.
Then, as if by magic, the medicinal aroma no longer rose.
“The Heavenly Demonic God Pill. I intend to use it as medicine. Right here in the Sichuan Tang Clan.”
Tang Go-ryun’s pupils shook violently.
“Are you mocking me right now?”
“Didn’t you say so, Patriarch? That poison is medicine. While treating all poisons like medicine, why do you consider only the Heavenly Demonic God Pill differently? If the Sichuan Tang Clan succeeds in manufacturing the Heavenly Demonic God Pill, it will definitely take another leap forward. Although you have handled all poisons regardless of the orthodox or unorthodox, isn’t the Heavenly Demonic God Pill the only one you have not touched yet?”
It was certainly an enticing story.
It was the Tang Clan that had handled all poisons under heaven.
Yet the only one they had not been able to touch was the Heavenly Demonic God Pill.
Namgung Cheon calmly continued speaking.
“The Heavenly Demonic God Pill is the spiritual pill that most intensely harbors the two-sidedness of medicine and poison.”
“Even so……”
“If we succeed in manufacturing the Heavenly Demonic God Pill without using all of these ingredients, I will hand over the rest to the Sichuan Tang Clan.”
“……!”
Tang Go-ryun swallowed hard and looked down at the wooden box.
As a Poison King who handled poison, how could he not covet it?
However……
Tang Go-ryun chuckled. Then he let out a low voice tinged with subtle anger.
“You are going to use the Heavenly Demonic God Pill as medicine?”
“Yes.”
“Nonsense. The only way to use the Heavenly Demonic God Pill as medicine is the Heavenly Demonic Divine Art. If so, do you truly wish to become the Heavenly Demon!”
“Who said that? That only the Heavenly Demonic Divine Art can use the Heavenly Demonic God Pill as medicine?”
Tang Go-ryun snorted.
“Then with what other martial art is there to digest the Heavenly Demonic God Pill?”
“What if there is?”
“Make sense! The Heavenly Demonic God Pill shows its true worth when absorbed through the Heavenly Demonic Divine Art. Our clan’s Ten Thousand Flows Returning to the Origin Pill should likewise be absorbed through our clan’s Ten Thousand Flows Returning to the Origin Divine Art. Also, the Jiangling Divine Pill of the Eon Clan that you helped with this time is to be absorbed through the Jiangling Divine Art! For each spiritual pill, there exists a martial art with which it is compatible. How could you absorb the Heavenly Demonic God Pill with a martial art other than the Heavenly Demonic Divine Art?”
At that, Namgung Cheon stared blankly at Tang Go-ryun and asked.
“What if there is a martial art that can embrace any martial art? Then, wouldn’t it be able to embrace any spiritual pill?”
“Ha! Your nonsense grows worse and worse.”
Tang Go-ryun shook his head as if dumbfounded.
However, in the next moment, did Namgung Cheon not draw the Emerald Silk Sword from his waist with a shring?
“As expected, words are not enough.”
“What?”
At the unexpected situation, Tang Go-ryun hardened his expression menacingly and glared at Namgung Cheon.
“What on earth are you doing right now?”
No sooner had those words fallen than dark shadows fell in a flurry from the ceiling.
The shadows were none other than the bodyguards who constantly protected Tang Go-ryun.
Clang clang clang!
They drew their short swords all at once and surrounded Namgung Cheon.
Despite this, Namgung Cheon was unconcerned. Namgung Geom, who was still sitting in his seat, did not spare even a glance either.
Namgung Cheon smiled faintly.
“Just as the Tang Clan has a great philosophy about poison, our clan’s martial arts also have a philosophy.”
“What on earth are you……”
Namgung Cheon spun the sword in an instant and extended the hilt toward Tang Go-ryun.
“Why do you not check it?”
“Check what?”
“Seeing is believing. I will show you directly. The Jiangling Divine Art embraced by our family. And that Sovereign’s philosophy.”