Chapter 459 : Allies (1)

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍first to respond to Wi Jin-hak's question was Zhuge Mun.

"Our ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Zhuge Family wishes to stand with the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. Besides, our family's ancestral land no longer exists, so there's really no reason for us to go back to Mount Longzhong. Hahaha."

Zhuge ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Mun chuckled, ending his declaration with a self-deprecating joke. At first glance, Wi Jin-hak’s question seemed to ask whether they would use their wartime merits to become the body of a dragon or the head of a snake. 

Actually ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍given the massive territories up for grabs, becoming a provincial lord meant they could have been the head of a Flood Dragon rather than just a common snake.

By ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍answering this way, Zhuge Mun was essentially declaring he’d rather be the shoulder or torso of a true dragon than the head of a lesser beast.  But Il-mok had spent enough time watching the man and knew that the self-deprecating joke was nothing but an act.

‘This ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍guy has more than enough sense to see through why Eldest Brother asked that question.’

And the man answered accordingly.

Once Zhuge Mun finished, the Wudang Sect Leader spoke up next.

"We've punished the eunuchs and corrupt officials who plunged the people into misery, and the war that bled them has finally come to an end, so we'll be heading back to Mount Wudang to resume our pursuit of the Dao. More than anything, quite a few of the buildings our forebears built were lost in this war, and a number of our own have ascended, so we really ought to hold a memorial rite for them."

Wi Jin-hak gladly gave the Wudang Sect Leader a cupped fist salute. "I will not forget Wudang's help."

They'd made it clear they wouldn't be joining, but that was a political issue for another day.

The Wudang Sect had paid a very heavy price in this war with the fall of the Supreme Ultimate Sword Immortal

"Our Divine Cult will gladly provide whatever resources you need to rebuild your lands. And if you need anything while preparing the memorial rite, just let us know."

"We're grateful for the Cult Leader's consideration."

Right after concluding his conversation with the Wudang Sect Leader, the Qingcheng Sect Leader spoke up.

"We of Qingcheng are thinking of heading back to Sichuan as well."

Wi Jin-hak didn't let on any of the thoughts running through his head, and answered in an even tone. "Thank you for standing with our Divine Cult all this time."

In response, Taoist Master Cheongmok voiced his opinion. "They say all within the four seas walk the same path. When it comes to saving the innocent, what difference is there between the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and Qingcheng? Hahaha."

With the Zhuge Family, and now Wudang and Qingcheng as well, having made their decisions, Wi Jin-hak turned his gaze to the Beggar King and Hwangbo Ak.

The two of them had worn troubled expressions ever since Wi Jin-hak first brought up the topic.

The Beggar King was the first to sort out his thoughts and look at Il-mok instead of Wi Jin-hak.

"Left Guardian, do you happen to remember something you said back when you were active in Gansu?"

Faced with the out-of-the-blue question, Il-mok answered cautiously. "Could you tell me exactly which of the things I said you mean?"

He was worried the Beggar King had caught onto one of the many lies he had pulled to fool the world while masquerading as the Maitreya Luminous Cult. But thankfully, what the Beggar King was asking about was something else entirely.

"I mean the time you gave the beggars work and created the motto of a day without work is a day without food."

"Of course I remember."

In truth, it was nothing more than a pretext he had hung up to poach the beggars who were feeding information to the Beggars’ Gang while concealing the true identity of the Maitreya Luminous Cult. 

He just happened to liberate them from poverty by handing out actual jobs and paying them based on their performance.

‘So why is he bringing this up now?’

No sooner had the question crossed Il-mok's mind than the Beggar King spoke again.

"Was that motto just a cover to hide your identity? Or is it written into the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's doctrine?"

Before Il-mok could open his mouth, Wi Jin-hak answered for him. "It isn't written into our doctrine word for word. But since it resonated so deeply with our Divine Cult's principles, the late Heavenly Demon made an effort to put that principle into practice. I, too, share that philosophy."

After answering that, Wi Jin-hak beamed at Il-mok with overwhelming pride.

Back then, Il-mok had sent a report explaining how he'd deceived the Beggars Gang.

After reading the letter, the late Heavenly Demon was profoundly moved by the motto and immediately enforced it across the entire Divine Cult.

In other words, he'd worked the cult members like dogs.

Since the rule was that you couldn't eat unless you worked, he made damn sure they never stopped working.

Watching his cultists work themselves to exhaustion in the name of saving the common folk and reviving the Divine Cult brought the late Heavenly Demon immense joy.

And as his First Disciple, Wi Jin-hak naturally followed his footsteps.

Oblivious to all of this, the Beggar King looked between Wi Jin-hak and Il-mok and asked again. "So does that still hold true today? Do you still plan to give them work and pay those beggars?"

"It would be a different story if they simply had no will to work. But if they have the will yet lack the opportunity, I would gladly give them their chance to find their footing."

Wi Jin-hak had clearly grown quite skilled in diplomacy after all this war.

The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was the kind of group that would gladly punish anyone who refused to work. Yet, he masterfully omitted all the caveats and focused entirely on the humanitarian angle.

"If so, can you really eliminate all beggars from this world?"

"Beggars are also among the people our Divine Cult must look after, so we'll help them find their way back into the world."

Wi Jin-hak answered while looking straight into the Beggar King's eyes, and the Beggar King gave him a cupped fist salute. "We of the Beggars’ Gang would like to keep working alongside the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult to save the destitute."

Wi Jin-hak nodded with a satisfied expression.

"This war must have driven no small number of beggars and orphans out onto the streets. Having the Beggars’ Gang by our side to help them is a tremendous blessing for our Divine Cult."

With the Beggars Gang officially secured, Wi Jin-hak turned his attention to Hwangbo Ak.

Though the man was still wrestling with his decision, he knew he couldn't stall forever.

"Before I give my answer, may I ask one question?"

"Ask away."

"When we fled the Eastern Depot's pursuit, my Hwangbo Family was forced to abandon Shandong. So, much like the Zhuge Family, we are currently without a home."

Because of this, the Hwangbo Family had been planning to settle in Shaanxi, taking advantage of the vacuum left by the fallen Mount Hua and Zhongnan Sects.

But things hadn't gone according to plan. After conquering Gansu, the Divine Cult's influence had bled so heavily into Shaanxi that trying to establish an independent stronghold there was pointless.

It had gotten to the point where joining the Divine Cult outright seemed like a better option than trying to settle there.

"Therefore, it seems best for our Hwangbo Family to stand with the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult just as the Zhuge Family has chosen. However, there is one matter we must clarify before doing so. If we join the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, does that mean the martial artists of the Hwangbo Family must also learn Demonic Arts?"

The moment he asked, every single pair of eyes in the hall snapped to Wi Jin-hak. 

Come to think of it, this was quite a serious matter.

Even the newly joining Beggar King wore a complicated expression since he'd only been thinking about helping beggars and hadn't considered this part at all.

In the midst of it all, only Zhuge Mun kept an indifferent look on his face, as if he'd already thought this part through.

With this unexpectedly weighty issue now on the table, Wi Jin-hak spoke. "This is not an issue that this Cult Leader can easily decide upon unilaterally."

The war had tempered Wi Jin-hak as a martial artist and even more so as a leader of a faction.

"I want to hear all of your thoughts. Speak freely."

With his permission, Hyeokryeon Cheon-gang was the first to speak.

“To be a member of the Divine Cult means following the Divine Cult's ways. Obviously, that means learning the Demonic Arts.”

No sooner had he finished than the faces of the former high officials and the Orthodox Faction members darkened.

"The roots of our sects and families lie in our martial arts. How can you ask us to throw away our entire heritage overnight just to learn Demonic Arts haphazardly?"

"And isn't the reason Demonic Arts are called Demonic Arts precisely because of their side effects? The Central Plains are still in chaos as it is. Forcing mass adoption of Demonic Arts right now would be inviting a disaster!"

"Watch your mouth! Are you looking down on our Divine Cult's Demonic Arts right now?"

As the discussion began to spill over from rational debate into an emotional fight, Wi Jin-hak raised his hand and stepped in to mediate.

"Silence! We've only just driven out the eunuchs! This is a time when we should be scrambling to find ways to help the people. What disgraceful behavior is this?! From this moment forth, only those granted permission by this Cult Leader may speak."

Reading the room, Il-mok quietly raised his hand and only spoke after Wi Jin-hak gave him a nod.

"Left Guardian, speak freely."

"Just because they were subjects of the Divine Cult does not mean everyone living in Xinjiang practiced Demonic Arts. Furthermore, please consider the people who came to our Divine Cult's aid. For example, the nomads of the northern steppes were also individuals who did not learn Demonic Arts."

Il-mok didn't even get to finish his thought. The second he paused to take a breath, every single Divine Cult elder in the room shot their hand into the air in furious protest.

Instead of granting them the stage, Wi Jin-hak stepped in and asked Il-mok directly.

"Then, Left Guardian, are you arguing that those who stand with the Cult have no need to learn Demonic Arts?"

Before answering, Il-mok slowly swept his gaze over the Divine Cult's representatives. 

Their eyes were bloodshot, and they looked no different from deranged fanatics.

‘This is exactly why I hate Demonic Arts.’

It might not have been entirely due to the Demonic Arts, but there were really few sane individuals in the Divine Cult.

And when even the ones who'd supposedly achieved Transcendence looked like that, what more could you expect from those who were stuck in the lower stages?

But if he flatly opposed the Demonic Arts, he risked getting branded a heretic himself, so Il-mok offered a moderate compromise instead.

"Quite the opposite, actually. Among the people of Xinjiang and the northern nomads, has any of them ever risen to a high position in our Divine Cult?"

"Ah!"

A collective gasp filled the room as the faces of the Divine Cult elders bloomed with radiant pride. A few of them actually looked like they were on the verge of tears, deeply moved by this profound validation of their elitism.

‘They're completely out of their goddamn minds.’

Il-mok wanted nothing more than to shake his head, but he held himself back and only turned it halfway. He could see the faces of the Orthodox Faction members and the former officials suddenly darken.

"That said, forcing Demonic Arts on them right away is highly dangerous for everyone involved. The side effects of our arts are severe, and rushing their training will only end in disaster. In short, I suggest we give them a grace period. Just as they said, their martial arts are their heritage. They need time to study the Demonic Arts safely and figure out a way to merge our arts with their own foundations."

It was a compromise both sides could more or less accept, but one problem still remained.

How long should the grace period last?

Predictably, hands shot up like wildfire from both sides of the room.

The debate raged on under Wi Jin-hak’s careful moderation.

After watching it drag on for quite a while, Wi Jin-hak finally cut in. "As the opinions of both sides remain sharply divided, this Cult Leader shall issue the final compromise. The grace period during which those newly joining our Divine Cult won't have to learn Demonic Arts will be set at ten years."

It was a timeframe both sides could more or less live with, since no one showed any open displeasure.

Once the matter seemed to have settled down, Hwangbo Ak bowed and spoke. "If the Cult Leader permits it, our Hwangbo Family would like to join the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult in looking after the people."

Ten years was a grace period that could be seen as long or short, depending on how you looked at it.

Hwangbo Ak decided to watch how things went over those ten years and then decide whether to actually blend Demonic Arts into the Hwangbo Family's martial arts, or to just find a suitable place for the family to build a new home.

"Having your family join our ranks is like gaining an army of a thousand troops and ten thousand horses! Hahaha."

After briefly thanking Hwangbo Ak, Wi Jin-hak turned his gaze to the former officials.

Following the lead of Gansu's Provincial Military Commander Yang Gwang and Left Commissioner Cheon Ryang, the entire bureaucratic bloc eagerly swore their allegiance to the Divine Cult.

As things gradually sorted themselves out between those who would be leaving and those who would keep staying, Zhuge Mun raised his hand.

He had been uncharacteristically quiet when the debate was raging on, so everyone was quite curious about what he was about to say.

"Speak freely, Chief Strategist Zhuge."

"I understand that it's time to reward those who fought alongside us in this war based on their merits, Cult Leader. But there's one problem. The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult is about to usher in a new era, yet we have no administrative framework or bureaucratic system in place to govern this new empire. Of course, our Divine Cult already has its existing structure, but that structure is far too small a garment for a massive empire meant to govern the whole Central Plains."

"I am aware of that fact. That is exactly why I intended to use the rest of this council to build our new government from the ground up."

"I'm truly grateful that you're willing to listen to your subordinates. But not everyone can stay here to take part in these meetings. As we speak, the Mierqi tribe in the north, as well as the Northern Military Command, remain of concern to us. More importantly, the war between the Eastern Military Command and the southern rebel armies is far from over. In particular, it's still unclear whether the Northern Military Command and the southern rebels will end up joining us or becoming our enemies."

In the end, what he meant was that they needed to send an envoy to both the Northern Military Command and the southern rebel forces.

If anything went wrong in negotiations with them, the war everyone thought was already over could easily flare back up.

Everyone in the meeting realized just how serious a matter this was.

‘I'm still technically on medical leave, you psychopaths!!’

And every single one of their gazes turned toward Il-mok.