I had heard in advance that someone would come from Cheongmuhyang.
Since it was directly mentioned by Unsa as a ‘guest’, I expected it wouldn’t be an ordinary practitioner, but I never thought Lord Cheongmuhyang would actually show up.
Because Lord Cheongmuhyang is…
“Fresh newbie?”
“Isn’t that a fresh newbie? If you’ve just become Lord Jeokmuhyang during the Record Phase, you’re a rookie.”
Hehe. Lord Cheongmuhyang casually walked over and sat down on an upscale chair.
It wasn’t a chair that could fit a giant over 3 meters tall, but he sat down as if it was nothing.
Anyone would mistake it for his own house.
[???]
[I’m gonna die]
[Fresh newbie?]
[LOL]
[Let’s kill him]
[Ah, LOL, you came to give me lifespan]
[So cocky?]
[Killkillkillkillkillkillkill]
[What’s that?]
“Lord Cheongmuhyang, Cheongjinryeong.”
“Yeah.”
“Why are you here? A lord can’t just intrude into another lord’s territory.”
“Well, that’s true.”
Lords cannot intrude into another lord’s territory.
According to the rules set by Gyeoryu, the master of Jangmugye, even the Display Case Practitioner, known as a god of the halls, couldn’t defy Junseon’s words.
If that were possible, I would have already switched to another hall and tried to ‘talk’ to them.
Cheongjinryeong shrugged.
“What do you mean by intruding? What are you talking about?”
“If you barged into someone’s territory—especially the top floor of the lord’s palace—isn’t that an intrusion?”
“I’m just here to have a ‘discussion’ about the Unryusan conflict. Have you not properly seen Jangmugye’s regulations?”
“…?”
“If a dispute arises with another hall, a ‘messenger’ for mediation can be sent. I’m here in the capacity of a ‘messenger’, not as a lord.”
“As a lord?”
“Is there a rule that says a lord can’t act as a messenger?”
There isn’t one.
Usually, no one thinks about that.
[?]
[LOL]
[What a crazy guy]
[What kind of messenger barges in like this?]
[???]
[Isn’t this even more serious?]
[This is why messengers are a problem]
[Messenger?]
“Typically, wouldn’t a proper messenger go through the proper channels? Not just barge in like this.”
“As you saw with your subordinate earlier, isn’t it a rather urgent matter? I think there’s enough leniency to overlook such ‘minor’ regulations, which aren’t even Jangmugye’s overall rules.”
“There isn’t.”
“Then, that’s a loss for you.”
Cheongjinryeong chuckled and leaned back in the chair.
Though he used the loophole of being a messenger, in the end, Cheongjinryeong couldn’t act beyond the actions of a messenger.
If you use force or act excessively here, Junseon’s punishment will come down immediately.
‘And that’s the same for me.’
Among the rules of Jangmugye, there was one that stated ‘You cannot kill the Grim Reaper or inflict excessive harm on him.’
“Well, enough with the wordplay. Do you know why I’m here, that young kid?”
“Not really.”
“Killing that Jeokho guy and seizing his position was quite an impressive achievement. That young kid tried to use his head more than the average brat.”
“That’s true.”
“I was planning to have a chat soon, but since it’s already been handled, I’m giving you a chance.”
“A chance?”
As I tilted my head in confusion, Cheongjinryeong’s eyes momentarily turned a fierce blue.
Was it because he revealed his rank? The color of the subordinate and Hayoung beside him darkened.
It wasn’t an attack, but they looked like they could hardly breathe due to the difference in rank.
If Cheongjinryeong released his malice, it wouldn’t be strange at all for both of them to die in the blink of an eye.
“Before that… Seems like you have many ears listening.”
“You could’ve just said it out loud, you know.”
“You should have gone out before speaking.”
Cheongjinryeong said with a mocking tone.
I found it a bit absurd for a Grim Reaper from a foreign land to act this way, but I decided to let it go.
“Please leave. I’ll call you again later.”
“Y-yes…”
“Understood.”
[LOL]
[Is he insane?]
[Lets kill him, let’s kill him, let’s kill him!]
[So arrogant…]
[Lily, why aren’t you killing him?]
[What’s he trying to give us? LOL]
[Lily is quieter than usual.]
Hayoung and the servant quickly bowed their heads and exited the top floor.
Left in the room were Cheongjinryeong and me, and Yena, who was munching on something with her cheeks stuffed.
‘Even in this situation, she’s eating well.’
Cheongjinryeong’s gaze shifted to Yena.
“Mew?”
“Is she not leaving?”
“Oh. Miss Yena is fine, right?”
“Who decided that?”
“It’s up to me and Miss Yena.”
Yena was completely unfazed, even under the pressure of a practitioner at the level of Marriage Device rather than just a display case.
There was no reason for her to leave.
Cheongjinryeong squinted his brows and sharpened his gaze, but Yena just continued to munch away.
[LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL]
[Great Yena!]
[Yeah, that doesn’t work on her~]
[Why is Yena so cute?]
[Look at those big eyes!]
[LOL]
How long did this intangible battle of wills last?
Phew…!
Cheongjinryeong extinguished the light in his eyes and looked at me again.
“You’re keeping quite an impressive young lady with you.”
“Miss Yena is indeed amazing.”
It’s rare to find someone who has reached this level as a ‘User.’
If we strictly consider rank, I’m thinking Yena might actually be the best user, excluding me.
I think I might be the best among users.
‘It’s not like I’m enduring it by rank.’
Enduring Cheongjinryeong’s rank isn’t due to Yena’s own rank or power, but thanks to the system’s “mental protection.”
“Yeah. If I didn’t have this unusual skill, I wouldn’t have been able to beat Jeokho.”
“I didn’t even fight, meow.”
“…Lord Jeokmuhyang. You’re aware there’s a meeting coming up, right?”
“Of course.”
The rush to quickly elevate my level was all because of that meeting.
Countless checks from other archlords would be coming during the meeting.
The fundamental reason for Jeokho, who was once Lord Jeokmuhyang, causing trouble was also because of that meeting.
“As you expected, you won’t have a good time at the meeting. All those guys want is to take away your level.”
“Are you any different?”
“I’m different. I came here personally.”
Cheongjinryeong placed something small on the long table.
It was a round jade.
This round jade, glowing with blue light, contained a considerable amount of cosmic spirit.
Yena flinched for a moment upon seeing the jade, but it wasn’t anything like her eyes.
“What is this?”
“Something you need.”
“?”
“I’ll help you slip out of the meeting. If you pay a very simple price, that is.”
“Price?”
“Contain Jeokho’s spirit in this. Judging by your current Record Phase, you probably haven’t absorbed it all yet, right?”
So, I have to contain Jeokho’s soul in this little jade?
I think I kinda get why he’s asking for this.
If it’s the Display Case Practitioner’s soul, it’s not only useful for stacking the axis of life but also very handy for upgrading the Marriage Device.
‘But if it’s Jeokho…’
“It was obliterated, you know?”
“What?! You didn’t absorb it?”
“No.”
At that time, it was so urgent that I didn’t really think about absorbing it.
I knew that lifespan was required for leveling up the Display Case, but I didn’t expect it to demand so much.
Even if I had known, there was no guarantee that the lifespan, which had already become one with the Spirit Separation, would be normal.
If I wanted to do that, I would need Jeokho’s cooperation… but back then, that was impossible.
Cheongjinryeong glared at me with dissatisfied eyes.
“You aren’t lying, right?”
“What reason would I have to lie?”
“You might. You could be after Jeokho’s soul…”
“I’d rather it existed.”
If it did, I’d have been able to try something.
There’s no way I can give something I don’t have.
[LOL]
[There’s none]
[Oh, how can I give you something that doesn’t exist?]
[What if I had it?]
[What are you talking about, you rude brat!]
[LOL]
[No, I don’t have it]
[Let’s just kill it]
Cheongjinryeong’s suspicion grew even stronger.
I lost.
He brightened his eyes and started to observe me.
It was one of the magic techniques for detecting souls that Ascension Lord Won-gyeom taught me.
This magic is primarily used by practitioners who are either racially or visually superior, like the dragon tribes; though Cheongjinryeong isn’t a dragon, he belongs to a similar race.
Before long, his eyes returned to normal.
“Your eyes are sparkling.”
“…Really? To just let that precious thing disappear. Isn’t that a bit ignorant, no matter how new you are?”
“It’s not ignorance; it was just really, really hard.”
“……”
[LOL]
[Lil Haha Haha]
[LOL LOL LOL]
[Is Lily crazy?]
[Totally agree, ignorant]
[So much fun Haha]
[Wow]
[Boy – Lil – Lee]
[Wow, this is so entertaining! I feel like it’ll come out in my dreams!]
Cheongjinryeong’s expression became even more absurd.
Yena was looking at me while putting down the skewer she had been holding.
“I thought it was fun, Lily.”
“Right?”
“Hmm, such ignorant jokes. Truly, 670? 680 thousand YouTuber Lily vibes.”
“It’s 700 thousand now.”
“Oops.”
Yena gasped, muttering, “Did it go up that fast?”
Anyway, everyone seems to be enjoying themselves; isn’t that a good thing?
“In any case, the conclusion is that there isn’t one. I appreciate your willingness to help, but you can’t give what isn’t there.”
“If that’s the case, then contain the spirit of an Origin Spirit or higher.”
“I don’t want to.”
“…If you don’t want to, then contain the spirit of an Avatar or higher, equivalent to 800.”
“I said I don’t want to.”
Why does he keep insisting on containing a person’s soul?
I have no intention of doing that.
Cheongjinryeong’s energy was bubbling up.
Though he feared that Junseon might intervene and couldn’t muster his strength, he looked ready to crush my Origin Spirit at any moment.
Boom!
Cheongjinryeong sprang to his feet.
“You won’t regret this, right?”
“Well. How about another condition?”
“What condition? For the record, it can’t erase that arrogant attitude of yours with some pathetic price—”
“Grant me a lifespan of 80,000 years. To be precise, just 76,900 years, and I’ll understand all the ruckus and exclude you from anything that happens in future discussions. I’ll even support you.”
“……”
“Of course, it has to be pure lifespan. Not one made by exchanging someone else’s soul.”
“…Do you want to die?”
“I’m serious.”
Isn’t this a pretty cheap deal?
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