I Prayed for a Murim Reincarnation, But I Was Born as the Youngest Imperial Prince - Chapter 8

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 9
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Seonwu decided to ask Tianlong Dadi for advice on his future plans.
With the ultimate expert right in front of him, why would he ask anyone else?
His own father was the one whose skills and goodwill he could trust the most.
“In that case, Imperial Father, since I cannot use the Longshen Zhili right away and must learn martial arts instead, what should I start with? For internal cultivation methods, should I begin with the Vajra Indestructible Divine Art and the Peerless Prajna Divine Art?”
If he could combine the two to restore the Geumgangbanyashingong, that would be ideal. Even if he couldn’t, wasn’t it the best available option right now while the Cheonlyongjeseeshingong was blocked?
“Yes, those two would be good. The Honwontaegukshingong is also fine, but it is better to dig deep into two rather than six. Start with those two first, and if you hit a wall, look into the other divine arts again. There is no need to learn too many miscellaneous arts, but exploring broadly will make your own path much clearer.”
“Yes. Leaving internal energy aside, what kind of other martial arts should I learn?”
“Do you have a personal wish?”
Seonwu briefly imagined what kind of chivalrous xia he wanted to become.
There were countless types of weapons in the world, but…
“I like the sword.”
“Mhm, the sword is called the King of All Weapons. It is a fine choice.”
Seonwu hesitated for a moment before speaking his next words.
However, since he would have to say it eventually anyway, he decided to do it now while he was still cute and young.
“Also, when I travel to the Jianghu in disguise in the future, I hope there is a way to avoid being found out as someone from the Imperial Family.”
“Hooh, do you wish to enter the Wulin?”
Seonwu swallowed hard.
It was a major question and would be a major answer.
Yet, it was his dream.
“Yes.”
If he stayed in the Imperial Court, he would live an incredibly luxurious life.
His past life?
Modern civilization?
He didn’t miss it even the slightest bit.
He was enjoying reality day by day, so he didn’t miss the virtual world beyond a screen.
Food?
People said that the modern era, with its selective breeding, was better than a medieval king’s table, but that only applied to the Earth of his past life.
In a world where Qi and formations existed, and where spiritual medicines were real, the food served to him was magnificent and boasted the ultimate flavor.
Ingredients imbued with Qi were richer in taste than anything on modern Earth.
The skills of the chefs using martial arts also surpassed anything in modern times.
Was that all?
It was a life where countless people moved solely for his sake.
Unless he had been a billionaire on modern Earth, he didn’t miss his past as a dirt spoon at all.
Though he occasionally worried about how that bastard Jun was doing…
But as someone who loved wuxia, he couldn’t just settle for the comfortable and luxurious life of the Imperial Court without entering the Wulin.
A dream was more powerful than wealth.
“Hmm. Above you, your elder brothers have each received a princely title and opened a prince mansion to rule a portion of this empire.”
“I don’t particularly have greed for that.”
While studying for two years, there was one thing that had surprised Seonwu.
His four older brothers receiving princely titles and opening prince mansions?
That was plausible.
Even in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, didn’t names like the Kingdom of Chen or the Kingdom of Pei appear, along with kings like Liu whoever who received those lands?
However, the scale here was staggeringly massive.
It wasn’t a level where they merely received a single county to enjoy honor and moderate wealth.
The Hwaryong Prince Mansion received the entirety of Hebei Province.
The Pungryong Prince Mansion received both Shaanxi Province and Shanxi Province.
The Jiryong Prince Mansion received Sichuan Province and Guizhou Province.
The Suryong Prince Mansion received Guangxi, Guangdong Province, and even Fujian Province.
This was not on a level that could be compared to the kings of the Han Dynasty or the Ming Dynasty.
‘Even by the standards of the Spring and Autumn or Warring States periods, this is a substantial scale.’
To establish such massive kingdoms within the empire.
He wondered if it was truly alright, but since it was a matter decided directly by his father, the Emperor, what could he, the youngest, say?
“I have already heard and know that you are uniquely interested in the Wulin.”
“Hehe, Imperial Father, you knew everything.”
Seonwu laughed, trying to look cute.
“However, you personally entering the Wulin is a different matter.”
“Is it not allowed?”
“Since you are so interested in the Wulin, I am considering making Henan Province, where the largest faction Shaolin is located, your prince mansion.”
“He… Henan Province?”
Wasn’t that a prime province in the heartland!
Of least, the most prosperous area was here in Zhili, where the current capital was located.
Though for a Korean, the more familiar name would be Jiangsu Province.
But Henan was also an incredible prize.
It was a province that included Luoyang, the capital of the Han Dynasty, and Kaifeng, the capital of the Song Dynasty.
Setting all else aside, Shaolin was there!
Yet Seonwu overcame the temptation.
My own kingdom that includes Shaolin.
It truly sounded splendid.
But that was the path of a king, not the path of a chivalrous xia.
Seonwu wanted to enter the Wulin and travel freely like the protagonists of the novels he had read, making friends, meeting women, punishing evil, and going on a chivalrous journey.
Because that was the reason he loved wuxia novels.
Lately, wuxia with all sorts of different themes was becoming popular, but Seonwu was a so-called traditionalist.
“Even so, I wish to enter the Wulin, hide my identity, and go on a chivalrous journey.”
“Hmm, if that is what you desire, I shall not stop you.”
“Imperial Father.”
“However, there is a condition.”
Was it a condition like not doing anything too dangerous?
“What is it?”
“As an imperial prince, you must also properly fulfill your duty to protect this country from demonic monsters.”
“Pardon?”
Protect it from what?
Seonwu perked up his ears, wondering if he had misheard.
However, the Emperor smiled gently, as if he had expected this reaction.
“Until you turned seven, I ordered that no one speak of demonic monsters to you, so this must be the first time you are hearing of it.”
“Uh… yes.”
What did this mean?
Demonic monsters?
It wasn’t that he didn’t know the word itself, but they actually existed?
“Since ancient times, hordes of demonic monsters have targeted the life of this land. They subside during eras of peace but become rampant during eras of chaos.”
They really exist?
And I just didn’t know because the information around me was blocked?
“I kept it a secret until today, thinking there was no need to cause anxiety to your young self so early, but now that you are learning martial arts, you must know one of the most important reasons for doing so.”
Seonwu’s eyes shook considerably.
This is somewhat different from what I thought?
“I defeated the hordes of the Yuan Dynasty and drove them to the north, but they did not submit meekly. Instead, in an attempt to defy heaven and extend their rule, they opened the Ghost Gate to the Demon Realm.”
Pardon?
What gate?
“They were the first to be destroyed by the demonic monsters that poured out from it, so it was truly a foolish act. Thus, the lands outside our borders have now become the territory of demonic monsters, which is truly deplorable.”
“Uh, then… my brothers…”
Come to think of it, except for Henan which was to be given to him, the other four prince mansions were all provinces that bordered the frontier.
“Yes. Guarding the borders alongside the generals. That is the mission I bestowed upon them.”
Uh.
Is this a case of ‘with great power comes great responsibility’?
The movie quote suddenly flashed through his mind, causing Seonwu to freeze.
He had been delighted, thinking he could enjoy the immense power and wealth of being born with an imperial spoon while freely accessing all kinds of secret manuals.
But suddenly, a responsibility had appeared?
‘No. Wait a minute. Didn’t he say he would give me Henan?’
If so, it wasn’t about guarding the border.
‘Of course. They can’t assign the same level of work to me, who needs to calmly learn martial arts, as my brothers who already possess the internal energy of the Realm of Creation.’
“In what way should I fulfill my responsibility?”
“It is not as severe as the border, but the rear is not completely peaceful either. Demonic practitioners who follow the demonic monsters open Ghost Gates to launch attacks in various places, so subjugating them and protecting the people is also an important task.”
Demonic practitioners? Ghost Gates?
Seonwu was truly flustered by the sudden deluge of information.
Simply put, didn’t it mean they were [terrorists]?
The Ghost Gates would roughly be [gates] from which demonic monsters burst out.
“Then, telling me to take charge of Henan Province means…”
“Unlike your brothers, you are a late bloomer type, so dividing and taking charge of the border from the start would be far too difficult. However, at the very least, once you reach adulthood at twenty, you must take charge of and protect one province.”
“Th… Then…”
Doesn’t that mean a journey through the Jianghu is out of the question?
They called it a single province, but Henan Province would be wider than the Republic of Korea?
If he had to protect that, wouldn’t he be completely stuck?
“Haha, you have a face that says you won’t be able to go on a journey through the Jianghu because you’ll be overwhelmed by the affairs of the prince mansion.”
“Yes, it is shameful, but I am worried that it might be too overwhelming a task for me…”
“Do not worry. Within the prince mansion, you will have the authority to separately appoint generals and ministers accordingly. You do not actually have to do all the work yourself. It is just that you must show a exemplary figure as an imperial prince.”
“Ah…”
In truth, the generals and ministers would do the work, and he would be the nominal head of the structure.
Of course, no matter how much that was the case, he wouldn’t be able to do absolutely nothing…
It would be difficult to completely leave the Imperial Court and settle down in the Jianghu for good.
Even so, it seemed they would allow him to enjoy plenty of free time.
And Seonwu also felt that this was the line the Emperor was willing to permit.
It meant that leaving the Imperial Court entirely to live freely in the Jianghu could not be allowed.
‘Well, considering how much I benefit as an imperial prince.’
He couldn’t bring himself to say that he wanted to just enjoy the privileges and skip out on the rest.
Besides, it would be different if demonic monsters didn’t exist.
Since such things existed, the Emperor’s words that he had a responsibility as a member of the Imperial Family were persuasive.
“If that is your will, Imperial Father, how could I not obey?”
Pretending to be mature once again, Seonwu bowed his head.
“Yes, it is not an immediate matter. But since it is something you must do once you reach adulthood, practice both martial arts and academics diligently until then. You can establish a nation with martial arts, but you cannot govern a nation with martial arts alone. Although martial arts are the most important, there are several other things you must know.”
‘In the Earth of my past life, that saying originally used horses instead.’
Here, it was martial arts instead of horses.
Seonwu nodded silently.
The things he had to do had suddenly multiplied.
Even so, it didn’t mean he had to give up his journey through the Jianghu, so he could just balance the two appropriately depending on the situation.
“At any rate, I shall choose martial arts for you while considering your wishes. Is there anything else you desire?”
“There is nothing more.”
“Hmm, good. Then I shall select them for you.”
What would he choose for him?
Shaolin?
Wudang?
But the martial arts of those sects were too famous.
“First, for internal energy, learn the Vajra Indestructible Divine Art and the Peerless Prajna Divine Art. As for the method to disguise them so they appear as something else, you can learn that after you have properly mastered the two first.”
“Yes.”
It meant that a method to disguise them did exist.
“Next, for sword techniques, King Zhuang of Chu’s Soaring Phoenix Sword would be good.”
“If it is King Zhuang of Chu, isn’t he one of the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period?”
“Correct. Immediately after ascending the throne, he hid his martial prowess while accumulating great merit, and when he finally stood up, he shook the world. Of course, he failed to reach the Tianzi Realm and could not unite the world as one, but he could be said to have reached the absolute peak of the Realm of Creation.”
‘The historical figures strangely overlap with my past life.’
King Zhuang of Chu here as well.
King Zhuang of Chu in his past life too.
One of the strongest kings who had early on become a member of the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period.
Except here, he became one of the Five Hegemons through martial arts rather than statecraft, making it an exquisite parallel that was the same yet different.
“His martial arts are collected within the treasury of our Imperial Family. However, in the current Wulin, it is a martial art that has long been lost.”
“Aha! So even if some rumors about its characteristics are passed down, it won’t be easy to recognize at a glance.”
“Indeed. And even if someone happens to recognize it, we can just fabricate a mysterious sect that has secretly inherited King Zhuang of Chu’s sword techniques.”
“That is a brilliant idea, Imperial Father.”
Seonwu smiled brightly, feeling exceptionally pleased.
‘As expected, the youngest’s cute act worked!’
The fact that he was creating such a proper plan meant that he truly intended to let him enjoy his journey through the Jianghu to a reasonable extent.
It was not just empty permission.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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