Cursed Energy Globalization

Tengen had already prepared two sets of arguments.

If Jianxia refused, she would try persuading him again, appealing to both his personal interests and the collective interests of jujutsu sorcerers.

If Jianxia agreed, she would strike while the iron was hot and explain the benefits, firming up the clan head's and the Chief's resolve to act.

What she truly had not expected, however, was for Jianxia to propose changes to the plan.

"I'm all ears, Chief of the Auspicious." Tengen pushed the map of Japan on the table toward him.

Jianxia's ability to name her Immortality cursed technique had already exceeded her expectations. Tengen wanted to know just how many more surprises this mysterious man could offer.

Hearing her response, Jianxia knew his flashy eagerness to answer earlier had indeed paid off.

To get someone to believe you, you had to demonstrate your ability.

"Drawing all the cursed energy leaking out across the world into Japan might prevent all of humanity from becoming jujutsu sorcerers, but it would also make cursed energy extremely abundant here. In other words, more cursed spirits and jujutsu sorcerers would be born."

"Tengen, your idea is to reform Jujutsu Society and use the information from the great barrier to establish rules that let you effectively exorcise cursed spirits and protect ordinary people, correct?"

Jianxia summed up Tengen's goal in a single sentence. She nodded in agreement, then elaborated.

"That is exactly what I have in mind. Once the great barrier is established, I will be able to observe every corner of the Japanese archipelago. After that, I will establish an organization dedicated to locating cursed spirits, saving jujutsu sorcerers the trouble of tracking them down."

The organization Tengen described was what would later become Jujutsu High's Window.

Its members could see cursed spirits despite having no combat ability, and were responsible for providing intelligence to Jujutsu High's sorcerers.

In short, the Jujutsu Society Tengen envisioned after the great barrier's establishment already differed little from the one a thousand years later.

But even the world Tengen envisioned was not perfect.

"Then, Tengen, I have a question for you."

Jianxia raised one finger and tilted his head.

"The great barrier at the heart of your plan has to be maintained by you for it to observe the entire country and draw in cursed energy, correct?"

Tengen did not give it much thought, assuming Jianxia was questioning her expertise.

"Correct. I have my own insights into barrier techniques. With the three clans' help, this will not be difficult..."

Before she could finish, however, Jianxia interrupted her.

"No, I'm not questioning whether the great barrier is feasible. I'm considering another issue-what happens if you die?"

Jianxia's words brought instant silence to the room.

Sitting off to the side, Megumi Zenin looked back and forth. Her father was deep in silent thought, and Tengen seemed equally stumped by the question.

So this was what a conversation between smart people looked like...

The silence lasted a long time, until Jianxia broke it again.

"Tengen, there's nothing wrong with making yourself the core of your plan. You simply haven't considered what to do next if, one day, you disappear."

Thinking about it from her perspective, her cursed technique was Immortality, and she was proficient in all kinds of barrier techniques. While she could hardly be called a powerful fighter, protecting herself should at least pose no problem.

Had Jianxia not read the original story and known that Kenjaku would devour Tengen like a spicy snack during the Culling Game a thousand years later, he might not have questioned her either.

"All the leaked cursed energy would gather in Japan. But imagine what would happen if, one day, this great barrier could no longer be maintained."

"Cursed spirits and curse users would be free to enter and leave Japan. At that point, they wouldn't be facing jujutsu sorcerers around the world, but ordinary people."

Shinji and Tengen were both intelligent. With things laid out so plainly, they knew what would happen even without further explanation from Jianxia.

Even an army tens of thousands strong would likely be unable to defeat curse users and cursed spirits nourished by the cursed energy leaking from the entire world.

As the saying went, no one could stay on guard forever. Even if the jujutsu sorcerers eventually reacted and gave chase, the damage would already be irreversible.

A curse user facing ordinary people was not fighting a battle at all. It was a massacre.

Shinji frowned and looked at Tengen, his voice firm. "Lady Tengen, if the great barrier plan carries such enormous risks after your disappearance, then I must decline to participate."

If human society reverting to a primitive age where the strong preyed on the weak was a tragedy, then absorbing the world's leaked cursed energy to nourish cursed spirits and curse users would make them accomplices.

Either outcome would be a disaster for ordinary people. The only difference was how horrific it would be.

Tengen's expression visibly fell as well. She truly had never considered that her plan to protect all of humanity might ultimately become a blade turned against the innocent.

"Why the rush? Didn't I say I had some changes in mind?"

Seeing that their despondency was on the verge of spilling out as cursed energy, Jianxia immediately spoke up.

As though grasping at a lifeline, Shinji and Tengen both turned to Jianxia, waiting for his suggestions.

Jianxia cleared his throat. "I think the great barrier is a good idea, and we can keep it. But we can't blindly go ahead with drawing in all the cursed energy leaking out across the world."

Black matter then welled up beside him, and the Long, Thin Cursed Spirit emerged from it.

Under Jianxia's control, the spirit created a wooden board, then reshaped it into a sphere, until the outlines of the continents appeared on its surface.

It was an exquisitely crafted globe.

As people of the Heian Era, the Zenin father and daughter and Tengen naturally had never seen what the Earth looked like. Their eyes widened as they stared at the globe in Jianxia's hand.

Jianxia ignored their curious gazes and continued his explanation.

"Look, this is what the whole world looks like. Japan is here. My idea is to draw in leaked cursed energy while constructing the great barrier, but only a portion of it."

Jianxia set the globe on the table and pointed to Japan. Megumi Zenin then picked it up to examine it, while Shinji and Tengen kept their attention on him.

"Since we're afraid of everyone in the world becoming a jujutsu sorcerer, but also afraid of no one elsewhere being a jujutsu sorcerer, why not take the middle path? Let other parts of the world be like Japan, with large numbers of ordinary people and a small number of jujutsu sorcerers."

"That way, they won't encroach on ordinary people's room to live, and those regions won't be left completely defenseless against cursed spirits."

Jianxia's plan took a more balanced approach. Instead of turning Japan into a dumping ground for the entire world's leaked cursed energy, he chose to give everyone a share.

But Shinji keenly spotted a flaw. "Your idea is good, Chief, but how do we prevent curse users from operating beyond the reach of the law under those circumstances?"

It was the same issue as in Tengen's earlier plan. As long as jujutsu sorcerers existed, there would also be curse users who threatened ordinary people.

"That brings me to the second change I want to make."

Jianxia had clearly considered this as well. He took the globe from Megumi Zenin and displayed it to Shinji and Tengen.

"I think Tengen's earlier suggestion of establishing places to train jujutsu sorcerers is excellent. After all, people need to be educated. Without education, aren't they just savages?"

"So I intend to send experienced jujutsu sorcerers to different parts of the world to establish training institutions like these, teaching jujutsu sorcerers while seeking out promising candidates to nurture."

Tengen was stunned. Although her years had given her considerable knowledge and experience, the limitations of her era still prevented her from considering a concept as grand as "different parts of the world."

As someone who had received a modern education, Jianxia could naturally take more into account.

"I've also already thought of a name for this plan."

Jianxia's gaze swept over the other three, and the corners of his mouth lifted.

"The Cursed Energy Globalization Plan."