Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

Prologue 

“You said you wanted to know about Wei Yan-ho?”

Master Musan’s eyes were deep and transparent.

Only when the man met Master Musan’s profound gaze could he understand why he was called the Living Buddha.

Master Musan’s transparent eyes possessed an inexplicable power that made one look inward just by being gazed upon.

A great monk.

Even one who held no deep reverence for Buddhism would feel infinite respect for one who had devoted his entire life to the Buddhist path upon seeing Master Musan’s appearance.

A realm where what was held in the heart naturally flowed forth.

Before the lofty dignity of such Buddhist cultivation, the man could only marvel in admiration.

“Wei Yan-ho…”

Master Musan’s eyes, as he quietly repeated the name, became tinged with a distant look as if recalling something from the past.

“I believe he was a being sent down by Buddha to save all living creatures.”

A gentle smile bloomed at the corners of Master Musan’s mouth.

The smile that appeared on his lips, covered by long white whiskers, naturally brought peace to the heart of the man watching him.

A person who could make someone of such high cultivation naturally smile just by thinking of him. It wasn’t difficult to surmise what kind of person he was.

Indeed, the words that flowed from Master Musan’s mouth were exactly as the man had expected.

“He was fair and righteous, and also compassionate. He knew how to care for the weak, never backed down before the strong, and was more sincere than anyone…”

Something strange happened.

Master Musan’s eyebrows trembled slightly as he continued his praise of Wei Yan-ho. And his words became increasingly sporadic, as if struggling with something.

“And he… conducted himself with proper…”

Master Musan’s face twitched slightly.

“Master?”

The man looked at Master Musan with a worried expression.

Why was this great man, who seemed like he would never waver even if Mount Tai collapsed and the heavens turned upside down, suddenly struggling so much to continue his words?

The transcendent aura that had emanated from him when first seen was already nowhere to be found.

“Ahem! Cough cough! Amitabha.”

Master Musan coughed loudly and then smiled.

“I’m sorry. I’m not feeling well today.”

“Not at all.”

“Yes, where was I? No one can deny Wei Yan-ho’s achievements. He is the man who saved the world, after all. But the reason people should truly follow his example is that he was a gentleman and a model to everyone…”

Master Musan closed his mouth.

His face seemed to flush slightly.

His breathing became rapid and his long-grown beard trembled.

“…Master?”

The man called out to Master Musan, bewildered by this strange change.

The old monk who just moments ago had perfectly embodied the term ‘Living Buddha’ was now trembling with his face reddened, as if he had secretly downed several bottles of liquor like some debauched monk.

Master Musan’s mouth opened slightly.

“This is… maddening.”

“Pardon?”

Master Musan coughed loudly and waved his hand.

“Amitabha! Amitabha!”

“Well…”

Master Musan took several deep breaths, then finally let out a sigh that seemed to make the ground sink.

“I’m sorry. This monk is not feeling well today. Could you… could you come back another time?”

“…Yes, I will.”

“Then I shall take my leave.”

Master Musan suddenly rose from his seat and walked away quickly without looking back.

The man watched Master Musan with vacant eyes.

What on earth had suddenly happened to that old monk?

The monk who until just moments ago had been as gentle as a Living Buddha while being filled with dignity was now showing him his pathetically hunched back as he hurriedly left the scene.

As if he had seen a ghost.

Just then, the man’s ears caught Master Musan’s quiet mutter to himself.

“Damn it!”

The man’s face changed strangely.

Had that old monk just cursed?

‘That can’t be right.’

He must have misheard. Surely…

The man wiped away the cold sweat that kept flowing as he watched the retreating figure of Master Musan, the former abbot of Shaolin, a living Buddha, and the very person who had saved the world from chaos as Wei Yan-ho’s close friend in the past.

***

“Please, come in.”

The man couldn’t help but be amazed.

Who was Peng Daoji!

Wasn’t he the legendary swordsman who was once called the Greatest Blade Under Heaven and made his name known throughout the Nine Provinces and Eight Wastelands!

Wasn’t he the living myth of the martial world, whose blade technique any blade user would want to see even in their dreams!

And such a person had come out to the main gate of the Hebei Peng Family to welcome him.

Given his status, he couldn’t complain even if he were turned away at the gate. But far from being turned away, who could have known that he would come out personally to welcome him like this?

He had heard rumors that Peng Daoji was a great hero who treated everyone without distinction regardless of status or age, but he had never imagined he would welcome him so warmly.

“I am grateful for the great hero’s hospitality.”

Peng Daoji burst into hearty laughter.

“Hahaha, welcoming a visitor is only natural. What is there to be so grateful for?”

“When the renowned Great Hero Peng personally meets with an unknown nobody like myself, how could I not be grateful?”

“I have merely gained empty fame. Though my name may be well-known, I too am human, and you are also human. What difference is there between people that I should create walls?”

These words contained profound meaning.

The man nodded his head.

The rumors about Peng Daoji that spread throughout the world were not wrong at all.

The person before him was truly a great hero and a good man.

“Would you like to come inside first?”

“How could I dare to hope for such luxury?”

“But if I were to leave a guest standing here, the world would curse me.”

“Then may I first confirm whether you will answer my question?”

Peng Daoji smiled.

“Let’s do that. What do you wish to know?”

“I want to know about Wei Yan-ho.”

Peng Daoji wore a warm smile.

“You said Wei Yan-ho?”

The man answered vigorously.

“Yes!”

SLAM!

At that moment, the main gate closed with a tremendous noise.

Whoooosh.

The door was shut so forcefully that dust scattered in all directions and the roof tiles decorating the top of the gate shook.

The man stared at the closed gate with a blank expression.

Through the tightly shut gate, Peng Daoji’s voice could be heard.

“Is anyone there?”

“Yes! I’m here, Supreme Family Head!”

“Salt!”

“Pardon?”

“Didn’t you hear? Salt! Bring salt! A whole sack—no, bring an entire bag and scatter it in front of the gate!”

“Yes, understood.”

“What bad luck from the morning. All sorts of wretched people come visiting. Ugh, this will bring bad luck for three months.”

Hearing Peng Daoji’s curses, the man’s mouth slowly fell open.

“Damn it! Contact the nearest temple and have them perform a ritual to ward off evil… No! If that bald Musan can’t handle this evil spirit, what could other monks possibly do? Just scatter salt liberally. One bag—no, bring all the salt bags from the storage and block the gate!”

The man wiped away his cold sweat with a cloth he had prepared in advance while listening to Peng Daoji’s irritated voice.

Peng Daoji, the greatest blade master under heaven, the former head of the Hebei Peng Family known as the greatest family under heaven, and above all, the man renowned throughout the world as Wei Yan-ho’s close friend, never met with the man again after that.

---

“A historian?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

The supreme elder of the Beggar’s Sect, the Divine Beggar Guangqushen, tilted his head sideways.

“What’s that?”

“A person who records history.”

“History?”

“That’s right.”

Guangqushen looked at the man while yawning.

“What does a person like that want with this beggar? How much could a beggar possibly know about history?”

“I want to know about Wei Yan-ho.”

“Wei Yan-ho?”

“Yes!”

“The Radiant Martial Lord Wei Yan-ho?”

“That’s right.”

Guangqushen turned his head indifferently.

“Is there anyone who doesn’t know about Wei Yan-ho?”

The man nodded.

“Everyone knows about him.”

“Right?”

“Yes. The Radiant Martial Lord Wei Yan-ho! The mythical figure who ended the great calamity of the world. He was a gentleman, a great man, and is spoken of throughout the world as a great hero. Some call him the greatest person of all time, others call him the greatest hero of all time.”

“You know well. So what are you curious about?”

The man’s eyes lit up.

“While searching for records about Wei Yan-ho to document martial world history, I discovered something strange.”

“Something strange?”

“Evaluations of Wei Yan-ho and his achievements could be found anywhere in the world.”

“And?”

“However, records of Wei Yan-ho’s actual deeds are remarkably scarce.”

“Hmm…”

A mischievous smile appeared on Guangqushen’s lips.

“That’s strange indeed. He is the most famous person in the world and the most praised person in the world. Yet there are strangely few records of what he did in the past and how he lived. And he lived just a hundred years ago.”

“That would be the case.”

“That’s why I dared to seek out the Divine Beggar! I believed that you, who once roamed the world with Wei Yan-ho, could tell me accurate memories of him.”

“So you came to find me?”

“Yes!”

“Looking like a beggar?”

“…”

Sure enough, the man’s appearance was in such excellent beggar’s attire that it wouldn’t be inferior even when compared to Guangqushen before him.

“I thought you had come to join the Beggar’s Sect.”

The man’s face reddened.

“You are so elusive, Divine Beggar.”

“I heard you’ve been chasing me for about half a year. But you could have gone to other places besides me. Why did you come looking for me, going through such hardship?”

“Master Musan of Shaolin said he wasn’t feeling well, and Great Hero Peng of the Peng Family turned me away at his gate.”

“Hehehe, those guys?”

Guangqushen burst into laughter as if he had expected this.

“Please tell me! In the past! What on earth happened?”

The Divine Beggar waved his hand dismissively.

“Stop it. It would be better if you didn’t know.”

“I want to know.”

“I’m telling you it’s better not to know.”

“I’ve been tracing Wei Yan-ho’s tracks for five years already! I am a historian with the duty to inform the world of true history for future generations!”

“There’s such a thing as history that’s better left untold.”

The man prostrated himself flat on the ground.

“Please help me. If you don’t tell me, Divine Beggar, there’s nowhere else in the world I can learn the truth about Wei Yan-ho.”

“Isn’t it a story everyone in the world knows?”

“No! My intuition tells me there’s something more! Please tell me! You are the only one I can count on now. Please, I beg you! Don’t you know how important it is to convey proper history to the world!”

At the man’s resolute words, Guangqushen smiled.

That smile carried a somewhat peculiar light.

“Proper history?”

“Yes!”

“Do you really want to know?”

“Yes!”

The man nodded repeatedly as if afraid that Guangqushen might change his mind.

“Really?”

“Yes!”

Guangqushen’s smile deepened even more.

His smile clearly contained mischief.

“Alright then, shall I tell you a story…”

“Thank you!”

“No need to thank me.”

“Pardon?”

Guangqushen clicked his tongue with an enigmatic expression.

“Because it would really be more comfortable not to know.”

“…”

Guangqushen opened his mouth.

“Wei Yan-ho, Wei Yan-ho… Almost everything known about him is true. Except for one thing.”

The man’s eyes lit up.

“Which part!”

“Well, you know…”

Guangqushen picked his ear and blew the earwax away with his mouth.

Then he said indifferently:

“Well, it’s obvious. His character.”

“His character?”

Guangqushen grinned and opened his mouth.

“That guy is a complete scoundrel, you see.”