CLS-Chapter 136

Chapter 136

“There’s no such thing.”

Of course there wouldn’t be. It’s not like I was actually asking if it really existed!

“Even if the Great Hero Wei has martial talent, it seems that the Great Hero Wei of those days couldn’t even reach Wei San-ho’s level, let alone yours… The day when the Guangdong Wei Family’s name will shake the world under heaven isn’t far off.”

Hearing this, Wei Su-ryeon tilted her head.

“I don’t know about big brother, but my brother wouldn’t be any help with something like that?”

“Haha, you don’t seem to know…”

“Our brother doesn’t leave the house.”

“Ah, yes.”

Gong Mu-jin’s face turned grim.

‘I didn’t think of that.’

It was certainly true. What good would it do to have martial arts capable of shaking the world under heaven? Wei Yan-ho was someone who wouldn’t step outside his home.

“…Huh?”

Come to think of it, something was strange.

The Wei Yan-ho he had seen so far was someone who would contemplate deeply before moving even a finger. For such a person to travel all the way to Luoyang without purpose was far too strange, wasn’t it?

Since he had been watching him travel from the beginning, it was a sense of incongruity he hadn’t felt until now.

“Then why on earth are you traveling?”

“My master told me to.”

“Did he tell you to go traveling?”

“He said that martial arts are ultimately completed through experience, and told me to see, hear, feel with my body, and gain enlightenment about the world.”

“Ah…”

Gong Mu-jin nodded repeatedly as if something had greatly resonated with him.

“That’s right. Martial learning ultimately develops through individual experience. While it’s not bad to seek higher realms within one’s sect, that’s something fixed. If what you see, hear, and feel is limited to a confined space…”

Gong Mu-jin began muttering something toward the empty air.

Seeing this, Shangguan Hong was startled and flinched, then slowly took a deep breath.

Then he gestured to those around him. The watching crowd all nodded and slowly surrounded Gong Mu-jin.

“Huh?”

Only Wei Yan-ho looked around with a face that didn’t understand what was happening.

“What’s wrong?”

Then Wei Su-ryeon put her hand to her mouth and slowly pulled Wei Yan-ho away.

“This way.”

“Huh?”

Wei Yan-ho was dragged away by Wei Su-ryeon, not understanding what was happening.

“Brother, it seems like that person is gaining enlightenment right now, so we can’t disturb him.”

“Hmm?”

Enlightenment…

Wei Yan-ho had experienced this several times before. But this was the first time he heard that one shouldn’t give shocks to the surroundings during such moments.

‘Master, really.’

His master was someone who would explain everything down to the tiniest detail like a mother-in-law about anything that could potentially harm Wei Yan-ho, explaining and explaining until he drilled it into either his head or body if his head couldn’t remember. But in situations where Wei Yan-ho might cause harm to others, his attitude was ‘Well, that could happen. What are they going to do about it? He’s my disciple.’

He truly could be called a model for all masters.

Whiiiiing.

The wind around them began gathering toward Gong Mu-jin. Gong Mu-jin sat still with his eyes closed, then suddenly opened them wide.

Woong.

Light burst from his eyes, momentarily illuminating the inn brightly.

“Congratulations on your great achievement.”

“Congratulations on your attainment.”

Everyone watching congratulated Gong Mu-jin.

“Master, I congratulate you on breaking through the barrier.”

“Hahaha, thank you.”

Gong Mu-jin accepted Yi Seol-hwa’s congratulations with a benevolent smile.

‘Hmm, but…’

Gong Mu-jin looked at Wei Yan-ho with a dumbfounded expression.

Breaking through the barrier that had long troubled him was certainly something to be happy about. Though his achievement hadn’t clearly increased immediately, now that he had crossed the barrier, his potential for development would be limitless with steady training.

Wasn’t it because he couldn’t bear the frustration of being blocked by the barrier that he had come out to travel? And discovering Wei Yan-ho as a good sparring partner, he had been clinging to martial contests even while troubling him.

Even doing all that, he couldn’t break through the barrier, but now he had broken through it in one go, so it could be called a celebration.

That was truly a good thing, but…

‘Why now of all times!’

Gong Mu-jin couldn’t accept it.

If it had been a little earlier, he would have hugged Wei Yan-ho and danced around saying he had met his lucky star. But not now. Before Wei Yan-ho, Yi Seol-hwa was catching his eye.

If he thanked Wei Yan-ho now, it would feel like acknowledging the relationship between Wei Yan-ho and Yi Seol-hwa.

‘That can’t happen!’

Having organized his thoughts, Gong Mu-jin slowly bowed to Wei Yan-ho.

“Thanks to you, young hero, I was able to overcome the barrier that had long troubled me. As a martial artist, as a swordsman, I am grateful for the infinite grace you have given me.”

Wei Yan-ho pouted.

“Just with words?”

Grind.

Gong Mu-jin quietly ground his teeth.

Look at that!

Look at how that person talks. Now that he’s about to say more, he can’t wait and is already expecting compensation – everyone look at this scene of his vulgar character!

He conveyed this meaning desperately with his eyes toward Yi Seol-hwa, but Yi Seol-hwa only tilted her head with a face that didn’t understand.

Frustrating girl!

Can’t she feel anything even while watching this scene of poor character?

For ordinary people, wouldn’t words of humility like “Not at all” or “How could it be my merit” come out first?

This isn’t the speech of someone who could be considered from a prestigious family!

Gong Mu-jin took a quiet deep breath.

He could pour out all these words at once, but right now it was clearly a situation where he owed a debt of gratitude. With many people watching, if he got angry here for no reason, rumors would spread throughout the entire martial world that Gong Mu-jin was a shameless person who didn’t know gratitude.

Gong Mu-jin composed himself and continued speaking.

“I am deeply grateful that you conveyed your master’s words. If I could, I would like to meet your master and express my gratitude, but since you don’t want to reveal your master’s identity, I’ll just convey my feelings.”

Wei Yan-ho tilted his head.

“Huh? Your words are a bit strange.”

‘Did he notice?’

He had cleverly tried to twist his words to mean ‘I did receive a debt of gratitude, but that’s thanks to what your master said, so I’m grateful to your master, not you. Still, you made the effort to convey those words, so I’ll be grateful to you by just a mouse-tail’s worth.’ But it seemed Wei Yan-ho had ghostly insight into the true meaning hidden in his words.

“Our master is dead.”

“I-Is that so?”

“He’s a ghost, as I’ve said several times.”

“I thought you meant he was like a ghost.”

“I’ve said it so many times! He’s a ghost!”

As Wei Yan-ho began beating his chest as if frustrated, the embarrassed Gong Mu-jin scratched the back of his head.

“Anyway, it’s unfortunate that I can’t convey my words.”

“So, are you just thankful with words?”

“…Would you accept paper money?”

Paper money refers to the money burned for the deceased to use in the afterlife during funerals.

“Never mind.”

Wei Yan-ho sighed and sat back down.

The atmosphere became slightly awkward, but led by Shangguan Hong, the others congratulated Gong Mu-jin again, brightening the mood.

“You’re already called the greatest swordsman of Mount Hua, but now that you’ve broken through another barrier, you might soon be called the greatest in the Central Plains.”

At Shangguan Hong’s words, Gong Mu-jin coughed awkwardly.

“Th-That couldn’t be.”

In another setting, he might have gladly accepted such words.

But saying such things in front of Wei Yan-ho made even Gong Mu-jin’s face burn with embarrassment.

‘Greatest in the Central Plains, what nonsense.’

When he couldn’t even defeat this young punk, being called the greatest in the Central Plains – to match Wei Yan-ho, he would need to break through three or four barriers consecutively, not just one.

And by that time, Gong Mu-jin would have become not just in name but the actual greatest sword of Mount Hua.

“Hahaha, before I become the greatest sword in the Central Plains, wouldn’t you catch up to me?”

Shangguan Hong was being modest.

“That’s impossible. Time is fair to everyone. As much as I grow stronger, won’t you, Great Hero, grow stronger at an even greater rate?”

“That’s hard to say.”

While everyone was being modest and exchanging kind words, only three people weren’t joining the conversation.

Two were Wei Yan-ho and Wei Su-ryeon.

“Brother, this is delicious!”

“Mm-hmm.”

“This is tasty too.”

“Mm-hmm.”

“The cook here is skilled. Our brother should eat a lot and get nice and plump.”

“Actually, lately my back hurts when I lie on hard surfaces. That never happened before.”

“How much hardship must you have endured…”

Wei Su-ryeon’s eyes sparkled.

The onlookers watching this scene found it absurd.

Anyone could see that Wei Yan-ho was perfectly fine, but listening to Wei Su-ryeon’s words, he sounded like someone who had starved for a month and become skin and bones.

‘Speaking of which…’

Shangguan Hong looked at Wei Su-ryeon with strange eyes.

‘Was Wei Su-ryeon’s personality originally like this?’

She was young, so she hadn’t earned any particularly harsh nickname, but if she were a bit older, it wouldn’t be strange for her to have nicknames like “Cold-Hearted Witch” or “Poison-Hearted Sword Maiden.”

For such a Wei Su-ryeon to be caring for her brother like a mother bird feeding her chick was naturally unsettling.

“But brother, what are you going to do?”

“Huh? About what?”

“Big brother is going to half-kill you when he catches you.”

“Probably.”

“Just recently he was drinking heavily and saying he’d kill you if he caught you.”

“…What a personality.”

Why can that man only express affection through his fists!

This is also a personality disorder.

Wei Yan-ho scratched his head and opened his mouth.

“Would there be any reason to get beaten? I’ll just spar with him appropriately.”

“Spar with him?”

“Yeah. Well…”

Wei Yan-ho chuckled.

“Big brother is getting old now.”

He didn’t know how strong Wei San-ho had become, but no matter what, he didn’t seem like he would be stronger than Gong Mu-jin. And Wei Yan-ho was treating such a Gong Mu-jin like a child.

‘Maybe Master’s words might really be true.’

Baek Mu-han had boasted that there would be few people in the martial world who could match him.

He thought it was either words spoken without knowing the current martial world since he was from 300 years ago, or just bragging. But the more he used martial arts and sparred with others, the more he couldn’t help but realize.

Baek Mu-han’s martial arts possessed strength that transcended eras.

“Brother, then can you beat big brother if you fight him?”

“Mm, I think it’s possible.”

At Wei Yan-ho’s words, Wei Su-ryeon couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Brother, get a grip. You haven’t been hit by big brother for years, so you’ve lost your fear?”

From Wei Su-ryeon’s perspective, it was natural not to believe. Wasn’t this the same Wei Yan-ho who had just been soundly beaten by her?

“…What would I say to you about it.”

Wei Yan-ho shook his head.

Up to here, it was just an ordinary conversation. But when one more person joined this conversation, it could no longer remain an ordinary conversation.

“I cannot just listen to and let those words pass.”

Sword Dragon Shangguan Hong looked at Wei Yan-ho with a stern face and spoke.

Wei Yan-ho looked at Shangguan Hong with a dumbfounded expression and replied.

“What?”