CLS-Chapter 200

Chapter 200

Namgung-hye looked at the group with a peculiar expression.

‘What kind of combination is this supposed to be?’

For people departing for the Martial Arts Tournament, the composition of members was nothing if not bizarre.

First, Sangguan-hong and Eon-hyo were understandable. They were naturally people who should join this group. Wei Su-ryeon was also comprehensible. Wei Su-ryeon was a legitimate participant in the martial arts tournament, chosen in her place.

But why were Righteous Hero Sword Wei Jeong-han and his wife present?

And…

‘Is that person Wei San-ho?’

Namgung-hye felt her heart racing.

Romantic feelings?

It wasn’t that.

At least to the late-stage prodigies of the current generation, the name Demon-Slaying Sword Wei San-ho was nothing short of an idol. Having experienced the Hidden Dragon Academy, she knew well just how impossible Wei San-ho’s achievements were.

Opportunities to see up close a figure from the same generation who was called the closest to the next Greatest Person Under Heaven were not common. Even when both she and Wei San-ho were at the Hidden Dragon Academy, they rarely encountered each other due to different cohorts, and just when it seemed possible to meet, Wei San-ho was often away from the academy.

‘His aura is different.’

It was different from seeing him from afar. Seeing Wei San-ho up close, it seemed like he was proving with his entire being why he was called the next Greatest Person Under Heaven.

“Aigo, I’m dying. Why do I have to go too? Damn it, a martial arts tournament… Someone like me would get beaten to death if I showed up at such a place!”

Namgung-hye’s eyes widened.

At first, she thought Wei San-ho had said it. But unless Wei San-ho had learned ventriloquism, he wouldn’t speak with his mouth closed. The one making excuses had come from behind Wei San-ho.

‘Fox-Dog Jang-il?’

Namgung-hye’s mouth fell slightly open.

‘That Fox-Dog is going too?’

He was certainly qualified. If it was Beggar’s Sect Branch Head Fox-Dog Jang-il, he was one of the late-stage prodigies who could be counted among the first fingers leading the next generation.

But…

“Quiet! You fool! Even so, you’re the Branch Head of the Beggar’s Sect, yet you only make excuses.”

“…Are you going too, Great Hero Gong?”

Seeing Gong Mu-jin scolding Jang-il, Namgung-hye now had a face that said it didn’t matter anymore. She couldn’t understand why someone from the Nine Sects had gotten involved in this matter.

That alone was headache-inducing, but…

‘Even that person…’

Discovering Wei Yan-ho in a corner, staring blankly at the sky with a face that had lost all motivation, Namgung-hye could only pray that this journey would end without any trouble.

“Ahem, has everyone gathered?”

After waiting a bit, Sama Cheon-se and Jo-hyeon approached them.

“Seeing the warriors who will spread our Righteous Alliance’s name across the four seas, I feel more than satisfied. As you all know, this martial arts tournament isn’t simply a martial arts tournament. Though they say it’s to foster friendship among late-stage prodigies, the content within is more sinister and serious than you think. So please, with the thought that the Righteous Alliance’s name rests in your hands, do your best…”

At that moment, Wei Yan-ho quietly raised his hand.

“…Why?”

“Since we all already know this stuff anyway, couldn’t we just do it roughly? If we listen to all that, I think our morale will drop even more.”

“…”

Sama Cheon-se was at a loss for words, but Wei San-ho was not.

Smack!

A flick landed on Wei Yan-ho’s head.

“Agh! Why did you hit me!”

“What kind of manner of speech is that toward the Alliance Leader? Don’t you know that each of your words becomes a standard by which others evaluate our family?”

“Did I say something wrong?”

“Sometimes you must know to choose your words, even when they’re correct.”

Sama Cheon-se quietly smacked his lips.

‘If you call it correct words there, what does that make my position, you fool!’

Wei Yan-ho was Wei Yan-ho, but Wei San-ho was no pushover either. Sama Cheon-se glared once at Wei Jeong-han, who was avoiding his gaze in a corner, then sighed.

“…Do well and return. That’s all.”

“Waaaaaah!“

Wei Yan-ho clapped his hands exaggeratedly.

‘Should I have hit him just once more? Just once more?’

Sama Cheon-se felt endless regret about not being able to properly hit him during the last martial competition before it ended. If he couldn’t hit him then, opportunities to hit him in the future would become even rarer. Wei Yan-ho would grow rapidly, being young.

If time passed like this, there would come a time when he’d have to do his best not to get hit, rather than trying to hit.

As Sama Cheon-se stepped back while smacking his lips, Jo-hyeon stepped forward.

“Questions.”

Jo-hyeon spoke cleanly and concisely, as if wanting to leave this place as quickly as possible. But that didn’t mean he could escape Wei Yan-ho’s clutches.

Wei Yan-ho raised his hand.

Jo-hyeon quietly looked at the others.

“No questions?”

“I have a question.”

“…Yes, speak.”

“Are there only this many people? I heard there were over ten participants.”

Jo-hyeon nodded.

“The Righteous Alliance’s late-stage prodigies are all currently doing their individual training. Those who graduated from the academy but meet the criteria will gather at the destination on their own.”

“Ah, I see. I thought only these people were going.”

“Any other questions?”

“No.”

As Wei Yan-ho nodded, Jo-hyeon sighed and continued.

“From the moment you arrive in Shaanxi, no, from the moment you set out on this path, please never forget that you become representatives of the Righteous Alliance. So please don’t cause any trouble and stay well-behaved until the moment you arrive! Please!”

It started as advice for everyone, but the end was an earnest request for just one person. However, the one who received that earnest request was picking his ear and blowing hoot with his mouth, playing dumb.

“Ugh.”

Jo-hyeon shook his head and approached Gong Mu-jin.

“I’m counting on you.”

“…I understand for now.”

Gong Mu-jin laughed emptily.

‘Things are getting strangely twisted.’

The Martial Arts Tournament was fine.

Even Mount Hua sent a message saying there was a martial arts tournament so returning quickly was fine.

But why did the place where the martial competition was being held have to be Mount Hua?

“Don’t the Heavenly Justice League fellows have a training ground?”

“Gathering people all the way to Sichuan would be difficult. From our perspective, isn’t it convenient?”

“That’s true, but.”

Gong Mu-jin shook his head.

‘The elders bit hook, line, and sinker again.’

Though it was a story he couldn’t tell others, Mount Hua was a sect with a subtle inferiority complex. Though they went around saying they were second to none under heaven with swords, it was an undeniable fact that in terms of reputation and evaluation, they fell short of Wudang by a hair.

In such circumstances, if a major event like the Martial Arts Tournament was held at their own sect, Mount Hua’s reputation would obviously rise. So it was bait they had no choice but to bite, but…

‘This is spoiled bait…’

Gong Mu-jin looked at Wei Yan-ho with anxious eyes.

It was a tournament where the winner was already decided, and that winner was Wei Yan-ho.

If things went well, that would be fortunate, but if they went even slightly wrong, it would literally become a tournament for the ages. In a bad sense.

‘I must somehow prevent that guy from running wild.’

Gong Mu-jin and Jo-hyeon, whose interests aligned, exchanged glances.

‘I’m counting on you.’

‘Please provide good support.’

The moment the two looked at each other and nodded, there was one person who couldn’t hide his tearful expression.

“…So why me?”

Seok Mun-cho, the chief instructor of the Hidden Dragon Academy, had a face that looked ready to cry at any moment.

“Why me! Why! Why is it me! General!”

Jo-hyeon replied with a bright smile.

“Isn’t it a place where the children are going, after all? When it’s work where children from the academy are stepping forward, who else would go if not you?”

“He’s not a child I can control.”

It wasn’t children, but a child.

“Jeong-han and Gong Mu-jin will somehow handle that guy to the maximum extent. Since that’s still worrying, didn’t we even attach San-ho and his mother? There’s nothing to worry about.”

“Even if you tell me not to worry…”

Jo-hyeon patted Seok Mun-cho’s shoulder, pat pat as he spoke.

“I believe you’ll do well.”

“…Yes.”

Seok Mun-cho wanted to cry, but once a decision was made, there was no way it would be reversed.

“Well then, depar—”

Jo-hyeon, who was about to say depart, saw a carriage approaching them from far away and closed his mouth.

A large carriage pulled by four white horses.

In the driver’s seat of that carriage sat Seomun Da-yeon, and on the roof sat some bald head with Shaolin’s precept mark.

“Wh-what is that?”

“It’s my carriage.”

“Huh?“

Receiving Jo-hyeon’s gaze, Wei Yan-ho smiled brightly.

“I can’t ride horses.”

“…”

Jo-hyeon quietly looked up at the sky.

‘Is this really the right thing to do?’

It was only now that Jo-hyeon began to have doubts about whether having Wei Yan-ho represent the Righteous Alliance’s name was the right decision.

He would win, yes, he would win!

But if things went wrong, he could become a laughingstock even after winning.

Wei Yan-ho looked at Jo-hyeon and smiled brightly.

“I know very well that it’s the General who’s sending me to the martial arts tournament.”

“…”

“I’ll bring you good news. Don’t worry.”

Anxious.

So anxious that cold sweat was flowing.

‘What on earth are you planning to do?’

The moment Jo-hyeon reached out to stop him, Wei Yan-ho climbed into the carriage that had arrived beside him.

“Mom, you can ride here.”

“Alright.”

As Han Sang-ah also got into the carriage, Wei Yan-ho poked his head out and said,

“Well then, I’ll be back. Hehe.”

Seeing that lazy guy looking happy to go, the thought naturally arose that something was wrong. He wondered if he should stop him even now, but the arrow had already been shot.

“Ah, and…”

Wei Yan-ho poked his head out again.

“I’ll leave the business in your good hands. Just in case, I wrote on the banner that the General is managing it.”

“Ugh.”

“Well then.”

Wei Yan-ho closed the door with a bang!

Jo-hyeon closed his eyes and trembled all over, then looked back at Seok Mun-cho.

“Shall we depart?”

“…Let’s depart.”

“Yes, then…”

As Seok Mun-cho mounted his prepared horse and slowly moved forward as the lead, the others all mounted their horses and followed behind Seok Mun-cho.

Jo-hyeon watched the departing group while clutching his stomach.

“Ugh.”

“What’s wrong?”

“A bit of gastritis…”

“Instructor Seok also said he had gastritis, and now you too… Tsk tsk, you should take proper care of your bodies.”

Jo-hyeon nodded with a tragic expression.

The cause of his gastritis was leaving his side, so why was his stomach hurting even more?

Jo-hyeon, convinced that from today not only gastritis but also chronic insomnia would be added, muttered while watching the distant carriage.

“Please, please let there be no accidents, safely…”

The sight of one making a wish that would never come true was utterly futile.

***

“Did you say Mount Hua?”

“That’s right.”

“Then that Mount Hua Great Competition?”

Guangqu Divine Beggar quietly nodded.

“It’s the place where the Mount Hua Great Competition took place, where Radiant Martial Lord Wei Yan-ho first engraved his name upon the world.”

“Then?”

“Yes. Something like a martial arts tournament wasn’t even that important a matter. It started from that place. Neither I nor Master Divine Calculator knew that the martial arts tournament would become the starting point.”

“Hmm…”

Sa-ga nodded with a heavy face.

“The bigger problem was… by then it was already too late to turn back. Hidden from the world’s eyes, they had been thoroughly preparing. It was, how should I put it, very… hmm…”

For the first time, the expression disappeared from Guangqu Divine Beggar’s face.

“It was a frightening thing indeed.”