CLS-Chapter 219

Chapter 219

“Ten nyang?”

The old man looked at Wei Yan-ho with a bewildered expression, as if asking what on earth he was talking about.

“Did you just say ten nyang? And not even silver, but gold?”

“Yes.”

“…Ten nyang of gold?”

It was an amount he had never heard or seen in his lifetime. How could those who cultivated the Way in a pure and sacred monastery have such money?

“For one who learns martial arts to covet money—what kind of disgraceful behavior is this!”

Wei Yan-ho’s eyes widened.

“Master, don’t you eat rice?”

“…Huh?”

The old man who had been pressing Wei Yan-ho flinched.

“Rice?”

“Yes. Rice.”

“Rice? Of course I eat rice.”

Wei Yan-ho’s head nodded vigorously.

“People who eat rice and make a living shouldn’t say they must be detached from money. It’s not like you live on dew alone.”

The old man became like a mute who ate honey.

Of course, he could argue if he wanted to. But his life of fair, honest, and objective living blocked his mouth.

“…Of course, I too am human and cannot live without money. But I don’t live looking only at money. Isn’t it too excessive to demand so much money for just one sparring match?”

“I didn’t force you or anything.”

Wei Yan-ho shrugged his shoulders.

“Actually, you look incredibly strong at first glance, so wouldn’t it be too excessive for someone like you to want to spar with a weak late-stage practitioner like me?”

The old man’s eyes bulged wide.

“Ex-excessive?”

“That’s right. Actually, at your level, shouldn’t you be crossing hands with elders or sect leaders of various factions? Sparring with a late-stage practitioner is too much.”

“…”

That was indeed the case.

When he thought about it that way, it certainly was true.

“No, wait a moment.”

Feeling like he was being led around, the old man waved his hand.

“Usually, isn’t it the late-stage practitioner who asks for sparring?”

“I’m fine with it though?”

Wei Yan-ho answered bluntly.

“The thirsty person digs the well. I don’t particularly want to go through hardships by crossing hands with people who are obviously strong just by looking at them.”

The old man spoke as if bewildered.

“Do you know who I am?”

“I don’t know.”

“…I am someone called Sword Lord by the people of the world. Haven’t you heard of it?”

“Uh, hmm…”

Wei Yan-ho scratched his head vigorously.

“My knowledge is a bit limited. This is purely because I’ve been stuck in a cave and don’t know about worldly affairs. It’s not that I don’t know because your reputation isn’t sufficient, so please don’t be too disappointed.”

“Hehehehe.”

Sword Lord burst into hearty laughter.

‘There really is such a fellow.’

Everything he said seemed to test his cultivation. It didn’t seem like he had heard anything particularly nasty, but strangely, he felt somewhat irritated.

“You’re saying you’ve never heard the name Plum Blossom Sword Lord?”

“I’ve heard of Plum Blossom Sword Ghost though?”

“…You know Mu-jin but don’t know me? Hehehe.”

Plum Blossom Sword Lord let out a hollow laugh.

His reputation was certainly not small, so how could he say he had never heard his name? At least if he was a swordsman who used a sword, he couldn’t possibly not have heard his name.

“It’s not a joke, is it?”

“I don’t talk nonsense after eating precious rice.”

“Hmm.”

When Plum Blossom Sword Lord drooped his shoulders, someone who had been watching the situation stepped forward and asked.

“Then have you heard my name? I am called Taiji Sword Immortal.”

“Somehow all your epithets are rather predictable.”

“Is-is that so?”

“Yes. I feel like I’ve heard it but also haven’t heard it, but since it’s the kind of epithet that seems to be everywhere, it’s hard for me to say exactly what.”

“…I see.”

Taiji Sword Immortal also drooped his shoulders.

Even they, who considered themselves to have reached legendary realms with the sword, could not be completely free from concerns about reputation.

Plum Blossom Sword Lord wiped his forehead and said.

“You may not know well, but actually we are quite famous people.”

“Yes, well, I’ll take your word for it.”

“…It’s really true.”

“Yes, yes, I understand.”

At the soulless response, as if dealing with a grandfather insisting he was successful in the old days, Plum Blossom Sword Lord lightly wiped the corner of his eyes.

‘I keep getting sweat in my eyes strangely.’

About thirty years ago, since obtaining the supreme epithet of Plum Blossom Sword Lord, he seemed to have never once received such treatment. This unfamiliar treatment, experienced after such a long time, was awkward beyond measure.

“Whether you believe it or not is your freedom, but we are more famous than you think.”

“Goodness, I said I understood, so why do you keep emphasizing it? I said I understood.”

“…Right.”

Sword Lord quietly looked at the distant sky.

‘I should have just left.’

At this age, what was he trying to accomplish by unnecessarily starting a conversation and ending up in such a state? If Mount Hua’s disciples had seen this scene, he would have been so humiliated that he couldn’t even wander outside.

Taiji Sword Immortal quietly kept his mouth shut while watching Plum Blossom Sword Lord being humiliated.

‘I shouldn’t open my mouth.’

If he carelessly said one word, he’d get back a bushel in return. That child had expertise in scratching at people’s insides at a level where they couldn’t get angry. Having lived his entire life under the strict discipline of Wudang, this was a realm he dared not compete with.

But Plum Blossom Sword Lord could not give up.

“Do you know how many people struggle just to receive guidance after hearing our names alone?”

“Hmm…”

When Wei Yan-ho made a thoughtful expression, Plum Blossom Sword Lord rejoiced and pulled the reins of pressure.

“Does it make sense when you hear it?”

“No. That’s not it.”

“Huh?”

“That fellow called Plum Blossom Sword Ghost said the exact same thing, and I thought it was strange how all Mount Hua people say similar things. It seems like a sect with tremendously strong pride.”

“…”

Plum Blossom Sword Lord’s face turned sour.

“So-so what?”

“I understand you have a lot of pride, but even if you called yourself Plum Blossom Sword God instead of Plum Blossom Sword Lord, I wouldn’t have any occasion to request guidance, so how about you just go?”

“…”

“Seeing you keep wasting energy on something that won’t work out anyway, I’m worried it might be tiring for you.”

Plum Blossom Sword Lord looked back at Taiji Sword Immortal with vacant eyes. The Sword Immortal was also nodding with a similar expression.

‘Should we retreat?’

Given his temperament, he wanted to just draw his sword and beat him up, but if he wasn’t going to kill that little brat here, there was no way to prevent rumors from spreading that Plum Blossom Sword Lord couldn’t control his temper and struck a late-stage practitioner.

His name carried not only himself but also Mount Hua’s name.

‘Why did I have to see that sword?’

If he hadn’t seen that sword, he would have passed by thinking ‘there really are all kinds of cheeky brats in the world,’ but the sword that little one was displaying was something he, as a swordsman, absolutely could not just pass by.

‘How could so much be contained in a single sword?’

If someone with a low level had seen it, it would have looked no different from the clumsy axe-work of an inexperienced woodcutter. Movements that were neither fast nor fierce, just flailing about.

But in that seemingly insignificant sword form of a single moment, there was a power that could only be described as mystical.

“…Where is your sect?”

“My sect?”

“Yes. An adult is asking, so you can’t say you won’t tell me that, can you?”

“Hmm…”

When Wei Yan-ho scratched his cheek and pondered, Plum Blossom Sword Lord frowned.

“Won’t you tell me?”

“Why are you shouting!”

“No, I wasn’t shouting…”

“I was about to tell you, but when you get angry like this, I get a bit flustered. I can’t even think properly.”

“…I’m sorry.”

Confucius said he was not ashamed to learn even from those younger than himself. It was a very admirable saying, but he wondered if Confucius could have said the same thing if he had met this fellow.

‘They say Confucius was quite large in build.’

Wouldn’t he have just beaten him up?

“When you ask about my sect, I don’t know how to answer. I’m Wei Yan-ho, the second son of the Guangdong Wei Family.”

“Guangdong Wei Family?”

Instantly, Plum Blossom Sword Lord’s face twitched.

“Guangdong Wei Family. I know the sword of the Guangdong Wei Family. But none of the Guangdong Wei Family’s swords could have contained such profound meaning.”

Veins stood out on Wei Yan-ho’s forehead.

Of course, objectively comparing, the Guangdong Wei Family’s sword could not dare compare to Baek Mu-han’s sword, but as the second son of the Guangdong Wei Family, he couldn’t feel good about hearing such words said so bluntly.

“Don’t misunderstand.”

When Wei Yan-ho made a sulking face, Plum Blossom Sword Lord waved his hand.

“I don’t mean the Guangdong Wei Family’s sword is low-level. The direction is different.”

“Hmm.”

“As far as I know, the Guangdong Wei Family’s sword pursues speed and change. But your sword contains defeat and fluidity. Unless the Guangdong Wei Family’s sword completely changed while I wasn’t aware, such sword techniques couldn’t come from the Guangdong Wei Family.”

“That’s right.”

Wei Yan-ho nodded as if he understood.

“I’m from the Guangdong Wei Family, but I didn’t learn the Guangdong Wei Family’s sword… no, I did learn it, but I didn’t learn it properly.”

“Then you mean you have a separate master?”

“Yes.”

“Can I know your master’s background?”

“Even if I told you, you wouldn’t know.”

“Hmm…”

Plum Blossom Sword Lord simply nodded his head.

There were many in the world who didn’t want to reveal their sects, and many who didn’t have anything that could be called a sect. There were often cases where masters didn’t reveal their sects or were from single-transmission schools not known in the martial world.

“The sect doesn’t matter anyway.”

“Then I don’t know why you asked.”

“…”

Plum Blossom Sword Lord looked at the sky and drew the character for patience three times.

‘I just avoided murder.’

Feeling proud that the Primordial Heavenly Worthy had looked down and saved another life, Plum Blossom Sword Lord opened his mouth with a stern face.

“Where your sect is doesn’t matter. What matters is that your sword contains mystique I’ve never seen before. How about it? Are you willing to cross swords with me?”

“Should I explain again?”

This time Plum Blossom Sword Lord did not get angry.

“Unfortunately, I don’t have the enormous sum of ten nyang.”

“I know Mount Hua is wealthy.”

“I can’t use the sect’s money personally. Regrettably, I’ve never kept wealth close throughout my life, so I can’t give you what you want. However.”

Plum Blossom Sword Lord quietly raised the sword in his hand.

“Experiencing my sword would certainly be worth no less than ten nyang of gold.”

“Hmm…”

“It might even be worth more than that. If I offered to cross swords, there would be more than a few who would come carrying ten nyang of gold. How about it?”

If he had woven it together this much, there was no way he could refuse.

It was a proposal that anyone who had heard even the ‘Plum’ character of Plum Blossom Sword Lord could not refuse.

Wei Yan-ho nodded his head vigorously.

“Now that I understand what you’re saying, I’ll be going now.”

“Go-going?”

“Yes, well…”

Wei Yan-ho said with a bright smile.

“In the end, you’re saying you don’t have money.”

“…”

“Bring money and I’ll spar with you once. Well then, goodbye.”

Looking at Wei Yan-ho waving his hand as he went down the mountain, Plum Blossom Sword Lord could not hide his bewilderment.