CLS-Chapter 230

Chapter 230

“O-of course.”

Whether he truly thought it was natural or whether these words came out because he was overwhelmed by Wei Yan-ho’s terrifying aura, Wei Jeong-han found himself nodding frantically.

Look at those eyes.

If he said ‘it was just a joke’ here, it seemed like the boy would beat up even his own father. Under the single-minded determination that he absolutely could not make his son into an unfilial child, Wei Jeong-han gritted his teeth.

“Right, I really won’t bother you!”

“Six months?”

“Right! Six months!”

In that instant, Wei Jeong-han’s pupils trembled like an earthquake.

Six months.

Since he had matured, the longest period he had lived without nagging in his entire life probably didn’t exceed a mere two weeks. Even that was only possible when he was separated from his family after coming out of the cave, and these days he was being nagged so much that if he didn’t hear nagging once a day, he suspected needles might sprout in his ears.

But six months.

‘Is this heaven?’

It was such a radical condition that he suspected he might enter nirvana from being too comfortable if he lived like that. Especially in a situation like now where people who wanted to exploit him somehow were swarming around, and all those people were poking at Wei Jeong-han’s sides, six months was…

“Really?”

“Have you ever seen this father lie?”

“Quite a lot?”

“When, when did I ever, you punk!”

“Should I list them all for you?”

“……”

“Actually, it’s just that I don’t say anything, but there have been more than a few times I was dumbfounded watching Father get praised outside the house. Honestly, how many times has Father lied at home – it should be more than once or twice.”

“……This time is different.”

Wei Jeong-han’s voice lacked strength.

If he had known it would come to this, he should have lived more honestly.

“Hmmmm.”

It’s true……

You’re saying that’s true?

Wei Yan-ho’s body trembled buru-ru.

It might be nothing to other people, but for Wei Yan-ho, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say there was no greater bait than this.

“You’re not deceiving me, are you?”

“I said I’m not!”

“I can’t believe it……”

Wei Jeong-han turned his head to look at the sky.

Damn, the sky was annoyingly clear again.

What use was it to be called a Great Hero or Righteous Hero Sword when he couldn’t even earn his own son’s trust in life?

“Heh heh heh, if you can’t believe it, we can become witnesses.”

At that moment, with a gentle voice, a Taoist with the appearance of an immortal quietly walked toward them.

“Huh?”

Wei Yan-ho looked at the Taoist and said.

“Grandfather, you came too?”

“Heh heh heh, yes, I came. We’re acquainted, aren’t we?”

Wei Yan-ho nodded, and Wei Jeong-han looked at the old man with vacant eyes before trembling buru-ru.

That immortal-like appearance and black martial robes, and the symbol embroidered on his chest……

‘Taiji?’

Wudang.

That wasn’t particularly surprising. Under normal circumstances, it might have been strange for a Wudang Taoist to be in the depths of Mount Hua, but wasn’t this during the Martial Arts Tournament right now?

It was a tournament that all the renowned sects in the martial world had participated in, so it wouldn’t be strange if a Wudang Taoist had brought disciples for supervision. What surprised him wasn’t such a thing.

The old man’s appearance was making him recall someone’s epithet in his mind.

“By, by any chance?”

Wei Jeong-han didn’t even realize he was being rude right now. No matter who the other person was, if they were a senior with seniority, he should greet them first, but he was so surprised that he couldn’t think that far.

“By any chance, are you Senior Taiji Sword Immortal?”

The old man quietly nodded.

“That’s what I’m called.”

“Heo-eok!”

Wei Jeong-han covered his mouth.

Though he had already prepared himself mentally to some degree, he couldn’t help but be surprised.

Taiji Sword Immortal.

‘Are legendary sword masters scattered all over the streets in this neighborhood?’

He understood that Plum Blossom Sword Master would appear since this was Mount Hua. But even if it was Mount Hua, wasn’t it strange for Taiji Sword Immortal to suddenly pop out?

Was there some kind of gathering of the Five Greatest Sword Masters Under Heaven here?

“What do you mean by witness?”

Plum Blossom Sword Master tilted his head.

“Heh heh, that child says he can’t trust his father. But if we become witnesses, wouldn’t he be able to believe?”

“Oh-ho-ra?”

Plum Blossom Sword Master also smiled ssiik as if this would be interesting.

“That’s a good method. Good, this old Taoist and Taiji Sword Immortal will become witnesses. If your father doesn’t keep his promise, we’ll proclaim to the world that your father broke a promise made with his child.”

Wei Jeong-han broke into a cold sweat and waved his hands.

“S-seniors don’t need to go that far……”

“Why? It seems you had no intention of doing so?”

“……That’s not it.”

He couldn’t say it was a lie here. In reality, he was half-minded to keep it anyway.

‘Tsk.’

Wei Jeong-han smacked his lips.

Actually, listening to Wei San-ho’s words, he too had realized many things. When you really thought about it, Wei Yan-ho should be considered as not having had a moment’s peace since the day he went missing until now.

But right after finding his son again, instead of letting him rest comfortably, he realized only now that he was dragging him around here and there.

‘I got too excited.’

His worry that Wei Yan-ho might gradually lose what he had learned took precedence. Even if he had learned peerless martial arts, if he lived a life like Wei Yan-ho’s where he wouldn’t separate his waist from the bed for a few months, he would become dull and weak.

But so what if that happened?

What he wanted wasn’t the greatest child under heaven, but a healthy and happy child – he came to realize this again.

‘But I didn’t want to be forced into making promises like this……’

Wei Jeong-han smacked his lips with a bitter expression, but Plum Blossom Sword Master spoke as if it was already decided.

“I clearly heard the words that if you win, you won’t bother him for six months.”

“Yes!”

“And the moment the tournament ends, you must cross swords with us.”

“I can do that much.”

Wei Yan-ho grinned widely.

‘What windfall is this?’

If six months of rest was guaranteed, he could do martial arts contests ten times over. How long would that take – ten days at most?

“Then I just need to win now.”

Plum Blossom Sword Master’s snort came halfway out and went back in.

“Keung.”

He was about to scold him thinking ‘He talks as if victory is guaranteed’, but thinking about it, this guy participating in the Late-Stage Junior Tournament was somehow a situation that didn’t make sense.

‘Where did such a monster-like fellow come from?’

Even he couldn’t know exactly what level Wei Yan-ho’s skills were. He had already surpassed the level that could be grasped just by looking with his eyes.

That alone was remarkable. It could definitely be called remarkable. Even taking the lowest estimate, he had the skills of at least an elder-level from any decent old sect. Moreover……

‘That sword.’

Plum Blossom Sword Master closed his eyes with a dizzying feeling.

A single sword strike that seemed like a joke.

If he had paid just a little less attention, he would have passed by thinking it was some other place’s child practicing with clumsy skills.

When he saw the first swing, his chest ached; when he saw the second swing, his vision went dark; and when he saw the third swing, the world shook.

‘It’s not a mistake.’

It couldn’t be.

If only he had seen it, it could be a mistake, but Taiji Sword Immortal had shown an even more turbulent reaction. It had been almost a hundred years since he’d known Taiji Sword Immortal, but this seemed to be the first time he’d seen him show such a turbulent reaction…… what more was there to say?

Such a fellow was participating in the martial contest.

Plum Blossom Sword Master already seemed to see what would happen next.

‘Come to think of it, this isn’t going to be very good for the old sects including Mount Hua……’

Just as Plum Blossom Sword Master was about to say something, Wei Yan-ho turned around.

“Hm?”

Plum Blossom Sword Master called Wei Yan-ho with a blank face.

“Where are you going?”

“Huh? I’m going to rest.”

“Rest?”

Wei Yan-ho who had turned his head smiled brightly.

“Yes. Now that I’ve secured six months, I should rest.”

“The result isn’t out yet, is it?”

“Ai.”

Wei Yan-ho waved his hand. There wasn’t even a speck of doubt on his face.

“You don’t need to worry about that. Hahahahaha!”

Watching Wei Yan-ho wave his hand nonchalantly and walk away, strangely, anxiety crept over them.

“……Then I’ll be going too.”

When even Wei Jeong-han bowed his head and disappeared, Plum Blossom Sword Master looked at Taiji Sword Immortal with an anxious face.

“I wonder if we did the right thing.”

“You did the right thing.”

“But……”

Plum Blossom Sword Master, who was about to say something, shut his mouth tight.

The words that he was worried the old sects might suffer a miserable fate because that child had become serious – even between close friends, it wasn’t something that could be easily said.

Wasn’t it too vulgar and worldly words to come from Plum Blossom Sword Master’s mouth?

“Things will flow according to their natural course.”

“Natural course……”

“It’s not wrong for the strong to show their strength. Rather, if other children don’t know their place because that child doesn’t demonstrate his own power, wouldn’t that be more problematic?”

“Hmm.”

It was something he could understand but not empathize with.

‘The gap is too large.’

When you see someone superior to yourself, if there’s hope that you can somehow catch up, you can burn with motivation, but if the gap is too large and seems impossible to catch up with, you might let go of everything.

And the difference between Wei Yan-ho and other Late-Stage Juniors that appeared in Plum Blossom Sword Master’s eyes was too extreme.

“Just which ancient master raised such a child?”

“Well, I’m not sure. The world is wide and there are many extraordinary people. One thing that’s certain is……”

Taiji Sword Immortal trailed off slightly. Whether it was because he wasn’t confident or because he was embarrassed, only he would know.

“If the person who is that child’s master passed ‘that sword’ to that child, that person is definitely not below us.”

“That would be so.”

Plum Blossom Sword Master spoke in an excited tone.

“If that fellow’s master is alive, I’d like to request a match.”

“Indeed.”

But Taiji Sword Immortal’s eyes who was answering were deeply sunken.

In the beginning there was one, but that one split into yin and yang, creating Taiji. That was the principle of the world they lived in, and the starting point of Wudang martial arts.

‘Even our founder considered reproducing Taiji as the limit.’

Because anything beyond that wasn’t something humans could do. Therefore, the founder considered achieving harmony between yin and yang as the end that humans could reach.

But the sword that Wei Yan-ho wielded had gone one step further from there.

Softness and strength didn’t achieve harmony – they intertwined as one.

Not harmony but coexistence.

Not harmony but unity.

‘Wuji (Without Ultimate)……’

Wei Yan-ho’s sword should rather be called return.

‘Impossible.’

It was a sword with a beginning but no end. It was merely a journey toward a place that could never be reached by a sword drawn by human hands.

But……

One in a thousand, one in ten thousand…… if the end of that sword could be reached?

It wouldn’t happen, but if it could somehow be reached, what would happen?

Then……

All under heaven would see.

The advent of a true invincible one, who had never been thought to exist under heaven until now.