CLS-Chapter 234

Chapter 234

The night of the martial tournament’s main event was bound to be bustling.

For martial artists, martial tournaments were no different from festivals. Even Mount Hua, a pure Buddhist sanctuary, understood this fact and generously provided wine and meat that would normally be unimaginable.

Moreover, Cheong Yeong-ja, who had decided to use this opportunity to promote Mount Hua, relaxed the regulations to an almost excessive degree. While disciples of the main temple were strictly forbidden from drinking, he permitted visitors to drink wine even late into the night.

However, the people who would normally have cheered at Mount Hua’s approach were unusually quiet tonight.

“Heo.”

Cheong Yeong-ja fell into melancholy as he gazed upon the silent Mount Hua.

Normally, every corner should be boisterous. People should be chattering away, predicting the winner based on today’s matches and discussing which faction would benefit. Yet they were all quietly drinking in silence, which was frustrating.

‘Though I can’t say I don’t understand.’

In fact, Cheong Yeong-ja had also canceled his promised evening drinking session, using busyness as an excuse. In his current mood, he didn’t think he could swallow wine.

‘They say one loach can muddy the water…’

If even a loach could muddy water, then when it’s not just a loach but an imugi that’s determined to muddy the water, there’s simply no way to prevent it.[TL/N: An imugi is a mythical Korean serpent that aspires to become a dragon.]

The heated atmosphere of the martial tournament that had been building until recently had turned ice-cold with Wei Yan-ho’s appearance.

‘Can So-ha handle him?’

Cheong Yeong-ja let out a bitter laugh.

“Wei Yan-ho is stronger than me.”

When Gong Mu-jin had said that, he should have paid closer attention. Especially when the honest Gong Mu-jin had emphasized it so strongly.

It was hard to believe. More precisely, it was something he didn’t want to believe. If Wei Yan-ho, who came from the Righteous Alliance, possessed such power, his heart feared they might never escape the Righteous Alliance’s influence, clouding his judgment.

When he faced reality, a new problem arose.

“Kkeueung.”

Cheong Yeong-ja clutched his head.

“It can’t be.”

His mind understood, but his heart refused to accept it. How was he supposed to accept that this worthless human trash was so strong it defied common sense?

“Let’s watch a little, just a little more.”

Tomorrow he will see another match anyway. It wouldn’t be too late to make a judgment after seeing that match as well!

With this thought, Cheong Yeong-ja forced himself to head to his quarters to sleep. He needed at least a bit of rest to judge Wei Yan-ho with a clear mind.

“Aaaaaaaak!“

With so many stars in the world, was there really a need to add one more?

Cheong Yeong-ja let out a hollow laugh as he watched Wei Yan-ho, who had turned his martial opponent into a star in the sky.

‘This is really too much.’

This time, Wei Yan-ho’s opponent was coincidentally Cho Yeong-hwa of Cheongseong, a member of the Nine Great Sects.

Cho Yeong-hwa, known as the Blue Yang Sword, had mastered the Blue Yang Sword technique to perfection and was praised as a promising talent who would lead Cheongseong’s future. Yet once again, he proved Wei Yan-ho’s absurdity by creating another star in the sky with his body.

“What kind of martial match is this?”

The spectators were equally dumbfounded.

They had expected to see swords flying and sword energy reaching the heavens, but when the match started and someone immediately flew off to a distant place, they began to panic.

“Yesterday wasn’t a coincidence?”

“How could you send a martial artist flying by coincidence! It’s not something you can do just by standing still.”

“…Maybe it’s so absurd that’s why.”

“Absurd it certainly is.”

Those who had expected fierce matches between junior masters were bewildered by this completely unexpected situation. It was like going to a dog fighting arena, only to have the cage opened and a lion lazily crawl out.

Moreover…

“May I go down now?”

“Y-yes.”

Wei Yan-ho began trudging down from the martial stage again.

“Kkeueueung.”

Those watching the scene from nearby all grimaced.

Of course, the appearance of a strong junior master should be welcomed. Perhaps everyone had expected such a display. A martial tournament where contestants show off their vigorous youth and repeatedly trained skills while competing to see who’s strongest wouldn’t be bad either, but people always hope for the appearance of an absolute master.

The problem was that this so-called absolute master…

“Haaaam.”

Watching Wei Yan-ho yawn with his mouth gaping wide made their blood boil.

‘What kind of appearance is that!’

His hair was greasy and disheveled from not washing for days, his eyes were pale white as if he hadn’t washed his face properly, and his shoulders were drooping… He didn’t look like someone who had just finished a martial match and was going down, but like a servant heading to the outhouse.

‘Show some enthusiasm at least!’

‘That’s not showing proper respect to the person who lost.’

“Haaaam.”

Watching Wei Yan-ho yawn continuously, several people covered their faces.

‘How am I supposed to explain this to people?’

People want the appearance of an absolute master.

But the problem is they want that absolute master to appear in a convincing form. If the person who had just sent Cho Yeong-hwa flying had been a handsome young man in pure white martial robes with a magnificent heroic sword, this place would have heated up like never before.

But the absolute master they saw…

“Can I go to sleep now?”

“…”

An absolute master who, as soon as he returned to the spectator seats, asked his father about sleeping.

Those who heard these words nearby closed their eyes and shut their mouths.

“…Go, go.”

Even though his son had returned after displaying something unprecedented in the martial world’s tournament history, Wei Jeong-han didn’t look the least bit happy. And everyone watching this scene understood Wei Jeong-han’s feelings.

Deep futility swirled in the eyes of those watching Wei Yan-ho head to his room at the speed of a crawling slug.

“The atmosphere is strange.”

Wei San-ho looked confused.

“What is?”

Jang-il asked with indifference.

“Yan-ho showed something that impressive, so why is everyone showing such ambiguous reactions? Normally when someone displays such ability, don’t they cheer?”

“…Listen here, San-ho.”

“Mm?”

“Don’t talk about your brother in front of other people.”

“Why?”

“If you don’t want to lose what good reputation you’ve managed to maintain.”

Wei San-ho tilted his head at Jang-il as if asking what he meant.

“Tsk tsk.”

Jang-il could only click his tongue.

‘How can he be such a fool for his family?’

In Wei San-ho’s eyes, Wei Yan-ho seemed nothing but admirable. Wei San-ho, who was coldly indifferent to everyone else, somehow got blinders on when it came to Wei Yan-ho and applied strange standards that made no sense.

“Well, there’s nothing to worry about.”

“Why is that?”

“Right now everyone’s just in shock.”

“Shock?”

Jang-il nodded.

‘I was the same way.’

When Jang-il first saw Wei Yan-ho and witnessed his martial prowess, the shock he received probably wasn’t much different from what these people watching Wei Yan-ho now were experiencing.

‘A person should be somewhat reasonable.’

Who would be surprised if a cat showed its claws a bit? But if a longsword suddenly popped out of a cat’s paw, who wouldn’t be shocked at seeing that?

‘Come to think of it, this guy is a bit strange.’

Even though Wei Yan-ho had displayed martial prowess beyond imagination, Wei San-ho alone had never once been surprised. Even Wei Jeong-han, his father, couldn’t accept his son’s sudden change and had become violent, yet Wei San-ho alone accepted Wei Yan-ho’s transformation as naturally as a chick becoming a chicken.

“Aren’t you surprised?”

“About what?”

“About Wei Yan-ho.”

Wei San-ho tilted his head as if he didn’t understand.

‘He really isn’t, this man.’

“From what you and your father have said, Yan-ho was nothing but a useless lazy bum before he left home, yet such a fellow returned after five years as a master who could shake the world.”

“He wasn’t completely useless.”

At Wei San-ho’s firm words, Jang-il clicked his tongue.

‘Hopeless case.’

“Anyway, isn’t that surprising?”

“Surprising?”

Wei San-ho chuckled softly.

“Are you trying to say Yan-ho was able to build his current martial prowess because he encountered some fortuitous opportunity?”

“Isn’t that so?”

“No.”

Wei San-ho’s voice was filled with conviction.

“Even if he had learned our family’s martial arts, Yan-ho would have become a master. Even if he had learned the Three-Element Sword technique lying around on the streets, Yan-ho would have become a supreme master.”

“The important thing isn’t the martial knowledge but the person?”

“Exactly.”

Wei San-ho nodded quietly. The trust in his eyes toward Wei Yan-ho was unshakably solid.

“Haven’t I told you repeatedly? That fellow is a genius when it comes to martial arts. Since such a person devoted five years solely to martial arts, having this level of skill is only natural.”

“…I understand your opinion for now.”

Though I don’t agree with it.

Jang-il shook his head.

‘Even so, it would be normal to be a little envious.’

Wasn’t Wei San-ho the one called the greatest junior master under heaven? Yet even though such a Wei San-ho was on the verge of having his position stolen overnight by Wei Yan-ho, he didn’t seem to feel the least bit regretful.

No matter how deep brotherly affection runs…

‘The Guangdong Wei Family will be unstoppable for quite some time.’

The only way to stop this monstrous family seemed to be for discord to arise between the brothers, but neither Wei Yan-ho nor Wei San-ho seemed to have any dissatisfaction with each other whatsoever.

Wei San-ho was stern yet infinitely caring toward Wei Yan-ho, and while Wei Yan-ho always complained verbally, when Wei San-ho gave orders, didn’t he drop everything and move without delay?

“Guangdong Wei Family! Wei San-ho!”

At the voice from the martial stage, Wei San-ho turned around.

“Is it my turn?”

“Listen here, San-ho.”

“Mm?”

“Go easy… You have to think about people too.”

“A martial artist must do their best whether in real combat or tournament matches.”

“That’s true, but…”

“To say such things without knowing the opponent’s skill is disrespectful to them.”

Jang-il smacked his lips.

‘Not even a speck of flexibility.’

This guy was dangerous in a different sense from Wei Yan-ho.

As Jang-il watched Wei San-ho ascending the martial stage, Wei Jeong-han came into his view, watching with a stern expression.

‘Good grief, his mouth might split from grinning.’

When Wei Yan-ho had climbed onto the martial stage, his expression had been written all over with worry, but when looking at Wei San-ho, he had the expression of someone whose belly was full without eating.

Even if Jang-il were in a father’s position, he would have felt similarly.

‘A reliable eldest son and a troublemaker second son who’s nevertheless certain in skill…’

Jang-il smiled subtly.

‘I should talk to His Majesty and revise our assessment of the Guangdong Wei Family.’

This wasn’t the power of a regional hegemon, but the strength to seize dominance over the martial world. Given Wei Jeong-han’s character, he probably wouldn’t pursue the path of supremacy, but the possibility couldn’t be ignored.

“That’s assuming Wei Yan-ho is willing to move, though.”

Jang-il chuckled as he turned around.