CLS-Chapter 236

Chapter 236

How should I put it?

At first, that’s how it was. I felt that way too.

That tournament had some strange aspects to it. Should I say the audience’s response was less than usual? For a tournament of that caliber, it should have been quite a lively atmosphere, but everyone seemed rather subdued.

Huh?

You think it was because of Wei Yan-ho?

I thought so too.

Actually, since you’ve heard about it, you’d know just how absurd a person Wei Yan-ho is. He’s the type who leaves people speechless just by looking at him.

So I thought that was the reason.

But looking back later, it wasn’t just that. People were sensing it too—that ominous atmosphere.

Where did such energy come from?

Well, that’s hard to say for certain.

You know how it is. How should I put it… like how animals show signs of anxiety or flee before an earthquake hits?

It was that kind of feeling.

I felt a strange uneasiness too at that time.

I didn’t know it then, but thinking about it now, it was natural if you think about it. The world changed from that point on.

Yes, that’s right.

That was the beginning.

The place where the calamity that turned the world upside down—the one you know about—began was Mount Hua. And the place where Wei Yan-ho’s legend began was also Mount Hua.

Where that beginning was…

Huh?

No.

No, I said no. It wasn’t there.

This doesn’t seem to have been passed down well, but the first place to get smashed by Wei Yan-ho wasn’t there—it was inside. To be precise, it’s hard to call it inside. Up until then, the Heavenly Justice League and the Righteous Alliance were still in conflict.

Huh? Why does the Heavenly Justice League come up?

Kekekekeke.

There were those who tried to do something unimaginable just one month later.

Hmm, what should I call this?

I don’t know whether to call it misfortune or karmic retribution.

***

“Wei Yan-ho was beyond expectations!”

Dang Myeong shouted with a stern face.

Dang Jong-ui bowed his head deeply, as if unable to bear Dang Myeong’s fury.

“I’m sorry.”

“This isn’t something that ends with an apology!”

“…I’m sorry.”

“Tsk!”

Dang Myeong slammed the table.

Thunk!

With a dull sound, the table split cleanly in half and fell apart pathetically.

“Did you see that martial prowess?”

“Yes.”

“Can you handle it?”

Dang Jong-ui couldn’t bring himself to speak.

Handle it? That monster?

Dang Jong-ui could only smile bitterly.

Handle it—yes, he could handle it. If he properly deployed poison first, then surrounded the area with the Tang Family’s proud Poison Mist Formation, even the greatest master under heaven would have their movements restricted. After that, he could slowly drain their strength with hidden weapons and kill them.

But this was a martial duel.

To execute that method, he’d need at least twenty masters. It was a method that couldn’t be used in a one-on-one duel.

“It’s difficult.”

Dang Myeong’s face hardened further.

“What kind of disgrace is this!”

Though they had handed over the name to Mount Hua, it was the Heavenly Justice League that hosted this tournament. It was tantamount to the first starting point of a tournament begun to steal the position of the world’s greatest from the Righteous Alliance.

And that tournament was about to end as the Righteous Alliance’s feast.

“It’s not just Wei Yan-ho that’s the problem. Wei San-ho! Wei San-ho is also beyond expectations!”

Dang Jong-ui bit his lips hard.

Yesterday, Wei San-ho had displayed the miracle of subduing a martial artist from the Heavenly Justice League in just five seconds.

If it weren’t for the amazing display Wei Yan-ho had shown in the previous duel, if Wei San-ho had appeared before Wei Yan-ho, all of Mount Hua would have been covered in cheers for him.

“The Guangdong Wei Family! Those bastards!”

Dang Myeong ground his teeth.

“It’s not simply that the Righteous Alliance is the problem. At this rate, even the name of the world’s greatest family will be stolen by the Guangdong Wei Family. Seeing Wei Jeong-han strutting around makes my insides turn upside down.”

“…”

“The name of the world’s greatest family is fitting only for our Tang Family. But must we just watch as that name gets attached to another family!”

Dang Jong-ui narrowed his eyes.

‘He’s excited.’

Perhaps because things weren’t going as planned, his uncle was excessively excited. Excited people can’t think normally. It was a bad omen.

“But since we’ve already decided on duels as the method, there’s nothing more we can do.”

“There’s no way?”

“Yes. Unfortunately.”

“Tsk tsk, foolish boy.”

“Pardon?”

Dang Myeong smiled quietly. It was a cold smile that made Dang Jong-ui flinch momentarily.

“Jong-ui.”

“Yes, Uncle.”

“That’s what the martial world is like.”

“Pardon?”

Dang Myeong’s voice became ominous.

“The martial world is a place where you must constantly work behind the scenes to maintain the glamorous appearance you see on the surface.”

“I know that.”

“No, you don’t.”

Dang Myeong spoke in a definitive voice.

“The effort you know is just a part of it. More effort than you think is required.”

“…Uncle?”

“Wei Yan-ho, Wei Yan-ho… Certainly, at this rate, he’ll become a figure capable of ruling the world. If Wei San-ho rides on Wei Yan-ho’s momentum and steps forward claiming to manage the world, who could stop him? If just twenty more years pass like this, both the names of the world’s greatest family and the world’s greatest person will be taken by the Guangdong Wei Family.”

Dang Jong-ui was puzzled.

What exactly was he trying to say?

“But what if, unfortunately, one of them loses their life in an unfortunate accident?”

“Uncle?”

“It seems Wei Yan-ho has gone down the mountain. He appears to be getting something from the marketplace.”

Could it be?

Dang Jong-ui’s eyes shook.

“Th-that’s too dangerous.”

“Dangerous? Why?”

“If it’s revealed that we did that, the entire martial world will rise up to condemn us. The Guangdong Wei Family and the Righteous Alliance won’t stay idle either.”

“Foolish boy.”

Dang Myeong looked at Dang Jong-ui with displeasure.

“We are the Tang Family. Do you know what that means?”

“…”

“Originally, poison isn’t something you sprinkle in front. You spread it from behind. Secretly, so no one knows. You should know that those who died behind the scenes opposing the Tang Family are several times more numerous than those who died in front. And today, one more will simply be added to that number.”

Dang Jong-ui clenched his fists tightly.

He couldn’t face Wei Yan-ho head-on. But he didn’t like using this kind of method either.

“Your expression isn’t good.”

“Uncle, this kind of thing…”

“Tsk tsk tsk, foolish boy.”

Dang Myeong spoke in a solemn voice.

“Don’t you understand that the family’s glory and the family’s existence are more important than your personal satisfaction and your personal glory?”

“…I understand.”

“Sometimes legitimate defeat is necessary. But not now. If a little more time passes and Wei Yan-ho begins to demonstrate his might throughout the world and builds up power, he’ll gain limitless authority. Then it will be impossible. If we’re going to do it, we must do it now.”

Dang Jong-ui realized.

Dang Myeong wasn’t trying to take the easy way out now. He too was desperate.

‘Is Wei Yan-ho really that much?’

He acknowledged that Wei Yan-ho was an absolute master who transcended common sense. But he hadn’t thought he was an existence that his uncle needed to be so wary of.

“You don’t seem to understand.”

“Yes. Wei Yan-ho is certainly strong. But the Guangdong Wei Family is just a small family with no collateral branches, only direct bloodline remaining. How much influence can he have alone, no matter how strong he is, without background and power?”

“Ignorant talk.”

Dang Myeong shook his head firmly.

“It’s not that strong families produce strong martial artists. Families that produce strong martial artists become strong. Do you know which was the strongest family in martial world history?”

“…It would be the Namgung Family or ours.”

“No.”

There wasn’t an inch of room in Dang Myeong’s voice.

“The strongest family in history was undoubtedly the Ten Thousand Swords. They were strong enough to handle the entire world alone. In their strongest period, even Wudang or Shaolin didn’t dare raise their heads before their name. Only the Demonic Cult at its peak, called the strongest force in history, could compare to them.”

Dang Jong-ui tilted his head as if he didn’t understand.

“You’re saying it would take the Demonic Cult? No matter what, a single family…”

“The members of the Ten Thousand Swords were never numerous. But in their prime, he was there. The Sword Emperor.”

There was awe in Dang Myeong’s voice as he spoke the name Sword Emperor.

“You don’t know. You don’t know how tremendous the power a single absolute master can unleash. Before a true master, numbers are meaningless.”

“Are you saying Wei Yan-ho is at that level?”

“No. Wei Yan-ho could never be compared to the Sword Emperor. But consider his age. Though that Sword Emperor was famous as a genius and prodigy from childhood, he probably wasn’t as strong as the current Wei Yan-ho. So what will happen in twenty years?”

“…”

“Though there are quite a few cases where those who were famous as prodigies see their light fade as they age, even if Wei Yan-ho maintains just half his current growth rate, he’ll ascend to the position of the world’s greatest before he turns forty. Then we’ll have to hold our breath until he dies. I cannot bear to see such a sight!”

Dang Jong-ui bowed his head.

Though he understood with his head, his heart couldn’t accept it. At his reaction, Dang Myeong clicked his tongue softly.

“You don’t need to step forward. This uncle will handle everything. So don’t make it obvious and stay quiet.”

“…Yes.”

Watching Dang Jong-ui carefully withdraw, Dang Myeong let out a low sigh.

‘He wouldn’t understand.’

Most of the martial world doesn’t know about it now. How terrible it was when that Sword Emperor was alive.

Thanks to the Sword Emperor’s arrogant personality, the world’s sects had to hold their breath in constant fear of when the Sword Emperor might cause trouble again. The Tang Family managed to avoid that arrow somewhat, but Wudang and Mount Hua, which could be called sword sects, didn’t dare even breathe in his presence.

‘I cannot let that history repeat itself.’

This wasn’t something he was doing simply for his own glory. It was for the Tang Family’s glory, the Heavenly Justice League’s glory, and furthermore, for the sake of the entire martial world.

Having organized his thoughts thus, Dang Myeong quietly closed his eyes.

‘And it is also that person’s command.’

Reverence bloomed in Dang Myeong’s eyes as he thought of that person. However, soon the emotion of fear began to quickly replace the reverence.

If he failed to follow that person’s command to definitely win this tournament, Dang Myeong would suffer a fate worse than death. No matter what, he had to prevent that from happening.

“You’re probably having fun without knowing you’re going to die. There probably won’t be any pain. Consider that my final consideration.”

Dang Myeong’s voice, full of killing intent, spread throughout the room.