CLS-Chapter 245

Chapter 245

“But…”

Gong Mu-jin narrowed his eyes as he looked at Wei Yan-ho’s lips. Seeing that blackened dead blood, something seemed strange.

‘Wei Yan-ho spitting blood from being poisoned by some poison used by the likes of Dang Jong-ui?’

Unlike others, he who had observed Wei Yan-ho from close range could tell.

This was impossible. He’d rather believe that a dragon died from being stung by a bee than believe Wei Yan-ho was affected by Dang Jong-ui’s poison.

Masters weren’t called masters for nothing. They could resolve ordinary poisons at the level of ‘overcoming them!’ That’s why they were called masters.

But for Wei Yan-ho, who could be called a supreme master among masters, to be brought low not by a Poison King but by the likes of Dang Jong-ui.

‘It seems like he’s putting on an act?’

Moreover, unlike the blood flowing profusely from his lips and chest, Wei Yan-ho’s expression wasn’t bad. No, far from being bad, wasn’t he grinning?

Gong Mu-jin held his head as he watched Wei Yan-ho chuckling. While others would only see Wei Yan-ho’s appearance—grinning with dead blood smeared around his lips—as merely bizarre, to Gong Mu-jin’s eyes, it was a chilling sight.

‘There’s definitely some grudge I don’t know about.’

In this world, there were people who visibly held grudges, and people who held grudges invisibly. In Gong Mu-jin’s view, Wei Yan-ho was a petty person who, while not showing it outwardly, was incredibly small-minded and never forgot even trivial grudges.

Thinking this way, all doubts were resolved. If Wei Yan-ho held a grudge against Dang Jong-ui or the Dang Family, he wouldn’t be satisfied with just roughly beating up Dang Jong-ui. If he was poisoned, Wei Yan-ho was the type who would only be satisfied after completely sweeping away even the place that created the poison.

‘The only consolation is that he’s too lazy to go all the way to distant Sichuan.’

That wicked fellow might do who knows what, so he should definitely warn the sect leader to be careful, Gong Mu-jin newly resolved. While people were starting to roughly understand Wei Yan-ho now, none of them knew Wei Yan-ho as well as Gong Mu-jin did.

He really did what everyone hoped he wouldn’t—that was Wei Yan-ho.

At that moment, Cheongheo-ja was also looking at Wei Yan-ho with an uncomfortable expression.

‘A mudfish.’

It was like a mudfish jumping into a tranquil pond. Cheongheo-ja’s heart couldn’t be at ease watching the martial arts competition that had instantly become murky like muddy water.

‘This martial arts competition started for Mount Hua’s glory, but what kind of mess is this?’

Cheongheo-ja frowned as he watched the cheers pouring toward Wei Yan-ho.

Until now, everyone had looked at Wei Yan-ho with lukewarm gazes. They knew Wei Yan-ho was strong, but since he was someone who had suddenly popped up out of nowhere, the spectators couldn’t emotionally sympathize with Wei Yan-ho.

Moreover, since the revealed strength had no basis for comparison, they knew he was strong but weren’t clear about exactly how strong he was. But…

“It’s loud enough to hurt one’s ears.”

Cheers could be heard from all directions.

The sight of him ultimately overcoming the opponent’s cowardly tricks with his skill while spitting blood was enough to steal people’s hearts.

Moreover, he had even blown away the renowned Dang Ming in the process, so verification of his skill could be said to be complete. Any martial artist would have imagined using their skill to proudly punish petty villains or evildoers who did cowardly things.

But when such a thing really happened right before their eyes—and at a martial arts competition where all the renowned later-generation masters of the world had gathered—people couldn’t help but be thrilled.

“The best!”

“He really beat down that wicked fellow!”

“How refreshing!”

“Wei Yan-ho! Wei Yan-ho!”

The spectators were cheering as if enjoying a festival.

Of course, those reactions couldn’t be sincere. They were probably just saying whatever came out while momentarily caught up in excitement, but…

‘That tends to become sincere too.’

People were mysterious—sometimes emotions dominated reason. Right now they were just speaking while caught up in excitement, but if such incidents repeated, they would truly come to support Wei Yan-ho.

A rising later-generation master having both skill and popularity should be something to rejoice about, but if that later-generation master was Wei Yan-ho, then it wasn’t something to rejoice about.

Wei Yan-ho’s martial prowess was already not just a possibility but a substantial threat.

‘What should be done?’

Cheongheo-ja thought countermeasures were now necessary.

Wei Yan-ho aside, Wei Yan-ho continuing to win like this had too much symbolic meaning. Their intention to use this opportunity to escape the shadow of the Orthodox Alliance and return to the Nine Sects’ original form might lose its justification.

If people said ‘What kind of Nine Sects can’t handle one later-generation master from that small Guangdong Wei Family,’ they would have nothing to say.

‘Of all times…’

If Wei Yan-ho had come from the Heavenly Demon Sect or another organization, they could have used it as evidence that the Orthodox Alliance had lost its influence, but the problem was that Wei Yan-ho happened to be from the Guangdong Wei Family, which belonged to the Orthodox Alliance.

In Cheongheo-ja’s eyes, he could see Wei Jeong-han in the distance, unable to hide his laughter.

Though he had taught numerous Mount Hua disciples like his own children with all his heart and soul, not even one had emerged comparable to Wei San-ho, yet what fortune did that man have that one of his children was Wei San-ho and another was Wei Yan-ho?

‘Did he save a country in his previous life?’

This wasn’t something that could be dismissed as just having good fortune. His fortune was so excessive that even if he suddenly died tomorrow after exhausting all the luck he’d use in his lifetime, everyone would think ‘of course.’

“Ugh.”

As Cheongheo-ja made a groaning sound and slightly turned his body, Gong Mu-jin quietly approached from behind and spoke.

“Sect Leader, a moment.”

“Mm?”

When Gong Mu-jin pointed to a secluded place, Cheongheo-ja nodded.

Now it was certain. Who knew Wei Yan-ho best? If he had trusted Gong Mu-jin’s words from the beginning, the situation might not have reached this point.

So now he needed to listen to Gong Mu-jin’s words. Cheongheo-ja, who had slipped away with Gong Mu-jin, quietly began.

“What is it?”

“Sect Leader, how do you plan to handle the matter with the Dang Family?”

“You mean Dang Jong-ui?”

“Yes.”

Cheongheo-ja didn’t hastily open his mouth. If it was true that poison was used outside the martial arts stage, that was inexcusable. But Cheongheo-ja was also feeling a subtle unease.

“Even if he used poison, would he have used it so excessively? If Dang Jong-ui isn’t a fool, he wouldn’t have used such clearly effective poison in front of all those people, inviting his own crisis.”

“I think so too.”

“Then should we thoroughly investigate this incident and reveal Dang Jong-ui’s innocence?”

“No.”

Gong Mu-jin firmly shook his head.

“That would be the worst of bad strategies. Is there any reason we should take on such a role? Making enemies with either side isn’t good.”

“That’s true.”

“And if I had to choose between the two, I would choose the Guangdong Wei Family over the Dang Family.”

“…To that extent?”

He wondered if choosing the Guangdong Wei Family, which should be evaluated as merely a newly emerging power, over the Dang Family, which had historical prestige as a renowned sect, wasn’t too excessive.

How many Dang Family members lived in the Dang stronghold? Even scraping together all the servants, the Guangdong Wei Family with fewer than twenty people wasn’t a place that could be opposed.

‘No, that’s not right.’

Hadn’t he bled before by ignoring Gong Mu-jin’s words with such thinking? At least regarding the Guangdong Wei Family and Wei Yan-ho, he had to acknowledge that common sense didn’t apply at all.

“You’re saying the Guangdong Wei Family is stronger than the Dang Family?”

“Rather than that… it’s because the Guangdong Wei Family is a trustworthy place.”

“Trust?”

“Yes. Wei Jeong-han and Wei San-ho are trustworthy people. They’re people who know how to repay kindness with kindness, who have integrity.”

“But aren’t they part of the Orthodox Alliance! Even after we turn our backs on the Orthodox Alliance, would they really extend their hands to us?”

“Of course.”

“How can you be so certain?”

“Because the Guangdong Wei Family isn’t a place with such deep Orthodox Alliance coloring. If they were truly firm Orthodox Alliance members, would Wei Jeong-han not have visited the Orthodox Alliance even once in over ten years?”

“Mm…”

“Great Hero Wei Jeong-han is an upright and fair person, but fundamentally he’s not someone who particularly likes belonging somewhere or taking on responsibilities. According to anecdotes, didn’t he abandon martial travels when his children most needed their father’s touch?”

“That’s true.”

“In my view, the Orthodox Alliance and Guangdong Wei Family are connected through the personal friendship between Kwon Geuk and Righteous Hero Sword, not a relationship that can be defined as someone belonging to someone else.”

Cheongheo-ja nodded as if in agreement.

Come to think of it, someone like Righteous Hero Sword Wei Jeong-han should have some position in the Orthodox Alliance, yet the fact that he had no status was troubling. It couldn’t happen unless he himself declined.

“So you’re saying we should side with the Guangdong Wei Family?”

Gong Mu-jin’s eyes gleamed.

“The Dang Family isn’t a place that will stay still after suffering humiliation. If the opponent was an overwhelmingly powerful master with no room for resistance, they’d lick their wounds, but the Wei Yan-ho the Dang Family sees probably isn’t such an untouchable strong master. So won’t they make a move?”

“That’s right.”

“Wei Yan-ho also isn’t the type to leave alone those who touch him. Since they provoked first, he’s probably planning to turn everything upside down. This incident is probably part of that.”

“The two forces will clash, and if we must choose a side, we should side with the Guangdong Wei Family?”

“Yes. And it’s difficult for the Dang Family and Guangdong Wei Family to clash head-on. It’ll ultimately become a war of attrition, and since the Guangdong Wei Family has few numbers, they’re all worth a hundred men each. Eventually, the Dang Family, which sends martial artists bit by bit, will suffer losses and withdraw.”

Cheongheo-ja nodded as if understanding Gong Mu-jin’s words.

“Your words certainly make sense. But leading those above isn’t such a simple matter. If we hastily side with one party and the result happens to turn out opposite, the damage we’d have to bear wouldn’t be small.”

“Mmm.”

“Sometimes not coveting small things is the way to avoid losing bigger things. Keep this in mind.”

“I’ll engrave it in my bones.”

“More than that…”

Cheongheo-ja sighed deeply and opened his mouth.

“If possible, that…”

“Yes?”

“Ugh.”

Cheongheo-ja spoke in a very reluctant tone.

“Could you arrange a meeting with Wei Yan-ho?”

“S-Sect Leader!”

Gong Mu-jin cried out in horror.

“Sect Leader! In this world, there are people one must avoid not because they’re scary or dirty, but because they’re so frustrating they make your stomach burst. I’m concerned it might harm the Sect Leader’s peace of mind! Please withdraw your words.”

“…I understand what you mean, but there are times when one must inevitably meet.”

“Sect Leader.”

“Arrange a meeting.”

Watching Cheongheo-ja’s face become more reluctant than he’d ever seen, Gong Mu-jin squeezed his eyes shut.

While resolving that he must somehow prevent Wei Yan-ho from causing a scene at this meeting. But Gong Mu-jin knew better than anyone in the world that this wouldn’t be easy.