CLS-Chapter 269

Chapter 269

The two standing on the martial stage faced each other.

Though their status in the martial world wasn’t much different, those watching from the side thought the two differed greatly in many aspects.

If Wei San-ho was a handsome man with thick features who displayed masculine charm, Baek Geom-yeong was a man with thin features. In some ways, one might mistake him for looking at a beauty rather than a handsome man.

In contrast to Wei San-ho who wore black robes, Baek Geom-yeong wore bright white clothing. They were two people who were quite similar yet different.

“May we begin?”

At Baek Geom-yeong’s words, Cheong Geom-ja, who was serving as referee, looked up. When Cheong Yeong-ja gave permission, Cheong Geom-ja shouted.

“Begin!”

As Cheong Geom-ja stepped back with a leap, Baek Geom-yeong turned to look at Wei San-ho.

“Are you ready?”

Wei San-ho also nodded and drew his sword.

Both men threw their scabbards toward the back of the martial stage. They were acknowledging that their opponent wasn’t easy enough to face while encumbered by a bothersome scabbard.

“It would be nice if this could be somewhat enjoyable.”

“That’s unreasonable.”

Wei San-ho shook his head.

“The one who loses may gain many things, but enjoyment alone cannot be gained.”

“Haha, what wise words.”

Baek Geom-yeong smiled.

“But unfortunately, I cannot possibly lose.”

“Why do you think that?”

“Because there’s no reason for me to lose.”

Baek Geom-yeong spoke confidently.

“You are strong. Perhaps the talent you possess might even exceed mine.”

Baek Geom-yeong acknowledged Wei San-ho.

“You must know well how empty the saying that effort can overcome talent truly is. In most cases, that gap is determined from the moment of birth. You are a chosen human. You yourself know this best.”

Wei San-ho gave no answer.

He too had not been without effort. But to say he had reached this position through effort alone would only result in insulting those who had made equal efforts.

In any field, one can rise to a reasonable level through effort, but to stand at the very top requires something inborn.

“Until now, you probably thought you lacked nothing, relying on that overwhelming talent. But now it’s time to learn. What it is that you lack.”

Wei San-ho slightly furrowed his brow.

Even if Baek Geom-yeong was stronger than him, the difference couldn’t be that severe. Yet Baek Geom-yeong was speaking to him with a tone as if looking down from above.

What could be the reason he could be so confident?

“You look like you don’t understand.”

“Indeed.”

“It’s nothing to hide, so I’ll tell you. The reason you cannot defeat me is quite simple.”

Baek Geom-yeong smiled slyly as he spoke.

“Because the level of martial arts we possess is different.”

Wei San-ho’s face slightly contorted.

He could endure being looked down upon. But now Baek Geom-yeong was saying that Guangdong Wei Family’s martial arts were inferior to Baek Geom Sect’s martial arts.

This was an insult to Guangdong Wei Family.

“How dare you spout such words.”

When Wei San-ho showed an intense reaction, Baek Geom-yeong smiled broadly.

“It’s not wrong, is it? You know this fact best yourself, don’t you?”

“I don’t know about that.”

Wei San-ho looked at Baek Geom-yeong with sharp eyes.

“They say that when one reaches a certain realm, one can fight as if holding a treasured sword even with a tree leaf. But if two who have reached the same realm fight, with one holding a treasured sword and the other holding a tree leaf, who would win?”

“……”

“If the weapons they hold are different, a gap is bound to open.”

Wei San-ho’s eyes grew cold.

“Don’t look at me with such eyes. I spoke the truth. And I did not insult your family. I would have said the same thing no matter who was here.”

“No matter who was here?”

“Anyone who holds a sword.”

Baek Geom-yeong raised his sword and pointed it at Wei San-ho.

“If you weren’t a swordsman, there might have been a chance of victory. But as long as you’re a swordsman, you cannot defeat me. Baek Geom Sect’s martial arts are the best under heaven when it comes to swords.”

Wei San-ho shook his head.

“There’s no such thing as the best martial arts under heaven. There are only the best people under heaven.”

“Then I just need to prove that’s not the case, don’t I?”

“We’ll know once the match is decided.”

No more words were needed.

Further conversation would only hurt each other’s feelings. There is only one way for a martial artist to prove themselves.

A low tension settled between the two.

“It looks like they’re about to start.”

Chomp chomp chomp chomp.

“I’m getting nervous too. Hehe.”

Chomp chomp chomp chomp.

“No matter who wins……”

Chomp chomp chomp chomp.

“Argh! Stop making that damned noise while you eat, you damned bastard!”

Finally exploding, Cheong Yeong-ja grabbed the teacup placed in front of his seat and hurled it at Wei Yan-ho. Wei Yan-ho caught the flying teacup with one hand, drank the tea in one gulp, and answered.

“My throat was getting dry anyway. Thank you.”

“Grrrrrr!”

As Cheong Yeong-ja trembled with rage, the people around rushed to hold his body.

“Now, now, please calm down.”

“If you get unnecessarily involved, you’ll see a terrible sight. You know this, don’t you?”

“Grrrrrr……”

Though Cheong Yeong-ja was furious inside, he didn’t rush at Wei Yan-ho. He knew all too well what kind of end the people who had rushed at Wei Yan-ho had met.

Setting aside the Dark King, Do-wan, who had inexplicably climbed Mount Hua, couldn’t even come out of his quarters.

‘How can he come out with those black eyes.’

He didn’t know exactly how he’d been beaten, but Do-wan’s eyes were literally black and blue. While martial artists recover quickly and most bruises fade in a day, whatever had been used to hit Do-wan, his face showed no signs of recovery.

Seeing Do-wan’s face, Cheong Yeong-ja couldn’t say anything, and Do-wan didn’t say anything either.

There was no need to ask ‘Why did this happen?’ or ‘Who hit you?’ Throughout all of Mount Hua, there was only one person who could land a punch on Do-wan’s face.

There were hardly any with such martial arts skills, and there was only one person crazy enough to do such a thing.

Having seen Do-wan in that state just yesterday, how could he rush at Wei Yan-ho?

‘Ugh.’

As Cheong Yeong-ja let out deep sighs, the people around slowly pulled him to sit down.

But Wei Yan-ho was a man who didn’t know when to stop.

“Even if you’re going to mistreat someone, there should be limits. Mistreating someone over food? How petty.”

“Grrrrrr.”

“Hmm, thinking about it, I think I was in the wrong. If I eat like this, there’ll be a food shortage again. I didn’t consider Mount Hua’s circumstances. I apologize.”

“Grrrrrr.”

“……But I can’t exactly not eat either. Would it be alright if I buy some groceries on my way and bring them up? Then I think I could eat with peace of mind……”

“Just eat! Just eat, I tell you! We’re doing just fine eating and living well without you worrying about such things! Just eat!”

“Whoa……”

Wei Yan-ho opened his mouth slightly with a hurt expression.

“I was showing concern, so why are you angry? No matter how harsh the world becomes, you should know how to receive goodwill as goodwill. Master used to say……”

“Aaaahhhhh!”

As Cheong Yeong-ja had a fit, the crowd rushed to hold him down.

“Please calm down, Sect Leader!”

“More than one or two people have been ruined by getting involved like that! If you can’t endure here, Mount Hua’s dignity will fall to the ground too.”

“Now, now, take deep breaths. Breathe in, and breathe out!”

“I’m not a pregnant woman, what do you mean breathe in and breathe out!”

Wei Yan-ho looked at that scene and shook his head.

‘What a mess.’

Thinking that such people were leading the martial world, he was worried about the future of the martial world, which he thought had nothing much to do with him. Wei Yan-ho turned his attention away from them and looked down.

Before he knew it, Baek Geom-yeong’s sword was flying toward Wei San-ho.

Clang!

Sword met sword with a sharp metallic sound ringing out. Wei San-ho slightly shuddered at the heavy sensation that shook his hand.

‘Heavy.’

Though it looked endlessly light, the internal energy contained within that sword was by no means ordinary. It was amazing that such brilliant swordplay could be created with a sword containing so much internal energy.

It was certainly skill worthy of being confident in one’s own victory. Thinking of the arduous training he must have undergone to build such skill, it would be stranger if he lacked confidence.

‘But it’s not to the degree I can’t handle.’

Wei San-ho had already experienced real combat several times against those stronger than himself. There were times when he had to prepare for death, times when he had to fight with the resolve to cut off at least one arm even if he died.

Compared to that, this was too easy a fight.

Baek Geom-yeong’s sword was strong and fast, but not to the degree where it could be said to have a clear advantage over his sword.

The match could go either way depending on the day’s luck and circumstances.

It was truly evenly matched.

“Hmm.”

Baek Geom-yeong also had a slightly surprised expression.

“Indeed, your reputation doesn’t seem to be in vain.”

Wei San-ho shook his head.

“Enough with the words now.”

“Hohohoho.”

Hearing Wei San-ho’s provocation, Baek Geom-yeong smiled.

“I can’t win with words. But there’s no need to win with words either.”

“……”

Wei San-ho unconsciously gripped his sword tightly.

‘He’s changed.’

He could feel Baek Geom-yeong’s momentum completely transform.

The pressure was completely different from before. As if everything until now had been a game, Baek Geom-yeong was revealing his true skill.

“Now it’s time to prove my words. You cannot win. I’ll make you realize that fact now.”

Whooom.

As if responding to those words, Baek Geom-yeong’s sword let out a cry and was aimed toward Wei San-ho.

‘What on earth……’

Cold sweat began to flow from Wei San-ho’s forehead.

It was a simple middle stance. Just placing both feet together neatly and aiming the sword toward the opponent’s head. Though it was a stance he had seen just moments before, the pressure Wei San-ho felt was incomparably greater.

What exactly had changed to make him feel such tremendous pressure?

“Not just you, but others will now know as well.”

Baek Geom-yeong spoke without losing his smile.

“That the sword among all swords, the King of Swords, has returned.”

“……King of Swords?”

“The world once called this sword that. They said all the swords under heaven were contained within this sword. Therefore, Ten Thousand Swords (Mangeom). They called it a sword that contained the essence of all the swords in the world.”

Wei San-ho’s eyes wavered.

He could tell. That wasn’t mere bluster.

Though only a basic stance had been executed, he felt as if his entire body was being pierced by awls.

It wasn’t simply sharp. Sometimes it felt like a gentle warm breeze was blowing, and sometimes like waves that would swallow the world were pressing in.

He couldn’t understand how one could receive so many different sensations from a single sword.

“We had to forget this name for quite a long time. Because we lost our own sword. But now we have reclaimed our original name. So now we can use that name once again.”

Baek Geom-yeong declared proudly.

“You will have the honor of being the first to fall before the name of Ten Thousand Swords, which has revealed itself to the world once again.”

This was the moment when the Ten Thousand Swords Baek Family revealed their name to the martial world once more.