CLS-Chapter 461

Chapter 461:

“Did you say War Sword?”

“That’s right, War Sword.”

Guwangqushen said with a wicked grin.

“Do you know what War Sword is, young man?”

“I roughly understand the concept, but I don’t know the details.”

“That would be the case. It’s such an unfamiliar concept, you see. It’s not that the theory is unfamiliar, but there’s hardly any way to actually see what War Sword is.”

Guwangqushen reached out and grabbed the gourd bottle. Having moistened his throat with the liquor in the gourd, he continued with a chuckle.

“War Sword can be simply described as swordsmanship without form.”

“What exactly does ‘without form’ mean…?”

“That’s what swordsmanship is, you see. Simply put.”

Guwangqushen’s voice became slightly ominous.

“It’s a systematic compilation of how to stab an opponent to death as easily and efficiently as possible.”

“……”

“Depending on how you interpret that ‘efficiency,’ the nature of swordsmanship diverges.”

“I’m sorry, but as I’m not a warrior but a Historian, I don’t quite understand the meaning of your words.”

“Well, let me give you an example. Right now, you and I are at this distance from each other. And let’s say I have a sword in my hand. Should we make it a middle stance? Let’s say I’m now aiming my sword at around your throat. This is what I mean.”

“Yes.”

“Then, what would be the most efficient way for me to kill you here?”

“…It would be to thrust the sword straight and slice your throat.”

“If that’s what you think, then that would be correct. Then let me ask you this. The opponent will resist, won’t they? To accurately stab the throat while considering that resistance, what should you do? As quickly as possible? Or strongly enough to deflect the opponent’s sword as well? Or perhaps twist slightly in anticipation of the opponent’s counterattack?”

“Ah……”

Guwangqushen nodded slowly.

“Depending on how the founder of a martial art interpreted that situation, even a single thrust of a sword can have various methods. Simply put, swordsmanship is something that stipulates ‘in this situation, stabbing this way is most efficient.’ Those stipulations are techniques, and people accept those stipulations and try to perfectly recreate what the swordsmanship teaches. That’s training.”

“I understand what you mean.”

“But War Sword has no techniques. Because there are no stipulations.”

The Historian tilted his head.

“No stipulations?”

“Those who learn techniques and go to the battlefield usually follow certain rules. If the opponent is one zhang away, you’re on guard; if they’re half a zhang away, thrusting takes priority over slashing. If they’re one chi away, slashing takes priority, and if they’re half a chi away, you strike with the sword hilt rather than the blade.”

“Hmm……”

“But War Sword doesn’t have such things. Because War Sword has only one stipulation. Surviving. If I had to add one more, it would be killing the opponent.”

The Historian nodded.

Though it sounded somewhat ominous, it was content he could understand to some extent. The battlefield was such a place, after all.

“Being without form means being free, but conversely, it also means having to think one more time in that urgent moment when lives are at stake. Otherwise, it means swinging meaninglessly without any thought. Do you know what that means?”

“You die.”

“That’s right. Having mastered War Sword means, in other words, being an outsider to swordsmanship. But you see, sometimes such people appear. Those who couldn’t learn anything, couldn’t master anything, but survive. Those who somehow survive and return to the battlefield again. Do you know what happens then?”

“The sword becomes a bit freer?”

“No. Form takes shape. They acquire it. With their own bodies. In what situations they should swing their sword in what way to be most efficient. What others learn from textbooks, they learn with their bodies, and eventually, they come to know everything others have mastered. Then it’s born. Their own swordsmanship. A unique swordsmanship unlike anything else in the world. Do you know what that means?”

“…It means becoming a Founder.”

“That’s right.”

Guwangqushen moistened his throat again and smiled mysteriously.

“Since you’re not a person of Jianghu, you wouldn’t know how incredible that is. Though Jianghu has studied martial arts for thousands of years, only a handful among them have created their own martial arts. And among that handful, only another handful have made their created martial arts worthy of being transmitted.”

“But even that handful wouldn’t be a small number, would it?”

“That’s right. But what makes that handful great isn’t because they created martial arts. It’s because they completely understood and mastered the martial arts they created.”

The Historian looked at Guwangqushen as if he didn’t understand at all. This was a problem not easily understood unless one was a martial artist.

“Young man, have you ever seen anyone in your life who was confident that they had perfectly mastered some martial art?”

“……No.”

“That’s right. That’s how it is. Ordinary martial artists spend their entire lives mastering one martial art. It means they spend their entire lives unable to perfectly understand the contents of a single book, pondering and pondering again. But the creator has a higher understanding of that martial art than anyone else under heaven. So……”

“They would be strong.”

“Of course.”

Guwangqushen chuckled.

“They’re strong. Very strong. Though it varies slightly depending on the level of the martial art they created…… they’re strong. He was like that too. Chuk Su-gwang of War Sword, he was.”

Guwangqushen stared blankly outside the hut and nodded.

“Yes. He was strong.”

***

That’s what War Sword is, you see.

You can’t tell where it will bounce. The world is governed by laws. You might feel free, but most of your actions are influenced by the world you’ve seen so far and the actions of others.

No?

If you had grown up alone in the wild where there wasn’t a single person, would you look the same as you do now?

No, right?

Yes, that’s how it is.

The freedom you speak of is ultimately built on the foundation of the human world. Swordsmanship is the same. Even if you pursue something different, you cannot escape the influence of the swordsmanship you’ve learned and seen before. Of course, not only swordsmanship but all martial arts are like that.

But War Sword deviates greatly from that foundation. Very greatly.

That’s why it’s bizarre.

How bizarre?

There were quite a few under heaven who could be confident they were stronger than Chuk Su-gwang. There were actually those stronger than Chuk Su-gwang, and there were many who dismissed him saying ‘How strong could someone who learned such lowly wanderer swordsmanship be?’

But among them, there wasn’t a single one who wanted to directly cross hands with Chuk Su-gwang.

Why?

Because they weren’t confident.

Hehehehe, that’s what War Sword is. When a master fights a novice, shutting down variables is the priority. No matter how great a master, a blade still penetrates.

It’s common for renowned figures to be humiliated by the wild sword swinging of wanderers.

But since he was called the War King, how much more so would it be? He might lose to someone weaker than himself, but he could also take down someone stronger.

Yes.

That’s why everyone didn’t want to cross hands with the War King.

Huh?

That fellow?

No, that fellow didn’t particularly like fighting to begin with.

But…… he does seem a bit different.

Well, that’s not that fellow’s problem but his master’s problem.

***

What is the most important thing for existing as the head of a family?

Tang Cheon-gun didn’t know the answer to that.

The position of family head was a toilsome position the more one experienced it. Attending to everything that makes a great family run is not easy for anyone. Especially if it’s a giant family like the Tang Family.

However……

Though Tang Cheon-gun didn’t know the most important thing, he knew what the most difficult thing was. Especially for him, the most difficult thing was precisely this.

Hiding his true feelings.

Managing his expressions.

Smiling at disagreeable people for the reason that it would be profitable.

There were those who did this easily, but for Tang Cheon-gun, who had a straightforward personality, it was the most difficult thing in the world. Especially if the person in front of him was someone who provoked him in various ways.

‘Chuk Su-gwang.’

Tang Cheon-gun found it disagreeable to look at this man. Because looking at this man brought various thoughts.

The most suitable person for the position of Heavenly Alliance Leader that Chuk Su-gwang was now sitting in was precisely Tang Cheon-gun.

Wasn’t the Heavenly Alliance a confederation of Sichuan?

If not him, the master of the Tang Family representing Sichuan and the Dark King as the family head, then who could sit there?

But the current Heavenly Alliance Leader was not him but Chuk Su-gwang.

Tang Cheon-gun took a low, deep breath.

‘If only his martial arts were lower……’

The reason Chuk Su-gwang made him irritated was because he was strong. The Dark King didn’t think he would lose in a match against him, but honestly, he wasn’t confident he would win either.

The only area where he surpassed Chuk Su-gwang was the fact that he was the head of the Tang Family.

How unsightly it would be to brandish the halo of his family against an opponent he couldn’t defeat with skill.

If his and Chuk Su-gwang’s positions were reversed, he would probably be unable to even lift his head in front of Chuk Su-gwang by now. Having the insight to coldly assess this was what tormented Tang Cheon-gun.

Moreover……

“It’s been a long time.”

Tang Cheon-gun bowed his head deeply. Then Chuk Su-gwang received his greeting with a light nod.

“It has been a long time.”

“……”

That attitude.

That attitude was scratching at Tang Cheon-gun’s insides even more. No matter how much he was the Heavenly Alliance Leader, Tang Cheon-gun was nominally the head of the Tang Family. He should show at least minimal respect. But Chuk Su-gwang treated Tang Cheon-gun like a subordinate. And with a subtle smile at that.

‘Damn it.’

Tang Cheon-gun felt utterly miserable meeting the person he least wanted to see in the inner courtyard of the Tang Family.

“I heard there’s a problem with the Tang Family.”

“That’s correct.”

“Hmm, I didn’t expect something to happen with the Tang Family.”

Even those words sounded like mockery to Tang Cheon-gun. As if saying ‘If you had managed properly, this wouldn’t have happened.’

“That’s why I invited the Alliance Leader, isn’t it?”

It meant, if you’re so great, you try solving it.

“Would I be of help? Deeply intervening in family matters wouldn’t look good either, would it?”

It meant, your business is yours to handle.

‘Then why did you come?’

He wanted to immediately shout and chase him away. But Tang Cheon-gun knew better than anyone that he shouldn’t do that. That’s why Tang Cheon-gun avoided meeting Chuk Su-gwang.

“More than that……”

Chuk Su-gwang quietly opened his mouth.

“I heard you called in an interesting child.”

“Do you mean Wei Yan-ho?”

“That was the name.”

A gleam appeared in Tang Cheon-gun’s eyes.

‘He’s interested in that fellow……’

Perhaps this could be an opportunity. An opportunity to cut down Chuk Su-gwang’s solid reputation in one stroke. For that……

“So where is that child now?”

Tang Cheon-gun clenched his fist tightly.

A big catch had jumped up to the waterside on its own without him even casting bait.

“I’ll guide you there.”

Tang Cheon-gun smiled a triumphant smile, having scooped up the big catch with his net.