CLS-Chapter 497

Chapter 497

Heavenly Flow Sword had hardened his expression.

Unlike his usual leisurely manner as he traversed the world, this was uncharacteristic of him.

‘What exactly is this fellow?’

This wasn’t the first time he had seen Wei Yan-ho.

He had already conversed with Wei Yan-ho in the past. Back then, Heavenly Flow Sword’s assessment of Wei Yan-ho was that he was a young master with terrifying potential.

Not only would he not fall behind anywhere in the world, but Wei Yan-ho was so remarkable that even his own nephews, whom he believed would dominate the next era, seemed inadequate in comparison.

He definitely acknowledged that fact.

Wei Yan-ho was the most promising talent of the next generation that he had never seen again in his lifetime.

But that was all, wasn’t it?

Everyone knows that tigers are frightening. However, no one fears a motherless tiger cub. Even knowing it has sharp teeth different from cats, even knowing it hides claws that can easily slice human skin, a tiger cub is just a cub.

For a tiger cub to become a true tiger, time is needed.

But Wei Yan-ho didn’t have that time. That’s why he thought the boy posed no real threat. He believed he could eliminate him anytime he set his mind to it.

He thought it would be better to use him as stimulation for his children rather than kill him immediately. Anyone in the world would have thought the same as Heavenly Flow Sword.

But now Heavenly Flow Sword had to admit that this thinking was a mistake.

A sword.

There was a sword before him.

The sight of Wei Yan-ho looking at him while casually holding the sword he received from Wei Jeong-han was itself a single sword.

‘How chilling.’

He couldn’t understand where that child had learned what and how to reach such a level.

Heavenly Flow Sword rarely used the phrase “I can’t believe it.” He thought it was a phrase that proved the speaker’s lack of understanding.

But there was no other way to express his current feelings without that phrase.

He couldn’t believe it.

How was he supposed to accept that the puppy he had released into the back mountain had returned not as a tiger, but as a monster in just a few months?

‘I must kill him.’

This was a growth rate that exceeded common sense.

At this rate, he couldn’t even predict how strong the boy would become with a little more time.

‘Such a thing must never be allowed to happen.’

This was caused by his mistake. So he should be the one to clean it up. The Family Head was right. This was something he needed to handle.

Heavenly Flow Sword’s eyes sank low.

He acknowledged it.

He could tell just from the aura.

The fingertips holding the sword loosely, the unwavering sword tip, and the calmly settled eyes.

A swordsman.

Yes, like a perfectly drawn swordsman.

If one closed their eyes and imagined a swordsman, such an image would emerge. Heavenly Flow Sword knew how terrifying that was.

Imagination always pursues perfection.

The posture drawn in one’s mind ignores reality. One tends to think of the most ideal and perfect stance. Because one doesn’t fully know what perfection is, one only draws a slightly blurred image.

But looking at Wei Yan-ho’s appearance brought that image to mind.

The image of a swordsman that he had only drawn in his mind.

‘Dangerous.’

His instincts were warning him.

The one standing before him was not the greenhorn he had seen before. Before him stood a supreme swordsman who would sever his neck the moment he let his guard down.

‘I didn’t feel this much pressure even when I faced Sword Immortal…’

If he set his mind to it, killing Sword Immortal would have been nothing. He simply thought there was no need to cut his throat and make a big deal out of it because he had missed the timing.

But Wei Yan-ho was different.

This one was an enemy.

Heavenly Flow Sword quietly let his beloved sword hang loose.

Even so, he was not his match.

No matter how he thought about it, there were no factors for defeat. His sword was the sword of the Hundred Families, and the years he had spent honing his sword could not be compared to Wei Yan-ho’s.

In the end, it comes down to the person. He knew that it wasn’t important what martial arts one learned, but who learned the martial arts. However, he too had been a prodigy when young, a genius in his youth, and now was a swordsman who had reached the realm of maturity.

Though he couldn’t dare compare to the Family Head’s sword that touched the heavens, he didn’t think there existed a swordsman in the world who could be his match. Perhaps if it were the Demonic Cult.

“I heard you survived at the hands of Soul Confusion Demon Emperor.”

Wei Yan-ho’s ears twitched.

Though Wei Yan-ho had been blocking every word that came from Heavenly Flow Sword’s mouth, the mention of Soul Confusion Demon Emperor made him flinch.

“But you’d better be careful. I’m not as soft as Soul Confusion Demon Emperor.”

“Soul Confusion Demon Emperor…”

A smile formed at the corner of Wei Yan-ho’s mouth.

“Then let me see that not-so-soft skill of yours!”

At that moment, Wei Yan-ho charged forward.

‘A failure?’

He had tried a provocation strategy. Since he was still young, though his martial arts might be strong, he wouldn’t have learned how to control his fighting spirit. But there was no wavering in Wei Yan-ho’s eyes as he rushed forward.

Heavenly Flow Sword adjusted his stance.

He needed to break free from the preconception that his opponent was young. Even though he had already acknowledged that he was a complete swordsman, why did he keep seeing him as young?

There was no reason why a blade swung by a young man wouldn’t pierce flesh. Heavenly Flow Sword, having pulled himself together, gripped his beloved sword tightly.

Cutting through the wind, Wei Yan-ho’s sword fell toward Heavenly Flow Sword’s head.

An overly honest strike.

But being honest wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Because it employed no tricks, it was fast, and because it was honest, it was powerful.

Truly orthodox.

People in the world ignore orthodoxy.

They believe that since upright swords can be easily predicted, there must be irregular elements to improve one’s skill. But that was foolish thinking.

Was there orthodoxy from the beginning?

Orthodoxy ultimately means what has been verified as the most excellent among countless variables and survived. Then how can one ignore orthodoxy?

Kaga-gang!

Wei Yan-ho’s sword, which clashed with Heavenly Flow Sword’s blade, emitted a sharp metallic sound.

The sensation felt at his fingertips was heavy.

A precise strike, and an upright strike.

Heavenly Flow Sword couldn’t help but frown at the tremendous impact created by the stance that maintained perfection.

‘How many sword strikes did he swing to create this one sword?’

He could even feel obsession.

A perfectly crafted swordsman, as if carved by a master craftsman who poured his heart and soul into it.

Who on earth could create such a swordsman?

It was a moment when he felt respect for Wei Yan-ho’s master who had taught him, and for Wei Yan-ho who had followed his master’s teachings.

‘Remarkable.’

He had to acknowledge it.

Swordsmen who had reached the upper levels could gauge their opponent’s skill with just one exchange of strikes. This was such a case. Heavenly Flow Sword could guess the harsh training that Wei Yan-ho must have endured.

It must have been an extremely arduous process, like carving stone to create a forest. The teacher must devote their soul, and the student must experience hell.

Here was someone who had accomplished what they themselves hadn’t even dared to attempt.

So he had to be strong.

‘My nephews’ level cannot handle him.’

He felt ashamed of himself for even momentarily comparing Wei Yan-ho to his nephews. And his sense of crisis grew as much as his admiration.

‘If I don’t kill him here, this bastard could shake our grand plan.’

That was something that must never happen.

How long had they waited for this moment?

They had endured, chewing and rechewing their resentment. Waiting for the day when they could return their grudge to this damned martial world. They hadn’t even properly started yet. But signs of failure were already appearing?

It was absolutely unacceptable.

“Tahat!“

Drawing up all his internal energy, he pushed Wei Yan-ho back. Then he tried to ram Wei Yan-ho with his shoulder. Irregularity against orthodoxy. This wasn’t a situation to care about appearances or anything else.

But not everything went according to his plan.

The moment he applied force to deflect the sword, Heavenly Flow Sword realized. He couldn’t feel any strength from Wei Yan-ho’s sword that should have been pushing against him heavily. Like a phantom, it was pushed back very lightly, extremely lightly.

‘Sticking?’

Wei Yan-ho’s sword stuck to his sword and wouldn’t come off. When he tried to push, it was pushed away, and when he tried to pull, it followed. But it never separated.

“This bastard!”

Thinking his intention had been thwarted, Heavenly Flow Sword unconsciously shouted and poured internal energy into his sword.

At that moment.

Udeuk!

Terrible pain was felt from his toes. Wei Yan-ho had momentarily pressed down his sword and stepped on his foot.

“Kkeuk!“

More bewilderment than pain.

Wei Yan-ho, who had impressed him with just his stance, was now thrusting his head forward and stepping on feet like a street thug.

Yes, just like that Spine Tree Maniac.

The momentary change in attitude bewildered Heavenly Flow Sword.

‘I’m falling behind.’

Once he had lost momentum, he couldn’t regain the initiative at this distance. So the best course was to retreat once and regroup. Heavenly Flow Sword unleashed his power forward all at once and used the recoil to pull his body back.

But Wei Yan-ho wasn’t one to just watch.

Wei Yan-ho stuck to him like a loach, faster than Heavenly Flow Sword could retreat.

Then he aimed for Heavenly Flow Sword’s head and both shoulders, thrusting three swords at once.

Terrifying speed.

It was a fearsome quick sword.

Without even time to raise a protective barrier, Heavenly Flow Sword swung his sword. He precisely blocked the three areas Wei Yan-ho was thrusting at. But the moment he thought he had perfectly blocked them, Wei Yan-ho’s sword disappeared like smoke.

‘Phantom sword?’

Not a quick sword?

Then…

Seo-geok!

The sound of flesh being cut by a sword.

Though he hastily pulled his body back, he couldn’t prevent his right thigh from being cut lengthily. And once the balance crumbled, it brought consecutive disasters.

Seo-geok!

Seo-geok!

His shoulder was cut lengthily. It grazed shallowly across his chest. Wei Yan-ho stuck to Heavenly Flow Sword like a leech, continuously swinging his sword. As if he would never let go of the momentum he had gained.

It was amazing how such venom could be hidden inside that normal-looking face.

“Taaap!“

Heavenly Flow Sword instantly unleashed one hundred and eight swords forward. Though excessive power was consumed, opening an escape route was more important than conserving power right now.

If he continued to be dragged along like this, he would be defeated with his entire body slashed to pieces.

With a sound like tearing silk, the front was covered with the afterimages of swords thrust by Heavenly Flow Sword.

If one had to describe it, it would be a sword curtain.

No, it should be called a sword wall.

If he couldn’t deal with his opponent’s attacks one by one, he could just block them all. Whether it was a quick sword, phantom sword, or changing sword, wouldn’t they all be powerless before a wall that could never be breached?

He had shaken him off.

Confident that the attacks wouldn’t continue, Heavenly Flow Sword slightly raised his head.

And then Heavenly Flow Sword saw it.

Light.

No, radiance.

A small sun made of enormous light that seemed to cover the entire world was rushing toward him.

A blazing white sun that seemed ready to devour all the darkness in the world fell down, covering Heavenly Flow Sword’s entire body.

Kwaaaaaaaang!

The world shook.