CLS-Chapter 499

Chapter 499:

‘What the hell is this?’

Cheon Ryu-geom’s eyes were filled with shock.

Immobility.

When roots are planted, they are not shaken by external forces. That was the truth that Cheon Ryu-geom had reached through his entire lifetime.

But now that truth was crumbling.

Wei Yan-ho’s sword struck down at him indifferently.

Kwaaaaaaang!

The moment sword met sword, an explosive sound erupted.

His wrist ached sharply, and his insides were shaken violently.

It felt like his bones would crumble. It felt like his core was being shaken.

‘Impossible.’

This was absolutely impossible.

Wei Yan-ho’s sword was swift. But the moment sword clashed with sword, it transformed into something fierce and powerful.

He already knew that much.

But with each exchange of swords, something was changing.

The concept of ‘swift but fierce’ was transforming into ‘swift while fierce.’

The mysteries of swiftness and power that had been segmented and changing began to intertwine as one.

Like the sea accepting all rivers that flow into it, within the vast sea called swordsmanship, the river of swiftness and the river of power merged into one.

‘That’s impossible!’

This made no sense.

If the mysteries of the sword could be mixed like adding wine to water, why would people in the world divide the tendencies of swordsmen? Why would they determine the inclinations of sword techniques?

Everything is just swordsmanship.

Because human capability cannot contain all tendencies within a sword, all things are divided.

But what is this sword?

“Grrrruuuk.”

A twisted groan flowed from Cheon Ryu-geom’s mouth. In an instant, Wei Yan-ho’s sword, occupying all one hundred and eight directions under heaven, targeted his entire body.

The extreme of change.

Yet within it, he felt a terrifying sense of weight. Each and every sword carried such weight that it seemed like it could crush and burst even rocks. One hundred and eight such swords flew at him simultaneously.

He couldn’t even breathe.

His lungs were compressed, his skin tore apart.

Before the terrible pressure, his sleeves literally crumbled, exposing bare flesh up to his forearms.

‘How is this possible? How in the world?’

This couldn’t be called a new sword.

This was a completely different sword from anything before.

‘What was all my effort for?’

He fell into a state of panic. It felt like his head was becoming completely empty.

He had devoted his entire life to witnessing all the swords under heaven. But now, looking at Wei Yan-ho’s sword, it felt like all his efforts up to now had become meaningless.

What the hell is this?

Everything was within Wei Yan-ho’s sword.

The swordsmanship of the North Sea, the swordsmanship of the Western Plateau, even the swords he had seen in the South Sea… they were all within Wei Yan-ho’s sword.

All swords under heaven.

All those swords were now contained within that small sword.

All swords.

‘All swords?’

Cheon Ryu-geom’s eyes wavered.

A sword containing all swords under heaven.

That was…

“Ten, Ten Thousand Swords?”

An old memory surfaced in Cheon Ryu-geom’s mind.

***

“Have you returned?”

Cheon Ryu-geom quietly looked at his older brother. The head of the Ten Thousand Swords Hundred Family and the lord of Hundred Swords Castle. For him, this was a legendary swordsman he could never dare to catch up to.

Though they shared the same bloodline, his older brother was not someone he could dare to judge. If the blood of the Ten Thousand Swords Hundred Family symbolized strength, then his brother was the one who had inherited that blood most deeply. The blood of the Ten Thousand Swords Hundred Family that had fallen to him was probably just the dregs left after going to his brother.

“The journey was long.”

“Did you see it?”

“Not yet, I have not yet seen it.”

“I see.”

His older brother quietly nodded.

“Brother.”

“Speak.”

“Why do you not witness the swords of the world?”

“…”

Cheon Ryu-geom’s voice was firm.

“I know very well that I am not at a level where I can dare discuss brother’s swordsmanship. I also know very well that in brother’s eyes, this is at the level of a child throwing a tantrum.”

“You underestimate yourself too much. I have never once looked down on you, and I have never thought your level was lacking. You too are a proud sword of the Hundred Family.”

“Thank you. Therefore, I will speak. Countless swords exist under heaven. Some swords are strange and mysterious, some swords are fierce and ruthless. There are faithful swords, and there are free swords. Yes, brother. Countless swords exist under heaven. But how do you try to see the world from this place? If one pursues Ten Thousand Swords, shouldn’t one see more swords at least?”

A warm smile.

The answer from his brother, who had heard his somewhat sharp words, was a smile. Like looking at a young child who rebels against parents with a thick head, yet full of affection.

Yes, that kind of smile.

“Has your sword deepened?”

“I don’t know if it has deepened. But I think it has broadened.”

“I see.”

“Brother.”

“Do not be so hasty.”

His older brother quietly shook his head.

“How could there be only one path up a mountain? There are hundreds of paths up a mountain. There are just some easier paths and some more difficult paths. Since where we go becomes the path, why do you tell me to follow an obvious route?”

“Are you walking, brother?”

“I merely wait.”

The family head slowly raised his head to look at the sky.

“The sea simply stays in its place. But all waters under heaven eventually flow toward the sea. Traveling the world to achieve Ten Thousand Swords is also one method. The method I chose is just a little different. I will try to become the sea.”

“But isn’t that not seeing anything at all?”

“It is seeing everything.”

“But…”

The family head smiled.

“You may find me frustrating, but the reality is a little different. I am walking a path that has already been verified.”

“You said it was verified?”

“That’s right.”

The family head’s gaze was following something far away.

Somewhere endlessly distant.

“It is a path already achieved by someone. I merely follow that path. I can see all swords in the world without traveling the world. Because those swords are already within me.”

“It’s difficult.”

“You need not understand. You need not peek at other paths. You should advance on your own path. Though the paths are different, the place we aim for is the same. Wouldn’t that be fine?”

At the gentle laughter, Cheon Ryu-geom reluctantly nodded.

***

Ten Thousand Swords.

Everything exists within the sword.

Then couldn’t Wei Yan-ho’s sword also be called Ten Thousand Swords?

‘Discomfort.’

He seemed to understand the identity of the discomfort that had been tormenting him. The reason he kept being unable to concentrate.

Similar.

Certainly different.

No, it should be said they were completely different.

But they were certainly similar.

Wei Yan-ho’s sword resembled the family head’s sword.

It certainly resembled that sword which he could never imitate no matter how hard he tried, making him walk a different path.

But how?

Ten Thousand Swords is not a realm one can reach simply by swinging a sword. It is the supreme realm created through the endless training and asceticism of the Hundred Family, establishing concepts over hundreds of years and dozens of generations.

Creating Ten Thousand Swords alone?

Impossible. Absolutely impossible.

Even with the great bloodline of the Ten Thousand Swords Hundred Family, where geniuses were born as commonly as stones on the road, completing Ten Thousand Swords was impossible. The Ten Thousand Swords Hundred Family had maintained the position of the world’s greatest sword family for hundreds of years. Even in such a Ten Thousand Swords Hundred Family, countless geniuses had been frustrated and collapsed before the absolute wall called Ten Thousand Swords.

It was precisely that Sword Emperor Baek Mu-han who completed Ten Thousand Swords amid all that long suffering.

In other words, before Baek Mu-han was born, the Hundred Family had not completed Ten Thousand Swords, and even after Baek Mu-han’s death, they had not reached even the foot of Ten Thousand Swords.

Ten Thousand Swords was a realm no different from fantasy.

But this young man was now certainly following the footsteps of Ten Thousand Swords. Even if others didn’t know, he could know for certain.

A path that those who don’t know Ten Thousand Swords could never take. Wei Yan-ho was now on that path.

“How!”

At Cheon Ryu-geom’s cry of despair, Wei Yan-ho’s eyes hardened.

His coldly settled eyes pressed down on Cheon Ryu-geom.

“To contain all swords under heaven means to stand completely on one’s own.”

Wei Yan-ho’s words penetrated Cheon Ryu-geom’s ears like thunder.

“And yet you joined hands with the Demonic Cult?”

Kwaaaaaaang!

Wei Yan-ho’s strike hit Cheon Ryu-geom’s side. He could barely block it with his sword, but unable to withstand that power, Cheon Ryu-geom’s body shot out like a cannonball.

Thud! Thud!

Only after bouncing on the ground several times did Cheon Ryu-geom regain his balance and right himself.

Woooooong!

The moment he turned his head, enormous spheres of light filled his vision as if it were natural.

“Uaaaaaaaah!”

Cheon Ryu-geom screamed like he was having a seizure.

Kwaaaaaaang!

Successive explosions.

Watching the scene of the fired light spheres sweeping over Cheon Ryu-geom’s body, Wei Yan-ho hardened his expression.

This was unforgivable.

Ten Thousand Swords Hundred Family.

He had tried not to take interest. Though connections had continued due to his master, even his master had not particularly told him to seek out the Ten Thousand Swords Hundred Family at the end, telling him to go his own way.

Therefore, even though he knew that Hundred Swords Castle’s predecessor was the Ten Thousand Swords Hundred Family, he had not tried to narrow the distance. He thought that someday, when the opportunity arose, he could settle all connections by passing on to them the essence his master had transmitted to him.

But the Demonic Cult.

What would his master have said if he knew they had joined hands with the Demonic Cult?

— They no longer have the qualification to inherit the name of Ten Thousand Swords.

Yes, that’s what he would have said.

Those who cannot stand on their own strength do not dare have the qualification to use the name Ten Thousand Swords.

“If those without qualification want to use that name, I should let them know. How heavy the name Ten Thousand Swords is.”

Though not connected by blood, Wei Yan-ho was one who inherited the legitimate lineage of Ten Thousand Swords. By strict standards, except for Baek Mu-han, no one else dared have the qualification to speak the name Ten Thousand Swords.

Only Wei Yan-ho could claim to be the legitimate heir of Ten Thousand Swords.

If they became arrogant because their bloodline was connected, or if they forgot the spirit of Ten Thousand Swords and only claimed its name, Wei Yan-ho had the will to personally erase the Ten Thousand Swords Hundred Family from the world.

That was courtesy to his master and the path to inherit his will.

“Get up.”

Through the settling dust cloud, Cheon Ryu-geom’s figure could be seen. Cheon Ryu-geom, with one knee on the ground, was continuously spitting blood.

“This isn’t enough. Get up. I’ll show you what Ten Thousand Swords is.”

“How…”

Cheon Ryu-geom’s eyes were full of disbelief.

“How do you know Ten Thousand Swords! How!”

“Even if I told you, you wouldn’t be able to understand.”

Not with that stubborn head.

“What’s certain is that you people took the wrong path. My master said that rather than correcting what has gone astray, it’s easier to erase it and start anew. If it’s a Hundred Family that joined hands with the Demonic Cult, it would be better to erase it. Get up. I’ll show you the path you should have originally taken. That’s my courtesy offered to the Hundred Family’s end.”

Wei Yan-ho’s sword vibrated lowly.

“Kehehehe, the path I should have taken?”

Blood vessels appeared in Cheon Ryu-geom’s eyes.

“What do you know? What do you know about the Hundred Family! What path we’ve walked! Why we had to go this far! What do you know!”

“Yeah. I don’t know.”

Wei Yan-ho smirked.

“And I don’t want to know either. No matter what sob story there might be, there are things people can do and things they shouldn’t do. And you seem to be mistaken—I’m not angry because you joined hands with the Demonic Cult. I’m angry that despite joining hands with the Demonic Cult, you dare to speak of Ten Thousand Swords. Ten Thousand Swords doesn’t borrow others’ strength. Because everything exists within one’s own sword. You people no longer have the qualification to discuss Ten Thousand Swords.”

Cheon Ryu-geom’s eyes wavered.

“If the Hundred Family has only the shell of Ten Thousand Swords remaining, I’ll erase it with my own hands. So that you can never again discuss Ten Thousand Swords with that worthless mouth. Because that’s what my master would want.”

A tempest-like fighting spirit began to surge from Wei Yan-ho’s body.