CLS-Chapter 505

Chapter 505:

“So San-ho is……”

Peng Dao-ji couldn’t finish his sentence.

Even though a full day had already passed, Peng Dao-ji still couldn’t accept reality.

Jang-il let out a deep sigh.

Normally, Jang-il would have cursed him as a stupid member of the Peng Family, but right now he couldn’t do that.

‘It’s understandable.’

Even Jang-il couldn’t accept reality yet, so how could Peng Dao-ji remain calm?

Wei San-ho.

Not just anyone else, but Wei San-ho.

Their way of accepting Wei San-ho was different from Wei Yan-ho. Wei Yan-ho was incredibly strong but was like a troublemaker who could cause unpredictable problems.

If something serious enough happened that they really needed someone else’s help, they would all have asked Wei San-ho for help, not Wei Yan-ho.

That’s how much they all trusted Wei San-ho.

No one doubted that Wei San-ho would become the head of the Guangdong Wei Family. Wei San-ho had integrity and knew what righteousness meant. He was a perfectly upright martial hero as if drawn in a picture.

He had passed the position of the world’s number one to Wei Yan-ho for the next generation, but no one thought Wei San-ho’s influence had diminished because of that. No, those who knew the situation had no choice but to think his influence had grown even more.

Wei Yan-ho is a lazy donkey.

He won’t move forward on his own unless you whip his rear. And if you carelessly provoke him, he’ll flip his eyes and throw a tantrum—an untouchable wild colt.

Wei San-ho was the only person who could whip and rein in such a Wei Yan-ho.

If Wei San-ho stepped forward and Wei Yan-ho supported him from behind, who could stop the Guangdong Wei Family? It was obvious that the next generation’s martial world would be led by Wei San-ho’s Guangdong Wei Family.

But the Demonic Cult?

“……What on earth happened? Beggar, do you know anything?”

“What would I know?”

“You’re a disciple of the Beggar’s Sect. You should know more than us!”

“I told you I don’t know! What I know is stuff you all know too! The Beggar’s Sect isn’t omnipotent!”

Irritation crept into Jang-il’s voice.

Who could have possibly predicted this? That Wei San-ho would throw himself into the Demonic Cult.

Something had been strange ever since the Mad Blood Demon took him away. No matter how much Wei San-ho was renowned as the greatest talent among the younger generation, compared to the Mad Blood Demon, he was just a child among children.

Was there really a need to take such a person along?

But that strange choice had returned with this worst possible outcome.

“Amitabha.“

Mu-san spoke with a solemn gaze.

“The human heart is unknowable, is it not? What’s important isn’t why he made such a choice. He has become unbelievably strong, and now his sword will be pointed at the martial world—that’s what’s important.”

“Spouting Buddhist nonsense.”

Jang-il gritted his teeth.

But there were parts of those words he could relate to.

‘How did he become so strong?’

Of course, Wei San-ho is strong.

But that meant he was strong for his age. Wei San-ho wasn’t a transcendent master like Wei Yan-ho who surpassed his age. His strength was the strength of a member of the younger generation.

But in this battle, Wei San-ho had fought Wei Yan-ho to a draw.

It was incomprehensible. Completely unbelievable. But it was reality.

It’s a well-known fact that when someone from the orthodox path learns demonic arts, their skills improve dramatically, but could this be defined as ‘dramatic’?

It was a development that was hard to believe even seeing it with one’s own eyes.

And there was something even more important.

‘What happens next?’

Wei Yan-ho is growing stronger at a dazzling pace. But Wei San-ho had instantly closed the gap with that of Wei Yan-ho.

This time ended in a draw.

Then what about next time? What happens next?

Jang-il’s face became serious.

Perhaps Wei San-ho’s joining the Demonic Cult might not end as just a symbolic meaning.

“Did you block the rumors?”

“……For now, it doesn’t seem like anyone from the Dang Family noticed.”

“That’s fortunate.”

Thanks to Zhuge Yeom quickly setting up a barrier, they had prevented this incident from spreading. Since this was distant Sichuan, there was no one who could recognize who Wei San-ho was just by his face. Even if someone had seen Wei San-ho in the past, it would be hard to recognize him.

Wei San-ho in black robes with disheveled hair had a completely different atmosphere from his past self.

Yes, different.

So very different.

“Damn it.”

Jang-il suddenly stood up from his seat.

“Where are you going?”

“To see Yan-ho.”

“……Yan-ho?”

“Yeah. Our insides are churning like this, so how much worse must that guy be? He’s probably digging a hole in the ground right now, so I need to go see what he’s up to.”

Peng Dao-ji let out a hollow laugh.

“When was it that you were dying to tear each other apart, and now you’re looking after him at times like this.”

“Is this a normal situation?”

“Amitabha, certainly among us, the one who thinks of Patron Wei Yan-ho the most seems to be Patron Beggar.”

Jang-il’s eyes twitched.

Damn it. Patron Beggar? Where did that come from? If a Shaolin disciplinary monk heard this, he would immediately strike this monk’s head with a bamboo stick.

‘Anyway, they’ve all gotten a bit strange.’

Jang-il opened the door and went outside.

The rain had stopped and the sky had cleared beautifully. But rather than feeling refreshed, an inexplicable heaviness weighed down on his chest.

Wei Yan-ho’s guest quarters could be seen in the distance.

‘There’s no way he’s fine.’

People often forget this, but Wei Yan-ho isn’t that old yet. You could say he’s young if you called him young. By the standards of ordinary common people, it wouldn’t be strange if he had already married and had children, but by the standards of martial world people, he was just barely of an age to be treated as an adult.

And one more thing.

‘You can’t judge that guy just by his age.’

Wei Yan-ho had lost five years during his growth period. Five years when ordinary people would meet others, interact, and grow—he had devoted entirely to training martial arts.

According to him, he had been harshly drilled under an incredibly eccentric master unlike any other in the world.

So in terms of mental development, you’d have to say he was underdeveloped.

Such a Wei Yan-ho experienced this kind of incident and would overcome it alone?

“Impossible.”

“Huh?”

“Nothing.”

The taste in his mouth was bitter.

More than that, he thought that perhaps they had been relying too much on that young man who was even younger.

It had been the same since coming to the Dang Family.

Everyone had been telling Wei Yan-ho that he needed to do something.

Even though Wei Yan-ho had never wanted it.

Countless expectations and heavy burdens pressing down on his shoulders. That alone would be a huge burden, but now this kind of incident has happened……

‘First, I need to comfort him as much as possible.’

Not for the martial world, but for Wei Yan-ho.

Having made his resolution, Jang-il arrived at the guest quarters.

“Hmm?”

Several people could be seen inside the main gate of the guest quarters. Among them, the most noticeable person was……

“You, why are you here?”

Zhuge Wu-in looked at Jang-il while holding open a fan.

“Having to see a beggar first thing in the morning, what rotten luck I have today.”

“Why are you picking a fight the moment you see me, you bookworm!”

“How can I not pick a fight when I see your face? What are you here to mooch off of?”

Steam puffed from Jang-il’s forehead.

‘Wei Yan-ho alone is hard enough to handle. Damn it.’

Resolving to avoid getting into a war of nerves with that guy as much as possible, Jang-il spoke bluntly.

“Where’s Yan-ho?”

“He’s inside.”

“Then why are you all standing around like this?”

Zhuge Wu-in folded his fan and tapped his cheek with it.

“Since last night, he has even sent away the servants and locked himself in his room.”

“……Locked himself in?”

Wei Yan-ho barricading himself in his room was a daily occurrence, but the nuance was a bit different. If it were the usual Wei Yan-ho, he wouldn’t have bothered to send away the servants.

Jang-il let out a deep sigh.

He could understand the shock, but acting like a child wouldn’t solve anything.

“Move aside.”

As Jang-il tried to go inside, Zhuge Wu-in blocked his way.

“Why?”

“I don’t think it would be good to go in.”

“When a kid is depressed, you need to smack his butt to get him up.”

“I don’t know if that’s the Beggar’s Sect way, but it doesn’t seem like a good method.”

“Are you dismissing the time-honored disciplinary methods of the Beggar’s Sect?”

“Even so, you’d just end up as a beggar, wouldn’t you?”

“……Huh?”

Jang-il tilted his head.

Right. You’d just end up as a beggar. Because you’re a beggar to begin with.

“Well, a beggar with good character gets better handouts.”

“The young master isn’t a beggar, so he doesn’t need the Beggar’s Sect’s disciplinary methods. He’s someone who will sort things out well on his own. Don’t butt in and complicate things, just go back.”

“What right do you have to stop me?”

Zhuge Wu-in and Jang-il glared at each other in confrontation.

Then Mu-san stepped forward.

“Rather than doing that, I think it would be better to do this. Let’s go in together first. Then if Patron Wei tells us to leave, we can just leave. There’s no need to waste energy on something that’s not a big deal.”

Jang-il clicked his tongue.

“That monk couldn’t speak properly before, but now his mouth has opened up.”

“Agreed.”

Having butted in only to receive unexpected joint criticism, veins popped on Mu-san’s forehead.

“I’m going to lose it, I’m going to lose it.”

“You’ll lose it mercifully.”

“Ugh.”

Mu-san let out a groan and walked ahead into the hall.

“Let’s go together!”

The others followed behind Mu-san.

Having entered the hall and reached the front of Wei Yan-ho’s room, they took deep breaths.

‘I think I hear some sounds?’

He didn’t seem to be sleeping. They couldn’t tell exactly what sounds they were, but there were rustling noises. It sounded like movement under blankets, or like rummaging through clothes.

“Ahem, Wei Yan-ho.”

Jang-il carefully called out to Wei Yan-ho.

No answer came.

“Wei Yan-ho, are you in there?”

Again, no answer came.

“Should we go in?”

Having called this much with no answer, wasn’t that permission to enter? Jang-il, who had somewhat different standards from other people, opened the door without hesitation.

“Huh?”

Looking into the room, Jang-il tilted his head.

A completely different scene from what he had expected was unfolding. He had definitely thought Wei Yan-ho would be groaning under blankets or being depressed……

“You, what are you doing?”

Wei Yan-ho was carrying a bundle on his back.

Then he looked up, discovered Jang-il and the others, and frowned.

“Why are you all barging in from this early dawn?”

“We came to see what you were doing. What’s that luggage?”

“If you’re going to travel, you need to pack.”

“Travel? Where are you going?”

Wei Yan-ho answered as if it were nothing.

“The Demonic Cult.”

“Ah, going to the Demonic Cult… What, what did you say?”

Jang-il was horrified.

Where was he going? The Demonic Cult?

“Hey, you crazy bastard! What’s with suddenly going to the Demonic Cult!”

“Why are you getting worked up when I’m the one going!”

“Why are you suddenly going to the Demonic Cult?”

“You’re stating the obvious.”

Wei Yan-ho’s eyes lit up.

“I heard everything, but no matter how much I listen, I can’t understand it. He’s being inflexible and doing strange things, so I need to beat him up and drag him back.”

“……Huh, so that’s why you’re going to the Demonic Cult?”

“Yeah.”

Looking at Wei Yan-ho answering cheerfully, Jang-il wiped the cold sweat streaming down his forehead.

This is bad.

He’s crazier than I thought.

As Wei Yan-ho tried to leave the room, Jang-il shouted in shock.

“F-first, grab him!”

As soon as Jang-il’s words fell, everyone rushed at Wei Yan-ho and clung to his legs.

“Let go! Won’t you let go! Won’t you let go of this? If words don’t work, I’ll have to beat him up and drag him back! Let go! I’m going to the Demonic Cult!”

“Hey, you crazy bastard! Let’s live with some common sense! With common senseeeee!”

Jang-il’s sorrowful cry rang throughout the Dang Family compound.