CLS-Chapter 628

Chapter 628:

“Wei Yan-ho?”

Divine Strategy slightly frowned. Why was Wei Yan-ho’s name coming up here again?

“There’s something I’d like to confirm.”

Baek San fixed his gaze on Wei Yan-ho. Receiving that look, Wei Yan-ho started to shrug his shoulders… but instead flinched.

“You can ask me anything. Should I answer?”

“No, you’re not the one who should answer.”

Baek San spoke in a monotone voice.

“I’ve heard a rumor and would like to confirm it. They say something strange happened during this war with Hundred Sword Castle.”

“Something strange?”

“Yes.”

Baek San glanced around slightly. After making eye contact with everyone, Baek San continued.

“I heard that those who suffered from the plague lost massive amounts of internal energy during the treatment process. Thanks to this, Shaolin, Wudang, and the Namgung Family suffered severe damage. Is this true?”

Suddenly finding all eyes focused on him, Namgung Jo-hwi furrowed his brow.

“…It’s true.”

It wasn’t something they wanted to say first.

Because it would look like they were blaming Wei Yan-ho. And another thing—no matter how true it might be, it wasn’t something to discuss in a place where sect leaders from other schools were gathered.

No one would want to officially acknowledge that their combat strength was less than before.

But if asked so directly, they had no choice but to answer.

“It happened during the treatment process.”

“Of course. I have no intention of finding fault. If it weren’t for Young Hero Wei Yan-ho, no one could have treated them, and if they couldn’t be treated, everyone would have died. Young Hero Wei Yan-ho’s achievements are beyond the need for verbal mention. I express my respect.”

Baek San slightly bowed his head toward Wei Yan-ho.

“However.”

But as if that action was merely a prelude, Baek San raised his voice.

“The problem isn’t the result, but the method of treatment. If that internal energy was simply lost, no one could blame Young Hero Wei Yan-ho. But if that internal energy went to Young Hero Wei Yan-ho, this is a matter we cannot simply overlook.”

Divine Strategy closed his eyes.

A troublesome problem.

That’s why they tried to pass over it without mentioning it as much as possible. But Baek San had deliberately brought up that issue.

“But that was in the process of treatment…”

“Master.”

Baek San interrupted Divine Strategy’s words.

“If this treatment was the only problem, I wouldn’t have raised the issue either. After all, the fact remains that he saved everyone in the end, doesn’t it? I don’t think one must walk only the righteous path to achieve a certain purpose. Even if it’s an improper method, if you can use it to produce results, you should use it.”

“No!”

Wei Jeong-han shot up from his seat.

“Sit down.”

“But Master!”

“Didn’t I tell you to sit? Now is the time to listen first.”

Wei Jeong-han glared at Baek San once and then sat down.

‘Cunning bastard.’

Right now, Baek San was cleverly confirming that Wei Yan-ho had used improper methods. While seeming to defend him, he was actually driving the point that Wei Yan-ho had definitely used demonic arts.

“Please continue.”

Baek San cleared his throat. Then he opened his mouth again.

“The sense of loss for those who lost their internal energy must be indescribable.”

“Better than dying.”

“Yes. I think so too. However, I cannot abandon one doubt here.”

Baek San looked straight at Wei Yan-ho.

“Young Hero Wei Yan-ho has achieved tremendous feats. I hear he’s now called the Radiant Sword Hero? Amazing. Such an amazing accomplishment.”

Useless pleasantries continued. Everyone here noticed that Baek San was laying groundwork for what he really wanted to say.

“But you see, the foundation of that amazing achievement rests fundamentally on Young Hero Wei Yan-ho’s unbelievable martial prowess. It was something he could accomplish because he was strong. But…”

Baek San’s tongue moved as nimbly as a snake.

“Why is Young Hero Wei Yan-ho so strong?”

The assembly fell silent.

“Being strong is a good thing. When I first heard Young Hero Wei Yan-ho’s story, I rejoiced that another pillar had appeared in the martial world. But hearing rumor after rumor, at some point I began to think it was strange. How is Young Hero Wei Yan-ho so strong?”

“Are you telling him to deliberately become weak?”

At Wei Jeong-han’s grumbling, Baek San shook his head.

“No, not at all. Being strong is good. And it’s not such a strange thing either. Sometimes geniuses appear in the world who transcend common sense. Yes, like Wei San-ho, Wei Yan-ho’s older brother.”

When Wei San-ho’s name came up, Wei Jeong-han’s face became even more menacing. Just as he was about to explode, a plump hand firmly pressed down on Wei Jeong-han’s shoulder.

Realizing it was Wei Yan-ho who pressed his shoulder, Wei Jeong-han turned his head. Wei Yan-ho was grinning.

Only then did Wei Jeong-han also sigh and calm his mind.

“Wei San-ho is also a genius. Incomparably outstanding. But Young Hero Wei Yan-ho is on a different dimension from Wei San-ho. He cannot be explained simply by the name ‘genius.’ Do you know where that difference comes from?”

Divine Strategy glared at Baek San with a rigidly hardened face.

All the words up to now were just preparation for saying this.

He had prepared a rebuttal, but Baek San drove the nail in before Divine Strategy could even counter.

“Internal energy.”

The moment those words came out, the hall became cold as ice.

“The dimension of internal energy is different. The reason Wei San-ho was called a late-stage expert despite being called a genius who might appear once in a hundred years was also because of internal energy. In fact, all of you here would know that the reason outstanding late-stage experts can’t easily move to the next level is also due to insufficient internal energy, isn’t it?”

“…”

“Internal energy cannot be obtained through shortcuts. It’s something only time can resolve. But…”

Baek San’s gaze pierced into Wei Yan-ho.

“For such a thing, Young Hero Wei Yan-ho’s internal energy is far too powerful. I am at a level that doesn’t even compare.”

“That’s because inside Wei Yan-ho’s body right now…”

“What about before that?”

“…”

“Can someone with insufficient internal energy kill a Demonic Cult Bishop and break the Heavenly Flow Sword? That’s not the only part I find puzzling. The level of improvement was too rapid. During the Mount Hua gathering, Wei Yan-ho couldn’t handle a Demonic Cult Bishop. But in this Luoyang Great War, he turned two Bishops into wandering souls. How long do you think the gap between those times was?”

“So…”

The warmth disappeared from Divine Strategy’s voice.

“What are you trying to say?”

“I just want to hear an explanation.”

“How does one explain becoming stronger?”

“Why are you acting like this, Master?”

“What?”

Baek San spoke with a light laugh.

“You’re being too cheap. If reasonable suspicion arises, can’t one have questions? Are we not allowed to have any doubts about Wei Yan-ho?”

“…”

“Then I’ll speak without beating around the bush. I’ll be the villain. Honestly speaking, I suspect that Young Hero Wei Yan-ho has been using demonic arts to steal internal energy.”

Gong Mu’s mouth fell wide open.

To say such a thing openly.

He acknowledged it.

There was room for suspicion. But it was something no one dared to voice aloud.

But Baek San had detonated the explosive. Now that it had come to this, Wei Yan-ho couldn’t help but provide an explanation. If a proper explanation didn’t come forth, he could even be publicly designated as an enemy.

That’s why both Wei Jeong-han and Divine Strategy couldn’t hide their discomfort now. Divine Strategy seemed even more heated than Wei Jeong-han.

‘That damn bastard.’

What kind of time was this to drive Wei Yan-ho into a corner?

Reasonable suspicion?

That too had its time and place. With Hundred Sword Castle and the Demonic Cult before them, did it make sense for them to create division among themselves?

“Not all words are proper words!”

“Master, these aren’t words spoken emotionally.”

Baek San leaned back leisurely as he spoke.

“If the circumstances weren’t like this, I wouldn’t have harbored suspicions either. But don’t all the circumstances flow in a way that we can’t help but suspect? A late-stage expert whose internal energy increased rapidly, and that late-stage expert absorbed others’ internal energy while treating them. Then couldn’t one suspect that the same thing happened before?”

Divine Strategy ground his teeth.

‘This damned bastard.’

Nonsensical talk.

“How can you suspect such a thing happened when there are no victims!”

“There would naturally be no victims. Because they wouldn’t be alive.”

“Gah! Not all words are proper words!”

“Master, I don’t think my doubts are particularly strange. If you get so excited, it’s rather…”

“Rather?”

Just as Divine Strategy was about to jump up from his seat, a relaxed voice was heard.

“Shouldn’t you be asking me instead of fighting there?”

Of course, the owner of the voice was Wei Yan-ho.

The gazes of Baek San and Wei Yan-ho intertwined in mid-air. Baek San’s eyes were sharp as could be, but Wei Yan-ho’s eyes held mischief.

“Yes, that makes sense too.”

Baek San spoke with a hardened face.

“Now, answer me. How did you obtain all that internal energy? Can you prove that internal energy wasn’t stolen from others?”

“This old man, you’re quite funny, aren’t you?”

Wei Yan-ho chuckled.

“Funny?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Why should I be the one proving that?”

“…What?”

“Old man, you seem to have gotten used to others doing things for you with just a flick of your finger after climbing to a high position, but originally, the burden of proof for suspicion lies with the person doing the suspecting.”

“…What are you talking about?”

“Old man, you came to my room earlier, didn’t you?”

“What nonsense, I never went to your room.”

“You came to my room and stole my money. The money I had bundled up in the corner.”

“Th-this fellow, what are you saying now! When did I ever!”

“Then prove it.”

“What?”

Wei Yan-ho stood up. Then he glared at Baek San.

“Prove right now that you didn’t steal my money.”

“…”

“Since time is urgent, it would be nice if you could do it quickly. If you can’t prove it, I’ll give you one punch for every nyang. Hey, beggar!”

“Huh?”

“How much money was in my purse?”

“Um… about five hundred nyang?”

“…Was there that much?”

Jang-il closed his mouth.

“Cruel bastard, really not even human. Anyway, he says five hundred nyang. So five hundred punches.”

Baek San’s face trembled with rage.

When had he ever received such treatment?

“You seem aggrieved right now, but this isn’t the time to feel wronged. Right now, old man, you need to quickly prove that you didn’t do it.”

“Th-this bastard…”

“Think it’s a joke?”

When Wei Yan-ho lowered his voice, a suffocating tension swept through the room.