CLS-Chapter 629

Chapter 629:

Masters should not be carelessly provoked.

This isn’t even worth calling a maxim. It’s so obvious that no one thinks about it seriously.

The reason is quite simple.

It’s not because masters are strong. It’s because masters are more free from responsibility than the weak.

Though it goes against the consciousness of normal society, this was an undeniable fact. At least in the martial world, masters are more free from responsibility than the weak.

If a mediocre third-rate warrior kills someone on the street, government troops will immediately mobilize or nearby sects will send investigators. Then they investigate whether that action was justified. If it wasn’t justified, they must take responsibility accordingly.

But what if a master kills someone?

If the Shaolin Sect Leader kills someone on the road, would anyone try to hold him accountable?

They would not.

Most people would convince themselves that if someone of that caliber took action, there must surely have been a good reason. Even if the person who killed provides no explanation for the incident.

There are two reasons for this.

One is the assumption that someone with such skill and social prestige wouldn’t carelessly cause trouble that would damage their own reputation.

But the truly important reason lay elsewhere.

Because it’s frightening and difficult.

A master isn’t a master for nothing. They’re masters because they’re strong. To hold such a person accountable naturally requires the process of subduing and restraining them.

But who would try to do such a thing?

The reason the martial world honors and respects righteous heroes is quite simple. True righteous heroes are almost impossible to find. Those who don’t care for their own safety, don’t calculate profit and loss, and devote themselves solely to righteousness—even if you search with washed eyes, you can’t find them.

Subdue a master to hold them accountable?

Any damage suffered in the process must be borne entirely by oneself. No one will do anything for those who suffer damage in that process.

That’s why people don’t carelessly try to provoke masters. Whether they’re evil or righteous.

The reason the great sects that dominate the martial world still receive a certain level of respect despite countless corruption and misconduct is that they try to subdue warriors who run wild under their jurisdiction, if only for the sake of face.

But even that has its limits.

A master who goes too far cannot be handled by a single sect. Even if they could subdue them, they would have to account for enormous damage.

In the end, the martial world follows the law of the jungle.

No one considers the circumstances of those who have been weakened by suffering damage. If your strength has been weakened by damage for any reason, you must be prepared to give up your territory.

That’s why sects form alliances when they must oppose those they cannot handle alone. They adopt a method of sharing each other’s damage.

That’s exactly what being a Public Enemy of the Martial World means.

You can’t become a Public Enemy of the Martial World just by committing incredibly vicious acts. You must commit incredibly vicious acts while being so strong that no single sect can handle you.

That’s why throughout history, all those who made their names as Public Enemies of the Martial World were masters who dominated their eras.

But…

‘This bastard isn’t even that.’

Wei Yan-ho is different.

If Wei Yan-ho decided to turn the martial world upside down, no alliance would even form.

Because they would have to suffer damage that even such an alliance couldn’t handle.

Baek San knew this fact well.

If he didn’t know that much, he couldn’t have risen to the position of sect leader. Baek San could understand the hidden side of the martial world well enough.

Nevertheless, the reason Baek San could pressure Wei Yan-ho was simple.

First, he was from Hainan Sect.

Hainan could be called the most remote place in the martial world. Moreover, due to the characteristics of Hainan Island, they could be somewhat free from the bloodstorms that occurred in the martial world.

Therefore, he could say what he wanted to say regardless of interests.

And above all…

‘This guy is the son of Righteous Hero Sword, isn’t he?’

Guangdong Wei Family.

And Righteous Hero Sword.

The meaning these two names carried was greater than one might think. And didn’t the Guangdong Wei Family also produce that Demon-Slaying Sword?

So naturally, he thought they would follow righteousness.

If he hadn’t just come up from Hainan, it would have been a mistake he never would have made. But even in the Central Plains, information about Wei Yan-ho doesn’t circulate properly, so how could he, who was in Hainan, know about Wei Yan-ho?

‘That idiot.’

Divine Beggar clicked his tongue.

He went too far.

If he had finished at an appropriate level, Wei Yan-ho wouldn’t have gotten angry. Wei Yan-ho is a lazy person who thinks it’s better to just take moderate abuse rather than go through the trouble of stepping up to fight.

He doesn’t care at all about bad reviews of himself. Rather than caring about such things, Wei Yan-ho is someone who prefers to just sleep a bit more.

The fact that such a Wei Yan-ho was gritting his teeth meant he was truly angry.

And an angry Wei Yan-ho is someone even Divine Beggar wants to avoid.

That bastard is usually the most easygoing person in the world, but once his head turns, he becomes someone who doesn’t see anything in front of him. Didn’t we see that when he beat down the Demonic Cult’s bishops?

What shocked Divine Beggar most in that scene wasn’t Wei Yan-ho’s martial prowess. It was seeing Wei Yan-ho, who usually seemed gentle and would probably laugh hehe even if kicked around a couple times, cut their throats without a moment’s hesitation.

Divine Beggar also knew that Wei Yan-ho was unexpectedly ruthless in combat. Wasn’t he the one receiving reports about Wei Yan-ho’s every action? Wei Yan-ho didn’t prefer fighting, but once combat began, he rarely left opponents alive.

Conversely, that meant his distinction between friend and foe was clear. He was gentle to the point of seeming foolish toward those he didn’t consider enemies, but once he judged someone as an enemy, he showed not a trace of mercy.

And now that stupid bastard has pushed himself into being Wei Yan-ho’s enemy with his own hands.

“Can’t prove it? Then do you want to get beaten up?”

Baek San looked at Wei Yan-ho with speechless eyes.

‘Do you want to get beaten up?’

When had he ever experienced such a thing?

A young brat who wasn’t even old enough to be his child was glaring at him and threatening him. It was something he had never experienced once in his life.

So he couldn’t help but be flustered.

Baek San’s eyes darted slightly. Getting into a brawl with this child would damage his dignity. At this point, if someone would…

‘Huh?’

Only then did Baek San realize.

No one was making eye contact with him.

‘Have I ever seen such pathetic bastards?’

No matter how strong Wei Yan-ho might be, he was just a child from a minor sect.

If they united, crushing that one child would be nothing.

‘Why don’t they understand?’

People should know how to prepare for the future. If Wei Yan-ho continues to gain fame like this, what will happen? If they win the war, after that, no one will be able to suppress Wei Yan-ho.

The Nine Great Sects, who had barely escaped from the authority of the Righteous Martial Alliance now that Gwon Geuk was finally dead, would have to live holding their breath again in the shadow of the giant called Wei Yan-ho.

So they needed to break his spirit now. But far from helping, they were watching Wei Yan-ho’s mood.

Who would have thought the sect leaders of the Nine Great Sects would be so pathetic?

“Kid.”

Baek San flinched.

Then Wei Yan-ho stared at Baek San and said.

“No matter how much you roll your eyes, no one’s going to help you. And this isn’t something where help matters anyway. Since you picked the fight, shouldn’t you and I resolve it?”

“……”

“So, what are you going to do?”

Baek San gritted his teeth.

Wei Yan-ho was right. This has now become an issue between Wei Yan-ho and him. But that didn’t mean he could tuck his tail and retreat. This was no longer something where he alone could lose face and back down.

Hainan Sect’s dignity rested on his shoulders.

“You’re right.”

Baek San said firmly.

“But even if you oppress me, people’s gazes won’t change.”

“Oppress?”

Wei Yan-ho tilted his head.

“And what gazes?”

“That your internal energy is at a level that absolutely cannot be achieved through normal means.”

“……”

“You might be able to shut my mouth. But if you don’t explain this fact…”

“If I don’t, then what will you do?”

“Huh?”

Wei Yan-ho pushed out his belly. It seemed there shouldn’t have been room for his belly to stick out any further—but somehow, it did, if only slightly.

“I’m asking what you’ll do then.”

“……”

What would he do?

Baek San couldn’t answer. He hadn’t thought that far.

‘What do you mean, what would I do?’

What was he supposed to do about that bastard?

When you really think about it, it’s a problem with no answer. The leaders of other sects were all turning away from Wei Yan-ho.

‘Ah…’

Only then could Baek San understand why the others’ reactions had been lukewarm until now.

Punishment is something the powerful inflict on the powerless. When the people do wrong, the nation can punish the people, but when the nation does wrong, the people cannot punish the nation.

That becomes possible when the people’s power gathers to surpass the nation’s power. A successful rebellion is the most decisive way for people to punish the nation.

But what about Wei Yan-ho?

“……”

There was no way.

Even if only half the rumors spread about Wei Yan-ho were true, to beat up that bastard would require all the sects here to join forces. But such a situation would never occur.

Wei Yan-ho’s crimes weren’t certain. And even if those crimes were certain, who would accept damage to themselves in order to punish the wrongdoer?

In conclusion…

‘That, that bastard can’t be touched?’

Might makes right.

Baek San clearly realized what that phrase meant. Along with that, if there was one more thing he realized, it was the fact that he had just touched something he shouldn’t have touched.

“Ah, no, what I meant was…”

He was at a loss for words.

Watching that sight, Wei Yan-ho clicked his tongue.

“Old man, my master said something like this.”

“…Huh?”

“You don’t need to bother treating most people well. If someone complains, just slap them across the face to shut them up.”

“……”

“The reason is quite simple. The reason people have complaints isn’t because something is uncomfortable, but because they think they can have complaints about this person. In the end, complaints come out because they see someone as easy prey.”

Wei Yan-ho shrugged his shoulders.

“I thought that was something only a person like my master could say. Only someone with such a rotten personality would think that way. But now, watching you, old man, I understand what my master meant by those words. So…”

Wei Yan-ho looked around once and glared.

“From now on, I’m thinking of following my master’s teachings a bit more. How does that sound?”

The atmosphere grew coldly tense.