CLS-Chapter 639

Chapter 639:

It wasn’t that he was already exhausted.

While it was true that his internal energy was depleting at a rapid pace, physically he still had some leeway. No, he needed to maintain some leeway.

Facing a great army alone would be more pressure than imaginable, but even considering all of that, it didn’t make sense for his stamina to be dropping now.

Then what?

Wei Yan-ho wasn’t getting weaker.

They were getting stronger. No, to be precise, they were regaining their true abilities.

Wei Yan-ho was relatively good at facing multiple opponents. It wasn’t as if he had learned special martial arts for this, or received separate training from Baek Mu-han. But the characteristics of his martial arts were well-suited for facing many enemies.

First, the blinding light his sword emitted was a definite advantage.

Martial arts they had never seen before.

Those who witnessed such a bizarre sword would be struck with fear first. No matter how strong-willed they were, they couldn’t shake off the unsettling feeling. In succession, those who witnessed the destructive power emanating from that sword would come to fear facing Wei Yan-ho.

Martial arts cannot unleash their full power without a stable mind.

Until now, those who had faced Wei Yan-ho had collapsed following this sequence.

But now it was different.

Facing so many opponents, no matter how much he swung his sword, it was difficult to deal significant damage at once. And the enemies wouldn’t retreat even if it meant death.

So the longer the battle dragged on, the more accustomed they became to Wei Yan-ho’s sword.

Their suppressed true abilities were beginning to emerge.

Paang!

Swaeaeaek!

The power contained in the flying sword was different from moments before.

It was also true that stronger opponents were coming to the forefront. But it was also true that the very feel of the swords had changed from before.

Kakakang!

A sword clashing with Wei Yan-ho’s blade made a metallic sound and withstood it for the first time.

This was a stark contrast to how the swords of those who had faced Wei Yan-ho’s blade until now had been cut down like grain before a sickle.

And that one moment was significant.

Kadeuk!

Kadeudeuk!

What mattered was that Wei Yan-ho’s sword had stopped, and what mattered more was that those currently surrounding Wei Yan-ho weren’t foolish enough to miss that opportunity.

They knew all too well what they needed to do to face Wei Yan-ho now. They didn’t attack Wei Yan-ho clumsily. What they struck with all their might wasn’t Wei Yan-ho’s body, but Wei Yan-ho’s sword.

Geugeugeuk!

Over ten swords instantly clung to Wei Yan-ho’s sword.

Swords filled with absorbing energy began to cling and drag at Wei Yan-ho’s sword as if they were made of lodestone.

“Mmm…”

A groan escaped Wei Yan-ho’s lips for the first time.

The heaviness he felt in his hands was beyond imagination. If he relaxed his strength even slightly, it seemed he would drop his sword. Losing his sword in this situation would mean death.

And that wasn’t all Wei Yan-ho had to deal with.

The moment they confirmed Wei Yan-ho’s sword had stopped, countless swords began to fill the world.

Swords.

Just swords.

He couldn’t make out human forms with his eyes. Those swords were surely held in people’s hands, yet no human shapes were visible.

‘This is absurd.’

It wasn’t that he had lost track of them.

Wei Yan-ho’s senses were accurately detecting the traces of those holding the swords. Even so, the reason Wei Yan-ho couldn’t help but be astonished was that there were countless individuals who had reached a level where they could achieve complete unity with their swords and deceive the eyes.

He had never once underestimated Hundred Sword Castle.

But the display Hundred Sword Castle was showing now exceeded even Wei Yan-ho’s expectations.

But there was no time to leisurely continue his observations.

“Hup!“

He forcefully injected internal energy. The swords that had been clinging like lodestone were repelled.

Wei Yan-ho raised his head to look at the swords falling like rain.

Each one was approaching to slice through Wei Yan-ho’s body with the momentum of a killing blow.

Seureuk.

Unlike the swords pouring down with fierce momentum, Wei Yan-ho’s sword drew a gentle arc. Like a tree leaf swaying in the spring breeze.

A movement without resistance.

Just a natural arc.

Gentle, so very gentle.

Wei Yan-ho’s eyes began to chase not the present, but the distant past.

“Natural Sword?”

“Yes.”

“Where did you pick up such nonsense?”

“Ugh…”

Master was always like this.

When he asked something, he would look at Wei Yan-ho with eyes that said he was pathetic. Yet that sight wasn’t unpleasant, probably because of the warmth that always dwelled in those eyes.

Even now it was the same.

Despite those corners of his mouth and furrowed brow that seemed to have been researched to most infuriate a person, Baek Mu-han’s eyes held warmth.

“What’s wrong with Natural Sword?”

“I heard it was the highest level of swordsmanship.”

“You sure pick up nonsense wherever you go.”

“…Master, have you ever fallen from somewhere when you were young?”

“Why?”

“Because I’m wondering how a person could be this antisocial without having hit their head…”

Ttak!

“Kkeuk!“

Wei Yan-ho clutched his head and curled up.

“Why do you hit me every time I say something! If my head gets stupid from this, will you take responsibility!”

“How fascinating.”

“What is?”

“That you still think your head could get stupid. I thought you were barely maintaining the human category, but I see there are lower depths below.”

“Kkeueueung.“

Wei Yan-ho trembled with rage.

Of course, Wei Yan-ho didn’t think of himself as a normal human either. Though he shouldn’t, if humans were to be ranked by grades, Wei Yan-ho would never become above average.

Honestly speaking, he would be among the lowest of the low. Setting everything else aside, just his laziness alone would make him unworthy of being treated as human.

Wei Yan-ho had excellent self-awareness, but Baek Mu-han made even such a Wei Yan-ho tremble. Baek Mu-han’s contempt had no measure or consideration.

‘Even dead he’s like this, how did people endure this person when he was alive?’

Now he was just a toothless, powerless old man.

That doesn’t make sense

Those were his own words.

“I can now only use one-tenth of the power I could wield when alive. Even that must be used carefully. If I could use my original power, I’ll leave it to your imagination what would have happened to your head by now.”

After hearing that, Wei Yan-ho had said “Thank you for dying, Master,” and got beaten all day.

Then what was he supposed to answer?

“Hey, you fool. What is nature?”

“Nature is nature. How old are you that you don’t even know that…”

Taaaak!

This time there was definitely emotion involved.

This pain could only be created by a hand filled with emotion.

Watching Wei Yan-ho roll around on the ground, Baek Mu-han clicked his tongue.

“Tsk tsk tsk, look at this stupid fool.”

“Kaak! I didn’t even say anything wrong!”

“You did say something wrong, you stupid boy! What is Natural Sword?”

“…A sword that resembles nature.”

“Then you need to know what nature is before you can resemble or copy it! What is nature?”

“So nature is…”

Wei Yan-ho couldn’t answer.

Nature.

That which is so of itself.

But the generally accepted meaning was…

“Things that aren’t human.”

“Does it work just by not being human?”

“Among things that aren’t human, things untouched by human hands. So, things that aren’t artificial.”

“Why?”

“…Pardon?”

Baek Mu-han chuckled.

“Why are nature and humans separated? What is nature to begin with?”

“…Isn’t it the difference between things that live as they grew and things touched by human hands?”

“What is a human?”

“Uh…”

Wei Yan-ho closed his mouth.

Not because he had nothing to say. Because he understood what Baek Mu-han was saying.

“To begin with!”

Baek Mu-han raised his voice.

“Among those who discuss the Way and nature, is there anyone who isn’t a charlatan?”

“Ugh…”

If he said such things in front of Wudang or Huashan, he’d get beaten to death…

No, wait.

That’s right. He was Master. This person could curse Zhang Sanfeng for three days and nights in front of Wudang and have no problems. Instead, the Wudang disciples who locked their doors would be trembling.

Because he was like a natural disaster of a person.

“Those charlatans are so fraudulent that they say water flowing downward is a natural principle and claim there’s a Way in it. Who doesn’t know that’s natural?”

Baek Mu-han was demonstrating what happens when someone with shallow understanding criticizes principles.

“Those who discuss the Way divide everything. With their mouths they say all things are unified and ultimately becoming one and alike is right, while actually dividing and categorizing everything. And people believe that’s good.”

“…What do they divide?”

“What is the Supreme Ultimate?”

“Yin and Yang.”

“Why do they divide that?”

“…”

Wei Yan-ho tilted his head. It was a problem he had never thought about.

“Before those fools spread such talk carelessly, people in the world never even thought that yin and yang were divided. They simply believed everything was one. But these guys suddenly popped up and babbled that the world is divided into yin and yang, then divided into Four Symbols, divided into Five Phases, divided into Seven Stars, and split into Eight Trigrams. Then what? They say we must return to one? Such snake oil salesmen.”

Wei Yan-ho smiled contentedly.

‘Thank goodness it’s a cave.’

The fact that others couldn’t hear these words was such a comfort.

“That’s all nonsense. What you think is also ridiculous. Artificial and natural are divided? Hey, you fool. Wasn’t man born from nature?”

“…Y-yes, that’s right.”

“Humans are also just part of nature. From the beginning, humans were meant to live this way. Just as animals wear fur, it’s natural for humans to wear clothes. Four-legged beasts are natural, but two-legged beasts aren’t?”

“Uh… mm.”

Master’s words were always like this.

At first they sounded like nonsense, but the more you listened, the more they made sense.

That’s why he was Baek Mu-han, that’s why.

“Natural Sword? Resembling nature? Tsk tsk tsk, humans are nature and nature is human, so what do you mean by resembling nature again? Human swords are natural swords, and natural swords are human swords. Even a monkey playfully swinging a stick is a natural sword. Then why don’t you try resembling that instead?”

“I don’t think you need to speak so harshly…”

“Don’t be obsessed.”

Baek Mu-han’s eyes flashed with light.

“A sword is just a sword. As long as it’s in your hand, that is nature, and that is human. Don’t divide and isolate, don’t abandon yourself to gain something new. Just keep advancing and advancing, and eventually you’ll be standing where you want to be. Yes, that would be…”

Baek Mu-han grinned.

“Natural.”

For the first time, Wei Yan-ho thought Master’s smile was cool.