CLS-Chapter 650

Chapter 650:

It wasn’t because he had been insulted. Nor was it because the Ten Thousand Swords had been insulted.

The reason Baek Gong-do couldn’t contain his boiling emotions was that Wei Yan-ho’s words had precisely struck the limits of the Ten Thousand Swords that he had been vaguely sensing.

The perfect sword.

A perfect sword containing all the sword principles of the world.

That was what the Ten Thousand Swords pursued.

But the more Baek Gong-do learned and mastered the Ten Thousand Swords, the more he had to suffer from an inexplicable emptiness.

He advanced. Toward perfection.

But no matter how much he advanced and continued advancing, he couldn’t see the end. When he thought he had grasped it, it would grow distant again. When he thought he had approached it, it would somehow slip away.

That was what completion meant to him.

Others said he had approached the completion of the Ten Thousand Swords, but he knew. He knew that the moment of completion would never come to him.

Thinking he had approached it only to have it grow distant again—he repeated this countless times. For his entire life, he had been repeating and re-repeating this arduous task.

Who could understand that emptiness?

People would say:

“But you’ve approached it, so isn’t that enough?”

“You’re ahead of everyone else, so isn’t that enough?”

Foolish words.

The reason Baek Gong-do could advance ahead of others was because he suffered from such desperate thirst.

Completing the Ten Thousand Swords.

That wasn’t simply his goal.

The completion of the Ten Thousand Swords was his mission, his duty and his everything.

He had realized that what he had devoted his entire life to with burning thirst was ultimately something unattainable—and now they were telling him to be satisfied with just having worked hard?

To accept that he had surpassed others?

Only those who hadn’t made the effort could say such things. Someone who had staked everything on something and devoted themselves completely could never say such words.

“…You’re saying I can’t win because I haven’t achieved completion?”

“Yes.”

Wei Yan-ho said matter-of-factly.

“You think you can beat me?”

“Isn’t that what you wanted, old man?”

“…”

Baek Gong-do’s expression became subtle.

Certainly, he had wanted Wei Yan-ho to defeat him. No, to be precise, he had wanted Wei Yan-ho to defeat him and absorb even the essence of his sword.

Because nothing else would have meaning otherwise.

But right now, Wei Yan-ho was rejecting and disparaging Baek Gong-do’s sword.

“You are…”

“I don’t know what you expect from me.”

Wei Yan-ho said firmly.

“But what you’re thinking won’t happen. I hate melodrama, you see.”

“…”

“And clean up the mess you made yourself. Dumping it on someone else and washing your hands of it isn’t romantic. That’s escapism.”

“Escapism?”

“Yes.”

Wei Yan-ho’s voice was resolute.

“The world calls dumping what you’ve done onto others escapism.”

Anger rose on Baek Gong-do’s face.

“What do you know? What do you! What do you know to spout such nonsense!”

It was pure rage.

Baek Gong-ui and Baek Hoe-myeong, who had been watching the situation from behind, widened their eyes.

They had never once seen the family head get so angry.

It wasn’t that the family head never got angry. The family head was also human. Sometimes he got angry, and sometimes he acted unreasonably. But they had never once seen the family head pour out such passionate fury.

So they couldn’t help but be flustered.

They couldn’t know exactly, but it seemed Wei Yan-ho’s words had struck Baek Gong-do’s reverse scale. That rage-filled face could only be explained that way.

“Well, I wouldn’t know. How could I know when you don’t tell me?”

Wei Yan-ho shrugged.

“But what would change if I knew the circumstances? Whatever reason there might be, it doesn’t seem like what you’re doing now can be justified, old man.”

“This…”

“Listen.”

Wei Yan-ho said firmly.

“There’s no such thing as a reason that makes it okay to run away. There’s no such thing as a situation where you have no choice but to run away. In the end, that’s just self-consolation. There are plenty of ways not to run away.”

“Have you never run away?”

“Countless times.”

Wei Yan-ho chuckled.

“I’m not saying don’t run away. I’m saying don’t act like you’re doing something great while you’re running away. Just honestly say and accept that you’re running away because you’re inadequate. Just like how I proudly admit I’m a lazy bum.”

It was an utterly confident statement, but the listeners’ reactions weren’t so good.

“No, that’s a bit…”

“Is that something to be proud of! Is it?”

“Kids these days think everything’s solved if they’re just confident. They don’t know shame! Shame!”

Wei Yan-ho turned his head sharply.

Jang-il’s group, who met his gaze, flinched and pretended to look elsewhere.

“I should catch you all one by one and beat you up.”

They couldn’t stand it whenever he said anything.

Wei Yan-ho turned his head with an irritated expression.

“Anyway, whatever.”

“…”

Baek Gong-do looked at Wei Yan-ho without saying anything.

His posture hadn’t changed at all from before, but his expression had clearly changed.

Looking at his complex face, anyone could tell how many thoughts Baek Gong-do was having right now.

“You spoke of responsibility?”

“Yes.”

But Wei Yan-ho didn’t care. Whatever thoughts Baek Gong-do was having wasn’t Wei Yan-ho’s business.

“Whatever reason there might be, the fact that you’re running away doesn’t change. That’s pathetic.”

“…”

Baek Gong-do raised his head and looked at the sky.

‘Responsibility, responsibility.’

No one knows.

Why he had to choose this path. No one could imagine. This wasn’t something that could be understood.

However…

‘Asking for understanding of something that can’t be understood would also be unreasonable.’

And Wei Yan-ho’s words were also right.

No matter how nicely he dressed it up, the fact that all of this was an excuse for what he had done wouldn’t change. The reason he was angry and furious was because a painful spot had been struck.

“Then you.”

Baek Gong-do, who had taken a slight deep breath, asked.

“Are you saying you’ll just accept everything you’ll have to shoulder from now on?”

“No. There’s no reason I should shoulder it.”

“…Huh?”

What is this nonsense now?

Wei Yan-ho shrugged.

“You keep saying strange things, but I have no reason to take responsibility in the first place. I’ve already taken responsibility for all the mistakes I’ve made.”

“But aren’t you a representative of the martial world?”

“Who decides such things?”

“…”

Wei Yan-ho pouts.

“Just because I’m stronger than others doesn’t mean I have to bear responsibilities that others don’t. Of course, I’ll make an effort. I don’t want to die either. But that doesn’t mean all that responsibility lies with me. If things go well, that’s good. If they don’t, it can’t be helped.”

“…How can you be so half-hearted about everything.”

“Honestly, I understand you old-timers who are serious about everything even less.”

Could the future of the martial world really be entrusted to such a fellow?

Baek Gong-do couldn’t help but have fundamental doubts. In terms of ability, Wei Yan-ho was more than adequate to represent the world, but…

‘His character…’

That damn character was holding him back.

Something felt like motivation was surging in his chest.

“Whew.”

Baek Gong-do shook his head back and forth.

“Perhaps your words might be right.”

“…”

“I apologize. Trying to dump everything on you was certainly an irresponsible thing to do.”

“It’s fortunate you realize it now. And next time, if you’re going to do such things, you should properly assess the person first. I’m not the type to take on such work.”

He was understanding that too right now.

Baek Gong-do opened his mouth with a sour expression.

“But this won’t necessarily be good for you. Either way, we have to settle this match, and because of this conversation, I’ll cut you down without a moment’s hesitation.”

“You’re not getting it.”

“Huh?”

“I’m telling you, old man, you can’t beat me.”

Wei Yan-ho pointed his sword forward.

Holding the brilliantly shining white sword, Wei Yan-ho declared:

“Showing you once is better than saying it a hundred times. You’d better do your best. I can’t guarantee I can control myself either. Don’t lament in the afterlife that you died by mistake because you held back carelessly.”

“…I don’t think I’ve ever received such a vicious provocation in my entire life.”

Baek Gong-do, who had been about to raise Ae-byeong, suddenly stopped his motion.

His eyes were fixed on Wei Yan-ho’s sword.

‘Wait.’

A white sword.

A brilliantly white-glowing sword.

‘No, no. That form is…’

It was different from what he knew. But… Hadn’t Wei Yan-ho said earlier? That the Dang Family’s blacksmith had worked on Wei Yan-ho’s sword. Then what was the original form of that sword?

“…Where did that sword come from?”

“I received it from my master.”

“From your teacher?”

“Yes.”

Baek Gong-do’s face became extremely rigid.

This was impossible. Because that sword was…

Baek Gong-do bit his lips tightly.

‘I’ll know if I check.’

He slowly drew up his internal energy. At his changed momentum, Wei Yan-ho also became a bit more serious.

Just one sword.

One sword.

It wouldn’t drag on long. One sword was enough for two people who had already assessed each other to settle the match.

“Whew.”

Baek Gong-do drew in a short breath.

And at the same time, his sword struck out.

There was no yielding toward a junior. Right now, at this moment, the two were equals. He unleashed everything he had toward his lifelong rival. What he had accomplished in his entire life. Though it hadn’t reached completion, the historically greatest Ten Thousand Swords that no one could deny appeared at his sword tip.

It rippled.

Softly.

And swiftly wove through.

Leisurely pressing down, strongly pushing away. Gracefully creating illusions, constantly changing. The sword tip deflected while the blade drew in.

Everything that couldn’t be defined was within it.

All sword principles that seemed impossible to mix together began flowing along a magnificent river, soon intertwining as one in the vast sea.

The things that gathered and gathered didn’t simply combine. They complemented each other and advanced one step further.

And soon, every sword.

No.

A sword that was nothing flew colorlessly and transparently toward Wei Yan-ho.

A realm even Baek Gong-do, who was wielding the sword, hadn’t expected.

The moment when even the last anguish that had been gripping his heart was cast off. His sword had advanced one step further regardless of Baek Gong-do’s will.

And…

‘This is impossible.’

Song Hyeon’s eyes widened as if they would tear.

There was nothing.

A sword was clearly being deployed, yet nothing could be felt, nothing could be seen. It existed but didn’t exist. Right now, Dan Cheon Sword Baek Gong-ui’s sword had transcended the realm of swordsmanship.

And Song Hyeon knew all too well what that legendary realm was called.

‘Formless Sword.’

The end of swordsmanship.

The theoretical final realm a swordsman could reach.

That realm which no one in martial world history had ever touched was now unfolding before Song Hyeon’s eyes.

‘Young Master Wei!’

A faint energy rushed toward Wei Yan-ho.

Song Hyeon seemed to see Wei Yan-ho being torn to shreds right before his eyes.

And at that moment.

Wei Yan-ho’s white sword also began to move slowly.