CLS-Chapter 654

Chapter 654:

The sound of the blowing wind feels ominous.

Not a single person dared to carelessly open their mouth.

The sight of one legend falling and a new legend being born usually comes with such extreme dissonance.

Who was Dancheomgeom?

The greatest under heaven.

The person most fitting for those words that no one could carelessly speak was precisely Dancheomgeom.

Neither Geomseon, nor Geomjon, and even if Gwonggeuk were alive, they wouldn’t dare say they were stronger than Dancheomgeom.

Though he hadn’t established himself as the unshakeable greatest under heaven due to his limited activity and rare displays of his swordsmanship, the strongest person in today’s martial world was undoubtedly Dancheomgeom Baek Gong-do, no matter what anyone said.

And yet such a person had just acknowledged defeat.

To a mere youth barely past his coming of age.

“…Damn it.”

Jang Il unconsciously spat out a curse.

The reactions of the other fellows weren’t much different. Musan closed his eyes and repeatedly chanted Buddhist prayers, Paeng Dogeuk gripped and released his sword handle with a flushed red face. And Zhuge Mu-in was busy calculating something with an extremely complicated expression.

‘It’s understandable that it would be complicated.’

The greatest under heaven.

That refers to the strongest person in the world.

If Dancheomgeom had been in the position of greatest under heaven until recently, now the one who defeated him becomes the new greatest under heaven.

Which means…

‘That lazy bastard is now the greatest under heaven?’

It was absurd and suffocating.

He knew Wei Yan-ho was strong. How could he not know after all the time they’d spent together? He already knew that Wei Yan-ho was strong enough to be counted among the best under heaven.

But that was a separate matter from being the greatest under heaven.

How tremendous was the symbolism carried by the words “greatest under heaven”?

The greatest under heaven was the dream of all martial artists. Those who first pick up a sword dream of it, those learning the sword work toward it, and those skilled with the sword hide their dreams of it.

But regardless of what situation one is in, there exists no person who has completely abandoned the dream of being the greatest under heaven. Because the position of greatest under heaven is something that, even knowing it’s a dream, one cannot let go of.

And yet Wei Yan-ho had risen to that position.

Jang Il unconsciously clicked his tongue.

‘My mood is really something else.’

The foremost emotion was undoubtedly admiration. Pure admiration for a friend who had risen to the position of greatest under heaven at barely the age of twenty filled Jang Il’s chest.

But beneath that, the competitive spirit he thought he had abandoned long ago was slowly raising its head.

“Tsk.”

Jang Il shook his head.

‘If I compare myself to that monster, I’ll only become miserable.’

Everyone had complicated expressions.

It was a joyful and good thing, but not something they could purely celebrate. Because people cannot simply watch happily as someone surpasses them.

‘What a tremendous sight.’

Setting aside all those sentiments, there was no denying that the scene before their eyes was a historic moment. It was the moment when the order that had long dominated the martial world was broken and reestablished.

“The era of the Guangdong Wi Family opens.”

“Mm…”

Zhuge Mu-in’s words best explained the current situation.

The status that Baekgeomseong had held in the martial world would now transfer to the Guangdong Wi Family.

“So from now on, that lazy bastard is the greatest under heaven?”

“…”

Everyone fell silent at Paeng Dogeuk’s words that flowed out like a groan.

The end times.

Wei Yan-ho smacked his lips.

Fighting with swords drawn was his specialty, but handling the aftermath was not at all suited to his temperament.

‘What should I do?’

Should he ask the old man Sin Gi-sua to handle it?

Wei Yan-ho stealthily gauged Baek Gong-do’s mood.

Baek Gong-do’s face was surprisingly decent. Though his complexion was pale from internal injuries, in a way he even looked comfortable.

‘His insides must be in terrible condition.’

Though the outside looked reasonably fine, Baek Gong-do’s insides were literally shattered right now. It was natural, having taken such a collision of forces with his body.

It was remarkable that he hadn’t been ground to powder.

So it was awkward to say something to him.

‘Uh…’

Wei Yan-ho slightly turned his head to look behind him.

No one was stepping forward. Everyone was just looking this way with slightly unfocused eyes.

‘Someone please handle this!’

Wei Yan-ho looked at Sin Gi-sua with earnest eyes. At times like this, Sin Gi-sua was indeed the one to rely on. Receiving Wei Yan-ho’s intense gaze, Sin Gi-sua cleared his throat and stepped forward.

“Lord of Baekgeomseong.”

Baek Gong-do’s gaze turned toward Sin Gi-sua.

“I trust you will keep your promise.”

Baek Gong-do quietly nodded.

“I, Baek Gong-do. Though I haven’t lived without shame enough to proudly call myself a gentleman, I have never gone back on my word.”

Baek Gong-do turned around.

“Listen, Baekgeomseong.”

“Yes!”

The disciples of Baekgeomseong all knelt on one knee in unison. Looking quietly at them, the Lord of Baekgeomseong declared in a resonant voice.

“From this moment until the Demon Cult is defeated, I delegate the command authority of Baekgeomseong to Wei Yan-ho, Young Hero Wi. Anyone who does not follow this decision will have their head cut off by the authority of the Lord of Baekgeomseong. Those who will not comply, step forward now.”

No one dared to step forward.

Just because he had lost to Wei Yan-ho didn’t mean the Lord of Baekgeomseong’s status had fallen. He had already sufficiently demonstrated his power in this battle. Just by displaying the Formless Sword, which had never been properly shown to the world, he proved that he was the lord of Baekgeomseong and was not lacking in bearing the name of Ten Thousand Swords.

It was Wei Yan-ho who defeated such a Baek Gong-do who was remarkable, not that Baek Gong-do was weak.

So who would dare rebel against Baek Gong-do?

“Are there no dissenters?”

“Yes!”

A tremendous shout that seemed like it would shatter the world echoed.

Baek Gong-do nodded and turned around.

“Is this sufficient?”

“…Thank you. Indeed, the Lord of Baekgeomseong truly deserves to be called a gentleman.”

“A gentleman…”

Baek Gong-do laughed hollowly.

Gentleman, gentleman…

What he had lost now was too great to be comforted by those words alone.

While it was encouraging that he could reach the realm he had dreamed of all his life, the fact that he was defeated even after reaching that realm was enough to steal away his joy.

Moreover, hadn’t even the path of martial learning he had walked been denied?

Baek Gong-do turned his gaze to look at Wei Yan-ho.

Meeting Baek Gong-do’s gaze, Wei Yan-ho slightly turned his head and pretended not to notice. He acted like a grandson afraid of being scolded by a strict grandfather.

“Haha.”

A somewhat hollow laugh escaped.

He had lost to that child, to that child.

Though it was the result he had desired more than anything, it was also an infinitely sorrowful thing. Anyone in such a situation would find it hard to overcome the feeling that everything about themselves had been denied.

“Are you alright?”

Perhaps knowing Baek Gong-do’s feelings, Wei Yan-ho casually spoke to him.

Was he trying to comfort him?

Or was he trying to savor the feeling of victory?

“You don’t need to be so disappointed.”

Oh?

At Wei Yan-ho’s words, Baek Gong-do’s eyes widened slightly. What was he trying to say?

Wei Yan-ho grinned and said.

“My master said so. Just being alive allows a person to accept failure.”

“…Just being alive?”

“Yes. Being alive means you can move forward and fix things. Master said that worries while alive are nothing compared to being dead. If you’re alive, you can at least fix what you’ve done wrong, but if you die, it’s all over. You can’t do anything.”

“…”

Was he calling this comfort?

Baek Gong-do looked at Wei Yan-ho with bewildered eyes.

Well, it could be called comfort, but wasn’t that too obvious a statement?

That you can’t do anything when dead was too natural. Wasn’t that advice that a ghost, not a person, would give?

“…Did your master say such things?”

“Yes. Master is always like that. It seems like he’s talking nonsense, but when you think about it carefully, he’s always right. That’s why it’s annoying.”

Wei Yan-ho grumbled.

Watching him, Baek Gong-do let out a low sigh.

“You’re still healthy and strong.”

“Me?”

“Yes. It seems like you’ll live another hundred years, right? Then you have plenty of time. Even if you start fixing things now, you’ll have enough time left.”

Baek Gong-do chuckled.

“Won’t you also become stronger during that time?”

“…May I speak honestly?”

“Hmm?”

“That’s impossible for me.”

“…”

Wei Yan-ho shrugged.

“Even I think it’s impossible for me to become stronger from here.”

“Why?”

“You have to work hard to become stronger.”

“That’s right.”

“But I hate that.”

Baek Gong-do’s eyes widened.

“Why?”

“It’s hard.”

“But don’t you become stronger?”

“What would I do by becoming stronger?”

Wei Yan-ho shrugged.

“But you must now accept the name of greatest under heaven. And lead the martial world…”

“You do that, old man.”

“What?”

Baek Gong-do’s eyes widened.

“I don’t need such things. Once this matter is resolved, I won’t even come near the martial world.”

“Wh-what do you mean? You’re turning your back on the martial world?”

“Yes.”

“…How old are you to be turning your back on the martial world?”

“What does age matter? When you’re disillusioned and sick of it, you leave. Honestly, I haven’t had anything particularly good happen while being in the martial world. It was a hundred times better when I hadn’t entered the martial world.”

“…”

“Once this matter ends, I’m definitely leaving the martial world. So you do that greatest under heaven thing, old man. After all, you’d suit it better than someone young like me.”

Baek Gong-do’s face contorted as if he had chewed something foul.

He had heard countless pieces of nonsense in his life. But this nonsense was definitely the greatest nonsense among all the nonsense he had ever heard.

A martial artist!

The greatest under heaven!

Saying he hates training!

Saying he’ll leave because he hates the martial world! That young brat!

Normally, children his age are desperate to show off their achievements and skills. Yet here was someone barely twenty talking like a hundred-year-old veteran of the martial world.

‘No, thinking about it the other way…’

It meant Wei Yan-ho had experienced that much since entering the world.

It would be understandable that it’s difficult. Considering how heavy his burden is.

“After this matter ends?”

“Yes.”

“If we defeat the Demon Cult?”

“Yes.”

Wei Yan-ho shrugged.

“If we can’t defeat the Demon Cult, I can’t leave anyway. Since everyone will die.”

“…”

“So I’m going to win. I’ll beat them all down and leave refreshingly. To a place no one will find.”

Too much was contained in those words.

Regret and pain, burden, and even anguish.

These were emotions too deep for a young child to bear.

Baek Gong-do looked at Wei Yan-ho with sunken eyes.

But if what he thought was correct…

What Wei Yan-ho would have to endure from now on would far exceed Wei Yan-ho’s imagination.

A fate heavy and dark beyond what he could bear was waiting for Wei Yan-ho.