Chapter 463: The Connection
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Ripples arose in Gun Mu-ak’s flinching pupils.
‘So he really did find out the enemy camp’s location!’
Having experienced Cheol Ryu-heun’s attitude since coming to this land, he knew well.
He was someone who always spoke only the truth.
Though he usually seemed to act indifferently, in the words he tossed out casually, there was always truth.
That was the same now.
What Cheol Ryu-heun just said must have come from conviction without an iota of error.
Thinking so, Gun Mu-ak wore a faint smile.
Simultaneously.
KKWAK.
A fist clenched silently.
The retainers found that sight inwardly wondrous.
It couldn’t be helped.
For Gun Mu-ak, it was an extremely rare intense reaction.
Ah, so he was a person who could make that kind of smile too.
Everyone’s eyes seemed to be murmuring the same words inside.
But.
What was even more wondrous was Cheol Ryu-heun.
He was, as they say, amazing and amazing again.
The enemy who had perished here had boasted a tremendous martial arts level.
All the retainers including Namgung Sang-rin had already keenly felt it.
Yet Cheol Ryu-heun had subdued him, and furthermore read the thoughts in his mind to find out even useful information.
How high of a level must one reach to be able to display such ability?
For the retainers, it was a level beyond their ability to gauge.
He was originally remarkable, but he became more remarkable as time went on.
Truly to the point where the word ‘limit’ was meaningless.
Right then, Namgung Sang-rin gazed at the distance and asked.
“Was his identity perhaps…… One of the Four Divine Generals?”
Where his gaze rested was that spot where Wang-ryu had died and disappeared.
Gun Mu-ak also cast his eyes there and said.
“He possessed power that surpassed me at a glance. If so, there’s a high chance he was one of the Four Divine Generals.”
Cheol Ryu-heun nodded slightly and answered.
“Yes. One of the Four Divine Generals, Black Tortoise Divine General Wang-ryu.”
At those words, the retainers also nodded.
“Ah! As expected……”
“Goodness, so that was it. Black Tortoise Divine General Wang-ryu……”
“No wonder he was strong, his status was no ordinary thing.”
In the midst of that, Cheol Ryu-heun’s voice continued.
“As you saw earlier, he was one who possessed a Divine beast’s Divine energy. In that guy’s memory, the Heaven Emperor Society Lord boasted like this. That he was a masterpiece he had created.”
Then he gazed at Namgung Sang-rin fixedly.
“Your appearance is the spitting image of your late Father.”
At that moment, Namgung Sang-rin’s expression strangely hardened.
What did that mean?
How did Cheol Ryu-heun know his father’s face?
But such doubt wasn’t long.
“Sect Master Cheol, could it be……!”
Namgung Sang-rin quickly intuited it.
That in Wang-ryu’s mind, there must have been a scene related to his father Namgung Si-ryang.
Sure enough.
“I saw it.”
At Cheol Ryu-heun’s words having read his eyes, Namgung Sang-rin’s heart surged.
Tears quickly filled his eyes.
He saw it.
He had finally comprehended the meaning contained in those concise words.
“Ah…… Th-then……”
Hot tears flowed down both cheeks.
Such he cried out inside.
‘So it was you!’
Through the words Cheol Ryu-heun had briefly thrown out, it had become crystal clear.
That at the center of the enemies who had brought about the clan extermination of Namgung Family in the past was Wang-ryu.
He wasn’t the only one.
Hae Su-yeon, Cui Lan, Seol Pan-gyo, and Mae Yak-bang beside him had also realized that Wang-ryu was the one who had led the clan extermination at that time.
“Young Master……”
Hae Su-yeon gently placed her hand on one of Namgung Sang-rin’s shoulders with eyes full of sympathy.
PAT, PAT.
It was a touch that sincerely comforted him.
A brief silence.
Then.
SEUSUK.
Namgung Sang-rin, having wiped his tears with his sleeve, asked in a trembling voice.
“At that time…… Did you see…… Everything?”
Immediately after nodding, Cheol Ryu-heun opened his mouth.
“Of course. He held out with the spirit of a Righteous path person until the last moment.”
Though his voice came out low, to Namgung Sang-rin it resonated greatly.
“Sect Master Cheol. Please tell me. Everything you saw and heard……”
“Are you sure you’ll be alright?”
“Yes……! I want to know.”
“Very well.”
Thus Cheol Ryu-heun explained the series of events.
Eventually, his story continued to when Namgung Si-ryang, who had faced Wang-ryu, met his end.
-You…… Dare…… The main house…… Cough! What purpose…… Do you have……
-Hut, you don’t need to know.
-Gal! Do you think…… You’ll get away with this!
-We’ll get away with it just fine. Your house is as you see on the verge of total annihilation. We simply came like the wind and will disappear. Without any trace.
-Keut……!
-Be at ease. From the start, we only intended to test our military force and leave. That’s why we didn’t pursue those who escaped if they fell below standard. Be grateful.
-Shut up! Keu…… One day the price for this…… Will surely…… Be paid!
-Hut, that won’t happen.
Having spoken up to there, Cheol Ryu-heun quietly gazed at Namgung Sang-rin standing before him with tears in his eyes.
“What your father displayed at the end was Azure Heaven Great Evolution Sword Art.”
“Did he…… Unleash a mortal move…… Prepared for death?”
“It was the final technique.”
“But it wouldn’t have worked on the one called Wang-ryu. So that’s how…… He met his end.”
“Yes.”
Cheol Ryu-heun said so and pictured that scene in his mind once again.
As Namgung Sang-rin said, the mortal move Namgung Si-ryang had unleashed was blocked all too futilely.
The sword was cut in half and flew away, and he suffered a fatal wound with his chest pierced through.
But.
The sword move Namgung Si-ryang had unleashed prepared for death was magnificent.
Though it was a scene from thoughts, it was a mortal move sufficient to keenly feel that it was sword learning representing the brilliant history and status of Namgung Family.
Namgung Sang-rin, having wiped his tears again, asked with a heavy expression.
“And after that…… What happened?”
Meeting his gaze, Cheol Ryu-heun explained that carnage without hiding it.
That his head had been trampled and burst.
Hearing those words, Namgung Sang-rin trembled violently with extreme fury.
But at that moment, Cheol Ryu-heun let out an indifferent but calm voice.
“The sky he emitted through his Sword at the end was utterly blue.”
“……”
“It was a truly brilliant and splendid Sword move. Even though the ending of his defeat was gruesome.”
“Was…… It?”
“Absolutely. There wasn’t a speck of disgrace. It only made his Great name shine ever more brightly.”
It was consolation conveyed in Cheol Ryu-heun’s own plain manner.
Quietness descended once again.
In the silence, Namgung Sang-rin lowered his head.
TTUK, TTUK, TTUK……
His teardrops dampened the ground.
Seeing that, Hae Su-yeon, Cui Lan and others gathered around him.
Then everyone wordlessly extended their arms and embraced him warmly.
A moment later.
Having sighed as if collecting his emotions, Namgung Sang-rin let out a quiet voice.
“Anyway…… Wang-ryu paid a great price as my late Father said. Though it wasn’t something I accomplished with my own hands…… Still, being able to comfort his spirit like this…… The weight of the stone lodged in my heart has lessened somewhat.”
At those words, Cheol Ryu-heun firmly shook his head.
“What are you saying.”
“Pardon……?”
“He hasn’t properly paid the price yet. How much sin has accumulated.”
“……”
“Don’t attach much meaning to that guy’s death.”
“Those words mean……”
“It’s still far. Today’s matter is merely burning one stick of Incense for your late Father. Just this alone cannot be called a proper memorial. We must light many more sticks of Incense going forward.”
“Ah……”
“Do you understand what I mean?”
“Yes. True revenge…… Is the annihilation of the Heaven Emperor Society……”
“Yes, exactly. Only When we kill and eliminate the root cause and fundamental Evil enemy who triggered all this, the Heaven Emperor Society Lord, will it be concluded.”
At Cheol Ryu-heun’s words, Namgung Sang-rin nodded.
“Those words are right. Moreover…… Am I the only one? Even just those who came to the hundred Thousand Great Mountains have plenty of grudges entangled with the Heaven Emperor Society. To resolve that, the only way is the complete death of the Heaven Emperor Society Lord and his underlings.”
“Good, you understood well. Everyone, keep this in mind. That the confrontation with the Heaven Emperor Society is essentially a large-scale march of revenge combining the Orthodox, Unorthodox, and demonic factions.”
Thereupon the retainers including Namgung Sang-rin shouted in unison.
“Yes! Sect Master Cheol!”
Right then, Gun Mu-ak, who had remained silent, pointed at something with a chin gesture.
“By the way, where did that Sword come from? Where did it suddenly appear from?”
He meant the Mo Ye Sword.
Cheol Ryu-heun waved it lightly and answered nonchalantly.
“Having obtained enlightenment, it flew through the sky to find me.”
“……”
“Why no response?”
“……”
“I’m serious.”
“What do you……”
When Gun Mu-ak showed a flabbergasted look, Cheol Ryu-heun indifferently said.
“It’s the Mo Ye Sword.”
At that moment, not only Gun Mu-ak but the retainers too were startled.
“What?”
“The, the Mo Ye Sword?”
“That ancient peerless famous Sword, in a place like this……”
Seeing their reactions, Cheol Ryu-heun immediately furrowed his brow.
“Are your ear holes blocked? I said it flew through the sky to find me, it wasn’t originally here.”
“I-is that true?”
When Seol Pan-gyo asked as if she couldn’t believe it, Cheol Ryu-heun spoke while waving the sword in his right hand.
“This Sword has finally found its pair after a long time.”
No sooner had those words ended than Hae Su-yeon’s eyes sparkled as she exclaimed.
“Sect Master, was the Sword you originally had…… The Gan Jiang(liver-burial) Sword?”
“Yeah.”
“……!”
“As I said, the power hidden in the Gan Jiang(liver-burial) sword awakened as I obtained new enlightenment, and the Mo Ye Sword was somewhere out there, sensed it, and flew like a bird all at once to this place.”
As everyone was astonished again, Gun Mu-ak threw a question with meaningful eyes.
“Then do you mean the Gan Jiang(liver-burial) sword and Mo Ye Sword transcend the level of simple famous swords and are divine weapons on par with the Divine Martial Sword?”
Cheol Ryu-heun gave a wordless nod in place of an answer.
Seeing that, Gun Mu-ak asked again.
“What connection is there?”
Thereupon Cheol Ryu-heun asked back casually.
“With my enlightenment?”
“Yes.”
Gun Mu-ak answered briefly and recalled the words they had exchanged.
-Do you think today’s enlightenment will be my limit?
-Those words mean……
-Time is on my side. I’ll become stronger than I am now.
-What?
-Seeing your reaction like that is amusing. The moment you set your own limits, you face defeat. My goal that I wish to achieve is beyond the sky.
-A goal beyond the heavens…… It seems like a metaphorical expression that you’ll surpass those five.
“You said at that time. That your goal is beyond the heavens. Precisely what type of enlightenment was it?”
At Gun Mu-ak’s question, Cheol Ryu-heun gazed at the sky for a moment.
“I visited up there.”
“Hea…… Ven?”
“No, higher than that.”
“……!”
“If you think carefully about what ‘beyond the heavens’ means, there’s an answer.”
Gun Mu-ak’s pupils suddenly rippled transparently.
“Wait, then……!”
“Did you get a sense of it now?”
Gun Mu-ak nodded quietly and let out a quiet voice.
“The Great Universe……”
“Yes, that’s the place.”
At the unexpected word, the retainers were shocked.
The Great Universe.
An unknown realm that looks down upon even the inhuman and the transcendent.
To think Cheol Ryu-heun’s enlightenment had a deep connection with that Great Universe……
In the midst of that, Gun Mu-ak again spoke with a grave expression.
“An enlightenment of the Great Universe, how astonishing. I…… Have seen a vision of the Divine Martial Sword through you. Could it perhaps have a connection to that?”
Cheol Ryu-heun, having gazed at him for a moment, opened his mouth.
“It seems the time has come to tell you. Since it’s deeply related to the Heaven Emperor Society Lord Anyway……”
“What is it?”
“I, Cheol Ryu-heun, am the Divine Martial Sword.”