Chapter 464: Hidden Stories

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“……!”

The look in Gun Mu-ak’s eyes went blank for an instant.

Another rare emotional reaction from him appeared.

Who knows how many times it was between yesterday and today.

The expressions of Namgung Sang-rin, Hae Su-yeon, Cui Lan, Seol Pan-gyo, and Mae Yak-bang beside him were the same.

Everyone was blinking only their two eyes for a moment as if their souls had left their bodies.

It couldn’t be helped.

Because they had heard absurd words that no one had expected.

It wasn’t readily understandable.

Cheol Ryu-heun himself…… Was the Divine Martial Sword?

Just hearing the words, it was difficult to even get a rough sense of it.

Soon composing his expression, Namgung Sang-rin asked quietly.

“No, What do you mean by those words……?”

Cheol Ryu-heun’s answer was merely dry.

“What meaning? Just accept what I said as it is.”

At that moment, Gun Mu-ak’s pupils contained a strange light.

Everyone in the retainer group including Namgung Sang-rin who had just asked too.

Something was coming to their minds hazily.

Sure enough.

“Did you merge with it?”

Following Gun Mu-ak’s brief question, Mae Yak-bang immediately opened her mouth.

“Do you mean you absorbed the Divine Martial Sword’s power?”

Immediately after, questions poured out like a broken dam from the mouths of the rest.

“I-is that truly possible?”

“My goodness…… When on earth did you obtain the Divine Martial Sword?”

“Ah, was it When you acquired the opportunity from Ascending Sword Dragon Pae-hon?”

“Then does that mean White Peak Sword Sect is secretly storing the Divine Martial Sword?”

Thereupon Cheol Ryu-heun spoke with an annoyed expression.

“Tcha, so noisy with the chattering. Wait. I’m going to explain one by one.”

No sooner had those words ended than all the retainers became tight-lipped and stared fixedly at Cheol Ryu-heun’s lips.

Each heart was beating fast.

Intoxicated by a strange excitement and anticipation.

Cheol Ryu-heun soon let out an indifferent voice.

“I should say this first. There is no Divine Martial Sword in our Sect.”

“……”

“Furthermore, it doesn’t exist right now.”

“……?”

“Because the culprit who killed my Master had already destroyed it.”

“……!”

At the unexpected words, everyone flinched in surprise.

Cheol Ryu-heun’s voice continued.

“The culprit was the Heaven Emperor Society Lord.”

A soundless shock struck the minds of Gun Mu-ak and the entire retainer group.

It was an astonishing secret history.

To think the one who killed White Gate Sword Gentleman Sagong Woon, who was the previous sect master of White Peak Sword Sect and Cheol Ryu-heun’s master, was the Heaven Emperor Society Lord……

In the midst of that, Gun Mu-ak realized something.

“Wait, then that means……”

Cheol Ryu-heun, having guessed the rest of those words, gave a nod.

“Yes, the Sword my Master possessed in his lifetime was that. At that time, the Heaven Emperor Society Lord appeared with the purpose of destroying it……”

Another quiet shock came to the group including Gun Mu-ak.

It was too surprising a story.

No one had known.

That Sagong Woon was the owner of the Divine Martial Sword.

It was a definite fact.

It couldn’t be a lie.

Because the words had come from the mouth of none other than Cheol Ryu-heun.

In a flash.

Gun Mu-ak recalled Cheol Ryu-heun’s confident words and actions when they met again at the inn.

-You should’ve disclosed everything from the start. That the destination was the Shiwan Mountains.

-Well, what would be different?

-Of course. I too am thinking of heading to the Shiwan Mountains.

-……

-Why, is it unexpected?

-Somewhat so. I thought you weren’t interested in such things.

-Well, I naturally have absolutely no interest in the Divine Martial Sword.

-As I thought…… You dismiss it as a baseless rumor?

-Of course. I’m certain it’s a scheme by the enemy you and we encountered.

Thus Cheol Ryu-heun had asserted that the rumor about the Divine Martial Sword was false and definitely a scheme of the enemy.

Now he understood.

That at that time wasn’t an instinctive intuition or rough guess.

It was an absolute declaration based on crystal-clear facts.

In the midst of that, expressionless Cheol Ryu-heun’s words continued.

“In his lifetime, Master didn’t know that it was the Divine Martial Sword.”

“Then when did you know? And how did he come to acquire it?”

Cheol Ryu-heun spoke while omitting the complicated circumstances entangled with his reincarnation.

“When I knew was when I overcame the vegetative state and woke up. And the place Master obtained the Divine Martial Sword in the past was a cave on three Immortals Mountain.”

Hearing those words, Namgung Sang-rin’s eyes widened.

“Ah! Then it’s the same place as Sect Master Cheol’s opportunity……!”

“Correct.”

At Cheol Ryu-heun’s brief reply, Gun Mu-ak also quickly caught on.

‘Hmmm, so that’s how it was. He’d taken the Sword out from there.’

The place just mentioned meant the cave where Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon Pae Hon, the previous owner of the Divine Martial Sword and founder of Dragon Martial Gate, had secluded himself.

While everyone marveled, Cheol Ryu-heun’s story continued.

“Over a dozen years ago, master headed to three immortals mountain to gather medicinal herbs. Then he happened to discover the cave where the Divine Martial Sword was stored. But he didn’t know it was a place where Pae-Hon’s opportunity was arranged. So he only took one sword that was sitting alone inside and came out.”

Hearing those words, the light in Hae Su-yeon’s eyes sank deep.

“Hearing those words…… His death becomes even more regrettable anew. If he had known it was the Divine Martial Sword at that time……”

If he had, wouldn’t he have realized that place was the seclusion site of Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon Pae Hon, the last to handle that sword, and gained new power…… That was her meaning.

Cheol Ryu-heun shook his head and said again.

“No, even then nothing would have changed.”

“Yes?”

“Think about it. The Heaven Emperor Society Lord’s capability was enough to destroy the Divine Martial Sword, the pinnacle of Divine weapons.”

“Ah……”

“Even if he had acquired the opportunity arranged in that cave, properly facing him would have been difficult.”

“Yes, well…… That’s true too. But I can’t help feeling regretful. If he had mastered the opportunity at that time, even if not to the level of Sect Master Cheol’s current achievements……”

“I’m just an exceptional case. I came to possess this body and martial prowess as a result of the Divine Martial Sword’s destruction. If that hadn’t happened, the current me couldn’t exist either.”

Right then, Gun Mu-ak revealed intense curiosity.

“I’m curious about that series of processes. But before that…… How did the Heaven Emperor Society Lord find out that your Master’s Sword was the Divine Martial Sword?”

Cheol Ryu-heun thought for a moment of the scene he had seen, then explained it as it was.

The words that the Heaven Emperor Society Lord and Black Tortoise Divine General Wang-ryu had once exchanged.

-I will urgently go out tomorrow. Know that.

-You mean you’re going out alone? Suddenly, for what reason……?

-What reason do you think?

-AH……!

-At last, the ancient spiritual awakening stone has shown a reaction.

-Congratulations. You’ve finally identified the Divine Martial Sword’s location.

-The sect master of White Peak Sword Sect, he currently possesses the Divine Martial Sword. Now I must meet him.

Namgung Sang-rin, who had been listening, tilted his head.

“Spiritual Awakening stone……?”

“I suspect it’s a mysterious artifact used to track the Divine energy latent in the Divine Martial Sword and identify its whereabouts. It could be a supreme treasure related to legendary Divine beasts or Divine ranks from ages past. I don’t know the details either.”

“Hmmm…… I see.”

“His objective was one. To test the capabilities of his newly made Sword. Anyway, because of how things turned out, Master passed away without even knowing why. But that wasn’t the complete end of the Divine Martial Sword.”

“Although the blade was destroyed at that time, its mysterious power was transferred to Sect Master Cheol.”

“That’s right. Though it took several months from then.”

“Could that perhaps have been by the Divine Martial Sword’s will?”

At Hae Su-yeon’s question, Gun Mu-ak added quiet words.

“Long ago, the first Cult Leader is said to have communicated with the Divine Martial Sword’s spiritual self. The same is true for the Sword Emperor, the Evil Emperor, the Martial Immortal, and the Blood God, who are evaluated as the strongest rank in history besides him. I’m surmising they were the same as the first Cult Leader. Let me ask, does the Divine Martial Sword’s self dwell in your body?”

“Nonsense, I’m no one other than myself. In this body dwells only the Divine Martial Sword’s Divine energy and knowledge. And some memories from the moment of destruction were also passed down. That the culprit who caused Master’s death, that guy was the Heaven Emperor Society Lord, is information I found out today.”

Immediately after, Namgung Sang-rin nodded and murmured quietly.

“The Divine energy and knowledge that the Divine Martial Sword’s self possessed……”

Suddenly he was reminded of that night of his first meeting with Cheol Ryu-heun.

-Though my circumstances don’t permit it now…… I’ll definitely repay you later.

-I don’t need repayment or anything, if you get sick of eating humble pie, come to our sect anytime.

-Pardon?

-If you receive my help, you can achieve your house’s reconstruction faster. Also, restoring the remaining key sword arts that have already been lost is possible too.

-Wh-what do you……!

-Believe it or not, the judgment is your share.

The words Cheol Ryu-heun had said after sweeping through Praying Mantis Martial Hall.

Having recalled that again, Namgung Sang-rin wore a faint smile.

‘The Divine Martial Sword…… So it was thanks to obtaining that power.’

He had finally come to understand.

The secret behind Cheol Ryu-heun’s mysterious abilities.

This was the moment when the big question that couldn’t be explained by the all-purpose cave alone was resolved.

The other retainers were the same.

Meanwhile.

Gun Mu-ak recalled what Cheol Ryu-heun had said yesterday.

-The five who are supposedly the highest rank in martial arts history, all five combined. The path I wish to walk is that.

‘Yes, if he possesses the Divine Martial Sword’s Divine energy and knowledge…… It’s not impossible.’

Having spoken inwardly, he glanced at the Gan Jiang and Mo Ye Sword and said.

“The Sword the Heaven Emperor Society Lord possesses…… Would surpass those, so do you have any Stratagems to face it?”

“I keep having to repeat myself. It’s simple. I just need to get stronger.”

“Hmmm, that’s true…… Going back to the question about the earlier enlightenment…… Did you reach the goal you wanted through that Great Universe?”

“I reached it. Currently it’s merely having had a taste.”

“Those words mean there’s more to obtain? Also, you can reach it again anytime in the future……?”

“Of course. Only then can I kill the Heaven Emperor Society Lord who possesses the new Divine weapon. Since his existing high martial power has been added to that Divine Sword……”

“Wait, you found out the secret of his Sword too?”

“Actually, I was about to bring that up just now.”

Having said so, Cheol Ryu-heun’s gaze moved to Namgung Sang-rin’s face.

“Sang-rin.”

“Yes.”

“Do you know about the ancient Sword that Namgung Family was storing at that time?”

“Pardon?”

“I see you didn’t know either.”

“An ancient Sword……? What do you mean?”

“It seems your late Father had coincidentally acquired an ancient famous Sword. The Heaven Emperor Society’s real purpose was to seize that.”

“……!”

“The Gongbu Sword. That was the sword’s name.”

Thereupon the retainers all let out exclamations in unison.

“Ah!”

“THE, The Gongbu Sword……!”

“That Ou Yezi made……!”

Though it was a sword made long ago, there was no one who didn’t know that sword’s name.

The Gongbu Sword made by Ou Yezi was a rare famous sword on par with the Gan Jiang and Mo Ye Sword, alongside the Longyuan Sword and Tai’e Sword.

It was essentially the greatest masterpiece of his lifetime.

And one of them had been at Namgung Family……

It was a fact that even Namgung Sang-rin himself hadn’t known.

While everyone was surprised, Cheol Ryu-heun’s indifferent voice leaked out again.

“The Heaven Emperor Society Lord obtained not only the Gongbu Sword but also the Longyuan Sword and Tai’e Sword. And he painstakingly melted those three swords and forged them into one. That is the Divine Sword he currently possesses.”