Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 367

Chapter 367 – Sword (6)

“This old man begs for forgiveness like this. I will do anything you want, so please show mercy.”

‘!!!!!!’

For a moment, silence fell.

Everyone looked at Master Ou Cheonmu with shocked expressions.

How could such a thing happen?

Not only had he cut off his arm, but now he had even knelt down – he who was the Master of the Spiritual Sword Sanctuary, called the sacred place of swordsmanship, and one of the Six Heavens, considered the pinnacle of the current martial world.

‘…This isn’t right.’

‘Is it really because of the second young master?’

‘Isn’t this tantamount to a declaration of defeat?’

Only now did the sword disciples of the Spiritual Sword Sanctuary and the guests start to find this strange.

No matter how precious a son might be, it was inconceivable for someone called the pinnacle of martial artists to so easily discard his dignity.

Could it be that he judged there was nothing he could do no matter what he chose?

As everyone was speechless with shock, it happened.

-Thud!

At that moment, the youngest, Ou Yeonwoo, hurriedly approached, prostrated himself, and said,

“Master of the Holy Fire, I too will beg like this. Please show mercy!”

“Young Master!”

The sword disciples of the Spiritual Sword Sanctuary shouted in angry voices at Ou Yeonwoo’s action.

It was frustrating enough that the Master was showing such a sight in front of the guests, but what was this?

But it wasn’t just him.

-Thud!

Junior Master Ou Woong-hwang also approached, knelt beside him, and bowed his head.

And in a solemn voice, he said,

“If it’s difficult to quell your anger, I, as the Master’s successor, will offer my head in front of everyone. Please, in your mercy, end this here.”

“What?”

“Why is even the Junior Master doing this?”

Those watching couldn’t hide their frustration.

Why were Master Ou Cheonmu, who was called close to the best in the world in discussing swords, and his family lowering themselves to this person, enduring such shame?

They took pride as sword disciples and considered the Master’s sword to be the best under heaven, which is why they gathered here, calling this place the sacred ground of swordsmanship.

For them, the sight of the one they respected subjecting himself to such humiliation was something they absolutely could not understand, no, could not accept.

-Clang! Shing!

The guests too drew their swords.

One by one, they shouted.

“Master! If you’re doing this to prevent your son and those here from being sacrificed, stop now. We too are martial artists. We are prepared to die at any time.”

“That’s right! If the Master leads, we will all follow!”

“Don’t show weakness to the enemy!”

“That’s right! Let us be the Master’s strength!”

“Let’s not just watch, but help Master Ou and protect the Sword Valley with our own hands!”

“Waaaaaaah!!!”

The sword disciples and guests, who were not just angry but enraged, raised their morale and shouted.

Seeing them like this, Moyong Hak, dispatched as an investigator from the Righteous Alliance, who was watching from a distance, couldn’t contain his excitement and said,

“Sa-tae. Shouldn’t we help too?”

At his words, Jeong Myeong Sa-tae of the Hangshan Sect spoke with a serious face.

“…It doesn’t seem like a problem that can be solved by helping.”

“What do you mean? Master Ou is being toyed with by that Fire Faith Order member, with his son taken hostage. Are you saying we should just watch?”

“Amitabha. patron Moyong, do you truly not understand why Master Ou is doing this?”

“What?”

“Master Ou isn’t doing this because of his son and the guests.”

“What do you mean?”

“…I hope this humble monk’s judgment is wrong, but it seems Master Ou believes there’s no hope even if he fights that person.”

‘!?’

At these words, Moyong Hak’s eyes widened.

What does this mean?

Are you saying that Master Ou, one of the six grand masters called the pinnacle of the current martial world, bowed his head, sensing defeat even before fighting, to an unheard-of newcomer?

It was incomprehensible.

Even if that person was strong, it was impossible for him to be overwhelmingly stronger than Master Ou, who had reached the extreme in swordsmanship.

Then, shouldn’t he fight risking his life to protect his own honor?

Even if the other was strong, for an expert of Master Ou’s level, shouldn’t he fight risking his life to protect his own honor?

Where has his pride as a martial artist gone?

‘It seems some are feeling disappointed.’

Ji-oe, who was watching the situation as if it were someone else’s business with his hands behind his back, inwardly clicked his tongue.

In the end, this happened.

He had thought such a situation wouldn’t occur due to his reputation and the reverence of the Central Plains people, but it did.

‘As expected, Ou Cheonmu, you were ultimately just a craftsman.’

Ou Cheonmu’s martial arts had reached a level that everyone could acknowledge.

When one is said to be close to the best in the world in discussing swords, isn’t that almost the highest praise?

It certainly was.

However, Ji-oe, who had stayed here for a long time and experienced Master Ou Cheonmu, believed he crucially lacked two things.

One of those was,

‘Lack of actual combat experience.’

It would be fair to say that Ou Cheonmu had the least actual combat experience among those called the current top martial artists of the Six Heavens and Eight Stars.

The Spiritual Sword Sanctuary was close to a neutral sect not belonging to the orthodox sects.

The reason was that for a long time, they had focused more on activities as craftsmen rather than as martial artists.

As a result, they had never particularly been hostile to or fought with other sects.

‘At most, it was just martial arts competitions or sword discussions with the guests of the Sword Valley.’

Since their insights had increased by experiencing numerous secret techniques and sword techniques of many sword disciples accumulated since the previous generation, they couldn’t help but be outstandingly strong in martial arts competitions or sword discussions.

However, they had never actually fought a life-or-death battle even once.

Nevertheless, the reason Master Ou came to be called one of the Six Heavens was because Jung Hyeon-mun, who was also one of the Six Heavens and the leader of the Righteous Alliance, had a sword discussion with Master Ou and acknowledged that he had reached the extreme of swordsmanship.

Because of this, martial artists recognized him as one of the Six Heavens.

But,

‘He actually lacks pride as a martial artist.’

Martial artists shouldn’t just be good at theory.

They trained in martial arts to protect themselves and fight others.

Furthermore, martial artists were those who cut down enemies.

However, Master Ou Cheonmu, no, the Ou clan of the Spiritual Sword Sanctuary, had a clear sense of mission and pride as craftsmen, but lacked the will to fight someone.

Without the will to fight, naturally, there was no way they could have pride as martial artists.

‘Ah, Master Ou. You’re finally showing your limitations.’

Ji-oe sighed and felt disappointed.

He had vaguely sensed that he lacked the will to fight, but when placed in an extreme situation, it was revealed to be true.

‘He was only half complete.’

Ji-oe, shaking his head, shifted his gaze away from Master Ou Cheonmu.

The time he had spent here trying to break the Way of the Sword, Extreme of the Sword wasn’t wasted, but he no longer had interest in someone who had revealed his own limitations.

No, there was no reason to be interested anymore.

An opponent who could further draw out his will to fight had appeared.

-Swish!

His gaze naturally turned to Mok Gyeong-un.

Mok Gyeong-un glanced at the prostrated Master Ou Cheonmu and his two sons, then snorted and said,

“It seems the people behind you want you to fight me, Master.”

At this, Master Ou Cheonmu raised his head and spoke.

“My members and guests, please do not step forward anymore. This is a matter that this old man and the sir here must resolve.”

“Master! How can you say that?”

“We are prepared to risk our lives…”

“Silence!”

At his thunderous shout, the sword disciples and guests were startled into silence.

When they quieted down, Master Ou Cheonmu continued speaking without even giving them a glance.

“That sword on the cliff is in a place even this old man cannot reach. How can you, who cannot even properly see that, risk your lives? Do not interfere any further.”

“……”

At his firm resolve, the sword disciples and guests closed their mouths.

Not only was it difficult to step forward when the Master spoke so decisively, but disappointment was evident in their eyes.

They were gathered here solely out of respect for him.

Although they might be lacking in skill, they had the will to fight risking their lives if he led them.

However, seeing him ultimately abandon his pride as a martial artist and choose humiliation and defeat for himself, their will was also broken.

Ignoring them, Master Ou Cheonmu bowed his head again and said,

“I will do as you, no, as the noble sir wishes. Please show mercy.”

‘Ah.’

Mok Gyeong-un, who had been staring at him thoroughly lowering himself, clicked his tongue.

He had become interested when he saw him cut off his own arm and pushed him to see how he would respond this time, but it turned out differently from what he had wanted, so he lost interest.

He belonged neither to the pride of a martial artist nor to paternal love for his child.

-What do you intend to do now?

At that moment, Cheong-ryeong’s voice rang in his ear.

Mok Gyeong-un shrugged at this.

-Well, I should end it moderately.

-If you’re going to end it moderately, why did you push so hard?

-Well… To eliminate future troubles, I needed to make sure… And even though I knew the difference in martial arts, I was curious how someone who had reached this level would react.

-…Wasn’t fighting that blade user enough?

-If I competed properly with one of the Six Heavens, I could gauge what level I’m at.

-What?

Cheong-ryeong was exasperated.

Only this mortal would try to gauge how far he had come by facing the Six Heavens, called the pinnacle of the current martial world.

For this extremely cautious guy to act so boldly, he must have some confidence in his own strength.

‘…The time is ripe.’

Cheong-ryeong didn’t show it, but she was gradually becoming excited.

No matter how talented the mortal was, she had thought it would take at least ten years to take revenge.

However, this monster-like guy had shortened this to an unbelievable level.

In just half a year, he had reached a level equal to or surpassing the Six Heavens.

‘It might be possible now.’

There was already a considerable force built up within the Heaven and Earth Society, and the subordinates gathered outside were no ordinary people either.

Now, the revenge she wanted might be possible.

No, with this guy, it would be possible.

‘It’s not far off.’

She couldn’t hide her inner excitement.

At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un withdrew the true energy that was about to tear out the second son Ou Woong-seong’s tongue.

As he withdrew the true energy from his tongue, Ou Woong-seong collapsed on the ground.

“Urgh…”

“Quickly stop the bleeding. He might die from blood loss.”

At these words, Junior Master Ou Woong-hwang rushed to the fallen Ou Woong-seong, pressed his blood-stopping points, and hurriedly wrapped the severed part of his arm with cloth torn from his clothes.

Watching Ou Woong-seong barely saved from death, Master Ou Cheonmu unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.

No matter what, a child was still a child.

Mok Gyeong-un said to him,

“You said you could do anything, but how far can you go?”

‘!?’

At these words, Master Ou Cheonmu’s expression became subtle.

He had felt extreme fear towards Mok Gyeong-un and had practically surrendered, but seeing him speak like this, he became afraid of what he might demand.

“…This old man will do anything within his power.”

He drew a line, unable to accept demands like cutting off his arm.

It meant to demand within limits he could accept.

“Within your power… Then it shouldn’t be particularly difficult.”

“If you want a sword to be crafted, I could make the finest sword befitting you…”

“No. These swords are enough for me.”

Mok Gyeong-un casually tapped the two magic swords at his waist and said nonchalantly.

“Then, let the Master and the Spiritual Sword Sanctuary swear loyalty to me.”

‘!!!!!!!’

For a moment, everyone doubted their ears.