Chapter 48: Emperor Breaker Yeom Gi-ha

There have been those in the world called Grandmasters.

There are not many of them, perhaps one in a hundred years, so they are very rare beings.

It is because although countless people with innate qualities and talents in the Jianghu Murim set foot in the supreme realm, most of them are called masters, not Grandmasters.

It could be said that the source of the quality to be called a Grandmaster lies not in imitation but in pioneering.

I know that when one speaks of a Grandmaster, one often thinks of the founding masters of great sects, like Bodhidharma of Shaolin or Sam-bong of Wudang.

This is not a wrong thought, but there is a need to correct some misunderstanding about the sequence of events.

It is because a Grandmaster is not someone who founded a sect, but a general term for those who have created a peerless divine art that will be remembered in the history of the Murim.

The Jianghu Murim calls those who learn martial arts quickly and reach a high level of achievement at a young age a Dragon and Phoenix or a peerless prodigy.

But it could be said that the very beginning of those who are called Grandmasters is different.

They are not those who learn the martial arts established by others, but those who create their own martial arts from what they have awakened to.

Unfortunately, the mechanism is unknown.

Since I will not be able to walk the path of a Grandmaster in my past or future, it is something I can never awaken to even if I live a lifetime.

However, there is a fact that I know indirectly through information.

According to a theory, those born with the qualities of a Grandmaster knew just by seeing and hearing, and came to know just by thinking.

Some said that even without seeing, hearing, or thinking, they created and learned martial arts as if it were imprinted in their instincts.

It was said that one born with the fate and talent of a Grandmaster could act as they thought.

Their breathing became a martial art, their thoughts became a martial art, and they themselves became a martial art.

They themselves had become the incarnation of martial arts.

It would be more correct to say that they knew it naturally, rather than learning and mastering it.

Since it would be of a different class from human talent, it might be more correct to call this too, like a peerless spiritual medicine, a gift from heaven.

The martial arts created by such a Grandmaster through contemplation, inquiry, and practice are not unworthy of the word divine art.

It would be correct to think that they are not Grandmasters because they founded a great sect, but that those who learned the martial arts of a high-class Grandmaster formed a force and became a great sect.

The aforementioned Sam-bong Jin-in of the southern Wudang is a Grandmaster, and the Great Monk Bodhidharma of the northern Shaolin are those who are called Grandmasters.

Since their names have been passed down in the history of the Jianghu for a good thousand years without interruption, I would say that Grandmasters are those who have left such a great mark.

In the past, those who were called geniuses were born, and the Jianghu Murim is a place where they are born even in the present.

Just as there have been those with the qualities of a Grandmaster in the past, it means that there are those who have the qualities of a Grandmaster or have reached the level of a Grandmaster even in the present.

The representative figure is the Healing Sage.

Since the Healing Sage did not imitate the path of martial arts established by others but created the unique martial art of the Healing Sage’s Mind Cultivation Art, there is no reason why he cannot be a Grandmaster just because he did not found a sect.

Although I mentioned the Healing Sage first with a little bit of my personal feelings mixed in, I know that he was a master of the generation before last and had long since passed away.

Then, among the martial artists living in the current Jianghu Murim, is there anyone who has risen to the ranks of a Grandmaster?

If so, who is it?

For anyone who has dealt with even a little bit of information, this was a question that could have no disagreement.

“Old man Wiji. Are you scared?”

He was the Grandmaster acknowledged by everyone in the Jianghu Murim.

He would be the current Murim Alliance Lord, Emperor Breaker Yeom Gi-ha.

* * *

The Murim Alliance Lord Yeom Gi-ha.

His alias is Emperor Breaker.

Although there is no need to explain the symbolism of an alias to the people of the Jianghu, I would say that there are few people whose alias represents themselves as well as Yeom Gi-ha.

It is because, in that two-character alias, he has captured himself completely.

Pa.

The reason why the character ‘Pa’, which is usually used by the Demonic Cult or the heretic faction, is attached to the Murim Alliance Lord, the head of the righteous Murim, is mostly due to his character.

Although I know that various incidents were involved in addition to his fiery character, it would be right to leave this as a secret of history.

Doesn’t the Murim Alliance Lord have his dignity?

It was because, from my position of knowing the hardships of the Murim Alliance’s special operations unit, I had no choice but to respect them.

Anyway, the most important character would undoubtedly be this ‘Hwang’.

It is because in the Jianghu Murim, the alias of Emperor is only allowed to a single martial artist.

Isn’t it a famous anecdote that most of the people living in the Jianghu already know that the reason why the Heretic Alliance Lord Wiji Han, who once used the alias of Martial Emperor, came to use the alias of Unrivaled Force Martial Emperor, that is, the title of Emperor which is allowed to three martial artists, is because of the Emperor Breaker Yeom Gi-ha?

What this means is that Emperor Breaker Yeom Gi-ha is the official strongest person under the heavens in the current Murim.

And the reason why it is fitting to call Yeom Gi-ha a Grandmaster is that he rose to the position of the strongest under the heavens with the martial arts he created himself.

“It’s been a long time, you rude bastard.”

The Unrivaled Force Martial Emperor Wiji Han had called out to the Emperor Breaker Yeom Gi-ha.

“That’s right. Has it been ten years, old man Wiji?”

That was Emperor Breaker Yeom Gi-ha’s response.

The pinnacle of the current Jianghu Murim.

I would say that the words the heads of the Murim Alliance and the Heretic Alliance, which encompass the righteous and the heretic ways, used to address each other were as cheap as those of close friends.

“This seat is only three years older than you brat. If I am an old man, aren’t you an old man too?”

“Still, old man Wiji is older than me for life. Although there can be a reversal in the hierarchy of martial arts, there is no reversal in age.”

At those words, I felt a vein pop out on the forehead of Wiji Han, who had always maintained his composure.

For a moment, I had the thought that perhaps Emperor Breaker Yeom Gi-ha had stolen the alias of Emperor through a stratagem of goading.

“This is great. To be given a chance to compete like this again.”

It is a matter of course that it is not an easy thing for the Murim Alliance Lord and the Heretic Alliance Lord to face each other without their forces.

“This time will be different. I will take back the alias of Emperor.”

The Unrivaled Force Martial Emperor Wiji Han, who had summoned five Formless Swords earlier, had not put them away, so his words did not sound like a joke.

“That won’t do, old man Wiji. Doesn’t Emperor Breaker sound a bit more impressive? The alias of Emperor Breaker doesn’t quite roll off the tongue.”

A man who decides the value of an alias by its sound.

He was Emperor Breaker Yeom Gi-ha.

“If you don’t want to meet the messenger of the underworld before this old man, you’d better do your best.”

“Old man, you should be careful not to injure your joints by overdoing it.”

“Hmph!”

Gugugung.

Perhaps judging that there would be no gain in continuing the conversation, the Unrivaled Force Martial Emperor Wiji Han gathered his energy.

As the Formless Swords that had been floating in the air were stored back into the Martial Emperor’s body, a brilliant Sword Flux rose from his hand.

I guess it is because the method of dealing with several mediocre masters and the method of dealing with one absolute master are different.

I know that just because their conversation was like that of neighborhood idlers does not mean that their true nature is also so.

It is because both are martial artists who have reached a realm that encompasses the world.

The first move was Yeom Gi-ha’s.

“I’m coming.”

Kwang!

Before Yeom Gi-ha’s voice could scatter in the air, a fierce clash was heard, and shockwaves scattered in all directions.

On Yeom Gi-ha’s hand, a Sword Flux had also formed, not inferior to that of the Martial Emperor.

The casting of Sword Flux, a supreme art, was as fast as thought, so it was a part where one could understand why he was called the strongest under the heavens.

Kwang! Kwakwakwang!

Even though it was not a lightness art conscious of the Body-Shifting Technique, the afterimages of the Emperor Breaker and the Martial Emperor, who were moving at super speed, continuously remained in the space, so it looked as if dozens of martial artists were exchanging blows at the same time.

The Ice Palace martial artists, who had been prepared to die, were watching with their mouths open, not even noticing that the strength had left their hands gripping their swords.

This was the same for me; I couldn’t close my mouth at the martial prowess I had never seen before and watched their fierce battle.

Only after an exchange of offense and defense that I couldn’t even count the number of moves did the Emperor Breaker and the Martial Emperor lightly land on the ground.

“Old man Wiji, you’ve gotten stronger than before.”

“Last time, I was unfortunately pushed back by one move, so wouldn’t I have honed myself?”

As if they had just returned from a walk, the two were still calm.

This is what it means to be on a different level.

“Old man Wiji, how about we stop here and you withdraw? I will not bring up this matter.”

I don’t know the reason, but what was etched on the face of the Emperor Breaker, who had been mischievous all along, seemed to be a feeling of sorrow.

It was a part that I couldn’t be sure of, as even I, who had trained my discerning eye in the Beggar’s Gang, was unsure.

“You know that there will be no conclusion like this.”

At the Emperor Breaker’s added words, an anecdote I had heard before came to mind.

It was a story from about ten years ago, before both of them had ascended to the position of Alliance Lord.

The time when the number one master of the heretic way, Wiji Han, and the number one master of the righteous way, Yeom Gi-ha, had clashed over the alias of Emperor.

It was said that the two had clashed for a good three days, forgetting to eat and sleep.

I had thought it was information mixed with the exaggeration of the marketplace, but now that I have seen it in person, I know that the information was true.

This is why experience is important when dealing with information.

“Gi-ha.”

“Don’t call me that. I’ll get attached.”

For the first time, Wiji Han called the Emperor Breaker by his name, not the nickname ‘rude bastard’.

“Do you have anything more important than your own honor or life?”

“Where would there be such a thing? In the end, what’s important is myself.”

“Yes. That would be normal.”

As the Unrivaled Force Martial Emperor mumbled so, a sad smile formed on his lips.

“But such a thing has come to be for me.”

“…….”

At the Unrivaled Force Martial Emperor’s calm confession, the Emperor Breaker was unable to answer for a moment.

“Old man Wiji, if you stop now, we can make it as if it never happened. You know that if you go further from here, it will be a war between the righteous and the heretics, don’t you?”

“…….”

This time, the Martial Emperor did not answer.

“Whether I win, or you, old man, win, it will be a war between the righteous and the heretics. The place where we stand is different from before, isn’t it?”

The Emperor Breaker’s frustrated expression and the Martial Emperor’s seemingly pained expression crossed for a moment.

“The nature of the heretic faction is originally selfish.”

Finally, the Martial Emperor had made up his mind.

“Do you mean you are willing to risk a war between the righteous and the heretics? For the sake of just one life?”

“To me, that one person is the world.”

“It is the stubbornness of an old man.”

“You are right.”

Kwakwang!

As the two absolute masters, who could not compromise, clashed with all their might, the heavens and the earth trembled mournfully.

* * *

In reality, I cannot fully understand the current situation.

Why did the Unrivaled Force Martial Emperor Wiji Han not ask for the Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Snow Ginseng?

It is because if it were me, I would have used the war between the righteous and the heretics as a pretext, and the lives of the countless masses as a pretext, to request the right to negotiate for the Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Snow Ginseng.

I think it might be something like the pride of an absolute ruler who cannot bow his head, but since I have never been in that position, I don’t know for sure.

However, there is a fact that I guess.

Perhaps the person called the Unrivaled Force Martial Emperor, despite having risen to the position of the supreme ruler of the heretic way, might be a more pure person than me.

In any case, the current situation would be a favorable one for me.

It is because thanks to the appearance of the Emperor Breaker Yeom Gi-ha, the situation is flowing in the most ideal way I could have imagined.

Of course, this too was possible because I had made sturdy arrangements in advance, so it would be right to think that it is indeed better to be safe than sorry.

Kwang! Kureureung! Shiiing!

I continued to watch the fierce exchange between the Emperor Breaker and the Martial Emperor.

At first, I could only see afterimages, but now I began to capture their real forms.

It was barely possible because I too, though lacking, had set foot in the State of Harmony.

The pupils of Han Baek-rim and Peng Ga-heon had been chasing the divine might of the two all along, so perhaps they had just caught up now.

Of course, this is not an important point.

Since I have only reached the Fourth Stage, and am now arranging for the Fifth Stage, there is no reason to feel lacking by comparing myself with them.

As I put my hand in my bosom, I felt the chilling cold of the Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Snow Spirit Grass coming through the protective tool.

Now that all the pieces were properly set, all that was left was to harvest the fruits.

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