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#611
Taejonbirok Volume 25, Episode 11
Chapter 135: Laziness, Confronted (1)
Who can deny the greatness of the Ten Thousand Swords and Hundred Schools?
They are the only ones in the martial arts world who can boast of having reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship.
Even the world's greatest shamans, Hwasan, and Namgung dare not discuss swordsmanship in front of them.
It's not simply because Baekmuhan emerged from the Mangeom Baekga. Of course, with just Baekmuhan, the Sword Emperor, the Mangeom could claim the title of sword master. No one would dare challenge their pride.
But it's the same even if there is no Baekmuhan.
The Mangeombaekga family produced not only the Sword Emperor Baekmuhan, but also the Sword Emperor himself. Indeed, compared to their brilliant achievements, even the Sword Emperor's name may seem shabby.
What they did was not ordinary.
He gathers and studies the hundreds and thousands of swordsmanship techniques scattered throughout the world, and combines them to create a new sword.
It's easy to say, but how difficult would it be to actually put it into practice?
The Mangeom Baekga were the ones who achieved that.
All the checkpoints in the world are indebted to them.
What they gathered, combined, and reorganized spread throughout the world, further developing their martial arts. Therefore, the Mangeombaekga are respected by all, and everyone… … .
“Except for Baek Muhan.”
“……That’s right.”
Baek Muhan's case is a little different.
Even in the Mangeom Baekga sect, which generally avoided coercion by other sects, Baek Muhan was a somewhat mutant. He sought to subjugate other sects.
“Actually, I can’t quite believe it.”
"what?"
“So, that… the Sword Emperor.”
“Why the Sword Emperor?”
“I am not sure that he persecuted others like that…….”
Saga's words made sense.
Basically, most of the people known to be strong in the world are also known to have great personalities.
There's no need to explain Dharma or Jang Sam-bong. They were the ones who attained enlightenment. Even Cheonma is said to have been exceptionally bold.
But Baek Muhan… … .
“Was that really his personality?”
“I don’t know.”
Gwanggu Shingae shrugged.
"I haven't even seen Baek Muhan in person, so how would I know? I just assumed it was because Wi Yeon-ho said so."
“That’s what it means to believe it completely…….”
“I have no choice but to believe it.”
“Yes? Why?”
Gwanggu Shingae answered calmly.
“Because Wei Yanho said so.”
“…….”
When Saga seemed at a loss for words, Gwanggu Shingae added.
"Of course it sounds absurd, but it serves as sufficient evidence. Because, as they say, Wi Yeon-ho is a man who spouts nonsense all the time, but he never lies."
“Hmm…….”
It was a very persuasive, yet persuasive argument.
"And it's impossible to fabricate every single one of those detailed anecdotes Wei Yanho recounts. It might be possible with someone else, but it's even more impossible with Wei Yanho."
“Why is that?”
“Would he do something like that? He should just sleep more.”
It has become very persuasive.
Certainly, Wei Yanho was not the kind of person who would deliberately fabricate Baek Muhan's personality. This was true even for the historically just Wei Yanho he knew, or for the Wei Yanho, the last of the human race, as described by Gwanggu Shingae.
Neither side would do such a thing. One side does it out of justice, the other out of annoyance.
“And there is one thing you are mistaken about.”
“Yes? Me?”
“Then who else is here besides you?”
Gwanggu Shingae clicked his tongue.
"You're not alone. People often fall prey to that strange prejudice: the belief that those with exceptional talent must also possess exceptionally noble character."
"I am……."
Saga closed his mouth.
I want to say no, but I can't deny it.
But isn't that true?
Most people who have accomplished great things are also evaluated as having great character.
And even without such obvious words, we can reason rationally.
“Is it wrong to assume that those who know more and delve deeper may be better people?”
“Wisdom and knowledge are different things.”
The Gwanggu Shingae said with a sly smile.
“It is a lie of teachers that learning and knowing a lot makes you a better person.”
"but……."
"Don't you know? Among those who have committed truly horrific acts throughout history, those who have inflicted the greatest harm on the world, and those who are still committing them today, none of them are stupid."
“That’s true, but…….”
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It is something that cannot be denied.
Those who have inflicted immense harm on the world have mostly been educated and powerful. By worldly standards, they fall into the category of those described by the saga as more educated and more deeply engaged.
And it's also true that such people inflicted more harm on the world. If, as the saga suggests, those who knew more were more noble in character, such things wouldn't have happened in the first place.
"If you remove those prejudices, the world becomes simpler. Why do you think Baek Mu-han must have a good personality?"
"hmm……."
“Actually, that’s impossible.”
“Is it impossible?”
"of course."
The Gwanggu Shingae chuckled.
"Humans are inherently driven by desire. Aren't you the same? Can you live your life revealing your true feelings to others?"
“Oh, no, that’s…….”
Saga stuttered.
I'd like to say yes, but I simply can't. Isn't that the nature of human existence? No one's outward appearance and inner self are completely identical.
Even those who appear noble on the outside often harbor a baseness within themselves that they cannot reveal to others. The world calls and reveres those who possess this baseness, or who, even if present, manage to conceal it and never reveal it.
But Saga was not an adult.
“Can’t you do it?”
“…….”
“See, that’s what I said.”
The Gwanggu Shingae giggles.
"Hey, you rascal. People are all like that. They pretend to be clean, but they're the ones who exert power behind the scenes. Even the noble Confucius doesn't have children."
“What does that have to do with this?”
"Everyone has that desire, you know. But everyone lives their lives suppressing that desire."
Gwanggu Shingae lowered his voice slightly and asked.
“Why? Why is that?”
“……That won’t do.”
Gwanggu Shingae smiles as if he likes the answer.
"Yes, that won't work. Because the moment I reveal my desires, it harms others. The person who's been harmed will seek revenge. Then, because of that desire, I'll suffer. In other words, if we reveal each other's desires as they are, I'll suffer. That's why I endure it…"
The Gwanggu Shingae frowned.
“The problem is that Baek Muhan is someone who doesn’t need to do that.”
“Why…….”
As always, Saga, who was about to ask again, closed his mouth.
Because I thought I knew why.
"To punish, to get angry, to teach the right lesson, you have to be stronger than that person. Whether it's violence, power, or anything else, only those who are superior can teach others."
“There are things to learn from children too.”
“There are people who learn from children, but there are no people who get scolded by children. Isn’t that right?”
“…….”
"And we must be able to condemn the wrongdoings he has committed. But… who would dare condemn Baek Muhan? Who would dare punish Baek Muhan?"
“That can’t be possible.”
This is ridiculous.
Baek Mu-han is a genius.
He wasn't just a genius, he was the greatest genius the martial arts world had ever produced. His martial arts defied the understanding of any of his contemporaries. The entire gamut of martial arts aspired to his teachings, yet none could grasp them.
Baek Mu-han told Wi Yeon-ho that he was shunned even within his own clan, but that statement was half true and half false. It's unclear whether Baek Mu-han himself was shunned within the Mangeom Baekga, but at least his martial arts skills were never shunned.
The greatest genius born in Gangho.
He is Baek Muhan.
Who could blame or teach such a person? Baek Mu-han surpassed his parents' abilities even before he reached adulthood.
At least when it comes to martial arts, there's no one who can teach him, and in martial arts, nothing is more important than learning. So, it's no wonder Baek Mu-han is so arrogant.
"A person who doesn't get angry, who doesn't get cursed at no matter what they do, can't possibly have a normal personality. Even in the open world, those who become beggars for the first time are treated mercilessly. That's because begging is truly dangerous. People think it's okay to treat those less fortunate than themselves as harshly as possible. So beggars become targets of their anger whenever they're bored. If you don't want to get beaten to death there, you have a lot to learn."
“Why are you suddenly talking about beggars?”
"Even beggars who seem to have no need to learn anything have to learn to survive. And they have to be disciplined. But Baek Muhan was too great. And too great. As a result…"
The Gwanggu Shingae shook its head.
“You’ve become a monster.”
Gwanggu Shingae sighed softly.
“That was the beginning of all the tragedy.”
“…….”
The heaviness in Gwanggu Shingae's voice made Saga tremble.
"You didn't know. Because you'd never been persecuted by others, because you'd never been oppressed by anyone, you didn't realize how much pain your actions were causing others."
“But isn’t that inexcusable?”
"That's right. I'm not trying to defend Baek Mu-han. I'm just saying this to explain the situation at the time. The political factions who endured and endured ultimately ended up committing the crime. But…"
Gwanggu Shingae closed his eyes.
“That method was so mean and petty.”
“…….”
"And then they were terrified. They realized what they had done only after it was over. A man on a tiger's back can't get off. The moment he gets off, he'll be eaten."
“So you even swept away the Ten Thousand Swords?”
“Because the Mangeombaekga were so strong that if they didn’t deal with it by surprise, they would have to suffer terrible sacrifices.”
“But he is also low and petty.”
That was like Kang-ho's original sin.
This is the reason why those who face Baekgeomseong cannot raise their heads in front of them.
"Only Wi Yeon-ho was free from that original sin. He was the only one qualified to point out Baekgeomseong's faults."
“Yes, that’s right.”
"but……."
The voice of the Gwanggu Shingae died down.
“That was a tragedy in its own right.”
"……yes?"
"Fate is truly a terrifying thing. No matter how hard you try to avoid it, you'll eventually have to face it. Humans are truly weak and insignificant in the face of fate."
“…….”
“Wei Yanhu also found out about that, you know…….”
The lantern swayed in the blowing wind.
Dangerously, dangerously.