The great hall was completely covered in brilliant white radiance. Everyone lost their words and stared at the light Wei Yan-ho was emitting.
"Ohhh...."
Even the Emperor's eyes trembled.
'What kind of martial art is this?'
There were many in the Imperial Palace who had learned martial arts. There was a difference between what soldiers could do and what martial warriors could accomplish. While the martial world feared the endlessly swarming Imperial Army, from the Imperial Palace's perspective, they couldn't help but fear the martial artists who could secretly infiltrate the palace.
That's why those who guarded the Emperor were filled with martial warriors capable of facing such experts. Even without particular interest in martial arts, they couldn't help but be familiar with it.
He had seen the abilities of martial warriors countless times—abilities that could never be considered those of ordinary people. But without a doubt, this was the first time witnessing such a scene. How could a person emit such dazzling radiance?
And that light wasn't merely for show.
Wei Yan-ho stretched his hand straight forward.
Then a brilliant white flash extended from his hand and flew toward Nok-gi.
"D-dodge!"
"Grand Eunuch!"
Nok-gi's subordinates leaped toward Wei Yan-ho's sword light, and some threw themselves over Nok-gi to shield him.
Kwaaaaang!
Not a single person in the great hall could open their mouth.
A single strike.
It was just a single strike.
The result of what seemed like a playful gesture completely exceeded everyone's expectations. Those who had been guarding in front of Nok-gi couldn't even scream before becoming corpses, and the sword light that continued onward completely collapsed one entire wall of the great hall.
"...."
It was as if time had stopped.
Those who knew nothing of martial arts could only gape with their mouths hanging open, unable to believe that a person could do such a thing, while those who understood martial arts were equally shocked by this tremendous power.
It was Wei Yan-ho who broke the cold silence.
"Hul...."
Wei Yan-ho looked back and forth between his own hand and the collapsed wall, then muttered in a dazed voice.
"Are hands originally stronger than swords?"
"...."
"That's not right. This level of power shouldn't be coming out... Eh...."
Wei Yan-ho turned to look at the Emperor and asked.
"By any chance, have you consumed all the spiritual medicines there are?"
The Emperor nodded blankly.
"Then what about Thousand-Year Ginseng or... well, Ten-Thousand-Year Ginseng King?"
"I ate them as side dishes."
"...Ah, I see."
Wei Yan-ho smiled awkwardly.
Well, this person was the most noble being under heaven, and his health was poor too, so naturally, he would have consumed all the best medicines in the world.
A person who would have munched on ginseng like ordinary people munch on radishes—the internal energy dormant within him would be at a level capable of slapping a Shaolin Abbot.
'And I devoured all of that.'
Wei Yan-ho rubbed his stomach.
The method by which he had treated the Emperor was quite simple. The Emperor wasn't suffering from blocked major meridians, but rather had all his minor meridians blocked.
While conditions like Nine Yin Severed Meridians or Seven Yin Severed Meridians could be treated by opening those major channels, the abnormally blocked minor meridians couldn't be opened even if the Great Immortal himself came.
Nine Yin Severed Meridians and Seven Yin Severed Meridians were diseases that couldn't be treated because the body couldn't withstand the process of opening the severed meridians, but with minor meridians, one couldn't even attempt it. That is, if you were an ordinary physician.
'But not me.'
However, Wei Yan-ho could do it. To be precise, Baek Mu-han's inner core in Wei Yan-ho's stomach made it possible.
He didn't understand the principle or the logic. Just by roughly placing his hands on the Emperor's body and lightly using his absorption technique, the inner core automatically sucked up all the energy within the Emperor's body, purifying what was turbid and devouring what was pure.
Since the Emperor wasn't a martial artist, he hadn't converted the energies accumulated in his body into internal energy, and ultimately, the energies that had been stored in his body rather than his qi and blood rose up as soon as his minor meridians were opened, causing a complete physical transformation.
And in the process, all that tremendous internal energy stored in the Emperor's body became Wei Yan-ho's.
He had thought he would become moderately stronger, but...
"This is a bit excessive...."
Wei Yan-ho rubbed his belly with a bewildered expression.
Of course, martial arts wasn't something that could improve dramatically just by strengthening one's internal energy, but it was certain that the same technique would have different power.
That's how this situation occurred.
"...What did he pick up and eat?"
Even Wei Jeong-han, who could roughly guess the situation, was shocked enough to let slip a comment that could be considered disrespectful to the Emperor.
"Damn it!"
Jang-il plopped down on the spot.
"What's wrong?"
At Wei San-ho's question, Jang-il groaned as if his stomach hurt.
"Some people wander around the whole neighborhood searching for spiritual medicines but can't even find a single ginseng root to eat, ending up in this pathetic state, while that bastard has some kind of fortune attached to him, devouring everything good wherever he goes. How could my stomach not hurt!"
"Then achieve some merit. Perhaps His Majesty will bestow spiritual medicines upon you."
"Hmm?"
As Jang-il glanced over slyly, the Emperor nodded.
"It wouldn't just be spiritual medicines. If you achieve merit, I will grant you great rewards!"
"Keukkeuk."
Jang-il slowly got to his feet.
"If a beggar receives rewards from His Imperial Majesty, Kaifeng will be in an uproar. King Beggar might even throw me a dog leg, saying Fox-Dog did well."
"How modest."
"Modest my ass! You don't know how greedy King Beggar is. Getting a dog leg from King Beggar's hands would be harder than me becoming a peerless beauty."
"Then that will never happen."
"You bastard?"
Meanwhile, Nok-gi couldn't figure out how to handle the current situation.
'What did I just witness?'
He knew Wei Yan-ho was strong. All the numerous pieces of information connected to him said the same thing. But there was far too great a difference between Wei Yan-ho's martial prowess as deduced from intelligence and his actual martial prowess.
Nok-gi's face hardened.
"Jeok-yeong."
"...."
"Can you kill him?"
"...I can't guarantee it."
"Is that so?"
Nok-gi stuck out his tongue and licked his lips.
An opponent that even Jeok-yeong couldn't guarantee against...
Nok-gi slowly opened his mouth toward Wei Yan-ho, who was looking at him.
"Just what kind of trick did you pull..."
At that moment, Wei Yan-ho raised his hand.
"Yes, that's enough."
"...."
"We've already talked plenty. If it weren't for saving His Majesty, there wouldn't have been any need to drag out the conversation. Now let's do what we came to do. Why use words when we have good fists?"
"...."
"Utcha."
When Wei Yan-ho waved his hand in the air, a sword that had fallen to the floor rose up and flew to him. Catching the sword, Wei Yan-ho swung it a few times, then frowned.
"This is why you shouldn't use just any sword. It feels really awkward."
Wei Yan-ho clicked his tongue a few times, then let the sword hang downward and quietly stared at Nok-gi.
And at that moment, Nok-gi felt as if his entire body was being cut to pieces by swords.
"...This, this bastard."
He had to acknowledge it.
No matter how much of an incomparable fool that bastard was as a human being, the moment he gripped a sword, he became a different person.
Wei Yan-ho's sunken gaze and atmosphere made it impossible to believe that the brat who had been spouting nonsense until now and the man before his eyes were the same person.
Nok-gi gritted his teeth.
He could understand why this bastard had become their top priority target. It felt as if the world was covered by Wei Yan-ho's sword tip. No matter where he fled, it seemed he would never be able to escape that sword's reach.
'How can a person change so drastically?'
Eyes that seemed to have eliminated all human emotion.
Even he, who had met and observed countless masters, felt his heart ache at those eyes.
'Like that person's eyes.'
Memories that made his heart shrivel just by recalling them were crawling up from the abyss. Nok-gi shook his head to dispel these foolish thoughts. He couldn't dare compare him to that person. He couldn't dare.
"...Yes, words aren't necessary."
Nok-gi coldly assessed the situation.
'The martial world...'
This was a completely unexpected attack. The fact that the attack came precisely at this moment meant there was someone who had accurately predicted his response.
'The Grand Scholar of Hanrim.'
He had put so much effort into it, thinking that person would surely trip him up someday, but failing to finish it then had ultimately brought disaster.
If Grand Scholar Moon Yu-hwan was commanding from outside, then surely word had reached the Censorate as well. The longer time passed, the more disadvantageous it would be for them. The Imperial Army and Censorate would come rushing.
In the end, they had no choice but to kill the Emperor with a quick decisive battle.
For that...
"Kill them."
Nok-gi ground his teeth as he spoke.
"The Emperor! And Wei Yan-ho! Don't spare your lives and charge in to definitely kill that bastard! Right now!"
"Charge!"
As soon as Nok-gi's words fell, those who had been surrounding them all rushed forward at once. However, perhaps because Wei Yan-ho's terrifying martial prowess had left a strong impression, none of them recklessly charged at Wei Yan-ho.
"These bastards think we're a joke!"
"We'll have to show them, senior. Just how terrifying the swords of the martial world are."
"I agree."
Led by Wei Jeong-han and Gong Mu-jin, the group met the charging warriors.
"Keukeukeuk."
Jeok-yeong, who had been watching this scene, let out a quiet laugh. His eyes were targeting only Wei Yan-ho.
"I don't want to admit it, but alone would be difficult."
"That's right."
From beneath Nok-gi's sleeve, hands as slender and pale as a woman's were revealed.
Kkagareak!
When he clenched his fists, a metallic sound rang from his hands.
Nok-gi wore a cruel smile and slowly approached Wei Yan-ho.
'The outcome will be decided here.'
The key was whether they could kill Wei Yan-ho or not. Anyway, if they could just take down Wei Yan-ho, taking the Emperor's head wouldn't be too difficult.
Jeok-yeong, Nok-gi, and the Emperor's guards slowly surrounded Wei Yan-ho.
Wei Yan-ho's eyes sank even lower.
"Prepare your..."
The moment Nok-gi opened his mouth, Wei Yan-ho's body stretched out like taffy.
"Heuk!"
One of the guards who had been stealthily completing the encirclement around Wei Yan-ho saw Wei Yan-ho appear before him and stepped back in shock.
No, he tried to step back.
Seogeak!
But that was just a thought.
Before the command from his brain could even be transmitted to his legs, Wei Yan-ho's sword had already sliced through his neck.
The severed head shot up into the air.
The remaining body staggered backward, then soon rolled on the ground, spouting a fierce fountain of blood from its neck.
"...."
A cold silence flowed.
Disconnect.
The terrible disconnect felt between Wei Yan-ho, who had been spouting nonsense about entering a school just moments before, and Wei Yan-ho, who had just cut off a person's head without blinking an eye, tormented everyone.
"Hmm."
Wei Yan-ho shook his sword to clean off the blood and turned his head to look at Nok-gi.
His mouth slowly opened.
"One."
Seeing the smile forming on Wei Yan-ho's lips, Nok-gi couldn't help but suspect.
If the Wei Yan-ho he was seeing now was his true form, then perhaps they had all been dancing in Wei Yan-ho's palm from the very beginning.
Perhaps.
As if to shatter his anxiety, a dazzling radiance that instantly bloomed from Wei Yan-ho's sword came crashing toward him.