Chapter 562

**Chapter 562: The Lazy Man Takes Action (2)**

The sword descends slowly.

Wei Yanho had been experiencing a strange sensation lately.

*”Am I holding a sword right now?”*

He lowered his gaze to confirm with his own eyes. There it was, clearly, the whiteness of the sword.

It was a truly strange thing.

It wasn’t that the sensation in his fingers had dulled. He could clearly feel the grip of the hilt under his fingertips. But the awareness that he was holding a sword had become hazy.

*”It seems like I’m going crazy.”*

He knew what this was called.

**Sword-Self Unification (劍我一體).**

The state in which one merges with the sword, becoming one. A state known as **Sword-Self Unification** or **Body and Sword as One (身劍合一).**

But this was slightly different.

It wasn’t a feeling of unity with the sword. Although he was clearly holding a sword in his hand, he was forgetting its existence. He was forgetting something he shouldn’t forget.

It wasn’t that feeling of fusion that some spoke of, where the sword feels like an extension of one’s own body.

*”If I had a master, I would ask him.”*

To the current Wei Yanho, his master was like a beacon. A star shining majestically high in the sky. Just by looking at and following that star, the beacon guided him along the right path.

But that beacon was incredibly inconsiderate.

He didn’t say anything about how much further he had to go, whether it was right to climb that mountain or cross that river, or how long it would take him to arrive if he continued like this.

Now was no different.

No one was telling him if this was part of the natural process of ascent or if he had simply taken the wrong path.

*”My master must have gone through the same thing.”*

At least Wei Yanho had the beacon of his master, but his master had no one. The moment he surpassed his thirties, he became the best in the world. Who could have shown him the way then?

It wasn’t a reason to complain.

His master had reached those majestic heights under even worse conditions. In comparison, Wei Yanho was in a much better situation.

*”I have quite a bit of leeway.”*

And yet, here he was, thinking about all this.

Sure, thinking wasn’t bad. Reflecting on his state and clearly establishing his direction was an essential thing for any martial artist.

The problem was the current situation.

Slightly raising his head, Wei Yanho clearly saw the figures of Death Demon and Poison Demon rushing towards him with ferocity.

*”How slow.”*

The world was moving incredibly slowly.

His mind was processing too much information simultaneously, slowing down his perception of time.

When had he become accustomed to this slowed-down world?

At some point, he noticed.

Something within him was germinating.

*”It’s exasperatingly slow.”*

The moment he felt he needed to become stronger, he became stronger. When he felt he needed more power, he became even more powerful.

While others climbed cliffs, he ascended along paved paths. In the face of precipices that seemed endless, where others were paralyzed, unsure of what to do, he followed the comfortable path that his master had prepared, ascending without obstacles.

And yet, he couldn’t see it.

How far he had to climb.

The mountain rose beyond the clouds, stretching to the confines of the sky. He had ascended to heights that would amaze anyone. But he still couldn’t see the end of this mountain.

*”It’s too much, really.”*

Even if he saw it, it would be an unattainable height. So, wouldn’t it be okay to at least show him the end?

— *Aren’t I showing it to you? It’s just that you’re too short-sighted to see it, you idiot.*

*”I know.”*

Wei Yanho frowned.

The stronger he became, the more he understood. How great the shadow his master cast upon him was, how immense it was.

Compared to that colossal shadow, the priests charging at him now were nothing.

Yes, literally nothing.

Death Demon’s nails grew long. To be exact, it seemed as if a dark **Steel Claw (爪鋼)** had emerged from his nails.

Sharp.

Just brushing against those claws would split and rot the flesh. Now that he thought about it, he remembered hearing something about those claws from his father. What was it? Something like **Demonic Claws (魔爪)**, I think…

Since he hadn’t paid much attention, he didn’t remember it well. Although, even if he had, he probably wouldn’t remember it now.

It didn’t matter.

He didn’t need to know what kind of technique it was. In the end, all martial arts converged at the same point. They all came down to stabbing, striking, grabbing, and pushing.

Techniques were nothing more than combinations of these four elements. At most, a little psychological warfare was added, waiting for the opponent to stop.

— *What will you do?*

*”Dodge, that’s all.”*

— *What if you can’t dodge?*

*”Block, that’s all.”*

It was simple.

He thought the world would become more complex the higher he ascended. But, the higher he went, the simpler everything became. Like now.

Death Demon’s hand extended forward, the Steel Claws growing long. Five lines appeared in the air, aiming directly at Wei Yanho’s neck.

*”It’s obvious.”*

Those claws weren’t trying to pierce his neck. The real intention was to force him to twist his body to dodge, and then cut him in the direction he moved.

The aura at the fingertips, the direction of the claws, Death Demon’s gaze fixed on his escape point… everything betrayed his plan.

So, what should he do?

*”I said it was obvious.”*

Wei Yanho’s sword cut through Death Demon’s Steel Claws.

Once.

Again.

And again.

The fragments of the claws flew in all directions. The sharp claws, filled with a cold edge, pierced the bluestone floor as if it were tofu.

Wei Yanho clearly saw how Death Demon’s eyes widened.

*”Why are you surprised?”*

He understood.

His claws, charged with all his power, were being cut like dry grass. It was understandable that he was surprised.

But with that level of sharp energy, he couldn’t stop Wei Yanho.

*”I, who have endured the cuts of energy that my master launched as if they were jokes…”*

Everything was within him.

His master had told him that he had taught him everything. And those words weren’t false.

He kept realizing.

He kept understanding.

What his master had taught him.

The blows to the head he received as jokes contained all the secrets of the fist. The hand that moved strangely to slap his butt contained all the secrets of the sword.

The image of his master in his dreams was nothing more than a mental recreation based on what he had seen in the cave in the past. But, still, Wei Yanho had never beaten him. He hadn’t even grazed him, even in a dream.

The gestures he believed to be insignificant gradually revealed their true nature each time he tried to dodge them.

*”It’s ridiculous, really.”*

Who could imagine that in the blows to the head were contained the secrets of the fist, so profound that they would shame Shaolin?

Who could imagine that in the blows to wake the Lazy Wei Yanho was hidden a level of sword that even the masters of Wudang wouldn’t dare to challenge?

That’s how his master was.

He was **martial arts**, and martial arts was him. He was like a god of martial arts descended into the world in a human body.

And in comparison?

*”Weak.”*

Death Demon, suppressing his panic, took out another Steel Claw. Wei Yanho, without reducing his speed, charged towards him while observing the scene.

Death Demon shouted something and wielded his claws again.

This old man was quite strong too. That was for sure. The energy contained in the claws he wielded was terrifying.

*”Could grandpa **Supreme Sovereign (권극)** face him?”*

He couldn’t say who would have the advantage. The difference was so minimal that the result would depend on the state and physical condition of the day.

But…

*”Weak.”*

Wei Yanho’s sword filled with light. Then, it moved slowly.

The trajectory.

The trajectory that his master’s sword followed.

Although he didn’t understand it mentally, his body knew it. Faithfully following that trajectory, Wei Yanho wielded his sword.

And then, everything was divided.

Everything.

Everything that entered the range of his sword was split, as if it were its inevitable destiny, without even offering resistance.

As if it was already cut and the sword was simply following along.

Death Demon’s Steel Claws were cut like rice under a sickle. But Wei Yanho didn’t stop there.

He was ambitious.

The sword that cut the claws continued towards Death Demon’s fingers. Death Demon’s eyes, finding no place to escape, fluttered.

*”Hmm?”*

At that moment, Poison Demon began to move. From his green-tinged fingers emerged a **Poison Claw (毒鋼)** that flew between Wei Yanho and Death Demon.

A signal to retreat.

*”Who gave you permission?”*

Ignoring the clear warning, Wei Yanho didn’t retreat. Instead, he took another step forward and thrust his sword. Wei Yanho’s sword, charged with explosive energy, vibrated.

*”It’s a good sword.”*

The next time he visited the **Tang Family (唐家)**, he would have to thank the old craftsman. This sword seemed made exclusively for Wei Yanho. It was as if the sword moved before his hand did, anticipating his thoughts.

It perfectly materialized every movement that Wei Yanho imagined.

A perfect martial art and a perfect sword.

He had both. What was there to worry about?

Death Demon screamed and struck Wei Yanho’s sword with both hands. From the right, the Poison Claw charged with a toxic aura approached. Wei Yanho thrust his sword with his right hand while striking the Poison Claw with his left.

A great crash.

Even that crash sounded slow.

Death Demon, spitting blood, was launched backward. Wei Yanho didn’t even look at Death Demon, who was flying like a kite, as the Poison Claw exploded in his hand.

The acrid smell of poison.

The tingling sensation of the poison seeping into his fingers.

Poison Demon’s eyes gleamed with pleasure.

*”How stupid.”*

He would think he had poisoned him.

He would think he couldn’t resist it with brute force.

But he was wrong.

*”My master did it.”*

Poison Claws and poison were just another type of martial art. If he was stronger than the Poison Claw, his body would prevail. If his energy was more potent than the poison, it couldn’t invade his body.

Besides…

*”I have someone terrifying on my side.”*

Before the poison in his fingers could be detected by the flow of energy in his dantian, **Baek Muhan’s inner core** stirred.

Perhaps because it was Baek Muhan’s core, his personality was identical to his. Upon detecting an intruder in his territory, he reacted violently, expelling energy from his fingertips.

That was all.

Baek Muhan’s incredible inner force, impossible to describe even with the word “absurd,” absorbed the poison in an instant. It didn’t expel it. It grabbed it, dragged it, and began to beat it mercilessly. The poison, now docile, was cleanly decomposed and then discreetly pushed towards the dantian.

*”My master’s grace is like the sky.”*

His dantian filled with inner energy. The poison was completely neutralized, leaving only pure energy that filled Wei Yanho’s dantian. As if he had taken a magic potion.

**Immune to Poison (萬毒不侵).**

It wasn’t a state that Wei Yanho had reached. But for his body, which housed Baek Muhan’s core, it was impossible for poison to invade him.

Perhaps in the past, but not now.

Wei Yanho took a deep breath and smiled.

*”It fell short… Do you have more poison, old man?”*

At Wei Yanho’s mocking words, Poison Demon’s expression twisted with rage.