Chronicles of the Lazy Sovereign Novel - Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Foreword

“You said you wanted to know about Wei Yan-ho?”

Master Musan’s eyes were deep and transparent.

Only when the man met Master Musan’s deep gaze could he understand why he was called the Living Buddha.

The transparent eyes of Master Musan possessed an inexplicable power that made one look inward with just being contemplated.

A great monk.

Even someone who did not have a deep respect for Buddhism would feel infinite respect for someone who had devoted his whole life to the Buddhist path by seeing the appearance of Master Musan.

A kingdom where I kept it in my heart flowed naturally.

Faced with the high dignity of such Buddhist cultivation, man could only marvel with admiration.

“Wei Yan-ho…”

Master Musan’s eyes, while repeating the name quietly, are stained with a distant look, as if he remembered something from the past.

“I think it was a being sent by Buddha to save all living creatures.”

A gentle smile flourished in the corners of Master Musan’s mouth.

The smile that appeared on his lips, covered by long white mustaches, naturally brought peace to the heart of the man watching him.

A person who could naturally make someone of such a high level of cultivation smile just by thinking about him. It wasn’t hard to guess what kind of person he was.

In fact, the words that flowed from Master Musan’s mouth were exactly what the man had expected.

He was righteous and upright, and also compassionate. He knew how to take care of the weak, never chickened out before the strong and was more sincere than anyone else…

Something strange happened.

Master Musan’s eyebrows shook slightly as he continued to praise Wei Yan-ho. And his words became increasingly sporadic, as if he had some difficulty.

“And he…behaved with property…”

Master Musan’s face was slightly twirled.

“Master?”

The man looked at Master Musan with a worried expression.

Why would this great man, who seemed to never falter even if Mount Tai collapsed and the heavens turned upside down, suddenly struggled so hard to continue with his words?

The transcendent aura that had emanated from him when I first saw him was nowhere to be found.

Aem, cough, cough, amitabha.

Master Musan coughed hard and then smiled.

I’m sorry, I’m not feeling well today.

“You’re welcome.”

Yes, where was he? No one can deny Wei Yan-ho’s achievements. After all, he is the one who saved the world. But the reason people should follow his example is that he was a gentleman and a model for all…

Master Musan closed his mouth.

His face seemed to blush slightly.

His breathing accelerated and his long beard trembled.

“… Master?”

The man called Master Musan, bewildered by this strange change.

The old monk who had perfectly embodied the term ‘Living Buddha’ now trembled with his red face, as if he had secretly drunk several bottles of liquor like a libertarian monk.

Master Musan’s mouth opened slightly.

“This is… crazy.”

“Excuse me?”

Master Musan coughed hard and shook his hand.

Amitabha!

“Well…”

Master Musan breathed deeply several times and finally let escape a sigh that seemed to cause the ground to sink.

Sorry, this monk isn’t feeling well today.

“…Yes, I will.”

“Then I’ll say goodbye.”

Master Musan suddenly rose from his seat and quickly walked away without looking back.

The man observed Master Musan with empty eyes.

What the hell happened to that old monk all of a sudden?

The monk who until a few moments ago had been as gentle as a living Buddha full of dignity, now showed him his back pathetically bent as he hurriedly left the scene.

Like I’ve seen a ghost.

At that time, man’s ears grasped Master Musan’s silent murmur for himself.

“Damn it!”

Man’s face changed strangely.

Did that old monk just curse?

“That can’t be right.”

You must have heard wrong.

The man dried up the cold sweat that kept flowing as he watched the figure moving away from Master Musan, the former abbot of Shaolin, a living Buddha and the same person who had saved the world from chaos as Wei Yan-ho’s close friend in the past.

***

“Please come in.”

The man couldn’t help but be amazed.

Who was Peng Daoji?

Wasn’t he the legendary swordsman who was once called the Greatest Sword Under Heaven and made his name known in the Nine Provinces and the Eight Paros?

Wasn’t he the living myth of the martial world, whose sword technique any sword user would want to see even in their dreams?

And such a person had gone out to the front door of the Hebei Peng family to welcome him.

Given his status, he could not complain even if he was rejected at the door. But far from being rejected, who would imagine that he would personally come out to receive him like this?

He had heard rumors that Peng Daoji was a great hero who treated everyone without distinction, regardless of their status or age, but he had never imagined that he would receive him with such warmth.

“I am grateful for the hospitality of the great hero.”

Peng Daoji burst into a laugh.

Hahaha, receiving visitors is natural. Why be so grateful?

“When the renowned Great Hero Peng personally meets a stranger like me, how could he not be grateful?”

Even if my name is famous, I’m human, and so are you. What difference does it make between people for me to build walls?

These words contained a profound meaning.

The man nodded with his head.

The rumors about Peng Daoji spreading around the world were not entirely wrong.

The person before him was truly a great hero and a good man.

“Would you like to come in first?”

“How could I dare to expect such luxury?”

“But if I left a guest here, the world would curse me.”

“Then can I first confirm whether you will answer my question?”

Peng Daoji smiled.

Let’s do it. What do you want to know?

“I want to know about Wei Yan-ho.”

Peng Daoji had a warm smile.

“Did you say Wei Yan-ho?”

The man responded vigorously.

“Yes!”

GOLPE!

At that time, the front door closed with tremendous noise.

Wow!

The door closed so tightly that the dust spread in all directions and the tiles decorating the top of the door trembled.

The man stared at the closed door with an empty expression.

Through the door tightly closed, you could hear Peng Daoji’s voice.

“Is anyone there?”

Here I am, Supreme Chief of the Family!

“Come out!”

“Excuse me?”

Don’t you hear? Get out! Get salt! A whole sack… no, bring a whole sack and spread it in front of the door!

“Yes, I understand.”

This morning’s bad luck is coming, people of all kinds. Ugh! This will bring bad luck for three months.

Hearing Peng Daoji’s curses, the man’s mouth slowly opened.

Damn it! Contact the nearest temple and perform a ritual to ward off evil… No! If that bald Musan can’t handle this evil spirit, what could the other monks do? Spread out generously. A bag… No, bring all the salt bags out of the warehouse and block the door!

The man dried his cold sweat with a cloth he had prepared beforehand while listening to Peng Daoji’s irritated voice.

Peng Daoji, the greatest master of the sword under the sky, the former head of the Hebei Peng family known as the largest family under the sky and, above all, the man recognized throughout the world as close friend of Wei Yan-ho, never met the man again after that.

***

“A historian?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

The supreme elder of the Beggar Sect, the Divine Mendigo Guangqushen, bowed his head to one side.

“What’s that?”

“A person who records history.”

“History?”

“That’s right.”

Guangqushen looked at the man as he yawned.

What does such a person want from this beggar? How much can a beggar of history know?

“I want to know about Wei Yan-ho.”

“Wei Yan-ho?”

“Yes!”

“The radiant martial lord Wei Yan-ho?”

“That’s right.”

Guangqushen turned his head with indifference.

“Is there anyone who doesn’t know about Wei Yan-ho?”

The man nodded.

“Everyone knows about him.”

“Well?”

Yes. The Radiant Lord Martial Wei Yan-ho! The mythical figure who put an end to the great calamity of the world. He was a knight, a great man, and is known throughout the world as a great hero. Some call him the greatest person of all time, others call him the greatest hero of all time.

– You know very well. What do you care?

Man’s eyes lit up.

While searching for records of Wei Yan-ho to document the history of the martial world, I discovered something strange.

“Something strange?”

“Wei Yan-ho’s assessments and achievements can be found anywhere in the world.”

“And?”

“However, the actual facts of Wei Yan-ho are remarkably scarce.”

“Mmm…”

A naughty smile appeared on Guangqushen’s lips.

It is really strange. It is the most famous and praised person in the world. However, curiously, there are few records of what it did in the past and how it lived. And it lived just a hundred years ago.

“That would be the case.”

That’s why I dared to look for the Divine Beggar! I thought that you, who once wandered the world with Wei Yan-ho, could tell me precise memories of him.

“So you came looking for me?”

“Yes!”

“Do you look like a beggar?”

“…”

Indeed, the appearance of man was that of a beggar so excellent that he would not be inferior even when compared to Guangqushen before him.

“I thought you had come to join the Beggar Sect.”

The man’s face got red.

“You are so elusive, Divine Mendigo.”

I heard you’ve been chasing me for half a year, but you could’ve gone elsewhere.

“Master Musan of Shaolin said he was not feeling well, and the great hero Peng of the Peng family rejected me at his door.”

“Head, those guys?”

Guangqushen laughed as if he had expected this.

“Please tell me! In the past! What the hell happened?

The Divine Mendigo shook his hand with disdain.

You’d better not know.

“I want to know.”

“I tell you it’s better not to know.”

I have been following Wei Yan-ho for five years! I am a historian with a duty to inform the world about true history for future generations.

“There is a story that is better not to tell.”

The man prostrated himself on the ground.

“Please help me. If you don’t tell me, Divine Beggar, there is no other place in the world where I can know the truth about Wei Yan-ho.

“Isn’t that a story everyone knows?”

No! My intuition tells me there is something else! Please tell me! You are the only one I can count on now. Please, I beg you! Don’t you know how important it is to transmit the right story to the world?

At the man’s determined words, Guangqushen smiled.

That smile had a rather peculiar light.

“Approachable History?”

“Yes!”

“Do you really want to know?”

“Yes!”

The man nodded repeatedly as if he feared Guangqushen might change his mind.

“Really?”

“Yes!”

Guangqushen’s smile became even deeper.

His smile clearly contained itch.

“All right, do I tell you a story?”

“Thank you!”

“You don’t need to thank me.”

“Excuse me?”

Guangqushen snapped his tongue with an enigmatic expression.

“Because it would really be more comfortable not to know.”

“…”

Guangqushen opened his mouth.

Wei Yan-ho, Wei Yan-ho… almost everything we know about him is true, except for one thing.

Man’s eyes lit up.

“Which part?”

“Well, you know…”

Guangqushen stole his ear and blew the wax with his mouth.

Then he said with indifference:

– Well, it’s obvious.

“Your character?”

Guangqushen smiled and opened his mouth.

– That guy’s a complete scoundrel, see?