The Future Within the Sword (6)
Hwa-un was horrified.
“Sh-Shaolin?!”
Shaolin Temple.
Within the rivers and lakes of the martial world, Shaolin’s position was nothing short of monumental. All martial arts under heaven originate from Shaolin. The impression the world held of the temple was perfectly captured in those seven characters.
Yet when viewed through a different lens, the story changed completely.
Shaolin Temple boasted the highest renown regardless of whether one spoke of the orthodox or unorthodox paths. However, the status it held among the Buddhist sects of the Central Plains far surpassed even its towering position in the murim.
Far away in the western lands of Tianzhu, the monk known as Dharma had brought the Buddhist teachings to the Central Plains. It was said that he attained enlightenment after nine years of facing a wall at Shaoshi Peak on Mount Song—where Shaolin now stood—and founded the Zen sect.
Though Buddhism had many branches, not a single one failed to revere Dharma. Naturally, Shaolin Temple, built on the very ground where he had trained, was regarded as a holy land by every Buddhist sect in the Central Plains.
No matter how outstanding Botam’s sword studies might be, how could they compare to Shaolin? No matter how great Botam’s fame, how could it rival Shaolin’s?
That was the power carried by the name alone. Even if another Buddhist order possessed superior martial learning, none would dare lay a hand on Shaolin.
It was only natural, then, that Hwa-un froze like stone the moment the Shaolin monk appeared without warning.
Uuuuung.
Beom-oh raised a half-palm before his chest in greeting. The half-palm salute was a courtesy unique to Shaolin. Since Dharma’s disciple Huike had severed one arm to attain enlightenment and become one-armed, the half-palm greeting was said to carry forward Huike’s spirit.
“Did you just say… Beom-oh?”
“That is correct. This humble monk’s dharma name is Beom-oh.”
Beom-oh.
Even if one cared little for worldly affairs, news from the Buddhist sects could not be ignored. Hwa-un’s eyes trembled violently.
“The next head of the Arhat Hall…?”
Beom-oh shook his head.
“Amitabha. This poor monk is so lacking that I have yet to grasp even the edge of the Buddha’s teachings. I am far from qualified to assume the position of Arhat Hall master at the main temple.”
It was terrifying.
Jeong-an felt a deep fear in Beom-oh’s calm tone. …How can such a person exist? The feeling stemmed from the inhuman enlightenment she had sensed the first time she met him—the perfect alignment between his words and his emotions.
There was no falsehood in anything Beom-oh said. Every syllable, every character carried meaning, yet beyond that meaning there was not the slightest trace of other emotion or intent. His eyes, his voice, and the words themselves were all pure truth.
And that truth pressed down on others with far greater force than the bloodthirsty malice of a killer swinging a bloodied blade. It did so without coercion—softly, naturally.
Yeon Hojeong asked, “What is your assessment of these two, Monk?”
Beom-oh turned his gaze to Jeong-an. He did not even glance at Hwa-un, whose eyes were shaking as she stared at him.
A gentle smile formed on his lips as he looked at Jeong-an. It was a smile full of compassion.
“Her talent and pure-hearted nature are exceptional. Wherever she goes, she will be recognized as extraordinary. Moreover, I see in her the wisdom not to cling to such evaluations but to pursue her own path of seeking the Way.”
“Ah, thank you.”
“However, there is no rule that her pure nature must remain trapped within Buddhist teachings alone.”
“Pardon?”
“The Buddha’s teachings are not a realm one can only reach through study, nor one forever closed to those who have not studied. Is that not so? The eyes of one who is a candidate to succeed the Wise Sword are truly connected to the world, separate from that gentle nature. Even if she grapples with the secular world rather than Buddhist law, she will not stray from the Buddha’s path.”
“Ah…”
“Advance toward where your heart leads. Even if a thorny path of endless hardship lies before you, so long as you do not lose your heart, how could this harsh world show only an inauspicious face to one such as you?”
“……”
“I pray you continue to cultivate that clear mind. Even if you were to obtain a thousand gold and the greatest fame under heaven, it would mean nothing if you lost that pure heart.”
Beom-oh bowed his head.
“I sincerely pray that Shakyamuni’s blessings accompany the future of one who has attained enlightenment.”
“Th-thank you.”
It was not the sort of greeting or blessing one could accept lightly. Jeong-an pressed her palms together and bowed deeply. It’s difficult. Even she, who had read and interpreted many scriptures, found parts of Beom-oh’s words obscure.
Yet simply listening to them calmed her mind. It felt as though a ray of light had pierced the chaos filling her head.
Jeong-an turned his words over in her mind again and again. She engraved every character deeply so she would not forget a single one. When difficult moments came in the future, she wanted to recall his words and find her answers.
Even that earnest attitude appeared pure in Beom-oh’s eyes. He let out a hearty laugh.
“No matter how magnificent the characters, how can they fully contain one’s will and heart? It is said, ‘Picking up a flower and showing it to the assembly.’ If my intention and sincerity have reached you, that is enough.”
“Ah, yes!”
“And…”
Beom-oh’s eyes shifted from Jeong-an to Hwa-un.
Hwa-un flinched visibly.
It was not because Beom-oh was stronger than her. Why is Shaolin here?! She was shaken because a monk raised in Buddhism’s greatest holy land stood before her.
She was shaken again because she did not understand why she felt this way. Why? There’s no reason for me to…
At that moment, Beom-oh’s voice slipped into her ears.
“The cycle of reincarnation the Buddha spoke of is a principle of the universe. It is the circulation of life itself and the rule by which the world operates. Those unfamiliar with the teachings likely know only this much.”
“……”
“Yet from where this poor monk stands, it does not seem you spoke of killing others while truly keeping reincarnation in mind.”
Hwa-un’s face turned deathly pale in an instant.
Yes. Only then did she realize why she was so shaken.
She knew she had done wrong. And she had committed that wrong in front of none other than a Shaolin monk—the very founder of the Zen sect.
She had shown her ugliest side in front of others, in front of a Buddhist practitioner beyond even Botam’s ability to control. Hwa-un’s heart pounded madly.
Beom-oh continued. The warmth and comfort that had filled his voice had turned transparent as crystal.
“This poor monk is not well-versed in the affairs of the murim. I have done nothing but swing my fists my entire life. But this much I know: it is never common for the words ‘I will kill’ to leave the mouth of a monk who has taken refuge in the Buddha’s teachings.”
“B-Beom-oh, that is a misunderstanding.”
Beom-oh’s eyes deepened.
“You will not acknowledge it?”
“What?”
“Have you forgotten that acknowledging one’s fault and changing is the shortest path to all forgiveness and the greatest opportunity to reclaim distant enlightenment?”
“……!!”
“You seem to clearly recognize your own wrongdoing, so why do you refuse to acknowledge it and tremble in fear instead? Is admitting the truth so difficult for you?”
“I…!”
“A lifetime of cultivation can crumble with a single mistake. Likewise, that crumbled cultivation can be restored with a single moment of enlightenment.”
Beom-oh shook his head.
“I am not in a position to comment on Botam’s entry into the murim or the conflicts between its factions. This poor monk sees only one person who has collapsed. I simply hope that person will acknowledge their fault and reclaim their duty as a practitioner.”
“……”
“Reflect on yourself while there is still time.”
Hwa-un ground her teeth.
Even she could sense the strange power contained in Beom-oh’s voice.
Yes. Beom-oh was an enlightened being.
She could not tell how exalted that enlightenment was. What mattered was that, with her own eyes, she could not begin to measure the depth of the monk named Beom-oh.
No—it had already far surpassed the level of something that could merely be measured.
For a moment, Hwa-un felt an overwhelming urge to drop to her knees. To clasp her hands, to beg forgiveness for her sins—not to Beom-oh, but to herself.
But then… …?!
In that instant, Hwa-un’s eyes met Jeong-an’s.
Eyes filled with pity, yet still so clear and deep—the eyes of a true successor—were looking straight at her.
Hwarururuk.
The flames of desire flared once more in Hwa-un’s eyes, which had been filled with confusion. Why should I? What exactly had she done wrong? Becoming angry at the arrogance of those who know nothing of the world is merely the fault of my shallow cultivation! It is something that can be fixed by further training, not a matter that requires me to bow my head!
Besides, countless evil people lived full and comfortable lives after slaughtering the weak. Compared to them, she was practically a saint. Had she not resolved to enter the world precisely to punish such villains? Was this matter truly worth such struggle?
A sharp voice burst from Hwa-un’s lips.
“What fault?! As the monk himself saw, the arrogant and ignorant one is that man right there!”
She pointed at Yeon Hojeong, who stood with his arms crossed.
Even as she pointed at him, Yeon Hojeong’s face remained perfectly calm. Not a single ripple disturbed his heart.
In contrast, Hwa-un’s face was completely twisted. Her distorted expression resembled the hideous image of Mara, the very embodiment of desire.
“A man who has never even learned Buddhist teachings dared to discuss them and toy with this poor monk! With nothing but paltry fame and position, he tried to intimidate me!”
“Elder Hwa.”
“The eldest son of a mere regional family dares to… to me, an elder of Bota who seeks to save the laws of the world…!!”
At that moment, a terrifying flame ignited in Beom-oh’s eyes.
“HAH!!”
CRAAAAAAAAAAASH!
Beom-oh’s tremendous shout rang out like the shattering of a massive temple bell.
Hwa-un’s mouth fell open. The energy of the World-Honored One contained within that powerful lion’s roar shattered the veil of confusion and malice covering her eyes.
“Since when did responsibility become synonymous with power?! Since when did position become synonymous with authority?! Do you truly claim to be a practitioner who has studied the Buddha’s teachings for decades?!”
“S-stop shouting! I…!”
“Look at your own heart correctly!!”
CRAAAAAAAAASH!
The sound of the great bell rang out once more.
Hwarurururuk!
A faint golden radiance began to pour from Beom-oh’s body.
It was brilliantly bright, yet it placed no burden whatsoever on the eyes of those who beheld it.
The light of enlightenment. The light of wisdom.
The very radiance of the Wise Sword—symbolized by Botam’s Sword Queen—wrapped around Beom-oh like a halo.
Horror spread across Hwa-un’s face.
She had encountered this light once before. The Ban-ya-dae-neung-ryeok?!
The supreme ability that only the enlightened masters of Shaolin’s martial path could cultivate. Among its forms, the divine art of truth representing wisdom and the Dharma Eye struck Hwa-un’s gaze like a hammer.
“Aaaagh!”
Hwa-un clutched her eyes and collapsed where she stood.
Blood streamed from both eyes.
It was a truly strange experience. The pain was so intense it felt as if her soul might flee, yet it was also strangely refreshing. Even though blood flowed down and covered her eyes, she could still see clearly.
Shaaaaaaaak!
Hwa-un felt something leaving her body.
It was a formless thing invisible even to those who had mastered the greatest martial arts under heaven—something only those who had realized the Dharma could perceive.
It was desire. It was confusion.
Beom-oh, who had been looking down at her with stern eyes, spoke in a calm voice.
“Open your eyes. And look at yourself with those opened eyes.”
“……”
“Only then will the world become visible to you. Has Botam not lived by looking at the world in exactly this way?”
Tears slid down Hwa-un’s face. They were tears of blood, yet they looked like tears washing away sin.
Beom-oh let out a soft sigh, then turned his head toward a gaze he suddenly sensed.
Yeon Hojeong was winking with one eye and giving him a thumbs-up.
Beom-oh turned away as if to say he could do nothing about it.
Truly, it seemed that even the Ban-ya-dae-neung-ryeok could not do anything about that man’s personality.