Chapter 318: A Stale Past
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 318: A Stale Past
At Vajra Divine Monk’s words, the surroundings fell silent, as if even the sound of breathing had vanished.
“...What are you talking about?”
I started to grow anxious under his gaze, which seemed to say I’d just chugged a bowl of uranium.
“The energy contained within the Prajna Divine Pill is so immense that even a martial artist who has reached the Flower Realm can barely control it. You’d be lucky to absorb even half of it, but if you take it without circulating the Formless Vajra Art, your major and minor meridians will be unable to accept the energy and will rupture. Needless to say, the same goes for your dantian.”
It was all perfectly logical.
There was a reason people said elixirs could also be poison.
But as Vajra Divine Monk gravely stated what every martial artist knew, my anxiety continued to swell.
“...Isn’t that true for all elixirs?”
“This one is a little different.”
Vajra Divine Monk shook his head.
“Different? What exactly is different about it?”
“...”
He didn’t answer my question right away.
He seemed to be hesitating.
Finally, with great difficulty, he opened his mouth.
“...die.”
“Sorry? I couldn’t hear you.”
“...explode and die.”
Again, his voice was as faint as a crawling ant, completely unfitting for his large frame, but I heard him clearly.
Even so, it was hard to accept.
“What did you just...”
“I said you explode and die.”
“...”
His words drove a final nail into my anxiety, and I was left speechless.
Instead, a cold sweat began to trickle down my spine.
“The Prajna Divine Pill is no ordinary elixir. To be precise, it is a type of ‘Body Pill’ [身丹] that I created over half a century of refinement, infusing it with the essence of the Formless Vajra Art.”
“Half a century... Didn’t you say you were eighty?”
Tap, tap.
“My memories after death might be a different story, but all my memories from when I was alive are connected. That’s the kind of formation it is.”
Vajra Divine Monk tapped his head.
“In any case, even if one has learned the Formless Vajra Art, taking the Prajna Divine Pill without proper preparation will cause their entire body to explode. Setting aside the immense energy, the essence of the Formless Vajra Art that I infused into it over fifty years is not something an unprepared human can so easily accept.”
Hearing that, my jaw dropped.
This crazy depraved monk.
“Hey, if you’re going to put something like that in there, you should have at least written a warning!”
“How dare you raise your voice at your master, you damn brat?!”
“I almost died, you know?!”
“But you didn’t, did you! And I clearly included a letter with a warning...”
Suddenly, Vajra Divine Monk’s words trailed off.
After a brief silence, he slowly turned his head away.
“...Ahem, it seems this humble monk forgot.”
“You crazy depraved monk!”
Of all the things to forget!
“How dare you call your master a depraved monk!!”
THUD!
Leaping to his feet, Vajra Divine Monk’s face twisted with rage.
A tremendous wave of Qi swept out in all directions.
His murderous expression and bulging muscles, looking ready to kill someone, reminded me of a statue of a Heavenly King.
Was it a conditioned response?
The spot where the wooden fish had hit me began to throb.
But I had no intention of just sitting here and taking it anymore.
Hoo...
Vrooom!
I drew up all the Geumgang Qi remaining in my dantian and began to block out all incoming external information.
No more, no less—a one-meter radius.
I resolved to counter Vajra Divine Monk’s attack by perceiving only the flow of the space I had designated.
I sharpened all my senses to their absolute limit.
The strain on my brain was immense, but I refused to let my concentration waver.
—!
As a result, I could faintly see the trajectory of the wooden fish, something I had never been able to see before.
Now!
Whoosh!
I managed to dodge the wooden fish as it cut fiercely through the air by tilting my head back.
Although my muscles screamed in protest from the forced evasion, an irrepressible smile spread across my face.
But that joy was short-lived.
“Tsk, tsk. Too slow.”
THWACK!
A dull pain assaulted my head.
Pain aside, I couldn’t believe what had just happened.
H-How...?
The attack’s trajectory hadn’t suddenly bent in mid-air.
The wooden fish that had clearly flown past me had somehow returned to its original position and struck my temple as if nothing had happened.
It was like it had teleported.
“Th-That’s cheat...”
Thud.
And just like that, I passed out.
*
Vajra Divine Monk looked down at Kang Hyun-woo, who had collapsed unconscious.
It was a pathetic sight, passed out with a small lump on his head, but Vajra Divine Monk focused on the final display he had shown.
‘...It seems reaching the fourth star of the Formless Vajra Art at his young age wasn't just a fluke.’
For a rising talent who was, at best, at the Transcendent Realm to dodge his attack...
Even though he was much weaker than in his prime, it was still unbelievable.
The Profound Principles of the Formless were a kind of law.
Law meant order.
Order was an unbreakable principle, and in all of creation, there was an established order that a lower law must absolutely submit to a higher law.
And yet, Kang Hyun-woo, whose skills didn't even reach his ankles, had managed to break through those Profound Principles, if only for a moment.
Vajra Divine Monk couldn't help but be impressed.
“Where in the world did a guy like this come from... He doesn't possess the aura of the stars, nor is the heavenly aura distorted around him.”
Flinging his robe, Vajra Divine Monk sat down and took Kang Hyun-woo’s wrist.
He could tell most things without even needing to check a pulse, but Kang Hyun-woo’s case was a little different.
“...Just like the brute he is, he’s only learned brutish techniques.”
Demonic energy and lightning energy.
Energies known as the epitome of hegemonic power were circulating harmoniously with Geumgang Qi in his dantian.
This much, Vajra Divine Monk could accept.
The Formless Vajra Art was a martial art of harmony; it was natural to learn various other arts.
However, the existence of a foreign energy lingering near Kang Hyun-woo’s heart was utterly unfamiliar even to Vajra Divine Monk.
‘This is... He’s accumulated the spiritual energy of heaven and earth not in his dantian, but in a ring-like form with his heart as an axis? It’s certainly more efficient than storing internal energy in the dantian, but it’s a method only for so-called geniuses. Without the talent, one would never even feel a fragment of the energy their entire life. Is the needlessly complex structure meant to amplify his power? But this structure doesn't seem very suitable for learning martial arts... It seems to be a method designed for learning sorcery from outside the known world, not martial arts.’
Despite seeing such an unfamiliar structure for the first time, Vajra Divine Monk instantly grasped the structure and essence of the mana circles.
Furthermore, he even perceived the existence of the magic circuits engraved throughout Kang Hyun-woo’s body.
With this, Vajra Divine Monk was certain that he was not from this world.
“...What a strange fate I have. My one and only disciple is a foreigner from another world, not even from one of the Six Paths.”
Vajra Divine Monk let out a hearty laugh.
It was less a laugh of joy and more a scoff of disbelief.
Just then, as he was checking Kang Hyun-woo’s pulse, Vajra Divine Monk’s eyes widened.
“Hah... I thought he was merely a Yin-Yang Body, but what is this bizarre absurdity?”
Kang Hyun-woo’s Primordial Body was something Vajra Divine Monk had never seen before in his life.
But it wasn't difficult to see through to its essence.
After a moment of silence, he snorted once more and said, “Soon, a new Martial God will appear in the Central Plains.”
As he said this, a strange light glinted in Vajra Divine Monk’s eyes.
Was it anticipation, or regret?
*
From a gray sky devoid of sunlight, pure white snow fell in thick flakes.
I turned my head and looked around.
Nameless corpses were scattered here and there across a snowfield stained dark red.
It was a gruesome scene, difficult to look at, but not a single scream could be heard.
Only an ominous silence hung in the air.
“Haa...”
A puff of white breath escaped my lips and dissipated into the air.
This was an all-too-familiar sight.
This was the Dongseo Expressway, passing through Girin-myeon, Inje-gun, in Gangwon Province.
It was the very place where, sixteen years ago, my parents were killed by a monster that had slipped past the Northern Front’s surveillance network and come down to Gangwon.
I instinctively knew this was a dream.
It was the nightmare I’d had hundreds, even thousands of times before I entered high school.
Rustle.
I turned my head toward the faint sound of a presence.
There, beneath the bodies of a young couple, was a little boy, holding his breath and trembling.
Needless to say.
That was me as a child.
That was the day I was desperately trying not to be found by the monster, far from avenging my parents.
‘Five years... no, has it been almost six?’
Seeing this image of my past for the first time in a long while, I gave a bitter smile.
Crunch.
“Grrr...”
Along with a foul stench, the back of a monster came into view as it dug through a nameless corpse, enjoying its ‘meal.’
A C-rank monster, a Blood Hound.
That was the name of the monster that killed my parents.
A mere C-rank monster, something I could kill with a single finger now, had stolen my parents’ love, our time together, and even our warm home.
Crunch.
I stepped onto the snowfield and walked toward the monster.
“Karrk?”
Finally sensing my presence, the creature lifted its head.
Its mouth was smeared with blood and torn pieces of flesh.
“Long time no see.”
“Grrr...”
Annoyed that its meal had been interrupted, the creature bared its teeth at me.
The killing intent unique to beast-type monsters constricted around me, but I stared back at it without so much as blinking.
A body easily over 1.5 meters tall, a jaw strength said to be able to chew through steel, and a hide that could block bullets.
Above all, Blood Hounds, which moved in packs and had a high reproductive rate, were more than enough to be an object of terror for people.
But it was still just a C-rank monster.
Even if not dozens, but hundreds of them attacked me, they were less than a country mutt to me.
Fwoosh!
“Krararack!!”
The creature roared savagely and charged at me.
I watched it quietly, and at the perfect moment, I brought my finger to the center of its forehead and flicked it lightly.
SPLAT—
With just that, its head exploded.
I kicked away the creature’s corpse, which had been reduced to an unrecognizable pulp.
This should have been the moment I had longed for, yet I felt nothing.
It was only natural.
This was just a dream, after all.
And it was impossible to get revenge now anyway. The Blood Hound that had harmed my parents had already been killed sixteen years ago by the hunter who saved me.
Of course, I had never once been dissatisfied with that fact.
If he hadn't rescued me, I would have frozen or starved to death long ago.
The hunter who saved me was a soldier serving on the Northern Front. He was a crazy guy who, despite being a B-rank hunter, had voluntarily enlisted and served for over eight years.
After entering the orphanage, I sent him letters several times.
Thank you for saving me. I’d like to see you sometime.
They were formal and disjointed, but they were heartfelt letters.
But the letters never reached him.
By then, it was already too late.
‘He died thirteen years ago, I think.’
He died trying to single-handedly stop a horde of B-rank monsters, or so I heard.
I once considered following in his footsteps and enlisting on the Northern Front.
But my desire for revenge had already faded too much over the sixteen years to become a soldier fighting for my life in such a harsh environment.
I looked around at the blurring scenery and my eyes met with the boy who had crawled out from under the corpses.
He had a mean look in his eyes, just like someone I knew.
“...You have a fortunate face. Especially with women.”
Feeling the muscles around my mouth loosen, I closed my eyes.
A snowflake fell from the sky, chilling the bridge of my nose.
“If you’re awake, get up and sit in the lotus position. What kind of etiquette is it for a disciple to lie around so comfortably in front of his master?”
When I opened my eyes again, I was met with the fierce gaze of the depraved monk.
“...You’re not even going to offer a word of comfort to your disciple who was just unconscious?”
“If you want to be knocked out again, feel free to say so.”
At the sight of Vajra Divine Monk casually showing me the wooden fish, I quickly sat in the lotus position.
For some reason, my body felt unusually light.
It felt just like when I’d undergone Acupoint Manipulation.
But there was no way that eccentric old monk would have done something like that for me, so I decided to just dismiss it as my imagination.
“Now, I won’t say this twice, so listen carefully. As I just said, the effect of the Prajna Divine Pill you ate is not just immense internal energy, but also...”
“Um, but.”
I cautiously interrupted Vajra Divine Monk and turned my head.
“May I ask you something?”
“What is it,” Vajra Divine Monk replied gruffly.
He looked ready to smash the wooden fish over my head if I said anything foolish.
I suddenly wondered how such a violent person had ever managed to live as a monk.
But that wasn't what I wanted to ask right now.
“...You know I’ve learned a demonic art, so why haven’t you said anything about it?”
The Shaolin Temple fundamentally does not forgive demonic leaders who practice demonic arts.
This was because during the Righteous-Demonic War, members of the Demonic Cult had not only burned down the Shaolin Temple’s gates but had also killed several child monks.
The mercy of Buddha?
The warrior monks of Shaolin were the type to chant Namu Amitabha Buddha while smashing an opponent’s head with the Arhat Fist.
If they found out I had learned a demonic art, they would surely come at me with smiling faces while deploying the 108 Arhat Formation.
Yet Vajra Divine Monk, who had served as the abbot of such a temple, already knew I practiced a demonic art, but he hadn't mentioned it, let alone shown any sign of it.
Why?
Even if he had left the Shaolin Temple in his later years, he was a man with a deep affection for his sect, enough to create the Formless Vajra Art based on Shaolin’s martial arts.
There was no way he would look kindly upon a demonic practitioner.
Moreover, this wasn't just any ordinary demonic art; it was the Blood Flame Asura Demonic Art, known as one of the Ten Great Demonic Arts of the World.
From the perspective of the Orthodox Faction, this was absolutely not something they could just let slide.
“Just like the ignorant fool you are, you ask such useless questions.”
But contrary to my worries, Vajra Divine Monk just snorted as if it were no big deal.
“Then let me ask you this. Did you kill innocent people to learn your demonic art?”
I shook my head.
I had killed quite a few bandits, but I had never killed an innocent person.
“Then have you stood by and watched the evil deeds of wicked men?”
“No, sir.”
I killed bandits, I killed water bandits, and I killed an elder of the Evil Alliance who was plotting a sinister scheme. Assassins, too.
I may have killed quite a few people, but I had never stood by and watched evil deeds.
“Have you ever stolen from others?”
“...I did take quite a bit from the water bandits.”
“That doesn't matter. Just be sure to give back to others just as much.”
Plop.
Vajra Divine Monk, perched on a rock, took out a small gourd from inside his robe.
Sniff, sniff.
When he opened the stopper, the bitter scent of alcohol wafted out.
Anyone could tell it was liquor.
I was a little dumbfounded, but by now, I decided to just go with it.
This was a man who had given up his position as abbot because he wanted to eat meat; a little alcohol was nothing.
“Martial arts are merely a means to an end. As long as you haven't harmed others, what does it matter if you learn a demonic art?”
Vajra Divine Monk gulped down the liquor, and then, as if his mood had improved, the corners of his mouth slowly lifted into a murderous smile.
“Still, refrain from lewdness, you lecherous bastard. Looking at your face and your disposition, it’s as clear as day you’ll soon be having intercourse with a married woman.”
“...I’m not that bad.”
“So, you don’t like married women?”
“...”
I remained silent.
As a man, I couldn't bring myself to utter a lie.
“Tsk, tsk, and this is my one and only disciple. Don’t you dare go around calling yourself my disciple. You’ll do nothing but tarnish my name.”
Tilting the gourd again and again, Vajra Divine Monk clicked his tongue, his face flushed red.
I was flabbergasted.
Did the person who created a room you can't leave without having sex really have the right to say that?
“By the way, the level of your demonic art is quite low. It seems you intended to achieve harmony with it, but with a third-rate demonic art like that, you’ll hit a wall soon enough.”
“What? A third-rate demonic art?”
The Blood Flame Asura Demonic Art, along with the Moon Spirit Demonic Art, was classified as one of the Ten Great Demonic Arts of the World, a supreme demonic art.
If this was third-rate, what in the world was I supposed to learn?
“If you are to inherit my legacy, you should at least learn something like the Heavenly Demonic Divine Art.”
“...?”
The Heavenly Demonic Divine Art?
“Hey, how am I supposed to learn that?”
“You’re still a young whelp, yet you say you can’t before you even try! That’s why your realm is in such a pathetic state! At your age, I was in the Flower Realm!”
“Hey, that’s a completely different story, isn’t it?! You’re telling me to learn the Heavenly Demon’s unique martial art? Are you telling me to go to war with the Demonic Cult or something?!”
“Back in my day, I stormed the Heavenly Mountains and grabbed the Heavenly Demon by the scruff of his neck. And yet, you, who have inherited my legacy, are afraid of the likes of the Demonic Cult?”
“...”
I was at a loss for words at the drunken rambling of the seemingly half-inebriated Vajra Divine Monk.
He single-handedly stormed the Heavenly Demonic Cult and grabbed the Heavenly Demon by the scruff of his neck?
If it were anyone else, I would have dismissed it as nonsense, but with this man, it seemed entirely possible.
“If the chit-chat is over, sit in the lotus position. Unless you want to be knocked out again.”
“...”
I quietly sat in the lotus position.