Chapter 209 Inspector (6)
What is an ultimate technique?
An ultimate technique refers to a supreme skill of the highest order.
It's something so profound that one must train their entire life just to glimpse a fragment of it.
Among them, the Shaolin Temple has collected seventy-two such techniques, calling them the Seventy-Two Ultimate Arts.
'You mad bastard!'
And right now, Pa Cheon was unleashing the Baekbo Singwon through my fist.
The Baekbo Singwon!
The Baekbo Singwon, no less!
That iconic martial art of the Shaolin Temple. And here an outsider was using it.
Even when Pa Cheon had bragged confidently about having a way, I'd been skeptical.
What method could he possibly use?
That skepticism soon turned to shock.
This lunatic had unleashed the energy of the Noe Yeong-do and slammed it straight into my body.
All while saying, "You've undergone molting and rebirth, so you should be able to handle it."
Even though I'd passed out cold last time from taking the Noe Yeong-do energy head-on at the Hwasan Sect.
But what pissed me off even more was that Pa Cheon's calculation hadn't been wrong.
Just as he'd said, when the crimson lightning enveloped me—
'Stings a bit?'
That was all I felt.
If I had to compare, it was like the mild tingle from electrotherapy at an acupuncture clinic?
And moreover—
'Something's... something.'
At first, the lightning energy bounced wildly through my body on its own. But at some point, it started subtly following my movements.
It was definitely Pa Cheon's energy, separate from mine. Yet it obeyed my lead?
Of course, it wasn't like I could control it the way I did with the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
How should I put it?
It was like trying to catch a feather floating in the air—it slipped through my fingers just so, that vague level of interaction.
Less like I was commanding and wielding it, more like I was nudging its flow.
'Is it because Pa Cheon and I are linked by soul?'
Pa Cheon was bound to me by the contract of the Pa Cheon Sword. Maybe that's why it was possible.
'Or maybe my own molting and rebirth caused some change.'
That's how the invading thunder energy that wrapped my body suddenly compressed toward my arm.
I just extended my fist as Pa Cheon instructed—
And that was the Baekbo Singwon.
I had no choice but to call him a brilliantly insane bastard.
Imitating a Shaolin martial art right in the heart of the Shaolin Temple?
Not just any art, but an ultimate technique?
Screw it.
I straightened my extended fist as Pa Cheon said.
The beam shooting from my fist like something out of a movie was spectacular—aside from the fact that it was the Baekbo Singwon.
The streak of lightning resembled a dragon.
A crimson dragon.
It was a crimson dragon through and through.
"Ha!"
The Na Han naturally unleashed the Panya Hosin Gong with their characteristic shout.
The crimson dragon crashed over the transparent barrier of the Panya Hosin Gong.
The Panya Hosin Gong was gang qi.
The crimson dragon was fist qi.
In a clash between gang qi and fist qi, gang qi should naturally prevail.
The density of the energy made it obvious.
Between liquid and solid, which is firmer? Self-evident.
But—
A swollen river can push even embedded boulders aside.
Drdrdrdrk!
Pa Cheon was a brilliantly insane bastard, but also an insanely brilliant one.
While controlling the thunder energy, he began wielding the intent of Domination.
No matter how impressive the Panya Hosin Gong, it had limits.
Earth.
Without solid ground to anchor to, the Panya Hosin Gong couldn't function properly.
"?!"
Pa Cheon yanked the Na Han—who were leaning forward to brace against the crimson dragon's "pushing" force—abruptly toward him with Domination's intent.
Normally, they might have held.
Shaolin warriors trained their bodies so relentlessly alongside their martial arts that they could endure most conditions.
But the Na Han had already depleted much of their stamina and inner energy in the earlier clash with the true master, Paeng Yu-gun.
I wasn't just standing idle either.
Pa Cheon had said as much.
Don't rely only on him.
I had to do what I could.
That was—
'Next to Gong-gak!'
Observation.
The most crucial skill for acting is observing people. That's how you read them and sync your breathing.
Especially with the sales tricks I'd picked up in my previous life, I could spot who was pretending not to be exhausted.
At my words, Pa Cheon focused Domination's intent on the Na Han beside Gong-gak.
The Na Han formation naturally broke. Formations lose much of their power when disrupted.
Goooooo—!
Pa Cheon didn't miss the weakened gap.
The thunder energy pierced the Panya Hosin Gong and surged toward the Na Han.
Or tried to.
Right then.
—!
The crimson dragon's energy scattering toward the Na Han dispersed.
'Pity my ass... this is fucked.'
Look at the Na Han's faces.
Shock and humiliation filled them.
If the attack had landed perfectly, fine.
But this looked like "I won, so I'll let you off here" mercy.
After mimicking their precious Baekbo Singwon, no less.
'Ah.'
'You bastard.'
I sighed deeply inside.
And then—
Wretch.
I bit my tongue and spat out blood like vomit.
Pa Cheon let out a third-rate villainous chuckle, but the effect was certain.
"Young hero! Are you all right?!"
Gong-gak rushed over in alarm.
"I'm... fine."
I feigned a strained voice.
Maybe from the molting and rebirth boosting my recovery—back then, biting my tongue this hard would've taken hours to heal enough to speak. Now it was done in seconds.
Of course, that was one thing; other issues remained.
"That was... the Baekbo Singwon, wasn't it?"
Gong-gak gazed at me with serious eyes.
'That was definitely the Baekbo Singwon, right?'
'You mad bastard.'
So Pa Cheon had replicated the Baekbo Singwon Gong-a used on me, just from observing it once.
A truly exemplary copy ninja.
But I couldn't say that to Gongjin, who was glaring daggers. I racked my brain desperately and replied.
"Yes. And no."
"What do you mean?"
"Can we say two things are the same just because their colors match?"
In wuxia tales, Shaolin always brings out Zen koans.
Put simply, vague, cloud-grasping nonsense.
"Ah!"
The problem was Gong-gak achieving enlightenment right then.
With a gasp of awe, he sat in lotus position and floated into the air.
"……."
Right. I'd forgotten for a sec.
Whenever I said anything, geniuses just... got it.
Un Yeop Ja, Paeng So So, Dang Si Hyeok—even Grandpa Paeng Yu-gun. Why not Gong-gak?
It was familiar to me, but shocking to others.
"Ooooh!"
"Enlightenment!"
Witnessing a Peak realm master ascend to Super Peak was a once-in-a-lifetime event for most.
Thanks to that, not only did the aggro on me dissipate, but gazes of reverence poured my way.
As if I'd granted Gong-gak enlightenment.
The Na Han pressed their palms together in unison, silently paying respects.
I returned the greeting with a fist-and-palm salute, then headed to the spectator seats.
"Hohoho! That guy's something!"
Paeng Yu-gun welcomed me with his train-whistle laugh. His pot-lid hand pounded my shoulder repeatedly.
It hurt.
"Most... most impressive, young hero."
Jegal Sung's gaze had changed too. The suspicion was gone.
Though it felt oddly predatory, giving me chills.
"How many?"
Paeng Yu-gun asked Jegal Sung.
"Eighty."
"Quite the jump, haha!"
The out-of-left-field question got an equally random answer, but Jegal Sung's next move left no room for questions.
"Take this."
Jegal Sung handed me a small jade plaque. It read "Inspector," with "Murim Alliance" engraved below.
Of course.
They'd prepared it in advance, just waiting for me to prove myself while pretending otherwise.
"From now on, you're an Alliance inspector. Your actions—even killing someone—will be protected by the Alliance."
In simple terms, extraterritorial rights.
Or, put another way, "We'll hear about everything you do, so watch yourself."
"I'll treasure it more than my life."
Jegal Sung nodded.
Paeng Yu-gun watched with a pleased smile.
The situation seemed wrapping up warmly. But that wouldn't achieve my goal.
I deliberately scanned around loudly.
"Is there a Shaolin representative here?"
"What is it?"
An elderly Shaolin monk approached at my question.
"I'm Hye-won. I oversee the Na Han Hall."
"Ah, the Na Han Hall Master. Kim Dong Yun of the martial world bows."
"No need for formalities. You're the benefactor who granted Gong-gak enlightenment. I'll speak to the Abbot and discuss proper recompense. But what is it?"
"The Na Han Hall training ground floor. Something's off."
From my clash with Paeng Yu-gun, the training ground floor was mostly shattered, exposing the underside.
Jegal Sung, listening beside me, glanced down, then startled and approached the floor.
"Th-this... Yun Seong-cheol?"
"Ah, that."
But Hye-won seemed already aware.
"Our Shaolin arts step heavily. We need firm footing, so we embedded suitable iron plating. Hohoho."
"You used this precious stuff as flooring?!"
Cloud Demon Iron—or Yun Seong-cheol in righteous faction terms—was incredibly valuable. The main material for the Pa Cheon Sword, after all.
"Amitabha. What use is greed?"
Hye-won smiled faintly.
Cloud Demon Iron for weapons → normal.
Cloud Demon Iron for a diary → normal.
Cloud Demon Iron for flooring → insane.
This was true madness.
Midnight.
The Na Han Hall training ground, grotesquely excavated, was screened off with cloth on all sides to block outside view.
Gongjin and I entered boldly, not sneaking as planned.
Just the two of us in the vast Na Han Hall.
Normally guarded by Na Han, but after the day's sparring, it was empty, all exhausted.
"You're a bad man, benefactor. You know that?"
"I know."
"A villain who knows it's bad and does it anyway?"
"At least I'm not a hypocrite or thick-skinned."
"Any Buddhist relatives? Won't even chant once."
"No living family."
"Ah. Um. Er."
Gongjin scratched his bald head awkwardly.
"Sorry..."
"Whatever. Work hard then. I'll help."
"No, but volunteering for punishment?"
Gongjin grumbled.
Indeed.
Gongjin had requested punishment himself, assigned to clean the Na Han Hall training ground.
Possible because Gong-a, who handled discipline, was at the Precepts Hall.
This is why connections matter.
"When will I finish this huge place? Tomorrow's dawn service too."
"That's why. I'll clean. Hide till dawn."
"For real?"
I signaled Pa Cheon, subtly showing Domination's intent.
"...Object manipulation that naturally?"
"So hide."
"No, why fuss over this floor?"
"Secret lore only for the treasure's owner. Curious?"
Gongjin swallowed hard.
Then grinned awkwardly.
"Heard curiosity shortens life. Haha."
"Go then. Don't get caught and cause issues."
"Got it. Haha. You're a good man, benefactor."
Gongjin vanished like the wind.
But I wasn't alone.
"Come out."
One figure emerged from the corner.
Gong-a.
Hwarang.