Chapter 315
Chapter 315
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 315
Chapter Title: I'm Worried About Shaolin (1)
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Eon Yong-un had left for Shaolin with Venerable Gongdeok.
And then dawn broke.
It was early morning by the time they arrived.
"Confidential Secretary. Have all the delegates arrived?"
Gong Son Mu-gyeol had convened an emergency session of the Core Assembly.
"Yes, Alliance Leader."
"And the juniors?"
"As per your orders, all the juniors who attended the opening ceremony are seated in the upper gallery. Ah, excluding those indebted to the Apothecary Hall."
Having received the report that everyone was present, Gong Son Mu-gyeol cleared his throat to draw attention.
"Ahem, ahem. The main agenda for the Core Assembly was scheduled for discussion this afternoon, but I've called you all delegates together because there's something I must convey beforehand."
With that opening, Gong Son Mu-gyeol began the story he had coordinated with Eon Yong-un.
"Last night, Venerable Gongdeok visited my quarters and inquired about the punishment for juniors Eon Yong-un and Won-cheol."
At that, Vice Assembly Leader Jang Son-rip tilted his head.
"The Venerable did?"
"Yes. When he asked what punishment they might receive, I said that since both sides in the brawl were at fault, and they'd already asked for punishment first, house arrest would be appropriate... But the Venerable said such a light penalty wouldn't make those wild colt-like juniors reflect."
"Oh ho. And then?"
"He said if we're going to impose house arrest, he'll take them to his personal quarters and discipline them properly. Given that it's the word of a great elder of the martial world, and it made sense upon reflection, I agreed."
As Gong Son Mu-gyeol finished speaking,
a sharp cry erupted from the gallery on this floor.
"That's ridiculous!"
Soon, the delegates on the first floor also spoke up.
"Regardless of the reason, sending those who brawled in the Murim Alliance to house arrest in the Strike Team's training hall felt like a slap on the wrist... But if Venerable Gongdeok disciplines them personally, it can truly be called proper house arrest."
"Indeed. Venerable Gongdeok once served as head of Shaolin's Disciplinary Hall in his youth, and has devoted his life to strict meditation and training, hasn't he?"
"He's famously strict even with his disciple Won-cheol, whom he took in late in life. House arrest under the Venerable should smooth out those rough tempers a bit."
Gong Son Mu-gyeol calmed the murmuring assembly and delivered his final words.
"Ahem. Handing over the two juniors is actually within the Alliance Leader's authority and doesn't require Core Assembly approval, but I figured you'd all be curious, so I informed you. With that announcement concluded, the main session will resume this afternoon as scheduled after a short recess."
Having spoken, Gong Son Mu-gyeol declared the recess once more.
He then moved to the Alliance Leader's office with Lady Zhuge Hye to talk.
"Do you think they've gotten the impression that Yong-un is facing severe punishment?"
"It couldn't be helped. We only heard Venerable Gongdeok's words yesterday and even confirmed directly with Yong-un because it sounded off, right?"
"True enough."
"And didn't you hear the kids who follow Yong-un yelling out?"
As they conversed, word came through National Advisor Jin that the very parties in question sought an audience.
"Alliance Leader. Grand Strategist. Juniors from the Righteous Martial Academy request to see you."
"Good grief. Speak of the tiger and he appears... Those brats are incorrigible."
Lady Zhuge Hye slowly shook her head, and Gong Son Mu-gyeol smiled back before replying outward.
"Send them in."
With that, the door burst open, and Eon Yong-un's underclassmen poured into the Alliance Leader's office.
"Aunt Hye! You're incompetent! How could you reach that conclusion?!"
"She's right!"
As Dang Ok-gi at the front shouted, the underclassmen chimed in or nodded.
Lady Zhuge Hye narrowed her eyes and spoke.
"Aren't you here as cadets of the Righteous Martial Academy? Especially you, Ok-gi. This isn't our private home. 'Aunt Hye'?"
At Lady Zhuge Hye's words, the timid Woo So-rung immediately backed down.
"...S-Sorry."
But Dang Ok-gi, undaunted, raised her voice even louder.
"Argh! Who cares?! Take me too!"
"You little...!"
As Lady Zhuge Hye's expression hardened,
Ye Hae-su cautiously raised her hand.
"...We're all worked up over Senior Yong-un's matter, but we came to ask why it turned out this way. The clans and sects of everyone here even petitioned, yet the punishment for him seems harsher."
As Ye Hae-su finished,
Gong Son Mu-gyeol spoke.
"I'll explain step by step, so calm down. You'll understand once you hear it all. And Grand Strategist."
"Yes, Alliance Leader."
"You expected the kids to react like this, didn't you?"
"I did, but Ok-gi is so immature that I couldn't help grinding my teeth."
Having calmed those on either side, Gong Son Mu-gyeol spoke again.
"To cut to the chase, this was Yong-un's choice. I helped arrange it, and he himself wanted to refine his martial arts this time, so he went with Venerable Gongdeok of his own accord."
The tale began with the private meeting with Venerable Gongdeok, continued to Gong Son Mu-gyeol and Lady Zhuge Hye visiting the training hall,
and reached the moment Eon Yong-un said, 'It might be best to keep it from the underclassmen too.'
Then Dang Ok-gi raised her voice once more.
"Eon Yong-uuun! Dieee!"
Woo So-rung chimed in, while Eun Ha-seong let out a hollow laugh.
"Keeping it from us is too much!"
"Brother Yong-un really played the Brother Yong-un card."
Though three spoke up, the other underclassmen nodded in agreement.
Namgung Yun scolded them as he spoke.
"Quiet. There's an old saying: To deceive the enemy, first deceive your allies. Eon Yong-un must have made that decision with the good of the world in mind. And deep down, he thought of us too. That's the kind of guy he is."
Namgung Young, who usually chided her brother, agreed this time.
"Brother's right this time. Senior Yong-un bears the world in his heart, and he's surprisingly sentimental, isn't he?"
Meanwhile, Jeong Hyeon and Paeng So-jin had squeezed their eyes shut and shaken their heads.
"As Young Master Woo said, even so, how could he not tell us? It's not the Dao. Primordial Heavenly Venerable. It's not the Dao. I even went to Great-uncle Young-il to do something..."
"Eon Yong-un is impressive. Well, he chased the Demonic Cult alone, lost the manual, got exiled from his clan, and still kept his mouth shut..."
It was then that Lady Zhuge Hye, who had quietly listened to the underclassmen's grievances, spoke again.
"Alright, alright. Now that you know the circumstances, calm down. And Yong-un didn't keep it completely secret. Duggo Cheol. He told that kid, right?"
At Lady Zhuge Hye's words, the underclassmen all turned to Duggo Cheol.
Duggo Cheol stammered as he spoke.
"...Th-The president worried you seniors might not believe the Alliance Leader and asked me to be a witness."
At those words, Jang Seon immediately vented.
"We learned loyalty is singular! Hiding it from me and Young-i, his friends, is too much!"
The other underclassmen, forgetting Duggo Cheol had joined the Blood Cult, shot him betrayed looks.
Overwhelmed by the stares, Duggo Cheol stammered more,
but inwardly felt proud.
'As expected, the president cherishes me most. He got furious this time because they lumped us converts in with mold and such...'
As Duggo Cheol thought that,
the underclassmen began worrying about Eon Yong-un, each sighing.
"Phew. So is Junior okay?"
"Sniff. Those baldies... Just look at that Gak-pil guy. Heads white as snow, but hearts black as ink. Can Brother handle it alone in that den?"
"If not... What do they call that dice-eye mark on their foreheads?"
"Primordial Heavenly Venerable. You mean the Precept Seal?"
"Yeah! Stab 'em with poison needles!"
"...Young Master Eun. Lady Dang. This is before the Alliance Leader."
At the underclassmen's antics,
Gong Son Mu-gyeol chuckled as he spoke.
"You ranted like they were mortal enemies, and now you're worrying? Don't worry too much. Is Eon Yong-un some pushover? I'm actually more worried about Shaolin."
Smiling like that, Gong Son Mu-gyeol broached a new topic.
"Anyway, Yong-un will rejoin the Righteous Martial Academy's inspection team on their way back when they pass Shaolin Mountain. And he left you all behind for a reason."
"Why are you all giving me those 'what business' looks? With Yong-un and Monk Won-cheol's punishment decided, what else could there be?"
Lady Zhuge Hye beside him added,
"The kids laid up in the Apothecary Hall need proper punishment too. It's time for the first session in the newly built Rebirth Chamber. Since it's poison-drinking training, they'll need to toughen up... You all should pass on the exercises you learned under Yong-un."
That was the moment fire lit in the underclassmen's eyes.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Shaolin's Hell Pilgrimage.
Breaking through the first gate, Knife Mountain Hell, was not difficult.
As I deflected the shower of hidden weapons over and over, the hazy mist suddenly cleared, and my surroundings sharpened.
Master's voice rang out again.
- It seems you've passed the first gate.
With that, I realized I had conquered the first of the ten hells.
The second hell, Initial River Hell, and third, Ice Hell, tested endurance and mental fortitude.
Splashhh-
A barrage of filth to test the stomach, followed by bone-chilling cold.
Hiss-
For me, accustomed to the stench of rotting corpses and yin energy of the dead, passing the second and third gates was no great feat.
Soon came the fourth gate, Sword Tree Hell.
Clang! Clang!
Clang clang clang!
Here, shadowy figures with drawn swords formed a tight formation, unleashing endless attacks.
Claaang!!
I swung Regret to block while grasping the array's principle and slashing the core shadow.
"This is it."
Shwick!!!!!
The mist cleared, and surroundings returned.
I had broken through the fourth gate.
"Phew. Master, about how much time has passed outside?"
- Real time is about four days. Time flows differently inside and out.
"Felt like twenty-eight days in here, but only that much outside. Wonder what the kids are up to?"
- Cursing you, obviously. Can't you judge that?
"?"
- Anyway, how was the fourth gate?
"Manageable? My eyes feel opened thanks to sparring with Venerable Gongdeok."
- Hah.
"What's with the deflating tone?"
- ...You asking because you don't know?
"I'd know if I did."
- Counting moments with an old monk over the time I taught you? Tch! Better not keep black-haired beasts!
"...No. How'd it turn out like that? That's basic. Layers of time with you let me gain from the Venerable. No need to state the obvious..."
- ....
"...Master?"
- ....
"Hello? You listening? Who am I talking to? Answer me... Dang, you're sulking."
As I bantered with Master,
the surroundings rippled again.
I steadied my breath and recalled the Hell Pilgrimage from the original work, which I'd only skimmed.
'In the original, it was just described as a trial for Shaolin disciples. No specifics on what happens inside...'
But it mentioned the fifth, seventh, and tenth gates were key and hardest.
'Buddhist hell order means Yanluo Hell next...'
As the overlord of hells, maybe a three-headed, six-armed yokai—foolish thoughts aside,
a familiar voice called my name.
"Eon hyung!"
"Woo So-rung?"
"What are you doing here?"
Simultaneously, his signature swift sword thrust at me.
Sweeeeeep!!!!
Bloodlust, breath. Movements.
Identical to what I'd seen over time, Woo So-rung's copy made me smirk.
'Born from my mind? It's spot on.'
Clang!
Claaang!
Even the pout after I suppressed it was exact.
"Eon hyung. I-I'm sorry."
I gritted my teeth and slashed,
but sweat beaded on my right hand gripping Regret.
Splatter!!!
"Haha. Wow. I know it's fake. But it's not easy."
Knowing it's not real, yet sweat and a faint sword tremble.
"In my past life, hearing about traps like this, I thought 'why fall for something so trivial?'..."
I had mental immunity, so no issue, but even without, I thought nothing of it.
Turned out, back then, I just lacked attachment to sever.
"Guess I've grown attached."
As I chuckled wryly,
another familiar voice came.
No other than Uncle Yoon Young.
"Yong-un."
"Ha."
Judging from prior gates, each took seven days.
Seven days—plenty to meet all those I'd bonded with in this world.
"It's too much. Even Buddha would sit down here."
The Uncle Yoon Young before me spoke then.
"Hm? Don't know what you mean. Anyway, quit if it's too hard. You've got your mother, me, and great-granduncle, right, Yong-un?"
"I said it's too much. Didn't say quit. Ah... Slipped into formal speech."
I exhaled deeply.
"Hoo."
Then gritted my teeth, gripped Regret tight to steady the trembling blade.
To protect the real ones from threats to come.