Chapter 317
Chapter 317
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 317
Chapter Title: I'm Worried About Shaolin (3)
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A short while after leaving the final crossroads and heading toward the exit.
A blinding ray of light poured over his eyelids.
"Ugh."
Squinting at the glare, he opened his eyes.
The entrance to Avici Hell Cave came into view.
At the same time, the nearby bell began to toll.
Dong! Dong! Dong!
It seemed to be a mechanism signaling that someone had emerged from the Martial Observation Cave.
As he stared at the ringing bell, his master spoke up.
- It seems your wits have returned. So the Shaolin Hell Pilgrimage is finally over?
Turning sharp thoughts toward his master, he replied.
'...Yong-un won't forget this.'
- ???
'How could you say such things?'
- Say what?
'...Hah. Losing an arm or whatever doesn't really faze me. But those words... they truly hurt. Don't you know verbal wounds don't heal? To hurl such abuse at your one and only disciple. The sole heir of the Heaven-Splitting Sword Sect weeps even today.'
- What nonsense is this since earlier? Like a ghost forgetting its grudges?
'The ghost is you, Master.'
- ?
'?'
Judging by the reaction, it hadn't been Master himself inside.
Master seemed to guess the trials he'd faced and pressed further.
- Did you see my likeness in the later trials? Unlike the previous ones, you were silent for three straight days, shuffling along in a daze, so I worried you'd fallen to heart demons! What happened to make you say such things?
His words carried genuine care.
The voice was welcome, and he was grateful.
But there was no need to recount every detail from inside.
'No point in troubling him.'
Instead, he decided to lay it on thick.
'You'd know best, Master! After all, it stemmed from the image of you I've seen!'
- It probably came out just as you normally think of me! What did you take this master for, that getting slapped by a stern version has you grabbing at the living?!
'Still, I won't forget. I was hurt.'
- Yong-un, you... hurt? I see. You must have been wounded.
'Yes. So from now on, even if I disappoint you two... no, three times, please bear with me.'
- You, wounded? That's the least believable thing I've heard in my entire life.
'......?'
- You, taking damage? I'd sooner believe Hayeon has no interest in money. And! Sneaking in excuses for those evasion talismans?! First two times, then upping it to three when that didn't satisfy? Bah!!
After bickering with Master like old times for a bit.
- Someone's coming!
'Yes. Quite a few.'
Their senses picked up people rushing this way.
Soon enough, Shaolin disciples in ochre robes burst from the bushes on both sides and the frontal path.
Step! Step! Step! Step! Step!
They leveled their weapons at him.
The sudden aggressive stance of the Shaolin disciples.
He deflected to the side while gripping Regret's hilt, ready to draw, and spoke.
"Monks? What's this about? You look ready for a fight... Did I get that right?"
The frontal disciples parted left and right.
Woncheol appeared alongside Shaolin's three eminent monks: Abbot Gonghyo, Gongdeok, and Gongryang.
Among them, Compassionate Monk Abbot Gongryang greeted him warmly.
"Dragon of Misfortune. You remember me? Thanks to you, those days braving the North Sea's chill winds to assault the rear... they come flooding back fresh as ever."
With the three eminent monks and Woncheol.
The disciples encircling him didn't seem malicious.
He released Regret and clasped hands in salute.
"Of course, Abbot Gongryang. I hope you've been well?"
"This old monk has been fine. Ah, not long ago, I visited Sichuan, where you greatly aided in thwarting the Demonic Cult's scheme."
"Is that so?"
"Heh heh. Thanks to you and your comrades' efforts, civilian casualties were all but nil. Amitabha. Truly righteous deeds."
"No need for such praise. That said, may I ask why the Shaolin disciples suddenly surrounded me?"
The one answering was Shaolin's abbot, Gonghyo.
"Occasionally, disciples stepping into Avici Hell fall prey to vicious heart demons, emerging as madmen. This is a precaution for such cases. Forgive the surprise, Dragon."
"I see. Well, I'm unscathed."
"Good."
As Gonghyo nodded, Gongdeok stroked his beard.
"Heh heh. A blessing for the orthodox martial world. Breaching seven trials in just ten days. Even Woncheol, raised in Shaolin, took half a month."
"As expected of the Dragon of Misfortune!"
"So, any achievements?"
Woncheol's exclamation mid-question made a simple 'yes' awkward.
He clarified.
"No."
"Hm? Your eyes and aura suggest gains."
"Ah, not that there were no achievements."
"Hm?"
"I meant your earlier statement. Not seven trials—I cleared ten."
Woncheol's eyes widened.
"T-Ten trials, all of them!?"
"Unsure after the first door closed—no respite for self-adjustment unlike before. But it opened a second time when I emerged?"
Shock rippled across young and old Shaolin faces alike.
"Ten trials in ten days?"
"Not out after the seventh door, right? Means he cleared up to the tenth."
"Even among Shaolin disciples, that's rare. Woncheol stopped at seven."
"Woncheol was satisfied and left early."
"Anyway, the Dragon isn't even Shaolin... How?"
Gongdeok cleared his throat to calm the young ones.
"Ahem."
Confirming with him:
"You passed the seventh, held back when the first door opened, then passed more until a new one did?"
"Yes. Held then. Later... But is it okay to share trial details?"
"These disciples have all cleared the seven trials. No re-entry, so fine."
"After eight and nine, I fell into a pitch-black abyss. Faced one temptation there, overcame it, and left."
"...Indeed, ten trials cleared. Congratulations, Dragon."
"Thank you."
"That said, aside from my joy, one question."
"Ask away."
"Lingering at the seventh means greed. Yet you overcame the final. Surely shedding a layer sparked greater desire... What mindset repelled it?"
Summarizing his thoughts then:
"Not particularly tempting. At the seventh, I felt lacking, so stayed. At the tenth, not so, so left. Didn't you say excess is worse than lack?"
Gongdeok stroked his beard, nodding.
"Heh. Asking wisely, answered wisely."
Gongryang eyed the other elders alternately.
"Heh heh heh, ten trials in ten days. My senior Gongdeok took ten days and two more back then... This'll go down in Shaolin history."
- Hmph. Naturally. Who's my disciple? Can't compare to baldies.
As Master snorted.
Gonghyo chided Gongryang.
"Speed isn't the point. Don't say things other disciples might take as goals."
"Ahem."
To the young disciples:
"Anyway, the Dragon looks fine. Withdraw. Those scheduled for mendicant duties, prepare."
Gongdeok raised a hand, halting him.
"Head Abbot, brother. In my view, our mendicant pilgrimage should wait."
To him:
"Donor. Fresh from a step forward—care to face Shaolin's 108 Arhats?"
"Now?"
"Not immediately, after settling body and mind. In my experience, moving right after dawn training helps greatly."
"Hm."
"Beneficial for you and our disciples. No one in the orthodox world matches your martial prowess."
Gongdeok's words about no equal in the orthodox world carried double meaning.
'Praise, but he thinks my arts resemble the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's most.'
A proposal benefiting both—no reason to refuse.
"Very well."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ While Eon Yong-un received Gongdeok's proposal to spar the 108 Arhats.
In Luoyang's Murim Alliance, the Eon siblings prepared to depart.
Dang Ok-gi had the most luggage.
Stuffing her bundle, she ground her teeth.
Jang Sun beside her spoke.
"D-Did I mess up somehow, Ok-gi sis?"
"No."
"...Why so formal?"
"Oh. Sorry. I keep forgetting you're my junior. Anyway, not your fault. Realizing I never properly thrashed that bald bastard Kakpil! Gah! Pisses me off!!!"
"Primeval Lord of Heaven. What can be done? Can't stand one with shattered limbs in the training yard."
"Not as bad as Brother Eon, but Woncheol's strikes are fearsome too."
As Jeong Hyeon added, Woo So-rung shuddered.
Namgung Yun spoke dryly.
"Karma of accumulated evils, they say. Retribution always comes. No need to regret. We just do our part..."
Eun Ha-seong chuckled hollowly.
"Like refusing tiger dung only to roll with boars, big bro?"
"......"
"Come to think, Jeong Hyeon throws around 'karma of evils' a lot, but you wanted to beat that bald Kakpil deep down too? Yeah, you're no real Daoist."
"......"
As Eun Ha-seong silenced Namgung Yun and Jeong Hyeon.
Ye Hae-su gazed south toward Mount Song, speaking.
"That aside, I hope Junior Yong-un is doing well?"
The siblings' eyes turned south.
Paeng So-jin, helping pack, smirked.
"As my master said, shouldn't we worry about Shaolin instead?"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The Hell Pilgrimage left no internal or external injuries.
After a thorough bath.
Resuming grain intake after a chance break.
Two days of light movement later.
His body felt adapted to the shed layer of mind and form.
"I'm ready."
He informed Abbot Gonghyo at once.
"Then, a match at tomorrow's dawn."
"Yes."
The next morning arrived.
Shaolin's grand training ground filled near to bursting with 108 Arhat monks facing him.
Whoosh—
The morning breeze on his skin felt anew.
The disciples' expressions and auras sharper than ever.
He could almost read their thoughts.
'That monk's trembling.'
Tremors varied.
Some from tension, fear, others anticipation.
'Ambition to catch the great fish called Dragon of Misfortune?'
Pure fighting spirit too.
And unexplained anger.
'No mystery—Shaolin disciples got thrashed in Luoyang.'
With senses keener than before, he faced them squarely and drew Regret.
Shing—
Wrapping it in denser sword aura than ever, he spoke.
Vmmm—
"Come at me."
For some reason.
He lacked confidence.
Confidence in victory.