Chapter 318
Chapter 318
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 318
Chapter Title: Worried About Shaolin (4)
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As I assumed the horse-riding stance and crooked my finger toward the Arhat monks.
Master murmured a single line.
- ...Shaolin hasn't changed from back then to now.
If the me from just a short while ago had heard those words, I would have simply thought he was comparing their posture to the style from his own era.
However, having shed one more layer of the impurities clouding my mind and body...
Those words struck me differently.
'I can feel it. The Arhat monks' agitation.'
Slightly gritted teeth.
Furrowed brows.
Long staffs gripped tighter without conscious thought.
Unlike those lacking in discipline who reacted instantly to a mere prod, the Arhat monks were steadfastly holding their positions. Still, they were undoubtedly shaken.
'The old me would have just thought they were feeling intimidated...'
Today, I could sense the deeper emotions hidden within their demeanor.
'Pride toward the thousand-year Shaolin.'
The belief that the 108 Arhats Formation—one of Shaolin's prides—could not possibly be broken by someone who had only just passed his thirties.
The self-pride of being leaves sprouting from the great tree that had supported the righteous martial world.
Once I grasped the emotions emanating from the Arhat monks...
I understood why, even facing the 108 Arhats Formation capable of suppressing even Fusion Realm experts, I didn't feel like I would lose.
'They're offsetting the pressure they sense from me by leaning on Shaolin's thousand-year history.'
They had no choice but to do so.
Since the last Great Righteous-Demonic War, Shaolin had reigned supreme.
The era was one of peace, and every faction in the righteous martial world paid homage to Shaolin.
There had been exchange matches with the Righteous Martial Academy, but those were merely stages to showcase Shaolin's prowess against inferiors.
'The 108 Arhats would rarely mobilize all at once, except perhaps when receiving instruction from someone like Abbot Merit.'
In contrast to Shaolin's glorious history, these Arhats lacked real experience.
They looked imposing on the surface, but that formation would crumble at the first fist-sized hole.
I grinned and raised Regret.
"If you won't come, I'll go to you."
And kicked off the ground.
Of course, they weren't opponents to take lightly.
Whiiiiiir!
Among Shaolin's countless martial monks, the greater Arhat monks were the elite of the elite.
Even rotten, they were still bonito— the moment I charged, the Arhat monks moved as one living organism.
Shh shh shh shh!
The 108 Arhats Formation, born from the wondrous principle of one becoming many and many becoming one that I had witnessed at the Righteous Assembly, began to unfold.
Thrust thrust thrust!
Countless long staffs extended like a hedgehog's quills to block my path.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Those thrusting staff tips unleashed swift strikes and feints, assaulting my senses to drive me into a dead end.
But I wasn't deceived by such maneuvers.
'They're starting to rotate in the swastika pattern.'
Though my body was mixed in the midst of the Arhat monks...
Right now, I felt like I was looking down at them from the sky, taking in their expressions, killing intent, and footwork at a glance.
In that sensation, I executed the sword strike Master had recalled while facing Shaolin's Arhat Formation.
'Heaven-Splitting Crane Dance.'
Clang clang clang!
Since Master taught it to me while I demonstrated the layered formation against the Azure Bamboo Pavilion students...
It was a sword technique I'd reliably used against groups of foes.
But today, it felt different.
Until now, I'd been too busy chasing in Master's footsteps.
'I wondered why there was no move to check enemies striking from behind...'
Today, I understood the true intent of those steps.
Clang! Clang!
Clang clang claaang!
'In this state of awareness, swinging the sword makes it impossible for them to respond from the start, and they hesitate to rush in alone out of fear of being overwhelmed.'
Claaaang!
Thus, immersing myself in Master's steps to the point of no-mind...
I naturally pierced every element of the Arhat Formation.
"Guhk!"
"Euk!"
As some Arhat monks flew off and crashed away, bewilderment began to fill the faces of the others.
"J-Junior brothers?!"
"H-How could a single monster dragon...? The 108 Arhats is invincible..."
In truth, the 108 Arhats Formation wasn't some flimsy joint technique that crumbled if a few Arhats fell out.
"S-Senior brother! The monster dragon stands rooted to the ground like iron. Only we're the ones getting knocked away!"
However, as the battle—starting with their numerical superiority—turned unexpectedly even, bewilderment spread among the disciples.
"Don't harbor stray thoughts! Focus on holding your positions and roles!"
The core eighteen Arhats raised their voices to chide the others.
But the formation, which had felt ironclad, was already cracking.
Whiiiir! Whiiiir!
Whiiiiiir!
From here on, it was truly my solo stage.
I targeted the disciples showing agitation.
Thus rampaging freely through the formation...
In the process, I also realized I didn't need to rigidly adhere to the forms of the Heaven-Splitting Crane Dance Master had taught.
'His habitual words: "You walk your own path." That doesn't just apply to human karma.'
I accelerated the technique using the Shadowless Heaven-Splitting Step I'd learned through Little Spirit.
Pop!
I unleashed the Anti-Dragon Palm taught by Professor No Sam and Pavilion Master Manbok without hesitation.
Groooowl!
Boom!
I even fired off Heaven-Splitting Fist techniques derived from Cloud Ladder Style as needed.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
In that no-mind flow of movement, the original 108 Arhats dwindled to ninety-two.
From ninety-two to seventy-two, seventy-two to thirty-six.
When it reached eighteen once more...
Whiiiir! Whiiiir! Whiiiir! Whiiiir!
Whiiiir! Whiiiir!
I deflected the staffs thrust at me all at once with a single sword, then rebounded them.
Kaaaaang!
The moment my field of vision cleared, Master's voice followed.
- Ho. You've reached a realm that could be called the entry to Harmony?
* * *
The instant the final eighteen Arhats soared into the air from my decisive strike...
The watching Shaolin martial monks could only gape in shock.
"T-That...!"
"The 108 Arhats Formation! Broken by a single monster dragon?!"
Among those with mouths agape was Woncheol.
Woncheol inwardly regarded Eon Yong-un as a friend.
Thus, his friend single-handedly shattering the 108 Arhats felt impressive anew.
But separately, seeing Shaolin's pride smashed was a tremendous shock.
"Shaolin... to a single monster dragon..."
So, without thinking, Woncheol muttered words seeking solace.
"N-Not even Master or the senior uncles stepped in. There are still the Four Vajras... The Eight Great Protectors and seniors didn't intervene."
At that very moment, Abbot Merit's thunderous rebuke fell.
"When we should engrave this sight into our bones, what nonsense is this self-consolation?!"
Thus opening, Abbot Merit sighed and spoke.
"As the thousand-year great tree hunkers withered and twisted on Mount Song, the good-for-nothing finger-pointed by the world has bloomed such flowers."
The achievements of the righteous martial world's later generation representatives were truly a boon to the jianghu.
Yet this sight was a mirror reflecting Shaolin's last century.
"Monster Dragon. A true monster dragon."
The fist Eon Yong-un thrust out was the Pearl Eon Family's Eon Family Fist, the palm strike the Beggars' Sect's Anti-Dragon Palm.
His steps resembled the Thunderclap Whirlwind Steps I'd encountered once before.
'...And the swordsmanship is Heaven-Splitting Swordsmanship.'
While Shaolin's disciples became frogs in a well on Mount Song, the Sword Demon's successor roamed the jianghu, reborn as a dragon to command the world.
It was fortunate that dragon's lair faced the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains, not Mount Song.
But other branches extended from the Sword Demon.
'Who says such a dragon won't emerge from the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains?'
What made it the demonic path?
It was the demonic path precisely because it spared no means or methods to grow stronger, heedless of righteousness or propriety.
p>The fools occupying seats as delegates in the Luoyang Martial Alliance claimed that the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, with barely a century of history, couldn't have many experts.
Yet Eon Yong-un before their eyes was living proof their words were nonsense.
'......'
Abbot Merit turned his head.
And addressed Abbot Gonghyo, whose eyes were complicated.
"...Abbot Senior Brother."
"......"
"It seems the time has come for Shaolin... to change."
"......"
At Abbot Merit's words...
Abbot Gonghyo chewed on a long silence before heavily nodding.
Abbot Merit rose and descended below the drill hall.
And cupped his hands toward Eon Yong-un.
"Shaolin concedes defeat."
Then, the final eighteen Arhat monks who'd flown off recovered their breath and rose.
"How could Your Reverence step in personally! And it's not that Shaolin lost—we did!"
"Yes! It's regrettable we lost at all! Beyond skill, the disciples panicked, leading to this! If we fight again, it won't end like—"
Abbot Merit issued another thunderous rebuke toward those Arhat monks.
"Foolish! If the monster dragon were an enemy of the righteous martial world, most of you would have perished today! How could there be a next time?!"
"......"
The Arhat monks were rendered speechless despite having mouths.
Ignoring their dejected faces, Abbot Merit spoke again.
"Since the Vinaya texts came from India, countless predecessors expounded Mahayana teachings, urging us to attain enlightenment together. Yet this foolish monk fixated on the wall alone. Thus, I've honed only the art of self-preservation, but I know no way for Shaolin's disciples to survive the coming tribulations. Might this layman share his thoughts on the matter?"
At Abbot Merit's words, Eon Yong-un looked troubled.
"How dare a novice monk like me presume to offer unsolicited advice to Your Reverence? The world would censure you for it."
"Haha. Who would call a Fusion Realm master a novice? Moreover, none in the righteous martial world know more of the cult than this layman."
Pressed again by Abbot Merit...
He cautiously opened his mouth.
"If you put it that way... First, rather than nominal exchange matches, how about starting with genuine exchanges?"
"Genuine exchanges?"
"Yes. Open Avici Hell Cave. When Shaolin's disciples stand on the same battlefield as the Righteous Martial Academy's later generation, wouldn't it be good to start by learning ways to blend without friction?"
At that suggestion, now Abbot Merit looked troubled.
"But as I told this layman days ago, Shaolin bars others from Avici Hell Cave out of fear they might go mad. Not everyone emerges with achievements like you. They could fall into heart demons instead."
"I'm well aware. Like how you vetted me this time, please allow those Your Reverence deems able to endure."
However, hearing Eon Yong-un out...
He didn't seem to view Avici Hell Cave merely as a place of achievement.
Abbot Merit nodded and inquired about the second method Eon Yong-un mentioned.
"Then limited access is feasible... But what exactly do you mean by the latter exchange?"
Eon Yong-un grinned in response.
"The latter could start right now, I think. As they say, seeing once beats hearing a hundred times—gather the disciples, and I'll show you."
"Right now?"
"Ah, but I rushed after Your Reverence without packing... You'll have red cloth for kasaya, of course. Do you have a signaling whistle here? And shackles made of Hyeoncheol iron?"