Chapter 296
Chapter 296
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 82
>Chapter Title: Shaolin Temple (2)
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“Amitabha. These words are offered for the donor’s sake, so please do not take offense and heed them well. Techniques that defy reason will surely bring harm to the donor. Cease using such sorcery at once and sever the forced bond with that monster.”
The atmosphere turned awkward at the Demon-Subduing Hall Leader’s forceful demeanor.
Seop Chun and Mong Mu-yak, already on edge from having crash-landed in the heart of Shaolin—revered as a sacred ground of the orthodox sects—were inwardly flustered beyond measure.
It was fortunate that the monks still didn’t know they were Heaven and Earth Society members, but it seemed they had instead earned resentment for their bizarre sorcery.
Then Mok Kyung-un spoke up.
“Sever the bond, you say? That would be the same as unleashing that monster. What do you plan to do then? Kill it?”
“Even a monster that brings harm is something monks and this poor monk, who cultivate the Buddha’s way, cannot casually slay. Unless the situation demands it.”
“Then you’ll let it go?”
“How could we release a man-eating demon so recklessly? We will confine it in the Demon-Subduing Cave of our headquarters and subdue its demonic nature with sutras.”
“And if its demonic nature can’t be subdued?”
“Even then, if it proves untamable, we would have no choice but to open the gate of killing to prevent further harm.”
“So in conclusion, lock it up until you kill it?”
“Amitabha.”
The Demon-Subduing Hall Leader quietly pressed his palms together.
Mok Kyung-un’s lips twitched as he replied.
“What if I politely decline your offer?”
“Amitabha. Donor... As a Demon-Subduing Monk whose duty it is to conquer demons, I cannot allow that monster to leave our headquarters now that it has entered.”
The mood instantly grew heavy.
The surrounding Demon-Subduing Monks and Warrior Monks sensed it too, gripping their vajra staffs and iron clubs tightly.
‘Damn it.’
‘This is bad.’
Mok Kyung-un’s subordinates began assuming combat stances in response.
As they did, wariness flashed in the Arhat Hall Leader’s eyes.
‘Excluding that old donor, not one of them is ordinary.’
As the leader commanding the Arhat Monks—one of Shaolin’s three great warrior monk orders—he accurately gauged the group’s skills with his keen insight.
The Demon-Subduing Hall Leader spoke while still in prayer pose.
“Amitabha. This poor monk has no desire to fight you donors. It is precisely because sorcery and commanding monsters as familiars defy reason that I urge you. If you accept this poor monk’s proposal, I shall let you all leave unharmed.”
‘!?’
At these words from the Demon-Subduing Hall Leader, Mong Mu-yak and Seop Chun—who had been on high alert—glanced at each other.
They had been fretting over what would happen if their identities were exposed in a fight against Shaolin’s warrior monks.
But if they promised not to use sorcery and handed over the demon beast Hyeomwon, they’d be allowed to leave safely? In the current situation, it wasn’t a bad deal.
At least better than being stuck in the heart of enemy territory.
They cautiously looked to their liege, Mok Kyung-un.
“Hmm.”
Mok Kyung-un let out a small groan as if pondering, stroking his chin.
Seeing this, they inwardly hoped that this time, unlike his usual unpredictable nature, he would accept the offer.
The situation was utterly different from before.
This was Shaolin, the sacred ground of the orthodox sects.
As cultivators of the Buddha’s way, they rarely intervened in martial world or secular affairs unless in exceptional circumstances, despite being one of the Nine Great Sects.
Yet no one dared underestimate Shaolin’s power.
Their reputation as the orthodoxy of Central Plains martial arts was too firmly entrenched.
‘My lord... Clashing with Shaolin would be utter madness.’
‘Best to let this one slide.’
That was when it happened.
Mok Kyung-un lowered his hand from his chin and smiled faintly.
“You say you’ll let us leave unharmed if we accept? How could I possibly refuse such a generous offer?”
Seop Chun and Mong Mu-yak breathed sighs of relief at Mok Kyung-un’s words.
Even Mara-hyeon, who hadn’t shown it, had worried a fight might break out and inwardly felt relieved.
“Amitabha. For this young donor to open his eyes to reason and so readily accept this poor monk’s proposal is truly...”
“I didn’t say I’d accept.”
“!?”
The Demon-Subduing Hall Leader furrowed his brow at Mok Kyung-un’s unexpected response.
For someone of his stern temperament, unbefitting a Buddhist disciple, he couldn’t comprehend the rejection of his tactful proposal.
-Mortal. Surely you’re not refusing?
Cheongryeong asked Mok Kyung-un in a tone of disbelief.
She knew he seemed unpredictable up close, but separately, he valued rational judgment highly.
Promising not to use sorcery could be brushed off as situational, and Hyeomwon hadn’t been intentionally made a familiar anyway, so handing it over posed no real issue.
It had the advantage of flight and had played a key role lately, but coldly sacrificing one demon beast to avoid clashing with Shaolin right now was the rational choice.
-This isn’t like you. Handing over one demon beast lets you escape Shaolin unscathed. Why refuse?
-Not like me?
-Yes. You’re a bit stubborn, but Shaolin monks cultivate the Buddha’s way before being martial artists, unlike other orthodox fools who make hypocritical offers. Rejecting a rare proposal like this is foolish. Accept it.
-That won’t work.
-What?
-Like you said, if I were alone, it’d be rational. But for building a faction, it’s not the best choice.
‘!?’
Did this brat just say that?
She doubted her own ears for a moment.
Mok Kyung-un then turned to the Demon-Subduing Hall Leader.
“Your offer tempts me since it promises safe passage, but just because it’s necessary doesn’t mean it’s mine... Well, that sounds too possessive. Let’s say ‘companion’ instead. Anyway, I can’t hand over a companion so easily.”
“Companion?”
-Murmur murmur!
The encircling Arhat Monks and Demon-Subduing Monks buzzed at Mok Kyung-un’s words.
It was called a familiar, but that thing was a grotesque, inhuman monster.
And he was calling such a being a companion now?
‘This guy?’
Cheongryeong’s eyes gleamed at Mok Kyung-un’s words.
He never truly trusted or relied on anyone.
Lately, he’d heeded some of her advice, but in crucial moments, he still followed his own judgment.
Yet in this highly dangerous situation, he called the demon beast Hyeomwon a companion and refused to hand it over.
To him, it should’ve been mere a tool. Truly unexpected.
This was...
‘Intentional? Or is he changing?’
If intentional, it seemed to have the desired effect.
His subordinates, who had been bewildered at the refusal, now looked subtly different upon hearing he wouldn’t abandon a companion.
Likely confirming his magnanimity as a leader.
By showing he wouldn’t discard even a tamed monster in crisis, he instilled trust that he’d never abandon them, no matter the situation.
Cheongryeong inwardly clicked her tongue in admiration.
‘...Even if calculated, he’s steadily gaining leadership qualities.’
She had thought his talents in martial arts, sorcery, pharmacology, and more would make ruling others or developing social skills difficult due to his distrustful nature.
Yet Mok Kyung-un was acquiring leadership qualities faster than expected.
A more surprising change than anticipated.
The Demon-Subduing Hall Leader scowled fiercely and spoke.
“Even if subdued by unreasonable methods, its essence is that of a man-eating monster that wrought harm. How can you call such a thing a companion? What nonsense is this?”
“Doesn’t that depend on one’s perspective?”
“Perspective?”
“If harming people is the issue, aren’t humans the bigger problem?”
“What?”
Mok Kyung-un smirked at the retorting Demon-Subduing Hall Leader.
“Do people get killed more by beasts or monsters? Or by fellow humans?”
“........”
The Demon-Subduing Hall Leader fell silent at the question.
It was undeniable—humans suffered far more deaths at human hands.
Banditry, robbery, martial world conflicts, and on a grand scale, wars.
All drove humans to kill one another.
Mok Kyung-un’s point left even the staunchly unyielding Demon-Subduing Hall Leader struggling to rebut.
Then the quietly listening Arhat Hall Leader stepped forward.
“Amitabha. Your words hold some truth, donor. Humans do inflict the most harm on one another. But equating that to monsters defies reason.”
“What’s unreasonable about it?”
“Beasts and monsters act on simple desires, while humans feel the five desires and seven emotions.”
“You’re overcomplicating it, monk.”
“This poor monk does not preach doctrine to you, donor. The five desires and seven emotions are what the Buddha called the root of all suffering. Cultivators of the Buddha’s way seek to overcome them and walk the middle path. Even those not cultivating the way possess the basic will to control and transcend these.”
“And?”
“But beasts and monsters, unlike humans, live solely on simple desires without complexity. The simpler the desire, the harder to control. How can one compare them to humans, especially one that preys on living people?”
“So in conclusion, they’re incomparable?”
“Precisely, donor. Humans, possessing both yin and yang energies, are imperfect and complex beings capable of self-control. Monsters, however, are innately yin beings and thus lack this. Comparing them as you do is forced logic.”
“Aaah, I see.”
“We understand your reluctance to surrender the monster, but if you lose control of it, countless lives will be lost. This poor monk cannot stand by, hence our demand.”
“I see. But come to think of it, I haven’t heard an apology yet.”
“Apology?”
The Arhat Hall Leader tilted his head at Mok Kyung-un’s out-of-left-field remark.
“What do you mean, donor?”
“I understand viewing the monster as dangerous, but we didn’t harm any Shaolin monks. We were merely flying overhead on it when you suddenly attacked, nearly killing us, didn’t you?”
“That’s because you...”
“Surely you’re not playing innocent? Didn’t you just say cultivators of the Buddha’s way don’t casually kill even insects?”
“Amitabha. That’s true, but...”
“We survived by luck, but we all nearly plummeted to our deaths from that height. Had we, you—from the old masters to these Demon-Subduing Monks—would have violated the Buddha’s teachings and committed the sin of killing. Yet not a word of apology.”
The Demon-Subduing Monks gripping vajra staffs and encircling them flinched in confusion at Mok Kyung-un’s words.
The Demon-Subduing Hall Leader spoke awkwardly.
“Donor... This poor monk and the Demon-Subduing Monks practice dharma arts but not martial arts, so we failed to notice you were riding the monster...”
“Hmm. Pretending you didn’t know? Even after we crashed down here? Or is surviving by luck apology enough?”
“No, donor. This poor monk didn’t mean it that way...”
“Do you see that old lady over there?”
Seonghwa Spirit Lord, still prone from the aftereffects of the high fall, lifted her pale face in confusion at being called.
“She’s an ordinary woman without martial arts training, still suffering like that. Quite irresponsible.”
“Hah.”
The Arhat Hall Leader couldn’t hide his embarrassment.
He had realized from the start that Seonghwa Spirit Lord was an ordinary old woman without martial arts.
Yet as Mok Kyung-un said, even if done with good intentions to subdue evil, nearly killing civilians was fact.
‘Clever head on his shoulders, as always. Mortal.’
Cheongryeong marveled at the monks’ flustered reactions.
In a way, it was Shaolin monks’ sole weakness.
As cultivators of the Buddha’s way before warriors, they bound themselves by precepts and doctrine.
Mok Kyung-un had exploited that very constraint.
“Amitabha. You are right, donor. First, we apologize for our error. None of this was intentional.”
“Not intentional? So accidental killing is fine?”
“Hah. Donor, how do you twist this poor monk’s words...”
“I can only interpret it that way.”
“There seems to be a misunderstanding. Had we known you were riding the monster, we wouldn’t have attacked recklessly from the start.”
Mok Kyung-un’s eyes sparkled as he said.
“What did you just say?”
“...Had we known you donors were riding the monster, we wouldn’t have attacked.”
“You said it clearly?”
“What are you getting at?”
“You said you wouldn’t have attacked if you’d known we were there, deeming it too dangerous?”
“...Yes.”
“Then we wouldn’t have crashed into Shaolin’s heart, debating handing over or killing the monster, or nearly committing murder by you monks?”
“.........”
“In the end, you created a situation that never needed to happen. So whose fault is it?”
“........”
The Demon-Subduing Hall Leader was speechless, like a mute stung by honey.
The Arhat Hall Leader was the same.
They wanted to rebut, but Mok Kyung-un’s argument left no room.
‘Ha?’
Watching this, the rogue monk Ja Geum-jeong let out a hollow laugh.
Born with Spirit Eyes open, he had drowned his torment in liquor.
But the Precepts Court hadn’t understood; they expelled him for breaking rules.
He’d once thought himself lacking during his Shaolin days, but seeing this debate, those bound by precepts seemed utterly foolish.
Then.
“Hahaha. Excellent, excellent.”
All eyes turned toward the voice accompanied by laughter.
-Creeeak!
The south wing doors of the Arhat Hall plaza swung open, revealing three old monks in red kasaya robes.
The rogue monk Ja Geum-jeong pressed his palms together and bowed deeply.
Tears welled in his lowered eyes.
‘Ahhh. Master.’
Among the old monks was his master, the Scripture Hall Leader Grandmaster Gongjeon.
But it didn’t end there.
Also present were Grandmaster Dae-deok of the Precepts Court, who had driven him from Shaolin, and Grandmaster Museong of the Reverse Muscle Scripture Hall.
‘This just got more troublesome.’
Mok Kyung-un eyed the three old monks irritably.
The aura they exuded was profoundly deep; all three were transcendent masters who had surpassed walls.