Chapter 306
Chapter 306
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 84
>Chapter Title: Ruler's Step (3)
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“Benefactor, you continue to astonish this monk in so many ways.”
“Would such a minor trick really astonish you? But why send me a transmission?”
“To convey this monk’s intent.”
“Your intent, Abbot?”
“If it were merely this monk’s personal view, I would wish to honor the agreement no matter what the benefactors did outside. However, an imperial palace officer has come here, and since you’ve taken him hostage, simply releasing him could put Shaolin in jeopardy.”
“Because of your position?”
“How could a monk who has left the secular world concern himself with position? The imperial officials will surely use this as an excuse to pressure headquarters. If disciples who have renounced the world continue to face secular pressure, how can they focus on cultivating the Buddha’s way?”
Mok Kyung-un looked at Grandmaster Museong with surprise at his transmission.
Unlike the Precepts Hall Leader Grandmaster Dae-deok, this man showed no selfish motives at all. He truly seemed to possess deep Buddhist faith.
“So what do you propose? Do you want us to sacrifice ourselves for the monks?”
“How could this monk demand such a thing?”
“Then what?”
“I simply trust in the benefactor’s martial prowess and wish to give you an opportunity.”
“An opportunity?”
At Mok Kyung-un’s question, Grandmaster Museong opened his mouth to speak aloud, not via transmission.
“In Shaolin, when friction arises with the secular world, we overcome it with a simple yet time-honored tradition.”
“A time-honored tradition?”
“Indeed. No matter the difference in positions, it’s hard to completely ignore an agreement, and since Shaolin monks also hone martial arts, we compete according to the laws of the martial world.”
“......”
“Hear me, warrior monks! Deploy the One Hundred Eight Arhats Formation at once!”
“Yes!!!!”
No sooner had the command fallen than—
Rumble rumble rumble!
The warrior monks already in the Eighteen Arhats Formation, along with the 108 surrounding warrior monks, let out a massive shout and formed an array around Mok Kyung-un.
As the 108 Arhat warrior monks took formation and assumed their stances, their might resembled the army of a thousand troops and ten thousand horses.
Even more impressive was that they had merely formed the array, yet their energies doubled, filling the entire hall.
‘......Impressive.’
With his Ghost Eye open, Mok Kyung-un could see it all too clearly.
Ordinary energies from each individual had united into the formation’s structure, becoming this ferocious.
He couldn’t help but be impressed.
Then, the defrocked monk Ja Geum-jeong shouted in anger.
“Grandmaster! Even granting that, isn’t this going too far? What do you mean ‘according to the laws of the martial world’? Isn’t the One Hundred Eight Arhats Formation Shaolin’s ultimate force?”
There was a simple reason Ja Geum-jeong was so heated.
The One Hundred Eight Arhats Formation was Shaolin’s most powerful array, designed to suppress large numbers of enemies or peerless grandmasters.
It symbolized Shaolin, and officially, no one who had faced it had ever broken it.
“Amitabha. Indeed. The One Hundred Eight Arhats Formation can be called Shaolin’s ultimate force.”
“Grandmaster, this...”
“Shh!”
At that moment, Mok Kyung-un placed a finger to his lips toward the defrocked monk Ja Geum-jeong, signaling silence.
Ja Geum-jeong frowned and clamped his mouth shut midway.
Has the young master lost his mind?
Surrounded by the One Hundred Eight Arhats Formation, and he wasn’t afraid?
As he wondered, Mok Kyung-un soon looked at Grandmaster Museong, who stood far off, and spoke.
“If it’s according to the laws of the martial world, then you want to compete?”
“Correct. But it’s not about breaking it.”
“Not breaking it?”
“Displaying Shaolin’s ultimate force, the One Hundred Eight Arhats Formation, to the benefactor is to show respect for your exceptional martial arts.”
Respect? Or to ensure a sure victory?
Mok Kyung-un snorted and said,
“Fine, let’s say that’s the case. So what now? If not breaking it?”
“In the past, after an unfortunate incident, Shaolin refined the One Hundred Eight Arhats Formation even further, achieving a far more perfect array than before.”
“......”
“If you can withstand this One Hundred Eight Arhats Formation for just one incense stick’s worth of time, Shaolin will accept it as fate and let you benefactors go safely. Of course, if the benefactor alone isn’t enough, you may join forces with your companions.”
“One incense stick...”
“But if you cannot endure even that, this monk will hand you over to the imperial palace as traitors, no matter your resentment. Officer, if we do this, will you believe Shaolin harbors no protection for them?”
“Hoo... hoo...”
At Grandmaster Museong’s proposal, Kang Hak, the Imperial Guard Commander held hostage by Mok Kyung-un, reluctantly nodded as if agreeing.
But his inner thoughts were entirely different.
‘Isn’t Shaolin’s One Hundred Eight Arhats Formation their undefeated ultimate force?’
It was a fact known to all martial artists.
Even the Six Heavenly Stars and Eight Constellations, called the pinnacle of the current martial world, wouldn’t dare challenge Shaolin’s One Hundred Eight Arhats Formation lightly.
It was truly one of Shaolin’s legends.
‘No matter how strong this damned guy is, enduring one incense stick against Shaolin’s One Hundred Eight Arhats Formation is impossible.’
He was certain of it.
The Precepts Hall Leader Grandmaster Dae-deok thought the same as the Imperial Guard Commander.
Though this arrogant benefactor surpassed him in internal energy, the power of the One Hundred Eight Arhats Formation was on another level.
Long ago, they had suffered an unofficial humiliating incident, but the array’s completion now was incomparable to then.
‘He spoke of compassion, but the Grandmaster has given a task impossible to escape. Heh heh heh.’
Grandmaster Dae-deok looked at Reverse Muscle Scripture Hall Leader Grandmaster Museong with a satisfied expression.
Meanwhile, Mok Kyung-un’s subordinates looked uneasy.
Even combining forces, with a time limit of one incense stick, could they endure against the One Hundred Eight Arhats Formation?
No matter how much Mok Kyung-un’s prowess had grown, they couldn’t muster confidence for this.
It was then.
“If we’re to follow the proposal, I should return the hostage. Here you go.”
Thwack!
Mok Kyung-un grabbed the Imperial Guard Commander Kang Hak by the back of the neck, hoisted him up effortlessly, and hurled him toward Precepts Hall Leader Grandmaster Dae-deok like tossing an object.
‘What?’
At his sudden action, Grandmaster Dae-deok inwardly clicked his tongue.
From the trajectory, it seemed he had deliberately infused internal energy.
But he couldn’t show himself being pushed back again, so he hurriedly extended a soft flowing palm to catch the incoming Imperial Guard Commander Kang Hak.
The moment he caught him—
Boom!
“Urk.”
Grandmaster Dae-deok’s face twisted in pain for a moment.
It was the Object Projection Scripture technique.
He had tried to redirect the Imperial Guard Commander’s force, but it pierced through instead, nearly pushing him back again.
“Blech!”
Thanks to forcing it down, blood welled up in his throat, suggesting internal injury.
Grandmaster Dae-deok glared at Mok Kyung-un with fury-filled eyes.
‘You bastard!’
Ignoring it all, Mok Kyung-un shrugged nonchalantly, turned his head, and spoke to Grandmaster Museong.
“But may I make a proposal to you too, Abbot—no, to Shaolin?”
“A proposal?”
“No matter how I think about it, this seems too convenient only for Shaolin. Even if we’re in a disadvantageous position.”
“......Does that mean you reject this monk’s proposal?”
“No, not that.”
“Then what proposal do you intend?”
“Nothing much. We almost died due to Shaolin’s mistake, so we want compensation for that. Honestly, a mere apology doesn’t suffice for something involving our lives.”
“Compensation? What kind of compensation?”
“I hear Shaolin has a very precious spirit pill. The Great Return Pill, was it?”
‘!!!!!!!’
At his words, the Shaolin monks stirred.
Of course, Mok Kyung-un paid no mind and continued.
“If we pass the Grandmaster’s proposal, how about giving one to me and my companions each as compensation for our losses?”
At Mok Kyung-un’s words, not Grandmaster Museong but Precepts Hall Leader Grandmaster Dae-deok scowled fiercely and interjected.
“In a situation where you should be grateful for the opportunity, young benefactor, are you in your right mind?”
The spirit pill Mok Kyung-un mentioned was a Shaolin secret.
Its recipe was so difficult that producing one took a long time, but its fame came from granting ordinary people a life free of illness and longevity, and martial artists a full century’s worth of internal energy upon consumption.
Thus, in the martial world, Shaolin’s Great Return Pill was hailed as the supreme spirit pill.
“Are you in your right mind? If Shaolin hadn’t dropped us, this wouldn’t have happened at all—shouldn’t you grant even greater demands?”
“Ha! Truly, the benefactor rejects the cup of blessing and chooses the cup of punishment...”
“Enough!”
Grandmaster Museong scolded Grandmaster Dae-deok.
Once he fell silent, he pressed his palms together toward Mok Kyung-un and said,
“Amitabha. Benefactor, forgive us, but there aren’t many Great Return Pills, and they can only be given out after approval in a conference hosted by the Abbot.”
“Are you refusing under the pretext of procedure?”
“How could that be? I agree there’s merit to your claim of compensation. So, while not the Great Return Pill, I can offer Minor Return Pills within this monk’s authority.”
“Gr-Grandmaster!”
Not only Grandmaster Dae-deok but even Scripture Repository Pavilion Leader Grandmaster Gongjeon, who was favorable toward them, jumped in shock and stared at Grandmaster Museong.
And for good reason—the Minor Return Pill was also one of Shaolin’s boasted spirit pills.
Since the Great Return Pill’s recipe was too complex and time-consuming, Shaolin created a substitute.
That was the Minor Return Pill.
Consuming one granted ten years of internal energy—a rare spirit pill indeed.
“Grandmaster, this...”
Swish!
As Grandmaster Gongjeon tried to advise caution, Grandmaster Museong firmly shook his head.
His mind was unchanged.
He had already turned against the imperial palace and reneged on his promise to block external pressure.
At this point, he wanted to compensate them somehow, and with Mok Kyung-un’s bold demand, he thought it perfect.
“Of course, keep in mind this proposal stems from your ability to endure the One Hundred Eight Arhats Formation for one incense stick.”
“Fine. This balances things out somewhat.”
“I won’t take the Minor Return Pill.”
Someone interjected loudly then.
It was the defrocked monk Ja Geum-jeong.
Grandmaster Gongjeon spoke softly, as if it were fine.
“Amitabha. It’s Deokmun. If you’re worried about burdening Shaolin, no need to...”
“No, Grandmaster. Instead of that, I want something else.”
“Something else?”
“If we endure the One Hundred Eight Arhats Formation for one incense stick, let me hit that Precepts Hall Leader full force—exactly once, no more, no less.”
‘!?’
At his words, Precepts Hall Leader Grandmaster Dae-deok’s eyes went wide in bewilderment.
He wondered what that excommunicated fool would demand, and it was to insolently strike him?
Outraged beyond words, he opened his mouth to retort—
“How dare you...”
“Heh heh heh heh heh. Grandmaster, even if excommunicated, old ties remain. Can’t you grant Deokmun this modest request?”
Scripture Repository Pavilion Leader Grandmaster Gongjeon struck first.
Reverse Muscle Scripture Hall Leader Grandmaster Museong nodded with a faint smile.
What was so hard about letting him land one strike instead of a Minor Return Pill?
Moreover, since Precepts Hall Leader Grandmaster Dae-deok bore much responsibility for the boy’s defrocking, it was understandable as venting.
“Very well. Before we begin, fetch an incense stick for one unit of time.”
“Yes!”
At Grandmaster Museong’s command, some warrior monks not in the One Hundred Eight Arhats Formation pressed their palms together and moved to retrieve it.
Then Mok Kyung-un waved his hand and spoke in a meaningful tone.
“Shaolin will have to erect yet another stone tablet due to another misjudgment.”
“What do you...”
It was right then.
Mok Kyung-un abruptly stomped down toward the ground.
KABOOM! Crack crack craaaack!
In that instant, a massive roar erupted, and centered on Mok Kyung-un, the floor of the Arhat Hall plaza split, vibrations spreading in all directions.
Along with it, the quake shaking the ground reached the soles of the feet of the Arhat warrior monks encircling them in formation—
Flutter flutter flutter!
They convulsed all at once as if struck by shock, and soon—
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Every one of them collapsed to the ground simultaneously.
‘!!!!!!!!!!!’