Chapter 39: The Old Monk's Grudge (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 39: The Old Monk's Grudge (3)
Shaolin fist techniques possessed a majestic grandeur, each strike disciplined and imbued with the practitioner's very spirit.
Though they seemed simple at a glance, they were anything but. The subtle principles behind each movement were profound and complex.
But Jeong Yeon-shin had seen enough of Gakjeong's fists and footwork.
He didn't wait for an answer. He pivoted on his heel.
At that moment, he felt a seamless flow of power from his waist to his right arm—unrestrained and potent.
Whoosh!
Though the movement looked simple, it generated immense power. He had spontaneously manifested the principle of Four Ounces Deflecting a Thousand Pounds.
This principle was typically used to redirect a massive blow with minimal force, but Jeong Yeon-shin was using it differently. With a short stomp, he thrust out a powerful straight punch.
Thud!
Gakjeong, who had twisted his body only to be struck in the flank, staggered. His eyes widened in shock.
Even to Jeong Yeon-shin, the one who had delivered it, the blow felt incredibly heavy.
For Gakjeong, it must have been baffling that he couldn't sense any wave of internal energy behind it.
A fierce brawl ensued. Complex trajectories and afterimages of hands and feet tangled together.
As they traded blows, Jeong Yeon-shin took the brunt of the hits. After all, their respective experience and martial depth were worlds apart.
Yet, he was enjoying himself. Fighting purely with his fists and feet, without the aid of his Demonlight Formula, felt entirely new.
Meanwhile, the impact of his opponent's strikes didn't penetrate deeply. There was no pain, only the pure thrill of combat.
In terms of raw physical prowess alone, he had already surpassed the Young Divine Monk.
Flutter—thud!
Jeong Yeon-shin threw a feint with his wide left sleeve. Simultaneously, the knuckles of his right hand slammed into the fabric over Gakjeong's shoulder.
The rough texture of the Buddhist cassock pressed deep against his hand. Gakjeong stumbled every time he took one of Jeong Yeon-shin's short, sharp strikes.
From a distance, an elderly voice drifted over.
"Has he adopted the forms of the Shaolin Five Fists? No, that's not it. Only the underlying principles are the same. In fact, he's a level above. The application of his fa jin is far more expansive. How can this be? It's as if he's creating an entirely new martial art..."
Heonwon Chang glanced at Zen Master Won-jong, who was muttering incessantly beside him.
Not all masters of the Shaolin Temple made a name for themselves. There were many monks besides the martial monks.
Such was the case with the martial-theory monks who researched martial principles, and the scholar-monks who devoted themselves to the Buddhist path.
Zen Master Won-jong. He was different from the Young Divine Monk Gakjeong. It was a Buddhist name Heonwon Chang had never heard before.
"I suppose if one devotes oneself single-mindedly to a single field in the mountains, one can become like that. Wouldn't you agree?"
"Hmm? Ah..."
Heonwon Chang approached the nearby County Magistrate, acting friendly, and whispered in his ear.
Although the County Magistrate of Xinye County pulled his head back with an uncomfortable expression, Heonwon Chang didn't care.
"Anyone who knows anything knows about Young Hero Jeong's physical constitution. Even in our Demonlight Wing, he's considered a freak of nature. One time, when Young Hero Jeong was taking a bath, the maids who prepared his bathwater couldn't resist sneaking back for a peek. Well, they're Desolate Fortress people, so they're incredibly brave. And do you know what happened next... Hm? What's with that look?"
"I'm not particularly curious."
"My, my. Others found it quite intriguing."
While they were talking, the match was decided.
Gakjeong and Jeong Yeon-shin backed away at the same time, as if they were mirror images of each other.
"If we go any further, one of us will have to use a Bright-Righteous Pill for real."
"I have learned much. I shall listen to your sermon, Monk," Jeong Yeon-shin said calmly.
Gakjeong laughed heartily.
"You have a truly refreshing character. How wonderful it would have been to have a junior brother like Young Hero Jeong. In reality, everyone else is so arrogant that disciplining them with martial arts and Buddhist teachings has no effect. At any rate, I couldn't defeat you either. To be honest..."
Gakjeong's smile, which had resembled the Buddhist guardian deity Skanda, was strangely stiff.
He continued slowly, "I was also somewhat afraid. As my techniques became less effective, I realized it was only a matter of time before you countered them all. Since this is effectively my defeat, if you listen to my sermon, I shall also grant you a favor whenever you ask."
"Very well."
Jeong Yeon-shin nodded readily.
He had gained three things today, all of them significant.
Experiencing the forms of Shaolin's fists and kicks firsthand would be a great boon to his martial arts development.
The Bright-Righteous Pill, a famous healing medicine, would surely save his life one day.
And a favor from the Young Divine Monk was a powerful asset in the Jianghu.
The Xinye White Martial Arts Sect. To think our fates would intertwine like this.
Feeling the strangeness of the martial world's affairs, he walked alongside Monk Gakjeong.
Beyond the faint, hazy glow of the sunset, a white moon was rising. It seemed returning to his guest room today was out of the question.
He gestured with his chin, ordering the awestruck Black Way lackeys.
They decided to listen to the sermon and stay the night in the pavilion, which was cleared in an instant.
The County Magistrate of Xinye County had fled, his face pale as death.
It seemed the bribes he had accepted from the Xinye White Martial Arts Sect were quite substantial. Jeong Yeon-shin hoped Ma Jin would do his job properly.
"As the First Patriarch of the Central Plains Zen Sect, the Great Master Bodhidharma, once said..."
The day drew to a close with Gakjeong's lecture on Buddhist dharma.
It was the anecdote of Bodhidharma telling Huike that an anxious mind has no physical reality.
The numerous bloody battles Jeong Yeon-shin had endured at a young age were honing his mind like a sword's blade.
Conversely, his heart had grown numb to the lives of others, and combined with his limited lifespan, it bred a deep-seated killing intent.
It was said that Zen Buddhism transmits the dharma through word of mouth. A single sermon could not instantly dispel Jeong Yeon-shin's anxiety.
However, he could learn the intent that permeated Buddhist martial arts. It was a whole new world. For a brief moment, a sky-blue light flashed in Jeong Yeon-shin's eyes.
Meanwhile, Zen Master Won-jong watched him with a strange expression from a corner of the room.
* * *
Everyone woke when the dawn still looked like twilight.
While eating breakfast together, they watched Won-jong and Gakjeong bicker.
Jeong Yeon-shin and Heonwon Chang quietly listened to the two monks' debate as they moved their utensils.
Though it seemed to be a daily occurrence, the Chief Steward looked pale, barely daring to breathe.
"The phrase 'Crushing Evil and Revealing the Truth' is not merely an abstract part of the scriptures. It was a real, existing power. A dharma power that annihilates the strength accumulated by wicked factions like the Blood Flame Cult! Sorcery and martial arts were once one and the same! The versatile arts of the ancients were simply split and given two different names!"
"You are creating a martial art to kill the Blood Flame Cult Leader. And you call yourself someone who has taken refuge in the Buddhist dharma."
Gakjeong leaned in and whispered to Jeong Yeon-shin, clearly intending to be heard. Even Jeong Yeon-shin didn't know how they had become so close so quickly.
I don't think this is something you should be airing as your sect's dirty laundry.
The behavior of the two, who looked like grandfather and grandson, was incredibly childish.
It was enough to shatter his vague, idealized impressions of Shaolin.
"How is that wrong? It must be done for the sake of all living beings under heaven!"
"Fine. If there is an opportunity, we should indeed lift the precept against killing! But Martial Uncle, you are dedicating your entire life to killing people! That is a life no different from hell. Why can you not consider the feelings of your martial uncles and nephews?"
"My anguish cannot be resolved through meditation. I realized this after decades of wall-facing. Only when the Blood Flame Cult Leader dies can I truly live."
Jeong Yeon-shin was slightly surprised. Wall-facing was a renowned method of cultivation.
It was a practice of meditating while staring only at a wall.
It originated from the legend of Great Master Bodhidharma sitting before a wall for nine years to attain enlightenment.
Did the Blood Flame Cult slaughter his family too? Like they did to mine.
But Gakjeong seemed unbothered. He spoke as if he had heard this dozens of times already.
"To begin with, our sect's Great Prajna Power and Supreme Great Ability are more than enough to counter Blood Arts. Shaolin martial arts have always been strong against Blood Arts. There is no greater natural counter than this."
"If that were enough, would the Blood Flame Cult Leader still be alive?!"
"What you desire, Martial Uncle, is to create an entirely new lineage. A hundred years would not be enough for that."
"Dharma-power martial arts were originally a part of Shaolin martial arts. Have I not told you countless times? If we had the lost Avalokiteshvara Azure Steel Hand, we could easily crush the skulls of those heretical blood ghosts!"
"Martial Uncle, watch your language... And how on earth do you expect us to use a martial art whose manual was burned to ashes... No, never mind."
Only after Gakjeong shook his head did the meal finally end. The five of them stood up in an awkward silence. Only Jeong Yeon-shin wore a strange expression.
The Avalokiteshvara Azure Steel Hand.
Just from the name, it sounded like it would display devastating power in a battle against the Blood Flame Cult.
A martial art imbued with the dharma power of the Buddha. He was intrigued. Furthermore, he had newly learned that martial arts could have natural counters.
There existed a fundamental difference in nature, distinct from merely countering a technique.
A martial art specialized against a specific opponent. How interesting.
There were many powerhouses, including Blue and Black Ranks.
For Jeong Yeon-shin, whose martial arts level was still lacking, this was a new clue.
Just knowing such a thing existed made him feel as though he could create something.
The subtle principles contained within the forms and postures of Shaolin fist techniques. The meaning that ran through Shaolin Zen Buddhist philosophy.
He now understood the shapes of the forms and the intent that filled them with True Qi. To Jeong Yeon-shin, it was no different from having everything handed to him on a silver platter.
It was then.
"I wondered what kept you until morning. Though I knew there was no way you'd be done in by mere Black Way thugs."
Ma Jin appeared in an instant, his movement technique astonishing.
Behind him, the experts of the Demonlight Wing crossed the main gate of the Xinye White Martial Arts Sect. Scanning Won-jong, Gakjeong, and the Chief Steward, Ma Jin spoke again.
"So there were Shaolin monks here. We're surrounded, so I don't have time for pleasantries."
"Surrounded?" Jeong Yeon-shin asked.
"It's the Blood Flame Cult. Our location was leaked. It seems Haomun has definitely betrayed us. For now, we have to survive and get out."
His tone was far from relaxed. The tension was palpable. It was hard to believe these words were coming from a Black Rank of the Desolate Fortress.
Jeong Yeon-shin lightly scanned his surroundings.
The realization that he was finally facing the true strength of the Blood Flame Cult washed over him.
At some point, the chirping of the mountain birds in the surrounding forest had ceased.
"..."
Suddenly, a chilly wind blew, crawling against his cheeks. The sound brushing past his ears was eerie.
It was said that when martial world forces laid siege, their defensive perimeter was vast.
They called it the Net of Heaven and Earth—a net cast across the sky and the land.
"We break through the main gate," Ma Jin said. At some point, he had drawn a massive broadsword.
The warriors of the Demonlight Wing drew their respective weapons. Jeong Yeon-shin felt it.
Even the experts, who hadn't made a sound drawing their swords, were tense.
Cheong-myeong and Baek Mi-ryeo closed in beside him. Heonwon Chang was with them as well.
"If we get separated from the formation, let's meet at the Heavenly Sword House. It's a martial family on Mount Pingding. Since they also serve as the Henan branch of the Desolate Fortress, we'll receive a lavish welcome if we survive."
"Was that supposed to be a joke?"
Before anyone could even chuckle at Cheong-myeong's dry remark, a loud crash echoed.
With a deafening boom, the wall shattered.
Someone was walking forward with distinct footsteps, as if whatever blocked their path was nothing more than an open door.
Step.
She was an extraordinarily beautiful woman with black hair and red eyes. It was an appearance he had never seen before.
"Hello," she said, her tone casual and informal.
Her hair, fluttering in the breeze, was pitch-black. It was not an ordinary darkness.
Like the black robe she wore, it felt deeper than the night sky.
Conversely, her lips were as red as if stained with blood, a stark contrast to her pale skin.
The aura enveloping her entire body was sinister. Even the fluttering hem of her robe felt bewitching.
That is...
Jeong Yeon-shin knew the instant he saw her.
It was said that as a martial artist of the Blood Flame Cult grew stronger, their red hair would turn black.
Her hair was truly pitch-black.
An Apostle of the Blood Flame Cult. Since she was a woman, she had to be the Seventh Apostle.
Her formidable martial prowess and vicious nature were already famous.
"The Seventh Apostle," Ma Jin's voice was like a growl dragged up from the depths of his stomach.
"How foolish. Walking right into an ambush."
Her voice was clear and melodious. The Seventh Apostle of the Blood Flame Cult walked forward with a blood-red smile.
Though her steps were light, they carried an alluring elegance and a terrifying wave of energy.
She possessed an atmosphere that brought to mind a deep quagmire. She was on an entirely different level from the Blood Master Swords.
"So you're the Flash Art. The future of the Desolate Fortress."
Stopping ten steps away, her gaze turned toward Jeong Yeon-shin.
Her eyes looked as if smooth jade had been crafted from blood. Interest seemed to linger in her intensely crimson pupils.
She smiled.
"Your neck is quite pretty."
"Look at me, Seventh Apostle."
Glancing at Ma Jin, who had stepped forward, the Seventh Apostle indifferently averted her gaze.
With a flick of her long fingers, Blood Flame Cultists emerged from all directions. Jeong Yeon-shin felt as if his vision were turning red.
There were easily a hundred red-haired cultists, and among them, at least twenty Blood Master Swords could be seen.
"Here," the Seventh Apostle parted her lips.
"I will kill the future and the present of the Demonlight Wing."
"...!"
Simultaneously, her hand blurred. It happened while the experts of the Demonlight Wing and Shaolin were still assessing the enemy's strength.
Imbued with a sinister energy, she rushed forward like a blood-red bolt of lightning.
A crimson dagger flashed, seemingly about to pierce the space between Jeong Yeon-shin's brows in an instant.
Whoosh!
Jeong Yeon-shin twisted his body, snatching at it. It was as if his body had reacted to the wicked power before his mind could even register it.
The aftershock of the force was incredibly powerful, forcing him back a step, but the energy lingering in his palm felt unfamiliar.
It was neutralizing the Blood Art True Qi imbued in the dagger. The sermon Gakjeong had delivered throughout the night seemed to echo in his ears.
—Eradicate the Three Poisons forever, and let the Six Senses always remain pure.
The meaning of the Buddhist scriptures and the forms of Shaolin fist techniques were transforming into a mnemonic.
Was this how Great Master Bodhidharma had created his arts as well? In this very moment, an incomplete martial art began to sprout.
The experts of the Demonlight Wing, turning their heads in surprise, flinched. The sky-blue light that occasionally shone in the Flash Art's eyes had turned strangely blue.
"So an Apostle also uses the martial arts of the Blood Flame Cult," Jeong Yeon-shin said.
The Seventh Apostle was smiling as if amused. Staring quietly at her, Jeong Yeon-shin slowly spoke again.
"Your martial arts are easy to unravel."
He spoke, his blue eyes flashing.