The Whispering Bamboo Tube and the Serpent's Bite
A young monk with thick, pitch-black eyebrows that curved sharply over his eyes frowned as he spoke.
“Hyun-cham, you are in no place to speak.”
“Namu Amitabul.”
Hyun-cham bowed his head and chanted the Buddha’s name.
“Our headquarters stands at the highest point in the southern reaches of Yunnan. How dare this man who calls himself the owner of Heavenly Grant Forest treat our headquarters like a mere errand runner?”
“Ah!”
“Hyun-cham!”
“I have heard much about Heavenly Grant Forest, but I do not believe its owner is so grand as to make our headquarters his errand runner.”
Tang Myung slowly withdrew the hand he had placed in his robes and spoke.
“Monk Hyun-cham?”
“Namu Amitabul. This humble monk is Hyun-cham.”
“Wasn’t the request for manpower and provisions from our family displeasing?”
“Our headquarters is not an errand service for Heavenly Grant Forest.”
The discomfort in Hyun-cham’s reply drew Tang Myung’s gaze toward the senior monk.
“Should I interpret the Great Menglong Temple’s refusal of Heavenly Grant Forest’s request as a rejection?”
“That… is…”
The senior monk hesitated before glancing at Hyun-cham.
“Our young disciple struggles to distinguish cause from effect. We will send manpower and provisions according to the request from Heavenly Grant Forest.”
“Elder!”
“Damn it! If you open your mouth again, I will punish you for disrespecting the abbot!”
The senior monk’s warning made Hyun-cham fall silent for a moment before pressing his palms together and bowing his head.
Once Hyun-cham fell silent, the senior monk turned to Tang Myung.
“We will accept the owner of Heavenly Grant Forest’s request.”
“The Great-grandaunt will surely be pleased.”
“But…”
The senior monk looked at Tang Myung and continued.
“I do not know whether you are aware, but Heavenly Grant Forest has been declared forbidden land throughout this region. Sending manpower to such a place… is no easy matter.”
Tang Myung nodded at the senior monk’s words. Judging by the reaction of the village they had passed before reaching the forest, no village that remembered Heavenly Grant Forest would ever set foot there.
That was why they had sought the aid of the local forces.
“And…”
The senior monk sighed and glanced at Hyun-cham before speaking again.
“Our young ones may harbor grievances, so I am unsure how to resolve this.”
Tang Mi-ryeong sent a transmission to Tang Myung.
[It seems they are seeking compensation for this meeting of minds. That bear-like monk certainly hides a fox inside.]
Tang Myung glanced at the senior monk for a moment before opening his mouth.
“May I inquire whether you know anything about the connection between our Great-grandaunt and the Great Menglong Temple?”
“Have you heard nothing?”
“The Great-grandaunt only said that if I went to the Great Menglong Temple, they would help… I have heard nothing else.”
Tang Myung’s words caused the senior monk to hesitate briefly.
“I believe there is a connection with the previous abbot.”
Tang Myung placed his hand in his robes, took out a bamboo tube, and spoke.
“I know nothing of the connection between the Great-grandaunt and the previous abbot. However, if the Great-grandaunt asked the Great Menglong Temple for assistance, I consider it a good connection.”
“…?”
The senior monk stared without speaking as Tang Myung gently shook the bamboo tube.
Rattle! Rattle!
A faint rolling sound filled the air.
“The Great-grandaunt said she would give this if the Great Menglong Temple granted assistance.”
“What is it?”
The senior monk glanced at the bamboo tube. Tang Myung nodded and released his grip.
Thud! Rumble!
The bamboo tube fell to the floor. Tang Myung looked at the senior monk and lifted his foot.
And then…
Boom! Crash!
The bamboo tube shattered on the spot.
Huaaak! Huaaak!
A clear yet faintly spicy fragrance spread throughout the hall.
“Hah! The Menglong Pure Elixir!”
“It’s the Menglong Pure Elixir!”
The surrounding monks stared in shock at the shattered remains of the bamboo tube.
White powder was scattered across the broken pieces.
The monks bent down hurriedly to collect the powder, but Tang Myung spat out his internal energy.
Huaaak!
The scattered powder vanished into thin air.
“Hic!”
“What kind of trick is this?”
The senior monk’s angry roar made Tang Myung turn to him.
“Is the Menglong Pure Elixir of great importance to your temple?”
“Correct. The Menglong Pure Elixir is the temple’s priceless treasure!”
“It was created by our Great-grandaunt. If the Menglong Pure Elixir is the temple’s priceless treasure… does that mean what the Great-grandaunt made has become the temple’s priceless treasure?”
“That… is…”
The senior monk could not continue. But to Tang Myung, it was already the answer.
“Our family is the Sichuan Tang Family. We repay kindness tenfold, but we do not accept those who try to devour us.”
Tang Myung looked at the senior monk and took out another bamboo tube from his robes.
The senior monk’s eyes widened at the sight.
“What is that?”
Tang Myung spoke while watching the senior monk.
“Just now, our family wished to extend goodwill to the Great Menglong Temple as friends. Yet the Great Menglong Temple seemed to want a deal rather than friendship. So let us deal. Send one hundred skilled laborers and thirty thousand skilled carpenters to Heavenly Grant Forest. Provide food sufficient for one year. Alcohol and fresh vegetables will be sent once every ten days from now on. The exact quantities of alcohol and vegetables will be communicated by messenger as needed.”
“Tang Myung, this is far too excessive a demand.”
The wages for laborers and carpenters were already steep, but a year’s worth of food for thirty thousand people…
“I’m afraid the deal will not be struck. Very well.”
Tang Myung relaxed his grip.
Srrrk!
The bamboo tube began to fall toward the floor, but the senior monk hurriedly channeled internal energy into his feet.
Huaaak!
The energy sprayed from his feet flowed across the ground toward Tang Myung.
Tang Myung’s face showed slight surprise at the technique.
‘Sending internal energy through the earth?’
Just as Tang Myung was astonished, Tang Mi-ryeong stepped forward and stomped the ground with her foot.
Boom!
Unlike her slender frame, Tang Mi-ryeong’s internal energy produced a loud sound.
Boom! Crack!
The collision of the two internal energies created a small crack on the floor of the main hall.
‘Blocking the Earth Dragon Ascends to Heaven?’
The senior monk’s face twisted in shock as Tang Mi-ryeong used the exact same technique to block the Earth Dragon Ascends to Heaven.
“Using underhanded methods on the Family Head of our family! What kind of act is this?”
With the words, Tang Mi-ryeong shook her body lightly.
Srrrk! Srrrk!
Following her, the Pyeonbok Unit members also shook their bodies lightly.
Srrrk! Srrrk!
A metallic clatter rang loudly from the sleeves of the Tang Family’s experts within the hall.
The faces of the Great Menglong Temple experts hardened. Though they were not familiar with the characteristics of experts from the Central Plains, they could tell from the Tang Family experts’ stance that they were preparing for battle.
“What kind of action is this at our headquarters? Are you trying to test us?”
The senior monk looked at Tang Myung with a stern face. And then…
Pfft!
Hyun-cham kicked the ground and reached for the fallen bamboo tube.
“Hmph!”
Tang Myung shook his hand lightly.
Srrrk!
Silver internal energy unwound from Tang Myung’s hand and wrapped around the bamboo tube.
And then… Crack! Boom!
The bamboo tube exploded on the spot.
“Hah!”
A cry of alarm escaped Hyun-cham, and the senior monk’s face twisted in pain.
“You bastard! You little brat!”
The senior monk’s roar made his robes swell as if they were about to burst.
“Brat!”
Tang Myung shouted in rage. The sudden shout surprised and bewildered the senior monk’s face.
Looking at the stunned senior monk, Tang Myung spoke.
“Are you calling me a brat to the Family Head of the Sichuan Tang Family?”
“Hmph! What else can a ruined family’s head be?”
Hyun-cham’s shout made Tang Myung laugh.
“Ruined family…?”
Tang Myung glanced at Hyun-cham and the senior monk.
“Our family does not forget grudges. Let us go.”
Tang Myung’s sleeves fluttered as he turned. Tang Mi-ryeong retreated slowly backward, her eyes cold as she watched the Menglong Temple monks.
Hyun-cham spat in frustration.
“Namu Amitabul! Does it look as though our headquarters can come and go at will!”
As Hyun-cham tried to step forward, Tang Mi-ryeong raised her hand to move.
But Tang Mi-ryeong’s hand did not move.
A bald old man had appeared in front of Hyun-cham.
“Hah!”
Hyun-cham hurriedly thrust his fist forward at the sudden appearance of the bald old man.
Urrung!
A thunderous sound accompanied the powerful fist qi that slammed toward the old man.
The old man’s body shuddered slightly under the heavy fist qi. But it was not fear—it was because he had unconsciously tried to kill Hyun-cham.
Instead, the old man’s hand swayed like a snake, wrapping around Hyun-cham’s fist and arm and twisting them.
Whir! Whir!
The powerfully struck fist and elbow were successively broken. When the arm twisted behind Hyun-cham’s shoulder, his body shot upward and then crashed down.
Bang!
Hyun-cham fell to the floor with a heavy thud and vomited blood.
“Yusa Hand! Yusa Demon Cheokgyeol-su!”
A poisoned martial art from the Demon Two-Headed Sect that had vanished decades ago. Yusa Hand was a rare technique that used the opponent’s own strength to attack.
The senior monk cried out in shock as Cheokgyeol-su glanced at him and pressed his palms together in respect toward Tang Myung.
Cheokgyeol-su was the old servant of Heavenly Grant Forest who had brought Tang Mi-ryeong.
The senior monk’s face hardened as Cheokgyeol-su bowed and pressed his palms.
“Cheokgyeol-su… how did you come here?”
Cheokgyeol-su’s cool eyes met the senior monk’s shocked gaze.
And then an absolute expert’s aura exploded from his chest.
Huaaak!
Tang Mi-ryeong blocked Tang Myung’s path in alarm at the aura. She knew Cheokgyeol-su was Tang Mi-mi’s servant, but she also knew he was an evil person.
[Expert in Gang Qi Materialization.]
[Gang Qi Materialization…]
Tang Myung had not expected Cheokgyeol-su to be that powerful after only seeing his light footwork.
As Tang Myung stared at Cheokgyeol-su in surprise, the senior monk also felt the aura and stiffened.
“Cheokgyeol-su… what is your relationship with the owner of Heavenly Grant Forest?”
Cheokgyeol-su lightly waved his hand at the senior monk’s stern face.
“Master’s lowly servant.”
The words “lowly servant” made the senior monk’s face harden. A Gang Qi Materialization expert… calling himself a lowly servant…
‘Heavenly Grant Forest… I stepped on a landmine.’
Tang Myung’s face remained stern as Cheokgyeol-su took out a letter from his robes and flung it away.
The letter floated slowly through the air and flew toward the senior monk.
The technique alone suggested the letter’s sender was an expert in internal energy.
Ping!
The senior monk’s body jerked as he caught the letter.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The senior monk took three large steps backward after reading the letter, his face twisting in pain.
He had suffered a huge loss with this one move.
“Tang Myung, what is this behavior?”
Tang Myung also looked at Cheokgyeol-su, who he had not realized was following them.
Cheokgyeol-su waved his hand.
Pfft! Pfft!
Silver internal energy engraved words on the floor.
“Master said that if the Great Menglong Temple ever shows disrespect to the Family Head, he is to step forward.”
Tang Myung read the letter under Cheokgyeol-su’s silver internal energy.
Pfft! Pfft!
“Master said to send the letter if his lowly servant had to step forward.”
Tang Myung smiled at the words and looked at the senior monk.
“Having read the letter… you should read it as well. This is a letter sent by the owner of Heavenly Grant Forest.”