Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Aftermath in the Cloud Forest
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"Namo Amitabha. To think I'd live to see such a damn miserable sight."
Lying flat on the ground, Hong Gak Seonsa muttered to himself.
The surroundings were utterly devastated.
The trees of Cloud Forest, which had stood tall in fierce competition, were snapped and shattered, scattered everywhere.
Not a single one had been broken by a direct hit.
It was purely the aftermath of the two men's clash, as if a typhoon had ripped through.
"I've never seen a monster like you in my life."
"This one hasn't often crossed paths with someone of your caliber either, old monk."
"Is that supposed to be a compliment right now?"
"Hardly? Do I strike you as the type to console an old monk like yourself?"
"Fair enough. But why do you keep calling me an old monk?"
"You called me whatever suited you—this scum, that bastard."
"Ugh. You really won't yield an inch, will you?"
"That's just how I am."
Jeok Muryong replied softly.
Hong Gak Seonsa was certainly strong.
Simply put, he himself was stronger.
Even a master of Hong Gak's level wouldn't have been able to scratch him back in the day.
'Back then, I could've finished him with Dragon Fang alone, without needing Annihilating Dragon Fang.'
Jeok Muryong thought as he clenched and unclenched his fist.
'I've still got a long way to go.'
"That said..."
Hong Gak Seonsa spoke up.
"What now, Heavenly Demon?"
"...You believe me?"
"Believe you? That you're a man from centuries ago, and none other than the monster called the Heavenly Demon?"
"That's right."
"With the place smashed to hell like this, what choice do I have but to believe? Hmph!"
Hong Gak Seonsa snorted and continued.
"Besides, believe it or not, what does it matter? If you claim to be the Heavenly Demon with that power and ability, it'll become reality soon enough."
"......"
"So, Heavenly Demon. Are you planning to destroy the Central Plains martial world from here on out?"
"No."
"Wipe out the Nine Great Sects of the Orthodox Murim and reign supreme over the rivers and lakes?"
"No, that neither."
"Then?"
"I don't know."
Jeok Muryong furrowed his brow.
"To be honest, I just want to eat something delicious."
"Something delicious?"
"Yes. Though first, I need to track down that tea I couldn't have that day and drink it."
"Ha! Is that so? Ha ha ha ha."
"You don't believe me?"
Hong Gak Seonsa slowly shook his head at Jeok Muryong's question.
"How could I not? I half-suspected it when you decided to heal this old man."
"Hm?"
"If you were truly the Heavenly Demon—or the archetype of what we martial artists imagine him to be—I'd already be a corpse."
"......"
"At the very least, you're not that kind of Heavenly Demon. Maybe we've all misunderstood what the Heavenly Demon really is."
"I..."
Jeok Muryong trailed off.
Just like with Abbot Gongmun all those years ago.
It felt like someone understood his heart.
And it wasn't a bad feeling.
"Well, even so, you'd best avoid throwing the name Heavenly Demon around carelessly."
"I know."
The martial world was full of people who would foam at the mouth just hearing the word Heavenly Demon.
Hong Gak Seonsa himself was a prime example.
There was no need to stir up needless trouble by proclaiming himself the Heavenly Demon and crushing them all one by one, turning it into a sea of blood and mountains of corpses.
"That was my intention here from the start. You just happened to latch onto it unexpectedly, and things escalated."
"I didn't latch on—it was the truth."
"So be it."
"At any rate, I can trust you won't plunge the rivers and lakes into chaos?"
"How many times must I say it? If I'd wanted that, it would've happened already."
"True enough. Ugh..."
Hong Gak Seonsa smacked his lips once, groaning as he rose.
"That aside, this is a problem. The monks must be gathered outside Cloud Forest, stomping around in worry."
"Handle it yourself."
"Guess I have to. I can insist I went mad alone and muddle through somehow."
"Hm. Your usual behavior makes it obvious."
"Shut it. Oh, I never got around to asking—how is it you're still alive after centuries, if you were the Heavenly Demon from back then?"
It could be called the most important question of all.
He hadn't had the chance to ask amid the chaos.
For Jeok Muryong, it was a welcome turn.
"That's what I'd like to ask."
"You'd like to ask?"
"Old monk, do you know much about the secret spells of ancient esoteric Buddhism?"
"Hey, I said stop calling me old. But what? Secret spells of ancient esoteric Buddhism?"
"Something like that."
"Well... Why do you ask?"
"Here's the thing."
Jeok Muryong gave a brief account of what had happened.
The rebellion among his Heavenly Demon Divine Cult subordinates on the eve of their conquest of the martial world.
The spell unleashed while fighting Murim Alliance warriors and traitors on both sides.
The memory of being trapped in the Bottomless Abyss for what felt like eons.
And after the long time passed, being freed and meeting Neung So-hwa and Jin Choyoung.
Hong Gak Seonsa's expression grew grave as he heard it all.
"Mm."
"You don't know, do you?"
"N-no. I'm a martial monk from the start, remember? We fight well like the lay brothers, but I'm walled off from trivial knowledge."
"Of course you are."
"Ugh. But I do know someone who'd be well-versed in ancient esoteric Buddhism or spells!"
"The Shaolin Abbot?"
"......!"
Hong Gak Seonsa's eyes widened.
"How did you know?"
"Come on, that's an easy guess."
Jeok Muryong clicked his tongue lightly and crossed his arms.
"Thinking about it, it was odd. Baek Un and Beom Won, right? You said the Shaolin Abbot sent them to Heavenly Center Mountain, but when they arrived, he never showed his face."
"Mm."
"Where'd he go?"
"He said he had business at the Repentance Cave and would return soon."
"Soon?"
"No idea. The Repentance Cave is a place you rarely visit unless absolutely necessary. It's unusual, so who knows how long it'll take."
"Got it. So you're no help, monk."
"......"
"Then I'll head out first—not as 'this one,' but me."
"W-wait! There'll be a crowd of monks at the Cloud Forest entrance..."
"Hiding from their senses is..."
Sssrrk.
Jeok Muryong's form blurred and vanished completely before Hong Gak Seonsa's eyes.
As if he'd been standing there and turned transparent.
A ghostly voice echoed from afar.
"Child's play."
"Ah, Jeok Daehyeop!"
Neung So-hwa, who had been tending a fire in the Guest Reception Hall courtyard, lit up with joy.
Jeok Muryong, entering the courtyard, spotted countless teacups arrayed on the platform behind her.
The competing aromas of tea wafting up were a bonus.
He'd actually smelled them before even stepping into the yard.
"Making tea?"
"Yes. The kitchen here is huge. With Beom Won Seonsa's help, I could brew several at once."
"I see."
Just then, Beom Won emerged from the kitchen on one side of the Guest Reception Hall.
It seemed Jin Choyoung boiled water in the kitchen, Beom Won carried them to the courtyard, and Neung So-hwa set them on the platform.
Seeing Jeok Muryong, Beom Won froze in place.
"Je-Jeok Shiju?"
"You've worked hard, young monk."
Beom Won pretended to hear the reply while glancing back and forth between Jeok Muryong and the direction of Cloud Forest.
"If you're worried about the old man, don't be. He's perfectly fine."
"Wh-what happened over there?"
"Ask your sahyung or the old man himself later. Bring the tea here."
After a moment's hesitation, Beom Won carried over the tea tray laden with cups.
"How is it, Jeok Daehyeop?"
"Wait."
Jeok Muryong clicked his tongue lightly.
"Even for me, it's not that easy to pinpoint."
It had been centuries, at least.
Recalling a scent long stored in his memory archives wasn't simple.
Especially with dozens of teas mingling their aromas.
"Should I clear them and let you smell one by one?"
"No need. Just don't disturb my focus."
"Ah, yes. Sorry."
"No need to apologize."
Jeok Muryong replied calmly, closing his eyes in concentration.
Beom Won, watching from a distance, crept away and bolted out of the courtyard.
A little earlier—when the rumbling from Cloud Forest had started.
Baek Un had left him with Neung So-hwa's group and headed to Cloud Forest.
"Sahyung! Take me too..."
"Guard this spot. Someone has to stay with the two shijus!"
With his sahyung's command absolute, Beom Won had no choice but to obey.
What stood out was the two women's reactions.
Unlike Jin Choyoung, who couldn't hide her tension at the booms and tremors from Cloud Forest, Neung So-hwa seemed quite at ease.
"Neung Shiju, are you all right?"
Beom Won finally asked outright, but...
"Thank you for your concern, Seonsa. But I'm fine. I trust Jeok Daehyeop."
"You... trust him?"
"Yes."
Neung So-hwa smiled softly.
"Though I'm sorry to say it about Hong Gak Dae Seonsa."
"......"
Recalling her words, Beom Won quickened his pace.
He arrived at the entrance to Cloud Forest.
A crowd of monks had gathered at the mountain path entrance, with Baek Un alone blocking their way.
"What is this? Clear the path!"
"Hong Gak Dae Seonsa ordered it. No one enters Cloud Forest."
"There's ominous energy from inside. Dae Seonsa could be in danger!"
"Even so, I cannot yield."
As Baek Un argued with the monks, his gaze met Beom Won's.
-What about the two shijus? Why are you here alone?
-Jeok Shiju is here, sahyung.
-What?
-I mean, Jeok Shiju...
"What is the meaning of this!"
A thunderous shout cut their transmission short.
The voice belonged to Hong Gak Seonsa.
The Shaolin monks paled at the sight of him emerging from Cloud Forest.
"D-Dae Seonsa!"
"Are you all right?"
"Fine. Perfectly fine. Do I look unwell anywhere?"
"Th-that's..."
There were so many things wrong, they didn't know where to start.
For one, no visible wounds or injuries.
No—better to say they were already healed.
Just looking at his robes, torn to shreds and bloodstained, made it obvious he'd suffered severe injuries.
Hong Gak Seonsa clicked his tongue lightly at the monks' shocked and suspicious stares.
"I fought the demons in my heart."
"Pardon?"
"Demons... of the heart?"
"Yes. Inner demons! Heart demons that gnaw at the mind! I thrashed around smashing things while battling the damn thing."
"B-but, Seonsa, as the leader of the Ten Precepts Ten Monks, your enlightenment is profound..."
"Ha! Spare me the dogshit. You think I rose here on enlightenment? It was my fists."
"S-Seonsa!"
"That's all."
Hong Gak Seonsa cut them off sharply.
"Disperse!"