Chapter 140
Chapter 140
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 140
Chapter Title: Shaolin (2)
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It had truly been a long time since he’d seen Cheol Pung-gae, but Ouyang Jue couldn’t bring himself to act familiar.
*His presence has changed.*
Had Cheol Pung-gae trained as much as Ouyang Jue had spent traveling with the Omniscient One?
Ouyang Jue’s question deepened, but he never imagined that Cheol Pung-gae could have been taught by the Beggars' Sect Leader, Cheon-wa-gae.
As proof, beneath the tattered rags, Cheol Pung-gae’s body was…
*Damn it, it hurts to the bone!*
Just last night, he’d been beaten like a dog with a staff by Cheon-wa-gae, and the bruises weren’t healing easily.
Despite that, he had rushed over this morning upon hearing that Ouyang Jue was coming.
But now that he was here, it all felt ridiculous.
A hollow laugh spread across Cheol Pung-gae's face.
“Plum Blossom Cloud Dragon, I ask you in all seriousness. Is your head filled with a field of flowers?”
“Are you insulting me?”
“No, it's not an insult...”
Suddenly, Cheol Pung-gae glared at Ouyang Jue, who was sitting across from him.
“Hey, you bastard! What kind of pristine water did you give him that he could be this ignorant of the world?”
“I don't know what you're talking about.”
What could he do? It was his nature.
Ouyang Jue looked away, feigning ignorance.
Seeing this, Cheol Pung-gae gritted his teeth.
“Fine. Master Liu, let me just say one thing!”
“Just one more thing…”
“Does this world of martial arts look easy to you?”
Cheol Pung-gae stared at Liu Zhangming with chilling eyes.
The slyness and beggar-like craftiness he had shown until now were gone, replaced by eyes that literally reflected the experience he had accumulated from the dregs of the martial world.
A sneer crept onto Cheol Pung-gae's lips.
“Your junior brother might have put it nicely, but I won't. In fact, if the merchant wasn't here, I would have cursed you out.”
At those words, Bai Chuan wore an awkward, peculiar smile. But he didn't leave the office.
He knew from experience.
If he left, Cheol Pung-gae and Liu Zhangming would surely get into a nasty fight.
Bai Chuan knew with certainty that he had to stay.
Liu Zhangming finally spoke.
“Jue, did you summon him?”
“Yes.”
“Was that really necessary?”
To that, Ouyang Jue nodded without the slightest hesitation.
“He is someone I trust.”
“...Someone you trust.”
Liu Zhangming mulled over the word "trust" a couple of times before looking at Cheol Pung-gae.
“What would you have cursed me with?”
“A greenhorn who doesn't know his place. A fool who only cares about principles without understanding the ways of the world, destined to die a miserable death.”
“...”
“Are you pissed?”
Liu Zhangming closed his eyes for a moment before opening them and replying.
“No.”
“Just as I thought... Huh?”
“Your words are harsh for a first meeting, but they are not wrong. As you said, I am no different from a novice in the martial world. I am by no means an experienced man.”
At that, Cheol Pung-gae seemed greatly flustered and stammered.
“...Well, huh. It's good to see you admit it so cleanly.”
“If you wish to teach me about this martial world you speak of, I will accept your lessons. But keep this in mind.”
Liu Zhangming said in a calm voice.
“If you ever mock me again for a title containing the word 'Plum Blossom' (梅花), I will not hesitate to cut you down.”
“...I apologize for that.”
Although Cheol Pung-gae kept a stiff expression, he was inwardly impressed.
He wouldn't work with someone unsuitable, not even for Ouyang Jue, whom he considered an ally. He had been prepared to walk away if he had to keep dealing with Liu Zhangming.
But even though he had only been mocking him, Liu Zhangming had understood his meaning.
That wasn't something a martial artist could easily do.
Even scholars who had studied for over a decade were often swept away by their emotions; how much more so for a martial artist?
In that respect, Cheol Pung-gae saw a glimmer of hope in Liu Zhangming.
*At least he wasn't some stubborn old master, rigid to the core.*
Of course, he still needed to be beaten until he bled.
Having been trained by Cheon-wa-gae, Cheol Pung-gae didn't expect for a moment that he would lose to Liu Zhangming.
Thinking the situation was settling down, Ouyang Jue spoke up.
“Now, let's talk as we go.”
“Go where?”
To Liu Zhangming’s question, Ouyang Jue answered without a second thought.
“To Henan, where Mount Song is!”
*Clip-clop, clip-clop.*
As they rode, Ouyang Jue decided on their plan.
Cheol Pung-gae would join them later and provide reliable information, while he and Liu Zhangming would disguise themselves as merchants from the Golden Ring Merchant Guild.
To that end, Ouyang Jue visited Jang Il-guk to resolve any potential problems.
“Didn't you say last time, Captain Jang, that you would help me once with anything I needed?”
“I did.”
“I have some very urgent business and need to ride to Henan... Please help me bypass any trivial inspections.”
At those words, Jang Il-guk was tempted to shake his head.
But was he not a member of the renowned Jang Clan, the martial family of Chang'an!
A man's word is worth a thousand pieces of gold, and he certainly couldn't refuse a request from the famous Plum Blossom Divine Dragon of the martial world.
“Please make sure nothing happens where you get caught riding.”
“Of course.”
Ouyang Jue muttered the lie nonchalantly.
With the identity of the Golden Ring Merchant Guild to back them up, why would they bother avoiding inspections?
In fact, Jang Il-guk's identification would serve as a guarantee to pass through inspections quickly.
Most importantly, he hadn't forgotten the time he had been used as an errand boy.
*I'll use this every time.*
Ouyang Jue left Jang Il-guk in high spirits.
Just as there were things he could now do openly, there were also things he had to suppress.
The Diamond Fist-Seal Armor.
This divine artifact, which not only converted internal energy into fire energy but also frequently emitted fire energy on its own, was a lost item of the Shaolin Temple.
What would the high-ranking monks say if they saw it?
It was as clear as day that they would grit their teeth, foam at the mouth, and persecute him.
But the problem was, hadn't Jin Mu-wol said that one of the Eight Evils was in Shaolin?
If he left the Diamond Fist-Seal Armor behind entirely, it would be difficult to win if he suddenly encountered one of the Eight Evils.
*For now, my only choice is to suppress the fire energy with my Purple Mist True Energy...*
Having solidified his plan, Ouyang Jue, along with Liu Zhangming, arrived in Dengfeng, near Mount Song.
Of course, there was no reason to go in immediately.
They had arrived as quickly as possible, even changing horses at a branch of the Golden Ring Merchant Guild, so he planned to use the time they'd saved to gather information.
While Cheol Pung-gae, as a member of the Beggars' Sect, would dig into Shaolin's external affairs, Ouyang Jue would thoroughly investigate the inside.
To achieve that initial goal, there was only one answer.
“Let's meet again later, Senior Brother.”
“Don't forget to send a carrier pigeon.”
“Yes. Please be careful.”
Ouyang Jue changed into simple clothes and set off for the Shaolin Temple, carrying Severing Manifestation.
* * *
“You said you wish to become a handyman who sweeps the stairs?”
“Yes, Great Monk.”
Great Monk Jeok-won looked troubled at the sight of the young man, who had even shaved his head completely bald.
“All the Shaolin Temple can offer you is temple food and meditation... Will that still be acceptable?”
“Can't you feel my resolve just by looking at my head?”
“Hah, haha...”
Great Monk Jeok-won gave a gentle smile at the young man's passion.
But he couldn't help but have some concerns.
“You didn't need to go so far as to shave your head...”
“...?”
For a moment, the young man's expression seemed to turn pale with shock.
But Great Monk Jeok-won didn't notice and continued speaking.
“If someone mistakes you for a Shaolin martial monk and tries to fight you, do not hesitate to call for me.”
“What do you mean, I didn't need to shave my head? I don't quite understand.”
The great monk silently pointed up the stairs.
There, at least ten others who, like the young man, had volunteered to be handymen and help with the temple's menial chores.
But not a single one of them had a shaved head.
Unless one was a monk, it was unheard of to easily cut even a single strand of hair given by one's parents.
Only Taoists would tie up their hair while remaining in the secular world.
The young man—no, Ouyang Jue's—expression hardened considerably.
*This is insane...!*
This wasn't why I shaved my head!
It turned out to be something that could have been resolved easily without going this far.
As Ouyang Jue let out a hollow laugh, Great Monk Jeok-won mistook it for one of joy.
*To think there was a young man who wished to devote himself to Buddhism this much!*
Great Monk Jeok-won's lips parted slightly.
“Would you be interested in learning the teachings of Buddha from me for a few days?”
“I apologize, but I don't have a home nearby...”
“I will arrange a place for you to stay.”
Ouyang Jue answered that without a moment's hesitation.
“Thank you, Great Monk!”
The speed of walking versus riding a horse was about two to three times different.
Given the distance, it was a difference of at least a week to ten days.
During that time, Ouyang Jue had planned to act as a handyman and observe the goings-on.
That alone would provide sufficient information.
But thanks to Great Monk Jeok-won's offer, his original plan had expanded immensely.
And in a good way.
Ouyang Jue smiled not only on the outside but on the inside as well.
*Most of the temple halls in Shaolin are made of wood. There will always be opportunities to overhear things.*
It felt a little unfair, but shaving his head had been worth it.
Walking behind Great Monk Jeok-won, Ouyang Jue inwardly thought of an excuse.
*Should I say my hair got burned off? No, maybe it was due to poison...*
Ouyang Jue's hand unconsciously went to his head.
He had shaved it so diligently with Severing Manifestation that not even a single stray hair remained.
“...Damn it.”
“Is something the matter?”
“Ah, it's nothing.”
Ouyang Jue's lips jutted out in a pout.
A few days later.
After finishing his daily chores, Ouyang Jue carefully took out an inkstone and brush and began to write down what had happened.
The size of what a carrier pigeon could hold was limited, so it was wise to write as concisely as possible.
In that regard, the current atmosphere in Shaolin could be easily summarized.
A mess.
It wasn't a difficult character, so even if the ink smudged, it would be easy to understand.
Above all, that word perfectly described the current situation in Shaolin.
*They were interpreting the teachings of the Diamond Sutra, which ultimately converge into one, in different ways, causing sects to split and smaller factions to scatter across Mount Song...*
If it were for selfish greed, he could at least understand.
The same went for a lust for power.
After all, the authority held by the abbot of the Shaolin Temple, known as the pillar of the martial world, was immense.
But they were fighting over something strange.
That's why he could only call it a mess.
Ouyang Jue clicked his tongue and sighed.
*For one of the Eight Evils to be involved, the core of the conflict seems too moderate.*
A demonic being that had lived for hundreds of years was finally free to act; how could it not behave aggressively?
Just look at the Black Dragon—he was a calamity that destroyed everything in his path.
It was certainly a prejudice to assume the other Eight Evils would be the same, but they were all demonic beings, weren't they?
Ouyang Jue couldn't quite understand it.
On the other hand, it was also reassuring.
*Maybe this really will end as just a friendly sparring match.*
Just as Ouyang Jue was entertaining the complacent thought that the things he worried about might not happen and everything would end peacefully…
...Vrooom.
The Diamond Fist-Seal Armor, which he had been suppressing with his Purple Mist True Energy, suddenly trembled on its own.
This pointed to only one thing.
Demonic arts!
In the Shaolin Temple, the very origin of demon-subduing power, a trace of demonic arts was being detected.
And it was close to his lodgings, inside the Shaolin Temple!
Ouyang Jue's complacent expression hardened.