Chapter 299
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 299
Chapter Title: Amitabha...
The majestic and noble golden light of the Vajra Tathagata Buddha-Light Great Divine Palm scattered everywhere.
It was a movement and technique identical to it, without the slightest difference.
But the energy was different.
A pitch-black darkness that was vulgar, sinister, gloomy, despairing, and utterly negative.
It poured down toward Ha Mu-baek.
It was an attack that even Ha Mu-baek could not dare underestimate.
He could sense the immense power contained in the palm strike hurtling toward him.
The sword aura gathered on Ha Mu-baek's blade shifted to pure white.
Against energy that had reached the extreme of negativity, one had to counter with its natural opposite.
Ha Mu-baek's sword aura, scattering pristine white light.
Its trajectory followed the path of the Infinite Freedom Eight Severing Sword Sea.
This stance: Single Cut.
Like slicing through the sunset.
The intent was to sever Hyeon Hwang's energy in a single stroke.
The gloomy, sticky, sludge-like energy that clung like a swamp sought to envelop Ha Mu-baek's entire body.
But Ha Mu-baek's sword, laden with tremendous force, aimed to cleave through Hyeon Hwang in one go.
The mighty can sever the soft.
It wasn't soft at all—rather, an unpleasantly sticky, cloying, insidious energy.
But it didn't matter.
The sheer power of Single Cut could cleave it.
Sching!
A sharp, chilling sound of slicing rang out.
The energy of the Vajra Tathagata Buddha-Light Great Divine Palm was being rent asunder.
Watching this, Hyeon Gwang trembled from head to toe in utter shock.
Hyeon Hwang.
Once from seeing that rotten bastard of a junior brother casually unleash the Vajra Tathagata Buddha-Light Great Divine Palm.
Twice from Ha Mu-baek wielding his sword undaunted by that energy.
And three times from the sword force of Ha Mu-baek now slicing through the energy of the Great Divine Palm.
He could scarcely believe this was unfolding before his eyes—was it truly real?
How could this be possible?
Moreover, though the nature of the energy differed, the sheer power seemed a notch above Hyeon Hwang's Divine Palm.
'Without the sealing talisman, could I even suppress that guy?'
Such a thought suddenly crossed his mind.
He had come to the Repentance Cave out of confidence in his own superior strength.
He had been startled by Hyeon Hwang's tremendous growth, yet still believed himself stronger.
That was why he had released him.
But seeing him now...
An ominous chill crept over his entire body.
Had he perhaps unleashed a calamity from the Repentance Cave that even he could not handle?
"You wretch!!!"
At Ha Mu-baek's swordsmanship slicing through his energy like cutting tofu, Hyeon Hwang erupted with even more explosive power.
However.
In the end.
Single Cut severed all of the Divine Palm's energy.
Clang!
It delivered a heavy impact to Hyeon Hwang's palm.
Hyeon Hwang leaped back.
This clash clearly left Hyeon Hwang at a disadvantage.
The energy Ha Mu-baek had sliced away from the Divine Palm shot out in all directions.
Some of it flew toward the Shaolin monks.
"Urk."
"What is this."
The Shaolin monks dodged or deflected the energy hurtling toward them.
Their faces showed not just shock, but outright astonishment.
The tremendous recoil pounding through their bodies.
If mere fragments were like this...
How devastating had the full force been?
And what realm had this man reached, who cleaved it like slicing tofu?
Ha Mu-baek spun his right wrist gripping the sword and glared at Hyeon Hwang.
'He's definitely gotten stronger.'
The recoil felt different from their battle just days ago.
"What trick did you pull?"
Ha Mu-baek demanded of Hyeon Hwang.
Hyeon Hwang smirked sourly.
"Who do you mean? Me? Or that bitch?"
"Both."
A curt reply.
Hyeon Hwang flashed a sly grin.
"Who knows? Heh heh heh."
"You demonic bastard."
Ha Mu-baek's killing intent flowed toward that laugh.
Hyeon Hwang scowled.
"That assessment stings a bit. Demonic? Does my martial art look like some cheap demonic art to you?"
His voice carried genuine disappointment.
Disappointment in Ha Mu-baek's discernment.
"As expected of someone who hasn't encountered the Abyss. To compare this body's great power to the likes of Demonic Cult scum. Tsk tsk."
He even clicked his tongue.
Naturally, Ha Mu-baek's face darkened.
To be looked down upon by such an immature demonic wretch.
"I don't know how great this 'Abyss' of yours is. But how long can you keep flapping that arrogant mouth?"
"Tsk. Immature brat."
More disdain hurled at Ha Mu-baek.
The white glow on Ha Mu-baek's sword intensified.
The energy condensed and compressed until the sword aura was nearly translucent.
Ha Mu-baek's sword moved.
Three Severings: Thunderbolt.
The very same technique that had scorched and roasted Hyeon Hwang just days before.
Lightning bolts from all directions surrounded and struck at Hyeon Hwang.
Hyeon Hwang frantically moved both arms.
Every motion contained profound and mysterious principles.
Hyeon Gwang watching this was stunned, as were all the monks of Hyeonja Hall; their eyes widened in shock.
Diamond Immovable Divine Fist.
A fist art that had reached the pinnacle of stillness amid motion—one of the Shaolin's seventy-two supreme skills, boasting the greatest might.
The supreme fist of Shaolin.
Moreover.
It was the signature ultimate technique of Guang Hae, the previous abbot and Shaolin's greatest warrior.
And now.
It was unfolding from Hyeon Hwang's hands.
Though the fist that should brim with radiant purity was now dim and filled with impure energy, it was different.
Even so.
It was the Diamond Immovable Divine Fist of a power unseen since Venerable Guang Hae.
A might worthy of being called the current supreme force of Shaolin.
Lightning raged from all sides, yet Hyeon Hwang stood unmoved in place.
Only his fists, cloaked in pitch-black aura, moved.
Yet not a single bolt touched his body.
The Thunderbolt's lightning.
He had blocked it all.
In this clash, Hyeon Hwang held the advantage.
A triumphant smile curled at his lips.
"As expected of an immature brat. Heh heh heh. Can't even pierce this much. This is the greatness of the Abyss."
Ha Mu-baek furrowed his brow.
It was the first time.
Since venturing into the world.
The first time the Infinite Freedom Eight Severing Sword Sea had been so perfectly blocked.
Even now, when Ha Mu-baek had reached his highest realm and strongest state.
For his Three Severings: Thunderbolt to be utterly repelled.
It was absurd.
But the emotion that welled up even stronger was...
"This is fun."
He grinned.
Sincerely.
Even Blood Cult Leader Gae Hong-cheon.
Even Demonic Cult Leader Seok Won-cho.
Opponents with whom Ha Mu-baek had staked his life in all-out battles, yet they had never brought this thrill.
They had merely been desperate.
Or perhaps...
Was it because Ha Mu-baek had ascended to such heights that he could find amusement in this situation?
He couldn't tell.
But the fact that Three Severings: Thunderbolt had been perfectly blocked ignited a fierce fighting spirit in Ha Mu-baek's chest.
Hyeon Gil ran with all his might.
His destination was not the Shaolin temple grounds, but the Repentance Cave.
He had to check there.
He leaped up the sheer cliffs of bizarre rocks and arrived at the entrance of the Repentance Cave.
Hyeon Gil's expression hardened.
It was far too pristine.
If Hyeon Hwang had escaped, would this place be so intact?
Of course, if he had bolted out in a rush, there might not be much damage.
But that door should have been shattered.
He couldn't have opened it neatly and left.
Hyeon Gil pushed open the door and entered.
The deepest chamber.
Where Hyeon Hwang had been confined.
Arriving there, Hyeon Gil closed his eyes.
"Amitabha..."
A Buddhist invocation escaped his lips.
"Abbot senior brother. Why on earth did you commit such a deed?"
He recalled the words Venerable Guang Hae had secretly imparted to him.
"Hyeon Hwang's power is no ordinary force. With the Buddha Ancestor's sealing talisman, we can merely seal it—we cannot eradicate the energy..."
"In his current state, that fellow will only grow stronger. We can seal him with the talisman, but should someone with ill intent release him... a calamity may befall the world."
'Ah, master uncle. Your foresight was truly...'
Hyeon Gil squeezed his eyes shut.
"A power to serve the world, beyond common sense. I diligently sought and pondered such forces. And I found it. It exists everywhere in the world, yet hidden from sight."
"What is it?"
"The power from the world's beginning. Primordial force."
"Primordial, you say? How could such a..."
"I barely uncovered it from the scriptures of Tianzhu."
He recalled seeing the walls of the abbot's chamber filled with densely packed sutras, all in Sanskrit.
"The Buddha Ancestor said: At the primordial dawn, the world opened, myriad things were born, and the remaining primordial force shattered into six fragments, scattering and hiding throughout the world."
"What kind of power?"
"I do not know. Only that one fragment became the origin of the Demonic Cult."
"Then Hyeon Hwang senior brother's power..."
"Likely one of those fragments, or part thereof."
"How could that be..."
"Even Shaolin's power harbors a trace of that fragment."
"Ah..."
"The Muscle-Tendon Transformation and Marrow-Cleansing Scripture contains it. I infused that power into the golden shackles binding Hyeon Hwang. Should he break those shackles, it proves how dangerous he has become. Before then, you must perfect the shackles' seal and guide him to nirvana."
"Yes?!!"
"Master the Muscle-Tendon Transformation and Marrow-Cleansing Scripture. My remaining time is insufficient."
"H-how... how could I? There's Hyeon Gwang senior brother."
"Hyeon Gwang is exceptional, yes. But he cannot learn the Muscle-Tendon Transformation and Marrow-Cleansing Scripture."
"No way. He's hailed as Shaolin's greatest talent..."
"He has not severed worldly ties. He acts as if he has, but deep in his heart, those ties linger as inner demons. He cannot master it. Those demons might even drive him to forbidden acts."
"What do you mean..."
"Hyeon Gwang might use the Emerald Jade Buddha Palm to unleash calamity upon the world."
"That's absurd. Hyeon Gwang senior brother would never..."
"Precisely why it cannot be Hyeon Gwang. He harbors such profound inner demons."
"Master uncle, even so, how could it be a dull disciple like me?"
"It must be you. The Muscle-Tendon Transformation and Marrow-Cleansing Scripture is a scripture that is not mere martial art. Only one with the purest heart can reach its end. To draw forth the primordial fragment hidden within, you are the most suitable."
Thus, Hyeon Gil had secretly received the Muscle-Tendon Transformation and Marrow-Cleansing Scripture from Venerable Guang Hae.
The Three Great Divine Skills of Shaolin.
One was a palm technique, another a fist art.
The Vajra Tathagata Buddha-Light Great Divine Palm and the Diamond Immovable Divine Fist.
And the final one.
It was one, yet also two.
The two scriptures said to have been brought from Tianzhu by Bodhidharma and transmitted to the Central Plains.
The Muscle-Tendon Transformation Scripture and the Marrow-Cleansing Scripture.
Together, they were called...
The Muscle-Tendon Transformation and Marrow-Cleansing Scripture.
This was the final of Shaolin's Three Great Divine Skills.
The beginning and end of Shaolin.
All of Shaolin, Shaolin itself.
"If you draw forth the trace of primordial power from the Muscle-Tendon Transformation and Marrow-Cleansing Scripture, infuse it into the golden shackles. Then guide Hyeon Hwang to nirvana. You can do it. You must, before he breaks the shackles' seal."
Venerable Guang Hae's final bequest, whispered directly into Hyeon Gil's ear.
That was it.
"Abbot senior brother. Why did you commit such a grievous act? How could you shatter the late master's bequest with the Emerald Jade Buddha Palm?"
Hyeon Gil murmured in the deepest, empty cavern of the Repentance Cave.
Tears streamed from his eyes.
The cavern was impeccably clean.
This could not be the aftermath of an escape.
Moreover, if there had been an escape, one thing should surely remain.
The golden shackles.
That had bound Hyeon Hwang.
Not even shattered fragments or traces remained.
Hyeon Gwang must have taken them.
"Amitabha. Amitabha. Venerable Guang Hae, master uncle... what am I to do..."
He was mired in anguish.
This could become an inner demon.
Yet a bright, pure energy stirred in Hyeon Gil's dantian, washing away the turmoil.
His mind cleared sharply.
"Ha. The Abyss. The Abyss..."
Just two months prior.
Hyeon Gil, who had finally encountered the primordial trace within the Muscle-Tendon Transformation and Marrow-Cleansing Scripture, murmured lowly.