Off To Shaolin (4)
All the executives of Sorimsa had gathered.
“Is it truly Hangma Chiljeol?”
The question came from Grandmaster Jingak, leader of the 108 Arhats.
Mukhu repeated exactly what he had reported to Jinheo earlier.
“Yes! Without a doubt.”
They had already heard the news, but hearing it confirmed firsthand made the reality of it all hit home vividly.
Lost martial arts from the past.
Techniques they had thought gone forever had resurfaced.
“Amitabha.”
Jingak chanted to calm his mind.
“Amitabha.”
Mugakju Mukhu followed suit.
“Amitabha.”
Zhangjingakju Jinso joined in.
“Amitabha.”
The Four Great Vajras chimed in unison.
The Precepts Institute head.
The Treasury Pavilion head.
The ten renowned figures gathered here all recited the chant together.
A stunned silence fell over the room at the sheer suddenness of it all.
Abbot Jinheo finally spoke.
“Have you traced the origin?”
Mukhu replied, “They said they couldn’t reveal it. That’s the black market’s rule. But even they don’t know the exact source.”
“Hah! Unknown origins... Well, fine. The source isn’t what matters now. What matters is that Sorimsa martial arts have entered the murim world.”
Hangma Chiljeol.
In the past, Sorimsa had techniques known as the Sorimsa Shipjeol—martial arts not included among the famed 72 Arts.
Abbreviated as the Ten Absolutes.
Their power was said to rival the top techniques among the 72 Arts.
When the Demonic Cult invaded, countless Sorimsa warrior monks perished, and many techniques were lost in the process.
Most had been restored, but some vanished without a trace.
The Ten Absolutes were among them.
Unlike other arts, the Ten Absolutes had been passed down solely through single-lineage transmission.
With the previous Absolute masters and their heirs all dead, only the first-generation disciples knew of them anymore.
Even their very existence had faded into obscurity, but once, the Ten Absolutes had stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the 108 Arhats and Four Great Vajras as a group of warrior monks.
And now, one of those techniques—Hangma Chiljeol—had reappeared.
Jinheo continued softly, “We must bring it back into Sorimsa’s fold, no matter what.”
It was regrettable that only one of the ten had surfaced, but...
One of the Absolutes must have left behind a hidden testament, anticipating that the Namgung Clan might plunder our arts. They stashed it away in a secret place known only to themselves. Someone found it and sold it on the black market.
That was the only explanation for now.
Jinheo pondered where it might be.
If the one who first found Hangma Chiljeol had hidden it to practice in secret, or sold it somewhere other than the black market, it would never return to Sorimsa.
And this revelation brought one undeniable fact to light.
The other Ten Absolutes might still be slumbering somewhere!
If they could revive even the Ten Absolutes alone...
They could restore Sorimsa to its former glory.
“Jinso! How much money can Sorimsa currently mobilize?”
Treasury Pavilion head Jinso answered, “It would take some time for an exact figure, but we have about 300,000 nyang of silver ready to use right now.”
Jinheo immediately turned to Mukhu.
“How much did the black market ask?!”
“50,000 nyang of silver.”
It was pricier than expected.
But for a Ten Absolutes technique, it was a steal.
Jinheo let out a sigh of relief.
“Phew... Thank goodness. It hasn’t been sold yet, has it?”
“Probably not. They tipped me off in advance, so it seems they want it back in Sorimsa’s hands too. No, they definitely do.”
If Hangma Chiljeol flooded into the murim, a storm of blood would follow.
The quiet murim would erupt in chaos for a time, and this incident could ignite an uncontrollable blaze across the peaceful Central Plains.
The black market that first sourced it would be reduced to ashes.
They wouldn’t want that either.
“Treasury Pavilion head, prepare 50,000—no, generously 100,000 nyang of silver. And to guard against any mishaps, the Four Great Vajras will assist Mugakju Mukhu in retrieving Hangma Chiljeol back to Sorimsa immediately.”
Mobilizing even the Four Great Vajras—a somewhat excessive measure.
That was how vital Jinheo deemed this matter.
At his stern command, everyone chanted in unison and bowed their heads.
Watching them, Jinheo murmured softly, “The heavens are aiding Sorimsa. This is heavenly fortune.”
* * *
Inn.
Namgung Je-cheon and Mujikja returned from their outing.
I immediately asked the two, who had been waiting anxiously, “Did it go well?”
“Of course! Who do you think I am?!”
Mujikja and I fired back in unison.
“Scammer?”
“Lunatic?”
Mujikja, who had blabbered nonstop at the Haomen earlier, shot Namgung Je-cheon a glare.
“Ah, damn! For real! You keep doing this?”
“Just kidding, kidding. So, what happened?”
Namgung Je-cheon grinned.
“Sorimsa is probably in an uproar right now.”
“Nice.”
That was when Ilseon Dosa entered.
I asked him right away, “Any movement from Sorimsa?”
“The Four Great Vajras have descended the mountain.”
“Ho! That’s the surest proof of how excited Sorimsa is. So, Je-cheon, how much did we get?”
Namgung Je-cheon pulled two bills from his bosom.
10,000-nyang silver notes.
“Heh heh heh.”
I snatched them with a weird chuckle.
Namgung Je-cheon shook his head as he continued his report from earlier.
“We handled it through the Haomen on the black market. We had to pay them a fee, but as you said, Youngest Young Master, the book itself went for 50,000 nyang of silver. The black market took 20,000, we took 20,000, and the remaining 10,000 went to the Haomen. That’s the deal.”
“Ooh, my babies! Big bro won’t badmouth you guys again. Yeah, yeah, rest easy in big bro’s pocket now.”
“Uh... Youngest Young Master, are you okay? You seem...”
“Huh? What? Did good?”
Namgung Daeso summed up the entire report in four words.
Namgung Je-cheon shook his head again and replied, “Yes.”
Ihyang had warned me, but seeing it in person... this was bad. Real bad.
Je-cheon, listen up. Our Young Master is cute, handsome, smart—perfect in every way. Except one thing! He’s a bit off. We should’ve raised him better when he was little, but we were too poor. It’s part of his charm, though...
They said he goes nuts for money...
“Alright! Heads up! Strike while the iron’s hot!”
The three of them scowled at Namgung Daeso.
Only he needed to snap out of it.
Anyway, Namgung Daeso returned to his sharp self.
The other three straightened up too.
The real game started now.
“Gotta return all my babies quick.”
No.
This guy’s done for.
His eyes are gone.
Hm! A vulnerable Youngest Young Master has its own charm...
As they each thought different things, Namgung Je-cheon continued.
“Don’t worry. It’s all gone according to plan.”
* * *
The Four Great Vajras and Mukhu arrived at the black market.
What awaited them was...
“Huh?”
“Eh?”
“W-what’s going on here?”
Hangma Chiljeol.
And beside it, another manual: Daeryeok Samjeol.
One of the Four Great Vajras spoke up.
“This is a Ten Absolutes technique too, isn’t it?”
“Mukhu, what’s the meaning of this?”
“I-I wonder. It was definitely just one book...”
Mukhu asked the black market merchant.
“Why’d it suddenly become two? You showed me just one!”
The merchant replied as instructed by the earlier visitor.
“Someone suddenly brought another one. Naturally, we prioritized Sorimsa at the top of the buyer list.”
“Ah, got it. Wait a moment, please.”
“Of course. Take your time.”
Mukhu and the Four Great Vajras scanned the area thoroughly before retreating to a distant corner.
They didn’t stop there—they erected an inner energy barrier to prevent any sound from leaking out.
“What do we do?”
Mukhu asked the Four Great Vajras.
The abbot sending them along with Mukhu was tantamount to granting them authority to handle any emergencies on the spot.
Here, their decision was Jinheo’s decision.
They each chimed in.
“We buy it.”
Obviously.
“That’s unmistakably Sorimsa’s.”
No brainer.
“We can’t let it go to anyone else.”
It had always belonged to Sorimsa.
“The abbot wisely gave us 100,000 nyang. If it’s short, we’ll borrow more! Go squeeze the lay disciples nearby right now!”
“Uh... that phrasing...”
“Oops! Got too excited. Go fetch some funds. Borrow in the abbot’s name. Hurry!”
Selling it off like that...
The decision was made.
Buy both books.
Mukhu and the Four Great Vajras were rushing back to Sorimsa at full lightness skill speed.
But they looked like they were heading to war.
Mukhu in the center, the Four Great Vajras guarding east, west, south, and north.
They vigilantly scanned their surroundings as they sped toward Song Mountain.
At Sorimsa, Jinheo and the first-generation disciples waited impatiently.
There—five figures approaching at high speed.
“They’re here!”
Soon, they came fully into view.
Mukhu and the Four Great Vajras.
This was Sorimsa territory.
The Four Great Vajras, who had been on high alert, relaxed and cleared the path ahead.
Tatat.
Mukhu quickened his steps even more.
Arriving before Jinheo and the first-generation disciples, Mukhu drew out what he had carefully tucked in his bosom.
Jinheo’s eyes widened.
The first-generation disciples beside him did the same.
“Two books?”
One was the expected Hangma Chiljeol.
The other was completely unforeseen.
Daeryeok Samjeol.
Another of the Sorimsa Ten Absolutes!
“What happened?!”
Jinheo asked in shock, and Mukhu calmly explained the black market events.
“I see. Truly heavenly fortune. The heavens are finally aiding our Sorimsa!”
That was when Mugakju Mukjin—who Jinheo had sent out impatiently to check on them—came rushing back.
“Urgent news!”
Somehow similar unfolding.
“We already know. No need to report. See? Right here in my hands!”
Jinheo held up the two books.
But Mukjin, as if blind to them, blurted out, “The remaining eight Sorimsa Ten Absolutes techniques have all been discovered in various places at once!”
* * *
Inn.
Namgung Je-cheon grinned.
“What now?”
Kikikikikiki.
I glared at Ilseon Dosa and Mujikja while watching him.
Our crazy boy had gone a bit off, but he was a good kid!
How many headbutts had he taken on the way here? The poor guy had changed.
What do we do! He’s talking to himself and laughing alone!
That’s why I said stop headbutting with Daegalbak!
Ugh... Sorry.
When we get back to the clan, take him to Singui right away. I didn’t think it’d get this bad...
Sigh...
“Kraaah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah!”
Now he was fully gone.
At that moment.
But didn’t you hit the Young Master too?
Hey! Don’t drag me into this! I hit the forehead, not the back of the head.
Isn’t that worse...?
You hit him the hardest of us all...
“This is the Namgung Je-cheon-style Heavenly Net Barrage! Kraaah hah hah hah!!!”
Tsk.
Tsk.
Tsk.