Chapter 389 – Storms Come Without Warning (2)

Master Hyeon-so wore a sorrowful expression.

Unlike Woon Kyung, he recognized Jin Gung-ja at first glance. Though decades had passed, Jin Gung-ja maintained exactly the same appearance as in his childhood memories.

Jin Gung-ja was someone who, along with his master Cheon Gung-ja, had particularly cherished and cared for him. When he would become dispirited after being scolded by Cheon Gung-ja, it was Jin Gung-ja who would comfort him and tell him to cheer up.

All memories of Jin Gung-ja remained as good recollections in Master Hyeon-so's heart. That's why it was even more sorrowful. The fact that he had to face him as an enemy.

Though Woon Kyung hadn't recognized him yet, Master Hyeon-so could see the evil energy subtly flowing through Jin Gung-ja's body.

He had suddenly broken his seclusion precisely because of the evil energy emanating from Jin Gung-ja. For those like Master Hyeon-so who were full of righteous energy, even a small amount of evil energy would be greatly felt.

Jin Gung-ja's eyes trembled.

"You are… Hyeon-so."

"That's right. I am the Hyeon-so that Master Uncle cherished and adored so much."

"Ha! Time is truly ruthless. To think that young child has aged this much."

"Uncle!"

"If Senior Brother were alive, he would have been so pleased."

At Jin Gung-ja's voice mentioning his master Cheon Gung-ja, Master Hyeon-so's pupils greatly wavered. But he soon regained his composure.

"What happened? Master Uncle. If you were alive, why didn't you contact us even once?"

"There were circumstances that warranted it."

"Are those circumstances joining the Heavenly Evil Cult?"

"……"

"I suppose that's correct. If Master were alive, he would surely have been greatly dismayed. To think an elder of Mount Hua Sect, which claims to be an orthodox famous sect, would join the Heavenly Evil Cult, which is nothing but a heretical cult."

"What is the martial world? Do the rivers flowing in the martial world flow in only one direction? Is there only one lake to contain the rivers? Countless rivers flow, and lakes whose size cannot be measured are as numerous as grains of sand. That is the martial world."

"Sophistry."

"Those living in the martial world are the same. Thoughts and ideologies can change according to circumstances. The previous me was nothing but a small fish living in the lake called Mount Hua. But after experiencing a larger lake and flowing along rivers, my perspective on the world changed. The previous me and the current me are not different at all. The only difference is that my perspective on the world has broadened a little. I am no longer bound by the shackles of being a Mount Hua Sect elder. I have simply cast off everything that bound me for a greater ideal."

"Then why didn't you come as a martial artist of the Heavenly Evil Cult, but instead came forward claiming the status of a Mount Hua Sect elder?"

"……"

Suddenly Jin Gung-ja's mouth, which had been speaking at length, shut tight. He looked at Master Hyeon-so silently for a moment.

Eyes were not just windows that revealed the heart. One's learning and life experiences were also revealed through the eyes.

At this moment, Jin Gung-ja's eyes were shining very mysteriously. Enough to bewitch an ordinary person just by looking.

Jin Gung-ja's cultivation was deep enough to briefly bewilder Woon Kyung. But looking at such Jin Gung-ja's gaze, Master Hyeon-so's eyes were filled only with pity.

He couldn't believe that the person he had liked and respected most after his master Cheon Gung-ja had fallen like this. That's why it was more pitiful, and the fact that they had to face each other this way was sorrowful.

"Master Uncle! What on earth happened? Why have you, who were more righteous than anyone, taken the Heavenly Evil Cult's side?"

"Truth is like two sides of a coin, so you blame me indiscriminately now, but someday you too will learn. Our great cause…"

"Master Uncle!"

"Rather than that, give me the Plum Blossom Divine Pill."

Jin Gung-ja extended his only remaining hand toward Master Hyeon-so.

"Why do you want the Plum Blossom Divine Pill?"

"There's a place where it's needed."

"Where is it needed?"

"It's needed to raise my disciples."

"Disciples?"

"I had children I was originally raising. But they were all killed by your disciple. Children I raised for decades. They were my hope and dream. Since all those children died, shouldn't I receive compensation?"

"What?"

"Give me the Plum Blossom Divine Pill. I'll use it to raise new disciples."

"Do you think that makes sense?"

"Why doesn't it make sense?"

Demonic fire blazed in Jin Gung-ja's eyes. His appearance was so frightening that he could no longer be seen as a Taoist of Mount Hua Sect.

"Give me the Plum Blossom Divine Pill. If not that, then hand over the physician who created the Plum Blossom Divine Pill. Then I'll withdraw quietly."

Jin Gung-ja no longer hid his true intentions. Having come this far anyway, he decided to proceed more shamelessly.

Master Hyeon-so closed his eyes tightly.

A demon had taken residence in Jin Gung-ja's heart. It was called a heart demon.

Heart demons manifest in various forms, but often the person himself is completely unaware of such facts. Just like Jin Gung-ja now.

After having his arm severed by Dam Ho, Jin Gung-ja had lost his original coolness. After losing his right arm, which was like life itself to a swordsman, he couldn't make calm judgments.

Of course, as a master who had reached the absolute realm, he could freely use swordsmanship with his left arm too, but it couldn't compare to his right arm. Moreover, having lost all his disciples who were like his limbs, anger had risen to the top of his head.

The rage filling his head made it impossible for him to think properly.

"Mount Hua Sect and you must compensate for all of that. You owe me a debt."

"How have you become so broken? Master Uncle."

"Shut up!"

CRACK!

Suddenly Jin Gung-ja couldn't contain his anger and let out a roar. At his lion's roar, the windows of the upper palace burst out.

"Sect Leader!"

"Are you alright?"

The disciples who had been standing guard at the upper palace rushed in in surprise. What they saw upon entering was Jin Gung-ja's figure wrapped in dark energy currents.

"Infinite Buddha! You've been completely consumed by the heart demon."

Master Hyeon-so let out a sigh.

The demon dwelling in his heart had already consumed Jin Gung-ja.

It was a form of what is commonly called qi deviation. Most people who suffer qi deviation have their entire body's energy and blood twisted and ruined, but extremely rarely, some would instead go berserk. Jin Gung-ja was such a case.

"Give me… the Plum Blossom Divine Pill."

Jin Gung-ja walked toward Master Hyeon-so while emanating demonic fire.

"Infinite Buddha! Please stop."

Woon Kyung and the disciples blocked Jin Gung-ja's path.

"Get out of the way!"

WHOOSH!

Jin Gung-ja swung his empty sleeve. Then the empty sleeve stretched like a whip and struck the disciples' chests.

"Ugh!"

"Gah!"

The disciples fell backward with screams. Seeing this, Woon Kyung angrily swung his sword.

"Hyaat!"

Wave-like sword energy flew toward Jin Gung-ja.

Jin Gung-ja was no longer an elder of Mount Hua Sect. He was merely a monster who had sold his soul to the heretical cult called Heavenly Evil Cult. Accepting and acknowledging this made his heart feel at ease.

Woon Kyung swung his sword with all his might.

CLANG!

But his sword was blocked by Jin Gung-ja's sleeve.

"How dare you swing a sword at a sect elder? Mount Hua Sect's laws have crumbled. I will rebuild the crumbled laws today."

Jin Gung-ja extended his left arm. Then a Mount Hua Sect disciple's sword that had been lying on the floor flew to his hand.

As soon as he held the sword in his hand, his aura became even more ferocious.

"KYAAAA!"

With a great roar, sword force formed on his blade. The sword force flew toward Woon Kyung at lightning speed.

"Woon Kyung!"

Master Hyeon-so's voice echoed through the great hall.

It was a sword strike that Woon Kyung's current level absolutely could not block. Master Hyeon-so seemed to see Woon Kyung falling while spurting blood.

That's when it happened. Suddenly a sword flew through the window. The sword deflected Jin Gung-ja's sword force right in front of Woon Kyung's nose.

CRACK!

Shockwaves spread in all directions, causing Woon Kyung and Master Hyeon-so's bodies to stagger. But they felt no further shock or pain. Because of a man who had blocked their front.

"Is everyone alright?"

It was Myeong-gyeong.

"Myeong-gyeong!"

Woon Kyung was delighted.

Myeong-gyeong's appearance, standing calmly with his hands behind his back, was different from before.

An appearance of having made progress at a critical moment. The aura of a grandmaster could be glimpsed from him.

Myeong-gyeong extended his hand. Then the sword that had blocked Jin Gung-ja's sword force was retrieved.

"Infinite Buddha!"

Master Hyeon-so closed his eyes tightly.

Just as he had gained enlightenment through secluded cultivation, Myeong-gyeong had certainly also gained enlightenment. And his enlightenment was certainly very sharp and keen.

"You!"

The enraged Jin Gung-ja created sword force again and charged. Myeong-gyeong also didn't retreat and ran to meet him.

CLANG CLANG CLANG!

Sword clashed against sword.

Sword force collided with sword force, scattering fragments of light in all directions.

"You must go outside."

Woon Kyung pulled Master Hyeon-so's hand and hurriedly went outside.

CRASH CRASH BOOM!

The upper palace with hundreds of years of history collapsed from their clash. Seeing this, Woon Kyung shut his eyes tight.

"Ah! Mount Hua Sect…"

Woon Kyung's pupils shook.

The upper palace was Mount Hua Sect's history and symbol. It was one of the few buildings that had maintained its original form without collapsing even during the Demon Cult's invasion.

Everything the ancestors had protected with blood and sweat was crumbling before his eyes. His heart was also about to crumble.

That's when it happened.

"Woon Kyung!"

Along with a gentle voice, he felt a warm touch on his shoulder. It was Master Hyeon-so.

"Mount Hua Sect's history and banner are not in such buildings. People… you are Mount Hua Sect's history and reason for existence. Never waver."

His voice swept away the darkness that had settled in Woon Kyung's heart.

Now Woon Kyung's pupils no longer wavered. Seeing this, Master Hyeon-so smiled gently.

CLANG CLANG CLANG!

Inside the collapsing upper palace, Jin Gung-ja and Myeong-gyeong were fighting.

One was a former master of Mount Hua Sect, and the other was a young master who would lead the current era.

Their swords were surprisingly similar. Like fighting while looking in a mirror.

Finally the dust cleared and the two figures were revealed.

Jin Gung-ja was ferocious, and Myeong-gyeong was peaceful. That didn't mean Myeong-gyeong had completely gained the upper hand.

The two's skills were evenly matched. Only Myeong-gyeong had gained an unshakeable immovable mind through secluded cultivation.

Myeong-gyeong suddenly looked at Woon Kyung.

He didn't know Jin Gung-ja's identity. He had simply rushed over upon feeling the tremendous energy waves from the upper palace.

Myeong-gyeong's eyes were demanding an explanation from Woon Kyung.

Woon Kyung opened his mouth.

"Subdue him. I'll explain afterward."

"Understood."

Myeong-gyeong nodded and charged toward Jin Gung-ja again. His sword bloomed countless plum blossoms in the void.

Suddenly two heterogeneous energies rose from Jin Gung-ja's entire body. It was the Immortal Sword Blood Spirit Technique, combining divine immortal energy and explosive evil energy.

Mount Hua Sect's sword techniques and evil energy simultaneously attacked Myeong-gyeong.

Blocking Jin Gung-ja's sword wasn't difficult. Most of his sword techniques were ones Myeong-gyeong knew too. But the evil energy was different.

Blocking the mysterious energy that invaded the mind was never easy. Therefore his mind had to be divided.

That's when it happened.

"AAAAAAH!"

Suddenly a clear high note echoed across Lotus Peak's summit.

"Uncle!"

Woon Kyung looked at Master Hyeon-so. Because it was Master Hyeon-so who had let out the high note.

The moment the high note pierced his eardrums, Jin Gung-ja flinched.

Like morning fog evaporating in sunlight, the evil energy clouding his eyes instantly scattered.

Jin Gung-ja flinched for a moment. And Myeong-gyeong didn't miss that gap.

PIERCE!

His sword became rain needles and embedded in Jin Gung-ja's body.

"Gah!"

Jin Gung-ja collapsed while vomiting blood.

In his chest was a hole the size of a child's fist. It was a fatal wound that even a great immortal couldn't heal.

"Whew!"

Myeong-gyeong retrieved his sword and wiped the sweat flowing on his forehead.

Without Master Hyeon-so, it would have been a much longer fight. His cry scattered Jin Gung-ja's evil energy, but gave Myeong-gyeong an inexplicable sense of elation. Thanks to this, he could display martial power exceeding his level of enlightenment.

A cry with the power to destroy evil and reveal righteousness.

"Infinite Buddha! That was truly an immortal's song, celestial sound."

While Woon Kyung was muttering in bewilderment, Master Hyeon-so approached the fallen Jin Gung-ja.

"Master Uncle!"

"Hyeon… so."

Jin Gung-ja looked up at Master Hyeon-so while vomiting blood.

The evil energy that had clouded his eyes had already disappeared and was nowhere to be found. He reached out his hand toward Master Hyeon-so. Master Hyeon-so didn't refuse his hand. He clasped Jin Gung-ja's hand and knelt down.

Jin Gung-ja whispered to such Master Hyeon-so.

"Thank you. The fog in my head… seems to have disappeared."

"Master Uncle!"

"I'm… sorry. I couldn't help it… he deceives everyone…"

Jin Gung-ja's voice continued intermittently, then gradually faded.

Master Hyeon-so closed his eyes.

His heart was filled only with devastation.

Beom-hae continued to command advance.

They even passed several times through places that seemed destroyed as if battles had taken place while walking.

As if they were going around and around in circles.

The Shaolin monks’ expressions hardened. When they realized they had been wandering in the outer courtyard for half a day, they began to feel impatient.

Then one monk, feeling something strange, examined the broken traces. An expression of realization appeared on the monk’s face.

“This… this isn’t a wall we broke. It looks similar but it’s not our temple’s handiwork.”

The Shaolin monks were appalled by the Tang family’s meticulous methods.

In the meantime, they had recreated debris identical to where battles had taken place earlier.

If they had carelessly passed such places several times, they would have been completely lost.

Beom-hae leaped up onto a high wall.

On the surface, all the paths looked perfectly straight. But when actually comparing his current position with the far end ahead, it was greatly curved.

Moreover, the heights of the walls were all different. It meant they weren’t built just to curve left and right, but deliberately built with different heights as well. The thickness of the walls also gradually became thinner or thicker, confusing the eyes.

It was built so that even standing on top of the walls, one couldn’t properly grasp direction.

So precisely that even trained martial artists like Beom-hae would have their senses disrupted.

Furthermore…

The tall halls built at corners and various places couldn’t serve as reference points for direction at all. They weren’t square buildings with straight sides, but were actually irregular shapes with each side built at angles.

Beom-hae squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. Continuing to look at the wall positions and hall shapes was making his eyes feel strange.

Everything appeared to be straight lines but weren’t straight, appeared to be curves but weren’t curves.

Whistle!

Being up on the wall made him an exposed target. Hidden weapons and arrows flew from all directions.

Beom-hae swept away the hidden weapons with his sleeve and jumped down below the wall.

The Shaolin monks waited for Beom-hae’s command.

They were already in a situation where they couldn’t find a way to retreat.

Beom-hae looked at the Shaolin monks and opened his mouth.

“Disciples of Shaolin, listen.”

The Shaolin monks focused on Beom-hae with strength in their eyes.

Beom-hae said.

“From this moment on, destroy everything you see.”

“Yes!”

The Shaolin monks answered and scattered in all directions simultaneously. Spreading out radially with Beom-hae at the center, they charged forward smashing everything that blocked their path.

Whether walls, houses, or halls, they demolished everything indiscriminately.

Bang! Rumble rumble.

Sounds of walls and barriers being smashed could be heard from all directions.

As if they intended to eliminate the entire Tang Family Main House.

The more the Shaolin monks spread out, the wider the radius of the resulting debris became.

The Tang Family Main House buildings were collapsing from the outer courtyard.

* * *

“The fifteenth outer section has collapsed!”

“The thirty-seventh great hall has collapsed!”

Tang Qing listened to the warriors’ reports while drawing the entire Tang Family Main House in his mind.

“The monks finally understand our family’s structure. Since they can’t find the path, they’ve decided to spread out in all directions and smash everything. Those wicked monks.”

Tang Qing continued receiving reports, then at some point raised his eyes.

“Now it’s time to catch the thieves.”

Tang Qing decided to deploy the masters he had prepared. And he personally went out to the outer courtyard as well.

It was the point when twenty percent of the Tang Family Main House’s outer courtyard warriors and thirty percent of structures like halls had been destroyed.

* * *

Stone Vajra Gong-rin.

Among the other monks who had set out together, he was particularly burning with motivation.

Age forty. Until now, he had never taken a single step outside Shaolin Temple. If unlucky, that might have been his fate for life.

But opportunity came. Perhaps this was the first and last time in Gong-rin’s life. Gong-rin had to mobilize all his martial prowess to prove his worth and beliefs.

All the harsh training he had received was for this day and moment.

Gong-rin ran toward the archers who were shooting arrows with their backs to the wall ahead. The archers’ arrows were made of special iron but couldn’t penetrate Golden Orchid Iron Pillar.

“Urraaaah!”

Gong-rin pushed both the archers and wall with his head. The archers were startled and dodged to the side.

Crash!

The wall struck by his head crumbled down.

Splash splash.

Gong-rin struck his bald head with his palm and roared.

“Roaaaaar!”

The archers were shocked by the power of Iron Head technique but tried to nock arrows again to shoot Gong-rin. Gong-rin grabbed the archers’ limbs and threw them, kicking their heads with his feet. The archers hit the walls on both sides, breaking bones and bursting heads.

Five out of six instantly became scattered corpses. The remaining one trembled against the wall, staring at Gong-rin.

“Namo Amitabha Guanyin Bodhisattva. Achieve Buddhahood!”

Gong-rin raised his fist and swung toward the archer.

But.

Whiiiing!

His fist caught on something and couldn’t move forward. In the meantime, the archer turned and fled.

“What is this?”

Gong-rin let out a voice filled with killing intent.

Looking closely, numerous lines were drawn in the air. They connected wall to wall, trapping Gong-rin inside.

“Thread?”

Threads crossed in front of Gong-rin like a spider web that had just started being built, and his fist was caught. Gong-rin tried to pull his arm free.

Screech! Screech!

The threads caught on Golden Orchid Iron Pillar’s sleeves made chilling metallic sounds. Still, they didn’t break, showing they weren’t ordinary threads.

Swish!

Several more threads flew through the air and wrapped around Gong-rin’s body like bonds. Gong-rin became helplessly caught in the threads with his arms raised.

Then a martial artist with sharp features who appeared to be about his age walked up to the collapsed wall.

“Your rampage is permitted only that far. Stone Vajra.”

“Who might you be, benefactor?”

“Soul Seizing Hall Master.”

Gong-rin’s mouth fell open.

“Soul Seizing Hall Master Tang Sang-yul. Yes… now the moles’ heads are finally crawling out?”

The corners of Soul Seizing Hall Master Tang Sang-yul’s eyes rose.

“You’re mistaken. Thinking you came this far on your own merits.”

“Is that so?”

Gong-rin put strength into his body and took a step forward.

Screech! The threads crossing in front of Gong-rin caught on his front and pulled taut. Gong-rin pulled his arms and moved his body forward.

Tang Sang-yul also pulled the Soul Seizing Thread to resist.

A taut struggle of strength ensued.

Gong-rin walked forward little by little.

Step… step!

The Soul Seizing Thread caught on Gong-rin’s Golden Orchid kasaya made squeaking sounds as it was pushed back. The walls on both sides where the Soul Seizing Thread was fixed shook. Three strands of Soul Seizing Thread were also blocking Gong-rin’s face.

“Wooooooh!”

Gong-rin shouted with his energy and pulled his arms with all his might.

Neither did the Soul Seizing Thread break nor was Gong-rin’s arm cut by it.

Instead, the surrounding walls that the Soul Seizing Thread was hooked to were sliced off.

Swooooosh!

The taut Soul Seizing Thread suddenly loosened and swirled greatly in the air. Raindrops that had been on bodies and the Soul Seizing Thread scattered in all directions.

Tang Sang-yul flew through the air, rotating and retrieving the Soul Seizing Thread.

Because walls had been connected and blocked by Soul Seizing Thread, pieces of wall fell sharply cut to the ground.

On Gong-rin’s face, three long marks remained from being scraped by the Soul Seizing Thread. Blood flowing from his face was washed away by rainwater.

Gong-rin looked at Tang Sang-yul and laughed.

“How crude. If this is all your skill amounts to, today you will reunite with King of Hell in hell.”

Tang Sang-yul glared at Gong-rin and said.

“Stupid monk. You don’t know you’ll die yet keep making big talk.”

Gong-rin touched the three streaks of wounds on his face. Pain came that was numb beyond stinging.

Strong poison.

Gong-rin smiled with a killing expression and said.

“Seeing your overflowing confidence, it must be quite an amazing poison.”

Gong-rin took out a small box from his bosom and slowly put the pill inside into his mouth.

Gulp.

Gong-rin’s Adam’s apple moved.

Tang Sang-yul wore a bitter sneer at that sight.

* * *

Beom-gon was fighting one of the Tang family’s masters.

“Achieve Buddhahood!”

He leaped into the air and moved his feet dazzlingly.

Bang! Bam bam bang! The Tang family master continuously struck Beom-gon’s feet with both hands. He was pushed back several steps and shook his hands as if they were numb.

“Did you think you could block this old monk’s kicking technique with bare hands?”

As if those words weren’t false, two of the Tang family master’s fingers were bent in the opposite direction.

Beom-gon landed and simultaneously bounced forward like a spring. The Tang family master dodged to the side.

Bang! Beom-gon’s kick blew away the wall in one strike.

However, the Tang family master wasn’t overwhelmed in momentum either.

“Old monk? You’re just a young punk who’s only learned superficial style!”

Beom-gon was indignant and shouted.

“Hah! Young punk, this old monk has lived more years than you…”

The Tang family master bit off his broken finger with his teeth and thrust out both palms.

Yellow powder shot out along with palm force.

Beom-gon stood on one foot and kicked the air with the other to create wind. The Tang family master twisted his palm to the side. The powder flying toward Beom-gon curved and burst with a pop. The powder that spread in the air covered Beom-gon. The powder mixed with rainwater stuck to Gong-rin’s body. But the poison powder didn’t wash away in water; rather, it stuck viscously.

When Beom-gon touched it and pulled away, it was sticky like glue.

“What is this bothersome thing?”

The Tang family master said.

“Our family has various types of poison. Among them is poison that sticks like glue and won’t come off.”

Beom-gon snorted.

“Can you stop this old monk with such trivial poison?”

The Tang family master stopped the bleeding from his severed finger and asked back.

“Have you prepared against poison?”

“Need you ask? Coming to the Tang family, would I not have such preparation?”

“Oh my… then even the only path to survival has disappeared.”

“What do you mean?”

At that moment, Beom-gon realized his head was spinning and his vision was going dark. His lower abdomen cramped severely.

Beom-gon had already taken a poison-resisting pill earlier.

But why were poisoning symptoms appearing!

* * *

While the Shaolin monks spread in all directions destroying the Tang Family Main House, Beom-hae continued moving down the middle path as before.

Quietly walking with palms together as if strolling through a back garden. As if he couldn’t hear any of the surrounding commotion.

A high wall blocked the way ahead.

Beom-hae pulled back his fist then drove it straight into the wall.

Crack!

Fissures starting from Beom-hae’s fist instantly spread throughout the entire wall, collapsing it all at once.

Rumble rumble.

But this time was somewhat different from before.

The earth piled up for the wall crumbled and the gravel filled inside poured out, but the wall’s structure itself still remained. Finger-thick iron frames were complexly tangled inside, firmly maintaining the framework.

Beom-hae raised his hand and struck down with his blade-hand at the iron frame.

Crash!

The iron frame bent like taffy. But it didn’t break. This too didn’t seem to be ordinary iron frame. Beom-hae raised his hand again and struck the iron frame.

Smash! The iron frame still didn’t break, but instead the walls on both sides holding the iron frame all collapsed.

Crash.

The iron structure also fell together and the way ahead opened.

But a small human figure stood before it.

“Ignorant monks.”