Chapter 380

Complaints from merchants who had to load goods onto ships could be heard from all around.

“Too much rain is falling.”

“We’ll be stuck here for a whole month.”

“How are the carriage roads?”

“Hopeless. The ground is so muddy that all the wheels get stuck. The guys who left yesterday all came back.”

“I heard upstream is already flooded and a whole village is submerged?”

“This is serious. Water management and everything is completely messed up. This year the rainy season seems to have started unusually early.”

Neither ships nor carriages could be used. Even horses tired easily in such conditions and couldn’t travel as far as expected.

It seemed he would arrive in Sichuan later than the planned schedule.

Jin Ja-gang was troubled by his inability to find a solution when suddenly his spine tingled.

‘Hm?’

From an invisible distance, tremendous masters were approaching. No, multiple masters. Since they weren’t hiding their presence, their existence could be clearly felt even with the heavy rain falling.

Soon their forms became visible.

Whoosh!

Were they deflecting all the pouring rain? White water mist was wrapped around their bodies. Eighteen masses of water mist were approaching with quick steps.

‘Eighteen!’

As many as eighteen masters whose presence could be felt from a distance?

Only then did the merchants also notice the masters’ presence.

“What is that…?”

Due to the water mist they created, not only the merchants but even Jin Ja-gang could only confirm their identity when they came within close range.

They were monks from Shaolin Temple. However, they weren’t ones with massive builds like the Vajra monks from before. They were rather thin with ordinary physiques. Their gazes weren’t intimidating either. Their ages varied widely from twenties to fifties and sixties.

But the martial arts level detected was in no way inferior to the Vajra monks. Some even felt above that level.

The merchants showed reverence upon seeing the Shaolin Temple monks and put their palms together. The monks also returned greetings with half-bows.

Among them, an upright, thin old monk came forward and asked the harbor master managing departures.

“Are there any ships that can sail now?”

“No, there aren’t. Not a single ship has been able to sail since the day before yesterday.”

The old monk turned and looked around at the merchants, captains, and ship owners before asking again.

“Namo Amitabha, this humble monk is Beom-hae from Shaolin. Is there a benefactor among you who has a ship going to Sichuan? We will pay sufficient compensation.”

People shook their heads. Even if they had ships, launching them in such weather would obviously result in shipwreck, so they couldn’t offer them. No, even if they offered them for money, the crew members who had to operate them obviously wouldn’t want to board.

“It can’t be helped.”

The old monk who identified himself as Beom-hae said to the monks behind him.

“We’ll proceed as is.”

The monks behind him bowed and put their palms together to show understanding.

Beom-hae was about to lead the way when he suddenly stopped walking.

Then he slowly turned his head.

Jin Ja-gang was covered from head to body with a straw rain cape. His face was completely covered too. However, through gaps in the straw, his eyes met Beom-hae’s.

Beom-hae’s pupils were so clear they were transparent.

A massive boulder.

That was the presence Beom-hae was emanating.

Crackle, crackle.

Beom-hae’s presence crumbled Jin Ja-gang’s presence and invaded his boundaries. Even though Jin Ja-gang didn’t intend it, his aura swelled to counter Beom-hae’s aura.

Rumble rumble, as the boulder rolled forward, several stones also rolled out from Jin Ja-gang’s body to block the way.

Even when he tried to hide his presence belatedly, he couldn’t conceal it. Jin Ja-gang had no choice but to reveal his existence.

Step.

In an instant, Beom-hae turned his body and approached Jin Ja-gang directly.

Jin Ja-gang knew he couldn’t avoid it. Beom-hae came right up to Jin Ja-gang and looked down at him. Jin Ja-gang also faced Beom-hae without backing down.

Perhaps sensing the unusual atmosphere, the remaining seventeen monks simultaneously stared at Jin Ja-gang, while the surrounding merchants stirred.

Beom-hae looked at Jin Ja-gang’s eyes for quite a while before putting his hand in his sleeve. What he took out was a small bamboo strip about half a hand-span long.

But suddenly he handed that bamboo strip to Jin Ja-gang.

“The young benefactor’s eyes seem full of worldly troubles. If you recite this every morning upon waking, your mind will become peaceful.”

Jin Ja-gang looked at the inside of the bamboo strip. Tiny writing was inscribed.

It was Buddhist scripture.

Jin Ja-gang quickly read the content, wondering if some meaning was contained within.

However, there was no hidden secret. It was ordinary morning chanting that Buddhists recite in the morning.

While it was difficult to understand why he had given Buddhist scripture, Beom-hae added words like a Zen dialogue.

“Sometimes there are times when one must abandon everything and stop one’s steps. Otherwise, the path to Amitabha Buddha becomes distant.”

Stopping one’s steps was an idiom meaning to halt one’s footsteps.

So this was close to a warning to Jin Ja-gang. It could be understood as meaning to stop interfering with their affairs and stay here reciting Buddhist scripture and waiting, roughly.

However, accepting the revealed words as they were left something bothering his mind. It seemed there was another meaning contained. Jin Ja-gang wasn’t a monk, so he had no reason to go to Amitabha Buddha.

“…”

Beom-hae watched the pondering Jin Ja-gang briefly before soon turning away.

He couldn’t let Beom-hae go like this.

Shaolin Temple didn’t yet know that Jin Ja-gang was going to strike Tang Qing. So to prevent even the slightest things from going wrong, he had to find out the intentions of Beom-hae and the martial monks going to Sichuan.

To do that, Jin Ja-gang also had no choice but to reveal his intentions to some degree. But it was impossible to predict how Shaolin Temple would act when they learned of it.

And in front of all these people watching.

It was a gamble.

Jin Ja-gang threw a word at Beom-hae who had turned his back.

“Western Tibet.”

Pause.

Beom-hae’s steps stopped.

Jin Ja-gang’s thought was correct.

“Northern Heaven.”

At the second word, Beom-hae turned his head with a hardened expression to look at Jin Ja-gang. His gaze was different from before. Eyes that were curious and at the same time had complex thoughts.

Jin Ja-gang threw out the last word.

“Hungry Ghost King!”

Only then did Beom-hae’s hardened expression soften slightly as he made an expression showing he understood Jin Ja-gang’s words.

Beom-hae answered as if there was nothing to think about.

“When I become Buddha, if there are the three evil paths of hell, hungry ghosts, and animals in that country, I would rather not become Buddha. If I attain Buddhahood and my country has hell, hungry ghosts, and animals, I will not achieve enlightenment. Namo Amitabha Guanyin Bodhisattva.”

At Beom-hae’s words, all seventeen other monks put their palms together and chanted Buddha’s name together.

“Namo Amitabha Guanyin Bodhisattva.”

The watching merchants also joined in putting their palms together and reciting Buddha’s name in bewilderment.

Beom-hae looked at Jin Ja-gang once more before turning without delay and walking away.

Jin Ja-gang watched the backs of the Shaolin Temple monks, then read several passages written in the bamboo strip Buddhist scripture Beom-hae had left.

“Namo Great Buddha Crown Tathagata Secret Cause Cultivation Verification Essential Dharma…”

But reciting the chant didn’t bring peace; instead, his mind became more complicated.

Whoosh.

The pouring rain seeped through the rain cape and flowed down Jin Ja-gang’s face.

* * *

Jin Ja-gang had a light meal of noodles at a nearby restaurant. Though it tasted worse than what he made, the restaurant was crowded with people who couldn’t go anywhere due to the rainy season.

Then a young-looking boy came and sat in front of Jin Ja-gang.

A boy who appeared to be about fifteen or sixteen looked straight at Jin Ja-gang.

Jin Ja-gang knew who the boy was from his gaze.

Yeong-gwi disguised as a boy spoke in a youthful voice.

“Word came that they’ll respond to the convocation from Sichuan.”

Tang Qing had responded to the convocation that was moved up ten days earlier than usual.

Jin Ja-gang’s brow furrowed slightly.

Originally this should have been welcome news, but having met Beom-hae, he didn’t think the situation was very good.

Yeong-gwi in the form of a boy looked at the contemplating Jin Ja-gang and asked as if he were pathetic.

“But what are you doing here?”

“What do you mean?”

“There’s only a month left, so what are you doing here?”

“The ships are cancelled.”

“Don’t speak formally. People will think it’s strange.”

“Right.”

“So why are you doing this here? I watched from the beginning and you were floundering in the mountains too.”

Yeong-gwi casually blurted out.

“You can’t possibly be unable to use lightness techniques.”

Jin Ja-gang frowned. But that rather revealed the affirmative meaning.

Yeong-gwi’s face contorted.

“Wh… what do you mean…”

Yeong-gwi had a face of disbelief.

That was understandable.

How could one think that a master who had consumed more than thirty percent of Leper Mound’s strength and even killed Piercing Ghost couldn’t use lightness techniques?

“Don’t joke around. You’re not deliberately delaying, are you?”

“No.”

Yeong-gwi was truly flustered.

“You know what happens to the rest if you’re late, right?”

Jin Ja-gang rarely made mistakes usually. But in such situations, there was nothing he could do.

“I know.”

“But… you’re doing this? If lightness techniques don’t work, you should have said so earlier.”

“I’m looking for the best method.”

Yeong-gwi stood up first, perhaps frustrated by people’s gazes.

“Follow me.”

The place Yeong-gwi led Jin Ja-gang to was a shabby back alley, a collapsing abandoned house.

Whoosh.

The heavily pouring rain hit the tile roof and the sound of water dripping from the eaves onto the ground was noisy.

As soon as Jin Ja-gang entered the doorway of the abandoned house, Yeong-gwi turned around. Yeong-gwi was no longer a young boy but had become a somewhat plump, middle-aged widow with a round face.

Yeong-gwi began pressing Jin Ja-gang without preamble.

“Looking for the best method? All ships are cancelled and horses and carriages can barely travel two to three hundred li per day. But without lightness techniques, how do you plan to travel to Sichuan’s capital? Tell me.”

Jin Ja-gang didn’t answer Yeong-gwi’s question. Instead, he spoke of what he had seen.

“Shaolin Temple’s martial monks are going to Sichuan. I saw them at the dock just now.”

“What? To Sichuan?”

Yeong-gwi was greatly surprised.

They were on the verge of a great deed to expel King of Hell Tang Qing. But if Shaolin Temple suddenly interfered, unforeseen variables would arise.

If Shaolin Temple was visiting Sichuan with a hostile stance, Tang Qing would also prepare for it. He might cancel the meeting convocation or increase guards and armaments twofold due to heightened vigilance. He might not come out of the Tang Family Main House at all.

Also, if they were visiting with a friendly stance having accepted the personal letter, it would be even more problematic. If the Poison Sect rebelled while Shaolin Temple had accepted the Tang family’s surrender on friendly terms, they might have to make even Shaolin Temple an enemy.

Either way, it was a situation that would never benefit the three Poison Sect Cliques preparing for the great deed.

“We need to inform the leader and move up the convocation even more!”

“Please wait.”

Yeong-gwi got angry.

“This is such an urgent matter, yet you’re so relaxed. If we can’t finish the job before Shaolin Temple arrives, the great deed might fail!”

“One of them had the dharma name Beom-hae.”

Yeong-gwi’s eyes opened wide.

“If it’s Beom-hae, he’s the disciple of the Invincible Monk who heads the Breaking Sect. They’ve decided to attack the Tang family!”

Yeong-gwi’s expression brightened.

“If we do well, we might benefit from this.”

But Jin Ja-gang answered firmly.

“We can’t let them do as they please.”

“Why?”

Jin Ja-gang conveyed exactly what Beom-hae had said.

Sometimes there are times when one must abandon everything and stop one’s steps. Otherwise, the path to Amitabha Buddha becomes distant.

Yeong-gwi was quick-witted. She immediately understood those words.

“He warned you not to interfere. But that doesn’t mean we have to follow Master Beom-hae’s words either.”

“He wasn’t speaking to me.”

“Then?”

Jin Ja-gang said to the puzzled Yeong-gwi.

“Master Beom-hae was explaining his position to me. Amitabha Buddha resides in the purified land, the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Therefore, the path to Amitabha Buddha means the Righteous Dharma March.”

“Then those words after…”

“Abandoning everything that holds back and delays the Righteous Dharma March. Stopping one’s steps, so it can be seen as meaning they’ll proceed with the Righteous Dharma March even if they have to literally cut off their own legs to shake off their surroundings.”

Jin Ja-gang paused briefly before speaking.

“That is, Shaolin Temple will do their work in Sichuan without considering any political situations or relationships.”