Chapter 386

Yeong-gwi stopped walking.

Diluted blood water was pooled on the ground.

Looking around, blood had splattered everywhere before being washed by rainwater.

Jin Ja-gang got down from her back and carefully walked forward together with Yeong-gwi.

About twenty steps into the side of the main road, five corpses lay neatly arranged, half-submerged in muddy water. Rainwater had collected there, so if a little more time had passed, they would have been completely submerged and might not have been discovered.

“Mount Hua Sect.”

However, unlike their orderly arrangement, the corpses’ bodies were damaged in various ways. Heads were burst and limbs were broken. There were holes throughout their bodies.

On the other hand, there was also a corpse that was intact without a single external wound. Jin Ja-gang flipped back the eyelid of the corpse that died intact. It was so deep red it was almost black. This was because blood that had burst from inside had coagulated.

The belly was also somewhat swollen, and when Jin Ja-gang pressed the corpse’s belly, it was quite hard.

Yeong-gwi approached. Yeong-gwi knelt beside Jin Ja-gang and unhesitatingly cut open the corpse’s belly.

Slice.

No blood flowed out. Instead, the belly skin split open and a lump that looked like liver burst out through the split skin. It was a lump of coagulated blood.

“Advanced internal crushing technique completely burst and melted all the internal organs.”

Jin Ja-gang said while looking around at the corpses.

“Limb amputation by blade, fractures, skull depression… Not unfamiliar.”

“Shaolin Temple passed through here a day and a half ago. Mount Hua Sect that blocked Shaolin Temple’s path ended up like this.”

“It seems we’ll be able to pass through Mount Zhongnan more easily than expected.”

“Wait a moment.”

Yeong-gwi searched the pockets of the dead Mount Hua martial artists. She took out everything including Taoist scriptures and pouches.

“Monks don’t search the pockets of the dead. Usually they kill and take things away.”

Yeong-gwi opened all the pouches to check. Most contained various items like wound medicine.

Yeong-gwi’s expression hardened. It was when she took out a small box about the size of two fingernails from one silk pouch.

When Yeong-gwi opened the box, a refreshing fragrance emerged along with an extraordinary pill.

“Jade Spirit Pill. Mount Hua Sect’s elixir. Having this means at least head disciple level or higher.”

“How strong is head disciple level?”

“Each one corresponds to about a Vajra monk level.”

Yeong-gwi held out another box containing a Jade Spirit Pill.

“There were two such people, and both are dead.”

Yeong-gwi stood up and said.

“Their travel speed isn’t fast. At our current pace, we’ll catch up to Shaolin Temple within a day.”

“That’s good.”

Yeong-gwi stared at Jin Ja-gang.

“Good? According to what you discovered, their number is only half at nine. Yet with this level of force, even if we catch up, there’s no way to handle them. Especially if they join with the other half that went toward Chongqing…”

“They set out from the beginning targeting King of Hell. Naturally they would have that level of force.”

“We’re the ones who have to face such people.”

“We also targeted King of Hell, didn’t we?”

Yeong-gwi frowned.

“The ‘we’ I mentioned and the ‘we’ you’re talking about seem to have different meanings.”

“It seems so.”

“Even if we catch up to Shaolin Temple, without countermeasures we’re just courting death. I can’t agree to that.”

Yeong-gwi gritted her teeth and said.

“Because you have to die by my hand.”

Jin Ja-gang met Yeong-gwi’s eyes but soon shook his head.

“I said I would allow three attacks, not that I was entrusting my life. When I said I would allow three times, it meant I wouldn’t kill you until then. If you still target me after that…”

Jin Ja-gang couldn’t continue his words. Yeong-gwi’s lips were trembling.

She seemed extremely indignant, and also seemed to be resentful as if he was being too much.

Yeong-gwi said forcefully.

“I know that much without you reminding me. I know, so don’t die. At least the fate of our Leper Mound is hanging on your shoulders too!”

“I understand.”

Another awkward atmosphere.

“Let’s rest for a moment.”

Yeong-gwi turned her body sharply and went into the bushes.

After that, Jin Ja-gang and Yeong-gwi discovered the corpses of Mount Hua martial artists several more times.

* * *

Splash! Splash!

Nine Shaolin monks were racing down the main road with identical steps and strides. Though their heights and builds varied, their speeds were the same. Every time the Shaolin monks stepped with their Great Strength Divine Nail technique, water splashed to both sides of the road.

The Shaolin monks were passing through a main road with tall trees growing on both sides.

Whoosh, whoooosh!

On both sides where the Shaolin monks were running, over ten shadows passed the Shaolin monks by leaping through trees.

The Shaolin monks glanced left and right with sharp eyes. The martial artists who had been running by stepping on trees faster than running looked at the Shaolin monks.

The Shaolin monk running in front, Beom-hae, raised his hand and stopped. The other Shaolin monks also stopped all at once.

The martial artists who had been leaping through trees jumped down in front of the Shaolin monks. Several more blocked the retreat from behind. Nearly twenty people had surrounded the Shaolin monks.

Beom-hae stood to the side, looked around front and back, and chanted Buddha’s name.

“Namo Amitabha.”

Among the martial artists, a middle-aged man with graying hair stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said.

“I am Gi-san of Mount Zhongnan. I have a few words to ask Monk, so I rudely blocked your path.”

But Beom-hae didn’t respond to those words. One of those blocking the rear drew his sword and shouted.

“There’s no need to ask more. Though they pretend to be monks in appearance, they are vicious ones who randomly harmed our sect’s disciples. We must cut their tendons and give them severe beatings to escort them to our sect!”

It was a Mount Hua Sect martial artist. Several Mount Hua Sect martial artists stood beside him as well.

Mount Zhongnan’s Gi-san raised his hand to stop them.

“Mount Hua Sect’s Hero Eun, please wait a moment. No matter how difficult things have been, since we agreed to join forces, you must follow my control in our Mount Zhongnan territory.”

The Mount Hua martial artists gritted their teeth and glared at the Shaolin monks.

But one of the Shaolin monks chuckled. He was a monk of ordinary build who appeared to be only about twenty years old.

Mount Zhongnan’s Gi-san frowned and gestured with his chin.

One of Mount Zhongnan’s large and fierce-looking martial artists boldly approached the smiling Shaolin monk. Being two heads taller, he looked down at the monk with a rough expression.

“Even though we know perfectly well what you bastards are doing, we were treating you politely out of courtesy, and you laugh?”

The young-looking monk opened his mouth even wider and grinned mockingly.

The Mount Zhongnan martial artist bared his teeth.

“You young monk bastard…”

The young-looking monk flinched and moved. The Mount Zhongnan martial artist immediately confronted him and tried to draw his sword.

At that moment, water splashed from under the Mount Zhongnan martial artist’s legs.

Splaaaash!

It was because the young-looking Shaolin monk had kicked the Mount Zhongnan martial artist’s legs.

The Mount Zhongnan martial artist’s legs flew to the side. Both legs had been severed at the knees and the cut parts bounced away.

The Mount Zhongnan martial artist was too stunned to feel pain and had a blank expression. His height suddenly shortened so he had to look up at the young-looking monk. The young-looking monk’s leg was already stretched up in front of the Mount Zhongnan martial artist’s eyes.

Thud!

The monk struck down with his foot and crushed the Mount Zhongnan martial artist’s head and torso. The Mount Zhongnan martial artist instantly became horrible chunks of flesh and collapsed.

Due to the pouring rain and muddy water on the ground, blood spread in an instant.

The young-looking Shaolin monk said.

“Young monk? Though this humble monk is indeed a late-generation with the character Beom, it’s been over ten years since I passed seventy. Young people these days truly have no manners.”

“How cruel!”

The Mount Hua and Mount Zhongnan martial artists all drew their weapons at once. Venom appeared in their eyes.

“To become a monk yet have such vicious hands!”

“Since when has Shaolin Temple looked down on our Mount Zhongnan Sect so much!”

The young-looking Shaolin monk, Beom-gon, arrogantly raised his head and looked at the Mount Hua and Mount Zhongnan martial artists.

“It seems you still don’t know who we are.”

A small-built middle-aged monk picked up Beom-gon’s words.

“Stone Vajras.”

Hearing those words, Gi-san’s eyes contorted.

The ‘Stone’ in Stone Vajra means ‘precious’ or ‘to cherish’ or ‘pity.’

Shaolin Temple’s Vajra monks were well-known and famous, but Stone Vajras were not famous.

This was inevitable, as Stone Vajras were the eldest disciples of the direct masters who carried on the Breaking Sect lineage.

Originally, unless the Breaking Sect gained power, they were people who would never have opportunities to act outside Shaolin Temple in their lifetime.

Beom-gon said.

“Now that you know who we are, it would be best to step aside.”

Mount Zhongnan’s Gi-san hardened his face. He knew that the Absolute Buddha Sect’s Stone Vajras were going to Sichuan.

But one person had already been brutally murdered. To let them pass through Mount Zhongnan’s territory like this would greatly damage the sect’s pride.

“Whoever you monks are, wherever you’re going, since you acted rudely in our Mount Zhongnan territory, the price for that…”

Interrupting Gi-san’s words, another monk said to Beom-gon.

“Fourth Elder, what are you saying? Even if Fourth Elder doesn’t know, we still have far to go. If we go to Sichuan like this, our bodies will stiffen up. Who will take responsibility for us?”

It was Beom-hae, not Beom-gon, who answered.

“No need to worry. Moths who don’t know the value of life will keep rushing at us.”

Gi-san’s face contorted.

“What are you saying…”

Beom-hae said.

“We were originally eighteen. But why we split up along the way…”

Beom-gon picked up the words.

“It was because we hadn’t come out into the world for so long that we had no opponents to loosen up against. If all eighteen went together, nothing would be left, so we split in half.”

Gi-san felt a creepy sensation. He immediately took out a small bow and shot it upward. A whistle was attached to the arrow, making a loud noise as it crossed the air.

Shriiiiek!

Shriek, shriek! Soon responding whistle sounds were heard from all directions.

But the Stone Vajras didn’t stop Gi-san’s action. They seemed rather welcoming.

Beom-hae rolled his prayer beads and said.

“Great compassion and transformation, Bodhisattva breaking and subduing. Namo Amitabha Guanyin Bodhisattva. Disciples, listen.”

The Stone Vajras all straightened their backs and drew up their internal energy. Flashing divine light burst from their eyes.

The Mount Zhongnan and Mount Hua martial artists tensed, gripped their weapons tightly, and drew up their internal energy in response.

Beom-hae opened his mouth.

“Send the fallen and foolish beings to Amitabha Buddha so they may achieve Buddhahood.”

Simultaneously, the Shaolin monks flew in all directions.

Thud, thud, bones burst and limbs flew as screams began erupting instantly.