Chapter 495

Beom-bon held his palms facing each other and raised them forward. The Arhat monks bowed their heads and covered their ears.

Beom-bon clapped his hands forcefully.

Clang!

Though he clapped his hands, it sounded like striking a bell.

The legs of Arhat monks who hadn’t prepared in advance gave out and they staggered. Jin Ja-gang also quickly covered his ears, but even so, his head became dizzy.

Beom-bon raised one hand to the sky and directed one palm toward the ground.

“I preach to the evil spirits of the mortal world. Great mercy, great compassion, transforming path of vast enlightenment. Governing precepts, governing virtue, governing the realm of sentient beings, Namo Amitabha Avalokitesvara…”

Beom-bon took a long breath, then soon a thunderous roar burst from his mouth.

“Through the fruit of three virtues, perfect enlightenment is attained!”

A tremendous roar that shook heaven and earth echoed from all directions.

Rumble rumble rumble.

Yellow Crane Tower’s pavilion rang greatly and roof tiles fell. The bricks decorating the outer walls cracked.

Shaolin absolute technique.

Great Lion’s Roar.

Perhaps because of his massive resonance chamber, the Great Lion’s Roar that burst from Beom-bon’s body was incomparable to the lion’s roar Jin Ja-gang had known before.

His legs trembled and strength drained. Internal energy seemed to scatter throughout his entire body.

Even the Arhat monks who had covered their ears couldn’t endure and sat down on the spot. Only a few Vajra monks managed to hold out.

The sound of Beom-bon’s first clap continued to ring like a temple bell.

Clang, clang, clang!

The bell sound rang inside Jin Ja-gang, continuously draining his strength.

Retch.

Jin Ja-gang vomited blood.

Clang! Clang! Clang! His head throbbed and rang with the bell sound.

Jin Ja-gang knelt on one knee.

Beom-bon shouted while forcefully raising one hand.

“Prostrate yourself!”

Beom-bon’s tremendous palm struck down at Jin Ja-gang’s legs.

Boom! If swept by that palm as big as a pot lid, his legs wouldn’t survive.

Jin Ja-gang grasped a small wick of internal energy and spread it to his four limbs and hundred meridians.

Rise of Bowing Demon Spirit! The Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit awakened and internal energy instantly filled Jin Ja-gang’s reservoir. Though internal energy scattered each time the bell sound rang inside his body, Jin Ja-gang didn’t yield. He sent the strongest flow to one foot and arm.

He stepped over Beom-bon’s swinging hand, stepped on his forearm, and threw his body backward. Then with Heaven and Earth Eight Defeats, he pulled out a long needle from his finger and concentrated all his focus to shoot it at Beom-bon’s heart.

Piercing Strand Flash Severance. A span-long needle embedded in Beom-bon’s chest.

Beom-bon quietly looked down at the long needle stuck in his kasaya.

Then he flicked it with his finger as if brushing away a flying insect.

The long needle came out without any resistance and fell.

There was only a very small hole in Beom-bon’s kasaya. A hole invisible even when looked at carefully. It was about the degree of accidentally making a wrong hole while sewing.

Tension filled Jin Ja-gang’s brow.

Piercing Strand Flash Severance didn’t work?

“Indeed. You had countermeasures for Iron Robe… So that’s how it was. That’s why you could confidently pick a fight with our temple.”

Beom-bon narrowed his eyes, looked at Jin Ja-gang, and smiled.

“Benefactor Poison Dragon’s poison has a reputation, so this humble monk cannot boast whether I can endure it. However, this humble monk is nominally the sect leader. If a sect leader falls to such trivial tricks, who would respect or fear our Shaolin?”

“If people fear the temple, would they even go near it?”

“If everything could be resolved through conversation, discord and quarrels would be hard to find in the world. Because that’s not the case, great mercy and great compassion inevitably follows with merciless karmic retribution. The world we live in is called a muddy pit for the same reason.”

“I heard the Embracing Sect educates sentient beings through conversation.”

Beom-bon answered immediately.

“That’s a lie.”

Beom-bon smiled and said.

“The path to reaching Buddhahood, not one is the same. The foolishness of sentient beings is all the same, but the ways of understanding are all different. Then how could one method lead countless sentient beings?”

Jin Ja-gang looked at Beom-bon silently, then said.

“I don’t know if I’m hearing the sermon of an upright monk or listening to the persuasive words of a cunning snake’s tongue.”

“You don’t need to distinguish. From the eyes of ignorant sentient beings, even though the world is changing, it always appears the same.”

Beom-bon showed his palm.

“Now then, try asking politely. I will not tolerate threats or rudeness. If it’s a valid question, this humble monk will do his best to answer.”

“Haven’t you heard the rumor?”

“What rumor?”

Jin Ja-gang raised one corner of his lips and smiled.

“I have no talent for responding to bullshit.”

The smile still didn’t disappear from Beom-bon’s face.

“The one not ready for conversation isn’t this humble monk, but benefactor. Didn’t you have something to ask this humble monk?”

“The one in a hurry isn’t me but the great master.”

Beom-bon’s eyes narrowed. It was phrasing that made him unable to help but ask out of curiosity even if he didn’t want to. Normally, wouldn’t Jin Ja-gang be the one in a hurry, not Beom-bon?

Beom-bon asked.

“Why is that?”

Jin Ja-gang answered.

“Because you must be curious how much I know.”

Beom-bon laughed aloud.

“Hehe, interesting words. However, this humble monk doesn’t like being swayed by others’ words.”

Beom-bon suddenly raised his prayer beads and commanded the Arhat monks.

“From now, nine people will go to the Zhuge Family. If the Zhuge Family cooperated with Benefactor Poison Dragon for unjust reasons, make the Zhuge Family pay the price.”

“Yes!”

Nine Arhat monks including one Vajra monk glared at Jin Ja-gang and left Yellow Crane Tower without a single complaint.

Beom-bon continued.

“Another nine people. You will find Poison Dragon’s companions around this area and drag them before me. One has learned Leper Mound’s disguise technique, so be careful.”

“Yes!”

Beom-bon looked straight at Jin Ja-gang.

Seeing Jin Ja-gang’s expression remain calm with almost no change, he praised.

“Good expression. However, now the one who becomes rushed is benefactor.”

The command didn’t end there.

Beom-bon designated one Arhat monk.

“You will run to the main temple immediately and request support from one of the elders.”

The Arhat monk listened to Beom-bon’s words with gleaming eyes.

“Tell the Bright Demon God…”

Beom-bon drew out his words as if for Jin Ja-gang to hear.

“If he kills Poison Dragon’s wife and child at Tang Family’s main estate, he will be granted freedom.”

Instantly, insane killing intent burst from Jin Ja-gang’s body. The Arhat monks surrounding Jin Ja-gang stepped back half a step.

Whizz whizz!

Materialized killing intent flew like needles countless times into the Arhat monks’ bodies. The Arhat monks raised Iron Robe.

Tick, tick, tick!

Sharp killing intent hit Iron Robe and shattered. However, scratches continuously formed on exposed faces, heads, and wrists.

Beom-bon laughed.

The killing intent Jin Ja-gang released didn’t embed in Beom-bon’s body at all and only bounced off.

“Why? Are you angry?”

Jin Ja-gang glared at Beom-bon for a while, then asked back.

“Does it look that way?”

“I understand. Who in the world could remain detached when someone says they’ll touch their family?”

“My wife will say this.”

Jin Ja-gang bared his teeth. For the first time in a while, his eyes gleamed like a beast as he smiled with killing intent. “Don’t worry about me, just kill that depraved one before your eyes.”

Beom-bon also bared his thick white teeth and smiled.

“Good. Now there’s no hesitation. This humble monk is also pleased. However, if you knew what kind of person Bright Demon God is, you couldn’t have said that.”

“Aren’t he and the great master similar types anyway?”

Jin Ja-gang’s killing intent deepened.

The killing intent Beom-bon emitted also deepened along with it, raising heat waves. Both sides’ killing intent rose to the maximum and made sizzling sounds in the air. The Arhat monks couldn’t endure and stepped back two more steps.

Beom-bon shouted loudly.

“Who dared tell you to retreat!”

The Arhat monks gritted their teeth and rushed at Jin Ja-gang.

“Great mercy, great compassion, transforming path of vast enlightenment!”

“Governing precepts, governing virtue, governing the realm of sentient beings, Namo Amitabha Avalokitesvara…!”

Jin Ja-gang moved his hand to his back waist, then pulled out a sickle like lightning and swung it forward.

Crack!

The pointed end of the paired sickle blade struck an Arhat monk’s head. Because of Iron Head Technique, the point couldn’t enter even half a chi. The Arhat monk advanced while raising Iron Head Technique to the extreme.

“Uooooo!”

Receiving the paired sickle blade with his head, the Arhat monk’s face turned bright red as he advanced step by step. Jin Ja-gang was pushed back while bringing his opposite hand to his back waist. Then he struck upward from below.

Thunk!

The paired sickle blade comes in pairs. The opposite mate penetrated through the Arhat monk’s jaw and embedded up to near the handle. The Arhat monk’s eyes bulged. Jin Ja-gang pulled out the upper and lower sickles and hooked the Arhat monk’s neck crossing from both sides.

Jin Ja-gang pulled the paired sickle blade forcefully. The Arhat monk’s head fell off.

Other Arhat monks rushed in succession. Jin Ja-gang retreated while swinging the paired sickle blade.

Clang! The paired sickle blade caught on Iron Robe and sparks flew.

Jin Ja-gang continuously struck and cut the Arhat monks with the paired sickle blade. The Arhat monks hid their exposed hands and approached while blocking the paired sickle blade with forearms and shoulders. Jin Ja-gang continued stepping backward until he retreated to Yellow Crane Tower’s first floor external stairs.

Jin Ja-gang spun the paired sickle blades round and round in both hands.

One Arhat monk stabbed at Jin Ja-gang with a weapon with trident blades woven onto the end of a staff. Jin Ja-gang hooked the trident blades with the sickle blade and pulled. The Arhat monk made his body heavy with Thousand Pound Weight and endured. The Arhat monks on both sides grabbed the staff-wielding Arhat monk’s arms and crossed their legs to execute Thousand Pound Weight so he wouldn’t be dragged.

“Taaat!”

When three Arhat monks simultaneously executed Thousand Pound Weight, the bluestone floor made cracking sounds and split. Then they pulled Jin Ja-gang instead.

Jin Ja-gang also hooked his leg on the stair railing so as not to be dragged and pulled equally.

Screech, screech!

The trident blades and paired sickle blades made unpleasant metal sounds while caught.

Three people and one person competing in strength with no difference. And that’s with Arhat monks who specialized in external martial arts.

However.

Screeeech… The railing Jin Ja-gang had his leg hooked on bent as if about to break, and the connected wooden beams began being pulled out.

“Ayaaat!”

While the three Arhat monks pulled, Arhat monks from behind approached to attack Jin Ja-gang.

Jin Ja-gang suddenly released his strength. He flew forward as if bouncing. Jin Ja-gang simultaneously kicked the Arhat monks on the left and right among the three.

Bang! The left and right Arhat monks got hit in the chest and flew backward. The Arhat monk in the middle tried to stab with the staff but couldn’t advance because it was entangled in the paired sickle blade, so he rammed the middle of the staff with his head.

Crack! The staff broke and the entanglement came loose. The Arhat monk spun the staff in his hand, gripped it backwards, and struck down at Jin Ja-gang’s head. Jin Ja-gang continuously struck both sides of the Arhat monk’s ribs with the paired sickle blade. Unable to raise Iron Robe in time, the paired sickle blade thunk thunk struck between the ribs. The Arhat monk’s body hesitated. Jin Ja-gang’s paired sickle blade gradually moved up, continuously striking up to the Arhat monk’s armpit.

Like a bag of blood, blood oozed steadily along both sides of the Arhat monk. The Arhat monk couldn’t strike down the staff to the end and fell forward.

Perhaps from how much poison was used this time, the fallen Arhat monk’s blood bubbled and instantly created bloody pus. Poison energy rose wispily and settled at Yellow Crane Tower’s entrance.

The Arhat monks couldn’t rashly approach.

Jin Ja-gang watched the Arhat monks and walked inside Yellow Crane Tower’s entrance.

Poison energy filling the entrance…

Beom-bon cracked the joints of his fingers and stepped forward.

Then he unhesitatingly walked into Yellow Crane Tower following Jin Ja-gang through the entrance.

The bright moonlight of the full moon scattered in the poison energy and wrapped around Yellow Crane Tower like bleak fog.