Chapter 141
**
What is Shaolin?
An unwavering pillar of the old-fashioned system. Like a gigantic column.
The time built upon it proves that. Master Jang Gyeong believed without a doubt in what he had built.
With a single punch, he could burst a massive rock.
With a single kick, he could split a towering tree in two.
That is what 강기 (Kang-gi) is. 의형강기 (Yi-hyeong Ki) is likewise.
The time piled up and brought him gifts.
But what is this? What on earth is this?
The roar of a beast bursts forth and reaches his fingertips. The 백보신권 (Baekbo Sin-gwon), unleashed with all his might, rends the air before him.
Teeth. These teeth, soaked in blood, feel different.
The scent of blood fills the air. But it’s not the blood of others.
Countless blood dances. Yet within it, he feels only his own blood.
“…You…?!”
His silent murmur turns to ash amidst the bloodfire.
“What kind of time is this…?!”
—KWA-AH-AH-AH-AH-AH-AH-AH-AH-AH!!!!
The world crumbles. The world Master Jang Gyeong knew shakes and falls apart.
The Eighteen Arhats scream. The limbs of the devoured Four Great Vajras roll away.
In just a moment.
Within that overwhelmingly heavy vigor…
The pillar of Shaolin is swept away.
“UWEEEEEEEK!!!”
Master Jang Gyeong, slammed against the rock, coughed blood. He’d already suffered internal injuries, but this was worse.
The indestructible body that had reached its peak trembled. His body, unable to withstand the weight of a mere sword, fell apart.
His 기맥 (Gi-maek) twisted. Why? Is it that the despicable youth’s emptiness surpasses his own…?
How?!
How could this be?!
With such an ordinary sword…?!
“Don’t… lie…!”
The sword path itself is ordinary. Sturdy. Rather, it’s so upright it lacks character.
Only the moment he switches swords is different. The overall shape remains unchanged. By reading the sword’s path, he can prepare in advance, thus reducing the shock he must endure.
But… does this mean it has lightened?
Master Jang Gyeong pushed away the debris with all his might. He lunged forward to charge once more.
But in the next moment, his knees buckled. The unrelieved shock sent him rolling on the ground.
He had fallen.
His knees, which hadn’t touched the ground since reaching 화경 (Hwa-gyeong), finally knelt before the earth.
Doing so… to a mere brat swinging a visible sword…!
“Shaolin… Shaolin… to think I’d be brought down by such a child…! Master! Lift me up! Right now…!”
—Creeeak.
A harsh sound erupts. Amidst the blood-red fog, something rolls beside him.
Master Jang Gyeong turned his head. He saw a head without a body embedded beside him.
The monk, with bulging red eyes. The head of one who walked the same path.
Master Na Han’s head.
“Mas…ter…?”
—Thud.
Footsteps echoed.
Master Jang Gyeong instinctively pulled back, trembling as he crawled backward.
“W-wait a moment…”
“…….”
“W-wait! Please listen! I-I was forced! I had no choice!”
“……”
“Speak! Listen to what I have to say!”
He retreats.
But the opponent closes in.
Something touches his trembling back. Master Jang Gyeong quickly turned, only to find the rock that had slipped away behind him.
“Me… protect me…”
He shouted until his throat was raw.
“Protect me! Four Great Vajras! Eighteen Arhats! Protect me…! I mean it!!!”
But no one answered.
Blood. Everywhere in his sight, the blood-red chaos engulfed him.
Among them, the only one standing properly was the beast approaching him.
“Y-you madman…! What kind of madness is this!!!”
What is this?
What are you, exactly!?
Master Jang Gyeong gathered the last of his strength. Forcing his trembling legs to rise, he thrust them into the ground.
The 백보신권 (Baekbo Sin-gwon) that might be his final strike burst forth from his fingertips.
And then…
His arm shot up.
“GAH-AH-AH-AH!!!!”
The collapsed 백보신권 tumbled across the ground. Master Jang Gyeong shivered, staring at his severed right arm.
It’s the same 의형강기.
He stood at the same realm.
He realized by touching palms. They stood in the same place.
But how… how can there be such a difference…?
“How… how can this be… you are surely… standing in the same realm as me…!”
“Same realm?”
He spoke.
Standing before him.
The weight of his gaze was heavy. Unable to lift his head, Master Jang Gyeong could only gaze at the ground.
Ah.
His life. That precious life now…
Hangs by the blade of a man. What a ridiculous turn of events.
“What weight is there in a realm forced open purely by accumulating 내력 (Nae-ryeok)? When was the last time you genuinely trained? How long has it been since you moved your body for real?”
“…I… I…”
“Even if you did all that, it was barely holding on. But you didn’t even do that. You neglected what you had to do, prioritizing your personal desires. You abandoned the duties you should bear as a monk of Shaolin, chasing only wealth and power.”
“What do you… how could you know…?!”
“Master Jang Gyeong. Monk of Shaolin. With hands meant to cultivate the dharma, you sought wealth…”
The tip of the sword touched his neck.
The burning black sword. The weight threatens to snap his neck.
“To even use the word ‘same’ is a disgrace to me.”
“Ugh… ha ha…”
Master Jang Gyeong lowered his head.
“…I see…”
Ah.
Was that it?
Was the downfall just that?
“I got caught by a madman… in such a time… chasing nonsense like compassion…!”
—KWA-DUK!
His sight blurred. Master Jang Gyeong felt his last breath fading within his hollow laughter.
Ah… if I had known this would happen…
I should have savored a woman more.
…
He wiped the blood off the sword’s tip. Reflecting on the bloody path he had walked.
Four Great Vajras.
Eighteen Arhats.
Master Jang Gyeong.
Master Na Han.
No survivors remain. He killed them all.
He did not regret wielding his sword. Because they deserved to die.
What remains…
Is just two.
—KWA-AH-AH-AH-AH-AH!!!!
Amidst the turning heaven and earth, a massive presence stirs.
The realm of manifesting one’s mind into the world.
심검 (Heart Sword).
The form of a colossal Buddha strikes out. The crushed victims meet it.
The rotting form of the Buddha delivers a punch. The air distorts as their visions collide.
The fluctuations of 기 (Gi). Even that tremor denies the culprit the ability to stand.
He recalls the events involving Eungmin. Just by turning their bodies, the lands of monsters shift.
“I am the Blood Demon!”
Within the voice of the dead, he gathers his wavering mind.
He turns his head to do what he must.
The former head monk of Shaolin is currently being shielded by the current head monk…
There’s only one person left for him to face.
“You’ve come.”
The one he waited for revealed himself.
Ak-bi.
The one who introduced himself as a part of Reverse Heaven.
“Look at that. Jeok-un. Even rotten, he retains some semblance of nobility. Bul-jun is just as strong. The specter raised to the peak of the 귀령섭혼대법 can utilize even greater powers than he had in life, but Bul-jun still pushes forward… he truly isn’t a mere member of the sect.”
“…….”
“But there are limits. Jeok-un. You see it too, don’t you? The dead’s martial arts are laced with 시독 (Si-duk). They seep into each technique, accumulating toxins on their foes. The undead’s stamina is limitless. But that doesn’t apply to the living.”
Blood oozed from Bul-jun’s lips as he was pushed back from the Heart Sword.
It wasn’t from the impact.
It was from the poison.
“Look. You’re already reaching your limit, aren’t you?”
“……”
He walked forth, crossing between blood and corpses, drawing his Blood Sword and Bai Ya.
He spun and inserted one into its sheath.
Ak-bi.
He, who had continued watching him, smiled.
“Jeok-un. I assumed you were hiding at least one trick. But I was mistaken. What were you, a third-rate warrior, doing in the Martial Alliance? Did you hold back your strength? Or were you truly a genius who grew in such a short time? Such mysteries abound. Truly, they do.”
“…….”
“But one thing is clear. The Heavenly Demon must have cherished your strength. That’s why she sent you to capture me. I know her. I understand her. She is strong yet fragile. Difficult to break, easy to wound. Ah, how I crave it. Surely, you have thought about such things yourself. To mar that artistic masterpiece.”
“…I’ll ask you once.”
He drew the Ear Sword and the Black Pearl sword, facing him.
“Why did you betray the Heavenly Demon?”
“I just said it a moment ago. I wanted to see the seemingly perfect crumble. hehehe. But, unfortunately, that’s not all. This is work. Jeok-un. It was my duty, even if there was a bit of selfish intent mixed in.”
“What do you mean?”
“There’s not a single place in the world where there isn’t a member of Reverse Heaven. Do you think our meeting was a coincidence? You’re mistaken. We are everywhere in the current Martial World, and I am merely one of many. Even if we hadn’t met here, it’s certain you and I would have crossed paths somewhere else. The body of the former head monk of Shaolin, Great Master Cheonil, merely hastened that time.”
Ak-bi shrugged.
“We act in the shadows, yet there are few who have noticed our existence. And every one of them has sworn loyalty to us. But the current leader of the Demon Cult was different. They ignored our existence even while knowing it. That place truly is a headache. Had it been another faction, we would have wiped them out swiftly… but our master of Reverse Heaven has a special regard for the Demon Cult. As time passed, the current cult amassed considerable strength… and we moved, albeit late. To steal the traces of the first Heavenly Demon that should have been taken long ago.”
“What is Reverse Heaven?”
“A profound question. If you asked what the upside-down heavens are, I could only give you one answer. We are the order of the underworld, guiding the heavens to block the world and steer it according to our will.”
“……”
“Jeok-un. There is history you do not know. Long before you were born, in a time when few even remember, that was when it happened. And it is a tale even I was born after. Yet, I find that irrelevant story enjoyable. The one who picked me up wandering the streets was the master of Reverse Heaven, so naturally, I had no choice but to be loyal.”
Ak-bi lightly shook his hand.
The blazing 강기 (Kang-gi) took form as a weapon, resting at his fingertips.
“Freedom is merely poison to those who cannot bear it. The old war of Cults proved that, and the foolish forces of the Five Exalted Temples assuredly showed it. Hence, someone must regulate that unbearable freedom. That is Reverse Heaven. The true master of this world.”
“…….”
“Do you wish to hear more? But… the time for riddles has long passed.”
Ak-bi revealed his teeth.
“My taking of the position of the Great Heat Master wasn’t solely due to the 귀령섭혼대법. Rather, I learned that when I entered there. Before that, I only relied on my own power to rise to that position. I was the weakest among the three who entered the Demon Cult, yet I remained strong. Moreover, I am not careless. I’ve assessed your strength, and thus, I’ll crush you head-on.”
“…….”
“See here. This is the martial arts that allowed me to reach the position of Great Heat Master, the 잔혼팔귀창 (San-hon Pal-gwi Chang).”
The blazing blue spear of 강기 struck the ground.
As the earth shook, he revealed his teeth. The 의형강기 flowed throughout his entire body.
Seven fiery spear points—like will-o’-the-wisps—rose around his spear, starting to rotate.
Seven fiery spear points…
And a central spear of 강기.
Does that weapon itself also embody 의형강기?
“I’ll thoroughly smash you, leaving only your corpse. And I’ll personally place it before the Heavenly Demon. Ah! Just the thought of seeing the distorted face of the Heavenly Demon once more makes my knees tremble!”
He raised his sword.
“That won’t happen.”
With that declaration, he gathered his 내력 (Nae-ryeok) once more.
To kill my first target.
“You die here, Ak-bi.”
…
Shaolin boasts four ascendant martial arts.
The 항마십팔장 (Hangma Shippaljang) that drives out evil.
The 백보신권 (Baekbo Sin-gwon) that pierces an enemy from a hundred steps away.
The 대력금강장 (Daelyeok Geumgangjang) that overpowers an enemy with overwhelming might.
The 천축불지 (Cheonchuk Bulji) that crushes foes with enlightenment.
Yet, all these serve merely as foundational arts to support one true martial art.
Those who have pierced the realms and entered the domain of the absolutes know.
The path of Shaolin’s true martial arts, which converge into one.
The 대윤회겁륜장 (Daeyun Hoegyeong-ji).
—KWA-AH-AH-AH-AH-AH-AH-AH-AH-AH-AH!!!!
The heart of the Buddha strikes out to batter the enemy with the 심검 (Heart Sword).
With one downward strike, the surrounding mountains crumble. Even the air collapses and bursts afterward.
This is what it means to manifest one’s mind.
Kang-gi? It merely goes against the natural order.
True martial arts change reality. They pull forth the world as per one’s wishes.
Before that overwhelming power, everything becomes meaningless. The might of Kang-gi turns to childish tantrums, and martial arts lose all significance.
But there exists a means to block it.
By matching the same realm.
—GOOO-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O…
The strike of the Buddha’s staff pushes back. The Heart Sword twists and the altered world halts.
Another colossal Heart Sword comes flying. The corroded form of the Buddha raises its own martial art in synchrony.
That movement.
That demeanor.
Not a bit different from before…
The master’s martial art.
The 대윤회겁륜장 (Daeyun Hoegyeong-ji).
The same martial arts clash against one another.
—KWA-AH-AH-AH-AH-AH-AH-AH!!!!
“GRRRRHHH!!!”
The strength itself is the same. Almost identical.
Upon closer examination, he might actually have a slight edge.
But the issue lies in the toxins that seep with each clash.
The poison embedded in the undead’s energy. It infiltrates him with every clash of the Heart Swords.
His flesh begins to quiver. Pressure builds up within his previously unfeeling body, sapping away his concentration.
Fights at a similar level are often decided by fleeting mistakes.
What began as an offense had gradually shifted to a defense. Steps replaced with a slow retreat.
He is pushed back. Continuously pushed back. No, he must regain momentum somehow…
How can this be done?!
—KWA-AH-AH-AH-AH-AH-AH-AH-AH-AH-AH!!!
Once more, a crashing Heart Sword tears through the air. But the dynamics are subtly different this time.
Something has permeated atop the colossal buddha’s hand. Something that creates a slight difference—a seeping 강기.
A martial arts strike from one standing on the borderline of Hwa-gyeong and the superlative strikes the side of the undead.
Of course, the damage is minimal. It doesn’t budge an inch.
But the scattered strength provides him with the chance to regain his foothold.
“Training…?!”
“The girl also has business with the undead. Bul-jun. I must witness the end with my own eyes before I can die comfortably.”
The warrior, who had been silent until now.
With a tremor, the essence of training clings to her, various weapons dangling from her hands.
“May I join in?”
“…Please.”
Bul-jun spat blood from his mouth. Regaining his power, he fixed his gaze upon his broken master.
Let’s go again.
To correct what has gone wrong.
