Chapter 143
**
“Ugh…”
A staggering body retreats. Entrails spill from a gaping belly.
“Uweeeeeeek!!!”
A dark, murky substance bursts from Ak-bi’s mouth, crushed by the polished Yi-hyeong Ki.
The living thing that had been observed blankly crawled on the floor. The heavenly purity within me detected a sense of caution.
Is that… a fragment of Cheongeop that was inside Ak-bi?
But the color looked strange. Now that I think about it… Ak-bi’s regenerative power seemed to be lagging behind me.
I crushed it and burst it. A half-chewed Cheongeop that hadn’t been fully absorbed into the body.
I recalled the words Ilma had said. Only three beings possess a complete Cheongeop in this world: myself, her, and the Heavenly Demon.
Then this is…
The leftover’s half?
I had stolen something flawed. I didn’t add any more words. I simply aimed my sword at Ak-bi’s neck.
With the disappearance of Cheongeop, the body that had completely stopped regenerating bled endlessly from the pierced chest.
“You… you are…”
“Where are the other two?”
“You… bastard…”
The Ak-bi, who had been coughing up blood, laughed.
“Go… fuck yourself…”
The empty gaze fell to the floor.
Blood spilled out, scattering. I shook the sword clean.
I wanted to hear the remaining story, but… he was not someone I could win against while holding back…
I had no choice but to be satisfied with this.
I reached out. The insights gained from the fight with Ak-bi were seeping into my body.
A light realization. A valuable experience that solidified my Yi-hyeong Ki and reinforced my use of internal energy.
I felt that both my body and mind had become a step stronger through proper practice. Moreover, with the Blood Dyer…
The sixth stage of the Nine Heavens Blood Demon Technique seemed to have fully settled, swinging between life and death.
It felt like I had gained several other things, but that was something to look over later. I turned my head.
At that moment, Gongbaek’s Heart Sword pierced the enemy amidst the shaking ground.
“Namu Amitabul…”
The crumbling corpses. Together with that, Gongbaek immediately turned on his heels.
“Jeok-un! Help me!”
I hurriedly ran over. Su-ryeon was lying among the corpses.
Her whole body was torn to shreds. Blood oozed from her mouth as if she had sustained severe internal injuries.
“She… she helped me. Thanks to her, I was able to win. But this is…”
“These are wounds torn by the Heart Sword.”
I’ve experienced it. A force that can crush those who couldn’t reach a state of enlightenment, by mere aftermath.
I scooped Su-ryeon into my arms. She looked up at me.
Her trembling hand slowly rose and grasped me.
“… I have… completed what I had to do…”
“… Su-ryeon.”
“Thank you… Jeok-un… thanks to you… still…”
“You don’t need to leave a last will.”
I slipped my hand into my pocket.
I took out the miraculous pill I received from Kunlun.
Soxian Pill.
A recovery pill proven by the Elder of Kunlun, specialized for healing.
I placed it in her mouth, but she wasn’t able to chew it properly. I took it back, crushed it with my teeth, and then immediately kissed her lips.
“……!”
Su-ryeon’s eyes widened.
From mouth to mouth.
After transferring all the crushed pill, I placed my hand on her back. I deliberately guided my energy to help evenly distribute the medicine, aiding in her recovery.
Gongbaek was astonished.
“What is this…?! The effectiveness is visible to the naked eye…! Where in the world did you receive something this precious?!”
“I got it from Kunlun. They called it Soxian Pill.”
“The Soxian Pill from Kunlun! Its value is unimaginable, a treasure that cannot be obtained even with money…!”
As she struggled to channel her internal energy, Su-ryeon looked at me.
“Why… would you give such a precious thing to a girl…?”
“I had no specific reason. I just saved it to use at the right place and time.”
Her condition was improving.
I had quenched an urgent fire. I let out a sigh of relief.
“Just being able to save the life of a partner with a small pill is enough.”
“…….”
Su-ryeon immediately began gathering her internal energy. It seemed unnecessary to draw any further internal energy, so I turned around.
In the end, all enemies here had perished.
Not only Master Jang Gyeong and Master Na Han, the two pillars of Shaolin…
But also the renowned masters, the Four Great Vajras and Eighteen Arhats, had all died.
“… this matter is.”
Gongbaek opened his mouth.
“I’ll take responsibility.”
“… Bul-jun, I have a request.”
“A request? I think I know what it is. But before I answer, let me ask you one thing.”
Gongbaek smiled weakly.
“I am currently powerless. My entire stamina is depleted, and I am on the verge of collapsing. I have poured everything out, and my insides are filled with poison. Yet you seem to have some energy left. If you wish to kill me, now is the perfect time.”
“……”
“Are you going to kill me?”
“I have no intention of staining my hands with the blood of an innocent.”
“Innocent, huh… I have committed too many sins for that. Namu Amitabul…”
Gongbaek stood beside me.
“Are you allied with the Demon Cult?”
“That’s right.”
“… What did you come for?”
There was no thought of hiding since he had already heard everything.
I simply trusted in his cooperativeness.
“Among the traitors who betrayed the sect, there are three who have committed inhumane acts.”
“… Who are they?”
“The one I just killed, Ak-bi, is one of them. I turned people into corpses and brought them here.”
“What did the other two do?”
“One killed innocent civilians who couldn’t wield swords and made a mockery of their corpses, while the other murdered countless people to grow in strength.”
“… Truly heinous individuals. I believe you. Then what do you plan to do once this matter is all resolved?”
“I intend to return to the sect. My goal is solely those three. I’ve come to hunt down these beasts that are not even human.”
“Then why have you been so diligent about this matter?”
“……”
I looked down at the shattered corpses.
I recalled the heinous acts they had committed.
“… I have received orders, but prior to that, I believed that everything they did was wrong. Killing innocent people and profiting from it…”
I watched as the bloody winds began to regenerate slowly before my eyes.
What Smaak gave me was indeed a treasure. If only the world were filled with people like him, it would be ideal, but unfortunately, it wasn’t.
“The sword unsheathed by itself. That’s all there is to it.”
“… You are indeed walking the right path. You understand righteousness. I feel foolish for having thought of you as a remnant of the Demon Cult.”
Gongbaek wiped his face.
“Do not worry. I owe you a favor, so I will not let your story leak. I will keep it to myself for a lifetime. But if your actions contain unspoken words, I will step in directly. Do you have any objections?”
“None. If such a thing were to happen, it would be better for you to come stop me. After all, that’s what I would wish for too.”
“… It’s refreshing to hear. Jeok-un. Step back. I need to tidy up the area. Your sword mark is too strong of a trace…”
Bul-jun raised his hand.
The Heart Sword trembled in all directions.
“I’m going to turn the surroundings upside down. This is purely my goodwill, so do not refuse me.”
Inside the Temple of Repentance. A terrain filled with rocky mountains.
A massive palm descended upon it.
…
The distorted formation within the Temple of Repentance.
Along with that, Geumpyeong and Myochoa, who had been unable to advance beyond it, saw two figures emerging late.
The Heavenly Seer Gongbaek…
And the blood-soaked Jeok-un.
“What…?!”
“What happened inside?!”
Gongbaek stared at them blankly.
“… You are also members of the inspection team, but your movements are quite slow.”
“…….”
“Step aside.”
“Wait, explain…”
“Now.”
The heavens and earth trembled. Just by the sheer pressure of energy, Geumpyeong and Myochoa began to shudder.
“Are you trying to block my path?”
“Th-That’s…!”
It’s different.
It’s far too different from the rumors of being a symbol of gentle kindness.
What on earth happened in there…?!
Bul-jun strode forward. Myochoa struggled to rise and grabbed the hem of Jeok-un’s clothing.
“Wait a moment! Jeok-un! Just a second…!”
“Step back! How dare you touch a patient!”
Myochoa, overwhelmed by the pressure, coughed up blood. Geumpyeong, unable to bear it, knelt on one knee.
Ruin inflicted solely by pressure. Within it, Bul-jun raised his hand.
“Go to Hanam Province and wait. Shaolin will announce its position once everything is settled.”
“Then, what about Jeok-un…?”
“We will take care of him at Shaolin. He is practically the greatest contributor to this incident…”
Gongbaek began to move. The torn monk’s robe fluttered.
“Shaolin will remember the inspection officer as a benefactor.”
“……!”
Gongbaek.
The word “benefactor” spoken directly by a member of the sect’s supreme ranks.
Myochoa followed his receding figure with her eyes.
Though they couldn’t determine exactly what had happened, one thing was clear.
They had resolved the situation. Without dying and even carrying Gongbaek on their back.
What kind of harmony is this…?!
…
The Shaolin expressed their stance. They organized the stories of the decayed Shaolin, including Master Jang Gyeong and Master Na Han, and Bul-jun himself concluded all the tales.
The Eighteen Arhats and the Four Great Vajras, who had sought power and wealth and had plotted against them. Although there were those who pondered the credibility of the claim that Bul-jun had personally subdued them, they all remained silent.
A member of the sect’s supreme ranks.
The title of Bul-jun was not to be taken lightly.
Bul-jun, having treated only the minimum wounds, immediately began to organize the business. Many left Shaolin due to his nearly unilateral actions, causing the maintained wealth and glory to crumble in an instant.
An air of emptiness enveloped what was once bustling Shaolin. Yet not everyone had departed.
Those who truly wished to cultivate away from the secular world remained instead. They agreed to the restructuring of the businesses and diligently tidied up the spaces left empty by the departing crowd.
Shaolin’s influence had considerably diminished. This signified one thing.
As the vast sect supporting the businesses collapsed, Sapa, which had been lying low, began to stir. Along with Hanam Province, the territory of Shaolin was plunged into chaos, and other sects began to sneak into their domain.
“… There’s much to be done.”
“What do you plan to do with all of it?”
“I suppose I must first handle the aftermath of everything. Supporting those who have lost family and helping the vagrants find jobs will take precedence. Although I’ve relinquished all businesses, I must ensure that no evildoing arises in the midst… I must curb that as well.”
Gongbaek turned his shoulders.
“I have no time to completely rid of the poison. Once everything settles, I’ll have to engage in a seal-off ceremony as well… Until then, I’ll have to run myself.”
“A sealing ceremony, you say?”
“Shaolin has suffered an irreparable loss. All that has been built over the years is crumbling and is now covered in disgrace. I plan to close the doors to the sect for at least a few years while I am the abbot… I will focus on the internal matters.”
“…….”
“However, outside of that, the name ‘Gongbaek’ will belong to you. The favor I owe you runs deeply, so I will certainly help you within the bounds of righteousness. Feel free to come anytime, benefactor of Shaolin.”
“Thank you.”
“There’s no need for thanks; it’s something a benefactor should say. That aside…”
Gongbaek lowered his voice.
“You are now the publicly declared benefactor by me. Since the inspection officer rescued you from the jaws of death, the public’s attention will shift to you. Can you fully hide your skills in that tumult?”
“I am the one who tricked the Martial Alliance leader as well. It shouldn’t be too difficult.”
“… The more I see, the more talented you are. Almost frighteningly so. And… the corpses you mentioned, I’ve already taken care of them. What do you plan to do about that?”
“I plan to leave traces in places where everyone can see, so that no one like him exists again.”
“What do you mean…?”
“I intend to display them in the market of Anhui City, where the Martial Alliance resides.”
“… I won’t ask you to show mercy. He is a detestable being who even disrespected my master’s corpse. But given the timing, I fear you might be named as the perpetrator due to the current state of Shaolin.”
“Hanging the corpses in Anhui City is a matter for the distant future. On the day when I kill all the criminals, I plan to display the corpses of the criminals all at once in Anhui City. Until then… I’ll have to separately collect and store the corpses. That way, my mission won’t be hindered.”
“Do you have a place to store them?”
“I was thinking of a separate arrangement…”
I glanced around the room.
“Su-ryeon mentioned she would help.”
“… How is her condition?”
“She has greatly improved. Fortunately, the emergency measures I took in time seem to have helped her.”
“If you need anything, let me know. And aside from that…”
Bul-jun stared at me blankly.
“It seems you have gained quite a lot from that fight… I believe I can assist you with some aspects. What do you say?”
“… Excuse me?”
“Just by experiencing various martial arts, your knowledge can change. In your case, it’s even more so.”
Gongbaek stood up.
“That enlightenment you couldn’t fully resolve is stirring within your body, isn’t it? I’ll make sure to clarify that vague understanding. It will surely be beneficial to you.”
