Chapter 127: Empty-handed Come, Empty-handed Go (1)
Chapter 126 – Empty-handed Come, Empty-handed Go (1)
Pa-gak looked at the cheering commoners with a pale face before quickly running to Hye-gwang.
“How could this be…”
Hye-gwang’s back was truly too horrific to look at with open eyes.
The words written in blood were clearly visible even under the moonlight.
“My skill has deteriorated a lot.”
Startled by the voice that suddenly came from beside him, Pa-gak flinched and turned around.
Standing beside him without him realizing when he had approached, Namgung Cheon was admiring the words carved into Hye-gwang’s back.
“In the past, it was enough to write a whole poem. I would even draw a little picture next to it. But this time, the writing is a bit crooked, and it’s not satisfying at all.”
Namgung Cheon scratched his chin and let out a sigh.
Pa-gak did not know how much of it he should believe.
Considering Namgung Cheon’s age, it had to be a bluff, but after watching how the bastard fought until now, it did not seem like a bluff.
Of course, even in his past life, Namgung Cheon had never written a poem on an enemy’s back.
In a situation where he was busy running away, how could he have the leisure to write a poem?
The words he carved on the backs of his enemies were usually of this sort:
Stop chasing me, you motherfuckers!
Don’t you guys even sleep?
Do you even eat while running around?
Of course, those words would not have served as any sort of inspiration for his pursuers.
‘That must be why they chased me so persistently. Damn bastards!’
However, writing such words had relieved his anger to some extent.
And looking at the words he had carved after a long time…
“As expected, I don’t like it. I need to practice more.”
Raising his head nonchalantly, Namgung Cheon turned his gaze toward Pa-gak.
“Gasps!”
Instantly, Pa-gak took a large step back and raised his hands.
“N-No, you mustn’t!”
“Hmm? What?”
“I-I will do as you say. Our association will withdraw from Yixian, so please, have mercy…”
“Why? Don’t you want to feel the sensation of having an itchy back scratched?”
“I-It is not itchy.”
“Well, what a pity.”
Namgung Cheon shrugged his shoulders and nudged Hye-gwang, who was collapsed on the ground, with the tip of his foot.
“Take this fellow and leave Yixian within the time to eat a meal.”
“W-Within the time to eat a meal?”
“Why? Did I give you too generous of a time limit?”
“N-No. Understood. We will leave within the time to eat a meal.”
“If I went by my original personality, I would have ground you up and drunk you down already… but out of respect for Buddha’s mercy, I am holding back.”
“T-Thank you.”
“Then pack your bags starting now. Do it!”
“D-Doing it!”
Pa-gak quickly repeated the command, helped Hye-gwang up, and carried him on his back.
Only then did the other monks also move in a hurry, starting to pack their belongings.
Namgung Cheon infused his voice with internal energy and shouted loud enough for all the monks to hear.
“Like the fake monks you are, take only your clothes and your bodies and leave! Do it!”
“D-Doing it!”
The monks shouted in unison and began to move busily.
“Yes, practice non-possession.”
Namgung Cheon smirked.
* * *
Hye-gwang, Pa-gak, and Goe-bul-ja were passing through the foothills of Mount Huang.
“This is the place. Let us rest here for a bit before going.”
Hye-gwang, who was walking with difficulty while being supported by Goe-bul-ja, sat on a boulder to the side and panted heavily.
“Cough, bleeegh!”
After vomiting a gush of dark blood, Hye-gwang finally seemed a bit more comfortable, and his breathing returned to normal.
He looked up at the stars in the night sky.
What kind of pathetic sight was this?
Not only had they lost their commercial rights to a brat who appeared out of nowhere, but they had also lost their manor.
The sense of humiliation from the moment he stamped the contract resurfaced once again.
“Damn it!”
Boom!
In an instant, as he struck down with his iron bell striker, a part of the boulder he was sitting on broke off.
Goe-bul-ja, who was standing nearby, flinched and spoke cautiously.
“A-Abbot. Please calm down. It will strain your body…”
“Shut up! After all the effort to build the Shining Monk Association… to end up in this shape and state overnight…!”
“…”
Goe-bul-ja could not bring himself to say anything more and simply watched his reaction.
The dozens of monks who resided at the Shining Monk Association’s manor had scattered in all directions, to the point where no one knew where they had gone.
How much effort had he put into gathering them?
Yet, once the central figure, Hye-gwang, fell, the solidarity of the apostate monks collapsed with futile ease.
Pa-gak let out a soft sigh and shook his head.
“We must not let this matter slide.”
“Is that not why I told Patriarch Jang to meet us here?”
“Yes, indeed.”
Pa-gak agreed with Hye-gwang’s words and nodded.
Hye-gwang grumbled, clearly displeased.
“But why has that guy not shown his face yet?”
“He will arrive soon. If he has betrayed us, then at that time…”
“I cannot just stand by and watch. Even if this humble monk has to die, I will make him pay the price. Without fail!”
In an instant, a menacing murderous intent flared up in Hye-gwang’s eyes.
However, due to the side effects of his internal injuries, he soon coughed violently and vomited bright red blood once again.
“Damn it! Bullshit! Curse it!”
Curses automatically spilled from his mouth.
Every time he coughed, it felt as though his internal organs were snapping piece by piece. Moreover, his shredded and mangled back constantly burned, raising his body temperature.
And was that all?
Due to the resonance of the iron bell that vibrated continuously during the duel, his head was still ringing dizzily, and his hearing was muffled.
‘I cannot understand it. Why did that young brat…’
As he ground his teeth, a presence was felt from somewhere off the path.
A moment later, a figure emerged from the bushes, but the monks showed no wariness upon seeing him.
Instead, as if they had been waiting for him, Pa-gak approached and asked.
“Why are you so late?”
“I am sorry! I had no idea things would turn out like this…”
The person who spoke while scanning their expressions was none other than Jang Won-sik.
The one who had originally handed over Yixian’s commercial rights to the Shining Monk Association.
Cautiously observing Hye-gwang’s condition, he asked.
“What in the world happened?”
“Are you asking because you do not know? Namgung Cheon made me like this!”
“B-But did that child really possess this much…”
“What are you talking about? Are you saying the Abbot was done in by a child with no ability?”
“T-That is not it, but…”
Jang Won-sik had an expression of utter disbelief.
From that reaction, Pa-gak and the other monks also guessed that Jang Won-sik had not betrayed them.
However, the fact remained that the plan had failed.
It was not as though he bore absolutely no responsibility for it.
“In the meantime, our association did not spare support for the Jang Family in various ways. In exchange for handing over the commercial rights, you must have enjoyed quite a bit of profit.”
“I admit it.”
“But since this has happened, we cannot help but hold you somewhat responsible. You should have at least given us a word of warning.”
“Did I not tell you? That such a thing might happen due to the Young Patriarch’s business.”
“Do you intend to make excuses until the end? Did you not say there was no need to worry? You did not mention that such a monster would come!”
“A monster… Why in the world is that child…”
At that, Hye-gwang stood up abruptly and loomed before Jang Won-sik.
With a tense expression, Jang Won-sik swallowed dry saliva.
“That child is indeed a monster. There is no other monster like him!”
“Are you saying Namgung Cheon is that strong?”
“I do not know about his strength. However, he is definitely a terrifying bastard. Patriarch Jang must pay the price for this matter. We will report everything honestly when held accountable. I called you here first because I thought Patriarch Jang should know.”
Gulp…!
Jang Won-sik swallowed dry saliva and nodded with difficulty.
“I understand.”
“Then, I wish you luck.”
It was just when the monks, including Hye-gwang, were about to start walking again.
“Everyone, freeze.”
A familiar voice fell from the sky.
At that moment, Hye-gwang felt the hairs on his body stand on end from his toes to the top of his head.
Pa-gak, Goe-bul-ja, and Jang Won-sik also jerked their heads up in surprise.
Whoosh, thud!
A shadow dropped straight down from a tree.
Namgung Cheon cracked his neck and let out a cold laugh.
“Got you, you rascal!”
“W-Why are you here…?”
As Jang Won-sik backed away in embarrassment, Hye-gwang and Pa-gak, who had misunderstood on their own, shouted.
“Patriarch Jang! What is the meaning of this?”
“Have you truly betrayed us!”
“N-No. I really do not know…”
As Jang Won-sik quickly waved his hands, Namgung Cheon smirked at him.
“Thank you for guiding me. Thanks to you, I have clearly confirmed that these guys have a mastermind behind them. As expected, what you told me was not all lies, was it?”
Jang Won-sik could not understand what Namgung Cheon was saying at all.
However, it was clear that Namgung Cheon’s remark touched a nerve with Hye-gwang.
Judging solely by Namgung Cheon’s words, Jang Won-sik’s betrayal was obvious.
In the end, Hye-gwang flew into a rage and rushed forward like a maniac.
“You bastard Jang Won-sik!”
Closing the distance in an instant with strength that came from who-knew-where, he struck Jang Won-sik’s shoulder mercilessly with his iron bell striker.
Crack!
“Argh!”
As Jang Won-sik fell, spraying blood, Hye-gwang climbed on top of him.
“I will kill you and drop to hell!”
Whoosh!
The moment the iron bell striker, which had been raised high, fell toward Jang Won-sik’s head,
Thwack!
“Uh…”
Why is the sound of a skull cracking coming from me? Why is the world tilting? Am I flying right now?
With that final thought, Hye-gwang hit a rock and lost consciousness.
Crash!
Namgung Cheon, who had struck Hye-gwang’s head, brushed off his hands and muttered.
“You should have kept it in moderation, tsk.”
“…”
Now, Jang Won-sik’s jaw dropped open.
He looked at Namgung Cheon with a dreaming expression.
“Uh… uh…?”
“Stop making pathetic noises. I will see you in a bit. Consider yourself dead.”
“Uh…”
While Jang Won-sik was pale-faced and unable to speak, Pa-gak and Goe-bul-ja, sensing a crisis, quickly turned their bodies.
However, just before the two could stamp their feet, Namgung Cheon stomped heavily on the ground.
Boom!
“Ugh!”
“Ack!”
The ground shook as if an earthquake had occurred. At the same time, Namgung Cheon flew like lightning toward the two who had lost their balance and stumbled.
Thwack! Thud!
“Argh!”
“Aaack!”
Struck with the scabbard still on, the two tumbled to the ground just like that.
Namgung Cheon walked slowly toward Pa-gak and Goe-bul-ja, pointed his finger back and forth at the two, and muttered in a sing-song voice.
“Which. One. Should. I. Beat. Up. First? Let. Us. Ask. The. Deity. Ding. Dong. Dang!”
The finger pointed at Goe-bul-ja.
“You are really unlucky. Though, could you be as unlucky as me?”
“S-Spare me.”
Goe-bul-ja shrank back with a pale face.
He was feeling extreme terror right now, for a strange aura was flowing from Namgung Cheon before his eyes.
That aura made Namgung Cheon look not like a human, but like a grim reaper who held death too lightly.
Was it a prejudice that formed because he had heard who Namgung Cheon’s biological father was?
‘This is just like…’
Was it not the energy of the Great Killing Star?
Namgung Cheon smirked.
“I will only ask once. There is no second chance. Since you are on the unlucky side, you should remember my words well.”
“U-Understood.”
“Goe-bul-ja. I looked into you, and you are absolute trash. Rape, murder, theft. They say you even raped and killed a woman, and then killed her child as well?”
“…I-I did wrong.”
“No, what I don’t understand is… why is your life so extreme? If you don’t become a fake monk, do you have to become such trash?”
“F-Forgiveness…”
“Why the fuck are you begging me for forgiveness when your wrongs were committed elsewhere? Whatever. Who is the mastermind?”
“…?”
“No matter how much I think about it, it’s strange. What is there to eat in Yixian that make the likes of the Shining Monk Association act up? From what I know, that pervert is not the kind of person who could hatch such a complicated plan. Now, spit out who the mastermind is. Weren’t you guys talking amongst yourselves earlier? About what would happen if you were held responsible, and so on.”
“T-That alone… please…!”
At that moment, Goe-bul-ja read the extreme darkness in Namgung Cheon’s eyes. The moment he realized his mistake and tried to open his mouth again,
Slash!
Just when he thought a streak of light passed by his neck, the world tilted slowly.
Thud, roll, roll…
Spurt!
Losing his head, Goe-bul-ja collapsed on the spot.
Watching that sight, Pa-gak swallowed hard and chanted a Buddhist prayer.
“Amitabha…”
Looking at Pa-gak, Namgung Cheon muttered coldly.
“Stop fucking chanting. Now it’s your turn. You get one chance.”