Chapter 223: Chapter 223
“What…?”
Did he just say he would tell them how messed up the currently deployed Eighteen Arhats Formation was?
Among those who knew him, he was famous for having a fiery temper, unlike a monk.
Having heard words and actions that belittled the Eighteen Arhats Formation, how could such a person hold back his anger?
With anger surging from within, his face, as well as his head stamped with the precept marks, turned red, and he glared fiercely at Cheon-hwi.
‘This guy!’
In an instant, strength entered his hands.
A twisted sneer formed on his lips.
Even though he was looking up, his gaze felt as if he was looking down on him.
Squeeze…
Gripping his long staff tightly, he turned his gaze away from Cheon-hwi and stared straight at Won-eum.
“Who is this person, Senior Martial Brother?”
As Won-ho’s lips parted and a voice suppressing his anger flowed out from between them, Won-eum made a troubled expression.
‘I should have stopped this before it came to this.’
Just as he was about to open his mouth after seeing Won-ho looking like he would explode at any moment.
“That’s not what’s important right now.”
Cheon-hwi spoke first.
And that was not the end of it.
Cheon-hwi raised his twisted lips even further, revealing a provocative smile.
“Ah! Are you acting like this because you are scared that the Eighteen Arhats Formation might be broken?”
“Benefactor!”
Won-eum hurriedly tried to stop him, but the words had already been spoken, and the smile lingering on Cheon-hwi’s lips only grew deeper.
“Well, if you are scared of that, I underst…”
At that moment, Won-ho raised his long staff.
Thud!
He violently struck the long staff against the floor and gritted his teeth, raising his voice.
“Do you know where you are right now, to spout such nonsense!”
A thunderous Lion’s Roar erupted.
Because of this, the gazes of the martial monks who were training nearby also became focused on them.
“Arhat Guild Leader…?”
“What is happening?”
Around the time they looked with surprised faces after discovering Won-ho spewing fiery anger.
“I’m not an idiot, would I not know the sect I walked into?”
Cheon-hwi spoke nonchalantly.
“It’s Shaolin.”
Won-ho’s eyebrows twitched.
It was something to be dumbfounded and click one’s tongue at.
To think he would disparage the Eighteen Arhats Formation while knowing he was within the Shaolin temple grounds…!
The flesh on his cheeks trembled with rage.
“Are you saying that someone who knows that well is doing this kind of thing right now?”
His nervous voice shot out like a sharp hidden weapon.
However.
“It’s not exactly something I shouldn’t do, is it.”
Cheon-hwi answered apathetically.
“Shouldn’t you be happy instead? I’m telling you I’ll let you know what you’re lacking.”
At his continuing words, the Arhat Monks standing behind Won-ho’s back also flew into a rage.
“Who is saying this to who right now…!”
Just when Gong So, who vied for the spot of having the most impatient temper among the Arhat Monks along with Won-ho, was about to rush out immediately.
Thud.
Won-ho raised his long staff to stop him.
“Guild Leader, why are you stopping…”
“You stay still.”
Won-ho glared at Gong So and spoke.
Seeing Won-ho’s bloodshot eyes, Gong So realized that he was not ordinarily angry and backed away while breaking into a cold sweat.
Won-ho moved the long staff he had used to stop him and pointed it straight at Cheon-hwi.
“I’ll have to fix your manners.”
Having spoken in a calm voice unlike earlier, he indifferently looked at Cheon-hwi. It was because he had become so angry that his reason had actually turned infinitely cold.
“If you are that confident, come up.”
“Sounds good.”
As if waiting for those words, Cheon-hwi did not delay and kicked off the ground.
Tap.
Seeing Cheon-hwi come up to the training grounds in a single breath with a light step, Won-ho withdrew his extended long staff and parted his lips.
“You weren’t just all talk.”
Along with his words, he swiftly turned his body around.
Then, he went and stood towards the Arhat Monks in the back before raising his long staff again.
At that time when a chilling atmosphere flowed.
“…Things have gotten complicated.”
Won-eum revealed a bitter smile.
“I am sorry. This poor monk should have stopped it, but I was too late…”
Won-eum, who was muttering to himself, flinched right when he turned his head to apologize to Heavenly Ear Beggar and Danmok Rin.
“How do you view it?”
“I know that Shaolin’s Eighteen Arhats Formation is amazing, but if it is Senior Martial Brother…”
“Tsk, you think the same as me. Since Shaolin’s Eighteen Arhats Formation is a peerless combined attack formation, it seems like he would be trapped, but I can’t help but wonder if it’s him.”
Not a hint of worry could be felt from the two of them. Rather, they were conversing as if they found it interesting while looking upon the sparring grounds.
‘Do they think he can truly break the Eighteen Arhats Formation?’
Wrinkles formed on Won-eum’s brow.
Of course, he also knew that the young hero before his eyes was strong.
Didn’t Bright Moon Blade and the Hwang-il Squad fall to his single strike in the secret cave of the Shadowless Divine Thief?
However.
‘He wouldn’t be able to last even fifteen minutes against the Eighteen Arhats Formation.’
Filled with certainty, he looked at the training grounds again.
It would be the same even if that young hero had not reached the Limitless Realm but the Heavenly Martial Realm.
Over the years, factions from the Outer Realms, including the Heavenly Demon Cult that shouted for unifying the world, and stellar masters of the unorthodox and demonic paths had attacked the Shaolin Temple.
However, didn’t all of them fail to break through this Eighteen Arhats Formation and have to swallow tears of resentment?
‘Even if it were the Eight Martial Gods…’
When he was thinking of the peerless masters of the Heaven Beyond Heaven who had now disappeared.
“Guild Leader.”
Gong Mun, who had newly become one of the Eighteen Arhats this time, approached Won-ho alongside Gong Jin.
“What is the matter?”
“You must not underestimate that young hero.”
“He is that young hero we had seen in the secret cave of the Shadowless Divine Thief.”
At Gong Mun’s words, the expressions of the Eighteen Arhats, including Won-ho, subtly stiffened.
The incident that happened in the secret cave of the Shadowless Divine Thief was widely known within Shaolin.
Won-ho’s eyebrows furrowed.
“So you’re saying that the Young Master who defeated the Sun Moon Sect’s Bright Moon Blade and the Hwang-il Squad is that person.”
“That is correct.”
“So that was why my Senior Martial Brother brought him here personally…”
Actually, although he didn’t reveal his dissatisfaction, Won-ho had secretly wondered why Won-eum had brought a kid without a speck of manners into the Shaolin Temple.
But now he understood.
‘If he has that level of martial prowess at that age.’
It was then, when his eyes that were staring at Cheon-hwi were half-closed.
“Yawn, so when are we going to do this?”
Cheon-hwi let out a yawn and spoke as if he was bored.
In an instant, Won-ho’s eyes grew fierce.
‘…I will have to fix his manners.’
What did it matter no matter how outstanding his skills were?
When he had absolutely no manners.
“Prepare yourselves.”
As Won-ho spoke.
Ta-da-dat!
The seventeen Arhat Monks who were lined up deployed the Arhat Steps and occupied their directions.
Giving them a glance, Won-ho shouted.
“Deploy the formation!”
The Buddhist sect’s Lion’s Roar spread everywhere.
At that moment, the Arhat Monks raised the long staffs in their hands high and opened their mouths.
“Amitabha!”
“Amitabha!”
The solemn Buddhist chants shook Shaolin.
Unbeknownst to anyone, a faint golden light shone behind them like a halo and enveloped the sparring grounds.
Looking at the Arhat Monks who had deployed the Arhat Qigong, Won-ho slammed his long staff down.
Thud!
Along with a heavy sound, the golden light swallowed the entire vision of those watching.
It was exactly the same for Cheon-hwi in front of them.
“Oh, the momentum is pretty good.”
Cheon-hwi’s eyes gleamed at the energy of destroying evil and vanquishing demons contained within the blinding golden light.
It was then.
Swish…
Won-ho slightly lifted his right foot and swiftly drew a full circle to the left.
Then, he lifted the staff he had slammed down and soon shot it forward.
That was the beginning.
The Arhat Monks who deployed the Eighteen Arhats Formation took the exact same action.
Pa-ba-bat!
Kasayas fluttered, and the wind blew.
The start was a faint breeze.
However, it turned into a fierce gale in the blink of an eye.
Swaaaaa…
It soon generated a massive vortex.
Because of this, everything in the sparring grounds was pulled entirely in their direction.
Even the air, even the momentum.
However, Cheon-hwi muttered as he looked ahead with an unwavering attitude.
“This level of momentum in a single breath. They don’t just talk about the Arhat Formation for nothing. If they ride this flow properly, even a master in the Heavenly Martial Realm wouldn’t be able to budge.”
It lived up to its reputation.
Perhaps, if the Eighteen Arhats Formation had been deployed properly, it would be on a completely different level from now.
“Then shall I take a closer look?”
Cheon-hwi’s eyes shone brightly.
His Mind’s Eye, which grasped the energy of the whole world, revealed itself and thoroughly grasped the flow of the Eighteen Arhats Formation unfolding right now.
‘The flow continues that way, is it Five Elements to Nine Palaces? The Gate of Rest must keep moving to switch places with the Gate of Life, but right, the moment it is guided to those three, the internal energy just gets completely blocked in the middle.’
The moment Cheon-hwi let out a chuckle while slowly tracing and observing the flow.
“Haap!”
Along with a shout, Won-ho shook his long staff. Then, in an instant, the long staff split into several pieces and scattered like a folding fan.
And as the other Arhat Monks followed that movement, it instantly spread out like a net and crashed towards Cheon-hwi like a wave.
Cheon-hwi, who was watching them, drew his sword.
The moment the pure white White Lotus Sword was about to be pulled out halfway, the dozens of long staffs swung by the Eighteen Arhats swept over Cheon-hwi.
Flash!
The Eighteen Demon Subduing Staff Art swallowed the world along with a blinding golden light.
“Amitabha…!”
The martial monks watching from the surroundings hurriedly chanted Buddhist prayers and raised their internal energy.
It was such a strong rebounding force that even they, who were at a distance, had to protect their bodies.
For a moment, some could not even bear to open their eyes and only chanted Buddhist prayers while frowning.
As the golden light that filled their vision disappeared, the appearance of the training grounds was revealed.
“P-Guild Leader?”
The martial monks erupted in shock.
On the training grounds, in the center of the Eighteen Arhats including Won-ho, Cheon-hwi stood upright with no difference from before.
Won-ho’s two eyes trembled slightly.
‘What just happened?’
He could not understand it at all.
The Eighteen Demon Subduing Staff Art led by the Eighteen Arhats Formation was accurately slammed down on that young man’s head without a single flaw.
But at that moment.
‘The red light that suddenly appeared…’
His eyes narrowed.
It didn’t clearly come to mind.
He could only intuitively feel that the red light he had vaguely seen had completely cut down the Eighteen Demon Subduing Staff Art.
Looking at Cheon-hwi, he asked.
“What did you do?”
“I cut the flow in the middle.”
Cheon-hwi’s gaze looked at Gong Mun, Gong Jin, and Gong Muk in turn.
The three, who were unable to hide their shock just like Won-ho, flinched at that gaze.
“Whether it’s because those three over there are still inexperienced at handling internal energy or for some other reason, they were weakening the flow of the Eighteen Arhats Formation. So I just casually snipped it.”
Along with his words, Cheon-hwi lifted his sword and moved it up and down lightly.
At that action, Won-ho narrowed his brow.
“You cut the flow? What kind of ridiculous…”
Looking at Won-ho who still couldn’t accept it, Cheon-hwi chuckled and lifted his sword.
“If you still don’t know, why don’t you come at me more? Who knows? As you keep trying, you might suddenly realize it at some point.”
“…”
Won-ho bit his lower lip and shouted.
“Raise all your Arhat Qigong!”
The Arhat Monks’ eyes widened.
Telling them to raise all their Arhat Qigong meant deploying the Eighteen Arhats Formation for real, so how could they not be surprised?
“Were you planning to end it like this?”
At Won-ho’s following words, the Arhat Monks raised their Arhat Qigong in a single breath.
They were also the Eighteen Arhats.
Even if they had deployed the Eighteen Arhats Formation closer to practice rather than an actual battle, failing to inflict any injuries like this was tantamount to a huge stain on their honor.
“Amitabha.”
“Amitabha.”
Quiet Buddhist chants slowly spread out.
And before those sounds even fully resonated, Won-ho unclasped his joined hands and reached his right hand far forward.
A faint golden light lingered on his hand.
Flash!
Following that, golden light exploded from his eyes.
No, it was not just him.
All of the Eighteen Arhats were reaching their right hands forward exactly like him, scattering intense golden light from their pupils.
As the golden light eventually encroached upon the surroundings.
Thump…
The Absolute Reigning Art reacted.
It would have been weird for it to not react to such an intense demon-vanquishing energy.
However.
‘Now is not the time for you to come out.’
Cheon-hwi calmed down the Absolute Reigning Art.
And instead, the moment he slowly raised his Plum Blossom Divine Art and loaded internal energy into his sword.
“Everyone deploy!”
Along with Won-ho’s shout, they exploded the Arhat Qigong they had stored in their right hands.
Eighteen Arhat Hands!
The peerless hand technique mastered by the Eighteen Arhats simultaneously unfolded from their hands.
A total of eighteen techniques, each deployed individually.
Each and every technique enveloped Cheon-hwi, containing an internal force that would not leave even the bones of a master who had reached the Limitless Realm intact.
‘He won’t be able to block it.’
A smile of victory formed on Won-ho’s lips.
The internal energy of the Eighteen Arhats formed through the Eighteen Arhats Formation was on a different track compared to ordinary techniques.
Ten Jiazi? Twenty Jiazi?
No, it was an internal energy even greater than that.
And the Eighteen Arhat Hands containing such internal energy was enough to make even the one deploying it have their hair stand on end.
‘I should end it with just internal injuries…’
It was the moment he was thinking about when it would be good to stop the strike of the Eighteen Arhat Hands.
‘This is…?’
A single red line was suddenly being drawn across the blinding golden light.
It was very thin.
But it was clear and distinct.
To the point where anyone would have their gaze stolen.
The line that was slowly drawn from the top eventually reached the ground, and soon the world that was filled with golden light split in half.
And Cheon-hwi suddenly popped out from between it.
“…!”
“What in the…!”
The moment all the Eighteen Arhats, including Won-ho, glared with wide eyes and looked at Cheon-hwi.
Cheon-hwi revealed his pure white teeth.
“It’s still a complete mess as expected.”