Chapter 317: The Wheels Roll (5)
The two people who came out to the spacious yard in front of Master Kong-kong’s residence stood facing each other.
Yeon Ho-jeong performed a fist salute with moderation.
“I am Yeon Ho-jeong of the Green Mountain Yeon Clan in Jiangdong.”
Beom-oh’s eyebrows wriggled.
He used the blunt, authoritative tone right from their first meeting. Even looking at his appearance, his age should be known, but he seemed to come out quite arrogantly.
However, just because the opponent acts like that, he could not act like a ruffian himself.
“I am Beom-oh of Shaolin.”
Master Kong-kong, who was looking at the two from afar, clicked his tongue low.
Tang Kwan, who was sitting next to him with his arms crossed, snickered.
“Thanks to that Arhat, the Abbot will not be bored either.”
“Heoheo, I am just at a loss.”
The conversation between the two was clearly heard even in Beom-oh’s ears, which were quite far away.
Beom-oh’s eyes deepened. For some reason, it sounded like they were treating him like a child without experience, so he did not feel good.
‘…No thoughts. Let’s empty the mind.’
Beom-oh, who took a small deep breath, suddenly looked at the hand axe hanging on Yeon Ho-jeong’s waist.
It was an axe that did not even have its blade properly sharpened. Was its size a little longer than the length of an adult male’s forearm?
Beom-oh could not hold back his curiosity and asked.
“Do you use an axe?”
“Ah, this?”
Yeon Ho-jeong smiled bitterly.
“Although the axe is my main weapon, I have taken my hands off it recently. Of course, I will use it when the required moment comes.”
“Mmm.”
Beom-oh secretly looked down on the opponent.
‘An axe, of all things.’
Originally, an axe was not a weapon worthy of use by orthodox martial artists. It was a weapon that those ruffians of the Black Path or third-rate bandits who pushed with weight would use.
But for the person called the absolute best rising star under heaven to use an axe? Moreover, a child of the Yeon Clan that made its name with sword arts?
‘He is truly a unique person.’
Beom-oh, who was looking at Yeon Ho-jeong with a smile, steadied his mind again.
‘No matter what weapon he uses, his skill in storing his qi is genuine. I must not be careless.’
His opponent’s skill deserved recognition just from the fact that he could not read his presence.
However, there are many types of martial arts in the Murim. Among them, there were many peerless divine arts uniquely specialized in storing true qi.
Beom-oh thought his opponent’s martial arts would also be similar to that kind.
“Then, I would like to slowly begin.”
Yeon Ho-jeong tilted his head.
“Had we not already started? I was waiting.”
Doubt arose on Beom-oh’s face.
“What do you mean by that? I have never said I would strike first?”
“…Mmm, so you are that type?”
Yeon Ho-jeong smiled and nodded his head.
“I understand. Let’s begin.”
Beom-oh unnecessarily felt in a bad mood. Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes and speech and behavior were similar to those of his Abbot martial uncle or the Tang Clan Head.
‘Arrogant.’
Slide.
Beom-oh lowered his posture.
The posture he smoothly assumed reminded one of a solid rock. Not a single opening could be found at all.
A faint golden true qi leaked from Beom-oh’s body.
Ooooong!
A sound as if a temple bell was ringing spread out.
Master Kong-kong slapped his knee.
“It is the Great Vehicle Brahma Heaven!”
It was the opening of the Great Vehicle Brahma Heaven Divine Art, one of Shaolin’s supreme divine arts.
The aura spreading out in all directions was surprisingly tough. Rather than a feeling of being flashy or special, it was a wonderful qi art that quietly spread its presence.
Beom-oh spoke.
“Come in first.”
Yeon Ho-jeong nodded his head.
“Good.”
Crunch, crunch.
Beom-oh frowned.
‘What is he doing?’
When told to come in, he just trudged along without any preparation.
He neither opened his internal energy cultivation method nor carefully took a posture. He was approaching with light steps as if going out for a stroll on the back mountain.
There was not even a gambler’s fighting spirit or tension in his two eyes.
‘Is this fellow trying to joke with me right now?’
Before long, Yeon Ho-jeong entered within one zhang of Beom-oh.
It was then.
Paaak!
Yeon Ho-jeong’s right foot shot towards Beom-oh’s face like a whip with an awl attached.
Beom-oh’s eyes flashed.
‘Fast!’
He approached slowly and instantly fired an explosive kick technique.
Even Beom-oh of the world was flustered by that terrifying speed. But his body reacted first to the vicious kick technique of Yeon Ho-jeong, as he was also a martial monk reputed as a prodigy of Shaolin.
Huuk!
Beom-oh’s right fist bent like a snake and aimed for Yeon Ho-jeong’s calf. His intention was to strike and bounce it away before it stuck into his face.
At that time, Yeon Ho-jeong’s foot disappeared from Beom-oh’s vision.
Kung!
“Ugh?!”
The kicking technique that was being fired came down to the bottom like swinging an axe and stepped on Beom-oh’s instep.
Beom-oh’s face turned red.
‘Eek!’
He never imagined he would step on his instep. Thanks to the protection of the Great Vehicle Brahma Heaven Divine Art, his bone was not broken, but a tremendous shock was transmitted to his instep.
‘What kind of act is this!’
What kind of sparring opponent in the world would step on the opponent’s instep? It was an unheard-of attack.
Paaaang!
The angry Beom-oh swung his twin fists.
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes flashed.
It seemed like he was swinging haphazardly, but inside, it was full of power and momentum to crush even a rock. It was the Shaolin Vajra Fist.
Teoteong!
Beom-oh’s eyes opened so wide they seemed they would tear.
Before long, his two fists were bounced to the left and right. The opponent’s palms had struck his wrist pulse gates.
Even seeing it, he could not know what kind of technique was used. It was a lightning-fast trick.
Yeon Ho-jeong’s left hand struck Beom-oh’s chest.
Thwack!
‘Keuk!’
It felt like his head was getting dizzy from the intense pain.
Even with the internal power of the Great Vehicle Brahma Heaven Divine Art, it was hard to dispel the shock. It was not a technique of a strong fist but a soft fist, a kind of dark energy that inflicted a strike on the opponent’s inside.
Beom-oh, who retreated backward like crazy, unknowingly let out a scream.
“Aak!”
Snap!
Before long, Yeon Ho-jeong’s foot was stepping on his instep again.
He pressed down so strongly that his whole foot dug into the ground. At the pain that seemed to tighten his chest frustratingly and the pain as if his instep would break, Beom-oh’s momentum became fierce.
“This bastard!”
It was a Lion’s Roar that burst out unknowingly.
Uuuuung!
Along with the sound of a temple bell ringing, Beom-oh’s fists wriggled and aimed for Yeon Ho-jeong’s upper body.
It was a surprisingly fast and flexible fist technique. It was a strike full of mysterious profound principles to the point where even Yeon Ho-jeong would suffer if he made a mistake.
It was the Dragon King Soft Fist, one of the Shaolin Seventy-Two Supreme Arts, finally revealing its appearance. Like its name, its momentum was grand as if a single dragon was wriggling.
‘Indeed.’
Yeon Ho-jeong let out an admiration inwardly.
‘As expected, Shaolin’s martial arts are…!’
Even from the hands of a half-wit martial monk who is outstanding in learning but unable to properly utilize it, it creates mighty power and aura.
It was indeed worthy of being called the martial arts of the Mount Tai and North Dipper. Even if one searched the whole world, it would be hard to find a martial art as luxurious and magnificent as this.
‘However.’
Uung!
Yeon Ho-jeong’s two arms emitted a faint jade-blue radiance. He had operated the Azure Dragon Qi.
Hwiiiik!
The fist force of the Dragon King Soft Fist, which broke through from its momentum, was softly scattered.
That was not all. Yeon Ho-jeong’s two arms, which had been swung before he knew it, wrapped around Beom-oh’s arm like a snake.
Beom-oh’s eyes opened so wide they seemed they would tear.
Yeon Ho-jeong, who wrapped around Beom-oh’s arm, laid his upper body backward as it was.
Thud!
“Keuaaaak!”
Beom-oh’s left arm was broken just like that.
It was fortunate that his joint was not destroyed at least. However, the psychological shock was similar to his neck flying off.
‘Eek!’
It was the first time his arm was broken in a sparring match with an opponent.
However, Beom-oh was not just sitting there taking it. He put his weight on it as it was and aimed for Yeon Ho-jeong’s chin with his right hand, and a blue radiance was spreading out like a wave from that hand.
It was the Bodhisattva Pure Steel Hand. Delivering an attack with complex internal energy operation in a short moment, although he lacked practical combat ability, all the martial arts he learned and mastered were ingrained in his body.
Yeon Ho-jeong put strength in his foot.
Thud!
“Keok!”
Beom-oh’s figure tilted forward.
Pisyuk!
The strike of the Bodhisattva Pure Steel Hand grazed past Yeon Ho-jeong’s shoulder.
There is no need to forcibly dodge an incoming attack. Disordering the opponent’s posture was enough. It was a technique that could not be used unless one was terribly accustomed to real combat.
Before Beom-oh could even realize the reason his attack missed, he had to face a shock that made his eyes flash.
Snap!
The knee that soared like an axe struck Beom-oh’s chin. Beom-oh received a shock as if his mind would fly away for a moment.
That was just the beginning. Yeon Ho-jeong’s real attack.
Thwack! Snap! Boom!
A powerful three-combo hit properly on all parts of Beom-oh’s body.
It did not induce severe internal injuries, but it was an attack that made him unable to come to his senses from the shock. If murderous intent had been loaded, Beom-oh would have died even before it went to three strikes.
Huuuuung!
A pure white wind soared from Yeon Ho-jeong’s body.
Kwaang!
A powerful one step and the Sovereign Tiger’s strike flew out.
Thwack!
“Keoeok!”
Beom-oh vomited blood and collapsed on the spot.
It was not bouncing him away, but an attack where all the power was applied to the body. He would not die or need recuperation from severe internal injuries, but it would be hard for him to execute proper martial arts for the time being.
Yeon Ho-jeong brushed his hands.
“I have experienced it well.”
“Keueueuk!”
“Then.”
“W-wait!”
Beom-oh trembled and raised his body.
Yeon Ho-jeong smiled.
“You are amazing. As expected, it is said that the martial monks of Shaolin are all strong-boned; I did not know you would be able to stand up again even after taking that strike.”
“W-what on earth is this act!”
“What do you mean?”
Beom-oh gritted his teeth with a pale face.
“Stepping on the instep! Calling such a nonsensical move a fight…!”
It was then.
Hwaaaaak!
Beom-oh momentarily felt the illusion of the world being dyed red.
And in that red world, Yeon Ho-jeong finally took out and raised his axe.
Huuuuuung!
A hot wind that seemed to harbor flames wrapped around Beom-oh’s body.
‘Heok!’
Beom-oh’s eyes opened so wide they seemed they would tear.
An evil ghost vomiting out madness-filled flames filling both eyes was swinging an axe.
That is right. That was an axe.
At the same time, it was also not an axe. Because no axe in the world was as big as Mount Tai.
Hwareureureureuk!
Fire caught on the axe blade falling while cutting through the air. The axe blade of flames was falling down at a terrifying speed as if it would split his body in half right away.
Beom-oh closed his eyes tightly unknowingly.
Huuuuuuk!
In an instant, the hot wind disappeared, and the cold wind of winter cooled Beom-oh’s body.
The complexion of Beom-oh, who opened his tightly closed eyes, became even paler. The hand axe swung by Yeon Ho-jeong had touched his forehead before he knew it.
Yeon Ho-jeong smiled broadly.
“I heard that Shaolin’s martial studies are deep and vast, a high-dimensional martial art capable of responding to any technique under heaven.”
“…”
“Was the martial art you learned so light that you could not even respond to such a miscellaneous trick?”
Beom-oh’s cheeks trembled slightly.
Yeon Ho-jeong, who hung the hand axe on his belt, took a fist salute.
“The Shaolin Arts were well-deserved of their reputation. The one who lost was merely you, not the Shaolin Arts.”
“…!”
“Let’s have another round when the time comes later. At that time, I will also deal with you using strength. Please take good care of your body.”
Yeon Ho-jeong threw his gaze to Master Kong-kong.
Master Kong-kong sighed and nodded his head.
On the way back to the residence.
Tang Kwan asked as if tossing the words.
“Why did you do that?”
“What do you mean?”
“Unlike you, didn’t you show mercy in your attacks?”
Yeon Ho-jeong looked at him with an astounded face.
“Then are you saying to kill the opponent on the spot?”
Tang Kwan snorted.
“Even if you don’t kill him, you can suppress him so he can never climb back up again. The side that asked for the sparring first was also Master Kong-kong, so he wouldn’t be able to say anything.”
“That will not do. Rather, that martial monk should come to me burning with competitive spirit.”
“Why is that so?”
“If he realizes that he learns anything from me, wouldn’t the probability of the Master watching the Clan Head’s back increase?”
Tang Kwan clicked his tongue.
“A guy like a snake.”
“Anyway, the time is a bit ambiguous, would you like to have a meal?”
“Don’t talk nonsense. The mealtime has long passed.”
“Hmm.”
“Forget about the meal, buy some alcohol.”
“Shall I? Let’s do that, then.”