Chapter 203 Karma (2)

“…He was expelled for indulging too much in alcohol?”

Mok Gyeong-un asked in response.

The reason was that it deviated from his expectations.

“It may be hard to believe, but that’s the official reason Shaolin Temple used to expel him.”

At Mong Mu-yak’s words, Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes glimmered with interest.

The expelled monk’s name was Ja Geum-jeong, wasn’t it?

For a monk, he had a rough appearance that exuded a wild aura, but even if that wasn’t the case, that man had stained his hands with a lot of blood.

Mok Gyeong-un, sensitive to blood, could instinctively sense this.

“There seems to be more to it than that.”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, this time Seop Chun clicked his tongue and said,

“We’re in trouble, My Lord. That bald monk is one of the Three Madmen of the Central Plains.”

“Three Madmen?”

“He’s one of the three people currently known as the most insane in the martial arts world.”

“Insane, you say?”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s question, Mong Mu-yak, the deputy chief of the sect leader’s direct information department, said,

“Although he’s been quiet recently, there was a time when Shaolin was in an uproar because they released a madman due to his incomprehensible eccentric behavior.”

“A madman…”

“Shaolin, like other sects, severs the meridians or destroys the dantian of martial monks they expel, reclaiming their sect’s martial arts. But that man still possesses the martial arts he learned from Shaolin. That’s why many people in the martial arts world protested to Shaolin.”

“Telling them to solve the problem they created?”

Solve the problem you created.

It means the one who caused the problem should solve it.

Mong Mu-yak nodded and said,

“Yes.”

“For someone like that, he seems unscathed.”

“Indeed. I don’t know why, but as the leader of the Nine Great Sects and the center of righteous martial arts, Shaolin should be able to subdue him, but they’re simply turning a blind eye.”

“Hmm. Interesting.”

To the smiling Mok Gyeong-un, Seop Chun said with a worried tone,

“My Lord. I don’t know why that man is here, but getting involved with him could be troublesome.”

“Is he that unruly?”

“He’s someone who has committed eccentric acts regardless of whether they’re righteous or evil sects, earning him the nickname of a madman. Moreover, I heard his martial arts are in a league of their own.”

“In a league of their own?”

“Yes. Although it seems like he only cultivated external energy, there are rumors that he’s the only one who mastered the Supreme Power, which is said to have been lost hundreds of years ago even in Shaolin.”

“………”

Shaolin has numerous supreme cultivation methods.

Most of the mind methods they possess are called top-grade methods in the martial arts world.

However, when the worst catastrophe that divided the old and current martial arts world occurred, half of them were lost.

Fortunately, the genuine versions of methods like the Great Vehicle Prajna Zen, Muscle Change Classic, and Marrow Washing Classic were hidden in Buddhist scriptures, allowing their lineage to be fully preserved, and other mind methods could be restored to some extent over time.

However, the only thing that Shaolin couldn’t restore was the Supreme Power and the Great Zen of Bodhidharma.

There was a lack of remaining materials, and it was said to be extremely difficult to learn.

If he had restored it at a young age to that extent, it was no different from possessing the talent of a grandmaster-level genius.

“My Lord. There’s nothing good that can come from getting involved with that man…”

“Why are you all like this?”

At that moment, Woo Hyang, the estate owner’s daughter who was guiding the way, stopped and looked at them, puzzled.

Mok Gyeong-un smiled and said,

“It’s nothing.”

Then he spoke softly to Seop Chun and Mong Mu-yak.

“Just ignore it.”

“What?”

“Didn’t you say we need to cross the river quickly, whether he mastered the Supreme Power or not, or whether he’s a madman or not?”

“That’s true, but…”

“Then does it matter who he is?”

With those words, Mok Gyeong-un walked past the pavilion as if he didn’t care at all.

Seop Chun and Mong Mu-yak looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders with a resigned expression, and followed behind Mok Gyeong-un.

As they passed the pavilion, the Demon-Subduing Fist Warrior Ja Geum-jeong, who was drinking from a gourd under the eaves of the roof, frantically waved his hand at the empty air.

Seeing this, Seop Chun and Mong Mu-yak frowned and clicked their tongues inwardly.

‘He’s indeed a madman.’

That’s all it seemed to them.

However, Woo Hyang, the estate owner’s daughter, seemed accustomed to it and called out without paying any attention.

“Sir.”

“………”

“Sir, these gentlemen are…”

-Swish swish!

At her call, the Demon-Subduing Fist Warrior Ja Geum-jeong waved his hand holding the gourd as if telling her not to disturb him.

Then he continued his incomprehensible actions.

He wildly swung his other hand in the air, which looked bizarre to anyone.

However,

<Oh. That fellow has opened his eyes.>

Mok Gyeong-un nodded slightly as if agreeing with Cheong-ryeong’s words.

<Indeed.>

As they entered the pavilion, the ominous energy was surging even more, and perhaps due to this influence, low-grade miscellaneous spirits that couldn’t even take form were gathering from all directions.

They seemed to be gathering through the earth veins and the falling rain, and although the exorcist had blocked the energy with talismans, it didn’t seem to completely stop it.

-Woo woo woo!

-Huu huu huu!

Whimpering sounds could be heard from here and there.

This would only get worse.

“shit.”

-Bam bam!

The Demon-Subduing Fist Warrior Ja Geum-jeong drove away the miscellaneous spirits trying to enter the building with an annoyed expression.

Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes flashed with interest upon seeing this.

<Did you see that?>

<That expelled monk is quite remarkable. For someone who’s not an exorcist…>

<He can directly touch the vengeful spirits.>

This was the reason why both Mok Gyeong-un and Cheong-ryeong were surprised.

In the case of exorcists, they could make contact with strange beings like vengeful spirits and malevolent ghosts through spell power or mediums imbued with it.

However, among ordinary people, although there were occasionally those whose spiritual power awakened and opened their eyes after death, there were hardly any who could make contact with them.

<So there was another fellow like you, living being.>

<…I wonder.>

<What do you mean by that?>

Mok Gyeong-un’s ability to directly make contact with the dead or strange beings was closer to something innate.

It could be considered an extremely exceptional case, but that expelled monk Ja Geum-jeong was making contact in a slightly different manner.

<The energy gathering in his hand.>

<What about the energy?>

The wooden puppet that Cheong-ryeong resided in had difficulty sensing the energy itself.

That’s why she was asking Mok Gyeong-un, who could directly discern the energy with his eyes.

<The surrounding energy is temporarily gathering.>

<What? The surrounding energy is gathering?>

<Yes.>

It was clearly visible to Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes, which had already opened the energy of the Three Eyes in his right eye.

Although temporary, whenever the expelled monk Ja Geum-jeong swung his hand at the miscellaneous spirits, the surrounding energy gathered in his hand.

That energy was completely different from what was refined through methods.

It was closer to a natural form.

<It’s energy with high purity and naturalness.>

<Ha!… Remarkable. That’s undoubtedly the Supreme Power.>

<The Supreme Power?>

<Yes.>

<Is it the cultivation method that Seop Chun mentioned was lost in Shaolin?>

<It’s likely so.>

<What is the Supreme Power that makes such a thing possible?>

<How would I know?>

<………>

<All I know is that the Supreme Power is one of the three final enlightenments left by Bodhidharma, who awakened to the natural principles through Buuhism.>

<The natural principles?>

<Those who cultivate internal energy often think about how efficiently they can use it.>

<Indeed.>

<As a result, they often have this thought. Wouldn’t it be great if they could use the abundant natural energy around them as their own?>

<Ah……>

Now Mok Gyeong-un could understand what she meant.

The natural principles seemed to mean harmonizing with the energy of all things.

However, this was very abstract, so it didn’t seem to be a realm that could be achieved simply by recognizing and desiring it.

‘Hmm.’

In any case, if the Supreme Power had such a remarkable utility as Cheong-ryeong said, he couldn’t help but be interested.

Just then, Seop Chun quietly spoke.

“My Lord… doesn’t something seem strange?”

“What is it?”

“That expelled monk may be a madman, but something feels eerily ominous as if unknown individuals are lying in ambush around us.”

“…You feel it too?”

Mong Mu-yak also frowned and agreed with this.

In fact, ever since entering the estate, they had been feeling a strange energy that they couldn’t quite put their finger on, but as they stood in front of the main hall building, it had become overwhelmingly strong.

At their reactions, Mok Gyeong-un chuckled and said,

“You both certainly have good perception.”

“Perception? What do you mean?”

“Considering you can sense the miscellaneous spirits around without spell power.”

‘!?’

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, Seop Chun and Mong Mu-yak’s expressions stiffened.

Was his lord saying this to tease them? But this ominous energy they kept feeling was extremely unpleasant.

They wanted to flee from this place right away.

Right at that moment,

“Ugh.”

Woo Hyang, the estate owner’s daughter, clutched her chest and staggered.

One of the men guarding her grabbed her as she was about to fall.

“Young Lady!”

“Ah…”

Her face, which was already haggard, turned even paler, and her body trembled.

Then,

“shit!”

The expelled monk Ja Geum-jeong, who had been driving away the miscellaneous spirits with a gourd in his hand, hurriedly approached her.

There was a reason for Woo Hyang’s condition.

That was because three formless miscellaneous spirits were clinging to her.

Her body and mind had already been weakened to the extreme from being enveloped in the ominous energy of the estate for a long time, and the miscellaneous spirits had targeted her.

“These damn things!”

Ja Geum-jeong tried to remove one of the miscellaneous spirits attached to her chest.

The guard holding her shouted,

“What are you trying to do? Get away from her immediately!”

“Get away? You bastard, are you looking down on someone trying to help? If you don’t move your hand, I’ll punch a hole in your face and send you to Buha.”

His words were not only crude but also vicious.

Angered by this, one of the men intervened and said,

“If you lay a single finger on the Young Lady’s body…”

-Thud!

Before he could finish his sentence, the man collapsed, unconscious from Ja Geum-jeong’s punch.

“What will you do if I do?”

The man supporting Woo Hyang couldn’t hide his bewilderment.

He had thought the monk’s physique was good and muscular, but he didn’t expect him to be this strong.

“Hey. If you don’t move right now, that young lady will become a corpse today!”

“D-don’t come any closer…”

“Don’t move! Today, this bald monk will open the precept against killing…”

“Threatening like that will naturally lead to misunderstandings.”

At the mocking voice coming from behind, the expelled monk Ja Geum-jeong turned his head with a fierce expression.

“What? You bastard who looks like a long-lived courtesan. Do you think I’m desperate to touch this woman’s chest right now?”

Seeing him getting angry, Mok Gyeong-un raised the corners of his mouth.

And he said,

“Interesting.”

“What?”

“You’re not a madman, just someone who doesn’t care about others.”

“You bastard, what nonsense are you spewing…”

-Swish!

Mok Gyeong-un suddenly stretched out his hand.

Thinking he was attacking, Ja Geum-jeong turned his body and tried to assume a fighting stance.

Right at that moment,

-Whoo whoo whoo!

With a howling sound, something hazy brushed past and was caught in Mok Gyeong-un’s hand.

They were none other than the miscellaneous spirits clinging to Woo Hyang.

Mok Gyeong-un, who had sucked in the miscellaneous spirits with a technique, chuckled and,

-Sizzle!

He directly exterminated them with death energy.

Seeing the miscellaneous spirits disappear in an instant, the expelled monk Ja Geum-jeong opened his mouth with surprised eyes.

“You… what are you?”

What was this bastard’s identity?

Based on his perception, he thought they were martial artists brought by Woo Hyang, the estate owner’s daughter.

In fact, he had sensed energy at the peak level.

But what was that just now?

Not only did he pull the miscellaneous spirits with some strange technique like a vacuum, but he also exterminated them.

Of course, he had to be surprised.

However,

-Whoo whoo whoo!

-Woo woo woo!

Even more miscellaneous spirits began to swarm from all directions.

Their number was countless.

But as the number of miscellaneous spirits increased exponentially like this, even those who weren’t exorcists or had their spiritual eyes opened could sense them.

-Startle!

“What is this?”

“Everywhere is…”

Mong Mu-yak and Seop Chun looked around with puzzled expressions.

Although they couldn’t see anything, the surroundings were being engulfed by some ominous energy.

“shit! There are so many. They said the talismans would block the evil spirits from entering, but nonsense!”

The expelled monk Ja Geum-jeong hurriedly assumed a fighting stance.

The surrounding energy began to gather towards him.

It seemed he was about to confront the miscellaneous spirits trying to enter the main hall in earnest.

At that moment,

“It would be a waste of time.”

“A waste of time?”

“Yes. It doesn’t seem like a problem that can be solved by catching them one by one.”

“No. Then do you have some brilliant idea, you bastard who looks like a long-lived courtesan?”

“Your way of speaking isn’t very pleasant.”

“What?”

“Let’s put out the urgent fire first and fix that later.”

As soon as he finished speaking,

-Clasp! Clasp! Clasp!

Mok Gyeong-un formed simplified hand seals with his left hand.

Soldier! Fight! Tear! Array!

They were the hand seals of the Nine Character Vitality Method.

Then, in an instant, an immense spell power filled the surroundings.

-Rumble!

And then,

-Boom!

Four huge pillars shot up from the corners around the main hall.

These were created by Mok Gyeong-un’s spell power and technique.

The only one who could see this with the naked eye was the expelled monk Ja Geum-jeong, who had opened his spiritual eyes.

“This is…”

-Swish!

Mok Gyeong-un placed a talisman on his lips and muttered softly,

“Four Peaks Linking Technique.”

-Whoosh!

At that moment, the four pillars connected, creating a massive surface.

And that surface instantly blocked the surroundings of the main hall building with spell power.

In that state, Mok Gyeong-un raised his hand upward, then opened and closed his palm.

Then,

-Boom boom boom boom boom!

The numerous miscellaneous spirits that had swarmed around the main hall couldn’t withstand the vast spell power and instantly exploded.

‘!!!!!!’

Witnessing this scene, the expelled monk Ja Geum-jeong was momentarily at a loss for words.