Chapter 301: Diabolic Beast (4)

“Kiririk! You damn Taoist priest! Come back here right now!”

-Crash! Crash crash crash!

As Mok Gyeong-un disappeared beyond the wall he had pierced through, the furious diabolic beast Alyu began causing a commotion by repeatedly stomping the ground with its hooves.

As the ground shattered and it thrashed about wildly, the restraints attached to its four legs, which could be considered part of the dharma tools, automatically tightened, trying to calm Alyu down.

Normally, when it raged to this extent, the Demon-Subduing monks would chant the Demon-Subduing mantra to suppress the diabolic beast Alyu’s evil nature and make it fall asleep.

However, coincidentally, the Demon-Subduing Pavilion Master had instructed the Demon-Subduing monks to temporarily leave their positions so they wouldn’t hear Mok Gyeong-un chanting the incantations of his magical techniques, which turned out to be the root of the problem.

-Snap!

The restraints, unable to withstand the raging diabolic beast Alyu’s strength, finally broke.

As the restraints on the front legs snapped, the diabolic beast Alyu couldn’t hide its joy.

“Kirik! Kirik! This damned shackles has finally broken.”

Since the front legs were freed, breaking the restraints on the hind legs was a piece of cake.

Eventually, the restraints on the hind legs also snapped after a few kicks.

-Snap!

As the restraints that had been binding all four legs were gone, the diabolic beast Alyu immediately charged towards the iron door to get out of the cave.

-Crash!

Although the iron door was engraved with gold-plated Demon-Subduing mantras, Alyu’s strength was so immense that it dented the iron door outward with just a single impact.

Because of this, the Demon-Subduing Pavilion Master, who had been waiting for Mok Gyeong-un outside, could tell that something had gone wrong.

“Deoksu, go to the neighboring cavity right now and gather all the Demon-Subduing monks.”

“Ah, yes, I understand!”

As Demon-Subduing monk Deoksu ran off, the Demon-Subduing Pavilion Master drew upon his dharmic power and began chanting the Demon-Subduing mantra towards the iron door.

“Om somani somani hum arihanna arihanna hum arihanna banaya hum banaya hum baabam baara hum batak.”

****

At the same time.

Monk Dae-deok, the overseer of the Precepts Hall, headed towards the entrance of Shaolin Temple with the monks from the Precepts Hall in tow.

The grounds of Shaolin, boasting the largest scale among all the temples in the Central Plains, were so vast that it inevitably took quite some time just to reach there.

Moreover, as Shaolin was located halfway up Mount Song, the distance between the grounds was also great.

So if one were to walk, it would take nearly a quarter-hour just to get from the Arhat Pavilion to the entrance, but thanks to using the Light Body Technique at a moderate speed, Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok arrived at the entrance within half a quarter-hour.

At the entrance of Shaolin, armored military officials and nearly a hundred soldiers were seen.

Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok greeted the officer with a long beard, who seemed to be the representative of the military officials, with his palms together.

“Amitabha. I am Dae-deok, the overseer of the Precepts Hall of Shaolin. What brings the imperial officials to this humble place?”

“If you’re the overseer of the Precepts Hall, you must be quite a high-ranking monk in Shaolin.”

The young monks of the Precepts Hall frowned at the arrogant tone of the military official.

Although the current imperial court followed the principles of Confucianism, Shaolin was a very old temple and had served as the national temple for generations thanks to its connection with the first emperor, Taizu^[1], so it deserved to be treated with respect.

However, this military official’s attitude was far from that.

“I am Commander Kang-hak of the Imperial Guards. Although we didn’t forcibly enter out of respect for Shaolin’s ties with Emperor Taizu, we received information that there are traitors here in Shaolin.”

“Amitabha. Traitors? What do you mean by that?”

At Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok’s words, Commander Kang-hak of the Imperial Guards snorted and said,

“It’s no use playing dumb. Do you know how many people we’ve heard from nearby that a large monstrous bird fell into Shaolin?”

“Oh my. The imperial official is truly putting this humble monk in a difficult position. This is simply a place where monks who have renounced the world cultivate the Buddhist way.”

“Just a place to cultivate the Buddhist way? Ha! How can you say that in a place known as the orthodox school of martial arts in the world?”

“Amitabha.”

Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok simply chanted a Buddhist prayer with his palms together.

Then Commander Kang-hak of the Imperial Guards frowned and raised his voice, saying,

“Could it be that Shaolin is trying to protect the traitors who helped the prisoners escape from the underground prison of the imperial palace? If that’s the case, even if it’s a temple with deep ties to Emperor Taizu, we will have no choice but to forcibly enter and search.”

At those words, the young monks of the Precepts Hall uniformly protested.

“No. What kind of outrageous behavior is this?”

“Forcible suppression? No matter if you’re an official, how can you do this to a place that worships the Buha…”

“Enough!”

However, Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok, silenced them with a stern shout.

Then, as if he had no dissatisfaction at all, he bowed his head along with his palms together and spoke in a gentle voice to Commander Kang-hak of the Imperial Guards.

“Amitabha. Although Shaolin is a place to cultivate the Buddhist way, how could we possibly protect traitors? I kindly request the official to withdraw his misunderstanding.”

“Misunderstanding? Then bring the traitors here right now. If you do that, there will be no need to forcibly search Shaolin.”

“Amitabha.”

At Commander Kang-hak of the Imperial Guards’ words, Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok, chanted a Buddhist prayer as if he were in a difficult position.

However, contrary to his expression, his inner thoughts were completely different.

Rather, he was grateful that his wish had been fulfilled.

***

-Mortal? Mortal?

Cheong-ryeong called out to Mok Gyeong-un, who had become dazed while staring at the wall.

She thought there might be a problem, but realizing that Mok Gyeong-un’s gaze was fixed on the stone wall of the meditation cave, she stopped calling out to him.

‘Could it be that he fell into a state of enlightenment in that brief moment?’

The current phenomenon was the same as when one fell into a meditative state.

But he hadn’t opened his Ghostly Eyes and deeply concentrated on the hand seals, yet he fell into a meditative state for the second time after the tombstone without any signs.

Seeing this, Cheong-ryeong found it strange.

His concentration was indeed stronger than hers when she was alive, but for such realizations to come in succession was an unusual phenomenon.

Even if this place was the birthplace of orthodox martial arts, Shaolin.

‘Could it be…’

It was right at that moment.

A five-colored light was emitting from the top of Mok Gyeong-un’s head as he had his eyes closed.

‘Ah!’

At this, Cheong-ryeong couldn’t hide her excitement.

***

‘Grasping with a non-existent arm…’

An action that should have been impossible actually became possible.

Moreover, since the water had flowed down, it should have been approached with the concept of supporting rather than grasping, but he was even grasping it.

All of this was no different from nothingness (無) becoming existence (有) through willpower.

Strong willpower made all of this possible.

‘Willpower…’

Because of this, Mok Gyeong-un gained a huge enlightenment different from before.

The various principles contained in that simple action turned his mind upside down, and they gradually became organized one by one.

The understanding of qi, which he had only vaguely perceived until now, was also the same.

In the end, qi was not something far away.

Everything that existed was qi, and qi was everything that existed.

‘So this is how it was.’

Now he felt like he truly understood what qi was.

It was a truly mysterious thing.

Just by observing this process, everything that had been blocked became unblocked.

‘Is this what a true qi master looks like?’

-Swish!

Then, Mok Gyeong-un saw the practitioner who had been staring at the stone wall with his eyes lowering the kasaya cloth covering his head.

His dark skin and curly beard, quite different from the people of the Central Plains, were revealed.

The moment he saw this, something flashed through Mok Gyeong-un’s mind.

‘Could it be?’

Curiosity arose in Mok Gyeong-un, and he tried to approach to see that face.

Then, the one who had lowered the kasaya spoke.

[If you have gained enough, now return to where you belong.]

‘!?’

For a moment, Mok Gyeong-un faltered.

He was convinced that all these scenes unfolding were happening within an enlightenment.

However, that practitioner staring at the stone wall spoke as if he were aware of Mok Gyeong-un’s presence.

Finding this strange, Mok Gyeong-un approached to see his face, and at that moment,

-Swish!

The cave where snowflakes had been fluttering returned to its original state as if nothing had happened.

Mok Gyeong-un frowned at the cave that had become silent as if nothing had occurred and the floor where water had pooled.

What was going on?

He had experienced countless visualizations, but none had been as vivid and immersive as this one.

Moreover, those last words still lingered in his mind.

‘…I was merely observing.’

Why did those last words sound like they were spoken to him, not to the practicing monk who had cut off his own arm?

It was even confusing.

Then, Cheong-ryeong’s voice reached Mok Gyeong-un’s ears.

-Mortal!

At her excited voice, Mok Gyeong-un answered in puzzlement.

“What is it?”

-…Let me ask you directly. Did you break through the blocked wall?

She had already witnessed the five-colored light emanating from the top of Mok Gyeong-un’s head and enveloping his entire body when he fell into the visualization.

So she was already convinced of it.

At her question, Mok Gyeong-un shrugged and opened his mouth to answer.

“The wall you’re talking about…”

-Rumble rumble rumble!

At that moment, the entire cave shook, the ceiling cracked, and fragments crumbled down.

At this, Mok Gyeong-un turned his head from the stone wall of the meditation cave to look at the cave opening he had slid down from.

From there, fierce demonic energy and screams were rampant.

***

“Om somani somani hum arihanna arihanna hum…”

-Crunch!

The diabolic beast Alyu bit off the upper body of one of the Demon-Subduing monks who were chanting the Demon-Subduing mantra and wielding the dharma weapon, the Vajra Pestle.

As it chewed on the torn-off upper body, one of the Demon-Subduing monks, unable to contain his anger and losing his senses, rushed forward.

“Deok-myeo-eo-eo-eong!”

-Squish!

However, that demon-subduing monk was soon trampled by hooves, becoming unrecognizable.

In an instant, five demon-subduing monks lost their lives, and the eyes of the remaining demon-subduing monks were now filled with fear and terror.

As if sensing this, the magical beast Alyu roared with a voice full of exhilaration.

“Kiririririririk!”

For the evil and deluded, human negative emotions such as fear and terror were no different from nourishment.

Consuming humans in that state was the ultimate delicacy.

‘Kirik! This is the best. Fear more! Fear even more!’

The magical beast Alyu was determined to pay back for everything he had suffered during the 99 days he was trapped.

Of course, he had no intention of fighting against the entire Shaolin.

His goal was to kill these damn demon-subduing monks to vent his anger and then leave Shaolin.

‘The only regret is not being able to kill that bastard.’

It would have been very entertaining to see these bald monks and that bitch fight if he had managed to kill that bastard who was under the protection of that monster fox, but it was quite regrettable.

So, to alleviate this regret even a little, he had to kill these bald bastards in the cruelest way possible before leaving this place.

At that moment, something glared at the magical beast Alyu’s red eyes.

Alyu soon lowered his head.

-Clang!

What flew was none other than the vajra pestle imbued with Dharma power.

The one who threw the vajra pestle was none other than the Demon-Subduing Pavilion Master.

Just by looking at his appearance with his robe soaked in blood, one could tell that his injuries were quite severe.

“Haa… Haa… Everyone, get a hold of yourselves. We must keep that demon here until reinforcements arrive!”

At his shout, some of the demon-subduing monks gritted their teeth and tightly grasped their vajra pestles again.

Seeing this, the magical beast Alyu let out a chuckle.

Seeing the dying bastard trying to revive the morale with all his might, it seemed the leader was indeed a leader.

‘So, if I kill you, old man, these bald bastards won’t be able to do much anymore!’

-Bang!

The magical beast Alyu then kicked the ground and charged towards the injured Demon-Subduing Pavilion Master.

Surprised by this, some of the demon-subduing monks simultaneously threw their vajra pestles at the beast.

-Clang clang clang clang!

However, it was impossible to stop the magical beast Alyu, who couldn’t be easily subdued even if over a hundred demon-subduing monks attacked, with just five vajra pestles.

At this, the Demon-Subduing Pavilion Master tried to confront the beast by personally drawing upon his Dharma power.

“Om somani somani hum ari… Cough.”

The Demon-Subduing Pavilion Master, who was chanting the demon-subduing mantra, soon vomited a handful of blood.

In an instant, despair filled the eyes of the Demon-Subduing Pavilion Master.

He had lived most of his life as a demon-subduing monk, but to think that his end would be at the hands of a demon, it was truly strange.

Was all of this ultimately karmic retribution?

As the magical beast Alyu approached closer, the Demon-Subduing Pavilion Master soon closed his eyes.

Although it was in vain, if this was death, what could he do?

He inwardly chanted the Buha’s name.

‘Amita…’

-Kwaaang!

At that very moment, the Demon-Subduing Pavilion Master frowned and opened his eyes at the tremendous roaring sound that echoed in his ears.

‘!!!!!!!!’

An astonishing scene unfolded before his eyes.

The head of the magical beast Alyu was pressed down, half-buried in the ground, and above its head, someone was standing with the corners of his mouth raised.

“Patron?”

It was none other than Mok Gyeong-un.