Chapter 303: Domineering Steps (1)

-Thud! Thud!

Mok Gyeong-un, majestically appearing like a triumphant general while riding the diabolic beast Alyu, which should have been trapped in the Demon-Subduing Cave.

Seeing him like that, everyone in the courtyard couldn’t hide their astonishment.

This was something that even Mok Gyeong-un’s subordinates, who had pledged their loyalty to him, were doubtful of and couldn’t be certain about.

‘He really did it?’

The expelled monk Ja Geum-jeong stared at Mok Gyeong-un in a daze.

As a former member of Shaolin, he knew better than anyone the skills of the Demon-Subduing monks.

Yet Mok Gyeong-un had accomplished what even they couldn’t do.

“Ha! He may be the lord I serve, but at times like this, it’s truly incredible. Don’t you think, Mu-yak?”

“……”

At Seop Chun’s words, Mong Mu-yak clicked his tongue and nodded his head.

He had wondered what the fuss was about when they mentioned a demon or something.

But after seeing the diabolic beast Alyu, which was slightly larger than a two-story building, he wondered how on earth it was tamed.

The overwhelming presence emanating from the diabolic beast Alyu was on a different level from ordinary beasts.

It was a dangerous existence that couldn’t be placed in the category of ferocious beasts or anything like that.

The masked Ma Ra-hyeon quietly said to them, who were excited.

“Now is not the time to rejoice over this. Since the pursuit has come from the imperial palace, that agreement is already as good as broken.”

Along with those words, Ma Ra-hyeon glanced at Commander Kang-hak of the Imperial Guards.

He also seemed shocked to see the monster for the first time and was momentarily at a loss for words.

‘Things have gotten complicated.’

Although he had never conversed with him directly, he had heard rumors about that person.

Due to his extremely arrogant temperament, he wasn’t selected for the Embroidered Uniform Guard, but his skills alone were considered among the top three in the Imperial Guards.

‘Why did it have to be him?’

That Kang-hak was notorious for being very persistent.

With a strong desire for power, he would stop at nothing to arrest them, regardless of the means and methods, in order to achieve results.

“Amitabha. It is truly remarkable. Remarkable indeed.”

Grand Monk Museong of the Reverse Muscle Scripture Hall, exclaimed in admiration.

Although he also valued discipline, considering the mistakes of the Demon-Subduing monks and the inability to impose discipline on laypeople, he had given them a chance.

But seeing such perfect control over the demon, he couldn’t help but acknowledge it.

-Thud! Thud!

As the diabolic beast Alyu approached the Arhat Pavilion, Commander Kang-hak of the Imperial Guards, who was standing next to Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok, spoke while still unable to close his mouth in shock.

“…What is happened is that? Venerable Monk.”

“Please calm down, Commander. That demon was captured by Shaolin because it was causing harm.”

“You said it was captured? But who is that person riding on top of it?”

“As you can see, that person is not from Shaolin.”

“I can tell that just by looking at his hair. Wait, could it be…”

“He is one of the traitors you mentioned, Commander.”

“Then we must capture that person immediately!”

“Please give this humble monk a moment…”

“Monk, you clearly said that Shaolin had nothing to do with the traitors. But what difference is there between leaving the traitors alone like this and Shaolin protecting them? If this is how it’s going to be, we have no choice but to search Shaolin.”

At Commander Kang-hak’s words, Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok frowned.

He had brought this person in as a pretext to handle everything according to the rules, but he turned out to be a more troublesome patron than expected.

At that moment, Grand Monk Museong of the Reverse Muscle Scripture Hall, approached and said,

“Amitabha. You keep mentioning traitors, but what exactly do you mean by that?”

“Venerable Monk, they are traitors who helped prisoners escape from the imperial palace.”

“Helped prisoners escape from the imperial palace?”

“It is as I said. Furious at this, His Majesty the Emperor has ordered the capture of the traitors. Venerable Monk, we must arrest them immediately.”

“Oh my. Fellow Venerable Monk.”

Grand Monk Museong couldn’t hide his predicament.

He roughly grasped the main point.

However, it was an extremely ironic situation.

He had already given them a chance through his own words, and they had firmly seized that opportunity.

“Venerable Monk, do you not see that?”

-Thud! Thud!

Grand Monk Museong pointed with his hand at the diabolic beast Alyu, which had approached close to the courtyard, and Mok Gyeong-un, who was riding on its head.

“That patron has succeeded in controlling the demon. But how can we break an agreement made in the name of Shaolin?”

“Amitabha. Venerable Monk. We are not breaking the agreement.”

“Not breaking it? What do you mean?”

“What you agreed to, Venerable Monk, was that if they showed that they could control the demon, you would also release that flying demon over there.”

At Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok’s words, the expelled monk Ja Geum-jeong shouted angrily.

“Isn’t that too far-fetched?”

“Far-fetched?”

Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok snorted and looked at Ja Geum-jeong, saying,

“An expelled monk who broke the precepts as often as eating meals after drinking alcohol is now saying it’s far-fetched? Did you think that even though Shaolin cultivates the Buddhist way and values compassion, it would protect traitors who harm the country?”

“Fellow Venerable Monk!”

At his words, Grand Monk Museong strongly reprimanded him.

In a situation where he had to speak cautiously, Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok was now talking as if he represented Shaolin.

This was an extremely dangerous remark.

However, Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok, who couldn’t miss this opportunity, didn’t abandon his stubborn attitude despite the reprimand from Grand Monk Museong, who had a higher rank.

Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok spoke even louder so that everyone could hear.

“Right now, outside Shaolin, government troops from the imperial capital of Kaifeng have gathered. If the temple does not hand over the traitors, not only them but more imperial troops will come and conduct a search. Will you allow this?”

“!!!!!”

-Murmur murmur!

“Search the temple?”

“What is happened is that about?”

At Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok’s words, the monks of Shaolin in the courtyard became agitated.

It may be called a search, but if they didn’t hand over those people, it was no different from saying that they were also in cahoots with them.

Shaolin had never knelt or bent to any external pressure or enemy.

But even for Shaolin, if a country deliberately sent troops, the situation would change.

No, it could be said to become complicated.

“Amitabha.”

Grand Monk Museong’s mind became complicated.

Until now, it was a problem that could be handled on his own.

However, with the involvement of the military official and the imperial palace, the matter had become too big.

This was close to the level where all the priests, including the Meditation Master of Shaolin, had to gather and hold a meeting.

At that moment, Mong Mu-yak, one of Mok Gyeong-un’s subordinates, stepped forward and shouted.

“Venerable Monk! The Demon-Subduing monks of Shaolin attacked this monstrous bird we were riding, causing it to fall here, and we almost died. Even though the monks of Buuhism nearly committed murder, our lord showed understanding despite the lack of a proper apology. But how can the great Shaolin, the most senior, so easily break the agreement made?”

“That’s right. Shaolin is a place for Buddhist disciples who have cut ties with the secular world, so are you trying not to let us go just to appease the government troops?”

Seop Chun supported Mong Mu-yak in this way.

At their words, which were somewhat logical, Grand Monk Museong couldn’t hide his predicament.

There was nothing wrong with what they said.

However, Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok and Commander Kang-hak of the Imperial Guards were different.

Commander Kang-hak shouted in a voice filled with anger.

“You bastards! You sneaked into the imperial palace and helped a vicious prisoner escape, committing the crime of treason, and now you dare to mention government troops?”

-Shing!

Kang-hak half-drew his sword from his waist.

At this, Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok hurriedly stopped him.

“Amitabha. Commander, please calm down.”

“Calm down? Whose side is Shaolin on? You clearly said that Shaolin had nothing to do with the traitors, but now it seems that’s not the case at all.”

‘Troublesome patron indeed.’

He had intended to use him as a mere pawn, but he kept pouring fuel on the fire.

He understood his intention to push them and easily catch those people, but it was problematic for him to intervene in this way.

Feeling that this wouldn’t do, Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok spoke in a loud voice.

“Warrior monks of the Arhat Pavilion, listen. As the overseer of the Precepts Hall of Shaolin, I command you. Subdue and restrain them immediately!”

At his command, the warrior monks of the Arhat Pavilion hesitated.

If they were indeed traitors, it would be right to subdue them, but since the opinion of Grand Monk Museong, who had a higher rank than Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok, differed, it was difficult for them to act recklessly.

As a result, the overseer of the Arhat Pavilion, the leader of the warrior monks, finally opened his mouth.

“Venerable Monk. The agreement regarding controlling the demon or not is a separate matter from this. If they are truly traitors, Shaolin could be in danger.”

“Oh my.”

Unfortunately, the opinion of the overseer of the Arhat Pavilion was the same as that of Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok, the overseer of the Precepts Hall.

From the perspective of the overseer of the Arhat Pavilion, the intention was to handle the matter within their own capacity and not create a situation where imperial troops would gather.

At that moment, someone who had crossed the pavilion intervened.

“Amitabha. That shouldn’t be said. How can Shaolin break an agreement it made out of fear of a search by imperial troops?”

It was Grand Monk Gong-jeon, the overseer of the Sutra Pavilion.

At this, the overseer of the Arhat Pavilion replied with a perplexed expression.

“Amitabha. Venerable Monk. That’s not what I meant. If Shaolin is falsely accused of protecting traitors…”

“When heaven and earth have witnessed it and we are upright, why should we fear such a thing? You said a military official came from the imperial palace? Shaolin is a temple that cultivates the Buddhist way. If you must arrest them as traitors, do it outside, not in Shaolin.”

At Grand Monk Gong-jeon’s words, Commander Kang-hak of the Imperial Guards said as if it were absurd.

“Now that I see it, it seems Shaolin has properly colluded with the traitors. Protecting prisoners who helped a vicious criminal escape, you must be out of your minds.”

“Amitabha. Why is the military official pushing us in such a way?”

“Shaolin is supposed to be a place that values cooperation and justice, but even after seeing the evildoers who committed treason, you say you’ll just let them go without knowing. How is this pushing you? Anyway, I understand Shaolin’s intention well. In Shaolin, no longer…”

-Flinch!

Suddenly, Commander Kang-hak of the Imperial Guards couldn’t finish his words.

That was because of the eerie presence felt from behind.

“Since you called us evildoers, I should do as you wish.”

‘!?’

The expression of Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok, who was next to Commander Kang-hak of the Imperial Guards, froze.

The owner of this voice was none other than Mok Gyeong-un.

When did he come behind them?

They didn’t even sense him approaching.

-Grab!

“Ugh!”

At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un grabbed the back of Commander Kang-hak’s neck.

As someone who had risen to the position of Commander of the Imperial Guards, Kang-hak, who had reached the pinnacle-stage of the Peak Realm, tried to resist and break free.

However,

-Tighten!

“Urk!”

He instinctively sensed it.

The strength gripping the back of his neck was so strong that if he resisted even slightly, it felt like his neck would be torn off.

Mok Gyeong-un grinned at him and said,

“Like an evildoer, I should take you hostage and leave this place.”

“How dare you!”

At that moment, Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok hurriedly turned his body and unleashed the Dragon Claw Hand^[4] towards Mok Gyeong-un, who was gripping the back of Kang-hak’s neck, in an attempt to save him.

Each of the Seventy-two Unique Arts of Shaolin^[5] was close to being a supreme technique, but…

-Bam bam bam bam bam!

Mok Gyeong-un lightly blocked his Dragon Claw Hand with one hand.

He wasn’t using any special technique but was matching the moves of the Dragon Claw Hand, and at some point, Mok Gyeong-un’s hand movements resembled the Dragon Claw Hand.

At this, Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok couldn’t hide his astonishment.

In the midst of exchanging techniques, Mok Gyeong-un was copying his own technique.

How could there be such a cunning person?

‘In that case!’

Feeling that this wouldn’t do, Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok unleashed a fierce palm strike towards Mok Gyeong-un.

It was the most domineering and powerful technique of the Shaolin Bronze Sand Palm^[6], a palm strike that pushed the opponent with profound internal energy.

In response, Mok Gyeong-un also unleashed the same palm technique.

Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok smiled contentedly at Mok Gyeong-un’s response.

‘I’ll subdue him with internal energy.’

Having cultivated the supreme technique of Shaolin, the True Sutra of Marrow Washing^[7], he possessed vast and profound internal energy.

Therefore, he was confident that he would not lose to anyone in terms of internal energy.

Moreover, no matter how much this young patron in his mid-twenties had reached a high level, there was no way he could defeat him in internal energy…

-Bang!

‘Impossible!?’

-Slide!

The moment their palms collided, Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok’s body was pushed back more than ten steps.

Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok couldn’t hide his perplexity as he looked at his trembling hand.

Unlike himself, who was pushed back, Mok Gyeong-un didn’t budge a single step despite holding Commander Kang-hak of the Imperial Guards.

‘!!!!!!’

Seeing this scene, the eyes of the warrior monks of Shaolin widened.

Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok, one of the top three masters of Shaolin known as the Three Supreme Monks of Shaolin, was pushed back in an internal energy clash against a young master whose name wasn’t even known.

‘How could this be?’