Chapter 23: That Guy Is Crazy

The road to Shaolin was relatively smooth.

Although it belonged to a long journey that I was experiencing for the first time in my life, moving from Hubei to Henan, there were no particular inconveniences.

To explain the distribution of the Orthodox, Unorthodox, and Demonic factions based on the Central Plains, the Orthodox Sect was located in the north, the Unorthodox Sect in the south, and the Demonic Path near Tibet in the west.

Henan was positioned slightly toward the north from the Central Plains. It was a place where the influence of the Orthodox Sect was strong.

Since Shaolin’s history was so long, the martial arts academies established by the disciples produced there who went out into the world were also widely spread in each region, so public order could not help but be good.

Paradoxically, because of the existence of such Shaolin, Henan was not always peaceful, though.

Because the name of Shaolin had such a massive influence on the Orthodox Sect, the invasions of the Unorthodox and Demonic forces to break it were not few.

It was protected by Shaolin, while at the same time, it also suffered a great deal because of Shaolin’s reputation.

However, now that the balance of the Orthodox, Unorthodox, and Demonic factions had settled, it could be said to belong to the most stable places in the Martial World.

Even if they were bastards running wild with bad intentions, there were no fools who would charge in upon seeing Hye-won or Beom-gak, who were clearly Shaolin monks. If there were, it would probably only be the groups of Unorthodox or Demonic path moving with evil schemes incompatible with the era of balance, but we did not encounter them on this journey.

Rather, we received lavish treatment.

Since a main disciple of Shaolin was traveling, people offering food and comfortably taking care of our lodging were scattered everywhere.

With good public order, there was no reason to fight, people taking care of food on their own were lined up, and we even had Baek Mu-ho, who was already experienced in travel, so how could there be any inconvenience?

Except for the fact that time to concentrate on martial arts cultivation was insufficient, it was a time with nothing to complain about.

“Couldn’t you accompany me on the way back too?”

Spending such times where words went back and forth, and fists also went back and forth, I became quite close with Beom-gak.

To the extent that he would offer such words without hesitation.

“I’d rather bite my tongue.”

And to the extent that I could hear such an answer.

Because we were close, we could share such words.

Really.

“That’s a myth. Biting your tongue doesn’t kill a person.”

…

“I don’t wish for too far, just up to the Henan border.”

“How can you say such words after making someone’s face like this?”

It was Beom-gak, speaking while pointing at his face with his finger.

A blue mark that had not been there before was indeed stamped on his eye like a seal.

It also looked peculiar that the bruise closely resembled a human fist.

It is extremely hard to get it stamped so perfectly like that.

Really.

“I didn’t do that. That guy did it.”

“You did do it, you bastard. What that guy did was this.”

This time, Beom-gak pulled up his trousers to reveal his calves and thighs, revealing bruises everywhere that seemed to have been made by something like a long stick.

At those bruises, Baek Mu-ho scratched his cheek.

“It’s pretty. Go show it off.”

He said words that grated on the listener’s nerves.

Beom-gak spoke, conveying the raw emotion lying at the bottom of his hollow laugh.

“Hey, you bastards!”

“Uh-huh! If you’re a monk, you should use pretty words.”

“Go suck a dog’s asshole, you damned beasts.”

“Your cursing has increased a lot, hasn’t it?”

Perhaps because of the continuous sparring on the way, Beom-gak seemed to have quite a lot built up.

Still, the false pride in him had definitely deflated completely.

Although his tongue was filled with venom instead.

*Smack!*

“Use pretty words.”

A severe punishment fell upon that venomous mouth.

“Sheesh, Master!”

“Shaolin is close by, kid. If you walk around saying such things in front of many onlookers, the Discipline Hall will step in.”

“Sheesh…”

Beom-gak, who was scolded by Monk Hye-won, let out a sound filled with complaints.

However, perhaps because he mentioned the Discipline Hall, he quickly tucked his tail.

The Discipline Hall was usually a place that maintained discipline. A Discipline Hall run by a place like Shaolin would surely be extremely strict, so it was worth watching his mouth.

Seeing Beom-gak sulking, Monk Hye-won smiled broadly.

Seeing his disciple get nagged and liking it might look a bit strange, but in fact, he had reason to laugh.

This was because what increased in Beom-gak during the journey was not just curses.

His martial arts had also improved quite a bit. The false pride that poured out arrogance was deflated, and his skills had increased, so from the standpoint of being his master, he would think of it as a not bad result.

Anyway, in that way, we came all the way to Shaolin.

***

Shaolin was different from Wudang.

In the Wudang Sect, when entering and leaving, the first thing visible is the Sword Unclasping Pool. As courtesy toward the Wudang Sect, there was a tree where one hung and left their weapons. From the start, the feeling of a Martial World sect was thick.

On the other hand, Shaolin had many visitors.

Since it was said that there was a separate place called the Guest Reception Hall to receive incense guests, well.

[Hall of martial arts, my foot. This is a marketplace, what else.]

[Hmm. Couldn’t you think of it as proof of widely spreading good teachings?]

As Master Zhang Sanfeng sarcastically commented, Master Bodhidharma consoled him. However, seeing how he started speaking with a low groan, it seemed Master Bodhidharma was also not entirely pleased.

Going inside beyond such crowds, the bustling sound of people gradually began to die down. There existed a point where a reverent atmosphere began to linger.

The true domain of Shaolin.

I felt that I had begun to set foot in the hall of martial arts spoken of in the Martial World.

Those traces were visible everywhere on the path we passed.

“The repair costs must be quite a lot.”

“Haha, actually, it is one of the reasons why Shaolin receives many incense guests.”

Monk Hye-won lightheartedly received my question.

Perhaps due to the aftermath of practicing stomping, the stones laid on the ground were shattered. Since the ground was hollowed out beyond just crushing the stones, repair costs would be quite high.

“Hah!”

And a shouting sound loud enough to make my ears ring resounded.

“Whew! Thrilling, isn’t it?”

It was a shout so loud it gave goosebumps. Baek Mu-ho let out an exclamation.

“Is this Shaolin’s complete in one breath?”

The original meaning was to push through without hesitation and accomplish a task in one go, but when talking about Shaolin’s martial arts, it was also used to refer to letting out a powerful shout along with that fierce spirit.

“Originally, Shaolin martial arts shout a bit loudly…”

[Not particularly, though?]

…So I had heard.

Excuse me? Master Bodhidharma?

If the founder abruptly denies it like that, how am I supposed to take it?

[Shouting does have the utility of concentrating force, but if there is something emitted through the mouth, it can also scatter internal qi. That is why they tell you not to open your mouth when performing qi circulation and breath regulation. At least, the Shaolin martial arts I pursued is the unity of internal and external, one body, one art, one entity. Unless one only focuses on external arts, if one handles internal arts together, is a shout really necessary?]

That was what he said.

Well, although Shaolin martial arts has aspects of focusing on external arts, it values internal energy no less, and there are cases where such Shaolin Fist is evaluated as an external fist.

Was this also a part that changed as it passed down to later generations?

“Ahem! Well, Shaolin martial arts is indeed quite fierce. The shouts are also amazing.”

Beom-gak, who knew nothing, had a triumphant face upon seeing Baek Mu-ho get surprised and me trailing off mid-sentence.

Hey, Master Bodhidharma says you guys are fakes.

“So that’s why your screams were so satisfying when you got beat up?”

“Agh, sh…”

The words that would follow after were definitely curses.

In an instant, Monk Hye-won’s gaze grew fierce. It was a look that dared him to try. If he went even a step further from there, he would be headed straight to the Discipline Hall.

“S… Sowing seeds to cultivate a field, the mind of a farmer… What is next?”

“I don’t know.”

“I don’t know either.”

Why is this kid so cute?

Would it be a bit strange to call a bulky guy cute?

The dislike I felt initially felt like a lie. Is this why education is important? I don’t know how long we will be together in the future, but I should teach him well.

While I was thinking that…

“Uh?”

“Hey, why aren’t you following?”

It was Beom-gak, frowning in annoyance as I stopped midway.

It was because of the person visible in that direction, the direction from which the shouts of the Shaolin disciples were heard.

He looked exactly like someone I knew.

They said there are at least three identical faces in the world. Then does that mean there is one more such annoying face somewhere else?

[It is him.]

Ah, is that so.

No, I thought so too. There’s no way another such annoying face could exist.

Yin Si-hoo.

The culprit who had me kicked out of the Wudang Sect.

That guy was over there.

In a place where men and women of similar age forming a group were gathered.

I heard that disciples of the Nine Sects occasionally meet by holding gatherings, is that why they are gathered?

But did a guy who was a mere lay disciple have the capacity to do that? If so, it meant he had some other connection.

“Is there a familiar face?”

It was Beom-gak, turning his gaze to the direction mine was pointing belatedly. Realizing where I was looking, he inspected the members over there and asked.

“There is, but not really… Why is your face rotting?”

While answering Beom-gak’s words, I was flustered by the face of Baek Mu-ho next to me.

Baek Mu-ho’s face was also rotting as if he had seen something he shouldn’t.

Just like my face.

Could this guy perhaps?

“Do you know Yin Si-hoo?”

“No. Who is he?”

“No, if you don’t know, forget it.”

It seemed he was not rotting his face because he knew who the culprit who chased me out was.

“Then do you know Mae Gyeong-pung?”

“No.”

“If you don’t know, forget it.”

It was speech that copied my words exactly.

Did this fellow also have something with that guy Mae Gyeong-pung?

He seemed to be one of the kids playing nice with Yin Si-hoo over there.

*Tsk.*

“I hope there are no clashes.”

Because I didn’t come to Shaolin to get into a fight with something like that.

With that mind, I moved my steps following Monk Hye-won, who was leading the way.

“Just try getting caught once. *Grit!*”

Although the heart of this fellow Baek Mu-ho, who was matching steps with me, seemed a bit different.

***

“Inviting you to Shaolin was, as I said, because I had the intention of bringing you under the gate of Shaolin. But besides that, there was one more thing.”

As if we were almost at the destination, Monk Hye-won spoke about the reason he invited me.

“It was that there was someone you wanted to introduce to me, right?”

“Correct.”

The Shaolin martial arts I learned was directly transmitted from Master Bodhidharma. It was close to the original form of Shaolin martial arts.

As it boasted a long history, Shaolin’s martial arts had various schools and factions. In that process, some things would have developed, and some things would have degenerated.

It was like being the source of all those factions.

What was clear was, no matter how much it developed, or was thought to have developed.

Master Bodhidharma’s source was great.

“He is someone who pursues the source of Shaolin martial arts… no, martial arts close to the source.”

“He must be an amazing person.”

My words were an evaluation carrying true sincerity.

“I hope you gain something.”

Monk Hye-won said so with sincerity.

Looking at him again, he was truly a good person.

However, unlike such thoughts, I did not particularly look forward to it.

Already, the pinnacle of that source was with me.

In the first place, the reason I came to Shaolin was not to listen to advice on Shaolin martial arts. I came to obtain something Master Bodhidharma mentioned he had left in Shaolin.

Therefore, I moderately brushed off Monk Hye-won’s words. Meanwhile, I hoped that the person I would meet on the side would not be someone exhausting.

The place we arrived at in that way.

The person we encountered there was truly impressive.

Infinitely deep pupils. A thick stubbornness was felt in the eyes containing pupils with depth.

Don’t you know that kind of thing felt from artisans who have walked only a single path all their lives?

That kind of atmosphere that master experts with depth would exude.

The moment I saw those eyes and that atmosphere, I could immediately tell.

That guy is a nutcase.