Chapter 35: A Man Aegyo Is Not Cute
My head hurt.
By the time I became aware of the headache, I realized that my body was currently piled on top of this fellow, Baek Mu-ho.
‘Did I faint?’
It was a situation that could only be explained by my consciousness having flown away.
Otherwise, there was no way we would both have been left in this state.
“You bastard.”
Looking at the state of Baek Mu-ho, who had comfortably lost his mind without a care in the world, I raised my fist to give him a blow, but unintentionally stopped and stared at my hand.
The moment my consciousness drifted off, the sensation of that time remained on my hand like a brand.
“Heavenly Demon Hand of No Tribulation.”
The feeling of communicating with all things within my field of vision; it was to the point that I felt my own blood flowing through them, so deeply had I connected.
Although it was brief, it felt as if everything around me had entered into the palm of my hand.
In fact, to the extent that Baek Mu-ho, who had felt threatening until a moment ago, felt like a toy held in one hand.
A tiny toy that could be crushed at any time, that is.
Indeed, the Heavenly Demon. No, Master Heavenly Demon.
There was a reason why that moniker was still talked about even after a long time had passed.
[You have awakened.]
Perhaps because I had not lost consciousness for as long as I thought, Master Heavenly Demon’s voice was heard.
Since he was the newly served master, I should behave politely.
[Is your body alright?]
“Ah, yes.”
How should I describe this feeling?
Would it be right to say it felt like a tiger as big as a house patting my head with its front paw?
It was clearly a warm and worrying remark, but listening to it made goosebumps break out all over me.
[Why? Does it feel strange because I spoke to you warmly?]
“A little…?”
[I did so because it seems like we will have a chance to meet face-to-face soon. Since we have formed a relationship of master and disciple, wouldn’t it be a problem if we were awkward when we crossed paths?]
“……”
I felt like my mouth was frequently being locked shut lately.
By the way, interpreting these words…
Am I going to die?
They said the place where Master Heavenly Demon worked was the Boiling Water Hell, so if we met there, would I be fried in dirty water?
[Do you know what kind of thing you did yesterday?]
Amidst that, Master Heavenly Demon’s interrogative voice continued.
The problem was that my excuse was quite poor.
“Well, I don’t really remember…”
[A foolish vessel touched the essence and crossed the boundary purely through talent. In fact, you reached the Demonic, achieved the Demonic, and governed the Demonic, so it could be said that you looked beyond the realm of the Zenith Demon.]
“Ah, yes.”
Although it was something I felt multiple times when talking to the masters in the heavens, it was very difficult to understand the words they tossed out as if they were common sense.
I wished they would realize that what was common sense in their neighborhood sounded to me like some distant Western squiggly letters.
[But even so, it does not mean you have the power to govern the Demonic.]
“That must be so. Reaching the Demonic and governing the Demonic, it’s not like I became some demonic practitioner.”
[It seems you do not know what it means for someone who has not even achieved the Demonic to have not only touched the Demonic but also governed it.]
“……”
[Kuhahaha! If those who run wild in the lower realm under the guise of daring to follow in my footsteps had heard your words just now, they would have smashed your head or broken their own heads themselves.]
These words felt like a sense of deja vu, this.
Anyway, hearing it like that suddenly made me anxious.
Was the mention of meeting face-to-face soon also because of this reason?
“Are you saying that someone who can’t even walk tried to run?”
[If you multiply the feeling you thought of by about a hundred times, it would probably match the standard I am thinking of.]
“It means it’s a relief that I’m alive.”
A hundred times. It could not be easily gauged.
However, one thing was for sure: I understood how great and dangerous the sensation of that time was.
Because even from the moment I unleashed it, the thought had crossed my mind that it was a martial art of a different class.
When my thoughts reached that point, several of Master Heavenly Demon’s words remaining in my head that had left a deep impression suddenly came to mind.
A world without fear.
A world that erases even pristine time.
‘A martial art that erases time.’
If they do not please me, I kill whoever it is.
If it does not please me, I deny and twist even someone’s death.
Denying order and trampling upon reason.
The sole noble master of all creation.
An existence that governs life and death.
A martial art that makes one a god within their own domain.
Although it was brief, the omnipotence I had gauged was to the extent that even such thoughts arose.
It was not a domain for a human to handle.
[Although it was temporary, as you have caught a glimpse of an extremely high realm, quite an imbalance must have developed in your body. It means that since it did not go through a normal process, it is difficult to estimate what and how much has been twisted.]
“I will keep that in mind.”
It meant that if I carelessly set foot in that domain once again, I wouldn’t even be able to gather my bones.
I also felt there might be some more side effects besides that.
No matter what, if it was Master Heavenly Demon’s martial art, it was a demonic art.
[Disciple… Disciple, is it…]
While I was worrying about whether I would be alright, Master Heavenly Demon suddenly murmured in a self-deprecating voice.
[Amusing.]
Although he said it was amusing, listening to it made goosebumps stand up all over me.
If the previous one felt like a brutal front paw stroking my head, this time it felt like tasting with a tongue.
With a lick.
Fortunately or unfortunately, the voice of Master Heavenly Demon, who had presented such a sensation to me, did not continue any further.
[The Clear Brightness Mind Method received it well.]
Instead, the voice of Master Zhang Sanfeng, who had been quiet in the meantime, was heard.
It seemed that the Clear Brightness Mind Method transmitted by Master Zhang Sanfeng had helped in overcoming the danger I experienced.
[It would have been dangerous if not for the treasure that fellow Bodhidharma used.]
“Ah, this?”
I knew it was an extraordinary object, but to think it also had such utility.
Come to think of it, it also seemed like a fine crack, which wasn’t there before, was visible.
[For the domain you stepped into is one where you would have barely preserved your life only if your Heavy Earth Divine Art was at least at the eighth stage.]
“……”
It suddenly hit home.
Eighth stage?
What level of realm is that?
Since I had experienced how great the growth margin was when achieving the first stage, Master Heavenly Demon’s words of the eighth stage gave me a sense of the depth of that power, but on the other hand, there was a sense of distant unfathomability.
In addition, I fully understood anew why Master Heavenly Demon had said that we would meet face-to-face.
And also how wonderful of an object this bracelet worn on my wrist was.
Even though the Clear Brightness Mind Method helped, it meant this bracelet had withstood the power of the eighth stage of the Heavy Earth Divine Art!
This bracelet was a treasure far grander than imagined.
[Since you have that treasure, even that fellow Heavenly Demon’s martial arts can be withstood to some extent, but do not go as deep as this time. You… tend to dive in suddenly.]
“Yes!”
I intended to do so anyway.
A domain where one would barely preserve their life only if their Heavy Earth Divine Art was at the eighth stage.
It gave me goosebumps just thinking about it again.
[I will transmit another martial art to you soon. It will help in organizing what you have learned.]
“Master…”
He had been grinding his teeth over Master Bodhidharma transmitting the Heavy Earth Divine Art, so it was clear he was definitely thinking of something grand.
As expected, Master Zhang Sanfeng had it all planned out.
Because he had something to believe in, he had been quietly watching.
[Rest.]
“Yes!”
With that, following Master Heavenly Demon, Master Zhang Sanfeng’s voice was no longer heard either.
Once things were settled up to that point.
Whack!
“Agh!”
I was able to smack this bastard Baek Mu-ho’s head without hesitation.
Judging by the solid sound, I had really struck him properly.
Seeing him even shed a tear, it seemed it was truly painful.
So what.
I was someone who had something to query.
“Do you remember?”
Master Heavenly Demon had said so. If one carelessly broke the immersion, they wouldn’t even recover their principal.
So, I had to confirm it.
It would be unfair if nothing remained after going through such dog-like hardship.
Since there was something coming, there should be something going, you damn friend.
Strength was tightly packed into my pupils as I glared at Baek Mu-ho.
“…I don’t think I can?”
Can’t my foot.
The way he was stealthily scanning my face, he looked like he remembered everything about hacking at me with a real sword.
Insolent!
Therefore, this was absolutely not something like venting anger!
Because it was a fact that he was insolent!
“So that means you slashed at me that much and gained nothing?”
“…Huh? Does the story turn out that way?”
“Does it turn out that way?”
I poured all the sarcasm I could muster into these words.
Even my gaze was intense!
“No, wait. Come to think of it, I think there is something I remember.”
“Then it means you slashed at me that much in your right mind?”
“……”
Indefensible.
An earthquake occurred in Baek Mu-ho’s eyes at my razor-sharp response.
Looking at his pupils moving violently up, down, left, and right, he seemed to be diligently thinking of a means to escape this situation, but he also looked to have realized that no words would work.
The last option this fellow chose like that was.
“Dehet!”
“Dehet my foot!”
It was an acting cute trick that wasn’t cute at all!
This was not venting anger.
Yes, it was education!
“I will grind down your front teeth so you can’t act cute like garbage!”
This is all because there is love that I am beating, no, educating you, you punk!
I will teach you that a man acting cute is not cute at all!
***
Although the incident that occurred in Shaolin did not spread widely to the public, it was at least clearly transmitted to the Nine Sects and One Gang.
Naturally, figures from the Nine Sects and One Gang, who would argue back and forth about this matter, gathered at the Shaolin Temple.
In such a gathering, Shaolin disclosed everything that had occurred at Mount Song without adding or subtracting.
Although it occurred at Mount Song, which was as good as Shaolin’s front yard, it was not an event that happened within the boundaries of Shaolin, and the moment they learned there was a problem, they moved without delay; they explained the circumstances while transparently revealing such details.
“So, Shaolin is not at fault?”
There was a place that reacted emotionally to Shaolin’s explanation.
The Zhongnan Sect, which had lost a promising genius, looked as though they wanted to hold Shaolin responsible immediately.
“We admit that there was an inadequacy in our vigilance. However, if you ask us to say more than that, it is difficult to accept.”
“With just that!”
“Since it did not occur within the temple grounds, it was unavoidable that our response was late. In fact, considering the status of the attackers, ending it with only that much damage was a miracle achieved by everyone’s efforts. Do not disparage that part yourself. We understand you became emotional after losing a promising genius, but such an attitude is something that should not be shown even to the deceased Southern Edge disciple.”
Although Shaolin admitted some fault, the magnitude of the admitted fault was minor. Considering the identity of the defeated enemy, that minor fault was to the extent of being buried immediately.
However, the Zhongnan Sect’s side did not seem to want to cover up the matter like this, as they glared at the Shaolin personnel with flashing eyes.
“I would like to hear their story as well.”
“If you say their side?”
“I heard that a Shaolin disciple played a major role in this incident; where is that fellow?”
Since their teeth could not sink in here, it was a gesture to bite into another side.
Whether they were doing that out of anger over the death of a promising genius, or to exploit that death.
Whichever it was, it was not a pleasant sight.
A Shaolin figure furrowed his brow slightly and cut it off.
“There is no issue on that side, so how about discussing something else?”
“Is there something you are hiding…”
“Do not speak carelessly. He is someone taken in by the Great Ancestral Master.”
“……!”
It was not only the Zhongnan Sect’s side that reacted to Shaolin’s words. Everyone among the gathered personnel of the Nine Sects and One Gang opened their eyes wide.
Because there was only one person of a generation whom the representative of Shaolin would call Great Ancestral Master.
Divine Monk Gongryo.
Although it was a name that had faded long ago with the passage of time, there was no one here who could ignore the presence that name possessed.
A prestigious name had emerged that could not be ignored even if the sect leaders of each sect, whose status was much higher than the working-level staff, had come.
“However, I heard that he seems to be a disciple of the Wudang Sect.”
“What on earth is that about?”
As there was nothing more to scratch out once Divine Monk Gongryo’s name came up, the topic turned in a different direction.
A Wudang Sect figure, who had been quietly keeping his mouth shut and observing, scowled as if it was absurd.
“I heard it as well. They said he used Wudang Fist?”
However, rendering the Wudang Sect’s reaction pointless, agreeing words also came from other places.
Everyone looked back and forth between the Wudang and Shaolin personnel with gazes that completely failed to comprehend.
“Heavens! Wudang knows nothing about this!”
The Wudang side’s figure said flatly.
Not everyone had a face that was convinced by those words.
Even so, there was no one who questioned him about it.
“A disciple taken in by the Divine Monk who uses Wudang Fist…”
This incident was full of things that did not make sense. Things that made one’s head throb were scattered everywhere. Among them, this topic contained content that was minor yet not minor.
“If it is true, I would indeed like to see him.”
“Ah, I told you there is no such disciple in Wudang!”
In the place where unresolved stories intertwined, Yeon Cheong-un was thus briefly mentioned.
Yeon Cheong-un’s presence began to grow little by little in a place unknown to him.