"Heoheoheo."
Gonggong, forcing down his erupting rage, replied coldly.
"It seems a question not worth answering."
"It seems that is a sufficient answer."
If Shaolin were honorable, there was no reason to evade such a question.
In the end, Shaolin was moving according to the Buddha Venerable's will.
Even if that were not the case, they were no longer maintaining their path as the mountain and northern dipper that upheld the righteous spirit of the martial world.
"Even Shaolin…"
Bu Eunseol sighed deeply without realizing it and shook his head.
"Has it ultimately fallen into corruption?"
Such words were absolute heresy that could never be tolerated in front of a Shaolin disciple.
"Watch your words."
As if he could endure it no longer, Gonggong furrowed his white eyebrows and shouted.
"Command Lord. You may think you know many things. But in this old monk's eyes, you simply appear as an outsider who knows nothing."
"What do you mean?"
"This temple has protected the martial world for a far longer period than even the Martial Alliance."
Before Bu Eunseol could say anything, he spoke again.
"However, in times like these, we have no choice but to change our methods. Do you understand what I mean?"
Bu Eunseol, who had kept his silence, asked again.
"Are you saying the end can justify the means?"
"Aren't all matters of the martial world simply that the winner is king and the loser is a bandit?"
Winner is king, loser is bandit.
It means if you succeed, you become a king, and if you fail, you become a bandit.
Because the victor becomes justice and writes history, the outcome justifies everything regardless of the process.
Utterly dumbfounded, Bu Eunseol.
Discarded his polite tone and spoke coldly.
"All matters of the martial world dictated by the winner becoming king and the loser becoming a bandit? Is that something a monk of Buddhism, whose foundation is compassion, should say?"
"If this poor monk does not go to hell, who will?"
Gonggong spoke with a solemn expression.
"While the insignificant figures of the martial world shout of righteousness and chivalry, this temple willingly covered itself in blood and filth. Yet a Demon Sect member who has immersed himself in the demonic path dares to speak of this temple's corruption!"
Bu Eunseol said nothing.
Because those with twisted beliefs cannot even be persuaded.
"I feel there is no longer any need to converse."
Bu Eunseol calmly turned around.
"Excuse me."
"Halt."
"Do you have a command to give?"
"Do you think Shaolin is a place where you can come and go as you please?"
Kuuung.
Suddenly, a massive stone fell at the entrance of the Bodhi Cave.
He had activated a mechanism installed inside the Bodhi Cave to seal the entrance.
"I cannot understand this."
Bu Eunseol furrowed his brow.
"If the abbot merely twitched a finger, Shaolin's disciples would come rushing out in droves. Why take upon yourself such a troublesome task?"
"If I sent you outside needlessly, couldn't you break through the formation and escape?"
Gonggong revealed a sinister smile.
"Besides, rather than hearing that Shaolin's disciples were mobilized all at once… it looks much better to say that I struck and killed someone who tried to assassinate this poor monk in the Bodhi Cave."
Bu Eunseol's martial prowess stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the supreme masters of the current era.
If he commanded the disciples, massive casualties would occur, and they would not be able to avoid the criticism of trapping him in Shaolin and killing him with the power of numbers.
Gonggong intended to trap Bu Eunseol in the Bodhi Cave and beat him to death under the pretext of an assassination attempt on the abbot.
Because the dead cannot speak.
"You have even prepared a scheme to easily frame me."
Bu Eunseol instead burst into a hollow laugh.
"To think this is Shaolin."
Dam Jeung, the abbot of Blood Shaolin, had an eccentric personality but was righteous, and he looked at the grand scheme of things without distinguishing between orthodox and demonic.
Furthermore, his grandfather had also learned Shaolin's secret arts, and the foundation of his own internal energy was also Shaolin.
But… to think the abbot leading Shaolin was this wicked?
'It is not even strange that the Society Leader of the United Heart Society used Shaolin's secret internal energy arts.'
Only now did he understand how the Society Leader had practiced Shaolin's internal energy in the past.
Shaolin had not been swept up in a conspiracy… they were closer to being the mastermind of the conspiracy.
"Have we finished all there is to say now?"
Woong, woong.
At that moment, along with a low vibration from deep inside the Bodhi Cave, a hoarse and aged voice could be heard.
Woong, woong.
The vibration gradually drew closer.
It felt as though something that should not exist in the human world was slowly revealing its form in the darkness.
Kuuung.
Finally, as the vibration stopped,
The figure of an emaciated old monk slowly revealed itself from the inside.
His skin was rough and deeply wrinkled like tree bark that had weathered a long time.
His age spots, looking as if they had been scorched by the sun and struck by frost, were as natural as moss blooming on a tree's body.
But his unfathomably deep eyes were like the stars at the crack of dawn.
They contained the wisdom of eons, piercing through everything yet benevolently embracing all.
It was none other than Shaolin's living legend, the Buddha Venerable Hong Hyeon, who was called the Divine Monk.
"Venerable One."
As the Buddha Venerable appeared, Gonggong showed his respect with a polite motion.
"Then I shall withdraw."
Nod.
As the Buddha Venerable nodded, Gonggong left the spot with an extremely cautious attitude.
"Martial Soul Command Lord."
The Buddha Venerable slowly approached and gazed at Bu Eunseol with clear eyes.
"Since you boldly barged into this temple without notice, I imagine you came with at least this much resolve."
In fact, Bu Eunseol had far too many things to ask the Buddha Venerable.
About the Absolute Demonic Blade Project, about his grandfather's matters, or about the sacred relic stored in Blood Shaolin.
But he realized that right now, those things were of no use.
The Buddha Venerable was simply an old monster trying to seize control of Shaolin and sway the martial world in the name of justice.
Whether he collaborated with the True Demon's kin to advance the Absolute Demonic Blade Project, or had some other ulterior motive.
In the end, it was due to an old man's greed and had nothing to do with justice.
From his mouth… he would absolutely never be able to hear an honest answer.
'How could he change like this?'
In the past, when he had infiltrated the Martial Alliance under the guise of Seolso.
The Buddha Venerable had been boundlessly affectionate.
Even though he suspected that Bu Eunseol was not a member of the Martial Alliance, he had generously passed on his martial arts insights.
Not only that, when Bu Eunseol had fallen into a desperate crisis after being attacked by the Heavenly Deity of the Infinite Realm.
He had extended his hand without hesitation.
"The Divine Monk who was so righteous."
Bu Eunseol sighed, unable to hide his pity.
"How could you become this wicked?"
"In the eyes of a beast, only beasts can be seen."
The Buddha Venerable spoke while clasping his hands together.
"All of this is for the justice of the martial world."
He sent a gaze that was like pity directed at foolish sentient beings.
And slowly, very quietly, he brought his two hands together in front of his chest.
Kuuuuuuung―!
The moment his clasped hands parted, all the sounds of the world vanished.
Behind the Buddha Venerable's back, a massive golden halo spread out as if exploding.
A single motion split into a thousand, and a thousand shadows became a single massive wave that filled the space.
It was not a touch of compassion.
It was an overwhelming momentum as if the entire sky were collapsing. It was like a massive golden tidal wave with nowhere to dodge and nowhere to block.
It was the Buddha Venerable's specialty and Shaolin's foremost palm art, the Thousand Hands Tathagata Palm.
Chchchchut.
Bu Eunseol, unfolding Swift Beyond Shadow, lightly evaded the pouring palm shadows, and,
Sreung.
He drew the Silent Tiger Soul Sword without hesitation.
Conversation was no longer of any use.
The only thing left was.
A life and death duel where one either falls or makes the other fall.
Cha-ang!
Along with a chilling rupture sound like shattering glass, the palm shadows wrapping around the Buddha Venerable's figure shattered into pieces.
He had deployed the Waning Moon, Dawn Star Form to annihilate the Thousand Hands Tathagata Palm in a single breath with power.
Not missing that opening, Bu Eunseol became a streak of pitch-black flash and cleaved the space.
Chik-chik!
The Silent Tiger Soul Sword dug in with an agile yet tenacious momentum, like a snake aiming for its prey.
In the end, just as the sword blade pierced through the palm shadows and was about to dig into the Buddha Venerable's lower abdomen,
Cheo-eok.
Miraculously, the Silent Tiger Soul Sword heading for his lower abdomen was caught in the Buddha Venerable's clasped palms.
Tuk.
At the same time, as a palm force as light as down touched Bu Eunseol's chest,
Kwaang!
A terrifying palm force that felt like Mount Tai pressing down began to pour continuously, creating afterimages.
Second, third…
Countless hand shadows relentlessly battered Bu Eunseol's entire body.
Bu Eunseol's body was swept away helplessly, like a small boat caught in a tidal wave.
Chiiiik.
Having been pushed back almost to the entrance of the Bodhi Cave, crimson blood appeared at Bu Eunseol's mouth.
In this single exchange of techniques, he had suffered a great loss.
"This is the final compassion this poor monk can bestow."
The Buddha Venerable extended one hand with an infinitely generous expression.
"Take your own life."
"…"
"If you do so, I will return your remains completely to Majeon."
Bu Eunseol gave no answer.
Because in his mind, which had entered a combat stance, the countless martial arts forms the Buddha Venerable would unfold from now on were unfolding.
Bu Eunseol, having finished his calculations.
Pa-ak!
He charged toward the Buddha Venerable like a streak of fierce air current.
At the same time, the Silent Tiger Soul Sword surged to within three chi of the Buddha Venerable's throat in the blink of an eye,
Hwiririk!
It chillingly changed direction mid-way and tried to pierce his left shoulder.
The Buddha Venerable used palm force to lightly deflect the sword, but Bu Eunseol continuously closed the distance, whipping up a storm of pitch-black sword aura.
"It's the Thirteen Hwa Wu Forms."
Admiration arose in the Buddha Venerable's deep eyes as he saw the sword forms.
"To think you have cultivated that basic sword art to this extent."
Seu-euk.
And he took out a single prayer bead from his sleeve and lightly flicked it with his middle finger.
Tung!
A golden flash sparked, and the prayer bead accurately struck the tip of Bu Eunseol's sword blade.
It was a superb move of the Finger Flick Divine Skill.
If it had been an ordinary martial artist, their grip would have torn and they would have dropped the sword, but,
Hwiririk.
However, Bu Eunseol, drawing a large circle with the Silent Tiger Soul Sword.
He dissolved the mighty force of the Finger Flick Divine Skill with a swift and superb technique that struck like lightning.
"If it were that easy, could it be called a Shaolin supreme art?"
Ji-ing.
Suddenly, Bu Eunseol trembled greatly as if he had received a massive shock.
He had definitely dissolved the power of the Finger Flick Divine Skill.
But the mighty force contained in the prayer bead rode the blade of the Silent Tiger Soul Sword backwards and shook the massive and pure internal energy within his body.
Ju-reuk.
In the end, a streak of blood flowed down his mouth.
He had merely deflected the Finger Flick Divine Skill with his sword, yet it felt as if his chest had been struck by a massive vajra.
"I will give you one more chance."
Standing in place without moving an inch, the Buddha Venerable offered once again in a low voice.
"Take your own life."
That voice shook the depths of his spirit, seemingly taking control of Bu Eunseol's soul.
Kwa-ung!
Instead of answering, Bu Eunseol deployed the first form of the Hwa Wu Sword, Profound and More Profound.
Originally an absolutely defensive form, but when Bu Eunseol deployed it.
The condensed sword aura pierced through space like a wave and accurately dug into the Jianjing acupoint on the Buddha Venerable's right shoulder.
Along with a tingling sensation, the Buddha Venerable's entire arm was slightly paralyzed.
Woong, woong.
Then, the energy of the Finger Flick Divine Skill that had been continuously digging into Bu Eunseol's meridians was instantly dissolved.
The Buddha Venerable's Finger Flick Divine Skill was not deployed like an ordinary finger wind.
It poured out like long, thin threads of yarn, continuously seeping in.
"As expected."
When Bu Eunseol saw through the secret of the Finger Flick Divine Skill he had deployed, the Buddha Venerable nodded with a highly admiring expression.
"There has been no one at that age who has grasped this poor monk's Finger Flick Divine Skill."
And he extended his hand with a very relaxed and benevolent motion.
Ku-ung, ku-ung.
Then, along with a loud noise, Bu Eunseol staggered like a drunkard and was pushed back another couple of steps.
Even while admiring and praising him, he had secretly exerted his internal energy and deployed the supreme art of the Heart-Striking Bell.
"Your internal energy is truly remarkable. Normally, when it comes to this, one's internal organs burst."
Cheol-keok.
Bu Eunseol raised the Silent Tiger Soul Sword slowly to the middle guard without saying a word.
U-ung.
In an instant, pitch-black blade aura surged up like a storm from his entire body.
That blade aura spread out into tens, hundreds of forms, and soon rushed toward the Buddha Venerable, tearing the air to shreds.
Seven Blood Tear Forms.
The absolute blade art that bestowed death upon all things had been deployed.
"You have not yet entered the realm of death."
The Buddha Venerable spat out the exact same words as the Society Leader of the United Heart Society had in the past.
"This cannot be called the true Seven Blood Tear Forms."
A chilling light sparked in the Buddha Venerable's eyes as he stood at the center of the black storm.
It was as if boundless murderous intent, suppressed deep within his compassion, was welling up, showing the appearance of a Buddha turning into an evil demon.
"Namu Amitabha."
Disgustingly, he did not forget to utter a low Buddhist chant amidst all that.
Shu-uk.
In an instant, the Buddha Venerable's figure soared to the ceiling of the Bodhi Cave.
Following that, the massive figure of a golden Buddha with a thousand arms bloomed grandly behind his back.
However, the thousand arms did not have their hands open; their fists were tightly clenched.
It looked as though he was deploying the Thousand Hands Tathagata Palm, but in reality, he was deploying the Arhat Divine Fist.
Pa-a-a-a!
The Arhat Divine Fist, swirling with golden light,
Turned into hundreds of fist forces and poured down toward the blade aura of the Seven Blood Tear Forms.
Kwa-reu-reu-reung, kwa-gwa-gwa-gwang!
As the golden fist shadows of the Arhat Divine Fist and the terrifying blade aura of the Seven Blood Tear Forms clashed, thunderous sounds echoed endlessly.
A hot flame surged up in Bu Eunseol's chest, and rough breaths spewed from his mouth.
Every time he shot out blade aura.
His attacks were repeatedly blocked and neutralized by the Arhat Divine Fist dyed in gold, and the rebounding force was coming back at him.
"You are intentionally taking a defensive stance and assessing this poor monk's martial arts. You still have leeway."
The Buddha Venerable smiled broadly.
"But from now on, I will have to exert my true power."
Pat!
As the Buddha Venerable deployed his movement technique, suddenly, the interior of the Bodhi Cave was filled with his afterimages.
Shaolin's ultimate movement martial art.
He had simultaneously deployed the Nine-Grade Lotus Platform and the Vajra Immovable Movement Method.
Pa-a-a-a.
When the Buddha Venerable, who had mastered the best of Shaolin's seventy-two supreme arts under heaven, deployed his movement technique, it became a Form Hiding Secret Art that the eyes could not follow.
Having completely dominated the space, he
Filled the interior with a soft yet overwhelming momentum.
He was driving Bu Eunseol into a situation where he absolutely had to deploy the Vacuum Secret Art.
Chchchchut.
Bu Eunseol also deployed Swift Beyond Shadow.
He dodged the shadows chasing him one by one.
Before long, the Bodhi Cave seemed to be filled with the afterimages of the two people.
The shadows of the two people, who created afterimages while exerting their internal energy at full power, had disappeared at some point.
"If you do not deploy the Vacuum Supreme Art within ten forms, your breath will be cut off."
Majestic Buddhist light was rising from the Buddha Venerable's body, which was creating countless afterimages.
Even while deploying his movement technique, he was circulating the Bodhi Heart Art, preparing to deliver the final strike.
It was definitely the art known to be capable of neutralizing all of the enemy's power at once.
It was surely the Buddha Venerable's unique Infinite Reversal Power.
Ji-ing, ji-ing.
In an instant, the Buddha Venerable's entire body was blinking like a star.
If his physical body blinked nine more times now?
The apex of Shaolin's secret arts, which no one had been able to cultivate in a hundred years, the Buddha Venerable's Infinite Reversal Power would be unleashed.
At that moment, a brilliant light erupted from Bu Eunseol's Silent Tiger Soul Sword.
He had drawn up all the energy in his body and injected it into the Silent Tiger Soul Sword, unfolding the Heaven-Breaking Desolation Harmony.
"A tremendous momentum. But it is already too late."
As soon as the Buddha Venerable's shout ended,
Pa-a!
Bu Eunseol's Harmony was fired off in completely the wrong place.
Before the Buddha Venerable deployed the Infinite Reversal Power.
The reason he had deliberately deployed the Vajra Immovable Movement Method and the Nine-Grade Lotus Platform to continuously create afterimages in the Bodhi Cave was.
A method to block Bu Eunseol's counterattack from the very beginning.
It was to deploy Tathagata Extinguishing Purity, which makes all of the enemy's attacks flow in the wrong direction.
Kwa-u-u-ung.
From the Buddha Venerable's hand, like a pure white sun.
A blindingly pure white brilliance erupted.
There was no light, no sound, no heat.
It was a pure vibration that merely erased space and nullified time.
The Buddha Venerable's Infinite Reversal Power.
Even while resembling the smile of a compassionate Buddha, it was the light of destruction that extinguished all existence to its origin.
It was the Vajra Extermination Wave.
Ji-ing.
In an instant, Bu Eunseol drew up his lifelong internal energy and created an aura blade.
But it was completely meaningless before the Vajra Extermination Wave.
Because the light did not pierce his aura blade, but seeped into his physical body itself.
Chi-i-i-i.
A terrible pain, as if something was eating away at his flesh, was felt, and then,
Jjeok!
Like a paddy field cracking in a drought, cracks began to form on the surface of Bu Eunseol's solid physical body.
At first, they were fine hairline cracks, but as the light grew more intense, the cracks spread all over his body like a spiderweb.
Jjeo-jeo-jeok!
Not even a scream burst out.
Because the backflowing energy had ruptured even his vocal cords.
He merely kept his eyes wide open, helplessly watching his own body crumble from the inside out.
Ku-u-u-u.
What poured out from the gaps of the cracks was not blood, but the life essence within his body.
Ku-ung.
In the end, Bu Eunseol collapsed to the floor, bleeding from his entire body.
"Amitabha."
The Buddha Venerable approached the fallen Bu Eunseol and clasped his hands.
He was expressing true condolences for the death of the young grandmaster who had looked down upon the world.
Seu-euk.
At that moment, Bu Eunseol, who had been lying fallen, slowly raised his body.
Bu Eunseol, who should have met a gruesome death with all the energy in his body destroyed.
Was he not getting up in completely perfect condition?
"How."
The Buddha Venerable's eyes, which had been as calm as water, shook greatly.
If he had dodged, perhaps?
Once exposed to the Vajra Extermination Wave, no matter how great a master one was, they could absolutely not hope for luck.
But how was he still alive?
"Great Monk Hong Hyeon."
Bu Eunseol, brushing off his clothes and walking over, asked an out-of-the-blue question.
"In truth, there is a secret for anyone to live eternally. By any chance, do you know about that method?"
When the Buddha Venerable said nothing, Bu Eunseol smiled calmly.
"I will give you the answer. It is simply for multiple people to take on that role from generation to generation."
Looking at the still silent Buddha Venerable, Bu Eunseol curled the corners of his mouth.
"I have met the Buddha Venerable in the past. He had risen to a terrifying martial level capable of driving out the Heavenly Deity of the Infinite Realm in a single exchange."
The Buddha Venerable spoke as if it were absurd.
"So what? Are you saying this old monk's skills have fallen since then?"
"Not at all. Your skills are exactly the same as back then."
Bu Eunseol's expression contained contempt and mockery simultaneously.
"It means... they are exactly the same skills as back then."
Comments