Chapter 133
At twenty years old, I was a delinquent adult(?) who enjoyed running away from home under the guise of going out.
Training on the mountain was grueling, and life outside was fun.
By the time I was twenty, I had developed a strong friendship with Munseok, so I often went to Sichuan to play.
That day was just one of those ordinary days.
Because the training was so grueling…, I avoided Master’s eyes and fled to Sichuan. After meeting Munseok and playing wildly for a few days, I returned to the mountain.
“I wonder if the old man is really angry…”
In my hand, I held a bottle of strong liquor, a specialty of Sichuan.
If I brought a bribe like this, I might get beaten less by Master. It was my own method, discovered after being beaten countless times.
Of course, even if I were beaten a little less, getting hit by Master still hurt like hell, but it didn’t matter.
Because the few days I had run away this time were so enjoyable that I wouldn’t regret it even if Master beat me.
“I had good luck.”
I handled a small request for Munseok and ripped him off for a massive upfront fee. With that money, I found a decent wine house and was able to enjoy myself to the fullest.
So, I headed home humming a tune with a joyful heart.
However…
“…Hmm?”
As soon as I reached the entrance of the main headquarters, I couldn’t help but feel that something was wrong.
Only Master and I lived on the mountain. Furthermore, the path was so rugged that no one ever passed by.
But what about now?
“…”
…I could feel a presence. Multiple presences, at that.
I sensed their presence and immediately tried to raise my guard, but there was no time for that.
“Hold on.”
“…”
…Because they spoke to me the moment I stopped walking.
“Hmm…, you don’t look like a mere passerby…, could you be a disciple of the Pacheonmun sect for this generation?”
“…”
Even though she was a breathtaking beauty, her face was obscured by a terrible demonic energy, making her beauty hard to notice.
The same went for the other shadows behind her.
Every single one of the bastards here… was leaders of the Demonic Cult. The demonic energy subtly exuding from their bodies was so terrible that it was suffocating.
However…
“You can’t pass through here right now. We have business with your Master.”
…The demonic energy they were emitting was nothing compared to the demonic energy coming from the direction she pointed her finger.
And the direction where that immense demonic energy was coming from…
‘Master.’
…The thatched-roof house where Master and I lived.
A clash of immense demonic energy and internal power.
Right now, Master is fighting someone in that Thatched-roof House.
Sreung-.
There was nothing more to see.
I drew my blade to run immediately toward the thatched-roof house.
At that, the woman blocking my path also drew her sword and revealed a smirking smile.
“You’re just going to ignore me and go? I was getting bored, so this is great. Shall we see the skills of the next Pacheonmun sect leader? Ah, of course, your becoming the sect leader is predicated on the Pacheonmun sect not being annihilated today.”
As she began to properly circulate her demonic energy, demonic energy no less than that coming from Master’s direction flowed from her body.
But I didn’t get scared; I circulated my energy and lunged at her.
That was my first meeting with the Heavenly Demon Cult deputy cult leader Cheon Ye-Seo…, and that day was the worst day of my life.
* * *
Rustle-.
“Tsk.”
The Heavenly Demon Cult grand elder Heukra Yaw-Wang clicked his tongue as he pushed aside the debris and stepped outside. In the end, he had failed to properly finish off that Taoist priest bastard from the Mount Hua sect.
As soon as he came up to the surface, he looked around. And…
“…Pacheonmun Sect Leader?”
…He was able to spot the face of a young man fighting his little lord, Cheon Ye-Seo.
“…Oh dear.”
He didn’t know why that person was here, but the Pacheonmun Sect Leader was an unexpected fighting force.
The grand elder barely suppressed the urge to join in right away and help the Deputy Cult Leader.
A blooming smile had appeared for the first time in years on the face of Deputy Cult Leader Cheon Ye-Seo upon meeting him.
‘I should let her enjoy herself for now…’
Even if he joined in later, it wouldn’t be too late should a problem arise.
The Grand Elder decided to solve other problems instead.
The place he was standing right now was not the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains, but Anhui, the center of the Righteous Faction.
“…”
“…Heukra Yaw-Wang?”
Everyone was still in a daze, perhaps not having fully grasped the situation yet. However, among them, there was someone who recognized the grand elder’s face.
‘It’s that fellow from the Jegal Family I met last time in Qinghai.’
Whatever the case, now that things had already happened, it would be difficult to slip away quietly from here.
The Grand Elder let out a sigh and shouted loudly toward the spectator stands of the sparring arena.
“Dharma King-!!!!!”
To be exact, toward an old monk who remained alone drinking in the empty Spectator Stands after everyone else had fled.
“We will buy time until the Little Heaven finishes her play!!”
“Heh heh heh.”
At the grand elder’s words, Gwangso Beop-Wang drank his liquor and asked.
“Should we call Salwang and his subordinates too?”
“No, we’ll do it ourselves.”
“Why leave all the young ones alone and only make the old men move, eyeing?”
The Dharma King complained, but he stood up from his seat without losing the smile on his face.
Then…
Whoosh-.
An ominous demonic energy began to gather in the center of the Sparring Arena.
The first to notice this anomaly was Hae-Hyeon, the abbot of the Shaolin Temple.
As soon as he saw the face of Gwangso Beop-Wang remaining alone in the Spectator Stands, he realized who Gwangso Beop-Wang was.
“Gong-Mang-!!!!!”
Sixty years ago today.
The chief disciple of the Gong generation, who was highly promising in Shaolin, and whose succession as the next abbot was practically a given fact.
And…
“Oh, Hae-Hyeon! It’s been a while! I see you’re the abbot now! Kya-! How fleeting time is-!”
…The martial uncle of the current Shaolin abbot Hae-Hyeon and the worst apostate monk in Shaolin’s history.
‘That man is still alive…?’
Even though he was definitely well over a hundred years old, the Apostate Monk Gong-Mang possessed a much larger physique than in his youth.
But there was no time to pay attention to such things.
“Disciples of Shaolin, execute that traitor!!”
The immovability that was the foundation of Shaolin was nowhere to be found; as soon as he saw a presence, Hae-Hyeon could not contain his agitation.
It was understandable, as Gong-Mang’s existence itself was a disgrace to Shaolin.
At Hae-Hyeon’s shout, all the Shaolin disciples and elders in the Sparring Arena moved in unison under the abbot’s command.
It was a dizzying situation, as if massive boulders were flying toward him.
But even in the midst of that, Gong-Mang, no, the Dharma King, merely giggled and laughed.
“Yes, juniors! I am your senior!”
Then, he raised his hand, gathered demonic energy, and let out a booming voice across the Sparring Arena.
“So I will show you something good!! Just how much further Shaolin’s martial arts can develop!! The Buddha we seek is where!!”
Woooong-!!
“Black Maitreya Three Ultimate Arts~!! The first!!”
At that moment, a wide smile that looked as if it would tear his face apart was cast upon Gwangso Beop-Wang’s face.
“Black Tathagata Demonic Palm-!!!”
Aaaaaaaagh-!!! Kyaaaaaaaagh-!!!
As soon as he shouted the name of the stance, someone’s piercing scream echoed through the Sparring Arena.
That scream was so desperate…, it was as if the prisoners of Hell were screaming.
And when everyone was distracted by that devilish scream…
“L-look at the sky!”
…Above, a black palm cast a shadow.
A palm made of black flames, reminiscent of a devil’s palm.
As soon as they saw that sight, someone shouted as if talking to themselves.
“…It’s the Demonic Cult.”
And that shout was echoed continuously by the mouths of others.
“It’s the Demonic Cult-!”
“It’s a raid by the Demonic Cult-!”
Coming to their senses at this, the Murim Alliance leaders also took up their respective weapons and tried to block the Dharma King’s surprise attack, but…
‘…Too late…’
The Dharma King’s Black Tathagata Demonic Palm was already right in front of their noses.
Of course, even if one were hit by that, anyone at the level of a sect elder or higher wouldn’t lose their life.
But the middle of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering Final sparring match is right now.
There were still many rising stars of various sects and commoners remaining in the Sparring Arena.
In the first place, this was exactly what the Dharma King was aiming for.
If he cut down the unripened sprouts…, they would be able to secure a much more advantageous high ground in the future Righteous-Demonic War.
Even if the Martial Artists of the Murim Alliance, who noticed this intention, tried to block the Black Tathagata Demonic Palm, it was already too late.
Just like that, the Black Tathagata Demonic Palm was about to cover the Sparring Arena in black flames…
Chwaaak-!!
…Or so they thought…?
The black palm, which was terrifying just to look at, disappeared from someone’s single Sword Strike without leaving a trace.
“…Huh?”
The Personages of the Righteous Faction let out hollow, breathy sounds as if they were broken upon seeing that sight, and…
“Eh? How did he cut that? Could that Young Man be…”
The Dharma King tilted his head, and…
“Tsk, annoying as expected.”
The Heavenly Demon Cult Grand Elder clicked his tongue as if looking at something bothersome.
And at the place where all these people’s gazes gathered…
“These crazy bastards, I’m already struggling to death here, and they can’t even handle one thing like that…”
…Stood the Rising Star of Jongnimun, who had been fighting in the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering Final sparring match just a moment ago.
He scowled at the Murim Alliance leaders as if he found them pathetic, and then…
Swish.
…He turned his body back around and returned to his original battlefield.
“…”
“…”
The Martial Artists of the Murim Alliance stared blankly at that sight, only able to come to their senses at someone’s shout.
“N-now is the time-! Execute the Villains of the Demonic Cult-!!”
And with their eyes wide open, they immediately raised their weapons and rushed at the Grand Elder Heukra Yaw-Wang and Gwangso Beop-Wang.