Chapter 392 : Friend and Foe (4)

"This old Taoist has also not witnessed it directly. I just brought it up because it reminded me of a story my late Grandmaster once told me."

"Could you elaborate a bit more?"

"You've probably heard the old saying that eccentric masters are as common as grains of sand in the martial world. Our Wudang Sect used to have an incredibly eccentric master of our own. That was none other than my Grandmaster."

The Supreme Ultimate Sword Immortal raised his head and gazed at the sky. Staring into the void with eyes full of deep longing, he quietly continued.

"That Grandmaster always told me that Shaolin possessed someone exactly like him. Or rather, he claimed that the old monk was an even more uncompromising stubborn old fool than he was."

Considering that his Grandmaster was a man whom even the Heavenly Demon affectionately called a 'bad friend,' it was wild that he would refer to that old monk as a stubborn fake monk.

But looking back at everything his Grandmaster has described, calling the man a 'fake monk' wasn't entirely accurate. That old monk had never set foot outside Mount Song in his entire life, self-proclaiming himself as the guardian of Buddhism.

"My Grandmaster said he was a monk of a terrifying obsession, devoting his entire existence purely to chanting prayers, training his martial arts, and practicing brutal asceticism."

His Grandmaster had also been an eccentric who had trained with the sword alone at Wudang for several decades, but he insisted the two of them were completely different. For his Grandmaster had freely admitted that before crossing blades with the Heavenly Demon, he had just been an arrogant greenhorn chasing empty fame and worldly desires. 

Ironically, this comparison wasn't meant to be a compliment to the old Shaolin monk.

—A bullheaded sham of a monk who knows nothing of the world due to shutting himself in the mountain. He’s someone you can’t talk to. Communication is impossible with him.

While the Supreme Ultimate Sword Immortal was mulling over what his Grandmaster had told him, Zhuge Mun posed a question.

"Is the martial prowess of this Shaolin eccentric really that overwhelmingly high?"

"I've never actually met the man in person, so I couldn't tell you. However, according to my Grandmaster, their final duel ended in a complete draw."

Amusingly, despite their skills being evenly matched, the late Wudang’s Greatest Sword absolutely despised dueling that old monk. It was a stark contrast to how much he openly enjoyed crossing swords with the Heavenly Demon.

He had said that while crossing swords and conversing with the Heavenly Demon had been enjoyable, sparring and conversing with that old monk would only leave his chest suffocating from sheer frustration.

Although the late Wudang’s Greatest Sword had never explicitly admitted this to Muheoja, the reason he had not informed the Heavenly Demon about that old monk was his stubbornness.

Since the old monk was completely impossible to reason with, it was obvious that if the Heavenly Demon and the monk ever crossed paths, they would fight to the bitter end until one of the two dropped dead.

His Grandmaster knew that the encounter would only result in the old monk getting killed. That’s why he refrained from mentioning his existence to the late Heavenly Demon.

He felt like doing so would be no different from pulling a scheme of borrowing another man's knife to commit murder.

Completely oblivious to the inner thoughts of his late Grandmaster, the Supreme Ultimate Sword Immortal continued his story.

"Furthermore, the martial realm of my ascended Grandmaster was at a level where I couldn't confidently guarantee surviving even ten moves against him, even with my current strength."

"..."

Zhuge Mun was struck speechless for a moment, but he quickly caught onto a crucial detail and asked an important question.

"When was that last duel?"

Muheoja slowly stroked his long beard at the question and gave his answer.

"Hmm. It's been roughly ten years since my Grandmaster ascended, and it was another ten or so years before that when my Grandmaster had last visited him, so it must have been at least twenty years."

"Do you have any idea how old this monk actually is?"

"I don't know the exact number, but he easily surpassed a hundred years of age a long time ago."

"..."

Zhuge Mun was completely dumbfounded for a moment before muttering with a highly complicated expression.

"He may already have attained Nirvana."

The Supreme Ultimate Sword Immortal nodded.

"That is highly likely, but isn't there a saying that it's better to prepare an umbrella before rain?"

Zhuge Mun also nodded in agreement.

"Given the current state of affairs, I suppose it's best we confirm it with our own eyes."

***

A few days later, the Supreme Ultimate Sword Immortal arrived at Mount Song in Henan.

After passing through Shaolin's main gate, he was escorted directly to the Abbot's chambers by a senior First-Generation Disciple. 

It seemed his arrival had been heavily anticipated, as the Shaolin disciples had quickly spread the word.

When he reached the room, he was greeted by the Abbot of Shaolin and Gong Hwan, the Buddha Venerable.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Supreme Ultimate Sword Immortal."

"I greet the Abbot of Shaolin."

The Shaolin Abbot and the Supreme Ultimate Sword Immortal exchanged polite greetings.

The Shaolin Abbot glanced briefly at the Buddha Venerable, then looked back at the Supreme Ultimate Sword Immortal and asked. "I have heard from Junior Brother Gong Hwan, but have you come on account of that matter of the Demonic Cult?"

The Supreme Ultimate Sword Immortal nodded at the Abbot's question, then began his speech with all his might to persuade them.

He laid out everything.

About how the Imperial Family had disguised their soldiers as the Blood Cult to massacre innocent civilians, and how they had planted spies in both the Demonic Cult and the Martial Alliance to trigger a mutual bloodbath among all martial artists.

"I am well aware that Shaolin harbors a very deep grudge against the Demonic Cult. But before we let past grudges blind us, didn't we dedicate our lives to martial arts to protect the innocent? The Demonic Cult has turned over a new leaf and is actively saving lives, while the Imperial Family is slaughtering its own citizens just to solidify its power."

Seeing the highly conflicted expressions on the faces of the Buddha Venerable and the Abbot, Muheoja drove his final point home.

"I am aware that it is difficult to trust the Demonic Cult. Therefore, how about first stopping the Imperial Family's tyranny, and then weighing the Demonic Cult's rights and wrongs afterward?"

Clearly overwhelmed with complicated thoughts, the Abbot slowly closed his eyes and softly chanted a Buddhist prayer.

"Amitabha."

And when he opened his eyes, the Abbot exchanged a meaningful glance with Gong Hwan before finally speaking.

"It seems this matter is far too grave for this monk to decide on his own. I may be the Abbot of Shaolin, but even I cannot make such a monumental decision entirely on a whim."

With those words, the Abbot slowly rose to his feet.

Since it would be incredibly rude to stay in a room after the owner had left, Gong Hwang and the Supreme Ultimate Sword Immortal also followed after him.

Right after stepping out of the chambers, the Abbot turned to Muheoja and offered a polite half-bow.

"We shall grant you our final answer after a thorough discussion, so please rest in the Guest Hall for the time being. Amitabha."

"Amitabha."

Gong Hwan also chanted the Buddhist invocation with him, then followed the Abbot out of the Abbot's quarters.

The two crossed through the sutra halls of Shaolin, then passed through the gate at the rear of Shaolin and headed deep into Mount Song.

After walking along the mountain path for a while, the two arrived at a cave whose very existence was unknown even to most of the monks of Shaolin.

At that moment, a voice rang out in the minds of the two.

—What brings you to this place, Abbot?

It was the legendary Mind Speech, a profound Buddhist technique that surpassed voice transmission and conveyed one's very thoughts directly to the recipient.

"There is a pressing matter I must discuss, and so I have come, Great Grandmaster Hyeon Am."

—Enter.

With the permission to enter, the Abbot and Gong Hwan entered the cave.

Deep inside the cavern, a skinny old monk with nothing but skin and bone was sitting in a lotus position.

He was facing the cavern wall, keeping his back turned toward the Abbot and Gong Hwan.

—Speak.

When the Mind Speech of the old monk called Hyeon Am was heard again, the Abbot recounted the tale he had just heard from the Supreme Ultimate Sword Immortal.

The moment the Abbot finished his tale, a heavy wave of Qi suddenly began to bleed out from the center of Hyeon Am's frail body.

"Gulp."

Gong Hwan couldn’t help but gulp at the sensation. For some reason, a sense of déjà vu had come to him.

He then soon realized what the identity of that sense of déjà vu was.

'The Heavenly Blood Jiangshi.'

As absurd as it was, the dense wave of qi emanating from his Grandmaster felt similar to that of the Heavenly Blood Jiangshi.

There was but one difference.

While the Heavenly Blood Jiangshi was saturated with resentment and curses, his Grandmaster's aura was composed entirely of boundless Buddhist internal energy.

'What a blasphemous thought.'

Realizing that he had just dared to compare his revered senior to a grotesque undead monster, Gong Hwan hurriedly began reciting a Buddhist chant in his mind to repent.

Swish.

Hyeon Am’s body floated in the air and rotated without moving his body in the slightest, and gazed not at the wall but at the two old monks.

While the two old monks were staring blankly at this utterly surreal sight, Hyeon Am finally opened his mouth for the first time.

"Abbot, why are you asking such a foolish question?"

His voice was so raspy that it sounded as if his throat was tearing apart; it was impossible to guess how many decades had passed since he last spoke aloud.

"Evil is evil, and the Demonic Cult is nothing but demonic. Do you intend to fall for the evil whispers of demonic creatures and disgrace Shaolin?"

Only then did the two old monks realize that their Grandmaster was angered.

"Our Buddhist discipline was lacking, and we nearly fell for the whispers of the demon."

"We apologize, Grandmaster."

When the two hurriedly lowered their heads with half-bows, Hyeon Am chanted the Buddhist invocation in his raspy voice.

"Amitabha. Where is that child of Wudang who brought the news?"

"He is waiting for my answer in the Guest Hall."

"But, why do you seek the Supreme Ultimate Sword Immortal?"

At the Buddha Venerable's question, Hyeon Am replied.

"Since the child of Wudang has been tainted by demonic creatures, isn't it our duty to drive the demons out for the boy's own good? I intend to shatter his dantian and confine him in the Repentance Cave until he comes to his senses."

"The Supreme Ultimate Sword Immortal is the grand martial disciple of your friend, Grandmaster. Isn't permanently crippling him far too heavy-handed?"

Knowing full well the complicated history Hyeon Am shared with the old Wudang Taoist, the Abbot cautiously voiced his concerns.

In response, Hyeon Am locked his terrifying gaze onto the Abbot and unleashed a deafening Lion's Roar.

"Silence!"

The sheer force of that shout violently churned the insides of both the Abbot and the Buddhist Venerable, making them feel as if they were going to vomit mouthfuls of blood at any second. But even though that roar carried enough energy to injure a master of the Buddha Venerable’s caliber, the walls of the cave didn't vibrate in the slightest.

"How can men who bear the heavy titles of Shaolin's Abbot and Elder still speak words bound by personal sentiment?"

Thoroughly reprimanded, the two monks couldn't utter a single word in their defense.

"Guide me to the Guest Hall."

"...Yes, Grandmaster."

When the Abbot, who had replied while managing his internal injuries, turned his back and led the way, Hyeon Am followed after him.

Trailing after the two of them, Gong Hwan felt a deeply unnerving sense of incongruity.

'How in Buddha's name is he even walking with a body like that?'

His Grandmaster was a walking skeleton; he had zero muscle mass and practically no flesh left whatsoever, leaving his sagging skin clinging desperately to his bare bones.

And yet, this ancient creature of a Grandmaster was casually hiking up the mountain path right behind the Abbot without showing even a single sign of exhaustion.

It didn't take long for Gong Hwan to realize the truth behind his senior's movements.

'...He is moving his body solely with Qi and intent.'

Just as Gong Hwan had suspected, Hyeon Am didn't possess the muscles required to walk. He was animating his husk of a body purely through the power of his Qi.

It isn’t an exaggeration to say that he is looking at something that’s not human.

Realizing that he was once again comparing his revered senior to an undead monster, Gong Hwan frantically began chanting in his head.

'Amitabha. My apologies, Muheoja.'

He felt sorry for the Supreme Ultimate Sword Immortal, who was likely sitting in the Guest Hall completely unaware of his impending doom.

But there is no way he could stop their Grandmaster.

Besides, part of him couldn't help but agree with his senior's brutal logic. 

A demon was a demon, and it was a sin to let personal attachments stop them from purging a man who had fallen to demonic corruption.

While Gong Hwan was chanting the Buddhist invocation for the Supreme Ultimate Sword Immortal as if chanting a sutra for the dead, they had descended the mountain and entered the grounds of Shaolin Temple.

But when they reached the Guest Hall, they were met with unexpected news.

"Muheoja has already left, you say? Wh-what do you mean?"

The Supreme Ultimate Sword Immortal was nowhere to be found.

***

A few days earlier, inside Zhuge Mun’s courtyard.

"Senior Supreme Ultimate Sword Immortal, I need you to listen to me carefully. Should the Abbot of the Shaolin withhold his answer after discussing this matter and head off somewhere, I need you to leave Shaolin without looking back immediately."

"What do you mean by that? Why would I flee without even hearing their answer?"

"Think about it, Senior. If it were simply a matter that the Abbot couldn't decide on his own, he could just summon the Shaolin elders to his chambers. Which means, if the Abbot personally leaves his chambers to seek counsel elsewhere, it proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that someone is hiding in Shaolin with a higher authority than the Abbot himself."

"I see...."

Muheoja quickly realized a flaw in the logic and asked.

"But even if that legendary old monk is still alive, shouldn't I at least stay to hear what his answer is?"

"There is no need to hear it. Didn't you already give me his answer in the story you just told me?"

A bullheaded and incorrigible stubborn man who cannot be reasoned with.

Could a man like that exercise enough flexibility to team up with the Demonic Cult to fight the Imperial Family?

"Hell will freeze over before that man ever accepts an alliance with the Demonic Cult. In fact, it's practically guaranteed that he will try to kill you on the spot just for suggesting you're on the Demonic Cult's side."

"..."

Seeing Muheoja still hesitating, Zhuge Mun drove the final nail into the coffin.

"If leaving without a word really bothers your conscience, just write a letter saying an urgent matter came up and leave it behind before you flee. Think about it. If Shaolin actually wants an alliance, they'll read the letter and come join us anyway, won't they?"

***

"He descended the mountain, saying that an urgent matter had come up. He only left this letter behind... Is there a problem, Abbot?"

Hearing the question of the elder in charge of the Guest Hall, the Abbot and Gong Hwan turned their heads and looked at Hyeon Am with complicated gazes in which fear and reverence were mingled.