Chapter 1599: It's Not Even Funny (Part 4)

"Sahyung!"

Hye Bang, who came out of the repentance hall and looked down below Song Mountain, hardened his face.

'All the way here…!'

"The enemies are climbing Song Mountain!"

Hye Bang instinctively chanted, sensing the hostile aura from below the mountain.

Even at a guess he could see that those climbing here were not ordinary people. 

The energy they openly emitted was so intense it felt like it could cut through skin.

They were qualitatively different from the Evil Sect forces currently rampaging in Hanam. Thus, their goal was truly clear.

"Sahyung. What should we do..."

Shaolin was not a suitable place for defense. It was open in all directions to accommodate many people, with no single gate installed.

This was a point of pride. No one in the world dared to target Shaolin.

However, that pride was now tightening around Shaolin's neck.

"Sahyung!"

"Amitabha."

Hye Bang chanted and calmed his mind with a prayer.

"I don't know what the right thing to do is either."

"...What?"

"But it's not difficult to know what needs to be done."

Hye Bang opened his mouth with a stern face.

"Find and evacuate all the innocent monks and students who might still be in the vicinity. The same goes for local residents."

"Sa... Sahyung!"

Shaolin was a monastery. Although it gained fame throughout the world for its martial arts, not everyone in Shaolin had mastered martial arts.

There were still novices who hadn't learned martial arts, as well as those who were solely focused on Buddhist activities.

But deciding to evacuate them now...

"Do you really think we can't defeat them?"

"They probably came here under the orders of the Evil Tyrant Alliance."

Hye Bang calmly replied as if he had already thought about it.

"If they just wanted to cause trouble, they wouldn't have come. They must have received orders from the Evil Tyrant Alliance to wipe out Shaolin."

"That..."

Made sense.

If it were Paegun Jang Ilso, he would've have sent people who could actually wipe out Shaolin from the beginning.

In addition, the strength of Shaolin remaining here was less than even half of its original power. Considering the absence of the elders and those who went outside to deal with the Evil Sect forces rampant in Hanam, the remaining strength was likely not even thirty percent.

Even if it was Shaolin, facing numerous martial arts sects eager to take them on with only a fraction of their original power would be an overwhelming challenge.

"Ask the scholars to send all the scriptures in Kyunggyeonggak [library probably] outside Shaolin!"

"What about the artifacts...?" [idk guessed, '비급들은']

Hye Bang looked at his junior in silence. His gaze was calm.

"Are the artifacts more important than the scriptures?"

After a moment of silence, the junior shook his head.

"No, Sahyung. Compared to the words spoken by Buddha, they are nothing but insignificant objects."

"Good. That settles it. Hurry."

"Yes!"

As the junior chanted and moved away, Hye Bang muttered quietly.

'Blessed One..'

If only he could follow the path of enlightenment.

He sought to escape from those who didn't adhere to the duties of a martial artist and a Buddhist. However, the world wouldn't leave him alone.

"Amitabha."

Hye Bang considered this a natural consequence.

'Quietly hiding here wasn't the duty of a Buddhist either.'

Many people were suffering.

Originally, Buddhism was about finding oneself amid suffering. 'The self' couldn't be encountered through mere Zen meditation. Just as the Buddha looked after them, they, too, had to care for those who had fallen into despair.

That bitter death coming from the bottom of the mountain must be the Buddha's punishment for those who had confined themselves to this small precinct under the excuses of discipline and respect.

To those truly seeking enlightenment, the authority of seniors [not sure] and the name Shaolin were nothing more than trivialities. Unjust patience was just a turning away.

"Amitabha."

If this was truly Shaolin's destiny, the price for their past actions, they had to accept it with humility.

"A bit too late."

Enlightenment always comes late. If only he had known a moment later, that would have been enough.

Hye Bang's steps moved slowly.

After a moment, the numerous martial artists stared at the North Gate with tense faces.

A dense, skin-piercing murderous intent was emanating. At the same time, a strong scent of blood filled the air, pricking the nose.

How much sin had these people committed to emit such a stench of blood?

"Amitabha..."

Sounds of controlling emotions with mantras echoed here and there.

Bang!

Suddenly, the sealed mountain gate burst open, and a dense crowd of martial artists broke through the shattered gate, or leaped over the walls, infiltrating into Shaolin.

Covered in red cloth from head to toe, these martial artists seemed more like a group of fanatics than ordinary individuals. Above all, the murderous energy they exuded was so intense that it sent shivers down the spine.

Certainly not opponents to be taken lightly. No, perhaps the people here alone might not be able to stop them. That was how terrifying they were.

In the face of the overwhelming darkness flooding in, Hye Bang uttered a prayer without realizing it.

"Amitabha."

It wasn't a gap that could be bridged with effort.

'It was a good idea to evacuate the monks in advance.'

At least he prevented the loss of innocent lives. What remained here were those who now had to bear the burden of their sins.

But the weight of the punishment compared to the sin was too heavy to bear.

"May I ask who are the guests visiting Shaolin?"

Some gazes turned towards Hye Bang at that voice, but they were only a few among the many.

A strangely inhuman reaction.

"Shaolin is not currently accepting guests, so please leave."

Dry responses, pale faces, emotionless expressions.

'Like corpses.'

Although probably not jiangshi, they were too eerie. Cold sweat flowed down Hye Bang's spine from their strange aura.

"Sahyung..."

Someone couldn't bear it and let out a voice resembling a suppressed whimper, prompting Hye Bang to sigh.

He knew it was a futile act, but since Bangjang was absent, he had to protect the appearance of Shaolin until the end.

However, before Hye Bang could speak again, someone else spoke first.

"There is no place upon where the Buddha's will does not shine."

A creaking voice, as if rusty gears were scraping and turning, was eerie. All eyes naturally turned towards the one who spoke.

A man, covered entirely in red bandages between the clothes, stared directly at Hye Bang.

"If Shaolin is soaked in blood, everyone will come to know. The words are merely nonsense."

At the muttering words, resembling a grumble, Hye Bang unconsciously clenched his fist. The peculiar feeling emanating from the man made him involuntarily shudder.

"Amitabha."

Trying to steady his trembling voice, Hye Bang spoke to the eerie man.

"There have been rumors. In the distant west, there are people of a different religion than the Central Plains."

"Hmm."

At that remark, the eerie man let out a sarcastic laugh.

"Buddhists have a talent for twisting words oddly. Speaking of it as a heresy."

"...Amitabha."

"It doesn't matter. Whatever you call us, Shaolin's fate won't change today. You will follow the footsteps of the seniors who went before you."

At that moment, Hye Bang flinched.

"Went...first?"

"Well? What do you think is the reason we can be here?"

Hye Bang unintentionally bit his lip.

It was undoubtedly a lie. There was no way the news from afar would reach them first.

But even in that lie, there was truth. Since they were sure that these people were sent by the Evil Tyrant Alliance, they couldn't turn their backs on such a formidable enemy. [not sure]

'Bangjang...'

Hye Bang's fingertips trembled. It wasn't fear of death. It was regret.

'How could it turn out like this...'

Hye Bang sighed briefly as if lamenting. At that moment, the strange person spoke first.

"Clearly... You seem to be more thoughtful than that foolish Bangjang."

The strange person, the Blood Palace leader, walked forward slowly.

"However, if the outcome is the same, there is ultimately no difference."

"If that's the case, then Song Mountain won't retreat."

"Of course, it shouldn't."

The Blood Palace leader nodded towards the front. At that moment, the followers of the Blood Palace, standing like corpses, simultaneously emitted an explosive surge of energy.

A pungent smell of blood and intense murderous intent swept over in an instant. Hye Bang's face was shrouded in a gloom that seemed almost palpable.

"Die. Today, the name Song Mountain will disappear from the world."

The Blood Palace disciples, like jiangshi, rushed towards the tense Shaolin monks, making eerie sounds.

❀ ❀ ❀

"...Song Mountain?"

"Yes."

Hyun Jong's eyes trembled.

Hye Yeon grabbed his right wrist as if the spirit were about to escape.

"Are you saying that the Evil Tyrant Alliance is targeting Song Mountain?"

Chung Myung nodded with determination, grinding his teeth sharply.

"That's their style. They will aim for the weakest point."

Song Mountain, a name stronger than any other in the region.

However, wasn't everything in the world relative? The Shaolin who trusted in that strength and sent their main force to the battlefield would be a tempting prey for Jang Ilso.

There was no reason for Jang Ilso not to target that weakness.

"Then, what about Song Mountain...?"

"Do, Dojang!"

Hye Yeon screamed. But Chung Myung shook his head.

"No."

"Huh?"

And he blinked his eyes and looked at a distant place.

"We can also read the enemy."

❀ ❀ ❀

Kwa-aaang!

A meteor streaked down.

"Wait!"

The Blood Palace followers, who were rushing with momentum, froze in place.

The Blood Palace Leader's gaze also turned to where something had fallen.

It was a sword. Not particularly special, just an ordinary one. But the sharp eyes of the Blood Sect Palace keenly caught a small pattern engraved on the hilt.

Soon, his gaze turned to the eaves behind, precisely to the roof.

Then a man descended from the roof like a swallow.

Thud!

The white robe, like wings, that had billowed out, slowly settled.

Hye Bang opened his eyes wide and unintentionally shouted. The owner of that back. That name.

"Baek Cheon Dojang!"

Chin.

Holding the sword that had been stuck in the ground, Baek Cheon, without even giving a glance to Hye Bang, spoke.

"I came to repay my debt... No."

Then he turned around and smiled after glancing back.

"I came to save a friend, Sunim."

Before his words ended, a group of men suddenly sprang up from behind the eaves.

"Uwaaaa!"

"...Don't exert too much force in advance, idiot."

Jo Gol, Yoon Jong, and the disciples of Mount Hua and Namgung had arrived.

Hye Bang's legs lost their strength momentarily due to the feeling of relief.

"Barely not too late, damn it! Where are these damn bastards causing a ruckus!"

"...You're the one causing a ruckus, jerk."

Baek Cheon, who seemed to be indifferent to the usual scene, looked at the Blood Palace Leader with a serious expression again.

"You want to erase the name of Song Mountain?"

"..."

"Shaolin doesn't have debts, but the people do to Shaolin. Come and see. I will deal with you first."

Baek Cheon's sword pointed at the neck of the Blood Palace Leader.

"...It's different from what was said."

Visible through the red bandages, the face of the Blood Palace Leader twisted uncomfortably.