Chapter 53. I am the Great Peng

Shim Yang-gak, who felt guilty, reacted sensitively to the word "hell."

"Wow! Hell?"

"There are also nine celestial maidens, so why wouldn't there be hell? The old man Shim learned the heart method directly from the nine celestial maidens."

"Is that true?"

Shim Yang-gak glanced at Yeon Jeg-ha with a doubtful look.

The nine celestial maidens are mythical female immortals. It was astounding to think that he learned directly from the legendary nine celestial maidens. However, since Yeon Jeg-ha said so, it was hard to deny it outright.

"Whether the old man Shim believes it or not doesn't matter. Just think that if the old man Shim regains his inner strength through the three hundred-character incantation, 'Ah, hell is waiting for me.'"

"Why is that?"

Shim Yang-gak was happy to hear about regaining his inner strength but felt uncomfortable with the mention of hell.

"I told you. If there are celestial maidens, there is also hell. You didn't think that you could kill people recklessly and everything would be fine, did you? If you think losing your inner strength is a punishment, then..."

"..."

A forced smile appeared on Shim Yang-gak's lips.

He had never felt guilt in his life. He had only seen taking, hitting, and killing since he was young. If he hadn't fallen into madness, he might have lived without knowing.

However, being ignored even by a rogue like Hwang Yo-myeong made him feel something. The sorrow of the weak being trampled by the strong without any countermeasure.

Whether there is hell or not, as Yeon Jeg-ha said, he seemed to vaguely understand the boundary between right and wrong. It was different from the distinction between the righteous and the unrighteous.

"Brother Yeon."

"What is it?"

"Was the child who was locked in the warehouse for ten years, by any chance, you, Brother Yeon?"

Looking at Yeon Jeg-ha, he felt a sense of untainted purity. He had a warmth like the sun in a warm spring day and a ferocity like a summer storm.

Yeon Jeg-ha was a person far from the messy desires of humans. It was as if he was looking at a natural wonder that had never been touched by human hands.

"What? Do I look that weak?"

"Hehehe..."

Shim Yang-gak chuckled.

It was new to see this Yeon Jeg-ha, who acted like a naive child.

"Old man Shim."

"Yes."

"Do you know what heart method we have practiced?"

"Isn't it the Nine Celestial Maidens' Sun and Moon Scripture?"

"Yes, at the end of the scripture, it says, 'When the golden flower blooms in a seated position, the fish becomes the great peng [天花亂墜 鯤化為鵬].' A while ago, Heavenly Merchant talked about this 'Kunhua Weibeng.' He said that the transformation of a fish into a bird is quite painful. Think about it. Fish and birds are very different in appearance."

"Oh!"

Shim Yang-gak nodded with a blank expression.

He felt that pain more than anyone else.

Perhaps he might die before becoming the great peng.

"You won't take as long as I did, ten years."

"Yes..."

Only then did Shim Yang-gak understand how Yeon Jeg-ha accepted the ten years he spent in confinement.

"Looking back, it felt like being underwater. It was suffocating to breathe, and it felt like I was alone in a different world, unable to see far."

"..."

"Is that how you feel now, old man Shim?"

"Hehe, to be honest, not to that extent."

"The Five Peaks Ten Heroes have practiced the hundred-character incantation, and the old man Shim has practiced the three hundred-character incantation. Do you know what that means?"

"No."

"The perfect Nine Celestial Maidens' Sun and Moon Scripture taught by the nine celestial maidens is nine hundred characters. The hundred-character incantation will give you the power of a hundred characters, and the three hundred-character incantation will give you the power of three hundred characters."

"I see."

"It means that the old man Shim will be at least three times stronger than the Five Peaks Ten Heroes."

Shim Yang-gak felt a chill run down his spine.

The Five Peaks Ten Heroes will become great masters with just the hundred-character incantation.

Three times stronger than that?

"Don't get too excited. The old man Shim might die of old age before that."

"Wow! I don't think so. If that were the case, heaven wouldn't have allowed me three hundred characters."

"Huh? Do you, a demon, believe in the will of heaven now?"

"Hehe, calling me a demon is too much. I'm just a cripple."

"Damn. Don't laugh like that. That's why people call you the Secret Sword of Gumi."

Shim Yang-gak, who was stroking his beard with an embarrassed look, asked.

"Brother Yeon, have you made the golden flower bloom?"

"Of course. I am the great peng."

"I respect you, brother."

Yeon Jeg-ha shuddered.

It felt strange to hear such words from an old man with white hair.

***

Yezhou.

Bogwang Temple.

Bogwang Temple was in an uproar due to the visit of Great Master Gongbai, an elder of Shaolin Temple, and five arhats. The abbot Muguang and the senior monks came out in front of Great Master Gongbai.

"Namunamita. Great Master, what brings you here..."

Muguang couldn't understand why Great Master Gongbai had suddenly visited. Bogwang Temple was an ordinary temple unrelated to the martial world. The monks didn't even practice physical training, so why did the martial monks from Shaolin Temple come?

Great Master Gongbai replied with a half-bow and said,

"I understand that Yangyuan is registered as a monk at Bogwang Temple."

"Ah, Yangyuan left ten days ago and hasn't returned yet."

Muguang, who didn't know the relationship between Great Master Gongbai and Yangyuan, looked at the senior monks with a puzzled expression.

However, the senior monks also shook their heads, not knowing the details.

"Actually, Yangyuan is my elder brother. Only Venerable Jeongmyeong, who shared a room with Yangyuan, knew this."

"Oh, I see."

"A few days ago, I received a letter from Venerable Jeongmyeong. It said that Yangyuan had gone missing."

"Missing? I thought he just went on a personal trip..."

Muguang's face turned pale.

"If he was going to be away for so long, he would have informed Venerable Jeongmyeong. He left after a regular begging trip and hasn't returned."

Great Master Gongbai didn't feel the need to continue the conversation with Abbot Muguang, as he couldn't get any useful information from him.

"I want to meet Venerable Jeongmyeong, who shared a room with Yangyuan."

"Ah, yes. Venerable Jeongmyeong should be in his quarters."

Muguang quickly led Great Master Gongbai to the quarters.

"Ah, you're here."

Venerable Jeongmyeong, who was reading the scriptures, didn't seem surprised as if he had been waiting.

"Thank you for contacting me. Is it true that Yangyuan disappeared during a begging trip?"

"Yes. He didn't mention going anywhere else."

"Do you know where Yangyuan usually went on his begging trips?"

"He mainly went to Meishan and Shangxia. He liked the scenery of Meishan and the people of Shangxia."

A glint of hope appeared in Great Master Gongbai's eyes.

It seemed he had found a clue.

Great Master Gongbai immediately bid farewell to Venerable Jeongmyeong and headed to Meishan with the five arhats.

However, they found nothing after searching the Meishan area all day.

The next day, they moved to Shangxia.

They searched Shangxia all morning, but no one remembered the begging monk from ten days ago.

As Great Master Gongbai was getting tired from the lack of results, an old man begging at the alley entrance gestured to him.

The old man, glancing around, whispered so quickly it was hard to understand.

"He went to Yeho."

"What did you say?"

"Yeho."

The old man pointed towards the river, looking frustrated, and then left, rolling up the mat he had been sitting on.

Realizing further conversation was impossible, Great Master Gongbai and the arhats headed to the riverbank.

The reeds were swaying in the spring breeze, just as the water was rising.

However, once they reached the riverbank, Great Master Gongbai and the arhats had no idea what to do.

There were no fishermen or even a single ferry boat in sight.

Great Master Gongbai and the arhats spread out to search the riverbank thoroughly.

After about two hours, one of the arhats, Mun-guk, shouted,

"Great Master! I found something!"

Mun-guk and the others quickly gathered around.

A piece of cloth, partially buried, was revealed by the wind and rain.

At Great Master Gongbai's nod, Mun-guk pulled it with force.

Thud.

The cloth, which was part of a large sack, was pulled out of the mud.

However, the sack was stuck somewhere and wouldn't move further.

After Mun-guk and the arhats dug around it with their hands, the sack finally came loose.

Mun-guk untied the rope that held the sack.

Surprisingly, the sack contained a severed human torso and head.

Great Master Gongbai carefully examined the head.

"Ah! Brother..."

The decomposed head belonged to the missing Yangyuan.

Great Master Gongbai's monk's robe flapped violently in the wind.

After a moment, he calmed his anger and carefully examined Yangyuan's torso.

"Hmm... Mingjiao."

The torso was as dry as a mummy.

This was a phenomenon seen in bodies used as sacrifices by the Mingjiao.

***

Luoyang.

Gongxian Sanxiang Pavilion.

Four men were sitting around a large round table, drinking. They were Li Sechang, the leader of Baishangfang, and his deputy Li Yanfu, and Chien Taishang, the leader of Sanzhenfang, and his deputy Chien Yaoshu.

A beautiful courtesan was playing the pipa on a stage in front of them, but the men's expressions were not bright.

Nine bodyguards stood behind the four men, their faces calm. Four were from Walong Hall, and the other five were from Wumen Hall.

As the leaders and deputies' expressions hardened, the bodyguards' faces also darkened.

Finally, one of them slammed the table and shouted.

Chien Yaoshu, the deputy of Sanzhenfang.

"Too much! You're saying you want to take our Gongxian kiln for free?"

Gongxian kiln produces Tang Sancai, a type of pottery decorated with green, white, and brown glazes, which is a specialty of Luoyang.

Li Yanfu, the deputy of Baishangfang, sneered.

"Hmph! Free? How much has Sanzhenfang borrowed from us over the years? In exchange for forgiving your debt, we want you to hand over the management of the Gongxian kiln. Why is that free?"

Chien Yaoshu retorted harshly.

"Damn! Handing over the Gongxian kiln for just ten thousand silver taels? What kind of thief's mentality is that? If we manage the kiln for three or four years, we can pay off the debt and still have money left over!"

From Sanzhenfang's perspective, this was the work of a thief.

The kiln generates over three thousand silver taels in revenue per year. Taking it for a debt of ten thousand taels was like a robbery without a knife.

"Hey! Calling us thieves! Do you think everyone is like you? You're the thief for trying to steal our money!"

With Li Yanfu's insults, the atmosphere plummeted, and it wouldn't be strange if fists started flying.

Chien Taishang and Chien Yaoshu of Sanzhenfang gritted their teeth and glared at Li Yanfu. The thief who farted was angry, and the bandit was jumping around, which was infuriating.