Shaolin martial arts carried a grandeur and precision, as if even the power of the soul was imbued in them.
At first glance, it seemed simple, but it wasn't. The mysteries behind its strikes were profound and intricate.
However, Jung Yeonshin had seen enough of Gak Jeong's techniques.
He didn't wait for a response. He twisted from the heel.
At the same time, he felt the flow extending from his waist to his right arm. It was free and powerful.
Whoosh!
Though it appeared simple, it generated great force through small movements. It was as if he had instinctively applied the principle of 'Four Ounces Moves a Thousand Jin'.
Originally, it was a martial concept to deflect a heavy blow with minimal effort. But this time, it was different. With a short advance, he unleashed a powerful punch.
Thud!
Struck in the side, Gak Jeong staggered, his eyes wide with shock.
Even Jung Yeonshin, who landed the blow, could feel how heavy it was.
For Gak Jeong, it must have been baffling not to sense the momentum behind the strike.
A fierce exchange began. Complex trajectories and traces of fists and feet tangled in the air.
Though they traded moves, Jung Yeonshin took more hits. From the start, there was no comparison in terms of experience and depth of martial skills.
Yet, it was exhilarating. The bare-handed techniques, devoid of supplementary movements, felt refreshingly new.
Despite the blows and kicks, the impacts didn't penetrate deeply. There was no pain—only the thrill of combat.
His body had already surpassed even the disciplined Shaolin monks.
Flap—Thump!
Jung Yeonshin used the wide sleeve of his left arm as a feint. At the same time, his right fist crushed the shoulder of Gak Jeong's robe.
The rough texture of the monk's robe dug into his hand. Gak Jeong staggered every time he took one of Jung Yeonshin's strikes.
From afar, an elderly voice rang out.
"Did he take the form and methods of Shaolin's Five Fists? No, no. The principles are similar but elevated. The application range of explosive force has expanded. How is such a thing possible? It's as if he's creating a new martial art…"
Heon Wonchang glanced at Monk Won Jong, who was murmuring nonstop beside him.
Not all monks of Shaolin were famous. Beyond martial monks, there were also scholars devoted to Buddhist studies.
Monk Won Jong. Unlike the disciplined Gak Jeong, his name was unfamiliar.
"If one devotes themselves to a particular field in seclusion, they must end up like that. Isn't that so?"
"Hmm? Hmm…"
Heon Wonchang leaned close to Ji Hyeon[magistrate] of Xinye County, speaking as if they were old friends.
Though Ji Hyeon brushed back his hair with an uncomfortable expression, he didn't care.
"Those who know Jung's body understand. Even in our Radiant Demon Squad, he's considered a monster of strength. Once, when he was bathing, the maids managing the hall brought him water but sneaked back to peek at him. Really, they were fearless because they were from Imperial City. And then—"
"Not interested."
"Ha, others find it very entertaining."
While they chatted, the fight concluded.
Gak Jeong and Jung Yeonshin stepped back simultaneously, like reflections of each other.
"If we continue, we'll end up needing the Bright Pure Pill. Either of us."
"I've learned much. I'll listen to the monk's teachings."
At Jung Yeonshin's calm words, Gak Jeong burst into laughter.
"You have a truly modest character. If I had a disciple like you under me, it would've been wonderful. But reality is full of arrogance. Neither martial skills nor the Dharma can humble them. Still, I couldn't defeat you. Honestly…"
Gak Jeong, who resembled the guardian deity Weituo Tian of Indian Buddhism, suddenly stiffened.
He slowly continued speaking.
"I was afraid. Your techniques gradually stopped working, and it felt like you'd dismantle them one by one. This is my defeat. If you listen to my sermon, I, too, will honor one request from you."
"Agreed."
Jung Yeonshin nodded calmly.
He gained three things today. Each was significant.
Experiencing Shaolin techniques firsthand would greatly enhance his martial understanding.
The renowned Bright Pure Pill could save his life once.
Having the right to request help from a Shaolin monk was also a valuable asset.
'Xinye White Martial Sect. The ties continue.'
Feeling the strange connections in the martial world, he walked alongside Gak Jeong.
Beyond the crimson hues of sunset, the moon rose pale and full. Returning to the guest quarters seemed unlikely.
He gestured to the trembling Black Path henchmen watching them.
They quickly tidied up the hall for the sermon.
Ji Hyeon of Xinye County fled, looking pale.
The wealth taken from the White Martial Sect must've been substantial. Jung Yeonshin hoped Ma Jin would handle it properly.
"Bodhidharma, the First Patriarch of Chinese Zen Buddhism, once said…"
With Gak Jeong's sermon, night fell.
The story was about Bodhidharma telling Huike that anxiety had no substance.
Through numerous bloody battles at a young age, Jung Yeonshin's spirit had been sharpened like a blade.
Yet his desensitized view of life, shaped by his limited time left, had sprouted into survival instincts.
Zen Buddhism was known to transmit teachings verbally. A single sermon wouldn't erase Jung Yeonshin's anxieties.
However, he did grasp the intent behind Shaolin martial philosophy. It was a new world. For a moment, a sky-blue gleam flashed in his eyes.
Meanwhile, Monk Won Jong had been watching him with a curious gaze from his seat.
At dawn, everyone rose.
Over breakfast, they watched Won Jong and Gak Jeong argue.
Jung Yeonshin and Heon Wonchang quietly listened while eating.
It seemed a common occurrence, but the steward looked pale, as if he couldn't breathe.
"Destroying heresy isn't just a conceptual doctrine. It's a real power! The ability to annihilate the evil forces accumulated by sects like the Blood Flame Cult! Sorcery and martial arts were originally one—separated only by name!"
"You're creating martial arts to kill the Blood Flame Cult's leader. Aren't you devoted to Buddhism?"
Gak Jeong leaned in and whispered to Jung Yeonshin as if to ensure he heard. Even Jung didn't realize when they'd grown so close.
'They're showing flaws unbefitting monks.'
The two seemed too childish, almost like a grandfather and grandson quarreling.
"How is that wrong? It's for the sake of all living beings!"
"Fine. But you're dedicating your life to killing. That's no different from hell! How can you ignore the minds of your peers?"
"My torment can't be resolved by meditation alone. I realized this after years of seclusion. The Blood Flame Cult leader must die for me to live."
Jung Yeonshin was mildly surprised. Meditation was a famous training method.
Bodhidharma was said to have meditated facing a wall for nine years to attain enlightenment.
'Did the Blood Flame Cult slaughter his family? Like mine?'
But Gak Jeong seemed steady. He opened his mouth again, having heard this countless times.
Then Ma Jin arrived.
"The Blood Flame Cult. The news leaked. We need to escape alive."
The martial artists of Radiant Demon Squad drew their weapons. Jung Yeonshin sensed it.
Even the masters, who didn't make a sound as they unsheathed their blades, were tense.
Chung Myung and Baek Miryeo moved closer to him. Heon Wonchang was with them as well.
"If we get separated, meet at Yitian Clan House. It's a martial clan located at Peongjung Mountain. They also serve as the southern branch of the Murim Alliance in Imperial City, so if we survive, we'll receive a warm welcome."
"Was that meant as a joke?"
Before the group could even chuckle at Chung Myung's casual remark—
Crash!
The wall burst apart with a deafening sound.
Something advanced through the opening as if the broken wall were nothing but a doorway.
Step.
A strikingly beautiful woman emerged. Black hair, red eyes—an appearance unlike anything they had seen before.
"Hello."
Her tone was light and informal.
Her jet-black hair flowed in the breeze. It wasn't just dark—it was as deep as the night sky.
Her lips, by contrast, were as red as blood, as though they constantly drank from it, standing out starkly against her pale skin.
The aura surrounding her was unnerving. Even the fluttering hem of her black robe felt sinister.
'That's…'
Jung Yeonshin recognized it immediately.
It was said that as Blood Flame Cult martial artists rose in power, their red hair turned black.
Her hair was the blackest of black.
A Blood Flame Cult Apostle. If a woman, then the Seventh Apostle.
She was already infamous for her overwhelming martial prowess and cruel nature.
"Seventh Apostle."
Ma Jin's voice rumbled low, like a growl from deep within his abdomen.
"So ignorant, walking right into an ambush."
Her voice rang melodiously. The Seventh Apostle of the Blood Flame Cult approached with a blood-red smile.
Though her steps were light, an alluring grace and an overwhelming aura accompanied them.
There was something suffocating, swamp-like about her presence. She was in a different league from ordinary Blood Master Swordsmen.
"You must be the Lightning Genius."
She stopped ten steps away, her gaze fixed on Jung Yeonshin.
Her eyes were like polished rubies drenched in blood, glimmering with curiosity.
She smiled.
"You have quite an elegant neck."
"Look at me, Apostle."
Ma Jin stepped forward. The Seventh Apostle barely glanced at him, her disinterest apparent.
With a flick of her long fingers, Blood Flame Cult members revealed themselves from all directions.
Jung Yeonshin felt his vision turn red.
There were at least a hundred red-haired disciples and nearly twenty Blood Master Swordsmen.
"Here."
The Seventh Apostle's lips curved as she spoke.
"I'll kill both the future and the present of the Radiant Demon Squad."
"······!"
At the same moment, her hand blurred.
While the martial artists of Radiant Demon Squad and Shaolin were still assessing the enemy's strength—
A crimson flash, like a bolt of bloodied lightning, surged toward them.
A scarlet dagger streaked toward Jung Yeonshin's forehead.
Swish!
Jung Yeonshin twisted and grabbed it midair.
Before he could even process it, his body reacted instinctively to the sinister force.
The energy trailing from the attack was so intense that he took a step back. The unfamiliar force lingering in his grasp felt strange.
He dissolved the blood-infused energy imbued in the dagger. It was as if the words of Gak Jeong's sermon from the previous night echoed in his ears.
—"Eliminate the Three Poisons and keep the Six Roots pure forever."
The teachings of the Buddhist scriptures and the techniques of Shaolin martial arts seemed to converge into a single principle.
Had Bodhidharma created martial arts in this way?
At that moment, an incomplete martial art began to emerge.
The masters of Radiant Demon Squad, startled, turned to look at him.
Lightning Genius's eyes, which occasionally glimmered with a sky-blue light, now appeared oddly colder, almost crystalline.
"The Apostle also uses Blood Flame Cult's martial arts."
Jung Yeonshin spoke.
The Seventh Apostle laughed, seemingly intrigued.
Jung Yeonshin, staring straight at her, slowly opened his mouth again.
"Your martial arts… are easy to counter."
He spoke as his blue eyes gleamed sharply.