Chapter 613

Chapter 613: The Lazy Faces Reality (3)

Everything was on fire.

The ancient pavilions were already engulfed in reddish flames, emitting suffocating smoke. Not only the structures that housed Shaolin’s millennial essence, but even the sacred Buddhist statues and stupas full of devotion were being knocked down and trampled.

“Kkkkkk.”

War Demon clicked his tongue at the scene.

“It’s not enough, it’s really not enough.”

It wasn’t the image he had imagined. To complete the picture he had planned when coming to Shaolin, he needed one more thing.

“Without a river of blood, it is not complete.”

War Demon licked his lips and turned his head.

Drip.

Blood ran down his hair and fell to the ground.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t seen blood. He already had a pool at his feet, blood spilled by those who had died at his hands.

And also…

“Gluup!”

Gong Ryeong was also in a pitiful state.

“Gluup! Gluup!”

His arm had been completely severed, and his leg was bent in a grotesque direction. His long beard, which grew from his chin, was soaked in blood, dyed red.

The image of the Shaolin monk bathed in red would make anyone who saw it frown.

“Amitabha.”

Gong Ryeong recited the name of Buddha softly.

He knew it was useless. They alone could never stop the bishops of the Demon Cult. Furthermore, if two had come, the wisest thing would have been to run without looking back.

But Gong Ryeong couldn’t do it.

He didn’t know what the bishops of the Demon Cult sought by coming here, but what they desired would surely be used to stain the world with blood.

Shaolin, protector of Buddhism and justice, could not look away from the massacre that was unfolding before his eyes.

In a person’s life, it is not only how one lives that matters, but also how one dies. Even if he escaped from here and preserved his life, he would not be able to live with his head held high.

In that sense, Gong Ryeong’s choice was not wrong.

But…

The corpses of his fallen disciples painfully pierced Gong Ryeong’s eyes.

Wasn’t it ephemeral?

Who could compensate for the lives of those sacrificed under the value of protecting Buddhism and justice?

Life and death are the same.

This life is not the end. The virtues accumulated in this life will continue into the next. But…

“Did they really want it?”

There would be those who would prefer tranquility in this life rather than happiness in the next. Gong Ryeong himself was someone who would prefer that. Isn’t sacrificing lives for the values one believes in another form of violence?

“Tsk tsk, it seems that our venerable monk has many things on his mind.”

War Demon approached mockingly.

“…Amitabha.”

Gong Ryeong closed his eyes and put his hands together with his only remaining arm.

Life is, in the end, suffering.

Life is neither fair nor joyful. The only thing humans can receive in life is pain.

Even so, wasn’t it too much that they had so much power?

If there were an absolute being who governed the principles of the world, or even if there weren’t, if there existed a Buddha who strove to maintain the order of the world, why allow them to have such irrational power?

“Why?!”

His Buddhist faith wavered.

He felt that everything he had built up until now was collapsing.

“Hey, monk.”

“…”

“Haven’t you believed in Buddhism all your life?”

Gong Ryeong raised his head and looked at Smile Demon. Seeing Smile Demon with a smile on his lips, he felt something boiling inside him.

What was so funny?

What?

How could he smile after killing so many people?! How?!

Gong Ryeong gritted his teeth.

“Hahaha, why are you making that face, venerable monk of compassionate Buddhism?”

“You will fall into hell…”

“Hell?”

Smile Demon pointed around with his chin.

“Yes. Maybe when we die we will fall into hell. But, monk, isn’t this your hell?”

Gong Ryeong’s eyes were tearing.

The blood flowing from his eyes turned into tears of blood.

“The hell that is suffered when dying and the hell that is suffered in life. In the end, isn’t it a matter of choice? That I fall into hell when I die and suffer eternal torment? And thus I will pay for my sins?”

Smile Demon chuckled.

“Then why are you making that face? Monk, if as you say, I will be punished, shouldn’t you feel so wronged? But your expression says that it is not enough for me to fall into hell, right?”

Smile Demon whispered softly.

“Or maybe… it’s that even you don’t believe it.”

Gong Ryeong’s body trembled as if he had been struck by lightning.

Smile Demon’s words made him realize that his Buddhist faith was weakening.

“Look, monk, do you see?”

Smile Demon pointed to the side.

There was a group of novice monks and apprentices. Those who, under the threat of the two Bishops, did not dare to flee, kneeling and trembling with fear, appeared before Gong Ryeong’s eyes.

“What do you think I’ll do now?”

“…Amitabha.”

“Yes, recite the name of Buddha. If Buddha protects them, they will live. But if they do not survive, will it not be proof that Buddha does not exist?”

“Buddha is not like that! Buddha! Buddha is…”

The Enlightened One.

The one who has understood the dharma for himself.

And…

at this moment, someone completely useless.

Tears of blood flowed.

“They have not committed any crime.”

“Monk, what things you say. So those who have died so far were guilty?”

“…”

Smile Demon smiled slightly.

“People often say strange things. That not having power is a crime, that this and that. What absurd words. How can it be a crime not to have power? Not having power is simply not having power, it is not a mistake or a crime. In moments like this, that should not be said.”

Gong Ryeong looked at Smile Demon with trembling eyes.

“In moments like this, what a demon should say is this: crime doesn’t matter. I simply kill them because I want to. I want to prove that the dharma they boast so much about is wrong. Do you understand?”

“This…”

“If there is a crime in you, it is not being weak, but not having accepted enlightenment before. Repent, even if it is as vengeful ghosts. I will kill you in an extremely cruel way.”

“How far do you intend to go?! End only with this old life! They don’t even know martial arts!”

“Kkkkk, how many times must I tell you? That doesn’t matter. I simply kill them because I want to. Why don’t you understand that for my eyes there is no difference between them and you?”

Gong Ryeong reached out and grabbed the hem of Smile Demon’s pants, crawling.

Smile Demon lightly kicked Gong Ryeong.

“Gluup!”

Spitting blood, Gong Ryeong fell to the ground.

“You must be dignified. That’s Shaolin. Hahaha!”

Crack.

Smile Demon clenched his fist and walked towards where the apprentices were.

“Come on, recite the name of Buddha. And while you do, beg him. Ask him to save you. I will show you that there is no Buddha in this world.”

It was then.

“There may be no Buddha, but Heavenly Demon does exist.”

Smile Demon and War Demon’s gazes turned towards the entrance.

“Huh?”

“Tsk.”

The faces of the two bishops twisted when they saw the man who appeared.

“What are you doing here?”

The man who appeared replied in a cold voice.

“I came to see if you trash are following orders correctly.”

“How dare you?!”

The two bishops would grind their teeth, but they did not dare to act recklessly.

And Gong Ryeong, seeing the scene, opened his eyes in astonishment.

“That, that man?!”

A young man.

Undoubtedly a young man that anyone would say was still young, was intimidating the bishops of the Demon Cult. And the bishops of the Demon Cult silently endured the intimidation of that young man.

It was something inconceivable.

Something that would shock the world.

But the reason why Gong Ryeong was astonished was not that.

The young man.

The young man who intimidated the bishops was someone he knew.

That face.

A face so perfect that it lacked nothing to be called a man of incomparable beauty. That face was too familiar to him.

“Wei Sanho?!”

The Demon-Expelling Sword, Wei Sanho.

It was undoubtedly him.

Why the hell was Wei Sanho there?

And why was he talking as if he knew the bishops of the Demon Cult well?

Before he could recover from the astonishment, Wei Sanho spoke.

“I’m sure I told you not to kill unnecessarily.”

“Oh, so you think there are killings that are necessary?”

Despite Smile Demon’s mockery, Wei Sanho did not change his expression at all.

“I have no intention of playing with words with trash like you. I just came to see if you are following orders correctly.”

“And what? What will you do if we are not following them?”

Wei Sanho stared at Smile Demon.

“Don’t think that the Demonic Blood is something great. In the cult, there are those who worship it as a god, but there are also those who, like me, believe that it is nothing. If you cross the line…”

“If I cross it?”

Wei Sanho showed his teeth.

“What will you do if I cross it, Smile Demon?”

“This…”

Smile Demon trembled violently.

“Will you kill me?”

“Bastard!”

“That would be fine too. It’s what I desire. But even if you do, do you think you’ll be safe? Will you be able to withstand His wrath completely?”

Upon mentioning “Him,” Smile Demon trembled like an aspen. Thinking that his wrath would fall upon him, his body, paralyzed by fear, began to escape his control.

“I, I…”

There is no escape from his wrath.

The moment you provoke his wrath, not even death is an escape. Because he is someone who has surpassed even death. Instead of joining enlightenment, your soul will be shattered by him.

“…”

Wei Sanho silently observed Smile Demon, who had closed his mouth, and nodded.

“If you understand, just do what you must do.”

“Damn it.”

Smile Demon and War Demon turned sharply. Then they began to walk towards the Sutra Pavilion.

Seeing the two bishops pass, Gong Ryeong wondered.

What the hell was going on here?

Wei Sanho also began to follow the two bishops.

“B-benefactor!”

At Gong Ryeong’s shout, Wei Sanho turned his head.

Cold eyes.

Eyes as cold as ice.

Those eyes stared at Gong Ryeong.

“Benefactor… why?”

Wei Sanho slightly shook his head.

“Venerable monk.”

“…”

“It’s lucky you survived. If you have any strength left, take them away from here. The martial world has come to an end. No, perhaps the entire world is coming to an end. So take them and flee far away.”

“Benefactor… why…?”

Wei Sanho gave a slight smile.

A smile that felt extremely bitter.

“There are things that a person must do. Even if it is not what he desired. As a monk versed in Buddhism, I think you will understand.”

“…”

Gong Ryeong could not say anything.

He felt something extremely heavy in Wei Sanho’s words. That weight closed his mouth.

“Maybe this is the last time. So if later you see my father and my brother…”

Wei Sanho, who had been looking at the sky for a long time, turned his head.

“No, it doesn’t matter. Go, venerable monk. I don’t know how much longer I can stop them.”

Those were his last words.

Gong Ryeong watched in astonishment for a long time at Wei Sanho, who walked away without waiting for an answer.

Those shoulders that seemed to carry a weight too great.