Chapter 53

Chapter 53
## Chapter: 53

### Chapter Title: Dharma Hall (1)

—

“How are the Golden Guards faring at the White Garment Hall? I trust they haven’t been causing any disturbances?”

Gong-su waited for the brief amusement to fade before addressing Mu-ae, who remained standing in a rigid, tense posture.

“Yes, Abbot. Though they arrived with a touch of insolence, they have behaved with perfect restraint following the stern lecture from Jin Mu-sa.”

“That is a relief to hear. Nevertheless, friction can arise without warning, so remain vigilant in your oversight.”

“I shall do so.”

“It seems Jin Mu-sa is, at the very least, a man who understands proper etiquette.”

Gong-seol, the Manjusri Hall Leader, spoke up to support the observation made by Gong-seung, the Literary Sage Hall Leader.

“He conducted himself with great civility. In fact, he seemed almost excessively concerned that his subordinates might commit some slight against us.”

“However, that is not the primary concern weighing on us.”

Gong-su’s expression clouded slightly as he shifted his focus toward Mu-yo.

“Reports have reached me regarding a shift in the personnel traveling with the First Imperial Uncle. Can you verify this?”

“It is true. The original plan called for the Provincial Commander of Henan to escort him, but the responsibility has been transferred to the Commander of the Golden Guards.”

“Amitabha! It is exactly as I feared. This presents a significant complication.”

Gong-su let out a heavy breath, his brow furrowing in concentration.

“Is the presence of the Commander truly such a grave issue? Several members of the Golden Guards are already stationed here at headquarters.”

In response to Gong-yeong’s inquiry, Gong-su signaled for Mu-yo to provide the necessary context.

“It is common knowledge that dark omens are circling the imperial palace.”

“Indeed. It is widely understood across the realm that if the First Imperial Uncle had not maintained order while journeying to headquarters, the palace would have been drowned in a crimson tide of violence.”

“Precisely. Yet, following the Qinglan Lord’s descent into illness, the Grand Preceptor took advantage of the Uncle’s preoccupation. He managed to install one of his own loyalists as the head of the Golden Guards. Consequently, a brutal internal conflict is currently unfolding within their organization.”

“Merciful Heavens! This implies the Golden Guards have fractured into a group loyal to the First Imperial Uncle and a rival faction supported by the Grand Preceptor’s kin.”

“That is correct. And within this volatile climate, the primary blades of both sides—the Commander and Jin Mu-sa—are descending upon our headquarters simultaneously.”

Gong-yeong’s face twisted into a frown as the realization dawned on him: Shaolin Temple was being pulled into the gravity of royal power struggles.

“I now grasp the source of your anxiety, Abbot Brother.”

“It was never my intention, but headquarters must find a way to weather this storm.”

Gong-su offered a faint, tired smile, shutting his eyes as his fingers slowly traced the surface of his prayer beads.

“The burden will be heavy. Ensure that no scandals or accidents occur.”

Following Gong-yeong’s remark, the assembly turned their gaze toward Mu-yo, their eyes reflecting a mixture of sympathy and support.

“I understand. Rest easy, Martial Uncle. I will oversee the arrangements with the highest level of scrutiny.”

Mu-yo gave a composed answer, stealing a glance at the still-meditative Gong-su before speaking with measured caution.

“There is one additional matter that requires your attention.”

“Speak,” Gong-su replied, opening his eyes once more.

“An exceptionally large contribution was delivered to us by the Kaifeng Falling Star Merchant House.”

“A gift from the Falling Star House?”

“Yes.”

“Of what magnitude is this gift, that you find it worth highlighting now?”

“They presented us with ten massive gold ingots. It totals approximately one hundred taels of gold.”

“Amitabha!”

The exclamation escaped Gong-su’s lips involuntarily.

The various leaders of Shaolin, from the Abbot down to the hall masters, widened their eyes in sheer shock.

Shaolin Temple was certainly not lacking in resources—it enjoyed state patronage, the wealth of lay followers, and the constant flow of donations from pilgrims. However, even for an institution of their stature, a hundred taels of gold was a staggering sum.

Gong-su managed to regain his composure before speaking.

“This is a most benevolent and appreciated act of devotion. We must ensure their reception is flawless and free of any neglect.”

“I will see to it,” Mu-yo said with a respectful bow.

“Is there more to the story?” Gong-yeong probed.

“What are you implying?”

“A donation of that size without a specific request feels somewhat suspicious.”

“They offered no particular demands. Their only stated wish was for the success of the upcoming Enthroned Buddha ceremony.”

“That is peculiar. The Falling Star House is known as the wealthiest entity in Kaifeng, yet they are also famous for being incredibly tight-fisted.”

As Gong-yeong tilted his head in doubt, Mu-yo added a clarifying detail.

“I have gathered some intelligence regarding the Falling Star House through various channels.”

“Excellent! What have you discovered?”

Gong-yeong, feeling his instincts were correct, leaned in with renewed interest.

“It is unverified, but it is rumored that a member of their direct bloodline is suffering from an enigmatic malady. The Falling Star House Lord has not raised the issue officially, however.”

“Given the circumstances, it would be difficult for him to ask for help directly. He likely intends to broach the subject once the ceremony concludes.”

“If a life is at stake, headquarters should provide assistance,” Won-il suggested.

These words prompted a sharp, annoyed look from Gong-cho, the Medicine Hall Leader, who sat across from him.

“Why are you looking at me with that suggestion, Martial Uncle?”

“You simpleton! You are the only person in this room with the healing arts required. As followers of the Buddha, how can we turn a blind eye to such significant devotion to headquarters?”

“This is all mere speculation. For all we know, they simply have more coin than they know what to do with.”

“You insolent brat!”

Won-il glared at him with intensity, but Gong-cho merely snorted and looked away.

A wave of sighs swept through the room. Some of the others looked down or away, wanting no part in a clash between two of Shaolin’s most notoriously stubborn personalities, fearing they might get caught in the crossfire.

“Peace, Martial Uncle. And Brother, let the matter rest,” Gong-su said, stepping in to calm the waters.

“If the Reception Hall Master’s intuition is incorrect, then we simply accept the gift with gratitude. But if he is right, ignoring their plight as you suggest would be a violation of our principles. In that case, you must have your junior brother conduct an examination.”

“Ugh! Abbot Brother, surely you realize the extent of my current workload…?”

“That is enough. Silence yourself, junior brother.”

When Gong-cho continued to mutter in frustration, the Disciplinary Hall Leader, Gong-jin, spoke with a voice of iron authority.

“Fine. I shall handle it. I may not know the nature of the ailment, but a Revival Pill should be sufficient to resolve the problem,” Gong-cho conceded, though his voice was heavy with irritation. He could disregard many, but he did not dare challenge Gong-jin.

At the mention of the “Revival Pill,” the atmosphere in the room shifted instantly.

While it could not be compared to the legendary Great Reversion Pill, a Revival Pill was still an incredibly rare and potent treasure.

“We possess an abundance of other Reversion Pills and medicinal herbs, but a Revival Pill? That seems an excessive price, brother,” Gong-hu, the Heavenly Kings Hall Leader, argued with clear reluctance.

In his role overseeing the Serai, Jauun, and Nahan Halls, he guarded the supply of Revival Pills fiercely. They were invaluable for enhancing the internal power of disciples, and the supply never quite met the demand.

“Are you envious? If so, feel free to take over the responsibilities of the Medicine Hall Leader,” Gong-cho snapped back.

Gong-hu’s face turned a deep shade of red at the retort.

“Good grief. A man of sixty years, yet you speak with such a sharp tongue. You grow more like your senior brother with every passing year,” Won-il mocked.

Gong-cho remained unfazed. “I was a dedicated student. A pupil naturally mirrors the qualities of his mentor.”

“You learned all the wrong lessons. Why not offer a Great Reversion Pill instead? Elder Won-chu possessed that level of magnanimity. He was short-tempered, yes, but he never hesitated when a life could be saved.”

“I would be delighted to do so. But have you forgotten who received our final Great Reversion Pill? The very person who lobbied most aggressively for its use—you, Martial Uncle—should be the last one to speak of it.”

Won-il stumbled for a moment at the counter-attack, but he quickly found his footing.

“Because of that sacrifice, we identified the most elusive ingredient for the Great Reversion Pills—the Azure Flower Lingzhi—tucked away in the imperial vaults.”

“We also successfully brought back the lost Thousand-Hand Tathagata Palm Technique,” Gong-hu added smoothly.

“Indeed! We secured the return of the irreplaceable Thousand-Hand Tathagata Palm Technique. That alone was worth the cost of a Great Reversion Pill.”

The mention of the technique brought a sudden gravity to the room.

A century and a half ago, during the devastating wars against the Blood Evil Cult, much of the martial world’s heritage was destroyed. Finding the manual for the Thousand-Hand Tathagata Palm in the palace archives was nothing short of a miracle.

“Regardless of that, it is unthinkable that a talent of that caliber should succumb to a mere sickness. For the sake of the people, such a loss cannot be permitted.”

“It is no ordinary ailment—it is almost certainly the result of foul play. The court physicians suspected the Nine Yin Severed Meridians; the sheer intensity of the invading cold energy was malicious. Even so, was a Great Reversion Pill truly required? A patient course of treatment might have yielded results. That choice was far too impulsive, no matter how one justifies it.”

“……”

Won-il, who had been ready to launch into a loud rebuttal, suddenly went dead silent.

His piercing gaze was now locked onto the rafters above.

Gong-cho, confused by the sudden shift in mood, lowered his voice and held back his next insult.

“In any case, even with the Azure Flower Lingzhi found, many ingredients remain missing. Tracking them down will require a global search. Each one needs its own specialized refinement process. It will take years of labor.”

Gong-cho grumbled, yet a small smile played on his lips. No one was more dedicated to the dream of recreating the Great Reversion Pill than he was.

“But Martial Uncle, that wasn’t actually the very last Great Reversion Pill, was it?”

Mu-ae’s question caused Gong-cho’s white brows to twitch upward.

Mu-yo cast a subtle, warning look toward him, but Mu-ae failed to notice.

“There is still one kept within the Dharma Hall, isn’t there? That would be the final one.”

Before Gong-cho could unleash a reprimand, Mu-yo intervened.

“Have you forgotten, junior brother? The Great Reversion Pill in the Dharma Hall belongs to Shaolin, and yet it does not.”

“Oh? Ah!”

Mu-ae’s face went blank for a second before he nodded in understanding.

“That’s right. It slipped my mind for a moment, senior brother.”

“Goodness. When will you learn to keep your wits about you?”

As Gong-yeong sighed at his disciple’s embarrassed reaction, Won-il—who had been sitting in unnerving silence—suddenly unstrung his prayer beads and hurled them toward the ceiling.

The 108 beads flew apart, tearing through the wooden ceiling with the speed of a lightning strike.

Gong-jin and Gong-hu moved in perfect coordination with Won-il, smashing through the side windows and leaping outside. Won-il followed them, shouting a question.

“Did you find them?”

Gong-hu, perched upon the roof, shook his head in frustration.

“There is no one here.”

Gong-jin scanned the perimeter, his voice grim.

“They escaped us.”

“What has happened, Martial Uncle?”

Gong-gong, the Master of the Sutra Pavilion, asked with visible shock.

“There was a spy among us.”

A collective gasp went through the room at the word “spy.”

“Are you certain? I detected absolutely nothing.”

Won-il offered a thin, self-deprecating smile to Gong-yeong.

“At first, I doubted my own senses. I couldn’t fathom a prowler on the roof of the Abbot’s own chambers. But I maintained my focus.”

Gong-jin added, “I sensed a presence. It was a flicker so faint that it would have gone unnoticed by anyone else, but given Martial Uncle’s signal, Gong-hu and I were able to lock onto it. The Abbot Brother surely felt it as well.”

Gong-yeong turned his gaze to Gong-su and Gong-hu, both of whom gave a somber nod of confirmation.

“But we failed to capture them. The intruder evaded Martial Uncle’s strike and vanished from our sight.”

The room filled with low groans of disbelief.

The fact that Won-il and the senior Gong brothers—some of the most powerful martial artists in the sect—could not catch the intruder was both humiliating and deeply unsettling.

“Who would have the audacity to attempt such a feat?”

Gong-su answered Gong-yeong with a heavy tone.

“The identity is unknown. But it is certain that they harbor no goodwill toward this headquarters.”

“Could this be linked to the First Imperial Uncle?”

The faces of the leaders hardened at the suggestion.

An association with the Uncle meant Shaolin was now officially entangled in the dangerous politics of the throne.

“We must remain guarded, but we cannot jump to conclusions. We must simply fulfill our obligations.”

Gong-su turned a steady gaze toward Gong-jin and Gong-hu.

“Do you understand where our highest priority lies, my brothers?”

Gong-jin spoke on behalf of the troubled Gong-hu.

“The Dharma Hall?”

Gong-su allowed a small smile and nodded.

“Correct. The Dharma Hall. We only became aware of the spy when that location was named. That hidden figure betrayed their presence out of a moment of agitation—which tells us everything we need to know.”

Grasping the gravity of the situation, Gong-hu spoke with sharp resolve.

“I will quietly station the Four Heavenly Kings and the Eight Vajras at the Dharma Hall immediately.”