Chapter 520

Chapter 520
## Chapter 520. The Monster That Eats Despair (5)

—

*U-du-duk.*

Fissures spread along the lines of the stone wall, and shortly after, a sliver of dawn began to pierce the darkness of the cavern.

*U-du-duk.*

With an increase in exerted pressure, the fracturing lines tore through the barrier with greater speed, until the structural integrity failed entirely and shattered downward.

*Kwa-reung.*

The brilliant daylight washed over his frame with a profound heat. It was as though the radiance of the sky, denied to him save through a minuscule crevice for the past one thousand days, was flowing into every single drop of his blood.

*‘I managed to succeed…….’*

The public had deemed **Il-gak** a fool when he entered seclusion to master the **Muscle-Tendon Transformation Classic**. Their reasoning was simple: none could predict when the comprehension of the **Muscle-Tendon Transformation Classic** would reach completion, and a single mistake could cause him to miss his window of eligibility for the Martial Arts Academy. Yet against all odds, **Il-gak** triumphed, concluding his meditation within the designated timeframe. Desperate to deliver this joyous revelation to his mentor as swiftly as possible, he darted forward like a projectile from a bow.

The moment he crossed into the grounds of the Shaolin Temple, the attention of those around fell squarely upon **Il-gak**. Curiously, their expressions were distant and unsympathetic. It was likely a reaction to the heavy mane of hair he had left untrimmed throughout his thousand days of isolation. Sporting long locks while wrapped in the garments of a monk was, even by his own estimation, a bizarre sight. Still, his singular focus was to present this triumph to his teacher first. He wished to prove he was a pupil worthy of the man destined to assume the mantle of Abbot. He had proven his worth. Operating on instinct, the technique of **Il-wi-do-gang** executed itself flawlessly, causing his form to blur with even greater velocity as he rushed toward the private quarters of his mentor.

“What brings you to this place?”

To his astonishment, the figure stepping out from the threshold where his teacher once lived was someone completely unfamiliar. And the explanation offered was even more jarring.

“Ah, you are likely unaware. His relocation occurred after you commenced your isolated training.”

The residence of his instructor had been shifted elsewhere.

*‘What…… could have transpired?’*

The living arrangements within the Shaolin Temple were traditionally static, yet the venerable monk known as **Zen Master Cheon-sim** had vacated his long-standing home. What was more, the new destination defied all conventional logic.

*‘There has to be a misunderstanding.’*

It was not a residence reserved for the Four Great Vajras or the legendary eighteen Arhats, but a modest space bordering the sectors allocated to common trainees. Was that not a territory universally shunned due to the constant noise of disciples practicing throughout the day and night? As he approached the humble dwelling with a rapidly beating heart, **Il-gak** felt all vitality drain from his limbs the moment **Zen Master Cheon-sim** slid the door aside and stepped into view.

“M—Master……”

In a flash of clarity, the puzzle pieces fell into place. He understood why his teacher’s countenance had turned sorrowful when he first expressed his desire to master the **Muscle-Tendon Transformation Classic**. He understood the icy stares directed at him upon breaking his seclusion. He even understood why a master, once considered the prime candidate for the position of Abbot, was now subjected to such ordinary and diminished conditions.

“*Hmm*? **Gak-ah**……!”

The elder had willingly surrendered his own prestige and position, without a single complaint, solely to grant the ambitious dream of his unproven student.

“**Master**……”

“You have broken your fast already? *Heo-heo*! You truly possess unparalleled talent. To unravel the secrets of the **Muscle-Tendon Transformation Classic** in a mere thousand days.”

“**Master**……”

“Come now, for what reason do you wear such a mournful look on an occasion of such triumph?”

Observing **Zen Master Cheon-sim** offering a bright smile as though he lacked any grievances, **Il-gak** could no longer contain his grief, and tears flowed unbidden down his face.

“I—Is there truly no alternative…… can nothing else be done?”

His composure was entirely shattered. **Il-gak** was experiencing a state of inner turmoil far exceeding any previous trial.

“**Dang Siju**…… does the Sichuan Dang Clan not reign supreme as the pinnacle of medicine across the lands? Surely, surely your house possesses an esoteric cure hidden from common knowledge?”

**Il-gak**, whose mastery over the **Muscle-Tendon Transformation Classic** was supposed to have granted him an unshakeable spirit, was now completely unraveled.

“……”

His gaze wavered, the lips delivering his desperate pleas trembled, his internal rhythm fractured, and his physical form shuddered. He presented a fragile state that threatened to break apart under the slightest weight. Looking at the broken monk, **Dang-seo-hee** spoke:

“A cure is possible. Nonetheless—”

Her words struck **Il-gak** with immense gravity.

“It demands a stable environment as an absolute prerequisite.”

“ Merciful Buddha……”

**Dang-seo-hee** gestured with her finger toward the ongoing skirmish with the eighteen Arhats.

*Peo-peo-peok!*

Yet another member of the eighteen Arhats was violently propelled into the far wall of the cavern, spraying a mist of crimson as he hit the stone. The nightmarish display showed no signs of stopping. Though these were the newer generation of the eighteen Arhats, the majority were men of mature years. The agonizing spectacle of individuals who had honed their martial arts and cultivated their internal reserves for decades being tossed around like discarded playthings persisted before their eyes.

“How much longer…… how much longer must this tragedy continue!”

Compounding the disaster, the lingering effects of the **Musim-hwan-gak-san** were systematically eroding the monks’ composure, fueling a volatile rage. Moreover, if the conflict dragged on and their numbers dwindled further, the option to execute **Zen Master Cheon-sim** out of necessity would slip through their fingers. Should that scenario manifest and **Zen Master Cheon-sim** break free to roam the layout of the Sword Tomb, every cultivator within the vault would be forced to contest with an entity far more catastrophic than a standard Jiangshi, and the Shaolin Temple would be branded across the realm as the source of a modern scourge.

The immediate anguish was immense but brief, balanced against the prolonged shadow of the catastrophe that loomed over their future. **Baek-jong** steeled his resolve.

“Commence preparations for…… the ultimate liberation of the **Zen Master**……”

The directive struck **Il-gak** like a sudden cataclysm.

“**Zen Master**!! By what logic……!”

“Do you perceive an alternative path?”

**Il-gak**’s mouth went dry. He stared at the grim finality etched onto **Baek-jong**’s features. Faced with that look, **Il-gak** lowered his gaze in defeat. But…… was it truly required to cast his mentor aside in such a manner? A man who had functioned as a father, indeed, something far greater than a sire……. To force that benevolent figure to bear losses at every turn because of his pupil’s shortcomings, and now to demand his very existence as forfeit. No wild creature could match his own cruelty, and no malicious entity could be more foul than he was.

*Peo-peo-peo-peo-peok!*

The restrictive pressure of the **Five Buddhas Formation** grew suffocating, and following a thunderous resonance of impacts, three additional monks were flung from the fray. One among them ceased breathing on impact, denied even the opportunity for medical intervention.

“Acurse on this…… **Il-gak**, step into the line.”

“……”

**Il-gak** lacked the standing to reject **Baek-jong**’s mandate, regardless of how devastating it felt to his soul. The vacancies left by the incapacitated monks would ideally be filled by members of the **Yoseong-dang** or the Moyong Clan, yet it was unthinkable to delegate the termination of **Zen Master Cheon-sim** to hands outside their order.

*Kwang!*

Intercepting a direct blow from **Zen Master Cheon-sim**’s bare hand, **Il-gak** experienced a violent disruption within his torso. It was only in this horrific moment that he truly comprehended the terrifying magnitude of his teacher’s unbridled martial power.

*Peo-peo-peo-peo-peo-peok!*

A torrent of corrupted internal energy battered his physical form, attempting to breach his meridians and rupture his center of power. Driven by survival, **Il-gak** summoned his **Vajra Qi** to form a shield.

*Peo-peo-peo-peo-peo-peok!*

The **Five Buddhas Formation** transitioned into a lethal suppression pattern, focusing a crushing force upon **Zen Master Cheon-sim**. As the concentrated weight, potent enough to compromise the surrounding atmosphere, hemmed the elder in from all paths, his physical frame began to expand as though pressured from within. Piercing straight toward the center of that vortex, **Il-gak** drove his grief-laden strike forward. The instant that pure force, capable of shattering bone and arresting life, reached its target, **Zen Master Cheon-sim** abandoned all thoughts of self-preservation and thrust his palms directly toward **Il-gak**’s oncoming strike. A deep, sapphire aura collided with **Il-gak**’s technique.

*Du-du-du-du-duk—*

A brutal locking of master-class strikes against master-class strikes ensued. In the midst of this deadlock, the clouded eyes of **Zen Master Cheon-sim**, who was absorbing the brunt of every assault, temporarily cleared to reveal his true gaze.

“……!”

Those dark eyes swept over the immediate cavern, assessed the tragic reality of the chamber, and focused on **Il-gak**, widening with profound astonishment. Then, recognizing the nature of the crisis, a faint smile graced his features.

“……You are enduring a terrible burden on my account.”

“M—Master!”

“Forgive me. For remaining a source of grief to the very end.”

**Il-gak** felt a suffocating tide of emotion surge within his throat. The gentle cadence of his beloved protector reached him like a fading echo.

“……Even so, what a blessing it is to behold your countenance in my final moments.”

“**Master**! **Master**!!!”

“This is the benevolence of the heavens. **Baek-jong**…… my apologies……”

Yet, ignoring the desperate cries of **Il-gak**, the clarity in **Zen Master Cheon-sim**’s gaze dissolved once more into madness. **Baek-jong** and the remaining Arhats understood the truth immediately. The elder himself was aware that restoration through normal means was impossible. Confirming this, the scale of the destructive energy radiating from his limbs surged to a higher threshold.

*Pung!*

Though his consciousness had drifted into oblivion, the supreme techniques of the Shaolin executing through his muscle memory suffered not an ounce of hesitation. Under his ruthless management, three more Arhats were dispatched across the floor. With their active force reduced to under ten men, controlling **Zen Master Cheon-sim** using only the personnel of Shaolin became an impossibility. The structural integrity of the **Five Buddhas Formation** shattered completely. Just as **Baek-jong** prepared to commit to a fatal, mutual-destruction technique with his remaining strength—

*Kwang!*

Accompanying a gale of fierce internal force, **Jin-so-un**’s blade intercepted **Zen Master Cheon-sim**’s descending fist.

“**Jin Siju**……!”

“Fall back.”

“What is the meaning of this! This remains an internal affair of Shaolin!”

“Do you intend to let this *Ddaeng-jung* perish right here?”

Forced back by **Jin-so-un**’s sudden intervention, **Zen Master Cheon-sim** was compelled to take a step away for the first time.

“C—Can he truly be retrieved? **Jin Siju**?”

**Il-gak** called out, his tone suggesting he would gladly trade his soul for an affirmative reply.

“I possess no certainty, I am hardly a practitioner of the healing arts.”

**Jin-so-un** grimaced, evidently disliking the sight of **Il-gak**’s absolute despair.

“Regardless, an attempt must be made.”

“……”

“Because few sights irritate me more than a solemn monk weeping.”

**Il-gak** bit down on his lip until it bled.

**Zen Master Cheon-sim**, having reset his posture, straightened his spine in a manner resembling an undead creature. Right after, he advanced by gliding across the stone like an apparition. His execution of the **Vajra Immovable Body Movement** had ascended to its absolute peak. Simultaneously, he unleashed the devastating **Vajra Demon-Subduing Fist**. A colossal gravity sought to pin **Jin-so-un** to the earth and break his posture.

“That senior monk possesses remarkable vitality!”

The foundation of **Jin-so-un**’s martial repertoire relied heavily on misdirection and fluid adaptability. Against an opponent of comparable standing, he could disorient them and dominate through sheer capacity of internal reserves, but when facing a straightforward, crushing strike delivered by an entity existing on an entirely superior plane, his standard defensive measures were rendered obsolete.

“Naturally, I anticipated at least this degree of difficulty.”

**Jin-so-un** had perceived the anomaly clearly. The exact instant the combined weight collided and the elder expended a massive burst of internal reserve, **Zen Master Cheon-sim** had briefly breached his madness. Had that window not manifested, he would never have gambled his life on such a dangerous venture.

*Chra-ra-ra-ra-ra.*

The **Double Heavens Sword Secret** was brought to its absolute maximum potential. A multitude of blade trajectories illuminated the darkness, converging upon **Zen Master Cheon-sim**. Declining to evade or deflect the incoming storm, **Zen Master Cheon-sim** blanketed his form in raw energy, fortifying his **Protective Qi**.

*U-ung—*
*Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang—*

Exploiting that momentary transition, the elder immediately countered with the **Dragon King’s Gentle Fist**, pressing hard against **Jin-so-un**. Reacting instantly, **Jin-so-un** hoisted the **Gluttony Gauntlet** to catch the full weight of **Zen Master Cheon-sim**’s strike.

*Peo-peo-peok!*

Despite utilizing the protective properties of the **Gluttony Gauntlet**, the sheer momentum forced his boots to slide backward across the cavern floor, prompting **Jin-so-un** to reflect:

*‘This could end in total disaster.’*

In truth, it was safe to assume disaster was the probable outcome. Attempting to restrict and cure an elder of **Zen Master Cheon-sim**’s caliber was equivalent to placing one’s hand inside a predator’s mouth to extract an infected tooth. Even so, he harbored no thought of retreating. Restoring **Zen Master Cheon-sim** to sanity was far preferable to enduring a miserable, weeping monk in his company. Furthermore, he had grown thoroughly exhausted by the persistent schemes of the Demonic Cult sycophants.

“**Dang Sunbae**!”

Answering **Jin-so-un**’s call, **Dang-seo-hee** adjusted her position with fluid grace and began discharging a volley of specialized needles. Capitalizing on the precise moment the elder’s **Protective Qi** faltered, the projectiles embedded themselves into **Zen Master Cheon-sim**’s form, systematically freezing his physical movements. Seizing the opening, **Jin-so-un** lunged forward and clamped his hand around **Zen Master Cheon-sim**’s wrist. Just as he prepared to call upon the power of the **Blue Dragon Ring**—

*‘Wait, what narrative do I present afterward?’*

Regarding the sudden depletion of the elder’s internal reserves, it could easily be attributed to a massive drain suffered while breaking free from qi deviation. However, if the restoration proved too effective and the elder regained absolute lucidity instantly, **Jin-so-un** risked exposure as a prime target for scrutiny across the entire Jianghu.

*‘To hell with it, I will manage the fallout later!’*

Steeling his resolve, he triggered the **Blue Dragon Ring**, causing **Zen Master Cheon-sim**’s entire frame to vibrate violently. Simultaneously, **Jin-so-un** felt a sensation akin to an boundless ocean of vast energy cascading directly into his own channels. If the external forces he had harvested previously via the **Blue Dragon Ring** felt somewhat sinister and cold, the tide currently inundating his body was exceptionally pure and unblemished. It was as though the **Blue Dragon Ring** barely needed to exert effort; the volume of energy it permitted inside was of a magnitude completely detached from any past source. **Jin-so-un** regulated the ingestion speed carefully, ensuring no external physical manifestations would give away the process occurring within **Zen Master Cheon-sim**.

“Could it be that he is performing an esoteric grand law right now!”

**Baek-jong** gasped in shock. The young swordsman remained locked in place, holding **Zen Master Cheon-sim**’s pulse point without shifting an inch.

“What manner of esoteric technique is he employing? To affect **Zen Master Cheon-sim** of the Shaolin order, any such law would require……”

“**Zen Master Baek-jong**!”

“……?”

“Does the classification of the technique truly matter at this juncture?”

**Il-gak**’s expression was rigidly set. Only then did **Baek-jong** regain his clarity of mind. It appeared the intoxicating fog of the **Musim-hwan-gak-san** had not entirely cleared from his senses.

“M—More importantly, is this process not inherently lethal?”

Executing a grand law under these hostile conditions presented an extreme hazard to the practitioner.

“In that volatile state, **Jin Siju**’s own life hangs in the balance!”

Should **Zen Master Cheon-sim**, stripped of his intellect, unleash a sudden burst of violence, both the elder and **Jin-so-un** would face immediate destruction.

“……”

**Il-gak** could not identify the specific grand law **Jin-so-un** had brought to bear, but he was fully aware that the youth was wagering his existence. He also knew precisely how pragmatic and self-serving the swordsman usually chose to be.

*‘For what reason…….’*

The youth was certainly not someone who exerted himself to curry favor based on an individual’s lineage or prestige, and moreover, he kept no secret of his intense disdain for the alliance of the **Nine Sects and One Gang**. Yet.

*‘Why would he……?’*

He could find no logical explanation for why such an individual would risk everything to preserve **Zen Master Cheon-sim**. It defied his understanding entirely…….

*‘Could it be, because of me……?’*

No, it was undeniably on his account. Merely because **Zen Master Cheon-sim** held the title of his master, **Jin-so-un** was carrying out a grand law far more perilous than treading upon the edge of a sharpened blade. That was the reality. It was because of him.

*‘……Why must I constantly bring peril to those who stand beside me.’*

**Il-gak** remained oblivious to the tears that had begun to pool and cascade from his eyes. Just as his tears began to splatter against the dusty floor—**Jin-so-un** was violently repelled from **Zen Master Cheon-sim**’s frame, thrown backward by a sudden discharge of kinetic force.

“**Jin Siju**……!!”

Moving with the speed of an electrical discharge, **Il-gak** intercepted and secured **Jin-so-un**’s airborne form. This anomalous yet invaluable companion, who never hesitated to gamble his own safety at the critical juncture—he held onto him tightly, driven by an instinct he couldn’t name.

“Did the grand law…… achieve its purpose?”

For a fleeting second, **Jin-so-un** recoiled slightly in surprise at the embrace, before his sharp eyes softened into their familiar demeanor.

“I cannot say for certain, given that I initiated the process as a complete gamble.”

“……”

Ought he to harbor resentment that the swordsman had applied an unverified remedy? Or should he overflow with gratitude for the fact that the youth had placed his life on the line? Though the ultimate outcome remained obscured, **Il-gak** found only a solitary sentiment within his heart.

“You have my deepest gratitude. **Jin Siju**……”

“Save your appreciation until we verify the state of the patient.”

**Zen Master Cheon-sim**, freed from **Jin-so-un**’s touch, experienced a brief convulsion through his limbs. Shortly after, his eyelids fluttered open with deliberate slowness. Within the gaze he revealed to the chamber—

“**Gak-ah**……”

The dark pupils had anchored themselves in complete sanity.

“**Master**!”

Without a second thought, **Il-gak** lunged forward to embrace **Zen Master Cheon-sim**, prompting the assembled crowd to let out collective exhalations of profound relief. Save for a single individual.

*‘……Did his consciousness return a bit too rapidly?’*

A targeted public enemy of the Jianghu…… no, only **Jin-so-un** observed the emotional reconciliation before him with a deeply apprehensive gaze.