Chapter 144 Wuseong (2)

Chapter 144 Wuseong (2)

‘Master Museong… it must be him.’

Gu Yangjeok recalled Baek Danhyun’s repeated warnings.

As the former guardian monk of Shaolin Temple, his martial arts were exceptionally formidable, and he was said to command the support of many monks.

In terms of influence alone, he was certainly no less than the current abbot, Master Munjeong.

That such a figure would appear in this situation…

Gu Yangji concealed his presence as much as possible, sprinkling ashes he had gathered during his cleaning earlier over his monk’s robe to mask his scent.

‘Now that Master Musheng has appeared, I should be able to hear the full story of what happened.’

The reason he had called Yu Zhangming to request a friendly sparring match would likely become clear through Master Musheng.

Gu Yangjie cautiously pressed his ear against the outer wall of the Great Hall.

* * *

“Abbot, what on earth is going on here!”

Seeing Master Musung unusually flushed, Master Munjeong tilted his head in confusion.

“Didn’t Senior Brother send word via messenger?”

“……?”

“Didn’t Senior Brother himself instruct us to summon Young Master Yu of the Huashan Sect for a friendly sparring match, and use the outcome to dilute the conflict between our sects?”

At those words, Master Wuseong instantly looked flustered and shook his head vigorously.

“I never sent a letter with such content!”

“…….”

Hearing this, Master Munjeong frowned in confusion.

“You’re saying you didn’t send the letter via the novice monk?”

“……I did send it, but I never wrote such content.”

“So, you’re saying the contents were altered midway.”

As Master Munjeong muttered to himself, twirling his beard, Yu Jang-myeong gave a hollow smile.

“I apologize for meddling in Shaolin Temple’s internal affairs, but are you saying I came here not because of Shaolin’s will, but because of someone else?”

“……That seems to be the case for now.”

“Then shouldn’t we summon the novice monk who brought Master Musung’s letter to verify the facts?”

At those words, Grand Master Munjeong’s expression grew grave.

“He was found yesterday with all his vital energy depleted and is currently in critical condition. Verifying the facts will likely take some time.”

After a moment, Master Munjeong turned his gaze to Master Museong.

-Actually, I wanted to speak with you, Brother Museong, about this very matter.

-What matter?

-A mark similar to the Old Demon Sect’s was engraved on the novice monk’s palate. Do you know anything about this?

-……Hmm.

Master Museong, his expression grave, shook his head regretfully.

-I’m sorry, but I know nothing of what happened after I gave the novice monk the letter.

-A single misstep could have escalated sect strife due to someone’s sinister plot.

After gathering his thoughts, Master Munjeong looked at Yoo Jang-myeong and offered a gentle smile.

“My apologies, Young Master Yoo. A single misstep could have led to a feud with the Huashan Sect.”

“…….”

” I will thoroughly investigate this matter and send word to the Huashan Sect. If there is anything you require, please tell me.”

At those words, Yu Zhangming hesitated to respond.

‘Really, is it truly acceptable to end it like this?’

Yu Zhangming’s gaze turned toward Master Wenzheng.

He was conversing with Master Wuseng and the other monks, fostering vigilance about this incident and creating an atmosphere conducive to reconciliation.

The radical faction didn’t look too pleased, likely because Master Museong had forcibly suppressed their sectarian conflict.

However, since a third party had intercepted Master Museong’s letter midway, altered its contents, and endangered the novice monk, continuing the fight would be difficult.

But what about his own position, caught in the middle?

Yu Jang-myeong bit his lower lip.

‘If they were the enemy… how would they have acted?’

Yoo Jang-myeong mentally mapped out the actions Moojeong Daesa might take next.

What would be their first move?

‘Come to think of it, wasn’t the laborer who first discovered the novice monk the enemy?’

If left unchecked, Gu Yang-je would be in danger.

As this thought reached its end, his lips parted involuntarily.

“Hold on.”

“……?”

“Is this how you intend to end this?”

At those words, Master Munjeong gave a peculiar smile.

“Young Master Yu, might you not elaborate?”

“Regardless, the Huashan Sect has become entangled in Shaolin Temple’s internal strife, and I nearly suffered injury because of it.”

Yu Zhangming tugged at his tattered collar.

“If you simply gloss over this matter, the Huashan Sect will surely not tolerate it. Therefore, I would appreciate a concrete token of apology.”

At his words, the eyes of the monks lined up before them sharpened.

Even without this, the atmosphere had already shifted entirely toward the moderate faction, with Master Wuseong backing Master Wenzheng.

In this situation, to demand a clear bow to the Huashan Sect?

Thus, one monk, losing his self-control, muttered under his breath.

“Since when did our Shaolin need the Huashan Sect’s approval?”

“Go!”

Before Yu Zhangming could react, Master Wen Zheng roared like a lion.

“Since when did a disciple of the Buddha discriminate against people based on the strength of their faction?”

“……”

“The disciple who just muttered that, apologize to Young Master Yu immediately and enter the Penance Hall!”

Only then did Yu Zhangming feel his eyes and ears suddenly open wide at the Venerable Master Wen Zheng’s wrath.

‘Indeed… Master Munjeong truly is a giant of the martial world.’

What had Master Munjeong just said?

‘I’ll send word. Is there anything you need?’

Ultimately, it meant he intended to wrap things up without any apology.

Had he not made a fuss, the matter would have been swept under the rug.

Yu Jang-myeong trembled with rage at Master Munjeong’s calculated behavior.

Just as he pondered how to proceed, Gu Yangjeok’s telepathic voice reached him.

-Brother.

At those words, Yu Jangmyeong turned his gaze to the thin wall in the corner of the main hall.

Judging by the flow of qi, it seemed the master was watching the situation from beyond that wall.

-Did you just now recall those words yourself?

-……Yes.

-You’ve grown.

Yoo Jang-myeong nearly chuckled at the memory of Gu Yang-jeok stroking his head.

Soon, Gu Yang-jeok’s telepathic voice continued.

-I was impressed.

-……That aside, could you advise me on what to do now?

-Buy me a little more time. I’ll be entering soon myself.

-You’re going in? Won’t that put you in danger?

Gu Yangji gave a faint, bitter smile at Yu Zhangming’s protest.

-Regardless of how things turn out, won’t I be confined to Shaolin Temple anyway? Even if I slip out secretly, it won’t end well for me later.

-That’s true, but…

-I’ll settle this matter definitively this time.

At those words, Yu Zhangming seemed inwardly reassured.

After all, Gu Yangji had never failed when he took direct action.

Yu Zhangming turned his gaze to Master Wenjing.

“So, what will you do?”

Master Wenjing’s eyes narrowed.

* * *

After finishing his conversation with Yu Zhangming, Gu Yangji looked down at the Vajra Fist Armor, which had been vibrating faintly since earlier.

At first, he thought the plan had been devised by either the moderate or radical factions.

But with that mark engraved on the young monk’s palate, he couldn’t believe it was something Shaolin Temple had fabricated.

The Palm Sect.

Only an organization of that caliber would attempt to destroy both the Huashan Sect and Shaolin Temple.

‘Fortunately, Master Jin’s words weren’t wrong. The Palm Sect was indeed within Shaolin.’

Gu Yangji frowned as he stared blankly at the Vajra Fist Armor.

From the transmission of the letter to the Huashan Sect to the present moment.

Gu Yangji slowly sorted through the situation, chewing it over.

His head felt as if it were burning.

‘The radical faction, whose discontent had been gradually subsiding through Brother Yu, is resurging because of Master Wuseng, and the letter that came to the Huashan Sect was actually a fake…’

To put it simply, a single letter, altered by a third force, was turning the situation into a muddy mess.

If Master Musung hadn’t appeared, Gu Yangjeok himself or Yu Jangmyeong would have likely just sparred a bit and left.

But with Master Musung’s arrival, the cracks that had been slowly closing were now widening in another direction.

‘Judging by the reaction of the Vajra Fist Inner Sect, the mastermind must be among them.’

Yet the biggest question remained.

‘Is the one who altered the contents of the scroll the mastermind, or is Master Musung himself, who wrote the scroll, the mastermind?’

Unless Master Musung himself, who wrote the scroll, revealed the original contents, it was difficult to be certain of either.

To figure that out, he had no choice but to step forward himself and observe the changes, like the laborer who discovered the novice monk.

Cold sweat beaded on Gu Yangjeok’s side profile.

‘This is a headache.’

Unlike the last Black Dragon he’d seen, this enemy felt like a strategist in many ways.

It was like being trapped in a deep swamp.

Considering the formidable strength they likely possessed, Gu Yang-jeok found himself unconsciously fingering his dagger.

‘If I make a mistake, I, the one who first discovered the novice monk, could become the suspect.’

A trap either way.

It felt like fighting countless warriors with his back to a cliff.

To say he wasn’t afraid would be a lie.

No matter how much he’d honed his own skills, he didn’t want to clash with the entire Shaolin Temple and the influence they wielded.

If things went wrong, the backlash could hit not just him, but the entire Huashan Sect.

‘Still, to confirm anything, I have no choice but to step forward myself.’

Having resolved his dilemma, Gu Yangjie rose and headed toward the entrance of the Great Hall.

“…Hmph.”

He exhaled deeply, steadying his resolve.

Squeak-

He stepped inside the Great Hall.

* * *

The Snow Mountains, located in the north.

At its peak, the Ghost Mask of the Eight Palms.

Sword Ghost Jiao Gangtian smiled faintly at the ghostly robe.

“I’ve always wondered, watching you… What exactly are you fighting for?”

“To help Palma dominate all of Zhonghua, of course.”

Though he was now the Sixth Demon, Ma Yi made no effort to correct him.

Seeing this, Jiao Gangtian smiled meaningfully.

“Do you intend to deceive me with such convoluted words?”

“How could that be? I merely came to deliver a message.”

“A message?”

“Lord Yama has commanded that you attend a meeting at least once.”

At those words, Jiao Gangtian’s smile vanished, and he glared at Ma Yi.

“Don’t you know?”

“I’m afraid I don’t quite understand what you mean.”

“You’re quite the smooth talker. But rather than me, wouldn’t it be better to worry about the Buddha or that crow?”

“The Buddha… Are you referring to Ku Ma?”

“That bastard. He’s slowly wrapping things up at Shaolin Temple and preparing to emerge into the Central Plains. He’s bound to clash with the crow, isn’t he?”

Even as Jiao Gangtian shot him a meaningful look, as if questioning whether this was truly acceptable, Ma Yi maintained a stiff tone.

“That has nothing to do with me. Even if the Eight Palms clash, I won’t take either side.”

“Wise.”

“Ah, and Master Shou sent this message.”

“……?”

Ma Yi channeled all his inner strength into a protective aura.

The message intended for Jiao Gangtian was as sharp as a dagger to the heart.

“He said, ‘Are you still foolishly clinging to your attachments?’”

At those words, Jiao Gangtian gave a bitter smile.

“……Attachments.”

Kugung!

The sudden deafening roar made Ma Yi look down.

“What is it?”

“Ah, don’t mind it. Just some martial artist occasionally comes to challenge me.”

“……You mean someone dares challenge Palma and survives?”

“I go easy on them, but they’ve got some serious fists. Be careful not to bump into them on your way down.”

Ma Yi gave a small nod, and Jiao Gangtian turned his back on him.

“Tell the other Palma bastards too. This Gyo Gangcheon won’t be getting involved in any games like the Central Fire Disaster.”

“Understood.”

After Ma Yi hurriedly descended the snowy mountain.

Gyo Gangcheon vanished into the snow-covered cave.