Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 305 – Domineering Steps (3)

-The patron continues to astound this humble monk in many ways.

-How can such a small talent be astonishing? But why are you sending me a voice transmission?

-It is to convey this humble monk’s intentions.

-Your intentions, Venerable Monk?

-If it were this humble monk’s personal opinion, I would like to keep the agreement regardless of what the patrons did outside. However, now that the imperial military officer has come here and the patron has taken him hostage, if we let you go, Shaolin may be put in a precarious position.

-Is it because of your standing?

-How could a monk who has renounced the world think of standing? The imperial officials will surely use this as a pretext to pressure the main temple. If the monks who have left the secular world continue to face secular pressure, how can they focus on cultivating the Buddhist path?

At Museong’s voice transmission, Mok Gyeong-un looked at him with surprise.

Unlike the Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok, he seemed to have a deep Buddhist faith without any selfish motives.

-Then what do you want to do? Do you want us to sacrifice ourselves for the sake of the monks?

-How could this humble monk force such a thing?

-Then what?

-I simply wish to give you an opportunity, believing in the patron’s martial prowess.

-Opportunity?

At Mok Gyeong-un’s question, Museong opened his mouth instead of using voice transmission.

“When a conflict with the secular world occurs, Shaolin has overcome it with a simple yet long-standing tradition.”

“A long-standing tradition?”

“That’s right. No matter how different our positions may be, it is difficult to completely ignore the agreement we made. Since Shaolin is also a disciple of Buddha and a martial artist who hones martial arts, we intend to compete based on the martial arts code.”

“………”

“Listen, Arhat warrior monks. Deploy the Hundred and Eight Arhats Formation at once!”

“Yes!!!!”

As soon as that command was given.

-Rumble rumble!

The 108 warrior monks, including those who had already deployed the Eighteen Arhats Formation, deployed a formation around Mok Gyeong-un with tremendous spirit.

When the 108 Arhat warrior monks lined up and assumed their stances, their majesty was like witnessing an army of thousands.

What was even more remarkable was that they had only formed a formation, yet their energy doubled and filled the entire hall.

‘……Impressive.’

This was all too clear in the eyes of Mok Gyeong-un, who had opened his Ghost Eyes.

One by one, ordinary energies converged into a single entity called a formation, becoming so formidable.

Therefore, he couldn’t help but admire it.

At that moment, the expelled monk Ja Geum-jeong shouted in an angry voice.

“Master! No matter what, isn’t this going too far? What do you mean by competing based on the martial arts code? Isn’t the Hundred and Eight Arhats Formation Shaolin’s strongest force?”

The reason Ja Geum-jeong was so agitated was simple.

The Hundred and Eight Arhats Formation was Shaolin’s most powerful formation designed to subdue multiple enemies or transcendent masters of the True Grandmaster level.

It symbolized Shaolin, and among those who had officially faced it, no one had ever broken the Hundred and Eight Arhats Formation.

“Amitabha. That’s right. The Hundred and Eight Arhats Formation can indeed be considered Shaolin’s strongest force.”

“Master, this is…..”

“Shh!”

At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un raised his finger to his lips, gesturing Ja Geum-jeong to be quiet.

Ja Geum-jeong frowned and closed his mouth mid-sentence.

Has his master gone crazy?

Isn’t he afraid of being surrounded by the Hundred and Eight Arhats Formation?

While he was puzzled, Mok Gyeong-un spoke, looking at Museong, who was standing at a distance.

“If you say it’s according to the martial arts code, do you mean we should compete?”

“That’s right. However, I’m not asking you to break it.”

“If you’re not asking me to break it?”

“Presenting the Hundred and Eight Arhats Formation, which can be considered Shaolin’s strongest force, to the patron is to express our reverence for the patron’s outstanding martial prowess.”

Is it reverence? Or is it for a definitive outcome?

Mok Gyeong-un chuckled and said.

“Well, let’s say that’s the case. So, what do you want to do? If not to break it?”

“In the past, after an unpleasant incident, Shaolin further enhanced the formation of the Hundred and Eight Arhats, making it much more perfect than before.”

“………”

“If you can endure this Hundred and Eight Arhats Formation for just a moment, Shaolin will consider it fate and comply, safely sending the patrons on their way. Of course, if it is not feasible with just the patron alone, you are welcome to join forces with your companions.”

“One moment……”

“However, if you cannot endure it for a moment, this humble monk will have to hand you over to the imperial palace as traitors, even if the patrons resent me. If we do this, will the military officer from the imperial palace believe that Shaolin is not harboring them?”

“Phew…phew…..”

At Museong’s proposal, Commander Kang-hak, who was being held hostage by Mok Gyeong-un, reluctantly nodded his head as if agreeing.

However, his inner thoughts were completely different.

‘Isn’t the Hundred and Eight Arhats Formation of Shaolin known for its undefeated record and Shaolin’s strongest force?’

This was a well-known fact among all martial artists.

As far as he knew, even the Six Heavens and Eight Stars masters, who were considered the pinnacle of the current martial arts world, could not recklessly challenge Shaolin’s Hundred and Eight Arhats Formation.

It was literally one of Shaolin’s legends.

‘No matter how strong this damn bastard is, it’s impossible to last a moment against Shaolin’s Hundred and Eight Arhats Formation.’

He was confident about this.

Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok’s thoughts were no different from those of the Guard Commander.

Although that outrageously arrogant patron’s inner strength surpassed his own, the power of the Hundred and Eight Arhats Formation was on a different level.

In the distant past, they had unofficially suffered a humiliating incident, but the perfection of the formation now was incomparable to that time.

‘He talked as if he were being compassionate, but the master has given him an even more inescapable task. Hohoho.’

Dae-deok looked at Reverse Muscle Scripture Hall Grand Monk Museong with a satisfied expression.

On the other hand, Mok Gyeong-un’s subordinates had grim expressions.

Even if they were allowed to join forces and given a time limit of a moment, could they really withstand the Hundred and Eight Arhats Formation?

No matter how strong Mok Gyeong-un’s martial prowess had become, they lacked confidence in this particular task.

At that moment.

“If we are to proceed with your proposal, I should return the hostage to you. Please take him.”

-Smack!

Mok Gyeong-un lifted Commander Kang-hak, whose neck he was grasping, and threw him towards Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok as if throwing an object.

‘What?’

At his sudden action, Dae-deok inwardly clicked his tongue.

Judging by the way he was flying, it seemed that he had deliberately infused inner strength into the throw.

However, he couldn’t show himself being pushed back like before, so he hurriedly spread out his soft palm technique to catch the flying Commander Kang-hak.

The moment he caught him,

-Crash!

‘Ugh.’

Dae-deok’s expression momentarily twisted in pain.

It was a technique of the Physical Transmission Scripture.

He tried to disperse Commander Kang-hak’s force, but instead, that force penetrated and entered, nearly pushing him back again.

-Gulp!

However, thanks to forcefully enduring it, blood rose to his throat as if he had suffered internal injuries.

At this, Dae-deok glared at Mok Gyeong-un with anger-filled eyes.

‘This bastard!’

Regardless of his reaction, Mok Gyeong-un shrugged his shoulders as if he didn’t care at all and turned his head to speak to Museong.

“But Venerable Monk, may I also make a proposal to you, no, to Shaolin?”

“A proposal?”

“No matter how I think about it, this seems to only consider Shaolin’s convenience. Even if we are in a disadvantageous position.”

“…….So you’re saying you’ll reject this humble monk’s proposal?”

“No. That’s not it.”

“Then what kind of proposal do you intend to make?”

“It’s nothing much. I want us to receive compensation for nearly falling to our deaths due to Shaolin’s mistake. Honestly, an apology alone seems insufficient for a matter involving people’s lives.”

“Compensation? How do you mean compensation?”

“I heard that Shaolin has a very precious spiritual medicine. I think it was called the Great Restoration Pill?”

‘!!!!!!!’

At those words, the monks of Shaolin stirred.

Of course, Mok Gyeong-un paid no heed to this and continued speaking.

“If we pass the master’s proposal, how about giving each of us one as compensation for the harm done to me and my companions?”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok intervened with a fierce expression instead of Museong.

“The young patron must not be in his right mind to make such a request when you should be grateful for even being given a chance.”

The spiritual medicine Mok Gyeong-un had just mentioned was made from Shaolin’s secret method.

It took a long time to make just one because the manufacturing method was so difficult, and the reason it was famous was that if an ordinary person took the Great Restoration Pill, they would live a long life without illness, and if a martial artist took it, they would gain a full cycle of inner strength.

Therefore, even in the martial arts world, Shaolin’s spiritual medicine, the Great Restoration Pill, was regarded as the supreme spiritual medicine.

“What’s there to be in the right mind about? If Shaolin hadn’t dropped us, this situation wouldn’t have happened at all, so shouldn’t you agree to even greater demands?”

“Ha! The patron truly prefers punishment over…..”

“Enough!”

Museong reprimanded Dae-deok.

As Dae-deok closed his mouth, Museong clasped his hands together and spoke to Mok Gyeong-un.

“Amitabha. Patron. I apologize to the patron, but the number of Great Restoration Pills is not that many, and moreover, they can only be given out after being approved in a meeting presided over by the abbot.”

“Are you refusing on the pretext of procedure?”

“How could that be? However, I believe there is certainly some truth to the compensation the patron speaks of. So, even if not the Great Restoration Pill, I think I can give you the Small Restoration Pill within my authority.”

“M-Master!”

At those words, not only Dae-deok but even the Sutra Pavilion Grand Monk Gong-jeon, who was favorable to them, looked at Museong in surprise.

That was because the Small Restoration Pill was also a spiritual medicine that Shaolin prided itself on.

In the case of the Great Restoration Pill, the manufacturing method was so complicated and time-consuming that Shaolin created a substitute spiritual medicine.

That was none other than the Small Restoration Pill.

This Small Restoration Pill was also a precious spiritual medicine that could grant ten years’ worth of inner strength with a single pill.

“Master, this is…..”

-Swish!

As Gong-jeon tried to say that they should be cautious, Museong shook his head with a resolute face.

His thoughts remained unchanged.

He had already broken his agreement to prevent external pressure by making an enemy of the imperial palace.

At this point, he had a strong desire to compensate them with something, and just then, Mok Gyeong-un made this bold request, so he considered it a good opportunity.

“Of course, please keep in mind that this proposal stems from the patrons being able to endure the Hundred and Eight Arhats Formation for a moment.”

“Alright. With this, it seems the balance has been somewhat restored.”

“I will not accept the Small Restoration Pill.”

At that moment, someone intervened and shouted loudly.

It was the expelled monk Ja Geum-jeong.

At this, Gong-jeon spoke in a gentle voice, indicating that it was alright.

“Amitabha. It’s you, Deokmun. If you’re worried about burdening Shaolin, you don’t need to…..”

“No. Master. Instead of that, I want to receive something else.”

“Something else?”

“If we endure the Hundred and Eight Arhats Formation for a moment, instead of the Small Restoration Pill, please allow me to strike the Precepts Hall Master over there with full force, just once, no more, no less.”

‘!?’

At his words, Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok was dumbfounded.

He wondered what that expelled fellow would dare to demand, but he impudently asked to be allowed to hit him?

It was so absurd that he was about to say something,

“How dare you…..”

“Hohohoho. Even if he was expelled, there is something called old ties, so can’t we grant Deokmun’s request to this extent?”

Sutra Pavilion Grand Monk Gong-jeon took the initiative.

At this, Reverse Muscle Scripture Hall Grand Monk Museong nodded with a faint smile.

What was so difficult about allowing him to strike just once, not even the Small Restoration Pill?

Moreover, Precepts Hall Master Dae-deok had a significant influence on that child becoming a expelled monk, so he could fully understand that level of venting.

“Now, before we begin, bring an incense stick that lasts for a moment.”

“Yes!”

At Museong’s command, some of the warrior monks who were not part of the Hundred and Eight Arhats Formation clasped their hands together and were about to go and fetch it.

At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un waved his hand and spoke in a meaningful voice.

“Shaolin will have to erect a tombstone due to another misjudgment.”

“What do you mean by…..”

It was at that very moment.

Mok Gyeong-un suddenly stomped his foot on the ground.

-Kwaaang! Crackle crackle!

At that instant, with a tremendous roar, the ground of Arhat Pavilion’s plaza cracked, centered around Mok Gyeong-un, and the vibration spread in all directions.

Along with the vibration that shook the ground, the moment it reached the soles of the Arhat warrior monks who were surrounding him in the Hundred and Eight Arhats Formation,

-Tremble tremble!

They all convulsed as if they had been struck by a shock, and then,

-Thud! Thud! Thud!

Without exception, they simultaneously collapsed to the ground.

‘!!!!!!!!!!!’