< Episode 578 > The Miracle of Shaolin.
There was a martial artist called the Ghost Monk, Guiseung.
He was a demon who had belonged to the Cheonra Heukmangdae, the Heavenly Demon's direct unit, before the Gwichal Geomdae led by the Sword Demon was formed.
He was also a figure who had acted as a subordinate killer squad.
At the time, he was a demon infamous for cruel actions contrary to his background, but—
I didn't have much connection with him.
When Guiseung was active as a demon, it was also the period when I had just been captured under the Heavenly Demon.
Since I hadn't belonged to or run any unit back then, there was no record of us meeting.
He was also someone I had never faced even before becoming a demon.
It was only natural.
'I was a fucking cripple. While he was...'
Among the generation of shooting stars said to soar high and long.
The figure known to be the most outstanding.
That was Guiseung... No.
'Should I call him the Divine Dragon now?'
A martial artist who, together with Jang Seon-yeon, was the rising hope of the orthodox faction and called the Miracle of Shaolin.
A figure on a different level from me, who was called the disgrace of the Gu Family and the madman of Shanxi.
He was precisely Guiseung, and the young man before my eyes.
I looked straight ahead.
Perhaps because of the moonlight, a particularly gleaming bald head was the first thing I saw.
Beneath it, faint yellow eyes. His build was slightly less than seven cheok in height, but a sturdy physique was clearly visible.
Judging by his trained body.
'Combat-type.'
I could guess he was an outstanding combat-type martial artist who had trained external arts to the extreme.
Though it was only natural since he was a Shaolin martial artist.
'Seeing him like this is fascinating.'
My feelings were extraordinary.
Not only had I not expected to meet him in this manner.
But it was truly fascinating to me that the two of us were facing each other like this.
'The Miracle of Shaolin.'
Or the last Divine Dragon, or a once-in-a-generation genius.
Those were the titles he was called.
Among those three, I didn't deny any of them.
'Because all three are true.'
One could say even more.
Though it was said that the Divine Dragon's selection by the Yongbongji Assembly wasn't without underhanded dealings.
If you considered the circumstances at that time—
'That guy is more than enough to be the Divine Dragon.'
He was absolutely not someone lacking to ascend to the position.
'His age... I think he was the same age as me.'
At most he'd be a year or two older.
If he had ascended to the Hwagyeong at that age, it wouldn't be strange to call him a once-in-a-generation genius.
I had ascended to the Hwagyeong at a younger age than him, but—
'I'm an exception.'
It didn't matter whether he was called the youngest Hwagyeong or a once-in-a-generation genius.
Because if I hadn't actually existed, he would have been called those things.
Moreover, viewed that way, it was rather strange.
'At that level, he probably didn't need to resort to such dirty tricks.'
Looking at the current state of the Divine Dragon, he could have risen to the position without resorting to schemes with Shaolin and the League.
More than enough.
If he had ascended to the Hwagyeong at the age of twenty, his qualifications would overflow.
And yet, if he had to resort to such schemes—
I thought there must be a reason.
And that was—
'Could it be included in the reason he abandoned and fled from Shaolin?'
Could it be related to the Divine Dragon turning his back on his home and falling?
I had such thoughts.
Of course, it was impossible to know.
By the time I came out into the world under the name of demon, Guiseung had already met his death at the hands of other Shaolin martial artists.
'I heard that dozens of the League's troops and Shaolin experts swarmed to kill Guiseung.'
When they killed Guiseung that way, half of that force was said to have perished.
'Curious.'
I looked at the Divine Dragon with interest.
For what reason did that guy become a demon?
Such questions welled up, but now was not the time to ask them.
I had to bring up something different while looking at him.
"You seem to like meat?"
"..."
At the bluntly asked question, the Divine Dragon frowned.
He looked displeased.
Indeed, asking a Shaolin monk who forbids meat-eating was somewhat rude.
But.
The situation was a bit different now.
'He ate it.'
I clearly saw.
In the inn just now, him eating dumplings.
No... strictly speaking, I didn't see him eating.
'But I saw the leftovers.'
That was enough.
"The dumplings there are quite tasty, but who knew they'd be tasty enough for a baldy to eat them."
A taste so good it entices even those who forbid meat-eating.
I thought it would make an amazing slogan for the inn.
Chuckling as I spoke, only then did the Divine Dragon open his closed mouth.
"I do not know what the patron is talking about...."
The expression from just moments ago had vanished, replaced by a gentle and proper expression.
Seeing that, I tilted my head.
Hmm, I see.
'He's going to play dumb.'
He seemed intent on feigning ignorance since there was no evidence.
Unfortunately, there was evidence.
"If you're going to do that, you should have at least wiped the grease from the corner of your mouth."
At my words, the Divine Dragon flinched and began wiping his mouth.
Seeing that, I continued.
"You have scallions stuck in your teeth."
"...!"
As he hurriedly moved again, I added.
"Ah, that was a lie."
When I spoke with a laugh, the guy froze like a stone.
His expression changed too.
He probably knew there were no more holes to escape through.
Seeing this, I laughed too.
A brief silence passed, and the Divine Dragon soon let out a short cough.
"Ahem...."
Changing his somewhat unsightly posture, he stood straight.
"Do you have business with me, patron?"
It seemed he was trying to pretend the conversation until now hadn't happened.
Unbelievable.
Letting out a hollow laugh, I took a step.
Though it was an action taken without warning, the Divine Dragon showed no particular reaction.
Was he not paying attention?
It certainly seemed so.
A prickle.
My heart reacted arbitrarily as I showed movement.
I could feel it.
Rumble—!
Energy was gradually spreading from the tips of the Divine Dragon's feet.
A viscous energy spread in all directions, creating a domain.
In a short while.
Before I knew it, the surroundings were covered by the Divine Dragon's domain. I smiled seeing this.
'Nice.'
The way he used energy was quick, detailed, and meticulous.
The densely woven energy was admirable to behold.
Not bad.
Feeling that, I spoke.
"Is it alright for a Buddhist disciple pursuing reincarnation to be this violent?"
As I spoke while feeling the energy, the Divine Dragon spoke to me.
"Yet, you have not answered my question, patron."
"Hmm."
Hearing the words, I tilted my head.
Had he simply spread his energy to create a domain, that would be one thing.
'The energy is a bit rough.'
My heart was reacting arbitrarily to the felt energy.
This meant.
That hostility was mixed in the energy he emitted.
'Is he in a bad mood because I teased him?'
Is that why he's reacting like this?
That could be it.
Having grasped that much, I immediately spoke to him.
"Sorry if I hurt your feelings."
"...?"
"Monks can eat some meat too, what. How can a person live without eating meat?"
When I spoke with a laugh, rather, confusion settled on his expression.
He had a face that said he hadn't expected an apology.
Meanwhile, I put strength into my heart and drew out energy.
Hum—!
The energy flowing from my heart pushed back the Divine Dragon's energy a little.
Only then did breathing become a bit easier.
Crack—!
At the same time, I loosened my body slightly.
However, I didn't narrow the distance any further.
'I didn't particularly come here to fight.'
At least today, that wasn't the purpose.
I looked into the Divine Dragon's two eyes and spoke.
I was simply really curious.
"Isn't it fascinating? I stopped by an inn, and there was the Miracle of Shaolin eating dumplings."
"..."
The Miracle of Shaolin.
I could see the Divine Dragon's brows twitch at these words.
Perhaps because he had no hair, it was particularly visible.
"The Taoist bastard I know eats some meat too, but it's my first time seeing a monk eat it, you know?"
That guy's only a Taoist in name; he's half-mad so I don't pay it much mind.
Shaolin felt a bit different.
That's how perception works.
'...Well, come to think of it, even Huang Afoying was said to have eaten meat.'
According to Old Man Shin, even Huang Afoying, who was called a hero of Shaolin, secretly ate meat, so it was hard to blame him for this.
Nevertheless, the reason I brought this up on purpose—
Was simply to start a conversation.
Though it seemed to have gone in a much rougher direction than expected.
"It seems you know who I am, patron."
"I know very well. How could I not?"
If you were to pick the most famous person in Hanam these days, one would be the New League Lord, the Wudang Sword Immortal.
The other would be the Divine Dragon before my eyes.
"The new Divine Dragon. Right?"
"..."
Even if he denied it here, I wouldn't believe him anyway.
A face that had just passed his youth.
A face with a bit of immaturity remaining, but contrary to that, an overwhelming physique.
Moreover—
'Pretending not to know with that kind of aura is a bit shameless.'
Even the heavy energy of Shaolin contained within.
Anyone who saw him would know a hundred out of a hundred times.
'He's definitely amazing.'
In my previous life, I only saw him from afar. And since my realm was pathetic, I didn't properly know the Divine Dragon's strength.
Facing him this closely, I could tell well.
'He deserves to be called a monster.'
To think he achieved that realm at merely the age of twenty.
It was something I couldn't understand no matter how much I looked.
How could that be?
Don't tell me....
"Could it be that you too... pulled a Yeonilcheon?"
"Pardon?"
"No, it's nothing."
I spat out the words but quickly withdrew them.
I figured that couldn't be it no matter what.
'It would be too much of a headache if there were more regressors.'
I knew it was nonsense, but seeing the Divine Dragon's appearance, I couldn't help but suspect it.
He was at such an amazing level.
Setting me aside since I went through various incidents, for him to reach that state without any fortuitous encounters—
'He really must be a once-in-a-generation genius.'
A talent bestowed by the heavens.
There would be no other way to express it.
I continued speaking while admiring the Divine Dragon's appearance.
Because I hadn't introduced myself yet.
"Ah, I am...."
"I know."
"Hm?"
As I was trying to introduce myself belatedly, the Divine Dragon cut me off.
Hearing that, I had to show slight surprise.
"You know?"
"I mean that I know who you are, patron."
"Hmm...?"
He knows me?
I looked at the Divine Dragon with strange eyes at his words, and he looked at me and spoke.
"Little Heat Devil, Gu Yangcheon...."
"..."
"Are they not your alias and name, patron?"
My eyes widened at the words he spat without hesitation.
"What, how did you know?"
It was truly unexpected.
How did that guy know about me?
As such doubt flashed by.
"I merely believed."
The Divine Dragon spat out words at me with a stiff face.
"One with power like yours, it would certainly be him. That is what I believed."
"Oh."
I let out an exclamation hearing his words.
This meant that the reason I was certain he was the Divine Dragon and the reason he was certain of who I was were the same.
The problem was, if there was something else within that.
"But why do you dislike me?"
The fact that the hostility in the Divine Dragon's energy was growing thicker.
The moment I was certain of who I was.
The hostility in the energy he emitted toward me rose.
When I asked this.
"..."
The Divine Dragon didn't give much of an answer.
Usually if asked this openly, one would say they don't dislike you.
Wasn't that as good as admitting it?
'What?'
Was it really because I teased him too much?
Or because I was rude from the first meeting?
Hmm.
'Both are things worth disliking.'
I could admit it thinking back. I could see how that would be the case.
Though I wouldn't really change anything.
'However, I don't think that's all there is to it.'
It could be because of a bad first impression, but there was a different feeling from the Divine Dragon.
Something else that made him dislike me.
I stared into his eyes and stayed still for a few seconds.
"...Patron."
After waiting a moment, the Divine Dragon looked at me and spoke.
"Did you come to participate in the Martial Arts Tournament?"
It wasn't an answer to my question. Rather, a question came.
It meant he wouldn't answer what I had asked earlier.
So I decided to go along with that intention.
"Since it's happening anyway, I was thinking of giving it a try."
"I see."
The Divine Dragon nodded hearing my words.
"That is fortunate."
"Hm?"
Fortunate? What does he mean?
"Today's meeting was pleasant. Patron. Next time... I shall see you in three months."
Then he abruptly greeted me, turned his back, and walked away.
Watching his back, I tilted my head.
The former seemed like an absolute lie.
The latter—
'Seeing each other in three months means he's also participating in the Martial Arts Tournament?'
Then his words now, were they something like a declaration of war?
Thinking of this, I clapped briefly inwardly.
Because I felt a fresh feeling.
'I think this is a first for me.'
Perhaps the first time since regressing.
'I don't like you, so follow me to the Martial Arts Tournament. I'll teach you a lesson.'
No matter how I looked at it, it seemed to mean that.
It had been who knows how long since I had been spoken to like this.
And to think it was by someone I met for the first time today.
Recalling that.
"Hey."
I immediately called out to him.
He flinched.
At my call, the Divine Dragon stopped walking.
At the same time, I could see.
That his shoulders were moving slightly differently.
Was he thinking of fighting here?
He looked ready to do just that, but unfortunately, I didn't want to.
"I'll keep your secret about the dumplings from Shaolin."
"..."
Having told him the main point I called him for, he stood blankly for a moment.
Soon he turned his body to look at me again.
Immediately after.
"...For that... part... I am grateful."
The Divine Dragon put his palms together, paid his respects to me, then turned his back again.
And started walking again on the path he had been on.
Somehow his footsteps seemed to have quickened.
He seemed quite embarrassed.
"...Haha."
Watching that, I let out a hollow laugh.
That guy too didn't seem quite normal somehow.
Wudang, Shaolin, or Huashan. Why are the people who should be the most sound all missing something?
The affairs of the world were definitely a mess.
Thinking so, I stroked my chin with my hand.
"Three months later...."
The words the Divine Dragon had just spat out bothered me.
I hadn't been thinking much of it since I had no intention of taking the Martial Arts Tournament seriously.
But hearing such words made things difficult.
"This makes me get a bit emotional."
Emotion might enter the hand that strikes.
If that happens, controlling my strength becomes difficult.
That couldn't help but be a bit of a troublesome matter from my position.