Chapter 238 – The Wind of Blood Blows Regardless of Place (1)

Read it only at Utoon.net!
Discord         

As soon as he came out of the forbidden area, Gwanghae was the first to greet Dam-ho.

 

“How did the conversation go?”

 

When Dam-ho silently nodded, Gwanghae’s expression brightened.

 

“That’s fortunate. That you two could meet before it was too late.”

 

“…”

 

“Master Boundless had been longing for the day to meet Master Dam. It was his last wish before nirvana, so I’m glad it was fulfilled, even if late.”

 

Gwanghae’s eyes were shining as if he was truly relieved.

 

Dam-ho listened to his words silently. However, his mind was occupied with other thoughts.

 

The Boundless Monk had indeed said many things. But among his stories, not many were useful.

 

While it was true that the Boundless Monk was with the Four Divine Emperors during the raid on the Demonic Cult’s headquarters, he was separated from them at the final moment.

 

He knew that one of the Four Divine Emperors had betrayed them, but didn’t know exactly who it was. All of the Four Divine Emperors had maintained firm silence.

 

Decades had passed since then. It was enough time to forget even the fondest memories.

 

The name of the Four Divine Emperors had faded from people’s minds, and now there were barely any who knew the truth.

 

‘Dan Gongwol.’

 

He was one of the Four Divine Emperors. His title was Wind Moon Emperor. And Dam-ho had heard this title before.

 

Before coming here, at Tongling, Bang Jinbo and Muk Il-gwang had met an unidentifiable master. The old blacksmith had called him the Wind Moon Emperor.

 

The Four Divine Emperors had already begun their activities. The world just didn’t know it yet.

 

Dam-ho raised his head to look at the sky.

 

The sun had already set and dusk was settling in. Though the sunset sky was beautifully dazzling, it couldn’t stop the darkness that was slowly creeping in.

 

‘Demonic Cult, Heavenly Evil Cult, and the Four Divine Emperors…’

 

Unexpected entities were appearing one after another. The world was falling into greater chaos because of it. No one could predict what names would appear next.

 

Dam-ho shook his head to clear his thoughts.

 

His eyes had already regained their original coldness and indifference.

 

‘Focus on the situation at hand, on what I can do.’

 

His objective was to find Cho Yeon-woon.

 

Although he unexpectedly spent time meeting the Boundless Monk, he couldn’t give up on finding Cho Yeon-woon.

 

Dam-ho returned to his quarters guided by Gwanghae. At the main entrance of the separate building, Gwanghae quietly said:

 

“Then this humble monk will take his leave. Rest well, Master Dam.”

 

He gave Dam-ho a half-bow before leaving.

 

“Brother!”

 

“Brother!”

 

When Dam-ho entered the separate building, Bang Jinbo and Muk Il-gwang ran to him like baby birds waiting for their mother to bring food.

 

Their faces were full of curiosity.

 

“Did everything go well?”

 

“Yes!”

 

Dam-ho answered simply.

 

There was no reason to tell them about meeting the Boundless Monk. If he mentioned the Boundless Monk, he would inevitably have to talk about the Four Divine Emperors.

 

“Let’s rest.”

 

“What?”

 

“We’ll head to Mount Zhongnan early tomorrow morning. So rest and conserve your energy.”

 

From Dengfeng County where Shaolin Temple was located to Mount Zhongnan in Shaanxi Province was over two thousand li. Even riding horses diligently, it would take more than ten days. They needed to conserve their energy.

 

“Understood, brother. Don’t worry.”

 

“We definitely won’t fall behind.”

 

Bang Jinbo and Muk Il-gwang beat their chests and made bold promises.

 

Dam-ho nodded and entered the room. Muk Il-gwang and Bang Jinbo followed behind.

 

Even after Dam-ho had left, the Boundless Monk remained motionless.

 

“Whew!”

 

It was only after a long while that he moved.

 

The Boundless Monk stood up from the rock, using strength in both legs.

 

“Ugh! Just sitting for a while and my whole body feels cold.”

 

Though he was lightly pounding his legs with his fists, his face showed a relieved expression. It was because he had revealed everything to Dam-ho.

 

“I’m truly sorry to you. But there was no one else I could tell this to. Please forgive me for adding another burden to your already difficult path. Amitabha!”

 

The Boundless Monk shook his head and started walking.

 

He headed towards the thatched hut that had been his dwelling for a long time.

 

Arriving at the hut, the Boundless Monk frowned his white eyebrows. The animals that usually stayed in front of his dwelling were nowhere to be seen. Though they might have temporarily hidden from fear of Dam-ho, they should have returned by now. Yet there were still no animals near the hut.

 

The Boundless Monk unconsciously called out Buddha’s name.

 

“Amitabha! Who’s there?”

 

“It’s been a while, Boundless.”

 

At that moment, someone walked out of the darkness.

 

The Boundless Monk’s eyes widened when he saw him.

 

“You?”

 

“It must have been about thirty years.”

 

“How are you here… Could it be?”

 

The Boundless Monk’s pupils shook violently as he looked at ‘him.’ ‘He’ quietly smiled in response.

 

The Boundless Monk’s gaze hardened.

 

“It was you.”

 

“That’s right.”

 

“Why did you do it?”

 

“Everyone has reasons they can’t tell others. I don’t intend to share such trivial personal matters with you.”

 

“Then why have you come here?”

 

“It’s time to clean up the remnants of the past. I don’t want your mouth to open.”

 

“Amitabha!”

 

“You must have anticipated it, haven’t you? That such a moment would come someday.”

 

His white teeth gleamed in the darkness.

 

“Amitabha! Amitabha!”

 

“If you die quietly, I won’t touch Shaolin. But if you resist, I’ll erase Shaolin from this world. What will you do? Everything depends on your decision.”

 

‘He’ forced a choice.

 

The Boundless Monk firmly sealed his lips.

 

He had no choice.

 

‘The heavenly energy has been unstable lately, so this was what it meant for my fate.’

 

‘He’ was looking down at the Boundless Monk.

 

Though thirty years had passed, he remained exactly the same. He would never be able to escape from him.

 

That cold gaze and overwhelming presence weighed down on the Boundless Monk’s shoulders.

 

Shaolin’s fate rested on his decision.

 

The Boundless Monk saw a streak of darkness wavering in ‘his’ cold eyes. Such darkness definitely didn’t exist in the previous ‘him.’

 

‘He has already been consumed by deep darkness.’

 

It was too late to turn back. No matter what he did, ‘he’ would never return to his former self.

 

Though he briefly considered resisting, the Boundless Monk soon gave up.

 

“Amitabha! It shall be as you wish.”

 

“A wise choice, Boundless.”

 

‘He’ smiled. Everything had gone according to his will. But because of that, he failed to notice the faint smile on the Boundless Monk’s face as well.

 

‘Gwonma.’

 

One who was stained with the same darkness as ‘him.’

 

It’s not light that defeats deep darkness. Only an even deeper darkness can.

 

‘May your darkness devour his darkness.’

 

***

 

The next morning, Dam-ho prepared to leave Shaolin Temple. However, his plans were halted before they could begin due to Gwanghae’s sudden visit.

 

“It’s Gwanghae. May I come in?”

 

Gwanghae’s urgent voice came from outside.

 

Though Dam-ho frowned, he told him to enter. Gwanghae hurriedly came into the room.

 

“Amitabha! Master Dam.”

 

Gwanghae’s eyes were filled with dismay as he looked at Dam-ho. Dam-ho sensed that something had happened.

 

“What is it?”

 

“Master Boundless… entered nirvana last night.”

 

“Boundless Monk?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Dam-ho’s face hardened.

 

He had seen him yesterday. Though he was elderly and quite weakened, he hadn’t seemed close to death.

 

“The cause?”

 

“For now, it appears to be natural causes.”

 

Gwanghae’s expression wasn’t very bright as he answered.

 

“There were no signs of intrusion or injuries. No evidence of murder at all.”

 

“Is that so?”

 

“He lived over a hundred years. In truth, it wouldn’t have been strange for him to enter nirvana at any time. But his passing was too sudden. He was still in good spirits until he met Master Dam yesterday.”

 

Gwanghae let out a soft sigh.

 

The Boundless Monk’s death was too sudden. Because of this, Shaolin Temple’s leadership was in chaos. It was particularly troubling that he entered nirvana at this time when the Demonic Cult could attack at any moment.

 

“So we plan to hold the cremation ceremony tomorrow.”

 

“That soon?”

 

Boundless Monk was Shaolin’s most senior elder. For someone of his stature, it was customary to conduct funeral proceedings over several days rather than immediate cremation.

 

“Master Boundless always used to say in his lifetime: ‘This body will return to earth anyway, so don’t trouble people and just throw it on the mountain before it rots. If beasts fill their bellies by eating my corpse, that too is accumulating merit.’ But how could we, as his disciples, do such a thing? Since we can’t bear to discard Master’s body, we can only proceed with a quick cremation.”

 

It wasn’t Gwanghae’s decision alone. It was decided by the abbot and the elders in a meeting.

 

“Almost no one in the murim knows of Master Boundless’ existence. So we decided to hold a modest cremation ceremony with only a few people.”

 

“…”

 

“Master Dam, I know you’re in a hurry, but please attend Master Boundless’ cremation ceremony.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because you were the last person to see Master Boundless alive. If it’s you…”

 

Gwanghae’s voice trailed off. His eyes were filled with desperation. Though he held back his words, his expression showed strong suspicion about the Boundless Monk’s death.

 

Dam-ho closed his eyes momentarily. Countless thoughts flashed through his mind. But his deliberation wasn’t long.

 

“I will do so.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Gwanghae bowed and went outside.

 

Left alone, Dam-ho suddenly recalled his conversation with the Boundless Monk yesterday.

 

—It’s a truly brutal age where power rules everything. The martial arts world will become even more treacherous. Those without power will writhe in fear, and those with power will plunder the weak to survive.

 

A brutal age.

 

An era of warfare ruled by power.

 

Dam-ho suddenly looked at his fist.

 

It was a fist covered in countless scars. The traces of his life’s struggles were clearly marked on his fists.

 

He had fought fiercely to survive. As a result, he became strong. Now many looked at him with fear in their eyes.

 

He no longer wanted to become or achieve anything. He didn’t have the heart to care for the murim like the Boundless Monk, nor did he desire to stand above others.

 

Until now, he thought this was natural. He never questioned it. But now, for the first time, he had doubts.

 

‘What should I do?’

 

Dam-ho’s eyes sank deep in thought.

 

He could continue living as he pleased. No one would say anything to him even if he did. That was the kind of existence Dam-ho was known to be.

 

The title ‘Fist Demon’ was a trace of the life he had lived.

 

Everyone thought of Dam-ho as a demon without blood or tears. Dam-ho had no intention of denying this. That was how he had actually lived.

 

Belief is like duckweed without roots.

 

That was Dam-ho’s current state. Perhaps that’s why he was drawn to Bang Jinbo and Cho Yeon-woon, who walked their paths with firm convictions.

 

They had a bright light that he lacked. It was dazzling to him. Unlike himself who was stained in deep darkness.

 

Just then.

 

“Brother!”

 

Bang Jinbo burst through the door and ran in.

 

Behind Bang Jinbo’s face, panting from his rushed arrival, bright light could be seen.

 

In contrast, the darkness cast over Dam-ho’s face grew deeper.

 

He was darkness. One that could never become bright…