Chapter 93

Chapter 93

Audience seats.

Kung! Kuung!

“As expected, even rotten, it’s still junchi —Mujeong Hall disciples’ skills don’t go anywhere.”

“What happened? I thought Muryeon Hall was winning?”

Watching Unjin being pushed back repeatedly with dull impact sounds, the audience noisily opened their mouths. And looking around at that, an elderly man laughed bleakly.

“Hehehe, I heard the Mujeong Hall children’s skills were excellent, but I didn’t know they’d be to this degree.”

Yeon Heung, head of the Yeon Family Merchant Company, one of the Three Great Merchant Companies Under Heaven, watched Cheonggyeong steadily pushing back Unjin with a pleased expression. To this degree, they’d at least saved face.

‘Fortunate.’

The Yeon Family Merchant Company had deep connections with Gupa Ilbang or the Five Great Families.

This was because, going back through the Yeon Family Merchant Company’s history, trading with Shaolin, one pillar of Gupa Ilbang, was its origin.

Back when Shaolin’s system wasn’t properly established, the first Yeon Family Merchant Company head expanded his influence by supplying food and weapons to Shaolin at cheap prices. Eventually, that investment succeeded greatly—Shaolin grew its influence, and the Yeon Family Merchant Company, riding on Shaolin’s influence, traded with Gupa Ilbang.

Because the history was such and the present was such, the dignity of Gupa Ilbang or the Five Great Families directly connected to the Yeon Family Merchant Company’s dignity. When Mujeong Hall’s face was crumpled in this Grand Competition, the reason Yeon Heung’s mood wasn’t good was also due to such circumstances. After all, wasn’t the Yeon Family Merchant Company essentially one body with Gupa Ilbang?

“At this rate, they could win. Though he must be quite exhausted from fighting earlier. Hehe.”

So the current situation where Cheonggyeong, one of the Mujeongwando, was at least saving minimum face was naturally welcome.

Having smiled pleasantly, Yeon Heung placed his wrinkled, aged hand on the armrest and relaxed. However, immediately came the denial.

“Amitabha. That child’s probability of winning is low.”

“……What do you mean? Seonyang Great Master.”

At the words of Shaolin’s Elder Seonyang, who had come for observation instead of the Sect Leader, Yeon Heung’s eyes widened.

“While the child named Cheonggyeong’s skills are undeniable, the child he faces also has skills that are by no means lacking. If they’d fought in normal condition, superiority and inferiority would be unclear, but in the current situation with depleted stamina, I have no choice but to raise the hand of the child named Unjin.”

“But…… isn’t he being pushed back like that?”

Consecutive strikes continuing without pause.

At Yeon Heung’s words watching Cheonggyeong continuously driving back Unjin while moving fists and feet, Seonyang shook his head.

“Amitabha. No matter how many attacks received, if those attacks don’t work, they’re useless. Despite receiving so many attacks, there hasn’t been a single effective hit, has there?”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Look—proper attacks aren’t even landing.”

If you extend a thousand sword strikes but don’t succeed with even one strike, it’s meaningless.

Similarly, no matter how much Cheonggyeong’s fists and feet strike the Buddhist staff and strike Unjin’s limbs, if that shock doesn’t reach the inside, it would be meaningless.

“Amitabha. Buddhist martial arts are such. Based on mercy and compassion, making the opponent lose fighting spirit is the significance of Buddhist martial arts. Though somewhat immature, whoever the master is, they taught well.”

“Hooo…….”

Watching the Buddhist disciple following Buddha’s teachings with a satisfied smile, Seonyang’s words drew a low exclamation from Yeon Heung, who stroked his long beard and opened his mouth again.

“But Great Master. Even if he only defends like that, it’s the same if it doesn’t end, isn’t it? Though it may be a rude question, to eyes ignorant of martial arts like this old man’s, they look the same…….”

“What rudeness could there be? Ignorance is not a crime—the will to know is what’s important. However, they’re not the same.”

“If they’re not the same.”

“Because not attacking and being unable to attack are different things.”

Watching Unjin solidly receiving Cheonggyeong’s attacks while gritting his teeth, Seonyang quietly continued.

“Among the Buddhas Buddhism venerates, there is one called Budong Geumgang . As the name suggests, a Buddha famous for budong, not moving. There’s something peculiar about this Buddha—do you know what it is?”

“……What is it?”

“Precisely, that this Buddha is one of the Five Great Wisdom Kings for subduing demons and māra. Called the Immovable Wisdom King.”

Having smiled gently, Seonyang turned the prayer beads wrapped around his hand once. Simultaneously, the continuing words.

“The Buddha who doesn’t move became the Wisdom King who must move most actively. It’s something that can’t be understood logically.”

“The Immovable Wisdom King doesn’t move. A Wisdom King moves when they must subdue evil spirits. Until then, the Wisdom King practices while enduring, and endures again.”

When the time comes to subdue evil spirits, the seated Immovable Wisdom King opens his eyes and looks directly at the evil spirit. And slowly lowers the hand that had been extended as if in meditation, extending it toward the evil spirit.

What happens then?

“What’s most frightening is when something that doesn’t move, moves.”

Countless falling raindrops pierce rock—that’s nature’s providence. Then to escape natural providence and pursue the Way, what should be done? For rock that receives countless raindrops not to break but to hold its place, what should be done?

It’s simple. If being still causes piercing, just move.

It doesn’t need to be many times. Just once. That would be enough.

“Amitabha.”

Having quietly chanted the invocation, Seonyang directed his gaze to the training ground.

The tide had already begun to turn.

Resources are limited.

Whether human resources or material resources, it’s the same. Even people’s love for people has limits, and the materials people can possess have limits.

Resources are limited, and people who can possess resources are also limited. So only those extremely lucky or somewhat selfish can monopolize resources. Because for most people, resources are insufficient.

—Do you want that?

And Unjin was a person whose nature wasn’t selfish.

—No, Father. It’s fine. I’m not interested.

Unfortunately.

“Heok, heok……!”

Watching the gasping Cheonggyeong, Unjin turned his sticky body once to check his condition. His entire body aching everywhere.

‘Ugh…… Damn, it hurts.’

It hurt.

It was a different problem from the deadly painful training. If training’s pain was the pain of overusing and tearing muscles, the pain rising from meeting Cheonggyeong’s fists was the pain of crushing bones and shaking internal organs.

They say pain isn’t something you adapt to. Rather, the more it’s applied, the more chronic it becomes, tormenting people.

In that regard, Cheonggyeong’s powerful fists’ pain was enough to roughly stimulate Unjin’s heart. To this degree, it had easily surpassed the level where he could laugh it off saying it didn’t hurt.

“Why…….”

That was only Unjin’s impression.

“Why won’t you fall……!”

Different emotions rose on Cheonggyeong’s face confronting Unjin.

“Haha……it was an attack worth deflecting, wasn’t it?”

At Unjin’s joke-like remark, Cheonggyeong’s face contorted. What filled his face was neither anger nor shock.

“Why go so far…… this is.”

Only pity.

“This is just a match……?”

Only that remained.

“Just a match.”

Unjin chewed over Cheonggyeong’s words as if savoring them, then let out a quiet laugh. Just a match.

That wasn’t wrong. Cheonggyeong’s reaction was understandable too. After all, Cheonggyeong was directly facing and punching Unjin, wasn’t he?

More than anyone else, he would accurately grasp Unjin’s current state. He would know down to how much pain Unjin was enduring.

“That’s not wrong. This is just a match.”

Having affirmed Cheonggyeong’s words, Unjin nodded. Because those words were right.

It might have great meaning to some, but ultimately this Grand Competition was nothing more than a match. In a martial artist’s long life, it was merely a passing checkpoint. Cheonggyeong couldn’t understand attaching such great meaning to it.

The inability to understand was the same for himself. Because unlike other Muryeongwando, Unjin was especially rational. Needless to say, compared to Oh Ryeong who easily got heated, he was more rational than even Seonwoo Gang, who was somewhat easily swept up in atmosphere, or Seomun Cheok, who was weak to emotion.

Yet why was he going this far?

“Ugh…… Anyway, it doesn’t matter. Come.”

“……Still, you’ll fight.”

At Unjin’s appearance wearing a quiet smile, Cheonggyeong, showing a shocked expression, gritted his teeth and clenched both fists tight. As if he’d heard Unjin’s answer without needing to be told.

Tak!

Having kicked off the ground, Cheonggyeong’s consecutive strikes began again. The power wasn’t the same as before. Having fought a decisive battle with Seomun Cheok and then exchanged over two hundred moves with Unjin, this was Cheonggyeong. It would be strange if he weren’t tired.

However, Cheonggyeong’s two fists were still fierce. The shock transmitted through the extended Buddhist staff’s handle and the struck shoulder shook the insides. The internal injury already sustained seemed about to surge up.

Yet Unjin didn’t let go of the Buddhist staff. He himself didn’t really know why.

He could only speculate it was yearning for what he couldn’t have.

—I’m thinking of sending you to academy. Jinah.

Pang!

Receiving a fist, what rose was memories from childhood days before even taking Buddhist vows.

—Though this father’s business isn’t prosperous, I can somehow scrape together enough money to send one child to academy. Since you have an interest in studies, it’s right to support that intention.

Having blocked the extended fist strike with his Buddhist staff, Unjin exhaled roughly at the rising memories. Memories sprouting freshly.

Before taking Buddhist vows, Unjin liked studying.

He wasn’t a genius, but he thought he was fairly talented. He had some interest in studies so he made considerable effort. His father trying to support such an Unjin was a harmonious story. Wasn’t it natural for a father to want to support his eldest son’s dream?

—……Will big brother go to academy?

The only regrettable thing was that Unjin’s family wasn’t that well-off.

And that Unjin’s younger brother also had interest in studies.

—I don’t want to go to academy.

—……What? You studied so hard, and now suddenly you have no interest……

—Haha……it looked fun so I flipped through it a few times, but now I’ve lost interest.

The younger brother didn’t try to steal Unjin’s position. Since children raised in the same environment develop somewhat similar personalities, the younger brother was equally kind.

If he said he’d yield, he wouldn’t accept. So he pretended not to be interested. He had to.

If the eldest son was interested in studies, the opportunity wouldn’t go to the second son.

Then he had to pretend not to be interested. Not yielding, but pretending.

—Big brother, are you really okay?

—Okay about what? Why are you talking as if I wanted to go to academy? You brat!

—But……

—Actually, I became interested in martial arts. I want to focus on that, so going to academy would be a waste of time. Haha. It’s called selection and concentration.

The more he wanted something, the less it came into his hands. Even when it seemed about to come into his hands, he often let go. Because resources were limited, after sharing with those around him, there was almost nothing left in his hands.

So Unjin pretended not to be interested in things he wanted more. Pretended not to have expectations.

So he wouldn’t be hurt even if it didn’t come into his hands.

“Just…… give up.”

Kkadeudeuk.

Grinding his teeth, Cheonggyeong’s two fists struck the solidly planted Buddhist staff. Simultaneously, powerful internal energy resonated.

The true face of Wudang Myeonjang , a master of internal striking techniques, unfolded generously in Cheonggyeong’s hands. Though blocked with the Buddhist staff, the power traveled up the handle, passed the wrist, and shook the insides.

“Muryeon Hall can’t win. Even if you hold out here……Muryeon Hall will ultimately lose!”

At Cheonggyeong’s earnest cry, Unjin, bleeding from his mouth, let out a quiet laugh and extended his Buddhist staff.

“That might be so.”

It was the same after becoming a martial artist. What he wanted never came into his hands.

Disappointment arises from expectation.

To not be disappointed, just don’t expect it from the start. Yet if disappointment inevitably arose, just don’t make an effort from the beginning.

“We might lose. No, I think the probability of losing is higher.”

The outcome of things not attempted is decided. If you don’t make an effort, there’s no expectation or anything, so to not be disappointed, not making an effort is the way.

“But you know…….”

He’d let everything slip from his hands until now. Whatever it was, going with the flow, living without expecting things that had left his hands.

“I suddenly became envious.”

Oh Ryeong’s figure came to mind. Oh Ryeong’s figure burning with fighting spirit even after losing at the first Grand Competition.

“Those who advance forward even while challenging impossibilities, even while receiving every wound the world has to offer.”

Next came Dan Riyeon’s figure. Dan Riyeon’s figure researching detoxification techniques day and night, determined to accomplish more than one person’s worth, two people’s worth, no, five people’s worth.

“If you don’t expect, you won’t be disappointed. If you don’t make an effort, you won’t be frustrated. Well, I don’t want to be disappointed and I don’t want to be frustrated. I don’t want to stake everything on something with low possibility either. 

The figures of sweaty men also flashed through his mind. Seomun Cheok, who found answers without being frustrated in any situation, and Seonwoo Gang, who shouldered all the weight of his Muryeon Hall comrades without a single complaint.

“If you don’t expect, you won’t attempt, and if you don’t make an effort, nothing is accomplished. If you wrap everything tightly to avoid getting hurt and stay pressed down in place…… that’s not maintaining, it’s regressing.”

It was something he’d known from long ago. The reason he was reconsidering it now was because he’d faced comrades shining brighter than anyone.

“……Haa, haa, do you think Muryeon Hall will win?”

“Euhahaha! I don’t know. The probability wouldn’t be high, would it? Still, I know one thing for certain.”

Having laughed heartily while covered in bruises all over his body from being beaten by Cheonggyeong, Unjin extended his Buddhist staff. The following answer.

“If you don’t attempt, it will never come into your hands.”

Having quietly declared, Unjin raised his Buddhist staff.

“I’ve only yielded, so even Buddha wouldn’t scold me for obtaining what I want just once.”

A brief silence.

Having confirmed the internal energy gathered in the raised Buddhist staff, Cheonggyeong took a deep breath and drew up his internal energy.

“This is the last.”

“I…… don’t have the strength to extend more attacks. If you receive this one strike, it’s your victory.”

“I see.”

Having looked directly at the deep internal energy gathered in Cheonggyeong’s fist, Unjin smiled faintly. And the following answer.

“I still have strength remaining. Come.”

“……I won’t decline.”

Having bowed deeply in courtesy, Cheonggyeong extended his fist again. With full power, to break through Unjin’s solid defense.

The fist energy gathered in both hands dyed a deep blue. The energy symbolizing Wudang, blue yet refreshing, extended honestly toward Unjin.

And the moment that energy was about to touch Unjin.

“Since ancient times, one decisive blow is enough to determine victory or defeat.”

The Buddhist staff that had been positioned horizontally to block the fist finally extended its tip.

“Isn’t that right?”

Before the fist made contact, the Buddhist staff struck Cheonggyeong’s abdomen.