Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1309. What the hell is that guy? (3)
Editor: Hoamzz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
"Punk!"
"You actually crawled all the way here!"
Those stationed along the gorge charged toward Hye Yeon in an instant.
The atmosphere was markedly different.
The enemies outside the gorge had also exuded killing intent, but these before him felt far more refined and razor-sharp.
Swaeaeaek!
Two in front, two above.
Four people lunged at Hye Yeon simultaneously.
In their hands were long spears that appeared to be at least one zhang in length. (Around 3 meters)
The spear is the most efficient weapon under heaven.
No other weapon can display its power more easily when placed in the hands of the unskilled.
Of course, its length carries the fatal flaw of making it difficult to deploy superior martial arts.
But not here.
In this narrow gorge where there was nowhere to evade and only a straight path forward, the advantage of those long spears multiplies several times over.
Moreover, Hye Yeon is a fist martial artist who cannot utilize the advantage of a weapon's length at all.
With such a disadvantage stacked against him, the situation grew even more severe.
It would have been ideal if he could freely unleash his mighty fist techniques, his greatest strength, but he couldn’t afford to do so inside this gorge.
If the gorge were to collapse from a single miscalculation, Hainan Sect disciples following behind him would caught in catastrophe.
His specialty was sealed away, and his compatibility with these enemies was catastrophically poor.
Yet despite knowing all these, not a trace of wavering settled in Hye Yeon's heart.
Kuung!
With a shock step, Hye Yeon surged forward in one breath.
“Amitabha!”
He chanted briefly before gently swept his both hands toward the incoming spears.
Kagagagagang!
The spears brimming with internal strength sharp enough to split steel were deflected the moment they touched Hye Yeon’s sleeves.
Moreover, the spears which shot out like lightning bent wildly and veered off in all directions around Hye Yeon.
Hye Yeon's body glided through the gaps created by the diverted spears, leaving behind faint afterimages.
The Vajra Immovable Step! (금강부동보(金剛不動步))
It was one of the Seventy-Two Unique Martial Arts of Shaolin (소림칠십이종절예(少林七十二種絶藝)).
Shaolin's martial arts are the foundation of Jungwon.
How could they have earned the title of martial arts' origin of Jungwon through mere power of internal strength and palm strength alone?
Fist, Palm, Finger, and Foot (권장지각(拳掌指脚)); Internal and External, Swift Steps (내외보신(內外步迅)).
The essence of martial arts that utilizes every aspect of the human body is contained within Shaolin's teachings.
As Hye Yeon moved like an illusion, the enemies swiftly withdrew their spears.
But instead of simply pulling them back, they almost threw them in reverse, grabbing the spears not by the shaft but just below the blade.
When a long spear (장창(長䅮)) is gripped short, it transforms into a short spear (단창(短䅮)).
It was not a difficult concept, but those accustomed to the advantage of reach often failed to adapt to such tactics.
The fact that they responded instantly showed how seasoned these martial artists were in combat.
But Hye Yeon's abilities far surpassed even their swift adaptation.
One enemy gripped his spear short and lunged forward.
If a martial artist relying on fists wants to maintain striking range, they must stop at this distance.
But Hye Yeon drove even deeper toward them.
So close that even throwing a punch became impossible.
'What?'
Diving in until they were shoulder-to-shoulder, Hyeyeon planted his foot with force as if rooting into the ground.
The force from his toes spiraled upward through his legs, traveling through his torso and reaching his shoulders.
Hye Yeon rammed his shoulder straight into the enemy's chest before him.
Kuuuuung!
A devastating Spiral Force (나선경(螺旋勁)).
The shoulder strike technique (고법(靠法)) carries tremendous rotational force on the enemy’s chest guard.
As if it were a porcelain vase slipping from someone’s grasp.
The enemy was flung back without even time to scream.
Just seeing the body spinning violently in midair revealed how much rotational force Hye Yeon's strike had contained.
“Keuk!”
“You bastard!”
Taking advantage of their comrade being thrown back in one strike, the other martial artists quickly thrust their short spears.
But blocking their attack was Hye Yeon's oddly twisted hand.
Kagak!
Another of the Seventy-Two Supreme Techniques—Dragon Claw Hand (용조수(龍爪手))—snatched the incoming spears like a dragon seizing prey just as its name suggests.
Hye Yeon's hand grabbed the three spears in one breath was spread elastically.
White finger force (지력(指力)) burst forth in straight lines from his fingertips.
Swaeaeaeaek!
The finger force pierced through the enemies’ bodies like lightning.
“Kuaaghh!”
Those with small holes punctured through their bodies tumbled while spewing blood.
It was the famed Divine Finger Flick Technique (탄지신통(彈指神通)), one of Shaolin’s most renowned finger techniques, has demonstrated power worthy of its reputation.
Through Hye Yeon's hands.
"D- Damn monk!"
An enemy cursed and lunged with a spear from behind.
But this time, Hye Yeon’s foot swept sideways without any preparatory motion.
No, rather than ‘swept’, it should be described as ‘cut’.
The spear shaft touching his toe tip was cleanly cut as if by a sharp artisan sword.
"W- With his foot...?"
The man was too shocked to even think of retrieving his thrust spear.
Hye Yeon lowered his stance before the severed spear shaft.
“Amitabha.”
Hye Yeon’s palm struck the tip of the severed spear shaft.
It was a gentle movement like a child reaching out their hand.
But the result was anything but gentle.
Tuuuuuuuung!
The force of Thousand Buddha Bell (천불종(千佛鐘)) reverberated through the long shaft like a struck bell.
“Kuhak!”
"U- Uwaegh!"
Those who were rushing forward while taking advantage of the momentum all coughed up blood at once.
The resonance caused by the strike reverberated through their bodies and shook their internal organs violently.
If those at the back suffered this much damage, there was no need to wonder about the fate of the man directly in front of Hye Yeon.
He twitched violently like a struck bell as blood poured from his seven orifices (칠공(七孔)) before he crumpled to the ground.
“Amitabha.”
Hye Yeon reached out and gently supported the body that was about to collapse forward.
He carefully laid the body down on the ground.
Taking slightly heavy breaths while looking ahead, he saw Evil Sects martial artists in their tight formation swallowing nervously and unable to easily charge in.
They couldn't help it.
Starting with fist techniques, then palm techniques, followed by shoulder strikes and claw techniques, finger techniques, and even sound techniques.
It felt as if all the martial arts under heaven flowed from Hy Yeon's two hands.
Whether it was a sparring match or a life-and-death battle, one must predict the opponent's attack to face them.
But predicting this man's movements was impossible.
Every possible martial art that can be deployed without weapons unfolds at his fingertips.
Shaolin—the origin of martial arts in Jungwon.
Though he had turned his back on Shaolin and walked away, he had inherited its martial arts perfectly.
At his fist tips, the essence of thousand-year Shaolin martial arts demonstrates its power without reserve.
Those who stood before that profound martial arts essence felt a great sense of helplessness.
The monk before them was like a lake so deep its bottom could never be seen by human eyes.
Squeeze.
Hye Yeon quietly clenched his fist.
Could he have fought like this in the past?
Likely impossible.
Knowing and doing are two entirely different matters.
No matter how much one learns and practices, making it one's own is a separate challenge.
The Buddhist teachings are no different.
'Knowledge isn't everything.'
Among those who study Buddhism, who would not understand the words of the scriptures?
Yet despite knowing these words, none truly realize its meaning.
One cannot understand anything by sitting confined within the narrow halls of a Zen temple (선사(禪寺)/ Buddhist temple that focuses on meditation practice).
What Buddha wanted was for one to achieve enlightenment oneself and thereby save all beings.
If one does not understand the lives of those they wish to save, they can never reach true enlightenment.
One must roll into the depths of the world where those beings live.
Before leaving Shaolin, he merely knew martial arts.
What made it possible for him to embody them was the intense training and the real-life hardships that he had to face.
He who had content in only knowing finally accepted with his body the path he wished to walk.
This was thanks to his relentless search for answers and the harsh reality he had endured.
'Oh Shaolin.'
Hye Yeon wanted to cry out.
To open the firmly shut doors and step out into the world.
To cast off their arrogance-laden yellow robes and return to the life of a true monk.
That all their actions under the beautiful pretext of saving the world and Kangho are filled with the arrogance that only Shaolin can do it.
How can they not know this?
Even as they eloquently discussed Buddhist teachings, blood was shed in the corners of the world.
And someone else dies clutching their hungry belly.
Their compassionate gaze discussing greater purpose looks only at places where the sun shines.
That's why he must be here.
Even if Shaolin was not wrong, the result remained unchanged.
It's an undeniable fact that there exists a place where Shaolin’s light does not reach.
And the one who must walk into those places was none other than Hye Yeon, who had stepped out of Shaolin with his own two feet.
"You won't heed words to withdraw. Amitabha."
Hye Yeon closed his eyes while assuming the Half Palm stance.
When he reopened them, his eyes burned with unwavering resolve.
"If so, then simply forgive me."
Kwang!
Hye Yeon charged forward.
Pushing aside the desperate stabs of spears, he twisted open a path that did not exist and took another step forward.
A path no disciple of Shaolin has ever walked before.
A path that only one who was a Shaolin disciple yet refuses to be a Shaolin disciple can walk.
Lonely, painful, and piercing with every step.
But the reason Hye Yeon can walk this path despite all this is simple.
"Where do you think you're going, you bastards!"
Paaaaat!
A swift sword strike sliced through the spearhead aimed at Hye Yeon’s head.
Without even needing to glance back, Hye Yeon recognized the situation with his senses and smiled faintly.
Yes. He still finds them uncomfortable.
Moreover, the path Hye Yeon walks is one that no one can walk for him. A thorny road he must tread alone.
But until he reached his destination, these people would always have his back.
They don’t need to push him forward. Just walking along him was enough to bring him comfort.
That was what being human means.
"Don’t overstep, Jo-Gol Dojang!"
“Huh? N- No…?”
Hye Yeon didn't even wait for Jo-Gol’s words and just leapt forward.
Jo-Gol shouted something from behind, but Hye Yeon merely smiled warmly.
‘They make me uncomfortable.’
That was why it has more meaning.
Because it was easy for those who have no discomfort with each other to move forward together.
But leaning on each other despite the discomfort,
To stay together despite all difficulties.
That was what it meant to be human (사람(人)).
"A-mi-ta-bha! Come here!"
Hye Yeon's fist was thrown along with his majestic shout.
Though blood sprayed as a spearhead grazed his cheek, Hye Yeon aid no mind and pressed forward.
One step. Then another step.
He silently walked the path that someone—if not him—will eventually need to carve open through pain.
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