Reincarnated Sword Ghost

Chapter 119 : Unity of the Three Teachings

Unity of the Three Teachings

The leader of a martial sect—especially one of the Nine Great Sects and One Union—was a person of astonishing status.

Even the powerful martial nobility, who ruled over entire counties, could not look them in the eye.

The sheer weight of their influence was on another level.

Except for members of the imperial clan, it was not an exaggeration to say that all others were beneath their feet.

Among them, Shaolin was especially exceptional.

Buddhism was the doctrine that the nation itself promoted.

Considering that the founder of this country had once been an itinerant monk, it was only natural.

Thus, Buddhism had put down deep roots among the common populace.

When the people saw a passing monk, they would instinctively bow their heads, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Especially for Shaolin monks, the people revered them nearly as living Buddhas.

It was understandable.

Monks who preached Buddhism and then performed miracles with their own bodies—such beings could only be seen as living, breathing miracles.

Because of this, the abbot of Shaolin was an object of utmost reverence.

He was even one of the peak experts listed among the Ten Greatest Masters under Heaven.

People were so wary that even mentioning his name was done with extreme caution.

The place where such a figure lived was the abbot's quarters.

It was only natural to imagine it as a highly mysterious place.

'It's not any different,'

Yet Jeong-un's impression was different from what others might expect.

It was not much different from the lodging where he had been staying. It was just a bit more spacious, that was all.

"......"

Jeong-un sat facing the Shaolin abbot, a small table between them.

The abbot, Mu Jung.

He was an elderly monk.

He had a very ordinary build and face.

If met on the street, his appearance would do nothing to reveal his exalted position.

Only the red kasaya draped over his monastic robe signaled that status.

"......"

Jeong-un gazed at him quietly.

An ordinary monk?

That was laughable.

Even though he was just sitting across from him, an overwhelming presence could be felt.

He was not releasing any powerful energy from his body, yet it still felt that way.

It was almost absurd to think that he'd just been standing a thin wooden door away from someone like this only moments ago.

Their eyes met for an instant, and Jeong-un lowered his gaze with a stiff face.

'... A mess.'

He could not help but think so inside.

His actions had been to compare himself with the Divine Thief, his target.

He believed that, to catch his foe, he needed to prove he could walk in the same realm.

Maybe it was because he rarely failed in his endeavors until now.

He didn't doubt he would succeed—he had real confidence.

'I was arrogant.'

What made it all the more laughable was that, even in this situation, a strange sense of defeat weighed heavily over his heart.

The thief had succeeded; he had not.

As he momentarily averted his eyes with a hard expression, a voice laced with a hint of laughter sounded from in front of him.

"I thought perhaps a cat had alighted softly from the rooftop, tiptoeing along. Yet listening a little longer, I sensed peculiar contemplation in your steps. That told me you were human, after all."

"......"

He had heard everything from the beginning. From the time Jeong-un came down from the roof tiles—every moment.

Jeong-un opened his mouth slowly.

"...... You're not angry."

Strangely, contrary to the intense tension he had felt at the door, he felt rather calm now.

Calm enough to seem odd, even to himself.

'Why am I so at ease?'

It almost felt like he'd come to an appointed place to listen to a sermon.

While he was lost in thought, Mu Jung's eyes grew round as he spoke.

"Angry? And why would I be angry with you?"

"Weren't you just broken into in the middle of the night? I would have accepted it, had you struck right away."

Mu Jung cocked his head slightly, the corners of his lips curling into a wry smile.

"An intruder, hmm... There was such an incident a while ago. But not you. In fact, didn't you come to help us?"

"......!"

Jeong-un's eyes widened—he was surprised at both things Mu Jung had just said.

The fact that the Divine Thief was slipping in and out of Shaolin as if it were his own home was supposed to be a tightly kept secret, even within Shaolin itself.

Yet Mu Jung mentioned it first, without hesitation. What's more, he asked Jeong-un if he hadn't come to help, as if he already knew where Jeong-un had come from.

It was impossible not to be surprised.

"You knew about this?"

At the same time, he unwittingly flinched, nearly raising a hand to touch his face, but restrained himself.

The norigae's spell hadn't broken—he could still sense the true ki within the norigae clearly.

"Knew about it? No. But the moment I saw you, I realized. Didn't I just mention it a moment ago? For footsteps that approach so stealthily—carefully concealing any trace—to carry such contemplation, it can only mean the person bears no malice. The more upright a life one leads, the heavier the worries. Those who commit acts of evil are simple-minded to the core."

"......"

"And even now, your gaze is distant. Why not lower your head a bit? Even the place you now find yourself must seem distant to someone else."

Jeong-un, who had been silently listening, slowly opened his lips.

"... When you asked if I came to help—could you clarify what you meant?"

"It's just as I said. You need only do your job."

"And what job might that be?"

Mu Jung laughed.

"There's a mischievous side to you."

"Sorry?"

"You seek a definite answer from me."

"......"

As Jeong-un subtly avoided Mu Jung's eyes, Mu Jung continued speaking.

"Aren't you here trying to catch the person who left the letter? So are we. And all of Shaolin earnestly wishes for a safe and successful outcome. It would be a shame to lack even one helping hand."

"Weren't you opposed to the involvement of the Heavenly Martial Hall?"

Jeong-un asked. He couldn't let that go unaddressed—it was, after all, a critical issue.

'I thought I'd completely ruined the mission.'

Yet contrary to his expectations, the abbot easily spoke of help, and even seemed unconcerned about the relationship between Shaolin and the Heavenly Martial Hall.

Mu Jung replied.

"I hope you don't think too poorly of us. How could we not expect that the Heavenly Martial Hall sent you out of concern for our dignity? But it's almost instinctive for the martial sects to want to stand on their own. All the more so for Shaolin, with the heavy burden of our reputation."

"Shaolin's strength is known to be the greatest among the martial world's sects."

When Jeong-un said this, Mu Jung answered with a smile.

"Indeed, that's precisely why we strive to be even more strict with ourselves."

"You strive to be more strict?"

"The donors of the villages around Mount Song sleep peacefully every night, relying on our name. The weight of that responsibility rests on the shoulders of the monks within our grounds. As you know, that person uses ridicule and mockery for his own amusement. If he were to obtain even one of our possessions, rumors would spread immediately. What we fear is not being made a laughingstock, but that others will start to see us as vulnerable and—like wolves—draw near."

"......"

"It's ludicrous, isn't it? Even when we need help, it's hard to ask for it openly. That's why I am more than glad to see you. If someone wishes to aid us from the shadows, how could I not be grateful?"

"But..."

Jeong-un let his words trail off in a slightly subdued tone.

He had not managed to accomplish what the thief had. By what right could he call himself a helper?

While Jeong-un looked on in silence, Mu Jung smiled gently.

"The Divine Thief, that nameless one, I wasn't here when he came."

"......?"

Jeong-un gazed at Mu Jung in surprise. Mu Jung nodded and went on.

"He's a remarkably clever one. He seemed to know that I spend long hours at the pagoda forest every ninth evening. While I was absent, he left that accursed letter behind."

"Then...?"

"Walk your own path. You are already different from the other benefactors. You're not someone chasing from behind, but someone who leads the way."

"......"

Jeong-un didn't respond—he was rebuking himself in his heart.

'Still swayed by just a few words...'

The Divine Thief hadn't tricked the abbot's eyes or ki sense after all—he had simply acted when the abbot was not around.

In that sense, Jeong-un hadn't truly lost to the Divine Thief.

And as soon as he recognized this, he found himself instantly relieved.

'... Snap out of it.'

The eighteen-year-old, scarcely out of boyhood, corrected his mindset.

At that moment, Mu Jung was gazing at Jeong-un with a faint smile.

'Where did a boy like this appear from?'

A moment ago, his words hadn't just been idle curiosity.

The body-strengthening art was so skillful it could have easily been mistaken for the movements of a passing animal.

And yet Jeong-un had managed to fool his ki sense, if only for a moment.

That alone was surprising.

'His management of internal energy is so refined, and his cultivated power is so steady.'

Mu Jung immediately recognized Jeong-un's potential.

What's more, his upright disposition was revealed even through this short conversation. He couldn't help but be pleased.

Mu Jung spoke.

"Then, how about narrowing the scope of these complex relationships, just between the two of us?"

"What do you mean?"

"Even if I hold this position, not every monk in the monastery shares my feelings. Some, learning your identity, might look upon you with disapproval. I cannot do anything about their feelings."

"I understand."

"I will act as if I never saw you here. You continue your work, and please do not report this meeting to your superiors."

"......"

Jeong-un gazed at the abbot steadily.

For some reason, he could sense genuine warmth in the abbot's words directed toward him.

Leaving that aside, he had no reason to refuse.

His pride and overconfidence had nearly ruined the mission, but now this supreme authority was himself suggesting that they put it all behind them.

Jeong-un spoke.

"Understood."

"Thank you."

"It is I who should be grateful."

"And this is an entirely separate matter..."

When Jeong-un looked at him curiously, Mu Jung continued.

"I hear there was an unexpected standout in the recent duel. Now that I see you, I have a good idea who it was."

"......"

"I trust you have your reasons for conducting yourself as you do, but as for the final round—I hope you'll yield. These young men have come a long way just for the chance to exchange a few words with this old, impoverished monk. You've already met me in private, and surely realized how unremarkable I am; to them, though, it will be a treasured experience."

"That's not true."

Jeong-un answered firmly.

"Just by sitting across from you like this, I have learned a great deal."

Mu Jung smiled gently.

Then, almost as if caressing him with his gaze, he swept his eyes over Jeong-un's body.

For some reason, his face wore a truly pleased expression.

"......"

Jeong-un realized, then, that an observer's gaze could be as tangible as a touch.

Wherever the abbot's eyes landed, he felt a curious tingling.

Then he remembered that the Shaolin's meditative techniques were renowned for their refinement.

He suddenly wondered: how did this man see him?

"May I ask a question, if I may be so bold?"

"Ask."

"In your view, master, what do you see in me?"

He deliberately asked a somewhat ambiguous question.

In truth, he wasn't sure how to put what he wanted to ask into words.

He wanted to hear an answer, but couldn't quite form the question it belonged to.

Still, he managed to spit it out, just barely.

"......"

Mu Jung's eyes opened slightly wider and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly. Then, slowly, he replied.

"Even if you sought someone's guidance, would you be satisfied? You're already walking the path of 'kill Buddha, kill ancestors'."

"Are you speaking of me?"

"In this land, those of the martial world accumulate karma, step by step. You are no different. Yet, you must still walk on. I won't tell you to strive. Just keep walking. The lamp is in your hands."

Jeong-un closed his mouth. It was not something that resonated instantly.

"......"

Seeing this, Mu Jung slowly continued.

"The Unity of the Three Teachings. These days, scholars read the Buddhist scriptures, and monks cite Taoist texts. If I may borrow another's words for convenience... The time is near when three flowers will bloom. Your body is already that complete."

Upon hearing this, Jeong-un murmured quietly,

"Flowers...?"

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

Kill Buddha, kill ancestors(殺佛殺祖) is a Zen Buddhist expression meaning letting go of all attachments...

Also, gyat damn, Jeong-un is already on the threshold of three-flowers blooming...

【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】