The Miraculous Divorce Technique

Chapter 8

"What brings you here, guards?"

Grand Master Musan came out of the Abbot's Hall and stood before the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

He didn't forget to deliberately let his aura flow to draw everyone's attention.

'Martial Brother. I will definitely create an opening, so slip away without getting caught.'

It was clear that the moment Cheok Sagyeol's existence was revealed, they would fall into the quagmire of high treason.

Although they had a special pardon, it would be useless as soon as the Embroidered Uniform Guard got their hands on evidence.

"I am Wang Wook, the White Tiger of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. We are searching for the culprit who was rude to the princess. I have come to seek the Abbot's cooperation."

The Embroidered Uniform Guard was composed of two North and South Pacification Commissioners under the Commander, and under them, a Cheonho was in charge of practical affairs.

The White Tiger was the position right below the Cheonho.

He was the second in command among the Embroidered Uniform Guard currently visiting Shaolin.

"Rude to the princess? Who on earth?"

"The culprit claimed to be a disciple of a monk named Muheo. Does the Abbot know anything about this?"

Grand Master Musan, thinking 'as expected,' replied nonchalantly.

"That's strange. That person is my humble self's martial brother, and he has no disciples."

"We also find that strange. What the Embroidered Uniform Guard has found out is no different from what the Abbot has said."

'They are that well-informed about Shaolin's internal affairs?'

For Grand Master Musan, it was a moment when he could feel the rumors that the Embroidered Uniform Guard's intelligence network extended beyond the imperial family to the martial world.

"Why don't you compare the monk register with the disciples in the temple, guard? If there is a culprit hiding his identity, we should be able to find him."

"I have already sent my subordinates and have restricted entry to the mountain gate. The Abbot just needs to cooperate in all matters. We will definitely find the culprit."

"No. How can I just stand by and watch when this happened within our temple grounds? Bojong."

At Grand Master Musan's words, Bojong, the leader of the Eighteen Arhats guarding the Abbot's Hall, stepped forward.

"Yes, Lord Abbot."

"Tell the heads of all the pavilions and halls not to spare any cooperation. Also, you too, along with the Arhats, should search for the culprit."

At Grand Master Musan's words, Wang Wook frowned and thought.

'These monks are shameless to no end. Even if he's a disciple of the Drunken Buddha, Muheo, to think they would protect someone who has committed high treason...'

Wang Wook had come knowing that the culprit was already in the Abbot's Hall.

He had just laid the groundwork to approach cautiously because the bastard had moved from the crime scene to the Abbot's Hall without any hindrance.

"If the Abbot cooperates to that extent, we are nothing but grateful. Jin Mubaek!"

At Wang Wook's call, one side of the Embroidered Uniform Guard's siege opened, and Jin Mubaek approached.

From his slightly shuffling walk, it seemed that he was uncomfortable somewhere.

"Guard Jin Mubaek. I receive the White Tiger's command."

"Inform the Shaolin Abbot."

At Wang Wook's command, Jin Mubaek took out a small medicine bottle from his bosom and handed it to an Arhat.

Receiving it from the Arhat, Grand Master Musan asked with a puzzled look.

"What is this?"

"It is the Thousand Li Tracking Incense used by the Embroidered Uniform Guard. After smelling the incense in the bottle, you can smell the scent of the Thousand Li Tracking Incense. The Thousand Li Tracking Incense is on the culprit's body, so please smell the incense yourself, Abbot."

Because the Embroidered Uniform Guard carried out special missions in secret, there were often cases where guards went missing or were killed.

For such cases, the guards had to apply a specific Thousand Li Tracking Incense to their bodies at all times.

It was to investigate everyone who had come into contact with a colleague if a situation arose.

Grand Master Musan felt a cold sweat run down his back.

'Amitabha...'

Grand Master Musan could not easily open the lid of the medicine bottle.

"What are you doing, Abbot? Hurry up and smell it."

At Jin Mubaek's urging, Grand Master Musan slowly brought his hand to the lid.

'What? Thousand Li Tracking Incense?'

Cheok Sagyeol, who was listening to the conversation outside by enhancing his hearing, soon remembered that he had touched the bastard during the spar.

SNIFF. SNIFF.

He then raised his hand and sniffed it, but there was no smell.

The only place he had touched the bastard was his right hand.

'It doesn't smell just like that. In that case...'

Cheok Sagyeol enhanced his sense of smell with the Indian Yoga Divine Art and then sniffed again.

SNIFF. SNIFF. SNIFF.

'It's faint, but there's a heterogeneous smell mixed in.'

It was a smell so faint that even a dog with a keen sense of smell would be unsure.

It was a smell that was hard for even a dog to find without smelling the special scent that allowed one to smell the Thousand Li Tracking Incense.

'Amazing. When I go back to the cult, I'll have to order our kids to develop it too.'

At that moment, he saw Grand Master Musan and others opening the door and coming in.

Cheok Sagyeol grinned and welcomed them.

"Welcome, everyone."

* * *

"Wi Chung! You have to catch him! Do you understand!?"

Ju Nokjeong shouted, grinding her teeth.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard's Cheonho, Wi Chung, smiled bitterly and tried to calm Ju Nokjeong down.

"The Thousand Li Tracking Incense is on him, so he will be caught soon. But what happened with him?"

"..."

Ju Nokjeong bit her lip and turned her gaze away.

She had already ordered So Aeng and Jin Mubaek to keep quiet.

She would rather die than say she was spanked on the buttocks. If that fact became known, it would not only be shameful, but her escort, Jin Mubaek, would surely be beheaded.

'Mubaek is a good kid. I can't lose him so senselessly. I can't let that out.'

Although she was arrogant, Ju Nokjeong was a princess who was generous to those she cared about.

Jin Mubaek was a talent she had obtained after changing her personal escort dozens of times.

He was a talented resource who could even become the next commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

"Wi Chung! Isn't the fact that he insulted this princess more important than the circumstances? This is an insult to the imperial family! When you catch him, I will interrogate him myself, so be sure to bring him back alive!"

"But you said he was a disciple of the Drunken Buddha, Grand Master Muheo, right?"

"Yes. Why?"

"The Drunken Buddha, Muheo, is the one who carries on the martial lineage of Shaolin, and in a sense, he is a more important figure than the Abbot, Grand Master Musan. If he is his disciple, his importance is beyond words."

"Are you saying that a mere monk from a temple is more important than this princess?"

As Ju Nokjeong glared at him with fiery eyes, Wi Chung bowed his head and continued.

"That's not what I meant, Princess. I just said it because if he is in such a position, Shaolin might use the special pardon. If it's not the high crime of laying a hand on your highness's body, he might be able to get away with it."

"What? A special pardon? What's that?"

"It is a one-time pardon that the Taizu granted to Shaolin. Even if it's a crime of treason, if there is not enough evidence, a pardon can be received."

"Th-there was something like that?"

Ju Nokjeong thought, 'Don't tell me he hit my buttocks believing in that?'

But the problem was that even if the bastard had a pardon, he was a felon for whom it would be useless, but she couldn't say it.

'Damn devilish bastard! Damn it!'

In this case, she had no choice but to frame him with a crime that was ambiguous enough to use the special pardon.

She was on the verge of tears from the injustice, but Ju Nokjeong was planning to reduce the sentence to about three hundred lashes.

'The bastard will get three hundred lashes, but I won't let Shaolin off the hook. I'll tell my father and have them turn it into a wasteland with all sorts of audits and inspections.'

No matter how much it was a temple, it was impossible for there not to be a single speck of dust when shaken.

Ju Nokjeong's anger was so great that it seemed to swallow even Shaolin.

And as if to soothe her anger, a guard came into the inner chamber with the news she had been waiting for.

"A message has come from the White Tiger, Wang Wook. He has confirmed that the culprit is in the Abbot's Hall. He will be brought in soon."

Hearing the guard's report, Ju Nokjeong shot up from her seat.

"No. I will go to the Abbot's Hall myself and interrogate him."

"In the Abbot's Hall?"

"If I punish him in front of the Abbot, he won't be able to nitpick later with a special pardon or something, right? Let's go."

As Ju Nokjeong shuffled her feet, So Aeng followed behind with the same gait.

"Phew. She's really a princess who never has a peaceful day."

Wi Chung also shook his head and moved.

* * *

"No... what is this..."

Jin Mubaek blinked his eyes as he looked at the person sitting in the inner chamber of the Abbot's Hall.

Even after rubbing his eyes and looking again, the person sitting there nonchalantly remained unchanged.

"Jin Mubaek. What is going on? Are you sure the Thousand Li Tracking Incense was properly applied?"

"Yes. As I said, I briefly crossed hands with him under the princess's command, and the Thousand Li Tracking Incense was definitely applied in the process."

For Jin Mubaek, it was a situation that was driving him crazy.

Even after putting his nose to the medicine bottle again and sniffing, the Thousand Li Tracking Incense was coming from the person in front of him.

CRASH. BANG.

"Where is that bastard!"

The one who appeared with glaring eyes was Ju Nokjeong.

"Hey, Wang Wook, Jin Mubaek! Where is he?"

Although she looked around, Ju Nokjeong couldn't find him.

Looking at them, the person who had been sitting down stood up and performed a half-bow.

"Welcome, everyone. This humble monk is called Muheo. I heard from my martial brother that you are precious people who work for the country. Welcome to Shaolin. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha."

With a wrinkled appearance and a frail demeanor, he was the very picture of an old monk.

Ju Nokjeong stared at Cheok Sagyeol's face with a dazed expression.

'Hehehe. You brats. No matter how much you jump, you're just fleas.'

Cheok Sagyeol had aged his body again with the Indian Yoga Divine Art.

He couldn't erase the smell of the Thousand Li Tracking Incense, but what did that matter?

There was a difference of several decades between the appearance that committed the crime and the current appearance.

"Jin Mubaek."

At that moment, the Cheonho, Wi Chung, sensed the situation and opened his mouth.

"Guard Jin Mubaek. I receive the Cheonho's command."

"Where is the Thousand Li Tracking Incense coming from?"

"That is..."

"Report the truth as it is."

At Wi Chung's stern command, Jin Mubaek looked at Cheok Sagyeol and said.

"It is coming from Grand Master Muheo's... hand."

"Then is the culprit you and the princess mentioned Grand Master Muheo?"

"No. That person was a young monk around fifteen years old."

Hearing Jin Mubaek's report, Wi Chung looked straight into Cheok Sagyeol's eyes and asked.

"Does Grand Master Muheo have a disciple?"

"This humble monk has not yet taken a disciple."

"Then did you not meet anyone before coming to the Abbot's Hall?"

"I did not. I came here as soon as I returned to Shaolin today. But what is the matter?"

"It's nothing. It seems there was some misunderstanding. We have caused an unnecessary disturbance."

"Not at all. How can you call it a disturbance in the event of people who work for the country? If there is anything I can help with, please speak frankly. This humble monk will also actively help."

As Cheok Sagyeol spoke with a flourish, Wi Chung's eyes shone as he said.

"Then would you not give us the opportunity to witness your martial prowess in the friendly spar tomorrow? The martial arts of a grand master whose fame is renowned throughout the world would be a good stimulus for the guards."

"Ah, I heard about it from my Abbot martial brother. I don't know if an old man like me will be of any help in such a meaningful event, but since it is the request of a precious person, I will lend a hand. Haha."

Cheok Sagyeol answered, staring at Wi Chung with unwavering eyes.

Unlike his benevolent smile, his eyes were emitting a sharp light.

'Look at this guy. He has a hidden agenda, doesn't he? Hehe.'

* * *

Ju Nokjeong was walking to her quarters with a dazed expression.

So Aeng, unlike her expectation that she would cause a scene, was surprised that she had withdrawn so obediently and continued to watch her cautiously.

"Princess, are you alright?"

"..."

Ju Nokjeong did not answer So Aeng's question and was just trudging along.

"Prin..."

"That's right! It was that look in his eyes!"

"Eek! Oh my god!"

So Aeng, who had gotten close to Ju Nokjeong, was startled when she suddenly shouted and fell on her butt.

Without even looking at her, Ju Nokjeong looked at Wi Chung.

"Wi Chung!"

"I know."

"What?"

"He's the culprit, isn't he?"

At Wi Chung's words, Jin Mubaek and the other guards paid attention to his words.

"How did you know?"

"I've been in this business for over thirty years. It was definitely the look of someone hiding something. I don't know what it is, but if he's not guilty, he wouldn't have that look in his eyes."

Although he had not been promoted to Pacification Commissioner, Wi Chung was the most experienced guard in the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

The fact that he had survived for thirty years in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, an inspection agency, was proof that the depth of his experience was hard to fathom.

Wi Chung continued confidently.

"Tomorrow, I will personally unmask him."

(End of Chapter)