The Miraculous Divorce Technique

Chapter 9

After the guards left, Grand Master Musan sent out the Arhats as well and had a private meeting with Cheok Sagyeol.

"Martial Brother, what on earth happened to your appearance?"

Grand Master Musan found Cheok Sagyeol's face, which had changed in a short time, unfamiliar.

It was the old face he had seen to the point of being sick of it until just a while ago.

"It seems to be a side effect of Rejuvenation. It suddenly came undone. Haha."

'That damn Rejuvenation again.'

Grand Master Musan frowned and continued.

"Is Rejuvenation some kind of tangled thread? To be wound and unwound."

"What do you want me to do when it happened without me knowing? Martial Brother, why are you so sensitive? If you're so upset, you can achieve Rejuvenation yourself."

"..."

Grand Master Musan was so dumbfounded that he had no words. Cheok Sagyeol's words continued to him.

"It seems to be going back and forth because my enlightenment is not yet complete. Tell Gongseon to be sure to record this symptom as well. Got it?"

The more false records, the better.

That way, he could smear Shaolin's face with that much more shit.

"Then does that mean you don't know when you'll become young again?"

"That's right. But I think I'll maintain this appearance until tomorrow. But after that, I can't guess when my appearance will change."

'I have to not change until tomorrow to get on the sparring stage.'

He was planning to smash Wi Chung's face before he left.

For bastards with hidden agendas, a beating was the medicine.

"Phew... then it would be best to leave right after tomorrow's spar. I'll send word to Jaryun Temple, so please stay there and reflect until the imperial family quiets down."

"Thanks, Martial Brother. You'll be blessed."

Grand Master Musan replied with a dejected expression.

"Yes. Thanks to you, I'm swamped with work."

* * *

"Wi Chung, what do you mean by his mask? What does that mean?"

Ju Nokjeong asked with a look of incomprehension.

'Don't tell me that face is a mask?'

Not only his face, but he even had wrinkles on his hands.

"You said you met him by chance, didn't you, Princess?"

"I did."

"Then his real face must be the one from that time. Unless he was waiting for you, targeting your route."

"That... that's probably it. I met him sitting stupidly in a collapsing thatched hut. But that old man earlier, anyone could see..."

As if he knew Ju Nokjeong's inner thoughts, Wi Chung smirked and explained.

"You know that there is a group called the Demonic Faction in the martial world, right?"

"I've heard of it. You mean the guys whose focal point is a place called the Four Alliances south of the Yangtze River, right?"

"Although there are all sorts of strange and mysterious things in the martial world, there are even more bizarre things in the Demonic Faction. Among them is something called a human skin mask."

"A human skin mask?"

"It is a mask made by skinning a person's face. Literally, it's wearing a human's skin. If you wear it, it's difficult to distinguish from the outside unless you're an expert in human skin masks."

Hearing Wi Chung's words, Ju Nokjeong made a disgusted face.

"Then are you saying that bastard was wearing a human skin earlier?"

"If the Thousand Li Tracking Incense is not a lie, then that is highly likely."

"But isn't Shaolin a righteous faction?"

After a brief pause at Ju Nokjeong's words, Wi Chung carefully continued.

"It's just my guess, but judging by your words and actions, Princess, if this incident is clearly revealed, I believe Shaolin will not be able to avoid the disaster of extermination. You are probably hiding the truth for that kid, Jin Mubaek. Because I know your heart for your subordinates, I plan to follow your will, Princess. But they won't know that. If they can't avoid the disaster of extermination, would they obediently be exterminated, no matter how much they are a righteous faction?"

There was no place in the world that would obediently accept death.

Ju Nokjeong slowly shook her head, and Wi Chung raised the corners of his mouth.

"I've seen many people in my thirty years. No matter how upright and reputable a person is, there is nothing they won't do in the face of death. Let alone wearing a human skin? Even if they are a righteous faction, if they are driven to the flames of extermination, they will even cover themselves in shit. Hahaha."

Ju Nokjeong, as if in agreement, nodded her head and looked at Wi Chung again.

Since she was on this trip, at least a North or South Pacification Commissioner should have accompanied her, but she was not pleased that a mere Cheonho had become the person in charge.

But she could see that there was nothing to fault in his ability to act, changing the schedule to Shaolin Temple as soon as he heard about the incident at the Mount Hua Sect, or his grasp of the situation and his response to this incident.

"I see why the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard appointed you, Wi Chung."

At Ju Nokjeong's praise, Wi Chung gave a short bow and smiled.

The commander had created this position for him to attach the string of Ju Nokjeong and promote him to Pacification Commissioner in the next promotion.

His superior had set the stage, so he would show his ability and grab the given connection.

Positions above Cheonho were difficult to obtain with ability alone.

'If I unmask him, I'll also take off this damn guard uniform and wear the flying fish robe.'

The flying fish robe that only high-ranking officials of the Embroidered Uniform Guard could wear.

Wi Chung was imagining himself wearing it.

* * *

The next day.

In the grand training ground of Shaolin Temple, the Shaolin monks and the Embroidered Uniform Guard were lined up as if confronting each other.

Grand Master Musan went up to the platform and proclaimed to the audience, spreading his Six Harmonies Voice Transmission.

"For two hundred years, there has been a tradition of martial arts demonstrations and spars for friendly exchange between the righteous martial world and the Embroidered Uniform Guard. This year, Her Highness Princess Yeongan has graced us with her presence, so it will be an even more meaningful event for both sides. I hope it will be an opportunity to solidify our relationship and develop our own martial arts for the peace of the world. From now on, I declare the opening of the Heavenly Crown Martial Arts Tournament."

Waaaaah.

The young martial monks and the Embroidered Uniform Guard sent up a heated cheer.

Perhaps because of the characteristics of each group that usually emphasized moderation, they seemed even more enthusiastic when such an event was prepared.

CLANG. CLANG. CLANG.

The first demonstration was from the Shaolin side.

It was the One Hundred and Eight Arhat Formation that Shaolin prided itself on. As one hundred and eight martial monks moved organically and showed an outstanding demonstration, the audience held their breath and watched.

'Tsk. It's tingling. Is this the One Hundred and Eight Arhat Formation, which is called the last bastion of Shaolin?'

The demonstration he was seeing now was probably not everything.

But from the spirited aura of the Arhats, he could get a glimpse of its inner workings.

The One Hundred and Eight Arhat Formation, which was said to be deployed only for the defense of the main temple.

It was a formation where six Eighteen Arhat Formations unfolded a mysterious and intricate combined attack formation based on the Six Harmonies.

For Cheok Sagyeol, the Lord of the Demonic Cult, seeing it with his own eyes, even if it was just the form, was as good as a fateful encounter.

The difference between knowing and not knowing was like heaven and earth.

It was an experience that would be of great help when he one day brought down Shaolin.

CLANG. CLANG. CLANG.

The one hundred and eight Arhats who had finished the demonstration bowed their heads in unison with a half-bow.

At their orderly appearance, the audience applauded and exclaimed in admiration, saying 'as expected of Shaolin.'

"Wi Chung. Did you see that? That just now..."

Ju Nokjeong, with a dazed face, opened her mouth to Wi Chung.

She was very interested in martial arts and had seen the imperial army's training several times, but she had never seen anything like this.

"Isn't it amazing? That's why we continue the friendly exchange called the Heavenly Crown Martial Arts Tournament. Although the Taizu issued an imperial order that the government should not interfere in the martial world, their military power needs to be watched."

"Then why don't you just teach the soldiers that Arhat Formation? Why are you just watching?"

"Martial arts cannot be learned by just anyone just by teaching them. Right now, even in the imperial family, the only places where martial arts can be used are the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot. And even among them, it is difficult to raise more than a hundred outstanding individuals who can learn the Arhat Formation."

At Wi Chung's explanation, Ju Nokjeong nodded her head.

Just from the demonstration just now, she felt that a hundred people could fight against a thousand, no, even ten thousand.

It was not for nothing that the Taizu had exchanges with them.

"Next, in response, there will be a sword dance by the guards of the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

At the command of the White Tiger, Wang Wook, fourteen guards took their places in the training ground.

Their free and practical sword dance was imbued with a solemnity as if they were actually fighting an enemy.

'Oh. Interesting.'

Cheok Sagyeol's eyes sparkled as he watched the sword dance.

He had thought it would naturally be a righteous art since they had exchanges with the righteous faction, but his prediction was wrong.

'The foundation of the internal energy is a righteous cultivation method, but there is demonic art mixed in the stances?'

Come to think of it, the one sword he had seen in the spar with Jin Mubaek earlier also had a demonic side.

Cheok Sagyeol, leaving aside the thought of smashing Wi Chung, began to have a slight expectation.

It could be said that mixing martial arts of different roots was dangerous, but it was also a groundbreaking attempt.

"What do you think, Martial Brother?"

Grand Master Musan asked Cheok Sagyeol, who was watching the Embroidered Uniform Guard's sword dance with interested eyes.

"It's quite something, but it's precarious. Mixing righteous and demonic arts. It's like walking on a knife's edge."

"As expected, right? I heard that the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot, those two organizations, have formed their own small martial world like the righteous and demonic factions since their establishment. But I heard that they have been exchanging martial arts with each other for a few years now. It's probably because of that."

Grand Master Musan was talking about the story he had heard from the Namgung family, who had held the Heavenly Crown Martial Arts Tournament before.

"It's different from the martial world where they ostracize each other."

"It probably means that they can even join hands with their political enemies for the benefit of their group. The imperial family is a scary place."

While Cheok Sagyeol and Grand Master Musan were conversing, the Embroidered Uniform Guard's demonstration ended, and a spar between the Arhat monks and the guards followed.

Perhaps because internal energy was restricted out of concern that the young martial artists might accidentally cause a death if they used it, the excitement was actually less than the demonstration earlier.

"Tsk, what's the use of a spar like this? Practice should be like a real battle, and a real battle should be like practice."

Cheok Sagyeol said indifferently.

"They are hot-blooded kids. If they make a mistake, the opponent is not someone they can easily handle the aftermath of."

'That's probably not the real reason.'

'In a real spar, they might have their secrets exposed to the Embroidered Uniform Guard, so they are probably trying to hide it.'

Cheok Sagyeol had a rough idea, so he didn't press further.

As the three spars ended with the Shaolin monks taking two victories, one person was getting on the sparring stage.

He was the Embroidered Uniform Guard's Cheonho, Wi Chung.

He performed a martial world-style greeting, a cupped fist salute, to Cheok Sagyeol and said.

"To decorate the finale of today's Heavenly Crown Martial Arts Tournament, there will be a final spar between this guard and the Drunken Buddha, Grand Master Muheo. We will liven things up with a real spar without any restrictions on internal energy or rules, so please enjoy it, everyone."

Waaaaah.

The audience was enthusiastic at the news of a spar between the top masters of both sides with no restrictions on internal energy.

Everyone's attention was focused on Wi Chung, who was standing on the sparring stage, and their eyes were full of anticipation for what kind of confrontation he would show.

'You bastard. You're a stage person, aren't you?'

Cheok Sagyeol sneered and willingly responded to the stage that Wi Chung had set.

After all, there was also yesterday's promise.

"Martial Brother. Do it in moderation. There are many eyes watching, so you can't cause trouble."

Although he had forgotten his martial arts, Grand Master Musan was not worried about Cheok Sagyeol at all.

The martial realm that his martial brother had achieved was not something that would disappear just because he forgot it.

"Stop nagging. You're not my wife. Tsk."

"I've been nagging for decades, so my fingernails are about to fall off. Please just stop making me nag."

"That's not because you're nagging, it's because you're old, so your fingernails are falling off. Achieve Rejuvenation."

Cheok Sagyeol didn't lose a single word.

Grand Master Musan pounded his chest, which was about to explode with anger, as he looked at his back.

In the meantime, Cheok Sagyeol, who had gotten on the sparring stage, faced Wi Chung and performed a half-bow.

"Let's have a good match."

"I'm in your care, Grand Master."

CHIIING.

As soon as the words were finished, Wi Chung's sword, which he had drawn roughly, cut through the space and rushed in.

After a moment.

Cheok Sagyeol was staggering, covering his mouth with his hand.

'W-what is this...'

What was churning in his stomach went against Cheok Sagyeol's will, rose up his esophagus, and burst out of his mouth.

PWAAAAAK.

"Uweeeeeeek."

Everyone who was watching the spar was watching the scene with a dumbfounded look at the unexpected result.

(End of Chapter)