The World’s Greatest Martial Arts Instructor - Chapter 295

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 295. Damn Tight Hoop

 

 

Hyeon-hwang, who had entered Sosil Peak, suppressed his presence.

Once inside the Shaolin Temple Grounds, everything would be within Senior Brother Hyeon-gwang’s sensory range.

Without suppressing his presence, even he couldn’t avoid that Senior Brother bastard’s Ki Sense.

That Senior Brother bastard was strong.

Truly strong.

However, even while confined in Repentance Cave, Hyeon-hwang himself had continued to grow stronger.

Such was the power he possessed.

Continuously growing stronger despite being subjected to Restriction Techniques and seals.

With how strong he had become now, he felt like he might finally be able to defeat that Senior Brother bastard.

However.

‘That cunning bastard.’

The Hyeon-gwang that Hyeon-hwang knew was an incredibly cunning human.

Someone who seemed more suited to the unorthodox Murim rather than Shaolin, supposedly the leader of the orthodox Murim.

Therefore, he couldn’t rashly guarantee victory against Hyeon-gwang.

If he hadn’t had the Restriction Techniques and seals, he would have become even stronger, and then that Senior Brother bastard would have been nothing.

Hyeon-hwang’s hand moved toward his head.

A cold sensation felt at his fingertips.

It was a metal ring with a reddish tint.

‘Damn tight hoop.’

Among the three sealing devices that could restrain Hyeon-hwang’s movements, this was the only one he could directly touch.

The golden hoop gripping his heart and the restrictive hoop constricting his Dantian were embedded inside his body.

So he couldn’t touch them.

That Senior Brother bastard had said he would release the one gripping his heart.

But what good would that do?

The one causing the greatest pain was the one constricting his Dantian.

Master had tried countless times to destroy his Dantian with that thing.

‘The Primordial Abyss wouldn’t allow it. Ugh.’

The pain from that time came flooding back.

It seemed only the restrictive hoop was capable of contracting to the point of bursting.

He had never even attempted such a thing with the head and heart hoops.

Before he knew it, Hyeon-hwang had reached Shaolin’s Wall and leaped over it.

And he began moving cautiously.

Confirming the location of the Sutra Repository while moving quickly to avoid the Disciples’ eyes.

‘Its location is the fourth floor. Northeast bookshelf, thirteenth row, fourth shelf from the top.’

Much time had passed.

Whether it would still be there.

Or whether it had been moved during the management of the Sutra Repository.

He couldn’t know.

Hyeon-hwang bet on it still being there.

In his experience.

The books in the Sutra Repository rarely changed their positions.

Shadows cast by the Hall.

Hyeon-hwang’s two eyes, hidden in a secluded corner, emitted a faint red light.

His eyes, which could see essence, were examining the Sutra Repository.

Shaolin Temple’s Sutra Repository.

Originally a dharma hall that stored 5,480 volumes of the Tripitaka in twelve large boxes.

Such was its origin.

The Tripitaka was still carefully preserved on the First Floor.

However, the upper floors were packed with countless martial arts Secret Manuals and secret books.

It was one of Shaolin’s three great forbidden zones where no one could enter without permission.

A place with equally strict security.

It was a place guarded in shifts by the thirty-six Vajra Arhats, who could be called Shaolin’s elite.

‘Twelve of them?’

The number of Vajra Arhats visible to Hyeon-hwang’s eyes was twelve in total.

They were all concentrated on the First Floor, including around the entrance.

Logically, this was natural.

Breaking through Shaolin Temple Grounds to this point and infiltrating the upper floors?

It was impossible.

Unless one was the world’s greatest divine thief.

But even that was impossible because.

The Sutra Repository had no windows large enough for a person to enter.

There were only small ventilation holes scattered here and there.

Hyeon-hwang fell into contemplation looking at this sight.

The cause making him contemplate so much was naturally Hyeon-gwang.

If he just recited an incantation, Hyeon-hwang would be instantly neutralized.

‘Where is that Senior Brother bastard?’

Hyeon-hwang spread his Ki Sense widely.

Covering the entire Shaolin Temple Grounds was possible not only for Hyeon-gwang but also for Hyeon-hwang.

‘The Abbot’s Chamber.’

He was in his usual place.

Since the Abbot’s Chamber was located in the center of Shaolin Temple.

If a commotion arose here at the Sutra Repository, he would appear immediately.

And if he realized it was him, he would immediately recite an incantation.

If he was going to cause a commotion, he had to move quickly before Hyeon-gwang discovered his identity.

Since there was still more than a day left until the deadline Hyeon-gwang had set, he probably wouldn’t expect him to appear here.

Gauging the skills of the Vajra Arhats guarding this place.

It was possible.

However.

‘If it’s not in the location I know, I’m screwed.’

Then he’d be caught.

Instead, infiltrate quietly and search?

Then even if it wasn’t in its proper place, there would be no problem.

However.

The firmly locked door.

The key was kept split between two of the Vajra Arhats.

Both of them had to turn their keys simultaneously for it to open.

The secret vault underground of the Sutra Repository required all three keys, including the one the abbot possessed.

Though the Sutra Repository was strictly managed, there were those who freely came and went.

The Scholar Monks were those people.

The Scholar Monks with entry permission freely came and went at designated times.

Each time, the Vajra Arhats would open the door for them.

Waiting and secretly entering when Scholar Monks were coming and going was the second method.

Hyeon-hwang estimated the time when Scholar Monks would enter and exit the Sutra Repository today.

‘About one hour left?’

The doors of the Sutra Repository would open after one hour.

He fell into deep thought.

Given that bastard Mu-baek’s level, he would have noticed the arrangement he had made on that woman.

If he had confirmed what it was.

He would come looking for Hyeon-hwang himself.

It was an energy that could never be resolved without knowing Sim Yeon.

That bastard would eventually come to Shaolin.

He had to get the fragment before then.

Waiting one hour felt unsettling.

Attempting a risky move also felt unsettling.

After pondering a bit more, Hyeon-hwang’s decision was.

Swoosh.

Muffling his footsteps, Hyeon-hwang passed through the gaps in the Vajra Arhats’ defenses and reached the wall of the Sutra Repository, then leaped up.

Reaching the exact location, Hyeon-hwang extended his hand and broke the wall around the ventilation opening.

Crack!

Only after that sound rang out.

Did the Vajra Arhats notice Hyeon-hwang’s body movement.

“An intruder!”

“Catch him!”

Clang! Clang! Clang clang clang!

The Vajra Arhats’ shouts and the clamorous emergency bell sounds.

However, Hyeon-hwang had already entered the Sutra Repository through the space he had broken.

He immediately checked the bookshelf.

‘It’s here!’

The Thousand-Hand Sarira Bodhi Sutra.

An old book with the simple title of a scripture written on it.

Without delay, Hyeon-hwang grabbed that Buddhist scripture, tucked it into his chest, then broke through the wall where the ventilation opening was on the opposite side and rushed straight out.

He had to escape before that Senior Brother bastard arrived.

Hyeon-hwang ran straight into the deep mountain forest of Sosil Peak.

Only after he disappeared did Hyeon-gwang arrive at the scene.

“Hehe. Amitabha. An intruder’s invasion, you say?”

The Vajra Arhats bowed their heads.

Since no one had noticed the intruder’s approach to this place, the disciples guarding the mountain gate and Shaolin’s surroundings were also bowing their heads.

“What disappeared?”

Hyeon-gwang’s gaze turned to one side.

There stood Hyeon Chuk, the keeper of the Sutra Repository.

“We’re still investigating, but what’s been confirmed so far is one Buddhist scripture. Since it was such a short time, that one is probably all there is, Abbot Senior Brother.”

At Hyeon Chuk’s words, Hyeon-gwang frowned.

Someone invaded Shaolin, entered the Sutra Repository, and fled with just one Buddhist scripture?

What kind of scripture was it?

Was there someone in All Under Heaven who would cause such an incident?

“Hmm.”

Hyeon-gwang swallowed his contemplation.

“Understood. Put all your efforts into tracking down the intruder. To think Shaolin’s Sutra Repository was breached. I have no face to show the ancestors. Amitabha.”

At Hyeon-gwang’s words, the disciples bowed their heads even deeper.

Moving his steps, Hyeon-gwang headed toward the bookshelf where the intruder had entered.

It was simply a bookshelf where Buddhist scriptures were gathered.

Looking at the traces, there was no hesitation from breaking in to escaping.

‘He came in with determination, knowing what was here. And with lightning speed.’

“What scripture disappeared?”

“The Thousand-Hand Sarira Bodhi Sutra.”

To Hyeon-gwang’s question, Hyeon Chuk, who had been moving alongside him, answered.

“Hmm.”

Hyeon-gwang frowned.

While it was a precious scripture, it wasn’t only found in Shaolin’s Sutra Repository.

If one spent enough money, it wasn’t a scripture that couldn’t be obtained.

There was no reason to risk danger and invade Shaolin for it.

“Understood.”

After looking around everywhere, Hyeon-gwang returned to the Abbot’s Chamber.

He quietly rolled the prayer beads in his hand while organizing his thoughts.

Among those Hyeon-gwang knew, he narrowed down those who were at a level capable of deceiving his ki sense spread throughout Shaolin Temple.

He further narrowed it to those who knew well the security state and geography of Shaolin Temple.

He eliminated all but those who also knew well the structure of the Sutra Repository.

The remaining figures weren’t many.

All the remaining figures were people of Shaolin.

It was a natural result if you thought about it.

Unless one was a person of Shaolin, it would be difficult to know extensively about Shaolin Temple Grounds and the Sutra Repository.

Finally.

Someone who knew exactly the location of the missing book.

Here, all others were eliminated.

Among the suspects Hyeon-gwang had identified, only one was from Scholar Monks background.

‘It’s Hyeon-hwang.’

He was certain of the culprit.

Hyeon-hwang was originally from Scholar Monks background.

He wasn’t someone who had entered Shaolin as a martial monk.

He was a case where, as a Scholar Monk, he frequented the Sutra Repository studying scriptures and martial arts manuals, then came to learn martial arts.

Despite being a Scholar Monk, his talent was outstanding, so they had permitted him to learn martial arts.

‘He entered the path of a demon…’

What on earth was in the Sutra Repository.

What could have made that intelligent fellow disciple become like that?

Perhaps today he might catch a clue to that.

Since he had rashly invaded the Sutra Repository.

Did he think that if he concealed his presence and didn’t show his face, no one would know it was him?

Leaving the Abbot’s Chamber once more, Hyeon-gwang launched his body.

His direction was toward where the Sutra Repository intruder had fled.

Hyeon-gwang easily crossed Shaolin’s Wall and entered the dense forest of Sosil Peak, beginning to recite the Heart Sutra and mantras.

“Geun-go-ju, geum-go-ju, geum-go-ju…”

 

***

 

Woomun Ga-yul and Gongya Hwi-yeon boarded a boat at Anjing’s port.

According to Gongya Hwi-yeon’s plan, they decided to use the waterway to Nanchang.

By the time they arrived there, people from the Sahae Alliance would also be out.

Woomun Ga-yul had sent word to the Sahae Alliance.

Though news had probably already gone through Haomun before that, it was Woomun Ga-yul’s measure, thinking they would be curious about the detailed circumstances.

“…He’ll be alright, won’t he?”

On the boat going upstream against the mighty Yangtze River, Gongya Hwi-yeon asked quietly.

Woomun Ga-yul smiled.

“Didn’t you call him your idol? Number One Under Heaven. Since you even carried out such a dangerous runaway to see him. You should believe in him.”

Gongya Hwi-yeon quietly nodded at her mother’s words.

“What kind of person was Instructor Ha?”

Gongya Hwi-yeon asked again.

Woomun Ga-yul had no choice but to give the same answer again.

“The time I spent with him was only two days at most. What could I possibly know in that short time? I believe in him because you believe in him.”

“But he was still just a child back then. Instructor Ha was.”

She seemed like she wouldn’t be satisfied until she heard every single detail from that time.

In the end, Woomun Ga-yul retold the story she had already shared.

Searching through her memories.

It wouldn’t be a pleasant memory for Gongya Hwi-yeon either.

Because of that incident, she had been separated from her mother at such a tender age, almost like a parting of life and death.

After she matured, she did visit frequently, but traveling to and from the Punishment Hall was no easy task.

Even with the Guard Warriors escorting her.

Nevertheless, because it was Ha Mu-baek’s childhood, she continued to ask about those times.

‘What on earth… what does strength mean to you…?’

Hiding her sorrowful heart, Woomun Ga-yul slowly recounted the events of that time with a loving voice.

 

Ha Mu-baek spread his Ki Sense as wide as possible and ran toward Shaolin with all his might.

Hyeon-hwang hadn’t been caught in his Ki Sense yet.

Having spent the night, the distance between them had probably grown considerably.

But it didn’t matter.

He just needed to go to Shaolin anyway.

Ha Mu-baek’s face was heavily sunken.

This was the first type of martial artist he had encountered since entering Gangho.

He was indeed strong.

From directly exchanging moves with him.

He was slightly inferior to the Blood Cult Leader.

If what he had shown was everything.

If it had been Ha Mu-baek from two years ago, he would have struggled considerably to subdue him.

Not now though.

In that time, Ha Mu-baek’s realm had deepened even further.

‘Wait. I’ll catch you soon.’

Lightning Ten Thousand Li Movement left an even more intense storm in its wake.

Now it was only a day’s distance to Shaolin.

That bastard had probably already arrived at Shaolin Temple.

The difference was exactly the amount of time Ha Mu-baek had been delayed.

He ran with all his might but wasn’t impatient.

If that bastard wasn’t at Shaolin.

‘I’ll just beat up that bald monk Hyeon-gwang.’

In the end, all responsibility should be borne by the head of the sect.

Shaolin Temple’s responsibility should be taken by Hyeon-gwang, the abbot.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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