Chapter 577: Shaolin’s Miracle.

Kyaaak-!

It was a piercing scream.

I turned my head and looked in the direction of the sound.

The distance didn’t seem too far.

However, the street was still noisy, and the atmosphere among the people remained the same.

Amidst it all, there were people here and there, like us, looking towards the direction the scream came from.

‘They’re all martial artists.’

They probably had their senses heightened.

If you could hear a scream amidst such a noisy atmosphere, it was obvious they were martial artists.

‘What happened?’

If someone screamed like that, it seemed like something had happened, but…

Contrary to my thoughts, I wasn’t particularly interested.

‘They’ll handle it themselves.’

This isn’t just anywhere; it’s Henan.

If something happened in a place like this, where the Alliance’s headquarters is located, it would be resolved quickly.

As I thought that, I tried to bring up the topic with Paejon again.

“Elder, you were about to say something earlier… huh?”

I looked beside me and Paejon wasn’t there.

Wondering where this guy went, I looked around.

Far away, I saw Paejon walking towards the direction the sound came from.

“…Where are you going?”

As I asked that, seeing him, Paejon tilted his head and looked towards me.

His eyes, looking at me, were filled with an unknown interest.

“Disciple.”

“Yes.”

“Do you know what the most fun thing in the world is?”

“Me making money.”

“…”

Paejon’s face crumpled instantly as I answered without hesitation.

Why? This is the most fun!

“…What a completely unromantic answer.”

I couldn’t help it; my body was too steeped in reality to look for romance.

“So, what is the most fun thing?”

As I asked listlessly, Paejon’s lips curved into a smile again.

It seemed he wanted this answer.

“The most fun thing in the world is…”

“Yes.”

“…Watching other people fight.”

“…What?”

“There’s nothing more fun than that.”

“…”

Hearing that, I nodded.

So, what he’s saying is…

‘He wants to go see it.’

It was Paejon’s firm intention to go that way.

Once he finished speaking, Paejon immediately turned his head and started walking.

Seeing this, I…

“Haa.”

I let out a sigh and followed him.

The place we arrived at was.

“Huh?”

Surprisingly, it was a rather familiar place.

A dumpling restaurant I often visited in Henan.

That very place.

‘I was planning to come here anyway.’

I had thought I should visit soon, but I didn’t expect to end up here like this.

Wondering why there was a scream in a restaurant out of nowhere, I looked inside.

“Aha.”

Seeing the situation unfolding, I could immediately understand.

A man, flushed red as if drunk, had drawn his sword and was pointing it at someone.

In the center of it all, a woman was trembling, her eyes filled with tears.

“…You bastard…!”

The man on the left growled and shouted.

He looked to be around forty years old.

His cultivation level was…

‘Second-rate to first-rate.’

It was an ambiguous position, but if you considered it, it wasn’t a bad level.

It’s just that there are so many monsters around.

Even at that level, one wouldn’t have trouble making a living as a martial artist.

However.

‘People stuck at that level tend to have particularly nasty personalities.’

It’s the point where mediocre talents hit the wall of their abilities and give up.

It’s usually around then that they settle for reality, give up, and accept their lives.

Since they gave up climbing the wall as martial artists.

Many felt disappointment and anger towards themselves.

Perhaps because of that, that was the level where particularly idiotic people gathered.

It’s also why most troublemakers caught are usually those between second-rate and first-rate.

‘Is that man like that too?’

I thought maybe that man right now felt that way.

“Ho ho.”

Seeing this, Paejon chuckled with apparent amusement.

It wasn’t just Paejon.

The people around were murmuring and already looking into the restaurant.

The slight difference was that quite worried voices could be heard.

“Isn’t that guy… Mok Doseok?”

“Yeah, that’s him. Tsk tsk… Is he drunk and acting up again?”

Judging by the reactions, he seemed to be quite infamous.

“What’s the trouble this time?”

“Well, isn’t there Misuk?”

The man who spoke pointed towards someone with his chin.

It was the woman trembling inside the restaurant.

“No way, did Mok Doseok bother Misuk again?”

“Why wouldn’t he have?”

The sound of tongues clicking in disapproval could be heard.

It seemed he had often bothered women in the past.

“…So? Did Misuk get angry or something?”

“How could she? Misuk also cherishes her life, so she’s been holding it in.”

“Then what’s the issue?”

“Can’t you see? A young chivalrous hero stepped in.”

It meant someone had stepped in to stop the man bothering the woman.

Hearing this, the surrounding people looked inside with worried expressions.

“Oh no…! This is bad. Mok Doseok of all people.”

“We need to contact the Alliance quickly. Someone might get hurt…”

It was a truly urgent voice.

Indeed, if a first-rate martial artist carelessly danced with their sword, it was obvious the surroundings would become a mess.

The problem was…

They were choosing the wrong person to worry about.

I thought, looking at the man named Mok Doseok.

‘That guy’s gonna die.’

The one in danger right now wasn’t the person the sword was pointed at.

It was the man named Mok Doseok.

I looked at Mok Doseok’s opponent with a strange gaze.

I saw a figure sitting at a table, wrapped in a cloak.

Their face was covered too, so their age couldn’t be determined.

Based on their physique, I could only guess it was a man.

The moment I saw him, I could be certain.

‘Transcendence Realm.’

That he was someone who had reached the Transcendence Realm, surpassing the peak.

Whether he knew it or not.

Mok Doseok glared at his opponent and shouted.

“How dare you deceive me!? Do you want to die?!”

At Mok Doseok’s shout, the person who had been sitting still stood up.

Deureureuk.

I didn’t realize it when he was sitting, but he was much larger than I thought.

“I did not deceive you.”

Contrary to his large physique, his voice was clear and youthful.

He didn’t seem very old.

“What else could it be but deception, for a clueless brat like you to stand in my way?”

“I merely pointed out that you were coveting the body of someone who refused you.”

“This punk…!”

At the young man’s words, Mok Doseok gritted his teeth.

“Who the hell do you think you are to interfere? Is that woman your concubine or something?”

As he spoke, Mok Doseok’s eyes suddenly widened.

He had a look as if he had realized something.

“Ah, so that’s why.”

His gaze shifted towards the woman named Misuk.

“You, you were secretly meeting this guy, weren’t you? Is that it?”

“Ah, no…! I’ve never met this young hero before…!”

The woman cried out indignantly, but Mok Doseok didn’t seem to believe her.

“Is that why you wouldn’t come to me? You were playing me!”

It was baffling how he reached such a conclusion.

Listening to this was starting to annoy me.

‘What a waste.’

I should have been in that position.

Then I would have ripped out his tongue before he could flap his gums. I really regretted not being there.

As I thought that, Paejon’s earlier words came to mind.

‘He said watching fights is the most fun.’

Ironically, I could relate to that a little.

Just then.

“How well I treated you! And you play me like this?!”

Mok Doseok seemed furious, starting to yell at the woman.

He even gripped his sword and seemed about to do something to the woman.

“Kyaaah!”

The moment the woman screamed…

Kkwak.

“…!”

The young man grabbed Mok Doseok’s sword-wielding arm.

Mok Doseok, with his arm caught, looked at the young man with surprised eyes.

“What’s the point in bullying the weak? Please calm down.”

He seemed to be trying to resolve it peacefully.

How kind.

If it were me…

‘I would have ripped his arm off first.’

I would have torn off the arm he grabbed.

I couldn’t understand the sight of him holding back like this.

And the one who probably understood this the least was Mok Doseok.

“You bastard…!”

At that point, he should have realized his opponent wasn’t easy to deal with.

Perhaps due to the alcohol, he seemed unable to see clearly.

“Fine, if that’s what you want, I’ll kill you first…!”

Mok Doseok twisted his body and threw a punch.

Seeing the energy contained in the punch, it was full of killing intent.

It meant he genuinely intended to kill.

Killing someone right here in Henan.

He’s got guts, I suppose. Even drunk, I could acknowledge that nerve.

However.

Just having guts doesn’t mean everything will go as planned.

Watching the incoming fist, the young man muttered.

“…I apologize. Please understand.”

It was a quiet voice, but I could hear it clearly.

Immediately after.

Tung-!

“Gulp.”

Mok Doseok was hit squarely in the chest by the young man’s strike.

Mok Doseok’s body flew through the air and soon rolled on the floor.

Afterwards, he seemed to barely regain his stance, but…

“Cough… cough… Gak… Gak-gak…”

Teolseok.

He collapsed, retched a few times, and then lost consciousness.

The moment I confirmed this.

The murmuring crowd suddenly fell silent.

Not even a breath could be heard.

As a quiet silence descended upon the restaurant.

The young man moved cautiously.

He moved towards the woman, whose eyes were wide open like saucers in surprise.

“I apologize for causing such a disturbance.”

“Ah… Ahh… N-no…”

“You must have been quite startled.”

Speaking to the woman who could barely respond, he took something out from his robes.

It was silver coins.

“This is for the meal, and as an apology for the disturbance. Please forgive me with your generosity…”

Immediately after pressing the silver coins into the woman’s hand.

He turned and walked out of the restaurant.

He soon brushed past me.

I glanced sideways at him.

Although his face was mostly hidden, I could barely see…

…a faint yellow eye within the cloak.

Those eyes looked at me for a fleeting moment.

“…”

After our eyes met briefly like that.

Huuk-!

A slight breeze blew, and the young man’s presence vanished.

Only then did the people exhale the breaths they had been holding and start talking.

“W-what just happened?”

“What was that just now…!”

They started murmuring again.

People began entering the restaurant to assess the situation.

Around that time, I recalled a specific movement the young man had made.

“Hmm.”

A short motion of hitting the chest.

It seemed like a simple movement, but…

I was recalling something from it.

Next, I looked at the table where the young man had been.

Leftover dumplings and food were visible.

“…”

Seeing that, I had many thoughts.

“Tsk tsk.”

Paejon chuckled beside me.

“Are you going?”

“…”

Hearing that, I inwardly clicked my tongue.

It seemed Paejon had noticed I was preoccupied with something.

“Go ahead. Besides, Shinui is probably still sleeping.”

“…You said you had something to tell me.”

“We can do that later. Rather than making that dog-like expression, just go quickly. It bothers me and ruins my mood.”

“…”

After hearing Paejon’s words, I pondered for a moment.

I turned around.

“Then, I’ll be back shortly.”

Paejon was right.

I had to resolve what was bothering me somehow.

Especially.

In a situation like this.

---

In a forest near Henan.

It was a forest path somewhat distant from the city, rarely frequented and not easily found by others.

Tak.

Someone landed there.

It was the young man who had caused the commotion at the restaurant.

“…Hoo.”

The young man, after cautiously looking around the forest and catching his breath.

Only then did he take off the cloak he was wearing, breathing deeply.

Then, his shiny hair, reflecting the moonlight, was revealed.

His hair was slightly damp, perhaps from sweat.

The young man wiped it away with a cloth, as if accustomed to doing so.

“What a shame.”

At the same time, he uttered words as if lamenting.

Yes, it was a shame.

“I barely got a bite…”

It was a restaurant I secretly managed to find.

I had taken a bite filled with excitement, but…

To end up leaving so unceremoniously.

It was truly bitter.

“…Well, it was time for me to go back anyway.”

As if soothing his disappointment, the young man looked somewhere.

Since I came here by squeezing time, I would have had to return quickly anyway.

I had to think of it that way.

“…Next time… next time, yes.”

Let’s eat with more leisure next time.

The young man nodded as if making a resolution.

Just as he was about to hurry away.

“You see, I…”

Meomchit.

A voice came from behind.

Startled by the sudden voice, the young man quickly turned his head.

Darkness surrounded by trees, where nothing could be seen, and beyond it, someone was speaking.

Who is it?

The young man, trying to hide his cold sweat, looked in that direction.

“I can somehow understand a shaman eating meat. But in all my life…”

Someone appeared with an expression of disbelief.

A person wearing black shamanic attire, with surprisingly fierce eyes.

He appeared suddenly and started speaking to the young man.

“Isn’t it a bit too much for a lapsed monk to eat meat?”

“…”

Hearing this, the young man.

Shinryong (Divine Dragon) Yu Yeon had to scowl deeply.