episode_0029

A perfect harmony of protein and essential amino acids, a balanced blend of iron and zinc. There’s a superstition that the less tasty something is, the better it is for your body, but meat is the perfect ingredient, possessing both flavor and nutrition simultaneously. What if a monk, who had been a vegetarian their entire life, tasted meat for the first time after starving for days? How could I know that feeling? For I am no monk. However, I can guess. Delicious! After chewing on bland, tasteless vegetable side dishes day in and day out, experiencing the feast of juices spreading throughout one’s mouth would undoubtedly be a shocking difference. Ah, to think I lived without knowing such a thing. I’ve lived my life in vain!

“Ohh.” Bang Jongdae’s hand movements became so fast they were invisible to the eye. With a single bite of Dongpo pork, his inhibitions completely unraveled. He even brought forth his internal energy, stuffing meat into his mouth at every sight, a display truly befitting the dignity of the world’s greatest wandering monk.

“Eat slowly.” “Ahem…” Cheongun poured the Byeokju into an empty glass with a trickling sound. “A glass of Byeokju?” “Benefactor, drinking alcohol is against the Five Precepts…” “Don’t talk to me about the Five Precepts.” Cheongun handed him the glass before Bang Jongdae could elaborate further. “What’s wrong with something brewed from rice and clearly filtered? At its core, it’s just fragrant grain water.” “……” Bang Jongdae hesitated for a moment. But the first step is always the hardest; the second is easy. He had already eaten meat and even cried, so what difference would one more precept, the precept against drinking alcohol, make?

“Here, drink.” “Benefactor.” “Buddha said that one who is not intoxicated may drink at any time, so what’s the problem?” “Hmm.” That’s actually true. It’s directly mentioned in the Vinaya Pitaka, specifically the Dharmaguptaka Vinaya. “Anyway, you can just circulate your internal energy once to get rid of the intoxication, so just drink it.” Gulp. Bang Jongdae swallowed. It was a sign he was halfway convinced. Indeed, he was already wavering. As Cheongun said, wasn’t it fine as long as he didn’t get intoxicated anyway? Ever since earlier, every time Cheongun took a bite of meat, drank Byeokju, and exclaimed “Ahh!”, he had been curious. What was it like, truly? What kind of harmony did it create in the mouth? Meat that already boasted a supreme taste on its own—could it get even better than this? Bang Jongdae’s curiosity stirred. And finally.

— Snap! Bang Jongdae swiftly snatched the gourd bottle from the table. He then lifted it into the air and emptied the remaining Byeokju directly into his mouth. A refreshing and sweet taste. It washed away the oiliness coating his mouth. As it sloshed down his throat, the aroma of the alcohol rose to his nose. At that moment, he put another piece of well-roasted duck into his mouth. He chewed. Once again, oiliness coated his mouth. However, when mixed with the alcohol’s aroma, the meat’s fishy smell disappeared, leaving only a savory, meaty fragrance. Bang Jongdae’s eyes widened. The aftertaste was clean, making him feel like he could eat endlessly. It was truly perpetual motion! Seeing that, Cheongun smiled with satisfaction. Then he called the waiter. “Five more bottles of Byeokju here!” “Yes! I’ll bring them right away!”

****

A few days later, Chengdu. Cheongun wandered through every corner of Chengdu. And there was another man following Cheongun. A rather tall stature. Solidly developed muscles that proudly proclaimed “I am a martial artist” to anyone who saw them. And a shining bald head. Around his neck hung a mala of 108 prayer beads. He walked with large strides, gulping down the Byeokju from the gourd bottle. His identity was none other than Bang Jongdae. Every time he passed, surprised glances were cast from his surroundings. It was only natural, as a shining-headed monk was walking around, drinking in broad daylight. Of course, this was a result made possible by Cheongun’s painstaking efforts. During his time with Bang Jongdae, Cheongun propagated numerous teachings. Such as: non-killing literally means just not killing, so if you meet a scumbag, you only need to half-kill them. Or: non-lying means just not lying, so you can simply not speak and communicate with your fists. These were truly contents that would make Shaolin monks faint in shock, but Bang Jongdae, being inherently curious and still young, found these words to be a refreshingly shocking revelation. Meanwhile, Cheongun was satisfied. Cheongun had never once neglected to “normalize” Shaolin during his 20,000 hours of gameplay. It was the same after his transmigration. Therefore, corrupting Bang Jongdae, the Shaolin Abbot’s direct disciple and the future of Shaolin, was truly a groundbreaking achievement. It was enough reason for his failure to secure a cook, his original objective.

Bloodline Pavilion entrance. “Pavilion Lord, you’ve arrived?” He ran into Jin Cheonwoo, who was passing by. Jin Cheonwoo saw Bang Jongdae chugging from a gourd bottle behind Cheongun, and let out a scoff. “Who is that?” “Who?” “That wandering monk fellow, I mean.” At those words, Cheongun held out one palm without looking back. Bang Jongdae smiled brightly and pulled something out from his embrace. An object with a round, smooth texture, and wood grain visible in places. It was a moktak, an essential item for any monk. And then.

— Whack! “Aargh!!” Jin Cheonwoo screamed, clutching his head. The sound was so clear that Cheongun’s mind, having struck the back of his head, felt much more peaceful. Above all, this satisfying hand-feel. As expected, Made in Shaolin. Befitting the Central Plains’ greatest sect.

“Pavilion Lord?” Drawn by that clear sound, Jeok Hwaryeon, who had approached nearby, asked. “Did you find a cook?” “No, I didn’t.” “Then what were you doing out all this time?” “Eating and playing.” At those words, Jeok Hwaryeon glared at me with a sullen expression. “If that’s the case, give me your position as Pavilion Lord.” “No.” “Then don’t leave your post!” “Why, did you miss me?” Jeok Hwaryeon’s brow furrowed abruptly. “Enough! What are you going to do about this?” Jeok Hwaryeon handed over a letter. On the red envelope, the three characters “Justice Alliance” were clearly stamped in ink. The edges were intricately tied with gold thread. “Have you read it?” “No?” Cheongun slowly read the contents. The gist of the letter was simple. That spy there is one of our people. We’ll come pick him up, so keep him alive. See you later. Hmm, it was truly concise and clear content. “What does it say?” “They’re coming to pick up the spy fellow.” “When?” “Tomorrow at Oshi [11 AM – 1 PM].” Fortunately, it seems he arrived just in time. If he had killed him, it would have been a bit troublesome, but knowing this, Cheongun had left the spy perfectly alive. All that remained was to extract a price for magnanimously sparing the spy’s life. At that moment, Bang Jongdae asked Cheongun. “Benefactor. It seems my eyes are mistaken. Surely the sender of this letter isn’t the Justice Alliance?” “That’s right.” “……” At those words, Bang Jongdae broke out in cold sweat. Cheongun could easily guess the reason. “Ah, because of your master?” “……” Who was the Justice Alliance Leader, after all? None other than the Shaolin Abbot, the Demon Subduing Fist King, Bang Jongdae’s master. If he met him in his current state, he would probably be beaten to a pulp for being a disgrace to Shaolin. Since killing wasn’t allowed, he’d be beaten right up until the point of death. Did he know that? Bang Jongdae quietly put his palms together in a respectful bow. “Benefactor. It seems the bond between you and this humble monk has reached a time of temporary parting. It seems it is time for me to leave, but I will not forget your teachings and will return here when the time is right.” With those words, Bang Jongdae left. As a final gift, he handed over his moktak, which was a rather satisfactory gift, so Cheongun carefully placed it into his embrace. It was a short meeting, but quite memorable. When Cheongun turned his head, he saw Jeok Hwaryeon with a long face. “Why the long face?” “I don’t know.” Jeok Hwaryeon, unable to hide her resentment, abruptly turned her head away. Her cheeks were puffed out, clearly indicating she was in a very bad mood. Cheongun poked her cheek with his fingertip. “What’s wrong?” “You don’t need to know.” “Speak.” “I don’t want to.” Cheongun raised his finger as if to strike a vital point. Jeok Hwaryeon glanced at his finger and quickly replied. “…It’s nothing special. I just feel stifled inside.” “Reason?” “I don’t know.” “I think I know.” “What is it?” “Did you say you learned demonic arts for revenge?” “Yes.” “It’s because you haven’t taken your revenge yet.” “……” Jeok Hwaryeon could not easily answer those words. Honestly, she did want revenge, but she wondered if she would truly feel relieved even after completing it. Too much time had passed already, and her dead parents wouldn’t return. “That’s something you say because you don’t know.” “I don’t know?” “Yes. If you stomp them until they beg for their lives, waving their hands like flies, you’ll feel relieved.” “Are you sure?” “Of course.” Cheongun could be certain. Revenge only leaves emptiness? That’s all nonsense. Nothing clears your mind as thoroughly as revenge. On the contrary, if you can’t take revenge, you feel stifled as if your insides are blocked, and it remains a lifelong regret. “You said you lost your parents.” “Yes.” Jeok Hwaryeon lost her parents when she was young. On the street, a black-path villain and an orthodox-path villain got into a quarrel and a fight broke out, in which her innocent parents were caught. In a word, it was a case of shrimp getting their backs broken in a whale fight [a proverb about collateral damage]. “Target for revenge?” Jeok Hwaryeon hesitated for a moment, then replied. “…For now, the Black Forest Gate.” Cheongun nodded upon hearing that. Black Forest Gate, a sect he knew. Among the black path, they were considered candidates for the world’s greatest scum, a group of human degenerates. Instantly, Cheongun’s form disappeared. Jeok Hwaryeon swiftly turned her head this way and that, looking for Cheongun. That’s when it happened. “Eep!” Jeok Hwaryeon suddenly found her body floating and thrashed her limbs. Cheongun had grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and lifted her. “Stay still.” In that state, Cheongun unleashed his Qinggong. With Jeok Hwaryeon present, his special ability activated, and his speed exploded. In an instant, they crossed peaks and traversed valleys. Jeok Hwaryeon’s eyes spun around. Everything around them became a blurry afterimage, whizzing past, making the whole world seem smeared as if splattered with paint. Was this the world the Pavilion Lord saw? After running for a long time as if flying through the sky, Cheongun set Jeok Hwaryeon down in a safe spot. Jeok Hwaryeon dazedly looked around. Killing intent could be felt from all directions. Dozens of martial artists, with drawn swords, surrounded them. Every single one of them had a menacing expression and wore black martial robes. On the main hall’s signboard, the three characters ‘Black Forest Gate’ were carved. Cheongun looked at them and spoke. “We’ve arrived.” “F-fuck! Pavilion Lord, are you truly insane?!” “I am always insane.” Jeok Hwaryeon was horrified. This crazy Pavilion Lord had suddenly jumped right into the middle of the Black Forest Gate’s main stronghold. “You’re boasting about that… No, what are we going to do about this?! Do you think the Black Forest Gate is just some black-path organization?! This is a demonic cult branch!” “Is that so? All the better, then.” “What do you mean ‘all the better’?! The scale is completely different from the Bloodline Pavilion! Even if we brought everyone, it wouldn’t be enough, so what are you going to do with just the two of us?!” “What indeed. We’ll take revenge. Didn’t I tell you? Loyalty that is just words isn’t needed.” “No, that requires more planning and preparation…!” “Enough.” Cheongun cut her off. He drew his sword. Then he raised it, pointing the tip towards the sky. [ ‘Unique Trait: Demonic Cult Annihilation!’ is activating! ] Clear natural energy surged into his Dantian like a tidal wave. For Cheongun, who had reached the realm of Mixed Origin, that was internal energy. All the energy spread across heaven and earth rampaged, transforming into internal energy. That vast true energy surged hotly through his Ren and Du meridians. He exhaled. As he breathed, his internal energy naturally circulated, causing his eyes to emit a deep blue light. Crackling— Along with the sound of tearing air, flashes of lightning erupted from all directions. The air was so charged with electricity that even breathing felt stinging. As the air tore, everything around the sword distorted. Everyone held their breath. At the manifestation of such an unusual aura, they each drew their weapons. That’s when it happened.

— Swish! Cheongun swung his sword. A single horizontal slash. And then— “!!!” Crackle-CRACKLE-BOOM—!! A torrent of Qi imbued with lightning swallowed everything. The pillars of the main halls were instantly sliced through, and the roofs flew off as if exploding. The ground split as if plowed by a cultivator, and dust clouds surged into the sky. Those who had drawn their swords couldn’t even scream. They were simply swept away by the torrent, disintegrated along with their swords, and vanished. On the blackened, scorched earth, a deep blue current lingered, making a sizzling sound. The burnt-down giant trees were still smoking. Jeok Hwaryeon was too stunned, just sitting there, silently gaping. Cheongun spoke. “From now on, I am the Black Forest Gate Lord.” “……”