Moon-Shadow Sword Emperor

Episode 357

The day to leave Shaolin Temple and return to Meng has arrived.

Early morning.

I went to the director’s room and said goodbye to Shinseung.

I also didn’t forget to visit the Buddha’s abode.

“Did you wait for me because you knew it would come to me?”

When I asked the question while looking at the tea utensils placed on the small table, the Buddha nodded his head.

I sat down in the seat he offered, politely bowed, and said,

“Thanks to you, I was able to gain enlightenment. thank you.”

“I’m glad it helped.”

“I want to ask you one thing.”

“Tell me.”

“Are you planning to make Monk Howol the next master?”

“I want to ask why you came up with that thought.”

“It’s just a guess, but I think the sparring two days ago wasn’t just for me.”

Howol was the legal name for Gamwon (監院).

If I am correct, the real reason Buddha invited me to spar was to teach him.

Even if others didn’t know, I knew.

The eyes of the Buddha sitting on the wall of the training hall were alternately directed at Gamwon and me.

It was strange that Gamwon took overall command in the first place.

Of course, he must have been an Arhat in the past.

But isn’t he now the head of the Eight Great Guards, which protects the masters of Shaolin Temple?

He was definitely not a person who could be mobilized for sparring to give enlightenment to outsiders.

“We have no plans to appoint Howol as the head of the room.”

Buddha raised his teacup with a faint smile on his lips and spoke assertively.

After clearing his throat once, he continued speaking leisurely, rolling the prayer beads in his left hand.

“I have already retired from the front line. “I don’t have the authority to decide on the next room leader.”

“But if you put your mind to it, it is possible to have a profound impact.”

“I have no desire to do that. “That may not work.”

“…….”

“More than anything, Howol himself was not interested in the position of room leader. “Maybe it’s because he was born as a warrior and has a stubborn personality.”

“Is that so?”

“Actually, Howol’s age and distribution are ambiguous to make him the next head of the room. Isn’t it a bit odd that the leader of a faction changes too often? “There’s nothing particularly wrong with the current room manager.”

“Of course.”

It was just as Buddha said.

At that time, there was only one distribution difference between new and reduced positions.

In order for Gamwon to become the head of the room, he had no choice but to either remove Shinseung from his position or wait patiently until he was old.

Neither option was very pleasant.

Even if I were to be retrenched, I thought I would rather attain the status of an elder and enter the Jangsaengjeon Hall than to become the head of the room when I was all old.

If you have the ambition to rise to the top at least once, your thoughts may be a little different.

“However, your guess is not entirely wrong.”

“……?”

“I believe that Howe is a talented person who will lead the future of Shaolin Temple. “The reason I entrusted him with the overall command of the Hundred Eight Arhats was to teach him some kind of lesson.”

I nodded as if I knew it would happen.

I had heard that job cuts led to unprecedented progress.

There was no way that a person as high as the head of the Shaolin Temple could pass on his vision to just anyone.

Unless you want to make the target your successor or have another reason equivalent to that.

“The monks of the Shaolin Temple have outstanding skills, but they also have one weakness in common. The point of view is narrow. “Because I am a monk, I rarely have to leave Seungsan, so it is inevitable.”

“Was that the reason why Monk Howe was dispatched to the Sacheon branch in response to Meng’s request for support?”

“right. “I put in some effort to make that happen.”

It was the moment when the reason why the head of the Eight Great Guards, which protects the head of the Shaolin Temple, suddenly participated in the expedition to southern Manchuria was revealed.

I was expecting it to some extent, so it wasn’t a huge surprise.

“If you look at his qualifications as the leader of a large power, the Shaolin Bangjang of his time is an outstanding person who cannot even be compared to me. Even Howeol won’t be able to reach him by a long way.”

“…….”

“However, Howol’s growth potential as an unmanned person is much higher. Baek Myeong is clearly an excellent martial artist, but he doesn’t seem to be too gentle in acknowledging his limitations. Even as time passes, he will never become an absolute expert.”

Therefore, leave the position of head of the room to monk Baek Myeong, but raise monk Howe to be the highest leader of the sect and develop the martial arts of Shaolin.

It wasn’t a bad idea.

In some ways, it could be said to be a reasonable decision.

“Right now, the level of 100 people is a little higher, but it will eventually turn around. “Whether it’s ten or twenty years, given enough time, Howol will definitely rise to the top of the county.”

“understand.”

“So, has your curiosity been resolved?”

“yes.”

“Seeing as the sky has brightened, I guess I should get out of bed soon.”

“I’ll just get up and take a look.”

“okay. See you again.”

“I will come see you again sometime when I have time.”

I said something I had no intention of saying and put the teacup down on the table.

I feel sorry for the Buddha, but I would never visit Shaolin Temple again.

One terrible experience was enough.

* * *

After leaving Seongsan, my group and I stopped at a nearby luxury inn instead of heading straight to Honam, where the headquarters of the Murim Alliance is located.

God looked at me with a bewildered expression as I sat at the largest table and ordered food.

“Was the reason you left early to have breakfast?”

“You are asking the obvious.”

“This is absurd.”

“After eating only vegetable side dishes for a few days, my stomach feels empty, so I should be able to bear it. “Shouldn’t we at least fill our stomachs well before going on a long journey?”

“I don’t think that’s what a foodie who ruined Shaolin Temple’s food warehouse would say.”

“It’s the Shaolin Temple’s fault for not diligently stocking its treasury.”

Soon, the food that Jeomsoi had ordered began to be brought in one by one.

The large table was filled with plates.

Hyeokryun-wook, Cheon Ga-ryeong, Lee Su-yeon, and Dok-go-seong.

Everyone picked up their chopsticks with a burdened expression.

“Eat to your heart’s content. “If it’s not enough, you can order more.”

“…I don’t think there’s any need to order more from here.”

It felt like a lot for breakfast, but I was starving for meat and didn’t mind at all.

It took less than half an hour for all the dishes to be completely emptied.

God said, staring at me with a tired expression.

“Perhaps the most surprising thing is not your physical durability or resilience, but the elasticity of your stomach.”

* * *

After traveling for six days, we reached Honam via Hubei.

The carriage arrived at the main gate of the Murim Alliance and the gatekeeper confirmed the identity of the occupants.

“I’d like to meet the Chief of Cheonan Inspector General.”

I passed the warrior who bowed his head politely and headed straight to the temporary base of Cheonan Gambu.

The building was previously used as an inspection department.

Dang Seo-yeon, who heard the news and came to meet me, welcomed me with a bright expression.

“welcome. ……Unrang.”

I almost lost my mind for a moment when I saw her blushing shyly while calling me by an unfamiliar nickname.

Conscious of the eyes watching, I stopped a couple of steps in front of her and hugged her as she hesitated, and stinging glares poured in from all over.

Yeo So-ok, standing next to Bang Cheok-sam, twitched the corner of her mouth.

Just before we left Jiangsu, he was lying in a hospital bed and suffering, but now he seemed to be much better.

“…….”

With a bitter smile on his face, Cheon Ga-ryeong entered the building first, taking Dok Go-seong and Lee Soo-yeon with him.

I released Dan Seo-yeon, who was struggling with a very embarrassed expression, and made eye contact with her.

“I’m sorry for making you wait so long.”

“Oh no.”

I entered the palace hall while chatting with her, whose nape was turning bright red.

It took quite some time for the unrest to subside.

“Boss.”

When I arrived at the office, which had been empty for a long time, Bangcheoksam approached me and spoke to me.

I offered him a seat and sat down across from him, placing my clasped hands on my knees and saying.

“Did you recognize it?”

“yes. Please take this first.”

Bangcheoksam handed me the report he had taken out of his pocket.

As I flipped through the papers one by one and checked the contents, I narrowed my brows slightly.

‘Tsk.’

Before returning the injured members to Maeng’s headquarters, Bang Cheok-sam was ordered to conduct an investigation in advance.

I want you to find out how I was suddenly given the mission to escort and bring back Shinui.

‘Is that something like that?’

I thought it was strange.

Because it was a measure that was not readily understood.

Although he clearly knew that the Cheonan Gambu members were injured and exhausted, sending them out on missions was an act that could have hurt each other’s feelings if done incorrectly.

I was wondering why they wanted to turn me away when it wasn’t enough to tell them to quickly return and submit a detailed report, but that has now been resolved.

‘Complaint letters from various clans and families have arrived.’

What was problematic was the statement I made before starting an all-out war with Samasegawa.

[Once brainwashed, there is no turning back.]

[You can turn pottery into powder, but you can’t collect that powder and make it back into pottery, right? It’s the same thing.]

I didn’t think the repercussion would be small, but it seemed to be much worse than expected.

I didn’t regret what I said at the time.

If we had been needlessly tied up in that situation, our allies would have suffered great damage.

Even if I could turn back time, I would act the same way I did then.

‘Was the reason you assigned the mission to delay my return?’

It seems that Artist Joo wanted to buy time until public opinion criticizing me calmed down.

Even if it means giving a somewhat unreasonable order.

‘That’s a pain in the ass.’

In some ways, it may have been something that was bound to happen.

All of the Jiangshi who died or were maimed by the Allied Forces were the main force of each clan and family.

All of them were someone’s death penalty, teacher, and object of admiration.

‘It’s natural for people in great sadness to find someone to blame. ‘High-ranking members of the Maeng who felt the need to keep me in check must have incited them to escalate the situation.’

While I was thinking about how to respond, the door to the office opened and a man appeared.

It was Hong Seong-hyeon, a member of Cheonan Gambu.

He opened his mouth with a cautious expression.

“A messenger has just arrived. “It is said that Lord Maeng called the manager.”

“The lord?”

I frowned and got up from my seat.

How dare you immediately call someone who has just returned.

‘I hoped it would give me at least a day to settle down and relax.’

It probably wasn’t the will of one leader.

It must have been pressure from those who were looking for an opportunity to bite me.

As I left the building with a sigh, the black night attendant who was waiting outside took the lead and showed me the way.

I walked towards the headmaster with a tired expression.