Chapter 176

“Hahaha...”

The sound of the High Monk Seonsa’s laughter rang out. It was a magnificent sound, as though the mountains themselves were resonating.

“Will you sit? You are the ‘first’ guest to ever come here. I would like to gaze upon the Heaven-Earth Genesis Scroll together.”

“I won’t refuse.”

Unhwi sat down beside the High Monk Seonsa. The two of them gazed silently at the Heaven-Earth Genesis Scroll.

“May I ask what you see?”

At the monk’s question, Unhwi turned back to the scroll.

It contained information beyond description.

Unhwi interpreted it in his own way.

“I see order being born from chaos. But at the same time... the seeds of chaos are growing within that very order.”

The High Monk Seonsa nodded.

“Well seen. The principle of Heaven and Earth is circulation. From chaos comes order, and within order grows new chaos—this endless cycle is the very nature of all things... It is, in its own way, beautiful, wouldn’t you agree?”

“I do. This circulation—this movement of Heaven and Earth—is something we as people, and as martial artists, ought to uphold.”

It was just something Unhwi said in passing, but the monk seemed to take it quite seriously.

He looked at Unhwi and laughed again—but this time, it was a different kind of laughter.

As if his curiosity had reached its peak. A smile filled with wonder.

Feeling slightly burdened, Unhwi shifted the subject.

“So... was I right to tear the Yijinjing?”

“You tore it because you believed it was the right choice, didn’t you?”

“Yes. But whether it was real or fake... even I don’t know.”

“Hahaha... how amusing. Then, what do you think? Did the Yijinjing seem real to you?”

“I don’t know. But real or fake, one thing was certain—it was the object of desire.”

“The object of desire...”

“Yes. That desire would have bred more desire, forming a never-ending cycle. The second trial was, after all, a test of desire. If I hadn’t severed it, all my companions there might have died.”

A deep satisfaction flickered in the monk’s eyes.

“You understand the principle of Heaven and Earth.”

“You flatter me.”

“It is no flattery. Your martial arts cultivation may not be all that high... but your understanding of the martial path is beyond even the highest tier.”

The High Monk Seonsa seemed truly delighted in this moment.

“The Yijinjing you tore was a fake. As I suspected, it was merely a component of the trial. And what you said—that martial arts are tools—I agree with deeply.”

“I see.”

“No matter how mighty a martial art may be, if the heart of the one who wields it is not upright, it becomes a disaster. In the end, true value lies in the person.”

His gaze turned back to the Heaven-Earth Genesis Scroll.

“Great Master Bodhidharma created the Yijinjing to express the principles of Heaven and Earth through martial arts. But those who desired it saw only power—and missed the truths within.”

Unhwi looked at the monk without a word.

The monk’s eyes deepened.

“The moment you severed the cycle of desire, you already touched the core of the Yijinjing.”

He slowly extended his index finger and touched Unhwi’s forehead.

Unhwi remained still.

It wasn’t that he didn’t react—he couldn’t.

“I see within you a burden, an unspeakable torment and past... but I am now certain you will walk the right path.”

“Why is that?”

“Because you said it yourself. No matter how powerful martial arts may be, their value lies in the person.”

Something began to pour from the monk’s hand into Unhwi’s mind.

At that moment—

Unhwi felt a vast wave of knowledge crash over him.

It was overwhelming.

Was this how martial arts could be passed on?

He had never heard of such a thing.

Knowledge of Heaven and Earth, the laws of the universe, the birth and transformation of all things—all of it surged into his mind.

Much of it was familiar, and much needed refining, but that wasn’t the point.

Yijinjing.

Its mnemonic formulas scrambled inside his head.

Heaven and Earth Become One; Form and Spirit Both Wondrous

Muscle Changes and Bone Transforms; All Methods Return to One

Breathe in Heaven and Earth; Expel the Old, Take in the New

In Stillness, Observe Freely; In Motion, Be Like Lightning and Thunder

No Form, No Appearance; No Thought, No Force

Qi Flows Through All Meridians; Spirit Fills the Great Void

Not just the formulas—the stages of cultivation, the effects, every detail.

It all began to crystallize in his mind.

The pain was so great he clutched his head, but he didn’t stop thinking.

Unhwi had seen many martial arts in his time, but never one like this.

“This is... the Yijinjing?”

“It is. It is no mere martial art—it is a key to understanding Heaven and Earth. If you truly comprehend it, you will surpass the boundaries of martial cultivation. As I have.”

The monk’s voice began to fade.

“Remember. Martial arts are just tools. What matters is the heart of the one who uses them. The heart that understands the order of the world and severs the cycle of desire—that is true strength.”

Unhwi’s vision began to blur. The Heaven-Earth Genesis Scroll, the monk—they slowly vanished.

Enduring the pain, he asked one last question.

“...High Monk Seonsa... was that really you?”

“A remnant of thought.”

The monk’s kind voice pierced into Unhwi’s mind.

“Whether you are the ‘One Awaited’ or not, the fact that you used ‘that’ and became a ‘Reincarnator’—that too was fate. Even so, master the Yijinjing... for the greater cause...”

His final words echoed faintly, but Unhwi could not catch all of them. His consciousness quickly faded.

Blinding light enveloped him again.

***

He opened his eyes.

All the concepts that had scrambled his mind just moments ago were now cleanly organized. The pain had disappeared.

No—submerged.

Everything was calm.

[...That one’s remnant of thought... has accepted you.]

“You seem surprised.”

[You were not the one awaited... and yet you received the gift meant for the awaited one. That means his remnant found certainty in you. I... do not understand it.]

“Is it my duty to make you understand?”

[No.]

“Then is there anything else to say?”

[Yes. You passed the trial. You deserve your reward. Even this place has to honor that—it is a secret realm, after all.]

The tone had subtly changed.

No, not subtly. Completely.

A moment ago, the voice had been full of weight. Now, it was lighter—as though relieved.

Unhwi could guess why.

[Before you head to the next trial, take this.]

Jiwoon waved his hand toward the empty air.

Space rippled, and three boxes of varying size fell out.

The largest box went to the eldest brother, the mid-sized one to Seo Hyo, and the smallest—just about palm-sized—fell to Unhwi.

He opened it immediately.

Inside was a glove.

To be honest, he’d never seen a material like it. The qi flowing through it felt... alien.

[It is called the Buddha-Hand Seal.]

Buddha-Hand Seal.

“That glove... did it belong to the Great Master Bodhidharma?”

Jiwoon burst out laughing.

[No idea where that nonsense rumor came from. It was mine.]

There was only one glove. Of the two sides, only one bore an engraved hand-seal, and it seemed clearly for the left hand.

[You’re not a disciple of the Buddhist path, so you won’t be able to perform all seventy-two mudras. Still, I’ll make it clear—if you infuse it with qi, it boasts invincible defense.]

“Invincible defense, you say.”

[Even without any qi, it can easily block attacks from someone at the Heaven-Earth Apex. And from a Musin Five-Tier expert—excluding those at the peak tier—it should block at least three strikes.]

Given that his own cultivation was still shallow, being able to block an attack at that level was an extraordinary gift.

“Thank you. I’ll put it to good use.”

[You’d better. I gave the Shadowless Hammer to that servant of the Demonic Sect, and the Bright King Rosary to the descendant of the Ice Palace... Figure out how to use it on your own.]

As soon as the words left his mouth, one wall of the Vajra Hall opened to reveal another passage.

[You have passed the second trial. Now, the Hall of Zen Tranquility awaits. That is where the final trial lies... though I doubt the trial even matters anymore. You’ve already taken everything.]

As Jiwoon turned to leave, Unhwi asked,

“You won’t appear in the Hall of Zen Tranquility, will you?”

[I won’t.]

“Then this is your rest.”

[Rest... yes, I suppose it is.]

Unhwi quietly cupped his fist and bowed.

“You’ve worked hard, senior.”

[...I still don’t understand.]

“What do you mean?”

[You’re not the one our predecessor waited for. And yet I gave that to you, which should’ve gone to the awaited one. I cannot fathom his will... it’s still all tangled.]

“Then, allow me to ask just one question.”

[Go ahead.]

“You seem to have something you must do. But I doubt you’d answer me even if I asked. So—if I fully master the Yijinjing... will that resolve it?”

At that, Jiwoon flinched.

[...Yes. If you master the Yijinjing, our grand cause will be complete. Mastering it would mean the purpose has been fulfilled—or at least, come very close.]

“Then... do you think I’ll die an early death?”

[Judging by the ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) way you speak and think, you’ll probably outlive me.]

“Then you can rest easy.”

He raised his left hand, now wearing the Buddha-Hand Seal.

“I’ll use it well, senior.”

[...If I were still alive, watching would’ve been a pleasure... What a shame. A real shame.]

Jiwoon crumbled into dust.

Unhwi turned to the other two and asked,

“Will you rest a while? Or proceed right away?”

In truth, he didn’t even need to ask.

“Let’s go straight through.”

“...Let’s move on.”

Their answers reflected their personalities perfectly.

The eldest brother even had a faint smile—clearly trying to see the bright side.

Seo Hyo, on the other hand—

The countless conversations he’d had with the remnant must have unearthed some personal flaws; a hint of discomfort clung to his voice.

The two men were fundamentally different in many ways.

And so, the three of them stepped forward—toward the final trial.