Chapter 43
And so began the spar with Monk Yeonghwan.
I picked up the wooden sword I had used yesterday again and stood before him.
'He's not going to be an easy opponent.'
To be honest, it's not a fight I'm expecting to win.
First of all, since he is a martial artist one generation above me, the time he has spent training in martial arts is incomparable.
And on top of that, he was called a peerless martial talent even in Shaolin.
'He was one of the few martial artists who had directly exchanged blows with the Demonic Cult Leader.'
Even I, at that time, couldn't even get a glimpse of the Demonic Cult Leader.
I had only managed to end up in a mutual destruction with Mok Hwa-shin, who was called the Demonic Cult Leader's right-hand man.
The difference in skill between the Demonic Cult that invaded later and the orthodox martial world was that great.
The Demonic Cult Leader, as if choosing delicious food at a store, generously gave only a few people with great talent the opportunity to fight him.
Of course, everyone who fought the Demonic Cult Leader died.
'For now, if I can't surpass Monk Yeonghwan in his prime, I won't have a chance against the Demonic Cult Leader.'
So I have to become stronger than anyone else.
Of course, even stronger than the genius martial monk of the Shaolin Temple in front of me now.
Pabak!
The spar began naturally with me and Yeonghwan stepping on our footwork at the same time.
For a moment, Monk Yeonghwan's figure looks blurry.
Although his body seems to be not moving, his position is constantly changing.
If my concentration loosens even a little and I lose his position, he will surely enter my blind spot.
'Vajra Unmoving Footwork.'
That footwork is the Vajra Unmoving Footwork, one of Shaolin's footworks.
I know it as a very advanced footwork, but I never thought he would use it right away in a spar with me.
'Are we not going to do any probing and just go at it with all our strength from the beginning?'
It seems he's telling me to show what I've got properly, as he will show Shaolin's secret techniques without holding back.
It's actually a good thing.
Since the opponent is who he is, I can't hide even if I want to now.
Because I don't want to just show a helpless defeat, I'm planning to do my best.
Pajajak!
A human fist and a wooden sword collided, and a sound as if hard objects had collided rang out.
What made Monk Yeonghwan's fist so hard must be Shaolin's external art, the Iron Sand Palm.
Monk Il-jik, who I had fought first, had also learned the Iron Sand Palm.
But, the difference in level was so great that they could be seen as different martial arts.
Bwoong!!
Every time Yeonghwan's fist cut through the air, a chilling sound was made.
It feels like an iron club is brushing past my ear.
The fist seemed to be getting faster and faster, and although I could leisurely dodge or block it at first, now I had to barely dodge it by a hair's breadth.
'Right now. Gentleness against strength. That's the martial art of Wudang.'
I aimed precisely for when Yeonghwan's fist was flying towards my solar plexus and swung my sword.
What my sword is aiming for is his fist.
No, to be precise, it's that powerful destructive force that is raging around his fist.
The moment the sword and fist met... no, the moment I thought they met.
Binggeul!
The sword smoothly rode up Yeonghwan's arm, pulling up the destructive force as if sucking it in.
It's not that I used any special trick.
It's the basic sword art of Wudang, the Taiji Sword Art.
I just used the secret of the Taiji Sword Art, which uses the opponent's strength against them, at the right time and place.
"Heup!"
At that moment, my sword, which seemed to have flowed smoothly, suddenly created a strong sword wave, and Yeonghwan bent his waist back and barely dodged my sword.
Jii-ik—!
The tip of the sword got caught in his clothes and tore a long gash in the front of Yeonghwan's clothes.
Hwiririk!
At that, Monk Yeonghwan, as if he thought that just bending his waist was not enough, even stepped back with his footwork and created a distance from me.
I was about to chase him right away and deliver a follow-up blow, but I stopped trying to unfold my footwork due to a sudden ominous feeling.
"Ha! You have good senses."
Then Monk Yeonghwan let out a hollow laugh as if he was dumbfounded.
If I had gotten close to him, he was probably going to throw a punch right away, as his fist was already prepared at his right waist.
"When you cultivate the Tao and accumulate divine energy, you tend to get unnecessarily good intuition. Would you like to try cultivating the Tao with me too, Monk?"
"Hahaha! You're an interesting almsgiver!"
As he shouted heartily, he began to emit a true qi that I hadn't felt well until now.
It seemed he had changed his fighting style from one that mainly used external arts to one that also used internal techniques.
Although it's a type of internal energy I'm feeling for the first time, I know its name well.
'It's the Prajna Divine Art that I've only heard of.'
The martial art that made Monk Yeonghwan the best martial monk produced by Shaolin is this.
A divine art that completely shattered the prejudice that Shaolin was more focused on external arts than internal arts.
Gooo—
That nobility that even I, who have no reverence or faith in the Buddha, can feel.
In order to master and understand the Prajna Divine Art, Buddhist cultivation must come first.
That's why even in the current Shaolin, it's a martial art that only a few elders, including the abbot of Shaolin, Grandmaster Gakil, have learned.
But, Yeonghwan, who is still a rising star, was implementing it perfectly.
Hoo-woong!
He extended his fist, which was wrapped in a billowing white energy, towards me.
A simple straight punch with no tricks.
It's as if he's provoking me to try and block this fist with the secret of Taiji.
'Does he think I'm a fool?'
For a moment, a hollow laugh almost escaped me.
Because I wondered if he was extending his fist so straightforwardly, thinking that I would block a fist with such immense power.
Of course, if I dodge that fist, step on the Chilseongbo, get behind Monk Yeonghwan, and swing my sword... I might be able to gain the upper hand, but...
'Aish. I'm not a fool...!'
Sometimes, a martial artist is a very foolish existence.
I am also a martial artist in the end.
The spar I'm having now is not a life-and-death struggle, but literally a comparison of each other's martial arts.
'Yes. Let's try to block it.'
I ended up making a foolish choice.
Hwa-ak!
I raised the energy in my body to its limit.
Because I judged that in order to handle that internal energy, the secret of Taiji alone would not be enough, and I would also need sufficient internal energy.
If Shaolin's internal energy is a heavy energy that comes from studying Buddhism, our Wudang's internal energy is an energy that resembles nature more than that.
Especially the Taiqing Internal Technique that I've been learning from the Martial Uncle recently gives me a clean and clear energy that makes me feel like I've become a part of nature.
'He's so kind.'
Yeonghwan's fist, which had started earlier, still hadn't reached me.
Even if the time it took for me to raise my energy and put that energy into my sword was not a long time, for a master of Monk Yeonghwan's level, it's more than enough time to break through that gap.
But, since his purpose was not to knock me down, he had gone easy on me.
Shi-ik—!
Thanks to that, I also took a proper stance and unfolded the Flowing Cloud Sword Art.
Since it was obvious that I wouldn't have a chance if I clashed head-on with Monk Yeonghwan's fist, my sword brushed past his fist and went up his arm.
Jii-ik!
If the sword goes up the arm like this, it will reach the neck after passing the shoulder.
Monk Yeonghwan, as if to block that, raised his arm and clashed with my sword for a long time.
His arm didn't seem to be hurt at all thanks to the Iron Sand Palm and the internal energy of the Prajna Divine Art, but his clothes were torn from the sleeve.
But, there's no time to be distracted by just tearing his clothes.
Shwaeek!!
Because the distance between him and me had become too close to strike with the sword, and his free left hand was approaching my right side, tearing through the air.
Thwack!
I quickly put my right arm to my side to protect my abdomen, and Monk Yeonghwan's left fist struck my arm.
Although I had clearly blocked it with my arm, a heavy shock was transmitted through my arm to my abdomen.
The shock was so great that I couldn't even scream.
'It's not broken, is it?'
Even in that situation, I'm worried that if my arm is broken, I won't be able to train while it's healing.
I'm also dumbfounded, but I tried to hold on to my senses.
Because the spar is not over yet.
Binggeul!
I instinctively rotated my body in the direction I had been hit by Monk Yeonghwan's blow.
While resolving the shock of the blow, I used the destructive force left on my body to swing the sword that I was still holding firmly with my left hand.
Pajak!!
At the sword that was shot towards his head so quickly, Monk Yeonghwan reflexively raised both his arms and blocked the sword.
For a moment, a little surprise flashed in his eyes, and then that surprise soon turned into leisure.
He must have thought that my sword just now was the last move and that he had won.
'No. It's not over until it's over.'
At that moment, I saw a very big opening.
Yeonghwan had raised both his hands above his head to block my sword, and thanks to that, his abdomen was wide open.
But, there's no way to attack there.
The sword in my left hand is still against his arm, and my right arm is numb from taking the attack.
The distance is too close to use a leg technique to put enough power into it.
'No, what do you mean it's not possible.'
Ppudeuk, ppudeuk!
Even if I have no sensation, my right arm is still a part of my body attached to me.
When I forcibly injected internal energy into my arm and extended it forward, a strange sound came from my arm.
"......!"
Yeonghwan was surprised that I would attack with this arm, but thanks to the distance being too close, my arm was already almost touching him.
And the Taiji Palm that I unfolded with my last strength.
Thwack!
"Keuk!"
"Ugh!"
Although I was the one who hit, there were two groans of pain.
Because my arm hurt so much that I couldn't stand it anymore.
"Aigoo, I'm dying. My arm."
I no longer cared about the spar or anything and hugged my right arm and rolled on the floor.
It hurt so much that I couldn't even put proper strength into it, but Yeonghwan seemed to be fine.
"A-Are you okay!"
On the contrary, he, who was surprised, approached me and checked my condition.
"This, the arm...! Il-yeong, hurry up and carry this almsgiver! We're going to the medical hall."
"Y-Yes, Martial Uncle!"
Monk Il-yeong, who couldn't properly grasp the situation due to the sudden turn of events, heard Monk Yeonghwan's words, picked me up, and started running.
'Damn, damn, damn...!'
Why is the medical hall so far from the training ground? I'm so embarrassed because I ran into so many monks on the way.
I bowed my head deeply. The first defeat after becoming Unhwi of the Wudang Sect.
Even though it's clear that Yeonghwan went easy on me, I don't feel that bad.
But, this situation right now is just embarrassing.
'Run a little faster...!'
Actually, the pain has subsided a lot now, so I can walk, but it's more embarrassing to ask to be put down in this situation.
I just hoped that Monk Il-yeong would take me to the medical hall quickly and buried my face in his back.
***
The abbot of Shaolin, Grandmaster Gakil, sat facing his disciple, Yeonghwan.
"There was quite a big commotion earlier."
"Yes, Master."
Grandmaster Gakil said to him in a low voice.
Yeonghwan had answered Grandmaster Gakil's call, thinking he would be scolded severely, but he was not in a scolding tone.
"Fortunately, Almsgiver Unhwi was not seriously injured."
"Yes. I saw Martial Uncle Museong give Almsgiver Unhwi medicine."
Museong, whom Yeonghwan had mentioned a moment ago, was one generation higher than him and was the head of the Shaolin Temple's medical hall.
Due to the sacrifice of blocking Yeonghwan's attack, Unhwi's arm was a little twisted, but it was not a very serious injury.
It was an injury that would heal easily if he applied good medicine and didn't move his arm for a few days.
"That almsgiver named Unhwi... how was he when you fought him directly?"
"Haha... he was packed with talent. I also saw a fierce spirit. He had everything that is hard to have at that age."
"Yes. It seems a talented one has been born in Wudang too. By the way, thanks to you, we'll be less embarrassed. To think that the first victory of the spar was you, who is one generation higher. Tsk, tsk."
Although his tone was displeased, there was a sense of relief in Grandmaster Gakil's words.
But, Yeonghwan shook his head and said, "I don't think I necessarily won."
"What did you say...?"
Swoosh—
And, he slightly lifted the top of his clothes.
"No...!"
And the clear palm print on Yeonghwan's abdomen.
He said calmly and humbly, "If Almsgiver Unhwi had put in a little more strength... it might have been me who fell."
Although he had trained in martial arts for much longer than Unhwi, and was called a genius even in the great Shaolin Temple, he spoke with a look that said he had learned a lesson.
(End of Chapter)