The atmosphere in the hall began to cool down.

What were they expecting here?

They wanted to see the best warriors, who would be responsible for the future of their sects, use their all to compete and win.

Because the brightest among them were fighting, there was bound to be interest in seeing things that they hadn’t seen during previous spars.

However, the scene unfolding in front of them, who gathered to see this fight, was different from what they expected.

‘What is this?’

Everyone was visibly shocked.

Chung Myung was unilaterally pushing around Hae Yeon of Shaolin, that too without a sword?

And one of the best techniques Shaolin had ever known was destroyed with just a pair of bare hands?

Of course, these facts were a bit disconcerting.

But the thing which shook them the most was the heavy atmosphere on the stage. And that heavy and gloomy feeling began to crush down onto the audience.

But it was nothing compared to what the sect leaders were going through.

“Hm.”

In the end, Heo Do Jinin couldn’t hold on and groaned.

-This is nothing compared to what Mount Hua has suffered.

Those words pierced his body.

Unknowingly, he glanced around.

People who were looking at the stage with faces that showed their confusion. And just like Heo Do Jinin, they couldn’t hide their discomfort from showing.

Two types of people were mixed in this situation.

However, what made Heo Do Jinin truly shocked was the fact that most of the sect leaders seemed to be ignorant of this.

‘Did they forget it?’

Had so many of them forgotten what happened?

“Haha.”

He sighed.

It had been only a hundred years.

To Heo Do Jinin, Mount Hua was like a thorn in his heart. It was something he didn’t show, but every time he looked at Mount Hua, he would feel a bit of a prick on the inside.

But…

‘There are those who forgot about it too?’

Well, that could be.

Because it was never spoken about.

It couldn’t have been something that was passed down to the next generation sect leader. And Mount Hua was already in a state of ruin. So the past sect leaders must have thought that keeping their mouths shut and dying would do more good for their sects.

But now Mount Hua had crawled up from the pits of despair.

And now they were asking them.

Are you being honest?

Really.

Heo Do Jinin shook his head. His gaze was fixed on Chung Myung, who couldn’t stand his own anger.

The anger.

The wailing.

How could he not understand it?

How would it have been if he was in the same position as Chung Myung? What if Wudang gave up everything to save the world and Wudang, who received such a huge task, was ignored and the sects turned away from it?

What if they went through a crisis that almost took them down?

There was nothing more to think about.

‘I would have turned into the Asura.’

He would have sold his soul to even the devil to destroy the Nine Great sects.

Once again, he could see how resolutely Mount Hua had walked on this path. It was difficult for a person who had been neglected to walk on the right path without cursing at others.

And…

‘The anger which has been suppressed is now exploding through that child.’

“Infinite Light shine on us… Amitabha.”

A cold voice pierced the ear of Heo Do Jinin.

“The words he said aren’t just for Shaolin.”

He turned his head.

Tang Gunak of the Tang family opened his mouth, looking at the stage with cold eyes,

“Of course, from the position of a leading sect, there are times when you have to turn your head knowing the result.”

The sharp words suppressed the atmosphere.

Those who knew the circumstances were silent, and those who didn’t know of it, didn’t open their mouths.

They just stared at Chung Myung with the feeling of being crushed.

“Get up.”

Hae Yeon flinched at the sound of the cold voice telling him to get up.

Cold sweat was forming on his forehead.

‘He stopped the Hundred Steps Divine Fist.’

It was something he hadn’t heard of.

Divine Fist.

It literally meant a fist or punch with the power of a god.

To destroy mountains, and divide seas, yet, the power which could cause that much destruction was helplessly crushed down in front of the red qi.

His eyes trembled, not knowing what to do.

“Stand up.”

“…”

The voice was making his heart scared.

The chill was shaking his emotions.

‘This…’

Was fear.

Growing up in the arms of Shaolin, he never felt such a feeling. The eerie fear that stiffened his body refused to let it move.

“Your shoulders are stiff.”

“…”

“You.”

Chung Myung called,

“Can you not hear me? I said your shoulders are stiff.”

Hae Yeon flinched at those words and checked his condition.

‘T-this…’

Actually, his whole body was stiff. His muscles weren’t relaxing and were stiff like a rock.

Clench!

Sweat was dripping down his chin, and fell to the ground.

“I do not want to hear excuses like you didn’t show your skills because you were nervous or some shit.”

Hae Yeon looked at Chung Myung with blank eyes.

“Get up. Show me all you can do because I need to loosen up my thoughts.”

Hae Yeon’s mind continued to stay messed up.

‘What is this man talking about?’

He didn’t understand it.

Why was he venting out so much anger?

How can a man possess so much killing intent?

No, above all…

Thud!

The moment Chung Myung stepped forward. Hae Yeon reflexively rushed at Chung Myung without even organizing his thoughts.

“Ahhhh!”

His face contorted from the fact that he couldn’t relax.

He stood there as the pride of Shaolin. No one in Shaolin doubted that he would defeat his opponent and come out victorious.

Shaolin’s hope rested on his shoulder.

The place which led the world would be Shaolin, no matter what others say. Those who carry the world on their backs cannot be the same as others.

He cannot give up!

He must not lose!

Pang!

His fist slammed into the air creating an explosion and a sharp pounding sound.

And it all happened so fast.

The fist, which was filled with qi, moved forward like it wanted to crush the face of Chung Myung. But Chung Myung just stared at Hae Yeon with cold eyes until the fist came close to him.

Tak.

Chung Myung’s palm touched the fist which was coming for his face.

He pushed it lightly, and the fist immediately lost its direction.

At the same time, Hae Yeon didn’t look shocked.

He clearly understood that his opponent was in a position that he could not reach now.

So he twisted his body in the air and turned to kick Chung Myung in the side. It was a basic Tiger Kick.

Tuk!

But before he could even turn in the air, Chung Myung’s fist hit Hae Yeon in the forehead. The legs which couldn’t find the ground lost balance, and he was thrown back.

And then came three successive attacks.

Hae Yeon, who hadn’t recovered his stance, was hit on his thigh, side, and shoulder with Chung Myung’s feet.

Even then, he managed to block the kick to the thighs and side, but he couldn’t block the one to his shoulder.

Kuak!

The pain was as if an iron rod had slammed into him, making his entire body hurt.

“Kuak!”

Hae Yeon bit his lip, trying to counter, but Chung Myung once again moved faster.

Swish!

Chung Myung’s feet brushed directly over his head as he desperately ducked.

A feeling of his bones becoming brittle inside.

But Hae Yeon was Hae Yeon. He could not back down.

So he quickly touched the ground with his hands and began to unfold the Reclining Buddha Form and raised his body.

Pang!

Hae Yeon’s fist barely passed in front of Chung Myung.

‘I knew you would avoid it.’

Hae Yeon bit his lip.

This man avoided everything till now. However, in a position with his back tilted, he wouldn’t be able to handle the continuous attacks of Hae Yeon.

So he slammed himself into Chung Myung, who was defenseless.

Thud!

Chung Myung, who had crossed both his arms, blocked the attack, but since his form wasn’t fully established, he got pushed back.

“Ahh!”

Woong!

As the floor continued to break, a majestic light shone from the feet of Hae Yeon, who stepped forward.

Suddenly his body rose from the floor and moved at Chung Myung.

“Supreme Kick!”

Heo Do Jinin shouted, looking shocked.

What he was seeing was definitely one of the most infamous kicks of Shaolin, which is called the Supreme Kick.

Shaolin’s techniques, which pursued the dharma, were simple and might even look too simple on the outside, but they were known to have profound qi within.

Hae Yeon, who moved like a hawk looking at its prey, kicked Chung Myung in the head.

Kwaang!

The powerful kick which fell down swept the body of Chung Myung, and it didn’t end there. Hae Yeon immediately jumped up in the air again.

Wooong!

Hae Yeon’s body began to glow with a brighter light now.

“Amitabha!”

As if the entire Shaolin was with him, Hae Yeon’s strength pushed forward like an illusion.

“That!”

All those who recognized this jumped up!

“No!”

“Oh my… !”

Heo Do Jinin looked at Hae Yeon with shocked eyes as he groaned.

“Buddha’s Palm!”

Even in the Shaolin sect, no one had learned this technique in the past hundred years.

And this child learned it?

It was clearly understood from the shape of the palm draped in golden light, which was emanating from Hae Yeon and which was beginning to enlarge.

It is the Buddha who descended into this world using his own hands. The shape of this gigantic palm covered the body of Chung Myung.

Kwaang!

The entire stage exploded.

Hard blue stones below were smashed down.

The people who were watching this felt like lightning had struck them. The shattered stones rushed for the audience.

“Kuak!”

“Run!”

Among the audience, those who learned martial arts kicked away the falling debris, and those who couldn’t defend themselves were moved away by combat techniques, but fortunately, no one was seriously injured.

Despite the commotion, the surroundings were silent.

Far from making a fuss, the people held their breath, unable to take their eyes off the stage.

They couldn’t help it.

Who would dare and speak out, when such a large incident happens?

“… oh god.”

Everything which occurred made people go dumb. On the gigantic stage, which was made of sapphire, which shouldn’t break, a huge handprint fell down as if God had placed it.

‘A human did this?’

‘… the power of Shaolin.’

The people went silent in front of the Buddha’s Palm, which Hae Yeon produced.

They couldn’t help but realize how Shaolin managed to maintain its position as the leader of all sects for all these hundred years.

Even the disciples of Mount Hua were in awe. And they looked at the stage with blank eyes.

And someone mumbled,

“… Chung Myung?”

At those words, the disciples flinched in fear.

Yoon Jong screamed with trembling eyes.

“C-Chung Myung…!”

“Quiet.”

A cold word stopped him. It was Baek Cheon.

He was sitting with a stiff face looking at the stage.

“Sasuk!”

“Be quiet.”

Baek Cheon said again.

“Look at Hae Yeon’s face.”

Everyone who heard it looked at the face of Hae Yeon through the dust.

And realized.

‘Is he tired?’

Blue?

It was as if he had lost everything after he exuded such power. No one will be able to point a finger at him, though.

Hae Yeon’s face looked blue, as if someone was still chasing him.

That was to say.

Exhilarating.

The shattered blue stone in the ground was shaking, and Chung Myung came up.

“Ptoey.”

He spat out the blood in his mouth and brushed his loose hair. His hair was pushed back, revealing his eyes which were angry.

Flinch.

Hae Yeon, who received that gaze, felt his body shudder.

“Euk…”

His body was drenched in sweat, and now he couldn’t even hide his fear.

It was impossible for a mere human to withstand this anymore. No, it should have been impossible for him to stand.

But…

How was Chung Myung standing tall?

Rumble!

Chung Myung walked out of the wreckage and crushed the stones which were below his feet, making the same sound as if bones were breaking.

“Look clearly.”

Chung Myung smiled.

Blood kept dripping down from his face. There was no other way to describe this sight of white teeth soaked in blood being exposed as anything other than terrifying.

“So…”

Chung Myung stretched to the side.

Everyone thought that the broken stones were shaking, but it was the plum blossom sword of Chung Myung that was buried, which moved on its own into his hand.

“Now, let’s finish this.”

Srrng.

The plum blossom sword was pulled out of its sheath.

Tung!

After throwing the sheath onto the floor, Chung Myung lowered the sword and looked at the sky.

‘Sect leader sahyung’

Do not say that I’m not mature.

Because I don’t think what I am doing now is mature either.

But.

But…

Chung Myung closed his eyes.

A short silence

The moment he opened his eyes.

The sword in his hand began to draw in a soft curve like an illusion.

A curve beautiful enough to draw everyone’s attention.