Chapter 444

Chapter 444

Tang Ha-ran saw off Jin Ja-gang as he departed with Yeong-gwi.

Holding the child, Tang Ha-ran spoke to Jin Ja-gang.

“Though I’m only acting head, I am now the head of the Tang family. As long as I’m the head, I won’t cast you out. You can’t just slip away to somewhere else midway because you don’t want to be a burden.”

She had said she would fill all the shortfall in salt with the Tang family’s resources and return it to the merchants. This was Tang Ha-ran’s determination to never let Jin Ja-gang bear the blame and burden alone.

“It happens that all kinds of troubles are breaking out in the martial world, so we should be able to endure somehow. It’s not just us, but Emei Sect and Qingcheng Sect are also involved, so the situation is better than expected.”

Jin Ja-gang smiled slightly.

“Where would I go? This is my home.”

“Good. You needed that level of shamelessness. But because of that shamelessness, there’s something that worries me a bit.”

“What do you mean?”

“By becoming the head, my long-standing deficiency has been filled. What about you?”

Jin Ja-gang thought for a moment, then looked at Tang Ha-ran and the child in turn before answering.

“It has been filled.”

However, Tang Ha-ran instead glared at Jin Ja-gang with sharp eyes.

“Then there’s no excuse for cheating now. You know what I mean, right?”

Jin Ja-gang flinched.

“You’re going to Emei Sect. There will be many young and pretty female monks there too. You just said with your own mouth that it’s been filled. If you shamelessly cheat…”

A chill.

Jin Ja-gang felt a shiver.

“I won’t think such thoughts. I won’t do it. I won’t do it.”

“Good.”

Tang Ha-ran held the child’s tiny hand and waved it.

“Dok-cheon, let’s say goodbye to daddy and tell him to come back safely without bringing any women.”

“What are you saying in front of the child!”

“You should look behind you when talking.”

Son-bi could be seen.

Jin Ja-gang hurriedly said goodbye to the child.

“Dok-cheon, I’ll be back.”

His daughter’s childhood name had become Dok-cheon.

***

Jin Ja-gang rushed to Mount Emei with Yeong-gwi.

Now that he could use lightness skills, travel wasn’t as slow as before. Though his strides weren’t as consistent as Yeong-gwi’s or other martial artists’, it was lightness skills he had mastered to fit his own body.

When they arrived at the mountain gate of Mount Emei, a yellowish-brown boulder with inscribed text greeted Jin Ja-gang and Yeong-gwi.

“Samantabhadra is the eldest son of Buddha. Emei is the leader of mountains.”

These were bold inscriptions filled with pride.

Jin Ja-gang looked up. All the peaks of Mount Emei were above the clouds.

Mount Emei had countless temples besides Emei Sect, so those who didn’t know the way would get lost. Jin Ja-gang looked at Yeong-gwi, but Yeong-gwi also shook his head.

“No matter how complex the interior is, Emei Sect wouldn’t not know we’ve come…”

Yeong-gwi wondered.

But then.

“Kkeek?”

Suddenly, a monkey’s cry was heard.

Peculiarly, a monkey with white fur was crouched on a short tree ahead, looking at Jin Ja-gang and Yeong-gwi. Behind it, several other monkeys poked their heads out curiously.

Mount Emei originally had many monkeys living there. Having frequently stolen monks’ caps and pilgrims’ bundles, these monkeys had become accustomed to human belongings.

However, a white monkey was a rare species.

The monkey tilted its head curiously.

Yeong-gwi turned her attention away from the monkey and turned her head.

“We don’t have time. Let’s go up first…”

Then the white monkey charged at Yeong-gwi’s bundle. Yeong-gwi casually brushed off the white monkey’s hand, finding it bothersome. In an instant, the white monkey’s arm moved mysteriously, avoiding Yeong-gwi’s hand and snatching the bundle.

“Ah!”

Though the startled Yeong-gwi gripped the bundle tightly, the white monkey had already stolen it. When Yeong-gwi reached out his arm, the white monkey spun its arm to avoid Yeong-gwi’s hand.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

No matter how many times Yeong-gwi reached out, it avoided everything with quick movements. Not only that, it even slapped Yeong-gwi’s hand away with its other hand.

For a mere animal, its hand techniques were extraordinary.

“This, this creature!”

Though her reddened face wasn’t visible due to the human skin mask and heavy makeup, Yeong-gwi was flustered.

The monkey had avoided the hands of the master Yeong-gwi several times. Even using techniques including the Grappling Hand.

But then the white monkey looked at Yeong-gwi’s face and tilted its head curiously.

The white monkey suddenly threw the bundle backward and charged at Yeong-gwi’s face. Then it tried to tear at Yeong-gwi’s face with its hands!

Yeong-gwi was angry but couldn’t use lethal force against the white monkey. Being a Buddhist sacred site, Mount Emei made it burdensome to harm even animals. Yeong-gwi struck the white monkey with her palm edge, putting some internal energy into it. Even if not killing it, she thought to break at least an arm.

However, knowing that Yeong-gwi was holding back, the white monkey instead charged forward and clung to Yeong-gwi’s arm. Then it gripped Yeong-gwi’s elbow tightly, precisely at the pressure point. Yeong-gwi was greatly shocked when one arm was paralyzed by the monkey’s hand.

The white monkey climbed spirally up the paralyzed arm to her face.

“Aah!”

Yeong-gwi covered his face and shook her head to shake off the white monkey.

“Kkeek! Kkeek!”

The white monkey persistently wrapped its legs around Yeong-gwi’s neck and tried to tear at his face.

Other monkeys also rushed over and clung to Yeong-gwi. They tore her clothes and scratched her, tormenting her.

Then.

“…!”

All the monkeys stopped moving and looked in one direction.

Jin Ja-gang was glaring at the monkeys.

The monkeys chattered and laughed. Then they tried to attack and torment Yeong-gwi again.

Clever. They knew they couldn’t be harmed on Mount Emei.

But the monkeys flinched again. All their fur stood on end, making them look like hedgehogs.

The monkeys looked at Jin Ja-gang and bared their teeth, making threatening cries.

“Kkeaaah! Kkeaaah!”

Jin Ja-gang’s killing intent was growing thicker and thicker.

The white monkey jumped down from Yeong-gwi’s face and struck a nearby tree. A tree trunk so thick that an adult would need both arms to barely embrace it was torn and fell. It was unbelievable for such a small monkey’s strength.

The white monkey bared its fangs and gums, showing hostility against Jin Ja-gang’s killing intent.

Jin Ja-gang spoke to the white monkey.

“Whether human or beast, whether this is a sacred mountain or before Buddha, if you act up, you die.”

Though it couldn’t possibly understand Jin Ja-gang’s words, the white monkey surprisingly seemed to comprehend. The white monkey bristled its fur and approached Jin Ja-gang while glaring at him.

“Grrrrr.”

The white monkey’s eyes gleamed as it charged at Jin Ja-gang. It was different from when it had been tormenting Yeong-gwi earlier. It left afterimages that were almost invisible to the eye. Its movements were those of a martial arts master.

Jin Ja-gang extended his hand.

Crack! The white monkey grabbed Jin Ja-gang’s extended hand and tried to bite it, but stopped as if realizing something. Jin Ja-gang threw the white monkey straight to the ground.

Then he stepped on the white monkey’s chest to prevent it from escaping.

“Kraaak!”

The white monkey struggled. Sharp claws extended long. However, it couldn’t scratch Jin Ja-gang’s foot and could only struggle helplessly.

The white monkey instinctively knew.

What would happen if it scratched Jin Ja-gang’s foot!

Crunch, crunch. Jin Ja-gang’s foot continued to dig into the white monkey’s chest.

It’s going to die!

This was probably the first time it had faced a life-threatening danger while living on Mount Emei. However, the white monkey, being the leader of the monkeys, didn’t easily submit and still bared its teeth.

A clear voice from ahead stopped Jin Ja-gang.

“Please spare it.”

An Emei Sect female monk was rushing down breathlessly.

“We’ve been too indulgent, so it has no manners. I hope Poison Dragon benefactor will show mercy.”

Jin Ja-gang looked down at what was under his foot.

“If it charges at me one more time, I’ll kill it immediately.”

The white monkey was about to bare its teeth even more, but after meeting Jin Ja-gang’s intense gaze, it slowly began to close its mouth.

This one is not human.

Those eyes are less than human.

The white monkey judged so.

“Kkeek, kkeek.”

At the white monkey’s cry that leaked between its lips, the monkeys hesitantly backed away from Yeong-gwi.

And they scratched their heads while looking around.

Only then did Jin Ja-gang lift his foot.

The white monkey escaped from under his foot and bowed obsequiously while watching Jin Ja-gang’s expression.

The Emei Sect female monk was quite amazed and admiring.

“This is the first time I’ve seen the white monkey cowed by a human.”

The Emei Sect female monk also apologized to Yeong-gwi. In the meantime, Yeong-gwi fixed his clothes and redid his facial disguise.

“I’m sorry. Though we knew you were coming, we couldn’t come down quickly. Everyone’s movements are slow because the poison hasn’t been resolved.”

The Emei Sect female monk guided them up the path.

Jin Ja-gang looked back. The white monkey was looking at Jin Ja-gang, then followed along. There seemed to be no hostility like before. However, it was making a strangely peculiar expression.

As Jin Ja-gang climbed the path, he asked.

“Did the monkey learn Emei Sect’s martial arts? I felt some parts were similar to Emei Sect’s martial arts I’ve seen before.”

“Ah, the white monkey’s movements are quite different from ordinary monkeys, aren’t they? The monkey didn’t learn our martial arts, but originally Emei’s martial arts originated from the white monkey’s movements. The origin is very old, and now that sword techniques have become mainstream, it’s become much fainter, but in the past, Emei was more famous for fist techniques.”

“I see.”

Jin Ja-gang and Yeong-gwi continued climbing Mount Emei under the female monk’s guidance. The steep and treacherous stairs continued to such an extent that it was understandable why she said they couldn’t come down quickly because the poison hadn’t been resolved.

When they reached the summit of Mount Emei, it was a spectacular sight with the bases of the peaks covered by a sea of clouds. The back of the summit was entirely cliff, but the front had a wide, leveled area where a large main hall was built. The wind was strong, making their clothes flutter violently.

Perhaps because of this, the roof of the main hall was made entirely of iron tiles, giving a unique impression.

This was Emei Sect’s Iron Tile Hall.

As soon as the group arrived in front of the Iron Tile Hall, screams could be heard from inside.

“Aaaahhh!”

“Ahhh!”

There were several monkeys on the roof of the Iron Tile Hall, but they quickly ran away, startled by the screaming.

The expression of the Emei Sect female monk who had guided Jin Ja-gang hardened.

“We’re interrogating the rebels who participated in the rebellion.”

“May we go in?”

“The sect leader has permitted Poison Dragon benefactor.”

This meant Yeong-gwi should wait outside. Jin Ja-gang entered the main hall of the Iron Tile Hall with the female monk. The white monkey followed even there.

A bloody smell wafted from inside.

Female monks who had been bound with torn clothes and were half-naked knelt in a row, covered in blood, while female monks holding clubs and spears on both sides glared at them with fierce expressions.

However, even excluding the rebels, most of the female monks didn’t look well.

Abbess In-eun also had a tired expression due to the poison not dissipating and greeted Jin Ja-gang.

“I’m extremely ashamed to receive you in such an environment. Please understand.”

Jin Ja-gang passed by, looking at the rebels who bowed their heads in wretched condition.

Though Jin Ja-gang wasn’t acquainted with them, among them was even Nang-ryeong, a woman in her fifties who was once called one of Emei Sect’s three great masters along with Demonic Nun.

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Tang Ha-ran saw off Jin Ja-gang as he departed with Yeong-gwi.

Holding the child, Tang Ha-ran spoke to Jin Ja-gang.

“Though I’m only acting head, I am now the head of the Tang family. As long as I’m the head, I won’t cast you out. You can’t just slip away to somewhere else midway because you don’t want to be a burden.”

She had said she would fill all the shortfall in salt with the Tang family’s resources and return it to the merchants. This was Tang Ha-ran’s determination to never let Jin Ja-gang bear the blame and burden alone.

“It happens that all kinds of troubles are breaking out in the martial world, so we should be able to endure somehow. It’s not just us, but Emei Sect and Qingcheng Sect are also involved, so the situation is better than expected.”

Jin Ja-gang smiled slightly.

“Where would I go? This is my home.”

“Good. You needed that level of shamelessness. But because of that shamelessness, there’s something that worries me a bit.”

“What do you mean?”

“By becoming the head, my long-standing deficiency has been filled. What about you?”

Jin Ja-gang thought for a moment, then looked at Tang Ha-ran and the child in turn before answering.

“It has been filled.”

However, Tang Ha-ran instead glared at Jin Ja-gang with sharp eyes.

“Then there’s no excuse for cheating now. You know what I mean, right?”

Jin Ja-gang flinched.

“You’re going to Emei Sect. There will be many young and pretty female monks there too. You just said with your own mouth that it’s been filled. If you shamelessly cheat…”

A chill.

Jin Ja-gang felt a shiver.

“I won’t think such thoughts. I won’t do it. I won’t do it.”

“Good.”

Tang Ha-ran held the child’s tiny hand and waved it.

“Dok-cheon, let’s say goodbye to daddy and tell him to come back safely without bringing any women.”

“What are you saying in front of the child!”

“You should look behind you when talking.”

Son-bi could be seen.

Jin Ja-gang hurriedly said goodbye to the child.

“Dok-cheon, I’ll be back.”

His daughter’s childhood name had become Dok-cheon.

***

Jin Ja-gang rushed to Mount Emei with Yeong-gwi.

Now that he could use lightness skills, travel wasn’t as slow as before. Though his strides weren’t as consistent as Yeong-gwi’s or other martial artists’, it was lightness skills he had mastered to fit his own body.

When they arrived at the mountain gate of Mount Emei, a yellowish-brown boulder with inscribed text greeted Jin Ja-gang and Yeong-gwi.

“Samantabhadra is the eldest son of Buddha. Emei is the leader of mountains.”

These were bold inscriptions filled with pride.

Jin Ja-gang looked up. All the peaks of Mount Emei were above the clouds.

Mount Emei had countless temples besides Emei Sect, so those who didn’t know the way would get lost. Jin Ja-gang looked at Yeong-gwi, but Yeong-gwi also shook his head.

“No matter how complex the interior is, Emei Sect wouldn’t not know we’ve come…”

Yeong-gwi wondered.

But then.

“Kkeek?”

Suddenly, a monkey’s cry was heard.

Peculiarly, a monkey with white fur was crouched on a short tree ahead, looking at Jin Ja-gang and Yeong-gwi. Behind it, several other monkeys poked their heads out curiously.

Mount Emei originally had many monkeys living there. Having frequently stolen monks’ caps and pilgrims’ bundles, these monkeys had become accustomed to human belongings.

However, a white monkey was a rare species.

The monkey tilted its head curiously.

Yeong-gwi turned her attention away from the monkey and turned her head.

“We don’t have time. Let’s go up first…”

Then the white monkey charged at Yeong-gwi’s bundle. Yeong-gwi casually brushed off the white monkey’s hand, finding it bothersome. In an instant, the white monkey’s arm moved mysteriously, avoiding Yeong-gwi’s hand and snatching the bundle.

“Ah!”

Though the startled Yeong-gwi gripped the bundle tightly, the white monkey had already stolen it. When Yeong-gwi reached out his arm, the white monkey spun its arm to avoid Yeong-gwi’s hand.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

No matter how many times Yeong-gwi reached out, it avoided everything with quick movements. Not only that, it even slapped Yeong-gwi’s hand away with its other hand.

For a mere animal, its hand techniques were extraordinary.

“This, this creature!”

Though her reddened face wasn’t visible due to the human skin mask and heavy makeup, Yeong-gwi was flustered.

The monkey had avoided the hands of the master Yeong-gwi several times. Even using techniques including the Grappling Hand.

But then the white monkey looked at Yeong-gwi’s face and tilted its head curiously.

The white monkey suddenly threw the bundle backward and charged at Yeong-gwi’s face. Then it tried to tear at Yeong-gwi’s face with its hands!

Yeong-gwi was angry but couldn’t use lethal force against the white monkey. Being a Buddhist sacred site, Mount Emei made it burdensome to harm even animals. Yeong-gwi struck the white monkey with her palm edge, putting some internal energy into it. Even if not killing it, she thought to break at least an arm.

However, knowing that Yeong-gwi was holding back, the white monkey instead charged forward and clung to Yeong-gwi’s arm. Then it gripped Yeong-gwi’s elbow tightly, precisely at the pressure point. Yeong-gwi was greatly shocked when one arm was paralyzed by the monkey’s hand.

The white monkey climbed spirally up the paralyzed arm to her face.

“Aah!”

Yeong-gwi covered his face and shook her head to shake off the white monkey.

“Kkeek! Kkeek!”

The white monkey persistently wrapped its legs around Yeong-gwi’s neck and tried to tear at his face.

Other monkeys also rushed over and clung to Yeong-gwi. They tore her clothes and scratched her, tormenting her.

Then.

“…!”

All the monkeys stopped moving and looked in one direction.

Jin Ja-gang was glaring at the monkeys.

The monkeys chattered and laughed. Then they tried to attack and torment Yeong-gwi again.

Clever. They knew they couldn’t be harmed on Mount Emei.

But the monkeys flinched again. All their fur stood on end, making them look like hedgehogs.

The monkeys looked at Jin Ja-gang and bared their teeth, making threatening cries.

“Kkeaaah! Kkeaaah!”

Jin Ja-gang’s killing intent was growing thicker and thicker.

The white monkey jumped down from Yeong-gwi’s face and struck a nearby tree. A tree trunk so thick that an adult would need both arms to barely embrace it was torn and fell. It was unbelievable for such a small monkey’s strength.

The white monkey bared its fangs and gums, showing hostility against Jin Ja-gang’s killing intent.

Jin Ja-gang spoke to the white monkey.

“Whether human or beast, whether this is a sacred mountain or before Buddha, if you act up, you die.”

Though it couldn’t possibly understand Jin Ja-gang’s words, the white monkey surprisingly seemed to comprehend. The white monkey bristled its fur and approached Jin Ja-gang while glaring at him.

“Grrrrr.”

The white monkey’s eyes gleamed as it charged at Jin Ja-gang. It was different from when it had been tormenting Yeong-gwi earlier. It left afterimages that were almost invisible to the eye. Its movements were those of a martial arts master.

Jin Ja-gang extended his hand.

Crack! The white monkey grabbed Jin Ja-gang’s extended hand and tried to bite it, but stopped as if realizing something. Jin Ja-gang threw the white monkey straight to the ground.

Then he stepped on the white monkey’s chest to prevent it from escaping.

“Kraaak!”

The white monkey struggled. Sharp claws extended long. However, it couldn’t scratch Jin Ja-gang’s foot and could only struggle helplessly.

The white monkey instinctively knew.

What would happen if it scratched Jin Ja-gang’s foot!

Crunch, crunch. Jin Ja-gang’s foot continued to dig into the white monkey’s chest.

It’s going to die!

This was probably the first time it had faced a life-threatening danger while living on Mount Emei. However, the white monkey, being the leader of the monkeys, didn’t easily submit and still bared its teeth.

A clear voice from ahead stopped Jin Ja-gang.

“Please spare it.”

An Emei Sect female monk was rushing down breathlessly.

“We’ve been too indulgent, so it has no manners. I hope Poison Dragon benefactor will show mercy.”

Jin Ja-gang looked down at what was under his foot.

“If it charges at me one more time, I’ll kill it immediately.”

The white monkey was about to bare its teeth even more, but after meeting Jin Ja-gang’s intense gaze, it slowly began to close its mouth.

This one is not human.

Those eyes are less than human.

The white monkey judged so.

“Kkeek, kkeek.”

At the white monkey’s cry that leaked between its lips, the monkeys hesitantly backed away from Yeong-gwi.

And they scratched their heads while looking around.

Only then did Jin Ja-gang lift his foot.

The white monkey escaped from under his foot and bowed obsequiously while watching Jin Ja-gang’s expression.

The Emei Sect female monk was quite amazed and admiring.

“This is the first time I’ve seen the white monkey cowed by a human.”

The Emei Sect female monk also apologized to Yeong-gwi. In the meantime, Yeong-gwi fixed his clothes and redid his facial disguise.

“I’m sorry. Though we knew you were coming, we couldn’t come down quickly. Everyone’s movements are slow because the poison hasn’t been resolved.”

The Emei Sect female monk guided them up the path.

Jin Ja-gang looked back. The white monkey was looking at Jin Ja-gang, then followed along. There seemed to be no hostility like before. However, it was making a strangely peculiar expression.

As Jin Ja-gang climbed the path, he asked.

“Did the monkey learn Emei Sect’s martial arts? I felt some parts were similar to Emei Sect’s martial arts I’ve seen before.”

“Ah, the white monkey’s movements are quite different from ordinary monkeys, aren’t they? The monkey didn’t learn our martial arts, but originally Emei’s martial arts originated from the white monkey’s movements. The origin is very old, and now that sword techniques have become mainstream, it’s become much fainter, but in the past, Emei was more famous for fist techniques.”

“I see.”

Jin Ja-gang and Yeong-gwi continued climbing Mount Emei under the female monk’s guidance. The steep and treacherous stairs continued to such an extent that it was understandable why she said they couldn’t come down quickly because the poison hadn’t been resolved.

When they reached the summit of Mount Emei, it was a spectacular sight with the bases of the peaks covered by a sea of clouds. The back of the summit was entirely cliff, but the front had a wide, leveled area where a large main hall was built. The wind was strong, making their clothes flutter violently.

Perhaps because of this, the roof of the main hall was made entirely of iron tiles, giving a unique impression.

This was Emei Sect’s Iron Tile Hall.

As soon as the group arrived in front of the Iron Tile Hall, screams could be heard from inside.

“Aaaahhh!”

“Ahhh!”

There were several monkeys on the roof of the Iron Tile Hall, but they quickly ran away, startled by the screaming.

The expression of the Emei Sect female monk who had guided Jin Ja-gang hardened.

“We’re interrogating the rebels who participated in the rebellion.”

“May we go in?”

“The sect leader has permitted Poison Dragon benefactor.”

This meant Yeong-gwi should wait outside. Jin Ja-gang entered the main hall of the Iron Tile Hall with the female monk. The white monkey followed even there.

A bloody smell wafted from inside.

Female monks who had been bound with torn clothes and were half-naked knelt in a row, covered in blood, while female monks holding clubs and spears on both sides glared at them with fierce expressions.

However, even excluding the rebels, most of the female monks didn’t look well.

Abbess In-eun also had a tired expression due to the poison not dissipating and greeted Jin Ja-gang.

“I’m extremely ashamed to receive you in such an environment. Please understand.”

Jin Ja-gang passed by, looking at the rebels who bowed their heads in wretched condition.

Though Jin Ja-gang wasn’t acquainted with them, among them was even Nang-ryeong, a woman in her fifties who was once called one of Emei Sect’s three great masters along with Demonic Nun.

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