Chapter 172: Shaolin Temple
Shaolin.
The Taishan and Beidou of the righteous martial world.
Moyong Cheonhwi's claim that Demonic Cult forces were hiding within Shaolin was nothing short of shocking.
“Did you say Shaolin?”
I couldn't help asking again.
Moyong Cheonhwi nodded gravely.
“Ominous signs have been discovered throughout Henan.”
He continued,
“Several secular disciples of Shaolin have disappeared, and objects believed to bear traces of the Demonic Cult were found at the places where they were last seen.”
The meeting room erupted into murmurs.
“Shaolin's secular disciples have gone missing?”
“Good heavens! How could something like this happen?”
Moyong Cheonhwi stopped speaking and watched everyone.
It almost looked as though he were waiting for their anxiety to spread further.
After a moment, he continued.
“That is not all.”
His expression darkened.
“Reports have also come in that several young warrior monks inside Shaolin recently displayed strange symptoms.”
I asked,
“What kind of symptoms?”
Heo Seongbaek, standing nearby, answered in his place.
“Blackened veins.”
His voice was grave.
“Clouded eyes.”
Then—
“And... sudden madness.”
The murmuring grew louder.
It was the same phenomenon that had recently appeared throughout the righteous martial world.
Henan.
Shaolin.
And traces of the Demonic Cult....
The moment those three things came together in my mind—
Wait.
A faint memory from my previous life stirred.
Could this be...?
There was definitely something that came to mind.
But if it was what I thought...
it shouldn't have happened until much later.
No.
I can't jump to conclusions yet.
There still wasn't enough information.
Then Moyong Cheonhwi looked toward me.
“Taoist Han.”
Every gaze in the room immediately followed his.
He studied me for a moment before slowly speaking.
“There is only one reason the Demon Expulsion Unit was created.”
His voice lowered.
“To uncover the remnants of the Demonic Cult hiding throughout the martial world...”
“and tear them out by the roots.”
Then—
“And now it seems there is a matter I must entrust to you as Commander of the Demon Expulsion Unit.”
The atmosphere inside the meeting room grew heavy.
Moyong Cheonhwi looked directly at me.
“Go to Shaolin.”
His expression was solemn.
“Determine whether the disturbances occurring there are truly connected to the Demonic Cult.”
He paused.
“And if remnants of the Demonic Cult are indeed hiding within Shaolin...”
His voice hardened.
“then in the name of the Commander of the Demon Expulsion Unit, find them and cut them out.”
He phrased it like a request.
But in reality...
it was an order that was difficult to refuse.
The Demon Expulsion Unit had been created to fight the Demonic Cult.
Its commander could hardly avoid going to a place where traces of the cult had supposedly appeared.
But the place in question was Shaolin.
If Demonic Cult forces truly existed inside Shaolin...
it would shake the entire martial world.
The mere fact that remnants of the Demonic Cult had hidden themselves within the very grounds of Shaolin, known as a pillar of the righteous faction, would severely damage Shaolin's prestige.
And if the Righteous Alliance were the one to uncover and eliminate them?
The Alliance's influence would grow even stronger.
It would become the organization that had found a Demonic Cult shadow even Shaolin itself had failed to notice.
And if I failed?
Then I would become the Commander of the Demon Expulsion Unit who barged into Shaolin searching for the Demonic Cult and found nothing.
One wrong move...
and I could even be blamed for trampling Shaolin's dignity.
So you're throwing me into a deathtrap on my very first mission.
But I had no intention of backing down.
I looked straight at Moyong Cheonhwi.
“I'll take the assignment.”
The meeting room fell silent.
A brief glint passed through Moyong Cheonhwi's eyes.
I continued calmly.
“If remnants of the Demonic Cult are truly hiding inside Shaolin...”
“then as Commander of the Demon Expulsion Unit, I will tear them out by the roots.”
“Hahaha.”
Moyong Cheonhwi laughed in satisfaction and nodded.
“As expected of the Commander.”
Then he asked,
“Will you mobilize the Demon Expulsion Unit immediately?”
I shook my head.
“Not yet.”
His brow lifted.
“Not yet?”
“What do you mean?”
I answered calmly.
“If the entire Demon Expulsion Unit moves openly, any Demonic Cult forces hiding inside Shaolin may disappear completely.”
I met his eyes.
“We need to move as quietly as possible.”
“Hmm. However....”
Moyong Cheonhwi's eyes narrowed.
He looked almost disappointed.
And I already understood why.
I need to keep the Righteous Alliance's eyes away as much as possible.
If too many people came along...
Moyong Cheonhwi's spies could easily be mixed among them.
I decided immediately, before he could try anything else.
“For now, I will go with only a small group selected personally by me.”
I continued,
“After confirming the situation, if I determine that the full Demon Expulsion Unit is necessary, I will mobilize them then.”
Moyong Cheonhwi stared at me for a long time.
His gaze seemed to probe for my true intentions.
Eventually...
he nodded.
“Very well.”
“I will leave the decision to you, Commander.”
I offered a martial salute.
“Thank you for trusting my judgment.”
Outwardly, I showed him proper respect.
Inside, however—
Just watch.
This board isn't going to move the way you want.
That night, I immediately chose the people who would accompany me.
And at dawn the next morning...
I departed for Shaolin with the small group I'd personally selected.
Naturally, they were all from Kunlun.
Hyeongwon.
Myeongjeon.
Yu Seola.
And Jin Gwangung.
While we traveled, Jin Gwangung looked at me with concern.
“So in the end, you're walking straight onto the board Moyong Cheonhwi laid out.”
“Yes.”
He frowned.
“Heo Seongbaek killed Paeng Dohyeon.”
His voice lowered.
“There's a good chance Moyong Cheonhwi is behind that as well.”
Then he looked at me.
“And knowing that, why did you still accept his order?”
He genuinely seemed unable to understand.
I answered,
“If I want to tear off Moyong Cheonhwi's mask, I first need to see the board he prepared.”
I tightened my grip on the reins.
“Only then will I have a chance to overturn it.”
Jin Gwangung's eyes narrowed.
“What if he deliberately lured you into this?”
“It doesn't matter.”
He stared at me.
“Hunting down Demonic Cult forces is also part of my duty as Commander of the Demon Expulsion Unit.”
“Haa.”
Jin Gwangung released a short sigh.
Then said,
“You know this already, but Shaolin is different from other sects.”
“I know.”
“If you draw your sword carelessly there...”
His expression darkened.
“the one who gets cut may not be the Demonic Cult.”
“It may be your own neck.”
I looked at him.
“That's why I brought you and my fellow disciples along to protect me.”
"..."
Jin Gwangung shook his head in disbelief.
“Damn brat.”
He grumbled,
“The longer you live, the more you deliberately choose dangerous roads.”
I smiled.
“I learned it all from you, Master.”
“Bullshit.”
He snorted.
“I never taught you to be that stupid.”
At that moment, Yu Seola urged her horse closer from behind.
“Senior Brother.”
I turned.
“What is it?”
She asked,
“Do you really think this incident is connected to the Demonic Cult?”
I didn't answer immediately.
Hyeongwon, Yu Seola, and Myeongjeon knew nothing about Heo Seongbaek.
For now...
that truth was shared only by Jin Gwangung and me.
