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Chapter 4 - Chapter 3

Su Ran smirked wickedly at Ji Chun, extending a slender finger to lift the monk's chin. He watched with amusement as Ji Chun's moist, thin lips parted slightly, revealing a hint of vulnerability that seemed to delight him unexpectedly. "Hey, bald donkey," Su Ran taunted, his voice dripping with mockery. With a swift, deliberate motion, he shoved a dark, pungent substance into Ji Chun's mouth, forcing it past his lips. The monk's eyes widened in shock and disgust as the bitter, acrid taste flooded his senses. Su Ran leaned in closer, his smirk widening as he watched Ji Chun struggle. "Tell me," he sneered, "after you eat this, will the Buddha still hear your chants? Huh? Ha ha ha..." He threw his head back and laughed arrogantly, clearly reveling in the moment. With a flick of his hand, he unsealed Ji Chun's acupoints, eager to hear what the monk might say.

He coughed repeatedly, vomiting as soon as the acupoints were unblocked, Ji Chun bent forward, coughing violently as he tried to expel the foul substance from his mouth. His body shook with each convulsion, the force of his coughing so intense it seemed he might cough out his tongue. His prolonged struggle left his veins bulging and his face twisted in agony, his usually composed demeanor replaced by a disheveled, almost broken appearance.

When he finally recovered, Ji Chun raised his head slightly, his cold gaze locking onto Su Ran's face. He committed every feature, every detail of the man's figure to memory. If he survived this ordeal, he vowed to rid the world of this great evil.

"Get lost!" Ji Chun snarled as Su Ran approached him again. His body trembled with rage, and for a moment, it seemed he might break free from the ropes and lunge at his tormentor. Ji Chun had always been a man of calm and composure, rarely stirred to hatred. Yet, in less than half a month since descending the mountain, this man had provoked him to the brink of murderous fury. Reason told him to remain calm, but in this moment, even the Amitabha[1] Buddha he silently chanted in his heart seemed distant and forgotten.

Su Ran, however, remained unbothered, his triumphant smile only widening. The angrier Ji Chun became, the more it seemed to amuse him. Humiliating a monk like this was far more entertaining than simply taking his life.

Bang! The ropes binding Ji Chun snapped into pieces, flying into the air as he sprang to his feet. His eyes burned with rage as he launched himself at Su Ran, attacking with a ferocity that took the cult leader by surprise. Su Ran, quick to react, leaned back just in time to dodge the powerful strike. The smile faded from his face, replaced by a cold, calculating expression. He channeled his internal energy, intending to subdue Ji Chun quickly, but to his astonishment, the monk's skills had improved dramatically overnight.

Every time the poison in Su Ran's body flared up, his internal energy waned, making it increasingly difficult to deal with Ji Chun. This realization only fueled his irritation, and his attacks grew more vicious with each passing moment.

The fight raged on, the room descending into chaos as furniture shattered and debris flew. After more than an hour of intense combat, the space looked as though it had been struck by a catastrophe. Just as the battle reached its peak, Su Ran suddenly tilted his head toward the open window. Ji Chun, wary of a trick, instinctively followed his gaze. In the distance, faint wisps of red smoke curled into the air.

In that split second, Su Ran seized the opportunity. He swung his whip at Ji Chun, forcing the monk to dodge, and in the same motion, leaped out of the window. Ji Chun hesitated, torn between chasing after him and assessing the situation. Ultimately, he decided against pursuit, his priority now to rid himself of the lingering nausea in his mouth. He hurried out of the room to find someone to bring him water to rinse his mouth.

As soon as the innkeeper entered the room, he began to protest loudly, his voice filled with shock and disbelief at the state of the room.

"Wow—you monk, are you trying to tear down the house? Do you have any idea how valuable the things inside are? Pay me, pay me right now!" The innkeeper shouted aggressively, demanding that Ji Chun hand over the money immediately.

"Amitabha, this is my fault," Ji Chun replied calmly, clasping his hands together in a gesture of humility. He knew he was in the wrong. Fortunately, his Shidi had slipped a banknote into his bag before he left, or he wouldn't have known how to handle the situation. He handed the money to the innkeeper and apologized again, "I am truly sorry for the trouble. Thank you for your understanding..."

Seeing that the monk, despite his shabby appearance, was generous with his payment, the innkeeper's aggressive demeanor softened. His earlier contempt was replaced with a sudden respect. "Well, I must have been blind earlier. Master, is there anything else you need?" he asked, his tone now polite and accommodating.

Ji Chun remained composed, maintaining the serene and compassionate demeanor of a high-level monk. "Please fetch some clean water, benefactor," he requested.

"Of course, of course! Please wait a moment. I'll get it right away," the waiter replied, nodding and bowing before hurrying downstairs to fetch the water.

After rinsing his mouth more than a dozen times, Ji Chun still felt a faint trace of filth lingering, but he knew he couldn't dwell on it. The weight of his mission pressed heavily on him, and he had no choice but to endure the discomfort and continue his journey. For the next several days, he remained on high alert, fearing that the man from that day might return for revenge. Yet, as half a month passed without incident, his vigilance began to ease.

Finally, Ji Chun arrived in Jeju. Standing before a massive stone tablet engraved with the word "Jeju," he nodded to himself, relieved to have reached his destination within the expected time. After asking passersby for directions to the Tiangang Sect, he continued on his way.

The Tiangang Sect was located at the foot of Huishan Mountain in the southeastern part of Jeju. It had been hundreds of years since the sect's founder chose this secluded spot as its headquarters. The current head of the Tiangang Sect, Xu Zhen, was known for his humility and integrity, earning him great respect in the martial arts world. He had been close friends with the Ouyang family, the leaders of the martial arts alliance, for many years—some even said they were sworn brothers. When the Ouyang family was tragically wiped out, Xu Zhen took in the surviving young master, vowing to uncover the truth behind the massacre and avenge his sworn brother, Ouyang Kang. This incident had sent shockwaves through the martial arts world, and sects from all over had come to Jeju to pay their respects and seek answers, fearing that they too might be in danger.

As Ji Chun walked along the mountain path, he suddenly felt a wave of thirst. Finding a cool spot to rest, he sat down and took a drink from his water bag. Just then, he heard the sounds of a struggle in the distance. From the noise, it seemed like three people were ganging up on one, and the person being attacked didn't seem to be very skilled in martial arts. Guided by the belief that saving a life was more meritorious than building a seven-story pagoda, Ji Chun quickly packed up his things and rushed toward the source of the commotion.

"Do you even know who I am, you fools?" shouted the teenager, who appeared to be about fifteen or sixteen years old. His face was bruised, likely from a punch, and he snarled at the three men surrounding him.

"Who cares who you are? Just come with us quietly, and you won't get hurt," retorted the leader of the group, though it was clear he didn't dare to seriously harm the boy. His threats were mostly verbal.

As soon as the boy spotted Ji Chun, he immediately cried out for help, "Dashi! Dashi! Please help me!"

Ji Chun glanced at the young man calmly but said nothing. Instead, he turned to the three men and said, "Amitabha, three benefactors, could you spare this young man for my sake? If there is any grievance, perhaps we can resolve it peacefully."

"You damn monk! Who do you think you are?" one of the men snapped, his tone dripping with disdain.

"How shameless! Brothers, go! Kill this nosy monk and take that kid away!" The leading man spat on the ground, waved his hand, and shouted, then charged at Ji Chun with his weapon. However, the three men's martial arts was mediocre at best. Before they could even get close to Ji Chun, they were already lying on the ground, wailing and begging for mercy. "Please spare us, Master! We didn't recognize your greatness. We were wrong..."

Ji Chun, naturally inclined toward compassion, simply waved them off indifferently, signaling for them to leave. As he watched them scramble away, an inexplicable sense of familiarity washed over him. The image of a certain man flashed in his mind, causing his brows to furrow unconsciously. The water he had just drunk churned in his stomach, threatening to come back up. Fortunately, he suppressed the nausea in time, avoiding embarrassment in front of others.

With the danger gone and noticing the monk's serious and reserved demeanor, the young man stopped his earlier antics. He bowed respectfully to Ji Chun and said, "Thank you for saving my life, Dashi. My name is Xue Yao. May I ask where you are headed?"

"No need for formalities, benefactor. I am on my way to the Tiangang Sect to visit Xu Gongzi[2]," Ji Chun replied, clasping his hands together in return.

"Ah!" Xue Yao clapped his hands as if struck by a sudden realization. "Are you the abbot of Shaolin Temple, Hui Kong?"

Ji Chun shook his head gently. "Abbot Hui Kong is my Shifu."

"Then, Dashi, are you here to deliver medicine?" Xue Yao asked, his eyes lighting up with curiosity.

"May I ask who you are, benefactor?" Ji Chun inquired calmly, already beginning to guess the boy's identity. Xue Yao? Could it be...

"I am the Shenyi Xue they've been talking about," the young man answered with a smile. He hadn't expected to run into the messenger from Shaolin who was bringing the medicine while he was out playing in town. And to think, he had also met such a heroic and magnanimous Shixiong!

Hearing this, Ji Chun felt a surge of admiration for the young boy, who had already earned the title of "Shenyi[3]" at such a tender age.

"Since we're heading the same way, why don't we go back together?" Xue Yao suggested. This way, he wouldn't have to worry about being ambushed again.

"Very well," Ji Chun agreed.

When they arrived at the gates of the Tiangang Sect, two young men standing guard eagerly approached Xue Yao. "Xue Shenyi, you're back already!" they exclaimed.

"Yes, and this is Ji Chun Dashi from Shaolin Temple," Xue Yao introduced, nodding toward Ji Chun.

"Dashi, hello. My name is Bai Wu, and this is Hao Wen," the taller of the two young men said, stepping forward and bowing respectfully.

After exchanging a few polite greetings, Bai Wu led Ji Chun to meet Master Xu. However, they learned that Master Xu had gone out on business and wouldn't return until the next morning. Considering it impolite to leave before meeting the host, and given that the full extent of Young Master Ouyang's injuries was still unclear, Ji Chun decided to stay for a few days. He wouldn't be able to provide a proper report to his master back at the temple otherwise.

Bai Wu then arranged for a young disciple to take Ji Chun to a quiet courtyard, where a room was prepared for him. The disciple gave him careful instructions and spoke with great respect before leaving. Ji Chun, who preferred solitude, appreciated the remote and peaceful location of the courtyard. It seemed Bai Wu had intentionally chosen this spot, knowing the monk's preference for quiet.

After settling in, Ji Chun opened his bag, took out a sutra, and found a suitable spot to sit and meditate.

When dinnertime arrived, there was a knock at the door. Knock, knock, knock... Ji Chun stood up and opened it to find two disciples carrying lunch boxes filled with food. He quickly invited them in, silently admiring the Tiangang Sect's thoughtful hospitality.

Before he could speak, the visitors clasped their hands together and bowed respectfully. "Ji Chun Dashi, our Shixiong instructed us to bring you some vegetarian food. If you need anything else, please let us know."

"Good, good. Thank you, benefactors," Ji Chun replied gratefully.

With that, the two disciples left, and Ji Chun was alone once more. Just as he was about to sit down to eat, he heard footsteps approaching outside the courtyard. The sound grew closer, accompanied by the murmur of two voices in conversation, heading straight for his room.

Author's Notes:

If you like what you're reading. Please recommend (˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶)⸝✩

[1] A way to invoke the name of Amitabha Buddha. Figurative speech.

[2] Honorific- Young Master

[3] Term for Miracle Doctor

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