Chapter 274

The self-proclaimed warmth of a mother’s embrace was undeniably soothing. For Qing, who was merely a stranger, it was still a comforting moment for the Empress, holding the body of her daughter who had returned from the dead.

I wonder where this tangled backstory of mine started from.

Well, it all began from my attempt to follow your guide to enjoy some hobby without much difficulty and maybe find some fun in it.

But what’s wrong with that?

What’s the big deal with enjoying the captivating silhouette of a well-rendered lady on the screen while slaying a few enemies and making some companions, all while breezing through the story?

Whether it was that my understanding of those complicated settings was limited, or if it was because this was a different, separate world created as such, or perhaps my real self was just lethargically clicking away on the other side of the screen—who knows? Damn it. Let’s not think such bad thoughts…

Still, being embraced in someone’s arms, passionately drawn in as if to melt into one, felt like a stroke of good fortune.

Even if I have a few naughty thoughts, at least I wasn’t having an episode.

The moment Qing had that thought—

“Right. I’ve held onto you for too long. Then now—”

This lady sure is uncoordinated.

Since I was in no condition to let go without having an episode, Qing squirmed in her embrace.

“Just a little longer.”

“A fully grown princess shouldn’t be acting this way. You should know the previous ruler is no more.”

There are two ways to become a princess.

First, you’re born as the Emperor’s daughter, then subsequently appointed as a princess by the Emperor. (So not all daughters of the Emperor are princesses.)

“Princess” refers not so much to the Emperor’s daughter but rather to the title or position bestowed upon a daughter by the Emperor.

The second way is to be born as the Crown Prince’s daughter, then get appointed by the late Emperor as the ruler and thus naturally promoted afterward.

Soal had received the title of Princess Yeonsul during the reign of the late Emperor, so she naturally got promoted to Princess Yeonsul in the current Emperor’s reign.

Therefore, the Empress’s words—that a woman, not a child, should not be acting so disgracefully—had a point.

Even though I was clutching that daughter like my life depended on it.

Qing didn’t feel any aversion this time, enjoying the warm embrace, so much so that the naughty thoughts melted away, leaving her feeling revitalized.

“Then, now—”

“This time, I’m the one who misses it. Just hang on a little longer like this.”

Seriously, she’s really uncoordinated.

Eventually, after quite some time, Qing was finally released, but only after being granted permission to wear clothing at long last.

Even then, it was thanks to the rumbling in her stomach, sounding like the end of the world or perhaps the horrible screams of the dead from hell.

—-

“The most beautiful sword of the martial world, Cheonhwa-geom, has earnestly conveyed to His Majesty that Shaolin, being the pinnacle of orthodoxy in the martial arts world, deserves to be treated with proper respect, and thus advised the honorable martial artists. His Majesty has granted permission, so you should be thankful that he will not cause you any trouble.”

It wasn’t even to the extreme level of the eunuchs, but the woman of the court-like voice absolutely left listeners questioning their senses.

Regardless, it was good news for Shaolin.

It was a declaration that they would no longer insist on entering and would return quietly.

Whether it was a mother’s consideration or meddling, they had turned the credit back to Qing, allowing her to shine a bit.

“So Shaolin received your help again, huh? You told His Majesty well.”

The Great Master Muhak, Number One in the World.

If he really set his mind to it, he could have easily eavesdropped from the carriage on any conversation going on.

But would a monk like him eavesdrop on others?

Besides, it would be shameful to lean so low as to eavesdrop on a woman’s conversation while bearing the title of Number One in the World.

A man of his stature could simply intimidate them into revealing the conversation with his martial arts.

It wouldn’t do to sneakily overhear like a petty thief. That’s the kind of trickery a Sapa would engage in. (The future for the Muyo family looks bleak.)

If he got caught eavesdropping, it could be a tremendous crime.

Still, it would have been preferable to overhear.

If I had the princess reserved ahead of time, it would have been beneficial later on.

And she wouldn’t have thought of forcing me to go without feeding me.

“Listen, at this rate, the sun is going to set. Let’s hurry to Jeolgeumbyeok.”

“Um, Great Master? Can’t we have dinner first?”

“Hmm. For now, there’s no meat in temple food. And according to Yu, after seeing Jeolgeumbyeok, someone threw up everything they had inside them. If we eat dinner, wouldn’t it end up all coming back up again? Is it appropriate to eat food just to throw it all up later?”

“It was just a bit of blood I threw up… not really, right?”

Was it? Didn’t I throw up only blood?

It was so long ago that Qing had trouble remembering.

However, the Great Master Muhak wasn’t wrong.

If it was likely to be thrown up afterwards, I probably shouldn’t have eaten it in the first place. But then again, I don’t like being hungry. I should have simply insisted on having a meal at the Shaolin temple with Empress Mama.

I feel so terribly cheated…

But the statement about there being no meat in the temple food struck a huge chord with me.

What does a meal without meat even mean? Thinking about it, maybe it was to bear the hunger and eat some delicious meat later, which seemed like a thoughtful consideration.

“We should hurry and look, then eat. My stomach feels like it’s about to dramatically reunite with my back.”

“From my view, you could go two months without a single complaint, but fine, let’s go.”

As I hurried to catch up with the rushing Great Master Muhak, I spotted Seoliri quietly slipping back behind.

“Young Lady Seol? Where are you going? Weren’t you following me?”

“Dinner.”

What? Someone is starving here!

Qing looked at Seoliri’s expressionless face.

Is she teasing me, or is she just stating the facts in an unbothered manner? It’s hard to tell just by looking at her face.

I thought we had reduced the distance, especially as she poked me in the side and guided me firmly.

Just when I started to suspect that maybe there was even a hint of a smile, Seoliri added, “Meat.”

“Lady!”

She’s totally teasing me, isn’t she?

Seoliri then briskly dashed away, leaving Qing clutching her hungry belly to follow behind the Great Master.

The Shaolin temple had indeed taken residence on the northern foot of Songshan, and Jeolgeumbyeok had been carved into the Nanbong by the legendary Great Master Mucheondae.

In fact, it was thanks to that, the Shaolin monks had to take turns keeping watch at Nanbong, so thinking about it, it must have been out of consideration to show the female martial artists that place as well.

Upon arriving at the secluded canyon entrance leading to Jeolgeumbyeok, I noticed two Shaolin monks.

One was doing handstand push-ups, and the other was practically punching the cliff for no reason.

“Tsk, tsk. Did I tell you to keep watch, or were you so eager to distract yourselves?”

“Ah! Head monk! I was just observing upside down; I assure you, I was indeed keeping my post, cough cough.”

“Training and true fasting are one and the same, you know. Cough cough.”

The monks, who were trying to explain themselves, turned beet red upon seeing Qing.

It was as though they had suddenly discovered something suspicious on the ground.

Was that a distraction then?

It seems they were indeed doing something unworthy of their watch, with one standing on their head while the other was just punching the wall.

“Tsk, tsk. Being this timid, were you going to cause a scandal if your skin brushed against a lady?”

“Brushed against a lady…”

“Namu Amitabul! Troubles! Troubles begone!”

At that, one monk’s posture suddenly became awkward, and the other resumed pounding on the wall.

Qing’s graceful beauty was already at the level where it could be called the number one in the world. With the skills of these monks, even if they counted as the best, they couldn’t bear to stand against her.

“Tsk, tsk. Let’s go.”

“Uh, take care.”

Qing greeted them and then followed Muhak into the canyon.

Following along the steep path on the left and right, making light sounds, suddenly a wide basin appeared.

“So, what do you think? Do you see anything?”

“Um… that area is split?”

In one section of the basin, the tall rocky cliff was divided vertically. The cut was smooth and straight, clearly not something formed by mere natural causes.

No way, did that grandpa really slice the cliff open with some sword?

Previously, the cliff at Hwasan was scarred by countless sword auras, which was impressive, of course, but it was understandable for the sword aura to leave its mark on the rock.

But the sunset shone clearly beyond the split cliff, an astounding sight where it seemed to have cleaved the massive rock clear through to the other side.

“See here? Can you spot this footprint?”

Standing in the center of the open ground, Muhak pointed to the ground with his finger.

A large footprint was deeply imprinted in the rocky floor, surrounded by fine cracks that spread out like a rough circle.

“From here, holding your sword like this, stepping here, you must’ve sliced through the cliff. You should try stepping into the footprint.”

Qing promptly stepped into the footprint.

Then—

[Encounter Occurred – Legacy of the Great Master Mucheondae]

[You have witnessed the legacy left by the Great Master Mucheondae.]

Oh, right. This was how it worked.

The world drained of color and turned entirely gray.

While Qing searched for the splendid figure of an old man shimmering in the midst, wondering—huh? What?

Suddenly, her body wouldn’t move.

To be precise, it wasn’t that it wouldn’t move, but that her body was moving of its own accord.

Her field of vision turned automatically, revealing a monk she’d never seen before.

It didn’t seem to be the Great Master Mucheondae, as his color was devoid, simply a gray bald man.

“Hey, you bald dude.”

Qing was taken aback.

No, she only thought it, but never intended to speak such impudent words out loud.

Yet the voice that came out was that of a gruff old man.

“To break the chains of samsara and enter nirvana. Is what Buddhism pursues obedience or defiance against heaven? If we patiently wait in the cycle of eternal reincarnation, will the future Maitreya, arriving at the end of time, not save us all together?”

Maitreya refers to the Buddha who is prophesied to descend in the future in Buddhism.

In that vast compassion, he is said to teach the Dharma, ensuring that all people attain enlightenment and enter nirvana.

As a sidenote, the saying from a past blind bald man on the Korean Peninsula who claimed to be the Maitreya refers back here.

Anyway, salvation is already predetermined. Shouldn’t patiently waiting in the cycle of reincarnation be obedience as well?

That’s what the Great Master Mucheondae was asking.

The monk opened his mouth as if to respond, but no sounds came out.

Then, the Great Master Mucheondae answered.

“You call it immovable, but there’s no difference between movement and stillness.”

At that moment, a brilliant flash brought his right arm into view.

Judging by the feel of the handle, he seemed to be holding it upright, but for some reason, the weight of the sword kept becoming heavier.

Thus, there was a while of this.

A sword that had once been infinitely light transformed into the weight of rocks, mountains, and the very heavens, pressing down on his arm, shoulder, waist, and feet.

Finally, at one point, the entire world.

Qing suddenly became aware that she was supporting the weight of the whole world in her hand.

Yet still, immovable.

The Great Master Mucheondae did not move.

But the world shifted.

The massive cliff lunged toward the sword of the Great Master Mucheondae.

It wasn’t the sword that moved, but the world.

“You seek non-self, but I declare I exist in this world with self. Therefore, human intentions will not be swayed by any fate, and I wish for my life and my achievements to rise as a brilliant sun. Thus, mankind walks their own path, resisting the fate laid out for them. This is liberation and awakening, the path of defiance against heaven.”

And so, the Great Master Mucheondae concluded.

“As movement and stillness are the same principle, if to lose my existence in this world means non-self, then to erase the world and exist alone is nothing different from existing as self. Therefore, non-self and self are one.”

The world that could not conquer the Great Master Mucheondae, that could not suppress him, split apart, leaving the Great Master standing alone and dignified.

Alone, he exists in singularity.

To exist as my own being—self.

The great sword of solitude’s first principle.

Alone and outstanding.

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