The Terminally Ill Young Master of the Baek Clan

The current abbot of Shaolin was Grand Master Mu Jin.

Unlike Wudang, where the disciples of the Mu line have mostly retired, Shaolin’s Mu line was still active.

This was likely because Shaolin’s hierarchy was more closely spaced than other sects, similar to the Azure Forest.

Nonetheless, even the Mu line monks were on the verge of retirement due to their age.

One by one, the venerable monks have begun entering Nirvana — in other words, passing away from old age and illness.

The current strongest fist master and the current Murim Alliance Leader, the Divine Monk, was also known by the moniker Ailing Monk.

Among the active monks of the Mu line, only the abbot, the Dharma Hall, the Sutra Pavilion, and the Disciplinary Hall Heads remained, aside from the Council of Elders.

Of these, the Disciplinary Hall Head held a crucial role as he oversaw the monastic laws of Shaolin.

His Buddhist name was Mu Song.

Mu Song was a figure of both reverence and fear among Shaolin monks.

Even the most mischievous novice monks lowered their gaze and quietly swept the floor when Mu Song passed by.

It’s no wonder, given Mu Song’s stern appearance.

Around his firmly closed mouth grew a long, thick white beard, and deep furrows in his face reflected his strict nature.

As for his eyes, nestled beneath his thick brows, they seemed to barely show any whites.

His intensely black gaze seemed to peer directly into one’s inner turmoil and mischief.

The words from Mu Song’s mouth represented the Disciplinary Hall’s decree.

Sentencing captured demonic followers to a life of penance or expelling guilty Shaolin monks from the order — these decisions came from Mu Song himself.

Long ago, it was also Mu Song who declared Yi-ryong a defrocked monk.

It was the Disciplinary Hall Head who branded the stigma of excommunication on Yi-ryong’s forehead.

Beop Jae was completely overwhelmed by the atmosphere of the Disciplinary Hall, which he was witnessing for the first time in his life.

Torches lined up around him as he knelt down.

Beyond the flickering orange flames, the faces of elderly monks could be seen.

Due to their high spiritual attainment, they appeared detached, as if transcending the worldly desires of human life.

Even if the Disciplinary Hall decided to strip Beop Jae of his monastic precepts and expel him from the order, it seemed they would remain emotionally unmoved.

And then…

“Disciple, Beop Jae,” Mu Song spoke as if he were an underworld judge sentencing souls to hell, “For acting on personal intentions after receiving the order of the Dharma Hall to descend from the mountain.”

Regrettably, after creating such turmoil in Deungbong County, it couldn’t be ignored as if it never happened.

“As a monk who has taken the full monastic precepts, you failed to sever your worldly attachments, thus tarnishing Shaolin’s pure spirit.”

Mu Song’s voice thundered with an unwavering authority.

Although Beop Jae, being deaf, could only observe the shape of Mu Song’s mouth, he still felt the solemn weight of the reprimand.

“Additionally! During this period, you used Shaolin’s martial skills to assault and injure commoners!”

‘They were unruly rogues!’

He wanted to cry out, but not only was it impossible, but this was also a place where no rebuttal would be allowed.

Beop Jae trembled pitifully.

He had expected a harsh scolding upon his return, but he never imagined it would escalate to the Disciplinary Hall. Nor did he expect Grand Master Mu Song himself would preside over his sentencing.

He was not the only one kneeling.

Beside him, Jeong Myung was also kneeling.

“Disciple Jeong Myung. Although your rank is lower than Beop Jae’s, as a representative of Shaolin in external matters, you are guilty of failing to restrain your senior uncle and instead participating in the incident.”

“…”

Jeong Myung, though clearly wronged, only bowed his head in silence.

Beop Jae felt a surge of guilt and was overwhelmed by remorse for involving Jeong Myung.

‘This is no trivial matter… I’m in grave trouble…!’

It was truly a life-or-death crisis.

Beop Jae began to imagine the worst possible outcomes.

He might be sentenced to flogging and confined to the Penance Cave, living among the demonic followers.

Or, he might even be stripped of his martial arts.

He could end up with his dantian sealed, forced to study scriptures for the rest of his life.

“Thus, after careful deliberation, the Disciplinary Hall has made its decision.”

‘Or… could it be excommunication… am I to be excommunicated…?!’

Alternatively, he could become an excommunicated monk, a defrocked monk.

Thinking about it made his mind feel distant.

Finally, Mu Song delivered the sentence, “Beop Jae, you are to be on probation for one hundred days. Jeong Myung, fifty days of probation.”

“Woah!” Beop Jae shouted.

He didn’t say anything else, just “Woah.”

It was a much more merciful sentence than he had expected.

It was hard to understand why he had been given such a scare.

Bang!

Mu Song struck the floor with his staff to call for silence.

Beop Jae quickly bowed, and Jeong Myung respectfully lowered his head.

And with that, the Disciplinary Hall Head’s judgment was concluded.

Although the probation period was rather long, it was, in fact, a merciful sentence.

After all, probation only meant they couldn’t leave the temple grounds. Remaining within the vast confines of Shaolin wasn’t exactly a harsh punishment.

So then, what had happened to Yi-gang, who had also been involved in the incident?

Did he also receive some form of punishment?

Yi-gang, the person in question, was not kneeling but stood among the other monks in the back, watching like a spectator.

The monks of the Hyun line standing beside him murmured.

“That rascal Beop Jae, causing trouble while escorting a guest of the temple like that.”

“I thought Jeong Myung was calm and reserved… surprising.”

“It seems Grand Master Mu Myung made a plea for leniency to the abbot and the Disciplinary Hall Head.”

“It’s fortunate they only received probation. Jeong Myung must have sensed this would happen.”

Luckily, since he was only staying as a guest, he avoided any severe punishment.

Yi-gang turned to look at the Divine Monk, who was conversing with the Disciplinary Hall Head.

As if sensing Yi-gang’s gaze from afar, the Divine Monk slowly turned around.

Then he flashed a wide grin, baring his teeth.

「That rascal Beop Jae, it seems the fog of delusion has left his face.」

Yi-gang flinched.

Among such a large crowd, the Divine Monk had managed to transmit his voice precisely to Yi-gang, who was far away.

And the Divine Monk’s lips were unmistakably smiling.

Unless he was a master of ventriloquism, it was undoubtedly the Heart Speech of Wisdom Light, a technique of communicating mind to mind.

「You should undergo probation too. Use that time to heal your arm.」

With those words, the Divine Monk disappeared along with the other high monks of the Mu line.

Yi-gang chuckled softly.

He wondered just how much the Divine Monk truly knew.

Could it be that he was acting as if he could see through everything?

‘…There are certainly more high monks gathered here than usual today.’

Yi-gang suddenly thought as much.

It was an unusually high-ranking assembly of monks just to issue a probation sentence to two disciples.

Surely, it wasn’t just to intimidate them.

Seeing them leave with the Divine Monk suggested they had another purpose.

‘Well, it’s none of my business.’

It wasn’t Yi-gang’s concern at the moment.

Instead, Beop Jae and Jeong Myung were more important to him.

Yi-gang approached them with a lighthearted smile as they trudged along.

---

As Yi-gang briefly suspected, the venerable monks had gathered here for another purpose.

The place was the Great Ancestors’ Hall.

In this Great Ancestors’ Hall was the Founder’s Cave, where the portraits of Shaolin’s successive patriarchs were enshrined.

Though not an actual cave, the Founder’s Cave carried that name due to a special space within the Great Ancestors’ Hall.

A room sealed on all sides, hidden from Shaolin’s visitors.

Currently, it was being guarded by the Four Great Vajras, the elite protectors of Shaolin.

All four of them, masters who had reached the Supreme Peak, were guarding the Founder’s Cave where the meeting was taking place.

“It’s already cramped enough with everyone gathering in such a small place. Did we really have to come here, Abbot?” the Divine Monk grumbled at Abbot Mu Jin.

Mu Jin replied with a gentle laugh.

“Since Senior Brother has made an important decision, it’s only proper to pay respects to our ancestors.”

“Well, that’s true.”

Despite his complaints, the Divine Monk bowed to the ancestral statues in the Founder’s Cave, touching his forehead to the ground.

The Dharma Hall Head, Disciplinary Hall Head, and Sutra Pavilion Head also followed suit.

In addition, the junior monks from the Arhat Hall and Prajna Hall also paid their respects.

“Ancestors, we are always grateful. I hope to soon lie beside you as well.”

When the Divine Monk said this, the Abbot cleared his throat with a slight cough.

Before them were the patriarchs who had already entered nirvana.

And it was no metaphor.

The Founder’s Cave was densely lined on the front and sides with statues of Buddha in various postures.

Some were seated in ordinary meditative positions.

Others were standing, pointing towards the sky and the earth.

Uniquely, there was a reclining Buddha statue, lying on its side with one arm supporting its chin.

The common feature was that, unlike typical Buddha statues, they were not adorned extravagantly but appeared very realistic.

These were not ordinary Buddha statues; they were life-sized statues, or life-size Buddha.

High monks who foresaw their deaths, setting themselves ablaze and attaining nirvana.

A high monk who died one day while meditating in a particular posture.

Another who, after proclaiming his enlightenment in Buddhism, pointed to the sky and passed away in that stance.

The roughly shining bronze-coated statues represented all these venerable Shaolin patriarchs of high spiritual attainment.

This place truly represented the real history of Shaolin.

“Well then. Now that we’ve paid our respects…”

After showing reverence to the patriarchs, the Divine Monk and the high monks gathered around to discuss important matters.

The Divine Monk spoke, “Order the Head of the Reception Hall to send out invitations to the Murim Alliance and its affiliated sects.”

The Divine Monk had decided to step down from the position of Murim Alliance Leader.

All the high monks present were aware of this.

They also understood that the Divine Monk’s ‘retirement’ would not simply end with that decision.

“Send invitations to the Unorthodox Union and its affiliated sects as well.”

“…It’s unprecedented for Shaolin to send invitations to the unorthodox sects.”

“If there’s no precedent, we can just be the first to do it.”

The Disciplinary Hall Head spoke cautiously, but the Abbot supported the Divine Monk’s decision.

“In my name, send invitations to all the major sects under the Unorthodox Union. Too much blood has been shed. It’s time for it to end.”

The Divine Monk was not just stepping down from the position of Murim Alliance Leader.

He intended to stop intervening in martial world affairs altogether. Not only that, but he would also cease his involvement in Shaolin’s matters as one of its elders.

The Head of the Reception Hall pointed out, “Even if invitations are sent, they won’t come to Mount Song.”

That was the issue.

Even if Shaolin extended an olive branch for reconciliation, the unorthodox sects were unlikely to gather.

They might suspect Shaolin was trying to ambush them at Mount Song, or even resent the audacity of Shaolin’s invitation, despite Shaolin’s renown.

“We just need to create a justification.”

“And by justification, you mean…?”

“Tell them I’m performing the Golden Basin Hand-Washing Ritual and invite them to honor the occasion.”

“Pardon?”

The Head of the Reception Hall was taken aback, as were the other monks of the Hyun line.

“The Golden Basin Hand-Washing Ritual… How could a venerable elder like you consider something typically done by unorthodox martial artists…!”

The Golden Basin Hand-Washing Ritual symbolized washing one’s hands in a golden basin.

In other words, it’s a retirement ritual, symbolizing the washing away of all grudges and stepping back from the martial world.

It’s customary for the associates of the retiree to attend, offering congratulations and blessings.

However, while the Golden Basin Hand-Washing Ritual may seem noble in intent, in truth, it’s typically done by unorthodox martial artists.

It signified, “I’m leaving the martial world, so those who are indebted to me should come to celebrate, and those who bear grudges should also attend to settle misunderstandings.”

Naturally, those who gathered for such a ritual were close to the host. So, the hidden intent was to tell others not to bring up past grudges later if they didn’t settle them today.

“It’s a rather undignified affair.”

Yet here was a monk, and not just any monk, but the most senior elder of Shaolin, proposing a ritual associated with unorthodox martial artists.

“Is a golden basin too much? Then an iron one will suffice.”

“It’s not about that…”

“A little stunt like this is necessary if we want the Unorthodox Union’s sects to attend.”

But the Divine Monk was firm in his decision. The Abbot silently supported him.

“Also, announce that I will abolish my martial arts publicly during this Golden Basin Hand-Washing Ritual.”

“Senior Uncle!”

This time, the shock was even greater.

The Divine Monk was planning to abolish his own martial arts.

Retirement was one thing, but why abolish his martial skills?

A retired martial artist was still a hidden strength for their sect.

The Divine Monk, one of the Ten Grandmasters had no need to abolish his martial arts.

“I’m already planning to offer myself as a living sacrifice; what does mere martial skill matter? Martial arts are unnecessary for ascetic practice.”

“Such…”

Only then did the monks grasp the Divine Monk’s intentions.

The Divine Monk, the spiritual anchor of the orthodox Murim, was abolishing his martial arts.

This was both a significant loss and a substantial concession in practical terms, enough to open the path to reconciliation.

“I’d like to live leisurely for a change.”

The Divine Monk said this with a smile, but the Head of Medicine King Hall bowed his head in silence.

He knew.

The Divine Monk was already old and frail.

Without martial arts, his body wouldn’t hold out.

At best, he might survive another three months.

Then the Divine Monk added another instruction, “Also, send a separate letter to the Murim Alliance.”

“What should it say?”

“Ask them to send the promising talents of the orthodox sects to Mount Song. Tell them that I intend to pass on my lifetime’s accumulated internal energy and a Small Recovery Pill to the most outstanding among them.”

At this, all the monks, except for the Abbot, rose to their feet in astonishment.