Chapter 165

How much time had passed like that? There was a clunking sound, followed by a rumbling as the ground shook slightly. When they quickly turned their heads, they saw that the cushion Nam Gang-ryong had been meditating on had risen high.

Nam Gang-ryong hurriedly got off the cushion and gently shook it, causing it to come out with its pillar, revealing a narrow secret passage. A whistling sound of wind could be heard from inside the passage. It was clearly different from the damp, musty smell of the cave. Nam Gang-ryong jumped up and down, forgetting his dignity.

"Devotee Baek! Young Master Dang! This must be the escape route!"

"Excellent, Monk Gang-ryong! I thought there would be an escape route for someone as full of Buddhist faith as you!"

Cheong-ra turned around in great joy, but Dang Ran-yeong was not there. As soon as the secret passage was discovered, he had taken the night pearl and climbed onto the Buddha statue.

"Young Master Dang, what are you doing?"

Nam Gang-ryong, who hadn't heard Dang Ran-yeong and Cheong-ra's conversation due to his focus on meditation, wondered. Before Cheong-ra could explain, Dang Ran-yeong inserted the night pearl into the spot for the white curl. The space between the Buddha's eyebrows shone brightly in the darkness, scattering light.

As Cheong-ra stared blankly at the sight that would inspire Buddhist faith even in non-Buddhists, there was a clunking sound. When he came to his senses and looked at where the sound came from, he saw that the Buddha's palm, which had been in a mudra, had opened.

"Monk Gang-ryong, please take a look."

At Cheong-ra's urging, the dazed Nam Gang-ryong put his hand into the palm. What came out was an old vajra bell (a bell-shaped ritual object used in ceremonies). Dang Ran-yeong, who had come down after retrieving the night pearl, looked at the vajra bell and clicked his tongue lightly.

"It's neither an elixir nor a weapon? Something useless came out."

"...How can you say it's useless, Young Master Dang! Do you know how important this object is?"

Nam Gang-ryong, holding the vajra bell preciously with both hands, angrily denied Dang Ran-yeong's words. It was understandable, as this was a ritual object hidden in the Hall of Repentance. Unlike its old appearance, it emanated a clear energy, suggesting it had a hidden history.

"It looks good for beating Blood Cult bastards."

Saying this, Dang Ran-yeong leapt down into the passage that seemed to be the escape route. Nam Gang-ryong, preciously holding the vajra bell, and Cheong-ra followed behind.

Following the long corridor where the wind was blowing, they discovered a stone door at the end of the cave. When they pushed hard on the engraved stone handle, a narrow space appeared. It seemed to be inside a stone pagoda. Nam Gang-ryong, who came out of it, exclaimed in admiration,

"We've come outside! The escape route was connected to the Pagoda Forest!"

In the southwest of Shaolin Temple, there were countless pagodas built to honor highly respected senior monks, called the Pagoda Forest, and the escape route from the Hall of Repentance was connected to one of these pagodas. As soon as they came out of the pagoda, Nam Gang-ryong, who had been running towards the main hall, stopped with a hardened face.

It was because the place that should have been bustling with monks and people was covered in a thick fog that obscured everything in front of them.

***

When they went back, Won-jung and Yeo-cheon were about to go looking for those who had gone to find the escape route, as they hadn't returned for too long. The two were overjoyed to hear about finding the escape route and the hidden ritual object, but then sighed at the news of an artificial thick fog covering Shaolin Temple.

"That must be the Great Demon-Subduing Sutra Cloud Mist Formation. It's a formation to protect the main temple from external attacks, but I've only heard about it."

"The activation of that formation means we're under attack from the outside. We should be careful when approaching the main hall. Master, let's go."

As everyone was discussing and about to leave, Yeo-cheon shook his head with a hardened face.

"No. Have you forgotten what's in my body? I will stay here. Besides, who will take care of Won-dang and Won-gak if I'm not here? Won-jung, Won-ho. I'll wait here, trusting in you."

"Master..."

Indeed, at this time when they were under attack from the Blood Cult, it would be troublesome if Yeo-cheon's Demon Soul Insects were to awaken. Won-jung and Nam Gang-ryong had no choice but to understand and leave Yeo-cheon behind in the Hall of Repentance. Following Yeo-cheon's instructions, they pushed the open door closed again before crossing to the cave chamber with the Buddha.

After escaping the Hall of Repentance through the escape route, they observed the main hall from the Pagoda Forest for a moment. Due to the thick fog, only the roof of the main hall was barely visible, tinted blue. The fog itself wasn't ominous, but an ominous energy could be felt rippling within the dense mist.

They decided to try approaching along the path. However, even though they walked straight on the path towards the main hall, when they emerged from the thick fog, they found themselves back at the Pagoda Forest. Even Dang Ran-yeong, who seemed quite knowledgeable about formations, shook his head at the extensive fog.

"Even the Zhuge family couldn't dispel this."

This meant that while it prevented intrusion, it also made it difficult to receive help from outside. Dang Ran-yeong, who had been staring intently into the fog where nothing could be seen, said,

"And it might be better for Shaolin not to dispel it."

Something was rippling and approaching from within the fog in the direction he was looking. Suddenly, a stench wafted over. It was definitely something Cheong-ra had smelled before. That terrible smell he had encountered from the dead tiger spirit beast and the centipede monster Ink-scaled Centipede...

"What kind of spirit beast is it this time?"

Cheong-ra's eyes widened as he drew his sword on guard. The shape gradually becoming clearer beyond the fog had a human form. When the figure finally emerged from the fog, Cheong-ra and the two monks gasped. Won-jung exclaimed in shock,

"No, isn't that a jiangshi (Chinese hopping vampire)!"

Skin with a bluish tint beyond mere paleness, imbued with the energy of the dead, a contorted and stiff face, and the stench and evil energy emanating strongly.

Seeing the Blood Cult turn dead spirit beasts into living monsters, he had thought it might be possible to revive dead people as monsters too. But actually seeing a deceased person turned into a jiangshi made his disgust towards the Blood Cult surge anew. Nam Gang-ryong also lamented in an angry voice,

"Amitabha... How could they commit such an atrocious act!"

And the dead thing wandering in the fog wasn't just one jiangshi. Soon after, the form of a huge beast appeared. It was a fox with multiple tails. Cheong-ra seemed to know where this dead fox came from. He was reminded of Hwan-hong and the baby fox Aho that had been following her closely.

The jiangshi and fox monster that had emerged from the fog, sensing the sound and smell of the living, soon let out monstrous cries and charged.

Dang Ran-yeong's whip extended at a fierce speed, tightly wrapping around the fox monster's neck. Though the fox monster thrashed about with tremendous strength, Dang Ran-yeong handled it alone without difficulty. Meanwhile, Cheong-ra leapt forward and swung his sword at the jiangshi.

However, it felt like cutting extremely tough leather rather than human flesh, and the impact was barely effective. A small groan escaped Cheong-ra's lips.

"Kuk!"

The jiangshi's strength was so great that Cheong-ra was gradually pushed back as it charged with its claws raised. While Cheong-ra was dealing with the jiangshi, the two monks pummeled it with their fist techniques, but this too seemed to have no effect.

Dang Ran-yeong, who had been dodging the attacking fox monster instead of finishing it off quickly, fell into thought for a moment and then spoke,

"Hey, monk. Try using that thing you picked up earlier."

Nam Gang-ryong, who had been beating the jiangshi and stepped back to catch his breath, answered,

"What? Do you mean the vajra bell?"

"Yes. Since it was secretly hidden in the Hall of Repentance, it must have some extraordinary ability."

Nam Gang-ryong hesitated for a moment, as it meant using a precious Buddhist treasure of Shaolin without permission, but soon took out the vajra bell from his bosom. When he held up the vajra bell and shook it, a clear sound that was unbelievable from such an old ritual object rang out.

The movements of the jiangshi and fox monster, which had been charging fiercely with bared teeth and claws, slowed down a bit. Judging by their increased howling while glaring at Nam Gang-ryong as if to kill him, the sound of the vajra bell seemed to be tormenting them. When Nam Gang-ryong stepped back and shook the vajra bell once more, the jiangshi staggered.

Seizing this opportunity, Cheong-ra quickly thrust his sword into the jiangshi's chest. Puk! It was a deep penetration that caused the sword tip to protrude from its back. However, perhaps because it wasn't alive, it didn't die even when stabbed directly in the heart. As Cheong-ra hurriedly retrieved his sword and stepped back, the jiangshi lunged at him, clawing.

The clear sound of the vajra bell grew louder. Cheong-ra moved behind the jiangshi as if treading on air, mercilessly slashing at its vulnerable back. But the jiangshi's skin seemed to have softened compared to before.

"In that case...!"

Cheong-ra's eyes flashed as he swung his sword horizontally with terrifying momentum. Seogek! With a sensation like cutting through hard wood, the jiangshi's head was cleanly severed. The headless body flailed for a moment before collapsing to the ground.