When we arrived at the Great Hero Hall, an familiar old monk was waiting for us, as if he had been expecting our arrival.
He was the Great Master Jeonghyeon, the current abbot of Shaolin Temple, known by the alias of the Divine Monk.
"Heh heh. Some faces I haven't seen in a long while, and some I've seen fairly recently… but all of them are welcome sights."
"Oh dear. Are you perhaps trying to shame me by saying I'm the only one who hasn't visited in a long time?"
"How could that be, Poison King? It's just that, rather than an old acquaintance who's aged so much, the young ones are a bit more welcome."
Tang Jincheon and Great Master Jeonghyeon exchanged playful remarks with each other.
They hadn't seemed close enough to joke around with each other before… It seemed they had built a friendship while handling matters related to the Heavenly Killing Star.
Considering the Shaolin Temple's efforts to properly follow the Buddha's teachings, and the Tang Clan's family ethos of being as sensitive to favors as they are to grudges, it was understandable.
I nodded inwardly and offered a polite fist-and-palm salute.
"It's been a while, Head Monk."
The others followed my lead and offered their own greetings one by one.
In response, Great Master Jeonghyeon smiled gently and returned the greeting with a palm-to-palm bow.
"Namo Amitabha. You've all grown quite impressive since we last met. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to see your deeds firsthand, but I've heard many stories."
"Stories… Honestly, they've been a bit of a burden."
"Hm? The White Moon Sword Lord, who subdued the Green Forest that was throwing the world into chaos and even cut down that vicious White Peak Mountain King—what could you possibly find burdensome?"
"…"
The tone was unmistakably teasing. I hadn't expected the abbot of Shaolin to act like this, so for a moment, I was at a loss for words.
Seeing my expression, Great Master Jeonghyeon let out a hearty laugh and waved his hand.
"It was a joke, so don't look so serious. I was reminded of a nickname my master had when I was young, and it got me a bit excited. Think of it as an old man's silliness and let it pass."
"Ah."
If he was Great Master Jeonghyeon's master, that would be Great Master Gakjeong. He had lost all his internal energy and now called himself an ordinary scholar monk, but…
In his younger days, he had gone around reforming evildoers, earning himself the fearsome alias of "Mad Hand."
"Since you brought it up, if I may ask—how has Great Master Gakjeong been these days?"
"If you mean my master, he is doing well at the Diancang Sect. It seems he has found something to devote himself to—every time I visit him, his expression looks brighter. That too is thanks to your offerings."
"You flatter me. I have also received much help from Great Master Gakjeong."
If Great Master Gakjeong had not been obsessed with the Heavenly Killing Star, finding a solution to that problem would have been far off indeed.
Naturally, just as before the regression, the Diancang Sect and the surrounding area would have been smashed to pieces by the awakened Heavenly Killing Star of this generation.
Jang Inam, one of the few good connections from his hometown, would have lost his life as well.
As he nodded inwardly, Great Master Jeonghyeon added as if something had just occurred to him.
"…Come to think of it, there was something unusual in the letter my master sent some time ago."
"Something unusual, you say…"
Could something have gone wrong with the Heavenly Killing Star?
Seeing my grave expression, Great Master Jeonghyeon shook his head.
"Fortunately, the problem is not with the Heavenly Killing Star. That side has reported no issues so far, so you may rest easy. However, it seems that unknown individuals—whose origins we cannot trace—were seen lurking around the Diancang Sect before fleeing."
"…"
Information about the Heavenly Killing Star is, of course, top secret. If someone were to uncover the truth, they might approach with ill intentions.
The world is full of madmen who would burn it all down.
Only a handful of people directly involved should know of it… so where and how could the information have leaked?
The first name that comes to mind is, of course, the Heavenly Demon.
I don't know how many regressions he has gone through, but it's hard to imagine he wouldn't know of the Heavenly Killing Star's existence, which I also know of.
Besides, through the Slaughter King, he was telling me to try and overcome whatever obstacles he threw my way.
Honestly, it's infuriating that the Heavenly Demon seems to be setting trials for me… but there's nothing I can do about it.
At best, I can grow in a direction he doesn't want, but one I believe is right, like last time.
If the Heavenly Demon, when the time for awakening came, grew suspicious of the Heavenly Killing Star that hadn't awakened and looked into it.
Then the next interference he mentioned might be re-awakening the Heavenly Killing Star that I barely managed to stabilize.
Of course, this is assuming the worst-case scenario.
The most hopeful prediction is that it's just the surrounding sects finding it strange that the sect leader's daughter is being protected so unusually.
Other than that, it's probably Haomun looking for a way to overturn the current situation of being pressured by the Black Alliance.
Either way, they're the kind who'd find it hard to do anything about the Diancang Sect, which is secretly under the Murim Alliance's protection.
So it's best to assume the worst-case scenario for now.
"Great Master, there's something I'd like to raise regarding that matter…"
"Hm? What is it?"
After all, everyone here already knew the full story. I laid out my speculations without hesitation, and Great Master Jeonghyeon's expression hardened.
"…I've heard about the Heavenly Demon's strength from the Sword King, who arrived earlier. Honestly, it's hard to believe, but if it's the Sword King himself saying so, it can't be a lie."
"The Sword King has already arrived, Great Master?"
"It seems that unlike the other benefactors, he came alone and light, so it didn't take him long."
That was a reason fitting of Namgung Dowi, alright. My wry smile lasted only a moment before Great Master Jeonghyeon nodded heavily.
"Thank you for letting me know. I will discuss this matter with the Murim Alliance Leader and take action right away."
"Yes."
Great Master Jeonghyeon looked troubled, as was only natural since his own master was entangled in this affair.
After exchanging brief pleasantries with him, I was guided to the guest room where I would be staying for a while.
And there, I met eyes with Namgung Dowi, who was practicing his sword alone, paying no mind to whether the other monks were watching or not.
"…"
"…"
For a moment, silence hung between me and Namgung Dowi, who had stopped mid-swing.
Lowering his sword with a swish, Namgung Dowi blinked and asked.
"Good to see you. So how about a sparring bout?"
"I'm not like the Sword King, who has a hobby of gathering people together for sparring."
"Hmm. A pity. They all seemed talented, so I brought them here on purpose. If I show them a good bout, wouldn't at least one of them grow into an outstanding sparring partner in the future?"
"…Wait, so you didn't just fail to stop the onlookers—you deliberately picked out monks who looked promising and sat them down to watch?"
A manner that was less about hiding his martial art and more about being desperate to teach it to others. I knew that such an open-minded attitude was the source of the Namgung Clan's strength, but even knowing that, there were times when it left me dumbfounded—and this was one of them.
"If you don't want to, I can't force you."
"Yes. If it's somewhere with no one around, then it's fine."
"Hmm. I'll keep that in mind."
Only then did Namgung Dowi turn his gaze to the others, away from me.
"How have you been, Poison King? Perhaps you'd—"
"I have no intention of sparring with you even where there are no eyes to see."
"Ugh…"
Namgung Dowi's face fell in an instant. Despite his stoic expression, he was oddly a man whose emotions showed clearly.
In the end, he cautiously asked the last remaining Harmony Realm martial artist, Seomun Hwa-rin.
"It's good to see you, Head of the Seomun Clan. If you have the opportunity, how about a sparring bout while we stay at Shaolin?"
His voice carried the question, but no real expectation.
That was only natural—Seomun Hwa-rin had always been reluctant to spar with Namgung Dowi, and he had just been flatly rejected by Tang Jincheon moments ago.
However, what came out of Seomun Hwa-rin's mouth was slightly different from what he had expected.
"That would be fine."
"What?"
Shock. And Namgung Dowi's eyes rippled with pure competitive spirit and joy.
I've spent a fair number of years wielding a sword myself, even counting the time before my regression, but even so, I can't claim I'd still love the sword itself the way Namgung Dowi does after swinging it for over sixty years.
Seomun Hwa-rin, of course, seemed utterly indifferent to Namgung Dowi's reaction, merely flicking her index finger up.
"However! There is one condition!"
"What is it?"
"Treat my fist-and-leg techniques as a sword method and offer your advice. Ah, and it's also a condition that Cheon Hwi be allowed to watch during our sparring bout."
"That's no trouble at all. But a sword method, all of a sudden. Is it something from the Seomun Clan?"
"Correct. However, I have no intention of showing the sword method itself. I only wish to have you evaluate a new technique I've created by incorporating it into my own martial art."
"…"
Namgung Dowi's body trembled. It seemed no other sound reached him anymore.
It was only after a long while, once he had calmed the overwhelming emotion surging in his chest, that Namgung Dowi nodded his head vigorously.
"Let's do it right now!"
"…Not right now."
Seomun Hwa-rin wore a slightly taken-aback expression. She slipped behind me and shook her head.
At that, I gave Namgung Dowi a light glare, and only then did he seem to come to his senses, clearing his throat and averting his gaze.
"Ahem. Very well. I'll be practicing my sword around this area as usual, so come find me whenever it's convenient."
After that, he exchanged greetings with Tang So-wol and Seol Ri-hyang as well, but Namgung Dowi's attitude was clearly perfunctory.
But it wasn't because he harbored any particular ill will—it was simply that everyone, you and I alike, knew he had no thoughts beyond the sword, so we all let it slide.
In both the best and worst sense, he was a remarkably consistent person.
***
While we stayed at Shaolin Temple waiting for the others to arrive, all sorts of things happened.
Namgung Dowi's sleeve got sliced by a technique he'd created by refining the Heavenly Thunder Divine Art.
Thanks to his advice—offered because he'd found it amusing—Seomun Hwa-rin and I were able to refine our new technique a bit further.
Seol Ri-hyang, apparently bored, came by every night to ask for meridian cleansing, only to get caught by Tang So-wol.
Then Tang So-wol and Seol Ri-hyang decided to settle who would receive meridian cleansing at night through sparring, and they fought each other every day until they were drenched in sweat.
When Tang Jincheon learned of the situation, he flew into a rage and forced a sparring bout upon me.
The only difference was the location—the Shaolin Temple—but otherwise, it was no different from the days back at the Tang Clan.
But even that lasted only four days at most. As the other guests began to arrive, our relatively peaceful days came to an end.
"Hahaha! It's been a while, Sword Demon! You seem to have grown a bit stronger since we last met… So, how about joining my ranks after all?"
"Ehew. Your Excellency. You should now call him the White Moon Sword Lord, not the Sword Demon. And with the Poison King right here glaring at you with wide-open eyes, how can you speak of having him join your ranks? This is the Shaolin Temple, not the Black Alliance. In a way, that's no different from picking a fight, so you should be careful."
"Hoh? Then if I defeat the Poison King in battle, it would be fine to take the White Moon Sword Lord with me?"
"Your Excellency?!"
"Kuhah! I'm joking, just joking! That White Moon Sword Lord fellow even took a few rising talents who were to become my subordinates. It's merely a simple jest. …But really, you have no intention of lending me your son-in-law, do you, Poison King?"
"…Crazy bastard."
The moment the Lord of the Black Alliance and Sama Yuryeon arrived, Tang Jincheon's mood soured.
"Heh heh. Lord of the Black Alliance, you're not exactly young anymore, yet you're still full of hot blood."
"Hmph. You're the one who's old, Murim Alliance Leader."
"Of course. It's only natural, given that you've been beating Demonic Heads your father's age around like dogs."
As if they had met somewhere along the way, the Murim Alliance Leader stroked the staff he'd favored in his youth and needled the Lord of the Black Alliance.
Watching the two of them needle each other, it was starting to feel real.
The great figures of the Orthodox and Unorthodox Sects had gathered in one place.
Was this exactly how the Orthodox-Unorthodox Alliance had felt before being slaughtered wholesale by the Heavenly Demon?
In a way, it was a scene I had missed.