NOVEL NEXT Chapter 543
Chapter 00543 – Dark Heaven Village
I was drinking tea with Dokgo Seong. For quite some time, I only came to this temple either to rest a bit or to wash up in the nearby waterfall, and I never truly relaxed. The aroma of the tea Dokgo Seong brewed filled the air, refreshing my mind.
Dokgo Seong spoke.
“Honestly, I expected you’d reach the Sword Thunder Realm. Your martial arts level is certainly not low, so I thought you would grasp it eventually. It was just a bit delayed…”
“But since I’ve grasped it now, I’m satisfied.”
“Hmm. First, savor the tea. It’s a famous tea made from the fragrant flowers found only in Dragon King’s Valley.”
Indeed, the tea was delicious. It had a slightly astringent taste, but as tea is meant to be enjoyed for its natural flavor, I found it quite pleasant. As we silently appreciated the tea, Dokgo Seong opened his mouth again.
“You said you’d share tales about Master Ha Taek once you reached the Sword Thunder Realm.”
“That’s correct.”
“Although this might not be such an important story, would you like to hear it?”
I nodded.
“I want to hear it.”
“Heh, having spent decades cooped up in these mountains, I can’t help but want to brag about what I’ve learned to anyone.”
With a self-deprecating smile, Dokgo Seong used his Void Object Manipulation technique to pull a book from the shelf. The book was ancient, and its cover looked extremely worn. Dokgo Seong pointed at the title of the old text.
“It says ‘Bodhi.'”
“I see.”
“Do you know what Bodhi means?”
I pondered for a moment and recalled memories from my studies.
“I understand it’s the enlightenment gained from practicing in Buddhism.”
“Correct. Originally, there was a tree called the Bodhi tree, which had a significant connection to the Buddha, and over time, the term Bodhi itself came to symbolize enlightenment.”
“Is that book also a Buddhist scripture?”
“I thought so too.”
You thought so?
Tilting my head in confusion, Dokgo Seong explained.
“This book could be described as an essay on what Master Ha Taek pondered while secluding himself in this Dragon King’s Valley during his later years. So it’s not quite a Buddhist scripture.”
“Hmm… but isn’t a monk’s ramblings also considered scripture?”
“Master Ha Taek was renowned but wasn’t a monk of great virtue. The reason I’m calling this book an essay rather than scripture is not trivial.”
After a brief silence, Dokgo Seong continued.
“There’s an ancient story in Buddhism. When the Fifth Patriarch, Hongren, passed down his robe to a disciple, there was a competition between Shensu and Huineng. Shensu’s teachings later continued the lineage of the doctrinal school, while, as you know, Huineng became one of the ancestors of the Zen school.”
“That’s right.”
“At that time, an eminent monk, Shensu, gave this interpretation about Bodhi.”
Dokgo Seong infused his Qi into his finger and started writing slowly on the stone floor of the temple.
“Body is the Bodhi tree,
Mind like a bright mirror platform.
Constantly move to dust off,
Do not let dust settle.”
“This was Shensu’s interpretation,” he explained, reciting slowly.
He began writing a different line beside the first.
“Bodhi fundamentally has no tree,
Bright mirror is also not a platform.
Originally, there is nothing at all,
Where then can dust arise?”
“This was Huineng’s interpretation.”
“……”
I closely examined the two verses. There was indeed a clear difference between them. And it highlighted the contrasting perspectives regarding ‘enlightenment’ between the doctrinal and Zen traditions. While I hadn’t studied Buddhist scriptures deeply, I grasped their general feel. Curious, I looked back at Dokgo Seong and asked,
“Hmm… but is there a problem with this interpretation?”
“As I mentioned before, Master Ha Taek was initially a disciple of Shensu but changed his heart to follow Huineng. Many people believe he was more drawn to the Zen teachings, but… that wasn’t the case.”
Dokgo Seong smiled wryly.
“According to the essay, he was a pretentious materialist disguised as a monk. He sought to capitalize on the ambiguous teachings of Zen through ‘Ganhua Zen.’ In truth, Master Ha Taek committed various corrupt acts under the guise of being a high monk and amassed a fortune so great that, by the end of his life, he had stacked up five hundred golden crowns.”
“……”
“It’s an account from his later years, and since it’s a memoir, it’s hard to dismiss it as false.”
Muttering that, Dokgo Seong perched himself on a seat and continued speaking.
“However, after accumulating that wealth and fame, Master Ha Taek ultimately retreated to obscurity, building a small temple in the remote and dangerous Dragon King’s Valley.”
“…That’s strange.”
“Indeed. Originally, he intended to use his amassed wealth to create a double identity and enjoy riches near the capital.”
“You mean there was a reason he had to hide in Dragon King’s Valley?”
Dokgo Seong nodded.
“That reason would be his own master, the Sixth Patriarch Huineng.”
“……?”
I was puzzled. After some contemplation, I voiced my speculation.
“Was the Sixth Patriarch Huineng actually a legendary martial arts master? Since Dharma was the first ancestor of the White Lotus Sect, Huineng, as Dharma’s descendant, was equally remarkable…”
“Not at all. Huineng wasn’t a martial artist like us.”
“Then was he a sorcerer highly skilled in Buddhist techniques?”
“That’s not it either. A monk only practices Buddhism and wouldn’t necessarily strive to cultivate martial power or techniques like martial artists do. Especially one as great as the Sixth Patriarch…”
Dokgo Seong dismissed my idea and continued in a grave tone.
“The Sixth Patriarch Huineng taught students and expounded on enlightenment until his dying days on Mount Caoxi. His teachings were revered in the scripture known as the ‘Duanjing’ (Short Sutra). However, Master Ha Taek, who observed this process from the closest proximity, ended up feeling terror and fled.”
“……?”
I was baffled and questioned again.
“Did you say fled in terror?”
“Yes.”
“Why would a pretentious materialist fear a monk without martial arts or sorcery enough to run off to the Dragon King’s Valley?”
“This seems to stem from Ha Taek’s skepticism during his interpretation of Bodhi, which only intensified over time.”
Pointing at the written interpretation on the floor, Dokgo Seong continued darkly.
“Master Ha Taek supposedly witnessed Huineng write down the interpretation of Bodhi on the wall. It happened when they were alone, but at that moment, Huineng exuded an atmosphere of darkness that transcended humanity.”
“……”
Darkness!
I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up at that word. Whether he noticed my reaction or not, Dokgo Seong, all excited, continued.
“While everyone remained oblivious, for Master Ha Taek, it was quite different. He attempted to exploit Huineng as a disciple, but gradually felt a growing sense of alienation.”
“Alienation…?”
Something clicked in my mind, urging me to listen attentively. Dokgo Seong glanced at the Bodhi interpretation and continued.
“Master Ha Taek’s writings suggest he believed the Fifth Patriarch, Hongren, was also akin to Huineng. This was based on the fact that only Hongren could understand the complete interpretation penned by Shensu.”
“I see…”
“In any case, he tried to suppress his anxieties and began engaging in corrupt deeds. Then one day, he was astounded while observing Huineng’s sermon.”
Dokgo Seong paused for effect before continuing.
“Every time Huineng spoke a word, chaos erupted in the heavens, and darkness engulfed the mountains while he witnessed the phenomenon of words dominating humans. There are records of thousands of followers being manipulated as if they were sleepwalkers by Huineng’s words.”
“……!!”
“Additionally, it’s written that Huineng occasionally changed into something resembling darkness or chaos. Thus, Master Ha Taek felt an enormous sense of unease and terror, prompting him to abandon all his wealth in the capital and flee to the extremely secluded place of Dragon King’s Valley.”
“……”
Silence fell over the area.
I pondered deeply before speaking cautiously.
“Are you suggesting… that the Sixth Patriarch Huineng was an existence beyond human?”
“Most likely.”
“Could he possibly have been a demon?”
“Perhaps a Great Demon, but that’s still of a lower rank. If a high monk were a demon, it would be strange that no one noticed.”
“Hmm.”
“Ha Taek believes Huineng was something that transcended even Great Demons. An existence so powerful that humans bend their perceptions to protect themselves…”
Dokgo Seong crossed his arms.
“You might not know, but there are often non-human beings that appear in this world… and they can’t even be classified as mere demons. Having seen that demon beast with my own eyes while in the White Lotus Sect, I believe in the existence of another world.”
“……”
“I don’t know what those beings are, but if Huineng came from ‘that side,’ it would somewhat add up.”
‘That side.’
Beyond human.
In other words – the worlds of the Otherworldly Races, Demons, and the Old Rulers.
I knew that world all too well and had frequently encountered it, allowing me to understand the current information more urgently than Dokgo Seong.
‘Yes, perhaps…’
The thought that Huineng, being a successor of Dharma, made it seem all the more plausible. After all, Dharma, as the founding teacher of the White Lotus Sect, was the one who knew the world’s darkness and truth better than anyone. Ultimately, he fell into madness, created the teachings of the Non-Birth Mother, and perished amidst chaos, but if Huineng was indeed a successor of such a being –
Perhaps the lineage of Huineng and the Zen sect might know of the teachings of the Non-Birth Mother!
Formulating a theory in my mind, I urgently turned to Dokgo Seong and said,
“Sir, may I take that essay collection ‘Bodhi’ with me?”
“Do as you wish. I’ve already memorized it completely.”
Dokgo Seong laughed heartily.
“Haha! Even if something incredibly significant happened in ancient times, that was at least eight or nine hundred years ago. I read it like an entertaining collection of tales, so I hope you enjoy it too.”
“Haha…”
I laughed weakly.
‘Dokgo Seong knows of the hidden world but doesn’t grasp its horror.’
I tucked away the essay ‘Bodhi’ and took another sip of my tea. Then I said to Dokgo Seong,
“Sir, I’ll be heading back now.”
[Paaat]
I returned to Jangryeong Valley and sought out Zhuge Sa and Mangnyang. However, Mangnyang was absent, and Zhuge Sa was seated, buried in a pile of documents. When he caught sight of me, he grinned widely.
“Did you achieve something?”
“I reached the Sword Thunder Realm.”
“Oh? So you’re doing quite well.”
“What about Mangnyang?”
Zhuge Sa stood up and said,
“He’s currently gone to the former territories of Balhae to investigate the Silver Phoenix Fragment. However, he sent a letter recently saying he would finish up soon.”
“Oh really?”
“In that case, let’s gather everyone and talk. Let’s see what events have transpired in the meantime.”
Soon, all my companions in Jangryeong Valley were gathered. Seeing their faces brought me joy, and I smiled broadly, but I grew puzzled when I noticed Lee Cheong-un was missing.
“Where’s Lee Cheong-un?”
“He went to guard Mangnyang.”
“Ah.”
“That area’s currently under the jurisdiction of the Twelve Joules, so he might run into some experts and have difficulties.”
Adding to that, Zhuge Sa continued,
“Baek Woong, nothing much happened here. Everyone spent their time in solitude, training like you did, haha.”
Then, Kyukho said bluntly,
“What does ‘solitary training’ mean? Just call it ‘bravely honing one’s skills.'”
When I saw Kyukho, my spirits lifted, and I responded,
“Kyukho! How have you been?”
“Well, I’m just waiting for the day I can slay the head of the Dragon Tides.”
Kyukho grinned before saying,
“And while you were gone, Miho came to Jangryeong Valley, anxious over you.”
“Huh?”
Is that so?
I was surprised, and Jin So-cheong next to me smiled wryly.
“Brother, how much trouble are you going to catch later from Miho?”
“Oh, come on! She teased me too.”
As Kyukho grumbled, I cautiously asked Jin So-cheong and the Sword Demon,
“By any chance… have both of you reached the Absolute Realm?”
Both of them shook their heads.
“Not at all.”
“Ha ha.”
The Sword Demon burst into laughter.
“Baek Woong, just because our talent exceeds yours doesn’t mean we can simply reach the Absolute Realm in a year and a half. That realm is something even those born with innate prowess might struggle to attain, so we still have a long way to go.”
“But compared to before, you’ve become incredibly powerful.”
I expressed my honest impressions. Indeed, my companions were all exuding an overwhelming Qi, showcasing a level of growth that I couldn’t compare to with just my Sword Thunder achievement. The Sword Demon chuckled softly.
“At this level, it would be amusing if you couldn’t even grasp that. Anyway, it seems like reaching the Absolute Realm will require at least ten more years.”
“I see…”
While I felt a sense of relief, I also sensed the daunting distance ahead. Not being able to see my companions reach the Absolute Realm eased my feeling of inferiority but simultaneously made me wonder how much effort it would take to reach such absolute heights, even for these geniuses.
As we chatted about our experiences, Zhuge Sa said to me,
“Baek Woong, bring Mangnyang here.”
“Bring him?”
“It seems Mangnyang has uncovered a significant amount. The bottleneck we’re facing seems due to insufficient data, but it’s a several thousand li journey from Balhae’s land to here, making it hard for him to come immediately. If you can use the Golden Lamp to bring him quickly, that would help.”
“Got it.”
[Paaat!!]
I headed towards the area near North Sea Ice Palace, where Mangnyang was supposed to be. From there, a little north-west, I would reach the Shangjing Yongchunbu, which contained the ruins of Balhae. I recalled having traveled nearer to Shangjing Yongchunbu in the past, but since my memory wasn’t clear, I planned to examine the map diligently.
*Tydaht*
During my journey of several hundred li, I looked at the map and sought out Balhae’s land. After asking the indigenous people and rummaging around, I managed to reach the ruins of Shangjing Yongchunbu in about half a day.
‘So this is it.’
The ruins of a fallen capital lay bare in front of me. Even after the fall of Balhae, revival movements arose, leading to the emergence of subsequent powers like Later Balhae, Jeongan Kingdom, Yeonpagu, and Heungryo Kingdom; however, they eventually succumbed to the Jin Dynasty. For some reason, these successor forces didn’t seem to have ever considered rebuilding the ruins of Shangjing Yongchunbu into city fortifications.
I rushed inside to find the location where Mangnyang was said to be. It wasn’t long before I discovered the place where Mangnyang stayed, and I waved to him.
“I’ve arrived!”
“Oh, you’re here.”
Seeing him after a long while, Mangnyang was sporting a bushy beard and appeared a bit ragged. Yet his eyes sparkled with clarity, and he didn’t seem weak at all. As we exchanged our stories of the time apart, he said,
“It’s good to hear you’ve reached the Sword Thunder Realm. Now please lend me a hand here.”
“What’s the issue?”
*Kugu-gu-gung…*
At that moment, a heavy crashing noise erupted. Hearing the destruction sound and feeling the vibrations, Mangnyang let out a sigh.
“It’s because of that door that I can’t conduct further investigations.”