Chapter 477 : If You Feed One Well, You Are A Good Person! (2)
A dark space.
Only a few candles glowed, pushing back the darkness. But it couldn’t illuminate the entire place.
In the flickering candlelight, a bone-chilling coldness flowed through it.
If the Hell of Ice existed, would it be like this? In the center of the gloom, a man lay face down.
To whom was this man showing so much respect?
This man could be the one who answered that question.
His head, elbows, and knees were on the ground, enduring the cold winds. He expressed respect as if even appreciating the pain of the cold.
A huge cloth hung from the ceiling, falling like a statue of God in front of the man. The figures on it were horrifying.
Three heads and six arms.
Three heads and six arms, a gigantic image resembling an asura, fluttered in the wind.
No matter how emotionless one was, they would feel a little fear in front of this vision. However, the man who bowed before it wasn’t scared. He only felt peace.
“... the second coming of the Heavenly Demon.”
A voice screeching like metal.
“The Second Coming of the Heavenly Demon.”
How many times had he said this? Thousands, tens of thousands, maybe even a hundred million.
They had chanted it over and over again, but for all that time, it had been a wish.
But at the end of that time of chanting, soon...
Thud!
The man suddenly slammed his head onto the ground and pressed his elbows against the floor, leaving visible marks. He repeated this action numerous times, causing the ground below to gradually cave in.
“I worship.”
The most devoted ritual and chanting continued.
Step. Step.
Then came the faint sounds of footsteps. Every nerve seemed to be focused on the toes, as the stepping was incredibly cautious. Then, a small voice filled with tension spoke up.
“Priest.” Cheêck out latest novels at novelhall.com
“....”
Even when called, the man remained motionless.
“... priest. There is something to report.”
After completing his chanting, the man finally turned and lifted his head. The shape of a huge asura flickered before him.
The man fixed his gaze, clearly looking at something behind the image.
“The second coming of the Heavenly Demon.”
The man muttered in a low voice before hitting his head against the ground again.
And.
He crawled backward, using both his arms and knees, before finally retreating.
It was a worship even an emperor wouldn’t receive.
No one was watching, warning, or expecting anything, yet this man did not forget to worship and give offerings. Without harnessing any internal energy, he endured the excruciating pain solely with his body.
When the man reached the end of the room, he stood up.
Drip.
Blood trickled down from his forehead, where he had cut himself, but the man didn’t even consider wiping it away. His eyes, fixated on one object, brimmed with a killing intent colder than the wintry winds.
“How dare....”
Soon his body started emitting internal qi that pressured the man who disturbed him.
Crack
The person’s body twisted.
“Kuak....”
The sound of bones being crushed and broken was loud and clear. But the victim remained silent, knowing that making noise in this place would only bring about a more dreadful death.
“How dare you interrupt my prayers. Only when his body is born a thousand times, and his soul burns with fire, will his sins be known.”
Blood dripped from the mouth and nose. But the messenger stayed still, waiting. An emotionless voice came from the man as he observed the guy.
“Speak. If you have something to say about risking your life, it better be something that doesn’t make me want to kill you.”
“P-priest.”
“Speak.”
The man clenched his teeth and spoke in pain.
“Black 27.. didn’t return.”
The moment he said it, a pressure weighed upon his entire body.
Thud!
Suddenly, his body collapsed, and his head hit the ground.
“He didn’t come back?”
“Yes.”
And this so-called priest remained silent, lost in thought.
This was a desolate land. It was dangerous, but there was no one who could stand in their way.
“And what was his mission?”
“He was given the task to spy on the houses in the North Sea.”
The priest looked down at the messenger.
It was a task that wasn’t too difficult. However, the fact that he didn’t come back meant something. The priest grew more concerned, and the messenger refrained from speaking.
“And information?”
After careful consideration, the priest asked this question.
“At most, those who didn’t know their place must have come looking for it...”
Their eyes gleamed coldly.
“Thousands of good things for one loss. Go and find it. Seek it out. If, by any chance, their existence ruins everything, even if we burn in hellfire for eternity, we won’t be able to wash away our sins.”
“I will do that.”
After receiving the order, the priest looked at the man.
“I will forgive you for the mistake you made this time. Remember this. You were spared despite your rudeness because of your loyalty to the Heavenly Demon. If it weren’t for that, you would never have survived.”
“I apologize.”
“Right.”
The hallway leading inside was meticulously decorated. Even a quick glance revealed luxurious fabrics adorning the walls, and the ornaments placed between them were clearly valuable and precious, even to outsiders.
What was even more astounding was that every corner of the hallway was adorned in the same lavish manner. The easygoing Taoist disciples of Mount Hua couldn’t help but feel a slight aversion to such opulence.
And it seemed Hae Yeon, who had grown up in Shaolin, felt the same.
“Amitabha. It is indeed excessive.”
“Right?”
“With the money spent on decoration, we could help more people.”
Everyone nodded in agreement with Hae Yeon’s words. But then.
“Hehe!”
“...”
A loud snort came from behind, causing Hae Yeon to turn around with a puzzled expression.
Sure enough, Chung Myung was looking at him.
“Disciple... why are you always like this?”
“Well, you see. Other people might find it amusing when you say that.”
“... what do you mean?”
“Do you know how many golden Buddha statues there are in Shaolin? What? This is astonishing? Hey, if you sell one of yours, you could feed an entire village! A village!”
“T-that...”
“Why are you cursing other people’s things like this? Do you think there will be a sect with more money than Shaolin in the central plains? This is even better! There are dozens of gold Buddha statues piled up that can’t even be used. What? Nice? Yah!”
Hae Yeon looked sullen at Chung Myung’s harsh words and drooped his shoulders. Chung Myung shook his head and sighed.
“Well, humans can’t seem to see with their own eyes!”
Baek Cheon sighed.
“Buddha statues weren’t made by Monk Hae Yeon, so why are you criticizing him?”
“That’s why the Abbot of Shaolin is so rude!”
... uh?
Come to think of it?
Baek Cheon, who had almost understood Chung Myung’s point in a daze, suddenly shook his head and came to his senses.
“Ahem, well, be quiet. This is the Ice Palace.”
“Well, the Ice Palace isn’t so different.”
“... please, someone shut his mouth!”
His face contorted as his insides burned.
‘Is it alright to take this guy into the Ice Palace?’
I would rather take him back...
Unfortunately, Baek Cheon’s idea was too late. As scary as it was, the hallway ended, and soon the sight of their next battle appeared.
“And...”
“Wow....”
The eyes of Mount Hua’s disciples widened.
That, too, had to be... the large throne in the center of the room shone white and bright.
“Is that a platinum throne?”
“Oh my, a platinum throne.”
“... so rich.”
The last words, of course, came from Chung Myung’s mouth, and he looked like he was looking for prey.
But to his surprise, the disciples barely reacted.
Just then...
“The Lord has arrived!”
With a loud shout, the door swung open.
And in walked a rugged man dressed in a bear-skin cloak.
“That’s the Ice Palace Lord.”
“Indeed.”
He had an impressive figure with a sturdy build, fair skin, and long scars on his face. He walked confidently towards Chung Myung.
Step. Step.
He had the same presence as the strong individuals the disciples had encountered before. It seemed that being the palace lord was no easy person.
But...
“Why is he still approaching?”
“Where is he headed?”
They thought he would go towards the throne, which was a bit farther away, but he continued to approach them in a straight line.
Step.
Eventually, the man, who was one step ahead of Baek Cheon and Chung Myung, glared at them with a cold expression.
“...”
“....”
It was chilling. It felt suffocating.
But then...
The man’s expression softened in an instant, and he smiled, looking like an ordinary person.
“Who is the Divine Dragon of Mount Hua?”
“Me?”
When Chung Myung answered, the Ice Palace Lord suddenly reached out and tightly grabbed his hand.
“I heard it from the Nanman Beast Palace Lord! Welcome! The Ice Palace welcomes Mount Hua!”
The lord beamed and shook Chung Myung’s hand vigorously.
Huh?
This wasn’t the reaction they were expecting?
Was this man a decent person?
Ehh, as if?