Invitation to the Chatroom of the Gods - Chapter 118



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Episode 118 – As a Shaman (1)

In the world of Murim, there exist many different forces.

Depending on the role, names such as Pa, Bang, Maeng, Dang, Dan, Mun, Hoe, Gyo, Seong, Gung, Sega, and Bo were added. Among these, ‘Pa’ referred to a force that preserved its own martial arts and culture.

Therefore, the term ‘school’ could be defined as a group that learns and enjoys specific martial arts and culture rather than pursuing the interests of the group.

Accordingly, anyone who wanted to enjoy the martial arts and culture could become a disciple of the school.

In this way, the disciples of the sect were largely divided into ‘official disciples and lay disciples’, and official disciples literally meant disciples who had been ‘officially’ initiated.

The official mentioned here refers to someone who belongs to the head temple of the sect.

In other words, it was decided based on whether or not one would become a monk, abandoning one’s ties with the secular world.

Simply put, a formal disciple refers to a disciple who has left home and entered the main temple.

On the other hand, a lay disciple meant a disciple who had not left home.

Lay disciples were those who, due to personal reasons, did not become monks and instead learned the martial arts of the sect. As such, they did not necessarily have to follow the sect’s rules.

For example, Shaolin and Amipa also had lay disciples, in which case they were not required to follow Buddhist rules such as shaving their heads, abstaining from meat, or being forbidden from marrying.

At first glance, it may seem like there are only rights and no obligations, but that wasn’t always the case.

Compared to the regular disciples of the main temple, there was limited information that could be learned.

No matter how talented a lay disciple may be, he or she cannot learn the true divine technique, which is the secret technique of the relevant sect.

However, even if he is a lay disciple, he is a disciple who has learned the martial arts of the school.

The lay disciples could easily carry out necessary tasks by borrowing the name value of the relevant sect.

And by allowing such actions, the sect could receive support or expand its power.

Simply put, it could be said that the relationship between a lay disciple and a sect was a kind of commercial relationship in which tangible and intangible rewards were exchanged.

From the beginning, most people became lay disciples in order to take advantage of such benefits.

This means that.

“I know that I am shameless, but the only place I can ask for help is the Great Hyup······.”

There has never been a lay disciple who has gone to such lengths for the sect.

And even if he was a lay disciple, he was still a martial artist.

It was by no means easy for a martial artist to kneel down.

“Please stand up. The floor is cold.”

I spoke to Jang Seok-jin and other disciples, but they didn’t budge.

Instead, he just bowed his head like a great sinner, and seeing that made me feel weak.

It wasn’t someone else’s business.

Of course, Jang Seok-jin and the other disciples were people I was seeing for the first time today.

However, Jang Sam-bong, who could be called my senior and teacher, was the founder of the shaman sect. Therefore, to me, belonging to the shaman family means being a master or a nephew or a grandson?

Even though the genealogy was strangely twisted, they were not strangers.

“Can you tell me what is happening?”

When I asked, Jang Seok-jin and other disciples raised their heads. Their eyes were trembling violently, and I looked into their eyes one by one and spoke.

“If there is anything I can do to help, I will.”

“We, we don’t have anything we can give you, Grandmaster…”

“I don’t expect anything in return, so please speak freely.”

“iced coffee······.”

Then, Jang Seok-jin and other lay disciples trembled greatly.

There were quite a few people who were shedding tears, as if they had never thought that I would willingly help them without any reward.

I feel awkward for no reason.

While I was scratching the back of my head, Jang Seok-jin carefully opened his mouth.

“Actually… a while ago, I received a call from a shaman saying that he had created a new spiritual method.”

“Are you talking about a new method?”

“Yes. There was a message that any lay disciples who wanted to learn should come to the main temple.”

They were already lay disciples who could not learn the true nature of the main temple.

However, since he was willing to give them the opportunity to learn, it is said that Jang Seok-jin and other lay disciples entered the mountains to become shamans.

The shaman who returned after such a long time.

“It was so······strange.”

Jang Seok-jin continued speaking with a mysterious expression.

“Shamans of the past taught how to live in the world as a person. But what should I say about today’s shamans… It seemed like they only taught how to become strong as a warrior.”

Still, he said he let it go, thinking it was just his mood.

It is said that since shamanism is a sect whose main purpose is to teach martial arts, it was thought to be natural.

but.

“In learning the new method, many disciples fell into obsession with money and were carried away.”

The phenomenon of internal energy flowing backwards is something that can happen to any martial artist who handles internal energy.

But it wasn’t such a common occurrence.

In particular, the shaman’s secret method that I know is all the more so because it seeks harmony with nature.

Although it was strange to anyone who saw it, the shaman said she didn’t care at all.

Rather, I would like to say this to those who are caught up in the devil’s business and are being carried away.

-They are not worthy of gaining power. So don’t worry about it and continue practicing.

Up until this point, Jang Seok-jin said he thought it was possible.

but······.

“At some point, the disciples who had fallen into the state of obsession with money disappeared from sight.”

“What does that mean······?”

“We didn’t want to believe it either.”

The faces of Jang Seok-jin and the other disciples suddenly darkened.

So, it is said that Jang Seok-jin was able to be confident here.

“The shaman of today······is no longer the shaman I knew.”

Jang Seok-jin said that people who thought the same way as him gathered together and protested.

And the result.

“······We have been expelled from the ranks of lay disciples.”

Jang Seok-jin bowed his head again.

Jang Seok-jin and his disciples had no choice but to be driven out to Wudang Mountain, but they could not easily leave Hubei Province.

Something was wrong with the shaman, but she didn’t have the power to fix it.

Those anxious days continued until he heard that I was coming to Hubei Province and came to see me.

“I’m sorry for telling you a lie as I am a first-time disciple. But······.”

Jang Seok-jin is unable to continue speaking.

But I didn’t care at all.

‘hmm······.’

Because it was definitely weird.

“Then, did Great Swordsman Jang Seok-jin also learn a new method?”

Jang Seok-jin responded with a bit of bewilderment at my words, “Daehyeop.”

“Yes. I realized something was strange and stopped practicing, but…”

“So you’re saying that you haven’t learned all the essentials of the Divine Comedy?”

“Yes···.”

Whether it is martial arts or mind techniques, there is something called a ‘Kyeol (訣)’ that runs through the center, and among these, the core elements are concentrated in the ‘YoGyeol (要訣)’.

In other words, the essence of the mind method was called the essence, and in order to know the true identity of the mind method, one had to know the essence.

However, Jang Seok-jin and the other disciples here were expelled without learning all the essentials.

It is difficult to find out the true identity of the mind method.

But it didn’t really matter.

“Then, could you try a little bit of the practice of the mind method you mentioned? I would like to personally confirm the essence of the mind method.”

Then Jang Seok-jin tilted his head.

“Without hearing the gist of it?”

“Yes.”

When I nodded, Jang Seok-jin tilted his head again.

The other lay disciples also seemed to wonder what nonsense I was talking about.

That’s understandable, because he couldn’t understand the essence of the mind method just by looking at the Un-gi Haeng-gong.

This was like trying to guess what was inside a box just by looking at its outside.

To put it simply, it was no different from dog talk.

I knew it, but I couldn’t help it since I hadn’t learned all the essentials.

But even if Jang Seok-jin had learned all the secrets, he couldn’t ask for them to tell him.

I was an outsider with no contact with shamans, and I shouldn’t have told outsiders about shamans’ secrets. Asking them to tell me was extremely rude.

Of course, I was not strictly speaking an outsider, as I was Jang Sam-bong’s direct disciple. However, I couldn’t explain it, so I had to be satisfied with just watching Un-gi Haeng-gong.

Jang Seok-jin looked like he was wondering if I was joking…

But Jang Seok-jin keeps his mouth shut at my expression that shows no sign of joking.

“Well, then···.”

Jang Seok-jin changed his kneeling position to sitting cross-legged. He did it because he had no choice, but he looked like he didn’t believe it easily.

However, he slowly began to draw out the internal energy of his dantian and practice the Un-gi Haeng-gong, perhaps believing in me, the Great Swordsman of the Hwa-ryong and the King of the Yangtze River.

I looked closely at Jang Seok-jin’s body and observed its flow.

The shaman’s internal energy method is based on ‘Taegeuk Shingong (太極神功)’.

It was a mind method that was personally created by senior Jang Sam-bong, containing the principles of Taegeuk.

Of course, the shaman’s method was not limited to only Taegeuk Shingong.

Over the past several hundred years, there have been many geniuses in shamanism, and through them, many new spiritual methods were created, such as Yang-ui Shingong, Sun-yang Mugeuk-gong, Jeok-yang Shingong, and Yuk-yang Shingong.

All of these were secret methods that could be called the Cheonhajeolgi. However, all of them were ultimately ‘based’ on Taegeuk Shingong.

Jang Sam-bong’s enlightenment and the secret methods derived from the principles of Taegeuk contained in Taegeuk Shingong. Jang Sam-bong was not only respected as a founder of Gaepa.

In any case, it was not at all strange for new methods to be created.

However, the shaman’s secret method should have contained the principles of the ‘Taegeuk (太極)’······.

‘Isn’t that a Taegeuk?’

Jang Seok-jin’s actions did not contain any of the principles of Taegeuk.

Of course, the method I was learning was not that of a shaman.

The method of completing the spiritual treasure.

However, the Yeongbo Pil method was the highest and ultimate method of Taoist training and the beginning of Taoist heart method.

Just as the new shaman’s methods are ultimately based on Taegeuk Shingong, Taegeuk Shingong is also based on Yeongbo Pilbeop.

Whether it was the Taegeuk Shingong of the Silk Shaman or the Jahashin Gong of the Hwasan or whatever, it was ultimately a mind method derived from the Yeongbo Pilbeop.

The martial arts of the Heavenly Sword Technique.

The spiritual treasure method of the mind method.

These two things I was learning were the origin and beginning of everything, and once I saw any martial arts or mind method, I could clearly understand the principles and mysteries contained within it.

Above all, I am receiving direct instruction from Jang Sam-bong.

‘That’s not a shaman’s?’

It was immediately clear that the spiritual method practiced by Jang Seok-jin was not that of a shaman.

That’s understandable, because it didn’t have any shamanistic color at all.

Of course, since it was taught to lay disciples, it could not have been the Jinshinjeolgi, which can be considered a shaman’s secret technique.

Even so, the shaman’s colors should have been melted into it, but there was nothing.

Does that mean there are other Taoist colors in it?

That wasn’t it.

Of course, I can’t say that I know the Tao in detail. But I can say that I have taken a step into the realm of the Mysterious Realm······.

‘It doesn’t seem to be a Taoist method.’

That’s why I couldn’t clearly know what the true nature of the mind method was.

“Haa···! Haa···!”

Jang Seok-jin stopped walking, letting out a heavy breath.

Cold sweat was running down his cheeks.

Because the consumption of mental power is severe due to the movement of luck.

······It was definitely strange.

I guess I needed to look into it in a little more detail.

“Thank you. But can I look into it a little more and get back to you?”

“Oh, of course. Thank you for your help, Grandmaster.”

After I took the lottery ticket toward Jang Seok-jin and the other disciples, I turned around and walked away.

* * *

└[Emperor Divine Right]

: Is this magic?

The words of Jongli Kwon that immediately came to mind above the folding screen.

It was Jong-Ri-Kwon’s reply to the mind method I saw from Jang Jin-Seok.

Magic.

Once a ‘demon’ enters the world of martial arts, it must be seen as abnormal. Of course, that wasn’t necessarily the case.

But, 99 out of 100 cases are considered to be not normal.

In that sense, the magic power was also not normal as it contained magic.

I couldn’t easily believe it when they called such an extremely evil and cruel martial art “demon art.”

There was no way a shaman could teach magic.

Even though they were lay disciples, they were people who had a relationship with a shaman and used the shaman’s name.

All the work done by the lay disciple is also engraved with the shaman’s name.

But you allowed me to use magic?

No, you taught him yourself?

······I couldn’t believe it.

But the person who came up with the answer was none other than Jong Li-kwon.

Jong Li-kwon, the leader of the Eight Immortals and the creator of the Yeongbo Pil method.

In the Dharma of the mind, there was no one who could follow him, so Zongliquan could never be wrong or mistaken.

That means it really is magic······.

‘Does that make sense?’

No matter how much I thought about it, it didn’t make sense.

The Demonic Realm is a group where the law of the strong, who only pursue power, prevails.

A group that does not care about the means and methods to become stronger.

The devil’s cult.

The martial arts and secret techniques mainly used in the Demonic Cult were called Magong (魔功).

The reason was because of the distinctive characteristics of magic, the most representative of which was that, unlike the martial arts of the Jeongpa, magic was not that difficult to learn.

So the achievement was incredibly fast.

It had the tremendous advantage of being able to train attributes······.

└[Emperor Divine Right]

: If someone with average talent were to learn this, it would take about half a year to reach the pinnacle.

In just half a year, we can train martial artists who are on par with the Golden Guard.

This made it possible to ‘train’ powerful masters.

└[Emperor Divine Right]

: As for the youngest, one year will be enough to get to the mysterious realm where you are currently struggling.

It was truly an unbelievable accomplishment.

However, it was not possible to gain power so quickly. As much as one could achieve quickly, there was a corresponding price to pay······.

└[Emperor Divine Right]

: Of course, that much ‘essence and blood’ is needed.

The mysterious energy that creates all things in the universe, Jeong-Hyeol (精血).

Everything in nature contains vitality, but the more ‘vitality’ there is, the more vitality there is.

And that is to say, the most vital being in nature.

└[Emperor Divine Right]

: To obtain the ultimate energy, you would need the blood of a thousand people.

In simple terms, it meant that one thousand people had to be sacrificed to train one ultra-high-powered unmanned person.

In this way, almost all magicians quickly increased their achievements by sacrificing people.

The most representative example is the Blood Goddess.

The Blood Heavenly Goddess used a magic of bewitchment based on the Chaeyumboyang method, and furthermore, through the salt magic, she absorbed the energy of millions of people and became an extra-human being called the Gigantic God.

The blood formation of the demonic cult used by Gwangmaumgui and Akjihak was no different from this.

This means that shamans have contact with demonic cults······.

└[Emperor Divine Right]

: But this magic was created by the Heavenly Demon? Youngest, how do you know about this?

A phrase from Jongli Kwon that suddenly came to mind.

My eyes opened wide without me realizing it.

└[Cheongun]

: How do you know the Heavenly Demon?