Chapter 183: Heavenly Eye (1)
Countless tales about the Heavenly Eye are widely spread throughout the Central Plains.
During this time, the Chief Abbot of Shaolin has foreseen an innumerable number of calamities, all of which have come to pass without a single error.
Not only did he predict the opening of the True Gate of Demons across the Central Plains, but there were also many disasters that could have been averted thanks to the declarations of the Heavenly Eye.
As his achievements accumulated, Shaolin’s position became exalted not just in the Central Plains but also within the Murim Alliance.
It’s not like there’s only one Heavenly Eye.
When considering the title of Heavenly Eye, it resembles the Five Dragons—no, it’s more akin to the Sixth Dragon that has now emerged among the divine dragons.
The position of Shaolin’s Chief Abbot is one that can only be held by those who possess the Heavenly Eyes.
This applies to the current Chief Abbot, as well as the previous and the one before that.
They all became Chief Abbot because they possessed the Heavenly Eyes.
How this is even possible has been the subject of various theories.
Some say that when the current possessor dies, the power simply shifts to someone else among the Shaolin members.
Others whisper that the Chief Abbot can directly pass the power to someone else just before his death. There are many rumors, but in the end, it’s a closely guarded secret of Shaolin, and right now, that’s not what’s important.
What’s crucial is that a person with such formidable abilities is seeking me for some reason.
I wonder why?
He’s been specifically looking for me, which suggests he must have some business with me.
But what could it be?
Could it possibly be about the book?
The book I picked up yesterday that contained Shaolin’s martial arts.
I thought it might be because of that, but deep down, I didn’t believe the Chief Abbot would call me just for that.
Is there any excuse I could use to feign ignorance?
At this moment, I have none.
It’s hard to refuse saying I came just for a tour, especially when the person making the request is none other than the Chief Abbot of Shaolin.
Tsk.
In the end, I realized I had no way out, so I spoke to the others around me.
“I think something’s come up, so you guys can go ahead.”
Upon hearing my words, Tang Soyeol made a face that suggested dissatisfaction, but she didn’t push the matter much since the person who interrupted was a distinguished senior from the Central Plains.
“You too, go ahead.”
“Can’t I come with you?”
“No.”
As I said this firmly, Wi Seol-Ah pouted her lips, but there was nothing I could do.
“Take her with you and go down without me.”
I instructed Hongwa, who immediately took Wi Seol-Ah away from me.
“You don’t have to wait for me; just leave.”
Since I had no idea how long this would take, I urged them all to go, including Namgung Bi-ah.
Namgung Bi-ah, too, seemed to be about to leave without saying a word, but then, the Mighty Staff interjected.
“The Chief Abbot wants to see Lady Namgung as well.”
After hearing this, Namgung Bi-ah tilted her head in surprise, clearly not expecting to be summoned.
“Lady Namgung too?”
The Mighty Staff nodded in response to my inquiry.
Namgung Bi-ah too?
At this, my brow furrowed slightly.
The Heavenly Eye, Chinyoung.
The 23rd Chief Abbot of Shaolin, he was also a candidate for the head of the Murim Alliance, along with the Harmonic Sword and Celestial Plum Blossom.
Though he had the least martial prowess among the three, his influence was overwhelming.
That was only natural.
After all, the Chief Abbot of Shaolin is the one who predicts calamities in the Central Plains.
While he may lack in martial skills, his influence on the Central Plains and the righteous sect was immense.
In the end, however, the head position ended up with the Harmonic Sword.
“I apologize for summoning you so suddenly.”
A frail old man sat in front of me.
He had a long, white beard and patches on his face that showed his age.
He seemed frail for a martial artist.
For someone overseeing the Ten Sect Alliance, who boasted a multitude of martial artists, the old man looked surprisingly weak for the influential Chief Abbot of Shaolin.
“It’s not a problem.”
I concealed my inner thoughts.
Just because he appeared physically weak didn’t mean I could let my guard down.
“I’m actually grateful for your invitation. It’s an honor for someone like me.”
[That guy is the Chief Abbot, you say?]
Elder Shin expressed surprise, clearly caught off guard.
He does seem a bit off for a Chief Abbot.
[A bit, indeed.]
Though he looked weak on the outside, considering the similar appearance of the Sword Venerable, it was possible that this Chief Abbot also harbored secrets.
I didn’t know much about him.
I hadn’t met him in my previous life either and, furthermore, the Chief Abbot died shortly after someone else took over his position.
The Chief Abbot smiled softly at me.
“You resemble the Tiger Warrior quite a bit.”
He began talking about my father.
I hadn’t expected him to bring up my dad.
“Well, first off, I should congratulate you. I heard you performed well in the tournament.”
“Thank you.”
“The True Dragon, eh? Seeing you in person, it truly is a fitting title for you.”
I wasn’t sure what he saw through his closed eyes, but it seemed fitting when I thought about it given his title.
Sip-
A sound echoed from beside me.
It was Namgung Bi-ah, sipping tea, but it reverberated notably in this large room.
I lightly nudged Namgung Bi-ah with my elbow.
“Hmm?”
She glanced at me, confused as to why I had done that.
I considered giving her a hint, but the Chief Abbot spoke, preempting me.
“Hehe, there’s no need for that. It was I who called you here so suddenly, so please, make yourself comfortable.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
“I should be the one thanking you. I appreciate your quick response to my sudden invitation.”
The room was spacious and empty.
So spacious that it echoed when someone spoke.
I took a few sips of tea to quench my thirst and, while doing so, I ruminated in my mind.
I don’t think he called me here just for the book.
Even with the title of Heavenly Eye, it seemed he couldn’t see everything.
While managing my expressions and keeping an eye on Namgung Bi-ah beside me, the Chief Abbot spoke again.
“Today, you might be wondering why I called you so suddenly.”
At his words, I directed my gaze toward him.
“Did you happen to hear the term ‘Meteor’ from your father?”
My eyes widened slightly at his words.
It was a name I had encountered somewhere before.
Not from my father, though.
The King of Swords.
The father of Namgung Cheonjun and Namgung Bi-ah, who is currently called the King of Swords in this era.
It was a name I came across from Namgung Jin.
I peeked at Namgung Bi-ah for a moment, but she still looked perplexed, merely sipping her tea.
“I have heard of it.”
I chose to respond honestly, thinking it would be better to do so.
“How much do you know?”
“I’ve only heard that it exists.”
The Chief Abbot chuckled softly.
“I thought the Tiger Warrior wouldn’t discuss such matters with his children. This is unexpected.”
He thought that my father wouldn’t tell me?
I pondered why he would think such a thing.
“The reason I called you is that I hope you will join the Meteor.”
“Meteor, you say?”
At the Chief Abbot’s offer, my eyes sharpened.
Meteor—a strange name that left me puzzled about its meaning.
It wouldn’t be easy to accept this without understanding what it entailed, but I couldn’t grasp the significance behind the name either.
I quickly adjusted my expression.
“First, I’d like to thank you.”
“Hmm?”
“You likely extended this offer because you find me in favorable light.”
The Chief Abbot nodded at my remark.
Was he smiling? Due to his long eyebrows and beard, it was hard to see his eyes and mouth clearly.
“However, I’d like to ask something first.”
“Feel free to ask.”
“I want to know what this Meteor is.”
I had never heard of it during my past life.
Of course, I had learned many new and unfamiliar things this time around, but dealing with the unknown still posed a challenge.
It’s not easy to handle.
If it were a couple of things, it wouldn’t matter, but there were far too many to count and their implications were considerable.
I wondered how I had lived without knowing something so significant.
“That’s something we can’t—”
The Mighty Staff who was quietly standing nearby attempted to respond on behalf of the Chief Abbot, but the Heavenly Eye raised his hand, stopping him mid-sentence.
“Chief Abbot?”
Just as he did that, he turned to us and spoke.
“The Meteor is a small organization created by the Murim Alliance in anticipation of the calamity that will soon befall the Central Plains.”
Upon hearing that, the Mighty Staff’s expression turned surprised.
It was shocking to see someone who usually appeared stoic display such an emotion, indicating the extreme secrecy surrounding the matter.
I focused on the Chief Abbot’s words.
A calamity, huh?
That was rather surprising.
The impending calamity couldn’t really be compared to the prior disasters since they had been smaller in scale.
Still, if the Chief Abbot was alluding to the Heavenly Demon regarding this upcoming disaster…
Does that mean they were already preparing for it?
It implied that the Murim Alliance knew the Heavenly Demon was coming and was taking steps to prepare for it.
But what were they planning to do about it?
Even with preparation, the outcome hadn’t been very favorable.
But the significant point remained that they were preparing for it.
“A calamity…”
“I’m not sure how many years we have left, but it’s certain that a calamity will strike in the not-so-distant future.”
This assertion came directly from the Heavenly Eye himself.
Just the fact that such words were spoken by the Heavenly Eye lent weight to its significance.
I swallowed hard, or feigned it, before asking, “I’m curious as to why you wish to include us in such an essential organization.”
Despite our decent performance in this year’s tournament, it didn’t really mean we had grown into fully matured martial artists.
I couldn’t grasp why the Chief Abbot himself was eager to include us in a group set up to avert the calamity.
The Chief Abbot, almost as if anticipating my question, responded.
“More than the accomplished martial artists currently in the Central Plains, I place a higher value on the potential seen in stars like you.”
Potential?
He mentioned it would be a matter of a few years, which briefly made me think that he might be planning to nurture young prodigies in advance, but he must also be aware that something of that magnitude couldn’t be achieved in a few years’ time.
It would be difficult for the promising youngsters to ascend to the ranks of the top martial artists in the Central Plains within just a few years.
So that indicates there’s another reason here.
Despite being told it was formed to prevent the calamity, I was puzzled that I remained unaware of such a group, particularly one that was supposed to stop the Heavenly Demon’s appearance.
“The Meteor is a place that can offer you significantly more.”
Regarding “significantly more,” was he talking about elixirs or other special items?
“If you desire, I could help you experience a more expansive world.”
A broader world. His simple line captivated me, making me ask the Chief Abbot.
“Is it possible that the New Star is also part of this Meteor group?”
The New Star was a title given to Jang Seonyeon after the tournament.
I wonder if Jang Seonyeon is in it too?
That question had crossed my mind.
Events that unfolded recently made me speculate that he might indeed be part of this group.
The Chief Abbot simply stared at me in silence.
He kept silent for a moment before shaking his head.
“That’s something you’ll discover if you join.”
It was neither a clear affirmation nor denial.
But I sensed the answer within his response.
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