"As I said earlier, since Shaolin usually only allows men inside, we'll wait for you over there, So-ryong."

As we got closer to Iljumun, the first gate of Shaolin, a clearing opened up.

Several pavilions were set up there, and Hwa-eun turned back and spoke.

She said she would wait over there, at one of the pavilions.

Just as she had told me before, Shaolin was a forbidden zone for women.

Apparently, there were exceptions on special occasions, but this wasn’t one of those times.

During holidays or certain seasonal festivals, women were allowed limited access — but only near the entrance and a few designated areas.

Normally, women couldn't enter the inner grounds of Shaolin, so she had to wait outside.

"I really wanted to see the inside of Shaolin too..."

"I'm curious too, but there's no helping it. Unless it’s the Lantern Festival or something like that, Shaolin remains off-limits to women."

"Tch..."

Sister Seol said she wanted to see inside Shaolin, but just like Hwa-eun said, there was nothing to be done.

If we broke the rule, it would be seen as insulting Shaolin’s dignity, and we'd be locked up in the Chamber of Repentance.

From what I heard, anything you did wrong at Shaolin landed you straight in the Chamber of Repentance.

Well, "Chamber of Repentance" sounded nice, but according to Brother, it was basically a prison — a cliffside hollowed out with iron bars sealing the entrance.

More like a jail, honestly.

And from morning till night, monks would chant sutras non-stop outside your cell.

It made sense why people ended up converting to Buddhism after a few years trapped there.

Locked up for ten or twenty years, with monks chanting right outside your face — even a sane person would lose their mind.

And if you converted to Buddhism, they would grant you release. Who wouldn’t eventually give in?

Maybe the Chamber of Repentance was actually Shaolin’s scheme to forcibly create monks.

After all, both eunuchs and monks weren’t exactly overflowing with volunteers.

'It’s really suspicious when you think about it.'

"Sister Seol, if you get the chance later, you should come visit. For now, Hwa-eun, I'll go in with Brother."

"Yes, So-ryong. Be careful, and I hope you achieve what you’re aiming for. If you’re unsure about anything, you can always ask in the group chat."

"Got it."

Just as I said earlier, I was going to enter with Brother alone.

Men were allowed inside, but aside from Brother, no one else was willing to go.

They said temples felt stuffy.

Especially Kwon-ryong and Geom-ryong brothers — they had fought tooth and nail to visit the giru, but when it came to Shaolin, they flatly refused.

「"So, does that mean only the guys are allowed into Shaolin?"

"No, Do-ryong and So-ryong — you two just go."

"What about you two?"

"If I go where it’s all guys, my skin breaks out."

"I... well... temple food just tastes weird to me... ahem."」

Seriously, their preferences were crystal clear.

Remembering that conversation made me chuckle as I stepped forward, but then I heard a voice behind me.

"Kids, you too. Stay here. You can’t follow Daddy."

When I turned around, I saw the kids trying to follow me, only to be stopped by Hwa-eun.

I had assumed they would stay put, but it seemed they thought they could follow me since they weren't humans.

Or maybe they figured being female and being an 'adult woman' were different things.

-Tsururut?

-Shaa?

-Bii?

The kids tilted their heads as if wondering what the problem was.

Watching them, a thought crossed my mind.

Maybe they were right — since they weren’t human, the rule shouldn't apply.

After all, laws are made for humans.

The kids wouldn’t be counted under those rules.

If it were a place filled with ordinary people, I'd have hidden the kids, but this was the martial world — no need to hide them.

Besides, Shaolin already knew I raised venomous creatures and spirit beasts.

As long as we avoided violating the "no women" rule, there shouldn't be a problem.

And now that I thought about it, I needed to bring Ranghyang along anyway to explain the incident.

He was an important witness — no, a victim. A "victim beast," really.

So I asked Hwa-eun immediately.

"Come to think of it, since the kids aren’t human, wouldn’t it be fine?

And to explain what happened, I have to bring Ranghyang. It would be better to bring the others too. If I tried to take only Ranghyang, he might get scared since he just became part of our family."

"I think you’re right about bringing Ranghyang..."

Hwa-eun trailed off, looking to the side.

I followed her gaze and saw Cheongyu and Yo-hwa blinking back at us.

-Kisit?

-Shia?

"Ah..."

Seeing them, I realized the problem.

Those two were... tricky.

They were too human-like to bring along easily.

Cheongyu had a half-human form — her upper body looked like her human self — and Yo-hwa had taken on Hwa-eun’s appearance, so they barely looked different from actual people.

Resting my chin on my hand, I decided to ask Brother.

"Brother, why are women not allowed inside Shaolin?"

"Because monks with weak discipline might fall into temptation if they see women."

"Ah..."

Hearing that, I realized it was about monks struggling with desires.

'In that case, maybe it’s fine?'

If that was the reason, it might actually be okay.

And asking didn't cost anything, so we could check at the entrance.

"Then let’s take them along for now and ask at the gate."

"If they say no, we’ll just send them back to wait with Hwa-eun. And like you said, Ranghyang needs to come anyway."

"Alright, kids, let’s go. But if they say you can’t enter, you’ll have to come back and wait with Mom."

-Kishi.

-Biiii.

-Tsururur.

The kids let out happy sounds and quickly lined up behind me.

After °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° saying our goodbyes, I set off with Brother toward the entrance.

"Then, we’ll be back soon."

Dragging along the fake Taoist scumbag we had captured.

"Move."

"Aughghghh..."

Brother yanked the rope binding the monk, and the bastard moaned dramatically as if he were dying.

Dragging the fake monk along, we reached the massive stone gate of Shaolin.

Far inside, at another gate, a group of monks spotted us and panicked.

They grabbed long staffs and rushed over to surround us — but one of the monks recognized Brother and quickly raised his hand to stop them.

"Wh-who goes there!?"

"Stand down!"

-Clack!

"Ah, Amitabha. Brother Paeng, what is going on here?"

The man who seemed to be the chief guard asked, and Brother smiled as he introduced us.

"Monk Ja-un, this here is So-ryong, the son-in-law of the Sichuan Tang Clan, along with the children he raises. And this man is the fake Taoist the Head Abbot asked us to capture last time. Since he was deceiving and leading the people into ruin, as instructed, we caught him. Of course, it was all thanks to So-ryong here."

"Oh, it was him? And I had heard about the spirit beasts he raises, but I never imagined they would look like this and be so big. Truly, truly impressive."

Monk Ja-un stared blankly at the kids standing behind me for a moment.

He quickly collected himself and put his palms together in greeting.

"Forgive my manners. Amitabha. I am Ja-un. It is an honor to meet you. And thank you for resolving Shaolin’s trouble."

"Pleased to meet you. I am So-ryong, son of the Beast Palace and son-in-law of the Tang Clan."

After our greetings, Monk Ja-un immediately turned his gaze toward the tied-up Taoist.

His expression completely changed compared to when he spoke to us, and he immediately gave an order.

"Receive the criminal from our guests and take him straight to the Daeungbojeon. And one of you, run to the Head Abbot’s chambers and inform Great Monk Hyewon of the situation."

"Yes!"

The rope binding the fake Taoist, which Brother had been holding like a leash, was handed over to the Shaolin monks.

Monk Ja-un then turned back, ready to guide us inside.

However, when he noticed Yo-hwa and Cheongyu, his expression became awkward.

"So-ryong, although you have done us a great service, those children cannot cross the gates of Shaolin. Inside, the entrance of women is strictly forbidden."

Apparently, the other kids were fine, but the ones who looked like women were the problem.

But of course, I had already anticipated this.

You think I brought the kids all the way here without a plan?

I had every intention of negotiating.

I asked as politely as possible.

"Is it because of their appearance?"

"That’s correct, So-ryong."

As expected, it was because they looked like women.

But then, looking a bit troubled, he continued.

"I have heard the reason women are not allowed inside is because there is concern monks with weaker discipline might fall into temptation. Is that correct?"

"Yes, that is correct, So-ryong."

"Hmm. Then you're saying you’re worried monks might fall into temptation just by seeing these children..."

"And if that is the case... isn't that rather dangerous in itself?"

"E-eh?"

Monk Ja-un blinked, unable to grasp my meaning, and I answered while gazing off at the distant mountains.

"I mean, if they fall into temptation just by seeing beings that aren’t even human..."

'From now on, anyone who feels anything will basically be outing themselves!'

Insects are usually described with words like carapaced or shelled — and if someone feels tempted by beings that aren’t even human, what should we call it? Not furry — that’s for fur — but maybe carapaced, or shelled fetishists?

Anyway, it was something along those lines.

Those who love fur are furries, those who love shells would be... carapaceds or shell-lovers?

At my words, Monk Ja-un flinched and hurriedly sent another monk inside.

"Go and tell Great Monk Hyewon that it would be best if he personally came to receive the guests."

"Yes, understood."

Apparently, this was a decision too deep for him to make alone.

***

Because of the question I raised, both Great Monk Hyewon and several senior monks all came rushing out to the gate.

After a brief conversation among themselves, they concluded that everyone could enter.

"Even if a monk's discipline is weak, no one here would fall into temptation just by seeing a spirit beast. Please come in, So-ryong."

If they refused, it would have meant admitting that some of their monks had... peculiar tastes.

Since no one wanted that, they immediately allowed us entry.

'Right. Nice.'

"Thank you very much, Great Monk Hyewon."

After expressing my thanks, we entered the mountain gate.

Past the entrance was the Cheonwangjeon, and behind it stood the largest building — the Daeungbojeon.

In front of it, countless Shaolin disciples were lined up in rows.

And at the center, kneeling in front of the Daeungbojeon, was the fake Taoist, Taeheo.

"Could you tell us the full story?"

"Of course."

Standing before the fake Taoist, Great Monk Hyewon asked for an explanation.

I nodded and immediately began.

"First of all, this all happened because that fake Taoist deceived a spirit beast — one who cannot even see — and made him commit wrongdoings. To explain more specifically..."

When I got to the part about the incident in Sosang Village, the rosary beads in Great Monk Hyewon’s hands creaked as he gripped them harder, causing a brief pause.

But I continued and explained everything to the end.

Once I finished, Great Monk Hyewon asked,

"Who is the one who cannot see?"

"This child here."

Ranghyang, unable to see, was clinging nervously to Bini.

I pointed him out.

Great Monk Hyewon spoke in a sorrowful voice.

"He found a friend... he must have been lonely. Amitabha. Even a tiny creature yearns for family, siblings, and affection."

I emphasized during my explanation that Ranghyang was not at fault — he had simply been deceived.

Great Monk Hyewon showed no blame toward Ranghyang.

Instead, he directed his fiery anger at the fake Taoist.

"To use such pure feelings to make money, and to plunge people into suffering! Even the merciful Buddha would not forgive such a deed."

"Indeed, while Ranghyang made mistakes, it was only because that wretch deceived such a kind-hearted child. He is truly a vile man."

'Yeah, that bastard is pure evil!'

The fake Taoist, overwhelmed by guilt, couldn’t even protest and only shook his head violently — but it only made Great Monk Hyewon angrier.

Burning with righteous fury, Great Monk Hyewon delivered the sentence.

"To exploit the people of the villages around Mount Song and to manipulate a pure spirit beast is a grave sin. Fifty years in the Chamber of Repentance! Take him away!"

"Yes, Great Monk!"

The Taoist looked to be in his late thirties.

Fifty years — it was effectively a life sentence.

It was a chilling judgment — condemning him to live out his days castrated and imprisoned.

After delivering the verdict, Great Monk Hyewon smiled kindly.

"Now, shall we go inside, have some tea, and discuss the matter you wanted to ask about?"

It was finally time to learn about karma and fate.