Blade Monk#

A foolish monk hears a wise voice divine, Beheading seen as practice, an evil so refined. Crooked paths lead to ever twisted ways, The wicked blade awakens, yet the mind still strays.

The yakshas who sought refuge in the New West were mostly unwilling to sever their old grudges and thus served as lay disciples in the temple. Some yakshas, however, aspired to attain enlightenment and shaved their hair to become inner disciples. They had promised their master to sever a thousand heads to prove their resolve. Yellowbrow was pleased and bestowed upon them special blades, calling them "Blade Monks," and allowed them to practice in the Pagoda Realm. If they truly managed to behead a thousand foes, they could become Arhats in the main hall.

Initially, the Blade Monks thought this task would be easy, as the Pagoda Realm was filled with newcomers on the path of enlightenment. However, the path grew more challenging as they found the remaining inhabitants of the Pagoda Realm to all be formidable adversaries: the agile and elusive Starved Abominations, whom they couldn't catch; the long-limbed Lantern Wardens, whom they dared not provoke; the temperamental Enslaved Yakshas, whose cruel vengeance they feared; and even the weakest Yaksha Archers, who had become mad and terrifying after practicing the Closed- Eye Meditation technique.

Seeing that the Red-Haired Yakshas often sat quietly alone, appearing very docile, they decided to target them. Although the Red- Haired Yakshas believed all beings deserved to live, he harbored a deep hatred for those who beheaded others due to the war that destroyed their nation, and their own fate. Thus, he showed no mercy and promptly beheaded the Blade Monks who attempted to do so.

After this lesson, the Blade Monks became subdued but remained resentful. They often hid in corners, ambushing passers-by to add to their count of beheading through their treacherous means.