socalfunplaces Page 71
Page 71
Zhu Yuchen waved his hand and said, "Master, you flatter me! I do not like Buddhism; I am a Taoist, not a Buddhist. This path is 'only me, the only one,' and only saves oneself."
Abbess Miejue bowed respectfully but did not reply.
………………
Without further ado, Zhu Yuchen waved his hand, and a gentle force carried the Yitian Sword from under the tree over. He said, "You don't want this sword either?"
Extinction looked at the Heaven-Slaying Sword, a hint of relief in her eyes, and smiled, "Although this sword belongs to Emei, it will be obtained by someone with the right destiny. Emei's own martial arts are enough for this old nun to study for a lifetime, there is no need to seek external things."
Zhu Yuchen nodded, holding the sword in his left hand and forming a sword shape with his right fingers. A sharp sword aura flashed by, and the indestructible Yitian Sword rang out with a mournful clang.
While others didn't realize it, Abbess Miejue could sense the sword intent contained within that sword aura—'I am the only one, breaking through all that is tangible and intangible.'
Zhu Yuchen gripped the hilt with his right hand and drew the sword. At this moment, the Yitian Sword had broken into two pieces, revealing two scrolls of brocade books in the middle of the sword.
Zhu Yuchen handed the sword to Abbess Miejue, then grasped the brocade book and said, "This is the essence of the Nine Yin Manual and the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms that Guo Jing learned in the past. You really don't want it?"
The Emei disciples behind them looked at the two brocade books with curiosity, thinking to themselves, "So this is the martial arts manual that our sect leader has been longing for."
A burning desire flashed in Ding Minjun's eyes as she looked at the two volumes of brocade books, her right hand opening and closing repeatedly, wanting to take them and read them.
Abbess Miejue shook her head and said, "This old nun has limited talent. I haven't even fully comprehended the many martial arts of Emei passed down by Grandmaster Guo Xiang. How could I dare to covet martial arts from other schools?"
Zhu Yuchen nodded, opened the brocade book, and saw that Ding Minjun was even more anxious, her face turning much uglier. But at this time and place, she had no room to speak.
Zhu Yuchen flipped through it for a moment, then pointed to a section and said to Miejue, "This general outline has the effect of strengthening bones, which will greatly benefit your understanding of martial arts. You can take a look."
Abbess Miejue was taken aback. She handed the Heaven-Slaying Sword to Abbess Jingxu behind her, clasped her hands together, and said, "Then thank you very much, Venerable One. This old nun was greedy!"
Zhu Yuchen nodded, gesturing for her to take the brocade book. Miejue didn't greedily read more; she only memorized the passage Zhu Yuchen pointed out before handing it back to him.
Zhu Yuchen took the brocade letter, stuffed it into his bosom, and said, "Let the Abbess take the Heaven-Slaying Sword with her to be reforged, so that she can use it to protect the Dao."
Abbess Miejue thanked them, unmoved by the gift, and after thanking them again, led the Emei disciples down the mountain to Wudang.
Chapter 140 Comprehending the Nine Yin Manual, An Unwelcome Guest Arrives
"She suddenly understood and her Buddhist heart became clear. I underestimated her. Given time, her achievements may very well surpass those of Guo Xiang."
"With Guo Xiang and Fengling Shitai in the past, and Miejue and Jingxu in the future, Emei's three-hundred-year foundation has been solidified, and the future prosperity of Emei Buddhism is a foregone conclusion."
Zhu Yuchen watched Miejue's departing figure and couldn't help but sigh.
Ah Niu scoffed from the side, "If it weren't for the young master's kindness in giving her a chance, she would have been beaten to death long ago with that attitude!"
Seeing Zhu Yuchen shake his head and chuckle, A Niu thought for a moment and said, "Young Master, when I went down the mountain earlier, I heard that those people from Wudang were in danger."
"Oh?" Zhu Yuchen nodded, not intending to inquire further. That was a matter for Wudang, and had nothing to do with him.
………………
Without your involvement, Zhang Wuji would not have escaped the clutches of the Xuanming Elders, and he would still have suffered the calamity of the Cold Poison.
Tomorrow is Zhang Sanfeng's 100th birthday. Shaolin Temple is making trouble over the killing of the entire Longmen Escort Agency by "Zhang Cuishan". Song Yuanqiao is questioning Shaolin Temple about his third brother Yu Daiyan being crippled by Shaolin's Vajra Finger technique. Neither side has any concrete evidence.
The martial arts heroes launched an attack, demanding that Zhang Cuishan and his wife hand over Xie Xun, but Zhang Cuishan remained silent. At the critical moment, Miejue arrived at Wudang Mountain, offering to take Xie Xun back to Emei Mountain to chant scriptures and worship Buddha, sparing his life, but forbidding him from ever leaving Emei Mountain again.
Under pressure, Zhang Cuishan agreed to bring Xie Xun back to the Central Plains to cultivate in the back mountains of Emei. The martial arts heroes, intimidated by the combined power of Emei and Wudang, were willing to grant his request.
[Abbess Miejue reveals the broken Heaven Sword and unveils the mystery of the sword and saber to the world. The martial arts heroes who coveted the secrets of the Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber depart one after another, and the Wudang affair is hastily concluded.]
[Due to the incident involving Ji Xiaofu, Miejue broke off her engagement with Wudang; Zhang Sanfeng rescued Zhang Wuji from the Xuanming Elders, but Zhang Wuji was already deeply poisoned.]
Someone covets the secret manual within the Heaven Sword and will pursue you afterward.
Zhu Yuchen was taken aback by the narration, but then dismissed it. However, he had other ideas, but he would wait until he met Zhang Sanfeng before making any decisions.
"Ah Niu, let's go down the mountain too!" Zhu Yuchen waved his hand and turned to head down the mountain.
Ah Niu responded, led his horse, and followed behind. The two hurried along and finally found a market to stay in at dusk. Because the military horses had markings, Ah Niu had no choice but to release them all to avoid causing trouble for the shopkeepers.
After dinner, Zhu Yuchen settled down in his room to peruse the two secret manuals he had obtained.
………………
As night deepened and the candlelight dimmed, with only the occasional flicker of a flame breaking through, Zhu Yuchen sat at the table, having already read through the essentials of the Nine Yin Manual for the third time.
The first time he read it, he just skimmed through it. The more he read, the deeper the meaning became. By the third time, it took him a long time to get past a section. But Zhu Yuchen became more and more engrossed in reading it. At this moment, countless words and images flowed in his mind and sea of consciousness, and his mind flashed with light whenever he had a thought.
Even as dawn broke the next day and merchants outside began to set off, Zhu Yuchen was still lost in thought.
After Ah Niu got up, seeing how engrossed he was, he didn't disturb him. Instead, he booked both guest rooms on either side of the room to avoid distracting him.
As night fell, Zhu Yuchen watched for a whole day and night before finally letting out a silent sigh...
"Netizens misled me; I almost went to a treasure trove and left empty-handed, buying the box and returning the pearl—I made a fool of myself!"
"This is not some kind of feminine martial art. I always thought Taoist cultivation was about the balance of Yin and Yang, the fusion of dragon and tiger. How could it be biased? I almost missed this great treasure."
"The entire text is profound and full of wisdom, every word a gem. It is the great path of Taoism, from refining essence into qi to refining qi into spirit."
"The entire Nine Yin Manual is so profound that it is comparable to the Great Dao Green Lotus Chapter, which I have integrated from the knowledge of two generations of predecessors. I don't know when I will be able to fully understand it."
As if confirming Zhu Yuchen's idea, the narration kept playing in his mind...
The *Wanshou Daozang* was originally a guide for the Southern Song imperial family to cultivate qi and seek longevity. It was compiled under the overall direction of Grand Secretary Huang Shang, who collaborated with various Daoist schools, including Longhu Mountain, Maoshan, Louguan, Quanzhen, and Neidan, pooling the resources of all schools to create a specific method: the *Nine Yin Manual*, a secret manual for Daoist body, qi, and spirit cultivation.
[By reading the general outline of the Nine Yin Manual, you obtained the key to bone forging from the Book of Changes, and you acquired the basic skills of Taoist body refining and foundation building.]
[You peruse the first volume of the *Nine Yin Manual*, gaining insights into the Taoist internal cultivation methods, and understanding the Taoist principles of preserving the spirit and cultivating qi to nourish the spirit. You have a systematic understanding of refining essence into qi and refining qi into spirit, and you have new insights into the *Great Dao Green Lotus Chapter*.]
[You read the second volume of the Nine Yin Manual, learned the 'Soul Transfer Technique,' and comprehended the wondrous uses of mind and spirit, gaining inspiration for the application of martial arts divine sense.]
You have learned the 'Heart-Shattering Palm', 'Great Demon-Subduing Fist', and 'I Ching Bone-Shrinking Technique'.
You have mastered the 'Ghostly Howl of the Yin Wind,' and you have comprehended the Taoist technique of refining internal organs through sound waves.
You've learned the "Flying Willow Force" technique, which leverages external force and will benefit your flowing, graceful movements.
You have learned the 'Nine Yin Divine Claw' and your finger skills have improved with 'Playing the Five Strings'.
You have learned the 'secret method of breath-holding,' and you have gained an understanding of the art of innate fetal breathing.
[You have learned the 'secret techniques of acupressure' and 'secret methods of meridian analysis,' increasing your understanding of meridians and acupoints.]
[You have learned the 'Snake's Walk and Fox's Turn' and the 'White Python Whip Technique,' and you have seen that the snake represents the division of Yin and Yang, and the manifestation of movement and stillness. Your understanding of Taoism has increased.]
[You understand that the Nine Yin Manual is a Taoist practice of cultivating qi and preserving spirit, even involving the molting of snakes to achieve longevity, and is a culmination of the essence of various Taoist schools.]
[You have read through the "Nine Yin Manual" and gained initial insights. You can now integrate it with the "Great Dao Green Lotus Chapter".]
After dinner, Zhu Yuchen and his servant booked a small courtyard in the inn and stayed there, spending their days studying the profound meanings of the Nine Yin Manual.
After staying there for more than half a year, Zhu Yuchen repeatedly read and studied the secret manual. Combining this with his extensive reading of Taoist scriptures in the Huashan Sutra Repository during his first life, he gained new insights each time he read it.
………………
Zhu Yuchen was completely absorbed in comprehending the true scriptures, unaware that since the gathering of heroes from Wudang, countless people had been secretly searching for his whereabouts.
It wasn't until that day, when Ah Niu threw the three old monks, along with the Kunlun Sect leader and his wife He Taichong and Ban Shuxian, in front of Zhu Yuchen, that he came to his senses.
Zhu Yuchen glanced at them and immediately realized that one of the monks had only had his meridians and acupoints sealed by A Niu's newly learned acupressure technique, and was not in any danger.
The other four were seriously injured. One of the monks had his arms broken by Ah Niu's Vajra Palm, and another not only had both arms broken into pieces, but also had all the fingers on his right hand broken, and was beaten black and blue.
He Taichong and Ban Shuxian suffered the worst. Not only were their broken swords twisted into a pretzel shape, but their right shoulder blades were also pierced with five bloody holes, staining large areas of their clothes red. Blood trickled from the corners of their mouths, and their faces were pale.
He Taichong only had his cheeks and mouth swollen from being hit; Ban Shuxian, however, almost had all her teeth knocked out by A Niu.
Looking at Zhu Yuchen, A Niu kicked with his foot and pointed to each item with his hand:
"Young master, these three monks are three of the Four Emptinesses of Shaolin: Kongwen, Kongzhi, and Kongxing."
"You don't recognize these two young masters? They are He Taichong and Ban Shuxian from the Kunlun Sect."
“I was guarding the gate when these people barged in, demanding that the young master teach me the martial arts manual hidden in the Heaven Sword. This monk and that old hag Ban Shuxian had foul mouths and spoke filthy words, so I gave them a good beating.”
Zhu Yuchen was taken aback, then chuckled and pointed at Kong Wen and the other two, asking, "How do you know them?"
Ah Niu scratched the back of his head and said...
"I don't know them either. There are a lot of martial arts practitioners gathered outside, as well as some young monks and disciples of the Kunlun Sect."
"These people saw that I knocked down these five good-for-nothings with just a few punches and kicks, so naturally they answered whatever I asked. But I chased them all away."
Chapter 141 Enlightening the Three Monks, Ascending Wudang Mountain
Kongxing's brows furrowed in anger, defiant and unruly. Hearing Aniu call them trash, he immediately wanted to retort: "Our Shaolin Temple holds the reins of the martial arts world, how dare you..."
Ah Niu wasn't going to tolerate him. He kicked him right in the chest, knocking him unconscious on the spot.
When He Taichong and Ban Shuxian saw him resorting to violence at the slightest provocation, they couldn't help but shudder and silently lowered their profiles.
"Amitabha!"
Kong Wen raised an eyebrow, chanted a Buddhist prayer, and said, "Please show mercy, benefactor. We came here with no ill intentions."
Ah Niu pursed his lips and ignored him.
………………
He then clasped his hands in a respectful bow to Zhu Yuchen and said...
"We, your humble servants, only learned from Abbess Miejue of Wudang that the manual for the Heaven Sword was in your hands. To prevent the manual from falling into the hands of the martial world and causing conflict, we came here specifically."
“My junior brother Kongxing is straightforward. If he has offended anyone, please forgive him.”
"Since you know us, you should know that what I said is true."
Ah Niu spat, raised an eyebrow, and said disdainfully, "Do you think I'm deaf, or do you think your junior brother just farted outside the door!"
Zhu Yuchen waved his hand, and A Niu fell silent.
Zhu Yuchen looked at the three Shaolin monks. Judging from their appearances, Kong Wen was extremely cunning and ruthless; Kong Zhi was narrow-minded and prone to jealousy; and Kong Xing had a muddled look in his eyes, but was a naturally carefree person.
He couldn't help but sigh, "Since Kongjian, Shaolin has lost all compassion. The three of you, where is there even a trace of the demeanor of a high-ranking Buddhist monk? You don't practice Buddhism, you only know how to be fierce and violent. Has Shaolin really declined to this state?"
"Amitabha!"
Kong Wen frowned and said, "You have a deep prejudice against Shaolin, how could you know..."
Zhu Yuchen waved his hand and asked...
"I have a question. As far as I know, someone on Wudang Mountain has been struck by the Xuanming Divine Palm. This palm is cold and vicious, and only the complete Nine Yang Manual can overcome the extreme yin with extreme yang."
"If Master Zhang were to personally come to Shaolin, would the abbot be willing to relinquish the Shaolin Nine Yang Skill to save a life?"
"Amitabha!" Kongwen chanted the Buddha's name and then fell silent.
Kong Zhi, standing to the side, said indignantly, "How can the martial arts of my sect be so easily taught to others?"
Zhu Yuchen smiled slightly and asked Kong Wen, "If I were to ask Emei's Extinction this question, what do you think she would choose?"
Kong Wen sighed, closed his eyes, and began chanting scriptures. Kong Zhi snorted coldly, seemingly disdainful, but his eyes flickered, clearly showing his guilty conscience. He tried to defend himself, saying, "Wudang and Emei are as close as family, how can they be compared!"
A month ago, Zhang Sanfeng took Zhang Wuji to Shaolin Temple, where they were politely escorted back down the mountain. Abbess Miejue learned of this at Emei and sent Abbess Jingxu to Wudang to orally explain the Emei Nine Yang Skill.
Upon seeing the system's narration, Zhu Yuchen pointedly remarked, "In terms of closeness, Shaolin and Emei are both Buddhist sects, while Wudang is a Taoist sect."
Seeing that the two were stubborn and unyielding, Zhu Yuchen sighed and tried to explain: "In the past, there was the story of Buddha cutting off his own flesh to feed an eagle, followed by Bodhidharma sacrificing himself to enter the palace of Emperor Wu of Liang. Only then did Bodhidharma cross the Yangtze River to the north, and the Zen school began to flourish. Do you understand the mystery behind this?"
Kong Wen clasped his hands in prayer...
"The hard work of our predecessors should not be lightly passed on. If it is used improperly, wouldn't that be a sin on our part? Our Shaolin Temple also encourages believers to copy Buddhist scriptures to guide people towards goodness."
“The Buddha has a compassionate heart, and this old monk should uphold the Vajra mind and protect the path with his own efforts.”
Zhu Yuchen shook his head, too lazy to say anything more. He looked at He Taichong and Ban Shuxian beside him and said…
"Are you two, from the distant Kunlun Mountains in the Western Regions, also here in the Central Plains coveting the martial arts manual hidden in the Heaven Sword?"
"He Zudao, one of the Three Saints of Kunlun, was famous in the Western Regions for his skills in playing the zither, playing chess, and using swordsmanship. He even once used his skills in chess and swordsmanship to intimidate Shaolin Temple outside the temple. Are the martial arts he left behind not enough for you two to study?"
He Taichong avoided eye contact, constantly glancing at his wife, Ban Shuxian; Ban Shuxian's brow was furrowed with hostility, the couple hardly resembled the leaders of a major sect.
Zhu Yuchen said no more, waved his hand, and said to A Niu, "Hang the five of them on the flagpole outside the inn. If anyone comes to cause trouble again, don't hold back."
A Niu bowed in response, while Kong Wen's expression froze for a moment before he angrily said, "Benefactor, please consider this carefully..."
Zhu Yuchen was too lazy to speak. With a flick of his sleeve, a powerful blow struck Kong Wen's chest. Kong Wen's face turned pale and then red, indicating that he had suffered internal injuries, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.
Zhu Yuchen then said, "You don't need to use Shaolin to intimidate me. I don't even consider those three good-for-nothings on the back mountain of Shaolin. If you dare to say another word, I will flatten Shaolin."
Although the man's tone was calm, Kong Wen felt a chill run down his spine, a murderous intent filling his body and mind, knowing that this man was not lying. He said bitterly, "I wonder what it would take for you to reconcile?"