Wu Changqing looked at the tranquil yet wrathful deity before him and then at the scholar whose body exuded an aura of coldness, suddenly feeling a headache coming on as his thoughts scattered, he mused to himself:
"After the world's foremost expert thief, Su Xing, awakens, this Shaolin Temple is likely to become ever more bustling."
Master Yuan Ci already has many disputes with him, and now he has gleaned Mr. Ying's secrets.
Yet, despite his claims of understanding a hundred dialects, he didn't speak out that person's name...
As he was indulgently speculating, he suddenly thought of Wang Anfeng, who was now just over fourteen years old, at a time of growth and extremely susceptible to outside influences. What if he isn't watched properly and ends up influenced by the thief skilled in all the profanities under the sun?
With this thought in mind, a slight chill flashed across the old man's face, and the sliver of sympathy he had for Hong Luoyu vanished in an instant.
If he dares to act recklessly.
I too will have to emulate Master Yuan Ci and resort to thunderous measures.
Let none think that we, who study medicine, are easy to provoke!
Wu Changqing raised his hand to stroke his beard, seriously contemplating the feasibility of rendering Hong Luoyu mute within his mind.
The scholar in green robes paced to the pile of Martial Arts Manuals and casually flipped one open, glancing at it twice, only to see that the Dharma written therein differed greatly from the style of the Central Plains martial arts. It wasn't a technique led by Qi, but rather, it had a unique and profound system of its own.
His eyes narrowed slightly as he quickly flipped through the manual in his hands and picked up another one on swordsmanship, silently turning the pages.
Between his brows, a hint of surprise could be seen.
These Martial Arts Manuals, superficially viewed for their techniques and moves, are barely worth a glance, but the methods they describe for exerting force are different from what he knew—they led with Intent, envisioning the phenomenal occurrences of Heaven and Earth, merging oneself with Heaven and Earth to unleash greater power.
The two people beside him noticed the scholar's peculiar behavior and their expressions became slightly curious.
Mr. Ying swept his sleeve, and, as his Vigorous Qi surged, two of the secret manuals flew towards Wu Changqing.; both caught them and they were aware that these Martial Arts Manuals had been collected by the youth known as Gongsun Jing. But that youngster's martial arts were only about Seventh Rank; how could he have accessed any profound martial arts techniques?
Despite this, since they were collected by the scholarly person, there might be some deep significance. With this thought, the two from Yuan Ci flipped through the manuals in their hands, looking only at the overviews. Upon seeing them, expressions of surprise surfaced on their faces, no longer as casual as before.
Wu Changqing stroked his beard and frowned, his expression exceedingly grave as he whispered:
Their martial arts had reached the pinnacle of their own systems.
In this vast world, the martial arts they had practiced were top-notch extraordinary skills. As they roamed the Jianghu, they had seen many unique secret techniques, each with its unique features, but never had they come across manuals as crude, yet so starkly different from those they had encountered before.
This was genuinely their first time.
Master Yuan Ci earnestly finished reading a common Body Tempering martial arts manual, taking in every word describing how to envision intense blazing fires to temper one's meridians, how to envision the evolution of flames to facilitate the dispersal of medicinal power—he read every word with utmost care and attentiveness.
Not until he turned the last page did he fully understand the intricacies of this martial art.
He then formed an opinion as to why the style of this martial art was so different from the arts he had practiced.
Martial arts are born from the need to fight. At their inception, they couldn't possibly be so profound. Greatly influenced by their world, the eclectic differences seen here must arise from the martial paths shaped by distinct worlds.
He placed the manual on his lap, the Grey-robed monk closing his eyes in contemplation.
The Vajra Indestructible Divine Skill at the Twelve Layers.
His own martial arts had reached a bottleneck where no further progress seemed possible. Wandering the Jianghu had lost its appeal, which is why he had returned to Shaolin Temple to revisit the Buddhist Scriptures he had once disdained in his youth. Amidst that despair, under the ancient Buddhist lamps, he had sudden epiphanies while reading the scripture's text.
Going round in circles, the truths he sought were already infused within the profound but subtle teachings.
Thus, the Ming Wang, who had struggled to advance further in the Martial Arts path, extinguished his afflictions.
From that day on, the Jianghu saw one less lonely seeker of martial prowess.
In Shaolin Temple, there was one more monk reciting scriptures and sweeping floors daily.
He thought that for the rest of his life, he could only remain stationary.
He believed that the path of martial arts led only to the unknowable and the unattainable. However, upon seeing these common Martial Arts Manuals, upon seeing these plainly written texts, glimpsing the divergent philosophies of martial arts, Yuan Ci saw another way forward, his heart and mind trembling with the realization.
With his thoughts stirred, it was as if Buddha himself had descended from the Lotus Platform.
Without considering the consequences, disregarding his long-cultivated tranquil mind from reciting scriptures, and the calm of acting with deliberation, all vanished. Yuan Ci—like a youth touching martial arts for the first time—recklessly began to practice the techniques described in the manual.
With his profound martial arts foundation, practicing such a basic-level technique was almost as natural as water flowing along its course. His Internal Strength surged throughout his body, and in just a few breaths, he perfected the first layer of the technique. Yet what he envisioned in his mind was not what was termed as the blazing fire.
But what stood before him was a towering figure of the Buddha's Dharma King.
His feet stood upon fierce flames, as if floating among the clouds, looking down upon Heaven and Earth. His body was extraordinary, holding a treasured sword and Buddha's staff, feet exuding dignity and wisdom, with a great aura of light shining brightly, illuminating the vast world in all directions.
The light upon his face receded, revealing solemn and peaceful features, with an underlying authority.
They were unmistakably his own facial features.
Within his body, even the deep inner strength that was difficult to achieve through the cultivation of this martial art to an unparalleled degree, was now circulating rapidly along its original trajectory.
What he had been practicing was the unparalleled martial arts of the Shaolin Temple, the Vajra Indestructible Divine Skill, and he believed he had tempered his body to the utmost limit. To advance further, he needed to integrate what he had learned and take a step beyond the great achievements of the Vajra Indestructible Divine Skill upon which they were founded.
But at this moment, he suddenly felt a slight tingling in the muscles of his arm.
This sensation was so faint that had he not been meditating in Zen a moment before, he would have been completely unaware of it. But it was a real change that existed.
The monk's eyes suddenly brightened with a clear light.
In his heart, it was as if flames had been rekindled.
Zen Buddhism places the utmost importance on enlightenment, with a single thought one could become a Buddha.
With the mind firmly fixed, there is no place where the great thunderous chant does not reach; with the mind enlightened, everyone is Buddha.
Monk Ci Yuan silently recited the scriptures in his heart.
Then, he cast aside the Buddhist Meditation Heart he had been focusing on, no longer concerned with it.
Obsessive attachment without enlightenment is like a Buddha stepping down from the Lotus Platform.
Assuming the wrathful countenance of the Dharma King.
Wu Changqing noticed Monk Ci Yuan's unusual state and his expression showed slight astonishment. He quickly realized something and said,
"Master Ci Yuan, have you practiced it directly?"
This was too reckless…
The elderly man was extremely shocked. As the foremost medic in the world, he naturally understood that martial arts could not be cultivated recklessly; otherwise, the inner breath would become chaotic, and the True Qi would flow in reverse, causing unbearable agony worse than death.
He wanted to continue questioning Monk Ci Yuan why he was being so reckless, but looking at the slight brightness in the monk's eyes, sensing the joy emanating from him, the old man suddenly thought of something. Just as he was about to speak, he heard himself ask with an extremely hopeful tone, as if afraid that even the slightest touch would shatter everything before his eyes, treading carefully,
When he saw Monk Ci Yuan slowly and solemnly nodding his head, something seemed to crack in Wu Changqing's heart, his expression became dazed, as if he were in a dream, and then a surge of ecstatic joy rose within him.
Already over seventy years old, he suddenly felt the urge of his youthful days to look up at the sky and howl.
The old man briefly indulged a youthful folly.
For the youthful spirit had never diminished.
A healer's heart is merciful.
But he was also a martial artist standing at the pinnacle.
How could one reach the peak?
Only with the utmost aridness and the utmost loneliness of the world.
But he had long tasted the agony of not making an inch of progress.
When you become famous as a youth, when you're exceptional and unrivalled, but after singing triumphantly along your journey, having seen all the scenery along the way, filled with pride and satisfaction, there comes a time when you stop and cannot take another step forward. Watching the younger generation slowly catch up to your pace, watching those you protected enter Jianghu and continue the triumphant songs just like your younger self did.
But all you can do is waste away.
Because there's no path left to take.
And now, he finally saw a new path...
Even if it was extremely difficult.