Simon was sitting on the couch, flipping through a copy of the 'Plum Blossom Divination Book', when he suddenly felt a premonition. He looked around but saw nothing unusual. Using his Celestial Eye, however, he discovered a unique superior affinity bead in front of the Shaolin Temple.
The surface of this superior affinity bead had many broken superior affinity lines, making it resemble a sea urchin. Its overall radiance was covered by a layer of dim gray residue, making it appear very lifeless.
Simon rarely saw this kind of gray residue; even for those on the verge of death, their superior affinity beads remained bright and clean.
All superior affinities that conformed to the circulation of the Heavenly Dao were bright, so this gray residue was clearly a product that defied the Heavenly Dao.
And those broken superior affinity lines signified the destruction of superior affinity beads that were once connected to this person. A connected superior affinity bead would at least belong to a close friend or a relative whose vital energy had resonated with theirs.
Simon frowned, thinking, "An unwelcome guest has arrived."
Meanwhile, Zen Master Zixing summoned the abbots of the three courtyards, along with four elders and eighteen Arhats, totaling twenty-six experts. They stood in the courtyard behind the temple gate, their preparations thorough.
The abbot then ordered the guest-receiving monk to open the main gate.
With a creaking sound from the door hinges, the thick, red-lacquered main gate opened, and Yu Feng, an Archmage of the Bloodhowl Sect, stepped inside.
The eminent monks observed him: a faint bloody aura emanated from him, his eyes held a hidden ferocity and malice, and his face bore a fake smile that was, in reality, cold. It was impossible for such a person not to have hundreds or thousands of lives on his hands.
"This humble Archmage Yu Feng of the Bloodhowl Sect greets the esteemed eminent monks of Shaolin," he said politely, cupping his hands and bowing. His facade as a good-natured gentleman could probably deceive many.
Zen Master Zi Nie, whose temperament was like a raging fire, immediately stepped forward and roared, "You fiend! How dare you come to my Shaolin Temple to disturb our peace! This time, you shall not leave!"
Yu Feng straightened up, feigning alarm, "This humble person does not know how he has offended these esteemed masters. Why do you immediately call for a fight upon meeting?"
Zen Master Zi Nie snorted coldly and took out the invitation. "Stop with your feigned sincerity. This humble monk asks you, is this invitation made of human skin?"
The other party immediately dropped the insincere fear from his face and chuckled softly, "How does this monk know it's human skin? Could it be that you also enjoy using such beautiful things?"
"Nonsense!" Zen Master Zi Nie cursed, but then was momentarily speechless, unable to think of a retort.
He was already furious, but since the abbot had not spoken, he could only glare at the other party indignantly.
Zen Master Zixing chanted a Buddhist name loudly, "Amitabha. Benefactor, evil has entered your body, and your troubles are many. Why not stay at my Shaolin Temple for a while, eat vegetarian food, recite Buddhist scriptures, and dispel your evil nature?" The old monk's expression was so calm as to be almost indifferent.
Yu Feng adopted the posture of a junior in the martial world, "Greetings, Great Master. This humble person's health does not require your concern. Furthermore, may I inquire if I can meet your esteemed temple's abbot? I am here to deliver a message on behalf of our Archmage Lei, and it would be very improper not to meet the principal."
Upon hearing this, several monks immediately showed angry expressions.
Zen Master Zixing put his palms together in a respectful gesture, his tone growing even more indifferent, "This humble monk is the abbot of Shaolin."
Yu Feng laughed heartily, "Old monk, do not deceive me. Who in the martial world has not heard that Shaolin possesses the supreme martial art, the 'Marrow Cleansing Scripture'? If a practitioner maintains his virginity, he can remain youthful forever. Successive abbots have all been exceptionally talented, naturally mastering this art. Yet, Great Master, your face is aged, making it impossible for you to be the abbot." He paused, then suddenly feigned surprise, shaking his head. "No, wait, are you truly the abbot, Great Master? Then why do you look this way? Could it be..."
His words, both direct and implied, insinuated that Zen Master Zixing had lost his virginity, which was an extremely malicious intent. For a monk to lose his virginity was a great scandal, let alone for the abbot of Shaolin Temple.
Zen Master Ziji, the head of the Prajna Hall, stepped forward and declared loudly, "The abbot of our temple realized the profound truth of 'neither withered nor flourishing, neither false nor empty' many years ago. His vital essence is contained within, returning to its original simplicity, so his external appearance no longer remains perpetually youthful."
"You have seen the person, and the message has been delivered. Now it is time for This humble monk to speak." The abbot slowly walked forward. With each step, his face grew younger by a fraction. After three steps, he appeared to be in the prime of his youth, and besides the gray beard on his chin, no one would have guessed that the monk had already passed his eighties. Zen Master Zixing took three more steps, and a layer of golden flame rose on his face, fiercely blazing, dazzling and vast, like an enraged Bright King, causing evildoers to lose their courage at the sight of him.
Yu Feng burst into laughter, "Is the Demon-Subduing Arhat of the Past still as formidable as ever? Unfortunately, though I wish to listen to the Buddha's teachings, the sect's grand inauguration ceremony is imminent, and Archmage Lei, that venerable elder, cannot do without me! I bid you farewell!"
Before he finished speaking, the monks attacked en masse, and explosive vital energy surged in all directions, creating a thunderous roar, like a winter storm.
However, Yu Feng's movement technique was bizarre; he suddenly appeared front and back, his limbs stiff like a walking corpse, yet he was inexplicably pulled by a mysterious force, spinning and dancing in the air as if performing a ritual for a great deity. As he moved, a terrifying, strange power erupted out of nowhere, causing the monks' attacks to slow, allowing him to easily evade them.
This was the Flying Corpse Grand Nuo Dance, a peculiar lightness skill combining primitive shamanism, its power unfathomable.
At this moment, the veins on Zen Master Zi Nie's neck bulged, and he let out a mighty roar, sounding like a wild male lion, resolute and awe-inspiring.
"Roar!"
Yu Feng's expression remained unchanged, and he praised, "The Lion's Roar Skill lives up to its reputation."
He could no longer maintain his movement technique and landed on the ground, shouting, "Do Shaolin monks only know how to gang up on people?! What kind of renowned righteous sect is that?!"
"Then let me show you what demon-subduing righteous dharma is!"
Zen Master Zixing declared, then struck with a palm. The powerful palm force, once released, was like a towering, continuous tsunami, covering an area of several tens of zhang, impossible to avoid or escape. It was the Vajra Prajna Palm, hailed as Shaolin's foremost divine palm.
Yu Feng clawed, and layers of bloody light emanated, accompanied by a mournful ghostly wail that pierced the sky. This was the Bloodhowl Sect's secret, a super-third-tier martial art, the Blood Pool Ghost Claw. It cultivated power using the fresh blood of humans and animals, making it vicious and cruel. Those struck by it would have their blood flow backward and be devoured by the ghost claw, a wicked art that used killing to foster more killing.
With this claw, his power was surprisingly able to contend with Zen Master Zixing's palm force, its might incredibly astonishing. He must have killed countless living beings to obtain their blood for this.
"Good thief!" The abbot roared in anger, clenching his palm into a fist and striking it out simply. In an instant, brilliant light burst forth, like a golden sun falling to earth, and those who witnessed it heard faint Buddhist chants in their ears.
The Shaolin Temple trembled, and the temple bells rang loudly, further emphasizing the invincibility of this punch.
With one punch, the Blood Pool Ghost Claw shattered with a boom, turning into a pervasive blood mist, which was then dispersed by the golden light.
"Is this the Demon-Subduing Bright Fist?" A dark red, bloody hue appeared on Yu Feng's face. "It truly lives up to its reputation as the signature technique of the Demon-Subduing Arhat!"
Just as this punch was about to land on Yu Feng, the abbot spread his five fingers, and the surging fist aura rotated into a circle, intending to trap the man.
As quick as a flash, a small object leaped out from Yu Feng's embrace. It was a command token, which transformed into a small, blood-colored child in mid-air. It then turned into a red cloth, wrapped around Yu Feng, pierced through the aura circle, and shot away like lightning.
"Archmage Lei has called for this humble one, so I cannot stay and discuss Zen with you Great Masters! We shall meet at the grand inauguration ceremony!" In an instant, a triumphant laugh echoed from the mountain path in the distance.
All the monks snorted in unison, and the abbot frowned slightly.
"What a Bloodhowl Sect! What a Lei Guangling!" Zen Master Zi Nie was furious.
"This martial arts style seems familiar," mused the head of the Bodhi Courtyard.
"Abbot, should we go to this evil sect's grand ceremony or not?"
"This humble monk will write to Sect Leader Li Sui of Wudang and Abbess Ren Yuan of Emei to discuss this matter together."
"Yes!" The monks put their palms together.
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