Chapter Fifteen: Immortals and Buddhas Cross Swords
Liang Xiao walked to the front of the temple, where he saw a statue of the Earth God being worshipped inside. In the center, a bonfire was burning vigorously. Three village men were bare-chested, chatting and laughing, while on a withered tree branch above them, a large dog was turning around, its fur licked by the flames, and oil dripping down.
Liang Xiao stepped into the temple, shouting loudly: "You three are so bold, dare to steal and eat the dog from my master's house?" He had been a vagabond in his childhood and was used to stealing chickens and dogs. Seeing the appearance of the three people, he knew that the dog was not obtained properly, so he deliberately shouted to scare them away, wanting to monopolize the dog meat alone.
Three men were startled, jumped up together, and suddenly saw Liang Xiao standing alone, and only then did they put their minds at ease. The leader smiled with a crooked eyebrow and said: "What's the kid trying to scare people? This is a wild dog beaten by the master!" His gaze swept over Liang Xiao's shoulder, his eyes lit up and said: "It turns out that there is also a female." He exchanged glances with the other two men, smiled and said: "This kid is a flower thief!" Another man sneered: "We've run into it, everyone should have a share..." Before he finished speaking, his chest tightened, his head spun, and he flew out of the temple with the other two men, falling to the ground with blood flowing from their heads, all of them fainting.
Liang Xiao used his powerful palm technique to knock out three people, and was just about to put down Liu Yanyan when he suddenly heard the distant sound of horse hooves. He furrowed his brow, stepped out of the temple gate, and saw over a dozen black figures rushing towards him like lightning from afar. Liang Xiao patted his horse's rump, and the horse understood, quietly moving to the back of the temple into the woods. Liang Xiao carried Liu Yanyan on his back, and flashed behind the statue of the Earth God.
The sound of horseshoes stopped outside the temple, footsteps walked into the temple, and then Lei Dalang's loud voice rang out: "Little thief is cunning, I don't know where he took the little villain to escape!" Chu Lao Da's voice followed: "The little villain has such a good helper, it's really beyond expectation!"
Lei Dalang snorted and said, "Help with what? I think he's infatuated, humph, who knows where they're having fun now?" His tone was slightly sour.
Another person chuckled and said: "From Brother Lei's tone, you've taken a liking to the female thief?" Liang Xiao heard a familiar voice, and after a moment's thought, his heart was greatly shocked: "Ah, it's He Shuangyang!"
A loud thunderclap, and before anyone could respond, someone else chimed in with a laugh: "Who wouldn't be moved? The female thief's hands and feet aren't clean, but her appearance is flawless." He Shuangyang chuckled and said: "We can be moved, Brother Lei has been moved, but I'm afraid Chu Erniang will roar like a lion on the riverbank, scaring him so much that he'll turn upside down and won't be able to get up." The crowd burst into laughter, and someone said: "That's not becoming a turtle, is it? Talking about others is one thing, but saying Brother Lei is a turtle is absolutely not like him." Lei Zheng couldn't bear it anymore and burst out in a loud scolding: "He Shuangyang, if Erniang hears this, she'll skin you alive!" Someone laughed and said: "What's the point of skinning He Shen's skin? It would be better to let Chu Erniang skin that female thief, so everyone can have some fun." The conversation was all between men, and their words gradually became more obscene.
In the midst of laughter, Lei Zhen suddenly exclaimed, "What's going on with these three people?" Liang Xiao was startled and remembered a broken pot, unaware that he had cold sweats on his forehead and back. However, he heard a commotion in the temple, and a rough-skinned man shouted, "Ah!" It seemed that he had been rescued by the crowd. Lei Zhen asked, "Who made you all like this?" The rough-skinned man groaned, "We were...roasting dog meat...when a little rascal came, no, a flower thief, he carried a woman..." Before he finished speaking, the crowd erupted in chaos. Lei Zhen angrily said, "Where did that person go?" It seemed that he was anxious and acted hastily, causing the rough-skinned man to cry out in pain, "I don't know, ah! My eyes blurred, and I was thrown out..." Suddenly, Chu Lao Da shouted, "Mount your horses! They must not have gone far." In an instant, there were chaotic footsteps. Liang Xiao had just let out a sigh of relief when he heard He Shengyang laugh and say, "Slow down! This dog meat seems to be overcooked." Liang Xiao's heart tightened, and sweat broke out on his back.
Lei Zhen asked, "He Shuangyang, at this critical moment, what are you still concerned about, dog meat?" He Shuangyang said, "The reason the dog meat is burnt is because these three people fainted and no one took care of it. Judging from the dryness of the dog meat, it shouldn't be long before that kid tries to escape quietly." Lei Zhen suddenly realized and laughed, saying, "He Shuangyang, everyone says you're cunning and clever, indeed you are! An old ginger is spicier than a young one; when a little thief meets an old thief, the old one is still more formidable."
He Shengyang heard the sarcasm in his words and knew he was still resentful about what had happened earlier, so he felt a twinge of anger. But he was naturally taciturn and didn't want to quarrel with Lei Zhen, so he forced a laugh and said, "If it were me, if I couldn't escape, I would..." Just then, Liang Xiao pushed him hard and the Earth God fell over with a thud. He Shengyang was just about to pounce on him when he dodged out of the way.
Liang Xiao carried Liu Yanyan and leaped out, seeing the crowd forming a circle and rushing up. Lei Zhen saw Liu Yanyan, his eyes turned red with anger, and he shouted: "Where are you going!" He placed his iron hammer on the horse and used his family's "Thunder Fist" technique, his fists merged together, emitting a muffled thunderous sound.
Liang Xiao's foot didn't touch the ground, and with a single kick, he sent the sizzling dog meat flying towards him. The dog meat was scalding hot, and Lei Zhen dodged to the side, flinging his sleeve to send it out of the temple. Liang Xiao took advantage of the brief opening and was about to rush out of the temple gate when a figure suddenly flashed before his eyes. A man drew out a golden sword, its tip splitting into nine sword flowers that stabbed at him in a blur of real and feigned attacks. Liang Xiao recognized him as the old man with the long hair who had shot the horse with a bow, and dodged to avoid him. But just for a moment, the crowd closed in again, and Lei Zhen praised, "Chu Gong, you blocked him beautifully."
Liang Xiao was surrounded, but he became calm instead. With his sword in hand, he let out a long whistle and used the "Mountain Collapse Sea Whirl" move from the "Shura Destruction Sword". The whistling sound merged with the sword's hum, striking fear into others. Chu Gong's face turned serious, he retreated instead of advancing, changing to the "Seven Heart Peony" move. His golden sword formed seven circles, clashing with Liang Xiao's sword in a metallic ring. Liang Xiao broke through six of the sword circles in one breath, but was stopped by the seventh circle, exhausting his strength. Chu Gong let out a cold sweat and retreated involuntarily. If this "Shura Destruction Sword" were wielded by Shao Cold, it would surely shock all heroes, but in Liang Xiao's hands, its power was reduced by half.
Lei Zhen was furious with Liu Yingying, disregarding his identity, and flew out of the temple, punching towards Liang Xiao's back. Liang Xiao swung his sword in a slanting motion, Lei Zhen's arm sank, sweeping across the hilt of the sword, the Xuanyuan Sword let out a "clang" sound, flying out of the temple gate with a "whoosh".
Lei Zhen shouted again: "Eat three more of Grandfather's fists!" His double fists were like thunder and lightning, bursting out in a linked sequence. Chu Gong also swiftly wielded his sword, striking at the three acupoints on Liang Xiao's chest. Liang Xiao was attacked from both sides, and in his desperation, he used the move "Hanging Beam Piercing Thigh", imitating the stone statue of Su Qin from the Warring States period. With a loud whoosh, he flipped over in mid-air, barely avoiding the deadly hands of the two men. Suddenly, there was another whirring sound, and an iron chain as thick as a wrist swung through the air, with seven steel awls flashing on it.
"The Seven-Star Life-Taking Rope" was destroyed by Qin Bo Fu back then, and after the incident, He Shuang Yang had it re-cast. Afraid that Qin Bo Fu would take revenge, he hid for five years, fortunately Qin Bo Fu didn't put this matter in his heart. Until half a year ago, He Shuang Yang dared to show up again. Soon after, he received the case of Liu Yingying, and with the intention of making achievements, he pursued it with extra effort.
He was cunning and had been watching from the sidelines, waiting for Liang Xiao to exhaust himself before making his move. Just as Liang Xiao saw him coming, he used the "Nine Heavens Riding Dragon" technique from the "Lingxu Three Changes", flipping through the air with incredible agility, narrowly avoiding the iron chain. He Huangyang let out a loud shout and grabbed the middle section of the Seven-Star Chain, splitting the eight-foot-long chain in two, like two dragons emerging from the sea, attacking him from both sides.
Liang Xiao gazed at the iron chain's trajectory, using the "Like-Will Illusory Demon Hand" technique's "twist" seal, stretching his hand into the chain's shadow. With a "ting" sound, both ends of the iron chain were tied together by him. Liang Xiao swung his right hand diagonally, and the iron chain, under force, reversed direction, sweeping back horizontally. This move, "Qin Shi Huang's Whip", originated from the Tianji Stone Formation's "Emperor Realm". With one swing, it truly had the grandeur of sweeping across the six directions and gazing down at the world. He Suiyang's heart sank, recalling how he was once tormented by Jiu Ru in Qikou. Fearing being entangled by the iron chain again, he hastily threw away the chain and rolled out to escape.
Liang Xiao had not yet landed, when Lei Zhen and Chu Gong rushed up again. In the midst of urgency, his toes touched the ground, he stretched out his hand to grab the Seven-Star Whip in mid-air, relying on the rotating momentum, he used the "Heavenly Rotation Earth Turn" of the Three Talents Returning to the Origin Palm. The Seven-Star Whip was already exhausted, but with a single rotation from him, it suddenly became agile and dynamic again, sweeping across all directions.
He Xiangyang saw the Seven Stars Index fall into Liang Xiao's hands, and he was amazed by such a wonderful change. He couldn't help but be surprised and admired. The crowd couldn't rush forward, and they were furious with anger. Liang Xiao took advantage of the convenience of his weapon and slowly retreated towards the temple gate. Chu Gong frowned and shouted "Lei Zhen". Lei Zhen was startled, and saw that Chu Gong had turned around and jumped up, lifting a soil sculpture of over 200 kilograms, and rushed forward to grab one end, shouting in unison: "Go". The soil sculpture seemed to fall from the sky like a meteorite, flying towards Liang Xiao.
Liang Xiao swung his whip, wanting to wrap it around the statue, but two great masters joined forces and threw it with incredible strength. The Seven Star Whip not only failed to wrap around the statue, but was instead pulled by the statue, rolling and sweeping towards him.
Liang Xiao reluctantly dodged, and with a loud "boom", the statue hit the earth wall, creating a hole. In this brief pause, the Seven Star Summoning Technique scattered, and Lei Chen took another step forward, grabbing the end of the chain. Liang Xiao was no match for his divine power, and could only drop the iron chain and jump to the right. Another sword light flashed from the right side, as Chu Gong's long sword stabbed towards him. With enemies on both sides, he had no choice but to retreat. The wind behind him grew stronger, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw He Shuangyang's hands shaped like bird claws, reaching for Liu Yuying from front and back. At this point, Liang Xiao was anxious, with no other way out.
Just then, He Xiangyang suddenly shouted "Ah yo" and was followed by a loud thud, as if someone had fallen to the ground. Liang Xiao felt a gust of wind behind him, and without thinking, he saw a large hole in the wall made by the god of the land, and he rushed through it, running into the forest behind the temple.
He took advantage of the night, ran out a few hundred steps, and suddenly his heart moved, stopping to shout loudly: "Come down for me!" The forest was quiet, with no one responding. Liang Xiao angrily said: "If you don't come down, I'll throw someone down!" After a slight silence, the lazy Liu Yingying behind him let out a breath, as if yawning, and lightly laughed: "Good horse, hurry up and run, those fools are about to catch up." Liang Xiao snorted and said: "You're indeed awake. Was it you who injured He Xiangyang? Come down quickly!"
Liu Yingying's hands tightly wrapped around his neck, giggling and saying: "Little rascal, aren't you very fond of carrying me on your back? The Chu family's maid has used both soft and hard tactics, but you still won't put me down, it makes my heart happy." Liang Xiao was stunned, shouting: "Great, you were awake at that time?" Liu Yingying giggled again, shouting: "Quickly run, people are coming from behind!" Liang Xiao was shocked, running swiftly, and in an instant returned to the outside of the Earth Temple. Chu Gong and others had already chased into the forest, but there was no one inside the temple.
Liu Yingying smiled and said, "Indeed, you are a clever horse, running even faster than Zhuangzi." Liang Xiao said, "You were just pretending to be drunk to deceive me, weren't you!" Liu Yingying smiled and said, "How could I be so bad?" Liang Xiao snorted in anger, but then heard Liu Yingying sigh and say, "Little scoundrel, this time I'm not deceiving you, I really am drunk. It wasn't until we arrived at the inn that I regained consciousness, and it took me half an hour to recover from the effects of the wine... During this time..." She said up to here, then gave a sly smile and leaned in close to Liang Xiao's ear. Liang Xiao felt a sense of unease, but all he heard her say was, "I heard everything you did and said on the road, humph, you little scoundrel aren't too bad after all."
Liang Xiao's face turned bright red, and he stuttered: "I-I just wanted to wait until you woke up before settling the score." Liu Yueying jumped down from his back, put her hands behind her back, and smiled: "What are you going to do now? Fine, come on!" She closed her eyes, looking like she was waiting for him to make a move. Liang Xiao hesitated when he saw this, and said: "You're drunk, so I won't mention what happened earlier. Why are you still trying to trick me after waking up?" Liu Yueying smiled: "If I had woken up early, I wouldn't have heard your inner thoughts!" Liang Xiao gave her a fierce glare, but suddenly saw that they were surrounded by people - Chu Gong and Lei Zhen had brought over a dozen skilled fighters, their faces dark with anger. He Shuangyang's face was deathly pale, as if he had suffered an internal injury.
Liang Xiao frowned and said in a low voice, "You little thief, I don't care about you anymore. Let's each save our own lives." Liu Yueyue laughed and said, "Good people see it through to the end, send Buddha to the Western Heaven. You little scoundrel, will you carry me or not?" Liang Xiao angrily said, "Carry you? You think I'm a fool!" Liu Yueyue clapped her hands and laughed loudly: "That's right! You are indeed a genuine big fool!" As soon as she finished speaking, someone burst out laughing: "Not wrong, young man. Even the monk who traveled south and north was fooled once."
The crowd was shocked and turned around. Jiuru sat under the tree, with a copper bell beside him, his left hand holding the charred earth dog, his right hand holding Liang Xiao's Xuan Yuan sword, smiling as he cut meat to eat.
Liu Yingying exclaimed, "Monk, you've been following us all along?" Jiuru smiled and said, "Not exactly, you two ride fast, but the monk can't run quickly with this bell. Haha, this kid is flirting with that little girl surnamed Chu, and the old monk didn't even notice!" Liang Xiao hastily asked, "Who's flirting?" Liu Yingying gazed at him with a faint smile, and Liang Xiao recalled that she had already realized it back then, feeling both ashamed and embarrassed, wishing he could burrow into the ground.
Jiuruo smiled and said, "The monk got the person drunk, of course he has to wait a bit, but..." He looked at Liang Xiao and nodded, "Good boy, not taking advantage of someone's misfortune! Very good!" Seeing Liang and Liu staring at each other with complex expressions, he stuffed a piece of dog meat into his mouth and smiled, "You two don't need to worry about the monk, just keep hugging and being affectionate. Leave those guys to the monk!" He glanced sideways at Chu Gong and laughed, "Chu Lao Da, are you going back standing or crawling?"
Chu Gong recognized the nine Buddhas, his face turned white, but he was not willing to back down easily. He spoke out loudly: "In the martial arts world, there are ranks and positions, Master's position is high, how can you treat us juniors equally? My uncle will arrive soon, Master doesn't have to worry about having no opponent!" Jiuru smiled and said: "So, you want to crawl back?" Chu Gong took a step back, angrily saying: "Master doesn't follow the martial arts rules!"
Jiuruo laughed and said, "You don't understand the rules of the martial arts world, do you know how much a catty of dog meat costs? If not, buy two catties and let me taste the new ones." As he spoke, he threw the dog meat in his hand to Liang Xiao. "This dog meat is not cooked well, it's half-cooked and tasteless. If you two don't talk about love, roast it again, I'll finish it off, and then come back to enjoy it." He raised his right hand, and a giant bell flew out of thin air, pressing down on one of the good fighters. The press was swift and fierce, and that person's eyes turned black as he was pressed into the bell. Jiuruo rushed up with big strides, punching the bell with one fist, causing it to ring loudly. More than half of the sound waves were trapped inside the bell, swirling around without dispersing. The person inside the bell felt dizzy and nauseous, foaming at the mouth, and passed out.
This one strike first stunned the crowd, and the group of heroes let out a shout, scattering in all directions. Jiuruo laughed and said: "You didn't escape early, now it's too late." He grabbed the giant bell again, knocked another person unconscious, and shook him dizzy. With a right strike here, a left fist there, soon seven or eight people were lying on the ground, and only three were still standing.
Jiuru laughed and rang the bronze bell towards He Songyang, who was hit by Liu Yingying's palm and was seriously injured, unable to dodge. Jiuru saw his slow movement, frowned, and said with a smile: "You're hurt? Monks don't hit fallen dogs!" The huge bell swayed and spared He Songyang, heading towards Chu Gongzi instead.
The giant bell suddenly changed direction, slowed down a bit, and Chu Gong had time to react. He raised his sword to meet the bronze bell, "Clang" The bell and sword collided, and the golden sword was broken into two pieces. Chu Gong's mouth was bleeding, but he managed to escape with his life.
Jiuruo missed the grab and smiled, no longer paying attention to Chu Gong, and rushed in front of Lei Zhen. Lei Zhen turned around to escape, but unexpectedly Zhong Si Tian fell, making a "hum" sound, and was caught. Jiuruo swung his fist at Zhong, then lifted up the bronze bell, but unexpectedly Lei Zhen rolled out on the ground, raised both fists, and struck Jiuruo's abdomen. Jiuruo saw that he didn't faint, let out an "eh" of surprise, and involuntarily praised: "The kid's inner strength is pretty good!"
Lei Zheng's fist struck Jiuru's lower abdomen, but his hands felt as soft as spring water. In a flash, he urged four more bursts of internal energy, like a cicada shaking a tree, but Jiuru didn't budge an inch. Lei Zheng was shocked and frightened, just about to withdraw his strength, when suddenly he heard Jiuru's long laughter, and his abdominal muscles snapped back into place. His lower abdomen seemed like a vast lake storing water, accumulating all of Lei Zheng's internal energy from the previous four bursts, and now releasing it all at once. Lei Zheng was sent flying out several feet, like a cloud or mist. Chu Gong rushed forward to support him, and both men flew out together, their faces as white as paper when they landed.
Others woke up one after another, each holding their heads. Jiuyi waved her hand and said with a smile: "All of you can get out of here." Chu Gong helped Lei Zhen stand up, staring at Jiuyi and saying: "If the master has the guts, why not stay for a while?" Jiuyi smiled and said: "The monk may not have anything else, but he does have guts." Chu Gong's face turned iron blue, and with the help of others, they stumbled away.
Jiuruo entered the temple, where Liang Xiao and Liu Yanyan had just set up a pile of dry firewood but hadn't lit it yet. Liu Yanyan looked up at him and smiled: "Thanks, monk!" Jiuruo shook his head and said: "Little girl's got a good capacity for wine, but she's not very efficient when it comes to doing things." He tore off two pieces of red cloth used for worshiping the gods, lit them on fire, grabbed two more pieces of dry firewood and put them on top, then took out a large red gourd, took a swig, and "whoosh" spat it onto the flames. The fire suddenly grew much larger. It turned out that the gourd was filled with strong liquor. Liang Xiao couldn't help but say: "Great monk, you're being so blasphemous towards the gods, drinking wine and eating meat - aren't you afraid of being punished by Buddha and sent to hell?"
Jiuruo took a sip of wine and laughed, saying: "What do you know? In this world there is no ancestor or Buddha, the so-called three generations of Buddhas have all been swallowed by the monks! Without Buddha, what can you believe in?" Liang Xiao furrowed his brow, not understanding. Liu Yuying smiled and said: "I understand now, you've swallowed all the Buddhas into your belly and locked them up, they can't see anything!" Jiuruo shook his head and said: "That's not right, what you're saying is the monk's state of mind thirty years ago." Liu Yuying asked in surprise: "How is that not right?" Jiuruo laughed and said: "Isn't it simple? The so-called eating, drinking, urinating, and defecating, if the Buddhas can eat, can they not be excreted? The three generations of Buddhas have long since turned into feces!" He saw the two of them speechless and smiled slightly, saying: "The monk's belly has long been empty, with nothing but a vast emptiness!"
Liu Yingying frowned and said, "The monk's words are disgusting!" Liang Xiao was naturally quick-witted and felt that Jiu's words were crude, but hid extremely profound truths. After a moment's thought, he remembered the legendary story his father had told him about how the Sixth Patriarch of Zen, Hui Neng, attained enlightenment. A flash of insight appeared in his mind, and he blurted out: "The Bodhi tree is originally without a tree, The clear mirror is also not a stand. Originally there is not a single thing, Where can dust be stirred up?" This famous ancient poem was composed by the Sixth Patriarch Hui Neng when he attained enlightenment, and thus transmitted the robe and bowl of the Fifth Patriarch Hongren, establishing the school of sudden enlightenment.
Jiuru listened with a smile, his eyebrows opening and eyes laughing, clapping his legs and shouting: "Well said, haha, well said!" Liu Yingying was startled and asked: "Monk, have you gone mad?" Jiuru smiled and said: "If everyone in the world is crazy, and suddenly a sane person appears, what would happen?" Liang Xiao laughed and said: "That would be terrible, the crazy people would think he's crazy too." Jiuru clapped his hands and laughed loudly: "Clever, clever!"
Liu Yingying picked up a piece of dry firewood and slammed it to the ground, angrily saying: "You two, when did you gang up on me and scold me in every way?" She looked at the red gourd in Jiu Ru's hand, "Old monk, you only care about drinking yourself, without even inviting me?" Jiu Ru smiled: "The monk forgot." He tossed the gourd over, Liu Yingying took a sip, and felt as if her throat was being cut by a knife, frowning and saying: "What strong liquor!" Jiu Ru smiled: "This is indeed the monk's treasure, not easily given to others to drink."
Liang Xiao angrily said, "You dare to drink again?" Liu Yanyan licked her lips, which were as red as a cherry, and smiled: "I want to drink, and when I get drunk, you'll have to carry me!" Liang Xiao snatched the gourd from her hand: "No more drinking!" Liu Yanyan's face sank, and she coldly said: "What am I to you? You're controlling my drinking?" She reached out to grab it back. Liang Xiao retreated to one side, took a sniff, and was hit with the strong smell of liquor that went straight up his nostrils. He couldn't help but take a sip, and immediately made a bitter face, stuck out his tongue, and exclaimed: "It's like a ball of fire!" Liu Yanyan seized the opportunity to grab back the gourd, took a big swig, pursed her lips with a smile, and looked stunningly beautiful. She didn't care about being a lady, grabbed dog meat with her hands, drank strong liquor from her mouth, and ate and drank heartily with Jiuru. Liang Xiao stood on the side, feeling at a loss for what to do.
Jiuruo shook his head and said: "You little scoundrel, when it comes to being carefree, you're far from this young lady." Liang Xiao said: "Who isn't carefree?!" He plopped down on the ground, cut off a piece of dog meat, and started eating voraciously. Jiuruo shook his head and said: "You're pretending to be carefree, not truly carefree." Liang Xiao was taken aback, but then he heard Jiuruo continue, "You possess the strengths of three families, have encountered strange events, have high intelligence, and broad martial skills. Except for Donghai's Shi Tianfeng, I'm afraid no one in this world can surpass you." Liang Xiao thought to himself: "Has this old monk seen through my true nature?" He casually asked: "Who is Shi Tianfeng?" Jiuruo smiled faintly and said: "Unfortunately, you're also like him, being constrained by too many things. That's why in this life, you won't be able to reach the pinnacle." Liang Xiao felt stifled and coldly laughed, saying: "I don't believe you!" Jiuruo burst out laughing, tossing the gourd in his hand to Liu Yuying, and with a flick of his wrist, he pointed the black wooden staff at Liang Xiao's heart. Liang Xiao was shocked, and with both hands on the ground, he flipped backwards in a somersault.
"Good!" The nine of them sounded like a loud bell, standing up straight, shaking their hands, and the black wooden stick was again at Liang Xiao's head. He didn't have many fancy moves, but once he took out his stick, it was like a river falling from the sky, leaving no place to hide.
“Bang”, Liang Xiao's head was hit with a stick, Jiuru's move was light but it still made his scalp numb. Liang Xiao was shocked and raised his hand, his arm was hit again, just as he was about to lift his foot, his calf was hit once more. The stick moved swiftly and unpredictably, no matter how Liang Xiao dodged, it was all in vain. In the blink of an eye, the two exchanged blows, swift as lightning, flying up and down in the broken temple, making it hard for onlookers to keep up. Liu Yanyan watched with admiration, thinking: "This little scoundrel's martial arts are not bad, but this old monk is really like a god." She propped her cheek with one hand, lost in thought as she stared.
Two of them fought quickly, exchanging a hundred moves. Liang Xiao was beaten exactly one hundred times, not one more or less. Although Jiu Ru showed mercy and didn't hit him hard, in front of Liu Yuying, his face was completely lost. When he was about to be hit again, he suddenly stood still, panting heavily and shouting: "Stop hitting!"
Jiuru smiled and said, "Convinced yet? You've learned a whole basket of martial arts, but none of them are useful." He sat back down by the fire, took a sip of wine, and beckoned, "Come on, come on, sit down!" Liang Xiao still stood motionless.
Liu Yingying knew that Jiu Ru wanted to tease him, so she pretended to be angry and pulled him over, saying "Little rascal, come sit down." Jiu Ru struggled a bit before sitting down. Liu Yingying said with a smile, "The beauty trick still works." She tossed the gourd to Jiu Ru, "Do you dare drink again?" Jiu Ru replied, "Your son doesn't dare!" He took another sip, and the strong liquor burned his throat, but he didn't show weakness on his face. He gritted his teeth and drank two more mouthfuls.
Jiuruo smiled and said: "Your comprehension is still good, but unfortunately you are greedy for more and follow others blindly. You practice and practice, but in the end it's someone else's kung fu, not your own skills!" Liang Xiaoqi asked: "What is someone else's kung fu?" Jiuruo smiled and said: "You've asked a question that hits the nail on the head. Learning someone else's kung fu is always limited to their reasoning, only knowing how to imitate but not transcend. Therefore, there are traces to follow, and even after practicing for a long time, it's still just the realm of 'martial skills'. When you encounter a formidable opponent, within a few moves, they can see through your strengths and weaknesses." Liu Yuying listened with interest and interjected: "Monk, what is one's own kung fu then?"
Jiu Ru smiled and said, "Your own skills are your own principles. Only you understand them, others can't know. Therefore, the subtlety of application lies in one's heart, changing without being bound by rules. This is the realm of 'Tao', where techniques have limits, but Tao has no bounds." He looked at Liang Xiao and smiled mischievously, "Little guy, there's a circle that's binding you, understand what it is, and you can ride the thunder to change freely. If not, even if you practice for a lifetime, it's hard to advance from technique to Tao, always wandering in circles."
Liuxiao Qi said: "What is that circle?" Jiuru said: "Monks can't say. Once it's said, it becomes the monk's skill, not yours. The realm of Tao is like a bright moon in the sky, mercury pouring down to earth, everywhere and nowhere at the same time, letting things unfold naturally. Today, the monk has only planted a single Bodhi seed; whether or not millions of lotus flowers bloom from it, ha! That's not the monk's business!"
Jiuru was originally a giant in the Zen forest, with every word and action containing hidden Zen mechanisms. The Zen sect is not bound by established methods, and the principles of the Western Heaven Buddha are also insufficient to be taken as law. Only by transcending the Buddha and surpassing the ancestors can one be considered accomplished. Therefore, in the path of martial arts, he also strives to innovate and create new realms, surpassing his predecessors. This is truly a great wisdom that shakes heaven and earth. In his anxious and urgent state, how could Liang Xiao possibly comprehend it? He leaned against the wall, deep in thought, but was unable to understand no matter what.
Liu Yingying took a sip of wine, smiled and said: "Monk, you talk about this realm and that realm, I ask you, what realm are you?"
Jiuru smiled slightly and said, "What about the monk's realm?" He took over the gourd, took a big gulp, suddenly raised his stick and struck the ground, saying loudly, "The stick strikes the ten directions of the world, the mouth blows open the heavenly gate, one hand stirs up the Eastern Ocean, Ah! One foot kicks down Mount Sumeru!" Liu Yingying also had some wine in her, heard this and covered her mouth to laugh: "I see your big-headed ghost, I think you're just blowing open a cowhide." Jiuru clapped his hands and laughed: "Good one, blowing open a cowhide!"
He had barely finished speaking when someone outside the door said, "What a boastful statement!" Jiuru smiled and said, "You're here too, Echo Bug!" The person replied, "I'm here too, Old Wine Ghost." Jiuru snorted and sang: "A wild fox learning to roar like a lion, the nine bends of the Yellow River locking up the slender stream, snowflakes swirling in the sky and on earth, freezing to death the Second Lad who howls at the sky." The person chuckled and also sang: "The world is vast and seems to belong to no one, turning back to look, there's still nothing, four feet trampling on crystal tiles, a fox jumping into a lion's den."
The singing had not yet stopped, when an old man in a green robe and high hat strode in, his face as white as jade, his long beard like ink, his phoenix eyes and eyebrows clear and sparse. Liu Xiang gazed at him with a fluttering heart: "This person must have been extremely handsome in his youth." At a glance, she saw Liang Xiao, and couldn't help but smile, "Compared to the little demon, he's even more handsome, but somehow, I just feel that the little demon is more pleasing to the eye, always making people feel happy in their hearts." Liang Xiao saw her staring at him, with a strange expression, and suddenly felt awkward all over, his heart wildly guessing: "Is she looking at me like this because there's charcoal on my face, or did I do something wrong?"
"Then why isn't it 'Lion jumping into the fox's den'? You old lecher, you're used to being a sly fox, can't change even if you want to?" The three words "old lecher" were quite sudden and unexpected, and both Liang and Liu felt surprised. But the old man with the high hat just smiled faintly and said: "Roaring in all directions, killing and fighting everywhere, that's your monk's realm, Chu can't even take care of himself, how can he be a lion?" Jiuru cursed: "Farting and shitting." The old man with the high hat said: "So smelly, so smelly." Jiuru grunted and said: "Damaging one's own momentum before even fighting, no wonder you old lecher can only be the second best sword in the world."
Liang Xiao listened in surprise, sizing up the old man with the majestic crown, thinking to himself: "This old lecher is the second best swordsman under heaven, so who is the first?" The old man with the majestic crown said calmly: "Old Monk's words are tasteless. As a person, one must beware of being too greedy, why must one necessarily be the best under heaven? It is said that when one reaches the pinnacle, advancing means standing at the edge of a precipice, retreating means being far from the heavens, great accomplishments seem lacking, this is what it means."
"Ha ha, to hell with the great Dacheng, monks love to talk about ascending to heaven and descending into the earth, I am the only one who is revered." The old man with the high hat said coldly: "Picking up Sakyamuni's teeth is nothing special." Jiuruo laughed and said: "If Sakyamuni dared to say such things, he would be beaten to death by a monk, and fed to the dogs." Liang Xiao and Liu Yuying looked at each other in dismay, both thinking: "This monk doesn't even put Sakyamuni in his eyes, isn't that too arrogant?"
According to Buddhist scriptures, when Shakyamuni was born in the Shakya royal family, he emitted great wisdom and light that illuminated the ten directions of the world. The earth produced a golden lotus flower under his feet. Later, he took seven steps in each of the four cardinal directions, pointed to the sky and the earth with his hands, and let out a lion's roar: "Above, below, and in all four quarters, there is no one who can surpass me." Thus, a school of thought was established. In later generations, Chan (Zen) Buddhist disciples took it upon themselves to transcend the Buddha and go beyond their ancestors, practicing independently without submitting to any idols. Master Deshan once "spat at the Buddha", and Master Danxia also once "burned the Buddha". Both were trying to eliminate mental obstacles and attain perfection. However, the phrase "great completion is like a flaw" is Laozi's and Zhuangzi's way of avoiding the world and seeking completeness. When Jiuru heard this, he naturally didn't like it very much.
Two old men with sharp tongues, both containing great wisdom. Two young people who are shallow and ignorant, listening to them in a daze. Jiuru turned around, facing the two young ones, pointing at the majestic-looking old man and laughing: "This guy's surname is Chu, his name is Xianliu. The 'Xian' of gods, the 'Liu' of flowing water, means that he looks like a god but has a base nature. Don't be fooled by his good looks, he's actually a notorious old lecher who specializes in seducing virtuous women and breaking up loving couples. From princesses to young girls from humble families, no one who catches his eye has ever escaped. You're too pretty, little girl, be careful not to get deceived by him..."
Chu Xianliu's face sank, and he raised an eyebrow, saying: "Old bald donkey, when did you grow a long tongue?" Jiuru glared at him with one eye, smiling smugly: "The monk knows, old lecher, your face is pretending to be angry, but in your heart, you're delighted." Liu Yanyan suppressed her laughter and elbowed Liang Xiao, whispering: "He's an old lecher, and you're a young lecher; one old and one young, aren't you two in cahoots?"
Liang Xiao was furious, glaring at her. Liu Xiangxiang smiled and said: "Why are you angry? I'm just teasing you! You may be a little rascal, but you haven't been rude to me, so even though you're a little rascal, you still haven't grown up." Liang Xiao saw her smiling face and listened to her melodious voice, and in an instant, his anger dissipated. He couldn't help but scold himself for being weak.
Turning his head, he saw Chu Xianliu looking as if he had something on his mind, staring blankly at the roof. After a while, he sighed: "The recklessness of youth is unbearable to recall." Jiuru coldly smiled and said: "You just say 'the recklessness of youth' and that's it? What about those women who were wronged by you?" Chu Xianliu's eyebrows revealed a hint of bitterness as he sighed: "Those past transgressions are better left unmentioned."
Jiuru let out a surprised cry and smiled, saying: "How strange! You've changed your ways. In the past, you were so arrogant with your fast horses and light carriages. Now you're speaking such defeatist words? Could it be..." Chu Xianliu suddenly interrupted him, saying: "Old monk, don't beat around the bush. My purpose here is clear to you, isn't it?" Jiuru smiled and said: "What does the old monk understand? The old monk is very confused."
"Chu Xianliu couldn't help but scold: 'You, a monk, are truly the laziest and most shameless person in the world.' Jiu Ru waved his hand repeatedly: 'Wrong, wrong, when it comes to laziness and shamelessness, I'm only second.' Chu Xianliu was surprised in his heart: 'This monk is so arrogant and proud, never looking down on others, how can he admit to being second today?' He couldn't help but laugh: 'Monk, you admit to being second, who dares to be first?' Jiu Ru slowly drank a mouthful of wine, laughing: 'The laziest and most shameless person in the world is actually my disciple.' Chu Xianliu lost his smile: 'You, a lonely and poor man, also have a disciple?' Jiu Ru spoke seriously: 'What's so funny? I'm a monk, why can't I have a disciple just because I have parents?' Chu Xianliu was taken aback, saying: 'That makes sense, I was shallow. But when it comes to your disciple being lazier and more shameless than you, old monk, I don't believe it at all.'"
He stroked his white beard, revealing a hint of distress, and said: "This is called 'one thing brings down another', like adding insult to injury. As a monk, I've had poor luck and fortune, so I wanted to take in an apprentice to care for me in my old age. But that scoundrel turned out to be lazy and gluttonous, disrespecting his master and forcing me to beg on the streets to support his extravagance. Think about it, I, a monk who's been around for half a lifetime, showing weakness like this? In the end, I'm being bullied by a young rascal, pissing and shitting all over my head. It's not right to kill him, nor is it right to abandon him - he's like a hot yam that's hard to handle. Ah, you old lecher, tell me, isn't this the most lazy and worthless person in the world?"
Chu Xianliu was skeptical, thinking to himself: "This monk is speaking half-truths and half-falsehoods, rambling on and on. I don't believe a single word he says." He smiled and said: "Monk, why must you speak such nonsense? No matter how much time you waste, what's meant to come will still come."
He turned his gaze to Liu Yingying and calmly asked: "Are you Liu Yingying?" Liu Yingying smiled and replied: "Yes!"
Chu Xianliu coldly said: "You're the one who stole the Pure Yang Iron Box?" Liu Yingying shook her head, saying: "I don't know what you're talking about - some foolish sheep iron box or stupid cow gold box."
Chu Xianliu's face darkened as he loudly asked: "I'll ask you again, why did you kill my gardener and burn down my flower fields?" Liu Yingying looked puzzled, shaking her head and saying: "That never happened!"
Chu Xianliu's face turned even uglier, and he said slowly: "Girl, you dared to write in blood on the wall of my Tianxiang Mountain Villa, but now you don't admit it?" Liu Yanyan shook her head and said: "You old man speak strangely, I don't know what you're talking about." Chu Xianliu sneered: "Then you stealing from rich families in Jiangnan and sneaking into the palace is also fake?" Liu Yanyan smiled and said: "That's not fake, I've done it!"
Chu Xianliu nodded and said, "Alright, so you're saying that I'm ruthless and venomous, aren't you?" Liu Yingying was originally responding calmly, but upon hearing this, her eyebrows furrowed in anger, and she loudly exclaimed, "Chu Laoer, don't spout nonsense!" Jiuru repeatedly nodded in agreement: "Exactly, exactly! The four words 'ruthless and venomous' are fine when others say them, but only you, old lecher, can't utter them convincingly."
Chu Xianliu's eyebrows were like a cold frost, and he waved his hand, saying: "Old monk, don't interrupt! Girl, I'm asking you, did you hurt Lei Xing?" Liu Yanyan frowned and said: "That's right!" Chu Xianliu sneered: "Then that settles it. At such a young age, you're already so lustful, cruel, and poisonous. The products of Tian Shan are indeed all the same!" Liu Yanyan was furious at her master being insulted, her body trembling with rage, and she shouted: "You only ask me, why don't you ask what Lei did?" Chu Xianliu coldly said: "Your appearance is seductive, but your nature is venomous. No matter what you say, I won't believe it. Humph, considering the old monk's face, I'll give you two options: either hand over the stolen goods and disable your martial arts, or let me take care of it for you." Liu Yanyan sneered and shouted loudly: "There's still a third option! Humph, knock you down and then walk away!"
Chu Xianliu glanced at her and smiled, "You can try!" He spread his hands apart, revealing the empty space in front of his chest. Just as Liu Yuying was about to get up, Liang Xiao suddenly grabbed her wrist and whispered, "This old man is probably mistaken about you." Chu Xianliu looked at him sideways, coldly smiling, "Oh? You little brat, tell me, how am I mistaken about her?" Liang Xiao loudly said, "As for murder, arson, swindling, I don't know, but as for her seducing Lei Xing, I absolutely don't believe it." Liu Yuying was stunned, staring at him intently.
Chu Xian furrowed his brow and said, "What proof do you have?" Liang Xiao glanced at Liu Yueyue and said, "I've seen that kid with the surname Lei. He's weak and shameless, a disgrace to his ancestors. Even if this little thief were to seduce cats and dogs, she wouldn't be able to seduce him." Liu Yueyue was furious and slapped Liang Xiao's hand, scolding, "You're the one who's always seducing cats and dogs!" Liang Xiao winced in pain and withdrew his hand, shouting, "I was just making an analogy! Why did you hit me?" Liu Yueyue angrily said, "Can't you make a different comparison? You only know how to spout nonsense!" But in her heart, she thought, "This little scoundrel's words are despicable, but his insight is quite astute. Hmph, what's Lei Xing compared to me? He wouldn't even be worthy of holding my shoes."
Chu Xianliu coldly sized up the two of them and said lightly, "You two are in cahoots with each other, naturally you'll both try to get out of this. Little girl, don't dawdle, which of the two paths will you choose?" Liu Yingying felt a sense of security with Liang Xiao's protection, smiled slightly, and said, "Didn't we agree on that? I choose the third path." Chu Xianliu's eyebrows rose, his face darkening.
Jiuru smiled and suddenly said, "Chuxianliu, do you think being a monk is just for show?" Chuxianliu said, "Old monk, are you really going to help the wicked?" Jiuru waved his hand and said, "Slow down, who's the tyrant and who's the victim, that's still hard to say!" Chuxianliu sneered, "This girl is avoiding the main issue and won't admit to murder and arson. She's afraid I'll take back the Pure Yang Iron Box. As for being ruthless and poisonous, it's not just old man talking nonsense. You don't know, monk: she first seduces men, then leaves them severely injured. From her journey north, many people have been harmed, some lightly, with broken hands or feet, others severely, with pierced eyes and cut tongues. Hmm, her methods are quite vicious!"
Jiuru said, "If that's the case, then the number of women you've harmed is not small either." Chuxianliu said, "That's different." Jiuru said, "How is it different? She uses a hard knife to cut off people's hands and feet, while you use a soft knife to stab people in the heart. The methods are different, but the principle is the same!" Chuxianliu's face changed, and he shouted loudly, "Jiuru monk, do you want to make things difficult for me?" Jiuru smiled and said, "Although this monk is foolish, his eyes are not blind. This girl may be willful, but she is definitely not a lustful and poisonous old demon." Chuxianliu snorted and said, "My skills are brilliant, and yours are not blind either. The three famous flower masters died from the 'Ice River Mysterious Skill', which is a martial art of Tianshan!"
Jiuruo shook his head and said, "The Ice River Mysterious Skill is not some kind of extraordinary skill! It's not necessarily just her who can practice it." Chuxianliu sneered and said, "Apart from this, I have other evidence!" Jiuruo smiled and said, "Good, let's hear it!" Chuxianliu thought to himself, "Since meeting this bald donkey, my liver fire has been stirred up repeatedly. If this continues, won't I be led by the nose?" He coldly snorted and turned towards Liu Xiangxiang, calmly saying, "I heard that after you kill people, set fires, steal, and swindle, you always leave your name behind. I've taken a look, and the blood characters on the powder wall of the Tianxiang Mountain Villa are identical to the ink marks on the corridor pillars of the Imperial Palace. Little girl, do you admit to going to the Imperial Palace to steal treasures? Are those five words 'Tianshan Liu Xiangxiang' written by you?"
Liang Xiao couldn't help but glance over, and Liu Yingying slightly furrowed her brow, with a hint of worry in her eyes. Chu Xianliu said displeased: "Little girl, didn't you hear?" Liu Yingying trembled slightly and muttered: "It's strange, the words left at the imperial palace were mine, but who could have left them at Tianxiang Mountain Villa?" Chu Xianliu sneered: "At this point, do you still want to quibble?" Liu Yingying said with a bad tone: "If I did it, then I did; if not, then I didn't!" Chu Xianliu said: "The evidence is solid, who would believe you?" Liu Yingying glanced sideways and happened to see Liang Xiao. Liang Xiao didn't know why, but his blood rushed up, and he loudly shouted: "I believe her!" Chu Xianliu was taken aback by the sound, while Liu Yingying smiled at Liang Xiao with a radiant smile, her dimples reflecting the bright red flames, causing Liang Xiao to become infatuated.
Chu Xianliu saw the young couple exchanging loving glances, clearly not taking him seriously. No matter how long he had studied Taoist scriptures, his liver fire was stirred: "You little scamp, what's your name?" Liang Xiao smiled and said, "My name is Liang Xiao." Liu Yuying heard this and smiled again, thinking to herself, "Liang Xiao? What a strange name! Liang Xiao, Liang Xiao..." For a moment, she forgot about the strong enemy in front of her, lowered her head, twirled her clothes, and silently recited Liang Xiao's name, lost in thought.
Chu Xianliu coldly said: "Little guy, this kind of red powder trap, going in is easy, but coming out is difficult. In the future, if you suffer a loss at the hands of this demon woman, don't regret it!" Jiuru clapped her hands and laughed loudly: "Wonderful words, wonderful words! Indeed, you are a general in the lipstick camp, a champion in the land of fragrance. If you hadn't fought battles in the red powder trap before, how could you utter such wise warnings?"
Zhu Xianliu was repeatedly ridiculed by him, becoming impatient and angrily shouting: "Stinky monk, wagging your tongue is not a skill!" Jiuru smiled and said: "Good, since you don't want to wag your tongue, then let's use our hands and feet!" With a flick of his sleeve, he struck the bronze bell beside him, and with a loud "hum" sound, the thousand-jin giant bell flew towards his opponent.
"Good timing!" Chu Xianliu exclaimed, his body unmoving. With a wave of his left hand, he pressed his five fingers onto the giant bell, and another "humming" sound was heard. The giant bell spun wildly in mid-air above his chest. Chu Xianliu's right hand made another move, and the bell spun even faster. Suddenly, it shot out from between his hands, circled around in a large arc, and returned to hover before him. A strong gust of wind burst forth, sending sparks flying everywhere, and the bonfire flickered wildly. Liang Xiao and Liu Yanyan's hearts skipped a beat as they watched Chu Xianliu execute this move.
Jiuru sat still, his left hand took over the giant bell, and with a wave of his sleeve, the wood charcoal hadn't even had time to scatter before it fell back to the ground, and the fire reignited. Jiuru smiled and said: "Not bad, not bad, what's this move called?" Chu Xianliu coldly said: "Whatever you want to call it, just call it 'Ji Ru Xiao Xiao'." Jiuru smiled and said: "Ji Ru Xiao Xiao, independent and unchanging, circulating without harm?" After speaking, he waved his sleeve again and struck the bronze bell. Chu Xianliu couldn't help but blurt out in praise: "Good monk, you've also read Laozi and Zhuangzi!"
"Quiet and empty, standing alone without change, moving in a circle without danger." This comes from the Laozi, meaning that the Tao is one thing, without sound or shape, without any changes. As long as you follow its natural course, it will flow smoothly and never stop. Chu Xianliu's internal skill originated from the Mystic Gate, this move borrows force to strike with force, following the power of the Nine Transformations, using a hint of circular power to guide it back, quite in line with the natural way mentioned above. Hence the name "Quiet and Empty".
At this moment, Jiuru was using the "Great Golden Strength" to sweep away the bronze bell, while Chuxianliu responded with "Ji Jue", and the giant bell weighing a thousand kilograms flew back and forth between them, unable to land. Jiuru exerted himself, and his mouth wasn't idle either: "Chuxianliu, why don't you use your sword? If you used your sword, maybe you could make the monk move." Chuxianliu sneered: "There's only one person in the world worthy of me using my sword. Hmph, you're not even qualified, old monk!" Liang Xiao couldn't help but interrupt: "Isn't this statement too arrogant?" Jiuru shook his head and laughed: "You don't know, kid. This has nothing to do with being arrogant or not. When he uses his sword, it's like Bo Ya playing the zither - unless there's someone who understands him, he won't easily reveal himself. However, being able to practice 'Fen Xiang Sword Technique' to this level, Chuxianliu is indeed unparalleled."
"Old monk, your words are not pleasant to hear!" Chu Xianliu said with a cold smile. Jiuru smiled and said: "You don't have to agree, but think about it, is there anyone suitable for you to pass on your skills?" Chu Xianliu's face turned gloomy, and he was speechless.
Two men spoke in unison, their hands weaving intricate patterns, as the giant bell spun faster and faster, whipping up a fierce gust of wind that forced Liang and Liu to retreat step by step. Even the Earth Temple couldn't withstand the incredibly powerful whirlwind, its walls and beams creaking ominously.
