Chapter 229: Lion’s Roar Summons an Escort
Dawn light was faint, and birds chirped in the mountains.
Huang Rong and the old monk extinguished the campfire and headed straight for Shaoshi Mountain.
After discussing matters the previous night, the intelligent Huang Rong extracted a lot of information from the old monk. She learned that he had once been a kitchen monk at Shaolin Temple. Because the monks supervising the incense kitchen bullied others and resorted to fists at the slightest provocation, he taught himself martial arts and left Shaolin Temple after finding an opportunity for revenge.
Huang Rong suddenly understood.
So, the other party was a Huo Gong Toutuo.
The old monk encountered by Huang Rong was the master of Bao Xiang, Bao Shu, and others, the founder of the Vajra Sect from the Western Regions, Huo Gong Toutuo. It was true that his temper was violent, but his actions were cautious and meticulous. Otherwise, after defecting from Shaolin Temple, even the temple’s experts would not have been able to find him for many years.
Huo Gong Toutuo went south alone, and even his disciples Bao Shu and others, who had already arrived at Kaifeng Prefecture, were unaware.
He had many plans. Upon arriving at Shaolin Temple, he would observe in secret, assess Ku Cheng’s current cultivation and Shaolin Temple’s strength, and then decide whether to make a move.
The two traveled from Songshan towards Shaoshi Mountain, and from time to time they could see teams of monks and laity heading towards Shaoshi Mountain. Huang Rong looked around, wondering if she could encounter Zhou Yan.
Further ahead on the winding mountain path, Ouyang Ke, his uncle Ouyang Feng, Qiu Qianren, Gongsun Zhi, and Yang Kang were already walking on the eight-li stone steps.
On that day, Ouyang Feng met Huang Yaoshi, and they traveled together to Songshan. After a day of sightseeing, when Qiu Qianren and Yang Kang caught up, Ouyang Feng found an excuse to bid farewell to Huang Yaoshi and headed straight for Shaoshi Mountain, while Huang Yaoshi followed at a leisurely pace.
Behind Huang Yaoshi was Zhang Sanqiang, riding his horse with a spear.
Zhang Sanqiang had met Zhou Yan at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion in Xiangyang and had said he wanted to visit people in Hebei Province and Shandong Province. He passed by Songshan and saw a large group of monks and laity heading to Shaoshi Mountain. He couldn’t help but be curious and followed on horseback, wanting to see what was happening.
Zhou Yan, who was at Shaolin Temple, never expected the Vajra Sect from the Western Regions to provoke them. He had merely told Hong Qigong about the matter, and as a result, the Northern Beggar, Eastern Heretic, Western Venom, Iron Palm Water Floating, Zhang the Demon, and Huo Gong Toutuo all rushed over.
Zhou Yan woke up early, washed, and returned the two copies of the Lankāvatāra Sūtra to the Tianzhu Monk.
The Tianzhu Monk had not yet finished reciting the fourth volume, so he was not in a hurry to borrow it. The two of them went to the refectory to eat their morning vegetarian meal together.
Ku Cheng and several old monks from the temple were present. While they were eating, a reception monk hurried in, bowed with his palms together, and said, “Abbot, a group of over a hundred people is about to arrive outside the temple.”
As soon as the reception monk’s voice fell, another voice, like thunder, rolled in from the direction of the temple.
“The Vajra Sect from the Western Regions pays a visit to Shaolin Temple. We request the Abbot to appear and meet us.” This voice spread in all directions, startling the forest birds into flight.
“Amitabha,” the Tianzhu Monk said, putting down his vegetarian bowl and clasping his hands.
Zhou Yan finished his few bites of vegetarian food and said to the Tianzhu Monk, “The people from the Vajra Sect have arrived. Master will be among the temple’s contingent then.”
“Head Escort, you need not worry about me.”
“Mm!” Zhou Yan nodded, “I’ll go take a look first.”
“Head Escort, take care.”
“Master, rest assured.”
Over ten giant bells of Shaolin Temple rang out in unison, their tolls shaking the mountains, and monks of all ages from the Arhat Hall, Dharma Hall, Chan Courtyard, and other halls gathered.
Zhou Yan walked through various Chan courtyards, heading towards the temple gate.
…
Outside the temple, Yang Kang was hidden at the back of the group, together with Qiu Qianren, Gongsun Zhi, Helian Chuncheng, and others. Ouyang Feng and his nephew, along with several snake slaves, were on another side. Leading the front was a group of over a hundred people from the Western Regions.
There were monks from the Vajra Sect, as well as martial artists from the Western Regions who had submitted to the Vajra Sect.
The swarming crowd formed a circle around Bao Xiang’s eldest senior brother Bao Shu, second senior brother Bao Xian, and third senior brother Bao Shou, like stars surrounding the moon. Besides the four monks, there were also Bao Lei and Bao Yin, who were Bao Xiang’s junior brothers.
The one who had spoken was the monk Bao Lei.
Bao Lei’s roar caused the heads of the Shaolin Temple outsiders, who were not as strong as the martial artists of the Western Regions and had rushed over, to buzz.
Ouyang Ke asked, “Uncle, is this the Buddhist ‘Lion’s Roar’ cultivation technique?”
Ouyang Feng nodded.
“If this were a direct whistle, wouldn’t it sound like a thunderbolt, heard for miles, making the enemy’s liver and gall shatter?”
Ouyang Feng sneered, “This monk hasn’t reached that level yet. Compared to Huang Yaoshi’s ‘Azure Sea Tide Song,’ which uses the same martial arts principle, it’s far inferior.”
When Ouyang Feng mentioned Huang Yaoshi, Ouyang Ke’s spirits immediately lifted, “Uncle, your nephew is very fond of Huang Rong, the daughter of the Eastern Heretic.”
“Haha!” Ouyang Feng laughed twice and said, “After this matter is resolved, I will find Huang Yaoshi to arrange a marriage.”
“But at Taihu Lake, Huang Yaoshi fought with Uncle.”
Ouyang Feng said darkly, “My actions with Huang Yaoshi and Hong Qigong cannot be judged by common sense. Fighting and making up are everyday occurrences. For the sake of being number one in the world, I even had the thought of killing the Western Venom and the Northern Beggar, but I never found a sure opportunity, so I gave up.”
“Uncle has a good disposition.”
Ouyang Feng smiled sinisterly, “However, if we were to become in-laws, I wouldn’t be like this. The Eastern Heretic and Western Venom joining forces would be invincible in the world.”
“Can it be done?”
“I am the Western Venom, and he is the Eastern Heretic. Aren’t our two families a good match?” Ouyang Feng chuckled, thinking to himself that he and Huang Yaoshi were now cultivating the Nine Yin Manual together. Considering this relationship, it should happen naturally.
As they were talking, the Shaolin Temple gate creaked open slowly. Ouyang Feng immediately turned his gaze to the temple gate and said, “Let’s see what kind of person the Abbot of Shaolin Temple is.”
Ouyang Ke stared intently.
Yang Kang, Helian Chuncheng, Ni Mo Xing, and others all looked towards the temple gate. Yang Kang muttered to himself, “Master Bao Shu said that the previous Abbot of Shaolin Temple was Master Ku Cheng. I wonder if it is still him.”
Shaolin Temple was famous throughout the land, yet everyone who came up the mountain was unaware of the temple’s current situation, which made Yang Kang inevitably nervous.
Bao Shu, with his tiger-backed and bear-waisted physique at the temple gate, took a slight breath. A fine crackling sound of muscles and bones echoed around him. With each breath, he brought his condition to its peak.
“They’re here, they’re here! The Abbot of Shaolin Temple is about to appear.” Uproar erupted from the crowd as Zhou Yan stepped out from within the temple.
Bao Shu, Bao Xian, Bao Shou, and the others were all stunned.
Ouyang Feng’s pupils contracted, and Ouyang Ke shook his head, feeling that what he saw was so unreal.
Yang Kang stared blankly at Zhou Yan. Helian Chuncheng beside him murmured, “The Crown Prince, why is he like this?”
“I’m a bit confused too.”
The excited murmurs dispersed. Huang Yaoshi, sitting in a tree crown in the forest, smiled slightly, thinking to himself, “Why is this kid everywhere?”
Huo Gong Toutuo, wearing a conical hat, slowly lowered the hand that was about to lift it.
Huang Rong held a folding fan in her right hand, tapping her left hand with a smile. She thought, “He always gives people surprises.” As this thought crossed her mind, Huang Rong said to Huo Gong Toutuo, “Master, that father and son bullied me, relying on their superior skills.”
“How did they bully you? I will repay them doubly,” Huo Gong Toutuo said, glancing at Ouyang Feng and his son. His ferocity and hot temper had not only not subsided with age but had intensified.
Huo Gong Toutuo knew of Ouyang Feng’s reputation but had never met him in person. Ouyang Feng and his son happened to be with Yang Kang and the others. The clever Huang Rong employed a stratagem: “borrowing a knife to kill.”
She was very pleased and looked towards Zhou Yan.
“Kid, who are you?” Bao Lei, seeing that Zhou Yan, who had walked out, was neither a monk nor a lay disciple, was furious.
Zhou Yan’s vision was filled with a patch of gleaming bald heads. He said to Bao Lei, “And who are you?”
“I am Bao Lei of the Vajra Sect.”
“Are you looking for the Abbot?”
“So what if I am?” Bao Lei was like an angry Vajra.
“Wait a moment, the Abbot is behind.”
Zhou Yan chuckled lowly and walked from in front of Bao Lei towards the outer crowd. He had already seen Liang Xiaowu and Yanbo Diaosou squeezing through the crowd and waving.
Bao Lei had come to provoke them in the first place, and Zhou Yan’s seemingly dismissive attitude instantly ignited his anger. “Kid, don’t go.”
The lean monk’s body sank and rose, his arm extending rapidly to grab Zhou Yan’s shoulder.
Zhou Yan stepped forward, his clothes rustling, breaking through the wind like a tiger’s roar. He used the Yue Family Boxing’s seize and capture techniques, and his fingers collided with the opponent’s five fingers.
With two sharp sounds, in a flash of lightning, Zhou Yan and Bao Lei’s left hands became entangled again. The sound of their feet stomping wildly echoed, and the two figures danced, creating a blur of afterimages, with dust swirling and billowing.
Suddenly, Zhou Yan let out a fierce shout, “Rise!”
“Not necessarily,” Bao Lei spread his legs outward in a Thousand Jin Drop, his body rooted to the ground like a pile.
Zhou Yan suddenly released Bao Lei’s arm, his hands striking rapidly in alternation. The Beauty Fist Technique’s “Red Jade Drumming” fell towards Bao Lei.
Bao Lei’s first reaction was to retreat quickly, but his seemingly hasty retreat could not evade Zhou Yan’s leisurely advance using the Tomb Lightness Skill. He closed in on the opponent, and Peng Force, combined with the fierce Iron Mountain Lean, exploded.
With a “bang,” Bao Lei’s body flew up, smashing onto the ground ten feet away, sliding into the crowd behind him.
“Good!”
Yanbo Diaosou shouted in applause.
