Chapter 230: Skillful and Bold, One Against Four
Zhou Yan’s leisurely departure from Shaolin Temple was already beyond everyone’s expectations.
In a flash of lightning, during their exchange, Bao Lei was sent flying by an “Iron Mountain Lean.”
With a series of unexpected turns, a clamor erupted.
Shaolin Temple had recalled its disciples, both monks and laity, within a five-hundred-mile radius days prior. These disciples, like individual beads, were strung together to form a part of the Jianghu’s tapestry.
The Jianghu is a tapestry, and the beads are the cultivators and warriors from all walks of life and various sects. The thread stringing these beads is the exchange of favors and relationships. Therefore, as the outer disciples, monks and laity, of Shaolin Temple arrived, many came upon hearing the news, heroes and chivalrous individuals who held Shaolin Temple in high regard.
Yanbo Diaosou praised Zhou Yan, and the subsequent cheers boomed out.
Where there were cheers, there were also those who were enraged.
“What a presumptuous fellow.”
The morning spring sunlight descended from the sky. With a roar, the grey robes billowed in the air, and a Tou Tuo raised his heavy eight-angled copper rod into the sky, stirring up a flurry of rod shadows that swept towards Zhou Yan.
“Ganging up on the weak.” Yanbo Diaosou scoffed mockingly. The fishing rod in his hand suddenly rippled, and the golden hook descended towards the Tou Tuo. The Tou Tuo’s vision flashed with golden light. Not daring to be careless, he tapped the ground with his copper rod and flipped backward.
Yanbo Diaosou reeled in his fishing rod and sneered without speaking.
Liang Xiaowu seized the opportunity to step forward and hand Zhou Yan’s Qingfeng Sword over.
“Sir, your sword.” The young escort did not know that Zhou Yan had already informed Zhang Wangyue about his resignation, but he was sharp and assessed the situation, not calling out “Head Escort,” but handing over the sword and holding the spear like a servant.
Zhou Yan took the Qingfeng Sword and turned to look at Bao Shu and his group.
Yanbo Diaosou spoke, “You people are so rude. My brother here came out of the temple, and answered every question asked. Did he provoke anyone? That monk wanted to take a life without a word. It’s only because my brother’s martial arts are superb; otherwise, wouldn’t his life be in danger?”
Yanbo Diaosou’s words were reasonable and well-founded, and they were met with a chorus of agreement.
“Exactly, an unreasonable evil monk.”
“Fierce and menacing, not a good person.”
Bao Lei, enraged, flipped over and stood up, “Kid, I was careless just now. Let’s go again.”
Zhou Yan chuckled deeply, “Then let’s.”
Bao Xian was the second disciple of Huo Gong Toutuo. His cultivation, insight, and temperament were not comparable to Bao Lei’s. Before the Abbot of Shaolin Temple and others had even appeared, how could they afford to lose sight of the bigger picture due to a minor setback?
“Junior Brother, stop.”
He stepped forward and said to Zhou Yan, “My junior brother is rash and has offended you, benefactor. Please forgive him.”
“You were the ones who attacked, and you’re the ones asking for forgiveness. If my martial arts were weak, I would have been dead or injured long ago. How can a mere ‘forgive me’ suffice?” Zhou Yan said.
“What is the benefactor’s intention?” Bao Xian asked.
As Zhou Yan was about to reply, Ku Cheng’s voice rang out from within the temple, “Amitabha, Benefactor Zhou is benevolent. Well said, well said.”
Ku Cheng’s voice, unlike Bao Lei’s deafening roar, was like heavenly music that struck directly at the heart. Everyone present, near or far, heard it clearly.
Immediately after, from the open main gate of Shaolin Temple, two rows of a total of one hundred and eight monks emerged, the disciples of the Arhat Hall, numbering one hundred and eight Arhats.
Following them were eighteen monks, their grey robes covering pale yellow kasayas. They were older than the disciples of the Arhat Hall and Dharma Hall. After a short pause, seven or eight old monks in large checkered robes appeared, all with wrinkled faces, the oldest reaching ninety years of age. Ku Cheng was in the center, with Tianzhu Monk among them.
Shaolin Temple had not been involved in the Jianghu for a long time. No one present knew their strength. The mere swift and orderly appearance of one hundred and eight disciples caused the atmosphere to freeze. The people of the Western Regions Martial World, unsure of their true capabilities, fell silent.
From afar and near, openly and secretly, Huang Yaoshi, Ouyang Feng, Qiu Qianren, Zhang Sanqiang, Huo Gong Toutuo, and others were all observing Ku Cheng.
The Abbot of Shaolin Temple clasped his hands together and said to Zhou Yan, “Benefactor Zhou is benevolent, but you are not of this temple. Do not become entangled in karma.”
Zhou Yan bowed in return, “Abbot, your words are wise. I shall observe.”
“Thank you, Benefactor Zhou.”
“You are too polite, Abbot.” Only Huang Rong, Tianzhu Monk, Liang Xiaowu, and Yanbo Diaosou could understand Zhou Yan’s words. He acted after careful consideration.
Ku Cheng thanked Zhou Yan and turned his gaze to Bao Shu and his group.
Bao Shu stepped forward, clasped his hands, and said, “Bao Shu of the Vajra Sect, greetings to the Abbot.”
At his age, Ku Cheng had long since reached a state where he did not show his emotions, express his feelings, or show anger on his face. He clasped his hands and said, “Who is your master?”
“Abbot, why do you ask what you already know?”
“Well said, well said.”
Bao Shu said, “This disciple has come to seek justice for my master.”
Not everyone at Shaolin Temple possessed Ku Cheng’s temperament. Tianxin Chan Master, the head of the Arhat Hall, was a disciple in the hall when Huo Gong Toutuo committed his violent act and rebelled. He personally witnessed Huo Gong Toutuo severely injure Ku Zhi Chan Master, the head of the Dharma Hall, and then break into Shaolin Temple at night to commit violence.
He had a fiery temper and shouted, “Wicked creature! You speak nonsense and twist right and wrong, claiming to seek justice. I will see what you are capable of.”
Bao Xiang, the monk, with arrogant bravado, stepped forward and said, “Please enlighten me.”
Gasps of surprise arose from the surrounding crowd. Bao Xiang was stepping forward, and with each step he took, the bluestone ground left footprints several inches deep.
Furthermore, there were no cracks around the footprints.
Tianxin Chan Master, the head of the Arhat Hall, became solemn. He judged that he could not achieve the same feat of leaving such deep footprints without cracking the bluestone, but he showed no fear. He leaped out and landed in front of Bao Xiang, saying, “Please make your move.”
“Wait a moment.” Bao Xiang’s senior brother, Bao Shou, stepped out. He still left footprints with each step, but they were several inches deeper than Bao Xiang’s on the bluestone.
This time, even Ku Cheng’s expression showed a slight change.
Tianxin Chan Master said, “What do you intend to do?”
Bao Shou said, “Shaolin Temple has many martial monks, and our Vajra Sect is no less. If a conflict breaks out between the two sides, it will be a bloodbath. I think it would be better if the Vajra Sect and Shaolin Temple each sent three people to fight three matches. If Shaolin Temple wins, the Vajra Sect will immediately return to the Western Regions.”
“And if you lose?”
“Shaolin Temple will publicly apologize to the Vajra Sect, and send someone to the Western Regions to apologize to my master. How about that?”
Zhou Yan suddenly said, “I also want to seek justice from the Vajra Sect.”
As Zhou Yan spoke, all eyes turned to him.
Bao Xiang’s eyes glinted with malice, “Kid, are you trying to provoke trouble?”
Zhou Yan said leisurely, “You reap what you sow. That monk from the Vajra Sect tried to kill me just now. This should be considered a grievance. Revenge for enmity, retribution for resentment. How am I provoking? You allow the Vajra Sect to seek revenge, but you don’t allow me to reason?”
Bao Xiang said, “What do you want?”
“This is a sacred Buddhist land, and it is not suitable to cause much bloodshed. Let’s have a match. If I lose, it will be over. If I win, the Vajra Sect will apologize to me. How about it?”
Huang Rong’s eyes lit up with a smile. She secretly lamented that being beside Huo Gong Toutuo, it was inconvenient for her to speak. Otherwise, she would have insisted on three matches and pulled her father into it as well.
Yanbo Diaosou shouted loudly, “Good.”
The secular disciples of Shaolin Temple’s outer sect and the onlookers from the Central Plains martial world, having witnessed Zhou Yan’s cultivation, all cheered.
Bao Xiang hesitated. His junior brother had been defeated by the opponent, and he might not be able to win. But if his senior brother were to fight, it would affect their strength in comparison with Shaolin Temple.
Yang Kang frowned and whispered a few words to Helian Chuncheng and Ni Mo Xing.
Qiu Qianren also said to Gongsun Zhi, “Valley Master Gongsun, it was this kid we encountered at the Xiangyang Wharf that day, which allowed Qian Chi to escape.”
Gongsun Zhi gritted his teeth and said word by word, “Head Qiu, you may not know, but this kid and I have had a grudge for a long time.”
Qiu Qianren was stunned. Ni Mo Xing, Yin Kexi, and Helian Chuncheng, who were beside Yang Kang, leaped out together, “How do we settle our accounts?”
“Shameless scoundrel.”
“Clang!” Metal clashed. Gongsun Zhi, holding a gold knife and a black sword, flickered and landed in the arena.
“You trespassed into my valley and ruined my marriage. How do we settle this grudge?”
Zhou Yan’s gaze swept past Gongsun Zhi and landed on Yang Kang in the crowd. The man, now the Jin Dynasty Crown Prince, second only to the emperor, showed a helpless look, clearly conveying the message that this was a personal grudge, unrelated to him.
Zhou Yan shifted his gaze from Yang Kang to Qiu Qianren.
The Gang Leader of the Iron Palm Sect had a sinister expression.
Zhou Yan chuckled deeply. If he defeated Helian Chuncheng and the others, Qiu Qianren would be next. Yang Kang would try to find a way to prevent him from seeking revenge from the Vajra Sect.
Thinking this, he continued to scan his gaze, suddenly stopping at Huang Rong and Huo Gong Toutuo on the periphery of the crowd. Huang Rong blinked her eyes. Zhou Yan, without changing his expression, moved his gaze away, scanned briefly, and then lingered for a moment on Zhang Sanqiang, who was carrying a spear bag and wearing a conical hat.
“I’m asking you a question. You ruined my marriage. If I don’t avenge this, I’m no gentleman.” Gongsun Zhi’s handsome face was filled with ferocity.
Zhou Yan withdrew his gaze, “Xiao Wu, the spear.”
Liang Xiaowu quickly stepped forward and handed the Profound Iron Heavy Spear to Zhou Yan. He carried the Qingfeng Sword on his back and held the great spear in his hand.
Qiu Qianchi was now at Cuya Mountain, showing signs of settling down. Zhou Yan, in front of hundreds of Jianghu heroes, had to protect the reputation of Iron Palm Lotus. Therefore, he said no more. He gripped the Profound Iron Heavy Spear, its tip touching the ground, and the spear body emitted a low hum.
“Come at me together!”
As he said this, the Jianghu people who did not know the backgrounds of Helian Chuncheng, Ni Mo Xing, Gongsun Zhi, and others were indifferent. However, Liang Xiaowu, Yang Kang, and others all changed their expressions.
Ouyang Ke cursed in a low voice, “On Zhongnan Mountain, he relied on the Two Swords Combine to show off. Now that the woman is gone, he’s still so arrogant.”
Ouyang Feng said, “This kid’s martial arts are improving rapidly. It’s hard to say who will win. Ke’er, if you don’t strive for progress, the gap between you and this kid will only widen.”
Ouyang Ke said seriously, “Uncle, please don’t worry. The revenge for stealing my love is etched in my heart.”
Ouyang Feng was pleased.
Huang Yaoshi, on the tree crown in the forest, looked at Zhou Yan with admiration.
This kind of personality was very much like his own.
Helian Chuncheng was initially shocked, but after recovering, he was overjoyed and quickly said, “Brother Ni Mo, Brother Yin, Valley Master Gongsun, he is provoking us like this, let’s go together!”
Ni Mo Xing, who had just recovered from being severely injured by Zhou Yan at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion in Xiangyang, drew his iron-cast Spirit Snake short whip and flickered, landing in the area cleared by the Western Regions and Central Plains martial artists.
Yin Kexi, holding a golden soft whip inlaid with pearls and jade, leaped and landed in another position.
Gongsun Zhi, relying on his identity as the Valley Master of the Valley of Unfeeling, hesitated. Helian Chuncheng whispered, “Valley Master Gongsun, this kid could fight Head Qiu for dozens of moves. He cannot be underestimated. This is a golden opportunity.”
Gongsun Zhi no longer hesitated. His gold knife and black sword clashed, the metallic clang echoing through all directions. His movements were graceful as he leaped more than two zhang, standing before Zhou Yan.
As soon as the experts made their move, one knew their skill. Although Ni Mo Xing and the others had not truly attacked, their movements and footwork displayed a lightness skill that made ninety percent of the martial artists present feel ashamed.
They all thought, who were these four people? What was their background? Their cultivation was so extraordinary. And that young man who emerged from Shaolin Temple, seemingly not yet twenty, who was he? He had first defeated a master from the Western Regions’ Vajra Sect, and now he was challenging four at once. When did such a formidable figure appear in the Jianghu?
Why had they never heard of him before?
