Whoosh!
While Happy dragged around that huge golden dragon vortex and moved around with an astonishing momentum in Bodhidharma Cave, his gaze and expression gradually became solemn.
Master of Breaking Vows seemed to have suddenly become unable to sense Happy's fighting spirit. The monk was as calm as water. He stood on the ground without moving, revealing no weaknesses, which gave Happy no way to attack him.
He moved around for a few minutes, then his momentum finally fell below Inaction Realm.
Master of Breaking Vows still did not move. He only casually tapped Happy when he attacked, but he did not even bother to open his eyes. He was like a sitting Arhat statue, grand and unmoving.
"Amazing! Master, you have managed to take a huge step forward in your path in Buddhism! This is great news!" When Happy saw that Master of Breaking Vows simply will not give him a chance to attack, he gave up. "Looks like I will have no chance to persuade you to go down the mountain."
With Bodhidharma Swordplay protecting him, the monk could completely counter the profound secret within Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palm. Unless Happy's qi realm increased, it would be impossible for him to defeat Master of Breaking Vows.
Bang!
With a thought, the huge golden dragon shuddered in the air and swiftly exploded into countless gusts that blew everywhere. Happy had resolutely stopped attacking, cancelled his momentum, stopped circulating his qi, and had the qi that had spread all over his body vanish. Bodhidharma Cave returned to silence then.
"Amitabha." Master of Breaking Vows called out the name of Buddha and finally opened his eyes. He cast Happy a gratified glance. "If it were not for your help, I would not have been able to understand Bodhidharma Swordplay. If you had not kept trying to persuade me to repent, I would not have come to understand that not being swayed by emotions and not going after worldly matters is the true meaning of invincibility!
"It is no wonder then why the abbots of the generations past always sent us to Bodhidharma Cave in Punishment Mount to repent. I am full of regrets. It is only on this day that I understand just how much effort it took for the abbot to care for us.
"If a Buddhist practices martial arts, he must first have a calm heart. If he just pursues strength, it will not fit into the spirit of Zen. Amitabha, I have made all the painstaking effort Founder Bodhidharma placed here go to waste."
When Happy heard Master of Breaking Vows' regret filled confession, he noticed that a turn for the better had appeared in his quest, much to his surprise.
He had thought that he failed his quest, but he did not expect that Master of Breaking Vows would come to understand how much effort it took for the previous abbots and Founder Bodhidharma to care for the monks who broke their vows after he gained an epiphany on Bodhidharma Swordplay!
"Patron, I will follow you down the mountain." Master of Breaking Vows placed his palms together and said, "I have walked down the path of asceticism for twenty years, but that cannot compare to one day of epiphany. I am truly regretful. I must immediately beg for forgiveness from the abbot and return to Shaolin Temple to calm down and cultivate my body and spirit."
The moment Master of Breaking Vows finished speaking, Happy heard the system notification that came late.
"Ding!
"Repentance is salvation. You helped Master of Breaking Vows break through the evil in his heart, and he came to gain an epiphany of Bodhidharma Swordplay. Return to Shaolin Temple with Master of Breaking Vows Yuan Mie and meet Abbot Kong Xiang."
The system's voice at that moment was incredibly pleasant to Happy's ears.
"This way, please!"
Happy walked out of Bodhidharma Cave.
"Patron, you are too polite," Yuan Mie said softly and walked out of Bodhidharma Cave.
Just when the duo was prepared to leave the mountain, a faint sigh suddenly echoed through the mountain. It sounded like its owner had gone through countless ups and downs in life. The sigh might have been faint, but it traveled clearly into the two's ears.
"Yuan Mie." Master Yuan Mie came to a stop. He then turned around swiftly and bowed deeply. "Senior, I have repented for my sins for more than twenty years. I was fortunate that you gave me directions and taught me.
"When I return to the temple, I will surely tell the abbot that you have long since lost the will to fight after being bound for more than thirty years. I will also ask the abbot to grant you permission to leave Punishment Mount."
An old but mighty voice came to them like a thunderclap.
"Young Monk Yuan Mie, you might be slow in comprehension, but you have a pure heart, and you are diligent as well as down-to-earth. Over the past twenty years, you have taken great care of me, which is why I taught you Vajra Demon Subduing Great Art.
"You do not need to be concerned about me now. I called you not because I wanted you to beg for pardon from the abbot for me. I have been here for more than thirty years, and I have long since become indifferent toward everything.
"I enjoy my time watching the clouds and all manner of life from the top of the mountain. That's why you do not need to waste your efforts on me."
"Senior, do you have any instructions for me?"
Once Yuan Mie came to understand Bodhidharma Swordplay, he seemed to have become much smarter. He quickly registered what the voice meant, and he showed that he was all ears. His actions were incredibly respectful.
"Instructions? All that I wanted to instruct you I have told you over the past twenty years." There was a faint hint of mockery in the old voice. His tone changed afterwards though. "I called you because I have a few questions I want to ask that young friend beside you."
"Hmm?"
Happy was stunned. Even though he expected it, when he heard that the legendary Mad Monk was interested in him, he could not help but be shocked. He did not dare to be negligent and took a step forward to put his fist in his palms before he answered. "Master, if you have something to say to me, I will naturally listen with respect."
Inaction Realm martial artists could become one with the power of nature but the people who had the power to control clouds and fog surpassed this level and reached Myth Realm, which was Zhang Wuji's current qi realm. However, if Mad Monk could gather clouds and wind around him for an extended period of time, it was clear that he had reached an even higher stage.
Happy could not be certain just what things the legendary murderer who had surpassed all known qi realms would want to say to him.
"I am curious. How did a young man such as you, who has not even surpassed Life and Death Realm, understand Flying Dragon in the Sky, which is something in Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palm that can only be understood after you have experienced life and death and have even transcended them."
Happy did not have any words to say about that.
"Leave." The old voice seemed to have lost interest in Happy. "Once you reach that state, perhaps you will be the first person who can withstand ten moves from me," he said faintly.
'The first?'
Happy stared at Yuan Mie in shock.
Chapter 502 - Second Page of Nine Yang Skill
"Leave."
Once the legendary Mad Monk said his request for Happy to leave from the clouds and fog, he said nothing else.
With countless questions in him, Happy could only leave Punishment Mount to receive Shaolin Temple's Nine Yang Skill. However, while he moved down the mountain, he obtained some information regarding Mad Monk from Yuan Mie's lips.
Rumors had it that Mad Monk had wreaked havoc upon the world of martial artists in the past and brutalized the innocents because the people in the path of justice had killed the evil sect, Sky Demon Sect.
Before Mad Monk became a Buddhist, the sect master of Sky Demon Sect had picked him up as his own when he was abandoned as an orphan. So when Mad Monk learned that all of Sky Demon Sect had been destroyed, he flew into a rage and slaughtered his way up Shaolin Temple, then to all the other sects. He paid blood with blood, and he killed ma
ny people. Countless elites died in his hands.
In the end, if Shaolin Temple had not sent hero's invitations to everyone in the world, and Mad Monk's master had not personally led the attack, the elites from the sects might not have been able to fulfill their wish in defeating Mad Monk in that battle.
In fact, there were plenty of people who spread rumors at that time that Mad Monk had already taken his revenge, and he grew sick of all the fighting, which was why he was willing to be captured by Shaolin Temple and allowed his collar bones to be pierced as well as get trapped in Punishment Mount for more than thirty years!
"In truth, with Mad Monk's state of mind that allows him to d.e.s.i.r.e nothing, the current abbot of Shaolin Temple is not his opponent. If he wanted to leave, it'd be incredibly easy for him to do so."
Yuan Mie's words shocked Happy, and he could not help but blurt out, "Then why is he still staying at the summit and going through so much suffering?"
Yuan Mie said nothing for a time and just smiled in anguish. "The senior is a monk with great wisdom. We cannot use worldly thinking to see through his thoughts. Before, I was unable to see through him as well, but just now, I seem to have understood a bit of it."
"What is it?"
Curiosity was on Happy's face. The two men were both eminent Buddhist monks, so he believed that Yuan Mie could understand Mad Monk.
Yuan Mie called out the name of Buddha with great emotion.
"When he was young, he brought a lot of karma on himself because of the people he killed. Even though he did it in the name of revenge, he also affected many innocents, and that includes many martial artists from other sects. There were plenty who died horribly in his hands. If anyone learned that Mad Monk left Punishment Mount, the world of martial artists might welcome so much bloodshed that the world will lose its color."
He stopped talking for a while, and when slight understanding appeared in Happy's eyes, he spoke up again. "The senior refuses to leave Punishment Mount because he does not want to offend the other Shaolin Temple martial artists. He intends to sacrifice himself in exchange for peace in the world by extinguishing the anger of the people who lost their loved ones.
"And the final reason is that the senior has no other thoughts in his heart. He has already become tired of everything in the world. The world of martial artists is no longer in his heart."
"I see," Happy said, having come to an understanding.
Yuan Mie then said, "Also, the rumors about me withstanding ten moves from Mad Monk and not dying are false. In truth, before the senior attacks, he will size up the person's temperament first. If his opponents came to learn ultimate techniques, showed up for revenge, or are monks who broke their vows at the top of the mountain and want to get something from him, they will all be thrown off the cliff.
"I stayed on the mountain for three years and faced Bodhidharma Cave day and night. I tried to understand the mural Founder Bodhidharma left behind, and during that time, I occasionally sent him food, and this touched his heart, which is why he let me learn Vajra Demon Subduing Great Art."
"I see." Happy came to an understanding again. "If that is the case, Mad Monk is actually a pretty good senior."
His expression grew puzzled then. Why did Mad Monk call out to him? Why did he ask Happy to seek him after he transcended Life and Death Realm?
'Strange…'
As the two talked to each other, they quickened their steps and eventually reached the door of the temple.
Abbot Kong Xiang welcomed them at Mahavira Hall. When he saw Master Yuan Mie, who followed behind Happy with a torn and gray kasaya, his eyes became watery. "Amitabha. Yuan Mie, you have finally returned…"
"I am Yuan Mie, a monk who sinned. I have come back to report to you. After more than twenty years of repenting for my sins, I have finally gained some achievements!"
When Yuan Mie returned to Shaolin Temple, he was so touched that he was incoherent. His lips began to quiver.
"It's good that you returned…" Master Kong Xiang was very excited and helped Yuan Mie to his feet. "Bring over a kasaya and give it to Martial-nephew Yuan Mie."
"Thank you, martial-uncle!"
Once Yuan Mie heard it, tears spilled out from his eyes, and he prostrated himself on the ground again.
Receiving a kasaya bore great significance. Yuan Mie had been on Punishment Mount for more than twenty years before finally returning to the temple. When he changed his kasaya, it meant that he was completely rid of the title of a monk who broke his vows and had returned to the temple.
Master Kong Xiang said, "Young Swordsman Happy helped my Martial-nephew Yuan return and reenter the temple of monks. I am truly grateful. First, you searched for Dragon Immortal Grass. Second, you retrieved Flower-pinching Finger. And now, you helped Shaolin Temple bring Yuan Mie back from Punishment Mount. Even I am in your debt, patron. You have saved a life, and if I continue to hesitate, it will show that I am a person who does not return favors."
As he spoke, he slowly brought out a book from his kasaya right under Happy's excited gaze. "This is Shaolin Temple's Nine Yang Skill. It is also one of Shaolin Temple's cornerstones. I am truly sorry, but I cannot give you the only copy we have.
"However, I have long since copied a Shaolin Temple's Nine Yang Skill Manual by hand, and I hope that you can uphold the principles of Shaolin Temple to get rid of tyranny while helping the weak to bring blessings upon the world of martial artists!"
"I will definitely not disappoint you, abbot."
Happy received the hand-copied manual with incredible excitement. The book immediately turned into a ball of light that went into the center of his forehead.
The system provided a notification.
"Ding!
"Learned Shaolin Temple and Emei Sect's Nine Yang Skill. Your Nine Yang Skill has been upgraded to Golden Quintessence Nine Yang Skill. The effects of the skill increased. If you receive Wudang Sect's Nine Yang Skill, you will be able to obtain Nine Yang Divine Skill!"
Happy checked his progress excitedly.
[Golden Quintessence Nine Yang Skill: Lvl 1.00
[Improved version of Nine Yang Skill Qi Cultivation Technique. When you activate Nine Yang Skill, the speed at which you recover your qi will increase by twice when compared to the recovery speed of when you had only learned one page of Nine Yang Skill. Your resistance toward soft qi and cold qi increased. Decreases 80% soft qi and cold qi damage on you.]
Even though Emei Sect's Nine Yang Skill had disappeared and all Happy's progress with the skill had been reduced to nothing, when he looked at the attributes of Golden Quintessence Nine Yang Skill, he immediately felt happy.
Double recovery speed did not just mean his recovery speed when he circulated his qi. When he fought against others, Nine Yang Skill would circulate on its own, and his recovery speed would increase by leaps and bounds. He would no longer have to worry about his qi being depleted when he used his skills.
Having twice the recovery speed meant that his qi would be in a constant state of being full. That is, as long as he did not go overboard with using Ten True Dragon Styles.
"Amitabha."
The loud call for Buddha's name shifted Happy's attention from Golden Quintessence Nine Yang Skill back to the abbot, and for the first time, Happy found that the old monk was actually rather lovable.
"Patron, since you have been granted your wish of obtaining Shaolin Temple's Nine Yang Skill, I will be off preparing the ceremony to return Martial-nephew Yuan Mie back to the temple of monks. You are welcome to come to Shaolin Temple at any time in the future, patron."
"Thank you for fulfilling my wish, abbot. I will take my leave now."
Even though Happy had obtained two pages of Nine Yang Skill, he still lacked a page from Wudang Sect.
He would only be confident in facing One Emperor when he had the complete Nine Yang Divine Skill. After all, One Emperor was the man who remained invincible for more than three years in Happy's previous life.
However,
once he left Shaolin Temple, he subconsciously returned to Punishment Mount and arrived at the summit that was constantly shrouded in white clouds and fog.
When he stopped there and stood still, he heard an old sigh beside his ears.
Chapter 503 - Third True Dragon Style, Secret
"Has Yuan Mie successfully returned to the temple of monks?"
The words were followed by a sigh that Happy could hear as if it was by his ears.
A thought appeared in Happy's head at that moment. As he had expected, Mad Monk wanted to say something to him. His voice was clearly a high-tier form of private voice transmission.
"Yes. Abbot Kong Xiang will be the one personally conducting the ceremony," Happy answered respectfully.
Elites who had reached Myth Realm were usually matchless legends. Mad Monk was someone who had reached that stage more than thirty years ago before he hid in Punishment Mount. Right now, his qi realm might have already become even greater!
"That is good. If he can successfully return to the temple of monks, that young monk will be considered to have understood the true and profound secret of Bodhidharma." The voice in the clouds traveled clearly into Happy's ears. "But that is all thanks to you as well.
"You persisted in challenging him day after day. If you hadn't done that, with Young Yuan Mie's intellect, it would have been very difficult for him to understand what he is lacking in his temperament. Then, it would have been difficult for him to understand all the hard work of Founder Bodhidharma in regards to people like him."
Happy did not dare to take credit for this sort of thing. He bowed slightly to the clouds and said, "I only performed some hard labor in this. In the end, Master Yuan Mie is the one who had to work hard to get that epiphany."
The person in the clouds was silent for a long time.
Just when Happy thought that the matter had come to an end, the old voice suddenly traveled into his ears again.
"I've watched you act as Yuan Mie's opponent for the past twenty or so days. Boy, you have two pretty decent ultimate techniques. If my guess is correct, the palm technique you used against Young Monk Yuan Mie should be Beggar's Sect's ultimate technique, Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palm. It is an ultimate technique that only the sect masters of Beggar's Sect can inherit."
Sword Among Us c1-1268 Page 254
