Reborn as Murong Fu: This Time I'm the Protagonist

Chapter 536 Equivalent Substitution
Upon hearing this, Murong Fu smiled slightly: "Your subject will certainly not fail in his mission!"

……

Yinsong Pavilion, the Murong family's restaurant in the capital, in a private room on the third floor, Murong Fu and Xiao Yuanshan sat facing each other, the charcoal fire blazing in the small red clay stove on the table, and the water in the small kettle had already boiled.

Murong Fu picked up the kettle, heated the wine, poured a cup for Xiao Yuanshan, and poured himself a small half cup as well.

"Try it, Shaoxing rice wine. It tastes excellent when warmed up slightly. It's perfect for a quiet drink and some singing, just the two of you." Murong Fu smiled and gestured for him to try.

Xiao Yuanshan frowned and said, "Why do I always feel like you're using me?"

Murong Fu laughed and said, "Remove the word 'feeling' from you, and I'm just using you. How many people in this world would do something that has absolutely no benefit? Maybe some, but I'm definitely not one of them."

Xiao Yuanshan was dumbfounded. The word "you" stuck in his throat for a long time, and he couldn't get it out. His face turned red, and he finally said, "You are indeed extremely frank."

Murong Fu chuckled inwardly: If I were to be frank, you would have already passed away a year ago. However, Murong Bo has been imprisoned beneath West Lake by me, and he will never be able to escape in this lifetime. Let this secret remain forever submerged in the water.

Murong Fu said, "Otherwise what? Compared to your terrible idea, tell me, isn't my idea seven or eight streets better than yours?"

Xiao Yuanshan blushed, but before he could reply, Murong Fu continued, "You're a renowned master, you have a million ways to ruin Xuan Ci's reputation. How many of those bald guys at Shaolin Temple are any good? And you, an old codger, after hiding for over thirty years, all you found out was that Xuan Ci had an illegitimate child? Shameful, truly shameful! I have no idea what you've been doing all these years. Practicing martial arts, you almost ruined yourself, tsk tsk."

Xiao Yuanshan gritted his teeth in anger, veins bulging on his forehead, silently repeating to himself: Forget it, I can't beat him, I can't beat him, I have to endure it, I have to endure it.

Murong Fu feigned confusion and asked, "Huh? Where did this rat come from?"

Xiao Yuanshan took a deep breath and asked, "When do you plan to make trouble for Xuan Ci?"

Murong Fu shook his head and smiled, "It's not an attack on Xuan Ci, it's an attack on the entire Shaolin! Xuan Ci must die, and I will definitely take Shaolin into my possession."

"I'm curious, is Shaolin really so foolish as to use its own martial arts to assassinate the Liao envoy?"

Xiao Yuanshan said.

Murong Fu laughed and said, "You saw it for yourself. The Liao envoy died from the Vajra Palm. You even practiced it yourself, but you didn't master it, did you? Only Xuanci of the Shaolin School knows this martial art, and that's enough, isn't it?"

Xiao Yuanshan remained silent for a while before continuing to ask, "When do you plan to launch an attack on the Shaolin Sect?"

Murong Fu said, "It's not ready yet. There are still some things to take care of, some momentum to build, and some people who haven't arrived yet. The second day of the second month next year will be an auspicious day. That will be about right."

Murong Fu said, "You will stay at my villa in Tokyo for the time being. When the time comes, I will naturally arrange for you to go to Shaoshi Mountain." "Now, I must set off for Wutai Mountain to meet an old friend."

Three days later, at Qingliang Temple on Mount Wutai.

Murong Fu stood outside Qingliang Temple and waited for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before the guest monk, accompanied by a short but wiry old monk, came to greet him at the temple gate.

Upon seeing Murong Fu, the old monk could not hide his smile: "Sect Leader Murong has come from afar, and this humble monk has not been able to greet you properly. I am truly sorry for my rudeness. I beg Young Master Murong to forgive me."

Murong Fu laughed and said, "It's been years since we last met at the Valley of the Deaf and Mute. Abbot Shenshan is even more impressive than before. Judging from his excellent spirit and inner radiance, his martial arts skills must have improved greatly in the past two years. It's only a matter of time before he surpasses Abbot Xuanci of Shaolin."

This person was none other than the Venerable Shenshan, who had met Murong Fu once in the Valley of the Deaf and Mute. At that time, he and his junior brother Shenyin went to the Valley of the Deaf and Mute to observe the Zhenlong Chess Game. Murong Fu, out of consideration for counterbalancing Shaolin, gave him a Shaolin martial art.

For the next few years, Shenshan practiced diligently. He was already very talented in martial arts and had tried to become a disciple of Shaolin Temple to learn martial arts. However, he was rejected by the abbot of Shaolin Temple, Lingmen, because he was too sharp and arrogant. He held a grudge and joined Qingliang Temple on Mount Wutai in a fit of anger. With his extremely high talent and tireless practice, he made a great name for himself in the martial arts world. However, the martial arts in Qingliang Temple were very simple and shallow, which limited Shenshan's performance. He always regretted that he could not learn the Seventy-Two Arts of Shaolin.

Murong Fu gave Shenshan a Wuxiang Jiezhi (a type of martial arts technique) for free, fulfilling his wish. Although Shenshan knew that Murong Fu's Wuxiang Jiezhi was of dubious origin, he still couldn't resist the temptation. After successfully cultivating it, he was extremely grateful. Now that Murong Fu, the gift-giver, has come to visit again, Shenshan is naturally overjoyed.

He hurriedly ushered Murong Fu to the guest quarters, ordered the monk in charge of serving tea, and quietly waited for Murong Fu to speak.

Murong Fu said, "I don't come to the temple without a reason. I've come today to discuss a big business deal with the abbot."

Shenshan laughed and said, "This humble monk is a layman. My food, clothing, shelter and all my necessities depend entirely on the donations of you benefactors. How could I possibly have any surplus wealth to do business with the world's richest man, Master Murong? Master, please don't make fun of this old monk."

Murong Fu laughed heartily: "Abbot Master, please don't joke. Not to mention that most of the land and shops within a hundred miles of Wutai Mountain belong to Qingliang Temple, the annual incense money is also plentiful, right? Abbot Master, please don't worry. Listen to the conditions I offer first, and then decide whether or not to do this business."

Seeing that Murong Fu was serious and not joking, Shenshan composed himself and listened as Murong Fu continued.

Murong Fu said, "Nowadays, Shaolin is the leader in the martial arts world, and Shaolin also leads the Zen lineage. Although Abbot has worked hard for many years and is known as one of the two great monks who subdue dragons and tigers alongside Abbot Xuanci of Shaolin, he still lacks the foundation of Shaolin."

"If I could make Qingliang Temple equal to Shaolin Temple in the martial arts world in the future, or even surpass Shaolin, would the Abbot be interested in making this deal?"

Upon hearing this, Shenshan's heart raced, and his breathing became rapid. He coughed twice to suppress his agitation and forced a smile, saying, "Sect Leader Murong is joking. Buddhists value a peaceful mind and must never harbor competitive thoughts. Sect Leader Murong is ruining my cultivation. Amitabha."

Although he was tempted, he knew that the other party must have a grand plan behind such words, so he did not agree at the moment and waited to see what the other party would say next.

Murong Fu sneered, "Since the abbot of the sacred mountain is so noble, then he should just live a proper life as a hermit. I'll go find someone else to do this."

Having said that, he stood up abruptly and walked away.