Devouring Evil Martial Arts, Eliminating Demons from All Heavens

Chapter 154 The Abbot's Fantasy

After returning to the temple, Abbot Miaofan immediately summoned his three other highly skilled martial arts brothers to his meditation room.

All three monks were wearing brownish-red robes.

Miao Yin appeared to be in his fifties, with white eyebrows, a broad face, and a thick beard. He was of medium build, but his demeanor was quite imposing.

Miao Kong was rather thin, with light eyebrows and a short beard, but looked to be only in her early forties.

Miaoguo was about the same age as Miaokong, neither fat nor thin, and not particularly striking in appearance, but he had the most relaxed demeanor and a bit of the air of a mountain monk.

More than sixty monks of the Miao generation from the Southern Shaolin Temple are still alive today.

But the only ones truly in charge are these four people currently in the meditation room.

Because from a young age, in addition to studying Buddhist scriptures, they also paid great attention to managing businesses in various places.

In addition, they were skilled in martial arts, had plenty of energy, and were constantly on the go, handling the most affairs.

Among the lay disciples who went out to work, these four were the most trustworthy.

Abbot Miaofan instructed the young monks who were brewing tea and sweeping the floor to close the door and move away from the meditation room. Only after his three junior disciples were all sitting cross-legged on the futons did he begin to recount the events that had transpired.

When the three heard the talk of the successor of the School of Diplomacy, the explanation of Shaolin's predicament, and the need to fight the Japanese pirates first, they only frowned slightly, seemingly lost in thought.

Upon hearing that the abbot had been defeated within ten moves, the three monks' expressions changed drastically.

"Abbot, you knew the opponent was quite strong, so why didn't you let out a few long roars before the fight to lure us to come and support you?"

Monk Miaokong spoke first, "What if he harbors malicious intentions when he makes his move?"

"Or perhaps they start off with a calm mindset, but after gaining the upper hand, they change their minds, capture the abbot, and use him to blackmail our Southern Shaolin Temple. Wouldn't that be a huge disaster?!"

His tone couldn't help but carry a hint of reproach.

The four have supported each other for many years and have a very close relationship.

Abbot Miaofan wasn't offended at all, and just laughed and said, "Do you think the Southern Shaolin Temple is so easily threatened?"

"Besides, he had already started testing his moves during our brief exchange. His aura was simply too overwhelming. How could I possibly have the time to let out a long roar when I was fighting against him?"

The Venerable Master Miaoyin's eyes shone brightly as he said, "To have such high martial arts skills at such a young age, could he be some extraordinary person with profound cultivation and the art of preserving youth?"

The four of them had the most experience in fighting with others because they had spent a lot of time traveling during their youth and middle age.

Among the monks of the Miao generation, and even among the next generation of monks, there are several whose internal strength is already close to theirs.

But in a real fight, they were clearly inferior to them.

Even Abbot Miaofan felt that the other party's aura was extremely impressive. Miaoyin couldn't help but think that the other party was much older than he looked, and that his aura, accumulated over many years, was so intense.

“Three senior brothers, regardless of this person’s age, his strategy is actually very reasonable.”

Monk Miaoguo calmly said, "Several years ago, I said that the best way out for our Southern Shaolin Temple is to first strike hard against the Japanese pirates and seize the moral high ground."

Several years ago, the imperial court mobilized troops to strike at the most rampant groups of Japanese pirates in the Jiangnan region.

At that time, the Southern Shaolin Temple was already aware of its own predicament.

Miao Guo then suggested that her family should mobilize most of their manpower to cooperate with the imperial army to accomplish the task.

Once this is accomplished, we can take advantage of the situation to wipe out the coastal gangs that also engage in piracy, which will greatly alleviate the crisis facing the Southern Shaolin Temple.

However, sending monks and lay disciples away from their own territory to travel long distances to provide assistance was risky, and the Southern Shaolin Temple was hesitant for a moment.

Before they could even gather their forces, news of the imperial army's defeat had already reached them.

"Last time, I thought that we could only get strong support from other places if we became strong supporters ourselves."

Miao Guo appeared the most relaxed, but her words carried the coldest meaning: "But since the last incident, we should also realize that the Southern Shaolin Temple has no strong allies left to rely on."

"Either fight back or wait to die."

"Now that a successor of the School of Diplomacy has arrived, isn't this a golden opportunity?"

A moment of silence followed in the meditation room.

Miao Kong sighed, "There are some things that I know my fellow disciples don't like to hear, but I have to say them now. If a great war really breaks out, there will be many deaths and injuries among the monks and lay disciples of Shaolin."

"If we make peace with Liuyun Prefecture, at worst we'll give them half of our business and property."

“From now on, we monks of the Southern Shaolin Temple will have less contact with the outside world and spend more time with the ancient Buddha and the dim lamp. They should be able to rest assured now, right?”

Monk Miaoyin's face darkened with anger, and he sneered, "What good is Liuyun Mansion? Do you think they'll be satisfied just because you've given in?"

Abbot Miaofan said, "If we surrender easily and give up our property, Liuyun Prefecture will definitely send people to our various places. Their veteran subordinates will also seek their own interests. How could they allow us surrenderers to retain even a small part of our assets?"

"Even if we don't take action for the time being, we will definitely be separated and suppressed until we disciples are insignificant and can be easily eliminated. At that time, our lives will be in other people's hands, and even if we want to go into complete seclusion, it will be difficult."

Miao Kong raised an eyebrow, speechless.

He knew that what the abbot said was the truth.

But he still harbored a sliver of hope.

The disciples of the Southern Shaolin Temple, after all, possess both martial arts skills and business acumen; perhaps these talents will be valued after their surrender.

They will be split up and sent to other territories to prevent them from holding power for too long.

But compared to fighting to the death, there might be more disciples who survive after negotiating and surrendering.

"Miaokong, if I were to truly let you negotiate, how many of my lay disciples do you think would agree?"

Miao Fan clasped his hands together and said, "Those lay disciples who are able to build their own businesses outside are not backed by the prestigious Songshan Shaolin ancestral temple."

"They only have the backing of a recently revived Southern Shaolin Temple, and they fought tooth and nail to build up this business. Who would be willing to give it up so easily?"

The old abbot loudly proclaimed a Buddhist chant.

"It was not advisable to act rashly before, but now that we are determined to take action, we might as well take this opportunity to send a secret message by carrier pigeon to ask for their opinion."

Having grasped the wondrous cause and effect, they joined their palms and uttered, "Namo Amitabha Buddha, excellent!"

Miaokong remained silent, but returned the greeting with his palms together.

The three left the meditation room and each went to write a secret letter to the person in charge.

Miao Fan sighed softly, feeling both a burning passion and a touch of anxiety in her heart, and paced back and forth in the meditation room.

A moment later, he sat cross-legged on the futon, using meditation to calm his mind and clear his mind of distractions.

Before he knew it, evening had arrived. He picked up his pen and ink and wrote down all the secret messages he was in charge of, rolled them into small balls, sealed them in wax pellets, wrapped each one in a small piece of cloth, went into the pigeon house, and tied them to the legs of the carrier pigeons.

The carrier pigeons of the Southern Shaolin Temple can fly swiftly even at night.

As Abbot Miaofan watched the pigeons rise into the sky and disappear, his gaze couldn't help but fall upon the starry sky.

The night is absolutely beautiful tonight, with countless stars.

In particular, a region in the central part of the sky has a high density of stars that stretch across the sky, which is what the ancients referred to as the Milky Way.

Abbot Miaofan's skill was profound. He had been meditating for half a day, which was no different from sleeping. Although the night was getting deeper, he was moved by the beautiful scenery and felt full of energy.

He strolled towards the meditation room while admiring the scenery.

Outside the meditation room was a bluestone path, the ground covered with grass and dewdrops, and a few clumps of low trees.

As soon as Miao Fan approached, he suddenly became alert and looked closely.

Chu Tianshu was sitting lazily on the steps in front of the door, with a red lacquered food box, three plates of pastries, and a pot of tea next to him.

Another middle-aged man and a tall, thin boy sat next to him, but the boy sat more upright and appeared quite reserved.

"donor!"

Abbot Miaofan stepped forward and smiled, "Didn't we say we'd meet again tomorrow?"

"It's past midnight now."

Chu Tianshu swallowed the pastry and said, "The Southern Shaolin Temple is bustling with worshippers during the day, with many people in the front and monks doing a lot of activities in the back."

"Now, this moment is truly a perfect time and place, just right."

"That's why I brought two friends to travel with the master."

The Xu family uncle and nephew hurriedly stood up and introduced themselves, saying, "Greetings, Abbot!"

Miao Fan heard their names but didn't immediately think much of it.

Huoshen Gou has a large population, and although the Xu family is one of the most prominent, neither of these two men, uncle and nephew, are people who frequently appear in the martial arts world.

Even if the monks who visited Huoshengou back then came back, they might not recognize the two of them.

Only those who participated in the massacre of Huoshengou, saw the family genealogy, and continued to hunt them down had a deep impression of them.

Miao Fan nodded slightly to them, his smile unchanged: "As the abbot of this temple, since the three of you have come to visit the Southern Shaolin Temple, it is my duty to lead the way. Do you have any places you would like to visit?"

"No rush. People who are still awake past midnight tend to crave something to eat."

Chu Tianshu invited, "Abbot, please try these pastries as well."

Miao Fan was not reserved at all; he lifted his cassock and sat down on the stone steps.

Among the nine images and six seated figures, there is even a description of meditating in a swamp.

Even when sitting on the stone steps, he exudes a Zen-like charm, picking up pastries but not biting them directly, first gently smelling them in front of his nose.

Xu Zhicheng found it both incomprehensible and impressive.

Could it be some unique Buddhist ritual, or perhaps a famous story involved?
Similar to Buddha's smile while holding up a flower?
"Stop smelling it," Chu Tianshu said. "There's no animal fat in it."

Miao Fan laughed heartily and said, "You are too kind, benefactor."

He could already smell a strong hawthorn aroma. This pastry had an outer layer of dough and an inner layer of hawthorn puree. After being rolled into a strip, it was then cut into small pieces.

One bite, and sure enough, the first taste was sour, which was alleviated by the grain aroma of the dough, but inside was a rich and sweet flavor.

Miao Fan's brow relaxed, and she exclaimed in surprise, "Sour on the outside and sweet on the inside?"

"Because the innermost ring isn't made of hawthorn, but of sweet bean paste. Although the colors are similar, the taste is completely different."

Chu Tianshu also took a piece, saying, "I ate quite a few pastries at noon, and I specifically picked out a few of the most ingenious ones."

Miao Fan nodded and unknowingly ate two more pieces.

Suddenly, Chu Tianshu said, "You had a slight frown between your brows just now, even more noticeable than this morning. Did you encounter resistance during the high-level discussions?"

Miao Fan glanced at the uncle and nephew beside her and figured that Chu Tianshu must have a deeper meaning in bringing these two people into the temple, so she didn't try to hide it.

"Junior Brother Miaokong has the idea of ​​negotiating peace with Liuyun Mansion."

Abbot Miaofan said, "I know that he is afraid that our decision will lead to heavy casualties among the disciples of Southern Shaolin, and he is always looking for a way to save more disciples."

"Sigh, if the Southern Shaolin Temple were only about the same size as the Giant Whale Gang, and went to seek refuge with the Flowing Cloud Mansion, perhaps the Flowing Cloud Mansion would have really accepted them well."

"While we are not as strong as Liuyun Prefecture, we are not weak either."

Abbot Miaofan sighed, "Junior Brother Miaokong underestimates the strength of all of us disciples."

Chu Tianshu's expression shifted slightly, and he smiled, "Since I have chosen the Southern Shaolin Temple, I should cultivate a better relationship with them."

“This Master Miaokong sounds like a very gentle person, so let him stay by my side.”

Abbot Miaofan was about to say something.

Chu Tianshu continued, "Perfect timing, I've heard that there's a weapons workshop belonging to the Southern Shaolin Temple in these mountains."

"I came here tonight to ask the abbot to show me around there. I might as well bring Master Miaokong along as well."

Miao Fan's face twitched, as if deep in thought. After a while, he nodded and said, "Okay."

Chu Tianshu picked up the food box, and after the group walked through the courtyards, they first went to summon Miaokong.

The monk was still awake late at night, but he did not lose his manners when he saw Chu Tianshu.

The group quietly left the temple and slipped into the mountains.

After passing three mountain peaks, in a valley not far away, there are rows of large brick houses.

The night was deep, and the large houses were pitch black, with only a few lanterns hanging around the perimeter and people standing guard.

Although these people were not bald, their solemn demeanor was exactly the same as that of the martial monks in the Southern Shaolin Temple.

Before the group had even approached within a hundred paces, someone raised a warning. Seeing that it was the abbot himself who had arrived, they were then invited inside.

As soon as Xu Ben entered the courtyard, he sniffed the air and looked to his right.

Chu Tianshu laughed and said, "Tonight is the night for you to show your skills. Go ahead."

Seeing that the abbot also nodded, the guard next to him took out a key and opened the door.

Inside was indeed a large blacksmith shop, with a whole row of furnace openings.

There weren't many wooden tables and chairs, but there were many stone stools, and many unfinished blades were placed on the stone stools.

A large lamp hangs from the roof, branching out into multiple sections, each with an oil dish that can be lit.

The guard had already taken out the Thousand-Mile Fire, which was shaped like a small bamboo tube. After removing the stopper, he shook it in the wind, and sparks lit up.

He jumped onto the roof beam and bent down to light all the oil lamps.

As the lights gradually brightened, the room was illuminated.

Xu Ben stroked the furnace opening, feeling the residual warmth inside, and suddenly poked his head inside.

The guard was startled, only to see that Xu Ben had already slipped away.

"what!"

The guard exclaimed in surprise, "This guy's a veteran."

Sometimes, if you suspect there's something wrong with the stove, you have to peek inside long after the fire has gone out, but before the residual heat has completely dissipated.

Only when you check at this time can you see the problem more clearly; once it has cooled down, some problems will become impossible to find.

Xu Ben's movements were extremely skillful. He even picked up an iron rake and poked around inside the furnace, then checked the bellows, inspecting everything.

"What an exquisite stove."

Xu Ben took off his outer robe, rolled up his sleeves, picked up a leather apron from the side and tied it around his body, then waved his hand and said, "Come on, help me start a fire!"

He spent less time making the two ammunition this time than he did in Yongchun County.

At first, the two old monks didn't know what he was doing, but when they saw him stuff in the powder and make the two pellets take shape, they vaguely guessed their purpose.

Chu Tianshu then took out a musket from the food box and handed it to Xu Ben.

Miao Fan and Miao Kong exchanged a glance, both seeing the anticipation in each other's eyes.

As everyone walked out of the main house, they watched as Xu Ben loaded two bullets into the same musket.

boom!boom!
In the blink of an eye, two bullets were fired in quick succession, startling a flock of birds into flight from the forest.

While the guards were still oblivious to what was going on, the two old monks had already spotted the two large trees a hundred paces away.

Each tree bark has spiderweb-like cracks and a small hole in it.

To fire a musket in the Ming Dynasty, several steps are required, including pouring the powder, loading the powder, tamping the fire, loading the bullet, and attaching the matchlock.

Even with multiple platoons in preparation and rotating firing, it was impossible to create a very dense barrage of fire.

Moreover, in terms of range, even a long gun cannot compare to the powerful bow of a third-rate warrior.

Xu Ben's short gun could actually shoot cracks in the thick, tough bark of a tree from a hundred paces away!

The old monk's hands trembled as he held the prayer beads.

Miao Fan had guessed what kind of assistance Chu Tianshu was referring to, besides personal martial arts skills.

But I never imagined it would be like this.

Broken spears, tattered armor, chipped steel blades, the corpses of monks and lay disciples, fought to the death, lay alongside the Japanese pirates, their eyes wide open in death…

In Miao Fan's imagination, the scenes that would appear after the war at Southern Shaolin suddenly vanished, replaced by a completely different picture.

The setting sun was like blood, and the sky was filled with golden clouds. A large number of Japanese pirates charged in with strange cries.

Suddenly, the gray-robed monks all pulled out a musket from behind their backs and raised the muzzle in unison.

Miao Fan's eyes widened in surprise. Coming to his senses, he asked urgently, "Benefactor Xu, can you make long guns?"

"Yes, a long gun can penetrate armor at a range of 300 paces, and once loaded with ammunition, it can fire six times in succession."

Xu Ben said, "Moreover, with these furnaces and raw materials, and with my personal guidance, the swordsmiths of the Southern Shaolin should be able to learn this craft very quickly."

Upon hearing this, Miao Fan's eyes and brows were filled with joy, and she unconsciously murmured Buddhist chants.

"Amitabha, Amitabha..."

Chu Tianshu smiled, his gaze fixed on Miaokong.

The monk Miaokong was overjoyed. After a while, he suddenly realized and said, "His surname is Xu, and his name is Huochong."

"Could this be the legendary Fire Secret Technique?!"

The story of that mysterious fire technique was widely circulated in the martial arts world half a year ago.

However, the entire Huoshengou area was massacred, and there were repeated reports of refugees, which were later confirmed to be false.

The Southern Shaolin Temple started investigating the matter late and made no progress, so it was eventually shelved.

Unexpectedly, I have now stumbled upon the Fire Mystic Technique, which is indeed as powerful as rumored.

A tiny, round light shone faintly in Chu Tianshu's eyes.

In his eyes, the heads of the two old monks were now radiating a fiery red color, with other colors appearing at the edges.

This is a technique that Chu Tianshu has recently figured out. By interweaving and changing the Nine True Words, he can glimpse the layers of the Misty Clouds.

The colors that appear where the mist and haze meet a particular person represent the emotions that person evokes.

It seems that, to some extent, it can reflect a person's true feelings, as well as the hopes and expectations that others have for that person.

It's similar to the legendary art of observing qi.

After Chu Tianshu revealed this big secret to Miaokong, she also kept her by his side, just to make it easier to test her.

If any problems arise, we can take action as soon as possible to resolve them and eliminate potential risks.

It now appears that Miaokong was not a complete capitulationist or a bribed spy, but simply possessed common weaknesses.

Such people are still usable; with proper training, they still have the opportunity to become brave warriors.

The Fire Mystic Technique is the first, exceptionally powerful hammer blow!

(End of this chapter)