The world of martial arts, the immortal swordsman in the mortal realm.

Chapter 153, page 168: I possess abundant martial virtue, and the He Shi Bi jade should rightfully be kept by me!

On a mountain in the eastern suburbs of Luoyang, there stands an extremely magnificent temple.

Lu Chen stood atop a large tree outside the temple, looking into the temple grounds.

The temple complex contained hundreds of buildings of varying sizes, resembling a small city, with all the halls and buildings covered in colorful glazed tiles.

On the central axis directly opposite the temple gate, in the center of the temple, stands a small brass hall, which is three zhang long and wide, and one zhang and five chi high.

In front of the small brass hall, there is a very spacious and magnificent white stone square. In the center of the square, there is a bronze statue of Manjushri Bodhisattva riding a lion, which is more than 20 feet tall. There are statues of Bhaisajyaguru, Shakyamuni, Amitabha and other Buddhas on the side.

On all four sides of the square, there are five hundred life-sized Arhat statues, all cast in brass.

From afar, the small brass hall, as well as the statues of Bodhisattvas, Buddhas, and Arhats in the square, shone brightly under the lights of the surrounding halls and the reflection of the stars and moon in the sky, gleaming with a luster similar to gold.

Looking at the magnificent scene, Lu Chen couldn't help but marvel at the wealth of the Buddhist sect in the Twin Dragons World.

It's one thing to build such a vast and magnificent temple, but to actually use brass, a hard currency, to create a small hall entirely cast in bronze, as well as more than 500 bronze statues of various sizes. If any warlord or overlord dared to come to Jingnian Temple and rob it, wouldn't they immediately become rich?

Well, Jingnian Temple is a leading Buddhist temple on par with Cihang Jingzhai. Its abbot, Liaokong, possesses unfathomable martial arts skills, and it also has four Dharma protectors and hundreds of highly skilled martial monks. Its martial prowess alone would require even powerful warlords to mobilize large armies to besiege it.

Not to mention that Jingnian Temple has an influence within Buddhism that is no less than that of Cihang Jingzhai.

Once Jingnian Zen Monastery is disturbed, it will face terrible retaliation from the Buddhist forces.

Such a price is one that no warlord today would dare to bear.

But robbing the He Shi Bi jade was no big deal.

The He Shi Bi jade was not Buddhist property, so it was taken without consequence.

Lu Chen carefully observed the layout of the temple for a while, planned his route, and then disappeared into thin air. When he reappeared, he was already inside the temple, in the shadows below a Buddhist hall.

He then leaped onto the roof of the temple, using the pagoda and the temple as springboards, and after a series of leaps and bounds, he quickly arrived at a tall bell tower.

We are not far from the small brass hall.

Moreover, there were no guards around the bronze hall. Only ten feet behind the bronze hall, from a magnificent hall, came the sound of chanting. It was clear that the monks of the Zen temple were all staying in that hall.

Since there are no guards, Lu Chen can go to the small bronze hall at any time and take the He Shi Bi jade if he wants.

However, the He Shi Bi (a famous jade disc) possessed extraordinary power.

Even standing on this side of the clock tower, gazing at the small brass hall, Lu Chen felt a vague sense of unease.

It is evident that even a palace cast entirely in brass could not completely isolate the extraordinary power of the He Shi Bi jade.

The small lead box that Lu Chen prepared could not completely isolate them.

Under the influence of the He Shi Bi's strange power, he dared not use his "Sword Two: Splitting Light and Shadow" technique, which required true qi to activate, recklessly, otherwise, it might cause serious problems.

In this way, it would be easy for him to obtain the He Shi Bi jade, but he would probably have to fight to leave.

"The radiation from the He Shi Bi affects everyone equally. My inner energy will certainly be affected, but so will the monks. Even if I carry the He Shi Bi with me, the impact will be greater, but my physique far surpasses that of the monks..."

With this thought in mind, Lu Chen did not hesitate. He leaped off the top of the bell tower, gliding more than ten zhang like an eagle, and landed silently on the white stone square. In a flash, he had already reached the front of the brass hall.

With such close proximity, the effects of the He Shi Bi's extraordinary power became even more pronounced.

Lu Chen felt an invisible force radiating from the hall, causing his true energy to fluctuate and become unstable.

The mind was unaffected—the extraordinary power of the He Shi Bi jade would normally cause people to feel restless and uneasy, seriously affecting their mental state.

However, with the "Sword Intent of Immortal Slaughter" guarding the depths of Lu Chen's consciousness, he was immune to the influence on his mind.

It was precisely because of the extraordinary power of the He Shi Bi jade that the area around the bronze palace was left unguarded.

However, Lu Chen knew that once someone opened the bronze palace door, without the thick bronze door separating them, the strange power of the He Shi Bi would immediately radiate out of the bronze palace at a rate ten times greater.

Such intense radiation would be immediately detected by the warrior monks in the main hall ten feet behind the bronze hall.

The monks could easily cross the mere ten zhang (approximately 33 meters) distance and catch the trespasser in the bronze hall red-handed.

But Lu Chen did not hesitate. He gripped the door knocker of the bronze palace gate with both hands, pulled hard, and the bronze gate opened instantly.

The instant the door opened.

A chilling current, almost tangible, rushed towards him, making him gasp for breath. He felt as if his blood had stopped flowing, and his true energy became scattered and chaotic, running rampant through his meridians and acupoints.

As this "cold current" rushed out of the bronze hall's gate, the chanting in the main hall ten feet behind the bronze hall abruptly stopped, followed by the sound of clothes rustling in the wind, indicating that the warrior monks inside had been alerted.

Lu Chen remained calm, instantly withdrawing his true energy and no longer using any of it. He then rushed into the bronze hall.

Inside the bronze hall, bright lights illuminated the surroundings. The walls were lined with countless small bronze Buddha statues, each exquisitely crafted. Their unified, golden glow under the lamplight seemed to transform from light and shadow into a powerful sonic boom, screaming with all their might:

rich!

So arrogant!

Lu Chen did not pay much attention to the magnificent and glittering scene.

His gaze was firmly drawn to a small brass table in the center of the bronze hall.

On the small table sits a square, pure white, flawless seal that gleams with precious light.

The seal features five intertwined dragons, a masterpiece of craftsmanship, but one corner is missing and has been repaired with gold.

It is indeed the He Shi Bi jade!
Lu Chen walked a few steps to the bronze table, placed the package he was carrying on his shoulder on the table, untied the package, and revealed a lead box about one foot square.

He opened the box and was about to take out the He Shi Bi jade when a deep male voice came from outside the hall:
“Amitabha Buddha, this humble monk Buchen is the head of the four guardian Vajras of this temple, and bears the responsibility of protecting the treasure. If you are willing to repent and return from your misguided path, this humble monk promises to let you leave.”

Lu Chen ignored him and reached out to grab the He Shi Bi jade.

The moment his palm touched the He Shi Bi jade, he felt an extremely cold current surge into his meridians, making his meridians feel like they were about to burst, his blood seemed to be about to freeze, and his eyes, ears, nose, and even the pores of his body felt as if they were blocked and frozen by the cold current.

Fortunately, his mental state was not affected.

Despite the various "frozen" abnormalities in his body, he was able to overcome them all with his willpower, and his mind was still able to control his body. He was not "frozen" by the strange force to the point of being stiff and unable to move.

He took a deep breath, not activating a single trace of his true energy, and endured all the physical discomfort. With a slow, deliberate movement, he placed the He Shi Bi jade into the lead box and quickly closed the lid.

As soon as the lid was closed, the radiation from the He Shi Bi jade weakened considerably.

The "frozen" symptoms in the body also lessened. Although the true qi still could not circulate, at least the physical movements had returned to normal.

Lu Chen quickly tied up the package and slung the lead box over his shoulder. At the same time, a heavy gust of wind came from behind. Without hesitation, Lu Chen swung his right palm and unleashed a pure external martial arts version of "Dragon Tail Sweep" without using internal energy, slamming it hard into the weapon coming from behind.

What came from behind was a huge Zen staff, cast entirely in steel, weighing no less than a hundred pounds—for experts in the Twin Dragons world, weapons weighing over a hundred pounds were nothing special.

Bi Xuan's 99-pound Moon Wolf Spear was actually considered relatively light. The four guardian Vajras of Jingnian Temple all used steel staffs weighing over 100 pounds each.

Unlike Lu Chen, who carried the He Shi Bi jade on his back, the monk wielding the staff was also less affected by the lead box, as the jade's power was greatly reduced. Therefore, the staff was imbued with a considerable amount of solid true energy.

If it were any other martial artist, even if their skill was equal to or even slightly stronger than Lu Chen's, they would certainly not be able to withstand this blow if they could not activate their true energy.

However, Lu Chen's right arm was already nearing completion of the "Tendon and Bone Refinement" technique. Even without the support of true qi, his entire right arm was difficult to damage by divine weapons, and his tendon and bone strength was also extremely strong. At this moment, a move called "Divine Dragon Tail Swing" struck the steel staff, instantly producing a deafening roar.

The sound waves refracted and reverberated repeatedly within the bronze hall.

The great monk's steel staff also trembled and hummed under Lu Chen's pure external martial arts palm force.

The monk staggered backward, involuntarily falling out of the bronze hall with a thud, and collapsed to the ground.

Although the monk was less affected by the strange power of the He Shi Bi than Lu Chen, it was not entirely without its influence. He could only barely muster two or three tenths of his true energy, and naturally could not withstand the divine power of Lu Chen's sword body.

Lu Chen defeated the monk, carried his bundle and strode out of the bronze hall. He saw that the area outside the bronze hall was already full of monks holding staffs and clubs.

The leader was an old monk in his sixties with a white beard and eyebrows. He bowed to Lu Chen with his palms together and said:

"Your ability to withstand a blow from the staff of the monk Buchi with your bare hands under the influence of the He Shi Bi's extraordinary power is truly remarkable. May I ask how you are addressed?"

Judging from the voice, it was Bu Chen, the leader of the four guardian Vajras who had just told him to "return from the wrong path".

The one who attacked him with the staff but was instead injured was Bu Chi, one of the Four Guardians.

There were also two old monks, one short and stout, and the other tall and thin, who were neither afraid nor greedy.

Besides the four guardian Vajras who are free from anger, ignorance, fear, and greed, there are more than two hundred martial monks on the white stone square in front of the bronze hall. Each of them has considerable internal strength, and judging from their positions, they should have practiced some kind of large-scale formation.

Fortunately, even a powerful temple like Jingnian Temple only had a little over two hundred warrior monks.

Otherwise, if they set up a "Five Hundred Arhats Formation," Lu Chen felt that even if he were made of iron, he probably wouldn't be able to leave Jingnian Temple tonight.

He felt he could handle a force of over two hundred people.

He immediately took the package off his shoulder, carried it in his left hand, and strode forward.

As he moved forward, the monks blocking his way immediately took a step back. Some of them even showed signs of unease and anxiety, clearly affected by the He Shi Bi jade.

Seeing this, Lu Chen felt even more reassured. As he strode towards the exit of the Zen temple, he said:
"The He Shi Bi is an ownerless treasure, and it belongs to a virtuous person. I am full of martial virtue and should keep this treasure safe until the world is at peace, and then give it to a wise ruler to pass on the country."

In any case, for the monarch, the He Shi Bi was just a symbol.

If I'm in a good mood, I'll find a good piece of jade, carve a fake one exactly like the original, and send it over.

But the monks were clearly unwilling to accept it.

"Put down the treasure!"

The short, stout guardian Vajra, undaunted, roared and leaped into the air, bringing his staff down on Lu Chen's head.

As he approached Lu Chen, the influence of the He Shi Bi intensified, and the true energy in his staff also greatly diminished, its power no longer what it was at the beginning of its swing.

Seeing this, Lu Chen raised his hand and punched the monk's staff hard. With a loud clang, the staff, which was not afraid of being hit by the heavy blow, suddenly bounced upwards, causing his body to be thrown backwards. He was caught by several monks who jumped up and caught him, so that he did not fall down in a sorry state.

If only Lu Chen is unable to use his true energy, while the monks of the Zen temple are in good condition, then he definitely won't be able to leave the Jingnian Zen Temple today.

After all, the martial monks of Jingnian Temple are all experts, and the yet-to-be-revealed Abbot Liaokong is a top-tier expert below the Grandmaster level.

With such a formidable force, Lu Chen could not possibly have crushed the Jingnian Zen Temple with his still-developing physique, just as he had crushed the Garuda Army.

But since the monks were also affected, their inner energy was depleted, and even their spirits were disturbed, they naturally couldn't stop him.

Seeing that Lu Chen possessed immense strength in every move, seemingly unaffected by the strange power of the He Shi Bi jade, Bu Chen couldn't help but feel a surge of shock.

At this moment, Bu Ju, who had only exchanged one blow with Lu Chen, shouted:

"He didn't use any internal energy! This person is born with superhuman strength! Not only that, he can catch my staff with his bare hands without injury even without internal energy protecting him, his bones and muscles are probably indestructible!"

You didn't use your true energy?

Born with superhuman strength, indestructible?
Bu Chen and the other warrior monks all changed color.

Everyone was affected by the He Shi Bi jade, and their true energy circulation was not smooth. They were affected less and could use more true energy. However, if the opponent was born with superhuman strength and indestructible, then their advantage in true energy would be nothing.

Lu Chen laughed heartily:
"That's why I say I'm full of martial virtue!"

As he spoke, he stomped his foot hard on the ground, causing the ground to shake violently. White stones shattered and fragments flew everywhere. As the fragments flew, his figure shot towards Bu Chen and Bu Tan like a cannonball.

Act without anger or greed at the same time.

One staff cleaved down with force, while the other swept horizontally from left to right. Although their true energy was insufficient, the two steel staffs, each weighing over a hundred pounds, still moved with ferocious power and were far beyond what flesh and blood could withstand.

Lu Chen remained unfazed. As he charged forward, his right fist flashed upwards, first blasting away Bu Chen's staff that was being chopped down. Then, using the force of the impact from the fist and staff, he chopped down with his palm at an even faster speed, striking Bu Tan's sweeping staff head squarely.

The immense force caused the Unattached Zen Staff to plummet downwards, slamming into the white stone ground with a loud bang, sending shards of stone flying everywhere.

After defeating the two monks, Lu Chen used the Lingbo Weibu (a martial arts technique) to rush into the group of martial monks.

Even without internal energy, Lingbo Weibu can be used. Even if you are not fast, you can move flexibly and dodge attacks.

Even though Lu Chen couldn't use his true energy, his legs were still incredibly strong, and his Lingbo Weibu running speed was still astonishing.

As they swiftly moved through the ranks of the warrior monks.

Lu Chen carried the package in his left hand, using it as a negative buff device to scatter the true energy of the monks, making them restless and agitated, greatly affecting their energy perception and hindering the operation of the formation.

His right hand continuously swung punches and palm strikes, each blow causing the blocking monks to drop their weapons, cough up blood, and stagger backward.

A force of over two hundred people was ultimately not a large one.

Lu Chen quickly broke through the encirclement of the martial monks and ran towards the backyard of the Zen temple along the predetermined route. Relying solely on his explosive power, his speed was as fast as lightning, making it impossible for the four guardian Vajras, including Bu Chen, to catch up.

Soon, Lu Chen rushed to the bottom of the backyard wall, cracked the ground with one foot, and soared into the sky, leaping over the wall like a falcon and disappearing into the vast forest.

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(End of this chapter)