The Legend of the Condor Heroes: Starting from the Bodyguard

Chapter 239 Some people become famous in one battle, while others are turned away.
Huang Yaoshi's palm strike, like a tidal wave, crashed down on the Fire-Worker Monk. Amidst the swirling dust, a defiant laugh suddenly rang out.

"Haha, life is like a sea of ​​suffering, and the flesh is like a raft. The path of martial arts is like a long journey in the dark. I came from the Central Plains to the Western Regions, shaved my head to become a monk, founded the Vajra Sect, and diligently practiced martial arts. Since I achieved mastery, I have never encountered an opponent. Today, I am honored to witness the power of Island Master Huang's palm strike. It is an honor to compete with the Island Master and prove the supreme martial arts together. How wonderful, how wonderful!"

The old fisherman said, "The Western Regions can represent the entire martial arts world. This old monk is just a frog in a well."

"Old man, I'll remember you."

"The old man will remember you too."

The Fire-Worker Monk grinned menacingly, revealing his white teeth. His bright yellow robe suddenly bulged, his back trembled violently, and his muscles bulged all over his body, making full use of every muscle that could exert power and every meridian that controlled movement. Then, the Fire-Worker Monk inhaled as if swallowing a whale or a tiger, and his hands drew an arc upward to his shoulders, his ten fingers pointing upward and his palms facing forward. His hands were slowly pushed out as if they were carrying a thousand-pound weight.

With a loud "bang," a sound like a large water sack being squeezed and bursting rang out in the air. The Fire-Worker Monk paused for a moment, and huge ripples spread out from his robes and body. In the instant the gale howled and spread out, Zhou Yan's clothes fluttered as if blown by a strong wind, even at a distance of ten feet. Those who were slightly closer to the battle between the two were as if they had been hit by an invisible wall of energy and were forced to retreat.

Abbot Tianxin of the Arhat Hall of Shaolin Temple exclaimed, "The Mighty Vajra Palm!"

Another resounding name. Zhou Yan looked at Ku Cheng, and the abbot of Shaolin Temple said, "'Vajra Palm' alone, in terms of power, should be among the top of all Shaolin martial arts. When the technique is perfected, it cultivates both internal and external skills, and its unarmed combat power is boundless. I didn't expect that he not only mastered 'Vajra Finger', but also obtained the essence of this palm technique. Excellent, excellent."

Upon hearing Ku Cheng's explanation, Zhou Yan understood that the "Great Vajra Palm" and the "Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms" were the same type of martial arts. When the technique was perfected, the internal energy circulated outside the body, soaring into the air with unparalleled power.

The Fire-Worker Monk's talent is beyond doubt; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to defeat the disciples of the Arhat Hall and Bodhidharma Hall so easily simply by peeking at the Shaolin monks practicing martial arts. In the Western Regions, he certainly had the ability to act with impunity using these unique skills. However, he must have had some extraordinary encounters.

With this in mind, Zhou Yan looked around the arena again.

Huang Yaoshi and Huogong Toutuo exchanged blows, having already fought nearly a hundred times. Then, white mist rose from Huogong Toutuo's head, his monk's robe billowed, and his robe was filled with air currents as he unleashed palm strike after palm strike.

Huang Yaoshi had a straight white line above his head. He walked on the Bagua and Liuhe, and with each step he took, a deep footprint was left on the ground. The difference in their internal strength was immediately apparent.

Huang Yaoshi's cultivation was superior to that of Huo Gong Toutuo, but the Eastern Heretic was famous throughout the world. If Huo Gong Toutuo were to fight a hundred moves with pure internal strength, it would be astonishing enough.

Huang Yaoshi's palm strikes grew increasingly fierce, and the Fire-Worker Monk was enveloped in surging heat. After a hundred moves, a sharp glint suddenly flashed in Huang Yaoshi's pupils, and an incomparably fierce palm wind surged forth like a spring from flat ground, hurtling away.

The two were locked in a battle of palm strikes, and had moved to the base of a giant pine tree. With a thunderous roar like a mountain collapsing, the Fire-Worker Monk roared and pushed his palm forward, his combined force surging like a tidal wave.

With a deafening roar, a shockwave rolled in, and countless pine needles fell to the ground. The bluestone beneath their feet shattered. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the Fire-Worker Monk stumbled backward, taking seven or eight large steps before his body sank to regain his footing.

"What powerful palm strike!" He laughed fiercely, then spat out a mouthful of blood with a "whoosh."

"Master!"

Baoshu and Baoxian leaped and landed beside Huogong Toutuo.

"back off"

"Yes!"

The two monks obeyed and withdrew to stand beside Bao Shou and Bao Xiang, who were lying on their backs on the ground.

The Fire-Worker Monk grinned, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. "Island Master Huang, have you settled your score?"

Huang Yaoshi also admired the Fire-Worker Monk's toughness. Although the other party had coerced him, he had not been malicious. His daughter had even received a set of martial arts techniques and ointments, so it could be considered even.

"Settle it."

"Alright, this old monk still doesn't know how he offended Peach Blossom Island. After I've completed my arduous training, I'll seek out Island Master Huang to learn martial arts from him."

"We eagerly await your arrival."

"It's no exaggeration." The Fire-Worker Monk laughed, blood still trickling from the corner of his mouth. He turned to Zhou Yan and said, "Boy, this old monk doesn't use his seniority to bully the junior. I'll have my good-for-nothing disciple compare with you another day."

Zhou Yan chuckled softly, "Alright!"

"Abbot Kucheng, the mountains are high and the rivers are long, we will meet again."

"That's good, that's good."

Huo Gong Toutuo ignored the abbot of Shaolin Temple and walked straight out of the arena. Bao Shu and Bao Xian followed, and several martial monks carried Bao Shou and Bao Xiang on a makeshift stretcher made from tree trunks. More than a hundred people from the Vajra Sect and the Western Regions martial arts world followed in a grand procession.

As he left the crowd, Huogong Toutuo looked around but couldn't find Huang Rong. Given the situation, it wasn't easy to search for her. He called his disciple Baoyin over, gave him some detailed instructions, and then went straight down the mountain.

Yang Kang, along with Qiu Qianren, Gongsun Zhi, Helian Chuncheng, and dozens of others, was about to leave when Huo Du suddenly said:

"Crown Prince Wanyan, farewell to the martial world."

Yang Kang was not discouraged. The Vajra Sect's revenge against Shaolin Temple was thwarted by Zhou Yan and Huang Yaoshi, but on the contrary, it would firmly bind the Vajra Sect and the royal family together.

A defeated Vajra Sect leader is much easier to get along with than a Vajra Sect leader who swept through Shaolin Temple.

Yang Kang thought this through, glanced at Huo Du with a mocking look, and suddenly smiled, "Fine. I'll play along to the end."

As soon as he finished speaking, he took out a fan from his waist with the inscription "If you have a great handle in your hand, the breeze will fill the world" written on it, unfolded it with a swish, and left while fanning himself.

Huo Du's face turned ashen, while Wanyan Kang's eyes were full of provocation and disdain. Shaolin Temple was in the territory of the Jin Kingdom, and his master might not be a match for the Vajra Sect leader or the Iron Palm Clan leader. He suffered a hidden loss in the verbal battle.

Seeing Yang Kang and Huo Du provoking each other, Zhou Yan smiled to himself, then turned his gaze back to Ku Cheng and said, "Master, please excuse me for a moment, I will visit the temple later."

"We await the escort leader." Ku Cheng was also a clever man. After Vajra Gate, Yang Kang and others left, he addressed him as the escort leader.

Zhou Yan bowed to Ku Cheng and walked towards Hong Qigong and Huang Yaoshi, but he could barely take a few dozen steps. Martial arts figures kept gathering around him, and the air was filled with a noisy commotion.

"The Three Heroes of the Yellow River greet Young Hero Zhou and invite you to sit in the villa."

"I am Jing Yidao from Caizhou. It is my great honor to meet Young Hero Zhou today."

"Zhang Shengli of the Divine Fist Sect greets Young Hero Zhou."

……

Zhou Yan could not ignore it, so he gave a perfunctory reply. Hong Qigong, who was far away, laughed and said to Huang Yaoshi, "That kid has become famous in Shaoshi Mountain, but he's also a lot of trouble. I'm off."

"Together with Seventh Brother." The two figures flickered and disappeared into the woods. Huang Yaoshi looked for Huang Rong, and saw that there were words tattooed on the trunk of a peach tree where he had been talking with Huang Rong in the woods earlier.

"Father, I'll be returning to Peach Blossom Island after playing for a while, don't worry about me." Huang Yaoshi smiled wryly and left with Hong Qigong.

Zhou Yan pushed his way out of the crowd, but there was no trace of Hong Qigong or Huang Yaoshi in sight. He didn't care, though. The martial arts heroes were excited and noisy, and Hong Qigong and Huang Yaoshi would not stay in such a noisy atmosphere for long.

A master's actions are elusive, like a dragon whose head is seen but not its tail.

He searched for Zhang Sanqiang again, but the Ming Cult leader, alone, was already several miles away.

They both left without saying goodbye.

"Masters are often lonely." Zhou Yan sighed and walked towards Zhang Wangyue and Lu Beihe.

"Brother Zhou's skills have improved remarkably; I truly admire him."

Zhou Yan joked, "Don't say you've neglected your cultivation."

"How could that be? I'll choose another day to exchange ideas with Brother Zhou."

"it is good."

"Brother Zhou, are you returning to Zhongdu?"

"I need to go to Chaya Mountain."

"I am with Brother Zhou."

"Very good."

Zhou Yan was delighted, as it would be a good time to plan with Yang Miaozhen the annihilation of the bandits in Tongbai Mountain. With that in mind, he said to Zhang Wangyue, "Jinwawa is still in Chaya Mountain. I will take the master there and then return to Zhongdu."

"It's been a long time since we've seen Chief Yang, so let's go pay him a visit."

"It could not be better."

The Indian monk also came over, put his hands together in thanks to Chief Escort Fu'an. After Zhang Wangyue exchanged pleasantries, the Indian monk said to Zhou Yan, "Shaolin Temple has no immediate worries. This old monk will accompany the chief escort to Chief Yang's place."

"Okay!"

“Excellent, excellent. This old monk will now bid farewell to the abbot.”

"I am with the master."

"I'll go to the temple to offer incense," Zhang Wangyue said.

"The old man is waiting outside."

The old fisherman of the misty waves neither worships gods nor enters the Shaolin Temple. He and Liang Xiaowu wait outside while Zhou Yan, Zhang Wangyue, and Lu Beihe walk into the temple.

"Young Master Zhou, please wait."

Zhou Yan looked over and saw Huo Du step forward.

The Mongolian prince had noticed that Zhou Yan and Ku Cheng had been talking a lot, so he assumed they were old acquaintances. After carefully considering his words, he said, "I happen to be visiting the abbot. Would you mind coming along?"

“I must take my leave of the abbot. Our paths diverge, so I will depart first.” Zhou Yan said, stepping into the temple, followed by Zhang Wangyue, Lu Beihe, and the Indian monk.

Huo Du watched Zhou Yan leave, his face ashen.

Upon arriving at the temple, Zhang Wangyue and Lu Beihe burned incense and donated some money. Zhou Yan, led by the guest monk, went to his room, where the Indian monk returned the Lankavatara Sutra.

Zhou Yan never read the fourth volume of the Nine Yang Manual, but he had no regrets. He had never expected to obtain the first three volumes of the manual from the Indian monk, so there was no need to force it.

The young novice led the way, and the group arrived at the Zen temple, where Ku Cheng, who had been taking elixirs and regulating his breathing for a long time, came forward to greet them.

Zhou Yan said, "The Vajra Sect has withdrawn; I shall take my leave."

"Excellent, excellent, thank you very much for your righteous assistance, Chief Escort."

"Abbot, you are too kind. What grudge does the head of the Vajra Sect have against your temple?"

Now that things had come to this, Ku Cheng no longer concealed the truth. He recounted how the ascetic cook who used to tend the fire in the kitchen had been punished by the supervising monk and had secretly learned martial arts. During the temple's annual grand sparring session at the Bodhidharma Hall, he spoke disrespectfully, sparking a fight. He defeated nine of the Bodhidharma Hall's top disciples, severely injuring Ku Zhi before fleeing. The senior monks of the temple argued fiercely over this incident, each blaming the other. In anger, the abbot of the Arhat Hall, Zen Master Ku Hui, went to the Western Regions and founded the Western Shaolin School.

Zhang Wangyue and Lu Beihe now knew the real reason why Shaolin Temple had not been involved in the martial arts world for so long.

Zhou Yan said, "That Fire-Worker Monk is fierce and vindictive. He will definitely come back after he recovers from his injuries. Abbot, you need to find a way to satisfy both sides."

"I have already discussed this matter with my fellow disciples and will discuss it with my junior brother Ku Hui."

Zhou Yan felt relieved upon hearing this. It turned out that Shaolin Temple was going to join forces with the Shaolin Temple in the Western Regions. Although they might not merge into one temple, it was already a very good result.

“Very well, in that case, we will not disturb the abbot’s meditation.”

"This old monk escorted the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) and the master out of the temple."

Ku Cheng, accompanied by Zen Masters Tianxin and Tianming, saw them off as they left the temple. The group then bid farewell and rode away.

Tianxin watched as Zhou Yan and the others turned into the green shade of the mountains and said, "Abbot, the Mongolian Little Prince and the Golden Wheel Dharma King request an audience."

Ku Cheng said, “If it were only the Dharma King, we could discuss the Way. The little prince is driven by self-interest, and the Dharma King follows him. His mind is already clouded, so he says that I am in seclusion to recuperate from internal injuries.”

"it is good"

Ku Cheng turned around, entered the Yellow Wall Temple, and left directly.

(End of this chapter)