Quickly conquer the martial arts world, and let your fists dominate the heavens!

Chen Zhan and Zhao Qingtan exchanged a glance, both seeing doubt in each other's eyes.

The two were standing there observing when they heard Chen Mengniang's footsteps behind them.

She hurried up, accompanied by two other women who also looked sickly.

Upon seeing Chen Zhan and his companion, Chen Mengniang quickly stepped forward and said, "Are the three of you still here? Putuo Temple has many rules and cannot treat everyone. You must first sincerely offer incense five times in the temple, and each time you must offer the full amount of incense before you can receive an incense token from the abbot. Only then can you enter the temple for treatment on your next visit."

As she spoke, she took out a smooth wooden incense stick from her bosom, which was engraved with the emblem of Putuo Temple and a few lines of fine Sanskrit: "This is my sixth time here. I have made devout offerings every time for the first five times. Finally, I can enter to receive treatment."

As soon as she finished speaking, she couldn't help but cough, and her face became even paler.

Chen Zhan took the incense stick and glanced at it. It felt warm to the touch, obviously from wearing it for many years.

The Sanskrit on the incense plaque was obscure and difficult to understand, yet it faintly revealed a fluctuation of true energy, suggesting that it had been blessed by true energy. That's why the middle-aged man's wooden plaque was immediately recognized.

"I was anxious to get treatment, so I went ahead and went ahead."

Chen Mengniang put away the incense token, bowed slightly to the two of them, and then quickly walked to the right-hand intersection, handing the incense token to the young monk for verification.

After the young monk verified that everything was correct, he let her pass and allowed her to walk onto the path on the right.

Watching Meng Niang's figure disappear at the end of the path, Zhao Qingtan said in a low voice, "Although it seems to make sense, something still feels off."

Chen Zhan smiled and said, "Let's go to the main hall first to check out the situation and figure out the layout of the temple."

Zhao Qingtan nodded in agreement: "That's fine, no one will stop us from offering incense."

Without further hesitation, the two turned and walked toward the main road on the left.

Along the way, you can often see pilgrims holding incense and candles, their expressions devout, walking step by step toward the Mahavira Hall.

The stone lanterns along the roadside burned incense, their rich sandalwood scent mingling with the fresh fragrance of mountain grass and trees, unconsciously calming the mind.

However, Chen Zhan and Zhao Qingtan dared not let their guard down for a moment, keeping a close eye on the surrounding movements.

After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a magnificent hall appeared before us.

The main hall is constructed entirely of bluestone, with upturned eaves, carved beams and painted rafters, and a roof covered with glazed tiles that gleam in the sunlight.

Above the main gate hangs a gold-lacquered plaque with the four large characters "Daxiong Baodian" (Great Buddha Hall). The characters are vigorous and powerful, conveying a sense of solemnity and reverence for Buddhism.

Two monks wearing kasayas stood at the entrance of the main hall. They were tall and had a calm demeanor, clearly indicating that they were people with profound internal strength.

They simply stood there quietly, not stopping the pilgrims coming and going, but their eyes would occasionally sweep across the crowd, as if they were secretly observing something.

Chen Zhan and Zhao Qingtan mingled among the worshippers, both dressed in special attire. In fact, even without the disguise, Zhao Qingtan had been away from Putuo Temple for more than ten years, and not many people recognized her anymore.

The two successfully reached the entrance of the main hall.

Inside the hall, incense was burning brightly and smoke was swirling. Dozens of worshippers were kneeling on prayer cushions, praying devoutly and chanting prayers.

In the center of the hall is a huge statue of Shakyamuni Buddha, draped in golden robes, with a solemn and lifelike expression.

Four guardian deities stand on either side of the Buddha statue, majestic and imposing.

Inside the main hall, several monks, holding wooden fish drums, moved slowly among the worshippers, their chanting rising and falling in a deep, melodious voice.

Amidst the swirling smoke, worshippers knelt in devout prayer, and the Buddha statues stood solemnly and dignified, everything seemingly no different from any other Buddhist holy site.

"Something's wrong."

Zhao Qingtan frowned slightly, lowered her voice and leaned close to Chen Zhan's ear, her tone somewhat solemn: "The internal strength of these monks is different from what I had when I was at Putuo Temple."

"Oh? What's different?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Zhan's divine sense swept over the monks in the hall once more.

In his perception, these people possessed a steady and profound internal strength, with a long and continuous breath. They followed the orthodox path of Buddhist martial arts, without any of the restlessness or impetuousness of unorthodox methods. They appeared to be normal.

"It's too powerful, completely defying common sense."

Zhao Qingtan's gaze swept over the monks guarding the temple gates on both sides, and then swept towards the direction of the young monks who had just diverged at the crossroads: "More than ten years ago when I was at Putuo Temple, most of the monks in charge of diverging at the crossroads and cleaning inside the temple were ordinary monks, and not many of them were at the Acquired Realm."

"But just now when we passed the fork in the road, those two young monks were actually at the Innate Realm, and the monks guarding the hall have even reached the Middle Innate Realm."

She paused, then emphasized, "Even the Dragon God Guards wouldn't send a mid-stage Innate Realm expert to guard the gate."

"Although there are many experts in the Dragon God Guard, each of them at the mid-stage of the Innate Realm has important duties to perform, such as core defense or intelligence gathering. It is impossible for them to be assigned to such trivial matters."

Zhao Qingtan has been in charge of the Dragon God Guard for many years and knows the composition of his elite troops like the back of his hand.

Those at the lower level of the Innate Realm are already considered minor experts in the martial arts world, while those at the middle level are the core strength that major forces are vying for.

Ordinary elders and branch leaders of the Beggars' Sect are at the mid-stage of the Innate Realm.

Putuo Temple, however, makes such masters readily available. Even a random young monk directing traffic on the roadside is at the Innate Realm. Such a configuration is something that not only Buddhist holy sites, but even the royal guards of the Liao and Western Xia dynasties might not be able to achieve.

"Well, you are right."

Chen Zhan nodded: "Perhaps Putuo Temple has had some extraordinary encounter in recent years, which has led to a breakthrough in the inheritance of martial arts, resulting in a general improvement in the martial arts level of the monks."

"An unexpected encounter?"

"If Brother Zhan were to have a miraculous encounter, would he share it with everyone in the sect?"

Zhao Qingtan glanced at him, her tone tinged with helplessness.

"Probably." Chen Zhan answered without hesitation.

"Brother Zhan, you are not a normal martial artist to begin with, so you can't draw conclusions based on that."

Zhao Qingtan rubbed his forehead and explained, "Any fortuitous encounter or cultivation technique in the martial arts world that can greatly enhance one's strength is a core secret of the sect. It will only be passed on to a few core disciples and will never benefit all monks, especially those ordinary monks who are responsible for miscellaneous tasks."

Chen Zhan nodded slightly. After Zhao Qingtan's reminder, he also noticed the strangeness in the situation.

The martial arts skills of the monks at Putuo Temple are indeed ridiculously high, far exceeding the level of those of normal sects.

"Were there any ordinary monks at Putuo Temple who didn't practice martial arts?" Chen Zhan asked.

"Yes, and they make up the majority."

Zhao Qingtan recalled: "The monks in the temple were divided into two categories: martial monks and incense monks. Incense monks hardly practiced martial arts and were responsible for the temple's incense offerings, cleaning the courtyard, and receiving pilgrims; martial monks accounted for only one-third of the temple and were responsible for the temple's defense and the inheritance of martial arts."

"But as we've looked around, every monk we've seen has a calm demeanor and is skilled in martial arts. They don't look like monks at all."

The two stood under the eaves outside the hall, their gazes sweeping over the worshippers inside who were sincerely offering incense.

The rich sandalwood incense in the hall was mixed with a very faint, almost imperceptible, exotic fragrance.

Chen Zhan pondered for a moment, then said softly, "This fragrance is not poisonous; it only calms the mind and makes one more composed and at ease." Zhao Qingtan also noticed the fragrance, nodded, and didn't pay it any mind.

Incense from many temples has this effect.

At this moment, an old figure slowly walked out from the back hall.

The newcomer was dressed in a red kasaya, his body hunched over, as if he would fall over with a gust of wind, yet he exuded a powerful aura and walked with a steady gait.

The red-robed monk's gaze slowly swept over the worshippers in the hall, his eyes deep and penetrating, as if he could see into their hearts.

When his gaze fell on Chen Zhan and Zhao Qingtan, he paused for a moment, then strode towards them.

"Amitabha."

"You two look unfamiliar. Is this your first time visiting our temple to offer incense?"

The red-robed monk walked up to the two men, put his hands together in prayer, and chanted Buddhist mantras.

Chen Zhan's heart stirred, but he remained calm, clasped his hands together, bowed slightly, and smiled, "Master, you have discerning eyes. My brother and I come from the north. We have long heard that Putuo Temple has a medical master who can bring the dead back to life and heal the wounded. We are not here to offer incense and pray for blessings."

Zhao Qingtan cooperated perfectly, frowning slightly and pretending to be unwell, nestled beside Chen Zhan and coughed softly twice.

The red-robed monk scrutinized the two of them, focusing his attention on Zhao Qingtan's pale face. The wariness in his eyes lessened slightly: "What ailment do you suffer from, benefactor? Do you have any incense tokens from our temple?"

Chen Zhan replied, "Junior Sister was injured by people from Xingxiu Sea and poisoned. This poison is difficult to cure and can only be suppressed, so I came here to seek medical help."

"We don't have any incense tokens; this is our first time here."

Chen Zhan sighed, his tone becoming more serious: "We hope that the master will be lenient and allow us to see the divine physician to stabilize my junior sister's condition. We will be eternally grateful."

As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Zhan took out a heavy silver ingot from his pocket and handed it to the red-robed monk.

It was clearly official silver at a glance, and it was extremely heavy in my hand, weighing as much as twenty taels.

The red-robed monk's tone remained completely calm: "Esteemed benefactors, the temple rules cannot be broken. Our temple practices medicine based solely on affinity and sincerity, not on money. Without an incense token, no amount of silver can grant you an audience with the divine physician."

He turned to the side and gestured: "Please go to the front hall to offer incense first, and then register your names and hometowns in the merit book. If you sincerely offer incense five times in a row, you will naturally receive an incense token and be able to meet the monks who are doctors in the temple."

Chen Zhan slowly put away the silver: "Master, this matter concerns my junior sister's life. Please grant me a moment's privacy and allow me to explain the reason."

The red-robed monk looked up at Chen Zhan, a scrutinizing glint in his eyes.

He had already discerned that these two men possessed a calm and composed demeanor, clearly not ordinary people, and exuded the aura of martial arts masters.

Over the years, Putuo Temple has often been visited by martial arts practitioners seeking medical treatment, including many highly skilled individuals, and he was unwilling to offend them easily.

The three of them turned and left the main hall, walking along a path beside it to a secluded bamboo grove. The lush foliage here prevented them from hearing the chanting and noise of the worshippers inside the hall, making it a perfect place to talk.

As soon as they stopped, Chen Zhan spoke first, his tone grave: "To be honest, I have no choice but to come here for medical treatment. Something big has happened in Suzhou recently, I'm sure you've heard about it, Master?"

After he finished speaking, he stared intently at the red-robed monk's face, not daring to miss any subtle change in expression.

Suzhou is not far from Zhoushan. If Putuo Temple were to collude with the Murong family, it would surely have heard of such a major incident as the Murong family's rebellion.

Even without collusion, such a major upheaval in the martial arts world could not have gone unnoticed.

Sure enough, a hint of surprise flashed across the red-robed monk's face. The expression was extremely subtle, so quick as to seem like an illusion, yet Chen Zhan still managed to catch it precisely.

He immediately composed himself, put his hands together, and said, "I have not heard of such a thing. This humble monk is devoted to Buddhism and does not concern himself with worldly affairs, so I am not very familiar with the changes in the martial world. You two benefactors, this matter should have nothing to do with our temple, right?"

"At present, it seems that it is indeed unrelated."

Chen Zhan chuckled, his tone softening slightly: "However, my junior sister was ambushed and injured by the remnants of Xingxiu Sea during the battle to quell the rebellion in Gusu. If she were to return to the capital for medical treatment, the journey would be too long and she might not be able to hold on. After weighing the options, we can only seek help from Putuo Temple, which is nearby."

He reiterated the reason for Zhao Qingtan's injury, and the red-robed monk was about to repeat the temple rules he had just spoken about.

But then Chen Zhan slowly raised his hand, holding a jade tablet in his palm.

The jade plaque was smooth and lustrous, with a bright green color. It was carved with a powerful "dragon" character, surrounded by lifelike flying dragon patterns. There was a faint flow of true energy between the patterns, and it was clear at a glance that it was no ordinary object.

The red-robed monk abruptly stopped speaking, his already hunched figure stiffening slightly.

The tokens of the Four Dragon Guards!
The Dragon Guard is a secret intelligence agency directly under the imperial court, wielding immense power. They investigate princes and nobles as well as traitors in the martial arts world, and act ruthlessly and decisively.

The holder of this token is at least a fourth-ranking member of the Dragon God Guard, a true high-ranking official of the imperial court.

"My lord, this humble monk greets the Fourth Envoy."

The red-robed monk had a complicated expression and spoke reluctantly, but he still had to lower his head and put his hands together in a gesture of respect.

"No need to be polite."

"I hope that the master will be lenient in consideration of the court's efforts to quell the rebellion and appease the people."

Chen Zhan raised his hand to gesture for him to stand up, his tone quite polite, his face showing no sign of arrogance, as if he had truly only come to seek medical treatment.

As he spoke, he subtly raised his hand, seemingly to help Zhao Qingtan up, but his fingertips quickly pressed down on her shoulder.

A fine, crystalline needle, as thin as a cow's hair, silently pierced Zhao Qingtan's shoulder.

Zhao Qingtan let out a muffled groan, her face turning even paler, fine beads of cold sweat appearing on her forehead, and her body swaying more violently, as if the poison had suddenly taken effect.

Looking at Zhao Qingtan's pained expression, her brow furrowed and her forehead beaded with cold sweat, the red-robed monk's lingering doubts lessened when he caught a glimpse of the Dragon God Guardian's jade token.

After a moment's hesitation, he finally relented: "You two, come with me."

"Thank you for your understanding, Master."

Chen Zhan's face immediately lit up with gratitude as he helped the "weak" Zhao Qingtan catch up.

The three of them bypassed the main hall and headed towards the back mountain.

Many monks along the way were surprised to see the red-robed monk personally leading the way for the two strangers. Their eyes swept over Chen Zhan and the other man, but no one stepped forward to ask them anything. They simply bowed their heads and bowed respectfully.

The further you go into the back of the mountain, the stronger the sandalwood scent becomes, mixed with a faint medicinal smell.

Chen Zhan had amazing hearing. Through the layers of shadows, he could faintly hear suppressed groans of pain coming from various parts of the forest.

"These are all pilgrims seeking medical treatment. When they are being treated and having their wounds and poisons removed, they inevitably experience some unbearable pain."

The red-robed monk seemed to notice Chen Zhan's gaze and took the initiative to explain.

"That's how it should be."

Chen Zhan, supporting Zhao Qingtan, said sincerely, "The abbot of Putuo Temple is compassionate and willing to expend his power to heal the people; he truly has the heart of a bodhisattva." (End of Chapter)