Starting with Naruto, I'll become stronger through my own efforts.

Chapter 84 Shaolin Sect Bows Down and Admits Defeat

Fang Jue, the head of the Luohan Hall, stepped into the formation to preside over the operation, with 108 copper-hooped clubs pointing at Xia Zuo at the core.

The Arhats shouted in unison, "Vajra Subdues Demons! Turn back before it's too late!"

"Vajra Subduing Demons!!"

"Turning back is the right path!!"

The 108 monks repeatedly shouted while striking the ground with their large sticks.

Their shouts contained a strange connection, resonating with each other, and combined with the vibrations from the pounding of the sticks on the ground, creating a sound like a great bell.

As the resonance was formed, Fang Jue, the head monk of the Luohan Hall, used his true energy to loudly chant Buddhist scriptures.

The Buddhist scriptures contained the six-syllable mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum," which he had honed over 50 years of meditation and spiritual cultivation, aiming to gain the upper hand and suppress Xia Zuo's fighting spirit.

This is the Shaolin 108 Arhats Subduing Demons Formation!

Xia Zuo was at the pinnacle of human existence, with extremely keen senses. His mood was ruined by the chanting of the monks.

But this did not dampen his fighting spirit; on the contrary, in his agitation, he involuntarily developed a real killing intent.

Driven by murderous intent, Xia Zuo drew his longsword.

A surge of true energy emanated from the steel sword, forming a terrifying sword beam that silently sliced ​​through the blue bricks on the ground.

Fang Zheng and Fang Jue watched with bated breath, vaguely realizing that bringing out the Shaolin martial monks might not be enough to overpower Xia Zuo.

Before the two could make a new decision, they felt a great light shine before their eyes, and a sword light, like a thunder dragon descending to earth, exploded in the Arhat Subduing Demon Formation.

The pale blue sword light spread out like a hedgehog, and before the monks could react, it pierced through the bodies of the 12 innermost monks.

Amidst the intense, ear-piercing clang of metal, the monks screamed and collapsed to the ground.

The Shaolin monks were startled; they had never imagined that anyone could break through their defenses.

Xia Zuo himself was also startled. The sword blade, enveloped in sword light, actually emitted a loud metallic clang as it pierced through the monk's body.

Such a sound proves that the monk's body, pierced by the sword, possessed a defense as strong as steel.

Even the most advanced Shaolin skills, such as the Golden Bell Cover and the Iron Shirt of Arhat, don't offer such exaggerated defense.

Only by mastering the Vajra Indestructible Divine Skill to its highest level and achieving the Vajra Indestructible Golden Body can one exhibit such superhuman abilities.

So many of these martial monks are top-tier masters who have cultivated an indestructible Vajra body.

Xia Zuo finally breathed a sigh of relief as the monks fell with screams, their torn clothes revealing a metallic sheen.

It wasn't that these monks possessed extraordinary martial arts skills, but rather that they were equipped with the most advanced technology of the time, wearing full-body steel wire armor under their monk robes.

Seeing that their secret had been exposed, the monks no longer concealed themselves, and threw off their robes, causing the Arhat Subduing Demon Formation to instantly gleam with silver light.

The entire group of monks was wearing armor!

Shaolin Temple is truly wealthy and powerful!

This is steel wire armor. Pulling steel wire requires ten times more manpower than forging iron plates, and weaving steel wire armor is a hundred times more troublesome than wearing leather ropes.

The value of 10 sets of soft armor is comparable to the entire tuition fee that Xia Zuo gave to Mount Hua back then.

Of course, as the 12th largest landowner in Henan, Shaolin Temple owns 18 mu of fertile land in Dengfeng County alone, so this amount of soft armor is really nothing.

But steel wire armor is still armor. In the Ming Dynasty, hoarding 10 suits of armor could be considered treason.

The fact that Shaolin Temple could field over a hundred armored warrior monks clearly showed they weren't worried about the imperial court causing trouble; this arrogance left Xia Zuo speechless.

This heavily armored group of monks had three full meals a day, and even meat, ensuring they had plenty of energy.

This Shaolin martial arts group, with its powerful skills, strict formations, and rigid hierarchy, equipped with terrifyingly protective steel wire armor and wielding heavy copper clubs, was the most elite force in the world.

If deployed to the battlefield, the warrior monks would be invincible.

They were even unafraid of armored cavalry, and held their own against them in direct combat.

Shaolin Temple has dominated the martial arts world for over a thousand years, and its reputation is well-deserved, not just because of a dozen or so top-tier masters.

But this formidable army had chosen the wrong opponent to face Xia Zuo.

The strength of the martial monks is undeniable, but they are the strongest among mortals. In front of Xia Zuo, who is at the Celestial Realm, they are nothing more than a pufferfish before an embroidery needle, easily punctured.

Having understood the monks' equipment, Xia Zuo had a clear sense of what to do.

His figure transformed into a streak of light, the pale blue sword light flickering on the chests of the monks, silently creating open wounds from front to back.

Xia Zuo's angle of attack was very clever, precisely avoiding blood vessels, the heart, and the lungs, thus preventing fatal injuries to the monks.

On the contrary, the first group of monks who were defeated suffered particularly severe injuries because of their steel wire armor, and some of them may never be able to practice martial arts again.

To ensure he could defeat his enemy without leaving serious injuries, Xia Zuo had to expend a great deal of energy, which meant it took him half an incense stick's time to defeat him.

Before Xia Zuo could defeat all the warrior monks, Abbot Fangzheng and the senior monks behind him saw the trend clearly and understood just how strong Xia Zuo had become.

Fang Zheng let out a long sigh: "This is another Zhang Sanfeng, and an even younger one at that."

"

"Master Zhang Sanfeng, at the age of 36, had attained the pinnacle of cultivation and was still able to vanquish demons for sixty years. This Sword Immortal Xia Zuo is not even 18 years old yet—"

It might protect Mount Hua for a hundred years.

Fang Yuan, from the Discipline Hall, sighed sadly, "The rise of the Huashan Sect is now unstoppable."

Fang Zheng had already adjusted his mindset and chuckled, "It's alright, it's alright if another Master Zhang Sanfeng appears."

"Our Shaolin Temple is the ancestral home of Zen Buddhism, and it's not like we haven't been surpassed in the past."

"The Quanzhen Sect in the Song Dynasty, the Ming Cult at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, and the Wudang Sect in the early Ming Dynasty—every hundred years there is always a powerful and influential number one sect in the martial arts world."

"But in less than a hundred years, or even 30 years, these world's leading sects will disappear into the dust, while only my Shaolin Temple will continue to prosper with its orderly lineage."

"Even if it were the immortal Zhang Sanfeng, his Wudang Sect is now sharing the reins of the martial arts world with us."

"The Huashan Sect can be considered a remnant of the Quanzhen Sect. Its current rise is unstoppable, so we should not stand in its way."

"Even if Xia Zuo is another Zhang Sanfeng, we only need to endure him for another hundred years. The worst outcome will be that Shaolin, Wudang and Huashan will stand as a three-way power struggle."

Fang Sheng, Fang Xiu, Fang Jue, Fang Yan, Fang Zhou, Fang Yuan, Fang Hui, and Fang Ming simultaneously joined their palms together and said, "Amitabha!"

"Abbot Brother is right. Even if we endure him for another hundred years, Shaolin will still be Shaolin."

Fang Zheng nodded and said, "In that case, I will agree to Xia Zuo's request, but he must swear that he will not reveal the contents of the Yi Jin Jing."

Some of the senior monks hesitated, while others agreed without hesitation, but in the end they all nodded and agreed to the abbot's decision.

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