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

Chapter 85 Old Yue has no easy apprentices

The Shaolin Temple has survived numerous dynastic changes and remained prosperous for over a thousand years, and the powerful monks who hold real power are by no means inflexible or rigid.

Even a tough sect like the Quanzhen School vanished completely with the change of dynasties.

Having determined his stance towards Xia Zuo and the Huashan Sect, Fang Zheng used his movement technique to block Xia Zuo's path.

The abbot of Shaolin Temple revealed a fawning smile, ignoring the monks groaning in pain on the ground, and said with his hands clasped together and head bowed, "Young Master Xia, please stop. Shaolin Temple submits."

"This old monk will now present you with the Yi Jin Jing."

Xia Zuo couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "This abbot of Shaolin Temple is indeed a remarkable person."

In less than half an incense stick's time, he was able to discern his own strength and the changing situation, and persuade the other senior monks to change their attitude, humbly lowering their heads and admitting defeat.

Master Fangzheng truly deserves to be called the number one political strategist in the martial arts world.

No wonder he was able to naturally invest in Linghu Chong, tolerate the Holy Maiden of the Demonic Sect Ren Yingying, and let Ren Woxing leave Shaolin Temple.

With just these three actions, the Songshan Sect, which was within easy reach, was destroyed; Dongfang Bubai, who was renowned throughout the martial arts world, died; and Ren Woxing, who was arrogant and domineering, also died.

After Linghu Chong went into seclusion by West Lake, the situation in the martial arts world was completely reversed.

With the destruction of the Songshan Sect, the Huashan, Taishan, Hengshan, and Hengshan sects all declined, the Black Cliff Demonic Sect was defeated, and even the Wudang Sect was unable to compete with the Shaolin Temple due to a lack of successors.

Master Fangzheng did not use the Shaolin Temple's martial arts; his hands were clean. Shaolin Temple's enemies and rivals either perished or declined, and there was no one left to contend with them.

The impression that Master Fangzheng gave Xia Zuo was: a good warrior does not achieve great feats!

Such an enemy is certainly terrifying; just thinking about him makes one's scalp tingle, and one never knows when they might trick you.

But when Xia Zuo rose to become the number one martial artist, and by a precipitous margin, Master Fangzheng's attitude of recognizing reality was so satisfying.

Xia Zuo looked at Fang Zheng and smiled as he returned the greeting, saying, "Xia Zuo thanks Master Fang Zheng."

"Oh, and what about the Lankavatara Sutra and the Marrow Washing Sutra?"

"Rest assured, Xia Zuo will read the scriptures in the Sutra Repository and will never take them out of Shaolin Temple, much less spread Shaolin's core scriptures outside."

Fang Zheng shook his head with a wry smile and said, "It's fine if Benefactor Xia wants to see the Lankavatara Sutra, but the Marrow Washing Sutra..."

There's absolutely no such thing; it's just a rumor circulating in the martial arts world.

Xia Zuo chuckled: "I see. No wonder the legendary Marrow Cleansing Classic is so miraculous, unlike any other martial art in the human world."

Fang Zheng clasped his hands together and bowed his head, saying, "I am ashamed, I am ashamed."

The two exchanged polite words in an exceptionally harmonious atmosphere, neither of them mentioning the groaning monk lying on the ground, as if they didn't exist.

Accompanied by nine senior monks, Xia Zuo entered the Sutra Repository.

Xia Zuo was slightly disappointed that Shaolin Temple did not have the Yi Sui Jing, but he was even more disappointed that the legendary sweeping monk was not in the Sutra Repository.

Once Fang Zheng retrieved the Yi Jin Jing, Xia Zuo moved directly into the Sutra Repository and began reading various scriptures and classics accumulated by Shaolin Temple over a thousand years, absorbing Buddhist martial arts and philosophical knowledge.

During the month that Xia Zuo stayed in the library to study Buddhist scriptures, Shaolin Temple actively spread his reputation.

Unfortunately, the conflict between Xia Zuo and Shaolin Temple lasted less than two incense sticks' time, but the damage to Shaolin Temple was already too severe to hide.

First, four of the heads of departments such as the Bodhidharma Academy and the Discipline Hall fell, and nearly half of the top-tier masters temporarily lost their fighting ability.

Secondly, the renowned Shaolin martial arts monks were all injured, with a total of 108 people and the head of the Luohan Hall all suffering open wounds. The Luohan Hall was almost completely rendered powerless.

To prevent attacks from external enemies, the abbot of Shaolin Temple had to close the mountain gates and refuse all visitors.

With such a major incident occurring at Shaolin Temple, Abbot Fangzheng must provide an explanation, otherwise, who knows what kind of rumors will circulate if people speculate wildly.

So Fang Zheng chose to tell the truth and use his own reputation to prove that Xia Zuo, the young hero of the Huashan Sect, bah, Xia Daxia, is already the number one martial artist in the world, far surpassing Dongfang Bubai, the number one master in the world!

The abbot of Shaolin Temple spoke in an extremely humble tone, almost as if he were openly announcing that the righteous martial arts world had a new leader, and that Shaolin Temple would follow Xia Daxia's lead from now on without uttering a single complaint.

Fangzheng's attitude was very sincere, and he was even willing to put aside his pride to promote the company, which caused a great stir in the industry.

The Huashan Sect was the most affected; everyone from its leader, Yue Buqun, down to the bottom, was stunned.

Yue Buqun, in particular, could not believe that Xia Zuo would do something as crazy as attacking Shaolin Temple.

Even though the news came from someone at Shaolin Temple, and even though they sent a personal letter from Master Fangzheng, Lao Yue still couldn't believe it was true.

It's absolutely surreal.

That's the Shaolin Temple!

The most arrogant sect in the martial arts world right now is the Songshan Sect. In just a few months, they have accomplished many great things.

Suppressing Liu Zhengfeng of the Hengshan Sect to retire from the criminal world, ordering the Huashan Sword Sect to besiege Huashan, and sending the Thirteen Protectors to besiege the nuns of Hengshan—these are simply blatant acts of evil.

But upon closer examination, it becomes clear that Zuo Lengchan targeted Mount Hua and Mount Heng, which were thousands of miles away, yet he turned a blind eye to the Shaolin Temple on Mount Shaoshi, as if the Shaolin Temple did not exist.

Shaolin Temple, which Zuo Lengchan avoided like the plague, was attacked by Xia Zuo just like that?

Yue Buqun's head was buzzing. Why were none of his disciples easy to deal with? The seemingly honest seventh disciple was even crazier than the unreliable eldest disciple.

Can the Huashan Sect really flourish?

Yue Buqun vaguely knew that Xia Zuo's strength had surpassed his own, and he couldn't believe that Xia Zuo had conquered Shaolin Temple on his own. Others in the martial arts world would be even less likely to believe it.

For the members of the Blackwood Cliff Demonic Cult, they were even less likely to believe it.

Dongfang Bubai has been known as the strongest martial artist in the world for more than ten years, and has long been one of the beliefs of the members of the Demonic Cult. How could they possibly believe that a 17-year-old boy could surpass their leader?

Yes! This must be a conspiracy by the Shaolin Temple!

These treacherous villains from the righteous path were severely suppressed by the Eastern Cult Leader, so they fabricated a false new number one martial arts master to undermine the reputation of our Demonic Cult.

That's incredibly insidious!

Disbelief did not mean that the members of the Demonic Cult were not angry, so they began to provoke the Huashan Sect and Shaolin Temple, stirring up waves of bloodshed.

Xia Zuo didn't care at all about this.

The Huashan Sect has just experienced a significant increase in strength and is currently working hard to expand its influence.

At this time, being challenged by the Demonic Sect poses no danger whatsoever; a little bloodshed is actually the best excuse to expand territory.

It's only natural that the Demonic Cult would retaliate against the Huashan Sect, given their challenge.

After the counterattack against the evil cultists, it's reasonable for the Huashan Sect to accept the houses, land, and properties left behind by these villains as spoils of war.

The local gentry who were rescued by the Huashan Sect would warmly welcome Mr. Yue and sincerely invite the Huashan Sect to stay, in order to prevent the evil cult members from retaliating and harming them.

Faced with such a reasonable request, how could Gentleman Sword bear to refuse?

As a result, the Huashan Sect expanded its territory once again.

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