A Scroll of Infinite Glory

Chapter 148 Shaolin

The night was cool and still.

Outside the guest rooms of Shaolin Temple on Mount Song, an ancient pine tree stands like a small spire, with a crescent moon hanging in the distant sky on one side of its treetop.

Having just exchanged messages with her teammates and received a reminder, Gu Lanxiang hurried out from between the guest rooms and courtyard, taking advantage of the starlight and moonlight to find the abbot of Shaolin.

To avoid suspicion, the Shaolin monks arranged a guest room for the woman in a flat area on the back mountain, which was farther away from the central area of ​​the Shaolin complex than the guest rooms for ordinary pilgrims.

To reach Gulanxiang, one must first pass through the Pagoda Forest and the Stele Forest, followed by several rows of houses used to accommodate pilgrims and scholars.

Although it was already night, many people were still awake in this secluded ancient temple.

Some people are among the steles, counting prayer beads with their eyes closed and silently reciting scriptures; others are reading classics indoors, their silhouettes cast on the paper windows by the dim candlelight.

Walking in the middle of the pine forest, on the brick-paved road, you can see some young and middle-aged martial monks practicing their skills diligently in the pine forest on both sides of the road.

A small leather sandbag hung from a tree branch. A monk dressed in gray robes, with one shoulder exposed, silently practiced for a moment before striking the sandbag with his palm.

When he struck out with his palm, a gust of wind howled as he landed. His palm struck the small sandbag silently, leaving it completely still. This demonstrated that the interplay of strength and gentleness in his palm strike revealed a glimpse into the essence of superior martial arts.

Although Gu Lanxiang had only been at Shaolin Temple for a few days, she had received many benefits because she possessed Han Wengong's token and directly sought an audience with the abbot of Shaolin. Although she attracted some attention when she passed by, no one stopped her.

Her original destination was the Fangzhang Zen Temple, but when she passed by the Mahavira Hall, it was brightly lit, filled with incense, and the sound of old monks talking could be heard.

Turning his head to look into the hall, he saw that the one sitting on the futon in the center of the main hall, with his back to the sixteen-foot-tall Buddha statue, with his ears reaching his shoulders and wearing a golden robe, was none other than the current abbot of Shaolin Temple—Master Wangsheng.

"master!"

Gu Lanxiang greeted them and stepped into the hall.

Master Wangsheng smiled and greeted her, and another old monk beside him also turned around and glanced at her.

He was also an "acquaintance," the head of the Shaolin Bodhidharma Academy, Zen Master Pingxin.

Zen Master Pingxin laughed and said, "Haha, what a coincidence! I was just talking to my senior brother Abbot about Benefactor Gu. Although you have only been here for a short time, after reading those books on Zen and martial arts, you seem to have already grasped the basics. Recently, the demonic thoughts in your body have become increasingly subdued."

"With such extraordinary talent and profound wisdom, perhaps we can lend you some chapters from the Diamond Sutra. If you can completely subdue the demonic thoughts, it would be a great merit for Shaolin."

His words sounded casual, but the information he revealed was anything but ordinary.

The Diamond Sutra, also known as the Diamond Zen, was written by the great general monk Tanzong during the Sui and Tang Dynasties. It can be said to be the supreme internal martial arts manual of Shaolin Temple. From the first patriarch Bodhidharma onwards, none of the martial arts manuals left by the abbots of successive generations have surpassed it.

For martial arts sects, anything that can be considered a unique skill is treasured and kept secret. It is extremely rare for them to lend out such a treasured martial arts manual to others for free.

Gu Lanxiang was slightly taken aback. Although borrowing the Diamond Sutra was one of her goals, she did not expect to achieve it in just a few days.

Master Wangsheng observed her expression, smiled kindly, and said, "Amitabha, why are you so surprised, benefactor? Although Shaolin has a reputation for being strict in teaching its unique skills, it is also to test talent and to prevent the wrong person from causing harm to the martial arts world."

He paused slightly, then sighed softly, "In fact, even with such strictness, there are still some rebellious disciples who, after leaving the mountain, commit heinous crimes, escape into the martial world, and remain at large, which is both infuriating and regrettable."

"After observing you these past few days, I've found that your meditation skills are no less than mine, and your talent and state of mind are comparable to those of some renowned monks. Given this, why should we, your humble servants, hold onto our own knowledge?"

Gu Lanxiang's bright eyes flickered slightly, and she clasped her hands in a fist and said, "The esteemed masters are all magnanimous and worthy of respect. I am deeply grateful to be able to borrow these precious scriptures. However, I have come so late at night because I have an urgent matter to remind you all..."

She mentioned that a friend used a secret method to send a message, briefly explaining the attack on Laojun Mountain.

The two old monks were deeply moved, their expressions changing drastically.

Master Wangsheng frowned deeply and said, "Just as night fell this evening, I vaguely sensed a wisp of sword intent soaring into the sky from the direction of Lao Jun Mountain, cutting through the wind and clouds. However, it was too far away to be certain. Now, hearing you speak, I realize that such a tremendous change has occurred!"

"Shao Lingxiao, having survived countless tribulations, has colluded with the Fire Luo Cult and re-emerged into the martial world..."

The previous abbot of Shaolin Temple, Master Wanshi, who was also the senior brother of Master Wangsheng, participated in the battle in the southwest ten years ago. After returning, he passed away less than half a month later.

On the eve of the Southwest War, Master Wangsheng was chosen to stay in the temple and take charge of affairs. He never met Shao Lingxiao, but he would never forget the battle that his senior brother had repeatedly told him about, nor would he forget that Master Wanshi was still regretting it on his deathbed.

"That kind of swordsmanship! If I hadn't used the Vajra Fist move back then, but instead used the Flower-Picking Finger technique, I wonder if I could have held Fei Guang in place for another half a breath..."

Master Wangsheng was lost in his memories. Compared to him, Zen Master Pingxin next to him was obviously more excited and seemed to find it harder to believe.

"Although Master Yu Tu of Laojun Mountain suffered a calamity and lost all his power in the battle against the demon, Master Tianfang is still alive. With a grandmaster leading hundreds of disciples, they are united and impregnable. How could they possibly be so easily defeated by some evil demons and heretics?!"

Gu Lanxiang explained, "It is said that there are no traces of battles between grandmasters on Lao Jun Mountain. Perhaps that Tianfang Zhenren is not on the mountain tonight."

"Is that so?"

Zen Master Pingxin murmured a few times, ultimately deciding it was better to believe it was true than not. He turned and said, "Abbot, what do you think?"

"Better safe than sorry." Master Wangsheng came to his senses and said, "If it really is the Demonic Sect making a comeback, their attack on Lao Jun Mountain was completely unexpected, and their actions against Shaolin are also unpredictable. We should ring the bell immediately to summon the monks and tell all the disciples to be on high alert and be on guard recently."

Zen Master Pingxin nodded repeatedly: "Invite several fellow disciples from the Arhat Hall, Bodhi Courtyard, and Discipline Hall over as well, adjust their accommodations, and increase patrols so that they can gather together at any time to ensure complete safety."

He set off from the main hall, even using his lightness skill to avoid the normal path. His kasaya robe billowed with internal energy as he swept diagonally across the square and flew directly towards the bell tower on one side.

The monk lightly stepped on the railing of the bell tower, and with a punch imbued with the power of the Great Vajra Pestle, he smashed it into the thousand-pound bronze bell.

This bell sound was quite different from the usual sound; it was like thunder in the void, sharp and resonant, powerful and echoing endlessly.

The sound of the bell passed over the main hall, Buddha statues, and ancestral hall, swept past the bronze statue of Bodhidharma, and reached the stele forest, pagoda forest, and pine forest, echoing throughout every courtyard of the ancient temple.

A monk in gray robes was at the edge of the stele forest, stroking the stone tablets with his fingers and carefully studying the scriptures left by the eminent monks of the past by the light of the stars and moon.

Upon hearing the bell, he looked up with a puzzled expression, about to head towards the main hall, when suddenly his body stiffened.

On the bald back of his head, there was a long, silvery needle, the end of which was still trembling.

The woman with the golden hairpin stepped into the Stele Forest, a ribbon draped over her back, her arms wrapped in the crook of her arms. Her posture was graceful, and she looked at the place where the bell rang with a hint of doubt.

"Everyone should still be waiting for the signal, so why are these monks ringing the bell first?"

"Never mind, it's always better to strike first."

The Fire Luo Path protectors, who shared the same thoughts as this woman, emerged from their hiding places almost simultaneously and chose the nearest target.

Just as the bell rang, more than a dozen Shaolin monks had already become corpses. From two other courtyards, bursts of energy and shouts of fighting could be heard.

The sound of bells and battle alerted all the Shaolin monks. In an instant, hundreds of footsteps came from the courtyards near and far, carrying lanterns and clubs as they rushed out.

Inside the main hall, Master Wangsheng flashed out and looked up at the horizon.

As night fell, the clouds and mist among the mountains, which had been illuminated by the starlight and moonlight, suddenly rose up in the west, forming a thick cloud of black smoke that resembled a rain cloud.

The smoke billowed and grew ever wider, and the sound of horses neighing came from within it.

In the blink of an eye, hundreds of galloping horses, trailing black smoke, rushed down from the sky.

These tall horses could actually run through the air, their diving posture resembling a black torrent that would sweep away the entire Shaolin Temple, their cries growing ever closer.

Its imposing presence far surpassed that of any other bird of prey the Shaolin monks had ever seen.

Even the strong and fearless young monks who often chanted scriptures and worshipped Buddha were often startled and cried out in surprise when they looked up from all directions and saw such a scene.

Master Wangsheng lowered his eyebrows and narrowed his eyes into slits.

Although he was also surprised by such a strange sight, he could vaguely see that when the horses were running, some parts of their bodies were faintly blended into the clouds and mist, appearing semi-transparent and not entirely solid.

"Namo Amitabha Buddha!"

The chanting of the Buddha's name was low and deep.

The robes of the Venerable Master Wangsheng fluttered, dust rose from his feet, and a series of mysterious sounds, like water dripping into a copper basin, a wooden fish striking, a gong ringing, and a drum echoing, a cacophony of sounds, each more intense and loud than the last, arose in the wind.

It was as if the movement of his inner energy had unleashed a grand Buddhist musical performance, ranging from ethereal to majestic.

All these strange noises and sounds produced by the flow of true energy are merely a prelude, setting the stage for the final roar of the Lion Among Men, a thunderous roar!

When Master Wangsheng raised his head and uttered that sound, it rose diagonally upwards from in front of his face, creating rings of air that amplified layer by layer until finally transforming into a milky-white wave of air.

The chaotic white smoke, roaring and howling, collided with the hundreds of black horses that were swooping down.

As you can see, the warhorses at the very front of the herd were instantly shattered into large plumes of black smoke, which were mixed with the sonic waves and continued to push towards the warhorses behind them.

The source of these yin-spirited horses is the "Five Horses Pagoda Lock" that Su Mu Daoren created by using the power of Huo Luo Dao to kill five hundred horses and then extracting their souls and resentment.

Once this magical artifact is fully refined and released, a herd of horses gallops out. Because it has no physical form, it can run on treetops and through clouds and mist. When it crashes into people, it has an impact force no less than that of a real warhorse.

With a roar of a lion, the Master of Rebirth scattered most of the yin-energy horses, but some warhorse images still managed to land on the ground and gallop in all directions.

They passed through walls without damaging them, but when they hit people, they were immediately thrown away, causing chaos in the Shaolin Temple and the flames to flicker wildly.

"Don't panic, these strange horses can be blasted to pieces with true energy. All disciples, quickly form a formation and circulate your energy to protect yourselves."

Master Wangsheng channeled his inner energy, his powerful voice covering the entire mountain. After offering two words of reminder, he immediately resumed chanting scriptures.

"Narojinchi Bhagaraya, Svaha, Mavali Shengkaraya, Svaha, Namo Ratna Trayaya..."

Upon hearing his voice, all the Shaolin disciples immediately felt reassured, their panic lessened considerably, and they moved nimbly, shouting and setting up formations, each using different formations to move closer to the Great Buddha Hall.

Those Fire Luo Dao protectors who were engaged in fierce battle heard the chanting and felt their true energy being disturbed and deviated from its proper course as they moved about.

A burly man who was exchanging powerful palm strikes with the head of the disciplinary hall was disturbed by the incantation, crashed through the wall with a bang, and was forced back.

The woman, holding a fine needle, left a foot-long wound on a monk's chest with the needle tip. Blood gushed out, but she frowned.

The monk, whose skill level was below first-rate, actually managed to escape with his life from her attack.

All of this was because of that chanting sound.

The Vajrasattva Mantra, which is known to all, was originally just some strange and difficult-to-pronounce scriptures. But at this moment, it was recited by a Buddhist master with profound internal energy, and its sound resonated repeatedly.

"Namo Arya, Avalokiteshvara, Svaha, Om!"

"Siddham, Mantra, Bhadraya, Svaha..."

Each heavy syllable, carrying a powerful and awe-inspiring force, struck a chord deep within the heart, creating a sense that the vastness of the world, the five senses and six consciousnesses, and every inch of the space were filled with these incantations.

They are everywhere, and there is nowhere to escape them.

"Grandmaster, this is troublesome. One person alone is enough to control the whole situation."

In the dim light, Su Mu Dao Ren, whose hair was adorned with a pointed hairpin, shook his head somewhat unhappily.

"However, if we couldn't even complete this task without the help of the Lingxiao Sect Leader and the others, it would be too much for them to underestimate us."

"Little Sun, it's your turn to go on stage."

Sun Ling pressed his left palm against his right fist, forcefully pressing down on the knuckles of his clenched fist, and let out a sinister laugh.

"Don't worry, I can easily hold off a native four-star for three days and three nights!!"

(End of this chapter)