Chapter 152: Full of Truth

After the rain stopped, Chu Tianshu went ashore alone and did not go directly to the mountain gate of South Shaolin.

He asked an old farmer by the road and went to see the fields reclaimed by the South Shaolin monks first.

Reclaiming wasteland and turning it into farmland.

When South Shaolin did this kind of thing back then, in addition to seeking fame and fitting the trend of the imperial court, it was also out of some practical needs.

However, over the years, South Shaolin has long since stopped needing to rely on farmland for a living.

The scale of the fields they have reclaimed is already so large that the manpower in the temple cannot manage it, so they rent out part of the fields to farmers.

However, the temple still sends monks in turns to manage the remaining fields.

Farming is not just about scattering seeds and waiting until autumn to succeed; there are too many things for farmers to manage.

So basically, one can still see some monks in these fields every day.

The hems of their gray monk robes are lifted and tucked into their waistbands, and their trouser legs are rolled up to their knees.

They step barefoot into the fields, looking for weeds and pulling them out one by one.

Chu Tianshu stood by the field for a while, watching their movements.

Shaolin on Mount Song claims to have seventy-two unique skills, and the number of martial arts that don't count as unique skills is even greater.

South Shaolin claims to have thirty-six unique skills, also known as the "Thirty-Six Treasures."

Among the thirty-six unique skills, some were inherited from Shaolin on Mount Song in the early days.

Others were created by successive disciples or modified from martial arts collected in the martial world.

As a dignified major sect in the martial world, one naturally cannot underestimate martial arts.

South Shaolin dares to develop so many side businesses without worrying about wasting their martial arts.

It is because among their unique skills, there are several sets of kung fu that are specifically able to comprehend a certain rhyme while farming and pushing the mill, making the internal power in the body circulate more peacefully and smoothly.

And South Shaolin's hard skill is famous throughout the world; blacksmithing is also a form of cultivation.

From Chu Tianshu's perspective, the so-called hard skill in this world basically refers to the category of practicing strength.

Even if the Taiji fist immortal strength were brought here, it is estimated that it would be classified as hard skill here.

However, according to martial world news, the hard skill of this world has never appeared in the exquisite level of "three-in-one."

Everyone even treats hard skill as a rough substitute.

Most people in the martial world start practicing internal energy directly before their physical bodies have the strength of three or four hundred jin.

Only those who cannot practice internal energy after starting to practice internal energy, and are unwilling to give up, will desperately practice hard skill.

In contrast, among the Shaolin unique skills, there are actually several sets of paths specifically for practicing hard skill, which already distinguishes them greatly from other sects.

After observing for a moment, Chu Tianshu walked along the edge of the field until he reached the boundary between the field and the forest.

The abbot of South Shaolin personally reclaims one and a third mu of land every year after autumn.

This is not for practical profit, but for the sake of rules.

The piece of land where Chu Tianshu is standing is the field reclaimed by Master Master Miao Fan, the abbot of South Shaolin, last year.

If there are no accidents, he will continue to push toward the forest after autumn this year.

No monk would help the abbot remove the trees there in advance.

This is actually a place for the abbot to show his strength.

Chu Tianshu saw large mountain rocks turned into the forest, so he walked over.

These stones are dark in color and solid in texture; they have been buried underground for years, and even though they have been dug out for half a year, they still exude a smell of earth.

The surfaces of the smaller stones have no obvious traces of artificial damage.

But the larger stones have some indentations and missing corners.

The damaged areas are covered with white marks and cracks, which are very inconsistent with the original color of the whole stone.

The largest stone is bigger than a high-quality coffin used for an adult, and its shape has many cumbersome protrusions.

Chu Tianshu stopped by this giant stone and walked around it for half a circle.

On this stone, half a palm print was left, and the traces of cracks spreading out were the most numerous and longest.

Looking at this trace of force, Chu Tianshu seemed to see the scene from half a year ago.

The old monk rolled up his sleeves, bent down, and in order to lift this giant stone out of the ground in one breath, his hands were already filled with internal power.

So much so that at the moment the force was successful, the internal energy overflowed and left such a mark on the giant stone.

"What a thick internal energy..."

Chu Tianshu said halfway, hearing a slowly approaching footstep in the distance, his heart moved slightly, and he sighed, "What a pity, what a pity."

He touched the giant stone and shook his head, as if he were really looking at a coffin, his tone full of regret.

"What a pity."

"Namo Amitabha."

A calm Buddhist chant sounded from behind.

Chu Tianshu turned his head to look.

He saw an old monk with an ancient and simple appearance, a forehead protruding high, deep eye sockets, and bright eyes; his beard was a mix of black and white, but it was kept very neat.

Outside his gray monk robe, he wore a black cassock with gold threads, which had a quite solemn atmosphere.

"This old monk is Master Miao Fan. May I ask why the benefactor is sighing here?"

Abbot Master Miao Fan had been sitting in meditation in the Zen room for a long time, and seeing that the light rain had just stopped, the flowing wind in the forest must be fresh, so he came out specifically to walk and enjoy the scenery.

Who would have thought that as soon as he walked here, he would see a young man circling the big stone he dug out last year, sighing again and again...

"It is actually Abbot Master Miao Fan."

Chu Tianshu was also a bit surprised, "I am Chu Tianshu. I originally prepared to go to the temple to offer a stick of incense to the Buddha and then visit the masters, but I didn't expect to meet the abbot here."

Abbot Master Miao Fan smiled and put his palms together: "The benefactor is young and has a heart for worshiping Buddha. Good, very good."

He looked at Chu Tianshu carefully, his expression moving slightly.

Chu Tianshu's skin is smooth, his eyes are bright, which can be said to be well-maintained.

But in this person's breathing, the rhythm is long, and one cannot hear a single bit of noise.

Even if an ordinary person has a relatively strong body, there will be tiny, unsmooth feelings when breathing and changing Qi.

Ordinary people cannot hear it, but it cannot escape the eyes and ears of experts.

If Abbot Master Miao Fan closed his eyes, he might not be able to hear whether there was anyone in front of him at all, like Chu Tianshu's situation.

"Amitabha, the benefactor has an extraordinary bearing; it seems you are also an expert."

Abbot Master Miao Fan smiled, "No wonder you have to sigh beside this big stone."

"I suppose the benefactor saw that this old monk's internal energy circulation was not round and smooth at the time, wasting part of the power, resulting in this palm print with scattered cracks."

Chu Tianshu shook his head: "Although this point is a flaw, it is not worth me sighing several times."

"I was thinking, does the abbot of Shaolin on Mount Song need to perform his martial arts outside the temple every year like Abbot Master Miao Fan?"

Abbot Master Miao Fan felt a chill in his heart, but remained calm and said: "This old monk is not trying to show off martial arts, but just following the temple rules to personally reclaim wasteland every year."

"Martial arts are the same as Buddhist studies; one must have cultivation everywhere in life. Since one practices martial arts, then when reclaiming wasteland, one uses it along the way."

He said slowly, "That is all."

"Does the abbot really think so?"

Chu Tianshu suddenly stared at him.

This young man's gaze had also swept over Abbot Master Miao Fan just now, but it was just light, and his eyes fell more on the trees and rocks.

Staring abruptly at this time, Master Miao Fan actually had a feeling that his eyelids were twitching.

"If the abbot really thinks so, as the master of a temple, you only have this kind of insight into the current situation."

Chu Tianshu's words were shocking.

"Then it seems that South Shaolin is not trembling like walking on thin ice, but is in imminent danger and on the verge of destruction!"

Master Miao Fan's expression was calm: "The benefactor is so alarmist; I don't know what your background is?"

"Hahaha, if I were just alarmist and playing tricks, with the status of the abbot of South Shaolin, why would you need to pay attention to such words?"

Chu Tianshu smiled, "As for my background..."

His expression became serious.

"To tell the truth, I am a descendant of the Vertical and Horizontal School."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 153 =====