Chapter 645: Nobody Came Out Ahead

Even ordinary visitors can enter this floor; it's likely just Buddhist sutras! Though he didn't examine them closely, he could tell with his toes that the real manuals must be on the higher floors.

After casually browsing a few sutras and finding nothing special, once the Vajra finished absorbing, he stepped onto the second floor. The whole process took less than half a cup of tea's time.

If Duzhen and those old Shaolin fogies knew Ye Qin had no intention of reading the secret manuals but wanted to copy the Shaolin Temple's Cangjingge, refine the essence and discard the dross, they wouldn't know whether to be furious.

According to the Vajra's speed, I could finish in just a few hours at most; there's no need for a whole day. But to avoid suspicion, I'll still limit it to one day.

Now that various Daoist schools are watching him, Shaolin's attention will decrease considerably. Moreover, with his deliberate cooperation, the plan will only go more smoothly.

He walked and muttered, "Once I've swept through all the Shaolin Temple's classics and secret caches, my sword technique should improve by thirty percent. By then, even an innate peerless master won't be able to dodge it."

Moreover, my Nine Grade Dao Art will also merge many martial arts secret texts and Buddhist scriptures, reaching a higher level. Cultivating to the Innate Realm should be no problem, and there will be no defects!

Of course, if I wanted to go further, I'd have to seize the secret manuals of all the Daoist schools!

The various sects on Qin Lake, he would order his subordinates in the Imperial City Office to collect secret manuals by any means. But the effect wasn't obvious; ultimately, their foundation was too weak.

"However, after I've swept through all of Shaolin's martial arts, I will eventually be able to advance further. Even if the opportunity comes late, at least there's hope to reach the legendary Innate Realm, connect the heaven-and-earth bridges, break the acquired shackles, and let true qi flow endlessly." Ye Qin had long coveted that legendary realm.

Previously, on Qin Lake only the Five Absolutes were innate masters, but after Chongyang Zhenren died, the Five Absolutes became the Four Absolutes. Achieving Acquired Perfection allows one to be called a sect's ancestor; Qiu Qianren and the Quanzhen Seven are the best examples.

On the second floor of the Cangjingge, there begin some simple spear, staff, and cudgel techniques, which also count as secret manuals. Ye Qin likewise didn't let them pass, sweeping them all away cleanly. Anyway, once here, even if he didn't want to, the Vajra in his dantian wouldn't give up.

Thinking this, he secretly guessed, "I wonder if the third floor, or higher levels, have any good stuff."

Saying that, he headed toward the higher floors. Besides, no monks were monitoring him; at most, layers of monks surrounded the Cangjingge outside. However, they currently pose no threat to him.

After an hour, Ye Qin left the third floor satisfied, heading to the fourth. "It's getting more interesting; the third floor actually has internal cultivation methods, and there seem to be many. Although the grades may not be high, even a mosquito is still meat."

Following this principle, Ye Qin continued toward the fourth floor.

"Sure enough, with a stronger internal method combined with some Shaolin techniques, the power is tremendous. This must be what those staff monks and Arhats cultivate." He showed a satisfied smile, and after the Vajra finished absorbing, he rushed nonstop toward the fifth, even the sixth floor.

After several hours, when Ye Qin reached the seventh floor and saw those few precious secret manuals, he didn't hesitate and swept them clean. Then he sat cross-legged in the seventh floor's room, beginning to let his consciousness enter the Vajra.

Dense characters appeared around him in various forms, then, under his mental control, began constantly attempting to combine. He continued to use the Vajra's function to perfect that sword technique and the Nine Grade Dao Art.

Such fusion and optimization were merely to find the best method.

"After I break through to the Innate Realm, I'll probably need to visit each Daoist school." Although the Shaolin Cangjingge's contents could make him feel somewhat optimized, the extent wasn't large; gaining even two or three percent would be good.

However, the Innate Realm is already within reach!

Finally, returning to the Training Ground, Duzhen the monk watched the battle between Faxiang the elder monk and Lin Lingsu continue, still undecided. He couldn't help but think, "It seems a day may not be enough to reach a conclusion. But this time, for the sake of my Shaolin's great undertaking, my grandmaster uncle's body..."

Nobody knew better than him that Faxiang the monk's body had been gradually aging. Although these years he relied on divine skill to maintain longevity, old is old; it can be delayed but not reversed.

"I also don't know if that old coot Lin Lingsu is about to run out of fuel and have his lamp burn out?" Duzhen the monk secretly guessed. After all, without making a breakthrough, lifespan will eventually run its course.

As a contemporary of Faxiang the Chan master, Lin Lingsu indeed aged just like Duzhen's grandmaster uncle Faxiang. His snow-white hair is the best proof. "Ultimately, time spares no one. However, being so old and still coming out to fight for the Daoist schools..."

Even Duzhen himself didn't know what to say. Possibly after seeing Ye Qin's scheming, even the Buddha's relic ended up in his hands, and Duzhen the monk finally began to take seriously this Imperial City Commissioner who shook Qin Lake.

On the Training Ground, nobody noticed Ye Qin had mysteriously vanished. If it weren't for the guards informing Huang Rong of Ye Qin's whereabouts, she would probably have grown anxious as well.

A day's time quickly passed. The fusion and optimization were already completed; the sword technique became more exquisite, and the Nine Grade Dao Art improved by a few points.

As the sun rose, after Ye Qin absorbed a wisp of purple aura and cultivated, he slowly woke from meditation. "This feeling full of power is truly fantastic!"

Although he hadn't broken through yet, he was already stronger than before.

Moreover, many elderly Buddhist monks had long been waiting outside the Cangjingge's door for Ye Qin. If they knew the relic was just a relic, with nothing special, who knows what they'd feel?

In Shaolin, at the edge of the Cangjingge's threshold.

The abbot and the elders of Shaolin Temple stood shoulder to shoulder, with Duzhen also standing to one side. The martial arts match on the Training Ground hadn't ended yet; just then, Ye Qin wanted to leave the chamber. Since the relic matter was of great importance, virtually every elder in Shaolin who could show up had gathered.

After all, the Buddha's relic is worth a city; if anyone accused them of disrespecting the Buddha, they'd be in trouble.

"Why hasn't he come out yet? The sun's already high!" an elder frowned, face full of anxiety.

Waiting always annoys people; monks are no exception.

The abbot was also anxious inside, but as abbot he couldn't show it too much, so he gave an embarrassed smile and explained, "Perhaps he's immersed in the Buddhist scriptures."

This explanation, the Shaolin elders naturally didn't believe it, thinking, "Who could be that focused? Even a peerless genius needs to eat and rest; could that kid possibly be living without grain?"

Anyway, they didn't believe it!

After an hour, there was still no movement inside the Cangjingge.

An old monk frowned and said, "Something's off—we have over a hundred Arhats guarding our Shaolin Temple here; he shouldn't be able to escape. Moreover, not far away the elders are keeping watch; if there were any movement, we'd definitely know. But now..."

With no movement, people's hearts were filled with doubt.

"Let's wait a bit longer, after all the time hasn't come yet!" The abbot's mouth twitched involuntarily as he urged the elders who had been anxious since morning.

Squeak!

At that moment, the Cangjingge's door opened; the Shaolin elders, like those awaiting stars and the moon, finally saw Ye Qin's figure in rich robes appear in the crack.

"Oh, you all came this early to greet me?" Ye Qin smiled at the group of Shaolin monks, saying, "It's an honor!"

The monks: "." After a silence, they inwardly cursed: "What a greeting—if it weren't for the Buddha's relic matter, we wouldn't be here waiting this early."

The elders said nothing; Duzhen could only give an embarrassed smile and ask, "Lord Qin, the day's time is up; I don't know about the relic..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but Ye Qin understood and retorted, "What, you monks want the relic that badly? Just tell me; no need to be shy."

Upon hearing that, Duzhen's face changed drastically; if the abbot and elders thought he also wanted the relic, things would be difficult.

So he quickly amended, "You're joking, sir; we already reached a deal earlier—can you now hand over the relic to us?"

As soon as he said that, many hearts filled with anticipation.

Buddha's relic, if refined with Buddhist methods, can let those who have achieved Acquired Perfection break through to the Innate Realm, and let those already in the Innate Realm ascend further—it's practically a supreme elixir.

Ye Qin smiled faintly and said, "Fine, look how anxious you are—take it!"

Saying that, he waved the relic before everyone's eyes; immediately came the sound of gulping. Then he tossed the relic to Duzhen in one throw; after drawing everyone's gaze, he swaggered away.

Before the Cangjingge's door, chaos reigned; Duzhen could only hand the relic to the abbot and then step back.

!

On the Shaolin Temple's Training Ground.

After a day of fighting, the two who had never ceased seemed to have reached their limit, and finally began to compare their true qi.

In the field, whether Buddhist or Daoist, everyone silently watched Faxiang and Lin Lingsu; smart people knew the outcome would soon be revealed, none wanted to miss this crucial moment, and they all stopped to watch.

"Who will ultimately gain the advantage?"

Many people had this question in mind. Faxiang and Lin Lingsu were similar in age and strength, so it was hard to say who would win or lose.

Bang!

Soon, the place where the two palms met suddenly exploded, true qi spreading outward; many were caught in the blast, flung to the ground, suffering serious injuries.

The two combatants also slowly fell to the ground; a trickle of blood flowed from Faxiang's mouth, showing he was injured. Meanwhile, Lin Lingsu closed his eyes and collapsed heavily, his life or death uncertain.

A legendary figure, just like that, his fate unknown.

"He lost!" Duzhen said calmly to the various Daoist sects and the Qinhu people. In comparison, Faxiang was merely injured, which naturally counts as a win.

The Qinhu people all frowned; this result was clearly not what they had expected, their faces showing bitter expressions, each secretly thinking: "It seems we cannot stop Shaolin from reopening its mountain gate."

They had thought they could rely on Lin Lingsu's abilities to hold him off, but who knew they still couldn't stop him.

If possible, they would all want to go up and settle the score.

Beside them, Zhang Lao Dao of the Orthodox Unity Dao flushed, snorted coldly, and said: "We're leaving! Today you Shaolin gain one advantage, but in future contests, our Daoist sect will never retreat!"

"Everyone, take your leave, no need to see us off!"

Duzhen said with a smile. At last we have succeeded; Shaolin's reopening of the mountain gate is imminent, the future bright.

The various Daoist sects, accompanied by the Qinhu factions, snorted a few times, left after uttering some harsh words, hurried away, daring not to linger, fearing the Shaolin monks would mistake them for heretical cults and kill them.

After most people had left, the elderly monk Faxiang was slowly helped up. But at that moment, his eyes rolled back and he fainted.

"Grandmaster-uncle"

Many monks shouted, but the old monk seemed not to hear, never waking again. A generation of Zen master and holy monk, he thus passed away, contributing his last drop of blood and strength to Shaolin Temple.

"It turns out both sides suffered losses, nobody gained an advantage!" Just after stepping out of the mountain gate, looking back he saw Faxiang collapse, then he understood why Duzhen had urged everyone to go down the mountain—he feared something would go wrong with the reopening.

"What a pity, such a holy monk just passed away." He couldn't help feeling regretful. Ye Qin didn't know whether Lin Lingsu was dead or alive, but the elderly monk Faxiang was certainly dead.

After fighting for a day and a night, even their stamina was exhausted to death.

The Daoist sects lost, losing their followers. With their strength scattered across the world, they probably could not resist the Shaolin Temple alone. And Shaolin, to reopen the mountain gate, sacrificed an elder whose cultivation surpassed the innate realm; whether this bargain was worthwhile remains unknown.

In his view, it was not worthwhile. The death of the old monk meant Shaolin lost one of its stabilizing divine needles; over time, Shaolin might decline.

After this dispute, besides Ye Qin, nobody gained any advantage.

Faxiang had passed away; the whole Shaolin Temple was immersed in grief. Duzhen felt dazed, his grandmaster‑uncle gone like that. He muttered: "He fought Lin Lingsu for Shaolin's century‑long undertaking, and he persisted to the very end."

If it were him, he might not have done as well as Faxiang. Faxiang was a person willing to sacrifice himself for Shaolin.

"Abbot, elders, Grandmaster‑uncle Faxiang died for our Shaolin; why not give him a proper burial?" Duzhen suddenly proposed.

The monks usually practice simple burial—dig a pit, place a decent coffin, that's basically it. But Faxiang died for Shaolin's prosperity, so he proposed a grand burial for Faxiang to show Shaolin is not cold‑hearted.

The abbot glanced at the elders, saw no opposition, then mused: "Fine, leave this to you; you decide everything."

He waved his hand, and simply stopped concerning himself with it; studying the relics was more important.

Meanwhile, on a hill in the Huainan region, a group of golden warriors were fully armed and ready, preparing to intercept passing Qinhu people to avenge their previous grudge! (End of chapter)