Chapter 698: Xuanwu True Art

North.

Manzhou.

Dahei Temple.

Dahei Temple was carved into the mountain, its walls painted pitch black, perpetually wreathed in the scent of incense.

As the supreme sect of the world today, the Dahei Temple’s monks all carried an air of superiority.

After all, the world’s top martial artist, Lotus Ascetic, ranked first on the Dragon-Tiger List, hailed from this very temple.

Back mountain.

Several newly arrived bhikkhus were sweeping the ground with brooms.

“Today, the Golden Body Hall taught us the Arhat Palm!”

One bhikkhu put down his broom and gestured a few moves: “Once I master the Arhat Palm, I’ll learn the Bodhi Hand, the Thousand-Hand Buddha Palm, the Ten Thousand Buddhas Pay Homage Palm… One day, I’ll master the ‘Great Radiance Fist’ and dominate the martial world.”

“But the senior monks say we warrior monks must not cling to attachments—that’s a barrier of perception…”

Another young monk spoke up.

“Go to hell… I became a monk to learn martial arts; all these precepts, greed, anger, delusion—they’re all lies.” The bhikkhu sneered: “If Lotus Ascetic hadn’t been obsessed, how could he have devoted himself to martial arts and become the greatest in the world?”

“Shh… Qing Xu, are you trying to die? That’s his meditation chamber behind you!”

The young monk gasped in terror.

“It’s fine… He’s been in seclusion for decades, doesn’t even eat… Why would he care about this?”

Qing Xu waved dismissively.

Suddenly, both felt something was wrong.

A shadow fell over them.

In the forbidden back mountain, a black sun slowly rose.

This sun was not hot or warm… it was like a black hole, swallowing all heat around it.

This sun was not scorching or warm… it seemed instead a black hole, swallowing all heat from its surroundings.

Click.

The once-boastful Qing Xu now trembled only with chattering teeth.

He and the young monk knelt, trembling like condemned souls awaiting judgment in hell.

After what felt like an eternity, sweat poured down him; his vision showed only a black monk’s sandal retreating farther and farther.

After an unknown length of time, cold sweat poured down him; within his vision, only a black monk’s shoe receded farther and farther.

Lotus Ascetic, gaunt and draped in a dark-gold robe, arrived at a Buddha hall.

“Amitabha Buddha, greetings, Elder Lotus.”

The abbot of Dahei Temple, Master Lianxin, clasped his hands in greeting: “Elder, you’ve been in seclusion for years—have you attained a realm beyond the First Rank?”

The abbot of Dahei Temple, Master Lianxin, clasped his hands in greeting: “Brother has secluded himself for many years—has he yet attained a realm beyond the First Rank?”

Lotus Ascetic’s voice was hoarse and dry, like a traveler dying of thirst in a desert.

The voice of Lianhua Shiren was hoarse and parched… like a traveler on the verge of dying of thirst in a desert.

Master Lianxin was startled. This Elder Lotus had devoted himself entirely to martial arts and vowed never to leave seclusion until he achieved the Transcendent Rank—why had he changed?

“The World-Honored One revealed to me that martial arts are but a minor path. We monks must devote ourselves to the Dharma—that is the true way.”

Lotus Ascetic clasped his hands; his withered, skull-like face held eyes as warm and pure as a newborn’s.

“Huh? You’ve made such progress in the Dharma?”

Master Lianxin drew a sharp breath: “What insight have you gained?”

“The Black Sun Wheel Sutra is trivial. After years of contemplation, I’ve finally awakened—know this: our Buddha is not in the past, nor the present… but the future! Our Buddha Maitreya shall be born in the future, attain boundless Dharma from the constellations, become the Supreme True Sovereign of Panwu, and compose the ‘Panwu Black Sun Constellation Calamity Sutra’… Within it lies great power, great joy; once recited, it shall connect directly to the Heavenly Dao…”

“The Black Sun Sutra of the Wheel of Time is but ordinary—I meditated for years, until at last I suddenly awakened—know that our Buddha is not in the past, not in the present… but in the future! Our Buddha Maitreya shall be born in the future, attain immeasurable Buddhist Dharma from the constellations, become the Supreme True Sovereign of Panwu, and compose the Panwu Black Sun Constellation Catastrophe Sutra… within it lies great power, great bliss; once one recites…”

“What ‘Supreme True Sovereign of Panwu’? The ‘Black Sun Constellation Calamity Sutra’?” Master Lianxin cried in alarm: “Elder, have you gone mad from demonic deviation? We revere only the Great Black Heaven Buddha at Dahei Temple!”

“No matter. You are deluded by false sutras. Let me recite the true sutra—I shall liberate you!”

Lotus Ascetic’s hands moved; the small Buddha hall suddenly filled with a thousand-armed Guanyin, pinning Master Lianxin’s limbs.

Though Master Lianxin was a top-tier master of the Upper Three Ranks, to Lotus Ascetic—the world’s greatest—he was nothing.

In Lotus Ascetic’s gaze, a black sun rose and fell, born and destroyed.

Master Lianxin could no longer move, forced to listen as Lotus Ascetic preached:

“In boundless time and space, wondrous forms arise; constellations flow, revealing the eternal truth. The might of Panwu penetrates all Dharma realms; one pure thought fills the ten directions…”

“Namo Panwu Vajra Virtue Buddha, Namo Boundless Calamity Wisdom Treasury Buddha, Namo Future Maitreya Buddha…”

“Those who cultivate this Dharma must awaken Bodhicitta, purify the mind… vow to liberate all sentient beings from the sea of samsara, thereby realizing the true meaning of Panwu. Visualize the light of constellations shining upon your crown, dissolving the five defilements and afflictions… If this sutra is copied and disseminated, the land becomes a Vajra Mandala, guarded by celestial dragons and devas… At ultimate attainment, all Buddhas will bestow their empowerment, granting Supreme Enlightenment, infinite manifestations, and the performance of Buddha deeds throughout the Constellation Calamity… At death, a thousand Buddhas will reach out, guiding one directly to the Eastern Pure Land of Lapis Lazuli, reborn from a lotus, endowed with all spiritual powers…”

“May this supreme merit be dedicated to all sentient beings of the Dharma realm. May they swiftly realize the Vajra nature of Panwu, bowing to the Buddha in the light of constellations.”

“Those who cultivate this method must awaken the Bodhi mind, purify the heart… vow to deliver all sentient beings from the sea of samsara, only then will they align with the True Meaning of Panwu. Visualize the radiant light of the constellations pouring upon the crown of the head, dissolving the Five Turbidities and afflictions… if this sutra is copied and disseminated, the land becomes a Vajra Mandala, guarded by celestial dragons and devas… ultimate attainment…”

Lotus Ascetic roared like a lion; a terrifying black sun plunged into Master Lianxin’s mind.

A First-Rank Grandmaster’s spirit could pierce heaven and earth, lock souls from a thousand li away, and create illusions beyond human comprehension.

Yet at this moment, Master Lianxin suddenly awakened.

His consciousness soared infinitely high, his body trembling as if he stood at boundless heights, bathed in infinite constellation light, beholding an unimaginable being…

That being created heaven and earth, fused with all things…

He was One, He was Ten Thousand, He was Everything!

His consciousness soared infinitely upward, his body trembling, as if he had reached infinite heights, bathed in boundless stellar light, beholding a being beyond imagination…

That being split open heaven and earth, its form fused with all things…

In an instant, Master Lianxin’s eyes burst, his face twisted, blood-tears streaming from two bloody sockets.

He struck both palms to his bald head, crushing his own ear orifices.

Even so, he rolled on the ground, screaming: “Future… constellations… Panwu, Panwu!”

In truth, both Lotus Ascetic and Master Lianxin should have been grateful.

The true Panwu had not fully awakened, so they still retained a sliver of reason.

Otherwise, their bodies might already have begun mutating into monsters…

Dahei Temple erupted into chaos.

When the Abbot of the Precept Hall and the Elder of the Bodhi Hall arrived, they found Master Lianxin blind and deaf—Lotus Ascetic was gone.

“Master Lianxin?”

The elder monks gasped in shock.

Master Lianxin, blood-tears streaming from his eyes, suddenly spat out a piece of his tongue—then bit it clean off.

Yet he rolled on the ground, using his tongue to write:

“Ninth Rank: Seer of the Hidden…”

“Eighth Rank: Bone-Eater Master…”

“Seventh Rank: Deluded Monk…”

…

In the 1137th year of the Jiuzhou Calendar, Lotus Ascetic of Dahei Temple fell into demonic deviation, murdered the abbot Master Lianxin, killed seven senior guardians sent to pursue him, and countless warrior monks… He became the public enemy of the martial world, the greatest demon of the age!

The entire northern martial world was gripped by panic, as if the Dao waned and demonic power surged!

…

In the 1137th year of the Jiuzhou Calendar, Lianhua Shiren of Dahei Temple fell to darkness, murdered the abbot Lianxin, killed seven elder guardian monks sent to pursue him, and countless martial monks… instantly becoming the public enemy of the martial world, the number one demon of the realm!

Throughout the northern martial world, every wind and crane sounded like enemies; the Dao waned while the Demon surged!

Xun Heihu was practicing fist forms in the back courtyard, with Jiang Yuyan beside him.

“My Wuhun Gate’s art centers on the five forms: tiger, deer, bear, monkey, crane… I primarily cultivate the ‘Crane Form,’ with the ‘Flying Crane Stance’ and ‘Pine Crane Method’ to refine internal energy…”

Jiang Yuyan demonstrated her stances, revealing everything she knew.

These were all Wuhun Gate’s secret teachings, never taught to outsiders.

If discovered, she would be killed without burial, and her entire family would be destroyed.

Thus, she had no choice but to fully commit to Xun Heihu.

Xun Heihu observed for a moment, then executed another fist form—his right hand like a white crane dancing, his left hand coiling like a venomous snake: “This is my adaptation of your forms and stances—the ‘Snake-Crane Dual Form’… Train this method diligently, and you may enter the Primordial State of Embryonic Breathing years earlier!”

After all, he had asked her to surrender her core art at his elder’s request—he felt somewhat guilty.

So he asked his elder to kindly refine it for her—just a small gesture of goodwill.

Xun Heihu observed for a moment, then unleashed another fist set—his right hand danced like a white crane, his left curled with the coiled intent of a venomous snake: “This is my refinement of your fist style and stances—the ‘Snake and Crane Dual Form’… train this method well, and you may enter the primordial state of fetal breathing years ahead of schedule!”

Watching Jiang Yuyan’s adoring gaze, Xun Heihu thought inwardly.

‘The Wuhun Gate’s art is decent—has a hint of Xingyi flavor, but it overemphasizes ‘form’ and neglects ‘intention’… lacking something crucial…’

Fang Xing’s voice echoed: ‘I’ve distilled its essence and created a ‘Snake Stance’ to complement your Turtle Breathing Art… Turtle and snake entwined—that is ‘Xuanwu.’ Thus, this art shall be called the ‘Xuanwu True Art’!’

‘Master!’

At that moment, a Baicao Hall attendant rushed over: “There’s been a change in the northern martial world!”

“The Five Animals Sect’s methods are passable—there’s a touch of Xingyi flavor, but unfortunately they emphasize ‘form’ too much and ‘intent’ too little… just a bit short.”

Fang Xing’s voice rang out: “I drew its essence and created a set of ‘Snake Stance,’ perfectly complementing your Turtle Breathing Art… the turtle and snake entwined form ‘Xuan Wu’—thus, this art may be called ‘Xuan Wu True Art!’”

“Proprietor!”

At that moment, a Baicao Hall apprentice hurried over: “There’s been a change in the northern martial world!”

“Hmm? Tell me in detail…”

Xun Heihu had a natural air of dignity.

After being put in his place by Fang Xing back then, he paid close attention to building his own businesses to save up small coins.

He opened the “Baicao Hall” in Lingzhou, effectively breaking into the medicine trade.

With the few prescriptions Fang Xing gave him, he didn’t become wildly rich, but he still earned gold daily.

These waiters and doctors were all veterans who had fought their way through the medicine industry’s elite, and some were even Neijin experts holding the fort.

After all, in this era, no matter the medicine trade, textile business, or tavern—any industry that could make money couldn’t turn a profit without martial artists to guard it!

Even if you truly had no martial artists, you could still hire the “Martial Guild” or the “Enforcer Guild”…

In short, without martial strength to back you, you’d be stuck like the lowest peasants, eating the bitterest meals.

“Yes, Proprietor.”

The waiter said: “A letter arrived from Dingzhou’s martial world: the Supreme Master of the Lotus, the number one martial expert in the land, has fallen into demonic corruption. He not only betrayed Dahei Temple but also killed many righteous martial masters—even the four Holy Monks who chased after him to plead for his return were beaten to death.”

“What?”

At these words, Jiang Yuyan was instantly startled.

That was the Supreme Master of the Lotus!

Number one on the Dragon-Tiger List, the greatest martial expert in the land!

And he was a Buddhist patriarch!

For such a great master to fall into demonic corruption—was this some kind of joke?

“The higher a monk’s virtue, the greater his killing rage when he falls…”

Xun Heihu sighed, feeling as if a heavy stone had finally landed.

He had known something big was coming from the north, but not this big.

‘Elder… is that Supreme Master of the Lotus my destined enemy?’

In his heart, he communicated with the Zhenwu Talisman.

‘Nine out of ten, it’s the Panwu poison…’

Fang Xing’s voice came through: ‘Good, good… you taking on the number one? I think you’ve got a shot.’