Chapter 119: Enter Shaolin

The next afternoon, at the foot of Songshan.

Yu Lin and three others stood at the mountain gate, gazing up at this Central Peak among the Five Peaks.

Autumn sunlight gilded the rugged rocks with a golden edge, and the lush trees swayed in the gentle breeze.

The main structures on Tai Shi Mountain are the Songyang Academy, the Central Peak Temple, and the Dharma King Temple, among others.

Shaoshi Mountain is chiefly home to the Shaolin Temple, the Three Emperors Stronghold, and the Pagoda Forest, etc.

"Have you heard anything about recent events at the Shaolin Temple?" Ning Ya, wearing neat mountaineering gear and sunglasses, turned her head to look at Yu Lin.

"I heard their abbot was taken away for investigation."

Yu Lin shrugged: "That's not under the Civil Affairs Bureau's jurisdiction."

"Of course, if he had previously used some special ability..."

"Oh, don't worry about those things." Dragon Lord patted his shoulder with his claw:

"Let's go up the mountain first."

"I seem to have indeed sensed a trace of that guy's aura!"

"All right." Yu Lin and Ning Ya headed up the mountain.

At any place that charges fees, he just needed to show his Civil Affairs Bureau ID, and everything was free.

Until the sun set westward, Yu Lin and the two others climbed the steps.

They visited the Dharma King Temple, the Songyang Academy, and other places in turn, but found nothing at all.

Upon arriving at the Central Peak Temple, the sunset clouds on the horizon had already dyed the place a golden-red.

Unfortunately, there was no trace of the cauldron here either.

However, the Seal of the Central Peak Great Emperor enshrined here is a high-grade Heavenly Bestowed Artifact; according to the introduction Yu Lin read at the Civil Affairs Bureau, to this day no one knows how to use it, or how to activate it.

It can only be left there as a sacrificial object.

It's not that no one has had ill intentions to take it away, but no matter who takes it and where they go, it will surely return to its original spot the next day.

Even if Tai Xu made a move, it could not be stopped.

At this moment.

Yu Lin stood at the gate, looking at the half-dark sky and not far away Shaoshi Mountain, and stretched:

"If Shaoshi Mountain doesn't have it either, then we'll just have to search the surrounding Seventy-two Peaks one by one."

Ning Ya was gnawing on an ear of corn in her hand; after she swallowed, she spoke:

"It's fine; anyway I've finished my business, so I have plenty of time to search with you—just treat it as sightseeing."

"Perfect, I've never been to Songshan either—let's go."

She patted Yu Lin's shoulder and headed toward Shaoshi Mountain.

Yu Lin followed her steps.

This time, instead of walking slowly, the two directly used their cultivation, taking advantage of the darkness to avoid notice and quickly arrived at the front gate of the Shaolin Temple.

Just at the moment of arrival.

Dragon Lord snorted sharply: "Hmm, that's that guy's scent!"

"Underground!"

"Underground?" Yu Lin raised his eyebrows, looking at the ground:

"Wouldn't that mean we have to move the entire Shaolin Temple?"

Dragon Lord shook his head: "No need; you go in first, and I'll tell you when to stop."

"All right." Yu Lin and Ning Ya walked into the Shaolin Temple.

But as soon as the two stepped onto the bluestone steps before the Shaolin Temple gate, a young monk hurried forward to meet them.

He wore a gray monk's robe, had a delicate appearance, and performed a salute with his palms together:

"Amitabha, benefactors, the temple is closed; please come again tomorrow."

Yu Lin directly produced his Civil Affairs Bureau ID: "We have business to get inside."

The monk took the ID and examined it carefully, his expression growing increasingly solemn.

When he lifted his head, the serenity in his eyes was replaced by gravity: "So you're from the Civil Affairs Bureau. What do you wish to investigate?"

"Just something." Yu Lin answered briefly, his gaze sweeping past Yan Li's shoulder toward the interior of the temple.

"Looking for something?" Yan Li frowned, a bad feeling rising in his heart, about to ask for details, when a middle-aged monk stepped out from inside the temple gate.

He had a solemn countenance, steady steps, and the lower hem of his monk's robe swayed slightly as he walked.

"Yan Li, these two benefactors are......" The middle-aged monk glanced over Yu Lin and Ning Ya, finally resting his eyes on the ID in Yan Li's hand.

Yan Li hastily bowed: "Greetings, Supervisor. These two are Civil Affairs Bureau staff, saying they want to enter the temple to look for something."

"Looking for something?" Supervisor Yan Hui showed the same confusion as Yan Li, clasped his hands, and bowed to the two: "Amitabha."

"I am the humble monk Yan Hui, supervisor of this temple. I don't know what you two are looking for? Recently temple affairs have been busy, so..."

Seeing him spout nonsense to refuse, Ning Ya directly spoke up:

"We'll just come in and have a look; you can assign someone to follow us."

"This has nothing to do with your abbot being taken away for investigation."

"Or could it be that you also have guilty consciences?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Yan Hui's face changed instantly, and he sternly said:

"The abbot's matter has nothing to do with us; if you two want to go in and look, just go ahead and look."

"Yan Li, you and I go do some things."

Having said that, he turned with Yan Li and hurried toward the inner courtyard, quickly disappearing from sight.

Ning Ya watched their retreating backs, curled her lip, and said: "Running that fast—looks like there really is a problem."

"What a pity, what a pity, I'm not from the Civil Affairs Bureau........."

"Alright, let's go in and take a look." Yu Lin stepped forward.

The two of them walked into the Shaolin Temple.

Dragon Lord immediately pointed ahead: "Go forward."

"Got it."

"Turn left."

"Got it."

"Go straight."

"Got it........"

"Wrong, over there."

"Got it."

"..........."

After winding around the Shaolin Temple in a maze of turns, Yu Lin and Ning Ya looked at the Great Hall ahead, tugging at the corners of their mouths.

"Dragon Lord, why are we back again?"

"Can you even do it?"

"Oh dear." Dragon Lord waved his claw.

"This isn't about finding direction, just confirm it."

"If you go inside the Great Hall now, I'm sure the guy is right under the Buddha statue!"

Yu Lin looked at the Buddha statue inside the Great Hall, scratched his head: "Does that mean we have to move the Buddha statue?"

"Of course, after moving it and digging it out we can fill it back in; just move it back, that's fine. Money now is just a number to you, Dragon Lord, and I can afford it! Move!"

"Alright."

Yu Lin nodded and immediately headed toward the interior of the Great Hall.

Listening to their conversation, Ning Ya, seeing Yu Lin truly intend to move it, stepped forward and grabbed his sleeve:

"You really want to move it? This is their territory!"

"Don't you feel several strong auras?"

Yu Lin nodded: "I feel them."

"Then why still move?"

"Move it, dig out the Nine Tripod Cauldrons, the state will back me up."

".......... You're awesome, alright, I'll help you."

Ning Ya seemed to have been waiting for that line, and directly pulled two shovels from her Backpack, laughing:

"Shovels blessed with digging traits, guaranteed fast speed!"