Chapter 1011

"Cease harming my godfather, you treacherous old fool—give your life!"

At the critical moment, Duan Tianya suddenly charged in.

Though the memories of escaping You Dongying back then were already somewhat unclear,

General Chilaowen's many evil deeds had long been etched deeply into Duan Tianya's mind.

Especially General Chilaowen's threat against Liusheng Xueji—that left an especially fresh memory in Duan Tianya's mind.

Yet now General Chilaowen had once again grievously wounded Zhu Tie Dan, and was even preparing to kill Zhu Wushi.

Though Duan Tianya did not know why Zhu Wushi had lost to this old man, he still struck out fearlessly.

"Ah! It's you?"

Before General Chilaowen's second palm could be unleashed, he spotted Duan Tianya from afar—shocked, enraged, and fearful all at once.

That battle back then had also left a deep impression on him.

Suddenly General Chilaowen recalled that within his body there still remained a wisp of that strange power.

If Duan Tianya once again went all out and unleashed this power,

with injury upon injury, he feared he would truly lose to Duan Tianya again.

Troubled and uncertain in his heart, he had no time to finish Zhu Wushi off, and simply turned and fled.

"You villain, don't think of running!"

Watching him flee, with old and new grievances tangled together, how could Duan Tianya bear it—he swiftly gave chase.

One ahead, one behind, in the blink of an eye the two had vanished from sight.

Watching Duan Tianya and the barbarian expert gradually retreat into the distance,

though Zhu Wushi was gravely wounded, he still let out a breath of relief.

After this wretched affair, he finally understood that there is always a heaven beyond the heavens, and a man beyond the man.

He had thought that by scheming to eliminate the Invincible Brat Gu Santong, he himself would stand unrivaled under heaven.

Yet this sudden barbarian expert truly possessed a strength that chilled the heart.

Judging merely by Duan Tianya's bearing, expression, and words just now,

this barbarian expert that Zhu Wushi did not recognize was someone Duan Tianya knew, and the rift between the two ran deep.

The strangest part was that this barbarian expert had clearly grievously wounded him in just a few moves,

so why, facing Duan Tianya, did he flee?

Clearly Duan Tianya's strength, though not bad, was in truth far inferior to his own!

The many doubts within this matter, even with Zhu Wushi's intellect, he could not for the moment see through or grasp.

Added to that, with grave wounds on his body, the moment he tried to think, his mind grew wearier and his body more exhausted.

"Amitabha. So the Zhuge Shenhou was here—who has wounded you so gravely?"

Just as Zhu Wushi was deep in thought, a monk suddenly appeared at his side.

Zhu Wushi was greatly shaken—this monk had come right up beside him without his noticing in the slightest.

If this monk had harbored ill intent, how could he still be alive?

Raising his head to look, he saw that the newcomer was none other than Master Liaofan of Yunzhou Shaolin, and he could not help but breathe a sigh of relief.

"Master, I was careless today; the ins and outs of this matter cannot be explained in a few words."

Finishing these words stirred his injuries.

So much so that Zhu Wushi immediately coughed twice, and then coughed up a mouthful of bright red fresh blood.

Seeing this shocking sight of blood, Liaofan's expression changed drastically at once.

He placed a palm on Zhu Wushi's back, channeling in a stream of true essence to help Zhu Wushi regulate his disordered meridians.

At the same time, with a kind and benevolent look, he said,

"The Zhuge Shenhou is gravely wounded indeed; it is best to speak less.

Here is what I propose: our Shaolin's Heart Chan Hall is the place where generations of Gao Seng with profound cultivation go to retreat and train.

Today the Zhuge Shenhou is wounded so severely—without the elders of Heart Chan Hall joining hands to act, swift recovery will be hard to achieve.

If the Zhuge Shenhou is willing, this poor monk will take you to Heart Chan Hall—what say you?"

Beneath Zhu Wushi, the Shanzhuang's secret agents were countless, and the Number One Estate under Heaven had gathered talents from all quarters.

Therefore his intelligence truly reigned supreme under heaven.

Though Shaolin Temple's Heart Chan Hall was not renowned in the jianghu,

Zhu Wushi also vaguely knew that this unassuming Chan hall was in truth one of Shaolin's core secrets.

Today, hearing Liaofan speak of it himself, he finally learned that Heart Chan Hall was the dwelling where generations of Shaolin Gao Seng elders retreated to cultivate.

By that reckoning, Shaolin's experts must be considerable in number.

Moreover, Liaofan was being quite accommodating this time, actually willing to have the Shaolin elders of Heart Chan Hall join hands to treat his wounds.

Considering that Liaofan had always held him in awe and reverence, that Shaolin was a Mingmenzheng Sect, and that he himself was the Iron-Bold Zhuge Shenhou whose fame shook the court and the realm,

for Liaofan to speak thus was most likely meant to curry favor.

"If so, Wushi thanks the Master."

Being able to recover swiftly was indeed what Zhu Wushi wished for in his heart; at once, forcing himself to endure the pain throughout his body, he actually referred to himself as Wushi in offering thanks.

"Amitabha. This is what Shaolin ought to do, and it is Shaolin's honor as well."

Having gained Zhu Wushi's consent, Liaofan broke into a smile, and with a casual flick released a stream of true essence, gently lifting Zhu Wushi up.

Then he drifted away, taking Zhu Wushi with him, turning back toward the direction of Yunzhou Shaolin.

Perhaps out of consideration for Zhu Wushi's grave wounds, the way Liaofan released his true essence outward was both full and gentle.

So much so that even though Zhu Wushi was in pain all over, wrapped in this true essence that was firm yet carried a gentle force, he still felt a measure of comfort.

All along the way, he could not tell whether it was comfort or exhaustion.

Zhu Wushi actually gradually closed his eyes, quietly circulating his art, preparing to regulate his breathing for a while.

After a while, Liaofan gently set Zhu Wushi down and whispered in his ear,

"Marquis, we've arrived. Please!"

As he spoke, a creaking of wooden doors sounded, and the moment Zhu Wushi opened his eyes, he saw an austere, ancient meditation hall already opening its great doors to him.

Zhu Wushi nodded inwardly. Though this meditation hall looked far smaller than Damo Hall, and lacked its resplendent grandeur.

Yet within that austere stillness, there lurked a faint trace of Buddhist principle and Dao resonance — worthy indeed of the place where Yunzhou Shaolin's Gao Seng elders cultivated in seclusion.

With Liaofan's careful, attentive service, Zhu Wushi entered this meditation hall.

Then Liaofan once more gently placed him upon a meditation cushion, and turning toward the dark, shadowy inner hall, said,

"This is the present Imperial Uncle, the brilliant and peerless hero of the Wu Lin, the Iron-Blooded Zhuge Shenhou Zhu Wushi.

For long past, the Zhuge Shenhou has been the leader of the righteous path, the very Nie Renwang of the Wu Lin.

Today, struck by misfortune and wounded by a treacherous villain — truly a calamity for the Wu Lin.

I, Liaofan, am unworthy, yet I implore you, my martial uncles and martial uncles, to lend a hand and save him.

First, to uphold the name of Yunzhou Shaolin's mercy; second, to bring blessing to the Wu Lin, to the court, and to all fellow travelers and common folk under heaven."

These words gave Zhu Wushi considerable pleasure.

Liaofan had actually praised him to his face before the Gao Seng elders of the Heart Meditation Hall.

It made Zhu Wushi secretly wonder whether he had been too harsh on Liaofan before.

Suddenly he thought again of how Liaofan had addressed the Gao Seng elders of the Heart Meditation Hall.

Martial uncles?

These Yunzhou Shaolin Gao Seng living in seclusion here — were they actually Liaofan's elders?

Liaofan was already the honored Abbot of Yunzhou Shaolin, one of the three renowned Divine Monks under heaven.

Were these elders of the Heart Meditation Hall not then cultivators of even more terrifying attainments?

Between them and that barbarian expert just now — which was stronger, which weaker?

The more Zhu Wushi thought, the more alarmed he became, feeling he had been rather like the frog at the bottom of the well.

He had assumed that relying on the Shanzhuang's secret agents, he could gather all the intelligence under heaven into his own hands.

He had never imagined that even Yunzhou Shaolin Temple, right here before his eyes, he had never fully fathomed!

"Amitabha! So it is the Zhuge Shenhou who has arrived.

Nephew Liaofan, since the Zhuge Shenhou is of such importance, we shall naturally do our utmost — there is no need for such humility."