Chapter 83: Punishment

All gazes turned instantly to Xuan Bei, some showing sudden realization, some confusion, and some frowning.

Ah? Meng Qi was shocked as he looked at his master, not understanding why he would take responsibility for a crime that had nothing to do with him. Shouldn’t his master be more surprised and curious about where he had learned the “A-nan Breaking-the-Vows Saber Technique”?

“Amitabha, what a pity,” Kong Wen softly intoned the Buddha’s name, his eyelids lowered, his expression neither joyful nor pleased, remaining calm and benevolent.

Wu Jing, as the head of the discipline hall, stared sharply at Xuan Bei: “Xuan Bei, why did you secretly teach Zhen Ding the ‘A-nan Breaking-the-Vows Saber Technique’?”

In his eyes, golden pupils seemed to form again, appearing almost divine or Buddha-like.

Xuan Bei raised his head, meeting Wu Jing’s gaze calmly. “Zhen Ding loves saber techniques, so I lent him many to study, intending to guide him later. However, one day he accidentally saw me practicing the ‘A-nan Breaking-the-Vows Saber Technique’ and became deeply enamored with it, showing great talent. I admired his talent and could not bear to delay his path in saber techniques. Considering his progress in the Golden Bell Cover, I thought it was only natural that he would open his acupoints soon. Therefore, in a moment of poor judgment, I secretly taught him the ‘A-nan Breaking-the-Vows Saber Technique.'”

Wu Jing seemed not to notice anything suspicious, and Xuan Bei’s explanation sounded reasonable. Everyone knew that Zhen Ding had broken the first four stages of the Golden Bell Cover within three months; opening his acupoints was merely a matter of time. Once he opened them, borrowing the ‘A-nan Breaking-the-Vows Saber Technique’ from the Sutra Pavilion would easily cover the secret teaching. No one could have predicted that Zhen Ding would encounter a situation requiring the use of the ‘A-nan Breaking-the-Vows Saber Technique.’ Normally, he could have stayed in the temple for another hundred years without ever needing to use his full strength.

“Is that so?” Wu Jing turned to Meng Qi.

Meng Qi’s mind raced, knowing that lying would not fool Wu Jing. In an instant, he devised a response based on his master’s words, fearlessly meeting Wu Jing’s gaze: “Master, thanks to my master’s favor, I was able to grasp the first move ‘Cutting Purity,’ which has absolutely nothing to do with Zhen Yong or Zhen Chang.”

Every word he said was true, though the meaning he intended and the meaning others understood were completely different. Meng Qi meant that without his master demonstrating the saber technique, allowing him to ponder its variations while practicing the Golden Bell Cover, he would never have grasped ‘Cutting Purity.’ However, others, having heard Xuan Bei’s admission of secretly teaching, would naturally assume he was expressing gratitude for having been taught the first move of the ‘A-nan Breaking-the-Vows Saber Technique.’

As for colluding with Zhen Yong and Zhen Chang, Meng Qi was clear in his conscience and spoke confidently.

Wu Jing nodded slightly, asking no further questions, and turned to Kong Wen: “Abbot, Xuan Bei violated the precepts by secretly teaching a supreme technique and deserves severe punishment. Zhen Ding knowingly practiced the ‘A-nan Breaking-the-Vows Saber Technique’ and should also be punished.”

“Wu Jing, as head of the discipline hall, what punishment do you think appropriate?” Kong Wen asked calmly.

Wu Jing thought for a moment. “Xuan Bei should receive one hundred strokes, copy the ‘Prajna Sutra’ one hundred times, and be forbidden from entering the Sutra Pavilion or learning other supreme techniques for five years.”

“Zhen Ding should receive twenty strokes, copy the ‘Prajna Sutra’ ten times, and be forbidden from entering the Sutra Pavilion until he opens his fourth acupoint.”

“Zhen Ding and Zhen Hui discovered Zhen Chang and Zhen Yong stealing sutras, which is a major contribution. Please let Elder Wu Si decide their reward.”

His consistent principle was that offenses must be punished and merits must be rewarded, but merits and offenses should not offset each other, to prevent people from breaking precepts under the protection of their merits.

This punishment was indeed appropriate for Meng Qi, who had secretly learned the ‘A-nan Breaking-the-Vows Saber Technique.’ He secretly breathed a sigh of relief. If the matter of the ‘Lord of the Six Realms’ were discovered, he would have no place to bury himself. And if he did not explain the matter of the ‘Lord of the Six Realms,’ he could not escape suspicion regarding Zhen Yong and Zhen Chang’s theft. Therefore, receiving twenty strokes and copying the sutra ten times was not a big deal, especially since he had the Golden Bell Cover protecting him.

A relatively heavier punishment was being forbidden from entering the Sutra Pavilion until he opened his fourth acupoint. Meng Qi had originally planned to read the predecessors’ insights on practicing the ‘A-nan Breaking-the-Vows Saber Technique’ after opening his acupoints and to choose two or three auxiliary techniques related to acupoint striking, clearing, or soul shifting. Now, it seemed, his plan would have to be postponed. But compared to exposing his secrets or being falsely accused, this was not a heavy punishment at all.

Kong Wen glanced at the other masters and elders, slowly nodding: “Amitabha, the punishment is appropriate. I have no objections. Wu Si, you decide the reward.”

Wu Si, the head of the Bodhi Hall, whose appearance was like withered wood, intoned a Buddha’s name and said: “Zhen Hui practices the ‘Flower-Picking Finger’ and cannot focus on other supreme techniques, so he will be rewarded with a ‘Deliverance Bead’ string, which can calm the mind, enlighten the spirit, and protect the body with Buddha’s light. Zhen Ding is forbidden from entering the Sutra Pavilion until he opens his fourth acupoint, so he will be rewarded with the opportunity to choose one technique or skill-based supreme art.”

Some of the “Outer Fifty-Four” supreme arts belonged to techniques and skills, without divisions like Qi-storing or Acupoint-opening sections, just like the ‘A-nan Breaking-the-Vows Saber Technique,’ which had five moves, each at the Outer Scenery level, and could be practiced even at the Qi-storing stage. However, this would only allow a superficial grasp, with little power. Those like Meng Qi who grasped the true meaning of a move were extremely rare.

Of course, some technique-based supreme arts had high requirements and could only be practiced after reaching the Acupoint-opening or even the Outer Scenery level.

When Meng Qi first heard that Zhen Hui was rewarded with a clearly superior ‘Deliverance Bead,’ he felt uneasy. If Elder Wu Si rewarded him with a superior-level戒刀, wouldn’t it make his exchange of the ‘Red Sun Subduing Evil Saber’ meaningless? Fortunately, Wu Si’s later words eased his concerns, and he began to struggle, wondering whether to choose an acupoint-striking or soul-shifting technique.

As for soul-shifting or mind-influencing techniques, he already had the ‘Shape-Shifting Art,’ so there was no need to repeat it if he could only choose one.

After thinking for a while, Meng Qi suddenly smiled bitterly to himself: “I don’t even know what the ‘Outer Fifty-Four’ exactly includes. Why am I worrying so much now?”

“If there’s a soul-shifting technique, I’ll choose that!”

“Amitabha, I have no objection,” Wu Jing agreed with Elder Wu Si’s reward decision.

Since the head of the discipline hall, responsible for rewards and punishments, had no objections, the other elders and masters naturally did not oppose, nodding in agreement one after another.

Thus, Wu Jing addressed Xuan Bei and Meng Qi: “Xuan Bei, Zhen Ding, the punishment for secretly transmitting supreme techniques must be carried out before the Abbot; neither I nor Xuan Kong will hold back.”

Inside the Grand Hall of the Buddha, only Xuan Bei and Xuan Kong, two monks from the discipline hall, were present.

“Disciple willingly accepts the punishment,” Xuan Bei said, removing his robe and kneeling properly.

Meng Qi followed his example, kneeling down and exposing his back, sitting upright.

Wu Jing raised his hand, and before him, tiny specks of glazed light emerged, coalescing into a translucent, ethereal Buddhist staff. He then struck Xuan Bei’s back with it.

Dang!

After the strike, a sound like evening drums and morning bells echoed. Xuan Bei did not resist, and a mark immediately appeared on his back.

Though his expression remained solemn and self-reproachful, showing no pain, his face turned paler, clearly indicating that Wu Jing had not held back.

Xuan Kong went outside to borrow a copper rod, walked behind Meng Qi, and struck him hard.

During the punishment, Meng Qi could not use the Golden Bell Cover, so he could only endure it. His skin turned slightly dark gold, and intense pain shot straight to his head.

Stroke after stroke, Meng Qi’s back bore numerous blood marks. Without the automatic protective ability of the Golden Bell Cover, his flesh would have been torn, and his internal organs injured.

Yet, he kept his back straight, showing no sign of weakness in his heart.

What was this pain compared to being pierced by crossbow bolts, stabbed repeatedly by Cui Xu’s sword, or having his chest sliced open by a long blade?

Stroke after stroke, twenty strokes quickly ended. Meng Qi dressed himself, slowly stood up, and looked at his still-punished master, filled with gratitude.

This time, thanks to his master’s full responsibility, the consequences were avoided.

But why was he so kind to us, willing to take on such an unexpected blame?

Wait, how should I privately explain the ‘A-nan Breaking-the-Vows Saber Technique’ to him…

Caught in complex emotions, Xuan Bei also completed his punishment. Kong Wen allowed him to take Meng Qi and Zhen Hui back to their courtyard to rest.

Under the bright moonlit night and the slightly chilly autumn air, Meng Qi kept pondering how to explain things to his master on the way back.

Suddenly, Xuan Bei ahead spoke softly: “Zhen Ding, the past is past; there’s no need to dwell on it.”

“Master?” Meng Qi looked at him in confusion.

Xuan Bei walked ahead without turning back: “No matter how you learned the ‘A-nan Breaking-the-Vows Saber Technique,’ it’s over now. I won’t ask you about it. Just remember to abide by the precepts in the future.”

“However, using the incident of Zhen Yong and Zhen Chang as a lesson, I must remind you not to give in to greed. Once greed arises, it easily leads to an endless sea of suffering.”

“I can save you once, but not for your entire life.”

“Yes, Master,” Meng Qi replied, his vision slightly blurred. Regardless of what his master imagined or his own lingering doubts, at this moment, he was deeply moved.

…

Inside the Grand Hall of the Buddha.

“Wu Si, how should we handle the matter of the Vajra Temple this time?” Abbot Kong Wen casually asked Wu Si, the head of the Bodhi Hall.

Wu Si hesitated slightly before replying: “Abbot, our Shaolin sect has always acted openly and uprightly, and this matter should be no exception. First, we should send monks to various sects and families to explain the situation publicly. Second, we should send an elder to the Vajra Temple to question them and see how they respond before deciding whether to subdue demons and protect the Dharma or show compassion.”

“Unfortunately, I wasn’t there when Zhen Yong and Zhen Chang died; otherwise, I could have questioned their remaining souls to make the evidence irrefutable,” Wu Jing, the head of the discipline hall, slightly regretfully said. “However, the traces of the Vajra Temple’s martial arts remain in Zhen Yong’s meridians, acupoints, and body, so they cannot deny it.”

Abbot Kong Wen chuckled: “They might claim we deliberately fabricated evidence or killed Vajra Temple disciples to impersonate Shaolin traitors, but Wu Si’s response is excellent. We’ll proceed as he suggested.”

“Abbot, who should we send to the Vajra Temple?” Wu Ding, the head of the miscellaneous affairs hall, asked, as assigning monk tasks was his responsibility.

Abbot Kong Wen hesitated slightly: “Let him go.”

…

“The Self-Sacrifice Formula,” Meng Qi finally chose this supreme art after carefully selecting among the “Ananda Finger” and other techniques in the third and fourth floors of the Sutra Pavilion.

It was similar to the Soul-Shifting Art, one of the seventy-two supreme arts. Using it would burn one’s blood and essence, temporarily restoring and increasing power by thirty percent, and concentrating all power into a single strike, creating a terrifying effect to subdue demons with one’s body.

Afterward, however, the user would either suffer a serious illness and lose some martial prowess, or suffer severed meridians and become practically a cripple.

Of course, with the “Lord of the Six Realms” or other teammates with exceptional medical skills, these were not serious issues!

After copying the “Self-Sacrifice Formula,” Meng Qi happily returned to Master Xuan Bei’s courtyard without any pressure. As he stepped into the courtyard, he saw Xuan Bei waiting there.

“Zhen Ding, pack your things,” Xuan Bei ordered.

“What?” Meng Qi was puzzled.

Xuan Bei nodded slightly: “The Abbot has assigned me to question the Vajra Temple about the stolen sutras, and since you and Zhen Hui are important witnesses, you are to accompany me.”

Meng Qi was both surprised and delighted. Was he finally leaving the temple?

[End of Volume One]

Volume Two: Endless Sands Stretching into the Yellow Sky