Chapter 33: Master Xin Ji

Zhang Yuanshan hesitated for a moment, then said with a slight smile, “Master Zhen Ding is the disciple of an old friend of my master. His nickname is ‘Buddha Blade that Cuts Karmic Obstacles.'”

“‘Buddha Blade that Cuts Karmic Obstacles’…” Lin Bieshui repeated softly, then laughed, “So Master Zhen Ding is also a disciple of a hermit beyond the mundane world.”

‘Buddha Blade that Cuts Karmic Obstacles…’ Meng Qi’s mouth twitched slightly. He wasn’t quite satisfied with the nickname Zhang Yuanshan had given him. Was he even fond of using a blade?

He smiled, picked up his teacup, took a sip of the clear tea, and retorted with a Zen saying, “All are immersed in the sea of suffering; how can one claim to be beyond the world?”

At this moment, Meng Qi felt particularly regretful about wearing tattered gray monk’s robes stained with blood, which prevented him from displaying the refined demeanor of an enlightened monk.

“Fascinating, fascinating!” Lin Bieshui laughed again, raised his cup, tilted his head back, and downed his strong wine.

“‘Buddha Blade that Cuts Karmic Obstacles’?” Inside the inn, Wei Wuji and others whispered to themselves, savoring this unfamiliar nickname. However, since it came from Master Zhang, it seemed that Master Zhen Ding was indeed extraordinary, and they realized their own lack of knowledge about events beyond the martial arts world of Heluo.

Zhang Yuanshan glanced back at Qi Zhengyan and others, who hadn’t approached, and excused himself to Lin Bieshui, “I have guests to attend to. Please forgive me, Brother Lin.”

Lin Bieshui waved his hand dismissively, “I should also return to my room to meditate and replenish my energy. The masters of Dorchad could launch a surprise attack at any moment—we must stay alert and maintain full readiness.”

After bidding farewell to Lin Bieshui, Zhang Yuanshan led Meng Qi and others toward the third floor of the inn, saying casually with a smile, “Master Zhen Ding, Master Qi, seeing your blood-stained and tattered clothes, your journey must have been arduous. However, the fact that none of you perished is truly impressive.”

“We didn’t encounter any enemies who had opened their acupoints,” Qi Zhengyan briefly explained.

“Hmm, perhaps they didn’t catch up with you in time. I’ve inquired and found out that Dorchad has four innate masters under his command: ‘Guardian of Heluo’ Guan Haoran, ‘Ever-Changing Scholar’ Kuang Chengwang, ‘White-Browed Evil Wolf’ Borhan, and ‘Heaven and Earth in Palm’ Tang Shun. You must be cautious of the remaining three.” Zhang Yuanshan stopped in front of a door and gently knocked.

“Come in,” Jiang Zhiwei’s voice, as melodious as a nightingale’s song, came from inside.

Pushing open the door, Meng Qi saw Jiang Zhiwei sitting cross-legged in meditation, her “White Rainbow Piercing the Sun” sword unsheathed and resting horizontally on her knees. Sunlight reflected off the blade, resembling a clear spring.

Meanwhile, the alluring middle-aged woman sat idly by the table, playing with her teacup.

“Little monk, you sure have had an exciting time,” Jiang Zhiwei smiled as she sheathed her sword, “I’ve been bored. I finally had an opponent, but Master Zhang stole the chance from me.”

Her mood was quite good since no one had died, and she was in a joking mood.

“Amitabha Buddha, may the Buddha show mercy. I am reluctant to take lives, but sometimes killing is necessary to protect life. Cutting karma is not cutting people. If I do not go to hell, who will?” Meng Qi improvised some lines he had heard before that sounded profound.

“Haha, you’re quite the eloquent monk. You speak so convincingly that I almost believed you,” Jiang Zhiwei said without hiding her amusement, while Zhang Yuanshan shook his head in laughter, clearly unfamiliar with such twisted logic.

Then Jiang Zhiwei pointed at the alluring woman, “This lady is Madam Ke Bijing. She has reached a minor level in cultivating qi and contributed greatly when we broke through the blockade.”

Meng Qi nodded and greeted her, then introduced Xiaozi and Xiang Hui. Finally, he asked, “What about that one? Did he die during the pursuit?”

“Wang Jin, the Great Hero, is a master who has opened his eye acupoint. After arriving at Shaolin and completing the first main task, he wasn’t very willing to stay with us juniors. Now he is moving around, seeking outside help,” Zhang Yuanshan replied calmly and peacefully.

Meng Qi was quite concerned about the main tasks, “Have you completed the first main task? What’s the second one?”

“We entered the temple last night to meet the abbot and completed the first main task, earning virtuous merit points as a reward. However, since our origins were unclear, they dared not let us stay inside the temple. Instead, they sent us down the mountain, saying they would discuss further after interrogating the traitor,” Jiang Zhiwei briefly explained yesterday’s events, “The second main task is to defend Shaolin until the very end. Completing it will earn one hundred merit points, while failure will result in a deduction.”

She paused briefly before continuing, “You don’t need to worry too much. They will definitely summon you into the temple for verification to prevent being deceived by us.”

After hearing Jiang Zhiwei’s words, Meng Qi felt reassured and asked with a grin, “Master Zhang, do you have any spare clothes for me? This outfit is really uncomfortable.”

Zhang Yuanshan chuckled, “I’ve already prepared clothes for you all. Master Zhen Ding, Master Qi, Brother Xiang Hui, come with me next door to take a bath and change clothes.”

…

After bathing and changing into fresh clothes, feeling refreshed, Meng Qi received a visit from Deguang, who informed him that Abbot Xinji would personally meet them to inquire about the breakout and the traitor.

The mountain path twisted, surrounded by lush greenery, and the more Meng Qi walked, the more familiar it seemed.

Isn’t this the same mountain path I usually take to fetch water? Meng Qi suddenly realized and turned to look at Jiang Zhiwei, Zhang Yuanshan, and Qi Zhengyan, who nodded in confirmation.

Could it be that this place is truly identical to our Shaolin, except for the people inside?

“Master Xinji is a supreme innate expert, just one step away from the ‘Immortal Sage’ realm where the inner and outer worlds merge. Do not show any disrespect,” Zhang Yuanshan suddenly explained to Meng Qi and the others without any apparent reason.

“You flatter me, Master Zhang. However, in our Buddhist tradition, this state is not referred to as ‘Immortal Sage,’ but rather as ‘Chan Realm,'” De Guang explained with a serene expression.

At that moment, Jiang Zhiwei’s familiar voice reached Meng Qi’s ears, “The layout inside the temple is also identical to Shaolin’s. Don’t be surprised. There are too many mysteries in this cycle of reincarnation.”

With Jiang Zhiwei’s reminder, Meng Qi entered the temple gate, passed through the plaza, the grand hall, and the courtyards without showing any surprise. However, his mind felt somewhat disoriented, as if he were not completing a reincarnation task but instead walking through the temple with Master Zhen Hui and others, following his usual routine of fetching water, learning characters, practicing martial arts, meditating, and chanting scriptures.

Dang!

The deep and distant sound of a bell rang out, startling Meng Qi from his daze and calming his inner anxieties and doubts.

Stepping into the Grand Hall of the Buddha, Meng Qi saw more than a dozen monks wearing yellow robes and red kasayas. At the forefront was an old monk with sparse white eyebrows, sagging skin, and a face full of wrinkles. Yet his eyes were kind and gentle, showing no sign of cloudiness.

“Several of you risked your lives to come here and report. This old monk is deeply grateful,” Master Xinji joined his palms and recited a Buddhist chant.

“The barbarians are ruthless and the common enemy of all under heaven. We have merely done our small part to protect the pure land of Buddhism,” Meng Qi was quite skilled in delivering formalities, then took out the list of traitors given by the “Lord of the Six Realms of Reincarnation” from his bosom.

Master Xinji nodded slightly, then waved his hand. The thin sheet of paper fluttered like a willow leaf in the wind and landed in his palm.

Suddenly, Meng Qi’s vision blurred, and he saw the golden Buddha statue in the center of the hall smiling with a flower in hand. Below it, the candle flames leapt and formed words.

“The list of traitors has been delivered to Shaolin. The first main task is complete, and each entrant to the temple receives a reward of fifty virtuous merit points.”

“The second main task begins: Defend Shaolin until the very end. Do not flee prematurely. Success will reward one hundred virtuous merit points, while failure will deduct one hundred.”

The sparks scattered, the words vanished, and Meng Qi felt a weight lifted from his heart. He lowered his eyes and waited quietly for Master Xinji’s questioning.

Master Xinji nodded as he read, then sighed at the end, “Faced with the temptations of the mundane world, even monks who have renounced worldly life cannot entirely escape. This time, we owe you our gratitude for risking your lives to deliver this list. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.”

“Abbot, your martial prowess is unparalleled. Even if Dorchad leads many experts in a sudden attack, he cannot breach Shaolin. We are merely adding beauty to something already beautiful,” Zhang Yuanshan replied politely.

Master Xinji shook his head, “A monk does not speak falsely. If the traitors act, the mountain paths and checkpoints will be impossible to defend, making it difficult to stop Dorchad’s army. Moreover, this old monk is nearing the time of my final passing. My martial arts skills are no longer what they once were. Dorchad is known as the top expert among the barbarians, and his attacks stir winds and clouds. This old monk truly lacks the confidence to stop him and can only sacrifice this frail body to seek an opportunity to subdue him.”

“Abbot, please don’t say such things!”

“Master, you have commanded respect across the martial world for decades and are the symbol of our Shaolin. As long as you are here, even if the mountain gate is destroyed, Shaolin will remain unshaken!”

One by one, the senior monks stepped forward to plead with him.

Master Xinji raised his right palm, silencing the clamor, “Amitabha Buddha, you are all monks who have renounced worldly life. Why can’t you see through this foul body?”

After saying this, he smiled at Meng Qi, “This old monk is quite interested in the pursuit you all experienced. May I ask you to recount it?”

Meng Qi knew this was the key to gaining trust and nodded slightly, “Please ask whatever you wish, Abbot.”

Master Xinji questioned Meng Qi, Qi Zhengyan, Xiaozhi, and Xiang Hui one by one, mainly about details.

As long as it didn’t involve their origins, Meng Qi and the others answered honestly, not changing their accounts based on each other’s words and speaking exactly what they had seen and heard.

Master Xinji’s expression remained unchanged as he patiently listened to everyone’s answers.

“Old age brings strange habits. Thank you all for satisfying this old monk’s curiosity,” Master Xinji said with a smile, then turned to instruct the attending monks, “Arrange accommodations for these lay devotees…”

Before his words had finished, from among Meng Qi and the others standing before him, a shadow darted out like a ghost, placing a palm on his chest and abdomen.

The kasaya swelled, instantly repelling the shadow, and Master Xinji spat out a mouthful of blood like iron sand, striking the figure and sending him staggering.

“Xiang Hui?” It was only at this moment that Meng Qi realized the attacker was actually his companion Xiang Hui!

“Haha, the great general asked me to convey his greetings to the abbot!” The “Xiang Hui” laughed loudly and swiftly slipped toward the hall’s exit like a wisp of smoke.

He chose the path where Madam Ke Bijing, who had lower martial arts skills, was stationed.

Pah! He swatted Madam Ke aside with a single palm strike and saw the empty doorway ahead.

Success! He thought excitedly.

Suddenly, a flash of sword light appeared, its chill piercing straight toward his forehead, forcing him to halt his steps and change direction.

Yet this sword light clung to him like a thorn in the flesh. No matter how “Xiang Hui” dodged, he could always feel a sharp pain at his forehead!

“What kind of sword technique is this?” He was both startled and fearful.

At this moment, one of the senior monks beside Master Xinji exclaimed in shock, “Ever-Changing Scholar!”

Suddenly, Meng Qi realized the truth. Xiang Hui had already been killed during the second attack and replaced by the “Ever-Changing Scholar”!

Thinking that he had been with such a terrifying enemy for an entire day, Meng Qi shivered involuntarily.

Thankfully, his target wasn’t himself!