"Puzhu Heshang," Fang Pingzhai stared intently at the bronze plaque for a long while before suddenly declaring, "I withdraw from the competition." He had been the most fervent contender for the position of Shaolin's abbot, yet now he was giving up just like that? Could it be that Wan Yu Yuedan's unfathomable strike had frightened him? The crowd fixed their gaze on his face, only to find it solemn, devoid of the earlier ease and leisure. Despite the multitude watching, his eyes remained locked on the bronze plaque, as though he had discerned something profound from it. Liu Yan's pupils contracted—the earlier swaying of the plaque was clearly not due to Wan Yu Yuedan's profound Internal Force. Even the members of Azure Fall Palace appeared surprised, indicating this was no prearranged scheme. Yet Wan Yu Yuedan remained composed, as if everything had gone exactly as he anticipated. What was happening?
Fang Pingzhai slowly retreated to his original position, his red fan no longer swaying. Yu Tuan'er tugged at his sleeve. "What's wrong? Why are you withdrawing?" Fang Pingzhai glared at the plaque. "This... because—" Just then, a crisp clink sounded as the copper coin in Dacheng Chanshi's hand fell to the ground once more. Unaffected by Fang Pingzhai's withdrawal, Puzhu Shangshi flicked his fingers with a "flower-picking" motion, sending the bronze plaque flying upward. Just as it was about to sway, it abruptly halted mid-air, motionless. Silence enveloped the scene as everyone gaped at this bizarre spectacle. The Shaolin monks rose to their feet in unison, chanting, "Amitabha, this..."
It was evident someone was secretly aiding Wan Yu Yuedan, clearly interfering with the proceedings! Wan Yu Yuedan stepped forward, his robes fluttering, and declared in a clear voice, "This round is my victory. If Shaolin honors its word, then from this moment, I am the abbot of Shaolin!" He turned toward the Vairocana Buddha statue in the Thousand Buddha Hall. "Whoever is to receive my three kowtows, step forward! With such peerless skill to manipulate the plaque from three zhang away, why hide in the shadows? Show yourself!"
All eyes turned toward the back of the Vairocana statue, where a shadowy figure slowly emerged from behind, gliding sideways like an extension of the statue itself. The figure wore a human-skin mask deliberately crafted to resemble the Vairocana Buddha, clad entirely in black martial attire, exuding an eerie and grotesque aura. "Hahaha..." The figure let out a low, distorted laugh, as though their throat had once been severed and clumsily reattached. "I only intended to receive three kowtows from Shaolin's abbot, but to trample the Azure Fall Palace Lord underfoot as well—what a delight..."
The Shaolin monks were visibly agitated. San Jie, the young novice, angrily demanded, "Who are you? Why lurk behind the Vairocana Buddha? Skulking like a ghost—" Dacheng Chanshi cut him off with a chant. "Shaolin is ashamed to have failed in detecting your presence, dishonoring our predecessors. A grave sin, indeed." Puzhu Shangshi fixed his gaze on the black-clad figure. "Who are you?""Me?" The man gave a sinister laugh, his Pīlú Buddha mask shifting with the motion, making the smile appear utterly eerie. "I'm just someone who despises Shaolin Temple and loathes the Martial Arts World." His grotesque head turned toward Fang Pingzhai. "Sixth Brother, it's been a long time. You're still as clever as ever. If you were to act, I certainly wouldn't stop you." Fang Pingzhai sighed. "I understand that compared to watching Wan Yu Yuedan kowtow, you'd much prefer seeing me do it. So—rest assured, I'll give up immediately. But after all these years apart, your fondness for watching people kowtow hasn't changed a bit. It's not that Sixth Brother always enjoys being the alarmist or pouring cold water on your plans. Life may demand following one's heart, but excessive willfulness, reckless actions, and wild fantasies will eventually lead to ruin."
"Oh?" The black-clad man wasn't angered, replying in a chilling tone, "Coming from you, such words are utterly unworthy." His gaze shifted to Wan Yu Yuedan. "Kowtow. After you kowtow, compose a poem for me within seven steps. Otherwise—" he said icily, "I'll kill you with one strike!"
"Kowtowing is acceptable," Wan Yu Yuedan stepped forward slowly, "but may I ask the esteemed one to disclose Liu Yan's whereabouts?"
The black-clad man threw his head back and laughed. "Hahahaha..."
Liu Yan remained seated calmly among the crowd. His mind wasn't occupied with whether this black-clad man truly knew his whereabouts, nor why Fang Pingzhai was this strange man's "Sixth Brother." His thoughts were blank, devoid of any contemplation. Occasionally, the fleeting images of Wan Yu Yuedan and Tang Lici crossed his mind. A-Li had possessed many things since childhood, yet what he truly desired had always eluded him.
That was his retribution.
As Liu Yan observed the bizarre and unpredictable situation unfolding in the Martial Arts World, his thoughts wandered to matters entirely unrelated.
"I'm not a petty man who nitpicks over trivialities. One month from now, Liu Yan will appear at the Beauty Abode in Jiaoyu Town. Anyone in the Martial Arts World seeking to settle scores with him will surely find him there. However—" the black-clad man said ominously, "his legs have already been crippled, his face ruined, and his martial arts dissipated. He is now completely useless. If anyone hoped to admire the dashing beauty of the once-charming gentleman, it's too late—you'll never see it again." The crowd gasped in shock. Liu Yan, with his peerless martial arts and unparalleled grace, had been reduced to a cripple! The gentle creases at the corners of Wan Yu Yuedan's eyes softened slightly. "How does the esteemed one know of his whereabouts?" The black-clad man laughed heartily. "Is there anyone in this Martial Arts World I don't know about? Kowtow now!"
Wan Yu Yuedan flicked his sleeve. The crowd assumed he was about to kneel, but instead, they heard his gentle voice say, "Tie Jing, bring Yingying here." Tie Jing stood up and soon returned from outside with a child of about five or six. Everyone stared at the little one, whose head was shaved clean, dressed in monk's robes, with rosy cheeks and an adorable face. The child's round eyes darted around curiously, clearly understanding nothing. Upon seeing Wan Yu Yuedan, the toddler wobbled over to clutch his sleeve, clinging to him with deep affection.
Who was this little child?"Yingying, come here," Wan Yu Yuedan gently took the little one's hand and spoke softly, "Be good." A tender, benevolent smile spread across his face. "How about I pass the position of Shaolin Temple's abbot to you now?" The crowd was both shocked and amused—how could the esteemed position of Shaolin's abbot be treated so frivolously? Yet, the little child obediently replied, "Okay."
Wan Yu Yuedan then led him to kneel before the Vairocana Buddha, where they knocked their heads several times in reverence. Afterward, he pointed toward the black-clad man and said, "Yingying, be good. Kowtow three times to this strange uncle."
The little one timidly glanced at the oddly dressed man in black before obediently kneeling and knocking his head three times. Wan Yu Yuedan patted his head and said, "Now recite a poem for this strange uncle." Clutching tightly to Wan Yu Yuedan's sleeve, Yingying recited in a childish voice, "Goose, goose, goose, bending its neck to sing to the sky. White feathers float on green water, red feet paddle clear waves." Wan Yu Yuedan smiled. "Very good."
Silence filled the Thousand Buddha Hall—until Fang Pingzhai suddenly burst into laughter, waving his red fan in unrestrained delight. "Hahaha... Absolutely marvelous, utterly marvelous!" His laughter ignited a wave of mirth among the crowd, leaving them both astonished and amused. The little abbot's poem was truly an eye-opener, leaving them torn between laughter and disbelief. Yu Tuan'er clung to Liu Yan's sleeve, laughing so hard she nearly collapsed. "The little abbot of Shaolin Temple..." Liu Yan's drifting consciousness was slowly pulled back by the uproarious laughter, and unconsciously, the corners of his lips twitched upward.
The black-clad man stared at Wan Yu Yuedan, as if unable to believe he would do such a thing. After a long pause, he too erupted into laughter. "Azure Fall Palace Lord, what an Azure Fall Palace Lord you are! One month from now, at the Beauty Abode in Jiaoyu Town, I await another lesson from the Palace Lord!" With a flick of his sleeve, he strode out of the Thousand Buddha Hall under the gaze of all, his robes billowing with dust, and no one dared to stop him.Liu Yan blinked, his mind suddenly clearing at this moment. A month later at the Beauty Abode in Jiaoyu Town—how could this person be certain he would definitely go there in a month? How did they know his whereabouts? Unless—his gaze turned toward Fang Pingzhai, who gave a hearty laugh while waving his red fan. Liu Yan murmured, "You..." Fang Pingzhai replied, "I've always known. Master, you—have never been one skilled in schemes. Wandering the martial world like this is very dangerous; you could be deceived at any moment. Fortunately, your disciple currently has no intention of harming you, otherwise..." He sighed, resting the fan against his forehead. "If I sold you out, you'd genuinely count the money for me." Yu Tuan'er stepped in front of Liu Yan and asked in a low voice, "Hey! What do you mean by that? What do you know?" Fang Pingzhai smiled broadly, tapping Yu Tuan'er's head with his red fan. "My dear master is a great villain loathed by the entire martial world, especially by respectable women who wish to devour him alive—didn’t you know?" Yu Tuan'er frowned. "I know he’s a villain, so what?" Fang Pingzhai lowered his voice, whispering in her ear, "You’ve been traveling the martial world for days now. Haven’t you heard everyone is searching for a strikingly handsome, highly skilled martial artist, infamous for his Sound assassination techniques? Even if you were deaf and missed the rumors, didn’t you see how Wan Yu Yuedan risked three kowtows just to become the abbot of Shaolin? What do you think that was for?"
Yu Tuan'er whispered back, "It was for Liu Yan, right? Were you just talking about Liu Yan?" Fang Pingzhai tapped her head again with his fan. "Silly girl! I’m saying my dear master—your beloved—is none other than the infamous villain and libertine Liu Yan, whom the martial world is desperate to kill." Yu Tuan'er murmured, "Oh!" She didn’t seem particularly concerned about Liu Yan’s identity but added, "So you knew who he was all along. Why didn’t you expose him?" Fang Pingzhai whispered, "Well... there are many, many reasons for that." Yu Tuan'er glared. "You just want to learn Sound assassination! You’re a villain too! That strange uncle earlier said he knew Liu Yan’s whereabouts—you must’ve told him! You’re just as bad!" Fang Pingzhai shook his head repeatedly. "Wronged! I swear I’ve never revealed Master’s location to anyone. I’ve been with you all this time—when would I have had the chance to contact outsiders? If he knows Liu Yan’s whereabouts, it must be because he had someone follow me and incidentally got news of Master." Yu Tuan'er eyed him. "Who was that strange uncle? Why did he call you 'Sixth Brother'?" Fang Pingzhai sighed. "He—his name is Gui Mudan. Even after ten years as sworn brothers, I still don’t know his real name." Yu Tuan'er muttered, "You’re so stupid!" Fang Pingzhai nodded. "Yes, yes, I’m stupid—hopelessly so." Yu Tuan'er said, "Hey! Don’t let Liu Yan go to that Beauty Abode in Jiaoyu Town a month from now. Let’s go somewhere else and ignore whatever your weird brother is planning." Fang Pingzhai gave a bitter smile and sighed leisurely. "I’ll try, but—" Liu Yan suddenly spoke calmly, "I’ll go." Yu Tuan'er glared at him. "If you don’t listen to me, I’ll hit you!"While the three of them whispered among themselves, Wan Yu Yuedan took Yingying's hand and said gently, "Yingying, be a good girl and pass the position of abbot to this monk brother, okay?" Yingying looked up at Puzhu Shangshi, with his long black hair and dark robes, and timidly replied, "Okay." Puzhu Shangshi's face stiffened, while the monks of Shaolin Temple exchanged bewildered glances. Yingying reached out to take Puzhu Shangshi's hand, wobbling slightly as she tried to pull him down to kneel before the Buddha statue, but Puzhu Shangshi remained unmoving.
Wan Yu Yuedan spoke softly again, "Puzhu Shangshi, surely you don’t intend for Shaolin Temple to truly honor this child as abbot? I have offended Shaolin and am willing to accept punishment, but I implore you not to refuse the position of abbot. This is the will of all, and it cannot be otherwise." Puzhu Shangshi's face turned deathly pale, yet he still stood motionless.
Suddenly, Dacheng Chanshi pressed his palms together and said, "Amitabha, Nephew Puzhu, personal reputation is inseparable from the lineage of Shaolin Temple. Which is more important?" As soon as these words were spoken, the monks of Shaolin Temple chanted in unison. Puzhu Shangshi trembled slightly and finally allowed Yingying to lead him down in prostration.
This unbelievable Abbot Assembly ended in a result that was, after all, expected.
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