On the mountain path leading up to Shaolin, the green trees that provided shade during the day now appeared eerie and foreboding in the night. The mountain winds howled, lifting the skirts of Ning Wanjun and Xiao Cui as they walked.
"Miss, why did you leave Tie Niu behind? He's so clumsy, can he really get anything done? Wouldn't it be better to send someone reliable from the headquarters?" Xiao Cui asked in confusion.
Ning Wanjun had removed her veil, her stunningly beautiful face not clearly visible in the dim light. She glanced back at Xiao Cui and replied, "You don't understand. Tie Niu is clumsy, but precisely because of that, it will be easier for him to gain the abbot's trust. If we sent someone clever from the headquarters, it would only raise suspicion and possibly cause trouble."
"Clever people cause trouble? Why?" Xiao Cui was puzzled.
"You underestimate the abbot. This person is deep and unpredictable. When I was in the Buddhist tower, I removed my veil, but he didn't even show the slightest emotional reaction. He doesn't care about my identity. I couldn't discern his martial skills either. On the surface, he seems unremarkable, but his roar outside the mountain gate was clearly a high-level Lion's Roar, a Buddhist technique that he controlled with such finesse. This shows that he is highly skilled. He appears to be a monk who doesn't care about worldly things, but if we sent someone too clever, he might become suspicious, and once he's on guard, it wouldn't matter who I send."
"He's that powerful, but then wouldn't Tie Niu be of no use there?"
"No, as long as that... indeed, if he stays on Shaolin's royal mountain, Tie Niu will eventually notice. Besides, there's also Da Huang. Da Huang's ability to find things is far superior to any human's."
Xiao Cui nodded. "You really think of everything, Miss. You outdo me by a thousand miles."
"Stop talking nonsense. It's late, let's hurry."
Ning Wanjun glanced back at the Shaolin Temple in the darkness, then she and Xiao Cui leapt into the air, landing on the treetops. They lightly stepped on the branches like ethereal beings, disappearing into the night.
After seeing Ning Wanjun off, Huo Yuan really felt a sense of wariness in his heart.
However, Huo Yuan also sensed that while Ning Wanjun had her own motives, she did not harbor ill intentions.
He still wasn't sure of her ultimate goal, so he could only remain cautious.
That night, due to Tie Niu's large size, the small temple could not accommodate him. He was instead placed in an unfinished room for the night.
The tiger, which had not followed Ning Wanjun and the others, had entered the mountain forest.
The next morning, Huo Yuan and Yi Kong continued recruiting lay disciples, while Tie Niu was placed among the registrants to undergo the examination. Only those who passed would be accepted into Shaolin.
Around one hundred people came to apply, and Tie Niu's over-two-meter-tall frame stood out in the crowd.
After the endurance test the day before, word had spread that today's applicants, as long as they passed the physical examination, would perform well in the endurance challenge.
After being examined by several monks, more than twenty people passed.
Among them was Tie Niu, and surprisingly, Huang Feihong had come to Shaolin today, hoping to become a lay disciple.
The twenty or so people who passed would undergo Huo Yuan's final test. If they passed the test of conduct, they would officially become lay disciples of Shaolin.
Huo Yuan was wearing a new gray monk robe, the only new one he had at the moment.
He had planned this well: after the recruitment of lay disciples was complete, he would immediately begin changing the Shaolin uniform. The robes were either gray or dull yellow, looking terribly unattractive. Becoming a monk already meant having a bald head, and wearing such shabby robes didn't suit his future status as the leader of the martial world's largest sect.
The final assessment took place in the Ten Thousand Buddha Pagoda. Huo Yuan set up a table at the entrance of the pagoda, while the candidates stood at the foot of the stairs for the moral examination.
When all twenty-odd candidates had gathered, Huo Yuan announced, "The final assessment will begin in half an hour. During this time, you may move freely, but you are not allowed to leave the fourth area. Stay within this range, and come back to gather here in half an hour."
The applicants, who were initially nervous about failing, relaxed after hearing the announcement. Most of them were locals who knew each other, so they grouped together and casually wandered around the fourth area.
Meanwhile, Huo Yuan sat in the pagoda, silently practicing his Pure Boy Skill.
In the fourth area, Huo Yuan had secretly placed one hundred copper coins in various corners and hidden spots, while Huang Feihong, acting as his insider, quietly monitored the candidates' behavior after they found the coins.
Huang Feihong had already been selected as a lay disciple, had helped Shaolin repel enemies, and had a good reputation. As a local from Dengfeng, he was the perfect person to keep an eye on things.
While the others wandered around, Tie Niu stood motionless at the foot of the stairs, looking like a giant iron tower.
Huo Yuan was curious and asked, "Tie Niu, why don't you go for a walk? It's not yet time."
"I want to protect the abbot," Tie Niu answered in a low, rumbling voice.
"Oh, protect me? Do you think I can't protect myself?" Huo Yuan asked, pretending to be deep.
Tie Niu thought for a moment. "You seem to have some skill, but I still want to protect you. This is Miss' orders."
Yesterday, Huo Yuan had used his Lion's Roar in front of Tie Niu. Though he had held back, anyone else would have been completely overwhelmed. Tie Niu's face had changed color, and he had taken a step back, but he didn't appear seriously hurt. Huo Yuan knew that Tie Niu had been affected, but his body was extraordinarily strong, which was why he seemed fine.
Recalling the scene from yesterday, Huo Yuan leaned forward, opened his mouth, and as though preparing to shout.
Sure enough, Tie Niu's face changed color, and he instinctively took a step back, showing a hint of fear.
Tie Niu was a rare talent, capable of fighting tigers and leopards with his bare hands, and had never known fear. However, Huo Yuan's sudden roar had unnerved him, making his mind swirl and his head dizzy. Although he hadn't been prepared, this unknown ability caused him fear, which was natural.
Huo Yuan was satisfied with Tie Niu's response. He leaned back in his chair, his expression implying that he had let Tie Niu off easy.
Tie Niu let out a breath of relief, but he was even more confused about Huo Yuan's abilities.
Little did he know that Huo Yuan was also pretending to be grand. Besides the loud shout, Huo Yuan had no other special abilities.
Soon, half an hour passed. During this time, Huang Feihong secretly returned several times, reporting on how the candidates had behaved after finding the copper coins.
The time came, and everyone gathered again for the final test.
"The recruitment of Shaolin lay disciples is now complete," Huo Yuan's first words were like a thunderclap, leaving most people dumbfounded, while only a few looked pleased.
"Abbot, it hasn't even started yet! How could it be over?"
Someone voiced their doubt.
Huo Yuan stood up from behind the table and walked to the top of the pagoda stairs, looking down at everyone. "Shaolin is a Buddhist sect. When we choose disciples, we first value a person's heart. As I said before, this final test is a test of character. The half-hour of rest was actually the test."
Many people suddenly realized, their faces turning red with embarrassment, as they understood that the discovery of the copper coins had been arranged by the abbot himself.
Sure enough, Huo Yuan continued, "I placed 120 copper coins in this fourth area. During your rest, each of you found some of these coins, either alone or with others. But your reactions were not the same."
Huo Yuan took out a list. "Here are all your names, but only three of you passed the test."
He read out the names, "Huang Feihong, passed! Tie Niu, passed! Su Xiaozu, passed!"
After finishing, Huo Yuan added, "Returning lost money is a virtuous act. Those who lose money will be anxious, and returning it alleviates their distress—it is an act of kindness. Don't think that picking up a copper coin is a small thing. Do not underestimate small acts of kindness, for they accumulate into great merit. Think about it, and go home."
Those who didn't hear their names could say nothing. They shamefully placed the copper coins they had found on the ground and then respectfully bowed to Huo Yuan before leaving the mountain.
Looking at the remaining four people, Huo Yuan said, "You three are now officially lay disciples of Shaolin. Come with me to pay respects to the ancestors, and you will be officially inducted into Shaolin."
Huang Feihong, who had already been pre-selected, stood there grinning broadly.
Su Xiaozu was a ragged young beggar, probably around fifteen or sixteen years old. He had registered simply as Su Xiaozu.
Huo Yuan looked at Su Xiaozu and asked, "Is your name really Su Xiaozu?"
"Answering the abbot, my surname is Su. But when I was young, my parents passed away. I grew up begging, and no one ever gave me a name. Everyone just called me Su Xiaozu."
Huo Yuan nodded. "As a beggar, you still didn't take the copper coins for yourself. You are a good person. I'll give you a lay name today: Su Can."
When Su Can heard that he had a name, he was overcome with emotion and immediately kneeled down, offering several bows to Huo Yuan. "Thank you, Abbot! I have a name now! Thank you, Abbot!"
Su Can! Su Huazi!
Huo Yuan's thoughts turned, but his expression remained unchanged as he allowed Su Can to continue bowing before helping him up, preparing to lead the group to the back mountain.
There, the tomb of Master Xuanming was said to be where they would pay respects to the ancestors of Shaolin, but it was actually a tribute to Master Xuanming alone.
Just as they were about to leave, Tie Niu suddenly kneeled down.
"Abbot, I don't want to be a lay disciple. I want to shave my head and become a monk!"