The Fawang Temple fell in an instant.
After their grand ceremony at the Great Hall of Supreme Treasures, no one came to offer incense. Occasionally, a few unaware visitors would try to visit, only to be ridiculed by the locals.
Once their abbot, Likuo, woke up, he announced the disbandment of the temple. All the monks were left to fend for themselves, and Likuo, with his bedding, went to join a fellow disciple of his somewhere.
Most of the monks had left, but some remained.
Lixuan, a monk, did not leave. Along with him stayed four or five other monks, all of whom were skilled in martial arts.
It was said that Lixuan clenched his teeth, unwilling to leave, vowing to take revenge on the Shaolin Abbot Yi Jie. He would never leave Mount Shaoshi until his vengeance was complete.
Of course, no one took his words seriously. If he chose to stay, so be it, but no one cared to look at him anymore.
In sharp contrast to the decline of Fawang Temple, was the flourishing Shaolin Temple under the leadership of Huo Yuanzhen.
After his fierce victory over three prominent monks at Fawang Temple, Huo Yuanzhen's reputation soared throughout the land.
People began calling him the "Living Buddha." His legendary battle with the high monks spread far and wide. The compassion of Abbot Yi Jie had reached the hearts of many, and whenever someone felt troubled or dissatisfied, the first thought was to seek Yi Jie for guidance.
It was said that the Buddha possessed supreme wisdom, and now it seemed that Abbot Yi Jie shared that same wisdom. Whenever one had worries, a conversation with him would immediately bring peace of mind.
Many even claimed that Abbot Yi Jie didn't need to explain things in detail; just sitting and tapping a wooden fish would calm your soul, and all your worries would disappear.
This word-of-mouth spread quickly, and soon, every day there were crowds of people making their way up Yuzhai Mountain—some to pray at the Wanfo Pagoda, and others just to see the Abbot himself.
People came seeking wealth, status, children, or even to be healed of ailments. The Abbot was said to possess boundless abilities.
In truth, Huo Yuanzhen could only entertain visitors for five days before he was overwhelmed. There was simply no time to practice his Pure Boy Skill, and even less time to rest. Eventually, he had to declare a retreat to focus on meditation, seeking peace for himself.
Despite Lixuan's vow to take revenge, Huo Yuanzhen didn't pay him much mind. With experts like Guo Shanyue by his side, Lixuan was not a real threat.
After this incident, the number of applicants to become a Shaolin lay disciple skyrocketed. Every day, around three hundred young people came to apply, many of them quite devout.
However, this time, Huo Yuanzhen was more stringent in his selection. Any lay disciples who had shown signs of disloyalty due to the divine occurrences at Fawang Temple were expelled from the sect. Loyalty became a key criterion in the recruitment process.
Despite his strictness, the number of accepted disciples was still much higher than last time.
After a selection process lasting several days, only two disciples were accepted each day. In the end, thirty-six new disciples were officially confirmed.
Following Huo Yuanzhen's orders, these disciples were shaved to nearly bald heads. They weren't completely bald, but their hair was short enough to shine brightly. Their uniforms were standardized, and the training schedule was intensified.
Even though many people had come to join the Shaolin temple, Huo Yuanzhen still felt that the number wasn't enough. After all, few people were willing to completely abandon the material world and devote themselves entirely to the temple.
Recruiting formal disciples wasn't easy, but Huo Yuanzhen was in no rush.
During these days, he spent most of his time cultivating his Pure Boy Skill. Occasionally, he would watch the lay disciples practice martial arts, but it was difficult for anyone to meet him. Although the temple now had a few formal buildings like the Wanfo Pagoda, the Bell Tower, and the Mountain Gate, Shaolin's infrastructure was still rudimentary. Only Huo Yuanzhen was living in the former small temple.
Days passed, and by July 23rd, Huo Yuanzhen counted the days on his fingers. There were only five days left until July 28th. On that day, he would be able to draw from the lottery again, and this time, he couldn't afford to miss it.
Just as Huo Yuanzhen thought the days would pass uneventfully, on the afternoon of the 23rd, Guo Shanyue rushed into his room with an urgent expression.
"Abbot Shixiong, it's bad. Huang Feihong and Su Can were injured."
Huo Yuanzhen, who had been cultivating the Pure Boy Skill, opened his eyes wide the moment he heard this. His eyes gleamed with a sudden flash of light. "What happened?"
The Pure Boy Skill was the most refined inner skill in the world, and when Huo Yuanzhen suddenly opened his eyes in such a crucial moment, the force of his gaze startled Guo Shanyue, who couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at the depth of his power.
Guo Shanyue quickly explained, "It's like this. Today, Huang Feihong and Su Can encountered Niu Er and his gang in Dengfeng County. We already had a grudge, and when they met, a few harsh words led to a fight."
Huo Yuanzhen nodded. "That makes sense. But Feihong and Su Can have been diligently practicing martial arts recently. Even if Niu Er and his gang are more numerous, they shouldn't be their match."
Guo Shanyue replied, "Yes, Niu Er and his gang of eight or nine were defeated soundly by Feihong and Su Can."
"Then how did they end up injured?"
"Just as Feihong and Su Can were about to win, Chen Ding appeared."
Huo Yuanzhen thought for a moment, recalling who Chen Ding was. He was the one who had introduced himself as "Iron Fan Immortal" when they met at the pawnshop. It was also mentioned that Niu Er was his brother-in-law.
"Chen Ding, the so-called 'Iron Fan Immortal' from Dengfeng County?"
"Yes, that's him. When he saw Niu Er's group being beaten, he immediately intervened, injured both Feihong and Su Can, and even declared that if any Shaolin disciples showed up in Dengfeng again, he would strike them down one by one."
Huo Yuanzhen closed his eyes in thought for a while before asking, "What is his martial arts skill like?"
"His skills are average, in the middle stage of the acquired realm, not yet at the late stage. He relies on his Iron Fan acupoint-striking technique, which makes him a local big shot in Dengfeng County. But in the entire Henan province, he doesn't rank highly."
Guo Shanyue's tone was dismissive. Indeed, from his perspective, someone who hadn't even reached the late stage of the acquired realm was insignificant.
Huo Yuanzhen's expression darkened. "The middle stage of the acquired realm... Feihong and Su Can haven't cultivated internal skills yet. They're only in the early stage of the acquired realm, relying mostly on external martial arts. He's an internal martial artist, and yet he dares to strike against them. It seems he's deliberately challenging Shaolin."
Huo Yuanzhen then asked, "How are Feihong and Su Can now? Where are they?"
"They're fine, really. They were injured by the internal force, but we've already sent them back. I've applied some of my true energy to help them recover. They'll be fine in about ten to fifteen days. They're resting in their quarters now."
"Good," Huo Yuanzhen replied.
Guo Shanyue hesitated for a moment but then said, "They brought back a letter."
"A letter?" Huo Yuanzhen raised an eyebrow. "What's this about?"
"It's a challenge letter from Chen Ding."
"A challenge letter!" Huo Yuanzhen's brows furrowed in surprise. "What does he want to challenge us for?"
"Chen Ding says that Shaolin is not capable of teaching others martial arts, and on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, August 15th, he will hold a public challenge in Dengfeng County. He intends to challenge Shaolin."
"Just him?" Huo Yuanzhen was somewhat astonished. A middle-stage acquired martial artist challenging Shaolin was a bit too reckless. Not only Guo Shanyue, but even someone like Tieniu, with his natural strength, would have no trouble dealing with him.
Guo Shanyue added, "Not just him. Recently, he's been getting close to Lixuan from Fawang Temple."
"I see," Huo Yuanzhen said with a cold smile. "They've joined forces, then. A snake and a rat, both of them dreaming foolishly."
Guo Shanyue said, "Yes. So, Abbot Shixiong, what do you want to do about this? If you want to deal with them, I'll go and capture them all. If you don't want to make trouble, we can simply claim to be a Buddhist sect and avoid the conflict."
Huo Yuanzhen stood up and began pacing the room, thinking.
Guo Shanyue made a valid point, but it wasn't what Huo Yuanzhen wanted.
He had a mission—Shaolin must become the greatest sect in the world, and he must become the leader of the martial world. The Shaolin of this life was vastly different from the previous one. It was no longer just a Buddhist sect; sooner or later, it would have to enter the martial world.
But right now, Shaolin was too weak. They didn't even have a proper internal cultivation method for their disciples, let alone a strong martial arts foundation.
However, the inevitable had come. Shaolin would have to step into the martial world. This challenge from Dengfeng was an opportunity to test his disciples.
Moreover, with experts like Guo Shanyue by his side, Huo Yuanzhen felt confident they would win.
Huo Yuanzhen also noticed that Guo Shanyue was probably restless, eager to take part in this.
Looking at Guo Shanyue's expectant gaze, Huo Yuanzhen smiled. "If we don't attend this challenge, I suspect many, including you, will feel frustrated."
"Hehe, Abbot, you truly have sharp eyes. There's nothing in this world that can escape your gaze."
In front of Huo Yuanzhen, Guo Shanyue lost all pretense of being a high monk. His flattery was overwhelming, and his face was thick as a wall.
Huo Yuanzhen laughed. "Alright, in twenty days, we'll go meet these clowns. Fawang Temple, hmph, they're dead but haven't fallen yet."
In front of Guo Shanyue, Huo Yuanzhen's monk façade had slipped, revealing the sharpness of his true nature.