Chapter 114

With a clanging sound, all the disciples of the Songshan Sect drew their swords, forming sword formations of varying sizes, and glared angrily at the Shaolin monks.

As the Songshan Sect revealed its fangs, many figures emerged from the crowd and came to stand beside the sect.

One of the tall, thin men in hemp clothing was the “Qinghai Tyrant” who forced Tianmen Daoist to perish together with him in the original story. The others also had fierce eyes and exuded murderous aura, clearly indicating that they were extremely vicious people.

“The Shaolin Sect is so arrogant, trying to frame the Songshan Sect without any evidence. Heh heh… I may not be a saint, but I have to do something about this!”

A sallow-faced man sneered, stepped out with his right foot, and crushed the bluestone bricks on the ground into pieces.

“Hiss—” Everyone watched in horror. The blue stone bricks were crushed with a single kick. Wouldn’t that flesh and blood body be kicked to death with one kick?

When Master Dingyi saw several familiar faces in the middle, she immediately raised her eyebrows and was about to step forward to make trouble, but she was held back by Master Dingxian.

“Senior sister, look at that person in black, isn’t that the one from that day…” Abbess Dingyi said, pointing to a figure in the crowd as she struggled.

“Junior sister, please calm down.” Abbess Dingxian said calmly, but her strength was astonishing. “Sect Leader Nie had already anticipated today’s situation. We just need to observe and wait.”

As she spoke, she pulled Master Dingyi toward the location of the Huashan Sect, with her disciples following behind.

The Taishan and Hengshan factions also took the same action, coming together to the side of the Huashan faction members.

This immediately cleared out a large area of ​​the venue, and everyone watched quietly as the two sides, Songshan and Shaolin, faced off.

Seeing Zuo Lengchan’s desperate stance and the emergence of so many hidden forces, Fang Zheng found himself in a difficult position.

He originally thought that with his status as the abbot of Shaolin Temple and the temple’s illustrious reputation, he could subdue the enemy without a fight and force Zuo Lengchan to hand over the murderer.

Unexpectedly, Zuo Lengchan was so tough, preferring to fight Shaolin Temple head-on rather than admit defeat.

Fang Zheng hesitated. Although the Shaolin School had a stronger foundation than the Songshan School, it was impossible to crush them. In fact, the two schools were evenly matched in strength.

On the day Nie Yun went on a killing spree at Shaolin Temple, he had already severely damaged the core strength of the sect.

If this really leads to a complete breakdown in relations and a full-blown war, the Shaolin sect will suffer a huge loss.

In his predicament, he couldn’t help but turn to Chongxu, hoping that this ally who always followed his lead would step forward and offer his support.

Seeing Fang Zheng’s expression, Chongxu smiled and stood up.

Seeing this, Zuo Lengchan’s expression grew even more grim. If he were to face Shaolin alone, he felt there was still a sliver of hope if he fought to the death. But if Wudang were added to the mix, then there was absolutely no chance of victory.

Chongxu bowed to both sides and said with a smile, “Master Fangzheng, Alliance Leader Zuo, if it is about eliminating demons and protecting the righteous, my Wudang Sect will not shirk its duty. However, today’s matter is complicated by your conflicting accounts, making it difficult for this old Daoist to distinguish between the two. Therefore, I have no choice but to remain neutral.”

Upon hearing this, Zuo Lengchan’s tense expression eased somewhat, while Fang Zheng looked astonished.

He never expected that Chongxu, who had always stood by him through thick and thin, would actually stand by and watch today.

He didn’t believe that this old fox couldn’t see the situation clearly, so his choice meant that the Wudang Sect no longer considered the Shaolin Sect as an ally.

If they’re not allies, then they’re enemies!

Fang Zheng gave Chongxu a deep look and began to think about how to get out of his predicament.

Just then, a murmur of discussion suddenly arose from the crowd.

“Master Fangzheng truly deserves to be called a highly virtuous monk, with a compassionate heart. In fact, the entire Sutra Repository was burned to the ground that night. I went to see it; the whole building collapsed. It’s amazing that he was able to suppress his anger and argue with Zuo Lengchan!”

“Yes, I also heard that nearly a hundred Shaolin disciples died. The scene was truly horrific. I could still see the bloodstains on the ground when I went there a few days ago! If this grudge isn’t avenged, Shaolin Temple will lose all face!”

“I went to Shaolin Temple a few days ago, but Master Fang Sheng didn’t show up. I heard he was also injured by that villain!”

“Sigh… I originally wanted to become a disciple of the Shaolin Temple, but now it seems I’d rather go to the Wudang Sect; at least my life won’t be in danger!”

Although these sounds were very faint, they were clearly heard by everyone in the room.

Fang Zheng was caught between a dilemma: to defend himself or not. He was caught between a veil of anger and a complex expression on his face.

Nie Yun quickly stepped out of the crowd and shouted back, “Everyone, this is an internal matter of the Shaolin Sect. Please do not make any unwarranted comments to avoid spreading rumors.”

Upon hearing this, the crowd gradually quieted down.

Nie Yun turned to Zuo Lengchan and said, “Zuo Lengchan, taking a step back will open up a vast sky, and a moment of forbearance will bring calm. Why don’t you just bow your head and admit your mistake? We won’t look down on you because of it. After all, Shaolin Temple is the orthodox school of martial arts in the world, and it’s not an exaggeration to call it the leader of the martial arts alliance. Anyway, you’ve already done so many bad things, one more won’t matter. However, after committing such an evil deed, you should give up your position as the leader of the Five Mountains Alliance.”

Zuo Lengchan cursed inwardly. After hearing these words, even if he wanted to back down, he couldn’t bring himself to say them.

Fang Zheng was somewhat puzzled. He never expected that Nie Yun would speak up for him, but he still had to respond to this kindness.

He came to Nie Yun’s side, put his palms together and said, “Thank you for speaking up for justice, Benefactor Nie.”

Nie Yun quickly waved his hand and said, “It’s just a few words, Master, you’re too kind.”

With a wave of his hand, a silk handkerchief flew out from his sleeve. Fang Zheng immediately smelled a strong fragrance. He sniffed in confusion, only to see Nie Yun looking embarrassed.

Fang Zheng recalled Nie Yun’s various romantic escapades and understood. He smiled and said, “Benefactor Nie is truly blessed!”

Nie Yun blushed, quickly picked up the handkerchief, and said embarrassedly, “I’m just being sentimental, Master. Please forgive my foolishness.” After saying that, he quickly turned and left, his back view showing a somewhat disheveled appearance.

Fang Zheng shook his head, completely labeling him as a lecherous womanizer. He turned to Zuo Lengchan and said, “Benefactor Zuo, things have come to this point, there’s no point in saying more. Let’s settle this with our skills!”

Zuo Lengchan nodded and said, “That’s right, people in the martial arts world have always relied on their fists to speak.”

Since it’s unavoidable, let’s show our muscles completely and intimidate everyone.

This was both Fang Zheng’s idea and Zuo Lengchan’s thought.

“Shaolin disciples, listen to my command, form the formation!” With Fang Zheng’s order, the seventy-two martial monks were divided into four groups and formed a formation that seemed simple but was actually quite extraordinary upon closer inspection.

Nie Yun, having read extensively in the Sutra Pavilion, immediately recognized it as the Shaolin Temple’s signature technique: the Arhat Formation.

This formation consists of eighteen people per group. The people in the formation support each other, cooperate seamlessly, complement each other, and are good at both offense and defense. Their strength is amplified by the formation, making them as solid as a rock when defending and invincible when attacking.

In actual combat, multiple units can be combined as needed; the more units, the greater the power.

It is said that one group can remain undefeated when surrounded by fifty top-tier masters, and two groups can fight against one hundred and fifty top-tier masters.

Back when the Sun Moon Cult was at the height of its power, it also sent its top experts to provoke them.

However, that group of people defeated several high-ranking monks from Shaolin, but were trapped in two sets of Arhat formations. They fought bitterly for three days and three nights but could not break out. In the end, they were exhausted and died from exhaustion, which shows how powerful it was.

Since its creation, this formation has only ever been used in three groups at most. The fact that four groups have been deployed now is enough to prove how much importance the Shaolin Temple attaches to this battle.

“After this battle, Shaolin’s reputation will surely rise to a new level. Chongxu, I will make you pay for what happened today!” Fang Zheng stroked his beard, his heart filled with smugness.

Zuo Lengchan had also heard of the fame of the Arhat Formation, so he naturally dared not underestimate it.

He arranged for four experts, including Fei Bin, to each lead a team of Songshan disciples to form a sword formation to fight against them, while he himself led those underworld assassins to support them from the sidelines.

Neither side held back, unleashing their killing moves as soon as they met, and the arena was quickly filled with a strong killing intent and shouts.

The monks who formed the Arhat Formation slept in the same bed, ate at the same table, and practiced the formation without ceasing, regardless of the weather, so their cooperation was quite tacit.

Although they outnumbered the Songshan disciples, once the formation was activated, it remained as immovable as a reef on the beach, unmoved by the impact of giant waves, and instead separated the many Songshan disciples one by one.

Although the disciples of Songshan had exquisite swordsmanship, once they were trapped in the formation, they always faced the disadvantage of being one against three or even one against four. Moreover, their coordination was not as good as that of the Shaolin monks, so they quickly became flustered.

Before long, screams of agony could be heard from the disciples of Mount Song. The Shaolin monks wielded long staffs, which were powerful and heavy. Although they had no sharp blades, a single strike from one of them was enough to break bones and incapacitate a person.

Zuo Lengchan frowned as he watched, and immediately brandished his longsword and charged into the formation.

Fang Zheng hurriedly tried to step forward to stop them, but was blocked by a group of underworld assassins.

However, since Fang Zheng dared to come and cause trouble, he was naturally fully prepared. Several old monks emerged from behind him, some wielding monk’s staffs and others holding daggers, and began fighting with the assassins.

With no more worries, Fang Zheng lightly clapped his hand at Zuo Lengchan and called out, “Benefactor Ren, please accept this palm strike.”

The palm strike was ordinary, but halfway through, it suddenly swayed slightly, instantly transforming from one palm into a series of powerful palm strikes, then two into four, and finally four into eight. Someone in the arena exclaimed, “Thousand-Hand Tathagata Palm!”

The most terrifying aspect of the Thousand-Hand Tathagata Palm is its ability to double the number of palm shadows, instantly transforming from one palm into thirty-two. When facing an enemy, the opponent is dazzled and unable to discern the true nature of the attack.

Nie Yun watched with shining eyes, thinking to himself, “Shaolin martial arts have been renowned for a thousand years, and they are indeed extraordinary. The ‘Thousand-Hand Tathagata Palm’ is ever-changing, yet its power is concentrated and undispersed, instantly transforming illusion into reality, making it impossible to defend against. While the ‘Guanyin Chaos’ is faster, it comes at the cost of strength, and it will inevitably be insufficient against tough enemies. If we could combine the strengths of these two martial arts and make up for their weaknesses, its power would be astonishing…”

Zuo Lengchan sensed the approaching palm wind and immediately turned around to thrust his sword forward.

Fang Zheng swayed slightly, and with his left arm, he lifted his cassock and swept it toward the longsword.

Zuo Lengchan felt a strong, stagnant force suddenly come from the sword, as if it would be released from his hand at any moment.

He knew this was the “Kasaya Subduing Demon Skill” of the Seventy-Two Shaolin Arts, and he quickly withdrew forcefully.

Fang Zheng smiled slightly, and his right palm emerged from under his robe, still swaying slightly, the palm shadows flying as one became two, two became four.

Zuo Lengchan leaped backward, simultaneously kicking out with his left foot to directly meet Fang Zheng’s palm strike.

With a sharp “snap,” Fang Zheng paused slightly, while Zuo Lengchan used the momentum to somersault backward. Upon landing, he felt a slight numbness in his left foot, and his internal energy circulation seemed somewhat disrupted. Realizing that his internal energy was being interfered with, he was greatly alarmed: “This old monk’s Yi Jin Jing internal energy is so powerful! Not only is it profound and pure, but it can also restrain my internal energy. Although my Great Songyang Divine Palm is complex and swift, it cannot be wielded as freely and effortlessly as his. It seems I have no choice but to use that move!”

Fang Zheng did not take the opportunity to pursue and kill, but instead put his palms together and said, “Benefactor Zuo, this old monk is unwilling to commit any more killings. You should just surrender.”

Zuo Lengchan brandished his longsword and said sternly, “Fang Zheng, today you came to provoke me, acted aggressively, injured my disciple, and tarnished my reputation. What else do you have to say?”

With that, he leaped forward, his right hand wielding his longsword like a whirlwind, while his left hand secretly gathered its strength, preparing to unleash its trump card.

Fang Zheng shook his head and said, “Heaven’s sins can be forgiven, but self-inflicted sins cannot be escaped.” With that, he stepped forward to meet them.

The two engaged in another fierce battle, and it was clear that Zuo Lengchan was struggling to hold on and was showing signs of exhaustion. Meanwhile, Fang Zheng’s palm strikes gradually transformed into a large net, trapping Zuo Lengchan firmly within it.

At this moment, Zuo Lengchan suddenly struck out with his left hand, aiming for Fang Zheng’s chest.

Fang Zheng, confident in his profound skills, met Fang Zheng’s attack head-on with a palm strike.

Fang Zheng smiled slightly, about to speak, when he suddenly felt a chilling internal force emanating from his palm.

Even though he had practiced the Yi Jin Jing for decades, he couldn’t help but shiver for a moment.

Before he could react, the extremely cold and yin internal energy had already spread from his palm to his shoulder, instantly freezing half of his body.

Fang Zheng was taken aback and quickly withdrew his palm and retreated. Unexpectedly, Zuo Lengchan took advantage of the situation and quickly approached him, swiftly pointing his left hand at Fang Zheng’s chest.

The chilling internal energy surged into his body through his fingertips, sealing his acupoints.

After striking Fang Zheng, Zuo Lengchan swayed, his face turning deathly pale, clearly indicating that he too had suffered considerable damage from the attack. He caught his breath and then shouted, “Stop, everyone!”

The fighters turned to look at the sound and saw that Fang Zheng was motionless, clearly subdued. The Shaolin monks were taken aback, while the Songshan Sect members were greatly encouraged.

Several old monks unleashed a series of deadly moves, forcing their opponents back, and rushed forward to support Fang Zheng. His face was deathly pale, his body trembled slightly, his hands were ice-cold, and he glared angrily at Zuo Lengchan.

Zuo Lengchan sneered and cupped his hands, saying, “Master Fangzheng, you flatter me.”

An old monk reached out and massaged Fang Zheng’s chest to release the pressure points.

Fang Zheng coughed up a mouthful of blood, staining his snow-white beard with red spots.

His teeth chattered, and it took him a long time to recover before he said to Zuo Lengchan, “Benefactor Zuo, your skill is truly impressive. I have learned a great deal from you.”

Zuo Lengchan hid his still trembling left hand in his sleeve, trying to appear nonchalant, and said, “Master Fangzheng, since the outcome between us has been decided, let’s just forget about what happened earlier. What do you think?”

Fang Zheng trembled with rage and said in a stern voice, “Benefactor Zuo’s martial arts are superb, and this old monk is willing to admit defeat. However, the hatred of burning down the Sutra Pavilion and killing Shaolin disciples cannot go unavenged. Although I was defeated in one move today, with the Arhat Formation here, I will definitely let you capture me and take me back to Shaolin for punishment.”

Zuo Lengchan’s face darkened, and he said coldly, “Fang Zheng, you are also a highly respected monk with a long-standing reputation. Do you intend to act like a child and resort to shamelessness? Besides, I have already made it very clear that the matter of the Shaolin Sutra Pavilion has nothing to do with my Songshan Sect. Don’t make false accusations. I have already given you enough face. What more do you want?”

Fang Zheng, however, refused to back down in the slightest, his eyes wide with anger as he said, “I and all my disciples saw it clearly that day, you can’t deny it!”

Seeing this, Ning Zhongze looked puzzled and said, “Strange, Master Fangzheng used to be compassionate and kind to others, so why is he pressing Zuo Lengchan so hard today and not giving an inch!”

Mr. Mo Da, Daoist Tianmen, and others standing nearby were also puzzled by Fang Zheng’s unusual behavior today, while Nie Yun and Lan Fenghuang exchanged a glance, smiled slightly, and kept their merits and fame hidden.

The kind-hearted nun Dingxian couldn’t help but step forward and say, “Amitabha! Master Fangzheng, this matter is only your side of the story, which is hardly convincing. Why not let it go for today and investigate this matter thoroughly later…”

Unexpectedly, Fang Zheng interrupted her as if he had been shot: “That night, the villain was wielding a longsword in the style of the Songshan School, and his swordsmanship was also authentic Songshan swordsmanship. There is absolutely no mistake about it.”

When Master Dingxian was interrupted, she was not angry. Instead, she continued to persuade him, “Master Fangzheng, I heard that it was late at night. Perhaps that person intended to frame you, taking advantage of the darkness to make you mistake him for someone from the Songshan Sect.”

“Shut up! When did it become your place to interfere in the affairs of Shaolin Temple?!”

Fang Zheng’s face was full of arrogance. “I saw it with my own eyes that night, how could it be fake? Are you questioning my eyesight? A bunch of women, it’s one thing to eat vegetarian food and chant Buddhist scriptures, but to want to get involved in martial arts affairs, they really overestimate themselves!”

Fang Zheng’s words caused the Hengshan Sect members to change color in shock. Abbess Dingyi, who had a fiery temper, immediately stepped forward and said, “Master, as the head of Shaolin, how can you speak so rudely and insult my Hengshan Sect!”

The elderly monks nearby also changed their expressions drastically and quickly pulled Fangzheng aside, saying, “Abbot, be careful what you say!”

Fang Zheng waved his hand, shoving them aside, and said nonchalantly, “What are you afraid of? My Shaolin Sect is powerful and dominates the martial arts world. Do you think we’re afraid of the mere Five Mountains Sword Sect?! A bunch of brainless fools, they deserve to fight the Demonic Sect to the death!”

This statement offended all four other sects at once. Tianmen Daoist stepped forward and said, “Master Fangzheng, although our Five Mountains Sword Sect cannot compare with the Shaolin Temple in terms of its profound heritage, we are still a prestigious sect with hundreds of years of history. Our fight against the Demonic Sect is to uphold the righteous path of the martial world. Over the years, we have lost countless outstanding disciples, yet we have never retreated and have bravely moved forward. How can you say such a thing?”

Although Mo Da did not speak, he looked coldly at Fang Zheng.

Although Zuo Lengchan was somewhat surprised, he was secretly pleased to see Fang Zheng actively provoking hatred. He thought to himself, “This old monk has gone mad and offended all four other sects. In this way, he can become my ally and completely defeat the Shaolin Sect.”

Just as he was enjoying his daydreams, he suddenly felt a gaze directed at him. He turned his head and saw Nie Yun staring at him with a half-smile, as if she could see right through him.

Zuo Lengchan’s heart skipped a beat, but then Nie Yun spoke up, “Master Fangzheng, from what you’re saying, our struggle with the Sun Moon Divine Sect seems insignificant? Or is there some other hidden meaning behind it?”

“Hehe… So it’s the Huashan Sect!”

Fang Zheng smiled smugly. “So what if you were powerful and had many talented people back then? You were all stupid as pigs from top to bottom. A mere Sunflower Manual was enough to make you slaughter people and even attract the Demonic Sect to attack the mountain. In the end, your Five Mountains Sword Sect and the Demonic Sect fought a decisive battle at Mount Hua, both sides were severely injured, and you could no longer shake the position of my Shaolin Sect.”

The moment those words were spoken, the room fell silent.

The old monks were already pale and hurriedly tried to step forward, but Nie Yun shouted, “Stop! Let your abbot finish speaking. I want to see how many good deeds your Shaolin Temple has done!”

With that, he waved his hand, and the disciples of Mount Hua immediately surrounded them.

The leaders of the other four sects exchanged glances and stepped forward, forming a subtle encirclement.

Fang Zheng, however, paid no attention and recounted the many schemes of the Shaolin Sect, leaving everyone speechless.

“So, the Sunflower Manual was deliberately obtained by the Shaolin Temple, allowing my two Huashan Sect founders to obtain it. The conflict between the Sword and Qi sects was also deliberately instigated by that Zen Master Duyuan. The Sun Moon Sect attacked my Huashan Sect only after hearing the news you spread. You even want to use the Evil-Repelling Sword Manual to incite our Five Mountains Sword Sects to kill each other. Very well, truly worthy of being a prestigious sect that has stood for a thousand years!”

Nie Yun’s face was ashen, and his right hand was already gripping the hilt of his sword tightly.

Fang Zheng said smugly, “You Five Mountains Sword Sects dare to challenge the status of my Shaolin Sect? You’re just delusional!”

At this moment, Chongxu stepped forward and said, “Fangzheng, wasn’t it your Shaolin sect that caused the Demonic Sect’s attack on Wudang Mountain back then?”

Fang Zheng sneered, “That Zhang Sanfeng was a traitor to my Shaolin sect. He actually founded the Wudang sect by stealing Shaolin martial arts and dared to rival my Shaolin. His grand-disciple was even more audacious, becoming the leader of the Demonic Sect and causing my Shaolin Temple to lose face. How does it feel to have your ancestral relics stolen?”

He spoke with great enthusiasm, but he didn’t see that the old monks beside him were already ashen-faced and slumped on the ground.