Book 1 Chapter 25 - Tian Feng Das.h.i.+

Emotionally moved, the Bald Eagle said, "Since Xiang Shuai knew about it, I wonder if you could bestow the knowledge?"

Chu Liuxiang spoke in heavy voice, "Even if I tell you who the murderer is, you will have no way of doing anything about it. However, …"

He suddenly rose up to his full height and said, "Three days later, wait for me at the Lin Family's garden in Putian City. At that time, I will naturally hand the murderer, who killed NanGong Ling, over to you."

Without leaving the saddle at all, Chu Liuxiang stayed constantly on horseback until he reached Putian.

It was dusk again.

After entrusting his horse to someone else, he took advantage of the twilight to sweep over toward Shaolin Temple. He only felt that time was extremely pressing, it was too late to announce his visit [i.e. to ask for an audience and wait for an answer].

Although Putian's Shaolin Temple was not as imposing and magnificent as the Mount Song's Shaolin Temple, but this old Buddhist temple, immersed deep in the vast and obscure twilight, appeared to have some kind of mysterious beauty.

The evening breeze carried a faint chime of the bell and the voices of the monk chanting sutras. In the midst of the sweet scent of the wood and the leaves, there was a faint scent of sandalwood. The air between the Heaven and the Earth was full of solemn silence; how could there be any smell of murderous aura?

The autumn wind swept the dead leaves on the bottom of the stone steps. The main gate at the bottom of the stone steps was wide open. From outside the gate, he could see the dense ancient trees of the secluded courtyard.

Walking farther, he saw the smoke from the burning incense curling up to the sky, under which was the stately, the grand main hall of the Temple.

Up to this point, this was the place where anybody could go. But n.o.body would dare to go rashly. Shaolin's majestic name was renown throughout the world, whoever came here would inevitably feel reverence and would not dare to act recklessly. Although the gate was wide open, who would dare to presumptuously step in like a thunder jumping across the moat?

Chu Liuxiang did not enter via the main gate either. He unexpectedly jumped over the wall to get in - there was some kind of ominous alarm in his heart; although he only felt it for a moment, he knew that he must not wait much longer.

The sunset painted the sky blood red. Under the setting sun, layer upon layer of roof ridges looked like mountain peaks; mountain peaks that was dyed red by the blood.

But under which mountain peak was Tian Feng Das.h.i.+? [Translator's note: 'feng' of Tian Feng means 'mountain peak', the same 'feng' as in Wudang's Zhang Sanfeng.]

Chu Liuxiang swept over like a flying swallow, he could not help hesitating.

He was just stopping for a moment, suddenly he heard someone calling one of the many names of Buddha, "Amitabha!"

This short call has not yet ended, from under the eaves of the four corners of the roof ridge four shadows flashed out at the same time.

All these four men wore grey robes with white socks, they appeared to be forty-something years old, and on all four solemn, majestic faces, there were pairs of bright and s.h.i.+ny, flickering eyes.

This moment, four pairs of s.h.i.+ny eyes were staring at Chu Liuxiang with their as-sharp-as-a-blade gaze.

Unavoidable Chu Liuxiang was inwardly very shocked; he mused, "Indeed Shaolin monks are not to be despised." However, on the surface he appeared calm and collected.

"Das.h.i.+, have all of you eaten yet?" he said with a smile.

This was the most common question; when two people met, whether they were old friends of many years, or perhaps they were just acquaintances who simply pa.s.sed and nodded to each other, most of them would ask a question like this.

But the question was being asked at this very moment, the four monks could not help staring blankly. A relatively older monk on the left spoke heavily, "For twenty years, there has never been a Jianghu man setting foot on Shaolin Temple's roof ridge. Since today s.h.i.+zhu [benefactor] has broken the precedent, presumably you are coming not without any reason at all, but please reveal your thought."

Chu Liuxiang chuckled and said, "The purpose of Zaixia's visit this time, even if I said it, Das.h.i.+ would not believe it."

The grey-robed monk spoke sternly, "If s.h.i.+zhu is unwilling to reveal your intention, please don't blame pinseng for being rude."

Smiling bitterly, Chu Liuxiang said, "In all my life, Zaixia is most unwilling to fight with Shaolin disciples; why do Das.h.i.+ bother to force me to make an exception?"

The grey-robed monk shouted angrily, "If s.h.i.+zhu is unwilling to fight, then follow pinseng down!"

Amidst his shout, his long sleeve suddenly brushed out, swift like flowing cloud, strong and fast like lightning, it rolled straight toward Chu Liuxiang, between his face and his throat.

Those who have left home [to become Buddhist monk] usually do not carry weapon, so this pair of long sleeves was usually the weapon with which they protect themselves. Everybody in the world only knew the 'Flowing Clouds Iron Sleeves', which were Wudang's consummate skill. But n.o.body knew that not only Shaolin's sleeve skill was not inferior to Wudang, its power, harshness, and ferociousness actually surpa.s.sed Wudang's.

The grey-robed monk's flying sleeve skill could be hard, but it could be soft as well. Using the 'soft', he could s.n.a.t.c.h the weapon from the opponent's hand; using the 'hard' he could jolt and break the opponent's heart and meridians.

Chu Liuxiang sighed and said, "In everything else, Shaolin disciples are quite all right, only their temper is a bit too short."

While with his mouth he said such thing, his body already soared. By the time he spoke the last few words, his body was already high up in the sky like a flying crane, far above the four monks' head.

The grey-robed monk's strike hit empty s.p.a.ce, he was moved emotionally, "s.h.i.+zhu indeed has superior qinggong, no wonder you have the impertinence to come to Shaolin Temple to display your shockingly bad behavior."

Immediately four shadows moved together in separate directions. They figured that Chu Liuxiang would inevitably fall down, and if he fell, he would fall into their formation.

Who would have thought that Chu Liuxiang was able not to fall down?

He was like a fish in the water; one flip and one straight move later, he was able to traverse for four zhang sideways. His head down, his feet up, he slipped into the darkness under the eaves.

They only heard his laughter from a distance, "Zaixia did not come to display my shockingly bad behavior at all. After this matter is done, I will come to beg for Das.h.i.+'s forgiveness." [Translator's note: throughout this exchange, 'you' and 'Das.h.i.+' are plurals.]

All four Shaolin monks had their countenance changed.

The oldest grey-robed monk spoke in heavy voice, "Xuan Fa, raise the emergency alarm. Xuan Tong, Xuan Miao, come with me."

While speaking, he pounced in the direction of Chu Liuxiang's voice. But all he saw was the moon and the stars in the sky, and the breeze blowing the trees, where could Chu Liuxiang's shadow be?

Chu Liuxiang knew that if this time he requested audience to see Tian Feng Das.h.i.+, these Shaolin monks definitely would not take him. Since the explanation was unclear, he had no choice but to avoid the problem by walking away.

As his figure swept into the darkness, immediately he soared to the sky again. Not going to other places, he came back to the same eaves under the roof ridge he had left just now.

He saw the three grey-robed monks flitting across the eaves, n.o.body even thought that he would come back; they did not even look this direction.

Chu Liuxiang waited for half a day, and then from all corners of this vast temple complex he heard burst after burst of the low rumble of wooden fish [percussion instrument used in Buddhist ceremony] being struck. From time to time he saw st.u.r.dy shadows flying across the roofs.

Although normally this Shaolin Temple appeared to be peaceful and quiet, but when facing the enemy and meeting a contingency, their fast reaction and strict vigilance were indeed worthy of their reputation as a forbidden area of the Wulin world.

Smiling wryly, Chu Liuxiang mused inwardly, "With my heart and soul I wanted to see Tian Feng Das.h.i.+ as quickly as possible; who would have thought that it turns into more haste, less speed?"

Thinking about Tian Feng Das.h.i.+ might be in grave danger very soon, he could not stop his heart from growing even more anxious. To make matter worse, until now he did not even know Tian Feng Das.h.i.+'s whereabouts.

By this time the sound of wooden fish had died down; the old Buddhist temple was quiet, not a single noise was heard.

But naturally Chu Liuxiang knew that the quieter it was, the more terrifying it would be. This seemingly quieted down Temple actually hid dangers everywhere.

He did not have time to think quietly. Closing his eyes, he thought for a moment, and then suddenly he rushed out of the darkness and swept across toward the highest roof ridge, toward the highest cornice.

The sleeves of his clothes fluttered in the air, as if he was flying high in the sky, the entire temple complex seemed to be under his feet. Sure enough, someone immediately saw him.

He saw shadows flas.h.i.+ng, from every courtyard there were people flying over here, except from a tiny courtyard in the west; there was no detectable movement at all.

Without waiting for the monks to come over, Chu Liuxiang swept down hurriedly. Letting out a long laugh, he said, "Shaolin's depository of scriptures is famous all over the world, could Das.h.i.+ let me borrow some to see?"

His laughter stopped, his body turned around quickly. Selecting a big tree with the thickest branches and leaves, he hid himself there. He heard people were scolding in low voice everywhere, "This man really come for the scriptures." "Watch the Sutra Pavilion."

The abundance of Shaolin library was number one under the heavens. The majority of the people risking danger by entering the Shaolin Temple were indeed doing so for the scriptures. Although Putian was Shaolin's southern branch, the Sutra Pavilion's collection was very valuable. Naturally the Shaolin monks also thought that Chu Liuxiang was coming to steal the scriptures, who would have thought that he was actually threatening the east and striking to the west, and was employing a diversion tactic?

Seeing the shadows continuously swarming to the east, Chu Liuxiang immediately swept away to the west.

This time, he no longer flew over the roof ridge, but went through under the eaves of the halls and under the shadow of the trees. Most of the rooms in the temple had not lighted any lantern. Occasionally cicada sound was heard from among the foliage.

There was no one in the courtyard. There was some kind of unspeakably bleak and lonely feeling. The monks who lived in this old Buddhist temple certainly did not pa.s.s their days in easy living.

While his body did not stop, Chu Liuxiang was sighing inwardly; he had always been holding these people, who were able to endure loneliness, in the highest esteem.

Because he knew that there was nothing in the world more difficult to endure than loneliness.

He pa.s.sed through a layer of quiet courtyard, through row after row of dark meditation rooms. The green flagstones, looked s.h.i.+ny under the starlight, slid quietly under his feet.

"s.h.i.+zhu, please hold your steps," suddenly a voice scolded lightly.

A stream of vigorous and violent fist wind a.s.saulted his face.

Clenching his teeth, Chu Liuxiang neither dodged nor fled, but he did not block either; unexpectedly he used his flesh and blood body to take the enough-to-open-the-mountain-and-split-the-rock strike called the Bai Bu Shen Quan [hundred-step divine fist].

Shaken by the wind of the fist, his body flew out like a kite without its string.

On the other side, as the Shaolin monk with grey eyebrows and long beard's strike went smoothly, he was taken aback instead. A shadow flashed in front of his eyes, the young man that was just jolted by the wind of his fist has unexpectedly flown back, and stood in front of him with a grin on his face. Not only his shenfa was swift, he came and went like lightning, but also this Shaolin's divine fist, which was able to cut the mountain and beat down an ox, unexpectedly failed to cause the slightest bit of injury on him.

This Shaolin great master, the supervisor of the temple, whose cultivation was deep, whose power profound, was unexpectedly so stunned that he could only stare blankly at Chu Liuxiang, and was speechless for half a day.

The reason Chu Liuxiang intentionally took his punch was precisely to render him temporarily speechless, so that he would not raise the alarm to warn others. Otherwise, his body was not made of iron, how could receiving this punch be comfortable?

He heard the monk with the grey eyebrow finally spoke slowly, "s.h.i.+zhu has such martial art skill, Laoseng [old monk] has never seen anything like that. I wonder if you could reveal your name and surname?"

Chu Liuxiang smiled and said, "If Zaixia reveals my name and surname, I am afraid Das.h.i.+ would think that Zaixia is here to steal the scriptures."

The monk with the grey eyebrow said, "If s.h.i.+zhu is here to steal the scriptures, you could not possibly come this way."

Chu Liuxiang laughed and said, "Zaixia Chu Liuxiang."

Emotionally moved, the monk with the grey eyebrow asked, "Could it be the Bandit Chief Chu Liuxiang?"