Sword Among Us Novel - Chapter 502

Chapter 502: Second Page of Nine Yang Skill

“Leave.”

Once the legendary Mad Monk said his request for Happy to leave from the clouds and fog, he said nothing else.

With countless questions in him, Happy could only leave Punishment Mount to receive Shaolin Temple’s Nine Yang Skill. However, while he moved down the mountain, he obtained some information regarding Mad Monk from Yuan Mie’s lips.

Rumors had it that Mad Monk had wreaked havoc upon the world of martial artists in the past and brutalized the innocents because the people in the path of justice had killed the evil sect, Sky Demon Sect.

Before Mad Monk became a Buddhist, the sect master of Sky Demon Sect had picked him up as his own when he was abandoned as an orphan. So when Mad Monk learned that all of Sky Demon Sect had been destroyed, he flew into a rage and slaughtered his way up Shaolin Temple, then to all the other sects. He paid blood with blood, and he killed many people. Countless elites died in his hands.

In the end, if Shaolin Temple had not sent hero’s invitations to everyone in the world, and Mad Monk’s master had not personally led the attack, the elites from the sects might not have been able to fulfill their wish in defeating Mad Monk in that battle.

In fact, there were plenty of people who spread rumors at that time that Mad Monk had already taken his revenge, and he grew sick of all the fighting, which was why he was willing to be captured by Shaolin Temple and allowed his collar bones to be pierced as well as get trapped in Punishment Mount for more than thirty years!

“In truth, with Mad Monk’s state of mind that allows him to desire nothing, the current abbot of Shaolin Temple is not his opponent. If he wanted to leave, it’d be incredibly easy for him to do so.”

Yuan Mie’s words shocked Happy, and he could not help but blurt out, “Then why is he still staying at the summit and going through so much suffering?”

Yuan Mie said nothing for a time and just smiled in anguish. “The senior is a monk with great wisdom. We cannot use worldly thinking to see through his thoughts. Before, I was unable to see through him as well, but just now, I seem to have understood a bit of it.”

“What is it?”

Curiosity was on Happy’s face. The two men were both eminent Buddhist monks, so he believed that Yuan Mie could understand Mad Monk.

Yuan Mie called out the name of Buddha with great emotion.

“When he was young, he brought a lot of karma on himself because of the people he killed. Even though he did it in the name of revenge, he also affected many innocents, and that includes many martial artists from other sects. There were plenty who died horribly in his hands. If anyone learned that Mad Monk left Punishment Mount, the world of martial artists might welcome so much bloodshed that the world will lose its color.”

He stopped talking for a while, and when slight understanding appeared in Happy’s eyes, he spoke up again. “The senior refuses to leave Punishment Mount because he does not want to offend the other Shaolin Temple martial artists. He intends to sacrifice himself in exchange for peace in the world by extinguishing the anger of the people who lost their loved ones.

“And the final reason is that the senior has no other thoughts in his heart. He has already become tired of everything in the world. The world of martial artists is no longer in his heart.”

“I see,” Happy said, having come to an understanding.

Yuan Mie then said, “Also, the rumors about me withstanding ten moves from Mad Monk and not dying are false. In truth, before the senior attacks, he will size up the person’s temperament first. If his opponents came to learn ultimate techniques, showed up for revenge, or are monks who broke their vows at the top of the mountain and want to get something from him, they will all be thrown off the cliff.

“I stayed on the mountain for three years and faced Bodhidharma Cave day and night. I tried to understand the mural Founder Bodhidharma left behind, and during that time, I occasionally sent him food, and this touched his heart, which is why he let me learn Vajra Demon Subduing Great Art.”

“I see.” Happy came to an understanding again. “If that is the case, Mad Monk is actually a pretty good senior.”

His expression grew puzzled then. Why did Mad Monk call out to him? Why did he ask Happy to seek him after he transcended Life and Death Realm?

‘Strange…’

As the two talked to each other, they quickened their steps and eventually reached the door of the temple.

Abbot Kong Xiang welcomed them at Mahavira Hall. When he saw Master Yuan Mie, who followed behind Happy with a torn and gray kasaya, his eyes became watery. “Amitabha. Yuan Mie, you have finally returned…”

“I am Yuan Mie, a monk who sinned. I have come back to report to you. After more than twenty years of repenting for my sins, I have finally gained some achievements!”

When Yuan Mie returned to Shaolin Temple, he was so touched that he was incoherent. His lips began to quiver.

“It’s good that you returned…” Master Kong Xiang was very excited and helped Yuan Mie to his feet. “Bring over a kasaya and give it to Martial-nephew Yuan Mie.”

“Thank you, martial-uncle!”

Once Yuan Mie heard it, tears spilled out from his eyes, and he prostrated himself on the ground again.

Receiving a kasaya bore great significance. Yuan Mie had been on Punishment Mount for more than twenty years before finally returning to the temple. When he changed his kasaya, it meant that he was completely rid of the title of a monk who broke his vows and had returned to the temple.

Master Kong Xiang said, “Young Swordsman Happy helped my Martial-nephew Yuan return and reenter the temple of monks. I am truly grateful. First, you searched for Dragon Immortal Grass. Second, you retrieved Flower-pinching Finger. And now, you helped Shaolin Temple bring Yuan Mie back from Punishment Mount. Even I am in your debt, patron. You have saved a life, and if I continue to hesitate, it will show that I am a person who does not return favors.”

As he spoke, he slowly brought out a book from his kasaya right under Happy’s excited gaze. “This is Shaolin Temple’s Nine Yang Skill. It is also one of Shaolin Temple’s cornerstones. I am truly sorry, but I cannot give you the only copy we have.

“However, I have long since copied a Shaolin Temple’s Nine Yang Skill Manual by hand, and I hope that you can uphold the principles of Shaolin Temple to get rid of tyranny while helping the weak to bring blessings upon the world of martial artists!”

“I will definitely not disappoint you, abbot.”

Happy received the hand-copied manual with incredible excitement. The book immediately turned into a ball of light that went into the center of his forehead.

The system provided a notification.

“Ding!

“Learned Shaolin Temple and Emei Sect’s Nine Yang Skill. Your Nine Yang Skill has been upgraded to Golden Quintessence Nine Yang Skill. The effects of the skill increased. If you receive Wudang Sect’s Nine Yang Skill, you will be able to obtain Nine Yang Divine Skill!”

Happy checked his progress excitedly.

[Golden Quintessence Nine Yang Skill: Lvl 1.00

[Improved version of Nine Yang Skill Qi Cultivation Technique. When you activate Nine Yang Skill, the speed at which you recover your qi will increase by twice when compared to the recovery speed of when you had only learned one page of Nine Yang Skill. Your resistance toward soft qi and cold qi increased. Decreases 80% soft qi and cold qi damage on you.]

Even though Emei Sect’s Nine Yang Skill had disappeared and all Happy’s progress with the skill had been reduced to nothing, when he looked at the attributes of Golden Quintessence Nine Yang Skill, he immediately felt happy.

Double recovery speed did not just mean his recovery speed when he circulated his qi. When he fought against others, Nine Yang Skill would circulate on its own, and his recovery speed would increase by leaps and bounds. He would no longer have to worry about his qi being depleted when he used his skills.

Having twice the recovery speed meant that his qi would be in a constant state of being full. That is, as long as he did not go overboard with using Ten True Dragon Styles.

“Amitabha.”

The loud call for Buddha’s name shifted Happy’s attention from Golden Quintessence Nine Yang Skill back to the abbot, and for the first time, Happy found that the old monk was actually rather lovable.

“Patron, since you have been granted your wish of obtaining Shaolin Temple’s Nine Yang Skill, I will be off preparing the ceremony to return Martial-nephew Yuan Mie back to the temple of monks. You are welcome to come to Shaolin Temple at any time in the future, patron.”

“Thank you for fulfilling my wish, abbot. I will take my leave now.”

Even though Happy had obtained two pages of Nine Yang Skill, he still lacked a page from Wudang Sect.

He would only be confident in facing One Emperor when he had the complete Nine Yang Divine Skill. After all, One Emperor was the man who remained invincible for more than three years in Happy’s previous life.

However, once he left Shaolin Temple, he subconsciously returned to Punishment Mount and arrived at the summit that was constantly shrouded in white clouds and fog.

When he stopped there and stood still, he heard an old sigh beside his ears.