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Master Fei thought to himself that getting entangled with this old monk was not a solution and that he needed to resolve the matter quickly. So he said solemnly, "I have come from the capital with a top-secret mission. This little girl is of vital importance to national security. I must take her away. If you dare to obstruct me, Master, I guarantee that the public security authorities will come and seal off this temple by dawn. What do you think, Master?"

Master Yidu said calmly, "Whether it's a state secret or a temple closure, I'll do as you please. In short, you can't take this little girl away tonight, Daoist Master."

Upon hearing this, Master Fei thought to himself, "This old monk is determined to oppose me. It seems the only way to settle this is through martial arts."

Chapter 27, Part 1

Master Fei lunged forward, his acupoint peg slicing downwards to strike Master Yidu's three vital points: the Qi Gate, the Dang Gate, and the Navel Gate. These three points form a straight line connecting the throat, chest, and navel, representing the 36 most dangerous acupoints on the human body. His attack was extremely vicious.

Master Yidu frowned slightly, his face showing a desolate and sorrowful expression. With a flick of his right monk's robe, he lifted Nizi up, and with a wave of his left monk's sleeve, he rolled up the acupoint pegs. His body floated out diagonally in the air, his posture extremely graceful.

This martial art, named "Crossing the River on a Reed," is a martial arts manual passed down by Bodhidharma. It consists of five forms: Crossing the River on a Reed, Facing the Wall for Nine Years, Standing in the Snow with a Severed Arm, Shadow Piercing Through Stone, and Returning West with a Single Shoe. It is truly miraculous, but only those with great compassion can master it. Furthermore, the expression on one's face when performing it is extremely sorrowful; the higher the skill level, the more intense the suffering, fully embodying the Buddhist spirit of compassion. As the ancient poem praises: "Walking on the road, crossing the water, I meet again; alone, sadly, I cross the river in the dark. Under the sun, pitifully, two elephants and horses; two tender cassia trees, long flourishing."

Master Fei's martial arts skills and internal strength were not weak to begin with, but with a wave of the old monk's robe, he couldn't hold onto the pressure point peg in his hand and it was taken away. He immediately realized that he was no match for Master Yidu at all.

Master Yidu stood in the middle of the main hall, his fingers twitching slightly, and the acupoint striking stick flew out of his palm, landing steadily in Master Fei's hand. He said calmly, "Master Fei, please go back."

Master Fei looked extremely embarrassed and dejected.

"Master, what happened?" Youliang rubbed his eyes and yawned as he walked to the entrance of the main hall.

Master Fei's eyes darted around, and he thought to himself, "In this world, no man is without ruthlessness. Don't blame me, old monk, you brought this on yourself..." He cupped his hands to Master Yidu and said, "I'll take my leave." Then he bowed and retreated. As he stepped across the threshold of the main hall, he suddenly used the Dislocating Bone Hand, pressing his palm onto the little monk's crown and his thumb into his fatal acupoint.

Youliang cried out in surprise, "Master..." but could not speak any more. His face turned pale and his eyes bulged outwards.

"Master, I apologize for offending you. I meant nothing by it, but I'd like to exchange the little monk for the little girl. How about it?" As Master Fei spoke, he secretly picked up the pistol from the ground with his other hand.

The sudden turn of events caught Master Yidu off guard. Youliang's vital point on the top of his head was sealed, and if Master Fei exerted even the slightest force, he would surely die. The temple gate was more than two zhang away from him, making it impossible to rescue her in time. However, he could not hand Nizi over to this despicable man under any circumstances... Just as he was hesitating and feeling helpless, he heard a soft "spit" sound. Nizi silently shot a small wad of phlegm into Master Fei's left eye.

When Master Fei saw a faint wisp of phlegm coming towards him, instead of avoiding it, he went to meet it. With a "smack," the bluish phlegm flew more than two zhang away and stuck to the plexiglass goggles.

"Haha, little sorcerer, you've tried the same trick again, but it didn't work on me this time!" Master Fei chuckled smugly.

“Master Fei, you are also a cultivator, yet you resort to such despicable and underhanded means to coerce this old monk, not even sparing a mere novice monk. Such wickedness will surely bring bad consequences,” Master Yidu rebuked.

"Despicable?" Master Fei thought to himself, "You old-fashioned monk, humph, your despicable tricks are yet to come."

Under the cover of the young novice monk Youliang, Master Fei quietly raised his pistol, aimed at Master Yidu's chest, and swiftly pulled the trigger...

Chapter 27, Part 2

A gunshot rang out, echoing through the Wind Chime Temple at midnight, carrying far and wide over the courtyard walls... The air was thick with the pungent smell of gunpowder, and then, everything fell silent.

Blood seeped from Master Yidu's left chest, staining his robes red.

Master Fei knew that the old monk's martial arts skills were unfathomable. Although the first strike hit, it might not necessarily be fatal. So he immediately pulled the trigger again and again. With a "pop," the bullet jammed.

Master Yidu sighed deeply, raised one foot, and his monk's shoe flew out, instantly striking Master Fei's right arm with a crisp "crack," breaking all the bones of his right arm—humerus, ulna, and radius—with only a layer of skin and flesh connecting them. The pistol clattered to the ground.

This is the "Returning to the West with Only One Shoe" from the Five Styles of Bodhidharma. However, because Master Fei was hiding behind Youliang, Master Yidu was somewhat cautious. Otherwise, he would have definitely struck his vital point and killed him in one move.

Master Fei was stunned and paled. He hadn't expected the old monk to still have such power after being shot. In a panic, he reluctantly released the young novice, leaped over the courtyard wall, and fled in disarray.

Master Yidu slowly sat down. "Youliang, come here," he called out with difficulty.

"Master!" Youliang, having regained his senses, rushed to his master's side with tears streaming down his face.

“Youliang, your master has unfinished business to tell you and Nizi,” Master Yidu said breathlessly, blood foam at the corner of his mouth. “Nizi is a descendant of the Guo family and has the mission of protecting the ‘Wind Queen’s Tomb.’ I shouldn’t be telling you this now, but your master is seriously injured, and while I still have a breath left, I have to tell Nizi in advance…”

"Master, what 'Feng Hou Tomb'? I've never heard you mention it before," Youliang asked in surprise.

"Grandpa Yidu, don't die..." Nizi cried out with tears in her eyes.

“Listen to me, children,” Yidu took out the brass thimble from his pocket and tremblingly put it on Nizi’s thumb, the tightness just right, “Nizi, this is a token left by Guo Pu. It contains a secret. You must remember a verse, listen carefully, ‘That corpse, your corpse, no corpse, no breath, what do you seek in the corpse? Ghost pot, incantation.’ Do you remember?”

Nizi nodded and said, "Nizi will remember."

“Youliang, after your master finishes speaking, you must immediately take Nizi and leave Fengling Temple tonight. Go hide in your hometown on the other side of the Yellow River. Remember, take off your monk's robes and never mention to anyone that you were once a nun at Fengling Temple,” Master Yidu instructed.

"Youliang wants to stay and take care of Master..." Youliang cried.

“Silly child,” Master Yidu sighed softly, taking out a thin, blood-stained booklet from his robes. “I am but a tomb keeper, and my death here today is merely fulfilling my duty. From now on, it will depend on you, Nizi. This is a martial arts manual of the Five Styles of Bodhidharma. I will pass it on to you now. Without martial arts, you cannot protect the ‘Ghost Pot.’ Nizi, come closer to my ear…”

Nizi, being sensible, put her ear close to Master Yidu's mouth.

"'Feng Hou Tomb' is right here..." Master Yidu said softly. Suddenly, he vaguely heard the faint sound of clothes fluttering in the wind outside the hall. His expression changed drastically, and he sternly rebuked, "Go quickly, from behind the hall, and whatever you do, don't look back!" He then used the last of his inner strength to lift the two children and push them through the air to the back of the Buddha niche, where there was a small door leading to the woods behind the hall.

Youliang had never seen his master speak so sternly before. Knowing the situation was serious, he grabbed Nizi's hand, opened the back door, and ran into the dark, gloomy depths of the forest without looking back.

Inside the main hall, Master Yidu sat cross-legged on the ground with his hands clasped together, quietly waiting...

A thin, gaunt old man silently and gracefully landed in front of the hall.

Chapter 27, Part 3

"They came so fast..." Master Yidu murmured weakly to himself.

"I am Jia Shiming, a Taoist priest, and I have come to pay my respects to Master Yidu," the old man said expressionlessly, dressed in black and wearing sunglasses.

"Speak plainly," said Master Yidu.

Master Jia sniffed the air and said, "I heard gunshots from several miles away. Are you seriously injured, Master?" He kicked the unconscious Youfu on the ground with his toe, knowing that he had been knocked unconscious by pressure points.

"Taoist Master, your speed is amazing..." Yidu's voice grew weaker and weaker.

"Let me examine Master's injuries," Master Jia stepped forward to support Master Yidu, and pressed his index and middle fingers together to stop the bleeding at four acupoints: Tianchi, Qimen, Lingxu, and Wuyi. Knowing that Master Yidu did not have much time left, he quickly asked, "Master, was the one who fired the shot the person lying at the door?"

“No…this person is a special police commissioner from Fenglingdu Town,” Yidu said.

"Then who injured the master?" Master Jia then asked.

"Fei Ziyun of Jiexiu Daluo Palace," Yidu said with a weak, bitter smile, "aren't you all in cahoots?"

“Oh, so it’s that old Taoist Fei. Jia Shiming would never stoop to associating with him. I saw this guy once a few days ago in Hukou, Jiangxi. I didn’t expect him to come to Hedong as well. But I don’t know why he shot the master?” Master Jia asked.

"The reason why Master Jia came here late at night is the same as his reason for doing so," Yi Du said calmly.

Master Jia chuckled and said, “Master, your insight is indeed remarkable. I will not lie to you. If you tell me the exact location of ‘Feng Hou’s Tomb,’ I promise you that I will immediately hunt down Fei Ziyun and avenge you.”

"Amitabha, gratitude and enmity are like illusions. This old monk has long seen through the affairs of the world, so there is no need for you to worry about it, Daoist Master." At this moment, Master Yidu's pupils were gradually dilating.

"Feng Hou's Tomb has stood for five thousand years. The master refused to reveal it until his death, preferring to take the secret to his grave alone. With such persistence, how could he possibly see through the ways of the world and be indifferent to grudges?" Master Jia shook his head and sighed.

"I will die with a smile on my face..." Master Yidu finally passed away, his life force exhausted.

Smiling in the afterlife? What's this old monk up to? Could he have already made arrangements for his funeral...? Jia Shiming muttered to himself.

He walked to the entrance of the hall, reached out and pressed hard on the ribs of Youfu, who was lying on the stone steps, releasing his pressure points. Then he leaped up and hid on the beam.

Fu Youyou woke up slowly, shook his head, got up slowly, and picked up the pistol.

"Master! What happened to you?" Youfu was shocked to see Master Yidu lying in the hall. He rushed over to check his breathing and found that the master had already passed away.

Youfu touched the wound on Master Yidu's chest and knew that a bullet had pierced his heart. He had seen many such gunshot wounds during the Sino-Vietnamese War.

“It was Fei Ziyun who did it!” Youfu blurted out, recalling his confrontation with Master Fei. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he shouted loudly, “Nizi! Where is Nizi?” He then hurriedly searched around with his pistol, but found no trace of Nizi or the young novice monk.

Master Jia remained hidden on the beam of the main hall, without moving an inch.

Having failed to find Nizi, Youfu stood at the entrance of the main hall, pondering to himself, "Could Nizi have already been captured by Fei Ziyun? No, I must hurry back to Fenglingdu..." With that, he hastily opened the mountain gate and headed straight for Fenglingdu.

As the footsteps faded into the distance, Master Jia leaped down.

Nizi? Fenglingdu... He seemed to realize something and gradually became alert.

Chapter 28, Part 1

The cool moonlight shone on the boundless plains. Master Fei, dragging a broken arm, ran frantically. His goggles fell off, and he lost one of his leather shoes. When he stumbled into the old house in a disheveled state, he was completely exhausted and collapsed in the courtyard.

Hearing the commotion, Mayor Guo came out of the house and was shocked to see Master Fei lying unconscious on the ground. He immediately shouted.

Inside the kitchen, Secretary Qin was having tea with an old man. The man was a dwarf with an unusually large head, a fair complexion, and short but strong limbs. He was wearing a dark blue Zhongshan suit and shiny black rocket-shaped leather shoes. He looked to be over fifty years old, but he was actually close to ninety.

Hearing the shouts, Secretary Qin and the dwarf old man came out of the room.

"Master Fei!" Secretary Qin exclaimed in surprise.

The dwarf old man stepped forward, examined him briefly, and then stretched out his two chubby little hands to rub the Tianxi acupoints behind Fei Daoshi's ears. He then said, "Get up."

Master Fei suddenly yawned, slowly sat up, and glanced at the dwarf old man standing in front of him. He immediately shuddered. "Master..." he called out, tears welling up in his eyes.

This dwarf old man was none other than Master Fei's master, Song Diweng, the president of the Chinese Archaeological Association. He was from Yongcheng, Henan Province, and was a descendant of Song Xianze, the strategist of Li Zicheng's peasant uprising army at the end of the Ming Dynasty. He was skilled in Qimen Dunjia and divination, and had a very high reputation in the industry. He was a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference for several consecutive terms. Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai had also met with him during their lifetimes.

"Ziyun, what happened to you? You've lost an eye and a broken arm..." Song Diweng said, frowning.

"Master," Fei Ziyun said through gritted teeth, his right eye staring blankly at Song Diweng, his face half-covered in dirty bandages soaked with sweat. "My eyes were blinded by that little sorcerer, my face was bitten by a dog, and my arm was beaten by the old monk Yidu from Fengling Temple. Master, it's so good that you're here. Catch Nizi, kill that old monk, and avenge your disciple!"

"Hmm, let me check your arm injury first. I don't want it to get worse." Song Diweng grabbed Fei Daozhang with one small hand and carried him back to the kitchen. After Mayor Guo cleared away the tea, he put Fei Daozhang on the table.

At this moment, Master Fei's arms were swollen to the thickness of his calves, and he could no longer take off his clothes. Song Diweng tore open the sleeves with a "crack" and looked closely.

Master Fei's right arm was blackish-purple, with the humerus, ulna, and radius broken off at the elbow joint, connected only by skin and flesh, indicating a very serious injury.

Song Diweng shook his head, glanced at him, and instructed Mayor Guo to find a wooden board. He then grabbed Fei Daozhang's arm with both hands and reconnected the three broken arm bones one by one. "Bear with it," he said coldly.

Mayor Guo took the worktable from the kitchen and asked, "Is this okay?"

Without saying a word, Song Diweng pressed one hand on the panel, and with the other hand, his fingers folded into willow leaf shapes. He chopped down with his palm, splitting the panel in two like a sharp axe, leaving Mayor Guo and Secretary Qin speechless.

Song Diweng used his palms to cut the panel to a suitable width to use as a splint to fix Fei Daozhang's right arm. Then he quickly wrapped it tightly with a cloth strip and said indifferently, "It's a pity that you didn't bring any medicine. You'll have to send him to the hospital."

"Thump thump thump..." At this moment, the sound of staggering footsteps came again from the gate of the old house. Guo Youfu had returned.

Chapter 28, Part 2

"Fei Ziyun killed Master Yidu! He also kidnapped Nizi..." Youfu held a pistol in his hand, leaning against the kitchen door frame, panting heavily.

Song Diweng coldly asked, "Who is this person?"

"He is Youfu, the younger brother of Youcai, and the town's special police commissioner," Secretary Qin quickly introduced.

Upon hearing this, Master Fei sat up abruptly and asked excitedly, "The old monk Yidu is dead? Ha, that's wonderful!"

"Where's Nizi? Where did you take her?" Youfu asked angrily.

"Nizi? I didn't arrest her!" Master Fei said, puzzled.

Secretary Qin said sternly to Guo Youfu, "Comrade Guo Youfu, please put your gun away. What exactly is going on?"