However, finding more difficult training methods is troublesome and requires spending energy to purchase them, so Hao Jiu's suggestion is to gradually reduce the assistance of split souls.
Just then, Xiang Yu watched the video of the Beggars' Sect's martial arts competition today and felt a little regretful that he wasn't there. He was also looking forward to the martial arts competition at Shaolin tomorrow.
Therefore, Xiang Yu sent his divided soul to Shaolin Temple. His divided soul was now so powerful that it could move around outside for a long time without possessing a person.
Hao Jiu pouted, "Where did we steal anything? We were watching openly and honestly! It's just that their eyesight is bad and they couldn't see us."
Furthermore, doesn't the Overlord know that everything in this world already belongs to us? Whether it's books, people, or even mountains, rivers, flowers, and plants, the Overlord can use them at will.
The reason we didn't tell Qianqian and Chengcheng is because we didn't want to disrupt their normal life trajectory.
"I see..." Xiang Yu thought about it and realized it made sense. "Does the God of Wine recognize this kind of writing?"
Hao Jiu raised an eyebrow. His language function module was finally coming in handy. Modules sold in the system store must be of high quality. Not only could he understand the languages of all the worlds, but he could also recognize the written language, and the pronunciation was quite standard.
"Of course, this is Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language. Legend has it that Shaolin has two great martial arts created by Bodhidharma: the Yi Jin Jing and the Xi Sui Jing. Bodhidharma was from South India, and Buddhism was also transmitted from India, or Tianzhu, to the Central Plains."
However, in the novel *Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils*, there is only the *Yi Jin Jing* and not the *Xi Sui Jing*. Furthermore, the power of these two scriptures depends primarily on the setting of the world; in *Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils*, the *Yi Jin Jing* is undoubtedly the strongest.
Unfortunately, this manual was in Sanskrit. Shaolin possessed this powerful skill, but few managed to master it, and it was later lost.
Chengcheng took the manual and flipped through it casually. "Master, I've seen this manual before. It's all in Sanskrit, which I can't understand at all. Why didn't you teach me Sanskrit sooner?"
"Sanskrit is so difficult to learn, how could your teacher possibly know it?" Qianqian spread his hands, his smile was incredibly lewd. He already knew that Chengcheng had secretly read the Yijinjing.
Chengcheng's lips twitched violently. "How can Master practice the Yi Jin Jing if he doesn't know Sanskrit?"
"My master knew Sanskrit. He spent half his life learning Sanskrit and studying the Yi Jin Jing. Before he passed away, he finally finished translating it and understood the contents of the book. It's just a pity that he was unable to practice it. He broke the precept against anger and died of anger." Qianqian sighed.
"Huh?" Chengcheng looked completely bewildered. "Master, you're not wrong, are you? If you understood it, how could you be so angry?"
“I’m not wrong, because the entire scripture only has a few pages of martial arts at the end; the rest of the text is about Buddhist principles and teachings. My master passed away in a fit of anger,” Qianqian sighed.
Hao Jiu's lips twitched violently. "This Yi Jin Jing is too much of a rip-off. It's practically the same as the Sunflower Manual."
"Why?" Xiang Yu asked, puzzled. These two martial arts were completely unrelated.
Hao Jiu laughed and said, "The first page of the Sunflower Manual says that one must castrate oneself to practice this skill. But after some unlucky guy castrated himself and practiced until the last page, it actually said that one can practice the skill without castration."
The Yi Jin Jing is such a thick book, with Buddhist scriptures explaining Buddhist principles at the beginning. If someone were to painstakingly study Sanskrit and translate it bit by bit from beginning to end, they would end up like Master Qianqian, spending their entire life only to realize that only the last few pages are the martial arts manual.
The key point is that no matter how hard you study, you can't learn Sanskrit very well. Most of it still depends on guessing. It's originally a Buddhist scripture, but you have to guess it like a martial arts manual. You're bound to take many detours and spend a lot of effort.
In this situation, to arrive at such a correct conclusion would be incredibly frustrating; it's no wonder he was so angry he died. And after his mental state collapsed, he probably wouldn't have been in the mood to remind future generations; he probably wished others would end up like him.
Hao Jiu is now quite curious about how the devout monk learned the Yi Jin Jing. Is it really true that people who are crazy or mentally challenged are more likely to learn unparalleled martial arts?
This doesn't make sense!
Chapter 414 Going to Shaolin
"He spent half his life studying Sanskrit and delving into the Yijinjing. Before he passed away, he finally finished translating it and understood the contents of the book. Unfortunately, he was unable to practice it because he broke the precept against anger and died of anger."
After hearing Qianqian's words, Hao Jiu focused on the phrase "enraged to death," while Chengcheng paid attention to "the translation was completed" and "the contents of the book were understood."
"So, Grandmaster must have taught the last few pages to Master, right?"
"Hehe, I wish I could too, but unfortunately my master passed away before he could teach me anything," Qianqian sighed.
"How did Master learn the Yi Jin Jing?" Chengcheng had also secretly studied it, but he had no clue at all. Apart from Master knowing Sanskrit, he couldn't think of any other possibility that would allow a mad monk to learn this divine skill.
"Perhaps it's because I'm destined to have it. Chengcheng, if an ordinary person got their hands on the Yijinjing, they would treasure it like a precious gem and study it carefully from beginning to end, wouldn't they?" Qianqian stroked his beard.
"That's right, does someone actually read it upside down?" Chengcheng asked, his eyes widening suddenly.
"Hehe, not only did I read it backwards, but I also read it at top speed." Qianqian smiled smugly.
Chengcheng quickly looked at it backwards following Qianqian's instructions, but after several attempts, he still couldn't see any difference. "Master, this..."
"You're reading too slowly. You should read like your teacher." Qianqian took the scripture, rolled it up slightly, and then flicked it with his thumb.
Swish...
The scriptures were flipped from the last page to the first page in a flash; this couldn't be called reading, it was more like playing around!
However, Chengcheng tried it and indeed found something different. As the pages were turned quickly, some pictures seemed to be faintly visible!
"You've discovered it? This is the version of the Yi Jin Jing that I practice. Of course, you don't need to go through all that trouble; I can teach you everything directly. However, I cannot guarantee that what I practice is the complete Yi Jin Jing."
When Bodhidharma wrote the Yijinjing, he used Sanskrit, but the readers of this book were people from the Central Plains. I think that makes no sense. It's impossible that Bodhidharma didn't want people from the Central Plains to learn it.
Later I realized that Sanskrit was just one way to learn the Yi Jin Jing martial arts. Bodhidharma clearly had a simpler method hidden in his mind, such as the one I discovered.
Perhaps there are other ways to understand this Yi Jin Jing. Chengcheng, you are so intelligent, you might be able to discover other secrets of this book.
Furthermore, after much contemplation, I realized that to cultivate the Yi Jin Jing (Muscle/Tendon Changing Classic), one must transcend the notions of "self" and "other," and have no intention of practicing martial arts. Therefore, the Buddhist teachings preceding the Yi Jin Jing are not meaningless, but rather the true key.
Bodhidharma wanted to use this method to tell future generations that if they wanted to learn the Yijinjing well, they must first learn Buddhism. Only by laying a solid foundation and proceeding step by step can they truly learn the Yijinjing.
Of course, it is possible to practice the Yi Jin Jing without studying Buddhism, but there may be some hidden dangers, or one may not be able to reach the highest level, or even develop other messy things.
"It is precisely because I discovered this that I had you dedicate twenty years to the intensive study of Buddhism, and I did not teach you any martial arts. I hope that you can surpass your master in your mastery of the Yi Jin Jing."
"Disciple will do his utmost to live up to Master's expectations!" Chengcheng clasped his hands together and bowed respectfully.
“Excellent. Now, I will pass on all the Yi Jin Jing I have mastered to you, but whether you choose to practice it according to my instructions is up to you.” After saying this, Qianqian officially began to teach Chengcheng the practice method of Yi Jin Jing.
Xiang Yu frowned. "So, if I want to learn the Yi Jin Jing, do I have to study Buddhism first?"
Hao Jiu chuckled, "Of course not, you have me, don't you?"
The next day, the melodious yet somber tolling of the bell resounded throughout Shaolin Temple, and the mysterious couple who struck fear into the hearts of the martial arts world arrived!
All members of the Qian, Cheng, and Sheng generations of Shaolin Temple, as well as most of the elites of the Ling and Xuan generations, gathered inside and outside the Great Buddha Hall of Shaolin Temple.
This battle concerns Shaolin's centuries-old reputation. Neither the Yi Jin Jing nor the Seventy-Two Shaolin Arts can be lost; otherwise, the consequences would be unforgivable.
"Qiushui, Shaolin is well-prepared and has many experts. If they do not accept our challenge, we must not force them," Wuyazi instructed.
"Don't worry, my husband, I wouldn't dare. I haven't lived enough yet. That mysterious old monk is not to be trifled with. Even if the two of us join forces, we might not be his match. Even if he doesn't make a move, the dozens of Shaolin masters will be difficult to deal with."
Li Qiushui still feels lingering fear when she thinks about it now. After all, she was just a woman who was not yet thirty years old, and her martial arts skills were far from being invincible.
If she were to face those eminent monks from Shaolin Temple, she wouldn't be afraid of fighting them one-on-one, but if Shaolin attacked like the Beggars' Sect, she and Wuyazi would have no choice but to run away.
Wu Yazi thought about it all night and finally decided to take whatever Shaolin secret manuals he could get and never force anything. He also decided to restrain himself and not be so arrogant as to challenge the entire Shaolin Temple. He should keep a low profile and persuade others with reason.
"Halt. This temple is closed today. Apart from these two, no unauthorized persons are allowed to enter. Please leave, everyone." A tall, young martial monk stopped a group of martial artists at the entrance of Shaolin Temple.
"Why won't we be allowed to go in and see? That's not fair!"
"Is Shaolin afraid of losing too badly?"
"We want to go in and cheer for Shaolin, so we hope you can make an exception for us."
...
A group of martial arts practitioners, who were just observing the situation, tried every means to enter Shaolin Temple, but without exception, they all failed.
Wu Yazi and Li Qiushui ignored those people and went into Shaolin Temple on their own. They even left the carriage containing the secret manuals outside the temple and entrusted it to the people of Shaolin Temple for safekeeping.
In fact, Wu Yazi had already hidden those manuals in a secret stronghold of the Xiaoyao Sect in Luoyang last night, so he wasn't afraid of anyone stealing them.
The main purpose of this carriage is to carry the numerous secret manuals in the Shaolin Temple's library. There are seventy-two manuals of the Seventy-Two Arts alone, plus other martial arts manuals, totaling two or three hundred.
Soon, we arrived at the Great Hall of Shaolin Temple.
Under the watchful eyes of a group of angry-looking men, Wu Yazi and Li Qiushui entered and saw the old abbot of Shaolin, whose Dharma name was Qianxin, sitting cross-legged in the center.
Li Qiushui's eyes narrowed. This Shaolin abbot seemed to be quite skilled in martial arts. Could he be the mysterious monk from yesterday?
However, the high monk had said that as long as they didn't go too far, he wouldn't interfere in the affairs of the younger generation, so there was nothing to be afraid of.
"Wu Yazi and Li Qiushui of the Xiaoyao Sect greet Abbot Qianxin and all the eminent monks!" Wu Yazi and Li Qiushui said, clasping their hands in greeting.
The Free and Unfettered Sect? Most of the monks present looked puzzled, clearly having never heard of this name.
"Amitabha……"
With hands clasped in prayer and chanting the Buddha's name, the whispers in the main hall instantly vanished.
Chapter 415 Spectating the Battle
"Wu Yazi and Li Qiushui of the Xiaoyao Sect greet Abbot Qianxin and all the eminent monks!"
Wu Yazi and Li Qiushui introduced themselves in their first words. Since even a young monk from Shaolin could recognize the martial arts of the Xiaoyao Sect, there was no need for them to make a fuss.
In fact, Wu Yazi and Li Qiushui had misunderstood. After hearing about the Beggars' Sect yesterday, Shaolin Temple searched for the young monk who had shown his face in the Beggars' Sect among the Ling and Xuan generations, but to no avail.
Although Chengcheng promised to pass on a message to Wuyazi, he didn't actually tell anyone at Shaolin Temple. In any case, even if he didn't say anything, Shaolin Temple would know about tomorrow's challenge.
"Amitabha, so you are disciples of the Free and Unfettered Sect. May I ask what brings you two from so far away?" Abbot Qianxin had already prepared to drive away the unwelcome guests, but he did not expect that this mysterious couple would be so sensible as to take the initiative to introduce their sect and name, which could be said to have given Shaolin a lot of face, making it difficult for the Shaolin monks to cause trouble.
Wu Yazi could tell from the expressions of the Shaolin monks that most of them had never heard of the Xiaoyao Sect, but he couldn't tell anything from the Shaolin abbot and the few who always had dark faces.
Of course, there are many obscure martial arts sects these days. Some of them only have a few people and not even a second-rate master, yet they dare to establish their own sects. It's not surprising that you haven't heard of them.
“Abbot Qianxin, I have come here today to seek the unparalleled martial arts manual of Shaolin, intending to take it back and study it.”
"How dare you! Do you think you can just take away my Shaolin's secret techniques? How dare this small, backwater sect call itself carefree?" a fierce-looking old monk standing beside Qianxin roared.
“Abbot Qianxin, who is this?” Wuyazi glanced at the other person. It is said that one’s appearance reflects one’s heart, and this person does not look like a Buddhist at all.
"This is Qian Su, the head of the Shaolin Disciplinary Hall, and also my junior brother. He is known for his outspokenness and has offended your sect just now. I hope you will not take offense. However, what he said is not without reason. Even among the monks of the temple, not just anyone can see the secret manuals of Shaolin. Your request is truly excessive." Qian Su's tone also turned cold.
“Abbot, you misunderstand. I am not asking for it for nothing. Rather, I would like to use our sect’s unique skills as a wager to have a fair duel with your temple. The winner can take the wager from the other party. We will stop here without hurting each other’s feelings, how about it?” Wu Yazi said, clasping his hands in a fist salute.
"Hahaha... What kind of unique skills does this small, rural sect have that can compare to my Shaolin?" Qian Su laughed.
“Junior brother, stop talking nonsense. These two benefactors have challenged various sects without ever being defeated by our sect’s martial arts, which is enough to show how exquisite their martial arts are,” Qianxin rebuked.
“The abbot is right, I was too attached to appearances. But I still don’t think their Xiaoyao Sect’s martial arts can compare to our Shaolin’s unique skills. If it were exchanged for our Shaolin Sect’s ordinary martial arts, it would be barely acceptable,” Qian Su said proudly.
"Hmph! How can a monk be so arrogant? The Beggars' Sect's Twenty-Eight Subduing Dragon Palms and Dog-Beating Staff Technique were defeated by our Free and Unfettered Sect's martial arts. Yet, at Shaolin, they can only barely compare to Shaolin's ordinary martial arts? May I ask, Master, where do you place the Beggars' Sect's unique skills?" Li Qiushui retorted.
"Uh..." Qian Su had spoken too quickly and forgot about the Beggars' Sect. Fortunately, the mountain gate was closed and the Beggars' Sect members were not here, otherwise they would definitely have demanded an explanation from him.
"Qiu Shui, don't be rude." Wu Ya Zi scolded Li Qiu Shui, then clasped his hands and said to Qian Xin, "Abbot, whether my Xiaoyao Sect's unique skills are qualified to compete with Shaolin's unique skills, let's see for ourselves. How about I demonstrate a few first?"
With a slight smile, Qianxin said, "Amitabha, Shaolin never covets the martial arts of other sects. Even if your sect's martial arts are truly unparalleled in the world, we are not interested. Please leave, benefactor."