Knife splashing

Chapter 43 Puppet Monkey, Soul-shaking Drum
The locations of Taoist temples in China are very particular.

Built on the top of a famous mountain, deep in a river, in a place rarely visited by people, it usually means that one is devoted to studying the great way and is far away from the mundane world...

Built halfway up the mountain, it means half way to the mortal world and half way to the immortal world…

And built at the bottom of the mountain, it is for worldly practice and making good connections...

If it is built in a city, there will undoubtedly be a lot of incense and popularity.

Therefore, the areas around temples in the city are usually prosperous in business and popular.

Xicheng, old street near Niangniang Temple.

There are also many shops on both sides of the street here, but unlike the City God Temple where there are incense and candle shops and shops selling weddings and funerals, most of the shops here are various artisan shops.

Leatherworkers, goldsmiths, carpenters, stonemasons, etc. are just trades, and there are more types of shops derived from them, such as those specializing in horse harnesses, making shadow puppets, making furniture, and helping artists make various musical instruments.

Several men from the White Ape Gang walked in a hurry.

Unlike the Iron Knife Gang, Yuan Qu has been hanging out in brothels since he was a child and is used to all kinds of scenes. He pays attention to the pomp and circumstance, so his men are dressed in uniform, all in black coats, warrior boots, and cowhide waist guards as thick as a palm.

They are all big and strong, and they look even more ferocious when walking together.

When the people along the way saw this, they were all filled with fear and hid away.

Soon, they arrived in front of a remote shop.

Outside the shop, there are many puppets hanging, all dressed in costumes and with painted faces. Each of the three roles, sheng, dan, jing, mo, and chou, looks vivid and lifelike.

This is a puppet shop.

Puppet show, also known as "small play", originated in the Han Dynasty and flourished in the Tang Dynasty. Even the Tang Emperor wrote a poem about it: "An old man is made of wood and silk, with chicken skin and crane hair just like the real man."

The reason why it is called "small" is that during the performance, a small stage is set up with a curtain covering the bottom. The artistes are at the bottom, and they can interpret the joys and sorrows of life in a small space with their deft hands and singing skills.

Xianyang's puppet show is equally famous.

It only takes two or three people to perform at various rural temple fairs, so there are quite a lot of people engaged in this business, and there are also shops that specialize in making puppets.

In an old shop, a middle-aged man is carving a puppet.

He was dressed in white, with black hair draped over his shoulders, narrow eyes, a cold expression, and slender and powerful fingers. As the carving knife slid across, wood chips scattered.

For some reason, it feels a bit out of place in this old shop.

Even when he heard footsteps, he was fully focused, as if no one was around.

The men from the White Ape Gang didn't even dare to enter the door. They stood outside the door, bowed and said respectfully:

"Master Chen, our gang leader would like to ask you for help."

The man in white didn't even raise his head, still concentrating on carving.

"Where's what I want?"

"Don't worry, Mr. Chen. We only need one more. The gang leader said that there will be too many people during the day, so we will send them to your house at night..."

…………

Two hours later, at the Yuan family mansion.

Unlike Zheng Heibei of the Iron Knife Gang, Yuan Qu behaved in a completely different way after he became rich. He bought a mansion, built a courtyard, and lived like a wealthy man.

Maybe he was used to being poor since childhood, so he can live as luxuriously as possible now.

"Master Zhou, please!"

Outside the gate, a man led the way respectfully.

Behind him followed a young man, who had a tall stature, thick eyebrows, big eyes, regular features, and was wearing a brocade robe and a jade ring on his finger.

His eyes are bright and sharp, showing a fierce look.

When he entered the house, Yuan Qu came up to him and said with a smile, "Zhou Bai, you are really hard to please. Could it be that now that you have received the true teachings from the master, you look down on your uncle Yuan?"

The person who came was Zhou Bai, the talented person of Zhou family.

"Uncle Master was joking."

The young Zhou Bai was obviously a little impatient. He bowed slightly, looked around, and shook his head, saying, "Uncle Master, your garden has become more beautiful. My uncle once said that if you don't indulge in these material things, your kung fu will definitely be more than this."

"Hahaha…"

Yuan Qu was not angry at all after hearing this. Instead, he smiled and said, "I am old, and I cannot compare to you young people in your bravery and diligence. I will be satisfied to hear that you have become famous in the martial arts world in the future."

Zhou Bai didn't comment, "Why did Uncle Yuan ask me to come here?"

"You'll find out when you go in."

Yuan Qu smiled mysteriously and took Zhou Bai into the hall.

Inside the hall, there was a giant macaque squatting on a chair with an iron chain around its neck. It was holding a live chicken in its hands and tearing it apart, with its mouth full of blood.

He looks like a normal person, but there is a fierce light in his eyes.

On the chair on the other side, sat a middle-aged man in white clothes, with black hair draped over his shoulders and a cold expression. He was playing with the rosary in his hand and resting with his eyes closed.

When he saw them coming, he just glanced at them.

Yuan Qu quickly introduced: "Zhou Bai, let me introduce you, this is Master Chen Fakui, a master of the Jiuyuan Sect's Dharma lineage."

"Meet Master Chen."

Zhou Bai was startled and greeted him respectfully.

Among all the sects in the martial arts world, the Golden Sect is the most prominent, while the Xuan Sect is aloof from the world.

Taixuan Orthodox Sect is the state religion, and most of the people it deals with are high-ranking officials and nobles. For people like them who are in the martial arts world, the most they can get in touch with are the Dharma lineages of various places.

The Jiuyuan Sect originated in Mount Li and is also an ancient sect. According to legend, they are descendants of the craftsmen who built the Mausoleum of the First Emperor, and they inherited the traditions of the alchemists of the time. They are very influential in the entire Guanzhong area.

The characteristic of the Dharma lineage is that the word "Fa" is included in the name of the true disciple.

Needless to say, this Chen Fakui is a true magician of the Dharma lineage! What's the point of letting himself meet a magician?
Zhou Bai was puzzled, then he looked at the big horse monkey and frowned, "Uncle Yuan, why is this fist beast of my uncle here?"

There are many types of monkey boxing, and there is also one in the Red Boxing system, but it is considered indecent and is called "sub-boxing".

Zhou Pan was a master of this art, and he also learned Tongbei Monkey Fist, integrating the two and studying them diligently before he entered the realm of Hua Jin.

He caught two giant monkeys near Mount Zhongnan. The monkeys were quite smart. He observed their movements and practiced boxing, and actually taught the two monkeys boxing.

Zhou Pan liked it very much and called it the Boxing Beast.

Since he became the president of the Divine Fist Association, his reputation spread far and wide, and people often came to challenge him. Zhou Pan was not tired of it, so he made a rule that only those who could beat the big monkey could fight him.

This is one of the sources of its notoriety.

Normally, these two giant monkeys always stayed by Zhou Pan's side. Now that they appeared here, Zhou Bai couldn't help but feel puzzled.

"Of course I asked my master to send it to me."

Yuan Qu smiled slightly, "Isn't the competition coming up soon? Although you have the monkey form, you lack a bit of agility and ferocity, so I spent a lot of money to ask Master Chen to use the secret method to help you comprehend, and the old master has agreed."

When Zhou Bai heard this, he felt unhappy and shook his head, "I'm just a country boy. Does Uncle Yuan have no confidence in me?"

Yuan Qu smiled and said, "Of course I have confidence in you."

"But you also know that old man Zhang Yuanshang has always been at odds with Master. If that kid is vulnerable, why would he take the initiative to make arrangements?"

"So, you not only have to win, but you have to win well!"

"If you can easily kill that son of Li Hu, your master might be happy and let you go, so you can go out and make a name for yourself in the martial arts world."

After hearing this, Zhou Bai's eyes lit up, "Really?"

"Then there's still a lie!"

Yuan Qu smiled sincerely.

The sorcerer Chen Fakui had been watching coldly, and when he saw Zhou Bai agreed, he stepped forward, took a tuft of hair from Zhou Bai and the giant monkey respectively, wrapped them in yellow talismans, and stuffed them into the mouths of the man and the monkey alternately.

Zhou Bai couldn't help feeling frightened when he saw all this.

It is hard to guard against sorcerers who can harm people, so there is a rumor in the martial arts world that when dealing with these people, no matter whether it is your horoscope, fingernails or hair, you should not hand it over easily.

If Zhou Pan hadn't agreed, he would never let the other party get close to him.

Chen Fakui noticed Zhou Bai's alertness but didn't care.

He then took out a rattle with the Bagua painted on it, and started shaking it while doing the magic steps. His head shook, his black hair fluttered, and his eyes gradually turned white.

He was mumbling something, but his speech was so fast that it was impossible to hear clearly.

As the rattle sounded, Zhou Bai began to show strange behavior.

He could feel the aura of the giant monkey all around him.

The breath rushed into his body, causing his body to tremble unconsciously. His knees gradually bent, and he scratched his head with his backhand and began to make faces, which were exactly the same as the giant monkey's movements.

Afterwards, the man and the monkey started fighting monkey boxing in the lobby.

Every move is sharp and every punch is ferocious.

And Zhou Bai's eyes also showed some beast-like ferocity.

Click!

He stretched out his hand and grabbed, leaving claw marks on the thick beams.

The young man cheered and ran around on his hands and feet like a monkey, grinning at Yuan Qu from time to time, revealing a wild nature.

"it is good!"

Yuan Qu clapped his hands in friendship, but his eyes were full of mockery...

…………

Before we knew it, night had fallen.

Boom!Boom!Boom!
In the old alley near the City God Temple, the sound of drums is still ringing.

It was intermittent, and each sound was like thunder.

On the bluestone street, Wang Daoxuan walked by with a lantern, stepped into the Taoist Hall, and looked at Li Yan who looked like a madman in the courtyard, and shook his head slightly.

Sharifei was squatting on the steps, holding a jar of old wine in his hand. Next to him was an open oil paper bag filled with boiled peanuts and braised beef.

"Master, would you like a bite?"

Seeing Wang Daoxuan coming in, he raised the jar and asked in a low voice.

Wang Daoxuan shook his head and refused, "No, at midnight, people are in a state of concentration, drinking alcohol will excite the blood and qi, which is against the will of heaven. If I drink, I'm afraid I won't be able to practice later."

"What the hell is this..."

Sharifi muttered, "How can I sleep with this drum beating!"

Wang Daoxuan was also somewhat helpless. "I just greeted the neighbors, but they didn't care. Why are you complaining?"

"How dare I complain? I'm just worried."

Sharifei quickly retorted, shaking his head and said, "He's been fighting all day without eating or drinking, and he's going to the ring the day after tomorrow. Aren't you afraid of problems?"

Wang Daoxuan looked at Li Yan, who was alone in the courtyard, and said thoughtfully, "This is a state of selflessness. Brother Yan has already given instructions, which means he knows what is going on."

"Let's just wait patiently."

That night, the people living in the old street suffered a lot.

But what surprised them was that the drum sounds that they had previously found irritating actually sounded pleasant in the second half of the night.

And that night, they slept exceptionally peacefully...

(End of this chapter)