The Song Dynasty was the king for thirteen years before he knew that he was Tianlong.

Chapter 293 Great Snow Mountain (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
Inside the abbot's meditation room at Shaolin Temple.

Xuan Ci looked at Xiao Yuanshan: "Didn't the Sweeping Master say where he was going?"

Xiao Yuanshan put his palms together and said, "Reporting to the abbot, Master only said that he was going on a long journey, but he did not say where he was going or when he would return."

Xuan Ci thought for a moment and said, "Junior Brother, you should return to the Scripture Pavilion. I understand about this matter."

Xiao Yuanshan turned and left. Xuan Ci looked puzzled. The sweeping monk had suddenly left without saying goodbye, and even his disciple Xiao Yuanshan hadn't mentioned his whereabouts. He wondered what urgent matter had brought him to leave so abruptly.

He pondered for a moment, then looked at Xu Zhu beside him and said, "Go and brew a pot of tea for your master."

Xu Zhu agreed and hurriedly opened the door to go out.

Looking at Xu Zhu's retreating figure, Xuan Ci couldn't help but shake his head. The Prince of Yan wanted him to take care of this little monk, but the little monk was really dull-witted. Even though he was taken as a personal disciple and taught martial arts every day, he learned slowly and clumsily, and his progress was slow.

When Xu Zhu returned with the tea, he took two sips and began to test Xu Zhu's martial arts skills. After a while, he sighed.

Seeing this, Xu Zhu stammered, "Master, it's all my fault for being so stupid and making you angry..."

Xuan Ci remained expressionless, but inwardly he couldn't help but think that the Prince of Yan seemed to want the other person to succeed him as the head of Shaolin in the future. The position of abbot did not necessarily require high martial arts skills and proficiency in Buddhism. As long as the monks below were capable, it would be sufficient. Although this little monk was a bit slow, he could be seen to be kind-hearted and innocent. He was not unfit for the position.

He waved his hand without saying a word, and Xu Zhu, looking guilty, left the room.

It was a crisp autumn day, the leaves were turning yellow, and the scenery was beautiful. However, Xu Zhu was very frustrated and blamed himself for being so clumsy. After becoming a disciple of his master, he learned martial arts slowly and failed to master the scriptures. He not only failed his master's teachings but also let down the Prince of Yan who had taken care of him.

He walked back to his residence, and after returning to his room, he began to reflect on his actions while facing the wall, without eating dinner.

Around midnight, he couldn't sit still any longer and was extremely sleepy, so he wanted to go to bed to rest. Just then, he heard the door creak open.

"Who is it?" Xu Zhu turned around and looked, surprised. He wondered who would be looking for him in the middle of the night without even knocking.

There were no lights in the room at that time. By the moonlight outside the door, he looked carefully and saw a kind-looking old monk standing in front of the door.

The old monk had white eyebrows and a white beard, and his age was unknown. He was wearing a white monk's robe and looked him up and down with a smile on his face.

Xu Zhu quickly stood up and clasped his hands together, saying, "Master is..."

He grew up in Shaolin Temple, but had never seen this old monk before. He knew all the monks in the temple, but the older ones had some impression of him. However, he had no memory of this old monk.

The old monk smiled and said, "Xu Zhu..."

Xu Zhu saw that the other party knew his Buddhist name and guessed that he was undoubtedly a monk from the temple. He only blamed himself for being clumsy, because the other party rarely showed himself and he had forgotten even if he had seen him before.

He bowed again and said, "It is indeed this humble monk. May I ask which academy you are, Master, and what brings you to my humble abode in the middle of the night?"

The old monk in white said, "I am not an elder of any academy. I have come to find you to take you to a good place."

"Which academy's elder is he from?" Xu Zhu wondered, and stammered, "Then which monk in the temple is the master from?"

The old monk said mysteriously, "I am both a member of Shaolin Temple and not quite, and I shouldn't be now, but I still have some connection with Shaolin. In terms of seniority, you should call me Grandmaster."

"Grandmaster?" Xu Zhu was taken aback. He actually had two masters. One was his previous master, Hui Lun, who taught him basic Shaolin martial arts such as Arhat Fist and Weituo Palm. He knew Hui Lun's grandmaster and had met him a few days ago.

Another master was Xuanci. Xuanci's master was the former abbot of Shaolin Temple, Master Lingmen, who was also his grandmaster. However, Master Lingmen had passed away many years ago.

Upon realizing this, Xu Zhu immediately became wary and shook his head, saying, "This humble monk does not recognize you, Master. You are not my grandmaster. May I ask what brings you here so late at night?"

The old monk in white laughed upon hearing this, "What a foolish little novice! Let me ask you, is Xuanci your master?"

Xu Zhu hurriedly nodded: "Xuan Ci is indeed my esteemed teacher."

The white-robed old monk said calmly, "Xuanci is my disciple. My Dharma name is Lingmen. Am I your grandmaster?"

Xu Zhu was shocked upon hearing this: "How is this possible? Master Lingmen has been dead for decades, you..."

Before he could finish speaking, the white-robed old monk appeared in front of him without making any move. He then raised his finger and pressed two acupoints on him, and said with a smile, "Good grand-disciple, your grandmaster will take you to a good place. I will tell you some things along the way."

Xu Zhu's eyes widened. He wanted to shout but couldn't speak, and he tried to struggle but couldn't move his limbs. The old monk carried him out of the door and flew straight out of the temple...

In Dali City, Duan Zhengchun frowned as he looked at the letter in his hand.

Duan Yu, standing nearby, asked, "Father, what is the matter with Brother Zhao's letter? Is there any news about my sister's whereabouts?"

Duan Zhengchun nodded: "The Prince of Yan said that Wan'er is very likely trapped in the snow-capped mountains north of Shanju County, within the territory of Tibet."

"That snow mountain?" Duan Yu was stunned. "I remember that mountain. It's a big mountain on the border between the two countries. It ranks high among the snow mountains of Tibet. Could it be that my sister crossed the mountains of Shanju County and ran to that snow mountain?"

Duan Zhengchun said, "That should be the case. Although the Prince of Yan did not completely confirm it in his letter, his tone was almost certainly correct."

Duan Yu said, "Father, that area is Tibetan territory. It wouldn't be appropriate to send troops there to search, would it?"

Duan Zhengchun said, "It is naturally not appropriate to send troops there. The Prince of Yan also said in his letter that we do not need to go. He has already made arrangements to search for them."

Duan Yu said, "But my sister is not only my father's daughter, but also the princess of Dali. Although it is not appropriate to send troops, we cannot send no one at all."

Duan Zhengchun nodded: "That's right. Even if the soldiers can't go, my Duan family members will have to go. However, Azi has been causing quite a stir these past few days, and I'm really worried about her. I'm afraid she'll cause some more trouble."

Upon hearing the name Azi, Duan Yu immediately fell silent, his face darkening. This younger sister was unlike the others; she was incredibly difficult to deal with. Not only was she disobedient, but she also caused trouble everywhere, always requiring Duan Zhengchun to clean up her messes.

“Yesterday I heard Zhu Danchen say that she inquired about the location of Yuxu Temple with the other party,” Duan Zhengchun said slowly.

Duan Yu was taken aback: "Why is she asking about where her mother cultivates?"

Yuxu Temple is where Dao Baifeng cultivates. It is located in the northwest of Dali City. Dao Baifeng calls himself Yuxu Sanren and lives in the temple most of the year. He only returns to Zhennan Prince's Mansion a few times a year.

“I’m worried because I don’t know what she’s planning to do.” Duan Zhengchun shook his head. “If she goes over there and causes trouble, I’m afraid your mother will hurt her, and I’m also afraid she will disrupt your mother’s cultivation, so… sigh.”

Duan Yu pondered, "If that's the case, then Father might as well stay home. I'll take some people to the Great Snow Mountain. If I stay, I won't be able to take care of Sister Azi." Duan Zhengchun pondered for a moment, "That's the only way. Go see His Highness Prince Yan and explain in detail that Azi is making too much of a fuss, and I can't spare the time, which is why I asked you to go."

Duan Yu said, "Yes, Father, then I will make preparations and set off tomorrow morning..."

The day after Zhao Ti left Xingzhou City, Xiao Feng summoned the Beggars' Sect members for a meeting.

At this moment, there are more than 300 Beggar Clan disciples in the city, led by Wu Changfeng, gathered together.

Xiao Feng recounted Zhao Ti's journey to the snowy mountains to search for someone, and said, "Although the Prince of Yan has not informed the Beggars' Sect of their need for help, I will still go to assist him. I need to bring some men with me, not too many, just a few dozen will suffice."

Upon hearing this, everyone was overjoyed. During this period in Xingzhou, they had not only been recognized for their merits by the government, but had also received various rewards. The members of the Beggars' Clan were in a state of high excitement.

Wu Changfeng said, "I'll go with the gang leader."

Xiao Feng shook his head: "Elder Wu should stay and oversee the situation. I will select some disciples to go."

After saying this, he began to examine the crowd, and finally selected thirty young and strong men with good martial arts skills. He told them to "train them well" and that they would follow him to the Great Snow Mountain in the south the next day.

At this time, Zhao Ti, along with Tong Guan and four others, as well as more than a hundred Tibetan soldiers, had already entered Tibetan territory.

After traveling for several days, they passed through the Tibetan central royal court in Lhasa, and then headed southeast towards the kingdom of King Guanghu.

Although it is called a kingdom, it is actually a continuous mountain range with snow-capped peaks. The plateau seems to have no end, and cities are scarce. What you encounter most are just scattered villages.

A few more days passed, and we finally arrived at the foot of the snow-capped mountain that borders Dali.

Look at this majestic snow-capped mountain, covered in silver and stretching as far as the eye can see. The mountain range is like a giant dragon, winding and undulating. The snow-capped peaks pierce through the clouds and shine with a cold light in the sunlight.

Zhao Ti observed for a moment, and Wu Xiong came over to report that he had found traces left by the thirty-six caves and seventy-two islands. Zhou Tong also reported that he had found the secret signal that the Tibetan generals and soldiers had buried earlier.

They then began to follow the trail, and fired a signal arrow to summon everyone to meet. By evening, they had all gathered at the foot of the mountain.

At this moment, Zhao Ti noticed that several people from the Thirty-Six Caves and Seventy-Two Islands had injuries. He frowned and asked what had happened.

Duanmu Yuan, the master of the Crimson Flame Cave, stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Your Highness, a lot of people came to this snow mountain a few days ago. There were martial artists in long robes and wide sleeves, as well as monks dressed in strange clothes. The two sides fought and fought. We were passing by and got caught up in it. We also fought a couple of times and were injured as a result."

Zhao Ti pondered for a moment and said, "Can't we beat them?"

Duanmu Yuan smiled bitterly and said, "Those people have strange methods. It is indeed difficult for my subordinates to fight them one-on-one. However, each of their teams is small. My subordinates relied on their numbers to fight to a draw. The reason they were injured was because there were powerful figures among them. It is already a great fortune that we were able to save them."

Zhao Ti asked, "Haven't seen him in the last two days?"

Duanmu Yuan said, "No, they probably all went deep into the snow mountain. Your Highness, we are waiting nearby and did not follow them."

Zhao Ti nodded, and seeing that it was getting late, ordered them to set up camp on the spot, cook a meal, and then rest.

The next morning, he rearranged everyone, taking Tong Guan as the leader of one team, and then asked Zhou Tong, Su Da, Zhu Chuyi, and Wu Xiong to each lead a team, making a total of five groups, which set off into the snow mountain.

After walking for a while, they could no longer see each other. All they could see was ice and snow all around, and the sunlight was so bright that it was dazzling.

Their team was to scout eastward. Zhao Ti divided them into five groups, each checking different directions: east, south, west, and north. The last group climbed up the mountain.

The snow-capped mountain was too vast. Even traveling straight eastward, they hadn't made much progress on the first day. On the second day, the sky darkened and heavy snow began to fall, making the journey even more difficult.

Five days later, they turned east and saw a group of people walking slowly through the snow ahead.

Zhao Ti's gaze was distant, and he clearly saw that there were eight people in total. Half of them wore tall crowns and long robes with wide sleeves, which showed that they came from the palaces of Kunlun Mountain.

He narrowed his eyes and ordered, "Surround them!"

At this moment, not only have people from Kunlun arrived at this snow mountain, but also those so-called demon monks. If I'm not mistaken, this is what the old monk from Luosuo City said back then: Amitabha Buddha projected his Pure Land Shambhala from afar into the snow mountain. These people have come to find the Kingdom of Shambhala.

It's understandable that the demonic monk was searching for it, but why would the people of Kunlun be looking for this Buddhist kingdom?
The old monk said that when the time comes, the Shambhala Buddhist Kingdom will open, radiating boundless precious light in the snowy mountains, opening a convenient door for all beings in the world. Those who believe in Buddhism and those who are destined can go there to seek refuge.

But the people of the Kunlun Palaces do not believe in Buddhism, nor do they seek refuge with them. So, are they going to cause destruction?

Zhao Ti stroked his chin. That was indeed possible. He couldn't very well offer himself up and ask the other party to convert him.

However, it's unclear how the other party intends to sabotage the operation, or whether they are aware of any other secrets about Shambhala.

His group moved forward to surround the enemy, but to their surprise, the eight people opposite them not only remained calm but actually came to meet them.

Zhao Ti's team, in addition to some people from the thirty-six caves and seventy-two islands, also included a number of Tibetan soldiers and generals, totaling one or two hundred people. They were quite formidable and quickly clashed with the eight people.

But the eight men were not afraid at all; instead, they glared at each other angrily. The leader pointed at them and said, "Where did you come from? Did you arrest Gongye Qian?"

Gongye Qian? Zhao Ti was taken aback when he heard this. Gongye Qian, one of Murong Fu's four great generals, was known as the second best palm striker in Jiangnan.

But those four had already been executed in Tokyo, so there was no way they would come here. The surname Gongye is extremely rare in the world, and it is even rarer to have the same name. How could they possibly meet one here?
He said, "What Gongye Qian? Describe his appearance and see if we can meet him."

The eight people looked at each other in bewilderment. The leader said, "We haven't encountered anyone else along the way. Who else could it be but you?"

Zhao Ti snorted coldly and remained silent. At this moment, the barbarian soldiers quietly took out their crossbows, preparing to attack.

Then, a few of the eight men whispered among themselves, and another one stepped forward and said, "We don't believe you when you say you've never seen us. We might be being held captive in your group, and who knows, you might have killed us!"

Tong Guan glared at him from the side: "This is utter nonsense! You claim we captured and killed you without even mentioning your appearance? Where did you all come from? You're so out of touch with reality, you're just scoundrels."

The leader on the other side roared, "You dare say I'm out of touch with reality? I think it was you who did it! Hand over the person right now!"

He said a long, narrow, curved blade appeared in his hand, gleaming with a bright green light, and he made a move to charge forward.

Zhao Ti's expression turned cold, and he snorted, "Release the arrows."

(I've been sick, so there haven't been many updates these past few days. I'll make up for it once I'm better. Thank you everyone.)
(End of this chapter)