Legend of Zhan Zhao

Chapter 124 The Sword of Color and Emptiness

"Has Brother Jieshu always been like this?"

"When I first met him, I never imagined that someone so skilled in poisons would be so timid and faint when excited. No wonder the Five Immortals Sect members bullied him at first, but later found it hard to accept after being poisoned by his poisonous flowers."

"So he was expelled from the church?"

"No, few people know that he actually requested to leave the sect. However, the temple only publicized it that way to increase the deterrent effect of the monks with bad karma. Even the Five Immortals Sect couldn't stand his poisonous flowers and herbs and expelled him. When people in the martial arts world heard this, they were naturally very afraid."

"Then why did he leave the Five Immortals Sect?"

"Jie Shu couldn't stand it anymore. The current leader of the Five Immortals Sect actually valued him quite a bit and even wanted to promote him to the position of Five Immortal Envoy, but the thought of having to face so many people every day broke him down, so he ran away..."

"I see."

"The Five Immortals Sect Leader also regrets it quite a bit. She often writes letters to the temple to inquire about Jie Shu's recent situation. From what I heard from her, she still hopes that Jie Shu will go back. But hehe, we are not going to let him go!"

"It was my fault; I had preconceived notions."

"Junior brother, don't blame yourself. Junior brother Jieshu won't blame you either..."

Jie Shu slowly woke up and found himself still lying in the same spot, with Jie Wen and Zhan Zhao standing beside him.

"Senior brother is awake?"

Zhan Zhao's brows furrowed with apology.

The six monks with terrible karma were renowned throughout the world, and he did indeed have some preconceived notions.

Seeing that Jie Shu and Bai Xiaofeng's relationship was unclear, he wanted to get close to the precept against killing as soon as he returned to the temple, which led to his sudden question just now.

As a result, it directly provoked the other person to the point of passing out.

Upon learning that the person was not an imposter, Zhan Zhao was naturally very apologetic. He earnestly said, "Brother Jieshu, I have tested you many times, which has violated the bond between fellow disciples. I am truly ashamed."

"no, I'm fine!"

Jie Shu, on the contrary, was quite flustered. After getting up, he shrank back and said, "Junior Brother's suspicion is that I do know... I do know Bai Xiaofeng, but we agreed not to tell anyone, which is why I didn't say anything! But I would not steal the Killing Ring, and I didn't know he was going to steal it!"

Jiewen seized the opportunity and said, "Then could you, junior brother, pass on a message to Bai Xiaofeng? Find out why this person wanted to steal the precept against killing. It is a weapon of our Buddhist sect. If he gets it, it will be completely useless to him!"

"Okay! Ok!"

Jie Shu scratched his head: "But usually, he comes to my flower garden to pick up flowers. If I need to do something, I leave a note, and sometimes he'll leave a letter after receiving it..."

Zhan Zhao's eyes flickered: "Senior brother, do you know Bai Xiaofeng's true appearance?"

"He was wearing a disguise mask, the kind that's easy to spot at a glance. I don't know what he really looks like. He said it's best if I don't see it, or I'll be asking for trouble..."

Jie Shu said, "However, his lightness skill is really good. Outsiders cannot come and go in my flower garden at all. Even if they can hold their breath, the poison can still enter their body through their pores. Only by truly being able to come and go like the wind can they pick my flowers and plants. They cannot stay for even a moment longer."

"Bai Xiaofeng came and went often, and I couldn't help but be curious. Once, I was drinking medicinal wine, and he actually came up to me and asked for a cup. I handed it to him, and he actually dared to drink it."

“I asked him why, and he said that I am different from those poisoners. I don’t think about using poison to harm people or using poison to make people afraid. I am a good person, so he believes that I would not poison people.”

"This is the first time anyone has ever said something like that to me!"

"Over time, he even started saying we were friends!"

At this point, Jie Shu blushed and said embarrassedly, "I have no friends. Ding Chen isn't afraid of me, but he doesn't consider me a friend either. Bai Xiaofeng is the first person to treat me as a friend..."

Zhan Zhao nodded slightly.

This karmic monk, Jieshu, was timid and extremely socially anxious, but he also longed to interact with people.

Most people with social anxiety actually have a need for belonging. Their insula is still sensitive to social rewards, so many people with social anxiety in later generations will actively observe other people's social interactions and even become addicted to online virtual interactions.

And Jieshu clearly also has this need.

Because he was very dependent on the monk Dingchen, who was by his side.

At the same time, Bai Xiaofeng's ability to freely enter and leave his flower garden aroused his curiosity, and they gradually became friends.

Bai Xiaofeng's long journey to relieve Jie Shu of the worries surrounding the Evening Glory Flower truly lived up to his friendship.

"Bai Xiaofeng frequents his junior brother's flower garden?"

Upon hearing this, Jie Wen's expression turned serious: "Bai Xiaofeng took many poisonous flowers and herbs from Junior Brother?"

"Don't worry, senior brother! Don't worry!"

Jie Shu quickly explained, "I warned him that if he were to steal those highly poisonous herbs, I would rather burn them all down than give them to him. He only chooses herbs that induce sleep and intoxication, which will not harm anyone's life."

'How can sedative herbs not be deadly?'

Zhan Zhao shook his head secretly.

Once these herbs are successfully applied, they can be used with even greater freedom.

If you say you won't take a life, it's only if Bai Xiaofeng keeps his promise.

The world's greatest thief never kills.

But these words were not said directly, to avoid the other party slapping them again.

Jiewen, however, was concerned with another matter: "Could these kinds of flowers and plants have any effect on the eight Dharma protectors?"

Jieshu was stunned for a moment, then his expression changed: "Are those eight Dharma protectors in a secluded place?"

Whoosh!
Jiewen vanished instantly.

They had clearly headed towards the forbidden stone chamber.

Fortunately, he reappeared about half an hour later, his expression softened: "The precept against killing is still in place! It's still in place!"

But he still wanted to be on the safe side: "Junior Brother Jieshu, quickly prepare the antidote for those herbs. We must not give Bai Xiaofeng any opportunity to take advantage of us!"

"Good! Good!"

"But why would Bai Xiaofeng want to steal the Killing Ring?"

"That doesn't make sense! I'm never letting him gather herbs again!"

Jie Shu nodded repeatedly and left, rambling on and on.

After settling him in, Jiewen finally had time to inquire about Zhan Zhao's situation at Tianxiang Tower: "Junior Brother, we waited downstairs for a while and left when we saw you were safe and sound. What happened after that?" Zhan Zhao recounted Xuan Yinzi's entrustment.

Jie Wen looked at the bag he always carried on his back and was deeply moved: "Senior Zhen Xuan actually entrusted all his hard work over the years to him. He is indeed worthy of being called my junior brother, to be trusted like this!"

Zhan Zhao said, "Senior brother has great respect for this senior?"

Jie Wen nodded: "Back then, the Seven True Martial Masters were renowned throughout the world. It was universally acknowledged that these seven were exceptionally talented and all had the potential to become grandmasters! I was just starting out at the time, how could I not be respectful?"

Zhan Zhao's eyes flickered: "These seven are so famous in the martial arts world, do you know their secular names?"

"Your secular name?"

Jiewen shook his head: "I don't know that, they all refer to each other by their Taoist titles."

Zhan Zhao understood. He didn't seem to be one of the Seven Heroes of Wudang who used secular names. No wonder Bai Xiaofeng was only known as the number one thief in the world, and no one associated him with Laozi Temple. He continued to ask, "And then?"

"Later...sigh! What a pity!"

Jie Wen lamented, "In the war between Song and Liao, three people died directly, and the remaining four all met with bad ends! The current weakness of Lao Jun Temple is largely due to the annihilation of all seven Zhenwu disciples. If even one of them had survived, why would the current sect leader be a junior?"

"All seven are gone..."

Zhan Zhao couldn't help but sigh, "Now that Senior Xuan Yinzi has appeared at Tianxiang Tower and news has spread to the capital, what will happen then?"

Jie Wen's expression turned serious: "With Li Wuxing of the Six Doors here before, there are some things I can't say directly. It's really mysterious... Xuan Yinzi's appearance now might cause a conflict between the old and new Five Great Sects!"

Zhan Zhao asked in surprise, "The old and new five major factions?"

Introduction to Jiewen.

The former five major sects of the Central Plains—

Lao Jun Temple, Da Xiang Guo Temple, Cang Jian Villa, Xian Xia Sect, Da Qi Gate.

After the war between the Song and Liao dynasties, the Xianxia Sect and the Daqi Sect suffered too many casualties and were on the verge of collapse. The Cangjian Villa was also severely weakened, but it was able to hold on by defending Jiangnan.

Lao Jun Temple and Da Xiang Guo Temple had the strongest foundations. The former even flourished during the later Fengshan ceremony, but its prosperity was short-lived and it lost its majesty in less than ten years after Emperor Zhenzong's death.

The temple that survived to the end was the Great Xiangguo Temple. Although its strength had declined and it was no longer as powerful as it once was, it was not replaced and was still struggling to maintain its position as the head of Buddhism.

However, new competitors have already entered the fray.

The five major sects recently promoted in the martial arts world—

Daxiangguo Temple, Beggars' Sect, Xiaoxiang Pavilion, Danxia Temple, Iron Sword Sect.

Preserving Daxiangguo Temple is to give face to the head of Buddhism, and it also shows that Shaolin Temple is not yet confident of taking over, and is still accumulating strength.

Just as the Qingcheng Sect resides in Sichuan and does not venture out, it does not mean that these five sects are the strongest; they are simply the five sects with the most prominent reputation in the martial arts world at present.

Zhan Zhao was curious: "What's the deal with the Beggars' Sect?"

After Jiewen explained, he realized that there were actually five major sects that were most closely connected with the Song court in this world.

These are the "Six Doors" of law enforcement, the "Laojun Temple" of Taoism, the "Daxiangguo Temple" of Buddhism, the "Imperial City Guard" of the imperial palace, and the "Beggars' Gang" which mainly gathered in the north.

The Beggars' Sect was not a chivalrous organization that prioritized chivalry, nor was it a force of beggars who cruelly mutilated and harmed children. Rather, it was a force that emerged from the local garrison of the Song Dynasty, a force that was half military and half江湖 (jianghu, the martial arts world).

Due to the legacy of the Five Dynasties period, respectable men from good families in the Song Dynasty did not serve in the military. Instead, soldiers were recruited from the streets, from the scoundrels and criminals on the run, and even beggars were not spared.

Within the military, there is a hierarchy of discrimination. Generally, those who are desperate fight and are the most skilled in martial arts have the highest status. Next are the common people, while beggars, who live by begging, are the weakest and are naturally the most bullied.

Over time, in order to survive, the beggars banded together and formed a powerful force within the army, gaining considerable influence.

When the imperial court discovered this, it initially intended to dismantle the group. However, the renowned minister Kou Zhun intervened, preventing the beggars from being dispersed and instead encouraging them to build their own power base, thus providing them with positive guidance.

This action paid off, as the Beggars' Sect played a significant role in the Song-Liao War, and the reports from their spies and scouts saved the lives of many soldiers on the front lines.

If it weren't for the fact that the Beggars' Sect was truly a mixed bag of good and bad members, and that they often acted unscrupulously, their external achievements would actually be far more dazzling than those of the Six Doors.

Of course, ignoring the facts is absolutely unacceptable; the Beggars' Sect's actions are often questioned.

Not only were officials in the imperial court displeased with it, but people in the martial arts world also found it quite repulsive.

However, this did not stop their power from growing stronger day by day, and now they are the number one gang in the martial arts world of northern Song Dynasty.

After hearing the story, Zhan Zhao felt that this Beggars' Clan was more authentic; otherwise, a group of righteous beggars would seem quite incongruous.

Now, among the five new major sects, four forces are ambitious and preparing to overthrow the old sects so that they can take over.

Xuan Yinzi, the former emperor's personal alchemist and the leader of the Seven True Warriors, who unfortunately became an outcast of Laozi Temple, was indeed a good breakthrough point.

Zhan Zhao asked, "Do all four sects have grandmasters?"

"Of course."

Jie Wen said, "Even the weakest of the four sects, the Iron Sword Sect, has a Grandmaster, and its disciples are outstanding. They dominate the eastern part of the capital. The key is that they are also recognized by the court's powerful figures and are often seen in the capital."

Zhan Zhao recalled something Pang Xu had mentioned before: "It seems that Xiaoxiang Pavilion has only taken on disciples from the Cao family as apprentices. It seems they are indeed very ambitious."

"Xiaoxiang Pavilion has a closer relationship with the Prince of Xiangyang's Mansion, and conflicts may arise next."

Jie Wen, with his rich experience in the martial arts world, knew that people in the martial arts world would often resort to any means to gain fame and fortune. Seeing that Zhan Zhao's hands were empty, he advised him, "Junior brother, you must carry your weapon with you from now on. You must not be careless."

When Zhan Zhao faced Xuan Yinzi before, he always used Yao Guang to fight, so he nodded and said, "My original weapon is not quite suitable for a monk to use."

He was willing to use his identity as abstainer from sex to represent the Great Xiangguo Temple, but the sword he usually carried was not suitable for his appearance.

There is actually a weapon inside the temple.

Jiewen had already considered this matter, but he hadn't expected it to happen so quickly. After a slight hesitation, he still answered truthfully, "There is a monk of the Jie generation, whose Dharma name is Jiekong..."

"Oh?"

This Jiekong, whom Xuan Yinzi happened to mention, originally had the potential to become a grandmaster, but he went mad under the torture of the precept against killing, and failed to seize the Buddhist weapon, so his end was naturally not good.

When Jiewen mentioned his senior brother, a deep regret was evident in his expression. He concluded by saying, "He left behind a precious sword, which is suitable for my junior brother to use."

"What sword?"

"The Sword of Form and Emptiness".

(End of this chapter)