The Great Martial Arts World: Hot Topics and Great Heroes

Moreover, if the Chu Lu people want to try something new, they might not succeed on the first try. If they fail once or twice, the demand will be even greater.

Therefore, the first problem that Chu Luren needed to solve was how to actively split off Dao Embryo clones.

Although the "Dao Tai Du Calamity Scripture" and Master Zhang are completely different, Master Zhang still offered a line of thought from the perspective of "Tai Chi"...

The "calamity energy" mentioned in the "Dao Tai Du E Jing" is not simply a calamity, but rather a kind of energy that arises in the dark when one overcomes a calamity and turns adversity into prosperity.

In other words, it's a relative transformation...

This can be extrapolated to the cycle of birth and death, rise and fall, seeking the emergence and seeding of the Dao embryo within the cycle of life and death...

Chu Luren cultivated at Wudang for a month, and Kumārajīva returned and secretly met with Chu Luren!

Chapter 674 Night Party

"Who are you going to see tonight?"

"Playing along, just going through the motions... huh?"

Chu Luren suddenly realized that it was Master Zhang asking him a question...

Master Zhang is currently recuperating from his injuries and is mostly in seclusion, so he has a lot of time every day to drink tea with Chu Luren, and Chu Luren can also use his "Divine Illumination True Qi" to assist him.

Of course, the difference in their internal strength was too great. Although Zhang Zhenren did not break through the Heavenly Gate with his Qi, his body underwent many changes after knocking on the Heavenly Gate. Chu Luren's small tank could hardly keep up with his efforts. It was better than nothing. Even if he stayed in Wudang every day, he could only turn several years into a year. Therefore, Chu Luren did not plan to stay.

Seeing Chu Luren's surprised expression, Master Zhang sipped his tea and said, "A month ago, Kumārajīva secretly communicated with you telepathically. Did you think you could hide it from me?"

Upon hearing this, Chu Luren did not offer any further flattery, after all, he was Zhang Zhenren's close friend despite their age difference, not someone who would fawn over him.

"What martial arts techniques does Master Zhang think I should exchange with him?"

Now that Master Zhang already knew, Chu Luren asked for his guidance without hesitation.

"This person appears to be from the Tantric school, but seems to have practiced many Zen martial arts techniques." Master Zhang's old eyes were very sharp.

“Master Zhang has keen insight! The first time I met this Kumārajīva was four or five years ago, at Tianlong Temple in Dali…” Chu Luren told Master Zhang about what happened back then.

She kept talking about the unusual behavior he exhibited when she met him at Leigushan.

In other words, Kumārajīva initially practiced the Tantric Flame Blade, and later he also practiced at least many of the profound techniques from the Seventy-Two Shaolin Arts, as well as the Xiaowuxiang Gong of the Xiaoyao Sect!

"Back in Dali, although Kumārajīva was obsessed with martial arts and his methods were quite vicious, he didn't seem to be insane. But after seeing him at Leigu Mountain, he seemed even more strange... Master Zhang, did you notice anything? Is Shaolin Kung Fu really that weird?" Chu Luren asked in confusion.

Master Zhang shook his head upon hearing this and said, "The essence of Zen practice lies either in perseverance or in enlightenment. There's no such thing as an evil method."

Indeed, Zen martial arts generally fall into two categories: either they are mysterious and emphasize mental state, or they are very simple but require constant practice day and night.

The former can only be practiced by highly accomplished monks with exceptional comprehension and profound understanding of Buddhist principles, while the latter is used to refine one's character.

"Does that mean we can't practice too much?" Chu Luren asked after thinking for a moment.

“Ordinary kung fu is fine, but if it’s one of the twenty or thirty most advanced of the seventy-two unique skills, the ones that require the most mental discipline and Zen principles, then practicing too much of them can indeed be harmful. But to go astray and become a Ming King, it must be… that he himself has a problem, such as trying to integrate these martial arts.” Master Zhang had obviously guessed this long ago.

It is said that when Kumārajīva was at Wudang, he did not go mad, but he did not escape the keen eyes of Master Zhang.

Chu Luren understood what Master Zhang was saying. The so-called seventy-two unique skills were just far-fetched and superficial. Some of them were not even considered unique skills. Not everyone could turn something rotten into something magical, like the Buddhist master who trapped the fighting ape six hundred years ago.

Moreover, the Buddhist master did not transform "decay" but "foundation".

Techniques like One-Finger Zen and Iron Finger Zen are purely physical skills. Although they can temper the mind and character during the long and quiet practice, they are clearly not so bad as to cause one to go astray without understanding Buddhist principles.

Otherwise, wouldn't doing too many push-ups lead to a kind of demonic possession?

However, its profound martial arts do indeed have the characteristics of Zen martial arts, which emphasizes cultivating the mind.

“Back then, there was a Shaolin monk who possessed thirteen extraordinary skills. He mastered thirteen Zen martial arts techniques that could truly be called unique skills. However, he eventually suffered a qi deviation, became paralyzed, and lost all his power… Normally, even if you practice too much, you would only end up like this.” Master Zhang recounted a secret story from Shaolin.

If one practices too hard, at most it will cause some damage to the body. But if one tries to force a fusion, the mental states required by different martial arts will interfere with each other, and one may end up with serious mental problems like Kumārajīva.

In the original work, in both the serialized and Sanlian editions, Kumārajīva went mad in his attempt to master all seventy-two unique skills, which is completely different from Xiao Yuanshan and Murong Bo, who simply had physical problems.

However, in the revised version, Kumārajīva was significantly weakened. He only used the "Minor Formless Skill" to simulate twenty or thirty unique skills, and his demonic possession was more severe than that of Xiao Yuanshan and Murong Bo, who actually practiced many skills.

Those two were only physically injured, while Kumārajīva was already showing signs of madness.

After listening to Master Zhang's words, Chu Luren roughly understood that Kumārajīva was somewhere in between, but the lowered prestige was not Kumārajīva's, but Shaolin's!

Kumārajīva did indeed want to integrate all the truly "ultimate skills" among the 72 Shaolin Arts into one—unfortunately, not everyone is a genius like Chu Luren.

Others may practice a lot, but at most their bodies can't take it. However, if they want to integrate the techniques, it's inevitable that the techniques and their mindset will conflict.

"So, it turns out that the Flaming Blade of the Tantric sect, along with twenty or thirty Indian martial arts techniques, can be used for exchange!" Chu Luren muttered.

"What Indian martial arts?" Master Zhang frowned upon hearing this.

Shaolin is quite ambitious. Most of these unique skills have nothing to do with Bodhidharma; they were discovered by later generations.

“Master Zhang, you don’t know, it was Master Xuanji who told me that Kumārajīva practiced Indian martial arts, which just looked similar to Shaolin Kung Fu. I’m doing this out of respect, out of respect.” Chu Luren had great respect for Shaolin.

Since they insist it's Indian martial arts, then so be it...

If I go to trade Indian martial arts with Kumārajīva, then it has nothing to do with your Shaolin Temple, right?

When Master Zhang heard that it was someone from Shaolin who told him, he thought about it for a moment and could roughly understand what the situation was like at the time...

"Alas, this Great Wheel King, though from the Tantric school, has such a profound understanding of Zen martial arts. This is not only due to his mastery of the 'Lesser Formless Skill,' but also shows that he is a person with innate wisdom. What a pity, what a pity." Master Zhang shook his head.

Chu Luren then asked, "Master Zhang, do you think that if I were to teach him that palm technique, it would be able to dispel the illusions in his heart?"

If Kumārajīva were to attain Buddhahood on the spot, it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing—at least he wouldn't help the Mongol Yuan Dynasty anymore, but would return to Tibet to study the scriptures.

Master Zhang understood which set of palm techniques Chu Luren was referring to. He looked thoughtful, but after a while, he shook his head: "It's better not to. This matter is uncertain. If he can comprehend the Zen principles within and get rid of his lingering attachments, that would be ideal. However, his inner demons have already arisen. If he practices this skill astray, it will be truly difficult to turn back!"

Although what happened to Kumārajīva was none of Zhang Zhenren's business or Wudang's, Zhang Zhenren still felt sorry for him out of his appreciation for talent and didn't want Chu Luren to use the "breakdown therapy" directly...

Chapter 675 Transaction

"Amitabha……"

"You've arrived?"

"This humble monk has arrived."

"You shouldn't have come."

"Neither absolute nor impermanent, nor selfless."

Chu Luren: ...

Although Kumārajīva did not understand the joke about Chu Luren, he still engaged in a witty exchange with him with a calm expression.

"Master, have you now switched to Zen Buddhism? What are your thoughts on this?" Chu Luren asked tentatively.

"The Chu Alliance Leader is attached to appearances, and the laws of Hengsha can also be preserved in one's mind." Kumārajīva said these words, which the Chu deer people found incomprehensible yet impressive.

They probably thought that Chu Luren, who could use that kind of palm technique, must also be a master of debating Buddhist principles.

Chu Luren took a deep breath, then said with some disappointment, "You won't even call me 'benefactor'."

Kumārajīva: ? ? ?

"Alright, then let's skip the 'gift' and just exchange normally!" Chu Luren said, taking out two books that he had already copied.

"These are the Nine Yang Divine Skill and the Nine Yin Manual." Chu Luren took out the martial arts techniques he traded most often.

After all, neither of these involves any inheritance. In fact, Chu Luren originally wanted to bring out the Yi Jin Jing, but considering that Kumārajīva might go astray if he practiced it, he gave up.

Chu Luren had also discussed with Master Zhang the choice of which cultivation technique to use for the transaction.

First, Master Zhang ruled out the true lineage of Tai Chi Chuan and sword...

"Amitabha, Alliance Leader Chu, this is not sincere enough," Kumārajīva said with some dissatisfaction.

"Here's another copy of the 'Sunflower Manual' that I've treasured for a long time..." Chu Luren said, as if to say, "You have good taste," and took out another copy.

The version practiced by the cult leader is vastly different from the original, so I doubt she would care if the original version were leaked.

"This humble monk also possesses 32 of the 72 Shaolin Arts that Alliance Leader Chu would approve of," Kumārajīva said somewhat somberly.

As for the others?

Flaming Blade? Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill?

Just think about it!

"Ahem, the Six Meridian Divine Sword is the family martial art of my sworn brother. Your Majesty, please don't force me to do something I don't understand." Chu Luren knew that Kumārajīva was bargaining.

A high monk, indeed... How vulgar!

"I was just being greedy before. I could forgive the Six Meridian Divine Sword, but if Alliance Leader Chu were to teach me that palm technique, I would gladly impart all the martial arts I know, as well as the Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill, to him without reservation." Kumārajīva's greed surged, and his eyes gleamed red.

Kumārajīva did not practice the "Dragon Elephant Prajñākāra Kung Fu," but as a Dharma King in the Tantric sect with a status similar to that of the Golden Wheel Monk, Kumārajīva could naturally acquire this skill.

Previously, when he took the initiative to send a telepathic message to Chu Luren, Chu Luren also secretly sent a telepathic message to him, mentioning the "Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill".

"Alas, Your Majesty, you may not know this, but that palm technique was something I comprehended from the 'Six-Syllable Mantra' left behind by a Buddhist predecessor. It was something I comprehended out of thin air, and there is no actual technique involved. I have not mastered it to the point where I can pass it on to others," Chu Luren said, revealing the reason he had prepared long ago.

In fact, if it weren't for the fact that his consciousness was special and he was able to condense a "martial arts badge", then what Chu Luren said wouldn't be a lie!

Kumārajīva saw that Chu Luren did not seem to be lying, and this also fit Kumārajīva's "common sense of Zen Buddhism." Although he did not believe him completely, he changed his mind and asked, "Where is the inscription?"

"I had a sudden enlightenment back then, which triggered its essence, but now there's nothing left." Chu Luren didn't want to cause trouble for Emei, so he didn't tell Kumārajīva his exact location.

"Heh heh, Alliance Leader Chu is quite the lucky one." Kumārajīva sneered, his dignified demeanor crumbling, and a layer of black aura faintly appeared on his face.

Chu Luren became a little wary, but soon the red light in Kumārajīva's eyes and the black aura on his face disappeared, and he returned to his appearance as a virtuous monk.

"This humble monk was taught the 'Xiao Wuxiang Gong' by the Empress Dowager of Western Xia, and has since admired the martial arts of the Xiaoyao Sect. I wonder if Sect Leader Chu would be willing to exchange some knowledge with this humble monk?" Kumārajīva asked, clasping his hands together.

The source of Kumārajīva's acquisition of the "Small Formless Skill" is different from that stated in the revised edition.

At this moment, he specifically addressed him as "Sect Leader Chu," intending to remind Chu Luren that he shouldn't pretend to be ignorant of the Xiaoyao Sect's martial arts...

"Of course, of course. If Your Majesty is interested in these palm techniques, as well as the 'Eight Desolations and Six Directions, I Alone Am Supreme Technique,' you can discuss them with me." Chu Luren said, taking out several more blue-covered manuals.

He can forget about "Free and Easy Wind Riding," and Li Qiushui probably won't mention it to him either. As for "Northern Darkness Divine Art," Chu Luren has kept it a secret.

Actually, we were prepared; if Kumārajīva really wanted it, it wasn't out of the question...

In the original work, Kumārajīva's martial arts were neutralized by Duan Yu's "Northern Darkness Divine Skill" by chance, which led to his enlightenment. Therefore, this martial art could potentially "awaken" Kumārajīva, which Chu Luren was reluctant to give to him.

Otherwise, he might go even crazier!

It wasn't that Chu Luren necessarily wanted to save him, but... although Kumārajīva was somewhat insane, his martial arts skills were probably no less than those of Jinlun. He had no chance to kill him, so naturally he hoped that Kumārajīva could "recover".