Martial Arts Crossover: My Master is Huang Rong

As if sensing Lin Xuan's gaze, the monk who was slowly walking uphill suddenly stopped, raised his head, and his eyes met Lin Xuan's precisely at the second-floor window.

Eyes facing each other.

Lin Xuan's eyes were calm and profound, like the starry sky that encompasses all things.

The monk's eyes were filled with wisdom, confidence, and a hint of scrutiny that was barely perceptible.

Lin Xuan grinned at him, raised his wine glass in a toast, and looked relaxed and carefree, as if he had just seen an interesting traveler.

A hint of surprise flashed in the monk's eyes, then he put his hands together and nodded slightly in return.

The two did not exchange any words, only a glance between them, before they went their separate ways.

The monk continued walking, unhurriedly heading towards the mountain gate of the Quanzhen Sect.

Lin Xuan withdrew his gaze, slowly sipped his wine, and still wore that lazy smile on his face.

But a ripple stirred in the monk's heart.

"Strange, strange indeed," the monk thought to himself. "That young man by the window just now, so young, yet his aura was completely devoid of any worldly concerns, seemingly blending seamlessly with the natural world."

"Judging from his calm and even qi, and the fact that he doesn't seem to have cultivated any superior internal energy techniques... If this unpolished gem could join our Buddhist sect and diligently study the Dharma, he would surely become a renowned monk whose name will be remembered for all time!"

"What a pity, what a pity."

Little did he know that his statement that Lin Xuan "didn't seem to have cultivated internal energy" was because Lin Xuan's realm had already surpassed his understanding, reaching a state of returning to simplicity and not revealing his aura. In his eyes, that made him no different from an ordinary person.

This chance encounter with Kumārajīva was just a minor incident, and Lin Xuan didn't take it to heart.

He continued to stay with Xiaolongnu, enjoying this rare time alone together.

After they finished their meal, they went to a fabric shop. Lin Xuan personally selected several brightly colored silks for Xiaolongnu, saying that he would ask Su Quan to make her some new clothes other than white when they got back.

They also listened to storytelling and watched acrobatics, and only when the sun set and the evening glow dyed half the sky red did the two reluctantly prepare to return to the ancient tomb.

Just as they reached the town entrance and were about to go up the mountain, they saw a large group of Taoist priests who had gone up the mountain during the day walking down the mountain dejectedly, their faces full of shame and indignation.

They gathered in small groups, discussing amongst themselves, their words filled with helplessness and anger.

"This is an utter disgrace! Our sacred Taoist sanctuary has been so humiliated by a Tibetan monk!"

"Yes! That Tibetan monk, named Kumārajīva, I don't know where he came from. At the conference, instead of talking about the orthodox Xuanmen sect, he insisted on talking about some bullshit Buddhist teachings!"

"But he was so eloquent, quoting scriptures and classics, that none of us dozens of Taoist priests could out-argue him!"

"It's one thing to lose an argument, but he even went so far as to say that my Taoist theories are minor and that Buddhism is the ultimate truth! That's simply outrageous!"

"Master Qiu Chuji was furious and challenged him to a martial arts contest, hoping to restore some face for our Daoist sect. Who knew... alas..."

At this point, the Taoist priest sighed heavily, his face full of dejection.

A man nearby chimed in, indignantly saying, "Who knew that the Tibetan monk's martial arts were so bizarre! Master Qiu attacked him with the Quanzhen Sword Technique, but he didn't dodge or evade; he simply used his bare hands to deflect all of Master Qiu's sword moves!"

"After only thirty or fifty moves, Master Qiu was defeated!"

"What? Even Sect Leader Qiu isn't his match?!"

"Yes! We lost both the moral high ground and the physical fight! This time, the Quanzhen Sect has completely disgraced the Central Plains Daoist sect!"

"This is not only a conflict between Taoism and Buddhism, but also a conflict between the Central Plains and foreign lands! Now, a foreign monk is running rampant right under the nose of the founder of Chongyang Palace, alas..."

The Taoist priests beat their chests and stamped their feet, filled with righteous indignation, yet they were helpless.

Lin Xuan and Xiaolongnu stood aside and heard everything clearly.

Xiaolongnu had no concept of these sectarian conflicts and simply listened quietly.

Lin Xuan, however, revealed an extremely amusing smile.

"Kumārajīva...it was him all along."

He recalled the exchange of glances upstairs just now, and suddenly understood.

It turns out that guy wasn't there to discuss philosophy, but to cause trouble.

“Interesting, very interesting.” Lin Xuan chuckled softly. “One person, all alone, went to the Quanzhen Sect in the Central Plains and humiliated them completely, from theory to martial arts, inside and out.”

"This monk is really bold, and quite capable as well."

He glanced at the Taoist priests who were still sullen beside him, and then at the magnificent Quanzhen Sect palace complex under the setting sun.

He winked at Little Dragon Girl and smiled:

"Long'er, it seems we haven't finished watching the excitement today."

"Let's go, let's go to the Quanzhen Sect and take a look!"

Chapter 125: On the Dao

Lin Xuan held Xiaolongnu's hand and walked up the mountain path of Zhongnan Mountain.

Unlike the dejected Taoist priests they had encountered on their way down the mountain, the atmosphere on the mountain path was now heavy and oppressive.

Occasionally, small groups of young Taoist priests would hurriedly descend the mountain, their faces filled with shame, indignation, and resentment.

Upon seeing Lin Xuan and his companion, they merely gave a perfunctory bow before quickly leaving with their heads down, as if afraid of being asked about the situation on the mountain.

The higher you go, the heavier the air becomes.

As the two rounded a bend in the mountain, the magnificent and splendid Quanzhen Taoist palace complex—Chongyang Palace—finally came into complete view.

With its carved beams and painted rafters, flying eaves and brackets, the palaces and pavilions stretch out in a continuous arc, appearing ancient and solemn under the shade of verdant pines and cypresses.

This ancestral Taoist temple was shrouded in an unusual silence at this moment.

The sounds of bells and chimes, and the shouts of Taoist priests practicing their exercises, that used to exist have all disappeared.

Only the chanting of sutras, sometimes high and sometimes low, filled with exotic accents, like invisible demonic sounds, came from the direction of the Seven Immortals Hall in the very center, echoing throughout the valley and sounding particularly jarring.

The arrival of Lin Xuan and Xiaolongnu did not attract much attention.

The two followed the main path directly toward the source of the sound—the huge plaza in front of the Seven Immortals Hall.

Before he even got close, the sight before him made Lin Xuan raise an eyebrow.

The square, which could hold thousands of people, was now packed with people, three or four layers deep, making it impossible to move.

The area around the square was filled with Taoist disciples from all over the country and martial arts practitioners who came to witness the ceremony.

They all craned their necks, gazing at the center with complex expressions.

The inner circle of the square was filled with Taoist priests dressed in Quanzhen sect attire. They all had solemn expressions; some had clenched their fists, some bowed their heads and remained silent, and some had angry faces but dared not lash out.

The entire square was eerily quiet, with only one person's voice echoing through it.

In the very center of the square, on a temporary high platform, a Tibetan monk dressed in a bright yellow robe sat cross-legged.

He held prayer beads in one hand and stood the other hand in front of his chest, his appearance solemn and dignified, his eyes slightly closed, and he was eloquently expounding the essence of Buddhism.

His voice wasn't loud, but it had a peculiar penetrating quality, clearly reaching the ears of everyone present.

It was Kumārajīva, whom Lin Xuan had met briefly at the restaurant.

Opposite him, Qiu Chuji, the leader of the Quanzhen School, along with Ma Yu, Wang Chuyi, and the other six Quanzhen disciples, were all sitting cross-legged on prayer mats.

Their faces were all ashen, especially Qiu Chuji, whose lips were tightly pressed together and veins were bulging on his forehead, clearly indicating that he was extremely angry.

"...Therefore, the Buddha said, 'All forms are illusory.' The immortality you Taoists seek is nothing more than clinging to the 'self,' vainly attempting to obtain an eternal fruit upon this illusory body. This is truly like trying to catch fish by climbing a tree, failing to understand the Great Way..."

Kumārajīva's voice was melodious and full of confidence and composure.

Lin Xuan led Xiaolongnu by the hand and slowly walked towards the crowd.

"Please make way." Lin Xuan's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached the ears of the Taoist priests in front.

The Taoist priests initially didn't want to pay attention, but one of them glanced back unintentionally. When he saw Lin Xuan's face, he was first stunned, and then his eyes burst with unbelievable joy.

"Young Master Lin...!" he cried out, his voice trembling slightly with excitement.

This shout was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake.

"What? Young Master Lin?"

"Which Young Master Lin?"

"Who else could it be! It's none other than the world-renowned Young Master Lin Xuan!"

The crowd erupted in a commotion.

Countless gazes turned to Lin Xuan, filled with shock, confusion, and curiosity, but more than anything, with a sense of hope and excitement as if they had seen a savior.

Lin Xuan's reputation is now known to everyone in the Central Plains martial arts world.

"It's Young Master Lin! Young Master Lin has arrived!"

"Quickly! Make way for Young Master Lin!"

As if an invisible hand had parted the crowd, the previously congested crowd spontaneously and swiftly retreated to both sides, creating a wide passage leading directly to the center of the square.

Everyone's eyes were filled with fervent reverence and anticipation.

In this humiliating moment when they were being suppressed by a Tibetan monk and could not even lift their heads, Lin Xuan's appearance was nothing short of a ray of dawn in the darkness!

Little Dragon Girl quietly followed Lin Xuan, watching the scene unfold like a tsunami.

She looked at the genuine respect on the faces of those renowned figures in the martial arts world when they saw Lin Xuan.

A hint of curiosity flickered in her clear eyes.

She didn't quite understand these complicated sectarian honors and disgrace, and she didn't understand why these people were all calling for their men.

Lin Xuan remained calm, already accustomed to such a scene of being the center of attention.

He led Xiaolongnu by the hand, and under the watchful eyes of countless people, he slowly made his way through the crowd and into the inner circle of the square.

The sermons on the high platform had stopped sometime ago.

Kumārajīva opened his eyes, his gaze sharp as lightning, and shot towards the young man who had caused the commotion.

When Qiu Chuji, who was sitting opposite him, saw that the person who came was Lin Xuan, his originally ashen face instantly turned red, and he was so excited that he almost stood up from the prayer mat.

The joy and relief in his eyes were so genuine.

"Young Master Lin!" Qiu Chuji's voice was hoarse, yet full of strength.

Lin Xuan nodded slightly to him as a greeting.

Then, he turned his gaze to Kumārajīva on the high platform, a half-smile curving his lips.

"This dignified master must be the great master Kumārajīva from Tibet, known as the Great Wheel King, right?" Lin Xuan's clear voice echoed throughout the entire square.

Kumārajīva's pupils contracted slightly.

A person's name, a tree's shadow.

Although he was in Tibet, how could he be completely unaware of the major events in the Central Plains martial arts world?

The name Lin Xuan has risen like a comet in the past year, and his momentum is so great that it is hard for the younger generation of martial arts in the Central Plains to surpass him!

He never expected that the handsome young man he caught a glimpse of in the small town at the foot of the mountain that morning, the one who gave him the feeling of being a "rough gem," was actually the legendary Lin Xuan!

In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

Is he Lin Xuan? But why is there no fluctuation of true energy on his body?

Could the rumors be wrong, and he is not a member of the martial arts world? No... if he were not a member of the martial arts world, why would Qiu Chuji and the others react this way?

Could it be... could it be that his martial arts skills have truly reached the level of returning to simplicity, to the point that even my spiritual sense cannot detect them at all?

Or perhaps he has cultivated some extremely advanced technique for concealing his aura?

Kumārajīva's mind raced, but he showed no sign of it on his face, maintaining the demeanor of a highly virtuous monk.

He slowly rose, clasped his hands together, bowed slightly to Lin Xuan, and said in a loud voice, "So you are the renowned Young Master Lin. I am Kumārajīva, and I have long admired your name."

He was courteous and respectful, neither servile nor arrogant, and possessed a natural air of composure.

Lin Xuan smiled, a hint of nonchalance in his smile: "Master, you are too kind. I heard it just now down the mountain that you have traveled a long way to my Central Plains to promote Buddhism and discuss profound principles with your Taoist colleagues."

"I have heard that the Master is profound in Buddhist teachings and has a sharp tongue. This morning at the Daoist conference, he has already persuaded dozens of Daoist masters in the Central Plains."

He deliberately emphasized the words "discuss" and "persuade," the irony of which was self-evident.

Upon hearing this, the surrounding Taoist priests all showed expressions of shame.

Lin Xuan, as if he hadn't seen it, continued, "Not only that, I've also heard that the master's martial arts skills are even more superb. Just now, he used his bare hands to give pointers to Qiu Chuji, the leader of the Quanzhen Sect."

"Tsk tsk, he is truly a man of both literary and martial talents, a real eye-opener for us martial arts people in the Central Plains."