Chapter 31: Return to the Dreamscape

Fang Sheng personally escorted Ren Yi to the Scripture Library before retreating.

When Fang Sheng returned to the stone meditation cell, Abbot Fang Zheng had already handed him the "Yijin Jing" (Muscle Tendon Change Classic). Gazing at the manual, a text that in every generation of Shaolin had been reserved solely for the Abbot’s practice, he felt an indescribable sense of helplessness and frustration. The thought of personally delivering the Shaolin "Yijin Jing" to that young man made him unable to hold back his protest.

"Abbot Brother, why must we do this?"

Abbot Fang Zheng replied, "If he were to steal it, could our Shaolin temple stop him? Why not simply grant his request?"

Fang Sheng countered, "How could we not stop him? Our Shaolin—"

Abbot Fang Zheng shook his head, interrupting him, "Junior Brother, you underestimate this nephew from Wudang."

Fang Sheng was taken aback, then said, "Please, Brother, enlighten me."

Abbot Fang Zheng said, "Amitabha. Recently, word has spread through the martial arts world that three hundred and thirty-seven members of the Central Plains' righteous path perished at the residence of the Golden Blade Wang family in Luoyang. What do you think of his martial prowess?"

Fang Sheng did not doubt this; the event had been verified by many martial artists. That man had truly relied on the long sword in his hand to slaughter over three hundred righteous peers.

"Brother, precisely because of this, we should not be helping him, should we?"

Abbot Fang Zheng sighed, "People in the pugilistic world say he advanced his swordsmanship by practicing the techniques from the Evil-Warding Sword Manual, and the Wang family likely used this as an excuse to force him to hand it over..."

Fang Sheng asked, "Is that not the case?"

Abbot Fang Zheng replied, "Hengzhi’s swordsmanship is indeed his own creation."

Fang Sheng exclaimed in astonishment, "How is that possible? He is only eighteen; how could he have such—"

Abbot Fang Zheng said, "As I said, Junior Brother, you underestimate him."

Fang Sheng asked, "What is it that you know, Brother?"

Abbot Fang Zheng suddenly asked, "Wudang has always used the sword as its primary weapon. Junior Brother, are you aware that two hundred years ago, a predecessor at Wudang created a unique technique for the saber?"

Fang Sheng replied solemnly, "The Wudang Xuanxu Saber Technique—how could I not know of it? It is said that the predecessor spent sixty years of his life’s effort creating it, though few Wudang disciples have ever practiced it."

Abbot Fang Zheng shook his head, "The Xuanxu Saber Technique is derived from the profound essence of the 'Tao Te Ching.' Its moves are unpredictable, secretly aligning with the Taoist principle of endless vitality. It is not that Wudang disciples are unwilling to practice it, but that it is extremely difficult. Throughout Wudang's history, apart from the founder, only seven predecessors have mastered it. Even the fastest among them took thirty years."

Fang Sheng seemed to grasp something, and moved, he asked, "Does Ren Yi know it as well?"

Abbot Fang Zheng nodded.

Fang Sheng gasped, "He entered Wudang at five; he is only eighteen now..."

Abbot Fang Zheng said pointedly, "That predecessor was an unparalleled martial arts genius of his time, yet it still took him thirty full years to master the 'Xuanxu Saber Technique'."

Fang Sheng could not help but ask, "How long did Ren Yi take?"

Abbot Fang Zheng said softly, "According to Taoist Chongxu, it took him only three months... Not only did he master the 'Xuanxu Saber Technique,' but he could also channel it through his palms and fingers."

Hearing this, Fang Sheng stood stunned.

Abbot Fang Zheng added, "Wudang says he is a talent envied by the heavens, which is why he suffers from this 'premature aging' condition."

Fang Sheng said with a trembling voice, "In that case, his claim of combining the strengths of both Buddhist and Taoist schools to create his own internal energy cultivation method was not an empty boast—he truly might be capable of it?"

Abbot Fang Zheng replied, "At the very least, I believe him. If our Shaolin were to obstruct him, it is one thing whether we could stop him, but if we truly forced him to draw his sword, what would be the outcome?"

Fang Sheng exhaled, pressed his palms together, and chanted, "Amitabha. I understand, Abbot Brother."

Abbot Fang Zheng nodded, "Go."

Ren Yi knew nothing of what transpired in the meditation cell. Once inside the Shaolin Scripture Library, he felt like a fish in water, no longer like a dragon trapped in the shallows, unable to exert his strength. Having entered the library, Ren Yi had no intention of being selective. He began by studying the Shaolin Arhat Fist... Over the next eight days, he mastered the Arhat Fist, Bright Fist, Seven-Star Convergence Fist, Great Tablet-Shattering Hand, and the Prajna Hand.

Though he had not yet reached the stage of perfect fluidity, he had mastered the basics. He then continued to study palm techniques: the Great Diamond Palm, Prajna Zen Palm, Veda Palm, Thousand-Hand Tathagata Palm, Great Compassion Palm, Shaolin Scattering Flower Palm, and the Shaolin Stone-Grasping Palm...

He had initially intended to stay for only a few days, but once immersed in this ocean of books, Ren Yi lost track of the passage of time. By day, he delved into the seventy-two Shaolin arts, and at night, he sat in meditation, attempting to fuse the internal cultivation methods within his mind... During these days, Shaolin monks brought him vegetarian meals, and the girl, Feifei, came to visit him several times.

Unfortunately, Ren Yi ignored everyone who approached; to outsiders, he appeared utterly obsessed, as if possessed.

One day, the little girl came to find him again.

"Brother Ren, I heard the Holy Maiden of the Sacred Sect has also come to Shaolin."

Ren Yi held a book in his left hand, while his right hand performed a palm movement. At first, it was stiff, but gradually it became natural. A moment later, the palm lost its rigidity and transformed into a finger strike.

As his hand rose, three gusts of finger wind shot out like three invisible sword beams, piercing three small holes into the copper cauldron on the stone table.

Qu Feiyan stared in shock. Filled with curiosity, she followed Ren Yi’s lead and sat down.

Inside the Scripture Library, it was as if the world were cut off from the outside...

In the dead of night, Ren Yi sat motionless. Three days had passed, and had it not been for the faint breath he still exhaled, the little girl would have called for help.

In this deep, empty stillness, Ren Yi entered a profound and mysterious space.

It felt like a dream—a familiar dream, yet not quite a dream; it felt as if he had been here before.

He stood in the heart of a vast hall, looking around. The hall was absurdly large; the nearest wall was at least several hundred feet away. The hall could hold tens of thousands.

The walls were carved with images he did not recognize, yet upon seeing them, Ren Yi instantly remembered where he was.

He had been here. Ren Yi wanted to move, to walk around and explore... but his body would not respond. His feet seemed fixed to the stone platform at the center of the hall; he could not lift them, nor could he cultivate his energy.

He looked up and saw a gigantic star map shimmering on the ceiling of the hall.

The map was filled with a dense array of stars. However, when Ren Yi stared intently, the stars suddenly shifted, and the map transformed into a myriad of phenomena... He watched the changes of the star map and began to memorize them.

But as he memorized, he broke into a cold sweat, nearly exhausting all his strength, before falling into a deep slumber.

...

Countless days and nights passed. On this day, the area in front of Shaolin Temple was filled with curses, groans, and shouts. Along the long, winding path to the mountain gate, pools of blood lay one after another.

It turned out that Linghu Chong, upon learning that Ren Yingying was trapped in Shaolin, had led over a thousand people from various sects and gangs of the underworld to rescue her.

Unfortunately, they had been ambushed on the mountain path by righteous path factions led by the Songshan Sect, and were forced to retreat.