Urban Martial Saint

Upon hearing the elder’s words, Wolf Monk couldn’t help but sigh. Speaking of it, he was indeed harder to manage than Bloody Monk in those days. Wolf Monk still remembered that Bloody Monk back then didn’t really stand out within Xiaolin Temple. The elder’s claim that he violated Buddhist rules and didn’t adhere to the teachings was somewhat incorrect.

In fact, it was Wolf Monk who truly violated the teachings, as his impulsive nature led him to act solely on his whims. During his early days wandering the Jianghu, he would intervene decisively whenever he saw something objectionable, and his actions were often heavy-handed, leaving people either dead or crippled. Precisely because of this, Shijia named him Wolf Monk, saying he was like a rebellious wild wolf.

As for Bloody Monk, he simply didn’t follow the Buddhist rules. At Xiaolin Temple, Bloody Monk was more of a reserved character, rarely showing his abilities. Saying he didn’t follow the Buddhist rules was not entirely accurate either, as he hadn’t actually violated any of the teachings, but often questioned them, which gave people the impression that he didn’t adhere to them. Moreover, Wolf Monk still remembers Shijia once said that Bloody Monk would become a top demon in the future.

At the time, people in Xiaolin Temple didn’t really pay attention to Shijia’s words, even Wolf Monk didn’t think much of it. Because, in his eyes, Bloody Monk, despite his stubbornness, was unlikely to commit any major wrongs. However, until he walked out from Wan Yan Manor and heard about Bloody Monk’s massacre at Xiaolin Temple, he finally believed Shijia’s words. The seemingly quiet and reserved senior brother unexpectedly became the one who annihilated Xiaolin Temple; who could have imagined it?

”Don’t worry, I’m not like him!” Wolf Monk looked at the elder and said, ”I won’t indiscriminately kill the innocent.”

Upon hearing this, the elder was somewhat reassured, let out a long breath, and didn’t try to flee anymore.

Wolf Monk asked, ”So, you are the only survivor from Xiaolin Temple?”

The elder shook his head and said, ”Not really. Master Shijia and Joyous Monk were not at Xiaolin Temple at the time. Also, weren’t you away at the time?”

”I meant, were you the only one who survived among those who were at the temple?” Wolf Monk said.

”No!” The elder shook his head once more and said, ”Nobody survived among those who were at the temple. When this incident happened, it was night, and I remember I had gone down the mountain to buy things and didn’t make it back, thus escaping the calamity. Upon returning, Xiaolin Temple had become what it is now. The situation was truly tragic; the entire Xiaolin Temple was annihilated, everyone died miserably within. The whole temple was shrouded in the stench of burnt corpses. Alas, that scene is still vividly in my memory.”

Wolf Monk clenched his fists, staring at the remaining half of the plaque outside Xiaolin Temple, and spoke gravely, ”Bloody Senior Brother has always been quiet, why did he suddenly go mad and kill everyone at Xiaolin Temple?”

”I don’t know.” The elder pondered and said softly, ”I think it might be due to differing Buddhist doctrines. You know, Bloody Monk had a rather bleak upbringing; as a child, he witnessed his family being slaughtered before his eyes. However, upon entering Xiaolin Temple, all outside vendettas were settled. Yet, Bloody Monk could never let go of the grudges outside, always yearning to go down the mountain for revenge, but was always stopped by those in the temple. After suppressing it for so long, it resulted in such a tragedy.”

”Really?” Wolf Monk frowned; he clearly understood Bloody Monk’s background. But to say Bloody Monk killed everyone at Xiaolin Temple due to this seemed rather far-fetched, didn’t it? If he truly sought vengeance, why didn’t he go down the mountain to find his true enemies instead of massacring everyone in Xiaolin Temple?

”That’s what people say, but I’m not sure if it’s true.” The elder shrugged and said, ”However, Bloody Monk indeed killed countless people at Xiaolin Temple back then, with not a single monk surviving. If not for this reason, then what could it be? Even if he had issues with a particular monk, it couldn’t warrant killing everyone, he wasn’t at odds with everyone. So, I suspect he must have gone mad and didn’t know what he was doing, killing anyone he saw.”

Wolf Monk did not speak. Having been imprisoned for too long, he was unaware of what had transpired outside. He couldn’t fathom what had driven Bloody Monk to madness and to destroy Xiaolin Temple. However, gazing upon the temple’s remnants, he felt an indescribable sorrow. Once greatly respected, Xiaolin Temple has now fallen into such a miserable state, truly striking.

After a moment of silence, Wolf Monk suddenly asked, ”What about Xiaolin Temple’s plaque?”

For such a temple, the plaque signifies Xiaolin Temple’s facade. Now that even the plaque is missing, it symbolizes Xiaolin Temple’s complete eradication.

”Isn’t it at the entrance?” The elder asked in surprise.

”There’s only half of it at the entrance, where’s the other half?” Wolf Monk asked.

”After the incident, only this half of the plaque was left.” The elder said, ”I guess the other half was possibly broken when Bloody Monk went mad, and it was tossed into the cliff behind. Anyway, it’s never been found.”

Wolf Monk frowned slightly; Xiaolin Temple is about three miles away from the cliff behind. Even if Bloody Monk went mad, it’s unlikely he carried the plaque for three miles to toss it off a cliff. Furthermore, Xiaolin Temple’s plaque, made from Thousand-Year Ice Silkworm Wood, was personally obtained by the temple’s founder; it’s extraordinarily tough. Despite thousands of years of weathering, it remained unblemished, barely susceptible to damage from most famed instruments, let alone being broken by Bloody Monk’s bare hands.

Yet, it seems this elder probably doesn’t know about Thousand-Year Ice Silkworm Wood, thus he wouldn’t know that the plaque isn’t easily destroyed. His claim is reasonable, as to ordinary people, the plaque is just wood, easily dismantled by someone skilled in Martial Arts.

Clearly, there must be something wrong with Xiaolin Temple’s plaque; someone deliberately destroyed it. After all, besides a few famed instruments in the world, nothing could ruin Xiaolin Temple’s plaque, and since Bloody Monk never ventured down the mountain, he couldn’t have possessed such an instrument, making the destruction of the plaque truly suspicious.

”Did Bloody Senior Brother show any signs before he went mad?” Wolf Monk asked.

The elder thought for a moment and said, ”Speaking of which, I just recalled. A few days before Bloody Monk went mad, he had a conflict with the Discipline Hall host. Moreover, three days prior to his madness, he sat alone facing a wall for three days straight. Not sure if he was disturbed by something. Right after those three days, he went mad and slaughtered indiscriminately within the temple.”

”Is that so?” Wolf Monk appeared surprised; given Bloody Monk’s personality, he might indeed sit alone facing a wall. However, sitting for a full three days seems odd; Bloody Monk had never meditated for so long before. Perhaps something within those three days troubled him, leading to his madness, but what transpired before that?

”Why did he suddenly face a wall?” Wolf Monk asked.

”I don’t know either.” The elder shrugged and said, ”I’m just a cook in the temple; how would I know such things? I actually overheard others discussing Bloody Monk’s wall-facing incident.”

Wolf Monk felt helpless; it seemed getting any information from this elder was unlikely. Why Bloody Monk went mad and massacred in Xiaolin Temple might only be answered by asking him. However, Wolf Monk felt something was amiss; ignoring everything else, merely the broken half of Xiaolin Temple’s plaque suggested some hidden mystery.

Xiaolin Temple’s plaque must have been destroyed by an uncommon famed instrument, and the question of where the severed half went is crucial. Considering someone took half the plaque instead of the whole, it’s clear there’s a secret associated with it, not meant for others to see.

After a moment’s silence, Wolf Monk bypassed the elder, walked straight to the entrance, and bent down to inspect the half plaque.

In fact, when Wolf Monk first arrived at Xiaolin Temple, he noticed something was off with the plaque. He lingered at the entrance observing the plaque, hoping to find clues. However, the plaque had been there for so long that many scars from the past had faded under the elements, only faintly revealing several blood handprints, almost recounting the bloody incident of that time.

Wolf Monk stared at the plaque for a while before suddenly turning it over, closely examining the break. After a glance, Wolf Monk’s face flickered with cold light; everything was exactly as he anticipated. The plaque’s break was very neat, clearly indicating it was cut by a sharp blade rather than broken by brute force. If it were truly broken by brute force, the break wouldn’t be so smooth.

It appears that the Xiaolin Temple massacre isn’t as straightforward as external rumors suggest. Disregarding everything else, even merely the famed instrument that severed the plaque evokes suspicion. But why, all these years, has nobody ever questioned these doubts, uniformly condemning Bloody Monk for killing all Xiaolin Temple monks?

Wolf Monk placed the plaque back in its original position, turned to look at the elder following him, and asked, ”Did anyone witness Bloody Monk killing?”