Urban Martial Saint

Shakya and Wuhua Monk together repelled the Corpse Ghost Dragon, which was enough to make everyone delighted. And now, both Bloody Monk and Yin Xianzi have regained consciousness, adding more joy to the occasion.

”What... what’s going on here?” Helian Tiehua asked Shakya in surprise. It was Shakya who asked everyone to bring these two people out. It seems Shakya had anticipated all of this.

”Since ancient times, Buddha and Demon have been opposites, and so are their cultivation techniques.” Shakya explained, ”The Buddhist chant just now performed by Wuhua is the Great Freedom Purifying Heart Sutra of the Buddhist Sect, opposing the Heart Demon Technique of the Demon Sect. The Corpse Ghost Dragon used the Heart Demon Technique to stimulate the little Bloody Monk and sorcery to control Yin Xianzi. In fact, his sorcery also comes from the Evil Technique of the Demon Sect. So, under the Buddhist chant of the Great Freedom Purifying Heart Sutra, the Corpse Ghost Dragon’s half-baked skills certainly couldn’t control these two anymore!”

The crowd realized the truth, looking at Wuhua Monk with more awe. Some knew of Wuhua Monk’s existence, but no one knew of his identity. Initially, people thought he was Shakya’s disciple. From what Shakya said earlier, it turned out that Wuhua Monk’s seniority is even higher than Shakya’s, which surprised everyone.

Helian Tiehua summoned members of the Seven Rudders of Hong Alliance to tidy up the manor, while everyone moved to a courtyard behind the manor to sit down.

At first, everyone inquired about the condition of Bloody Monk and Yin Xianzi, and seeing that these two had truly returned to normal, everyone was much relieved. Then naturally, the conversation shifted to Wuhua, who intrigued everyone with his identity.

Though Wuhua sat with everyone, from start to finish, he never spoke a word. It’s not that he was cold; his face always wore a compassionate smile, appearing very kind. Clearly, he just didn’t like talking.

So, in the end, everyone inquired Shakya, who was straightforward. As the crowd asked about Wuhua’s identity, he simply waved his hand and said, ”I don’t know much about him either. It’s just that my Master left a message about him, so I know his seniority is a bit higher than mine.”

”Your Master?” Shen Tianjun was slightly surprised, asking, ”Speaking of which, who exactly is your Master?”

”My Master is Buddha!” Shakya looked at Shen Tianjun and said, ”Didn’t I tell you this before?”

Shen Tianjun indeed had heard this before, and he had told Ye Qing about it. But truthfully, he still couldn’t understand who the Buddha Shakya spoke of really was.

”Your Master’s name is just Buddha?” Ye Qing couldn’t help but ask.

”Yes!” Shakya looked at everyone and said, ”Is there any doubt about that?”

”Is there really anyone named Buddha in this world?” Ning Qianshu muttered quietly nearby.

”Why not?” Shakya glanced at Ning Qianshu and said, ”Haven’t you heard of Buddha-Demon-Dao? In those times, the Great Demon King was called Demon, the founder of the Buddhist Sect was called Buddha, and the founder of the Taoist Sect was called Dao.”

Upon hearing this, the crowd erupted, and Ye Qing stared wide-eyed at Shakya in astonishment, saying, ”Are you... are you joking? According to you, your Master is actually Buddha who founded the Buddhist Sect in those times?”

”Yes!” Shakya nodded frankly.

”Nonsense!”

”How is that possible? Buddha has passed away for so many years! Even if you’ve lived over two hundred years, living over two thousand years, it wouldn’t make you his disciple.”

”Monk, are you joking?”

The crowd was abuzz, clearly not believing Shakya’s words. Shakya remained composed, waiting for the noise to subside, then he finally said, ”Don’t be impatient, let me explain slowly. I am Buddha’s disciple, but I have never seen my Master.”

”What do you mean exactly?” Ye Qing couldn’t help but ask, ”Explain it more clearly.”

”Alright, since everyone is so familiar, let me clarify.” Shakya paused, pointing at Ning Qianshu, ”If you don’t believe it, you can go to Tai Island and ask that kid Lin Xuan Yue, he knows about this too.”

Ning Qianshu, Ding Lianshun, and Yin Xianzi felt mixed emotions. Heavenly Master Lin Xuan Yue holds a significant status in the Twelve Green Halls. Yet, in Shakya’s mouth, he became a kid. Shakya truly did not spare anyone’s face when speaking. However, they couldn’t argue, as Buddhist Shakya and Taoist Wuji were of the same seniority, while Heavenly Master Lin Xuan Yue was a disciple of Taoist Wuji. Calculating it, Shakya is a generation higher than Heavenly Master Lin Xuan Yue. So if Shakya calls Lin Xuan Yue that way, Lin Xuan Yue himself has to accept it.

The crowd looked at Shakyamuni, who leisurely exhaled a breath and said, ”This matter goes back to two hundred years ago. At that time, the abbot of Xiaolin Temple was Master of the Five Directions. One early morning, Master of the Five Directions had just risen and saw the entrance of Xiaolin Temple bathed in golden light, auspicious clouds in thousands, with nine dragons soaring into the sky and golden phoenixes accompanying, the sky filled with Buddhist chants, exotic fragrances in the air. Inside the hall where various Buddhas were worshiped at Xiaolin Temple, the Buddha Heart of Shakyamuni was also glowing with golden light, various Bodhisattvas nodding, the Arhats showing compassion, and all protectors were astonished. Although it was winter, the withered lotuses in the pond of Xiaolin Temple miraculously bloomed overnight, with ten thousand lotuses blooming. This celestial phenomenon made all beings worship. At that time, Master of the Five Directions felt that something incredible had happened. He quickly ran to the entrance of Xiaolin Temple, opened the temple gate, only to see the brilliant golden light, and nine dragons and golden phoenixes soaring into the sky. On the stone steps outside Xiaolin Temple lay an infant still in swaddling clothes!”

As Shakyamuni spoke, his words were full of embellishments. Hearing this, Ye Qing couldn’t help but say, ”You’re not saying that the infant was you, are you?”

”Kid, you’re quite clever!” Shakyamuni snapped his fingers and said, ”Congratulations, you’re right. That infant who triggered the celestial phenomenon was me, the Buddha Master!”

Upon hearing this, the crowd started booing. Coming from Shakyamuni’s mouth, the crowd couldn’t help but wonder how much of what he said was boastful exaggeration. In any case, everyone was already convinced that this old guy was just as unreliable as Old Wang Ba!

”Boo what boo, what, you guys don’t believe in me, the Buddha Master?” Shakyamuni said with an indignant look. ”When I first descended to the world, it really was like that. Master of the Five Directions was amazed by my presence. He took me back to the main hall of Xiaolin Temple, and the Buddha’s Golden Light directly enveloped me, then fully entered my body. All Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Arhats, knelt in worship...”

”Those are all statues, how could they kneel?” Ye Qing interrupted Shakyamuni. There ought to be a limit to boasting, shouldn’t there be a draft before bragging?

”I already told you it was a celestial phenomenon. What’s defined as a phenomenon is something extraordinary, that’s what’s meant by a phenomenon,” said Shakyamuni. ”If it were real people kneeling, could it be considered a celestial phenomenon?”

Ye Qing thought for a moment and finally didn’t refute him any further. To continue arguing with him about these matters, who knew how long it would take to finish?

”At that time, seeing these phenomena, Master of the Five Directions determined on the spot that I, the Buddha Master, was no ordinary person. He considered himself unworthy to be my master, and with the Buddha’s Golden Light upon him, agreed that no one could be my master. So, in the end, he represented the Buddha in accepting me as a disciple, appointing me as the disciple of the Buddha!” Shakyamuni looked at everyone and said, ”This is the background of my master, and at the same time, he also named me Shakyamuni!”

The crowd looked at each other. Shakyamuni’s words seemed divine and mystical, but most still did not believe it. However, it made them roughly understand the origin of Shakyamuni’s name and master. Simply put, he was the result of Master of the Five Directions representing the Buddha in accepting disciples, not truly a disciple of the Buddha. Such things happen often, for example, some of Shakyamuni’s fellow disciples were also accepted in the same way. In fact, these people had never met their master; everything they learned was taught by Shakyamuni.

”So, you’ve never met your master?” Ning Qianshu suddenly asked.

”Exactly!” Shakyamuni replied. ”Is there anything wrong with that? The Buddha has long since passed away, who could have met him?”

Ning Qianshu looked at Wuhua and asked again, ”Since you’ve never met your master, how can you say Master Wuhua is your uncle?”

The crowd immediately turned their gaze to Shakyamuni, eager to find out what was going on. Shakyamuni’s identity was already mysterious enough, but Wuhua’s identity seemed even more mysterious.

Shakyamuni smiled slightly and said, ”To understand this matter, you first need to know why Master of the Five Directions could represent the Buddha in accepting disciples!”

”Why?” The crowd all looked at Shakyamuni, as none had thought of this question before.

”This has to do with a secret of Xiaolin Temple,” Shakyamuni said, stretching and speaking softly, ”Do you know who founded Xiaolin Temple?”

”Wasn’t it the Buddha?” Ye Qing asked.

”No!” Shakyamuni shook his head. ”Dalin Temple was founded by the Buddha.”

”Oh?” The crowd was in shock. This was indeed earth-shattering news. So the Buddhist Sect was actually transmitted from Tianzhu?

”Although Xiaolin Temple and Dalin Temple are both branches of the Buddhist Sect, there are significant differences in their doctrines,” Shakyamuni said. ”Because Dalin Temple was created by the Buddha, while Xiaolin Temple was established by a figure who could rival the Buddhist, Taoist, and Demon sects back then.”

”Who was it?” The crowd asked curiously. These secrets had never been heard of, not even by someone like Shen Tianjun.

”One flower, one world; one tree, one Bodhi,” Shakyamuni said. ”This saying originally came from Dalin Temple; the original was ’One flower, one world; one leaf, one Tathagata.’ However, in Huaxia, it was changed to ’One flower, one world; one tree, one Bodhi.’ The former refers to the Buddha who created Dalin Temple, while the latter refers to Bodhi who founded Xiaolin Temple.”