Techniques and Dao

Chapter 103 Master Ruokong (1)

"What nonsense are you talking about!"

Hua Sheng walked over, wielding his golden cudgel, intending to teach the martial monks a lesson, but after thinking it over, he ultimately decided against actually striking them. He simply ignored what the martial monks were saying behind his back and walked towards the mountain gate without looking back.

Still seething with anger, he left with a remark.

"If you continue to slander our Taoist school, be careful! I'll cremate all the Buddha statues in your temple with my true fire and take out a bunch of relics to play marbles with!"

After saying this, Hua Sheng was indeed much more cheerful and leaped back to the front of the mountain gate.

He took a deep breath and began pushing the door up, down, left, and right. After trying, the door still wouldn't open. He peered through the crack in the door and saw that the path down the mountain was indeed right there, within easy reach.

He thought to himself, "Forget it, why bother opening the door? The temple walls are only a few feet high; it's better to walk on flat ground."

Hua Sheng took two steps back and leaped upwards. Just as he was about to land, seeing the high wall right beneath his feet, he suddenly returned to his original position.

He stood there blankly for two seconds before snapping out of his daze.

"What's going on? Did I jump or not?" Hua Sheng wondered to himself, still feeling uncertain.

He then leaped again, but instantly returned to his original position.

"Huh? Could it be a maze or some kind of ghost wall?"

Looking at the high wall that wasn't very tall but seemed impossible to fly over, Hua Sheng was somewhat puzzled.

"Hurry up as a law!"

It flew a third time, and as expected, returned to the same spot.

So Hua Sheng conjured a small pebble in his hand and threw it forward with all his might. The pebble flew high into the air, whooshed through the high wall, and landed outside the wall.

"There's no obstacle here!" Hua Sheng wiped the sweat from his forehead in confusion, then suddenly felt something hit his forehead and it hurt a little. Looking down at his hand, he realized that he was still holding the small pebble in his palm.

Here we go again? Hua Sheng flung the pebble away again, watching it slip from his hand, but when he looked down, it was still in his palm.

He simply threw the pebbles on the ground, leaving his palms empty. But if he picked up a pebble and threw it over the wall, the pebble would return to his hand.

Hua Sheng murmured, "Could it be as that little novice monk named Bu Xu said, that the barrier here has no cover, yet it is impossible to cross?"

Suddenly, a thought flashed through Hua Sheng's mind. "Huh?" he wondered. "How could I be so stupid? I have such a powerful crowbar in my hand, yet I tried to push the door open with my bare hands."

Even the gates of the Jade Emperor's Heavenly Palace could probably be pried open with a single pry. What door in the world could possibly block me?

He swung his Ruyi Jingu Bang (magic staff) and tried to insert it into the crack in the door, but the crack was too narrow and the staff couldn't fit.

Hua Sheng then took the golden cudgel in his hand and shouted, "Hurry, hurry, as the law commands! Small, small, small!"

The golden cudgel instantly shrank, and Hua Sheng gestured with his fingers to make sure it was about the right size. He then inserted the golden cudgel into the crack in the door, and then braced his foot against the door frame and pried hard, but to his surprise, the mountain gate did not budge.

He then braced both feet against the door frame, suspended in mid-air, and pried it open with force.

Suddenly, a loud Buddhist chant erupted from the mountain gate, piercing straight into his ears, causing Hua Sheng to fall to the ground. He quickly flipped over, produced two earplugs, plugged his ears, and tried again.

The chanting of Buddhist hymns rose again, and Hua Sheng was knocked to the ground once more. Not only that, but her eardrums almost burst.

"This magic array is truly powerful! It seems I have no choice but to tough it out!" Hua Sheng thought to himself. He took two steps back, braced his hand against the Ruyi Jingu Bang (Golden Cudgel), and shouted, "Ruyi Jingu Bang, bigger and bigger!"

He intends to use his Ruyi Jingu Bang (magic staff) to forcefully break through the mountain gate.

Suddenly, someone behind them shouted, "Please don't try again, benefactor! Show mercy!"

Hua Sheng turned around and saw that the fallen monks behind him had already stood up, with nine on each side, all with their hands clasped together. But he didn't see any of the monks calling out to him.

Hua Sheng was puzzled, but when he turned around, he was startled and instinctively shrank back.

It turned out that a young monk dressed in a bright red robe was already standing in front of the mountain gate.

The monk appeared to be around thirty years old, over eight feet tall, with a handsome face, and wore a bright red kasaya.

He exuded a gentle yet powerful aura, as if this was the place that belonged to him. He blended seamlessly with the mountain gate and the Zen temple. Hua Sheng was somewhat puzzled; had he been standing there all along, and he simply hadn't noticed?
The young monk put his hands together in prayer and smiled at Huasheng, saying, "Benefactor, accumulate more good deeds and refrain from creating more negative karma."

Hua Sheng frowned and asked, "When did you get here?"

"When it's time, it's already here."

Hua Sheng looked back at the martial monks and saw that they and the old monk who was in charge of the reception were all respectfully putting their hands together in prayer towards the young man.

He had some doubts. This monk had an extraordinary demeanor, and everyone treated him with utmost respect. Could he be the leader of the martial monks here?
Hua Sheng reached out, and the golden cudgel flew from the mountain gate behind the young monk and landed in his hand. Just as he was about to ask who the monk was, the monk said...

"This humble monk is Ruokong."

"what?"

Hua Sheng suddenly remembered that the young novice had told him that the abbot of Daqian Temple was named Master Ruokong.

Could this handsome young monk be the abbot of this vast temple? To confirm, he asked, "Are you the abbot?"

"I am but a humble monk, not talented at all."

Hua Sheng thought to himself, "Now that the leader has come, things will be easier." He then said, "Could you please ask Venerable Ruokong to condescend to open the temple gate and let me leave?"

Master Ruokong smiled slightly and said, "Benefactor, this humble monk believes that since you already know that the temple gate cannot be opened, you should not force it."

This was indeed the truth. Hua Sheng had heard the young novice monk say that the temple gates couldn't be opened, but he simply didn't want to believe it.

"It really can't be opened?"

Master Ruokong nodded.

Hua Sheng sighed and said, "Then how can I contact the outside world? I just want to know how the Dao of Arts Academy is doing. Without the Ruihua Mirror, I can't contact the outside world. Could you allow me to contact the Dao of Arts Academy?"

"Not for now. But if you're willing to wait, that's fine." "How long will I have to wait?"

"Ninety-nine days."

Hua Sheng slammed his golden cudgel into the ground with a loud clang and said, "Abbot, you can't fool me just because you're handsome!"

"This humble monk would never dare to mock you, benefactor."

"It's one thing to be unable to leave, but why can't they even make phone calls?"

“Benefactor, Daqian Temple is a Buddhist formation. It is completely isolated from the outside world of Shengping Ning.”

Upon hearing the name Shengpingning, Hua Sheng felt relieved and asked, "Then Daqian Temple is in Shengpingning?"

Master Ruokong said, "No. The southeast, northwest and north of Daqian Temple are all Shengpingning, but Daqian Temple is the only exception."

"How do you say this?"

Master Ruokong smiled again and said, "Benefactor, why don't you put down the ironware in your hand and come to my meditation room? I will brew you a cup of Zen tea."

"No, no, no."

"Why not?"

"I need to get out now!"

Master Ruokong smiled and said, "Are you being coquettish, benefactor? Please don't be so willful."

Hua Sheng was in a hurry to leave, brandishing his golden cudgel: "I'm not a little Taoist priest anymore! I can go wherever I want, and no one can stop me!"

Master Ruokong put his palms together and said, "I'm afraid I'm not the person you're referring to."

Hua Sheng, with a hint of pride in his eyes, said, "Master, do you know what I hold in my hand?"

"This humble monk believes it to be a stick."

"This stick is no ordinary stick!"

"Even if it is an ordinary stick, it is merely an external possession of the benefactor."

Hua Sheng said, "If the mage underestimates it, he will probably suffer a loss later."

Master Ruokong replied, "Suffering a loss is a blessing. Suffering a loss can also accumulate merit."

A flourishing flower dances with a stick, then a powerful slam slams into the ground.

With a loud bang, a ten-foot-wide dent immediately appeared beside their feet, the divine power of the golden cudgel causing the temple buildings to shake.

Master Ruokong sighed softly, "Benefactor, our temple's budget is already very tight, please do not damage public property."

"Aren't those public properties also what you call external possessions?"

"Although they are external possessions, they are my duty as a monk. I can put aside my personal belongings, but I must protect public property."

"Since the sorcerer knows how powerful I am, why don't you move aside?"

“You misunderstand, benefactor.” Master Ruokong remained motionless. “What I mean is, please don’t take your anger out on public property like the temple floor tiles. If you want to smash something, I’m right here. Just hit me with this iron rod.”

Hua Sheng was taken aback and said, "You'd turn to ashes if that stick touched you? Are you crazy?"

"Turning to ashes is fine too. Wouldn't it be wonderful to be utterly despondent?"

The back-and-forth questioning made Hua Sheng a little irritated, and he pointed his golden cudgel at Master Ruokong.

"Abbot, could you please move aside?"

"I have finished speaking."

Hua Sheng thought to himself, "What can't this golden cudgel break? Even the Jupiter Veil, which even the immortal masters of the Daoist Academy fear, can be pierced in an instant. Although this monk in front of me may be a highly accomplished monk, he still looks like just a monk practicing cultivation."

If this golden cudgel were to actually kill him with one blow, then I would truly have committed a serious crime.

Even if I leave Daqian Temple, I'll still end up in jail. That's definitely not worth it.

Hua Sheng thought he should scare the monk first. Let him experience its power, then tell him that this is the legendary Ruyi Jingu Bang (the magic staff). Even a high-ranking monk in the temple would be terrified and let him pass immediately.

Simply pretend to sweep the stick at him, then stop about a foot away.

Hua Sheng had made up his mind. He brandished the Ruyi Jingu Bang in his hand and shouted, "Abbot, please don't blame me for being ruthless! I'm afraid you'll have a heart attack if I tell you, but this is the legendary Ruyi Jingu Bang! Take this blow!"

After saying that, Hua Sheng spun around and swung the golden cudgel toward Master Ruokong's left shoulder, still thinking about how to make a big show of it while making a lot of noise but little substance.

However, to his surprise, Master Ruokong suddenly leaned forward and took the initiative to meet the golden cudgel.

"Oops!"

Hua Sheng had used a lot of strength to swing the golden cudgel. If Master Ruokong countered, wouldn't he definitely be hit? Just as he was thinking about how to stop, he heard a muffled thud.

The mighty Ruyi Jingu Bang, which shook the world, was firmly caught by Master Ruokong's left hand!
Hua Sheng was so shocked that her blood ran cold.

"No...impossible! You! This..."

Master Ruokong held the golden cudgel in his left hand, still smiling, and made a bow with his right hand. He gently pushed Hua Sheng's chest with his palm, and Hua Sheng immediately felt an overwhelming force rushing towards him.

The Ruyi Jingu Bang (the magic staff) flew out of his hand, and he was sent flying.

The most fatal thing wasn't being beaten, but that he failed to grab the golden cudgel!

The Ruyi Jingu Bang (the magic staff) was taken away by Master Ruokong!
Master Ruokong, holding his Ruyi Jingu Bang (Golden Cudgel), slowly spoke, word by word:
"Please look, benefactor, do you think this iron rod is just an external object?"

(End of this chapter)