Shi Potian travels through Linghu Chong

Chapter 126 Breaking the Cage
The next morning.

Fang Zheng sent someone to invite Yue Buqun and Shi Potian to the Main Hall, and he personally greeted them outside the hall. After some polite greetings, he led the two to the Sutra Library.

"The Sweeping Monk is a servant monk who does odd jobs in the Sutra Library of our Shaolin Temple. He has no name, no surname, no identity, and no activities. If it weren't for some unexpected events that happened in Shaolin Temple, I'm afraid no one would know of his existence until now."

"He has the same deep internal strength as Young Master Linghu, and has developed a body of protective qi. Even the top martial arts masters at that time could not get within three feet of him. Mr. Yue, Young Master Linghu, come this way. This is the Sutra Repository."

Fang Zheng led the way while telling the story of the Sweeping Monk. Soon they arrived at the entrance of the Sutra Repository and stopped.

"Abbot." The eight monks guarding the pavilion stepped forward and saluted with their palms folded.

Fang Zheng clasped his hands together in a salute, and introduced to Yue Buqun and Shi Potian, "Mr. Yue, our Shaolin Sutra Library has existed since the beginning of the temple. A hundred years ago, it was rebuilt into a five-bay hall, which stores 5,480 volumes of the Tibetan Buddhist canon, as well as countless sayings and insights from our Shaolin founder and eminent monks of past generations. If Mr. Yue is interested in Buddhism, you can go into the library and read it."

Yue Buqun was shocked. The Sutra Library was an important place of Shaolin, which contained the 72 Shaolin unique skills and many martial arts. Fang Zheng actually wanted to let him in?
Fang Zheng explained, "There are many rumors about our Shaolin Scripture Pavilion in the martial arts world, but it is not that mysterious. Our Shaolin is a pure place of Buddhism, and martial arts are just a minor subject. Our Shaolin has never prohibited disciples from reading scriptures here. If Mr. Yue is lucky enough to read the seventy-two unique skills, he can practice them, but he should not pass them on to others."

"Each of the 72 unique skills of our temple can injure a person's vital points or kill him. They are fierce and cruel, and can seriously damage the harmony of nature. Therefore, each unique skill must be neutralized by the corresponding compassionate Buddhist teachings. If one fails to comprehend and master the principles of Zen and Buddhism, forcing oneself to practice will only lead to the path of evil, harming others and oneself."

Yue Buqun's heart trembled, and he thought of the "Sunflower Manual". He raised his eyes to look at Fang Zheng, but saw only a kind and compassionate smile on Fang Zheng's face. He was not sure whether Fang Zheng's words were unintentional or had a hidden meaning.

"Young Master Linghu, please follow me." Fang Zheng made a gesture of invitation to Shi Potian.

Shi Potian glanced at Yue Buqun.

Yue Buqun said: "Chong'er, follow Master Fangzheng in. I will wait for you here. Remember 'know what you know, and don't know what you don't know'. Don't be stubborn and talk nonsense."

"Disciple, I understand." Shi Potian then followed Fang Zheng into the inner hall.

Yue Buqun watched the two men's backs, hesitated for a moment, and walked into the house nearest to him. He came to a bookshelf, picked up a scripture and started reading it.

Yue Buqun was very concerned about his reputation, so in front of the monks guarding the pavilion, he naturally would not act too anxious. He pretended to be nonchalant while flipping through the scriptures.

Until the monk guarding the pavilion said to him: "Mr. Yue, the scriptures in the Sutra Library are all the treasures of Shaolin. Please cherish them and do not damage them. After reading them, just put them back to their original places." Then he turned and left, leaving him alone.

He immediately stopped flipping through the ordinary Buddhist scripture, picked up another Buddhist scripture and looked through it. After confirming that it was not a martial arts secret book, he looked at another one.

One, two, three...

Yue Buqun flipped through dozens of books, but did not see any book related to martial arts.

Just when Yue Buqun thought that Fang Zheng's previous words were all lies and the 72 Shaolin unique skills were not actually here, he saw a book on "Prajna Palm Technique" in the corner next to the "Lotus Sutra" and the "Agama Sutra".

When I picked it up and took a look, I found that the content was actually the Prajna Palm, one of the 72 Shaolin unique skills.

"Does Shaolin really only focus on Buddhism and not martial arts? Is the matter of the Sunflower Manual just a coincidence? Or is this something Fang Zheng deliberately put on for me to see?"

Yue Buqun was unsure of Fang Zheng's thoughts for a moment and fell into deep thought.

On the other side, Shi Potian followed Fangzheng all the way to the fourth room of the Sutra Library. Fangzheng took out a handwritten book from a bookshelf, handed it to Shi Potian, and said, "Young Master Linghu, this is the handwritten letter left by the Sweeping Monk before he passed away. The content is very mysterious. None of the great monks of Shaolin have been able to understand it. It's a pity. If Young Master Linghu can decipher it, it will be regarded as fulfilling a wish of our Shaolin." Such a precious thing was casually placed on a bookshelf together with other scriptures and books, which was an inadvertent display of Shaolin's terrifying background.

If it were any other person in the martial arts world, they would probably be horrified.

However, Shi Potian didn't care about all this. He took the book and started flipping through it, flipping faster and faster.

Shi Potian has read a lot of books during this period, but there are many Buddhist terms in the handwriting of the Sweeping Monk. He read it as if it were a book written in heaven and did not understand the meaning at all.

Shi Potian did not waste any time and quickly turned to the last page of the book. He said simply, "Master Fang Zheng, I have never heard of many of the things written here. I don't know what they mean. You should ask someone else for help."

Fang Zheng was stunned. He thought Shi Potian would not be able to understand it, but he did not expect Shi Potian to be so decisive and not have the slightest bit of reluctance. He did not even think of taking a closer look at it and just returned the handwritten letter to him.

Fang Zheng said, "Young Master Linghu, I was negligent. The Sweeping Monk is a senior monk of our Buddhist sect. There are many Buddhist terms in this. It is normal that you don't understand. Let me explain it to you."

Fang Zheng opened the book again and started from the first page, explaining to Shi Potian the origins and meanings of the Buddhist terms used in the book.

After reaching the pinnacle in both martial arts and Zen, the Sweeping Monk regarded the world as a cage and tried to find a way to break the cage and shatter the void.

But he failed to do so until his death and only put forward some speculations. Therefore, the content of this book gives people a feeling like a dream talk.

The great monks of Shaolin throughout the ages have either profound knowledge of Buddhism or powerful martial arts, or some have both, but none of them has been able to cultivate both to the pinnacle.

Therefore, they can understand every word and every phrase in the book, but when these words and phrases are connected together, they can't understand them, let alone practice them.

But Shi Potian is not like that.

His martial arts skills have reached the pinnacle in the world, even better than the Sweeping Monk.

Although he did not understand Buddhist teachings, he had a pure heart, a clear mind, and amazing understanding.

Even though Fang Zheng only explained to him the meaning of these Buddhist terms, he gradually understood what the Sweeping Monk wrote in the book.

After Fang Zheng finished explaining everything, Shi Potian fell into deep thought.

Upon seeing this, Fang Zheng cautiously retreated outside the hall and warned the monk guarding the gate not to let anyone disturb Shi Potian. He then found all the Buddhist scriptures related to the content of the handwritten letter and placed them beside Shi Potian for him to read at any time.

——He was willing to take out the Sweeping Monk's handwriting because he wanted Shi Potian to become interested in Buddhism and study it. Now it seems that he has succeeded for the most part.

Shi Potian is a kind and honest person. After learning Buddhism, his compassion will only grow stronger.

In this way, the world will truly be peaceful.

(End of this chapter)