Gu Long's World: Starting with the Legend of Chu Liuxiang

Jiang Fengyue frowned and asked, "Why can't I use my lightness skill?"

Another monk stepped forward and said slowly, "This is the rule of our Shaolin Temple. If you wish to climb the mountain, please walk up step by step."

Jiang Fengyue said, "Why should I abide by your rules?"

The monk said, "You may break the rules, but I do know a little bit about martial arts."

Jiang Fengyue coldly said, "Your Shaolin is only based on Mount Song. Mount Song is such a large area, why should others have to abide by your rules as soon as they come to Mount Song? Do you want to occupy the mountain and become kings?"

The two monks' expressions changed. They exchanged a glance, and one of them said, "I think this person is definitely here to cause trouble. There's no need to waste words with him. Let's teach him a lesson and then send him down the mountain."

After saying this, the two monks picked up wooden sticks from the side and were about to attack.

Suddenly, someone shouted, "Stop!"

Master Xinmei and Li Xunhuan followed, both using their lightness skills.

Upon seeing Xinmei's expression, the two monks immediately became more respectful in their actions and demeanor.

Jiang Fengyue laughed and said, "That old monk also used his lightness skill. Do you want to go and teach him a lesson?"

The two monks' faces darkened. Master Xinmei had already walked up to them, and they simultaneously bowed and said, "Disciples greet Master Xinmei."

Master Xinmei sighed, "This patron is a guest from afar; you must not be rude."

The monk replied, "Yes."

They turned to Jiang Fengyue and became respectful, repeatedly apologizing.

Jiang Fengyue shook her head. In this dog-eat-dog world, rules can only be used to restrict those without power and ordinary people who have no way to get on the good side.

The three walked for more than an hour on the snow-covered mountain path before finally reaching Shaolin Temple.

Shaolin Temple was originally the residence of Master Xinmei, and for Li Xunhuan, it was also a place he had visited before.

Only Jiang Fengyue was seeing the magnificent Shaolin Temple for the first time. Its eaves were covered with snow, soaring into the clouds, and the halls were connected, making it impossible to tell how many layers there were.

The monks guarding the gate spotted Jiang Fengyue and his two companions from afar. Their deep voices boomed as they shouted, "Who are you? How dare you trespass on Shaolin Temple?"

Judging from the rewards Jiang Fengyue received for signing in, the gatekeeper monk's internal strength was not low at all.

When Master Xinmei walked up to him, he exclaimed in surprise, "Second Uncle, you're back!"

Seeing that only Master Xinmei was a monk, he asked in surprise, "Uncle-Master, why are you the only one who came back? Where are your fellow disciples who went out with you?"

Master Xinmei sighed deeply, shook his head, and looked sad.

The gatekeeper monk said sadly, "I understand."

As soon as Master Xinmei returned to Shaolin Temple, several Shaolin disciples went to inform different courtyards.

The first person to come out to greet Master Xinmei was the last to join Master Xinmei's generation, and also the youngest of the seven disciples of the head disciple.

However, this junior brother did not seem to show much joy on his face when he saw his senior brother return safely.

The man had a sallow complexion and looked listless, appearing sickly. Now, with his face darkening, he looked even more like someone terminally ill and about to die.

When Master Xinmei saw him, he also frowned.

"Check-in!"

"Successfully checked in as a Master of Insight, gaining the ability to concoct poisons."

Jiang Fengyue finally understood why the atmosphere between the two was so tense. This Master Xinjian was a self-taught monk who had already learned his skills before becoming an apprentice. Before coming to Shaolin Temple, he was known in the martial arts world as "Seven-Skilled Scholar" and was an expert in poisoning.

Master Xinmei didn't give Master Xinjian a friendly look because he suspected that Master Xinjian was the traitor who stole the scriptures, but he hadn't found any conclusive evidence yet.

Master Xinjian's haste to come out wasn't because he cared much about his senior brother; rather, his anxious demeanor was a sign of a guilty conscience.

Master Xinjian said in a deep voice, "Second Senior Brother, you're back."

He then glanced at Jiang Fengyue and Li Xunhuan beside Master Xinmei and asked, "And who are these two patrons?"

Master Xinmei said, "They are...?"

Before Master Xinmei could finish his introduction, two more people came out.

There were two people, one on the left and one on the right. The one on the left was an old monk with an unusual appearance. His expression looked exceptionally calm, as if he had become one with the tranquility of the Shaolin Temple.

On the right is a thin, short old man, but his eyes are piercing and his nose is as prominent as an eagle's. Anyone who sees him will ignore his short stature and only feel his unparalleled authority and charisma.

"Check-in!"

"Successfully checked in with Master Xinhu and gained five years of internal energy."

"Successfully checked in as the All-Knowing Scholar and gained three years of internal energy."

Jiang Fengyue thought to herself, "So this is the all-knowing scholar who created the Weapon Ranking and caused chaos in the martial arts world."

Bai Xiaosheng spotted Li Xunhuan from afar, smiled, and called out loudly, "How have you been, Scholar Li?"

Li Xunhuan smiled and said, "I didn't expect that you would still recognize me after so many years."

Bai Xiaosheng laughed and said, "I will never forget your face, even a hundred years from now."

Master Xinhu ignored Jiang Fengyue and Li Xunhuan and went straight to Master Xinmei.

Master Xinhu asked, "Junior brother, did you find out where those things are from this trip down the mountain?"

Master Xinhu was naturally referring to the stolen scriptures from Shaolin Temple, but with outsiders present, he couldn't say it directly.

Master Xinmei shook his head and said, "No, but I brought back two guests who might be of some help to us."

Bai Xiaosheng then burst into laughter, saying, "Are you saying that the infamous Plum Blossom Thief and his accomplices, who are the talk of the town, are worthy of being guests at Shaolin Temple?"

Master Xinmei said in a deep voice, "They are definitely not the Plum Blossom Thieves."

Bai Xiaosheng said, "Master Xinmei, don't let them blind you."

Master Xinmei said, "With their abilities, if they wanted to do evil, I'm afraid there would never be a day of peace in this martial world."

Having witnessed Jiang Fengyue's profound internal strength and endless skills, he had completely abandoned the idea that Li Xunhuan and Jiang Fengyue were the Plum Blossom Thieves.

Jiang Fengyue squinted at Bai Xiaosheng and laughed, "When have you ever seen a thief willingly walk into a trap? I'm only here this time to catch some parasites causing trouble in the shadows."

Master Xinhu frowned and said, "Does the benefactor mean that there is a traitor within our Shaolin Temple?"

Master Xinmei sighed, "Even without him saying it, I already had someone I suspected in light of the recent events."

Upon hearing this, Master Xinjian became so nervous that he gripped his monk's robe tightly with his fingers. If anyone were looking in his direction, they would have noticed his unusual expression.

Master Xinhu asked in a deep voice, "Who is it?"

Before Master Xinmei could answer, Bai Xiaosheng interrupted, shouting, "How can we reveal Shaolin's secrets when there are outsiders here?"