Becoming a Fox Spirit from Under One Person

Chapter 86 What a free and unhindered master!

In mid-March of 1928, Shaolin Temple was destroyed by war and was later burned down by arson.

The fire burned for more than forty days, destroying the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Great Buddha Hall, the Sutra Repository, and other halls.

Some Buddhist classics such as the Tripitaka and the Yijinjing, as well as the secret manuals of the 72 Shaolin Arts, were reduced to ashes. Stone carvings, Tang Dynasty murals, ancient cypress and locust trees also disappeared in the sea of ​​fire.

The area around Chen Ruoan was scorched earth, with embers of the fire still lingering. Only a few buildings, such as the mountain gate and the Damo Pavilion, survived.

The monks in the temple took refuge in the remaining buildings or temporarily lived in the surrounding mountains and forests, while some of the more timid ones simply returned to secular life and fled.

Of the hundreds of monks, only a dozen or so remain.

The fox looked at the ragged monk, who was thin and bony, and seemed to have not eaten properly in a long time.

"Thank you for your understanding, Master. Here, take this."

Chen Ruoan's only provisions for the journey were boiled eggs, so he placed three of them in front of the monk.

On the scorched black mountain soil, the three eggs were so white they looked like pearls.

After finishing his business, Chen Ruoan strolled through the mountains. At this time, Songshan Mountain was in the lush state of early summer, with pine and oak trees covering the slopes and wildflowers in bloom. However, the remnants of the burning of Shaolin Temple had not yet disappeared, and the area around Shaoshi Mountain still had a burnt smell. The ruins were hidden in the forest.

The sound of fighting reached the fox's ears.

Following the sound, they found a monk in his twenties fighting two fleeing bandits in the thicket of the forest.

boom!

Gunshots rang out in the forest, and a bullet struck the monk squarely in the chest. The soldier and bandit grinned maliciously, "Heh heh, serves you right."

"Amitabha~" The monk patted his shoulder, tore open his robe, and took a twisted bullet from the skin covered by Buddha's light. "Two benefactors, you can't do anything to this humble monk with just two guns."

"Since we've already been defeated, why not withdraw early?"

The soldier spat and said, "Go to hell! If you're so capable, why don't you go after the guy who burned down your temple?"

The monk sighed, "In these chaotic times, there are many things I am powerless to do. All I can do is temporarily guard the ruined temple and, incidentally, clear away the bandits and demons in the surrounding area."

"You pretentious, bald-headed monk!"

Bang, bang!

The two fired a few more shots, and as the monk had said, two guns were not enough to break through the Buddhist Vajra Kung Fu for the time being.

The monk, who was originally compassionate, saw the soldiers and bandits closing in step by step, so he lightly extended his right palm and used a move called "Great Compassion Hand".

A gentle palm strike, yet concealing powerful internal force, sent two soldiers and bandits flying through the air with a muffled thud. They crashed heavily to the ground, spitting blood, and remained motionless.

"Oh no, he's dead."

The monk's eyes were filled with sorrow and self-reproach. He hurriedly clasped his hands together, bowed his head, and gently shook his head at the corpse, letting out a long sigh: "I accidentally caused a life. Amitabha, what a sin, what a sin."

He chanted Buddhist mantras and recited sutras to help the two bandits pass on to the afterlife. Then he heard two coughs. The two soldiers and bandits were not dead. They struggled to support themselves on the tree trunk and sat up with difficulty.

The monk was taken aback, then his brows relaxed, revealing genuine joy. He nodded repeatedly, clasped his hands in prayer, and laughed loudly, "He's not dead! That's wonderful! Amitabha! The Buddha is merciful! Well done, well done!"

Chen Ruoan sat high on a branch, taking in the entire forest.

What a master who is free and unhindered in his heart! He is the most shrewd monk. If he kills someone, he will shout "Forgive me, forgive me"; if he doesn't kill them, he will shout "Well done, well done".

The monk subdued the two bandits and shattered their guns with a flick of his finger, preventing them from causing further trouble in the mountains.

After he finished, he sensed a faint aura emanating from the branch. His gaze sharpened suddenly as he fixed his eyes on the fox, his expression fierce and wrathful.

"May I ask, sir fox, is the recent outbreak of cannibalistic monsters that has caused widespread panic in the mountains related to you?"

Chen Ruoan's ears twitched, and she replied, "Don't jump to conclusions. I just arrived in this area today and haven't even gotten familiar with the mountain paths yet."

The monk stared intently, examining the fox closely. He saw that the fox was surrounded by the innate Yin energy of an elf, a pure Yin energy, without any of the foul and filthy aura of a man-eating demon. He realized that he had been presumptuous.

His expression softened, his fierce demeanor vanished, replaced by a compassionate look. He clasped his hands together, bowed, and apologized: "I have offended you. My name is Jiekong. I am a monk from Shaolin Temple. May I ask who you are, benefactor?"

""

The future leader of Buddhism, the abbot of Lingyin Temple, Master Jiekong, one of the "Ten Elders"?

No wonder, with such a well-rounded and insightful mind, it would be strange if he remained an unknown figure in the future.

The fox leaped down from the branch, transformed into human form, and bowed: "Chen Ruoan, Taishan Inviting the Moon Pavilion."

"So you are Benefactor Chen?"

"Does Master Jiekong know me?"

"That's for sure. Your reputation is widespread, and you are well-known throughout the martial arts world. I heard that you went to Longhu Mountain last year to discuss Taoism and sparred with the high-ranking Taoist priests of the Celestial Master's Mansion. Taoist Priest Zhang Zhiwei was slightly outmatched by you."

Becoming famous is a series of interconnected steps.

Zhang Zhiwei once became famous for slapping Lu Jin until she cried; now it's the fox's turn to use Zhang Zhiwei to gain fame.

The content being disseminated is somewhat inaccurate.

This is normal, because the Taoist priests of Longhu Mountain, along with those from outside the area, don't care about the truth at all; they just want Zhang Zhiwei to suffer, even if it's just a rumor.

The pressure is now on the fox.

Monks do not speak in Buddhist scripture, and it would seem inappropriate for them to speak falsely or deceive Master Jiekong.

"That is indeed true."

"On that day, I revealed my true form and fought him, shaking him so badly that he was embedded in the ground. I was lucky to win by a narrow margin."

"I see."

The monk Jiekong bowed and performed a Buddhist salute: "It seems that Benefactor Fox possesses profound skills, and that the divine has been transmitted through man."

"To be honest, I once had a sparring session with Master Zhang, but unfortunately, I am far inferior to him. Victory and defeat are all illusory. Even setting aside methods, Master Zhang is extraordinary in terms of his clear mind and profound virtue, and is truly worthy of respect and admiration. Now it seems that Benefactor Fox is the same kind of person."

The fox's paws gripped the ground tightly.

Why did I suddenly feel ashamed?

However, Master Jiekong's words were too modest. Zhang Zhiwei, who was "arrogant" and rarely praised anyone highly, described Master Jiekong as an extremely powerful martial monk.

Seeing that Jie Kongxin was sincere and earnest, Chen Ruoan couldn't continue to follow his empty words and immediately changed the subject, inquiring about the demonic trouble in the mountains.

Jie Kong lowered his eyes and sighed softly, then clasped his hands together and said slowly, "There is a sinister and wicked beast hidden in the mountains and forests, which is like a spirit or a ghost, and its whereabouts are mysterious and unpredictable. It specializes in eating passers-by and soldiers stationed in the mountains, and even monks who seek refuge in the mountains have suffered its cruelty."

This thing is treacherous and cunning, and its movements are as swift as the wind. Let alone eliminating it, very few people have even seen its true form.

"Since that's the case, then let me also get involved." Foxes have the ability to find spirits, and as fellow beasts, they won't be viewed with too much suspicion.

"Thank you, sir."

Chen Ruoan and Jie Kong ventured deeper into the mountains together.

The mountain breeze rustles through the forest, brushing against the branches and leaves. All around, there are only the chirping of insects and the warbling of birds, a scene of quiet and ordinary mountain scenery.

Forget about elves, even large wild beasts are extremely rare.

Chen Ruoan moved nimbly through the woods, her sharp ears picking up the faint gnawing sounds coming from the bushes.

Looking up, I saw a group of grayish-brown macaques climbing among the branches, but they showed no signs of having attained Qi; they were just ordinary monkeys, not spirits.

"There's nothing strange about it."

Chen Ruoan glanced at the monkey troop again. The monkeys were huddled together eating, their cheeks bulging, and their mouths and chins were covered with thick, scarlet juice.

The fruit of Mount Song ripens in August, and its juice is by no means the bright, sweet color of the fruit.

"Hey buddy, eating?" the fox greeted.