All Heavens: A Role-Playing System Starting from Tianlong

Seeing that Duan Yanqing remained unfazed, Zhang Cheng continued, "I said, how can you be so foolish at your age, even lending that kind of medicine to Zhong Ling?"

So that's what you were waiting for, trying to drag me onto your Duan family's war chariot.

Duan Yanqing remained expressionless and continued walking.

"It's not a matter of scheming. You two are in love, and even if Duan Er objects, with your martial arts skills, he can't stop you."

In the end, I can only accept you as my son-in-law. Sooner or later, it makes no difference.

He paused, then continued, "As for what you want to do in the future, I never expect a simpleton like you to change your mind."

"I only hope that you can take care of Yu'er and Miss Mu out of consideration for their sibling relationship; that would be enough."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Cheng suddenly felt a pang of emotion.

Duan Yu is really lucky. He has both an expensive biological father and an expensive adoptive father, which is much better than the other two brothers who are also the three main characters of Tian Long Ba Bu.

He shook his head, dismissing these random thoughts, and said:

"Brother Duan, I think you shouldn't worry about it. With your skills, you can easily live for several more decades. Just take good care of Duan Yu; he might have a real talent for martial arts."

Duan Yanqing did not respond.

The two moved quickly, and before they knew it, they had left Dali City and were not far from Tianlong Temple in Diancang Mountain.

Tianlong Temple is the family temple of the Dali royal family. Although the public is not prohibited from worshipping there, only members of the Duan family are allowed to enter the core area.

Zhang Cheng had expected a young novice monk to be waiting at the entrance to guide him, but instead he saw Abbot Benyin, whom he had just parted ways with the day before.

The old monk stood outside the mountain gate with his eyes closed, constantly twirling a string of prayer beads in his hands, muttering incantations as if reciting scriptures.

This eminent monk possesses exceptional composure; it's unknown how long he has been waiting here.

The few ordinary people coming and going from the temple rarely encountered monks of Benyin's rank, so although they were curious about who this old monk was, they just assumed he was an ordinary monk staying at the temple and didn't pay much attention to him.

Zhang Cheng glanced at Duan Yanqing sideways: "Looks like you're quite influential, Boss Duan."

Duan Yanqing shook his head: "It's not about my face. It's about how much my uncle values ​​you."

"Oh?" Zhang Cheng was now even more curious about the conversation between Duan Yanqing and Kurong yesterday.

He channeled his inner energy, accelerated forward, and stood before Benyin, bowing with clasped hands in a salute.

"This humble one was unaware that Master Benyin was waiting here. I apologize for keeping you waiting so long."

Ben opened his eyes, nodded slightly, and stepped forward to greet him.

"No need for such formalities, Master Zhang. My Uncle-Master Kurong has been waiting for you for quite some time. Please follow me."

Having said that, he stepped aside and led the way. Only Zhang Cheng followed.

After Duan Yanqing delivered him to Benyin, he left on his own after seeing that someone else would introduce him to someone else.

Zhang Cheng thought to himself: This old man, he's got a knack for slacking off. So eager to get home and see the kids?

Benyin led Zhang Cheng through the Ruihe Gate on the left, passing through the Huangtian Gate, Qingdu Yaotai, Wuwujing, Doumu Palace, Sanyuan Palace, Doushuai Dashiyuan, Yuhuayuan, and Banruotai, until they arrived at a secluded long corridor.

The two walked westward along the corridor.

Just as Zhang Cheng was once again complaining to himself, "This temple built by the emperor's family is really something else, how come it occupies such a huge area?", they finally arrived at their destination.

It was a courtyard consisting of several simple houses. The houses were built of pine wood, with plank doors and wooden pillars, and the wood was not peeled, which was completely different from the magnificent palaces we had seen along the way.

Ben led Zhang Cheng to the door of one of the rooms and stopped.

"Master Zhang, Uncle-Master Kurong is inside." He turned slightly to the side, gesturing for him to enter. "This old monk will wait here."

After saying that, he lowered his eyes and stood by the door, saying nothing more.

Zhang Cheng glanced at him, then pushed open the door and entered.

There was only one person inside, sitting facing the wall on the east side with his back to the door; his age was impossible to tell.

Zhang Cheng clasped his hands in a respectful greeting. "This humble one, Zhang Cheng, pays his respects to Master Kurong."

Seeing how much Ku Rong valued him, he naturally didn't want to be impolite.

"Please, do not stand on ceremony. This is the sword manual of the Six Meridians Divine Sword Scripture."

The monk did not turn around, but picked up a scroll from beside him.

"Before I grant you permission to take a look, I have a question for you."

"Please speak, Master."

"What is your purpose in requesting this sword manual, benefactor?"

Zhang Cheng raised an eyebrow slightly. "Naturally, it's for learning the martial arts techniques within."

Upon hearing this, the monk gently shook his head.

"There's always a purpose to practicing martial arts. You've achieved such skill at such a young age, so you must have clearly put in a lot of hard work in your cultivation."

This monk, Ku Rong, was nearly a hundred years old. Calling him "youngster" wasn't presumptuous.

Zhang Cheng didn't answer immediately. Looking at the figure facing the wall, he suddenly asked:

"Brother Duan previously said that the master agreed to lend the sword manual without any conditions. Why is the master now playing games with me after we've arrived?"

Does this mean that if my answer today is unsatisfactory, the borrowing agreement will be null and void?

Upon hearing this, Ku Rong waved his right hand, and his inner force carried the scroll towards Zhang Cheng.

Zhang Cheng reached out and caught it, looking at the figure in surprise.

He had been prepared for the other party to change their mind because they were asking so many questions. He never expected them to hand over the sword manual so easily in the end.

Although Ku Rong did not turn around, he seemed to see through the doubts in Ku Rong's heart:

"Your words are full of confidence, as if my Tianlong Temple's experts are nothing, and you are determined to obtain this sword manual."

If I refuse to give it to you, you will probably steal or rob it; if I destroy it beforehand, you will certainly not let it go and will cause a lot of trouble in Dali.

This old monk is deeply concerned about Dali and does not wish for things to reach the worst possible outcome. Therefore, I present this sword manual with both hands.

Before I leave, I still want to ask one question—what exactly is it that you seek, benefactor?

This will also let this old monk know whether what I did today was an act of kindness or evil.

As soon as he got his hands on the scroll, Zhang Cheng unfolded it and began to read it.

After Ku Rong finished speaking, he raised his head and replied, "Master, your worldly ties are not yet severed. No wonder you are stuck in this state of neither decay nor prosperity, unable to see through the appearance of no self."

How could Ku Rong not understand this principle?

But as the leader of the Duan family's Buddhist disciples, how could he sit idly by when it came to matters concerning the Duan family?

Therefore, he could only sigh and remain silent.

Seeing his reaction, Zhang Cheng thought to himself: "Tch, I thought I could persuade this monk to sever his worldly ties and advance his cultivation to a higher level. If that were the case, I could even ask him if he wanted to give me his internal energy cultivation since he no longer needed it."

Unexpectedly, this monk knew the problem all along, yet he deliberately trapped himself here and refused to come out. No wonder, at his age, his martial arts skills and Buddhist understanding were inferior to Kumārajīva's.

However, the other party was, after all, a man nearing a hundred years old, and an elder of Mu Wanqing and Zhong Ling. Zhang Cheng decided to uphold the traditional virtue of respecting the elderly and caring for the young, and respond to him.

"I practice martial arts so that I can do what I want to do."