It Was Done!

As the saying went, each generation produced its own talents, each leading the age in splendor for centuries!

After Gu Han entered seclusion and withdrew from worldly affairs, the younger generation of Treasure Pearl Temple in Great Yan had long since become someone else's domain.

In merely the third year of Gu Han's seclusion, Jingyuan, the senior brother of the Jing Generation in the Prajna Hall, took the lead in breaking through to Muscle Tendon Strengthening Perfection.

Afterward, with the aid of a Lesser Returning Pill, Jingyuan successfully broke through Blood Tempering one year later, his prestige unmatched for a time.

The following year, Jingyan, the senior brother of the Jing Generation in the Dharma Institute, saw Jingyuan's breakthrough and closely followed suit, likewise breaking through Blood Tempering.

Over the next several years, many outstanding disciples of Treasure Pearl Temple's Prajna Hall and Dharma Institute finally began to slowly bloom with their own light. Like bamboo shoots after spring rain, they broke through to Muscle Tendon Strengthening Perfection one after another, then strove toward the Blood Tempering realm.

One, two, three...

By the fifth year of Gu Han's frenzied cultivation, Yuanyin, the thirty-five-year-old senior brother of the Yuan Generation in the Dharma Institute, finally gained a sudden insight. In one stroke, he crossed the threshold of Inner Qi, generating Inner Qi within his body and becoming one of the supreme experts beneath heaven. He succeeded to the position of head of the Dharma Institute, opening the beginning of the Ben Generation's retirement and the Yuan Generation's ascension to become the heads of the various halls and institutes.

Over the next seven or eight years, following Yuanyin, members of the Yuan Generation also successively broke through to Inner Qi and succeeded to the leadership of the various halls.

By the thirteenth year of Gu Han's frenzied cultivation, the last remaining hall head of the Ben Generation in Treasure Pearl Temple had retired and become an elder of the temple. A cycle of old and new succession had been completed. The monks of the Yuan Generation formally stepped onto the stage of history, becoming the highest decision-making echelon of Treasure Pearl Temple, the holy land of Great Yan's martial world, and taking charge of the temple's many affairs.

Another cycle!

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Within the solemn and majestic Treasure Pearl Mountain, the tolling of three great bells shook the mountain temple and startled countless birds into flight.

One year later, in Treasure Pearl Temple of Fangnan Prefecture, Great Yan, another new disciple initiation ceremony formally began.

Yet this time differed from the past, because with the turnover between the Ben and Yuan Generation monks the previous year, the newly initiated disciples could no longer belong to the Jing Generation.

They would be young monks of the first generation among Treasure Pearl Temple's eight generations: Liao, Jue, Ben, Yuan, Jing, Kong, Wu, and Heng—the Kong Generation.

"The Abbot has arrived!"

A loud voice rang out. Inside the Great Hero Hall, the soon-to-be-initiated little novice monks looked nervous.

Some were expectant.

Some were worried.

Some were excited.

Before their eyes, the burly Abbot Yuanyin, draped in a crimson kasaya, slowly arrived with the heads of the various halls. He then proclaimed a Buddhist invocation and said,

"Amitabha. Jingyi, the hour is nearly upon us. Have all the disciples receiving precepts today arrived?"

"Reporting to the Abbot, they have all arrived!"

Hearing Yuanyin's question, Jingyi, a yellow-robed monk who appeared to be in his twenties, hurriedly answered respectfully.

"Mm! Very good. Since everyone has arrived, let this initiation ceremony formally begin!"

Yuanyin smiled and nodded upon hearing this, and Treasure Pearl Temple's initiation ceremony officially commenced.

Over nearly two hours, Yuanyin led the various hall heads and disciples through the procedures of burning incense, praying, chanting scriptures, paying respects to the Buddha, informing the patriarchs, and receiving precepts atop their heads. At last, it was time to assign the disciples to their respective halls and institutes.

"Disciple Kongxing has formally received precepts and become a disciple of Treasure Pearl Temple. His physique and talent are both excellent; he may enter the Dharma Institute!"

"Disciple Kongwen has formally received precepts and become a disciple of Treasure Pearl Temple. His physique and talent are ordinary; he shall be assigned to the Arhat Hall!"

"Disciple Kongzhen has formally received precepts and become a disciple of Treasure Pearl Temple. His physique and talent are both excellent; he may enter the Prajna Hall!"

"Disciple Kongxing has formally received precepts and become a disciple of Treasure Pearl Temple. Though his physique and talent are ordinary, his comprehension is astonishing; he may enter the Medicine Master Institute!"

One loud announcement after another rang out. Naturally, the disciples assigned to the Dharma Institute and Prajna Hall all beamed with delight. Their eyes shone brightly, their confidence boundless, as though endless stars glittered within them.

The disciples assigned to the Medicine Master Institute showed little excitement, but neither did they seem particularly disappointed. Most remained rather calm.

Only the disciples assigned to the Arhat Hall had dim eyes and drooping heads, despair filling their hearts. Numbly, they followed Yuanhuai, the newly appointed head of the Arhat Hall and a Blood Tempering Perfection expert, back to their hall.

"What are you doing? Why are all of you so listless? Raise your heads!"

Seeing the disciples in such dejected spirits, Yuanhuai, who had only just succeeded as head of the Arhat Hall and had yet to be battered by reality, glared with fury. Looking as though he hated iron for failing to become steel, he berated the frightened disciples.

"What? Do you little monks think that entering my Arhat Hall today means you will have no future from now on? Then let me tell you this: your thinking is utterly, completely wrong!

Gold shines wherever it is. Success lies in human effort. So long as people work hard, the disciples of my Arhat Hall will not be inferior to those of the Prajna Hall or Dharma Institute!

Take Jingfan, who entered the Arhat Hall five years ago. He is your example. In only five years after joining the Arhat Hall, he has already broken through Muscle Tendon Strengthening and is advancing toward Minor Muscle Tendon Strengthening. He is no worse than the disciples of the Dharma Institute or Prajna Hall.

Then there is Jingchen, who joined eight years ago. He has also achieved success in martial arts. After cultivating bitterly for eight years, he broke through to Minor Muscle Tendon Strengthening and remained undefeated in exchanges with many Dharma Institute disciples. There is also Jingyuan, who joined ten years ago, Jinghai, who joined twelve years ago, and even..."

At this point, Yuanhuai paused. A trace of hesitation appeared on his face, but in the end, he still spoke.

"Jingming, who entered my Arhat Hall seventeen years ago, was the true peerless genius! After practicing martial arts for only three years, he was already comparable to Blood Tempering experts.

Fourteen years ago, when King Tang came to challenge the mountain, he overwhelmed Wang Lang, the great general under Wang Zhongyi, that lackey of the barbarians below the mountain. Not only did he save Jingyuan, the senior brother of the Dharma Institute, but with a single move, he gravely injured Wang Lang and left him half-dead.

With such a peerless genius, let alone today's Dharma Institute and Prajna Hall, how many in Treasure Pearl Temple's thousand-year history could compare to him? How many could contend with him? And he was a disciple produced by my Arhat Hall!"

"Whoa..."

The moment Yuanhuai spoke those words, an uproar broke out throughout the hall, complex emotions flashing across every face.

There was shock, there was delight, but above all, there was disbelief.

"H-Head, Head... Head, is what you said true? Was Martial Uncle Jingming really stronger than Wang Lang, the adopted son of Wang Zhongyi, that barbarian lackey below the mountain?"

After Yuanhuai's words caused an uproar, a thin-looking little monk finally gathered his courage and stammered out the question.

It was simply too unbelievable.

After all, who was Wang Lang?

Legend had it that he was the reincarnation of the Heavenly Killing Star, sent into this life solely to slaughter all mortals beneath heaven. He was known as the Mad Wolf Butcher, which showed just how heavy his killing intent was and how ruthless his heart could be!

Back when he served under King Tang, although he had killed countless people, he still barely exercised some restraint.

But ever since King Tang's defeat eleven years ago, when Wang Lang followed his father, the traitorous lackey Wang Zhongyi, in defecting to the barbarians, he had become like a mad wolf, his murderous nature no longer capable of being restrained.

Over these short eleven years, the people of Great Yan who had died directly or indirectly at Wang Lang's hands numbered, if not a million, then certainly hundreds of thousands. Countless families had been shattered, countless people left homeless.

Such a blood-deep enmity made every citizen across Great Yan wish to eat Wang Lang's flesh and sleep upon his hide whenever they heard his name!

Yet regrettably, he was simply too powerful. Though his martial realm was merely Blood Tempering Perfection, his combat prowess was barely comparable to that of an expert newly entered into Inner Qi. Furthermore, he spent all year within the army, guarded by countless soldiers.

It was said that some time ago, five Inner Qi experts from across Great Yan had joined forces and gone to infiltrate the barbarian army, hoping to capture and kill the villain and rid Great Yan of this scourge.

In the end, not only did they return empty-handed, but Wang Lang used the army to counterkill three of them and grievously injure the other two, forging his supreme prestige.

Now that these little monks had suddenly heard that the Arhat Hall once possessed a figure capable of severely injuring Wang Lang with a single move, how could they not be shocked? How could they not be delighted? How could they not take pride in it?

As the novice monks thought this, their eyes filled with anticipation as they looked toward Yuanhuai, head of the Arhat Hall, yearning for his confirmation.

"Heh! Would this old monk, the dignified head of the Arhat Hall, really deceive a bunch of little novice monks who have only just entered the temple? Everyone knew of this matter back then. Just ask any Jing Generation martial uncle over twenty-five years old, and you will know whether this old monk speaks truth or lies!"

Seeing the many little monks looking at him doubtfully, Yuanhuai gave a cold laugh and spoke.

"Reporting to the Hall Head, this disciple would not dare! A figure such as the Hall Head would naturally never deceive us. Please rest assured, Hall Head. From now on, we will certainly practice martial arts diligently, take Martial Uncle Jingming as our example, and bring glory to our Arhat Hall!"

Seeing Yuanhuai speak with such conviction, the many little novice monks exchanged glances. Doubt no longer rose in their hearts, and they immediately made their promises in excitement.

"Good!"

Hearing this, Yuanhuai's face immediately broke into a broad smile.

Just as Yuanhuai was using Gu Han to encourage the disciples, in Treasure Pearl Temple's rear mountain, Gu Han sat in meditation. His clothing was filthy and stained, seemingly unwashed for who knew how long. The beard beneath his chin was tangled and matted, and an unbearable stench even wafted from his body.

At that moment, he finally...

Opened his eyes.

"It was done!"

Gu Han spoke, a smile blooming across his face. There was no wild ecstasy, no unrestrained laughter—only something natural, only joy flowing from the deepest depths of his heart. Like the Buddha's smile as he held up a flower, it carried endless power to move others.

When one saw him, no matter how sorrowful or burdened one had been before, one could not help but smile knowingly at this moment, all pressure scattering away.