An Unexpected "Joy"

In an ordinary courtyard, sturdy, majestic Bodhi Trees grew in abundance, their crowns spreading like canopies and casting a cool green shade.

This was Bodhi Courtyard, where the monks of Shaolin Temple focused on studying Buddhist teachings and cultivating the mind of Chan. It had always been renowned alongside Damo Courtyard, which devoted itself to martial arts. The elders of Bodhi Courtyard were all terrifyingly skilled, having transcended the mortal realm; they were no weaker than the monks of Damo Courtyard and could almost be called Arhats living in this world.

The reason was that Shaolin belonged to the Buddhist tradition. Most of its divine arts demanded a clear and penetrating Chan mind. The deeper one's understanding of Buddhism and the more thoroughly one saw through the mortal world, the better one could attain Enlightenment and True Intent, making rapid progress.

Inside a Zen Room in Bodhi Courtyard, furnished with only a dozen or so meditation cushions, an Old Monk who looked like a withered tree, with neither brows nor beard, tapped the wooden fish before him and said in a hollow voice, "Nephew Xuan Bei, why are you so determined to take Zhending as your disciple?"

Before the handsome and dignified yet melancholy Xuan Bei could reply, a kind-faced Old Monk beside him spoke leisurely. "Nephew Xuan Bei, I have no objection to your taking Zhenhui as your disciple. The Attendant Monks of Servant Courtyard and Warrior Monk Institute have both said that he is single-minded and naturally in accord with the True Intent of Buddhist teachings. He clearly possesses wisdom from a past life. But Zhending was flighty even in Servant Courtyard, with far too many schemes in his heart. Then, in Warrior Monk Institute, he bullied the weak, which is contrary to the spirit of compassion. With such a temperament, how could he inherit the true teachings of Shaolin?"

The browless, withered Old Monk who had spoken first continued, "Zhending has rendered great service, but when it comes to passing on the true teachings, temperament must come first. He need not be clever and guileless, with not a trace of scheming, but at the very least he must not be arrogant and domineering or bully the weak. In my view, let him choose the Qi Accumulation Chapter of one Unique Skill as a reward."

The elders of Bodhi Courtyard and Damo Courtyard secretly observed all the monks in Servant Courtyard and Warrior Monk Institute, then made their judgments in conjunction with the evaluations provided by the Attendant Monks. This was to ensure the true teachings would not be entrusted to the wrong people.

Of course, this could only reduce the chances of someone betraying the temple and turning against Buddhism. Throughout the generations, there had always been monks who fell into depravity after traveling through the mortal world, as well as despicable disciples who were adept at keeping up appearances but possessed truly rotten character. Damo Courtyard, for instance, had several eminent monks with obsessive, inflexible personalities. Still, when a disciple had already received the true teachings, Shaolin did its best to guide and reform them through Buddhist teachings, hoping to bring the lost back from the brink.

Xuan Bei, who often furrowed his brow, had faint lines showing between his brows and at the corners of his eyes. Gazing into the empty space before him, he said, "Uncles and senior uncles, Zhending did not bully the weak in Warrior Monk Institute. Zhen Liang has always thrown his weight around in the training hall, often bullying others. Zhending acted because he saw injustice. His methods may have been wrong, but there was nothing wrong with his heart."

He had entered monastic life halfway through, and the words he used out of habit were closer to those of a chivalrous martial artist.

The monks seated here, however, all belonged to the "Wu" generation, so he addressed them as uncles and senior uncles. There were fewer than a handful of surviving monks from the temple's "Kong" generation.

"Can violence ever be in accord with the true intent of Buddha?" The kind-faced Old Monk shook his head.

The browless, withered monk said neither happily nor angrily, "Nephew Xuan Bei, why not wait a while and let Zhending temper himself in Warrior Monk Institute for some time? Do your best to smooth out his nature."

Xuan Bei turned to look at the Old Monk and respectfully pressed his palms together. "Zhending is young and easily influenced, and he has a flighty nature. We cannot simply keep grinding him down. Amitabha Buddha, Buddha is compassionate. I beg Uncle Wu Si to grant this disciple's request."

The withered, browless Old Monk was Wu Si, Chief Monk of Bodhi Courtyard and the foremost disciple of Abbot Kong Wen. He was Xuan Bei's proper uncle by their lineage. Xuan Bei's master had been Wu Kong, Kong Wen's youngest disciple, who had passed away after being gravely wounded by a demon before Xuan Bei entered the temple.

The kind-faced Old Monk's expression darkened. "If he cannot endure being tempered, how can he study Buddhist teachings? Nephew Xuan Bei, why are you so determined to take him as your disciple?"

It was the same question as before.

Xuan Bei gazed at the tip of his nose, then into his heart, but said nothing in reply.

Wu Si tapped the wooden fish. "Junior Brother Wu Xiang, taking a disciple is a personal matter. We need not say more. Nephew Xuan Bei, you must take responsibility for this decision in the future."

In other words, if his disciple committed a grave mistake, Xuan Bei, as the master who had insisted on taking him, would be punished as well.

Xuan Bei nodded slowly. "This disciple understands."

Looking at the lush, tranquil Bodhi Trees, Meng Qi felt both excited and uneasy. Relying on the reward from Bodhi Courtyard, he had not exchanged for a cultivation technique in the Reincarnation World. If his hopes came to nothing, his progress would stall badly, and he would struggle to make any major breakthroughs. His next reincarnation mission would be extremely dangerous.

Normally, whether it was completing the Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needle, Blood Saber Technique, Lingzhi Qi Replenishing Pill, or the first form of Ananda Breaking Precepts Saber Art, all of them should have come after a cultivation technique!

Without the reward from Bodhi Courtyard to fall back on, Meng Qi would probably have chosen a cultivation technique and the completed first form of Ananda Breaking Precepts Saber Art. At worst, he could ask friends like Jiang Zhiwei to gather some ordinary poisoned needles, then figure out how to load them himself.

He looked at the Bodhi Trees, then at Zhenhui, who was walking with complete concentration beside him, and a trace of confusion surfaced. "If we're here to collect a reward, why did they bring Little Junior Brother along?"

That was the source of his unease.

"Little Junior Brother, have you done anything lately?" Meng Qi couldn't help asking.

Zhenhui earnestly counted off on his fingers. "Morning prayers, fetching water, breakfast, learning to read, lunch, martial arts practice, dinner, meditation, listening to stories, sleeping. Senior Brother, I've done all those things. Oh, and I scolded Discipline Institute."

"That's not what I meant." Meng Qi rolled his eyes. "Do you know why they asked you to come to Bodhi Courtyard?"

Zhenhui looked at Meng Qi with bright eyes. "Senior Brother, do you know?"

He looked like he wanted to know the answer too.

"Fine, I don't know either." Meng Qi covered his face.

They pushed open the courtyard gate and followed a novice monk into a Zen Room. Two monks were inside, both eminent monks in Yellow Monk Robes and Red Kasayas. One looked to be approaching forty, with a refined and handsome bearing, though a melancholy air surrounded him. It was Xuan Bei, whom Meng Qi had met before. The other looked like a withered tree, his face covered in wrinkles and his brows and beard almost entirely gone.

"Ancestor Master, Senior Uncle, Zhending and Zhenhui are here." After bowing, the novice monk withdrew.

"I am Wu Si, Chief Monk of Bodhi Courtyard." Hearing the withered Old Monk introduce himself, Meng Qi hurriedly bowed solemnly alongside Zhenhui.

Wu Si's expression remained calm. "Zhenhui, Xuan Bei wishes to take you as his disciple. Are you willing?"

Huh? Meng Qi was stunned, then relaxed. So they had brought Zhenhui here because Xuan Bei had taken a liking to him. It had nothing to do with his own reward.

Sigh, that fellow looked like a fool, yet eminent monks kept taking a liking to him... Meng Qi felt a little envious and jealous, but the feeling quickly passed. First, he had an excellent relationship with Zhenhui and was genuinely happy for him. Second, he was someone harboring a great secret and was completely unsuited to becoming anyone's disciple. Better to learn a Unique Skill and blend into the Warrior Monks as an "ordinary nobody." Once he found a chance, he would leave Shaolin.

Zhenhui's blank face first showed confusion, then joy and hesitation. He knelt and said, "This disciple is willing, but I have one request."

"Everyone else is grateful beyond words when they become someone's disciple. Who makes demands?" Wu Si did not take offense at Zhenhui, a child with such a guileless heart. Instead, he teased him with a laugh.

Xuan Bei was not angry either. He nodded gently. "You are honest and sincere. What is your request?"

"I beg Master to take Senior Brother Zhending as your disciple too." Zhenhui kept his head bowed, his voice sounding somewhat muffled.

Huh? Meng Qi was stunned again, then warmth and gratitude surged through him. He had treated Zhenhui well and looked after him, often "teaching" him, but it had mostly been to soothe his own loneliness and homesickness after his inexplicable transmigration, as well as the pressure brought by the Reincarnation World. He couldn't even convince himself that he had been entirely sincere. Yet he had never imagined Zhenhui valued him so highly and would return his kindness with such heartfelt sincerity!

The corners of Xuan Bei's mouth lifted, as if in a smile, and some of the melancholy left his expression. "You certainly care for your fellow disciples."

At his words, Meng Qi snapped out of it and gave Zhenhui a "resentful" look. Little Junior Brother, I know you mean well, but—but your Senior Brother has no desire to become anyone's disciple! Don't let your good intentions backfire!

He glanced at Zhenhui, then turned to Xuan Bei with pleading eyes. Don't agree. Whatever you do, don't agree!

"Zhending, I can sense what you desire. Since Zhenhui has pleaded so earnestly, I'll make an exception and agree." Xuan Bei readily went along with it. His smile was faint, but his expression was completely free of gloom.

Wu Si said nothing. He merely watched Xuan Bei's smile and sighed softly. Ever since entering Shaolin, his nephew Xuan Bei had rarely smiled.

No need to make an exception! Meng Qi wished he could poke his own eyes out, but under these circumstances, there was no way he could refuse. After all, when something strange happened, there was always a demon behind it!

Out of a hundred Warrior Monks, at most one could resist the "temptation" of being taken as a disciple by an elder—and that would only be because he had a better option.

Whatever. He would find a chance to leave the mountain anyway. With a master to teach him, maybe he could shorten his stay! Meng Qi decided to let the chips fall where they may and bowed down. "This disciple pays his respects to Master."

After some preparations, Meng Qi and Zhenhui officially became disciples in Bodhi Courtyard. Many elders and monks from Bodhi and Damo Courtyards attended the ceremony, as did Attendant Monks from Discipline Institute and Miscellaneous Affairs Courtyard, who "registered" the change in Meng Qi and Zhenhui's status.

When Xuan Kong entered Bodhi Courtyard on behalf of Discipline Institute and saw Meng Qi and Zhenhui kneeling before Xuan Bei, his entire face changed color, turning black as if water might drip from it. His voice trembling slightly, he asked another monk, "Are they becoming his disciples?"

After receiving confirmation, he looked dazed, regret filling his heart. If he had known Junior Brother Xuan Bei had already taken a liking to Zhending and Zhenhui, why had he played those little tricks to make Zhending miss the day he could choose a master? Now he had earned himself nothing but resentment!

Seeing Xuan Kong like that, Meng Qi's mood suddenly brightened. He no longer felt so resistant to becoming a disciple.

Hmph, I'm just that petty!

After a fairly grand ceremony, Meng Qi and Zhenhui officially became true disciples of Shaolin, belonging to the Abbot's lineage at that.

"Now that you have become my disciples, you may choose a Unique Skill as your primary cultivation technique. If your Chan mind becomes clear and you attain the True Intent of Buddhist teachings, you may yet switch to the Maha Demon Subduing Fist and the Great Dream Scripture. You will also have the chance to practice the Yi Jin Jing and observe the True Intent Inheritance of the third form of Buddha's Palm." After the ceremony, as was customary, Xuan Bei first painted Meng Qi and Zhenhui a bright picture of their future prospects.

Of course, among the true disciples, fewer than one in a hundred would truly get the chance to observe the Palm or practice the Yi Jin Jing.

Meng Qi felt a little excited as he listened, but he had survived several life-and-death ordeals and understood that the rest was just "painting him a pie in the sky." What truly mattered was choosing his primary cultivation technique from the Seventy-two Unique Skills.

Well, with Root Bone as extraordinary as mine, Master would take one look and know I was suited to graceful, elegant martial arts like Wu Xiang Jie Finger or Nian Hua Finger. Sigh, but I'd have to disappoint him. I was so single-mindedly focused on Golden Bell Shield or Indestructible Vajra Divine Skill... Meng Qi consoled himself with a little humor.

"Zhending, choose Golden Bell Shield," Xuan Bei said softly.