Great Buddha Temple.
Its buildings stretched on and on, occupying more than half of Great Harmony Mountain.
As the foremost martial arts sect in the south, Great Buddha Temple had always enjoyed flourishing incense offerings. Inside and outside its towering Mahavira Hall, the scent of sandalwood and burning lamp oil constantly lingered.
In the monks' quarters on the back mountain, off-limits to tourists.
A young novice monk stood trembling as he carried a tray laden with vegetarian pastries into a meditation chamber. "M-Master Uncle Grandmaster, Jing Shan has brought your meal!"
"Come in."
Within the meditation chamber sat only an old monk with a white beard and brows, emaciated to the bone, nine ordination scars burned into his scalp.
He was seated cross-legged in meditation. Forcing his eyes open, he looked at Jing Shan and smiled. "Why isn't it Jing Yuan?"
"Reporting to Master Uncle Grandmaster Sacred Heart, Senior Brother Jing Yuan has been unwell these past few days, so I was sent to attend to you instead."
Seeing Zen Master Sacred Heart's gentle, kindly expression, all of Jing Shan's previous fear instantly dissipated. He even began to feel that the rumors were unreliable.
This Master Uncle Grandmaster was clearly a very amiable person!
"Very well. But I have not had much appetite lately... You may eat these instead."
Zen Master Sacred Heart smiled and pointed to his vegetarian pastries. "You should be a martial monk of this temple. There are traces of Arhat Fist training upon your body. To cultivate that fist art, one must chop firewood and carry water every day, tempering one's sinews and bones. Over time, marks will inevitably be left on the shoulders and elbows."
"Master Uncle Grandmaster's insight is as keen as a torch!" Jing Shan swallowed, picked up a pastry, and stuffed it