Precipice

Zhou Cheng stepped forward to pay his respects to Zhou Wei and Luo Shui, then cupped his fists toward Abbot Huineng. "Abbot Huineng."

Abbot Huineng looked at Zhou Cheng with kind eyes and a beaming smile, greeting him, "Young Master Zhou Cheng."

Ever since he realized that the anomaly at Heavenly Dragon Temple was likely triggered by Zhou Cheng, the way he looked at the boy had naturally changed.

Luo Shui took Zhou Cheng's hand, her voice gentle. "Cheng'er, Abbot Huineng wishes to take you as his personal disciple and pass on his mantle to you. This is a wonderful opportunity."

Zhou Cheng shook his head. "Mother, I already told Abbot Huineng earlier that the rules of Shaolin Temple are too numerous, and I cannot abide by them." He added, "Besides, if I were to become Abbot Huineng's personal disciple and inherit his mantle, wouldn't I have to take charge of Shaolin in the future?"

"Doesn't that mean I would have to be a monk for the rest of my life?"

Zhou Wei and Luo Shui were momentarily at a loss for how to respond.

Great Feng Imperial Palace.

Emperor of Great Feng Zhu Xuan asked the Chief Eunuch, Cao Chun, who was by his side, "Where is Abbot Huineng now?"

With the Abbot of Shaolin Temple visiting the Great Feng Capital City in person, it was difficult for Emperor Zhu Xuan not to pay attention.

Since Huineng and his party had arrived in the capital, Cao Chun had long since ordered people to keep a close watch on them. Hearing Zhu Xuan's inquiry, he hurriedly replied, "Reporting to Your Majesty, Abbot Huineng and his party went to the Grand General of the State Mansion half an hour ago and have yet to come out."

"Oh!" Zhu Xuan was greatly surprised. "What are Abbot Huineng and his party doing at the Grand General of the State Mansion?"

In his impression, Zhou Wei had no connection with Shaolin Temple.

"I also find it strange that Abbot Huineng and his party went to the Grand General of the State Mansion," Cao Chun said. "That is why I had people keep a close watch and make inquiries. I shall ask now to see if my subordinates have learned anything."

Soon, someone reported the situation at the Grand General of the State Mansion to Cao Chun.

After receiving the news, Cao Chun stood stunned for a long while. Once he regained his composure, he hurried to Zhu Xuan to report the findings.

"What? Abbot Huineng wants to take Zhou Wei's son as his personal disciple and pass on his mantle to him!" Zhu Xuan was astonished.

That Huineng wanted to take Zhou Wei's son as a personal disciple was surprising enough, but to pass on his mantle as well!

Passing on his mantle meant he intended for Zhou Wei's son to become the next leader of Shaolin.

"Yes, this is what the servants gathered; it should be true," Cao Chun said. "When I heard the news just now, I was truly shocked. It is said that Abbot Huineng has determined that Lord Zhou's youngest son, Zhou Cheng, possesses a natural affinity for Buddhism and is the reincarnation of a Great Buddha."

"At noon, Abbot Huineng encountered this Zhou Cheng at a teahouse, and Zhou Cheng triggered an anomaly with the Shaolin heirloom prayer beads, causing them to radiate layers of Buddhist light."

"Furthermore, the sight of all the Buddhas radiating light and the sky filled with Buddhist shadows at Heavenly Dragon Temple yesterday morning may also have been triggered by this Zhou Cheng."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Xuan's expression shifted. "The anomaly of the sky filled with Buddhist shadows at Heavenly Dragon Temple yesterday was triggered by this Zhou Cheng?!"

Cao Chun said, "That is what the subordinates are saying. They claim that Lady Zhou and Zhou Cheng were at Heavenly Dragon Temple yesterday morning."

Zhu Xuan paced back and forth.

Cao Chun said cautiously, "Your Majesty, in truth, I am not entirely certain that the anomaly at Heavenly Dragon Temple yesterday was necessarily triggered by this Zhou Cheng."

Zhu Xuan waved his hand. "After the anomaly at Heavenly Dragon Temple yesterday, I consulted many relevant texts, which state that only those with astonishing Buddhist affinity can trigger a resonance with the Buddhas."

"Since this Zhou Cheng possesses such affinity, I fear it truly was triggered by him."

Zhu Xuan suddenly remarked, "I recall that Zhou Wei's eldest son is currently a personal disciple of Sect Master Chen of the Sun Bright Sword Sect. Now, his youngest son also possesses astonishing Buddhist affinity. Zhou Wei makes me feel quite envious."

He then asked, "Cao Chun, tell me, what positions in the Great Feng Dynasty are suitable for Zhou Wei now?"

Cao Chun, guessing Zhu Xuan's intentions, accompanied him with a smile. "Lord Zhou has campaigned across the four corners for our Great Feng Dynasty, slaying countless enemies and accumulating great military merit. If such a meritorious official were to be stripped of his post, as Grand Tutor Li Bin said, it would chill people's hearts."

"However, Lord Zhou did suffer damage to his heart meridian, so he truly cannot return to the battlefield."

"The Minister of the Ministry of History is advanced in age; did he not request to retire to his hometown some days ago?"

"I believe the position of Minister of the Ministry of History would be quite suitable for Lord Zhou."

Zhu Xuan glanced at Cao Chun and suddenly laughed. "Cao Chun, oh Cao Chun, you truly understand me best."

The Chief Eunuch Cao Chun smiled. "This servant is willing to offer strategies and advice to Your Majesty for a lifetime, even at the cost of my life."

Nightfall slowly descended.

The news that Abbot Huineng of Shaolin intended to take Zhou Cheng as his personal disciple and pass on his mantle eventually spread.

Vice Minister of War Mansion.

"What? Abbot Huineng wants to take that Zhou Cheng as his personal disciple?" Chen Yuan was stunned upon hearing the news.

Ruan Yurong's expression was grim. "They say Abbot Huineng has determined he possesses astonishing Buddhist affinity and even claims he is the reincarnation of a Great Buddha."

Vice Minister of War Chen Jianghao sat there in silence, lost in thought.

Setting aside the heated discussion in the capital regarding Abbot Huineng's intention to take Zhou Cheng as his disciple, Zhou Cheng was currently soaking comfortably in a medicinal bath.

As Zhou Cheng soaked, the system's voice rang out.

"Congratulations to the host for reaching 100% cultivation progress. Breakthrough to the seventh level."

The system's Black Tortoise Divine Technique glowed brilliantly.

At this moment, both the Black Tortoise Divine Technique and the Indestructible Vajra Divine Technique had finally reached the seventh level simultaneously!

That morning, Zhou Cheng had estimated that his Black Tortoise Divine Technique would break through to the seventh level tonight, so he was not surprised when it happened.

"Finally, all at the seventh level." Zhou Cheng felt the changes in his physical body.

On the surface, he still appeared lean and thin, but only Zhou Cheng knew just how terrifying his current physical strength and defense had become.

Even other martial artists at the peak of the tenth level of Body Tempering would absolutely be unable to withstand a single punch from him.

After finishing his medicinal bath, Zhou Cheng donned the Demon God Garment, turned invisible, and set out from the mansion with Qin Meng, Lin Ru, and Jiang Chen, heading toward the Green Demon Mountain Range to continue their beast-hunting objective for the night.

Upon arriving at the Green Demon Mountain Range, they discovered that people from the Grand Tutor Mansion were still patrolling and searching.

Zhou Cheng and his group easily evaded the people from the Grand Tutor Mansion and ventured deeper into the Green Demon Mountain Range.

After a bout of hunting, Zhou Cheng's Demon-Subduing Saber Technique, Demon God Garment, and God-Slaying Saber all received varying degrees of improvement.

For every beast between the seventh and tenth levels of Body Tempering hunted, the Demon God Garment and God-Slaying Saber would each increase by 1.

After hunting more than forty beasts, the Demon God Garment and God-Slaying Saber finally both broke through to become mid-grade spirit artifacts!

Once they broke through to mid-grade spirit artifacts, the power of the Demon God Garment and God-Slaying Saber increased significantly.

However, after the Demon-Subduing Saber Technique broke through to the "Entering the Hall" stage, its rate of improvement slowed drastically; Zhou Cheng's Demon-Subduing Saber Technique only increased by 1 for every ten beasts hunted.

After slaying a tenth-level Body Tempering beast, Zhou Cheng and his group arrived at a sheer cliff.

Looking down from above, the cliff was bottomless, yet by the moonlight, Zhou Cheng faintly caught sight of a shimmering glow halfway down the mountainside.

This glow caught Zhou Cheng's attention.

Zhou Cheng estimated the distance; the mountainside should be about a hundred meters from the cliff top. With his current strength, he could not descend on his own, but with Qin Meng and the others present, it was a different story.

Moreover, he still had the Ice Snow Phoenix.