Nothing but the Truth

After the rain stopped, Chu Tianshu went ashore alone, without going directly to the gate of the Southern Shaolin.

He asked an old farmer by the roadside and went to see the fields that the monks of the Southern Shaolin Temple had cultivated.

Wasteland was reclaimed and transformed into farmland.

The Southern Shaolin Temple did such things not only to gain fame and align with the imperial court's policies, but also out of some practical needs.

However, over the years, the Southern Shaolin no longer needs to rely on farmland for a living.

The scale of the land they cultivated has become so large that the temple staff cannot manage it all, so some of the land is rented out to farmers.

However, the temple would still send monks in rotation to manage the remaining fields.

Farming isn't just about scattering seeds and waiting for autumn to come; farmers have too many things to manage.

So you can basically see monks in these fields every day.

The hem of his grey monk's robe was lifted up and tucked into his waistband, with the trouser legs rolled up to his knees.

Barefoot, I walked in the field, searching for weeds and pulling them out one by one.

Chu Tianshu stood by the field for a while, watching their actions.

The Mount Song Shaolin is said to have Seventy-Two Supreme Techniques, but there are many more martial arts techniques that don't qualify as unique skills.

The Southern Shaolin Temple claims to possess Thirty-Six Supreme Techniques, also known as the "Thirty-Six Treasures."

Some of the Thirty-Six Supreme Techniques were inherited from the Mount Song Shaolin in ancient times.

Some of them were created by successive generations of disciples, or were modified from martial arts techniques collected from the martial arts world.

As a prestigious martial arts sect, we certainly cannot underestimate martial arts skills.

The Southern Shaolin dares to develop so many side businesses without worrying about neglecting its martial arts skills.

It is because among their unique skills are several techniques that allow one to comprehend a certain charm while farming or grinding grain, making the flow of internal energy more peaceful and smooth.

Moreover, the Southern Shaolin's hard skills are world-renowned, and blacksmithing is also a form of spiritual practice.

In Chu Tianshu's view, the so-called hard skills in this world basically refer to the category of training internal strength.

Even if you took the Immortal Force" from Taiji Fist and applied it here, it would probably be classified as a hard skill.

However, according to rumors in the martial arts world, no martial arts skill in this world has ever reached such a refined level as the "Three United in One Body".

Even everyone else regarded hard skills as a crude substitute.

Most martial arts practitioners don't even have the strength of three or four hundred pounds before they start practicing internal energy cultivation.

Only those who, after beginning to practice internal skills, still cannot develop internal strength and are unwilling to give up, will desperately and painstakingly practice hard skills.

In contrast, several of Shaolin's unique skills focus solely on training hard techniques, setting them apart from other schools.

After observing for a moment, Chu Tianshu walked around the edge of the field until he reached the boundary between the field and the woods.

The abbot of the Southern Shaolin would personally cultivate one and a half acres of land every autumn.

This is not for practical gain, but for the sake of rules.

The place where Chu Tianshu is standing is the farmland that Abbot Miaofan of the Southern Shaolin Temple reclaimed last year.

If all goes well, he will continue his advance into the woodland this fall.

No monk would remove the trees over there beforehand for the abbot.

This is actually a place where the abbot can demonstrate his abilities.

Chu Tianshu saw a large rock that had been turned over and placed into the woods, so he went over to it.

These Shitou are dark in color and solid in texture. They have been buried underground for many years, and even though they have been dug out for half a year, they still have an earthy smell.

The smaller Shitou showed no obvious signs of human damage.

However, the larger Shitou have some dents and chipped corners.

The damaged area is covered with white cracks, which is completely out of place with the original color of the Shitou.

The largest Shitou was bigger than a fine coffin for an adult, and its shape was full of cumbersome protrusions.

Chu Tianshu stopped beside the boulder and walked around it halfway.

On this Shitou, there is a half-palm print, and the cracks that spread outwards are the most numerous and the longest.

Looking at the marks of force, Chu Tianshu seemed to see a scene from half a year ago.

The old monk rolled up his sleeves, bent down, and used all his strength to lift the boulder from the ground in one go.

So much so that the moment he successfully exerted his strength, his inner force overflowed, leaving such a mark on the boulder.

"Such profound internal energy..."

Chu Tianshu was speaking when he heard footsteps slowly approaching in the distance. His heart stirred slightly, and he sighed, "What a pity, what a pity."

He touched the boulder, shaking his head vigorously, as if he were really looking at a coffin, his tone filled with regret.

"What a pity."

Namo Amitabha Buddha.

A gentle Buddhist chant sounded from behind.

Chu Tianshu turned around to look.

There was an old monk with a simple and ancient appearance, a high and prominent forehead, deep-set eyes with bright eyes, and a beard that was mixed with black and white, but neatly combed.

He wore a black robe with gold thread over his grey monk's robe, giving him a solemn air.

"This old monk, Miaofan, may I ask why you are sighing here?"

Abbot Miaofan had been sitting in meditation in his room for a long time. Seeing that the light rain had just stopped and the breeze in the forest must be refreshing, he made a special trip out to enjoy the scenery.

But as soon as I got here, I saw a young man standing around a large Shitou he had dug out last year, sighing repeatedly...

"It's actually Abbot Miaofan!"

Chu Tianshu was also a little surprised. "My name is Chu Tianshu. I originally planned to go to the temple to offer incense to Buddha and then visit the masters. I didn't expect to meet the abbot here."

Miaofan clasped his hands and smiled, "You are so young, yet you have such a heart for Buddhism. Excellent, excellent."

He scrutinized Chu Tianshu carefully, his expression subtly shifting.

Chu Tianshu has smooth skin and bright eyes, which can be attributed to good skincare.

But this person's breathing was rhythmic and deep, and there wasn't a single extraneous sound.

Even healthy people may experience a slight feeling of difficulty breathing.

Ordinary people can't tell the difference, but it won't escape the notice of a master.

In a situation like Chu Tianshu's, if Miaofan closed his eyes, he might not be able to hear whether there was anyone in front of him at all.

"Amitabha Buddha! Benefactor, your bearing is extraordinary; you seem to be a master in your own right."

Miaofan laughed, "No wonder he sighed beside this big rock."

"As you can see, I must have been unable to circulate my internal energy smoothly, wasting some of my power, which resulted in this cracked palm print."

Chu Tianshu shook his head. "While this is a minor flaw, it's not worth my sighs."

"I was wondering if the abbot of Mount Song Shaolin needs to perform his martial arts outside the temple every year, like Miaofan?"

Miaofan felt a slight chill, but remained calm and said, "This old monk is not trying to boast about my martial arts skills, but simply adhering to the temple rules by personally cultivating the wasteland every year."

"Martial arts, like Buddhism, require practice in all aspects of life. Since you've already practiced martial arts, you can naturally apply it when cultivating wasteland."

He said slowly, "That's all."

"Does the abbot really think that way?"

Chu Tianshu suddenly stared at him intently.

The young man's gaze had just swept over Miaofan, but it was only a fleeting glance; his eyes were more focused on the trees and rocks.

At this sudden gaze, Miaofan felt a slight twitch in her eyelids.

"If the abbot truly thinks that way, how can the head of a temple have such limited understanding of the current situation?"

Chu Tianshu made a startling statement.

"It seems that the Southern Shaolin is not just trembling with fear and walking on thin ice, but is actually on the verge of collapse!"

Miaofan remained calm. "Benefactor, you speak so alarmingly, may I ask what your background is?"

"Hahaha, if I were merely exaggerating or creating a fuss, why would the abbot of the Southern Shaolin Temple need to pay attention to such words?"

Chu Tianshu smiled and said, "As for my background..."

His expression straightened.

"To be honest, I am a descendant of the Zongheng."

(End of this chapter)