The Abbot's Fantasy

After returning to the temple, Miaofan immediately summoned his three other highly skilled martial arts brothers to his meditation room.

The three monks were all wearing brownish-red robes.

Miaoyin to be in his fifties, with white eyebrows, a broad face, a thick beard, and a medium build, but possessed a rather imposing presence.

Miaokong was rather thin, with light eyebrows and a short beard, but looked to be only in her early forties.

Miaoguo was about the same age as Miaokong, neither fat nor thin, and not particularly striking in appearance, but he had the most relaxed demeanor and a bit of the air of a mountain monk.

More than sixty monks of the Miao generation from the Southern Shaolin Temple are still alive today.

But the only ones truly in charge are these four currently in the meditation room.

Because from a young age, in addition to studying Buddhist scriptures, they also paid great attention to managing businesses in various places.

In addition, they were skilled in martial arts, had plenty of energy, and were constantly on the go, handling the most affairs.

Among the lay disciples who went out to work, these four were the most trustworthy.

Miaofan instructed the young monks who were brewing tea and sweeping the floor to close the door and move away from the meditation room. Only after his three junior disciples were all seated cross-legged on the meditation cushions did he begin to recount the events that had transpired.

When the three heard about the Zongheng School of Diplomacy and other such talk, pointing out Shaolin's predicament and the need to fight the Japanese pirates first, they only frowned slightly, seemingly lost in thought.

Upon hearing that the abbot had been defeated within ten moves, the three monks' expressions changed drastically.

"Abbot, you knew the opponent was formidable, so why didn't you let out a few long roars before the fight to lure us in?"

Miaokong spoke first, "What if he harbors malicious intentions when he makes his move?"

"Or perhaps they start off with a calm mindset, but after gaining the upper hand, they change their minds, capture the abbot, and use him to blackmail our Southern Shaolin. Wouldn't that be a tremendous disaster?!"

His tone couldn't help but carry a hint of reproach.

The four have supported each other for many years and have a very close relationship.

Miaofan wasn't offended at all, and simply laughed, "Do you think the Southern Shaolin is so easily threatened?"

"Besides, he had already started testing his moves during our brief exchange. His aura was simply too overwhelming. How could I possibly have the energy to shout when I was fighting him?"

The Miaoyin's eyes shone brightly as he said, "To possess such high martial arts skills at such a young age, could he be some extraordinary person with profound cultivation and the art of preserving youth?"

The four of them had the most experience in fighting with others because they had spent a lot of time traveling during their youth and middle age.

Among the monks of the Miao generation, and even among the next generation of monks, several have reached a level of profound inner strength that is close to theirs.

But in a real fight, they were clearly inferior to them.

Even Miaofan felt that the other party's aura was extremely impressive. Miaoyin couldn't help but think that the other party was much older than he looked, and that his aura, accumulated over many years, was the only thing that could make him so powerful.

"My three senior brothers, regardless of this person's age, his strategy is actually quite reasonable."

Miaoguo calmly said, "Several years ago, I said that first striking the Japanese pirates hard and seizing the moral high ground might be the best way out for our Southern Shaolin."

Several years ago, the imperial court mobilized troops to strike at the most rampant groups of Japanese pirates in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang region.

At that time, the Southern Shaolin was already aware of its own predicament.

Miaoguo then suggested that her family should mobilize most of their manpower to cooperate with the imperial army to accomplish the task.

Once this is accomplished, we can take advantage of the situation to wipe out those coastal gangs that also engage in piracy, which will greatly alleviate the crisis facing the Southern Shaolin.

However, sending monks and lay disciples away from their own territory to travel long distances to provide assistance was risky, and the Southern Shaolin was hesitant for a moment.

Before they could even assemble their forces, news of the imperial army's defeat had already reached them.

"Last time, I thought that only by becoming a strong ally to another company could we borrow strong allies from elsewhere."

Miaoguo appeared the most relaxed, yet her words carried the most chilling meaning. "But since the last incident, we should also realize that the Southern Shaolin has no strong allies left to rely on."

"Either fight back or hold out and wait to die."

"Now that a successor of the Zongheng has arrived, isn't this a golden opportunity?"

A moment of silence followed in the meditation room.

Miaokong sighed, "There are some things I know my fellow disciples won't like to hear, but I have to say them now. If a great war really breaks out, there will be many casualties among the monks and lay disciples of Shaolin."

"If we negotiate peace with the Flowing Cloud Manor, at worst we'll give them half of our business and property."

"From now on, we monks of the Southern Shaolin will have less contact with the outside world and spend more time with the ancient Buddha and the dim lamp. They should be able to rest assured now, right?"

Miaoyin's face darkened with anger, and he sneered, "What kind of good thing is Flowing Cloud Manor? Do you think they'll be satisfied just because you've given in?"

Miaofan said, "If we surrender easily and give up our property, Flowing Cloud Manor will definitely send people to our various places. Their veteran subordinates will also seek their own interests. How could they allow us surrenderers to retain even a small part of our assets?"

"Even if they don't act immediately, they will inevitably divide and suppress us until we are no longer of any importance and can be easily eliminated. At that time, our lives will be entirely in their hands, and even if we want to retire completely, it will be difficult."

Miaokong raised an eyebrow, speechless.

He knew perfectly well that what the abbot said was the truth.

But a sliver of hope remained in his heart.

The disciples of the Southern Shaolin Temple, after all, possess both martial arts skills and business acumen; perhaps these talents would be valued after their surrender.

They will be split up and sent to other territories to prevent them from holding power for too long.

But compared to fighting to the death, there might be more disciples who survive after negotiating and surrendering.

"Miaokong, if I were to truly let you negotiate, how many of my lay disciples do you think would agree?"

Miaofan clasped his hands together and said, "Those lay disciples who are able to build their own businesses outside are not backed by the prestigious Mount Song Shaolin."

"They've only had the backing of a recently revived Southern Shaolin, and they fought tooth and nail to build up this business. Who would be willing to give it up so easily?"

The Old Fang loudly proclaimed a Buddhist chant.

"It was not wise to act rashly before, but now that we've decided to take action, we might as well take this opportunity to send a secret message by carrier pigeon and inquire about their thoughts."

Having grasped the Miaoyin and Miaoguo, they joined their palms and uttered, "Namo Amitabha Buddha, excellent!"

Miaokong remained silent, but returned the greeting with palms together.

The three left the meditation room and each went to write a secret letter to the person in charge.

Miaofan sighed softly, feeling both a burning passion and a touch of anxiety in her heart, and paced back and forth in the meditation room.

A moment later, he sat cross-legged on the futon, using meditation to gather his thoughts and calm his mind.

Before he knew it, evening had arrived. He picked up his pen and ink and wrote down all the secret messages he was in charge of, rolled them into small balls, sealed them in wax pellets, wrapped each one in a small piece of cloth, went into the pigeon loft, and tied them to the legs of the carrier pigeons.

The carrier pigeons of the Southern Shaolin can fly swiftly even at night.

As Abbot Miaofan watched the pigeons rise into the sky and disappear, his gaze couldn't help but fall upon the starry sky.

The night sky is absolutely gorgeous tonight, with countless stars.

In particular, a region in the central part of the sky is densely populated with stars, stretching across the vast expanse; this is precisely what the ancients referred to as the Milky Way.

Miaofan's skill was profound; he had been meditating for half a day, which was no different from sleeping. Although the night was deepening, he was moved by the beautiful scenery and felt full of energy.

He strolled towards the meditation room, admiring the scenery as he walked.

Outside the meditation room was a bluestone path, the ground covered with grass and dewdrops, and a few clumps of low trees.

As soon as Miaofan approached, he suddenly became alert and looked closely.

Chu Tianshu was sitting lazily on the steps in front of the door, with a red lacquered food box, three plates of pastries, and a pot of tea next to him.

Another middle-aged man and a tall, thin boy sat beside him, but the boy sat more upright and appeared quite reserved.

"Donor!"

Miaofan stepped forward and smiled, "Didn't we say we'd meet again tomorrow?"

It's past midnight now.

Chu Tianshu swallowed the pastry and said, "The Southern Shaolin is bustling with worshippers during the day; there are many people in the front and many monks active in the back."

"This moment is truly a perfect time, a beautiful scene, just right."

"That's why I brought two friends to travel with the master."

The Xu Family and nephew hurriedly stood up and introduced themselves, saying, "Greetings, Abbot!"

Upon hearing their names, Miaofan didn't immediately grasp their significance.

Fire God Gully has a large population, and although the Xu Family is one of the most prominent, neither of these two men, uncle and nephew, are people who frequently appear in the martial arts world.

Even if the monks who visited Fire God Gully back then came back, they might not recognize the two of them.

Only those who participated in the massacre at Fire God Gully, saw the family genealogy, and continued to hunt them down had a deep impression of them.

Miaofan nodded slightly to them, his smile unchanged, "As the abbot of this temple, since the three of you have come to visit the Southern Shaolin, it is my duty to lead the way. Do you have any places you wish to visit?"

"No rush. People who are still awake past midnight tend to crave something to eat."

Chu Tianshu invited, "Abbot, please try these pastries as well."

Miaofan was not at all reserved; he lifted his cassock and sat down on the stone steps.

Among the Nine Diagrams and Six Seated Postures, there is even a description of meditating in a mud pit.

Even sitting on the stone steps, he exuded a Zen-like charm, picking up a pastry but not biting into it directly, first gently smelling it in front of his nose.

Xu Zhicheng found it both incomprehensible and impressive.

Could it be some unique Buddhist ritual, or perhaps a famous historical anecdote?

Similar to Buddha's smile while holding up a flower?

"Stop smelling it."

Chu Tianshu said, "There's no meat oil in it."

Miaofan laughed heartily and said, "You're too kind, benefactor."

He could already smell a strong hawthorn aroma. This pastry had an outer layer of dough and an inner layer of hawthorn puree. It was rolled into a strip and then cut into small pieces.

One bite, and sure enough, the first taste was sour, which was alleviated by the grain aroma of the dough, but inside was a rich and sweet flavor.

Miaofan's brow relaxed, and she exclaimed in surprise, "Sour on the outside, sweet on the inside?"

"Because the innermost layer isn't hawthorn, but sweet bean paste; although the color is similar, the taste is completely different."

Chu Tianshu also took a piece, saying, "I ate quite a few pastries at noon, and I specifically picked out a few of the most ingenious ones."

Miaofan nodded, and unknowingly ate two more pieces.

Suddenly, Chu Tianshu said, "You had a slight frown between your brows just now, even more noticeable than this morning. Did you encounter resistance during the high-level discussions?"

Miaofan glanced at the uncle and nephew beside her and figured that Chu Tianshu must have a deeper meaning in bringing these two people into the temple, so she didn't try to hide it.

"Miaokong Brother Miaokong has the idea of negotiating peace with the Flowing Cloud Manor."

Abbot Miaofan said, "This old monk knows that he is afraid that our decision will lead to heavy casualties among the disciples of Southern Shaolin, and he is always looking for a way to save more disciples."

"Sigh, if the Southern Shaolin were only about the same size as the Giant Whale Gang, perhaps the Flowing Cloud Manor Flowing Cloud Manor Mansion would have welcomed them warmly if they had sought refuge there."

"While we aren't as strong as the Flowing Cloud Manor, we're not weak either."

Miaofan sighed, "Junior Brother Miaokong underestimates the strength of all of us disciples."

Chu Tianshu's expression shifted slightly, and he smiled, "Since I've chosen the Southern Shaolin Southern Shaolin, I should cultivate a better relationship with them."

"This Master Miaokong sounds like a very gentle person, so let him stay by my side."

Abbot Miaofan was about to say something.

Chu Tianshu continued, "Perfect timing, I've heard that there's a weapons workshop belonging to the Southern Shaolin Temple in these mountains."

"I came here tonight to ask the abbot to show me around there. I might as well bring Master Miaokong along as well."

Miaofan's face twitched, as if deep in thought. After a moment, he nodded and said, "Okay."

Chu Tianshu picked up the food box, and after the group walked through the courtyards, they first went to summon Miaokong.

The monk was still awake late at night, but upon seeing Chu Tianshu, he did not fail to show proper courtesy.

The group quietly left the temple and disappeared into the mountains.

After passing three mountain peaks, in a valley not far away, there are rows of large brick houses.

The night was deep, and the large houses were pitch black, with only a few lanterns hanging around the perimeter and guards standing watch.

Although these people were not bald, their solemn demeanor was exactly the same as that of the martial monks in the Southern Shaolin.

Before the group had even approached within a hundred paces, someone raised a warning. Seeing that it was the abbot himself, they were then invited inside.

Xu Ben entered the courtyard, he sniffed the air and looked to his right.

Chu Tianshu laughed and said, "Tonight is the night for you to show your skills. Go ahead."

Seeing that the abbot nodded, the guard next to him took out a key and opened the door.

Inside was indeed a large blacksmith shop, with a whole row of furnace openings.

There weren't many wooden tables and chairs, but there were many stone stools, and many unfinished blades were placed on them.

A large lamp hangs from the roof, branching out into multiple sections, each Shangdu an oil dish that can be lit.

The guard had already taken out the Thousand-Mile Fire, which was shaped like a small bamboo tube. After removing the stopper, he shook it in the wind, and sparks lit up.

He jumped onto the roof beam and bent down to light all the oil lamps.

The lights gradually brightened, illuminating the room.

Xu Ben stroked the stove opening, feeling the residual warmth inside, and suddenly poked his head inside.

The guard was startled, only to see that Xu Ben had already slipped away.

"Huh!"

The guard exclaimed in surprise, "This guy's a veteran!"

Sometimes, if you suspect there's something wrong with the stove, you have to peek inside long after the fire has gone out, but before the residual heat has completely dissipated.

Only when you check at this time can you see the problem more clearly; once it's completely forgotten, some problems become impossible to find.

Xu Ben's movements were extremely practiced. He even picked up an iron rake and poked around inside the furnace, then checked the bellows, inspecting everything.

"What an exquisite stove."

Xu Ben took off his outer robe, rolled up his sleeves, picked up a leather apron from the side and tied it around his waist, then waved his hand, "Come on, help me start a fire!"

He spent less time making the two ammunition this time than he did in Yongchun County.

At first, the two old monks didn't know what he was doing, but when they saw him stuff in the powder and make the two pellets take shape, they vaguely guessed their purpose.

Chu Tianshu then took out a musket from the food box and handed it to Xu Ben.

Miaofan and Miaokong exchanged a glance, both seeing the anticipation in each other's eyes.

The group walked out of the main house and watched as Xu Ben loaded two bullets into the same musket.

Bang! Bang!

In the blink of an eye, two bullets were fired in quick succession, startling a flock of birds into flight from the forest.

While the guards were still oblivious to what was happening, the two old monks had already spotted the two large trees a hundred paces away.

Each tree bark has spiderweb-like cracks and a small dent.

To fire a musket in the Great Ming, several steps are required, including pouring the powder, loading the powder, setting the fuse, loading the cartridge, and attaching the matchlock.

Even with multiple platoons in preparation and rotating firing, it was impossible to create a very dense barrage of fire.

Moreover, in terms of range, even a long gun cannot compare to the powerful bow of a third-rate warrior.

Xu Ben's short gun could actually shoot cracks in the thick, tough bark of a tree from a hundred paces away!

The old monk's hands trembled as he held the prayer beads.

Miaofan had guessed what kind of assistance Chu Tianshu was referring to, besides personal martial arts skills.

I never imagined it would be like this.

Broken spears, tattered armor, dulled steel blades, the corpses of monks and lay disciples, fought to the death, lay alongside the Japanese pirates, their eyes wide open in death...

In Miaofan's imagination, the scenes that would appear after the war at Southern Shaolin suddenly vanished, replaced by a completely different picture.

The setting sun was like blood, the sky was full of golden clouds, and a large number of Japanese pirates charged in with strange cries.

Suddenly, the gray-robed monks all pulled out a musket from behind their backs and raised it in unison.

Miaofan's eyes widened in surprise. He snapped back to reality and asked urgently, "Benefactor Xu, can you make a long gun?"

"Yes, a long gun can penetrate armor at a range of 300 paces, and once loaded, it can fire six times in succession."

Xu Ben said, "Moreover, with these furnaces and raw materials, and with my personal guidance, the swordsmiths of the Southern Shaolin should be able to learn this craft very quickly."

Upon hearing this, Miaofan's eyes and brows were filled with joy, and she unconsciously murmured Buddhist chants.

"Amitabha Buddha, Amitabha Buddha..."

Chu Tianshu smiled, his gaze fixed on Miaokong.

The Miaokong was overjoyed. After a long while, he suddenly realized and said, "Surname Xu, musket."

"Could this be the legendary Fire God Secret Formula?!"

The story of that Fire God Secret Formula was widely circulated in the martial arts world half a year ago.

However, the entire Fire God Gully was slaughtered, and there were repeated reports of survivors, which were later proven to be false.

The Southern Shaolin started investigating the matter late and made no progress, so it was gradually abandoned.

Unexpectedly, I've stumbled upon the Fire God Secret Formula, and it truly lives up to its legendary power.

A tiny, round light shone faintly in Chu Tianshu's eyes.

In his eyes, the heads of the two old monks were now radiating a fiery red color, with other colors appearing at the edges.

This is a technique that Chu Tianshu has recently figured out. By interweaving and changing the Nine-Syllable Mantra, he can glimpse the Mist and Rosy Clouds Realm Layer.

The colors that appear where the Mist and Rosy Clouds Realm Layer meet a particular person represent the emotions that person is stirring within them.

It seems that, to some extent, it can reflect a person's true feelings, as well as the hopes and expectations that others have for that person.

It's similar to the legendary Qi Observing Technique.

After Chu Tianshu revealed this big secret to Miaokong, she also kept her by his side, which was to make it easier to test her.

If any problems arise, we can take action as soon as possible to resolve them and eliminate potential risks.

It now appears that Miaokong was not a complete capitulationist or a bribed spy, but simply possessed common weaknesses.

Such people are still usable; with proper training, they still have the potential to become valiant warriors.

The Fire God Secret Formula is like the first, exceptionally powerful hammer blow!

(End of this chapter)