Ye Fan, the True Son of Destiny
Mo Wenjian led Ye Fan along without encountering any obstacles.
Before long, they arrived at the Scripture Depository.
"Of Shaolin Temple's many martial arts, all but the Muscle-Tendon Changing Classic, which only successive abbots may study, are kept in the Scripture Depository. Whatever divine arts or supreme skills catch your eye, I'll allow you to learn them. Go and look for yourself!" Mo Wenjian pushed open the doors to the Scripture Depository and gestured for Ye Fan to go in and browse.
"Master, who exactly are you?" Ye Fan looked at Mo Wenjian, his eyes full of puzzlement.
"Who I am doesn't matter. What matters is which supreme skills you choose!" Mo Wenjian didn't answer Ye Fan's question. Instead, he walked into the Scripture Depository first.
"Master, which three supreme skills are suited to me? Please enlighten me!" Ye Fan gazed at the dazzling array of manuals, his eyes spinning.
"Fate works in wondrous ways. Only you can know which three supreme skills are destined for you!" Mo Wenjian already regarded Ye Fan as a son of destiny, so naturally, he was unwilling to casually interfere with his decision.
"In that case, I'll just look around!" Unable to get any useful hints, Ye Fan had no choice but to search for himself.
Ye Fan was desperate for revenge. At the mere sight of their names, he cast aside martial arts steeped in Zen like worn-out shoes.
The Great Mercy and Great Compassion Thousand-Leaf Hand, the Prajna Zen Palm, the Bodhi Heart Method, the Compassion Saber Technique-he couldn't be bothered to waste a second on any of them.
Ye Fan sought to avenge his grievances and wipe away his hatred, so he was very interested in martial arts that reeked of killing.
The Precept-Breaking Saber Technique, the Kasaya Devil-Subduing Art, the Sinew-Dividing and Bone-Dislocating Hand, the Dragon-Subduing and Elephant-Taming Art-he looked back and forth, unable to decide.
"Master, can I pick a few more?" Ye Fan looked at Mo Wenjian, his eyes full of anticipation.
"There's no room for bargaining!" Mo Wenjian shook his head at once, without even thinking.
"In that case, I'll choose-the Heavenly Gang Thirty-Six Fists, the Vajra Indestructible Divine Art, and the Precept-Breaking Saber Technique!" After a difficult deliberation, Ye Fan finally made his decision.
"Can you tell me why you chose those three cultivation methods?" Mo Wenjian had created the Heavenly Gang Thirty-Six Fists himself, so Ye Fan's choice immediately made him much more favorably disposed toward him.
"The Precept-Breaking Saber Technique is obviously meant for a killing spree, which suits my state of mind perfectly. The Vajra Indestructible Divine Art can obviously be used to cultivate an indestructible vajra body. Even if the prefect has an army of thousands protecting him, I'll be able to fight my way in and out seven times. As for the Heavenly Gang Thirty-Six Fists, I'm guessing Shaolin's Seventy-Two Supreme Skills are the Earthly Sha Seventy-Two Arts, so this Heavenly Gang Thirty-Six Fists manual is worth even more than Shaolin's Seventy-Two Supreme Skills!" Ye Fan held up the Heavenly Gang Thirty-Six Fists manual, his words brimming with confidence.
"You may be right, or you may be wrong!" Mo Wenjian paused, then continued, "The Heavenly Gang Thirty-Six Fists alone are worth only as much as one of Shaolin's Seventy-Two Supreme Skills. But someone cultivated the Heavenly Gang Thirty-Six Fists to a profoundly advanced level, gathered the essence of Shaolin's Seventy-Two Supreme Skills, and integrated them all to condense the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Sha Fist Intent."
"One day, I'll also cultivate the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Sha Fist Intent!" Hearing this, Ye Fan's fighting spirit immediately soared.
"Since you have such lofty ambitions, allow me to congratulate you in advance!" With that, Mo Wenjian immediately turned and left.
Time flew, and in the blink of an eye, it was noon.
Firing up the furnace to refine pills at a quarter past noon and entering the Dao through martial arts at a quarter to midnight had become routine.
When Mo Wenjian returned to his meditation room, the cooldown had reset. He immediately opened the All-Heavens Dao Fruit Simulator.
[Age 16: Your river of Qi and Blood spans more than half the Nine Provinces. The phenomenon of purple qi coming from the east for three thousand li has countless people bowing in worship. Your strength has reached a height unmatched before or since. Though you have never entered the martial world, your legend has already begun to spread through it. The Emperor Jiaqing has bestowed upon you the title of Great Wheel Wisdom King and granted you the land within a hundred li of Shaolin Temple as a Buddhist kingdom on earth. The major schools of Buddhism have independently come to Shaolin Temple, presenting you with countless rare treasures. You have become the Buddhist disciple recognized by all of Buddhism, and all Buddhist monks are willing to follow your orders!] [Age 17: The Heavenly Gang Thirty-Six Fists you created have become a highly sought-after cultivation method among Buddhists, and every temple wants to receive your favor. You find this far too troublesome, so you authorize Shaolin Temple to print the manuals, granting essentially every request. Because you place little importance on the Heavenly Gang Thirty-Six Fists, virtually every major temple obtains them. The Heavenly Gang Thirty-Six Fists spread further and further, until eventually, just about everyone has a copy!] [Age 18: Ye Fan, in whom you placed great hopes, unexpectedly draws upon the power of the Ziwei Star to temper his body, transforming from a physically frail piece of trash into a genius whose aptitude keeps increasing. His cultivation progress truly advances a thousand li in a single day!] [Age 19: Ye Fan reaches the agreed-upon realm of Dan Jin. You refine a Six-Revolution Golden Pill for him, and he successfully enters the Dao through martial arts and breaks through to Gang Force. Ye Fan leaves Shaolin Temple, cuts off the prefect's head, and avenges the slaughter of his family!] [Age 20: The Emperor Jiaqing dies, and the Emperor Daoguang ascends the throne. Seven Gang Force National Martial Arts grandmasters hostile to the Great Qing Dynasty attempt to infiltrate the imperial palace and seize the Imperial Seal of the Realm, thereby striking at the Great Qing Dynasty's national fortune. Ye Fan learns of this and follows them in secret. The ten Gang Force National Martial Arts grandmasters guarding the imperial palace drive off the seven grandmasters hostile to the Great Qing Dynasty. Ye Fan, like the fisherman profiting from a fight between snipe and clam, seizes the opportunity to steal the Imperial Seal of the Realm, dealing a heavy blow to the Great Qing Dynasty's prestige!] [Age 21: Gang Force National Martial Arts grandmasters keep springing up like bamboo shoots after rain, and crime across the country rises in a straight line. Ye Fan persuades the leaders of the various sects and schools to form the Righteous Path Alliance and join forces to combat the scum of the martial world who harm the common people. Ye Fan personally kills seven deeply sinful Gang Force National Martial Arts grandmasters in succession and, relying on his formidable strength, becomes leader of the martial arts alliance!] [Age 22: Martial world figures investigate Ye Fan and eventually discover the existence of the Six-Revolution Golden Pill. The leaders of the various sects and schools flock to you, requesting that you grant them Six-Revolution Golden Pills. Ye Fan comes to Shaolin Temple and begs you to reserve the Six-Revolution Golden Pill exclusively for Shaolin Temple and not let it fall into the hands of the martial world. You publicly declare that you have reached the realm of Shatter the Void and See the Indestructible Spirit and are preparing to ascend in broad daylight. For the time being, you have no intention of concerning yourself with worldly affairs, and you order Shaolin Temple to seal its mountain for a hundred years!] [Age 23: As the only peerless expert to have entered the Dao through martial arts using a Six-Revolution Golden Pill, Ye Fan successfully brings the major renowned orthodox sects under his command and destroys countless unorthodox and evil sects. The Gang Force National Martial Arts grandmasters he has killed with his own hands are too numerous to count!] [Age 24: The Righteous Path Alliance's power continues to grow, and Ye Fan's standing in the martial world rises ever higher, threatening the foundations of the Great Qing Dynasty's rule. The Emperor Daoguang dispatches the Manchu Qing's eight banner lords to lead 108 Gang Force National Martial Arts grandmasters loyal to the Great Qing Dynasty in an assault on the Righteous Path Alliance's headquarters. Ye Fan leads the thirty-six Gang Force National Martial Arts grandmasters stationed at the headquarters in a powerful counterattack. The two sides battle for three days and three nights. Ye Fan kills twenty-four Gang Force National Martial Arts grandmasters loyal to the Great Qing Dynasty. Though none of the Righteous Path Alliance's Gang Force National Martial Arts grandmasters are killed, thirteen are gravely wounded and in critical condition. Ye Fan ultimately decides to lead the others in a breakout. Because he personally brings up the rear, the Gang Force National Martial Arts grandmasters loyal to the Great Qing Dynasty dare not pursue them. The world-shaking battle ends with a tiger's head and a snake's tail!]