Sword Among Us

Panda Novel

The huge golden dragon surrounding Happy let out mighty dragon roars, but its speed clearly became slower.

It was because right before Happy’s eyes, Master of Breaking Vows, who had been suppressed throughout the fight, showed an abnormal sight. Even though his body fortification had shattered because of the blow just then and blood trickled out of the corners of his mouth, he formed a strange seal with his hands. Three fingers of each hand curled inward, and only his index fingers and little fingers were stretched out.

At that moment, he shut his eyes to think.

A huge change appeared above Master of Breaking Vows’ head, and that change happened right in Bodhidharma Cave itself. Waves of dazzling golden light flowed nonstop through the cave, and they swiftly covered the entire area.

Happy did not even need to observe carefully to know that Master of Breaking Vows, who had been in Bodhidharma Cave for years, seemed to have come to understand Bodhidharma Swordplay during that moment of crisis. He did so well that despite Happy coming to understand the third move of Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palm—Flying Dragon in the Sky—he still did not manage to defeat Master of Breaking Vows.

A layer of faint Buddhist light flowed around Master of Breaking Vows. Along with the mantra that came from his lips and the pattern of lotuses and peonies behind him, he looked incredibly grand. Every time he flicked his finger, it contained the essence of Bodhidharma Swordplay, and he easily parried Happy’s fierce and matchless palm technique.

Happy’s technique was fast. His actions were accompanied by the golden dragon’s crazed roars, and his momentum was astonishing, domineering, and awe-inspiring, but unfortunately for him, Bodhidharma Finger, which was derived from Bodhidharma Swordplay, allowed Master of Breaking Vows to have an easy time dealing with him.

Boom!

Boom! Boom!

Happy attacked multiple times with the dragon, but Master of Breaking Vows would just tap at the critical spot and break Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palm.

When Happy failed to land any solid blows a few times, he quickly noticed that his momentum was swiftly falling, and there were signs that it was about to fall out of Inaction Realm. When caught in such a situation, Happy had to slow down his attacks and move around Master of Breaking Vows.

He shifted around him slowly. The great golden dragon slowly accumulated its momentum and steadied itself during that period of time.

Whoosh!

While Happy dragged around that huge golden dragon vortex and moved around with an astonishing momentum in Bodhidharma Cave, his gaze and expression gradually became solemn.

Master of Breaking Vows seemed to have suddenly become unable to sense Happy’s fighting spirit. The monk was as calm as water. He stood on the ground without moving, revealing no weaknesses, which gave Happy no way to attack him.

He moved around for a few minutes, then his momentum finally fell below Inaction Realm.

Master of Breaking Vows still did not move. He only casually tapped Happy when he attacked, but he did not even bother to open his eyes. He was like a sitting Arhat statue, grand and unmoving.

“Amazing! Master, you have managed to take a huge step forward in your path in Buddhism! This is great news!” When Happy saw that Master of Breaking Vows simply will not give him a chance to attack, he gave up. “Looks like I will have no chance to persuade you to go down the mountain.”

With Bodhidharma Swordplay protecting him, the monk could completely counter the profound secret within Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palm. Unless Happy’s qi realm increased, it would be impossible for him to defeat Master of Breaking Vows.

Bang!

With a thought, the huge golden dragon shuddered in the air and swiftly exploded into countless gusts that blew everywhere. Happy had resolutely stopped attacking, cancelled his momentum, stopped circulating his qi, and had the qi that had spread all over his body vanish. Bodhidharma Cave returned to silence then.

“Amitabha.” Master of Breaking Vows called out the name of Buddha and finally opened his eyes. He cast Happy a gratified glance. “If it were not for your help, I would not have been able to understand Bodhidharma Swordplay. If you had not kept trying to persuade me to repent, I would not have come to understand that not being swayed by emotions and not going after worldly matters is the true meaning of invincibility!

“It is no wonder then why the abbots of the generations past always sent us to Bodhidharma Cave in Punishment Mount to repent. I am full of regrets. It is only on this day that I understand just how much effort it took for the abbot to care for us.

“If a Buddhist practices martial arts, he must first have a calm heart. If he just pursues strength, it will not fit into the spirit of Zen. Amitabha, I have made all the painstaking effort Founder Bodhidharma placed here go to waste.”

When Happy heard Master of Breaking Vows’ regret filled confession, he noticed that a turn for the better had appeared in his quest, much to his surprise.

He had thought that he failed his quest, but he did not expect that Master of Breaking Vows would come to understand how much effort it took for the previous abbots and Founder Bodhidharma to care for the monks who broke their vows after he gained an epiphany on Bodhidharma Swordplay!

“Patron, I will follow you down the mountain.” Master of Breaking Vows placed his palms together and said, “I have walked down the path of asceticism for twenty years, but that cannot compare to one day of epiphany. I am truly regretful. I must immediately beg for forgiveness from the abbot and return to Shaolin Temple to calm down and cultivate my body and spirit.”

The moment Master of Breaking Vows finished speaking, Happy heard the system notification that came late.

“Ding!

“Repentance is salvation. You helped Master of Breaking Vows break through the evil in his heart, and he came to gain an epiphany of Bodhidharma Swordplay. Return to Shaolin Temple with Master of Breaking Vows Yuan Mie and meet Abbot Kong Xiang.”

The system’s voice at that moment was incredibly pleasant to Happy’s ears.

“This way, please!”

Happy walked out of Bodhidharma Cave.

“Patron, you are too polite,” Yuan Mie said softly and walked out of Bodhidharma Cave.

Just when the duo was prepared to leave the mountain, a faint sigh suddenly echoed through the mountain. It sounded like its owner had gone through countless ups and downs in life. The sigh might have been faint, but it traveled clearly into the two’s ears.

“Yuan Mie.” Master Yuan Mie came to a stop. He then turned around swiftly and bowed deeply. “Senior, I have repented for my sins for more than twenty years. I was fortunate that you gave me directions and taught me.

“When I return to the temple, I will surely tell the abbot that you have long since lost the will to fight after being bound for more than thirty years. I will also ask the abbot to grant you permission to leave Punishment Mount.”

An old but mighty voice came to them like a thunderclap.

“Young Monk Yuan Mie, you might be slow in comprehension, but you have a pure heart, and you are diligent as well as down-to-earth. Over the past twenty years, you have taken great care of me, which is why I taught you Vajra Demon Subduing Great Art.

“You do not need to be concerned about me now. I called you not because I wanted you to beg for pardon from the abbot for me. I have been here for more than thirty years, and I have long since become indifferent toward everything.

“I enjoy my time watching the clouds and all manner of life from the top of the mountain. That’s why you do not need to waste your efforts on me.”

“Senior, do you have any instructions for me?”

Once Yuan Mie came to understand Bodhidharma Swordplay, he seemed to have become much smarter. He quickly registered what the voice meant, and he showed that he was all ears. His actions were incredibly respectful.

“Instructions? All that I wanted to instruct you I have told you over the past twenty years.” There was a faint hint of mockery in the old voice. His tone changed afterwards though. “I called you because I have a few questions I want to ask that young friend beside you.”

“Hmm?”

Happy was stunned. Even though he expected it, when he heard that the legendary Mad Monk was interested in him, he could not help but be shocked. He did not dare to be negligent and took a step forward to put his fist in his palms before he answered. “Master, if you have something to say to me, I will naturally listen with respect.”

Inaction Realm martial artists could become one with the power of nature but the people who had the power to control clouds and fog surpassed this level and reached Myth Realm, which was Zhang Wuji’s current qi realm. However, if Mad Monk could gather clouds and wind around him for an extended period of time, it was clear that he had reached an even higher stage.

Happy could not be certain just what things the legendary murderer who had surpassed all known qi realms would want to say to him.

“I am curious. How did a young man such as you, who has not even surpassed Life and Death Realm, understand Flying Dragon in the Sky, which is something in Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palm that can only be understood after you have experienced life and death and have even transcended them.”

Happy did not have any words to say about that.

“Leave.” The old voice seemed to have lost interest in Happy. “Once you reach that state, perhaps you will be the first person who can withstand ten moves from me,” he said faintly.

‘The first?’

Happy stared at Yuan Mie in shock.