80s Shaolin Abbot

After a long time, the sound of the wooden fish ceased, and the man in the brocade robe slowly opened his eyes.

He stared at Huo Yuanzhen for a long while before sighing deeply. He bowed once more to Huo Yuanzhen and said, "If one day, I am freed from my official duties, I will come to Shaolin and remain in the presence of the Buddha."

Huo Yuanzhen smiled but said nothing. He took out a string of Buddhist prayer beads and handed them to the man. "This prayer bead was personally consecrated by this humble monk. Please accept it as a token of remembrance."

The man bowed again. "I am Shangguan Xiong. Thank you, Abbot."

"Shangguan Xiong."

Huo Yuanzhen's heart stirred slightly. He seemed to have heard this name before.

The world was now in turmoil. Not only was the martial world in chaos, but even the imperial court was unstable.

Huo Yuanzhen knew little of this world. However, in recent days, he had learned that the kingdom, resembling ancient China, was called Sheng Tang, founded by the Zhao family. Though it was called "Sheng" (Prosperous), in reality, it was far from peaceful. The country was divided by three military warlords, and the imperial court was powerless to subdue them, only able to appease the situation.

In Henan Province, there was a military governor named Guan Tianzhao, who commanded 300,000 soldiers, many of whom were beyond the control of the imperial court.

There were rumors in the marketplace that Guan Tianzhao harbored ambitions of rebellion, but because the emperor's sister, the Princess, had married him, he was temporarily restrained by familial ties.

Huo Yuanzhen did not believe the rumors. If Guan Tianzhao truly sought rebellion, a woman would not be enough to stop him. As a general who had risen to his position, he could not be so foolish.

Nevertheless, Huo Yuanzhen did not care much for these political intrigues. Who ruled the empire had no bearing on him. His concerns were with the martial world.

"Those in the high halls worry for the people, but that is the emperor's business."

"As for me, far in the Jianghu, I only worry for my own path," Huo Yuanzhen was not concerned with politics.

However, the Jianghu and the imperial court were often linked, as many martial sects had ties to powerful factions, which could obstruct Huo Yuanzhen's future plans to become the leader of the martial world.

Now, this man, Shangguan Xiong, was said to be the most renowned general under Guan Tianzhao's command. He was a skilled warrior, said to have studied martial arts under some of the best in the Jianghu. In Henan, Shangguan Xiong was a famous name.

Shangguan Xiong had expected that revealing his name would shock Huo Yuanzhen, but the latter showed no reaction. This left Shangguan Xiong somewhat disappointed but also secretly admiring Huo Yuanzhen's composure. It seemed that a man who could become an abbot was indeed no ordinary figure.

What Shangguan Xiong did not know was that Huo Yuanzhen had been trying to recall where he had heard the name before.

"Shangguan, you may return. Have that elder come to Shaolin instead," Huo Yuanzhen said.

"Abbot, then Shangguan Xiong takes his leave. It has been an honor to meet you today. I feel it was truly worth the trip," Shangguan Xiong said, taking the prayer beads and turning to leave.

After Shangguan Xiong departed, Huo Yuanzhen sighed softly.

To be honest, Huo Yuanzhen did not wish to get involved with officials, especially military men. If relations with them soured, it could spell trouble. Who knew when they might send soldiers to burn Shaolin to the ground? Huo Yuanzhen had seen many movies in his previous life, and usually, it was war and chaos that brought about the downfall of Shaolin. True threats to Shaolin were rare in the Jianghu.

Of course, the Shaolin of his past life was vastly different from the small temple he currently ran, but Huo Yuanzhen couldn't afford to ignore such potential risks.

Today, Shangguan Xiong came to Shaolin, and Huo Yuanzhen had no choice but to entertain him. If he didn't agree to his request, the man might not let it go easily. Since he was temporarily unable to resist, it was better to forge an alliance for now.

However, Huo Yuanzhen wasn't too concerned about the matter for the time being. Generally speaking, officials did not want to provoke martial sects, especially those with significant strength. Martial artists may not be able to directly confront military forces, but they were certainly experts in assassination. Countless officials had met their end at the hands of Jianghu figures, especially corrupt ones. One could never predict when a mysterious hero might appear from the shadows, striking in the dead of night.

But then again, Shaolin wasn't powerful enough to prevent such threats. If Huo Yuanzhen wanted to increase his own power, winning the lottery seemed like the only viable method. With that in mind, he began to count the time.

It had been over a month since he arrived in this world, and he had participated in three lottery draws: the April lottery, the special lottery for the Dragon Boat Festival, and the one in May. Now, June was approaching, but with no festivals in sight, there would be no lottery for nearly a month.

All he could do for now was to focus on his training of the Pure Boy Skill.

Beyond his own development, Huo Yuanzhen also needed to expand Shaolin. Shaolin had gained some fame, and it was likely that more people would come to visit the Buddhist pagoda in the coming days.

Seizing this opportunity, Huo Yuanzhen thought it might be time to recruit disciples.

When it came to recruiting, Huo Yuanzhen was determined to be selective, only accepting those with good qualities and potential to avoid the risk of traitors.

Without hesitation, Huo Yuanzhen took out a piece of white paper, only to feel it was not suitable. He rummaged through his things and found a piece of red paper instead.

He spread the red paper out and began practicing writing on a nearby piece of white paper. The results, however, were far from satisfactory. Huo Yuanzhen frowned at the messy characters. Though he could write well with a pen, he had never properly practiced calligraphy with a brush. Without hesitation, he called in Yikong.

Yikong, who had transcribed Buddhist scriptures, wrote beautiful calligraphy. Huo Yuanzhen asked him to write.

The day passed, and some even planned to spend the night near the pagoda. However, Huo Yuanzhen and his monks politely sent them away.

By the next morning, thousands of people arrived at Shaolin Temple. When they saw the newly erected gate, they were met with a notice.

Some of the literate people began reading it aloud.

"Shao Lin Temple, located in the Shaoshi Mountain forests, derives its name from the Buddha's blessing. The temple is fortunate to have the Buddha's protection, and through the divine grace of the Ten Thousand Buddha Pagoda, we are able to bless the people. The abbot, Master Yijie, listens to the Buddha's will and follows His divine wish. With the intent to spread the Dharma and benefit all beings, Shaolin Temple is now recruiting lay disciples."

"Wow! Shaolin is recruiting disciples!"

"Can anyone sign up? What if I'm a woman?"

"I may not be under sixty, but I still doubt I'll get in."

The crowd stirred, and after a while, the man reading the notice continued:

"The requirements for admission are as follows: males between the ages of ten and twenty-five, with or without family, in good health and moral standing. Each applicant will be personally assessed by the abbot. Upon joining, disciples will be taught the Buddhist scriptures, including the Lotus Sutra, as well as martial arts, specifically the Tiger-Subduing Fist. Every three days, disciples must attend the morning service, and every five days, they must practice martial arts in the training ground. Those who perform well will be accepted as official disciples and taught advanced martial techniques."

"Does Shaolin really teach martial arts?"

"Of course! Didn't you see the abbot take a blade to the head without even leaving a scratch? If I had that skill, my little cousin would run from me like a mouse fleeing a cat."

"I wonder if they provide meals?"

"Don't be too greedy. Shaolin is blessed by the Buddha. Getting in is a blessing in itself. If I can join, I wouldn't care if they didn't provide meals, I'd feed the monks myself."

Hearing the news, many who believed they qualified came to sign up.

Inside the temple, Huo Yuanzhen and his monks had already set up tables. The Journey to the West had nearly concluded, and it was time for serious business.

By the end of the first day, over a hundred people had signed up.

Yijing was responsible for checking health, Huizhen and Huiming handled inquiries about family information, and Yikong tested their patience by explaining the Dharma. He wanted to see if they could remain composed and if they were suitable for Shaolin.

Huo Yuanzhen was in charge of the final assessment: examining their character.

He had prepared a few tricks for this, such as placing two copper coins on the ground or leaving trash in clean places to test their integrity.

Unfortunately, although over a hundred people had signed up, very few passed the early tests, especially the patience test by Yikong. Many young people came eager to learn martial arts, but while they revered the Buddha, they lacked the patience. They fidgeted and couldn't sit still, and Yikong shook his head in disappointment.

After a full day of trials, not a single person passed the patience test, much to Huo Yuanzhen's dismay.

That night, as a few monks gathered to close the temple gates, a sudden, thunderous roar echoed through the mountains!

Huo Yuanzhen, hearing the sound, immediately thought of his own martial arts technique—Lion's Roar. But this roar was even more powerful and penetrating, sounding like the cry of a wild beast.

There were no lions in this land, and Shaoshi Mountain was no exception. It could only be one thing—a tiger!

The monks' faces turned pale, and they hurried to shut the gates. Through the crack in the door, Huo Yuanzhen saw a massive, striped tiger charging down the mountain path, only about twenty meters from the gates. It was too late to close them now.

Huo Yuanzhen gasped and prepared to use his internal energy. He wondered if his Lion's Roar would be effective against the king of the mountain, the tiger.

If it worked, they'd be safe. If not, tonight, these five monks might meet their end at the paws of the tiger!