Chapter 124: Zen Question, Passed

At Shaolin Temple on Songshan Mountain, this small shrine where Shaolin’s renowned monk, Master Xuan Kong, meditated, was actually a place for reflection. Master Xuan Kong was a famous master of his time at Shaolin Temple. Though his skills were inferior to those of the enigmatic “Sweeping Monk,” his several exceptional 72 unique techniques nearly made him the head of Shaolin Temple.

However…
A single misstep—a wrong decision by Master Xuan Kong—caused Shaolin Temple to lose face. He took responsibility and left Shaolin, building this “Temple of Repentance” in a place far away to repent for his life’s mistakes.

Various small Buddha statues were enshrined in the temple. Happy lit three incense sticks in front of the Buddha with ease, bowed respectfully, and then asked Monk Zhi Heng standing nearby to arrange a meeting with his master.

“My master is in seclusion for meditation; it might be inconvenient. Please forgive me, kind sir.”
Perhaps because of Happy’s polite demeanor, Monk Zhi Heng didn’t mind and politely declined his request.

Of course, Zhi Heng wouldn’t agree so easily. This was a series of tasks centered around Zen, and the reward for the first level was innate attributes—how could he let him complete it so effortlessly?

Happy remembered that in his past life, countless Shaolin disciples had tried to enter this small shrine through single battles or round-robin fights, yet none succeeded in getting past Zhi Heng… Using force to enter was even more impossible! If someone tried to disturb Master Xuan Kong’s meditation, Zhi Heng might even resort to extreme measures, breaking his vows and killing.

Even Happy didn’t dare think of such drastic actions. To enter the shrine, one first needed to gain “Buddha fate”!

“Only those destined can enter!”
In the world of martial arts, opportunity was everything—Shaolin was no exception. As long as one could seize an opportunity, they could trigger the task and enter the shrine.

But once inside, convincing Monk Zhi Heng to let them meet Master Xuan Kong was no easy task. One needed cleverness to make Master Xuan Kong appear on his own!

In his past life, countless players failed halfway… Even if they racked their brains inside the shrine, they found it hard to find a way in. Few managed to obtain rewards from this task.

Happy was able to gain some insight only because he encountered an older player who loved meditation, and he became one of the seven players at Shaolin Temple to be granted an audience with Master Xuan Kong.

Zen!
Using Buddha fate to persuade Zhi Heng to let him enter the shrine—Happy succeeded.

The next step was the “Zen Question”…
This involved some particular considerations.

“Oh, I see.”
Happy showed a look of realization and regret. “I was truly reckless! This is the place where the two masters meditate. I’d better leave now to avoid disturbing their meditation.”

“Amitabha! There’s no need for such formalities. Since you’re here, make yourself at home. It’s late; you can rest in this small temple for the night before leaving. My master is meditating in the inner room. As long as you don’t make too much noise, you won’t disturb him.” Zhiheng politely recited a Buddhist phrase and said, “Please rest in the side room.”
“Thank you.”
Xinkai followed Zhiheng into a small room. Everything inside was exactly as it had been in her past life—aside from a simple wooden bed, there was only a small table for placing items and an oil lamp. On the bed lay a very thin blanket.
“The room is simple. Please make do with it.”
Zhiheng turned to Xinkai, his tone quite calm.
Worried, Xinkai quickly clasped her hands together and replied, “Master, you worry too much. In ancient times, there was a poor woman who lit a lamp to worship Buddha with nothing but her own money. I’m already extremely grateful to be able to spend the night in this temple!”
“Amitabha.”
Zhiheng smiled and turned to leave.
After closing the door to the side room, Xinkai realized she had probably passed the second test. In the world of “Jianghu,” every monk was well-versed in all Buddhist teachings, and they would surely report her response to Xuan Kong.
If someone with a connection to Buddha and knowledge of Buddhist rituals entered the temple and could still refrain from leaving, then this task would become difficult.
She immediately calmed her mind, sat cross-legged on the edge of the bed, and began to practice her “Whole Heart Technique” to restore some of the internal energy lost during her rapid journey.
Time passed quickly…
After sitting in meditation for an unknown length of time, there was still no sign that Master Xuan Kong wanted to see her.
Xinkai wasn’t anxious. There was still some time before dawn.
Besides, although this task was good, it wasn’t something she absolutely had to complete.
With these thoughts, she became peaceful and serene. Under the influence of the incense, she closed her eyes, allowed her breath to flow, and immersed herself entirely in a profoundly mysterious state.
After what seemed like a long time…
Xinkai was suddenly awakened by noisy sounds outside the temple. She faintly heard people shouting and even drawing weapons outside. Frowning, she opened the door and stepped outside.
“Amitabha!”
An aged voice came from across. Under the dim light of the oil lamp, a monk wearing robes with gray beard stepped out of the darkness, looking very frail. His gaze was murky, yet it carried the endless peace and calmness of a person devoted to Buddha. “My Dharma name is Xuan Kong. I suppose you must be the person with a connection to Buddha that my disciple Zhiheng mentioned. Judging from your appearance and demeanor, you seem to be an outstanding individual.”
Master Xuan Kong slowly walked over, looking into Xinkai’s eyes with a calm and kind smile.
“Master, you flatter me.”

Thinking of the help the other party had given him in his past life, returning to the old place and reliving those moments brought him a profound sense of joy. Unconsciously, he fell under the other party’s charm and replied, “The donor claims to worship Buddha sincerely, but why has he practiced the internal cultivation techniques of the Quanzhen sect? What’s more strange is that at such late hours, he appears in the territory of Shaolin on Songshan. Could what’s in his hands be something the imperial court is hunting for?” Master Xuan Kong remained calm, but his successive questions exerted a subtle pressure on Kai Xin. Kai Xin forced a wry smile. Players who weren’t from Shaolin Temple seemed different from those in the previous mission scenarios. What should he do? In his past life, after Master Xuan Kong appeared, he merely gave some thought-provoking Buddhist teachings, after which the system indicated that his understanding had improved slightly. Unexpectedly, in this life, Master Xuan Kong’s attitude was completely different, even somewhat aggressive. Taking a deep breath, Kai Xin replied, “Master, I am a disciple of the Murong family. I came to Shaolin for various reasons and ended up here. As for this brocade box in my hands, it indeed belongs to the imperial court, but I seized it from a group of extremely vicious bandits…” “Hmm.” Master Xuan Kong stared intently into Kai Xin’s eyes, detecting no signs of lying, before nodding silently. “So you’re a young hero from the Murong family. No wonder you have such excellent manners.” A faint smile appeared on Master Xuan Kong’s face. “Back in the day, the former head of the Murong family, the elderly Mr. Murong, once competed with me in chess and discussed Zen here at Shaolin. His understanding of Zen was truly rare. No wonder, at such a young age, you not only possess a kind heart but also know many Buddhist scriptures by heart… Impressive, truly impressive. It feels like meeting an old friend today. If you’re not tired, you may go to the inner room and sit down to chat with me,” Master Xuan Kong said with a smile, gesturing toward the small door in the inner room. Kai Xin’s heart trembled violently—how could he pass this test?