Chapter 899: Flames Rise, Quest to Shaolin

The situation at Wengcheng wasn’t that simple!
The troops sent to assist the mining area were stunned from behind by a single strike before they could even settle in. Eight resource points were attacked simultaneously! Most of the troops were killed, and the rest were trapped in the mines. After a brief struggle, they gave up on breaking through and stayed inside instead.
When the news spread from Wengcheng, the First Rank Hall was in an uproar…
Eight resource points!
They had initially thought it was just a small group infiltrating to launch surprise attacks and distract the First Rank Hall’s attention from the grasslands. But judging from the strength displayed by the Mu Family, they must have sent at least a thousand men to breach their defenses.
A thousand men!
That was enough to pose a serious threat to the First Rank Hall’s rear and even cause massive damage.
“So many people entering the capital, yet the nearby branches show no reaction! We still have to rush there overnight to put out the fire! Damn it!”
The people in the First Rank Hall’s branches were furious.
But they had no choice but to help…
The incident happened suddenly; no one expected the Mu Family to go to such extreme lengths, risking the lives of over a thousand disciples to attack Wengcheng head-on.
The high-ranking members of the branches were killed or trapped, leaving the rear defense weak. Hundreds of Mu Family men invaded the branches, sparking chaos!
The astonishing wealth and resources of the Wengcheng branch were in peril!
This was the result of a week’s worth of accumulation—nearly 20 billion taels of silver in materials, along with equipment and pill ingredients stored over time…
Meng Yun, the leader of the First Rank Hall, issued strict orders, ordering all nearby branches to set out immediately! They must protect the resource warehouses of the Wengcheng branch at all costs!
“Hold firm!”
“Sacrifice everything to hold off the Mu Family men! We must not let them destroy the Wengcheng branch or get their hands on the resources in the warehouses!”
The people of the First Rank Hall went completely insane!
Those trapped in the mining area, upon hearing the news, began to break through desperately, rushing outward at all costs; even many of those who had died fought back against the Mu Family troops despite being injured…
…
The same thing happened in Aru City!
Lin Xiao led over 200 disciples from the Heroic Justice Gate. As Xiao Bei’s group started fighting against the First Rank Hall’s troops, they stormed into Aru City’s branch with unstoppable force!
Hundreds of men, like lambs ready for slaughter, were cut down by the skilled warriors of the Heroic Justice Gate like wheat in a harvest—completely unable to fight back.
“Brothers, hurry up!”
“The First Rank Hall’s men are coming back soon! Quick, grab the resources and get out of here!”

The moment the branch hall in Fen Tan collapsed without a doubt, Lin Xiao finally wore a satisfied smile and shouted loudly, “Aru City isn’t the end. We still have plenty to do. Hurry up and be quick!”
“Haha!”
“We’re gonna get rich this time!!”
“Your mouth is twisted from smiling so much. Let’s go.”
Under the envious gazes of countless martial artists, a group rushed out of the ruins of the Yipin Tang branch hall, summoned their mounts, and soon disappeared into the night.
…
Less than ten minutes after the branch hall in Aru City turned into ruins, the one in Toma Town collapsed right after it.
But those who attacked this place weren’t so lucky.
Over two hundred people were left behind!
A group led by core disciples of Yipin Tang happened to be escorting a convoy of mail carriages through Toma Town. Hearing the news, they attacked and cut off the Mu Family’s retreat.
Out of more than eight hundred people, only over two hundred remained; the rest scattered and fled…
As for those who died in the battle, they were under the watchful eyes of thousands of Yipin Tang experts, unable to leave the city at all. They could only stay in the inns inside.
“Hmph!”
“They raided our Yipin Tang branch hall!”
“Pretty bold of them…”
“I suggest you spit out what you swallowed. I’ll intercede on your behalf and let you join Yipin Tang. You can leave if you want… What do you say? Refusing? Damn it! Prepare to have your account deleted, kid. You’ll never be able to go back in this life.”
“Heh, I’d be an idiot if I gave it to you.”
The monitored people wore indifferent expressions, walking around the city, looking around, and occasionally going to inns for a drink. They showed no sadness from dying in battle or despair from being trapped.
From time to time, sarcastic remarks and threats from Yipin Tang disciples could be heard:
“…Don’t try any tricks, kid. We’ve written down your names. We’ll take turns watching over you 24/7 to see if anyone dares to save you.”
Angered, Yipin Tang became even more ruthless.
Since persuasion failed, they assigned several people to monitor each individual, keeping all these Mu Family disciples under surveillance, making it impossible for them to continue fighting.
After all, this was the heartland of the north…
If Yipin Tang wanted to, they could use plenty of manpower to keep watch over just two hundred people.
To break them completely.
It was a shame.
The Mu Family was stirring up trouble everywhere.
Apart from Kui Town, which had no resources left undestroyed, three branch halls were destroyed overnight, and the triple defense line set up by Meng Yun was also forced to crack open.
But this crack was deliberately left by Meng Yun…
It had to be done.
The Mu Family’s attack on Kui Town was expected.
But all the other actions were unexpected!

The branch altar in Aru City was captured by the forces of the Mu Family and the Xiyi Gate, resulting in losses of over a thousand people…
Those who appeared were Lin Xiao from the Xiyi Gate and Xiao Bei from the Mu Family.
Each of them led a group of elite fighters who did not join the main force in the breakout, which caused Meng Yun great concern.
Moreover, the two showed no concern about exposing their whereabouts; they destroyed Aru City right away and then, guided by Master Zhou Yi, headed to the other two branch altars of the Mu Family…
…
In addition, the huge losses in the Weng City left Meng Yun heartbroken and filled with dread!
The actions of the four major factions of the Mu Family seemed strange; it didn’t seem to be just a simple breakout…
The elites from the Xiyi Gate and the Mu Family appeared in other areas in batches.
Aru City and Toma Small City…
The locations of elites like Lin Xiao and Xiao Bei were evidence of this.
Why did these people stay behind?
And then there was that group of over a thousand infiltrators…
Over a thousand skilled fighters from the Mu Family had silently slipped deep into the interior!!
It was like a sharp knife inserted not far from the heart.
Meng Yun didn’t dare to focus all her efforts on those three defensive lines at this time, allowing the forces of the Mu Family and the Xiyi Gate to continue destroying her branch altars.
Many resources had already been drawn away from those three defensive lines…
At this point, it was inevitable that the forces of the Mu Family outside the defenses also began to gather and mobilize in an unusual way, leaving no time to attend to the rear.
The interior was now extremely dangerous in the face of these elite fighters from the Mu Family and the Xiyi Gate.
Besides…
Of course, there was an even more important reason!!
Meng Yun’s current location…
…
One night passed quickly…
…
Songshan Shaolin!
The beacon fires of Yipin Hall spread across the entire north.
While the disciples of Yipin Hall were busy dealing with the elusive enemies, this ancient temple stood tall and majestic, its Shaolin monks seemingly living in a utopia separate from the martial world.
A pair of young man and woman with distinguished appearances, wearing straw hats, looked like a fairy couple from a painting. They led tall and graceful mounts, slowly climbing up the mountain from the foot, looking leisurely as if walking in a painting, completely free from the haste typical of those in the martial world—yet they seemed more like true martial artists than anyone else.
On and off the mountain…
Shaolin monks practicing basic skills by leaping and climbing, as well as lay disciples using lightness techniques to move swiftly from rooftop to rooftop, all turned to glance at this pair whose faces were hidden.
If it weren’t for their expensive mounts, many might have regarded them as fictional characters and rushed over to trigger hidden quests.
“After traveling all this way, Shaolin is still the most comfortable…”

The young lady’s voice was gentle and charming, inspiring an involuntary fondness in others and a desire to lift her veil and see her true face: “It seems even more peaceful here than in other places, with less of a sense of the martial world.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the young man beside her laughed heartily:
“Of course.”
After a pause, ignoring the surprised looks around him, he said, “The entire north is in chaos right now, but Shaolin remains quiet and peaceful. After all, it’s a place apart from the world. Shaolin’s serenity helps people calm their minds and focus better on practicing Buddhism and meditation… That’s why Shaolin monks, as long as they stay in the temple for a long time, carry this same serene aura that makes people feel comfortable.”
“That sounds somewhat reasonable.”
The girl looked at him in surprise: “How do you seem to know everything…”
“Of course. I’ve been here before.”
The young man sighed deeply, seemingly moved.
“Okay, then let me test you.”
“Sure.”
The man agreed to the challenge.
The girl had an idea: “Tell me, why do Shaolin monks carry water up the mountain every day? I’ve seen many of them on the verge of exhaustion…”
“That’s simple.”
The young man smiled slightly: “Shaolin martial arts are renowned for their strong foundation in lower body strength. Carrying water up the mountain helps train basic foot strength, arm strength, and physical resilience. Doing this every day seems to improve arm strength, physical foundation, and movement skills at the same time. Among the seven major sects, four gangs, and three schools of thought, although it’s the most strenuous, it also builds the strongest foundation and is the most effective way to improve strength.”
Hearing this, some of the monks carrying water by the road seemed to understand, while others showed disdain.
At that moment, the young man’s voice rang out again: “But the last time I was here, few people persisted in carrying water. Today, there are many more—probably because of what Xianzhi said earlier.”
“Oh?”
The young woman beneath the veil tilted her face slightly, showing an attentive expression.
“To stand out, one must first build a solid foundation… If Shaolin monks can persevere in their hard training for a while, their achievements won’t be inferior to those of ‘Rongsen,’ who has immense strength on the list of extraordinary people.”
Upon hearing this, the Shaolin monks around them became excited, showing expressions of amazement.
“How do you know that?”
“Haha, Buddhism speaks of reincarnation. Maybe my past life was as a Shaolin monk.”
“You mean your past life was as a monk?”
“Shaolin monks, as well as lay disciples, can get married.” The young man took the delicate girl’s hand; she tried to pull away but couldn’t.
Seeing this, the Shaolin monks around them all smiled kindly and hurried away.
However…

No sooner had he spoken than the sound of a zither playing like flowing water came from a pavilion not far away. Though melodious, it disrupted the tranquility of the mountain path. A man of distinguished bearing and kind features played the zither while casting a mysterious smile at the young man and woman standing there: “Would you two be interested in listening to a piece from me?”