Hong Kong films: Starting from Shaolin Temple

Page 194

Chapter 143 Maoshan Path Door

Isabella's mental attack served as a signal, bringing the already tense atmosphere within the Oolong Courtyard to its peak. Everyone understood that the opposing "civilized" patience had run out, and a real attack could be launched at any moment.

However, to everyone's surprise, the next day, instead of the vampire's minions, Wulong Temple was greeted by an uninvited guest.

He was a young man who looked to be no more than twenty years old.

He wore a faded blue homespun robe and cloth shoes, and carried a bulging satchel about half his height on his back, its contents unknown. Most striking was the peach wood sword slung across his back; its blade was ancient and covered with fine cinnabar runes.

The young man had delicate features, even a somewhat cynical air, and a faint smile always played on his lips. He walked slowly and deliberately up to the gate of Wulong Temple, nodding with interest as he looked at the two dilapidated wooden doors and the "Wulong Temple" plaque hanging above them.

"Tsk tsk, the feng shui of this place is quite interesting." The young man muttered to himself, "The dragon vein energy gathers here, but it is surrounded by a yin energy, forming a 'trapped dragon's trap. However, within this trap, there is a pure and righteous Buddhist light that forcefully resists the evil energy, creating a situation of dragons and tigers fighting. Interesting, truly interesting."

He was engrossed in watching when Uncle Da came out of the yard with a broom. Seeing the unfamiliar young Taoist priest, he was startled at first, then warily demanded, "Hey! Who are you? What are you doing here?"

These past few days, everyone in Wulongyuan has been on high alert, and any stranger will trigger their extreme vigilance.

The young Taoist priest turned around, grinned at Uncle Da, revealing a set of white teeth, and clasped his hands in a Taoist salute: "Greetings, sir. My surname is Zhang, and my given name is Ling. I have been traveling and came here, and I saw some unusual phenomena in the mountains, so I came to pay my respects. May I ask... if the abbot of this place is here?"

"Host? Our hosts are busy!" Uncle Da said irritably, thinking to himself that this was just another charlatan trying to freeload.

"Oh?" Zhang Ling raised an eyebrow, not angry at all. He simply looked past Uncle Da and towards the main hall, and said loudly, "Zhang Ling, the 78th generation disciple of the Maoshan Sect, requests an audience with the masters in the temple. I have come not for worldly matters, but solely for the 'Zhen' character!"

His last words, though not loud, seemed to have a penetrating power, clearly reaching the ears of everyone in the hall.

Inside the main hall, Long Yan, Master Zhihui, and Master Changmei, who were meditating, opened their eyes at the same time!

The character “镇”!

That was a beacon left by Tsuchimikado Ryūkō! This young Taoist priest was also from the "inner world"! Moreover, he revealed his origins—the Maoshan Sect!

In the esoteric traditions of Taoism across China, the name "Maoshan" holds a pivotal position. They are renowned for their demon-slaying and talismanic arts, and are one of the most combat-effective sects in Taoism.

“Senior brother, this…” Master Long Eyebrows looked at Master Wisdom, somewhat unsure of what to do.

The wise master pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "What is meant to be will be. Since the other party has already made their intentions clear, ignoring them would be impolite. Let them in."

With permission granted, Uncle Da reluctantly led Zhang Ling in.

As soon as Zhang Ling stepped into the courtyard of Wulong Temple, his eyes lit up. He first glanced at the simple Buddhist restrictions hastily set up by Master Zhihui and Master Changmei in the corner of the courtyard, nodded, and then shook his head.

"The Buddhist barrier is dignified and upright, but unfortunately, it was set up too hastily, its foundation is unstable, and it is full of loopholes," he muttered to himself.

When Master Long Eyebrow heard this, his old face immediately turned red, and he felt somewhat embarrassed.

Zhang Ling entered the main hall, his gaze immediately locking onto Long Yan. He looked Long Yan up and down, his eyes filled with curiosity, like a child seeing a new and exciting toy.

"Are you the 'Golden Container'?" Zhang Ling asked directly, without any respect.

"This humble monk, Long Yan, greets the Daoist Master." Long Yan clasped his hands together and responded calmly. He could sense that this seemingly carefree young Daoist possessed a pure and sharp spiritual power within him, like a sharp sword hidden in its sheath.

“Long Yan…a good name.” Zhang Ling smiled, casually pulled a gourd of wine from his bag on his back, and took a sip, acting as if he were one of the guests. “I went down the mountain to train, passing through Hong Kong. I originally wanted to find a few ignorant wandering ghosts to practice on, but instead I sensed a soaring Buddhist light and an extremely disgusting smell of blood lingering on this mountain. Then I noticed that the Tsuchimikado family’s ‘suppression’ character had been erected. This is interesting.”

He shook his gourd and continued, "I don't get along with those fake Taoist priests in kimonos, and I can't stand those Western zombies hiding in coffins. As the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Great monk, I see you're in quite a bit of trouble here. Do you need my help?"

These words stunned everyone present.

They thought another opportunist had appeared, but to their surprise, the other party offered to help.

Master Changmei asked with some skepticism, "Daoist Master... is this really true? Our Buddhist and Taoist schools have never had any dealings before, so why would you offer your help?"

“Hey, old man, you’re right to say that.” Zhang Ling waved his hand. “We didn’t have any dealings before, but now we’ve run into each other, haven’t we? Besides, we Maoshan disciples take it upon ourselves to subdue demons and monsters. Those Western vampires have come to our Chinese territory and are running wild. I’ve run into them, how can I just ignore it? This is called having a duty to protect our land!”

His words were full of heroic spirit, but his eyes darted around Long Yan, his expression clearly saying, "I'm very curious about your strength."

The wise master, a man of great stature, saw through the other party's true intentions at a glance. He smiled slightly and said, "Daoist Master, your righteousness is admirable. However, that vampire countess is powerful and her methods are unpredictable. Daoist Master is alone, I'm afraid..."

“Ah, Master, you don’t understand.” Zhang Ling interrupted him, saying confidently, “When dealing with these evil spirits, the number of people is not important; what matters is the right method. Your Buddhist sect emphasizes ‘compassion’ and ‘saving all sentient beings,’ which may be powerful, but lacks the killing intent. Our Taoist sect, on the other hand, emphasizes ‘following the natural way’ and ‘acting in accordance with the circumstances.’ We have plenty of professional methods to deal with demons.”

As he spoke, he walked outside the hall, pointed to the invisible malevolent aura surrounding Wulong Temple, and said, "For example, she used her spiritual power to tempt this young girl's inner demons. You used Buddhist chants to suppress them, but that only treats the symptoms, not the root cause. As for me, I only need a 'Heart-Clearing Talisman' to make her mind clear and immune to all evil."

He then pointed down the mountain: "She cut off your food supply and besieged you, trying to throw you into disarray. You can certainly practice abstinence and cultivation, but that's ultimately a passive defense. I, on the other hand, can take the initiative and break her trap."

Zhang Ling turned around and looked at Long Yan, his eyes flashing with a challenging light.

“Great monk, I know you are strong. But strength alone is not enough. How about we make a bet? I’ll bet on whether I can break the trap she set up at the foot of the mountain tonight. If I win, you won’t accept my favor for nothing; you’ll tell me in detail about the origin of that Arhat’s golden body to satisfy my curiosity, how about that?”

Chapter 144 Taoist Techniques: Palm Lightning

Zhang Ling's bet, like a pebble, broke the tense silence in the hall.

His proposal was direct and frank. Although it had a clear purpose, it also exuded a sense of open and honest confidence, which made it impossible for people to feel any ill will towards him.

Looking at the spirited young Taoist priest before him, Long Yan pondered for a moment before slowly nodding: "Very well. If you can truly break this predicament, I will tell you everything I know without reservation."

"It's a deal!" Zhang Ling clapped his hands and laughed, appearing extremely excited. He winked at Long Yan, "Just you wait and see!"

Having said that, he said no more, put his bag on the ground, and took out his "treasures" one by one.

Curious, the crowd gathered around, only to find that what he pulled out was not some glittering magical treasure, but some very down-to-earth things: a bundle of red thread, a packet of cinnabar, several blank yellow talismans, a small compass, and even a sword strung together with copper coins.

"This...this is the Taoist priest's magic weapon?" Uncle Da stared in astonishment, unable to resist asking in a low voice. He seemed to have seen similar things at the stalls on Temple Street.

Hearing this, Zhang Ling said without looking up, "Uncle, don't underestimate these things. Everything has a spirit; the key is how to use it and who uses it. In my hands, a red thread can bind the souls of a thousand miles away; a handful of copper coins can slay demons of a hundred years."

As he spoke, he took out a yellow talisman, dipped a brush in cinnabar, held his breath, and his wrist moved swiftly. His movements were fluid and seemingly casual, yet they contained a unique rhythm. In a short while, a talisman, with its flowing strokes and profound aura, appeared on the paper.

“This is a ‘Tracing Talisman’,” Zhang Ling explained to the crowd, holding the talisman between his fingers. “If that vampire wants to besiege Wulong Academy, she must have set up a key point at the foot of the mountain as the fulcrum of her power. This key point is both the source of her evil magic and her weakest link. As long as it is broken, this ‘trapped dragon’s trap’ will naturally collapse on its own.”

He walked outside the hall, tossed the "tracking talisman" into the air, and chanted, "Laozi, may your command be swiftly fulfilled! - Search!"

The talisman spun in the air and spontaneously combusted! It transformed into a streak of red light, like a bird imbued with sentience, and flew swiftly down the mountain without hesitation!

"Keep up!" Zhang Ling shouted in a low voice. With a swift movement, his steps seemed slow, but in just a few leaps, he had already covered several feet. This was the Taoist superior lightness skill, "Shrinking the Earth to an Inch".

Long Yan, Master Zhihui, and the others immediately followed. They were all cultivators, so their movement was naturally swift. Guided by the red light, the group quickly traversed the mountains and forests, heading towards the depths of the dense forest at the foot of the mountain.

As night deepened, the mountains and forests became eerily gloomy.

The red light finally stopped in front of an exceptionally dense black pine forest, hovered for a moment, and then turned into sparks and dissipated into the air.

The group stopped in their tracks. The pine forest before them was unnaturally dark. Even the moonlight seemed unable to penetrate the dense foliage. The forest was deathly still, devoid of any insect chirps or bird calls, and filled with a faint, nauseating, sweet-smelling odor.

"This is it." Zhang Ling's expression turned serious for the first time. He took out a small compass from his pocket, and the pointer on the compass was spinning wildly out of control, making it impossible to determine the direction.

“What a powerful ‘yin-nourishing site’!” Master Zhihui said with a solemn expression. “The magnetic field of this place has been completely disrupted, and the yin energy is condensed and cannot be dispersed. If this continues, it will not only cut off the life of Wulong Temple, but also affect the surrounding residents, making them plagued by diseases and endless misfortunes. What a vicious method!”

"Heh, that's all the tricks Western zombies can pull," Zhang Ling sneered. "They hide their heads and tails, afraid to face you head-on, and only know how to use these low-down tricks."

As he spoke, he took out a small Bagua mirror from his bag and said to everyone, "You all wait here and do not act rashly. This forest has been set up with a maze. Those who do not know how to do it will only lose their way and be corrupted by the Yin energy. I will go in, break the core of the maze, and then come out."

“Daoist Master, this humble monk will go with you,” Long Yan said, stepping forward.

Zhang Ling glanced at him, thought for a moment, and nodded, saying, "Alright. You are protected by Buddhist light and are immune to all evil, so you have nothing to fear following me. I'll let you see the methods of our Taoist school."

The two walked side by side into the black pine forest.

The moment I stepped into the forest, the surrounding scenery seemed to transform instantly. The forest path that I could still see before vanished, replaced by identical black pine trees in all directions, making it impossible to distinguish east from west. The sweet, pungent smell in the air grew stronger, mixed with seductive, decadent music that kept creeping into my mind.

0 ······Requesting flowers·· ··

Long Yan recited the Heart Sutra, and a faint golden light emanated from his body, shutting out the decadent music.

Zhang Ling chuckled, pulled a talisman from his pocket, slapped it on himself, and shouted, "Cleanse your mind!"

Those decadent songs had absolutely no effect on him.

Holding a Bagua mirror, he moved through the forest using the faint light reflected from its surface. His steps seemed random, but in fact, each step landed on a peculiar direction, which was the Taoist "Gangbu" (罡步).

"Found it!" After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Zhang Ling suddenly stopped and pointed to the thickest ancient pine tree in front of him.

Under the roots of the ancient pine tree, the soil had been turned over, and something was stuck in it.

... ..... ...

It was a black rose in full bloom, its color vibrant and luscious.

The rose's color was darker than the deepest night, its petals still adorned with glistening dewdrops, exuding a deadly allure. Meanwhile, the malevolent energy of the entire pine forest was being continuously absorbed by this black rose, and through some mysterious connection, it was suppressing the fortune of the Wulong Temple.

This is the core of the formation!

Just as they discovered the black rose, its petals seemed to come alive, unfolding layer by layer. A female consciousness filled with resentment and rage erupted from the flower!

"You ignorant Eastern worm... how dare you... destroy my garden..."

It's Isabella's voice!

With her roar, the surrounding pine trees shook violently, and countless dark shadows emerged from the tree trunks and the ground, transforming into faceless shadow monsters wielding sharp claws, roaring as they pounced on the two of them!

Seeing this, Zhang Ling was not surprised but delighted, and laughed loudly: "Well done! It's just the right time for me to stretch my muscles!"

He tossed the Bagua mirror into the air, and a beam of golden light shot from its surface, freezing the surrounding space. At the same time, he drew his peach wood sword from his back, pointed it at the heavens, and shouted:

"Nine Heavens Mystic Might, transform into divine thunder! The majestic might of heaven, drawn forth with the sword!"

In an instant, the weather changed dramatically! A blinding bolt of lightning appeared out of nowhere, slashing straight down from the tip of the peach wood sword!

"Thunder in the Palm!"

With a roar, lightning exploded, instantly obliterating the shadowy monsters that had pounced at the front! (Blade)

Chapter 145 The Buddha's Light Shines Everywhere, the Power of the Arhats

A flash of lightning, like a sharp sword piercing the deep darkness of the night.

Zhang Ling's "Palm Thunder" move revealed a formidable strength completely different from his carefree exterior. Its majestic power, supremely yang and unyielding, was the greatest nemesis of such sinister forces.

The shadow monster struck by the lightning didn't even have time to scream before it turned into smoke and vanished. The remaining monsters seemed to be intimidated by the power of the heavenly lightning, their attacks faltering, and they let out fearful roars.

"A bunch of mindless puppets, how dare you be so presumptuous in front of me!" Zhang Ling held a peach wood sword, the tip of which crackled with electricity. His aura suddenly changed, and he became like a thunder god descending to earth, majestic and awe-inspiring.

However, the black rose in that eye shone brightly at this moment. Isabella's furious intent swept over once more.

“Lei Fa… is an Eastern Taoist… very good… “653”… since you’ve come to me yourself, then let’s all become nourishment for my garden!”

Before the words were even finished, the ground of the entire black pine forest began to tremble violently, as if an earthquake had struck. The soil churned, and thick, thorny black vines burst forth from the earth!

These vines seemed alive, their tips splitting open to reveal grotesque mandibles resembling those of carnivorous plants. They swarmed in from all directions, like pythons hunting their prey, sweeping wildly towards Long Yan and Zhang Ling!

The shadow monsters were just an appetizer; these enchanted plants, nurtured by Isabella's magic, were the real killer move in this "shady land"!

"Damn! You can't take this anymore, huh?" Zhang Ling was taken aback. He swung his peach wood sword repeatedly, sword energy crisscrossing, severing several nearby vines. But those vines were extremely resilient; black sap gushed from the cuts, and they quickly grew back, their numbers increasing, almost blocking all their escape routes.

"Great monk! Just watching isn't enough!" Zhang Ling shouted at Long Yan while dealing with the rampant vines. "Where's your Buddha's Light? Hurry up and unleash your ultimate move! Otherwise, we'll be done for today!"