Song of Adolescence

“The three greatest temples in the world, Shaolin, Baima, Yunlin… Though their names might resound across the world, when it comes to the greatest sect of Dhyana, the Snowy Peak Temple’s Master Wangyou has always been acknowledged as the strongest. It has been said that he alone managed to cultivate all the Six Higher Knowledges of Buddhism: Divine Eye, Divine Ear, Mind-Penetrating Knowledge, Remembering one’s past life, Higher Power, and Extinction of Mental Intoxicants.”

“Out of all of them, he was most accomplished in the Mind-Penetrating Knowledge. Worshippers who came to the Snowy Peak Temple only had to look at Master Wangyou, with no words spoken whatsoever, and they would immediately clutch at their chests and bawl. After crying, they would fall into a deep sleep, and upon waking up, experience a moment of revelation, freeing them from the shackles of the mundane.”

“He’s that powerful? Not even a single word?” Lei Wujie yelled in shock.

“It has been said that he had attained such a high level in the way of the heart that he was able to see through a person’s thoughts with a single glance, even change someone’s inner thoughts, all without saying a single word. Just like that, he would reform him.”

Wuchan nodded his head but his gaze suddenly turned stern. “This young master is correct. However, I’ve received news that the person transporting my junior martial brother is only Tang Lian, the senior disciple of Snow Moon City. The letter I received made no mention of either of you… Who might the two of you be, pray tell?”

“Me? I’m just the owner of a small inn. Small though it might be, many arrive who hail from the martial world; such rumors have long circulated in such circles. As for young master Lei over here, he owes me a sum of money. He’s rushing to Snow Moon City now, and as for me, I’m just accompanying him to ensure he doesn’t run away without paying. Who knew that we would run into Tang Lian on the way… Initially, I thought that this would be a leisurely trip, but here I am now, having almost lost my life once already.” Xiao Se lightly sighed.

“Xiao Se, you’re not done with your story yet. Since that Buddhist Master is so strong, how did he turn into a fallen monk?” Lei Wujie cut into Xiao Se’s introduction.

Xiao Se glanced at Wuchan, “May I talk about it?”

Wuchan clasped his palms together and said, “What you’re discussing has no bearing on this matter, Young Master may proceed if he wishes. After all, it isn’t appropriate for this disciple to comment on his master’s reputation.”

“Alright.” Xiao Se nodded his head. “Wangyou was proficient in all six Higher Knowledges. As such, despite his temple being a small one, there was no end to the visitors they received. However, two months ago, Wangyou went crazy after meeting with one worshipper.”

“Went crazy?” Lei Wujie widened his eyes.

“Wangyou suddenly leaped into the air and pulled out the wooden sword from the hands of the Dhritarashtra’s statue and beheaded that worshipper.”

“What?!” Lei Wujie sucked in a cold breath.

“After watching that grizzly scene play out from the outside, the other worshippers were so shocked that they turned around and ran. However, Wangyou came chasing from behind, being the martial arts master that he was, with sword dancing in hand, none were spared of the dozens outside the temple. When the Dharmapala rushed over to stop him, it was already too late. Even so, that Dharmapala wasn’t able to stop the rampaging master either.”

“Only when his direct disciple rush over did Wangyou throw down the sword in his hand. A sentence left his mouth then: with one thought, an immortal is born. With another, a demon is born. With that, Wangyou passed away in a seated posture while his corpse turned to dust and scattered in the wind.” Xiao Se turned his gaze towards Wuxin, “That was how the rumors went around the martial world. As for how his body turned into dust and scattered in the wind, that seemed like stuff of the legends. As for what really occurred, perhaps only those two masters will ever know.”

Wuchan lightly sighed again, “The rumors were right. When teacher passed away, his seated figure did turn to dust, the monks in the temple all bore witness to that. Everyone reached a conclusion that teacher’s ‘Mind-Penetrating Knowledge’ had breached even the Heaven’s secrets so he was devoured by his own knowledge. However, we later found out that what teacher cultivated wasn’t the Mind-Penetrating Knowledge, instead, it was the ‘Demonic Enthrallment’.

“Demonic Enthrallment? What kind of martial skill is that? I never heard of anything like it.” Tang Lian frowned and said.

Wuchan continued, “‘Through the Mind-Penetrating Knowledge’, one may see through the heart, allowing the user to comprehend the truth within. However, the human heart is a capricious one, without the Buddha in their heart, they will never be able to peer into the innermost depths of their heart. To begin with, it was impossible to achieve grand enlightenment in the manner that teacher employed: with just a single look. However, with the ‘Demonic Enthrallment’ martial skill, teacher is able to look into their inner demons rather than their inner heart. It can even cause one to remember things they might have forgotten. However, it’s a forbidden Buddhist art that was sealed away in the Rakshasa Hall of the Snowy Peak Temple. Venerable Teacher once said that when cultivating this sort of forbidden art, though one’s intent might be to subdue a demon, one might end up as a. With a single thought, one can fall from a Buddha to a demon.”

“One moment you’re talking about some Buddha, then it’s suddenly a demon in the next. How confusing. Whatever the case, doesn’t it mean that Master Wangyou went down the wrong path?” After listening to the explanation, Lei Wujie appeared as though he somewhat figured out was going on and yet didn’t at the same time.

“No. He saw too many inner demons, so he went insane.” Xiao Se droned.

“Xiao Se, don’t be rude!” Tang Lian immediately lectured the youth.

Wuchan shook his head, “It’s fine. Master Dajue of the Nine Dragon Temple said the same thing as well. He said that even though teacher has helped many people, he saw too many inner demons. In the end, he lured out the inner demons in his heart.”

“Since you are Master Wangyou’s disciple, why did you end up at the Nine Dragon Temple?” Lei Wujie asked.

“Junior brother Wuxin learned from master and trained in the six Higher Knowledges of Buddhism. As for me, I met a visiting Master from the Nine Dragon Temple who came to the Snowy Peak Temple to exchange pointers. He felt that I had some talent in the Vajra Demon Subduing Divine Skill and brought me back to Biluo City for training. Teacher allowed it and from then on, I’ve been living in the Nine Dragon Temple. Since then, it had been twelve years. I only met teacher thrice…”

“It’s not that Dajue felt that you had talent in the Vajra Demon Subduing Divine Skill, instead, Wangyou probably wanted to send you away.” Xiao Se suddenly said.

Wuchan slightly furrowed his brows and he asked, “I wonder what does young master mean by that?”

“The Vajra Demon Subduing Divine Skill is the number one external skill, those who cultivate it must be brimming with righteous aura, just like master over here. As for your junior martial brother, from the moment we met…” Xiao Se stopped for a moment. After sweeping his gaze around, he continued, “he felt like a right and proper fallen monk.”

Everyone present, including Tang Lian, nodded their head. That white robed monk had an extremely refined look, yet there wasn’t a trace of a monk’s appearance or calmness on his face. There was always that questionable smile on his face. His appearance really gave off the impression of the word, ‘evil’.

“If my guess is right, Wuxin doesn’t practice the six Higher Knowledges of Buddhism. Instead, he practices the Demon Enthrallment as well. Or should I say, all the martial arts from the Rakshasa Hall.”

Wuchan was shocked and a sigh escaped his lips. “Young master is correct.”

“I’m going to make another bold guess, Master Wangyou found a solution.”

“And what might that be?”

“Will the Buddha subdue the demon first, or will the Buddha turn into a demon first and then subdue that demon…” Xiao Se frowned slightly. “Oh right, what’s the reason for transporting Wuxin all the way here?”

“After receiving the news of how teacher turned into dust, Master Dajue implored Snow Moon City to deliver Wuxin to this place. He wants to gather all the masters from the surrounding thirty-two Buddhist countries to force the forbidden arts out of Wuxin’s body.”

“Won’t that cripple him?” Lei Wujie asked in a low voice.

“But, I heard that when junior martial brother Wuxin heard the news himself, he simply lied down in the Reincarnation coffin without expressing any thoughts about the matter.”

“Then why would the Outheaven Faction be interested in your junior brother?”

“Outheaven Faction? What’s the Outheaven Faction?” Wuchan shook his head, “Although the fact that junior martial brother practiced the Rakshasa Hall’s martial arts wasn’t widely known, there was no way to keep it a complete secret either. There will definitely be many people in the martial world who desire those skills. However, I wonder what is this faction, the Outheaven Faction, that young master speaks of? I’ve never heard of them.”

“The Outheaven Faction is…” Xiao Se was about to explain everything but his voice was interrupted by a sinister voice.

“Us.” The doors of the room swung open and a violet robed man stood there, staring at them with a dead look on his face.