Chapter 4: The Nameless Holy Monk

It turned out that this wasn't the world of "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber" as Song Qing Shu initially thought, but rather a strange world.

Upon hearing Zhou Zhiruo mention Guo Jing and Huang Rong, the couple guarding Xiangyang, as well as Dongfang Bubai, the unparalleled master of martial arts on Mount Hua, and the former fearsome leader of the Khitan tribe, Xiao Feng... Song Qing Shu's expression was a vivid mix of emotions.

After various hints and probing, Song Qing Shu finally, with a peculiar look on his face, determined that this was a world constructed from the fourteen novels by Jin Yong (Louis Cha).

In this world, the struggle between the Song and Liao Dynasties had lasted for over a century with victories and defeats on both sides. Eventually, two Jurchen tribes emerged in the rear of the Liao Dynasty, the Blackwater Jurchens and the Jianzhou Jurchens. The Blackwater Jurchens established the Jin Empire, and after several major battles, they directly attacked the heartland of the Liao Dynasty. The Liao Dynasty was nearly wiped out, but fortunately, another Mongol tribe emerged on the steppe, and the Mongols began to attack the rear of the Jin Empire. The Jin Empire halted its attacks on the Liao Dynasty and turned its main force to deal with the Mongols.

Currently, the two nations were locked in a standoff in the Yellow River Basin, along the line of Chang'an and Tongguan. The Liao Dynasty was given a respite, holding on to the Shanxi and Inner Mongolia regions. However, a few years ago, the Liao Dynasty's Emperor Yelü Hongji gained the support of Xiao Feng, a warrior of godlike status. Coupled with an alliance with the Mongols, the dynasty showed signs of revival.

The Jianzhou Jurchens established the Qing Empire and conquered the Ming Empire, which was troubled both internally and externally. They occupied the vast territories of Liaodong, Hebei, Shandong, and Yangzhou.

As of now, the Han people's nation remained only the Southern Song Dynasty south of the Yangtze River, resisting the incursions of the Mongol cavalry with natural barriers.

Presently, the Mongols were the most powerful force. However, unifying the various Mongol tribes was a brutal struggle. Many of Genghis Khan's sons died in battle, and the current generation of leaders was scarce. Fortunately, the third generation, including the outstanding Sixth Prince Xuliewu, accompanied Genghis Khan in a western campaign against the Khwarazm Empire and the Eastern European Federation. Another army attacked the powerful Persia and the Arab states.

Genghis Khan's death left his deceased blood brother's son, the King of Ruyang, Chaghan, in charge of the western territories. He was responsible for pacifying the Western Regions, suppressing the Ming Cult, and containing the Hui tribes. He also acted as a counterbalance to the expansion of the Western Xia.

The Fourth Prince, Kublai Khan, led an army to conquer the Jin Empire along the line of Chang'an and Tongguan. The Grand Prince, Möngke Khan, led another army to attack the Southern Song Dynasty from Sichuan. After Möngke Khan's death, Kublai Khan absorbed his forces. Presently, Kublai Khan led an army to attack the Song Dynasty's Xiangyang in the south and the Jin Empire's Chang'an and Luoyang in the north. He was the most prominent among the Mongol princes.

The Seventh Prince, Ariq Böke, stayed behind to guard the Mongolian grasslands, keeping a watchful eye on the Qing Dynasty. However, the young Qing Emperor Kangxi was also a highly intelligent and capable leader. He stationed himself in Yanjing, and his subordinate, the Prince of Xing, Wu Sangui, defended Shanhaiguan. The Prince of Bao, Hong Li, was stationed in Shengjing, forming a three-pronged pressure on the Qing Dynasty. They also formed an alliance with the Jin Empire against the Blackwater Jurchens. Their momentum seemed to surpass both the alliance of Ariq Böke and the Liao Dynasty.

Of course, the Tubo and Dali, as well as other bordering states, were merely clinging to survival, and there was no need to go into further detail.

After digesting all of this shocking information, Song Qing Shu remained doubtful and fearful. Was this really the fusion of Jin Yong's fourteen novels' world? A sudden thought struck him, and he realized that there was someone at Shaolin Temple who could provide him with answers.

Telling Zhou Zhiruo that he was going for a walk, she casually nodded. Song Qing Shu chuckled to himself and muttered continuously as he walked, "This woman's feelings for her husband are truly weak. It seems only Zhang Wuji can stir emotions in her...". After a long time, he realized that his first priority was to heal his meridians and then survive in this chaotic world, not to indulge in jealousy over Zhang Wuji.

He arrived at the Shaolin Temple's scripture repository and explained his purpose to the guest monk Dao Ming. The monk recognized him as the husband of the Emei Sect's leader and treated him respectfully. After registering his intention to peruse the scriptures, he led him inside. "Song Xiaoxia, the temple always welcomes those with affinity to read the Buddhist scriptures. The first floor contains various versions of the scriptures, and you are free to peruse them. However, the martial arts texts are located on the second floor and above, reserved for our own sect's members. I hope you won't put me in a difficult position, as you are not a member of our sect,"

"You've put in effort, Venerable. I understand," Song Qing Shu responded politely. He knew the monk was being courteous. The second floor of the scripture repository was a restricted area of Shaolin Temple, guarded by formidable experts. Even if he weren't currently powerless, he wouldn't be allowed up there.

Song Qing Shu aimlessly perused the scriptures. His original intention was not focused on this task; he was just casually flipping through them while searching for a certain figure.

After wandering around for quite some time without finding the person he was looking for, disappointment clouded Song Qing Shu's face. He couldn't help but wonder if he had guessed wrong.

"Hmm?" Unconsciously, he ended up in a dim corner where he saw the words "Diamond Sutra." Thinking back to how the "Nine Yang Manual" had been hidden within it before, Song Qing Shu extended his hand excitedly and opened the scripture.

Despite knowing that Zhang Wuji had already learned the "Nine Yang Manual," proving that the scripture had been lost from the repository, he held onto a glimmer of hope. As expected, the pages were empty, and with a sigh of disappointment, Song Qing Shu closed the book.

"Namo Amitabha!" A Buddhist chant from behind startled Song Qing Shu, causing him to jump. Turning around, he found a gray-robed monk standing behind him, seemingly appearing out of nowhere.

The monk was dressed in the lowest-ranking attire of Shaolin Temple, holding a tattered broom. His stature was thin, and his appearance was withered. A few sparse, long white beard hairs adorned his face. To anyone's eyes, he was simply an elderly monk performing menial tasks, nearing the end of his life. Yet, to the complex mind of Song Qing Shu, he recognized the existence of this nameless holy monk.

"Greetings, Senior. Song Qing Shu pays his respects," Song Qing Shu offered a respectful bow.

"Hmm?" The nameless monk hadn't expected such deference from Song Qing Shu, and curiosity got the best of him. "This humble monk is no senior. I just noticed that Young Master Song has been wandering around the scripture repository, skimming through various texts. However, when you came across the 'Diamond Sutra,' you picked it up without hesitation. Yet, upon perusing its contents, you revealed a disappointed expression. Out of curiosity, I decided to reveal myself."

"Out of a sense of wishful thinking, I ended up discovering it was indeed a fantasy, which led to my disappointment," Song Qing Shu hesitated for a moment, explaining tactfully.

"I've been in the scripture repository for over forty years. If my memory serves me correctly, the 'Nine Yang Manual' was once hidden within this 'Diamond Sutra.' However, someone took it away later. May I ask if the item you're looking for is indeed that?" The nameless monk was genuinely intrigued. Song Qing Shu was quite young, yet he seemed to know the secrets within, and he appeared to be quite familiar with the monk himself.