Chapter 61: Buddha's Heart, Iron-Willed

Upon hearing the abbot's orders, Su Can, who had been leisurely lingering in the back, was startled. He couldn't believe it and asked, "Abbot? What did you say? You want me to go up against that person?"

"Yes, it's you."

Su Can immediately made a bitter face, "Abbot, this isn't right. That person can jump onto the ring with ease. How can I possibly handle someone like that?"

"I wasn't planning for you to fight him."

Su Can was confused. If the abbot didn't want him to fight, then why did he need to go up?

The abbot smiled and waved for Su Can to come closer. "Come here."

Su Can hurried over, and the abbot whispered a few words in his ear. Su Can's face lit up with excitement, nodding repeatedly and patting his chest. "Don't worry, Abbot! This is my specialty. I'll get the job done."

"Go ahead!"

Su Can straightened up and walked towards the ring with determination.

Arriving at the ring, Su Can spat a few times into his palm.

The crowd watched in anticipation to see how Su Can would get onto the stage. After all, how one climbed onto the ring often revealed their martial prowess.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Su Can let out a loud shout, then jumped up, soaring nearly two feet in the air before grabbing a pillar with both hands and feet, starting to climb up.

The crowd burst into laughter. This Shaolin disciple was certainly amusing, coming up with such a unique way to get on stage.

On the ring, the furious Jian He Yuan, known as the "Sword of the Jiangnan Four Swords," scowled. Sending someone like this to face him was an insult.

He immediately decided that once Su Can reached the stage, he would kick him off without hesitation.

After a struggle, Su Can finally made it to the stage, first bowing in all directions, then turning to face He Yuan.

"Sir, my skills are modest. I only know three moves. If you can block these, then I'll admit defeat."

He Yuan had originally intended to strike immediately, but hearing Su Can's words, he sneered, "You think you can even touch me?"

"Well, you'll find out soon enough!" Su Can shouted, and with a swift motion, he dashed forward and threw a punch at He Yuan's chest.

He Yuan squinted, casually sidestepping and dodging Su Can's punch.

Not wasting any time, Su Can followed up with a high kick, leaping gracefully into the air.

He Yuan took a small step back, watching Su Can's leg slice through the air.

Su Can shouted again and closed the gap, extending both hands and slamming them forward.

Impatient, He Yuan waved his hand and easily deflected both of Su Can's strikes. "Are you done with your three moves yet?"

Su Can retreated a few steps, his face serious. He clasped his hands and said, "Alright, I admit your skills are above mine. I've lost this round."

After speaking, Su Can turned around and sprinted off the stage before He Yuan could react.

The crowd stared in disbelief. That was it? They had barely exchanged a few moves before Su Can admitted defeat.

Back at the shelter, Su Can reported to the abbot, "Abbot, I've completed my task."

The abbot nodded, "Well done, at least it wasn't too embarrassing."

He Yuan had won the match, but the people at the Fawang Temple were not pleased. They had already seen through the Abbot's strategy. This was clearly a "Tian Ji's horse racing" tactic, sacrificing a weaker fighter to secure an advantage for later.

Those who understood the situation were many. Not far away, two Taoists sat at a tea stall, observing the match. Despite the dense crowd, no one dared approach them.

The younger Taoist said, "Senior Brother, it seems like Shaolin is done for. With the Four Swords of Jiangnan here, they have no one who can resist them."

The older Taoist shook his head. "No, this is intentional. Shaolin is throwing away this round on purpose."

"You're saying they're deliberately losing? But there are only nine rounds. They can't afford to lose one casually."

"Junior Brother, you can't just look at the surface. The Shaolin Abbot has everything planned out. And it's not like they don't have experts. At least, I can't see through the old monk by his side. Besides, the abbot himself is definitely a top-level master."

The younger Taoist chuckled. "Senior Brother, you overestimate him. How old is he? Just because he became the abbot doesn't mean his martial skills are high. We didn't see the fight with the North Desert Twins, so who knows how it really went?"

The older Taoist shot him a glare. "What do you know! The North Desert Twins are not so easily defeated. You can't even compare. And did you notice? This abbot seems to have some similarities with the mysterious monk our Third Brother mentioned."

The younger Taoist froze. "You mean the monk with martial arts that reached the state of perfection? He must be at least a congenital expert! How could it be this abbot?"

"There's something similar, at least. Our Third Brother said the monk was young, too."

"Senior Brother, if that's the case, Fawang Temple may not win. Shaolin is definitely our biggest threat. We should eliminate them as soon as possible."

The younger Taoist's eyes flashed with a hint of killing intent.

"Don't rush. The Four Swords of Jiangnan aren't just for show. Let them fight it out first. No matter who wins or loses, Fawang Temple is no longer a threat. As for Shaolin, even if they win, it won't be easy for them. We'll proceed cautiously and observe them closely."

The younger Taoist nodded. Then, he glanced at a nearby carriage and said to his Senior Brother, "Senior Brother, the woman inside that carriage seems extraordinary."

"Know that she is extraordinary, and don't think of doing anything foolish."

The younger Taoist looked around before grinning. "Haha, Senior Brother, she's really tempting. Although her face is veiled, I can tell from her figure that she must be a great beauty."

"Junior Brother, the Daoist tradition doesn't prohibit companionship, but we are still monks. Be cautious. Besides, you know she's not an ordinary woman. Look at how her carriage is surrounded by at least ten martial artists, dressed differently but clearly hiding their true identities. Their positions are well thought out, blocking any direct approach. They are clearly bodyguards. That woman must not be touched."

Hearing the elder's words, the younger Taoist sighed but didn't argue.

The elder Taoist continued, "Stop thinking about these distractions. Right now, the most important thing is to determine if this Shaolin Abbot is the same monk our Third Brother saw. Find him quickly. If he is, we must deal with Shaolin immediately. We cannot let such a threat live."

The younger Taoist agreed, albeit reluctantly, before leaving, occasionally glancing toward the carriage.

Another loss for Shaolin, but no one seemed worried. They waited quietly for the Abbot's orders.

The score was now two to one. If they lost again, things would be dire. This time, the Abbot was more cautious.

He, Guanshan Yue, and Yue Shan had to be used strategically to turn the tide. Even if they won, they would only have four victories, so this round was crucial.

While deep in thought, Yijing approached the Abbot. "Abbot, let me take this round."

The Abbot looked at Yijing but said nothing.

"Abbot, if I go up, even if the Four Swords of Jiangnan send another person, it will be worth it even if I lose."

"What if it's not one of the Four Swords?"

"If it's someone else, I might still win!"

Hearing Yijing's firm tone, the Abbot was moved.

For a long time, Yijing had been the one he cared for most. He had trained him in both the Iron Head Skill and Dragon Elephant Bodhisattva Skill. Though Yijing had not studied internal martial arts, his combat ability was strong. The Abbot decided to let him try.

"Be careful. If you feel like you're losing, retreat."

Yijing nodded and walked toward the ring.

Fawang Temple decided to send Chen Ding to fight Yijing. After all, two of the Four Swords had already fought, and they couldn't waste another on Yijing. They believed Chen Ding, at least in mid-stage, had enough strength to handle the challenge.

Seeing Yijing step up, the Abbot intended to watch, but then he noticed Iron Bull was missing.

He looked around but couldn't find him. When he glanced toward the crowd, he saw Iron Bull, who had quietly moved toward the carriage.

The Abbot was puzzled. What was Ning Wan Jun trying to make Iron Bull do now?

Although Iron Bull was the Abbot's trusted aide, there was no guarantee he wouldn't betray Shaolin.

The Abbot wanted to know but decided against investigating. He had a strange feeling that following Iron Bull wouldn't yield any answers.

He stood firm, his mind calm like iron.

Ning Wan Jun had miscalculated.