Chapter 64: All Things Arise from Causes and Conditions

Looking at Ning Wan-Jun, Huo Yuan-Zhen said, "The first character of the first sentence, the second character of the second sentence, the third character of the third sentence, and so on. The first five sentences, when connected, form the phrase 'at the high place of Shao-shi Mountain.' And when you add the last sentence, 'The relic of this life remains,' it means that the relic is located at the high place of Shao-shi Mountain."

Seeing that Ning Wan-Jun was struck with astonishment, Huo Yuan-Zhen smiled and said, "Miss Ning, did I say something wrong?"

"Ah! No, Abbot, you're absolutely right. Wan-Jun never thought you would figure out the key so quickly."

"Since it's at the high place of Shao-shi Mountain, Miss Ning must think that the highest place is the military stronghold on Mount Yu, where our Shaolin Temple is located. However, the highest point is actually in the back mountain. If you want to go there, you will need to pass through the Shaolin Temple. That's why you came to Shaolin, hoping that Tie-Niu and that tiger would stay behind and help find the relic's location."

"Abbot, actually Tie-Niu doesn't know anything about this, but that tiger, Da-Huang, is very intelligent. It always seems to find special things. I left Da-Huang behind because I hoped it could lead me to the relic. But I suspect the relic won't be placed out in the open. That's why I wanted to wait for the right opportunity. I believe Da-Huang will be able to find the relic's location when I return, and then I can retrieve it."

Huo Yuan-Zhen nodded, thinking to himself that the tiger, Da-Huang, who was always sneaking around eating pills in the back mountain, might not be able to complete the task of finding the relic.

"Is this relic so important to you, Miss Ning?"

Ning Wan-Jun hesitated for a long time before speaking, "I was betrothed to someone by my father since I was young. He is a disciple of a martial arts sect, but I really dislike him. A few years ago, he was poisoned with cold poison, and he has been relying on his elders to help him with internal energy to survive. To cure the cold poison, he needs to wear a precious item with the purest Yang energy for a long time. The relic of the ancient monk Kong-Yin is a powerful Yang-based technique, so his relic should be able to cure the cold poison."

"So, you want to treat the man you don't like?"

"At first, I didn't want to help him, but he knows about his poor health and hopes to get married soon to have children. But I don't like him at all, so I can't marry him. We made a pact that if I can cure his cold poison within three years, he will agree to break the engagement. That's why I've been trying so hard to find a cure."

"I see!"

Huo Yuan-Zhen understood now. Ning Wan-Jun had come to Shaolin because of this.

Huo Yuan-Zhen thought for a moment and said, "Miss Ning, if I may offer my humble opinion, you don't need to be too anxious. Many things can't be obtained just by worrying. Since there is a relic in the back mountain, it won't just disappear. Wait a few days, and I will go to the back mountain to search. You can stay nearby, and I will inform you when I find something."

Ning Wan-Jun thought for a moment, then said, "Abbot, that's fine. But I worry that the people from Wutai Mountain may find the relic before us."

"Don't worry, they won't be able to find it."

Huo Yuan-Zhen already had a good idea of where the relic might be. The highest point of the back mountain was near the large rock by a cave, but the relic certainly wouldn't be hidden inside the rock. If the relic really existed, it was most likely in that cave.

But if it was in the cave, Huo Yuan-Zhen was sure that no one could easily retrieve it, including himself, because of the strange old man guarding it.

However, since Ning Wan-Jun came with so much hope, Huo Yuan-Zhen didn't want to disappoint her too much, so he said, "Miss Ning, you shouldn't place all your hopes on this relic. Not only is there a possibility that it may not exist, but even if it does, it might not be able to cure the cold poison. There are many methods to treat cold poison in this world."

"The poison he's afflicted with is the cold poison of the Qing Ming Divine Palm. This technique is the unique martial art of the Tianshan Shura Sect in the Western Regions. He's practiced it for decades, and it's not easy to undo."

"All things in the world, whether they are born or overcome, can be solved. There is no poison that cannot be cured, no matter how difficult. It's just a matter of finding the right method."

Huo Yuan-Zhen spoke a few empty words, then continued, "I noticed that when you entered this tower, your brow seemed to shine, and your appearance became radiant. It's a sign that your fortune has changed. The troubles that have been bothering you should soon be resolved. I congratulate you in advance."

Upon hearing this, Ning Wan-Jun felt a sense of joy in her heart.

After several attempts at testing, and given how Huo Yuan-Zhen had always acted mysteriously and cleverly, Ning Wan-Jun was increasingly convinced of his wisdom. When she heard his words, she naturally felt that the problem was about to be solved.

Curiously, she asked, "So, what other methods are there to undo the cold poison of the Qing Ming Divine Palm?"

Without a second thought, Huo Yuan-Zhen answered, "The Nine Yang True Qi can cure all cold poisons."

Ning Wan-Jun's eyes immediately sparkled, and she said to Huo Yuan-Zhen, "Abbot, do you mean the Nine Yang True Qi from the legendary Nine Yang Scripture?"

Huo Yuan-Zhen was taken aback. He hadn't expected anyone here to know about the Nine Yang Scripture. He himself didn't know it, so how did Ning Wan-Jun know about it? The first volume of the Nine Yang Scripture was created by the Dharma Ancestor. How did Ning Wan-Jun come across this knowledge?

"Miss Ning, you've heard of the Nine Yang Scripture?"

"Yes, the Nine Yang Scripture is a legendary martial arts treasure. It's said that a hundred years ago, someone managed to practice it, but he wasn't proficient in it. In a fight against the White-haired Blood Demon Ding Bu-Er, he was killed. However, it was the first time Ding Bu-Er had ever been injured, and it was a serious injury. That man didn't learn the Nine Yang Scripture completely, so it shows how powerful this martial arts is."

Huo Yuan-Zhen was stunned for a moment, then said, "Have you heard of the Nine Yin Scripture, the Buddha's Palm, the Finger-Snapping Divine Skill, the Star-Absorbing Technique, the Sunflower Manual, or the Military Book of Wu?"

Ning Wan-Jun thought for a moment, "I've heard of some, but not all. I haven't heard of the Buddha's Palm, the Sunflower Manual, or the Military Book of Wu."

Huo Yuan-Zhen was truly shocked now. He hadn't expected that in this world, there were people who had heard of the legendary martial arts techniques he had known in his previous life.

Of course, there were many techniques he hadn't mentioned, and there were likely many others that Ning Wan-Jun hadn't heard of. In any case, this world was not as simple as he had imagined. Even with the Abbot system in his hands, which allowed him to learn the world's best martial arts, he didn't have to worry about not having opponents in the future.

After thinking for a moment, Huo Yuan-Zhen recalled hearing about the White-haired Blood Demon Ding Bu-Er many times before. He asked Ning Wan-Jun, "What kind of martial arts does the White-haired Blood Demon practice, and how powerful is he?"

"The White-haired Blood Demon Ding Bu-Er is a rare genius. He practices the Blood Shadow Divine Technique. When he masters this technique, his hair turns white, and he wears a blood-red robe. He has a violent and strange temperament and has killed countless people. He is an enemy of the righteous path. The top ten martial artists of the righteous sects once fought him together on the peak of Mount Tian, but they were unable to defeat him. He eventually managed to escape, and since then, his whereabouts have been unknown. Whenever he appears, blood and death follow. However, no one knows why he disappeared in the end."

After saying this, Ning Wan-Jun looked at Huo Yuan-Zhen, "The Nine Yang Scripture is only a legend. I can't be sure it exists, so for now, I can only place my hopes on you, Abbot. I hope you can find a way to solve this problem for me."

She bowed deeply again.

Huo Yuan-Zhen couldn't help but feel a little burdened. Was this task now his responsibility?

But since he had to maintain his image, he could only say to Ning Wan-Jun, "All things in the world are governed by cause and effect. All things arise from causes and conditions, and when conditions end, the law ends. My teacher, the great monk, often said this. Since you have made a vow with him, you will naturally face some challenges in resolving it. But as long as your heart is determined, there will be success one day."

Ning Wan-Jun lowered her head in respect. "Thank you for the Abbot's guidance. I will leave the mountain and stay at an inn nearby. Every day, I will come to Shaolin to burn incense and pray. I will also wait for the good news from the Abbot."

Huo Yuan-Zhen smiled without speaking, but in his heart, he thought, "You can burn incense and pray all you want, but aren't you going to make a donation? After all, as the Abbot, I've advised you many times. You should at least give a little token of appreciation."

But unfortunately, Ning Wan-Jun seemed oblivious to this. Maybe she thought that since she was dealing with a high monk, money would be disrespectful, so she didn't bring it up at all.

It wasn't until Ning Wan-Jun left the Ten Thousand Buddha Tower that Huo Yuan-Zhen sighed deeply.

"Women are so petty and stubborn. Even if you think I can't accept it, you should at least offer a little something out of courtesy. Who knows? I might just take it."

Without realizing it, night fell. Huo Yuan-Zhen shook his head and sighed as he left the Ten Thousand Buddha Tower. After locking the door, he was about to head back when he suddenly saw two dark figures sneaking from a distance, moving toward the back.

"Who are they?"

At night, there were few people at Shaolin, and Huo Yuan-Zhen knew everyone. Most of the monks were resting after a long day of training. It was unusual for anyone to be out walking at such a late hour.

Suspicious, Huo Yuan-Zhen hid in the shadows and quietly observed. Under the dim moonlight, he recognized the two figures as Pu-Hang and Pu-Yin.

The two monks from Wutai Mountain were acting very suspiciously, sneaking along the corners of the walls, looking every which way as though they were in the middle of a theft.

"You two, you barely won a match and now want to do sneaky things at Shaolin? The relic is not something you can touch!"

Since hearing about the relic, Huo Yuan-Zhen had no intention of handing it over. That relic, like the pills in the cave, was his. Even the Southern Shaolin wouldn't take it, let alone these two monks from outside.

"They're heading to the back mountain. Even if they don't find the relic, they might discover the cave. I can't let that happen. I have to follow them."

Having made up his mind, Huo Yuan-Zhen used his lightness skills to follow the two monks stealthily, like a shadow, as they made their way toward the back mountain.