Chapter 83: The Deadly Trap in the Cave

After a few days of recruiting, Shaolin saw a significant drop in the number of applicants. In the end, only a handful of people decided to join the monastery. The fact was that not many people wanted to become monks, and Shaolin's recruitment process was strict. After five days, they had taken in thirty-six martial monks and twenty scholarly monks.

Seeing the dwindling numbers, Huo Yuan Zhen paused the recruitment. Quality was more important than quantity. A large number of recruits would be difficult to manage and could lead to a mix of talents. He decided to focus on the first batch, hoping to create a positive cycle before expanding further.

He passed on the Zui Ba Xian staff technique to Hui Wu, instructing him to master it first. The others were focused on the basics—running, fetching water, chopping firewood—tasks that combined both labor and foundational martial arts training. After finishing their work, they practiced stances like the horse stance, and techniques like Iron Head Skill. In the evenings, they also studied Buddhist scriptures. The days were busy and fulfilling.

The scholarly monks, on the other hand, focused on the Dharma. After acquiring the Earth Store Sutra, Yi Kong immersed himself in it, teaching others during the day and researching it late into the night, to the point where he often forgot to eat or sleep.

Shaolin's activities began to take on a healthy, disciplined rhythm. If nothing unusual happened, Huo Yuan Zhen believed that within three years, he could turn Shaolin into the most powerful sect in the surrounding provinces.

However, the peaceful days didn't last long. On the night of September 5th, the Golden-Eyed Eagle delivered word that Ming Xin had made a move in the back mountains.

Huo Yuan Zhen quickly left his room, taking the Broken Heaven Sword with him, and quietly headed towards the back mountains. He had been waiting for Ming Xin to make a move. If Ming Xin stayed still, there was nothing Huo Yuan Zhen could do, but now that Ming Xin had acted, there might be an opportunity.

Ming Xin was headed towards the cave. Yi Yin was acting as his lookout, hidden in the grass to prevent anyone from interrupting Ming Xin. But with the Golden-Eyed Eagle's excellent night vision, Huo Yuan Zhen was able to easily avoid Yi Yin's surveillance. He quietly moved behind him, getting closer to the cave.

In the darkness, Huo Yuan Zhen was only about thirty meters away from Ming Xin. He dared not get any closer and lay low in the grass.

Ming Xin stood at the cave entrance, speaking into the darkness, "Du Lao Guai, the corrosion agent has been fully prepared. Apply it to the cold iron chains, and within an hour, they'll become brittle and break. With your strength, you'll be able to free yourself."

From inside the cave, an elderly voice, Du Lao Guai, responded, "Ming Xin, I know you have bad intentions. You just want to take all the pills for yourself. Why else would your master and disciples not come? Are you trying to fool me?"

"I've told you already, my master and disciples are all dead. It's just me left. As for the pills, you can only give them to me. Besides, I'm the only one who can let you out."

After a moment's hesitation, Du Lao Guai spoke again, "Fine. I've had enough of these cave days. Just hand over the corrosion agent. If it can rot the chains, I'll give you all the medicine in the cave."

"Heh, Du Lao Guai, before I give you the corrosion agent, shouldn't you show some sincerity? Take out a gourd of the Great Rejuvenation Pills. Don't say you don't have them. My master Kong Fan and you agreed on two gourds of the Great Rejuvenation Pills, twenty gourds of the Small Rejuvenation Pills, and three thousand sets of healing ointments. It must be all there."

"The Great Rejuvenation Pills are precious. First, show me the effectiveness of the corrosion agent, and I'll give you the pills."

Ming Xin threw a small amount of the corrosion agent into the cave. It was a viscous substance, but had begun to solidify.

Du Lao Guai took it and, after a while, the sound of surprise came from inside the cave. "It really works! The cold iron chains are starting to show signs of corrosion. Hurry up and give me the rest!"

Ming Xin seemed to forget about the Great Rejuvenation Pills, and tossed the remaining potion into the cave.

After another while, Du Lao Guai sounded anxious. "No, no, this batch is too hard. It doesn't cover the chains properly. We need to soften it!"

"There's not enough material. Make do with it," Ming Xin replied lazily from outside.

Du Lao Guai, seemingly panicking, suddenly said, "I've got it! I have fire stones here. We can heat it up to soften it."

Huo Yuan Zhen's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this and thought to himself, This is bad.

Ming Xin had even neglected to ask for the Great Rejuvenation Pills, likely due to impatience. What was he in a hurry for? It must be to deliver the corrosion agent to Du Lao Guai quickly.

And Du Lao Guai, being an expert in alchemy, should have been able to detect any flaws in the agent, but since he hadn't, it meant the potion was likely of high quality. Now, hearing Du Lao Guai's words, Huo Yuan Zhen realized that the agent was too hard to apply to the chains and needed to be heated.

Something was definitely off, but Huo Yuan Zhen couldn't figure it out right away. He decided to stay hidden and wait for things to unfold.

Soon, a faint glow appeared inside the cave as Du Lao Guai started to heat the potion. Ming Xin stood silently at the entrance, seemingly waiting for something.

A few minutes later, Du Lao Guai suddenly screamed, "Ah! It's poison!"

Inside the cave, Huo Yuan Zhen heard Du Lao Guai's furious shouts. "Ming Xin, you are so vicious!"

Ming Xin, still outside, laughed loudly. "Du Lao Guai, it's your fate! This potion is corrosive on the outside, and on the inside, it's a blend of Hua Gong San and Soft Bone San, colorless and odorless. It's hard to detect, but when exposed to heat, it reacts. It leaves the victim weak and unable to use their internal energy for several days. I thought you would fall quickly, but it seems you've lasted longer than I expected. Is it because your skills are so deep, or you're too focused?"

"Damn you, Ming Xin! You just want the pills, don't you? You wouldn't do this to me otherwise!" Du Lao Guai's voice was weak now.

"I want the pills, but you're not fooling me. Isn't your senior disciple Kong Yin's relic hidden in this cave? Is it on you?"

Du Lao Guai fell silent for a long while before replying in a faint voice, "You know about this?"

"Of course I do. Thirty years ago, when the battle on Shaoshi Mountain happened, my master Kong Fan and your senior disciple Kong Yin fought together. You were on their side, but during the battle, your mistake led Kong Yin to be injured while saving you. In the end, Kong Yin died from his injuries, and his relics were left in this cave."

After a long silence, Du Lao Guai muttered, "Thirty years…"

"You're guilty of that, aren't you? My master blamed you for that and locked you in this cave to atone for your cowardice, making you live in regret forever. Am I right?"

"You're right, it's my fault, but things are not as simple as you think."

"Enough!" Ming Xin interrupted. "I don't care about your old grievances. Thirty years have passed. The old are old, the dead are dead, and no one cares anymore. I'm here for the pills and Kong Yin's relics. Once I have the relics, I'll gain influence over the sect and take over as abbot…"

Realizing he had said too much, Ming Xin shut up and changed his tone. "Du Lao Guai, stop struggling. You've lived for thirty extra years thanks to Buddha's mercy. Just hand over the relics. Otherwise, you'll suffer a painful death. If Buddha is pleased, he might even let you die with a full corpse."

Du Lao Guai's voice was barely audible now, but he managed to reply, "I'd rather burn the relics in the pill furnace than give them to you, you disgrace of Buddhism!"

Hearing this, Ming Xin growled, "You dare!"

Suddenly, the sounds of fists and palms clashing filled the cave. After a few dull thuds, Ming Xin's hoarse voice cried out, "Du Lao Guai, you're despicable!"

Du Lao Guai's voice was faint, but he laughed weakly. "Ming Xin, you're still so foolish after all these years. You think fire can burn Kong Yin's relics? You're the one who's been tricked. Even if you came, I would've held on, but you were too stupid to realize it. Now that you've rushed in, you've only made it easier for me to strike."

"You're wrong, Du Lao Guai! Though I'm hurt, killing you is as easy as pie. Your poison will not stop me!"

"You're already poisoned, Ming Xin. Your hand is already turning black, isn't it? I used a five-step snake's venom, along with other poisonous herbs, to make this poison. You've already been poisoned in the confrontation. No antidote. Ha! Even if I die, I'll take you with me!"

"Ah! I've been poisoned! How could this be? The poison's so powerful, I can't control my internal energy! Damn you, you old bastard! I'll skin you alive!"

Ming Xin screamed in fury, his voice hoarse, on the verge of madness.

"It's time!"

Having kept an eye on the situation, Huo Yuan Zhen finally saw his chance. He drew the Broken Heaven Sword from his back, its cold light flashing like autumn water in the dark. With a swift movement, he leaped from his hiding spot and rushed straight towards the cave.