Chapter Fifteen: Abbot Tripitaka

“Impudent thief, prepare to die!” Although Sun Meng had no weapon in hand at that moment, the innate level of true energy and the body forged through arduous training were the finest weapons he possessed.

The members of the Black Fox Gang were startled by Sun Meng’s sudden appearance, and before they could react, several of them were already sent flying by his kicks. With a flick of his foot, he snatched up a blade dropped by one of the gang members. Unleashing the Dominator Blade technique, he dispatched all nearby adversaries with ease; none could withstand him, and every one of them was thrown aside.

At that moment, Elders Xuanfeng and Zhaozhen shook their true energy, snapping the ropes that bound them and swiftly knocked out the guards at their side.

Now, all twenty-odd Black Fox Gang members left behind had fallen. Sun Meng’s blows were lethal, while the elders only inflicted heavy injuries, causing their opponents to lose consciousness.

Sun Meng tossed the blade aside and smiled at the two elders. “It’s been a long time, Elder Xuanfeng, Elder Zhaozhen. How did you end up in such trouble?”

“Hmph! You brat, you’ve been lurking nearby from the start, haven’t you? If you truly want to help, come with us. Otherwise, go your own way!” Elder Xuanfeng said, preparing to pursue the mysterious figure. His temperament was straightforward and somewhat irascible, though he was a good man at heart.

Elder Zhaozhen looked at Sun Meng. “Shaotan, I know you may still resent the Abbot, but circumstances are dire. If the Crown Prince falls into the hands of the Black Fox King, he could threaten the Emperor and obtain the second volume of the Power Codex. No one in this realm could stop him then! The fact that you stepped in to save us proves there is still justice in your heart, isn’t there?”

Sun Meng had always intended to use this opportunity to reshape his image in the eyes of the Shaolin monks; there was no way he would simply walk away.

“Elder Xuanfeng, you jest! No matter what, Master Sansang taught me everything I know.”

With that, the three quickened their pace. In the Spider Cave, the Black Fox Gang members guarding the path were terrified by the charging swarm of giant spiders and scattered in panic.

The Black Fox King glanced at Abbot Sansang standing atop the black spider, and seeing Sun Meng and the two elders nearing, snorted coldly and transformed into a black whirlwind, departing swiftly.

“Master, it’s been a long time,” Sun Meng said upon returning to the main road.

Sansang looked at Sun Meng. “Shaotan, I didn’t expect to meet you here.” The abbot showed little emotional fluctuation. “Let me introduce you—these are the new lay disciples: Tang Xiaolong, Chen Xiaohu, and Hua Xiaolan.”

Sansang introduced the three children, who appeared to be in their teens but already possessed strength nearing the peak of post-celestial achievement. Once they opened their meridians, they would break through to innate level.

Yet Sansang sensed these youths already harbored their own unique martial will—a prerequisite for ascending to the rank of master. Like Sansang himself, whose martial will was the lion. Thus, he could not tolerate some of Shaotan’s past deeds.

“Are they your new disciples? I never imagined you’d take in a female student—that’s a first for Shaolin Temple,” Sun Meng remarked.

Sansang replied, “Xiaolan is an exceptional child, and I think this experiment is worthwhile. To think you’ve been away from Shaolin for so many years, yet your skills haven’t diminished.” With his keen eyes, the abbot could easily gauge Sun Meng’s current prowess.

“I still have a long way to go!” Sun Meng said. “Since I live in Kaifeng, why don’t you come to my home tonight for a reunion, Master?” He recalled his two tasks; dealing with the three youths would be easy, but confronting Abbot Sansang was tricky. He could not win in a direct fight and would have to rely on stealth or persuade Sansang to concede.

“Can your home accommodate all of us?” Elder Xuanfeng shot Sun Meng a glance.

Sun Meng gave an awkward chuckle. “Actually, I’ve encountered some difficulties in my cultivation and wish to seek your guidance, Master.” He looked at Sansang, a hint of challenge in his eyes.

In Shaotan’s memory, when he was expelled from Shaolin for practicing the Shadow Seizing Technique, Sansang defeated him using that very skill. The meaning was clear—he wanted another contest with Sansang, using only the Shadow Seizing Technique.

Although the technique was permitted, it was not mainstream, and Sun Meng believed Sansang’s mastery was not profound. Coupled with his earlier display of goodwill, there was a chance Sansang would show mercy.

Having completed the escort mission for the prince and apprehended the traitorous prime minister, Shaolin had left a favorable impression on the Emperor this time.

That night, Sun Meng practiced the Shadow Seizing Technique as Shaotan would have, awaiting Sansang’s arrival.

Moonlight spilled through the window onto the floor. A shadow leaped over the wall—it was Abbot Sansang’s silhouette.

Sun Meng’s shadow stood up as well, bowed to Sansang’s shadow, and launched the first attack. Since shadows could not wield inner energy, combat relied solely on fists, feet, or shadow weapons. After a bout of martial arts, Sun Meng realized Sansang was not seeking victory, but was countering each move, occasionally highlighting flaws in Sun Meng’s attacks without actually striking him.

Clearly, Sun Meng’s daytime conduct and words had gained Sansang’s favor. While not fully accepted yet, it was a promising start.

Next came the contest of weapons, but Sansang refrained from using any, remaining empty-handed. From Shaotan’s own mastery of staff techniques to Sun Meng’s skills acquired in the trial world, the duel lasted until dawn.

Sansang’s shadow made several gestures and then departed. At that moment, Sun Meng received a system prompt—he had completed the mission to defeat Abbot Sansang. Clearly, the system judged Sansang’s voluntary withdrawal as a loss.

Stretching lazily, Sun Meng felt he had profited greatly. Otherwise, he would never have had the chance to properly digest the myriad martial concepts learned in the trial world. Though not fully mastered yet, he was now proficient in the most commonly used ones.

Lastly, Sansang’s gestures conveyed: “You may return to Shaolin Temple, but only as a guest monk.”

A guest monk is a form of relationship between monks and temples, typically referring to wandering monks temporarily residing and living at a temple. However, anything he did must not harm the temple’s reputation or interests; a violation meant expulsion, and no temple would accept him thereafter.

For Sun Meng, this was an excellent beginning. He also noticed that the three children were now Sansang’s main concern, though he did not know why.

This meant the three youths were still growing, and as long as he helped them, he would surely earn Sansang’s forgiveness in time.

As for the second part of the first mission, it was ready to be completed at any moment.

“It seems I may have to spend several months in this world, perhaps until the examination,” Sun Meng said, gazing at the screen.

“We have preliminarily restored favorability. We will update plans for the contestant as needed,” red characters floated by, and Sun Meng breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, he was not alone; with the support of countless experts from Earth, he could go further in such unfamiliar circumstances.

He traveled with the Shaolin group for two days, returning to the temple familiar from Shaotan’s memories. Clearly, compared to the Shaolin Temples of previous worlds, this one was much humbler. The mountaintop complex had only a dozen or so buildings, and several villages at the foot of the mountain, mostly where lay disciples lived.

Along the journey, Sun Meng learned the background of this mission in detail. The Black Fox Gang was created after the demonic Black Fox King, sealed a thousand years ago, was revived. Yet the millennial seal had greatly weakened him, and now his aim was to seize the complete Power Codex.

Shaolin’s upper volume had already been stolen, but the lower volume was protected by mysterious forces, its whereabouts unknown. The three children were the reincarnations of three martial monks from ages past.

Under the guidance of psychology experts and others from Earth, Sun Meng succeeded in becoming the coach and caretaker for the three unruly children, guiding them through daily basic training.

Half a month later, he completed the first main quest, only to witness the incredible troublemaking abilities of these three brats!