Chapter 55

Under the bright moon and sparse stars, the solitary figure illuminated the cliff, and Meng Qi, hiding in the dark, immediately recognized who this figure was.

Zhen Yong!

Although in recent days, Meng Qi had focused mainly on cultivating the Golden Bell Cover and his saber and lightness skills, and the Martial Monks' Hall was separated by many courtyards, making communication inconvenient, after resuming his studies in the Sutra Hall, he still encountered Zhen Yong every day, chatting casually and learning about the temple's trivial matters. Therefore, even though this figure was facing sideways, Meng Qi was still certain it was Zhen Yong!

What is he doing here at such a late hour?

Could there really be some earth-shattering secret?

Meng Qi thought with slight irritation, unwilling to get involved in any other matters that might expose his own secrets.

In the Shaolin Temple, he only wanted to be a quiet little novice monk.

It was with this mindset and the awareness that he was not yet a master that, during the last incident with Zhen Guan, he did not rashly explore the secret passage but returned directly and sent a signal.

The gray figure turned his head, looking around cautiously. The hazy moonlight illuminated his face, clearly confirming Meng Qi's judgment—he was indeed Zhen Yong.

Meng Qi held his breath, controlling his heartbeat, not wanting to draw Zhen Yong's attention. He hoped Zhen Yong would leave quickly so he could resume his patrol unnoticed. When Zhen Hui reported the matter to their master the next day, Zhen Yong's secret would naturally be uncovered.

This place was secluded and almost unknown. After habitually checking the surroundings, Zhen Yong took out a book from his robe and began to read it with a smile on his face.

The cold moonlight fell, and Meng Qi, who had already condensed six acupoints related to the Eye Aperture, noticed that the paper in Zhen Yong's book was yellowed, not the precious "Wood Flower Paper" used for writing secret manuals, but rather the inferior paper used by novice monks for copying and practicing calligraphy in the Sutra Hall.

"Could it be a book copied on ordinary paper?" Meng Qi speculated subconsciously.

Zhen Yong was so engrossed in reading that he muttered to himself, seemingly unaware of the need to leave quickly after doing something wrong, which made Meng Qi anxious.

He was not worried about his own inability to endure, but his young junior brother had never experienced such a situation. As time passed, he might become restless and make a sound.

Meng Qi slightly turned his head, looking at Zhen Yong. In the shadow, his face appeared dark, with a hint of curiosity, as he watched Zhen Yong intently.

"His focus is quite good..." Meng Qi silently praised.

After about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, Zhen Yong adjusted his stiff posture and accidentally knocked a pebble off the cliff, but no sound echoed back.

Startled by the movement, Zhen Yong reluctantly closed the book.

He did not dare to stay too long and reached out to feel outside the cliff.

After a while, his right hand returned with an oil paper package.

"The outside of the cliff must have a hidden crevice for storing things... quite concealed..." Meng Qi nodded thoughtfully.

Zhen Yong opened the oil paper package, which contained several books of varying thickness. He placed the one he was reading inside and wrapped it tightly again.

At that moment, a clumsy rat ran out of its hole, startling Zhen Hui, who stepped back.

Snap! The sound of a broken branch was particularly clear in the quiet night!

Thud! Zhen Yong's hand trembled, and the oil paper package fell to the ground. He looked back in shock and fear.

At the same time, his left hand instinctively reached out to the cliff.

"Who's there?" Zhen Yong asked in a low voice, seemingly not yet seeing Meng Qi and Zhen Hui.

Before Meng Qi could think of a response, Zhen Yong suddenly pounced, his left hand holding a sharp precept knife.

His question was a feint!

"His cultivation of the Qi Accumulation technique is complete; he has indeed been hiding his strength..." Seeing Zhen Yong's movements, Meng Qi sighed, his left shoulder sinking as he charged straight at Zhen Yong's blade without dodging.

Zhen Yong, who had set up a feint and launched a surprise attack, thought the enemy in the forest would not have time to dodge and could be killed in one move. However, he was shocked to see a figure not dodging but charging straight at the blade.

Clang! The precept knife hit like metal, and Zhen Yong, realizing the danger, hastily retreated.

At that moment, a blade of light came from an unexpected angle, difficult to dodge.

Zhen Yong gritted his teeth, his precept knife falling, and his body moving with the blade, narrowly avoiding Meng Qi's strike.

"Hmm..." Meng Qi was puzzled. Zhen Yong, in a hurry, had managed to dodge his "Blood Saber" technique. The saber technique he displayed was exquisite and extraordinary, with mysterious footwork, far from ordinary.

Zhen Hui stepped forward, his face calm and serene, his right hand forming a flower-picking gesture, exuding a transcendent aura.

Zhen Yong, knowing there was another enemy, was not surprised by Zhen Hui's attack. His face turned serious, and he blocked Zhen Hui's "Flower-Picking Finger" with his precept knife.

Then, he kicked at Zhen Hui with his right leg, his precept knife slanting and cutting down, aiming at Meng Qi.

This strike was so exquisite and mysterious that it gave Meng Qi the feeling of his three thousand烦恼丝 (troubles) being cut away.

This was definitely a terrifying saber technique! Meng Qi did not dare to be careless, his movements ghostly, each strike coming from an unimaginable place.

Zhen Yong, who had practiced his saber skills in secret and lacked combat experience, was quickly overwhelmed by Meng Qi's normal performance. After each strike, he felt the next one could come from anywhere, his body and mind gradually exhausted.

On the other side, Zhen Hui, lacking combat experience, lost his balance while dodging Zhen Yong's kick and stumbled to the side, nearly falling off the cliff.

"Ah!" He cried out, realizing he had knocked the oil paper package off the cliff, disappearing into the mist.

Meng Qi, seeing the narrow cliff and the difficulty of fully utilizing his footwork, and not wanting to delay too long and attract attention, took advantage of Zhen Yong's disarray and charged forward, using his chest to block the precept knife.

Clang! The precept knife cut through the monk's robe, leaving a white scratch, but the sound of metal was heard again.

Because of the full moon, Zhen Yong had already recognized Meng Qi as Zhen Ding and knew about his terrifying Golden Bell Cover. Therefore, he had aimed each strike at vital points and weak spots. However, he did not expect Zhen Ding's saber technique to be so strange and his fighting style so fierce and brutal, using his chest to block the precept knife before he could change his move.

Caught off guard, he had no chance to change direction!

Meng Qi, breaking through, placed the precept knife at Zhen Yong's neck.

Clang! Zhen Yong dropped the precept knife, assuming a non-resistant posture.

Zhen Hui stepped forward again, his "Flower-Picking Finger" sealing several major acupoints on Zhen Yong.

Meng Qi, not taking any chances, still held the precept knife to Zhen Yong's neck, signaling Zhen Hui to pull out his sash and bind Zhen Yong's hands behind his back.

"Junior brothers Zhen Ding and Zhen Hui, are you now reassured?" Zhen Yong's face was pale, forcing a smile.

Meng Qi said indifferently, "Senior brother, why resort to such sneaky actions?"

After being struck by the acupoints, Zhen Yong found it difficult to stand and sat cross-legged, his eyes turning. He said sorrowfully, "I cannot match the talent of junior brother Zhen Hui or the great achievements of junior brother Zhen Ding. To learn supreme techniques, I had to take this path. I do not want to waste my life in Shaolin, forever with the ancient Buddha, unable to experience the wonders of the world."

"Junior brothers Zhen Ding and Zhen Hui, for the sake of our friendship, let me go. From today on, I will reform and never do such things again. I will share the secret manuals I obtained with you."

His eyes were red, and he begged bitterly.

"Indeed, they are secret manuals," Meng Qi said with a half-smile, "Senior brother Zhen Yong, I do not know how an ordinary martial monk like you could obtain such supreme techniques."

So, don't try to deceive me with talk of not wasting your life.

Zhen Yong's face changed, and he sighed, "Because the great-uncle monk Kung Hui, who guards the Sutra Pavilion, has a hidden injury that flares up at a specific time every noon. I discovered this by chance and used the opportunity to copy the secret manuals, but I could only go to the third or fourth floor, unable to see the 'Inner Eighteen' supreme techniques."

"So that's why you befriended me and Zhen Hui back then," Meng Qi chuckled.

Zhen Yong frowned, not expecting his explanation to offend Zhen Ding and Zhen Hui.

"Moreover, where did you hear such a secret?" Meng Qi suddenly asked sternly, as Zhen Yong's heart was uneasy.

Zhen Yong shivered, closed his mouth, and shook his head.

Meng Qi did not want to delve deeper, fearing trouble, and said to Zhen Hui, "Junior brother, go to the nearby courtyards and shout for help. Remember, make sure everyone hears, not just one person."

During patrols, they were not equipped with signaling devices.

Zhen Hui nodded and was about to leave.

Seeing the situation, Zhen Yong said solemnly, "Junior brothers, do you know what secret manual I just put in the oil paper package?"

Seeing Meng Qi and Zhen Hui look at him, he said proudly, "The *Yi Jin Jing*!"

"What?" Meng Qi exclaimed in surprise. It was the *Yi Jin Jing*, one of the treasures of Shaolin, a miraculous technique that could transform the mundane into the extraordinary!

Since it was not a Dharma Body or Outer Scenario level technique, the *Yi Jin Jing* was always kept in secret, and its storage was surely well-protected. How could an ordinary martial monk like Zhen Yong copy it!

There must be someone behind him! Someone beyond my imagination!

"How about it? Forget this matter, and I will share the *Yi Jin Jing* with you," Zhen Yong said in a low, seductive voice.

Meng Qi did not want to get involved in such a terrifying matter, but he could not resist the value of the *Yi Jin Jing*, which was on par with Dharma Body techniques. His heart struggled, and he hesitated.

"Senior brother, senior brother, the oil paper package fell off the cliff..." Zhen Hui said weakly.

Meng Qi snorted, suddenly realizing he had been blinded by greed!

If he chose the *Yi Jin Jing* and let Zhen Yong go, the person behind him would surely find a way to eliminate them, and he would have no way to guess who that person was to prepare in advance.

What a pity... Looking at the misty, deep abyss, Meng Qi sighed. It was said that the bottom was filled with terrifying toxins, accumulated over countless years, where only a few highly toxic creatures could survive, requiring Outer Scenario level strength to explore.

"It fell... fell off..." Zhen Yong became dispirited.

Meng Qi signaled Zhen Hui to go and notify others quickly to avoid any unforeseen changes.

The appearance of the *Yi Jin Jing* was truly terrifying!

Zhen Hui rushed out to the nearby courtyards, and Meng Qi watched Zhen Yong, pacing back and forth, alert for any ambush.

After a while, Zhen Hui's shouts could be heard faintly, and Meng Qi finally relaxed.

After a bit more waiting, Zhen Yong, regaining his composure, made a final effort: "Junior brother Zhen Ding, although the *Yi Jin Jing* fell off the cliff, I read half of it and remember the opening cultivation content. If you let me go, I will recite it to you. In the future, you will definitely have another chance to see the *Yi Jin Jing*."

"And I will leave immediately, and no one will know. As for who to get the *Yi Jin Jing* from, I will tell you when I leave."

Meng Qi sneered, about to speak, when a black figure suddenly darted out of the forest and struck Zhen Yong's back with a palm!

Due to his relaxation, Meng Qi could not block it in time!

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