Volume One: The Young Monk Returns to the Secular World Chapter Forty-Three: Xiao Yan's Silhouette
The young monk felt a dull ache in his heart. Had he overplayed his hand this time, and was this karma catching up with him?
Just then, a voice like a cooling breeze in the heat of summer surged unexpectedly into his mind.
“You foolish child, can’t you be a little more capable? Must you always end up like this every time...?”
The voice sounded suddenly from within the young monk’s body, colored with a profound sense of helplessness.
???
!!!!!
“Damn it! Save me!”
The young monk seemed to glimpse hope at last, as the gleaming sword tore through the air, rushing straight for his chest...
Fahai: Damn it... How did I provoke such a killer this time? Good heavens, Internal Power at twenty-eight layers? Hm? Now it’s twenty-nine? Are young people nowadays all so relentless?
At this moment, Chen Buqun had already discerned the expression on the young monk’s face, and it filled him with immense satisfaction.
The person whom even his elder brother could not defeat, he himself could vanquish.
Would this earn him extravagant praise from his father?
...
The young monk could only shrug his shoulders and mutter quietly, “What can I do? I’m helpless too... I just wanted to take a stroll through the pleasure quarters... Who would’ve thought I’d bump into an old enemy... So, old man, can you save me?”
Fahai: ...
“...”
The sudden silence made the young monk despair. “Say something...”
Fahai: This person must have suffered a mishap while cultivating, if he continues like this, he’ll die.
“Damn it... Shouldn’t you worry about me first? Whether he lives or dies, I don’t know, but if this keeps up, I’m the one who’ll die first...”
The young monk was on the verge of cursing.
Fahai: It’s simple. Someone who’s suffered a mishap in cultivation has forced all their internal energy into their dantian. You just need to help him release that energy.
“How should I do that?” the monk asked.
Fahai: Combine the Tendon-Changing Sutra with the Acupoint Technique, it’s an easy matter. Two methods—depends on whether you want him to live or die...
“How so?”
Fahai: If you want him dead, just strike his Immortal Bone acupoint, it’s very simple.
The young monk frowned but shook his head, “Go on.”
Fahai: You probably haven’t noticed, have you? He’s not stupid, but his Ren and Du meridians are innately blocked, which limits his internal power to fifteen layers, so he resorts to this self-destructive method... If you want him to live, it’s trickier... You have to infuse internal energy into his Changqiang acupoint, unblocking his meridians... But this method is dangerous for you as well. If you’re not careful, your own cultivation could be wiped out, or you could end up like him, dying from a mishap...
“Oh...” The young monk nodded, indicating his understanding.
Fahai: So, let me tell you where the Immortal Bone acupoint is.
“No need, you can shut up now.”
Fahai: You scoundrel! Use me and toss me aside... Should’ve let you die...
Fahai was so furious steam seemed to pour from his head... He had barely awakened, and nearly fainted again from rage...
Suddenly, the young monk’s expression became grave. He gripped the Dung Removal Treasure, adopting the opening stance of the Chen family sword technique—Swallow’s Return!
“Heh... Still trying to resist? Seven layers... Actually, you’re already quite impressive, but unfortunately...” Chen Buqun said softly.
“Look, Chen Buqun’s internal power has reached thirty layers, that’s terrifying...”
The martial artists gathered around exclaimed in astonishment.
“This really is the number one figure in the martial world. I’ve never seen someone eighteen years old with thirty layers of internal power... Even the greatest master, Li Bai, only had thirty layers at thirty...”
“You see, the young monk seems poised to counterattack, but his internal power at seven layers is far too weak...”
“Heh heh... The monk’s finished for sure, there’s no way he can strike back.”
...
The crowd buzzed with speculation, and even the storyteller whom the monk had once rescued was sweating nervously, hoping the monk would be all right.
Only one person, eyes glistening with tears, bit her red lips anxiously, watching Chen Buqun in the crowd, murmuring softly, “Brother... Please, nothing must happen to you...”
She was well aware of Chen Buqun’s blocked Ren and Du meridians.
She remembered her father, Chen Bufan, warning her time and again: unless absolutely necessary, unless life and death hung in the balance, never use the ‘Burning Life’ technique.
Once used, it would inevitably lead to a mishap in cultivation—at best, the meridians would be destroyed; at worst, the body would explode...
But seeing Chen Buqun’s internal power surge to thirty layers, Chen Shuwan knew that unless a miracle occurred, survival was impossible.
Thinking of this, her beautiful eyes turned toward the young monk, filled with hatred.
Why must you take my brother away?
“Swish...”
The young monk’s Dung Removal Treasure transformed into a long sword, spinning rapidly in the air, flying straight for Chen Buqun’s Immortal Bone acupoint...
Fahai: Ha, not bad, you even know where the acupoint is... Looks like this one’s doomed...
Chen Buqun snorted coldly, raising his hand to block.
Yet in that instant, the young monk moved, darting to Chen Buqun’s back...
“Wait... What are you doing???” Fahai instantly sensed something was wrong, shouting, “You’re not going to...”
“Heh...” The young monk chuckled softly, saying nothing, now beside Chen Buqun.
He pressed his index and ring fingers together and pointed directly at Chen Buqun’s Changqiang acupoint.
Fahai: You’re mad! You really are mad! This way, you’ll die too, do you know that? Did I not warn you about the odds of success?
“But...”
Fahai: He was about to kill you... Don’t tell me you truly want to be a hero? Bah!
“Heh...” The young monk only smiled bitterly, not responding.
Fahai: I just woke up, and you’re about to send me along with you—well done! To end up with you, I must be cursed...
“Hiss...”
The moment the acupoint was struck, Chen Buqun’s entire body convulsed, his internal energy becoming wildly chaotic.
The young monk’s face turned pale, feeling as though all his internal power was draining away...
Chen Buqun’s internal power also grew unstable, gradually decreasing.
The onlookers pressed forward curiously, and those with keen eyes soon discerned the mystery, one of them snorting, “Hmph, look... What’s happening? Chen Buqun’s internal power... Has he suffered a mishap in cultivation?”
“Indeed, I’ve read about this in books—it’s a sign of cultivation gone awry. But how could it happen? Did Chen Buqun practice forbidden techniques?”
“A scion of a famous sect, reduced to such a fate? The Chen Sword Sect really is beyond saving... I heard Chen Budiao was beaten to a pulp by a monk named Xiao Yan just days ago, and now Chen Buqun is practicing forbidden arts... Truly a family cursed by misfortune...”
“A disgrace to the martial world...”
The crowd began to curse and point.
“Shut up! None of you understand anything!” Chen Shuwan, tears streaming down her face, rushed into the crowd, trying to reach Chen Buqun.
“Stop! If you don’t want your brother to die, don’t move!”
Just then, the young monk’s voice rang out, loud and resolute, not allowing any argument.
“Oh...”
Chen Shuwan froze in place, staring at Chen Buqun, then at the young monk’s back.
She wasn’t foolish; she sensed something, but couldn’t be certain.
It seemed impossible—the young monk was just a foul-mouthed scoundrel, how could he...
Thinking this, she took a step forward.
“Didn’t you hear? Step back!”
The young monk’s voice came again, brooking no refusal.
Chen Shuwan halted, gazing at the monk’s back... She felt, strangely, that his bearing resembled her father’s—reliable...
Was it an illusion?
...
At that moment, the young monk’s face turned deathly pale.
“Pu-tsi...”
A mouthful of blood sprayed from his lips, his internal power instantly vanishing...
“Quick, call a doctor! What’s the monk trying to do? Is he trying to save someone?”
Someone in the crowd suddenly seemed to realize, shouting loudly.
“Yes, little beauty, don’t trust the monk; if you’re ill, find a physician... Why waste time here?”
Others joined in, jeering.
“...” Chen Shuwan still didn’t move. Her red lips quivered as if wanting to speak, but she ultimately chose to trust the young monk before her.
Yet she didn’t realize that her gaze toward the monk now held a hint of tender affection...
“Pu-tsi...”
The young monk vomited another mouthful of blood, sweat pouring from his brow like rain.
“Cough, cough...”
At that moment, Chen Buqun coughed softly, his body ceasing its convulsions, though his internal power had become extremely weak.
...
The young monk slowly withdrew his hand and sat down where he was.
Fahai: Astonishing... You... succeeded... But was it worth it? Your internal power has regressed by two layers—these past days of training wasted...
...
“Brother...” Chen Shuwan rushed forward, embracing Chen Buqun, crying out.
“Cough, cough...” Chen Buqun slowly rose, glancing around, and asked softly, “Shuwan, what happened?”
“Heh... Consider yourself lucky.” The young monk opened his eyes, though his internal power was spent, lacking even the strength to walk and so lay on the ground.
“Hm? You helped me?” Chen Buqun asked, puzzled, then began to circulate his energy...
But as soon as he tried to activate his internal power, his eyes widened in disbelief.
“This... My... My Ren and Du meridians! They’re open! Cough, cough, cough...” Chen Buqun was utterly stunned, gazing at Chen Shuwan, then at the young monk.
His feelings were complicated.