80s Shaolin Abbot

When Yue Shan woke up, it had already been three days.

However, when he regained consciousness, there was no one around.

His wounds had scabbed over, and he found himself lying on a wooden bed in an unfamiliar environment.

Rubbing his head, Yue Shan tried to recall the events before he lost consciousness.

He had fought fiercely against the disciples of Mount Song, but in the end, he was defeated. However, he vaguely remembered a monk rescuing him.

Now, looking around, he noticed the clean and elegant surroundings. There were Buddha statues, meditation cushions, prayer beads hanging by the wall, and Buddhist scriptures nearby. Everything around him suggested he was in a monk's quarters.

Moving his arms and legs, he felt some pain, but Yue Shan didn't mind. He gritted his teeth and climbed out of bed, heading for the door to figure out what was going on.

He pushed open the door, leaning against the frame as a fresh breeze greeted him.

The environment outside was serene, with towering pine trees and lush cypress. The ground was paved with smooth blue stones, stretching out in front of him.

In the distance, a majestic pagoda soared into the sky. Yue Shan looked up, feeling a little dizzy.

"Where is this place?"

Leaving the room, he walked forward but didn't see anyone.

Suddenly, a bell rang in the distance, its sound clear and resonant.

"This bell... It sounds like the one I heard a couple of days ago when I arrived in Dengfeng. People said it was the bell of Shaolin Temple. Could it be that I'm in Shaolin?"

From far off, the sound of synchronized footsteps reached his ears. A group of around forty people appeared from the front courtyard, marching past him toward the back.

The leader was an old monk, who glanced at Yue Shan and smiled but didn't stop. He led the group of young monks, dressed in black, into the back.

Yue Shan wanted to greet the old monk and ask about the situation, but the monk didn't stop. The group only grew more distant.

"I have to follow them and see," Yue Shan thought, ignoring the pain in his body. He stumbled after them, determined to catch up.

The monks weren't moving particularly fast, and Yue Shan, being tall with long strides, was able to keep up, though they didn't make any effort to speed up.

After a while, when Yue Shan caught up, the group had stopped by a lake.

The forty monks stood in an orderly line, the old monk at the front, preparing for a practice session.

"Hah!"

The old monk suddenly shouted and executed a powerful "Black Tiger Steals Heart."

"Hah!"

The young monks behind him shouted in unison and followed with the same move, their movements synchronized and full of energy.

Yue Shan watched with great interest from a distance. While the younger monks were average, the old monk gave off an impressive aura.

"Hah!"

The old monk performed another strike, "Rhino Watches the Moon."

"Hah!"

The black-clad youths followed suit with the same move.

The punches became faster, and the old monk continued to command them.

"Shape the form!"

The monks followed, performing a "Double Wind Strike."

"Move the circle!"

They then did a "Moon Embrace" move.

"Practice the way!"

The monks executed "Double Clashing Palms."

"Understand the subtleties!"

As the old monk shouted commands, he slowly stepped out of the formation, and a young, handsome monk stepped forward, taking his place. The old monk then walked toward Yue Shan.

Yue Shan, who had always respected monks, quickly stood up in greeting as the old monk approached.

"Benefactor, are your injuries healing well?" the old monk, Guan Shan Yue, asked with a bow.

Yue Shan quickly returned the greeting. "Thank you, Master. I'm much better now."

After a moment's thought, he added, "Master, I remember a monk saved me when I was in Dengfeng. Could it have been you?"

Guan Shan Yue waved his hand. "No, it was the abbot, Master Yi Jie, who saved you."

Upon hearing that it was the abbot who had saved him, Yue Shan's eyes lit up with excitement. "Could you tell me where the abbot is now? I would like to thank him in person."

"The abbot is meditating in the Ten Thousand Buddha Pagoda. You can go there yourself."

Yue Shan thanked Guan Shan Yue again and returned to the temple.

Though he was usually careless, when it came to his desire to become a monk, Yue Shan was quite serious. He felt that his dream of joining the monastery might soon come true.

Arriving at the Ten Thousand Buddha Pagoda, Yue Shan carefully ran his fingers through his hair, which was a rare gesture for him. Over the years, he rarely cared about his appearance, but today was different. He thought that as the abbot of Shaolin, Master Yi Jie must be a highly respected figure, and he didn't want to appear untidy in front of him. So, he did his best to tidy himself up.

After a few quick adjustments, Yue Shan walked into the pagoda.

It was early in the morning, and the wind passed through the open windows of the pagoda, casting a bright light inside.

The first floor was empty, so Yue Shan walked toward the statue of Avalokiteshvara, bowed, and then made his way to the second floor.

He continued up, all the way to the ninth floor.

On the ninth floor, he saw a monk sitting in front of a Buddha statue, but only his back was visible, not his face.

This must be the abbot, Master Yi Jie. Yue Shan didn't dare approach recklessly, so he stopped at a distance, bowed deeply, and called out, "I am Yue Shan, and I thank the abbot for saving my life."

"The monk you speak of did not save you," the monk, still facing away, replied. His voice didn't sound particularly old.

Yue Shan was stunned. He bowed again, saying, "Master, I remember it clearly. It was you who saved me. Even Master Yi Jie confirmed it just below."

"No, it was you who saved yourself. If not for your own determination and bravery, even if I had arrived, it would have been too late. One must save oneself," the monk said, his voice calm but firm.

Yue Shan thought for a moment and then nodded. "Master, I am deeply grateful for your help. If I may, I wish to join Shaolin as a monk to repay this debt."

"Foolish!" The sudden shout reverberated through the pagoda, and Yue Shan's ears rang. He was stunned and felt his heart tremble at the monk's immense power.

The monk still didn't turn around. He continued, "I did not save you so you could join Shaolin out of gratitude. Shaolin is a place of hardship. You are a man who enjoys the pleasures of life, and if you were to stay here out of obligation, you would soon grow tired of it. It's better for you to leave now to avoid trouble."

Yue Shan hurriedly explained, "No, Master, it's not because of gratitude."

"Then why?" the monk asked.

At this moment, Yue Shan's mind became clearer. "Master, I really like this place. There are many people practicing martial arts outside, and I can practice with them. When I entered the Ten Thousand Buddha Pagoda, I felt at peace, something I've never experienced before in other temples. I feel like this place is the right place for me. As for meat, I swear I won't eat it here."

Master Yi Jie let out a soft laugh. Yue Shan's earnest words struck him differently. Most abbots would have already expelled him for such a promise, but Yi Jie wasn't like most.

"You are an interesting one," Master Yi Jie thought. "But you are not wrong about one thing—this place does suit you. It seems you're the type of person I've been waiting for."

The sound of a wooden fish echoed in the pagoda. Yi Jie had been striking it as he meditated. Yue Shan, who had been observing his every move, stopped watching and stood still with his eyes closed, as if in deep thought.

After a while, Yi Jie turned around and approached Yue Shan.

Yue Shan opened his eyes and, seeing the abbot's youthful appearance, was a little surprised but didn't show it. He simply bowed in respect.

Yi Jie placed a hand gently on Yue Shan's head and said, "Yesterday is but an illusion. The past is an illusion. Here in Shaolin, you are no longer the person you were before. Whether it's love or hatred, all of it is nothing more than a fleeting dream. Let go of it, and you will find true peace. From today onward, you are Huiwu, the monk of Shaolin. Do you understand?"

Yue Shan felt his violent heart calm under Yi Jie's guidance. He no longer thought of joining Shaolin out of gratitude; he now understood that he truly belonged here, and his previous years had been wasted.

He immediately kneeled, bowing deeply. "I, Huiwu, thank the abbot for guiding me."

"Rise," Yi Jie said. "Go to the kitchen and find your senior apprentice brother, Yi Kong. Let him give you the shaving ceremony."

Yue Shan nodded in agreement, preparing to leave the pagoda.

Before he could, Yi Jie called after him, "Oh, by the way, the razor was broken when we used it to cut vegetables. Go to Yi Jing and ask him for a machete instead. Our Shaolin temple is newly built, and many things are still