Travel through the heavens

Chapter 116: The Peerless Master Sweeping Monk

Fang Muye turned to Xuanci and said, "Master Xuanci, could you take us to the Sutra Library of your temple?"

Xuan Ci's heart moved, and he asked, "May I ask if the person Mr. Fang is going to meet is the 'Divine Monk' that Mr. Fang mentioned?"

As soon as Xuan Ci said this, the other seven monks of the Xuan generation all looked serious and listened attentively.

Ever since the Shaolin Temple heard the news that among the "Five Greatest Masters of the World" discussed by Bai Xiaosheng, the "Shengshen Monk" with the highest martial arts skills had been living in seclusion in the temple for decades, the temple has been extremely shocked.

The monks in Shaolin Temple are ranked at the top in martial arts, which is a matter of great joy and honor. However, none of the eminent monks of the Xuan generation knew of the identity of this "divine monk". Even after a search, they found nothing. When they heard the abbot ask about it, they were naturally very concerned.

Fang Muye smiled slightly and replied, "That's right!"

Xuan Ci folded his hands and said, "Donor Fang, Master Duan, Donor Xiao, please follow me." He then led the three of them out slowly.

The Shaolin Temple covers a vast area, with who knows how many thousands of rooms there are in the front hall and the back buildings. Fang Muye and the other two followed Xuanci through the halls, buildings and corridors, and they walked further and further away until they came to a forest beside the temple. They saw a small bluestone path passing through the forest.

The group walked northwest along the path. After turning a few corners, the view in front of them suddenly opened up. They could hear the sound of gurgling water. A three-story pavilion stood beside the stream. On the top of the building was a plaque with the words "Scripture Repository" inscribed on it.

As I got closer, I saw a skinny monk in a green robe holding a broom, sweeping the floor on the corridor outside the second-floor pavilion. He then slowly came out from the back.

The monk was not young, and his sparse long beard had turned completely white. He moved slowly and looked weak, and he did not look like a martial arts practitioner at all. He was unaware of the people approaching and was still cleaning the corridor.

Xuanci and other monks were all unfamiliar with this old monk sweeping the floor. Seeing his attire and appearance, they realized that he was a serving monk doing odd jobs in the temple. They thought to themselves, "Could this master be the 'Divine Monk'?"

Although the serving monks are monks of Shaolin Temple, they only take the tonsure but do not become disciples, learn martial arts, practice meditation, or follow the seniority ranking of "Xuan, Hui, Xu, Kong". Apart from chanting scriptures and worshiping Buddha, they only do some rough work such as making fire, farming, sweeping the floor, cooking, and doing civil engineering.

There are many monks in Shaolin Temple, and Xuanci and others are the top monks in the temple. It is not surprising that they do not know this monk. However, thinking about the purpose of this visit, they have guessed the identity of this old monk.

Fang Muye stopped walking, looked up at the second floor, clasped his fists and bowed, and said loudly: "Divine monk, I apologize for disturbing you."

The monks were shocked: "It is indeed him!"

An old sigh was heard, and the old monk put down the broom in his hand, slowly raised his head and looked at the guests.

Afterwards, his body did not shake at all, and he floated up lightly like a feather, slowly passed the railing on the second floor, and slowly floated to the ground in front of the main entrance of the Sutra Library, standing in front of everyone.

Seeing the martial arts attainments displayed by the sweeping monk, everyone except Fang Muye was amazed and praised him. They thought that this kind of hidden inner strength, the power when the mind is there, the body when the power is there, floating in the air, was really extraordinary and magical. Could it be that this old monk was the incarnation of a bodhisattva? Otherwise, how could he have such great magical powers and boundless Buddhist teachings?

Xiao Feng asked himself in his heart, although he and the old monk were both listed as the "Five Greatest Masters in the World", their martial arts skills were far apart, and it was probably that only his master could be compared to him in this world.

The sweeping monk clasped his hands together and bowed to the monks of Shaolin Temple, saying, "I greet all the eminent monks."

Xuanci and other monks did not dare to be negligent, and they all clasped their hands together to return the greeting, saying respectfully, "Greetings, Master."

The Sweeping Monk looked at Fang Muye again, only to see that his eyes were blank and lifeless, as if he saw nothing. Others, however, sensed an inexplicable aura and a faint sense of power in him, and could not help but feel creepy and uncomfortable all over. However, Fang Muye, who was facing him, acted as if nothing had happened and responded with a smile.

After a moment, the sweeping monk put his hands together and said, "I guess you are the donor 'Bai Xiaosheng'."

Fang Muye smiled and nodded, clasped his fists and said, "That's right, Fang Muye meets the divine monk."

The sweeping monk said calmly, "I have been sweeping the floor in the Shaolin Temple's Sutra Library for decades. I can't remember exactly how many years, but it must be at least forty-two or forty-three years. I always thought it was inconspicuous, silent, and odorless, but I never thought that it would be known by Donor Fang. Donor Fang is indeed very powerful."

Fang Muye could hear the complaint in his words, but he didn't care. He smiled and said, "Thank you for the compliment, Divine Monk."

The sweeping monk had a calm expression, shook his head and said, "Thanks to Mr. Fang for his kindness. He included me in the list of the 'Five Great Masters of the World' earlier, which gave me the title of 'Middle Divine Monk'. He also said that I might have surpassed the category of 'Top Master' and become a 'World Master'. I am just an outsider and do not deserve such praise. Mr. Fang was concerned about my peace and quiet at the beginning and did not want to reveal my identity. Why did he bring people to look for me now? Could it be that Mr. Fang can beat me and is not afraid that I will cause trouble for you?"

Although the Sweeping Monk did not travel around the world, he had heard a lot of the monks' daily conversations in the temple and knew a lot about what was happening in the world. These words were borrowed from Fang Muye's words about him in the Drunken Immortal Tower in Yangzhou.

Fang Muye clasped his fists and bowed, saying, "I dare not! I have disturbed the holy monk's meditation, which is indeed a sin. However, I came here to ask for advice on something important. I hope the holy monk will show mercy."

The sweeping monk asked, "Oh? I wonder what Mr. Fang wants to ask?"

Fang Muye pointed at Xiao Feng and said, "This is my disciple Xiao Feng. His biological father, Xiao Yuanshan, has been hiding near Shaolin Temple since thirty years ago and often enters the temple. The divine monk must have seen him."

The Sweeping Monk looked at Xiao Feng with approval in his eyes and said, "So you are the famous leader of the Beggars' Sect, Qiao. You now know your own life experience." It was obvious from his words that he already knew Xiao Feng's life experience.

Xiao Feng bowed to the sweeping monk and said, "Xiao Feng greets the divine monk. I just learned about my life story not long ago. This time, my master brought me to visit the Shaolin Temple and disturbed the divine monk's meditation in order to find my father. I hope the divine monk will have pity on Xiao Feng and his son's pain of separation for 30 years and show me the whereabouts of my father."

The sweeping monk clasped his hands in greeting and said slowly, "I have been unknown in the temple for many years, but I have not seen or heard many things. I have also met your father, Mr. Xiao, countless times. I remember the first time I met Mr. Xiao was one night thirty years ago. He went to the Sutra Library to borrow books. He was reading a book called "The Finger Book of the Formless Tribulation". The second time he came, he was reading a book called "The Good and Brave Fist Method."

"At that time, I secretly sighed, knowing that Mr. Xiao had been possessed by the devil. I couldn't bear it, so I placed a copy of the Lotus Sutra and a copy of the Miscellaneous Agamas at the place where Mr. Xiao usually took books, hoping that Mr. Xiao would borrow them to study and comprehend. Unexpectedly, Mr. Xiao was obsessed with martial arts and ignored the orthodox Buddhist teachings. He left the two scriptures aside and took away a copy of the Demon-Subduing Staff Technique. After that, every time Mr. Xiao came, he would borrow martial arts books, and he fell deeper and deeper into the devil's way. What a pity! You must know that the sea of ​​suffering is endless, and turning back is the shore. When Mr. Xiao sees your father, he will give him some good advice."

Xuan Ci and other Shaolin monks were all shocked when they heard this. Xiao Yuanshan had been lurking near Shaolin Temple for thirty years. He sneaked into the Sutra Library at night to read martial arts books. All the monks in the temple were completely confused and had no idea. He was really incompetent and had lost face.

Xuan Ci sighed again, lowered his head, and thought: "Donor Xiao Yuanshan sneaked into the Sutra Library and secretly learned the martial arts of our temple. It was probably because he was wronged outside Yanmen Pass that year. The Shaolin martial arts classics were stolen by others, which was the evil cause planted by me, the Shaolin abbot. Alas! Sin! Sin!"