Chapter 37: Deafening Awakening

Old Master Ma's chest heaved, clearly showing his agitation. He said coldly, "I severed my arm and sent it to Great Thunderclap Temple, thereby returning the divine arts of Great Thunderclap Temple. Why do you still pursue me, causing my family to scatter? Since you are intent on my death, why should I not disseminate the divine arts of Great Thunderclap Temple?"

The old monk shook his head and said, "Junior brother, one arm does not represent the entirety of your divine arts."

Old Master Ma gave a low, cynical chuckle. "Not all the divine arts I possess came from Great Thunderclap Temple. Do you intend to cripple the other divine arts I possess as well? I originated from Great Thunderclap Temple, but back then, I fought my way out with my own hands, and you dared not stop me then. It was only after I had a wife and children that you came knocking. For the safety of my wife and children, I willingly severed an arm and returned the divine arts of your Great Thunderclap Temple!"

His expression darkened. "And then? You hunted me down, causing my family to scatter and my home to be destroyed!"

The old monk's white eyebrows twitched. "Rules are rules; if they are altered, they cease to be rules. The worldly dust interferes with cultivation. Junior brother, we aren't trying to kill you; rather, we want to save you from the sea of worldly suffering and bring you back to Great Thunderclap Temple to cultivate and achieve true enlightenment. If you hadn't succumbed to worldly desires and fought your way out of Great Thunderclap Temple, the position of Tathagata at Great Thunderclap Temple would be yours now. If you are willing to return to the temple with me, the Venerable Tathagata will surely be pleased, and that position will still be yours."

"Return?" Old Master Ma said impassively, "I fought my way out back then. If I'm to go back, I will naturally fight my way back in!"

The old monk's expression darkened, and he sighed, "The Tathagata will be very disappointed. This young man on the stage, he's your disciple, isn't he? You taught him the Eight Forms of Thunderclap, but you didn't teach him the Great Thunderclap Temple's cultivation method, the Tathagata Mahayana Sutra."

He looked at Qin Mu, who was fighting a young man in the arena, and said, "The Tathagata Mahayana Sutra is a method for subduing demons. Without cultivating this mental technique, no matter how strong the Eight Forms of Thunderclap are practiced, they are merely superficial. Today, I have brought my disciple. Mingxin, come and greet your Uncle-Master!"

Behind him, a tall, slender young monk stepped forward, with prayer beads in hand, and bowed with palms pressed together, "Uncle-Master."

The old monk's white eyebrows fluttered. He said, "Mingxin is also a martial artist of the Spirit Embryo realm. My monk's staff is wagered here. Junior brother, do you accept this wager?"

Granny Si raised an eyebrow, about to speak, but Old Master Ma said emotionlessly, "Monastic rules and precepts are all utter nonsense. I'll bet with you. How does my head weigh against your Kshitigarbha Staff?"

The old monk nodded and said, "Their weight is roughly equal."

Blind Man, Granny Si, Apothecary, and the others frowned deeply, about to intervene, but Old Master Ma stated decisively, "If Mu'er loses, take my head back to Great Thunderclap Temple to see the Tathagata. If Mu'er wins, leave the staff, and get as far away as you can."

"Very well." The old monk said to the young monk Mingxin, "Today, your master will reclaim the divine arts of Great Thunderclap Temple from the one who betrayed the temple. If you win, it will be your merit."

Mingxin assented, and strode towards the arena.

In the arena, the young man challenging Qin Mu was a master swordsman. He followed the style of Senior Brother Qu, one of the Five Disciples of Lijiang. His sword never strayed more than three feet from his body. Unlike Senior Brother Qu, his sword was not large; it was more like an eight-inch dagger—small, but far more dangerous!

This small sword would occasionally strike from unexpected angles, such as from under his armpit or between his legs. It would even disappear into his clothing, only to emerge from his sleeve when Qin Mu was exchanging blows with him!

His sword control, achieved through vital qi manipulation, was so refined that it was barely inferior to Qiu Qian of the Lijiang disciples, and far surpassed Senior Brother Qu.

Furthermore, this person also possessed profound mastery in combat techniques. His palm techniques were highly sophisticated, with an imposing aura like a majestic mountain. When he released power from his palm, mountain patterns would suddenly appear within it.

However, the outcome of the fight in the arena was already clear. Qin Mu's strength was immense, his moves fierce, and his footwork swift. The young man suffered a significant disadvantage when he exchanged the first palm strike with Qin Mu. Qin Mu's formidable vital qi directly overwhelmed his opponent's!

Qin Mu moved erratically, darting like a thousand chaotic snakes weaving through tall grass, appearing now to the east, now to the west, now forward, now back, making it impossible for the young man to discern the origin of his attacks. The next moment, a sharp pain struck his back, and he was sent flying by Qin Mu's palm.

The young man landed, momentarily stunned, then bowed to Qin Mu in the arena and thanked him, "Thank you for holding back, young sir."

Although Qin Mu's palm strike earlier had landed on his back with great force, the power was not brutal and did not injure his heart or lungs. Otherwise, with Qin Mu's strength, he could have absolutely shattered his internal organs!

"Junior brother, do you need to rest?" Mingyue had been waiting silently by the side, and only spoke after Qin Mu defeated the young man.

Qin Mu's gaze fell upon him. This young monk, dressed in white robes, was spotless; even his shoes were white, and his complexion was very fair. Despite his shaved head, he still appeared very handsome, instilling a sense of goodwill in others.

He was about to reply that he didn't need to, when Granny Si's voice suddenly came through, "Rest! You absolutely must rest!"

Qin Mu didn't understand her meaning, but he still followed Granny Si's words, sat down to rest, and regulated his breathing. His "Overlord Body Three Elixir Technique" was suitable for cultivation while on the move. Although he had already faced more than ten martial artists, his vital qi had not been depleted much and was still at its peak, though his body was somewhat tired.

Granny Si brought a cup of water onto the stage, handed it to Qin Mu, and whispered, "Mu'er, no matter what means you use, you absolutely must win this time! You cannot lose! Your Grandpa Ma has gambled with that old bald rogue, staking his very life!"

Qin Mu's heart leaped, and he quickly looked towards Old Master Ma. Old Master Ma's face was calm, and his voice came through, "Mu'er, an unrivaled Overlord Body can never lose! I believe in you."

Despite Old Master Ma's words, Qin Mu was still somewhat flustered. Although everyone in the village was his family, Old Master Ma was the closest to him besides Granny Si. It was Old Master Ma who, with one arm, carried the stone statue and left the village with Granny Si to pick him up from the riverbank, saving his life!

If he were to lose, wouldn't that cost Old Master Ma his life?

At this moment, Apothecary also frowned deeply. Old Master Ma believed Qin Mu was an unrivaled Overlord Body and had confidence in him, but Qin Mu wasn't an Overlord Body after all.

He now regretted helping the Village Chief conceal that well-intentioned lie. If they had told them the truth earlier, Old Master Ma wouldn't have staked his life.

It was precisely because of his trust in Qin Mu that Old Master Ma had wagered his life against the old monk!

Suddenly, a fierce glint appeared in Apothecary's eyes. "If Mu'er loses, then we'll kill this old bald donkey and the little bald donkey! We can't let Old Master Ma die in vain!"

In the arena, Qin Mu desperately wanted to steady his mind. But with the life of his closest loved one at stake, how could his heart settle down?

The Mute gesticulated, making a few sounds, and Blind Man, leaning on his staff, calmly said, "No need to remind him. This temple fair is a test. If he passes, he'll grow up. If not, he'll remain a child."

After a moment, Qin Mu slowly stood up, looked at the tall, slender young monk opposite him, and slowly asked, "Monk, do you have Buddha in your heart?"

Mingxin pressed his palms together and solemnly replied, "My Buddha is always in my heart."

Whoosh —

Qin Mu exhaled a turbid breath. The vital qi within him became overbearing and fierce, and an unbridled, lawless spirit seemed to erupt from his small body.

"I!"

He took a step forward. The aura surging from his small body even evoked a fervent sensation of heroic resolve, like a deity standing tall. His voice was deafening, "No gods, no Buddhas, no demons in my heart! I am the god, I am the Buddha, I am the demon!"

As soon as these words left his mouth, the old monk sitting opposite Old Master Ma revealed a look of shock and turned his head to look at Qin Mu!