The capital of the Great Li Dynasty.
Linglong Pavilion.
As the largest restaurant in the capital, Linglong Pavilion was packed with people every day.
Guests from out of town, and local patrons.
As long as there was an opportunity, who wouldn't want to try the dishes at Linglong Pavilion?
Clap!
In the center of the restaurant, on a raised platform.
A storyteller was vividly narrating a 'story'.
"Ten years ago, a Buddhist Son was born in the Great Zen Temple, a Buddhist holy land. This Buddhist Son was born with innate knowledge and possessed the appearance of all Buddhas."
"It is said that at that time, the golden body of the Buddha appeared above the Great Zen Temple, and golden light covered an area of dozens of miles. Many common people, bathed in the golden light, found their hidden ailments disappearing…"
"Now, ten years have passed, and that Buddhist Son…"
The storyteller suddenly stopped here, cupped his hands, and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, that's all for today. If you wish to know what became of this young Buddhist Son, please come back tomorrow."
As soon as these words were spoken,
The many guests present immediately burst into murmurs of disappointment.
They were listening intently, eager to know what had happened to the Buddhist Son, but the storyteller cut them off right there.
Who could bear that?
"This is for you; keep going."
A burly man took out a silver ingot and threw it onto the high platform.
The other patrons also successively threw out some copper coins and other valuables.
"Heh heh, thanks to the appreciation of the patrons, I shall continue."
Seeing this, the storyteller chuckled and immediately sat back down.
To tell a good story, one must pause at the right moment to pique the audience's curiosity; otherwise, how can one earn money?
This storyteller was clearly well-versed in this art. After collecting the money on the platform, he continued his tale.
"Counting his age, that Buddhist Son should be in his teens now. Naturally, he is currently reciting Buddhist scriptures and studying Buddhist teachings in the Great Zen Temple…"
The storyteller unfolded his paper fan and swayed his head as he spoke.
"Hmph!"
Many guests couldn't help but let out a 'hmph'.
They had wanted to hear what astonishing feats the Buddhist Son would perform next, but it turned out to be this?
However, upon closer thought, everyone found it reasonable. What could a child in his teens, no matter how profound his Buddhist nature, possibly do?
As for the extraordinary phenomena the storyteller mentioned earlier, they were likely fabricated to attract attention.
What everyone in the restaurant failed to notice was that
In a corner, a young monk in a gray monastic robe showed a strange expression.
"Am I being written into a storybook?"
Rin Haruto shook his head slightly.
He didn't find anything strange about it.
The Great Zen Temple was a Buddhist holy land and a great martial arts sect of the world.
Its every move naturally attracted external attention, especially himself, who had been taken as a disciple by a Grandmaster like the Old Monk with Long Eyebrows.
There must have been many eyes watching.
Furthermore, the abbots and heads of the monastery had no intention of keeping the news a secret.
Over time, with rumors spreading, various versions of the stories naturally emerged.
Rin Haruto enjoyed the local delicacies at Linglong Pavilion.
Then he stood up, left some silver, and walked out.
The streets paved with bluestone slabs were bustling with people, and the shouts of vendors could be heard everywhere.
Rin Haruto was not particularly conspicuous as he walked among them.
However, as Rin Haruto continued to walk deeper into the capital,
The number of pedestrians on the road became fewer, while the patrolling soldiers increased.
Until he reached a tall city gate, where dozens of strong-looking soldiers with sharp gazes stood guard.
Behind the city gate was the Great Li Imperial Palace, the absolute core of a dynasty.
Even standing outside the palace, one could vaguely see the magnificent palaces within.
Just then,
A carriage slowly drove out of the imperial palace.
Upon seeing this, the gate guards immediately stepped back, clearing a path.
Inside the carriage, a middle-aged monk in a crimson kasaya was rubbing his temples.
The current Empress Dowager of Great Li was a devout Buddhist and often invited eminent monks into the palace.
This middle-aged monk in the crimson kasaya was a highly renowned monk in recent years, deeply valued and favored by the Empress Dowager.
Every ten to fifteen days, he would be invited into the imperial palace.
"Recently, the Empress Dowager's questions have become increasingly tricky…"
The middle-aged monk frowned, somewhat troubled.
"I should be out of the palace by now."
The middle-aged monk reached out and lifted the curtain of the carriage.
He casually glanced around.
But this one glance caused the middle-aged monk's pupils to contract.
"Is that…?"
The middle-aged monk stared at the young monk standing not far away, a look of surprise and uncertainty on his face.
"The Buddhist Son?"
The middle-aged monk was from the Great Zen Temple, and although he had been in the capital of Great Li for the past decade or so,
He maintained regular contact with the Great Zen Temple. Several years ago, the Great Zen Temple sent him a portrait of the Buddhist Son, instructing him to remember it well and to obey if he ever encountered him.
And that portrait was almost identical to the young monk not far away.
Thinking of this, the middle-aged monk quickly dismounted from the carriage and came before Rin Haruto.
"Buddhist Son?"
The middle-aged monk asked tentatively.
"You know me?"
Rin Haruto raised an eyebrow.
"Twenty years ago, I was also a monk at the Great Zen Temple."
With just this one sentence, the middle-aged monk revealed his identity.
"I see."
Rin Haruto nodded slightly.
The Great Zen Temple was a Buddhist holy land, and its influence was not limited to Shaoshi Mountain.
The Pudu Temple Rin Haruto passed earlier, and the middle-aged monk before him, were both manifestations of this.
"May I ask, Buddhist Son, why you have come to this capital?"
The middle-aged monk asked curiously.
Before meeting Rin Haruto, he had not received any news from the Great Zen Temple.
Clearly, Rin Haruto's visit here was unknown even to the abbot and heads of the Great Zen Temple.
Otherwise, there was no way they wouldn't have informed him.
"I wish to visit the Imperial Palace's Martial Arts Hall."
Rin Haruto said.
The Martial Arts Hall of the Great Li Imperial Palace was where countless martial arts secret manuals from all over the world were stored.
In the past, when the Great Li Grand Ancestor unified the realm, he placed all the copied martial arts from various sects into the Martial Arts Hall.
It could be said that the Martial Arts Hall of the Great Li Imperial Palace contained ten or even a hundred times more martial arts than the Sutra Depository of the Great Zen Temple.
"Wanting to enter the Martial Arts Hall, that's a bit troublesome."
The middle-aged monk frowned upon hearing this.
Generally speaking, only imperial family members were qualified to enter the Martial Arts Hall.
This was a rule established by the Great Li Grand Ancestor.
Additionally, high-ranking officials who had made significant contributions to Great Li were also qualified to enter the Martial Arts Hall.
But Rin Haruto clearly did not meet either of these two conditions.
Therefore, it was almost impossible for him to have access to the Martial Arts Hall.
The Great Li Dynasty was founded on martial arts, and it placed extreme importance on its numerous martial arts secret manuals.
It was absolutely impossible for an outsider to simply enter the Martial Arts Hall, which was a sacred place of martial arts.
"It's not entirely without a way."
The middle-aged monk slowly said:
"The imperial palace is heavily guarded; sneaking in is definitely impossible."
A hint of apprehension appeared on the middle-aged monk's face.
As an honored guest of the Empress Dowager, he had some understanding of the Great Li Imperial Palace.
The eight thousand Imperial Guards in the palace were all Houtian Peak martial artists trained with secret imperial techniques.
The two hundred deputy commanders were even Xiantian Realm martial arts experts,
And the eighteen grand commanders were Xiantian Peak martial arts experts.
It could be said that this force alone was enough to easily sweep away hundreds of thousands of troops,
Even if a Grandmaster personally arrived, they would be trapped.
Additionally,
The middle-aged monk occasionally learned from the Empress Dowager that
At various key points within the imperial palace, there were Grandmaster-level martial arts experts stationed.
The middle-aged monk had been entering and exiting the imperial palace for years,
And he roughly estimated that there were no fewer than four Grandmasters in the palace.
Four Grandmasters.
Eighteen Xiantian Peaks.
Two hundred Xiantian Realm.
Eight thousand Houtian Realm Peaks.
This was the strongest trump card of the Great Li Dynasty.
Even if the world were to fall into chaos now, the Great Li Dynasty could still reclaim it.
Not to mention, this was only part of the Great Li Dynasty's trump cards,
Outside the imperial palace, the armies stationed at the borders,
And Grandmasters, were all at the beck and call of the Great Li Dynasty.
"Buddhist Son."
"Listen to me."
"Later, you will accompany me into the palace to meet the Empress Dowager."
"With my introduction, the Empress Dowager will surely hold the Buddhist Son in high regard."
"For the next three months, the Buddhist Son should frequently visit the Empress Dowager to become familiar."
"Then, half a year later, when the Emperor celebrates his sixtieth birthday, with the Empress Dowager's presence, she can bring you, the Buddhist Son, to offer congratulations."
"At that time, I will present a Buddhist treasure."
"With the Great Li Emperor in a joyous mood, if the Buddhist Son proposes to enter the Martial Arts Hall for a look, the chances of success will be very high."
The middle-aged monk pondered deeply and then stated the only feasible method currently.
Theoretically, outsiders could not enter the Martial Arts Hall.
But if the current Great Li Emperor allowed it, then there would naturally be no question of whether one could enter.
As long as Rin Haruto could win the Emperor's favor, entering the Martial Arts Hall was not an impossible task.
After all, Rin Haruto merely wanted to take a look inside the Martial Arts Hall; it wouldn't cause any loss to the numerous martial arts texts within.
"I wonder what the Buddhist Son thinks…"
The middle-aged monk finished speaking in one breath, and seeing Rin Haruto remain silent, he asked with some apprehension.
"It's not bad."
Rin Haruto nodded.
The middle-aged monk was indeed very thoughtful.
According to his method, it was highly probable that he could successfully enter the Martial Arts Hall.
"But…"
Rin Haruto shook his head again.
"But what…?"
The middle-aged monk asked nervously.
"It's too troublesome."
Rin Haruto's gaze was calm as he looked towards the imperial palace not far away.
"Troublesome?"
The middle-aged monk took a long time to react.
The plan he had just formulated was already as concise as possible.
It involved taking Rin Haruto directly to see the Empress Dowager, and then using the Empress Dowager to influence the Emperor.
This was the fastest way the middle-aged monk could think of to enter the Martial Arts Hall.
Could he just go directly to see the Emperor? Without someone of sufficient standing to introduce him, even the middle-aged monk couldn't see the Emperor, let alone Rin Haruto?
"Just say it directly."
Rin Haruto finished speaking, took a step forward, took a deep breath, and spoke loudly towards the imperial palace.
"This humble monk Huizhen wishes to enter the Imperial Palace's Martial Arts Hall for a look."
When he uttered the first character, 'pín' (humble), his voice was normal,
But with the second character, his tone began to rise,
By the fifth character, a terrifying sound wave spread wildly in all directions.
And when the last character, 'guān' (look), was uttered, it was like the heavens collapsing, thunder exploding.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!!!
At this moment, the entire imperial palace was enveloped by a terrifying sound wave.
The eight thousand Houtian Peak Imperial Guards felt a roaring in their ears and their consciousnesses scattering.
The eighteen Xiantian Peak Grand Commanders bled from their seven orifices and knelt, unable to rise.
Deep within the imperial palace, five Grandmaster-level auras flickered and disappeared, attempting to resist the Buddhist sound piercing their ears, but they only lasted a few breaths before their auras rapidly waned, utterly powerless to resist.
In an instant, the once heavily guarded Great Li Imperial Palace crumbled, becoming a scattered mess, on the verge of collapse.
"This…"
The middle-aged monk's mouth hung open.