I. The Kitchen Amidst the Tension
The dawn of the second day of the Murim Alliance Friendship Tournament broke over the Shaolin Temple, but the air felt colder and heavier than the day before. Zhao Huo, in the Hall of a Thousand Flavors, was busy supervising his exhausted assistant monks. Although the Tournament was a stage for the warriors, the kitchen was a relentless battlefield of logistics.
Zhao Huo, with his Zen tranquility, ensured every bowl of porridge had the perfect texture, every herbal tea was steeped at the right temperature. However, his mind was not as calm as his movements. His absolute memory was still replaying every detail of Tan Long's Dragon Subduing Palm technique. He realized that the same philosophy he used in cooking—precise Qi control, balance, and energy transition—was also the core of the highest martial arts.
That morning, amidst the frenzy of preparation, Monk Fa Xing—the Elder responsible for the Sutras and a confidant of Abbot Xuan Ye—entered the kitchen. His face, usually pale with anxiety, now radiated a cold determination.
"Zhao Huo," Fa Xing called, his voice low, as if he didn't want to be overheard. "Leave everything you are doing. The Abbot requires a special meal. Very special."
Zhao Huo paused his spatula. "A special meal, Sifu? Hasn't the menu been agreed upon for the Sect Leaders on the honored podium?"
"This is not a listed menu," Fa Xing replied, his eyes intensely focused on Zhao Huo, a look heavy with secret burden. "This is a blend of herbs and soup designed to... calm the mind. The Abbot wants to ensure the Leaders have supreme inner peace before the duels begin."
Fa Xing handed him a small parchment scroll. "Here is the recipe. It is only for the Alliance Leaders and Sect Heads sitting on the main podium. You must make it now. And remember, you must make it alone. Do not let any other monk touch it."
Zhao Huo read the recipe. The ingredients were not strange herbs or spices, but a combination of daily Shaolin vegetarian fare: reishi mushroom, snow ginseng, a few lotus seeds, and his special umami broth. Nothing seemed suspicious.
What truly puzzled him was the next command.
"Once finished," Fa Xing continued, "Hand all the trays over to me. You must not deliver them yourself. I and selected senior monks will carry this meal to the honored podium."
Zhao Huo frowned. Why was the Head Chef, entrusted with overseeing logistics, forbidden from delivering the most important meal? However, he recalled his Zen Principle: see without seeing, hear without hearing. And he also recalled Tang Feng's warning: Zhao Huo is the perfect scapegoat.
If anything happened to the food and he delivered it, the accusation would fall directly upon him. This command from Fa Xing, though strange, might be part of Abbot Xuan Ye's secret protection plan.
"Your servant understands, Sifu," Zhao Huo replied without further questions. "I will prepare it with supreme Zen precision."
He immediately locked himself in a corner of the kitchen. Although he cooked alone, Zhao Huo performed one act he considered the 'chef's self-defense': when making the herbal broth, he tasted it. Not just with his tongue, but with all his senses.
No strange taste. No strange smell. The color is clear, like mountain water.
He presented six perfect servings on valuable nanmu wooden trays, covered them with white silk, and handed them over to Monk Fa Xing.
Fa Xing received the trays with a tense face, offered a brief thank you, and quickly rushed off with two other senior monks toward the arena. Zhao Huo returned to his routine, but a vague anxiety began to pierce his inner calm.
II. Chaos in the Arena and the Emergence of Two Demons
The Second Day of the Tournament was about to begin. After a short and serious opening speech from Abbot Xuan Ye, the Great Sect Leaders and Family Heads took their seats on the elevated Honored Podium.
They included:
Abbot Xuan Ye (Shaolin)
Sect Leader Wu Tian (Wudang)
Abbess Jing Hua (Emei)
Grand Leader Master Hong (Kaypang)
Sect Leader Yue (Mount Hua)
Tang Feng (Tang Family Head)
Murong Yuan (Murong Family Head)
Namgung Woon (Namgung Family Head)
Dongfang Lian (Dongfang Family Head)
On the front row of the podium, six servings of Zhao Huo's herbal meal were placed before Xuan Ye, Wu Tian, Jing Hua, Master Hong, Sect Leader Yue, and Namgung Woon. Before the first duel, the Leaders drank the herbal soup presented by Fa Xing, taking it as a ritual to calm their Qi and minds.
Just as the gong was about to sound for the first duel between Mei Lin (Emei) and Tang Bo (Tang Family), a sudden, deafening sound stopped all activity.
BOOOOMMM!
A massive explosion occurred at the edge of the forest adjacent to the Temple's logistics area. Thick, reddish-brown smoke, reeking of gunpowder, immediately billowed across the entire arena, swallowing most of the martial arts field. Panic erupted.
From behind the thick smoke, a horde of men in black, silver-masked, and bearing a fire emblem, appeared. They moved with terrifying coordination, quickly spreading out and encircling the arena.
The biggest shock came from the two figures leading the horde. They were Sun Fire Demon and Moon Ice Demon.
Sun Fire Demon was a burly man in fiery red robes, his eyes blazing with madness. Moon Ice Demon was a woman in dark blue robes, her cold aura palpable. These two figures were direct subordinates of the Heavenly Demon who led the Demonic Cult—figures believed to have been killed along with the cult's highest leaders two decades ago.
"Pitiable Shaolin!" Sun Fire Demon roared. "The Murim Alliance is fragile! We have returned! And today, the blood of the sect leaders will stain this sacred ground!"
III. The 10,000 Silent Poison
On the honored podium, the Sect Leaders prepared to rise. But something terrible happened.
The moment they tried to move their internal Qi, the energy in their dantian felt completely blocked, like a river suddenly frozen. Their strength, which should have been able to shatter stone, now felt no stronger than an ordinary person's hand.
They all staggered, weak.
"What's happening?" cried Namgung Woon. He tried to draw his Namgung Lightning Sword, but his hands trembled.
Sun Fire Demon laughed maniacally. "Fools! You drank the parting soup from Shaolin! The Ten Thousand Silent Blossom poison has stripped away your internal Qi!"
The Ten Thousand Silent Blossom was a legendary poison, notorious among the 10,000 Deadly Poisons for its strange properties: it was non-lethal, but incredibly difficult to trace and taste. It was specially designed to paralyze internal Qi, blocking the main meridians for four to five hours. Without internal Qi, even a Grandmaster would be rendered ordinary.
The poison was odorless, tasteless, and colorless. Combined with the strong herbal aroma of the meal served by Fa Xing, the poison successfully evaded detection.
Among the weakened Leaders, Tang Feng, Head of the Tang Family and the greatest living poison expert in the Jianghu, felt the same effect. He tried to check his pulse. He recognized the poison.
"Silent Blossom... How is this possible?" Tang Feng muttered, clutching his chest, which felt constricted. This poison was an ancient legend, believed to be concocted only by long-extinct secret sects.
Tang Feng remembered his grandfather, Poison Grandmaster Tang Xiao, who passed away twenty years ago. Poison Grandmaster Tang Xiao was supposedly the only person in the Jianghu immune to this poison.
"Damn it!" Tang Feng cursed. "This plan has been twenty years in the making!"
IV. The Ancestral Antidote and Tang Feng's Sacrifice
Tang Feng, despite his blocked Qi, was an intelligent poison expert. He knew he had to act fast.
With trembling hands, he reached into his robe. Fortunately, he always carried a legacy item from his grandfather, Poison Grandmaster Tang Xiao: two 10,000 Poison Antidote Pills—pills concocted from the rarest antidotes in the Jianghu, said to reverse the effects of even the most lethal poisons.
The pills had to be consumed before the poison spread too far.
Tang Feng grabbed the two pills. One for himself, one for... Abbot Xuan Ye.
With his remaining strength, Tang Feng swallowed one pill and pushed the second pill toward Abbot Xuan Ye.
"Abbot! This is my grandfather's 10,000 Poison Antidote Pill! Swallow it now!" Tang Feng whispered urgently. "The poison will be neutralized within minutes! Don't fight the poison; let the pill work."
Xuan Ye nodded, understanding. He swallowed the pill and immediately sat down, entering an emergency meditation stance.
Tang Feng, with the pill beginning to work, knew he had to buy time for his Qi to fully recover.
"You! Moon Ice Demon!" Tang Feng shouted, standing up despite his weak body. "The Silent Blossom Poison won't kill us! You're just wasting time!"
"You arrogant Tang rat!" mocked Moon Ice Demon. "Even you, the poison expert, couldn't detect this poison! You're bluffing!"
"Your rotten teeth are talking!" Tang Feng spat. "Now, face the revenge of the Tang Family!"
Tang Feng leaped from the podium, choosing to attack Moon Ice Demon, whom he knew was more dangerous and cunning. He relied on his hidden weapon skills and speed rather than the blocked Qi force.
"Tang Feng, don't be foolish! Your Qi hasn't recovered!" Xuan Ye cried out.
"I only need five minutes, Abbot!" Tang Feng replied, drawing the small jade dagger concealed in his sleeve.
V. The Demon Duels and the Young Leaders
While the Leaders were paralyzed and Tang Feng fought, the arena dissolved into chaos.
The young martial artists, led by Feng Yu (Wudang) and Mei Lin (Emei), immediately moved to confront the black-clad horde. This was the true test for the New Generation of Jianghu.
Feng Yu (Wudang) ordered Liu Zhen to focus on defense and protecting the paralyzed Leaders. Feng Yu himself, along with Monk Huan Jing (Shaolin), led the charge against the horde.
Mei Lin (Emei) moved with speed and grace, her Flower Finger Sword technique piercing the horde's armor. She protected the senior monks who had delivered the food.
Tan Long (Kaypang), utilizing Kaypang's mobility, moved swiftly through the crowd, using his Dragon Palm to break enemy formations.
Duel Tang Feng vs. Moon Ice Demon
Tang Feng, his body still affected by the poison, fought like a wounded but deadly snake. He did not rely on fists but exploited his throwing dagger and nerve-paralyzing needles concealed in his robe sleeve.
Moon Ice Demon was an expert in ice-based internal Qi techniques. She laughed contemptuously, launching thin ice blades aimed at severing Tang Feng's tendons.
"You have no Qi, Tang Rat! You are just a lump of flesh!" Moon Ice Demon mocked.
"Tang's expertise doesn't require massive Qi!" Tang Feng retaliated, throwing a volley of glittering silver needles. Moon Ice Demon parried them, but Tang Feng successfully bought time.
Duel Abbot Xuan Ye vs. Sun Fire Demon: The Zen Qi Awakening
On the podium, Abbot Xuan Ye, though his Qi was beginning to circulate again thanks to the antidote pill, was still extremely vulnerable. He had to defend.
Sun Fire Demon saw Xuan Ye sitting in meditation. He laughed, leaped onto the podium, and launched a Fire Fist attack toward Xuan Ye.
"Die honorably, old Abbot!" Sun Fire Demon roared.
Xuan Ye, still seated, immediately mobilized the remaining Qi that was just recovering. He did not attack but focused on gathering the Golden Inner Qi that he had trained for decades through Bodhidharma's Zen meditation.
Manifestation: When Sun Fire Demon's Fire Fist struck Xuan Ye, a heavy impact occurred. Xuan Ye stumbled and blood trickled from his lips, but he was not severely wounded. The Qi emitted by Xuan Ye suddenly manifested as an invisible, glowing golden bell-shaped Qi shield. This was the ultimate defensive manifestation of Shaolin's Inner Strength.
"A Golden Bell Shield! You can still mobilize that kind of Inner Qi?" Sun Fire Demon shouted, shocked.
Xuan Ye, wiping the blood from his mouth, stood up. His face was calm, but golden Qi now powerfully emanated from his body.
"You will never conquer Shaolin, Demon!" Xuan Ye's voice, now deep and resonating, spread through the air.
Tang Feng glanced back, seeing Xuan Ye's golden Qi. "Yes! The pill worked!"
Tang Feng knew he had to finish his fight now before Sun Fire Demon attacked Xuan Ye again. Tang Feng managed to inject a needle into Moon Ice Demon's hand, forcing her to retreat.
Abbot Xuan Ye immediately descended from the podium, moving with frightening speed, confronting Sun Fire Demon directly. The battle between two fundamental forces—Fire and Zen—began amidst the chaos.
VI. Behind the Wok: Fa Xing's Betrayal
In the Hall of a Thousand Flavors, Zhao Huo heard the explosion, the smell of gunpowder, and Sun Fire Demon's shouts. He knew a major attack was underway.
He remembered his duty: stay in the kitchen, watch logistics.
But something else bothered him. The Ten Thousand Silent Blossom poison!
Zhao Huo recalled the recipe scroll given by Fa Xing. He had put all the herbs requested by Fa Xing into the soup. He tasted it, and it was pure.
How could the Leaders be poisoned if the soup was pure?
Zhao Huo ran to the spice warehouse. With his Absolute Memory, he recalled every ingredient he touched. He sniffed the air in the warehouse. Nothing strange...
Then he remembered one detail: when Fa Xing gave him the recipe, Fa Xing also instructed him to make his own special umami broth. That broth required a large amount of water.
He ran to the Sacred Well in the Temple, where he drew the water for the broth.
There, on the edge of the well, he found a small, pale blue jade fragment hidden beneath a stone.
Zhao Huo picked up the jade. He realized: Sun Fire Demon and Moon Ice Demon were subordinates of the Heavenly Demon. The Demonic Cult historically used poisons made from cold-Qi ingredients, like the Blue Ice Potion which had an effect similar to the Silent Blossom.
This blue jade was a residue of the Blue Ice Potion that had been mixed into the well water!
Fa Xing did not poison the food. The poison was already in the well water!
And the person who asked him to make the special umami broth (which required water from that well) and forbade him from delivering it, was Monk Fa Xing. Fa Xing was the one responsible for the Sutra collection and the valuable artifacts—including the missing Green Jade Ruyi!
Horror struck Zhao Huo. He was not just a scapegoat for the Ruyi theft. He had been made the agent of the poison that paralyzed all the Jianghu Leaders. The true traitor was not an enemy from outside, but someone within the Temple: Monk Fa Xing.
Zhao Huo squeezed the blue jade in his hand, his eyes now filled with cold determination. He had discovered the true horror behind the mask of the Monk he respected. He had to act.