Urban Martial Saint

Shen Tianjun was very satisfied with Shen Da’s decision. In fact, when he previously learned that Shen Baichuan had been continuously provoking Ye Qing in Shenchuan City, he was very annoyed. However, at that time, he did not show himself, as he wanted the Shen Family to suffer a significant loss and learn from it.

This time, upon returning to the family, the first matter he dealt with was this one. On one hand, to resolve this issue, and on the other, to serve as a warning to the rest of the family, making them understand the kind of punishment that comes from causing trouble outside.

Shen Tianjun also told the members of the Shen Family about other matters they needed to be aware of after which he let them disperse. Everyone in the Shen Family Manor was quite exhausted that evening and urgently needed a good rest.

Huangfu Ziyu did not leave either; after Shen Tianjun returned, her hatred for the Shen Family had long since vanished. Returning here, what filled her heart was nothing but endless sentimentality. After all, she had lived here for several years during her childhood, and it would naturally leave her with some memories.

In the evening, Shen Da arranged for Huangfu Ziyu to stay in Shen Qingyi’s separate courtyard. With Shen Lingwei, three girls now resided there, and the courtyard was tightly guarded by the Shen Family. After all, with so many events occurring that night, the Shen Family did not dare to be careless anymore.

Shen Qingyi and her half-sister Shen Lingwei met, and although they were from different mothers, there was no gap between them. The two sisters spent the night chatting together. Huangfu Ziyu had other things on her mind and went to rest early. In fact, although she lay in bed, she was unable to fall asleep. Initially, she was thinking of the Huangfu Household’s matters, but later, for some reason, her thoughts shifted entirely to Ye Qing. Eventually, Ye Qing’s image dominated her mind, and recalling the expression on Shen Qingyi’s face when she looked at Ye Qing, her heart would throb with pain. She tried hard to stop thinking about these things, but in the end, she could not change her innermost feelings and was unable to shift her thoughts.

After a sleepless night, early the next day, Shen Da sent someone to call her over. Shen Tianjun and the others were already seated in the hall, and after a night’s reflection, the mood among the Shen Family members had changed considerably. After all, with Shen Tianjun’s return, it was the greatest celebration for the Shen Family.

Shen Tianjun and Old Madame Shen were sitting together, discussing last night’s events. Old Madame Shen also had many feelings about it. In fact, when Sha Men came seeking vengeance on the Shen Family, she didn’t go out to seek help but rushed to Beilin City to find the Hua Family, hoping they would take Shen Qingyi to live with them for a while. Old Madame Shen knew that the affair with the Shen Family wouldn’t be simple, so she had made those preparations, at least wanting to send Shen Qingyi away to avoid any misfortune. But she had not expected everything to happen so suddenly. If it weren’t for Huangfu Ziyu’s intervention, Shen Qingyi might have encountered danger.

”What is the background of that Wuhua Monk?” Shen Tianjun asked. He did not recognize the Wuhua Monk either. However, he could tell that the monk was not a simple man; he belonged to the rare masters among the younger generation. Moreover, it was astonishing that he could persuade Cui Yulong to let go of his hatred, which made Shen Tianjun quite surprised. After all, Cui Yulong had harbored his hatred for ten years—how could it possibly be let go so easily?

”I don’t know either,” Old Madame Shen shook her head, saying, ”At the time, we only went to the Hua Family to find someone. We didn’t intend to ask others for help. The Wuhua Monk came to us on his own, saying that he had some fate to resolve with us. At the time, I saw the monk was very honest, and I originally didn’t want to involve him in the Shen Family’s affairs to avoid him suffering any undeserved calamity. However, he demonstrated very impressive skills, and since he insisted repeatedly, I brought him into the Shen Family Manor. It was only after he entered that he mentioned he was looking for Cui Yulong. I don’t know anything beyond that.”

Shen Tianjun nodded slowly, saying, ”It seems that he may be a monk who has experienced a moment of enlightenment. But still, for someone so young to have achieved such cultivation, it is truly not easy. It’s just that we don’t know where he’s from. In this world, apart from the temples of Esoteric Buddhism in the Western Frontier, which other monastery could produce such an extraordinary person?

Sitting at one side, Shen Da suddenly said, ”That’s right, father, I heard him say something... He seems to come from the Xiaolin Temple...”

”Xiaolin Temple?” Shen Tianjun’s expression shifted slightly, a frown forming as he said, ”Impossible, Xiaolin Temple has been destroyed for nearly thirty years. However, this Wuhua Monk doesn’t look to be over thirty-five years old. Even if he had been in Xiaolin Temple since birth, the temple was destroyed when he was five years old. How could he possibly have learned anything from Xiaolin Temple?”

Old Madame Shen frowned faintly, saying, ”Xiaolin Temple, isn’t that the monastery that Bloody Monk came from?”

Shen Tianjun nodded, saying, ”Yes, that’s the temple.”

Old Madame Shen sighed, saying, ”Back in the day, Xiaolin Temple, although not considered a top-tier temple in the Central Plains, was a sanctum of talented individuals and spiritual land frequently visited by noble persons. It’s just unfortunate that a traitor like the Bloody Monk emerged, and in one night, all the inhabitants of Xiaolin Temple were slaughtered, and a sacred monastery that gathered a generation of high monks was destroyed in a blaze. How tragic, how lamentable!”

Shen Da and others were all dumbstruck as they listened. They had no knowledge of the events that had transpired at Xiaolin Temple all those years ago; only individuals of Shen Tianjun’s age were privy to those matters. It was the first time they were hearing that the Bloody Monk had originated from Xiaolin Temple, and it was also the first time they learned that it was the Bloody Monk who had annihilated the temple.

”Deep feelings, shallow fate, karmic grievances, there is a destiny predetermined by the cosmos!” Shen Tianjun said, ”The Bloody Monk has caused countless killings, and he will eventually have to face retribution. He himself knew this, which is why he hid for fifteen years, waiting for this opportunity to enter Heaven’s Gate and defy the heavens to change his fate, to alter his karmic retribution!”

Old Madam Shen sighed, ”This person is excessively ruthless. Should he enter Heaven’s Gate, the consequences would be unimaginable!”

”The Heaven Earth Man Three Gates can only be entered by those with fate. Divine Doctor An Shiping had such fortune, and in the end, he could only enter the Gate of Life among the Human Gates, let alone Heaven’s Gate!” Shen Tianjun smiled, ”You need not worry about this. When the Extraordinary Man Guiguzi established these Gates, he did so for those with destiny, and we need not concern ourselves. Some people may try every trick in the book, but without sufficient fate, they will inevitably make a mistake and be unable to enter these Gates. And those with destiny, even without seeking forcefully, will eventually have the chance to step into them!”

”Though that’s what you say, can you truly be unworried?” Old Madam Shen glanced at Shen Tianjun and said, ”If you really weren’t concerned, then why have you been holding onto these seven items for twenty years?”

”I merely wished to prevent the massacre from twenty years ago from continuing. In fact, Ning Qianshu also knew twenty years ago that there wasn’t enough time and it was impossible to open the Three Gates. Yet, he still tried to forcefully snatch these seven items. However, have you noticed? After he seized these seven items, he did not take them away directly, but instead left them in the Central Plains region,” Shen Tianjun explained. ”As long as these seven items circulate outside, the killings in the Central Plains cannot cease. The struggle for these items will inevitably lead to countless deaths.In releasing these seven items, prompting the martial artists of the Central Plains to slaughter each other, thereby weakening the strength of the Central Plains Martial World was Ning Qianshu’s true intention. If I had not locked these seven items within Shen Family Manor, I’m afraid this massacre could have completely destroyed the entire Central Plains Martial World!”

Old Madame Shen nodded slowly; on this point, Shen Tianjun had thought much further ahead than she had, and she had great admiration for his decision.

While the two conversed, many in the hall listened with confusion. Many of the things mentioned by Shen Tianjun and Old Madam Shen were completely unfamiliar to them.

”Big brother, what is the Heaven Earth Man Three Gates?” Standing beside Shen Da, Shen Shi could not help but ask softly.

Shen Da glanced back at his several brothers, who had looks of bewilderment, and shrugged, saying, ”I don’t know much about it either. I heard from the eldest brother before; it seems like it’s three treasures left by the extraordinary figure of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, Guiguzi. They contain a lot of things, which is why so many people fight over them. But these Three Gates only open once every so often, so every time, they stir a violent storm of bloodshed in the Jianghu!”

Although Shen Da was now the eldest brother of this generation of the Shen Family, in fact, before him, there was someone older, which was Shen Qingyi and Shen Lingwei’s father, Shen Ao Chen. However, Shen Ao Chen had died twenty years ago, and therefore, he, who was originally the second brother, became the eldest.

”Is that so?” Shen San couldn’t help saying, ”Since it has been opened before, the location must be known. Why not just find someone to dig it up directly, instead of fighting over it like this?”

”It’s not as simple as you put it. The things left by our predecessors must have their miraculous aspects!” Shen Da said, ”These Three Gates, if the time isn’t right, even if you had the power to move the mountains and drain the seas, you wouldn’t be able to dig out these treasures. Besides, the Gates are full of intricate mechanisms. If you try to force them open, it would inevitably result in countless deaths, and no one dares to attempt such a thing!”

”Really? That sounds too incredible,” Shen Si marveled.

”What’s so incredible about it?” Shen Da shrugged his shoulders, pointing to the pile of boulders outside the door, ”Our Shen Family’s Eight Trigrams Array, those who don’t understand it also think it’s incredibly miraculous, right? In fact, we must not underestimate the wisdom of our ancestors, and the things they left behind must have their wonderful aspects!”

The members of the Shen Family looked at the boulder pile, each falling silent. This pile of boulders was personally left by Shen Tianjun, said to be derived from Zhuge Kongming’s Eight Trigram Formation, and indeed it was extraordinary. Even with just a few boulders arranged carelessly, those who didn’t understand the formation couldn’t find their way out. With this pile of boulders, many who wanted to enter the Shen Family were stopped outside, truly miraculous.