Chapter - 14 Pines And Cypresses Grow On the Mount Wudang Peak (2)

He ZuDao said: "Oh, I see." and turned to abbot Tianming and said: "Old abbot, there is a Master Jueyuan here in the monastery. Who is it? I have been entrusted a message that I have to deliver to him."

Abbot Tianming softly said: "Master Jueyuan?"

Jueyuan's position is very low in the monastery. For many years he was just staying in the library and no one really paid any attention to him. Also, never did anyone call him [Master Jueyuan] so that's why abbot Tianming didn't know who He ZuDao meant. After awhile, Tianming said: "Oh! The monk who lost the "Ni Jia Scriptures". Benefactor He, does this have to do with the lost of the "Ni Jia Scriptures."

He ZuDao shook his head and said: "I really don't know."

Tianming told a pupil: "Tell Jueyuan to come out and meet our guests."

The disciple quickly left.

Reverend WuXiang said: "Benefactor He, is the saints of the zither, chess and swordsmanship. Ordinary people wouldn't dare to be called [saint]. Benefactor He must have extraordinary abilities in these three arts. Many days ago you left a note in the monastery telling us that you're were eager to display your martial arts. Today you have come and we are very eager to see your martial arts."

He ZuDao shook his head and said: "Miss Guo already said that both parties should not create any grudges."

WuXiang was really annoyed and thought: "You left a note challenging us, now you're saying you don't want to fight. In these thousand years, who dared to look down upon ShaoLin like that? Furthermore, Pan Tiangeng, Fang Tianlao and Wei Tianwang were defeated at your hands. If word would get out that the head disciples of the ShaoLin School were defeated by you, your name the saint of swordsmanship will be even more famous in WuLin. Ordinary pupils are no match for him, I must challenge him personally."

WuXiang walked forward and said: "Exchanging views on martial arts doesn't necessarily mean creating grudges. Benefactor He, there is no reason to be humble."

Wuxiang turned to a disciple of the DaMo Hall and said: "Get a sword! We will see the swordsmanship of the famous [saint of swordsmanship]. And we will see if the word [saint] is the right word to name it."

The weapons of the monastery were already prepared, but were not brought out. That was to avoid people from saying ShaoLin monks were petty.

The disciple went back in and brought seven, eight swords and went to He ZuDao and said: "Benefactor He, will you be using your own weapon or will you be using one of our swords?"

He ZuDao didn't answer and picked up a sharp rock from the ground and started carving lines in the tiles. He drew a chess board with that sharp rock. Every line was precise, accurate, and deeply carved into the stone tiles. He ZuDao just picked up a rock and drew this, this use and possession of internal energy was rare in the realm. He ZuDao laughed and said: "Dueling with swords might create unnecessary animosities between us. There is no way in competing music. If all you are interested, we could play chess."

This display of internal energy and drawing a chessboard with a small rock was amazing. Tianming, WuSe, WuXiang and the seven elders of the Meditation Hall looked at each other and were stunned.

Abbot Tianming knew that this man's internal strength was very powerful and no one in the monastery was his match. The abbot was about to admit defeat when they heard a metallic sound walking towards them. It was Jueyuan carrying two large metal buckets. Behind him was a young tall man. Jueyuan put down the buckets and paid his respects to Tianming and said: "I await your orders, abbot."

Tianming said: "This benefactor He has something to tell you."

Jueyuan turned around and didn't know who He ZuDao was. Jueyuan said: "I am Jueyuan. Benefactor He, can I help you?"

After He ZuDao finished drawing the chessboard, his interest for chess was awoken and asked: "The message can wait now. Who is interested in a game of chess?" He ZuDao didn't want to show off his martial arts, but he was always very captivated by the arts of zither, chess and swordsmanship. If his interest was awoken he can forget everything around him. He ZuDao just wanted a monk to play chess with now and forgot entirely about fighting.

Abbot Tianming said: "Benefactor He's ability to draw a chessboard with a mere rock is amazing. Such magnificent ability is something I have never seen before. All the monks here are no match for you."

When Jueyuan heard these words, he looked at the lines on the ground and realised that this He ZuDao came here to challenge the ShaoLin Monastery. Jueyuan picked up the iron buckets and took a deep breath and focused all his internal strength to his feet and started walking towards the lines.

The chains bound to Jueyuan's feet dragged over the lines and erasing it. When the monks saw that, everyone called: "Good!"

Tianming, WuSe and WuXiang were surprised and happy to see that this old and pedant monk had such powerful internal energy. They lived in the monastery all these years and never realised it before. Tianming knows that no matter how powerful the internal energy of one person is, he/she can never leave such deep prints in the ground. The reason why Jueyuan could do this was that his iron buckets were filled with water so in total, there was two hundred kilograms.

Before Jueyuan could erase all the lines, He ZuDao spoke to him: "Very powerful internal energy, I don't have such powerful internal strength."

Jueyuan felt his energy growing in his public region but his legs were getting tired. Jueyuan stopped when he heard He ZuDao talking to him and turned to him and said with a smile: "Is there a difference in white and black pieces?"

He ZuDao said: "Right! This game of chess cannot be played anymore, I lose. I will try your swordsmanship." He ZuDao drew his sword and aimed for his own chest and the hilt was facing the opponent. This was a very strange technique and looked like he was trying to kill himself. In all the sword stances in the world there was never such a strange technique.

Jueyuan said: "I only how know to meditate and recite scriptures. My responsibility is to tidy the library. I've never learnt martial arts."

He ZuDao didn't believe him and scoffed. He ZuDao advanced forward, the tip of the sword was now aiming for Jueyuan's chest. This technique was very fast and was practically unequalled by all sword techniques in the realm. This stance wasn't meant to aim for yourself but the position He ZuDao took was to generate his internal energy to the sword and lash out. However, Jueyuan's internal energy was so powerful it was able to come and go as Jueyuan pleases. Jueyuan used one of the buckets to block this technique and the tip of the sword hit the iron bucket. The sword bent a bit and He ZuDao retrieved this technique and attacked again. Jueyuan used the other bucket to block that stance.

He ZuDao thought: "No matter how high your martial arts is, these buckets are not easy to be handled. How can you block my stances? If you used your hands instead I would have slightly feared you."

He ZuDao used his index finger to point at the tip of the sword producing a buzzing sound. It was similar to a cry of a dragon.

He ZuDao called out: "Watch out, old monk!" With incredible speed He ZuDao launched sixteen stances towards Jueyuan.

However, Jueyuan blocked all of them, these sixteen techniques were called "The Swift Lightning Swordsmanship."