Flower Stealing Master

The Shaolin Temple’s 72 Ultimate Techniques are renowned throughout the martial arts world. Xuan Cheng, who had mastered thirteen of these techniques, was considered the most accomplished Shaolin monk in two centuries. Among these, Xuan Cheng prided himself most on the Prajna Palm. This technique, part of Shaolin’s martial arts system, was as difficult to master as the Marrow Cleansing Scripture.

“If restless in the long night, with a heart adrift in thought, how does one find peace?” This phrase, inscribed on the first page of the Prajna Palm manual, was a note penned by its creator to reflect his evolving state of mind.

Xuan Cheng intended to make things difficult for Ah Zi, confident that no outsider could possibly have heard this phrase before. Even among Shaolin disciples, only a handful had ever seen it. Furthermore, since the Prajna Palm was created by a Chinese monk rather than originating from Tianzhu like the Marrow Cleansing Scripture, there was no Sanskrit version of this phrase. Even if Ah Zi understood Sanskrit, translating it on the spot would be nearly impossible.

Hearing Xuan Cheng’s words, Ah Zi’s expression changed. She had no knowledge of Sanskrit and had only been bluffing earlier.

Noticing her shift in demeanor, Xuan Cheng sneered, “Didn’t you claim to understand Sanskrit just now, insisting that the cover said ‘Divine Foot Scripture’? Why so silent now?”

“I…” Ah Zi was at a loss for words.

“‘I’ what?” Xuan Cheng glared at her and scolded, “Young lady, taking joy in deception at your age? It makes me wonder what kind of parents raised you.”

Having never known her parents, Ah Zi bristled at the mention of them. This was a sensitive sore spot for her. Furious, she snapped, “Junior Brother, slap this smelly monk for me!”

“Yes, Miss Ah Zi,” You Tanzhi replied with utmost reverence and admiration toward her. However, when he turned to Xuan Cheng, his expression darkened with hostility.

Although he knew Xuan Cheng’s skill, Fang Zheng, fearing carelessness might give way to trouble, quickly warned, “Be careful, Senior Brother. This man has mastered the Marrow Cleansing Scripture, and his inner strength is mixed with intense cold poison.”

Before Fang Zheng could finish speaking, You Tanzhi had already launched an attack. His palm struck Xuan Cheng squarely in the chest, but Xuan Cheng remained unmoved.

As frost gradually spread across his chest, Xuan Cheng nodded in acknowledgment. “Impressive.” Suddenly, a golden light radiated from his body, instantly melting the ice. You Tanzhi felt a powerful force rebound through his palm, sending him stumbling back several steps.

“The Indestructible Vajra Body!” The onlookers gasped in amazement. This legendary technique had always been shrouded in myth, and witnessing it firsthand was nothing short of extraordinary. Everyone had seen You Tanzhi’s ice-cold palm power earlier, which had even overwhelmed Zuo Lengchan, the leader of the Five Sacred Mountains Alliance. Yet, against Xuan Cheng, it seemed as feeble as a gentle breeze.

After repelling You Tanzhi, Xuan Cheng gave him no chance to recover. He darted forward, aiming a palm strike at his opponent. Xuan Cheng’s relentless pursuit was fueled by his desire to retrieve the original Sanskrit Marrow Cleansing Scripture he had glimpsed on You Tanzhi earlier, avoiding further complications.

Still reeling from the blow, You Tanzhi hastily raised his hand to counter.

A loud “bang” echoed as You Tanzhi, like a kite with a broken string, was sent flying backward, spitting bl0od. Xuan Cheng smirked coldly and extended a claw-like hand, intending to grab him when his expression suddenly froze. He quickly retreated as a sharp streak of sword Qi slashed through the spot he had just occupied.

Seeing Xuan Cheng’s wary gaze, Song Qingshu smiled faintly. “A Shaolin monk of your stature openly seizing the possessions of a junior? How disgraceful.”

Xuan Cheng pondered, ‘The martial arts world truly hides dragons and crouching tigers. Since leaving the temple, I’ve encountered several top-tier experts. Yet, even in this remote wilderness, someone with such skill appears.’

The sharpness of the sword Qi made him cautious, though he refused to concede verbally. “The Marrow Cleansing Scripture belongs to Shaolin. It was stolen not long ago. I merely intended to retrieve it without pressing charges against this young man for theft. That’s lenient enough.”

Barely regaining his footing, You Tanzhi protested, “I didn’t steal this book! I found it by chance…”

Song Qingshu interrupted with a raised hand. “There’s no need to explain further. That book isn’t the Marrow Cleansing Scripture.” 

Master Xuan Cheng immediately flew into a rage. “Young man, you’re spouting nonsense!”

Song Qingshu smiled faintly. “The name of this scripture was already mentioned by Miss Ah Zi earlier. Master, are you trying to twist the facts just because of your martial prowess?”

Xuan Cheng, seething with anger, laughed coldly. “Hmph, earlier I casually asked a question and proved she doesn’t know Sanskrit at all. Her words are nothing but a pack of lies.”

“Ah Zi is just a delicate girl of fifteen or sixteen. Master, with your formidable martial arts and esteemed position in the martial world, you naturally exude an intimidating aura. Earlier, you questioned her so aggressively that it’s only natural she was too scared to answer properly,” Song Qingshu said with an impassive face.

The people around them had strange expressions. Everyone had witnessed Ah Zi’s antics earlier. To say she was a timid girl scared speechless by a monk would likely make even her laugh at the absurdity.

Master Fang Zheng interjected at the right moment, his tone much gentler than Xuan Cheng’s. “If that’s the case, then let Miss Ah Zi answer the question now. How do you say, ‘If one cannot find peace during the endless night and the mind is restless, how should one subdue it?’ in Sanskrit?”

Ah Zi grew anxious, not knowing what to do, when she suddenly heard Song Qingshu chuckle. “Miss Ah Zi, if you’re afraid, you can quietly tell me the answer, and I’ll say it for you.”

Ah Zi, being quick-witted, immediately understood. She snorted. “This monk is truly insufferable. I don’t want to talk to him. Hmm, you seem more agreeable, so I’ll tell you instead.” She then ran to Song Qingshu’s side, tiptoed, and whispered something in his ear.

Xuan Cheng and Fang Zheng exchanged skeptical glances. 

Could this young girl truly know Sanskrit? They quickly dismissed the notion. After all, only a handful of people in the entire Shaolin Temple understood Sanskrit, all of whom were highly accomplished monks. How could a girl of fifteen or sixteen possibly know it?

Even so, the two strained to listen to what she said. However, since she deliberately lowered her voice and stood close to Song Qingshu, they couldn’t make out a word.

Song Qingshu nodded repeatedly, then raised his head after a long moment and said to Xuan Cheng, “Miss Ah Zi has already given me the answer.”

“Hmph, what a bluff,” Xuan Cheng scoffed. He didn’t believe it for a moment. Despite years of studying scriptures, he wasn’t confident in accurately translating the sentence into Sanskrit. How could this girl possibly know?

Song Qingshu smiled slightly and recited in Sanskrit: “Yadi dīrgharātrau asvasthaḥ, manasā calati cintayā, katham śāntim labhate?” (G: If you’re wondering: यदि दीर्घरात्रौ अस्वस्थः, मनसा चलति चिन्तया, कथम् शान्तिम् लभते? And I had a language translation course during my studies, so I tried.)n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

At first, Xuan Cheng and Fang Zheng were unimpressed, but their expressions soon changed. That odd string of words was unmistakably the Sanskrit version of the sentence. While they themselves might struggle to translate it perfectly, they could still understand it. Not only was the translation precise, but it also preserved the original text’s subtle essence. Such mastery of Sanskrit was rare, even in the Shaolin Temple.

“How is this possible?” both exclaimed simultaneously. Meanwhile, Xu Zhu remained impassive. Being young and unlearned in Sanskrit, he couldn’t grasp the intricacies of what had just transpired.

Ah Zi, however, looked at Song Qingshu with admiration, thinking, ‘My master is incredible. He even knows Sanskrit! It seems I’ve found a strong pillar to rely on.’

The others in the crowd were shocked as well, staring at Ah Zi’s youthful, delicate face in disbelief. Who would have thought such a young girl could have such profound knowledge of Sanskrit, enough to leave two esteemed Shaolin monks speechless?

However, this group didn’t include Ren Yingying or Wu Yunzhu. Having been by Song Qingshu’s side just moments ago, they had clearly heard Ah Zi’s whisper: “Master, master, I don’t know Sanskrit. What should I do~”

Wu Yunzhu’s cheeks flushed as she thought, ‘Big Brother truly knows everything. I used to call myself a talented woman in the capital, but compared to him, I was just a frog in a well.’

At that moment, Wu Yunzhu felt all the dangers she had encountered were worth it, just for the chance to meet him.

Ren Yingying secretly glanced up at him. Unfortunately, most of his face was obscured by a mask. She pondered, ‘Not only is this man’s martial arts unmatched and demeanor extraordinary, but he also knows something as profound as Sanskrit. Truly a scholar of unparalleled knowledge. When did the martial world gain such a figure? I wonder what he looks like under the mask…’  (G: just imagine her face when she finds out.)

Being held in his arms, she could clearly hear his steady heartbeat and feel the strength of his chest. She knew he wasn’t some elderly master. For reasons she couldn’t explain, she suddenly grew curious about his appearance.

Meanwhile, Song Qingshu struggled to suppress his laughter. Fortunately, the mask concealed his expression. In his past life, he had watched a TV series where Jiumozhi wreaked havoc in Shaolin. In one scene, Jiumozhi falsely claimed the ‘Prajna Palm Manual’ originated from the Western Regions by reciting it in Sanskrit. Inspired by that moment, Song Qingshu had delved into Sanskrit out of curiosity.

However, the complexity of Sanskrit left him bewildered, and he eventually gave up, retaining only the passage from the original novel. Unexpectedly, it proved to be of great use today.

Even so, Xuan Cheng and Fang Zheng, being brilliant minds of Shaolin, quickly recovered and shouted in unison, “That girl doesn’t know Sanskrit. That sentence clearly came from you!” 

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Check out my other projects: Dual Cultivation with a Fox Demon, Ask the Mirror (recommended), and Immortal Divine Tribulation, The Way of Restraint (recommended)