Approaching the Monks

As the night grew darker, a single black Porsche drove up the long driveway of a grand mansion, stopping right outside of its main doors.

An old gentleman wearing a sleek black butler suit bent his straight back in a bow and opened the door of the driver's seat.

A familiar yet strange figure stepped out.

It was Wu Shang Tang, but his usual image seemed to have disappeared into thin air, a far cry from the feeling he currently gave off.

His eyes held a sharp glint and he was like the embodiment of darkness itself, cold and unfeeling.

"Welcome back Young Master," the butler said respectfully.

Wu Shang Tang handed him his car keys before stepping into the premises.

He made his way up to the study on the second floor's left wing and gave three steady knocks on the door made of purple heart wood.

"Come in," an old but powerful voice sounded from within.

The wooden door creaked open as Wu Shang Tang stepped in and bowed towards the figure sitting behind the large desk with his back turned away from the door.

"I have returned," Wu Shang Tang said.

The figure on the chair turned around to face Wu Shang Tang and leaned one arm on the desk, revealing an old man with a head of white and a similarly white mustache and beard that were as long as his neck.

"Do you have anything to report?" The old man nodded before asking.

"Grandfather, that old crook Huang's nephew seemed to have joined Chu Nan's group with ulterior motives."

This old man was Wu Shang Tang's grandfather, Wu Jian.

"Xiao Nan huh?" Wu Jian brushed his beard in thought. "For now, just keep watch. Xiao Nan is still a bit naive. Let him take this as an experience."

"Recently, C City's Blood Requiem group is to be up to something. The Huangs seem to have some secret dealings with them," Wu Shang Tang continued.

"I've already retired from the organization. You are now the head of Sacred Guardians. You do not need to go through me for everything," Wu Jian waved his hand signaling an end to this conversation.

Wu Shang Tang bowed down, "Yes, grandfather."

"There is one more thing," Wu Shang Tang said. "I have met an interesting person the other day. I suspect he is the legendary Healer."

Wu Jian stood up from his seat in shock.

"Has it been proven?!" he exclaimed.

"I was surrounded by Chu Nan's underlings sent by that old crook's nephew and....."

Wu Shang Tang narrated all of the happenings at the monastery without leaving anything out.

".....he only placed his hand there for a few seconds, but my broken tailbone was mysteriously healed!"

"Let me see your tailbone," Wu Jian exclaimed as he walked around the desk to Wu Shang Tang, turning his body towards him.

There was not a single bruise in sight.

He touched the area a few times, watching his grandson's reaction.

Besides the faint embarrassment, there was nothing.

"Are you sure you were hurt?" Wu Jian questioned with suspicion.

"Grandfather, as a cultivator, I'm quite clear about my own body," Wu Shang Tang said bitterly. "Besides, the monks' reactions afterward...."

".....the Abbot brought him somewhere for a few hours and would not let me follow," Wu Shang Tang concluded. "He's currently still staying at the monastery."

Wu Jian fell into thought.

"He seems to be someone of great importance if the Abbot showed him such respects," he said. "For now, don't do anything excessive that can cause the man to be suspicious. If anything, try to get on his good side."

"Yes, grandfather," Wu Shang Tang replied.

With a bow, he left his grandfather's study, closing the door silently behind him.

It seemed like his choice of making Jia Bi Yu his teacher was correct.

Early the next morning, right before the sun had fully risen past the horizon, Jia Bi Yu was awoken by the sound of shouts from the direction of the training grounds.

He had always been a light sleeper and with his hearing, even the slightest sounds would not escape his notice.

When he finally finished getting ready and reached the training grounds, he saw the same group of monks from the previous day already halfway through their morning training.

Besides their regular duties, meditation, and times of breaks, they also trained their martial arts three times daily.

It was the same every day, but they found peace in this monotonous lifestyle and this was their way of finding enlightenment.

The monks did not notice Jia Bi Yu's presence until they finished their training.

With excitement written all over their faces, they quickly ran up to Jia Bi Yu and respectfully greeted him.

The Abbot had warned them yesterday that even though this man in front of them was not the living Buddha, he also hinted that Jia Bi Yu was someone from above.

Jia Bi Yu was also quite interested in the monks' martial arts.

"Do you guys mind having a spar with me?" He asked.

The monks looked at each other before nodding like little chicks.

"It is our honor!" they shouted excitedly.

One of the monks stood facing Jia Bi Yu across from him with the rest of the monks making a circle around them.

He held a wooden stick pointing towards the ground with both hands.

Like usual, Jia Bi Yu stood there straight with his hands behind his back.

The monk looked hesitantly at Jia Bi Yu.

"Would Senior like to borrow a training stick?" he asked.

Despite knowing his opponent was much superior in cultivation and strength, it did not feel right to spar against someone without a weapon.

"I'm fine," Jia Bi Yu replied, not taking heed to the monk's thoughts.

The monk could only grit his teeth as he tightened his grip on the wooden stick.

"I'll be starting," he warned before picking up his wooden stick and nimbly running up towards Jia Bi Yu.

When he got within two meters, he pulled back his wooden stick as though he was building momentum.

Right as he was about a meter closer, instead of thrusting his weapon forward, he sidestepped to Jia Bi Yu's left, and moved his own left hand that was gripping the back of the wooden stick to the front, which brought the whole stick in front of his body, parallel to the ground.

Jia Bi Yu widened his eyes with interest as the monk hit the wooden stick against Jia Bi Yu's waist, leaving him nowhere to dodge.

The monks had witnessed Wu Shang Tang's training yesterday and had a fair idea of Jia Bi Yu's style of sparring.

Jia Bi Yu quickly jumped far back away from the attack range of the wooden stick.

Even Wu Shang Tang was not able to make him move from his original spot yesterday, clearly showing the higher martial arts skills of these monks.

The monk also jumped back when his attack failed, carefully watching Jia Bi Yu's every move.

He did not lose himself to happiness just because he was able to make Jia Bi Yu move from his spot.

He knew that even though the other man seemed to have so many openings, he was much stronger than he let on, so the monk did not let down his guard.

The monk once again ran up to Jia Bi Yu and faced him head on this time, executing a series of different attacks.

Jia Bi Yu dodged each and every one of them with slight shifts in his position.

At the very end, when the monk tried to do a wide hit like the first one, Jia Bi Yu grabbed the wooden stick right before it landed, putting a full stop to the attack.

Having lost his momentum, the monk let go of the wooden stick and instead threw a fist towards Jia Bi Yu's chest.

Jia Bi Yu smiled in acknowledgment and while still holding onto the stick, he lifted it a bit and blocked the punch.

Pulling back his fist, the monk threw his other fist forward towards Jia Bi Yu's head and likewise, Jia Bi Yu shifted the wooden stick and hit it against the punch.

The monk proceeded to switch between punches and kicks at different areas of Jia Bi Yu's body, all seemingly hard to block.

Yet, Jia Bi Yu seemed as though he was one with the wooden stick, hitting it against each and every one of the monk's attacks.

He made it seem so easy as he lightly tapped, yet the monk who was on the receiving end of it felt as though the wooden stick was a sharp sword slicing deep into his flesh.

After a series of exchanges, the monk stepped back breathing heavily.

Just when it seemed like the monk was about to attack again, he suddenly lowered his fists and gave a deep bow towards Jia Bi Yu.

"I admit defeat," he said. "Thank you for your leniency."

After his bow, he seemed like he was about to fall to the ground.

The monks standing nearby supported his body as they brought him to the side to rest.

The monks looked at Jia Bi Yu with veneration.

Jia Bi Yu slowly passed the morning sparring with various monks.