Shaolin, Scripture Pavilion.
"Seventy-two Divine Techniques... seems incomplete," Daniel remarked.
After leaving Wudang, Daniel went straight to the Shaolin Temple. Among all the sects in *A World Beneath*, Shaolin had the most extensive collection of martial arts manuals. Even the Company's temporary worker, Xiao Zizai, had originally come from Shaolin.
Daniel was most intrigued by the legendary *Yijin Jing*, but unfortunately, that technique had been lost to time. Of the original Seventy-two Divine Techniques, only about thirty had survived in their entirety, while the rest were mostly incomplete.
Of course, when it came to martial arts techniques in general, Shaolin had over a hundred different styles. Similarly, Wudang also boasted numerous martial arts, although many of them were basic or common, just as Tai Chi, Bajiquan, and Xingyiquan had multiple variations.
"Golden Bell Shield." Daniel looked at the manual in his hand and nodded. *Golden Bell Shield* was a widely known technique in the world of extraordinary beings. Though many could learn it, mastering it to higher levels was extremely difficult. At its pinnacle, *Golden Bell Shield* evolved into the near-mythical *Indestructible Vajra*, a technique that could rival the highest tier of martial arts like *Armored Body Technique*. It rendered the body impervious to weapons, fire, and water.
Daniel was tempted to try practicing *Golden Bell Shield*. Combined with his *Armament Haki*, it would take his offense and defense to new levels.
For now, though, Daniel was collecting Shaolin martial arts mainly to take back to the *Qin's Moon* world. He didn't need these techniques for himself. Even the *Yijin Jing* was more of a curiosity than a necessity.
"Who's there? How dare you intrude on the Scripture Pavilion!" Suddenly, a commotion erupted outside, and three middle-aged monks rushed into the pavilion. Upon seeing Daniel, one of them charged at him with a claw strike.
Since they were in the Scripture Pavilion, the monks were reluctant to fight full-force, fearing they might damage the sacred texts. The monk attacked with *Tiger Claw Hand*, aiming to subdue Daniel without causing too much destruction.
Shaolin's *Dragon Claw Hand* was famous, but Shaolin also had several other claw techniques—at least five or six variations, including *Tiger Claw Hand*.
*Boom!*
In response, Daniel simply moved his right hand, delivering a punch that collided with the monk's claw. In an instant, the monk's fingers were shattered, and the bones in his arm fractured with an audible crack as he was sent flying backward.
Daniel had used his newly learned *Bajiquan*. Despite holding back, his punch was still powerful enough to severely injure the monk.
"Bajiquan... Who are you?" The two remaining monks caught their injured companion, their expressions turning grave. One of them stepped forward, his tone serious.
*Bajiquan* wasn't rare, but someone who could use it to such devastating effect was certainly not common. To incapacitate a Shaolin martial monk guarding the Scripture Pavilion with a single punch—this was no ordinary martial artist.
"Your attitude is far worse than Wudang's," Daniel muttered to himself, comparing Shaolin's treatment of him with the courtesy he had received from Wudang's Zhou Meng. Though he had no particular grudge against Shaolin, their hostile approach irked him. It made Daniel reconsider his restraint; while he wouldn't kill anyone, he had no qualms about leaving them seriously injured.
Ignoring the monks' questions, Daniel calmly tucked the martial arts manuals into his bag. The monks, seeing this blatant disregard, were filled with rage.
Their fury was understandable. After all, an outsider was stealing sacred texts from their pavilion—anyone in their position would be enraged. But despite their anger, they hesitated to attack again. First, Daniel had already overpowered one of their own, and second, they feared destroying the precious Scripture Pavilion.
However, Daniel had no such concerns.
"Please leave the pavilion and surrender the scrolls," a senior monk said as Daniel walked out of the building. By now, the courtyard was filled with Shaolin monks, all ready for battle.
"The Eighteen Arhats Formation. I've heard of it before, and today I'll see it firsthand." The sight that greeted Daniel was none other than the famed Eighteen Arhats Formation, led by an elderly monk wielding a golden staff. This was the head of Shaolin's Disciplinary Hall, a monk whose strength rivaled the top fighters of the Ten Elders.
Unfortunately, he had been born in the wrong era. His prime had coincided with that of Zhang Zhiwei and the chaotic times of the Jia Shen Rebellion, a period brimming with exceptionally talented warriors. In such a world of formidable individuals, he had gone largely unnoticed.
"The arrogance," the elderly monk growled, his voice filled with anger. He gripped his staff, his entire body radiating golden *qi*, forming a protective aura of golden light—the *Golden Bell Shield*. He had nearly mastered the technique, falling just short of reaching the *Indestructible Vajra* level.
"Stay here!" the monk shouted as he swung his golden staff at Daniel.
"The *Golden Bell Shield* and *Whirlwind Staff Technique*," Daniel mused, easily recognizing the technique from his prior research into Shaolin. The elder monk had a reputation for his fiery temper.
"Your *qi* is strong, but it's a shame you didn't use it to serve your country in its time of need." Daniel's voice suddenly turned cold. In a blur of movement, he appeared before the monk and struck him with a single punch.
*Boom!*
The punch shattered the golden staff, despite the immense *qi* reinforcement. Daniel followed up with another punch to the monk's chest, dispersing the golden light of his *Golden Bell Shield* and sending him flying, coughing up blood before being caught by another monk.
"Form the formation!" another monk shouted. In response, eighteen monks wielding golden staffs surrounded Daniel, each of them activating their own *Golden Bell Shield*, their bodies and weapons glowing with golden light.
The Eighteen Arhats Formation, bolstered by this group of *Golden Bell Shield* experts, was a force to be reckoned with. Even someone like a top Elder would struggle to escape it.
"You have great strength but refuse to serve your country. If that's the case, why should you keep this power? Let me teach you a lesson today." Daniel's eyes glinted coldly as he advanced. Within moments, he had broken through the formation, shattering staffs and severely injuring each of the eighteen monks.
"Amitabha, please, benefactor—"
"Spare me the nonsense!" Daniel interrupted as an elder monk finally appeared. Without a word, Daniel delivered *Bajiquan* punches, sending every monk flying. He spared only one frail elder—Xie Kong, the former head of Lingyin Temple and master of Xiao Zizai. Xie Kong had sacrificed his cultivation to save his disciple's life, leaving him the only member of the Ten Elders with no martial prowess.
"Benefactor, please..."
"Enough," Daniel snapped, cutting off Xie Kong's plea. "I've been restrained today. But if I find out Shaolin is passing its martial arts to outsiders again, next time won't be so simple."
With a stomp, Daniel unleashed a shockwave, creating a massive crater in the courtyard. Xie Kong would have been caught in the blast if not for his disciple's quick intervention.
"Next time, don't say I didn't warn you." With that, Daniel disappeared from sight.
"As the Eight Great Arts prepare to reemerge, Shaolin would be wise to close its gates," Daniel muttered as he glanced at the bustling tourist-filled front mountain of Shaolin before vanishing.
Though Daniel hadn't killed anyone, the injuries he inflicted would leave Shaolin without capable fighters for the next two decades. In the world of extraordinary beings, such a lack of strength meant a loss of power and influence.
"Pity there were no *Great Rejuvenation Pills*." Daniel had hoped to find the legendary pills in Shaolin, but they had been lost centuries ago.
"Once everything here is settled, I might pay a visit to Japan." Few people knew the full truth of the Jia Shen Rebellion, but both the ordinary and extraordinary worlds had records of the conflict. Even though this world wasn't identical to his past life's world, Daniel still felt a deep sense of anger over how many sects had stood by during that time of crisis.
"Enough of that for now. Let's visit the Fire Virtue Sect."
With a plan in mind, Daniel set off for the Fire Virtue Sect's headquarters. As its name suggested, this sect specialized in fire techniques. The young fire god from *Luo Tian Dajiao* hailed from this sect, and while its techniques might not be useful to Daniel, they could serve as valuable reference material for Yan Lingji, who also wielded fire.
The *qi* in *A World Beneath* was similar to the *true qi* of *Qin's Moon*, but the former had evolved far beyond the latter in terms of technique, thanks to two millennia of development.
This time, Daniel encountered no resistance. The Fire Virtue Sect, while called a sect, was relatively small, with few disciples. After all, mastering fire required innate talent.
"Time to head to Mount Longhu." With the *Luo Tian Dajiao* approaching, Daniel boarded a plane and headed to Mount Longhu, having already gathered the Fire Virtue Sect's fire techniques. Upon arriving at Mount Longhu, Daniel changed his appearance once again and prepared for the event.
The Luo Tian Dajiao was fast approaching. Only extraordinary beings under the age of thirty were eligible to participate, making it a competition for the younger generation. The sign-up process was open to all through online registration.
While the event technically only required participants to be of a certain age, many extraordinary beings were deterred from entering without sufficient strength. This was especially true because the prize for this year's competition, the Tongtian Lu (Heaven-Penetrating Scroll), drew in formidable competitors. Most weaker beings, even if they met the age requirement, chose not to participate. No one wanted to embarrass themselves in front of the powerful elders who would be watching.
In addition to the age restriction, participants also had to overcome a natural obstacle—the sheer cliff at the back of Mount Longhu. Scaling the cliff was a challenge that only those with decent martial abilities could accomplish, serving as an informal screening process for the competition. Many weaker individuals would be eliminated just trying to reach the top.
On the other hand, the audience for the event was not held to the same rigorous standard. Ordinary people could attend, so long as they were affiliated with the extraordinary world and knew about the competition. All they had to do was have an extraordinary being bring them as guests to watch.
On the day of Luo Tian Dajiao, Daniel arrived at Mount Longhu. The front of the mountain was bustling with activity, with tourists from all over the country flocking to witness the famous Taoist event. Of course, this was the public-facing version of Luo Tian Dajiao, an event designed for ordinary people.
The Old Heavenly Master, Zhang Zhiwei, could be seen in the company of tourism officials, warmly greeting visitors and even taking photos with some of them. Standing dutifully by his side was Zhang Lingyu, who garnered a great deal of attention from the younger female tourists.
In the current generation of extraordinary beings, Zhang Lingyu and Zhuge Qing were two of the most popular figures, with sizable followings. Many of the young women visiting Mount Longhu were there specifically to see Zhang Lingyu, enamored by his stoic demeanor and extraordinary lineage.
Meanwhile, Zhuge Qing, with his charming looks and cool persona, was also surrounded by admirers. Unlike Zhang Lingyu, Zhuge Qing had dabbled in acting for a brief period, which boosted his public profile. He could have been a successful actor had it not been for an incident with a director who tried to take advantage of him. That director, unaware of Zhuge Qing's powerful background as the heir of the Zhuge family, had made a grave mistake.
The director's career was quickly destroyed, and he disappeared from the entertainment industry. In a more traditional era, Zhuge Qing might have gone even further in punishing the man, but in modern times, his family chose a more restrained response. Still, it served as a stark reminder that the Zhuge family, despite their low profile, was not to be trifled with.
"Zhang Chulan has arrived." At this point in time, Zhang Chulan had yet to earn his infamous "shameless" title, but his name was already well-known in the extraordinary world. Many people were aware that the Luo Tian Dajiao this year was being held largely because of him.
"The Yaoxing Society has shown up too. I should find a way to meet their president later," Daniel mused to himself, keeping an eye on the various attendees of the event.
As the competition was about to begin, Mount Longhu was bustling with energy, with both participants and spectators eager to witness the upcoming battles between the most talented young extraordinary beings.
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