The capital city of the Great Li Dynasty.
Linglong Pavilion.
As the largest restaurant in the capital, Linglong Pavilion was packed with people every day.
Guests from out of town, local guests.
If given the chance, who wouldn't want to try the dishes at Linglong Pavilion?
Clap!
In the center of the restaurant, on a built-up stage.
A storyteller was animatedly narrating a 'story'.
"Ten years ago, in the Buddhist holy land, Da Chan Temple, a Buddhist Son was born. This Buddhist Son was born with innate knowledge and the appearance of all Buddhas."
"It is said that at that time, the golden body of the Buddha appeared above Da Chan Temple, and golden light covered an area of several tens of li. Many common people had their hidden ailments disappear under the golden light."
"Now, ten years have passed, that Buddhist Son—"
The storyteller stopped abruptly, cupped his hands, and said, "Esteemed audience, that is all for today. To know what has become of this young Buddhist Son, please return tomorrow."
As soon as he spoke.
The numerous guests in the hall immediately let out a sigh of disappointment.
They were deeply engrossed, wanting to know what had ultimately happened to the Buddhist Son, only for the storyteller to cut it off there.
Who could bear that?
"This is for you, keep going."
A burly man took out a silver ingot and threw it onto the stage.
The other audience members also threw out some copper coins and other valuables.
"Hehe, thanks to the appreciation of my esteemed audience, I shall continue."
Seeing this, the storyteller chuckled and immediately sat back down.
To tell a good story, one must stop at the right moment to pique the audience's curiosity, otherwise, how would one earn money?
This storyteller was clearly well-versed in this art. After collecting the money on the stage, he continued his narration.
"Counting his age, that Buddhist Son should be over ten years old now. Naturally, he is currently reciting Buddhist scriptures and studying Buddhist teachings in Da Chan Temple."
The storyteller opened his paper fan and said, shaking his head.
"Hmph."
Many guests couldn't help but let out a 'hmph' sound.
They still wanted to hear what amazing feats that Buddhist Son would perform, but it turned out to be just this?
However, upon closer thought, everyone found it reasonable. What could a child over ten years old do, no matter how high his Buddhist nature?
As for the strange phenomena the storyteller mentioned earlier, they were probably fabricated to attract attention.
What everyone in the restaurant failed to notice was that.
In a corner seat, a young monk in a grey monastic robe showed a strange expression.
"I've been written into a storybook?"
Lin Yuan shook his head slightly.
He didn't find anything strange about it.
Da Chan Temple was a Buddhist holy land and a great martial arts sect of the world.
Its every move naturally attracted external attention, especially himself, who had been taken as a disciple by a Grandmaster like Long Eyebrow Old Monk.
Certainly, many eyes were watching.
Furthermore, the Abbot and other leaders had no intention of blocking the news.
Over time, through word-of-mouth, various versions of rumors naturally emerged.
Lin Yuan enjoyed the local delicacies of this world at Linglong Pavilion.
Then he got up, put down the silver, and walked out.
On the street paved with bluestone slabs, people came and went, and hawkers' shouts could be heard everywhere.
Lin Yuan walked among them, not particularly conspicuous.
However, as Lin Yuan continued to walk deeper into the capital.
The number of pedestrians on the road became fewer and fewer, while the patrolling soldiers increased.
Until he reached a tall city gate, dozens of strong-willed soldiers stood guard with sharp gazes.
Beyond the city gate was the Great Li Imperial Palace, the absolute core of a dynasty.
Even standing outside the palace, one could vaguely see the magnificent palaces within.
Just then.
A carriage slowly drove out from within the Imperial Palace.
Seeing this, the gate guards immediately retreated a distance, clearing a path.
Inside the carriage, a middle-aged monk in a crimson kasaya was rubbing his temples.
The current Empress Dowager of Great Li was a devout Buddhist and often invited eminent monks into the palace.
This middle-aged monk in the crimson kasaya was an eminent monk who had gained considerable renown in recent years and was highly regarded and favored by the Empress Dowager.
Every ten to fifteen days, he would be invited into the Imperial Palace.
"The Empress Dowager's questions have become increasingly tricky recently."
The middle-aged monk frowned, somewhat troubled.
"I should be out of the palace by now."
The middle-aged monk reached out and lifted the curtain of the carriage.
He casually glanced around.
But this one glance made the middle-aged monk's pupils contract.
"That is…"
The middle-aged monk stared at the young monk standing not far away, a look of surprise and uncertainty on his face.
"The Buddhist Son?"
The middle-aged monk was from Da Chan Temple. Although he had been staying in the capital of the Great Li Dynasty for the past decade or so.
He had always maintained contact with Da Chan Temple. Several years ago, Da Chan Temple sent a portrait of the Buddhist Son, instructing the middle-aged monk to remember it well and to obey his commands if he ever met him.
And that portrait was almost identical to the young monk not far away.
Thinking of this, the middle-aged monk quickly dismounted from the carriage and came before Lin Yuan.
"Buddhist Son?"
The middle-aged monk asked tentatively.
"You know me?"
Lin Yuan raised an eyebrow.
"Twenty years ago, I was also a monk of Da Chan Temple."
With just this one sentence, the middle-aged monk revealed his identity.
"So that's how it is."
Lin Yuan nodded slightly.
Da Chan Temple was a Buddhist holy land, and its influence was not limited to Shaoshi Mountain.
Pudu Temple, which Lin Yuan had passed earlier, and the middle-aged monk before him, were manifestations of this.
"May I ask, Buddhist Son, what brings you to this capital city?"
The middle-aged monk asked curiously.
Before meeting Lin Yuan, he had not received any news from Da Chan Temple.
Clearly, Lin Yuan's visit here was unknown even to the Abbot of Da Chan Temple.
Otherwise, it would have been impossible for them not to inform him.
"I wish to visit the Martial Hall in the Imperial Palace."
Lin Yuan said.
The Martial Hall of the Great Li Imperial Palace was where countless martial arts secret manuals from all over the world were stored.
In the past, when the Great Li Founder established the dynasty, he placed all the copied martial arts from various sects into the Martial Hall.
It could be said that the Martial Hall of the Great Li Imperial Palace contained ten or even a hundred times more martial arts than the Scripture Pavilion of Da Chan Temple.
"Wanting to enter the Martial Hall, that's a bit troublesome."
Upon hearing this, the middle-aged monk frowned deeply.
Generally speaking, only imperial family members were qualified to enter the Martial Hall.
This was a rule established by the Great Li Founder in the past.
In addition, important officials who had made significant contributions to Great Li were also qualified to enter the Martial Hall.
But Lin Yuan clearly did not meet either of these two conditions.
Therefore, it was almost impossible for him to have the opportunity to access the Martial Hall.
The Great Li Dynasty was founded on martial arts and placed extreme importance on various martial arts secret manuals.
It was absolutely impossible to casually allow an outsider to enter a martial arts holy land like the Martial Hall.
"It's not entirely without a solution."
The middle-aged monk slowly said:
"Inside the Imperial Palace, the defenses are strict. Sneaking in is definitely impossible."
A hint of apprehension appeared on the middle-aged monk's face.
As a favored guest of the Empress Dowager, he had some understanding of the Great Li Imperial Palace.
The eight thousand Imperial Guards in the palace were all Houtian Peak martial artists trained with secret imperial techniques.
The two hundred deputy commanders were even Innate Realm martial Experts.
The eighteen grand commanders were Innate Peak martial Experts.
It could be said that this force alone was enough to easily sweep away hundreds of thousands of troops.
Even if a Grandmaster personally arrived, they would be trapped.
Additionally,
The middle-aged monk occasionally learned from the Empress Dowager that,
At various key points within the Imperial Palace, there were even Grandmaster-level martial Experts stationed.
The middle-aged monk had been entering and exiting the Imperial Palace for years,
And roughly estimated that there were no fewer than four Grandmasters in the Imperial Palace.
Four Grandmasters.
Eighteen Innate Peaks.
Two hundred Innate Realms.
Eight thousand Houtian Peaks.
This was the strongest trump card of the Great Li Dynasty.
Even if the world fell into chaos now, the Great Li Dynasty could still conquer it again.
Not to mention, this was only a part of the Great Li Dynasty's trump cards.
Outside the Imperial Palace, the armies stationed at the borders,
And Grandmasters, were ready to be dispatched by the Great Li Dynasty at any time.
"Buddhist Son."
"Listen to me."
"Later, you will accompany me into the palace to meet the Empress Dowager."
"With my introduction, the Empress Dowager will definitely think highly of the Buddhist Son."
"For the next three months, the Buddhist Son should frequently visit the Empress Dowager to become familiar."
"Then, when the Emperor's sixtieth birthday arrives half a year later, with the Empress Dowager's presence, she can bring you, the Buddhist Son, to offer congratulations."
"At that time, I will present a Buddhist treasure."
"Under the Great Li Emperor's delight, if the Buddhist Son proposes to enter the Martial Hall for a visit, the chances of success will be very high."
The middle-aged monk pondered deeply and proposed the only feasible method at present.
Theoretically, outsiders could not enter the Martial Hall.
But if the current Emperor of Great Li permitted it, there would naturally be no question of whether he could enter.
As long as Lin Yuan could win the Emperor's favor, entering the Martial Hall was not impossible.
After all, Lin Yuan only wished to enter the Martial Hall for a look, and there would be no loss to the numerous martial arts classics within the hall.
"What do you think, Buddhist Son…?"
The middle-aged monk finished speaking in one breath, and seeing Lin Yuan remain silent, he asked with some apprehension.
"It's not bad."
Lin Yuan nodded.
The middle-aged monk was indeed very thoughtful.
According to his method, there was a high probability of successfully entering the Martial Hall.
"However…"
Lin Yuan shook his head again.
"However what…?"
The middle-aged monk asked nervously.
"It's too troublesome."
Lin Yuan's gaze was calm as he looked towards the Imperial Palace not far away.
"Troublesome?"
The middle-aged monk took a while to react.
The plan he had just devised was already as concise as possible.
It involved taking Lin Yuan directly to meet the Empress Dowager, and then using the Empress Dowager to influence the Emperor.
This was already the fastest way the middle-aged monk could think of to enter the Martial Hall.
He couldn't just go directly to see the Emperor, could he? Without someone of sufficient standing to introduce him, even the middle-aged monk couldn't meet the Emperor, let alone Lin Yuan.
"Just say it directly."
Lin Yuan finished speaking, took a step forward, took a deep breath, and spoke loudly towards the Imperial Palace.
"This humble monk, Hui Zhen, wishes to visit the Martial Hall of the Imperial Palace."
When he uttered the first character, 'pin' (humble), his voice was normal,
But by the second character, his tone began to rise,
By the fifth character, a terrifying sound wave spread out wildly in all directions.
And when the last character, 'guan' (visit), was spoken, it was like the heavens collapsing, thunder exploding.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!!!
At this moment, the entire Imperial Palace was enveloped by the terrifying sound wave.
The eight thousand Houtian Peak Imperial Guards felt only a ringing in their ears and their consciousness dispersing.
The eighteen Innate Peak Grand Commanders bled from their seven orifices and knelt, unable to rise.
Deep within the Imperial Palace, five Grandmaster-level auras flashed, attempting to resist the Buddhist sound entering their ears, but they only lasted for a few breaths before their auras rapidly weakened, completely powerless to resist.
In an instant, the Great Li Imperial Palace, which had been so strictly guarded, crumbled into disarray, becoming a scattered mess, teetering on the brink.
"This…"
The middle-aged monk's mouth hung open.