Hong Kong films: Starting from Shaolin Temple

Page 191

"How strange?"

"He...he was wearing a black kimono and holding a red oil-paper umbrella. He stood outside the mountain gate and said...that he had come to visit an old friend named Long Yan."

Kimono? Oiled paper umbrella?

Everyone was stunned.

Long Yan frowned slightly. He was certain that he did not recognize such an "old friend".

He stood up and exchanged a glance with Master Long Eyebrows; they both saw the solemnity in each other's eyes.

"Go and have a look."

By the time Long Yan and his group arrived at the mountain gate, it was already completely dark. A crescent moon hung in the sky, casting a cool, pale glow.

Outside the mountain gate, a tall, thin young man stood quietly.

He wore a black kimono embroidered with subtle patterns and wooden clogs. In his left hand, he held a bright red oil-paper umbrella that seemed out of place in the night, with a lifelike white fox painted on its surface.

His face was strikingly handsome, almost eerily so; his skin was as pale as snow, and a polite yet aloof smile played on his lips. Most striking of all were his eyes—deep, seemingly capable of seeing right through people.

Upon seeing Long Yan appear, the young man slowly closed his oil-paper umbrella, bowed slightly to Long Yan, and spoke slowly in fluent yet somewhat strange Chinese:

"Nice to meet you, Master Longyan."

"I am Ryūkō, the 36th generation descendant of Abe no Seimei, a Japanese Onmyoji (yin-yang master)."

Chapter 136 Tsuchimikado

Tsuchimikado Ryūkō.

This name, along with his bizarre attire, was like a cold talisman affixed to the gate of Wulong Temple, instantly freezing the slightly relaxed atmosphere that had arisen from the retreat of the underworld.

The expressions on the faces of Master Long Eyebrows and Master Wisdom were more solemn than ever before. They exchanged a glance, both seeing deep apprehension in each other's eyes.

"An Onmyoji..." Uncle Da muttered softly from the side, "Is he... a Taoist priest from Japan?"

No one answered him. All eyes were on Long Yan and the man who called himself Tsuchimikado Ryūkō.

Xiao Zhen's beautiful eyes were fixed on the other person's bright red oil-paper umbrella. For some reason, she sensed an extremely dangerous yet alluring aura emanating from the white fox painted on the umbrella. This aura was completely different from her own demonic energy, yet it still made her heart tremble.

“This humble monk and you are complete strangers, and I have no idea what you mean by ‘old friend’,” Long Yan broke the silence first. His voice was as steady as ever, like a rock, calming the uneasy hearts of the crowd.

Tsuchimikado Ryūkō maintained his polite smile and gently shook his head, saying, "Master, you misunderstand. The person I visited was not 'Dragon Flame,' but rather the 'power' that resides within you, a power that is not of this mortal realm."

As soon as this statement came out, everyone was shocked!

He really did come for this reason!

"The golden body of the Arhat, the guardian deity of Buddhism. It should have remained dormant in legends, yet it has appeared in the city of Hong Kong without warning." Tsuchimikado Ryuko's voice was gentle, but carried an undeniable assertion. "Such a massive energy fluctuation is enough to disrupt the balance of the spiritual veins throughout East Asia. As the one who protects the balance, I naturally have to come and pay my respects to this new 'Lord of Power'."

His words revealed a grander and more dangerous worldview. The so-called balance of spiritual veins and the so-called guardians were far beyond the comprehension of Uncle Da and the others.

Master Zhihui stepped forward and said in a deep voice to Tsuchimikado Ryuko, "The Tsuchimikado family is the oldest Onmyōdō sect in Japan, and they pride themselves on being the guardians of the balance between the human, demon, and god realms. You have come uninvited; do you intend to interfere in the affairs of Chinese Buddhism?"

"Master of Wisdom, you flatter me." Tsuchimikado Ryūkō bowed slightly to the Master of Wisdom, his posture impeccable. "Power has no borders; it only chooses its own 'vessel.' I have come here with no ill intentions, but simply to see for myself whether this new 'vessel' possesses the qualifications and temperament to wield this power."

As he spoke, his gaze returned to Long Yan, his eyes deep, as if trying to see through Long Yan's soul.

"Otherwise, in order to maintain the balance, we 'guardians' will have no choice but to take action and completely 'seal' this out-of-control power."

He spoke the word "seal" casually, yet it carried a chilling undertone. This was no longer a threat, but a statement of an established rule.

Just as he spoke, a strange night wind suddenly arose, swirling up fallen leaves that danced in the air. The wind seemed to carry with it the phantom of cherry blossom petals and a faint, almost imperceptible, fox cry.

Xiaozhen shuddered. She clearly saw that the white fox on Tsuchimikado Ryuko's red umbrella seemed to move its eyes slightly!

The entire atmosphere of the Oolong Temple became cold and eerie because of his presence alone.

As Long Yan sensed this power, he closed his eyes slightly and softly chanted a Buddhist mantra.

"Amitabha."

A single chant of the Buddha's name is like a resounding bell, solemn, vast, balanced, and peaceful.

The eerie night wind vanished instantly, and the phantoms of cherry blossoms and the fox's cry disappeared without a trace. The two lanterns hanging above the mountain gate, bearing the inscription "Oolong Temple," shone brightly, their warm Buddhist light spreading like ripples, completely dispelling the chilling aura brought by Tsuchimikado Ryuko.

A silent clash of spiritual energy was decided in the blink of an eye.

A hint of surprise finally flashed in Tsuchimikado Ryuko's eyes. He looked at Long Yan and exclaimed, "Such pure Buddhist mental power. To break my illusion with an unwavering mind. It seems I was overthinking it."

He bowed deeply to Long Yan once more: "Master Long Yan, your temperament and composure have proven your qualifications. Today's visit ends here."

He paused, his gaze deepening, then changed the subject: "However, I still need to remind you. I'm not the only one who has sensed this power. The power of the Arhat's golden body is an unparalleled tonic for some beings. The eyes of 'them' in the East and 'them' in the West... have all been turned here."

"Them?" Master Longbrow pressed.

Tsuchimikado Ryūkō simply smiled mysteriously and did not answer.

He turned around, opened the bright red oil-paper umbrella, and prepared to leave.

"I hope you can still keep this original intention when we meet next time, Master Longyan."

He took a step, his figure seemingly blending into the night. In a few breaths, he disappeared at the end of the mountain path, leaving only a lingering sentence echoing in the night wind.

"Oh, right. I forgot to tell you, although the demonic energy on that witch was well hidden, it was like a beacon in the darkness in our eyes... Interesting, really interesting."

The last sentence clearly reached Xiao Zhen's ears, causing her delicate body to tremble violently and her face to turn deathly pale instantly!

He actually... saw through her true identity at a glance!

Everyone was horrified. Looking again at the end of the mountain path, they found it deserted. Only a neatly folded white paper crane lay quietly where Tsuchimikado Ryuko had stood.

Long Yan stepped forward and picked up the paper crane.

It felt warm and smooth to the touch, like jade. The moment his fingertips touched the paper crane, it automatically unfolded and transformed into a white talisman.

On the talisman, a magnificent ancient seal character, “镇” (zhen, meaning to suppress), was written in cinnabar.

Upon seeing this word, Long Yan's gaze darkened completely.

This is both a well-intentioned reminder and a chilling warning.

The wind in Hong Kong seemed to change from that night onward.

Chapter 137 Yin-Yang Techniques

Tsuchimikado Ryuko's figure had long since disappeared into the night, but the cold and eerie aura he exuded, along with the words he left behind, lingered like a persistent dark cloud over the hearts of everyone in the Oolong Institute.

There was a deathly silence in front of the mountain gate.

“Senior brother, this…” Master Changmei looked at Master Zhihui, his voice trembling slightly. He had spent his life cultivating and considered himself to have a calm and serene mind, but what he had seen and heard tonight had completely overturned his understanding of this world.

The wise master's expression was even more solemn than the night. He looked at the "Suppress" character in Long Yan's hand and slowly shook his head: "The Tsuchimikado family has actually appeared. It seems that the power of Junior Nephew Long Yan's golden body has alarmed far more than just the mortal world."

"Then... what did that Japanese guy mean? What balance? What seal?" Uncle Da finally couldn't help but ask, trembling. "And what about Xiao Zhen? Why did he say 'Xiao Zhen'..."

He didn't finish his sentence because he saw Xiao Zhen with her head down, her petite body trembling slightly in the night wind, her face deathly pale. Her biggest secret had been revealed by a stranger of unknown origin, filling her with unprecedented fear and helplessness.

Just then, Long Yan moved.

He carefully tucked the "Suppress" character into his sleeve, walked up to Xiao Zhen, and said in a calm yet firm voice, "There's no need to be afraid."

These three simple words seem to carry a comforting power.

Xiao Zhen suddenly raised her head and looked at Long Yan. Her eyes were filled with panic, fear, and a hint of pleading that she herself was unaware of.

"He...he knows..." Her voice was choked with sobs.

“I know.” Long Yan nodded, his eyes clear and open, without the slightest disgust or strangeness. “In my eyes, you are still Xiao Zhen. Whether it’s the Heavenly Demon Qi or Buddhist techniques, they are just kinds of power. The difference between good and evil lies in one’s heart, not in the power itself. I promised you that I would help you guide it, and that promise will always be valid…”

These words were like a warm current, instantly flowing into Xiao Zhen's cold heart. Looking into Long Yan's pure and innocent eyes, the surging fear and unease she felt miraculously subsided. She bit her lip, nodded forcefully, and forced back the tears in her eyes.

Long Yan said no more and turned to Master Long Eyebrows and Master Wisdom: "Master, Uncle-Master, let's go inside and talk."

The atmosphere remained oppressive as everyone returned to the main hall.

The wise master spoke first, slowly recounting everything he knew about the "Mysterious Gate".

Beneath the surface of modern society, there exists an "inner world" inaccessible to ordinary people. This world is composed of sorcerers, superhumans, martial arts masters, and ancient bloodline families from various countries. They follow ancient laws, maintain the balance of spiritual energy in the world, and rarely come into contact with the outside world.

The Onmyoji of Japan, the Holy Church of the West, the Vampire Council of Europe, the Sorcerer Alliance of Southeast Asia, and even the Taoist sects and martial arts families hidden deep in the mountains and rivers of China... these forces that only exist in legends are all real.

Tsuchimikado Ryuko is a representative of the Japanese Onmyoji lineage.

“The ‘suppress’ character he left behind was not malicious.” Long Yan spread the talisman on the table and explained, “It is a sophisticated Yin-Yang technique. It can form a small barrier around me to suppress the intrusion of evil spirits, and at the same time, it is also a coordinate. A coordinate that announces my location to all beings in the ‘inner world’.”

"What?!" Uncle Da exclaimed in shock. "Does that mean he's telling all those demons and monsters to come here and eat Tang Sanzang's flesh?!"

“That’s one way to understand it.” Long Yan’s answer made Uncle Da slump into his chair.

"He wasn't helping us, but rather 'setting boundaries'," the Master of Wisdom added, a flash of understanding in his eyes. "He came representing 'balance,' and after confirming Long Yan's character, he stopped interfering. But by leaving this talisman, he was essentially telling all forces coveting the power of the golden body: 'The person is here. If you want to seize it, do so by your own ability, but don't harm the innocent or disrupt the worldly order.' This is the code of conduct for these 'guardians'—ruthless, yet absolutely fair."

Master Longbrow was terrified. He murmured, "So, Wulong Temple... isn't it the eye of the storm?"

Silence fell over the hall once again.

The opponent is no longer a street thug like Brother Kun, but a mysterious being from all over the world with incomprehensible power. This is no longer a battle, but a harbinger of war.

After a long while, Long Yan stood up, his gaze sweeping over the worried crowd before finally settling on the kind-faced Buddha statue in the center of the hall.

"When soldiers come, generals will block them; when water comes, earth will dam it."

His voice wasn't loud, but it was firm and resolute, carrying an unwavering determination.

“From today onwards, I will reset the protective array of Wulong Academy. Xiao Zhen, you must intensify your practice of the ‘Turtle Breathing Technique’ and learn to control your own breath as soon as possible. This is your only way to protect yourself.”

He looked at Master Zhihui and Master Changmei: "Master, Senior Uncle, I beg you two masters to lend me a hand and impart all that you have learned in your life. Whether it is Buddhist cultivation or combat experience, I need it all."

Looking at Long Yan at this moment, his eyes were calm and his posture upright, as if no matter how great the storm, it could not shake him in the slightest. That composure and sense of responsibility inexplicably calmed the hearts of everyone in the hall.

The Master of Wisdom and the Master of Long Eyebrows exchanged a glance and saw the determination in each other's eyes.

“Amitabha.” Master Zhihui put his hands together and said in a deep voice, “Although my Baolian Temple is not a famous mountain or sect, it still has the means to subdue demons. From tonight onwards, this old monk will stay here and live and die with Wulong Temple.”

Master Longbrow nodded heavily: "That's right! My Wulong Temple may be small, but it's not a pushover! If you want to mess with my disciple, you'll have to get past this old bone of mine first!"

Inspired by this, Uncle Da slapped his thigh and stood up: "That's right! We'll fight them to the death! I... I'll take care of your laundry and cooking, and ensure you have all the logistical support!"

Looking at everyone's expressions, a faint smile finally appeared on Long Yan's lips.

He walked outside the hall and looked up at the night sky over Hong Kong. Thousands of lights shone like a galaxy, a scene of prosperity and tranquility.

But he knew that beneath this dazzling galaxy, unseen undercurrents had coalesced into a storm, sweeping toward the small hill at his feet.