155: Everything started with her, how could she stay out of it?

The news, like a prairie fire, carried by the wind and rain, swept across the entire Jianghu with astonishing speed.

"The Eight Friends of Hangu were completely wiped out!"

"Whip God Whip God Ximen Rou, Whirlwind Saber Liu Changkong, and the traitor of the Poison Dragon Sect, Wind and Rain Meteor Xiang Song, all died in a dilapidated temple on a desolate mountain!"

"Great Master Xinmei, the head of the Shaolin Temple's Scripture Pavilion, was utterly defeated, the One Hundred and Eight Arhat Formation was broken by a single sword, and eighteen stick-wielding monks perished instantly!"

"Three Wonders Young Master Lu Jiuyuan declared that in half a month, he would personally ascend Mount Song, and if Lin Xianer was not there, he would wipe out the thousand-year-old ancient temple!"

Each piece of news was enough to shake the Jianghu, and when these messages were stacked together...

It was like a giant rock thrown into a calm lake, stirring up thousands of huge waves that swept through every corner.

Restaurants and teahouses, escort agencies and martial arts Schools, aristocratic families and Schools... no one was not discussing this matter.

Horror, doubt, anger, fear, excitement... all sorts of emotions intertwined and spread.

"Who exactly is that Lu Jiuyuan? How could he possess such terrifying Internal Skill? Such immense courage."

"To break the Shaolin Temple's eighteen Luohan Formation with one sword? And kill Whip God Ximen Rou? This... even those ranked in the top three of the weapons ranking might not be able to do that?"

"Iron Sword Guo Songyang, ranked fourth on the weapons ranking, would probably be no match for him.

Three Wonders Young Master is truly the number one in the Dao of the Sword."

"And what about Flying Sword A Fei and the Emotion-Stealing Evil Sword You Longsheng?

I heard he's become neither human nor ghost, but his sword technique especially favors eunuchs, and it's incredibly vicious!"

"They keep saying Lin Xianer is the Plum Blossom Bandit? This... how is this possible?

Miss Lin is the number one beauty in the world, with a Bodhisattva's heart... I once had a taste of her beauty, how could such a beauty be so vicious?

I don't believe it, I'm going to Shaolin Temple to see."

"Hmph, a femme fatale! Men are all cheap bones. If she's truly innocent, why is Shaolin Temple being so secretive?

Why did Great Master Xinmei react that way? Why do both Three Wonders Young Master and Saber God Bai Tianyu want to kill her?

Why does Emotion-Stealing Evil Sword You Longsheng hate her to the bone?"

"No matter what, in half a month, Shaolin Temple is probably going to have a huge spectacle!"

The core of the storm, however, seemed to have fallen into a brief calm.

In the dilapidated temple, firelight flickered.

Lu Jiuyuan continued to study his Internal Skill.

A Fei sat in the corner, stroking his simple, broken sword, his eyes still cold and focused, as if the outside world's turmoil had nothing to do with him.

You Longsheng leaned against the wall, feigning sleep, his bright red clothes becoming even more dazzling in the firelight, a cold arc occasionally curving at the corner of his mouth.

"Boss, are we really going to Shaolin?"

You Longsheng suddenly spoke, his voice carrying a hint of excitement, "That's a Dragon's Den."

Lu Jiuyuan did not look up. "A Dragon's Den, just flatten it."

"Well said!" You Longsheng cackled strangely, "Perfect, let's give that den of iniquity a good scrubbing!"

A Fei put his broken sword back in place and looked at Lu Jiuyuan: "Many people will definitely go."

His meaning was clear; at that time, the Shaolin Temple would not only gather Shaolin monks but also countless Jianghu guests who had heard the news and harbored their own intentions.

"That's exactly what we want, many people to go," Lu Jiuyuan said calmly.

"To become famous throughout the world, one must naturally accomplish a few great events that make one famous throughout the world.

And going to Shaolin is the best method. Using a thousand-year-old ancient temple, a thousand-year-old reputation as a stepping stone.

What in this world could be more convenient than this?"

...At the same time, Shaolin Temple.

Inside the Grand Hall, the atmosphere was as heavy as a coming storm.

Abbot Xinhu's face was calm, but the fingers twirling his prayer beads moved half a beat faster than usual.

Below him sat the heads of various academies, such as Damo Academy, Disciplinary Academy, and Prajna Hall, all with grim expressions.

Great Master Xinmei sat to the side, his face still pale, his eyes dim, as if he had aged ten years in a few days.

"The news has already spread, and the whole world knows," Abbot Xinhu slowly began, his voice carrying a hint of undetectable weariness, "My Junior Brothers, what are your thoughts?"

Great Master Xin Jian, the most hot-tempered, said in a deep voice: "The Devil Head is rampant! He killed our Disciples, insulted our School, this hatred is irreconcilable!

We should gather the strength of the entire temple, activate the One Hundred and Eight Arhat Formation, and if they truly dare to come, we will tear those three Devil Heads to pieces!"

"amitabha."

Great Master Xinzhu, the head of Prajna Hall, softly chanted a Buddhist prayer, "When will revenge end?

That Lu Jiuyuan's methods are cruel, but regarding what he said... shouldn't we first investigate the matter of the female benefactor Lin Xianer? If she is truly in the temple..."

"Senior Brother Xinzhu!" Xin Jian interrupted: "Do you truly believe the slanders of that Devil Head and that... that self-castrated person? Our Shaolin's reputation, how can it be questioned!

If we investigate ourselves now, how will the world view our Shaolin? It would play right into that Devil Head's hands!"

"Reputation comes from innocence, not from concealment."

Xinzhu slowly said, "If there's nothing to hide, why fear an investigation? I only fear that some things are not without foundation..."

As he spoke, his gaze subtly swept over the several heads present; some averted their eyes, some showed indignation, while others lowered their eyes and remained silent.

Great Master Xinmei suddenly coughed violently, gasping, "Senior Brother... that Lu Jiuyuan's sword is not a sword of the human world, it is unimaginably fast, we must not underestimate him."

Silence fell upon the hall for a moment. Xinmei's martial arts cultivation was already top-tier in the temple; if even he described it this way, to what extent had that Devil Head's martial arts reached?

Abbot Xinhu sighed deeply:

"Right and wrong are no longer the key. The current situation is a calamity for Shaolin, unseen in a hundred years.

Our thousand-year foundation of Shaolin must not be lost."

He stood up, his gaze sweeping over everyone, gradually becoming resolute: "Pass down the order, effective immediately, Shaolin will seal the mountain for half a month, refusing all pilgrims.

Send out hero invitations, not for help, but for witness!

Invite all heroes of the world to gather on Mount Song in half a month, to witness how our Shaolin purges evil and protects the Righteous Path!"

"Furthermore, all Disciples in the temple, effective immediately, are to diligently practice the One Hundred and Eight Arhat Formation, and the heads of each academy must strictly supervise, without error!"

"We respectfully obey the Abbot's decree!" The monks responded in unison, their voices echoing in the grand hall.

"Additionally, if Lin Xianer is in the temple, she is to be temporarily placed under house arrest. If she is not in the temple, then her whereabouts are to be found, and she is to be invited to the temple for a discussion.

Everything started because of her; how can we allow her to remain uninvolved?"