Chapter Forty-Six: The Supreme Master

  Yue Fei and others walked out and came to the other end of the Daxiangguo Temple, where they saw a sea of people, but didn't know what was going on.

  "Hey big brother, shall we go take a look?" Zhang Xian asked.

  "Since you've come, go take a look." Yue Fei nodded in response.

  Niu Gao listened and was delighted. He pushed aside the crowd of brothers and hurried over, parted the people to take a look, and saw an old monk expounding on Buddhist scriptures.

  What's so good about it? Niu Gao walked out of the crowd with a sullen expression.

  "Niu Gao, why are you looking so down? Is it because there's nothing exciting to watch?" Yue Fei asked in puzzlement.

  An old monk sat in the middle of the field talking about Buddhist scriptures, what's so fun to watch, it's not as exciting as watching a cockfight or a cricket fight. said Niu Gao.

  "You! All you know is fighting chickens and crickets. Discussing classics and philosophies is the best education for you, listen carefully today. Brothers, we all need to listen carefully." Yue Fei said as he walked in.

  The old monk saw Yue Fei and others come in, joined his hands together, and recited Buddhist scriptures.

  Yue Fei returned the courtesy with equal sincerity.

  "Where are you from, sir? What brings you here?" asked the old monk.

  "I am Yue Fei from Tangyin County, and I have come especially to hear the Master's lectures on the classics and discuss the Tao."

  That old monk carefully sized up Yue Fei, seeing that Yue Fei's air was majestic and different from the others. Suddenly in his mind he thought of his senior fellow disciple, Shi De Master. Over ten years ago, Shi De Master came to Xiangguo Temple, happily saying: "Junior brother, after the Yang family army, Great Song had no more good generals who could shake heaven and earth, gallop across the battlefield, but now there is one, in Tangyin County."

  The Supreme Master listened and was puzzled, asking: "Elder brother, Tong Yin is a mountainous area, what kind of general's talent does it have? What is this person's surname and name? How old are they this year?"

  "This man's name is Yue Fei, styled Pengju. At the time of his birth, a large roc bird descended upon the birthing tray, surely he will have the talent of a great general. In the future, if you want to save the Great Song dynasty, it must be the Yue Family Army!"

  "Big brother, what's going on with the Yue family army?" asked the puzzled Shang.

  "Twenty years later, Yue Fei of Tangyin will spread his wings and build an invincible army, shaking the world." said Master Zishan.

  "Are you Pengju from Xiaotang Village in Tongyin County, the one who is also known as Yue Fei?" The old monk's eyes suddenly lit up, and he looked at Yue Fei with an excited expression.

  "In the lower right is a person from Xiaoyi, with the courtesy name Pengju, and the given name Yue Fei. Master, how do you know my name?" Yue Fei asked in confusion.

  "In my early years, I heard my senior fellow disciple mention this name. Today, after hearing it again, I feel a sense of familiarity, so I'll take the liberty to ask, please forgive me, Master." The Supreme Master said.

  "Is your senior fellow disciple the Great Master of Ultimate Goodness?" Yue Fei asked suddenly.

  "Exactly! Have you seen him recently?" asked the great master above.

  "In a hostel in Wangjing County, we met Master Zhishan, who was exhausted from his long journey and passed away." Yue Fei said sorrowfully.

  The Supreme Master heard that his senior brother had passed away and was immediately enraged to the point of fainting.

  Yue Fei quickly helped the master up and leaned him against himself.

  Those good men and believing women who came to listen to the master's lectures saw the master fainting away, and they all dispersed in a hurry.

  The young monk of Da Xiangguo Temple heard that the abbot had suddenly fainted and came over to see what was going on.

  "What kind of people are you? What have you done with our abbot? What exactly do you want to do?" A young monk asked several questions in a row.

  The other little monks gazed at them with angry eyes in pairs.

  "You bald donkeys, you're like a dog biting Lu Dongbin, not knowing the kindness of others. My elder brother took good care of Master with kind intentions, but instead you blame us, if I had known earlier, it would have been better to just leave like others." Cow Gao complained.

  "Niu Gao, don't speak carelessly and hurt others. Those who are unaware won't be blamed. They too are worried about the abbot's safety," said Yue Fei.

  Niu Gao listened and remained silent, Xia Sha Mi also didn't say anything else.

  Yue Fei felt the pulse of Fang Zhang and said, "Don't worry, everyone. The master is just having a sudden attack of fire in his heart, and his blood is not circulating properly. I'll just help him open up his joints." After saying this, Yue Fei asked Zhang Xian and Tang Huai to hold the master firmly in place while he slowly gave him a massage.

  Kosami stood by quietly watching.

  After a while, the Supreme Master opened his eyes and slowly woke up.

  "Honzon, what's wrong with you?" a young saman asked curiously.

  "I'm fine, I just had a dream. In the dream, my senior fellow monk, Master Zhi Shan, told me the truth. Yue Fei, you are indeed a dragon and phoenix among men." said Master Zhi Shang.

  "I am flattered by the master's undeserved praise, and I dare not accept it." Yue Fei said humbly.

  "Master, by the way, let me introduce you. These few are my sworn brothers. We grew up together since we were young, closer than real brothers." Yue Fei said.

  "Good! The Great Song will have you brothers to prop it up, and the world will surely be at peace. May I ask, young heroes, is your purpose in coming to the capital this time to take the imperial examination?" the master asked.

  "Yes! We came to Beijing just to get a Wu Zhuangyuan back." Wang Gui said quickly.

  "It's good that you young people have ideals and ambitions, but this time you encountered difficulties in the exam, and it's probably not easy to compete for the top spot. Not long ago, a young man named Liang Wang came to the capital, said to be extremely brave; he also comes from a noble family and has close relationships with those high-ranking officials in the court. It is said that Liang Wang has declared that he will definitely get the top spot this time." Master Shang said.

  The brothers listened with anxiety in their hearts and showed an uneasy expression on their faces.

  Yue Fei saw his brothers one by one with disappointed faces, and comforted them: "Brothers don't have to worry, competing for the top martial arts title depends on real skills, not noble status. Heroes do not ask about their origins, I think as long as we defeat Little Liang Wang, under the watchful eyes of everyone, the examiner will also dare not to be partial and unfair, let alone Zhong Liushou who will also help us uphold justice."

  "Amitabha, excellent! As the saying goes, justice is in people's hearts. If you really have the ability to defeat your opponents, then at that time, I can also lend a little help." The Supreme Master said.

  "We appreciate your kind intentions, Master, but how can you, a monk, possibly help us?" Zhang Xian asked with a puzzled expression.

  "Do you know? Our Xiangguo Temple is a royal temple, and our abbot is a red person in front of the emperor, those officials and nobles also have to give way when they see him." The little monk blurted out.

  Yue Fei and others listened, and respected the abbot even more.

  "Master, since you are the junior brother of the Great Master, seeing how hard we've worked for the Great Master, can't you also lend us a hand?" Tang Huai said.

  "This is natural, as long as I can help, I will definitely help." The master said.

  Yue Fei remembered the words of Master Zhishan, and he recalled what he said before his death, "forest" without knowing its meaning, and he was puzzled in his heart. Today, since he had the opportunity to meet Master Zhishan here, why not ask him about it, maybe there would be unexpected gains.

  "Master, I have something to ask. When Master Zhishan was dying, he said two words 'forest'. What does it mean?" Yue Fei asked.

  "Is he saying 'forest' or 'Shaolin'? Did you hear clearly?" the master asked.

  "The Master is dying, his voice is extremely weak. I can barely hear what he's saying. It sounds like he's saying 'forest', but it also sounds like he's saying 'Shaolin'. I don't know what he means." Yue Fei said thoughtfully.

  "If you say forest, I'm not quite clear; if you say Shaolin, I understand. My three fellow disciples and I, Master Zhishan is the eldest, I am the second, and Master Zhicheng of Shaolin Temple is the youngest. We three brothers were once generals under the command of Yang Family. Our ages are only one and a half years apart. In those years, our Yang Family Army was betrayed by treacherous officials, ambushed, and killed or injured many people. Lord Yang died at the Li Ling Stele, and we escorted the Fifth Brother to escape to Mount Wutai." Master Zhishan's eyes became moist as he spoke to this point.