Chapter 35: Hoodwinking the Child

"Die!"

Liu Chang'an roared from the depths of his soul, his body erupting with unprecedented speed. Every muscle in his frame was coiled tight; this was his ultimate strike. Failure was not an option! He had to ensure the secrets of the Shaolin lineage were buried forever.

This punch gathered the force of a thunderbolt into a single point. His fist, hardened like iron and etched with the wear of decades of grueling training, contained the essence of his life's work. In an instant, the air seemed to solidify. A massive pressure wave, accompanied by a violent gust, made everything in the vicinity tremble.

A glimmer of joy crossed Liu Chang'an’s eyes. Since his talent had been awakened, he had become even stronger! This was the power of his SS-grade "Frog Force"! This punch carried nearly everything he had ever learned. Chen Xiao was completely unprepared; he was as good as dead!

Jiang Yunhan sensed the danger and cried out, "Watch out!"

But it was too late. He couldn't intervene in time. He could only watch helplessly as Liu Chang'an’s fist, like a lightning bolt cleaving the sky, drove straight for Chen Xiao’s head.

However, in this split second, a dramatic scene unfolded.

As the wind of the punch was about to touch Chen Xiao’s crown, it struck something as cold and tangible as solid matter. An invisible force was released, and a ripple spread leisurely from behind Chen Xiao, expanding into the surrounding space. It was like a pebble thrown with full force into a calm sea, stirring up layer upon layer of waves upon impact.

Then, it quickly returned to silence, as if all the kinetic energy had been swallowed by that momentary stillness. Only that deep, lingering ripple remained as a testament to the mystery behind this clash of forces.

The punch had been countered so simply.

Jiang Yunhan was stunned. What kind of ability was this? Was he even human? He tried to put himself in that situation and realized he would have undoubtedly perished. Even with his SSS-grade magic talent, "Mystic Turtle’s Vitality," it would have been impossible to revive himself once truly dead.

"Chen Xiao, are you Gaara?" The young monk, having witnessed everything, stared at the miracle, pleasantly surprised.

The scene just now looked far too much like a moment from an anime—Lee versus Gaara! Gaara could use sand for absolute defense; his sand shield protected him automatically, blocking whatever was thrown at him. The desperate Lee had been forced to use the "Eight Inner Gates" technique, increasing his speed exponentially just to break through that monstrous defense.

How similar it was to what had just occurred!

Unfortunately, the reality was that Liu Chang'an would never be able to reach the speed of the "Eight Inner Gates." Furthermore, Chen Xiao’s "Water of All Things" did not protect him automatically; it was controlled by his own consciousness. One of the marvelous uses of the Water of All Things was to transform deep, supple water into an invisible barrier, providing omnidirectional defense. It conquered hardness with softness, capable of intercepting most attacks.

"Damn it, is he really a whale?" Liu Chang'an was horrified. He pulled back his fist, intending to flee. The secret didn't matter anymore, and neither did the Shaolin inheritance—his life was what counted!

But the next moment, the invisible waves transformed into tangible Water of All Things. Eddies spread out at an incredible speed, like the roots of an ancient tree brimming with vitality. In a flash, they tightly coiled around the fist Liu Chang'an had tried to withdraw, snaked up his arm, and then, with no mercy, yanked his entire body back as if pulling a giant anchor.

"Holy shit!" Liu Chang'an hadn't expected Chen Xiao's ability to be this perverse. Driven by desperation, he channeled all his remaining strength, intending to tear his own arm off to escape.

But how could Chen Xiao let him have his way? Now that he had mastered the Water of All Things, he was a perfect fusion of offense and defense. Combined with the power of the Tyrannosaurus, he was virtually unstoppable.

*Boom!*

With a twist of his waist and a flying kick, Chen Xiao pinned Liu Chang'an down.

"So impatient, are you?" Chen Xiao sneered, his eyes filled with disdain.

Liu Chang'an endured the agony of his shattering arm and forced out, "Chen Xiao, I was wrong. I know more secrets about the apocalypse. Just spare me..."

*Smack!*

Chen Xiao delivered a slap that sent three of his teeth flying. "I, Chen Xiao, roam this apocalypse. I don't need your secrets. I gave you a chance, but you kept trying to kill me. Don't blame me, Liu Chang'an."

With that, Chen Xiao exerted pressure with his foot, ending him. A notification echoed in his ear:

[Evolution Points +90]

He hadn't expected this Liu Chang'an to be worth so many points. A small, unexpected harvest.

He let go of the corpse and turned back to see the young monk looking completely innocent, showing no sadness over Liu Chang'an’s death.

"Little monk, aren't you sad? He escorted you all the way here!" Chen Xiao asked, brushing the dust off his clothes.

"Why should I be sad? What is sadness?"

"..." Chen Xiao felt like giving him a couple of punches. "Do you even know what kind of scheme he was dragging you into in the capital?"

The young monk nodded. "I know."

Chen Xiao: "And you're still going? You just don't want to live, do you?"

The young monk shook his head. "Chen Xiao, if my existence can resolve the suffering of the masses, how could I refuse?"

Chen Xiao was speechless. So he had been meddling in someone else's business? This kid was practically begging for death!

"Damn it, go find your own way to die then." Chen Xiao waved at the bewildered Jiang Yunhan. "Let's go, let's head back to the warehouse!"

The young monk looked anxious. "Chen Xiao, I don't know the way! You must take me to the capital!"

Hearing this, a devious thought struck Chen Xiao. This kid was no ordinary person—he was one of the top powerhouses of his past life! After all, he was in the top twenty of the global combat rankings! His future potential was limitless. If he could lure him away and train him, even if he didn't turn him into a war machine, getting him into the top fifty of the rankings would be effortless.

"Fine, then come with me." Chen Xiao nodded with an evil grin.

The young monk seemed to sense something and hurriedly said, "Chen Xiao, my existence is a key piece placed by the Chang'an Temple for the sake of the world..."

Chen Xiao, losing patience, covered the monk's mouth. "You're not a piece, you're a pawn. We're going to be the ones playing the game!"

"You want a child like you to save the world? Tell them to get lost. Come with your brother Xiao, we've got delicious food and drink!"

The young monk swallowed. "No, no, I can't eat meat or drink alcohol. It goes against the precepts of Chang'an Temple."

"Haven't you heard? 'Liquor and meat pass through the intestines, but the Buddha stays in the heart.' You're a monk who's already left the mountain; you're not in the temple anymore, so who cares about those damn precepts!"

"But..."

"But what? Tell me, have you ever eaten delicious lamb slices?"

The young monk was young, after all. He was tempted. He pressed his palms together and kept swallowing his saliva. Chen Xiao realized this kid was a foodie!

He struck while the iron was hot. "How about this? You come back to the warehouse with me, and I'll let you experience the joys of the mortal world!"

"Don't you monks believe in walking the world? Isn't that all about experiencing the myriad states of life and the chaos of the world?"

"Your brother Xiao will get you there in one step, helping you achieve Mahayana Buddhism. That makes sense, right?"

The young monk struggled for a long time before speaking in a timid voice. "But..."

Chen Xiao grabbed his shoulders. "Little monk, if you've never experienced the mortal world and only seek liberation, that is actually violating your inner peace and going against your true self!"

The young monk didn't know how to answer. Visions of various delicacies filled his mind. Finally, he whispered to himself, "Then I shall follow this heart of freedom, accompany you into the world to experience the mortal realm, and forge my resolute Buddhist heart!"

"But it's settled—once I've experienced it, you have to take me to the capital. I am here to save..."

Chen Xiao held his forehead, helplessly covering the monk's mouth again. "No problem! You don't need to emphasize saving the world anymore. Me taking you with me is also saving the world, alright?"