Shaolin.
Just like in Wen Xishu's past life, Shaolin is still called Shaolin, and Shaoshi Mountain is still Shaoshi Mountain.
There are many who yearn for martial arts here, as the saying goes, martial arts under heaven originate from Shaolin.
But the corruption here is much faster than in Wen Xishu's past life.
In Wen Xishu's past life, the decline and corruption of Shaolin at least happened in modern times, but here, during what seems like the Song Dynasty, it was already unbearably greedy.
The Four Great Protectors, the Eighteen Arhats, each has a belly like a general.
The stick monks and fist monks, although their skills are not bad, are visibly plump and bloated.
Once these monks become excessively fat, even their kindly smiles reveal a hint of sleaziness.
The whole of Shaoshi Mountain is filled with the scent of incense, indicating its thriving popularity, yet there aren't that many visitors coming and going.
When a restaurant lacks customers but its decor, style, and ingredients are top-notch... it might not be relying on legitimate customers for income.
The Martial Arts Heroes quickly appeared at Shaoshi Mountain.
After the Beggar Sect, once the greatest sect under heaven, led the way, many who bore a chivalrous heart and attempted to oppose the Wuxia Alliance were also preparing to head there.
This included Wudang, Emei, Kongtong, Huashan, Hengshan...
Some well-known martial heroes, after Ye Jianxin retired, carefully managed their own sects, trying their best to avoid conflict with the Wuxia Alliance.
But now, young heroic Liu Jianxin and the Beggar Sect Leader Xiao Jianglong have shown them the hope of restoring order to the martial world.
As long as there is hope, these great sects of the past are willing to contribute their strength.
Liu Jianxin and Xiao Jianglong encountered many villains from the Wuxia Alliance along the way.
They even experienced two or three deadly fights.
Liu Jianxin several times considered backstabbing Xiao Jianglong and surrendering to join the Wuxia Alliance.
Yet Xiao Jianglong, after breaking through enemy lines over and over, always asked first:
"Brother, are you hurt?"
He never hesitated to share his true energy, clearly having just fended off a strong enemy, immediately starting to use his skills to heal Liu Jianxin.
This care felt like a true elder brother, or even a father.
This left Liu Jianxin at a loss for words, how could there be... someone so easily kind to others? How could the martial world be so naive?
But gradually, he accepted some things; on the way to Shaoshi Mountain, he began habitually cooperating with Xiao Jianglong to defeat enemies together.
Of course, he constantly reminded himself...
"Only the strong have the right to speak of right and wrong; I don't acknowledge Xiao Jianglong, it's just that he's stronger, that's all."
Liu Jianxin always seemed to harbor an inner... malice towards the world that didn't belong to someone his age.
After arriving at Shaolin, many heroes already knew the story of the heroic Liu Jianxin, the battle at Xingzi Forest, defeating Murong Xing, entering the martial world for the first time, and wiping out long-standing bandits.
Along the way, together with Xiao Jianglong, they thwarted many scoundrels of the Wuxia Alliance.
Everyone who looked at Liu Jianxin's gaze was filled with admiration. The leaders of several major sects even extended olive branches to Liu Jianxin, stating that if he was willing to join, they could even overlook sectarian differences and impart their martial arts to him.
Due to the Wuxia Alliance, these people had long lost the chivalrous spirit of drawing one's sword to aid the side of justice; in order to survive, they had become cautious and meticulous.
But in their hearts, they still yearned for chivalry, still longed for the martial world to return to the state it had when Ye Jianxin was around.
So they still came.
So upon seeing a rookie like Liu Jianxin, they were full of admiration.
Liu Jianxin truly felt the gaze of admiration from everyone.
This left him feeling uneasy and nervous. Only after a while did he understand why he was uneasy.
It was because he knew how despicable he was, knowing that he... was unworthy of these people's admiration.
Of course, this emotion didn't bother Liu Jianxin.
At Shaoshi Mountain, after the former Abbot Xuanzhen was defeated by a group of warrior monks, the new Abbot Xuanyong took charge of the overall situation.
Soon, on the plaza outside the Grand Hall, the heroes gathered, and Abbot Xuanyong said:
"Thank you to the heroes of the world for coming to Shaolin to discuss the martial arts conference. This time, we will select a true martial arts leader to overthrow the Wuxia Alliance's rule and restore clarity to the martial world."
"Everyone has had a hard journey, so please rest well today. Tomorrow, the martial arts conference will begin, and of course, a martial arts conference naturally includes discussions of martial arts."
"We will select a person of both virtue and martial arts through dueling to serve as the martial arts leader."
Abbot Xuanyong's words drew applause and approval from the crowd.
No matter what, a martial hero world's leader can be an androgynous person who wants swordsmanship without a definite focus, but definitely can't be someone whose martial arts are lacking.
Liu Jianxin thought, this has nothing to do with him; his lousy swordsmanship, which works sometimes and not at others, is like the Six Forms Invisible Sword of the Dali Duan family.
His cultivation is also shallow, so being a martial arts leader, forget it. However, he could urge Xiao Jianglong to take the position of martial arts leader.
Xiao Jianglong's strength and those top-tier powers in Wudang, Shaolin, and Emei should be in the same league. But Xiao Jianglong excels in combat and grows braver with each battle, growing stronger when facing strong opponents.
At dusk, Shaolin Abbot Xuanyong explained how to subdue Xuanzhen and Shaolin's determination to leave the Wuxia Alliance.
The heroes were greatly impressed, as it is said, breaking and then establishing, acknowledging and correcting one's mistakes.
But in Liu Jianxin's heart, he scorned, each of you with fat heads and big ears, looking like future Buddhas, is this Shaolin incense really that nourishing? Is it not just greed?