Star Sky Professional

Northern lands.

Barbarian State.

Black Temple.

The Black Temple is built by chiseling into the mountain, with walls painted pitch black, and the scent of incense lingers throughout the temple all day long.

As the current greatest sect under heaven and the pinnacle of the 'One Temple,' all monks in the Black Temple possess a sense of superiority.

After all, the number one master in the world today, the top of the Dragon and Tiger Rankings, 'Lotus Master,' comes from this temple.

Back mountain.

A few newly admitted monks are sweeping the ground with brooms.

"Today, the Golden Body Hall taught us Martial Arts and taught us the Arhat Palm!"

One monk put down the broom and casually demonstrated a few moves: "Once I master the Arhat Palm, I can learn the Bodhi Hand, the Thousand Hands Tathagata Palm, the All Buddha's Facing the Sun Hand... One day, I will also learn the Great Brightness Fist and shake the world."

"But those senior brothers and uncles said that we martial monks shouldn't have attachments in our hearts, it's an obstacle of knowledge..."

Another young novice spoke up.

"Nonsense... I became a monk to learn martial arts, what's all this about pure rules and precepts, greed, anger, and delusion being false?" The monk sneered, "If Lotus Master didn't have obsession, how could he become so engrossed in martial arts to become the number one in the world?"

"Shh... Qingxu, are you out of your mind? That closed-door cultivation place behind us belongs to that one!"

The young novice was shocked.

"It's fine... The person has been in seclusion for decades, not even eating meals... How would he care about such trivial matters?"

Qingxu waved his hand nonchalantly.

Suddenly, both of them felt something was amiss.

A shadow loomed over them.

In the forbidden area of the back mountain, it seemed as if a black sun was slowly rising.

This sun was neither hot nor warm... Instead, it was like a black hole, devouring all surrounding heat.

Crack! Crack!

The previously boastful Qingxu now could only chatter his teeth.

He and the young novice beside him had no choice but to kneel, trembling as if awaiting judgment to hell.

After an unknown period, with cold sweat streaming down, Qingxu could only see a black monk's shoe walking further away from his line of sight.

...

Lotus Master, skin and bones, draped in a dark golden robe, arrived at a Buddha hall.

"Amitabha, greetings Lotus Brother."

The presiding master of the Black Temple, Master Lianxin, joined his palms and bowed: "Brother, after many years in seclusion, I wonder if you've comprehended a realm above the First Grade?"

"I have not..."

Lotus Master's voice was hoarse and parched... Like a traveler about to die of thirst in the desert.

"Oh?"

Master Lianxin was somewhat surprised. This Lotus Brother was solely dedicated to martial arts and had once vowed not to emerge from seclusion unless he achieved the Super Grade. Why has that changed now?

"I was enlightened by the World Honored One, realizing that Martial Arts is just a minor path; we monks should focus on Buddhist teachings as the true path."

Lotus Master joined his palms, his bony face had a pair of eyes warm like those of a newborn.

"Hmm? I didn't expect your Buddhist cultivation to advance so much, Brother?"

The Master Lianxin inhaled sharply: "I wonder what insights you have gained, Brother?"

"The Time Wheel Black Sun Scripture is but ordinary; I've contemplated for years, and suddenly realized—know that our Buddha is not in the past, not in the present... but in the future! Our Buddha Maitreya will be born in the future, attain the Infinite Star Constellation Dharma, become the Supreme True One of Panwu, and write the Black Sun Star Constellation Tribulation Scripture... Within it lies great mana and great joy, upon reciting, it can surely connect with the Heavenly Dao..."

Lotus Master displayed a state of great joy.

"What 'Supreme True One of Panwu'? 'Black Sun Star Constellation Tribulation Scripture'?" Master Lianxin was shocked: "Brother, could it be that you've gone mad and injured your brain? We at Black Temple only worship the Great Black Sky Buddha..."

"No problem, junior brother, you are merely deceived by fake scriptures, allow me to enlighten you by reciting the true scripture!"

Lotus Master twisted his hands, and it seemed as if a Thousand-Handed Avalokiteshvara appeared in the small Buddha hall, holding down Master Lianxin's limbs.

In terms of Martial Arts, although Master Lianxin was also a Grandmaster of the top three grades, he was nothing compared to Lotus Master, who was the number one in the world.

In Lotus Master's eyes, it seemed as though a black sun rose, with great suns rising and falling.

Then, Master Lianxin couldn't move, only able to listen to Lotus Master explaining the teachings:

"Countless time spaces give birth to wondrous forms, star constellations revolve to enact the true constant. Panwu's power and virtue penetrate the Dharma realm, a single thought of purity pervades all directions..."

"Namo Panwu Vajra Power Buddha, Namo Infinite Wisdom Buddha, Namo Future Maitreya Buddha..."

"Those who cultivate this method must develop a Bodhi Heart and a Pure Heart... Vowing to transcend all beings from the Sea of Reincarnation, thus comprehending the true meaning of Panwu, visualize the shining of the star constellations illuminating the crown, dissolving the five turbidities and afflictions... If this scripture is written and disseminated, the place will turn into a Vajra Mandala, protected by celestial dragons... Ultimately achieving enlightenment, being anointed by all Buddhas, certifying supreme enlightenment, manifesting infinite incarnations, performing Buddhist tasks throughout the starlight tribulation... At life's end, a thousand Buddhas offer their hands, directly born into the Eastern Pure Land of Emerald, reborn from a lotus flower, possessing divine skills..."

"May this unsurpassed merit-power, be dedicated to all sentient beings in the Dharma realm. Quickly realize Panwu Vajra nature, to salute the Muni in the light of star constellations."

"Halt! Lianxin! Have you not yet awoken?"

Lotus Master exhibited a Lion Roar posture, and a terrifying black sun directly descended into Master Lianxin's Sea of Consciousness.

A First Grade Grandmaster, mentally merged with the heavens and earth, could lock souls from miles away, creating illusions beyond imagination.

At this moment, however, Master Lianxin suddenly became enlightened.

His consciousness rose infinitely, his body trembled, as if he had ascended to an infinitely high place, bathed in boundless starlight, witnessing an unimaginable existence...

That existence opened the sky and land, embodied all things...

It is one, it is a multitude, it is everything!

It is... Panwu!!!

"Ahhhh!"

In an instant, Lianxin's eyes burst, his face twisted in pain, leaving two bloody holes that continuously wept blood tears.

He executed a move, Double Peak Piercing Ears, pressing both palms against the sides of his bald head, and astonishingly destroyed his own ear orifices.

Even so, he rolled on the ground, howling in agony: "Future... Constellation... Panwu, Panwu!"

In fact, both Lotus Master and Abbott Lianxin should count themselves fortunate.

The true Panwu has not fully awoken, so they can still retain a sliver of sanity.

Otherwise, even their physical bodies might begin to transform into monsters...

The Great Black Temple was in chaos.

When the Precepts Court Abbot and Bodhi Temple Elder arrived, they only saw that Abbott Lianxin had turned blind and deaf, and Lotus Master was nowhere to be found.

"Abbott Lianxin?"

The gathered old monks were greatly shocked.

They saw Abbott Lianxin with eyes streaming blood tears, suddenly spit out a section of his tongue, and shockingly bit off the tip of his own tongue.

But immediately after, he rolled on the ground and began writing with his tongue:

"Ninth Grade, Mysterious Guest..."

"Eighth Grade, Bone Corroding Master..."

"Seventh Grade, Errant Monk..."

...

In the 1137th year of the Jiuzhou calendar, the Great Black Temple's Lotus Master succumbed to demonic possession, slaughtering Abbott Lianxin and killing seven protector elders from the Great Black Temple, along with countless martial monks, becoming the martial world's public enemy, the number one demon of the land!

The entire Northern Martial World was on high alert, signaling the rise of demonic forces!

...

Lingzhou.

Hundred Herbs Hall.

Xun Heihu was practicing fist techniques in the backyard, with Jiang Yu Yan accompanying him.

"Our Five Beasts Sect's cultivation techniques focus mainly on the forms of the tiger, deer, bear, ape, and crane... I primarily cultivate the 'Crane Form,' utilizing the 'Flying Crane Pile' and 'Songhe Technique' to train inner strength..."

As Jiang Yu Yan demonstrated her stance, she divulged what she had learned.

These were all the highly guarded secrets of the Five Beasts Sect.

Teaching outsiders these techniques could lead to her death without a burial site, possibly even implicating her entire family.

Therefore, she could only wholeheartedly follow Xun Heihu.

Xun Heihu observed for a moment and then executed another set of fist techniques, his right hand moving like a dancing crane, while the left portrayed the coiled aggression of a venomous snake: "I have integrated your fist techniques and pile skills to develop the 'Double Snake-Crane Form'... Cultivate this technique diligently, and you might enter the Fetal Breath Innate Realm years ahead of schedule!"

After all, he felt a bit guilty demanding the fundamental techniques by the senior's request.

So he asked the senior to assist in refining them, as a show of goodwill.

'Senior... How about it?'

Seeing the look of admiration on Jiang Yu Yan's face, Xun Heihu thought to himself.

'The Five Beasts Sect's techniques are decent, with a bit of the Xingyi flavor, but it focuses too much on the 'form' and lacks 'intent,' something's missing...'

Fang Xing's voice echoed: 'I derived its essence to create a 'Snake-shaped Pile,' which complements your Turtle Breath Technique... The tortoise entwines with the snake; together they form 'Xuanwu,' so this technique can be called 'True Xuanwu Skill'!'

"Master!"

At this moment, a clerk from Hundred Herbs Hall hurriedly came over: "There's a change in the Northern Martial World!"

"Hmm? Tell me in detail..."

Xun Heihu exuded a certain grandeur.

He was educated by Fang Xing back in the days, urging him to develop his own enterprise and accumulate wealth.

He opened 'Hundred Herbs Hall' in Lingzhou, entering the medicinal industry.

With a few formulas provided by Fang Xing, he might not be earning a fortune, but still made substantial daily profits.

And the clerks, doctors... were all individuals who fought their way through the powerful medical trade, including a few experts in inner strength guarding the place.

Nowadays, regardless of whether it's the medicinal trade, fabric trade, taverns... any profit-making industry needs a martial artist to oversee it, otherwise, making money is impossible!

Even if there's no martial artist, one can hire the 'Martial Agency,' or 'Fight Agency' for protection...

If there's no martial protection, then one can only survive with the lowest class, the mud legs, and endure the hardest life.

"Yes, Master."

The clerk said: "There's correspondence from the Dingzhou martial world, saying the world's leading expert—Lotus Master succumbed to demonic possession, not only betraying the Great Black Temple but also killing several white path experts. Even the four great saint monks who went to persuade him were killed on the spot..."

"What?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yu Yan was shocked.

That is Lotus Master!

The top of the Dragon and Tiger Rankings, the number one expert in the land!

And moreover, a Buddhist Grandmaster!

Such a great expert succumbing to demonic possession, isn't that like a joke?

"The greater the virtuous monk, the heavier their kill count after succumbing to demonic possession..."

Xun Heihu sighed, feeling a sense of relief, as if a stone finally dropped to the ground.

He had long known there would be trouble up north but didn't expect it to be this severe.

'Senior... Is that Lotus Master my adversary?'

In his heart, he communicated with True Martial Talisman.

'Sixty to seventy percent sure, it's the remnants of Panwu...'

Fang Xing's voice came: 'Not bad... You go ahead and challenge the number one under the heavens, I approve!'