Urban Extraordinary Immortal Doctor
Chapter 492: Master Xuan Nan

Chapter 492: Chapter 492: Master Xuan Nan

The old monk, though at the same rank as Long Jingtian as a Heaven Level early-stage martial artist, had meridians and blood vessels that were broader and more resilient, and his Qi Sea contained True Yuan that was thicker and purer.

Without circulating any cultivation technique, the True Yuan in the old monk’s Qi Sea was remarkably restless, churning ceaselessly, as if eager to break free from the Qi Sea and flow throughout his body.

In Fang Bai’s view, these signs indicated that the martial artist’s realm had reached a new critical point and was a harbinger of an imminent breakthrough.

With enlightenment or an opportunity, this long-eyebrowed old monk might advance from the early stage of Heaven Level to the middle stage.

Regrettably, even though the old monk’s True Yuan was thick and his strength formidable, time spares no one, and his age had reached a stage unattainable to ordinary people. The function of his bodily organs was inevitably rapidly declining, almost reaching the point of exhaustion.

Unless the old monk could advance in rank again and continue to snatch life from the heavens, he might genuinely pass away in this tower within three to five years.

However, enlightenment and opportunity sometimes come in an instant, yet may not appear in a lifetime. Everything depended on whether the old monk had such fortune.

Fang Bai knew that this long-eyebrowed old monk must be Xuan Ku’s senior brother, Xuan Nan.

Xuan Nan sat quietly with slightly closed eyes. From the faint aura fluctuations around him, Fang Bai sensed only tranquility, peace, and compassion for the world, devoid of aggression, brutality, or bloodshed.

Clearly, this extraordinary Shaolin monk, who emerged only once in a hundred years, disliked conflict, had never spilled blood, and had never taken a life, was a true monk of virtue.

"Hmm?"

Xuan Nan seemed to sense something, and his half-closed eyes suddenly opened wide, a sharp glint bursting from within.

Fang Bai hadn’t expected him to be so keenly alert and to detect his Divine Sense probing, so he immediately withdrew it without carelessness.

The group, following Xuan Ku, ascended from the first to the ninth floor of the "Martial Dao Tower," each treading lightly and with caution, afraid to disturb Xuan Nan’s meditation.

Upon stepping onto the final staircase, the group finally saw the legendary Shaolin monk Xuan Nan.

Xuan Nan’s eyes were now open, and his elderly face was adorned with a gentle smile, lacking any of the imposing demeanor of a Heaven Level martial artist, and instead resembling a kindly old man.

Jueren and the other monks, upon seeing Xuan Nan’s smiling face, felt their initial unease, anxiety, reverence, and tension instantly dissipate.

The space on the ninth floor of the "Martial Dao Tower" was not large, but it was more than sufficient for the twelve people standing there. They lined up in a row, facing Xuan Nan, silently observing the legendary martial monk.

Xuan Nan’s gaze slowly swept over the twelve individuals before him, lingering a bit longer on Long Jingtian and Fang Bai.

"Long Jingtian pays his respects to the Master!"

As Xuan Nan’s gaze fell upon him and seemed to ponder something, Long Jingtian stepped forward, bowing slightly.

In the past, Xuan Nan and Long Jingtian’s mentor, the founder of the "Dragon Guard," Long Yi, had been comrades in the Martial Dao. As a monk and a secular person, they often discussed martial arts and exchanged insights. After Xuan Nan isolated himself for in-depth cultivation, Long Yi often lamented the absence of his close friend and comrade, full of regret.

Although Long Jingtian had never met Xuan Nan, he frequently heard his mentor speak of this legendary Shaolin monk. Now seeing Xuan Nan in person, he was reminded of Long Yi, who had raised him and taught him martial arts techniques, stirring a sense of sorrow in his heart.

Even though Long Jingtian was now a Heaven Level martial artist, at the same realm as Xuan Nan, he did not presume to be arrogant and maintained sufficient respect in his presence.

"Does Benefactor Long recognize a benefactor by the name of Long Yi?"

From Long Jingtian, Xuan Nan felt a sense of familiarity in the aura fluctuations, visibly moved.

Long Jingtian respectfully answered, "Long Yi is indeed my mentor!"

"As I suspected! May I inquire where Benefactor Long Yi is residing now?"

"My mentor has passed away many years ago."

"Amitabha! Benefactor Long Yi, learned and supernaturally gifted, his passing is indeed unexpected..."

Hearing this news, Xuan Nan let out a long sigh, seeming to age a few years in an instant. He brought his palms together in a prayer-like gesture, chanted a Buddhist invocation, then lowered his eyes and softly recited a passage from the sutras.

"Benefactor Long has reached the Heaven Level Realm, a great fortune for the Ancient Martial World and a blessing for the people of Huaxia! It is indeed a matter for celebration!"

A moment later, Xuan Nan looked at Long Jingtian again, a look of gratification in his eyes.

"Master is the true blessing of the Ancient Martial World and the people of Huaxia!"

Long Jingtian humbly said.

Xuan Nan chuckled and asked, "Benefactor Long’s visit to Shaolin, may I know what it concerns?"

"This..."

At Xuan Nan’s question, Long Jingtian felt somewhat embarrassed, glanced at Fang Bai at his side, and said with a bitter smile, "To be frank with the Master, I have some history with this young fellow, and this young fellow has some disputes with Shaolin. I was hiding nearby, ready to step in and mediate should any conflict arise. Unexpectedly, I was seen through by the Master... my apologies! My apologies!"

Xuan Nan nodded, his gaze shifting to Fang Bai.

At this time, Fang Bai was no longer deliberately suppressing his cultivation level, so in the eyes of people like Xuan Ku, Xuan Nan, and Long Jingtian, he appeared to be an Earth Level middle-rank Martial Artist, on par with Fangzhang Jueren.

Although Xuan Nan’s cultivation level was slightly stronger than that of Long Jingtian, he too found Fang Bai somewhat inscrutable. While the young man’s cultivation level appeared to be that of an Earth Level middle-rank, he seemed very different from ordinary Martial Artists of that rank.

Fang Bai’s ease in defeating Fangzhang Jueren in front of the Thousand Buddha Hall, his bold declaration of challenging the Shaolin Eighteen Arhats formation, and his fearless stance in the face of the Earth Level Perfection master Xuan Ku, all proved that his strength was not comparable to that of an ordinary Earth Level middle-rank Martial Artist.

Although Xuan Nan did not witness the confrontation between Fang Bai and the Martial Monks firsthand, as a Heaven Level Martial Artist with superior sensory abilities, he was well aware of the duel between Fang Bai and Jueren, as well as Xuan Ku’s application of a strand of oppressive aura to probe Fang Bai, even while he was in the "Martial Dao Tower."

Since Fang Bai was able to withstand Xuan Ku’s oppressive aura, it proved that his strength was no less than Xuan Ku’s, and such prowess even impressed Xuan Nan, who thus invited Long Jingtian and Fang Bai to come to the tower to talk.

"Amitabha! Forgive this old monk’s lack of insight. Young Benefactor, have you by chance cultivated some kind of technique that conceals strength?"

Unable to see through Fang Bai, Xuan Nan directly inquired, his status and power obviating the need for any pretense.

Fang Bai smiled and replied, "What the Master currently senses is indeed my true cultivation level."

Xuan Nan nodded, saying, "I understand."

With a cultivation level of Earth Level middle-rank and capable of contending with the Earth Level Perfection Sweeping Monk Xuan Ku, Fang Bai must have cultivated a high-level technique, affording him the ability to challenge across levels.

To Xuan Nan, the so-called "high-level technique" could very likely be a Heaven Level Technique.

(PS: After reading, please don’t forget to cast a vote! Thank you!)