Chapter 283: Songshan Dalin Temple

"Don't worry, we're fine. We're just visiting friends here," Chu Zhiyuan's voice came through, a little unnaturally.

Chu Feng felt a chill. Why had they suddenly gone to Dalin Temple to visit friends? He could sense the unnatural tone in his father's voice. Was something wrong?

Chu Feng tried to ask using a pre-arranged code understood only by him and his parents, a precaution they had discussed at home for such situations.

"Don't overthink it, we're doing great. It's very comfortable being guests here," Wang Jing said from the other end, seemingly teasing Chu Zhiyuan.

What was going on? Chu Feng was puzzled.

"We're old acquaintances with the apes at Dalin Temple," Wang Jing explained.

Soon, Chu Feng understood the situation and was a little stunned, surprised by such a hidden backstory.

When the world first began to change, and Chu Feng trekked all the way from Mount Taihang back to his home in Shuntian, it was precisely when Dalin Temple rose to prominence, with the old ape being the first to establish a sect.

Chu Feng remembered that his father had been quite resentful towards the apes of Mount Song at dinner that day, holding no affection for them.

To Chu Feng, it was somewhat amusing. His father was usually refined and composed, but on that occasion, he had been quite agitated.

Wang Jing had exposed a humorous detail at the dinner table: when they were young, they went to Mount Song and fed fruit to the apes. However, Chu Feng's father's good intentions were met with a scratch from an ape, leaving his arm bleeding. Since then, he had held no fondness for monkeys.

At the time, Chu Feng had simply dismissed it as a funny story.

But now he was dumbfounded: that ape was the old ape of Dalin Temple's own grandson!

A while ago, that ape had gone to Shuntian and unexpectedly saw Chu Zhiyuan and his wife in the Biyou Palace. After a moment of suspicion, it stared blankly, then recognized them.

At this point, Chu Feng was also a little stunned. How was this even possible?!

"The ape lineage established a sect on Mount Song, forming Dalin Temple, and obtained a Golden Arhat-level breathing technique. They've essentially converted to Buddhism and believe in karma. After seeing your dad and me, they claimed they had planted good karma in the past and now wished to reap good fruit," Wang Jing said with a laugh.

Chu Feng was speechless, utterly bewildered!

No wonder Chu Zhiyuan's voice had been unnatural. Chu Feng wanted to laugh after realizing the truth.

He was completely relieved and told them he would hurry over as soon as possible. He also wanted to visit Mount Song, one of the Five Great Mountains, a truly renowned peak among famous mountains.

With matters in Xijing concluded and having obtained the Overturning Sea Dragon Demon Fist, Chu Feng felt satisfied.

On that very day, Chu Feng, Yellow Ox, and Black Ox each used their essence blood to activate their respective inheritances, finally completing the Dragon Demon Fist and imprinting it in their minds.

This held significant meaning for Chu Feng at present, as it could dramatically increase his combat power!

"Let's keep a low profile recently. I'm going to Dalin Temple on Mount Song. Are you two coming?" Chu Feng asked.

"No!" Black Ox immediately shook his head, his face dark.

Yellow Ox secretly chuckled, knowing the reason why.

"Aren't you and the old ape sworn brothers?" Chu Feng certainly knew how to hit a raw nerve.

Back then, Black Ox had secretly gone up Mount Song to steal the Vajra Bodhi fruit, but ended up being thoroughly beaten by the old ape. He held a deep grudge, so he certainly wouldn't want to go now that there was no urgent need.

Yellow Ox said, "Let's find a place to practice our fists first, then head to Jiangxi. I hear the sea race is planning a major assault on Mount Longhu. We can see if we can fish in troubled waters there."

As they parted ways, Yellow Ox quietly reminded Chu Feng to check if there was any monkey wine at Dalin Temple on Mount Song.

"Monkeys can really brew wine?" Chu Feng was astonished, having always thought it was just a legend.

Yellow Ox told Chu Feng that after the world's changes, the value of monkey wine and honey was almost immeasurable, and some of it could be true treasures!

Chu Feng quickly understood. If the wine was brewed from exotic fruits, or the honey from exotic flowers, then it would indeed be extraordinary.

Ultimately, Chu Feng parted ways with them. He didn't even use the Golden Condor King as a mount, setting off alone.

After the world's transformations, the distance from Xijing to Mount Song was approximately five thousand kilometers, an extremely long and arduous journey for ordinary people.

For Chu Feng, if he could maintain a sprint at five times the speed of sound, he could arrive in less than an hour.

Of course, currently, he could only maintain that extreme speed for the first half hour. Beyond a certain period, he had to slow down, or his body would become scalding hot, and the internal heat could cause self-combustion.

That evening, Chu Feng arrived at the foot of Mount Song.

Majestic Mount Song, one of the Five Great Mountains, had become extraordinarily grand after the world's upheaval, appearing to connect with the heavens, truly magnificent.

Green pines and cypresses dotted the mountain, enveloped in a pervasive purple mist.

Especially in the evening glow, the mountain was a deep crimson, shimmering with a faint golden light, appearing utterly sacred.

Chu Feng ascended the mountain without using his extreme speed. His figure drifted, silent and ethereal, as he reached the peak of Mount Song.

Clusters of temples, gilded by the setting sun, appeared peaceful and serene. Ancient Bodhi trees swayed in the wind, emitting sounds like chanting.

Dong, dong...

As the evening drums resonated, the secluded and transcendent atmosphere calmed Chu Feng.

A figure appeared—it was the old ape. He was not in his original form but had transformed into a human: lean, not tall, and though he had received a Buddhist inheritance, he had not shaved his head.

The old ape had short, stiff hair, and his eyes glowed like golden lamps.

This was an unrivaled master, and the first mutant to establish a sect.

The moment Chu Feng arrived, the old ape sensed his presence and instantly appeared, which clearly demonstrated his immense power.

"Greetings, senior," Chu Feng said.

The old ape smiled, not presuming superiority, for he knew well that this young man was extraordinary, with astonishing strength, already ranking among the unrivaled masters.

"I once went to Jiangxi, intending to rescue you and fulfill a good karma, but I didn't expect you would sweep through all the kings yourself," the old ape said.

Chu Feng knew that many beast kings, including peerless experts who had broken six shackles, had appeared in Jiangxi and had not yet left.

"Thank you for your kindness, senior!"

The two conversed as they walked. Chu Feng saw his parents, confirmed they were unharmed, and after carefully understanding the full story, he was truly speechless for a moment.

Chu Feng felt that staying on Mount Song was not a bad idea. The environment was beautiful, with purple mist curling upwards and abundant vitality, making it very suitable for habitation.

Previously, Lu Tong had moved Chu Zhiyuan and his wife from Jade Void Palace to Biyou Palace for safety reasons.

Now, the old ape had brought them here, settling a karmic debt, and it was not without considering their safety.

"Senior, you don't have high hopes for me, do you?" Chu Feng smiled. Why else would the other party treat his parents this way? Did he think Chu Feng would fall or encounter some trouble?

"No, I have great hopes for you," the old ape chuckled. "Buddhism speaks of karma, and it was only right for this old monk to welcome them to Mount Song. Consider it a change of scenery."

Thus, Chu Feng stayed, intending to lie low for a while. He was very satisfied with the environment here and wished to cultivate and improve himself.

In the early morning, as the bell chimed faintly:

"The Dharma fundamentally has no Dharma; where there is no Dharma, Dharma is also Dharma. Now, when no Dharma is imparted, how can Dharma ever be Dharma?"

Chu Feng recited Buddhist verses and studied scriptures, deeply engrossed, waking even earlier than the group of apes at Dalin Temple.

Here stood ancient thousand-year-old temples, filled with numerous Buddhist scriptures, and sacred ancient trees that had revived, bringing peace to one's mind.

"From the mind-ground, various seeds arise; because of circumstances, phenomena are born again. When the fruit of Bodhi is complete, the flower opens, and the world begins."

For several consecutive days, Chu Feng did not leave. He often recited Buddhist scriptures and observed the celestial phenomena on Mount Song, enjoying a leisurely pace.

During these days, he mastered the Dragon Demon Fist and fused it with the Ox Demon Fist, significantly boosting his strength.

With the rhythm of evening drums and morning bells, Chu Feng felt at ease, stretching his body and frequently practicing his fists in the mornings and evenings, growing steadily stronger.

Furthermore, Chu Feng made further progress in his practice of the Twelve True Forms of Xingyi. When a large bell condensed around his body, he could now imprint the seventh true form onto its surface.

Dragons, tigers, eagles, and other forms revolved around him, and the great bell roared, increasing his defensive power yet again. He was truly becoming impervious to all attacks!

A few days earlier, only six true forms revolved around him, solidifying into the Golden Bell Shield, but now it was undeniably far more potent, truly making his body indestructible.

Occasionally, Chu Feng would seek out the old ape for a spar, testing his skills. However, these were not intense duels; they were merely light exchanges, intended solely for the purpose of refining his fist techniques.

He learned that the Golden Arhat-level breathing technique the old ape had mastered was actually the Yi Jin Jing (Muscle-Tendon Changing Scripture).

"Senior, you are truly extraordinary, to conquer one of the Five Great Mountains alone," Chu Feng praised.

"What I occupy is merely a small portion of Mount Song; the true mountain body remains hidden in the mist," the old ape sighed lightly, pointing towards the void.

At this point, Chu Feng fully understood that all famous mountains were similar; their true core had not yet emerged!

For several consecutive days, Chu Feng remained hidden on Mount Song, vanishing from public view.

However, the outside world did not become calm because of his disappearance. Jiangxi province was now seething with activity, as the sea race prepared a major assault on Mount Longhu.

Various experts from the sea race had united, preparing to divide the area. This time, their momentum was formidable; they intended to conquer it in one fell swoop.

Even the Peacock King had appeared, the Golden Crow King had arrived, and additionally, there were the White Snake from Mount Taihang, the old Grandmaster from Wudang Mountain, and others.

Furthermore, the three Palace Masters of the Eight Sceneries Palace, Jade Void Palace, and Biyou Palace had also rushed there.

This was because people had a premonition that Mount Longhu might truly be opened!

Soon after, Yellow Ox called Chu Feng, informing him that the Golden-winged Great Peng King from Mount Hua and the Mastiff King from Kunlun had also gone there, along with many other kings.

Jiangxi province was now in utter chaos, as all the kings desired to ascend Mount Longhu alongside the sea race.

"Aren't you going, senior?" Chu Feng asked the old ape.

"The Taoist ancestral land is not so easily conquered, so I won't join the commotion," the old ape replied, showing great composure.

"Chu Feng, hurry over! A rare treasure is about to emerge here. No wonder all those powerhouses who broke six shackles rushed over—it's worth fighting for," Black Ox urged him to set off.

Chu Feng warned with a serious expression, "With unrivaled masters personally present, you shouldn't join the fray. So many people are competing; don't accidentally get yourselves entangled!"

He truly couldn't sit still, fearing that something might happen to them.

Chu Feng had originally not wanted to participate because he had been there before and believed that it was impossible to ascend at the current stage. He wanted to wait until his own strength had further improved.

"Chu Feng, can you go and assist the Palace Masters? They've encountered great trouble there," Lu Tong suddenly called Chu Feng, asking for his help.

"What's the situation? Aren't the sea race attacking the mountain?" Chu Feng frowned.

"A rare treasure has emerged, and it's now in the Palace Masters' possession!" Lu Tong secretly informed him.

Chu Feng sighed and could only set off, saying, "This time, I'm going to repay a favor!"