After bowing, Xing Chi gestured for Yongjie to follow, then slowly walked to the center of the plaza, supported by Li Miao.
"The second matter is that this monk has some debts to settle, which he wishes to clear in front of all of you."
At these words, everyone was stunned.
Xing Chi was highly respected and had led an unblemished life; when had he ever owed anyone anything?
Could it be that he had secretly committed evil deeds before and wanted to confess them before his death?
With a chaotic mind, Master Xiao hastily spoke.
"Grandmaster Xing Chi, debts are cleared upon death, and your virtue is recognized by the entire martial arts world. When have you ever owed anyone anything?"
He was signaling Xing Chi not to say anything more.
Whatever he had done, he should not speak of it.
Xing Chi smiled indifferently and said, "When I introduced my unworthy disciple to you earlier, I hadn't finished speaking."
"Yongjie, come forward."
"Yes, Master," Yongjie lowered his head and walked to Xing Chi, then knelt down with a thud, removing his kasaya to reveal his back.
"Bring the rattan cane."
A Shaolin disciple brought a rattan cane and handed it to Xing Chi.
"This unworthy disciple of mine was not born into monkhood. He once had some renown in the martial arts world."
"Before becoming a monk, he was the Manor Lord of Juyi Manor, 'Pillar of Heaven' Tu Qingcang."
"What!?"
"Who!?"
"It's him!?"
Everyone exclaimed in shock.
"No wonder he looked familiar just now; now that you mention it, I've seen him before!"
One person blurted out.
Before Yongjie became a monk, he was known to everyone in Huguang.
He rose to fame fifteen years ago, his chivalrous reputation spread widely twelve years ago, he became infamous ten years ago, and disappeared nine years ago, his fate unknown.
From entering the martial arts world to his disappearance, it was only six years, yet he was the most prominent figure in the Huguan martial arts world in recent years.
In his first and second years, he entered the martial arts world and defeated many masters, becoming unrivaled for a time.
In his third year, he established Juyi Manor, gathering heroes from all over the land.
In his fourth and fifth years, he acted chivalrously, his martial arts reaching the pinnacle, earning everyone's praise.
In his sixth year, his actions suddenly became reckless, he extensively collected treasures from the martial arts world, completely disregarding martial arts rules and past friendships, using force to oppress others, and ultimately becoming notorious.
Then he suddenly disappeared, and Juyi Manor subsequently fell into disrepair.
The Meishan Seven Devils were indeed people from Juyi Manor back then. After scattering into the martial arts world, they gradually fell into evil ways.
Yongjie had recruited mostly rogue martial artists back then, a mixed bag of good and bad. After his disappearance, many found it hard to adapt from luxury to frugality and began committing evil deeds. Xing Chi personally killed many of them.
It was precisely because of Yongjie's actions in his last year that the Meishan Seven Devils, upon seeing him, thought he intended to enter Shaolin to collect treasures.
Master Xiao frowned, scrutinizing Yongjie up and down.
He didn't care about Yongjie's past and had no prior dealings with him. He was concerned whether passing on the legacy to such a controversial figure in the martial arts world would affect Xing Chi's posthumous reputation.
As expected, someone spoke up.
"Grandmaster Xing Chi, are you going to pass on the legacy to this... Master Yongjie today?"
"Is that perhaps inappropriate?"
"Yes, yes, Master Yongjie's actions before becoming a monk were a bit out of line. I wonder if he can truly take on Shaolin's legacy."
Xing Chi smiled without speaking.
Instead, he suddenly raised his hand and brought it down.
Crack!
The rattan cane struck Yongjie's back, instantly leaving a wound that bloomed like a baby's small mouth.
Blood immediately gushed out.
Yongjie had actually dispelled all his inner energy, even stopping his self-circulating heavenly cycle. His meridians were empty at this moment, enduring the blow with only his flesh and skin.
At this, his face turned pale, and he gritted his teeth, making no sound.
"Today, I shall repay his debts to all of you."
With that, disregarding everyone's pleas to stop, the rattan cane in Xing Chi's hand continuously struck Yongjie's body.
Crack!
Crack!
Crack!
In a short while, the flesh on Yongjie's back was a pulpy mess. When Xing Chi swung the rattan cane, it would even splatter tiny bits of flesh and blood onto the ground.
Yongjie still didn't utter a sound.
Blood had already soaked through his lower body, slowly seeping into the cracks of the bluestone slabs.
Finally, Xing Chi stopped.
It wasn't that he didn't want to continue striking; it was simply that given his own physical condition, if he continued, he feared he would die even faster than Yongjie.
Li Miao sighed and slapped Xing Chi's chest with his palm.
Xing Chi suddenly jolted, and his spirit immediately improved significantly, as if he had regained his former vigor.
"Grandmaster, you have half an hour left."
"You're a dying man, instead of lying down properly to say your last words, you're tossing and turning, risking your reputation and your life. I don't know what you're aiming for."
Li Miao said softly.
Xing Chi, however, did not answer, merely nodding slightly to thank Li Miao.
Then he faced the crowd and spoke loudly.
"This unworthy disciple of mine was quite unruly before becoming a monk and committed many mistakes."
"However, Shaolin's legacy ultimately needs him to bear it, so today I cannot let him repay his life to you all."
Xing Chi smiled sheepishly, revealing his now bare gums.
"This monk, shamelessly, asks for a favor from all of you."
"His life, let it be temporarily stored in my Shaolin for a while."
"This monk will first repay some on his behalf, considering it as compensation to you all."
Master Xiao, who had been quietly listening to Xing Chi from the north, suddenly awoke with a pale face.
"No!!!"
In an instant, he frantically circulated his inner energy, exerting such force that it almost tore his meridians, then sharply pushed off the ground, rushing towards Xing Chi.
"Grandmaster! No!!!"
"No!!!"
In an instant, four or five people rushed onto the plaza, all shouting loudly, their faces contorted.
They knew exactly what Xing Chi was about to do.
Because Xing Chi, back then, had 'repaid debts' for them in precisely this manner.
Xing Chi was already close to the end of his life, his movements slow, it seemed there was still time to stop him!
Li Miao, who was supporting Xing Chi, calmly glanced at these few people and spoke.
"It is the Grandmaster's own choice; others should not interfere."
With that, he raised his hand and flicked it.
"Overturning Rivers and Seas"!
A majestic surge of inner energy, like a tsunami, instantly erupted, striking the few people who had rushed onto the plaza.
"Ah!"
"What!—"
Without any power to resist, the few people were swept away by Li Miao's palm, tumbling several times in mid-air, and after landing, they staggered backward, "thump, thump, thump," before finally regaining their footing.
Master Xiao lowered his head and was speechless for a moment.
Because where he stood now was precisely where he had been before rushing out.
The other few people, upon realizing this situation, were also too shocked to speak.
One must know that several first-rate masters had rushed out! Li Miao's casual palm not only repelled them without injury, but he could even control the force so precisely!
The martial arts, positions, speeds, and angles of these few people were all different!
What level had Li Miao's martial arts reached!?
Even peak masters couldn't achieve such effortless mastery!
But, now was not the time to dwell on this!
Master Xiao suddenly looked up, his voice like weeping blood.
"Grandmaster!!!"
Xing Chi seemed not to hear, raising his hand into a claw and suddenly plunging it into his own chest.
Immediately, blood gushed out!
Yongjie, kneeling before him, did not turn his head.
But the face that had shown no reaction even when beaten to a bloody pulp just now, was now clenching its teeth, tears streaming down incessantly.
"Master... father..."
"Your disciple was wrong..."
He whispered.
Xing Chi did not look at him, withdrawing his hand. In a moment, blood soaked through his kasaya.
Li Miao frowned and tapped Xing Chi's chest a few times.
"Grandmaster, you now have the life left for two sticks of incense."
"Subtracting the time to transfer cultivation to Master Yongjie, you have one stick of incense left."
"If you have anything to say, do so quickly."
Xing Chi nodded, his face pale, and smiled.