I. The Buddha's Retrospective: The Twelve Stages of the Golden Bell Shield
Standing upon the honored podium, amidst the pungent gunpowder smoke and the subsiding screams of panic, Abbot Xuan Ye stood tall. His frail body was enveloped in a faint golden aura, the result of the 10,000 Poison Antidote Pill slowly cleansing his meridians. He faced Sun Fire Demon, whose body trembled in disbelief that a direct hit from his Fire Fist attack could be repelled by a monk who had just been poisoned.
In Xuan Ye's mind, time seemed to halt. In that silence, he didn't dwell on the chaos in the arena, but returned to the most fundamental source of Shaolin's power—the art he had just used to defend himself: the Golden Bell Shield (Jin Zhong Zhao).
This technique, considered the apex of Shaolin's Inner Qi and external energy defense, was the creation of Bodhidharma. Bodhidharma discovered it after successfully perfecting the Pure Bachelor Kung Fu. Driven by a profound desire to find a way for people to avoid harm and cease mutual killing, Da Mo began creating this supreme defense technique.
However, as Bodhidharma created this second art, he was consumed by deep philosophical confusion. He struggled to define the boundary of how perfectly man and nature could fuse through absolute defense. This philosophical dilemma led Bodhidharma to only compile the Manual of the Golden Bell Shield to Stage 12, as he could not determine the limit of human power in this defensive art.
The 12 Stages of the Golden Bell Shield (Jin Zhong Zhao)
Stage 1 (Qi Flow): Training to circulate and discharge energy, allowing blood flow and pure vital essence to flow continuously throughout the body. This is the foundation of purification.
Stage 2 (Shield Formation): Inner energy and protective Qigong begin to form a shield around the body. Pure energy increases and protects the vital organs.
Stage 3 (Muscle Immunity): Able to withstand blows from staffs and whips, making the outer muscles increasingly resilient. Blunt attacks feel like mere itchiness.
Stage 4 (Skin Immunity): Sharp blades can only scratch the skin but cannot injure the flesh. Energy must be focused on the surface.
Stage 5 (Rebound Power): Specifically trains the internal energy's rebound capability. The greater the incoming blow, the greater the rebounding force generated to counter it.
Stage 6 (Last Weaknesses): Any weapon is difficult to injure the body, except by stabbing at a fatal point like the eyes or throat. This is the transition to absolute defense.
Stage 7 (Iron Head):Qigong protects the entire body from injury. The less-fleshy part of the head (the skull) can reverse an opponent's attack. Strong and flexible muscles can withstand sabers and swords. Weaknesses remain only at the eyes, ears, and the 5 cun shield point (an invisible weak point on the back).
Stage 8 (Near Absolute): Immunity across the whole body increases significantly. Cannot be injured, except at the remaining vital points.
Stage 9 (Path to Softness): Able to injure people by merely throwing a leaf or a flower. Energy can be converted to be either rigid or soft, according to the practitioner's will.
Stage 10 (Qi Purity): Energy becomes pure; Inner Power surges, making it easy to break sabers or swords. Even spitting can injure a person. Pure Qi force can create air distortion.
Stage 11 (Steel and Cotton): The muscle and flesh of the entire body are as hard as steel, yet can be as soft as cotton (to withstand internal strikes). Cannot be pierced by sabers or spears, immune to water and fire. The body is as light as a bird's feather, able to float on water without sinking. This is the stage Abbot Xuan Ye has now reached.
Stage 12 (Defense Deity): From ancient times until now, only Bodhidharma, the creator of this art, has successfully completed this stage. The body is like unrusting steel. Punched, kicked, stabbed by swords, sliced by sabers, burned, submerged in water, surviving without food or drink for 500 days, even drinking poison without harm. At Stage 12, organ functions are fundamentally altered, allowing for long-term survival without sustenance, reaching a form of mortal immortality.
Abbot Xuan Ye, who had reached Stage 9 during the Great War against the Demonic Cult twenty years ago, had now attained Stage 11 through tireless hard practice and meditation over the last two decades. This was the strength he used to withstand the Sun Fire Demon's attack.
"The Blazing Sun Fire power of this Demon is strong indeed," Xuan Ye thought, opening his eyes, which now glowed with gold. "But it will not penetrate the perfect completeness of Stage Eleven Inner Qi."
He knew he had no fear facing the Sun Fire Demon's Blazing Sun Fire technique, as the Stage 11 defense guaranteed immunity against fire and water.
II. Hellfire Against the Golden Bell
Sun Fire Demon, having retreated from the podium, leaped back ten zhang. He never expected that the partially recovered internal Qi of Xuan Ye could still deploy such a concentrated defense. Rage burned on his face, making the veins in his neck swell like old tree roots.
"You hide behind a wall of defense, old Monk!" he roared. "Accept the destruction of the Hellfire of a Thousand Demons! Nothing can withstand this infernal heat!"
Sun Fire Demon began to circulate his internal Qi. Blazing red and dark energy gathered around his body, creating a terrifying vortex of fire. The air around him trembled, and the dust on the ground began to burn to ash. The fire energy was so dense, so hot, that the young warriors fighting the black-clad horde nearby were forced to retreat.
"This is the ultimate move that burns heaven and earth!" he shouted.
Xuan Ye stood motionless, as tranquil as a meditating Buddha statue. He allowed the fire of Sun Fire Demon's rage to reach its peak. Slowly, his golden Inner Qi began to flow out, forming a thin layer that looked like a soft glow beneath his saffron robes.
"Fire is merely the manifestation of anger and greed," Xuan Ye whispered. "Zen tranquility is the water that extinguishes rage, Demon."
Sun Fire Demon launched his ultimate assault: Hellfire of a Thousand Demons (Lie Huo Wan Mo).
A massive wave of fiery energy, accompanied by red shadows of burning demons, rushed toward Xuan Ye. The fire energy was not just heat; it was a physical force capable of shattering mountains, a deadly terror intent on incinerating Xuan Ye into dust.
The devastating fire wave struck Xuan Ye.
BOOOMMM!
The sound of the collision was not like stone hitting stone, but like the resounding chime of a giant bell. The fiery shockwave spread, forcing everyone in the arena to crouch, including the paralyzed Leaders on the podium.
However, in the midst of the burning fire wave, Xuan Ye stood his ground.
His Golden Bell Shield Stage 11 Inner Qi was fully active. The golden light surrounding him now shone with unnatural intensity.
The rigid and destructive force of the Hellfire of a Thousand Demons, upon touching the Golden Bell Shield, was not destroyed, but rather absorbed and transformed into a gentle vibration, consistent with the philosophy of absolute defense at Stage 11. The muscle and flesh of Xuan Ye's entire body were as hard as steel, yet, simultaneously, as soft as cotton absorbing the force.
Xuan Ye felt immense pain; the antidote pill had not completely purged the effect of the Silent Blossom Poison. Yet, he endured.
"Your Hellfire is extinguished, Demon!" Xuan Ye proclaimed. "Now, receive the compassion of the Buddha!"
Xuan Ye moved forward, stepping out from the lingering smoke. He released all the golden Inner Qi stored in his dantian, no longer for defense, but for attack.
He launched the ultimate strike rarely used by Shaolin Monks due to its lethal and brutal power: the Thousand Fist of the Rulai Buddha (Wan Fo Ru Lai Quan).
Xuan Ye's golden fists flashed rapidly. In the view of Sun Fire Demon, he saw not one fist, but dozens, hundreds, even thousands of golden Qi punches shaped like small bells and Buddha statues, assaulting him in a blink of an eye.
The onslaught of golden Inner Qi shattered the remaining fire energy of the Sun Fire Demon. The first punch struck Sun Fire Demon's chest, breaking his ribs. The second punch hit his abdomen, forcing him to cough up black blood. The third, fourth, and subsequent punches struck his vital meridians.
Sun Fire Demon shrieked in pain, a cry more akin to a demon's howl than a human scream. He was thrown far back, hitting the ruins of a stone pillar, severely injured and paralyzed. His Inner Qi was devastated.
Abbot Xuan Ye stood in the center of the arena, his robe torn and bloody, but his aura stood tall, radiating a devastating peace.
III. The Assassin's Dance on Ice: Tang Feng vs. Moon Ice Demon
While the battle of Fire and Zen reached its climax, on the other side of the arena, Tang Feng was engaged in a vastly different duel—a deadly dance relying on speed, intellect, and hidden weapons.
Moon Ice Demon launched her Eternal Ice Technique (Yong Heng Bing Xue), a Qi technique that generated incredibly cold ice palms. Each movement produced thin, lethal ice blades.
Moon Ice Demon moved with cold speed, attempting to freeze Tang Feng's blood. However, every time her Ice Palm approached, Tang Feng was no longer there.
"You quick rat! All you can do is run!" Moon Ice Demon screamed, enraged.
"In the Jianghu, running is a more honorable skill than dying foolishly," Tang Feng retorted, his voice coming from a distance.
Tang Feng fully utilized the high-level Body Lightening Skill (Qinggong) of the Tang Family. His body was as light as cotton, as fast as a shadow. Moon Ice Demon, despite her lethal speed, could not lock onto a target that moved like a leaf in the wind.
The fight was a beautiful and terrifying contrast: Moon Ice Demon was cold, deadly beauty, while Tang Feng was the elusive shadow, dancing around the fatal ice blades.
Tang Feng knew his Inner Qi had not fully recovered. He had to rely on his number one expertise: Hidden Weapons (An Qi).
Suddenly, Tang Feng stopped moving. He stood on one leg, allowing Moon Ice Demon to approach.
"Finally, you surrender!" Moon Ice Demon yelled, launching an Eternal Ice Palm aimed at freezing Tang Feng's dantian.
But it was a trap. As her Ice Palm drew near, Tang Feng launched an attack of hundreds of silver needles from his robe sleeve.
Fiuuuuu—!
Hundreds of needles flew like a deadly silver rain, each carrying a nerve-paralyzing poison. Moon Ice Demon, though powerful, could only passively defend. She had to use her cold Qi to create an impromptu ice shield. The needle attack successfully halted her Eternal Ice Palm and forced her to retreat.
"You're just wasting your Qi!" Tang Feng sneered. "But I have far more needles than you have ice energy!"
Moon Ice Demon was cornered. She realized she wasn't facing a mere poison expert, but a master strategist who relied on speed, damage, and the element of surprise.
Tang Feng decided to end the fight before Moon Ice Demon's Qi recovered.
He drew two flying daggers from his sleeves, made of pure titanium and engraved with the Tang Family symbol. His flying daggers were unparalleled in the Jianghu.
Tang Feng released the first dagger. The First Jade Dagger of Death (Shi Wang Yu Ci).
Fiuuuuuuuu!
The dagger flew with lethal speed, heading toward Moon Ice Demon's right shoulder.
Moon Ice Demon smiled mockingly. She was trained to evade high speed. She moved her body with her Ice Lightening Skill, confident she could dodge the first dagger.
As the first dagger reached halfway, Tang Feng released the second dagger. The Assassin's Shadow Jade Dagger (Sha Shou Yu Ci).
This second dagger was released at three times the speed of the first, and most unusually, it was thrown backward—with the hilt pointing forward!
Moon Ice Demon, focused solely on the first dagger rushing toward her right shoulder, did not anticipate the second attack.
As the reverse-thrown second dagger reached the trajectory of the first dagger, its hilt struck the hilt of the first dagger mid-flight.
KLANK!
The first dagger, which was initially flying at regular speed, suddenly accelerated manifold, rushing unexpectedly in the same direction, but with enormous kinetic energy!
The second dagger, having reversed and lost energy after the impact, fell to the ground. But its purpose was achieved.
Moon Ice Demon, who thought she could evade the first dagger by slightly moving her shoulder, did not expect the first dagger to suddenly gain such incredible speed.
Sringgg!
The first dagger struck and lodged deeply into her left shoulder. This sudden attack disrupted her cold Qi, and her body momentarily froze from shock and pain.
This was the secret technique of the Tang Family's hidden weapons: The Double Rebound Dagger—using the second dagger as a projectile not aimed to kill, but to give a deadly final push to the first.
Moon Ice Demon staggered, the dagger stuck in her shoulder. She was severely injured, her Eternal Ice Inner Qi disrupted.
Tang Feng stood tall, his face showing extreme exhaustion. He had succeeded, but at the cost of almost all his physical energy.
IV. The Peak Victory and The Final Explosion
Sun Fire Demon and Moon Ice Demon were cornered and subdued.
Sun Fire Demon lay helpless in the ruins, while Moon Ice Demon struggled to stanch the blood flowing from her shoulder. They, two terrifying shadows of the past, had been defeated by the combined might of Shaolin and the Tang Family.
On the field, the young Jianghu warriors had successfully defeated the invading black-clad horde. Feng Yu and Mei Lin fought with remarkable unity, while Tan Long used the flexibility of the Dragon Palm to efficiently clear out the enemy.
A cry of joy and relief spread. The Murim Alliance had survived!
Abbot Xuan Ye, though still stained with blood, returned to the honored podium. He looked around the arena, seeing the paralyzed Sun Fire Demon. He had won. His golden Qi subsided, replaced by an expression of exhaustion but satisfaction.
Tang Feng leaned against a pillar, heavily breathing, but a faint smile was etched on his lips.
The young warriors began to cheer, celebrating the Jianghu's victory over the returning evil.
Just as the Jianghu Alliance believed they had won, and their focus shifted to the defeated Sun Fire Demon and Moon Ice Demon, a sharp, piercing whistle suddenly sounded from a distance.
PIIIPPPPP!
One second later, there was another massive explosion, this time far more powerful than the first.
KABOOMMMMMM!!!
The explosion occurred directly above the honored podium, the very place where the paralyzed and helpless Sect Leaders—including Sect Leader Wu Tian, Abbess Jing Hua, Master Hong, and others—were still seated, recovering from the effects of the Silent Blossom Poison.
The golden nanmu wooden podium was shattered into pieces by the force of the blast.
Thick black smoke and jade dust from the potentially destroyed artifacts billowed high into the air. The cheers of the young warriors instantly turned into mass screams of horror.
This second attack was a surprise prepared by the true mastermind—a desperate act to eliminate all the vulnerable Jianghu Leaders.
The tale of terror had just begun.