The book has been stolen

The next day, Yue and Cai sought out Hongye for a casual chat, and the conversation unexpectedly turned to the "Sunflower Manual." To their surprise, Hongye not only did not deny the rumors but instead pulled out a tattered book resembling a rag from her drawer, sighing deeply as she said: "What a pity, recently I have been burdened with mundane affairs. Every morning until noon, the entire temple is occupied with rituals and offerings in the front hall, leaving me no time to ponder the hard work of my predecessors"

However, Hongye, the old bald donkey, smiled without speaking, smiled without speaking

One day, two young men with a Shaanxi accent came down from Jiulian Mountain. One was named Yue Su, and the other Cai Zifeng. They claimed to be disciples of the Huashan School and were traveling in Fujian. Passing through Putian, they had long heard of the great reputation of "Southern Shaolin" and were filled with admiration, thus they specially came to pay a visit.

Diplomacy is no trivial matter, and Master Hongye indeed displayed an unusual level of seriousness, personally meeting with the two younger individuals.

Hongye furrowed her brows, opened the drawer, and let out a sigh. The "Sunflower Manual" still lay inside... but it was evident that it had been disturbed. Last night, Hongye had lightly sprinkled a layer of inconspicuous powder on the book, and now the powder was gone

On the afternoon of the third day, the attendant monk reported that two guests from the Huashan Sect had left without notice. Monk Hongye immediately returned to the meditation room, which appeared serene. Upon checking the drawer, he found it still locked

The monk with the red leaves responds to all changes with constancy. He is served with vegetarian meals, and when it comes time to send him down the mountain, he does not comply with any requests made of him.

After a pause, he said: "As practitioners of martial arts, we do not seek the sacred texts; however, if we do come across them, we will undoubtedly immerse ourselves in study and contemplation, which not only disrupts our spiritual cultivation but also brings about unnecessary troubles. I, an old monk, hold the sacred text in my hands, yet I cannot discern whether it is a blessing or a curse!" (This is a reference to the words of the Daoist Chongxu from 'The Smiling, Proud Wanderer') After speaking, he solemnly locked the worn book back into the drawer.

Fortunately, Master Hongye often needed to communicate with the headquarters in Songshan, and there were no barriers to understanding the northern dialect, thus both parties avoided the awkwardness of talking past each other. The meeting took place in a warm and friendly atmosphere, where both sides exchanged views on bilateral relations and a series of broad issues of mutual concern, including world peace, and expressed strong condemnation of the cruel actions of the demonic sect that harmed fellow practitioners in the martial arts community

Moreover, as the ancients said, "A common man is innocent, but possessing a precious gem is a crime." The foundation of the Putian Shaolin is still shallow, and its security measures are far inferior to those of the Songshan headquarters. Keeping the "Kuhua Baodian" in Putian would only attract thieves; it must be sent to the "Cangjing Pavilion" in Songshan to ensure absolute safety. (In theory, this is the case; in reality, the "Cangjing Pavilion" and its collection at Songshan Shaolin are among the worst managed libraries in the history of the martial arts world, with the highest incidence of theft.)

Before long, the entire monastery was filled with complaints. The guest monk naturally had a lot to say, and the other monks were also unable to bear the disturbance. Finally, one day, a disciple could no longer tolerate it and said that our Putian Shaolin is merely a branch of the Songshan Shaolin, so it would be better to send the "Sunflower Manual" to the main temple at Songshan for the abbot there to decide.

Upon discussion, the monk Hongye discovered that the two individuals were indeed well-prepared, as they were able to understand the Minnan dialect spoken by the monks in the temple

Yue and Cai first expressed their heartfelt gratitude on behalf of the Huashan Sect for the warm hospitality extended by the Putian Shaolin. They conveyed the cordial greetings of the Huashan Sect leader to Master Jieyu and Master Jiesex, among other leaders of Shaolin. Yue and Cai stated that after the Huashan Sect merged into the "Five Mountains Sword Sect," they would continue to explore a path of martial justice that is characteristic of Huashan, adhering to the principle of "crossing the river by feeling the stones".

Generally, people from the north will certainly encounter language barriers when they arrive in the south, and this barrier becomes even more pronounced in Fujian. Among the eight major dialect regions in China, Fujian occupies three, namely the Hakka dialect region, the Minnan dialect region, and the Minbei dialect region. What is even more problematic is that this classification is still quite rough, as it can be further subdivided into smaller and more distinct languages. Even among Fujian natives, those in different language regions are unable to communicate effectively, let alone those from the northwest dialect region, such as Shaanxi, who find it nearly impossible to navigate.

On the morning of the second day, Yue Su was wandering in the front hall, while Cai Zifeng was strolling back and forth in the corridor leading from the front hall to the abbot's quarters. In the evening, the two of them discussed and found that indeed everyone in the temple was very busy

That evening, Yue and Cai took shelter in the temple.

The red leaves turned and walked out of the meditation room, saying to the disciples: "Amitabha, the 'Sunflower Manual' has been stolen, let us celebrate."

It is evident that Yue and Cai had made a concerted effort to learn "Puxian dialect" upon their arrival. This is a minor language, used only in the limited areas of Putian and Xianyou in Fujian. The determination to become familiar with the local language to such an extent as tourists appears rather peculiar

Each of these five sects is, in isolation, a rather insignificant second-tier sect. Not only do they fall short compared to Shaolin and Wudang, but they also appear somewhat lacking when compared to the likes of Emei and Kongtong. However, once they merge, a chemical reaction occurs, resulting in formidable strength. In recent years, the "Five Mountains Sword Sect" has gained remarkable momentum, attracting the attention of all martial artists. Many believe that the "Five Mountains Sword Sect" has become the third major sect in the martial world, following the traditional powerhouses of Shaolin and Wudang. Given the current rapid development of the "Five Mountains Sword Sect," the future ranking of these three sects remains uncertain. Many believe that the "Five Mountains Sword Sect" has become the third major sect in the martial world, following the traditional powerhouses of Shaolin and Wudang. Given the current rapid development of the "Five Mountains Sword Sect," the future ranking of these three sects remains uncertain.

Visitors come from all corners of the world, including men and women of all ages, with various books, diverse ethnicities, different styles of clothing, and a multitude of accents. Their purposes for visiting Jiulian Mountain are equally varied; some seek lodging, others come to study and listen to teachings, while some express intentions to hold ceremonies for several consecutive days. Additionally, there are young individuals seeking to apprentice and learn skills, as well as martial artists wishing to spar. If it were not a monk's temple, one might even expect matchmakers to come seeking marriage prospects.

Master Hongye expressed admiration for the historic act of the Huashan Sect joining the "Five Mountains Alliance." He stated that the Huashan Sect is a very important strategic partner of Shaolin. On significant issues such as combating evil sects, maintaining peace in the martial world, and upholding justice in the rivers and lakes, both sides need to closely cooperate. Shaolin has always viewed the relationship between the two sects from a long-term and strategic perspective, and is willing to work together to continuously enhance mutual trust, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, and promote the sustained, stable, and healthy development of the strategic partnership between the two sects.

After the meeting, both parties enjoyed a fully vegetarian meal with Shaolin characteristics at the Jiulian Mountain cafeteria. Lay disciples from Putian Shaolin performed an impressive martial arts show, while Master Hongye recited an impromptu piece titled "Pineapple Pineapple Honey Heart Shock." Yue and Cai also spontaneously demonstrated the "Duanbei Cliff Sword Technique" of the Huashan School. The banquet lasted for two hours and concluded with a beautiful and melodious erhu ensemble of "Wishing You Early Drink Meng Po Soup."

This disciple speaks very sensibly and is also very considerate of the leadership. Putian Shaolin and *Tu* Book are at most subsidiaries of the Shaolin Group located in Fujian. Although subsidiaries are independent legal entities and are legally equal to the Songshan parent company, they are still in a subordinate relationship in practice. As the general manager of the subsidiary, Monk Hongye unilaterally decided to establish a small treasury and divert the precious and scarce resource of the "Kuaihua Baodian." This action will undoubtedly displease the Songshan headquarters and be detrimental to Monk Hongye's career.

In those years, in addition to the long-hidden "Sunflower Manual" reemerging in the martial world, a momentous event also took place. The five sects scattered across the Five Sacred Mountains of China: East Peak Taishan, West Peak Huashan, South Peak Hengshan, North Peak Hengshan, and Central Peak Songshan, united under the banner of opposing the demonic sect and upholding the righteous teachings. They forged alliances with one another, forming the "Five Sacred Sword Sect," pledging to share life and death together.

At that time, among the "Five Mountain Sword Sects," the Huashan Sect had the strongest influence. Yue Su and Cai Zifeng were rising stars of the Huashan Sect, already gaining some renown in the martial world. The visit of these two can be regarded as an informal visit by the "Five Mountain Sword Sects" to Shaolin, and mishandling it could potentially lead to diplomatic conflicts

The Red Leaf Monk is the abbot of Putian Shaolin, which is located on Jiulian Mountain in Putian, Fujian. Ever since the news of the "Sunflower Manual" being at Putian Shaolin spread rapidly throughout the martial arts world, the welcoming monk at Putian Shaolin has been working overtime every day