To possess a precious gem is to invite blame
In the oral history of Master Fangzheng, the greatest flaw lies in this sentence: "(Duyuan was on Mount Huashan) listening to them recite scriptures, casually explaining, yet secretly memorizing in his heart. Master Duyuan possessed exceptional martial skills and was an extraordinarily intelligent person; upon hearing a line of scripture, he would interpret it in his own way, and surprisingly, he spoke with great authority.
The outcome, however, left them very disappointed; this incident started with great momentum but ended weakly. The once aggressive Putian Shaolin soon lowered their flags and ceased their activities, completely refraining from mentioning the term "Du Yuan," while the Huashan Sect, which was in the wrong, faced no repercussions.
In the eyes of those who are willing to engage in civil war, foreign enemies are always more appealing than fellow countrymen. In order to eliminate their compatriots, they do not hesitate to be used as pawns by foreign adversaries. During the early years of the Republic of China, almost every warlord was desperately seeking foreign patrons, some turning to Japan, others to the United States and Britain. These warlords were not unaware that Americans, British, and Japanese were predatory forces; they simply prioritized the eradication of political rivals, even if it meant colluding with these predators.
A sudden upheaval ended abruptly, yet the impact of this incident has already taken shape. Major media outlets such as "Wulin Daily" and "Jianghe Book Lake Weekend" have reported this matter on their front pages. Prostitutes from chain establishments like Yuelai Inn and Yihong Courtyard are continuously engaging in interviews and discussions with relevant individuals, revealing explosive insider information and sensational gossip
Because the Shaolin side quickly realized that this was a misunderstanding, it was not Huashan that was in the wrong, but themselves. "Not long after, Master Hongye received a letter from Master Duyuan, stating that he found it difficult to suppress his worldly desires and was determined to return to secular life, feeling unworthy to meet his master again."
This response naturally cannot convince the Putian Shaolin. At this moment, the Red Leaf Monk is glaring with the fierce eyes of a Vajra, greatly violating the precept against anger. "Due to this incident, many rifts have arisen between the Shaolin lower temple and the Huashan Sect"
In a moment, all the good-natured individuals across the rivers and lakes were eagerly watching, waiting to see how the Huashan Sect would conclude the matter
Thus, the question arises: in what circumstances did Master Duyuan give teachings to Yue and Cai? Was his act of teaching conducted publicly, or was it carried out during a secret meeting?
The situation suddenly became very serious. The Putian Shaolin sect firmly believes that the Huashan sect was the first to steal the scriptures and then eliminate witnesses, mobilizing forces to Huashan to confront them. The Huashan sect adamantly denies this, stating that they have always treated Master Duyuan with respect and have already sent him down the mountain with proper courtesy.
It is said that Master Duyuan resided on Mount Huashan for eight days before bidding farewell, but thereafter he never returned to the Shaolin Temple in Putian
The child once said that to truly understand a person, one must "listen to their words and observe their actions." With this in mind, let us reconsider the motivations of Master Duyuan in ascending Mount Huashan. Master Fangzheng stated that this motivation is exceedingly benevolent; such a claim is likely to elicit nothing but derisive laughter.
The monk Duyuan was a "person of exceptional wit". He adeptly navigated between the two sects and may have made some promises that he had no intention of fulfilling. Yue and Cai were overjoyed, both believing that Duyuan was their ally, and thus they boldly sought his guidance on the "Sunflower Manual". Consequently, Duyuan did not take offense and explained martial arts to them.
As is well known, the origin of the dispute over the "sword" and "qi" within the Huashan Sect lies in the differing interpretations of the "Sunflower Manual" by Yue and Cai. Master Fangzheng is well aware of this episode in the martial arts world; he stated: "The two members of the Huashan Sect, Yue Su and Cai Zifeng, had different understandings of the scriptures in the manual. They have elaborated in detail to their disciples on the divergence in martial arts, emphasizing either qi or sword. Consequently, the Huashan Sect later split into two factions, the Qi and Sword schools, which led to infighting among the same sect."
The monk Fang Zheng said: "Before long, the ten elders of the demonic sect will launch an attack on Mount Hua"
The series of actions taken by Master Du Yuan is undoubtedly disreputable; even if they cannot be considered incitement, they can be viewed as fanning the flames.
Eight days later, Master Du Yuan left Mount Hua, and then he went missing
A common man is innocent, but possessing a precious gem is a crime. What will happen next is not difficult to predict
Rephrased, this sentence means: Do you wish to seize the "Sunflower Manual"? Currently, there are two targets to choose from: one is the Shaolin group, which is well-established with numerous disciples and a vast network, under the protection of the Tathagata; the other is the Huashan Sect, which is a rising force but lacks top-tier masters and divine guardians.
However, consider this: if Master Duyuan were to expound on the teachings in a public setting with both Yue and Cai present, then the interpretation of the "Sunflower Manual" would originate from Master Duyuan's mouth and simultaneously reach the ears of Yue and Cai. They are both disciples of Mount Hua, sharing the same martial arts foundation and being both clever and agile individuals. After listening to Master Duyuan's explanation, how could there be a divergence between "heavy sword" and "heavy qi"? It is important to understand that the dispute over "sword" and "qi" is not merely an excuse for factional strife, but rather a genuine academic disagreement that indeed exists. They are both disciples of Mount Hua, sharing the same martial arts foundation and being both clever and agile individuals. After listening to Master Duyuan's explanation, how could there be a divergence between "heavy sword" and "heavy qi"? It is important to understand that the dispute over "sword" and "qi" is not merely an excuse for factional strife, but rather a genuine academic disagreement that indeed exists.
In the end, whether it is the seasoned veteran who has immersed himself in the martial world for many years or the novice who has just entered, everyone knows one thing: the Huashan Sect now also possesses the "Kuying Flower Classic"
The occurrence of this situation is entirely logical. The counterfeit books presented by Yue and Cai intensified the internal conflicts within the Huashan Sect, tearing apart the facade of superficial peace, leading the two sects to the brink of a cold war and potential conflict. Although the two sects maintained a semblance of harmony, they intended to live and die without interaction, with hostility so profound that even when the Shaolin monks ascended the mountain, they could no longer maintain the superficial demeanor of peace and goodwill.
Before Master Duyuan ascended Mount Hua, he had likely heard about the internal discord within the Hua Mountain Sect. Upon reaching the mountain, he could immediately tell that the conflict between the two factions had escalated. To fulfill his master's orders, he privately arranged meetings with both Yue and Cai.
Yue and Cai are the ancestors of those warlords. In their eyes, Master Duyuan is no longer the annoying figure sent by the Putian Shaolin sect to seek vengeance, but has become a potential ally that can be courted and used as external support to suppress their opponents. Therefore, they are making every effort to befriend Duyuan. The reason why "Yue and Cai treat him with great respect" lies in this.
The answer is clearly the latter. Monk Duyuan met separately with Yue and Cai in a secret setting, and then, under the pretext of exchanging martial arts knowledge, he explained the "Sunflower Manual" to both Yue and Cai. Since each of them possessed a portion of the "Sunflower Manual," the content of Duyuan's teachings varied, leading to a divergence in their understanding of profound martial arts.