Fifth, Lin Yuantu is an enigma.

However, whether this hostility is genuine or not, it is sufficient to make the Demon Cult detest the Five Mountains Sword Sect. As the Huashan Sect is the backbone of the Five Mountains Sword Sect, it is not surprising that the Demon Cult targets Huashan.

No, bodyguards are not only disrespected, but also hold a very low status in the martial world. This is because they must constantly act subserviently, carefully dealing with all kinds of people from various walks of life. Even when facing a petty thief who has claimed a mountain as his own, they must prioritize harmony and do their utmost to avoid offending anyone

The drawbacks are numerous and perplexing: Lin Yuantu is not enjoying a secular life; it is simply a form of suffering.

The Shaolin Temple is indeed too powerful, and the evil sect lacks the confidence to secure a decisive victory in one move. Therefore, they are reluctant to act rashly, in order to avoid provoking a more severe retaliation from the righteous sect

A few days later, the Demon Sect launched a large-scale attack on Mount Hua

Among the two factions, the Red Leaf Monk of Putian Shaolin has already spread the word that the martial arts in the "Sunflower Manual" are extremely venomous, and he has prohibited his disciples from practicing it. Shaolin Temple has stood for a thousand years, and Shaolin martial arts have developed into a profound and extensive system, indeed not needing to rely on the "Sunflower Manual" to enhance its strength, so the words of the Red Leaf Monk should be credible. Naturally, the Shaolin's copy of the "Sunflower Manual" must be seized, but it can be postponed for now; the current pressing concern is the Huashan Sect.

Even without the Shaolin, with Lin Yuantu's skills, he could certainly achieve great things. He could go to the deep mountains and forests to raise a bald bird with tumors all over its head as a pet, and then lead the bird out of Shanhaiguan. When the soldiers engage in battle with the foreign tribes (be they Mongols or Manchus), in full view of the public, he could humiliate the opposing khan, becoming the new "Divine Bird Hero" celebrated for a century... With such a large bird as cover, who would care that Lin the Hero has no bird beneath him... When the soldiers engage in battle with the foreign tribes (be they Mongols or Manchus), in full view of the public, he could humiliate the opposing khan, becoming the new "Divine Bird Hero" celebrated for a century... With such a large bird as cover, who would care that Lin the Hero has no bird beneath him...

Well, for the time being, let us not discuss the importance of this organ to men from a sociological perspective, nor delve into why Sima Qian stated that "there is no greater disgrace than castration," or why castration is also referred to as "emasculation." Let us treat it as an organ equivalent to the appendix; if it is removed, it is removed. After that, apart from some inconvenience when using the restroom, it will not have any other impact on life

Is running a security escort service a highly profitable industry that can generate substantial wealth

The transformation of legend into reality is certainly shocking, and the high-ranking members of the demonic sect felt more than just shock at that moment; they were also filled with fear. This was because they realized that there were still two copies of the "Sunflower Manual" in existence: one at the Putian Shaolin Temple and the other at the Huashan Sect. Both of these are mortal enemies of the demonic sect. (Moreover, it is possible that Lin Yuantou had leaked information, claiming that what he had mastered was merely a small part of the "Sunflower Manual," and that even more formidable martial arts were still in the Huashan Sect.)

To be more specific, which is more favored, friends from the underworld or friends from the upper world?

On the contrary, escorting goods is high risk with low returns; the earnings are merely hard-earned and blood-sweat money. If one is not careful and loses their grip, losing all the capital would be a light consequence; it could even cost one’s life.

This is because someone is orchestrating things from within, and that person is Lin Yuantu.

At that time in the martial world, a great divide marked the boundary between the Chu River and the Han Border. On one side was the Sun and Moon Holy Cult, along with its various sects and schools, while on the other side stood the so-called righteous sects led by Shaolin and Wudang. The two sides were clearly delineated, perpetually at odds, each taking it upon themselves to undermine and attack the other. The members of the righteous sects believed they occupied the moral high ground and represented justice, thus referring to the Sun and Moon Holy Cult as the "Demonic Cult".

The strange thing is the timing of the demonic sect's attack on Mount Hua

Lin Zhennan provided an answer again, stating: "It requires the favor of friends from both the underworld and the upper world"

Among the righteous sects, the Five Mountains Sword Sect is the most radical. One of their slogans during their alliance was to eradicate the demonic sect, thus displaying the greatest hostility towards it. The term "displayed hostility" refers to the loudest slogans, the most radical organizational programs, and the most ruthless actions during conflicts. However, this may merely be a deliberately exhibited stance, and their inner feelings may not truly harbor such deep-seated hatred. This psychological phenomenon can be likened to the Red Guards who overthrew the Chinese mainland in 1966 and 1967; among them, some were merely trying to demonstrate their "most revolutionary" spirit, which is why they shouted the loudest slogans, wreaked the most havoc during house raids, and inflicted severe beatings on teachers and their own parents.

For the Demon Sect, learning that the Orthodox Sect possesses the "Sunflower Manual" is akin to Obama discovering that bin Laden has acquired nuclear weapons; each additional day of possession increases the danger, and it is best to seize it at once

It is not surprising that a monk would return to secular life. If Master Duyuan had not practiced the "Evil-Repelling Sword Technique," it would also not be surprising for him to wish to return to secular life. However, after he practiced the "Evil-Repelling Sword Technique," his "mundane desires became difficult to suppress," which is quite peculiar.

For hundreds of years before Lin Yuantu, no one had successfully mastered the "Kite Flower Manual". As time passed, a saying began to circulate in the martial arts world: Do not be infatuated with the manual; it is merely a legend.

Therefore, at that time, the demonic sect was not in the least bit anxious; the martial arts secret manuals that could not be mastered were like bombs with their fuses removed, what was there to fear

What are the characteristics of escorting goods?

If it is about power, then the Forbidden City in Beijing is more suitable for him than the rivers and lakes. The eunuchs of the Ming Dynasty wielded immense power, with figures like Wang Zhen, Liu Jin, and Wei Zhongxian, all notorious characters who left a bad name in history. With Lin Yuantu's intelligence and skills, it should not be too difficult for him to carve out a good path. At that time, the Evil-Repelling Sword Technique would travel back and forth within the palace, which could be seen as aligning with the way of heaven

If it is for the sake of reputation, Lin Yuantu need not separate from Shaolin. Under the shade of a large tree, one can enjoy the coolness; with Shaolin as a strong backing, anything one does in the martial world becomes effortless. Even if one becomes delusional and paranoid, believing that foreign warriors are about to invade the Central Plains martial arts community, and decides to lead a team to ambush outside Yanmen Pass, there will still be countless fools willing to follow and risk their lives.

Still the same saying, when a wise person does foolish things, there must be a reason they cannot avoid doing so

Regarding this issue, the esteemed expert Lin Zhenan can provide an answer based on personal experience. He stated: "For those of us in the escort business, the first requirement is to be familiar with the people involved and to have a broad network. The term 'friendship' is even more crucial than genuine skill with a sword or gun." (Chapter 1 of 'The Smiling, Proud Wanderer')

However, even so, it still cannot explain Lin Yuantu's behavior

Not at all, not at all. Lin Yuantu spent his entire life standing on the side of righteousness. Master Fangzheng remarked about him: "This senior Lin stands very upright. Although he eats from the escort agency, he acts with chivalry and helps those in need. He may not be within the Buddhist community, yet he performs deeds akin to those of the Buddhist path."

It is evident that "familiarity with the person" and "broad connections" are fundamental conditions for successfully delivering goods. So, with whom should one be "familiar" and to whom should one have "broad connections"?

Who poses a greater threat to nature, and to whom should it extend its allure? Friends in the legitimate world may not necessarily resort to robbery or murder, while those in the underworld are indeed engaged in killing and smuggling. Therefore, nature tends to interact more with friends from the underworld. Especially during the entrepreneurial phase, Lin Yuantou likely had to employ both kindness and intimidation towards the local bullies every time he crossed a mountain or a river.

This is quite strange

Initially, this situation may not have attracted much attention, but as more and more intelligence similar to *the diagram* emerged, the curiosity of the higher-ups in the demonic sect was finally piqued one day. They secretly sent someone to test Lin Yuantu's martial arts skills, and the results were astonishing; indeed, his abilities were unfathomable. Consequently, the demonic sect began to investigate Lin Yuantu's background, and the results were shocking. It turned out that he was the monk Duyuan from the Putian Shaolin Temple, and he had been practicing the "Sunflower Manual".

It is not surprising that a monk finds it difficult to suppress his desires. Living a life of simple meals, dim lights, ancient Buddha statues, and reading yellowed scrolls, it is relatively easy to maintain such a lifestyle for ten days or half a month, and even for one or two years. Enduring for eight or ten years is also manageable, but to persist for several decades or even a lifetime is truly despairing. As stated in the sayings of Master Mao, "Abstinence is not difficult; what is difficult is to abstain for a lifetime." This is human nature and can be understood. Monks who cannot endure and choose to return to secular life are making a wise decision, which deserves appreciation. However, most monks neither endure nor have the courage to return to secular life, and thus become the subject of gossip in the streets, a theme vividly depicted in Ming and Qing novels and widely recognized. The saying goes, "One character means monk, two characters mean monk, three characters mean ghostly official, and four characters mean hungry ghost in desire."

At this point, some may laugh at me for being too narrow-minded. As an ambitious man, one should not always focus on the trivial matters below the navel. There are still many significant achievements to pursue in life. Even if one fails to attain wealth, one can still aspire to wield great power, accumulate immense riches, gain widespread fame, or leave a lasting legacy.

What exactly is Lin Yuantu aiming for

Lin Yuantu is none other than the monk Duyuan. After Duyuan descended from Mount Hua, he retreated to a place unknown to anyone and returned to secular life. Shortly thereafter, a mysterious swordsman emerged in the martial world, renowned for his mastery of the "Seventy-Two Paths of Exorcism Sword Technique," which struck fear across the realm. This swordsman claimed to be Lin Yuantu

Moreover, the essence of running a escort agency has essentially detached from the martial world, becoming a business endeavor. In the words of Lin Yuantu's grandson, Lin Zhennan: "In the matters of the martial world, reputation accounts for 20%, skill accounts for 20%, and the remaining 60% relies on the goodwill of friends from both the underworld and the legitimate world." Therefore, being an escort leader is primarily about being a person, while skill is secondary. Lin Yuantu's astonishingly extraordinary Exorcism Sword Technique, when applied to escorting, seems like a gross misallocation of talent and a waste of resources.

If one were to seek wealth, with Lin Yuantu's skills, he could easily become a thief. Perhaps the term "thief" sounds unappealing, so let us rebrand it as "heroic thief," using the pretense of robbing the rich to help the poor. Under the guise of justice, one could amass wealth, and as long as the disguise is convincing, one could achieve both fame and fortune. For instance, several hundred years ago, there was a man named Chu Liuxiang, who was actually a debauched rogue living a carefree life, owning a private yacht and maintaining several stunning beauties. Yet, this person was adept at deceiving the world and stealing fame, and the people of the martial world did not consider it shameful; instead, they respectfully referred to him as "Thief Lord."

Lin Yuantu exerted great effort, actually intending to demonstrate something to the demonic sect, which is the power of the Exorcism Sword Technique

Why is it that the "Sunflower Manual" does not cause concern when it falls into the hands of Shaolin, but the demonic sect becomes anxious when it is in the possession of the Huashan Sect?

Therefore, one must take the initiative; it is unwise to raise a tiger at home. Otherwise, when the Five Mountains Sword Sect produces more masters like Lin Yuantu, the end of the Divine Cult will be upon us

In summary, Lin Yuantu has many promising career paths to choose from, yet he ultimately chose to open a courier agency and engage in the delivery business

To identify this reason, one must first analyze the characteristics of the profession of a bodyguard.

The "Sunflower Manual" was initially in the hands of Shaolin, which has long been a dominant force in upholding orthodox teachings. It is the greatest threat to the demonic sect in the world and has been an old adversary that has faced the demonic sect in direct confrontations multiple times. The "Sunflower Manual" was not stored at the Shaolin headquarters in Songshan, but rather at the Southern Shaolin in Jiulian Mountain, Putian. It would be easy for the demonic sect to breach the security measures of Southern Shaolin using their methods, but why did the demonic sect not take action at that time?

The Huashan Sect and the Five Mountain Sword Sects behind it have recently exhibited the most radical and hostile attitude towards our sect. They do not hesitate to offend Shaolin in their attempt to seize the "Sunflower Manual." Naturally, after obtaining the manual, there is no reason not to practice it. Such painstaking efforts are ultimately aimed at dealing with our sect

Moreover, if Lin Yuantu wished to join the Demon Sect, he would not need to go through so much trouble; he could simply charge up to Blackwood Cliff. With his skills, even if he could not be invincible in the world, he would certainly be able to come and go freely.

Therefore, when the news broke from Putian Shaolin that the "Sunflower Manual" was making a comeback, many may have been intrigued, but only Huashan took action. (Shaolin could have reasonably anticipated that the Five Mountains Sword Sect would intervene, as will be analyzed later.) The rest were mostly skeptical, believing it might be a publicity stunt, and some even thought that the so-called "Sunflower Manual" was merely a joke made by predecessors.

The so-called "white path" likely refers to the influence of the government and the orthodox teachings of the martial arts community, along with its offshoots. The white path is systematic; does the black path have a system as well? Certainly, it does. The group that drank with Linghu Chong on Wuba Ridge, who among them is not a local tyrant? Organizations such as the White Jiao Gang, the Zhexi Haisha Gang, the Shandong Heifeng Society, and the Xiangxi Pai Jiao are all organized, and they are all under the jurisdiction of the Demon Sect

So why does Lin Yuantu want to approach the Demon Sect? Does he want to join the Demon Sect?

After Lin Yuantu emerged, the situation changed dramatically. The high-ranking officials of the demonic sect continuously received intelligence from the grassroots level, stating that a top master had appeared at the Fuzhou Fuwei Escort Agency, whose martial arts skills were on par with those of the sect leader. Moreover, the swordsmanship employed was extraordinarily peculiar, making it impossible to discern its origin or school.

Is escorting a highly respected profession with a significant status in the martial arts community

The monk Fang Zheng said: "The ten elders of the Demon Sect are attacking Mount Hua, precisely to seize the "Sunflower Manual."" His statement is not entirely accurate; if the Demon Sect merely wanted to steal the "Sunflower Manual," they should have gone to the Fuzhou Fuwei Escort Agency to find Lin Yuantu. The primary objective of the Demon Sect's ascent to Mount Hua is, in fact, to prevent the Hua Mountain Sect from mastering the "Sunflower Manual"

At this point, the answer becomes evident: Lin Yuantu chose to become a bodyguard with the intention of discreetly approaching the demonic sect

Not at all, not at all. The leaders of the demonic sect are mostly ambitious, audacious, and mentally unstable individuals. The orthodox sect's style is to bully the weak and fear the strong, which is not in line with the practices of the demonic sect. The demonic sect is never hesitant to engage in direct confrontations with Shaolin and Wudang, and it is often the orthodox sect that finds itself at a disadvantage. In Chapter 40 of "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer," Ren Yingying returns the "Diamond Sutra" stolen from Shaolin and the "True Martial Sword" and "Taijiquan Classic" taken from Wudang to their rightful owners, moving Fang Zheng the bald monk and Chongxu the old Taoist to tears, nearly causing them to suffer a stroke from their joy. This indicates that it was actually Shaolin and Wudang who were at a disadvantage and filled with fear at that time, rather than the demonic sect.

What does a castrated man without testicles mean when he returns to secular life

Considering Lin Yuantu's actual circumstances, it is quite inconvenient for him to integrate into society as a bodyguard. He must conceal his identity as a eunuch, which requires him to apply a fake beard to his face every day. He has to deliberately speak in a coarse voice and constantly be mindful of his behavior. Additionally, he must continuously resist the feminizing tendencies caused by the decline of male hormones in his body. He has to pretend to marry, pretend to have children, and then cause his wife to live in a state of widowhood, never being able to hold his head high in front of her throughout his life