Chapter 662: Calling a Stag a Horse
Jiumozhi continued, “Not just the Prajna Palm, but also the essential techniques of the Great Vajra Fist and the secret method of the Maha Finger—I still remember them.” As he spoke, he recited another long passage in Sanskrit, followed by a segment from a martial arts scripture.
The assembled monks listened intently. Though his words were not entirely verbatim, they were largely accurate, precisely matching the key points recorded in the three ancient texts.
Even Xuan Cheng was stunned. If it were just that earlier Sanskrit passage, it could be explained as an exchange of knowledge among fellow disciples. However, these later sections were things he had never mentioned to Song Qingshu. Yet, Jiumozhi could fluently recite the Sanskrit versions, something impossible to have prepared in advance.
‘Could it be that these martial arts truly originated from India?’
A sudden thought surfaced in the minds of many monks present, even shaking Xuan Cheng’s conviction. However, he quickly regained his composure—this foreign monk must have used some trick. Unfortunately, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t figure out what it was.
“Amitabha!” Xuan Ci intoned a Buddhist prayer. “It seems that the Maha Cakra Vajra possesses an extraordinary memory. After silently flipping through the pages just once, you were able to memorize the essence of three martial arts scriptures. Moreover, you are proficient in Sanskrit, allowing you to first translate the scriptures into Sanskrit and then recite them in Chinese. I must admit, that is quite impressive.”
As soon as Xuan Ci spoke, the monks suddenly understood the deception. Realizing the trick, they all berated Jiumozhi for his shamelessness.
Now that his ruse had been exposed, Jiumozhi felt somewhat humiliated. Instead of defending himself, he simply said, “If you insist on twisting the truth, I have nothing to say. However, I have a simple method to clarify whether these so-called ’72 Ultimate Techniques’ were truly created by Shaolin or if they were transmitted from India to Tibet before spreading to the Central Plains.”
The monks were taken aback. Even Xuan Ci couldn’t help but frown. “May I ask, Maha Cakra Vajra, what method do you propose?”