Chapter 27: Shaolin Temple
Reito led the Elements and Teshii through the main entrance hall of the Shaolin Temple.
Hikaru glanced around as he walked, his eyes wide with awe.
Tall wooden columns – ancient and darkened with age – rose like solemn guardians from the polished stone floor. Their surfaces were etched with faded inscriptions and claw marks from past training, some centuries old. The air was thick with the scent of aged sandalwood, mingling with delicate incense that drifted lazily from brass burners positioned along the walls.
Golden lanterns hung from the high ceiling beams, casting a warm, flickering light across the space. Their gentle glow bathed the towering statue of the Bodhisattva at the far end of the hall – a serene figure with eyes closed, palms open in eternal offering, watching over the temple in peaceful majesty.
On either side of the hall, rows of prayer mats were neatly aligned. Each one was untouched yet prepared – a quiet testament to the discipline and order that reigned here. Shaolin monks moved gracefully through the space, their footsteps soft and fluid, robes whispering with every motion.
Every stone beneath their feet, every scroll-lined alcove, and every hanging banner stitched with ancient calligraphy seemed to hum – not with noise, but with weight. A ground energy. A silent strength forged from centuries of tradition, sweat, spirit, and unwavering purpose.
Hikaru's eyes gleamed as he absorbed the atmosphere.
"Woah... this place is amazing," he murmured under his breath, his voice nearly drowned out by the serenity around them.
Then–
"Oi, Snowman!" Ikazuchi suddenly called out, snapping the quiet.
Reito turned slightly but didn't stop walking. "What is it?"