This is a question that I have had for a while so I want to discuss with you guys. The Shaolin Sect had been considered a dominant force since way back before DGSD, so why did it seem so weak by the time of LOCH and ROCH? In LOCH, the Quan Zhen Sect was now widely considered the "center of martial arts" in the world, while the Shaolin Sect was rarely even mentioned. (全真教自重阳真人威震天下以来，一直号称武学正宗).
In the 1st Hua Shan Tournament, WCY of Quan Zhen became known as the undisputed strongest man alive, and none of the other Greats were from Shaolin either.
Were the martial arts of WCY and the 4 Greats so powerful, that they made Shaolin practically irrelevant during this time?
At the Heroes Gathering in ROCH, when the Mongolians (Golden Wheel Monk) came and challenged the Central Plains, no Shaolin monks were present to help. Most people depended on Guo Jing and the others, but never even consider the Shaolin monks. Whenever people spoke of the strongest fighters in the world in LOCH and ROCH, they always mentioned Guo Jing, Yang Guo, or the Greats, but never of Shaolin. Why?
In fact, at the start of HSDS, Guo Xiang asked the same question- "郭襄望着连绵屋宇出了一会神，心想：少林寺向为天下武学之源，但华山两次论剑，怎地五绝之中并无少林寺 高僧？难道寺中和尚自忖没有把握，生怕堕了威名，索性便不去与会？又难道众僧侣修为精湛，名心尽去，武功虽 高，却不去和旁人争强赌胜?"
I believe she may be right. If we look at a young Guo Xiang's fight with Monk Wu Se (罗汉堂首座) at the start of HSDS, Wu Se's performance was truly embarrassing, since he was supposed to be one of Shaolin's top 2-3 fighters at the time-
无色的手指刚要碰到郭襄手腕，突然白光闪动，剑锋来势神妙无方，险些儿五根手指一齐削断，总算他武功卓绝， 变招快速，百忙中急退两步，但嗤嗤声响，左袖已给短剑划破了一条长长的口子。无色禅师变色斜睨，背上惊出了 一阵冷汗。
Of course, Wu Se was not aiming to kill Guo Xiang, but he still nearly got his hand cut off by a little girl.
Next, we see that the entire Shaolin Sect, including Abbot Tian Ming, were scared to death of He Zudao, and believed that Shaolin was in danger of being destroyed-
那日何足道在降龙罗汉手中留下简帖，这份武功令方丈及无色、无相等大为震惊。天鸣禅师心知今日少林寺已面临 荣辱盛衰的大关头，但估量自己和无色、无相的武功，未必能强于潘天耕等三人多少，这才不得不请出心禅堂七老 来押阵。
只是心禅七老的武功到底深到了何等地步，谁也不知，是否真能在紧急关头出手制得住这昆仑三圣，在方丈和无色 、无相三人心中，也只是胡乱猜测罢了。
Finally, we see He Zudao putting the entire Shaolin Sect to shame, and Abbot Tian Ming admitting defeat-
何足道这手划石为局的惊人绝技一露，天鸣、无色、无相以及心禅堂七老无不面面相觑，心下骇然。天鸣方丈知道 此人这般浑雄的内力寺中无一人及得，他心地光风霁月，正要开口认输，忽听得铁链拖地之声，叮当 而来。
Keep in mind, He Zudao was Nowhere near Greats level, since he was later embarrassed by a Teenaged Zhang 3 Feng.
"这时少林寺前数百人声息全无，人人皆知这一拳是何足道一生英名之所系，自是竭尽了全力。这番拳掌相交，两 人微一凝持顷刻之间，何足道便知并无胜张君宝把握."
"张君宝虽被何足道打倒，但众高手皆知何足道只是取巧，飘然远去，话中之意已说明不敌张君宝的神功."
In the end, the Shaolin Sect had to rely on a Teenaged Z3F to save it-
"达摩堂和罗汉堂众弟子均想，万料不到今日本寺遭逢危难，竟是由这个小厮(张君宝)出头赶走强敌，老方丈定 有大大的赏赐，而授他内功拳法的师父，也自必盛蒙荣宠."
To be honest, He Zudao seemed more or less equal to Yi Ke Xi, who a young Z3F defeated with the help of Yang Guo. Yet He Zudao completely outclassed the entire Shaolin Sect. It was embarrassing and puzzling to watch.
It was only after Wu Se listened to a dying Jue Yuan's 9-Yang chants, and took it back to Shaolin, that Shaolin finally became a dominant force again in HSDS-
"觉远大师圆寂之前背诵九阳真经，太师父、郭襄女侠、少林派无色大师三人各自记得一部分，因而武当、峨嵋、少林三派武功大进，数十年来分庭抗礼，名震武林."
What do you guys think?
In the 1st Hua Shan Tournament, WCY of Quan Zhen became known as the undisputed strongest man alive, and none of the other Greats were from Shaolin either.
Were the martial arts of WCY and the 4 Greats so powerful, that they made Shaolin practically irrelevant during this time?
At the Heroes Gathering in ROCH, when the Mongolians (Golden Wheel Monk) came and challenged the Central Plains, no Shaolin monks were present to help. Most people depended on Guo Jing and the others, but never even consider the Shaolin monks. Whenever people spoke of the strongest fighters in the world in LOCH and ROCH, they always mentioned Guo Jing, Yang Guo, or the Greats, but never of Shaolin. Why?
In fact, at the start of HSDS, Guo Xiang asked the same question- "郭襄望着连绵屋宇出了一会神，心想：少林寺向为天下武学之源，但华山两次论剑，怎地五绝之中并无少林寺 高僧？难道寺中和尚自忖没有把握，生怕堕了威名，索性便不去与会？又难道众僧侣修为精湛，名心尽去，武功虽 高，却不去和旁人争强赌胜?"
I believe she may be right. If we look at a young Guo Xiang's fight with Monk Wu Se (罗汉堂首座) at the start of HSDS, Wu Se's performance was truly embarrassing, since he was supposed to be one of Shaolin's top 2-3 fighters at the time-
无色的手指刚要碰到郭襄手腕，突然白光闪动，剑锋来势神妙无方，险些儿五根手指一齐削断，总算他武功卓绝， 变招快速，百忙中急退两步，但嗤嗤声响，左袖已给短剑划破了一条长长的口子。无色禅师变色斜睨，背上惊出了 一阵冷汗。
Of course, Wu Se was not aiming to kill Guo Xiang, but he still nearly got his hand cut off by a little girl.
Next, we see that the entire Shaolin Sect, including Abbot Tian Ming, were scared to death of He Zudao, and believed that Shaolin was in danger of being destroyed-
那日何足道在降龙罗汉手中留下简帖，这份武功令方丈及无色、无相等大为震惊。天鸣禅师心知今日少林寺已面临 荣辱盛衰的大关头，但估量自己和无色、无相的武功，未必能强于潘天耕等三人多少，这才不得不请出心禅堂七老 来押阵。
只是心禅七老的武功到底深到了何等地步，谁也不知，是否真能在紧急关头出手制得住这昆仑三圣，在方丈和无色 、无相三人心中，也只是胡乱猜测罢了。
Finally, we see He Zudao putting the entire Shaolin Sect to shame, and Abbot Tian Ming admitting defeat-
何足道这手划石为局的惊人绝技一露，天鸣、无色、无相以及心禅堂七老无不面面相觑，心下骇然。天鸣方丈知道 此人这般浑雄的内力寺中无一人及得，他心地光风霁月，正要开口认输，忽听得铁链拖地之声，叮当 而来。
Keep in mind, He Zudao was Nowhere near Greats level, since he was later embarrassed by a Teenaged Zhang 3 Feng.
"这时少林寺前数百人声息全无，人人皆知这一拳是何足道一生英名之所系，自是竭尽了全力。这番拳掌相交，两 人微一凝持顷刻之间，何足道便知并无胜张君宝把握."
"张君宝虽被何足道打倒，但众高手皆知何足道只是取巧，飘然远去，话中之意已说明不敌张君宝的神功."
In the end, the Shaolin Sect had to rely on a Teenaged Z3F to save it-
"达摩堂和罗汉堂众弟子均想，万料不到今日本寺遭逢危难，竟是由这个小厮(张君宝)出头赶走强敌，老方丈定 有大大的赏赐，而授他内功拳法的师父，也自必盛蒙荣宠."
To be honest, He Zudao seemed more or less equal to Yi Ke Xi, who a young Z3F defeated with the help of Yang Guo. Yet He Zudao completely outclassed the entire Shaolin Sect. It was embarrassing and puzzling to watch.
It was only after Wu Se listened to a dying Jue Yuan's 9-Yang chants, and took it back to Shaolin, that Shaolin finally became a dominant force again in HSDS-
"觉远大师圆寂之前背诵九阳真经，太师父、郭襄女侠、少林派无色大师三人各自记得一部分，因而武当、峨嵋、少林三派武功大进，数十年来分庭抗礼，名震武林."
What do you guys think?