Here is another quote from Shahar:
“For our purpose here, the significance of the Bodhidharma myth is its association with Mt. Song. During the last decades of the seventh century, this mountain became an important center of Chan learning, as eminent masters such as Faru (638-689) and Huian (?-709) took up residence at the Shaolin Monastery. These early Chan practitioners were probably responsible for connecting Bodhidharma to the Central Holy Peak” (p. 13).
Shahar noted prior to this that “the attribution of the [Chan] school to him is considered a legend by most historians” (Ibid). Therefore, you can see the progression of the myth. As quoted above, The Record of Buddhist Monasteries in Luoyang (547) only has him in the city of Luoyang. But with the rise of Chan in the 7th century on Mt. Song, this “poster boy” for the sect was associated with that mountain. Then, in the early 8th century, he was finally associated with Shaolin. Another important thing to note is that the Monastery itself didn’t attest to his presence there until the raising of a stele in 728. This is no doubt connected to the Precious Record of the Dharma's Transmission (710), which is the first source to connect him to the monastery. This all comes from a book written by someone who is far more qualified than both of us. You have to accept the fact that he had nothing to do with the monastery during his supposed time in China.