Xianye

Chapter 492 Thunder is the Primordial Qi

Although the old monk did not want to argue with the old monk, he was helpless because he was currently only a wisp of energy and had no other means.

Master Fu simply put his hand on the old monk's shoulder, and the old monk involuntarily took a step and followed Master Fu to the table, where he reluctantly sat down.

"This monk is truly petty and narrow-minded. Fine, I'll ramble on for a while and settle things with you properly..."

Seeing that the old monk's complexion was not good, Master Fu raised his white eyebrows, stretched out his five fingers, and began to count them carefully:

"Let's leave aside for now the fact that you initially trapped me in this Buddhist kingdom and secretly tried to kill me, attempting to extract the Dongqing Jade Spirit Elixir from my body."

After all, we didn't have much of a relationship back then, so this action wasn't unreasonable.

After that, they fought for countless years. In the vast void of the starry sky, the Buddhist kingdom accidentally stumbled into a great tide of demons. You couldn't stand it and killed all those demon cubs, unaware that they had powerful backers. This action eventually alarmed the newly enlightened demon god, who then personally came out of seclusion.

Under the pressure of the Longevity Demon God, it was you again who took the initiative to suggest putting aside past grievances and working together to escape first. I naturally agreed and did my best to deal with you.

After finally managing to escape the Demon God of Longevity and gradually recovering from my injuries, you suddenly went back on your word.

"You promised me I would leave the Buddhist kingdom afterward, but you refused. And you, relying on the fact that your injuries are slightly less severe than mine, tried to compete with me and even stole the divine elixir from my body!"

At this point, Old Fu's lips curled into a cold smile, and he pointed at the old monk, shouting:

"So, are you going to admit it or not?"

"..."

The old monk had nothing to say, and awkwardly turned his head away without replying.

Because the old monk suddenly became greedy, although the two had worked together to get rid of that demon god of longevity and had a close relationship, the old monk and Fu Lao continued to fight each other in this Buddhist kingdom.

And within this vast universe, who knows how many secrets and dangers are hidden?

Along their journey, aside from the one powerful demon god of longevity, this Buddhist kingdom has naturally encountered other formidable external enemies.
In order to protect themselves, Master Fu and the old monk had no choice but to join forces for a few rounds and sign an alliance.

Thus, they spent several eras working together in unity and at other times scheming against each other. This had evolved into a long-running power struggle between the two sides, making it difficult to determine a winner or loser.

However, ten thousand years ago, when Master Fu suddenly broke through a barrier and his cultivation improved significantly, the balance of power began to shift.

Since then, it was no longer the old monk who insisted on closing the gates to the Buddhist kingdom, trapping Master Fu to death in this place.

Rather, Master Fu had subtly grasped the old monk's lifeline, making it difficult for the old monk to easily retreat, even if he had the intention to do so.

The balance of offense and defense changed from that point on!
After finally finishing his speech, Master Fu pointed at the old monk, who looked embarrassed, and shouted:
"You thieving bald monk broke your promise first and has repeatedly resorted to underhanded tricks. This time, I have only taken away half of your true knowledge as a small punishment to serve as a warning. I have already shown great leniency. What do you have to say for yourself!"

The old monk remained silent for a moment upon hearing this, then sighed and truthfully replied:
"I know this action goes against my pure heart, but with the Jade Treasure Spirit Elixir before me... such a treasure of creation, tell me, which spirit in the world wouldn't be tempted by it, and which wouldn't want to break through the limits of the innate?"

I was blinded by greed and misled by evil thoughts, and in a moment of carelessness, I lost my meditative concentration, which led me to commit such evil deeds… My spiritual practice was inadequate; it is my fault.”

Old Master Fu looked the old monk up and down, and after a moment, he said with a hint of amusement:
"Even now, do you still think your secret manual is truly useful? To be honest, even if you were to stumble upon a stroke of luck and capture me, there's absolutely no way you could recreate the elixir I ingested."
You're getting on in years, have you really wasted your life?

That so-called secret is clearly a fabrication using the name of Master Jutuo; it's actually a forgery by later generations, nothing more than a joke, and utterly useless!

Master Ju Tuo was the head of the Dan Yuan tribe during the Shen Gao dynasty, and the leader of all the ministers of the Dan Yuan tribe. His status was equal to that of Tian Yi Yan of the Tian Gong tribe, which can be described as supreme and holy.

During his tenure, this person compiled a total of 36.24 million books on alchemy and created five types of elixirs that could transform life and death and reach the pinnacle of creation.

The Jade Spirit Pill that could help the spirit of the artifact break through its innate limitations and that terrified countless powerful beings was one of Master Ju Tuo's masterpieces.

Over the years, Master Fu also learned that the old monk possessed a mantra, which was said to have been created by Master Ju Tuo.

Its purpose is to separate the essence from the substance, using the life of the person who took the pill as a sacrifice, and then using a secret technique to refine the pill that has already been swallowed back into its original form.

Mr. Fu would not believe such nonsense.

Not to mention that this matter already goes against the natural law of birth and death between heaven and earth, Master Ju Tuo is kind and gentle by nature, and would never waste his energy to deliberately create such evil techniques.

"I know that this technique may have been forged by later generations and is actually useless, but a great opportunity is before us. If we miss it, who knows when we will encounter another chance to break through the limits of our innate nature..."

The old monk was still somewhat unwilling and sighed repeatedly:
“As for us spirits, although we have the advantages of long lifespan and self-sufficient supernatural powers, we are used to those immortals, Buddhas and saints who can easily pluck stars and seize the moon. Why don’t I want to become one of them?”
Unfortunately, this spirit form is incapable of cultivation, I—"

At this moment, Master Fu waved his hand, interrupting the old monk's grumbling, and said:
"If you know it's useless and still do it, then that's utterly foolish. Since you're so eager to break through the limits of the innate, why don't you go and take a trip to the Great Heaven?"
When the Venerable Jutuo left his post, several old celestial officials said that he left behind 100,000 bottles of elixirs in the Danyuan Department, among which might be the Dongqing Jade Treasure Spirit Elixir?

The old monk's face darkened, and he glanced at Elder Fu:
"Don't joke around. When the ancient world collapsed, the Great Heaven was reduced to a wasteland, and it has yet to recover its vitality."

Not to mention that the Taoist Wei who is currently presiding over the depths of the Great Heaven is not easy to deal with, the remaining killing formations, restrictions, and various supernatural powers in the Great Heaven alone are enough to give me a good beating.

Even if those 100,000 bottles of pills hadn't been looted and were still safely sealed in the Pill Refining Department, I still wouldn't personally go to that dangerous place.

Old Fu chuckled and said:
"You want the treasure but are afraid of dying? You bald thief, you're dreaming! There's no such thing as a free lunch."

Before the old monk could refute, Master Fu suddenly took out a bottle of purifying nectar, poured a cup for the old monk himself, and said:
"Come, come, this is a fine item used to entertain your Zen masters during the Dao Ting Wan Tian Assembly. The Lord brought it back for me back then, but I have never been willing to drink it to my heart's content. Now, this is the only bottle left."

Faced with the old monk's sudden overtures, the old monk only showed a suspicious expression and did not respond.

"Just say what you mean, don't try to play these tricks on me!"

"A truly kind heart is taken for granted."

Old Fu shook his head and asked, "Monk, what I said just now made myself clear. Along this journey, even though I've taken half of your true consciousness, that—"

The old monk felt a headache coming on and waved his hands repeatedly to interrupt, "I was the one who made the mistake first. What exactly do you, you old Taoist priest, want?"

“Now that the Buddha Pure Land of Bhadra has passed away, what are your plans after you leave this Buddha-land?” Master Fu asked.

The old monk was taken aback at first, then burst into laughter, clapping his hands together violently:
"I knew then that you wanted to persuade me to surrender. Let's not say any more about this; it's absolutely impossible!"

How could I, a supreme master of Zen Buddhism, submit to a mere immortal sect like your Jade Palace!

"So you're going back to the Boundless Light Heaven later?"

"Of course."

"I think you're not going to be able to answer Boundless Light Heaven."

Meeting the old monk's gaze, Old Fu said:
"Over the years we've known each other, I've come to understand your thoughts. You're determined to break through the innate barriers of the artifact spirit and cultivate freely like me."

But do you really think... Baoya Temple can still help you, can still protect you?

The old monk didn't answer for a moment, and before he knew it, his gaze darkened slightly.

……

……

The Pure Land Buddha is the founder of his own lineage, and Baoya Temple represents this ancient Buddha's influence in the Amitabha Heaven. It is infinitely majestic, with numerous monks, truly a peaceful and prosperous land.

However, compared to other major Zen temples, Baoya Temple has always lacked outstanding successors and has been repeatedly overshadowed by monks from other temples during Dharma assemblies. Even the only truly powerful spiritual master presiding over the temple is Jingzang Bianji Buddha.

It can be said that the rise and fall of Baoya Temple was all carried on the shoulders of Jingzang Bianji Buddha.

Now that the Buddha Jingzang Bianji has passed away, the state of Baoya Temple is probably even worse...

"It's no use saying all this. Can Yu Chen find me the Jade Treasure Spirit Pill, or is there another way to remove this innate limitation from my body?" The old monk hesitated for a moment, then finally shook his head firmly and spoke.

"I haven't been back to Xiaoming Daze for a long time and I don't know the current situation of the sect. It's not appropriate for me to make a promise about this matter first, but there is one thing I can say with certainty."

"where?"

“If you return to Xiaoming Daze, Yu Chen can at least protect you and prevent you from becoming a household slave!” Old Fu said meaningfully.

The old monk's expression changed slightly.

If a spirit is completely controlled by someone, then not only will its life and death be uncertain, but even its every move will be subject to the master's will and commands.

This is also the thing that the spirit of the vessel, like the old monk, fears most.

"It seems you understand now. Such a treasure as you, which can help people attain enlightenment, is rare even in the vast universe."

Now that Baoya Temple has lost the Pure Land Buddha, how can it possibly protect you? On the contrary, this temple might even need your help to barely maintain its foothold in the Amitabha Heaven.

Mr. Fu sighed:

"But if you are refined and taken away by a powerful being, then forget about being carefree and happy. You'll just have to obediently serve like a beast of burden!"

The old monk hesitated for a long time before speaking again, and his tone became somewhat unnatural:

“Even if Baoya Temple cannot protect me, the Buddha had a close friendship with Cixian Guangfo of Shanjian Temple before his passing. With his protection, I should be safe.”

Unexpectedly, after saying this, Old Fu suddenly burst into laughter, leaving the old monk completely baffled.

"What's so funny?" the old monk asked, puzzled.

"The dignified Heavenly Venerable of the Great Heaven of the Yang World, the Grand Minister of the Dao Court, how could such a shrewd and benevolent old minister who has stood in the court for so long be as kind and gentle as he looks?"
"How did Hong Yu Zhen Wang, who vied for the throne with the Fire Department, lose his power and be sent to the Netherworld? You are a survivor from ancient times, don't pretend you don't know!"

Old Fu gave a slight, cold laugh.

The old Buddha pondered for a while. Although he felt a little uneasy, he didn't pay much attention to these words and regarded them as mere instigation.

Seeing that Elder Fu was about to speak, the Old Buddha quickly spoke first;
"Let me think about this matter carefully. However, you say that Yu Chen can protect me. In my opinion, that is not necessarily true."

"Why do you say that?" Old Fu asked curiously.

"Your master Donggaozi, the dignified master of the Thunder Department's Tiangang Yinghua Mansion, and the most outstanding disciple of the Great Immortal, should also be the second strongest person in your Yu Chen."

The old monk looked at the increasingly blurry, indistinct figure of Donggao Zi, and slowly shook his head:
"Such a high-ranking immortal was actually driven away by a strange old Taoist riding a six-tusked white elephant, and there has been no news of him for so many years?"

I think your Yu Chen has made a formidable foe, a real problem!

Old Fu's expression was rather unpleasant. He frowned as he looked at the old monk and waved his hand, saying:

"With His Majesty's divine powers, he is certainly safe. The fact that I am still standing here unharmed is proof enough. I have told you so much, so what are you really thinking?"

The old monk knew that Master Fu was about to lay his cards on the table for the last time.

He hesitated for a long time, and finally apologized:

"After all, I come from the Zen school, this—"

Before he could finish speaking, Old Fu flew into a rage, raising his fist as if to strike: "You shameless bald monk! When you betrayed the alliance and used underhanded tactics, you didn't have this kind of face!"

The old monk covered his hat and ran away, while also hurriedly trying to explain himself.

Whether the old monk was subtly moved by Master Fu's words or felt guilty towards Master Fu, he was still remorseful at this moment when the dust had settled.

He sighed deeply, finally relaxing his tone slightly.

"I am unwilling to seek refuge under the Jade Emperor's tutelage, but..."

The old monk's brow twitched, and he whispered, "I can make a deal with you secretly once, just once. You and I should both know the truth. Wuliangguang and Xudu have never been on good terms. If this gets out, I'm afraid I won't have a place to stand in my homeland!"

Old Fu sneered and grabbed the old monk by the collar.

The two men talked for a while, and although the old monk showed joy on his face, he still pretended to hesitate for a while before reluctantly nodding.

"I can't trust you anymore. This is just a gentleman's agreement. How it's done and what happens next are up to me!"

Old Master Fu patted the old monk on the head and said meaningfully:
“I always felt that Cixian Guangfo was not simple. Although someone like you is probably not taken seriously by him, you should always use your brain when you act.”

The old monk, unwilling to argue with Elder Fu on this matter, glanced at Chen Heng, who was meditating with his eyes closed beside the stone lamp, and changed the subject:

"You've certainly gone to great lengths for this junior of the sect, but let me make this clear from the start: even with Donggaozi's magical power, you can only suppress me for five years. Once those five years are over, I won't hold you back even a fraction of your time."

"Five years should be barely enough for him to master the Taiyi Divine Thunder..."

At this moment, Master Fu was not angry. Instead, he turned to the old monk and smiled:

"Such a beautiful and talented person, could Baoya Temple possibly find one?"

The old monk's face darkened, and he stopped answering.

Meanwhile, Chen Heng, who was in deep meditation, felt his soul drifting and wandering.

He vaguely felt that he was in a vast and magnificent palace, surrounded by smoke and clouds.

A lotus-shaped throne rose in the sky, upon which was nothing but pure, unblemished light.

A wondrous Dharma sound emanated from the light, clearing Chen Heng's mind and mind, as if he had been enlightened by a divine revelation, and his confusion vanished instantly.

His aura surged like a tide, rising layer by layer, seemingly resonating with the great Dao of Heaven and Earth, creating a wondrous connection.

Even in his tightly closed eyes, golden lightning began to surge, fierce as fire and gleaming like lightning!

"Is thunder the primordial Qi?"

After an unknown amount of time, Chen Heng suddenly opened his eyes, his eyes shining brightly, like the rising sun in the east, dazzling and radiant!
As soon as he uttered those words, an indescribable joy made him burst into laughter. He felt everything around him shaking, whether it was the vast and magnificent palace or the smoke and clouds that filled the palace, all of which suddenly disappeared.

Suddenly, everything went completely dark, so dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

He felt himself being inexplicably lifted up, rising upwards, with no idea where he was going...

(End of this chapter)