Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1346 Disciple
Dayang Mountain.

Golden lotuses bloom in the mountains, their petals shimmering like shimmering glass. Petals of pale pink and green sway through the forest. Monks and nuns wander through the temple grounds, some with sorrowful expressions, others with bewildered looks, their voices rising and falling in conversation.

On the high seat, a monk sat amidst a crowd of compassionate figures, listening to the person beside him recount the story:

"Such arrogance..."

He stood up, touching his stomach, and sneered:

"What is Kong Shu anyway? A heretic who abandons the old for the new, yet he dares to make such a grand vow. What? Does he think he is the future World Honored One, the ruler of all ages?"

The golden statue beside him was as large as a mountain, its body as white as jade, its head raised and hands clasped, its voice calm and serene.

"What the chief says is incorrect. Although the World-Honored One is unattainable, judging from the high regard the Dharma Realm Masters have for him, obtaining a Dharma Form is quite possible. It's alright to make grander vows..."

This person is none other than Tian Langzhi, who has returned from Dalingchuan!

This seemingly neutral man, Maha of the Desire Sea, displayed little change in expression on his jade-like face, yet his tone held an inexplicable quality, prompting the monk to reply with his hands behind his back:
"What is that! Ignore him... But that Kong Heng..."

"Empirical balance?"

Tian Langzhi frowned, seemingly not unfamiliar with the name, and finally spoke, saying with considerable dissatisfaction:
"This fellow has been wandering for many years, but I don't understand, are you gentlemen not tempted? Are you just going to let this genius wander outside?"

Then they heard the leader laugh and say:
"Several Dharma Masters came to watch this great battle in Jin. Our leader also showed up. Before leaving, he talked to me a few times and mentioned this Void Balance."

Tian Langzhi's expression immediately changed. He rose from his seat, bowed from afar, and said:
"So it was the [Six Burning Pill Corpse Without Leakage Dharma Form]... My cultivation is too low, I didn't even sense it!"

Dayang Mountain stands apart from the other states. The reason it has the responsibility of command and management is not only due to the strong support of a few of them, but also because many Dharma Masters are backing Dayang Mountain.

These disciples and followers of the Dharma often come to Dayang Mountain to preach and take up positions. Most of them hold the positions of head and master of metaphysics, especially those who frequently appear in the world... which makes those heads have amazing power and their status particularly precious.

The ones who most frequently issue orders are the Six Burning Ministers and the Thunder Sound Minister, which makes the current Lamp Head and Thunder Head have high status and can often decide many things in the mountain. Even Tian Langzhi has to show them some respect.

Seeing him invoke the authority of an adult, Tian Langzhi lowered his head and said:
"What guidance do you have, sir?"

The lamplighter laughed and said:
"Those fellow Daoists who came from Liaohe back then are all very prominent now. Ye Ren and Dao Lu need not be mentioned. There is also Kong Shu who has made wild remarks. They all have the appearance of a Dharma Aspect. Even the most useless Bei Gu can guard a region... Only Fu Yan suffered a disaster and is no longer of any use... But there are quite a few people who want him."

"This is the most prosperous moment for our sect in the last hundred years. The elders in the forest are very pleased, but they also think that it is not only this, but also the next generation... I wish we could have one too."

Tian Langzhi was taken aback and said:
"But Liaohe Temple has long been abandoned, and has hardly any disciples or followers..."

His words suddenly stopped, a look of understanding dawned on him, and sure enough, he saw the lamplighter and smiled:
"Isn't there Kong Heng? If we can persuade him to go to the north to carry on the Daoist teachings and train some disciples and grand-disciples, even if they can't compare to their fellow disciples, they will still have the opportunity to continue the lineage and will certainly not be too bad!"

"I see!"

Tian Langzhi clapped his hands in praise, and the head of the lamp laughed:
“Let him practice his path. He may not accept people into the Pure Land, but he will eventually have to take on disciples. Wrathful path will then form a karmic connection, and he will be given a disciple who will serve him faithfully.”

Tian Langzhi nodded repeatedly, and the head of the lantern said regretfully:

"Unfortunately, although he rectified Liaohe Temple on his trip north, he hasn't attained the Great Dao and doesn't yet have the mind to teach and impart knowledge. He'll have to wait several more years... I haven't taken on any disciples yet... Counting the days... perhaps I'll be able to find one..."

Seeing the leader sigh deeply, Tian Langzhi laughed and said:
“But I have a promising talent that I want to show to the leader.”

Seeing the other party feign surprise and look up, Tian Langzhi simply clapped his hands, ordering all the Buddhist practitioners on the mountain to retreat. Then, a person was brought up from the mountain. He had a disheveled appearance and a bald head, and it seemed that he had been practicing Buddhism for some time.

The man with the lamp head looked down at him and said calmly:

"Who is it...?"

The monk lowered his head and whispered:
"This humble monk's secular name is Fan Kang... I am... I am originally from the Jianghuai region..."

"Fan Kang?"

The lamp holder raised an eyebrow and sneered:
"Never heard of it!"

Fan Kang had no choice but to lower his head and lament:
"This humble monk...this humble monk had a fortunate opportunity! This humble monk once cultivated under Lord Qi's side, but his name has not been spread...I have never offended your honor, sir!"

He immediately stopped installing the lamp base and laughed:

"So it was you! Back then, when the mountain sent people to fetch you, you actually went to get close to Qi Lanyan... What, now that Qi Lanyan is finished, you've remembered me, Shi Dao?"

Silence fell over the mountain. Tian Langzhi smiled without speaking, his eyes calm. The monk could only kowtow and say:
"In the past, I did not recognize the sacred land of Huaguang and mistakenly followed another path... This humble monk... This humble monk has now realized the truth!"

This leader, having finally found a use for him, stopped mocking him, rose from the lotus platform, and laughed:

“You people never truly value Buddhism or Taoism, and your hearts are always filled with sarcasm. When you're driven to desperation, won't you also come to my Buddhist land? I understand that you are proud of your natural virtues and are unwilling to accept this, but since you've already knelt down, there's no going back!”

Fan Kang kowtowed repeatedly and said:

"This disciple is willing to do his utmost for the Buddhist community, seeking only a way to open up a path!"

The head of the lamp then smiled and nodded, saying:

"it is good!"

He flicked his sleeve, gathered the monk from the ground, then looked at Tian Langzhi and smiled:
"Thank you for the generous gift!"

Tian Langzhi raised an eyebrow and said in a low voice:

"Please help me out if there are any disputes in the future!"

These words were spoken cryptically, but everyone had a general idea of ​​the Great Desire Path's arrangements. The head of the lamps naturally understood and nodded with a smile, but then they heard a series of sounds as someone came up the steps.

This man, shrouded in lightning and extremely imposing, strode down the steps with a deafening roar, exuding an air of domineering arrogance. He walked until he reached a high point, then stood with his arms clasped, glanced around, and said calmly:

"You two... are really enjoying yourselves."

Tian Langzhi, somewhat unwilling to offend him, turned away with a smile and remained silent. The head of the lantern looked behind him and saw the young monk, who seemed to be Minghui from the Lotus Temple. He then said:

"So you've captured them. Thank you for your hard work, Chief."

Lei Tou Shou Mao Di Gu raised an eyebrow at him and said calmly:
“I have brought the person back... but there are some issues that I would like to clarify for you, fellow Daoist.”

The two weren't exactly on good terms to begin with, and the head of the lantern company immediately turned sour, but he didn't lash out at him. Instead, he coldly looked at Minghui and said:

"What, does Lotus Temple still have something to say in its defense?"

Minghui, who had been weeping with her head down, immediately raised her head upon hearing this, her eyes flashing with anger and coldness, but her lips remained tightly shut, and she did not utter a word.

The disciples of Shanledao were always shameless, enduring beatings and scoldings with a smile, all following Jinlian's temperament. The head of the lamps was already used to it, and upon suddenly seeing this expression, he was both surprised and angry. But then the head of the thunders suddenly said:

"Violet is dead!"

These four words struck like a thunderbolt, startling the head of the lamp.
'Are you kidding me! ...He's dead!'

Jinlian was quite famous in Buddhism and Taoism. Dayang Mountain was very troubled by him back then. Several Mahayana monks privately called him "Barking Dog Master". Even though it was not a good name, it was enough to show his fame!
His gaze flashed across Tian Langzhi, and he was startled to find that this Great Desire Daoist had assessed his strength, yet he lowered his head and remained silent, clearly hiding something... He was immediately terrified, but his face remained impassive, and he sneered:
"Who is Jinlian? How dare she say such things to me? Does she think my Daoist form is insignificant?"

These words carried considerable weight, and Minghui felt a slight unease. She could only grit her teeth and continue, immediately kneeling on the ground, expressionless, and coldly saying:
“Whatever the leader says is true. Minghui never went to the North and never saw Master’s final fate, but Minghui saw the situation in my Buddhist land with her own eyes and dares to swear to my Dharma image that Master’s true spirit has not returned to the Buddhist land.”

He went straight to the point, using a cold tone to prove his innocence, yet every word he spoke was true. Suddenly, streaks of light, like tassels, fell from the sky, clearly sensing the presence of Shi Tu. Combined with his grief-stricken face, the mountain fell silent, and even Tian Langzhi looked up in shock.

'Really dead? Really... forced to his death by our combined efforts?'

Minghui is also Maha, and his true spirit shines in the Land of Blissful Delight. Naturally, he cannot let the Daoist path search for his soul. However, making an oath to the Land of Delight is completely different!
There are many internal conflicts between Buddhism and Taoism, but no matter how they fight, destroying the Dharma body is the greatest punishment. At most, the true spirit of the other party can be returned to the Buddhist land. If they really cannot be resolved, there is also the Great Sheep Mountain. Even in the Great Sheep Mountain, at most, they will torture the other party for many years with various punishments. The death of the true spirit is very rare.

Of course, these Buddhist practitioners have done their fair share of using their enemies to remove obstacles, but no matter how much they fight, killing someone in front of others is the most unsightly thing imaginable. Moreover, the other party is not some minor benefactor, but a Mahayana, or even a pillar of the current sect!
In an instant, he felt a cold sweat break out. Seeing the two leaders' gazes simultaneously fixed on him, he quickly shook his head and said:
"My fellow Daoist Beimei and I fought him quite well, and several fellow Daoists from the Dharma Realm also contributed. He was too greedy and fell into an encirclement. He wanted to protect all his disciples, which is why he lost his Dharma Body... But this True Spirit..."

His words came to an abrupt halt, and he lowered his gaze.

'That's right, we surrounded him with all our might, wanting to inflict even greater damage. Logically, since the Dharma Image of the Discipline Path had already arrived, it should have at least offered some protection… Who would have thought he'd die so suddenly… Could it be that he was blocked by the Dharma Images of other paths, and in the end, the blame fell on us?'

The more he thought about it, the more cold sweat broke out all over his body. The head of the lamp gang was quite knowledgeable about the affairs of Dalingchuan, and their thoughts were largely similar. He also looked thoughtful, but the head of the thunder gang understood and his tone suddenly turned cold:

"In that case, what else do you two have to say?"

Tian Langzhi and the head monk exchanged a glance, unable to find any clues for a moment. They remained silent, when they saw the young monk suddenly kneel on the ground, kowtow, and weep:

"Liangli, Chief... Lotus Temple is convinced! Lotus Temple is convinced! Our Daoist Dharma Form has remained hidden for many years, and we have been in seclusion to maintain a low profile. We never expected that Chief Jiang would transfer us fellow disciples to Jianghuai and subject us to various forms of persecution... Yes... Lotus Temple has been negligent and has had reasons to avoid confrontation... But please forgive us, esteemed masters. With my meager cultivation, standing under the bright sun and bowing to the primordial energy, any slight offense would result in annihilation of both body and soul. How could I possibly survive?!"

"But my fellow disciples, considering the bigger picture, tried their best to persuade them on several occasions. Several of my senior brothers returned to the Pure Land in turn. Even I lost my Dharma body, and all my years of cultivation came to naught. I still thought I could get a night's rest in peace. But now... they killed my master without cause!"

'He's got a sharp tongue! I should have killed him by the river back then!'

Tian Langzhi cursed inwardly, but Lei Toushou stood with his hands behind his back, his face gloomy. Deng Toushou didn't dare to look up either, listening silently. How could he possibly argue? He could only turn a deaf ear.

But then the monk began to kowtow repeatedly.
"Now... my uncle and several senior brothers have all broken their Dharma bodies. My master's most beloved eldest disciple, the eldest brother of my Lotus Temple, has returned from the north with only his head. The extinction of our lineage is imminent. I dare not obey orders any longer..."

"From this day forward, our Lotus Temple will be sealed off and will cease all communication with the outside world!"

"this!"

Upon hearing this, Lei, the leader, immediately frowned, while Deng, the leader, stood up abruptly and angrily said:

"Do you have a grudge against Dayang Mountain?"

Minghui also stood up, and said angrily:
"So what!"

In an instant, the sky and earth changed color, and thunder roared. The Thunder God turned around, looking at him with a gloomy expression. Under such pressure, the young monk did not change color in the slightest, and looked up with hatred, saying:

"And Tian Langzhi—listen carefully, out of consideration for our shared beliefs, I, Shanle, will not seek to become sworn enemies with your Great Desire Path. However, before my fellow disciples perish, I forbid any cultivator from your Great Desire Path from setting foot on my Shanle territory... If there is any offense, even if the entire temple cannot harm you in the slightest, we will still do our utmost to repel you!"

The entire mountain fell silent for a moment.

'So ruthless…'

You must know that Shanledao has already lost its pillar after losing Jinlian. Now that all the senior and junior brothers have returned with their true spirits, it is just an empty shell. With the King of Wei and the Great Song Dynasty eyeing it covetously, it is obvious to everyone that the land of Lianhua Temple will definitely not be able to be kept, and the believers will soon be divided up. Not many will be left, and it is unknown when it will be restored... How dare Minghui say such things!

'It's truly because of Jinlian's death that she hates him so much... Otherwise, instead of begging for mercy, why would she do something so self-destructive...'

So much so that the lamplighter was speechless on the high place, which made Lei Toushou even more respectful. He didn't try to stop him, but just watched quietly.

Minghui, her face streaked with tears, stretched out her hands and said coldly:

"I have said what I had to say. Whether you two leaders are forced to descend from the mountains of knives or plunge into the sea of ​​fire, or be thrown into the boiling oil or soaked in the salt pool, if I, Minghui, utter another word, I am unworthy to be a cultivator of the Great Path of Goodness and Joy, or a disciple of the Venerable Jinlian!"

For a moment, there was complete silence. After several breaths, the head of the lanterns forced a smile and said:
"Impressive... A master like Jinlian, who clings to life, still has a disciple with such unyielding principles as you... But there's no reason to rashly shut down the lineage..."

But then the Maha who controlled the thunder interrupted him, saying calmly:
"Someone...send Minghui Maha back first..."

For a moment, the atmosphere in the entire mountain forest froze. Minghui stood with his hands behind his back, all eyes fixed on the head of the lamp high above. Maha, with an unpleasant expression, flicked his sleeves and squinted, saying:
“Alright… Since Chief Lei has already spoken, I will definitely report this matter to the lord and discuss it in detail… Then… it won’t be too late to ask Maha to come back.”