Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1491 Furnace (1+12) (Bonus chapter for Raincheck Silver Alliance Leader)
'This is about the matter of air balance…'

The sky above was covered in snow. The man in white slowly opened his eyes, his expression showing no surprise, but rather a hint of understanding.

Since Jinghai had thought of Kong Heng's matter, Lu Jiangxian could not possibly be unaware of it. Whether it was the truth pieced together from the mouths of the many Buddhist and Taoist cultivators he possessed, or everything exposed by that evil treasure, he would only know more.

'The teachings of the Buddha are not empty talk, and those in the Sandalwood Grove must have long-term plans. Needless to say, the scheme for the South China Sea rests on Jinghai!'

The existence of clay puppeteers is quite subtle. Firstly, while these objects cannot be compared to Dharma images, they possess a relatively high status. Secondly, although these objects are lifelike, their origins are flawed, having been influenced by that evil treasure…

Kong Heng's bold words on the lake back then once attracted the attention of the Buddhist community. It was impossible that no Dharma Master paid attention to them. Even if the possibility was very low, he would still give it a try. When it came to Jinghai, there were only two possibilities - to take action to solve the problem or to turn a blind eye.

If we turn a blind eye, how can such a person be worthy of being called the Buddha of the South? If Kongheng has the potential to become the Buddha of the South in the future, then he will definitely take action to resolve the issue.

'This is a calculated scheme against him... Once the puppeteer is completely eliminated, suspicion against him will rise significantly... Indeed, keeping this monster around did have its uses...'

In the blink of an eye, he found himself engulfed in a raging inferno, where he found the mud figure huddled in a corner amidst the countless boiling flames of this inferno.

'Actually, we didn't need him this time; I could have handled it for him. But if we want to protect this golden land, we'll have to let this evil spirit bolster its power sooner or later. I can't always have to go into battle myself…'

After all, if the clay puppeteer fails to appear, it is impossible to explain why Jinghai went to Dayang Mountain. Even if these two Dharma figures do not care and do not erase Jinghai, they will most likely be restrained. Given the current situation, even if they can go out, they will certainly not be able to meet Mingyang.

'Let's put him to good use now, and then we can integrate him into the Great Black Mystic Heaven; that would be useful!'

The clay figurine maker was trembling, having endured this place for who knows how long. Upon seeing a figure, he rushed forward and bowed without a second thought.

In the blink of an eye, Lu Jiangxian transformed into Jiang Xianguan of the Siji Hall, lifted him up, his stern face icy cold, and said in a chilling tone:

"Come with me; it would be your good fortune!"

...

Sweep away the dust of the past.

Jinghai remembered that his master had been taken in by the abbot when he entered Xuantian. How could he have the ability to go out and give a reply now?

His heart sank.

The image of the Buddha was still waiting quietly, while the head of the lamp had already knelt down and curled up in a ball. There was only silence in this world.

After an unknown amount of time, the cloth shoes lifted slightly and changed direction. The Dharma image seemed to gradually lose patience. After an unknown amount of time, the earth-shattering, icy voice was finally heard.

"Dao Zhong! Kong Heng is truly skilled!"

Dao Zhongxiang.

With just two words, Jinghai already knew the Dharma name of another Dharma being in this world. This person was a great master of the Compassionate Path and a person who frequently traveled out in the Sandalwood Forest!
But these words seemed to have no effect on Dao Zhong Fa Xiang. He stood motionless like a green mountain in the sea, gazing down from above, and said calmly:
"It seems I will have to go in and find you."

Finally, Jinghai's trembling back froze, straightening ramrod straight. Maha felt a tingling sensation travel up his cheeks, and his body gradually lost control. Red and gold flashed through his vision, and he finally saw the front of the bell-shaped Dharma image.

This figure was wearing a kasaya, but the collar was empty and filled with white light. The head was surrounded by a round bead of light, facing him directly, so his face was not visible.

The unusual nature of the Pure Sea was naturally revealed to the two Dharma figures. This Maha looked around with some curiosity, as if savoring the feeling of standing here, before quickly turning his gaze back to the being before him.

The clay puppeteer fell silent for a moment.

Dharma form.

There were two Dharma Images standing before him!
Although the clay puppeteer is an evil being, his status is extremely high. If he were to seize the position of the master of the Golden Land and refine the evil treasure at the bottom of the sea, he would naturally possess a status and supernatural powers comparable to a Dharma Body…

But now he has lost the Golden Land, the only treasure that could turn his life around, and even his true body has been captured from the Golden Land. Without the protection of these two, he is nothing more than an ant!

'What is this...what is this for...'

He remained silent, but Lu Jiangxian observed him with great interest.

'Finally... I've seen your true forms...'

Lu Jiangxian did not pay much attention to Buddhism and Taoism in his early years, and never took the initiative to enter other people's Buddhist lands. However, this did not mean that he was indifferent to these Dharma forms. On the contrary, he was very curious about them.

Until today, all he had seen was a walking form of the Dharma Image. Only now has he truly seen a living, breathing Dharma Image.

'That's interesting...'

There were two Dharma images before her. If she had to say what they resembled, Lu Jiangxian's first thought was Jiang Qing's Jade True Dharma Body.

'Without fruit or position, if that Dharma body were to come alive in my world where the sun and moon shine together, it would bear some resemblance, only lacking that immense golden power, yet capable of manipulating such profound mysteries out of thin air… Although the true body is here, its life is far off…'

'Such wondrous things, yet without any fixed position, how can one maintain their status... Is this the Sandalwood Grove...?'

Lu Jiangxian's expression became very interested. In just one glance, he had already deciphered too many secrets from the other party. His voice rang softly in the ear of the clay puppeteer, making the evil spirit stand there stunned and feel a chill.

Fortunately, this body belonged to Jinghai. Apart from the dark gold light flowing in his eyes, there was nothing unusual. Jinghai slightly moved his lips, feeling a voice that did not belong to him vibrate between his lips and teeth:

“A lowly servant girl who sweeps the streets, and a heretic who practices other religions, dare to ask me to come and speak to them?”

The voice echoed eerily, carrying a chilling and malevolent aura. It was utterly rebellious, causing the head of the lamp on one side to tremble. His ears seemed to melt like ice and snow under the blazing sun.

The clay figurine maker was even more terrified and exclaimed in horror:

'It's over! '

But the Dharma image before him showed no anger. On the contrary, a buzzing, vibrating laughter echoed between heaven and earth. This Dan Shi Dharma image seemed quite pleased to hear such words, but he only laughed and did not reply.

Only when the buzzing gradually faded did the image of the Dao Bell speak, its words also carrying a hint of amusement:

"A mere clay idol, yet he actually considers himself a statue."

Jinghai understood these two sentences.

'This statue of my master was originally sculpted by Tang En in remembrance of his master, Zhuozhu. After Tang En's death, over time, this clay figure came to life, and naturally, it compares itself to Zhuozhu!'

Only people like Zhuodu and Tang En dare to despise the current Dharma Masters as slaves and heretics!
Jinghai had known his master for a long time, but had never heard him so imposing and domineering. He was slightly surprised and thought to himself:

'Such majesty is something even the abbot has never displayed; I wonder which esteemed person intervened…'

Unable to move, he pondered for a moment, and his lips parted again. The 'puppet master' spoke softly:
"It's hard to say whether I can become a master, but you, Dan Shi, want to become a Tang Dynasty scholar but cannot, and you, Dao Zhong, are not qualified or capable of becoming a Dao Qing."

Upon hearing this, Chen Tian fell silent.

This Dao Zhong Xiang was half-expelled and half-fled into the Path of Compassion. This sarcastic remark was not unexpected, and it did not even cause the Dao Zhong Xiang to have any emotional fluctuation. However, what made the huge figure in the world freeze was the first half of the sentence. The secret involved made Dao Zhong Xiang narrow his eyes and remain silent for a moment.

The entire Sao Chen Tian trembled, and the faint sound of gushing blood could be heard. A terrifying heat enveloped everything, causing the eight-in-one Maha body to drip golden liquid. In the heavy dark red, the Dao Bell spoke calmly:
"It seems that Junior Brother knows quite a lot."

This single sentence, "Junior Brother," elevated the people behind Jinghai to another level. Lu Jiangxian wasn't afraid of them taking action at all, and she had also calculated that Shidao wouldn't lose Konghai Jindi. The clay puppeteer, already numb from her own words, gradually entered a state of calm, and simply said:
"You should have been relieved long ago that Kong Heng could not control me, but Jin Di is already in my hands and can never be put back."

The Dharma Image paused for a moment, then said softly:
"It was the lake that taught you to come here."

This resounding sentence, seemingly unrelated, almost shook the entire world. A sudden light flashed in Lu Jiangxian's heart, while the clay puppeteer sneered, saying:
"What's it to you?"

As Lu Jiangxian listened to the unsurprising voice of the Dharma Image, the last piece of the puzzle in his heart was finally lit up. If he only knew about this scheme before, now he even secretly understood the overall trend.

'There is another game of chess in this world, or rather, a game played by the Sandalwood Forest and the current World Honored One, and that is the prophecy of the Southern World Honored One!'

What is the attitude of the world's orthodox tradition towards this Southern Buddha?

It can be said that 100% of people do not want Him to appear. This desire for Him far exceeds that of Emperor Wei. Back then, Su Xikong did not dare to call himself the Southern World Honored One, but he had already suppressed the entire Buddhist and Taoist sects with one hand, causing the Immortal sects to be anxious and sad, and powerless. The current Immortal sects absolutely do not want a Fangzun comparable to an Immortal Lord to appear!
Now, Shi's resistance is even stronger than that of the immortals. They know best what Shi has done over the years!

'But can it really be stopped?'

'The Northern and Central World-Honored Ones have both arisen in response to this. To completely sever the existence of the Southern World-Honored One is nothing short of wishful thinking. If I were one of these great figures, I would strive to find this future World-Honored One and postpone His attainment… or rather, corrupt His foundation. Ideally, like the Central World-Honored One who was forced to cultivate alongside the immortals and Buddhas, and perished and transformed into a mountain… I would try to keep the situation under control as much as possible…'

'Delaying his attainment of enlightenment will also allow Zhenlong and Luoxia to achieve their goals peacefully. Only with a Celestial Lord-level figure suppressing them can the situation be regained. Therefore… everyone is searching for the possible identity of that Southern Venerable. Whether it's Kongheng or Kongshu, they are different paths and different methods…'

Since Jinghai's methods were used to scheme against Kongheng, what were his actions like?
This Maha was silent for a while, and seemed to be getting better, but then suddenly he disbanded all the monks in the temple and came to Mount Dayang!
And the person who played that turning point was none other than Chi Buzi!
Furthermore, did he truly protect Kong Heng under the circumstances of that year?

'On the contrary, in their eyes, I, who hold a peak-level Purple Mansion fox demon in my hands, allowed Kong Heng to be forced into the Sensing Release Realm by a mere pity, almost falling into the Wrathful Path. I can be considered one of the most cooperative ones! If I were supporting the Southern World Honored One, I should have secretly sent Kong Heng away…'

"And this time, Chi Buzhi's departure was also my doing. I caused Kong Heng's methods to malfunction, allowing the Clay Puppet Master to break free, his power greatly increased, and he even secretly obtained that treasure. Jing Hai was forced to return to the Clay Puppet Master's side, ultimately being forced to join the Great Sheep Mountain! This is cutting off his foundation!"

In that instant, all the signs converged, and a strange thought suddenly popped into Lu Jiangxian's head:

'If that's the case... With Buddhism and Taoism repeatedly suffering defeats in the Central Plains, and with Jiang Tou Shou taking charge of the overall situation, many Buddhist and Taoist groups remained collectively silent, sending almost no capable leaders... Could this be a sign of...'

'Reward?'

This caused Lu Jiangxian herself to fall into a long silence, recalling the scene of the cicada's fall years ago, and she thought to herself:
'It couldn't be because of that... that the realm lord was so enraged... A few lackeys were just putting on a show, they were kindly sent over to help you, and you killed his own son, and so swiftly, that even he couldn't stop you...'

His mind raced like lightning, calculating countless times, when suddenly the corpse before him softened, and it burst into thunderous laughter, saying:

“But… Junior Brother should also know that you are ultimately a figure of Buddhism and Taoism.”

Having grasped the overall situation, Lu Jiangxian understood perfectly when these words reached her ears.

After all, Jindi is completely isolated from the outside world and its fate is unpredictable. According to Lu Jiangxian's estimation, if this evil spirit were to obtain that evil treasure, the Scripture Transfer Wheel, and completely master it, it would definitely possess power no less than that of a Dharma Aspect, and its future prospects would not be lower than those of the other two Dharma Aspects present!
In order to affect the foundation of Kongheng, Zhantanlin could not kill Jinghai and Niushi. It was simply to see what level these evil spirits had reached after escaping Kongheng's methods, and whether they were qualified to form their own path!
If not, then of course it should be incorporated into the Daoist tradition, and once the overall situation has settled, it should be absorbed in one go!

He whispered something in the demon's ear:

'They cannot ascertain your strength, but they can sense your potential. In your probing, you must make them understand that the clay puppeteer is no longer the insignificant little demon he once was.'

The clay puppeteer was originally a transformation of the temple's mystical images, possessing a certain degree of supernatural power. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to deceive Jinghai so miserably. However, he was terrified by Chunyang, and now that he has regained his composure, he has quite a bit of dignity.

He stood quietly, and in the unseen realm, he vaguely saw a figure in white standing between heaven and earth, looking down from beyond everyone's sight. The clay puppeteer's confidence soared, and he simply said:

"Having seen me, Senior Brother, you have had enough to return and report."

Dao Zhong's figure froze for a moment, then finally raised his head amidst the unified red light. The mocking smile on his face was gone, replaced by meticulous care. The clay puppeteer turned around, gazing at the ocean-like black pupils beneath his feet, and repeated with a smile:

"Dan Shi! You and I should have a talk."

The figure that embodied the laws of heaven and earth trembled, seemingly not expecting the other party to dare to provoke him so directly, and sneered:

"Oh?"

Since Jinghai was captured to sweep Chen Tian, ​​Lu Jiangxian has been keeping an eye on him. From the moment the monk stepped into this place, an invisible gaze has traversed thousands of miles to converge on this place.

The world that Sao Chentian saw in Lu Jiangxian's view was completely different from the world that Jinghai saw—he had to lower his head to see Jinghai and the others in the Dharma Palm.

'This is the Sweeping Heaven...'

The so-called "Sweeping Heaven" is not a blessed land at all, but a small furnace that is only half a person tall and two feet square, and is even less than the storage bag used by cultivators in the mortal world.

The entire area resembled an oval-shaped, half-person-high shell, dark and boundless inside, much like the interior of a pill furnace. However, a small pill furnace was placed inside, occupying most of the space, leaving only the gap between the furnace and the outer pill furnace wall.

This Dharma form was only the size of an ordinary person, and he was squeezing his thin body into the gap. In order to squeeze into this place, his body almost hugged the alchemy furnace, squeezing every corner tightly. His head was lying on its side, pressed against the top of the alchemy furnace, stuck at the top and unable to move. The sharp spikes on the top of the alchemy furnace he was holding had pierced his cheek and were coming out from the other side, almost touching the top of this narrow space, so that his face was covered with cracks.

The boundless body and sea-like pupils that Jinghai and the others saw were not the enormous and wondrous form of this Dan Shi Dharma Image, but rather the result of their own bodies becoming smaller than ants during their previous journey!

With Lu Jiangxian's current level of cultivation and understanding of Buddhism and Taoism, coupled with some rumors from the outside world, he has almost figured out the fundamental existence of this place called Sao Chen Tian in just a short time.

Lu Jiangxian knew, of course, that the two Dharma Images before him were only slightly wary. The fact that he could still stand here and speak was mostly due to the intimidation of the phrase "cannot be a Tang Scripture". But based on the scene before him, he had already seen through their background!

This was his reliance, and also the reason why he had to personally intervene in this matter instead of handing it over to Chunyang... Daozhong had seen Liaokong before, and the same methods could not possibly deceive this Dharma Image twice. The clay puppeteer could not compare to Liaokong either, so he had to demonstrate some real skills!

'Since he had neither attained enlightenment nor held a position, Shi Xiu valued cause and effect and so-called merit even more. This corpse-like appearance… as a former lowly monk who swept away ashes, his greatest karmic debt was none other than his master, Tang Jing!'

Repeat after me.

As the clay figurine maker listened to the man's words, he turned around, his eyes shifting between darkness and gold, and smiled:
"This place, which is called 'Sweeping Heaven,' can actually be regarded as the alchemy furnace of the Tang Dynasty back then."

Upon hearing this, Dao Zhong finally turned to the side, seemingly only now believing that his words were not fabricated. The heavens and earth trembled, and the indistinct voice of the Dan Shi echoed:

"joke."

The clay figurine maker, seeing the colors shift and change in his eyes, was utterly captivated by his own perception of form, and felt a surge of satisfaction, sneering:
"Your corpse, residing here, represents your past as a servant—having to repeatedly crawl into this small alchemy furnace, which is only half a person's height, to sweep away ashes, often trapped inside, drenched in sweat, unable to move."

"But back then, this little monk, who was like a servant, was ambitious, growing like a weed on Baohua Mountain. He wasn't afraid of being roasted alive just to hear one more sutra or one more word of Dharma..."

"So he built his own alchemy furnace in the small furnace of someone else."

The clay sculptor's gaze passed over the clay figures and landed on the pitch-black, towering alchemy furnace beside him. He smiled and said:

"This alchemy furnace represents your own achievements. Your current palace and Buddhist temple are the same small furnace that Tang Jing used to refine elixirs back then."

He said:

"At first, this alchemy furnace might only be the size of a fingernail. You were still quite comfortable hiding in Tang Jing's alchemy furnace and achievements. But as time goes by and your cultivation level increases, your own alchemy furnace will also grow larger and larger..."

"But Tang Jing did not continue his cultivation. His achievements remained unchanged, and this space was always only half a person's height, just like when you swept his furnace back then—as your own alchemy furnace grew larger and larger, you were forced to be squeezed into this gap, unable to move, feeling your achievements growing ever larger, about to turn you into blood..."

"No matter how much you cultivate, you can never surpass his starting point of interpreting Tang Dynasty scriptures in modern times, yet he is absolutely not allowed to continue cultivating... As the space between you shrinks, you become increasingly confined..."

"You need a golden place."

The clay puppeteer laughed:
"Little Danu! Am I right?"

Dao Zhong's purpose was to understand the state of the clay puppeteer and Kong Heng, while Dan Shi's desire was undoubtedly for this [Kong Hai Jin Di]!
As the sound faded, the entire world fell into a long silence. After an unknown amount of time, the bell finally clapped its hands, and the bell itself stepped forward with a smile, clicking its tongue in praise, saying:

"You really have a knack for hitting the mark."

Indeed, Lu Jiangxian's words just now, in just a few words, revealed the cultivation path of a Dharma Aspect cultivator, clearly surpassing the insight one would expect from a demon. It not only completely saw through the mysteries of the Pill Corpse, but also subtly revealed another piece of information:
He's a clay puppeteer, and he's incredibly lifelike!

If one is sufficiently like the Buddha, one has enough ability and status to approach the Dharma form, not to mention mastering that one [with extensive interpretation of the earth wheel] in the golden ground!
This is the fundamental reason why the two Dharma Masters are so wary!
Faced with the other party's cold praise, the clay puppeteer shook his head and said indifferently:
"No, Senior Brother Danshi can't surpass Tang Jing, and I will never surpass Zhuozhuo in the future either. However, I am fortunate to have this Jindi."

The clay puppeteer seemed completely unconcerned about the Dao bell beside him, and said softly:

"Therefore, Dan Shi...you and I are on the same path, our cultivation paths are extremely similar. I want to restore my physical body uprightly and enter the Sandalwood Forest. If I can establish my own vast territory, I will certainly have the ability and the need to support my senior brother and cultivate together on this land!"

He smiled:

"Now, no matter which great virtuous person is, they are no longer qualified to interfere with someone like me who is adorned with the Dharma of the Great Desire. The Great Desire Path wants to control the peacock, but in the end, it is controlled by the peacock... Everyone, have you thought this through?"