Longzang

Chapter 1142 Time Flies Old (Part 1)

In the southern realm, the secrets of heaven suddenly collapsed, many causes and effects became clear, and many new causes and effects were formed. In the eyes of the immortals, the world was still a chaotic mess.

At this moment, Li Zhi had made up his mind, so he looked up to the north, seemingly lost in thought.

The Western Jin Dynasty Royal Palace.

Winter was in full swing, and several plum trees stood in the snow, their blossoms as red as blood.

Consort Yuan sat in Chunhua Pavilion, and for some reason, she suddenly felt an inexplicable reluctance towards everything around her, towards this world, and towards a certain person.

She could feel countless tiny, dark things within her body, so small that even immortals couldn't detect them, withering and dying. The binding threads in her soul were breaking and burning away. Never before had she felt so clean and free.

A bright smile appeared on Consort Yuan's lips, as if she had returned to the days when she was eighteen and still in the Zhao Kingdom's palace. Back then, she was carefree and always felt that every day in the future would be as beautiful as this spring day.

However, for many, many years afterward, the sky was always overcast, and thorns and cobwebs were everywhere. The burden of karma weighed heavily on her, making it hard for her to breathe. But to outsiders, she was unparalleled in her political skills, not only controlling the harem but also influencing the court, enjoying unparalleled glory.

The arrival of Prince Fu had originally added a touch of warmth to her life, but when the little Prince Fu was born and brought to her, the wisdom eye bestowed by the Arhat through cause and effect took effect for the first time, allowing Consort Yuan to see a pair of old and gloomy eyes on the face of that tiny baby!

Fortunately, she had a strong will and did not show any sign of distress at the time. She did not even have any extra thoughts, and then fell into a deep sleep due to exhaustion.

When she awoke again, Chunhua Palace was no longer warm, but cold and damp, like a snake pit. She lived in this damp and rotten deep palace until one day, a woman with blue eyes appeared before her.

Consort Yuan had forgotten what the woman with blue eyes had said.

However, not long after, Marquis Xiang excitedly came to her door, saying that he had found a very promising young man who could be invested in and won over as a henchman. That was the first time Consort Yuan noticed that a small realm had appeared in the Western Regions of the Great Jin Dynasty, and that there was a realm lord who was still a young boy.

The Arhat's Secret Realm remained unchanged from her previous visits. The only difference was the presence of a young boy accompanying her this time.

She knew what was going to happen, knew it was all a pre-arranged plan, but for the first time in her life, she didn't feel resistance. This feeling was strange, and she couldn't explain why. Perhaps it was the vibrant, upward-looking energy he exuded, like the rising sun?

From then on, her world was brightened. When she thought of him, the world was bright too.

When the young King of Chu was born, his eyes were clear, filled with curiosity and bewilderment. In his eyes, one could vaguely see the shadow of that boy.

Consort Yuan entered the inner palace and looked at the empty, somewhat awkward corner. It was here that she had hidden the newborn Prince of Chu, and then she had bravely fought off the relentless pursuit from extraterrestrial forces.

In the blink of an eye, the King of Chu, who was once as cuddly as a kitten, is now middle-aged by ordinary standards.

In the eyes of those with ulterior motives, the King of Chu, bearing the immense karma of being a reincarnated Arhat, naturally attracted countless gazes. But Consort Yuan knew that there was another secret involved, a secret that even Wei Yuan was unaware of.

She returned to the window, where the plum tree in the courtyard was as red as blood.

In the Crown Prince's residence, the Prince of Chu was reading in his study. His desk, which should have been piled high with memorials, was now covered entirely with classics and historical texts. Even mundane daily political affairs were no longer entrusted to him, and he was even barred from attending court assemblies.

It was no secret that the Prince of Jin had regained his youth, and the news spread quickly. The Prince of Wei then presented him with a longevity elixir, and he possessed more than one dose. Faced with the Prince of Jin, now back to his prime, and the Prince of Wei, whose power was immense and whose strength could sweep across the Western Jin Dynasty, the ministers naturally knew what to do. Thus, in the blink of an eye, the Crown Prince was forgotten by the world.

The King of Chu held the classics in his hands. The content, which he could usually recite fluently, became extremely obscure at this moment. He read it several times but still could not understand it. His mind and memories kept drifting back to the days when he sat in the center of the Golden Palace.

Once you've tasted the feeling of having absolute power, you'll never forget it.

At that moment, the prince felt the surroundings suddenly brighten. He looked up and saw a handsome young monk standing before him. Wherever the monk stood, Buddhist light surged, and lotus flowers bloomed in the air.

The young monk chanted a Buddhist prayer and said, "This humble monk has come again. Although the appointed time has not yet arrived, the opportunity has suddenly presented itself. Have you made up your mind, benefactor?"

"Timing?" The King of Chu was somewhat bewildered.

The young monk pointed to the history books on the desk and said, “Do you still want to be so stubborn, benefactor? This throne is no longer yours. In fact, it is just a useless thing, why cling to it? Come back to Mount Ling with me and inherit the throne. In the future, won’t these so-called earthly kings have to bow down before your lotus throne?”

The King of Chu was intrigued, but still had some doubts, and asked, "Where is my position on Mount Ling?"

The young monk pointed, and a majestic mountain appeared, upon which stood countless Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. At the summit of Mount Ling stood a Buddha, reaching to the heavens and touching the earth, seemingly the only entity in the world. Yet Mount Ling was also incredibly towering; the mountain plus the Buddha was enough to shatter the heavens and earth, yet strangely, it blended seamlessly into the universe.

The King of Chu glanced at it and felt dizzy and nauseous. But in that single glance, he saw an ancient lotus pedestal suspended at the feet of the colossal Buddha at the very top. And that lotus pedestal seemed to be calling to him. The King of Chu immediately understood—that was his place.

To be below the Buddha and above all Buddhas seems...not bad?
Having held the position of Crown Prince for many years, the King of Chu had clearly calculated the situation. While the throne was desirable, it came at a great cost. He had only recently advanced to the Dharma Aspect stage, significantly depleting his lifespan; it was uncertain whether he would even live past a hundred years after ascending the throne. The position on Mount Ling, however, was below that of the Buddha, and it was obvious that it would guarantee at least ten thousand years of lifespan.

While earthly kings may be desirable, they cannot compare to the lofty and supreme status of immortals. Therefore, the King of Chu didn't need to think much; he knew exactly what to choose.

Just as he was about to nod, Consort Yuan suddenly appeared in the room and shouted, "You can't agree!"

The King of Chu turned his head in astonishment and saw his mother's figure shimmering on the water, rapidly fading away. Her lips parted as if she were saying something to him, but now he could not hear a single word.

In her final moments, despair was evident on Consort Yuan's face before she was completely erased.

The young monk, as if nothing had happened, continued to smile at the King of Chu. The King of Chu felt a strange tightness in his heart, as if something was tugging at it.

He suddenly asked, "Was that real just now?"

The young monk said, "It's true."

The King of Chu felt his heart clench even more tightly.

In the Chunhua Palace, Consort Yuan stood by the window, watching the young monk approach through the snow. He walked along as if the walls and houses were nothing, but as he passed the blooming plum tree, a petal suddenly grazed him, cutting through his robes and drawing a drop of golden blood.

The little monk frowned slightly, then plucked the plum blossom petal, and with a flick of his two fingers, he turned it into ashes.

He approached Consort Yuan, bowed, and said, “The female bodhisattva has endured for many years; why force yourself to remind her? Forgive my bluntness, but your reminder is useless; in the end, you will only drag yourself down with you. If the female bodhisattva hadn’t passed through my Buddhist realm, I wouldn’t have known that you also had the karma of the Arhat Guangzhi. I’ve let you hide for decades; today, I will help you escape this sea of ​​suffering. However, if you can help me with this matter, I will not only let you go but also accept the King of Chu and ascend Mount Ling together.”

"This is very simple. All you need to do is write the name Wei Yuan on this piece of paper with your own blood."

The young monk held a golden scroll in his hand and unfurled it before Consort Yuan. The scroll was blank, yet she felt as if she could see something densely packed on it.

Consort Yuan replied firmly, "Absolutely impossible!"

The young monk sighed softly, put away the scroll, and said, "Given the Bodhisattva's nature, once she said no, she would never go back on her word. Alas, what a pity."

The young monk chanted a Buddhist prayer and pointed at Consort Yuan.

Several Buddha statues appeared on Consort Yuan's body, while a sacred mountain appeared behind the little monk, covered with countless Buddha statues. The two beams of Buddha light clashed, and the Buddha statues on Consort Yuan's body shattered and vanished into the void.

The young monk gently touched Consort Yuan's brow with his fingertip, and the light in her eyes froze and vanished. She slowly fell backward, her eyes gazing into the distance, seemingly lost in thought.

Inside the Crown Prince's residence, the young monk remained standing in the room, awaiting the Crown Prince's reply.

The King of Chu's face showed struggle as he said, "My mother just told me not to agree..."

The young monk smiled and said, "Have you ever thought about why Consort Yuan has always prevented you from coming into contact with Buddhism, even though you clearly possess unparalleled wisdom and supernatural powers? Your talent for Buddhism was evident from a very young age."

This matter was a thorn in the side of the King of Chu, and his expression immediately changed slightly as he asked, "Why?"

The young monk said, "Because Consort Yuan and you, benefactor, both possess innate wisdom and affinity for Buddhism, and are qualified to inherit the supreme position. And the position you can inherit is the same."

The King of Chu was stunned, never expecting this. The young monk didn't need to spell it out; with his understanding of Buddhism, he instantly realized that his and Consort Yuan's paths clashed, and only one of them could attain enlightenment. Therefore, Consort Yuan's purpose in keeping him away from Buddhism from a young age was now crystal clear!

The young monk wasn't in a hurry; he stood quietly to the side and waited.

The King of Chu struggled internally, deliberating repeatedly. In the blink of an eye, the sun rose and set, and several days and nights had passed. The more he pondered, the louder a voice in his heart became: "Before the Great Way, there are no close relatives."

Thinking of how Consort Yuan had prevented him from practicing Buddhism since childhood, and how Wei Yuan had repeatedly extended Prince Jin's life, causing him to grow up to middle age out of thin air, Prince Chu finally gritted his teeth and said, "I agree!"

Suddenly, the light in the room brightened. Outside the window, it was still that gloomy afternoon with heavy snow, and the days and nights spent in deep thought seemed to have never existed.

(End of this chapter)