The Song Dynasty was the king for thirteen years before he knew that he was Tianlong.

Chapter 300 Searching for Inheritance
At this moment, everyone below stared intently at the steps, displaying a variety of expressions.

A burly man in Kunlun shouted, "Level 100! We've reached level 100!"

Another thin man said, "It seems that the leader of Confucianism is truly about to reach the top."

Another person said, "Once you've climbed the hundredth step, there are no more obstacles ahead. There shouldn't be any problem reaching the last step..."

The man with the tall crown and refined features said, "That's not necessarily true. Until the very last moment, no one can be sure whether it will truly succeed. Have you all forgotten what happened to Junior Brother Nangong before?"

Upon hearing this, the Kunlun group was taken aback, then their expressions of realization dawned on them. The burly man said, "If Senior Brother Mu hadn't mentioned it, I would have almost forgotten. Junior Brother Nangong was on his way to the 101st step when his mindset suddenly changed, and he was thrown off the steps."

The thin man said, "Yes, yes, although Junior Brother Nangong was knocked down when he climbed the 101st step and failed once more, he still made it to the top on his third attempt."

Another person said, "If this continues, even if the leader of Confucianism is overthrown, and even if he fails a few more times, he will eventually rise again."

Upon hearing this, the tall, handsome man's expression darkened, and he gave a soft hum, remaining silent.

The demonic monks over there were staring intently at Zhao Ti on the stage. The irritable monk had been awakened, his eyes wide open and bloodshot.

The chubby monk put his palms together and said with a smile, "Namo Dingguang Buddha, even reaching level 100 is not something that can be achieved in one go. It may take several attempts. Kunlun once tried three times at level 100."

Upon hearing this, the hot-tempered monk's eyes lit up, but he didn't speak; instead, he clenched his fists tightly.

Zhao Ti, standing on the steps, had already heard the conversation below. He smiled and said, "Reaching the top of the hundred-foot pole, let's take another step forward..."

As he spoke, he strode straight toward the 101st step.

The crowd below held their breath and kept their eyes straight ahead. Then, with a soft "pop," Zhao Ti stepped onto the step.

Then he lifted his other leg and landed steadily on the step.

A moment of utter silence fell below; neither Kunlun nor the demonic monk uttered the slightest sound.

Zhao Ti stood on the 101st floor, looked back at everyone, and smiled slightly: "I'm sorry to disappoint you all."

No one spoke; only heavy breathing could be heard.

Zhao Ti said leisurely, "For me, this level is no different from the first level. It's not that the strength required is the same, but that it's the same and doesn't require much effort at all."

The crowd below was stunned upon hearing this, and their expressions changed.

The hot-tempered monk could no longer contain himself and shouted, "Master of Confucianism, you...you're too arrogant!"

The man with the tall crown and refined appearance also said, "Your words are really going too far. How could the 101st level be the same as the first level?"

Zhao Ti glanced down and smiled slightly: "It may be different for you, but it's the same for me. Even if there are another hundred, three hundred, or five hundred levels, it's no different from the first level. This trial stage is really... too weak!"

Upon hearing this, everyone below changed color. Not only the demonic monk, but also the people of Kunlun were extremely angry. The burly man said, "Even if you, the leader of Confucianism, can reach the top of this level, you shouldn't speak like this, should you?"

The thin man said, "That's true. Even if you are highly skilled and can enter the Buddhist Kingdom, one should always be humble. How can you treat all the heroes of the world as nothing?"

"Heroes of the world?" Zhao Ti laughed heartily, "A narrow-minded scholar cannot be reasoned with, a summer insect cannot discuss ice, heroes... hehe."

He shook his head, put his hands behind his back, and stepped onto the 102nd floor.

The thin man looked at the tall man and asked, "Senior Brother Mu, what does the leader of Confucianism mean by this?"

The tall, handsome man with a gaunt face said with a gloomy expression, "He means that the heroes and valiant figures in your hearts are nothing more than ants in his eyes..."

"Huh?" The skinny man was furious. "This Confucian leader is too arrogant! I must challenge him to a duel and teach him not to underestimate the heroes of the world!"

The burly man beside him said, "Junior Brother Sun, it would be fine if the leader of Confucianism couldn't find a lineage to inherit his teachings. But if he did find one, how could you possibly be his match?"

The thin man was taken aback, while the man with the tall hat said, "It doesn't matter if he really finds it. Don't forget that Junior Brother Nangong went in a few days ago and must have already received a good inheritance. When the time comes, we can ask Junior Brother Nangong to teach this Confucian leader a lesson."

The thin man gritted his teeth and nodded forcefully: "Junior Brother Nangong is the most outstanding genius among the younger generation of our Divine Water Palace. He has already mastered the Heavenly One Divine Water Technique and will inherit the legacy of the Divine King. He will surely be able to suppress this Confucian leader and let him know the power of our Kunlun Palaces!"

The burly man nodded: "That's good. I just wonder which God King's lineage Junior Brother Nangong will inherit?"

The man in the tall hat said, "Since they entered the Buddhist Kingdom first, they must have more choices, and it must be a powerful lineage..."

Zhao Ti continued upwards, taking one hundred and three steps, one hundred and four steps, one hundred and five steps... one hundred and seven steps.

He stood on the 107th step, looked back, and said calmly, "Nothing special."

The crowd below gritted their teeth in anger, yet were helpless, panting heavily.

Duan Yu then mustered all his strength and shouted, "The leader has reached the summit!"

Zhao Ti smiled slightly, stepped onto the last step, and the Buddhist kingdom was now before him.

This trial stage is largely a test of martial arts skills, from Duan Zhengming and Duan Yanqing to Murong Fu. As long as one has similar skill, one can ascend it.

However, the consideration of the Buddhist mindset is even deeper; without the slightest compatibility, reaching the summit is almost hopeless.

But this kind of mental consideration was too simple for Zhao Ti. He didn't even need to teach Tong Guan the deception methods. He could get through it simply by relying on his will.

After all, he knows the past and the future, and his understanding of things is not misled by the words and opinions of the present. His insight is far beyond that of even famous monks and virtuous masters who have cultivated for hundreds of years. Therefore, he can easily assess the state of mind here.

Standing at the top of the steps, Zhao Ti did not go any further, but turned around and looked down.

The crowd below was initially indignant, but seeing that he didn't head directly into the Buddhist realm, they were puzzled and wondered what he wanted to do.

Zhao Ti smiled, and then walked back step by step.

Everyone was stunned by what they saw, and the irritable monk muttered, "What...what is he going to do?"

The chubby monk next to him twitched at the corner of his mouth: "This...didn't he just say he could go in and out of this trial staircase seven times? I'm afraid he's just showing off to us, isn't he?"

Upon hearing this, the hot-tempered monk suddenly rolled his eyes, leaned back, and fainted again from anger.

Zhao Ti slowly walked down the steps, leaving Kunlun and the demon monks dumbfounded, unsure of what to say. Zhao Ti glanced at them, and they involuntarily stepped back. He slowly shook his head, then put his hands behind his back and climbed back up the steps.

This time it was a few minutes faster than before. After passing Duan Yu and the other four, they gave them another briefing, then reached the top, looked back, and began to move forward.

But after taking only one step, he suddenly felt light, as if his senses were clear and his mind was cleansed. The strength he had used to climb the stone steps was restored several times faster.

Interesting… Zhao Ti smiled. It seems that this trial staircase is indeed a bit strange. If you can't climb up, it will simply be flipped over without any hesitation, but if you can reach the top, there is actually some compensation.

As he walked, he looked around and found that the Buddhist kingdom above was even more breathtaking than the one below. The halls and temples stretched endlessly, each with its own unique style and characteristics, all magnificent and grand.

Zhao Ti walked slowly towards the palace and saw a grand hall in the distance. Its exterior was gleaming with gold, magnificent and spacious, exuding a solemn atmosphere that made people feel breathless.

He pondered for a moment, listening to the chanting of Buddhist scriptures and the continuous ringing of the Buddhist bell in the hall. He narrowed his eyes and then walked around to the side.

Just by listening to the sound, you can tell that this temple enshrines a Buddha, and it is very likely that it is a reigning Buddha, without any lineage.

Although Qingyangzi did not explain how to inherit the Dharma lineage after entering the Buddhist Kingdom, only saying to let nature take its course, the vast chanting of sutras and the sound of bells clearly indicated that the statues enshrined in the hall were in power, and that the incense was quite prosperous.

Zhao Ti entered the Buddhist kingdom from one side, and at this moment, the faint sounds of chanting and bells emanated from many halls and temples, as if welcoming him.

He observed carefully and made a guess in his mind that the temple-like hall seemed to be enshrining Buddhas or Bodhisattvas.

Some well-ordered halls may contain Arhats, while strange and unusual halls may contain guardian deities or Vajras.

At this moment, there was a small hall ahead that was quiet. He hesitated for a moment, then walked forward and opened the hall door.

Sure enough, there was a statue of an Arhat enshrined in front of the hall. It had a long face and a thin body, and held a golden staff in its hand. It was unclear which of the five hundred Arhats it was, or which other Arhat it was.

He glanced at it but didn't step inside. After closing the palace door, he turned and continued walking.

Among the Arhats, there are strong and weak ones, and many are only mentioned briefly in Buddhist scriptures, with no known supernatural powers or abilities.

Moreover, some Arhats are highly accomplished in Buddhist practice, have eliminated afflictions, and have reached the state of Nirvana. They have achieved a high level of spiritual attainment in terms of self-liberation, but their actual abilities may not be that great.

As for the Dharma Protectors, their duty is to safeguard the Dharma and maintain world order. They use their majestic image and powerful strength to resist evil spirits and protect all living beings, so they each have their own powerful methods.

Among the Arhats, there are strong and weak, but the God-Kings are all skilled in combat, so seeking the God-King's legacy is a more reliable approach.

Otherwise, obtaining the Arhat lineage of being the best at debate, patience, or meditation would be of little use. You can't really become a monk and go around comparing yourself to other monks.

As Zhao Ti walked, he thought to himself that there were actually quite a few Buddhist god-kings, not just the Eight Legions of God-Kings. Some of the most powerful god-kings even had greater power and more extensive supernatural abilities than the Eight Legions of God-Kings in the Heavenly Dragon.

For example, Brahma, Shiva, Mahakasyapa, the Great Merit King, Vajrapani, Skanda, etc.

Others whose relative merits are difficult to determine include the Four Heavenly Kings: Vaishravana, Virupaksha, Dhritarashtra, and Virudhaka.

There are also Marici, Yama, Bodhi Tree Deity, Sanzhi General Deity, Great Eloquent Deity, Demon Mother Deity, Sun Palace Deity, Moon Palace Deity, Treasure Tent Protector, Naiqiong Protector, Yama Deity, Wonderful Sound Goddess, and so on, to name just a few.

However, none of these halls and temples have names on them. You have to look at them one by one. If you recognize them, you will recognize them. If you don't recognize their shapes, you won't know which one it is.

Zhao Ti visited several halls, some with music playing inside, others without, and he didn't know what kind of guardian deities and arhats were enshrined in half of them.

He was cautious, observing from the outside before closing the palace doors and not easily stepping inside.

After a long while, he couldn't help but frown. This Buddhist kingdom was vast and boundless, and he didn't know where the Hall of the Eight Heavenly Dragons was. If he wanted to inherit the lineage, he would naturally have to rely on the Eight Heavenly Dragons, since he was quite familiar with the Eight Heavenly Dragons' God Kings.

If the Eight Guardians cannot be found, then the Four Heavenly Kings would also be acceptable, but none of them have been seen at the moment.

What I saw were either temples of guardian deities whose names I couldn't identify, or halls of Arhats.

Zhao Ti thought for a moment, then changed direction and went sideways. In the distance, he saw many magnificent palaces, but he couldn't tell whether they were the palaces of Bodhisattvas or Gods.

Along the way, he entered several more places, all of which were places of Arhat statues. The statues inside had different expressions, with varying degrees of joy and anger, and their shapes were extremely strange. There were even statues riding tigers and deer.

Then we arrived at the magnificent palace complex. These palaces stretched into the distance, some near and some far, and were colorful, glittering, and extremely luxurious.

Zhao Ti then observed carefully and heard the sounds of Buddhist chants, bells, and drums, or celestial music, indicating that it was not a quiet place.

Or it may have been idle before, but someone has already entered and obtained the lineage, and it is currently receiving the transmission.

It's unclear whether one can interrupt a teaching that's in progress, but since we're in a Buddhist country, it's probably impossible, and there might even be some terrifying backlash. It's not something one should easily try.

Zhao Ti walked slowly forward and saw a very large hall. The hall was decorated with cloud and water patterns carved from beautiful jade and crystal, and inlaid with various gemstones, which shone brightly.

There was no sound coming from inside the hall, only the flickering light of what could be seen as either the glow of a pearl or the glow of candlelight.

He squinted and pondered for a moment, then walked up and gently pushed open the palace door.

From outside the gate, the hall appeared extremely deep, vast, and magnificent. At the innermost part of the hall was a main statue, flanked by seven other statues.

Zhao Ti examined it carefully, and after a few breaths, he muttered to himself, "Is this the Palace of the Eight Guardian Dragon Gods?"

The innermost main statue is Nanda, the chief of the eight classes of dragons, while the other seven are seven auxiliary dragon kings, who also hold high positions and great power.

He stood in front of the door for a moment, and was already certain that this was the Palace of the Dragon King, so he hesitated slightly.

The one with the greatest magical power among the eight classes of gods is naturally Indra, the head of the gods. Although some gods have greater power and magical abilities than the eight classes of gods, Indra is not included in most of them.

He had been standing in front of the door for a while when suddenly the sound of water rippled from inside the hall, followed by a suction force coming from the inside out.

Zhao Ti's expression changed immediately. He hurriedly closed the palace door and used his internal energy to retreat.

After a while, he stepped forward again and cautiously tried to push the palace door, but he could no longer open it.

Zhao Ti raised his eyebrows, indicating that he had not entered for a long time and had actively refused the inheritance of this hall, so the hall was no longer open to him.

After observing for a while, he turned and walked towards another grand hall in the distance.

(End of this chapter)