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

Chapter 310 Going Abroad, Shocking Change

Then a melodious bell rang out, its sound echoing and reaching the clouds.

It's as if the dust of the heart has been washed away, bringing a sense of peace and tranquility.

Zhao Ti said, "The Bodhi bell is ringing, and the Kingdom of Shambhala will soon be open to the outside world."

Mu Wanqing asked, "Your Highness, what does it mean to open it to the outside world?"

Zhao Ti said, "We will no longer hide in the snow-capped mountains, but will open the Buddhist gates on the spot and welcome Buddhist disciples and followers."

"Open the Buddhist gates on the spot?" Mu Wanqing said, "But this snow mountain is bitterly cold and located in the border region. Would it be a good place to spread Buddhism and attract too many disciples?"

Zhao Ti pondered for a moment and said, "Since it is a projection that has descended, it is not impossible that it will fly away again and choose a more suitable place, but it will not leave this world."

Mu Wanqing said, "The people inside..."

Zhao Ti said, "The inheritance will be closed, and everyone will leave. The demonic monks of the abyss will gradually enter the Buddhist kingdom to occupy and control this place. In the future, it will be difficult for non-Buddhists to enter, and the inheritance will not be granted as easily as before."

Mu Wanqing said, "Your Highness, from what you said before, what is the origin of this demonic monk from the abyss? Why is he different from the monks of this world? Kunlun calls him a demonic monk, and they also call the monks of this world false monks, saying that Kunlun has been sending people to impersonate monks since ancient times?"

Zhao Ti said, "It is very likely that it comes from another world. The grudges and entanglements between them are still unclear, but there must be old secrets hidden there, which will be revealed in the future."

“Another world…” Mu Wanqing murmured.

Zhao Ti suspected that the demonic monks were not from this world. They came from the abyss and some perilous rifts, but these rifts might lead to the heavens.

However, these wicked monks claim to be orthodox, uphold Buddhist teachings, and have a Buddhist kingdom descending upon them, so one cannot help but suspect that they are the real monks, and that the Buddhist sects of the time have indeed been replaced one by one by Kunlun, which they say has been plotting behind the scenes since ancient times.

They were now approaching the trial steps, and saw a dense crowd of people desperately climbing them.

When the Bodhi bell rings, everyone knows that the Buddhist kingdom will soon open, and the loopholes and flaws that allowed early entry to seek the inheritance will no longer exist.

At that time, not only will the people of Kunlun be unable to obtain the Buddhist inheritance, but even some demonic monks will not have the opportunity to compete for the inheritance due to their status, position, and Buddhist teachings.

So this is the final moment. Everyone who comes in starts to fight desperately. Even if they fail and fall down the steps due to insufficient martial arts skills and mental state, bleeding from their heads, they still grit their teeth and try to go up again.

Zhao Ti glanced at the scene on the steps for a moment, then led Mu Wanqing to a place to sit down and watch the excitement.

Looking into the distance, one can still see figures running towards this side from the entrance of the Buddhist kingdom. There are monks and Kunlun people in wide-sleeved robes. Hearing the bell, they quicken their pace to make the most of the last moments.

But two or three hours passed, and not one of them managed to reach the top of the steps. Even as evening approached, they continued upwards without stopping.

Mu Wanqing fell asleep in Zhao Ti's arms, but Zhao Ti showed no signs of fatigue. He gazed ahead with deep eyes, pondering the changes in the world.

The next day arrived in the blink of an eye. At noon, one person finally made it to the trial steps, but before he could even show off, he ran straight to the Buddhist Kingdom.

In the afternoon, Kumārajīva came from the Buddhist kingdom, his figure graceful and dignified, exuding an air of profound Buddhist wisdom.

When he saw Zhao Ti, he was first taken aback, then his face lit up with joy. He quickly stepped forward and put his palms together, saying, "Benefactor Zhao has also entered Shambhala and even found Miss Mu. This is truly a cause for celebration."

Zhao Ti nodded and smiled, "It seems the great monk's martial arts have improved. Which divine king's lineage has he inherited?"

Kumārajīva said, “Benefactor Zhao, this humble monk mistakenly entered the Buddhist kingdom and received the lineage of Garuda, one of the Eight Gods Kings.”

Zhao Ti said, "That's right, Garuda, the golden-winged bird god, has wings with various solemn and precious colors. Wind belongs to yin, and the power of its wings is boundless. It is the best among the god kings."

Kumārajīva said, "I am ashamed. I do not know what virtue or ability I have to inherit the divine king's legacy. It is merely a matter of chance and luck."

Zhao Ti said, "The monk is too modest. As the saying goes, everything is preordained. Every drink and every bite is preordained. Perhaps the Garuda King's legacy was prepared for the great monk."

Kumārajīva chanted a Buddhist prayer again and said, “Benefactor Zhao, since you have come up to the trial steps and found Miss Mu, you must have also received a transmission. I wonder which one you received?”

Zhao Ti smiled and said, "I received the lineage of the Gandharva God King, while Wanqing received the inheritance of the Kinnara God King."

Kumārajīva paused for a moment, then revealed an expression of aptness, saying, "The two sects have a long-standing relationship, which is a perfect match for the relationship between you and Miss Mu. It is a union ordained by the Buddha."

He was aware of the relationship between the Gandharva and Kinnara tribes, and nodded repeatedly: "By the way, how did you find your way here, benefactor?"

Zhao Ti briefly recounted his previous experiences, including the matter of Xiao Feng and the others, and said, "They might also receive the inheritance of the Eight Heavenly Dragons, but it's unclear which group they will be facing."

Kumārajīva exclaimed in surprise, "If that's the case, wouldn't Your Highness be surrounded by the Eight Divine Kings?"

Zhao Ti thought of Murong Fu and smiled slightly: "I'm afraid he'll be somewhat inferior. Since fate has already decided things, I'm afraid the successor of the Asura King won't submit."

“Asura King…” Kumārajīva pondered for a few moments, then nodded: “This god-king is indeed, indeed, somewhat complicated.”

The Asura King, whose tribe was characterized by ugly men and beautiful women, was warlike and often fought with the gods for resources. Every battle they fought created a "Shura Field". After being subdued by the Buddha, he became a Dharma protector, but he still retained his ferocity.

The Asura King was irritable, stubborn, and jealous. His heart was not upright. When the Buddha preached, he also preached. When the Buddha preached the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, he called them the Five Foundations of Mindfulness. When the Buddha preached the Thirty-Seven Factors of Enlightenment, he added one more, calling it the Thirty-Eight Factors of Enlightenment.

He often doubted the Buddha, saying that the Buddha helped the heavens and told Indra and the heavenly beings the essence of the Dharma. Just like him, he loved to create chaos in the world, the more chaotic the better. He went to war with Indra, but was no match for him. He had nowhere to escape, so he could only transform himself and hide inside the pores of a lotus root.

Zhao Ti smiled and was about to speak when he saw Huo Linglong walking over from a distance. A moment later, she came closer to greet him.

After Huo Linglong recounted the whole story, Zhao Ti asked, "What kind of inheritance did Huo Longwang receive?"

Huo Linglong said, "This is the lineage of the Mahoraga God King that I have obtained."

"Mahoraga?" Zhao Ti narrowed his eyes. He hadn't expected Huo Linglong to obtain this divine king. So, Xu Zhu hadn't obtained the inheritance of this dragon.

“It is indeed Mahoraga,” Huo Linglong said. “I believe this lineage is very suitable for cultivation.”

Zhao Ti pondered, "Since you are known as the Dragon King, then you can be considered an earth dragon, and there is a reason why you received this inheritance..."

As they were talking, Xiao Feng, Duan Yu, and Xu Zhu emerged from the Buddhist Kingdom and greeted Zhao Ti. Zhao Ti inquired, and Xiao Feng replied, "Your Highness, I have obtained the Dharma lineage of the Divine King Indra."

Zhao Ti nodded. Sure enough, Xiao Feng had obtained Emperor Shitian. However, he didn't know why the temple had rejected him. Since the Dragon God Temple hadn't rejected him, the Emperor Shitian Temple shouldn't have either. This had nothing to do with Xiao Feng. He just didn't know the reason.

Duan Yu said, "Brother Zhao, what I received is the inheritance of the Dragon God."

Xu Zhu said, "Your Highness, this humble monk has obtained the lineage of the Yaksha King."

Zhao Ti's gaze swept over the group. He had obtained the Gandharva, Mu Wanqing had obtained the Kinnara, and Kumārajīva and Huo Linglong had obtained the Garuda and Mahoraga. The three brothers had obtained the Devas, Nagas, and Yakshas. The seven gates of the eight classes of Devas and Nagas were complete. The remaining Asura lineage would most likely be obtained by Murong Fu.

At that very moment, Murong Fu walked proudly towards the trial steps from afar.

Because everyone was gathered together, he didn't notice Zhao Ti inside, but Zhao Ti saw him and laughed, "The Asura King has arrived."

Upon hearing this, everyone hurriedly turned around to look, clearing a lot of space. Murong Fu also looked over and his expression froze.

Then his expression changed drastically, as if he had seen something unbelievable, and his body began to tremble.

But then, as if remembering something, he straightened his chest again. Upon seeing this, Xiao Feng asked, "Is this person Murong Fu?"

Duan Yu said, "Murong Fu of the Southern Murong? If he obtained the inheritance of the Asura King and came to join us, wouldn't all eight of our Heavenly Dragons be able to..." Upon hearing the words "all eight of our Heavenly Dragons are able to join us," Murong Fu's face changed drastically again, turning deathly pale.

He glanced at the crowd quickly, then turned around abruptly and ran off in another direction.

Xu Zhu asked in bewilderment, "Your Highness, why is the Asura God King running away?"

Zhao Ti laughed and said, "He is a wanted criminal of the imperial court, who was imprisoned for plotting rebellion. He escaped from prison a while ago and his whereabouts are unknown. Various prefectures are trying to capture him. Now that he sees me here, he will naturally run away."

"I see," Xiao Feng said. "I never imagined that Murong Nan would harbor such rebellious intentions."

Duan Yu said, "Brother Zhao, we outnumber you, how about we go and capture him?"

Zhao Ti shook his head: "It's not a good time to make a move in Shambhala. Although I don't know what rules restrict it, even Kunlun and the evil monk, who have such a deep grudge, have restrained themselves. We can't take any risks. Let's wait until we get out."

Duan Yu said, "By the way, Brother Zhao, where is Steward Tong? I entered the Buddhist Kingdom with him, but I was caught up in the Dragon God Palace, so I don't know where he went."

"Tong Guan?" Zhao Ti stroked his chin, feeling somewhat puzzled. Tong Guan was not one of the Eight Heavenly Dragons, so it was impossible for him to be related to the Eight Heavenly Dragons. That meant he must have inherited some other lineage.

"Could it be that Steward Tong has inherited the lineage of an Arhat or Bodhisattva, which is why he hasn't come out for so long?" Duan Yu said. "When he ascended the steps, he had a great awakening and even gave himself a Dharma name. It seems that he really wants to convert to Buddhism."

"Completely enlightened, and even adopted a Dharma name?" Kumārajīva asked in bewilderment. "Tong Guan...has converted to Buddhism?"

Duan Yu said, "That's exactly right."

Zhao Ti said expressionlessly, "What kind of Buddhist name did this fellow come up with?"

Duan Yu said, "He originally wanted to call himself Wukong, but later he said that Brother Zhao had told him a story from the Tang Dynasty about a monkey going to the West to obtain Buddhist scriptures. In the story, the monkey monk used this name, so he felt it was inappropriate and changed it to another name, Wuse."

“This Dharma name is good.” Xu Zhu clasped his hands and said, “This benefactor Tong has truly attained enlightenment.”

"Wuse?" Upon hearing this, Kumārajīva's face darkened, and he looked at Xuzhu, saying, "What's so good about it? What does this little monk know!"

Xu Zhu did not recognize Kumārajīva. Seeing that he was tall and handsome, he felt a little guilty and stammered, "This humble monk does not understand, this humble monk does not understand, Master is right."

Huo Linglong frowned and said, "Little Master, you don't need to be afraid of him. This Dharma name is indeed quite good."

Kumārajīva snorted: "Namo Vairocana Buddha".

Zhao Ti smiled and said, "Wuse is quite fitting. He had an epiphany and even believed that he should convert to Buddhism. No wonder he made it to the trial stage."

Originally, he wanted Tong Guan to deceive the trial stage in terms of mindset, but Tong Guan finally came up with such a Dharma name, which was related to himself, so he must have believed it to some extent.

What seems false may be true, and what seems true may be false; what seems inactive may become active, and what seems active may become nonexistent. Buddhist enlightenment and one's own innate wisdom are all interconnected.

After a while, they saw a person walking towards them from a distance, swaying back and forth with a rhythmic gait. Upon seeing them, the person immediately mustered their strength and jogged over.

Everyone recognized him as Tong Guan. Tong Guan approached Zhao Ti and hurriedly bowed, saying, "Your Highness, this humble servant is late. Please forgive me."

Zhao Ti looked him up and down and asked, "Master Wuse, which lineage of teachings did you receive?"

Upon hearing this, Tong Guan hurriedly knelt down on the ground: "Your Highness, Your Highness is too kind to this humble servant. What kind of master is this humble servant? This humble servant is just giving himself a Buddhist name randomly. Please do not take it seriously. I am sorry for making a fool of myself in front of Your Highness."

Zhao Ti said, "Get up. This Wuse is quite good. I think we should use it from now on. There's no need to shave your head. You can cultivate at home. By the way, we haven't talked about what kind of inheritance you've received yet."

Tong Guan scrambled to his feet and said obsequiously, "It is Your Highness. This humble servant obeys Your Highness completely. This humble servant received this inheritance..."

At this point, he couldn't help but look distressed: "He's actually an envoy."

“Messenger?” Zhao Ti thought for a moment. In Buddhism, a messenger is a special position with a special status and special responsibilities. Although they may not seem as prestigious as bodhisattvas or arhats, some messengers are called bodhisattvas.

For example, the Pure Altar Messenger, whose full name is Namo Pure Altar Messenger Bodhisattva, is considered a special rank.

“It is the envoy. This humble servant mistakenly entered the main hall of the Clean Altar Envoy and inherited the authority of the Clean Altar Envoy,” Tong Guan said in a low voice.

"Is he really the Clean Altar Messenger?" Zhao Ti couldn't help but burst into laughter. He had told A Zhu and the others about the Journey to the West, and Tong Guan had been listening nearby, so he naturally knew the origin of the Clean Altar Messenger.

“Indeed, Your Highness…” Tong Guan said, “After we parted ways, we walked together for a long time. We found the palace to be close to us, and when we went inside, we saw that the statues looked kind and benevolent. We didn’t think about who they were, and we just received the inheritance without really understanding it.”

“The Cleansing Altar Messenger is quite good; his attainment is extraordinary,” Zhao Ti said. “Now that the world has begun to change, you should focus on your cultivation.”

Tong Guan said, "Your Highness has told me about the origins of this Cleansing Altar Messenger. Will my cultivation techniques...will they cause me to grow pig ears and a pig nose?"

Zhao Ti laughed and said, "How would I know? But even if it is born, isn't that a transformation? Isn't that mysterious!"

Tong Guan was stunned upon hearing this, on the verge of tears, and muttered softly, "All birds and beasts strive to become human, but this lowly slave must instead become a beast. What kind of logic is this..."

Zhao Ti said, "Stop your noise. How do you know anything if you haven't cultivated? Shut up! I don't think you've grasped the meaning of 'lust.' Appearance and outward appearance are also forms of lust. Why don't you shave your head and cultivate with Xu Zhu?"

"Ah?" Upon hearing this, Tong Guan hurriedly shook his head like a rattle drum: "This humble servant doesn't want to, this humble servant doesn't want to! This humble servant has already purified his mind and body, if I were to shave my head again, wouldn't that be like Master Kumārajīva..."

"Namo Acala!" Kumārajīva chanted the Buddha's name, his brows furrowed and eyes wide: "What did Steward Tong say?"

"I didn't say anything, I didn't say anything..." Tong Guan hurriedly hid behind Zhao Ti.

At this moment, the Bodhi bell rang once again within the Buddhist kingdom, and the trial steps emitted a five-colored light, throwing everyone on them off.

"It seems the Buddhist Kingdom is about to officially open and is no longer accepting trials," Zhao Ti nodded.

The Kunlun people and the demon monk below the steps cried out in despair, but to no avail. A beam of light blocked the way in front of the steps, like an insurmountable chasm, making it impossible for them to take another step.

At this moment, above the trial steps and in front of the Buddhist Kingdom, there were not only Zhao Ti and his group, but also groups of two or three, and a lone figure standing in the distance. They were all inheritors who had left the main hall after obtaining the Dharma lineage.

Several more days passed in the blink of an eye, and the intervals between the ringing of the Bodhi bell became shorter and shorter. Finally, after five days, the bell rang continuously, its sound spreading throughout the entire kingdom of Shambhala.

From the deepest part of the Buddhist kingdom, a vast expanse of white light rolled in like an avalanche, engulfing everyone, whether on or off the steps, as if cleansing them all.

Then the light flashed a few times and moved to a distance. After a gentle tremor and a shockwave, there was no longer a single foreign creature in the entire Shambhala.

Zhao Ti and the others felt a blur before their eyes, then as if they were floating on clouds, before crashing heavily to the ground.

Everyone immediately opened their eyes and realized that they were already in the snowy mountains outside Shambhala. In the distance ahead, there was a mountain valley radiating boundless light, which was the path they had taken to enter the Buddhist kingdom.

At this moment, countless ripples appeared in the vast void above the mountain valley, shimmering and rippling, as if something was about to emerge from the void, and even the surrounding clouds shattered and disappeared without a trace.

“Shambhala is about to manifest…” Kumārajīva looked and said, “From now on, this great snow mountain will be the Western Paradise.”

Everyone was moved by what they heard, but at that moment, a golden light suddenly appeared in the sky in the direction of Kunlun in the north, drawing an amazing pattern in the sky, like the shadow of an island, and flew over quickly.

The projection of this luminous island soared into the sky, with celestial pavilions faintly visible above, and countless spiritual energies converging, displaying supreme majesty as it fiercely suppressed the void above.

(End of this chapter)