There are no ancestors at all; I made them all up.

Chapter 283 The evil guest from the mountains is coming

"Murong?"

The surname made Chen Qing pause slightly, and he couldn't help but think of Murong Zhiqing and Murong Gu, whom he had recently met in the Immortal Dynasty in his dream.

In the present world, Dongling Continent is divided into two: the Yan Dynasty in the south and the Li Dynasty in the north.

He had just inquired about the surname of the Northern Li royal family, intending to find out if it was related to the "Xu" surname of the Immortal Dynasty's imperial family. After all, if they were truly descendants of the Immortal Dynasty, the Xu surname was the most likely.

Even though his bloodline was passed down through the maternal line and his surname had changed, he never expected it to be the compound surname "Murong".

In a flash, Chen Qing blurted out, "The sect Your Highness mentioned, could it be the Li Yang Palace?"

Mu Qingling gently shook her head and said, "I don't know much about the specifics either, so I can't be completely sure yet. However, there is another piece of news." After a pause, she continued, "There is indeed a sect with a long history within the territory of the Beili Dynasty, called Liyang True Palace. It is said to have a deep connection with the ancient Liyang Palace and is also related to the Beili royal family. However, the details are unknown to outsiders."

"Liyang True Palace..."

Chen Qing repeated the name in a low voice, wrote it down, and fell into thought.

Seeing this, Mu Qingling said, "If Young Master Chen is interested in this, I will try to investigate further and inform you when I have definite news."

"Thank you for your trouble, Your Highness." Chen Qing bowed and expressed his gratitude.

After seeing Mu Qingling off, Chen Qing calmed down and thought for a while before carefully reading through the scrolls about Buddhism that Mu Qingling had sent him.

He had assumed that the origins of Buddhism in the Western Wilderness were complex and voluminous, but to his surprise, the records were surprisingly concise and to the point.

After a quick glance, he understood the reason.

These scrolls contain extremely ancient Buddhist traditions. Many sects have long been lost to the annals of history or have undergone fundamental changes, so naturally little information has been preserved.

According to the scroll, the Buddhist sect in the Western Wilderness originated at the end of the Daoist Era.

At that time, there was a traitorous monk named Shi Kongming in the "Nine Peaks Sword Tomb" of Zhongling Continent. He stole the fragment of the "Mahayana Sutra of Crossing Over Calamities" treasured by the sect and fled westward, eventually arriving at the Western Wilderness Continent. In that vast desert, he integrated the primitive beliefs of the local sand people and created a unique "Shamen" sect with the characteristics of the Western Wilderness.

"Ok?"

When Chen Qing saw this, his heart skipped a beat and he felt a sense of familiarity. After thinking about it carefully, he realized that this was exactly what he had seen in the "Secret Records of the Monks".
The "Secret Records of the Monks" was sold by a bookseller at the market in Xiaoyingzhou. It had been obtained by the monk Huichi, who borrowed it and then became acquainted with this eminent monk.

However, according to the "Secret Records of the Monks", that monk Kongming was a holy monk of his generation and never mentioned the Nine Peaks Sword Tomb or the rebellion!
"But that's normal. History is complex, with various perspectives, and many parts are difficult to distinguish between truth and falsehood, so discrepancies are inevitable..."

With that in mind, he continued to peruse the text and quickly grasped the essence of the Shamen lineage.

Since the establishment of the school by Master Kongming, after three thousand years of accumulation and evolution, the Buddhist community gradually differentiated, eventually forming ten major sects.

There is a school of thought that advocates "all phenomena are not phenomena, and the sand and sea are empty";
There is a Yogacara Zen temple where consciousness is buried in the sands of the sea, hoping for reincarnation and rebirth;

There is a Vajra Wrathful Form School that adheres to the principle of "subduing demons with wrathful forms," ​​which requires consuming scorpion venom to temper the body and summoning the image of a wrathful deity.
There is a Nirvana burning house that believes in "self-immolation to attain enlightenment";

There is a pure land for monks who contemplate "a world in a grain of sand";
There is a strict adherence to the principle that "every step is a karmic act," and the practice of cultivating the law of cause and effect regarding good and evil karma.
There is the Moon Wheel Zen Temple, which uses the moonlight to freeze inner demons;

There is a Zen of impermanence that comprehends the "momentary arising and ceasing" of life;
The Longxiang Vajra Temple, which inherits the power of dragons and elephants;
And the most mysterious Red Lotus Temple.

Of course, since it is a collection of ancient texts, it must also involve many other records. In one of the volumes, Chen Qing mentioned that the mysterious Red Lotus Temple was suppressing a terrifying existence called the "Black Lotus Demon Embryo," which was related to the "fallen Buddhas" in the "Dharma-ending Age."

Chen Qing's gaze lingered on the "Weishi Chan Monastery" and the "Honglianye Temple" for a few more moments.

According to Zheng Qingtian and Mang Shoutuo's previous statements, the "Dalun Temple," the leading Buddhist force in Dongling Continent, originated from the Weishi Chan Temple in the Western Wilderness. The description of the "Honglianye Temple" made him feel a sense of unusualness.

"The fire of karma burns away sins, the red lotus is reborn, the black lotus is the demonic embryo, the fallen Buddha..." He pondered these words, feeling that they contained a profound meaning, perhaps related to the path of the demon Buddha.

Just as Chen Qing was immersed in the information in the case file and carefully examining it, footsteps sounded again outside the courtyard.

This time, it was Liu Shuang'er who came.

“Chen Jun,” she said, stepping into the courtyard with a hint of helplessness on her face, “the things you’re looking for are a bit tricky. I’ve already had someone compile an overview of the various Buddhist sects, and it will be sent over shortly. But detailed records of the emperors of the Immortal Dynasty, especially those concerning Emperor Taijing, are indeed scarce in the archives of the Inspection Bureau, and the access is extremely high, so I can’t access the core files for the time being.”

Although this result was within Chen Qing's expectations, it still made him frown slightly.

Seeing this, Liu Shuang'er comforted her, "But don't worry, I've already found another way. I asked a family friend who works in the Hanlin Academy in the palace to help me search. He also has some connections in the Xuanjuan Pavilion. It will just take some time. I'll let you know as soon as I have any news."

"Thank you for your trouble, fellow Daoist." Chen Qing nodded in thanks. Liu Shuang'er waved her hand and smiled, "There's no need for such formalities between us. By the way, there's something else," she paused slightly, "Didn't you ask me to keep an eye out for news about the Cangming Water Mansion? I just received word that the Great Sun True Flame within that Young Master Erqing's body has gone out of control again, and this time it's exceptionally fierce. Even the Water Mansion Master himself, along with several high-ranking Buddhist monks, couldn't suppress it. The situation seems very bad."

Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed in Chen Qing's eyes.

That Great Sun True Flame is so troublesome?

Just as he was about to ask more questions, he suddenly sensed something. Almost at the same time, Liu Shuang'er also seemed to sense something, and the two of them turned their heads and looked towards the courtyard gate.

A beam of light carrying a message passed through the courtyard's protective barrier and hovered in front of Chen Qing.

Chen Qing raised his hand to receive it, and with a quick probe of his divine sense, he discovered that Bai Shaoyou had sent another message.

The contents of the message made Chen Qing frown deeply.

He probed the communication talisman with his divine sense, and Bai Shaoyou's slightly anxious voice immediately came through—

"Master! The Cangming Water Palace is truly going too far! Today, an old monk with the Dharma name Shiren forcibly climbed the mountain with a visiting card from the Water Palace, demanding that the sect immediately find you to treat the young master of the Water Palace, Erqing! I received him with courtesy, explaining that you were traveling and your return date was uncertain, and that the treatment was only a temporary measure, not a cure. Unexpectedly, that old monk completely ignored me, his attitude arrogant and indifferent, as if my Mingxia Mountain owed him something!"

He paused here, seemingly suppressing his displeasure and anger, before continuing, "I had no choice but to see the guest off, but who knew that old monk would suddenly attack and try to capture me! Fortunately, the mountain-protecting formation and the innate illusionary formation activated on their own, trapping him for a moment and then driving him away, allowing me to escape! But after escaping, instead of restraining himself, he tried to storm the mountain, injuring all the guards my family had arranged and the guards left behind by An Ning Gun! In the end, it was only when Jun Youbian suddenly appeared and fought the old monk that he was barely forced back..."

Upon hearing this, a cold glint flashed in Chen Qing's eyes, but he still listened patiently.

Bai Shaoyou continued, "Even so, before leaving, that old monk stood outside the mountain gate and said that Mingxia Mountain was a den of iniquity, colluding with the demonic sect, harboring treacherous intentions, and had committed a grave mistake! He also issued an ultimatum, demanding that you, Master, ... personally go to Ling'ao Terrace in Wanghai City within ten days to treat Na'erqing, otherwise he would expose what Mingxia Mountain had done to the public, making Mingxia Mountain never have a peaceful day again!"

"No more peace? You've got quite the nerve!"

Upon seeing this, Chen Qing didn't get angry but laughed!
"What a wicked old monk! What a wicked Cangming Water Palace! They've been so domineering all this time, actually coming to my Mingxia Mountain to cause trouble, and even setting rules for me to treat their illness? Do they really think I, Chen Qing, am someone they can summon and dismiss at will?! They're really taking themselves too seriously!"

Despite this, he quickly pieced together the sequence of events in his mind.

"The situation of the young master of the Cangming Water Mansion may have deteriorated further. Moreover, the sudden arrival of eminent Buddhist monks, who resorted to threats after failing to visit him, is quite strange. There may be some hidden secrets behind it. But whatever the reason, such provocation cannot be tolerated, otherwise the consequences will be endless! Who knows, anyone might dare to come and run wild on the mountain in the future!"

Judging from Bai Shaoyou's description, the old monk Shiren was able to easily suppress the mountain-protecting formation and fight against the pseudonym Jun Youbian, the true master of the ink book, Jun Wuyai, and escape unscathed. His cultivation was by no means ordinary; he was at least one of the best at the Golden Core level!
Bai Shaoyou and his group were indeed unable to deal with enemies of this caliber.

"Jun Wuyai, due to his own cultivation technique and luck, lingered near Mingxia Mountain and made several moves, which relieved the immediate crisis. However, relying on outsiders is not a long-term solution."

In a flash, Chen Qing realized Mingxia Mountain's biggest disadvantage.

Too shallow a foundation!

To put it bluntly, the sect's rise to prominence was too short-lived, relying entirely on his personal reputation. Once Chen Qing left, the shortcomings of insufficient foundation were exposed.

Let alone a Golden Core cultivator, even a powerful Yin Spirit cultivator would be in danger of collapsing if he wasn't there!

"Currently, we seem to be enjoying a glamorous life thanks to the Bai family's connections and the Southern Yan Dynasty's slight favor. However, we are actually walking on thin ice. After all, these are external forces that can be relied upon temporarily, but not forever. If the sect wants to truly establish itself, it must ultimately rely on its own hard power. In addition to me being in charge, cultivating future talents is of utmost urgency. Furthermore, the mountain-protecting formation, offensive and defensive magic treasures, and the reserves of elixirs... all these foundations need to be strengthened as soon as possible."

With this thought in mind, Chen Qing had already made his decision.

While researching information is important in the Azure Wood Spirit Kingdom, the foundation of the sect is even more crucial! We must not allow external events to cause our sect to be bullied or shake its very foundation!
He immediately stood up and said to Liu Shuang'er and Mu Qingling, who had just returned, "Gentlemen, there has been a change at the mountain gate. An unruly guest has come and injured my disciples. I, Chen, must return to Mingxia Mountain immediately and can no longer linger in your country."

Upon hearing this, Liu Shuang'er's eyebrows shot up: "Who dares to be so bold? Should I summon the Demon-Slaying Guards for assistance?"

Mu Qingling also asked with concern, "Young Master Chen, would you like some people from my Qingmu Ling Kingdom to accompany you?"

"Thank you both for your kindness." Chen Qing shook his head and said, "These are just some clowns, no need for you two to trouble yourselves. I have my own ways of dealing with them. However, with this departure, the matter of consulting the classics will probably have to be postponed."

“It’s alright, there’s no rush. Besides, you’re not in the Azure Wood Spirit Kingdom, but we can still investigate. It’ll just be sent to your sect.” Liu Shuang’er said immediately. “You should go and deal with the sect matters first. If you need anything, just let me know! I won’t cause you any more trouble. I’ll go directly to the Patrol Division and help you find what you need.”

Mu Qingling also said, "Qingling wishes you a successful start, young master. If there is any new news, I will send you a message as soon as possible."

"Thank you both! I will remember your help forever!"

Chen Qing said no more, bowed slightly to the two of them, and with a flicker of his body, he transformed into a sharp streak of light and soared into the sky, about to leave.

"Sect Leader Chen, please wait!"

It was Mu Changchun, the ruler of Qingmu Kingdom, who, along with several elders and his entourage, hurriedly arrived in his radiant form upon hearing the news!

(End of this chapter)