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

Chapter 302: There is always a mountain higher than another
"It really is mine!"

Chen Qing's eyes narrowed, his heart churning with turmoil, but his face remained impassive.

The old monk Jingyan seemed oblivious to Chen Qing's unusual behavior. Pointing to the bronze jue, he addressed the crowd, saying, "This treasure is called Inviting the Moon. It is an ancient relic containing the universe within, capable of absorbing moonlight and brewing pure moon dew. It has the wondrous effect of cleansing the soul and enlightening wisdom. Furthermore, it can connect with past enlightenments and ask questions of predecessors. Those with deep affinity can even comprehend supreme Dharma! Today, we are opening the seal. We invite all fellow Daoists to taste this dew and observe its affinity."

Inviting the Moon?
Pure Moon Sweet Rain?
Upon hearing this, Chen Qing's eyelids twitched.

They've usurped the place, even changed the name, and I have no idea how this thing ended up in the hands of the Buddhist community.

That "pure moon sweet rain" is probably something that the Buddhists concocted using the characteristics of this wine vessel, with the power of incense and the power of Buddhist vows, and is definitely not the original intoxicating brew in the wine vessel!

But then again, once you've entered the Buddhist order, if alcohol is still served inside, it just doesn't suit your taste.

He was thinking.

The old monk Jingyan continued, "However, this extraordinary treasure possesses a spirit and chooses its own master. Later, I will activate the sweet rain within the vessel, and the falling rain will have its own mysteries. However, if someone can resonate with this treasure, they may be able to glimpse its deeper secrets, or even gain its approval. It is fate that they may obtain this treasure as a companion!" As he spoke, his gaze inadvertently swept over Chen Qing.

Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the room immediately became much more enthusiastic!
If we could gain the approval of this ancient treasure, wouldn't that be an incredible stroke of luck?
For a time, everyone was eager to make a name for themselves. They knew that in the past, during Buddhist gatherings, some unexpected figures had emerged and returned with great success. Although most of them later converted to Buddhism, they all achieved great things and were the envy of others.

Seeing this, the old monk Jingyan said no more. He formed a mudra with his hands and began chanting. Golden rays of Buddhist light flowed into the "Inviting the Moon Cup" like trickling streams.

"Om-"

The bronze jue trembled slightly, and the illusory crescent moon on the rim of the cup suddenly brightened, its cool moonlight shining brightly, enveloping half of the Merit Pool.

A gurgling sound arose from within the vessel, and an increasingly rich fragrance spread, invigorating the spirit and sharpening the mind, causing everyone to focus their attention on the treasure.

Within the goblet, a clear, translucent liquid, shimmering with moonlight, gradually condensed, threatening to overflow!

Everyone held their breath, staring intently at the "pure moon rain" that was about to fall.

"Wow—"

Amidst the watchful eyes of the crowd, moonlit rain poured down from the "Inviting the Moon" vessel, like silk and mist, enveloping the pond's edge.

As everyone bathed in it, they suddenly felt their minds clear, and the slight blockages in their past cultivation seemed to loosen!

Chen Qing also felt the sweet rain on his body, and the cool sensation seemed to penetrate into his body. Hidden within it was a gentle, alien will, as if trying to probe his roots and stir his thoughts.

"Ok?"

With a thought, his energy flowed naturally throughout his body, sealing off all his orifices and instantly transforming himself into an impenetrable wall, completely isolating the sweet rain and his will that were trying to seep in.

Immediately, the will dissipated, but Gan Lin remained unchanged.

"There is indeed something strange about this, but it seems that there is some kind of mystery hidden in this sweet rain..."

Suddenly, a thought stirred in his heart, and the half-dormant Demon Buddha Dao Fruit in his Purple Mansion trembled slightly, emitting a trace of annihilating Buddhist aura.

In an instant, the surrounding sweet rain trembled, and then, like swallows returning to the forest, it was all drawn in and absorbed by the lingering charm of the fruit, condensing in the Purple Palace and transforming into a point of moonlight!
Using the sweet rain and moonlight as a bridge, Chen Qing's divine sense, like silk threads, flowed against the current, extending towards the bronze jue in the pool, attempting to sense its profound mysteries.

On the high platform, the old monk Jingyan, along with several eminent monks from places like Little Sumeru Mountain and Dalun Temple, all focused their gazes on Chen Qing, their eyes filled with anticipation. They wanted to use this "pure moon sweet rain" to truly understand his true nature and test his character.

However, several breaths had passed since the rain fell, and Chen Qing's aura remained stable, his expression unchanged. Not to mention causing any unusual phenomena, he did not even reveal a trace of Buddhist light. Compared with the cultivators around him who either looked relaxed or showed signs of progress, he appeared quite ordinary.

"what?"

"This child didn't react at all?"

"Strange, could it be that my previous judgment was wrong?"

The monks exchanged glances, their brows furrowed, and they all saw doubt and disappointment in each other's eyes.

The old monk Jingyan's eyes flickered slightly as he recalled the scene when he first met Chen Qing a few days ago. Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he looked up at the ancient mirror floating above the temple.

"Could it be that this affinity with Buddhism is actually within that Dharma Mirror?"

Just then, something unexpected happened!
"Buzz!"

First, a middle-aged rogue cultivator sitting in the corner suddenly burst forth with energy, his cultivation, which had been stuck at a bottleneck for many years, suddenly broke through, causing a fluctuation in the surrounding spiritual energy!
His face lit up with ecstasy, and he was so excited that he could hardly contain himself.

Immediately afterwards, in a corner of the crowd, a young monk dressed in a brocade robe suddenly emanated a soft and pure Buddhist light, and a halo appeared behind his head!

In an instant, the person became solemn and dignified, and unconsciously began to recite scriptures, which were in perfect harmony with the sweet rain, arousing the Buddha-nature hidden deep within him!
"It's Brother Miaoyin from Jinguang Temple! He's actually manifesting Buddha's light!"

"Such pure Buddha-nature!"

The attention of several high-ranking monks was also drawn to it, and they nodded slightly, revealing expressions of approval. But this was not the end!
"Crash-"

As the sound of flowing water arose, everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a woman in white with a cool and aloof temperament sitting cross-legged with her eyes closed. Around her body, there were tiny, crystalline ice flowers that condensed and drifted, and the phantom of an ice crystal jade tree was faintly visible behind her!

In an instant, a chill filled the air, yet a vibrant life force was brewing within!

"This woman is... a descendant of the Northern Ice Soul Immortal Palace!"

"She actually used this sweet rain to reveal the true meaning of her own Taoist magic!"

This extraordinary phenomenon was on a higher level than the previous manifestation of Buddha's light, attracting even more attention.

"This woman...is extraordinary!"

Then a white-bearded monk stroked his beard and nodded. This monk was dressed in a moon-white robe and was one of the eminent monks who had come from Little Sumeru Mountain to observe the ceremony.

"Buddhist affinity is mysterious and unpredictable; indeed, there is always someone better..."

He was about to ask about the woman's situation when suddenly his expression froze!
At the same time, many people felt a sudden stirring in their hearts, and they all looked in the same direction!
Where everyone's eyes met, a wandering Taoist priest dressed in an old Taoist robe suddenly trembled violently in the rain. He abruptly raised his head, looked up at the sky, and stared blankly into the distance!
Above him, the light and shadow distorted, and the dripping rain gradually outlined a blurry, ancient phantom!

It seemed to be an ancient cultivator standing with his hands behind his back. Although his face was indistinct, he had an air of dominance over the world!

"A junior from a later generation can actually trigger the lingering charm of 'Drunken Immortal Brew' and glimpse a trace of the Dao I left in this vessel?" The ancient cultivator's phantom actually spoke in human language, his voice ethereal, as if it had traveled across countless ages!

"Senior!" The wandering Taoist priest's voice trembled with excitement as he hurriedly bowed. "This junior has encountered an opportunity by chance and hopes that senior will guide me through my confusion!"

A person and a shadow, right before everyone's eyes, actually transcended time and space to have a conversation!
"Communicating with the remnants of an ancient cultivator! What an incredible opportunity!"

"It is said that ancient powerful beings could leave indestructible Dao traces in their magical treasures or frequently used items. Those destined to obtain these traces in later generations could connect with them and inherit their legacy!"

"This child's destiny is astounding!"

The entire hall was shaken, and even several eminent monks were suddenly moved. Their attention was completely drawn to the wandering cultivator, and no longer paid any attention to Chen Qing, who sat quietly on the futon.

Only the old monk Jingyan's gaze occasionally fell on Chen Qing, with a hint of expectation.

The white-bearded monk then came to the side, followed Jingyan's gaze, and then put his hands together and sighed softly: "Amitabha, Brother Jingyan, this time the sweet rain has fallen everywhere, and many people have manifested their opportunities. This is all a sign of the great prosperity of our Buddhism and the flourishing of the Dharma."

He paused slightly, then changed his tone: "As for this Benefactor Chen, perhaps his opportunity has not yet arrived, or perhaps he has another destiny. The matter of the true Buddha is of great importance and is ethereal and elusive. Forcing it will only create attachment. It is better to focus on the tangible karmic connections in front of you. We still need more verification, so there is no need to rush."

Upon hearing this, the old monk Jingyan clasped his hands together, lowered his eyelids slightly, and uttered the Buddhist chant: "Amitabha."

Seeing this, the white-bearded monk knew that the man's mind had not changed, so he said nothing more and turned his gaze to those who were shining brightly in the arena, having his own plans.

At that moment, Chen Qing slowly opened his eyes.

He glanced at the Taoist priest who was talking to the ancient cultivator's illusory figure, then looked away and focused his gaze on the bronze wine vessel.

His divine sense had just reached Jue's body, following the sweet rain.

That familiar fluctuation was indeed "Thousand Days of Intoxication," but it was also noticeably different. The inner spirituality that had once been connected to Chen Qing's blood-refining will was completely gone, replaced by an unfamiliar fluctuation of will!

"It feels like the original soul has left, leaving only the empty shell of this bronze jue, which has been taken over by another will!"

Chen Qing narrowed his eyes, his face showing displeasure. After all, this was a magic weapon that he had obtained from the treasure pavilion, but its contents had been switched. He naturally felt like his home had been stolen!
"The cold, clear moonlight reflected on the rim of the cup is not of this cup; it was forcibly imprinted there, more like a seal! Beneath this seal lies the so-called remnant spirit of an ancient cultivator..."

With this thought in mind, Chen Qing glanced at the wandering Taoist priest who was too excited to contain himself, and then looked at the seemingly unfathomable phantom, his eyes turning slightly cold.

"Playing tricks! They seem profound, but they're just using the bronze jue (a type of ancient Chinese wine vessel) as a shell to swindle and deceive people! But it's fine, according to the old monk's rules, as long as the process is complete and they receive the treasure, even if the result is bizarre, they can only accept it with a grimace!"

With this thought in mind, he no longer hesitated. He activated the weak connection between himself and this noble, while simultaneously activating the nihilistic Buddhist aura of the half-demon Buddha Dao Fruit in his Purple Mansion!
Two forces, one originating from the Lord of the Past and the other from the Sovereign of the Present, merged at this moment, transcending the void and pointing directly at the bronze goblet in the pool!

"Buzz!"

In an instant, the bronze jue, which had been trembling slightly and pouring out "pure moon sweet rain", suddenly shook and emitted a muffled hum!

On the body of the vessel, the mottled rust seemed to come alive, flowing like ripples on water!

The cold moon's reflection on the rim of the cup shimmered and flickered erratically!
"Um?!"

On the high platform, the ancient cultivator's illusory figure, who was enjoying the reverent gaze of the wandering Taoist and feeling the awe of all around, suddenly froze with composure and inscrutable composure!
He suddenly turned his head, his eyes flashing with a mixture of shock and anger!

"Who are you, brat! How dare you disturb my sacred carriage and steal the essence of this precious artifact?!"

(End of this chapter)