Chapter 643: Let's make a deal

That's not entirely wrong; Ye Qin didn't deny it, saying, "What Elder Seven says is correct, but those Dao Sect folks aren't pushovers either. It'd be best if they fought each other to mutual ruin."

"You little brat, you're really a crafty one!" Hong Qigong curled his lip, and finally had no choice but to lead the Beggar Sect members behind the Dao Sect disciples, heading toward the Young Forest mountain gate.

Moments later.

What, is Young Forest going to block us?

An old Daoist coldly questioned: "Back then you Young Forest repeatedly promised not to reopen within a hundred years, yet now you openly violate the agreement—could it be you wish to be enemies of the world?"

Duzhen glanced coolly at this group of hypocritical Daoists, his face sombre, and said: "First let them enter, then sit in the Young Forest Martial Arts Field. Also have someone brew good tea and serve the finest tea to all heroes under heaven—make sure to treat them well."

The Dao Sect disciples and Qin Lake people behind him were stunned, secretly thinking: "This genius head of the Dharma Courtyard is indeed extraordinary."

Ordinary monks would probably have already flared up in anger or argued vehemently, blocking them at the gate—but this Duzhen monk is different; he chose courtesy before force.

Ye Qin mingled in the crowd, muttering: "With this person in Young Forest, great rise is inevitable. Only, Young Forest's years of foundation will likely have to be partly drawn out."

But since he came to watch the show, he went along inside—at least he could have a cup of Young Forest tea.

Martial Arts Field.

Young Forest had already set up countless seats, brought over a few tables, laid out precious tea, to entertain the Qin Lake people under heaven.

After everyone was seated, Duzhen spoke loudly: "Everyone, I have long known your purpose. Decades ago, Young Forest and all the sects under heaven indeed had an agreement. But you should all understand that times have changed; Young Forest cannot forever stay hidden in the mountains. The mountain gate will reopen soon—state any demands you have!"

He stated his point clearly from the start, and everyone suddenly understood. Young Forest was laying things out openly—they acknowledged the old agreement, but also accepted the matter of reopening the mountain gate.

"Young monk, Young Forest doing this isn't proper!" an old Daoist said after a moment's thought, his voice low.

"Back then you said, 'Close the mountains,' and with a sentence sent all heroes under heaven to fight the Jin people. Now the world is gradually stabilizing, and you want to reopen the mountain gate to grab a share? There's no such good thing in the world."

At that moment, another old Daoist also spoke coldly, a chill flashing in his eyes.

"All the world's believers have already been divided up; Young Forest coming to join the fun is just snatching food from everyone's hands. Who would be willing?" a Qin Lake man said mockingly.

Now that profits are being divided up, nobody feels good about it.

Still others remained silent, but their eyes said everything. Monk Duzhen saw it clearly and couldn't help chuckling: "Gentlemen, as long as you let Young Forest reopen its mountain gate, and as long as Young Forest can afford the price, go ahead and open it."

But he had one more thing unsaid in his heart: if Young Forest couldn't afford the price, it would definitely not pay.

Who would have thought—an old Daoist shook his head and sneered: "Want to pay a price for the chance to reopen the mountain gate? Not likely. As long as Young Forest keeps the mountains closed, we'll leave right away!"

Reopening the mountain gate is impossible; reopening equals snatching benefits from their bowls. This mysterious thing called qi fortune can boost cultivation speed, even more important than elixirs.

Even if Young Forest offered some benefits, nobody would yield.

"Gentlemen, closing the mountains is impossible. You'd better propose other conditions; otherwise I won't care about you." Duzhen shrugged, speaking calmly.

Whether you talk or not, Young Forest doesn't care if you support or oppose.

At that moment, an old Daoist suddenly said sternly: "So you mean Young Forest must reopen its mountain gate? Little monk, are you planning to have a showdown with us?"

The atmosphere instantly turned tense; this group of old Daoists is not to be provoked.

Want to share qi fortune? Not a chance!

Duzhen coldly swept his gaze over the crowd and said: "If we fight, we fight—Young Forest fears not this rabble of yours!"

The crowd: "……"

Is Young Forest really that arrogant?

Negotiations failed; in the end we must settle this with force!

"If we fight, we fight," Monk Duzhen said, confident in his extraordinary talent and peerless strategy, having long expected these people wouldn't give up easily. Though he had once held a sliver of hope for talks, he was now utterly disappointed and ordered a young monk: "Go ask the grandmaster-uncle to come out of seclusion."

For this day they had prepared for over a month; they could not possibly give up lightly.

The old Daoists felt a tightening in their hearts; although prepared, they still sensed heavy pressure. Young Forest's heritage is no shorter than the Dao Sect's, its foundations extremely deep. One old Daoist pondered and said: "It seems Young Forest intends to reveal its trump cards directly—today's battle, no matter the outcome, we must give it our all!"

"Why not let Hong Qigong act?" someone suggested, after all Hong Qigong is one of the Five Absolutes, an Early Heaven Realm expert.

However, the newly appointed Old Daoist Zhang of the Heavenly Master Dao shook his head: "Hong Qigong is a Beggar Sect member, unsuitable for this conflict. Since Young Forest dares to reveal its trump cards, it surely considered facing him. Thus we need to nominate someone stronger. In my view, Daoist Lin of the Divine Heaven Sect has profound cultivation, once a once-in-a-century genius; let him represent all Dao Sect families in battle, decide victory in one clash—what do you think?"

The surrounding Dao Sect people nodded in agreement: "Daoist Lin is indeed suitable, able to fully represent all our Dao Sect families!"

As for the Qin Lake Sect, they no longer have a say at this point.

The Dao Sect may keep a low profile, but its strength is not weak—even Hong Qigong dares not provoke it lightly, let alone the Qin Lake forces lacking an Early Heaven expert as their trump card. At most they can rely on the Dao Sect to survive, usually just picking up small gains.

Elsewhere, the Buddhist Sect rear courtyard.

"Grandmaster-uncle, Senior Brother Duzhen sent us to greet you as you leave seclusion!" several young monks respectfully said to an elder wearing a red kasaya. That old monk had white brows and hair, a compassionate expression, and a string of huge Buddhist beads around his neck, each the size of a baby's fist. The old monk slowly opened his eyes and said: "Amitabha, let's go."

For the flourishing of the Buddhist Sect, he had to make this trip—this does not count as exposing Young Forest's trump cards.

On the Martial Arts Field, the old monk walked slowly, gazing at the Dao Sect elders and many martial arts masters present, and couldn't help sighing softly: "Why not travel a thousand miles to come join the fun at my Young Forest? In troubled times Young Forest saves people; in prosperous times it spreads teachings. Whether to emerge or retreat, it is Young Forest's own choice—what does it have to do with you heroes? Do not be those who block the road, or the Buddha will blame you." The old monk's plain words seemed to carry some power, making people unconsciously ponder: Is obstructing Young Forest's mountain‑gate reopening a sin?

After all, Young Forest also has a compassionate side.

The Heavenly Master Dao's Old Daoist Zhang's face fell, unable to hold back: "You… you haven't even entered nirvana yet? Faxiang Chan Master, didn't you announce fifty years ago that you were closing up for good?"

He had thought this old monk was long dead, but who knew this old fellow was still alive, and looking spirited, likely able to live several more decades.

"Amitabha, since benefactor Zhang is still alive, how could I have entered nirvana?" the Faxiang monk shook his head and advised: "You'd better go down the mountain; Young Forest will pretend nothing happened, and from now on everyone in the Qin Lake region will rely on their own abilities."

Upon hearing that, the Heavenly Master Dao's Old Daoist Zhang's face darkened further, he glared angrily: "Faxiang Chan Master, you practice dry Chan, which still differs from orthodox Young Forest Buddhism—why contend for a Buddhism that isn't yours?"

Old Daoist Zhang simply didn't understand; there is a huge difference between Chan and Mahayana Buddhism.

And this Great Faxiang Chan Master is an old divine monk whose martial arts had already broken into the Early Heaven Realm over fifty years ago; now no one knows how strong he is. Old Daoist Zhang's only worry is whether the person they plan to send out is a match.

"Benefactor Zhang, you're fixated on appearances. In my view, whether it's Mahayana Buddhism, Theravada Buddhism, or any sect's Chan, they are all part of the Buddhist Sect. Only when combined do they constitute the Buddhist Sect. I act for the Buddhist Sect, not for Young Forest." The Old Faxiang monk explained calmly. Seeing the Dao Sect families' grim faces, he added: "Gentlemen, since we've decided to settle this with force, then come on. I haven't been idle these years."

Old Daoist Zhang's face grew grim; he could only tell a nearby Daoist: "Daoist Lin, get ready to strike. The arrow is nocked—we have no choice but to release."

!

That Daoist nodded and reassured: "Don't worry, I'm confident."

Then he stepped forward, holding a fly whisk, and said to the Old Faxiang monk: "Master, let us each fight one bout—win or loss will decide whether Young Forest can reopen its mountain gate—what do you think?"

No one knows how many such old monsters Young Forest still has—after all, its transmission spans years; who knows how many sweeping monks from decades or centuries ago remain?

"Sure!" the Faxiang Chan Master nodded heavily, slowly took down the large Buddhist beads from his neck, and said in a deep voice: "This battle concerns the future of the Buddhist Sect and the Dao Sect; I will not hold back, nor will I give you an opening."

Beside him, Monk Duzhen also nodded slowly, indicating his agreement with the Old Faxiang Divine Monk's words and taking responsibility for this matter.

Even Old Daoist Zhang of the Celestial Masters Dao chimed in: "I agree too—one battle will decide the outcome. If the Daoist Sect loses, we will take all Daoist schools and the Qin Lake schools and depart; if the Young Forest loses, we will close the mountain for a hundred years and not reopen!"

"Good!" The Dharma Appearance Old Monk nodded, then said to Duzhen: "I will do my utmost. In ten years, if there is turmoil on the grasslands, you shall lead the Young Forest staff monks to the rescue!"

Upon hearing this, aside from Ye Qin, nobody else paid much attention. Ye Qin, however, grew solemn: "This old monk actually can foresee future events?"

It is truly astonishing!

If his prediction is not off, the Mongol army will advance southward in these years. Once the Jin Kingdom falls, the grasslands and Southern Song will naturally come to oppose each other.

At that moment, the old Daoist paid no heed to those matters, and said calmly: "I am the humble Daoist Lin Ling Su, newly appointed as the ancestral master of the Divine Heaven Sect, and have come specially to seek instruction from the Dharma Appearance Chan Master on the Buddha Dharma."

"Hiss, it's actually him! Lin Ling Su, the sole founder of the Divine Heaven Sect, isn't dead?"

"Several decades or even a century have passed; I don't know how profound this old senior's power has become, but I fear he has already broken into the Innate realm and become a peerless master."

"I estimate he's even stronger."

Lin Ling Su revealed his identity, startling many. This person, who once wandered between Qin Lake and the imperial court, was a Daoist Sect genius, also once a martial arts master, and had gained deep trust from the imperial court, assisting in establishing the Daoist Sect's Divine Heaven Sect to wield thunder.

Ye Qin didn't know whether this Old Daoist Lin had mastered the art of thunder, but back then Lin Ling Su's talent for deceiving the imperial court was absolutely top-notch. Don't look at how Hong Qigong could freely come and go in the imperial palace to grab food—that was merely because the imperial court felt the Beggars' Sect had become restrained over the years and could occasionally obtain enemy intelligence, which is why they tacitly allowed it.

Back then, Lin Ling Su even dared to reveal the existence of martial arts before the imperial court, and the imperial court ultimately funded his establishment of the Divine Heaven Sect—no small feat. How many people in the world could achieve such a level?

Finally, Old Daoist Zhang, seeing that the time was about right, shouted at the two people in the center of the martial arts arena: "Let's begin—better to finish early so we can head back!"

One side is one of the low-key leaders of the Daoist Sect, the other is a formerly gifted divine monk of the Buddhist Sect—who will win or lose remains unknown!

During the fierce clash between the Daoist and Buddhist sects, everyone's attention was drawn to them. Lin Ling Su waved his fly whisk, attacking the Dharma Appearance Chan Master, while the latter held a large Buddhist bead as a weapon to meet the attack. At their level of Realm, even ordinary objects can be transformed into divine weapons and Sharp Instrument.

"Amitabha Buddha!" the Dharma Appearance Chan Master loudly intoned the Buddha's name, then swiftly swept toward Lin Ling Su; the prayer beads danced like thunder, their might shaking the entire Young Forest martial arts arena.

Lin Ling Su was no ordinary opponent; with a backhand flick of his fly whisk, he neutralized the Dharma Appearance Chan Master's attack and seized the chance to engage in close combat, not yielding an inch.

"Infinite Heavenly Venerable!" Though both are aged, they show no signs of frailty; instead, they are spirited and clear-eyed, as if reborn, letting many Qin Lake observers secretly marvel, "Is this what a showdown of top-tier masters looks like?"

"Too amazing—their Realm has surpassed ordinary Innate, reaching the stage of divine transformation; they may have attained an unimaginable Realm." Even Hong Qigong, upon seeing this, felt shocked in his heart. Each of their moves is so pure yet contains tremendous power; a slight mistake could lead to defeat.

What lies above the Innate Realm, Hong Qigong also doesn't know, but he faintly senses that there must be an even higher Realm; otherwise, such miraculous techniques would be impossible.

This great battle left many people staring agape.

"Is this the foundation of the Buddhist and Daoist Sects? It's truly terrifying—their strength far exceeds our imagination."

"They have probably surpassed the realm of ordinary martial artists; the saying "Below Innate are ants" is indeed true. The Buddhist and Daoist Sects have always stayed low-key, but in recent years, among the Five Absolutes, no one has dared openly provoke these two sects—it seems there is good reason for that."

"Too strong—I can't even make out their moves…" Many martial artists who haven't reached the Innate Realm felt that the two individuals in the center of the martial arts arena were like earthly immortals, opening their eyes to new horizons. (End of chapter)