Chapter 222

The next morning.

Dawn had just broken.

Under Liaokong Dashi's guidance, Qin Shuo had already passed through layer upon layer of halls and arrived before an ancient, smooth stone wall on the back mountain of Dalong Temple.

On the stone wall, a pair of long-faded palm prints could be vaguely seen, exuding an air of vicissitudes while also carrying a familiar aura that Qin Shuo could sense.

"Dragon Elephant Divine Ability."

Through the unique aura fluctuations, Qin Shuo could clearly perceive that these palm prints on the stone wall were left by someone using divine ability.

"This is the entrance to my Dalong Temple's Divine Ability Secret Realm, left by our founding ancestor, Longxiang Sheng Seng."

Liaokong Dashi, rarely restraining his smile, wore a solemn expression as he pressed his fleshy palms into the palm prints on the stone wall.

The next second, the sole of his right foot blazed with dazzling radiance, like a small sun exploding beneath his foot.

Brilliant golden light instantly spread across his entire body, even rendering his snow-white long eyebrows a radiant gold, the golden luster shimmering brightly.

"Dragon Elephant Relic."

Qin Shuo's eyes flickered slightly.

In that instant, he understood what Liaokong Dashi's foot was emitting golden light from.

It was precisely the second piece of Buddha Bone Relic left by Longxiang Sheng Seng.

The relic's golden light flowed like water along the palm into the stone wall.

The next moment, the stone wall rippled like water, transforming into a golden archway.

Qin Shuo lifted his gaze and saw within it golden light blazing brightly, like a vast golden sea, obscuring any distinct scenery.

Chijiao Heshang stepped his foot into the archway, and Qin Shuo closely followed.

As soon as he stepped in, Qin Shuo felt his entire body sink, as if immersed in a mire.

But upon careful sensing, he discovered this was due to the Heavenly Essence within the secret realm being far denser than that of the outside world.

However, compared to the Divine Weapon Secret Realm of the Sun-Shooting Divine Bow, the essence here was already quite thin.

Evidently, after enduring thousands of years, this blessed secret realm left by Longxiang Sheng Seng was nearing exhaustion.

Clouds light and wind high, this was a lone peak.

The narrow mountain summit was covered in accumulated snow and frost; beneath a verdant pine entwined with vines, an old monk resembling withered wood sat cross-legged on a withered stone.

Around them, seas of clouds surged, at times transforming into azure dragons roaming, at times into old elephants wandering.

Faintly, Buddhist chants and Zen singing echoed in the high heavens,

as if three thousand golden-body arhats, five hundred radiant-light bodhisattvas, and buddhas of the three ages were together reciting scriptures, delivering all heavens.

"Master, this is Qin Shuo." Chijiao Heshang bowed to the old monk.

"Ku Ci Dashi!" Qin Shuo also stepped forward respectfully.

Ku Ci Dashi slowly opened his eyes; the turbid pupils flashed with brilliance, his gaze falling like a torch upon Qin Shuo.

With just a glance, it seemed he had seen through all of Qin Shuo's details.

"Patron, your external training is formidable!"

The old monk's eyes were like golden lamps, with golden light hidden in their depths.

"Eh?"

Suddenly, the golden light in his eyes condensed, instantly blazing like the sun, his face showing a hint of astonishment,

"This is……Dragon Elephant Golden Body?"

"Exactly."

Qin Shuo nodded truthfully.

"At such a young age, to have cultivated the external training left by this old monk's disciple to such a level—truly extraordinary talent!"

The old monk's golden light retracted, his face full of praise.

"Master flatters me."

Qin Shuo clasped his hands in salute, his attitude humble.

"But alas, the second level of Dragon Elephant Divine Ability requires not merely a formidable physique, but also a profound understanding of Vajra Buddha Nature, to resonate with the holy monk's will.

For a thousand years, my Dalong Temple has seen countless astonishing talents, yet none have earned the holy monk's recognition or received the complete transmission."

Ku Ci Dashi slightly shook his head, clearly not optimistic about Qin Shuo's quest for enlightenment this time.

"Since the junior has come, he must try; please, Master, fulfill this." Qin Shuo's expression was resolute.

"Very well."

The old monk lightly flicked his sleeve, speaking calmly:

"Since the patron has returned the Dragon Elephant Relic to our temple, I, Dalong Temple, owe the patron a favor.

This time, whether the patron succeeds or not, the old monk will certainly do his utmost to assist."

"Then many thanks, Master." Qin Shuo bowed again.

Seeing this, Ku Ci Dashi said no more, exchanged a glance with Chijiao Heshang, who then sat cross-legged on the ground, forming hand seals.

The next second, golden light blazed at his foot, and a foot bone emitting golden Buddha light floated out from his sole.

At the same time, golden light blazed at Ku Ci Dashi's brow, and shortly after, a Buddha bone-shaped relic slowly floated out from his brow, emitting soft Buddha light.

Immediately after, Chijiao Heshang reached into his bosom and took out the finger bone Qin Shuo had returned.

The three holy monk's relics mutually sensed each other, hovering in midair arranged in a triangular formation, like a small golden sun, emitting boundless Buddha light.

"Once the Buddha Bone Relic is refined, it becomes linked to one's cultivation and life force; once detached, lightly one's cultivation is ruined, heavily one loses one's life."

Chijiao Heshang's face turned pale, yet his voice remained loud and forceful.

"By borrowing the secret realm's power, I and my master can barely sustain its detachment for three hours."

"After three hours, whether you succeed in your contemplation or not, we will retrieve the Buddha Bone Relic."

"Thank you, two masters, for your assistance!"

Qin Shuo took a deep breath, sat cross-legged, and tightly gripped the three Dragon Elephant Relics in his palm, closing his eyes to focus.

Hum!

Almost the moment he grasped the three Buddha Bone Relics, a vast and ancient will surged from the relics, instantly overwhelming his mind and spirit.

Seeing Qin Shuo had already entered meditation, the pale-faced Ku Ci Dashi spoke softly:

"Liaokong, is your action perhaps too reckless?

This youth bears too heavy a killing aura; even with exceptional talent, he may hardly gain the approval of a holy monk's will."

The barefoot monk glanced at the black-clad youth enveloped in golden light, slowly rose, and walked to stand beside his master, calmly saying:

"Master, rest assured, Qin Shuo is a person of great karmic affinity.

He was able to comprehend the Dragon Elephant Divine Ability merely from a fragment of a Saint's Relic Bone, suggesting he too is recognized by the ancestral masters; he should come to no harm."

As the two conversed, Qin Shuo's mind and spirit had already entered the Taotie Cauldron.

With outsiders present, he did not directly place the three Dragon Elephant Relics into the cauldron, but instead only imprinted the Martial Saint's will lingering within the relics.

Hum!

The instant his mind and spirit touched the phantom images of the three relics within the cauldron, a line of text instantly appeared beneath the Taotie Cauldron.

【Ingredients: Saint Relic Bone, Dragon Elephant Relic (Complete)】

【Refinement Yields: Dragon Elephant Divine Ability (Threefold)】

【Current Refinement Progress: Dragon Elephant Divine Ability First Layer!】

【Current Refinable Node: Dragon Elephant Divine Ability Second Layer!】

【Refinement Condition 1: Vajra Buddha Nature Perfected (Completed)】

【Refinement Condition 2: Vajra Body Perfected (Completed)】

【Refinement Condition 3: Dragon Elephant Intent Perfected (Completed)】

【Refinement Effect: Divine Ability · Great Dragon Elephant Force, Second Layer, Ten-Elephant Strength, Heavenly Dragon Soul!】

【Note: To achieve the second layer of the divine ability, one must fully inherit the Martial Saint's will to comprehend the true essence of Dragon Elephant and obtain the complete divine ability!】

【Current energy sufficient, proceed with refinement?】