Chapter 300: Return to the Chusheng Sect

Overseas, the waves surged, each crest like a thousand mountains.

"It's finally over."

As Guangming Arhat's avatar shattered and the 【Earthly Buddha Kingdom】 dimmed, Hong Ju and Xiang Ye, standing in the distance, finally exhaled, feeling a great weight lift from their shoulders.

After all, Guangming Arhat's oppressive aura was simply too powerful; not only did he have the backing of the Pure Land World Honored One, but his own strength was also terrifyingly formidable. In this era, 怕 only one person could surpass him. Thus, even though he had shown no interest in them, they still felt as if thorns were pricking their backs.

Especially Hong Ju, who let out a deep breath of turbid air.

As for Xiang Ye, he had long refined a Blessed Land; although he had not yet extracted his Golden Nature, he at least possessed the foundation to contend with Guangming Arhat.

But Hong Ju was different.

His entire life and destiny were tethered to Daoist Hong Yun's Golden Nature, fixed since birth; he possessed no Golden Nature of his own, nor could he possibly refine any Blessed Land.

Therefore, among those at the peak of Foundation Establishment, he was a blank slate; relying on profound techniques and methods, he might barely surpass Tian Qiu, but only by a hair's breadth. To say nothing of other things—if it had been him facing Guangming Arhat just now, he would likely have suffered heavy injuries and been forced to flee in disgrace.

"Let us go; we shall pay a visit to that Daoist Lu."

Xiang Ye took a deep breath, discarding any pretense of arrogance, and stepped forward respectfully, when suddenly a tremendous roar of surging water echoed through heaven and earth.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The source of the sound was none other than Lu Yang, seated cross-legged high in the firmament, his entire form enveloped in the myriad brilliant lights generated by the 【Xuandu Blessed Land】.

'Is he injured too?'

Xiang Ye felt uncertain and suspicious, thinking to himself:

'No, being injured is only to be expected; that is an Arhat! Even if it was merely an avatar, killing one without sustaining injury would require someone like Dang Mo... '

This guess was not entirely accurate; Lu Yang was indeed unharmed, not because of his strength, but because he had employed a clever trick, using the 【Separation and Union Jade Tablet】 obtained from the Dragon Palace Treasury to bear Guangming Arhat's attack, and now he was working to dissolve the Buddhist light and magic power within the tablet.

'That Arhat... does have some real skills.'

Lu Yang sat cross-legged, his hands forming the shape of holding a lotus, as surging magic power continuously flowed into the 【Separation and Union Jade Tablet】, yet he found it was like trying to fill a cart of firewood with a cup of water.

Vaguely, he seemed to see a gigantic palm.

The palm print was full and rounded, its five fingers smooth and plump, exuding an intent of "perfection" akin to pearl and jade; in a trance, Lu Yang could even hear the sound of sutra chanting emanating from within it.

Seeing this, Lu Yang narrowed his eyes slightly:

'If that palm had struck me squarely earlier, I would either be dead or half-crippled; the result would not have been a complete victory, but mutual destruction.'

Thinking of this, Lu Yang's eyes brightened slightly:

'Once I refine this palm strike, I can store it within the 【Separation and Union Jade Tablet】, and unleash it to attack enemies when necessary...'

To use their own way against them!

This was also the marvelous utility of the 【Separation and Union Jade Tablet】; otherwise, if it were merely a simple treasure for averting calamity, it would not have qualified to be stored in the Dragon Palace Treasury.

Lu Yang was still pondering.

Suddenly, his eyebrows lifted slightly as he saw two beams of escaping light descend gracefully from the distance; observing proper etiquette, they did not approach closely but instead bowed to him from afar:

"Xiang Ye of the Chusheng Sect."

"Hong Ju of the Chusheng Sect."

"Greetings, Daoist Friend!"

Both bowed simultaneously, leaving Suo Huan behind Lu Yang with an expression of complex speechlessness; both were cultivators from beyond the heavens, so why was the disparity in treatment so vast?

He had been overseas for hundreds of years, mostly addressed merely as a "wandering cultivator from beyond the heavens," never once called "Daoist Friend"; the four major powers had treated him like a worn-out shoe, yet Lu Yang had arrived less than a day ago, and True Persons from the Chusheng Sect had already sought him out to address him as a Daoist Friend.

"Greetings to both Daoist Friends."

Lu Yang did not put on airs; he rose and returned the bow, though he cast a slightly surprised glance at Xiang Ye, whose appearance and age were utterly different from what he remembered.

He had aged.

In Lu Yang's memory, Xiang Ye should have been a young Daoist priest, yet the Xiang Ye before him had become an elderly man with kind brows, benevolent eyes, white hair, and a youthful complexion.

His vitality was lacking; what was going on?

As if perceiving the confusion in Lu Yang's eyes, Xiang Ye smiled and said, "Letting the Daoist Friend see my embarrassment; this humble one previously fought a battle with that figure from the Pure Land as well. These are merely some slight aftereffects."

Xiang Ye spoke lightly, but when Lu Yang observed him with the 【Exquisite Heart】, he realized that in this lifetime, Xiang Ye likely had no more than thirty years left to live; his end was near.

The next moment, Xiang Ye stopped beating around the bush and asked directly:

"Could the Daoist Friend reveal the truth? Which True Person of our Holy Sect are you reincarnated from?"

Lu Yang: "..."

Who are you calling 'Holy Sect'!

"Daoist Friend, there is a misunderstanding." Lu Yang smiled slightly and said, "This humble one is a cultivator from beyond the heavens and has no relation whatsoever to the 'Holy Sect' you speak of."

"Really?"

I don't believe it!

Xiang Ye narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Lu Yang, while Lu Yang remained calm and met his gaze; after a moment of stalemate, it was Xiang Ye who broke the silence:

"Since the Daoist Friend is unwilling to speak, so be it. However, you have now thoroughly offended that figure from the Pure Land; if you continue to wander overseas, dangers will be everywhere. Why not come to our Holy Sect as a guest? To be honest with the Daoist Friend, I too am someone upon whom that figure from the Pure Land has planted a Buddhist affinity."

"Then I shall accept your kind invitation."

Faced with Xiang Ye's invitation, Lu Yang felt no inclination to reject it; after all, he had already swept the overseas regions clean, and the Jiange already had an avatar stationed there.

He had no connections in the Dao Court, and he could not go to the Pure Land.

Weighing his options, returning to the Chusheng Sect was naturally the most cost-effective choice.

However, speaking of which.

"Daoist Friend need not worry about the threat from that figure in the Pure Land for the time being." Lu Yang's expression remained calm: "Within approximately one year, he should be unable to emerge again."

Pure Land, Shengyi Shengming Precious Temple.

Originally named 【Fu Long Temple】.

Yet ever since Arhat Guangming was born in this place, the temple had changed its name, its scale growing day by day, and its number of monks becoming countless.

At this moment, however, within the Shengyi Shengming Precious Temple, emotions ran high; one by one, the monks looked at the towering Buddha statue in the main hall with anger, fear, or terror, for they saw that the previously perfect and flawless Buddhist light atop the statue had suddenly collapsed at one corner, causing part of its divine mystery to scatter into nothingness!

"How can this be? How can this be!"

Seeing this, a monk's chest heaved violently; he could barely control his Dharma body, sweat pouring down profusely, until the novice monk beneath the Buddha statue opened his eyes, bringing some measure of stability.

"Arhat!"

Upon seeing this scene, the monk nearly screamed aloud, and the previously panicked assembly of monks quickly steadied themselves, displaying expressions of relief.

After all, the one who died overseas was merely an avatar.

Now that the Arhat's true self had awakened and emerged from seclusion, he could immediately rush over and kill the offender; who could stop him?

Under the expectant gazes of the crowd, Guangming Arhat did not delay, stating directly: "I shall enter seclusion for one year; from today onward, all cultivators of the Pure Land will enter seclusion with me."

"Huh?"

The multitude of monks instantly froze in shock.

Just like that? With his avatar destroyed, he didn't plan to seek revenge?

For a moment, several of the sharper monks unconsciously held their breath; connecting this with the changes observed on the Buddha statue, a guess already formed in their minds:

Could it be that the Arhat lost more than just his avatar...?

But that was merely a wandering cultivator from beyond the heavens.

How did he manage it?

Guangming Arhat paid no heed to the shifting expressions of the crowd; instead, he closed his eyes once more, turning his gaze inward to examine himself, before sinking into deep contemplation.

'What an excellent method for reducing one's life span.'

'Not only did the 【Past Body】 die, but its life span was also mysteriously stripped away completely; it will take at least a year to recover...'

Thinking of this, Guangming Arhat frowned slightly.

'There is still no clue regarding that Immortal Spirit either; continuing like this, gathering the four disciples will likely remain a distant hope... At this point, it seems I must find another path.'

(End of Chapter)