Chapter 91: World Honored One, Bright Honored One, Buddha

The setting sun had gradually sunk; slowly, there was no light left on the sea surface.

The night was more frightening than the day, and the sea at night was even more terrifying than in daytime.

When the surroundings turned completely pitch black and no glimmer of light could be seen, Niu Dingtian's heart began to feel true fear.

At that moment, he felt as if he were drifting aimlessly in a chaos, unable to tell direction, and only the invisible shark fin in his hand could give him a sliver of security.

He clung tightly to the shark fin in his hand, refusing to let go, not minding when the waves might slap his face; he no longer had the thought to greet Huang Lao Xie.

He also finally remembered what the other had said before leaving: there are two sea vessels on the north shore.

As it turns out

I'm basically courting death myself!

Huh?

No!

How did it slow down?

He suddenly noticed something strange beneath him—how could the shark's swimming speed suddenly slow? Not long after, it actually came to a complete stop.

He dared not be careless, struggling to control his swaying body, he lifted one hand and lightly patted the shark's back a few times, but after a long while there was no response, and the whole fish remained motionless.

Playing dead, huh?

Without hesitation, he struck the fish's head hard a few more times.

Still no movement?

Really dead?

Fuck!

Niu Dingtian was dumbfounded!

As expected, the shark's belly began to turn upward; with both hands unable to gain leverage, he could only frantically feel for the side fins, grabbing one with each hand, and finally pressed his face against the dead shark's face.

A pungent fishy stench rushed at him, making him want to vomit, but he could only endure it; leaving this sole floating object, he would lose his only sense of safety.

The waves kept surging and slapping, growing larger, as if a storm had arisen. He wanted to leap into the air, invoking the Lightning Wave Tiny Steps to escape the churning seawater, but once he left the sea surface, amidst the roaring wind and waves, he could not tell water from sky.

Damn! Am I really going to die like this?

What should we do, sister-in-law?

What should we do, little sister?

What should we do, Senior Sister Bao?

What should we do, Senior Sister Han?

Could it be that Miss Huang is going to return to Jing'er?

I don't know how long passed, but Niu Dingtian was tossed by the wind and waves until he gradually felt some fatigue; there was no moonlight in the sky, his vision was total darkness, this mental torment far outweighed the physical pain, yet the storm showed no sign of abating, instead growing fiercer and larger.

Crackle~

Boom~

Suddenly a flash of lightning split the void in an instant, followed by thunderous roars, as if it would strike fiercely at Niu Dingtian's head.

That fleeting light finally let him glimpse the horrifying surroundings for a moment; the churning sea was black as ink, like a collapsing mountain, seeming to bury him.

This damned storm just won't stop.

I'm really going to die!

Niu Dingtian felt as if his liver and gallbladder were about to burst.

Under such brutal violence, Niu Dingtian's strength finally waned, and even his consciousness began to blur.

In my next life, I will definitely cultivate immortality!

This was the last thought that flashed through his mind; immediately afterward, Niu Dingtian, still clutching the shark's belly, plunged straight into darkness.

The storm at sea came like a climax, arriving with violent wind and rain, then departing, leaving it as calm as a spring pond.

The next morning, the sea was under a clear sky, cloudless for miles.

On the calm sea surface, a huge vessel was slowly sailing.

"World Honored One, there's someone at sea!"

A man in sturdy attire on the deck, after spotting the floating object on the sea, respectfully reported to a woman.

The woman had just stepped out of the cabin, wearing a veil, dressed in purple, her graceful figure front‑curved and rear‑raised, exuding allure, but the man dared not glance at her a second time.

The woman had just stepped out of the cabin, a veil over her head, dressed in purple, her delicate figure curvaceous and alluring, but despite such beauty, the man did not dare to glance at her again.

The woman spoke with slight surprise, but her eyes showed no fluctuation. She lifted her gaze to the sea surface; when her eyes fell upon the corpse of the giant shark,

"Pull it up; keep it if it's useful, otherwise toss it down to feed the fish."

After lightly uttering that sentence, she paid no further attention and walked straight into the cabin.

After drifting off a few words, she no longer paid much attention and gracefully walked into the cabin.

The man respectfully accepted the order; only after the woman turned away did his peripheral vision dare to glance at her ample hips, and then he couldn't help but swallow.

The man respectfully accepted the command; when the woman turned, only then did his peripheral gaze dare to glance at her plump, rounded hips, and he couldn't help but swallow his saliva.

Turning back, he greeted the crowd loudly, then hurriedly left.

He turned back, called out to the crowd in a brusque voice, and then briskly walked away.

Just as the man walked away, the gazes of the crowd behind him suddenly turned contemptuous.

As soon as the man left, the gazes from the group behind him suddenly turned contemptuous.

Cough cough~

When he woke up again, before he could even feel joy, he was almost choked by the strong seafood smell filling the room, nearly vomiting a few mouthfuls of bitter fluid.

Looking up, he saw the interior damp and dim, with basket after basket of seafood and vegetables piled high on both sides.

Looking up, one sees the interior is damp and dim, with baskets of sea fish and vegetables piled densely on both sides.

Ship's storage?

Is this damn place for people?

"Cough cough~"

Just as he was about to get up, he felt a sharp pain inside his body, and after coughing a few times, he barely managed to sit up straight.

His internal injuries were severe, and his drenched clothes clung uncomfortably to his body.

He immediately sat cross‑legged, began circulating Qi to heal his wounds, and gradually warmed his soaked clothes.

Someone?

Suddenly hearing a sound from outside, Niu Dingtian snapped his eyes open, immediately ceased his cultivation, and weakly lay back on the broken bed.

"Squeak~"

A moment later, footsteps came from outside, and with a "squeak" the door was thrown open.

"Awake?"

The newcomer was somewhat surprised; they hadn't expected the half‑dead man they just pulled up to wake up after only a short while.

"Thank you, brave man, for saving my life!"

After clasping his fists, Niu Dingtian weakly expressed his thanks. Whether or not he was the rescuer, his cultivation hadn't recovered and he couldn't discern the situation, so he treated anyone he saw as a lifesaver.

"Kid, where are you from?"

The newcomer, ignoring his words, frowned and asked directly:

"How did you end up drifting at sea?"

Seeing the person stare unrelentingly, Niu Dingtian narrowed his eyes, lifted his frail body and said:

"Yesterday I was caught in a storm at sea, fell into the water and accidentally found a shark carcass; I clutched it tightly and then passed out. When I woke up I was in this room, and I didn't expect to be"

"Got it, understood!"

The newcomer grew impatient, cut him off, tossed a bowl of food aside, and continued:

"This is lunch, eat quickly! Work starts tomorrow; the ship doesn't keep idle hands."

"If you can't work tomorrow morning, just jump into the sea yourself! Save me the trouble of dealing with you later!"

After saying that, he turned and left the room.

???

Damned!

When have I ever licked a man like this?

Staring at the leftover food on the floor, Niu Dingtian inhaled a deep whiff of stench, then suppressed the anger brewing inside.

Before his injuries heal, it's best to be cautious; once healed, who knows who will be in charge on this ship—just wait for it!

He stopped looking at the dog food on the floor, sat cross‑legged again, and resumed circulating Qi to heal.

Huh~

He may be strong, the gentle wind brushes the mountain ridge; he may be reckless, the bright moon shines over the great river; I am ruthless, I am vile, I have a mouthful of true Qi.

During the afternoon, no one entered the room again; only Niu Dingtian endured his hunger and slowly tended his wounds inside.

He had grown somewhat numb to the pungent smell; at present, strength mattered most, and a little humiliation could be endured.

About two hours later,

He slowly opened his eyes; after ceasing cultivation, the already dim room had become completely dark.

It seemed

The sky outside had already turned night.

After a session of Nine Yang Divine Skill, his internal injuries were about seventy‑plus percent healed; another round of cultivation should fully recover him.

But this sour‑sweet taste!

I've had enough!

Without hesitation after standing, he opened the door and Niu Dingtian slipped out quietly.

Dodging several patrols of warriors, he reached the deck and found the ship was many times larger than the one he had set out on, and the night‑patrol men indicated the vessel was no ordinary one.

First, find something to eat!

Feeling hunger again, Niu Dingtian decided to fill his stomach first; ideally he could take a hot shower, as his whole body was sticky and unbearably uncomfortable.

He quietly went up to the first deck, avoided a few groups of people, and began searching for the kitchen.

After searching for a while, he finally caught a whiff of meat at the ship's corner; entering the kitchen, by the faint firelight outside the cabin, he felt a few sausages and some buns inside a steamer.

Without further hesitation, after grabbing the items, he darted toward the exit.

Holding a sausage in one hand and a bun in the other, after Niu Dingtian found a secluded spot on the third deck, he crouched there and ate bite by bite.

"Creak~"

A door opened behind him, and Niu Dingtian abruptly stopped the bun he was about to shove into his mouth.

Someone?

Then a series of footsteps came over.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven

Seven people, their auras varied in strength.

After swallowing what was in his mouth, Niu Dingtian no longer opened his mouth for the sausage and bun, but stayed put, watching the room's movements.

"Sigh~ With the major affair in Shandong looming, we naturally must put the big picture first. In my opinion, everyone should first locate news of the Buddha before making any plans."

After a moment of silence, someone in the room sighed, then immediately spoke; the voice sounded like an elder, with a deep aura.

"Buddha?"

"Shandong affair?"

Upon hearing this sudden information, Niu Dingtian, who was hiding outside the room, couldn't help but startle, decisively steadied his mind and pressed his ear quietly against the wall.

Just as the elder's words fell, a middle‑aged man with a chuckling voice inside the room seemed to speak:

"Lord Bright Messenger, why bring up that traitor again? He's merely a defector; what right does he have to continue occupying the World Honored One's position?"

"I think we should first select the worthy, and once we locate his trail, directly purge the sect!"

"Hehe—select the worthy? You might as well just say pick yourself to go up! Everyone here, who doesn't know your filthy intentions?"

The next speaker was also a middle‑aged voice, seemingly ill‑tempered, and more directly at odds with that person.

"You!"

That person grew angry, about to retort.

"Enough! Enough!"

Another elder suddenly spoke up to intervene, then, laughing in a conciliatory tone, said:

"We are all brothers; why damage the harmony? The Buddha has been missing for ten years, and leaving this position vacant is indeed no small matter."

"But he has never done anything harmful to the sect; speaking of purging the sect is indeed excessive."

"However..."

At the end, the elder's tone suddenly halted, as if pondering for a moment, then he continued:

"But now we should discuss the Shandong side; is this action truly worthwhile for the sect?"

"I, old man, always have a bad premonition; that person's thoughts seem profoundly deep!"

After those words fell, the room fell silent. Seeing no one speak further, Niu Dingtian was about to bite that sausage when a cold snort suddenly came from inside:

"Hmph! In the end, that Yang fellow was just a lowly mud‑leg! If not for the sect's support, he wouldn't have his current status?"

"Granting him the World Honored One's seat already broke the rules; I didn't expect this scoundrel to have the nerve to covet the Bright Honored One's position!"

World Honored One? Bright Honored One?

Could it be a hidden faction?

Upon hearing this, Niu Dingtian outside the room couldn't help but fall into thought: could there truly be a hidden martial world faction? Before he could ponder further, someone inside spoke again:

"Hey, hey, hey! Choose your words carefully! We're all comrades now, and you even hold the esteemed World Honored One within the sect; could you have forgotten the sect's rules?"

"Hmph!"

"In my view, the Bright Honored One's seat has been vacant for ten years; naturally, the capable should take it. If he can accomplish this, we may as well revere him as our lord."

"Heh—at bottom they're not true comrades! If we truly revere him as Bright Honored One, once the deed is done, where will we all be?"

"That does have a point!"

"However..."

As they kept talking, the room erupted with back‑and‑forth remarks, and finally it became an unmanageable uproar.

"I wonder, World Honored One..."

"... what are your thoughts?"

Amid the crowd's quarrel, the elder who had spoken first suddenly spoke again, his voice tinged with respect, and the room's arguing ceased at once.

World Honored One?

"I must see what the World Honored One looks like!"

These words instantly sparked Niu Dingtian's curiosity; he leaned forward, found a crack, and squinted his eyes to peer inside.

But the crack was too narrow; what he could see was half a purple robe and a pair of upright, supple breasts. Just as he was about to shift his position to look more closely, a woman's voice came from inside, saying:

"This opportunity is indeed rare; if he holds our Manichaeist sect in his heart, we can certainly revere him as lord."

"But if he intends to enact the 'rabbit dies, dog cooks' scheme, humph! We'll see how many lives he has to withstand my methods!"

What a domineering woman! Hearing that voice made Niu Dingtian's heart itch.

Just as he was about to hurriedly find another crack to continue watching, that person suddenly shouted a fierce command toward this side:

(End of Chapter)