Chapter 99

Under the morning light, the pagoda forest was deep and quiet. The morning dew wet the nearby weeds. The stone-carved divine statues—some were Wisdom Kings, some were Garudas, some were Lotus Sanskrit—looked ancient and incomplete under the sunlight, possessing a kind of heavy beauty. But Yan Shu and the others did not notice any clues...

Ning Ning Qingchen said with slight discouragement: "Since the wolf demon is guarding a demon-subduing magic treasure, there must be clues where the other demon generals are. The crack where the Willow General I saw earlier took root was a bit strange. Why don't we put this side aside for now? Let's go and eradicate that willow tree demon first, and get the demon-subduing magic treasure it is guarding?"

When Yan Shu heard about drawing his sword to chop demons, his eyes lit up immediately.

"Ning Ning Shimei Ning is right, eliminate demons thoroughly... even if we can't find other demon-subduing magic treasures, killing one Blood Demon helper is also good!"

Qian Yan Shixiong Chen said helplessly: "You guys really have some patience!" He raised the glazed tile fragment and said: "I found this glazed tile fragment in the ruins. Judging by the form, it should be a remnant of the previous pagoda. There are so many broken bricks and tiles here, but those with glaze are indeed very rare. Logically speaking, there should be at least one glazed pagoda in the pagoda forest; there shouldn't be so few fragments."

Ning Ning Qingchen's eyes lit up and she said: "Yan Yan Shixiong Qian Yan Shixiong means... the fragments of the glazed pagoda were deliberately moved away?"

"Things deliberately hidden by demons must be the clues we are looking for."

Ning Ning Qingchen frowned and said: "It's just that we don't know where the glazed pagoda stood? Nor do we know what the glazed pagoda originally looked like... we can't restore this pagoda at all. The clues originally hidden on the pagoda must have also been destroyed by the demons."

Yan Shu looked cold and hammered the courtyard wall beside him with a fierce punch: "That Pika demon must have known that this pagoda was the clue, but it never mentioned it."

Zhi Qiu persuaded him in a low voice. After all, the Pika demon was truly cunning. If it were Qian Yan Shixiong Chen, he might have used soul-searching. But Yan Shu, a sword immortal of the orthodox path, was not skilled in this kind of business. In a situation where the Pika demon repeatedly tried to lead them into traps, not killing it decisively would only cause more trouble.

Qian Yan Shixiong Chen looked at the ruins of this pagoda forest, walked around the ruins twice, and said in a low voice: "Buddhist pagodas, also known as stupas, have fixed rules. Usually, they are divided into thirteen-story pagodas, nine-story pagodas, seven-story pagodas, five-story pagodas, and three-story pagodas. Based on the pagoda foundations remaining in the pagoda forest, none of the pagodas here would exceed nine stories."

"And since the glazed tile is in the style of a tile-end, it means it has flying eaves, so it wouldn't be an inverted-bowl-style pagoda, but only a pavilion-style pagoda or a dense-eave pagoda... And for a temple of this scale, the pagoda forest is usually solid. Because pavilion-style pagodas have eaves, beams, columns, walls, doors, and windows on each floor, and also use bricks to build stairs inside the pagoda to climb to each floor, they are more complex, so the spacing between them will be larger. This pagoda forest is relatively dense, so it should be a dense-eave pagoda without a doubt."

"As for the height... if the glazed pagoda hides the demon-breaking treasure left by Monk Master Bu Dai, it is the ancestor's pagoda. The various pagodas built later should not exceed the ancestor's pagoda in form... so the glazed pagoda must be the tallest pagoda in the pagoda forest, and its foundation must be the most solid." Qian Yan Shixiong Chen came to the pagoda foundation in the southeast corner.

"The pagoda forest is relatively close to the Great Hero Hall... with the piety of Buddhist disciples, they would never let the height of the pagoda exceed the Great Hero Hall."

"The pagoda forest is usually a monk's burial pagoda. With Monk Master Bu Dai's cultivation and status, it should only be one level lower than the Buddhist Arhats and Bodhisattvas who have refined the Dharma Body..." Qian Yan Shixiong Chen came to the pagoda foundation and pointed with his hand.

A chill fell on the pagoda foundation, freezing the surrounding water vapor. Only then did an ice pillar as white as silver appear on the pagoda foundation. The ice pillar was carved with lotus Sumeru thrones, and on the thrones, there were fake arch doors on all four sides. Inside the doors were various Buddha statues, all graceful, generous, kind-eyed, and lifelike. Ning Ning Qingchen bowed slightly, with one palm held upright in front of her chest to show respect.

Yan Shu, however, didn't care at all and laughed loudly: "Junior Brother, you are a disciple of the Three Purities, why are you cultivating Buddhist statues? Hurry, hurry... change it to the image of the Patriarch."

"Yan Yan Shixiong, that's what you call blaspheming the Patriarch!" Qian Yan Shixiong Chen sighed helplessly: "Cultivating a Daoist Patriarch statue on a Buddhist pagoda, I can't believe you thought of that."

"And after all, it's taking things from Monk Master Bu Dai, so it's only right to be respectful."

The true transmission of the Daoist path is not as hostile to the Buddhist path as it is to the demonic path. After all, everyone is of the orthodox path, and there is some superficial sentiment... although in Northern Wei, the Zhengyi Sect and the Buddhist path were almost fighting to the death. But when they met usually, weren't they all kind-eyed and laughing?

Seeing Ning Ning Qingchen worshiping Buddha, Qian Yan Shixiong Chen suddenly remembered that she also came from Northern Wei, so she must have been influenced by it.

Within the Daoist path, the Primordial Dao is the most complex toward the Buddhist path. On one hand, it actively digs the corners of the Buddhist path and even learns from the Buddhist path, absorbing the essence of many Buddhist teachings. On the other hand, it is somewhat hostile... In the Great Jin controlled by the Dao Academy, it doesn't say it excludes the Buddhist path in every way, but it also gives them all kinds of trouble.

This caused there to be very few Buddhist temples in the Great Jin, and Qian Yan Shixiong Chen had never seen one, nor had he even heard of Buddhist cultivators coming and going.

The Supreme Dao has always been indifferent... none of my business.

It just spread the "Supreme Transformation of Buddha Sutra," which tells of the Buddha asking the Supreme Daoist Patriarch for the Dao, all over the world. Unfortunately, this matter really had evidence, and many great supernatural beings who had witnessed it left behind lineages in the Central Lands. This made the high-level Dharma Body figures of the Buddhist path have to pinch their noses and admit it when they heard about it.

The Supreme Dao naturally steps on the Buddhist path... while the Lingbao Dao is the most hostile to the Buddhist path among the Three Purities. The overseas Buddhist path can only accept strange demon kings as disciples and is about to become a demon-Buddhist path, which is also because of the Lingbao Dao making trouble... Yan Shu's attitude is not surprising.

Soon the ice pagoda grew to the first floor's eaves. The carved brackets were exquisite, and the pagoda's outline was exceptionally tall and beautiful.

The nine-story pagoda eaves climbed step by step, finally reaching the top of the pagoda... Qian Yan Shixiong Chen casually tied an Ice Soul Treasure Pearl and decorated it on the top of the pagoda. He controlled the ice layer, adjusted the height of the ice pagoda, and following the subtle spiritual perception in his heart, finally set the pagoda at a suitable height.

At this moment, everyone saw a strange color flash across the treasure pearl on the top of the pagoda, and it instantly came alive, its surface plated with a layer of flowing light.

The flowing colors were neutral and peaceful, full of Zen, like bright glaze on the ice pearl.

The more Qian Yan Shixiong Chen looked at it, the more familiar it felt. How could this thing be so similar to his own body... He was then furious: "Good for you, Buddhist path, you're actually coveting me too?"

"How did Yan Yan Shixiong know that what was placed on the top of the pagoda was the Wisdom Pearl!" Ning Ning Qingchen clapped her hands and laughed: "Sure enough, the Demon-Breaking Golden Needle is here."

"Wisdom Pearl?" Qian Yan Shixiong Chen was really not familiar with the Buddhist path of this world not copying things from his previous life.

"Yes! A treasure pearl of this form is called the Wisdom Pearl, Mani Pearl, or Prajna Pearl in the Buddhist path, meaning the wisdom that reaches everything and recognizes all things and the source of all things..."

Only then did Qian Yan Shixiong Chen show a smile that the bald donkey really knew his stuff. He felt very comfortable and nodded a bit smugly: "Sure enough, you have an eye for it. This pearl can indeed cut off everything and has the wisdom that reaches the source..."

"Legend has it that this was said by the Buddha praising the Supreme Daoist Patriarch, so he used the spirit pearl cut out by the Supreme Daoist Patriarch to metaphorize wisdom." Ning Ning Qingchen added with a smile.

Qian Yan Shixiong Chen's smug expression froze instantly!

Yan Shu was still laughing behind him: "The Buddha is originally the Dao. If it weren't for the Supreme Daoist Patriarch's guidance, where would the Buddhist path come from? The Buddha himself admits this allusion. When the Supreme Daoist Patriarch merged with the Dao, the Buddha visited him with the etiquette of a disciple, praised the Supreme Daoist Patriarch's wisdom with the Daoist Patriarch's Dao Dust Bead, and preached the Buddhist teachings he heard from the Daoist Patriarch, only then establishing the Buddhist path and becoming the founder of a sect."

"As a result, the Buddha's sons and grandsons today don't even dare to mention it!"

"Yan Yan Shixiong Yan, the Buddha is also a person who has awakened to the Dao... worthy of respect." Ning Ning Qingchen persuaded softly.

Qian Yan Shixiong Chen interrupted them expressionlessly: "Don't mention these anymore. Take out the Demon-Breaking Golden Needle first!"

Ning Ning Qingchen bowed to the Buddhist pagoda again, then stood up and wanted to take down the Wisdom Pearl. As a result, as soon as the ice pearl left the Buddhist pagoda, the flowing light instantly disappeared, and what was taken down was just an ordinary Ice Soul Pearl.

Seeing this, Ning Ning Qingchen had to say to the Buddhist pagoda: "Offended!"

Only then did she tiptoe, without borrowing force from the pagoda eaves, nimbly leaping to the top of the pagoda. She carefully floated in the air without touching the pagoda, reaching out to pick the spiritual light in the Ice Soul Pearl.

As a result, when she reached out her hand, she found that she couldn't touch or feel the spiritual light at all.

It was as if it were a phantom...

Ning Ning Qingchen flipped down and said in a low voice: "There is a restriction, I can't touch that spiritual light."

Zhi Qiu frowned and said: "Could it be that it needs the mental power of the Buddhist path? Should we find a monk to come?"

Ning Ning Qingchen shook her head: "Although I can't touch the spiritual light, I can feel the mental power left by Monk Master Bu Dai on it. It is upright, bright, equal, and selfless, which is admirable. It seems he is not a person with such sectarian prejudice." Zhi Qiu scratched his head and said: "This restriction can't be seen, can't be touched... there's not even room to break it."

"Since it's called the Wisdom Pearl, of course, one must use wisdom to comprehend its mystery." Qian Yan Shixiong Chen's mouth curled up. Learning from his last lesson, this time he was smug, but not very obviously.

It was just enough for Ning Ning Qingchen and Yan Shu to see, but Zhi Qiu, this blockhead, didn't know.

"Alright... let's see whose wisdom is higher." Ning Ning Qingchen raised her small chin. Although there was a sense of competition in her words, it was only cute, without any arrogance.

The group squatted by the pagoda, lost in thought.

"Got it!" Yan Shu suddenly thought of the scene where Qian Yan Shixiong Chen hid the Ice Soul Origin Pill in the moonlight, which was so similar to the present. He laughed loudly: "The Demon-Breaking Golden Needle must be hidden in the sunlight... after all, it was refined from Feng Yangzhen Fire, and it is formless and qualityless..."

Yan Shu reached out to scoop, using the method of gathering qi to comb through the surrounding Feng Yangzhen Fire.

For a long time... Yan Shu's hands were empty, and he gained nothing. He laughed twice to relieve the embarrassment and squatted back down.

Qian Yan Shixiong Chen complained helplessly: "Yan Yan Shixiong Yan, my hiding the Origin Pill in the moonlight was just a temporary measure. There have been so many days and nights here. If it were hidden in the sunlight, wouldn't it reveal itself when the sunlight disappeared at night?"

Yan Shu insisted: "That's because your cultivation is not enough. Perhaps Monk Master Bu Dai has magic power to hide it in the light of the sun and moon. As long as there is light, it won't reveal itself!"

Ning Ning Qingchen couldn't help but say: "Yan Yan Shixiong's words make sense!" Then she clapped her hands, and a green gauze rose, blocking the light of the sun and moon, covering the entire Lanruo Temple so that one couldn't see one's own fingers.

In the pitch black, a divine light suddenly lit up. Ning Ning Qingchen was just about to be happy when she heard Qian Yan Shixiong Chen say: "Don't be busy... this is my 24K Krypton Gold Dog Eyes."

Only then did Qian Yan Shixiong Chen's eyes shine with divine light, showing extremely high soul cultivation. He said expressionlessly: "Ning Ning Shimei Ning, don't dig out my eyes as a demon-subduing treasure!"

"Yan Yan Shixiong Qian Yan Shixiong... close your eyes." Ning Ning Qingchen said anxiously.

"Alright!" Qian Yan Shixiong Chen closed his eyes, and instantly the surroundings fell into pitch black again.

After a long time, they heard Zhi Qiu weakly say: "I... can I open my eyes now?"

Ning Ning Qingchen removed the green gauze expressionlessly, and Lanruo Temple returned to light. The group continued to squat under the pagoda. After Zhi Qiu also tried to ask the Profound Heaven Patriarch to solve the puzzle to no avail, the scene reached a stalemate. Qian Yan Shixiong Chen looked at Ning Ning Qingchen calmly. Ning Ning Qingchen saw his eyes were waveless, felt ashamed and annoyed in her heart, raised her head and said: "Yan Yan Shixiong? Have you thought of a way?"

Qian Yan Shixiong Chen nodded slightly and said: "If one sees me by form, or seeks me by sound, that person is walking the evil path and cannot see the Tathagata!"

"And then?"

Ning Ning Qingchen sensed a crisis. This verse sounded very reliable. She became a little nervous... looking forward to it, yet also a little unconvinced.

"So one must use the heart!" Qian Yan Shixiong Chen closed his eyes, reached out and grabbed forward casually.

In his hand, a golden needle, as thick as an eyebrow and five or six points long, as if condensed from sunlight, suddenly appeared out of thin air.