Chapter 614: Buddhist Robe

In a forest.

Yu Liancheng sat cross-legged.

His brows were slightly furrowed, his face revealing a look of hesitation.

A moment later, his expression became resolute, and the True Qi within his body, vast as a celestial river, suddenly began to boil.

If a master of the level of Mo Baisuzhen were here, they might be shaken by that True Qi, which was so vast it was inconceivable, flowing like a celestial river, continuous and endless. Yet, every bit of that True Qi was incredibly refined; a slight eruption would be enough to pierce metal and stone, shattering the vacuum.

But now, the True Qi was dissipating.

Like a breached dam, it was beyond control.

Yet this was by no means a meaningless waste; the True Qi scattered into his meridians and acupoints, tempering his physical body.

At this moment, his entire person seemed to transform into a furnace, using True Qi as fire to refine his shell, causing the body that had already consumed the essence of the Great Demon God and the Dragon Essence to reach a higher level, attaining an unprecedented degree.

Yu Liancheng was precisely intending to break apart his foundation and recast it with "Guizang True Qi."

But wanting to recast one's foundation is not as simple as one imagines.

In the process of dissipating his True Qi, Yu Liancheng's body was not only strengthened, but it even reversed the passage of time.

Or, one could use a term that is not entirely accurate, but clearer.

——Rejuvenation!

In the past, Yu Liancheng had stepped into the pugilistic world before he had even reached the age of twenty, walking thirty thousand miles with sword in hand, endless fine wine and beautiful women. He had been a hegemon of the martial arts world, sat upon the throne of an Emperor, and had even fought against immortal and demonic masters, leaving behind countless legends. Having gone through who knows how many years of wind and frost, he was long past the body of a youth. It was only because his cultivation had reached an inconceivable level, seizing the creation of heaven and earth, that he maintained his current appearance; his actual age was already quite significant.

And no matter how young his outward appearance was, while it could deceive ordinary people, it could never deceive masters at the level of Gods and Demons, who could discern the original true nature at a glance, and it could certainly not deceive himself; time had long since left countless marks upon his heart.

But now, his handsome appearance was rapidly reversing; not only was his face becoming younger, but the depth and steadiness in his demeanor were also gradually being wiped away. With a lift of his brow, there was the spirit of a young hero, high-spirited and vigorous, sweeping away all injustices in the world with his sword.

If he had originally looked twenty-six or twenty-seven, he was now no more than seventeen or eighteen, like a novice just stepping into the world, and he continued to reverse, becoming younger and younger, to the point where "childish" could be used to describe him.

It turned out that while Yu Liancheng was dissipating his cultivation, he was also reshaping his physical foundation.

And the reason such a heaven-shaking and earth-shattering change could occur was entirely due to one technique.

——Northern Dark Divine Art.

Originating from the "Tianshan Child Elder" of *Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils*, this Northern Dark Divine Art could not only absorb the cultivation of others, but could even cause rejuvenation and reshape the physical body.

In the original timeline, Ding Chunqiu's physical body was blown into pieces, yet he used the Northern Dark Divine Art to be reborn, his body even recovering from old age to the prime of his life, but unfortunately, his Primordial Spirit had not yet formed, and in the end, he was beaten to death by Azi.

It is unknown how much time passed before Yu Liancheng's shocking and vulgar cultivation was finally dispersed, and his physical body had returned to the age of twelve or thirteen. Looking from afar, he was like a child wearing an adult's clothes. However, because his appearance was truly adorable, carved from jade, it would never give one the impression of a monkey dressed in clothes.

Yu Liancheng slowly opened his eyes.

That pair of eyes, deep as the starry sky of a midsummer night, became somewhat dazed.

"Who am I?"

A soft murmur, yet it sounded like large and small pearls falling onto a jade plate.

As the saying goes, the young phoenix is clearer than the old phoenix's voice, and with this body having received the most perfect recasting, even a light murmur was more pleasant and melodious than his singing in the past.

His small brows were tightly furrowed, carrying a trace of confusion, then immediately giving rise to a trace of relief, a smile appearing at the corners of his lips.

"I am Yu Liancheng."

Yet he was merely Yu Liancheng.

Half a day later, an old monk wandered here and, seeing Yu Liancheng, his turbid eyes brightened: "Amitabha, little benefactor, I see you have innate wisdom and an affinity with Buddha; why not join my Tianyin Temple..."

Qingyun Sect.

It is the leader of the righteous and evil paths today, having been founded over two thousand years ago.

The original Qingyun Sect was once in decline, until the eleventh-generation sect leader, Ancestor Qingye, took power, worked diligently to govern, vigorously supported his peers, strictly selected successors, and, in addition to comprehending mysterious and unpredictable divine abilities from ancient scrolls of Wuming, the Qingyun Sect flourished from then on. Within fifty years, it was already a pillar of the righteous path, and two hundred years later, it led all sects and factions.

To this day, the Qingyun Sect has nearly a thousand disciples, with masters as numerous as clouds, its prestige illustrious, ranking alongside Tianyin Temple and Fenxiang Valley as the three great sects of the current age. And the sect leader, Daoxuan Zhenren, is even more accomplished in creation, transcendent and holy, a peerless figure of the first order in the current age.

The Qingyun Sect has seven branches, which are: Tongtian Peak, Dazhu Peak, Xiaozhu Peak, Longshou Peak, Fenghui Peak, Zhaoyang Peak, and Luoxia Peak.

Among the seven peaks, the most prosperous is undoubtedly the Tongtian Peak branch managed by the sect leader Daoxuan, which is the most important of all. And the branch with the fewest people is Dazhu Peak.

Including the family of Peak Master Tian Buyi, and counting all the disciples, there were only nine people, not enough to fill two palms.

The mountain of Dazhu Peak is extremely vast, boundless, and towers into the clouds; the whole mountain is covered in bamboo, some thick and some thin, in patches and forests, very lush, painting a heavy and colorful stroke of green between heaven and earth.

In front of the main hall of Dazhu Peak, "Shoujingtang," stood a quiet and dignified beautiful woman, who looked to be about thirty-something, with a graceful bearing.

The other six male disciples stood in a line below, some tall and some short, some sturdy and some thin.

Previously, Peak Master Tian Buyi had a sudden whim and went into seclusion for two months; today was the day he would emerge.

Soon, Tian Buyi appeared. This Peak Master Tian was unremarkable in appearance, a short and fat man, without the slightest ethereal and transcendent air of a cultivator, looking instead somewhat like a wealthy landlord of the secular world, only a bit too serious.

Su Ru had originally come from the Xiaozhu Peak branch when she was young and was sisters with the Xiaozhu Peak Master, and their relationship was extremely good. Later, for some reason, she actually married Tian Buyi; it is said that at that time, many male disciples could not accept it, saying it was fresh flowers stuck in cow dung, toads eating swan meat...

"Greetings, Master, congratulations on your emergence from seclusion..." the group of disciples said.

"Enough, enough, it's not some big deal."

Tian Buyi waved his hand impatiently: "Do what you should do; in a few years, there will be the Seven Peaks Tournament, yet you are still so idle all day long. Next time, your Mistress and I will guide your cultivation together."

"No, Master..." amid the miserable cries of several disciples, they scattered like birds and beasts.

After the disciples dispersed, Tian Buyi and Su Ru entered Shoujingtang; here, with red bricks and stone pillars, a Taiji diagram was carved on the floor of the main hall, which was, on the whole, very simple.

Su Ru smiled slightly: "How much did you gain from this seclusion?"

"Still the same as always; cultivation has reached my stage, and wanting to advance even half a step is not easy." Tian Buyi shook his head, but his fat face carried a trace of hidden arrogance.

This fat man appeared mediocre, but was actually talented within. In the entire Qingyun Sect, besides the sect leader Daoxuan, perhaps no one could surpass him.

"Look at how capable you are." Su Ru extended a slender finger and tapped him lightly on the center of his brow.

Tian Buyi chuckled and said again: "Where is Ling'er? Why haven't I seen her?"

Su Ru, however, changed the subject: "Two days ago, the Divine Monk Puzhi of Tianyin Temple came to visit Senior Brother Sect Leader."

"Puzhi?" Tian Buyi raised his brows and snorted coldly: "It's this monk again. I heard Senior Brother Daoxuan mention before that he wanted to request our Qingyun Sect's techniques, combining the supreme arts of both Buddha and Dao to solve the mystery of life and death and prove the Dao of longevity. Not to mention that the Taiji Xuanqing Dao can never be passed to outsiders, even if it were passed to him, the cycle of life and death, the causal Dao of heaven, how could it be something a monk like him could fathom? He really doesn't know what's good for him, arrogant and conceited."

"But what does that have to do with Ling'er?"

"Don't be impatient, listen to me slowly," Su Ru smiled. "Master Puzhi did not come alone this time; he also brought a monk from the same temple. Why don't you guess who it is?"

"A monk from the same temple? High monks like Puhong and Pude should both disapprove of Puzhi's ideas, so who would come with him?" Tian Buyi looked puzzled, then suddenly raised his eyebrows: "It wouldn't be the youngest one, 'Puzhen', would it?"

"You guessed right." Su Ru blinked her beautiful, autumn-water-like eyes and smiled: "It is that 'White-Clad Wonderful Monk' Puzhen from Tianyin Temple, who is the best at Buddhist dharma, plays the zither most wonderfully, cooks the most fragrant vegetarian meals, tells the most moving stories, and has the most handsome appearance."

"Although I rarely leave Qingyun Mountain, my ears have grown calluses from hearing this person's name over the past year." Tian Buyi's expression was slightly serious as he said: "Counting it up, Puzhen can be considered the most famous monk in Tianyin Temple today. Previously, at the Buddhist Ullambana Festival, he left several famous high monks speechless and forced them to bow their heads in defeat. This person is not only profound in Buddhist dharma but also proficient in poetry and song; coupled with his handsome appearance, he has attracted many pilgrims to Tianyin Temple."

"I heard that this White-Clad Wonderful Monk was brought back to Tianyin Temple by Master Puzhi two years ago after his travels. At that time, Master Puzhen was only twelve or thirteen years old, and for some unknown reason, he had no memory, only remembering that his name was 'Yu Liancheng', and he wore a jade pendant engraved with 'Ten Thousand Daos Boundless' on his person."

Su Ru smiled: "But he has natural wisdom and was born with knowledge. Even the several 'Pu'-generation masters could not be his teacher, and in the end, he was ranked as a peer to the masters, becoming the youngest 'Pu'-generation high monk in Tianyin Temple. Now, in just a short year or two, he is not only proficient in poetry, calligraphy, and painting, but his progress in Great Brahma Prajna is also extremely fast. Master Puzhi has said more than once that this is a Buddha Son, a peerless genius born once in a millennium for the Buddhist faith."

"Hmph, clearly a monk who doesn't diligently practice Buddhist dharma but blindly competes for fame and profit; in my eyes, he is nothing more than a person who deceives the world to steal a name." Tian Buyi's face suddenly fell, and he slapped the table.

Su Ru glared at Tian Buyi and smiled coquettishly: "Is it because you see someone else's younger generation is so outstanding, and you think of your own few good-for-nothing fellows who can't compare in any way, so your heart feels unbalanced?"

"Stop talking nonsense, I didn't." Tian Buyi's expression changed slightly, and he hurriedly picked up his teacup to drink tea as a cover.

Su Ru shook her head; having been husband and wife for a hundred years, how could she not understand her husband's thoughts? In reality, she was just like her husband, an extremely competitive person who cared deeply about face. But Dazhu Peak's talent had withered, with only a mere six disciples, and apart from the eldest and sixth disciples who had some potential, the others were simply unwatchable.

And in a few more years, it would be the Seven Peaks Martial Tournament held once every sixty years. If the disciples were not up to the task then, he would again be mocked and ridiculed by the Peak Masters of the other peaks.

What was even more concerning was that these disciples were not up to the task, so after he, Tian Buyi, passed away, who would inherit the position of Peak Master of Dazhu Peak?

At this moment, the door was knocked, and the sixth disciple, Du Bishu, walked in carrying dishes.

The sixth one was responsible for the meals of the Dazhu Peak lineage and said with a grin: "Master, Mistress, it's time for lunch. I'll go call the other senior brothers now. Also, disciple must make a correction: there are two things where disciple can still compare to Master Puzhen."

Su Ru smiled: "Bishu, what you are best at is cooking, but I heard that Master Pukong's vegetarian food is also a masterpiece."

Du Bishu gave a cheeky laugh, patted his chest and said: "I can't compare in cooking, but I eat more than him, and I am definitely much more proficient in gambling than him."

"Stop with the wisecracks." Su Ru's smile was like a flower, and she made a gesture to hit him; Du Bishu put down the dishes and hurried out.

Tian Buyi sighed.

He could only comfort himself in his heart that having fewer disciples had its benefits; at least there was no need to manage too many things, and although these disciples were not up to the task, they were not deep-thinking people, so there was no need to worry about them scheming against each other or harming their own sect members.

Immediately, his thoughts shifted, and he shook his head: "You've led the topic completely astray. I asked you why Ling'er is not here, and you still haven't told me."

"The reason the White-Clad Wonderful Monk came with Puzhi this time is not to persuade the Sect Leader Senior Brother together with Puzhi to seek longevity, but to borrow the Qingyun Sect's collection of books to read. Of course, these books are ordinary Taoist texts, not cultivation-related techniques."

Su Ru smiled: "After borrowing the books, he naturally wanted to find a quiet and secluded place to read. So he chose the 'Zhuta' at the back of our Dazhu Peak, which is one of the six scenes of Qingyun. Your daughter also wanted to see what kind of demeanor that White-Clad Wonderful Monk has, so she has been going to see Master Puzhen these past few days."

Tian Buyi frowned: "Seeing him once is enough, why run there every day?"

Su Ru smiled: "Probably because Master Puzhen is indeed very handsome and very pleasing to young girls. Plus, there isn't much of an age gap between them, so they can play together."

"Hmph."

Dazhu Peak, Back Mountain.

One could see the whole mountain lush and green, layer upon layer. Where the mountain wind passed, it made a rustling sound, which was very pleasant to the ear. The sea of bamboo rose and fell, even more like the waves of a great ocean, extremely magnificent, making one's heart and mind suddenly broaden.

The bamboo here was different from the ordinary; the bamboo joints were black, known as "Black-Joint Bamboo", famous in the world for its hardness. The rule of the Dazhu Peak lineage was that newly initiated disciples had to chop "Black-Joint Bamboo" for three years to temper their bodies; disciples of other peaks had similar rules.

The further one walked into the depths of the bamboo forest, the denser the forest became, and the harder the bamboo quality.

One could see that in a sea of green, the Black-Joint Bamboo stood tall and erect, with lush branches and leaves, piercing straight into the sky, and light shone through the gaps in the branches and leaves, leaving patches of light and shadow on the ground.

And this light and shadow was also cast upon a moon-white Buddhist robe.

PS: New volume opened, seeking monthly votes.