Chapter 654: Returning to Tianyin Temple, Yu Liancheng Pays a Visit to the Mountain

Tianyin Temple has sealed its mountain.

On the mountain path that once bustled with people, there were no pilgrims to be seen; withered leaves covered the ground, presenting a scene of desolation and loneliness.

"It seems Senior Brother knew I was arriving."

Yu Liancheng wore a smile, stepping on the withered leaves as he walked step by step toward the mountain gate along the wide, winding path of Mount Sumeru, crushing the fallen leaves beneath his feet.

"Come to think of it, you were once the White-robed Divine Monk, and even after returning to secular life, you often referred to yourself as a Lay Disciple of Tianyin Temple. Now that you are revisiting this old place, what are your thoughts?" Beside Yu Liancheng was a stunning beauty with skin as white as snow and a graceful bearing—it was none other than the 'Nine-tailed Sky Fox', Xiaobai.

This time, Yu Liancheng had traveled to Tianyin Temple alone, and the Ghost King and his followers were not at ease. Although Yu Liancheng had the feat of rivaling the entire Demon sect single-handedly, that had been on Liubo Mountain, and the experts of the Demon sect had their own ulterior motives and kept each other in check. But now, they were on Mount Sumeru, the base of Tianyin Temple, and there was no telling what kind of sect-protecting formation might exist.

The Ghost King, Sanmiao Fairy, and others all had important matters to attend to, so Xiaobai, who was idle all day, was entrusted with the important task of accompanying Yu Liancheng up the mountain to provide support.

"Thoughts?" Yu Liancheng thought for a moment and laughed: "Those two little bald donkeys, Ciyun and Cixin, have been slacking off again. They shouldn't stop sweeping the mountain path just because there are no pilgrims. Once I return to the temple, I must teach them a good lesson and tell them what it means to say, 'If one cannot sweep a single room, how can one sweep the world?' If my room hasn't been tidied up properly, I'll have to beat them until their heads are covered in bumps."

Xiaobai couldn't help but laugh.

Before the mountain gate of Tianyin Temple, Faxiang and Fashan, the most outstanding disciples of the younger generation, were already waiting. Seeing Yu Liancheng climbing the mountain, they hurriedly pressed their palms together: "Faxiang and Fashan pay respects to Martial Uncle."

Yu Liancheng nodded slightly and pointed toward Xiaobai: "This is your Martial Aunt; why haven't you paid your respects yet?"

Faxiang and Fashan looked at each other in dismay.

"Stop spouting nonsense." Xiaobai rolled her eyes and tapped Yu Liancheng with her hand.

Faxiang coughed twice: "Martial Uncle, Master and the other Martial Uncles have been waiting for you in the Great Hero Treasure Hall for a long time."

"Let's go."

Yu Liancheng took a large step forward; with his familiarity with Tianyin Temple, he had no need for the two juniors to lead the way.

And the moment Yu Liancheng stepped into the mountain gate, melodious bell tolls rang out from within Tianyin Temple. First a single strike, then all over the mountain, an estimated hundred or more large bells were struck at once, and waves of Sanskrit chanting spread throughout the entire Mount Sumeru, making this thousand-year-old temple appear even more mysterious and ethereal.

"Heh, the one hundred and eight great bells ringing in unison; it seems the Abbot, my Senior Brother, still cares quite a bit about this Junior Brother of mine."

The Great Hero Treasure Hall.

Xiaobai was a thousand-year-old fox spirit; in her life, she had visited countless places of interest, and she had seen many temples among them.

But a treasure hall as magnificent as the one before her was a first. Inside the hall, incense smoke curled, and the great Buddha sitting in the center had eyes half-open and half-closed, looking down upon all living beings, with a faint, ethereal smile at the corners of his mouth. Bodhisattvas and Lohans were lined up on the left and right, along with Vajras, Galans, and others, all in such variety that it felt as if one were in the Buddha Kingdom. Moreover, they were all incomparably tall; even the shortest one was nearly a zhang high, exerting intense pressure.

What surprised Xiaobai even more was that these statues seemed to have a spirit.

She guessed that through some secret technique, these statues might be able to come to life and exert formidable combat power.

An old monk stood before the Buddha with palms pressed together, draped in a monk's robe, his eyes like an abyss or the sea; he was the head of the Four Great Divine Monks, the Abbot Puhong of Tianyin Temple.

Beside Abbot Puhong were the Peak Masters of each courtyard; their appearances were different, and their seniority varied, but without exception, the aura they emitted was stronger than the last.

"Is this the foundation of Tianyin Temple?" Xiaobai was secretly shocked in her heart.

Yu Liancheng looked up at the Buddha Tathagata, smiled slightly, and pressed his palms together: "Disciple Puzhen pays respects to Abbot Senior Brother."

Abbot Puhong nodded calmly.

Under the gaze of the monks, Yu Liancheng sat on an empty meditation cushion.

Puhong said: "As a monk, you do not bow when seeing the Buddha."

Yu Liancheng said: "All living beings are equal; I am also a Buddha."

And so, a debate on the Dharma began, led by Puhong, with a group of bald heads taking turns to ask questions. Some spoke in gentle whispers, others in loud reprimands. Yu Liancheng wore a smile, answering fluently. A warm smile appeared on his face, and his whole person seemed to emit a faint Jinguang.

Only then did Xiaobai believe that this guy, who was uninhibited by wine and women, was actually a high-ranking Buddhist monk.

Although Xiaobai was not well-versed in Buddhist Dharma, seeing those monks retreat one by one with dejected expressions, she understood whose debate had come out on top.

Suddenly, Abbot Puhong stepped forward, and a Zen Staff shot out from a corner, landing in his thick palm.

Puhong gripped the Zen Staff and struck downward fiercely, like a wrathful Vajra performing a Demon-subduing strike. The Iron rings on the Zen Staff collided with the sound of the staff, emitting a clear, resonant chime that was like a thunderclap.

This change was as sudden as a thunderbolt, and the many high monks in the hall were filled with astonishment, as if they had not expected why the Abbot would do this. Even if Puzhen had entered the Demon path, he was still the most gifted talent to emerge from Tianyin Temple in a thousand years; he should be persuaded and guided step by step. If he were truly stubborn and unrepentant, then killing him would be the upright thing to do.

Xiaobai had been extremely shocked, but seeing the calm expressions of the two parties involved, Puhong and Yu Liancheng, and noticing that the momentum of the staff seemed solid yet was actually empty, she guessed that this was the legendary "Head-On Stick Shout," not intended to take Yu Liancheng's life, but to use this move to shatter his attachments and delusions.

So she stopped worrying.

And just at the moment the Zen Staff was about to strike Yu Liancheng's head, it stopped, and everything returned to calm, as if a great storm on the sea had instantly vanished into nothingness.

But what Xiaobai did not expect was that the reason the Zen Staff stopped was not because Abbot Puhong had stopped it voluntarily, but because Yu Liancheng had supported the top of the Zen Staff with one hand.

Puhong's expression darkened slightly, and he said sternly: "Puzhen, with your cultivation of the Dharma, you should know this is a 'Head-On Stick Shout' and would not truly harm you. Are you truly so obsessed and unrepentant?!"

"I don't like people hitting my head with things, and that includes you, Senior Brother. The examination is over; I believe all the Peak Master Senior Brothers are clear that my Dharma cultivation has not slackened during this experience down the mountain."

Yu Liancheng suddenly stood up tall, the previous gentleness and peace swept away, replaced by a peerless, domineering aura that could sweep across the world, invincible and unrivaled.

"Since the matter between us brothers has been resolved, then... now it is a matter between Yu Liancheng and Tianyin Temple."

The next moment, a strong and domineering voice rang out.

"Yu Liancheng of Changsheng Tower pays a visit to the mountain; I hope the high monks of Tianyin Temple will offer their guidance."

This voice spread from the Great Hero Treasure Hall like a tidal wave to the entire Putuo Mountain, and in resonance with the one hundred and eight great bells—though no one struck them—the bells hummed and rang as if welcoming a guest.

If the previous moment was to welcome the 'White-robed Divine Monk' Puzhen.

Then this moment was to welcome the Jade Tower Master of Changsheng Tower.

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