The golden light came from the fragment of the Book of Earth.

The Tower Spirit monk extended his palm, letting the golden light fall into it. It was a copper tablet inscribed with Buddhist script.

Xu Qi’an had initially thought it might be due to Mahayana Buddhism that the Tower Spirit monk said such things, but when he saw the Buddhist tablet, his expression became extremely peculiar.

This thing was looted from the body of Chu Xianglong, the deputy general of the Northern Frontier King, whom he had killed.

At that time, Xu Qi’an had only briefly examined it before tossing it into the fragment of the Book of Earth without further thought.

“This is…” He stared at the old monk’s palm, carefully probing.

“This is the Buddhist tablet symbolizing Bodhisattva Faji’s identity. Seeing this tablet is like seeing the Bodhisattva…” The Tower Spirit monk smiled.

A tablet symbolizing a Bodhisattva’s identity… Xu Qi’an was startled, his thoughts racing. How did Bodhisattva Faji’s tablet end up with Chu Xianglong?

What was their relationship? Would killing Chu Xianglong bring Bodhisattva Faji’s revenge upon him?

“Since you possess Bodhisattva Faji’s tablet, you are naturally the master of the Pagoda of Buddha.”

At this point, the old monk asked solemnly: “When and where has the benefactor met Bodhisattva Faji?”

… Xu Qi’an couldn’t answer for a moment, thinking to himself that Bodhisattva Faji should be in Alanda, how could he possibly have met him?

Wait! Chu Xianglong certainly hadn’t been to Alanda either, how did he get Bodhisattva Faji’s tablet?

This thought flashed through his mind, and Xu Qi’an shook his head, saying ambiguously: “I haven’t met Bodhisattva Faji.”

The Tower Spirit monk explained: “Bodhisattva Faji has been missing for three hundred and sixty years, without any news. Even Bodhisattva Liuli couldn’t find him.”

Missing for three hundred and sixty years… Xu Qi’an breathed a sigh of relief. This way, no one could expose his identity as an impostor.

He feigned confusion: “I remember now, this tablet was given to me by an old wandering monk, repaying me for a meal. But, but I never thought it would be so precious. Also, why did Bodhisattva Faji suddenly disappear, not letting the Buddhist sect find him?”

This statement both accounted for the origin of the tablet and highlighted his own “innocence”, while also probing into the truth of Bodhisattva Faji’s disappearance.

“That’s not right!” said the old monk.

Not right? Could Bodhisattva Faji be a woman? Xu Qi’an nearly changed his expression dramatically.

The old monk scrutinized Xu Qi’an and hesitantly said:

“Bodhisattva Faji giving you the tablet wasn’t just for a meal’s kindness. By receiving this tablet, you’ve formed a karmic connection with a first-grade Bodhisattva. For ordinary people, this isn’t a good thing. But I see that the benefactor is already entangled in karma, so one more karmic connection doesn’t matter much. It seems Bodhisattva Faji saw this quality in you.”

Bah, old monk, it’s as if you’re saying: Benefactor, you’re like an old general on stage, covered in flags.

Xu Qi’an smiled forcedly: “Perhaps… By the way, may I ask, Master, if I had chosen to release Shengshu just now, would you have agreed?”

The old monk nodded and said: “Breaking the seal would have been your death. After Shengshu devoured your essence blood, I would have trapped it again. Then wait for the Bodhisattvas from Alanda to deal with it.”

The old ginger is indeed spicier… Xu Qi’an looked at Shengshu’s severed arm again and asked:

“What exactly is the background of this arm’s owner?”

The old monk pondered for a moment, then waved his hand. His wide sleeve swept across the air, revealing a scroll that only Xu Qi’an could see.

In the scroll, a golden Buddha statue sat majestically, with kind eyes and a hidden aura of dignity.

On the Buddha’s left and right were nine Bodhisattvas symbolizing the nine great Dharma images, as well as eighteen Arhats.

This was exactly the scene on the first floor of the Pagoda of Buddha.

Is Shengshu hidden among the Bodhisattvas? Just as Xu Qi’an was puzzling over this, he suddenly saw the “camera” rise higher, ascending into the misty depths where the ceiling was not visible.

The next moment, the complete picture of the first floor of the pagoda appeared before his eyes:

Above the heads of the Buddhist Bodhisattvas, deep in the mist, was a huge black Dharma image. It had twelve pairs of arms, a blazing fire halo burning behind its head, and a black flame mark on its forehead.

Its face was twisted with evil, gesticulating wildly, glaring fiercely at the Buddha, Bodhisattvas, and Arhats below, as if they were the most delicious prey.

The overall picture had a clear sense of layers, with the bottom layer exuding a dignified and auspicious Buddhist aura, while the upper layer was like a gloomy and terrifying purgatory, creating an extremely strong visual impact.

Xu Qi’an’s heart rate suddenly increased, the “thump-thump” sound audible even to himself.

He recognized that black Dharma image at a glance – it was Shengshu.

When killing the Northern Frontier King in Chu State, Shengshu used the power of the blood pill to perform a secret technique, manifesting this Dharma image.

“What does this picture represent? Shengshu treating the Buddhist sect as ‘food’? Is Shengshu an enemy of the entire Buddhist sect? Can he threaten the Bodhisattvas, Arhats, and even the Buddha? Is he coveting the entire Buddhist sect from the depths of the mist?”

One guess after another burst forth in his mind, accompanied by a trembling sensation.

The old monk waved his hand, dispersing the image, and put his palms together: “Do you understand now?”

… Xu Qi’an opened his mouth, wanting to ask more, but couldn’t bring himself to do so.

The Tower Spirit drew a “卍” symbol on the Buddhist tablet and handed it to Xu Qi’an, saying:

“Holding this tablet allows you to initially control the Pagoda of Buddha. The benefactor can choose to ride the pagoda to leave Leizhou, but do not use the pagoda to harm Buddhist disciples.”

I can control the Pagoda of Buddha. Just as Xu Qi’an was about to express his gratitude, he suddenly heard Li Shaoyun’s inquiry from behind:

“What are you daydreaming about?”

He suddenly awoke, as if from a deep dream. There was no anklet in his hand, and Shengshu’s left arm hadn’t revived. If not for the Buddhist tablet in his hand, he would have doubted whether everything before was just a dream.

Xu Qi’an instinctively looked towards the Tower Spirit monk, who was still sitting cross-legged with lowered eyes, palms together, as quiet as a sculpture.

“No need to look at him, he won’t interfere with anything, let alone help us.”

Li Shaoyun followed his gaze to the old monk: “I asked him earlier to send us out, but was refused. Also, this monk is very good at arithmetic.”

Good at arithmetic? Do monks in this world need a bachelor’s degree too… Xu Qi’an joked inwardly, quietly putting away the Buddhist tablet, and asked:

“What do you want to say?”

Li Shaoyun rolled his eyes and said: “It’s almost dark, and Sun Xuanji still hasn’t dealt with the enemies outside. If we can’t get out by tomorrow morning, we’ll be trapped to death in the tower. Everyone’s getting anxious, do you have any ideas?”

Xu Qi’an immediately looked out the window of the pagoda. The sky was dark, and the sunset had completely sunk below the horizon.

Outside was quiet, with occasional cannon fire reminding them that the battle hadn’t ceased.

The Leizhou martial artists inside the tower, who had been calm and collected during the day, were now becoming restless and uneasy.

Because they realized that Sun Xuanji seemed unable to rescue them from the watch of the two third-grade experts. As time progressed, everyone would inevitably face “defeat”.

“That third-grade sorcerer has run out of cannonballs.”

“Fire, fire, all day long just firing at monks, doesn’t he have any other tactics?”

“Sure enough, the combat power of sorcerers can’t be trusted. If Xu Yinluo were here, that Dharma-protecting Vajra would have been reincarnated by now.”

“Yes, Xu Yinluo is invincible, and most importantly, he’s a martial artist.”

An anxious atmosphere brewed and fermented among the crowd, with many regretting coming to Sanhua Temple to muddy the waters.

At this time, Yuan Yi, Tang Yuanwu, and Liu Yun came over. The Commander asked:

“What countermeasures do you have, sir?”

He had come to consult with Xu Qi’an. If all else failed, they could consider returning the dragon essence to the Buddhist sect, and with Sun Xuanji mediating, perhaps their lives could be spared.

Just as he was deliberating how to broach the subject, Yuan Yi heard Xu Qian say:

“I’ll take you all out now.”

What?!

Liu Yun and the others doubted their ears for a moment, then looked at Xu Qian with surprise and joy the next second.

Fasten your seatbelts… Xu Qi’an joked to himself as he infused his qi into the Buddhist tablet, separating a strand of his divine sense to immerse himself in the tablet. He immediately felt a certain connection between himself and the Pagoda of Buddha.

This connection was inferior to that with the Taiping Sword but on the same level as the fragment of the Book of Earth.

This meant that although he was now the master of the Pagoda of Buddha, he wasn’t its true master.

To put it more vividly: The Taiping Sword was his son, while the Book of Earth fragment and the Pagoda of Buddha were his stepfathers.

Given the status of the Book of Earth and the Pagoda of Buddha, they were indeed stepfathers.

Xu Qi’an gripped the Buddhist tablet tightly and said in a deep voice: “Rise!”

…

Outside the Pagoda of Buddha, the Eastern sisters and the monks of Sanhua Temple sat in small groups.

Compared to the intense firepower during the day, the occasional cannon attacks now posed no threat to them.

But they dared not leave the vicinity of the Pagoda of Buddha, as everyone guessed that Sun Xuanji must be in a fit of impotent rage by now, and might take it out on them, unleashing a massacre.

Moreover, Sanhua Temple had been largely destroyed in the rounds of cannon fire, with the main hall collapsed, countless craters, and a scene of devastation.

The abbot of Sanhua Temple, Panlong, chanted Buddha’s name and sighed:

“Once we get through this night, the Pagoda of Buddha will close its doors, letting those thieves die inside. It will be an answer to Hengyin and all our fallen brethren.”

The monks of Sanhua Temple felt both satisfaction and hatred.

Dongfang Wanrong smiled and said: “But if Commander Yuan Yi dies inside the tower, the Da Feng court will surely hold us accountable. The Buddhist sect should be prepared to bear the wrath of the court.”

“The female benefactor need not fan the flames,” Jingyuan, the warrior monk, said calmly. “Da Feng has been weak for a long time. Since the imperial examination, the Northern Frontier King, the Emperor, and Wei Yuan have died one after another. Even that rising young figure, Xu Qi’an, has been crippled. Where would the Da Feng court find the courage to hold us accountable?”

“Indeed, Yuan Yi instigated the Leizhou jianghu to attack our temple. The Buddhist sect should be the one holding him accountable,” a Sanhua Temple monk said indignantly.

A disciple from the East Sea Dragon Palace chimed in: “Except for the Director, Da Feng no longer has any top experts.”

The group of disciples belonging to the Witch God Cult burst into laughter.

In the distance, Vajra Du Nan stood outside the tower door, silent.

The Spiritual Wisdom Master Ilbu and Sun Xuanji, who was controlling the battery platform, were still playing a game of “cat and mouse”.

Just then, the Pagoda of Buddha suddenly began to shake, with increasing intensity. Plaster fell off in chunks, and tiles crashed down, shattering into pieces.

Everyone looked up in astonishment at the pagoda.

“What’s happening? What’s going on inside?”

“Has the Pagoda of Buddha come to life?”

The sudden change left everyone bewildered and discussing amongst themselves.

Abbot Panlong muttered, “This pagoda has stood in the temple for five hundred years without ever showing any unusual movement. Why now? Why?”

Without hesitation, everyone looked towards the Dharma-protecting Vajra, Du Nan, only to find that this third-grade Vajra, usually as steady as a mountain, finally showed expressions of bewilderment, shock, and confusion.

A black-light descended near the pagoda. Ilbu, dressed in a wizard’s robe, looked up and said gravely:

“What’s going on?”

Vajra Du Nan pondered, “Perhaps Bodhisattva Faji is nearby, and the Tower Spirit has sensed him.”

Bodhisattva Faji?

The Buddhist monks were overjoyed at these words.

Of course, why else would the Tower Spirit show such movement if not sensing its master nearby?

Since the Bodhisattva had arrived, the thieves inside the tower had no chance of escape, and that troublesome Sun Xuanji was no longer a threat.

This battle for the treasure seemed to have ended without danger.

“Amitabha, since Bodhisattva Faji has arrived, this matter should conclude,” Abbot Panlong put his palms together, relieved.

The disciples of the East Sea Dragon Palace felt a wave of envy. The Buddhist sect was powerful with many experts; a first-grade Bodhisattva could come at a moment’s notice. No wonder the Buddhist monks were so confident.

It would be hard not to be.

Jingxin and Jingyuan looked at each other, somewhat surprised. As monks from Alanda, they knew some inside information – Bodhisattva Faji had been missing for 360 years without any news.

How could he just appear out of nowhere?

As people were either confused, delighted, or envious, Ilbu, who had been staring at the Pagoda of Buddha all along, said gravely:

“There’s someone on top of the pagoda.”

Hearing this, everyone instinctively looked up towards the pointed top of the pagoda.

In the dark sky, at the tip of the spire, stood a man in blue robes. He stood alone in the wind, his clothes fluttering, looking down coldly at the crowd below.

The Eastern sisters’ faces suddenly changed dramatically:

“It’s Xu Qian!”

Others also recognized the identity of the blue-robed man – it was indeed Xu Qian, who had summoned Sun Xuanji and killed the senior monk Hengyin.

When did he get out of the pagoda?

Vajra Du Nan’s expression finally changed.

“The green hills remain unchanged, the clear waters flow forever. Thank you to the Buddhist sect for the gift. Everyone, farewell!”

The blue-robed man bowed with cupped hands.

As his words fell, the Pagoda of Buddha burst forth with dazzling golden light, its towering body rising from the ground and soaring into the clouds.

Two figures immediately gave chase – Vajra Du Nan, surrounded by brilliant golden light, and Ilbu, transformed into a streak of black light.

Vajra Du Nan’s speed was no match for the Pagoda of Buddha, and he was left behind in an instant. Ilbu’s black light pursued relentlessly, gradually closing the distance.

The Pagoda of Buddha shook with a boom, emitting a trace of a terrifyingly powerful aura that struck Ilbu like lightning, causing his magic to stagnate as if suppressed.

Seizing this moment, the Pagoda of Buddha transformed into a streak of light and disappeared on the horizon.

…

Inside Sanhua Temple, both the East Sea Dragon Palace and Sanhua Temple groups were dumbfounded.

“No, it’s not Bodhisattva Faji…”

A monk swallowed hard, “The Pagoda of Buddha has been… stolen…”

The Buddhist monks’ minds were in chaos, unable to comprehend what had just happened. How could the magical treasure of a first-grade Bodhisattva be stolen so easily?

Where was the Tower Spirit?

Was the Tower Spirit sleeping?

Jingxin turned his gaze towards the Eastern sisters, his face still frozen in shock and bewilderment, and said softly, “Who exactly is this Xu Qian?”

He was just someone who couldn’t even beat Wanqing… Dongfang Wanrong opened her mouth but was at a loss for words.

She no longer trusted her judgment.

Dongfang Wanqing answered for her sister, “We encountered this person on our way to Leizhou. He…”

As she spoke, a look of confusion appeared on Dongfang Wanrong’s beautiful face, as if she had forgotten what she wanted to say.

At this moment, a monk from Sanhua Temple pointed to where the Pagoda of Buddha had stood, exclaiming in surprise:

“Huh? Why is there a space here?”

Abbot Panlong looked over and said, “That’s where…”

He suddenly froze. Yes, why was there a space here?

…

The night was deep, at the border of Leizhou.

A golden light whistled through the air and landed in a valley.

The night was deep, the mountains silent, with occasional hoots of owls echoing.

Sun Xuanji, accompanied by Mu Nanzhi and Li Lingsu, entered the Pagoda of Buddha. Under Xu Qi’an’s guidance, they ascended to the third floor.

Mu Nanzhi, holding the little white fox, turned her head to look around and saw the jianghu people crowded at two windows, staring at the night outside in disbelief.

“You, you stole the Pagoda of Buddha?”

Li Shaoyun stared at the blue-robed man before him with an expression as if he’d seen a ghost. “How did you do it?”

It was taught by my wife… Xu Qi’an silently joked to himself but outwardly remained calm. “Would I have entered the Pagoda of Buddha without full confidence?”

Hearing this, Commander Yuan Yi showed an expression of admiration. “Sir, your calculations are truly ingenious. I, Yuan, in my limited knowledge, didn’t know when Da Feng had produced such a figure as yourself.”

Liu Yun immediately looked over, her eyes sparkling.

“He might not be from Da Feng,” Li Shaoyun muttered beside them.

This person was proficient in insect techniques. Although he had typical Central Plains features, appearances could be changed.

Sun Xuanji looked at Xu Qi’an and said, “I…”

The little fox didn’t quite like the aura inside the Pagoda of Buddha. It curled up in Mu Nanzhi’s arms, raising a small paw, and said weakly:

“So powerful, so powerful, worthy of being Sister Yeji’s man.”

His purpose in coming to Leizhou was to steal the Pagoda of Buddha. This… this is something I never thought of… Li Lingsu thought with mixed feelings.

Sun Xuanji looked at Xu Qi’an and said, “Already…”

Mu Nanzhi’s expression changed slightly, and she lowered her head: “Sister Yeji?”

‘s man?

The little white fox made an “mm” sound: “Sister Yeji is my third sister.”

No wonder, no wonder he said it was an old friend’s sister… Mu Nanzhi examined it for a moment, then coldly threw the little white fox away.

Plop!

The little white fox fell to the ground. It was only as long as an adult’s forearm, delicate and tiny. It raised its head, its teary fox eyes looking innocently at Mu Nanzhi, unable to understand why it had suddenly been treated so roughly.

Mu Nanzhi glared at Xu Qi’an, sighed, and then picked up the little white fox again, rubbing its head to comfort it.

She wasn’t so petty as to hold a grudge against a little fox cub.

Sun Xuanji looked at Xu Qi’an and said, “Through…”

Xu Qi’an spoke loudly, “Everyone, our business here is done. To prevent being tracked, I must leave immediately. I’ll send you all out of the pagoda now.”

After hesitating for a while, one of the jianghu people timidly probed, “Sir, you said earlier that we would… share the treasures equally.”

Instantly, all eyes turned to Xu Qi’an.

The Leizhou martial artists didn’t dare to make a commotion, nor did they dare to pressure him. They held their breath, watching him.

Jianghu wanderers love to fight for treasures, essentially because they have no backing, no resources. If they want to make a name for themselves, they must risk their lives to fight and grab.

Just like children from poor families who want to succeed must study hard, hanging a beam to stay awake and jabbing their thighs with an awl, spending ten years in cold windows, all to fight for that one chance.

Only the unaffiliated cultivators themselves know the bitterness of this path.

The old monk, who had been sitting in meditation like a statue, even raised his head to look at Xu Qi’an.

Yuan Yi, Li Shaoyun, Tang Yuanwu, and the other fourth-grade martial artists didn’t speak, but their gazes immediately turned towards him, mixed with a hint of longing.

The reason they hadn’t spoken up earlier was that they felt they no longer had the right to bargain with Xu Qian.

This is how the jianghu works – might make right.

But deep in their hearts, they still held a glimmer of hope.

Of course, even if Xu Qian went back on his word, they wouldn’t say much and would leave immediately.

The dragon essence can’t be shared, and I can’t decide about the Pagoda of Buddha, but I did indeed say we would share the treasures equally… Although it was just a perfunctory remark, a man’s word should be his bond… Moreover, I brought these people here and used their “labor” for free.

How should I compensate them… Xu Qi’an fell into deep thought.