“We’ve… been here… for three days… Outside… has it been… a month?” the Nine-Tailed Fox spoke while slowly cutting through space, her eyes fixed on Xu Qi An.

Their progress was slow, but compared to Huang, who advanced one footprint at a time, they held a clear advantage.

“Probably…” Xu Qi An paused before continuing, “I just thought of something.”

The Nine-Tailed Fox patiently waited for him to finish before responding, “What is it? And why won’t you look at me?”

“Turning my head would take half a day—too exhausting,” Xu Qi An gave a simple explanation before continuing, “It’s hard to believe… how did a Divine Beast with such powerful spiritual essence die?”

Space transformation required complete concentration and was heavily dependent on his line of sight. Xu Qi An could only transform the space he could directly see. If he turned to look at the Nine-Tailed Fox, the space transformation would shift in her direction, deviating from their intended path.

The Nine-Tailed Fox contemplated before answering, “The power of each Transcendent is immeasurable. This Divine Beast who controlled the laws of the world might not have been that powerful. If Huang fell into this domain and unleashed his innate divine ability to devour everything, do you think these laws of slow time could have persisted?”

Xu Qi An fell silent, accepting her explanation.

Bored, she became more talkative and spoke softly, “The Supervisor said the key to the First Catastrophe lies at the center of the Divine Beast Island. Do you think the island’s purpose was to store that thing?”

Xu Qi An immediately corrected her, “The word ‘store’ isn’t right—who would store it?”

Seeing the silver-haired beauty lost in thought, he let his mind wander and continued, “But your idea is worth considering. Why is this island in the Returning Void? Where did that thing inside the island come from, and why did it cause Divine Beasts to kill each other? Also, why are the First and Second Catastrophes different? What changed between them?”

The Nine-Tailed Fox shook her head, “Perhaps we’ll understand everything when we see that thing. The Supervisor said once we see it, we’ll comprehend it.”

Xu Qi An moved past the topic and said while continuing to transport the Nine-Tailed Fox, “Lately, my mind has been unsettled! I don’t know if it’s an illusion, but I keep hearing things.”

“Hearing things?” the Nine-Tailed Fox was startled.

“I hear Buddhist chants in my ears, constantly calling me the Supreme Buddha,” Xu Qi An said solemnly.

…The silver-haired beauty felt he was lying again.

—

In the capital, at Haoqi Tower.

“It’s midsummer,” said Wei Yuan, the distinguished-looking man with touches of frost at his temples, sitting behind his desk. He looked at the elder in crimson robes across from him and smiled, “It’s time to close the net.”

Zhao Shou, straight-backed in his crimson robes and official hat, no longer showing his former unrestrained appearance with loose sideburns, nodded and said, “Message delivery and personnel organization both need time. Closing the net now will perfectly weaken Buddha’s destiny before the Buddhist Assembly! How many followers have the Western Regions’ Mahayana Buddhism gathered?”

Wei Yuan frankly shared the classified intelligence: “According to the last report, among the lower classes of the Western Regions, those secretly following Mahayana Buddhism have exceeded three hundred thousand.”

And now, there would only be more.

Three hundred thousand… Zhao Shou drew in a sharp breath, “How did it become so many?”

Wei Yuan shook his head and said, “If His Majesty heard that question, he would invite you to take a turn through the Treasury’s silver reserves.”

Zhao Shou frowned, not quite understanding.

Wei Yuan immediately explained the strategies of “silver for converting” and “silver for recruiting converts” to Zhao Shou. For secrecy, only he and Princess Huaiqing knew about this in court—even the Minister and Vice Minister of Revenue were unaware.

Because the silver didn’t go through the Ministry of Revenue, but through the three northern and southern border markets.

Of course, excluding the officials handling the matter below.

“No wonder the Minister of Revenue privately complained about being unable to collect enough silver and wrote memorials impeaching the officials in charge of the three border markets, but His Majesty always suppressed them,” Zhao Shou suddenly understood.

Wei Yuan took a sip of tea: “The world’s strongest force will always be silver. Combined with the Deliverance Arhat’s efforts over the past two years, three hundred thousand followers isn’t many.”

Besides these two reasons, the characteristics of Mahayana Buddhism that made it suitable for evangelizing and spreading were also crucial.

It was easier for the lower classes to accept.

Zhao Shou both rejoiced and frowned: “Haven’t we underestimated Mahayana Buddhism’s spread? If it becomes the state religion, given time, Mahayana Buddhism will bloom throughout the Central Plains, becoming difficult to control.”

Wei Yuan remained completely calm, smiling as he said, “Mahayana Buddhism differs from Western Buddhism—it won’t produce powerhouses like Bodhisattvas and Buddhas. Moreover, Mahayana Buddhism believes in Deliverance and the Supreme Buddha Xu Ning Yan.”

Zhao Shou pondered briefly before relaxing.

Lacking top-tier powerhouses meant it could be suppressed and controlled, limiting its development.

With Xu Ning Yan as the object of worship, Mahayana Buddhism could be kept within manageable bounds, preventing it from becoming a threat.

Wei Yuan continued, “I’ve invited Grand Scholar Zhao here to discuss how to relocate those three hundred thousand, or even more, Western Region people to the Central Plains.”

This was an immense undertaking. Just the escort and subsequent arrangements weren’t something ordinary forces could handle—only a dynasty like Great Feng had the national strength for it.

Zhao Shou held his teacup and spoke slowly: “Last year’s winter disaster and the Yun Province rebellion had massive impacts. The Central Plains haven’t yet recovered their vigor, with sharp population declines and abandoned fields. Though regrettable, it’s an opportunity at this moment.”

“Great Feng has enough land to settle the Mahayana Buddhist followers.”

“But large-scale migration will inevitably cause a stir—better to move east in batches. As for food, midsummer is here and autumn harvest isn’t far off, so feeding these people won’t be a concern.”

Moreover, the Western Region migrants could become an important labor force, exactly what Great Feng needed now.

Wei Yuan added, “The migration must be completed before the Buddhist Assembly.”

They then discussed specific details about settlement areas, how to organize the batches moving east, the manpower needed for escorts, route planning, and so on.

Finally, Zhao Shou suggested, “Let’s inform Wang Zhen Wen about this later. You’re unmatched in strategic vision as the empire’s mender, but Wang Zhen Wen exceeds you in handling details.”

Wei Yuan nodded with a smile, then suddenly asked, “Will this Mahayana Buddhism’s destiny belong to Xu Qi An?”

Zhao Shou contemplated, “As the state religion, Great Feng gets one-tenth, Deliverance gets one-tenth, and Xu Ning Yan receives eight-tenths.”

The Academy Director sighed, saying somewhat enviously, “When you were training that young constable back then, did you ever imagine today would come?”

Hearing this, Wei Yuan immediately set down his teacup, folded his hands inside his wide sleeves, and said calmly:

“Li Miao Zhen once said:

‘Do good deeds, ask not about the future path.’

The same applies to me.”

His smile was plain, his gaze gentle, but Zhao Shou could sense the pride hidden in Wei Qing Yi’s eyes and tone.

Look how pleased with yourself… Zhao Shou, as a teacher, maintained a blank expression as he sipped his tea, then hissed: “This is old tea, isn’t it?”

Wei Yuan started, looked down at his teacup, and corrected him: “This is the first batch of new tea that Mu Nan Zhi grew this year, specially delivered by Xu Ning Yan before he set sail.”

Zhao Shou showed a “confused” expression: “But I remember after Xu Ning Yan married Princess Lin An, the Flower Deity stopped growing tea. The second Young Master mentioned this while chatting with me, teasing his elder brother. Oh, perhaps I remembered wrong.”

Wei Yuan: “…”

—

In the Western Regions, the sky was intoxicatingly blue, with white clouds hanging silently at the horizon.

The tall and majestic Alanta Mountains stood beneath the blue sky and white clouds, seeming to have existed since ancient times.

On the wilderness at the foot of the Alanta Mountains, followers from various city-states and capitals of the Western Regions prostrated themselves every three steps as they moved toward the Holy Mountain.

They were utterly devout, their faith above all else, including family ties and respect for kings.

In the Western Regions, divine authority was supreme—kings were mere puppets, nobles were servants under divine authority.

The common people living in the Western Regions could disrespect kings, could be disloyal to nobles, but they couldn’t lack faith.

And their faith was only for that supreme, eternal, and unique Buddha.

Especially when they gazed into the distance and saw that tall and majestic Holy Mountain, their hearts grew increasingly reverent and devout.

According to locals near Alanta, not long ago, the Holy Mountain was attacked jointly by the Southern Border’s demon tribes and Central Plains’ Great Feng experts, creating disturbances that could be heard clearly from dozens of li away.

The Holy Mountain Alanta was almost leveled.

Yet now they saw with their own eyes that the Holy Mountain remained intact, standing silently between heaven and earth.

The only evidence was that the mountain’s peak no longer had snow, no longer wearing its white crown.

On a plain far from Alanta, under a bodhi tree, Deliverance, wearing red and yellow kasaya robes, sat cross-legged with palms joined, gazing toward distant Alanta.

A middle-aged monk stood beside him, palms joined.

The middle-aged monk had typical Western Region features with a round face. If Xu Qi An were here, he would recognize this person as Master Jing Chen, who had conflicted with him during the Buddhist confrontation.

“Master, Great Feng court has sent news.”

Deliverance nodded slightly.

Jing Chen continued, “Great Feng plans to separate two thousand li of territory in northern Lei Province and northern Chu Province, providing shelter for our Mahayana Buddhism, along with one year’s food supply. Asura and Earth Sect Golden Lotus, two Transcendents, will join the Mahayana Buddhist sect to guard against retaliation from the Bodhisattvas.”

“Additionally, on the day of the Buddhist Assembly, the Empress has promised to decree Mahayana Buddhism as the state religion.”

Declaring Mahayana Buddhism as the state religion would give it legitimate status, allowing its destiny to coalesce and separate from Western Buddhism.

Arhat Deliverance nodded slightly, quite satisfied.

Jing Chen paused briefly, then said: “But Great Feng has one condition—the migration must be completed before the Buddhist Assembly.”

Arhat Deliverance pondered for a moment, then nodded: “Do as they request.”

Master Jing Chen responded affirmatively, showing a slight smile: “For Mahayana Buddhism to flourish right under the Bodhisattvas’ noses, the Great Feng court has indeed given their all. Master, you were right—we might not trust Great Feng, but we can trust Constable Xu.”

“No, the Supreme Buddha.”

Without the Great Feng court’s willingness to spend money, and their all-out support, Mahayana Buddhism would have struggled to develop rapidly in such a short time, to spread among the suffering lower classes, showing such an explosive trend.

Deliverance said flatly, “The Bodhisattvas’ gaze has never been on the dust.”

The dust referred to the common people.

“Has Xu Ning Yan not returned?” he then asked.

“No news,” Jing Chen shook his head.

Arhat Deliverance frowned slightly, sighing, “Hope when he returns, he’ll be at Half-Step Martial God.”

With business concluded, Master Jing Chen gazed toward distant Alanta, unconsciously lowering his voice: “Master, wasn’t the Holy Mountain destroyed?!”

Hearing this, Arhat Deliverance’s expression grew complex as he said, “The Buddha is the Holy Mountain, and the Holy Mountain is the Buddha.”

What does that mean? Did Buddha become the mountain? Master Jing Chen furrowed his brows.

—

After several days of space transformation, Xu Qi An and the Nine-Tailed Fox saw a huge monster appear ahead. Its form rivaled mountains, with black fur and a goat-like body, six curved horns like thorns adorning its head.

Huang!

They had finally caught up to Huang.

Further beyond Huang, there was a pillar of light shooting into the sky.

The thing the Supervisor spoke of, symbolizing the Catastrophe… Xu Qi An and the Nine-Tailed Fox’s spirits lifted, their hearts racing.

At the same time, Huang, who had been slowly advancing, suddenly stopped. Then, He “slowly” turned His head.

One human, one fox, one Divine Beast—six eyes met.

Huang’s expression showed obvious change, like someone who had discovered treasure suddenly noticing two others coming to snatch it.

Just then, right before His eyes, Xu Qi An slowly completed a short-distance transmission.

Space artifact… Huang’s golden pupils contracted sharply.