“Officials!” Zhulai bowed obsequiously, stepping forward with a submissive demeanor, explaining, “We’re heading to Half Moon City for business. May I ask if there’s an issue?”
The guard, holding a spear, asked coldly, “Where’s your travel permit? Show it!”
Travel permit… Zhulai froze for a moment. Half Moon City was only forty li away, and travel between the two places didn’t require a permit. Only travelers and merchants going beyond a hundred li needed to show travel permits, which were issued by the City Lord’s mansion.
Zhulai’s caravan was a disguise—they couldn’t possibly obtain an official travel permit from the City Lord’s mansion.
Seeing Zhulai’s silence, the guard’s gaze sharpened, while three other guards looked on coldly.
Zhulai’s heart tightened. He glanced back at his nervous fellow disciples, then smiled submissively, “This… I’ve never heard of needing a permit for Half Moon City before… Why is it required now?”
Coming from a beggar background, he was naturally skilled at bowing and scraping—using a humble attitude to curry favor was an occupational skill.
The spear-wielding guard, satisfied with Zhulai’s attitude, explained, “These are orders from above. Don’t ask why.”
Because he didn’t know either.
His response actually relieved Zhulai, who had been wondering—could there be a traitor among us who reported the Mahayana Buddhist migration to the City Lord’s mansion?
After all, among the numerous Mahayana Buddhist followers, there were bound to be some unwilling to move east. Unable to leave the Western Regions themselves and unwilling to see others leave, they might have reported everyone out of spite.
Although the Mahayana Buddhist leadership had promised not to abandon those staying in the Western Regions and encouraged them to continue spreading the teachings, which had somewhat placated the followers, Zhulai’s beggar background made him familiar with humanity’s ugliness. His first thought was betrayal within the sect.
Fortunately, it seemed to be something else.
“Sir, perhaps we could work something out.” Zhulai pulled out a silver ingot from his clothes, secretly passing it to the guard.
“Outrageous!” The guard exploded in anger, berating him, “We are warriors loyal to the City Lord. The City Lord’s orders are our faith!”
Zhulai thought for a moment, then painfully pulled out three more silver ingots, offering them respectfully, “Sir, please consider…”
The guard pondered, then said solemnly, “Buddha said He would not let His believers suffer hardship. Surely the City Lord feels the same.”
He turned to the three guards behind him, asking, “Don’t you agree?”
The three guards nodded gravely.
After smoothing things over, Zhulai breathed a sigh of relief and turned to command, “Move out!”
The caravan successfully left the city, slowly advancing along the rutted official road outside.
Sunlight shone upon them, every face glowing with promise as if heading toward a new life.
With Mahayana Buddhism banned in the Western Regions, they would go to the Central Plains—to spread their faith in those fertile lands.
At the same time, across various city-states and kingdoms of the Western Regions, similar groups were leaving their ancestral homes, heading into the wilderness, and pursuing their faith.
They were like small streams converging into an ocean.
…
Alantuo.
Glaze Bodhisattva stood at the mountain peak, looking down at the dense crowds at the mountain’s foot. Almost every one of status in the Western Regions had come.
The plain below the sacred mountain was dotted with clearly divided tents.
“After the Shanhai Pass battle, our Buddhist sect’s fortune has been rising rapidly. If we can merge with Shenshu, Buddha will become the strongest Ultra Realm expert in the Nine Provinces.”
A voice neither male nor female, young nor old, came from behind.
A young monk in kasaya robes walked forward with clasped hands.
“Even without merging with Shenshu, Buddha remains the most powerful Ultra Realm expert, as long as the Western Regions’ fortune remains intact. In my view, Buddha suppressing Shenshu’s head and falling into a five-hundred-year slumber missed many opportunities.”
Glaze’s beautiful eyes were ethereal, her lips full and sensual. Her skin was fair and delicate, vastly different from the rough complexions of Western Region natives.
Guangxian Bodhisattva sighed, “But that was a Semi-Battle God.”
Why did Buddha create the dual cultivation system of Chan and martial arts?
To first reach Ultra Realm then become a Semi-Battle God—that would mean true invincibility under heaven.
However, the Central Plains humans produced a Confucian Saint who sealed all Ultra Realm experts in the Nine Provinces, completely disrupting Buddha’s plans and forcing Him to seek alternative paths.
Then came the uncontrollable “split body” Shenshu, and later, to get the plan back on track, Buddha dismembered and sealed Shenshu, originally intending to first absorb Shenshu’s head…
“A Semi-Battle God is immortal and indestructible. Even an Ultra Realm expert can only seal them, not kill them,” Guangxian Bodhisattva sighed again.
After a pause, he stood beside the devastatingly beautiful Glaze, looking down at the countless followers on the plain, and smirked:
“Whatever the case, we’re still one step ahead of the Poison God and Shaman God.
“By the way, I heard Xu Qi An went to sea?”
Glaze Bodhisattva nodded slightly, “Since he didn’t kill the Galartha Tree, going to sea was his only remaining option. Too bad that ancient divine beast had already devoured the overseas divine beast descendants before him.
“This journey was bound to be futile.”
Hearing this, Guangxian looked east and smiled, “After the Buddhist assembly, we’ll swallow Great Feng in one bite.”
As his words fell, melodious bell sounds rang out from Alantuo, echoing through heaven and earth.
On the plain below Alantuo Mountain, followers emerged from their tents, looked toward the sacred mountain, and then spontaneously sat cross-legged.
Regardless of age or gender, they sat on the ground, hands clasped, expressions devout.
“Dong!”
The ethereal bell sounds echoed in the followers’ hearts, resonating in every listener’s ears, as if cleansing their souls, bringing the most genuine feeling of life.
The most devout faith in Buddha.
Guangxian and Glaze stopped talking and sat down.
From the main hall’s direction, the Galartha Tree sat in the square, his voice accompanying the bell sounds, echoing in every follower’s ears:
“Since the beginning of heaven and earth, 723,368 years, none have achieved Buddhahood. After Buddha, 3,491 years, none have achieved Buddhahood. Buddha is unique, the only true Buddha in three thousand worlds…”
The followers listened silently, praying devoutly.
Gradually, the Galartha Tree’s voice became like chanting in their ears.
At first, they listened quietly, then unconsciously began chanting along.
Thus, grand Sanskrit sounds echoed through heaven and earth.
The unending Sanskrit sounds carried mysterious power, moving the hearts of every Western Region follower, moving the hearts of this group representing the Western Region’s upper society.
No one noticed that the majestic Alantuo seemed to come alive as if given life like a living being.
…
“Secrets cannot be shared with third parties, please wait!”
Xu Qi An turned his head, glancing at the towering Dragon-man with a frost-tinged mane and the charming Queen Zhenzhu beside him.
“You two leave first.”
He transmitted his thoughts directly into the two divine beast descendants’ minds.
The Raging Wave Island Lord and Merfolk Queen exchanged glances, didn’t ask why, and obediently jumped into the sea with two splashes, disappearing into the waves.
Xu Qi An then looked at the Nine-Tailed Fox.
She raised her delicate eyebrows and glared at him fiercely.
Xu Qi An said, “The Emperor can stay, Supervisor. She’s one of us.”
The Supervisor suddenly understood: “Oh, she’s become your beloved companion?”
Do you think I’m just some philanderer? I meant friendship—a friendship forged through life and death… Xu Qi An felt the Supervisor must have some misunderstanding about him.
The Nine-Tailed Fox turned her head away and spat.
After the Raging Wave Island Lord and Merfolk Queen had swum far away, Xu Qi An erected an energy barrier to block sound transmission.
Then, he and the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox sat side by side at the bow, looking at the Supervisor.
The Supervisor didn’t look at them, but beckoned, drawing the Taiping Blade into his hand. While examining it, he said, “It will take some more time to digest that door.”
Xu Qi An seized the opportunity to voice his confusion, “Why did I see a blade!”
The Supervisor chuckled, “Because you’re a martial artist.”
What’s wrong with being a martial artist, did I eat your rice?! Xu Qi An said irritably, “Stop being mysterious, explain clearly.”
After snapping at the Supervisor, inspiration suddenly struck him: “Is this why the martial arts system is different from all others?”
The Supervisor nodded with a smile: “That’s one reason. I’ll explain everything clearly in a moment.”
Xu Qi An continued asking, “That blade is what you called the door. In my perception, while it’s certainly mysterious, it’s not enough to drive divine beasts mad. Also, after merging with it, what changes will the Taiping Blade undergo?”
The Supervisor stroked the Taiping Blade, saying, “Possessing this blade gives you the qualification to become a Doorkeeper—it’s the Doorkeeper’s weapon.
“You’re right, it has indeed lost its core ability now because the second great Tribulation is different from the first.”
Just as I suspected… Xu Qi An was about to ask more, but the Nine-Tailed Fox beside him swatted him with her tail, saying angrily, “Too much nonsense.”
She didn’t want to hear Xu Qi An’s chatter; she only wanted to hear the Supervisor reveal the secret of the great Tribulation.
Xu Qi An immediately fell silent.
The Supervisor sat cross-legged, the Taiping Blade laid across his knees, and slowly said, “Before revealing the truth about the great Tribulation, I must ask you both a question.
“What do you consider heaven and earth to be? What is heaven like, and what is earth like?”
Straight to philosophy without warning, I only know what filial piety is, what love is… Xu Qi An turned his head toward the Nine-Tailed Fox: “The Supervisor is testing you!”