Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant Chapter 2381: 196: Wisdom None
Previously on Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant...
The monk possessed a lengthy beard, yet his bald head and face remained remarkably smooth, lending him a surprisingly youthful appearance.
Right now, he positioned himself steadily amid the emptiness, surveying his surroundings with a touch of nostalgia reflected in his gaze.
Yet shortly after, a flicker of unease crossed his features.
He creased his brow faintly, whispering under his breath:
“This realm brims with wickedness; even Bodhisattvas hesitate to venture here, wary of hindering their virtuous deeds, and they dare not linger. Still, without such circumstances, this merit would not be mine to claim…”
Wasting no time, he casually retrieved a ring adorned with an intricate pavilion design.
With a gentle infusion of power, an expansive star map unfolded from within the ring.
Across the star map dotted numerous yellow points alongside one prominent red mark.
“The Sea Market has truly vanished.”
The monk's gaze swept over the star map, his fingers tracing calculations in the air, before he gave a subtle shake of his head.
Not wasting another instant, he pinpointed a close black spot near the red one and morphed into a streak of golden radiance, hurtling toward it.
It wasn't long before he reached the spot, only to behold a scorched wasteland, clearly the aftermath of a brutal, unimaginable clash.
Emerging from the golden streak, the monk's brows knitted together almost imperceptibly.
With a mere mental command, he extended a finger toward the devastation.
A ethereal projection instantly materialized over the ruins, filled with overlapping figures of cultivators, vibrant energy trails darting in all directions…
“Has the Three Great Realms truly turned their might against those from beyond the Domain?”
Observing the forms of those cultivators, many with refined and ordinary looks, the monk registered no shock.
Prior to his arrival, the Bodhisattvas had already foreseen the turmoil in the Sea of Chaos Realm, foretelling a savage confrontation between the Three Great Realms and invading outsiders triggered by the Sea Market's loss. The reality before him confirmed their foresight.
With a simple gesture, the illusory scene scattered like grains of sand, fading away without a sound.
After a moment of reflection, he recalled the positions of the yellow points on the star map and set off toward the next one.
He floated above seven or eight sites, each revealing nothing but barren desolation and wreckage.
Treasures from various factions had been thoroughly plundered, stripped clean of all value.
Seeing this devastation, the monk at last felt a sense of security, a glimmer of ease shining in his eyes.
“I feared the postponement had ruined everything, but it appears I've spared myself considerable hassle.”
“Evidently, the bulk of those external powers have ended up under the control of the Jade Pot Realm.”
He hailed originally from the Sea of Chaos Realm, so he well understood the Jade Pot Realm's far superior foundations compared to the other two. In the wake of a massive disturbance in the Sea of Chaos Realm, the Jade Pot Realm stood as the clear frontrunner to prevail.
Not pausing, he dashed straight toward the Jade Pot Realm, bypassing the need for the star map's aid.
En route, he skimmed past the bases of the external invaders, confirming each lay in utter ruin.
He pressed on without stopping, and even sans a teleportation array, he managed to arrive at the Jade Pot Realm's borders after just over ten years.
Gazing upon the territory enclosed by enormous dark boulders, the monk who had stepped from the light stream displayed a spark of contentment in his eyes.
In the instant that followed, he ceased hiding his cultivation aura and unleashed it in full!
Nearly at once, a beam of light shot forth from inside the domain, unveiling a slender elderly man with a grave, alert demeanor, who shouted from a distance:
“Who approaches, Fellow Daoist?”
The monk answered with a grin:
“You must be Yuan Kong's disciple, Qiao Zhongxu?”
The slender elder jolted in surprise, fixing his stare on the monk's visage, his face shifting through astonishment, uncertainty, and outright incredulity:
“Are you—you're Zhang Yangui, Ancestor Zhang?!”
Hearing this, the monk offered a kind smile:
“That's correct. By my reckoning, it's been ten thousand years since I departed the Jade Pot Realm, and yet you recall me still…”
“It really is Ancestor Zhang!”
Qiao Zhongxu brimmed with shock and joy, hastily adding:
“A likeness of you hangs within the domain. As a follower, I study it frequently. What brings you back now, Ancestor?”
Then, spotting the monk's robes and the third eye on his brow, he paused briefly:
“Ancestor, that eye of yours…”
The monk brushed it off without concern, replying with a smile:
“This is a sacred technique granted by a Great Bodhisattva after I sought refuge with the True Buddha, granting me the sight to pierce deceptions and distinguish truth from lies.”
Qiao Zhongxu nodded in comprehension and pressed on eagerly:
“So you've pledged yourself to the Supreme True Buddha? What's your current level of cultivation? How fare the elders who departed before, and why have they not come back?”
His questions tumbled out, betraying the long-buried curiosities weighing on him.
The monk took no offense, laughing lightly as he responded:
“The True Buddha's compassion knows no bounds, his power infinite. For sinners like us by birth, refuge in the True Buddha offers the sole path to salvation. You may speak freely here, but guard your words carefully henceforth.”
Qiao Zhongxu froze, grasping the implication in the monk's statement, worry clouding his expression:
“Are you here to lead me from the Sea of Chaos Realm this time, Ancestor?”
Noting his anxious look, the monk let out a chuckle:
“I've returned in person; what cause for concern is there?”
“I know the sentiments prevailing in the realm, believing themselves tricked and thus feigning ignorance, but that is a profound error!”
He uttered this with a gentle head shake, then spoke with utmost sincerity:
“The Supreme True Buddha seeks paradise for every sentient being. Yet the cultivators beyond hold only petty views, spawning ceaseless evils from their self-serving cravings. Thus, the two sides clash like oil and water. Since the elders' departure, they've battled on the front lines with no chance to return.”
“Rest easy, though. The majority remain unharmed, and several have attained remarkable feats.”
“Take your Grand Ancestor Liu, for instance—he stands but a single stride from the Great Bodhisattva stage, equivalent to the late Crossing Tribulation phase. Furthermore, one Patriarch has risen among the Four Directions Great Bodhisattvas. Who can say when he might ascend to the Great Mahayana Buddha realm!”