Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant Chapter 2389 99: Six Paths

Whirr——

Within the silently whirling maelstrom of the Realm Sea.

One after another, figures of cultivators began to appear.

These cultivators looked stiff and lifeless, as if their spirits had been drained away, emerging steadily from the vortex.

They tread upon the glossy stone pavement, producing barely any noise.

The stone pavement mirrored the majestic and ornate rafters of the temple overhead, together with the statues of Arhats and Bodhisattvas perched loftily on either side...

Once the final cultivator had emerged.

A short pause followed, then a monk's form also stepped forth from the vortex.

Right as he appeared, the vortex behind him sealed up without a sound.

The monk's countenance was grave as he surveyed his surroundings, then lifted his hand in a formal gesture before himself, offering a bow to the guarding Bodhisattvas and Arhats:

"Supreme True Buddha, Wisdom None, I greet Wisdom Void Bodhisattva, Wisdom Sea Bodhisattva, Wisdom Sound Bodhisattva... I greet all Arhats."

"Supreme True Buddha."

Across the vast temple hall, a chorus of monks' voices suddenly intoned the Buddha's name.

It resembled a holy chant, instilling tranquility in the soul.

However, inside the grand chamber, the cultivators stood like hollow husks, displaying zero response.

"Once more, we have come back."

Next to Wisdom None, a figure clad in green robes lingered unseen in the emptiness, plainly just steps away but feeling infinitely distant.

His eyes quietly scanned the whole chamber.

Unlike the previous visit, where only Wisdom Void Bodhisattva occupied the hall, now statues of Arhats filled both flanks, some seated and others upright, with twenty-four on each side, all directing their attention toward Wisdom None and the cultivators he had returned with.

Their expressions were benevolent, but their stares resembled those appraising livestock for selection.

At the heart of the hall loomed the towering Dharma forms of three Bodhisattvas.

The central one was the familiar Wisdom Void Bodhisattva from before; flanking him were somewhat diminutive Bodhisattvas, their eyes examining the cultivators with keen judgment.

Yet none of these three Bodhisattvas or the Arhats, even under his close watch, detected anything amiss.

The man in green robes experienced a surge of unexplained emotion.

On the prior occasion, his cultivation level was modest, forcing him to proceed warily and avoid detection by the monks; he had relied on the Wind-Driving Staff to masquerade as a speck of dust tucked into a cultivator's clothing.

Now, he strode openly alongside Wisdom None, positioning himself brazenly amid the monks, but still, no one sensed him there.

Time was indeed a wondrous force in existence.

As he pondered this.

Wisdom Void Bodhisattva, enthroned prominently in the hall's midst, shifted his probing gaze and offered Wisdom None a faint smile:

"Wisdom None Arhat's expedition into the Sea of Chaos Realm has been grueling yet fruitful; I am curious if conditions in the Sea of Chaos Realm have shifted and match our earlier assumptions..."

Wisdom None, refusing to slacken, revealed everything he had observed and encountered, along with the steps he had undertaken in the Sea of Chaos Realm.

The revelation of a fourth domain caught Wisdom Void Bodhisattva and the others off guard for a moment.

"This Little Cang World stays deeply concealed, undetected across countless years."

Wisdom None clarified:

"The Sea of Chaos Realm might not span endlessly, but it's no mere speck; concealing a domain there proves feasible. That said, I've covertly implemented safeguards to block their seamless merger."

Hearing that, Wisdom Void Bodhisattva nodded approvingly and replied with a grin:

"Such an achievement deserves high praise; I shall inform the Western Great Bodhisattva to record your contributions."

"That being said, prior to this... Wisdom None Arhat, you must bear a minor hardship."

Wisdom None felt stunned:

"Hardship?"

His question barely landed when the Arhats moved in unison, and a golden mesh etched with the '卍' symbol dropped from the ceiling. Underneath Wisdom None and the cultivators, a lotus platform bloomed at once.

"Wisdom Void Bodhisattva, what does this signify?!"

Wisdom None's face twisted faintly, though he refrained from any reckless moves, allowing the golden mesh to fully encase him and the cultivators, and he turned toward the central, grandest Bodhisattva with a tone laced with bewilderment and fury.

Wisdom Void Bodhisattva's smile held no warmth as he responded icily:

"Wisdom None Arhat, stay calm; we merely wish to avoid another incident like with Pu Yuan, so we're performing a simple check."

"Though the Sea of Chaos Realm overflows with wickedness and true Dao realization cannot be attained there, anomalies can occur; the Western Great Bodhisattva believes someone previously tricked Pu Yuan and fled the Sea of Chaos Realm; to stop any such flight now, we have been commanded to watch diligently at this spot."

Wisdom None, seething with rage, held back from challenging Wisdom Void Bodhisattva directly, and the eye on his forehead flickered open and shut, reluctant:

"Even should a cultivator reach Crossing Tribulation in the Sea of Chaos Realm, how could they fool this eye of mine?"

"Nothing is guaranteed, but this is just a safeguard."

"Bear it without resentment, for I have already sought the Northern Great Bodhisattva's approval on this."

The grin vanished completely from Wisdom Void Bodhisattva's features, and he lightly tapped the edge of the golden mesh.

The golden mesh constricted rapidly.

It pressed tight against Wisdom None and the cultivators.

Aware that the Northern Great Bodhisattva had agreed, Wisdom None, for all his ire, had no choice but to submit passively.

The golden mesh coiled around his form like creeping tendrils, emanating radiant golden glow.

It squeezed further, but nothing else happened.

Witnessing this, Wisdom Void Bodhisattva's look shifted subtly:

"Could the Great Bodhisattva have erred?"

"Was Pu Yuan's earlier demise not tied to the Sea of Chaos Realm?"

The Bodhisattvas at his sides, observing the scene, gave small nods too, murmuring:

"It might have been a mistake."