The old monk deliberately paused. Fahui, already hot-tempered, grew impatient and shouted, "Abbot! Do not keep me in suspense. Tell me quickly!"
"Hahahaha!"
The old monk laughed loudly and said, "The Merciful One calculated, listening intently, and after a long while answered, He must seek the great whale. If he does not survive this ordeal, he will still perish in the belly of the whale dragon. "
Everyone exchanged glances, deep in thought, discussing among themselves. Fahui hesitated, then took an artifact handed to him by a fellow monk and said fiercely, "No matter the ordeal, I will convert this heretic and become a master monk!"
With that, Fahui bowed deeply to the old monk, then cupped his fist to the other monks and said loudly, "Fortunately, he mentioned going to Mount Luoxia, so he should not be hard to track. I'll be off now!"
With that, he took off swiftly, leaving a trail of dust behind him. The remaining disciples gathered around the abbot, and one of them said, "Senior Brother Fahui practices the Wrathful Eye technique and is on the verge of a breakthrough. If he can catch that person by surprise, he can still kill him!"
"Indeed!"
They discussed it eagerly among themselves while the old monk's smile faded.
He trembled as he turned away, muttering, "Opportunity is also an ordeal... There is no such thing as a perfect situation..."
Fahui of Duanchen Temple had set his sights on Li Xuanling. Meanwhile, Li Xuanling flew on, crossing field after field, his heart filled with concern. He thought to himself, This Zhao State is full of Buddhist cultivators, and if they are all as crazy as this one... it's too dangerous here! I don't even know where Mount Luoxia is, and it's not a place I must visit. I've been out for a few months; perhaps it's best to return now.
He then changed direction and flew south. It was already late, and as he looked down at the gray-yellow land beneath him in the twilight, he saw tenant farmers sitting around fires. They were listening to monks talking about the suffering of this life and the promise of becoming Maha or Dharma Master in the next. Li Xuanling concealed himself quietly, listening to the ordinary monks speaking with great longing.
Although the tenant farmers were emaciated and covered in scars and dirt, their eyes were bright with hope and yearning. Li Xuanling stood silently in the darkness for a while, listening to their joyful cheers and devout prayers, his heart filled with complex emotions.
"Whether the talk of lands of bliss and reincarnation is true or false, who among the immortals, devils, and Buddhists is right or wrong... The world is filled with deceit and darkness beyond words."
————
Time on the lake passed as smoothly as the water, the deep blue waves gradually growing colder. Xiao Xian once again brought several family servants to Lijing Town, sitting nervously under the main hall.
"Brother Xiao!" Li Yuanping called out, his face pale. He smiled as he sat at the head of the hall, looking down at Xiao Xian. "We have not seen each other for a few months, and your cultivation has improved greatly!" he commended with a smile.
Xiao Xian's talent was mediocre, having just broken through to the third stage of the Embryonic Breathing Realm. Li Yuanping's words were naturally flattery, and Xiao Xian simply smiled and let it pass. After sitting for a while, not knowing how to start the conversation, Li Yuanping decided to take the initiative and asked, "What brings you here today, Brother Xiao?"
Xiao Xian nodded, organizing his thoughts before replying respectfully, "I am now eighteen, and my family is preparing to find a wife for me..."
Hearing this, Li Yuanping immediately understood his intentions. He stroked his chin and thought, Qingxiao is now thirteen or fourteen... Mount Yu's branch probably wants to settle this matter early, fearing problems later.
Xiao Xian paused and then continued sincerely, "You probably already know, but I have admired Lady Qingxiao for a long time and sincerely wish to marry her. Could you convey my feelings to the elders and the lady herself? If it is agreeable, my family will send a proposal."
Li Yuanping rubbed the jade cup in his hand. Marriage proposals between clans were not made rashly. Typically, someone would first sound out the other party to ensure a positive response before formally proposing. Xiao Xian was now bringing this matter forward formally.
After all, for a clan, a direct rejection would be a blatant insult. Giving prior notice prevented awkwardness and enmity from forming if the proposal was unsuccessful.
Li Yuanping nodded, put down his teacup, and said solemnly, "Brother Xiao has helped me greatly... I will not stand idly by. I will inquire and speak well of you. You can expect good news."
Xiao Xian had gone through all this trouble for this assurance. Seeing Li Yuanping agree without asking for anything in return, he felt deeply relieved and grateful. "Thank you very much, Young Master!" he expressed sincerely.
Li Yuanping smiled, and the two chatted about various topics. Suddenly, Li Yuanping remembered something and asked, "Earlier this year, a devil cultivator named Murong Xia passed through our territory... He was quite domineering. Do you know what became of him?"
"Murong Xia?" Xiao Xian repeated as he thought for a moment and replied, "Does he cultivate the Virtuous Benevolence Devil Dao? The one who nurtures a human head in his belly? I have heard some things about him."
"Indeed," Li Yuanping confirmed.
Seeing his affirmation, Xiao Xian became more spirited and replied, "This person went south after passing through your family's territory. In our land, he devoured hundreds of people, acting as if everyone were treated equally. He claimed that they all went to enjoy themselves in his belly."
Li Yuanping remained silent, feeling a stir in his heart, and asked, "I heard my brother mention this person. From your perspective, is this so-called land of bliss real?"
Xiao Xian sneered and answered, "Whether it is real or not, I do not know. I would rather die than enter it! Even if it is true, what good is pleasure when you're under someone else's control?"
He paused and smirked sarcastically before continuing, "As for this Murong Xia, it is said that after devouring 16,756 people, he will become a Maha. He must have some incredible background, with many Master Monks and Merciful Ones escorting him. Even our family had to respectfully send him off."
He took a sip from his tea bowl and continued, "I thought he was some great Dharma Master, but he deliberately avoided the territory of the Yue Cultivating Sect... I guess he was scared."
Li Yuanping suddenly understood and, after a moment of thought, replied, "Could it be the Sword Immortal Daoist Master Shangyuan? Being both a Sword Immortal and at the peak of the Purple Mansion Realm, even Murong Xia would not dare provoke him."
Xiao Xian nodded and said, "Exactly. Excluding the Golden Core Realm cultivators, Daoist Master Shangyuan is the strongest in this region. The vast land of Xu State belonging to the Yue Cultivating Sect proves this. Daoist Master Shangyuan cares for the common people and clans. If Murong Xia dared to flaunt his ways there, not even a few Merciful Ones could save him."
The two chatted in detail for a while, but Xiao Xian seemed restless. Seeing this, Li Yuanping laughed and said softly, "Please wait a moment, brother. I will go up the mountain and inquire for you."