Kongheng had once entered the Pure Land[1] himself. There were luminous treasure pools, glazed jade steps, lotus canopies, hundreds of birds and beasts, and millions of souls in bliss inside. One could even leave upon being summoned. He was young then, and the experience had shaken him deeply. It even made him begin to secretly question his own Dao lineage.
I’ve had heart-connection since my youth and I can sense others’ emotions. Those people were all genuinely happy... Fuxia too is wholeheartedly devout... this... thought Kongheng.
After the Liao River Temple collapsed, Kongheng had journeyed southward, witnessing countless tragedies across Yan and Zhao States. Only then did he begin to appreciate his master’s Buddhist teachings. Yet Fuxia’s words had stirred that old unease once again. There was a tight knot in his chest that he could not bring himself to voice.
Their ways are simply too extreme, too domineering... if all Seven Daos followed the same moral discipline as the Great Mahayana Dharma Realm or the Precept Dao... thought Kongheng.
The Great Mahayana Dharma Realm and the Precept Dao did not absorb the bliss realm into their bellies, but instead guided people through dharma light. They chanted scriptures and preached teachings, only receiving the people one by one when their merits are fulfilled and their hearts yearn for it, thus they are known as the righteous Daos.
As for the remaining five Daos, they often disregarded the will of the people, swallowing them in one gulp. It was such ruthlessness that made Kongheng hesitate. If not for that, his resolve would have faltered long ago...
"Kongheng!" Li Ximing shouted, snapping the narrow-eyed monk back to reality. The golden chains in his hand had long gone taut, and the Radiant Origin Pass now trembled unsteadily.
Kongheng was sluggish and dispirited, but Li Ximing’s mind was racing. He knew his own strength well; he might not excel in open combat, but the grinding and suppressive force of his radiant pass was no joke. If he unleashed its full might, even core disciples of the three major sects would be forced to yield.
Even someone like Li Qinghong would avoid getting caught beneath his radiant pass during a duel. Not to mention, he also had Kongheng beside him. This monk’s Buddhist arts were anything but ordinary.
With the two of us combined, crushing him fair and square beneath this pass and countless golden Buddhist chains binding him, what Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator could possibly endure?
The radiant pass was being pushed to its limit, yet the bald old monk didn’t budge an inch. Though his body was scorched red from Radiant Light, he held the pass up without retreating, as if enduring it for the sake of cultivation.
Li Ximing surged with mana and his voice drifted into Kongheng’s ears, "Master Monk... this bald donkey is formidable... have you figured anything out?"
Kongheng responded with a secret technique, "It’s likely that this thing lost all divine abilities after the fall of the former Merciful One and the Wrathful Maha and now only retains the Merciful One’s dharma body..."
The Merciful One’s dharma body! Li Ximing had considered the possibility before, but the confirmation still gave him a fright.
The Merciful One’s dharma body was by no means something of the Foundation Establishment Realm. Even if it was stripped of divine abilities, how could it be suppressed by ordinary means? This monk was likely still pursuing cultivation, otherwise, he would’ve overturned the radiant pass and attacked long ago.
Just as the two of them paused, Fuxia let out a breath and erupted into a surge of golden light. He rumbled, "Kongheng! Wake up! Your innate wisdom is unmatched, why lead yourself astray? I remained unmoved under your suppression only so I could persuade you a few more times!"
His body surged with golden light and soared toward the sky. The golden chains had wrapped him into a glowing sphere, yet the old monk showed no fear. He formed a lotus seal with his five fingers, spat out a pink mist, and shouted, "Go!"
The dark yellow kasaya on his body came alive, swirling like rice paper caught in a raging wind. After two revolutions, the monk vanished from beneath the gate. The golden light burst forth in chaos, blinding both men with brilliance.
"It’s over!"
Kongheng, also a cultivator of Buddhist arts, handled the spell with relative ease. His eyes flashed, regaining clarity, and the six-armed vajra behind him stepped forward to intercept the sweeping staff midair. The clash erupted in dazzling light, forcing Kongheng to cough up a bit of blood.
Kongheng looked around and saw a ferocious tiger beneath the bright-patterned gate, its coat marked with deep black stripes. The tiger had a powerful, lithe form, its fur a deep yellow and its stripes ink-black. Its brows were white, and its pupils, like Fuxia’s, were a bronze hue. It had a short black horn at the center of its forehead which pulsed with waves of profound light.
A horned tiger... Kongheng’s face turned pale. His voice carried helplessness and bitterness as he quietly said, "Senior, you served as a Dharma Protector at North Demon-Subduing Temple... With our Dao lineage now on the brink, why not stay at the mountain gate and guide the people? Why travel thousands of kilometers to come here? If anything were to happen to you, how would Abbot Fuyan bear it?"
Both men had briefly lost their vision and spiritual sense. Fuxia’s staff was already midair, poised to strike with lethal force, but Kongheng’s words halted him. He spoke in a deep voice, "So you truly do share deep ties with my North Demon-Subduing Temple..."
Li Ximing’s vision finally returned. He saw Fuxia standing shirtless to the side, while the tiger beneath the radiant pass didn’t struggle. Yet the profound light from its horn made Li Ximing’s mouth go dry and bitter.
"Damn it..." cursed Li Ximing.
Dealing with one Fuxia had already been difficult enough. Now that he had broken free, staff in hand and eyes full of menace, how could Li Ximing and Kongheng continue suppressing the horned tiger? The brilliant radiant pass rose and returned to Li Ximing’s grip.
As soon as the radiant pass was released, the horned tiger sprang up and landed beneath Fuxia. The bronze-eyed old monk, clad in golden lacquer, now straddled the beast, holding the long staff quietly as he stared at Kongheng.
The entire lake fell silent, a hair-trigger tension hanging in the air. Li Ximing’s eyes narrowed as he stared at Fuxia, a strange suspicion rising within him.
Kongheng was an honest monk, though young and bound by many precepts. He was never one for scheming. But Li Ximing had seen plenty of schemes in his life and been raised with no shortage of such lessons. Doubt had already taken root.
He’s taking advantage of Kongheng’s honesty and trying to sway him with words... he must have an agenda. According to Kongheng, the Dao lineage of North Demon-Subduing Temple is in danger. Why would he come all this way? I don’t believe that he’d still have the leisure to wander outside after Maha's death... He must have a reason for coming to our lands, thought Li Ximing
The young man watched Fuxia warily, while the old monk kept his gaze locked on Kongheng and said calmly, "Kongheng, since you know our abbot, and understand that our Dao lineage is righteous, I had no wish to start a killing spree. So, I'll let you act first."
Kongheng finally opened his eyes and said softly, "I acknowledge your cultivation, senior..."
Fuxia nodded atop the tiger and said quietly, "Leave this place. Join our Dao lineage. Come back to the temple with me."
So that’s what it’s all about? thought Li Ximing.
Li Ximing lowered his gaze, studying Fuxia’s expression carefully. After reviewing the sequence of events in his mind, he sensed something off. Kongheng already looked hesitant, so Li Ximing sent him a mana-powered voice transmission, "Kongheng, this bald donkey talks too much. I suspect there’s something wrong with this old man."
But Kongheng didn’t see anything unusual. While quietly pondering how to calm the monk down, he responded with a voice transmission, "He’s trying to persuade me to join his Dao lineage, it’s only natural he speaks at length... If I refuse him outright, I fear it might bring harm to others..."
Something’s not right... The Wrathful Dao lineage is now like a rat crossing the street. It's hated by all. How could he act this brazenly? His every move so far has been suspicious. Did he really endure all our spells just to suffer for the sake of cultivation? Li Ximing couldn’t shake his doubts. His mind was fogged with suspicion, and he cursed inwardly, If only Xijun were here! That old thing wouldn’t have gotten away with any tricks, Xijun would’ve seen through him with a single glance!
But Li Xijun was already dead and Li Ximing had no path of retreat left. The young man stared coldly at the monk, mana coursing through him, and sent a message with a secret technique, "This bald donkey clearly came here for you. He won’t harm you. We’ve only exchanged a few moves, why should we surrender so easily? Let’s try again before deciding anything!"
1. In Buddhism, 'Pure Land' refers to a transcendent realm created by a Buddha or Bodhisattva, a place free from suffering and conducive to spiritual development. ☜