Chapter 1877 (Raw 1888): Temporary Parting
Speaking softly, the Venerable Xu Yun casually revealed some shocking secrets.
After Xiao Chen heard these, he remained stunned for a while, unable to recover immediately.
It was understandable that the Kāśyapa Buddha dual cultivated righteous and demonic. Just through the Buddhist scriptures, one would know that the nature of Buddhism was emotionless.
If not for the Kāśyapa Buddha once cultivating a Demonic Dao Cultivation Technique, he would not have left the Buddhist sect Martial Techniques that specifically countered Demonic Dao Cultivation Techniques.
It was impossible for these techniques to have been created from nothing. One needed to understand their origins and figure out the principles.
However, this Kāśyapa Buddha was too distant from Xiao Chen. Even if Xiao Chen knew about it, he felt nothing.
The main source of his shock was the latter two people. One was the Blood-Soaked Dragon Emperor, who currently had a strand of his lingering soul in Xiao Chen’s body.
No wonder! No wonder!
No wonder, back when the Blood-Soaked Dragon Emperor woke up, he quickly went back to sleep. It probably had something to do with Xiao Chen’s initiation into the Demonic Dao.
Right now, Xiao Chen also felt somewhat confused. The Blood-Soaked Dragon Emperor had fallen to the Demonic Dao. The Azure Emperor had likewise fallen to the Demonic Dao. Now, Xiao Chen also cultivated the Demonic Dao.
It vaguely felt like there was some kind of destiny going on.
This is simply too coincidental. Are the revivers of the Azure Dragon Race destined to fall to the Demonic Dao?
When this thought suddenly occurred to Xiao Chen, a chill ran down his back. If he had not gained that comprehension in front of the Scarlet Blood Pirate King’s Faux G.o.d Flame, he might have taken the same path as the Azure Emperor, falling to the Demonic Dao.
Fortunately, he had managed to see his own heart clearly and walk out of that path.
What was even more unexpected was that the last person also had a connection with Xiao Chen.
The creator of the Mahāmāyā Abstinence Violation Saber Technique actually dual cultivated Buddhism and demonic. Furthermore, he caused the decline of the Black Lotus Church.
What was scarier was that this person was actually the Black Lotus Demonic Buddha’s reincarnation.
“What I have just told you are secrets and are taboo. Little friend, do not spread this around,” the Venerable Xu Yun instructed softly, sounding quite serious.
Xiao Chen recovered his wits. He nodded and said, “I understand. However, you have told me about the ident.i.ties of the first two people. The third person is the Black Lotus Demonic Buddha’s reincarnation. Why not tell me about his ident.i.ty?”
The Venerable Xu Yun smiled slightly and said, “Benefactor truly listened very carefully. The ident.i.ty of the third person is quite complicated. Furthermore, his descendants now have overwhelming power. It is best to remain ignorant to avoid unnecessary trouble. Furthermore, this person turned back from his mistakes. That is something hard to achieve.”
How mysterious.
The more this was so, the more curious Xiao Chen felt about the creator of the Mahāmāyā Abstinence Violation Saber Technique.
However, since the Venerable Xu Yun did not speak of it, naturally, Xiao Chen would not press him.
The Venerable Xu Yun smiled and said, “You have been caring for my lovely disciple during this period, helping him gain a great fortuitous encounter. As his master, I am unable to repay you for it. I can only bestow some guidance to you to demonstrate my regard.”
“Whoos.h.!.+”
The moment the Venerable Xu Yun said that, he tapped Xiao Chen’s forehead with his finger. Then, extremely vast energy surged into Xiao Chen’s body.
“Crackle! Crackle!”
Xiao Chen’s bones gave off endless crackling, akin to that of frying soybeans.
After a while, the Venerable Xu Yun raised his finger. Xiao Chen immediately felt refreshed, his body much lighter.
What was more surprising was that his physical body seemed to have broken off some kind of shackles.
With a thought, dragon roars immediately came from Xiao Chen’s body. His Vital Qi surged endlessly like a large river or the great sea.
Xiao Chen could easily gather twenty-five Cauldron Force.
“This…”
Xiao Chen showed joy on his face. This guidance of the Venerable Xu Yun helped him break through the twenty-five Caldron Force bottleneck of his Vital Qi cultivation.
This paved the path for Xiao Chen, which would save him a lot of effort in the future.
“Phew!”
Xiao Chen breathed out a mouthful of turbid air. He felt that some of the minor hidden injuries in his body had been swept away as a result of this finger tap.
What was more surprising was the Venerable Xu Yun’s finger tap contained a Buddhist Might that was extremely compatible with the Buddhist nature of the Maheśvara Buddha’s śarīra in his body.
This improved Xiao Chen’s heart for Buddha further.
This gentle finger tap was truly wondrous, giving Xiao Chen many benefits.
“Thank you, Senior,” Xiao Chen said with a cupped-fist salute.
The Venerable Xu Yun shook his head and said, “It is just a matter of convenience. It is far from comparable to what you gave Yan Chen. Let me give you another Golden Letter, one from the Hidden Spirit Temple. In the future, if someone of the Buddhist sect makes things difficult for you, you can show them this.”
Xiao Chen received the Golden Letter and found that it was not that much different from the one from the Venerable Xuan Bei.
However, the name inscribed on this Golden Letter was the Hidden Spirit Temple. With this, its value was incomparable. The rarity of it was markedly different, like that of night and day.
“It should be time to part. There are still some secrets in your body. Although this old monk did not take a look, I could feel a kind of energy that one cannot touch or delve into. Treasure it properly.”
The Venerable Xu Yun performed a single-handed greeting. This was considered a goodbye.
Xiao Chen sank into deep thought. There are still secrets? Is it because I am the Sky Dome Immortal Lord’s reincarnation?
Xiao Chen was in no mood to dwell on this. He felt that the secrets of Immortals were too far from him and was not willing to touch them.
“Big Brother, I’m very sad. Who knows when I will next see you again?”
The little monk felt distressed. His tender face looked extremely cute when showing such an expression.
However, the little monk suddenly thought of something. He gently rubbed the Demon Blood Vulture’s head and said with a smile, “Silly bird, I feel that your comprehension ability is acceptable. How about you come back with me to the temple, and we induct you into Buddhism? You can become a guardian beast in the future; that is also pretty good.”
It was rare to see the little monk gently caressing and stroking the Demon Blood Vulture. However, it became terrified.
The Demon Blood Vulture immediately shrank and turned into a flash of scarlet light. It took the initiative to turn into a ring on Xiao Chen’s finger.
How can this lord possibly become a monk! I will not do it even if I die! Master, don’t you ever give me away. Let me stay by your side. I’ll be a horse or ox for you if that is what it takes!
[TL Note: The Chinese expression “I’ll be a horse or ox” means willing to do anything. It refers to a person willing to do the same work as a horse or ox for another person, possibly even letting someone ride on their back, something very humiliating.]
The little monk nearly caused the Demon Blood Vulture to break down. Hearing that he wanted it to go with him to the Hidden Spirit Temple terrified it.
Xiao Chen smiled. “Little monk, stop scaring it already.”
Yan Chen pouted and said, “I’m trying to give it an opportunity, not pull it down.”
Xiao Chen looked at the Venerable Xu Yun and said, “To be honest, there is some karma between the little monk and me. I also thank Venerable for taking care of the little monk for ten-odd years.”
The Venerable Xu Yun smiled until his eyes narrowed. “This old monk understands what Benefactor is saying. He is the blessing of my Buddhist sect. How can we not take good care of him? Benefactor, if you have time in the future, do come and visit the Hidden Spirit Temple.”
Not long after the reluctant parting, another honored guest came to this courtyard that had been quiet for a long time.
It was the Soaring Dragon Marquis accompanied by Lan Yan. However, Lan Luo was not there.
Upon seeing the expressions of the two, Xiao Chen knew it was time for him to go. The Soaring Dragon Marquis was here to send off the guest.
“Young Master Xiao, it is time to send you to the Divine Dragon Empire,” the Soaring Dragon Marquis said seriously, appearing respectful.
Xiao Chen said politely, “Lord Marquis, thank you for your trouble.”
“Please.”
There were some things that the two clearly knew. Monarch Yu’s matter went without saying. It was sufficient that they both knew.
Along the way, the Soaring Dragon Marquis was very polite to Xiao Chen.
The Soaring Dragon Marquis personally sent off a junior. If word of this leaked out, the entire Soaring Dragon Marquisate would be shocked.
The group boarded a Marquis’s Residence’s wars.h.i.+p and quickly left the Marquis’s Residence, flying out of the city.
From the start to the end, Xiao Chen never saw Lan Luo. He could not help finding it a pity.
“This is good as well,” Xiao Chen sighed softly to himself. For some things, rejection would hurt someone. However, acceptance would hurt more.
The Marquis’s Residence’s wars.h.i.+p took to the skies. The Soaring Dragon Marquisate grew increasingly smaller in Xiao Chen’s eyes.
Xiao Chen believed that he would return to the Yanwu Dynasty not long after this parting.
This short stay here was like a dragonfly touching the water lightly. He had not experienced the vast Yanwu Dynasty at all.
The outstanding talents of the dynasty, the sect elites, or the legendary experts of the royal rankings, Xiao Chen had not met a single one of them. It was truly a pity.
However, he would sooner or later reenter the Yanwu Dynasty, to test out the true elites of the Central Great Realm, to experience the s.h.i.+ning and dazzling outstanding talents of this flouris.h.i.+ng age of the Martial Dao.
The Soaring Dragon Marquis stood beside Xiao Chen. After a long silence, he suddenly said, “The person watching your saber dance that night was me.”
Xiao Chen was not surprised. There were only a few people in the Marquis’s Residence who had the strength to sneak up on him.
“I hope Lord Marquis will forgive me for unintentionally injuring you.”
The Soaring Dragon Marquis smiled as he said, “It has been many years since someone managed to injure me. Although I was careless, I cannot deny your strength. If possible, I really would want to keep you with me as my general.”
Xiao Chen felt rather happy to gain the Soaring Dragon Marquis’s acknowledgment and high regard. “Thank you, Lord Marquis, for your praise.”
“It is just facts, not really considered praise.”
Xiao Chen looked at the increasingly distant city. The area in front grew more and more desolate. Finding it strange, he asked, “Where are we going?”
“The military camp.”