289: Chapter 283 Bronze Hall

The bronze gates swung open with a boom, and a ten-thousand-foot radiance of treasures poured out.

Chen Zhiwen stood outside the threshold, squinting his eyes as he tried to adjust to the sudden intense light.

Only when the light dimmed slightly did he see the scene inside the hall clearly.

The hall was extremely empty.

There were no mountain-like piles of Spirit Stones as he had imagined, nor were there any dazzling arrays of Magic Treasures or weapons.

There wasn't even a single decent decoration.

Only at the very center of the hall, a soft yet brilliantly radiant golden sphere of light floated.

The light sphere was three feet off the ground, rotating slowly and emitting a pressure that made even the space tremble slightly.

This pressure was not the suffocating, overbearing kind, but rather a sacredness that was as vast as the boundless sea and as towering as a high mountain.

Chen Zhiwen held his breath and walked over step by step.

As the distance closed, his pupils suddenly contracted.

Inside that light sphere, an infant was actually sitting cross-legged!

This infant looked to be barely a month old, with skin as white as jade, even possessing a strange sense of translucency.

But he was no mortal child.

On the surface of his skin, golden patterns flowed densely, like countless tiny golden Dragons wandering about.

These patterns intertwined into profound and obscure Buddhist scripts, emitting an aura of supreme Yang and strength.

"This is..."

Chen Zhiwen stopped ten paces away, his heart surging like a stormy sea.

Judging from the aura emanating from this infant, his terrifying strength was simply beyond imagination.

Even Daoist Tian Xuan, whom he had fought not long ago and who had once stepped into the Spirit Transformation Realm, was as insignificant as a firefly before the bright moon in the face of this aura.

Void Refining Stage?

Or Body Integration Stage?

Chen Zhiwen could not tell.

He only felt that the Spiritual Qi within his body seemed to freeze under this pressure, and even breathing became incredibly difficult.

Just then.

Buzz!

The infant, who had been sitting cross-legged with eyes closed, seemed to sense the arrival of an outsider.

Those tightly closed eyes slowly opened.

Boom!

Two beams of solid golden light instantly shot out from those eyes, landing directly on Chen Zhiwen.

Chen Zhiwen's whole body stiffened, feeling as if he were locked on by two blazing suns; every secret of his body had nowhere to hide under this gaze.

Those were not the eyes of an infant.

They were filled with the vicissitudes of time, compassion, indifference, and a clarity that saw through all things in the world.

These were the eyes of an old monster who had lived for countless ages!

The hall was deathly silent.

There was only the faint sound of the golden patterns flowing.

Chen Zhiwen gripped the green lotus sword tightly. Although he knew he was no match, he never had the habit of surrendering without a fight. The Chaos Art within his body circulated frantically, ready to fight to the death at any moment.

"No need to be nervous, young friend."

An aged and gentle voice abruptly echoed in Chen Zhiwen's mind.

Though the voice was old, it carried a strange magnetism, like an evening drum or a morning bell, instantly smoothing over all the agitation and unease in Chen Zhiwen's heart.

Chen Zhiwen was slightly stunned.

He looked at the infant and saw that the infant had not opened his mouth, yet the voice indeed came from him.

Divine Sense transmission?

"May I ask for Senior's honored name?"

Chen Zhiwen cupped his hands in a respectful but not subservient salute.

Before such a powerhouse, any disguise was futile; it was better to face him candidly.

The golden light in the infant's eyes receded slightly, revealing a look of approval.

"My name has long been forgotten."

"This old monk is an Ascetic Monk from the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect of the West Province, Dharma name 'Juexin'."

"Juexin..."

Chen Zhiwen quickly searched for this name in his mind but found nothing.

After all, the South Province and the West Province were separated by hundreds of millions of miles, and there was very little contact between the cultivation worlds of the two regions.

Seeing Chen Zhiwen's confused expression, the infant's aged voice rang out again, carrying a hint of reminiscence that spanned across time and space.

"It is normal for young friend not to have heard of it."

"After all, that was something from sixty thousand years ago."

"Sixty thousand years?!"

Chen Zhiwen's heart skipped a beat.

The Lifespan of a Soul Transformation Cultivator is only five thousand years, and even Void Refining is only ten thousand.

This old monk has actually lived for sixty thousand years?

Could this infant be some kind of secret technique for Reincarnation and re-cultivation?

As if seeing through Chen Zhiwen's thoughts, Juexin sighed softly, and a touch of bitterness that was completely inconsistent with his age appeared on the infant's tender face.

"Young friend, do not misunderstand."

"This old monk has not undergone Reincarnation. This body is not a true Physical Body either, but merely a Golden Body Dharma Idol barely condensed by relying on that fragmented Cultivation Technique from back then."

"Sixty thousand years ago, this old monk followed the orders of my sect and traveled tens of thousands of miles to this South Province to preach, wishing to deliver the people and forge good Karma."

At this point, Juexin's eyes grew dim.

"Alas, the human heart is unpredictable, and the Dao and the Demonic Path follow different paths."

"This old monk acted with compassion and bestowed many blessings, yet I never expected that this 'Indestructible Golden Body Art', which I had cultivated with such hardship, would actually bring about a fatal disaster."

Chen Zhiwen's heart stirred.

"Senior was harmed by someone?"

To be able to cause trouble for a high monk from the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect, the opponent's strength must have been extraordinary.

Juexin nodded, a faint flash of sternness appearing deep in his eyes before turning back into helplessness.

"Back then, an evil Cultivator calling himself 'Blood Demon Old Ancestor' feigned conversion to Buddhism and joined this old monk's tutelage to practice."

"This old monk saw that he was exceptionally gifted, and although his malevolence was heavy, I thought if he could focus on being good, he might achieve the right result. Thus, I did not guard against him and taught him with all my heart."

"Who would have thought..."

Juexin gave a bitter laugh, his voice tinged with self-deprecation.

"The story of the farmer and the snake finally came true with this old monk."

"At the critical moment when this old monk was in seclusion contemplating Buddhist truths, he joined forces with three Soul Transformation Stage evil Cultivators and laid down a lethal killing Formation to ambush me."

"Although this old monk fought back desperately, killing two of them and severely wounding the Blood Demon Old Ancestor, I was ultimately outnumbered. My Physical Body was destroyed, and my Divine Soul suffered heavy damage."

Chen Zhiwen listened quietly, feeling a sense of pity for this high monk.

In this world, the hardest enemies to guard against are never those with open blades, but the traitors by one's side.

"Then how did Senior become like this?"

Chen Zhiwen pointed at the infant-like Dharma Idol.

Juexin looked at his current body and said slowly:

"That Blood Demon Old Ancestor took this old monk's storage ring and snatched the original copy of the 'Indestructible Golden Body Art'."

"But he did not know that the most core Profound Truth of this Cultivation Technique had long been engraved within this old monk's Divine Soul."

"Although the Physical Body was destroyed, by relying on this breath of resentment and a sliver of life from the Buddhist Dharma, this old monk's Nascent Soul did not dissipate. Instead, it retreated into this companion Spirit Treasure, the 'hall of longevity'."

"After enduring the passage of ten thousand years, the Nascent Soul gradually fused with the Spiritual Qi in this hall, eventually transforming into this Indestructible Golden Body infant."

"Although I have managed to survive, I am also forever trapped here, unable to be reborn and unable to enter Reincarnation."

When he spoke the words "unable to be reborn," Juexin's tone remained calm, as if he were telling someone else's story.

This open-mindedness made Chen Zhiwen feel a surge of respect.

Suddenly, Chen Zhiwen thought of something and asked:

"Senior, before I killed that Daoist Tian Xuan outside..."

Juexin smiled slightly, a smile so pure and flawless it seemed capable of purifying all filth.

"You mean that Junior who practiced the Blood Fiend Demonic Technique?"

"Three years ago, he heavily injured fled into this place and stumbled into the outer Illusion Formation by mistake."

"In fact, from the moment he first entered, this old monk had already sensed him."

Chen Zhiwen was somewhat surprised.

"Then why did Senior not appear? If Senior had acted, with his heavily injured body, he certainly would not have been able to resist."

Juexin shook his head, a hint of disgust flashing in his eyes.

"Although Buddhism emphasizes saving all living beings, it also emphasizes karmic affinity."

"That person's blood aura was overwhelming and he was haunted by resentful souls; he was clearly a person who had committed many evils."

"Moreover, the Cultivation Technique he practiced shared the same origin as the Blood Demon Old Ancestor who harmed me back then. Although it was only superficial, it still made this old monk feel displeased."

"Although this old monk is trapped here and cannot personally act to clean house, I would never gift an Opportunity to such a person of the Demonic Path."

"Therefore, this old monk only activated a portion of the outer protective Formations to keep him out, leaving him to linger on his last breath outside."

Chen Zhiwen suddenly understood.

No wonder Daoist Tian Xuan could only absorb a bit of "Immortal Qi" by that cliff; it turned out he was being looked down upon by this high monk.

"Then why did Senior..."

Chen Zhiwen pointed at himself.

"Why let me in?"

Juexin looked at Chen Zhiwen, a gentle smile appearing in his aged eyes.

"Because you are different."

"You possess Chaos Qi, which is inherently the most overbearing power in the world, yet I see that your Divine Soul is clear and without a trace of malevolence."

"More importantly, when you faced the threat of that demonic Cultivator's self-detonation, your decisiveness in eradicating evil to the end was very much to this old monk's liking."

"The Buddha has the lowered brows of a Bodhisattva, but also the angry gaze of a Vajra."

"Toward the wicked and heterodox, blind kindness is indulgence; only thunderous methods reveal a Bodhisattva's heart."

As Juexin spoke, his infant-like hand suddenly rose, lightly tapping the Void Realm.

Buzz!

The golden light within the entire hall instantly contracted, all of it converging at his fingertip.

Finally, it transformed into a golden point of light the size of a longan fruit, slowly floating toward Chen Zhiwen.

"Young friend, our meeting is a result of Karma."

"This wisp of my remnant soul has endured for sixty thousand years and is already exhausted. To be able to meet you today can be considered the fulfillment of a wish."

"This is the core Legacy of the 'Indestructible Golden Body Art', as well as this old monk's insights into cultivation from these sixty thousand years."

"Today, I give it all to you."

Chen Zhiwen looked at the floating golden point of light and did not immediately reach out to take it.

One should not accept rewards without merit.

This was a massive Opportunity, but he knew even better that there must be a corresponding Karma behind it.

"Senior, this is too precious."

"How could this Junior be worthy..."

Juexin seemed to have already expected Chen Zhiwen's refusal, and his smile grew even wider.

"Young friend, do not refuse."

"This is both a gift and a request."

"This old monk has only one wish."

Chen Zhiwen's expression turned solemn as he cupped his hands.

"Please speak, Senior."

The light in Juexin's eyes became somewhat sharp; it was an obsession that had never been extinguished in sixty thousand years.

"That Blood Demon Old Ancestor snatched my Cultivation Technique back then. With his Aptitude and the aid of evil methods, his current cultivation is likely already heaven-defying."

"Above Soul Transformation, Lifespan is long. Even after sixty thousand years, he is likely still alive in this world."

"If he is not dead, he must still be stirring up trouble in the South Province or even the entire cultivation world."

"This old monk hopes that if you one day achieve Major Achievement in your cultivation and encounter that Blood Demon Old Ancestor..."

"Clean house on behalf of this old monk!"

The last four words were spoken with great force, carrying a resolute killing intent.

Chen Zhiwen took a deep breath, his gaze becoming incredibly firm.

Although he did not like looking for trouble, he had never been afraid of it.

Since he had accepted this favor and this Karma, then he would take revenge on behalf of this high monk!

"Rest assured, Senior!"

Chen Zhiwen took a step forward and solemnly received that golden point of light with both hands.

"If that Blood Demon Old Ancestor is still alive, no matter where he hides or how high his cultivation is."

"I, this Junior, hereby swear that I will personally slay this villain to comfort Senior's soul in heaven!"

Hearing this oath, the last trace of obsession in Juexin's eyes finally dissipated.

His expression, which had been tense for sixty thousand years, completely relaxed at this moment.

"Good... good..."

"Excellent, excellent..."

Juexin said "good" twice, his tone full of gratification and relief.

That golden point of light merged into the space between Chen Zhiwen's brows.

Boom!

A flow of information so massive it was hard to describe instantly rushed into Chen Zhiwen's Sea of Consciousness.

It was not just a Cultivation Technique.

It was also golden scrolls after golden scrolls, and jumping Buddhist scripts, as if countless high monks were chanting scriptures in his mind.

"Indestructible Golden Body Art".

Using the body as a furnace and Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi as the fire to forge a supreme golden body.

When first achieved, one would be invulnerable to blades and spears, immune to water and fire, and could strike head-on against Magic Treasures of the same rank.

On the day of Major Achievement, one could be reborn from a single drop of blood, remain indestructible through ten thousand tribulations, and achieve physical sainthood!

This was a Body Refining divine art that pointed directly toward the Great Dao!

Moreover, it shared a similar subtle brilliance with the "Chaos Art" that Chen Zhiwen practiced.

The Chaos Art embraces all things and transforms Spiritual Qi; the Indestructible Golden Body Art strengthens the Physical Body to carry all things.

The two were simply a match made in heaven!

Chen Zhiwen was stunned by the exquisite level of this Cultivation Technique even after just a cursory glance.

Compared to those so-called top-tier Body Refining techniques circulating in the cultivation world, this was simply the difference between clouds and mud.

"If that Blood Demon Old Ancestor has mastered this method, his current strength..."

Chen Zhiwen calculated secretly in his heart.

Ordinary Soul Transformation Stage Cultivators only have a Lifespan of a few thousand years.

But if one breaks through to the Void Refining Stage, their Lifespan can reach ten thousand years.

And if one goes a step further to reach the Body Integration Stage, or even the Mahayana Stage... living for tens of thousands of years is not impossible.

Furthermore, this "Indestructible Golden Body Art" had the miraculous effects of prolonging life and reshaping the Physical Body.

That Blood Demon Old Ancestor was absolutely a terrifying existence on the level of a living fossil!

This revenge would not be easy to take.

But there was no trace of fear in Chen Zhiwen's eyes; instead, a raging Battle Intent was ignited.

The road ahead is long and arduous.

With this Cultivation Technique, his path of cultivation would be even broader, and his future achievements would be limitless.

As long as he was given time, there was no demon in this world he could not slay!

"Thank you, Senior, for the grace of passing on the teachings!"

Chen Zhiwen once again performed a respectful deep bow.

This time, his gratitude was from the heart, and he regarded this high monk Juexin as half a Revered Master.

Within the sphere of light, Juexin's figure began to become illusory.

The golden patterns gradually dimmed, and the infant-like Dharma Idol also began to dissipate bit by bit into a rain of light.

His mission was complete.

This sixty-thousand-year wait had finally come to a perfect conclusion.

"Young friend, this hall of longevity is a Low Grade Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasure."

"Although the artifact spirit was destroyed in the great war back then, this hall itself is still a Holy Land for cultivation."

"After I am gone, this hall will fall into a slumber, waiting for your refinement."

"Remember, the tree that stands out in the forest will be destroyed by the wind."

"Before you have sufficient strength, do not easily reveal this Indestructible Golden Body before others..."

Juexin's voice became lighter and more ethereal.

Eventually, it completely merged into the Void Realm.

At the center of the hall.

That cluster of brilliant light completely vanished.

Only the empty hall remained, along with Chen Zhiwen's slightly lonely figure.

Chen Zhiwen maintained his bowing posture for a long time without moving.

Not until the last wisp of golden light rain hit the ground.

Only then did he slowly straighten his back.

Looking at the Void Realm before him, his expression was complex.

A high monk who left his homeland to preach.

A pitiful person betrayed by his disciple and trapped for ten thousand years.

A martyr who held onto his good intentions and never regretted it until death.

"Safe travels, Senior."

Chen Zhiwen whispered softly.

Afterward.

He sat cross-legged and closed his eyes.

The golden mark at the center of his brows flickered slightly.

He began to formally contemplate this peerless divine art.

Silence once again fell over the hall.

But this time, it was no longer a deathly silence.

Rather, it was a tranquility filled with hope and new life.

Time slowly passed in this closed Secret Realm.

Meanwhile, the winds and clouds of the outside world were quietly brewing a greater storm due to Chen Zhiwen's disappearance and Daoist Tian Xuan's fall...