98: The source of the evil monk

Chapter 98: Demonic Monk Abbot Fayuan

An hour later, Yuechan fell into a deep sleep, while Zheng Yi closed his eyes, concentrating his entire mind on the Yin Yang Treasure Mirror.

Sure enough, clear lines of text appeared once again on the mirror surface of the Yin Yang Treasure Mirror.

[ Absorbed Pure Yin Qi, lifespan + 17; ]

[ Absorbed Pure Yin Qi, learned "South Yue Gu Arts"; ]

[ Absorbed Pure Yin Qi, Wood-attribute Spiritual Root + 8; ]

[ Absorbed Pure Yin Qi, Earth-attribute Spiritual Root + 2. ]

[ Absorbed Pure Yin Qi, mana + 10. ]

[ Absorbed Yin Qi, mana + 1. ]

[ Absorbed Yin Qi, "South Yue Gu Arts" + 1. ]

This time, the rewards Zheng Yi obtained from Yuechan were even more abundant!

Spiritual Roots!

"South Yue Gu Arts"!

Yuechan also possessed dual-attribute Spiritual Roots, among which the Wood attribute should be the highest. Their first Dual Cultivation actually allowed Zheng Yi to gain 8 points of Wood-attribute Spiritual Roots.

As for the South Yue Gu Arts, it was one of the Cultivation Techniques passed down through generations in the Nanyue Tribe.

This set of Cultivation Techniques recorded how to draw Spiritual Qi into the body and then transform it into mana.

Among them were also a large number of ways to refine spiritual Gu and control spiritual Gu.

Unfortunately, in Zheng Yi's view, the grade of this Cultivation Technique was not very high.

After all, the people of the Nanyue Tribe were previously nothing more than insect servants of the Fu You Sect.

Furthermore, the South Yue Gu Arts he obtained from Yuechan only contained mana, not the true South Yue Gu Arts.

This was also why he was anxious to search for a Cultivation Technique.

He needed a Cultivation Technique of his own, to Cultivate from beginning to end by himself.

As for the Taiyi Sect's "Chaoyang Zixia Skill"...

Zhao Xi Zheng had already checked that there were no Spiritual Roots on his body, and since he had asked him for the "Chaoyang Zixia Skill", whether it would be given or not was still uncertain.

What if he discovered his secret?

Anyone would drool over a method that could allow ordinary people to gain cultivation abilities.

Zheng Yi certainly did not dare to place his own life safety on Zhao Xi Zheng's dispensable sense of national and Sect loyalty.

However, he did not need to worry; Zhao Xi Zheng's cultivation was only at the Late Stage of the Qi Refinement Phase.

According to what he said, the lifespan of Cultivators in the Qi Refinement Phase was only around a hundred-plus years.

He was already one hundred and sixty years old now, with one foot in the grave, and didn't have many years left to live.

Even if he kept cultivating longevity techniques and searching for methods to prolong his life, he could not reverse the mandate of heaven.

By the time he died, when he cultivated himself, there would be no problem at all.

With a thought in his mind, rows of text appeared on the Yin Yang Treasure Mirror once again.

An hour later, Cui Xiabing fell into a deep sleep, while Zheng Yi closed his eyes, concentrating his entire mind on the Yin Yang Treasure Mirror.

Sure enough, clear lines of text appeared once again on the mirror surface of the Yin Yang Treasure Mirror.

[ Revered Master of Fate: Zheng Yi ]

[ Talent: Yin and Yang ]

[ Lifespan: 26 / 5668 ]

[ Spiritual Roots: Water (Low Grade 86 / 100), Earth (Low Grade 36 / 100), Wood (Low Grade 8 / 100) ]

[ Mana: 89 / 100 ]

[ Comprehensive Strength: Early Stage Innate ]

[ Innate Spiritual Qi Progress (First Tier): 5 / 10 ]

After more than half a year of Dual Cultivation with Cui Xiabing, his strength progress was still slow, remaining at the Early Stage Innate.

Moreover, the quality growth of the dual Water and Earth Spiritual Roots was also very slow.

There were several reasons for this; besides visiting other women to increase his lifespan, there was also pacifying other imperial concubines.

Most importantly, when he and Cui Xiabing engaged in Dual Cultivation, not every session would yield rewards!

With ordinary women, even female Martial Artists in Dual Cultivation, he could obtain corresponding Cultivation Techniques and Physique enhancements every time.

He guessed that the reason whether he could obtain rewards from Cui Xiabing was related to the states of both parties at the time, the degree of affection, and even favorable timing, geographic advantages, and the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches.

These situations also had to be figured out slowly by himself.

However, he was not too worried. If one Cui Xiabing didn't work, then he would find ten.

If ten didn't work, then he would find a hundred! A thousand!

One day, he would be able to elevate the quality of his own Spiritual Roots to the supreme grade or even the heavenly grade!

In the following time, Zheng Yi spent it entirely within the inner palace.

Day and night, he engaged in Dual Cultivation with numerous imperial concubines while keeping abreast of the movements of Great Yu.

Especially in the direction of Nanyue County.

He had already sent more than one hundred Jinyi Guard spies to Nanyue County, striving to investigate Xu Xuanwu's true purpose clearly.

Meanwhile, in the southern Jianghu, the two imperial edicts he had issued previously both received responses.

Elder Abbot Fayuan of Tianlong Temple immediately agreed to set off for the capital after receiving the imperial edict.

After handing over all affairs within the temple to his Junior Brother Fahai, he led a group of monks from Tianlong Temple to the capital to propagate Buddhism.

Great Yu was founded on martial arts, and in the early days of its establishment, it obtained the full support of Taoism such as the Taiyi Sect and Longhu Mountain, thus becoming the state religion of Great Yu.

As for Buddhism, it was a foreign belief; for so many years, it only propagated teachings in the south of Great Yu and found it difficult to enter the northern regions.

Now that they actually obtained the Son of Heaven's imperial edict to enter the capital and hold a Water-Land Dharma Assembly, this was undoubtedly a tremendous benefit for everyone in Tianlong Temple.

Therefore, upon learning the news, Abbot Fayuan set off immediately for the capital!

Another force in the southern Martial Forest, the Yunmeng Lake Tuoba Family, had never responded.

It was like a clay ox entering the sea; even the Jinyi Guards transmitting the edict vanished without a trace without even entering Yunmeng Marsh.

It was unknown whether they got lost or were detained by the Tuoba Family.

For a time, the southern Martial Forest was as silent as a cicada in winter!

On the fifteenth day of the fifth month in the sixth year of zhengyong.

Abbot Fayuan of Tianlong Temple traveled through the night and arrived at the capital.

Along the way, lotuses actually sprang up with every step, natural strange fragrances filled the air, Buddha's light shone universally, and the sound of Buddha resonated mightily.

Countless male and female believers followed closely behind, their hands pressed together in a greeting, their faces like Bodhi, and their eyes fanatical.

When entering the city gate, ordinary soldiers were already dumbfounded, and some even subconsciously knelt on the ground, calling out to the Buddha.

Abbot Fayuan's entry into the capital immediately became the focus of everyone in the capital.

Countless pious men and women, or onlookers, crowded both sides of the streets. In an instant, the crowds surged and the streets were deserted as everyone went out.

In the end, the Forbidden Army was even mobilized to maintain order, enabling Abbot Fayuan and the others to walk normally.

As for Abbot Fayuan, he held a Zen staff, wore a golden kasaya, donned a Vairocana cap, lowered his brows and eyes, and walked silently with compassion in his eyes.

"Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was in the Trayastrimsha Heaven, preaching the Dharma for his mother. At that time, in the immeasurable worlds of the ten directions, the unspeakable, unspeakable all Buddhas..."

The low chant of Buddha sounded, causing a deep echo to instantly ring in the ears of the surrounding commoners, making them dizzy as they knelt on the ground, kowtowing continuously and calling out to the Buddha.

Abbot Fayuan walked and chanted scriptures all the way, and the commoners knelt all the way.

Leaving behind only the various bewildered and tense Forbidden Army, Garrison Command soldiers, and Jinyi Guards.

From the capital all the way to the main gate of the imperial city, countless commoners and believers knelt along the entire road, which could be called a miracle.

At the gate of the imperial city, Zhao Su Ling in a purple robe also had an extremely ugly expression at this moment.

Abbot Fayuan of Tianlong Temple actually dared to be so bold!

Unscrupulously propagating Buddhism in the territory of the capital.

Moreover, judging by his eyesight, what Abbot Fayuan was utilizing was not Buddhism to make people believe in Buddha, but rather the spiritual secret arts of an Innate Realm expert to induce ordinary commoners to worship him.

Could it be... that this person, like the Grandmaster, was also a Cultivator?!

What ordinary commoners heard from Abbot Fayuan's mouth were sounds of endless Buddhas, ultimate kindness and beauty, the Paradise of Ultimate Bliss, and so on.

But in Zhao Su Ling's ears, it was filled with bewitching sounds like "Believe in me, believe in me, those who believe in me shall attain eternal life".

He took a deep breath, gathered all his strength, and immediately shouted: "By imperial decree!"

The Dragon-Tiger Thunder Sound reverberated, immediately jolting the surrounding commoners awake. Looking at themselves kneeling on the ground in bewilderment, they hurriedly stood up.

Abbot Fayuan, whose good deed was ruined, was not annoyed at all, but instead looked calmly at Zhao Su Ling.

"Fellow Daoist, this poor monk Abbot Fayuan greets you."

Zhao Su Ling nodded gently, opened the imperial edict in his hand, and said: "By imperial decree!"

"Great Master Abbot Fayuan of Tianlong Temple has had a hard journey all the way. Temporarily stay at the Yanta Temple in the south of the city, and hold the Water-Land Dharma Assembly on an auspicious day!"

"This poor monk accepts the decree."

Abbot Fayuan slightly lowered his head and said: "I wonder if this poor monk may request an audience with Your Majesty?"

"Great Master, Your Majesty did not say to see you. Please."

"The Buddha says, all things are like dreams and illusions, like dew and like lightning, and should be viewed as such..."

The low chant of Buddha sounded once again. Abbot Fayuan subconsciously glanced at the huge building inside the imperial palace behind Zhao Su Ling, and then turned around and left.

The chant of Buddha rose again, and the figures of the commoners who had stood up, watched the commotion, or left suddenly paused once more, and they knelt down again.

Seeing this, Zhao Su Ling's expression became even uglier. He quickly returned to the imperial palace and came to White Jade Capital to seek an audience.

Above White Jade Capital, Zheng Yi was holding a newly produced telescope from the Ministry of Works, gazing into the distance at Abbot Fayuan's departing back.

This telescope was already the third batch of improved items from the Ministry of Works, which could easily see places three hundred zhang away.

Except for a batch sent into the imperial palace, the remaining telescopes had long been distributed in batches to various armies to enhance their reconnaissance capabilities.

"Abbot Fayuan, Abbot Fayuan, how interesting. To actually be so high-profile."

Zheng Yi said in a low voice: "It seems that this person has no intention of rebelling; he only wants to propagate Buddhism."

"Or rather, bewitch others?"

"Your Majesty, Immortal Master Zhao Su Ling requests an audience."

"Let him in."

"Understood!"

Soon, Zhao Su Ling walked in and bowed: "Greetings, Your Majesty."

"Immortal Master, no need for formalities."

Zheng Yi put away the telescope and asked: "What do you think of this Abbot Fayuan?"

"Your Majesty!"

Zhao Su Ling immediately said: "This person must be a demonic monk of a generation, actually bewitching ordinary Mortals and commoners with Innate spiritual secret arts. If he is allowed to propagate Buddhism in the capital, it will inevitably cause the commoners to bow down and believe in him."

"By then, the commoners of the capital will be uncontrollable and will be bewitched by the demonic person!"

"Demonic person?"

Zheng Yi's heart stirred: "Immortal Master, judging by this person, could he be a Cultivator?"

"A Cultivator!"

Zhao Su Ling suddenly raised his head, his thoughts racing. Recalling the differences between his Revered Master and Abbot Fayuan, he hesitated and said: "It, it is possible!"

"Revered Master once said that Cultivators can give birth to Divine Sense, and by observing the world with Divine Sense, one can obtain the truths of the world. This is the meaning of 'cultivating truth'."

"Moreover, a Cultivator's Divine Sense can not only inspect oneself internally, observe Spiritual Qi, search the world, and control Magical Artifacts, but it also has the effect of bewitching and hallucinating others."

"There are even special Cultivation Techniques specifically for cultivating Divine Sense. The stronger the Divine Sense, the more advantageous one is in battles against other Cultivators."

"This Abbot Fayuan must be a Cultivator proficient in Divine Sense secret arts."

"Otherwise, as a newly advanced Innate expert, he would definitely not be able to Cultivate such a powerful spiritual secret art!"

"A Cultivator..."

Zheng Yi smiled faintly and said: "I didn't expect that an unintentional act of mine actually lured out a Cultivator."

"Do you think this person poses any threat to Me?"

Zhao Su Ling hesitated for a moment and said: "Your Majesty, this subordinate cannot perceive this matter."

"After all, Cultivators have eccentric minds. There are those who are aloof from the world like Revered Master, and there are also unyielding and combative ones like Fire Spirit Master."

"Abbot Fayuan, this subordinate cannot see through him!"

"However, judging by what he is currently doing, it will not be unfavorable to Your Majesty."

Zheng Yi also nodded slightly: "I think so too. Immortal Master Zhao, this Abbot Fayuan will be left to you."

"Your Majesty?"

"I will not see him for the time being. All his affairs within the capital shall be arranged by you."

Zheng Yi instructed: "He can go wherever he wants, and hold the Water-Land Dharma Assembly whenever he wants, as long as he does not do anything to harm the commoners of the capital."

"Understood!"

"Also, I have an item that you need to carry on your person to check Abbot Fayuan's reaction for Me."

Zhao Su Ling asked curiously: "I wonder what item Your Majesty is referring to?"

Zheng Yi did not answer, but instead stretched out his hand. A small insect as delicate as a jade pendant quickly crawled out, flexing its muscles and showing off before Zhao Su Ling.

Zhao Su Ling was somewhat puzzled at first, but within a few breaths, he quickly reacted.

"This, this... a spiritual insect?!"