312: Chapter 312 The Monk of Jinhe

As she spoke, Gu Xi became extremely uneasy, her voice already choking up.

She continued, "Those women never return; since being selected for the Buddha Realm, there has been no word of them since.

Some say they are forcibly indoctrinated with Buddha-nature and become Cauldrons for the Cultivators of the Buddha Realm, dying once their spiritual power is exhausted.

Others say the Cultivation Techniques of the Buddha Realm Cultivators are bizarre, requiring the nourishment of a woman's cold spiritual power. Those Senior Sisters, in the end, all became fodder for their advancement."

Ye Tianhao's face instantly darkened. Although he had long known that the Buddha Realm was the power ruling the Luoxia Land, he hadn't expected them to be so despicable.

"And Sect Master Gui just allows them to take Disciples from her own Sect like that?"

Ye Tianhao asked in a heavy voice.

Yue Xi slowly shook her head, her eyes filled with powerlessness. "Master has no choice. Those from the Buddha Realm who come to demand tribute are at least Golden Core Stage Buddhist Cultivator. Frost Moon Sect currently only has Master as its sole Golden Core Cultivator; she simply has no power to resist.

By compromising and sacrificing a few female Cultivators, she can protect the safety of the Sect's thousands of Disciples. The Sect Master is also..."

At this point, Yue Xi let out a sigh, though she felt somewhat strange. "Usually, the Buddha Realm only comes once every hundred years. There is still a long time before the tribute is due. Why have they come so soon?"

Just as she finished speaking, a low Buddhist chant echoed from afar, accompanied by heavy ripples of spiritual power, slowly approaching their location.

That spiritual power was pure yet carried an irresistible pressure. It wasn't an evil power, yet it was more suffocating than the Demonic Techniques of the Xuanyou Sect. Clearly, the Cultivators from the Buddha Realm had arrived.

Yue Xi's expression changed drastically. She hurriedly pulled on Ye Tianhao's sleeve and whispered, "Husband, let's hide quickly. The Cultivators of the Buddha Realm have eccentric temperaments. If they see an outsider male like you here, I'm afraid trouble will arise."

Ye Tianhao felt that something was slightly off, but he followed Yue Xi's wishes and first headed toward the side hall.

At that moment.

Above the snow-covered Frost Moon Sect, several figures dressed in bright yellow monastic robes appeared. They floated in mid-air, golden Buddha light rippling around them, having emerged directly from a spatial rift.

At their head was an emaciated old monk with withered features. His eyes were cloudy yet pierced with a sharp light. The spiritual power fluctuations around him were steady and heavy; he actually possessed a Golden Core Middle Stage cultivation.

He was at the same Realm as Sect Master Fan Lang of the Chixiao Sect and Sect Master Murong Xiao of the Ganglei Sect.

Behind the old monk followed four young monk Disciples, all at the Late Foundation Establishment Stage. They held prayer beads in their hands with solemn expressions. With every step they took, faint Buddhist Runes appeared beneath their feet, and the Buddha light surrounding them blocked out the chill of the cold Peak.

At this time, Gui Suer stood outside the mountain gate, accompanied by several elderly female Elders to welcome them.

"Amitabha. Sect Master Gui, it has been a long time. I trust you have been well."

The old monk arrived before the mountain gate and pressed his palms together. His voice was raspy yet carried an unquestionable authority.

Gui Suer's expression was respectful, her voice calm and steady. "Great Master Jinhe's visit to our humble Sect is an honor. Please forgive our lack of a proper welcome. However, according to the usual rules, the Buddha Realm's tribute is not due for another thirty years. I wonder if there has been some change that caused the Great Master to arrive early this time?"

She deliberately emphasized the word "early," a flicker of imperceptible vigilance flashing in her eyes.

The Buddha Realm had always strictly observed the hundred-year agreement and had never demanded tribute early. Such an abnormality today surely hid some secret.

Old Monk Jinhe slowly opened his cloudy eyes, his sharp gaze sweeping over the Elders beside Gui Suer.

Finally, his gaze returned to Gui Suer's face, his lips curling into an ambiguous arc. "Sect Master Gui worries too much. This visit is not for tribute, but for another important matter."

"Another important matter?"

Gui Suer's heart sank, yet she maintained her composure. "Please speak, Great Master. As long as the Frost Moon Sect can accomplish it, we will certainly not refuse."

"It is very simple."

Old Monk Jinhe said contemptuously, "This seat requires several female Disciples with Pure Yin Physiques. Sect Master Gui only needs to hand them over, and the Buddha Realm will naturally remember the Frost Moon Sect's favor. For the next tribute, three Disciples may be exempted."

As soon as these words were spoken, Gui Suer's face turned deathly pale. Female Disciples with Pure Yin Physiques—this was a blatant demand for Cauldrons. Now, he wasn't even bothering with pleasantries and was demanding them directly.

Gui Suer's chest heaved for a moment as she struggled to suppress her anger. She forced a smile and said, "Great Master, please grant us some time. This concubine will surely present the women the Great Master desires!"

Old Monk Jinhe smiled with satisfaction and then said, "That is for the best. I heard that a Disciple of your Sect has married into the Ye Family. It so happens that this seat intends to seek out that Ye Family Old Ancestor."

Gui Suer did not dare to say much. She had recently heard that Yun Ling had handed the Lingxiao Sect over to Ye Jing to manage. The expansion of the Ye Family's power would inevitably attract the attention of the Buddha Realm.

She maintained her respectful demeanor and replied in a low voice, "The Great Master is absolutely right. It is my Disciple Yue Xi, who recently married the Ye Family's Second Young Master, Ye Tianhao. However, the Ye Family Old Ancestor, Ye Jing, has been busy managing the affairs of the Lingxiao Sect lately."

Old Monk Jinhe narrowed his cloudy eyes slightly, the contempt at the corners of his mouth growing even stronger. "There is no need to trouble Sect Master Gui; this seat will go there personally.

As for Sect Master Gui, do not forget this seat's instructions. Within three days, have the female Disciples with Pure Yin Physiques ready. If the deadline is missed, I fear the Frost Moon Sect's century-old foundation will be destroyed in an instant."

Having said that, he flicked his sleeve and departed with a look of disdain, showing none of the compassion a monk should possess.

Gui Suer watched him leave, a look of pain appearing in her eyes. She wanted nothing more than to curse him as a 'damned bald donkey'!

But she didn't dare make a sound. She turned to the bewildered Elders beside her and said, "Alright, you all may leave. Try your best not to let Ye Tianhao notice anything."

She still wanted to maintain a bit of the dignity belonging to a Sect Master and didn't want Ye Tianhao to know about such an ugly matter.

At that moment.

The departing Jinhe was flying through the air, looking at the scenery below with impatience. "This wretched Luoxia Land... aside from the bone-chilling cold wind, even the Spiritual Qi is pitifully thin. If it weren't for the Sect Leader's orders, why would this seat condescend to visit such a backwater place!"

Beside him, an expressionless young monk Disciple pressed his palms together and asked in a low voice, "Great Master, we have come this time first to demand female Cultivators with Pure Yin Physiques and second to investigate the true strength of the Ye Family Old Ancestor, Ye Jing. Should we send someone to the Lingxiao Sect to scout first?

After all, for that Ye Jing to take over the Lingxiao Sect and form an alliance with the Qingyun Sect, he is likely no ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivator."

Old Monk Jinhe sneered, his cloudy eyes sweeping over the continuous mountain ranges below as the Buddha light around him flickered slightly.

He spoke with undisguised contempt, "Scout? An Old Ancestor of a frontier Family, even if he has some skill, would at most be at the Peak Foundation Establishment Stage. What kind of waves can he possibly make?

This seat is going personally this time, firstly to give that Ye Family a show of strength, and secondly to see just how much weight this Ye Jing—who is rumored to have tamed many Yao Beasts and obtained the Lingxiao Sect's Spiritual Vein—actually carries."

Having said that, before they had even reached the Lingxiao Sect's territory, he immediately raised his hand and struck out a golden Buddhist Seal, which turned into a streak of light shooting toward the direction of the Lingxiao Sect.

He said in a cold tone, "First, I'll send that Ye Jing a 'greeting gift' to let him know that this seat has arrived."

This was how the monks of the Buddha Realm treated the Cultivators of the Luoxia Land, often fond of using exaggerated and flashy warnings to loudly announce their arrival.