Chapter 219 Sunlight on the Sand Dunes, at Nalanda Monastery

Meanwhile, in the distant Western Regions, the Cheshi Kingdom.

The Cheshi Kingdom is one of the three most powerful nations among the fifty-four states of the Western Regions, with a land area roughly equivalent to two prefectures of the Great Jin Dynasty.

Within the Cheshi Kingdom, deserts and Gobi landscapes predominate; deserts stretching for a hundred miles are common, and most of the population gathers in various oases, living by the water.

Yet, in this barren and desolate land, a thousand miles east of the Cheshi Kingdom's capital, a great mountain rises abruptly from the ground.

The mountain stretches for thousands of miles, majestic and towering, reaching deep into the white clouds.

During the day, the mountain body is golden; when sunlight shines upon it, the entire mountain seems to be draped in a layer of golden gauze, radiating ten thousand rays of golden light, with the brilliance covering the sky and earth, and majestic auspicious Qi.

This mountain is the Sunshine Sand Mountain, known to the people of the Cheshi Kingdom as the Sacred Mountain.

The Holy Land of Buddhism, Nalanda Temple, is located atop Sunshine Sand Mountain.

Clang! Clang! Clang!!!!

On this day, six bell tolls rang out in succession atop the majestic Sunshine Sand Mountain, the sound grand and echoing throughout the entire mountain range.

Many herdsmen and commoners of the Cheshi Kingdom in the distance, upon hearing these grand bell tolls, could not help but feel a surge of sorrow, piously kowtowing towards the direction of the Sacred Mountain.

At this moment, inside Nalanda Temple on the mountaintop, countless monks stood in two rows, heads bowed, calm and peaceful.

Inside the solemn Mahavira Hall, the statue of Buddha Shakyamuni sat in the lotus position on a Lotus Pedestal, his left hand resting on his foot holding an alms bowl, his right hand pointing vertically to the ground in the earth-touching mudra. His expression was neither smiling nor unsmiling, his eyes seemingly able to discern the human heart, perceive the subtle, know all sentient beings in the Three Realms, and understand the past, present, and future.

Before the Buddha statue, an old monk with white eyebrows stood with his head bowed.

He wore a seven-strip kasaya, his aged and withered face subtly revealing a hint of sorrow, his eyes weary as if he had seen through the affairs of the world, leaving only a heart devoted to the Buddha.

This was the current Abbot of Nalanda Temple, Abbot Fayuan.

Abbot Fayuan held a lofty status within the Buddhist circles of the world; both his strength and his cultivation in the Buddhist Dao were top-tier for this generation, earning him the title of Divine Monk.

Moreover, he was also the Master of the Buddhist disciple Awakening to emptiness.

Before him, on the floor of the Mahavira Hall, lay a corpse, its head and body separated.

Inside the hall, several enlightened high monks of Nalanda Temple, seeing the look of Awakening to emptiness dying with his eyes wide open, could not hide their grief and anger.

Awakening to emptiness was born with the appearance and heart of a Buddha, and was highly regarded by Nalanda Temple as a candidate who might inherit the position of Abbot in the future; who would have expected that upon entering the Central Plains, he would be beheaded by a Blade Demon.

This incident left everyone in the temple filled with grief and indignation.

"amitabha!"

Abbot Fayuan chanted the Buddhist name, his long and mellow voice echoing through the Mahavira Hall,

"Awakening to emptiness has ascended to the Pure Land early to go to the Western Heaven and serve our Buddha; we should be happy for him!"

Although he was equally grief-stricken in his heart, Abbot Fayuan's expression was calm, and not a trace of emotional fluctuation could be heard in his tone.

At the entrance of the hall, a middle-aged man dressed in plain hemp clothes stood with his hands behind his back.

He had an attendant behind him, and further back was the hall door several zhang high, and beyond that, the high and distant sky, along with two rows of Nalanda Temple monks whose auras were as vast as the sea.

Inside the Mahavira Hall were the heads of each hall of Nalanda Temple, their auras even more unfathomable; each of them could easily sweep across a prefecture of the Great Jin Dynasty, let alone with Abbot Fayuan at the Celestial Being Expert level present.

But even with so many enlightened high monks, the first thing everyone noticed was this middle-aged man in hemp clothes.

The other party's appearance was not remarkable.

But that unique temperament was truly unforgettable; his stature was imposing, his bearing heroic, and he seemed even taller than the hall door that was several zhang high.

He was none other than Heavenly King Xue, Xue Bai, who single-handedly stirred up monstrous waves in the Great Jin Dynasty.

Facing the group of high monks from Nalanda Temple, Xue Bai's expression remained normal, his eyes calm.

"Abbot Fayuan, esteemed Masters, I have come to your temple today first and foremost to apologize to you in person!"

"Master Awakening to emptiness went to Cangzhou Prefecture because of me, but unfortunately fell at the hands of the Blade Demon. My heart is uneasy, so I say to you all here: I am sorry!"

Although Xue Bai spoke words of apology, he remained confident and free-spirited, neither humble nor pushy, causing the group of Nalanda Temple high monks to nod inwardly.

Although they had some misgivings about him because of the death of Awakening to emptiness, they could not help but admit that this person was indeed extraordinary, worthy of being a person of destiny.

"amitabha!"

Abbot Fayuan pressed his palms together and said slowly,

"Heavenly King, you speak too seriously. I have already said, Awakening to emptiness has ascended to the Pure Land early; it is a matter worth celebrating, there is no need to struggle in the sea of bitterness."

"Moreover, this matter cannot be blamed on the Heavenly King. That Blade Demon Yan Chu is indeed no ordinary person. Now it seems he must be a Great Demon; without the means to subdue dragons and tame tigers, one cannot subdue this demon!"

Heavenly King Xue raised the banner of justice to resist the tyranny of the Great Jin Dynasty, and giving full support to Heavenly King Xue received the unanimous agreement of everyone at Nalanda Temple.

Despite the fall of Awakening to emptiness, they did not wish to create any rift between themselves and Xue Bai because of it.

"Heavenly King, apart from bringing back the body of my unworthy disciple, I fear you have other matters, right?"

"You might as well speak of them together; within the capabilities of our Nalanda Temple, we are willing to provide full support."

"In that case, I will speak directly!"

Xue Bai did not hesitate at all and directly confessed:

"I am now at the Ninth Realm Great Perfection. This time I have come because I also wish to borrow the blessed land of your temple, the Golden Sand Cave, to break through to the Celestial Being Realm."

Whoosh——

Xue Bai's words immediately caused an uproar in the hall.

Many high monks whispered and murmured, their faces unable to hide their shock.

Even in the Buddhist Holy Land of Nalanda Temple, there are not many Celestial Being Experts; they belong to the absolute level of temple-guarding powerhouses.

Breaking through from the Ninth Realm Great Perfection to the Celestial Being Realm is not that simple.

The blessed land can only provide a portion of the possibility; the key lies in the cultivator themselves. One must polish their cultivation until it cannot be improved further, and their Heart-Nature must step into the level of unity between heaven and man, only then can they dare to proceed with opening the Divine Treasury.

If any problem occurs during the Breakthrough process, if the Breakthrough fails and the newly opened Divine Treasury collapses, it will cause the cultivator to pass away on the spot; no Spirit Pill or medicine can save them.

Too many such incidents have happened in the past.

Heavenly King Xue is actually choosing to break through to the Celestial Being Realm at this critical juncture of confrontation with the Great Jin Imperial Court?

Could it be that he already has complete certainty?

Abbot Fayuan, being a Celestial Being Expert himself, was equally skeptical about this and could not help but ask:

"Heavenly King, you choose to break through at this time; what if the Breakthrough fails?"

Then, the million-strong army would be leaderless, and the rebellion would likely be quelled by the Great Jin Imperial Court in an instant.

"Master, rest assured. Since I dared to come, I naturally have some confidence!"

"Moreover, during the time I enter the blessed land, I have already arranged all matters in the army; there will not be chaos in the ranks."

"Once I emerge from seclusion, it will be the time for the army to march straight into the Great Jin Dynasty and trample the Central Plains!"

Heavenly King Xue's tone was calm, but the confidence revealed in his words was something even Abbot Fayuan had to be convinced by.

"Good!"

"Since that is the case, our Nalanda Temple will open the Golden Sand Cave for the Heavenly King and lend the Heavenly King a helping hand!"

With the strength Xue Bai has demonstrated, after stepping into the Celestial Being Realm, he will surely be a powerhouse among them.

By then, there will be greater certainty in the confrontation with the Great Jin Imperial Court.

Nalanda Temple made an agreement with the other party that after he takes control of the Central Plains, he will honor Nalanda Temple as the state religion; this is a win-win situation!