Category: Ferrying the Buddha

Chapter 31

Yuanjing.

This Dharma name sounded familiar.

Heng Yu lowered her gaze, trying to recall where she had heard it before.

Liaowu beside her gently took her hand away from his face. His cheek seemed to have grown accustomed to the warmth, and as her fingers left, a strange shiver ran through him, just as it had when she first touched him.

“What’s wrong?” Heng Yu asked, surprised.

She hadn’t finished teasing him. Why did he pull her hand away?

This opportunity was rare. Who knew if she would have another chance.

“Nothing,” Liaowu replied, releasing her hand and standing up.

He looked at Yuanjing and bowed with his hands joined together. “Are you perhaps Enforcement Elder Yuanjing, who reportedly passed away three hundred years ago?”

The deceased Enforcement Elder of the Undying Sect?

In this moment, Heng Yu finally understood why the name sounded so familiar.

A while ago, she had found a Buddhist travelogue in the cultivator’s market and given it to Liaowu as a gift.

That travelogue was written by Monk Yuanjing.

Hearing Liaowu reveal his identity, Yuanjing sighed deeply. “Enforcement Elder Yuanjing passed away long ago. Now, I’m just an ordinary cultivator who has abandoned the Buddhist path.”

Heng Yu’s gaze fell on Yuanjing — from the ring scars on his head to the nine-ring tin staff and golden alms bowl in his hand, and finally to the kasaya he wore.

With such Buddhist attire, had he truly abandoned the Buddhist path?

Sensing her scrutiny, Yuanjing said calmly, “I’m full of attachments and can no longer achieve enlightenment. But I’ve worn kasaya for the first few hundred years of my life, and I haven’t been able to break the habit, so Fellow Daoist needn’t be surprised.”

Heng Yu looked away. “I apologize for my presumption.”

Yuanjing shook his head, not wanting to say more.

He looked at Liaowu, countless thoughts swirling in his mind. He wanted to use his own experience to persuade Liaowu, but thinking about how he himself hadn’t found clarity after hundreds of years, only becoming more confused, he didn’t know what to say.

He casually started a conversation. “Which Buddha-son of the Undying Sect are you?”

“This poor monk’s Dharma name is Liaowu.”

Yuanjing’s pupils constricted, his previously calm expression faltering. “Are you the Buddha-son with innate Buddha bones?”

“Indeed.”

Yuanjing swayed slightly, his nine-ring tin staff clinking. He closed his eyes tightly. “The Undying Sect has waited ten thousand years for the appearance of innate Buddha bones. You mustn’t be swayed by love.”

Heng Yu narrowed her eyes slightly.

Similar words again.

What did “innate Buddha bones” mean to the Buddhist sect? How important was it, so important that they had searched for it for ten thousand years?

Hearing Yuanjing’s words, Liaowu knew he had misunderstood his and Heng Yu’s earlier interaction. “Senior, you misunderstand. Just now…”

Heng Yu stepped forward and tugged on Liaowu’s sleeve.

She gently pulled on his sleeve, interrupting him. “But the Buddhist path emphasizes asceticism. In this endless sea of suffering, only I can bring Liaowu a little joy.”

As she spoke, Heng Yu’s hand moved, grasping Liaowu’s wrist.

Standing so close to him, she could feel his body stiffen.

Heng Yu looked up and smiled at him, her hand sliding down his palm, tracing the lines, across his warm skin, her fingers intertwining with his.

“He can’t refuse me, just like you couldn’t refuse that demonic woman you speak of.”

“Senior, who can resist their destined tribulation?”

Heng Yu smiled, her gaze lingering on Liaowu’s bright eyes before falling on Yuanjing.

From Yuanjing’s perspective, they looked like a couple embracing.

It was a perfectly natural scene.

Yuanjing’s face turned completely cold, as if recalling something painful. Cold sweat trickled down his forehead. He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing, and closed his eyes tightly, chanting Buddhist scriptures to calm his mind.

After a while, he opened his eyes. “Are you, a mere peak Foundation Establishment junior, deliberately provoking me?”

Heng Yu smiled. “So what if I am? Liaowu will protect me.”

She hid behind Liaowu.

Liaowu: “…”

He subtly tried to pull his hand away.

But as he moved, Heng Yu tightened her grip, her index finger idly tracing circles on the back of his hand. “What are you doing?”

“Lord Luo, don’t be childish,” Liaowu said gently.

Heng Yu loosened her grip slightly. “Then you shouldn’t be childish either.”

Liaowu’s expression showed helplessness.

He knew she was deliberately provoking Yuanjing to uncover the secrets buried in the past, so he had been cooperating with her.

But this cooperation…

“Amitabha,” Liaowu chanted softly, “Amitabha…”

“Why are you chanting? Is your heart disturbed?” Heng Yu asked, her lips curving into a smile.

Seeing this scene, Yuanjing felt as if time had overlapped — three hundred years ago, while traveling the world and spreading Buddhist teachings, a woman with seductive eyes had also held his hand.

He had chanted Buddhist scriptures repeatedly, trying to reaffirm his faith and calm his turbulent thoughts.

A fierce look suddenly appeared on Yuanjing’s handsome face.

He pointed his golden alms bowl at Heng Yu, and a beam of golden light shot out, the full force of his late Nascent Soul cultivation pressing down on her.

Heng Yu calmly watched the deadly golden light approach.

Just as it was about to hit her, a gentle Buddhist light appeared before her, silently neutralizing the attack.

“Amitabha.” His right hand held by Heng Yu, Liaowu raised his left hand in a Buddhist gesture. “There are many mortals in this restaurant. Senior, do you really intend to fight here?”

Buddhist cultivators valued compassion. Fighting in the restaurant and harming mortals would contradict their beliefs.

Yuanjing remained silent.

He was a disgraced disciple, but the Buddhist teachings were deeply ingrained in him.

These teachings prevented him from attacking Heng Yu further. He could only grip his nine-ring tin staff tighter.

“Senior, please come upstairs for a discussion.”

Liaowu gestured invitingly.

At the same time, he said to Heng Yu in a gentle yet firm tone, “Lord Luo, let go.”

Having achieved their goal of provoking Yuanjing, there was no need for them to hold hands anymore.

Heng Yu reluctantly released his hand, sighing softly.

—It was so cold. Liaowu’s hand was warm and comfortable.

They went straight to the rooms upstairs.

Liaonian and Heng Yu were the last to arrive.

He glared at Heng Yu. “You’re shameless!”

Heng Yu said innocently, “But your senior brother falls for it.”

Seeing the handsome young monk’s face flush red with anger, Heng Yu couldn’t help but laugh.

Soon, the four of them entered the room and sat down.

Yuanjing took off his bamboo hat, revealing his handsome face.

His skin was very pale, and the black rune tattooed on his face looked jarring, disrupting his otherwise serene aura. Liaonian couldn’t help but wonder if he would look even more handsome without the rune.

The answer was probably yes.

Liaonian had grown up in the sect and knew about all the prominent figures in its history —

Three hundred years ago, Yuanjing, a disciple of the Undying Sect, rose to prominence, his talent surpassing his peers in Buddhist debates.

Yuanjing reached Nascent Soul before he was a hundred years old. After consolidating his cultivation, he was appointed Enforcement Elder. Since he was traveling the world to spread Buddhist teachings, the Undying Sect didn’t immediately make him a Buddha-son, intending to wait a while longer.

During Yuanjing’s travels, the number of Buddhist believers increased dramatically.

Liaonian had always admired this Enforcement Elder. He remembered feeling regretful when he first read that Yuanjing had passed away.

But now…

The truth was so disheartening.

The once-renowned Enforcement Elder had been trapped in the sea of love and couldn’t transcend it.

What about Senior Brother?

Senior Brother had to overcome his tribulation of love. But if he truly fell in love, would he also lose his Buddhist path like Enforcement Elder Yuanjing?

The young monk’s thoughts were in turmoil.

“Have some tea,” Heng Yu patted Liaonian’s shaved head.

It felt nice.

But she still thought Liaowu’s head felt better : )

Hearing Heng Yu’s words, Liaonian snapped back to reality.

He lowered his gaze and quickly took a sip of tea, not even noticing that Heng Yu was patting his head.

Liaowu refilled his teacup and personally pushed it towards Heng Yu.

Seeing this seemingly unconscious action, Yuanjing frowned.

Heng Yu held the teacup and said to Yuanjing, “Senior, let’s talk about serious matters now.”

“What do you want to talk about?”

Heng Yu said calmly, “Recently, a demonic woman practicing a yang-absorbing dual cultivation technique appeared in Ping City. She seems to be related to the Hehuan Sect. Do you know her, Senior?”

Yuanjing closed his eyes and didn’t speak.

But his reaction spoke volumes.

Heng Yu continued, “A few days ago, a Daoist cultivator I know was harmed by her technique.”

Yuanjing’s eyes snapped open.

He tightened his grip on the teacup and said with difficulty, “I see. Is this why Fellow Daoist has been provoking me? I’m curious how you guessed my and her identities.”

“The sachet.” Heng Yu took out the sachet made from monk robes from her storage ring.

Seeing the sachet, Yuanjing smiled bitterly. “I understand. I want to see that Daoist cultivator.”

Heng Yu and Liaowu exchanged glances.

Liaowu made the decision. “Alright, Senior, please come with us.”

They hadn’t finished their tea, but they stood up and left the restaurant.

A light rain was still falling.

Heng Yu opened her oil-paper umbrella and led the way, her black dress swirling slightly in the wind.

After walking a few hundred meters, they arrived at Leju Restaurant.

Going straight to the premium room, Heng Yu knocked on the door.

After a moment, Xiaoyaozi’s second disciple opened the door. Seeing Heng Yu and the others, he was slightly stunned. “Fellow Daoist Luo…?”

“Excuse us. We came to check on Fellow Daoist Zhou.”

“Senior Brother is still unconscious,” the second disciple said, stepping aside to let them in.

Entering the room, Heng Yu saw Dao Zhuo and Mu Huan inside.

She nodded at them and gestured to Yuanjing. “Senior, please.”

Yuanjing walked silently to the bedside —

The young and handsome Daoist cultivator lying on the bed was pale, his cultivation level having dropped, and his spiritual roots damaged, clearly a victim of the yang-absorbing technique. A faint demonic aura lingered on him, an aura Yuanjing was all too familiar with.

Because of this familiarity, he felt a sharp pain in his chest, as if he had been stabbed.

His reaction made Dao Zhuo and Mu Huan curious.

They seemed to have realized something as well. Dao Zhuo said, “This poor Daoist has been tracking that demonic woman for over two months. Three months ago, she harmed three of my junior brothers within the Dao Sect’s territory…”

Only Yuanjing’s face still looked young; he was actually quite old.

Hearing Dao Zhuo’s words, he couldn’t help but smile bitterly, his face seeming to age tenfold in that instant. “I understand… I understand everything…”

After saying this, he fell silent.

“Senior,” Dao Zhuo stepped forward, wanting to ask more questions.

Heng Yu stopped him and shook her head silently.

Dao Zhuo was puzzled, but since Heng Yu had brought this person here, he assumed she had a plan. So, he stepped back.

“Now that you’ve seen him, Senior, would you like to come back to our place?” Heng Yu turned to ask Yuanjing.

Yuanjing nodded silently.

Back at their restaurant, Heng Yu asked the waiter to arrange a room for Yuanjing.

There weren’t many outsiders in Ping City. Besides the three premium rooms occupied by Heng Yu and the others, there was one more left, perfect for Yuanjing.

They went upstairs. Reaching the door, Yuanjing entered without a word.

Heng Yu and Liaowu exchanged glances.

Heng Yu said, “Let’s go back and rest. There’s no rush.”

Although she didn’t know the details, from the information she had gathered, the story between this holy monk Yuanjing and the unknown demonic woman wasn’t a happy one.

Speaking about it would probably be like reopening old wounds. Heng Yu understood his reluctance.

So, she wasn’t in a hurry.

“Indeed, there’s no rush,” Liaowu agreed.

As they walked, they passed by Liaowu’s room first.

He opened the door and, as he turned to close it, noticed Heng Yu still standing outside.

“What’s wrong?”

“Earlier downstairs, Senior Brother said that if I wished, you would try sewing a sachet for me. Does that still stand?”

Liaowu was stunned. “Wasn’t that just Lord Luo asking this poor monk to cooperate with you?”

Heng Yu said sincerely, “But I genuinely want you to sew a sachet for me.”

Liaowu’s lips curved into a smile.

He thought for a moment and said, “How about this, this poor monk will make another wager with Lord Luo. If I lose, I’ll sew a sachet for you. If Lord Luo loses, please cook a vegetarian meal for this poor monk.”

Heng Yu snapped her fingers. “That sounds reasonable. But what should we wager on?”

“Within two days, if you can make Yuanjing tell his story, you win; otherwise, you lose. What do you think?”

Heng Yu looked back at Yuanjing’s closed door. “It’s a bit challenging, but I can try. I accept the wager.”

She turned back to Liaowu, her eyes full of anticipation. “Can the sachet be made from a piece of monk robe?”

Liaowu’s smile widened slightly. “No.”

“Then this wager is a loss for me.”

“Lord Luo can choose not to wager.”

Heng Yu shrugged. “Fine, let’s do it. I won’t push my luck.”

She had teased him enough for today. It was time to stop : )

One should be content.

Back in her room, Heng Yu continued practicing calligraphy.

After finishing, she listened carefully and realized the rain had stopped.

She walked to the window and pushed it open.

The sky after the rain was clear and blue, the air fresh.

Heng Yu stretched and returned to the table to draw her chibi Buddhist comics.

After drawing two more stories, Heng Yu poured herself a cup of tea and pondered the recent events.

First, the demonic woman.

She practiced a yang-absorbing technique and was likely from the Hehuan Sect.

She clearly had a past with Yuanjing, so why was she absorbing yang energy? And why had her cultivation dropped from Nascent Soul to the peak of Foundation Establishment?

Second, Yuanjing.

He had been a prominent figure three hundred years ago. The sect claimed he had passed away, but he was still alive, with a black rune on his right cheek, marking him as a disgraced disciple.

What was the hidden story?

In the restaurant hall, whenever Heng Yu teased Liaowu with words or actions, Yuanjing reacted strongly.

Heng Yu guessed that the demonic woman might have used similar methods to seduce Yuanjing.

So, seeing her and Liaowu, Yuanjing unconsciously projected his past onto them.

But —

She and Liaowu were different.

Heng Yu lowered her gaze, looking at the chibi comic she had just drawn.

She felt that Liaowu was definitely going to lose this wager.

In the evening, Heng Yu went out and, passing by Yuanjing’s room, noticed his door was still closed.

She considered knocking but decided against it —

Yuanjing’s emotions had fluctuated greatly today. It was better to give him some time to calm down.

She waited for two days.

During these two days, Dao Zhuo and Mu Huan came to the restaurant to ask about the situation, but Heng Yu simply shook her head, telling them to be patient and wait for the right time.

Dao Zhuo was patient, but Mu Huan was more impulsive.

She said impatiently, “When will the right time come? What if that person strikes again while we wait?”

Heng Yu could see that Mu Huan was trying to use this opportunity to impress Dao Zhuo.

But whether she cooperated depended on her mood.

Heng Yu crossed her arms and leaned against the wall, saying bluntly, “Lord Mu, you should control your temper. I’m not one of your admirers. I won’t indulge you.”

Mu Huan stamped her foot, her tone softening. “Alright, alright, I was wrong. Don’t be angry.”

“Then please leave,” Heng Yu said.

After they left, Heng Yu turned around and saw Liaowu, dressed in his moon-white robes, standing on the third floor, watching her.

“What are you looking at?” Heng Yu smiled.

“The time limit for the wager is almost up. Aren’t you going to act, Lord Luo?” Liaowu asked.

Heng Yu quickly went up to the third floor and stood beside him.

“Don’t move.”

“Hmm?”

Heng Yu moved closer to Liaowu.

Closer and closer —

The closed door of Yuanjing’s room slowly opened.

Yuanjing, in his kasaya, still looked as handsome as ever.

He held the door, his gaze fixed on Heng Yu, and sighed softly. “If Fellow Daoist wanted me to come out, you could have just knocked. Why go through all this trouble?”

Heng Yu blinked.

Wasn’t this just a chance to tease Liaowu, using Yuanjing as an excuse?

But since Yuanjing had come out, Heng Yu could only step back. “Senior, are you free? I have something to discuss with you.”

Yuanjing knew her purpose. “You want to know about my past?”

Heng Yu wasn’t surprised that he guessed it.

After all, he was the Undying Sect cultivator who had surpassed countless peers three hundred years ago. It would be strange if he couldn’t guess.

“You’re right, Senior.”

“I don’t want to talk about those things.”

Yuanjing refused directly.

His refusal was firm, leaving no room for negotiation.

Heng Yu chuckled softly, not discouraged by his rejection. “I believe I can persuade you, Senior.”

“Are you curious about how I’m pursuing the Buddha-son? My relationship with Liaowu is different from what you imagine.”

Chapter 30:

Leju Inn, Heavenly Character Room.

Zhou Chuang had been cleaned by his junior brothers and was now dressed in fresh clothes, lying unconscious on the outer side of the bed. His face was pale, his lips bloodless, and he looked extremely weak, bearing no trace of his previous arrogance. The spiritual energy in his body fluctuated erratically, barely maintaining his early Foundation Establishment cultivation.

Dao Zhuo was applying acupuncture needles to him, using a Daoist heart sutra to stabilize his condition. Sensing someone entering, Dao Zhuo removed the golden needles from Zhou Chuang’s body and turned to look. It was Hengyu, Xiaoyaozi, and their companions.

Xiaoyaozi rushed to the bedside to check on his disciple’s condition, his face filled with anxiety, forgetting even to greet Dao Zhuo. Dao Zhuo understood his feelings and didn’t mind, stepping aside for Xiaoyaozi after performing a Daoist salute.

As Dao Zhuo stood, he stumbled slightly – he had expended too much spiritual energy during the acupuncture treatment.

Liaowu reached out to support him: “Fellow Cultivator Dao, how are you feeling?”

Dao Zhuo steadied himself: “Thank you, Buddhist Son. I’ll be fine after a short rest. It’s just a pity that Fellow Cultivator Zhou has suffered such misfortune.” Despite his usual calm demeanor, a hint of ruthlessness flickered in Dao Zhuo’s eyes. He had come here to capture the demoness. Not only had she repeatedly toyed with him, but Zhou Chuang had also been drained of his yang energy right under his nose. This was undoubtedly a blatant provocation to the usually successful and privileged Dao Zhuo.

Hengyu thought for a moment and asked, “Did you encounter the demoness when you rescued Fellow Cultivator Zhou?”

Dao Zhuo nodded: “The demoness was veiled throughout. I arrived just as she was about to leave. During the fight, she dropped a sachet.” He took a sachet from his sleeve and handed it to Hengyu.

The sachet was made of plain gray fabric. Typically, no one would use such a dull color for a sachet. Hengyu rubbed the fabric, gradually realizing something was amiss.

She looked at Liaowu: “…Why do I feel like this fabric was cut from a monk’s robe?” She had seen Liaowu wearing gray monk robes of the same material.

Liaowu frowned, examining the sachet carefully: “Amitabha, this is indeed the fabric of a Wuding Sect monk’s robe.”

Hengyu brought the sachet closer and sniffed it. Apart from the strong fragrance of Hehuan flowers, there seemed to be…a faint bitter scent of Bodhi. Carefully rubbing the sachet, Hengyu felt some stitching in the lower right corner on the inside – the outline seemed like a character.

Hengyu told Liaowu about her discovery: “Touch it.”

Liaowu’s slender and smooth fingertips traced the outline on the sachet: “This script seems to be Sanskrit.”

Soon, Liaowu confirmed, “Yes, it’s the Sanskrit character for ‘Jing’ (静).”

A sachet dropped by a demoness practicing the dual cultivation technique to absorb yang energy, made from fabric cut from a Wuding Sect monk’s robe… Hengyu couldn’t help but imagine a dramatic story of love and hatred. Moreover, she had reason to suspect that the monk’s Buddhist name contained the character “Jing.”

Hengyu blinked and said to Liaowu, “Let’s not rush to leave Pingcheng. Let’s stay and help Fellow Cultivator Dao.” Returning to Huacheng would be uneventful. Staying in Pingcheng would be more interesting.

Liaowu had something on his mind. He had been trying to guess the identity of the monk whose Buddhist name contained “Jing.” Hengyu’s suggestion suited him perfectly.

“That is precisely my intention.”

Zhou Chuang remained unconscious. However, his condition had stabilized, and his cultivation level hadn’t fallen further.

It had been raining in Pingcheng recently. Hengyu stayed in the inn practicing calligraphy and, out of boredom, drawing chibi Buddhist comics. On a whim, she named the protagonist, the little bald monk, “Yiwu.” Each story was only four panels, so it was easy to draw.

Hengyu had drawn two stories and was about to start the third when someone knocked on her door.

“Fellow Cultivator Luo, would you like to come downstairs for something to eat?” It was the young monk Liaonian.

Hengyu took her drawings and opened the door: “Alright.”

Fewer people went out in the rain, so even though it was mealtime, there were only three or four tables occupied in the inn’s dining hall.

Liaowu was sitting at a table near the entrance, waiting for Hengyu. Seeing her, he said, “The inn has a new dish called Sakura Shrimp. I thought it was good, so I ordered it for Fellow Cultivator Luo.”

When the waiter served the food, Hengyu noticed that Liaowu had also ordered a bowl of lotus root and pork rib soup for her. The lotus root and pork ribs were submerged in the soup, the lotus root tender and the pork ribs cooked just right, their flavors blending into the broth.

Hengyu took a sip, and the corners of her lips curled up in delight.

“The lotus root at this inn is delicious. We can try stir-fried lotus root tomorrow,” Hengyu suggested.

Liaowu couldn’t try the lotus root and pork rib soup, but he could still eat lotus root. It was a pity that the lotus root in the soup had absorbed the flavor of the meat; otherwise, Hengyu wouldn’t mind sharing the delicacy with Liaowu. Although Liaowu probably wouldn’t mind eating something she had already tasted.

Hengyu had some soup to settle her stomach and then took out the chibi comics she had just drawn, handing them to Liaowu: “Take a look at ‘Little Monk Yiwu’.”

“Hmm?” Liaowu’s voice rose slightly, somewhat bewildered. He took the two drawings, looking at the little monk in monk’s robes, with a cinnabar mark between his eyebrows, and named “Yiwu”: “This…”

“Do you think the little monk Yiwu I drew is cute? If not cute enough, I’ll go back and revise it.”

Liaowu lowered his eyes: “Is Fellow Cultivator Luo drawing for fun?”

“This kind of comic is easier to spread than Buddhist stories. I was thinking of drawing gradually and publishing a collection when I have enough drawings.”

Liaowu chuckled softly: “Wouldn’t that be too much trouble for Fellow Cultivator Luo?”

Hengyu smiled faintly: “If it’s something I’m willing to do, no matter how much trouble it is, it doesn’t matter.”

As they were talking, a monk entered the inn, holding a nine-ringed tin staff in his right hand and an alms bowl in his left. The monk wore a bamboo hat to shield himself from the rain, pulled low enough to hide half his face in shadow.

He entered just as he heard Hengyu’s last words. The monk lifted his hat slightly and looked at Hengyu and Liaowu’s table. As his gaze fell on them, he recognized Hengyu and Liaowu – the Buddhist Son of Wuding Sect and…the Hehuan Sect female cultivator.

The female cultivator wore a black dress, her eyes bright and sincere, making it hard not to believe her words. But these beautiful words were often like honey-coated poison, an abyss more painful than Avīci Hell.

As if remembering something, the monk felt a sharp pain between his eyebrows. He lowered his head, his body swaying slightly, the nine-ringed tin staff in his hand clinking.

The sound of the tin staff made Hengyu and Liaowu turn their heads. Upon seeing the monk clearly, Hengyu froze: It was the same monk she had seen during the sermon. She hadn’t noticed before, but now she realized that the monk’s aura was even more striking than Liaowu’s, indicating that he was at least at the mid-Core Formation stage!

“Senior Brother Liaowu, do you know what cultivation level that monk is at?” Hengyu transmitted her voice to Liaowu.

Liaowu was at the Core Formation stage himself and could accurately judge the monk’s realm. He replied: “Late Core Formation, just a step away from Nascent Soul.”

Just a step away from Nascent Soul?

Hengyu pondered: Nascent Soul and Deity Transformation cultivators mostly remained in secluded cultivation in their caves. Among the cultivators roaming the Canglan Continent, late Core Formation was already above countless others. But now, such a monk had appeared in the small town of Pingcheng…

Many things clicked into place – the demoness practicing dual cultivation to absorb yang energy, the late Core Formation monk, and the sachet made from a monk’s robe.

Could this monk be related to that demoness?

Hengyu pursed her lips and transmitted her voice to Liaowu: “Senior Brother Liaowu, are you worried about offending that late Core Formation monk?”

Liaowu didn’t understand her meaning, but it didn’t prevent him from replying: “Not worried.” He had many secrets and trump cards. As long as it wasn’t a Nascent Soul cultivator, even facing a late Core Formation cultivator, Liaowu wasn’t afraid.

“Then, Senior Brother Liaowu, can you cooperate with me? I want to test him.” After transmitting this message, Hengyu spoke aloud, “My sachet is quite worn.” She then pulled the sachet hanging from her waist. She wasn’t wrong; the sachet was beautiful, but some edges and corners were frayed, showing its age.

Hengyu handed the sachet to Liaowu, letting him see it clearly: “Senior Brother Liaowu, do you know how to sew sachets? If you do, I won’t need to buy one outside.”

The monk sitting at the next table stiffened. The young monk Liaonian, sitting at the same table, couldn’t help but look up and glare at Hengyu – this demoness, she she she she wanted Senior Brother to cook for her, and now she wanted him to do needlework! If this were to spread, the Buddhist cultivators of the world would annihilate her.

Liaowu was slightly taken aback. Thinking of her earlier words about “cooperation,” he vaguely guessed Hengyu’s intention. He said, “I’ve never sewn clothes before, but if Fellow Cultivator Luo wishes, I can try.”

Hengyu: “…” His words almost left her speechless. Why did she feel flirted with when a serious monk spoke such serious words?

As Hengyu was lost in thought, she heard a heavy thud from the next table as the monk put down his teacup. The other party had lost their composure.

Remembering this, Hengyu quickly recovered and said to Liaowu with enthusiasm, “Then what kind of fabric should I prepare…I don’t seem to have any fabric in my storage ring. Do you have any?”

Liaowu probed his storage ring: “I only have fabric for monk’s robes. If Fellow Cultivator Luo doesn’t mind…”

The monk at the next table gripped his teacup so tightly that, with a surge of spiritual energy, the cup shattered in his hand. As a late Core Formation cultivator, the monk wouldn’t be injured by mere teacup fragments, but the cup was still half full of warm tea. The tea flowed down the table, wetting the monk’s robes.

However, he seemed oblivious, sitting there in a daze, his expression forlorn.

“…Fellow Cultivator, is something the matter?” Hengyu stood up and asked tentatively.

The monk lowered his head, not letting them see his face: “I…I just feel that there are many things in this mundane world that cannot be trusted, such as a demoness’s smile and words.”

Hengyu smiled brightly: “I don’t understand what you mean.” She turned to look at Liaowu. His appearance was ethereal, like a Buddha sitting in the boundless Buddhist realm, compassionate and merciful, making one’s heart tremble.

After much thought and finally finding an opportunity, Hengyu boldly reached out and touched Liaowu’s bald head, rubbing it vigorously.

Liaowu’s body stiffened, surprised by her action. Liaonian was so shocked that he was speechless.

And the monk, who had kept his head lowered, couldn’t help but shake his nine-ringed tin staff: “Why must you ruin his Buddhist path, Fellow Cultivator?”

Hengyu’s hands were slender and fair. She touched Liaowu’s head, finding the sensation so good that she was reluctant to remove her hand. Noticing the monk’s increasing agitation, Hengyu decided to give him a stronger dose.

Her hand slowly slid down, brushing past Liaowu’s right ear, his earlobe, her index finger tracing the contours of his cheek, finally resting on his right cheek. Slowly, lingeringly.

Seeing Liaowu about to move, Hengyu’s voice trembled slightly. She said, “Don’t reject me.” Her tone was almost a murmur, but it reached Liaowu’s ears clearly.

Liaowu’s body stiffened further. He could clearly feel the warmth spreading across his cheek. This warmth was unfamiliar…but not entirely unwelcome.

Liaowu closed his eyes and silently chanted scriptures.

Hengyu tried to ignore the sensation in her palm and turned to the monk: “Who are you, Senior? And why should you interfere in our affairs?”

After a moment of silence, the monk, who had been keeping his head down, slowly raised it. A face with delicate features appeared in everyone’s sight. On such a face, the black rune representing his status as a “Wuding Sect outcast” was particularly jarring and conspicuous. A look of deep sorrow flashed across the monk’s eyes.

He looked at Hengyu and Liaowu, his speech slow: “Before I was expelled from the sect, I…I had a Buddhist name, Yuanjing.”

Chapter 29:

Zhou Chuang found that the promotional effect of the Buddhist side was far better than he had anticipated. Even if not all the common people currently surrounding the Buddhist Son Liaowu would convert to Buddhism, even a tenth or two would be enough to surpass him. His brows furrowed tightly as he pondered countermeasures. Zhou Chuang attached great importance to this wager; he was determined to outdo the Buddhists. After all, he loathed both the Buddhists and that demoness Luo Hengyu.

While Zhou Chuang was lost in thought, Dao Zhuo stepped forward and saluted Hengyu with a Daoist hand gesture: “Fellow Cultivator Luo.” He wore a Daoist robe and had his hair styled in a Daoist topknot, a tall crown atop his head. His whole being exuded an otherworldly, unrestrained elegance. Hengyu returned the salute.

Just as Dao Zhuo was about to speak, the Daoist compass in his hand suddenly emitted a beam of light. The light pointed directly southeast, too dazzling to ignore. “That demoness is using spiritual power,” Dao Zhuo frowned. “Fellow Cultivator Luo, I must take my leave. I’ll continue to track the demoness’s whereabouts.” With a brief farewell, Dao Zhuo pursued the southeast direction.

Zhou Chuang, responsible for assisting Dao Zhuo, saw him leave and, forgetting the wager, followed him. Mu Huan muttered, “I haven’t had time to greet Senior Brother Liaowu,” and also hurried after the two.

When Liaowu was less busy, Hengyu approached him and recounted the events. Liaowu said, “Then we should also be more vigilant recently.” Hengyu nodded. She and Liaowu would help track the demoness when needed, but for now, their primary focus remained on the wager.

Dao Zhuo’s pursuit yielded no results. Hengyu wasn’t surprised. If the demoness were easy to deal with, Dao Zhuo and his companions wouldn’t have chased her all the way from the Daoist sect’s territory to Pingcheng.

Over the next few days, Hengyu and Liaowu continued to spread Buddhist teachings. Buddhism emphasized universal salvation and was adept at soothing the pain in people’s hearts. Coupled with Liaowu offering free medical treatment, answering questions, and listening attentively, the spread of Buddhism became increasingly successful.

Soon, only one day remained before the seven-day wager. That evening, Xiaoyaozi personally came to the inn to find Liaowu. Standing at the entrance, he bowed to Liaowu, who was returning in the setting sun: “Tomorrow is the day of the sermon. How are the Buddhist Son’s preparations?”

Liaowu calmly replied, “Amitabha, the preparations are complete.” Xiaoyaozi laughed heartily, “That’s good. Then I won’t disturb the Buddhist Son any longer.” With that, he flicked his sleeves and departed.

After Xiaoyaozi left, Hengyu and Liaowu entered the inn and dined on the first floor. Picking up a piece of tofu, Hengyu sighed inwardly. Everything else was fine with Liaowu, but having to eat vegetarian meals every time was truly difficult for her.

“May I order some sweet and sour pork ribs for Fellow Cultivator Luo?” Liaowu suddenly put down his chopsticks and said softly. Hengyu was slightly taken aback. Had her aversion to vegetarian dishes been so obvious that Liaowu had noticed?

Liaowu said, “Fellow Cultivator Luo isn’t accustomed to vegetarian food; there’s no need to change your habits for me and my junior brother.” Coarse tea and simple meals, a solitary lamp and ancient Buddha – these were his choices, his cultivation. These matters had nothing to do with her; she didn’t need to be so restrained in front of him.

Hengyu put the tofu in her mouth, swallowed, and then replied, “But I feel that not ordering meat dishes when dining with you and Liaonian is a form of respect for you both.”

Respect? Her reasoning made Liaowu pause. He quickly recovered and chuckled, “I have already felt Fellow Cultivator Luo’s respect. Now, allow me to show respect to Fellow Cultivator Luo.” With that, he turned to call the waiter and instructed, “Please add a dish of sweet and sour pork ribs for this female benefactor.”

His actions were swift, so fast that Hengyu couldn’t refuse. By the time she reacted, the waiter had already gone to the kitchen to place the order, and Hengyu had to accept it.

“Now I also feel Senior Brother Liaowu’s respect,” Hengyu said, resting her chin on her hand and smiling brightly at him. Liaowu sensed her genuine joy.

It was dinner time, and all the tables on the first floor were occupied; the inn was quite busy. However, the food was served quickly, and the sweet and sour pork ribs Liaowu had ordered for Hengyu arrived. Amidst the table full of vegetarian dishes, the colorful and fragrant sweet and sour pork ribs appeared particularly striking.

Hengyu reached out with her chopsticks, dipped them in the sauce to taste it, and her eyebrows raised slightly – the dish tasted even better than she had imagined.

“Then I won’t stand on ceremony,” Hengyu winked at Liaowu.

Liaowu nodded, “As it should be. Fellow Cultivator Luo shouldn’t be polite in this matter.”

Hengyu laughed and didn’t say anything more. She picked up a rib and put it in her mouth, feeling completely rejuvenated. Since arriving in Pingcheng, she hadn’t had a single bite of meat; she had been enduring quite a lot! Liaowu was truly an adorable Buddhist Son!

In the end, Hengyu finished the entire plate of sweet and sour pork ribs by herself. After eating, she went upstairs. Just as Hengyu removed her long sword and placed it on the table, she heard a knock on her door.

Opening the door, she found Liaowu standing outside, holding a cup of steaming tea. Clearly, the tea had just been brewed. “Tea can help with digestion, Fellow Cultivator Luo. Have some.” Liaowu handed her the tea.

Hengyu took it and looked up at him. The warm glow of candlelight filled the corridor outside her door, dappling his face. His usual coldness had completely melted away, replaced by an air of gentleness that made her heart flutter. If he weren’t a Buddhist Son dedicated to a life of Buddhism, Hengyu felt she might have succumbed to temptation. Tsk.

The next morning, Xiaoyaozi came to the inn again to inform them of the rules for the competition.

“The morning will be used to notify followers. The location for our sermons will be in the open space in the city center, adjacent to each other. What do you think?” Xiaoyaozi pointed at a map and asked.

Liaowu looked at the map for a moment and then nodded, indicating he had no objections. “What time will the sermon begin?”

“A quarter past noon.”

“Very well.”

After the two sides had agreed, they acted accordingly. Liaowu and Liaonian went to the north of the city to mobilize the people who had become Buddhist followers to attend his sermon. Hengyu was responsible for mobilizing the people in other areas—their promotional efforts in recent days had focused on the north of the city, but they had also reached out to areas like the east and west of the city.

At noon, the three met again and went to the designated area in the city center. As they approached, Hengyu saw two platforms erected there, one east and one west, facing each other at a certain distance. Xiaoyaozi and his disciples were standing on the western platform. Seeing Liaowu and his companions, Xiaoyaozi waved his dust whisk and performed a Daoist salute. Liaowu returned the salute and went directly to the eastern platform, sitting cross-legged and waiting patiently.

Bored, Hengyu casually surveyed the surroundings and suddenly noticed that Xiaoyaozi’s eldest disciple, Zhou Chuang, was absent. He still hadn’t appeared at this late hour? Was he still trying to gather followers?

She suppressed her doubts and sat cross-legged beside Liaowu. Today, Hengyu wore a red dress with a black cloak. As she sat, the red and black fabric spread around her, strikingly vibrant.

From noon until a quarter past, the crowd gradually grew around both platforms. Those who arrived early sat on cushions. The number of people at the eastern platform kept increasing, and when the cushions ran out, the rest stood patiently behind, showing no signs of impatience. In contrast, the cushions on the western platform weren’t even full. Which side had the advantage was clear.

Xiaoyaozi’s face darkened, and he looked at his second disciple: “Why hasn’t your senior brother returned yet? The sermon will begin in a quarter of an hour.”

The second disciple replied, “I just sent a message to Senior Brother. I believe he will come as soon as he receives it.”

Xiaoyaozi took a deep breath, his tone impatient: “Send him another message and urge him to hurry!”

The second disciple knew he was in a bad mood and didn’t dare to provoke him further, so he quickly nodded in agreement and retreated to send another message to Zhou Chuang.

A little later, Dao Zhuo and Mu Huan also arrived to watch the spectacle. Dao Zhuo went to Xiaoyaozi’s side, while Mu Huan went straight to Liaowu. Seeing Liaowu sitting cross-legged, Mu Huan performed a Daoist salute, her voice full of praise: “Senior Brother Liaowu’s Buddhist Dharma is profound. You will surely prevail in this wager against Xiaoyaozi.”

Hengyu chuckled softly behind her, “Isn’t the outcome already obvious?”

Out of Liaowu’s sight, Mu Huan turned her head and stuck her tongue out at Hengyu.

“Have you found any trace of that demoness?” Hengyu changed the subject.

“Not yet,” Mu Huan shook her head. “That demoness is truly cunning. And during the investigation, I discovered that she was originally at the Core Formation stage.”

“Originally?” Hengyu caught the keyword.

“Yes, her current realm has fallen to the peak of Foundation Establishment. I suspect this is one of the reasons why she is frantically practicing the dual cultivation technique to absorb yang energy.”

Hengyu frowned. Suddenly, she remembered something and looked in the direction of Xiaoyaozi and his group – Zhou Chuang, Xiaoyaozi’s eldest disciple, was still nowhere to be seen!

But before Hengyu could ponder further, the appointed time arrived, and Liaowu, who had been sitting with his eyes closed, slowly opened them. Hengyu didn’t disturb him and pulled Mu Huan off the platform.

“Have you heard? The Buddhist Son of the Wuding Sect is going to have a sermon competition with Xiaoyaozi of the Void Alliance in the city center,” a Foundation Establishment cultivator mentioned to his companion as they walked through the market.

“I heard it’s related to the Buddhist-Daoist debate?” his companion asked.

“Xiaoyaozi proposed the competition indeed because of the Buddhist-Daoist debate, but the Buddhist Son of Wuding Sect said that the Buddhist-Daoist debate is not a dispute, it’s just Xiaoyaozi’s own inner demons wanting to determine superiority. However, since Xiaoyaozi wants to compete, he is happy to oblige.”

“It seems that the Buddhist Son of Wuding Sect has a higher state of mind,” the companion sighed.

Behind these two cultivators, a monk wearing a bamboo hat, a kashaya robe, and holding a nine-ringed tin staff followed. The hat was pulled low, but upon closer inspection, one could vaguely see a black rune tattooed on the monk’s right cheek – the mark of a Wuding Sect outcast.

Hearing the conversation of the two Foundation Establishment cultivators, the monk, who had been anxiously searching for something, paused. He struck his tin staff on the ground and closed his eyes, trying to sense a familiar spiritual power.

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t find the person he was looking for. It made sense; that person had been avoiding him. He had been staying in Pingcheng for several days, yet he still hadn’t found anything.

The monk sighed softly – if it weren’t for that accident years ago, perhaps he would have had the chance to become the sect’s Buddhist Son. Unfortunately, fate had played a cruel trick on him.

After standing in place for a while, the monk decided to follow his heart and head towards the city center. He wanted to see what kind of demeanor the Buddhist Son of Wuding Sect possessed. He took a casual step, and his figure reappeared dozens of meters away. This level of power clearly indicated that he had reached the late Core Formation stage, just a step away from Nascent Soul.

It didn’t take long for the monk to reach the platforms in the city center. He glanced around, his gaze finally settling on Liaowu.

Liaowu sat cross-legged on the platform, softly explaining Buddhist doctrines. His expression was gentle as water, his demeanor calm and compassionate, his voice warm and clear. Coupled with the cinnabar mark between his eyebrows, he truly resembled a divine Buddha sitting there preaching. Profound Buddhist teachings flowed from him effortlessly, explained in simple terms.

The monk listened patiently to these teachings, feeling his mind gradually calm down. He placed his right palm upright in front of him and chanted, “Amitabha.”

When the monk looked up again, he saw Hengyu and Mu Huan standing not far from Liaowu. While Hengyu might not have been as obvious, Mu Huan’s attire screamed “Hehuan Sect female cultivator.”

At this moment, the monk seemed to recall many past events, and his previously peaceful mind was stirred. He felt his blood turn icy cold.

The monk staggered backward, his nine-ringed tin staff clinking.

Hengyu noticed the commotion and glanced over. Upon seeing the monk clearly, Hengyu was slightly taken aback. She suddenly recalled the rainy night a few days ago when she had glimpsed a monk in a kashaya robe flitting past her window. Could it be this person?

“What are you looking at?” Mu Huan asked her.

Hengyu shook her head and looked back in the same direction, but the monk had disappeared.

After about half an hour, Liaowu finished explaining some classic passages from the Buddhist scriptures. He put his palms together and asked, “Do any benefactors have any questions about this explanation? Please feel free to ask, and I will do my best to answer.”

Many followers raised their hands. Liaowu answered their questions one by one. By the time the Buddhist sermon was over, the sky had darkened.

The crowd dispersed, heading home in the fading sunlight. Liaowu stepped down from the platform and approached Hengyu and Liaonian.

Hengyu smiled, “Let’s go find Xiaoyaozi. The result of this competition should be beyond doubt.”

Liaowu smiled slightly and nodded.

They walked to the western platform. At this time, Xiaoyaozi had just finished his Daoist sermon. The outcome of the competition was clear, but as a Daoist, Xiaoyaozi couldn’t just abandon the hundreds of followers who had come specifically to listen to him, so he had temporarily put aside the competition and focused on explaining the Daoist teachings.

Stepping down from the platform, Xiaoyaozi met Liaowu’s gaze. He sighed heavily and performed a Daoist salute, “I concede defeat. I lost this time.” He paused and added stubbornly, “But my being inferior to the Buddhist Son doesn’t mean that Daoism is inferior to Buddhism.”

Liaowu put his palms together and replied, “The status of Daoism and Buddhism won’t be determined by a single competition. Senior Xiaoyaozi needn’t dwell on the result.”

As the winner, Liaowu could be magnanimous and detached, but Xiaoyaozi, as the loser, couldn’t be as composed. He was still feeling quite frustrated.

Before Xiaoyaozi could speak again, his anxious second disciple finally couldn’t hold back and hurried to his side: “Master, I still haven’t been able to contact Senior Brother.”

“What are you saying!” Xiaoyaozi exclaimed. “Your senior brother is not someone who can’t distinguish priorities. How could he still not be back?”

The second disciple was covered in cold sweat: “Master, it’s true. After I told Fellow Cultivator Dao about the situation, he and Third and Fourth Junior Brothers went to look for Senior Brother.”

Xiaoyaozi’s face paled: “…What do you mean?”

The second disciple said with a mournful face: “Fellow Cultivator Dao suspects that Senior Brother…encountered that demoness and might have…suffered misfortune.”

Xiaoyaozi swayed.

Hengyu and Liaowu, who were listening, exchanged glances. Hengyu spoke up: “Senior Xiaoyaozi, don’t worry. We’ll join the search for Fellow Cultivator Zhou. He will surely be fine.”

Hearing this, Xiaoyaozi calmed down somewhat: “Thank you. I’ll go ahead and look for my disciple.”

He flicked his dust whisk and was about to leave to search for Zhou Chuang when a paper crane flew swiftly towards them, landing in the hands of Xiaoyaozi’s second disciple.

The second disciple unfolded the paper crane and said, his tone a mix of joy and sorrow: “…Fellow Cultivator Dao and the others have found Senior Brother.”

Xiaoyaozi took a deep breath and asked, “What happened?”

The second disciple swallowed hard and then managed to say: “Senior Brother was…drained of his yang energy and is currently unconscious. Although his life is not in danger, his cultivation has fallen to the early Foundation Establishment stage.”

“Where is your senior brother! Take me there!” Xiaoyaozi’s eyes were bloodshot, his voice filled with hatred. His favorite disciple was Fan Changping, but he also valued his first direct disciple, Zhou Chuang, greatly. He hadn’t expected both of his disciples to suffer misfortune in such a short period!

The second disciple didn’t dare to delay and quickly led the way.

“Let’s follow and see what happened,” Hengyu said to Liaowu.

Chapter 28

The northern district wasn’t large.

After a night of fermentation, the news that reciting a Buddhist story could earn a candy had spread throughout the area. The stories were short, some only a few dozen characters long, others just over a hundred. They weren’t difficult to memorize.

So, many people who lived difficult lives were willing to recite them for the reward.

Heng Yu said to Liaowu privately, “The Buddhist stories are slowly spreading. Next, we need to think about how to convert them into Buddhist believers.”

Spreading the stories was a means to an end.

Converting people to Buddhism was their ultimate goal.

By mid-morning, the candies and pastries in Heng Yu and Liaowu’s storage rings were almost gone.

And the people’s enthusiasm for reciting seemed to have just been ignited.

Liaowu and Liaonian were surrounded by people.

Liaonian, rarely experiencing such a scene, was overwhelmed.

In contrast, Liaowu, despite being in a noisy environment, seemed to have a calming effect on the people around him. They unconsciously lowered their voices when near him.

Since the two monks were busy, Heng Yu, holding her sword, was the most idle person.

She smiled and transmitted her voice to Liaowu. “I’ll go to the nearby grocery store and buy more candy.”

“Thank you, Lord Luo,” Liaowu replied.

“Do you think I’m particularly kind and feel very grateful to me?”

Heng Yu, bored, teased him.

“Whatever Lord Luo says.”

Heng Yu smiled contentedly and walked towards the market.

After buying candies and preserved fruits, Heng Yu ran into Zhou Chuang.

Zhou Chuang was walking with a young man in Daoist robes who had a refined air.

His tone was polite and humble, despite having a similar cultivation level as the other man.

Heng Yu’s gaze swept past Zhou Chuang and landed on the young man.

She didn’t care about Zhou Chuang’s strength, but she sensed a hint of danger from this man.

As Heng Yu noticed them, they also noticed her.

Zhou Chuang’s expression immediately turned cold. “So it’s Fellow Daoist Luo.”

“With the restaurant storyteller spreading Daoist teachings for you, Fellow Daoist Zhou seems to have a lot of free time,” Heng Yu said indifferently.

Her words were like needles to Zhou Chuang’s ears.

Wasn’t she implying that he was neglecting his duties, relying on others to spread Daoist teachings?

Sensing the sarcasm in her words, Zhou Chuang didn’t have time to argue with her. “Daoist Dao, this—” He stopped mid-sentence and addressed the man beside him. “Daoist Dao, please don’t listen to her one-sided words.”

Daoist Dao?

This young man’s surname was Dao?

Combined with his Daoist robes, Heng Yu guessed his identity.

A member of the Dao Sect, and probably a descendant of the Dao Sect Leader’s family.

The young man looked at Heng Yu and bowed with a Daoist gesture. “Dao Zhuo of the Dao Sect. May I ask who this Fellow Daoist is?”

“Luo Heng Yu of the Hehuan Sect.” After returning the gesture, Heng Yu raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t expect the Dao Sect Leader’s direct disciple to be in Ping City.”

She remembered him because he was the Dao Sect Leader’s carefully nurtured closed-door disciple.

And — he was Mu Huan’s target.

If Dao Zhuo was in Ping City, Mu Huan should be here as well.

As if on cue, Heng Yu smelled a faint fragrance of Hehuan flowers.

At the same time, a sharp gust of wind, carrying the same fragrance, struck her face.

She dodged swiftly, catching the leaf that had been flung at her between two fingers.

“Lord Mu has a rather unique way of greeting people,” Heng Yu chuckled softly.

Mu Huan, dressed in a light yellow dress, jumped down from the second floor of the restaurant.

Her attire was as revealing as ever, the long dress accentuating her figure and long legs.

After landing, Mu Huan tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled faintly.

“Lord Luo, it’s been a few months. I’ve missed you dearly.”

“Did you miss me, or did you miss Buddha-son Liaowu?”

Hearing Heng Yu’s words, Dao Zhuo, who had been standing quietly with his head lowered, suddenly looked up at Mu Huan.

Then he quickly looked away.

Noticing his gaze, Mu Huan couldn’t help but giggle. “Of course, I missed Lord Luo more.”

Heng Yu also noticed Dao Zhuo’s look.

She sighed inwardly: Mu Huan was quite efficient. At least for now, it seemed Dao Zhuo was somewhat interested in her.

“Although your words are insincere, they’re still pleasing to hear,” Heng Yu chuckled softly, infused the leaf in her hand with spiritual energy, and flicked it towards Mu Huan’s face with lightning speed.

Mu Huan’s eyes narrowed, and she barely dodged.

“A gift in return. Farewell.” Heng Yu turned and left, holding her sword.

Mu Huan stamped her foot.

She glared at Heng Yu’s retreating figure, then at Dao Zhuo, and said angrily, “You fool, didn’t you see her bullying me?”

Dao Zhuo ignored her and asked Zhou Chuang, “Fellow Daoist Zhou, how did this wager involve Lord Luo?”

When Heng Yu returned to the arched bridge, munching on an apple, the area had quieted down.

Only an elderly man stood beside Liaowu.

The old man’s face was weathered, his hands calloused and scarred, bearing the marks of a hard life.

As Heng Yu approached, she heard the old man ask, “In the Buddhist stories Master told, good and evil will eventually be rewarded. But my wife and I have been kind all our lives. Why did our only child suffer such misfortune? Why is life so unfair to us? Will this suffering only end when I die?”

His voice was filled with sorrow and resentment towards life, hinting at suicidal thoughts.

The overwhelming negativity made Liaowu sigh softly.

He looked at the old man gently.

He hadn’t said anything, but under his compassionate and understanding gaze, tears welled up in the old man’s eyes.

Finally, he lowered his head and covered his face, sobbing uncontrollably.

Liaowu joined his hands together. “Amitabha.”

He lowered his gaze, thinking about how to comfort the weeping old man.

He had no experience in this.

Heng Yu noticed his slight awkwardness beneath his calm exterior.

This subtle awkwardness, only perceptible to her, brought a smile to her eyes.

—He was truly adorable.

“Just listen to him,” Heng Yu transmitted her voice.

Liaowu finally noticed her return.

He looked back at her questioningly.

Heng Yu smiled faintly. “If you don’t know how to comfort him, if you can’t empathize, then just listen.”

Hearing this, understanding dawned on Liaowu’s face.

This was how she had handled Man Xue’er’s situation. He had been too focused on finding a solution.

Liaowu looked back at the old man. “Benefactor, if you have any troubles, you can tell this poor monk.”

He gestured for the old man to sit down.

The old man sat down and looked at the elegant young monk.

From youth to old age, he had faced countless hardships. But with his beloved wife bedridden, he couldn’t share his pain with her, lest he worsen her condition. He could only bear it all silently.

Over time, he had become more and more withdrawn.

Now, hearing Liaowu’s words and smelling the calming sandalwood scent emanating from him, the old man’s suppressed desire to confide finally erupted.

He opened his mouth.

And once he started speaking, the words flowed out naturally.

By the end, he was almost sobbing uncontrollably.

Liaowu listened with his head lowered.

He turned his prayer beads and silently chanted the “Heart Sutra” for the old man.

Whether it was the effect of confiding or the calming effect of the sutra, the old man’s tears gradually subsided.

“Have some water,” Heng Yu offered him a cup of warm water.

The old man looked up, seeing the goddess-like woman offering him water, and quickly accepted it with trembling hands. “Thank you, Miss. You’re too kind.”

“You’re welcome,” Heng Yu smiled softly.

Taking the cup, the old man realized the water was warm.

It was November or December, and warm water was easier to swallow.

As he slowly drank, he tasted a faint sweetness — sugar had been dissolved in the water.

The sweetness brought tears to his eyes again.

Liaowu stood nearby, quietly watching this scene.

After the old man finished the water, he said softly, “Amitabha. From what you’ve told me, your wife and child are both bedridden? If you don’t mind, when it gets darker, this poor monk will visit and check their pulses. Perhaps their conditions can be improved with some treatment.”

The old man’s eyes lit up with surprise. “This… this is too much trouble for Master. Are you sure?”

“My Buddha is compassionate,” Liaowu sighed softly.

“Buddha is compassionate, indeed, truly compassionate,” the old man’s face showed joy.

He stood up and repeatedly bowed to Liaowu and Heng Yu in thanks.

“There’s no need for that, old man.”

Liaowu stepped forward and gently but firmly supported him, preventing him from bowing further.

“It’s my duty, my duty,” the old man said.

When it got darker, Liaowu left Liaonian to wait and went with Heng Yu to the old man’s house to examine his wife and child, prescribing medicine and treatment.

To avoid burdening the family further, Liaowu specifically chose herbs he already had in his storage ring. After writing the prescription, he gave the medicine to the family directly.

This thoughtful kindness made the old man thank them profusely again.

After leaving the old man’s house and walking a few steps, nearing the corner of the alley, Heng Yu suddenly said to Liaowu, “Look back.”

Liaowu turned around.

He saw the old man still standing at his door, watching them.

Noticing that he had turned around, the old man waved more vigorously.

In this moment, Liaowu seemed to see a frail and helpless soul rekindling the flame of hope.

He smiled softly.

After a moment, he looked at Heng Yu.

“When this poor monk first met Lord Luo, you said I didn’t understand the sufferings of sentient beings.”

“Indeed, I didn’t understand at that time, nor did I understand the meaning of delivering all sentient beings. Now, thinking back, although I still can’t fully comprehend the many sufferings of sentient beings, I think I’ve found some understanding of the meaning of delivering them.”

Heng Yu met his gaze and smiled softly. “Should I congratulate you now?”

She saw a vendor selling sweet soup and her eyes lit up. “Wait a moment.”

She ran over, bought two bowls of sweet soup, and returned to Liaowu.

“This is for you.”

Liaowu was stunned, then accepted the bowl. “Is this a reward?”

Heng Yu snapped her fingers. “After learning something new, one should be rewarded. This way, you’ll be motivated to learn more.”

Liaowu chuckled.

He felt as if she was treating him like a child.

He took a sip of the sweet soup.

It was sweet but not greasy.

He liked this reward very much.

Glancing at Heng Yu, he suppressed his thoughts.

After finishing the sweet soup, Heng Yu returned the bowls to the vendor.

They continued walking back to the arched bridge.

After meeting up with Liaonian, the three of them walked back to the restaurant.

Before entering, Heng Yu sensed Mu Huan’s aura.

Mu Huan and Dao Zhuo were sitting in a corner on the first floor, drinking tea and eating pastries.

Mu Huan took a bite of a pastry and was about to say something to Dao Zhuo when she suddenly looked towards the entrance.

“What’s wrong?” Dao Zhuo asked.

Mu Huan’s gaze was fixed on Liaowu, who was entering the restaurant in his monk robes.

Her eyes lit up, and her smile became more seductive.

“I saw someone I know.”

Mu Huan explained and stood up to greet Heng Yu… and Liaowu, who was beside her.

“It’s been two years. Buddha-son, you look even more radiant than before.”

Mu Huan bowed gracefully as she approached Liaowu, her curvaceous figure accentuated by her movements. After bowing, she looked up at Liaowu expectantly, hoping he would recognize her.

Heng Yu smiled, stroking the hilt of her sword.

She felt that whatever Mu Huan was planning, she would be disappointed.

Liaowu didn’t disappoint her.

His gaze swept past Mu Huan’s face, politely looking away. “This poor monk doesn’t recognize this Fellow Daoist.”

“You don’t recognize me? This truly saddens me.”

Mu Huan’s face was filled with disappointment.

If an ordinary man saw this, he would surely feel sorry for her.

But Liaowu didn’t even look at her properly.

He replied, his voice slightly puzzled, “Amitabha, this poor monk has met many people. It’s normal not to recognize everyone.”

Heng Yu, who had been listening, couldn’t help but chuckle.

—Good. She liked Liaowu’s bluntness.

Now Mu Huan was truly speechless.

Since this Buddha-son was unapproachable, Mu Huan turned her attention to Heng Yu. “What are you laughing at, Lord Luo?”

“Laughing at your arrogance,” Heng Yu said indifferently, her lips curving into a smile.

Before Mu Huan could speak again, Heng Yu looked at Dao Zhuo behind her. “Lord Mu is so focused on my mission target. Aren’t you afraid of hurting Daoist Dao’s feelings?”

The words “mission target” made Liaowu start turning his prayer beads.

Dao Zhuo, who had been standing quietly behind Mu Huan, cupped his hands towards Heng Yu.

He didn’t look at Mu Huan and said calmly, “Excuse me.”

He turned and went upstairs.

Mu Huan bit her lip, hesitated between her inner sect mission and Liaowu, then quickly followed Dao Zhuo.

Heng Yu didn’t pay them any more attention.

She looked at Liaowu. “Shall we have dinner in the main hall?”

“Alright,” Liaowu nodded.

After dinner, the three of them went upstairs to rest.

Heng Yu stood at the table, practicing calligraphy. After a while, she put down her brush and pondered the reason for Dao Zhuo and Mu Huan’s appearance here.

She and Liaowu had come to Ping City from the Undying Sect’s territory for the wager.

What about Dao Zhuo and Mu Huan?

Ping City was quite far from the Dao Sect. It would take almost a month to travel here by sword.

After thinking for a long time, Heng Yu couldn’t figure it out and put the question aside for now.

It started raining in the middle of the night.

Heng Yu, meditating cross-legged, opened her eyes at the sound of the rain. As she stood up to close the window, she noticed a figure in kasaya flitting past in the distance.

But when she looked again, she saw nothing.

“Kasaya?”

“Besides Liaowu and Liaonian, are there other Buddhist cultivators in Ping City?”

For some reason, looking at the rain blowing into her room, Heng Yu had a premonition of impending trouble.

In the morning, the rain stopped. The three of them went to the arched bridge in the north of the city again.

Perhaps due to the old man’s promotion, the people who gathered around Liaowu today not only recited Buddhist stories but also asked him questions and sought his advice.

Some even asked him to treat their families.

…

Liaowu was surrounded by people all day.

Even Heng Yu, sitting nearby, felt her ears ringing from the noise.

But Liaowu remained calm, seemingly accustomed to this.

“Quite lively,” a voice suddenly said from above the bridge.

Heng Yu, chewing on a piece of foxtail grass, looked up and saw Mu Huan, Dao Zhuo, and Zhou Chuang standing on the bridge.

Heng Yu said indifferently, “Quite a gathering.”

Mu Huan smiled. “Lord Luo isn’t welcoming?”

Heng Yu shrugged. “This isn’t my territory. You can come whether I welcome you or not.”

Mu Huan flicked her sleeve.

The next moment, she stood before Heng Yu. “I truly envy Lord Luo.”

“Envy what? Envy that I accepted the mission to pursue the Buddha-son?” Heng Yu yawned lazily. “Aren’t you afraid of failing your own inner sect mission by openly expressing your interest in him?”

Mu Huan covered her mouth and giggled. “Well, there’s nothing I can do. I want that fool to like the real me.”

Heng Yu didn’t believe her.

But she had to admit, Mu Huan’s confidence was astounding.

Heng Yu leaned closer and asked, “For the sake of our shared sect, could Lord Mu tell me why you’re in Ping City?”

Mu Huan glanced at her and, to Heng Yu’s surprise, didn’t hide anything. “We’re here to investigate something.”

“Investigate what?”

“Three inner disciples of the Dao Sect were harmed by a dual cultivation technique that absorbs yang energy to supplement yin energy, turning them into cripples. And this technique originated from our sect.”

Heng Yu narrowed her eyes slightly.

—Although the Hehuan Sect was a demonic sect, their cultivation techniques were mutually beneficial for both men and women. This kind of technique that only benefited one party had been forbidden thousands of years ago.

Heng Yu asked, “Is that person a disciple of our sect?”

“Very likely,” Mu Huan twirled a strand of hair around her finger. “I was looking for an excuse to approach Dao Zhuo, so when I heard this news, I volunteered to clean up the mess for our sect.”

“Because that female cultivator was marked by a Dao Sect tracking spell, we haven’t lost her trail. The tracking spell indicates she’s in Ping City.”

Heng Yu frowned. “If you need any help with this matter, just ask.”

Mu Huan looked at her in surprise. “…Alright. The more help, the better.”

As they whispered to each other, Dao Zhuo and Zhou Chuang also walked over.

Seeing the crowd surrounding Liaowu, a look of surprise flashed across Zhou Chuang’s face, and he felt a sense of crisis.

Chapter 27

Using a silver-tongued storyteller for promotion was a clever tactic.

But there were even better methods.

“Do you have any copper coins?”

Leaving the restaurant, Heng Yu turned to ask Liaowu.

Seeing him nod, she walked towards the north of the city. The residents of this area were mostly artisans who had come from the countryside to work in the city.

They were the poorest and most vulnerable people in the city.

Along the way, Heng Yu bought a map of Ping City.

The map was stored in a jade slip, allowing her to view it with her divine sense, which was very convenient.

After examining the map, Heng Yu handed the jade slip to Liaowu. “We need to find the busiest place in the north of the city.”

Liaowu didn’t know what she was planning.

However, since she had made the request, he patiently examined the map.

After a while, he put down the jade slip. “There’s an arched bridge in the north of the city. People returning home from work pass by there every day; and there’s a market nearby, so people from the north of the city also pass by there to buy groceries.”

Hearing this, Heng Yu clapped her hands. “That’s the place. Let’s go there.”

Entering the northern district, Heng Yu noticed the dilapidated houses. Houses with red tiles and white walls were rare; most were mud houses.

Many people were walking around, their clothes worn and patched.

“Amitabha,” Liaowu also noticed this.

He walked beside Heng Yu and looked at her gently. “Can Lord Luo tell me your plan now?”

Heng Yu said, “I want to spread Buddhist teachings through word of mouth among the common people.”

Her plan was to set up a stall by the arched bridge, where Liaowu and Liaonian would tell Buddhist stories to the people.

For each story they memorized, they would receive a copper coin.

“…We’ll use a memory stone to record their auras. Each person can receive a maximum of five copper coins.”

“The people in the north of the city live difficult lives. Five copper coins is a considerable sum for them. To earn more coins, they’ll have their families and children memorize the stories and come to us for the reward.”

Storytellers in restaurants only reached the restaurant’s customers.

But through word of mouth, they could reach the entire northern district, or even the whole of Ping City!

After explaining her plan, Heng Yu looked at Liaowu. “What do you think of this method?”

Liaowu thought for a moment and asked tentatively, “How about we replace the copper coins with something else?”

Heng Yu was puzzled. “Why?”

“If we use money to motivate them, will they truly believe in Buddhism?”

“Even if they do, will their faith be pure?” Liaowu asked.

In his view, true faith should come from the heart.

Heng Yu was stunned. “You’re right. I was being shortsighted. Spreading the stories isn’t the main goal; inspiring faith in Buddhism is what we should strive for.”

She seemed to have underestimated the weight of the word “faith.”

Remembering Liaowu giving candy to Man Xue’er, Heng Yu smiled. “Then how about candy? The people in the north of the city live difficult lives. Let’s give them a little sweetness.”

Liaowu turned his prayer beads and said softly, “That’s a good idea.”

The three of them arrived at the arched bridge.

Heng Yu took out a jade table and a large bag of milk candies from her storage ring. Then, she placed several copies of the printed Buddhist story booklets on the table.

After setting everything up, Heng Yu clapped her hands and said to Liaowu, “I’ll leave the rest to you.”

She was in charge of planning; Liaowu would be responsible for the actual preaching.

She wanted to see if this usually silent Buddha-son would become more talkative while spreading Buddhist teachings.

Liaowu joined his hands together. “Leave this to this poor monk and my junior brother.”

After speaking, he stood there and observed, not rushing to do anything.

Heng Yu sat on a stone stool, tilting her head and lazily watching him.

It was afternoon.

Occasionally, adults passed by the bridge, hurrying along, glancing at Liaowu and Heng Yu before quickly looking away.

Since the sun wasn’t too strong, many children, after waking up from their naps, came to play by the bridge.

A cleanly dressed little girl, her face smeared with dirt by her playmates, teared up.

Liaowu picked up a Buddhist storybook and walked towards her.

From Heng Yu’s angle, she could see him squatting down to look the little girl in the eye. He opened the book to a page, pointed at the illustration, and gently told her the story.

The gentle breeze carried their conversation to Heng Yu’s ears.

She heard Liaowu say, “The little monk who ate meat said, ‘Meat and wine pass through the intestines, but Buddha stays in the heart.’ This is a saying passed down by a virtuous Buddhist monk.”

The little girl repeated in a childish voice, “The little monk who ate meat said, ‘Meat and wine pass through the intestines, but Buddha stays in the heart’…”

Liaowu said, “The old abbot smiled helplessly and asked the little monk: ‘Do you know the second half of this poem?’”

The little girl repeated, “The old abbot smiled helplessly and asked… asked…”

After the little girl haltingly recited the story, Liaowu offered her a milk candy.

The little girl didn’t take the candy but looked up at him and asked seriously, “Monk Big Brother, can you feed me the candy? My older brother used to feed me like that.”

“He would also pat my head after feeding me.”

“But he’s been away at war for two years. I haven’t seen him for a long time.”

Hearing this, Liaowu lowered his gaze and unwrapped the candy for her. After feeding her the candy, he hesitated, then gently patted her neatly combed hair. “Alright, go play with your friends now.”

“Thank you, Monk Big Brother!” The little girl said with her mouth full of candy.

Seeing this scene, Heng Yu thought Liaowu was truly gentle.

At first glance, he seemed cold and aloof, like moonlight frost.

But after interacting with him, one could sense the extreme gentleness beneath his cold exterior.

The little girl skipped back to her friends, her eyes bright as she told them something.

The other children, after hearing her story, happily ran to Liaowu and surrounded him.

Liaowu was no stranger to such scenes. At the Undying Sect, he often went down the mountain to preach and had encountered similar situations.

Soon, he calmed the children down, and they stood quietly beside him, listening to his stories.

After they recited the stories, Liaowu gave each of them a candy.

Half an hour later, some of the smarter children had already memorized seven or eight Buddhist stories and received seven or eight milk candies. After eating one, they didn’t eat the rest immediately but clutched them tightly in their hands, savoring the sweetness.

“It’s time for you to go home,” Liaowu said.

“Monk Big Brother, can we come back tomorrow to listen to your stories?” one child asked.

“Will we get more candy if we memorize new stories?” another child asked.

Liaowu smiled and nodded.

After watching the children leave, Liaowu turned around.

His gaze met Heng Yu’s.

He nodded slightly at her, returned to their stall, and silently organized the Buddhist story booklets.

“Senior Brother Liaowu,” Heng Yu said seriously, “I also want you to feed me candy, like that little girl.”

“We’re closer than you and that little girl, right? Since we’re acquaintances, don’t be so formal. Come on.”

Hearing this, before Liaowu could react, Liaonian choked on his own saliva and coughed repeatedly.

Liaowu glanced at Liaonian and then turned to Heng Yu.

His lips seemed to curve upwards slightly. “Lord Luo is right. There’s no need to be formal between acquaintances.”

He grabbed a handful of candies from the table, walked over to Heng Yu, and placed them in her hand. “Please eat them directly.”

Heng Yu sighed softly.

“How about a compromise? If you don’t feed me the candy, you can pat my head instead.”

She said casually.

At the same time, Heng Yu unwrapped a candy and popped it into her mouth, chewing vigorously. Just as the sweetness spread through her mouth, she felt a warmth on her head.

But before she could react, the hand was gone.

“Although this poor monk doesn’t understand why Lord Luo made such a request,” Liaowu said, “Lord Luo has contributed greatly to this wager. It seems there’s no reason for this poor monk to refuse such a small request.”

Heng Yu unconsciously touched her head.

“Then pat it again?”

She hadn’t even realized it the first time!

Liaowu smiled and turned away.

Heng Yu curled her lip and ate another candy.

By the time she finished the candies, the setting sun cast a warm glow on the people returning home from work, crossing the arched bridge.

As they walked down the bridge, they passed by the small stall.

Liaonian naturally stepped forward to stop some curious passersby, inviting them to listen to Liaowu explain the Buddhist scriptures.

The two brothers worked together seamlessly, clearly having done this many times before.

As it grew dark, the three of them returned to the restaurant.

Just as they were about to enter, Heng Yu suddenly stopped and looked to her left.

But when she looked, there were only a few people passing by, nothing unusual.

“What’s wrong?” Liaowu asked softly, stopping as well.

“Nothing,” Heng Yu shook her head.

Just now, she had smelled a faint fragrance of Hehuan flowers, and the jade pendant in her storage ring had trembled slightly. Could there be a fellow disciple in Ping City?

Practicing swordsmanship in the restaurant wasn’t convenient.

After bathing, Heng Yu stood at the table and practiced calligraphy.

After finishing, she blew out the candle and sat cross-legged on the bed to cultivate.

The next morning, after breakfast, the three of them went to the arched bridge in the north of the city again.

They set up their stall as usual, but besides milk candies, they also had two boxes of pastries as rewards.

It was the time when people were busy going to work.

A tired-looking young woman passed by the stall, hesitated, and then walked towards them.

“Master, I heard from my daughter last night that if you can recite a Buddhist story, you can get a candy?”

She was a little embarrassed.

But thinking that her family couldn’t afford candy, and her daughter was at an age where she craved sweets, the woman asked anyway.

Liaowu nodded.

The woman sighed in relief and quickly recited the story of “Meat and wine pass through the intestines.”

Her daughter had told her the story last night, and she had memorized it.

Liaowu gave her a piece of osmanthus pastry.

After she took the pastry, Heng Yu, who had been observing her, suddenly said, “If you have time, you can recite another story.”

The woman calculated the time.

She had left home earlier today, so she had time to memorize another short story.

“Senior Brother Liaowu, tell this woman the story of Buddha-son Wule’s ‘Nirvana on the Seat’,” Heng Yu suggested.

The woman’s face was filled with misery and despair, as if she had lost all hope in life.

The story of “Nirvana on the Seat” described the paradise where Buddha resided, which could inspire hope and longing.

If the woman felt such longing, she might convert to Buddhism and regain her zest for life.

It was killing two birds with one stone.

Liaowu gently told the story of “Nirvana on the Seat.”

After listening a few times, the woman haltingly recited the story.

She didn’t fully grasp the meaning of the story, simply taking another pastry and hurrying away.

Liaowu watched her leave and then looked at Heng Yu.

Heng Yu smiled faintly. “I hope she can understand the true meaning of this story.”

“Amitabha,” Liaowu chanted softly.

He felt that Lord Luo was truly the most insightful person he had ever met.

Chapter 26

As Liaowu stepped aside, Heng Yu finally understood why he had so readily invited her into his room, without worrying about being alone with a woman.

The young monk Liaonian was inside, performing his evening prayers.

“Little Monk, why are you doing your evening prayers in your senior brother’s room?” Heng Yu sat down beside Liaonian and asked with a smile.

Liaonian snorted softly: It was a good thing he came.

This little monk was childish, and Heng Yu didn’t mind his reaction.

She turned over an overturned teacup and pushed it forward.

Liaowu closed the door and walked over, noticing her action.

He had developed a habit of pouring her tea. He filled the cup and sat down.

The tea was still warm, freshly brewed.

Heng Yu held the teacup in her right hand, waiting for it to cool down. “While we were eating downstairs just now, did you notice the storyteller in the restaurant?”

Liaonian closed his scripture and nodded repeatedly. “I did. He was telling a love story about Elder Xiao of the Sword Sect. It sounded quite tragic.”

Even cultivators gossiped : )

The “Continental Records” began by describing cultivators as such —

— Stealing the essence of heaven and earth, treading the path of immortality.

Most cultivators were just more capable mortals with longer lifespans.

They had their own loves and hates.

They were all intelligent people. Heng Yu had only mentioned it briefly, and Liaowu already understood her meaning.

“Lord Luo means to use the restaurant storyteller to spread our Buddhist stories?”

Heng Yu snapped her fingers.

It was easy to talk to smart people. A simple hint was enough for them to understand her true intentions.

“I thought of this while we were eating. We only have a thousand copies of the booklet. It’s difficult to distribute them to everyone. But if we pay the storyteller and the restaurant to tell these stories, the effect will be completely different.”

Restaurants were open for business, with at least a hundred customers coming and going every day.

And Ping City was so large, with at least dozens of restaurants.

A small amount of money could achieve a much better promotional effect than the three of them running around and shouting themselves hoarse.

Liaowu pondered for a moment and had to admit that Heng Yu’s idea was good.

He had never thought of such a promotional method.

“Then let’s try it tomorrow.”

Heng Yu nodded and took a sip of tea. “I’m actually curious about what Xiaoyaozi will do.”

“What if they do the same thing as us?” Liaonian scratched his head and asked.

Heng Yu frowned.

This method wasn’t difficult to think of.

Xiaoyaozi’s disciples had arrived in Ping City earlier than them. If they had already contacted the storytellers, they would be at a disadvantage.

Liaowu looked at Liaonian. “Liaonian, go ask the restaurant owner if any Daoist cultivators have approached them.”

“Alright.”

Liaonian jumped off his stool and ran out.

After a while, the slightly closed door was pushed open, and Liaonian entered with a worried expression.

“Senior Brother, Lord Luo, the owner said that Daoist cultivators contacted him two days ago and paid a hefty price to have him tell Daoist stories starting tomorrow.”

As expected, the worst-case scenario had happened.

In this era of limited information dissemination, Xiaoyaozi and his disciples had accurately grasped the easiest way to spread information.

Heng Yu pursed her lips, not panicking.

She looked at Liaonian. “Did you find out what kind of Daoist stories they’re telling?”

“Just some well-known stories. They also left a pile of Daoist scriptures, wanting the storyteller to read them aloud.”

Heng Yu swirled the teacup in her hand. “I think they must have made arrangements with all the restaurants. Since they’ve already used this method, it would be pointless for us to do the same.”

After thinking for a moment, Heng Yu said, “I have a somewhat unconventional idea. Let’s wait until tomorrow and see.”

Leju Restaurant, premium room.

Xiaoyaozi and his four disciples sat together.

Xiaoyaozi looked at Zhou Chuang. “How are the things I asked you to do coming along?”

Zhou Chuang cast a Daoist spell and reported, “Rest assured, Master. After receiving your message, I immediately brought my junior brothers to Ping City. We contacted the major restaurants before checking into Leju Restaurant to await your arrival.”

Xiaoyaozi stroked his long beard, satisfied with his eldest disciple’s efficiency. “Good. This poor Daoist will definitely defeat that Buddha-son and enhance the prestige of the Void Alliance and Daoism!”

Millennia ago, Daoism was more prosperous than Buddhism.

But since the emergence of the demonic threat, because Buddhist methods were effective against demons, the Buddhist sect attracted many disciples. Countless Buddhist cultivators sacrificed themselves in the fight against demons, but through these trials, they gained experience, and talented individuals emerged, ultimately leading to the flourishing of Buddhism.

Xiaoyaozi, as a Daoist cultivator, had always been resentful of this.

After congratulating his master, Zhou Chuang asked softly, “Master, how is Junior Brother Fan?”

Mentioning Fan Changping, Xiaoyaozi’s expression darkened.

He patted Zhou Chuang’s shoulder and said gently, “I know you and your junior brother were close, but this matter is complicated. You were too impulsive today.”

Zhou Chuang’s eyes reddened.

He clenched his fists and slammed them on the table. “That female cultivator from the Hehuan Sect is truly hateful.”

“Those direct disciples of major sects are naturally arrogant,” one of his junior brothers said sarcastically.

Xiaoyaozi didn’t have many direct disciples, and they were all close.

Seeing their resentment over Fan Changping’s death, Xiaoyaozi felt comforted.

He stroked his beard and said soothingly, “She’s with that Buddha-son, so it’s inconvenient for me to act. After the competition, I’ll find an opportunity to teach her a lesson and crush her arrogance!”

Night turned to dawn, and then to daylight.

Liaowu and Liaonian went downstairs and found a table in a corner.

After ordering breakfast, Liaowu sent a message to Heng Yu, asking her to come down for breakfast.

Heng Yu came downstairs and drank several sips of soy milk.

Although this restaurant wasn’t as large as Leju Restaurant, it was still one of the best in Ping City. A small platform was set up on one side of the first floor, presumably for the storyteller.

It was still early, and the storyteller was already sitting there, reading a book, but he hadn’t started yet.

He was probably waiting for more customers and a livelier atmosphere.

Heng Yu wasn’t in a hurry. After finishing breakfast, she wanted to take out some pine nuts from her storage ring.

However, after searching, she couldn’t find any.

She realized she had eaten them all.

Withdrawing her divine sense, Heng Yu looked at Liaowu. “Senior Brother Liaowu, do you have any more pine nuts?”

“I should have some,” Liaowu replied.

He searched his storage ring and took out a handful of pine nuts.

He offered most of them to Heng Yu, keeping a small portion for himself and Liaonian.

Liaonian: “…”

Liaowu glanced at him and said calmly, “Craving food is also a form of desire.”

Buddhist cultivators often practiced asceticism.

They had to control their desires, even for food.

Liaonian quickly composed himself and agreed.

Heng Yu found this amusing.

But since Liaowu was teaching his junior brother, she didn’t interfere, silently eating her pine nuts.

The three of them waited patiently while eating.

By the time they finished the pine nuts, the restaurant had become lively.

A regular customer sat beside the storyteller and asked with a smile, “Anything new to tell today?”

“Yes, we’re tired of the old gossip. Tell us something new.”

“I thought the love story of Venerable Cang and his Dao companion was quite interesting.”

“Can’t you tell us something other than gossip?”

The storyteller, an elderly man with white hair, smiled good-naturedly. “Don’t worry, everyone. Today, I’ll tell you some interesting stories. I’ve been diligently researching the stories of Daoism’s sages and great figures.”

After this brief introduction, the storyteller coughed lightly and began. “Speaking of the founder of the Dao Sect…”

Heng Yu listened for a while and realized that the shopkeeper hadn’t lied. Xiaoyaozi and his disciples had indeed arranged for the storyteller to tell well-known Daoist stories, mainly focusing on the positive aspects of Daoism, hoping to attract believers.

The stories weren’t particularly interesting or gossipy, but they were novel.

Most of the customers in the restaurant, unless they had specifically studied the history of Daoism, hadn’t heard these stories before.

After telling two stories, the storyteller would open a Daoist scripture and read a few passages aloud.

Heng Yu listened to the entire thing.

She tapped her finger on the table and commented indifferently, “The content is rather dull.”

Liaonian nodded vigorously.

Indeed, their illustrated Buddhist stories, with their engaging narratives, were far superior.

But now, the most effective channel for dissemination was controlled by the other side. What could they do to spread their Buddhist stories?

“Let’s set up a stall,” Heng Yu snapped her fingers. “To save time, let’s get started. I’ll explain the details later.”

Chapter 25

Liaowu was supervising Liaonian’s morning prayers. Since Xiaoyaozi hadn’t concealed his aura, Liaowu had sensed his approach to the temple.

Closing his scripture, Liaowu stood up from the meditation mat. “Xiaoyaozi has arrived. Let’s go out.”

Cultivators kept all their belongings in their storage rings, so there was nothing to pack. Liaowu opened the door and walked towards the temple entrance.

Liaonian scratched his head, feeling that his senior brother was too easygoing. Xiaoyaozi was provoking the Buddhist sect; they should make him wait.

But as he followed Liaowu, Liaonian gradually understood — deliberately making Xiaoyaozi wait wouldn’t harm him, but it would make them appear petty.

Xiaoyaozi waited patiently at the temple gate.

The two novices sweeping the steps glanced at him occasionally, but he didn’t mind.

Soon, Liaowu, dressed in white robes, appeared.

Even someone as arrogant as Xiaoyaozi admired the Buddha-son’s demeanor.

“Buddha-son, please, let us depart for Ping City immediately,” Xiaoyaozi gestured.

Liaowu joined his hands together. “Amitabha. Please wait a moment, Senior Xiaoyaozi.”

Wait?

Wait for whom? Could it be that demonic woman from the Hehuan Sect?

Xiaoyaozi narrowed his eyes slightly.

He had heard some rumors —

For example, the Hehuan Sect’s inner sect missions had started early, and a disciple had accepted the mission to pursue the Buddha-son.

Could it be Luo Heng Yu and Liaowu?

This Buddha-son was someone the Undying Sect had waited millennia for. If he truly fell for a demonic woman and lost his Buddhist path, it would be a huge joke for the Buddhist sect. However, while the Hehuan Sect might target the other three Buddha-sons, they probably wouldn’t target Liaowu. If this Buddha-son truly lost his Buddhist path, the Hehuan Sect wouldn’t benefit either and would be condemned by the entire cultivation world.

Xiaoyaozi was uncertain.

He didn’t have to wait long. Heng Yu arrived at the temple on her sword.

Today, she wore a red dress and a black cloak, her expression calm, as if she were about to embark on a journey.

“Now that everyone is here, let’s depart.”

Xiaoyaozi flicked his duster, which expanded and hovered in the air, serving as a flying artifact.

Just as Liaowu was about to use his own method of transport, Heng Yu summoned her flying carpet. “Let’s take this.”

A few hundred miles was a bit slow on a flying carpet, but for cultivators, it would only take half a day to reach Ping City.

So, instead of tiring themselves out flying on their swords, it was better to travel comfortably on the carpet.

After the three of them boarded the carpet, Heng Yu took out candied fruits, exquisite pastries, and even demon sunflower seeds from her storage ring, leaning back against a cushion and starting to eat.

In contrast, Xiaoyaozi, standing on his duster, had nothing.

Xiaoyaozi: “…”

He sped up, flying ahead on his sword, out of sight, out of mind.

Seeing Xiaoyaozi leave, Heng Yu sat up straight. “He lost his composure so quickly.”

Liaowu peeled a nut and smiled faintly upon hearing her words: Lord Luo was truly mischievous.

It often rained in Ping City, and the sky was always overcast.

Whether it was due to the lack of sunlight or the hardships of life, the people of Ping City rarely smiled.

This contrast was even more apparent to those who had just arrived from Hua City.

After entering Ping City, Xiaoyaozi led them directly to a restaurant.

Seeing his familiarity with the place, Heng Yu transmitted her voice to Liaowu. “It seems Xiaoyaozi came prepared.”

Liaowu replied, “If he wasn’t prepared, he wouldn’t have proposed the wager so readily.”

Heng Yu raised an eyebrow. “Are you afraid of losing?”

“This poor monk doesn’t care about the wager.” Liaowu paused, then added, “But I will do my best and not let down Lord Luo’s efforts.”

She wasn’t a Buddhist cultivator and had invested so much time and energy in this. It would be ungrateful of him to say he didn’t care about winning or losing.

Heng Yu sighed softly.

This monk wasn’t eloquent, but his words always touched her heart.

As they walked through the market, Heng Yu suddenly leaned closer to Liaowu and whispered in his ear, “Senior Brother Liaowu, has anyone ever told you that you’re adorable?”

Liaowu joined his hands together. “Amitabha. This poor monk doesn’t understand Lord Luo’s meaning.”

“I mean it literally,” Heng Yu smiled. “If no one has ever said that to you, then I’ll assume you’re only adorable in front of me.”

As Heng Yu leaned closer to Liaowu, Liaonian, who had been obediently following behind, tensed up, afraid she would do something inappropriate. He quietly approached and, hearing her words, almost tripped and fell.

This demonic woman!!!

Liaowu blinked, a look of confusion on his face.

A moment later, he understood her meaning, but —

He said, “This poor monk still doesn’t understand.”

He had only expressed his thoughts. What did it have to do with being “adorable”?

Liaowu felt he was a boring person.

If it was about being adorable, this smiling woman and his innocent junior brother seemed more fitting for the term.

Heng Yu winked and smiled meaningfully. “It’s fine. I know it’s true.”

Adorableness wasn’t something one displayed for themselves, but for others.

Liaowu: “…”

He turned his prayer beads, not responding.

Xiaoyaozi led the way. After about a quarter of an hour, they arrived at Leju Restaurant, the largest in Ping City.

Four young men in Daoist robes, all at the Foundation Establishment stage, stood beside the restaurant. Seeing Xiaoyaozi, they quickly cupped their hands and bowed. “Master.”

Hearing this address, Heng Yu understood their identities — they were Xiaoyaozi’s disciples.

She had thought Xiaoyaozi would be fighting alone, but he had arranged for helpers.

Xiaoyaozi nodded at his disciples.

He turned to Liaowu and said with a fake smile, “Buddha-son has helpers, so this poor Daoist also brought my disciples to assist with the preaching. There shouldn’t be a problem with this, right?”

Liaowu nodded without saying anything.

Heng Yu smiled, a hint of mockery in her tone. “Senior Xiaoyaozi, please do as you wish.”

Since his helpers were already here, saying there was a “problem” would make them seem petty.

Among the four disciples, the leader was handsome, with a stern demeanor and late Foundation Establishment cultivation.

Hearing Heng Yu’s words, he pursed his lips, his expression darkening. “This must be Fellow Daoist Luo of the Hehuan Sect.”

“And you are?” Heng Yu glanced at him indifferently.

“Zhou Chuang. I hope Fellow Daoist Luo will remember it.”

Heng Yu nodded. “Really? I never remember the names of insignificant people.”

She didn’t understand where his hostility came from.

But she wouldn’t care about the hostility of a mere late Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Zhou Chuang’s expression darkened further. “I heard from my master that my junior brother died at your hands, Fellow Daoist Luo. Although he strayed from the right path, we were close, and I will avenge him.”

Heng Yu said, “With your late Foundation Establishment cultivation, you dare speak of revenge in front of me?”

She casually drew her sword.

The sword flashed towards Zhou Chuang’s face with lightning speed.

Xiaoyaozi, noticing her action, flicked his duster; Liaowu raised his right hand and blocked the attack.

Their exchange happened in the blink of an eye.

A faint cut appeared on Zhou Chuang’s neck, and blood trickled down.

He blinked and stumbled back two steps, caught by his fellow disciples.

“See? Even with your master present, he couldn’t protect you. Don’t wander alone in the future,” Heng Yu sheathed her sword.

This was a busy market. A simple test of strength was fine, but a real fight would inevitably harm the surrounding mortals.

Xiaoyaozi’s expression darkened.

He inwardly cursed his eldest disciple for being useless, then said with a forced smile, “Fellow Daoist Luo is truly powerful. In that case, let’s not waste any more time and begin the competition.”

“Let’s set a time limit of seven days. After seven days, we’ll each hold a public lecture and see who attracts more believers. Buddha-son, what do you think of this arrangement?”

Liaowu pondered for a moment and nodded. “This poor monk has no objections.”

Xiaoyaozi said, “Good. Then let’s act separately.”

After parting ways, Xiaoyaozi led his four disciples into the restaurant.

Heng Yu and the others remained where they were.

She thought for a moment. “Let’s find a place to stay first.”

They needed to settle down before starting to preach.

Seven days was a bit short, but it was enough.

Liaonian asked, “Should we stay at this Leju Restaurant?”

“No need. Seeing Xiaoyaozi and his disciples every day won’t improve my mood,” Heng Yu shrugged. “Let’s walk further ahead. I saw a decent restaurant over there.”

After checking into the restaurant, the three of them went to their room.

It was already dark. After bathing, Heng Yu, her hair still slightly damp, went next door and knocked on Liaowu’s door. “Are you free now? I want to discuss tomorrow’s preaching competition.”

Liaowu raised his hand inexplicably.

“What’s wrong?”

His hand hovered in front of her shoulder.

Spiritual energy flowed from his fingertips, and Heng Yu felt her damp hair gradually drying.

She touched her hair — it was completely dry.

“The wind is strong at night. It’s better to dry your hair, Lord Luo.” He stepped aside and invited her in.

Chapter 24

After putting away the chessboard, the three of them went to Liaowu’s room to discuss the preaching competition.

The room wasn’t large. A bed and several large boxes filled with scriptures and notes were placed in the corner. A table and chairs were by the window. A teapot, teacups, and a worn book lay on the table.

Frankly, the room was rather spartan.

Not even a single vase.

“You haven’t finished reading this travelogue yet?” Heng Yu asked.

Liaowu sat down at the table and poured three cups of tea. “I read a few pages when I have free time. This travelogue is quite helpful for my cultivation.”

The monk Yuanjing, who wrote this travelogue, was famous three hundred years ago. His circumstances were somewhat similar to Liaowu’s, so many of the problems he encountered and the insights he gained were enlightening to Liaowu.

Heng Yu accepted the tea and asked, “Do you still have the two Buddhist stories I gave you earlier?”

Liaowu, though puzzled, nodded and took out the paper from his storage ring.

Seeing that he hadn’t thrown away the paper with the stories, Heng Yu smiled happily.

His actions were so easy to please her.

It wasn’t intentional, but that made his thoughtfulness even more apparent.

Heng Yu thought inwardly that if it were Wu Mei or Mu Huan, those two demonic women wouldn’t be able to resist trying to seduce this holy man.

Her thoughts wandered, and Heng Yu coughed lightly, quickly composing herself.

She asked Liaowu, “In your heart, are Buddhist teachings solemn?”

“Yes.”

“If I want to make them more approachable and relatable to ordinary people, would you accept it?”

Liaowu looked at her.

Recalling the paper with the Buddhist stories in her hand, he seemed to have guessed her intentions.

“Lord Luo wants to write Buddhist stories to spread the teachings?”

Liaonian, who had no idea about the Buddhist stories, was completely confused.

Seeing his confusion, Heng Yu handed him the paper.

She said to Liaowu, “Besides Buddhist stories, there are also easy-to-remember Buddhist verses. I also want to illustrate these stories to make them easier for people to understand.”

Even within the Undying Sect’s territory, there were rich and poor, and many poor people couldn’t read. To help them understand Buddhist teachings, illustrations would be much more effective than written scriptures.

Liaowu thought for a moment, not immediately agreeing.

He asked Heng Yu, “Could Lord Luo give me an example?”

Heng Yu snapped her fingers.

There was no need to give examples of Buddhist stories.

As for Buddhist verses, there were sayings like “Meat and wine pass through the intestines, but Buddha stays in the heart. If the world imitates me, it’s like entering the demonic path”; Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva’s vow, “Hell is not empty, I vow not to become a Buddha”; and “Bodhi is not a tree, the bright mirror is not a stand. Originally, there is nothing. Where can dust alight?”…

Of course, Liaowu knew about Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, but he had never heard of the Bodhi verse.

To help him understand, Heng Yu explained the story behind the verse.

“Of course, I don’t know much about Buddhism.”

“If you think this method is feasible, you can give me stories about Bodhisattvas, Buddhas, or Buddhist cultivators of the Undying Sect, and I’ll adapt them into short, engaging stories.”

Heng Yu concluded.

She didn’t expect Liaowu and Liaonian to understand the term “artistic license” : )

Since she had proposed this method, she would do the hard work of adapting these stories.

After hearing Heng Yu’s explanation, Liaonian was very interested.

He raised his hand excitedly. “Like the story of Buddha cutting his flesh to feed an eagle? Or the story of the Undying Sect’s founder, Lian Shangnie? Or the story of the Joyless Buddha-son, Wule, who passed away leaning against a wall…”

Heng Yu nodded repeatedly.

She was about to start writing when she realized she didn’t have paper and a brush.

Tapping her fingers on the table, she gave Liaowu a meaningful look. “Senior Brother Liaowu, you should know how to read between the lines. For example, right now, I happen to need paper and a brush.”

Liaonian jumped off his chair enthusiastically. “No need to trouble Senior Brother. I’ll get them.”

Heng Yu: “…”

This little monk was quite proactive.

Liaonian brought over brushes, ink, paper, and an inkstone. He fetched clean water and was about to roll up his sleeves to grind the ink when Liaowu had already done so.

After grinding the ink, he put down the ink stick and pushed the inkstone towards Heng Yu.

“Lord Luo, please.”

Heng Yu raised an eyebrow, rolled up her right sleeve with her left hand, picked up the brush, dipped it in ink, and began writing on the clean paper.

Her calligraphy practice had paid off.

Her handwriting was now elegant and unique.

After writing down the story of the Joyless Buddha-son, Wule, Heng Yu began adapting it.

[Wule was orphaned at a young age and lived a difficult life. Later, due to his fate with Buddha, he joined the Undying Sect and became a Buddha-son. His profound understanding of Buddhist teachings earned him the respect of the world.

One day, while chanting scriptures with his eyes closed, Wule suddenly opened his eyes and said to his disciples: ‘There exists an immeasurable Buddha realm, filled with red lotuses and resounding with Buddhist chants. It is a paradise on earth.’

After saying this, he closed his eyes.

The disciples looked at each other, checked his breathing, and realized that Wule had passed away. They exclaimed: ‘The Buddha-son has achieved enlightenment!’]

After Heng Yu finished writing, Liaonian hurriedly came over to read it.

After reading it, he looked confused. “What’s the immeasurable Buddha realm?”

Heng Yu said, “The place where Buddha resides.”

Liaonian was very honest. “But in the story I told you, Buddha-son Wule never said such a thing. He simply opened his eyes, said he sensed his time was near, and passed away.”

Those words, “There exists an immeasurable Buddha realm, filled with red lotuses and resounding with Buddhist chants. It is a paradise on earth,” and “The Buddha-son has achieved enlightenment!”…

None of these appeared in his version of the story!!!

Heng Yu asked, “Which version is better, yours or mine? Which one is more likely to inspire people to believe in Buddhism?”

Liaonian was stunned.

He quickly understood what Heng Yu was doing.

Wasn’t this blatant deception?

But… as she said, her version was more likely to promote Buddhism.

Unable to decide, Liaonian looked at Liaowu.

Liaowu silently took the paper.

After reading the content, he chuckled. “This…”

“Hmm?” Heng Yu looked at him.

Liaowu commented, “Is quite interesting.”

Heng Yu understood and gave Liaowu a meaningful look.

It seemed this Buddha-son wasn’t so rigid after all.

Indeed, when spreading Buddhist teachings and attracting believers, one should be flexible with their methods.

She had only made some minor artistic adjustments, and the little monk was already so surprised.

If she completely rewrote the story, keeping only the fact that there was a “Wule,” wouldn’t Liaonian be scared out of his wits!?

Liaowu pretended not to notice her look.

The story Lord Luo wrote was essentially a glorified version of Buddha-son Wule’s death.

She was embellishing it, glorifying Buddhism, not deliberately slandering it.

Everything she was doing was for his wager. Liaowu wasn’t ungrateful. So… a little harmless deception was acceptable.

“Lord Luo, please continue writing as you see fit. I’ll also compile the relevant stories, and I’ll trouble Lord Luo to adapt them into short stories like this.”

Liaowu joined his hands together and said softly.

After speaking, he went to the corner and brought over another set of brushes, ink, paper, and an inkstone.

He spread out the paper and began writing.

As the two of them wrote, Liaonian sat there, completely confused —

Had he said something wrong? It didn’t seem so.

Then why wasn’t Senior Brother on his side? Was he really wrong?

After pondering for a long time, Liaonian finally understood.

He couldn’t help but look dejected: Senior Brother, are you abandoning your principles in this matter!

After working for more than two hours, Heng Yu had written eighteen Buddhist stories and extracted ten Buddhist verses from them.

Along with the two stories she had given Liaowu earlier, they now had twenty stories in total.

Heng Yu gathered all the papers. “I’ll refine these stories and add illustrations in the next few days.”

Liaowu sighed softly.

He couldn’t let her do all the work for his Buddhist matters.

After thinking for a moment, he asked, “If Lord Luo doesn’t mind, could you spare some time to teach me how to illustrate these stories?”

“Do you want to learn?”

“I’m somewhat interested.”

Heng Yu smiled. “Then I’ll teach you tomorrow. I need to go practice my swordsmanship now.”

Leaving the room, Heng Yu bid farewell.

Passing by the market below the temple, she saw a vendor selling potted weeping crabapple trees.

Her gaze lingered on the flowers, and the vendor, noticing her interest, asked with a smile, “Miss, would you like to buy one? The weeping crabapples are in full bloom now. Having one by the window can brighten your mood.”

The weeping crabapples were indeed in full bloom, their faint fragrance filling the air.

Heng Yu squatted down and chose the most beautiful one. “I’ll take this one.”

After paying, Heng Yu returned to Qingyun Temple.

Looking through the window of Liaowu’s room, she saw him organizing scriptures.

She walked over quickly and smiled. “Interested in taking care of a flower?”

Liaowu looked up.

He stood up and reached out his hand.

Heng Yu handed him the potted weeping crabapple.

Seeing him carefully examine the plant, Heng Yu waved her hand. “Let’s go.”

As she turned to leave, her skirt swirled in the air.

Liaowu stepped out of the room and watched her leave.

After she was out of sight, he returned to his room and placed the weeping crabapple on the windowsill. The sunlight streamed through the window, casting the plant’s shadow on the table.

Back in her courtyard, Heng Yu continued practicing her swordsmanship.

After completing another thousand swings, she went to her study, sat down, took out the papers with the Buddhist stories, and began drawing simple illustrations to accompany them.

She used a simple style, focusing on depicting the scenes.

So, she progressed quickly.

After finishing the illustrations for three stories, Heng Yu rubbed her wrist and returned to the courtyard to continue practicing swordsmanship.

As her wrist became sore, Heng Yu thought smugly: It was good that Liaowu had offered to learn how to draw. This way, she could slack off for the next few days.

The next morning, Heng Yu went to Qingyun Temple again.

She didn’t actively teach him anything but simply placed the finished illustrations in front of Liaowu.

“Take a look. This is the general style.”

With Liaowu’s intelligence, he should be able to learn quickly with a reference.

There was no need for her to teach him further.

Liaowu carefully examined the illustrations.

After looking through them all, he seemed to understand Heng Yu’s approach.

“Try drawing some yourself. I’ll point out any problems,” Heng Yu suggested.

Liaowu spread out the brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone and began drawing carefully.

Heng Yu had just finished practicing swordsmanship, and the ointment hadn’t worn off yet, so her wrist was still sore. She didn’t want to draw with Liaowu.

She went to the next room and dragged Liaonian out to play chess with her.

For the next five days, the three of them focused on compiling the Buddhist stories.

With enough manpower, they were very efficient, and the quality of their work was excellent.

After finishing, Liaonian went to find the abbot and asked him to help print a thousand copies.

The abbot listened to Liaonian and casually flipped through the compiled stories.

The more he read, the more impressed he became.

After finishing the booklet, the abbot sighed softly. “No wonder that Benefactor Luo is fated with Buddhism. Her wisdom root is truly rare.”

After praising Heng Yu, the abbot looked at Liaonian and agreed to help.

He even offered to print more copies to distribute to the monks in the temple and the worshippers.

Liaonian joined his hands together. “Amitabha. Lord Luo said that as long as it benefits the spread of Buddhism, we can do as we please with this booklet.”

The abbot also joined his hands together and chanted a Buddhist prayer.

Time flew by, and on the day of the agreed-upon competition, Xiaoyaozi, whom they hadn’t seen for a while, appeared at the gate of Qingyun Temple in his blue Daoist robes.

He flicked his duster, his demeanor hostile.

Chapter 23

The common method of preaching was to hold a public lecture. The “Continental Records” documented an instance where the founder of the Undying Sect held a lecture, and cultivators traveled thousands of miles, from the easternmost part of the continent to the westernmost, just to listen.

Heng Yu chuckled, her tone slightly teasing. “When and where will this competition be held? Surely not in Hua City?”

Hua City was within the Undying Sect’s territory. Daoist cultivators rarely appeared here, let alone preached here.

Xiaoyaozi might be short-tempered, but he wasn’t foolish.

He had proposed this competition because he had a plan.

Xiaoyaozi flicked his duster and said to Liaowu, “I don’t want to take advantage of you, junior. To be honest, I’ve already devised my preaching method, but I was in seclusion recently and haven’t had the chance to implement it. So, let’s set the competition for half a month from now. Use this time to think about how you’ll defeat me.”

Although he claimed he didn’t want to take advantage of a junior, having a pre-planned method was undoubtedly advantageous.

However, Xiaoyaozi’s directness made Heng Yu see him in a new light.

At least, he was being upfront.

“As for the location… let’s hold it in Ping City, a hundred miles from here,” Xiaoyaozi added.

Hearing the name “Ping City,” Heng Yu immediately recalled several things about this place — Ping City was within the territory of the Netherworld Sect, one of the five major demonic sects.

It was also a place where mortals and cultivators lived together.

But Ping City wasn’t as peaceful as Hua City. It was common for cultivators’ fights to harm mortals.

For various reasons, few people in Ping City converted to Buddhism. They were more inclined towards Daoism.

This gave Xiaoyaozi another advantage.

Heng Yu smiled faintly, a hint of amusement in her eyes as she looked at Xiaoyaozi.

Xiaoyaozi, having proposed this competition, wouldn’t care about her teasing gaze.

He stood there with his duster, waiting for Liaowu’s response.

“Amitabha. Very well,” Liaowu said calmly, turning his prayer beads.

The competition was set.

A hint of pleasure appeared on Xiaoyaozi’s face.

But soon, his expression turned icy again as he looked at Heng Yu.

Heng Yu smiled. “Senior, is there anything else? Is it about your disciple?”

She pointed to Liaowu beside her. “I wouldn’t joke about demonic matters. Besides, the Undying Sect’s Buddha-son is right here. He can vouch for the truth of my words.”

Xiaoyaozi’s face darkened, but he admitted that Heng Yu was right. This was the Buddha-son the Undying Sect had been waiting for for millennia, the one who carried their hopes and dreams.

He might not be certain about other things, but if the Undying Sect’s Buddha-son said his disciple had become a demon, Xiaoyaozi, despite his disdain for Buddhist cultivators, believed him.

He took a few deep breaths and cupped his hands towards Heng Yu perfunctorily. “I apologize for the misunderstanding. Farewell.”

As he turned to leave, Xiaoyaozi’s back looked slightly defeated. Thinking of his disciple corrupted by demonic Qi, a pang of sadness struck him: Since taking Changping as his disciple, he had taught him diligently. But had he failed as a teacher? Knowing Changping had an obsession, he had assumed it would fade with time and hadn’t properly guided him, ultimately leading to this disaster.

Heng Yu was unaware of Xiaoyaozi’s regret and remorse.

After he left, Heng Yu walked under the eaves and looked at Liaowu and Liaonian. “Since you’re both here, would you like to come in for some tea and discuss the preaching competition?”

Liaowu was slightly stunned.

He politely declined. “This poor monk and my junior brother will handle the preaching matter.”

Whether it was the wager with Xiaoyaozi or preaching for the Buddhist sect, it wasn’t her responsibility.

“It’s mainly because I want to,” Heng Yu pushed open the courtyard gate.

When the barrier wasn’t activated, her courtyard looked like any ordinary courtyard.

“A thousand gold pieces can’t buy my willingness. Now it depends on whether you’re willing to come in for tea and let me meddle in this preaching matter.”

It was still raining heavily, so they couldn’t sit outside.

Heng Yu led Liaowu and Liaonian to the main hall and brewed them tea.

The tea was given to her by her master, You Yun, before she left. It had a slightly bitter taste at first, followed by a sweet aftertaste, perfectly suited to Liaowu’s palate.

After finishing their tea, Heng Yu asked, “How do you usually preach and attract believers?”

Liaonian answered this question.

He said, “Our sect members regularly leave the sect to hold lectures and explain Buddhist scriptures. We also distribute porridge and offer medical treatment, helping people with their problems. If a cultivator causes trouble, we intervene and ensure the well-being of the people within our territory.”

Heng Yu waited for a moment, then noticed Liaonian staring at her.

She was stunned. “Is that all?”

Liaonian nodded vigorously.

Heng Yu frowned. “Your methods of preaching are a bit too simple.”

Liaonian was puzzled: Wasn’t this enough?

As long as people lived peaceful and stable lives, they would naturally believe in Buddhism.

This was how the Undying Sect had operated for centuries.

Meeting Liaonian’s puzzled gaze, Heng Yu added, “I bet Daoist cultivators use the same methods to attract believers and spread their teachings.”

Liaonian thought for a moment and realized that the methods of Buddhism and Daoism were indeed quite similar.

“Does Lord Luo mean… that Xiaoyaozi must have thought of some special method, and we should also come up with something special in response?” Liaowu suddenly interjected.

Heng Yu nodded.

She agreed with Liaowu: There was no conflict between Buddhism and Daoism. It was the believers’ obsessions that created the competition.

But most people in this world were ordinary, and few could see this clearly. If Liaowu lost this competition, rumors questioning his abilities would likely spread throughout the Canglan Continent.

Even if he didn’t care.

She didn’t want this elegant and refined Buddha-son to lose.

“Lord Luo, do you have any ideas?” Liaowu asked her.

Heng Yu didn’t have any concrete ideas yet.

However, she didn’t have much information, so she asked Liaowu about various aspects of Buddhism.

As it grew dark outside, Liaonian, who couldn’t yet abstain from food, felt hungry, and Liaowu stood up to take his leave.

After seeing them off, Heng Yu practiced her swordsmanship in the courtyard.

She had been practicing calligraphy with spiritual energy infused into her brush for half a month, and her control over spiritual energy had improved significantly. During her first three months on this continent, her spiritual energy had been very unstable.

“It seems I should continue practicing calligraphy.”

“I’ve just reached the peak of Foundation Establishment. It will take at least a year to break through to Core Formation. During this time, I’ll focus on practicing swordsmanship and calligraphy.”

Having decided on her cultivation plan, Heng Yu continued practicing her swordsmanship.

She practiced the most basic sword movements.

Sword swings were the foundation of swordsmanship.

Thrusts, parries, each movement seemingly casual.

But when a cultivator swung their sword, their spiritual energy had to flow with the movement, so each swing had to follow a specific trajectory within the meridians.

The original body had cultivated charm arts, and she had now switched to swordsmanship. But just wielding a sword didn’t make her a sword cultivator.

A true sword cultivator paid meticulous attention to the fundamentals. Sometimes, a single draw of the sword or a simple swing was enough for others to distinguish between a sword cultivator and someone who simply used a sword as a weapon.

To reach this level, one needed to master the fundamentals.

Only when she could perform the most standard sword movements instinctively, without thinking, could she truly call herself a sword cultivator.

In Heng Yu’s current state, she could only manage two hundred swings before struggling.

Through sheer willpower, she reached five hundred swings before the thought of giving up arose.

But she persisted, clearing her mind and continuing to practice.

At seven hundred swings, the urge to give up intensified.

Heng Yu closed her eyes and continued.

She finally stopped at one thousand swings, exhausted, and collapsed onto the bed.

While practicing, she had been numb from exhaustion, so the soreness in her arm hadn’t been so obvious. But now, sitting cross-legged on the bed, Heng Yu felt as if her right arm no longer belonged to her.

Fortunately, she was prepared.

Heng Yu took out a medicinal ointment from her storage ring and applied it to her arm to relieve the soreness.

“One thousand swings is my limit, but with the ointment, my muscles will recover in an hour. Following this pace, I’ll do three thousand swings every day starting tomorrow.”

She intended to build a solid foundation in swordsmanship before reaching Core Formation.

Compared to sword cultivators who had been practicing since the Qi Refining stage, she had started too late and had to work harder to catch up.

The ointment gradually took effect, and the soreness in her arm subsided.

Heng Yu lay on the bed, pulled the blanket over herself, and fell asleep.

Waking up in the morning, Heng Yu practiced calligraphy in her study for half an hour, then practiced swordsmanship in the courtyard.

After days of heavy rain, the weather was finally clear. The morning sun shone brightly on Heng Yu.

After completing her thousand sword swings, Heng Yu sheathed her sword, went inside to apply the ointment, and changed into a simple, light yellow dress instead of her Daoist robes.

After casually combing her hair, she strolled towards Qingyun Temple.

Liaowu was sitting in the courtyard, playing chess by himself.

Heng Yu entered the pavilion and sat opposite him. “I thought I’d find you organizing scriptures.”

“I had some free time and wanted to play chess to pass the time,” Liaowu replied.

The Buddha-son of the Undying Sect didn’t only have “Buddha” in his life.

He enjoyed tea, incense, and playing musical instruments.

A teapot and teacups were placed beside the chessboard.

Before Heng Yu could ask, Liaowu placed a white chess piece on the board and poured her a cup of tea.

He gently pushed the teacup towards her.

“Do you know how to play chess?”

Heng Yu shook her head. “No.”

In her previous life at the Time and Space Administration, chess, calligraphy, painting, and music were far removed from her. Learning calligraphy and playing the flute were purely coincidental.

She didn’t know anything else.

Liaowu nodded and continued playing by himself, placing a black piece on the board.

Heng Yu held her teacup and quietly watched him play.

She gradually became interested.

“Senior Brother Liaowu, would you mind teaching me how to play Go?”

Liaowu looked up at her and thought for a moment. “I don’t mind.”

The current game was already decided, so Liaowu cleared the board and started setting up a new game. He explained the rules to Heng Yu as he set up the pieces.

When Liaonian returned from the abbot’s place, Heng Yu was already playing against Liaowu with black pieces.

They had started a new game.

Liaonian looked at the sky and scratched his head: Before he left, hadn’t Senior Brother said he would play chess to clear his mind and then go into seclusion to think about the preaching competition? Why was he now playing chess with Lord Luo in the courtyard?

Indeed, after more than two months of interaction, Liaonian had stopped thinking of Heng Yu as a “demonic woman” in his mind, although he still addressed her as “Lord Luo” out of courtesy.

Now, his thoughts and words were aligned.

At least, he could sense that Heng Yu wasn’t the kind of demonic woman he had imagined, the kind who would tempt his senior brother to break his precepts and fall from grace.

“Senior Brother…” Liaonian approached, hesitating to speak.

Liaowu glanced at him and nodded slightly, as if saying, “No need to say more.”

Heng Yu noticed their interaction and asked Liaowu, resting her chin on her hand, “Did asking you to teach me how to play chess interrupt your important matters?”

Liaowu shook his head.

He replied sincerely, “If this poor monk felt it was inappropriate, I would have refused when Lord Luo asked.”

He was usually silent in front of others.

But that didn’t mean he would always go along with others without considering his own thoughts.

His words, rephrased, meant that he was willing to put aside his important matters to teach her how to play chess.

Heng Yu couldn’t help but smile.

Their connection was truly interesting.

Because of his tribulation of love, he was inexplicably indulgent towards her.

And to pursue him, she also revealed her true self in front of him, despite their lack of familiarity.

“Let’s pause this game for now,” Heng Yu put down her chess piece and stood up. “Let’s discuss the preaching competition. I have some ideas.”

—She didn’t mind helping him with his important matters first before returning to their game.

Liaowu’s grip on the chess piece loosened.

The white piece fell from his fingers and rolled onto the ground.

He bent down, picked it up, put it back in the chess box, and smiled faintly at Heng Yu. “Alright.”

Chapter 22

Daoist priests often carried dusters as their magical tools.

Xiaoyaozi was no exception. He flicked his white duster, his gaze fixed on the barrier around Heng Yu’s courtyard. The barrier glowed faintly with a golden light, appearing peaceful when not under attack.

But as Xiaoyaozi examined it carefully, he sensed a hidden danger beneath the peaceful facade.

Heng Yu smiled faintly, patiently waiting for his next move.

“Who are you?”

Finally, Xiaoyaozi remembered to ask her name.

Daoist cultivators wore Daoist robes and tied their hair in topknots. This woman wore a green Daoist robe, but her long hair was loose, not tied up. She wasn’t a Daoist cultivator.

Her beauty was rare in this world, but what was truly unforgettable was her aura — unrestrained and uninhibited.

This aura came from her confidence.

Someone timid or insecure couldn’t possess such captivating charm.

Moreover, Xiaoyaozi observed her carefully and realized that she wasn’t just young in appearance; she was truly young.

With such an aura, such a young age, and such cultivation, she was likely an inner disciple, or even a core disciple, of one of the eight major righteous sects or five major demonic sects!

What had his disciple Fan Changping done to offend such a person!

Heng Yu smiled softly. She could sense Xiaoyaozi’s killing intent falter. It seemed he had realized her identity wasn’t ordinary.

She bowed slightly and calmly revealed her identity. “Luo Heng Yu of the Hehuan Sect.”

The Hehuan Sect?

Why would a Hehuan Sect disciple appear in the Undying Sect’s territory, thousands of miles away?

Suspicious, Xiaoyaozi frowned slightly. “May I ask why this young friend killed my disciple?”

“Fan Changping was corrupted by demonic Qi and deserved to die!” Heng Yu’s voice was firm and resolute.

Xiaoyaozi’s eyes widened in disbelief, like a furious lion ready to pounce. “Absurd! How could my disciple be corrupted by demonic Qi? Daoist disciples have strong willpower and firm Dao hearts, not comparable to seductive cultivators like you who rely on dual cultivation for advancement.”

The implication was that even she, a Hehuan Sect disciple, hadn’t been corrupted by demonic Qi, so how could his disciple have fallen into the demonic path?

Heng Yu raised an eyebrow: He was resorting to personal attacks now.

Since she was still a young master of the Hehuan Sect, Heng Yu couldn’t just stand by and let him tarnish the sect’s reputation.

She gripped her sword hilt, slowly drawing her sword, and sneered. “Outsiders need not worry about the willpower of Hehuan Sect disciples. If Senior has the time, you should reflect on how you choose and teach your disciples. How could a Daoist disciple, who should be focused on cultivating the mind, spout nonsense about the cultivation world only valuing strength, kill indiscriminately, and be corrupted by demonic Qi?”

Xiaoyaozi’s short temper was well-known in the Void Alliance. Precisely because Fan Changping’s temperament was similar to his own, and because Fan Changping treated him like a father, Xiaoyaozi had invested countless resources and time in him after taking him as a disciple, allowing Fan Changping, whose aptitude was only average, to reach Foundation Establishment before thirty.

He had no children or family, so he treated Fan Changping like his own son, placing a soul curse on him and coming all the way from the Void Alliance after his death.

Hearing Heng Yu’s words, he flew into a rage, disregarding her identity.

“You’re too arrogant for a junior in front of me.”

Xiaoyaozi channeled his spiritual energy, and the duster in his hand rapidly expanded.

He swung the duster, and it slammed against the barrier with a loud clang.

Heng Yu cast a spell with her left hand, reinforcing the barrier.

She looked at Xiaoyaozi, a smile on her lips. “Are you sure you want to attack me because of a disciple who has become a demon? Senior, you still have a chance to stop. Otherwise, I’m afraid your Dao heart will be damaged!”

“Are you threatening me?”

A cold glint flashed in Xiaoyaozi’s eyes, and he channeled his spiritual energy again, fiercely.

The duster slammed against the barrier, the sound piercing.

“Just a warning,” Heng Yu said.

She was genuinely advising him.

Daoist cultivators focused on cultivating their minds, and their requirements for character were extremely high. With Xiaoyaozi’s biased mindset, even if he wasn’t corrupted by demonic Qi, it would be difficult for him to progress further on the path of immortality.

But Xiaoyaozi was consumed by his emotions, feeling that Heng Yu, a junior, was mocking him because of her status.

He didn’t reply, simply changing his tactics and continuing to attack the barrier.

Since he refused to listen, Heng Yu didn’t say anything more. She sheathed her sword, returned to her study, and finished practicing calligraphy amidst the noise.

After finishing, bored, Heng Yu went to the back door of her courtyard and, seizing the moment between Xiaoyaozi’s attacks, opened the barrier and slipped out, leaving him to attack the empty barrier.

“Now that I’m out, where should I go?”

Heng Yu held her plain oil-paper umbrella and strolled slowly through the streets, pondering.

“I’ll go find Liaowu, settle the score with him, and complain a little. Someone like me, at the peak of Foundation Establishment, should be protected by a Nascent Soul Buddha-son. After all, I only provoked that short-tempered Daoist cultivator to help the Buddha-son solve the case.”

Heng Yu convinced herself with her own logic and walked cheerfully towards Qingyun Temple on the mountain.

Usually, Heng Yu would see two young novices standing at the temple gate.

But today, no one was there.

She entered the temple but didn’t see any monks.

“Could it be because of the heavy rain, everyone is resting inside?”

After a moment of thought, Heng Yu continued walking.

The temple was still open, and she saw a few worshippers walking around, offering incense.

Passing by the Scripture Pavilion, Heng Yu heard a familiar, clear voice from inside, chanting Sanskrit scriptures in a hypnotic tone. After finishing a passage, he switched to the common language to explain its meaning.

Was Liaowu giving a lecture inside?

Heng Yu walked to the corridor and closed her umbrella.

She shook off the water and walked around the corridor to the front of the Scripture Pavilion.

The closer she got, the clearer Liaowu’s voice became.

Perhaps it was a natural reaction, but hearing the chanting, Heng Yu couldn’t help but yawn.

She raised her hand and wiped the tears from her eyes.

Stepping over the high threshold, Heng Yu entered the solemn and majestic pavilion.

A large open space in front of the pavilion was filled with dozens of monks sitting cross-legged, listening attentively to the Buddha-son’s lecture.

A dozen or so worshippers stood respectfully by the side, their hands joined together, listening devoutly.

Heng Yu looked around, then her gaze settled on the empty space opposite Liaowu.

She walked over, took out a meditation mat from her storage ring, placed it on the ground, and sat down cross-legged.

She joined her hands together in a listening posture, closed her eyes… leaned against a sturdy wooden pillar behind her, and quickly fell asleep.

Liaowu had noticed Heng Yu when she entered the Scripture Pavilion. During a pause in his lecture, he glanced in her direction.

She seemed to have fallen asleep. Her posture was relaxed, her hands no longer joined together but resting on her lap.

Liaowu’s hand, which was turning the pages of a scripture, paused slightly: Was she… asleep?

Sitting wasn’t as comfortable as lying down. Although Liaowu’s voice was hypnotic, Heng Yu woke up groggily after about half an hour.

As she regained consciousness, she heard Liaowu’s calm voice: “That concludes today’s lecture. Everyone, please return for evening prayers.”

The monks stood up and thanked Liaowu with their hands joined together.

The worshippers also filed out of the Scripture Pavilion.

Heng Yu went against the flow of people and walked quickly to Liaowu’s side.

He wore a moon-white robe today, his usual aloofness softened, replaced by a gentle, moonlit aura.

He was truly handsome.

With such good looks, it was no wonder a demonic woman like Mu Huan was interested in him.

Seeing him organizing the scriptures, Heng Yu joined her hands together, imitating the monks, and praised devoutly, “Just now, listening to Senior Brother Liaowu’s lecture, I felt the profoundness and mystery of Buddhism. I’ve gained much insight.”

Who didn’t like such flattery?

To pursue the Buddha-son, she didn’t mind pretending to be interested in Buddhist teachings.

Liaowu: “…”

Liaowu had finished organizing the scriptures.

He picked them up and looked at Heng Yu, saying sincerely, “Lord Luo has indeed gained much insight. Haven’t you been resting well these past two days? I saw you sleeping soundly just now.”

The young monk Liaonian, also holding scriptures, almost burst out laughing.

Senior Brother was awesome!

He was so happy to see this demonic woman speechless!

But Heng Yu was thick-skinned.

Even after being exposed, she still smiled calmly. “Actually, it’s like this. Today, a Nascent Soul cultivator was making noise outside my courtyard, and I couldn’t sleep well, so I came to find you.”

She winked at Liaowu. “You know, I feel very safe sleeping near you, a Nascent Soul cultivator.”

Liaowu focused on the first part of her sentence.

He paused slightly. “A Nascent Soul cultivator appeared in Hua City?”

After a moment of thought, he immediately guessed the person’s identity. “Is it that Xiaoyaozi?”

Heng Yu nodded.

Liaowu frowned, stepped out of the Scripture Pavilion, picked up his oil-paper umbrella, and walked into the rain.

Heng Yu, without even looking at her own umbrella, quickly followed him, sharing his umbrella.

Their eyes met, and Liaowu glanced at her.

Heng Yu explained, “I didn’t bring an umbrella.”

Two umbrellas leaned against the wall beside the entrance of the Scripture Pavilion.

One was Liaonian’s.

Liaonian picked up his umbrella, heard Heng Yu’s words, and his eyes widened, glaring at her abandoned umbrella.

“Senior Brother—” Liaonian started.

“Liaonian, bring Lord Luo her umbrella.”

Liaowu interrupted him, giving a direct order.

He had tacitly agreed to share his umbrella with Heng Yu.

“Senior Brother…” Liaonian scratched his head.

Staring at their retreating figures, the young monk sighed and resignedly opened his umbrella. Before stepping into the rain, he angrily grabbed Heng Yu’s umbrella and quickly followed.

The oil-paper umbrella wasn’t large, so the space beneath it was limited.

Liaowu kept a distance from Heng Yu.

To prevent her from getting wet, he tilted most of the umbrella towards her, leaving most of his own body exposed to the rain.

This way of holding the umbrella was pointless.

Heng Yu stopped teasing him and pushed the umbrella back over his head. She casually cast a drying spell on him, and his robes became dry again.

“Why are you so difficult to deal with?” Heng Yu laughed.

She cast a barrier around herself, blocking the rain.

They were walking through the ginkgo forest, its leaves turning yellow.

Heng Yu’s smile was bright and unrestrained, her lively aura seemingly illuminating the twilight-shrouded forest.

Liaowu joined his hands together. “This poor monk doesn’t know.”

This answer rendered Heng Yu speechless.

She stopped talking, walked back a few steps, took her umbrella from Liaonian, and opened it.

After all, maintaining a barrier to block the rain consumed a lot of spiritual energy. It was better to use an umbrella.

Liaowu returned to the topic of Xiaoyaozi. “Is Xiaoyaozi here to avenge Fan Changping?”

“Probably.”

“Does he know that Fan Changping was corrupted by demonic Qi?”

Seeing Heng Yu nod, Liaowu’s expression remained calm. “Then this poor monk and Lord Luo will go and meet this Xiaoyaozi.”

Rumbling sounds still came from Heng Yu’s courtyard.

Apparently, Xiaoyaozi was persistent, still trying to break through her barrier.

“Stop it,” Heng Yu shouted from afar.

Xiaoyaozi turned abruptly.

Seeing Heng Yu, he was first stunned, then his face gradually turned red with anger as he realized what had happened.

“You weren’t in the courtyard just now!?”

“Senior, you jest. I have no interest in waiting inside for you to break my barrier.”

Xiaoyaozi was about to retort angrily when he saw Liaowu walking behind Heng Yu. The anger on his face froze, then gradually disappeared.

In the blink of an eye, he returned to his initial polite and aloof demeanor.

“Is this someone from the Undying Sect?”

Liaowu joined his hands together. “This poor monk’s Dharma name is Liaowu.”

The relationship between Daoism and Buddhism wasn’t harmonious.

The Void Alliance, in particular, held a deep hatred for Buddhist cultivators.

Now, seeing Liaowu, Xiaoyaozi’s hostility towards Heng Yu shifted completely towards him.

Xiaoyaozi raised his duster, his gaze fixed on Liaowu. “So this is the Light of Buddhism.”

“Buddhism and Daoism cannot coexist. This poor Daoist has long wanted to discuss the Dao with a Buddha-son of the Undying Sect, to see which path is superior. There’s no time like the present. Can the Buddha-son spare some time today for a discussion?”

Heng Yu: “…”

Unexpectedly, this aloof Buddha-son was also a magnet for hatred.

As soon as he appeared, Xiaoyaozi forgot his original purpose of avenging his disciple.

“Amitabha,” Liaowu said calmly. “This poor monk doesn’t understand why Buddhism and Daoism cannot coexist. The three thousand paths of the Great Dao can coexist, let alone two branches within it?”

“What Xiaoyaozi just said is like saying that if the sea diverges into two parallel streams, they will inevitably compete. But in reality, these two streams not only won’t compete but will also flow to distant lands, benefiting all.”

Their brief exchange revealed the difference in their understanding of the Dao.

Was there conflict between Buddhism and Daoism?

There shouldn’t be.

It was simply Xiaoyaozi who insisted on a competition.

Xiaoyaozi, a man several hundred years old, was rendered speechless by a junior’s words. “You… you…”

Heng Yu looked at Liaowu and smiled softly: The Light of Buddhism was truly impressive.

He always praised her eloquence, but his own eloquence was also quite remarkable.

Xiaoyaozi gritted his teeth. “As expected of the Undying Sect’s Buddha-son, the legendary innate Buddha bones!”

Hearing this, Heng Yu looked at Xiaoyaozi, her eyebrows raised slightly.

—Did Xiaoyaozi know the secret behind “innate Buddha bones”?

Her gaze flickered, but her expression remained unchanged.

Liaowu turned his prayer beads, not answering Xiaoyaozi’s words.

Xiaoyaozi sneered. “What, are you only good with words?”

Liaowu pursed his lips, not wanting to argue.

But retreating now would seem like he was intimidated by Xiaoyaozi’s aggression.

At this moment, Liaowu remembered Heng Yu’s words from earlier.

—Sometimes the wrathful Vajra, sometimes the compassionate Bodhisattva.

Was it right to always be tolerant in the face of such harsh words and aggression?

Just as Liaowu was about to look at Heng Yu, he received her voice transmission.

Heng Yu said, “In the face of such harsh words, why not learn from the wrathful Vajra?”

“He insists on a competition, so let’s show him clearly who’s superior.”

Liaowu sighed softly and looked at Xiaoyaozi. “What do you want?”

Having achieved his goal, Xiaoyaozi sneered. “You said Buddhism and Daoism don’t compete, but today, I insist on competing with you. Let’s compare our methods of preaching and see who’s more effective.”