442: Chapter 37 Buddha Country 442: Chapter 37 Buddha Country “Brother Duan!
You’re here too!”
“Eh…
Who is this?”
There were many people atop Red Mountain.
Those “fortuitously coinciding” challengers who had come to the Great Pudu Temple were essentially trapped here.
Several young nobles from Northern County, upon seeing Duan Zhao, hurriedly came forward to greet him.
They knew that the heavy-sword-bearing youth following Xie Zhen was a newly accepted disciple of Lotus Peak.
After the hunt in the north concluded, the misunderstanding on Yong’an Street was thus resolved.
They brought gifts to Chen Mansion to apologize, and Xie Zhen accepted their apologies.
In this way, both parties could be considered to have turned foes into friends.
“Indeed, all of you are here.”
Duan Zhao replied with a smile, scratching his head, and then said thoughtfully, “This is a disciple of the Master of World Pavilion, also a close friend of the young mountain master.”
The expressions of the young nobles immediately changed from confusion to admiration.
“Is this the Miss Deng from Qing State who used Array Techniques to stop the Tidal Sacrifice?”
The case files of the Qing State incident had long spread throughout Great Chu.
This case caused Xie Zhen’s name to be known throughout the world.
And so did Deng Baiyi’s.
“Baiyi greets all fellow Daoists.”
Deng Baiyi responded softly, with a slight bow under her umbrella, but her eyes held some confusion.
The garments of these Northern County nobles seemed to be stained with blood, and their Divine Soul aura appeared disordered.
She sent a message through her spiritual awareness, “Take a look at their lapels.”
Duan Zhao froze, then after closely inspecting and frowning, he inquired of one of the nobles from Northern County, “Brother Gao, why is there still blood on the corner of your mouth?
What happened?”
“Don’t mention it.”
This Brother Gao replied with a wry smile, wiping the blood with his sleeve, still shaken, “I would not wish to go through that Buddha Sound Forest a second time…
That stretch just now nearly cost me half my life.
If it weren’t for Master Fa Li’s intervention, I fear I would have already collapsed halfway.”
Deng Baiyi and Duan Zhao exchanged a grave look.
“To reach the summit of Red Mountain, there are two methods.”
The noble named Gao Shu let out a long sigh and slowly explained, “After entering the Golden Light Array, you can climb the mountain, but Red Mountain is not easy to scale.
To reach the peak, one must pass through a dense forest, known as the ‘Buddha Sound Forest’, which mainly tests the resolve and mentality of the cultivator’s Divine Soul…
If one’s will is firm, naturally one can reach the mountaintop.”
Duan Zhao raised an eyebrow, “And if one’s will is not firm?”
“Then every step becomes difficult.”
Gao Shu said bitterly, “The further one goes, the more difficult and slower it becomes.
Either turn back or stop…”
Duan Zhao puzzled, “Didn’t you say earlier there are two methods to climb the mountain?”
“Indeed.”
Gao Shu once again wore a wry smile, “The Master guarding the Buddha Sound Forest of Red Mountain is named ‘Fa Li’.
He and the one defending the Golden Light Array are brothers.
If the climber can’t pass through the Buddha Sound Forest, it’s alright; when the Divine Soul reaches its limit, Master Fa Li will step in to open the gate and send you straight up to Red Mountain.
This… is the second climbing method.”
The second method was called surrender.
Hearing this, Deng Baiyi confirmed again that Xie Zhen was right.
The path for guests and the path for challengers were not the same.
Those standing atop Red Mountain at this moment.
They were all failures.
Because they lacked strength and could not cross the Buddha Sound Forest, the Great Pudu Temple gave them another path, the path of peace.
“Cough cough!”
At that moment, a portal suddenly formed in the void, and a figure stumbled out, sitting on the ground amidst the puddles covered with red leaves, his complexion very pale.
“Senior Brother Lin!”
Gao Shu promptly went to assist, his gaze full of concern, “Are you alright?”
Lin Yu had an unpleasant look, slowly standing up, with a hint of unwillingness in his eyes, “I’m fine… I was just a little short, just that little bit…
If I could try once more, I’m certain I could make it!”
Clearly.
He had failed as well.
Duan Zhao silently watched this scene, not expecting that even Lin Yu, who was at the Eighth Layer Heaven of Cave Heaven, could not break through the Buddha Sound Forest.
“Master Lin, this climb is also a kind of ‘Heart Refining’,” said Duan Zhao.
The portal, after opening, did not close immediately.
Red leaves and rainwater were absorbed into the portal, where a towering and weathered figure could be vaguely seen.
It was Fa Li.
The old monk’s gentle voice resonated faintly atop the mountain, “On the path of cultivation, the greatest fear is a heart obstructed by demons.
If one’s Heart Lake is flawed, even passing through the Buddha Sound Forest won’t be enough to overcome the copper man wall…
Master Lin, it’s best to stop here; perhaps contemplating the scenery of Red Mountain is a better choice than rushing forward.”
“…”
These words plunged Lin Yu into silence.
After reflecting deeply for a moment, his entire aura became much more settled.
“Thank you for your teachings.”
Lin Yu sincerely asked, “Master Fa Li…
could you tell me the current state of my Senior Brother?”
“Master Wu has reached perfection in the Cave Heaven Realm, and the Buddha Sound Forest poses no challenge to him.”
The old monk chuckled, “He has the natural wisdom root and is predestined with Buddhism.
I presume even the copper man wall on the mountain peak cannot hold him back.”
Having said that.
The red leaves and rainwater converged and hardened, the portal began to shrink and close.
“Hold on, hold on—”
Duan Zhao drew the heavy sword from behind him and forcefully plunged it into the portal.
“Hmm?”
Fa Li’s expression shifted subtly.
“Master Fa Li, I have a question too.”
Duan Zhao looked up at the monk floating in the air, “Since you’re here already, could you possibly help us out a bit more?”
“This…”
Fa Li watched the young lad, his gaze lingering on the Wind and Thunder Bracelet on the boy’s wrist.
With his hands together in prayer, he sighed lightly, “The title of great master is far beyond me.
What does the young benefactor wish to ask?”
“Nothing much.”
Duan Zhao asked cheerfully, “Where is our young mountain master now, and when can I see him?”
“Your young mountain master is still on the mid-slopes of Red Mountain.”
Fa Li sincerely replied, “He has yet to step into ‘Buddha Sound Forest’, so as for when you can meet…
I am not clear on that either.”
He paused for a moment.
Out of the void portal emerged a Golden Scroll, with inscrutable Sanskrit carved upon it, reflecting layers of light on the Red Mountain Summit.
As it unfolded, the heavy rain danced off the golden surface, creating a dazzling display…
This was exactly the scene under the Golden Body Tower, brilliantly shining with wind and thunder surging around.
Eighteen monks with bare upper bodies, each holding various weapons—swords, spears, staffs, maces—stood in front of the Golden Body Tower, resembling a rampart wall.
The reflection on the Golden Scroll depicted the scene of the third trial, the Copper Man Wall!
With a gentle voice, Fa Li said, “Not only Master Duan, but all those on the summit who wish to see their sect elders may well wait here…
Whomever passes through the Buddha Sound Forest will come to this place.”
After speaking, the sound of wind and thunder rose once more from the portal.
“Wait a bit longer.”
Duan Zhao still looked up and asked, “Master Fa Li, how many have passed the Copper Man Wall, and what lies beyond it?”
“…”
Fa Li’s expression was one of helpless resignation, tinged with an inevitable sense of what couldn’t be helped.
He softly chanted Buddha’s name and honestly answered, “So far, three have passed the Copper Man Wall.
After that, they can ascend the Golden Body Tower, but…
so far, none has successfully met Buddha’s son.”
“Three?”
Duan Zhao’s eyes sparkled with interest.
Just as he was about to press further, asking about the identities of those three, the void portal slyly drifted back a step.
Master Fa Li intoned “Amitabha Buddha,” hastily closing the portal.
A great wind swept over Red Mountain, leaving only a whirl of red leaves flying everywhere.
…
…
The forest leaves of Red Mountain were stirred by the wind, falling into a puddle and swirling about.
Reflected in the puddle was a face, old and helpless.
Fa Li looked down, watching the water return to tranquility, and couldn’t help but sigh with frustration, “How could this young man from Wangyou Island…
appear here?”
“Such is the way of the world.”
A soft murmur, inappropriately timed, interrupted.
Fa Li was taken aback.
He could hardly believe it as he lifted his head, looking ahead through the dense woods, focusing on a spot hundreds of yards away.
There stood an unremarkable black-clothed youth.
The youth had been standing on the mountain steps for quite some time already.
Fa Li looked at him.
He looked back at Fa Li.
“You’re not seeing things.”
Xie Xuanyi spoke calmly, “That is indeed the Wind and Thunder Bracelet from Wangyou Island, and he is the offspring of those two.”
“…”
Fa Li fell silent, not from a lack of desire to respond, but because he did not know how to.
At this moment, he was certain that Xie Zhen was not talking to himself.
He was speaking to Fa Li.
More puzzling than Duan Zhao’s identity from Wangyou Island was…
how had this youth managed to see him?
It was surely not possible that this youth possessed a higher Divine Soul Realm than his own!
“Da Sui Sword Palace, Taoist, Fan Yin Temple…
Each sect and their techniques are distinct.”
Xie Xuanyi spoke slowly, “Da Sui Sword Palace possesses Sword Qi Cave Heaven, Taoist has Heavenly Origin Secret Realm, and the monks of the Fan Yin Temple can refine a stretch of land and water into an in-hand Buddha Country.”
“I wasn’t sure at first, until I had waited here for quite some time…”
Xie Xuanyi extended a hand.
Just then, a gust of wind blew through.
The bamboo rustled and the wind lamented.
A red leaf, by pure chance, fluttered in front of Xie Xuanyi and landed in his palm.
“If I’m not mistaken, the token that the Fan Yin Temple delegation brought to the Great Pudu Temple is an intact Buddha Country, right?”
Xie Xuanyi gently twisted the dry, shriveled leaf.
It was the early spring.
Where would Red Mountain get such withered leaves?
If Red Mountain was enveloped within a Buddha Country, then everything would make sense…
the never-ending mountain path from before, as well as the so-called Buddha Sound Forest and Copper Man Wall.
On the last day of the East Crossing Mission’s sermon, cloaked by the Golden Light Array, the Great Pudu Temple was no longer just itself.
It had become a complete Buddha Country with its own rules!
This was the reason Miao Zhen made such a bold declaration…
for today’s fortunate souls who set foot in the Great Pudu Temple would each contribute a piece of karmic fortune to this Buddha Country.
The youth sighed softly, calmly observing the bamboo forest before him.
In Fa Li’s eyes, the youth’s gaze seemed to penetrate countless leaves and layers of confusion, landing directly on him.
But in reality.
To Xie Xuanyi, the mountain remained a mountain, and the forest remained a forest.
“Just a few steps further ahead is the Buddha Sound Forest.”
Xie Xuanyi applied slight pressure with his fingertip, crushing the dry red leaf that had fallen from the summit.
He spoke in a subdued voice, “Upon entering the Buddha Sound Forest, a cultivator’s Heart Lake and Divine Sea will be measured and tested.
But tell me, Fa Li…
are you truly capable of measuring my Divine Sea?”