Longzang

Chapter 952 Pure Land of Bliss

Wei Yuan stood in the center of the magnificent ancestral storehouse, facing off coldly at Monk Lian Deng. The standoff lasted for a long time, with neither side willing to give in.

Finally, Wei Yuan spoke first: "Master Lian Deng, what's going on here?"

"Hehe, benefactor, you are blessed with innate wisdom. Don't you understand this? The true meaning of the Great Dao is already in your heart."

Upon hearing this, Wei Yuan suddenly recalled the supreme truth he had comprehended that day:
Praise me, draw near to me, become me.

Then there's the principle of the immortality of emptiness and form...

Wei Yuan abruptly interrupted his recollection, saying, "I returned to the sect to choose a foundation for my grotto-heaven. What does this mean? Is there no choice left?"

Lotus Lantern chuckled and said, "How could you not have a choice? Didn't you already make your choice when you were communicating with the Ancestral Master through divine sense? The treasures are all there, they just aren't in your sight."

"Our patriarch would never stoop to your level!" Wei Yuan said with unwavering resolve. But as he spoke, a sudden thought struck him.

Lotus Lantern chuckled and said, “Lord of the Realm, you are wrong. What do you mean by ‘going with the flow’? It’s clearly about sharing the same ideals. Birds of a feather flock together. We were all inspired by our ancestor and gathered under the tutelage of the Primordial Palace. If you insist on saying that we have done something wrong, then it’s because the upper beam is crooked and the lower beam is crooked as well.”

Wei Yuan felt increasingly uneasy as he listened, realizing that trying to engage in a cryptic exchange with the monk would only lead to trouble. So he said, "Where have you put all these treasures? Take them all out! If you don't, then I'm leaving."

Lotus Lantern smiled and said, "The Realm Lord really can't see?"

"What do I see? This huge treasure trove is completely empty! Who else could it be but you who's behind this?"

"Didn't I just say that all these treasures are still here?"

"How could that be? Do you think I'm blind?" Wei Yuan sneered.

Lotus Lantern sighed softly and said, "If the Realm Lord is blind, then we are all blind in our hearts. How about this, I'll make a bet with the Realm Lord..."

"No betting!" Wei Yuan wasn't foolish enough to gamble with a monk of unknown origin.

Lotus Lantern was not annoyed and said, "It's not that I'm covering it up, it's just that the Realm Lord can no longer see things that are beyond the reach of the mundane world."

But before he could finish speaking, a chilling aura instantly filled the entire treasure vault, making Wei Yuan feel a chill in his heart, as if he had encountered a prehistoric beast!

Then the aloof girl I had seen in the Immortal Village appeared. Her aura was sharp and incomparably fierce. After appearing, she stared at the lotus lantern and said, "Who are you calling an unworldly being?"

"It's something I have no connection with, so why would I use such a vulgar word?" Lian Deng said calmly, without batting an eye.

The girl coldly replied, "A monk does not lie."

Lian Deng said, "I am just a listener of the sutra, not a monk."

The girl's eyes sharpened instantly: "So you lied to my face?"

"No matter who judges her, the four generations of my sisters are far from being vulgar."

The girl was at a loss with this rogue. She sneered and turned to Wei Yuan, saying, "Didn't you want a new cave heaven? What do you think of me?"

Wei Yuan immediately replied, "That is indeed my wish, but I dare not ask!" The girl was taken aback: "What do you mean?"

Wei Yuan felt a little embarrassed and said, "It's just that I'm too willing!"

During their last meeting, Wei Yuan learned from Lian Deng that this girl was likely the spirit of the fourth palace master's immortal artifact. Who was the fourth palace master? She was a figure whose power rivaled that of the patriarch. The immortal artifact she left behind must be several levels higher than Lian Deng's. How could Wei Yuan be unwilling?
But before the girl could reply, Lian Deng sighed and said, "Fine, I'll break this illusion for the Realm Lord!"

He put his hands together in prayer and chanted a Buddhist mantra. Suddenly, the treasure vault was filled with precious light, and almost half of the shelves were filled with extraordinary treasures, which dazzled Wei Yuan instantly.

However, at a glance, Wei Yuan noticed that while the treasures were dazzling, most were inferior to the lotus lantern and the young girl. Thinking about it, it made sense; after the two immortals passed away, how many other treasures could compare to the spiritual artifacts that still existed?
But as he watched, Wei Yuan's expression gradually became serious.

About a dozen treasures resonated with him, each corresponding to a different calculation trajectory. However, for some reason, the trajectory that Wei Yuan had calculated using the equivalent of 20 million units of luck remained completely still, causing Wei Yuan's gaze to unconsciously drift towards the ancient lotus lamp.

None of the tracks resonated with the girl. Wei Yuan intuitively felt that this was probably not a matter of luck, but rather a matter of incompatible paths.

After shining brightly for a moment, the light gradually dimmed, leaving only a dozen or so magical artifacts that resonated with Wei Yuan, including a short sword made from the tooth of a sacred beast, the White Tiger.

The girl frowned slightly, as if she understood something, and said to Wei Yuan, "No matter how much luck you've invested in this cave heaven track, double it, and then you can come find me."

Wei Yuan sighed inwardly, knowing that he would have no chance with the immortal artifact of the fourth palace master for the time being.

The girl turned and left, leaving only the lotus lantern standing there with a smile. Wei Yuan examined the dozen or so treasures, but to be fair, none of them were as compatible with him as the lotus lantern and the track created by the twenty million units of luck.

Even though he knew that the lotus lantern was indeed the best choice, Wei Yuan particularly disliked the feeling of being manipulated and remained hesitant.

As if knowing what Wei Yuan was thinking, Lian Deng smiled and said, "Cultivators who defy fate are most afraid of being manipulated by immortals and Buddhas. It is only natural for the realm lord to have doubts. But let's think about it more deeply. Being manipulated is wrong, but is it also a kind of obsession to insist on not being manipulated at any time and under any circumstances? Who knows if the idea of ​​not being manipulated is itself a kind of manipulation?"

Wei Yuan sensed something was wrong; he felt he was about to be persuaded by this bald, fake monk.

The lotus lantern continued, "The Realm Lord was originally just a mortal. He cultivated along the way, making many grand vows, and each vow came true, which led to his great opportunity and fortune today. There are many immortals in the world, but how many of them still remember the ordinary people? Immortal lands can sustain life, fertile lands can sustain life, and pure lands can sustain life. Since the Realm Lord's purpose is to sustain life, why should he be bound by any particular type of precious land or immortal realm? All forms are not forms, and there is no difference between them."

Does the realm lord value his own reputation more, or the lives of countless mortals?

"Stop talking!" Wei Yuan's sense of unease grew stronger.

Lian Deng had already picked up the ancient bronze lamp and placed it in Wei Yuan's hands, saying, "Is the true purpose of this 'Eternal Emptiness and Form' method for high-level cultivators to fight? No, it is only by cultivating immortality that mortals can cross the sea of ​​suffering and reach the Pure Land on the other shore. Therefore, this supreme and wonderful method was created for mortals. Since the Realm Lord has made such a great vow, what are we waiting for? Let's follow it quickly! Everyone is quite busy."

Wei Yuan let out a long sigh, and the ancient bronze lamp in his hand disappeared, reappearing on the trajectory forged by destiny. With just a light touch from Wei Yuan, it began to operate on its own, absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and in the blink of an eye, it condensed into a small piece of land, no more than a few feet in circumference.

A small temple rose from the ground, consisting of only one main hall. Suddenly, the Red Lotus Bodhi flew in and landed in the temple courtyard, taking root. Then, a handsome young monk appeared in the temple and began sweeping. A lotus lantern also appeared in the temple, conjuring objects out of thin air and arranging them in the hall.

Wei Yuan entered the temple and saw only an offering table and two prayer cushions in the main hall. On the offering table sat an ancient bronze lamp, which was burning quietly. The lamplight parted the void, protecting this small, tranquil haven.

There were Bodhi seeds and ancient lamps before the Buddha, but why were there only two futons? Wei Yuan instinctively felt that there should be one for him here. Could it be that it was newly formed and lacked spiritual energy, so only two were made as a makeshift solution?
At this moment, Wei Yuan looked up and saw that the lotus throne was empty, with no Buddha statues on it!
A strong sense of unease welled up inside him, and then he saw Lian Deng enter, giving him a strange smile. Wei Yuan's heart skipped a beat, but thankfully Lian Deng didn't say anything, nor did she ask him to sit on the lotus throne. Wei Yuan breathed a sigh of relief.

But then he saw Lian Deng spread out a piece of paper on the offering table and pick up a brush to draw.

Wei Yuan leaned closer to take a look, and instantly felt a surge of anger. The lotus lantern depicted a portrait, and judging from the appearance and expression, it was clearly Wei Yuan! The problem was, this was a traditional Chinese ink painting, and he was planning to hang it in a Buddhist shrine.

(End of this chapter)