From a refugee to a martial artist

Chapter 333 The Transformation of the Dragon and the Serpent
It was late at night.

As the dark clouds dispersed and the Buddha's light faded, a soft whistle came from the heavens.

In an instant, Meng Yuan's sense of being caught in the cycle of life and death vanished, replaced by a surge of heroic spirit, as if he had witnessed a true dragon.

The flames on the knife in his hand were still burning, only now they were much fainter. The fiery aura emanating from Meng Yuan gradually subsided, slowly returning to his own body.

Meng Yuan was originally suppressed by the divine power of the Arhat Wusheng and could not lift his head, but suddenly he felt relaxed all over and was no longer suppressed by the Arhat Wusheng.

But in the blink of an eye, they felt another oppressive force descending from the sky.

This oppressive aura was heavy and resilient, unlike the gentle divine power of the Arhat without birth, which was imbued with Buddhist light. On the contrary, it was more powerful and domineering.

The oppressive aura pressed down on him, and Meng Yuan struggled to look up. He saw the bright moon in the sky and the boundless Milky Way, but he could not find Li Weizhen's figure at all. Only the stars and moon shone brightly.

"Fellow Daoist, why are you so late?"

Just as Meng Yuan raised his head, he suddenly heard someone speak beside him. He turned around and saw a withered old man holding a whisk, standing next to Mingyue.

The old man, dressed in a Taoist robe, with white hair and beard, and slightly hunched over, was looking at the bright moon with pity.

"Young man, come and help him up," the old Taoist priest said to Meng Yuan.

“Old Imperial Advisor.” Meng Yuan guessed the old Taoist’s identity and immediately stepped forward to help Mingyue, who was still in a daze, up.

Mingyue was muttering something to herself, seemingly about her brother and parents.

“This child has mental obstacles. If she had entered a Buddhist monastery and practiced methods to understand her true nature and seek emptiness, she would probably be better now.” The old Taoist priest, hunched over and holding an old whisk, said, “But she doesn’t like the principles of emptiness and is too sentimental, so the shackles are naturally getting tighter and tighter.”

"What should we do then?" Meng Yuan asked with concern as he helped Mingyue up.

“There’s no other way but to save yourself.” The old Taoist sighed. He looked Meng Yuan up and down and said, “You are a member of the Ying clan, and the other two are members of the Dugu clan. You are destined to be at odds with each other. Perhaps one day, you will also become a shackle for Mingyue.”

Seeing Meng Yuan grasp Dugu Ying's hand and pass on a wisp of jade liquid, the old Taoist priest said again, "It's possible that it might not."

Meng Yuan didn't know why the old national advisor said that, but now was not the time to worry about such things, after all, the two great masters were about to start their battle.

"Grand Preceptor, you are a third-rank Taoist, and Lanruo Temple also has two third-rank Arhats. Why didn't you make a move sooner?" Meng Yuan asked.

"Because we have to wait for a third-rank martial artist!" The old Taoist priest also looked up at the sky and said, "It has been a long time since the world has seen a martial artist of the third rank. Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism certainly have their merits, but there are some things that only martial artists can do."

At this moment, Dugu Ying had turned around. She didn't look at the old national teacher, but looked up at the sky. Her petite body was hidden under the red cloak, and her face showed no joy or sorrow, as if nothing had happened.

Dugu Ying scoffed at the old Taoist's words, saying, "The lives of the entire city are not worth as much as one Holy King of Light. Those who eat meat are despicable, yet they did not expect that the Holy King of Light would only serve himself. If a few more Holy Kings emerge, there will be even more Rank 3 martial artists."

“After attaining the third rank of Taoism, those who follow Confucianism, Buddhism, or Taoism will never serve the orders of one person or one country. Instead, they will follow Confucianism, Buddhism, or Taoism and follow their own path. There is no need to say more about that.” The old Taoist sighed and said, “Today, at least some martial artists have stepped forward.”

Dugu Ying didn't say anything more. She glanced at Meng Yuan but didn't say anything.

Meng Yuan felt that Dugu Ying seemed unfriendly, so he stopped talking to her.

After a few breaths, Mingyue finally woke up. She saw the old Taoist priest beside her and Meng Yuan holding her arm, so she gently broke free.

Meng Yuan was eagerly anticipating watching the battle and didn't want to serve Mingyue at this time, so he quickly took two steps forward.

Mingyue frowned and glanced at Meng Yuan, then looked up at the sky. The night sky was filled with bright stars and moon, but Li Weizhen was nowhere to be seen.

Looking further into the distance at the lotus throne, the Arhat Buddha, whose eyes were wide open, showed no sign of wariness, but rather a smile on his face, full of anticipation.

"What do you think of Li Weizhen's chances, Ancestor?" Mingyue suddenly asked.

"There are many fourth-rank martial artists in the world." The old Taoist priest, holding his whisk, showed no trace of superior demeanor, only slightly tilting his head to look into the distance, and said, "Those who have the potential to break through are Dugu Sheng, the Wang family girl, and Yi Xingshu from the North. However, none of them are as good as Li Weizhen, and even combined, they are not enough. Dugu Sheng is timid, the Wang family girl lacks ambition, and Yi Xingshu is too cruel. Only Li Weizhen has a mind tempered to steel. Once he transforms into a dragon, the world will surely hear the roar of his dragon!"

"The old Grand Preceptor actually compared Wang Er to a master, I am ashamed to say!" Wang Er appeared behind everyone at some point. She glanced at Meng Yuan, then looked at the heavily injured and dying monk Jiu Jie in the distance, and said, "Today, there is another person who can be compared to Li Weizhen."

The old Taoist priest nodded slightly, clearly agreeing with Wang Er's words. He looked at Meng Yuan and instructed him, "Young man, if one day a fire burns across the land, please have great compassion for the suffering of the people."

"I will remember this!" Meng Yuan clasped his hands in a salute.

Everyone fell silent, waiting for Li Weizhen to make her move.

But after a while, a gentle breeze blew from the sky, and still nothing unusual happened.

The Arhats on the lotus throne, like towering mountains, seemed to have been sitting there since ancient times.

The many Western disciples beneath the lotus throne showed no panic, and sat down cross-legged around the lotus platform, completely ignoring the Nine Tribulations Monk waiting to die in the distance.

Before long, the bewildered beings on the meditation platform, no longer shrouded in dark clouds, awoke one after another.

Among them, martial artists were the first to awaken, followed by Confucianists and Taoists. However, many Buddhist disciples remained unawakened for a long time, seemingly trapped in a paradise and unwilling to return to the filthy world.

"Junior brother!" Lin Yan walked over, staring wide-eyed at the sky. "What's this...?"

Before he could finish speaking, dark clouds appeared in the boundless night sky, as if rain was about to fall.

This time, the dark clouds were even more massive than the previous ones, seemingly obscuring the entire sky.

A bluish light flickered within the dark clouds, as if a colossal creature capable of swallowing the heavens was lurking there.

"Look!" someone pointed south.

A dragon-shaped formation appeared on the horizon, wreaking havoc on the Qinglong River.

"Before the wind and rain arrive, it slumbers among the grass, wanders in the mud, eats and drinks filth, seeking only temporary peace. But once the time comes, it transforms from a green snake into a dragon, soaring between heaven and earth, flying thousands of miles, summoning wind and rain, swallowing clouds and spitting mist, and awe-inspiring the world!"

The old Taoist priest looked at the dragon hanging in the distance and said, "Let's disperse quickly, lest the innocent be harmed when the dragon transforms and faces its tribulation."

As he spoke, the old Taoist priest waved his whisk, which swept up Dugu Ying and Mingyue, and they disappeared without a trace.

Wang Er also gave an order for the people from the Demon Suppression Division who had regained consciousness on the Zen Inquiry Platform to leave with their people.

In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, only twenty or thirty people remained on the Zen platform, most of whom were high-ranking Confucian, Buddhist, Taoist, and martial arts masters at the fifth or sixth rank.

Those who came from the west, however, did not disperse at all; they simply clasped their hands together and chanted sutras, clearly having great confidence in the Arhat of No Birth.

"Have you seen Monk Juesheng?" Wang Er asked Meng Yuan, seeing that Li Weizhen was hesitant to make a move.

"I haven't seen him. What happened to him?" Meng Yuan asked.

“The person behind him is the monk Zhitong!” Wang Er said with a smile.

Zhitong?
Isn't that Dugu Kang's master? And he even had dealings with Xuanjizi, inviting Xuanjizi to Lanruo Temple to discuss Zen before Qingguangzi underwent his tribulation!
Zhitong is clearly a virtuous and eminent monk of the fourth rank, who has performed acts of universal salvation. So why did he help Qingguangzi? What was his purpose?
"What was the great vow that Master Zhitong made?" Meng Yuan could only think of one possibility: that Zhitong also wanted to fulfill his vow and attain enlightenment.

"I don't know." Wang Er shook his head slightly and said, "It might be related to the third level of the Dao attainment."

"Who found out?" Meng Yuan was even more curious. Ever since he arrived at Lanruo Temple, he had been investigating one by one, but he didn't know what the thoughts of these Buddhist practitioners were.

“Hua Suzhi,” Wang Er said. “She is the most perceptive and the best at recognizing people.”

Meng Yuan didn't know what to say, so he asked, "Why hasn't Li Weizhen appeared yet?"

Wang Er said, "He is questioning his own heart."

"What is meant by questioning one's own heart?" Meng Yuan asked.

“A fourth-rank martial artist needs to kill someone of a higher rank to break through to the next level. After the Inquiry of the Heart, it's as if the Qi is locked on; no matter where the Arhat Wusheng flees, he can be found. Similarly, if Li Weizhen wants to escape, she will never escape the eyes of the Arhat Wusheng. The two of them are already entangled.” Wang Er spoke softly, “This step is the first step to opening the Heavenly Gate; there is no turning back. It's either mutual destruction or a fight to the death.” Meng Yuan was momentarily stunned, unable to find Li Weizhen's figure, and only looked at the lotus throne.

Suddenly, a thunderclap fell from the sky, and a flash of light illuminated all directions.

The face of the Arhat of No Birth was clearly illuminated, and he finally raised his head to look at the sky, still showing compassion and pity.

Just then, a shadowy green snake pierced through the dark clouds high in the sky.

The azure light was incredibly swift, stirring up countless winds and rains, which pressed down completely.

Suddenly, a fierce wind arose on the flat ground of Wulou Mountain, breaking countless trees and sending rocks flying.

The bluestone paving stones on the Zen-Questioning Platform shattered into pieces, and few of those remaining on the platform could even stand still.

Bringing wind and rain, the green snake, containing countless bolts of lightning, surged down.

"Is this a real dragon?" Lin Yan lay prostrate on the ground, craning his neck to look.

"It hasn't transformed into a dragon yet!" Wang Er said.

"Not yet transformed into a dragon?" Meng Yuan already sensed that this attack came from the sky and its power was unparalleled. If he were to block it, even with several body temperings and the possession of a strange fire, he would find it extremely difficult to deal with it head-on.

If this attack was before the dragon was transformed, what kind of power would it possess after the dragon was transformed?

Just then, although the green snake had not yet reached the Arhat Wusheng, its momentum had already arrived. The lotus throne collapsed, and the disciples from the west beneath it fell to the ground.

The Arhat without birth remained seated cross-legged, seemingly frozen in mid-air.

Seeing the green snake arrive with wind and rain, accompanied by countless bolts of lightning, the Arhat Wusheng finally made his move.

Meng Yuan could see clearly that the Buddha's light on the Arhat Wusheng was only slightly stronger, but all sorts of images appeared around him.

It resembles a high mountain, a vast ocean, a Buddhist paradise on earth, and an infernal hell. There are those who joyfully attain enlightenment, and those who suffer bitterness and sorrow.

He was surrounded by all the phenomena of the world, and they kept turning endlessly, as if an endless cycle of reincarnation was revolving around him alone.

With a solemn and dignified appearance, the Wheel of Merit appeared behind him. The Arhat of No Birth, with a sorrowful expression, reached out his hand, just like the monk of Nine Tribulations before him, and gently raised his hand to push it forward.

However, compared to the Nine Tribulations Monk, this palm strike was like heaven and earth.

The monk Jiujie claimed to have three thousand kalpa clouds in his hands, but the Arhat Wusheng actually had three thousand worlds in his hands.

In an instant, as the palm was extended, the imagery surrounding the Arhat Wusheng moved slightly, and the light of the green snake dissipated, and the wind and rain disappeared. It was as if a person deeply mired in greed, delusion, and anger had been enlightened by a high monk and had instantly become a Buddha.

After such a blow, the dark clouds dispersed and the wind and rain ceased.

The Arhat Wusheng was seen sitting cross-legged in the void, with the Wheel of Merit appearing behind him and Buddha's light surrounding him, appearing as if the true Buddha had descended to earth to save people from suffering.

"May Buddha have mercy!" The Buddhas who came from the West were all wounded, but they all forced themselves to prostrate themselves before the Arhat Wusheng.

At this moment, Meng Yuan and his group all looked towards the center of the mottled Zen-Questioning Platform.

The man was dressed in a tattered Taoist robe, holding a sword in his hand. His figure was slightly hunched, as if he were enduring all the suffering in the world.

"To have met such a master today, Li Weizhen has no regrets even if she dies." As the Taoist priest spoke, his jet-black hair turned white, and his hands and face were completely devoid of color, covered with wrinkles.

Li Weizhen's lifespan was taken away!

"Fellow Daoist, you are misled by others, why insist on going your own way?" Wusheng Luo's voice was filled with sorrow, as if he wanted to guide Li Weizhen, but was also helpless.

Li Weizhen remained silent, her face covered by her full head of white hair, and did not utter a single word.

"Taoism speaks of purity and non-action. Although you are a martial artist, you have cultivated Taoism for many years. Have you attained purity and freedom?" The Arhat Wusheng spoke, and the entire Wulou Mountain could hear him.

The dark clouds in the sky had dissipated, and faint lights shone in all directions, clearly indicating that many people were waiting and watching this battle.

"We speak of purity and non-action, seeking freedom and ease! Not of being detached from desires, nor of repaying evil with good!" Xuanjizi appeared out of nowhere, his beard fluttering with anger, his whisk waving wildly, showing less of a Taoist's demeanor than Xiao Huanxi from the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion.

Xuanjizi shouted, "Do you feel any sense of freedom? No, right? Then why don't you go up and kill him! Damn it, what kind of stinking dog dares to bully your Daoist master!"

"Amitabha." Seeing that Xuanjizi was crude, Wusheng Luohan said no more and just looked at Li Weizhen.

Li Weizhen slowly straightened her back and said, "Master, I'm not hesitating. It's just that I didn't expect him to be so weak; the whetstone is too unsuitable for him."

"..." Xuanjizi was stunned for a moment. He opened his mouth, but seemed to be at a loss.

Upon hearing this, Wang Er, who was usually so dashing, was now completely bewildered.

Lin Yan muttered to Meng Yuan, "Even the four disciples of Chongxu Temple combined can't boast as much as him."

"Amitabha." The Arhat Wusheng was not angry, but simply said, "Please, fellow Daoist."

Li Weizhen's hair was completely white, and he looked so old that his life force seemed to be about to be extinguished at any moment. He raised the sword in his hand and slowly moved forward.

As he took a step, dark clouds gathered again in the sky, and distant rumbles of thunder seemed to herald an impending downpour.

Before long, a blue light appeared on Li Weizhen's body, and the image of a blue snake seemed to appear behind him.

Then Li Weizhen's aura surged, his Taoist robe billowed, his aged face tore apart, and his body radiated boundless blue light, like sharp blades, which were smoothing out the resentment in his heart.

Waves rose again on the river.

Xiangling was in the awning boat, but the waves suddenly rose, and she lost her footing and was thrown into the air.

Amidst the fierce winds and torrential rain, Xiangling soared higher and higher.

"Wow, that's really high!" Soaked to the bone by the river, Xiangling hurriedly called out to the young castrator, but there was no response.

"I'm going to get soaked!" Xiangling fell from the sky with a thud, then was tossed about by the strong wind on the river, and then fell rapidly. Just as she was about to hit the ground, she quickly closed her eyes and suddenly felt a tightness on the back of her neck.

Xiangling didn't feel any pain, but she felt a little uncomfortable in the back of her neck. When she opened her eyes, she saw a woman in gray holding an umbrella in one hand and pinching the back of her neck with the other.

With the wind and rain no longer able to penetrate under the paper umbrella, Xiangling felt exceptionally at ease.

"You're a good person!" Xiangling exclaimed happily, flailing her arms and legs.

The woman in gray ignored her and simply let go of her hand. But Xiangling was quick-witted; she turned around and threw herself into the woman in gray's arms.

The woman in gray had no choice but to hold Xiangling in one arm.

"Oh, you smell so good!" Xiangling sniffed hard in Hua Suzhi's arms, overjoyed. She looked up at the umbrella, "Your umbrella is so pretty, did you buy it or make it yourself?"

"I bought it." Hua Suzhi held up the umbrella with one hand, looking towards Lanruo Temple, her tone clearly perfunctory.

Xiangling didn't notice anything amiss. She paid no attention to the wind and rain outside, but stared wide-eyed at the umbrella ribs, saying, "It's really good, even better than what my godmother made!"

Hua Suzhi still couldn't be bothered to pay attention to Xiangling.

"Sigh, the clothes are already soaked, and it's too late to bring them in. They might have all been blown away by the wind." Xiangling nuzzled Hua Suzhi's chin, then looked in the direction Hua Suzhi was pointing towards Lanruo Temple. She finally realized that the person in front of her wasn't looking to bring in the clothes, and asked curiously, "What are you looking at?"

"Transform into a dragon," Hua Suzhi said.

(End of this chapter)