From a refugee to a martial artist

Chapter 337 Going South
The three of them stood by the river, all looking in the direction of Lanruo Temple.

The morning glow filled the sky, with purple and blue hues drifting by, and the Buddha's light soared into the heavens. As they reflected each other, it was as if the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss had appeared on earth.

The monk Juesheng seemed to have anticipated this day. He clasped his hands together, bowed his head slightly, and was bathed in a faint golden light. He was extremely devout, yet also somewhat mad.

Jie Kaiping had obviously just learned of the news. He opened his mouth wide, looked up at the direction of Lanruo Temple, looking both confused and surprised, as if he didn't know what was going on.

Meng Yuan gripped the hilt of his sword, speechless.

According to the monk Juesheng, the person who has now attained enlightenment and transcended tribulation is none other than Dugu Kang's mentor, Zhitong.

This Master Zhitong was a fourth-rank Buddhist monk and an old friend of Daoist Xuanjizi of Chongxu Temple. They had always meditated facing the wall at Wulai Waterfall.

Unexpectedly, he took the opportunity to prove himself after the great battle, and his grand vow was actually related to two third-grade true Buddhas.

Now, one of the two true Buddhas proclaims himself the Holy King of Light, while the other undergoes tribulation and reincarnation, but Master Zhitong's great vow has been fulfilled.

"How did you know that Zhitong was about to break through?" Jie Kaiping looked at Juesheng in surprise, finding Juesheng to be an absolute stranger.

"It can only be him." Monk Juesheng remained devout.

"Then how do you know the grand ambition he holds in his heart?" Meng Yuan asked, looking at Monk Juesheng. "Was he truly involved in the Songhe Prefecture incident?"

"Just speculation." Monk Juesheng looked at the Buddha light above Lanruo Temple and said slowly and calmly, "Qingguangzi's tribulation in order to seek enlightenment is no secret. Masters from Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism can all see it, and many people hope that Qingguangzi will cause trouble."

Monk Juesheng glanced at Jie Kaiping and Meng Yuan, then smiled and said, "Zhitong naturally saw it too. As for why Qingguangzi chose Songhe Prefecture—"

At this point, Monk Juesheng paused slightly before continuing, “Zhitong took advantage of my resentment and used me as a pawn to collude with Qingguangzi.”

Upon hearing this, Meng Yuan looked at Jie Kaiping.

"He's broken through to the fourth rank." Jie Kaiping said, head down, sounding somewhat sullen.

"I have gained some knowledge, which is why I was able to break free from my confinement and see the world," said Monk Juesheng calmly. "If it weren't for this, I would never have known that I had been controlled by someone, let alone seen through Zhitong's thoughts."

"Amitabha," Jie Kaiping sighed.

“Zhitong was on the path to Qingguangzi’s future, and he saw early on that Li Weizhen was truly in a low position, which led to the arrival of Wusheng Luohan,” said Monk Juesheng.

"Now that you have reached the fourth rank, have you made any grand ambitions?" Meng Yuan asked.

“The grand ambition has already been made,” said Monk Juesheng.

"What grand ambition is it?" Jie Kaiping asked curiously.

Monk Juesheng smiled but said nothing.

"You think this world is utterly rotten, and you want to destroy it and rebuild it, or even destroy the world—that's your grand ambition. In fact, this grand ambition has already been set. You say that Zhitong was corrupted by your resentment, but you two are just like turtles looking at green beans..."

Before Meng Yuan could finish speaking, a burst of Buddhist light suddenly emanated from Jue Sheng's body, and he leaped into the Qinglong River.

"I'll just bluff him a bit," Meng Yuan explained when he saw Kai Ping's astonishment and confusion.

"Amitabha." Jie Kaiping was speechless.

Looking at the surging river, Meng Yuan said, "Master Juesheng, the Ying family is kind to all people. I hope you will not go astray! If we meet again by the roadside someday, my sword is most skilled at slaying evil people."

A faint rainbow rose from the river, but there was no response from Juesheng.

Meng Yuan said no more and turned to head towards Lanruo Temple.

After untying the screen and taking a few steps, he suddenly remembered that he absolutely dared not go to Lanruo Temple, so he quickly called out, "Benefactor Meng!"

"You have your own now, go wherever you want!" Meng Yuan didn't turn back, only wanting to go up the mountain immediately to see the details.

"You still haven't paid me my wages from last time!" Jie Kaiping shouted.

"..." Meng Yuan touched his body, took out a few taels of silver, and threw them directly behind him.

Jie Kaiping happily ran forward and picked up the silver from the ground.

Meng Yuan didn't give him the money for nothing; he also left a message: "Head south!"

"Of course, of course." Jie Kaiping replied casually, weighed the silver in his hand, and seeing that it was only about ten taels, he didn't mind that it was too little and put it in his sleeve. Suddenly, he had an idea and looked up at Lanruo Temple.

The Buddha's light was so great that it had already enveloped the entire Lanruo Temple on Wulou Mountain.

Upon unwrapping the screen, a feeling of reverence and worship arose in my heart. I felt that everything in the world has a cause and an effect, and that all people and things in the world are connected by cause and effect.

Although the power of the Buddha's light in the tribulation was far inferior to that of Qing Guangzi in Songhe Prefecture, the meaning within it was no less profound.

When Qingguangzi attained enlightenment, there was no darkness in the world, no darkness in his heart, only a heart yearning for the light. But Master Zhitong took a different path.

Jie Kaiping possessed profound Buddhist knowledge and extensive experience, and had even witnessed Qingguangzi's enlightenment. At this moment, he could see that although Zhitong was about to enter the third level of the Buddhist realm, his ability to fight was probably far inferior to Qingguangzi's.

Even worse than an Arhat without birth.

As for the Dharma form of Master Zhitong, it is probably a Dharma form of non-self and dependent origination, following the path of cause and effect continuity.

"None of those bald monks are any good," Jie Kaiping muttered to himself, then immediately turned and ran away.

Meng Yuan had already transformed into a stream of light and arrived at Lanruo Temple.

Many of the palaces in Lanruo Temple are now in ruins, and the meditation platform paved with bluestone has long since lost its foothold.

The monks, who were cleaning up the mess, all stopped and looked toward the Wuwu Waterfall behind the monastery.

Wuwei Waterfall is where Master Zhitong meditated and faced the wall in meditation.

Upon arriving at the Chijie Temple, monks from Lanruo Temple blocked their way, preventing them from going to Wuwu Waterfall.

"Junior brother!" Lin Yan waved when he saw Meng Yuan arrive. "I thought you had left with Elder Miaoyin!"

"Where is the Third Miss?" Meng Yuan asked.

"She went to check ahead." Lin Yan gestured towards the front, indicating that there were monks from Lanruo Temple blocking the way.

The leading monk was dressed as a martial monk and looked somewhat familiar. He should be of the "了" generation and be a fifth-rank martial artist.

"Liaochen, why are you stopping us from getting closer to see?" Mo Tingyu suddenly spoke up, "Your old monk Zhitong of Lanruo Temple has silently attained enlightenment and transcended tribulations. May I ask what great vow he made? What great vow he fulfilled? Why haven't we seen Tokyo?"

"Amitabha." The martial monk Liaochen bowed his head and said, "Uncle, this is a critical moment. Please wait a moment, benefactor. Once the great undertaking is accomplished, I will explain to everyone."

For a moment, there was a clamor and shouts of cursing.

Meng Yuan stepped forward, and the martial monk Liao Chen who was blocking his way obviously recognized Meng Yuan. He immediately put his palms together and bowed his head, saying, "Benefactor Meng, please wait a moment. My grandmaster is undergoing tribulation, and it is not convenient for outsiders to enter."

"Master, are you trying to stop me?" Meng Yuan pressed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

The monk Liaochen was in his fifties or sixties, with a rugged appearance. Upon hearing Meng Yuan's words, he frowned slightly and took a step back.

Upon seeing this, the other monks immediately surrounded Liao Chen, gathering behind him and waiting for Liao Chen to give the order.

"This bald monk dares to draw his knife against our Demon Suppression Division?" Lin Yan said angrily.

“Exactly!” Mo Tingyu chimed in, “Do they think our Demon Suppression Division has no one to rely on?” “Amitabha.” Seeing this, the martial monk Liao Chen examined Meng Yuan and, seeing that this man was indeed not joking, said, “Benefactor Meng, your divine power has reached its peak, please. The rest of you…”

“Together!” Meng Yuan said.

“The rest of you too,” Liao Chen said.

After passing the monastery and climbing over a mountain, we saw a lake in a valley ahead, with a waterfall hanging above it.

At this moment, the water below the cliff was boiling, and the waterfall had long since stopped flowing. Above, the Buddha's light was so bright that no human figure could be seen.

Upon seeing this, Zhitong underwent tribulation and attained enlightenment above the Wuwei Waterfall.

By this time, a large crowd had gathered a hundred feet below the waterfall. In addition to the eminent monks of Lanruo Temple, there were also Confucian and Taoist masters.

Wang Er and Abbot Zhiguan huddled together, seemingly discussing something.

Xuanjizi and Yingru were far apart, seemingly discussing something in hushed tones.

"Don't go any further." Meng Yuan reminded Mo Tingyu and the others when they were about to follow. "If you get too close during the tribulation, you are more likely to be cleansed by the Buddha's light. Getting injured is secondary; you might even develop a desire to cultivate Buddhism."

Sure enough, after hearing this, Ning Qufei, who wanted to move forward, was held back tightly by Mo Tingyu.

"Third Miss." Meng Yuan stepped forward.

Ying Rushi was dressed in a Taoist robe, with Xiangling still fast asleep in her arms. Seeing the solemn expression on Meng Yuan's face, she smiled and said, "Has an old friend left?"

It was obvious that Ying Rushi knew that Jie Kaiping had come to find Meng Yuan.

"They've already left." Meng Yuan looked up at the Wuwei Waterfall and asked, "Did no one stop them?"

Xuanjizi remained silent.

“Jingxu is not here, and Zhitong has two Arhats protecting him from Lanruo Temple.” A voice suddenly came from behind. “Besides, Zizai Buddha has lost a worthy disciple, and someone should fill the gap.”

The group turned around and saw an elderly Taoist priest, slightly hunched over, with a face full of sorrow.

Behind the old Taoist priest were two women, both of stunning beauty. One of them, short and demure, wore a red cloak and held a sword in her hand; she was Dugu Ying. The other wore a long dress and carried a whisk; she was Mingyue.

The two sisters were like Taoist disciples, both very well-behaved.

The old imperial advisor pointed to the west, where a thick layer of clouds could be seen rolling back and forth.

The clouds were a hundred miles away from here, and I couldn't see anything strange about them.

But upon closer inspection, one might perceive that there are countless worlds within those clouds.

After taking a few more glances, he was completely captivated and lost all interest in the extraordinary phenomenon of enlightenment before him.

Moreover, if one gazes at it for even a little longer, a desire for worship arises in one's heart, and one even wants to go forward to worship, bowing with each step.

"The Buddha of Freedom has come in person?" Meng Yuan asked in surprise.

"He won't come in person, but it's close enough." The old Grand Preceptor had his hands tucked into his wide sleeves. "It should be an avatar that has come."

At this point, the old national advisor sighed and continued, "But even if it's just an avatar, who can stop it? I'm afraid even Li Weizhen can't."

Even a single clone could be so formidable? Meng Yuan felt the road ahead was even more difficult.

"Then why did he allow Jingxu to kill Wusheng Luohan?" Ying asked.

"Perhaps he was also waiting for a martial artist at the third rank. It's just that Dugu Sheng was too incompetent, and Li Weizhen seized the opportunity to rise up." The old national teacher said, glancing at Meng Yuan, "When the three schools of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism are fighting, it becomes difficult to determine a winner when they reach the middle third rank. But it's different when they reach the upper third rank. That is to say, even at the same level, the difference in strength is enormous."

He pointed above the Wuwei Waterfall, "Just like how Zhitong, who is at the same level of the third grade of Buddhism, is no match for Qingguangzi, but should be on par with Wusheng Luohan."

The old national advisor smiled slightly, "The road ahead is difficult. Only the martial artist's strength can break through all laws, which is the most effective way to suppress Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism."

"Thank you for your guidance, Grand Preceptor." Knowing that no one could stop Zhitong from attaining enlightenment today, Meng Yuan remained silent.

The old national advisor stopped speaking, simply putting his hands in his pockets and muttering something under his breath, showing no trace of the demeanor of a wise man.

Dugu Ying behind him had her eyes closed, seemingly unconcerned about what was happening before her. Mingyue didn't even look at Wuwei Waterfall, but instead came to see Meng Yuan.

"Li Weizhen left with Elder Hua?" Mingyue took Xiangling out of Ying Rushi's arms.

Xiangling opened her eyes groggily and saw Mingyue. She turned over, snuggled into Mingyue's arms, and went back to sleep.

Meng Yuan nodded and said, "We left just before dawn, and Xiangling stayed up all night too."

Mingyue nodded and asked, "Are you planning to return to the capital, or where else are you going?"

"And you?" Meng Yuan asked.

Before Mingyue could answer, Dugu Ying seemed to sense her impatience and moved to the side.

"I want to take a trip to the Demon Kingdom," Mingyue said earnestly. "The world is in turmoil, and we should always strive to take another step forward."

“Then we can go together,” Meng Yuan said with a smile.

Mingyue nodded, a smile seemingly playing on her lips, but quickly stopped herself. "Why don't we go ask the Third Miss and Supervisor Wang?"

There was no need to ask the Third Miss; Meng Yuan had already talked to her. She didn't restrict Meng Yuan's thoughts and ideas, and even intentionally encouraged Meng Yuan to get closer to Mingyue.

As for Wang Er, that's easy to say. As a fifth-rank martial artist, especially one who had just defeated a fourth-rank Buddhist martial artist, Wang Er could no longer treat Meng Yuan as an ordinary subordinate.

Just as Meng Yuan was thinking this, he saw Wang Er wave to him.

Wang Er's face was expressionless, lacking his usual dashing demeanor, and even his energy seemed somewhat depleted.

Abbot Zhiguan stood beside Wang Er with his eyes closed and head bowed, seemingly lost in thought.

One of these two men was the head of the Demon Suppression Division, and the other was the abbot of Lanruo Temple. After the great battle, they showed little joy, but instead became even more somber.

“I forgot to tell you, Monk Jiujie is still alive.” Wang Er said with his hands behind his back, “He doesn’t plan to return to the Buddhist Kingdom. He’s going to stay at Lanruo Temple.”

"What does he mean by that?" Meng Yuan asked, puzzled.

“Amitabha.” Abbot Zhiguan opened his eyes and said, “He was inspired by the sparks of enlightenment that ignited his understanding.”

These monks are truly mysterious! Meng Yuan didn't ask any more questions, only saying, "What are the next plans, Chief Supervisor?"

Wang Er glanced at the wine gourd hanging from Meng Yuan's waist and asked with a smile, "Want to go home?"

That's natural; Meng Yuan also wanted to go back and take one last look before heading out to fight on.

“You’ve already reached the fifth rank, only lacking the Heavenly Transformation Realm. Go out and seek your path as soon as possible,” Wang Er said directly. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of your beautiful wife and concubines. You don’t need to worry.”

Wang Er was quite certain. She pointed to Wuwei Waterfall and said, "The villain is right in front of us, and I have no way to deal with him."

She then pointed to Abbot Zhiguan, "This bald man is the abbot, there's nothing we can do about it."

Wang Er said, "We should improve our strength as soon as possible and break through these restrictions!"

(End of this chapter)