Chongming Xianzong

Chapter 469 Core Formation Insights: Suddenly Becoming an Enemy of Buddha
Perhaps because Emperor Wei's magical power was so strong, even the Immortal Shadow Stone could not keep him there for long.

Before leaving, Emperor Wei only exchanged a few more words with Grand Eunuch Wei and Kuang Liuting via telepathy. Afterwards, he seemed to smile slightly at Bai Canhong, the master of Zhaixing Tower, and then his illusory figure disappeared into the sky.

Of course, the influence of being granted the title of Duke and the Emperor's personal presence could not dissipate so quickly.

Even though the title of "Duke of Qin" is no longer as prestigious as it was in the early years of the dynasty due to the current decline of the imperial family, it is not something that can be granted lightly.

Even the ignorant Kang Da Sect Leader knew that although this article was not listed in the David Clan Law, the succession of the Duke of Qin to the Crown Prince and the Crown Prince ascending to the throne was a customary practice in the David Immortal Dynasty.

Even someone as noble as Fei Nanying finally realized that today's troubles were truly enormous. Only now could he understand why the Taiyuan Imperial Clan Court had only been able to reach a decision on this matter until this morning.

This news will soon spread throughout the twenty-seven circuits and over four hundred prefectures of the Great Wei Dynasty. By then, the situation will become much clearer.

Fei Nanying had no time to think further. After the ceremony was over, he still wanted to invite the real people present and the envoys from various families.

With so many advanced cultivators and true masters gathered together, even their mere breathing reduces the spiritual energy of the entire Xuanwei City by at least 30%. If we want to entertain them well, we must be extremely careful.

Fei Nanying, accompanied by several capable subordinates, approached Kuang Liuting and joined him in greeting the various distinguished guests. Master Kang, however, was still reeling from the earlier situation, with beads of sweat even forming on his back.

Kang Changxi, young and fearless, was still immersed in the shock of seeing the Emperor Wei's true face. He felt no fear, but instead felt a sense of admiration.

"A true man should be like this"

Before the boy could finish his murmur, Fei Shuhe slapped him hard on the back of the head, barely managing to swallow the last word.

Yang Wuwei laughed upon seeing this, and Kang Dabao also gave a wry smile. The former gradually suppressed his smile and sighed with regret: "Since the Emperor has said so, it is clear that the era of great contention has begun. Brother Kang, I am somewhat tempted and am afraid I should give it a try."

"What kind of spiritual items have you prepared, fellow Daoist?"

"The Formless White Ze Pill," Yang Wuwei said with emotion, "My family has gone through so much trouble to obtain this magical item."

Kang Dabao knew that the Yang family of Yezhou had indeed been very close to the Yunjiao Prefecture government in recent years, and Fei Tianqin had often driven his two superior cultivators to serve him.

However, the benefits were also obvious. The Yang family's collateral branches had no help from the "three managers" under the jurisdiction of the Star-Picking Tower, and the mid-stage Golden Core cultivator was defeated by Chu Yanran and Wu Feng, who were invited by Yang Baoshan and Yang Yongcheng.

Unlike Jieyi Shangxiu, who was merely on the run in Dingzhou and would occasionally return to harass them, the Golden Core cultivator from the Yang family's collateral branch was indeed seriously injured and had not shown his face for quite some time.

According to some busybodies, they may have all died from their injuries in some remote corner. But regardless of whether that cultivator is alive or dead, the entire Yezhou region has been returned to the hands of the Yang family's direct lineage.

Although the two senior cultivators of the Yang family had worked hard, they no longer needed to worry about infighting among their brothers and had regained control of all the spiritual lands. Therefore, while it was difficult for the most outstanding members of the clan like Yang Wuwei to prepare enough resources for their Golden Core, they could still manage to do so if they gritted their teeth and squeezed it out.

Upon hearing this, Master Kang's eyes revealed a genuine joy, and he then sincerely congratulated him, saying, "From now on, when I see you, fellow Daoist, I'll have to address you as 'Senior'."

Yang Wuwei was quite easygoing. After laughing and thanking him, he continued, "I don't want to hear Brother Kang calling me 'senior' any longer. At most, I'll just take my leave first. I think that with your qualifications, you won't keep me waiting for too long."

In the past, Sect Leader Kang would have offered a series of humble words, his face showing considerable trepidation. However, upon hearing Yang Wuwei's words today, he simply smiled calmly, accepting the blame with equanimity.

The latter's expression changed slightly, and he was about to say something else when a master of ceremonies squeezed in beside them and respectfully invited, "Military Advisor Yang, Magistrate Kang, it's time to take your seats."

After returning the greetings, the two led their families to the banquet that had been prepared.

With dozens of high-level cultivators and several true immortals participating in the banquet, heaven knows how many rare spiritual materials the state court will have to use to make it respectable.

However, soon, Master Kang had no time to feel sorry for the state court. Zhou Yun found the two of them and came over with a bitter look on his face: "You two brothers have made it hard for me to find you."

Yang Wuwei laughed heartily and said warmly, "I've heard that Brother Zhou has been following Wu Feng Shang Xiu in exorcising demons in the Cold Crow Mountains these days, and he's been quite the star. What's going on today?"

Zhou Yun waved his hands repeatedly, feigning fear, and said, "How much wealth do we, master and disciple, possess? What we have gained this time is nothing compared to your Yang family. Even Brother Kang, the head of your sect, is certainly far superior to us."

Even though Kang Dabao knew perfectly well that Chongming Sect had earned more than Wufeng Shangxiu, both openly and secretly, he absolutely could not admit it and hurriedly denied it:

"Brother Zhou is always joking. My position as the head of this sect is quite miserable. We can't even get a position as a Pill Master. How can I compare to you and your master?"

"Haha, fellow Daoist!"

The three chatted warmly for a while, sharing their cultivation experiences and exchanging some useful treasures. Before the banquet began, Cao Xianlu came over to offer a toast.

Despite having failed to form his core once, he showed no signs of dejection. After all, at only a hundred years old, his future was still bright. Neither the Barbarian Ghost Sect, his original sect, nor the Fei family of Yingzhou, his future in-laws, would give up on him so easily.

Even for these two Golden Core sects, the resources for forming a Golden Core are quite precious. Cao Xianlu, who has already wasted one opportunity, will have to work even harder if he wants to earn another one.

Although Cao Xianlu was arrogant, he was still quite friendly to those of the same level who had fought side by side with him. The atmosphere in the room was quite good. Before anyone asked, he took the initiative to talk about his previous process of forming the core.

After gulping down the spirit wine in a tall-necked bottle, Cao Xianlu wiped the remaining wine from his chin with the hem of his robe before speaking in a secret voice: "To be honest, fellow Daoists, my previous attempt at forming the Golden Core and transforming the spiritual liquid into mercury went very smoothly. However, I stumbled on the steps of 'practicing the theory of alchemy' and 'enlightening the Dao Lotus.' I thought that after more than ten years of honing my skills, the theory of alchemy would have been perfected, but it turns out that all my hard work over the years has been in vain."

It wasn't until I reached the stage of Core Formation that I discovered my theories on alchemy were utterly flawed and riddled with errors. With my Dao heart unbalanced, I became completely incompetent. Fortunately, the spiritual objects my master bestowed upon me were perfectly compatible with my Daoist practices; otherwise, my injuries would have been far more severe, potentially taking over a decade to heal, which would have delayed many things.”

Cao Xianlu's words this time didn't contain much substantial information. "Spiritual liquid turning into mercury" is exactly the same principle as spiritual energy turning into liquid when a Qi Refining cultivator advances to Foundation Establishment. However, Sect Leader Kang doesn't need to worry about this step.

This is because the wisp of elixir fire within his dantian lotus constantly tempers his spiritual power, making it incredibly solid. If he were to perish at this stage, then the entire Shannan Dao would likely produce only a handful of Core Formation cultivators.

As for "enlightening the Dao Lotus," it means responding to the formation of the Dao Lotus with the formation of the core. Only after the Dao Lotus responds will the inner demons invade again. Generally, once a cultivator survives this step, they are considered to have successfully formed their core.

It's not too bad that Cao Xianlu fell at the "Lotus of Enlightenment" stage, since he was uninjured and still young, and would have at least two or three more chances to try.

However, he didn't say much to the other cultivators. He didn't explain the key points, such as what he meant by "the theory of alchemy," what it means to "not withstand scrutiny," or how to maintain a clear mind and avoid being disturbed by inner demons.

That's normal. These people aren't exactly sworn brothers, so it would be strange if Cao Xianlu were willing to reveal everything without reservation. If that were the case, even if Headmaster Kang had heard this lecture, he would still need to carefully analyze it after returning home, for fear that there might be some treacherous tricks hidden within.

Cao Xianlu brought it up at this time with a deeper meaning. Yang Wuwei seemed quite interested, and it was likely that he would soon exchange some resources with Cao Xianlu for a copy of the Core Formation technique.

Yang Wuwei, who came from a wealthy family, was not lacking in such things. He had memorized every word of the scriptures written by the senior scholars in the Yang family's library in Yezhou.

However, since a thousand people can refine a thousand methods, and a thousand methods can be developed by a thousand people, it would be a great thing to obtain a previously unseen book of insights for reference. Yang Wuwei was naturally tempted at this critical juncture.

The banquet was drawing to a close at this point. Kuang Liuting not only failed to offer any thanks but also didn't even show his face. Only Fei Nanying from the state court came out to deal with the various envoys. Although the latter was only a newly promoted upper cultivator, he was still somewhat at odds with these seasoned Golden Core cultivators. However, due to his family background and the advantage of being a mid-grade Golden Core cultivator, he was able to at least speak with the envoys.

However, since he is so busy, we can only apologize to the others for their poor hospitality.

Under such circumstances, and given that none of them were idle and had many things to do, they were unwilling to wait.

However, Kang Dabao could not leave. During the banquet, he saw the official in charge of etiquette come to deliver a message, asking him to stay with his family, as Fei Tianqin had something to say to him later.

Before parting, the cultivators left behind a variety of looks, some envious, some jealous, and some sympathetic. They also left Kang Changxi a number of useful items, which pleased the sect leader quite a bit.

However, he did not expect that among the group of envoys, there was one person who walked towards him.

If the Nascent Soul sects that came were mostly those close to the Immortal Dynasty, then apart from the Blood Sword Sect, which had just been destroyed, all the other Nascent Soul forces were present among the envoys.

One of the narrow-eyed old monks, dressed in a monk's robe, bowed to Fei Nanying, then made a hand gesture and chose a direction to find Kang Dabao.

"People from Benying Temple on Snow Mountain Road?" Without a second thought, before the old monk even approached, Sect Leader Kang stood up, shielding his wife and children behind him. He then bowed deeply and loudly proclaimed, "Junior Kang Dabao greets senior from Benying Temple." After that, the old monk's warm smile suddenly froze, and other cultivators around him also looked over, making this place the most eye-catching spot.

After bowing apologetically to his peers, Fei Nanying approached upon hearing the voice and asked in a calm voice, "What brings you here, Chief Jiada?"

"Lord Gucheng, please don't be nervous. This humble monk has no ill intentions. I merely wish to see the talents of the young man from the south of the mountain." The chief monk Jiada's long eyebrows twitched, and his tone was unreadable. Before Fei Nanying could ask again, he spoke first and asked, "I wonder if Lord Gucheng would allow me to have a private chat with this young friend?"

Kang Dabao's heart tightened, Fei Shuhe looked flustered, and even Kang Changxi noticed something was wrong, so he stepped from his mother's side to stand behind the headmaster.

Fei Nanying was also quite wary of this Golden Core cultivator who had been in the cultivation realm for many years. Just as he was about to refuse, he heard an arrogant voice from behind him: "Why not? I'll grant your request. Let's see what this little monk dares to do!"

"Fei Tianqin?!"

"The Marquis of Fengcheng?!"

Those who can serve as envoys for Nascent Soul cultivators are undoubtedly among the best among the upper cultivators, but upon seeing Fei Tianqin shrink his true form and enter the arena, they all turned their attention to him.

Most people looked on with admiration, and even those families whose relationship with the Immortal Dynasty was extremely hostile were filled with solemnity.

“Ancestor,” Fei Shuhe said softly, her worry undiminished.

Fei Nanying glanced at it and was about to speak when he heard Fei Tianqin's secret voice transmission. After a few breaths, he felt much more at ease and did not speak again.

When speaking and interacting with Fei Tianqin, Chief Jiada could hardly appear composed. Instead, a hint of humility appeared on his face, and Chief Jiada bowed to Fei Tianqin in gratitude.

Just as he was about to find a quiet room to speak with the expressionless Sect Leader Kang, he heard the old bird add, "Little monk, don't linger. This old master and I have important matters to discuss."

The head monk stopped and respectfully replied, "This humble monk understands and will certainly not delay your affairs, senior."

With a heart full of suspicion, Kang Dabao entered the quiet room with Chief Jiada and sat down according to their rank. He did not rush to speak, but waited for Chief Jiada to speak first.

The latter, however, also remembered Fei Tianqin's instructions: he hadn't used any of the profound Zen riddles or Buddhist verses he had prepared beforehand, and had simply stated:
"Young friend, your spiritual awareness far surpasses that of your peers, and your physical strength is no less than that of a direct descendant of a major sect. I've also heard that your pupil techniques and halberd skills are unparalleled among your peers. You are truly remarkable. In that case, it is only natural that the boy Fu Neng was defeated by you. It is not surprising."

As soon as the old monk uttered the words "Fu Neng Xiao Er," Kang Da Bao immediately breathed a sigh of relief. However, before he could express it, the old monk spoke again, confirming what the sect leader Kang had in mind.

“Young friend, there is no need to worry. I am Jiada, the abbot of Miaohua Hall of Benying Temple, and the master of the Buddhist disciple Gada.”

Kang Dabao raised his eyebrows and saw that the old monk's smile was truly kind. He understood a lot, but he did not speak yet, waiting for the latter to ask a question.

"Last time, the abbot spared no effort to expend his true spirit and offend the Lord of Zhaixing Tower in order to bring Fu Neng back to the mountain. However, he was still tricked by the villains of the Zen sect on the way, which aggravated Fu Neng's injuries. So far, he has not yet formed a golden core, let alone advanced to the Vajra Wisdom Sea Form."

While there was no hint of glee in Jia Da's words about his own junior's misfortune, there was also no sadness, making his attitude quite clear.

Seeing that Headmaster Kang remained silent, Chief Abbot Jiada spoke more bluntly: "In other words, after Fu Neng's defeat in Yunjiao Prefecture, he first lost his position as a Buddhist disciple, then his chance to form a Golden Core, and even more so, the trust of the abbot. So, his feelings towards you, young friend, cannot be described by the word 'hate' alone."

When Chief Abbot Jiada reached this point, he could see that Kang Dabao's eyes had suddenly become much more serious, so he continued, "According to his master Ma Longqin, he should be advised to regard the young friend as an enemy of the Buddha."

Unable to contain himself any longer, Kang Dabao asked, "This junior is ignorant and dares to ask, is the so-called 'Buddha's enemy' the same as 'you die, I live'?"

The chief monk Jiada's expression remained unchanged as he spoke in a warm tone: "Indeed, the so-called 'enemy of Buddha' means 'a fight to the death'."

“This is indeed a troublesome matter,” Kang Dabao frowned, then muttered to himself, “No wonder practitioners in this world dislike Buddhism and Buddhism. The so-called ‘cause and effect,’ ‘karma,’ ‘good and evil,’ and ‘enemy of Buddha’ are all extremely annoying and troublesome.”

Knowing that annoyance was useless, Kang Dabao sighed softly and then asked, "May I ask why you have come here specifically to speak of this matter for me, senior?"

As usual, Abbot Jiada smiled and said, "It is because I have lost my compassion. I can see that you are a protector of Buddhism, so how can you be regarded as a heretic or a true demon?"

Kang Dabao sensed something amiss and tentatively asked, "So, senior, you want me to stop Fu Neng's cultivation so that it can benefit your temple's Garda Buddhist disciple?"

"Haha, young friend, please don't misunderstand. Garda Buddha reached the stage of Core Formation at the age of one hundred, and the Core Formation is of medium grade. He has mastered nine of the sixteen major methods in the temple, and has understood most of the essence of the three hundred and sixty-five esoteric teachings. His position as Buddha's disciple is more secure than the eternal ice on the snow mountain, and he has no need to fear any of his fellow disciples."

Although Chief Abbot Jiada spoke very eloquently, before Grand Master Kang could ask any further questions, he whispered for a while longer: "However, if you are confident in the future and can accomplish this, you will gain the friendship of the Buddha's son, Gada."
The old monk emphasized this point, and a sharp glint appeared in his cloudy eyes: "The friendship between the future founders of Tantric Buddhism!"

These words were of great importance, and Master Kang dared not agree. He simply said in a low voice, "The direct descendant of Fu Neng Temple is exceptionally skilled, and I dare not underestimate him. However, if I can be defeated by him once, I can be defeated again."

"Good ambition," Chief Jiada praised without reservation. However, he was not one to just talk big. He handed over an item and explained in a low voice, "This ancient ink ring is not a magic weapon, but it has a unique and wonderful use. If you have time later, young friend, you may take a good look at it."

"Thank you for your generous gift, senior." Just as he had instructed Jiang Qing, Headmaster Kang was determined to accept any good things. He wasn't too afraid of the old monk using any tricks, because judging from the latter's fear of Fei Tianqin, it was unlikely that he could deceive the Fei family patriarch.

Chief Jiada was efficient; after explaining his purpose and presenting the treasure, he left the meditation room first.

Kang Dabao, clutching the dark jade ring, walked to Fei Tianqin's side. The latter, without seeking a quiet room, directly carried him up to the clouds. After the sect leader Kang explained everything that had just happened, a hint of surprise appeared in Fei Tianqin's sharp eyes.

"Buddha's Enemy? A Ring?"

The old bird summoned Kang Dabao's dark jade ring for a look, and after a few breaths, he sneered: "This Jiada doesn't seem like the abbot of a great temple. He's so stingy. It's just a flawed magic weapon that can restrain Buddhist cultivators. How dare he give it away? Aren't you ashamed?!"

"Ancient magic ring, does it restrain Buddhist cultivators?" Sect Leader Kang murmured for a moment. He didn't care about the grade of the jade ring at the moment, but just felt that it was quite suitable.

"Yes, there was a wave of ancient demons in this world back then, quite a long time ago, probably when the Bitter Spirit Mountain sect was first established. Back then, they caused those bald men who were outwardly kind but inwardly thieving and promiscuous suffered a lot. The ring you have isn't of high quality; at most, it can only deal with bald thieves in the Golden Core realm. If you encounter a Nascent Soul cultivator, it will probably be completely useless."

Fei Tianqin stopped there and didn't say anything more, but then added:

"How exactly did you cultivate, kid? You're truly a freak. Despite having terrible aptitude, your cultivation is incredibly solid. You'll be able to attempt to form your core within half a century at the latest. And your pupil technique—among your peers, I can hardly find anyone who can match you."
Your halberd skills have also improved somewhat; Nan Ying was far inferior to you at your age. Now, even your spiritual sense has surged, and your physical cultivation has made rapid progress. Tell me yourself, what exactly were you cultivating before you turned thirty?”

"It's all thanks to our ancestors' cultivation."

"Nonsense! If our ancestor had such ability, the Fei family would have been long gone. I have examined you carefully, but I really cannot find anything unusual about you. It is truly strange."

Fortunately, Fei Tianqin did not dwell on the matter, and simply said, "Enough, enough. If we continue to dig deeper, wouldn't that be beneath my dignity as the patriarch?"

"Thank you for your consideration, Ancestor."

"Thanking me all the time, don't you find it annoying?" The old bird's tone was somewhat dissatisfied, then he added, "Listen carefully, the Duke of Qin wants to see you later."

"See me?" Kang Dabao asked doubtfully. "Grandfather, did the Duke instruct you to ask me anything?"

"I don't know, but I just heard from Eunuch Wei that he and the Duke of Qin both want to see you?" The old man's tone was also somewhat doubtful, but Kang Dabao seemed to be thinking, "Eunuch Wei, is that the immortal who announced the imperial edict today?! Wait, could it be the current emperor?"

Kang, the sect leader, suddenly became a little nervous. This was not his fault, after all, he had quite a few secrets compared to others of the same level. Who knew if Wei Di, who inherited the True Monarch's legacy, could see some of them even if he was not there in person?
Fei Tianqin also noticed that Kang Dabao was acting a little strangely, but he didn't take it to heart. He thought that Kang Dabao was going to meet a Nascent Soul cultivator, and it was normal for a Foundation Establishment cultivator to be a little nervous.

Even the usually arrogant and unruly Fei Tianqin couldn't help but tremble at the thought of this head of David's inner court and the leader of the world's clean army.

After all, this person's methods and tactics are top-notch.

"Damn it, I didn't show up when the imperial edict was announced. Will this bastard hold me accountable later?" Fei Tianqin suddenly felt a chill of fear, but then he thought again, "It's not my fault. If I were here, Grand Eunuch Wei would definitely have made me carry him. Tsk, such a thing is too embarrassing. I really can't do it. Otherwise, how can I establish my authority in Shannan after this?"

The old bird suppressed his annoyance and quickly led Master Kang to the place where the True Immortals and Kuang Liuting were discussing matters.

(End of this chapter)