Chongming Xianzong

Chapter 635 The Great Treasure Returns to Fengming Prefecture; The Buddhist Disciple Sets a Deal to Capture the Hidden Scale

————Fengming Prefecture
Kang Dabao had not been to Fengming Prefecture City for more than half a century. Now, as soon as he landed, he felt that this already famous and prosperous immortal city in the northern mountain region had become even more magnificent.

It was once a prominent center for cultivation in the southwest of the Great Wei Immortal Dynasty, and now, with the Qin State Duke's Mansion located here, it has become even more vibrant with the flourishing of all things.

Given Master Kang's current status, even without any reliance on others, he doesn't need to queue in this long line like the low-level cultivators at the city gate.

The city gatekeeper of Fengming Prefecture was a Golden Core cultivator from the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect. His skills were not particularly outstanding, so Kang Dabao didn't have much of an impression of him.

However, Guan Cheng was extremely enthusiastic, and within moments, his ears were filled with flattery. Fortunately, these were all cultivators who had reached such a level, and few of them were unaware of propriety.

Hearing that Kang Dabao spoke politely but kept glancing at a corner of the city behind him, Guan Cheng knew that the Marquis of Wuning had come to Fengming Prefecture on important business.

Guan Chengxuan then abandoned his plan to hold a banquet and only brought a few bottles of what could be considered high-quality spirit beast pills as a gift.

Headmaster Kang initially wanted to decline, but then remembered that Duan Anle might be able to use it, so he accepted it casually. Perhaps he could let the disciples of the Pill Hall take a look and see if they could slightly improve the pill formula.

After Kang Dabao passed through the city gate, which was heavily fortified with arrays, the bustling scene that greeted him was beyond description.

Ever since Zhaixinglou was transferred to the capital region by a decree from the Xuanqiong Palace, Fengming Prefecture has become the wealthiest place in the southwest.

To show his importance, Emperor Wei even ordered that the Silver Knife Prince Consort Shen Lingfeng also be stationed in Fengming Prefecture.

Despite his inconspicuous appearance in the Southwest campaign, he had only been an infant for a little over a hundred years, possessed a Daoist body, and had outstanding aptitude. In the eyes of the elders of the David clan, he was no less despised than Kuang Zefu, the Northern King, a distant member of the royal family who had risen to power by risking his life.

Now that the turmoil in the southwest is gradually subsiding, things in Gyeonggi Province are becoming increasingly turbulent and unpredictable.

But Emperor Wei actually gave up a capable master and placed him in Fengming Prefecture, which made the rumors that the Ninth Prince would succeed as the master of Xuanqiong Palace seem somewhat unfounded.

Thinking of this, Sect Leader Kang glanced once more at the towering Qin State Duke's Mansion.

He was never very optimistic, so he sighed inwardly:
"The Ninth Prince is still not fully formed, and it's hard to say what the emperor is thinking. Considering how ugly things were last time, all that was done was to exile a Right Minister of the Imperial Clan. It doesn't really show how decisive the current emperor is."

That's all I thought. Kang Dabao has the Kuang Liuting horse bone talisman on him, but he has no reason or right to change his allegiance.

For him and his Chongming Sect, the best outcome now would be for Emperor Wei to pass away, and for Kuang Liuting, with his superior Golden Elixir cultivation, to be elevated to that position by the elders of the Kuang family.

After walking for a while, Master Kang realized that after many years, Fengming Prefecture had expanded to a size he was completely unfamiliar with.

Although Kang Dabao is now a nobleman, he is far from being able to recklessly use his divine sense to search in such a place. In the end, he followed the sound of Buddhist music and stepped forward.

Upon arriving at the location, he realized that although he had not found the right place, the Buddhist music was not coming from the residence of the Buddhist disciple Gada of Benying Temple.

I don’t know how the officials of the Duke’s mansion arranged it, but outside the White Pagoda Temple, where the golden banners of Garda reflect the Buddha, there is a Mahayana Buddhist temple with a Buddhist atmosphere right in front of it.

It's clear that although both temples are quite popular, the Xianzong Temple, with its spacious halls, open eaves, and bright courtyards, is more favored by ordinary people.

Of course, this may also be closely related to the fact that Zen Master Huiming had only recently left Shanbei Road and returned to Zhongzhou.

To be honest, the Buddhist and Taoist traditions were already quite weak in the southwest. Even though Huang Miboren was once considered the leader of Buddhist and Taoist practitioners in the southwest and was in charge of the Yunze Wuzun Temple, a well-known Golden Core sect, he still failed to establish a Buddhist realm in Huangpi.
It was only after Zen Master Huiming achieved merit in the battle in the southwest that the lineage of Xianzong was granted permission by Emperor Wei to preach under the jurisdiction of the Duke of Qin's mansion.

At this moment, in the eyes of Master Kang, this place of practice was a place where wandering monks and lay Buddhists from all directions took refuge and received precepts. According to rumors from outsiders, every year more than a thousand monks would apply for ordination certificates and become monks here.

These Buddhist monks do not enjoy peace and quiet in the temples. Nowadays, small temples and monasteries marked as "Ten Directions Forest" have sprung up in various states and counties. It is also common to see novice monks in yellow robes with ordination scars and alms bowls in various markets and streets.

In a few years, ordinary Buddhist practitioners may no longer need to be as timid and hesitant as before when they show their faces in public.

"But this commotion seems to have little to do with the Esoteric Buddhist tradition?!" Kang Dabao turned his gaze away from the Exoteric Buddhist practice site and looked at the poor, uneducated monks in front of the White Pagoda Temple, muttering to himself:
"However, in this Davidian Dynasty, the Esoteric and Exoteric schools are almost irreconcilable enemies, which is quite normal."

Since Zen Master Huiming had already left, and he didn't even recognize his disciple Kang Da, who was in charge of the abbot's affairs, he abandoned his intention to visit him. Instead, he turned and walked towards the magnificent White Pagoda Temple.

Before he even reached the steps, a waft of incense, mixed with the scent of cosmetics, wafted towards Kang Dabao.

The people standing in front of the temple were not the monks who were in charge of receiving guests, but two maids in purple robes who had been brought out from inside the temple.

The two maids wore silver hairpins adorning their hair buns, small gold bells hanging from their earlobes, and held whisks with handles embroidered with mandala patterns in their hands.

Seeing Kang Dabao approach, she neither bowed nor exchanged pleasantries, but simply lowered her eyes and asked, "This servant greets Marquis Wuning. The Buddhist monk had instructed me that if the Marquis were to visit, I should immediately invite him into the temple to meet him."

These two maids were highly skilled in seduction; they could make anyone's ears itch with just a few words uttered in a soft voice.

Kang Dabao smiled faintly and nodded for a moment; such flattery was of little use to him.

However, if a fake cultivator with a slightly weaker temperament were here, he would likely falter before these two true cultivators at the first encounter. Driven by a sense of excitement, he found the Benying Temple's ability to train Mingfei quite remarkable.

As for how Ga Da knew he had entered the city, he wasn't surprised.

After all, times have changed. The moment Guan Cheng from the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect met him, there were probably few Golden Core cultivators in the city who didn't know that the Marquis of Wuning's mansion had entered the city gates.

Following the maid inside, Kang Dabao finally saw the entire White Pagoda Temple:
Inside the temple gate stands a gilded Vajra statue, three zhang tall, its body covered with Sanskrit mantras, gleaming with dazzling golden light in the sunlight;
The long corridors on both sides are covered with vermilion banners with gold patterns. The banners are painted with images of wrathful deities unique to Esoteric Buddhism. When the wind blows the banners, the golden bells ring softly, but they do not have the clear and bright sound of exoteric Buddhist music. Instead, they convey a sense of solemnity.

The ground was paved with bluestone slabs, with fine diamond sand embedded in the gaps between the slabs. When you stepped on them, you could feel spiritual energy rising up from the soles of your shoes. This was clearly some kind of hidden magic array.

Upon reaching the foot of the White Pagoda, they saw a long-browed eunuch dressed in black standing before them on the steps.

The eunuch was pale-faced and bound in chains with swastika symbols. Although he possessed the cultivation of a Golden Core cultivator, a deep-seated servility remained. The fawning smile on Kang Dabao's face seemed entirely natural, yet somehow utterly repulsive.
"This mountain servant greets Your Excellency."

Kang Dabao showed no arrogance, bowed in return, and followed the eunuch up the steps.

The interior of the White Pagoda is narrow and steep, with stone steps that allow only one person to pass at a time. The walls are inlaid with luminous pearls, providing dim yet even light that makes the Tantric mandala patterns on the walls even clearer.

The pattern, outlined in gold powder, was layered like a maze, a stark contrast to the simple, blank style of the walls in the Xianzong monastery. After climbing about a hundred steps, we finally reached the top-floor meditation room. The eunuch opened the door and withdrew, leaving only Kang Dabao standing at the door. Inside, a rich aroma of Tibetan incense burned, the smoke carrying a faint scent of perfume, completely different from the light tea aroma of the Xianzong monastery.

In the center stands a bronze mandala, with a three-inch bronze Buddha enshrined in the center. In front of the Buddha are three butter lamps, whose flickering wicks illuminate the surrounding scriptures with a dark yellow glow.

Garda, the Buddhist monk, sat on a futon beside the mandala, dressed in a moon-white monk's robe with dark gold lotus patterns embroidered on the hem. He held a string of sandalwood prayer beads in his hand. When he saw Kang Dabao enter, he slowly raised his eyes and said, "Marquis Wuning, it's been a long time. Your demeanor is even more impressive than before!"

As Ga Da finished speaking, the speed at which he twirled the prayer beads on his fingertips slowed down slightly.

He smiled faintly and gestured for Kang Dabao to sit on the futon opposite him. He then called over the eunuch who called himself Shan Nu, and ordered him to bring a cup of crisp tea. The tea had a pale golden luster and a faint milky aroma.

"Your Excellency must have had a long and arduous journey from Huangpi Road. Please try this crisp tea first. It was brewed with milk brought from the Great Snow Mountain just last month. It may not be as famous as some of the other teas, but it has its own unique flavor."

Kang Dabao took the teacup, took a small sip of the tea, and let it slide down his throat. After it settled in his stomach and was slightly digested, a warm sensation rose from his dantian, and even his spiritual energy seemed to increase slightly.
"You're too kind, Buddhist disciple. This tea is far more than just having a unique flavor! If I could drink this crispy tea every day, I might as well seal up my seclusion room and use it for something else."

"You jest, Lord Marquis," Ga Da chuckled, his fingers twirling his prayer beads, which made him appear even more handsome. In the blink of an eye, Baochai and Mingfei entered the hall, personally offering sweet dew-infused candied fruit for Master Kang to enjoy.

The latter thanked him softly. Even though Baochai and Mingfei were dressed so thinly that it was difficult to keep one's eyes open when they were close, Kang Dabao's eyes did not show the slightest lewdness.

"pity,"

Baochai, Mingfei, and Ga Da all sighed inwardly. After all, if this Headmaster Kang was really as lecherous as rumored, this was a rare opportunity to befriend him.

Ga Da had previously trapped himself, believing that the honey trap would always work, but he was indeed fooled by the Zen Master Huiming, who used the pseudonym Bu Se.

But in his view, it was because Huiming, who had already become a Zen master, was shameless and abandoned his status as a high-ranking monk of the Mahayana sect to joke with him, a mere junior. It could not be considered that his honey trap had failed.

And afterward, when Zen Master Huiming revealed his identity, didn't he realize he was in the wrong? In addition to writing a letter to Benying Temple, he also sent a Buddhist scripture with annotations, ostensibly to encourage future generations.

Seeing that Kang Dabao was not moved by Baochai and Mingfei, Ga Da stopped testing him and gestured for the latter and the servants to leave.

At this moment, only the two people remained in the hall, and the aroma of incense and tea mingled, creating a more tranquil atmosphere than before.

Gada, holding the Buddhist prayer beads in his hand, suddenly laughed and said, "You are the kind of person who doesn't visit unless there's a reason. Since you've come to see me in person today, you must have something important to discuss. Please speak frankly. We are friends, so there's no need for such useless formalities."

After hearing Ga Da's polite words, Master Kang smiled slightly, but when he spoke, he subtly changed the subject:
"To be honest, Master, I have come here today with a request."

Ga Da readily agreed with a laugh, saying, "Please speak freely, Lord Marquis. If I were to do my utmost, I would not refuse."

“Kang has a junior brother named Yuan Jin, who is Kang’s only brother and we grew up together.”

"The story of Lord Hou starting from scratch is widely circulated in the surrounding areas. Ga Da also heard of the reputation of Yuan Er of Chongming holding the banner with one hand and remaining unmoved."

"My junior brother Kang had a setback on his cultivation path when he was young. Now, he has a seed of ape demon in his heart. Even though he has perfected his alchemy theory, he dares not try to form an elixir."

Kang had sought out rare elixirs and precious jade remedies from his fellow practitioners, but none of these could eradicate his inner demons. Therefore, after much inquiry, he heard that your sect possessed a rare treasure called 'Mani Treasure Leaf,' which was extremely effective in purifying the mind, and so he shamelessly came to request it.

As they were talking, Sect Leader Kang took out another storage bag containing several magical treasures, which were considered top-quality among the magical treasures that Kang Dabao had retrieved.

However, Ga Daxian was much wealthier than he had imagined, and Benying Temple's Buddhist disciple Xian showed little interest in the storage bag. Upon hearing the words "Mani Treasure Leaf," he immediately frowned.

"Yuan Jin's inability to eradicate his inner demons is quite well-known. It is said that even Kuang Liuting bestowed upon him a copy of the 'Scripture of Clearing the Mind, Overcoming Calamities, and Awakening to True Understanding' back then, but unexpectedly, after many years, it has still been difficult to eradicate them completely."

Ga Da had no idea that Kang Dabao's words contained hidden meaning, after all, the latter had always acted in this way.

He was clearly a restorer of the dynasty, but when it came to the key figures he cared about, he made a series of foolish moves. Yet, he was capable of doing things that would only incur favors for his junior brother.

However, although Ga Da did not suspect that Kang Dabao's words were strange, this Mani precious leaf was not an ordinary treasure, and even he only had three pieces at hand.

Tantric practice is always prone to the danger of going astray and becoming possessed by demons. These three Mani leaves are his three life-saving items. How could he give them away as worthlessly as the letter he handed to Huang Miboren?

“Your Excellency should know that Ga Da is not a stingy person,” the Buddhist monk said, his smile fading as he continued earnestly, “but I am not stingy.”
"Therefore, it is not that Gada is unwilling to give the Mani Leaf to the Marquis, but that this precious treasure is indeed related to Gada's cultivation and practice, and cannot be given away. I hope the Marquis will understand."

Kang Da, being a businessman by trade, immediately realized that the storage bag he had was underweight upon hearing Ga Da's words, and so he put it away again.

However, hearing that Ga Da hadn't completely ruled out the possibility, Kang Dabao was unwilling to give up and said directly:
"Kang knows that he is forcing someone into a difficult situation, which is not the behavior of a gentleman. However, this item is related to his junior brother's life and future, so he hopes that the Buddha will show some mercy."

"Yes, the Marquis's brotherly affection is truly touching."

Hearing that Ga Da seemed to have relented and was willing to offer terms, Kang Dabao breathed a sigh of relief. After all, the request for Mani Baoye's assignment was made by Fei Yeyi through Fei Wanqing, so it couldn't be delayed.

“Since that is the case, Ga Da will shamelessly ask the Marquis for a favor. If the Marquis can accomplish this, then Ga Da will certainly offer this Mani Leaf with both hands.”

As soon as Ga Da finished speaking, Headmaster Kang responded, "Buddha, please speak freely."

"Back then, when the demon commander Feng Wen was captured in the south of the mountain, his remaining followers scattered in all directions. Among them was a demon named Yong Li, who belonged to the Xuanwu Hidden Scale Beast branch. He is currently hiding in the area around the south of the mountain, and his whereabouts are unknown."

"Gada is alone here and has no one to rely on, so he has come to you, Lord Marquis. If you can capture this fellow alive, this Mani Baoye Gada will certainly not be stingy."

Kang Dabao recalled the name Yongli Demon School, which seemed to be familiar to him.

The file states that the Mysterious Mist Hidden Scale Beast appeared near the Moyun Marsh more than ten years ago, and even killed several cultivators and alchemists from affiliated sects. At that time, it was considered a scourge within the jurisdiction of the Chongming Sect.

However, this beast was exceptionally skilled at hiding, and when Jiang Qing led his men to capture and kill him, they were nowhere to be found. Fortunately, this beast was also quite sensible, and in recent years he had disappeared without a trace, thus avoiding arousing the murderous intent of the Chongming Sect.

"Don't worry, Buddhist disciple, I, Kang, will definitely handle this matter well."

"Gada will wait for the Marquis to come and collect the Mani Jewel Leaf."

(End of this chapter)