This is not how immortals cultivate

Chapter 504 has a big problem; panicking won't help.

charnel ground!
Without the decaying charnel grounds, and stripped of their eerie and terrifying exterior that caused physical discomfort, the scenery can be described as refreshing and pleasant.

A gentle breeze caresses the face, and the air is filled with vitality.

Birds flitted through the forest, and sunlight filtered through the gaps, creating dappled patterns that resembled scattered gold dust, exuding a sense of tranquil and serene serenity.

The art style shifted from deep sorrow to a fresh and lighthearted feel, which took Xiang Yuan a while to adjust to. He followed the Bull Demon King along the stone path through the forest and came across a stone pavilion halfway up the mountain.

The stone pavilion stands quietly in the forest, nestled among the verdant branches and leaves, like a silent guardian, enduring wind and rain yet remaining upright.

The pavilion has no upturned eaves or ornate decorations. A few rough stone pillars support its simple square structure, with only a few strings of wind chimes hanging from them. They sway gently in the wind and tinkle, not disturbing the peaceful tranquility but also adding a touch of liveliness to the scene.

The tables and chairs inside the pavilion are all made of polished bluestone, with simple lines and no embellishment. The entire pavilion is placed in the mountains and forests, just like a hermit enjoying tea and listening to the wind, quietly watching the clouds roll and unfold.

Xiang Yuan raised an eyebrow. Judging from the decoration style of this place, one could tell that the abandoned corpse, stripped of its decay, was like him—a noble and refined person who was indifferent to worldly fame and fortune, who put aside the hustle and bustle, and who used a tranquil heart to converse with heaven and earth and listen to the whispers of the mountain wind.

Soon, a hint of doubt surfaced.

Xiang Yuan saw a mischievous child behind the pavilion. He was not tall, but had bright eyes and white teeth. His delicate features resembled Princess Iron Fan somewhat, and he was not arrogant at all.

It's obviously a minotaur's child.

What's Red Boy doing here, sitting in meditation with a worried look on his face? Shouldn't a child this age be climbing trees to raid bird nests and then peeing far into the wind?

I visited my neighbor's house and broke a figurine. My neighbor made me stand as punishment.
Xiang Yuan looked at the Bull Demon King with confusion, and seeing the latter's clear eyes and obsequious manner, jumping back and forth between stupidity and ignorance and flattery, he became even more puzzled.

has a problem!
From the moment he appeared until now, except for the period when his demonic thoughts were at play, the Bull Demon King has been either fawning or groveling. But Xiang Yuan knows very well that this is because the Bull Demon King needs his help. Otherwise, the big boss in the underworld would be so arrogant and domineering, looking down on everyone with an air of superiority.

Suddenly being so obedient, as if afraid of offending someone, the owner of the abandoned corpse must be no ordinary person.

Regardless of his actual strength, someone who can lose a tooth with a single punch can't be that strong. The key is his status and position; he's probably a second-generation Buddhist with connections.

The scope is too broad; Xiang Yuan can't guess it in a short time.

He didn't ask. There was a small temple ahead, and he could tell at a glance what the corpse-abandoning guardian looked like, which tall donkey he was, or which tall donkey's mount he was.

This is an extremely simple little temple, with blue bricks paving the floor, bells on the eaves, no incense smoke, no vermilion walls, and not even a temple gate.

The reason why there was no temple gate is unknown. Xiang Yuan never thought about it deeply, only assuming it was the owner's hobby.

Upon reaching the temple gate, the Bull Demon King's back, which had never straightened before, became even more limp and boneless. He bowed deeply, his clasped hands hanging limply to the ground.

"The calf pays respects to the Bodhisattva."

Buddha?

Xiang Yuan's heart skipped a beat, and a vague sense of foreboding arose within him.

Inside the small temple, a woman in white robes stepped out on a lotus flower. Bathed in a halo of light, her features were exquisitely beautiful, her lips slightly upturned in a half-smile, exuding a gentle and comforting aura.

Upon closer inspection, that smile appeared holy and solemn, as if it could see through all the illusions of the world and embrace all suffering.

A face of great compassion and mercy.

Guanyin Bodhisattva!

Xiang Yuan: (д⊙)
Who are you? Where did my huge guardian spirit go? Why has it been replaced by such a huge Guanyin Bodhisattva?
Xiang Yuan stared dumbfounded at the Guanyin Bodhisattva with a compassionate smile on her face. Her small, white face was filled with great astonishment, which then turned into horror.

If I remember correctly, he seemed to have punched this guy!
It was even shoved right into my face!
With a snap, several cute front teeth flew everywhere!
"..."

What's there to be afraid of? To put it bluntly, the problem is huge, and panicking won't help, so there's no need to panic.

On a smaller scale, he has a compassionate and merciful nature, a broad mind, and an extraordinary demeanor. People won't take a few front teeth so seriously, so there's no need to panic.

Thinking of this, Xiang Yuan immediately calmed down. He looked closely and saw that this Guanyin Bodhisattva and Baiyue Jushi had some resemblance in appearance and had a magnanimous and generous demeanor. However, the other party was not Baiyue Jushi. If he was not mistaken, it should be the Guanyin Bodhisattva who exiled the Bull Demon King's family here.

Judging from the strength of the Bull Demon King, this Guanyin Bodhisattva is a max-level expert!

"This humble Taoist priest, Xiang Wentian, pays his respects..."

"This humble monk pays homage to the Great Heavenly Venerable."

Before the Bodhisattva Guanyin could even offer a respectful bow, she clasped her hands together and took a step forward in greeting.

"Ah, this..." x2
Both of them looked completely bewildered; one was Xiang Yuan, and the other was Niu Mo.

Xiang Yuan: What does the Great Celestial Venerable mean? How could she know that the Qianyuan Realm has been infiltrated like a sieve?
Oh, the Qianyuan Realm has many inheritances; it's a sieve by nature.

Bull Demon King: What does the Great Heavenly Venerable mean? I... I, the old... this little calf, just don't understand.
……

The camera turned.

Two figures, one in black and one in white, sat facing each other under the pavilion. The Bull Demon King was not there; he had taken the mischievous child and disappeared into the distance.

You have to know your place. You know which powerful figures you can cling to and which you can't. For example, some connections you can't even get by kneeling on your knees. You can't just kneel down to them because you want to.

What kind of class do you have to kneel here? You've dirtied the paving stones in front of the house. Can you afford to pay for it?
Putting aside his dizziness and confusion about whether he had struck it lucky or was like the Bull Demon King who had struck it lucky, Xiang Yuan picked up the tea on the stone table to calm his nerves, still somewhat bewildered.

It wasn't because the Bodhisattva's appearance resembled that of the White Moon Hermit; he had already experienced a similar face once before, during the war between the Heavenly God Realm and the Divine Firmament Realm.

This Bodhisattva is not that great being; one could say they are the same person, but they are definitely not the same person.

To Xiang Yuan's surprise, Guanyin Bodhisattva not only imprisoned the Bull Demon King and other monsters in the Demon Ruins Realm, but even imprisoned herself inside...

If you don't understand, just ask: Can the Demon Ruins Realm really imprison Guanyin Bodhisattva?

Could the Bull Demon King be bait?

Xiang Yuan thought about it more and more and felt that this was a scheme. He originally thought that the Bull Demon King was the biggest gain in the entire Demon Ruins Realm, but he never expected that the Great Sage Equaling Heaven was just an appetizer. Guanyin Bodhisattva had already prepared a series of procedures and was just waiting for him to come to her door.

That said, was there really no explanation for that punch? Could it have been a case of Buddhist extortion?
Xiang Yuan's eyes twitched; she couldn't believe that such a kind and compassionate face could be involved in a staged accident scam, but...

He will definitely pay the price for that punch!
Bodhisattvas are people who care about their reputation; they wouldn't ask for compensation proactively, as that would be too beneath them. Bodhisattvas would just smile slightly and wait for themselves to save face.

The more Xiang Yuan pondered it, the more he felt it was a trap; the more he pondered it, the more he felt the ambiguous smile on Guanyin Bodhisattva's lips held a deeper meaning.

Damn it, I used to really like the Bodhisattva!
Xiang Yuan grumbled inwardly. Compared to these shrewd and calculating people, his only talent was being unreliable. He then used his talent to say, "Bodhisattva is very cunning. He lured me into the trap with the Reincarnation Relic and then made me feel guilty. If I don't offer some benefits today, I'm afraid I won't be able to leave."

"Great Heavenly Venerable, you flatter me. It was just a coincidence. With my meager magical power, how could I possibly outwit you?"

"..."

How did you manage to put the words "Guanyin Bodhisattva" and "meager magical power" together?

Xiang Yuan rolled his eyes: "If that's what the Bodhisattva says, then I'm leaving."

“Great Celestial Venerable, your arrival here signifies an opportunity, an opportunity for both you and this humble monk…”

Guanyin Bodhisattva's smile remained unchanged as she raised her eyes and glanced at the sky: "Heaven and earth have changed. This world is now under the control of the Great Heavenly Venerable. What difference does it make whether we stay or leave?"

At this moment, the Heavenly Dao had already opened up the Demon Ruins Realm and established the ascension passage. After a few brief exchanges, the Qianyuan Realm crushed the Demon Ruins Realm and was able to enter, transforming it into its own shape.

In other words, Xiang Yuan had already extended his influence to the entire Demon Ruins Realm. Even without the Mandate of Heaven, Xiang Yuan could kill a bull with a single punch with just a slight move.

Can one control Guanyin Bodhisattva...?

Looking into the distance, he saw Guanyin Bodhisattva clearly from head to toe, inside and out. She was just an ordinary person. With a straight punch, her front teeth flew off in all directions.

Obviously, this is impossible!
The waters of this Guanyin Bodhisattva are too deep, so deep that Xiang Yuan can hardly grasp them. He feels that he can punch Guanyin Bodhisattva in the face, but it is because the other party has lowered its stance that he feels this way.

So, if you throw a punch now, even if the other side is holding back, you can really see a Guanyin with a missing front tooth.

I suddenly really want to watch it, what should I do if I'm so excited?
Xiang Yuan looked over eagerly, and saw that Guanyin Bodhisattva had a half-smile on her lips and sighed deeply: "Bodhisattva, I have some properties in the Qianyuan Realm, and I have a divine position of the South Pole Guanyin that I have not yet found a suitable person for. I wonder if the Bodhisattva would be willing to condescend to do so?"

"Thunder and rain are all the Emperor's grace, bestowed by the Great Heavenly Venerable. How dare this humble monk refuse? Everything is up to the Great Heavenly Venerable."

As expected of a Bodhisattva, her words are so pleasant to hear.

Xiang Yuan nodded secretly, then said with a serious face, "Bodhisattva, I forgot to mention earlier that in the Qianyuan Realm, there is a Jade Emperor of the Golden Palace of the Azure Heaven, also known as the Central Jade Emperor. He acts on behalf of Heaven and is the supreme ruler of Heaven and Earth. Only he can be called the Great Heavenly Venerable."

"Amitabha, this humble monk has misspoke."

Guanyin Bodhisattva corrected her mistakes with great dignity, and then said, "This humble Taoist is dull and does not know how to address Your Excellency. I hope you will not hesitate to teach me."

"Bodhisattva is too modest. You have seen through the entire Qianyuan Realm, how could you not know how to address me?"

Xiang Yuan shook her head slightly, not introducing herself as one of the three emperors. She knew very well that when Guanyin Bodhisattva uttered the words "Great Heavenly Venerable," it meant that she knew everything about the Qianyuan Realm.

The person opposite him recognized him, but he did not recognize the person opposite him. Moreover, the person opposite him was pretending to be stupid and acted weak and easy to bully, which made Xiang Yuan quite dissatisfied. He bluntly said, "Does the Bodhisattva know that I have already given my heart to the position of Guanyin of the South Pole? If the Bodhisattva had not stopped me, this position should not have been given to you."

"The Emperor is a man of great loyalty and righteousness, which I, this humble monk, admire."

"No way, you knew that?"

Xiang Yuan looked at the unfathomable Guanyin Bodhisattva in surprise. It was understandable that she knew about the situation in Qianyuan Realm, but it was no surprise that even a tattered sieve had been soaked through into a fishnet stocking.

The key is the Celestial Realm.

Judging from Guanyin Bodhisattva's words, she not only has some understanding of the celestial realm but also knows that he and Baiyue Jushi have a relationship. Uh, you didn't peek, did you?

Xiang Yuan's face fell. Come to think of it, although a Bodhisattva is not a great being, and a great being is not a Bodhisattva, strictly speaking, the two of them, the three of them, all of them are considered one person.

Is it really appropriate to secretly watch yourself?

Xiang Yuan shook his head repeatedly, trying to dispel the whimsical thoughts in his mind. He preferred the White Moon Hermit. The White Moon Hermit came first, then Guanyin Bodhisattva. At least in his mind, the cause-and-effect relationship progressed in this way.

He liked the White Moon Hermit, not Guanyin Bodhisattva, so it couldn't be the Guanyin Bodhisattva in front of him, even if their appearances and figures were quite similar. It's not her, it's not her.

Therefore, some topics should be touched upon briefly and not discussed in depth.

If the other side were to actually do it, claiming to be the White Moon Hermit, and then present him with a pink skull on the spot, that would be quite a show.

The lay Buddhist Baiyue would show mercy, but this Guanyin Bodhisattva certainly wouldn't!

Guanyin Bodhisattva maintained a smile throughout, and the unfathomable smile made Xiang Yuan quite uncomfortable. He suspected that the other party had seen through his thoughts and said with a sneer, "Since the Bodhisattva knows what's going on, I won't point it out. There is a predestined relationship between you and me, but that person is you and not you, so let's put aside this predestined relationship and just consider ourselves close friends."

"The Emperor's words are truly insightful. Without the Emperor's guidance, this humble monk would certainly not have been able to see through the illusions." Guanyin Bodhisattva clasped her hands together and nodded in acceptance of the teaching.

"..."

Bodhisattva, you not only speak sweetly and know how to flatter people, but you are also very good at being sarcastic and sarcastic.

Xiang Yuan muttered a couple of complaints to himself, then continued, "Since we're friends, we're family. I have a question: When did the Bodhisattva begin focusing on the Qianyuan Realm and not descend to earth for so long? Is he waiting for me to come and invite him?"

"Your Majesty thinks too highly of this humble monk. The causes and effects in the myriad realms are so complex that even this humble monk's meager magical power is barely enough to protect himself, let alone to scheme against others."

Guanyin Bodhisattva remained humble and slowly said, "This humble monk was able to wait for the Great Emperor in the Demon Ruins Realm only because I saw that there was a great opportunity here, which only those with great fortune can take. Therefore, I sat in solitude and endured hardship, using the most foolish method."

Simply put, she was neither smart nor good at calculations, so she chose to listen to advice and follow the smart and capable big shot.

That's the logic, but Xiang Yuan didn't believe in such nonsense. He raised his hand and tapped the table, putting on an emperor-like face: "Bodhisattva, I've been listening to you for so long, but it's like I haven't heard a word. If you don't come up with something more practical, you may still be the Guanyin of the South Pole, but you're no longer one of my own."

Guanyin Bodhisattva's faint smile faded slightly as she slowly said, "This humble monk is unaware of the schemes of those with great supernatural powers, for I myself am caught in their calculations. Like the Great Emperor, I too am a deception, pursuing the truth. Unable to escape the schemes, I simply follow them..."

According to Guanyin Bodhisattva, when faced with the scheme, she adopted the same attitude as Xiang Yuan: if she couldn't avoid it, she wouldn't. In any case, she was going to pursue the truth anyway, so she would take the benefits first.

As for why she knows so much about the Qianyuan Realm, that's a complicated question, involving her former workplace.

Guanyin Bodhisattva slowly recounted that she and the Bull Demon King came from the same world, named Tianchen, which had a Heavenly Emperor bestowed with a divine mandate. They had completed the entire Journey to the West, and the world was fully staffed, almost like a real-world, well-established listed company.

At that time, the Tianchen Realm was teeming with talented people and had countless cattle and horses; it was thriving.

Then, the Demon Realm arrived.

This is not a small-scale, low-level version of the game, but the original, most primordial version of the game, born from the mind of the Primordial Heavenly Demon.

The Heavenly Realm could not stop the Demon Realm from devouring them, and even the Heavenly Emperor, who was blessed by Heaven, could not stop them. The gods fled, either hiding in the lower realms, severing their ascension paths to escape, or entering the cycle of reincarnation and then seeking refuge in other worlds.

The Buddha ran incredibly fast, both fast and steady, and with a single divine slash, moved the entire Spirit Mountain out of the Heavenly Realm.

At this point, Guanyin Bodhisattva explained that although the Heavenly Emperor of Tianchen Realm was blessed by Heaven, he had to start from scratch and gradually build his power. Because it was a makeshift operation, many shareholders joined in the early stages.

Both she and Buddha were shareholders, having first attained enlightenment themselves before entering the Heavenly Realm. Therefore, they possessed immense autonomy and could change allies at any time. If it hadn't been the Demon Realm attacking, but another Heavenly Court, switching allies again wouldn't have been out of the question.

This is not Guanyin Bodhisattva's original statement. Bodhisattvas have pride and wouldn't say it so bluntly. Xiang Yuan translated it, removing rhetoric and beautifying it, and it roughly conveys the above meaning.

It sounds like the same trick as Master Jingyun.

You bunch of powerful beings, the Heavenly Emperor may not be human, but you really don't treat him like one!
Xiang Yuan thought to himself that he was complaining, and then listened to Guanyin Bodhisattva continue.

The Bodhisattva had long ago taken control of the Demon Ruins Realm, noticing its unusual nature. Instead of handing it over to the Heavenly Realm as a guide, he kept it under his control as if nothing had happened. When the Demon Realm attacked, his attempts to resist failed, so he decisively moved to the Demon Ruins Realm to cultivate in seclusion, waiting for the destined person who could retrieve the Demon Tomb's scheme.

The Bull Demon King's family and the three demons of Shuangcha Ridge were brought in by her casually.

Firstly, to conduct research and see if there is any possibility of converting demonic thoughts; secondly, to fish for prey, and incidentally use someone as a tool to dig a pit, plant a mine, or set up a trap.

Then Xiang Yuan arrived, looking rather dim-witted and not very bright. He considered himself a seasoned veteran with extensive experience, having fallen into every possible trap, even that punch...

That punch was an accident, not part of the Bodhisattva's plan. Seeing that the result was better than expected, he took the opportunity to lie down and pretend to have bumped into someone.

You punched this humble monk, you must give me an explanation, speak up now, and I'll work for you!

"..." x2
(乛乛)(一一;)
After hearing Guanyin Bodhisattva's tactful explanation, Xiang Yuan was completely distraught. Tearing away the veil of mystery surrounding the scheme, how was the Bodhisattva's unvarnished and unbeautified approach any different from that shameless Door Crack Sword Master?
As the unlucky guy who kept falling into traps, Xiang Yuan raised his voice considerably: "Bodhisattva, I suddenly feel that it would be more appropriate for us to talk about marriage. What do you think?"

"I will obey Your Majesty's orders."

If you're going to say that, then there's really no need for that.

Xiang Yuan stared with dead fish eyes, skipping over the tedious and boring process in the middle, and went straight to the point, expressing his surrender to Guanyin Bodhisattva: "Bodhisattva has said so much, but there is still no key point. How were you able to control the Demon Ruins Realm without the Heavenly Emperor's eyes, and how did you know about the situation in Qianyuan Realm?"

"It all depends on this thing."

Guanyin Bodhisattva raised her fair hand, and after slowly opening it, a jade disc tattoo appeared in her palm.

"Ah this..."

Xiang Yuan gasped in shock; the Guanyin Bodhisattva before him actually possessed the Jade Disc of Jambudvipa.

The question is, which Queen Mother of the West gave her the Jambudvipa Gate?

Of the two known Queen Mothers of the West, Bai Wuyan clearly does not have this ability; it can only be Master Jingyun, who had a combat power of 53 upon first meeting.

Thinking that Master Jingyun had been hit by a Chaos Light and not only was she unharmed, but her skills were also stolen, Xiang Yuan couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat for the White Palace Master.

The difference was so great that when the spaceship descended from the sky, Frieza stepped out of the cabin and was greeted by a farmer holding a hunting rifle.

Suddenly, Xiang Yuan realized something.

He met Jingyun because of Baiyue Jushi, and Jingyun's series of actions also proved that she valued Baiyue Jushi.

The Layman Baiyue is Guanyin Bodhisattva, and the Guanyin Bodhisattva before us also attained enlightenment through the Jambudvipa (worldly realm)...

Master Jingyun wants to control the fully-formed Guanyin Bodhisattva?

Why? There's no need for that. Guanyin Bodhisattva is indeed a person of great supernatural powers, but to the Queen Mother of the West, she is only slightly better than a chicken rib. This steak is optional, so why bother with it?
Xiang Yuan frowned as he looked at the jade pendant tattoo in Guanyin Bodhisattva's palm, then at her holy and exquisite face. For a moment, it was as if the White Moon Hermit was right in front of him.

"With one scheme after another, has the Bodhisattva ever considered the future? Will you still be yourself then? Will you be working for someone else's benefit?"

These words were spoken not only to Guanyin Bodhisattva, but also to Xiang Yuan himself.

Guanyin Bodhisattva showed no empathy: "If one attains the truth, one becomes oneself. The Great Emperor's troubles far surpass those of this humble monk..."

Seeing Xiang Yuan's sour face, she didn't want to offend her future leader so badly on their first meeting. She put on a polite but gentle smile and said, "Your Majesty entered this world through the Yanfu Gate. I knew that Your Majesty was a person with a destiny. After you left, I used the Yanfu Gate to glimpse the details of the Qianyuan Realm, and that's why I have some understanding of it."

Xiangyuan: (一''一)
I understand. The reason why Guanyin Bodhisattva is sitting here so calmly, without worrying about missing him, is because she already has something to rely on. Even if he doesn't come to her, she has the ability to create a chance encounter.

If Xiang Yuan doesn't come to the Demon Ruins Realm, Guanyin Bodhisattva can go to the Qianyuan Realm to find him; it's that simple.

ε=(ο｀*)))
Life is tough, I sigh every day.

"Bodhisattva is too powerful. Just thinking about having you in charge of Qianyuan Realm makes me anxious and fearful that in the blink of an eye, Qianyuan Realm will become Guanyin Temple."

Xiang Yuan sighed, "Also, if one day in the future another Heavenly Court comes knocking, will the Bodhisattva side with them?"

"Great Heavenly Venerable, you are overthinking it. The benefits of Qianyuan Realm are a hundred times or a thousand times greater than those of Tianchen Realm. The Jade Emperor's creation is a stroke of genius. If this humble monk were to abandon Qianyuan Realm, there would be no other place for me in the Three Thousand Worlds," said Guanyin Bodhisattva, clasping her hands together.

That makes sense. A Heavenly Emperor without a Mandate of Heaven is extremely rare; among all the heavens, there's only one like him.

Xiang Yuan nodded to himself, still having many questions in his mind, such as the Demon Realm that was so powerful that it had no friends, and where the Buddha who ran away with his bucket went. He asked the questions one by one.

Guanyin Bodhisattva did not hide anything and described the power of the Demon Realm, but when she mentioned Buddha, she said that she was powerless to help him, as she had not seen him since the collapse of the Heavenly Realm.

The two chatted for an hour, and Xiang Yuan gained a lot. Finally, he said, "Since the Bodhisattva has decided on the Qianyuan Realm, this jade disc seems a bit redundant. It just so happens that the Qianyuan Realm is in dire need of reconstruction. I hope the Bodhisattva will lend the lower realm in the jade disc to someone for use."

I'll return it to you when I'm done using it; it'll just have a stamp on it, and it'll be as good as new.

Guanyin Bodhisattva clasped her hands together and did not refuse. As she said, she had been waiting for Qianyuan Realm, which was the best heavenly court in the three thousand worlds. The Jade Emperor had many advantages and his status as the popular choice was incomparable to other heavenly emperors.

In one exchange, Xiang Yuan obtained the jade disc, allowing the Qianyuan Realm to continue expanding; Guanyin Bodhisattva obtained a divine position and some of the Heavenly Dao principles symbolizing freedom.

She did not immediately accept the divine position of Guanyin of the South Pole, nor did she rush to accept it according to the laws of Heaven. With a faint smile, she looked at Xiang Yuan and said, "Great Heavenly Venerable, this humble monk has a gift that you need to pass on to another version of me."

"Buddhism?"

"Of course."

"..."

Xiang Yuan paused for a moment, then slowly said, "The Bodhisattva can simply tell me. There is no predestined relationship between us, and I don't want things to be too difficult for you later."

"Of course."

(End of this chapter)