The head master has a new female apprentice

Chapter 289 The True Buddha's Child Has Arrived! Zhou Qing Becomes a Father! (6k)

Seeing Zhou Qingtian shamelessly extend her palm, Jueming spoke.

"As long as Benefactor Zhou is willing to accompany this humble monk to Jiyuan Temple, you can learn all the Buddhist supernatural powers within the temple pagoda."

"Even the inscription-level divine abilities left behind by the abbot are no exception!"

Zhou Qing's eyes widened immediately. After Shen Hanyi, number six, mistook him for Abbot Ku'e, she had mentioned that the other party had cultivated an inscription-level divine ability.

But no one has ever seen him use it, or rather, those who have seen it have already been sent to the Pure Land by the other party.

However, one should not bite off more than one can chew. The "Hundred Tribulations Blood Curtain" that he now possesses has three thousand Phoenix Dao Patterns, comparable to a Dao Mark-level divine power.

He doesn't know how many years or how many wood-attribute spirit stones it would take to master this one skill.

Even if he were not a Buddhist, he wouldn't have become a monk.

So, faced with Jueming's enticement and the tense gazes of Mo Xingjian and the others, Zhou Qing cupped his hands slightly in greeting.

"Thank you for your kind offer, Master, but I am a disciple of the Taiqing Sect, and I only wish to stay and cultivate within the sect throughout my life. As for the talk of being a Buddhist disciple, it is truly just a misunderstanding."

Jueming wanted to persuade him further, but Kongchan seemed to have thought of something and quickly reminded him, "Master, the Bodhi prayer beads!"

Jueming immediately realized what was happening and quickly took out a string of ancient Buddhist beads from his sleeve.

There are 108 beads in total, each of them is dark brown and engraved with tiny Buddhist verses.

Moreover, it exudes a special fragrance that calms the mind and spirit, clearly indicating that it is no ordinary object.

Jueming clasped his hands together and gently pushed the prayer beads toward Zhou Qing: "Please, Benefactor Zhou, give it a try. If you are truly a Buddhist, these beads will naturally display extraordinary phenomena; if not, this humble monk will no longer pursue you."

Seeing the confident looks on Jueming and Kongchan's faces, Zhou Qing breathed a sigh of relief.

It would be good if there were other verification methods. After all, he knows better than anyone whether he is a Buddhist disciple or not.

The moment Zhou Qing received the prayer beads, Jueming and Kongchan held their breath, while Mo Xingjian nervously clenched his hands.

Shen Yunzhou looked even more curious.

If Brother Zhou is truly a Buddhist disciple, then things are going to get interesting.

Even if he was unwilling, it is estimated that Venerable Jueming would use force to bring him back to Jiyuan Temple.

When that time comes, he'll be able to hang out with Zhou Qing whenever he has free time.

Moreover, Jiyuan Temple does indeed have many female bodhisattvas.

As for Lu Yaoyao, she looked expectant and excited.

After all, whether it's the imagined suffocating situation or the Third Mother, both are happening in a Level 5 cultivation country.

And so, the two monks, master and disciple, stared intently at Zhou Qing's fingertips.

The moment Zhou Qing received the prayer beads, he felt a chill in his hand, and the restless spiritual energy within his body gradually calmed down.

This made his eyes light up.

What a good thing!

However, after ten breaths, the prayer beads remained silent as usual.

Kong Chan stood there, stunned, while Jue Ming's arm trembled slightly.

He murmured in disbelief, "Impossible... How could such a strange phenomenon be unrelated to a Buddhist disciple?"

Seeing this, Mo Xingjian breathed a long sigh of relief, a smile of relief spreading across his face.

Lu Yaoyao and Shen Yunzhou looked somewhat disappointed.

"Master, shall we continue?" Zhou Qing shook the unresponsive prayer beads in his hand, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Jueming frowned in reluctance and said, "Try injecting more spiritual power!"

Zhou Qing did as instructed, but the prayer beads remained unchanged.

"I'm really not the Buddhist disciple you're looking for, and you still don't believe me!" Zhou Qing said helplessly, spreading his hands.

“How could this be… It shouldn’t be like this. Your understanding of the supernatural powers of Buddha is so amazing. Logically speaking, you should have a deep connection with Buddha.”

Jueming frowned, his eyes filled with confusion.

Zhou Qing looked at the beads in his hand, a sly glint in his eyes. After hesitating, he said, "Do you think it's possible that the Buddha-nature within me hasn't fully awakened yet?"

"How about you leave this string of beads with me? I'll use it to verify things all the time. If anything unusual happens one day, I'll rush to Jiyuan Temple immediately. What do you think?"

Before she could finish speaking, Lu Yaoyao almost burst out laughing and quickly covered her mouth to peek at the two monks' reactions.

Even Mo Xingjian was speechless.

Jueming's eyebrows twitched violently, and his expectant gaze instantly dimmed.

He sighed deeply and, without hesitation, took back the Bodhi prayer beads.

I thought I had finally gained something, but in the end it was all for nothing.

Zhou Qing: "..."

But soon, Jueming adjusted his emotions, looked at Zhou Qing, and his eyes regained their light.

“Benefactor Zhou, we are destined to meet. When we first met, we watched you kill someone from afar, and afterwards we even performed a ritual to help him pass on. Now, this is the second time.”

“Even if you are not a Buddhist disciple, you must have a connection with the Buddha. Putting aside everything else, if you come with me to Jiyuan Temple, you will definitely be the number one person who has perfected the ‘Subduing Demon Golden Bone’ technique.”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qing waved his hand repeatedly and said, "No, I'm used to being free, and my six senses are not yet purified, so it's really not suitable for me to cultivate in your temple. I appreciate your kindness, Master."

A hint of regret flashed in Jueming's eyes, but he did not give up. He put his hands together and said earnestly.

“Benefactor Zhou, Buddhist affinity is not solely based on solitary cultivation. Although my Jiyuan Temple has strict precepts, it is not an unreasonable place. You are destined to have the ‘Subduing Demon Golden Bone’, and entering the temple is merely giving this opportunity a result.”

Meanwhile, Kusanagi muttered under his breath, "You just said you'd leave the bead to me and come to the temple if there were any unusual signs, but now you're not willing to do it anymore."

Zhou Qing scratched his head somewhat awkwardly.

Jueming continued to tempt him, saying, "Benefactor Zhou is still young and full of vigor. This humble monk knows what you are worried about."

"Wh-what?" Zhou Qing asked, puzzled.

Jueming smiled slightly and said, "Our temple is not as rigid as the rumors outside. If you have physiological needs, the female bodhisattvas in the temple will help you. They are all doing it voluntarily, after all, this is also a form of cultivation."

At that moment, everyone's eyes widened, including Shen Yunzhou's.

Seemingly sensing Zhou Qing's confusion, Jueming clasped his hands together, his expression solemn.

“You may not know this, benefactor. Buddhism emphasizes seeing through the seven emotions and six desires. Female bodhisattvas use their own bodies to help others, which is both helping others and helping themselves.”

"To help each other succeed is a fortunate opportunity."

Yan Xiaohu's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but say, "Your temple's method of cultivation is too astonishing! Master, may I try those prayer beads?"

Everyone: "..."

Zhou Qing was still somewhat incredulous, looking at Jueming and saying in a trembling voice, "Don't you Buddhists all emphasize purity of mind and few desires? How could there be such... such a practice?"

Jueming sighed, his tone filled with compassion: "People say that Buddhism is heartless, but they don't know that true compassion lies in following human nature."

“If you forcefully suppress it, it is easy to go astray and become possessed. The female bodhisattvas embrace with great love so that practitioners can better understand the true meaning of Buddhism.”

At this moment, Shen Yunzhou couldn't help but interject, "If I'm not a disciple of your temple, can I go and seek their guidance to understand Buddhist teachings?"

Jueming glanced at him indifferently and said, "Jiyuan Temple is a temple, not a brothel!"

Shen Yunzhou couldn't help but take a step back awkwardly.

Zhou Qing still couldn't accept it; he felt his worldview had been completely shattered.

……

Meanwhile, outside the mountain gate!

A pale-faced, weary-looking woman, clutching a five- or six-year-old child tightly in her left hand, slowly walked along the mountain path.

The beautiful woman's eyes were vacant, her face was bloodless, and she seemed completely detached from her surroundings.

The child was born with rosy lips and white teeth, and his clean-shaven scalp gleamed softly in the sunlight.

A red dot between his brows, like a lotus bud weeping blood, exudes a sense of mystery and solemnity.

The moon-white blouse was spotless, and a string of antique Buddhist beads hung around her neck, swaying gently with her steps, each bead shimmering with a faint golden light.

"Mother, I can feel him inside!"

At this moment, the child pointed to the mountain gate, his face filled with surprise.

The child's voice brought the beautiful woman back to her senses, and her previously unfocused gaze refocused.

She knelt down, gently stroking the child's cheeks with both hands, and softly asked, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

The child nodded gently and said, "I am destined to be with him. When I first woke up, I could see you holding his hand and gently stroking me through my belly, and you called him husband."

"The second time, I saw you being chased, he appeared again and slaughtered all those people, and you called him husband again."

"The third time, you were being chased again. Although he escaped and you couldn't catch him, the person next to him helped you out of trouble."

"And the top-grade wood-attribute spirit stone that Aunt Tao brought when you gave birth to your child was also because of him, and it helped you a great deal in terms of life and death."

"I even have a feeling that a great opportunity will fall upon my child because of him!"

Hearing the child's words, the beautiful woman nodded slightly and sighed softly, "You should understand that your mother mistook you for someone else because her obsession was too deep."

"Of course I know, but when Aunt Tao brought the wood-attribute spirit stone, didn't she say that we would have to acknowledge him as our great-father? This trip is to fulfill that vow!"

The child smiled slightly.

The beautiful woman sighed and said, "Well, we were fortunate enough to find an ancient temple where you were born, and that spirit stone was indeed a great help. I just didn't expect you..."

The child asked, "The baby could talk as soon as it was born, did that frighten its mother?"

The beautiful woman shook her head repeatedly, her eyes suddenly welling up with tears: "No, no, I just feel sorry for you all these years."

“Mother, what are you saying?” The child reached out and gently grasped the beautiful woman’s hand. “All beings in Jambudvipa, in their every action and thought, are creating karma and committing sins.”

"You have worried and suffered day and night for your child; this kindness has long transcended cause and effect."

As he spoke, he reached out and gently wiped away the tears from his mother's eyes.

"The karmic connection between past and present lives is like dewdrops on a lotus before the Buddha. Your willingness to stay in this world for me is a testament to your compassionate heart."

Hearing the child's words, the beautiful woman burst into laughter through her tears, pulled him into her arms, and choked out, "Having such a sensible child like you in my life, I could close my eyes in peace even now."

……

Jueming really wanted to take Zhou Qing to Jiyuan Temple. Such talent was unparalleled, even in the ten thousand years of Buddhist history!

Cultivation techniques, classic texts, perspectives, backgrounds, and even dual cultivation couldn't entice him. He really didn't know what he could use to sway the other party.

A forced marriage will never be happy; forcibly bringing something back will only become a constraint.

After a brief hesitation, he took out a gold foil covered with Sanskrit inscriptions: "Benefactor Zhou, this is the 'Boundless Reception Decree' of my Jiyuan Temple."

"If you ever figure it out, just crush this token and ten thousand rays of Buddha light will guide you."

Kong Chan added, "No matter where you are, as long as there are eminent monks from Jiyuan Temple around, they will come to pick you up. In fact, to a certain extent, it can even save your life!"

Jueming clasped his hands together and said, "Buddhism emphasizes karmic connections and encounters. This humble monk will not force you today, but only hopes that we will have the opportunity to study Buddhism together in the future." Looking at the gold foil and listening to their conversation, Zhou Qing felt a little embarrassed.

Unexpectedly, Juehui, like Shen Hanyi, never forces others.

That's a good thing!

With the addition of the "Subduing Demons Golden Bone" he obtained from the corpse of Zen Master Kudi, he developed a slight liking for Jiyuan Temple at this moment.

If I have the chance in the future, why not go there?

"Master's kindness is appreciated, I will remember it." Zhou Qing carefully put the gold foil into his pocket, his face full of gratitude.

Just then, a streak of light suddenly appeared.

The newcomer was Elder Wuzhu, who was guarding the gate. He was about to speak when he was taken aback when he saw the two monks who had suddenly appeared.

When did these two come in?

How do I not notice?
"What's wrong?" Mo Xingjian asked, noticing Elder Wuzhu's unusual expression.

Elder Wuzhu bowed and said, "Reporting to Senior Brother Mo, there is a mother and child outside the mountain gate who specifically asked to see Zhou Qing."

Everyone turned their gaze to Zhou Qing, and a subtle atmosphere instantly filled the air.

Zhou Qing's face twitched. Why are you all staring at me like that? It has nothing to do with me.

He had no choice but to look at Elder Wuzhu and ask, "Uncle-Master, did they introduce themselves? What exactly do they want with me?"

"The woman calls herself Li Niang, and that child... looks like a little monk." Wu Zhu said, glancing subtly at Jueming and his disciple, his brows furrowing slightly.

He had been at the mountain gate the whole time and genuinely had no idea how the two people got in. Wasn't this a serious dereliction of duty on his part?

"A monk?" Upon hearing this, everyone turned to look at Jueming and Kongchan.

How many of you came?

Jueming and Kongchan were also puzzled. Could it be that other Venerables had also come to Lingyun Mansion?
Didn't we agree to search separately?

Zhou Qing was somewhat surprised and even glanced at Shen Yunzhou.

After all, he and Shen Yunzhou had only met Li Niang a few months ago when they returned from the border and passed through Haomiao Prefecture.

Li Niang's mind was sometimes clear and sometimes confused, but she was never seen to come to anyone's door on her own initiative.

Mo Xingjian also frowned.

The battle at Canglan Mountain was caused by her stealing the Fusang Spirit Sunflower from the Demon King Houshan.

The headmaster had encountered him many years ago, but he had never seen this person before.

"Let him in!" Mo Xingjian said after a brief pause, glancing at Jueming and the other man.

Since they're all monks, let's take advantage of their presence and resolve any issues at once.

"Yes!" Wu Zhu bowed and then left.

A short while later, he arrived with Li Niang and a child of about five or six years old.

When they saw the young child, everyone's eyes lit up.

What a lovely child with rosy lips and white teeth, whose eyes and brows exude a natural charm.

But in the next moment, the Bodhi prayer beads that Jueming had not yet put away suddenly flew up on their own and headed towards the child.

This surprised Jueming.

The child following Li Niang instinctively reached out his little hand and caught the Buddhist beads that were close to him.

In an instant, the entire string of prayer beads suddenly emitted a dazzling light, and the surrounding spiritual energy surged wildly.

In an instant, a huge golden halo formed behind him, from which faint chants of Buddhist hymns could be heard.

The child moved without wind, his white jacket fluttering in the wind, and the Buddhist beads around his neck resonated with the flying Bodhi beads, emitting an even stronger Buddhist light.

Almost simultaneously, golden lotus flowers sprouted from the ground.

Each petal is surprisingly composed of numerous miniature Buddha images, slowly rotating in sync with the chanting of Sanskrit.

"This, this is..." Kong Chan's True Eye between her brows trembled violently, and as far as she could see, she saw a sky full of Buddhist light.

Jueming was so excited that he trembled all over, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"A thousand-Buddha lotus platform has appeared in the world! This is an ancient sacred image recorded in the Buddhist Canon!"

Jueming's eyebrows trembled violently, and tears streamed down his wrinkled face. He suddenly knelt down with a thud.

With hands clasped together, he said, "Amitabha! By the Buddha's mercy, the Buddha's disciple has finally been found. Venerable Jueming of Jiyuan Temple, welcome the Buddha!"

Kongchan was so excited that she immediately knelt down.

My gut feeling was right this time!

Zhou Qing and the others stared blankly at the scene, their mouths agape.

No, the Buddhist disciple you're looking for just appeared here, looking so fresh and beautiful?

And she's a beautifully sculpted little baby!
Li Niang stared intently at her son, who was surrounded by Buddhist light, her eyes filled with astonishment.

So this is the "great opportunity" the child was talking about?
At this moment, the child lowered his eyes and gently stroked the Buddhist prayer beads, and the cinnabar mark between his eyebrows transformed into a flowing golden wheel.

"This feels so good!"

His voice was still childish, and he then naturally hung the string of Buddhist beads around his neck.

He first glanced indifferently at Jueming and Kongchan, who were kneeling on the ground, and then instantly fixed his gaze on Zhou Qing.

A smile immediately appeared on his face, and the next second, he rushed to Zhou Qing in three steps and knelt down on both knees with a thud: "Your son greets your great father!"

The air seemed to freeze instantly, and everyone stared at the scene in disbelief.

Zhou Qing stood frozen in place, his mind completely blank.

No, what happened? I'm a dad now?

Lu Yaoyao's eyes lit up.

Should he be considered the older brother or the younger brother?

Dad, how many things are you still hiding from me? You used to be so tight-lipped.

"Buddha, Buddha's disciple actually recognizes him as his father?!" Jueming suddenly looked up, equally shocked.

Zhou Qing immediately looked at Li Niang and realized that her terrifying belly had already returned to normal, and her figure was now only slightly bloated.

In an instant, he realized who was kneeling before him.

You didn't give birth for a thousand years, and in this one life you're just this big?

"You've misunderstood, I'm not your father!" Zhou Qing quickly said.

The child raised his head and smiled, saying, "We've met many times already. Although you're not my biological father, you're connected to my mother, and even more so to me."

"And it was because of your wood-attribute spirit stone that my mother was spared the pain of childbirth."

Suddenly, Shen Huangmao slapped his thigh and exclaimed excitedly, "It was that time with Li Shitao and Xiao Cancan, right? I even said back then that if the child is born, he can call you the eldest father and me the second father."

At this point, Shen Yunzhou looked at the child with anticipation.

“I’m your father too. What’s your name? I’ve already prepared a gift for you. This box contains what I’m most reluctant to part with… I’ve picked up the wrong thing. Don’t misunderstand, this isn’t poop.”

Shen Yunzhou excitedly took out a beautifully packaged box from his storage bag. "Now that I'm the father of the dignified Buddhist disciple of Jiyuan Temple, let's see who dares to look down on me in the future."

From now on, even when speaking in the Shen family, I'll have more confidence!
Unexpectedly, as soon as the box was opened, a strong stench hit the nose.

Shen Yunzhou was startled, only then realizing that he had taken the wrong box.

Immediately, a terrifying divine sense locked onto him, causing his entire body to stiffen.

Even with Jueming's composure, seeing his own Buddhist disciple being treated like a father and insulted with such vile manners, the veins on his forehead bulged.

The tears that had been so hard to calm now turned into a cold glint, piercing straight at Shen Yunzhou.

Faced with Shen Yunzhou's enthusiasm, the child shook his head repeatedly, his clear eyes fixed on Zhou Qing: "I only have one great father, and that is Father Zhou."

Zhou Qing stared blankly at the crisp little figure in front of him, then turned his gaze to Li Niang.

Li Niang moved gracefully and bowed solemnly to him: "I remember everything, but sometimes I can't control myself. However, I will always remember all the kindness you have shown me. Thank you!"

Before she finished speaking, she had already bent down deeply.

In her panic, Zhou Qing tried to reach out to help, but didn't know where to place her hand.

He first looked to his master for help, and Mo Xingjian blinked repeatedly in response.

Looking at Lu Yaoyao again, her face was full of excited anticipation.

Yan Xiaohu looked on with envy.

Only Shen Huangmao was struck dumb, frozen in place—his promised second father was nowhere to be found, and he was still clutching the stinking, mistakenly taken gift box.

Left with no other choice, Zhou Qing looked at Jueming and his disciple, who were also kneeling on the ground.

Meeting Zhou Qing's gaze, Jueming sighed softly and transmitted his thoughts: "Since it's cause and effect, then... accept it!"

Zhou Qing was also somewhat tempted after hearing this.

Putting everything else aside, if we want to refresh new ignore points in the future, we'll have to go to a Level 5 cultivation country to find a Spirit Severing Realm cultivator.

The only recent level-five cultivation kingdom is the Heavenly Fortune Holy Dynasty, and Second Uncle is also there.

If one has a godson to lead the way, it will be much easier for him to do things in the future.

After thinking it through, Zhou Qing immediately smiled.

He then stepped forward, gently touched the child's bald head, and helped him up.

His eyes were filled with emotion: "Good...good son, Dad is so proud of you!"

This sudden and wonderful feeling of becoming a father left him both curious and bewildered.

The Daoist partner was nowhere to be found, but the son was already standing obediently before them.

The little boy looked up happily and said, "Thank you, Grandpa!"

"What's your name?" Zhou Qing asked.

"I don't have a name yet." The child tilted his head. "My mother said that when my father was looking for a miraculous medicine to cleanse my marrow, he left in a hurry and didn't have time to name me."

Zhou Qing nodded in realization.

Even though he is now the great-father of this Buddhist disciple, he cannot arbitrarily overstep his authority in naming him.

Moreover, once the child enters Jiyuan Temple, he will naturally receive a new Dharma name.

Then, Zhou Qing had an idea and squatted down with great interest: "Uncle will ask you three questions. If you can answer them, Uncle will give you a great fortune."

The child's eyes lit up, and he replied in a clear voice, "Please speak, Grandpa!"

(End of this chapter)