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Chapter 144 The Mad Lingji

If two different people are asked to handle a matter from different perspectives without their knowledge, mistakes are likely to occur. If it's a minor matter, it's fine, but if it concerns the safety of the Golden Furnace Boy, then it's no small matter.

Chen Guangrui stood still, watching Kui Mulang take the Silver Furnace Boy into the sky.

Just as the two were about to accelerate, the Silver Furnace Boy suddenly turned around in the clouds and shouted at the top of his lungs down the mountain.

"Old Taoist priest, aren't you coming with us? Don't be afraid, this time you'll come with me, and I guarantee you'll be safe and sound. Last time, that old scoundrel Lingji took advantage of my unpreparedness to launch a sneak attack. This time, let's see if I don't teach him a lesson. Will I let him trample on the face of the Tushita Palace again?"

Kui Mulang's calm voice immediately rang out, carrying an undeniable composure.
"Immortal Child, saving lives is a matter of utmost importance. Master Yuan has his own considerations and will not force you. Hurry up!"

Before he finished speaking, starlight surged around him, and he and the Silver Furnace Boy transformed into a streak of light, instantly disappearing into the horizon.

Chen Guangrui watched them disappear, standing silently. Yuan Shoucheng, holding the two heavy jade plates containing magical artifacts, took a step closer, a fawning smile plastered on his smooth face.
"Scholar Chen, you said there was something even more important? What is it? How about I go with you and lend a hand? It's all in this desolate wilderness..."

His words sounded solicitous, but in reality, he subtly took a half-step back, revealing his intention to slip away.

"No need." Chen Guangrui's gaze was deep as he looked towards the distant mountains to the west.
"I'm just not happy. This time, we were really outmaneuvered by those people in the South China Sea and suffered a big setback."

His tone was calm, but it betrayed his resentment.

"Oh, Scholar Chen, you can't say that. Being outmaneuvered by her is a skill in itself. So many people would love to catch her eye but don't have the luck. You should think positively; it just means you're important enough to have caught her eye."

Chen Guangrui didn't respond to his words, but only said,

"I'm going somewhere. If you have somewhere else to go, then you may leave."

Yuan Shoucheng's eyes darted around, and he shrewdly weighed the jade plate in his hand, chuckling as he spoke.

“Since you’ve put it that way, then this old Taoist won’t cause you any more trouble. To be honest, I’ve learned a lot along the way, but it’s not a pleasant experience to have a little devil suffer when bodhisattvas fight. With my meager skills, I’d be a sitting duck if we really started fighting, and I’d only be a burden to you. Besides,”

He lowered his voice, a hint of self-deprecation in it.
"Having the name of the Tushita Palace is convenient, but we also need to have a sense of right and wrong. If the name doesn't match the reality, then we'll feel uneasy."

Although he said he was leaving, he was really embarrassed to take the first step. He rubbed his hands together and looked at Chen Guangrui tentatively, asking...
"Scholar Chen, you wouldn't be thinking of going to... Five Elements Mountain, would you?"

Chen Guangrui didn't answer directly, but turned to look in that direction and said calmly,

"Some things, you still have to try them."

Yuan Shoucheng shook his head rapidly, as if his tail had been stepped on.

"That is absolutely unacceptable."

He leaned closer, his voice trembling with nervousness.

“That place is now a den of dragons and tigers. The Five Directions Protectors may be lazy on ordinary days, but at this critical moment, with the Buddhist pilgrimage plan underway, which concerns a major event for Buddhism, they will definitely be on high alert, and may even have increased the number of guards. Going there would be like walking into a trap.”

Seeing that Chen Guangrui remained unmoved, he knew he couldn't persuade her, so he quickly changed his tone, revealing his signature shrewd and calculating smile.

"Hehe, I won't join in the fun. Scholar Chen, you have your grand ambitions, but I'm just a commoner who wants a peaceful life and to pick up some scraps when I can. That little white dragon from Eagle Sorrow Gorge, the Third Prince, is a pitiful and unlucky fellow."

"You said I'd try my luck there, in case he's had a change of heart after being locked up all this time and is willing to pursue a better future? Even if he's not, I can just observe from the sidelines and see what's going on for you, right? Who knows, I might get some unexpected gains, and then we can meet up again?"

Then he hesitated, as if he wanted to say something, but finally couldn't help asking.

"Scholar Chen, there's something I'm not sure if I should say."

Without waiting for Chen Guangrui's reply, he spoke directly.

"You know this matter is very complicated, even more complicated than the sea. Why should we small fry get involved? Now that you've escaped death, wouldn't it be better for you to find a place to hide?"

Chen Guangrui simply shook his head.
"Guess how I escaped that near-death experience?"

"How did you get rid of it? I've always wondered about that, but I've never asked you directly."

“At that time, important figures from Buddhism and Venus came and crushed me like an ant. This was all because I said a few words in the ear of the statue of Laozi.”

"Some words? What did you say?"

Chen Guangrui shook his head.

Yuan Shoucheng knew this was not a matter he should be asking.
"So, you're being forced into this situation by that person from the Thirty-Third Heaven..."

Chen Guangrui nodded slightly, "Either die right then and there, or like now, charge ahead."

Yuan Shoucheng quickly shut his mouth, but then couldn't help himself.

"You've been used as a pawn. Sigh, I've spent my whole life calculating people's fates, and sometimes I think that people have to accept their fate."

Having said all that, he regained his usual demeanor. "Since things have come to this, this old Taoist priest..."

Chen Guangrui glanced at him, knowing that the old Taoist was determined to slip away safely, and had no intention of forcing him to stay. He said no more, and started walking towards the faint mountain path to the west.

Yuan Shoucheng felt as if he had been granted a pardon and breathed a sigh of relief. He cupped his hands in greeting to Chen Guangrui's retreating figure and said, "Please take care, Scholar Chen. I'll be going now."

Before he finished speaking, he had already taken off like the wind, running off in another direction as fast as he could, afraid of getting caught up in some trouble if he was even a step too slow.

Lesser Mount Sumeru.

Bound tightly by pale golden magical ropes, the Golden Furnace Boy stubbornly kept his eyes closed, turned his head away, and pursed his lips. No matter how Lingji Bodhisattva questioned him, he remained silent, like a stone.

The Bodhisattva Lingji was no longer the solemn and dignified figure he once was. His face was grim as he paced back and forth before the lotus throne, each step shattering the petals on the prayer mat. An immense pressure weighed on his shoulders like a mountain.

"Speak up!"

He abruptly stopped in front of the Golden Furnace Boy, leaning slightly forward, his golden eyes fixed on the boy's face, his voice filled with suppressed anxiety and a twisted ruthlessness.

"Speak! Who sent you? Manjushri? Or Samantabhadra? What is your purpose in coming here? Speak!"

At this moment, his face showed a mixture of madness and tension.

He even imagined a scene of infighting within the Buddhist community.

The Golden Furnace Boy didn't even lift his eyelids.

Lingji, however, began to fill in the blanks in his own mind.

"The journey to the West to obtain the scriptures is a grand plan for our Buddhist sect. If it succeeds, Buddhism will surely flourish, and there will be many more positions available. I will certainly be among them. Manjushri and Samantabhadra, they can't compare to me, so they resort to such despicable means..." His eyes flashed with madness.

"I'm about to take another step forward. I've waited thousands of years for this day. Did they send you to frame me? To steal my position, is that it?"

He became increasingly agitated, almost hysterical, his withered fingers nearly poking the Golden Furnace Boy's nose, his voice shrill.

"Jin Chanzi has already set off, and you're trying to get me now? I'll take you all down with me!"

The Golden Furnace Boy remained as still as a piece of wood, showing no reaction whatsoever, as if he hadn't heard the horrifying accusation at all.

Lingji Bodhisattva's face turned from green to black. Seeing the Golden Furnace Boy's unyielding attitude, a surge of anger rushed to his head, and the string of reason seemed to snap with a "clang".

"Fine, very well!" He laughed in anger, the sound particularly chilling in the quiet room. "You think I can't do anything to you just because you don't talk?"

He slowly raised his right hand, and a surge of Buddhist power carrying a destructive aura gathered in his palm, forming a dazzling golden ball of light. The light flickered and distorted, making his entire face look distorted.

"You asked for this. Since you want to die, I will grant your wish! I want to see whether Manjushri's tricks are more important or your life."

A surge of power locked onto the Golden Furnace Boy, and the shadow of death descended instantly. The Golden Furnace Boy's body visibly tensed, but he still gritted his teeth, preparing to meet the devastating blow.

At this critical moment,
"Report!"

A novice monk guarding the mountain stumbled in, his voice trembling with fear.
"Bodhisattva, something terrible has happened! Outside... outside comes a young Taoist and a general covered in starlight. They look fierce and menacing, demanding that we release the people immediately. The young Taoist is holding a sword, and it looks like he's going to break in."

Just as Lingji Bodhisattva was about to make his move, his movements suddenly froze, and the Buddhist light in his palm fluctuated violently. His eyes first showed astonishment, followed by a deeper rage and resentment.

"Great, excellent! Another one has come knocking on our door!"

He practically spat out those words through clenched teeth. With a sudden flick of his sleeve, a beam of golden light shot out, opening the hidden compartment in the corner. He roughly tossed the Golden Furnace Boy inside and slammed the door shut. He glanced one last time at the compartment, leaving behind a chilling remark.
"I'll treat you properly after I've cleaned up the outside!"

He straightened his robe, took a deep breath, and forcefully suppressed his surging killing intent, but the madness in his eyes remained undiminished. He turned and strode out of the meditation room.

Outside the Little Sumeru Mountain Dojo
The Silver Furnace Boy clutched his jade bottle tightly in one hand and gripped his Seven Star Sword in the other, the tip of which pointed rudely at the closed mountain gate. His face was flushed with anger as he shouted at the entrance.

"Lingji the bald monk, hand over my brother now! This immortal child is here, do you still dare to hide?"

His voice had the crispness unique to a young boy, yet it was full of anger.

Kui Mulang stood a step in front of him, his posture as steady as a mountain. He spoke loudly,
“Venerable Lingji, I am Kui Mulang, one of the Twenty-Eight Constellations of the Heavenly Court. I urge you to do me a favor. The Golden Furnace Boy from the Tushita Palace has been bothering us for many days. We have come on the orders of Laozi to take him back. We hope you will release him quickly to avoid damaging our harmony!”

His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly pierced through the mountain gate, carrying an undeniable authority.

The mountain gate creaked open. Lingji Bodhisattva slowly stepped out, his face so gloomy it seemed to drip water. His cold gaze swept over the Seven Star Sword and the Jade Bottle in the Silver Furnace Boy's hands, then fell on Kui Mulang, finally settling on the angry Silver Furnace Boy's face.

Upon seeing him emerge, the Silver Furnace Boy immediately thrust the Seven Star Sword forward and questioned him sharply.

"You old bald thief, I see you again. Last time you managed to sneak up on me, but this time I, the Immortal Child, am right here. Come on then, if you dare, let's see if you still have the ability to sneak up on me?"

Looking at the Silver Furnace Boy's arrogant and clamoring attitude, and then at Kui Mulang's businesslike demeanor, Lingji Bodhisattva felt a sense of utter contempt and humiliation that instantly overwhelmed his last shred of reason.

He didn't bother to discern the implicit warning and room for maneuver in Kui Mulang's words.

At this moment, Bodhisattva Lingji was not in the right state.

Or rather, his behavior has been off ever since he learned he had been "scammed".

He had waited bitterly on this little Mount Sumeru for thousands of years. Just when there was hope, someone came to find fault with him, which made him extremely distressed.

"Release them! You want me to release them?"

Lingji Bodhisattva's voice suddenly rose in pitch, carrying a hint of frenzy.
"You still dare to come to my dojo? Is this what you told me before, that you would never say a word? Is this the guarantee you gave me?"

His golden kasaya moved without wind, and his immense and violent Buddhist power, no longer suppressed, surged out like a flood bursting its banks, instantly making the spiritual energy of the entire Little Sumeru Mountain extremely dangerous and viscous.

"Well, Manjushri, Samantabhadra, you're ruthless! You're joining forces with the Heavenly Court to nail me to this spot."

Lingji Bodhisattva let out a hoarse roar, his eyes fixed on the Silver Furnace Boy.

"You little brat, you dare to challenge me at my door? You're asking for death!"

With the final word "death" uttered, he no longer paid any attention to rules or reason, nor did he care about differences in status.

A gigantic, unparalleled Buddha's palm, formed from golden Buddhist light, accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder, slammed directly at the clamoring Silver Furnace Boy with overwhelming force. The Bodhisattva's wrath was unleashed without reservation!

Silver Furnace Boy never expected that his opponent would attack so suddenly, and that they would actually try to kill him. However, he was impatient by nature and had been ambushed once before, so he was still seething with anger. When he saw that his opponent had indeed made a move, his stubbornness flared up.

"I'm not afraid of you. I was just looking for someone to settle scores with."

Silver Furnace Boy screamed and instead of retreating, he advanced, quickly making a hand seal and pressing it on the Jade Bottle, seemingly trying to activate the magic weapon. With his other hand, he clumsily thrust the Seven Star Sword at the giant Buddha's palm that was slamming down on his head!

Kui Mulang's nerves were on edge. He was right in front of Yinlu Tongzi; how could he possibly let a celestial boy from the Tushita Palace get hurt in front of him?

"presumptuous!"

Kui Mulang roared, his eyes flashing with starlight. He took a step forward, his strong body blocking the Silver Furnace Boy and the Buddha's palm.

In an instant, the golden light was dazzling, and the starlight burst forth!
"Get out of my way!" Lingji Bodhisattva roared, and the Flying Dragon Staff instantly appeared in his hand. The staff head emitted an even more dazzling Buddhist light, like the sun falling to earth, and smashed down on Kui Mulang's head.

"Star Lord, be careful!" Silver Furnace Boy finally recovered from the shock, both anxious and angry.

His Seven Star Sword never stopped; taking advantage of the gap in Kui Mulang's parry, the tip of the sword trembled slightly, and seven cold stars suddenly shot out, attacking Lingji's vital points. The moves were tricky and swift, carrying a childlike impatience and ruthlessness.

Lingji snorted coldly and swept his Flying Dragon Staff horizontally, golden arcs of light rippling, not only shattering the incoming cold star, but also plowing a deep trench in the ground, forcing Kui Mulang and Yinlu Tongzi to retreat and dodge.

Seeing the two locked in combat again, Kui Mulang naturally had to intervene.

After all, this is a Daoist disciple from the Tushita Palace. Although he is skilled, it is not advisable to harm him in the slightest. His actions here are more about expressing a stance.

"I don't need you!" the Silver Furnace Boy shouted urgently, his voice stubborn.

"I'll deal with this bald monk myself!" He was still resentful about the humiliation of being captured last time and only wanted to avenge himself. His face turned red with anger and the power of his magic.

(End of this chapter)