Many children, many blessings: Stealing the offspring of powerful figures to cultivate immortality.

The hatch to the main control room of the immortal ship was pushed open from the outside, and Gu Qinghan walked in carrying a white jade bowl that was still emitting pale golden steam.

His frosty eyes swept over Bai Ze and Wu Bao, who were tightly embracing each other on the bed, and the medicinal fragrance on his white clothes instantly masked the bloody smell in the cabin.

"This bowl of medicine contains the blood from the Nine-Tailed Fox's heart and my pure Yang essence, which can temporarily stabilize her condition."

Gu Qinghan handed the jade bowl to Jiang Yining, his gaze falling on Wu Bao's limp, illusory fox tail.

"But the residual poison of the laws planted in the divine realm has already seeped into the deepest part of her soul, and this bowl of medicine alone cannot completely eradicate it."

Bai Ze's golden demonic eyes suddenly narrowed, and his pale lips trembled slightly. He was about to speak when Jiang Yining raised her hand to stop him.

"What is needed to completely remove it?" Jiang Yining took the jade bowl, scooped up a spoonful of deep red medicinal juice with a white porcelain spoon, blew on it gently, and handed it to Wu Bao's mouth.

Wu Bao obediently swallowed the medicine, her little face scrunched up, but she didn't scream or resist like before.

"It requires the purest and most sacred power of purification."

Gu Qinghan gently stroked the hilt of the broken sword with his slender fingers: "In the Western Heaven Domain, at the foot of the Great Thunderclap Temple, in the town of Bitter Sea, there is a Merit Pool. The water in the pool is formed by the power of the vows of holy monks throughout the ages. It is the only thing in the Canglan Realm that can cleanse the laws of the divine domain."

Feng Liuyun leaned against the cabin wall, his peach blossom eyes slightly narrowed, and tapped his folding fan twice in his palm.

"Those bald monks at the Great Thunder Temple have many rules. They don't even open the temple gates on ordinary days, let alone let people use their merit pool for bathing."

Feng Liuyun's crimson-gold Nirvana True Fire circled around his fingertips and then went out: "I think it would be better if I, the young master, just set it on fire and burned a hole in that Great Thunderclap Temple."

Da Bao took a step forward, carrying the Anning Heavy Sword, his purple-gold pupils filled with murderous intent.

"I'll go and smash their gates down."

"no."

Jiang Yining placed the empty jade bowl on a small table beside her, a purplish-gold vitality emanating from her fingertips as she gently massaged Wu Bao's brow to help her absorb the medicinal power. "Wu Bao's soul is as fragile as a piece of paper right now, unable to withstand the slightest disturbance."

Yu Luofeng emerged from the shadows, his extremely yin and ghostly aura swirling beneath his dark robe.

"So what does Ning'er plan to do? Go and reason with those old bald monks?"

Yu Luofeng sneered: "They cultivate the Path of Heartlessness, which severs all emotions and desires, making them even more stubborn than this Gu fellow."

Jiang Yining stood up and handed the five treasures to the three treasures beside her for care. A mysterious light flashed in her purple-gold eyes.

"Since they want rules, then I'll give them rules."

Jiang Yining straightened her wrinkled purple-gold cloak and turned to look in Mo Xie's direction: "Mo Xie, adjust the course, target Bitter Sea Town in the Western Heaven Region, full speed ahead."

Two days later, the celestial ship came to a stop on the outskirts of an area shrouded in golden auspicious clouds.

There were no star fragments ahead, only a massive mountain range suspended in the void. The outline of a magnificent temple could be vaguely seen at the top of the mountain, and the air was filled with the rich scent of sandalwood, accompanied by the faint sound of chanting.

As soon as the celestial boat approached, Yu Luofeng let out a muffled groan.

He clutched his chest, and wisps of white smoke began to rise from his dark robe. When the Extreme Yin Ghost King encountered such a vast and all-encompassing Buddhist light, it was as if water and fire were incompatible.

"The Buddha's light in this shabby place is really an eyesore."

Yu Luofeng gritted his teeth, a bloodthirsty red light flashing in his eyes. His ghostly aura, at the semi-saint level, surged wildly, attempting to resist the erosion of the Buddha's light.

Ao Lin transformed into a half-dragon and stood in front of Yu Luofeng, his golden dragon eyes also revealing discomfort.

"Your sins are so heavy that even I find them repulsive. You should stay on the immortal ship and not get off, lest you defile this sacred Buddhist site," Ao Lin mocked in a gruff voice.

Yu Luofeng condensed a ball of black ghost fire in his hand and stared coldly at Ao Lin's dragon scales.

"I think you're just asking for a beating," Yu Luofeng said.

"Alright."

Jiang Yining carried Wu Bao, who was wearing a small cloak, out of the cabin, interrupting the two's argument: "From now on, all of you, whether you are in the Mahayana stage or a half-saint stage, must conceal your aura."

Gu Qinghan gripped the broken sword tightly, his frosty eyes revealing disapproval.

"The hidden injuries in your meridians haven't healed yet, I'll go up with you."

"Your pure Yang sword intent is too sharp and will disturb the mountain-protecting formation."

Jiang Yining refused without hesitation, then patted Da Bao on the shoulder: "Keep an eye on the three of them."

Da Bao nodded solemnly, and An Ning slammed his heavy sword onto the deck, whereupon the purple-gold lightning separated the three men from the outside.

The town of Kuhai is connected to the mountain gate of the Great Thunderclap Temple. There are a total of 99,999 white jade steps, each of which is engraved with intricate Sanskrit.

Jiang Yining changed into a plain white silk dress, her long hair tied up with only a wooden hairpin, and the red mole between her eyebrows looked particularly poignant against her pale face.

She tightly bound the five treasures to her chest with strips of cloth, took a deep breath, bent her knees, and knelt firmly on the first step.

He kowtowed, stood up, took a step forward, and knelt again.

One step, one bow.

At the foot of the mountain, Gu Qinghan watched the figure in pure white slowly move up the steps, the veins on the back of his hand holding the sword bulging, almost crushing the hilt.

Feng Liuyun's peach blossom eyes lost their usual nonchalance, and she broke two fan ribs in her palm.

"She's someone who's so afraid of pain, yet she knelt before those bald monks for this little fox."

Feng Liuyun gritted her teeth, her voice filled with bitterness and heartache.

Yu Luofeng's eyes were bloodshot, and extremely yin ghostly energy was tearing wildly around him.

"Da Bao, step aside. I'm going to flatten this mountain today!" Yu Luofeng stepped forward.

Without hesitation, Da Bao unleashed a bolt of purple-gold lightning, striking precisely an inch in front of Yu Luofeng's toes, scorching the ground black.

"If you push the mountain, then Mother's kneeling will have been in vain. Go back."

For a full three hours, Jiang Yining's forehead was red and swollen from the bumps, and her skirt over her knees was worn through, with faint traces of blood seeping out.

She finally knelt before the tightly closed vermilion gate of the Great Thunder Temple.

"Jiang Yining, a rogue cultivator, requests an audience with the abbot of the Great Thunderclap Temple and asks to borrow the Merit Pool."

Jiang Yining's hoarse voice echoed across the empty mountaintop.

There was no response from inside the heavy mountain gate.

Jiang Yining maintained a devout expression of grief. She closed her eyes and slammed her forehead heavily against the cold bluestone slab.

"I request an audience with the abbot and permission to use the merit pool," Jiang Yining shouted again.

Finally, a clear and melodious bell rang out from inside the mountain gate, its lingering sound seemingly able to soothe all the restlessness in the world.

The heavy vermilion gates slowly opened to both sides, and accompanied by a dazzling yet not blinding golden light, a young monk walked out from inside.

He wore a moon-white monk's robe, spotless, and held a purple-gold alms bowl in his hand, with a string of crystal-clear Bodhi prayer beads hanging around his neck.

It was a face so handsome it resembled that of a god, with a face like jade, a high nose bridge, slightly lowered eyes, and long eyelashes casting two faint shadows in the eye sockets.

What is most striking is the cinnabar dot between his eyebrows, so red it is almost blinding, yet it makes him appear even more holy and otherworldly, as if all things in the world are empty in his eyes.

Fan Chenxin, the disciple of the Great Thunderclap Temple, is revered by believers throughout the Western Heaven as the reincarnation of the true Buddha.

He stopped three steps away from Jiang Yining, his wooden clogs making a soft sound as they stepped on the bluestone slabs.

"Amitabha." Fan Chenxin's voice was like a clear spring striking a stone, cool and distant, keeping people at arm's length.

He slightly raised his eyes, his calm and unwavering gaze sweeping over the five treasures wrapped around Jiang Yining's chest, his brows furrowing almost imperceptibly.

"Please leave, benefactor."

Fan Chenxin turned the prayer beads in her hand, her tone flat and without any fluctuation: "This child's soul is damaged and tainted by karma that does not belong to this world. Although Buddhism is vast, it cannot save those who defy the heavens."

He paused for a moment, his gaze passing over Jiang Yining and landing at the foot of the mountain, his brows furrowing even deeper.

"Moreover, among the people accompanying you, there is one person whose sinister aura is soaring to the heavens. His sins of killing are so heavy that he has reached the level of a half-saint. It is not appropriate for the pure land of Buddhism to take in such a blood-stained person."

Fan Chenxin lowered her eyes: "Go back to where you came from, benefactor."

Jiang Yining did not get up. She raised her head, and two lines of clear tears hung on her beautiful face. The redness and swelling on her forehead were even more shocking.

She looked at the lofty and holy Buddha before her, his purple-gold eyes filled with stubbornness and sorrow.

"Buddha guides those with affinity, and even those suffering hardship."

Jiang Yining's voice was not loud, but every word was firm and resounding, with a hint of suppressed sobs: "Since the master cultivates the salvation of all sentient beings, isn't the child in my arms one of those sentient beings?"

Fan Chenxin paused slightly as she moved the prayer beads.

"Cause and effect, reincarnation, are all predetermined," Fan Chenxin replied calmly.

Jiang Yining smiled faintly, straightened her upper body, and looked directly into Fan Chenxin's eyes.

"Predestination? If you can stand idly by and watch the life of an innocent child die, what kind of Buddha are you cultivating, Master? What kind of sentient beings are you saving? The compassion you speak of is nothing but cowardice out of fear of being tainted by karma."