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

Fan Chenxin's fingers, holding the Bodhi prayer beads, hovered in mid-air, the lustrous bead remaining untouched for a long time.

He had been practicing Buddhism for a hundred years, and every day he heard believers prostrating themselves in worship and flattering him. No one had ever dared to point at him and call him a coward in front of the temple gate.

The woman's eyes were red-rimmed, and the blood vessels on her forehead stood out starkly against her fair skin, but her purplish-gold eyes were brighter and sharper than the eternal lamp that had burned for ten thousand years in front of the main hall.

Fan Chenxin's Buddha-like heart, which was like an ancient well, seemed to have been hit by a sharp pebble thrown into it, creating ripples that he himself was unaware of.

"Your words are so sharp that this humble monk has no way to refute them."

Fan Chenxin sighed, a struggle flashing in her cold eyes, but in the end, compassion prevailed.

He stepped slightly to the side, making way for a passage into the temple.

"This humble monk can use the Merit Pool to save this child." Fan Chenxin lowered his eyes, his voice returning to its calm and still tone. "However, this child's karma is too heavy. This benefactor's relative must stay in the side courtyard of the temple, fast and chant Buddhist scriptures for forty-nine days, copying the Tranquility Mantra three hundred times a day to cleanse himself of worldly ties and resentment before he can enter the pool."

Jiang Yining bent down and kowtowed again.

"Thank you for your compassion, Master."

At the foot of the mountain, the four men who had been monitoring the movements of the mountain gate with their divine senses instantly erupted into chaos.

"Eat vegetarian food and chant Buddhist scriptures for forty-nine days? And copy Buddhist scriptures? How dare this bald monk make such a request!"

Enraged, Feng Liuyun kicked over a massive boulder weighing tens of thousands of pounds, and the Nirvana True Fire nearly ignited the surrounding dry grass.

Yu Luofeng's extremely Yin ghost energy had transformed into solid black chains, which crackled and popped in the air.

"I told you, just charging in would be the easiest way. Ning'er's hands are meant to control us, why should she bother copying that damn scripture!"

Yu Luofeng flashed forward and was about to rush up the steps.

"Get back on the fairy ship and stay there, all of you."

Jiang Yining's cold voice transmission resounded simultaneously in the minds of the four people: "Anyone who dares to come up and cause trouble and ruin Wu Bao's treatment will never be allowed to stay by my side again."

Gu Qinghan's hand holding the sword froze in mid-air, Yu Luofeng abruptly pulled back the foot that had just stepped out, and Ao Lin scratched his hair in frustration.

Did you hear that?

Da Bao, carrying the Anning Heavy Sword, stared at them like a cold overseer: "Anyone who utters another word will be struck by lightning."

The four top-tier figures, whose mere presence could shake the entire Canglan Realm, could only exchange a pitiful glance and reluctantly retreat back to their immortal ship.

Jiang Yining, carrying the five treasures, checked into the most secluded courtyard behind the Great Thunder Temple.

During those forty-nine days, Jiang Yining completely played the role of an extremely devout mother. Every day, she would kneel in front of the small Buddhist hall in the side courtyard, put her hands together, and close her eyes to pray.

She was devoutly chanting scriptures, while simultaneously and silently absorbing the rich Buddhist light permeating the air.

The sacred energy, powerful enough to purify all evil in the world, was transformed into the purest chaotic life force along her meridians. It not only quietly repaired the hidden injuries within her body but also continuously nourished the broken souls of the Five Treasures.

Fan Chenxin would visit Wu Bao's condition in the side courtyard every few days. Every time he saw Jiang Yining kneeling on the futon with her thin back, his fingers holding the purple-gold alms bowl would unconsciously tighten.

In her spare time, Jiang Yining would sit under the Bodhi tree in the courtyard, sewing little clothes for Wubao while discussing Buddhism with Fan Chenxin.

"The master said that form is emptiness, and emptiness is form."

Jiang Yining bit off a piece of thread, casually raised her eyes, and her purple-gold pupils held a hint of mockery that was neither a smile nor a frown.

"If there were no color in the world, how could there be emptiness? Without the trials of love, desire, anger, and delusion, wouldn't the master's so-called great love that severs the seven emotions and six desires be nothing more than empty talk?"

Fan Chenxin sat upright opposite the stone table, slightly turning her head to avoid her extremely aggressive gaze.

"Amitabha Buddha, this is sophistry, benefactor."

Jiang Yining put down her needlework, leaned forward, and a very faint, cool fragrance wafted across the stone table.

"The master said that all beings are equal."

Jiang Yining's smile widened: "Then why are those demons who are born unable to choose their bloodline destined to be killed by your Buddhist Vajras, while you human cultivators can become Buddhas and ancestors just by reciting a few scriptures? Is this the equality you speak of?"

Fan Chenxin closed her eyes, and the prayer beads in her hand spun faster and faster.

He began to frequently experience qi deviation during his nighttime meditation, with the image of Jiang Yining's ambiguous smile appearing before his eyes under the Bodhi tree.

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, it's already the fortieth day.

As agreed, the Five Treasures were sent to the Merit Pool in the back mountain for their first baptism.

The pool water had a translucent golden hue, and large swathes of pure white lotus flowers floated on its surface.

Fan Chenxin sat cross-legged on a huge rock by the pool, his hands forming a mudra, chanting a long and obscure purification scripture.

Jiang Yining stood by the pool, her brows furrowed as she stared at her daughter in the water.

Just as the baptism was halfway through, an extremely violent dark golden light suddenly erupted from the depths of Wu Bao's soul.

That was the remnant of the divine laws' counterattack. It sensed the threat of the Buddha's light and attempted to forcibly destroy the host's soul.

Wu Bao let out a painful scream, and its nine illusory fox tails thrashed wildly in the water, creating golden water columns several meters high.

"Oh no, the laws are flowing backward!" Fan Chenxin disregarded his composure and leaped directly into the pool.

He scooped the five treasures into his arms, and the cinnabar between his brows instantly burst forth with dazzling golden light. The primordial Buddhist light poured out without reservation, attempting to forcefully suppress the violent divine laws.

But the power of the divine realm was so domineering that Fan Chenxin groaned, a trace of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. His moon-white monk's robe was instantly soaked by the pool water, clinging tightly to his lean body.

A cold glint flashed in Jiang Yining's eyes. Without any hesitation, she leaped directly into the churning pool of merit.

The icy golden pool water instantly submerged her waist.

Jiang Yining strode forward in the water, placing her palm on Wu Bao's back. The purple-gold chaotic law instantly surged in, colliding fiercely with the dark-gold divine domain law.

The water rippled violently, and Jiang Yining slipped, falling forward and crashing heavily into Fan Chenxin's arms.

The two collided in the pool filled with sacred golden light.

The soaked white silk skirt and the moon-white monk's robe became entangled.

Jiang Yining tilted her head back, her nose almost touching his chin.

"Master, please forgive me." Jiang Yining's voice sounded particularly hoarse and alluring in the steam.

Fan Chenxin trembled violently.

That unfamiliar aura, carrying a woman's unique fragrance and domineering power, surged through his body like a fiery serpent, igniting some indescribable emotion.

He looked down at the woman in his arms, who was soaking wet. Her beautiful face was so close to his, and water droplets slid down her graceful jawline and disappeared into her collarbone.

A crisp "snap" sound.

The Bodhi prayer beads that Fan Chenxin had never parted from her hand suddenly broke at this moment.

One hundred and eight lustrous beads were scattered on the ground, splashing onto the golden surface of the Merit Pool, creating tiny water droplets.

He closed his eyes, which were as still as an ancient well, and his voice was hoarse beyond belief.

"Amitabha."

Fan Chenxin gently released her arms and turned her head slightly away.