I'm already a Great Luo Golden Immortal, how come you're only Martial Saints?

As Luo Zhantian was marveling at the magnificent incense offerings of Guanyin Temple, a golden, glittering object suddenly descended from the sky, burying his shiny bald head inside.

"Who is this inconsiderate person who litters in this sacred Buddhist sanctuary?"

Luo ripped the thing off his head and tried to throw it away.

However, when his fingers touched that object, an indescribable feeling of warmth and peace welled up from the bottom of his heart.

Huh?

Old Luo carefully examined the object in his hand; what had fallen from the sky was actually a cassock.

The robe is made of neither silk nor linen, and is woven with images of Buddha, Bodhisattvas, and Arhats in gold thread. It is also decorated with the sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, and exotic flowers and plants, making it radiant and dazzling.

Just holding it in his hand, Lao Luo felt as if he could hear the soft chanting of Buddhist hymns lingering in his ears, and his mind involuntarily calmed down a bit.

A divine notification immediately popped up in front of them.

[Obtained the acquired magical treasure: Brocade Kasaya]

[Wearing this garment wards off worldly defilement, keeps one far from the cycle of rebirth, and brings purity and freedom from hindrance!]

"This...this is..."

Luo's angry rant stopped abruptly, his eyes widening instantly.

He unfolded the entire robe, revealing countless rays of light and auspicious clouds, which made his bald head shine even brighter.

"What a wonderful baby! What a wonderful baby!"

He had completely forgotten his earlier anger, and kept stroking the exquisite patterns of the robe, unable to put it down.

"This material! This craftsmanship! Incredible! Divine guidance to ward off worldly defilement, transcend reincarnation, and attain purity and freedom from hindrance? This is probably a legendary Buddhist treasure!"

Upon hearing what Lao Luo said, everyone crowded around, touching the brocade cassock. As they were all Divine Realm cultivators, they could see the attributes of the cassock and were filled with envy.

"Teacher Luo, your luck is truly unbelievable!"

Money and power made his eyes gleam.

"Could it be that this fifth level offers a random magical item reward at the start?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Da immediately knelt down and prayed.

"Bodhisattva, please grant me a magic pancake maker..."

Old Luo was overjoyed, stroking the cassock.

"Who says there's no such thing as a free lunch? Look what happened to me today!"

"If this robe could be brought back to Earth, it would be worth at least billions!"

Ning Chen couldn't help but sneer. The Buddhist sect has no shame at all. They're forcing their way into a brocade cassock if they don't have one.

Do we really have to fight the Black Bear Demon?

The Black Bear Demon is quite powerful; even without any magical weapons, he managed to fight Monkey King for several rounds.

Then he wondered if, in the next eighty-one tribulations, Lao Luo's role would be that of the Tripitaka Master.

If that's true, then it's going to be a real problem. If the news that eating Lao Luo's flesh can grant immortality gets out, Lao Luo will suffer a lot on his journey!

Ning Chen could imagine that every time they entered the Divine Realm, Tang Hao and Sun Rongrong would shout.

"Brother Ning, Teacher Luo has been captured by a monster again!"

No, this absolutely cannot happen!

Ning Chen quickly gathered his strength and shouted loudly.

"We humbly request that the Bodhisattva Guanyin appear and grant us a discussion!"

Ning Chen's eyesight was already extraordinary at this moment, and he immediately saw Guanyin Bodhisattva, dressed in a plain white robe, appear in the clouds.

Ning Chen's sleeves fluttered slightly, and with the help of the breeze, his figure rose like a feather lifted by the wind, graceful and elegant, and in an instant he soared up and landed steadily on the clouds.

This is the Free and Easy Body Method, where the body merges with heaven and earth, and the mind moves with the thought.

After breaking through to the Dao Integration Realm, he used this divine ability with even greater ease and without leaving a trace.

As soon as Ning Chen ascended to the cloud, he came face to face with that person.

Guanyin Bodhisattva sat serenely on a lotus throne, her expression compassionate and peaceful.

She wore a jeweled crown adorned with dangling pearls, her face was like a full moon, her lips were painted vermilion, and a red mole between her eyebrows added to her sacredness.

Dressed in a plain white robe, she exudes a sense of purity and innocence.

He holds a vase in his left hand, with a willow branch inserted inside, and forms the abhaya mudra with his right hand. He is enveloped in a soft, seven-colored Buddhist light, and his dignified appearance brings peace to those who look upon him.

When he met the Bodhisattva, Ning Chen's eyes were clear and calm, without the slightest ripple.

He looked directly into the Bodhisattva's eyes, which contained immeasurable wisdom and compassion, and asked the question directly.

"Great Bodhisattva Guanyin, this brocade robe descended from the sky and was forcibly placed upon us. What is your purpose?"

A faint, serene smile played on Guanyin Bodhisattva's lips as she answered gently, her voice flowing like a clear spring.

"Don't be upset, benefactor. This is a protective treasure bestowed by the Buddha upon the pilgrims. It has its own spirit and will choose on its own. Among your group, the one with the most wisdom and the most affinity with Buddhism is the one who has been recognized by the robe. It is also due to the karmic connection. With this treasure protecting you, all evil will be warded off and you will not be disturbed in the cycle of reincarnation. You have nothing to worry about."

"Oh!"

Ning Chen sneered, his eyes flashing even brighter.

"What a fine 'choice'! Why must the Bodhisattva put on such a hypocritical act? We both know perfectly well that Buddhism intends to use this calamity to block our path. Let's be frank: what exactly do you want in order to let us pass through your Guanyin Temple?"

The serene smile on Guanyin Bodhisattva's face seemed to freeze for a moment, but the compassion in her eyes remained unchanged.

She nodded slightly, her voice remaining calm.

"You have a deep misunderstanding of Buddhism and are very attached to it. Very well, since you speak so frankly, I will not say more. All you need to do is to compete with the people of Buddhism in this temple three times: listen to a sutra, discuss Zen, and fight a battle of Dharma. If you can win two of the three rounds, I will grant you permission to pass through smoothly without any obstacles."

Ning Chen narrowed his eyes slightly and asked in return.

"What if we lose?"

Guanyin Bodhisattva lowered her eyes and gently brushed the mouth of the vase with the willow branch in her hand.

"If, unfortunately, you are defeated, then please select one person from your group who is destined to stay and take refuge in Buddhism, spending their days with the ancient Buddha and the flickering lamp, comprehending the supreme Dharma. That would be a great blessing, wouldn't it?"

Guanyin Bodhisattva meant that if Ning Chen's side lost, one person would have to stay in Guanyin Temple forever, spending their days with the ancient Buddha and the dim lamp, unable to return to Blue Star.

What's the difference between this and being dead?

"very good."

Ning Chen's lips curled into a cold smile, his tone resolute.

"A contest is acceptable, but bullying the weak and oppressing the strong is not! The person sent by your Buddhist sect must be of equal cultivation level to our side! Otherwise, this bet is unfair, and you can forget about me honoring it!"

Ning Chen said this mainly because he was afraid that Guanyin Bodhisattva would personally intervene. Before going to the Western Sect, she was Cihang Daoren, one of the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect, and had profound cultivation.

The four great Bodhisattvas of Buddhism—Manjushri, Avalokiteshvara, Samantabhadra, and Ksitigarbha—are all at the Buddha level in terms of true power, but they have unfulfilled great vows and have not yet attained Buddhahood.

If Guanyin Bodhisattva were to descend to earth, the jade bottle in her hand alone could hold the waters of the five lakes and four seas.

There was no need to even hit it; they simply smashed the jade bottle down, and no one present could catch it.

"Amitabha."

Guanyin Bodhisattva chanted the Buddha's name and nodded in agreement.

"You can rest assured, benefactor. A monk does not lie. I hereby guarantee that I will act fairly."

She paused, her gaze seemingly casually sweeping over Ning Chen, before adding something else.

"If your side wins three matches, this humble monk will not only allow you to pass, but will also present you with an extra treasure as a bonus. This item..."

Guanyin Bodhisattva paused slightly, a profound meaning flashing in her eyes, and slowly spoke.

"Originally, it was meant for your senior brother!"

Ning Chen's heart skipped a beat!

She did recognize who I was!

They even know exactly what my relationship with Monkey King is like!

This seemingly casual remark is both a gesture of goodwill and a warning.

The Buddhist community is fully aware of his background and whereabouts.

Ning Chen remained expressionless, only coldly saying...

"Then it's a deal. I hope Guanyin Bodhisattva will keep her word!"

After saying this, Ning Chen said no more. He swayed and floated down from the clouds like a falling leaf, returning to the group.