Killing Monks

It wasn't that Guangyuan was being picky, nor was he being pretentious.

Instead, it's a matter of the master seeking the disciple, and the disciple seeking the master.

If you find a master who is a god-like figure, it will be a huge pitfall for life.

"What this old monk is seeking is a Buddhist disciple who is not deceived by the illusion of this 'Mirror of Karma'." Xinchi's gaze fell on Guangyuan.

"You are unaffected by the mirror's light, and your mind is not swayed by illusions. This is a gift, and also a matter of character."

"So, you're a good fit."

"Is that all?" Guangyuan pressed.

"That's all," Xin Chi replied crisply.

"Why must we find such a successor?"

After a moment of silence, a faint, almost transparent sense of melancholy appeared on his face, which seemed both old and young, only to be replaced by a carefree smile.

"Because, this old monk... is about to die."

"Huh?" Lu Fei couldn't help but exclaim. He looked at Xin Chi, who was clearly an eleven or twelve-year-old boy, and then at Guang Yuan, his face full of disbelief.

"You...you're not the 'ageless monk'? How could you...?"

"Form, existence, decay, and emptiness—this is the natural order of things." Xinchi smiled nonchalantly, as if he were not talking about his own life and death, but about the ordinary rising and setting of the sun and moon.

"While there may be people in this world whose appearance never ages, is there truly an immortal body?"

The impermanence of birth and death seems to have been seen through and let go of by him long ago.

Based solely on this detached attitude towards life and death, Guangyuan couldn't help but think more highly of him.

Guangyuan slowly shook his head: "I admire your transcendence. But the path you follow is ultimately different from the path I seek in my heart."

"I...cannot become your disciple."

After saying that, he turned around and actually left.

Lu Fei, who was watching from the side, was so anxious that he almost shouted out!

That bald thief!

Regardless of whether the paths are the same or different, let's learn the skills of the Buddhist soldiers and the divine monks first!

Why would you turn away an opportunity that has fallen from the sky?

But how could he understand the almost stubborn persistence in Guangyuan's heart?

Those who walk different paths should never make plans together.

Xin Chi watched Guangyuan and Lu Fei turn and head down the mountain, but did not stop them or try to persuade them to stay.

He gently stroked the head of the spotted dog beside him, and the dog rubbed against his hand affectionately.

He stood there quietly, watching the two figures gradually disappear into the distance.

Suddenly, he raised his hand and gently patted the "Mirror of Observation" that was floating beside him.

"Buzz—"

The bronze mirror emitted a clear chime, transformed into a dim bronze light, and spun around, flying down the mountain like a shooting star, precisely landing behind Guangyuan.

Guangyuan heard something amiss in the wind, turned around abruptly, and with a swift movement, caught the flying bronze mirror firmly in his hand.

It felt slightly cool to the touch, and the mirror itself wasn't as heavy as I'd imagined, weighing only three or four pounds.

At the same time, the clear and melodious voice of the believer rang clearly in his ears:

"Little monk, this thing is a nuisance. Since you're unaffected by it, feel free to play with it."

"You know it's a problem!" Guangyuan looked up at Xinchi's figure, which had shrunk to a tiny dot on the mountain.

At this distance, if one wants to leave, it's difficult for the other to stop them.

He grew bolder and raised his voice in reply, "Finally, you've stopped being stubborn and admitted it's just 'trouble'?"

The message from the believer carried a hint of helpless laughter: "This old monk has devoted half his life's work and so much time to this mirror."

"Now that its time is coming to an end, it must be given a place to go."

"You have your own inner depths, and you are not bound by appearances. Leaving this mirror to you is perhaps... not a case of entrusting it to the wrong person."

"Give me the money." Guangyuan's answer was concise and blunt. "Don't make it sound so nice, what kind of entrustment of inheritance is this?"

"I'll handle your troubles, and you'll pay me. We'll settle this matter cleanly and honestly."

"..." The person on the other end of the voice transmission seemed to choke for a moment, "Little monk, this is a Buddhist weapon! A sacred object that countless people in the martial world dream of!"

"This is also the 'trouble' you yourself admitted to," Guangyuan retorted, not backing down an inch. "You said it."

"This old monk is all alone, with only this old dog for company. My sleeves are empty; where would I get gold, silver, and other such filthy things?" Xinchi's voice was tinged with a helpless mix of laughter and tears.

"So you just wanted to get my help for free." Guangyuan snorted. "You eminent monks all seem to have the same thick skin."

"Fine, I'll find a pawnshop later and pawn it to get some travel money."

"Wait! Wait, wait..." Xin Chi's voice transmission rang out hurriedly, as if he was really afraid that he would turn around and go to the pawnshop.

"Very well, very well. It seems we are indeed not destined to be master and disciple, but perhaps we share some other kind of destiny."

Before the words were finished, the figures of the man and dog on the mountaintop suddenly blurred, and in the next moment, they appeared as swiftly as a gentle breeze and drifting clouds, appearing in front of Guangyuan and Lufei.

Xinchi stood still, still wearing that ill-fitting, oversized monk's robe, still with that face that seemed both old and young.

He no longer mentioned taking on disciples, but looked at Guangyuan and said solemnly:

"I am giving you this method as payment. This method is called the 'One Thought of Withering and Flourishing Sutra.' How much you can understand and to what extent you can cultivate it depends entirely on your own comprehension and destiny."

Having said that, Xin Chi slightly raised his fingertips, as if to transmit his voice through the air, sending the incantation of the technique directly into Guang Yuan's ears.

Guangyuan shook his head and said:

"Divine monk, please wait. There are two people here. You only transmitted your voice to me. Aren't you afraid that we might develop a rift after we return?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Fei quickly waved his hand and said seriously:

"Monk, this is your destiny, how could I possibly covet it? I will turn away immediately."

As he spoke, he turned and walked to the side.

Guangyuan reached out and pulled him back, his gaze still fixed on Xinchi: "The magnanimous monk is unlikely to be so petty."

"Since it's payment, why not let my companion hear it too?"

"He was also affected by this mirror, and his mind and spirit were damaged. Listening to Buddhist teachings might be beneficial for him."

Xin Chi looked at Guang Yuan, a complex expression of helplessness and amusement appearing on his half-young, half-old face.

Is this his way of demanding compensation on behalf of his friend for being misled by the Mirror of Observation?

One step back leads to another step back.

Why? Because Guangyuan already knew his bottom line.

Xin Chi lowered his head and looked at the ancient "Mirror of Illumination" in Guang Yuan's hand. He then reached out and gently rubbed the head of the dog beside him. The dog squinted comfortably and made a purring sound in its throat.

He sighed and said slowly, "Indeed, dealing with people is always more complicated and straightforward than getting along with my old friend."

"..." Guangyuan heard the teasing in his words and realized that this monk could curse without using any dirty words.

Xin Chi said nothing more, nor did he make any move. He simply sat down cross-legged on the spot, and the spotted dog obediently lay down beside his legs.

His eyes were slightly closed, his expression peaceful. He then spoke, his voice neither loud nor soft, yet each word clear, like a babbling brook flowing directly into the ears and hearts of Guangyuan and Lufei.

He was not reciting obscure incantations, but rather a scripture with profound meaning.

With a natural, pure, and untainted "childlike heart" or "innocent nature," one can perceive and then master the fundamental laws that permeate all living beings and all things.

Life and death, glory and decay.