Chapter 529 – Greenlotus Mountain, Old Monk
After entering the Western Region, one could smell a different kind of aura lingering in the air. This place could be considered the kingdom of Buddhism, although there were many other clans in this place, and there were even genuine devils entrenched on the border of the Western Region. The Buddhists were the natural enemies of the devils. In fact, the main reason why the Western Region’s power had decayed was because of the intense battles between them and the devils. Of course, the devils’ power was decaying as well.
Dong... Dong...
Harmonious sounds of bells ringing could be heard from anywhere in the Western Region. They came from the Great Leiyin Temple. Just listening to the sound for a brief moment would make someone feel completely relaxed; throwing away all worries and trouble. This was the Holy Land of Buddhism with a long history of legacy. Although there was a lot of slaughter in this land as well, it had mostly been washed away by the Buddhist rays, making the air clear and fresh.
However, upon arriving at the Western Region, Tyrant seemed spiritless and dejected, and a sorrowful expression was visible on his face. However, he quickly adjusted his emotions, then started flying at to speed. His ultimate goal was to save Jiang Chen and Big Yellow. If not for this, he wouldn’t have come back to this place at all. This was because he didn’t want to see the look of disappointment on his master’s face.
There was a desolate mountain range in a corner of the Western Region. A lonely hill standing tall could be seen in the center of this mountain range. It was a hill with an amazing scenery, green waters, and lush vegetation everywhere. Even the natural Yuan energy was extremely dense. It contrasted sharply against the desolate mountain range, sticking out like a sore thumb.
Tyrant appeared on the borders of this mountain range. He seemed to be muttering something to himself as he strode toward the tall hill. Soon, he arrived in front of the tall hill. An invisible formation was covering the entire hill, and no ordinary man could see it with naked eyes. If Jiang Chen was here, he would be able to tell that this invisible formation was created by a Minor Saint.
The monk arrived in front of the formation and took out a talisman. He then waved the talisman in his hand, revealing a crack in the formation, then walked through the crack. After Tyrant entered the crack, the formation immediately restored itself to its original form.
Because of this formation, it was impossible for any ordinary man to enter this tall hill. Tyrant was obviously very familiar with this place.
Upon setting foot onto the tall hill, one would immediately discover that this tall hill was supposed to be taller than its current height. Apparently, its peak had been sliced off by a powerful warrior with one strike, eventually creating the current flat field on top of this hill. A temple was visible on this flat field. It was a small temple, but it was elegant.
A huge stone tablet stood thirty meters tall halfway up the hill, and one word was forcefully written on it, ‘Greenlotus’. The name of this hill was Greenlotus Mountain. Anyone in the Western Region who knew of Ancestor Greenlotus would know why this hill was given this name.
The entire hill appeared to be very quiet, and not a single man could be seen. No auras could be sensed either.
Tyrant knew his way well. With a leap, he set foot on top of the hill.
The temple’s main gate was wide open. Tyrant walked straight into it. After passing through the gate, a golden palace was revealed to him. Although it had been built many years ago, it still emanated a bright golden glow, filling the place with a holy aura. The gate leading into the palace was open as well, and Tyrant strode into it without hesitating.
The place was spacious, but also rather empty. A sublime statue stood in the center of the palace. It was a statue of an eminent monk, and its entire body was coated in gold. The monk had a face giving of a sense of kindness, and he looked to be in his fifties. He was neither fat nor skinny. He was seen holding one hand in front of his chest, and he wore a bright smile on his face. Nine circular scars could be seen on his forehead. It was a lifelike statue, and it was as if it could come back to life at any time. However, no aura could be sensed from the statue, proving that it truly was a statue.
If Jiang Chen was awake right now, he would definitely recognize this statue.
Tyrant went down on his knees in front of the statue and respectfully kowtowed three times. He was acting completely differently compared to when he was in the Xuan Region, becoming someone with a solemn expression.
“En, not bad. The first thing you did after coming back is kowtowing to your Ancestor Master.”
A voice suddenly rang through the palace. It was a deep and resounding voice. It obviously came from an eminent monk. Whether it was his attainments to Buddhism or his cultivation base, Tyrant had no way of comparing to this monk.
As his voice subsided, an old monk suddenly appeared in the palace. The way this old monk appeared was rather bizarre, as no fluctuations in space could be sensed. It was as if he was a ghost who had just appeared out of thin air. Judging from this, his cultivation base must be quite good.
The old monk wore a yellow robe of primitive simplicity. He looked to be in his seventies, and he had a long, white beard. His eyes were calm, and no emotional fluctuations could be seen on his face. This entire temple on Greenlotus Mountain only had two residents; the master and the disciple. After Tyrant had left this place, the old monk had been the only one to reside in this place.
"Master."
Tyrant kowtowed toward the old monk in a respectful manner.
“Fourth Grade Combat King; you have broken through two stages since you left, not bad. However, this is far from enough, as the burden on your shoulders is enormous. Master has told you before; in order for you to mature, you’ll have to walk through a path filled with hardships. Master won’t provide you any aid during this process. No, why have you come back? Do you want to stay in this deserted temple and live a boring life?”
The old monk said with a calm voice. However, it wasn’t hard to tell that he was disappointed in Tyrant. Sometimes, disappointment came from huge expectations, just like how the old monk had huge expectations for Tyrant. Even though Tyrant had proved himself to be an outstanding cultivator among those of his age, even if he wasn’t inferior to those super geniuses from the Great Leiyin Temple, his current achievements were far from meeting the old monk’s expectations.
“Master, the Great Leiyin Temple has invited you many times, so why do you keep rejecting them? What’s the point of staying in this place? With your strength, you can go wherever you please in this world. Also, every time I ask you about what happened to Ancestor Master, you never answered. You just kept telling me to cultivate.”
Tyrant was a stubborn man. He didn’t understand why his master did this. The Great Leiyin Temple was a supreme Buddhist existence. Anyone following the Buddhist path would feel prideful for being able to join the Great Leiyin Temple. However, his master had turned down every single invitation from them.
“You know nothing. The Great Leiyin Temple is far more complicated than you can imagine. This is a sinister world, and you’re too young, Tyrant. You’re a man endowed by nature with unusual intelligence, and you should feel proud that you’re able to inherit from your Ancestor Master. I have my reasons for staying here. As for those questions you asked me, I’ll give you the answers once you’re stronger than me.”
The old monk said.
“Master, you’re a Ninth Grade Minor Saint, when can I possibly become stronger than you? Furthermore, what kind of secret requires me to become a Great Saint before you can tell me?”
Tyrant was puzzled. It was extremely difficult to become a Great Saint, and it wasn’t something that could be attained just by relying on one’s innate talent.
“That’s why you shouldn’t waste any time and neglect your cultivation. No matter how long it’ll take, master will always wait for the day to come. Before you leave, master told you not to come back before you reach the Combat Emperor realm. Once you become a Combat Emperor, master will have something for you. If you die in the outside world, that will be your fate. However, you’re only a Fourth Grade Combat King, so why did you come back? Are you trying to receive praise from master?”
The old monk said, a hint of anger in his tone. It seemed like he was a bit exasperated at Tyrant’s failure to meet his expectations.
Tyrant finally remembered why he came back. He came back in order to save Jiang Chen and Big Yellow. He got a bit sidetracked, and couldn’t help but ask those questions after seeing the statue of his Ancestor Master. He only remembered his purpose upon seeing his master get angry.
"Master, there is a reason for why I came back this time. Master, please take a look."
Tyrant stood up and waved his hand, taking Jiang Chen and Big Yellow out from his Qi Sea, then placed them on the ground.
The old monk rested his eyes on Jiang Chen’s face, then his eyes lit up. For some unknown reason, he actually sensed a familiar aura from this young man. Even though Jiang Chen was in a deep come, the vague expression on his face still brought a familiar feeling to this old monk. However, the old monk was certain he had never met this young man before, so where did that sense of familiarity come from? This was truly strange.
“Master, this man is Jiang Chen. He and this big yellow dog are both friends your disciple met in the Xuan Region. When I was in the Chaotic Ocean, I found a sarira, and while I was in secluded cultivation trying to absorb the sarira, some enemies found me and tried to attack me. It was these two who risked their lives to save me. Later on, both of them were attacked, and now suffer from severe injuries. Your disciple failed to save them, and that’s why I came back to master, hoping you can save them.”
Tyrant explained what happened back in the Liang Province.
The old monk was startled upon hearing what happened, but a vague expression of joy quickly emerged on his face. It had been a long time since any outsider was permitted to entire Greenlotus Mountain. However, the old monk wasn’t angry that Tyrant had brought outsiders here. Putting aside the fact that the monk felt a sense of familiarity from Jiang Chen, and had no mental repulsion, Tyrant’s kind attitude made the old monk feel gratitude. This little disciple of his had been wild and intractable since young, and although Tyrant had just ventured into the real world, he had made himself a friend of life and death; this was something the old monk wanted to see.
Especially when Tyrant could befriend a genius; that made him even happier, as it would be of great benefit to Tyrant’s future cultivation.
"You said you found a sarira?"
The old monk sent his divine sense into Tyrant’s body, then retracted it.
“Excellent, your luck is truly good. The sarira was left behind by a Third Grade Minor Saint. No wonder you’ve progressed so quickly. Your physique has been modified and improved; this is a fortune that belongs solely to yourself. I believe that you can break through to the Fifth Grade Combat King realm whenever you want.”
The old monk was happy with the news. He then squatted down next to Jiang Chen and threw out an examining look. With just one look, he was shocked, “Why is there such a strong and pure lightning energy within his body?”