# Chapter 2531: No Longer a Youth, Already a Grandmaster
Seven days had passed.
Zhang Ruochen sat beneath the sundial, comprehending the sword for seven years.
All visitors who came were turned away by the two Grand Ministers of Works who guarded the courtyard.
In seven years, the number of Sacred Dao Rules within Zhang Ruochen's body had once again broken through the hundred billion mark, with Sword Dao Rules accounting for a large proportion. He had flipped through the five volumes countless times, understanding many of their mysteries. Of course, he was still far from fully comprehending them.
Zhang Ruochen's understanding of the sword had reached a new level.
On this day, Zhang Ruochen saw the sunlight spilling in through the window. According to the carvings on the window frame, it projected faint and shifting patterns on the ground.
The pattern resembled a flying dragon.
After a long while, a smile appeared in his eyes. He was no longer confused and had figured out the path he should take next.
His sword path should be a beam of the purest light.
Fast in speed, and never turning back.
Whether it was the Way of Truth or the Way of Burial Gold, all the various Sacred Daos in the world were like the carvings on the window frame—each different. The essence of the sword had not changed; the light was still that beam of light. However, after shining through, it could present different patterns on the ground.
What he needed to do now was not to think about how to make the patterns on the ground more beautiful, but to ignite that beam of light. The light must be absolutely scorching, and even more so, eternally undying.
"Creak!"
Zhang Ruochen pushed open the wooden door, and sunlight shone on his face.
In the courtyard.
The Grand Minister of Works had woken up three days ago. With one hand holding a staff as thick as a bowl's opening and the other holding a stack of white paper, he shouted at Tian Shuzi: "Zhen Nu, you are at least a Great Saint of the Ten Thousand Deaths One Life Realm. You can't even copy a single volume of the *Great Benevolence Great Emptiness Mantra*? Are you doing this on purpose?"
Tian Shuzi's hair had been shaved clean off, and he wore the gray monk's robe of the lowest-level Buddhist disciple.
Being yelled at like this by an Indestructible Realm Great Saint, Tian Shuzi's anger flared up, and he was about to explode.
"Bang!"
The Grand Minister of Works swung his staff down, pressing it onto Tian Shuzi's right shoulder, forcing his legs to bend and causing him to kneel on the ground.
Fallen leaves swirled around.
"What are you glaring at? Your master scolds you for your own good, to help you cultivate your mind and nature. Do you have a problem with that? Why did I give you this Dharma name? It's because I hope you can restrain the anger in your heart and cultivate a peaceful mind that is undisturbed by all matters."
The Grand Minister of Works withdrew his staff, crouched down, spread out the stack of white paper, and said earnestly: "Look, look at what you've written. Your second master has taught you in vain these past few days; you haven't taken any of it in. Zhen Sha, Zhen Tan, Zhen Wang—the three of them are very obedient. They copied it without a single mistake, and their handwriting is very neat."
On the white paper on the ground, there was no Buddhist scripture at all—only the character "kill" written all over it.
Tian Shuzi gritted his teeth, his whole body trembling. If he weren't bound by the Dark Light Curse, he would have slapped this monk to death right now, without waiting a single moment! Not a moment!
The Grand Minister of Works patted Tian Shuzi's head and sighed: "I know you can't take it in right now, but you must understand that your first master hits you for your own good, to teach you to be a good person. Only by putting down the butcher's knife can you become a Buddha on the spot."
Que Shenzi, who was also wearing a monk's robe and had his head shaved, couldn't help but laugh.
The Grand Minister of Works glared with eyes as big as copper bells and shouted: "Zhen Se, what are you laughing at? Is your copying any good? Your handwriting is terribly sloppy. As punishment, copy it a hundred more times."
Que Shenzi's eyes darkened. Seeing the Grand Minister of Works lift his staff again, he quickly forced a smile and said: "Your teaching is correct, First Master. I'll go copy it right away."
"That's obedient. I'll check on you later."
Just as the Grand Minister of Works was about to continue guiding Tian Shuzi's psychology, the sound of the wooden door came, and Zhang Ruochen walked out from inside.
The Grand Minister of Works was delighted and quickly rushed over, smiling: "Uncle Master, you've finally come out of seclusion. Are your injuries fully healed? I have something important to tell you!"
Zhang Ruochen nodded knowingly.
Tian Shuzi got up from the ground and quickly rushed in front of Zhang Ruochen, saying: "Zhang Ruochen, name your conditions. As long as you release me..."
"Bang!"
Before Tian Shuzi could finish his words, the Grand Minister of Works' staff had already struck him on the head, making a loud sound like a bell, once again knocking Tian Shuzi to his knees.
He knelt before Zhang Ruochen, his knees sinking into the ground.
The Grand Minister of Works cursed in exasperation: "You wicked creature! This is your Grandmaster. How dare you call him by his name? Kneel down and reflect properly."
Zhang Ruochen's gaze swept across the seven monks of various sizes in the courtyard, slightly dazed. Finally, his eyes moved down to look at the monk kneeling before him. Wasn't this Tian Shuzi of the Death God Temple?
Tian Shuzi clenched his fists and stood up again. Glancing at the Grand Minister of Works who was watching him menacingly from the side, he finally chose to compromise, his tone somewhat subdued: "Name your conditions. How can you let me go?"
"Call him Grandmaster," the Grand Minister of Works said.
Zhang Ruochen stretched out a hand to stop the Grand Minister of Works, who was about to strike Tian Shuzi with his staff again, and said: "As long as the hatred between us is completely resolved, you can leave at any time."
Tian Shuzi said: "There is no hatred between us anymore."
Zhang Ruochen shook his head.
Tian Shuzi said: "I dare to swear to Heaven that if you let me leave, I will never retaliate in the future."
"And me too. I can also swear," Que Shenzi rushed forward.
Zhang Ruochen shook his head again and said: "You just want to escape. You haven't really let go of your hatred. Even if I believe you will keep your oath, if you want to retaliate against me, you might not do it personally. Moreover, the target might not be me. You might instead turn around and go after my friends, relatives, clan members—anyone who has a relationship with me."
Tian Shuzi and Que Shenzi both swore firmly at the same time: "No, absolutely not."
"You don't need to say more. Whether you have truly let go of your hatred, I can naturally sense it. When that day comes, you are free to stay or leave," Zhang Ruochen said.
The Grand Minister of Works looked at Zhang Ruochen with admiration and reverence, nodding deeply: "Once you enter the Buddhist path, you have no more connection with all the various things in the mortal world. It represents a new life. So, Uncle Master, I have given them all Dharma names. Their generation is the Zhen generation."
"He is called Zhen Nu."
"He is called Zhen Se."
Que Shenzi's face twitched.
Zhang Ruochen looked at the three former White-Clad Death Gods and asked: "What about the three of them?"
"Zhen Sha, Zhen Tan, Zhen Wang," the Grand Minister of Works said.
Zhang Ruochen nodded and said: "Anger, Lust, Killing, Greed, Delusion—these are indeed the five precepts of Buddhism. Very good, very good! From now on, the five of them will be entrusted to you and the Second Minister of Works. You must teach them well and dissolve the killing intent and resentment in their hearts."
The Second Minister of Works walked over and said: "Zhen Nu and Zhen Se are relatively easy to handle. Although one is stubborn and hard to teach, and the other pretends to obey while harboring deep resentment, I believe that under the influence of the *Great Benevolence Great Emptiness Mantra*, one day they will turn to Buddhism with a single heart and become compassionate holy Buddhas."
"If that is the case, this will surely be recorded in history. Five top-tier Great Saints of the Death Clan, all entering the Buddhist path together, will surely become an eternal tale of beauty! Not bad, really not bad," Zhang Ruochen said.
The Second Minister of Works said: "However, Zhen Sha, Zhen Wang, and Zhen Tan were stripped of their seven emotions and six desires by the Death God Temple from a young age, leaving only killing intent in their hearts. What can be done about this?"
"No matter. When I have the chance, I will go buy some Seven Emotions Six Desires Pills to help them gradually recover," Zhang Ruochen said.
The Second Minister of Works chanted a Buddhist mantra loudly and said: "If that is the case, Uncle Master's merit is immeasurable."
After thinking for a moment, Zhang Ruochen walked to the front of Zhen Sha, Zhen Wang, and Zhen Tan. After pondering briefly, he struck out with his palm and pressed it against Zhen Sha's forehead.
Brilliant Truth Light flew out from his palm and surged into Zhen Sha's body.
Zhen Sha's body glowed like a sacred lamp, with countless starlight points circulating within. Wisps of death qi and killing intent were squeezed out of his body and dissipated.
When Zhang Ruochen withdrew his hand, the death qi on Zhen Sha had faded considerably, and the ferocity in his eyes had almost completely disappeared.
Next, Zhang Ruochen used the same method to help Zhen Wang and Zhen Tan.
Que Shenzi and Tian Shuzi stood to the side, watching with trembling hearts. They didn't think Zhang Ruochen was helping the three White-Clad Death Gods at all. Instead, they felt that Zhang Ruochen was determined to fight the Death God Temple to the bitter end.
The Death God Temple had spent who knows how many resources and eliminated how many failures to cultivate a single White-Clad Death God of the Ten Thousand Deaths One Life Realm.
Zhang Ruochen had destroyed three in an instant.
Would the Death God Temple let this go?
This was a hatred as deep as the ocean!
Zhang Ruochen's gaze then shifted to Que Shenzi and Tian Shuzi.
The two's expressions changed in fright, afraid that Zhang Ruochen would also destroy their path in this way.
"I'll go copy the *Great Benevolence Great Emptiness Mantra* first."
Que Shenzi pulled a brush from the collar of his monk's robe, walked toward the stone table, crouched down, and began copying in a proper manner.
Tian Shuzi's face changed several times, and he said: "I'll copy it too."
Zhang Ruochen had the Second Minister of Works supervise their scripture copying and mantra chanting, then took the Grand Minister of Works into the room. He released his Space Domain to prevent their conversation from being overheard.
The Grand Minister of Works quickly said: "Did Uncle Master send Cang Jie to the Kunlun Realm to find the Hundred Flowers Fairy?"
Zhang Ruochen nodded.
The Grand Minister of Works sighed: "Uncle Master doesn't know this, but after you went to the Hell Realm, the Hundred Flowers Fairy returned to the Thousand Stamen Realm and wasn't in Kunlun at all. He went to the Endless Abyss and found Miss Kong. However, something seems to have happened in the Endless Abyss, and Miss Kong couldn't leave. So she sent a message to the Sikong Zen Monastery, asking the two of us to go find the Hundred Flowers Fairy."
Zhang Ruochen said: "And the result?"
The Grand Minister of Works said with some pride: "When I handle things, Uncle Master knows me—steady and reliable. My junior brother and I went to the Thousand Stamen Realm, claiming to be Bodhisattvas from the Western Buddha Realm. We delivered your letter, and the Hundred Flowers Fairy didn't suspect a thing. She followed us to the Hundred Clans Royal City."
Zhang Ruochen breathed a slight sigh of relief.
"But."
The Grand Minister of Works' expression became somewhat complicated: "Before we could enter the Hundred Clans Royal City, we encountered Shi Shenghua. She told us that something major had happened in the Hell Realm involving the Hundred Flowers Fairy, and that she absolutely must not show herself. It would be best not to enter the city."
Zhang Ruochen said: "So, they are outside the city now?"
"They've already entered the city," the Grand Minister of Works said.
Zhang Ruochen frowned slightly: "Can you say everything at once?"
The Grand Minister of Works gave an embarrassed smile: "It's like this. The Hundred Flowers Fairy seemed very eager to see you and insisted on entering the city. Moreover, the Thousand Stamen Realm actually has a secret stronghold in the Hundred Clans Royal City where they can hide."
The Thousand Stamen Realm was originally a strong realm, so having a stronghold in a place like the Hundred Clans Royal City wasn't strange.
The Grand Minister of Works told Zhang Ruochen the location of that secret stronghold, then winked and smiled: "Uncle Master is indeed an Eon-level genius with plenty of charm. In my opinion, that fairy has long had feelings for you and misses you deeply. Uncle Master should go meet her quickly and not keep the beauty waiting."
"Can't you be like your junior brother and be a monk with pure senses?" Zhang Ruochen said.
"Uncle Master's words are like a great bell, awakening me."
The Grand Minister of Works quickly put away his smile, closed his mouth, put his hands together, and nodded solemnly.
Zhang Ruochen knew he was putting on an act and sighed helplessly. Suddenly, his heart stirred as he sensed something. He then looked through the wall toward the outside of the courtyard, pushed open the door, and said: "Your Highness the Goddess has graced us with your presence. Do you have any instructions?"
Bore, dressed in plain clothes, walked into the courtyard and looked at the five top experts of the Death God Temple wearing monk's robes.
Que Shenzi was overjoyed, feeling that their savior had finally arrived. He threw his brush to the ground and said loudly: "Goddess, I have a question I want to ask you."
Bore said: "Ask."
Que Shenzi said: "The Destiny Temple often tells us that the ten clans of the Hell Realm should unite and jointly deal with the Heavenly Court's myriad realms. Zhang Ruochen, as a cultivator of the Undying Blood Clan, has captured us and forced us to be slaves and servants. Does this violate the will of the Destiny Temple?"
"Slap!"
Tian Shuzi snapped his brush in half, stood up abruptly, and said in a deep voice: "Zhang Ruochen is not a pure cultivator of the Hell Realm to begin with. I suspect that by doing this, he wants to create internal strife in the Hell Realm and provoke conflicts among the various clans."
Que Shenzi said: "Ambitious as a wolf! Goddess, I dare say that Zhang Ruochen is a spy sent by the Heavenly Court to the Hell Realm."
Bore looked at Zhang Ruochen and said: "They are, after all, top-tier Great Saints of the Death God Temple. Forcing them to be slaves and servants—this humiliation is too much!"
Zhang Ruochen said: "I'm not making them slaves and servants. I just want to dissolve the hatred and resentment in their hearts and let them cultivate Buddhism. My two grand-nephews have also accepted them as disciples. How can this be called making them slaves and servants?"
Que Shenzi sneered: "Cultivate Buddhism? Buddhism is nothing but a fart."
"What we kill are Buddhists," Tian Shuzi said.
Bore's eyes turned cold. She put her hands together, and holy Buddhist light radiated from her body.
A seventy-two-pin lotus platform grew from the ground, lifting her off the ground.
Que Shenzi and Tian Shuzi's expressions both stiffened.
"I also cultivate the Buddhist path," Bore said.
"Boom!"
The Grand Minister of Works lifted his staff and slammed it fiercely into the ground, letting out a roar: "You two wicked creatures! How dare you insult the Buddha? Watch how your master deals with you! Kneel down and repent!"
Two strikes of the staff fell in an instant, knocking Que Shenzi and Tian Shuzi to their knees.
"Where is the brush? Copy the *Great Benevolence Great Emptiness Mantra* two hundred times—no, a thousand times! How dare you rebel!" the Grand Minister of Works cursed as he retrieved the brush from the fallen leaves and threw it to the two.
Bore withdrew the Buddhist light from her body and no longer paid them any attention. Her beautiful eyes fell on Zhang Ruochen, trying to see through him.
If Zhang Ruochen had been possessed, he might fool others, but he could never fool her.
...
See the next chapter!
---
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