Chapter 3774: Pina Yejia
The battle at Buzhou Mountain shook both the Heavenly Court and the Hell Realm, with far-reaching consequences. Naturally, an explanation had to be given to the outside world.
"Space Divine Temple Hall Master Yu Jingzhen was one of the Four Quantity Emperors"—that was the explanation.
Even though this might not be the truth.
The secrets that Yu Jingzhen was the Third Elder of the Inverse God Clan and the Weak Water Young Lord were kept tacitly by all parties and not leaked. After all, this involved the hidden secrets of the extinction of the Weak Water Clan and the Inverse God Clan, with extremely wide implications. Many of the underlying reasons were difficult even for the Truth Hall Master to explain clearly.
After this battle, the Dragon Lord took Zhang Ruochen's place to guard the Space Divine Temple, with the Divine Dragon Sun-Moon Chaos Pagoda placed before him.
Inside the pagoda, many evil cultivators from the Immortal-Worshipping Cult were imprisoned.
At this moment, he awoke from a dream, and two piercing cold lights shot from his golden pupils.
Ao Linglong and Ao Xinyan sat below on the left and right, both cultivating. Feeling the Dragon Lord's killing intent, they were visibly shaken.
Ao Xinyan asked, "Master, what happened?"
"Zhang Ruochen sent me a dream telling me that a calamity has occurred in the Cha Realm. Eighth Sister was severely injured and is being hunted. I must leave the Heavenly Court immediately."
The Dragon Lord stood up, then suddenly thought that since the Joyful Zen Sect and the Nether Demon Cult dared to act this way, there must be some massive force supporting them from behind. Moreover, they were confident that this massive force could crush the combined alliance of the Kunlun Realm, the Divine Dragon Realm, and the Thousand Star Civilization.
The distance between the Cha Realm and the Heavenly Court was immeasurable, at least hundreds of thousands of trillions of miles, so vast it was unimaginable. As long as one's cultivation was strong enough, they could obscure the heavenly secrets of an entire realm. Even a Heaven-Perfecting cultivator in the Heavenly Court would find it difficult to detect the changes in the situation there without deliberately calculating.
Moreover, even if they deliberately calculated, they would only find that the heavenly secrets there were obscured. They would have to dispatch strong cultivators to investigate or condense a Spiritual Power thought clone to project over. The specific events would not be so easily and clearly perceived, unless they could use a thought to break through the opponent's Dao.
Even a figure with a Spiritual Power of the ninetieth rank could not cross the boundless starry sky with a single thought to break the Dao of an Infinite Realm God King or God Venerable.
Now, the wormholes and star-domain-level Space Teleportation Arrays leading out of the Cha Realm must have been completely controlled by the two sects, making it impossible for any cultivator or message talisman to pass through. As a result, even if a Message Light Talisman flew at the speed of light, it would take thousands of years to reach the Heavenly Court.
Fortunately, Zhang Ruochen possessed a wisp of the Dragon Lord's divine soul, allowing him to cross the boundless starry sky and enter the dream to convey the information.
"Linglong, immediately send a message to Fifth Brother. Xinyan, send a message to the Thousand Star Civilization."
After leaving these words, the Dragon Lord also sent a message to Zhao Gongming, asking him to come and help guard the Space Divine Temple.
At the same time, he sent a message to Qiangu Nüdi of the Time Divine Temple, warning her to be vigilant. He also sent a message to Jie Tian, who was stationed at the Heavenly Palace, asking him to find a way to investigate which faction was behind the Cha Realm.
After that, the Dragon Lord restrained his aura and secretly left the Heavenly Court.
The Dragon Lord and the Eight-Winged Yaksha Dragon shared a bloodline connection. With their Infinite Realm cultivation, no matter how far apart they were in the universe, they could sense each other's subtle directional presence.
...
The Ci Hang Fairy, disguised as a Bhikkhuni, showed admiration in her eyes. "Ruochen's cultivation is becoming more and more profound. He can actually break through the barrier between the Nine-Layer White Pagoda and the outside world to send a message. With the Dragon Lord taking action, the Eight-Winged Yaksha Dragon should be out of danger."
"It's all due to the wonder of the 'Cloud Dream Thirteen Chapters,'" Zhang Ruochen said.
Ci Hang Fairy gently shook her head.
Zhang Ruochen knew that his concealment had created a rift between him and Ci Hang Fairy.
But she had hidden her secrets first, so Zhang Ruochen felt no guilt.
A candid friendship should be mutual.
In the lotus pond, inside the lotus flower, Chi Xingtian sensed the auras of "Jing Xiu" and "Bhikkhuni."
He roared, "You shameless false Buddha, what grudge do you have against the Kunlun Realm? If you have any issue, come at me, Chi Xingtian! Release Jing Xiu! If I don't die this time, I will surely level the Joyful Zen Sect one day. None of you demon women will escape."
Zhang Ruochen and Ci Hang Fairy remained calm and composed, with no intention of revealing their identities to Chi Xingtian.
Zhang Ruochen spotted Yu Cangsheng.
This old-school Great God of the Thousand Star Civilization, the grandfather of Yu Chenjing, was lying in a square pavilion at the center of the lotus pond.
Hanging around the four sides of the pavilion were various Joyful Zen paintings. These artworks contained no Buddhist essence but were instead vivid and sensual.
The Bright Kings and Bright Consorts depicted in the paintings were some of the deities of the Joyful Zen Sect. The painting technique was superb, lifelike and vivid, as if someone had painted them on the spot.
Zhang Ruochen let out a long sigh.
Ci Hang Fairy said, "Ruochen, are you blaming me for not saving Senior Yu Cangsheng?"
"With the Fairy's cultivation, you might not necessarily be a match for Yan Zhi Divine King and Jia Hong Evil God. It's understandable that you didn't act rashly. Besides, if the Fairy had acted, it would have alerted the enemy."
A strange expression appeared in Zhang Ruochen's eyes, a mix of worry and a hint of schadenfreude.
The reason for this was that he had discovered that although Yu Cangsheng had lost his integrity in his later years, his cultivation had not fallen below that of a Taixu Great God. Clearly, draining a Taixu Great God dry through harvesting was not something that could be accomplished overnight.
Moreover, Yu Cangsheng was not a Buddhist cultivator, so there was no issue of his Dao heart being shattered.
It could only be said that he had failed to suppress his desires. In the face of ultimate temptation, he had chosen indulgence and lost a considerable amount of cultivation.
What worried Zhang Ruochen was how he would face Yu Chenjing and Feng Qingleng.
Should he tell them the truth frankly, or help Yu Cangsheng cover it up?
The schadenfreude came from recalling how Yu Cangsheng and the deities of the Thousand Star Civilization had been so forceful and righteous when they went to the Kunlun Realm to force Zhang Ruochen into marriage.
Ci Hang Fairy sensed the dissatisfaction in Zhang Ruochen's words and felt a pang of discomfort in her heart. Her Buddhist heart was not at peace, so she said, "Ruochen, do you know who founded the Joyful Zen?"
"I haven't looked into it," Zhang Ruochen said.
Ci Hang Fairy said, "Pina Yejia. He was a Buddhist saint with perfect wisdom. Legend has it that he might be one of the thousand faces and thousand forms of Patriarch Jiaye."
"The Sthapana Golden Vajra emits a dazzling golden light at intervals. The closer we get to the Cha Realm, the stronger the light becomes. So I speculate that Pina Yejia's remnant soul has likely already descended upon the Joyful Zen Sect."
"That is why I dared not act rashly. Legend has it that the Sthapana Golden Vajra was forged by Pina Yejia himself."
Zhang Ruochen was shaken and, moved by emotion, said softly, "Is this the real reason the Fairy came to the Cha Realm?"
If Pina Yejia was truly one of the faces of Patriarch Jiaye, then given the Joyful Zen Sect's reputation in the Heavenly Court, it would be a heavy blow to the entire Buddhist path.
No wonder Ci Hang Fairy had been concealing things and dared not easily reveal the reason.
Her frankness now was not only a liberation of her heart and another elevation of her state of mind but also a sign that she truly valued her friendship with Zhang Ruochen.
Ci Hang Fairy said, "I have read many scriptures left by Pina Yejia... Ruochen, what is that look in your eyes? Joyful Zen is one of the eight major schools of Buddhism. It is not inherently evil. There is much worth learning in its exposition of the myriad things of heaven and earth and the Dao of Yin and Yang. When you think it is evil, it only proves that your own heart is evil and that you are attached to appearances."
"The Fairy's lesson is well taken. I was being superficial." Zhang Ruochen cupped his hands like a student, showing great humility.
Ci Hang Fairy continued her earlier words, "Pina Yejia was definitely a great Buddhist cultivator worthy of respect. His Buddhist Dharma attainments were no less than those of the Seven Buddhas. So I am not afraid of him. In fact, I have the idea of meeting his remnant soul in person to seek his guidance on Buddhist scriptures. My greatest purpose in coming to the Cha Realm was indeed to rectify the Joyful Zen Sect and lead them back to the right path."
Zhang Ruochen said, "If Pina Yejia was truly so great and his remnant soul has descended upon the Joyful Zen Sect, why hasn't he taken the initiative to restrain evil cultivators like Yan Zhi Divine King? Why is the situation still what it is now?"
"A person's soul includes the seven emotions and six desires—joy, anger, sorrow, thought, fear, surprise, and fright; good, evil, greed, anger, and ignorance. Since it is a remnant soul that has returned, it is no longer the Pina Yejia of the past. Which part of the remnant soul is it?" Ci Hang Fairy said.
Zhang Ruochen pondered for a long time, then warned, "The Cha Realm is dangerous. The evil thoughts of the evil ones are deeply rooted. Trying to convert and guide them back to the right path is as difficult as ascending to heaven. If you are not careful, you may fall into it."
"Easy things can be done by anyone in the world. A Buddhist cultivator follows where his heart leads and where his actions go, without fear or dread. Even if it means sacrificing oneself, what does it matter? Wasn't that the case with the Sixth Patriarch and the Seventh Patriarch?" Ci Hang Fairy's eyes were like bright pearls, flawless and pure, as she looked directly at Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen said, "In the Fairy, I see no trace of a young cultivator. Instead, you seem like an aged ascetic monk."
Ci Hang Fairy was momentarily stunned, then smiled radiantly, shedding all her dignity and sanctity. "To be honest, before meeting Ruochen, I did have fear in my heart. Otherwise, I would have acted to save Yu Cangsheng earlier. After meeting Ruochen, my heart has become inexplicably calm. Even if Dinglun Buddha Lord and Pina Yejia stood before me, I feel I would not show the slightest fear."
"This sense of security comes from my absolute confidence in Ruochen. No matter how great the danger, Ruochen would never abandon me. Instead, he would surely stand at the forefront and bear the greatest pressure."
Zhang Ruochen stared at her clear, beautiful face, his eyes colliding with her limpid, water-like gaze. Ripples stirred in his heart, and he silently cried for help, wanting to take back his earlier thought that he would "never develop feelings for her."
A Bodhisattva also has a maiden's heart; picking up a flower and smiling, she enters the mortal world.
Who could withstand this?
Anyone could hear her praise and trust in Zhang Ruochen, even her reliance on him. Yet, when spoken from her lips, there was not a hint of falsehood.
It was this inner truth that made Zhang Ruochen unable to extricate himself, satisfying the vanity that every man possesses.
Zhang Ruochen quickly suppressed the ripples in his heart, cursing himself as a scoundrel. Ci Hang Fairy was a pure-hearted Buddhist cultivator. Any improper thoughts were a desecration of her.
Zhang Ruochen calmed his heart and said, "If the Sthapana Golden Vajra can connect with Pina Yejia, then wouldn't Pina Yejia's remnant soul also be able to sense its location? Is the Sthapana Golden Vajra still in your hands?"
The Sthapana Golden Vajra was one of the Seven Treasures of Buddhism.
"I have already offered the Sthapana Golden Vajra to Yan Zhi Divine King in my identity as a Bhikkhuni," Ci Hang Fairy said.
Zhang Ruochen had to admire Ci Hang Fairy's mental acuity. By doing this, if Pina Yejia's remnant soul had truly descended, it would surely seek out Yan Zhi Divine King. And by staying by Yan Zhi Divine King's side, she could easily get close to the truth.
Zhang Ruochen said, "It's still too dangerous. If Pina Yejia is truly one of the faces of Patriarch Jiaye, his remnant soul must be very powerful. Your transformation technique might not fool him."
"In the Saha World, I have experienced a thousand lives and can take on a thousand faces and a thousand forms. It is only you, who knows my past and has merged with the Heart of Truth and the Bright Mirror Platform, who could see through me at a single glance."
Ci Hang Fairy suddenly fell silent and transmitted her voice, "Yan Zhi Divine King has returned. Be careful."