# Chapter 3947: Hidden Buddhist Cultivator
The morning bell rang, the moon had not yet set, and a hint of fish-belly white appeared at the edge of the sky.
Grand Minister of Works carried a bamboo pole and a broom made of sorghum, walking along the bamboo forest path. His plump, fair head swayed back and forth as he hummed an unknown tune.
In the bamboo forest, birds chirped and insects sang. Mist draped like a white garment, and dew hung like pearls. From the distant study hall came the clear morning recitations of young disciples.
Let the outside world be ravaged by war, let the universe collapse and the earth split apart—here, there was only peace and tranquility.
"Creak!"
Grand Minister of Works pushed open the academy gate, looking at the withered branches and fallen leaves on the long stone steps. "I knew it, I knew it. Last night the wind was high and the rain fierce—the courtyard must be full of fallen leaves. One autumn rain brings one chill. Winter is coming again. How many late autumns have there been?"
Amid the rustling sounds, Grand Minister of Works began sweeping, step by step.
By the time he finished sweeping the last stone step, it was already broad daylight. Where he had swept earlier, a few scattered bamboo leaves had fallen again, but Grand Minister of Works had no interest in sweeping them a second time. After all, by afternoon, Second Minister of Works would be doing the sweeping.
Grand Minister of Works hoisted the broom over his shoulder, about to return to the academy, when a sharp sound of breaking wind came from the sky. He immediately dodged aside.
A golden chariot, three zhang tall, burst through the clouds, dove downward, and rushed straight through the academy gate along the stone steps.
It moved so fast that it kicked up a fierce storm, causing the spirit bamboo on both sides of the stone steps to shake violently, sending leaves flying everywhere.
Grand Minister of Works stared dumbfounded at the fallen leaves and withered branches piled on the stone steps. "I'll be... Amitabha... all that sweeping for nothing... So what if she's the Heavenly Venerable's daughter? Hey, chariots can't just drive straight into the Heavenly Academy..."
Grand Minister of Works threw down the broom, hopping and leaping across a dozen stone steps at a time as he chased after it.
The golden chariot's entry into the Heavenly Academy immediately alarmed all the cultivators.
Nalan Danqing instructed dozens of young disciples to continue their morning recitations, then walked out of the study hall. Gazing at the golden chariot rushing deep into the academy, a look of worry appeared in her eyes.
Xu Rulai sat cross-legged in a bamboo grove, giving morning lessons to a group of shaved-headed evil cultivators. At that moment, both he and the evil cultivators watched the speeding golden chariot with tense expressions.
Who didn't recognize Xuan Yuan Lian's golden chariot?
What major event could have made such an important figure as Xuan Yuan Lian drive her chariot into the Heavenly Academy?
Was another calamity like the Minghai and Shura Star Pillar Realm colliding with the Heavenly Court about to happen again?
The golden chariot stopped outside a study hall and Buddhist courtyard beneath a golden-leafed ancient pine tree, the wind stirring up fallen leaves.
Xuan Yuan Lian jumped down from the chariot. Without deliberately raising her voice, every word she spoke carried throughout the Heavenly Academy: "Master Candeng, Jie Tian, please appear and save someone! This is a matter of utmost urgency!"
The suppression power of the green lotus mark between her brows had already disappeared, but Xuan Yuan Lian's heart was even more worried.
"Shua! Shua!"
Nalan Danqing, Luo Shuihan, Zhang Yuyan, Second Minister of Works, Xu Rulai, the many evil cultivators, and Grand Minister of Works, who had finally caught up panting, surrounded the golden chariot.
Xuan Yuan Lian swept her gaze over them but did not see Jie Tian or Master Candeng. She said coldly, "What are you all staring at? Leave the academy immediately."
Everyone exchanged glances.
Second Minister of Works pressed his palms together and bowed. "May I ask, Divine Venerable, what exactly has happened? Why such urgency? The Buddha says, in stillness, no thoughts arise..."
"I told you to leave immediately. Didn't you hear me?" Xuan Yuan Lian said.
"Hehe, Divine Venerable, don't worry. Even if the sky falls, the Heavens will hold it up."
Grand Minister of Works put on a flattering smile and pulled Second Minister of Works back, sending a voice transmission: "She's the Heavenly Venerable's daughter, a transcendent expert at the Great Unbound Infinite level. Why are you butting in? Now you've been scolded, haven't you?"
Xuan Yuan Lian could no longer hold back. These people in the Heavenly Academy were far too ignorant of their place, all as steady as old dogs. She was about to use her divine power to forcibly teleport them all away.
Just then, the Buddhist courtyard's gate opened automatically. Candeng, dressed in a white monk's robe, appeared before everyone.
Candeng exuded an aura of emptiness and stillness. He stepped forward, glanced at the golden chariot, then looked at Xuan Yuan Lian, pressing his hands together in greeting.
Xuan Yuan Lian quickly returned the gesture.
She had learned from the Chixia Feixian Valley Master that this Master Candeng was a remarkable reclusive Buddhist cultivator, so she dared not be negligent.
Xuan Yuan Lian was about to inform him of the matter inside the golden chariot...
But then, the chariot's curtain was lifted by Qishier Pin Lian, who stepped out and stood on the ground covered in golden fallen leaves outside the courtyard.
Then, Zhang Ruochen also walked out.
Xuan Yuan Lian stared at this scene in disbelief, carefully observing Zhang Ruochen from head to toe, trying to determine whether Qishier Pin Lian had already taken control of his divine soul and consciousness.
Zhang Ruochen returned her a smile.
"Uncle Master!"
Grand Minister of Works and Second Minister of Works, completely unaware of the severity of the situation, were overjoyed to see Zhang Ruochen and immediately rushed over.
"Father!"
Zhang Yuyan was about to step forward but was stopped by Luo Shuihan.
Luo Shuihan could sense something was off. Zhang Ruochen and Qishier Pin Lian appeared to be standing casually, but their auras were tightly bound together, which was very suspicious.
However, Luo Shuihan's cultivation was still far from theirs, and she couldn't see through what had actually happened or judge how dangerous the situation truly was.
Zhang Ruochen stood stiff and motionless, letting Grand Minister of Works and Second Minister of Works pound and embrace him.
From the moment he had stepped out of the combined attack formation, Zhang Ruochen had activated the Emperor Talisman's rune patterns to their fullest, locking onto Qishier Pin Lian. If Qishier Pin Lian made a move, these rune patterns would manifest.
Zhang Ruochen did not pin his hopes on these rune patterns being able to block Qishier Pin Lian or save his life. Instead, he used them to buy time to self-detonate his divine source.
He was constantly conveying this determination.
As long as Qishier Pin Lian was not certain she could prevent Zhang Ruochen from self-detonating his divine source, she would not act rashly. No high-realm cultivator would willingly be taken away by a lower-realm cultivator like this.
Unfortunately, the situation in the Heavenly Academy had greatly exceeded Zhang Ruochen's expectations. Xuan Yuan Lian and Old Man Jie had not sent everyone away in advance.
Faced with so many old acquaintances in the courtyard, Zhang Ruochen's will to self-detonate his divine source was no longer so firm.
He had originally hoped that Old Man Jie and Candeng could buy him some time. Based on his experience in the Ancient Desolate Ruins City, he was confident he could quickly seize control of the ancestral power within the Nine Heavens Celestial World and then turn the tables against Qishier Pin Lian.
Now, everything had fallen apart.
One could say this was the perfect opportunity for Qishier Pin Lian to strike and kill him.
But Qishier Pin Lian did not take this chance. Instead, she shifted the qi mechanism she had locked onto Zhang Ruochen toward the white-robed Candeng opposite her.
Zhang Ruochen could sense that Qishier Pin Lian had been forced to shift her focus—it was not her conscious choice.
This was very interesting.
It meant that Qishier Pin Lian sensed a dangerous aura from Candeng.
So dangerous that if she divided her attention toward Zhang Ruochen, she might be defeated in an instant.
But how was that possible?
Zhang Ruochen had seen many Heavenly Venerable-level experts in action and had fought against many of them. Without a doubt, Qishier Pin Lian was the strongest among them.
Even someone as powerful as Void Heaven, at the same level, needed to join forces with Feng Tian to barely gain the upper hand.
Legend had it that even Fengdu Dadi had been exiled to the River of Time by Qishier Pin Lian.
For someone so powerful, could Candeng actually threaten her?
Seizing this opportunity, Zhang Ruochen pulled Grand Minister of Works and Second Minister of Works away, teleporting them to a spot beneath a bamboo grove some distance away. He asked Nalan Danqing, "Where is Jie Tian?"
"Old Man Jie has entered the Nine Heavens Celestial World."
Nalan Danqing then asked, "Such a terrifying aura—it's so oppressive that my spiritual power can't leave my body. Is she the legendary Qishier Pin Lian?"
Zhang Ruochen nodded and signaled for everyone to leave quickly.
Qishier Pin Lian's body exuded a profound Buddhist aura. "I have cultivated Buddhism all my life, and I believed that in this age, no one could surpass me. I never expected to meet a great monk here today! When did the Buddhist sect produce such a great Buddha as yourself?"
Candeng said, "What great Buddha? We are all in the mortal world, just two ascetic monks who have not yet reached the other shore."
Though it was their first meeting, Qishier Pin Lian had a subtle feeling that her past and present lives had been seen through.
Zhang Ruochen silently applauded Candeng. With just one sentence, he had struck like a sword straight into Qishier Pin Lian's heart. At the same time, he did not show his sharpness, humbly calling himself an ascetic monk.
Qishier Pin Lian said, "Since you are an ascetic monk, why do you hide here in the Heavenly Academy, avoiding the clamor? Where does the suffering come from? Where does the practice come from?"
Candeng raised one palm, facing upward. "Knowing stillness leads to calm; calm leads to peace; peace leads to contemplation; contemplation leads to attainment."
As he spoke the word "attainment," a golden fallen leaf happened to land in his palm.
Qishier Pin Lian said, "And this is attainment?"
"Things have roots and branches; events have beginnings and ends. Knowing what comes first and what follows brings one close to the Way," Candeng said.
...
Xuan Yuan Lian, who had not left, had already retreated to Zhang Ruochen's side. She listened, utterly confused. "Are they starting a debate on the Way?"
Zhang Ruochen could discern some meaning, his eyes deep and thoughtful.
Qishier Pin Lian pressed her hands together. "Master, your Buddhist teachings are profound. I have learned much! Today, you may leave. Everything in the Heavenly Academy is no longer your concern."
Candeng shook his head and smiled. "You still intend to go to the Nine Heavens Celestial World?"
"That's right."
"To kill someone?"
"I must kill him."
Candeng returned the Buddhist greeting. "Amitabha! All day long picking flowers and choosing fire, yet you do not know that your own body is the place of practice. Where is the end of the bitter sea? Turn around, and you are still on this shore. Everything you pursue is nothing but an obsession in your heart! Let go of your obsession, and you will naturally escape the bitter sea."
Qishier Pin Lian's mind was firm, no longer affected by Candeng. "Without experiencing another's suffering, do not advise them to be good. Master, if you wish to stop me, why not show your true strength and settle it with your hands?"
"I have not fought with anyone for a long time. Must it come to this?" Candeng said.
Qishier Pin Lian said, "Master says I am in the bitter sea, but are you not the same? I do not believe that without passing through mountains of corpses and seas of blood, your cultivation could have reached this level."
A trace of pain appeared on Candeng's face, his gaze somewhat distant.
"Hua!"
Qishier Pin Lian held the Heavenly Pillar, now the size of a chopstick, moving faster than the rules of light and space, striking straight at Candeng's brow.
Anyone who blocked her path must die.
Even if this Buddhist cultivator before her was someone she admired and respected.
It was precisely because of her admiration and respect that she put her full strength into this strike. At such close range, and with Candeng caught in some memory triggered by her words, she was fully confident this blow could severely wound him and render him combat-ineffective.
But the moment Qishier Pin Lian approached Candeng, she found the surrounding world had changed drastically. All around was pitch black.
Candeng's body had grown dozens of times larger, looking down at her.
Like a Buddha looking down upon the mortal world.
"Hua!"
Candeng pointed a finger, precisely striking the Heavenly Pillar in her hand.
"Boom!"
Qishier Pin Lian instantly returned to reality. Her body flew backward, crashing heavily into the golden chariot.
The next moment, both she and the golden chariot were pulled into an empty, void-like world. In that world, only Candeng's towering figure sat cross-legged, with ten thousand divine lamps floating behind him.
Qishier Pin Lian's battle will was fully ignited. She immediately summoned the Space-Time Chaos Lotus, holding it in her left hand. With her right hand, she released order and divine qi, surging toward the golden chariot, intending to summon the resentful spirits of the Luo River and Weak Water clans.
"Shua!"
Before Qishier Pin Lian could even see Candeng's figure clearly, her brow was struck heavily. Her body was sent flying, falling into an endless descent, not knowing where she was falling...
The Space-Time Chaos Lotus in her hand had already been taken.
This was the most crushing defeat she had suffered since beginning her cultivation. Watching Candeng grow increasingly distant, her eyes remained hollow and questioning.
"I will liberate the resentful spirits. You may go." These were the last words she heard.
Back in the Heavenly Academy, Xuan Yuan Lian had not clearly seen the exchange between Candeng and Qishier Pin Lian.
She only saw Candeng and Qishier Pin Lian standing in the same spot. Then, suddenly, Qishier Pin Lian disappeared, without even sensing any fluctuation of power.
Xuan Yuan Lian rushed over and asked, "Where did she go?"
Candeng said, "She has left!"
"Why did she suddenly leave?" Xuan Yuan Lian was very puzzled.
Candeng looked at the Space-Time Chaos Lotus in his hand. "People need a reason to live, but leaving does not require one."
Zhang Ruochen could see some traces of their battle and was already filled with utmost admiration for Candeng. He had known Candeng was powerful, but he had not expected him to be this powerful.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Master, why did you let her go?"
Candeng handed the Space-Time Chaos Lotus to Zhang Ruochen and smiled. "The karma between you two should be resolved by yourselves. I am but a man outside the mundane world, interfering in worldly enmity and gratitude. I have already brought trouble upon myself. From now on, I will not be able to find peace!"
Candeng shook his head, walked into the golden chariot, took away the resentful spirits of the Luo River and Weak Water clans, and then returned to the study hall Buddhist courtyard.
"I knew Master Candeng would have a way."
Grand Minister of Works and Second Minister of Works, one on the left and one on the right, stealthily teleported out of the bamboo grove. Seeing that Qishier Pin Lian had already left, they were overjoyed.
Xu Rulai, Nalan Danqing, Luo Shuihan, Zhang Yuyan, and the others, having received voice transmissions from Grand Minister of Works and Second Minister of Works, also returned to the academy.
Chan Bing, Xiu Chen, Yuan Sheng, and Qiangu Nüdi inside the chariot came out one after another, asking Zhang Ruochen about the situation.
"The universe hides dragons and crouching tigers. Qishier Pin Lian has not yet become invincible."
Zhang Ruochen pointed to the Buddhist courtyard behind him, knowing in his heart that coming to the Heavenly Academy to confront the darkness and anomalies had been the right choice. Old Man Jie might be unreliable, but at least there was still Master Candeng.
However, having experienced this crisis, Zhang Ruochen's desire to break through to the middle stage of Indestructible Infinite became even more urgent.