Chapter 1632: True Nature (II)

When Yuan Huzhong had first passed through this place in his youth, he had rescued the local villagers from the hands of demonic creatures. From that day onward, he had remained, protecting them for more than a hundred and thirty years without wavering once. Now, with little lifespan remaining, he had no desire to cling to life.

Though fear had drained the color from his lips, he still said softly, "They're Buddhist cultivators, not devil cultivators. If I stay here and speak to them, try to reason with them... perhaps things will turn out well..."

Before he could finish speaking, movement echoed through the mountains. He could vaguely hear people stumbling through the forest. Startled, Yuan Huzhong turned to look, only to see children emerging from every corner of the woods.

"Y... You children..."

Yuan Huzhong had devoted his entire life to these villagers. Naturally, he recognized every one of the children from the settlements below. They were all so familiar that he could even name their parents.

Panic seized him, and he hurried toward them, lowering his voice as he said, "Didn't we agree that everyone would stay indoors? What are you doing coming up the mountain? Hurry and go back!"

The children were no more than three to five years old. They trudged through the pitch-black forest with difficulty. Though they all looked different, every one of them wore the exact same delighted smile as they blankly continued up the mountain, gradually passing both the man and the demonic creature.

Yuan Huzhong froze in place. At a loss, he grabbed the nearest two children, but he couldn't stop them. More and more children continued climbing the mountain. Cold sweat streamed down his back when he suddenly heard a heavy thud behind him.

The demonic creature, Daoist Wu, had already dropped to his knees in utter reverence, not daring to move an inch.

Following the direction of Daoist Wu's prostration, Yuan Huzhong looked over and only then realized that, at some point, a monk had appeared in the forest. He was tall, with narrow eyes and pale crimson pupils. A strip of green silk was tied around his waist, faintly glowing.

The monk stood silently within the shadows of the forest, staring straight at him.

Thud!

Yuan Huzhong had never been a particularly courageous man. Terror sent a chill through his entire body as his legs gave way.

He trembled on his knees as he stammered, "My... My lord!"

The monk took a step forward and quietly looked down at him. The soft crack of branches snapping beneath his cloth shoes echoed through the forest.

Yuan Huzhong shivered uncontrollably. "My lord... they're only children... Please show mercy..."

"Precisely because they're children..." The monk stopped among the trees with a smile and said calmly, "The world is filled with stubborn delusion. People eat flesh and sleep upon skins. They are ignorant of the Fundamental Dharma, building their lives upon sin and worldly order.

“A person is born without guilt, yet once they enter the bonds of society and step into the mortal world, those in power oppress others, while those beneath them become accomplices. Even the most abused tenant farmer returns home to a wife and children he can oppress. Such is the corrupt root of your mortal world.

"Ordinary people must endure all manner of suffering to cleanse themselves of sin before they are blessed with the chance to enter Mount Desire. But these children are still innocent. They have yet to fall into the bonds of the mortal world and bear no sin upon them.

“Once they ascend the mountain, they will enter the Fundamental Dharma. Beneath the Golden Lotus, all are equal. They will study the sacred scriptures and dwell in bliss without suffering. Is that not far better than remaining in these mountains?"

He raised a hand, pointed at Yuan Huzhong, and smiled. "Letting them ascend the mountain is their blessing, and your merit as well."

Yuan Huzhong broke out in a cold sweat. He vaguely understood that the monk intended to take these children into the Buddhist land, and he said quietly, "I'm afraid... I'm afraid they should be allowed to choose for themselves..."

The monk's expression gradually turned cold as he replied evenly, "This is the path of kindness, joy, and compassion. If a child is born without sin, why allow them to enter the mortal world, commit transgressions, and be blinded by worldly order, only to awaken in repentance when fortune finally brings them here? That would be the sin of us cultivators! Would it not be far better for them to enter our Buddhist land in the mortal world from the very beginning?"

Yuan Huzhong watched the monk's lips move. Confusion had already clouded his eyes, while the monk merely smiled. "You say you want them to choose for themselves, yet tell me... within the order you uphold, have they ever truly been given that choice? And you don't even think twice about it. That only goes to show how deeply the world's social order has poisoned people's hearts, to the point that they can no longer tell the difference!

"Since you wish to let them choose for themselves, then I'll give you that chance. The villagers below are burdened by sin and still have suffering to endure for the rest of their lives. I cannot interfere with that, so I'll let them leave. You, however, shall bring these children up the mountain."

He smiled and continued, "If, after seeing our Buddhist land in the mortal world, you still believe it is unacceptable, I shall let all of you leave!"

He raised a hand, and a point of golden light slipped from his sleeve. The hill beneath their feet immediately rose skyward. Brilliant radiance burst forth from its summit as countless golden flowers bloomed. Hundreds upon hundreds of silver streams cascaded from the heavens, winding down the mountainside while wondrous celestial music filled the air.

"You are a truly virtuous man. I have surveyed the four regions with my arts, and there is no one more suited to the path of our Buddhist land in the mortal world than you. More than a hundred and thirty years of merit, all born from your own heart. More than a hundred and thirty years spent nurturing this place... You forged your affinity with our Dao long ago!"

Yuan Huzhong looked at the children around him with the same gentle kindness as ever, yet a look of sudden enlightenment appeared on his face as he murmured, "I understand now..."

Brilliant radiance suddenly blazed around him. A colossal golden body as immense as a mountain emerged from within the roaring flames. It drew him upward, slowly engulfing him within an overwhelming sea of golden light.

Que Liyu stood upon the ground with a faint smile. The six-armed, four-legged golden body descended from the sky and shrank to the size of an ordinary person beside him.

It was none other than the Maha Nuzi, whose expression was filled with respect. "Congratulations, my lord!"

Que Liyu nodded with a smile as Nuzi said enviously, "Is he a descendant of Yanyang Temple?"

"Indeed." Que Liyu narrowed his eyes, satisfaction evident on his face as he said, "Although his cultivation isn't particularly high, he belongs to the direct lineage. More importantly, his merit is extraordinary, making him an excellent fit for our Dao!"

Nuzi sighed in admiration. "A true descendant of Great Supreme Chan Tian Canyan[1], someone qualified to take a seat on Dayang Mountain... and with merit of this magnitude as well. He is bound to become an extraordinary figure. My lord's fortune and methods are beyond our comprehension. All we can do is admire and revere them!"

"Great Supreme Chan Tian Canyan... truly was a supreme power."

A trace of wistfulness flickered through Que Liyu's eyes as Nuzi shook his head and continued, "After all, He was the master of Heavenly Awakening Suxikong. It was only because of him that [Heavenly Awakening][2] had any chance of attainment. He was also a disciple of the Dao Embryo. The karmic ties He left behind... only someone of your standing, in circumstances such as these, could even think of laying a hand on them..."

The greatest prize of their secret scheme had already been secured. With his hands clasped behind his back, Que Liyu looked thoroughly pleased with himself as he said calmly, "Tell me... whose destiny is greater? His... or Guangchan's?"

Nuzi answered with obvious flattery, "My lord, Guangchan is merely of the Wei's Li bloodline. He only gained an early advantage in cultivation and attained the Dao somewhat sooner. Given enough time, he will surely end up beneath this man's feet..."

The monk chuckled at those words and lifted his chin. "Come. Let's go witness Lord Yang's might."

1. Tian Canyan is the name of the person, and Great Supreme Chan is the title. ☜

2. Referring to Suxikong. ☜

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