Buddhism and Daoism as One

Shenjing's eastern gate.

The monk presented Duke Wei's Residence token. The soldiers on duty did not dare inspect it and hurriedly opened the gates to let them through.

The warrior monks possessed formidable stamina, and they did not pause even after sprinting wildly for more than ten miles.

Inside the sedan chair.

Miaojue, who should have been at death's door, sat there calmly and securely. If not for the swathes of blood staining his monk's robe, he would have seemed like a different person.

"Fortunately, this poor monk came prepared. Otherwise, I would have caused a terrible calamity..."

Recalling that streak of sword light, Miaojue could not help shuddering. He lifted the curtain and stuck his head out, anxiously urging the warrior monks onward.

"Faster! Once we return to the temple, seal the mountain gates. See no one!"

Knowing the gravity of the matter, the warrior monks stretched their muscles and bones, quickening their pace by several degrees.

Miaojue pulled his head back in. Just as he was about to lie down and rest, he swiftly noticed that someone else was beside him.

Black robes, black trousers, and a dark cloak!

"Ah... Amitabha!"

Miaojue cried out in fright, hurriedly changing his words to chant the Buddha's name.

The monks following outside heard him and asked what had happened to the abbot, and whether they needed to stop and rest for a while.

"Cough, cough, cough! Your master's breath is a little unsettled. No need to stop. Return to the temple at once."

After speaking, Miaojue turned back and repeatedly cupped his hands toward the man in black. Lowering his voice, he said, "With a Grandmaster before me, whatever instructions you have, this little monk will obey without a second word."

"You know who I am?" Zhou Yi transmitted his voice directly into Miaojue's ear, his voice aged and deep.

Miaojue shook his head repeatedly. He also found it strange—how had Duke Wei provoked such a figure?

Zhou Yi ordered, "Bring me that bronze mirror of yours for a look."

Miaojue hesitated for an instant before obediently offering up the bronze mirror with both hands.

Examining it closely, Zhou Yi discovered several small characters on its side: Bestowed by Daoist Xuanqing upon disciple Yulingzi.

Miaojue was perceptive enough to explain, "Daoist Xuanqing's origins are unknown. Yulingzi was the founding patriarch of Shenjing's Yuling Monastery two hundred years ago. Because he was implicated in a major treason case, their lineage was severed."

Zhou Yi sent True Essence into the bronze mirror, making it burst with dazzling radiance, more than ten times stronger than when Miaojue used it.

"How did the bronze mirror fall into your hands, and what is its use?"

"King Kong Temple was built near the ruins of Yuling Monastery. We accidentally discovered an underground palace, where the treasured mirror was enshrined. To prevent an artifact of the sages from being lost, we invited it back to the temple for enshrinement."

Miaojue said, "The treasured mirror can reveal wandering souls and pin down ghosts, but it is useless against the living."

"There was more than just the treasured mirror in that underground palace, wasn't there?"

Zhou Yi casually tucked the bronze mirror into his robes. "This Daoist is also of the Daoist school, and Yuling Monastery and I both revere the Three Pure Ones. Not only did you monk steal a treasure, you even intended to swallow the Daoist inheritance whole?"

"..."

Miaojue's plump face flushed red. He had always been the one deceiving others, yet today he had encountered someone even more shameless than himself. "The senior's guess is correct. There was indeed a scroll of Daoist scripture."

"Tell those outside to stop. Have them retrieve the scripture from the temple, and recite it aloud yourself."

Zhou Yi reminded him, "If I compare the two and find even a single wrong character, this seat will slaughter every last soul in King Kong Temple!"

He was currently posing as an unrivaled old monster of the martial world. His words and actions naturally had to be tyrannical and vicious; it was both efficient and less likely to arouse suspicion.

People could be strange sometimes. Treat them cruelly, and they would obediently listen. Treat them kindly, and they would play tricks behind your back.

"Stop!"

Miaojue lifted the curtain and instructed, "Fazheng, go to the Scripture Pavilion in the temple and bring back the text called Yuling's Commentary on the Earth Treasury Sutra."

Fazheng bowed in acknowledgment, then unleashed his lightness skill and sped away.

Zhou Yi smiled. "King Kong Temple is famed throughout the Fengyang Kingdom. Who would have thought that what you cultivate is actually a Daoist scripture!"

"Since ancient times, Buddhism and Daoism have been one family."

Miaojue said, "Besides, that scripture is quite mysterious. It has been kept in the temple for over a hundred years, yet only three people have managed to cultivate it successfully. The other disciples remain followers of my Buddhist faith!"

Zhou Yi's eyes gleamed. "Enough nonsense. Quickly recite the scripture!"

"Heaven and earth lie dim and vast, without limit or end. When joined, they become primordial qi; mingled together, they return as one..."

The Daoist scripture was called the Origin Returning Art. It contained more than five thousand characters in total. The beginning detailed cultivation methods, while the final five hundred characters recorded a lightness technique that could make one as light as a swan's feather when used.

Miaojue had been obsessed with cultivating the Origin Returning Scripture. His martial arts had only tempered his skin and flesh, yet when he used the lightness technique, he could leap through the air several zhang away.

Jumping across and flying across were not the same. The former rose from low to high before falling, while the latter moved horizontally through the air.

Two or three hours passed.

As dawn began to break, the monk Fazheng finally returned with the scripture.

Zhou Yi leafed through it and compared the text, finding no errors. He tucked it into his robes. "Let me ask you this: yesterday, you could clearly have cast the spell directly. Why waste several hours performing that shamanic song and dance?"

"Those grand aristocratic households like that sort of thing. If we do not set up a grand altar and conduct a massive ritual, they think three or five thousand taels of silver is too expensive."

Miaojue said bitterly, "This little monk has no choice either. The temple regularly distributes porridge and grain, and the temple lands collect only forty percent rent from tenant farmers. We must charge the wealthy more to support the warrior monks in the temple."

"Do not complain of hardship before this seat!"

Zhou Yi cast a sideways glance at the fat monk. He had indeed heard of King Kong Temple's reputation; otherwise, he would not have been so merciful in his dealings.

"This little monk spoke too much."

Miaojue was shrewd as a fox. How could he fail to hear the softening in Zhou Yi's tone? He immediately breathed a sigh of relief. At the very least, his life had been preserved.

Zhou Yi asked again, "Do you know of any places nearby that remain gloomy and cold all year round?"

Miaojue was slightly taken aback. After pondering for a moment, he said, "This little monk knows of only one place. Three hundred li southeast of Shenjing, there is a wondrous cold pool. In summer, many nobles and dignitaries go there to escape the heat."

Zhou Yi shook his head slightly. Places crowded with people were unsuitable for wandering souls.

"Please wait a moment, Senior. This little monk will call someone over to ask."

Miaojue stuck his head outside and questioned more than ten monks. Turning back, he said, "There are three other shadowed places: the Ten Mile Slope Burial Grounds, the ancient Great Liang Mountain Battlefield, and... Longevity Mountain!"

Zhou Yi patted Miaojue on the shoulder. "If I hear any unpleasant rumors, I will go to King Kong Temple and seek you out to discuss scriptures and debate the Dao!"

Having said that, he boldly lifted the sedan curtain and vanished before the horrified eyes of the monks.

"Amitabha! So thorough and ruthless in his actions—just which old monster is he?"

Fearful and indignant, Miaojue stuck his head out and berated the monks.

"What are you standing around for? Hurry back to the temple!"

Longevity Mountain.

One hundred and fifty li from Shenjing, it was where the imperial mausoleums of the Fengyang Kingdom stood, burying generations of Zhao emperors.

Imperial Guards watched over the area surrounding the mausoleums, strictly forbidding anyone from approaching lest they damage the dragon veins.

Zhou Yi felt that the underground palace of the imperial mausoleums was the perfect place for Huang Yuniang. The vast palace would allow her to roam as she pleased, while ensuring that she would never come into contact with the living.

Do the deeds of a gentleman, yet guard against the heart of a petty man!

Huang Yuniang had sworn solemnly that she would not harm anyone. Perhaps she could resist temptation for ten or twenty years, but after a hundred or a thousand years, once she became a Ghost King ruling one region, could she still be trusted to keep her word?

After all, wandering souls could only rapidly grow stronger by consuming the vital essence of living people!

Zhou Yi's footsteps were unhurried, but he moved swiftly. Each step carried him several zhang, as though he had shrunk the earth to an inch, all while reading the Origin Returning Art.

"It bears similarities to the Nameless Incantation. It should be a Path of Immortality cultivation method."

"The former gathers spiritual qi to refine the body, while this scripture refines spiritual qi into the Dantian, transforming it into Mana. I wonder what difference there is between this Mana and Innate True Essence?"

Zhou Yi did not rashly begin cultivating it. He needed to thoroughly comprehend the scripture before converting martial arts into the Path of Immortality.

There was no need to rush in cultivating immortality!

"Together with Huang Yuniang's scripture for strengthening the Spirit Soul, does that make me the legendary cultivator of essence, qi, and spirit alike?"