Discussing Treasures

Beside the waterfall in the back mountains of Mount Kunlun, the atmosphere had grown incredibly heavy. Medicine Master and the others were engaged in lively debate, and the nascent form of Buddhism was taking shape, its Great Dao theories starkly different from Taoism. The disciples of Qingfeng Peak had never heard such things before, let alone had any way to refute them, their faces turning ashen.

Daoist Duobao sat cross-legged on a blue stone, listening to Medicine Master and the others expound on the ways of the West. Thoughts arose one after another in his mind, aligning with his own Dao, even sparking a sense of sudden enlightenment.

Holy Mother Wudang suddenly spoke with a smile, "Fellow Daoists from the West, your profound theories are enlightening. However, too much of a good thing can be detrimental. Let's pause our discussion on the Dao for now and allow for some reflection, shall we?"

Ksitigarbha smiled, "Senior Sister speaks wisely."

His sudden enlightenment interrupted, Daoist Duobao subconsciously frowned and looked at Holy Mother Wudang with a hint of displeasure.

Holy Mother Wudang smiled, "The Dao is fundamental, but defending it also requires acts of war. While we have leisure, why don't we discuss treasures?"

Medicine Master, Ksitigarbha, and the others exchanged glances, a subtle smile in their eyes. They had anticipated this before coming.

Ksitigarbha nodded with a smile, "Very well! As Senior Sister wishes."

Shi Ji suddenly stood up, looking grimly at Ksitigarbha, "I'll go first!"

With a wave of her hand, a white silk scarf appeared before her. She introduced it, "The Eight Trigrams Cloud Light Scarf. It possesses the treasures of Kan, Li, Zhen, and Dui, encompassing all things. It can summon divine spirits from all directions to protect the wearer and ranks as a Low-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure."

Ksitigarbha slowly rose and produced a bright pearl, smiling, "I have a bright pearl that can illuminate the heart without blemish. However, it is merely a mortal item and not an Innate Spiritual Treasure. This round goes to Junior Sister."

Shi Ji waved her hand, collecting the Eight Trigrams Cloud Light Scarf, and proudly sat back in her seat.

The young man with large ears stood up and sneered at Medicine Master, "This humble Taoist is Dingguang Immortal with Long Ears. Please enlighten me."

Medicine Master stood up, bowed, and smiled, "Greetings, Junior Brother Dingguang Immortal with Long Ears."

Dingguang Immortal with Long Ears waved his hand, and an Immortal Sword appeared before him. He said, "The Light Splitting Shadow Fixing Sword, a Low-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure."

Medicine Master produced a medicine gourd, smiling, "The Glazed Medicine Gourd. A Post-celestial mortal item. Junior Brother wins this round."

Dingguang Immortal with Long Ears put away the Light Splitting Shadow Fixing Sword and returned to his seat.

Two more disciples presented their treasures. Sunlight and Moonlight each produced a bowl and a string of beads, respectively. The outcome was obvious: both Sunlight and Moonlight lost.

All the disciples of Qingfeng Peak smiled, their expressions relaxing as they continued to watch their martial brothers from the West.

Holy Mother Jinling whispered in confusion, "Senior Sister, are the Westerners really that poor? They don't have a single Innate Spiritual Treasure?"

Holy Mother Wudang said calmly, "They are doing this on purpose."

Holy Mother Jinling asked in surprise, "On purpose? Why?"

Holy Mother Wudang shook her head, "I don't know! But they have definitely come prepared."

"Let me test them," Holy Mother Jinling stood up and looked at Mahasthamaprapta, "Senior Brother, please!"

Mahasthamaprapta stood up and smiled serenely, "My Western realm is poor and humble. Please forgive my Junior Sister's amusement."

Holy Mother Jinling narrowed her eyes, "Whether it's poor or humble, I don't know, as I've never been there. However, the minds of my fellow disciples are quite prosperous. Thinking too much is not conducive to cultivation."

Mahasthamaprapta nodded, "Junior Sister speaks the truth!"

He smiled and continued, "One should be simple-minded. Simplicity leads to peace, and peace leads to ultimate bliss."

Holy Mother Jinling produced a whisk in her hand, "This Heart-Cleansing Whisk was refined by me from a wisp of pure breeze. A wisp of breeze sweeps away all the dust in the world. It can barely be considered a Post-celestial Spiritual Treasure."

Mahasthamaprapta took out a withered wooden staff and smiled, "Just an ordinary wooden staff with no special function. Junior Sister still wins."

"What about now?" Holy Mother Jinling's whisk shattered with a snap, turning into a wisp of pure breeze that dispersed.

Mahasthamaprapta was taken aback and said helplessly, "Now I have a slight advantage."

Holy Mother Jinling smiled, "I thought you would have destroyed the wooden staff as well."

Mahasthamaprapta affectionately stroked the wooden staff, "This staff was personally broken off from a Bodhi tree by my Master and given to me for my travels and quest for enlightenment. I would never dare to damage it."

Daoist Duobao scanned Ksitigarbha and the others, a thought rising in his mind: the counterattack was coming.

Holy Mother Wudang also frowned, a sense of unease rising within her.

Ksitigarbha stood up, holding the bright pearl, and asked with a smile, "Junior Sister Shi Ji, may I ask where your Eight Trigrams Cloud Light Scarf came from?"

Shi Ji stood up and replied, "Naturally, it was bestowed by my Master."

Ksitigarbha continued with a smile, "And where did Martial Uncle obtain it?"

"I obtained it from Treasure Distribution Cliff."

Ksitigarbha raised the bright pearl in his hand and said, "My Western realm is poor and humble, lacking Innate Spiritual Treasures. This bright pearl was found by my Master in the depths of the West Sea and polished and refined by hand. Although its material is ordinary and not as precious as an Innate Spiritual Treasure, for this humble Taoist, the teacher's affection is beyond the value of ten thousand Innate Spiritual Treasures."

Medicine Master slowly stood up, holding the medicine gourd in his hand, and smiled, "My Master poured a great deal of effort into refining this medicine gourd, collecting ancient stardust from beyond the thirty-third heaven and primal pure water from the deepest sea eyes. It took thirty-three years to refine. Although it is not an Innate Spiritual Treasure, it carries my Master's earnest expectations, and I, your disciple, would never dare to fail him."

Dingguang Immortal with Long Ears sat on the ground in silence. The Light Splitting Shadow Fixing Sword suddenly didn't seem so appealing anymore.

Sunlight held a bowl and said earnestly, "This bowl has a very simple name: Golden Alms Bowl. Master personally refined it and personally carved the Great Dao scriptures within it."

Moonlight stood up and said, holding the string of prayer beads, "Each bead of this string was carved by Master's own hand. Master painstakingly carved a divine ability onto each bead and gave it to me for protection."

Mahasthamaprapta looked around at the many disciples of Qingfeng Peak and said, "Although our treasures are not as precious as those of our Junior Brothers and Sisters, they were all personally made by our Master. The profound affection contained within them is immeasurable in value."

Ksitigarbha and the others looked around at everyone. All the Qingfeng disciples had solemn expressions. Innate Spiritual Treasures were indeed precious, but in terms of affection, they were far inferior.

All the Qingfeng disciples subconsciously looked towards Daoist Duobao. If anyone among them might possess a magical treasure personally crafted by their Master, it would undoubtedly be the eldest disciple.

Daoist Duobao's expression was calm as he said, "One is the preciousness of the treasure, and the other is the depth of affection. Indeed, it is difficult to measure. Let us call it a draw!"

Mahasthamaprapta bowed and smiled, "Senior Brother speaks the absolute truth."

Holy Mother Jinling suddenly sat down, muttering indignantly, "Damn Western disciples!"

The other Qingfeng disciples also had grim expressions. Although they said it was a draw, everyone knew they had still been suppressed. First, it was the discussion of the Dao, and then the discussion of treasures. They were all suppressed by outsiders from the West. A surge of suppressed anger brewed within the hearts of the many disciples of Qingfeng Peak.