After bidding farewell to Tang Lingwu and the others, Zheng Fa returned to the Nine Mountains Realm to arrange his affairs after his departure. Then, he rode a rainbow light and flew towards the Western Continent.
Half a year is really not enough time. The Xuanwei Realm is extremely large. Even with Zheng Fa's Rainbow Transformation Method, it would take four or five months to travel from the location of the Nine Mountains Realm to Thunderclap Temple.
Leaving the Nine Mountains, crossing the Eastern Continent, and traversing the Great Ocean, the coastline of the Western Continent is already in sight.
A cluster of golden light shone from the shore, converging before Zheng Fa and revealing the face of a young monk.
Zheng Fa also recognized this person; he was one of the Arhat who accompanied the Glazed Buddha Ancestor to the Nine Mountains Sect that day, and his Dharma name Huihong.
The Arhat Huihong was no longer as imposing as before. His expression was gentle, and he put his hands together and smiled, saying, "The World-Honored One instructed me to wait here for Sect Leader Zheng."
"Waiting for me?" Zheng Fa frowned slightly, then smiled. " The Great Vehicle Buddha Ancestor is very thoughtful."
That shows thoughtfulness.
So how did Lu Mo... know which path he came from?
With Zheng Fa by his side, the Arhat Huihong took a slight detour, brushing the edge of Yaochi, and entered the territory of Leiyin Temple.
Previously, Zheng Fa would have assumed it was because Yaochi and Leiyin Temple belonged to two different families, and it was inappropriate for Arhat Huihong to bring him in without permission.
Can...
He glanced back at Jade Pool, a new thought forming in his mind—Did Thunderclap Temple not want him to go to Jade Pool, so they sent Huihong here to fetch him?
Suppressing his thoughts, Zheng Fa turned his head and looked down.
He had never been to the Western Continent before, and Thunderclap Temple had always been shrouded in mystery. Putting aside his fear of Lu Mo, he was actually quite curious.
The two were passing through a village surrounded by rice paddies. The rice was ordinary and lacked Spiritual Qi, but it looked to be growing well.
The climate in the Western Continent is probably hotter than in the Eastern Continent, and the villagers' clothing is not as thick as that of the people in the Eastern Continent.
At first glance, the man's clothing appeared to be just a piece of cloth draped over his body, with several holes that exposed his arms and calves.
Some people were shirtless, revealing their dark backs, and were lazily working in the fields.
The women were slightly more conservative, at least wearing corset-like blouses, but they were still much more open than those in the Eastern Continent.
Judging from the expressions on the villagers' faces, life is not bad; at least they don't go hungry.
"The Buddhist land of Xizhou is fertile, yielding three harvests of rice a year." The Arhat Huihong, seemingly observing him all along, spoke at this moment, "His people live in peace and prosperity, and everyone is inclined towards goodness."
Zheng Fa nodded slightly.
If what Huihong said is true, then the mortals in Thunderclap Temple should be doing quite well.
In particular, the rule of Thunderclap Temple was extremely stable, with high grain yields and a favorable climate. Calling it a paradise was not an exaggeration.
But he also observed something that puzzled him:
The houses in the village were all made of wood, with banana leaves on the roofs, and looked very shabby.
The wooden houses were scattered haphazardly, one to the east and one to the west. The paths between the houses were dirt roads, without even gravel, and in the puddles, there was yellowish-red mud.
Some naked children ran around on the ground, splashing mud and water everywhere.
Zheng Fa was puzzled: with such a good location and such a high grain yield, why did this village still look so poor? And why didn't it seem like there was a school?
Thinking that perhaps the local customs were different, he didn't ask any more questions, but simply followed Arhat Huihong and continued flying forward until they passed a large city.
Arhat Huihong looked somewhat apologetic. "The Dharma assembly is approaching, and I am ordered by the Buddha of Lapis Lazuli to go to the city to make some arrangements."
"Arrange?"
"This Great Luo Dharma Assembly convened by the World Honored One is not only a grand event for the Xuanwei Immortal Sect, but also a blessing for our Thunderclap Temple. Countless believers will come to pray and worship at that time, so we must prepare in advance."
"That's alright."
Presumably this person wouldn't interfere with his participation in the Great Luo Dharma Assembly, Zheng Fa didn't mind and followed Huihong as they descended into the city.
Zheng Fa considered himself a well-informed person, but he was still taken aback at this moment.
A golden avenue, literally meaning a golden road, begins at the city gate and extends into the city.
At the end of the road stands a magnificent Buddhist temple facing south.
BRICS?
Zheng Fa looked down at the floor tiles and couldn't help but ask.
Arhat Huihong nodded with a smile.
Zheng Fa had long since lost interest in gold, but at this moment he was quite shocked—thinking about the splattered mud and looking at the gold bricks without a single footprint under his feet, the feeling in his heart was truly incomprehensible.
"These are all offerings made by the believers themselves, as a sign of their devotion to Buddhist School."
Now Zheng Fa understood why there weren't many nice houses in those villages.
Zheng Fa looked ahead. The road was very wide, enough for six carriages to run side by side, but no one was walking on it.
Zheng Fa and Hui Hong Luohan walked as if in an empty square, while the narrow ditches on both sides of the avenue were teeming with people.
"Who can walk on this main road?"
Huihong smiled, seemingly sensing his displeasure, and replied with a statement that surprised Zheng Fa even more, "It's not that we won't let them leave, but... they don't want to leave."
After saying that, he turned and headed towards the Buddhist temple to the north, the wind blowing his robes.
Wherever Arhat Huihong walked, the residents on both sides knelt on the ground, as if devoutly kissing the dust carried by the wind from his feet.
Zheng Fa behind them until they reached the Buddhist temple in the north of the city.
Dozens of gourd-shaped pagodas are inlaid with five-colored gemstones. In the Mahavira Hall, the Lu Mo statue is made of pure gold and sits there like a golden mountain.
Believers flocked to the temple, bringing gold and silver treasures, and leaving behind smiling faces.
Zheng Fa firmly believed that these people were all there voluntarily, without any coercion or oppression. As Immortal Sect, Thunderclap Temple probably didn't really care much for gold and silver.
But for some reason, he felt only depression and despair.
Huihong Luohan did not linger in the city for long. A day later, he took Zhengfa straight to Leiyin Temple.
"This is Thunderclap Temple?"
Zheng Fa gazed ahead and felt as if his eyes had been opened once again.
Before him stood a towering peak, even higher than the mountains Zheng Fa had seen. What was strange was that the summit was neither covered in snow nor covered in rocks, but rather a magnificent and splendid Buddhist temple.
From such a high vantage point, those within the palace could likely look down at the sunset and reach out to pluck stars from the sky.
Thunderclap Temple is the most prestigious sect in the world, standing in the Western Continent for several eras. It may have declined at times, but its lineage has never been interrupted.
This place is naturally prosperous.
Rows of houses, monasteries, and temples rise from the foot of the mountain, densely packed like moss growing on the mountain peaks, vibrant yet chaotic.
Zheng Fa sensed again the difference between Thunderclap Temple and other Immortal Sect—
Thunderclap Temple has never truly detached itself from the mortal world; on the contrary, they seem to be deliberately trying to get closer to it.
Zheng Fa had also discovered in the previous city that believers there went to Buddhist temples for lawsuits, loans, and even to sign contracts.
"Sect Leader Zheng resides in a separate courtyard, situated on extremely high ground, where outsiders dare not enter without permission, thus avoiding such disturbances."
Huihong seemed worried that he might not be used to it, so she explained.
Zheng Fa didn't dislike it, but he didn't say much either, and simply followed him to the other courtyard.
This villa appears to be newly built, with a distinct Eastern Continent style, and it even has a back garden complete with artificial hills, flowing water, arched bridges, pavilions, and more.
Zheng Fa noticed that there were several other similar courtyards next to his.
"These are the residences of other Golden Immortal," Huihong explained, noticing his gaze. "Near Sect Leader Zheng are the villas of three Golden Immortal from the Supreme Dao."
"The one on the right is inhabited by the Jade Pool Blissful Heavenly Maiden."
Zheng Fa's heart skipped a beat, but he feigned nonchalance. "How many Golden Immortal have arrived at Jade Pool?"
"Only one Blissful Heavenly Maiden," Huihong replied casually, adding, "Further away are the courtyards of two Golden Immortal Demon Race of the Demon Clan."
Golden Immortal of the Demon Race...
Zheng Fa frowned slightly.
"The courtyard of the Three Reclusive Immortals is behind Sect Leader Zheng; they have already arrived."
After Huihong left, Zheng Fa pondered in his heart that this Great Luo Dharma Assembly could be described as an unprecedented gathering of Golden Immortal in the history of Xuanwei.
The Golden Immortal that arrived was different from what he had expected; some were numerous, and some were few.
For example, of the Nine Sons of the Supreme Dao, only three Golden Immortal came. It's unclear whether they were wary of Thunderclap Temple or had other considerations.
The fact that only the Blissful Heavenly Maiden visited Jade Pool made things even stranger.
The people from these two factions had fewer ideas than Zheng Fa had.
There are even more people—two Golden Immortal among the Demon Race?
So, counting the Golden Immortal from Thunderclap Temple, there are nine Golden Immortal from outside the region at this Golden Immortal Gathering. Adding Zheng Fa, the husky who infiltrated the wolf pack, that makes a total of ten.
Of course, neither of the two Demon Race nor the Blissful Heavenly Maiden were outsiders to Lu Mo.
Of the ten attendees, Zheng Fa arrived at a moderate pace.
The Blissful Heavenly Maiden had already arrived.
The next day, Zheng Fa encountered the Jade Pool Blissful Heavenly Maiden and her entourage—or rather, the Blissful Heavenly Maiden and her group had come specifically to visit him, and were very hospitable.
Among her entourage was Nishang Yuanjun.
Zheng Fa and Nishang Yuanjun were old acquaintances. He knew that this person Blissful Heavenly Maiden had some differences in their beliefs. However, when they met again, Nishang Yuanjun looked at the Blissful Heavenly Maiden with great respect and submission.
After seeing off the Blissful Heavenly Maiden, Zheng Fa looked at the departing figure of the Nishang Yuanjun and felt that she had acted very naturally during their conversation, without showing any abnormality.
The Blissful Heavenly Maiden was quite friendly, but some people seemed to harbor deep resentment towards Zheng Fa.
The two Golden Immortal of the Demon Race were named Earthshaker Demon Lord and Peacock Great Emperor, respectively; both had very impressive names.
These two arrived quite some time ago.
Zheng Fa did indeed encounter them once. The Peacock Great Emperor's true form was obvious, but the Earthshaker Demon Lord's true form seemed to be a green ox. Upon seeing Zheng Fa, it bulged its two bull eyes, opened its nostrils, and began to breathe heavily.
"This is the Demon Emperor's guest."
The Peacock Great Emperor glanced coldly at Zheng Fa from the side and spoke up to remind him.
The seemingly impulsive Earthshaker Demon Lord calmed his breathing, snorted coldly, and turned to leave.
This is probably still the fault of the Nine Nether Emperor.
Zheng Fa wasn't angry, but rather more wary. How could Lu Mo have such influence among the Demon Race? Even now, the Peacock Great Emperor still called him Demon Emperor, and even a single name could make this Earthshaker Demon Lord restrain his temper?
Zheng Fa had met the Three Reclusive Immortals once before. These three were somewhat similar to him—not only did they all come alone without their disciples or juniors, but they were also rather reclusive, squatting in the courtyard as soon as they arrived and not coming out.
Unfortunately, the three immortals didn't seem to think they looked very alike.
When they saw Zheng Fa, they greeted him with clasped hands and a bow from a distance, but they didn't say a word and turned to leave, seemingly not wanting to have anything to do with Zheng Fa.
The Supreme Dao group arrived last, almost three days before the Great Luo Dharma Assembly.
Xuan Chengzi was accompanied by two Golden Immortal, and followed by a group of disciples.
Upon seeing Zheng Fa, one of the disciples' eyes lit up, and he called out to Zheng Fa, "Sect Leader Zheng!"
Zheng Fa looked up and saw Li Sanxian carrying a sword on his back, smiling at him.
Fellow Daoist Li!
Zheng Fa returned the greeting with a smile.
But as if he had thought of something, Li Sanxian's upturned lips froze, and he glanced sideways at Xuan Chengzi cautiously.
Xuan Chengzi glanced at him, then looked at Zheng Fa, who was all smiles, nodded slightly, and without saying a word, led his men directly to the three courtyards on the left.
Li Sanxian followed behind him, and when he turned around, he gave Zheng Fa a helpless look.
"Junior Nephew Li, you seem to have a good relationship with that Zheng Fa?"
The Supreme Dao group sat in the courtyard, and Xuan Chengzi asked Li Sanxian a question.
"This disciple once visited the Nine Mountains Sect," Li Sanxian explained, then added after a moment's thought, " Zheng Fa's * Yellow Court Scripture * is extremely extraordinary and greatly beneficial to my Supreme Dao practices."
" The Yellow Court Scripture..." Xuan Chengzi pondered for a moment, then shook his head and said, "No matter how extraordinary he is, you must remember that in the future, my Supreme Dao and the Nine Mountains Sect will be enemies, not friends."
"... Can."
" Zheng Fa is now the enemy of all Dao Fruit. If it weren't for the protection of the Nine Nether Emperor and that Primordial Purple Qi, he would have already died without a burial place."
Xuan Chengzi said in a cold voice.
Li Sanxian, then asked with some concern, "What will happen to him at this Great Luo Dharma Assembly?"
Xuan Chengzi shook his head, thought for a long time, and then sighed, "Now Lu Mo's power is established. The Demon Race, Jade Pool, Thunderclap Temple, and nearly half of the Golden Immortal have been won over by Lu Mo. My Supreme Dao has no choice but to come and deal with whatever moves he makes. You are too busy worrying about yourself to worry about him?"
Upon hearing this, Li Sanxian became genuinely worried. " Great Luo Dharma Assembly dangerous?"
"That won't happen. After all, my Supreme Dao Venerable, so I doubt Lu Mo would dare to go too far."
The members of the Supreme Dao in the courtyard all smiled.
" With the Dao Venerable here, Lu Mo wants to do, he can't bypass our Supreme Dao," Xuan Chengzi added. "We can simply wait for him to make his offer..."
"Does Master mean that Lu Mo convened the Great Luo Dharma Assembly for our sake?"
" Lu Mo is a clever man. Since he chose the Great Luo Dharma Assembly, it means he wants to unify the Dao Fruit of the world," Xuan Chengzi said confidently. "Currently, there are only three Grand Unity in the world. The Nine Nether Emperor and Lu Mo are mortal enemies. The greater his ambition, the more he needs to cooperate with us before plotting against the Underworld."
Li Sanxian seemed to agree with these words and nodded slowly.
Footsteps could be heard outside the courtyard.
The group of people walked in a grand procession, seemingly heading towards the villa.
Xuan Chengzi stood up, surprised, and said, "Why is Lu Mo so anxious that he actually came to visit in person?"
The members of the Supreme Dao looked at each other in surprise, yet they couldn't help feeling a little proud—given Lu Mo's current power, the fact that he personally came to their door meant that, as Xuan Chengzi had said, he valued the Supreme Dao.
Lu Mo's footsteps stopped.
"Is Sect Leader Zheng Fa here?" Lu Mo's calm voice came through, clear and distinct.
The sound of the door opening was followed by Zheng Fa's welcoming greetings.
Gradually, only silence remained outside.
No one came looking for Supreme Dao.
(End of this chapter)