A Father Out of Thin Air?

Jiang Chuan's residence lay halfway up the back mountain of the Warrior Monk Institute.

The two-story pavilion was secluded and elegant. The enormous pomegranate tree in the courtyard was already laden with abundant fruit, adding a burst of vibrant life to the entire yard.

"Junior Brother, am I dreaming? This house is more than ten times better than the cramped little room we had before!"

Jing Hui excitedly ran into the pavilion, looking around nonstop.

Jiang Chuan's face was also full of smiles.

"If this were Earth Star, I'd count as a homeowner too!"

Thinking of this, Jiang Chuan felt even more grateful toward Elder Jingyun.

Although the monks entering the Warrior Monk Institute had all been reassigned new residences, only Jiang Chuan and Jing Hui had received two-story pavilions.

Besides Jiang Chuan placing first in the assessment, Elder Jingyun's care had naturally played no small part.

After giving the pavilion a simple cleaning, Jiang Chuan used resting as an excuse, shut the door, sat on the bed, and prepared to begin the simulation.

Ding! Simulation commencing. Randomly matching a Love Simulation Target for the host.

Ding! Match successful.

The Love Simulation Target matched for this simulation is Lu Chenling of the Seven Kill Demonic Sect.

"Lu Chenling? This name sounds somewhat familiar."

Jiang Chuan's expression changed slightly. "This simulation actually matched me with the Seven Kill Demoness."

In a previous simulation, he had searched Chisha Island for the Dragon Transformation Cave Manor with Ji Xinyu, where he had heard cultivators mention Lu Chenling.

Lu Chenling was the foremost figure among the younger generation of the Seven Kill Demonic Sect, hence her title, the Seven Kill Demoness.

"Damn Love Simulator! Can't you match me with someone normal? Lu Chenling is obviously an even crazier woman than Ji Xinyu. This will be hard to handle."

You entered seclusion to comprehend the Treasured Mountain Seal. Three months later, you had initially mastered the Treasured Mountain Seal and simultaneously broken through to the Second Realm, Eighth Layer.

Led by the Sacred Emperor of Nine Heavens, the Nine Abyss Dynasty visited Bodhi Temple. Having just emerged from seclusion, you were immediately assigned to entertain Twenty-eighth Prince Li Yunwen of the Nine Abyss Dynasty.

The Nine Abyss Dynasty had thirty-two princes and twenty-four princesses, all of whom had the possibility of inheriting the throne.

After learning that Elder Jingyun valued you highly and that you had placed first in the Warrior Monk Institute assessment, Twenty-eighth Prince Li Yunwen believed you had a great chance of entering Arhat Hall in the future.

Thus, he constantly tried to draw closer to you. Not only did he address you as a brother, he also gave you many treasures and medicinal pills.

"Li Yunwen wants me to call him Big Brother. Then what does that make my relationship with the Sacred Emperor of Nine Heavens? Did I just gain a father out of thin air?"

Jiang Chuan recalled Li Yunwen, who had called him brother, and the corner of his eye twitched slightly.

Jiang Chuan was extremely resistant to the matter of acknowledging a father.

However—

Jiang Chuan turned to glance at the waist-high yellow gourd on his back and grinned.

"However, if he gives me several thousand more grains of Dui Ze Spirit Sand, it's not as though I can't consider acknowledging a father."

You obtained many treasures and medicinal pills from Li Yunwen, making some of his subordinates rather envious.

One of them, Qu Changhe, a disciple of Maha Hall, even verbally provoked you and wanted to wager a duel with you.

Considering the gap between your strengths, you upheld the principle that a wise man does not fight when the odds are against him and refused on the spot.

"You're at the Third Realm, Ninth Layer, ten minor realms above me, and you want to wager a duel with me. Qu, your skin is truly thick!"

Jiang Chuan stroked his chin and revealed a wicked smile. "Fortunately, my skin is even thicker than yours."

You immediately returned to the Warrior Monk Institute and sought out seven or eight senior brothers.

You complained to them about Qu Changhe's tyranny, gave them some medicinal pills, and asked them to take action.

In the end, on a moonless night with howling winds, you led seven or eight senior brothers from the Warrior Monk Institute and beat Qu Changhe senseless together.

Qu Changhe was beaten until his face was bruised and swollen, and every bone in his body seemed broken. If killing within the temple had not been inconvenient, next year's day would have been Qu Changhe's death anniversary.

Beating Qu Changhe senseless put you in a splendid mood.

Li Yunwen soon discovered the badly beaten Qu Changhe. Just as you had expected, he did not make a fuss and blow the matter up.

Instead, after guessing that you were most likely responsible, he gave you a Low-grade Treasure Artifact, the Jadeite Saber.

You knew Li Yunwen feared the matter becoming too large and reaching the Sacred Emperor of Nine Heavens' ears, leaving him with the impression that Li Yunwen could not manage his subordinates. Thus, he intended to turn a major matter into a minor one, and a minor matter into nothing at all.

Therefore, you gladly accepted the Jadeite Saber.

Another half month passed, and Li Yunwen left alongside the Sacred Emperor of Nine Heavens.

One month later, you successfully broke through to the Second Realm, Ninth Layer.

With the help of the medicinal pills Li Yunwen had given you, you immediately broke through to the Third Realm: Soul Refining. Your soul transformed into a Yin Spirit, and you condensed Divine Sense.

You then went to the External Affairs Hall and accepted a mission to hunt Underground Demons in the Southern Domain. Afterward, you prepared to set off for the Southern Domain to find Lu Chenling.

After learning that you intended to go to the Southern Domain, Elder Jingyun came to find you.

"Because of the Nine Abyss Dynasty matter, Maha Hall and our Three Buddhist Dao Sects have begun clashing."

Elder Jingyun spoke slowly. "You have only just broken through to the Third Realm. Your strength is insufficient, so it is not suitable for you to go out."

Jiang Chuan pressed his palms together. "Amitabha! Elder Jingyun, as the saying goes, jade that is not carved cannot become a vessel. This disciple cannot remain beneath the shelter of your wings for a lifetime—"

Elder Jingyun slapped Jiang Chuan's gleaming bald head, knocking him to the ground.

"You brat, do you think I'm discussing this with you?"

Jiang Chuan lay on the ground, looking at the azure sky, feeling as though the heavens were swaying without end.

"Elder Jingyun."

"Hmm?"

"Next time... next time, can we talk things over properly? Don't—don't use your hands."

Elder Jingyun lowered his head and looked at the monk shoes on his feet.

"Fine. Next time I speak and you refuse to listen, I won't use my hands. I'll use my feet."

Jiang Chuan: "..."

What was the difference between that and using his hands directly?

Or did using his feet make it easier to kick him farther away, so he could be out of sight and out of mind?

Under Elder Jingyun's tyrannical pressure, you were forced to remain in the Warrior Monk Institute.

Apart from cultivating the Void Devouring Scripture, you devoted all your energy to cultivating the Treasured Mountain Seal.

It was said that in the Buddhist Realm, there was a Buddha known as the King Buddha of Many Treasures.

The King Buddha of Many Treasures possessed over ten thousand Dharma treasures of boundless might, and Treasured Mountain was where he stored those ten thousand treasures.

The Treasured Mountain Seal had been created by a great Buddhist master based on the ten thousand Dharma treasures and Treasured Mountain of the King Buddha of Many Treasures. It was said that if cultivated to the utmost limit, one could borrow the power of the ten thousand Dharma treasures of Duobao Tathagata Venerable Buddha.

As you comprehended the Treasured Mountain Seal, your understanding of it grew ever deeper.

In a daze, you seemed to arrive in another world.

"Where... is this?!"

Jiang Chuan stared at the scene before him, his face utterly blank.

A golden mountain pierced straight into the clouds, like the heavenly pillar of myth and legend, bracing the sky and rising from the earth.

Its majestic aura was like a deity standing between heaven and earth, filling all who saw it with awe.

A silver waterfall poured down from the clouds like a Silver Dragon descending from the heavens into a sapphire-blue lake of crystalline clarity, rumbling thunderously.

Lush emerald Bodhi trees rooted themselves upon the mountain, while spirit beasts such as spiritual monkeys and white deer darted among them.

At that moment, Jiang Chuan felt as though he had arrived in a mythic divine estate and immortal land, beautiful beyond compare.