Why the Flesh is Paramount

Chen Lin spoke calmly, his voice flat and unruffled: "Disciple, this person is yours to handle. I, the Venerable, still have matters to attend to, and will take my leave first."

The moment his words fell, his form was about to transform into a streak of light and vanish from the spot.

But just then, the Dragon Tiger Heavenly Master hurriedly spoke up, raising an arm in a faint gesture to block him: "Senior, please wait a moment."

Chen Lin's form paused. He slowly turned back, his gaze landing on the Dragon Tiger Heavenly Master, and replied flatly, "Hm?"

At this moment, the momentarily overlooked Esteemed You felt a storm surge within his heart.

He had originally assumed this mysterious Myriad Law Heavenly Sovereign was merely a powerful ally the First Prince had invited. But that phrase "disciple" just now, coupled with the Dragon Tiger Heavenly Master—a top-tier expert at the Seventh Level Dharma Idol—showing such deference, even a hint of reverence...

Could it be that this senior was actually a legendary Ninth Level Dharma Idol grand cultivator?

And the First Prince's master!

Terrifying!

The Dragon Tiger Heavenly Master took a deep breath, then his face broke into an even more humble smile: "Senior, this is a small token of my respect, unworthy of your notice." As he spoke, he respectfully offered a plain-looking Storage Ring with both hands.

The others, like the West Mad Heavenly Disciple and his group, caught on immediately and chimed in one after another: "Senior, please accept this trifle as a gesture of our sincerity."

Chen Lin looked at the rings offered before him, a knowing curve tugging at the corner of his mouth. He thought to himself: They know the drill.

"Mm, not bad." Chen Lin gave a slight nod, his fingers brushing over each ring in turn. The Storage Rings vanished into thin air, tucked away into his sleeve. "If you encounter any difficulties in the future, you may contact I, the Venerable, through my disciple."

With that, he lingered no longer. With a flick of his sleeve, his form—along with the ring the Dragon Tiger Heavenly Master had first handed over—vanished completely from the spot, leaving behind only the others' wistful expressions and the Esteemed You's still-shocked face.

Ling Tian's gaze locked onto the prostrate, weakened Esteemed You like a hawk's, while the Dragon Tiger Heavenly Master subtly released his oppressive aura, pressing down like Mount Tai to firmly pin the man in place, nearly cutting off his breath.

The Esteemed You was drenched in cold sweat. Under the immense pressure, his survival instinct overwhelmed everything else. The words tumbled out almost involuntarily, his voice trembling and urgent: "This Seat... This Seat is willing to submit to His Majesty—bah!" He jolted sharply, as if scalded, and frantically corrected himself, "Willing to be the First Prince's inside man! Willing to plant a thorn in the Nine Nether Sect!"

That slip of "His Majesty" seemed an unconscious mistake, yet carried an indescribable weight. When he panicked and amended it to "First Prince," the haste and the verbal stumble only made it ring more true.

Ling Tian's eyes flashed sharply at the words.

Chen Lin returned to the Scripture Repository without a sound.

Then, his Spiritual Sense, like a wisp of intangible smoke, silently probed into one of the rings.

A moment later, a glint of satisfaction flickered in his eyes—inside, there was indeed a mountain of treasures: all kinds of Spiritual Pills and Potions and spirit stones, piled high and far exceeding his expectations.

He praised inwardly: That Ling Tian kid really knows the drill.

If he hadn't taken the initiative with those people, getting these wouldn't have been so easy.

Thinking this, a faint smile curled at the corner of Chen Lin's mouth. He ignored the other rings, settled into his rocking chair, and waited for time to pass.

Time slipped by quietly. Within the pavilion, only the candlelight flickered, accompanied by the faint crackle of the flame.

When the night was deepest and all was silent, the bell tolled—it was the hour of midnight.

Chen Lin closed his eyes slightly and murmured in his heart: "Draw!"

It was as if invisible gears began to turn, and a mysterious aura spread through the air.

[Randomly drawing...]

[Draw complete!]

[Today's Great Perfection Heaven-tier cultivation technique: Buddha Origin Heavenly Merit]

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"Buddhist techniques?" Chen Lin was mildly surprised; he hadn't expected this cultivation method.

The moment he thought it, a blinding golden light erupted within his sea of consciousness, dazzling even his Spiritual Sense.

Then, countless Sanskrit mantras poured down like a golden waterfall cascading from the nine heavens, crashing in a torrent.

Each character radiated a weighty, mountain-like aura, carrying an eternal solemnity.

A low, solemn Buddha's name, as if echoing from the dawn of time, rang out from the void, cleansing Chen Lin's soul.

The information for Buddha Origin Heavenly Merit unfolded in his sea of consciousness:

Arhat Golden Body: Flesh, blood, and bones gradually turn vitreous under the technique's operation, becoming incredibly tough, capable of withstanding heavenly weapon strikes without damage.

Immeasurable Buddha Charm: Bestows countless insights into the Buddha Dao, pointing directly to the source, even containing a trace of an indescribable Buddha Nature.

At this moment, if any true Buddhist disciple were to see Chen Lin, they would be utterly horrified, believing him to be a reincarnated Buddhist supreme being of peerless cultivation who had reached the ultimate realm!

Unfortunately, in the current Great Yan Imperial Dynasty, top-tier Buddhist forces had long since declined, nearly extinct.

The appearance of this Buddha Origin Heavenly Merit undoubtedly opened a brand-new door for Chen Lin, one full of infinite possibilities.

After all, he had never encountered Buddhist teachings before, and Buddhism was always renowned for its profound depth and breadth. This Buddha Origin Heavenly Merit was certainly not bad.

At the very least, it could greatly temper his physical body!

That point pleased him considerably.

Still, Chen Lin also noticed a phenomenon: many top-tier techniques seemed to make tempering the physical body a key component. This puzzled him somewhat.

Why was the importance of the physical body so paramount?

Was it to bear a stronger power, or to withstand a more terrifying backlash?

He shook his head, temporarily setting aside this doubt—after all, there were more pressing matters at hand.

This Great Perfection-level Buddhist technique was an unexpected boon, but for now, what he urgently needed was to elevate his cultivation realm.

The next moment, Chen Lin wasted no further time and began absorbing the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures and spirit stones from his Storage Ring.

Those spiritual objects, brimming with vast energy, seemed to have found their home, surging madly into his body as the resources within the ring dwindled at a visibly rapid pace.

Though the aura he emitted remained restrained, as if unchanged, only Chen Lin himself knew that the ocean-like torrent of energy within him was circulating, merging, and sublimating at an unprecedented speed.

This process was astonishingly fast—he could even feel the barriers of power within him loosening rapidly.

At this rate, breaking through the bottleneck was merely a matter of time.

Autumn deepened, leaves drifting slowly in the wind, and before he knew it, seven days had passed.

In these seven days, the flames of war spread swiftly.

Relying on the banner of the Second Prince, the Yantian Sect and the Blood Wolf Mercenary Group had expanded their influence like a wildfire, already claiming two neighboring prefectures and pressing their advantage, advancing outward step by step.

Now, they were gradually expanding further.

At the same time, the First Prince formally led his army toward those two prefectures, charging at the front lines with unmatched valor, cutting down several enemy generals in succession and greatly bolstering his reputation.

Meanwhile, the Ninth Prince and the Fifth Prince were not idle either, having been appointed by the Imperial Lord to head to the battlefield.

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