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Lingli began explaining in detail.
What did it mean for both sides to pursue each other?
As the name suggested, only when a cultivator from the Dragon-Raising Temple and a Spiritual Serpent took a liking to each other and both chose one another could Spiritual Light be cultivated successfully.
Otherwise, if you took a fancy to a certain Spiritual Serpent but it ignored you, you would not be able to cultivate Spiritual Light either.
Unrequited love was not advisable.
"As for the second single choice..." Lingli paused, her voice turning somewhat unnatural. "The so-called single choice is only aimed at us humans. You can choose only one Spiritual Serpent, and you cannot choose more than one."
As soon as she finished speaking, a young nun suddenly flushed and whispered, "Why does this feel like the love between men and women in the mortal world? The men of the mortal world are supposed to marry many women as their wives."
Lingli's expression darkened when she heard this. "Zhixin, do not be insolent!"
The young nun stuck out her tongue, her large eyes rolling around.
"Amitabha. Although Niece Zhixin's words were crude, what she said was not entirely wrong."
"Everyone, choosing a Spiritual Serpent is indeed much like love between people. For us humans, it must be unwavering and faithful. Of course... Spiritual Serpents can choose many times; they have no such restriction."
A monk in his twenties smiled as he spoke.
This was Lingfa, Yuanhui's third disciple. His condition was the same as Lingli's: the Spiritual Serpent through which he cultivated Spiritual Light had died.
"So Spiritual Serpents can choose many times... Tsk, I knew it. Being fickle has nothing to do with one's race."
Zhixin muttered under her breath again.
Lingfa shrugged and smiled faintly at everyone. "It is only reasonable for Spiritual Serpents to choose multiple times. After all, Spiritual Serpent resources are scarce, and they are highly sought-after. What can you do?"
"That is their right."
After a series of complicated hand seals, with the abbot seals of the eastern and western temples serving as proof, the seal at the entrance to the Snake Abyss was slowly opened.
"Stand back!"
The eminent monk guarding the seal barked coldly, signaling everyone to retreat.
The next second,
a vast surge of Evil Qi suddenly erupted from the Snake Abyss. It was dazzlingly multicolored and radiated astonishing evil power.
The eminent monk formed a seal with his fingers. The dharma power within his body surged and moved in an instant.
"All conditioned phenomena are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows; like dew and lightning. They should be regarded as such."
"Evil creature, disperse at once!"
Boom!
Dharma power transformed into a palm and slammed into the Evil Qi soaring into the sky. The latter immediately scattered. Most of it was obliterated by the eminent monk's dharma power, some was knocked back into the Snake Abyss, while the rest shrieked sharply as it shot into the heavens and vanished.
Seeing this, the eminent monk revealed a trace of bitterness. He sighed and said, "Amitabha. Some Evil Qi still escaped. Muna has failed the Buddha."
After saying this, Muna looked toward Lingli. "Go in. You have only three hours. After three hours, I will close the seal, so you must come out before then."
"Also, those who make this journey must eradicate three hundred and forty-nine evil creatures over the next three years, restoring peace to Heaven and Earth and repaying the karmic debt caused by the leakage of Evil Qi and its pollution of the world. You must not take this lightly."
Lingli nodded. "Master, please rest assured. The abbot has already explained everything in detail. There will certainly be no mistakes."
Buddhism spoke of cause and effect. The Snake Abyss had originally been used to suppress Evil Qi, rendering merit to Heaven and Earth. But because the Dragon-Raising Temple had rashly opened the seal, the Evil Qi that had lingered there had escaped, thereby creating a karmic debt with Heaven and Earth.
That was why those making this journey had to continuously suppress the evil over the following three years and cast it into the Snake Abyss, repaying the karmic debt incurred today.
This was also why the Dragon-Raising Temple was unwilling to open the seal of the Snake Abyss casually.
For one thing, Evil Qi would leak out, creating a sin against Heaven and Earth. For another, as the Evil Qi diminished, the Snake Abyss's ability to nurture Evil Remains would weaken, and the production of Spiritual Serpents would decrease.
Under the combined effect of these two factors, no one would be willing to open the seal unless absolutely necessary.
"Amitabha. Benevolent, benevolent!"
"Since that is the case, everyone, do as you please."
"This humble monk will guard this place. May all of you achieve your wishes."
After saying this, Muna sat cross-legged at the entrance to the Snake Abyss and began chanting Buddhist scriptures.
The group pressed their palms together, bid farewell to this eminent monk of the Mu Generation, and entered the Snake Abyss one after another.
The Snake Abyss had seen no sunlight for years. Although the opening of the seal this time allowed a sliver of sunlight to shine inside, it did not lessen the chill here in the slightest.
"Come to think of it, the last time I entered the Snake Abyss was ten years ago. I still remember how that Big Azure Spiritual Snake took a special liking to Senior Sister back then. Sigh, I wonder how many people envied her."
Lingfa walked beside Lingli and spoke with a smile.
At the mention of Great Green, Lingli's body trembled, and a dull ache spread through her heart. She subconsciously touched her arm and saw that three or five scale-like patches had already grown on her wrist.
This was a sign that, after the spontaneous birth of eighth-grade Spiritual Patterns, she was about to enter the stage of assimilation with a seventh-grade Spiritual Serpent.
If she succeeded, the Dragon-Raising Temple would gain another powerful seventh-grade cultivator.
Unfortunately, she had fallen short at the final hurdle. With Great Green's death, Lingli's path of cultivation had been severed completely.
Even if she could change Spiritual Serpents this time, it would still be extraordinarily difficult. Rebuilding her cultivation was unavoidable.
Lingfa noticed Lingli's actions. His eyes flickered, and then he pretended to sigh. "Senior Sister, you should not dwell too much on Great Green. After all, when communicating with a new Spiritual Serpent, if you keep thinking about the one from before, you will be rejected."
"Besides, no one could have expected what happened to Great Green. Who could have known that four Spiritual Pythons would die unnatural deaths in the span of only three years?"
"Was I not the same as Senior Sister? It is just that, with my aptitude..." Lingfa sighed, his face full of dejection. "I do not know whether I will have another chance in this life to touch the threshold of the seventh grade."
His words made Lingli, whose mood was already poor, feel three parts worse.
Her mind began involuntarily recalling fragments of memories of Great Green. She knew perfectly well that she should not be doing this at that moment, yet she was utterly unable to suppress it.
"By the way, Senior Sister... have you chosen a target this time?"
Lingfa asked.
Lingli shook her head. "Not yet. But Master said that a new Spiritual Python was born these past few days. You know that newly born Spiritual Pythons are relatively easy to communicate with. Although its potential is not high and its Spiritual Light may be very weak, it is my only hope."
Lingli knew that she had been entangled too deeply with the Great Green Snake. Ordinary Spiritual Pythons would most likely be unwilling to choose her, so she could only try with that newly born Spiritual Python.
Lingfa nodded. A flicker passed through his eyes, and he revealed an enigmatic smile. "I see... But, Senior Sister, have you prepared a gift for the Spiritual Python? I have some rats tainted with a little Spiritual Qi here. Why not take a few, just in case?"
As he spoke, Lingfa untied a cloth sack from his waist. It was shockingly filled with quite a few fist-sized rats!
Lingli's expression changed dramatically when she saw this. "Ling Rat Secret Language? Junior Brother, I am afraid this does not comply with the rules. Put it away at once!"
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