Transcending One's Closest Kin
"Fellow Daoist Long, please have a seat and try some of the fine tea I just bought."
Ye Qing gestured for Shen Long to sit down and picked up the teapot to pour him some tea.
Shen Long took a sip of the Spirit Tea; it was sweet and refreshing, and he immediately felt invigorated.
"Excellent tea!"
Shen Long praised him, then his gaze fell on Zen Master Xinkong, and he said, "May I ask, Master, what school or sect do you belong to?"
"This humble monk hails from the Golden Buddha Sect of the Western Desert."
Zen Master Xinkong put his hands together and said.
Ye Qing took out an exquisite food box, took out the delicacies, and placed them on the stone table, along with spirit fruits and spirit cakes.
Ye Qing raised his teacup and said, "It is a pleasure to gather here with you all today. I would like to offer you all a toast."
Shen Long and the other three raised their teacups, clinked them with Ye Qing's, and drank the tea in one gulp instead of wine.
After drinking a cup of tea, they started chatting, exchanging cultivation experiences. Shen Long inquired about the whereabouts of the Third-Rank Flood Dragon Third-Rank Flood Dragon, Ye Qing and the other three did not know its location.
After chatting for most of the hour, Ye Qing suggested exchanging cultivation resources, and Shen Long and the other three did not object.
The items that Ye Qing and the other three brought out were mostly Monster Beast Material, nothing special. Shen Long exchanged his Demon Core for three Inner Core cores of Third Rank Blood Toad Beast.
When it was Shen Long's Shen Long to exchange, he took out dozens of Third Rank Demon Core, along with beast hides, Poison Sac, and other Monster Beast Material, saying, "I'll exchange for the Poison Sac of Nine-Rosy Beast! Or materials of equal value."
The Nine-Curve Monster Luring Incense is very effective at luring Demon Beast, but Shen Long only has one stick of Nine-Curve Monster Luring Incense, which is already used up. To make more Nine-Curve Monster Luring Incense, he needs to refine Nine-Curve Monster Luring Powder.
Ye Qing and his companions couldn't produce the Nine-Rosy Beast's Poison Sac, they showed Shen Long other items, Shen Long exchanged some of them for them.
Shen Long took out a golden jade box and said, "I'll exchange High-Grade Medicinal Pill for spirit medicine and fruits that nourish the soul."
He opened the golden jade box, inside which were three top-grade pills, each with a different effect.
"High-Grade Medicinal Pill!"
Ye Qing and the other three looked at each other with great interest, but they couldn't produce any spirit medicine or fruits to nourish the soul. They took out other things for Shen Long to examine, but Shen Long didn't like them.
Shen Long was somewhat disappointed and put away the pills and materials.
After chatting for fifteen minutes, Shen Long and his three companions said their goodbyes and left.
"Master Xinkong, please wait."
Shen Long called out to Zen Master Xinkong.
"What advice do you have for me, Fellow Daoist Long?"
Zen Master Xinkong said gently.
"I would like to ask a master to help me release a female ghost in the Golden Core Realm. The reward is three High-Grade Medicinal Pill. How about it?"
Shen Long said sincerely.
The female ghost he mentioned is his mother. She has lost her mind and only possesses ferocity. If she continues to be raised, it will only create another Fierce Ghost, not his mother. It would be best to have her released from suffering.
Buddhist practice is more suitable for this kind of thing.
"Support the female ghost! Where is the female ghost?"
Zen Master Xinkong asked a question.
"How about it, at my place?"
Shen Long asked.
"No problem, Fellow Daoist Long, please lead the way!"
Zen Master Xinkong agreed.
Shen Long brought Zen Master Xinkong to Golden Bamboo Courtyard and activated the restriction.
He summoned the Mysterious Yin Banner and cast a spell. A mournful Ghost Wail rang out, and a female ghost flew out from the Mysterious Yin Banner with a ferocious face.
"Amitabha!"
Zen Master Xinkong clasped his hands together and began chanting scriptures, producing a series of Buddhist chants.
The female ghost covered her ears with both hands, but it was no use; her face showed pain.
Golden Light Ring flew out of Zen Master Xinkong's mouth and swept past the female ghost's body.
The female ghost's body became indistinct, and her gaze slowly regained its clarity.
"Long'er! Is that you?"
The female ghost spoke.
"Mother, it's me. I've avenged you and Father. Your enemy turned you into Fierce Ghost. I don't want you to become a vicious spirit that only knows how to kill. Please Zen Master Xinkong, help you find peace."
Shen Long said, his face showing grief.
"You did the right thing. Knowing you're alright puts my mind at ease. I'm going down to join your father now. Thank you, Master."
The female ghost thanked her and a kind smile appeared on her face.
"Please don't be so polite, it's just what I should do."
Zen Master Xinkong said, offering up a Cyan Wooden Fish, inscribing it with a magic incantation, and reciting the scriptures again.
About half an hour later, the chanting stopped, and Shen Long's mother was also released from suffering.
"Master, is there such a thing as reincarnation?"
Shen Long asked curiously.
"Fellow Daoist Long, if you believe, it exists; if you don't believe, it doesn't. The same applies to Buddha. If you believe in Buddha, Buddha exists; if you don't believe in Buddha, even if Buddha were right in front of you, you wouldn't recognize him as Buddha."
Zen Master Xinkong said.
"That's true, I've learned something, thank you."
Shen Long took out a Cyan Jade Box and handed it to Master Xinkong.
"Fellow Daoist Long, are you Alchemist?"
Zen Master Xinkong said politely.
Shen Long nodded and said, "That's right, Master Xinkong wants to ask me to help refine pills."
Zen Master Xinkong did him a great favor, Shen Long agreed to help him refine pills.
Zen Master Xinkong nodded, took out a Golden Jade Slip, and handed it to Shen Long.
Shen Long scanned the area with his divine sense, a look of surprise appearing in his eyes.
"Vajra Bone Tempering Pill! No problem, I can refine it. How many materials did Master Xinkong prepare?"
Shen Long asked.
The Vajra Bone Tempering Pill is made primarily from the shell of Third-Rank Monster Turtle. It can strengthen the physical body, and Shen Long can use it too.
"There's only one set. This humble monk wants ten High-Grade Medicinal Pill. This is Thunder-Guiding Bead from the body of a late-stage Third Rank- tier Golden Thunder Turtle as payment. What does Fellow Daoist Long think?"
Zen Master Xinkong took out a Cyan Storage Bag and a Golden Orb, and handed them to Shen Long.
Shen Long raised the Golden Orb high, and a deafening thunderclap echoed from the sky.
He quickly put away the Thunder-Guiding Bead and nodded, saying, "No problem, but I don't want other fellow cultivators to know that I know alchemy. I hope you can keep this a secret for me, Master."
"No problem."
Zen Master Xinkong readily agreed.
After chatting for a few minutes, Zen Master Xinkong took his leave.
Shen Long entered a secret room, took out the Crimson Crow Cauldron and alchemy materials, and began to refine pills.
Before long, a faint medicinal fragrance filled the room.
······
In a Quiet Manor, Chu Buyu and a handsome young man in a golden robe sat in a Cyan Stone Pavilion, talking about something.
"Junior Sister Chu, if you really can't find anything, just let it go. Don't take it too seriously. The Outer Sea so vast. If that guy finds a place to hide, how are we supposed to find him? Anyway, Aunt Song won't make things difficult for you, so why bother!"
The young man in the gold shirt offered advice.
"I must complete the task my master assigned me. You can stay and help if you wish, or leave if you prefer. I will continue my search."
Chu Buyu said seriously.
"Alright, since you're willing to stay in the Outer Sea to search, wouldn't I be punished if I went back? I'll accompany you to search some more! Hopefully, we can find it! But I'm warning you, the Outer Sea is not like the Inner Sea. There are quite a few Evil Cultivator in the Nascent Soul Realm there. Don't leave the Marketplace on your own. It's still safe for us to stay in the Marketplace."
The young man in the gold shirt offered a reminder.
"I don't need you to teach me how to do things! I know what I'm doing."
Chu Buyu said nonchalantly.
"Fine! Who told you to be Master Song's disciple!"
The young man in the gold shirt didn't seem to care and got up to leave.
He took a few steps and stopped, saying, "By the way, Senior Sister Mu is also in the Outer Sea. Be careful. She's always disliked you and really likes Senior Brother Xu. She sees you as a thorn in her side."
"Okay, you can go back and rest now!"
Chu Buyu said.