The Local Gang Was So Rude!

Kasyapa had no choice but to accept the two million spirit stones, trembling and shivering all the while, utterly unwilling.

Having cultivated his way to enlightenment through hardship, where had he ever seen so many spirit stones?

He felt utterly at a loss, dizzy and feverish, unable to piece together even a complete sentence.

Su Yuan had spent a lifetime giving gifts, yet he had never seen someone accept a gift and then not utter a word. He was deeply baffled.

Brother, you took my money. Shouldn't you ask what I need?

Why are you just sitting there in silence?

So I gave this money for nothing?

Then a thought struck him, and he immediately "understood."

Fuck, don't tell me he thinks I gave too little.

This old monk looks so reserved, but his heart is black as coal!

Gritting his teeth through the pain, he took out another million spirit stones, piling a sincere smile onto his face.

He forcibly found an excuse to keep the conversation going:

"Venerable One, your Buddhist teachings are profound. Listening to your instruction has been like having my head doused with clarified butter. This trifling gift cannot express even one ten-thousandth of my gratitude. I hope the Venerable One will not refuse and allow this junior to offer a little more of his heartfelt respect."

Three million already! This old monk has quite the appetite, but as long as the matter gets done, the investment is worth it!

On the other side of the water mirror, Dipamkara Ancient Buddha watched anxiously and sent a voice transmission, roaring:

"Idiot! Say something! He's waiting for you to speak!"

Kasyapa jolted in fright and blurted out:

"The scenery here is, uh, quite fine. Good... good indeed."

At those words, ten thousand horses galloped through Su Yuan's heart as he cursed without end:

You fucking bald donkey! Insatiably greedy!

Good indeed? What does 'good indeed' mean? He wants more money?

Yet he ultimately suppressed his anger and took out another million spirit stones, placing them in Kasyapa's hands.

After all, Su Yuan was a man of principles.

He had accepted ten million spirit stones from the Roc Demon King and had to find a reliable patron for several little Golden-Winged Rocs.

Once he accepted the benefits, he had to get the job done.

Otherwise, who would give him gifts in the future?

Seeing the full four million spirit stones in his arms, Venerable Kasyapa raised his head, stared blankly at Su Yuan, and instinctively asked:

"Y-you gave me so many spirit stones... are you asking me to handle something for you?"

Su Yuan: "???"

You fucking took four million before asking that?

Su Yuan looked around, confirmed there was no one nearby, and lowered his voice.

"This junior was entrusted by an old acquaintance to seek the whereabouts of the Golden-Winged Roc Wisdom King."

Kasyapa froze for a moment.

Then he instinctively asked, "What big basin?"

You bastard, keep playing dumb!

Taking money and not doing the job? Are local gangs this rude?

On the other side of the water mirror, Dipamkara Ancient Buddha's brows drew tightly together.

"Golden-Winged Roc? This concerns the Buddha's origins, one of the Western Heaven's greatest secrets. Even I learned of it only a few thousand years ago. How did he know? Could he have other karmic ties to the Buddhist Realm? No, I must get to the bottom of this."

He immediately sent Kasyapa a voice transmission. "I'll speak with him myself. I say one sentence, you repeat one sentence!"

Having received his instructions, Kasyapa's expression became much more natural. Following Dipamkara's words, he said:

"Young friend, I see that your roots of wisdom run deep. You and I are fated!"

The moment Su Yuan heard that, he instinctively took a step back, every hair on his body standing on end.

He knew those words far too well. Back when he had struggled in the Lesser Thousand World, his own favorite phrase had been, "This item is fated with me."

The next line would be, "Fellow Daoist, please come have a chat in the Human Emperor Banner!"

And what usually followed was a grab, then refinement in the blink of an eye.

Was the Buddhist Realm this black-hearted too?

Sure enough, when the upper beam was crooked, the lower beam could not be straight. If someone like Dipamkara could hold high office, the monks beneath him could not be much better.

Kasyapa seemed to realize that the phrasing was inappropriate as well, and hurriedly changed the subject.

"Why are you seeking the Golden-Winged Roc?"

Su Yuan answered cautiously:

"I was entrusted by an old acquaintance to visit him and bring him some things."

Dipamkara decided that he had to take control of the situation personally and continued sending voice transmissions.

Kasyapa then said:

"The Roc Wisdom King is currently meditating upon his sins within the Little Spirit Mountain barrier. That place has Buddha's restrictions. Without the Buddha's decree or an Ancient Buddha's personal permission, not even the Four Great Bodhisattvas may approach. Very well..."

Kasyapa paused, putting on an expression as though he were going all out.

"Since you are so sincere, I shall brave being flayed alive and take you there to try. But whether you can see him will still depend on fate."

The instant Su Yuan heard this, joy surged through his heart.

I wronged the old monk. So it really is a case of getting what you pay for! Four million spirit stones truly have boundless power! They can even open a path into a forbidden place like this!

The two arrived at the entrance to the Little Spirit Mountain barrier. Following the incantation Dipamkara had transmitted, Kasyapa cautiously stepped into the barrier and awakened the thing held beneath it.

A savage screech tore through the heavens. Violent demonic qi shot into the sky, instantly churning the wind and clouds!

Within the Great Thunderclap Temple, the image in the water mirror shook violently before cutting out completely, leaving behind only a haze of chaotic Buddhist light.

Alarm appeared on Dipamkara Ancient Buddha's face. He could only urgently use his divine power to question Kasyapa, with whom he had just regained a thread of contact.

"What is happening?"

Kasyapa's intermittent voice came through:

"Ancient Buddha, that Golden-Winged Roc was disturbed. Its ferocious nature has completely erupted, and it has broken free of part of its restraints. It is now rampaging through the Little Western Heaven, shaking the earth and mountains!"

Dipamkara Ancient Buddha flew into a rage and shouted through voice transmission:

"Who asked you about that feathered beast?! I'm asking about the Buddhist Son! How is the Buddhist Son? Listen carefully: I don't care what method you use. I only want the Buddhist Son to remain safe and sound!"

Kasyapa's voice seemed to steady somewhat as he hurriedly replied:

"Ancient Buddha, do not panic! The Buddhist Son is safe and sound. He is currently using the supreme art of an external incarnation to battle that Roc."

"An external incarnation?"

The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas within the hall all cried out in surprise, exchanging glances as the doubt in their eyes deepened.

The art of external incarnation could not be performed without immense power and a great realm of cultivation.

This Buddhist Son looked like an ordinary civil servant of the Heavenly Court, yet he could actually wield an external incarnation. It seemed his origins ran far deeper than they had imagined.

Just then, Pure-World Dharma-Illuminating Wisdom-Eye Bodhisattva exhausted all his strength to stabilize his divine power, and the water mirror immediately became clear again.

Everyone hurriedly focused their attention. They saw two streaks of golden light colliding ferociously above the Little Western Heaven at speeds impossible to discern with the naked eye.

One streak of golden light had wings like clouds hanging from the heavens, soaring upward as it tore through wind and thunder, its baleful aura piercing the sky.

The other streak of golden light surged like a rainbow splitting the sea, crisscrossing as it shattered the void, its iron staff sweeping away hosts of demons!

The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the hall were all astonished. One Arhat cried out:

"Can that be an external incarnation? It can actually fight the freed primordial ferocious bird to a standstill?!"

Kasyapa hurriedly confirmed it.

"This humble monk saw it with his own eyes. That streak of golden light truly flew from Layman Su's ear, swift beyond compare! Moreover, we checked the Heavenly Court delegation roster, and this person was not listed on it."

Manjushri Bodhisattva fixed his deep gaze upon the water mirror and slowly said:

"Judging by the power this incarnation has displayed, its mana is vast and its operation seamless. It has likely reached the peak of the Primordial Unity Golden Immortal realm and is not far from attaining the Great Luo Dao Fruit. This Buddhist Son has likely been concealing his abilities all along. He truly understands the way of playing the pig to eat the tiger."

Upon hearing Manjushri Bodhisattva's words, everyone revealed expressions of realization and admiration.

"As expected of Manjushri Bodhisattva—such great wisdom!"