Bi Lan? Could She Be That Old Hen Who Would One Day Dare to Defy Tathagata Buddha to His Face?

Time flowed like water.

Five hundred years vanished in the blink of an eye.

Within Bodhi Hall, Zhu Yin opened his eyes. Light flowed through them, as though karmic cycles of rebirth rose and sank within their depths.

Yet in an instant, that aura was suppressed by the Great Freedom Seal within his body. His Dao heart returned to its original clarity, utterly without ripples.

"Thank you for guarding me, Master and Martial Uncle."

Zhu Yin rose and bowed, his demeanor calm and composed.

Zhunti smiled and nodded.

"To begin with Mo Luo's karma and comprehend the true meaning within it—you possess rare insight."

Zhu Yin humbly accepted the praise, then solemnly took out the Ninth-Grade Black Lotus and presented it.

"This black lotus is the offspring of the World-Destroying Black Lotus. It is already a top-grade acquired treasure."

"It shares the same origin as the Pure World White Lotus and the Merit Golden Lotus."

"If the Merit Golden Lotus devours it, it may be able to advance further."

He did not suggest that Martial Uncle Jieyin devour it himself, but instead handed it over for the Merit Golden Lotus to absorb.

That was because the Pure World White Lotus had already taken form as a living being and was no longer merely a spiritual treasure.

Spiritual treasures could devour and fuse with one another, but living beings could not. If one were forcibly consumed, heavenly punishment would surely descend!

Jieyin was an Innate sacred being. If he forcibly broke through, he might attract an uncontrollable tribulation of heaven and earth.

At this moment, Jieyin smiled and accepted the black lotus without declining it.

He had long since allowed the Merit Golden Lotus to devour another Ninth-Grade White Lotus. Now that he had obtained the black lotus as well, there was an excellent chance that the Merit Golden Lotus could strike at the level of an Innate Supreme Treasure.

Even if it failed to reach that level, becoming a half-step supreme treasure was practically guaranteed.

For the Western Lands, this was an unsurpassed foundation!

When the time came, whether it was used to suppress fortune or protect the sect and mountain, it would be of immense use!

"Congratulations, Senior Brother!" Zhunti said delightedly.

"Congratulations to you as well, Junior Brother," Jieyin replied with a smile.

The two of them were beaming with joy, their hearts full of delight.

Zhu Yin was happy as well.

This had been a decision he made after careful consideration.

He had been born in the Western Lands, raised in the Western Lands, and cultivated in the Western Lands.

If the Merit Golden Lotus successfully evolved, the fortune of the entire Western Lands would rise along with it. As the chief disciple, he would naturally benefit as well.

What was more...

With the Merit Golden Lotus protecting him, the future Buddhist Sect would no longer suffer the regret of the Mosquito Daoist devouring the lotus!

Nor would there be an ending where the lotus was damaged and Buddhist fortune collapsed!

Besides, Martial Uncle Jieyin was a generous and honorable man. He would not treat him poorly.

Sure enough...

Jieyin immediately said,

"These years, you have given me quite a bit of Enlightenment Tea, and now you have given me this black lotus."

"I cannot keep taking advantage of you for nothing."

"Today, I will give you two golden lotus seeds. Use them as you see fit."

"And I will add my insights into cultivating the Dao of karma and Attaining the Dao in a Dream. Study them well."

With that, Jieyin handed over two golden lotus seeds, then pointed a finger and infused the meaning of his Dao into Zhu Yin's glabella.

Zhu Yin was overjoyed and solemnly bowed in thanks.

After chatting with Zhunti for a few more moments, he finally took his leave.

Above the void, the azure-robed Daoist walked upon light, gradually moving farther away from Mount Sumeru.

Unlike when he had arrived in haste, Zhu Yin now carried a few more traces of calm composure.

The Devil Ancestor?

He no longer feared him.

That was the mortal enemy of two Sages. They could deal with him themselves.

As for Mo Luo?

Zhu Yin had already trampled him beneath his feet once. Why should he fear him making a comeback?

"Win one step, and win every step after."

He had the confidence to keep Mo Luo suppressed beneath him at all times!

Besides, the Buddhist Sect had yet to emerge into the world.

The so-called future "demonic tribulation" was still at least several epochs away!

Why let the worries of the future disturb his present heart?

There was no need!

It was not worth it!

On Spirit Platform Mountain, the bamboo sea surged, spiritual energy billowed, and the entire immortal mountain was like a painting—so beautiful it seemed unreal.

Inside the quiet chamber on the third floor of the bamboo pavilion, a gentle-tempered young man in azure robes emerged. His features were handsome, his figure tall and slender. He was none other than... Zhu Yin.

Ever since returning from Mount Sumeru, he had entered seclusion to cultivate. He mainly sought to comprehend the Dao of karma and dreamlike divine abilities within his sea of consciousness, while also reviewing the experience he had gained over two thousand years in the Demon Realm.

That seclusion lasted a thousand years.

After eight hundred years of arduous cultivation, his understanding of the Dao of karma had advanced by leaps and bounds, and he was not far from the minor success realm. His dreamlike divine abilities had progressed even faster, becoming increasingly refined in their fusion. But cultivation only grew more difficult the farther one went. For the moment, he had reached his limit and could only rely on time to polish himself bit by bit.

During the remaining two hundred years, he mainly integrated all he had learned and comprehended into his own innate Dao, stabilizing his Dao Fruit further and bringing himself one step closer to the perfection of Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal.

After ending his seclusion, Zhu Yin came to the Spirit Medicine Garden in the mountains, personally tilling the soil and tending spiritual herbs and roots. He worked while relaxing his mind, immersing himself completely until he saw the plants flourishing with vitality. Only then did he stop in satisfaction.

Later, he brewed and savored tea in the pavilion, staring blankly at the lotus pond before him. Nine hundred and ninety-nine white lotuses had already grown within it, reaching the current limit of Spirit Platform Mountain... unless Spirit Platform Mountain advanced into a top-grade grotto-heaven, their number would not increase further.

Thinking of this, he recalled the black lotus seed he had obtained at Que Mountain and decided to build a new black lotus pond beside the pavilion. If he succeeded in growing an entire pond of black lotuses, then with black and white lotuses balancing each other through yin and yang, the spiritual energy and earth veins of Spirit Platform Mountain would be greatly enhanced. When Spirit Platform Mountain advanced in the future, it might even give birth to an exquisite lotus comparable to an Innate spiritual treasure.

At that moment, his subordinates arrived one after another. Apart from the familiar Wuxin, Wuqing, and Hundred Herbs Fairy, there was now also a Merfolk queen from Whitewater Lake.

Everyone respectfully bowed. "Greetings, Master! Greetings, Ancestor!"

Zhu Yin looked over everyone in satisfaction. Apart from Hundred Herbs Fairy, he had not seen the others for three thousand years. Though each had been busy with their own duties, none had slacked off, and all of their cultivation had improved.

Wuxin and Wuqing, the two attendants, in particular, had completely refined the acquired mid-grade Innate spiritual fruit from last time. Their cultivation was solid and their mana profound. In another ten thousand years, they would be able to break through to Golden Immortal.

The Merfolk queen had also undergone considerable changes. While tending the lotus pond, she had encountered a fortunate opportunity, causing her bloodline to evolve. Her strength was now no weaker than that of a pure-blooded Merfolk, and her cultivation had reached the middle stage of Mysterious Immortal.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Zhu Yin discovered that there were no major matters in the mountains. The Longbo Giants had also already submitted, and everything was stable. He then ordered the immortals to take their seats and personally expounded the Dao for three hundred years before answering their questions for another three hundred.

After the sermon ended, Zhu Yin suddenly felt something and quietly departed.

Not long afterward, a crisp, resounding crow echoed through heaven and earth!

Everyone immediately turned toward the sound, only to see...

At the summit of Spirit Platform Mountain, flames shot into the heavens, dyeing even the sea of clouds above crimson. The entire sky seemed to have been painted by the morning glow. A gentle breeze swept over the mountains and earth, and a hundred flowers bloomed while grass and trees sprouted forth, bursting with life.

That Flame Mulberry Tree now blazed with flames, its radiance dazzling.

Suddenly, a brilliant ball of light exploded, and a divine bird of small stature but incomparably gorgeous feathers soared into the sky. Her entire body was crimson, as though condensed from morning clouds. Her bearing was imposing, and the moment she appeared, she already possessed the realm of a Heavenly Immortal.

Not only was her bloodline pure, she was also blessed with the fortune of the Number-One Acquired Jade Chicken. Compared with Jin Tu in the past, she was even more exceptional. In the future, she would certainly become a Golden Immortal-level existence, perhaps even stronger.

The immortals all sighed in amazement.

"This little fellow has finally been born. Spirit Platform Mountain is going to become lively now."

"Flames fill the sky, morning clouds cover the earth, and Yang Wind surges mightily. With such a spectacle, she will definitely be extraordinary in the future."

"Fortunately, she was born on Spirit Platform Mountain, protected by the Ancestor and the formation. Otherwise, with her bloodline, she would likely have caught the eye of that one in the Heavenly Court."

Everyone talked over one another, but as they watched the lively little jade chicken, none of them could stop themselves from smiling. In truth, they all knew there was a jade chicken egg atop the mountain, and many had even come to feed it. Now that she had hatched, it was naturally a joyous occasion.

At that moment, Zhu Yin appeared beneath the Flame Mulberry Tree as well.

Watching the little fellow hopping and bouncing in the sky, he could not help but smile.

Jin Tu had been just as noisy when he was young. It was only later, as he grew older, that he became increasingly lazy. Other than cultivating, all he knew was eating.

After playing herself tired, the jade chicken finally plunged headfirst into Zhu Yin's arms. With a flick of his finger, Zhu Yin gave her a drop of Jade Liquid of Vitality. The little fellow immediately swallowed it with a gulp, and the rosy radiance around her intensified. Her entire body was like a little sun, brimming with vigor.

"Let me give you a name, shall I?" Zhu Yin asked with a smile.

Unexpectedly, the jade chicken shook her head.

When Zhu Yin asked curiously, he learned that her mother—the Innate jade chicken—had not only sealed her entire inheritance within her bloodline when she laid the egg, but had also chosen a name for her... Bi Lan.

This name came from the attribute of "wind."

Apart from fire-attributed power, she also possessed the origin of wind within her body. She was born with control over Yang Wind, making this name perfectly fitting.

When Zhu Yin heard that name, his heart suddenly stirred...

Bi Lan? Could she be that old hen who would one day dare to defy Tathagata Buddha to his face? The female war god who sent her own son, Star Lord Mao Ri, to serve as an official in the Heavenly Court?

Thinking of this, his feelings became somewhat complicated.

But he quickly found peace with it. Whether this little fellow was that Bi Lanpo or not, as long as she was raised by him, she would never be lacking!