Even if a True Lord Came in Person, What Could He Do?

The Spirit Mountain Sacred Realm deep, dark night.

A secret temple nestled deep within the mountain, its doors tightly shut.

The hall had no windows; only the eighty-one luminous pearls inlaid on the four walls emitted a soft, milky-white glow, illuminating a nine-foot square white jade lotus platform in the center.

On the lotus platform, two Shakyamuni Arhat, draped in embroidered robes, sat facing each other.

The man on the left is tall and imposing, with a pale gold face, a bushy beard, and piercing eyes; his name is Arhat Guangli.

The one on the right is slender, with a compassionate face, three long wisps of beard, and eyes that gleam with wisdom; his Arhat Jueyi).

Before the two of them floated a bronze Buddhist lamp of strange and ancient design.

The lamp had no wick or oil, yet within its belly burned a pure, incandescent, ever-surging flame.

Within the flames, countless illusory faces of men, women, old and young appeared!

These faces all had blank, empty expressions and unfocused eyes, yet their lips moved in perfect unison, silently reciting a passage of scripture.

As they chanted, tiny, pale golden specks of aspiration light seeped from between their illusory eyebrows, merging into the white flames and being repeatedly refined and purified.

Ultimately, it transforms into strands of condensed platinum threads, radiating a unique energy of pure faith and taming will—"Vow Power Essence."

Arhat Guangli opened his mouth and inhaled, and a wisp of golden essence entered his mouth like a nimble snake. His pale golden skin immediately shone with a faint Baoguang, and his muscles seemed to swell slightly, emitting a comfortable, low groan.

"Tsk, this fertile land of the Central Plains, densely populated, truly possesses an abundance of faith and aspiration."

After Arhat Guangli finished refining, he opened his ring eyes, which gleamed with a sharp light, and his tone was filled with undisguised satisfaction.

"The essence gathered and refined from this Sentient Beings' Vow Lamp in just one month is equivalent to what we earn in a year of hard work on remote islands overseas!"

No wonder the Bodhisattvas resolutely scaled back and relocated many of their overseas businesses, devoting most of their efforts to this place.

Indeed, she had foresight and had planned ahead.

Arhat Jueyi also slowly inhaled and exhaled, bringing a wisp of essence into his Ancestral Aperture between his eyebrows. His face glowed with a jade-like luster. Arhat Jueyi, he stroked his beard and smiled, his voice gentle yet carrying a sense of indifference. "Brother Guangli is absolutely right."

Although spreading Buddhist teachings so widely and permeating the mountains and rivers may erode the natural vitality of these ordinary people.

However, this action can also help them eliminate the distractions of external desires, restrain their minds and nature, and listen to the supreme Buddhist teachings every day.

If this continues, good roots will be deeply planted, and one will be freed from suffering and attain happiness.

Isn't this a supreme act of merit?

Arhat Guangli laughed heartily, his voice resounding throughout the secret hall. "Excellent! Excellent! Merit, great merit!"

Tomorrow, we'll go to the alms hall again and get a few more jugs of this Vow Power Elixir. With that, our cultivation will surely advance even further!

At that time, during the Dharma assembly—"

Before he could finish speaking...

Inside the secret hall, the constant, gentle radiance of the precious pearl suddenly swayed very subtly.

Both Arhat were at the Foundation Establishment stage, and their spiritual senses were far more acute than ordinary people. Almost simultaneously, they felt a sense of alarm!

"Who?!"

Arhat Guangli suddenly roared, his voice like a golden bell exploding, and his burly body sprang up, his body radiating a bright, pale golden light.

A fierce and wrathful Vajra phantom instantly enveloped him, and a powerful and fierce aura swept through the hall like a volcanic eruption!

Arhat Jueyi also darkened. He stood up, and in his hand appeared a seemingly ordinary string of beads that contained subtle fluctuations of his mind. His wise eyes were like lightning.

However, their response was still too slow.

Just as their aura was surging and their Divine Ability were about to be displayed...

The entire scene of the secret hall was like a mural wiped away by an invisible giant hand, instantly fading!

A white jade lotus platform, a bronze Buddha lamp, a luminous pearl, an embroidered prayer mat, and even the hard stone floor—

All real and tangible material existence lost its inherent form and color in an instant, turning into countless flowing, mixed, and meaningless color blocks and lines, which were then swallowed up by a boundless, chaotic void that seemed to have existed since before the creation of the world!

The Clarity and Turbidity were not yet distinguished, Yin and Yang were not yet differentiated, and the earth, fire, wind, and water were not yet determined.

Only the vast, boundless gray air currents flowed silently, evolving the most primordial scenes of birth and death.

"Tsk."

A clear, slightly mocking smacking sound rang out in the deathly silent, chaotic void, reaching the ears of the two Arhat.

"To describe bewitching and seductive techniques in such a fresh and refined way, rich yet not greasy—"

To deceive oneself to such an unparalleled degree.

The voice was calm and indifferent, as if it were merely commenting on the taste of a dish.

"In this path, Buddhist cultivation truly surpasses both the righteous and demonic paths, making him unparalleled in the world."

Guangli and Jueyi were frozen in the chaotic airflow, like insects trapped in amber.

The initial shock, anger, authority, and even a hint of panic that had just risen on their faces froze, transforming into boundless horror and disbelief!

What kind of Divine Ability is this?

How could they be so easily dragged from the secret palace of the Spirit Mountain Sacred Realm into this completely unfamiliar and strange Domain Heaven with its vastly different Principle?

Their proud Arhat golden bodies and radiant wisdom were like being stuck in an endless quagmire here, their movements becoming more than ten times more difficult!

Positional suppression!

To be able to suppress them, who are only at the Foundation Establishment Early Stage, to this extent—that's Great True Person!

"Who are you! How dare you trespass on Spirit Mountain and plot against me—" Arhat Guangli roared, trying to muster all his Law Power to break free from his restraints.

However, his voice did not travel far in the chaotic void before being swallowed up by the air currents, sounding weak and powerless.

Qi Yun's figure appeared silently on the chaotic air currents not far in front of them.

He was still wearing a dark blue monk's robe, his face calm, his eyes indifferent as he looked down at the two Arhat below, who looked like trapped beasts.

There were no superfluous words, no opening remarks.

He simply raised his right hand towards the two of them.

Spread your five fingers, face the void, and gently clench them.

[Wield Myriad Laws]

"Boom-!!"

The fierce Vajra phantom around Arhat Guangli shattered inch by inch, like glass struck by an invisible giant hammer!

His immense strength and boundless Qi and Blood, which made him famous, instantly lost their connection with him.

The mental rosary beads that Arhat Jueyi a sharp pain in the Purple Mansion Sea of Consciousness, and all his mental techniques and meditation skills were frozen and stripped away!

Under the Wield Myriad Laws," all dharmas arise from my own attachment!

The Dao and Dharma of two mere Foundation Establishment Early Stage Arhat are practically powerless against the current Qi Yun!

Immediately afterwards, Qi Yun extended his left hand in a feint, and [Seize Profound Meaning] was activated.

With previous refining experience...

This refining process was even faster and more domineering.

In just over ten breaths, the two Arhat, who had just been full of pride and dreaming of seizing more faith and willpower, had already lost all their breath, their physical bodies turning into two dull, withered shells.

It was then swept up by the chaotic airflow, turned into dust, and completely dissipated.

Where they had originally hovered, only scattered points of dazzling light remained.

On the left, eighteen relics, deep in color with a dark gold hue and faintly showing the phantoms of dragons and elephants and the patterns of Vajra, slowly rotate, emanating a powerful, suppressive, and exorcising Daoist aura—these are the condensed Dao Fruit cultivated by Arhat Guangli throughout his life.

On the right, fifteen relics, bright in color, leaning towards pale gold and silver, with fine Sanskrit characters flowing on their surface and seemingly echoing with the chanting of thoughts within, float quietly, radiating a Daoist charm of harmony, insight, and aspiration—these are the condensed spiritual power and Arhat Jueyi.

A total of thirty-three relics, Arhat Sarira.

Qi Yun rolled up his sleeves and put away the thirty-three newly acquired relics along with the remaining Jinchi relics.

The next moment!

His figure had already disappeared into the newly stabilized secret hall.

It's as if it never existed.

Outside the secret hall, the Spirit Mountain Sacred Realm continue, and the Buddha's light shines eternally.

Unbeknownst to anyone, within the depths of this secluded mountain, two Arhat had already passed away peacefully.

Cloud-Resting Chan Monastery, Sutra Hall.

The air was filled with the unique scent of aged sandalwood mixed with fresh ink, quiet and solemn.

Qi Yun —or, Fahai, was sitting upright before a large rosewood table.

The sleeves of his dark blue monk's robe were rolled up, revealing a section of his wrist, which he held steadily with a wolf-hair brush.

Dipping the brush tip in thick ink mixed with gold powder, he meticulously copied passages from the "Great Radiance Glazed Treasure Scripture" onto a roll of plain white Xuan paper.

The handwriting is dignified and concise, with a natural flow of luminous meaning, blending seamlessly with the surrounding Buddhist atmosphere.

Suddenly, the light and shadow at the entrance of the prayer hall dimmed almost imperceptibly for a moment.

A figure appeared silently there, blocking part of the flowing golden gauze.

Qi Yun's writing did not stop, and even the rhythm of the writing was not disturbed in the slightest. It was not until he steadily finished the last word of the sentence "The light of the heart shines silently, and there is no shadow, no candle", that he slowly raised his head and looked at the person who came calmly.

He was none other than the Huijue Arhat.

He was still wearing a white robe embroidered with pale golden lotus patterns, holding a glass rosary, his face compassionate.

However, this was different from the gentle, all-encompassing smile that I always wore when we met before.

Today, Huijue's usual smile had vanished.

He stood quietly at the doorway, his long, narrow eyes, seemingly able to see cause and effect, were deep and unwavering, like two bottomless ancient wells, scrutinizing Qi Yun from head to toe, without any attempt to conceal his gaze.

His gaze wasn't sharp or intimidating, but it possessed an invisible penetrating power, as if trying to see through the monk's robes and skin to the most subtle flow of energy and fluctuations of the Divine Soul within.

Time seemed to slow down and become viscous as he gazed upon it.

Only a wisp of smoke from the incense burner continued to rise slowly, never ceasing.

After a moment, Huijue Arhat slowly spoke, his voice still gentle, but less intimate and casual than before, and more subtly cautious. "Brother Fahai, have you been settling in well at Cloud-Resting Chan Monastery these past few days?"

Is your spiritual practice going smoothly?

Qi Yun put down the wolf-hair brush in his hand and gently placed it on the brush rest, his movements calm and unhurried.

He placed his hands naturally on his knees, facing the clear and serene light emanating from Huijue, and nodded slightly. "Thank you for your concern, senior brother."

Spirit Mountain is a supreme Buddhist kingdom, its Buddhist atmosphere profound and pure, surpassing a hundredfold the places where this humble monk previously practiced meditation.

Listening to chanting daily, contemplating the scriptures, and basking in the Buddha's light, I feel my State of Mind becoming increasingly clear, my spiritual practice making progress, and I have benefited greatly.

He paused, his gaze falling on Huijue's slightly somber face, and asked softly, "But Senior Brother, your complexion today seems less rosy than usual, and there seems to be a hidden worry between your brows?"

But what important matter has occurred within the Holy Realm?

Upon Huijue this, Arhat gave Qi Yun a deep look, trying to find even the slightest flaw in his clear eyes.

However, all he saw was a blatant display of "curiosity" and "concern."

After a few breaths, the somber expression on Huijue Arhat's face eased slightly, and a faint smile returned to the corners of his mouth. He shook his head, his tone returning to its usual calm. "It's nothing. Junior brother, you're overthinking it."

However, the World-Honored One's Chan Assembly assembly is about to begin, which is a top priority in the sacred realm. There are countless details to consider, and careful arrangements must be made in all places to avoid offending the Dharma carriage or disrupting the Buddhist connection.

As one of the stewards, this humble monk inevitably has to expend more effort.

He took a step forward and entered the scripture hall. His gaze seemed to casually sweep over the scriptures that Qi Yun had just copied before returning to Qi Yun's face. He said slowly, "These days, the movement of people on the mountain and the mobilization of Formation Art will be much more frequent than usual. Some disturbances in the flow of energy may be unavoidable."

"Undergraduate brother, if there is nothing urgent, try not to go out. Stay in the monastery and meditate quietly until the Zen assembly begins, what do you think?"

This sounds like concern, like advice.

However, the implied meaning of "staying in the Zen temple temporarily and reducing movement" is quite obvious.

Qi Yun showed no change in expression. He put his hands together and bowed slightly. "Senior brother has considered everything carefully. This humble monk understands."

The Zen gathering is a once-in-a-lifetime fortuitous opportunity; one should prepare with a calm mind.

Everything is up to my senior brother's arrangements.

His attitude was respectful, his responses were appropriate, and there was not a single fault to be found.

Huijue Arhat nodded, and the faint sense of aloofness on his face seemed to dissipate somewhat. He twirled the glass prayer beads in his hand, which made a crisp, soft sound.

"In that case, junior brother, you should meditate quietly."

"This humble monk has some official business to attend to, so I will not disturb you any longer."

As he spoke, he turned as if to leave.

However, in the instant he turned around, his left hand, which was hanging at his side and holding prayer beads, subtly and with a speed imperceptible to the naked eye, formed a mysterious mudra.

A faint glimmer of light seemed to flash at my fingertips.

An invisible and intangible yet exquisitely subtle force, like the finest spider silk, silently brushed over Qi Yun's body.

He precisely captured a wisp of the "qi" naturally emanating from him and placed it into the sleeve of Huijue Arhat.

The entire process happened in the blink of an eye, without any leakage of Law Power.

Without pausing, Huijue Arhat walked straight out of the scripture hall. The hem of his white robe swayed slightly at the threshold, and his figure disappeared into the magnificent sea of Buddhist light outside the door.

The prayer hall returned to tranquility.

Qi Yun slowly straightened up and sat back down at the sandalwood desk.

He reached out and leisurely tidied up the scroll of scriptures he had just copied.

Deep within the Purple Mansion, Cai Kun's voice rang out. "Young Qi, this bald monk is quite interesting. When he left just now, he quietly intercepted a wisp of your aura."

The technique is quite sophisticated; even a typical Foundation Establishment Late Stage might not be able to detect it.

Qi Yun picked up his brush, dipped it in ink again, and stared at the blank Xuan paper. His mind remained calm and undisturbed as he replied, "Let him intercept it."

His pen fell again, its strokes powerful and elegant, and a brand new Sanskrit character began to take shape. At the same time, a barely perceptible, cold yet resolute thought was conveyed, "Most likely, the mountain has noticed the disappearance of those Arhat, and the causal thread has been completely severed."

"Of course, the investigation will start with outsiders like me."

The pen tip moves smoothly and freely.

pity----

Qi Yun's lips twitched upwards very slightly.

Items refined by the [Law Technique Panel].

Even if the True Lord himself were to arrive, what could he do?

As the final stroke was made, the characters of the scripture shone brightly, reflecting the eternal light of the sacred Spirit Mountain outside the window.

Inside the prayer hall, only the scents of ink and sandalwood quietly filled the air.