Dabao Returns to Phoenix Cry Prefecture; the Buddhist Scion Sets Terms to Capture the Hidden Scale Beast

---- Phoenix Cry Prefecture

Kang Dabao had not been to Phoenix Cry Prefecture for more than half a century. Now, as soon as he landed, he felt that this already famous and prosperous immortal city in the Mountain North Circuit had become even more magnificent.

It was once a prominent cultivation town in the Three Southwest Circuits the Great Wei Immortal Dynasty, and now, with the Office of the Duke of Qin's Mansion located here, it has become even more vibrant with the flourishing of all things.

Given Sect Leader Kang Da's current status, even without any reliance on others, he wouldn't need to queue in this long line like the low-level cultivators at the city gate.

The city gatekeeper of Phoenix Cry Prefecture was Golden Core cultivator from the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect. His skills were not particularly outstanding, so Kang Dabao didn't have much of an impression of him.

However, Guan Cheng was extremely enthusiastic, and within moments, his ears were filled with Sect Leader Kang Da. Fortunately, since they were all cultivators at this level, few of them were unaware of propriety.

Hearing that Kang Dabao spoke politely but kept glancing at a corner of the city behind him, Guan Cheng knew that the Marquis of Martial Peace had come to Phoenix Cry Prefecture on important business.

Guan Chengxuan then abandoned his plan to hold a banquet and only brought a few bottles of what could be considered Higher Vehicle -quality Spirit Beast Pill as a gift.

Sect Leader Kang Da initially wanted to decline, but then remembered that Duan Anle might be able to use it, so he accepted it without hesitation. Perhaps he could let the disciples of the Alchemy Hall take a look and see if they could slightly improve the Pill Formula.

After Kang Dabao passed through the city gate, which was heavily fortified with arrays, the bustling scene that greeted him was beyond description.

Ever since Star-Picking Pavilion was transferred to the capital region by a decree from the Mystic Firmament Palace, Phoenix Cry Prefecture has become the wealthiest place in the southwest.

To show his importance, Emperor of Wei even ordered that the Silver Saber Prince Consort, Shen Lingfeng, also be stationed permanently in Phoenix Cry Prefecture.

Although he was inconspicuous in the Southwest Campaign, he had only been an infant for a little over a hundred years, and possessed a Daoist body and outstanding talent. In the eyes of the elders of the David clan, he was no less despised than Kuang Zefu, the Northern King, who had risen to power by risking his life.

While the turmoil in the southwest is gradually subsiding, things in Capital Circuit are becoming increasingly turbulent and unpredictable.

But Emperor of Wei actually gave up a capable True Person and placed him in Phoenix Cry Prefecture, which made the widely circulated rumor that the Ninth Prince would succeed as the Mystic Firmament Palace seem somewhat unfounded.

Thinking of this, Sect Leader Kang Da glanced once more at the towering Office of the Duke of Qin.

He was never very optimistic, so he sighed inwardly:

"The Ninth Prince is still a child, and the emperor's thoughts are hard to fathom. Considering the ugly scene last time, he only exiled a Right Minister of the Imperial Clan, which doesn't necessarily show how resolute the current emperor is."

That's all I could think. Kang Dabao had the Kuang Liuting horse bone talisman on him, but he had no reason or right to change his allegiance.

For him and his Chongming Sect, the best outcome now would be for Emperor of Wei to pass away, and for Kuang Liuting, with his Upper-Grade Golden Core cultivation, to be elevated to that position by the elders of the Kuang Household.

After walking for a while, Sect Leader Kang Da realized that after many years, Phoenix Cry Prefecture had expanded to a size he was completely unfamiliar with.

Although Kang Dabao is now a nobleman, he is far from being able to recklessly use his Divine Sense to search in such a place. In the end, he followed the sound of Buddhist music and stepped forward.

Upon arriving at the location, he realized that although he had not found the right place, the Buddhist music was not coming from the residence of the Buddhist disciple Gada of Original Response Temple.

I don't know how the officials of the Duke's mansion arranged it, but outside the White Pagoda Temple, Gada banners of Garda reflect the Buddha, there is a Mahayana Buddhist temple with Exoteric Buddhism atmosphere right in front of it.

It's clear that although both temples are quite popular, the Exoteric Buddhism temple, with its spacious halls, elegant eaves, and bright, open courtyards, is more favored by ordinary people.

Of course, this may also be closely related to the fact that Chan Master Huiming had only recently left Mountain North Circuit and returned to Central Prefecture.

To be honest, the Buddhist and Daoist traditions were already quite weak in the southwest. Even Huang Mi Boren, who was once considered the leader of Buddhist and Daoist practices in the southwest and headed the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall, a well-known Golden Core sect, still failed to establish a Buddhist realm in the Huangpi Circuit.

It was only after Chan Master Huiming's meritorious service in the southwest campaign that the Exoteric Buddhism lineage was granted permission by Emperor of Wei to preach under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Duke of Qin.

At this moment, in the eyes of the Sect Leader Kang Da, this place of practice was a place where wandering monks and lay Buddhists from all directions took refuge and received precepts. According to outsiders, every year more than a thousand cultivators would apply for ordination certificates and become monks here.

These Buddhist monks do not enjoy peace and quiet in the temples. Nowadays, small temples and monasteries marked as "ten directions forests" have sprung up in various prefectures and counties. It is also common to see novice monks in yellow robes with ordination marks on their heads and holding alms bowls in various markets and streets.

In a few years, ordinary Buddhist practitioners may no longer need to be as timid and hesitant as before when they show their faces in public.

"But this commotion seems to have nothing to do with the Esoteric Buddhism tradition?!" Kang Dabao turned his gaze away from the Exoteric Buddhism temple and looked at the poor, uneducated monks in front of the White Pagoda Temple, muttering to himself:

"However, in this Great Wei Immortal Dynasty, the Esoteric Buddhism and Exoteric Buddhism schools are almost irreconcilable enemies, which is quite normal."

Since Chan Master Huiming had already left, and he didn't even recognize his disciple Sect Leader Kang Da, who was in charge of the abbot's affairs, he abandoned his intention to visit him. Instead, he turned and walked towards the magnificent White Pagoda Temple.

Before he even reached the steps, a waft of incense, mixed with the scent of cosmetics, wafted towards Kang Dabao.

The people standing in front of the temple were not the monks who were in charge of receiving guests, but two maids in purple robes who had been brought out from inside the temple.

The two maids wore silver hairpins adorning their hair buns, small gold bells hanging from their earlobes, and held whisks with handles embroidered with mandala patterns in their hands.

Seeing Kang Dabao approach, she neither bowed nor exchanged pleasantries, but simply lowered her eyes and asked, "This servant greets Marquis of Martial Peace. The Buddhist monk instructed me that if Your Excellency were to arrive, I should immediately invite you into the temple to meet him."

These two maids were highly skilled in seduction; they only uttered a few words in soft whispers, yet they made those around them feel their ears tingle.

Kang Dabao smiled faintly and nodded for a moment; such flattery was of little use to him.

However, if False Core a slightly weaker temperament were here, he would have shown his fear in front of these two True Cultivators at the first encounter. With a heart full of excitement, he was quite amazed by the ability of this Original Response Temple to train Mingfei.

As for how Gada knew he had entered the city, he wasn't surprised.

After all, times have changed. The moment Guan Cheng from the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect met him, almost every Golden Core cultivator in the city knew that the Marquis of Martial Peace's Residence had entered the city gates.

Following the maid inside, Kang Dabao finally saw the entire White Pagoda Temple:

Inside the temple gate stands a gilded Vajra statue, three zhang tall, its body covered with Sanskrit mantras, gleaming Golden Light in the sunlight;

The long corridors on both sides are covered with vermilion banners with gold patterns. The banners are painted with images of Esoteric Buddhism deities unique to Esoteric Buddhism. When the wind blows the banners, the golden bells ring softly, but they do not have the clear and bright sound of Exoteric Buddhism Buddhist music. Instead, they convey a sense of solemnity.

The ground was paved with bluestone slabs, with fine diamond sand embedded in the gaps between the slabs. When you stepped on them, you could feel spiritual energy rising up from the soles of your shoes, which was obviously some kind of hidden magic array.

Upon reaching the foot of the White Pagoda, they saw a long-browed eunuch dressed in black standing before them on the steps.

This eunuch was pale-faced and bound in chains with swastika symbols. Although he possessed the cultivation of Golden Core cultivator, a deep-seated servility remained. The fawning smile on Kang Dabao's face seemed entirely natural, yet somehow repulsive.

"This Shannu greets Your Excellency."

Kang Dabao showed no arrogance, bowed in return, and followed the eunuch up the steps.

The interior of the White Pagoda is narrow and steep, with stone steps that allow only one person to pass at a time. The walls are inlaid with luminous pearls, providing dim yet even light that makes the Esoteric Buddhism mandala patterns on the walls even clearer.

The pattern, outlined in gold powder, was layered like a maze, a stark contrast to the simple, blank style of the walls of the Exoteric Buddhism temple.

After climbing about a hundred steps, they finally reached the top-floor meditation room. The eunuch pushed open the door and withdrew, leaving only Kang Dabao standing at the door. The room was filled with the rich aroma of Tibetan incense, the smoke carrying a faint scent of perfume, quite different from the light tea of Exoteric Buddhism;

In the center stands a bronze mandala, with a three-inch bronze Buddha enshrined in the center. In front of the Buddha are three butter lamps, whose flickering wicks cast a dim yellow glow on the surrounding scriptures.

Gada, the Buddhist monk, sat on a futon beside the mandala, dressed in a moon-white robe embroidered with dark gold lotus patterns at the hem. He held a string of sandalwood prayer beads in his hand. Upon seeing Kang Dabao enter, he slowly raised his eyes and said, "Marquis of Martial Peace, it's been a long time! Your bearing is even more impressive than before!"

As Gada finished speaking, the speed at which he twirled the prayer beads on his fingertips slowed slightly.

He smiled faintly and gestured for Kang Dabao to sit on the futon opposite him. He then called over the Golden Core who called himself Shannu, and ordered him to bring a cup of crisp tea. The tea had a pale Golden Light and a faint milky aroma.

"My lord, you must have had a long journey from Huangpi Circuit. Please try this crisp tea first. It was brewed with milk brought from the Great Snow Mountain just last month. It may not be as famous as some of the finest teas, but it has its own unique flavor."

Kang Dabao took the teacup, sipped the tea, and let it slide down his throat. After it settled in his stomach and was slightly digested, a warm sensation rose from his Dantian, and even his spiritual energy seemed to increase slightly.

"You're too kind, Buddhist disciple. This tea is far more than just having a unique flavor! If I could drink this crispy tea every day, I might as well seal off my Seclusion Chamber and use it for something else."

"You jest, Lord Marquis." Gada chuckled, twirling his prayer beads, which made him appear even more handsome. In the blink of an eye, Wisdom Consort Baochai entered the hall, personally serving sweet dew and candied fruit for Sect Leader Kang Da to enjoy.

The latter thanked him softly. Even though Wisdom Consort Baochai were dressed so thinly that it was difficult to keep one's eyes open when they were close, Kang Dabao's eyes did not show the slightest lewdness.

"Pity,"

Wisdom Consort Baochai, and Gada all sighed inwardly. After all, if this Sect Leader Kang Da was truly as lecherous as rumored, this was a rare opportunity to befriend him.

Gada had previously trapped himself, believing that the honey trap would always work, but he was indeed fooled by the Chan Master Huiming used the Buse.

But in his view, it was Huiming, who had already become a Zen master, who was shameless and abandoned his status as a high-ranking monk of the Exoteric Buddhism to joke with him, a mere junior. It could not be considered that his honey trap had failed.

Moreover, when Chan Master Huiming revealed his identity afterward, didn't he realize he was in the wrong? In addition to writing a letter to Original Response Temple, he also sent a Buddhist scripture with annotations, ostensibly to encourage future generations.

Seeing that Kang Dabao was unmoved by Wisdom Consort Baochai, Gada stopped testing him and gestured for the latter and the Shannu to leave.

Now only the two of them remained in the hall, the aroma of incense and tea mingling, creating a more tranquil atmosphere than before.

Gada, holding the Buddhist prayer beads in his hand, suddenly laughed and said, "You, sir, are the kind of person who doesn't visit unless there's a reason. Since you've come to see Gada in person today, you must have something important to discuss. Please speak frankly. We're friends, so there's no need for such useless formalities."

After hearing Gada's polite words, Sect Leader Kang Da smiled slightly, but when he spoke, he subtly changed the subject:

"To be honest, Master, I have come here today with a request."

Gada readily agreed, replying with a laugh, "My lord, please speak freely. If Gada were to offer even the slightest assistance, how could I possibly refuse?"

"Kang has a junior brother named Yuan Jin, who is Kang's closest relative and grew up with him."

"The story of Lord Hou's rise from humble beginnings is widely known in the surrounding areas, Gada also knows of the reputation of Double Brightness Second Yuan Chongming, who stands firm and unyielding while holding the banner with one hand."

"My junior brother Kang had a setback on his cultivation path when he was young. Now, he has a demonic seed planted in his heart. Even though he has perfected his Core Thesis, he dares not attempt to Core Formation."

Kang had sought out rare elixirs and precious jade remedies from his fellow practitioners, but none of them could eradicate his inner demons. Therefore, after much inquiry, he heard that your sect possessed a rare treasure called the 'Mani Treasure Leaf,' which was extremely effective in purifying the mind, and so he shamelessly came to ask for it.

As they were talking, Sect Leader Kang Da took out another Storage Bag containing several Law Treasure, which were considered top-quality among the Law Treasure that Kang Dabao had retrieved.

However, Gada Daxian was much wealthier than he had imagined. Original Response Temple's Buddhist disciple Xian had little interest in the Storage Bag. Upon hearing the words "Mani Treasure Leaf," he immediately frowned.

"Yuan Jin's inability to eradicate his inner demons is quite well-known. It is said that even Kuang Liuting bestowed upon him a copy of the 'Scripture of Clearing the Mind and Overcoming Calamities to Awaken to Huihai' back then, but unexpectedly, after many years, it has still been difficult to eradicate them completely."

Gada had no idea that Kang Dabao's words contained hidden meaning, after all, the latter had always acted this way.

He was clearly a restorer of the dynasty, but when it came to the key figures he cared about, he made a series of foolish moves. Yet, he was capable of doing things that would only incur favors for his junior brother.

Although Gada did not suspect anything amiss in Kang Dabao's words, this Mani Treasure Leaf was no ordinary treasure; even he only had three pieces at hand.

Esoteric Buddhism practice is always fraught with the risk of going astray and becoming possessed by Qi Deviation. These three Mani Treasure Leaf are Gada three life-saving treasures; how could he possibly give them away as worthlessly as the letter he handed to Huang Mi Boren?

"Your Excellency should know that Gada is not a stingy person," the Buddhist monk said, but his smile vanished at this point, and he then earnestly added:

"Therefore, it is not that Gada is unwilling to give the Mani Treasure Leaf to Your Excellency, but rather that this precious treasure is indeed related to Gada's spiritual cultivation and cannot be given away. I hope Your Excellency will understand."

Sect Leader Kang Da, being a businessman by trade, immediately realized that the Storage Bag he had was underweight upon hearing Gada's words, and so he put it away again.

However, hearing that Gada hadn't completely ruled out the possibility, Kang Dabao was unwilling to give up and said directly:

"I know I am forcing someone into a difficult situation, which is not the act of a gentleman. However, this item is truly related to my junior brother's life and future, so I hope the Buddha will show some mercy."

"Yes, the Marquis's display of brotherly affection is truly touching."

Hearing that Gada seemed relieved and willing to offer terms, Kang Dabao breathed a sigh of relief. After all, the request for Mani Treasure Leaf was made by Fei Ye Shui through Fei Wanqing, so it couldn't be delayed.

"Since that's the case, Gada will shamelessly ask the Marquis for a favor. If the Marquis can accomplish this, then Gada will certainly offer this Mani Treasure Leaf with both hands."

As soon as Gada finished speaking, Sect Leader Kang Da immediately responded, "Buddha, please speak freely."

"Back then, when the Demon Lieutenant Fengwen was captured in the Mountain South, the remaining members scattered in all directions. Among them was a Demon Officer named Yongli, who was a member of the Mystic Mist Hidden Scale Beast. He is currently hiding in the area around the south of the Mountain South, and his whereabouts are unknown."

"Gada all alone here and has no one to rely on, so he has come to you, Lord Marquis. If you can capture this fellow alive, this Mani Treasure Leaf Gada will certainly not be stingy."

Kang Dabao recalled the name Yongli Demon Officer, as if he had heard of it before.

The file states that this Mystic Mist Hidden Scale Beast appeared near Ink Cloud Marsh more than ten years ago, and even killed several cultivators and Pill Master from affiliated sects. At that time, it was considered a scourge within the jurisdiction of the Chongming Sect.

However, this beast was exceptionally skilled at hiding, and when Jiang Qing led his men to capture and kill him, they could hardly find a trace of him. Fortunately, this beast was also quite sensible, and in recent years he had disappeared without a trace, thus not Chongming Sect to harbor murderous intent.

"Rest assured, disciple, I, Kang, will certainly handle this matter well."

"Gada will wait patiently for the Marquis to come and collect the Mani Treasure Leaf."