Chapter 1536: Moonlight Bodhisattva (4k)

"How long has the immortal maiden been on Mount Jiuga?"Qin Sang stood up to greet her."Three months."Liuli walked in and removed her cloak.

Her cloak was exceptionally wide, concealing not only her face but also her graceful figure. While such attire might seem unusual in a Buddhist region, the diverse mix of people on Mount Jiuga made it less conspicuous.She had adopted this precaution after encountering several audacious individuals while traveling through the Northern Barrens. In the cultivation world, not every cultivator possesses sufficient self-control, and unparalleled beauty can easily attract trouble.Liuli, like Qin Sang, preferred to maintain a low profile when traveling, never openly displaying her true cultivation level unless absolutely necessary. The renowned reputations of Xuantian Palace and Tingxue Tower did not extend to the Central Plains, rendering them ineffective in deterring minor rogues.Liuli had killed these individuals with a single sword stroke, but to avoid further complications, she decided to wear the cloak. Indeed, her journey became much more peaceful afterward.

"Three months, that's exactly the time I was delayed in Rift Valley..."Qin Sang invited Liuli to sit down and briefly recounted his previous experiences."Rift Valley and the Nineteen States of Misty Rain are not far apart; it would have been an excellent choice, but unfortunately, the cave dwelling there was destroyed. On my journey, I rescued a Core Formation cultivator and have already sent him to the Nineteen States of Misty Rain to gather information. Once I obtain the Buddhist sarira, I will go there myself. If Xiaoxiangzi's records are accurate, with luck, there's a chance to take over a top-tier dojo..."

While the Nineteen States of Misty Rain were indeed a sacred cultivation land, Qin Sang understood that most immortal mountains and grand rivers were already claimed. This was not a chaotic era; various powers were intricately intertwined, connected by myriad ties, standing together, and mutually supporting each other.Forcibly occupying someone else's sect would clearly be unfeasible, as it would inevitably make them a target of public resentment. Moreover, the Central Plains had Soul Transformation cultivators presiding over them, and their current strength was far from sufficient to act recklessly.To establish a foothold in the Central Plains, one would either have to affiliate with an existing sect or choose a location in the Northern Barrens, Western Desert, or the immortal mountains overseas to open a cave dwelling. However, this would place the cave dwelling too remotely, far from the center of the cultivation world. News would not be conveyed promptly, and if any major event occurred, by the time they received word and rushed to the Central Plains, it would already be over.Qin Sang's objective was not only his own cultivation but also to gather various information and seek opportunities for Soul Transformation.

He mentioned the cave dwelling to Liuli directly, implying an invitation for her to join him. Liuli was not only a powerful helper but, more importantly, trustworthy. She had come for the Buddhist sarira and, unlike Qin Sang, was not entangled in various karmic ties. Her primary tasks afterward would be cultivation and investigating the mystery of Ziwei Palace's ascension, which could be done almost anywhere.Liuli hesitated, neither confirming nor denying.

Qin Sang, familiar with Liuli's nature, paid no mind. Remembering his discovery while ascending the mountain, he asked, "Has something unusual happened on Mount Jiuga? Those Buddhist cultivators seem a bit strange."Liuli hummed in affirmation and replied, "About ten days ago, Bodhisattva Moonlight arrived here, set up an altar on Mount Jiuga, and invited various monks to debate the scriptures with him.""A Bodhisattva?"Qin Sang was momentarily stunned by the news. Buddhists revered Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Was someone carrying a statue of Bodhisattva Moonlight from a temple to travel?

Liuli shook her head. "Bodhisattva Moonlight is said to hail from the depths of the desert. He is well-versed in Buddhist scriptures, possesses profound cultivation, and calls himself 'Bodhisattva.' He claims he will not change his Dharma name unless someone can defeat him in debate. That's why the debate occurred ten days ago."Qin Sang clicked his tongue. Even Soul Transformation cultivators in Buddhism were typically revered as 'Sages,' like the current Sage Huiguang of Ganlu Zen Temple. To dare to use the title 'Bodhisattva' was surely presumptuous. A scripture debate would be the least of it. If that person were to be attacked on Mount Jiuga, Qin Sang would not be surprised.In the remote and isolated depths of the Western Desert, claiming grand Buddhist titles might go unnoticed. But to dare to act so brazenly on Mount Jiuga? Was he truly not afraid of attracting the Buddhist Sages?

"What was the outcome of the debate?" Qin Sang asked curiously.Liuli hesitated for a moment. "I'm not well-versed in Buddhist scriptures... The debate lasted three days. Afterward, all the monks were left speechless, and Bodhisattva Moonlight gracefully descended the mountain, with no one daring to stop him.""Given his audacity to call himself 'Bodhisattva,' he must be quite capable," Qin Sang nodded. Those monks must have rushed over to assist after hearing the news, but Bodhisattva Moonlight was no longer on Mount Jiuga.Mount Xuelian was hailed as the source of Buddhism, serving more as a spiritual holy land for Buddhist cultivators. The current super-sects of Buddhism were not located here, but mostly in the Central Plains.Debating for three days and then leaving once the news spread. This person was certainly wary.

"During this time, Buddhist disciples gathered here from all directions, and I took the opportunity to gather a lot of information," Liuli said.She then took out a parchment map, spread it on the table, and pointed to a spot in the desert. "The Buddhist sarira is very likely here—the Seven Stars of Hanhai!"Qin Sang's eyes lit up at the news."Thank you for your trouble, Immortal Maiden!"He quickly leaned in to look, noticing that Liuli was pointing to a large oasis. This oasis was not a single entity but seven oases of varying sizes, forming a line in the desert, not far from each other. Each oasis on the map prominently featured a lake. The map was very simple, containing only this information.

Liuli explained in detail, "The Western Desert is not uniform; its situation is constantly changing, with numerous countries. Western Desert cultivators roughly divide the desert into several regions based on different characteristics, such as Mount Xuelian and Hanhai... These seven lakes have never dried up, nourishing the oases like seven stars in the desert. Later, Buddhist cultivators built temples by the lakes, and the Seven Stars of Hanhai now also refers to these seven Buddhist temples by the lakes. They are closely connected, dominant in Hanhai, and their strength should not be underestimated. According to my investigation, this area originally had continuous oases and hundreds of lakes of various sizes, which gradually merged, leaving only seven large lakes. The previous environment matches Senior Xiaoxiangzi's records.""Dengci Nunnery, Zhulan Temple..."Qin Sang's gaze swept over the names of the seven Buddhist temples, then he looked up in confusion. "No Hidden Zen Temple?" Senior Xiaoxiangzi had mentioned that the Buddhist sarira was formed from the nirvana of an enlightened monk from the Hidden Zen Temple.

Liuli explained her reasoning for believing the Buddhist sarira was in the Seven Stars of Hanhai: "Originally, there were no Buddhist temples here. Legend has it that a highly virtuous monk traveled alone to this place, and seeing that the people were unwilling to accept Buddhist teachings, he built a temple nearby to propagate the Dharma. That temple was the Hidden Zen Temple. Afterward, a great turmoil occurred in Hanhai, and for unknown reasons, the Hidden Zen Temple disappeared. However, more and more Buddhist temples were built, which suggests that the Buddhist sect emerged victorious. If the Hidden Zen Temple's lineage was broken, it's highly probable that its treasures fell into the hands of these seven Buddhist temples."Qin Sang mused in silence. As the saying goes, 'the seas may turn into mulberry fields'—times change drastically. In worldly affairs, a slight deviation can lead to a huge error. Even if Liuli's conjecture was entirely correct, his concern was that the Hidden Zen Temple might have had a successor at that time who was forced to flee, taking all the temple's treasures with them and living incognito. Finding their whereabouts now would be incredibly difficult.

"Whether this is *that* Hidden Zen Temple or not still needs to be verified once we enter Hanhai," Liuli said.Qin Sang nodded, his voice grave. "No time to lose; let's set off as soon as possible!"There was another unspoken concern between them. If they had to steal the sarira from the Hidden Zen Temple, they would face one master. Now, they might have to provoke all seven major Buddhist temples simultaneously!It was too early to worry about these things; it would not be too late to devise a plan once they confirmed the whereabouts of the Buddhist sarira.

Having spent three months on Mount Xuelian, Liuli had thoroughly investigated all available information. With no more time to waste, they departed the mountain together early the next morning.During their descent, the number of Buddhist cultivators visibly increased. The commotion caused by Bodhisattva Moonlight was still brewing and had spread widely.Soon after leaving Mount Jiuga, they entered a vast expanse of yellow sand. The air was dry and scorching, with visible heatwaves shimmering in the distance. Of course, no matter how treacherous the Western Desert was, it couldn't compare to a storm belt; the Ten Directions God Shuttle could easily handle it.Although the environment here appeared harsh, it was actually the most vibrant part of the Western Desert. The melted snow from Mount Xuelian branched into several main streams and subterranean rivers, flowing southward. Though not as grand as the Tiantuo River, they injected vitality into the desert. Mortals settled along these rivers, forming countless kingdoms, most of which revered Buddhism, earning them the name 'Three Thousand Buddhist Kingdoms.'

Hanhai lay south of the Three Thousand Buddhist Kingdoms. This was not yet the deepest part of the Western Desert; continuing west would lead to the true Death Desert, a realm devoid of life.Qin Sang and Liuli traveled at a leisurely pace, stopping frequently to gather information as they journeyed. Passing through countless Buddhist kingdoms, they witnessed exotic customs, making their trip worthwhile.

As they were nearing the edge of the Three Thousand Buddhist Kingdoms, they unexpectedly learned a piece of news related to Bodhisattva Moonlight. After his three-day debate on Mount Jiuga, Bodhisattva Moonlight had left and disappeared without a trace. Buddhist cultivators from the Western Desert had searched everywhere but found nothing.However, unexpectedly, Bodhisattva Moonlight suddenly reappeared in another Buddhist kingdom ten days prior, similarly making grand claims and setting up an altar. Unfortunately, the virtuous monks there were even less capable than those on Mount Jiuga; Bodhisattva Moonlight rendered them speechless in less than a day, and they departed in shame. Faced with continuous provocations, the Buddhist community was incensed, and even many esteemed mortal monks began to stir.

Regardless of how the Buddhist sect would respond, Qin Sang and Liuli proceeded directly through the Three Thousand Buddhist Kingdoms, crossed the desert, and entered Hanhai.The Seven Stars of Hanhai were located in the heart of Hanhai. They did not directly approach the Seven Stars of Hanhai but instead settled in a market town on the edge of the oasis. Upon arriving, they learned that the seven major oases contained not just these seven Buddhist temples, but hundreds more, not including those built by mortal monks. This clearly showed how flourishing Buddhism was in the Western Desert.

At this time, Liuli remained cloaked, while Qin Sang, dressed in a sea-green robe, disguised himself as a devout Buddhist layman, complete with a bamboo hat. Hanhai was prone to sandstorms; strong winds would whip up sand that struck the face with blade-like intensity, so locals also dressed similarly.*Creak.*Qin Sang pushed open the inn room door and saw that Liuli had already returned. They had just separated to gather information.

"I've obtained a list of many Buddhist temples in Hanhai," Qin Sang said softly as he closed the door. "It includes mortal temples. I've scanned through it briefly, and there's no Hidden Zen Temple, so we'll need to verify that separately. Some of the larger temples are suspected to have cultivators; we can start with them and subtly make contact with the Seven Stars of Hanhai."

Liuli offered a conjecture: "During the great turmoil, perhaps only the cultivation lineage of Hidden Zen Temple was broken, and its mortal monks changed the temple's name to avoid calamity."Upon hearing this, Qin Sang pondered for a moment. "That's possible. But if so, we'll have to visit every single temple.""I'll go," Liuli said.Qin Sang understood her meaning.

There was no doubt that the Seven Stars of Hanhai had Nascent Soul cultivators presiding over them. However, ever since the Seven Stars of Hanhai gained their reputation, no force had dared to challenge the status of the seven temples for a long time. It was difficult to estimate the current strength of the seven temples without direct information. However, it was highly probable that there were no Grand Cultivators among them. Soul Transformation cultivators in the Central Plains were elusive, rarely showing themselves, so late Nascent Soul cultivators remained the top experts in the world.In Buddhism, it was customary for a grand water and land dharma assembly to be held, with fellow practitioners invited for celebration, whenever an eminent monk broke through to the late Nascent Soul stage. According to the information they had gathered, the Seven Stars of Hanhai had never hosted such an assembly.Qin Sang's divine sense could be transformed and intentionally hidden. Cultivators below the late Nascent Soul stage would not be able to discern his cultivation level unless they directly employed investigative secret techniques. Therefore, it was safest for him to make contact with other cultivators. Liuli was somewhat less capable in this regard."Alright," Qin Sang immediately took out the list. The two divided the Buddhist temples into two categories and proceeded to act separately.

After separating from Liuli, Qin Sang began to travel alone through the oasis, either openly making contact or secretly investigating to ascertain the details of these Buddhist temples. Acting too hastily might arouse suspicion, so Qin Sang disguised himself as a devout Buddhist layman, feigning sincere worship, which naturally slowed his progress.Beishan Temple. It was one of the Seven Stars of Hanhai, ranked sixth. During this period, Qin Sang had already entered Dengci Nunnery, the lowest-ranked of the seven. Unfortunately, he could not meet the abbess and only encountered a few junior monks with shallow cultivation, from whom he extracted no valuable information.Neither Beishan Temple nor Dengci Nunnery had Nascent Soul cultivators; their abbots were reportedly only late Core Formation stage. However, the temple formations were extraordinary and must have been set up by a Nascent Soul cultivator. Qin Sang observed for a long time, confirming that it would be difficult to infiltrate without alarming anyone. He therefore suppressed his impulse and patiently continued his search.

Beishan Temple was built by the lake and did not deny access to mortals. The area in front of the temple was bustling with activity. Qin Sang dutifully joined the line of pious men and women entering the temple. He did not reveal his cultivation, but the demeanor refined by years of practice was evident in his every movement, making him stand out among mortals and drawing more than a few glances from the welcoming monk.

Incense burning, worshipping Buddha, listening to scriptures... Qin Sang was intimately familiar with these procedures. After absentmindedly listening to the eminent monk's discourse, Qin Sang rose and followed the devotees out of the main hall. Just as he was about to summon a junior monk to find an excuse to tour the temple, his heart suddenly stirred.A moment later, a monk approached from not far away. This individual walked directly towards him, yet the other pilgrims seemed completely oblivious."Amitābha, pilgrim, please come forward." The monk walked straight up to Qin Sang, pressed his palms together, and bowed."This humble one greets the Abbot." Qin Sang quickly returned the bow, recognizing the man as a late Core Formation cultivator, likely the Abbot of Beishan Temple. He secretly thought that this had come about with no effort at all.Both knew the other was a cultivator, so they dispensed with formalities and exchanged their Dharma names.

The Abbot's Dharma name was Seng Yan. Qin Sang reiterated his previous story, claiming he was adopted by a monk in his youth, given the name Mingyue, and was meant to be tonsured. However, unforeseen temple changes led him to wander the secular world once more. Although he was fortunate enough to encounter the path of cultivation, he also accumulated boundless karma. Now, looking back, he had repented and vowed to travel the ten directions, worshipping a hundred thousand Buddhas to atone for his sins.As they spoke, Qin Sang was invited to follow the Abbot to a quiet Buddhist hall.