Chapter 1538: Chess Piece (4k)

“How long has Immortal Maiden been on Mount Jiuga?”

Qin Sang rose to greet her.

“Three months.”

Liuli walked in and removed her cloak.

Her cloak was very wide, obscuring not only her face but also her graceful figure. While such attire might seem somewhat unusual in Buddhist territory, Mount Jiuga's diverse populace made it less conspicuous.

This was due to encounters with some 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. However, Liuli's temperament was similar to Qin Sang's; she always maintained a low profile when traveling, never actively revealing her true cultivation until absolutely necessary. Even the formidable reputations of the Profound Heaven Palace and Listening Snow Tower did not extend to Middle-earth, making them ineffective in deterring minor rogues. Liuli had slain these individuals with a single sword stroke, but to avoid further trouble, she simply donned a cloak, and indeed, things became much quieter afterward.

“Three months, that's exactly the time I was delayed in Celestial Rift Valley...”

Qin Sang invited Liuli to sit down and briefly recounted his previous experiences. “Celestial Rift Valley and the Nineteen States of Misty Rain aren't far apart; it was an excellent choice, but unfortunately, the immortal's cave was destroyed. I rescued a Golden Core cultivator on the way and have sent him to the Nineteen States of Misty Rain to gather information. Once I get the Buddhist bone relic, I'll go there myself. If Senior Xiaoxiangzi's records are accurate, with luck, there's a chance to take over a top-tier cultivation ground...”

The Nineteen States of Misty Rain is indeed a cultivation holy land, but as Qin Sang understood, most of its spiritual mountains and great rivers were already occupied. This was not a chaotic era; various forces were deeply entrenched, intricately connected, united, and mutually supportive. Forcibly occupying someone else's sect gate was clearly unfeasible and would inevitably draw universal condemnation. Furthermore, Middle-earth had Spirit Transformation stage cultivators presiding over it, and their strength was far from enough to act unrestrainedly.

To establish a foothold in Middle-earth, one either had to attach oneself to a sect, or choose a location in the Northern Barrens, Western Desert, or the Immortal Islands overseas to establish an immortal's cave. In that case, the immortal's cave would be too remote, far from the center of the cultivation world, and news would not arrive promptly. If any major event occurred, by the time they received word and rushed to Middle-earth, it would already be over.

Qin Sang's goal was not only his own cultivation but also to gather various information and seek opportunities for Spirit Transformation. He brought up the matter of the immortal's cave directly to Liuli, implicitly inviting her to join him. Liuli was not only a powerful assistant but, most importantly, she was trustworthy. She had come for the Buddhist bone relic and, unlike Qin Sang, was not entangled in various karmic ties. Her main tasks afterward were cultivation and investigating the mystery of the Ziwei Palace's ascension, so her location didn't significantly matter.

Liuli hesitated, neither confirming nor denying.

Qin Sang, familiar with Liuli's temperament, didn't mind. He recalled his discovery while ascending the mountain, "Has something unusual happened on Mount Jiuga? Those Buddhist cultivators seem a bit strange."

Liuli grunted and said, "A month ago, the Moonlit Bodhisattva arrived here, setting up a Dharma altar on Mount Jiuga, attracting various monks to debate with him."

"Bodhisattva?" Qin Sang was startled to hear that. The Buddhist sect reveres Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Could it be someone carrying a statue of the Moonlit Bodhisattva from a temple out on a journey?

Liuli shook her head, "The Moonlit Bodhisattva is said to hail from the depths of the desert, is well-versed in Buddhist scriptures, and possesses profound cultivation. He proclaimed himself 'Bodhisattva' and declared he would not change his Dharma title unless someone could defeat him in a debate. That's how the debate a month ago came about."

Qin Sang clicked his tongue. Even Spirit Transformation stage cultivators in the Buddhist sect are merely revered as 'Saints', such as the current Saint Huiguang of Ganlu Zen Temple. To dare claim the title of 'Bodhisattva'—wasn't that presumptuous? The debate was the least of it. Qin Sang wouldn't be surprised if that person had been besieged on Mount Jiuga. In the remote and isolated depths of the Western Desert, claiming such titles might go unnoticed. But to brazenly come to Mount Jiuga—was he not afraid of attracting Buddhist Saints?

"What was the outcome of the debate?" Qin Sang asked curiously.

Liuli hesitated, "I am not proficient in Buddhist scriptures... The debate lasted three days, after which the monks were speechless. The Moonlit Bodhisattva then drifted down the mountain, and no one dared to stop him."

"Since he had the audacity to call himself 'Bodhisattva', he must indeed be capable." Qin Sang nodded. Those monks must have rushed over to assist after receiving the news, but the Moonlit Bodhisattva was no longer on Mount Jiuga. Mount Xuelian is claimed to be the origin of Buddhism, serving more as a spiritual holy land for Buddhist cultivators. The major Buddhist sects of today are not located here, but mostly in Middle-earth. After three days of debate, he left as soon as the news spread. This person must also have been wary.

"During this time, Buddhist disciples converged here from all directions, and I took the opportunity to gather a lot of information." Saying this, Liuli took out a parchment map, spread it on the table, and pointed to a spot in the desert, "The Buddhist bone relic is very likely here—the Seven Stars of Vast Sea!"

Qin Sang brightened at the news. "Thank you for your trouble, Immortal Maiden!"

He quickly lowered his gaze and saw that Liuli was pointing to a very large oasis. This oasis wasn't a single entity but seven oases of varying sizes, forming a line in the desert, not far from each other. On each oasis, a prominent lake symbol was drawn. The map was very brief, containing only this information.

Liuli explained in detail, "The Western Desert is not monolithic; its situation is ever-changing, with numerous nations. Western Desert cultivators broadly divide the desert into several regions based on distinct features, such as Mount Xuelian and the Vast Sea... These seven lakes have never dried up, nourishing the oases like seven stars in the desert. Later, Buddhist cultivators built monasteries by these lakes. The Seven Stars of Vast Sea now also refer to the seven Buddhist temples by these lakes, united and forming the dominant power in the Vast Sea, their strength not to be underestimated. According to my investigation, this place originally had vast stretches of oases and hundreds of lakes of various sizes. They later gradually merged, leaving only these seven large lakes. The former environment matches Senior Xiaoxiangzi's records."

"Equal Compassion Nunnery, Zhulan Temple..." Qin Sang's gaze swept over the seven Buddhist temples, then he looked up in confusion, "No Hidden Zen Temple?" Senior Xiaoxiangzi had mentioned that the Buddhist bone relic was formed from the nirvana of an enlightened eminent monk of the Hidden Zen Temple.

Liuli stated her reason for believing the Buddhist bone relic was in the Seven Stars of Vast Sea: "This place originally had no Buddhist temples. Legend has it that a highly virtuous eminent monk traveled here alone, and seeing that the populace resisted enlightenment, he built a temple nearby to propagate Buddhism. That temple was the Hidden Zen Temple. Afterward, a great turmoil occurred in the Vast Sea, and the Hidden Zen Temple mysteriously disappeared, but paradoxically, more and more Buddhist temples were built, suggesting that Buddhism prevailed. If the Hidden Zen Temple's lineage was severed, its treasures most likely fell into the hands of these seven Buddhist temples."

Qin Sang pondered in silence. As the saying goes, the sea changes into mulberry fields. In worldly affairs, a slight deviation can lead to a huge error. Even if Liuli's conjecture was entirely correct, his concern was that if the Hidden Zen Temple still had descendants at that time, who were forced to flee, taking the temple's treasures with them and living under false names, finding their traces again would be incredibly difficult.

Liuli said, "Whether this Hidden Zen Temple is indeed 'that' Hidden Zen Temple needs to be verified once we enter the Vast Sea."

Qin Sang nodded, stating gravely, "Without further delay, let's depart as soon as possible!" There was another unspoken concern. If they were to steal the relic from the Hidden Zen Temple, they would face a single Buddhist master. Now, they might have to provoke all seven major Buddhist temples simultaneously! It was too early to worry about these things now; it wouldn't be too late to devise a plan once they confirmed the whereabouts of the Buddhist bone relic.

Liuli had spent three months on Mount Xuelian, thoroughly investigating virtually all obtainable information. With no more time to waste, they descended the mountain together the following morning. On their way down, Buddhist cultivators visibly became more numerous. The commotion caused by the Moonlit Bodhisattva was still brewing and had spread widely.

After leaving Mount Jiuga and traveling a short distance, they were met by endless yellow sands. The air was dry and hot, forming visible, rolling heatwaves. Of course, no matter how treacherous the Western Desert was, it couldn't compare to the Storm Zone; the Ten Directions Earth-Splitting Divine Shuttle could easily handle it. While seemingly harsh, this was actually the most vibrant area in the Western Desert. The melted snow from Mount Xuelian flowed south in several main streams and subterranean rivers. Although not as vast as the Heavenly Tuo River, they injected vitality into the desert. Mortals lived along these rivers, forming countless nations, most of which revered Buddhism, collectively known as the Three Thousand Buddhist Nations. The Vast Sea was still south of the Three Thousand Buddhist Nations. This was not yet the deepest part of the Western Desert; further west lay the true Desert of Death, a land devoid of life.

Qin Sang and Liuli traveled and paused, gathering information as they journeyed. They passed through countless Buddhist nations, witnessing exotic customs, considering their trip worthwhile. As they were about to exit the Three Thousand Buddhist Nations, they unexpectedly learned news related to the Moonlit Bodhisattva. After the three-day debate on Mount Jiuga, the Moonlit Bodhisattva left and vanished without a trace. Buddhist cultivators from the Western Desert searched everywhere but found nothing. Unexpectedly, a few days ago, the Moonlit Bodhisattva suddenly appeared in a Buddhist nation, similarly boasting and setting up a Dharma altar. Unfortunately, the eminent monks there were even less capable than those on Mount Jiuga; within a day, they were rendered speechless by the Moonlit Bodhisattva and departed in shame. Repeatedly provoked, the Buddhist community was incensed, and even many mortal eminent monks began to stir.

Regardless of how the Buddhist sect responded, Qin Sang and Liuli proceeded directly through the Three Thousand Buddhist Nations, crossed the desert, and entered the Vast Sea. The Seven Stars of Vast Sea were located in the heart of the Vast Sea. They did not directly approach the Seven Stars of Vast Sea but settled in a market town on the edge of the oasis. Only upon arriving here did they learn that the seven major oases actually contained not just these seven Buddhist temples but hundreds more, excluding those built by mortal monks. This offered a glimpse into how flourishing Buddhism was in the Western Desert.

At this time, Liuli was still cloaked, while Qin Sang wore a haiqing, disguised as a Buddhist layman, and wore a bamboo hat. The Vast Sea was prone to sandstorms; strong winds would whip up sand that hit the face with cutting force, comparable to knife slashes, so locals 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 the many Buddhist temples in the Vast Sea," Qin Sang closed the door and said softly. "It includes mortal temples. I've quickly scanned through it, and there's no Hidden Zen Temple. We'll need to verify them individually. Some large temples are suspected to have cultivators; we can start with them to discreetly approach the Seven Stars of Vast Sea."

Liuli put forth a theory: "During the great turmoil, the Hidden Zen Temple might have merely lost its cultivation lineage, and its mortal monks, to avoid disaster, changed the temple's name."

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. It was beyond doubt that the Seven Stars of Vast Sea had Nascent Soul cultivators presiding over them. However, since the Seven Stars of Vast Sea's reputation spread, no force had dared to challenge the status of the seven temples for a long time. It was difficult to speculate idly on the current strength of the seven temples. However, it was highly probable that no Grand Cultivators existed there. Spirit Transformation stage cultivators in Middle-earth were elusive, and Late Nascent Soul cultivators were still considered top-tier experts in the world. In the Buddhist sect, once an eminent monk broke through to the Late Nascent Soul stage, it was customary to hold a grand Water-Land Dharma Assembly, inviting fellow cultivators to celebrate. According to the information they gathered, the Seven Stars of Vast Sea had never held such an assembly.

Qin Sang could transform his spiritual sense and deliberately conceal himself. Unless a cultivator below the Late Nascent Soul stage directly used investigative secret arts, they could not discern his cultivation level, making it safest for him to contact cultivators. Liuli was slightly less capable in this regard.

"Alright." Qin Sang immediately took out the list, and the two divided the Buddhist temples into two categories, proceeding separately.

After separating, Qin Sang began to travel alone in 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 down his progress.

Beishan Temple. One of the Seven Stars of Vast Sea, ranked sixth. During this period, Qin Sang had already entered Equal Compassion Nunnery, the lowest-ranked. Unfortunately, he couldn't meet the abbess, only encountering a few young novice monks with shallow cultivation, from whom he didn't glean any valuable information. Neither Beishan Temple nor Equal Compassion Nunnery had Nascent Soul cultivators; it was said their abbots/abbesses were only at the Late Golden Core stage. However, the temple's formations were extraordinary, certainly crafted by a Nascent Soul expert. Qin Sang observed for a long time, confirming that it would be very difficult to infiltrate without alerting anyone. He then suppressed his impulse and patiently continued his search.

Beishan Temple was built by the lakeside and did not refuse mortals. The area in front of the temple was bustling. Qin Sang honestly joined the queue with the pious men and women to enter the temple. He did not reveal his cultivation, but the demeanor cultivated over years of practice was evident in his every movement, making him stand out among mortals like a crane among chickens, drawing extra glances from the guest-reception monk.

Offering incense, bowing to Buddha, listening to scriptures... Qin Sang was extremely familiar with these procedures. After distractedly listening to the eminent monk's discourse, Qin Sang rose and followed the devotees out of the Dharma hall. Just as he was about to call a novice monk to find an excuse to tour the temple, his heart suddenly stirred.

A moment later, a monk walked over from not far away. This person approached him directly, but the other pilgrims remained oblivious.

"Amitabha, esteemed layman, please." The monk walked directly up to Qin Sang, pressed his palms together, and bowed.

"This humble one greets the abbot." Qin Sang hastily returned the bow, recognizing that this person was a Late Golden Core cultivator and likely the abbot of Beishan Temple. He secretly thought that this was surprisingly easy.

Since both knew the other was a cultivator, they dispensed with common formalities and exchanged Dharma names. The abbot's Dharma name was Sengyan. Qin Sang reiterated his previous story, claiming he was adopted by monks as a child, given the name Mingyue, and was supposed to be ordained. However, due to temple changes, he once again drifted through the world. Although fortunate enough to come into contact with the path of cultivation, he had also accumulated boundless karma. Now, looking back, he had repented and vowed to travel the ten directions, bowing to a hundred thousand Buddhas to atone for his sins.

As they spoke, Qin Sang accepted the invitation and followed the abbot to a secluded Buddhist hall.