Chapter 156: Return Journey

Pure white snow fell within the tall, gray walls.

The tall incense sticks in the bronze censer had burned to their end, their faint smoke still drifting out.

Beside the training ground, Taoist priests, Buddhist monks, and scholars whispered amongst themselves, displaying a myriad of expressions.

Buddha-son Wuzhai no longer paid attention to Zhang Li. Instead, he fingered his prayer beads and softly said to Chen Ji, "Benefactor, you seem to have a prejudice against Buddhism. Perhaps if you learned more, you would release the resentments in your heart."

Chen Ji sat cross-legged on the prayer mat. "Buddha-son, I appreciate your good intentions, but my six senses are not pure, so I cannot enter Buddhism."

The scholars intently gazed into the training ground, their eyes fixed on Chen Ji.

This young man had publicly stated that Buddhism was not equivalent to Buddhist studies, which was already a taboo for the Buddhist sect.

Now, he had so bluntly rejected Buddhism, truly proving that a newborn calf fears no tiger.

Just then, Chen Ji heard a gentle voice in his mind say, "Benefactor, our Buddhist sect has always treated people with sincerity. You only need to convert to our faith and become a lay Buddhist. This humble monk promises you a generous reward."

Chen Ji paused slightly, as he had not seen Wuzhai's mouth move, yet Wuzhai's voice had indeed reached him.

He stared fixedly at Wuzhai, who simply offered him a slight smile, his right hand turned palm-outward and downward, thumb gently touching his middle finger, forming the *Shiyi Mudra*.

This was... a Way of the Officials technique?

To be able to transmit sound directly into someone's mind.

Chen Ji pondered: A lay Buddhist, or *jushi*, was a secular disciple who had converted to Buddhism. If he became a lay Buddhist, then this debate wouldn't be a victory for the Taoist court over Buddhism, but rather Buddhism's own winning against itself, preserving their dignity.

However, after much thought, Chen Ji turned to the young Taoist priest beside the large bell and said, "Ring the bell."

Wuzhai slowly dropped his smile. "Benefactor, are you truly unwilling to join our Buddhist sect?"

Chen Ji remained seated on the prayer mat and brushed the snow off his shoulders. "Buddha-son, we came through the snow, bringing a gravely ill young woman, seeking help. When we arrived, the young novice monk said we had no token or invitation and could not enter."

He glanced at Bai Li and continued, "That young woman caught a severe cold and had a fever for a day and a night, unable to even lift her eyelids. If Senior Brother Zhang Li hadn't intervened, her life would likely have been lost. Although she stands well now, just imagining an alternative outcome fills me with dread. If even my friend cannot be saved by Buddha, then I cannot enter."

Chen Ji calmly said, "Ring the bell."

As his voice fell.

A strong gust of wind, seemingly from nowhere, swept into Luhan Villa, remarkably clearing away half the accumulated snow in the training ground.

In an instant, the snow beneath Chen Ji vanished, revealing the black *Yin* fish symbol originally marked on the ground around him.

Zhang Li, who had already sat down, smiling and watching the spectacle, suddenly stood up when he saw this scene.

A moment later, he relaxed and smiled, looking at Bai Li nearby. "So, he's sticking up for you."

Bai Li looked towards Chen Ji's silhouette in the training ground.

The next moment, Zhang Li looked at the young Taoist priest by the large bell and grumbled, "Are the Taoists of Lao Jun Mountain Court all fools? What are you waiting for? Ring the bell!"

"Oh, oh!"

The young Taoist priest pushed away the novice monk beside him, pulled back the ramming log, and then swung it heavily against the bell.

The bell's reverberations spread, and Buddha-son Wuzhai was judged to have lost.

The young Taoist priests of Lao Jun Mountain Court beamed with joy. Although one Buddhist monk had yet to participate, they knew Wuzhai could not answer this question, nor could the other monks.

Finally, they wouldn't have to become monks.

The young Taoist priest looked at Zhang Li. "Senior Brother, is this young man truly an unregistered disciple of Huangshan Taoist Court? Next time there's a debate with the Buddhists, we must call on him!"

Zhang Li patted the young Taoist priest's head. "This time, I lost two Purple Void Elixir Pills just to get him to participate in the debate. Your Lao Jun Mountain Court will have to cover one."

"No, you'll have to cover both!"

"Huh?"

The young Taoist priest's eyes widened. "We can't decide that; the Purple Void Elixir Pills are extremely valuable."

Zhang Li grumbled, "They're just worldly possessions. Can you take elixirs with you to the underworld?"

The young Taoist priest thought for a moment and said, "So, every debate from now on will cost two Purple Void Elixir Pills?"

Zhang Li lowered his voice. "Are you stupid? Next time you debate with the monks, just bring up this question. We won't even need that young man to participate personally. The Buddhists used to suppress us for three hundred years with 'Laozi Converts the Barbarians.' Now, we'll use this question to suppress them for three hundred years."

The young Taoist priest's eyes lit up. "You're right!"

Wuzhai sat on the prayer mat, resuming his smile, as if the past was truly past. "Benefactor, if it were you, how would you answer this question: Is the Ferry of Salvation still the Ferry of Salvation?"

Chen Ji shook his head. "I can't answer it either."

Wuzhai was puzzled. "Why not?"

Chen Ji thought for a moment and said, "I don't care if it's still the Ferry of Salvation. As long as it can reach the other shore, that's all that matters."

Wuzhai remained silent for a long time.

After a moment, he changed the subject. "Benefactor, we still have one person remaining. Might we propose another question for you to answer, to determine the final victor?"

Chen Ji shook his head. "You couldn't answer my question. This debate is already over. We are merely passersby, and it's time for us to leave."

Zhang Li exclaimed in admiration, "A good refusal! Wuzhai must have prepared an extremely difficult question to try and turn the tide, but the young man didn't give him the chance. It must feel terrible for Wuzhai, like punching cotton."

At this point, Chen Ji had already risen from the prayer mat and motioned for the Young Master, Bai Li, and Zhang Xia to leave.

Zhang Li pulled him back. "Why the rush to leave? Stay and have some wine. Luhan Villa's cellar has plenty of good wine."

The Young Master's eyes lit up, but he heard Chen Ji refuse. "No, thank you. Many people are worried about our safety, so we should return quickly to reassure them."

He whispered to the Young Master, "This is a place of trouble. Those monks are not easy to deal with. Let's leave quickly."

The Young Master nodded and immediately lost his desire to linger.

As they walked towards the exit of Luhan Villa, they saw the gray-robed monks stand up one by one, silently blocking their path.

Chen Ji frowned. "What's this about? First, you wouldn't let us in, and now you won't let us leave?"

Wuzhai slowly stepped forward, holding his prayer beads and pressing his palms together. "This humble monk sees that the benefactor is remarkably intelligent. It has been a long time since I debated with someone of your caliber, and my competitive spirit has been ignited. I wish to debate one more question."

Chen Ji retorted, "If we don't debate, then we can't leave?"

Wuzhai smiled without answering.

Zhang Li raised an eyebrow and, leading a group of young Taoist priests, surged forward to surround Chen Ji and the others. "This is at the foot of Lao Jun Mountain Court. Do you think this is a place for your insolence? Get out of the way!"

Wuzhai still smiled without answering, seemingly not putting Zhang Li and his group in his eyes.

Chen Ji reached for the hilt of the Whale Blade that the Young Master was holding.

Zhang Li's eyes narrowed slightly, his right hand forming the Three Mountains Seal, and his Taoist robe fluttered as if in a breeze.

The scholars retreated, fearing blood might splash on them.

The atmosphere was tense, on the verge of conflict.

Clip-clop.

Suddenly, crisp sounds of iron hooves echoed from the One-Line-Sky Gorge leading out of Luhan Villa.

The hoofbeats were steady and stern, neither hurried nor slow, like a king's personal arrival.

The monks turned their heads one after another, only to see a line of armored cavalry riding through the gray-walled gorge.

The leading figure rode a tall warhorse, clad in bright cast-iron armor, wearing a dragon-emblazoned helmet from which a long white plume soared skyward.

Behind him, a rider on horseback held high a brownish-yellow royal banner, emblazoned with the character 'Jing'.

Around the royal banner were dense ranks of cavalry, three abreast, armed with gleaming cavalry lances.

They marched in perfect formation through the gorge.

"It's Prince Jing."

"It's the Thousand-Year Army."

Only then did Chen Ji clearly see that the leading figure was indeed Prince Jing.

Prince Jing reined in his horse, riding before the crowd, his armor clanking.

He looked down at the monks and Taoist priests from his height, radiating authority without needing to express anger.

Zhang Li was surprised. Was this still the usually amiable Prince Jing?

Prince Jing calmly asked, "Why do you not bow before the Prince?"

His voice contained a majestic power, as if speaking divine law, causing people to involuntarily bend their knees.

The scholars and gentry were the first to kneel, followed by the monks, who, regaining their composure, also knelt.

Finally, even the young Taoist priests succumbed to the pressure and knelt.

Only Zhang Li remained standing tall, merely cupping his hands in a respectful gesture.

Prince Jing looked at him. "Why do you not bow?"

Zhang Li smiled. "Having done nothing wrong, there's no need to bow."

"You..."

Wuzhai, still prostrate on the ground, suddenly turned his head to glare at him.

Prince Jing didn't bother with Zhang Li. He dismounted, pushed through the crowd, and approached Bai Li, asking with concern, "I heard you might be here, and that you were gravely ill..."

Chen Ji knew that Golden Pig and Sky Horse must have encountered the Thousand-Year Army when returning to the city, pointing them in Prince Jing's direction.

Bai Li explained softly, "Father, Chen Ji saved us from the assassins. He then traded two Purple Void Elixir Pills with Taoist Priest Zhang Li of Huangshan Taoist Court, which cured me."

The scholars and gentry, still prostrate on the ground, exchanged bewildered glances.

They had no idea what had happened outside Luhan Villa, only that someone had won a round against the Buddhists there.

Only now did they realize that these were the Young Master and Princess from Prince Jing's Mansion, who had fled here after an assassination attempt.

Prince Jing looked at the monks and asked in a flat voice, "Why did you block their path just now?"

Wuzhai stood up, pressed his palms together, and explained, "This young man beside the Princess just won against this humble monk in a debate. My competitive spirit was piqued, and I wished to debate one more question with him."

From among the armored cavalry, a man in a scholar's robe rode forward. "No need to trouble my personal student. Debate with me instead."

The scholars suddenly became excited. "Mr. Wang, we were just wondering why you hadn't arrived yet. So you were with Prince Jing!"

"So this young man is your personal disciple. No wonder he could win!"

Wuzhai looked up in astonishment, only to see Wang Daosheng on horseback, also clad in armor.

He quickly lowered his head and said, "This humble monk would not dare."

Mr. Wang calmly said, "If you dare not, then step aside."

Wuzhai hesitated for a few breaths, then finally stepped aside, clearing the path.

Prince Jing, holding the reins, led his warhorse to Chen Ji. "You saved my son and daughter; this is a great kindness. Mount up. I'll take you home."

Chen Ji looked at Prince Jing, then at the warhorse standing quietly beside them.

Prince Jing was leading a horse for *him*?

He pondered for a moment, then turned, brought Bai Li over, and helped her onto the warhorse.

Chen Ji then took the reins from Prince Jing and led the warhorse towards the exit of Luhan Villa.

Prince Jing's usually stern face finally relaxed a little.

Zhang Li watched his retreating back and suddenly called out loudly, "Visit me in Huangshan when you have time!"

Chen Ji paused. Remembering the matter of the Xuanyuan Cave Mansion, he immediately waved and replied, "I will!"

He walked ahead, leading the horse by the reins, while Bai Li sat quietly on the warhorse, watching.

The two, one in front and one behind, passed through the long, dim gorge. By the time they emerged outside, the daylight was bright.

Outside Luhan Villa, the Thousand-Year Army stood in solemn, dense formation.

Their red plumes waved in the wind, stretching endlessly like mountains and peaks.

Chen Ji took the warhorse gifted by Mr. Feng from the trembling young novice monk and mounted it.

Holding the reins of Bai Li's warhorse, he gently squeezed his legs against his own horse's belly.

Leading the way through the Thousand-Year Army's formation, he rode his horse back home.

"Home!"

End of Chapter.