Chapter 941: Class-God

Ye Fan readily agreed to the meeting, scheduled for two days later, eager to see who this so-called 'master' was and if he could truly manifest divine miracles.

City B, one of China's largest, boasts a long history, with ancient relics interspersed throughout its modern vibrancy. Over the past two decades, it had become even more prosperous.

Ye Fan walked through the bustling streets, a constant flow of people moving past him. After so many years of traveling far and wide, he felt as if he had stepped into another world walking through a place like this again.

Though he had been back for several days, he had been so immersed in his own world that he hadn't truly taken the time to experience the city's hustle and bustle.

City B had undeniably developed rapidly. Skyscrapers lined the skyline, and the famous pedestrian street had widened. Brand stores were clustered together, and the street was perpetually crowded with people jostling shoulder to shoulder.

Suddenly, Ye Fan spotted a poster. It depicted an exquisite mutton-fat jade vase, emanating a mysterious aura, appearing as magnificent as a divine artifact.

He was startled. This was a cultivator's artifact. Upon closer inspection, he couldn't help but be dumbfounded: wasn't this the magic artifact he had broken into over a dozen pieces and put up for auction?

He realized this was promotional material from Jiade Auction House, which had gone to great lengths to maximize its profits.

They had reassembled the jade vase, even though Ye Fan had only allowed the pieces to be auctioned individually, not as a whole. The jade itself was undeniably of the highest quality.

Each piece was incredibly expensive, but after selling only two, the auction house, unwilling to settle, launched this promotion, informing people that if all pieces were collected, they could be reassembled into a complete Jade Purifying Vase!

The strategy proved remarkably effective. In just a few days, it caused a sensation in City B, quickly spreading nationwide. Now, everyone was talking about it, and posters were everywhere.

In recent days, with the auction of the third and fourth mutton-fat jade pieces, the entire collecting world had been abuzz. This was truly a rare treasure.

Exorbitant prices! Each jade piece sold for an astronomical sum, with terrifyingly high transaction amounts. Major media outlets reported on it, and all portal websites competed to break the news.

This was indeed a rare mutton-fat jade, meticulously refined by Ye Fan during his artifact crafting, entirely without blemish. Aesthetically, it was an unparalleled masterpiece.

However, the sky-high prices weren't primarily due to its inherent value; it was all the power of speculation. This mysterious mutton-fat jade vase was now priced comparably to national treasures.

Jiade Auction House's tactics were clever, expertly leveraging human psychology. They allowed true connoisseurs to experience the thrill and satisfaction of collecting each piece, which surprisingly made the combined value even higher than if the vase had been intact.

They also displayed various historical documents, such as Buddhist stone carvings and ancient illustrations, to assert that this vase was identical to the legendary Guanyin Jade Purifying Vase.

This explanation was undoubtedly captivating. Even knowing it couldn't be true, it evoked a profound sense of peace, and displaying such a precious vase offered an inexplicable comfort.

"Perhaps it truly is the precious vase left behind by Bodhisattva Guanyin," people mused. "Who has ever seen such flawless jade, such a large piece without a single impurity? It's practically a miracle."

Even ordinary citizens were discussing it, which showed just how successful Jiade Auction House's marketing campaign had been.

This fervent discussion reached new heights when several masters arrived from India. Upon entering the auction house and seeing the fragmented vase, the old monks' expressions changed dramatically, and they excitedly chanted "Sakyamuni Buddha."

This scene was filmed and posted online, naturally causing a stir. Someone recognized one of the old monks as a master from India.

Although Buddhism was in decline in India, with fewer than one percent of the population being adherents, it still maintained a certain following.

"Guanyin's lost earthly vase" became the new marketing buzz, and the price of the mutton-fat jade vase fragments soared even higher!

Ye Fan stood speechless. This was never his intention; otherwise, he wouldn't have shattered the vase in the first place. Shaking his head, he couldn't believe things had escalated to this point.

Two days later, Ye Fan met the four masters and their entourage at an antique tea house.

Upon their first meeting, Ye Fan was somewhat taken aback. He found it difficult to reconcile the image of a cultivator with an Indian master skillfully using a mobile phone to make a call.

Upon inquiry, he learned that the master was dealing with an extraordinary matter, urgently requesting a large sum of money to be wired from India, as they intended to bid on a jade purifying vase.

Ye Fan was momentarily stunned; his creations had gone international, which was entirely unforeseen. After a brief probe, he discerned that the four masters could barely be considered cultivators. They had all opened their Sea of Suffering, but only one had entered the Realm of the Spring of Life.

He shook his head. At their age, these individuals would never be able to break through the first secret realm of the human body, the Wheel of the Sea.

He felt no disdain; rather, he held a degree of respect. In this era of declining dharma, it was incredibly difficult to embark on the path of cultivation, and their achievements were quite remarkable.

If they were in the Big Dipper Star Domain, these individuals might indeed achieve great things and be truly revered as "masters."

"Masters, why are you interested in that jade purifying vase?" Ye Fan asked casually.

"It is a magical artifact," an old monk replied through a translator. "Though damaged and its power gone, it still inspires us."

Ye Fan nodded. Though these individuals' cultivation was limited, their insight was not; they recognized it as a magical artifact. It seemed the jade vase might indeed stir up some trouble because of this.

The old monks were all over a hundred years old, especially the master who had reached the Spring of Life realm, who was a remarkable 120. Yet, all of them were spirited and energetic, truly anomalies among ordinary mortals.

The monks were humble, genuine renunciates who did not speak of their martial arts, divine powers, or profound Buddhist scriptures. What they spoke of as "divine miracles" was relayed by the translator.

The translator recounted how, in India, he had seen a master single-handedly hold back an elephant's leg to save a child. He also witnessed an old monk meditating motionlessly in mid-air, though only for a brief moment. Furthermore, he had seen white light emanating from an old monk's mouth and nose pierce through a steel plate.

Ye Fan nodded, saying nothing.

The age of declining dharma was a sorrow for cultivators. These few individuals were ascetics who appeared among millions, reaching their current stage purely through immense perseverance.

He sighed lightly. It seemed incredibly difficult to find a true cultivator on Earth.

Before long, the old monks spoke directly about the ancient Sanskrit characters, their expressions serious, earnest, and filled with reverence.

The renowned authority on ancient Sanskrit was also present; surprisingly, he was a disciple of one of the masters. Though highly esteemed in the field of ancient languages, he showed utmost respect in the masters' presence.

The masters respectfully inquired where Ye Fan had obtained the ancient Sanskrit characters, as this held immense significance for them.

"Do you recognize these characters? What do they mean?" Ye Fan asked.

The masters remained silent, remembering their monastic vows not to lie. They did not wish to deceive Ye Fan, but the matter felt too significant to speak much about.

Finally, one master asked the accompanying individuals to leave, keeping only the ancient language authority, who was also fluent in Chinese and could serve as a translator.

"My teacher says their true meaning is: 'The path to Spirit Mountain can be opened.'"

"Spirit Mountain, where the ancient Bodhisattvas and ancient Buddhas resided?" Ye Fan's eyes gleamed.

"Yes," the old monks nodded.

"Do you believe such a place exists?" Ye Fan asked earnestly.

"Yes, it is in the western lands," one master replied, explaining that it was a secret passed down through generations of eminent monks. "However, after the last Bodhisattvas and ancient Buddhas passed away, that place could no longer be opened."

"Is it the original Buddhist dojo? It seems there might indeed be a mysterious place, as vast as Mount Sumeru. I sensed it last time in the Tibetan region," Ye Fan murmured to himself.

The old monks earnestly pleaded to see the sacred object inscribed with the ancient characters.

Ye Fan sighed. Even if he were to take out the small stone Buddha, they lacked the powerful divine sense required to penetrate and observe its interior. Even he had to exert considerable effort to delve deep within the Buddha's body.

He didn't immediately agree, instead asking a few questions. He wanted to know if there were any ancient cultivation sects on Earth today, but the masters looked bewildered, shook their heads, and said they had no knowledge of any.

"Have you not encountered similar individuals, those with cultivation profound enough to be considered god-like by mortals?" Ye Fan pressed, unwilling to give up.

They immediately nodded, affirming such people existed. The master who had reached the Spring of Life realm stated that his own master might know something, as he was nearly such a person himself.

According to him, that old monk was over 190 years old, possessed a much higher level of cultivation, and had witnessed many mysteries throughout his life.

"My master says, 'In the West, there are Buddhas; in the Central Lands, demons emerge.'"

Ye Fan chuckled upon hearing this, asking if it meant the master was referring to Taoism in the Central Lands as demonic.

The masters quickly pressed their palms together, shaking their heads repeatedly and saying they wouldn't dare imply that. They held no prejudice against Taoism; what they spoke of were true demons, though they had never seen any themselves.

They had already realized that Ye Fan was no ordinary person; otherwise, they wouldn't have revealed so many secrets to him.

"During World War II, my master journeyed as an ascetic and came to China. He didn't find any demons, but he truly encountered a demon god."

An old monk over 190 years old, of a terrifying age, spanning three centuries, naturally lived through World War II.

However, this ascetic did not interact with the demon god of the Central Lands; he merely witnessed its immense demonic aura from afar, carefully avoiding any encounter.

"Do you remember where he saw it?" Ye Fan asked.

"That would require asking my master."

Speaking of unusual individuals and god-like beings, another old monk recounted a personal experience from his youth. While practicing asceticism in a primeval rainforest in India, he once saw a disheveled, strange person flying through the air, who then vanished into the mountains.

"My grand-master said there are truly powerful beings in Jerusalem."

Another master spoke, mentioning that his grand-master, who had lived to be 230 years old before passing away, had once traveled alone to the West and encountered god-like beings.

Ye Fan's heart stirred. Jerusalem, the holy city of the West, steeped in endless legends, was a central hub for ancient religions. Countless Christians, Jews, and Muslims made pilgrimages there annually. It was possible something truly significant still existed there, making it worth a visit someday.

The old monks once again earnestly pleaded to see the sacred object inscribed with Sanskrit.

Ye Fan conjured the small stone Buddha out of thin air, astonishing the masters. They became even more convinced that this young man was likely a god-like being.

No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't perceive the mysteries within the small stone Buddha. Finally, Ye Fan took out a stone tablet and, using his finger as a knife, inscribed the ancient characters onto it, imbuing them with spiritual traces.

Ye Fan handed the stone tablet over, saying, "Take this back to India and show it to your master. Ask him to come, or invite several true masters with profound cultivation to the Central Lands to discuss the small stone Buddha together."

The masters dared not be negligent. They solemnly accepted the stone tablet, bowed deeply, and took their leave.

At the same time, inside Jiade Auction House, an eerie young man stared at the fragments of the mutton-fat jade vase, a strange glint in his eyes, followed by a series of cold sneers.