Chapter 943: Ascending the Spiritual Mountain Path

News arrived from India. Several venerable monks gave it their full attention, and Xumati, an elder monk over 190 years old, departed, inviting two old acquaintances to accompany him.

Two days later, accompanied by four gurus and the ancient Sanskrit authority, Xumati and the other two elder monks arrived in B City to meet Ye Fan.

Even with significant advancements in medicine, an elder monk who could live to be over 190 years old was still a miracle to ordinary people.

Xumati was full of vigor; though incredibly aged, he still walked briskly, his body robust, and his words resonated like a ringing bronze bell with a metallic tremor.

The two old men walking beside him were similar; they appeared to be of a similar age. They were gaunt and tall, with yellowish skin, skeletal frames, and deep-set eyes, yet they were full of energy.

They pressed their palms together in a respectful greeting to Ye Fan, their expressions serene. These three men had lived across three centuries, experienced the myriad forms of the mundane world, and could truly be called eminent monks.

Ye Fan returned the greeting and nodded inwardly. Xumati and the other two were indeed extraordinary; having entered the Dao Palace Secret Realm, the extension of their lifespan was naturally to be expected.

On the other side of the starry sky, to only enter the Dao Palace Secret Realm at such an age was truly nothing to boast about, barely qualifying one as a cultivator.

However, with Earth in its twilight era, achieving such cultivation was truly difficult. It could be said that these three were already considered prodigies.

Ye Fan invited them to sit. He casually waved his right hand, and several cups of tea infused with spiritual medicine appeared out of thin air, instantly astounding the three old monks.

From the moment they met this young man, they knew they had encountered someone with great divine abilities, whose cultivation likely rivaled that of ancient sect masters.

Whether it was the three old monks, the four gurus, or the ancient Sanskrit authority, their faces filled with awe and astonishment upon receiving the spiritual medicine tea.

“Heaven and Earth have changed. In this present era, to still possess such heavenly materials and earthly treasures is truly an anomaly. This hospitality is too great; we can barely accept it.”

They all pressed their palms together, expressing their devout gratitude. Such spiritual medicine was truly something they had never seen before.

Ye Fan had many questions. He got straight to the point, immediately asking if there were still ancient sects on Earth and where they were located, as he wanted to understand the cultivation world.

“In ancient times, there were many great religions, ancient schools stood in great numbers, and powerful individuals were abundant, not lacking in those with great divine abilities. But now, everything has changed,” Xumati said.

In ancient India, Buddhism once flourished, replacing Brahmanism, with numerous adherents and ancient temples appearing like falling rain. Eventually, however, it declined.

Today's Hinduism originated from Vedic religion and Brahmanism, and, like a cycle, it replaced Buddhism. Of course, various religions integrated with each other, coexisting, and now seem to have become a symbiotic whole.

Xumati explained that in ancient times, if one were to disregard faith and only discuss schools of divine abilities, there were numerous sects. Among them, the Vedic religion had a profound influence, being the predecessor of Brahmanism, and Shakyamuni himself had practiced Brahmanism before becoming a monk.

A copy of the *Vedas* spanned the rise and fall of several religions, from Vedic religion to Brahmanism, then to Buddhism, completing a cycle. And now, the *Vedas* are revered once more.

Xumati spoke extensively, discussing many ancient traditions, stating that there were indeed many inheritances at that time, like a hundred flowers blooming and competing for beauty, with powerful individuals everywhere.

Later, everything declined, and the temple where he resided happened to experience a great catastrophe, losing a significant portion of its teachings and becoming completely marginalized, losing contact with its former sister schools.

In this current era, even he was unsure if the various schools still existed. He only knew a few people who understood cultivation, but he felt that the schools should still be there, though due to being in the twilight era, they had all gone into seclusion and were unknown to the public.

Ye Fan was somewhat interested in the *Vedas*, and asked to borrow a copy to peruse. He knew that this was certainly not the same scripture ordinary people viewed today; it must contain secret cultivation chapters.

“What do you know about the Middle-earth? For instance, Daoism, or the emergence of devils in Middle-earth, or ancient demon-god bloodlines, and so on.” To be honest, he wasn't particularly interested in ancient India; he was more eager to learn about the various religions of ancient China.

Xumati looked solemn and said, “The Middle-earth is unfathomable; we do not understand it well.”

He held genuine reverence for the Middle-earth. He didn't understand Daoism and had never encountered anyone from that religion. What he knew about the emergence of devils in Middle-earth was also something he had heard from his ancestors, and he didn't fully comprehend it.

His only personal experience was seeing a demon-god like existence that made him tremble. He only dared to glimpse it from afar, not daring to approach, and then retreated.

“Where did you see it?”

Xumati named a place, and Ye Fan's expression changed. It turned out to be a battlefield from many years ago, where countless people had died.

During World War II, Xumati had traveled east on a pilgrimage, and at a battlefield, he saw a terrifying bloody light pierce the heavens, then spread out like a vast ocean.

“This demon really knows how to pick its timing,” Ye Fan muttered to himself.

In those years, countless heroic souls had perished, the entire land was filled with bloodshed and sorrow. In this twilight era, perhaps it was a rare opportunity for a great demon to advance, forged from blood and souls.

“Did it make a move?” Ye Fan asked.

“No,” Xumati said, “cultivators are not permitted to interfere with worldly affairs. This is a rule established in ancient times, respected by all under heaven, passed down through generations, and no one dares to defy it.”

Ye Fan nodded without speaking, but inwardly, he was pondering how powerful that demon-god was.

With Xumati's discernment at the time, he couldn't have been mistaken. The surging blood energy and immense demonic might were astonishing. At the very least, it was a sect master-level figure.

“Very unusual. To have such an ancient demon still exist in this twilight era is truly unexpected. I wonder where it is now,” Ye Fan muttered to himself.

“Could this lineage be related to the fake Pang Bo incident?” He suddenly made this connection.

According to Xumati, the Middle-earth was very complex and profound, and that demon-god was merely one example. He had also heard elder monks from earlier generations mention encountering another terrifying existence, though he didn't fully understand the details.

Finally, they set off, taking the small stone Buddha to the Tibetan region, hoping to open a path to Spirit Mountain.

Buddhism had declined in India, but had flourished in the Middle-earth. In ancient times, a meditating Bodhisattva had left a prophecy that Spirit Mountain would move eastward, and according to the conjectures of later Arhats, it should be in the Tibetan region.

Spirit Mountain was the original sacred ground of Buddhism. It had existed long before Shakyamuni unified the religion. Monks at that time practiced self-mortification and possessed great divine abilities.

Before Shakyamuni established his teachings, monks on Earth were scattered. Spirit Mountain was the only place that could summon them, a mysterious ancient land.

“Unfortunately,” Xumati said, “after the last Bodhisattva and Ancient Buddha entered nirvana, no one has been able to open the path to Spirit Mountain from the outside.”

Xumati stated that this small stone Buddha might be a crucial sacred artifact, perhaps capable of unraveling an age-old mystery, discovering that original sacred ground, where there might still be living beings!

Ye Fan did not bring Xiaosong, only temporarily taking the small stone Buddha. The ancient sacred ground, Spirit Mountain, was no less perilous than Mount Sumeru and could pose very terrible dangers, so he didn't want the innocent little one to be exposed to such risks.

The group walked through the uninhabited area, enveloped in tranquility. The sky was azure, with occasional clouds that were pure white. Both the air and the scenery were pristine.

Perhaps this was the only pure land left. Now, human footprints were everywhere, tall buildings stood dense, steel and concrete obscured the fragrance of flowers and grasses, and original, natural scenery was lacking.

Ye Fan held the small stone Buddha in his hand, empowering it with his energy, causing it to emit boundless light. Finally, several ancient characters within its body materialized, while his own golden blood energy surged skyward.

Everyone present trembled with immense reverence. Such powerful potentates could scarcely appear in the world anymore, yet now they had witnessed one with their own eyes.

Xumati and the other three old monks recited some Buddhist mantras, informing Ye Fan that they were left by ancient elders, and perhaps through them, Spirit Mountain could be found.

Ye Fan continued onward, silently reciting the mantras as they had instructed. The small stone Buddha became increasingly radiant, the divine halo behind its head fully materialized, clanging when tapped, and its pair of Buddha eyes seemed on the verge of opening.

“Heaven and Earth feel different. Look, some great mountains have suddenly appeared ahead!” one guru exclaimed in surprise.

It was a very strange sight. Numerous colossal mountains appeared on the horizon, extremely tall, soaring into the clouds, making one feel breathless with their majestic presence.

However, each mountain was indistinct, not clearly visible, carrying a sense of etherealness, standing majestically at the ends of Heaven and Earth.

“A path has appeared, but it's intermittent...” another guru said, pointing ahead, visibly moved.

It was an ancient path, never seen before, but now it had suddenly appeared, leading into the depths of the distant great mountains.

“This is... the path to Spirit Mountain!” Xumati trembled all over, a demeanor quite unbefitting an enlightened monk, simply because he was too excited.

While empowering the small stone Buddha with his energy and reciting the mantras, Ye Fan felt a vast Buddhist power surging from afar. That spiritual wave made one want to prostrate in worship, transcending everything.

“It really is Spirit Mountain!” Ye Fan’s eyes sparkled brightly. This feeling was identical to the brief sensation he had experienced when he entered the Tibetan region not long ago, but this time it was incredibly persistent.

An ancient path wound its way toward them. The group stepped onto the path and proceeded step by step. It was very mysterious; there were many ancient ruins along the way, it didn't resemble the real world at all.

The distant mountains were exceedingly majestic, hidden somewhere in the real world unknown to them. Ye Fan hadn't discovered them the last time he crossed the Tibetan region, yet now they were so imposing.

“Ah, there’s a corpse ahead!” a guru exclaimed, walking over.

The path was ancient, as if no one had walked it since antiquity. The rocks were etched with the marks of time and weathering. An emaciated old monk, his skin yellowed, lay ahead, his life force extinguished.

What they saw was not an illusion; it was a real corpse, cold to the touch. His monastic robes were extremely old, turning to dust with a light touch.

“He must have been dead for at least several hundred years,” a guru said.

On the rock in front of him, a line of ancient characters was carved, appearing to be his last words, hastily inscribed before his end, written in ancient Sanskrit.

After carefully examining it, Xumati explained the general meaning: This was an enlightened monk who was devoutly devoted to Buddhism but could not find Spirit Mountain. Before he entered nirvana, a flash of wisdom appeared in his mind, leading him on an arduous pilgrimage to this place, where he found the ancient path, but his lifespan had also run out.

They did not delay and continued their journey. Ye Fan empowered the small stone Buddha and continuously recited the mantras. The ancient path extended, leading them through massive mountains that were utterly unseen in the mortal world.

“A dilapidated palace!”

Soon after, they came upon an ancient temple. It was not large, consisting only of a single stone hall. An old monk had entered nirvana within it. He, too, had left a message, stating that the path to Spirit Mountain ended here, and beyond lay vast emptiness, with no hope in sight.

“This was a great potentate, whose skin even had a faint golden hue, almost achieving Arhat status,” the gurus all said, pressing their palms together and reciting the name of Shakyamuni Buddha.

Ye Fan paused. The ancient path ahead became increasingly distant, seeming endless, leading to an unknown destination. Was this still on Earth? he pondered inwardly.

A boundless, ocean-like spiritual Buddhist power surged forth, vast and infinite. Was Spirit Mountain, comparable to Mount Sumeru, truly ahead? He wondered if he could enter that ancient sacred ground.