The golden light came from the Earth Book fragment.
The tower spirit, the old monk, extended his palm, letting the golden light fall into his hand. It was a bronze plaque engraved with Buddhist script.
At first, Xu Qi’an had wondered if it was because of the Mahayana Buddhism that the tower spirit monk had spoken in such a manner, but as soon as he could see the Buddhist plaque clearly, his expression grew extremely strange.
This item was something he had looted from Chu Xianglong, the deputy general under the Zhenbei King, when he killed him.
Back then, Xu Qi’an had only glanced at it roughly and tossed it into the Earth Book fragment without a second thought.
“This is…”
He stared at the old monk’s palm, weighing his words and probing.
“This is the Buddhist plaque symbolising the identity of the Dharmapara Bodhisattva. Seeing this plaque is as if seeing the Bodhisattva himself.” The tower spirit old monk smiled.
A Buddhist plaque symbolising the Bodhisattva’s identity… Xu Qi’an was taken aback. His thoughts raced: why would the Buddhist plaque belonging to Dharmapara Bodhisattva be on Chu Xianglong?
What was the relationship between the two? After killing Chu Xianglong, would the Dharmapara Bodhisattva seek revenge against him?
“If you possess Dharmapara Bodhisattva’s plaque, then you are naturally the owner of the Stupa tower.”
At this point, the old monk said in a deep voice, “Patron, where and when did you meet Dharmapara Bodhisattva?”
…For a while, Xu Qi’an had no answer. He thought, isn’t Dharmapara Bodhisattva supposed to be at Ananda? How could I possibly have met him…?
Wait! Chu Xianglong surely never went to Ananda either. How did he get the Buddhist plaque?
This thought flashed through his mind. Xu Qi’an shook his head and replied ambiguously, “I have not met the Dharmapara Bodhisattva.”
The tower spirit old monk explained, “Dharmapara Bodhisattva has been missing for three hundred and sixty years, with no word whatsoever. Even Vaidurya Bodhisattva was unable to find him.”
Missing for three hundred and sixty years… Xu Qi’an breathed a sigh of relief. In that case, no one would be able to expose his identity as a fake disciple.
He feigned confusion:
“I remember now. This Buddhist plaque was given to me by an old wandering monk as thanks for a meal, but I never thought it was so precious. By the way, why did Dharmapara Bodhisattva suddenly disappear, not allowing the Buddhist sect to find him?”
This not only explained the origin of the plaque, but also emphasised his own ‘innocence’, and in passing, probed the truth behind Dharmapara Bodhisattva’s disappearance.
“That’s not right!” said the old monk.
Not right? Could it be that the monk Dharmapara is a woman? Xu Qi’an nearly had a visible change of expression.
The old monk scrutinised Xu Qi’an and hesitantly said:
“Dharmapara Bodhisattva did not give you this Buddhist plaque because of a meal. Once you possess this plaque, you form a karmic connection with a first-rank Bodhisattva. For ordinary people, this is not a good thing. But I can see that you are already entangled with many karmic ties; one more makes no difference. Presumably, that’s why Dharmapara Bodhisattva chose you.”
Pah, the old monk’s words sounded just like saying: Patron, you’re an old general on stage, your whole body is covered in flags.
Xu Qi’an forced a smile. “Perhaps so… By the way, may I ask, Master, if I had chosen to release Shenshu earlier, would you really have agreed?”
The old monk nodded, “Once the seal is broken, it would be the moment of your deaths. After Shenshu devoured your blood, I would trap him again, and then wait for the Bodhisattvas from Ananda to handle him.”
The older the ginger, the spicier… Xu Qi’an looked once more at Shenshu’s severed arm and asked:
“Who was the owner of this hand?”
The old monk pondered for a moment, then waved his wide sleeve through the air, revealing a scroll that only Xu Qi’an could see.
On the scroll, the Buddha’s golden body sat solemnly, kindly-eyed and dignified, yet with an air of majesty.
To the left and right of Buddha sat nine Bodhisattvas, each symbolising one of the nine dharma bodies, and eighteen Arhats.
This was exactly the scene on the first floor of the Stupa tower.
Was Shenshu hidden among the Bodhisattvas? Xu Qi’an was still wondering, when he saw the “scene” draw upwards, rising towards the unfathomable mists above.
In the next instant, the entire first floor of the pagoda appeared in his vision:
Above the heads of the Buddhist Bodhisattvas, deep within the mist, was an enormous, pitch-black dharma body. It had twelve pairs of arms, a blazing fiery ring behind its head, and a black flame-shaped mark on its forehead.
Its face was ferocious and sinister, baring its fangs and claws in a menacing pose, chillingly overlooking the Buddha, Bodhisattvas, and Arhats below, as if they were the most delicious of prey.
The picture had clear layers: the lower tier was filled with dignified and harmonious Buddhist atmosphere, while the upper tier was like a hellish place of terror and gloom, creating an incredibly strong visual impact.
Xu Qi’an’s heart began to pound violently, so loud he could almost hear the thumping himself.
He instantly recognised the pitch-black figure: it was Shenshu.
When killing the Zhenbei King in Chuzhou, Shenshu had used the power of the blood pill to cast a secret spell, briefly appearing as this dharma body.
What does this picture mean? Does Shenshu ‘feed’ on the Buddhist sect? Is Shenshu the enemy of all Buddhism? Could he threaten the Bodhisattvas and Arhats, even the Buddha? Is he lurking in the mist, coveting the whole of Buddhism?
One conjecture after another burst in his mind, accompanied by a shuddering sense of fear.
The old monk waved his hand, dispersing the image, and pressed his palms together. “Do you understand?”
…Xu Qi’an opened his mouth, wanting to ask more, but could not manage to speak.
The tower spirit drew a swastika on the Buddhist plaque and handed it back to Xu Qi’an, saying:
“With this plaque, you can control the Stupa tower to a basic extent. Patron, you may choose to pilot the tower and leave Leizhou, but you must not use it to harm disciples of the Buddhist sect.”
I can control the Stupa tower? Xu Qi’an was about to express his gratitude when suddenly he heard Li Shaoyun call from behind:
“What are you daydreaming about?”
He snapped awake, as if from a long dream. There was no shackle in his hand, nor had Shenshu’s left arm revived. If not for the plaque in his palm, he would have doubted everything just now had been a dream.
Xu Qi’an instinctively looked at the tower spirit old monk. The monk still sat cross-legged, eyes downcast and hands pressed together, as quiet as a sculpture.
“No need to look at him. He won’t intervene in anything, much less help us.”
Li Shaoyun followed his gaze towards the old monk, “I just asked him to send us out, but he refused. Also, this monk is very good at arithmetic.”
Good at arithmetic? Do monks in this world need a university degree as well… Xu Qi’an joked to himself, carefully putting the Buddhist plaque away, and asked:
“What do you want to say?”
Li Shaoyun rolled his eyes. “It’s getting dark. Sun Xuanji still hasn’t managed to deal with the enemies outside. If we haven’t escaped by dawn tomorrow, we’ll be trapped and die here. Everyone is very anxious. Do you have any ideas?”
Xu Qi’an immediately looked out the window of the pagoda. The sky was a deep indigo; the sun had completely sunk below the horizon.
Outside, all was quiet, with only the occasional sound of cannon fire, proof that the fighting had not stopped.
Inside the tower, the Leizhou martial artists, once calm and unhurried during the day, had become fretful and uneasy.
Because they realised Sun Xuanji might not be able to rescue them under the watchful eyes of two third ranks, and as time passed, everyone was inevitably heading towards ‘certain defeat’.
“The third rank arcanist’s shells have run out.”
“Fire! Fire! All day long you know only how to fire at the monks. Are there no other means?”
“As expected, the combat abilities of arcanists are completely untrustworthy. If Silver Gong Xu were here, the Protector Vajra would have been sent into reincarnation by now.”
“Yes, Silver Gong Xu is invincible. Most importantly, he’s a martial artist.”
Anxious tension quietly brewed and fermented among the crowd, and many regretted coming to Sanhua Temple to muddy the waters.
At this moment, Yuan Yi, Tang Yuanwu, and Liu Yun came over together. The Leizhou Commander asked:
“What countermeasures do you have, sir?”
He had come to discuss with Xu Qi’an. If it truly came to it, they might consider returning the Dragon Qi to the Buddhist sect. Then, with Sun Xuanji stepping in to mediate, perhaps their lives could be spared.
While he was still pondering how to begin speaking, Yuan Yi heard Xu Qian say,
“I’ll take you away right now.”
What?!
Liu Yun and the others doubted their ears, and in the next second looked at Xu Qian, both shocked and delighted.
Fasten your seatbelts… Xu Qi’an joked, then infused his qi into the Buddhist plaque, splitting off a wisp of divine sense to immerse into it. Instantly, he felt a certain connection between himself and the Stupa tower.
This connection was weaker than with the Taiping sabre, and on the same level as with the Earth Book fragment.
This meant that, although he was now the master of the Stupa tower, he was not its true master.
To put it figuratively: the Taiping sabre was his own son, whereas the Earth Book fragment and the Stupa tower were like his stepfathers.
Considering the status of the Earth Book and the Stupa tower, “stepfather” truly fit.
Xu Qi’an gripped the Buddhist plaque tightly and said in a deep voice, “Rise!”
…
Outside the Stupa tower, the Dongfang sisters and the monks of Sanhua Temple sat in groups.
Compared to the intense barrage during the day, the occasional cannon fire now was no longer enough to be a threat.
Yet they dared not stray too far from the Stupa tower; everyone suspected Sun Xuanji was certainly in a helpless fury, and might vent his anger on them, going on a slaughter.
Furthermore, wave after wave of shelling had destroyed more than half of Sanhua Temple. The main hall had collapsed, there were countless craters, and everything was devastation.
Abbot Panlong chanted a Buddhist mantra and sighed,
“If we endure this night, the Stupa tower will close its doors, trapping the thieves inside and letting them die there. It will count as an explanation to Hengyin and all our deceased brothers.”
The monks of Sanhua Temple felt both satisfaction and hatred.
Dongfang Wanrong laughed, “But if the Commander Yuan Yi dies inside the tower, the royal court of the Great Feng will surely hold the Buddhist sect accountable. The Buddhist sect had better prepare to bear the wrath of the court.”
“Benefactor, there is no need to fan the flames.”
The warrior monk Jingyuan said calmly, “The Great Feng has been weak for a long time. Since the official evaluation, Zhenbei King, the Emperor, and Wei Yuan have all died in succession. That famed young man Xu Qi’an has also been ruined. How could the court possibly demand accountability?”
“Exactly. Yuan Yi incited Leizhou’s jianghu to attack our temple. The Buddhist sect should be holding him accountable.” A Sanhua Temple monk said indignantly.
A disciple from the East Sea Dragon Palace chimed in, “Other than the Jianzheng, the Great Feng has no more top experts.”
These disciples of the Church of the Warlock God burst out laughing.
In the distance, Protector Vajra Du’nan stood at the tower gate, silent.
Master of Wisdom Irbu and Sun Xuanji at the artillery platform were still playing their cat-and-mouse game.
At that moment, the Stupa tower suddenly started trembling, the vibrations growing ever more intense. Chunks of plaster fell from the walls, and tiles clattered down, shattering to pieces.
Everyone looked up towards the tower in shock.
“What’s going on? What’s happening inside the tower?”
“Has the Stupa tower come to life?”
This sudden turn left everyone dazed and buzzing with discussion.
Abbot Panlong murmured, “This tower has stood in the temple for five hundred years and has never stirred. Why is this, why is this?”
Without hesitation, everyone looked to Protector Vajra Du’nan, but found that the usually steady-as-a-mountain third rank Vajra finally showed confusion, shock, and puzzlement.
A streak of black fell beside the tower. Irbu, clad in a warlock’s robe, looked up and asked sternly,
“What’s happening?”
Vajra Du’nan pondered, “Perhaps Dharmapara Bodhisattva is nearby, and the tower spirit sensed his presence.”
Dharmapara Bodhisattva?
The Buddhist monks were overjoyed at this.
Yes, if not sensing its master nearby, how else could the tower spirit be so riled?
Since the Bodhisattva was here, the thieves inside the tower couldn’t escape, and that troublesome Sun Xuanji would be no threat anymore.
This battle for the treasure was, it seemed, a false alarm in the end.
“Amitabha. Since Dharmapara Bodhisattva has arrived, the matter ought to reach a conclusion.” Abbot Panlong pressed his palms together in relief.
The East Sea Dragon Palace disciples were filled with envy. The Buddhist sect was sprawling and powerful, packed with experts. First rank Bodhisattvas could appear at will, it was no wonder that Buddhist monks were always so confident.
It would be hard not to be.
Jingxin and Jingyuan exchanged glances, a bit perplexed. As monks of Aranda, they knew some inside information: Dharmapara Bodhisattva had vanished for three hundred and sixty years without a trace.
And now he simply appeared?
While some were puzzled, others were elated or envious. All the while, Master Irbu kept his eyes on the top of the Stupa tower and said solemnly,
“There’s someone at the top of the tower.”
At these words, everyone instinctively looked up at the spire.
There, silhouetted against the indigo sky at the very tip, stood a man in azure. Alone in the wind, his robe fluttered as he gazed down coldly at the crowd below.
The Dongfang sisters’ faces changed abruptly.
“It’s Xu Qian!”
The others quickly recognised the azure-robed man, it was Xu Qian, who had summoned Sun Xuanji and killed Hengyin, the head monk.
When did he get out of the tower?
Vajra Du’nan’s expression finally shifted.
“Rivers and mountains stay, flowing waters never end. Many thanks to the Buddhist sect for your gift! Farewell, everyone!”
The azure-robed man pressed his palms together in a salute.
As his words fell, the Stupa tower burst forth with a blinding golden light, and the towering structure lifted off, soaring straight for the clouds.
Two figures instantly gave chase, Du’nan Vajra wreathed in brilliant gold, and the black-robed Irbu flying as a black streak.
Vajra Du’nan was not as fast as the Stupa tower and was instantly left behind. Irbu’s dark light chased swiftly, gradually closing the gap.
The Stupa tower shuddered, emitting an oppressive aura. Irbu felt as if struck by lightning, his magic stagnated, as though suppressed.
Seizing this moment, the Stupa tower turned into a stream of light and vanished over the horizon.
…
Within Sanhua Temple, the factions from the East Sea Dragon Palace and the monks stood dumbstruck.
“No, it’s not Dharmapara Bodhisattva…”
A monk gulped, “The Stupa tower has— has been stolen…”
The monk’s minds were thrown into chaos, unable to make sense of what had just happened. How could a treasure belonging to a dignified first rank Bodhisattva be snatched away just like that?
What about the tower spirit?
Was the tower spirit asleep?
Jingxin looked towards the Dongfang sisters, his face frozen in shock and confusion. He murmured, “Who exactly is that Xu Qian?”
He’s just someone who couldn’t even beat Wanqing… Dongfang Wanrong opened her mouth, but no words came. She could no longer trust her own judgment.
Dongfang Wanqing answered for her sister, “We met him on the way to Leizhou. He…”
At this, Dongfang Wanrong’s lovely face clouded with confusion, as if she’d forgotten what she wanted to say.
Just then, a monk pointed to the spot where the Stupa tower had stood and asked in surprise,
“Eh, why is there an empty space here?”
Abbot Panlong looked over and said, “That’s…”
He froze. Yes, why was there an empty spot there?
…
The night was dark and heavy over the Leizhou border.
Golden light roared through the air and landed in a mountain valley.
The night was thick, the mountains silent, with only the occasional call of a night owl echoing.
Sun Xuanji, accompanied by Mu Nanzhi and Li Lingsu, entered the Stupa tower. Guided by Xu Qi’an, they ascended to the third floor.
Mu Nanzhi, holding the little white fox, looked around. She saw the jianghu folks crowded by the two windows, staring dumbfounded at the darkness outside.
“You— you stole the Stupa tower?”
Li Shaoyun wore the expression of someone seeing a ghost, staring at the man in azure before him. “How did you do it?”
My wife taught me… Xu Qi’an mocked him in silence, but remained calm on the surface. “Would I have entered the Stupa tower without absolute certainty?”
At these words, Commander Yuan Yi revealed an expression of admiration. “Sir, your strategies are unfathomable. I, Yuan, have little knowledge, and did not know the Great Feng had such a person as you.”
Liu Yun immediately looked over, her eyes sparkling.
“He may not be a man of the Great Feng,” Li Shaoyun muttered to the side.
This person was skilled in Gu techniques. Although he looked typically Central Plains, appearances could be changed.
Sun Xuanji looked at Xu Qi’an and said, “I’ve…”
The little fox didn’t like the atmosphere inside the Stupa tower much, so it curled up in Mu Nanzhi’s arms, raised a little paw and said softly:
“So powerful, so powerful, truly worthy of being Sister Yeji’s man.”
Did he come to Leizhou to seize the Stupa tower? This, this was something I never expected… thought Li Lingsu in a complicated mood.
Sun Xuanji looked at Xu Qi’an and said, “alre…”
Mu Nanzhi’s expression changed slightly. She lowered her head. “Sister Yeji?”
—‘s Man?
The little white fox made a sound of affirmation. “Sister Yeji is my third sister.”
No wonder, no wonder he said she was the little sister of an old acquaintance… Mu Nanzhi scrutinised it for a moment, her face cold, then threw the little white fox away.
Plop!
The little white fox landed on the ground. It was only as long as an adult’s forearm, dainty and petite, tilting its head, its watery fox eyes looking innocently at Mu Nanzhi, completely at a loss as to why it had been treated so roughly.
Mu Nanzhi glared at Xu Qi’an, sighed, and picked the little white fox up again, stroking its head in comfort.
She couldn’t actually hold a grudge against a little fox cub.
Sun Xuanji looked at Xu Qi’an and said, “…dy…”
Xu Qi’an raised his voice, “Everyone, the matter here is settled. To avoid being tracked, I will leave immediately, and right now I’ll send you all out of the tower.”
A jianghu wanderer hesitated for a while, then cautiously asked, “Sir, you said before that the treasures would be, well, fairly divided…”
Immediately, all eyes turned to Xu Qi’an.
The Leizhou martial artists dared not make a sound, nor did they dare to pressure him, but held their breath and watched.
Wanderers of the jianghu loved scrambling for treasures most of all, mainly because they had no patron nor resources. To make a name for themselves, they had to risk life and limb in every contest.
Just like how a poor student must toil bitterly, hang their head from the beam and stab their thigh with an awl, endure ten years’ hardship for a sliver of opportunity.
Only those who’ve cultivated alone know the bitterness.
The old monk, sitting like a sculpture with downcast eyes, also lifted his head and looked at Xu Qi’an.
Yuan Yi, Li Shaoyun, Tang Yuanwu and the other Rank 4 martial artists said nothing, but the glances they shot over contained a hint of hope.
They hadn’t spoken up earlier because they felt they were no longer in a position to haggle with Xu Qian.
That’s how things were in the jianghu, the strongest had the final say.
But in their hearts, a sliver of hope still remained.
Of course, even if Xu Qian turned his back on them, none would complain but would leave at once.
The Dragon Qi can never be shared; as for the Stupa tower, it’s not for me to decide. However, I did indeed say just now that the treasures would be divided evenly… Though it was just perfunctory, a man’s word is his bond… Besides, I brought these people here and freeloaded off their “labour”.
How should I compensate them… Xu Qi’an fell into thought.
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