Chapter 228: Enlightened at One Year Old, Unrivaled Through the Ages

“These three, they give off a very strange feeling,” murmured the man in green, as he rubbed a jade piece between two fingers, neither black nor white. “I wonder what Master is truly planning.”

He spoke softly to himself, his eyes still fixed on the chessboard.

*Clack!*

A jade piece gently landed on the board, and a sudden surge of deadly energy emanated from the entire board—only to vanish in the blink of an eye.

A flicker of hesitation crossed the man's eyes. If Master continued to be trapped in his obsession, unable to break through, he might have no choice but to… destroy the root of that obsession.

At that moment, a sharp gust of wind swept through the courtyard. Two Nascent Soul cultivators, their faces hidden behind white masks, appeared silently like specters.

“Greetings, young master,” they said with utmost respect, bowing before the man.

The man in green frowned slightly. “What is it?”

“Master, regarding the Star Shifting Spirit Stone mine shares across the three provinces—Seventh Young Master refuses to relent and has sent numerous cultivators to compete with you for them.”

“Hmph, does he dare act so arrogantly because he has found new allies?” The man in green chuckled lightly, picking up another piece from the board. “Let them have it. No need to fight.”

The two Nascent Soul cultivators exchanged glances, understanding that their young master had likely already set a trap for the three provinces.

“He who the heavens wish to destroy, they first drive mad. He’s become too greedy,” the man in green said, his tone devoid of interest. Then, changing the subject, he asked, “But that’s not the real reason you’ve come, is it?”

“Master, you’ve been here for fifty years. The head of the family asks—when will you return to the Commerce Association?”

As soon as they spoke, they felt a fierce gaze burn through their masks, scorching their faces.

Lowering their heads, they dared not provoke this true genius of commerce, the future head of the Da Li Spirit Pivot Commerce Association.

“I have my own plans. You may leave. Don’t return,” the man in green said coldly, his tone detached, as if he had no emotional ties to his family. “After I break through to Nascent Soul, I won’t stay here any longer.”

“Yes, young master.” The two bowed again, silently lamenting as they left. There seemed to be nothing remarkable about this temple.

They had even inspected the abbot—a mere early-stage Golden Core monk. While perhaps possessing some wisdom, he was nothing extraordinary. They had heard vague rumors about the young master’s relationship with his master but dared not inquire further.

As their figures vanished from the courtyard, the man in green’s expression softened once more. He looked up at the sky, where white clouds floated by, and fell into a reverie.

Years ago, during a great calamity that befell his family, he and his mother fled the Spirit Pivot Commerce Association, only to be rescued on the road by his master—a man then full of vitality and radiating brilliance.

At the time, he had been barely a teenager, but he witnessed his master in his prime. His master’s unparalleled talent and his vast, all-encompassing heart still left him in awe, even today.

His mother had been one of the two saints of the Da Li’s Twin Saint Palaces, while his father had been one of the heirs to the Spirit Pivot Commerce Association. The political machinations were perilous at every step.

His master had guided them through one life-threatening situation after another, wielding power far beyond that of other cultivators at his level. Later, his mother was forcibly taken back to the Saint Palace for training.

The elders of the Saint Palace were furious, publicly condemning his father for being unfit to call himself a cultivator if he couldn’t even protect his wife and child.

Afterward, the Saint Palace severed all ties with the Spirit Pivot Commerce Association.

As his father grew colder and more withdrawn, placing all his hopes on him, the Saint Palace treated him as one of their own.

He followed his master for a century, traveling the vast world of Da Li. But due to family matters, they were eventually forced apart, and he lost all contact with his master.

Finally, after 400 years, in a place he never expected—within the Buddhist lands of the Ten Provinces—he came across Chan Yin Temple. Heaven smiled upon him again, as he reunited with his master, officially becoming his disciple.

But his master had changed drastically. His cultivation hadn’t advanced at all compared to the past. He was no longer the vibrant, commanding figure of old, but an elderly, silent man with little to say.

The young master knew a few things about his master’s origins. He wasn’t from the Buddhist provinces; he hailed from a reclusive ancient clan.

At just one year old, his master had achieved enlightenment. He loved reading and studying all schools of thought, especially Buddhism and Daoism. Though he disliked cultivation, he had still reached the Golden Core stage within a century. If he had devoted himself to cultivation, he would have undoubtedly surpassed all others in history.

After achieving Golden Core, his master shed his clan’s identity and traveled alone through Da Li, seeking his own path.

But 400 years later, something must have happened to his master—something that had changed him so drastically. The young master remained here to investigate, determined to change things.

He wanted to see, just once more, his master standing atop the mountains, pointing out the grand expanse of the world with that same awe-inspiring talent.

A long, soft sigh echoed through the courtyard, filled with indescribable melancholy. The sigh floated away, carried by the cold northern wind.

…

In the mountains outside the temple, Xiao Chi panted heavily, trembling in his burrow. He had seen it all—two Nascent Soul cultivators!

This temple definitely had hidden secrets. It wasn’t as simple as it seemed. He had to warn his two older brothers.

Just as he was about to emerge from his burrow, he stopped himself. They were meditating, and it wasn’t wise to disturb them. Cold sweat dripped from his brow as he waited.

Under the spirit trees, Chen Xun and the black ox were not truly in meditation. They had been quietly exchanging thoughts through sound transmission.

“Old Ox, it seems we were too narrow in our understanding of merit,” Chen Xun said.

“Moo~~~”

“But those things we did, even if they didn’t accumulate merit, were still meaningful. We shouldn’t be bothered by that,” Chen Xun continued.

“Moo!”

“The abbot was right. True merit comes from aligning one’s heart and actions—cultivating oneself without seeking merit. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be called merit.”

Chen Xun chuckled, opening his eyes and looking at the black ox. “Old Ox, we’ve gained merit, naturally.”

“Moo?” The black ox, still feeling downcast, also opened his eyes and looked at Chen Xun.

“The merit didn’t come from the outside—it comes from within us,” Chen Xun explained, smiling with newfound understanding. “Even without merit, we’d still do those things, wouldn’t we?”

The black ox snorted softly, then moved closer to Chen Xun, sitting beside him and rubbing against him gently.

“It’s part of our process of cultivating the heart, and through that, merit is born naturally.”

Chen Xun’s gaze sharpened. “So, damn it, we *do* have merit, and those we’ve helped will live good lives in their next ones!”

“Moo!!!” The black ox cried out in agreement. Indeed, his brother had a way with words.

“Hahaha…” Chen Xun burst out laughing, his booming laughter filling the forest. "Haha, it all makes sense now!"

The more he thought about it, the more he was convinced by his own “devilish” logic. He was even impressed by himself.

“Moo?” the black ox questioned.

“As for Buddha… well, we’ll have to inquire further. Maybe I’ll ask the abbot next time,” Chen Xun said, a bit embarrassed. They had placed their faith in something, but it was still unclear which Buddha was the true one.

“No rush. Old Ox, write it down. Record everything about merit in the little book.”

“Moo moo~” The black ox exhaled heavily, relieved. Whether the merit came from Buddha or not didn’t matter—what mattered was that it was there. And that was enough.