Chapter 171: Chapter 162: Monk Fa Hai! Suspected Qi Fortune Chapter 171: Chapter 162: Monk Fa Hai! Suspected Qi Fortune Butā¦
Even if he wanted to retreat, Fa Nan could not easily find the words to do so at the moment.
He was caught between a rock and a hard place.
Shi Yunlong, who was watching the battle from a distance, sneered inwardly, showing no intention of offering help. He was utterly fed up with these monks who fancied themselves as the leading force in the Jianghu of Nanling Prefecture.
Instead of burning incense and praying in the monastery, they repeatedly meddled in power struggles and were far from fair, acting as if their judgment was always right.
Seeing the bald monks of Gold Mountain Monastery face a setback today suited him just fine!
The tension was about to explode!
The atmosphere between the two parties had become extremely charged.
Ye Chenbai, who was watching from not too far away, slightly furrowed his brows; with the Buddhist powerās rampant expansion in recent years, they had indeed become more and more arrogant.
Of course, there were still some truly honorable and virtuous monks, but most were like Fa Nanāarrogant and unpleasant to deal with.
With one hand on his saber, Chen Yuanās spirit was connected with the Blood Evil Saber. This time, even if it meant revealing the Blood Evil Saber, Chen Yuan was determined to strike that bald-headed monk. Otherwise, they might think he, Chen, was a pushover.
Below him, Bei Haisheng couldnāt wait for a fight to break out, hoping Chen Yuan and Gold Mountain Monastery would develop a deep grudge. Unfortunately, his current strength and position prevented him from getting involved; all he could do was watch and hope.
If he spoke up now, he would be dragging the Changle Gang into the fray, something Shi Yunlong here would not allow him to do with impunity.
Fa Nan concentrated on meeting Tao Qingyuanās gaze with a calm spirit but didnāt dare to speak first and provoke further, feeling that if he kept being aggressive, this man might truly lash out.
He wasnāt afraid of a fight, but what he feared was the possibility of the court forever standing against Gold Mountain Monastery. If a large army were to bear down on them, Gold Mountain Monastery would be no match.
Suddenly, Fa Nanās brow wrinkled as he heard a message transmitted to his ear:
āBrother Fa Nan, let this be the end of it.ā
Upon hearing the voice of the abbot, Fa Nan breathed a sigh of relief. He dared not initiate a fight, but nor did he wish to yield. Now with the abbotās support, his retreat was entirely justified.
āIt was a lack of prudence on my part, Envoy Tao, please forgive me.ā
After a moment of silence, Fa Nan chose to concede.
Behind him, Xuan Nu and the other Martial Monks could hardly believe it but didnāt dare to interject.
āIs a mere admission of imprudence enough? Gold Mountain Monastery dares to coerce a court official. Are you aware of the crime youāre committing?ā Tao Qingyuan glared furiously. Instead of easing off when Fa Nan backed down, he became more aggressive.
It seemed he wanted to label Gold Mountain Monastery with a charge.
Even if a clash was avoided today, he would have a pretext for action in the future.
Hearing these words, anger surged in Fa Nanās heart. He believed he had given ground, but Tao Qingyuan was relentless. Just as he was about to retort,
a faint chant of Buddhaās name echoed around them:
āAmitabha.ā
Chen Yuan, Tao Qingyuan, and a few others focused their gazes and looked up. A young monk walked towards them, seemingly on invisible steps, approaching Fa Nan.
The monk looked young and vigorous, draped in a kasaya, and appeared to be no more than thirty, but his deep, profound gaze suggested he had seen the depths of worldly desires,
radiating calmness.
āBrother.ā
The old-faced Fa Nan promptly paid his respects, while Xuan Nu and the others behind him also brought their hands together:
āGreetings to the Abbot!ā
āGreetings to the Abbot!ā
It was indeed strange for the aged Fa Nan to offer respect to a seemingly young monk and address him as brother. The kasaya-clad monk nodded gently:
āBrother Fa Nan, monks should abandon anger and irritation. How can you be so oppressiveā¦ā
āYour brother understands his error.ā
Fa Nan quickly bowed his head, not daring to be disrespectful.
His demeanor was nothing like his previous arrogance.
āEnvoy Tao, I am Fa Hai!ā
The young monk bowed slightly with his hands together, his gaze remained unwaveringly tranquil.
Chen Yuanās pupils contracted. During his inquiries about Gold Mountain Monastery, he had heard that their strongest warrior was a monk with a name starting with āFa,ā who rarely showed his face in Nanling Prefecture.
Chen had thought he would be an old, clock-worn monk, like a sweeper monk, but to his surprise, the man looked quite young, and even Fa Nan addressed him as brother.
It seemed that his youth was behind him, despite his young appearance.
The name āFa Haiā seemed extremely familiar to him, though he wasnāt sure if Gold Mountain Monastery had any imprisoned white snakes.
āTao has long admired the great name of Master Fa Haiā¦ā Tao Qingyuan was inwardly shaken, but he did not show it on the surface and did not appear to retreat despite Fa Haiās arrival.
āToday, it was brother Fa Nan who was impetuous. We hope Envoy Tao can forgive him; I will have the brother read sutras for seven days in Gold Mountain Monastery as punishment,ā said Fa Hai softly.
The court was not something one could oppress or confront lightlyāone had to maintain a balance, or it would be suicide.
Not to mention the Capital, just the many court powerhouses in Qingzhou alone could crush Gold Mountain Monastery.
Aside from a few top Jianghu forces, no one could stand against the court.
Fa Hai saw this very clearly.
So, sensing that the atmosphere was becoming somewhat unfavorable, he began to intervene to smooth things over.
Tao Qingyuanās eyes flickered but he did not respond.
Lv Yuan by his side laughed and said,
āMaster Fa Hai, you speak too seriously. It was merely a verbal dispute.ā
They had heard of Fa Haiās name, knowing he was the leading figure of Gold Mountain Monastery, having been elected as the abbot for twenty years, but he rarely showed himself.
It was rumored that he was in seclusion, preparing to make a breakthrough.
Judging from the aura he exuded, Fa Haiās presence was indeed as deep and unfathomable as the ocean, and without a doubt, he was a Reach Profound Peak expert. Even if he and Tao Qingyuan were to join forces, they might not be a match for him.
Since Fa Haiās party had given ground first, there was no need to be aggressively unyielding.
Fa Hai smiled and turned his gaze to Chen Yuan, the catalyst of the affair:
āBenefactor Chen is a prodigy of the Hidden Dragon List. Even if you practice Buddhist cultivation techniques, it poses no issue for us Buddhists who have always valued karmic connections. Since Benefactor Chen has practiced our Buddhist techniques, it is naturally due to the arrival of karmic law.ā
āAs there is a deep connection with Buddhism, why not join Gold Mountain Monastery to cultivate?ā
Fa Haiās eyes flashed with a subtle golden light, and with just a glance, he could recognize that the cultivation technique Chen Yuan practiced was indeed the Buddhist Body Refining Divine Skill, Vajra Glaze Body.
Even though it wasnāt activated at the moment, he could still see some of it.
Moreover, his physical vitality was robust, and combined with his renown on the Hidden Dragon List, he could be considered a prodigy. Even Fa Hai himself felt the desire to cherish such a talent.
āMaster Fa Hai flatters too much. Chen doesnāt enjoy the discipline and precepts; I prefer to continue tempering myself in the secular world,ā Chen Yuan took a deep breath as he stared at Fa Hai.
Compared to the old baldy Fa Nan, what Fa Hai said was far more pleasant to the ear, but Chen Yuan did not relax his vigilance in the slightest. Who knew whether Fa Hai was trying to deceive him,
to later seize the cultivation technique by force?
In truth, if Fa Nan had shown a good attitude and was willing to pay a price for the Vajra Glaze Body, Chen Yuan would not have been stingy. But Fa Nanās attitude was so aggressive and condescending,
that it greatly displeased Chen Yuan.
Fa Hai sighed:
āIf that is so, this monk will not insistā¦ This dayās fault lies with Gold Mountain Monastery. Benefactor Chen, should you wish to visit our temple in the future, I shall certainly ensure you are well received.ā
āVery well.ā
āEnvoy Tao Qing, then this monk shall take his leaveā¦ā Fa Hai said with a faint smile.
āMaster Fa Hai, please do as you wish.ā
Emerging from the emotions of the moment, and with the hints from Lv Yuan, Tao Qingyuan, though still maintaining a stern expression, had slightly softened his stance and was no longer as inflexible as before.
There were few in Nanling Prefecture who could make Tao Qingyuan wary, and among them was this Gold Mountain Monasteryās Fa Hai.
He had once reached the top fifty on the potential list, with astonishing strength.
If not for the constraints of Gold Mountain Monastery, with Fa Haiās talent and strength, he would likely have already stepped into the Core Realm, as the Golden Envoy of Qingzhou had once told him.
This monk Fa Hai was no ordinary characterā¦
āJunior brother Fa Nan, go back and recite scriptures for seven days. As a Buddhist, cultivate both martial arts and spirit, and do not confuse the primary with the secondary,ā Fa Hai nodded and said in a deep voice as he turned around.
Although Fa Nan was somewhat reluctant, he dared not show it in front of Fa Hai and could only nod in agreement.
Afterward, Fa Hai rose into the sky to leave, and Fa Nan and a few others followed closely behindā¦
It seemed like the matter had come to a close.
But in his heart, Chen Yuan understood that Gold Mountain Monastery was only refraining from taking action due to the face of the imperial court. If he were alone, there wouldnāt have been so much trouble.
Fa Nan would have already taken action by force, perhaps even charging him with a crime of indiscriminate killing, suppressing him within Gold Mountain Monastery.
As for Fa Haiā¦
Chen Yuan did not believe it was a coincidence that he arrived just in time; he must have been there early on and intervened to settle the dispute when he saw things going awry.
The people of Buddhism, hehā¦
And the reason why they dared to bully others with their power was because of their extraordinary strength, not considering Chen Yuan, a mere Qi Absorption Martial Artist, worthy of attention.
At that moment, Chen Yuan especially wanted to head to Moon Valley and condense Evil Qi.
With his strength, condensing Evil Qi would surely lead to another surge in power.
Watching Fa Haiās figure rising into the sky, Chen Yuanās gaze sharpened as he activated the Dharma Eye.
According to his personality, he would have already scanned everyone present before making eye contact, first using the Heavenly Eye Technique. This habit had gradually developed, but Chen Yuan did not immediately use it against Fa Hai.
If he sensed something, it would be a loss not worth the risk.
Therefore, it was at the moment of Fa Haiās most relaxed departure that Chen Yuan opened the Heavenly Eye Technique, thinking that Fa Nanās threat might be connected to his Qi Fortune.
It had been the case before, hence Chen Yuan harbored great expectations.
Unfortunately, Chen Yuanās wish was not fulfilledā¦
On Fa Haiās body, there was not the brilliant Qing glow Chen Yuan had imagined. Instead, there was a shimmering golden light, and Chen Yuan did not know whether this was Qi Fortuneā¦
In the emptiness, Fa Hai seemed to sense something, turned his head to look back, and just caught Chen Yuan gazing intently at his figure. The two looked at each other for a moment, and with an unchanged expression, Fa Hai turned away and disappeared into the horizon.
Chen Yuan felt a sinking sensation in his heart, not expecting a mere glance to alert Fa Haiā¦
Was that on Fa Haiās body Qi Fortune?
That glimmer of Buddha Lightā¦.
Chen Yuan was somewhat hoping for Fa Hai to possess Qi Fortune but was also extremely wary of his strength.
With the power to make both Tao Qingyuan and Lv Yuan so cautious, Fa Haiās strength was certainly extraordinary, something Chen Yuan aspired toā¦