Chapter 129: Is There Still Fate?

Jiangxi, Deep Joy Pure Land.

In the land of ultimate Zen, temples stood in great numbers, and among them was a temple that was not vast in size, its Buddha light dazzling and bell sounds mighty.

A plaque in front of the temple bore three large characters:

【Fulong Temple】

Pushing open the temple doors and entering the main hall, one could see a towering golden Arhat statue standing tall.

Below the golden statue was a meditation cushion, upon which sat a handsome young man with red lips and white teeth.

Around him gathered a group of disciples, either chanting scriptures or holding ritual implements, performing some kind of sacrificial ceremony.

However, at that moment, a sudden explosion rang out from within the temple.

“Hmm?”

The handsome youth with red lips and white teeth opened his eyes, revealing a trace of confusion.

“Guang Hai and Guang Hui are both dead!? Only Guang Ming is still alive?”

Among the three most capable disciples under his command, all had been sent to participate in the Seizing Dao Battle at the Bodhisattva's request.

Among them, Guang Hai’s cultivation was the highest, Guang Hui followed, and Guang Ming was the weakest.

Yet, unexpectedly, after the Seizing Dao Battle ended, it was the most mediocre Guang Ming who survived.

But soon, Fulong Arhat’s expression changed.

“This is...『Nine Transforming Dragon Art』? No, it is 【Myriad Chariots Dragon Taming Dao Foundation】! Someone actually succeeded in Foundation Establishment without me sensing it!?”

At this thought, Fulong Arhat’s expression instantly turned extremely gloomy.

Although the 『Nine Transforming Dragon Art』was his own creation, the 【Myriad Chariots Dragon Taming Dao Foundation】was not.

It was a special gift from a great figure of the Pure Land.

The so-called 【Myriad Chariots Dragon Taming】tamed the 【True Dragon Fiendish Qi】.

Ordinary cultivators who trained in the 『Nine Transforming Dragon Art』could only achieve third-grade true qi in the end, ultimately becoming his pawns, refined into guardian Vajra statues in the temple.

Because of this, his greatest fear was that someone would break through the limits of the 『Nine Transforming Dragon Art』and, like him, refine the 【Myriad Chariots Dragon Taming Dao Foundation】, escaping his control and even contending with him for the Dao path, turning from a promising talent into a lifelong Dao rival!

“No matter who it is... I must kill him!”

With this thought, Fulong Arhat’s figure suddenly dimmed as he performed a “Buddhist Heart Seal,” transmitting his intent directly toward the target’s location.

However, in the very next moment, his expression drastically changed.

Because he discovered that in the direction he was heading, three colossal Dharma Bodies, vast and indescribable, were standing tall, looking directly at him!

“Where did this rogue cultivator come from, so ignorant.”

A light scolding echoed like thunder.

Fulong Arhat trembled on the spot, watching helplessly as his Dao Foundation was about to collapse and shatter.

“Mercy, mercy.”

A faint Buddhist chant sounded, instantly stabilizing the crumbling Dao Foundation, pulling him back from the brink of life and death.

“Benefactor Feixue, aren’t you being a bit too hasty?”

“Fulong and this Lü Benefactor from your sect seem to share a deep karmic connection. Why not let them meet first instead of attacking right away?”

Only then did Fulong Arhat come to his senses, seeing that in the center of the three True Lords, standing atop a wondrous phenomenon, was a handsome youth.

The aura on him was exactly the same as what Fulong Arhat had sensed earlier—【Myriad Chariots Dragon Taming Dao Foundation】—and the youth was watching him with great vigilance.

“Suffering indeed!”

Fulong Arhat immediately saw through the situation.

This was a True Person of the Primordial Saint Sect!

Since that was the case, killing him was out of the question!

Yet, this concerned his own Dao path…

What made Fulong Arhat even more alarmed was that the opponent’s Dao Foundation was flawless and perfect, without any defects.

He had reached the peak of the early Foundation Establishment stage upon breakthrough!

“Perfect Foundation Establishment?” Fulong Arhat murmured softly.

A Dao Foundation perfected at birth would save countless effort when refining a life-bound divine ability, potentially allowing the cultivator to attempt to absorb the first strand of Heavenly Astral Earth Fiend within thirty years and advance to the mid-stage!

Truly a Dao rival!

At this thought, Fulong Arhat clenched his teeth tightly and then looked at Lü Yang, speaking in a deep voice, “This person indeed shares deep karmic ties with this humble monk…”

“Oh? Really?”

True Lord Qingcheng Feixue smiled upon hearing this, beckoning with her jade-like hand as the wondrous phenomenon 【Myriad Gu Cave】formed from the realm itself fell into her palm, spinning rapidly.

“Two fellow Daoists, do you think this phenomenon should be placed in Jiangdong or Jiangxi?”

“I think Jiangxi would be quite nice.”

“Amitabha!”

Before True Lord Qingcheng Feixue finished her words, the Pure Land’s True Lord chanted a Buddhist verse.

“Since the Seizing Dao Battle has ended, this humble nun should also return.”

“What’s the rush?”

True Lord Qingcheng Feixue chuckled softly.

“Isn’t there still fate?”

“No more, no more.”

The Buddhist True Lord responded with a smile, then looked at Fulong Arhat.

“Let’s go back for now.”

Hearing this, Fulong Arhat showed great unwillingness but could do nothing.

He could only cast a deep glance at Lü Yang in the distance, then stood behind the Pure Land’s True Lord.

In the next moment, the Buddha light dimmed.

The Pure Land’s True Lord, Fulong Arhat, and even Guang Ming—who had barely survived this battle along with a dozen other lucky Buddhist cultivators—returned to Jiangxi’s Pure Land.

“Hmph!”

At the same time, the True Lord from the Dao Court had a livid expression.

While Guang Ming and the others from the Pure Land survived, his side had suffered complete annihilation.

Fortunately, the Dao Court operated differently.

People were not as important as official positions.

As long as the 【official position】 remained intact and undamaged, they could simply select and appoint new officials from successive examination candidates.

What truly angered the Dao Court’s True Lord was that wondrous phenomenon, the 【Myriad Gu Cave】.

Rumble!

True Lord Qingcheng Feixue raised her jade-like hand, and the phenomenon formed from the realm itself fell from the sky, smashing heavily into the border region of Jiangdong’s Dao Court.

Almost simultaneously, the Dao Court’s True Lord let out a muffled groan.

Below, in Jiangdong.

At the location where the 【Myriad Gu Cave】landed, all cultivators felt a sudden change in their cultivation experience and looked up toward the sky.

They felt the difficulty of cultivation had abruptly shifted.

In the early morning, as dewdrops condensed and mist rose, qi had yet to flow smoothly.

It moved from within the earth, connecting north and south, opposing Kan and Li.

All cultivators practicing Metal and Water techniques felt an unexpected sense of ease.

This was the result of the fruit position struggle!

The fruit position that originally enveloped this region was pushed aside.

True Lord Qingcheng Feixue’s fruit position gained the upper hand, directly affecting all cultivators below.

Even Foundation Establishment True Persons were not exempt!

Looking around, Lü Yang could even see a few cultivators who were attempting Foundation Establishment.

Due to the change in the fruit position, their original chances of success, which had been as high as thirty percent, had suddenly dropped to zero.

Meanwhile, a few others who originally had slim chances now gained an additional ten percent chance.

“Thank you, fellow Daoist!”

True Lord Qingcheng Feixue laughed loudly at this sight, while the Dao Court’s True Lord said nothing, his face dark as he retracted his Dharma Body, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Jiangxi, Deep Joy Pure Land.

After returning to the Pure Land, Fulong Arhat did not leave immediately.

Instead, he looked at the True Lord presiding over all affairs before him, known by the honored title 【Bodhisattva of Vase and Water Moon】, and asked:

“Bodhisattva... what exactly happened in this Seizing Dao Battle?”

“We were simply defeated.”

The Bodhisattva of Vase and Water Moon spoke calmly.

After all, although they lost, the Pure Land did not suffer too much loss.

All the losses had fallen upon the Dao Court.

Publicly, the Dao Court was completely wiped out, while the Pure Land still had a handful of survivors.

Privately, she had used Fulong Arhat’s issue as a pretext to have True Lord Qingcheng Feixue place the 【Myriad Gu Cave】in Jiangdong, sparing herself from any losses.

Naturally, she spoke with ease now.

“That Guang Ming is quite impressive.”

“If he hadn’t betrayed the Dao Court in time, the Buddhist cultivators participating in this battle might have ended up just like the Dao Court—none surviving.”

“He’s a clever seedling.”

“Of course, betraying allies doesn’t sound good and shouldn’t be encouraged.”

“So, when we return, don’t reward him openly. Secretly, let him cultivate well in your 【Fulong Temple】. He may still be of use in the future.”

“This humble monk accepts the decree.”

Fulong Arhat bowed respectfully, inwardly starting to look at Guang Ming with new eyes.

After all, everyone else had died, and Guang Ming alone survived—he must have something extraordinary about him.

“However, Bodhisattva, about that newly advanced Foundation Establishment True Person…”

Before Fulong Arhat could finish, he saw the Bodhisattva of Vase and Water Moon calculate with her fingers and then shake her head.

“The karmic connection has been severed. It now depends on your own ability.”

“If you can make him take refuge or kill him, the Pure Land will fully support you.”

“Otherwise… the Pure Land does not raise useless people.”

Upon hearing these words, Fulong Arhat dared not say another word.

He immediately prostrated on the ground, repeatedly affirming, then retreated from the Pure Land’s main hall in a crawling manner.