Eternal Tale

"Heh, how much for the three of us to travel to Cangwu City?" asked Chen Xun, his tone casual.

"Six thousand lower-grade spirit stones," the middle-aged man replied without hesitation. He couldn't understand why the senior before him didn’t use a spirit beast pouch, especially since the two beasts beside him didn’t seem like large cargo-carrying animals. But he dared not question further and simply followed protocol.

Six thousand?!

Chen Xun and his companions inwardly flinched. Xiao Chi had no real concept of spirit stones, but even he could sense that this was an astronomical amount.

"Friend, could you lower it to four thousand?"

"Senior, I’m afraid this is the Lingxu Trading Company’s set price. I have no authority to adjust it," the middle-aged man replied nervously, sweating at the unusual request. Who bargains over a teleportation fee? "Please don’t make things difficult for me, Senior."

"Of course." Chen Xun frowned slightly and handed over the spirit stones to the man’s storage ring.

"Please, step into the array, Senior," the man gestured, still slightly shaken.

"Alright."

Chen Xun nodded. The black ox gazed curiously at the teleportation array beneath its hooves, seemingly intrigued by the special materials required for it. Meanwhile, Xiao Chi was breaking out in a nervous sweat—was the array safe?

The middle-aged cultivator activated the array with a series of hand seals. In a flash of blinding light, the three figures disappeared.

…

Cangwu City, the largest city in Fire Origin Province, known throughout the region. It had birthed many powerful cultivators, and its streets echoed with the constant hum of bustling activity. The city hosted frequent grand auctions, and the lands surrounding it were filled with ancient secret realms, attracting adventurers from across Da Li.

The abundance of spiritual resources in Da Li allowed even low-tier cultivators to have a chance at ascension, and the pathways between different cultivation levels were never cut off.

Chen Xun and his companions didn’t linger long. They had a plan and didn’t want to waste time wandering aimlessly. After paying six hundred mid-grade spirit stones, they prepared to travel to Dinghui Province, one of the ten provinces governed by Buddhist sects.

The black ox’s excitement was palpable, as its fur bristled with anticipation. Xiao Chi, on the other hand, was still confused and jittery—what exactly was Buddhism, and how was it different from cultivators?

Chen Xun felt a heaviness in his chest. Traveling was draining their spirit stones rapidly. Although spirit stones weren't everything, having none at all was disastrous.

As they stood within the teleportation array, they could feel a powerful spatial force pulling at them. The sensation of being torn from one place to another left them momentarily breathless as they exited Fire Origin Province.

In Dinghui Province, monks roamed the streets. Buddhism was widespread, and many homes had shrines to the Buddha. The mountains of the province were dotted with grand statues, and every so often, one would catch a glimpse of radiant Buddha-light blessing the land. Those who witnessed it were said to live in peace and joy.

Every year, both mortals and Buddhist cultivators made pilgrimages across the province, and it was common to see temples and shrines in both cities and remote areas.

Thus began their wandering. They visited temple after temple, making offerings to various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, spending a considerable amount of spirit stones along the way.

Xiao Chi gradually grew more at ease. The monks they encountered were kind and lacked the lethal aura of other cultivators, though their words were often cryptic and difficult for Xiao Chi to grasp.

After a year of this, Chen Xun felt utterly exasperated. Despite their numerous offerings, the temples all revered different Buddhas, and his notebook was now filled with records of over a hundred variations. He found it hard to believe that Buddhism could be this fragmented. Ｒ𝘈ℕŎＢĚṦ

It seemed like every temple in each city was competing to determine whose Buddha was more trustworthy or worthy of devotion. Even the local populace took part in this debate, leading to an unexpected form of doctrinal rivalry.

Even the great Nirvana Buddhist Sect, one of the most powerful sects in Da Li, couldn’t impose order. They still claimed that their Buddha was the true progenitor of all Buddhas.

This resulted in what could only be described as a “battle of beliefs,” where different Buddhist sects debated relentlessly. If a monk’s faith in their path wavered, their cultivation might be crippled—a fate more terrifying than duels of magic.

Every hundred years, the ten provinces held a Grand Buddhist Debate. However, the outcomes were often tragic: many monks would lose their way and descend into madness, their cultivation paths forever blocked. Others would be quietly escorted away, their minds shattered.

The black ox had visited several temples, but rather than gaining clarity, it was left with more questions. The monks spoke in riddles and deep, philosophical terms, causing even the ox to start doubting its own beliefs.

Today, the sky was serene, with a soft breeze. Three figures walked along a small path outside the city, seemingly without any set destination.

"Brother Xun, Brother Ox, those monks sure eat well. They were feasting on Foundation Establishment-level beasts," Xiao Chi wagged his tail, thinking back on their temple visits. "Back when I was in the Foundation Establishment stage, I didn’t even dare dream of such meals."

"Moo~" The black ox responded absentmindedly, its thoughts still consumed by its contemplation of karma.

Chen Xun, holding a stick, nudged Xiao Chi. "They’re Buddhist cultivators, not mortals. They have ways to enhance their cultivation."

Xiao Chi flinched from the poke, scurrying to hide beneath the black ox once more.

"Brother Ox, what do you think?" Chen Xun asked.

"Moo~" The black ox shook its head. It still hadn’t found the answers it was looking for.

"Let’s just keep exploring. We’ve already made offerings to enough Buddhas, so they all ought to be looking out for us now," Chen Xun said with a smirk.

"Moo?!" The black ox nudged Chen Xun in surprise.

"Heh, don’t you trust me, Brother Ox?"

"Moo~~~"

The black ox exhaled deeply, raising a hoof in thought. When put like that, it did make sense. Chen Xun was always the clever one.

They walked for two more days before arriving at the foot of a mountain. Beneath the pale sky, the mountains loomed black as iron, solemn and imposing.

On a scenic hill, they spotted a dilapidated temple—Chan Yin Temple.

However, it wasn’t the state of disrepair that caught their attention. As Chen Xun spread out his divine sense, he realized that the temple had no Buddha statues and only housed a handful of individuals.

"Huh, interesting," Chen Xun muttered, raising an eyebrow. "The abbot is a Golden Core cultivator, yet he resides in such a remote place."

"Moo?" The black ox opened its divine sense as well. Indeed, the temple housed six individuals, and without exception, they were all Golden Core cultivators. But aside from the abbot, who wore a tattered robe, only one other person wore traditional monk’s garb—a simple blue robe with a shaved head.

The other four were dressed casually, with one playing chess, another carrying water, and the rest meditating. They seemed relaxed and carefree.

"Brother Xun, Brother Ox, something’s fishy here!" Xiao Chi exclaimed, his eyes gleaming with newfound wisdom. "This is far too strange. Little brother thinks this place is dangerous."

"Moo?" The black ox looked down at Xiao Chi, who was nestled beneath its belly, dead serious.

"Hmm, you’ve got a point," Chen Xun said, his gaze narrowing.

"Haha, see, Brother Xun agrees!" Xiao Chi grinned triumphantly. "I think we should head back to the Heaven’s End Rav—"

"Brother Ox!!!"

Before Xiao Chi could finish, the black ox grabbed him by the scruff and hauled him out, despite his frantic struggles and protests.

"Brother Ox, any sign of an array?" Chen Xun asked, ignoring Xiao Chi's pleas.

"Moo~" The black ox shook its head, baring its teeth in a grin. It had already checked—there were no signs of any array. This wasn’t some sinister temple.

The two of them continued discussing the situation, paying no attention to Xiao Chi, who was still wailing in protest.

After a moment, Chen Xun laughed. "Let’s go have a look. Even if they’re Golden Core cultivators, they’re no threat to us."

"Moo~~" The black ox nodded, intrigued by the statue-less temple.

Xiao Chi, now slumped limply on the black ox’s back, was terrified of Golden Core cultivators. What if they found out his true nature?

They leisurely made their way up the mountain, the path shrouded in mist. The white fog swirled with the wind, and the rugged stones and towering trees added to the serene atmosphere.

The scenery was breathtaking, filling them with a sense of tranquility.

Meanwhile, within the temple, the man playing chess paused, holding a black piece in his hand. His eyes twinkled with curiosity as he gazed down the mountain, though his expression remained calm, as gentle as the drifting clouds.

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