Chapter 807: West Region Lanzhou Mingwang Buddhist Kingdom

Daoyuanzi was huffing and puffing, while the old beggar stood by, speaking sarcastically. Though one had glimpsed the profundity of the Dongxuan realm and the other was a True Immortal with centuries of cultivation, their self-restraint proved useless as they exchanged sharp words.

Daoyuanzi was genuinely angry. The Immortal-Binding Rope, a unique treasure in the world, had been in his junior brother's possession for so long; what harm was there in letting him play with it a bit?

The old beggar, for his part, was quite articulate in his sarcasm. His words implied that Jiyuan had lent the rope to *him*, not to Daoyuanzi, so he could hide it or display it as he pleased. "As the Sect Master of Qianyuan," he seemed to say, "can you really control an old beggar like me and Mr. Ji?"

Despite the potentially volatile nature of the exchange, both Daoyuanzi and the old beggar secretly felt a sense of nostalgia, reminiscing about the days when they, as sworn brothers, frequently bickered in the same way.

After arguing for a while, Daoyuanzi suddenly asked a question.

"Since Mr. Ji lent you the Immortal-Binding Rope, he wouldn't just take it back for no reason. Did something happen?"

The old beggar thought for a moment, then replied in a deep voice.

"Originally, Mr. Ji had someone bring this Immortal-Binding Rope to me, hoping I could use it during the unrest in Tianyuzhou. Now, it must be needed for some occasion, or perhaps..."

The old beggar trailed off, and Daoyuanzi, at his side, did not press for more information. At their level of cultivation, many things went unsaid. They simply picked up their teacups and drank. In any case, they knew Jiyuan would always be on their side, and their concern for him was minimal. After all, no one had yet discerned the true depth of Jiyuan's cultivation.

Meanwhile, Jiyuan continued his rapid journey westward, soaring through the air. His mystic eyes scanned the various phenomena of vital energy across the land, observing demonic chaos, human transformations, and the struggle between good and evil. Yet, none of these sights were enough to halt his current progress.

Several days later, when Jiyuan could already feel the abundant water energy from the distant sea, a golden light appeared on the horizon. In the time it took Jiyuan to look up, the Immortal-Binding Rope had transformed into a golden streak of light and was rapidly approaching.

The moment the golden light arrived nearby, Jiyuan happened to raise his right hand. The golden light then flashed into Jiyuan's sleeve and disappeared, reverting into a golden thread wrapped around the back of Jiyuan's wrist.

Jiyuan smiled faintly. If his luck ran out this time, he might face two or more Sky-Demon level monsters, making a confrontation quite possible. While the Immortal-Binding Rope wasn't strictly indispensable, its return provided Jiyuan with an additional layer of security.

However, Jiyuan was certainly not a reckless individual. While the Jade Fox Grotto-Heaven was known as the sacred land of the fox clan, he knew it wasn't a truly unified entity. For instance, Tuxu, a fox demon he had encountered briefly long ago, seemed quite different from Tuxiyan.

Jiyuan had also prepared a plausible reason for his visit to the Jade Fox Grotto-Heaven this time: to meet Tuxu, as they had previously agreed that he would pay a visit to the Jade Fox Grotto-Heaven.

As soon as the Immortal-Binding Rope returned, Jiyuan immediately ascended high into the sky, piercing through the Geng-wind, and flew straight west using his sword-escape technique.

Tianyuzhou was certainly destined for intense confrontations between righteous and malevolent forces during this period, but Jiyuan trusted that the righteous path in Tianyuzhou could manage these challenges.

The journey from Tianyuzhou to Xiyu Lanzhou was considerably longer than the trip from Nanhuangzhou to Tianyuzhou. Furthermore, navigating the common realms within Xiyu Lanzhou itself would typically require several months of travel to reach one's destination.

For Jiyuan, however, with the speed of his sword-escape technique, soaring above the Geng-wind and into the Nine Heavens, after charting a direct course, everything before his eyes blurred into a rapidly receding stream of light...

The speed of his escape was astonishing. However, reaching such a level not only demanded immense effort to truly ascend to the Nine Heavens, but also required continuous maintenance of the escape technique without regard for mana consumption, all while resisting the corrosive forces of extreme yin and yang from beyond the heavens. The sparse vital energy at Jiyuan's altitude also blurred one's spiritual perception. Aside from the sheer expenditure, those with insufficient cultivation could easily become lost, making this realm a sort of taboo in the cultivation world. Yet, for someone of Jiyuan's cultivation level, it was, in a sense, a realm of no taboos.

A streak of light descended from beyond the heavens, like a fleeting meteor whose brilliance vanished before it could touch the ground. High above, it transformed into a faint, sword-shaped halo. This halo then dissipated, becoming a powerful gust of wind that surged forward, carrying Jiyuan upon it.

In just over a month, Jiyuan had reached the coastal region of Xiyu Lanzhou. Of that time, only 70 to 80 percent was spent on actual travel, with the rest dedicated to preparing this somewhat impractical escape technique and correcting his course.

This inefficient mode of travel made Jiyuan, who had not experienced mana depletion in a long time, feel a slight discomfort. As he slowly descended from the Nine Heavens, he even felt a faint dizziness due to the stark difference in vital energy between the upper realms and the ground.

Although the process was not entirely comfortable, Jiyuan was highly satisfied with the outcome, as the travel time had been cut by more than half.

At this point, Jiyuan was no longer employing any escape techniques, merely gliding forward on the wind. Simultaneously, he adjusted his breathing to absorb vital energy, focusing his mind to sense the Dao realm within, thereby restoring his depleted mana and spiritual consciousness.

Jiyuan's mystic eyes were also actively scanning. Below lay the vast ocean, but the distant horizon was now clearly visible. To his perception, Xiyu Lanzhou exuded a peaceful aura, with auspicious signs appearing everywhere. However, he knew that observing from such a distance was like looking through a narrow pipe, only offering a limited view. To precisely locate certain places, it was best to supplement his vision with divination techniques.

In a short while, Jiyuan's spiritual perception had already pinpointed the direction. Unleashing his escape light, he aimed true and departed as a faint blue streak.

About three days later, Jiyuan could visually see a boundless Buddhist light connecting heaven and earth in his mystic eyes.

Since he had arrived in Xiyu Lanzhou and was well aware of the inherent dangers of his task, Jiyuan naturally needed to make thorough preparations. Although he had met Tuxu once and had a casual agreement with him, Tuxu was, after all, a male fox spirit. In terms of reliability, how could he compare to the deeply acquainted Buddhist Foyin Mingwang? *Of course*, he thought, *it would be best to avoid encountering the Ju Di Mingwang, with whom I once had a confrontation*.

As he drew closer to the Buddhist light, Jiyuan noticed a trend of vital energy, including various spiritual energies, becoming gentler. While the effect wasn't profound, it was certainly discernible.

Jiyuan had initially assumed that a "Buddhist Kingdom" would be isolated from the mundane world, much like the grotto-heavens of various cultivation holy lands. However, upon his arrival, he discovered that the Buddhist Kingdom, where the Buddhist light was most concentrated, had no separation from the outside world. There were no visible restrictions; only a difference in Buddhist aura was apparent.

Guided by his perception of the Buddhist light, Jiyuan began to descend at a certain point, gently alighting on the ground with a wisp of clear wind.

"Buddhist Kingdom" was merely a general term. It encompassed various Mingwang Bodhimandas, which might not even be connected but rather dispersed in different locations. The general area Foyin Mingwang had indicated previously wasn't very precise, lacking sufficient reference points. Jiyuan was a bit unsure if he had found the correct spot, so naturally, he needed to inquire.

Jiyuan landed outside a small town, but he had no intention of entering it. Nearby, there was a Buddhist temple whose Buddhist light and chanting aura suggested it was a place of righteous Buddhist cultivation.

The scene outside the temple confirmed Jiyuan's thoughts. Even before he reached the main road, he could already see a continuous flow of carriages of all sizes and ordinary people arriving to offer incense. "Indeed," he noted, "most of the pilgrims are regular folks, not the scene I'd imagined, filled entirely with monks and nuns."

Like a scholar who never forgets to appreciate the scenery, Jiyuan strolled from a patch of wilderness, naturally blending into the flow of people along the roadside. He glanced around, observing that not every pilgrim here seemed to possess profound reverence for the Buddha.

While the local dialect sounded a bit peculiar to Jiyuan, a native of Dazhen in Yunzhou, he could understand it even without employing any mind-melding or imitation techniques.

An old man, approximately sixty years old, caught Jiyuan's attention. As he walked, he bowed slightly towards the temple, occasionally reciting a few lines of scripture. With Jiyuan's extensive knowledge, he recognized that the scripture was fragmented and even contained errors. Yet, this old man possessed a profound Buddhist aura, far more significant than that of most people around him.

Jiyuan then approached the old man, and after hearing him stumble over his chanting once more, he spoke up to offer a timely correction.

"Old sir, after 'When the heart first awakens, the Dharma does not diminish,' it should be: 'Blessed by the Buddha's manifestation, not abandoning the world's profound grace and deep love. Hail Great Mingwang Buddha.'"

The old man paused, looking at Jiyuan in slight bewilderment. Jiyuan's face was serene, and he nodded at the old man with a faint smile.

"Thank you, thank you, sir, for your guidance, thank you!"

The old man pressed his palms together in a Buddhist gesture of thanks. Then, resuming his walk, he earnestly repeated the fragmented scripture as Jiyuan had instructed. After finishing, he felt a refreshing clarity in his breath, exhaled softly, and once again bowed slightly to Jiyuan with clasped hands.

Jiyuan had been following the old man. After seeing him finish his chanting, he smiled and spoke again.

"Excuse me, old sir, is this region covered by the sacred realm of the Buddhist Kingdom's Foyin Mingwang Bodhimanda?"

The old man looked at Jiyuan with a puzzled expression.

"Sir, this region is Moke Nishi Sacred Treasury, a land of bhikkhus, where Buddhist light shines universally. It is indeed what you call a Buddhist Kingdom, but I, an old man, do not know about any specific bodhimandas..."

Jiyuan knew the old man wasn't lying. He glanced around, realizing that if this elderly man didn't know, the surrounding pilgrims likely wouldn't either. It would be better to ask the Buddhist cultivators inside the temple.

"Thank you, old sir. I will go ask someone else."

After a slight bow, Jiyuan walked into the crowd and disappeared from the old man's view. This time, he didn't bother queuing to enter, knowing that even if he did, he'd only see people offering incense and, at most, some young novices. While they might be legitimate practitioners, they certainly weren't the highly accomplished masters of this temple.

In the shade of a towering tree behind the temple, an old monk sat on a meditation mat, eyes closed in meditation. In front of him was a low tea table, on which sat an exquisite brass censer. A wisp of green smoke rose from it, straight as a pillar, until it dissipated.

At a certain moment, the old monk's heart stirred. He slowly opened his eyes to find, two *zhang* away, an elegant gentleman in a green robe standing before him, though he knew not when he had arrived. The man showed no trace of potent magical aura, and his presence was utterly peaceful, as if he were one with heaven and earth.

"Hail Great Mingwang Buddha, your esteemed presence graces our temple, this old monk salutes you."

Knowing the visitor was a master, the old monk slowly rose from his meditation mat. He performed a Buddhist salute towards Jiyuan, who returned the gesture with cupped hands.

"Master, this temple has many quiet monk cells, many ancient meditation rooms, and places where Buddha's light universally shines are everywhere. Why do you choose to meditate specifically under this tree?"

"Your Excellency may not know," the old monk replied with a smile, "but all sentient beings possess spirits, and my Buddha Mingwang can deliver them all. All sentient beings who revere the Buddha can attain Buddhahood. I once heard my Buddha Mingwang say, 'In the distant Eastern Land, a wondrous tree grew, transformed by a session of meditating and debating the Dharma beneath its branches, giving rise to spiritual wisdom roots, which is the Bodhi Tree of Wisdom...' This old monk meditates beneath this tree to comprehend the meaning of these wisdom roots."

Hearing this, Jiyuan already had the answer in his heart, but still asked a question.

"May I ask if this place is the Bodhimanda of Foyin Mingwang?"

"Precisely so. From here, travel sixteen hundred *li* north to the Hengsha Mountain Range, where my Buddha Foyin Mingwang is seated in the center."

Jiyuan nodded at the old monk.

"Thank you for your guidance, Master," Jiyuan said, nodding. "That Bodhi Tree is located in the Eastern Land, Yunzhou, within Daliang Temple in Tongqiu Prefecture of Tingliang Kingdom. I hope, Master, you will have the opportunity to personally visit and meditate beneath the Bodhi Tree. I shall take my leave now."

After saying this, Jiyuan turned and left, walking with light steps out of the back courtyard.

The old monk stared blankly at Jiyuan's retreating figure. After a long silence, he slowly lowered his head and performed a Buddhist salute.

*Hail my Buddha Foyin Mingwang, so it was Mr. Ji!*