Xiuxian: I studied abroad in modern times

Chapter 616 Thunder Sound Experiences, Golden Immortals Gather

After bidding farewell to Tang Lingwu and the others, Zheng Fa returned to the Nine Mountains Realm to arrange his affairs after his departure. Then, he rode a rainbow light and flew towards the Western Continent.

Half a year is really not enough time. The Xuanwei Realm is very large. Even with Zheng Fa's rainbow transformation method, it would take four or five months to travel from the location of the Nine Mountains Realm to Leiyin Temple.

Leaving the Nine Mountains, crossing the Eastern Continent, and traversing the Great Ocean, the coastline of the Western Continent is already in sight.

A cluster of golden light shone from the shore, converging before Zheng Fa and revealing the face of a young monk.

Zheng Fa also recognized this person; he was one of the Arhats who accompanied the Lapis Lazuli Buddha to the Jiushan Sect that day, and his Dharma name was Huihong.

The Arhat Huihong was no longer as imposing as before. His face was gentle, and he put his hands together and smiled, saying, "The World Honored One instructed me to wait here for Sect Leader Zheng."

"Waiting for me?" Zheng Fa frowned slightly, then smiled. "The Mahayana Buddha is very thoughtful."

That shows thoughtfulness.

How did Lu Yao know which path he took?

With Zheng Fa by his side, the Arhat Huihong took a slight detour, skirting the edge of Yaochi, and entered the territory of Leiyin Temple.

Previously, Zheng Fa would have assumed it was because Yaochi and Leiyin Temple belonged to two different families, and it was not appropriate for Arhat Huihong to bring him in without permission.

Can……

He looked back at Yaochi and had another guess in his mind—Leiyin Temple didn't want him to go to Yaochi, so they sent Huihong here to pick him up.
Suppressing his thoughts, Zheng Fa turned his head and looked down.

He had never been to Xizhou before, and Leiyin Temple had always been mysterious. Putting aside his fear of Lu Yao, he was actually quite curious.

The two were passing through a village surrounded by rice paddies. The rice in the paddies was ordinary rice, which didn't have much spiritual energy, but it looked like it was growing well.

The climate in the West Continent is probably hotter than in the East Continent, and the villagers' clothing is not as thick as that of the people in the East Continent.

At first glance, the man's clothing appeared to be just a piece of cloth draped over his body, with several holes that exposed his arms and calves.

Some people were shirtless, revealing their dark backs, lazily working in the fields.

The women were slightly more conservative, at least wearing corset-like blouses, but they were still much more open than those in Dongzhou.

Judging from the expressions on the villagers' faces, life is not bad; at least they don't go hungry.

“The Buddhist land of Xizhou is fertile, and rice can be harvested three times a year.” As if he had been observing him all along, Arhat Huihong spoke up at this moment, “The people live in peace and prosperity, and everyone is inclined to do good.”

Zheng Fa nodded slightly.

If what Abbot Huihong said is true, then the mortals in Leiyin Temple should be doing quite well.

In particular, the rule of Leiyin Temple was extremely stable, with high grain yields and a good climate. Calling it a paradise was not an exaggeration.

But he also observed something that puzzled him:
The houses in the village are all made of wood, with banana leaves on the roof, and look very shabby.

The wooden houses were scattered haphazardly, one here and one there. The paths between the houses were dirt tracks, devoid of even gravel, and in the puddles, there was yellowish-red mud.

Some naked children ran around on the ground, splashing mud and water everywhere.

Zheng Fa was puzzled: with such a good place and such a high grain yield, why did this village still look so poor? And there didn't seem to be any schools either?

Thinking that perhaps the local customs were different, he did not ask any further questions, but simply followed the Arhat Huihong and continued flying forward until they passed a large city.

Arhat Huihong looked somewhat apologetic: "The Dharma assembly is approaching, and I am on the orders of the Lapis Lazuli Buddha to go to the city to make some arrangements."

"arrange?"

"This time, the World Honored One is convening the Great Luo Dharma Assembly. It is not only a grand event for the Xuanwei Immortal Sect, but also a blessing for our Leiyin Temple. At that time, countless believers will come to pray and worship. We need to make preparations in advance."

"That's alright."

Presumably this person wouldn't interfere with his participation in the Great Luo Dharma Assembly, Zheng Fa didn't mind and followed Hui Hong as he descended into the city.

Zheng Fa considered himself a well-informed person, but he was still taken aback at this moment.

A golden avenue, literally speaking, stretches from the city gate into the city.

At the end of the road stands a magnificent Buddhist temple facing south.

"BRICS?"

Zheng Fa looked down at the floor tiles and asked.

Arhat Huihong nodded with a smile.

Zheng Fa had long since lost interest in gold, but at this moment he was still quite shocked—thinking about the splattered mud and looking at the gold bricks without a single footprint under his feet, he couldn't quite understand the feeling in his heart.

"These are all offerings made by believers themselves to show their devotion to Buddhism."

Now Zheng Fa understood why there weren't many nice houses in those villages.

Zheng Fa looked ahead. The road was very wide, enough for six carriages to run side by side, but no one was walking on it.

Zheng Fa and Hui Hong Luohan walked as if in an empty square, while the narrow ditches on both sides of the avenue were teeming with people.

"Who can walk on this great road?"

Huihong smiled, seemingly sensing his displeasure, and replied with a statement that surprised Zheng Fa even more: "It's not that we don't want them to leave, but... they don't want to leave."

After saying that, he turned and headed towards the Buddhist temple to the north, the wind blowing his robes.

Wherever Arhat Huihong walked, the residents on both sides knelt on the ground, as if devoutly kissing the dust carried by the wind from his feet.

Zheng Fa walked silently behind them until they reached the Buddhist temple in the north of the city.

Dozens of gourd-shaped pagodas are inlaid with five-colored gemstones. In the main hall, Lu Yao's Buddha statue is made of pure gold, and sitting there, it looks like a golden mountain.

The believers came in droves, bringing gold and silver treasures, but leaving behind only smiles.

Zheng Fa firmly believed that these people were all there voluntarily, without any coercion or oppression. As a celestial sect, Leiyin Temple probably didn't really care much for gold and silver.

But for some reason, he felt only depression and despair.

Huihong Luohan did not linger in the city for long. A day later, he took Zhengfa straight to Leiyin Temple.

"This is Leiyin Temple?"

Zheng Fa gazed ahead and felt as if his eyes had been opened again.

Before him stood a towering peak, even higher than the mountains Zheng Fa had seen. What was strange was that the summit was neither covered in snow nor covered in rocks, but rather a magnificent and splendid Buddhist temple.

At such a high position, those in the palace could probably look down at the sunset and reach out to pluck stars from the sky.

Leiyin Temple is the most prestigious sect in the world. It has stood in the Western Continent for several eras. It may have declined, but its lineage has never been interrupted.

This place is naturally prosperous.

Rows of houses, retreats, and monasteries rise from the foot of the mountain, densely packed like moss growing on the mountain peaks, vibrant yet chaotic.

Zheng Fa sensed again the difference between Leiyin Temple and other immortal sects—

Leiyin Temple has never truly separated itself from the mortal world; on the contrary, they seem to be deliberately trying to get closer to it.

Zheng Fa had also discovered in the city that believers there went to Buddhist temples for lawsuits, loans, and even to make contracts.

"The residence of Sect Leader Zheng is a separate courtyard, located on a very high ground. No one dares to enter without permission, so there is no disturbance here."

Huihong seemed worried that he might not be used to it, so she explained.

Zheng Fa didn't dislike it, but he didn't say much either. He simply followed him to the other courtyard.

This villa appears to be newly built, with a strong Dongzhou style, and it even has a back garden with artificial hills, flowing water, arched bridges, pavilions, and everything else you could want.

Zheng Fa noticed that there were several other similar courtyards next to his. "These are the residences of other Golden Immortals," Hui Hong said, noticing his gaze. "Near Sect Leader Zheng are the villas of three Golden Immortals from the Supreme Dao."

"The one on the right is inhabited by the Jade Pool Heavenly Maiden."

Zheng Fa's heart skipped a beat, but he pretended to be nonchalant: "How many Golden Immortals have come to Yaochi?"

“Only one Heavenly Maiden of Bliss,” Huihong replied casually, adding, “Further away are the courtyards of two Golden Immortals of the Demon Clan.”

Golden Immortal of the Demon Clan...

Zheng Fa frowned slightly.

"The courtyard of the three reclusive immortals is behind Sect Leader Zheng; they have already arrived."

After Huihong left, Zheng Fa pondered in his heart that this Great Luo Dharma Assembly could be described as an unprecedented gathering of Golden Immortals in the history of Xuanwei.

The number of Golden Immortals that arrived was different from what he had expected; some were numerous, and some were few.

For example, of the Nine Sons of the Supreme Dao, only three Golden Immortals came. It is unknown whether they were guarding against Leiyin Temple or had other considerations.

The fact that only the Heavenly Maidens of Bliss visited Yaochi made things even stranger.

The people from these two factions thought less than Zheng Fa did.

There are even more people—the demon race actually has two Golden Immortals?
So, counting the Golden Immortals from Leiyin Temple, there are nine Golden Immortals from outside the region at this Golden Immortal Gathering. Adding Zheng Fa, the husky who infiltrated the wolf pack, makes a total of ten.

Of course, neither of the two demons nor the Blissful Celestial Maiden were outsiders to Lu Yao.

……

Of the ten attendees, Zheng Falai arrived at the right time, neither too early nor too late.

The celestial maiden had already arrived.

The next day, Zheng Fa encountered the Jade Pool Heavenly Maiden and her entourage—or rather, the Heavenly Maiden and her group came to visit him, and were very hospitable.

Among her entourage was Ni Chang Yuan Jun.

Zheng Fa and Ni Chang Yuan Jun were old acquaintances. He knew that this person and the Heavenly Maiden of Bliss had some differences in their beliefs. However, when they met again, Ni Chang Yuan Jun looked at the Heavenly Maiden of Bliss with great respect and submission.

After seeing off the Heavenly Maiden of Bliss, Zheng Fa looked at the departing figure of the Goddess of Rainbow Robes and felt that she had acted very naturally during their conversation, without showing any abnormality.

The goddess of bliss had a good attitude, but some people seemed to deeply resent Zheng Fa.

The two Golden Immortals of the Demon Clan were named Earthshaking Demon Lord and Peacock Emperor, respectively, both with very impressive names.

These two arrived quite some time ago.

Zheng Fa did indeed encounter them once. The Peacock Emperor's true form was obvious, but the Earth-Shaking Demon Lord's true form seemed to be a green ox. Upon seeing Zheng Fa, it bulged its two bull eyes, opened its nostrils, and began to breathe heavily.

"This is the Demon Emperor's guest."

The Peacock Emperor glanced coldly at Zheng Fa from the side and spoke up to remind him.

The seemingly impulsive Earthshaker Demon Lord calmed his breathing, snorted coldly, and turned to leave.

This is probably still the fault of the Nine Nether Emperor.

Zheng Fa wasn't angry, but he was more wary. This Lu Yao actually had such influence among the demon race. Even now, the Peacock Emperor still called him the Demon Emperor. Moreover, just a name could make the Earth-Shaking Demon Lord restrain his temper.
……

Zheng Fa had met the three reclusive immortals once before. These three were somewhat similar to him—not only did they all come alone without their disciples or juniors, but they were also rather reclusive, squatting in the courtyard as soon as they arrived and not coming out.

Unfortunately, the three immortals didn't seem to think they looked very alike.

When they saw Zheng Fa, they greeted him with clasped hands and a bow from a distance, but they didn't say a word and turned to leave, seemingly not wanting to have anything to do with him.

The Taishangdao group arrived last, almost three days before the Great Luo Dharma Assembly.

Xuan Chengzi was accompanied by two Golden Immortals, and a group of disciples followed behind him.

Upon seeing Zheng Fa, one of the disciples' eyes lit up, and he called out to Zheng Fa, "Sect Leader Zheng!"

Zheng Fa looked up and saw Li Sanxian carrying a sword on his back, smiling at him.

"Fellow Daoist Li!"

Zheng Fa smiled and returned the greeting.

But as if he had thought of something, Li Sanxian's upturned lips froze, and he glanced sideways at Xuan Chengzi cautiously.

Xuan Chengzi glanced at him, then looked at Zheng Fa with a big smile, nodded slightly, and without saying a word, led his men directly to the three courtyards on the left.

Li Sanxian followed behind him, and when she turned around, she gave Zheng Fa a helpless look.

……

"Junior Nephew Li, you seem to have a good relationship with Zheng Fa?"

The Taishang Dao group sat in the courtyard, and Xuan Chengzi asked Li Sanxian a question.

“I once visited the Jiushan Sect,” Li Sanxian explained. After thinking for a moment, he added, “The Huangting Jing created by Zheng Fa is extremely extraordinary and is of great benefit to my Taishang Daoist teachings.”

“The Yellow Court Classic…” Xuan Chengzi pondered for a moment, then shook his head and said, “No matter how extraordinary he is, you must remember that in the future, my Supreme Dao and the Nine Mountains Sect will be enemies, not friends.”

"……Can."

“Zheng Fa is now the enemy of all Dao Fruits. If it weren’t for the protection of the Nine Nether Emperor and that Primordial Purple Qi, he would have been dead long ago.”

Xuan Chengzi said in a cold voice.

Li Sanxian nodded silently, then asked with some concern, "What will happen to him at this Great Luo Dharma Assembly?"

Xuan Chengzi shook his head, thought for a long time, and then sighed, "Now Lu Yao's power is established. The demon race, Yaochi, Leiyin Temple, and nearly half of the Golden Immortals have been won over by Lu Yao. My Taishang Dao has no choice but to come now and can only deal with whatever moves he makes. You are too busy worrying about yourself to worry about him?"

Upon hearing this, Li Sanxian became genuinely worried: "Is this Great Luo Dharma Assembly dangerous?"

"No, that won't happen. After all, my Supreme Dao has the protection of the Dao Venerable, so Lu Yao wouldn't dare to go too far."

The members of the Supreme Dao sect in the courtyard all smiled.

"With the Dao Venerable here, whatever Lu Yao wants to do, he can't bypass our Supreme Dao," Xuan Chengzi added. "We can simply wait for him to make his offer..."

"Does Master Uncle mean that Lu Yao convened the Great Luo Dharma Assembly for our sake?"

“Lu Yao is a smart man. Since he chose the form of the Great Luo Dharma Assembly, he wants to unify the Dao Fruits of the world.” Xuan Chengzi said confidently. “There are only three Taiyi in the world now. The Nine Nether Emperor and Lu Yao are mortal enemies. The greater his ambition, the more he needs to cooperate with us and then plot against the Underworld.”

Li Sanxian seemed to agree with what he heard and nodded slowly.

Footsteps could be heard outside the courtyard.

The group of people walked in a grand procession, seemingly heading towards the villa.

Xuan Chengzi stood up, surprised, and said, "Is Lu Yao in such a hurry that he actually came to visit in person?"

The members of the Supreme Dao looked at each other in surprise, but also felt a sense of pride – given Lu Yao's current power, for him to personally come to their door meant that, as Xuan Chengzi had said, he valued the Supreme Dao very much.

Lu Yao's footsteps stopped.

"Is Sect Leader Zheng Fa here?" Lu Yaoping's voice came clearly.

The sound of the door opening was followed by Zheng Fa's welcoming greetings.

Gradually, only silence remained outside.

No one came looking for Taishangdao.

(End of this chapter)