Xiuxian: I studied abroad in modern times

Chapter 620 Lu Yao sets the stage, Zheng Fa performs the play

While compiling "The Origin of the Dao Fruit," Zheng Fa also used his divine sense to observe the situation of the Great Luo Dharma Assembly.

To be honest, I was enjoying it at the same time, but also feeling annoyed.

This was the first time he had truly attained enlightenment, or rather, the first time he had truly integrated all his techniques and philosophies into a unified whole.

This feeling is exhilarating, like the thrill of speeding along the highway after escaping a massive traffic jam.

But what he heard was the most disgusting and repulsive round of bargaining in the world.

Lu Yao's idea is a temptation for any Dao Fruit—to remain forever high above, without worrying about death, and even avoid the calamity of spiritual energy decline.

Xuan Chengzi and others from the Supreme Dao were clearly tempted.

However, achieving true cooperation is not something that can be accomplished overnight, and it may not even be possible with a single grand Dharma assembly.

The biggest problem is that the Supreme Dao and Leiyin Temple have a long-standing feud, and it can even be said that they do not trust each other at all.

……

Xuan Chengzi frowned: "If the Buddha's body merges with the Pure Land, and he also has the faith of all mortals in the myriad realms, his strength will surely increase greatly in the future."

Lu Yao smiled, not denying it, and looked like she was listening attentively.

"But I, the Supreme Daoist, have the most Golden Immortals... wouldn't that be a disadvantage?"

When Xuan Chengzi said this, he didn't sound like a Golden Immortal at all; he sounded more like someone selling vegetables at a market.

However, Zheng Fa would not underestimate this person; a single word uttered now could have a significant impact in the future.

This does not necessarily mean that Xuan Chengzi is against Lu Yao's proposal.

Everyone knows that those who haggle over prices are usually genuinely interested in doing business with the intention of doing so.

Lu Yao laughed, his face full of confidence: "Does Benefactor Xuancheng know that my Leiyin Temple has a future Buddha?"

“The future Buddha is not a white lotus…” Xuan Chengzi paused for a moment, looked at Zheng Fa, and fell silent.

Lu Yao also glanced at Zheng Fa, his eyes holding a hint of meaning, seemingly mocking him.

“Our Buddhist sect speaks of the Three Buddhas of the Past and Present,” Lu Yao said calmly. “The Buddha of the Past is none other than the Buddha of Thunder Sound.”

"The Buddha now is the old monk."

"The future Buddha... but there is no one to choose now."

Xuan Chengzi frowned and asked, "What does this have to do with this matter?"

“After I attain enlightenment, the future Buddha will take charge of the Pure Land and enjoy the incense offerings.” Lu Yao paused and said something that stunned everyone, “And the future Buddha can also be selected by the Golden Immortals through council.”

Xuan Chengzi's expression changed drastically, both surprised and delighted, and he couldn't help but ask, "Really?"

Zheng Fa could understand his expression. With the sheer number of Golden Immortals in the Supreme Dao, they could easily gain the upper hand in Golden Immortal discussions.

Lu Yao's words implied that he intended to pass on the future Buddha's position and Pure Land to the Supreme Dao.
Leaving aside the future Buddha's attainment.

The Pure Land is the most precious treasure of Leiyin Temple!

I don't know if this person made up their mind before I refused, or if they only had this idea after our negotiations broke down.

But the long silence in the hall made Zheng Fa immediately realize that this condition had probably truly moved the Supreme Dao.

……

"Why is Lu Yao so generous?"

Within the Nine Mountains Realm, the elder stared wide-eyed, utterly bewildered.

"What can't be generous for the sake of proving the Dao? I just don't know how Buddha Leiyin agreed to it." Uncle Pang frowned and said, "This is really troublesome."

The others exchanged bewildered glances. Lu Yao's statement had steered the Great Luo Dharma Assembly toward a direction that the Nine Mountains Sect was powerless to change—joint governance by Golden Immortals.

Unfortunately, in the current Great Luo Dharma Assembly, and even in the entire Xuanwei Realm, those who are truly in charge are these Golden Immortals.

After much deliberation, Uncle Pang could only sigh helplessly: "I am the Supreme Daoist. Unless the Daoist Master speaks up, I really can't think of any reason to refuse such a condition."

Xuan Chengzi couldn't figure it out either.

He looked at Lu Yao with a hint of fear, as if afraid that this surprise would grow wings and fly away.

"You really would do that?"

Lu Yao chuckled softly, as if explaining, yet also declaring: "When I attained enlightenment, all realms were unified, and the Supreme Thunder Sound Temple was no different."

Xuan Chengzi's expression became increasingly conflicted, as if he still didn't believe it.

"Fellow Daoists of the Supreme Dao may not believe me, but do you not believe in the Primordial Purple Qi?"

Xuan Chengzi did not answer, his expression suggesting some hesitation.

“The Primordial Purple Qi is the object of the oath between Heaven, Earth and Man. The principles written in it cannot be violated even by a sage,” Lu Yao continued. “If you do not believe me, I can swear an oath with the Primordial Purple Qi.”

Xuan Chengzi pondered for a moment, then exchanged glances with his two fellow disciples before speaking: "This matter is of great importance and cannot be decided by the three of us alone. We must go back and discuss it... To be honest, among those of the Nine Sons who did not come, there are some who are extremely dissatisfied with Leiyin Temple. Even with the threat of the Nine Netherworlds, it will be difficult for them to cooperate with you."

He seemed afraid that Lu Yao would be dissatisfied, so he quickly added, "I will definitely explain the pros and cons and try my best to persuade them."

Zheng Fa was quite surprised to hear this. It seemed that the Nine Sons of the Supreme Being were not of one mind.

No wonder Lu Yao didn't take the Supreme Dao seriously when he spoke before.

Judging from Xuan Chengzi's words, there are at least two factions among the Nine Sons of the Supreme Being—

One faction was opposed to Leiyin Temple and was unwilling to attend the Great Luo Dharma Assembly.

The other faction is probably Xuan Chengzi and his group. Although they don't have a good impression of Leiyin Temple, they are even more wary of the Nine Nether Emperor. Comparing the two, they are actually more willing to cooperate with Leiyin Temple.

Lu Yao smiled, seemingly unsurprised, and asked, "Is the Daoist Master still so rarely heard from?"

“Yes.” Xuan Chengzi sighed upon hearing this. “If there were a decree from the Dao Venerable, we wouldn’t be in such a predicament. But… the Dao Venerable hasn’t issued a decree for many years. We can only ask him for advice when we have doubts. Otherwise, why would we be constantly arguing?”

Lu Yao nodded slowly, his expression becoming increasingly confident: "Fellow Daoists of the Supreme Dao, whether you agree or not is not important. What is important is whether the people here agree."

Xuan Chengzi was taken aback, then suddenly looked up at the people around him.

The three reclusive immortals either lowered their heads or closed their eyes, none of them daring to meet his gaze.

This scene in the light screen made the Nine Mountains Heavenly Palace even more solemn.

“The Supreme Daoist can still hesitate, but the Three Reclusive Immortals have been persuaded!” Uncle Pang said in a low voice. “For the Three Reclusive Immortals, they didn’t control much territory to begin with. Being able to preserve their cultivation and rule the heavens in the future is like a pie falling from the sky.”

“We originally thought that Lu Yao said these things in order to win over the Supreme Dao, but we did not expect that his target was actually the Three Reclusive Immortals, who are relatively unfounded Golden Immortals.”

Zheng Fa was also calculating in his mind.

Even without counting the five Golden Immortals of Yaochi, Lu Yao's side already has five Buddhas, two Golden Immortals from the demon race, and three reclusive immortals, totaling ten Golden Immortals—one more than the Nine Sons of the Supreme Being.

Without a sound, the Taishangdao's original numerical advantage had disappeared.

Xuan Chengzi's face showed slight anger, but he was helpless. Even if the three reclusive immortals had no powerful background, they were still Golden Immortals, and not someone that Taishangdao could control. In just a few words, the situation in the Great Luo Dharma Assembly had been completely taken over by Lu Yao, and even Xuan Chengzi was speechless.

Lu Yao smiled slightly, as if he had expected this, and said softly, "The Supreme Dao is protected by the Dao Venerable, so I would never dare to offend him."

"But fellow Daoists of the Supreme Dao, seeing this profound and subtle power, do you still want to hesitate?"

Xuan Chengzi had no confidence when he questioned Lu Yao. He lowered his head slightly and replied in a tone that was almost subservient to Lu Yao: "When I return to Taishangdao, I will discuss matters with my fellow disciples. If that fails, I will request the Daoist Master's decree."

Lu Yao nodded slightly, his gaze falling on Zheng Fa, and said, "If we have the help of the Dao Venerable, then even if the Primordial Purple Qi is in the Underworld, we can still obtain it."

So Lu Yao now thinks that the Primordial Purple Qi is hidden in the underworld?
That makes some sense, especially since outsiders probably think that the Nine Mountains Sect is a subordinate of the Nine Nether Emperor.

“Sect Leader Zheng, the Primordial Purple Qi originally belonged to you.” Lu Yao suddenly said to Zheng Fa, “In principle, we should not force you to hand it over, but this thing concerns all living beings in the myriad realms, so this old monk has no choice but to do so.”

Zheng Fa opened his eyes and looked at Lu Yao.

Lu Yao had now almost completely taken control of the Great Luo Dharma Assembly. Even with his deep mind, he was somewhat smug. He looked at Zheng Fa, his tone becoming increasingly forceful:
"We urge Sect Leader Zheng to hand over the Primordial Purple Qi for the sake of all living beings in the myriad realms."

Zheng Fa blinked and said, "Then I'll go to the Underworld and ask the Nine Nether Emperor."

Upon hearing this, a smile flashed in Lu Yao's eyes, and he said, "So the Primordial Purple Qi is not in the Underworld. That makes things simple. We don't need to rely on the power of the Dao Venerable."

"..."

"If Sect Leader Zheng is unwilling to tell the truth, then he probably isn't willing to hand over the Purple Qi either?"

Zheng Fa did not answer.

Lu Yao sighed softly, seemingly regretful. At the same time, a golden bowl suddenly flew out in front of him.

The golden bowl faced downwards, and rays of light shot out from its mouth, enveloping Zheng Fa directly.

Zheng Fa tried to escape, but felt the rosy light was like a dense net, entangling and pulling him, making him move slower than a snail, and watching helplessly as the golden bowl enveloped him.

"Zheng Fa!"

"Head!"

"broken!"

Exclamations of surprise echoed from within the Nine Mountains Heavenly Palace.

The Heavenly Emperor couldn't help but reassure him: "It's alright. I was mentally prepared before I went. Lu Yao's goal is the Primordial Purple Qi. My life is safe for the time being."

The crowd was skeptical, but when they saw Senior Sister Zhang nodding, they calmed down. However, their eyes still held worry as they looked at Zheng Fa.

The golden bowl turned completely transparent, like an inverted glass dome. Zheng Fa sat cross-legged inside the dome, tapping and striking it around.

“Sect Leader Zheng, there’s no need to test us any further. This bowl is a treasure passed down by the Buddha of Thunder Sound, connecting to the Pure Land Dharma Realm. Even ordinary Golden Immortals might not be able to escape it.” Lu Yao shook his head and said, “Sect Leader Zheng, if you tell me the location of the Primordial Purple Qi, I will release you.”

Upon hearing this, Zheng Fa stopped making a fuss and simply closed his eyes, looking as if he wouldn't speak.

"Sect Leader Zheng is indeed stubborn and incorrigible." Lu Yao didn't seem angry, but turned to the other Golden Immortals and said, "Do you all know that my Thunderclap Temple has a 'Universal Salvation Heart Sutra'?"

Xuan Chengzi nodded upon hearing this and said, "This scripture is most adept at enlightening people, and I have heard of it before."

"Today, at this grand Dharma assembly, I will be giving a lecture on the Heart Sutra of Universal Salvation to all beings in the Western Continent, and by the way, I will also guide Master Zheng. I invite you all to attend."

Xuan Chengzi felt a chill in his heart, knowing that Lu Yao wanted to forcibly convert Zheng Fa and find the Primordial Purple Qi, and perhaps even make an example of him.

As soon as Lu Yao reached out, the light shield and Zheng Fa landed in front of his lotus platform and began to listen to the sutras involuntarily.

At the same time, Buddhist music resounded in all the major cities and temples of the Western Continent.

Xuan Chengzi and the others looked outside and saw that altars were set up in each temple, with bells and chimes playing and flutes and banners obscuring the sun. They were all holding Dharma assemblies at the same time.

The altar was surrounded by countless people, three layers deep.

Leiyin Temple emitted countless rays of light and auspicious clouds, which fell upon each altar.

The rosy light converged into a golden figure, sitting upright in the center of the altar. Who else could it be but Lu Yao?

Upon seeing Lu Yao appear, all the believers and pilgrims outside the altar knelt on the ground.

Lu Yao began to recite the Heart Sutra.

The chanting of the scriptures was like thunder, resounding throughout Leiyin Temple.

In a short while, some of the believers wept bitterly, some kowtowed repeatedly, and some were completely absorbed in their worship.

But no matter what they were doing, they were chanting scriptures in unison.

Xuan Chengzi suddenly looked up and saw a mirage above Leiyin Temple, with temples standing in rows and immortals, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas sitting in solemn postures.

Pure Land World...

Xuan Chengzi narrowed his eyes and carefully examined Lu Yao's plan. The most important thing for Lu Yao's plan to succeed was the Primordial Purple Qi, and the second most important thing was this Pure Land World.

This Pure Land is neither real nor unreal; its origin is unknown, and its boundaries are unknowable. It is as small as a mustard seed, yet it seems to encompass all the heavens and myriad worlds.

With Xuan Chengzi's keen eyesight, he could vaguely see that as Lu Yao and the believers chanted, the figures of the immortals, Buddhas, and Bodhisattvas were gradually solidifying.

"Fa Xiang?"

Xuan Chengzi's heart stirred. It seemed that Lu Yao hadn't lied to him. This Pure Land truly seemed to have the ability to absorb faith and strengthen one's Dharma form.

He stared at the Pure Land, his ears filled with the sound of scriptures, and unconsciously began to praise, "Rare is the World Honored One."

His mind cleared instantly, and he snapped back to reality, horrified—the Heart Sutra of Universal Salvation had even influenced him under the blessing of these believers!

But he was an innocent victim; Lu Yao's target for salvation was Zheng Fa!

However, since he is a Golden Immortal, even being affected by him indirectly would cause such a reaction; what about Zheng Fa...?

He looked toward the light shield.

But Zheng Fa had a peaceful face, a solemn countenance, and a halo of Buddha above his head. He looked more like a disciple of Leiyin Temple than the disciples of Leiyin Temple.

So he's been converted?

Xuan Chengzi was completely focused, wanting to hear Zheng Fa reveal the location of the Primordial Purple Qi.

Just then, the golden bowl suddenly shot upwards and floated on the dome, its mouth still casting down rays of light that enveloped Zheng Fa.

Xuan Chengzi sensed something was wrong and turned to look at Lu Yao, only to see Lu Yao looking up at the Pure Land as if he had discovered something unbelievable. Then, he suddenly raised his hand and slapped Zheng Fa.

The golden bowl shone even brighter, and it actually supported Lu Yao's palm, protecting Zheng Fa!
Now, not only Xuan Chengzi, but everyone else saw the problem—this golden bowl was clearly Lu Yao's magic weapon, so why was it protecting Zheng Fa now?

Zheng Fa suddenly opened his eyes, and a golden lotus instantly grew beneath him.

As soon as the golden lotus appeared, the Pure Land above Leiyin Temple shone brightly, and golden raindrops fell from the Pure Land, sprinkling down on the Buddhist temples, cities, and villages below.

Lu Yao's figure had disappeared from the altars of those Buddhist temples at some point.

Zheng Fa, seated on a lotus platform, appeared before all the bewildered believers.

(End of this chapter)