Longevity Chronicles
Chapter 647 - 417: Double-Faced Spy, Sky-reaching Floating Pagoda (2nd Update, Subscribe for Monthly Tickets!)

"Miao Yin Bodhisattva, this girl's name is Shen Yushan, the daughter of the Suzhou Shen Family. She has exceptional talent but is temporarily cultivating a volume from the Heterodox Secret Book called the 'Secret Scripture of Containing Pearl'. Yet she has always been devoutly inclined to Buddhism, never wishing to undergo Foundation Establishment, which has delayed her progress until now. If she could be accepted as a disciple of the Female Bodhisattva, she would surely be willing to give up her cultivation level and follow you to the South Sea."

"With me, she has no fate with Buddha!"

...

"Bodhisattva, this girl is Jiang Chunfeng, who harbors a strand of Qingluan Blood in her body. She hasn't formally begun her cultivation yet but is currently using the 'Bloodline Reversal Technique' to gather more of the Qingluan Blood. If she fully completes her Taoist Body, her future potential is limitless."

"With me, she has no fate with Buddha!"

...

"Master Wu Gou, this child is named Han Zhuguang, also from a prestigious family in Suzhou. He possesses the 'Absorbing Star Marvelous Body', and from childhood, he could absorb the Cycle of Stars Power to temper his body. Because he has not found a suitable Great Book, he has never formally practiced cultivation but has developed a body that is out of the ordinary, capable of consuming nine cows and one horse daily without difficulty."

"He's a good child, but alas, he has no fate with Buddha and should instead pay homage to a Daoist of the Star Leader Sect."

...

"Master Wu Gou, this child is named Zhu Wei, a young descendant of our family's longtime friends, the Zhu Family. Due to a fortuitous event, he consumed a demon heart, causing an abnormality in his body, and had no choice but to turn to the Demon Path for cultivation. He is presently refining a volume from the 'Plague Bamboo Five Poison Scripture'. This child is indeed pitiable. Master, if you could take him in, transform him from a demon to a Buddha, it would be a great merit."

"I have no teacher-student karma with him, but if he wishes to eliminate the demonic nature within his body, I am willing to help."

Once Tao Qian finished speaking these words,

Zhen Shiliang had nothing more to say, and the room fell into silence.

If it were not for the fear of the terrifying cultivation level of this couple before them, perhaps every one of the great families' heirs would have burst into anger.

Even so, few looked pleased, all thinking similar thoughts:

"What audacity this bald monk has, to bully us thus."

"He refuses one, he refuses another, clearly mocking us."

These nobles and gentry, although all were self-aware and knew that their children were but the leftovers of the Demon Buddha Temple, and real experts would surely not favor them,

you could at least put on an act. To accept none truly makes for an ugly scene.

At this moment, even Zhen Shiliang's face bore a helpless expression. He did his best to praise these heirs, but alas, both Master Wu Gou and Miao Yin Bodhisattva were born with eyes of Buddha, and the true talents of these heirs could not be hidden.

Now, he had no choice but to smooth things over by saying:

"No matter, no matter!"

"These are only a few children who have made their appearance. Do the fellow families only have these few offspring? Children born out of wedlock, as well as other nephews and nieces, they can all be brought forth, for fate should not be missed."

"Masters, Bodhisattvas, since there are no promising talents before you now, why don't you first stay at my home to rest and recuperate?"

"My child, Bu Chi, should be able to hurry here by tomorrow."

As soon as he finished his words, he saw Master Wu Gou and Miao Yin Bodhisattva both showing smiles.

Then came two pieces of good news, one after the other.

First was Miao Yin Bodhisattva, who gazed upon Zhen Ci'en, his eldest daughter, and directly said:

"I have already met many of your daughters in advance, most of whom have no fate with Buddha."

"Only Ci'en has some understanding of karma, and though she has already established her foundation early, fortunately, she cultivates the 'Bright Heavenly Maiden Scripture', which makes it convenient for her to switch to our Buddhist Law."

"If Ci'en is willing, she may become my first disciple."

After Yunrong finished speaking, Zhen Shiliang was immediately overjoyed.

He had previously received a message from Zhen Bu Chi: The Female Bodhisattva accompanying the Wu Gou Monk also had a powerful Buddhist Practitioner behind her, presumed to be Bao Xian, who was guessed by Kongchan Arhat to be equally renowned as the South Sea Qingjing Zen Master within the South Sea Territory.

If his son became a disciple of Demon Buddha Temple and his daughter to be the disciple of Bao Xian, wouldn't the Zhen Family be thoroughly prosperous?

With this thought, Zhen Shiliang, without any regard for others, kept signaling Zhen Ci'en to kneel and kowtow to acknowledge her teacher.

At this moment, however, the eldest daughter of the Zhen Family showed hesitation on her face, her eyes frequently sweeping towards Zheng Yin.

Clearly!

It was not that she was unwilling to acknowledge a teacher, but the thought of going to the South Sea to cultivate, which meant leaving her beloved, made her reluctant.

Seeing this, Zhen Shiliang was so angry that his face turned crimson. He was about to send a secret message to that boy Zheng Yin to insult him and request that he take the initiative to cancel the engagement when suddenly,

Tao Qian laughed loudly once more, chanting a Buddha's name:

"Amitabha!"

"My Master once said: 'Romantic ties and karmic entanglements are especially vexing.'"

"I and Miao Yin have been resentful couples for ten lifetimes, entangled through nine previous lives, only to realize Mahayana in this existence."

"It seems that even accepting disciples carries the same fate, truly the work of destiny."

Having said this and ignoring the astonishment on everyone's faces,

Tao Qian's gaze turned and suddenly fell upon Zheng Yin, the prodigal son who had not uttered a word all along, then he asked a question that made all the heirs of the noble families present envious.

"I am Wu Gou, a Buddhist Practitioner of the South Sea Territory, disciple of Qingjing Zen Master."

"My Master will soon achieve the fruit of enlightenment and will open a new temple to pass down the teachings."

"If you are willing to acknowledge me as your Master, you will be considered my direct lineage, and in the future, whether achieving the status of an Arhat or Bodhisattva, you will be able to certify it."

"You need not worry about having to part with Ci'en; if she acknowledges Miao Yin, later on you and she will be neighbors."

"Living together, flying together, jointly cultivating the Great Dao, it will be up to the two of you."

"How about it?"

When Tao Qian's words concluded, the head of the Zhen Family, Zhen Shiliang, was already overjoyed to the point of delirium.

How could he have imagined that there really was such a thing as a pie falling from the sky?

Feeling the envious glares of those fellow families upon him, he began calculating in his heart:

"Opportunity, a great opportunity."

"Let me think - my son to be the true inheritor of Kongchan Arhat, the staunch disciple of Demon Buddha's son, my daughter to be the disciple of South Sea's Bao Xian, and my son-in-law to be the disciple of South Sea Qingjing Zen Master... My goodness, after today, let alone Qiantang Province, even within the Northern Land Provinces, who would dare to provoke my Zhen Family?"

"Never would I have imagined that my Zhen Family could obtain such an opportunity, perhaps using this chance to transform into a millennia-old clan akin to the Zhang Family, Xiu Family, Si Family, and Li Family."

Zhen Shiliang's pride and ecstasy were visible to the naked eye.

His radiant face almost seemed to reflect upon those around him.

For fear of any unforeseen changes, Zhen Shiliang promptly took one in each hand, not caring that the two were not yet married, and had already thrown away thoughts of annulling the marriage from his mind.

Dragging Zhen Ci'en and Zheng Yin before Tao Qian Yunrong, he said beamingly,

"Will you do it? Of course, a hundred, a thousand times yes."

"It seems destined by fate that my daughter and her husband should take the two true Buddhas as their masters."

"Spreading such news would certainly make for a beautiful story."

...

With Zhen Shiliang's manipulation, the matter of taking them as masters was settled.

Zhen Ci'en, seeing she could cultivate alongside her beloved, was overjoyed and paid no mind to the prospect of leaving home to gain knowledge in the South Sea.

Zheng Yin, who had considered Tao Qian Yunrong a deceitful couple, originally wanted to reject this arrangement.

But for some reason, he found himself inexplicably unable to voice his rejection, and by the time he came to his senses, the connection had been established.

The Zhen Family was overjoyed, and though the other leading families were displeased, they still managed to stiffly offer their congratulations.

Full of pride, Zhen Shiliang responded to the gestures, while inviting Tao Qian and Yunrong to step onto the "Hundred Treasure Buddha Chariot."

At the same time, he discreetly signalled his servants, instructing them,

"Do not skimp on expenses while welcoming the true Buddha to the Zhen Mansion; let Gold Mountain and Silver Mountain be scattered."

"Today, the master is happy, and shares his joy with the people."

"I want the entire city to know just what sort of future the Zhen Family will have."

"Yes, sir!"

Just when the Zhen Family was stirring with excitement,

they suddenly realized that neither the true Buddha nor the Bodhisattva seemed willing to board the treasure chariot.

Just as Zhen Shiliang was about to inquire, Master Wu Gou gazed directly at the various scenes and citizens of Suzhou City.

After experiencing events such as the destruction of the Ancestor God Forbidden Technique, the introduction of Western studies, the abolition of the imperial system, and the Arhat's transformation, Suzhou City bore ancient designs, mechanical factories, and added images of the Buddha Country, resulting in a style that could be described as strange and bizarre.

At that moment, Tao Qian was contemplating adding yet another sight to this city.

Before acting, he felt a strange sentiment bubbling within him:

"When I first entered Qiantang, I thought to act cautiously and adapt to circumstances."

"But ever since Master joined in, everything has changed. I walk openly and upright, and now, my actions could be called wanton."

"How did Master persuade them?"

"Now the Gao Family regards my master and me as allies, and even Demon Buddha Temple is willing to spread my fame without urging me to return the treasures."

"I seem to be a double agent who pleases both sides..."

"A forked road, I fear it is indeed a forked road."

Though Tao Qian had such qualms, it did not hinder his next action, which would shock the entire city of Suzhou.

Master Wu Gou did not board the Buddhist chariot, nor did he go to the Zhen Mansion.

Instead, he suddenly spoke out, his Buddhist chant echoing throughout Suzhou.

"Poor monk Wu Gou, a Buddhist practitioner from the South Sea."

"Entering the ancient city of Suzhou today, I find it fitting to borrow this blessed land."

"To erect a towering "Sky-reaching Floating Pagoda" here!"

"Anyone, who simply chants a Buddhist name within the city, will be guided by Buddha Light."

"If they are destined with Buddha, they may enter the three cities and twelve gates, and join Buddha in cultivation."

These words stunned all the leading family heads at the scene.

They then saw Wu Gou Monk abruptly take the torn cloth bag from his waist.

They had long known that this bag was a treasured item of the Buddhist Sect, called the People Species Bag, capable of containing all things.

As the bag opened, a stream of treasure light flew out.

Inside was the figure of a thousand-handed Guanyin statue, seemingly cast from machinery.

It swelled upon contact with the wind, and in a moment, it was as large as a mountain. Its thousands of arms, each holding different treasures such as the Yang Branch, White Feather, Treasure Vase, Counting Beads, Skull Treasure Staff, treasure mirror, Treasure Conch, copper pipe iron cannon, fortress towers, mechanical spheres, and so forth, spread out, covering the entire city of Suzhou.

The pressure, as if the sky had collapsed, rendered the city's million inhabitants speechless.

Fortunately, the giant Buddhist figure began to transform soon after.

As the Buddha light surged, Buddhist chants filled the air, coupled with the peculiar sounds of gears moving.

Gradually, a massive mechanical pagoda, hanging in the sky like the sun, took shape.

In an instant!

The compassionate Buddha Light of universal salvation enveloped the entire city of Suzhou, and the city unexpectedly began to experience a Mandala Flower Rain.

The millions of Mortals, alarmed at first, then plunged into joy.

Listening to the Buddhist chants and bathed in the flower rain, they felt an unprecedented sense of peace and serenity.

And soon, these mortals remembered the previous announcement and began trying.

The next moment, a chorus of Buddhist names resounded throughout the city.

One after another, the mortals were enveloped in Buddha Light and lifted into the air...

Seeing this spectacle, the family heads were shocked, and Zhen Shiliang, who relied on powerful allies, was delighted.

Only Zhou Xiangrui, somehow serving as the City Lord and also a Monk Official of Demon Buddha Temple,

looked very unhappy, thinking to himself:

"This must be reported. Who would have thought a country monk from the South Sea could pull off such a showy move to recruit followers?"

"Compared to the Free Temple and Dharma Cakra Temple, these crooks seem to play the game even better."

"And this Floating City Tower, turns out to be the "Great Compassionate and Merciful Transcendent Bodhisattva," this Wu Gou Monk must have stolen this treasure from Yinping City."

"Why didn't Kongchan Arhat personally take it back and kill this boy, but instead issued a decree, to treat him well?"

"This warm welcome has allowed him to run rampant on my turf. Despicable."