The Investiture: Unlimited Blade Works Nezha
Chapter 358 - 357: Be My Child

Chapter 358: Chapter 357: Be My Child

Nezha patted his stomach and continued to wander aimlessly, only to encounter that strange female immortal. Before he could approach her to inquire, she stepped forward on her own.

"This humble nun, Wusheng, greets the Buddha."

Wusheng?

Nezha didn’t immediately register it, only thinking that this title sounded quite formidable.

Since she was someone acknowledged by Kong Xuan, Nezha didn’t dare to act presumptuously.

"Nezha pays respects to the senior."

No-Life Old Mother smiled kindly before suddenly saying, "No attachment, no worries, no life, no death, no calamity, no disaster. Come, be my child."

Nezha could somewhat comprehend the earlier part, but the last sentence left him utterly bewildered.

He pointed at himself, then at Wusheng.

"Me? You?"

No-Life Old Mother’s face softened as she opened her arms and nodded, saying, "Every child should return to their mother’s embrace."

Nezha’s expression instantly changed. Bad luck—encountered a lunatic.

"You’re absolutely right. I’ll go home to find my mother. Farewell!"

Saying this, he turned around and ran, ignoring whatever else she might have said.

No-Life Old Mother didn’t stop him but muttered to herself instead, "Mud originates from chaotic beginnings, white lotus blooms to herald prosperity, and all shall return to the embrace of True Void Home."

...

Nezha hurriedly escaped, increasingly sensing that the woman he had just encountered was not right. At the same time, he began to understand the meaning behind the title "Wusheng." Wasn’t it the same as the leader of the rebellious White Lotus Sect in his past life?

During the Yuan Dynasty, they rebelled to restore the Song; in the Ming Dynasty, they rebelled to restore the Yuan; in the Qing Dynasty, they rebelled to restore the Ming—that sect was all about nostalgia. Later on, nearly every notable uprising group—like the Ming Sect, Heaven and Earth Society, and Red Flower Society—had traces of the White Lotus Sect’s involvement.

It was said, "For every measure of the world’s rebellious spirit, the White Lotus Sect contributed three; the world owes the rest two measures."

As information about the White Lotus Sect and No-Life Old Mother flooded Nezha’s mind, he bumped into Old Li and Lady Yin, who were returning from a meeting.

Lady Yin frowned in mild annoyance, saying, "Aren’t you old enough to act with more composure?"

Nezha didn’t respond to Lady Yin but addressed Old Li gravely instead: "Maitreya is planning a rebellion."

Old Li: !!!

Old Li was utterly bewildered by Nezha’s statement. "This is Lingshan, not some worldly dynasty. We’re under the protection of two Saints above us."

What? Maitreya wants to figure out how to remove them? If he really had that capability, why would he even bother vying for the title of World Venerable of Lingshan? What point is there?

Moreover, Old Li considered himself to have been fair to the disciples of the original Western Sect. On Sumeru Mountain, Western Heaven’s second mountain range, there’s an extremely precious divine metal known as Sumeru Gold.

This means Maitreya essentially sits atop a mountain of gold!

Although in the past, this golden mountain was Luo Hou’s former lair and plagued with demonic qi, no one has tried to snatch it from him. He can slowly refine it; once the demonic qi is eliminated, isn’t all that gold his to take? Where’s the need for rebellion?

But Nezha wasn’t one to joke, especially about matters like this.

"On what basis?"

"Do you happen to recognize the female cultivator beside Maitreya?"

Old Li and Lady Yin both shook their heads. Over the years, they’d barely managed to memorize the faces of the Buddhist figures; how would they know outsiders?

"She just said she wanted to be my mother."

Lady Yin’s face instantly turned grim. Is she trying to steal my husband or my son?

Nezha calmed Lady Yin and continued, "This No-Life Old Mother—no clue which Great Expert she is—proclaims that all living beings in the mortal realm are her children and that everyone will ultimately return to her embrace in True Void Home."

Old Li heard this and found the rhetoric somewhat familiar. Isn’t this the same nonsense Buddhism uses to persuade people?

"Not particularly extreme."

"But what if her followers forcefully send people ’home’ and believe this to be virtuous?"

Old Li was startled by this statement. These aren’t followers; they’re a group of maniacs.

"Maitreya, being personally taught by the Saints, how could he associate with such an evil demon?"

"Either No-Life Old Mother managed to deceive him with some trick, or No-Life Old Mother is genuinely virtuous."

In the Primordial realm, people with obsessive tendencies abound, and taking things to extremes often leads to no good.

Nezha merely offered Old Li some advice to be cautious and left. His association with Buddhism was nominal at best; even if Buddhism’s downfall happened, Nezha wouldn’t suffer any real loss.

Old Li, however, had to deliberate strategies with Lady Yin.

As for why the Saints didn’t intervene? Nezha wasn’t a Saint—how would he know?

...

Meanwhile, Maitreya was still all smiles as he left the Treasure Hall to meet with No-Life Old Mother.

Maitreya and his disciples from the original Western Sect had long resented Old Li—not out of personal enmity but purely due to the arrogance of being disciples of Saints.

He had been striving to establish his own Little Western Heaven to prove he was no less capable than Tuo Ta Treasure Light Tathagata. Recently, during his attempt to persuade Ksitigarbha to support him, he suddenly experienced a spiritual revelation and sensed an opportunity descending upon him.

He hurried over to the Ruishui River, where he didn’t obtain the Twelve-Grade Pure World White Lotus but instead found a lotus seed of the Pure World White Lotus. This item wasn’t extraordinarily miraculous but was indeed quite valuable.

With the booming popularity of South Sea Guanyin’s Lotus Platform business, Maitreya figured that cultivating this lotus seed would surely allow him to claim a share of the market.

Not long after returning, this No-Life Old Mother sought him out. Since her manners were impeccable, Maitreya hosted her briefly. Their conversation soon turned captivating.

A kindred spirit!

And his plan for Little Western Heaven needed talents like hers!

As for her "True Void Home," wasn’t that just the equivalent of the Western Pure Land?

The two chatted merrily as they walked.

"Maitreya Senior Brother, regarding the White Lotus Sect, I’ll need more of your support. As a novice in this path, I find myself at a loss on how to proceed."

"Junior Sister, you overestimate me. With your immense compassion, I believe the world will eventually recognize your teachings."

No-Life Old Mother chuckled softly and said, "Not just the world; even the immortals."

Maitreya found this statement somewhat odd but assumed his newly established Junior Sister was merely ambitious—normal behavior.

In the course of their conversation, a new sect evolving from Buddhism was thus born: the White Lotus Sect.

...

After leaving Lingshan, Nezha didn’t return to the Heavenly Court but headed to Lishan. His goal? Simply to request a new cultivation technique from his teacher.

The last cultivation technique his teacher gave him had been inspired by the Golden Crow Clan. However, after a few fortuitous encounters, Nezha’s strength had developed to such an extent that those of equal rank from the Golden Crow Clan could no longer compare to him.

What had once felt domineering and powerful now seemed underwhelming when circulating within Nezha’s body. Thus, after breaking through to Taiyi Golden Immortal and letting himself stabilize, he immediately sought his teacher for a new technique.

Nuwa Palace

Nuwa formed intricate hand seals and continuously imprinted Dharma Seals into the Creation Qiankun Tripod. She then furrowed her brows and asked curiously, "Xiaoqing, what do you suppose Nezha has come for again? We just parted ways, didn’t we?"

Qingluan, holding the Heavenly Observation Realm like some kind of humanoid smart assistant, frowned in thought and replied, "Goddess, could he have come to request a cultivation technique? The Great Dao Scripture you gave him last time seems a bit slow compared to Nezha’s cultivation speed."

Nuwa instinctively contemplated slumping into a Ge You-style lounge position, but upon catching sight of the Chaos Bell within the tripod, she forced herself to resist.