LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 623 - 361: It's Up To You
Chapter 623: Chapter 361: It’s Up To You
“The Void!?”
When everything in front of Feng Qing’an’s eyes was restored to clarity, an endless expanse of blackness assaulted his senses. Amid the darkness, an elderly monk in simple robes stood silently as if frozen in place, staring at him.
Clink! Clink!
The little phoenix that had been perched on the young man’s shoulder suddenly let out a squawk, filled with fury and brutality. Its pitch-black wings spread apart, unleashing a Phoenix Flame filled with extreme hatred and evil intentions, which enveloped everything in its path. Even the void seemed to warp and twist slightly, as if it was about to burn through and collapse.
As the dark phoenix spread its wings and screeched, a Ghost Wolf appeared, revealing its hundred-foot long demonic body and emitting a roar. A bluish flame capable of burning souls raged in the void, illuminating miles around. Meanwhile, a Qilin treaded on the darkness, its blue aura sweeping across the eight directions.
The abrupt change of events caught the guardian beasts around Feng Qing’an off guard, and then was fear, but extreme fear led to rage. At this moment, these guardian beasts exploded in full force, spewing black flames, soul fire, and green aura, all sorts of Divine Powers rushing towards the ordinary-looking old monk.
As the flames, powerful enough to melt mountains and evaporate rivers, were about to touch the venerable Cien, a gentle burst of pale golden light instantly erupted, repelling the fire and blue aura.
Feng Qing’an, still maintaining his twelve-foot tall Bodhisattva-like figure, was extremely calm at this moment. Even the pitch-black Phoenix Flame that incites spring in all living things, the Qilin’s blue aura that produces life, and the Soul-devouring Ghost Fire that could burn souls couldn’t harm this old monk.
When the gap in a realm is too large, even those with supreme sacred bloodlines find it difficult to bridge the gap. A true dragon cub coming across a real immortal was no different from a loach in the mud.
“Master Wind, do you still remember a monk?”
“Who?”
“Yinghai!”
“What does he have to do with you?”
“He’s the disciple with the best qualifications that I have ever accepted in my life. My expectations of him are also the highest. I even hoped that he could become a new Buddha on Ling Mountain.”
“Ah, I see.”
Feng Qing’an understood immediately, but he was a little puzzled. Although he had thought about eliminating Yinghai, he was not successful. That monk had a real solid backstage.
“So, the giant hand that he took from me was yours. Didn’t you just take him away? Is that why you’re troubling me because he took that? Didn’t I destroy his foundation? That’s a bit much, isn’t it?”
“You destroyed his Zen heart!”
“His Zen heart was fragile. How can I be blamed for that? This only shows that he didn’t undergo enough trials and his mind was shaken easily.”
Even though he was in a dangerous situation, Feng Qing’an didn’t show the slightest fear. Instead, he argued with the old monk. He felt that he couldn’t take the blame for this. If someone’s mentality cracks, it has nothing to do with him.
“What the benefactor said makes sense, the weakness of Yinghai’s Zen heart can only be blamed on him. I was far too indulgent with him, and he could not bear this incident, which ruined his future. Now all he can do is to reincarnate and rebuild.”
“Reincarnation and rebuilding?”
Feng Qing’an’s nerves abruptly tensed. He thought the man was still alive, but he had already been reincarnated. There was no wonder why this old monk harbored such resentment and brought him here.
“You want to kill me? To avenge your disciple?”
Feng Qing’an gestured, and the golden dragon roared, tore open in mid-air and draped over him. A magnificent halberd fell into his hand and a coiled Azure Dragon sword hung from his waist. Additionally, the Coiling Dragon Seal fell into his hand.
The divine light was overwhelming, the dragon energy was surging, and Feng Qing’an’s aura soared again. The old monk’s brows twitched slightly and once again relaxed, his palm stood upright in front of him.
“Amitabha, when will the cycle of vengeance end?”
The old monk stood amid the pitch-black Phoenix Flames, his entire body radiating a faint, glazed golden light. His demeanor was calm, but his sorrowful face now bore a look of compassion.
“My disciple has such an encounter; it is fit for him to have such a disaster. When he returns from his reincarnation, perhaps he can ascend one more level and attain the Buddha’s fruit position.”
“The grandmaster’s disciple has such good fortune, which is truly something to be pleased about. Since that’s the case, I do not know what the grandmaster intends to do by bringing me here?”
“Benefactor, you have a deep connection with a disciple of my temple, but since you do not wish to enter the Buddhist Gate, it is better not to get too close to him. The chances you have gained from him are already plentiful enough.”
The venerable Cien lowered his eyes; even though the many unusual actions of that disciple were beyond understanding, he had always abided by the rules and had not overstepped his boundaries.
Even when he took the position that should have been passed on to that disciple, he did not have much to say. His disciple Yinghai was just depressed and did not feel any injustice—he felt thoroughly defeated, so much so that his self-confidence had been shattered.
But when that disciple met the young man in front of him, he behaved extraordinarily. Not only did he suddenly disappear from the temple gate for four years, but when he brought the young man back, he even allowed him into the treasure hall of the sect to read.
The level of care and love he had for him was completely incomprehensible. He would give him anything he wanted. This indulgence was not just like an elder brother, but even surpassed a father’s.
Therefore, the venerable Cien felt that a person who could influence that disciple to such a degree should not be allowed to stay within the order. It would be more appropriate to kick him out and send him to a place where the two could not meet.
“So, you intend to make me disappear from this world, what is your true intent? Isn’t it to kill me?”
“The vastness of the world is beyond what the benefactor can imagine. I plan to exile the benefactor to the void. As for where you will end up, that will depend on your own fortune.”
“You old bald donkey!”
Feng Qing’an’s expression finally faltered and drastically changed. He cursed out loud. Exiling him to the void and letting him drift aimlessly, ending up in any environment in the vast world—how was this any different from murder?
While the Human Race was indeed the protagonist of this world, they scattered across continents, maintaining dominance. However, some continents were still dominated by demons and foreign races. Many of them hated the Human Race tremendously and wanted to overthrow them to seize the rightful place in the world.
“Amitabha, benefactor, you have deep blessings; even in danger, you can turn malignancies into blessings.”
Venerable Cien showed compassion, pushed out his hand, and regardless of Feng Qing’an, who was already dressed in Dragon Armor, or the many guardian beasts that had revealed their true bodies and unscrupulously released their powers to enhance their combat abilities, all of them were pushed into a suddenly cracked void and fell into the unknown, not knowing where they would end up.
“Amitabha.”
Venerable Cien watched as the void slowly healed. He chanted a Buddha’s name silently. When he turned his head and saw the man in pure white monk’s clothes, there was no surprise on his old face.
“Pay respects to the Buddha’s Son!”
“Venerable Cien!”
Fayuan remains still, indifferent to sorrow or joy.
“This poor monk is here,”
“Do you know what you are doing?”
“Everything is as the Buddha’s Son has expected.”
Venerable Cien answers without sadness or joy.
“I am not omnipotent,”
Fayuan stays indifferent.
“Didn’t the Buddha’s Son foresee all that is happening now?”
There is no fear on Venerable Cien’s face. Since he dared to make a move, he was prepared.
“…”
Fayuan silently observes the old monk, with a clear and bright gaze mirroring the image of the old monk.
“Buddha’s Son, won’t you go after him? With your divine power, it should be easy to find Master Wind.”
“There’s no need. He’s already capable of adventuring the world.”
“It seems this was all within Your expectation.”
A touch of sadness emerges on the Venerable Cien, the feeling of being a pawn, that everything he has done is within someone else’s anticipation and control, is tough. It’s hard for him to accept that even though he’s considered a Venerable, but he’s still a chess piece. What’s even harder to accept is that this thought is his own.
“Amitabha, Yinghai has reincarnated, but the place of reincarnation is perilous, fearing the risk of falling.”
Fayuan abruptly changes the topic, mentioning something unrelated to Feng Qing’an, causing the old monk, whose face was sad, to suddenly show excitement, his eyes widening somewhat.
“May I ask the Buddha’s Son, where did Yinghai reincarnate?”
“Even if you know, what’s the use? Are you going to shield him from his tribulations?”
“If there’s a deadly tribulation, this humble monk is willing to shield him with my body.”
“If you shield him, Yinghai’s death tribulation will become your own.”
Fayuan advises.
“This poor monk is willing to go. May I ask where?”
Venerable Cien does not hesitate.
“Good!”
Fayuan slightly bows his head,
“Yinghai was born in Chilian Country, within the West Polar Continent.”
“West Polar Continent, Chilian Country?!”
Venerable Cien’s aged eyes widen in shock. A chill raises from his heart as he gazes at the Buddha’s Son standing before him. Even in other continents Venerable Cien has heard about this notorious country of demons, Chilian Country.
The place where his disciple was born, turned out to be such a place. Humans born here are mostly food or reserve food for demons. The death tribulation that the Buddha’s Son spoke of is perhaps more than one.
If he wants to block them all, he might fall in the country of demons. No, as long as he goes there, he will surely fall in Chilian Country. That place is the playground of demons, a rare prohibitive area for the human race in the world.
“Whether to go or not is up to you.”
Fayuan’s gaze remains calm. After finishing his words, he turned around and disappeared into the void, leaving Venerable Cien alone, standing in the void.
“Forget it!”
With a sigh, the sorrowful Venerable took one step forward and disappeared into the void too.
Since that day, the Dragon Zen Temple has one fewer Venerable. No one asked, no one pursued, as if this person had never existed; the world also went about with his absence.
…
Swoosh!
The sound of waves crashing against the rocky shore resonates, a damp sea smell fills the nostrils. Feng Qing’an abruptly opens his eyes, radiant golden light instantly shoots out from his eyes. A roar, full of panic and fear yet still stubborn, resounds.
“What the hell?!”
The sight of a crowd of humanoid monsters, one after another, crowded on the shoreline, wielding primitive weapons, entered his eyes. Fishmen?!
“Die!”
These monsters, like fish that had grown limbs and walked upright, have hideous faces, disgusting Feng Qing’an. Without thinking, he swung a palm…