Chapter 404 Netherworld’s Soil (1/2)
At that moment, Fang Yanying fully concentrated on defeating the ninja-like white-robed monk. A series of crackling sounds could be heard coming from the copper coffin. From the coffin itself came countless melodious sounds of the Buddha mixed with the sound of the magical sword. The entire coffin turned pitch black, resembling the color of thick black ink as if it came from a dark and void universe.
A faint divine aura radiated from the coffin and melded into Shen Lian's body. He had finally freed the divine aura from the copper coffin. At the same time, he also felt intense pain from his burnt flesh, which made his mind reel.
But the pain and suffering could not hide the satisfaction of ridding the forces of evil and having a clear mind.
Taking in the surroundings, the void was riddled with sword marks that kept increasing in numbers.
There was nothing in the void, but the void itself. But these sword marks were able to carve themselves on it. The swordsmen of the world would die without regrets having witnessed such divine ruins.
Fang Yanying was reassured after she had seen that Shen Lian restored his sanity. Her body suddenly lost strength and fell to the ground. No matter how incredible she may be, the power in her body would not allow her to wield the magical sword properly. The sword then penetrated the ground, and the sword marks stopped manifesting.
A snow lotus flower emerged together with the white-robed monk, if time went on, he would be able to seize the Lamp of the Mind.
”Monk Shanjue, you are unparalleled in skill, why resort to such a despicable act?” The spiritual energy that was as fine as gossamer flashed through Shen Lian's eyes, and he looked at the monk as he faintly opened his mouth.
”All sentient beings are the same. To escape from the sea of suffering and attain enlightenment, the means hardly matter, it is only the results that matter,” laughed Shanjue. ”Daoist Shen, such words should not be uttered by someone of your character.”
Shen Lian laughed coldly. ”As expected from someone who has a flair for words, good enough to flip the tables of truth and falsehoods. However, there is an infallible reason in my mind. What would you trade in order for you to leave the Great Snow Mountain alive?”
Shanjue propped his head up with his palm, and he sighed before saying, ”I have heard from my apprentice-nephew, that Qing Xuan Shen Lian will be Daoism's next Lu Jiuyuan. From what I have observed, you have only inherited Lu Jiuyuan's arrogance.”
His apprentice-nephew was a Zen master from one of the eight sects of Buddhism, his religious name was 'Miaodi', one of the highest authorities of the Buddhist Dharma of that time.
Not all the Buddhist Zen masters from the eight sects could attain the fruit of Buddhism, transcending beyond the mortal world. But in Lu Jiuyuan's previous years, before his culmination in Daoism, he had a discussion with Miaodi who was then below fifty years old. Though after the discussion had ended, Miaodi came out, his face pale, as if his parents had just died. Lu Jiuyuan told other people that Miaodi had Dharma as deep as the sea and immense wisdom.
To garner such an evaluation from Lu Jiuyuan was no ordinary feat.
Shen Lian was considered to be the very next Lu Jiuyuan by such an extraordinary individual. Qing Xuan Shen Lian's influence in the cultivation community could obviously be seen.
Shen Lian replied indifferently, ”There is no need to speak it aloud whether I am arrogant or not.”
The Lamp of the Mind rippled and flew to Shanjue's hand in an instant while Shen Lian was speaking.
Shanjue said, ”Daoist Shen, what do you have to say this time?”
Shen Lian narrowed his eyes and said, ”A spatial manipulation technique. It seems that your mastery is extensive. You should have used it when I regained consciousness. Even though you would be hurt by my magical sword's aura, at least you can still take the lamp away. Do you not worship this temple because of the lamp? I was dealing with the miasma of resentment left behind by the burning lamp. Why do you still insist on choosing the art of totality? Ah yes, you are afraid of being hurt, but why is that so?”