Chapter 3, the emergence of anomalies

However, Senior Brother," the Abbot suddenly asked with curiosity, "how did you manage to save two at once? The girl you brought back is...?

After listening to the Abbot's words, Jue Da recalled the internal strife within the Buddhist sect in those years, and could not help but feel a pang of sorrow: "However, this time the Abbot has ordered me to rush to the Cold Smoke Valley in Youzhou to rescue Lin Chengze, the only son of Lin Qingcang, the leader of the Juechen Sect. What could be the reason for this...? Currently, the largest demonic sect, the Qianming Sect, is attacking the Cold Smoke Valley. Our Buddhist sect has always maintained neutrality between the righteous and the demonic, as well as among the righteous sects themselves, yet suddenly intervening in this matter is not a wise decision given the current situation, even if it is not out of fear of the Qianming Sect..."

Upon hearing the four characters "Xuan Huang Man Long," Jue Da was greatly astonished: "Could it be that the sole heir of the Lord of the Jue Chen Sect, Lin Chengze, actually possesses the unparalleled and extraordinary fate of the 'Cang Long'? How did you discern this, Junior Brother?"

In the room, Jue Da was carefully chewing over the conversation he had just had with his third disciple, who is now the abbot Jue Kong of the monastery. For some unknown reason, his usually calm heart was now filled with an inexplicable anxiety.

Jue Da chuckled and said: "I saved that young man from the Lin family from the hands of the Qianming Sect and rushed him towards the temple. As I passed by the Moonfall Pavilion at the west side of the Juechen Sect, it was already a scene of bloodshed. This little brat suddenly went crazy, desperately urging me to go inside, saying that his cousin was in there and I had to bring her out. I thought, saving one is the same as saving two; after all, I had already offended the Qianming Sect. It seems this young girl was destined to survive. When I arrived, someone had already swung a knife at her. Although I managed to save her, she ended up with a scar on her face. I thought, saving one is the same as saving two; after all, I had already offended the Qianming Sect. It seems this young girl was destined to survive. When I arrived, someone had already swung a knife at her. Although I managed to save her, she ended up with a scar on her face. Alas ... ".

Sigh, Brother Jue Da, since it is just the two of us here, you may as well call me Third Junior Brother. The other figure is evidently the abbot of the Grand Temple of the Ming Dynasty today, who continued to speak: "A thousand years ago, during that great calamity when the heavenly principles changed, our Buddhist lineage in the western provinces was fortunate to escape disaster thanks to Master Ran Deng, and thus our vitality remained unharmed. However, now that Master Ran Deng has achieved great perfection, he has long since transcended and ascended to Buddhahood. It is a pity that a hundred years ago, during the internal strife within our Buddhist sect, many masters fell!" The abbot continued: "A thousand years ago, during that great calamity when the heavenly principles changed, our Buddhist lineage in the western provinces was fortunate to escape disaster thanks to Master Ran Deng, and thus our vitality remained unharmed. However, now that Master Ran Deng has achieved great perfection, he has long since transcended and ascended to Buddhahood. It is a pity that a hundred years ago, during the internal strife within our Buddhist sect, many masters fell! Otherwise, in the face of the impending chaos, we might still have some means of self-preservation."

Alas, fate plays tricks on us! It is better not to mention it. Senior brother, you are merely troubled by the demons in your heart; otherwise, your cultivation would surely progress by leaps and bounds. The abbot forced a bitter smile and continued: "After that, my master entered the Three Lives Tower for seclusion. Before entering the tower, my master told me that a century later, there would be an unparalleled catastrophe across the four continents. If we wish to preserve our Buddhist lineage, we can only rely on the Xuanhuang Barbarian Dragon"

"Abbot, since the event involving the Heavenly Dao transformation related to the outer celestial realm, the demon cultivators of Southern Youzhou and the immortal cultivators of Eastern Xuanzhou have coexisted peacefully for nearly two thousand years, despite occasional minor conflicts. However, recently, the two states have been on the brink of war, with tensions escalating significantly." One figure, stroking his goatee, said with a worried expression.

In the room, the faint candlelight flickered from side to side, while the abbot sat cross-legged on the mat, eyes closed, with a smile that seemed to be both present and absent at the corners of his mouth: "Everything is ready, only the east wind is lacking"

In front of the abbot's residence stands a building known as the Main Buddha Hall, which has a vast area. Inside reside several elders of the monastery, each elder having their own room and courtyard, including spaces for chanting and meditation. Dajue resides in one of the courtyards within this Main Buddha Hall.

Jue Da picked it up and took a look; the writing on the paper was indeed that of his master: 'Ten days later, before the hour of the tiger, in the Cold Smoke Valley of Southern Youzhou, the Absolute Dust Sect, only son'

"With my limited understanding, how could I possibly discern?" The abbot said, as he took out a note from his sleeve and handed it to Jue Da

Jue Da let out a bitter smile and said, "Junior brother, there is no need for you to be so modest. Among the four of us, you are the one who is self-disciplined and dedicated to the public good, and your open-minded and cheerful personality makes you the most suitable to manage this large temple. Moreover, I can no longer see your cultivation level; you must have reached the Qingling stage by now, which is two levels higher than mine."

She is also a child of misfortune, let the people of the temple take good care of this young girl. As for the Lin surname youth, I will wait for the master's instructions. A few days ago, the master sent me a message that he will soon emerge from seclusion. At that time, the strange child Xiaotian, whom you bring back from the extreme north of the Northern Slave State, can be handed over to the master, and I hope he can discern something. That child is truly too peculiar; bringing him back, it is uncertain whether it is a blessing or a curse. The abbot sighed, saying, "Alright, brother, go back and rest."

The door of the Dharma Hall deep within the temple was gently pushed open, and two figures slowly entered the hall. "Creak~" The door seemed to close softly with a gentle breeze.

At the peak of Jishan, a high wall encloses an area of approximately one hundred zhang, within which lies the Ming Ancestor Temple, as perceived by the secular world. The temple's main gate faces south, and upon entering, one encounters numerous halls of various architectural styles, far from the simplicity and antiquity visible from outside the wall. Inside the halls, there are many exquisite and majestic statues, crafted with exceptional skill; vibrant murals painted with remarkable artistry; and surrounding the halls are lush, verdant pine and cypress trees, with fragrant smoke rising gently; the soft echoes of chanting can be heard... Only by being present can one truly appreciate the Buddhist culture of the Ming Ancestor Temple, which has accumulated over millennia and is released in an instant, incomparable to the ordinary temples of the secular world that merely boast a superficial golden splendor.

This is the mountain gate hall of the Daming Ancestor Temple, generally used as a place for secular believers to pay their respects and worship. As for the interior of the mountain gate hall, such as the Maitreya Buddha Hall, the Mahavira Hall, and the main Buddha hall of this temple, these non-public areas are not accessible to ordinary believers

The abbot shook his head: "Senior brother, after the internal strife back then, among the four of us disciples, the most talented and extraordinary senior brother and the fourth junior brother perished. You, still clouded by confusion, descended the mountain alone to seek answers, and have only just returned. There are some matters you are unaware of. At that time, Master had no choice but to bestow the position of abbot upon me, the most mediocre and unworthy of his foolish disciples."

Jue Da slowly stood up and remained silent for a moment: "Junior Brother, I shall take my leave now." After saying this, he transformed into a wisp of blue smoke and vanished from the room

It seems that the master has not only attained a profound level of cultivation, but has also reached an inscrutable realm in the study of astrology and the Eight Trigrams. Jue Da thought to himself, feeling somewhat reassured about the impending catastrophe.