Chapter 260
Chapter 260
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: Unknown
Chapter Title: Triple Pledges in the Secret Chamber
-----------------------------------------------------------------
In the secret chamber, Perfected Being Suo Huan's robes fluttered about.
His amiable smile resembled a mask pasted onto his face, showing not the slightest change even as he made his move.
“Thank you, fellow Daoist.”
Gazing at Perfected Being Miaoyin, Suo Huan's mind flashed to his overseas meeting with the Painted Silk Variegated Gauze True Lord.
A veil of gloom he could not conceal crossed his face.
‘Plotting with a tiger... No other choice!’
‘After all, I am an otherworldly cultivator with no True Lord as backing. To seek Golden Core, only the tacit approval of the various True Lords offers a sliver of hope.’
‘In this regard, I must thank Chongguang. Had he not exposed that late Golden Core Great True Lord, I would likely die without ever finding an opportunity. Now, at least the Saint Sect True Lords permit me to verify the Long Flowing Water, and are even willing to personally refine a Sea-Calming Pearl for me.’
At this thought, no trace of joy appeared on Suo Huan's face.
For an otherworldly cultivator like him, seeking Golden Core was several times more difficult than for Chongguang.
At minimum, three conditions had to be met for even a desperate attempt.
The first was the ritual to draw the fruit position's gaze.
‘The Long Flowing Water is vast and boundless, surging endlessly without cease. Capturing its intent with a Sea-Calming Pearl should suffice to attract the fruit position's attention.’
That was the first condition.
The second was that his Spirit Ruins Blessed Land remained incomplete.
He needed to gather qi to perfect it fully, reaching the bare minimum for transformation into a cavern heaven.
The final was rank.
“My current strength is strictly that of a Great Perfected Being at best—comparable to late Foundation Establishment, yet far short of Foundation Establishment perfection. This is my innate defect!”
Bitterness filled Suo Huan's heart.
The realm-heaven he hailed from was no small place, yet it had barely coalesced an embryonic fruit position—strictly speaking, inferior even to the present Myriad Martial Realm.
Otherwise, it would not have become a battlefield in the Dao-seizing war.
As a cultivator native to that realm-heaven, his cultivation bore an innate flaw.
The pinnacle was late Foundation Establishment!
Barring reincarnation and recultivation, he could never reach Foundation Establishment perfection in this lifetime—let alone refine golden nature.
With what would he then support his blessed land?
Three passes, each more insurmountable than the last.
‘But my lifespan is nearly spent. Everyone in the Vast Ruins Realm is dead! Only I remain. If I perish too, the Vast Ruins Realm will truly be extinguished!’
At this thought, determination hardened in Suo Huan's once-hesitant eyes.
He was barefoot, fearless of those shod.
Failure to break through to Golden Core meant death regardless.
Success offered a chance at life.
What was there to fear?
For one so rootless as him, what path remained without staking it all?
With this resolve, Suo Huan began arrangements at once.
He directly borrowed Perfected Being Miaoyin's Void Heaven Mirror for use.
With a casual wave, he altered the array.
Soon, the mirror's surface bloomed with radiance once more.
“Amitabha.”
The light revealed a bald pate—a kindly old monk with benevolent brows.
Suo Huan bowed proficiently at the sight, offering a respectful salute.
“This lowly one greets Venerable Da Shizhi.”
The old monk was a Pure Land Great Perfected Being named Da Shizhi—the most promising among them to ascend to Bodhisattva rank.
Venerable Da Shizhi fixed his gaze on Suo Huan the instant he appeared.
“Have you decided, benefactor?”
“I have.”
Suo Huan replied resolutely.
“This lowly one seeks to verify the Long Flowing Water. Should I truly ascend to True Lord rank in time, I pledge to merge the cavern heaven and fruit position into the Pure Land!”
Stripping a realm-heaven's fruit position offered no future.
Suo Huan understood this clearly.
An ordinary realm-heaven possessing even a single fruit position was already extraordinary.
Yet this forsaken place boasted thirty!
What game was there to play?
Worse, Nascent Soul Dao Lords loomed above.
Suo Huan could not fathom that realm.
He knew only that stripping the fruit position would see him slain the next instant.
Thus had he prepared in advance.
‘Stripping the fruit position merely revives the Vast Ruins Realm within my cavern heaven. Afterward, it can be returned. Merging into the Pure Land is a fine option.’
‘As for the Pure Land's cultivation flaws, at Bodhisattva rank, some autonomy remains. For one like me, it poses no true hindrance. So long as Golden Core is achieved, future troubles can be addressed. If even Golden Core eludes me, all hesitation is futile!’
With this, Suo Huan bowed deeper.
“I beseech Master to act. Have the Bodhisattva erect temple and monastery within this lowly one's Spirit Ruins Blessed Land, blessing it with great Buddhist dharma to hasten its completion.”
In this, he voluntarily handed over a handle.
Permitting the Pure Land to imprint the Spirit Ruins Blessed Land ensured their trust, spurring them to perfect it without fear of betrayal.
As expected, satisfaction colored Venerable Da Shizhi's features.
“Buddhahood is awakening.”
“Benefactor bears an awakening mind and shall surely attain Buddhahood.”
With that, Venerable Da Shizhi produced a thick scripture.
Its cover bore seven characters in gilded script: Mahayana True Enlightenment Fundamental Scripture!
“This scripture was transcribed personally by the Bodhisattva through great dharma power. Every character gleams like a pearl, blessed by the fruit position. Benefactor need only deliver it into the blessed land and devour via qi-gathering arts—the blessed land shall complete naturally. Might this poor monk inquire how benefactor intends to seek Golden Core? Perhaps we may lend aid.”
“No need to trouble Master.”
Suo Huan shook his head.
His Golden Core method touched his core foundations; revealing it invited fatal flaws.
Venerable Da Shizhi inquired no further, merely chanting a Buddha's invocation.
Soon, the radiance dimmed.
Yet Suo Huan pressed on, shifting the array's patterns.
Moments later, the treasure mirror ignited anew, manifesting another figure.
The figure donned official robes, draped in a vast crimson cloak, crowned imposingly—clearly a Dao Court official, dignified and solemn.
Tadpole-like talisman scripts wove above his head, coalescing into the title Capital Heaven Minister of Military Affairs, lending him an air of profound divinity.
“This lowly one greets Minister大人.”
Suo Huan bowed once more, employing Dao Court formal etiquette with fluid familiarity.
The Capital Heaven Minister of Military Affairs was a second-rank Dao Court post, also a Great Perfected Being rank—strictly speaking, even inferior in might to Suo Huan.
Yet as Suo Huan bowed, neither perceived impropriety.
The Minister大人 smiled faintly.
“Contacting this official of your own accord means you have finally come to your senses, willing to pledge to Our Dynasty?”
“I have.”
Suo Huan affirmed without pause.
“I beg only His Majesty's bestowal of a first-rank title to aid this lowly one in seeking Golden Core. Upon success, this lowly one pledges eternal guardianship of the border seas for the Dao Court!”
“Well, well, well!”
Satisfaction lit the Dao Court's Capital Heaven Minister of Military Affairs.
“Since your sincerity is plain, this official shall memorialize His Majesty on your behalf.”
“My deepest gratitude,大人.”
Suo Huan saluted deeply.
He then produced a storage pouch, transmitting it via the Void Heaven Mirror.
“These are spirit materials harvested by this lowly one overseas. With poor discernment, this lowly one cannot judge their worth. Pray大人 appraise them and assist thus.”
“You... no more next time!”
The Capital Heaven Minister of Military Affairs laughed grandly, accepting the pouch openly before severing the mirror link.
The radiance gradually dispersed.
Only then did Suo Huan rise.
He straightened his spine rigidly, as if compensating for every prior bow.
A genuine smile finally emerged in his eyes.
True delight.
For him, facial smiles were mere habit, veiling true sentiment.
Only the depths of his gaze revealed his heart.
‘There is hope now!’
The Long Flowing Water dispelled opposition to his Golden Core bid from Pure Land, Dao Court, and Saint Sect alike—granting him leverage to extract boons from all three.
‘The Saint Sect furnishes the Sea-Calming Pearl to seize the Long Flowing Water's intent. The Pure Land perfects my blessed land to completion. The Dao Court bestows official rank to remedy my innate flaw, granting Foundation Establishment perfection. Thus do I finally hold a thread of hope for Golden Core!’
At this, Suo Huan scarce suppressed his elation.
To this end, he had borrowed Perfected Being Miaoyin's hand to reach this Myriad Martial Realm—an outer heaven—ensuring his triple bargaining escaped divination.
Now, the sole remaining flaw...
With this thought, Suo Huan finally turned.
His gaze fell upon Perfected Being Miaoyin—her lovely features frozen stiff, lingering shock and fury etched thereon, yet immobilized and unable to stir.