Chapter 237
Chapter 237
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 237
Chapter Title: Fuzheng Pavilion, Meritorious Officer
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Ying Saintess summoned the Tathagata Treasure Seal and smashed it into the back of Baili Mu's head. Chen Shi thrust his spear forward and shook it. Their coordination was seamless, flawless, and utterly exquisite.
Chen Shi leaned on the shaft of his brush-headed spear, his heart pounding wildly. It took a moment before his breathing steadied.
Ying Saintess's heart was also thumping nonstop. She worked hard to calm her mind.
Chen Shi gradually caught his breath. His gaze fell on the saintess, and he frowned slightly.
He had originally planned to risk his life in a desperate struggle against Baili Mu's nascent soul. He hadn't expected Ying Saintess to help him.
Without the Tathagata Treasure Seal smashing into the back of Baili Mu's nascent soul, it was uncertain who would have won.
Still, Chen Shi figured Baili Mu had the greater chance of victory.
Unless Baili Mu tried to possess him—that was the only way Chen Shi could win.
After all, the gap between them was too vast.
Ying Saintess noticed his gaze and warily grabbed the Tathagata Treasure Seal.
She broke the silence first.
"Chen Shi, I helped you not because I betrayed Young Master, but to save myself.
I killed Baili Mu because if I didn't, I would die.
The opposition between you and me hasn't changed."
Chen Shi nodded lightly and retrieved the Nether Spring Wandering Dragon Sword from the ground. He stored both it and the Dragon Whisker Brush in the small temple behind his head.
Ying Saintess, however, thought he had shrunk the treasures down and stuffed them into his ears.
She had read a book called *Journey to the West*, where a monkey named Sun Wukong stored things that way.
"Da."
She murmured softly.
Chen Shi's head didn't explode with a pop as she had imagined, leaving her a bit disappointed.
Chen Shi shot her a glance. Considering she had just saved his life, he suppressed the urge to knee her in the stomach and continued searching Baili Mu's body for valuables.
But Baili Mu was shattered, leaving only his head and two legs. Anything valuable on him had either burst apart or flown off somewhere.
Chen Shi found nothing worthwhile, so he gathered the scattered fragments of the Mysterious Mechanism Hundred Transformations Furnace from the ground.
"Da."
Ying Saintess murmured softly.
Chen Shi glanced at her and clenched his fist. After a moment, he slowly relaxed it.
She had done him a favor, after all—how could he strike her down?
He continued sorting the fragments.
These pieces were inscribed with countless talismans, repeatedly imprinted over many years. Even though many were damaged and couldn't form a complete furnace, the remaining parts were still valuable.
He could take them back for the Luban Sect to study—maybe they could use them.
Even if not, Shao Jing could sell them for a good sum of silver.
Ying Saintess watched him carefully and whispered,
"Da."
To hell with favors!
Chen Shi charged forward with a whoosh, riding a gale. He swung his thick thigh, his calf sharp as a blade, ready to slash at her neck.
Ying Saintess stumbled in fright and fell to the ground.
Chen Shi snorted, retracted his chopping right leg, and went back to collecting fragments.
Ying Saintess stared at him nervously, clutching the Tathagata Treasure Seal. If he dared come closer, she would summon the seal.
Even if she couldn't beat Chen Shi, she would use it to end herself rather than let him violate her.
Chen Shi had no intention of violating her. He focused intently on gathering every treasure he could find. Then he took a one-inch square box from his sleeve, opened it, and stored the Mysterious Mechanism Hundred Transformations Furnace fragments inside.
Ying Saintess's eyes widened. Chen Shi's little box was only an inch on each side, while the furnace was seven feet tall and nine feet wide. How could such a tiny thing hold the entire furnace?
"One flower one world, one leaf one Tathagata."
She couldn't help saying,
"The dharma king's freedom is boundless, containing Mount Sumeru in a mustard seed, hiding the sun and moon beneath a lotus.
My Buddhist sect has such divine abilities too."
(This excerpt is from the *Guang Hongming Collection*.)
"It's a family heirloom."
Chen Shi said.
Ying Saintess blinked. A family heirloom that rivaled Buddhist divine abilities?
Chen Shi finished packing. Ying Saintess couldn't help asking,
"What are you gathering these for?"
Chen Shi sat on a rock to rest and stored the little box away.
"I was poor as a kid and always wanted to make more money.
These can fetch a good price if I pick them up."
Ying Saintess saw his tongue didn't fly out and asked doubtfully,
"Do you really need money that badly?"
Chen Shi shook his head.
"I used to be so broke I wished I could split one copper coin into two. Later, when I wiped out the Peace Sect under Young Master's command, I had a huge moral struggle but still took their money. That's when I finally had some cash."
His honesty caught Ying Saintess off guard.
"I've heard about that."
She thought for a moment and said,
"People from Fuzheng Pavilion mentioned it to me. They said you lusted after the Peace Sect's wealth, killed everyone there, stole Young Master's money, and even took his Soul-Returning Lotus."
Chen Shi sat there quietly, waiting for dawn. His gaze was distant and profound.
"They deserved to be robbed, and the Peace Sect deserved to die."
The Peace Sect bought many abducted boys and girls from the Tianlao Society and sent them to the underworld to steal Soul-Returning Lotuses.
The lotuses were planted by big shots in the underworld, guarded by ghosts and gods. Many kids died.
Chen Shi rubbed his fingers as if scrubbing away bloodstains and said,
"The oldest among them was about my age.
Even if they didn't die in the underworld,
the yin energy invading them meant they wouldn't live long.
After I razed the Peace Sect, I cured their illnesses, gave them some money, and sent them home."
Ying Saintess frowned slightly.
"Young Master might not have known about this.
I'll ask him to investigate when I get back."
Chen Shi said,
"It'd be best if Young Master also checks the Tianlao Society. They traffic people too, and it's one of his businesses."
Ying Saintess couldn't help getting angry.
"You're slandering him!"
Chen Shi countered,
"If I'm slandering him, why hasn't my tongue flown out?"
Ying Saintess was speechless.
Chen Shi continued,
"You can go to Yudu yourself—check Rouge Alley, Quick Joy Grove, and the Matchmaker Society.
Start with their ledgers, and you'll uncover plenty."
Ying Saintess couldn't help saying,
"Those were all Young Master's operations, and you uprooted them!"
Chen Shi clasped his hands behind his head and leaned back on the rock, laughing.
"I'm a talisman master. Slaying evil and exorcising spirits is our duty.
Young Master's businesses were all evil haunts."
Ying Saintess was furious.
Chen Shi gazed at the sky and said nothing.
After a moment, Ying Saintess couldn't help asking,
"Why aren't you talking?"
Chen Shi glanced at her and stayed silent.
"Why don't you leave this place?"
Ying Saintess asked.
"I'm waiting for dawn."
Chen Shi said.
"We're in the Southern Ming of the underworld now. At dawn, the remnants of Tongue-Pulling Hell will vanish, and we'll appear on Great South Lake in the mortal world.
We can't leave at night—we have to wait for daybreak."
Ying Saintess fell silent for a moment, then after another pause, said,
"I was originally a farmer's daughter from Beimeng Province (modeled after North Dakota).
At five, Master Miaoyin spotted me and took me to Bodhi Dojo.
Since then, I've studied Buddhist scriptures there, meditated, refined qi, and haven't seen my family."
"Master taught me many things."
Chen Shi lay on the rock with his eyes closed, either resting or sleeping.
Ying Saintess touched the back of her head—it stung fiercely.
A big swollen lump had formed there, and with no medicine, she didn't know when it would heal.
She continued on her own,
"Everything Master taught me made sense.
One day, she told me to descend the mountain. I wasn't happy—I wanted to spend my life with oil lamp and ancient Buddha, comprehending those truths.
Master said I hadn't experienced life, so I couldn't grasp the profound dharma. I needed to go down and see the world."
"She said I had a karmic tie with Young Master."
She tossed the Tathagata Treasure Seal in her hand, her gaze somewhat lost.
"Master also said Young Master is destined for great things. I should go down, form an emotional bond with him first. Once he achieves his goals, we end it.
Between becoming and parting,
sever worldly distractions, and the Buddha dharma is attained.
This way, it promotes Buddhism for Bodhi Dojo and frees me from this karma, advancing my cultivation."
"So I came down the mountain."
She tossed the Tathagata Treasure Seal aside, hugged her knees, rested her chin on them, stared at the ground, and muttered to herself,
"I met Young Master. He really was as Master described—a handsome young man without a single flaw. He's dashing, highly learned, treats people well, perfect in every way.
I was satisfied with him too, but..."
She sighed, her eyes blank.
"I don't know if this is love."
"There are too many women around him. I have to push forward, vie for his attention, flatter him."
She lay back wistfully, hands pillowed under her head. Touching the lump on the back of her head as she landed made her wince in pain. She hastily rolled onto her side and whispered,
"But I don't like this life.
It's too full of anxiety.
Master doesn't know.
She doesn't know. She told me I must like Young Master—it's our karma."
Chen Shi tilted his head down and glanced at her.
Her tongue was still there—it hadn't flown out with a pop.
"So, do you like Young Master?"
Chen Shi asked.
Ying Saintess's eyes remained blank. After a long while, she shook her head.
"I don't know."
Chen Shi said no more and closed his eyes again.
Ying Saintess lay on her side beneath the rock.
Lying there, her thoughts raced. Though her heavenly gate was sealed and her nascent soul couldn't emerge, her mind wandered everywhere.
Young Master's figure, face, words, actions, demeanor swirled in her mind.
At some point, Young Master's face gradually turned into Chen Shi's. Ying Saintess didn't realize at first. When she snapped to, she startled herself and hurriedly reined in her mind, sneaking a glance at Chen Shi.
Chen Shi seemed to have fallen asleep on the rock.
After an unknown time, the ground rumbled violently, as if something terrible had happened.
They both stood and looked up. The sky gradually brightened. The true god beyond the heavens opened its massive eyelids, which stretched longer and longer. Dawn's glow spread across the sky, red light for miles.
Chen Shi stretched lazily, said nothing, and walked out of the remnants of Tongue-Pulling Hell.
Ying Saintess followed him.
They walked one behind the other into the Southern Ming Sea.
Chen Shi looked down and saw two skeletal figures—a man and a woman—beneath the sea surface. The female skeleton quickened her pace, reaching out toward the male skeleton ahead as if to hold his hand.
Rumble!
The sea surface shook violently. The Tongue-Pulling Hell behind them vanished, and the vision below the sea disappeared.
Calm Great South Lake appeared beneath their feet.
Chen Shi looked down at his reflection—there was no hand-holding.
Just now, it had probably been some underworld specter toying with their hearts.
"Ji Yingxuan, farewell for now."
Chen Shi turned back with a smile.
Ying Saintess composed herself, a gentle smile on her face. She nodded lightly and smiled.
"Farewell.
But Chen Shi, next time we meet, I won't give you any chance to hurt me."
Chen Shi laughed.
"Hard to say.
Can you really defend against me?"
Ying Saintess bit her lower lip and smiled ambiguously.
"I cultivate Buddhist esoteric arts, master various true words, have forged a golden body, and excel in Buddhist divine abilities. I haven't used a single one yet! How do you know I can't defend?"
She felt a bit stifled.
Twice now—Chen Shi had struck her twice.
Both times, she hadn't even made a move before he took her down.
It was truly humiliating to admit.
The techniques, divine abilities, golden body, and true words she learned were Bodhi Dojo's best. Even against peers there, few could beat her. At least give her a chance to use them!
Chen Shi laughed.
"Learning is one thing—being able to use them is what matters.
If you can't use them, it's as good as not learning."
Ying Saintess itched with anger but forced a smile, stammering,
"Once my injury heals..."
"See you in West Capital!"
Chen Shi laughed heartily, waved, and walked off into the distance.
Ying Saintess hesitated, then called loudly,
"Chen Shi, a word of advice! Don't go to West Capital. Don't oppose Young Master anymore! Go home, find a woman who likes you, start a family—don't go to West Capital to die!"
Chen Shi stopped and turned back with a smile.
"I'm going to West Capital not just to top the imperial exams
and bring glory to my family—I'm going to beat Young Master until even his father won't recognize him!"
Ying Saintess grew angry and turned to leave.
"If you want to die, I won't stop you! When you die out there, don't blame me for not warning you!"
She headed in the opposite direction from Chen Shi, but soon hesitated.
She didn't know the way.
Great South Lake was enormous.
Without direction, she might never get out.
She picked a direction and pressed on stubbornly. After walking who knew how long, hunger gnawed at her, but still no land in sight.
Ying Saintess gritted her teeth and kept going. Then, a ship appeared ahead.
The vessel wasn't large—less than thirty feet long, like a pleasure boat for sightseeing, seating only a few passengers.
The cabin allowed for brewing and drinking tea, with simple provisions.
Ying Saintess approached and called from afar,
"Boatman! Boatman!"
The ship stopped. Ying Saintess reached it and boarded. A voice laughed,
"Yingxuan, how did you end up here?"
Ying Saintess recognized the voice and looked into the cabin. Out stepped a scholar in green robes—tall, handsome, with a trimmed mustache on his upper lip and a goatee on his lower.
His green juren robe looked plain, but the embroidery on the collar was exquisite, surely from a master embroiderer.
He was Fuzheng Pavilion's meritorious officer adjutant, Fang Tan.
Ying Saintess was startled but smiled.
"I was chasing Chen Shi but lost him and got turned around.
Meritorious Officer, why are you here?"
Fang Tan's expression was mild as he smiled.
"Some from Moving Mountain Sect contacted Fuzheng Pavilion. I happened to be nearby, so I came to check."
Ying Saintess's heart stirred.
"They notified Fuzheng Pavilion? This is bad—Chen Shi's doomed now!"
"You're injured, Saintess."
Fang Tan's nascent soul appeared behind him—nearly nine feet tall, standing in the void like a god descending. It reached out and gently pinched the air.
The blood clots at the back of Ying Saintess's head and heavenly gate turned into strands of black qi that fell into the nascent soul's hand.
Ying Saintess touched her head—the swelling was gone, and it no longer hurt when pressed.
"Meritorious Officer Fang is truly skilled."
Her eyes flickered as she said,
"What's your cultivation level now, Meritorious Officer Fang?"
Fang Tan smiled faintly.
"Void Refining Realm.
Saintess, I've already tracked Chen Shi."
His sleeve flicked, and the small boat suddenly lifted into the air, whistling away.
The boatman stood on deck, bamboo pole in hand, at a loss.