Chapter 1427
The Prison
Chapter 1427 The Prison (1+12) (Bonus Chapter 42113 for Hidden Dragon)
The Great Black Heaven.
The magnificent main hall stands on the earth, exuding a mysterious aura. A thin mist cascades down the steps, spreading all the way to the Hall of Relics and Inheritance.
But then they saw the monk in blue robes sitting in the hall, twirling a flower and making finger gestures, a smile on his face, looking down at them, and saying:
"Tell me about your Great Desire and Sinful Land!"
A monk was kneeling below, looking rather apprehensive, with his head bowed and eyes lowered, and said:
"Your Excellency, I am but a lowly, unappreciated official, and know very little..."
The abbot above sneered, picked up the ordination certificate with one hand, threw it to the ground, and told the monk to pick it up and examine it, saying:
"Look at the sins you've committed, you idiot! Instead of thinking about how to atone for them, you dare to stammer in front of me!"
The monk had no ill intentions; he was just afraid he wouldn't be able to say anything of value. Startled by the monk's words, he kowtowed repeatedly, speechless and terrified.
Dangjiang has been observing the situation for some time now. He first took control of the five eyes and made a move in the Void Path. Then he turned his attention to the Great Desire Path.
This slave flame was naturally his achievement.
In terms of cunning and scheming, Nu Yan was far inferior to the seasoned and shrewd Wu Mu, yet his situation was far more precarious.
He didn't have any powerful background to begin with. His only backer, Nuzi, was killed by that sword immortal long ago. He was able to survive until today mostly because of luck.
In the battle of Luoxia, he was sent to test the waters, and fortunately he encountered Kuang Hong, who saved his life and earned him a small merit. He is currently repairing his physical body at the foot of Dayang Mountain.
This was precisely when he was at his lowest point, and secretly he had already seen this so-called Great Black Mystic Heaven as his chance to turn his life around. For some reason, Dangjiang was incredibly adept at frightening monks, using a combination of kindness and severity, which only intensified his fear, filling him with immense dread.
'This abbot is even more imposing than the Mahayana in Shakyamuni! It's no exaggeration to say he's overestimating his abilities!'
So he quickly lowered his head and said urgently:
"The Great Desire... the Great Desire Sinful Land was established by the [arising of the six emotions from emptiness]. This one was originally one of the Dharma forms of the Great Aspiration for the Dharma Realm, and also a grand-disciple of Tiancanyan..."
He glanced upwards hesitantly, then, risking public outrage, said:
"According to the cultivators outside... he was seduced by that peacock, which led him to betray his sect and establish his own path."
"It's nothing good either!"
Dangjiang sneered. After listening to his account of the Great Desire Path's past—all trivial details—he lost patience and simply asked:
"I ask you, who is now in charge of the Great Desire Path?"
Nu Yan knelt down with a thud, horrified:
"I have been away for many years. The Peacock and the Dharma Minister have been fighting openly and covertly. Now I hear that Lord Peacock has gained the upper hand, but I can't tell who is really in charge!"
Dangjiang was immediately disappointed.
He asked this question for a reason. With just a light press of the Azure Lotus Seal, he could sense the numerous Buddhist cultivators connected to this world. There were quite a few, but only a handful possessed clearly powerful auras:
'There's one from the Great Desire Path, quite large, almost the largest of all the ones I sensed, though its light is somewhat dim. There's one from the Compassion Path, its light flickers strangely... The one from the Benevolence Path is the smallest, but its condition is probably the best... In addition, there are two dim ones, which I can't sense, and I don't know their strength...'
However, Lu Jiangxian had his own selfish reasons. One was Jinlian, who shared a soul and two bodies with Dangjiang and was in the bowl. She was not very useful and would easily cause trouble, so he was kept in seclusion. The other was Taixi, because he had killed Li Xuanfeng. Lu Jiangxian had no intention of letting him go, so he did not let him enter this Xuantian and let Dangjiang waste his energy.
Dangjiang was unaware of the details, only knowing that apart from these few, the remaining auras, even if some were strong, would not exceed those of the five eyes. According to the Daoist traditions of the mortal world, they were probably between the Golden Lotus and the First or Second Incarnation of Maha.
Dangjiang thought it through very clearly:
'I currently possess far too little information to make a fuss. These celestial beings value quality over quantity... Judging from the perspective of the Buddhist community, having grasped a few Mahasattvas and obtained compassion is sufficient; there's really no need to make it public knowledge.'
After all, if the secret were to be leaked, his career would be completely over. Moreover, Dangjiang is now living a life like a god, so how could he bear to go back to heaven to continue copying books?
Just as he was about to question the figures of the Great Desire Path to confirm which one was connected with Heaven, he suddenly felt a heat in his sleeve. He reached out and touched it, and found that his token was glowing slightly.
"A fellow Daoist has arrived?!"
He was immediately startled and sensed the Azure Lotus. Sure enough, he felt a faint aura slowly emerging in the main hall!
This time, he couldn't sit still any longer. Dangjiang stood up, ready to leave, but then, remembering Nu Yan standing before him, he raised his chin and said:
"go!"
Nu Yan, not understanding what was going on, hurriedly followed him. The two of them had only walked a few dozen steps when they arrived in front of the massive main hall. Nu Yan had just been there and was so frightened that he was scared out of his wits. Now he just knelt down in front of the hall and didn't dare to raise his head.
Dangjiang didn't bother to deal with him, only instructing him to wait there. Composing himself, he then stepped over the threshold and went inside.
"crunch..."
The tall palace doors slowly opened, and the darkness inside was illuminated by the light of the Dharma outside. He then saw a person standing inside, dressed in black, standing there blankly.
Liao Kong was stunned.
He connected with that guiding power and appeared here. The first thing he saw was a mysterious image standing in front of him. He didn't have time to calm his mind in the face of this terrifying pressure. The fierce and malevolent image on the side completely stole his mind.
This was a scene of a raging inferno, a hellish landscape. The creature was dark blue-black, neither frightening nor malevolent, and held a mysterious bell. The powerful aura emanating from it, capable of benefiting the entire desolate wilderness and warding off disasters and evil, surged into his mind, captivating him completely.
He took a step forward, his legs went weak, and he collapsed to his knees, blood streaming from his eyes. He cried out in horror:
"World Honored One!"
This is not all—what truly stirred his soul was the sacred aura emanating from this Buddha statue, which shared the same origin as him but possessed a divine power a thousand times greater than his own!
In that instant, he understood.
[The Boundless Suffering of Hell]!
'What Qin Ling Dharma Image? She's not even worthy to carry His shoes! This is absolutely the most ancient and earliest… the most original and ancestral World Honored One of the Qin Ling Dao!'
That mysterious aura made him tremble all over, as if he were about to sense the golden land he had just grasped at any moment. His face twisted constantly, and a greedy expression appeared and disappeared on his face. Ten eyes, like the mouth of an infant, kept opening and closing on his cheeks.
'The so-called Qin Ling is merely a small branch of His lineage!'
These myriad mysteries overwhelmed his mind, leaving him sitting there in a daze. He didn't know how much time had passed before he finally heard a faint sound:
"Snapped!"
The black-robed monk's eyes, unable to bear the strain, burst open with a bang, like a soft sound in an empty space, finally waking Liao Kong from his infinite mystery!
He slowly collapsed to the ground, spitting out blood. Everything before his eyes spun around him. He vaguely felt someone helping him up, and a soft light enveloped him, gently nourishing his body.
Liao Kong touched his cheek, and his two eyes grew back. He turned around and found that the person who helped him up was a smiling monk.
He was dressed in blue, with a lotus mark between his brows, yet it subtly hinted at an eeriness. His eyes were full of friendliness, and when he saw Kong looking at him, he smiled and said:
"When I first came to this hall, I looked just like this. Fellow Daoist, please take good care of yourself..."
Liao Kong's heart stirred:
'It must be the colleague that sir mentioned!'
Looking at the other person's equally shiny bald head, he felt a surge of joy and comfortable relaxation wash over him. The immense weight in his heart finally lifted, and he murmured:
"well…"
That person was clearly a cultivator of the immortal path, so Liao Kong was naturally afraid that his so-called colleague was also a cultivator of the immortal path.
'We Buddhist cultivators have always been looked down upon by the immortals, and we don't know how many disdainful looks we have to endure!'
Upon seeing that it was a monk, he felt an immense sense of kinship. He sighed, nodded, and followed the monk in blue robes into the side hall. They sat down in a small meditation room, and he listened as the monk chuckled:
"I was originally a celestial official of the Seven Pavilions of the Heavenly Realm. Now I have been assigned to a post in the mortal realm, serving as the abbot of the Great Black Mystic Heaven, assisting in the management of the Immortal and Buddhist paths... May I ask which palace you are from?"
When this long string of words reached his ears, the black-clad monk only heard two words:
'Celestial Official!'
These two words startled Kong so much that he jumped up on the spot, knelt down, and exclaimed in horror:
"I had no idea you were a celestial official, sir! I have been most offended!"
He had just met that Pure Yang Jade Immortal Official, what an extraordinary figure he was! Upon hearing that this one was also an Immortal Official, he immediately kowtowed. This made Dangjiang feel refreshed and invigorated; he slightly opened his mouth and sighed inwardly:
"That's right! That's right! You monk from who-knows-where, this is how you should treat a celestial official like me!"
He was quite at ease in this Great Black Heaven, but everyone who came boasted about themselves, and there was no way to introduce the true identities of the powerful celestial officials. Now, he had enjoyed listening to them, but he didn't forget to inquire about the other party's background, only saying:
"I wonder who my friend is..."
"I dare not address you as a fellow Daoist!"
Liao Kong kowtowed repeatedly, recounting in detail how he had obtained this opportunity and how he had caught the eye of that important person. Dang Jiang's expression changed several times as he listened, and this time he could no longer sit still.
'This is truly a big shot!'
He murmured:
"Is he truly known as the 'Pure Yang Jade Immortal Official'?"
There are many celestial officials and celestial servants in the heavens, but not all of them have titles. Those so-called Liu Xian Guan and Li Xian Guan are just surnames. Shao Hui was her superior for a long time, but she was just a fairy maid with a title!
He only remembered one person with such a high level of reputation:
'The Celestial General of the Moon's Pure Brightness—The True Proclamation!'
This is an extremely distinguished person in the entire mansion!
"Absolutely true!"
Hearing the other party's reply, Dangjiang felt a sense of awe and admiration, and sighed:
"Fellow Daoist, please do not underestimate yourself. Even in the heavens, I rarely see such a person... Although I am a celestial official, I have no real title; at most, I am just a minor official!"
But he refused to belittle himself. He stood up, put one foot on the stool, and began to speak eloquently, describing all the noble immortals and gods, making the sky darken and the sun and moon lose their light.
Liao Kong then met the unfathomable master and traveled between the caves, believing everything he heard. His heart was filled with admiration, and he repeatedly praised him. When his emotions were at their peak, he even left his seat to bow in reverence.
'Having obtained this opportunity, it's more than just a single Mahayana! That great figure bestowed such a golden land upon me; it's not just for a single Mahayana! Now that he intends to change the seven aspects, I should become one of the future aspects!'
The two, one eager to speak and the other eager to listen, were now as close as brothers. Dangjiang understood this deeply, thinking to himself:
'The high-ranking cultivator of the Great Crow Profound Heaven is still unconscious, and he wants me to teach him in his place. He must be in the same situation, and judging from his background, he's probably no less powerful than me. He's very likely the successor of that Boundless Hell Manifestation. Now is the perfect time to befriend him!'
The two monks, finding common ground in their stench, waded into the river, pulled him up, and sighed:
"With the two of us joining forces, what are the Seven Phases? You should also take a Daoist title and be considered a member of the Great Crow Profound Heaven, to bolster my prestige and work with me to restore order to the world!"
Dangjiang was already suffering from having to set up his own stage and perform alone, and now someone else had come along to do just that. Liaokong had changed everything in a single day, and with countless thoughts swirling in his mind, he nodded to himself and said:
"Since I have cultivated under the [Immeasurable Hell], I have finally seen my true self today. From now on, in this Xuan Tian, I shall be called [Measurement Hell]!"
Dangjiang clapped his hands and nodded, then led him outside. As soon as the side door opened, they saw Nuyan kneeling on the ground.
Liao Kong was intelligent and had seen Nu Yan before. His expression changed slightly at this moment. Fortunately, he was wearing a black robe and his true spirit was protected by the golden earth, so the other party did not recognize him and just knelt down with his head down.
The two arrived at the Hall of Robes and Bowls together, and Liaokong then tentatively asked:
"Does Xuantian have such ability to move people to this place out of thin air?"
Dangjiang shook his head and said:
“Disappearing into thin air will inevitably arouse suspicion. They were guided here by the true spirit. This Great Desire Path slave flame, and there was also a five-eyed one before, were all seeds I temporarily planted to test the outside world.”
Liao Kong gave a thumbs-up and settled down in the hall. Only then did Dang Jiang finally produce a certificate of ordination and said solemnly:
"What should be there, should still be there."
"understand!"
Liao Kong's lineage originated from ancient Buddhist practices. With a clear conscience, he remained calm and composed, gently accepting the gift, dripping his blood to sign his name. Instantly, it shone brilliantly, the conch shell swelled, and words appeared:
The Great Crow's Suffering Prison Mandate was bestowed upon him.
Zhengxiu Shangguan Ennian 201
Qin Ling, the master of Qinling Temple, was a prisoner of the Xuanxiang clan of Xiaoshan.
[The Great Greedy Dharma Heir]
Qin Ling Passes on the Torch at Jindi
"It's different, it's really different!"
Dangjiang glanced at it only once, then slapped his thigh and exclaimed in surprise:
"You still have merits to show!"
Liao Kong was puzzled and found it very strange. He put the ordination certificate together, and it unknowingly melted into his body. He then took it out and replied:
"Righteous merit?"
Dangjiang praised him, gave a general explanation, and then took out Nuyan's ordination certificate for him to see. Liaokong was overjoyed, put his hands together, and pondered:
"When I received the Qinling lineage and returned to Qinling Temple, I changed the doctrines, dispersed the disciples, and even stopped the tenants from working themselves to death to make a living in the temple that my master passed down to me. That is how I made my contribution!"
As if touched by something, Dangjiang shook his head and sighed:
"Actually, it is fitting that you should inherit this legacy. There is no Maha-compassionate being in the world who is without sins; there are probably even fewer than those at the peak of the Purple Mansion realm!"
That's what he said, but his gaze was fixed on the other person's other information. "Passing on the Dharma" and "Transmitting the Lamp" were both high-ranking positions involving teaching disciples, and seeing terms like "Great Greedy Dharma Heir" and "Qin Ling Golden Land," he lowered his last layer of guard and finally opened his heart to the person before him, carefully saying:
"I've heard that Guangchan possessed such great power with only a head back then. Fellow Daoist, how many lifetimes of strength do you have now?"
If the previous words were tests to confirm his identity, now they had reached the crucial moment of truth. Liao Kong did not hide anything and said softly:
"Guang Chan has the supernatural power of the Purple Mansion, so he naturally has a foundation. Qin Ling was exploited by Wei Yichao, and all five demonic forms of the Five Hells were damaged to varying degrees. Fortunately, thanks to you, I was able to completely possess this Great Greedy Form."
Whenever the topic comes up, he is always filled with emotion and sighs:
"Now that he has the ability of five lifetimes, he will make rapid progress in the future. The sixth lifetime is just around the corner. If he gets the opportunity, it would not be an exaggeration to skip the seventh lifetime in a short time."
Dang Jiang was extremely surprised and stood there stunned for a moment before he finally spoke:
"That's amazing!"
Liao Kong shook his head and said:
“Cultivation is secondary. I didn’t just get a head; it was almost like possession. I got almost all of the Great Greedy Man’s cultivation, not to mention all of Qin Ling’s wonderful techniques. If Wei Chao hadn’t consumed too much energy, it would have been possible to live to the seventh generation.”
"Enough! Enough..."
Dang Jiang never expected that Heaven, which hadn't intervened, would suddenly offer him such a great help. Overjoyed, he asked:
"You also understand the major trends in the outside world!"
Liao Kong nodded.
Dangjiang sighed:
"Only after gaining the support of fellow Daoists did I dare to act freely!"
You see, Dangjiang was afraid of asking too many questions and arousing suspicion, and he was also afraid of hastily leading people in and alerting the enemy. This sudden influx of help from a sixth-generation, or even soon seventh-generation, figure was like rain after a long drought for Dangjiang. He completely changed his previous cautious and hesitant demeanor, stood up, and looked intently at her:
"In that case, I have an important matter to ask you, fellow Daoist!"
He no longer concealed it, but presented his blue lotus seal in his palm, and solemnly said:
"This is my seal of authority. I can sense all the people related to this Mysterious Heaven... I can also vaguely sense their aura."
Liao Kong, hearing the music and understanding its meaning, immediately comprehended it and said:
"Let me take a look."
Dangjiang was overjoyed and immediately flicked his finger, drawing out the most powerful aura of the Great Desire Path within the entire green lotus and displaying it to Kongkan. The monk sensed it briefly and said:
"Judging from this aura, he's at least a figure from the fifth generation or higher, but he's extremely weak, likely having just lost his spiritual body..."
He pondered for a moment and said:
"I can guess who this person is. His name is Ren Shijia. He doesn't belong to the Peacock faction; he's only below the Great Desire Path in terms of ability. However, he was promoted too quickly, so his strength isn't particularly outstanding. He's the one whose physical body was destroyed by the King of Wei in the Dalingchuan..."
"Oh?"
Dangjiang frowned and said:
"What kind of person is he? Is he truly loyal to the Dharma of the Great Desire Path?"
What Dangjiang fears most is this. Although most of the monks today are selfish, there are quite a few who are promoted and remain loyal. What he fears is that they will risk their lives to uphold the orthodox tradition. If too many are killed, the outside world will inevitably notice.
Liao Kong pondered for a moment, then said:
"He certainly wouldn't be considered completely loyal; at most, he's somewhat loyal to Liangli. He himself can't even see the Dharma form of the Great Desire Path. My master saw him back then, when their cultivation levels were similar. He said he looked simple-minded but was actually vicious, and not someone easy to deal with."
"it is good…"
The monk in blue robes had a piercing gaze, with a faint golden glint in his eyes, and he smiled:
"His physical body is severely damaged, leaving only his true spirit. That's a good thing. I'm just afraid that he'll become arrogant because he has no desires!"
So he released that wisp of energy, then hooked his finger again, drawing out the wisp of the Path of Compassion. Liao Kong frowned, pondered for a long time, and finally shook his head helplessly:
"It seems to be the third or fourth incarnation of Maha, but the Compassionate Path has little connection with the South and doesn't even often go to Dayang Mountain. I also find this aura unfamiliar. The Buddhist land is full of hidden talents, so it's not easy to deduce who it is based on cultivation alone."
Dangjiang was not disappointed, but continued to express his joy in doing good deeds. Liaokong smiled and lowered his eyes, but at that moment, his expression suddenly froze on his face, and he could not move.
'This is…'
In stark contrast to the one on the path of compassion, he was all too familiar with this one, having even just met him!
Lotus Temple, Minghui!
I had just received his jade pendant before I entered the Golden Land!
These coincidences froze his expression for a moment, a chilling feeling rising from the depths of his heart, as if a thunderbolt had exploded in his mind:
Is it a coincidence?
'I looked like a dying man. I wasn't close to him, and he came here for no reason, handing me a jade pendant... How could he know I was about to obtain the Golden Land?'
'Or perhaps, he had just arrived, and I received his jade pendant, and immediately obtained the gold...'
He stood there, stunned, the other person's meaningful gaze replaying in his mind's eye. His hand, gripping the table, tightened slightly. The abbot beside him called out several times before he was suddenly jolted awake.
Liao Kong's mouth was a little dry, but he didn't hold back and explained his speculation. Dang Jiang listened carefully and murmured:
"Minghui?"
"Yes…"
Liao Kong sighed, and after waiting for a while, he saw the abbot suddenly wake up, raise his chin, and praise:
"It sounds so good, what a wonderful Buddhist name!"
Liao Kong was caught off guard and fell silent for a moment, but fortunately Dang Jiang had already turned around and laughed:
"This is not a bad thing. He is already in my possession. If we call him up and ask him, everything will be clear."
"Too…"
Liao Kong nodded slightly, putting the matter aside for the time being. After a moment's consideration, he finally decided to voice the worry that had been lingering in his heart:
"However... I still have a major problem here that hasn't been resolved..."
Dangjiang doubts:
"trouble?"
Liao Kong looked worried and said in a low voice:
"The importance that the Sandalwood Forest places on the Golden Land is hard for you to imagine, fellow Daoist. Let me put it this way... even a minor mage who senses a trace of the Golden Land's aura, and whose existence is inadvertently discovered, will be invited to Great Sheep Mountain to personally meet the Dharma Image..."
“I was already under the watchful eyes of all the cultivators, and now that I have suddenly disappeared, they must all know that I have entered the Golden Land.”
He remained calm and said:
"But I was thinking... back then, even with such a great karmic connection as Guangchan, after years of cultivation, he could only take away a head. Yet I, a mere pitiful soul, managed to completely seize the body of the mighty Great Greedy One!"
"This has neither a cause nor a basis, nor does it make sense. Even if I were to go out now, I would be watched by more than one Dharma Aspect if I went out, and they would surely find a flaw in me... But if I don't go out, I'm afraid I'll mess up your important business!"
The monk in blue listened casually, smiled, shook his head, and said:
"What's so difficult about this?"
Liao Kong paused slightly, looking at him. The abbot had already stepped down, standing gracefully with his hands behind his back, and said softly:
"If it weren't for you possessing the body of the corrupt prime minister..."
"But rather..."
The demonic monk turned his head and said calmly.
"What if the greedy minister possesses your body?"