The Stars Beyond

Chapter 45: Moving The Buddha

The old monk, dressed in a gray monk's robe, slowly drifted away, his bald head shining under the sun. Both Wang Xuan and Old Chen remained silent for a moment, visibly uncomfortable, staring at the retreating figure.

"Little Wang, for your sake, I have traveled through the gulf of space. How will you repay me?" Old Chen finally broke the silence.

Wang Xuan quickly patted himself down, saying, "Old Chen, act your age. You're giving me goosebumps."

"Aren’t I shielding you from misfortune?" Old Chen stared at him, as if demanding an explanation.

Wang Xuan felt somewhat guilty but tried to defuse the situation. He did not expect the female practitioner to be haunting his colleague just because of his thoughtless words, "Old Chen, let's not put it that way. A few days ago, Qing Mu and I were discussing that 'with great power comes great responsibility.' You're one of the leaders in our organization, and your abilities and responsibilities have finally come to light. Qing Mu agreed with my statement."

I want to punch him! Thought Old Chen as he stared at Wang Xuan, who was acting serious while pretending to be paying him respects.

Old Chen sighed deeply, his gaze drifting off into the distance, tinged with a sense of melancholy. "You don't understand how deep this pool is. You can't imagine how horrifying the truths about the Ascension from the Early Qin period really are. I've paid a hefty price this time."

Wang Xuan was surprised. He himself had only recently begun to view the phenomenon of Ascension with caution, a realization that had unsettled him just last night. And now, Old Chen was speaking in such a tone. Did he see this coming long ago?

It clicked for Wang Xuan rather quickly. Their organization had been collaborating with the government, and being semi-official in nature, they naturally had access to secrets and truths that ordinary people could not even begin to comprehend. And this included historical realities. After all, who could dig deeper into the annals of history than the state? Ancient documents, rare books, and secret manuscripts must have recorded something.

"Those years were so full of turmoil and depth," Old Chen's voice grew heavy, his sighs filled with a sense of desolation and helplessness. "They're not just history; they're also an epic tale so luminous that it could move heaven and earth, and even shake the stars from their courses."

"The appearance of the female practitioner is a very bad omen. Her return means... never mind, I can't say." Old Chen massaged his temples, looking incredibly worn out. "You're still young. You don't understand how serious this matter really is."

Wang Xuan found it difficult to reconcile the dejected Old Chen in front of him with the usually composed and self-assured man he knew. It was clear that Old Chen was emotionally and mentally drained.

"Don't think of this as a small matter. A single mistake could lead to disaster. That's why I took her far away, visited some places, in the hopes of solving the problem. Unfortunately, I failed. Despite my best efforts, I was still led back here by her," Old Chen said, a touch of sorrow in his voice.

Patting Wang Xuan on the shoulder, he continued, "Little Wang, the future belongs to your generation. If there comes a time when... I am no longer here, you and your peers must do everything in your power to uncover the secrets of the Old Arts. You must find the correct path that has been lost in the river of history. You may even call it a shortcut!"

A chill ran down Wang Xuan's spine. Is Old Chen implying that he’s going to die soon?

"Life is full of ups and downs. No one knows how their story will end," Old Chen mused, staring into the horizon. As he stood there in the morning light, a faint golden glow seemed to radiate from his body.

Wang Xuan hadn't paid much attention before, but now he noticed that despite Old Chen's haggard appearance, he stood straight and exuded an indescribable charisma.

"Master, don't force yourself. If we can't learn about Ascension from the female practitioner, it's fine. Wang Xuan has made rapid progress and maybe..."

Qing Mu's voice came from outside the courtyard. He had heard Old Chen's lament and wanted to advise him not to be too stubborn. As he stepped into the courtyard and laid eyes on Wang Xuan, he wanted to slap his mouth shut and wished he could disappear on the spot. He dared not look at Old Chen.

My God, Old Chen is preparing for some sort of ultimate skill! Wang Xuan was flabbergasted.

He was momentarily speechless. In his eyes, the faint golden glow around Old Chen vanished instantly, as did any sense of the man's upright posture and noble aura. In reality, Wang Xuan had never fully brought into the act and was now more skeptical than ever. Having caught Old Chen red-handed, it was now his turn to want to punch Old Chen.

"Way to go, Old Chen," Wang Xuan sighed.

Old Chen didn't feel embarrassed at all. His previous expressions of sorrow and melancholy vanished in an instant, replaced again by his usual calm and composure. "Such are the ups and downs of life, its trajectory ever-changing," he mused.

He turned to his disciple and said, "Qing Mu, you're not a child anymore. Why are you still so impulsive? You're giving Wang Xuan something to laugh about."

What could Qing Mu say? He also had a deeper understanding of Old Chen's intentions after in-depth discussions following his return.

Wang Xuan glanced at Old Chen and felt no sympathy for his haggard appearance. His old colleague was relentless, clinging to life for so many days just to acquire the mysterious technique from the female practitioner, without even thinking of finding a successor. That's a real commitment!

He leaned closer and whispered, "Is there really such a thing as Ascension?"

Qing Mu couldn't stand it anymore and interrupted, "Enough, Wang Xuan. Be courteous. Don't provoke Old Chen any further."

Wang Xuan glanced at him and said, "Qing Mu, if I were you, I'd turn around and walk away. You're really following in your master's footsteps. I have a feeling your turn is coming soon."

"Shut up!" Qing Mu felt a shiver run down his spine and took a few steps back. He then felt his heart beating in his chest. His entire being felt uncomfortable. It was as if his mental realm was under some kind of pressure, and he broke out in cold sweat.

At the same time, Old Chen exhaled deeply, sensing something. "I feel that the lady has left and is no longer exerting mental pressure on me."

To be able to sense the departure of the female practitioner, Old Chen was indeed a powerful individual. But it came as a surprise to the old man himself as well. He stared agape at Wang Xuan.. Had this young man's words immediately come true? Is there really some sort of connection between him and the female practitioner?

"Is it really... my turn now?" Qing Mu was on the verge of tears. All the unfortunate events he had been warned about days ago had been accurately predicted by.

Wang Xuan also became more serious. The female practitioner doesn’t even need to enter dreams anymore? And she’s doing it even in broad daylight? This is scary.

Old Chen now had a complex expression on his face. It was a mixture of relief and regret. He first felt as if a great burden had been lifted, but then sighed deeply. Despite all the hardship and struggle, it had all come to naught.

Wang Xuan spoke up, "Old Qing, you should head straight to the Greater Khingan Range. Don't waste your time like Old Chen. I think it's best if you bring Jin Chuan and Qian Lei with you. You might need the extra pair of hands anyways."

Qing Mu shot him a glare, clearly wanting to point out that Jin Chuan had once cut him off and Qian Lei had demanded stones from him. However, he did agree internally; having extra help in the Greater Khingan Range would be necessary. He probably couldn't handle it alone.

Old Chen spoke: "These days, I have conversed with the celestial lady respectfully and devoutly, spending sleepless nights doing so. I believe she is reasonable and understanding. Qing Mu, you should go."

What could Qing Mu say to that? He certainly couldn't talk back to his master. The old man had suffered enough and was now even trying to cast himself in a golden light. Worst of all, he seemed to be handing down his "legacy" to his disciple.

Only Old Chen and Wang Xuan were left in the courtyard. They exchanged gazes. But it was Old Chen who broke the silence with a smile.

"Wang Xuan, speak up. You've got your fair share of secrets. Even that celestial lady seems to regard you differently. But at least she's gone now, back to wherever she came from," Old Chen said, regaining his usual composure and tranquility. Although his tone remained calm, there was an undeniable sense of invisible pressure emanating from him.

Wang Xuan remained silent, his face a mask of serenity.

"Don't deny it. I know just how strong you were when you first graduated, and how effortlessly you defeated two killers trained in the Iron Sand Palm technique upon returning from the Greater Khingan Range. It was then I knew that a veil of mystery had shrouded you," Old Chen said, his voice steady and without any emotional fluctuation.

He continued, "Your growth in strength has been astoundingly rapid. You even managed to defeat Sun Chengkun, which has left Qing Mu feeling quite uneasy. Although he didn't say anything, your rate of progress has left him at a loss, feeling anxious and alarmed. If this continues, even I will feel uneasy."

Clearly, Old Chen was still able to keep his composure, evidence that his skills ran incredibly deep. He was a rare master of the highest order.

Wang Xuan let out a sigh. He had known that sooner or later, someone would notice the abnormal pace of his own progress. Especially anyone close to him who was observant would eventually become suspicious. Old Chen was clearly aiming to uncover whatever secrets he held.

"Old Chen, would you believe me if I said I truly don't possess any Ascension techniques?" Wang Xuan looked serious as he posed the question.

"What are your secrets then?" Old Chen inquired.

"I do have secrets, but they're not universally applicable. Sharing them could only invite more substantial issues," Wang Xuan responded, equally composed and unafraid.

Old Chen shook his head, patted Wang Xuan's shoulder, and advised, "Don't overthink things. I won't push you. However, you might want to ponder whether you should disclose anything. No need to rush with your answer; let's go fishing tomorrow, and we can talk more then."

Then, he spoke cautiously, saying, "Don't get any funny ideas, and don’t think too much about it. The female practitioner has definitely returned underground this time, as her physical body resides there."

Wang Xuan didn't care at all and even laughed. "Old Chen, you're overthinking it. Get a good night's sleep; you've been up for so many days."

At that moment, Old Chen's eyelids started to twitch. Why do I have a bad feeling all of a sudden?

He quickly called Qing Mu to check on his whereabouts, wondering if he had come back to the area.

Wang Xuan said, "Where's your mind going? Am I that sort of person? The female practitioner has already left; do you think I could call her back? I'm scared of her messing with me, too."

Old Chen nodded. That made sense; he also felt that Wang Xuan couldn't possibly control the female immortal.

Next, Wang Xuan and Old Chen started talking about Pufa Temple.

"Old Chen, do you know the history of this temple? Any major events that have happened here? It feels like, despite its sacredness and grandeur, it lacks a sense of Buddhist spirituality."

Old Chen shook his head and yawned, admitting he really didn't know. He needed to catch up on some sleep; finally, he could have some peace. Soon after, Wang Xuan consulted an old monk within the temple, inquiring about the history of this ancient monastery, any legends, and any major events that had occurred.

The old monk spoke at length, mentioning many myths and legends, including the story of a saintly monk from Pufa Temple who had achieved the status of a Bodhisattva through profound spiritual attainment!

Wang Xuan listened carefully, filtering the information for what was valuable, and finally heard a historical event that shocked him to the core.

"Three hundred years ago, this area where Pufa Temple is located experienced an earthquake, causing ancient temples and pagodas to collapse."

"So, you're saying, although it's called a 'thousand-year-old temple,' the buildings themselves are no more than three hundred years old?"

The old monk sighed, looking somewhat dejected, and shook his head. "These structures are actually only a few decades old."

"What?" Wang Xuan was astonished.

"Several decades ago, people from the XinXing area started excavating various relics from the old land, including ancient temples and Taoist shrines. Some wealthy elders who are believers in Buddhism and Taoism were willing to spend a fortune to 'acquire' entire temples and Taoist shrines."

Hearing this, Wang Xuan suddenly understood what had happened.

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