Chapter 47: The Land of Complete Bliss

  It's been three weeks since the book was uploaded. The results have been barely passable, thanks to the great support of all the readers. I'm deeply grateful and bow my head in appreciation. Please continue to work hard and contribute red tickets and clicks next week! ^0^

  Suddenly, in the icy snow land, 360 degrees, hands tied behind back, kneeling down to thank you.

  The fleet sailed with the wind, speeding south along the Min River waterway through the dark night. After dawn broke, the warships hoisted their sails and accelerated, their speed rivaling that of galloping horses. It was as if "the cries of monkeys on both banks did not cease, while light boats had already passed beyond the myriad mountains." Along the way, they passed through Xinjin, Pengshan, Meishan, Qingyi, and other places, until noon the next day, when the continuous heavy rain that had lasted for over a dozen hours finally stopped. The fleet then entered the territory of Longyou County.

  The destination is now in sight, and the sailors driving the warship also lowered the sails and pulled out some of the oars to prevent the ship from being washed away by the rapid current. As the mastermind of this treasure hunt, Yang Xiu, the King of Shu, who was inside the cabin, quickly finished his lunch and changed into a new suit of light armor under Tang Zhong's guidance, ready for action. Just as he put on his boots, he suddenly heard a commotion on the deck outside, with people shouting and making a big fuss.

  Yang Xiu, despite his confidence, couldn't help but feel a surge of tension as the moment arrived. He pushed Tang Zhong aside without hesitation and, not even wanting to walk down the stairs, sprang into action with a "whoosh" and leapt straight out of the porthole. With a wave of his hand, he unleashed the "Wind-Dispelling Cloud-Pushing" technique, supporting his body with a robust true energy that allowed him to float effortlessly through the air. He slid out four or five zhang before Yang Xiu finally descended from the sky, his hands clasped behind his back. Before he even landed, he felt a slight shock. The deck was packed with sailors and soldiers, all of whom were kowtowing and knocking their heads against the ground, facing the river.

  Yang Xiufu furrowed his brow, feeling a great discomfort in his chest. He drew a small circle with his right arm, exerting his strength to lift and pull over a certain military officer beside him, shouting loudly: "What are you quarreling about?"

  That officer was constantly kowtowing and reciting Buddhist scriptures, but was suddenly struck by Yang Xiu's question, and couldn't help but feel dizzy. He only kept shouting: "Your Highness, the Buddha has descended to the world, it's a divine sign, a divine sign!"

  "What Buddha is descending to the world? Nonsense!" Yang Xiu was inexplicably puzzled and immediately retorted. The officer on the spot became anxious and shouted: "It's really the Buddha descending to the world! Your Highness, look over there." He stretched out his hand and pointed to the river surface. Yang Xiu let out a cold snort and pushed him away, following the direction of his pointing finger to gaze far into the distance, unable to help but take in a breath of cool air, almost not daring to believe his own eyes.

  At that time, the wind stopped and the rain ceased, the clouds opened up and the sun shone brightly. Not a single ripple was born on the surface of the river. Looking far into the distance, even things that were extremely far away could be seen clearly. Standing on the deck of the warship in the middle of the river, all that could be seen was the vast expanse of the river, and lying horizontally across it was a gigantic sleeping Buddha, from head to foot, at least a thousand feet long. It was exactly the appearance of Sakyamuni when he entered Nirvana under the Bodhi tree. Under the shining sunlight, there were seven-colored halos surrounding the sleeping Buddha, looking peaceful and sacred, making people feel as if they were in a dream. Although Yang Xiu did not believe in Buddhism, she was shocked by this scene, and for an instant, a strong urge to kneel down and worship the sleeping Buddha arose in her chest.

  "Oh, there it is... Wu You, Ling Yun, and Gui Cheng's three mountains!" Footsteps sounded from beside him, as Tang Ju Xue, Mu Xing He, Feng Ye Yu, Yan Wang Gu, and other three leaders emerged from the cabin and walked onto the deck. As the leader of Qingcheng, Feng Ye Yu was naturally deeply devoted to Taoism, so although he too was shocked by the reclining Buddha on the river surface, the impact was not as great as it was for others. He wore a sword holder on his back, dressed in a green Taoist robe, looking elegant and refined, with an air of detachment from worldly affairs. Shaking his head, he said: "Wu You is the head, Gui Cheng is the foot, and Ling Yun is the body. The peaks are connected, with Xi Xia and Ji Feng two peaks forming the Buddha's chest, Ling Bao and Jiu Ri two peaks making up the abdomen and legs. As for where we're going, Lingyun Cave, it just so happens to be the location of the Buddha's heart. What a wonder! It's truly a wonder. The mystery of creation is indeed profound, and even us ordinary people can't help but applaud in admiration."

  Everyone is a seasoned traveler, knowledgeable and experienced. They can't be compared to ordinary people. After the initial shock, they quickly regained their composure. As soon as the words were spoken, everyone nodded in agreement. They pointed and discussed among themselves. Murong Xinghe himself had some understanding of Feng Shui, and after careful observation, he suddenly turned to Yang Xiu and said: "Your Majesty, look at that mountain over there, it's like a divine turtle crawling on the ground, and directly opposite is a hidden dragon in the sky. The eastern mountain ridge is like a crouching tiger, while the southern side is like a vermilion bird spreading its wings to fly. The four spirits converge, and the central location happens to be Qixia Peak. In my opinion, Lingyun Cave must be the source of the spiritual pulse, where the Central Earth is located. This place has all the five elements, it's indeed a rare spiritual mountain blessed land."

  Yang Xiu had also recovered from the initial shock. After listening to Mu Xinghe's explanation, his desire in his heart became even more intense. He smiled slightly and was about to respond when suddenly a loud roar of a strange beast echoed through the mountains of Lingyun Mountain. The vast wilderness shook for a moment, countless birds were frightened, and at the same time flew out of the forest, forming a large black cloud. The surface of the Minjiang River churned with waves, thousands of fish swam up from underwater, rushing towards the direction of Lingyun Mountain in a frenzy. Under the sunlight, the fish scales shone like silver, creating a spectacular sight.

  Yang Xiu heard the roar of the strange beast, and his eyes lit up instantly. He shouted: "It's it!" His hands on the ship's railing trembled slightly with excitement. A fierce killing intent burst out, and the birds and fish in the surroundings sensed it, their movements becoming more frantic. Immediately after, the distant howl of the strange beast rose again, and a few more notes of anxiety and impatience were added to its voice.

  "Namo Ratna Trayaya, Nama Arya Avalokiteshvaraya. Namo Arya Bhaisajya Guru Vaidurya Prabha Rajaya Tathagataya Arhate Samyak Sambuddhaya. Namo Sarva Buddha Bodhisattvey. Om Sarva Tathagata Avalokiteshvara Hridaya Abhyarcanam. Namah Siddhi Jvala Sri Arya Avalokiteshvaraya, Idam Moni Arya Bhaisajya Guru Vaidurya Prabha Rajaya Tathagataya. Namo Ratna Trayaya, Nama Arya Manjushriye... "

  The chanting of the Buddha's name rose and fell in a gentle, soothing melody. At first, it was almost imperceptible, but gradually grew louder and more distinct. In just a moment, it filled the entire sky and earth, reaching every corner of the universe. On the warship, over two thousand people could hear it clearly. Yet, despite its loudness, the chanting contained not a hint of violence or killing intent, only an infinite sense of great compassion. Whether it was the birds flying in the sky or the fish swimming in the water, all became quiet as soon as they heard the chanting. Even the beasts in the mountains, which had been making fierce cries, suddenly became tame and gentle.

  Tang Zhongqing and Tang Yuxue happened to be leading the Seven Kills of the Tang Sect at this time, walking out from the ship's cabin. Tang Yuxue heard the Sanskrit chanting, his eyebrows tightly furrowed, saying: "Is that the Great Compassion Mantra? What a high level of skill! Who is reciting scriptures here?"

  Yang Xiu didn't turn his head, and said calmly: "Chang Shi, why bother making wild guesses. What's the point of asking, you'll know once you ask." Just as he was about to speak, Feng Yueran hastily said: "Your Highness, let me make a slight effort." With a deep breath, he shouted loudly: "The Grand General of the Great Sui, Commander-in-Chief of the Western Expedition and Governor of the 24 States of Ba and Shu, by Imperial Decree, the King of Shu is present. That monk, why haven't you come to pay your respects yet!"

  Feng Ye Yu was also a leader of a sect, although he had some tendency to follow the strong and fawn on those in power, his cultivation was deep and definitely not inferior to anyone present. The sound of his shout echoed far and wide, although it couldn't suppress the chanting, but neither was it overpowered by the opponent's voice. The chanting paused for a moment, then continued as if nothing had happened, reciting the "Great Compassion Mantra" to the end, with the remaining sounds fading away into the heart of the river.

  The chanting had just ended, when suddenly another thunderclap shook the sky. A flash of lightning cut across the air, sweeping over the summit of Lingyun Mountain. The wild wind rose again, and dark clouds gathered, pressing down on them as a small black dot flew rapidly from the mountain towards the warship in the middle of the river. In the blink of an eye, it had already approached the Snow Drinking ship. Then, it slowly descended. Everyone saw clearly that the newcomer was a bald monk wearing a hundred-patch robe. He looked quite young, but his face was as pale as jade, with a subtle glow emanating from it, indicating that he had already reached the realm of returning to innocence. Under his feet was a strange object that seemed like a ring but wasn't, like a hook but wasn't, supporting him as he moved freely in mid-air, clearly an extraordinary divine weapon. Everyone who saw him felt a chill in their hearts.

  That monk descended to the height of the deck of the giant ship "Xueyin", stood with his palms together and chanted Buddha's name, saying: "Amitabha Buddha. Which one is King Shu?"

  Yang Xiu's hands pressed against the ship's side, and he said in a low voice: "I am the king. And you, monk, who are you?"

  "This humble monk's name is Shou Wang. It's rare to have a noble guest visit, and I'm afraid I've failed to welcome you from afar, please forgive me, please forgive me." Monk Shou Wang's tone was humble and gentle, making it easy for people to feel at ease. After a pause, he continued: "Lingyun Mountain is remote and desolate, Your Highness has brought a large army today, but I don't know what brings you here? If Your Highness is just passing by, then please proceed on your journey, staying longer would be of no benefit."

  Yang Xiu smiled slightly and coldly, not even deigning to respond to him. Behind her, Feng Ye and Yu Rou stood up and shouted: "How dare you! The king has ordered the prince to govern Bashu, what place can't he go to in this thousand-mile land, and what can't he do? On the other hand, what is a monk like you doing on Lingyun Mountain?"

  "Good, good! As a monk, I don't weave clothes or cultivate food, so it's only natural that I should have some way to repay the kindness. On Mount Lingyun, there is a ferocious beast that appears and disappears, its nature is fierce and difficult to tame. If we don't use the 'Great Compassion Mantra' of Buddhist law to resolve it from time to time, I'm afraid it will leave the mountain and cause trouble everywhere. This poor monk has been here for nine years, precisely to protect the water and soil of this region and assist the people."

  Everyone subconsciously turned their heads and exchanged glances, and in an instant, the four words "Qilin Sacred Beast" appeared in everyone's mind. Mu Xinghe stepped forward and cupped his hands: "May I ask, Master, is the strange beast on the mountain a Qilin?"

  Shou Wang looked surprised and said, "You also know?" He immediately continued, "Since you know, why are you still lingering here? Although all of you are skilled fighters, the soldiers on the ship are just ordinary people. If that Qilin is enraged, it will inevitably lead to a bloody disaster, which would be a true sin."

  Yang Xiuying coldly said: "The Qilin is a auspicious sign for the country. Now that the Japanese king has come to Lingyun Mountain, he wants to capture it alive and present it to the imperial court. Monk, there's no business for you here, leave quickly."

  "Do you want to capture the Qilin?" The guard was shocked and shook his head repeatedly, saying: "Absolutely not. The Qilin is a divine creature born from the essence of heaven and earth, how can ordinary people dare to offend it? Your Highness, please reconsider."

  He looked anxious, obviously sincere in his concern for everyone. But how could Yang Xiu listen to his nonsense again? Coldly, he gave orders to the rear: "Get ready, land and hunt the Qilin." The officers on the ship did not dare to slack off and loudly shouted out the order.

  Led by the giant warship "Xueyin", followed closely by the yellow dragon warships "Tianzui" and "Jingji", the three warships turned around and sailed straight towards the foot of Lingyun Mountain. Two thousand elite soldiers, fully armed, swarmed onto the deck, forming a battle array.

  Shu Wang and Shang saw that the other party completely ignored their advice and insisted on going up the mountain. After hesitating for a while, they finally gritted their teeth and shouted loudly: "Wang Ye, I will advise you one last time. If you turn back now, it's not too late. Otherwise, provoking the Qilin is a small matter, but overthrowing the world is a big deal. If you provoke heavenly punishment, it will be too late to regret!"

  "What nonsense!" With a resolute heart, Yang Xiu was determined to achieve great things, what heavenly punishment could he fear? The monk's bitter words fell on deaf ears, he only felt an indescribable disgust. He raised his hand and shouted: "Baizhan, listen to the order, draw your bow and load your crossbow, replace me... Kill!"

  At the sound of the order, the 500 elite soldiers on the Snow Drinking deck simultaneously knelt down and raised their crossbows to aim at the guardian. Amidst the deafening "whooshing" sound, the 500 divine crossbows fired in unison, filling the sky with arrows that not only targeted the guardian itself but also sealed off all possible escape routes. The majestic momentum was so overwhelming that even top-notch experts like Mu Xinghe, Feng Yeyu, Yan Wugong, and Tangmen's Seven Killers were simultaneously stunned!