Chapter 43: White Lotus, Compass, and Poetry!

Chapter 43: White Lotus, Compass, and Poetry!

Seeing Su Changqing's sudden change in demeanor, Mo Lan and the others' expressions shifted.

If the previous Su Changqing was a harmless little kitten, he now resembled a ferocious tiger, ready to pounce! When his bright eyes swept over, even the two Great Scholars had to step back to avoid his sharp gaze.

The youthful vigor and boundless conviction of the young man contrasted sharply with their own weary and worn-out appearances.

"This is his true self," Yi Xian sighed softly.

He couldn't fathom what methods Ruxian had used to make such a remarkable youth so low-key.

As the game began, when the young man placed his piece at the center of the board, a formidable aura gathered behind him, transforming the chessboard into a realm. At that moment, everyone knew that Ling Si was destined to lose.

Chess Realm: Immortal's Finger, unparalleled in calculation, each move defining the boundary.

On the chessboard, facing a determined Su Changqing, Ling Si couldn't even put up a fight.

Indeed, by the forty-sixth move, Ling Si's black pieces were already in disarray, unable to form a coherent defense.

"Senior Sister, I hope you'll forgive me."

Seeing Ling Si's lifeless eyes, Su Changqing sighed, bowed, and then returned to Li Qingchen's side.

No one in the room spoke for a long while.

At this point, the outcome was clear, but what they were more concerned about was what the young man had revealed.

The legendary Four Arts of Immortals, all mastered by a single youth to the point of enlightenment! This was news that would shake the entire literary world!

Meanwhile, Li Qingchen wasn't paying attention to what the others were thinking. His mind was completely focused on Wei Cang.

But when he saw the fleeting spark of defiance in Wei Cang's eyes fade once more, he couldn't help but sigh.

He was still lacking something, but it was still good. This proved that the decision the master made was right.

With this thought, Li Qingchen opened his mouth to say something, but suddenly his brow furrowed, and he looked up at the sky.

"What are the Buddhists doing here?"

...

Outside the book house, in the sky above.

Su Zian was elated by Changqing's achievements.

After all, those were the Four Arts of Immortals, all at the enlightenment level. This was a testament to Changqing's incredible talent in Confucianism.

As long as he continued to develop step by step, Changqing becoming the next Ruxian was practically a certainty.

Just as he was thinking about where to get Changqing a set of high-quality writing tools, a hateful aura suddenly emanated from afar.

"Truly, they are like ghosts that won't leave."

"Finally, I had a good mood, and you come to ruin it again."

The smile on Su Zian's face vanished, and his long sword, brimming with overwhelming killing intent, slashed through the sky.

Boom!

A thousand-foot-long blade of light descended, instantly splitting a thick cloud layer dozens of miles away.

The dozen or so monks hiding inside were suddenly exposed.

"May the Buddha have mercy. Second Young Master Su, we are not here for you. Please let us pass!"

A towering Arhat, resembling an angry Vajra, spoke with a deep, resonant voice.

Beside him, a young monk in a monk's robe held a radiant white lotus. After a moment of deep contemplation, he opened his profound eyes.

"Venerable, the white lotus has reacted. The Eight Treasures Buddha Body must be in that school."

The young monk pointed towards the building below, where Su Changqing and the others were engaged in the literary competition.

"May the Buddha have mercy! The Eight Treasures Buddha Body has indeed manifested!"

The Arhat couldn't hide his joy upon hearing this.

With the opening of the Southern Void Prohibited Abyss, the Buddha Lord had predicted the manifestation of the Eight Treasures Buddha Body.

That was the spiritual treasure of the Benevolent Bodhisattva, or rather, the Heavenly Buddha Body!

To the outside world, it was known as the 'Eight Treasures Compass,' but only the great powers of Buddhism understood its true nature.

It was a natural-born Buddha, and once one's Buddhist practice reached a certain level, they could inhabit the Buddha Body and achieve great enlightenment!

Before anyone could inhabit the Heavenly Buddha Body, it was sealed within the compass, with the other parts transformed into eight treasures, encircling and embedding it.

When the Benevolent Bodhisattva entered the Prohibited Abyss, knowing the dangers ahead, he separated the eight treasures, taking only the compass for protection. The compass was lost for many years.

Now, after countless ages, the Heavenly Buddha Body has manifested again, and Buddhism must secure it at all costs!

This was also why Buddhism was unwilling to leave the Southern Domain, even when facing the Su family.

"Tsk, tsk, a Saint King and two Saints. Buddhism certainly has a grand presence."

Eyeing the monks, Su Zian raised an eyebrow with a half-smile.

"Do you really think my Su family dares not attack the Western Regions?"

The repeated provocations of Buddhism in the Southern Domain had ignited a spark of anger in Su Zian.

"Second Young Master Su, we repeat, Buddhism has no intention of being your enemy!"

Seeing the young man with the sword, the Buddhist Arhat spoke with a hint of irritation.

"Step aside! Otherwise, even if we slay you today, Lord Su will be powerless against us!"

"Hahahaha!" Su Zian laughed as if he had heard the greatest joke, pointing his sword at the monks.

"Bald monk! I stand here today, come and try me!"

"If you dare to touch me, tomorrow, Su Nan's imperial weapon, the 'Great Azure Spear,' will shatter your Mount Spirit Temple. Do you believe me?"

Seeing the wildly laughing young man, even the Saint King Arhat, with his formidable cultivation, felt a headache coming on.

"Venerable, should we kill him?" a Buddhist disciple asked nervously.

"Kill?" The Arhat glanced at the disciple but remained silent.

Scaring him was enough; if they really killed Su Zian in the Southern Region, the entire Su family would erupt in chaos. Within three days, not just the Spirit Mountain Treasure Temple, but the entire Western Region would be bathed in blood.

"I'll restrain him. The rest of you go and retrieve the Buddha's body. There are only a few Great Scholars in that academy; the rest are no threat."

The Arhat made a quick decision and stepped forward to restrain Su Zian, while the others rushed toward the academy below.

But at that moment, a towering, armored man appeared silently behind Su Zian.

The Arhat immediately halted, his hair standing on end as a wave of dread washed over him.

The man surveyed the scene, saying nothing, but no one dared to move a muscle.

In the Southern Region, the esteemed second son of the Su family wouldn't be without a protector.

"Tsk, finally decided to step in?"

Su Zian looked at the man behind him with a half-smile.

"Unless it's a matter of life and death, I won't intervene."

The man's voice was calm.

Su Zian pouted, then turned to the Buddhist disciples, his tone playful.

"What are you looking at? Aren't you going to fetch your treasure?"

The protector couldn't act, but there were others who could.

"Leave him, let's go!"

The Arhat gritted his teeth and led the group toward the academy below.

But as they approached, a terrifying aura that made the heavens and earth tremble surged from the academy.

"Spit!"

The Arhat and the others, whether they were Saint Kings or Saints, all spat blood and retreated.

"A Near-Emperor!"

The Arhat's eyes widened with fear. He never imagined that a Near-Emperor would be hiding in this dilapidated academy!

"Run!"

Without hesitation, the Arhat turned and fled with his group.

But then, the sky suddenly darkened. The Buddhist disciples looked up and froze in place.

A massive, terrifying hand covered the entire sky, gripping the young monk who had spoken.

But it didn't harm him; instead, it took a radiant white lotus from him.

"Venerable! One of the Eight Treasures, the White Lotus!" the young monk exclaimed.

The Arhat's face changed instantly. The White Lotus was one of the Buddha's bodies, a precious treasure of the Buddhist faith. If they lost it, how would he explain it to his superiors?

"Senior—"

The Arhat steeled himself to say more, but a sharp command echoed in everyone's ears.

"Scram!"

"Spit!"

The Buddhist disciples spat blood again, but this time, no one dared to look back. They fled like dogs with their tails between their legs.

Su Zian shook his head with a laugh. "Buddhist disciples, daring to challenge a Ruxian. Truly, they have no sense of self-preservation."

Before the Ruxian gained his power, the Buddhist faith had tried to sabotage him many times.

If it weren't for the Ruxian's newfound composure, these few would be dead.

"Ruxian didn't kill you, but I'll have to put in some effort."

Su Zian smiled, holding his sword as he moved toward the distance, sending a message to the Su family members in the Forbidden Abyss.

...

At that moment, in the study.

The others were still immersed in the four arts of immortality that Su Changqing had demonstrated, unaware of what had happened outside.

Li Qingchen, however, played with a small white lotus in his hand, a curious expression on his face.

"From the same lineage as Changqing's compass, it seems to be one of the eight treasures lost from the compass."

"Since the Buddhist faith values it so much, it must be more than just a treasure. I should find some ancient Buddhist texts for Changqing."

Li Qingchen pondered to himself, while Su Changqing and Shu Han slowly packed up their things.

With four victories, there was no need for further competition. They should head home.

But then, Ling Si, who had been sitting in a daze, suddenly stood up and looked straight at Su Changqing.

"I lost this literary contest, and I accept it wholeheartedly."

"But my teacher worked hard for two years to prepare for me. If I don't win once, I'll have no face to return."

Ling Si took a deep breath, her voice firm and confident.

"I want to challenge you one last time. This time, we'll compete in poetry!"

Almost three thousand words, please vote and recommend, the author thanks you!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end