Chapter 564

Chapter 564: Taking the Blame

He really managed to intimidate him!

Watching Zhi Tong retreat in disarray, Xu Yingyi’s gaze towards Wang Chen grew more complex.

He had nominated Wang Chen as the chief representative, not merely due to the West Sea Sect’s prestigious standing, but primarily to position Wang Chen at the forefront, thereby facilitating his own maneuvers behind the scenes.

The role of chief representative, while seemingly glamorous, was fraught with challenges.

With representatives from one hundred and seventy-six sects closely observing, each harboring their own thoughts, Xu Yingyi doubted his ability to command such a diverse group of elites to submission.

Yet, desiring to maintain control, he chose Wang Chen as his public representative.

To his surprise, Wang Chen, despite his youthful appearance, demonstrated remarkable shrewdness. With a simple strategy of retreating to advance, he swiftly turned the tide.

Moreover, he garnered the support and trust of the other cultivators!

Though Xu Yingyi felt a twinge of regret, he wasn’t foolish enough to oppose openly at this juncture.

He chuckled, "You really are pushing your luck!"

The cultivators unanimously agreed.

Xu Yingyi’s remark stirred a sense of pride in everyone’s hearts.

After a brief interval, Zhi Tong returned.

He humbly bowed to Wang Chen and said, "Chief Wang, our abbot invites you to the meditation hall for a discussion."

"Speak plainly,"

Wang Chen responded, unmoved, "There’s nothing that can’t be shared. We, one hundred and seventy-six Daoist sects, are branches of the same tree; I cannot abandon my fellow travelers to discuss matters privately with your abbot!"

If he went alone, any outcome from his discussion with the abbot could easily invite criticism.

"This…"

Zhi Tong looked troubled—he couldn’t possibly bring all these cultivators to the meditation hall, could he?

It wasn’t a brawl!

But Wang Chen’s stance was unyielding.

"Alternatively,"

Wang Chen continued, "I will invite four fellow travelers to join me, to hear what your temple has to say. I trust the abbot wouldn’t mind, would he?"

Zhi Tong immediately felt relieved: "Not at all, not at all!"

He wasn’t acting on his own; the abbot had specifically instructed him earlier.

It would be ideal if Wang Chen came alone, but if he wasn’t willing, then adding a few others wasn’t a problem.

"Xu Senior Brother, Hu Senior Brother, Yan Junior Sister, Zhao Senior Brother…"

Wang Chen directly named them: "I ask you to accompany me as witnesses."

Xu Yingyi was naturally the Xu Senior Brother, Hu Senior Brother was the burly cultivator, and with Yan Xixi and the highest cultivator among them, Zhao Senior Brother, Wang Chen had thought this through very well.

The other cultivators had no objections at all.

Thus, the five of them, under Zhi Tong’s guidance, left the side hall and walked around the main hall to arrive at the back meditation hall.

In the depths of the Zen forest, serene and elegant, an old monk with long eyebrows sat cross-legged in a stone pavilion.

Beside him stood a gaunt-skinned monk in plain robes.

Zhi Tong respectfully greeted the old monk, saying, “Abbot, the people have arrived.”

The old monk opened his eyes, and a faint glimmer of light flashed in his murky gaze.

“Namo Amitabha—”

He raised his head and looked at Wang Chen and the others, reciting, “I am Xu Ming from Xuan Yuan Temple, pleased to meet all you esteemed cultivators.”

Wang Chen and the others did not dare to be disrespectful and returned the greeting: “Greetings, senior!”

Though the old monk Xu Ming appeared frail, as if a mere finger could topple him, none of the five dared to underestimate the abbot of a major sect from the Western Buddhist Sect.

Xu Ming’s cultivation level was unfathomable, at least that of a Zen master.

Xu Ming pointed to the plain-robed monk standing nearby: “This is our temple’s supervisor, Xu Wen.”

Xu Wen spoke without expression: “I, as the supervisor, handle the affairs of Xuan Yuan. I did not wish to improperly arrange matters and disrupt you esteemed cultivators, damaging the harmony of the Buddhist path, which is a great sin!”

He lowered his head and said, “I willingly accept the blame.”

Wang Chen’s expression changed, and he suddenly felt a sense of foreboding.

“Namo Amitabha!”

But before Wang Chen could speak to stop him, Xu Wen sat on the ground with his hands together, closed his eyes, and became still.

In the next moment, two streams of blood tears flowed from the corners of his eyes.

The supervisor, who was of the same generation as Abbot Xu Ming, rapidly lost his breath and instantly fell silent.

He had passed away right on the spot!

Xu Yingyi and the others were dumbfounded, completely unprepared for the fact that the person had truly given his life as compensation.

Xu Ming asked, “Is this explanation satisfactory to you all?”

Several cultivators exchanged uncertain glances, unsure how to respond, feeling it was quite grim.

Such a result was not what they wished to see.

Wang Chen smiled and said, “Abbot, this is an internal matter of your Xuan Yuan Temple. We cultivators have no authority to intervene, nor do we have a stance on being satisfied or unsatisfied.”

He also did not expect the opposing side to employ such a drastic method to respond to his challenge.

It was evident that Xu Wen was merely a scapegoat pushed forward, and he likely had little time left to live anyway.

Wang Chen felt quite uneasy but had no intention to pursue it further.

He did not want to take the blame for forcing the death of a major temple supervisor: “We just want to get to Mount Ling quickly, lest we miss the opportunity to observe and be punished by our sect. We ask the abbot to expedite and urge the flying boats to come quickly.”

Xu Ming suddenly looked at Wang Chen, his eyes sparkling with a unique light.

But the strange glimmer disappeared in an instant, and he nodded in agreement: “Understood.”

“Thank you, Abbot.”

Wang Chen clasped his fists in gratitude: “Then we will wait in the side hall.”

He turned with Xu Yingyi and the others and left.

Xu Ming did not stop them, watching as Wang Chen and the others disappeared at the path’s entrance into the Zen forest.

Then his gaze shifted back to the already passed Xu Wen, his expression turning cold and indifferent: “West Sea Sect…”

The few words were faint and barely audible.

After returning to the side hall, Wang Chen recounted everything that had just happened in detail to the other cultivators.

If Wang Chen had been alone, such a story might have raised some doubts.

The notion of a major supervisor taking his own life to make amends sounded quite unbelievable.

It was inevitable that they would be somewhat skeptical!

But now, with Xu Yingyi and the others as witnesses, the cultivators would not think they had colluded to deceive everyone.

They felt relieved, finally able to vent their frustrations.

Being able to pressure Xuan Yuan Temple into offering a head as compensation made them feel both proud and validated, and now they wouldn’t return to their sect feeling anxious.

Next, Xuan Yuan Temple did not create any further trouble.

The Lingjia Flying Boat that would guide them to Mount Ling arrived at the grand square in front of the hall half an hour later.

At this time, all the thousands of faithful followers had already vanished.

The Lingjia Flying Boat stretched over fifty zhang in length, its body shaped like a flying shuttle, with gold and shimmering Sanskrit mantras covering its surface.

Once Wang Chen and the others boarded the ship, this luxurious and grand Lingjia Flying Boat immediately took to the skies, soaring toward the core of the Buddhist Realm in the West.

A day later, the Lingjia Flying Boat descended in front of a massive temple.

Ling Mountain Temple!