Chapter 267

Chapter 267: The Opening of Xuantian Road

Ascending the jade stone steps, Li Hui looked left and right, treating it as a chance to enjoy the view.

On both sides stood golden-hued warriors, and the higher he climbed, the greater their cultivation levels became. Upon reaching the mountainside, he saw several hundred middle-aged men dressed in python robes lining up to the left and right.

“Wow, so many ordinary practitioners at the Bosa stage! Each one would be a ranking king in the Daling Dynasty!” Li Hui suddenly paused as he noticed two monks in robes standing before the Dragonque relief door.

The monk on the left had a belly that jutted out prominently, round as a ball. The monk on the right was thin as a reed, appearing as if a gust of wind could blow him away.

“Master Moller and Master Ku are here?” the little nun muttered.

Li Hui thought, “Sister, provide some more information! Are these two monks planning to perform a comedy act in front of the door? Or do they not want you and Qinan to step onto Xuantian Road and want to take you back for a strict talk?”

The thin monk glanced at the chubby monk, nodded toward Qinan, and said, “Nephew, you performed well on the royal road before. I didn’t expect you to attain Divine Sight. Moreover, with your golden lotus blooming at your feet, such purity in cultivation is quite rare in our Buddhist ranks. I’m truly happy for your teacher.”

“Hmph, this kid is getting crafty with me. It has been a while since I last saw you, and your skills have indeed improved. But what are you thinking? Do you want to betray your master? Not studying the Earth Store Bodhisattva’s Fundamental Vow but choosing to cultivate the Arhat body of the Pure Land Sect? Don’t think I can’t see through that!” the chubby monk replied unhappily.

Li Hui internally exclaimed, “Oh my, it’s actually Qinan’s master! He’s here to send his disciples onto Xuantian Road while trying to guilt-trip them into abandoning their masters. It seems both the Earth Store Sect and the Jade Symbol Sect are of the same ilk—what’s up with this Arhat body in the Pure Land Sect? Can this monk sense the Arhat fruit?”

“Oh no! Disciple has a hidden difficulty; I accidentally obtained a Buddha bead, but it has become a tumor, merging into my arm. Master, please help me see what’s going on with this bead.”

“Oh? A Buddha bead?” The chubby monk’s eyes lit up, and he quickly grabbed his disciple’s arm. His gaze mirrored Qinan’s exactly. Li Hui couldn’t help but snicker; the root of greed resided here.

“Earth Store Buddha, open your wise eyes, and reveal the true source.” The chubby monk focused intently, and with a loud “boom,” he stumbled backward, his face contorting, and his eyes turning red.

“Oh no, how could my senior brother fall into demonic temptation?” the thin monk shouted. “Guard your heart, Ban Ruo Bo Yi Bo Luo Mi…”

Li Hui chuckled, seeing Qinan in front and the chubby monk behind, both of them falling into the trap of greed. He silently expressed gratitude: “Thanks! The karmic burden weighed me down along the way, and the poison of the Arhat fruit increased sharply. Just in time, this great monk, with his eagerness for righteousness, took the hit for me—what a good person! Both the master and disciple are good people!”

With a loud slap, someone stepped behind the chubby monk and patted his back, saying, “Hurry and step aside, or you’ll both suffer!”

The chubby monk trembled, looking fearfully at Li Hui’s arm and nodded, saying, “The great matter commanded by my emperor is important; let’s open Xuantian Road without delay, and let my little disciple steer the nation’s fortunes!”

“Master, I’m a bit tight on funds lately; what do you think…” Li Hui imitated Qinan’s playful gaze, angering the chubby monk, who shouted, “Get lost!”

The group continued forward, entering the Longque Gate and stepping onto the Xuantian Road.

The sects in the ocean were numerous, the golden boys and jade girls exceeding two thousand pairs. Though some might feel like mere fillers, there were still many with magnificent fortunes. As long as they did not perish early, they could become pillars in the future. If they were to fall here today, then the fortunes of their sects might just run out!

How sinister was the Grand Xuan Dynasty’s intent? It not only destroyed these sects but also fulfilled today’s scheme.

These sects must have thought, “The New Emperor of Grand Xuan has just ascended; his roots are not yet stable, how dare he act against so many disciples from various sects?” Didn’t he fear the wrath of the masses? Including the Aofeng Sect, who would actually send Su Qing’er out, had likely not considered this angle. But this New Emperor of Grand Xuan dared to act against all odds!

Li Hui couldn’t help but think, “What a madman! To fight his way through the crowds to ascend, he must possess not only madness but also unique insights. Today’s situation is extraordinary! I naturally have my backup plan; I expect the ships of the various sects should have received the Transmission Talismans by now. I wonder how they will respond?”

Crossing the Longque Gate showed little change, but after climbing the ninety-nine steps, Rouran unleashed streaks of Buddhist light, chanting incantations as countless Buddhist spells descended.

Li Hui stared wide-eyed; it wasn’t that he didn’t want to help, but he didn’t know where to start.

Rouran assumed her senior brother was in a bad mood, gritting her teeth as she opened the seal by herself. She and Qinan took the lead for this very moment.

Xuantian Road led to the Grand Xuan’s cave, carrying the fortunes of the nation over the years, giving rise to various malevolences. Each grand ceremony needed to call upon high-level demon cultivators from outside to instill a sense of awe. Today, disciples from various sects were to be thrown into the mix.

To Li Hui, this seemed akin to the Grand Xuan Dynasty hiring child labor to clean their own toilets; he wasn’t about to partake!

Just then, as the seal was lifted, he took Rouran by the hand, making way on the path with an expression of being exhausted and in need of a good rest.

The disciples from various sects took out their magical tools and spiritual talismans, preparing to step onto Xuantian Road.

Li Hui couldn’t help but laugh, as most of these disciples’ spiritual talismans came from him. Their usage techniques were quite shallow, and during the critical moments, it would be a surprise if they didn’t delay the progress!

The Ghost Blood Dress and Feng Du walked past, not even glancing at him.

Disciples from Yuan Kui Sect, Luo Benchu and Li Jiner, approached afterward. As Li Hui suddenly looked at the young boy in black behind them, the Fortune Ascending Talisman began to tremble.

“Junior Sister, do you know this young boy in black behind the two from Yuan Kui Sect?” Li Hui asked Rouran.

Rouran looked over, feeling puzzled: “Why does Senior Brother notice him? I remember he seems to come from a sect that specializes in making sea charts, but I don’t know his name!”

“Ah! I must have mistaken him for someone else!” Li Hui suppressed his shock. This young boy in black had an ordinary appearance, yet walked with steady steps, his eyes containing divine light and exuding a prolonged aura. Even if the Fortune Ascending Talisman did not react, the Ideal Body still sensed something, as if encountering a nemesis.

The young boy in black seemed to sense something, frowning as he looked over. Li Hui grinned, thinking, “One shouldn’t hit a smiling face; a smile can do wonders!”

Sure enough, the young boy in black was momentarily taken aback but nodded slightly in acknowledgment, both of them suppressing their feelings.

Before long, Su Qing’er approached, and with a cry of surprise, she fell into Li Hui’s arms, saying to the fake Li Hui, “Why are you so dumb? Don’t you know to support Senior Sister? Luckily, the great master is quick on his feet. Get lost, I can’t stand being associated with you! You’ve been ghosting around all this time, looking for your friends and romantic interests.”

Li Hui felt an astonishing sensation in his hands and thought, “This girl is full of ambition, but her acting is too poor! Can’t she be a bit more serious?”

“Senior Sister!” The fake Li Hui swallowed hard, thinking, “This monk seems to be quite close to Chan’er; what’s his name again? Why does the king not have such romantic fortune? Look at how tightly he’s holding her; is my façade too thin? After all, this chap can handle Chan’er, and he even has a charming little nun beside him. His cultivation must be quite substantial!”