Chapter 123

Chapter 123: I Would Stand Against the Entire Universe for You!

Fighting relies on fate?

Ye Tianming still felt this was a bit unreliable. He thought that improving his own strength should be the priority. These things could be used, but not depended on. After all, having a tough fate wasn’t his own power — it was given to him by others.

His teacher had once told him that if you encounter good fortune in life, accept it. But in the end, a person still has to rely on themselves.

You have to know what’s primary and what’s secondary.

At that moment, Minggu Ling suddenly said, “Little master, you can use my power to temporarily bring your physical body to the Circle-Breaking Realm!”

Ye Tianming was immediately shocked. “I can temporarily reach the Circle-Breaking Realm?”

Minggu Ling smiled and said, “Yes, little master. I am a supreme divine artifact…… However, your cultivation level is too low right now. You simply cannot endure the power of the Circle-Breaking Realm for too long. Currently, you can only activate the Circle-Breaking Realm body for half a shichen per day at most. After half a shichen, I must seal your physical body, otherwise your spirit and soul will both be destroyed.”

Ye Tianming gave a slight nod. “Understood.”

He wasn’t surprised by this limitation. After all, this was far too heaven-defying. And half a shichen…… although it wasn’t much time, for him it was enough to preserve his life at critical moments.

Not knowing what came to mind, Ye Tianming suddenly laughed. “No wonder everyone loves exploring secret realms. You can get rich overnight in there!”

Training diligently has its limits when it comes to progress. If you want to go further, you still have to take risks.

“What a fate like this — truly impressive, truly impressive!”

Just then, a kind and gentle voice suddenly came from a temple in the distance.

Zhantai Zhan glanced at the temple.

Hearing that voice, Ye Tianming was startled at first, then turned his head toward the temple. From inside the temple, another voice rang out, “Young man, since we’ve crossed paths, it must be fate. Why not come over for a chat?”

Ye Tianming stared at the temple, his expression grave. The temple sat there all alone — not large, but exuding an indescribable eeriness. That feeling made him very uncomfortable.

Ye Tianming thought for a moment, then said, “Senior, this junior still has matters to attend to. Let’s meet another day!”

With that, he turned and ran.

This place was strange. It was better to be cautious.

“Hey!”

From inside the temple, that voice rang out again. “Young friend, I’m not a bad person.”

Ye Tianming ran even faster.

The voice said again, “Young friend, this place is the Blood Moon Forbidden Ground. You cannot escape.”

Ye Tianming stopped in his tracks. He thought inwardly, “Minggu Ling, tell me about this place.”

Minggu Ling said, “Little master, I’m actually not too clear on it either.”

Ye Tianming was puzzled. “You’re not too clear on it either?”

Minggu Ling said, “Little master, my memories have some gaps. I have no recollection at all of how I came to be here. But I do know that the person inside that temple is dangerous — very, very dangerous.”

Ye Tianming looked at Zhantai Zhan in his arms. “Senior, you’re experienced and knowledgeable. Help me figure out what to do?”

He had originally wanted to ask the Tower Ancestor, but on second thought, he decided against it. The Tower Ancestor was often not very reliable……. actually, not just unreliable — outright absurd.

Zhantai Zhan didn’t even think about it and said directly, “Go.”

Ye Tianming nodded. “Alright!”

With that, he carried Zhantai Zhan and walked toward the temple. He didn’t fully trust this senior before him, but there was nothing he could do. Compared to the unreliable Tower Ancestor, he still felt this senior was at least a little more dependable.

It wasn’t that the Tower Ancestor was unreliable — it was just that sometimes they were really a trap.

As he drew closer to the temple, Ye Tianming noticed that the walls were covered in densely packed ancient runes, resembling some kind of sealing technique.

He took one look and then withdrew his gaze, then walked into the temple. In the main hall of the temple, a Buddha statue sat with its back facing outward. Beneath the statue sat a monk, who was now looking at Ye Tianming with a kind and benevolent expression.

Ye Tianming gently set Zhantai Zhan down, then gave the monk a slight bow. “Senior.”

The monk looked at Ye Tianming and smiled faintly. “So it’s a mortal body. No wonder the Fate Bone Bridge couldn’t bear your fate.”

Ye Tianming said, “Senior, you just said this place is the Blood Moon Forbidden Ground?”

The monk nodded. “Yes.”

Ye Tianming got straight to the point. “This junior wishes to leave this place. I humbly ask for your guidance, Senior.”

The monk smiled and said, “To leave this place, you must break that blood moon. But with your current strength, that is simply impossible.”

Ye Tianming’s expression darkened. He naturally couldn’t stay here — he still had to participate in the Universal Grand Tournament.

As if thinking of something, Ye Tianming looked at the monk before him. “Senior, you called me over — you must have something in mind. I wonder what this junior can do for you. As long as it is within my ability, I will not refuse.”

The monk smiled and said, “Aren’t you afraid I have ulterior motives?”

Ye Tianming answered honestly, “I was afraid at first, but now I’m not.”

The monk smiled. “Why is that?”

Ye Tianming looked at the Buddha statue sitting backwards. “Because of this Buddha statue.”

The monk’s eyes lit up with interest. “How so?”

Ye Tianming said softly, “All living beings have attachments they cannot let go of. The Bodhisattva sits facing backwards, only to wait for all beings to turn back……”

As he spoke, he looked at the monk. “A Buddha who sits facing backwards must be filled with compassion.”

Zhantai Zhan glanced at Ye Tianming, a flash of surprise crossing her beautiful eyes.

The monk was first taken aback, then broke into a smile. “What a line — a Buddha who sits facing backwards must be filled with compassion…… I never expected that you, young one, would be so well-versed in the way of the Buddha.”

The gaze with which he looked at Ye Tianming became even more kind and gentle.

Ye Tianming shook his head. “The way of the Buddha is as vast as the sea. How would this junior dare claim to be well-versed? I’ve merely been fortunate enough to have read a few more books.”

The monk smiled and said, “All living beings are lost in the dream of worldly splendor, unable to see the awakening within their own hearts. What should be done?”

He was being tested now.

Ye Tianming pondered for a moment, then looked the monk directly in the eye. “Some pursue power, some pursue beautiful women, some pursue leaving their name in history, and some pursue a simple life of eating, drinking, and having fun…… No matter what they pursue, this junior believes that being happy and free is what matters. Simply put, I think living beings don’t need awakening. What they need is for this world to be a little more fair, with a little less oppression.”

The monk looked at Ye Tianming. “After awakening, one can see the Great Dao.”

Ye Tianming shook his head. “What they need isn’t the Great Dao. What they need is money.”

The little tower laughed. “You really do understand all living beings…….”

The monk thought about it for a while, then also laughed. “You’re not wrong either. But if one never sees the Great Dao, one will ultimately remain trapped in the sea of suffering.”

With that, he looked at Ye Tianming and smiled. “Would you be willing to join my Buddha-Demon Sect?”

Ye Tianming immediately shook his head. “This junior is not suited for it.”

The monk hadn’t expected Ye Tianming to refuse so decisively, and immediately asked, “Is it that you’re not suited, or that you’re unwilling?”

Ye Tianming said, “Both not suited, and unwilling.”

The monk asked, “Why? I observe that your sword path also concerns all living beings, and the philosophy of my Buddha-Demon Sect is also for the sake of all living beings.”

Ye Tianming said earnestly, “Although this junior knows nothing of the Buddha-Demon Sect, I can tell that Senior must be a person of extraordinary power. Being able to join the Buddha-Demon Sect would naturally be a tremendous blessing for me. But to be honest, I have a life-and-death feud with Yang Jia, the young master of the Guanxuan Universe. If I were to join the Buddha-Demon Sect, I would surely bring trouble upon Senior and the sect!”

The monk smiled and said, “I see. That’s no obstacle at all. If you’re willing to join my Buddha-Demon Sect, let alone the Yang family — my Buddha-Demon Sect is willing to stand against the entire universe for your sake.”

Ye Tianming: “…….”

Little Tower: “…….”

Zhantai Zhan gave the monk an indifferent glance.

Ye Tianming hesitated a little, but the monk directly took out a Buddha seal and pressed it into Ye Tianming’s hand. “Here. From this moment on, you are the sect master of my Buddha-Demon Sect. This is the supreme divine artifact, the Buddha-Demon Divine Seal. It now belongs to you.”

“Huh?”

Ye Tianming was instantly petrified on the spot.

What the heck?

I become the boss on my very first day in the sect?

What kind of move is this?

Zhantai Zhan shook her head repeatedly. “Have you no shame.”

Minggu Ling also said, “Damn, and here I thought no one had less shame than me…….”

Just like that, Ye Tianming confusedly accepted the “Buddha-Demon Divine Seal” and became the sect master of the Buddha-Demon Sect.

And he still knew absolutely nothing about the Buddha-Demon Sect.

Looking at Ye Tianming’s completely dazed expression, the monk smiled until his face crinkled like a chrysanthemum. “Don’t be afraid of the Yang family or any other power, and don’t worry either. Our Buddha-Demon Sect is very united. You are now the sect master, so your affairs are our affairs. Rest assured — even if the entire universe stands against you, the Buddha-Demon Sect will support you unwaveringly!”

Ye Tianming hesitated for a moment, then said, “Senior, this…… making me sect master on the very first day — isn’t that a bit too hasty? Don’t you want to reconsider? I’m afraid I won’t be able to handle such a great……”

“No need to reconsider, no need!”

The monk waved his hand hurriedly. “I believe you can do it…….”

With that, he quickly took out a storage ring and pressed it into Ye Tianming’s hand. “Over the years, I’ve grabbed quite a lot…… oh no, I mean, I’ve received quite a lot of charitable donations. Here, here, it’s all yours now. Take it quickly.”

Ye Tianming had wanted to decline, but when he saw what was inside the storage ring, his heart suddenly gave a violent thump. He then instinctively slipped the ring onto his own finger. “Master, I…… I’ll do whatever you say. Whatever you say goes.”

There was nothing he could do. There was just too much in there.

Little Tower: “…….”

Zhantai Zhan glanced at Ye Tianming. “Spineless.”

Ye Tianming: “…….”

Seeing that Ye Tianming was willing to be sect master, the smile on the monk’s face grew even more radiant. He glanced at the blood moon outside and chuckled inwardly.

After a while, Ye Tianming asked, “Master, what kind of sect is our Buddha-Demon Sect exactly?”

He felt it was necessary to learn a bit about the Buddha-Demon Sect.

The monk smiled and said, “Our Buddha-Demon Sect has three halls and seventy-two courts. The three halls are the Buddha Hall, the Demon Hall, and the Death Hall. The seventy-two courts include the Gambling Court, the Brothel Court……”

“What? What?”

Ye Tianming stared at the monk in disbelief. “Gambling…… brothel…… this??”

The monk nodded. “Mm-hm.”

Ye Tianming fell silent.

Damn it!

He had joined a completely disreputable sect!