Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Hunting the Living Buddha

“Above the High Heaven, we beseech the Celestial Venerate, Heaven-Interchangeable Tao.”

The ’True Man’s’ voice rose and fell with cadence, as he lightly pointed his finger, weaving a tapestry of light and shadow.

“With Limit-Breaking Level Snake Fist, exchange for a seat above the High Heaven, granting the authority to freely trade there…”

“Are you certain?”

He thus inquired.

Huang Qiuxian swallowed hard and nodded vigorously:

“I am certain!”

The crowd saw the True Man turn around and bow to the Celestial Venerate,

the Celestial Venerate slightly raised his head, the Chaos Mist rolling, emitting a sound as solemn as a grand bell.

“Granted.”

’Buzz!’

The Yin Snake True Intent swirling around Huang Qiuxian abruptly dissipated, and he frighteningly realized that his memories regarding the Snake Fist, or rather the Yin Snake Fist, were being erased and stripped away!

Truly… truly offered away??

In the Taoist Palace, it suddenly fell silent.

At this moment.

Zhang Fusheng’s trade this time was not for cultivation time of Technique, but for [progress].

Because he felt his Enlightenment might still not compare to Huang Qiuxian’s, at least before planning to acquire Liao Xianji’s Enlightenment, it was not comparable to Huang Qiuxian’s.

This sort of thing, directly acquiring progress is better.

The Limit-Breaking Level Yin Snake Fist was thus stored within the Contract, ready for retrieval at any time.

He first checked the Contract’s cooldown—90 days, then under the cover of the Chaos Fog, he quickly swallowed nearly two hundred grams of One-Horned Giant Rhinoceros meat,

at the same time as the Contract’s cooldown completed.

’Zhong Mountain’ bowed to the Celestial Venerate, then turned to face everyone, and spoke lightly:

“The two of you, and add her.”

Zhong Mountain pointed at Chen Nuanyu:

“Before entering the High Heaven, she had already completed her offering… the three of you each hold a seat in the High Heaven and may ’exchange’ among yourselves. Additionally, Heaven-Interchangeable Tao, requires you to offer Star Beast meat as a sacrifice on your own.”

“But considering you haven’t prepared, I can advance it for you, remember to bring it next time.”

Du Mingsheng took a deep breath, looking at Huang Qiuxian:

“Brother, I offer a hundred years of life for fifty years of spiritual cultivation?”

They were shrouded in darkness, unable to see each other’s appearances, discerning only male or female voices, thus not knowing each other’s ages.

“Agreed.”

Huang Qiuxian nodded without hesitation, the two saluting that dim and mysterious Celestial Venerate, following the words of the True Man:

“Above the High Heaven, we beseech the Celestial Venerate, Heaven-Interchangeable Tao.”

Zhang Fusheng quietly drafted the three-way trade on the Contract.

Du Mingsheng pays a hundred years of life, Huang Qiuxian pays fifty years of spiritual cultivation, and he extracts thirty percent from both items,

then, the two exchange with each other.

The contract was drawn successfully, all three parties willing.

Thus, he nodded:

“Granted.”

Thirty years of life, fifteen years of Contemplation Technique cultivation time, quietly fell into Zhang Fusheng’s pocket,

while under Shi Zhengyuan’s sharp gaze, the person who purchased the life, though unclear in appearance, could evidently be sensed as being full of vibrant life!

As for the other person.

Du Mingsheng.

He closed his eyes, then opened them, with a faint sigh:

“It turns out to be true, unfortunate, unfortunate!”

“Thirty-five years of arduous cultivation, ultimately couldn’t break the Spiritual Limit!”

Shi Zhengyuan’s pupils constricted, the Spiritual Limit… it seems he is also a Grandmaster.

Du Mingsheng and Huang Qiuxian respectfully bowed to the mysterious Celestial Venerate.

“Praise, Infinite Celestial Venerate!”

Beside,

Shi Zhengyuan exhaled a deep breath, mind racing a hundred thoughts,

The offerings seemed to be anything, but the ’True Man’ had said it must be sincere.

This Celestial Venerate seemed dauntingly high, if casually fooled, even if he didn’t care, yet…

Suppressing his inner trepidation, Shi Zhengyuan stepped forward:

“I am willing to offer all my life-learned Breathing Technique for a seat, hoping for the Celestial Venerate’s approval!”

This was the most suitable offering after much consideration.

Upon becoming a Grandmaster, the Breathing Technique was rendered useless, no longer needed to guide the Mysterious Factor through it,

although the Breathing Technique could also serve as a means of warfare, he didn’t lack this particular skill.

On the meditation mat.

The ’Celestial Venerate’ who had quietly finished gnawing over a hundred grams of One-Horned Giant Rhinoceros meat, nodded again.

“Granted!”

The contract was drawn, the trade completed.

Shi Zhengyuan completely forgot the Breathing Technique, as if he had never cultivated it in memory or body.

Zhang Fusheng compiled the terms of trade, not for the Breathing Technique progress, but the cultivation journey.

The figure startled him.

Two hundred seventy-three years.

Old Shi has lived for nearly three hundred years!

Zhang Fusheng raised his eyebrows slightly; if he remembered correctly, a Grandmaster and a Great Sect Grandmaster only gain two hundred years of lifespan.

Three hundred years…..

Old Shi should be nearing the end of his life.

How is he not at all worried about his lifespan?

And then there’s Du Mingsheng; others can’t see it, but Zhang Fusheng could see it clearly—this guy, having lost a hundred years of his lifespan, yet he hasn’t aged a single bit!

What’s going on?

Zhang Fusheng suppressed his doubts and, controlling the Zhong Mountain Illusion, asked Shi Zhengyuan:

“If you wish to make a deal with the attendees, you can begin.”

Shi Zhengyuan shook his head:

“I haven’t decided what I want, nor what I can offer. However, I have a question I’d like to ask this gentleman.”

He looked at Du Mingsheng:

“I want to understand about the Mandala Buddha Son heading to Jiangzhou City for the mission to hunt the Living Buddha of Ling Mountain.”

Zhang Fusheng’s spirit lifted—this was something he wanted to know as well.

Du Mingsheng stared at the dark figure before him:

“Are you perhaps from the Ling Mountain lineage?”

Shi Zhengyuan did not hide:

“Indeed.”

Huang Qiuxian and Chen Nuanyu pricked up their ears; both were in Jiangzhou and were dealing with Buddhism’s [Buddha Son] and [Living Buddha], matters of very high order, naturally focusing intently.

After pondering briefly, Du Mingsheng made a decision in his heart.

“To be honest, I am of the Mandala lineage, and we are probably natural enemies.”

Shi Zhengyuan’s expression tightened, while Zhang Fusheng, seated on the meditation mat, was full of questions.

This Green Gang leader, the guy under Old Shi, how did he suddenly become one of the Mandala lineage??

Zhang Fusheng looked a bit strange; if these two discovered each other’s true identities…

Du Mingsheng suddenly changed the topic:

“But I also understand now, upon ascending to High Heaven and gaining the Celestial Venerate’s attention, I am no longer the old me. As the Federation grows more chaotic, not even those above Great Sect Grandmaster dare claim absolute stability.”

“Given this opportunity bestowed by the Celestial Venerate, mutual aid is the best path forward.”

He cupped his hands toward the three of them:

“Before we reveal our true identities, let’s use the order of seating as codenames.”

Du Mingsheng pointed to Chen Nuanyu:

“Seat One.”

Then pointed to himself:

“Seat Two.”

Huang Qiuxian and Shi Zhengyuan nodded, one calling themselves Seat Three and the other Seat Four.

Du Mingsheng spoke in a deep voice:

“Frankly speaking, I am an [Upper Envoy] of the Mandala lineage, with Great Sect cultivation. My body is now at the critical point, only needing to break the Spiritual Limit to step into the Innate Realm.”

Shi Zhengyuan pondered momentarily:

“I might as well reveal some of my background now.”

He spoke in a deep tone:

“I am also from the Great Sect. Ever since the decline of the Ling Mountain lineage, I’ve been hiding in Chunhe City.”

Du Mingsheng replied forthrightly:

“I’ve wandered far and wide, and have now only just arrived in Chongshan City.”

Chunhe and Chongshan are small cities within the Golden Province.

Huang Qiuxian, with the codename Seat Three, stood up:

“I won’t hide it from you all, I am a follower of the Eastern Sect, currently preaching in a small town, near Dragon Boat City.”

Shi Zhengyuan and Du Mingsheng showed slight reactions.

Then, the three simultaneously looked at the unknown woman who had already made a sacrifice before entering High Heaven, known as Seat One.

Chen Nuanyu softly spoke:

“I am a follower of the Western Sect, and just happen to be in Jiangzhou City. My cultivation is far inferior to everyone else’s, still within the ranks of Martial Artists.”

On the meditation mat, Zhang Fusheng fought the urge to hold his forehead.

This girl, how could she be so honest?

Four people, and you’re the only one telling the truth!

At this moment, Seat Two, Du Mingsheng, was speaking eloquently:

“A year and a half ago, my sect’s Venerate received divine enlightenment, indicating that within the Golden Province, a Living Buddha of the Ling Mountain lineage was about to appear. Three months ago, the range was narrowed down to fourteen cities.”

“Thirteen of them have been fully investigated, leaving only Jiangzhou City.”

“To my knowledge, the Buddha Son of Silent Fury Venerate is about to arrive, or has already arrived in Jiangzhou, using the hunting of the Living Buddha as training.”

His deep voice echoed in the Taoist Palace,

Zhang Fusheng was slightly stunned.

They had pinpointed it a year and a half ago?

Then, this Living Buddha… isn’t me!

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