Chapter 128: Chapter 118: A Unified Silver Frost Presents a National Treasure, a White-robed Monk Enters the Celestial Dynasty

Yun Qinghe casually crossed her arms and said,

Her gaze roamed over Lu Mingyuan, and she even opened her third eye to invisibly inspect the flow of his Destiny.

But all she found was chaos.

Yun Qinghe’s eyes narrowed slightly.

’To think Xu Changqing entrusted the future Destiny of the Celestial Master’s Mansion to this man. Was it a whim, or did he see something special in him?’

’After doing so, that White-robed Celestial Master went into silent seclusion, cutting off all avenues for criticism. And yet, he was still being relentlessly scolded by the Elder Celestial Master and Grand Celestial Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain.’

’However, after they finished their tirade, they both performed Divinations. Once they were done, they both fell silent.’

’They said nothing more about it afterward.’

’That in itself was telling.’

’The Elder Celestial Master and Grand Celestial Master are the heads of the twelve Daoist Academies of the Celestial Master’s Mansion, and they are the two most senior Celestial Masters.’

’If the other Celestial Masters were merely at the Twelfth Realm, then their Cultivation had long ago stepped into the Upper Three Grades. They had lived for over a thousand years.’

’Their actions spoke volumes.’

Yun Qinghe stared at him with her arms crossed. She didn’t reveal this unexpected detail about the Celestial Master’s Mansion, but instead let her eyes curve into a smile. “Can’t I just come and see you? It’s only been a month, but I feel like you’ve gotten even more handsome. Or is that just my imagination?”

“Probably not.”

“Don’t be so smug.”

“By the way, did you know a representative from the Buddhist Sect is coming to Great Yan soon?” Yun Qinghe was once again showing off how she knew everything.

“I didn’t. Who is it?”

“They say it’s an Arhat from the Buddhist Heaven.”

Lu Mingyuan wasn’t concerned. He shook his head and said, “An Arhat is probably around the Tenth Realm. Great Yan has plenty of experts at that level.”

Yun Qinghe said seriously, “Arhats also have different levels of strength. The Tenth Realm are Hundred Jia Arhats, the Eleventh Realm are Thousand-Question Arhats, and the Twelfth Realm are Nirvana Arhats. The one coming to Great Yan is a Nirvana Arhat.”

“Hundred Jia, Thousand-Question, Nirvana? This system sounds completely different from the Confucian, Taoist, and Martial Arts Families.” Lu Mingyuan rarely bothered to memorize the names of the different Realms since there were simply too many of them. Aside from the Martial Arts System, which he was clear on, he found it much easier just to pay attention to the numbers.

Yun Qinghe chuckled lightly. “You still have so much to learn. ’Hundred Jia’ means an Arhat has unlocked one hundred shackles of the heart. ’Thousand-Question’ refers to an Inquiry of the Heart, to have no regrets in saving all living beings, even if questioned a thousand times. ’Nirvana’ is mostly about great enlightenment, being reborn from death, like a cicada shedding its shell to cultivate the great Dao and forge a Dao Lotus. Anyone who successfully overcomes the Tao Tribulation can be called a Bodhisattva.”

“Why would a monk like that suddenly decide to come to Great Yan?”

Yun Qinghe explained patiently, “The Great Frost Dynasty in the Western Central Plains has been fractured for over a century, but it’s now on the verge of unification. Over the past three years, the Silver Frost King has conquered Jin Shuang and subjugated Xiaoshuang. Now, having combined the power of all three former kingdoms, he’s challenging the weakened Emperor of Great Frost. I estimate that before long, the Great Frost Dynasty will be renamed the Silver Frost Dynasty.”

“To ensure everything goes smoothly, the Silver Frost King has sent this monk to establish good relations with the Great Yan Dynasty, hoping to gain Great Yan’s official recognition.”

“I see.”

Only after hearing all this did Lu Mingyuan understand.

’I just didn’t expect the long-divided Great Frost Dynasty to finally be unified.’

’It’s one of the few nations in the Central Plains World with the right to call itself a Dynasty.’

’Will they really be so willing to bow down and submit to Great Yan?’

He believed that seeking Great Yan’s recognition was a pretense; their true goal was to probe the state of the Dynasty.

…

The Great Yan Dynasty had always categorized foreign nations by cardinal direction, referring to them as the Four Barbarians.

The island peoples to the east were the Yi, the northern tribes were the Di, the western peoples were the Rong, and the southern folk were the Man.

Even the Great Frost Dynasty struggled to gain recognition from Great Yan. Its title of “Dynasty” had been granted by the previous dynasty, the Great Zhou. At the time, the Great Zhou’s power was waning and it was plagued by internal rebellions. To appease Great Frost, the Court had bestowed the title of Dynasty, and it had been in use ever since.

Great Yan, however, did not acknowledge this claim.

’You want to use a title from a previous dynasty to enjoy the privileges granted by our Great Yan? Are you kidding me?’

In short, while the Great Frost Dynasty was also a thousand years old, its status was far inferior to that of Great Yan.

Across the Four Seas, in the eyes of other nations, the Great Yan Dynasty was a true Celestial Empire. Not even the Holy Netherworld, in its current state, was its match.

In the eyes of smaller nations, receiving an official title from Great Yan was a matter of great pride.

In a bustling market in the Imperial Capital, a barefoot, White-robed Monk walked with a Zen Staff in one hand, the other held palm-to-palm in a prayerful gesture. His face was as beautiful as a deity’s, his head was shorn, and his features were perfectly formed, with slightly long earlobes. He was followed by a delegation of bearded men clad in leopard-print furs and thick scarves.

Acrobats in the market performed with all their might, earning thunderous applause. The White-robed Monk noticed a small monkey tethered to a wooden stake. It was so skinny that its eyes looked unnaturally large and round.

The Monk squatted down, took out half a piece of stale hardtack, and broke off a small piece. He placed it in his palm and offered it to the emaciated little monkey.

The monkey, however, was frightened by the Monk’s act of kindness. It scrambled back in a panic, and the iron chain snapped taut, yanking it off its feet. Covered in whip marks, the little monkey fell to the ground, curled into a ball, and began to whimper softly.

The Monk gently placed the piece of hardtack near the stake. He broke the remaining half into smaller pieces and scattered them on the ground as well. Then he set down his waterskin before rising and backing away.

The freezing, starving monkey was ravenous. As the White-robed Monk moved away, it timidly watched his back before finally mustering the courage to snatch a piece of the hardtack. It retreated to its spot and devoured it. Seeing that the Monk remained still, it grew bolder and stole another piece. It did this several times, and in the process, discovered the waterskin held fresh water, so it took a drink.

Despite it being early autumn, the water was surprisingly warm, which soothed the little monkey. It looked toward the Monk’s back, but he had already vanished into the crowded sea of people.

For the first time in a long while, it let out a small, satisfied burp. It reached up to scratch its gaunt cheeks, blinking its big eyes.

The White-robed Monk walked through the sea of people with his eyes closed. Even when a passerby accidentally bumped his shoulder, he didn’t look up. Instead, he brought his right hand to his chest in a gesture of respect, nodded slightly, and kept walking.

From the Outer City to the Inner City, from south to north, the roads teemed with pedestrians. If he saw a small insect on the path, he would gently move it to the side.

Along the way, the White-robed Monk passed a deserted ancient temple, clearly one where no one came to offer incense. Inside the temple stood a Buddha’s Golden Body. He performed a single-handed salute at the entrance, walked in slowly, and after a deep prostration, he lit a few sticks of incense before leaving the Golden Body Temple.

After a long walk, the group finally arrived at the Honglu Temple within the Imperial City.

After a good while, an official finally came out to receive them. Flanking this official from the Ministry of Rites were several junior clerks in green robes.

The official from the Ministry of Rites was arrogant, accustomed to looking down his nose at people. But when he saw the White-robed Monk’s handsome face and noted that his bare feet were unstained by even a speck of dust, he guessed this was no ordinary person.

His expression was one of astonishment. ’It’s the first time I’ve ever seen a monk this handsome,’ he thought. ’He’s as beautiful as a Celestial Human. What a waste that he isn’t in a brothel, keeping those noble ladies company.’

His attitude thus became slightly more respectful. He asked cautiously, “And you are, sir?”

The White-robed Monk’s serene expression didn’t change at the official’s shift in attitude. With his Zen Staff in one hand and his other palm held in a prayerful gesture, he said calmly, “I am Jiang Shan of the Great Golden Cicada Temple, from the Great Frost Dynasty. I have come to present a treasure to Great Yan and to complete the official process that will help the Silver Frost King legitimize his rule.”

“Jiang Shan…”

The official from the Ministry of Rites drew a sharp breath. The name sounded very familiar.

’I’ve definitely heard it somewhere before.’

’I think it was in the Great Yan Mansion Report.’

Soon, he remembered.

The eyes of the Ministry of Rites official widened as he recalled in astonishment, “I remember now! You are that Enlightened Monk! You are the Jiang Shan who went to the Ancient Battlefield on the border between our nations, to the mass grave where four hundred thousand were slaughtered. You chanted Buddhist Scriptures to deliver the myriad ghosts and vengeful souls, attaining Perfection in your merit and achieving the state of a half-Buddha!”

“The very same.”

Jiang Shan showed not a hint of pleasure at the official’s praise. His expression remained tranquil, unmoved by joy or sorrow.

Knowing the identity of his visitor, the official’s attitude immediately became deferential. He clasped his hands in a salute and said, “May I ask what treasure the Saint Monk wishes to present?”

“This.”

With a turn of his hand, Jiang Shan revealed a translucent, crystalline bead that pulsed with a brilliant Golden Light. Every ray of light it emitted was a point of terrifying energy. In an instant, it blazed with light, its golden aura soaring to the heavens, filling the entire Honglu Temple with a warm Buddha’s Light.

It felt as if merely being touched by the Golden Light could drive out one’s inner demons and worldly desires, leaving one pure and tranquil. It felt as if a person’s very Three Souls and Six Spirits were being purified and cleansed.

“This is our Great Frost National Treasure, the Buddha’s Relics.”

“The Buddha’s Relics!”

The official from the Ministry of Rites was so blinded by the light that he could barely open his eyes, and he could only cry out in shock.

’This is the Great Frost National Treasure… The Silver Frost King is actually willing to offer this up?’

…

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