Chapter 998: Waiting for an Opportunity

The vast Snowfield, where the ancient wind and snow never cease through the years.

At the very heart of this bitterly cold land stands the Holy Land where ten thousand Buddhas pay homage—the Great Snow Temple.

Here, year-round, Brahma chants lie in stillness, incense is restrained within, a scene of pure quietude of the Buddhist Sect.

Yet today, the entire snowy Buddhist domain is thoroughly roused to uproar; above the mountain gate auspicious clouds cluster, fragrant winds fill the sky, guests come and go in an endless stream, Buddha light flows everywhere—an unprecedented spectacle.

In the distance the Cloud Sea surges, cold mist wrapped with water vapor spreads through the high heavens.

A procession with scales flashing in streams of light and water mist coiling around their bodies steps upon the clouds, its momentum vast and mighty—none other than the water clans of the White River Dragon Palace.

The former Flood Dragon heir apparent, Bai Ao, is clad in a gilded Dragon Robe, Dragon Horn hidden amidst his hair; he has already taken control of the Dragon Palace’s great authority, becoming the Dragon Monarch of this age.

The accompanying water clans speak in low voices, full of confidence:

“This time it is Venerable Miao Shan’s Arhat grand ceremony. For such a grand event of the Buddhist Sect, our Dragon Palace must by no means be absent.”

“Venerable Miao Shan’s identity is special—he is the teacher of the Buddha, his status exalted beyond compare.”

“Moreover, in former years our Dragon Palace and the Great Snow Temple were deeply entwined by fate, our friendship far from shallow. Attending the banquet today, we will surely be seated in the inner seats.”

There was also a hint of arrogance hidden in Bai Ao’s eyes; leading the water clans under his command, he strode straight toward the mountain gate of the Great Snow Temple.

Beneath the mountain gate, a monk’s silhouette stood still within the wind and snow, waiting.

The monk’s countenance was peaceful. Atop his head a natal relic shone with crystal light rushing to the sky, Buddha radiance restrained around his body.

The relic monk pressed his single hand together and intoned a Buddha name:

“Dragon Monarch, you have come from afar. This poor monk will guide the way, please follow me.”

“I trouble you, Master.”

Bai Ao cupped his hands in return, harboring no doubt in his heart, calmly following behind the monk as they walked inward.

But as they walked all the way through the outer cloisters of the temple, they never once drew near the main hall where the grand ceremony was held; his expression grew slightly unpleasant.

At last the relic monk came to a halt, raising his hand to indicate an open area ahead—the outer guest seats.

“Dragon Monarch, you shall remain here.”

Bai Ao’s steps paused; his face froze in an instant.

At this moment the outer area was already packed with guests. The Sect Masters and Clan Leaders of several Dao Foundation powers native to the Snowfield were all seated here, gathered together.

The next instant, seeing Bai Ao, one gaze after another converged upon him, laden with undisguised amusement:

“The White Dragon Monarch is here as well—how has he also been placed in the outer ring?”

“Shouldn’t he be seated in the inner section, closer to the high platform?”

Bai Ao’s ears burned, his face utterly lost, a surge of pent-up frustration clogging his chest, hard to dispel.

Yet this is the Holy Land of ten thousand Buddhas. Even though his heart was full of unwillingness, he did not dare to act rashly here, much less question the relic monk before him.

He let out a long, silent sigh, his heart desolate:

“In the end, when a man leaves, the tea grows cold; the ways of the world are chilly, not one bit according to one’s will.”

With no other choice, he waved his hand, signaling the water clans under his command to sit quietly and properly, while he alone stood at the edge of the crowd, his expression despondent.

The relic monk beside him, seeing this, turned and departed.

Placing Bai Ao here was on Black Ebony’s orders.

After becoming an Arhat, and being enlightened by Chen Sheng, he had already recovered the memories that were erased.

…

It was not long before the ninefold heavens suddenly flared with boundless Buddha light, tearing apart the cold clouds of the Snowfield that filled the sky.

One towering monkly figure after another stepped on the light as they came, Buddha sound shaking through a thousand miles of snow.

“Thousand-Leaf Arhat!”

“Raised-Gaze Venerable, Kappa Arhat…”

“So many Arhats! You simply can’t count them!!”

The gathered guests were thrown into complete uproar, their Heart Spirits trembling.

“To have so many Arhat Venerables gather at once—the scale of this grand ceremony is terrifying.”

“Most of them are from the Void Sun lineage!!”

“Looking at such formation, the Bodhisattvas of the Void Sun lineage will surely personally arrive as well.”

“Indeed!!”

“Is there not the saying that if you do not look at the monk’s face, you must at least look at the Buddha’s face!”

Before the words finished, clouds of incense surged from the horizon, heavenly flowers fell in disarray, golden lotuses sprang from the earth.

One Bodhisattva after another, with Dharma Aspects boundless and treasure visages solemn, sat upright upon lotus platforms and descended through the air above the Great Snow Temple.

At the same time.

From within the temple, a burly Venerable draped in a heavy black-patterned kasaya, his complexion dark and austere, strode out in great steps, taking the initiative to receive the Bodhisattvas and Arhats filling the sky, the pressure around him stern and inviolable.

Someone within the crowd immediately recognized his identity:

“The Great Snow Temple’s Black Ebony Venerable!”

“It should be Black Ebony Protector, rather!!”

“Spirit Mountain holds far too many Arhat Venerables, but beneath the Buddha, there is only this one Protector!”

“Even in front of the Bodhisattvas of Spirit Mountain, one must give Black Ebony Protector three points of courtesy—his standing far surpasses that of ordinary Arhats.”

Bai Ao, watching Black Ebony Protector being encircled by numerous Great Powers, his status transcendent, secretly cursed his own father:

“The ‘friend’ he made also doesn’t remember old ties!! And I still call him ‘Uncle’!”

“Is this how he takes care of me?”

“It’s Father’s fault. Had he back then devoted himself to following beside the Buddha and clinging tightly to that great thigh, would I today need to watch people’s faces? Would I be pushed to the margins?”

…

Time slowly flowed on.

More and more powerful figures arrived for the grand ceremony.

Under the entire main vein of the [Void Sun], virtually all Arhats and Bodhisattvas had come to attend, the spectacle overwhelming.

The other three veins had likewise each dispatched their esteemed Bodhisattva representatives to come and offer congratulations.

The Buddhist resonance of the four directions intertwined and coiled together, shrouding the whole snowfield, the Great Dao’s qi in heaven and earth growing ever thicker.

On the high platform of the grand ceremony.

Miao Shan Arhat stepped onto the platform at an unhurried pace, white meditative robes stirring faintly in the wind, his gaze overlooking all the guests below as a clear Buddhist voice rang out in all directions:

“Many thanks to all Dao friends for coming to the Great Snow Temple to observe the ceremony.”

Below the platform, the Great Bodhisattvas of the various veins all nodded, returning the greeting in harmonious voices:

“Master need not be so courteous, please!!”

Miao Shan Arhat likewise nodded:

“Good!”

Rumble~~

The grand ceremony officially began, and the Arhat Fruit Position Condensation ritual proceeded.

In this life, Venerable Miao Shan did not re-cultivate the [Star Sun], but instead turned to devote himself wholeheartedly to deeply cultivating the [Void Sun] Dao lineage.

Therefore his cultivation progress slowed, and only today did he formally hold the grand ceremony.

No one present dared to take him lightly; everyone’s heart was clear as a mirror:

“Miao Shan’s choice of this path may be slow in the early stages, but with the Beiji Void King Buddha sheltering him in the future, his Dao path will be steady and secure, destined to far surpass the rest of his peers.”

Within the crowd.

Formless Arhat looked at this unprecedentedly grand scene and sighed sincerely:

“This Arhat grand ceremony of Martial Uncle’s, the guests are gathered like clouds; it’s no less than those Golden Position-seeking grand ceremonies of the past.”

At his side, Black Ebony, hearing this, merely let his gaze remain calm as a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips, yet he did not speak.

Just as the grand ceremony reached the most critical moment of proving the Dao.

The entire snowfield firmament suddenly darkened, wind and snow abruptly halted, and all sounds fell utterly silent.

An utterly supreme, unsurpassed Buddha’s might, towering above all Arhats and Bodhisattvas, crashed down from the sky, suppressing the ten directions of heaven and earth.

All Arhats and Bodhisattvas of the [Void Sun] vein present instantly bent low, pressed their palms together, their Buddha names booming in unison to the heavens:

“We pay homage to Our Buddha!”

The Bodhisattvas of the other three veins who had come from afar also all rose and bowed their heads, their posture one of utmost reverence:

“We have seen the Beiji Void King Buddha!”

Bai Ao and the cultivators of the snowfield felt themselves completely suppressed, unable to move, unable even to lift their heads.

Facing this Buddha’s divine might that overlooked all heavens at such close range, the regret in his heart reached its peak.

“One misstep, regret for ten thousand lifetimes!”

“With a single mistaken thought, Father directly cut off the great opportunity for the White River Dragon Palace to rise.”

…

Originally, with thousands of Arhats and Bodhisattvas gathered together, the Sun Residence’s omen already filled heaven and earth, greatly benefitting the seeking of the Dao!!

And now, Chen Sheng, this Lord of the [Void Sun], personally arrived, the authority of the Golden Position spilling into the void.

He looked toward Miao Shan and lightly inclined his head.

As the Lord of the Void Sun, his lowering of his eyes signified the Golden Position’s illumination!!

Correspondingly, if he did not speak, it would be impossible for anyone to succeed!!

Hum——

Ten thousand rays of rosy light pierced through the snowfield’s cloud layers, auspicious qi in a thousand streams enshrouding the whole Great Snow Temple.

On the high platform.

A clear Buddhist sound, transparent and perfect, shot straight into the clouds!!

Miao Shan Arhat, bathed in the purest [Void Sun] golden radiance, had the Buddha light over his whole body blaze in an instant to the utmost.

Countless golden Dao Patterns crisscrossed the sky, revolving around the high platform; the Divine Technique [Sending Forth Radiance] was born with the momentum, and he formally ascended to the Arhat realm!

…

Deep within the Cloud Sea of Spirit Mountain, the Brahma sounds faded, and the Buddha light was withdrawn and hidden.

Two figures concealed themselves in the void, their auras vast yet deliberately restrained, their gazes piercing through layered dimensions, distantly looking toward the direction of the Great Snow Mountain.

After a long time, the two exchanged a glance, helplessness etched between their brows.

The True Buddha of Destiny sighed softly:

“This person’s condition is frankly too good.”

“According to reason, occupying the Main Position and directly facing the pollution, he should be heavily constrained; yet looking at his current appearance, there is no sign of decline at all.”

The Unobstructed Buddha slightly nodded:

“It must be due to that Dao Embryo secret treasure, which can forcibly withstand the backlash of the Main Position.”

The two of them had not attained the Main Position. The True Buddha of Destiny proved the Dao in the second-tier Subordinate Position; the Main Position of [Fangri] once being occupied by the World-Honored One was a massive pit!!

The Unobstructed Buddha had proved the Dao not even in a Subordinate Position, but in a third-tier Guest Position, because the Subordinate Position of [Mao Ri] was likewise a massive pit.

Yet even so, the positions they occupied were already polluted severely enough!

If not for their many years of arrangements, suppressing the Nanji Red Sky Burning Heaven Maitreya, they truly might not have been able to endure it.

If they were already like this, how much more so for the Main Position?

The two of them shook their heads in unison, a judgment already formed in their hearts.

“In the final analysis, he is taking a crooked path, borrowing strength through that Dao Embryo secret treasure.”

“There is no such thing under heaven as taking advantage for free, much less when it comes to a Dao Embryo!! As long as we keep an eye on him, we will eventually await our opportunity!!”

“Indeed!!”