Chapter 1460 - 791: May I Ask, Benefactor

The man holding the scripture scroll and the six-tusked white elephant slowly descended from the horizon to appear before him.

The white elephant adjusted the balance of its four legs, its massive body sinking and stabilizing as it landed on the ground. Its long trunk curled upward in a half-circle, then lightly shook, like a person relaxing their wrist.

The elephant was cloaked in rings of halos, curious as it examined Chen Yi. The figure of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva sat calmly within the halo on the elephant's back, his face compassionate yet blurred. However, Chen Yi did not linger on Samantabhadra, instead focusing on the white elephant. Its ears occasionally flapped, revealing the soft, pale pink skin on the inside.

Chen Yi hadn't anticipated that an elephant could be so... alluring.

The white elephant, under his gaze, edged its left hind foot backward, instinctively cautious.

"Greetings, Mr. Chen."

The seated man finally spoke, shifting Chen Yi's eyes towards him.

Chen Yi wasn't particularly surprised by the appearance of Samantabhadra. Ever since encountering Qi during the Cold Clothing Festival, he'd had a premonition that figures he'd only seen in murals or scriptures would sequentially come to meet him.

He wasn't sure if they were here to see him or to see Ming Venerable.

Nor did he know whether the Bodhisattva before him was friend or foe.

However, Chen Yi understood the principle of not striking a smiling face. Although Samantabhadra's visit was uninvited, it was devoid of hostility along the way through Emei, and Chen Yi had offered incense—a token invitation.

"And greetings to the Bodhisattva as well. May I ask what brings you on this visit?" Chen Yi returned the courtesy, then slightly raised his fingertips, light coalescing between them, hinting at sword intent.

The white elephant uneasily shifted its front foot.

"If the Bodhisattva has come seeking vengeance, I shall accompany you in my realm."

Samantabhadra Bodhisattva clasped his hands together, chanting peacefully, "You misunderstand, Mr. Chen. We bear no grudge nor vendetta."

"Medicine Buddha is dead. Aren't you concerned at all on Spirit Mountain?"

"She has vanished, becoming nothingness—why react?"

Samantabhadra Bodhisattva's expression remained serene. Among the many divine beings Chen Yi had encountered, the Bodhisattva before him was the most awe-inspiring, resembling the statues at Golden Summit.

"Moreover, her path wasn't ours, nor was her enlightenment. Nirvana Heart remains eternal; Bodhisattvas and Arhats are mere mortals, flowers bloom and wither."

His words held deep Zen insight. Yin Tingxue, if present, would surely gain understanding and clasp her hands in respect, but Chen Yi considered the Zen insights as mere wind past his ear.

"Why then are you here?"

"To reveal, to instruct."

Chen Yi lightly frowned, scoffing, "Why are you Bodhisattvas so eager to teach others?"

"Without eagerness to teach, one cannot be a Bodhisattva," Samantabhadra Bodhisattva replied leisurely. "Just as the Spirit Deer is my messenger, I am merely a messenger of Tathagata."

Chen Yi had no interest in the so-called revelation and instruction. He knew this visit must have other intentions, just like Medicine Buddha—a true agenda hidden behind teachings.

Samantabhadra Bodhisattva seemed to sense Chen Yi's impatience, slowly speaking, "Don't be anxious, Mr. Chen. My visit is simply to see the one valued by the Mountain and River God, and secondly, an introduction from a friend who also wishes to meet you."

"I see. Now that you've seen me, let's exchange a few words then take your leave."

Samantabhadra Bodhisattva's tranquil state remained unshaken by Chen Yi's attitude. Perhaps this unperturbed nature fostered his nirvana heart.

"It seems that Mr. Chen doesn't harbor favorable feelings towards us divine beings."

"Feeling favorable would indeed be miraculous."

"Haha, the world bustles, all for gain. Speaking of which, I didn't bring any benefits with me, excuse my rudeness," Samantabhadra Bodhisattva paused, then raised his hand, "Given that, whatever questions you have, feel free to ask."

Hearing this, Chen Yi finally gave his attention.

Considering his current cultivation, the opportunities and cultivation that ordinary martial artists and Taoist monks seek—or even mundane gold and jewels—were long meaningless to him. What he desired were answers to the countless mysteries.

While he could broadly sense the trend of the world, he only had a vague understanding—many matters were as unclear as seeing flowers in mist.

At the very least, he hoped to know as much as Zhou Yitang.

So Chen Yi asked, "I want to know everything Zhou Yitang, the current Sword Armor, knows."

Samantabhadra Bodhisattva slightly lowered his gaze, seemingly sensing, then spoke after a long pause, "Forgive me, but that is beyond my ability. Under the heavens, aside from gods and buddhas, what she knows surpasses countless others, with only a select few knowing more than her. Among them is a true heavenly person, a holy emperor, and Gongsun Guan... counts as half."

Chen Yi was a bit stunned upon hearing this. He knew Zhou Yitang knew much but hadn't imagined just how much. Yet he realized she had nearly fully experienced her past life—of course she knew more than most. What surprised him was how much Gongsun Guan knew as well.

Before Chen Yi could speak, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva continued, "If Mr. Chen wants to know what Master Tongxuan knows, I'm afraid I cannot help, and would have to take my leave."

The earlier question had piqued Chen Yi's curiosity, leaving no reason for Samantabhadra to depart so soon.

He thought for a moment, then said, "If you can't answer that, please answer three questions for me instead."

"...Mr. Chen does seize opportunity well, for the sake of building goodwill, I shall agree," Samantabhadra smiled resignedly, then added, "However, since I'm answering three questions for you, could you listen to one of my teachings in return?"

Chen Yi lowered his gaze slightly, then gently nodded after a long pause, "Alright."

Bodhisattvas indeed love to teach. His mind recalled Yin Tingxue explaining that in Sanskrit, Bodhisattva means "enlightened being, transforming sentient beings." Given Medicine Buddha's teachings couldn't change him back then, he didn't mind listening to Samantabhadra Bodhisattva's teachings now either.

Samantabhadra Bodhisattva nodded, then gestured for him to proceed.

Chen Yi then spoke, "First question: Why does Yin Sword Mountain have the mission of heavenly repair?"

Since learning a glimpse of his past life from Dragon and Tiger Mountain, this question had lingered constantly. At that time, Zhou Yitang was unwilling to answer as always. Tongxuan's heart demon couldn't answer either, constrained by Zhou Yitang. Later, due to falling into a beauty trap, he indulged day and night, sometimes forgetting, sometimes unable to ask. Even subtle probing was deftly brushed aside by Zhou Yitang.

Yet in his mind, Yin Sword Mountain clearly originated from Beidie Sect. The lineage of Beidie Sect was clean, venerating Emperor Zhenwu, refining swords and cultivating, eradicating evil and clearing filth—a heritage of guarding the Dao and upholding righteousness, fundamentally removed from the grand divine power concerning the Earth's creation and transformation that Nuwa Clan wielded for heavenly repair.

Samantabhadra Bodhisattva cradled the scripture scroll, turning a page, and some gold light shimmered. He then slowly spoke, "Yin Sword Mountain indeed inherits from Beidie Sect, but the Sword Armor does not."

Chen Yi's pupils narrowed slightly.

This was entirely different from everything he knew, from what Yin Sword Mountain as a whole had assumed as their inheritance.

"People believe Yin Sword Mountain has always had Sword Armor, yet just as the giant of the Mo Family is the head of the Mo Family, Master Zhang is the leader of Dragon and Tiger Mountain. If Sword Armor existed from ancient times, wouldn't it be the leader of Yin Sword Mountain? Shouldn't the one who wields the Heavenly Repair Stone be the leader's responsibility? Yet the facts show that Yin Sword Mountain has always had a Sect Leader, leading the sect, cultivating the North Emperor's lineage; while Sword Armor, independent and beyond, only holds the responsibility of sword dao inheritance and heavenly repair, with scant ties to the sect's lineage inheritance.

Sword Armor came later, a relic left by an ancient being of great divine power whose whereabouts cannot be uttered. It was a bit of legacy, a bit of unfulfilled wish entrusted to the world. Yin Sword Mountain was merely the fortuitous vessel carrying this bit of legacy."

This answer was unforeseen yet made sense, prompting Chen Yi to persistently ask, "Who was it?"

Samantabhadra Bodhisattva calmly replied, "Once among the Six Emperors, Supreme Lord of Salvation, East Pole Qinghua Emperor."

He slowly uttered these words as if they bore heavy weight, causing the surrounding heavens and earth to tremble lightly.

Samantabhadra Bodhisattva had the habit of tidying up his own matters, sparing Chen Yi the effort. With a sweep of his scripture scroll, he smoothed out the reverberations.

"Mr. Chen, please continue with your questions."