Chapter 1468 - 796: Central Pass (Double-Length)

The Bao Guo Temple is surrounded by red walls, built facing the mountain, each layer higher than the previous one. The building complex has monk guest quarters on both sides, surrounded by carved railings and painted beams, half-garden and half-temple, with a strict layout. It is the beginning of spring, and thus there are devout men and women coming to offer incense and pray to the Buddha. Not long after, the temple fills with incense smoke, and Buddhist mantras echo.

The wolf child grown into the Lonely Smoke Sword usually does not understand human language or convey human speech, but now it seems akin to a monkey, imitating the Emei Spirit Monkeys by putting its hands together in prayer, leaving Chen Yi unsure whether to laugh or sigh.

The Lonely Smoke Sword, seeing him unmoved, instead of retreating, worships more earnestly. The nearby monkeys are startled and each shakes its hands almost to the point of fire.

Chen Yi knows what this wolf child wants; no other than the profound swordsmanship of wielding the sword between two fingers. He shakes his head and says:

"I cannot teach you; our paths are different."

Lonely Smoke Sword seems not to understand, hands still clasped in prayer.

Soft footsteps sound behind him; Chen Yi turns his head to see a monk slowly walking out of the temple gate, looking about forty or fifty years old, with a lean face and fair complexion. He is dressed in a somewhat pale white monk's robe and a simple brown kasaya, holding a set of worn Bodhi Seed Beads, walking unhurriedly and calmly, a tranquility slightly different from the incense atmosphere of this mountain temple emanating from him.

"Amitabha Buddha, greetings, patron."

But it is clear he is not addressing Chen Yi, as his eyes fall on the Lonely Smoke Sword,

"This creature arrived at this temple a month ago, silent, only showing his sword, seeking the poor monk to prove martial arts. I saw his unique nature, a violent spirit hidden in ignorance, a murderous tendency concealed within childlike innocence. Day by day, I shared scriptures and preached, hoping to impart some understanding of Buddhist principles. Yet...despite our daily encounters discussing 'Diamond Sutra,' speaking about 'Lengyan,' explaining causality, promoting compassion, he only opened those chaotic eyes, seemingly understanding nothing, occasionally reacting by using his fingers as a sword, randomly scraping the ground when agitated. A month passed with scant progress.

After such painstaking efforts to enlighten this creature, it turns out...instead, it is patron who has brought him to worship Buddha."

Chen Yi glances at the monk; the abbot of Bao Guo Temple is evidently unusual. Skilled masters in martial arts often carry traces of their path; punchers have calluses on their knuckle, knife wielders on their fingertips, kickers have strong legs...even hidden masters not showing hint of their skill will exhibit persistent, boundless vitality and unparalleled martial intent.

Yet for this white-robed monk, no such signs are visible.

Either through invoking external forces like deities, or there is an anomaly, something strange surely exists; no matter the case, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva has already appeared on Golden Summit, so having Second Grade Realm grandmasters at the foot of Emei Mountain is not surprising.

Figures like these from the Buddhist Sect, Chen Yi prefers not to engage any further, thus he turns to leave, while the white-robed monk's attention also shifts away from him, instead taking another step towards Lonely Smoke Sword.

Chen Yi calls to Yin Weiyin and Donggong Ruoshu; and the trio leaves Emei Mountain.

......…

Returning to the carriage, taking a short rest before departing, Donggong Ruoshu sat by the window for quite a while, finally unable to resist turning around, leaning closer to the resting Chen Yi.

"Who is that person?" Her eyes sparkling, voice lowered, "How does he know Murder Sword? I saw clearly, the starting stance, the way of exerting force… is obviously from the same source as my swordsmanship."

Chen Yi opens his eyes, meets with her curious gaze; light from the gap in the curtain falls on her face, revealing even the fine hairs clearly. He slightly leans back, feeling the coolness of the carriage wall through his clothing.

"It's a matter from the previous generation, do you not remember?" Chen Yi recalls and speaks calmly, "By the master-apprentice rank, he should be considered your uncle."

"Uncle?" Donggong Ruoshu suddenly widens her eyes, sitting upright, "Lonely Smoke Sword?!"

"Not mistaken, Lonely Smoke Sword, weren't you in Shantong City at that time?"

"Hey! I forgot!"

A moment later, she incredulously says: "Cannot speak human words, how do I have such a stupid uncle?"

"...you're the same."

"That's true."

The stupid girl suddenly wasn't surprised.

Back then in Shantong City, few saw the true face of Lonely Smoke Sword, otherwise, a group of Jianghu experts searching blindly would not be the case; therefore, Miss Donggong did not recognize immediately, though recognizing wouldn't matter, one not understanding human speech, the other barely grasp humane traits, bringing them together is merely wide eyes staring at narrow ones.

Suddenly recalling something, she asks: "Then, the monk from Bao Guo Temple? He seems… peculiar. Does he know Lonely Smoke Sword?"

Chen Yi remains silent for a moment, the carriage is moving through densely shadowed road, light darkens, his side profile appears somewhat indistinct in the dimness.

"That monk is extraordinary. He can discern the coexistence of Lonely Smoke Sword's violent nature and childlike essence and attempts enlightenment through sermons but remains unharmed. Discipline enough to subdue Lonely Smoke Sword, surely not an ordinary monk." He says slowly, "Samantabhadra's manifestation, hidden grandmasters, now involving your lineage's old matters…Emei Mountain is unrestful lately."

Not only Emei is unrestful; since Samantabhadra Bodhisattva's appearance, he increasingly feels the world is far from peace.

Donggong Ruoshu also sensed the gravity in his tone, heart tightened.

The carriage travels unhurriedly, Chen Yi's gaze slightly concentrates, suddenly addresses Yin Weiyin: "Tell the paper men to quicken their steps, we must reach Central Pass by February."

Outside the window, Bao Guo Temple's flying eaves are no longer visible, only the faint silhouette of Emei's mountain range silently extends toward the horizon.

.........

Night has deepened; the carriage leaves Emei territory, heading north along the main road. Outside, the stars are sparse in a moonlit sky, distant mountains form dark silhouettes of varying depths, making it impossible to distinguish which one was the recently vibrant Golden Summit.