Chapter 284 - 164: First of the Ten Heroes
"The battle of Wushan Mountain is imminent. For Chen Sheng to comprehend the ’Mental Realm’ at a time like this... he has become... a formidable enemy for Dharma Treasury."
Xuanbei’s brow was furrowed with a gravity that would not dissipate.
Months ago at Luoyun Manor, he had already sensed that the young man possessed a resolute will and ruthless methods; he was not someone to be trifled with. Xuanbei had been on guard ever since, even looking for an opportunity to target him.
He never imagined his opponent’s growth would be so terrifyingly fast. Now that he had touched upon the ’Mental Realm’, the threat he posed had increased exponentially.
"To be able to glimpse the threshold of the ’Mental Realm’ while in the Innate Realm... this young man’s talent and fortuitous opportunities are indeed beyond comparison."
Xuanming, the First Seat of the Arhat Hall, a man built like a mountain with a face the color of dark jujubes, spoke in a deep voice, his gaze fixed on the smoke coiling up from the incense in the hall:
"No wonder he could cultivate a Dual Cultivation of Body and Spirit as difficult as the Six Extremes Golden Bell Technique to the stage of Great Success. This young man... he is indeed a grave threat to our Buddhist Sect."
Xuan Ku, the First Seat of the Bodhi Institute who had kept his eyes closed while fingering his Buddhist Beads, now slowly opened them. Though slightly clouded, his eyes were incredibly profound as he looked toward Xuanming:
"Senior Brother Xuanming, has Dharma Treasury... managed to touch the threshold of the ’Mental Realm’ yet?"
At the mention of his beloved disciple, a complicated expression flickered across Xuanming’s face. He shook his head gently:
"The marvel of the ’Mental Realm’ is not something that can be achieved through diligent practice alone. It requires a catalyst, a moment of sudden enlightenment, and even more, a foundation of experience and a touch of destiny. Dharma Treasury’s Cultivation and foundations are sufficient, and his Spirit Platform is gradually becoming clear, but this final barrier remains difficult to surmount.
After he heard what happened with Chen Sheng, he requested to enter seclusion at the bottom of the Demon Suppression Tower, hoping to find a flash of a Spiritual Mechanism under the pressure of life and death."
"Pinning our hopes on a ’perhaps’ is not a reliable strategy."
Xuanbei shook his head, his voice tinged with anxiety. He knew full well how difficult it was to comprehend the ’Mental Realm’.
Whether Dharma Treasury could achieve a breakthrough in just over a month was anyone’s guess.
"Even if he hasn’t comprehended the Mental Realm, Dharma Treasury’s profound Cultivation and foundation are still far superior to that young man’s."
Xuanming defended his disciple with a confident tone, then his own tone shifted as he continued:
"When they finally clash, the outcome won’t necessarily be as one-sided as the rumors suggest."
"Enough."
The interruption came suddenly from Kongjian, the First Seat of the Precepts Institute, who had not yet spoken.
He was the eldest among them, his face gaunt and withered, but his eyes were sharp as an eagle’s. As his gaze swept across the others, it carried an undeniable air of authority:
"Our discussion today is not about the state of Dharma Treasury’s Cultivation, but about how to deal with this Chen Sheng."
He paused. The Black Wood Prayer Beads in his hand began to turn slightly faster, and his voice became cold and merciless:
"That young man is weighed down by the karma of slaughter. His nature is cruel, and he has repeatedly clashed with our Buddhist Sect. If we allow him to grow more powerful, he will inevitably become a source of chaos for Ning’an. We absolutely cannot allow him to continue developing."
"Martial Uncle, you mean..."
Xuanming looked at Kongjian, waiting for him to continue.
Kongjian’s gaze shifted to Xuanbei, and he said slowly:
"Xuanbei, you oversee the Prajna Hall and are an expert in our sect’s True Words and secret mantras. You are the most skilled at subtle influence, at shaking a person’s will. In the coming days, find a suitable opportunity to ’accidentally’ run into this young man."
"If you can use the Buddhist Dharma and True Words to guide him toward goodness, resolve his malevolent aura, and have him take refuge in the Buddha, that would be the best possible outcome, and we could avoid conflict. But if he remains obstinately unenlightened, his demonic nature too deeply rooted... you may also seize an opportunity to use a ’Demon-Subduing True Word’ to secretly infect his mind, throw his thoughts into chaos, and destroy his Dao Heart.
We don’t need it to work immediately. The goal is simply to damage his Dao Foundation and impede his progress. That way, when the battle at Wushan Mountain begins, Dharma Treasury will be able to defeat him openly and honorably."
Upon hearing this, Xuanbei placed his palms together. His expression was impassive, showing neither joy nor sorrow as he lowered his eyes and replied:
"Amitabha Buddha. I obey. I will act as the situation demands and remove this obstacle for our Buddhist Sect."
This was not the first time Golden Spring Temple had done such a thing.
They had never hesitated to use both overt and covert means against any stumbling block that might threaten the temple’s status or obstruct its expansion.
Years ago, Sun Yuzhi was another such case. It was only because of Golden Spring Temple’s interference and protection that she failed to slay Jing’an, which left her own Dao Heart incomplete.
"Amitabha Buddha."
"Indeed."
The other First Seats in the hall also placed their palms together, chanting the Buddha’s name.
The solemn chanting of the Buddha’s name echoed through the vast Arhat Hall, mingling with the curling sandalwood incense. Yet, for some reason, it carried a grim, bone-deep chill.
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