Chapter 604 - 347: Parasite
All Bodhisattvas in Great Virtue Temple have names starting with "Hai."
The only Bodhisattvas Yang An had ever seen were Hai Shu, a suspected Bodhisattva imprisoned in the Eternal Prison, and Hai Si Bodhisattva, who had snatched his prize during a gathering of the Joyful Shrine Association.
He had never heard of a "Tripod Bodhisattva." ’Who could that be?’
’Could it be a Zen Master from Great Virtue Temple who was recently promoted to the rank of Bodhisattva? No, that’s impossible.’
Great Virtue Temple wouldn’t make an exception for a single person. The revered titles of its Bodhisattvas are always their Dharma names.
’Unless... it’s a fake identity!’
’Just like me right now. I’m no Bodhisattva, but these commoners treat me like one.’
In their eyes, anyone who saved them was a Bodhisattva.
Besides, with Great Virtue Temple currently focused on dealing with the Golden Thread Pavilion, how could they possibly dispatch someone to save a few insignificant commoners?
The only explanation was that this person wasn’t from Great Virtue Temple, but an imposter.
Adhering to the principle that curiosity killed the cat, Yang An’s immediate gut feeling upon reaching this conclusion was that he should not dig into the matter or try to find out who this so-called Tripod Bodhisattva really was.
But the crowd of commoners kneeling below were all staring at him with pleading eyes, their hopes and desires written plainly on their faces.
Yang An knew exactly what they wanted.
They wanted him to either protect them, just like the Tripod Bodhisattva, or take them to where the Tripod Bodhisattva was.
Both options, however, were a hassle for Yang An.
He couldn’t stay here and protect them indefinitely. He had come here to avoid risk and find an opportunity for a breakthrough, not to court danger.
But if he saved them only to abandon them here, they would just be killed by the next wave of Demon Fiends. If that happened, his rescue would have been for nothing—a complete waste of effort.
Yang An hesitated. The best solution would be to deliver these people to someone who could protect them. Then he would be free to do as he pleased.
"Bodhisattva! Please, save us, Bodhisattva!"
Perhaps sensing his hesitation, the people below began to beg him again, their voices choked with tears.
In the end, Yang An’s compassion won out. Unable to bear leaving them to their fate, he decided to escort them dozens of miles away.
To be on the safe side, however, he had to hide his identity.
"I will have my attendant Child escort you."
After making his excuse, Yang An vanished for a moment before reappearing. He had changed his clothes and was now wearing the mask he used for the Scripture Defector Association.
The mask, engraved with a Light Wheel and a He Tou, could conceal his aura and obscure him from heavenly perception. It was the perfect time to make use of its function.
The commoners below naturally couldn’t tell that the person before them was the same. But upon seeing the mask, Yang An no longer seemed as solemn and sacred in their eyes. Expressions of fear began to creep onto their faces.
After finding out the location of this "Tripod Bodhisattva," Yang An set off with the group.
To reach their destination as quickly as possible, Yang An employed one of his Techniques. He used the Golden Radiance from his Great Brightness Buddha Golden Zen Spell to weave a simple, large, flying ship.
As long as he was careful not to harm the passengers, this was by far the fastest way to travel.
On the way to the so-called Nirvana City, Yang An rescued many more civilians they passed. The number of people on the Golden Radiance Ship grew and grew. What started as a few hundred soon swelled to over a thousand.
The fact that so many people were suffering in a region of just dozens of miles was a testament to the devastating impact of the conflict between the two great ruling powers.
Yang An couldn’t be responsible for those he didn’t see, but helping those he did encounter was a simple matter.
Slaying Demon Fiends, then saving people, didn’t take much of his time. He would save whomever he could.
In less than an hour, Yang An and the massive crowd in his care approached the so-called Nirvana City, descending from the sky.
The name "Nirvana City" was a bit odd. But viewed from above, while the city wasn’t large, it possessed a certain architectural beauty. The neat, interconnected streets looked like countless flowing lines converging to form a ball of fire, making it worthy of the name Nirvana.
As he and the crowd descended, Yang An immediately sensed an obscure and peculiar aura within the city.
The aura felt faint and erratic, as if it could vanish at any moment. It had an unreal quality to it.
But upon sensing this aura, Yang An froze. He felt as if he had encountered it somewhere before; it was strangely familiar.
’It can’t really be someone from Great Virtue Temple, can it?’
Yang An’s heart skipped a beat, but he still felt that Great Virtue Temple wouldn’t concern itself with these matters at a time like this. ’It could just be a disguise.’
In any case, there was no need for him to find out who was behind this aura or what their identity was.
He had escorted these people here. He would let them enter the city, and then it would be time for him to leave.
"Nirvana City is just ahead. You may all enter now."
Yang An casually dispersed the Golden Radiance that formed the ship. After informing the crowd, he prepared to turn and leave.
But at that exact moment, the faint aura he had sensed earlier began to rapidly approach his position.