Translator: CinderTL

Life on Xidong Mountain was peaceful, yet monotonous.

To avoid revealing his cultivation level, Song Wen refrained from practicing. He rose at dawn each day, washed up, prepared and ate breakfast, then went to the Buddha Hall for the morning service.

Afterward, Qu Xin assigned daily chores to everyone, such as chopping firewood or tending the fields.

Once the daily tasks were completed, the young people had free time to spend as they pleased, whether on leisure or personal affairs. However, most used this time to recite scriptures and pay homage to the Buddha.

Evenings were devoted to the daily Evening Service.

Driven by the desire to be chosen and ascend the mountain as soon as possible, the thousands of young people gathered there remarkably avoided disputes, maintaining an unusual harmony among themselves.

Even the pampered sons and daughters who had never performed manual labor voiced no complaints.

In this harmonious atmosphere, a month passed in the blink of an eye.

During this time, Qu Xin finally achieved his long-awaited wish. All the "elders," including himself, were selected and led to the mountain.

One evening, after the Evening Service had concluded...

Xu Yan rubbed his legs, which had grown numb from sitting cross-legged for so long, and asked, "Brother Fang, when do you think we'll be chosen? I'm starting to feel like I'm rusting away from reading these scriptures day in and day out. Practicing martial arts outside was much more engaging."

"Are you really that impatient?" Song Wen replied.

"How can I not be impatient?" Xu Yan gestured toward the others in the Buddha Hall. "Look at them—everyone wants to meet the Steady Light Buddha Master as soon as possible. Don't you?"

"I... of course I do," Song Wen admitted.

Just then, ten pillars of light suddenly descended from the heavens, enveloping five men and five women. Among them were Song Wen and Xu Yan.

The five women selected were all peerless beauties, the most outstanding among the three thousand Virtuous Maidens. One in particular, named Bao Dan, possessed such dazzling radiance that she would be considered a rare beauty even in the vast Immortal Cultivation World.

Amidst the envious gazes of the others, the ten chosen ones slowly rose from the ground and ascended into the sky. Song Wen offered no resistance, letting the white light carry him upward.

The other nine, clearly experiencing flight for the first time, were visibly exhilarated.

As they ascended, wisps of cloud began to form in the air. The mist gradually thickened, enveloping them in a hazy embrace.

Suddenly, they sensed they had passed through an invisible barrier. The surrounding mist began to dissipate, allowing them to vaguely discern the mountainous terrain through the thinning clouds.

Nestled among the towering peaks and dense forests were ornate, golden-roofed pavilions of dazzling splendor.

How could such opulent structures exist in the Pure Land of the Buddhist Sect? The question arose in their minds.

Yet these fleeting glimpses vanished as quickly as they appeared, swallowed once more by the thickening mist.

They continued their ascent, the surrounding clouds growing denser again.

After passing through another unseen barrier, the mist thinned once more.

This time, instead of climbing higher, they steered toward the mountainside.

Slowly, a vast plaza unfolded before them.

At the far end stood a majestic, towering Buddha Image, its presence radiating solemn grandeur.

The Buddha Image, carved from a massive stone, bore mottled marks and patches of moss, each a testament to centuries of weathering and the relentless passage of time.

Its majestic solemnity exuded an ancient, weathered aura, as if proclaiming the eternal and immutable nature of the Buddhist Dharma.

As the ten individuals landed on the plaza, their gazes converged upon the towering Buddha Image. A profound sense of awe stirred within them, silencing their excitement and curiosity, lest they disturb the centuries-long tranquility of this sacred place.

Song Wen, however, frowned slightly.

Xu Geng's body seizure of Mi Hai and escape from the Secret Realm of the Ten Thousand Beasts Hall had occurred barely sixty years ago. Moreover, Cui Xinyi had mentioned that the Sun Moon Temple was relatively new, established only within the past thirty to fifty years.

How could such an ancient Buddha Image exist within the temple's confines?

Suddenly, a radiant white light emanated from the Buddha Image's chest. Within this light, a figure materialized.

The figure had a shaven head marked with ordination scars, wore a monastic robe, and held prayer beads. His serene face and compassionate expression resembled the living Buddha himself.

Overwhelmed with reverence, the ten disciples immediately dropped to their knees, prostrating themselves before the divine manifestation.

"We pay homage to the Steady Light Buddha Master!" the ten disciples exclaimed in unison, kneeling reverently.

Song Wen also knelt, a flicker of delight rising within him. At that moment, he was certain: the Steady Light Buddha Master was indeed Xu Geng, the man who had seized Mi Hai's body.

"Amitābha," Xu Geng intoned. "All sentient beings are equal. There is no need for such elaborate prostrations. Rise, all of you."

The disciples dared not disobey and promptly stood up.

Xu Geng continued, "Do you know why this humble monk has summoned you here?"

Bao Dan stepped forward before the others, eager to be the first to answer. "Buddha Master," she said, "you have called us here to guide us, spread the Buddhist Dharma, and deliver all sentient beings."

Xu Geng gazed intently at Bao Dan's exquisite face and nodded slightly. It was unclear whether his satisfaction stemmed from her answer or her beauty.

"Becoming my disciples is not impossible," Xu Geng said. "However, the path to cultivating the Buddhist Dharma is long and arduous. Those whose hearts lack steadfastness will struggle to reach the other shore. Before accepting you as disciples, I must first test the strength of your resolve."

"Buddha Master," Bao Dan declared, her voice ringing with conviction, "my devotion to the Buddha is as unwavering as bedrock. To grasp the true essence of the Buddhist Dharma, I would shatter my bones into dust without hesitation. Please test me, Buddha Master. I will prove my resolve through action—a resolve so bright it can illuminate the sun and moon, so firm it can shake mountains and rivers!"

Spurred by Bao Dan's impassioned declaration and unwilling to be outdone, the other nine cultivators hastily echoed, "We are of the same mind!"

"Excellent!" Xu Geng's face lit up with satisfaction. "In that case, this humble monk shall present you with your first trial. Crawl on all fours like dogs and imitate their barks."

The group, including Song Wen, stared in disbelief. Crawl on all fours and bark like dogs? What kind of trial was this?

Song Wen glanced at Xu Geng's distant figure hovering in mid-air and thought, This Xu Geng must have spent too long locked away in the Ten Thousand Beasts Hall, driving him completely insane.

From his ostentatious parade through the city, casting himself as the "Steady Light Buddha" come to save the suffering, to having two female cultivators masquerade as novice monks to stage divine manifestations of the Buddha before crowds, to hand-picking three thousand devout men and women—none of his actions resembled those of a normal cultivator.

Song Wen couldn't fathom any purpose behind these elaborate schemes beyond garnering reverence from ignorant mortals. If Xu Geng needed young men and women for cultivation, why not simply order their abduction? Why go through all this trouble?

(End of the Chapter)

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