Abbot Huineng put his palms together, "To share the burden of the Holy Master and Senior Brother, how could there be any talk of hardship,"
He raised his head, looking at the young monk before him, "Senior Brother, you truly conceal your abilities deeply, most impressive. With you and the Holy Master at the helm, surely the White Lotus World will descend,"
The Future Maitreya gave a soft sigh, "You’ve heard about what happened in the Southern Wilderness?"
Huineng nodded, "I have,"
The Future Maitreya said, "Running all the way for nothing and becoming the target of all, it was hardly a good thing,"
"Your concerns are well-founded," Huineng replied, "But with the news spreading, your reputation within the sect has soared. Master Jingshan and Junior Brother Huizhen have both lowered their banners and remained quiet for now, not daring to make any move,"
The Future Maitreya shook his head slightly, "Palliative asures, not a cure,"
He stepped past Huineng, "Is the Holy Master still in seclusion?"
Huineng said, "Yes. No edict has been issued,"
The Future Maitreya inclined his head, walked to the wall of the ditation room, and continued forward without stopping.
A shimr of light flashed across the wall, and his whole body vanished into it.
Abbot Huineng silently watched as the Future Maitreya disappeared, then put his palms together in salute again, returned to his seat inside the ditation room, and kept watch at the outer gate.
The Future Maitreya seed to step into a world painted pure white.
In that world, white lotuses blood everywhere, with countless Buddhist towers rising high.
The young monk walked on in silence, arriving at the very heart of the lotus sea.
There stood an imnse, pure white Buddhist tower.
The Future Maitreya bowed to the tower.
The White Lotus Sect’s greatest treasure, the Ninth-grade Lotus Platform, flew out at its own accord and landed in front of the tower.
The pristine Buddhist tower’s great doors swung open.
But inside the tower, it was void and empty, no one present.
The Future Maitreya was unsurprised, only showing a hint of lancholy.
The Holy Master still had not returned.
Though he was not the direct disciple of the Maitreya Holy Master, he was cultivated by him and nad successor; their thinking and policies aligned on nearly every matter.
Especially when it ca to the internal affairs of the White Lotus Sect—he truly followed in the Holy Master’s line.
Regrettably, the Holy Master had troubles unspoken, often declaring seclusion but in truth always striving to find solutions.
The Future Maitreya searched secretly as well, but his progress was limited.
This journey to the Southern Wilderness had caused him to brush right past the Avici Treasure once again.
The Future Maitreya himself now basked in renown across the world, as if a Buddhist had descended, his reputation within the White Lotus Sect rising sharply, so within the sect stifling him so he could not freely assert himself for now.
*But the young monk knew things would never be resolved so simply.*
*The Holy Master had been "in seclusion" far too long, seldom erging even once in a decade, sotis not for several.*
*In the past two centuries, most of the ti it was Uncle-master Jingshan handling the sect’s affairs.*
*And it was only in the last few decades that the young monk began to rise, attempting to reform the sect’s atmosphere—a truly arduous task.*
*His current surge in popularity was certainly good, but still did not compare to the Holy Master returning in person.*
*If he had more ti, perhaps the situation might gradually improve, but he feared his opponents would not allow him that luxury...*
The Future Maitreya gazed at the empty Buddhist tower and sighed once more.
............
Far from the Southern Wilderness, eastward all the way, he arrived overseas.
Deep within the vast ocean, a cave mansion lay hidden.
A cave mansion that could shift locations, guided by the flow of the earth vein Spiritual Qi.
Qingxiao Manor.
Here sat another prize among Mount Shu’s greatest treasures, the Taiyi Primordial Tower.
Within the manor resided those Daoist Artifact Refining Sect cultivators who had once departed Mount Shu.
Inside the Taiyi Primordial Tower, their numbers were few—just five present now.
Yet all were significant Daoist giants,
Even though all had left their forr sects.
Its masters—Fu Dongsen, Hong Jie, and Wei Qiyue—were all in residence.
The two guests, one with snowy hair and a youthful face, the other a middle-aged man, both wore the High rit Mage robes of Pure Yang Palace.
They were none other than Rong Guangchen, forr Azure Dragon Elder of Pure Yang Palace, and Gu Han, Black Tortoise Elder.
"Though we did not achieve our original intent, you’ve still worked hard, Daoist Fu," Rong Guangchen said, his beard and hair white but his features like a youth’s.
Fu Dongsen replied, "I am ashad,"
Rong Guangchen said, "The one who ought to be ashad is this Daoist. My skills fell short, my tracks exposed—I had no choice but to leave Zhongnan Mountain,"
Wei Qiyue spoke softly, "Xu Yuanzhen... and Chen Donglou, both are not to be underestimated,"
Gu Han looked at Fu Dongsen, "And the Celestial Master Robe, are you sure it is in the hands of the Western Region Buddhism?"
Fu Dongsen replied, "So it seems for now, but I could not verify it with my own eyes,"
Rong Guangchen said, "Compared to the Celestial Master Robe, the Celestial Master Seal is far more important,"
Fu Dongsen replied, "Other than that one breathtaking mont at Dragon Tiger Mountain, it’s never appeared again, and there’s been no word of it since,"
Wei Qiyue frowned, "If we’re saying Dragon Tiger Mountain has already recovered the Celestial Master Seal, then given the crucial battles in Jiangzhou and Jinzhou, we still haven’t glimpsed any trace of the seal..."
"Keep searching," Rong Guangchen said, "The aning of the Emperor is that, if need be, we must visit Dragon Tiger Mountain. The Altar of Wanfa Sect is best suited; anything else is just a substitute,"
Wei Qiyue hesitated, "As for Dragon Tiger Mountain..."
Rong Guangchen said, "Certainly not now,"
He lifted his chin slightly, "It was never to be done in these years,"
"The Butterfly King has requested an audience with the Emperor, and the Emperor has agreed," Fu Dongsen said, "The three of us must shift the cave mansion again, so I’ll trouble Elder Rong and Daoist Gu to receive the Butterfly King,"
Gu Han nodded at Fu Dongsen and Rong Guangchen, "Leave it to ,"
............
After passing the Sun Jade Seal to Tang Xiaotang, Lei Jun returned to his own cave mansion.
Passing by Senior Brother Wang Guiyuan’s lodgings, he saw the courtyard gate left ajar.
Wang Guiyuan stood alone, dumbstruck, in the center of the courtyard.
Lei Jun slowed his steps, peered closely, and saw Wang Guiyuan as if lost in thought, his expression rather peculiar.
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