Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant Chapter 2422: 209: The Assault (Part 3)
Previously on Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant...
Yet right away, a trace of delight appeared on his face.
Though he harbored no true grudge toward Yin Tianzhi, the absence of the Ruins Master at this spot left him deeply unsettled and filled with excessive concern.
The surrounding individuals also couldn't restrain their expressions of relief.
Cheng Lianzi's eyes, however, tightened more intensely, as though he had picked up on some anomaly.
Noticing the shift in Cheng Lianzi's demeanor, Yin Tianzhi felt a subtle drop in his spirits.
Right then, the ape unexpectedly uttered:
“Master… has said, everything is under his control… no need to worry, just guard the Great Array properly… When the time is ripe, he will reveal himself.”
These words instantly boosted the morale of every cultivator present.
When disaster strikes from above, taller pillars stand ready to support it, and in Zhang’s Ruins, that towering presence was none other than the Ruins Master who had brought it all together.
Earlier, the group had fretted over the Ruins Master's delay in appearing, suspecting he might have slipped away beforehand, but the sight of this Demon Ape now eased their tensions a bit; afraid to provoke him any further, they held back from extra words and departed without delay.
In mere moments, just the Master of Illusion Sky Realm, Fan Fenglei, Cheng Lianzi, and a handful of others were left behind.
The Master of Illusion Sky Realm and Fan Fenglei cast a glance at Cheng Lianzi before offering Yin Tianzhi a light nod; anxious about potential breaches from Supreme True Buddha outside, they refrained from staying and soared off rapidly, leaving Cheng Lianzi by himself soon after.
“Taoist Friend Cheng, do you have more to discuss?”
Yin Tianzhi fixed his gaze on Cheng Lianzi, his voice calm and measured.
Cheng Lianzi's countenance turned somber as he regarded Yin Tianzhi, then he murmured quietly through transmission:
“Be honest, has the Ruins Master already departed from the Taoist Field?”
Yin Tianzhi's inner thoughts jolted, but his features remained impassive as he responded icily:
“Nonsense!”
Cheng Lianzi scrutinized his expression closely, as if attempting to discern hidden truths, or maybe he had already pieced it together; with a faint shake of his head, he fell silent, pivoted to leave, yet just prior to going, he added in a hush:
“Rest assured, I won’t breathe a word…”
“Only pray you aren’t endangering all our lives.”
Finishing that, he vanished in a swift motion.
Yin Tianzhi's eyes grew shadowed, his hands clasped behind him as he observed the fading silhouette, struck by a sense of astonishment.
Nevertheless, he found himself pulling back his hand gradually, unfurling it to reveal the messaging Dao Treasure in his grasp, its surface glowing softly; without thinking, a flicker of anxiety crept into his stare:
“Ruins Master… when will you come back?”
Meanwhile.
Beyond Zhang’s Ruins, among the assembled monks in anticipation, a radiant golden streak finally streaked across the far-off emptiness.
This golden streak descended just outside Zhang’s Ruins, unveiling a cluster of forms inside.
Dominating the scene was an enormous Buddha statue, its face beaming with benevolence, positioned centrally amid the group, the undeniable heart of the assembly; it was surrounded by Bodhisattvas and Arhats, including a young novice monk whose eyes sparkled with pure curiosity as he scanned his surroundings.
Upon spotting the massive Buddha statue, the expectant monks promptly offered salutations:
“Welcome Western Great Bodhisattva!”
And they also paid respects to various prominent figures within.
“Greetings Wisdom Calm Bodhisattva… Greetings Wisdom Fate Bodhisattva… Greetings Hell Path Master… Greetings ‘Pu Yan Wanderer’…”
The enormous Buddha statue, despite its lofty cultivation level, showed no arrogance toward the others, responding with a warm smile to the monks:
“Supreme True Buddha, you all have worked hard.”
Afterward, he directed his attention to the companions nearby, a grin forming:
“Wisdom Calm, Wisdom Fate… Shen Fu, be it through the Buddha Lord’s favor or the Bodhisattvas’ endorsement, this venture into Zhang’s Ruins will determine if you merit the role of future Buddha Lord, with no fixed criteria—it hinges entirely on your efforts.”
Hearing this, Wisdom Calm Bodhisattva and the other mentioned monks bowed deeply to the Western Great Bodhisattva in reverence.
Shen Fu, dressed in monastic robes but radiating intense Demonic Qi, seemed a bit out of place.
Still, the monks around took no notice of it.
For Shen Fu’s cultivation path embodied ‘Lay down the butcher knife, immediately become Buddha’, starting as a demon where the stronger the inner darkness, the higher the achievement, thereby enriching the Buddhist Law within the Six Paths tradition.
Among them, Wisdom Calm Bodhisattva offered a gesture of respect, then eyed the fellow competitors with a faint smile, pressing his palms together and declaring politely:
“Fellows, I will go first.”
His visage resembled polished jade, strikingly handsome, evoking a scholarly air more than that of a Bodhisattva.
With those words, he wheeled around and headed toward the array guarding Zhang’s Ruins.
And precisely then.
The cultivators surrounding Zhang’s Ruins appeared to catch some cue, all clasping their hands while murmuring Buddhist Scriptures in unison.
In an instant, boundless Buddhist radiance blanketed the humanoid terrain, slamming into the array's barriers like shooting stars...
“Master… what exactly are they up to?”
The novice monk watched the cultivators' movements with intrigue, then tilted his head upward in confusion toward the towering Western Great Bodhisattva beside him, like a mountain peak, and inquired softly.
The Western Great Bodhisattva regarded the novice with affection, chuckling as he answered:
“Pu Yan, since you've only recently cleansed your sins, you might not grasp it all yet; they're vying for the Buddha’s son title. Once settled, following the Buddha Lord’s Nirvana, that one can ascend as the next Buddha Lord… this marks their challenge, but it ought to be straightforward, as these are mere rogue cultivators with constrained power, scorned by the Great Realm; Wisdom Calm and the rest should manage without trouble, though the real ordeal comes later.”
“Future Buddha Lord?”
The novice monk grasped it only halfway, then shifted his gaze to the humanoid expanse below, his brow furrowing lightly; suddenly, driven by an inner urge, he blurted out on instinct:
“With rogue cultivators filling this area, it probably won't be too tough, but I've heard this location has endured for ages—who can say if mighty experts lurk within? All the Bodhisattvas ought to stay vigilant…”
“Haha, your merciful heart is truly praiseworthy, but there's no call for such concern…”
Before he could finish speaking, the Western Great Bodhisattva's face abruptly stiffened.
Beneath the array over Zhang’s Ruins, a blaze of flames erupted skyward!