Chapter 53
Night didn’t form. Night was the escape of day. The formless wind blew away the heat and energy of day, as well as the light of the sun.
Lord Wugou’s hometown sat far, far away from the Central Plain on a snowy mountain. He had to learn archery before he was even five, but not even that reduced the challenge to survive winters. Every year, he would have to worry about him being next in line to die to the cold. Still, he was deeply fond of his hometown.
In his younger days as an explorer, Lord Wugou had visited the big and flourishing cities of the Central Plain. Although he was once again in the Central Plain, it wasn’t remotely close to the same adventurous experience in the past. For the last year he spent at Shennong, all he could do was greet the sun, bid it farewell, then wait to greet it again. Therefore, he embraced the mentality of just sailing in whatever direction the wind took him.
One could cultivate anywhere as long as they possessed the beliefs of Bodhi. If one could enlighten all living beings, then one shall enlighten all living beings. If one could only enlighten one ant, then one shall enlighten that one ant. What makes an ant any less of a living being?
“Still won’t talk?” Lord Miguo visited again at the same time as every previous day, opening with a similar phrase.
Still smiling as always, Lord Wugou replied, “No. Please leave.”
Lord Miguo stopped several inches in front of Lord Wugou. “What are you doing?”
“Stargazing.” Unbothered by the flared-up reactions of Lord Miguo, Lord Wugou continued, “Do you believe stars and the human realm are linked? They are capable of communication.”
“… Are you referring to the Central Plain’s astrology?”
“No, I’m referring to Arthur’s astrology. I’m an Aquarius.”
“… Enough!”
“Why are you mad?”
“You think nothing of anyone because your cup is full and Vajra Realm is perfect?”
“Everything is empty to begin with. Thus, my attitude is perfect, no?”
The unfettered monk and the stoic monk had similar confrontations back outside Pure Land’s Ten Grounds starting from when they joined their school as children. The senior was always smiling as though nothing bothered him, while the junior always had a straight face as though he was questioning something. Regardless of how reckless and angry the junior was, his senior could always effortlessly stop him. On one occasion, the inflamed junior intended to bludgeon seven monks of Lotus Cult for breaking the ethos of monks. The only person who dared to stop him was his senior, who listed a number of reasons as to why they should be spared.
“Yundan, you haven’t changed at all.” Lord Wugou lowered his head. “You’re opinionated. You don’t crave wealth or power, but you obsess too much. You’re jealous of Lord San Shen’s prowess and the admiration the people have for him. Your jealousy breeds hatred, and your hatred breeds bloodshed.”
Standing stationary, Lord Miguo responded, “Luoshen… I believe I am the one who protected Pure Land. They are the ones who forsook me when I was in trouble. I fought for their sake, and I fell because of them. Does it sound fair to you?”
Lord Wugou shook his head. “The fact that your people had to reach out to Divine Moon Cult to beseech their help goes to show that your leadership needed addressing.”
“I’m not going to debate with you. I came here only to tell you one thing.”
Lord Wugou looked up at Lord Miguo, gradually discovering something from the latter’s face that wiped away his smile. He jumped to his feet in shock. “How… How? Where did you obtain the mental cultivation from?”
“When I say I can’t do anything about you, I meant that I can’t hurt or kill you. Never did I suggest that I can’t decipher your skills.” In a deep voice, Lord Miguo informed, “Not only does the formation you’re in confine you but also gradually corrodes your body. No doubt, you’re a formidable martial artist. Your Vajra Realm stopped the corrosion. Howbeit, whenever you used your martial skills to inhibit the corrosion, you reveal your energy moulding patterns. It may be incomprehensible to everyone, but it’s as clear as day to someone who has mastered the ninth layer.”
Technically speaking, Lord Wugou never truly won against Lord Miguo. No matter what Lord Wugou did, Lord Miguo always had his way in the end. Subsequent to Lord Wugou talking Lord Miguo out of killing the seven monks who broke the taboos, Lord Miguo chased them down after they left the city to assassinate them.
“My favourite part about you is your kindness and overconfidence. You’ve kept me trapped at Shennong for a year with Vajra Realm as bait, assuming you’re working for everyone. Your arrogance ended up becoming the medium in which you taught me Vajra Realm’s tenth layer so that I could surpass you. Your mistake this time was thinking that you could change my mind. Had I not spent a year keeping you company, you wouldn’t have behaved yourself here. Had I not, you could’ve reported me to headquarters to stop me.”
Lord Miguo dug his fist into Lord Wugou’s chest, sending the latter to the edge of the formation. Something invisible made Lord Wugou rebound back to where he was standing without inflicting harm.
“Still being able to maintain a perfect Vajra body is praiseworthy; however, this is the beginning of your eventual end. Even if I don’t intervene, it’s only a matter of time before the formation erodes your body. By the way, in ten days from now, I shall host a Lotus Convention. My guests have already arrived. Ten days from now, I shall become Lotus Sect’s new leader.”
Indeed, Lord Wugou could feel himself teetering towards his collapse despite him maintaining a dignified posture.
Lord Miguo tugged up the corners of his lips for the first time today. “Senior Brother, I will visit you again tomorrow.”
Glossary
Cultivation in the chapter – So that we’re on the same page, we’re not talking about levelling up when we talk about cultivation here. We’re not in level-up world.
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