“Arhat white pearl!”
All the cultivators of the Yan Luo Clan are shocked and surround her.
Yan Wushen says: “Legend has it that the Arhat white pearl is the only item left behind by White Monk, the sole disciple of the Third Ancestor, after his parinirvana. It does not form a relic but condenses a white pearl, making it the supreme treasure of Buddhism.”
Who knows how many pairs of eyes stare towards Sea Water’s chest.
Xue Tu regrets in his heart; if he had known earlier that this little nun carried such an extraordinary item, he should have searched it out and hidden it away. Now, with Zhang Ruochen and Yan Wushen present, how could he possibly lay his hands on it?
Xue Tu has a flash of inspiration and steps forward, saying: “Everyone, remember that this little nun’s cultivation is quite powerful; it was this emperor who captured her.”
“So, you want the Arhat white pearl?” Yan Ting glares at him coldly.
Xue Tu glances lightly at her and says: “What virtue or ability does this emperor have to possess such a treasure? But my senior brother is a secular myth, the foremost expert here; he can have it.”
Then, Xue Tu immediately transmits a message to Zhang Ruochen: “Senior brother, the Arhat white pearl is worth more than a supreme sacred artifact. I am giving it to you, so the accounts between us can be written off?”
He waits a long time but receives no response from Zhang Ruochen.
Xue Tu feels sorrowful in his heart, always sensing that he is making wedding clothes for someone else again; when will the debts he owes ever be cleared?
The Yan Luo Clan cultivators look towards Yan Wushen to see his attitude.
The Arhat white pearl is right before them, a treasure coveted even by great gods; are they really to hand it over just like that?
Zhang Ruochen stares into Sea Water’s eyes and says: “Why do you dare to tell me that the Arhat white pearl is on you?”
“Sea Water has already said earlier that it is because Benefactor Ruochen turns towards light in his heart and harbours goodness.”
“So, you think I will not take the Arhat white pearl?”
Sea Water does not continue speaking, merely gazing calmly at Zhang Ruochen.
Xue Tu walks to Zhang Ruochen’s side and says in a low voice: “Senior brother, why bother grinding on with her so much? You are not taken by her, are you? If you are taken, that is fine too; we can take both wealth and beauty.”
These words are naturally heard by Sea Water and the Yan Luo Clan cultivators.
A look of disdain appears in Yan Ting’s eyes.
Zhang Ruochen ignores Xue Tu and says: “I still have a few questions in my heart. You are a disciple of the Western Heaven Buddhist Realm; how did you come to the Abyss of Darkness? And why did you enter the Abyss of Darkness? What is this place? How did you find it?”
Sea Water’s voice is soft and beautiful, like a clear spring on stone, as she says: “May Benefactor Ruochen first untie the sacred ropes binding Sea Water?”
Zhang Ruochen flicks his sleeve, and a strand of saintly vigour surges over, loosening the golden ropes binding her and scattering them on the ground.
Sea Water’s body still bears the Yan Luo Clan secret technique seals imposed by Yan Ting, so there is no need to worry about her escaping.
Sea Water rubs her arms, then unties the thin bodhi rope around her neck, and a white pearl the size of a pigeon’s egg is drawn out from her Buddhist robe, warm and radiant, with soft light.
The gazes of all the cultivators converge on this legendary Arhat white pearl.
“This emperor wants to see what is so miraculous about this so-called supreme treasure of Buddhism.” Xue Tu turns into a residual shadow, streaking past Sea Water’s side and snatching the Arhat white pearl.
But in just an instant, Xue Tu lets out a miserable cry.
“Crack!”
The Arhat white pearl falls to the ground.
The white pearl is stained with drops of blood.
Xue Tu clutches his pierced palm, an extremely painful force transmitting over, along with supremely pure Buddhist qi continuously impacting his flesh body.
Too bizarre!
He merely held it in his hand, and the white pearl pierced through his palm.
Seeing this terrifying scene, the Yan Luo Clan’s older generation supreme realm great saints feel a chill all over their bodies and retreat together.
Sea Water walks over and picks up the Arhat white pearl; the blood automatically slides off the pearl, unable to pollute it.
She says: “The Arhat white pearl is a supreme treasure of Buddhism. Cultivators of the Infernal Realm, whether living beings like the undead blood race and rakshasa race, or dead spirits like ghosts, bones, and corpses, will surely die upon touching it. Great Slaughter War God Emperor’s cultivation is powerful, so only one palm was pierced through.”
Sea Water brings the Arhat white pearl before Zhang Ruochen and says: “Sea Water presents the white pearl to Benefactor Ruochen.”
Zhang Ruochen does not take it and says: “Why give it to me?”
“Because Sea Water knows that today I am destined to die and cannot keep the white pearl. Since that is so, it is better to give it to Benefactor Ruochen. With Benefactor Ruochen’s ties to Buddhism, you should not let the pearl gather dust.” Sea Water says.
Zhang Ruochen glances at the Arhat white pearl and reaches out to take it.
The white pearl’s radiance suddenly surges, emitting a scorching power, but unlike with Xue Tu, his palm is not pierced through.
For some reason, the heat of the Arhat white pearl rapidly cools down, instead becoming refreshing.
“How can this be? Zhang Ruochen also has the bloodline of the undead blood race in his body; why can he withstand the power of the Arhat white pearl?” Yan Ting is very puzzled.
A strange light flashes in Sea Water’s eyes.
Zhang Ruochen says: “Since I have accepted your Arhat white pearl, how can I watch you be killed with open eyes? Your life is temporarily under my protection. Does anyone have objections?”
Yan Wushen shakes his head and smiles: “This little master is quite bizarre, with too many unknowns on her! Brother Ruochen, if you wish to protect her life, I naturally have no objection. But beware of the beauty trap.”
Zhang Ruochen turns and continues staring at Sea Water, saying: “Yan Wushen is right; there are too many strange things about you.”
“Sea Water knows what everyone is suspecting in their hearts. I can explain all of this, but I will only tell it to Zhang Ruochen alone; I trust only him.” Sea Water says.
If one can live, no one wishes to die.
Zhang Ruochen props up his path domain, enveloping only him and Sea Water.
The hole in Xue Tu’s palm regrows flesh and blood, but the burn scar remains unable to heal. He circles around Zhang Ruochen’s path domain and comes to Yan Wushen and Yan Ting’s side.
He smiles and says: “What do you think, how does my senior brother attract so many admirers? Listen to what that little nun just said: ‘I trust only him.’ Heh heh, they have only met once, and the time since they met is not even the length of one incense stick, yet she can trust someone. Does my senior brother really have such great charm that even a nun is moved by mortal feelings?”
Yan Wushen smiles without speaking.
Yan Ting says coldly: “First she voluntarily offers the Arhat white pearl, then secret words alone; her schemes must be deep. You had best remind your senior brother to stay clear-headed, lest he be used without realising it.”
…
In the path domain.
Sea Water says softly: “Actually, I did not come to the Abyss of Darkness alone.”
“Who else?” Zhang Ruochen asks.
Sea Water says: “My master.”
“Yuan Yi Ancient Buddha!” Zhang Ruochen says.
Yuan Yi Ancient Buddha is the Sixth Ancestor’s chief disciple, one of the foremost powerful Buddhist figures in the Western Heaven Buddhist Realm, an existence at the divine venerable level.
For such a figure to come to the Abyss of Darkness?
Sea Water says: “Every outbreak of strange beasts is the perfect opportunity to enter the Abyss of Darkness.”
Zhang Ruochen quickly calms down and asks: “What is Yuan Yi Ancient Buddha doing in the Abyss of Darkness?”
“Searching for the Sixth Ancestor.”
Sea Water continues: “Although the Sixth Ancestor has long entered parinirvana, ten thousand years ago, a great god-level existence personally saw the Sixth Ancestor. Now that war between the Heavenly Court and the Infernal Realm has erupted again, if the Sixth Ancestor can be found and brought back, it would be enough to intimidate the gods of the ten Infernal Clans.”
A smile appears on Zhang Ruochen’s face that Sea Water finds hard to understand, and he says: “Why does Yuan Yi Ancient Buddha think the Sixth Ancestor is in the Abyss of Darkness?”
“In legends, the Sixth Ancestor suffered extremely severe injuries, only the Udumbara flower can heal them and extend his life. If the Sixth Ancestor is truly still alive, he would certainly come to the Abyss of Darkness.” Sea Water says.
Zhang Ruochen asks: “The Udumbara flower appears only once every thirty million years; seeking it, how easy is that? No, what you mean is that the Udumbara flower has already emerged, right here in the Abyss of Darkness?”
Sea Water carefully considers and says: “Master said that the Udumbara flower emerged three yuanhui ago and was discovered by the Sixth Ancestor and Yin Xue Tian together.”
“Later, Yin Xue Tian took away a seedling of the Udumbara flower, entered the Abyss of Darkness to seek the mani pearl, intending to use the power of the mani pearl to rapidly cultivate the Udumbara flower to maturity, thereby extending her own life by three hundred thousand years.”
“Yin Xue Tian! Yin Xue Tian! Yin Xue Tian…”
Zhang Ruochen’s gaze is profound as he recites this name, feeling an inexplicable sense in his heart, and says: “How could the Sixth Ancestor possibly allow Yin Xue Tian to take away the Udumbara flower? For such a supreme treasure of Buddhism to flow into the Infernal Realm and fall into the Nether Hall’s hands?”
“At that time, the Heavenly Court and the Infernal Realm had not yet gone to war; to be precise, there was no Heavenly Court at that time.”
Sea Water continues: “In fact, Yin Xue Tian has extremely deep ties to Buddhism. After becoming a supreme existence in the universe, she even entered Buddhism, cultivating Buddhist methods, and addressed the young Sixth Ancestor as junior brother, with the relationship of senior sister and junior brother.”
“Yin Xue Tian entered Buddhism? Who could teach her?”
Zhang Ruochen harbours considerable enmity towards the name Yin Xue Tian and cannot treat it with a normal mind.
Sea Water says: “In Buddhism, as long as one’s understanding of the Dharma is deeper than hers, one can teach her. Yin Xue Tian cultivated the Buddhist path to advance her cultivation further.”
“I think she was repenting!”
Zhang Ruochen says this, then adds: “So, in her later years, Yin Xue Tian brought the Udumbara flower into the Abyss of Darkness to seek the mani pearl, but never returned?”
“These are all things Master said!” Sea Water says.
Zhang Ruochen looks at the stone temple sealed in the ice and says: “Could this place be the dao field left behind by Yin Xue Tian back then?”
“Master also speculates as much!”
Sea Water says: “Master said that Yin Xue Tian was probably worried about encountering mishaps after entering the depths of the Abyss of Darkness. So, she left some important items in this stone temple.”
Zhang Ruochen stares at the two stone doors on the cliff wall and says: “Does that not mean the Udumbara flower might be in the stone temple?”
“It is entirely possible, and moreover, the two missing volumes of the Nether Scripture Eight Volumes might also be stored here.” Sea Water says.
Zhang Ruochen asks doubtfully: “Why do you know so much about Yin Xue Tian?”
“It is not that I know her; it is that Master knows her. Because, by calculation, she is Master’s senior aunt, and the two have met more than once.” Sea Water says.
Zhang Ruochen nods and says: “Where has Yuan Yi Ancient Buddha gone? Why did he leave you alone on this dark space continent? Has he entered the stone temple?”
