Chapter 318 - 135: Homeless Dogs: I Have Arrived, Where Are You?

The Rebirth Buddha Venerable was silent for a moment, then sighed softly, his voice now laced with emotion:

"So, you have missed one person."

"And that person is him."

What?!

The Ruyi Elder Monk’s body trembled as if struck by lightning!

"He, he..."

"He’s coming!?"

...

Planting a tree is a difficult task.

From the soil, water, seed selection, sunlight, and Spiritual Qi, to even the Earth Veins, feng shui, starlight, and moonlight—all require meticulous consideration.

Snow fell, yet within the entire Gui Chen Sect, ninety-nine percent of the grounds remained untouched by snowflakes.

Only the thatched cottage in the backyard, enclosed by a wattle fence, was covered in snow.

In front of the fence, a Spiritual Spring, channeled from thousands of miles away, flowed gently. Melted snow mixed with its water, yet there was no sign of it freezing.

The Leader of Gui Chen Sect was not in seclusion.

Or rather, he no longer needed to be.

It was just that, compared to entertaining his many guests, he preferred to plant trees, water them, and loosen the soil.

DRIP! DRIP!

Droplets of Spiritual Liquid, formed from condensed Incense, trickled from the watering can. They pattered against the leaves and flowed over a humanoid fruit that had a full set of facial features.

"All things in heaven and earth share the same root, the same origin. There should be no difference between them, yet one must still pass through all sorts of methods and layers of conversion to obtain what one desires..."

The Leader of Gui Chen Sect held the watering can, seemingly talking to himself.

"The wonders of creation, the mysteries of Gui Chen... they are truly beyond words..."

Xiao Yu stood outside the fence, listening and watching in silence.

He did not make a sound.

Only after the Leader of Gui Chen Sect had finished speaking did he bow slightly and report:

"The West Mountain Incense Fire Platform is nearly complete. In two days, we can hold the Incense and Candle Grand Assembly. If the Sect Leader requires it, we can finish even sooner."

The Leader of Gui Chen Sect was a master of the Celestial Secret; very little could be hidden from him.

However, what the Sect Leader knew was his own business; Xiao Yu would not dare omit any part of his required report.

He was not the only disciple of the Leader of Gui Chen Sect, and there were reasons he had become the Vice Sect Leader.

"That won’t be necessary."

The Leader of Gui Chen Sect waved his hand. "The weather is freezing. Working through the night would ultimately cost too many mortal lives."

Although human lives were as insignificant as weeds, there was no need to waste so many on pointless matters.

Weeds were not completely worthless; they had other uses.

"The Sect Leader is merciful."

Xiao Yu nodded in agreement, adding a compliment.

"Mercy is a trick of the Buddhist Sects. We of the Gui Chen Sect don’t believe in such things."

"Evil is evil, the Dao is the Dao. What’s the point of using a fig leaf to hide ugliness?"

The Leader of Gui Chen Sect gave a wry smile.

"But that fig leaf is necessary, Sect Leader, to better harvest the Incense."

"The Wansheng Institute’s methods are much more sophisticated. They have already snatched away the Incense from many a State Mansion."

Xiao Yu said, probing.

"People are not unfeeling wood. And even unfeeling wood will chase the sun. This is nothing to make a fuss about."

The Leader of Gui Chen Sect set down the watering can and began trimming the branches of the spirit tree:

"But if they have no other choice... even in the Desert Sea, there is still grass and wood; even at the bottom of the deepest ocean, there is still seaweed. Between heaven and earth, there will still be countless believers."

"After this, they will no longer have a choice."

"That being the case, why care what the grass and wood think?"

"The Sect Leader’s insight is profound."

Xiao Yu said, sincerely convinced.

Seeing that the Leader of Gui Chen Sect was no longer speaking, he cupped his hands and prepared to take his leave.

"Wait. You need to be careful during this time."

Xiao Yu stopped and looked at the Leader of Gui Chen Sect.

He saw the Leader of Gui Chen Sect’s eyes turn profound, a cryptic smile playing on his lips.

"That person is coming."

As the words fell, a single person came to Xiao Yu’s mind.

In an instant, his pupils contracted, his expression filled with horror.

...

The next day, the snow stopped, and the sun shone brightly.

North of the Da Yu Capital City, high in the sky.

A young man in a white robe, accompanied by a Silver-White Dog Demon, walked through the air.

On the Incense Fire Platform, a young Daoist who had been cultivating with his eyes closed, opened them.

He took a step forward. A blade of light appeared, supporting his feet and carrying him instantly into the air.

The Daoist looked closely and let out a long cry!

"Who goes there?"

"This is a restricted area of the Gui Chen Sect! Unauthorized persons are forbidden from entering!"

"If you are a fellow Daoist here for the Incense and Candle Grand Assembly, you must wait until the day of the assembly to return!"

WHOOSH!

Before the shout had faded, more Daoists rose into the sky, riding on blades of light. Their auras surged, radiating a heavy sense of warning.

Unsure of the man’s intentions, they were unwilling to attack just yet.

The Da Yu Capital City was currently filled with a mix of good and bad, and there was no telling how many masters were present. As the hosts, they naturally had to be more cautious.

The Gui Chen Sect was strong, but they dared not offend all the powers in the Cultivation Realm.

The young Daoist’s long cry was like thunder rolling out of the mountains, and the scattered snow on the ground shattered from the force!

The immense sound wave echoed between the mountains, lingering for a long time, audible for hundreds of miles.

But the young man in white, who was walking through the air, seemed completely oblivious, his pace neither fast nor slow.

Before the sound had completely faded, he had already arrived before the Ten Thousand People Pit.

The Ten Thousand People Pit was, naturally, where the mortal commoners and sect slaves who built the platform were buried.

Only then did he slowly come to a stop.

WHOOSH!

The north wind howled, and from within the Ten Thousand People Pit, ghostly winds seemed to rise in response.

Faint roars of anger and wails of sorrow could be heard coming from within.

Corpse after corpse lay piled haphazardly, all just as stiff, all just as pale.

A single glance at the gruesome sight would be enough to give an ordinary person nightmares for a long time.

"Incense and Candle Grand Assembly..."

Su Bai muttered to himself.

AWOO!

Beside him, the Silver-White Dog Demon seemed to sense something. Its tail shot straight up, and it let out a low growl, baring its teeth.

High in the sky, the various Daoists exchanged glances.

It was the same young Daoist who spoke again, cupping his hands.

"I am Chu Zheng of the Gui Chen Sect. May I ask who you are, sir? And from which sect do you hail?"

Su Bai ignored the man’s question. His gaze shifted toward the Da Yu Capital City, hundreds of miles away. As if seeing something, he murmured to himself.

"It seems... the time is about right..."

Before the Daoists in the sky had a chance to ask, the young man in white before them suddenly vanished.

"What?"

The expressions of the many Daoists changed, and they immediately looked all around.

In the center of the thousands of Magic Altars, atop the colossal one that towered tens of thousands of feet high, the young man in white had appeared, already sitting cross-legged.

Looking down on them all.

Just as the many Daoists’ faces paled in shock and anger,

Su Bai looked down upon the mountains and spoke coolly:

"I have arrived. Where are you?"