Chapter 2618 - 2616: Art of Transformation

Chapter 2618: Chapter 2616: Art of Transformation

The Ullambana Festival is just around the corner, yet the protection measures of the Great Xiangguo Temple still remain purely decorative.

Long Fei and Lin Yingying entered through the main gate, without encountering a single person checking them along the way.

Devotees from all over have come specifically to participate in this grand event.

The courtyard where the pilgrims are staying is already crowded with people.

Some are even spreading out bedding outside, as lively as a marketplace.

Most of the monks in the temple have been assigned to renovate the plaza in front of the central Daxiong Treasure Hall.

This plaza has been expanded threefold in size, demolishing several of the original side halls.

Here, with meditation cushions laid out, it can accommodate at least a hundred thousand people.

Long Fei looked at the hundred-meter-tall Daxiong Treasure Hall and couldn’t help but praise, "The Buddhist Sect has operated for so many years on the Southern Observation Continent, and it has indeed achieved a certain scale!"

Lin Yingying chuckled softly, "It does seem more lavish than our Liangshan Island!"

Long Fei smiled and led Lin Yingying to sit in a garden, communicating via spiritual power, "Zhu Wuneng, Sha Wujing, Little White Dragon, come see me immediately!"

His primordial spirit was destroyed, and his cultivation level as a Profound Immortal was abolished, yet the spiritual power in his Divine Sea was undiminished.

The Seven-Arrow Book with Nail Head targeted the primordial spirit, but didn’t destroy the Divine Sea.

This was because his Divine Sea had already merged with the twelve-petal Chaos Green Lotus, and unless the twelve-petal Chaos Green Lotus was destroyed, his Divine Sea could not be broken.

In Long Fei’s Divine Sea, a green lotus stood towering across the sky.

His spiritual power still surged like an ocean, ready at any moment for Elixir Formation and Infant Spirit Evolution, transforming into divinity and becoming immortal.

He now wanted to try the path of cultivating the physical body, not wanting to split his focus on becoming immortal through spiritual power.

After a while, someone arrived outside the garden, making a noisy entrance, "Who has such gall, daring to summon your Grandpa Zhu to come pay a visit?"

Sha Monk and Little White Dragon followed behind him, all of them eyeing Long Fei with caution.

Long Fei looked at the three of them with a faint smile, "I am the Eastern Emperor, invited by your senior brother to protect your master."

"You are the Eastern Emperor?"

The three of them exchanged glances, not expecting Long Fei to be so young.

Zhu Bajie’s eyes couldn’t help but sweep over Lin Yingying, exclaiming in surprise, "Cloudy Sky Fairy, why are you here?"

Lin Yingying smiled faintly, "You have mistaken me for someone else. I am the wife of the Eastern Emperor, not Cloudy Sky Fairy."

Zhu Bajie exclaimed in amazement, "This, too, looks so much alike!"

Long Fei brewed tea and raised his hand, inviting the three to sit down and filled their cups.

Zhu Bajie picked up his cup and downed it in one gulp, savoring with arrogance, "Since you’re the helper invited by our senior brother, let’s dispense with the formalities. The master’s safety is my responsibility. With me, Marshal Tianpeng, holding the fort, let those little demons roll as far as they can. You and your wife can enjoy the spectacle here; you need not worry about anything else."

Sha Monk coughed lightly as a hint for him to tone down the boasting.

Little White Dragon, however, was polite and clasped his fist towards Long Fei, "Greetings, Emperor. Little Dragon has long heard of your great name. I’m honored to meet you today. My father mentioned you many times in his letters, and Little Dragon has greatly admired you."

Long Fei praised, "I too have often heard the West Sea Dragon King speak of you; you are now the pride of the Dragon Clan. Indeed, dignified and accomplished at such a young age."

"The Emperor is too kind!"

Inwardly, Little White Dragon felt comfortable, finding Long Fei different from those high-ranking, aloof figures; rather approachable.

Zhu Bajie, a bit impatient, said, "You two stop flattering each other, is there anything else? If not, I’d like to go back and take a big nap!"

Long Fei glanced at him and smiled softly, "When I arrived earlier, I heard the monks discussing, saying that over a hundred people have disappeared from the temple in recent days. Each day, blood and bones are found in the hall. I wonder, what is Friend Zhu’s view on this matter?"

Zhu Bajie’s ears drooped, his chubby face suddenly flushed as he stammered, "Wh-who is spreading such rumors? Here at the foot of the Heavenly Son, where the Buddha’s light shines brightly, who would dare to cause mischief?"

Sha Seng revealed the truth, awkwardly speaking to Long Fei, "The Emperor is right, there have indeed been continuous disappearances of pilgrims and monks in recent days. My junior brother and I have investigated for many days, but we have found nothing!"

Long Fei told them, "This demon is not ordinary; daring to cause trouble in the temple, not the work of little demons. Tonight, we need to devise a plan to lure them out."

"What plan?"

Sha Seng and Little White Dragon immediately lifted their heads.

Zhu Bajie, somewhat disdainful, said, "Don’t take us for fools; if we have no way, do you think you’ll have one?"

Long Fei asked them with a smile, "Do you have a portrait of Jin Chanzi?"

"Yes, of course we do!"

Sha Seng raised his hand, immediately taking out a portrait from his storage ring and handing it to Long Fei, "We chant and worship our master’s portrait every day."

"That’s you, not me!"

Zhu Bajie poured himself another cup of tea, drank it, and felt refreshed all over, "What kind of tea is this? Why does it feel like I’ve had miraculous pills?"

Lin Yingying covered her mouth with a laugh, "You’re in luck. This tea is soaked in Taiyi True Water, so naturally, it has wondrous effects!"

"Taiyi True Water?"

Zhu Bajie looked shocked, grabbing the teapot with an exclamation, "Then I must drink more of this!"

Long Fei took a look at the portrait and then returned it to Sha Seng. His skin began to change, and his bones started to shrink.

In the blink of an eye, he had transformed into the monk depicted in the portrait.

A body radiating solemn Buddha’s light left Sha Seng and Little White Dragon speechless.

Zhu Bajie sneaked another cup of tea, and when he saw everyone silent, he looked up to find a Great Monk staring at him from across.

The monk’s lips barely moved, softly laughing, "What, don’t recognize your master?"

Zhu Bajie, terrified, quickly leaped up, bowing with hands together, "Master above, Wuneng pays respect to Master!"

He knelt, bowing heavily to the Great Monk in front of him.

Sha Seng and Little White Dragon couldn’t help but burst into laughter, hurriedly helping him up, "Second Senior Brother, he’s not our Master!"

"Ah?"

Zhu Bajie raised his head, staring intently for a good look.

Long Fei transformed back into his own form, smiling faintly at the three, "How about it, can this transformation technique deceive the demons?"

Sha Seng praised repeatedly, "It’s so similar, especially the Buddha’s light, almost identical to our Master! This transformation technique has the sophistication of our senior brother’s skills."

Little White Dragon also exclaimed, "Such majestic Buddha’s light, could it be that the Emperor has studied Buddhist Law?"

"I know a bit!"

Long Fei sipped some tea, instructing them, "Today, let’s draw the snake out of its hole and capture all the demons hidden in this temple in one go!"

Sha Seng and Little White Dragon agreed enthusiastically, "Great plan, Emperor, let’s do it!"

Zhu Bajie stretched, looking as if he was put out, "Well, let’s give it a try then!"