Chapter229 – Light’s ascending

“My other two disciples will also require your care,” Light added gently.

Viper stepped forward with a grin that oozed trouble. He gave Gerald a lazy wave. “Much appreciated, Sect Leader.”

Gerald’s smile froze. “…What?” His gaze snapped from Viper to the enormous white boar. “You mean—” his voice tightened, “—them too?”

Viper clicked his tongue. “Why say it like that? We’re brothers. Deep bonds. We don’t want to be separated.”

“Pah!” Gerald snapped. “Brothers? I can tell with one glance you’re not a good person. Don’t try to latch onto my sect.”

Viper curled his lip. “Sect Leader, judging by appearances isn’t very righteous of you. I can’t help how I look—blame my parents. At the very least, I’m human. That’s better than my second junior brother, right?” He jerked his chin toward the massive tusked boar.

Gerald stared. Then, slowly, he looked up at Light. “…That pig is also your disciple?”

Light smiled serenely. “Mr. Gerald. Education should extend to all beings. All lives are equal.”

Equal my ass. Gerald’s face turned green. He felt like Light was deliberately screwing with him.

“I’ll take Malcolm,” Gerald said stiffly. “As for these two wanting to enter my Thunder Sect? No fucking way.”

“Mr. Gerald,” Light replied patiently, “Viper has repented. He knows his mistakes and has reformed. You should give him a chance.”

Gerald clasped his hands and bowed three times—mock politeness dripping from the gesture.

“Then I must trouble Grand Master Light to give me a chance as well. I am the leader of a righteous sect. I have three thousand disciples watching me. I cannot casually accept a notorious figure and a pig into my ranks. I don’t wish to become a laughingstock.”

The implication was clear: even if he accepted them under pressure, the moment Light ascended, he’d throw them out.

Unfortunately for him, Light had anticipated this. He knew exactly where Gerald’s weakness lay.

“Alas…” Light sighed softly. “It seems my disciples are not destined for Thunder Sect. In that case… disciples, come. We shall go to the Moonlit Sect instead.”

He reached for Malcolm’s hand and began leading him away.

Malcolm stumbled after him, looking utterly unwilling. He kept turning his head, eyes fixed on Gerald.

Gerald’s heart cracked. Back then, it had been his decision to send Malcolm into Sky-covering Valley. If he hadn’t done that, Malcolm would never have been seized and shaved by this bald monk.

Now Malcolm had a chance to come home. And he was about to let him walk away again— Because of that smirking bastard and that fat fucking pig?

Gerald stood there, torn apart inside. Finally, through clenched teeth, he said, “Wait.”

Light stopped at once, unmistakable joy flickering across his serene face. “Mr. Gerald… have you changed your mind?”

Gerald gave a stiff nod. “Malcolm. Come here.”

Malcolm looked up at Light instinctively. Light gave him a small, approving nod. Only then did Malcolm walk back. “Master.”

Gerald reached out and rubbed Malcolm’s bald head, his fingers trembling slightly. His voice was thick. “Come. I’m taking you home.”

He led Malcolm back toward the formation. Viper grinned and hurried after them, tugging the rope tied around the enormous white boar’s neck.

Inside the formation, the disciples who had been braced for battle were completely dumbfounded. Weren’t they about to fight to the death? Why were they… welcoming guests instead?

Lauren understood immediately. Gerald had compromised. He had brought all three of Light’s disciples back.

Once they were inside, she ordered the Mountain Protection Array dismantled. The massive formation hummed and slowly faded into nothing. When she turned again, Light was already gone.

Gerald let out a long sigh. “Light… wasn’t always like this,” he said quietly. “Back then, everyone believed he had the highest chance of attaining Buddhahood. A once-in-a-millennium genius.”

He paused. “It’s just… for some reason, he chose to cultivate both Buddhist and demonic arts. That’s when he drove himself insane.”

Viper, standing nearby, shrugged. “Why? Because he’s mentally unstable.”

Gerald: “…” He almost wanted to shout toward the horizon: Light, come back. Take this bastard with you.

Viper continued anyway. “He had already reached the Great Perfection of the Triple Golden Body. By all logic, he should have ascended long ago. But he couldn’t. Then a thought struck him—he possessed both light and dark spiritual roots, yet he had only cultivated Buddhism.”

“He began to wonder if that imbalance was why he failed. Maybe if he cultivated both Buddhist and demonic paths, he could break through.”

“So he started cultivating demonic arts. And then,” he said flatly, “he went mad.”

He smacked his lips. “Even pure demonic cultivators fall into qi deviation all the time. Buddhism and demonic cultivation are fundamentally incompatible. Cultivating both? Of course he cracked.”

Viper added casually. “Fortunately, he’s spent all these years in Sky-covering Valley stabilizing himself. He can suppress the demonic side now. As long as no one provokes him, he won’t lose control.”

Gerald waved a hand dismissively. Who gives a damn anymore? He’s ascending. Not our problem. Then he looked at Viper again, and his face darkened.

“Don’t misunderstand,” Gerald said coldly. “Just because I allowed you into Thunder Sect doesn’t mean I trust you.”

“If you behave, you’ll get food and shelter. If you don’t…” His eyes sharpened. “I have plenty of ways to kill you. And no one would call that betrayal.”

Viper chuckled. “I wouldn’t dare. I’ve reformed.”

If he hadn’t laughed, maybe Gerald would’ve believed him a little. But when he grinned, those large yellow teeth flashed, and he looked every inch the villain he was rumored to be.

Gerald felt a headache forming immediately. He beckoned a disciple over. “Keep an eye on him. If he steps out of line, report to me at once.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

.....

With the matter settled, Lauren stood quietly, gazing in the direction Light had disappeared.

For a long time, she didn’t move. He was probably the loneliest cultivator in this world. He didn’t even know where he would ascend. There wasn’t a single disciple left to see him off.

Whatever he had become after losing his mind, before that… he had brought glory to Buddhism. He had written countless scriptures, saved countless lives, guided countless hearts out of suffering.

He was extraordinary. He shouldn’t be alone.

After a moment’s thought, Lauren rose into the air and flew toward the direction he had gone.

“Master Light.” She caught up with him not long after.

The solitary figure halted and turned slowly. “Is there something else?”

Lauren smiled gently and shook her head. “Master, I owe you a great debt for what you did back then. Let me see you off. Consider it repayment.”

Light looked at her for a long moment. Then he smiled and nodded. They traveled together for a while.

Eventually, he stopped atop a towering peak where the sun rose first each morning. From there, the world below was nothing but layers upon layers of clouds.

When dawn came, the sea of clouds would turn completely golden.

Light sat down cross-legged. Hands clasped. Lips moving softly, murmuring scriptures too quiet to hear.

At first, faint wisps of white light gathered around him, drifting like mist. Then the lights intensified.

They began accelerating, circling him faster and faster, until they surged violently into his body. He shone brighter and brighter, radiance spilling outward.

Holy. Untouchable. Like a true Buddha seated above the mortal world.

Three hours passed. By noon, the brilliance was almost blinding.