Chapter 831 - 578: The Bead and the Bronze Gate (Part 2)
This is the invisible net that maintains the order of the world within the Dao Country, connecting cultivators and the faith of millions, and is the core reliance of the ’Returning to the Profound Faith’ spiritual leaders.
The region of Baihe Village is far from comparable to Huangniu Village, with scattered villages and complex affairs; it is difficult to attend to everything with just one’s own strength.
However, with the support of the Supreme Dharma Net, everything becomes much more manageable.
He only needs to focus and calm his spirit, and he can tour through the Dharma Net, overseeing every corner of the entire village within fifteen minutes.
Wherever people have demands, where there are hidden dangers, and where disputes occur, everything is clear at a glance, no longer needing to run around like he did before.
Besides, through this exclusive small temple, he can still be nourished by the faith of the people within his jurisdiction.
Whenever people come to pray and worship, that pure, sincere power of faith transmits through the statue and Dharma Net into his dantian, nourishing his true qi, assisting his cultivation, and further solidifying his connection with the local people.
...
Time turns, and another decade passes swiftly.
Zhang Jie is already married with children.
His wife was someone he met at the Daoist Merit exchange conference, gentle and virtuous, also a cultivator; they support each other, cultivating the Great Dao together, no longer alone.
They have a son and a daughter, both very adorable.
During these ten years, he has diligently held the position of ’Returning to the Profound Faith’ spiritual leader in Baihe Village, dedicated and faithful to his duties, scoring excellent in annual assessments.
The people are increasingly reliant on him, and their faith becomes more and more sincere.
His parents are still healthy and strong, and the family is harmonious, safe, and happy.
However, his realm remains at ’Returning to the Profound Faith,’ unable to advance further.
Within the Dao Country, there’s never a shortage of ’kings of diligence,’ and there are countless cultivators better and more hardworking than him.
To ascend to the next sequence as a ’Pure Mind Dao Reciter,’ more accumulation is required!
...
The morning fog has yet to clear.
Zhang Jie, wearing a Profound Daoist Robe, stands on the stone steps in front of the temple, his brow slightly furrowed.
Using the Supreme Dharma Net, he slowly tours, as he does every morning, inspecting every inch of land under his governance.
A faint yet clear message suddenly comes through.
It is from his subordinate—Wei Xin from Huangniu Village’s ’Returning to the Profound Faith.’
The content of the message is simple and clear; Wei Xin says there is an important matter to report and wants to come meet him personally.
Zhang Jie: "Okay!"
He has a deep impression of this young subordinate.
Wei Xin is diligent and meticulous in cultivation, a veritable ’king of diligence’ among peers, having garnered ’excellent’ ratings in the annual assessments for two consecutive years, very much in his own image.
In less than half an incense stick’s time, footsteps can be heard outside the small temple.
Zhang Jie looks up to see Wei Xin approaching quickly, wearing a neat Profound Daoist Robe, his expression respectful.
However, behind him, unexpectedly follows a middle-aged Daoist.
The middle-aged Daoist is dressed in a blue Daoist Robe, with a few careless arrogance between his brows; his gaze sweeps over the blue bricks and black tiles of the small temple with a hint of disdain.
"Wei Xin, who is this?"
Zhang Jie steps forward, his gaze falling on the middle-aged Daoist, faintly sensing something amiss.
Just as he finishes speaking, before Wei Xin opens his mouth, the middle-aged Daoist speaks first:
"Boundless Celestial Venerable!"
A soul-captivating power suddenly spreads wide, Zhang Jie only feels a daze, his consciousness beginning to blur.
At this moment, a tiny, rice-grain-sized, luminous white bead suddenly appears at his brow.
The bead briefly flashes, a cool and clear aura instantly sweeps through his body, akin to enlightenment, dispelling the enchanting power in an instant, making him suddenly clear-headed.
The originally indifferent gaze of the middle-aged Daoist brightens instantly upon seeing the luminous white bead.
A flash of greed and intense heat crosses his eyes, his voice becoming urgent:
"Such a Spirit Bead, pure and unstained, actually resides within your little Qi Refining cultivator’s body, it is destined for me!"
Before he even finishes speaking, the middle-aged Daoist raises his hand to grab.
In his palm, a pitch-black suction instantly appears, like a bottomless abyss, forcibly pulling at the bead on Zhang Jie’s brow.
That suction is extremely overpowering, twisting the surrounding air into a vortex, cracking the ground into web-like fine fissures, even uprooting surrounding plants and pulling them into the suction.
Zhang Jie is greatly shocked; he never knew he had such a bead at his brow.
Unable to ponder the bead’s origins, his heart spirit urgently turns, quickly communicating with his inner true qi and connecting with the Supreme Dharma Net.
An emergency transmission like a spark rushes to the upper levels of the Dao Country:
"Request assistance! There is an unknown cultivator attacking, strength unknown, send reinforcements quickly!"
The moment the transmission is sent out, he glances at Wei Xin beside him.
Wei Xin’s eyes are vacant, his expression bewildered, having already fallen under the control of the enchantment power.
Zhang Jie’s heart is both relieved and increasingly furious.
This Daoist is so insidious, resorting to such occult techniques to harm people right at the start.
If it weren’t for the bead at his brow, he would likely fall here today, dragging Wei Xin along with him.
In midair, that luminous white bead is being pulled and spins swiftly under the thread of pitch-black suction.
Its surface reveals a faint Spirit Light, acting as a protective shield, firmly resisting the invasive suction.
Every tremor bursts forth a ray of clear brilliance, countering some of the overpowering force.
Seeing this, the middle-aged Daoist’s lips curl into a playful smile, he squints his eyes and says:
"Ownerless object, how can it resist? Whatever I’ve set my sights on, there’s no reason for me not to obtain it!"
Zhang Jie gazes at the bead, suddenly feeling an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
It seems as though the bead is connected to his bloodline, his heart spirit intertwined.
With every resistance of the bead, his heart sends a sharp pain, as if there is something engraved deep within his soul about to be forcibly taken away.
Suppressing the confusion and pain in his heart, he focuses his gaze, no longer hesitating, and takes action immediately!
