Chapter 438 : Visitors Arrive
438: Visitors Arrive
Golden Peng departed, leaving only Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue in the guest quarters.
Watching Golden Peng's hastily retreating figure, Jiang Mo uncertainly asked Yun Qingyue: "Ah Yue, don't you think Golden Peng was fine earlier, but now he's suddenly leaving rather hurriedly?"
Yun Qingyue shared this impression, but if asked for the reason, she hardly knew Golden Peng well enough to say.
Jiang Mo couldn't quite understand it, but she didn't dwell on the matter. Looking around again, she smiled: "This place still looks the same as before." She then explained to Yun Qingyue: "Three years ago when I first came here, Golden Peng also arranged for me to stay here. But at that time, you suddenly reverted to your ancestral form and broke through, emerging from my spatial domain. You probably didn't have time to look around before the tribulation lightning struck and damaged this place."
Yun Qingyue indeed had no impression of this place. Hearing this, she truly looked around, though after the Buddha Sect's repairs, the area had been completely restored, leaving no trace of the lightning tribulation.
Mentioning this, Yun Qingyue felt somewhat apologetic: "That was quite sudden; I regret causing trouble for the Buddha Sect."
Indeed! No one typically underwent tribulation on someone else's rooftop. Even when facing tribulation within one's sect, there were usually specially prepared locations. But that year, a Swan Goose suddenly appearing in the Buddha Sect had truly caught everyone off guard, and the power of that ancestral reversion tribulation had been genuinely frightening, forcing her to undergo it where she was and consequently destroying many Buddha Sect buildings.
Recalling how the Buddha Sect had insisted on not accepting compensation, Jiang Mo also felt somewhat embarrassed, since that disaster was inextricably linked to her—she had used dragon bones to induce her Senior Sister's ancestral reversion, and she had brought her to the Buddha Sect, naturally making her responsible. Fortunately, time had passed, and today as they walked through, the Buddha Sect had already restored its former splendor.
After chatting briefly, they inevitably returned to the topic of the blood-qi. Jiang Mo expressed concern: "I wonder when the blood-qi will be completely purified? Recently there have been so many unexpected events; I feel we should stay until this matter is concluded."
Yun Qingyue shared this thought, otherwise why would she have agreed to stay: "Blood-qi isn't easy to purify. Let's ask the Senior in a few days."
Jiang Mo nodded obediently, and afterward, the two settled in to stay temporarily at the Buddha Sect.
......
The Buddha Sect had numerous rules, but those mainly applied to internal disciples rather than guests—apart from restricting entry to certain important sect areas, the Buddha Sect was largely open to outsiders. However, among the Buddha Sect's visitors, complete outsiders like Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue were the minority; most were Buddhist cultivators coming to exchange knowledge or seek guidance, like the exchange gathering Jiang Mo had encountered during her previous visit.
The little tiger clearly had no interest in Buddhist teachings; she hadn't been interested in listening to monks' sermons back then, and was even less interested now. However, after staying at the Buddha Sect for a few days, both realized that Golden Peng's description had been conservative—the current Buddha Sect was truly quiet.
One day, with nothing to do, they walked around the Buddha Sect to look around, but encountered very few disciples along the way. Jiang Mo quietly remarked to Yun Qingyue: "Senior Sister, do you think the Buddha Sect always had so few people, or have they all been sent out?" Without waiting for Yun Qingyue's response, she continued: "I think there should be quite a few people, but is Tan Xin's disappearance really worth the Buddha Sect making such a commotion?"
This time Yun Qingyue answered: "It is. Tan Xin is a Buddha's Disciple; the Buddha Sect must ensure his safety at all costs."
Very well, Jiang Mo had underestimated Tan Xin's position. Having come this far in the conversation, she couldn't help but ask curiously: "Ah Yue, what do you think happened with Tan Xin's disappearance? He couldn't have awakened and left on his own, right? And who could have abducted him from right under the Buddha Sect's nose?"
Yun Qingyue shook her head, only saying: "I don't know, but the cultivation world is currently in troubled times, and this matter likely won't be easily resolved."
Jiang Mo felt like sighing upon hearing this—simply because the phrase "troubled times" had been heard so often it had become numbing. She still remembered eighty years ago, shortly after being brought back to the Xuanqing Sect by her Senior Sister, when Chu Yang emerged during the Three Sect Martial Arts Competition, subsequently implicating the suddenly rising Nine Abyss Sect. Many people had spoken of "troubled times" then. Now eighty years had passed, yet the cultivation world's "troubled times" still hadn't ended—this "autumn" was certainly quite prolonged.
Hearing Jiang Mo's sigh, Yun Qingyue didn't understand what was wrong with her words and asked directly. Jiang Mo didn't conceal her thoughts, expressing her internal complaints, which eventually caused Yun Qingyue's expression to momentarily become peculiar as well.
However, compared to Jiang Mo, Yun Qingyue accepted this more readily: "Each major change in the cultivation world spans hundreds or even thousands of years."
Precisely because of this, upon perceiving the approaching major changes, Zhu Baiyi had urged them to cultivate diligently and ascend early. However, Jiang Mo knew she couldn't escape, and Yun Qingyue wasn't one to avoid difficulties, which was why they hadn't heeded the advice to focus entirely on ascension.
The two chatted casually, creating a relaxed and harmonious atmosphere.
Looking around and seeing no one, Jiang Mo walked increasingly closer to Yun Qingyue, then secretly reached for her hand—two women holding hands wasn't an inappropriate action, but between them, it was clearly not so innocent. In the past, Yun Qingyue would undoubtedly have avoided this without a second thought, but now as they walked side by side, their arms swinging, their hands inadvertently linked, creating an unspoken intimacy.
Jiang Mo knew her Senior Sister wouldn't refuse, but actually holding that slightly cool, delicate hand still filled her heart with joy and satisfaction.
Perhaps the silent responses Yun Qingyue had given Jiang Mo these days had provided her with sufficient courage, or perhaps the current tranquil environment stirred her thoughts. She suddenly turned to Yun Qingyue and began: "Ah Yue, once this matter is concluded, will you come with me back to..."
Her words were cut short by Yun Qingyue: "Someone's coming."
Jiang Mo faltered, looking up to indeed see a golden streak of light rapidly flying toward them. Even as it approached, it didn't slow down, nor was it impeded by the Buddha Sect's formation. The streak of light ultimately flew directly over their heads, heading toward the rear mountain hall.
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · · · · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
While Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue were guests at the Buddha Sect, someone flying over their heads was undoubtedly discourteous. Beyond being impolite, it was reckless, inconsistent with the typically mild-mannered nature of Buddha Sect disciples—clearly something had happened.
Yun Qingyue's attention was immediately drawn to that streak of light. The atmosphere broken, Jiang Mo had no choice but to swallow the words on the tip of her tongue.
Noticing Yun Qingyue's focus, Jiang Mo said: "Judging by how hurried that person looked, something must have happened. Ah Yue, wait here while I go find Golden Peng to inquire."
Nothing happening in the Buddha Sect could escape Golden Peng's awareness, except for that one time with the little monk's disappearance.
However, Yun Qingyue stopped Jiang Mo, withdrawing her gaze and shaking her head: "There's no need. That's Buddha Sect business, and we're outsiders. We shouldn't pry."
Hearing this, Jiang Mo didn't insist, merely responding with agreement, though this interruption had clearly affected both of them—Jiang Mo felt dissatisfied at being interrupted, while Yun Qingyue was curious, unable to guess what event would cause a Buddha Sect disciple to be in such a hurry.
The two made some casual guesses and were about to return to the guest quarters when they suddenly sensed an enormous spiritual energy fluctuation coming from the rear mountain.
Was someone fighting?!
Both were startled, as the rear mountain was a restricted area of the Buddha Sect, generally off-limits to outsiders—Jiang Mo had visited the Buddha Sect twice, but even with her status, she had never been to the rear mountain. As for Yun Qingyue, when she had come to deliver invitations for her sect years ago, she had visited the rear mountain to see the Abbot. But even then, she had come and gone quickly, only meeting the person and delivering the invitation without lingering at the rear mountain.
Yet in this restricted area, a fight had suddenly erupted—what exactly had happened? And was there any connection between the earlier streak of light heading toward the rear mountain and this current conflict?
Jiang Mo was extremely curious. Her previously somewhat subdued mood immediately became animated again as she stood on tiptoe, craning her neck to look.
Yun Qingyue could only sigh helplessly, finding Jiang Mo's behavior somewhat amusing—if she were truly curious and wanted to see, flying into the air would be better than standing on tiptoe. What could she accomplish by standing on her toes?
When Jiang Mo turned back, she immediately caught her Senior Sister's speechless expression and guessed her thoughts, giving an embarrassed laugh: "I'm just curious. But there's no need to fly up to look—that would be too conspicuous, and it wouldn't be good if the Buddha Sect people saw us."
Yun Qingyue didn't reprimand her, merely shaking her head and saying: "You can't see anything from here anyway."
Jiang Mo certainly knew this and reluctantly set aside her gossiping heart, saying: "Alright then, let's..."
Before she could say "go back," another intense spiritual energy fluctuation transmitted over. This one was even more powerful, and since Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue had turned in time, with their exceptional eyesight, they could even see several glass tiles flying up and then falling back down.
Judging by the situation, hadn't they fought so fiercely that even the roof was being torn apart?!
Jiang Mo immediately sucked in a breath, quite surprised, because her impression of the Buddha Sect people was that they were mild-mannered and good-tempered. Unless confronting demonic cultivators, Buddha Sect people occasionally transformed into wrathful guardians, but they weren't typically so turbulent.
"What exactly is happening?" Jiang Mo grew even more curious, unable to suggest returning. Instead, she pulled Yun Qingyue to stay and watch.
As it turned out, staying always allowed one to witness excitement, and cultivators fighting invariably demonstrated astonishing destructive power—within less than half a cup of tea's time after they stayed, they saw a figure fly into the air from the rear mountain, quickly pursued by another. The two began fighting in midair. Worth noting was that both wore white monk robes, and both had bare, shiny heads, appearing to be Buddha Sect disciples.
However, this assumption was quickly dispelled. Initially, their exchange was filled with golden light and Buddhist radiance, but as they fought, one person's golden light turned black, and even their monk's robe seemed affected, covered with a layer of darkness.
Seeing this, Jiang Mo gasped: "What's going on? Why does that black energy look so much like... so much like demonic energy?!"
This observation was truly bewildering, because Buddhist light naturally countered demonic energy, and Buddhist cultivators naturally countered demonic cultivators. While it was possible for someone to practice both Buddhist and Daoist paths, or both Daoist and demonic paths, to practice both Buddhist and demonic paths—two completely opposing, mutually exclusive energies concentrated in one body—wouldn't that person have long since exploded?
Yun Qingyue focused her attention and said: "Let's watch a bit longer before drawing conclusions."