Chapter Fourteen: The Seven Saints of the Foundational Realm (1)

Enthralled by the Lake. In the Pavilion of Lake Stars.

After the disciples dispersed, Hua Sheng was arranged by Master Yu Ran to wait in the Pavilion of Lake Stars. He had participated in the Qiankun Guard battle related to the Jove Silk and was also summoned to discuss the response strategy regarding the loss of the Jove Silk by the Kelin Demon School.

Along with him were Masters Jue Guang, Qing Miao, the Supreme Young Lord, and Tian Ji Zi.

As soon as everyone settled in the pavilion at the heart of the lake, Master Yu Ran arrived on a cloud.

Seeing that all were present, Master Jue Guang remarked, “Those foreigners possess some skill. They managed to break through the Primordial Dao and cause such a commotion at the Academy.”

Master Yu Ran nodded, “I observe that they are about the same age as our Academy disciples. To wield Yin-Yang water and fire with just a bamboo chopstick-like artifact, and even summon monsters to aid them, is truly perplexing.”

He continued slowly, “That’s why I was a little late earlier—I took the time to watch the widely-known ‘News Broadcast’ from the mortal world to gain some understanding. I hadn’t expected that those people in Europe and America are all suffering terribly, nowhere near as peaceful as our realm.”

“From this, I deduce that the disciples of the Kelin Demon School are all adept in their arts, truly embodying the old saying, ‘A sharp sword is forged through grinding; plum blossoms gain fragrance from bitter cold.’ In the future, we should send our disciples to places like France, England, and America—barbaric and backward lands—so that the younger generation can experience true hardship rather than being pampered and achieving nothing here.”

The Supreme Young Lord bowed and replied, “Master’s words are most wise! Such action would indeed benefit the cultivation and growth of the Academy’s younger disciples!”

Hua Sheng wanted to say something but felt this was not the right time, so he silently admired Master Yu Ran’s extraordinary way of thinking and imitated the Supreme Young Lord, clasping his hands in salute, “Master’s insight is truly remarkable and well founded. Your disciple will remember.”

Master Yu Ran asked, “After the Qiankun Guard battle, Hua Sheng, you disappeared. Where did you go?”

Prompted, Hua Sheng reported what he had seen when striking the Jove Silk to Masters Yu Ran and Jue Guang, though he omitted mentioning the magic silk’s arrival at the hospital.

Master Yu Ran was quite surprised about the origin of the Jove Silk and the mysterious Ming You.

“If what you saw truly is the origin of this artifact, I never imagined such a treasure existed in the world. However, Ming You’s ‘pre-rain’ coming from a thousand years in the future explains the erosion of the celestial formation in the Heavenly Eye trial. That ‘pre-rain’ likely carries some future celestial charm, unknowingly corroding our Academy’s Xuanwu Formation.”

Master Jue Guang agreed and asked, “According to your account, Hua Sheng, you then returned to Shengpingning. But where were you for the following hundred days?”

“I ended up in a place called the Great Thousand Zen Temple,” Hua Sheng said.

Hearing the name, all present showed puzzled expressions.

Hua Sheng quickly recounted his experiences at the Great Thousand Zen Temple in full.

After listening, Master Jue Guang asked, “Did Master Ruokong say anything?”

“Master Ruokong was quite amiable…” Hua Sheng felt uneasy and stopped talking about Ruokong, saying instead, “He didn’t say much, only told me to do nothing and daydream every day.”

“Do you mean chanting and copying Buddhist scriptures daily?” Jue Guang pressed.

“No, not that,” Hua Sheng admitted honestly. “Master Ruokong did not force me to do anything… but…”

“What is it?”

“I once borrowed the Ruyi Jingu Bang from the Victorious Fighting Buddha, but this treasure seemed useless against Master Ruokong.”

Hua Sheng narrated how he nearly harmed Master Ruokong by mistake and how the staff was taken from him.

Master Jue Guang pondered briefly and said, “After all, he is the last heir of the Sandalwood Merit Buddha’s Compassion Sect; the Ruyi Jingu Bang naturally cannot harm him.”

Hua Sheng asked, “Could it be that Abbot Ruokong’s power is unfathomable?”

Master Yu Ran said, “Not only unfathomable. When you saw him, was he wearing a red kasaya?”

“Yes. What of it?”

“That is no ordinary robe. It is the Buddha’s robe, often called the Brocade Kasaya, inlaid with seven jewels, impervious to fire and water, protecting the wearer from harm and evil spirits. When the Buddha entrusted this robe to Guanyin Bodhisattva, who passed it to Tang Sanzang, and after Xuanzang attained Buddhahood and accepted Ruokong, the robe was passed down to this gatekeeper disciple.”

The Supreme Young Lord added, “So it’s clear why the Ruyi Jingu Bang could not harm Master Ruokong…”

Hua Sheng suddenly understood.

With Hua Sheng’s matters concluded, Master Yu Ran asked Masters Jue Guang and Qing Miao, “What are your thoughts on the Kelin Demon School’s actions today?”

“I have never heard of the Kelin Demon School,” Hua Sheng said solemnly, “but today’s disturbance was clearly caused by individuals with some cultivation. Their behavior is a typical illegal assembly disrupting public order. I think we should report this to the authorities…”

The atmosphere suddenly fell silent.

After a moment, Master Yu Ran, skipping over Hua Sheng’s suggestion, asked, “What do you two think?”

Master Jue Guang responded, “I believe the Shengpingning Ministry of Defense will not get involved. Even if reported, they will likely let the Academy handle it internally.”

Master Qing Miao nodded, “Though I have never heard of the Kelin Demon School, their recklessness seems genuine and not mere fabrication. Besides, since they displayed the purple-gold thread from the Academy’s robe, they are clearly not just causing trouble for no reason.”

At this, Tian Ji Zi said, “Though not confirmed, they do have proof. It seems they found this thread and thus boldly confronted us.”

Master Yu Ran stroked his long beard, “Do you know which Academy disciples have visited Brazil?”

The Supreme Young Lord corrected, “Master, that place is called Paris.”

“Oh… such barbaric places have names hard to remember,” Master Yu Ran said. “Though difficult to find, we must expedite the investigation into which Academy disciples have been there.”

Master Qing Miao replied, “If it is indeed our disciples, they cannot be let off. This must be investigated thoroughly.”

Master Yu Ran said, “But how can we find the thief with only this half purple-gold thread?”

“There is a way,” said Master Jue Guang.

Master Yu Ran hurriedly asked, “Oh? What is your insight?”

Master Jue Guang answered, “Only the Dao Spirit Star Lord can identify it.”

Master Yu Ran pressed, “Please elaborate.”

Master Jue Guang explained, “All the Academy’s robes are crafted by Dao Spirit Star Lord. I’ve heard from him that he can distinguish the subtle differences in each robe’s stitching.”

Master Yu Ran sighed lightly, “But as you all know, the Dao Spirit Star Lord was taken away by Li Jing, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King. He is likely trapped in the Fiery Wrath Prison and will find it hard to escape anytime soon. Meeting the three-day deadline set by the Demon School is simply impossible.”

Hua Sheng heard the name “Fiery Wrath Prison” for the first time, imagining it as a heavily guarded prison, though he did not know its location.

He quickly stood up and asked, “Masters, I was not present in the Academy before. What crime was Dao Spirit Star Lord accused of?”

Master Yu Ran replied, “The Star Lord was blamed for the Qiankun Guard battle a hundred days ago. According to the heavenly laws listed by Li Jing, there were three charges. First, the battle caused injuries and deaths among the Academy’s masters and disciples, reflecting a failure of the headmaster’s duty. Second, he recklessly admitted the dangerous disciple Ming You, threatening Shengpingning’s safety…”

Master Qing Miao suddenly interrupted, “Ming You was recommended by me, so it is truly unrelated to Dao Spirit Star Lord.”

“To impose guilt, one never lacks excuses,” said Tian Ji Zi.

“Moreover, there is a third charge,” Master Yu Ran continued. “Before the Qiankun Guard battle, Ming You secretly attacked the Moon Palace to successfully perform the Moon Control Technique, severely injuring the palace’s master, Chang’e. This is a grievous sin.”

Hua Sheng immediately recalled the time Ming You appeared, his ribbon resembling Chang’e’s attire. It must have fused the Moon Palace treasure with Ming You’s power, which explained why no one could resist him then.

But how could all this be blamed on Dao Spirit Star Lord?

Unable to hold back, he said, “These charges are unfair to the Star Lord! It was your disciple who sought the Academy’s protection for the mortal realm! How can the Star Lord be arrested?”

The three masters said nothing. The Supreme Young Lord said, “We bear the token of the Supreme Elder Lord. So the blame cannot fall on us.”

Hua Sheng said indignantly, “So Dao Spirit Star Lord is left to take the fall?”

The Supreme Young Lord said, “Shengpingning and the celestial realm did suffer losses because of this. If investigated thoroughly, no deception can pass. Someone must take responsibility.”

Master Yu Ran added, “The celestial realm will not let this go. Among the Seven Saints of Ascension, Dao Spirit Star Lord has always been apart from the other six, so no other celestial saint will stand with him to intervene.”

Hua Sheng asked, “I often hear of the Seven Saints of Ascension. Besides Dao Spirit Star Lord, who are the other six?”

Master Yu Ran explained, “You should have heard of most of the other celestial saints in Shengpingning. Among those who took Dao Spirit Star Lord away was Li Jing, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, one of the seven. Besides him, there is the True Immortal of Blessings and Virtue, Yun Zhongzi.”

“Yun Zhongzi—I have heard that name,” Hua Sheng nodded.

“There is also Lü Dongbin of the Eight Immortals, Erlang Shen Yang Jian, and the Primordial True Lord. The Fiery Wrath Prison where Dao Spirit Star Lord is held is under Erlang Shen Yang Jian’s jurisdiction. The last member is Tai Bai Jin Xing.”

“Ah! The name Tai Bai Jin Xing is indeed thunderous!” Hua Sheng agreed enthusiastically. “Are all these celestial saints here in Shengpingning?”

“Mostly here, but sometimes busy with heavenly court affairs, so they travel between the two realms.”

Hua Sheng asked, “Why do the other six not get along with Dao Spirit Star Lord?”

“They are all comrades on the same path, not exactly at odds. They simply have different understandings of the Dao and magic.”

“So they can just stand by and do nothing when he is in danger?” Hua Sheng said, puzzled. “One is responsible for capturing Dao Spirit Star Lord, another for imprisoning him. The Seven Saints of Ascension hardly seem like comrades. Is anyone taking advantage to exact revenge?”

“Silence! You, child, must not suspect noble intentions with petty thoughts!” Master Jue Guang scolded sharply. “The heavenly court has heavenly laws, and Shengpingning has its own rules. How dare you, a mere child, prattle on with such nonsense!”