NOVEL NEXT Chapter 39: The Ancient Monk
Below, the multitude of beings were all discussing the matters of the Purple Abode and the Chaos Origin Purple Qi Seed. A prospective Immortal King was certainly considered a significant figure, and his arrival pushed this grand gathering to a minor climax.
The reason was simple: at the final stage of such grand gatherings, it was customary for a powerful figure to hold a discourse on the Dao, serving as the concluding highlight.
Though there were rumors of an Immortal King being present for this event, what would actually transpire remained uncertain. Grand gatherings of prodigies were frequent, yet it was rare for an Immortal King to render teachings.
Now that a quasi-immortal king of the Purple Abode was in attendance, at the very least, he would be the one to speak on the Dao.
Suddenly, a magnificent spectacle unfolded in another direction across the firmament.
A sacred radiance descended, illuminating the clouds and the earth, accompanied by the crisp sounds of tolling bells, sweeping in from afar.
Amidst the indistinct scene, the crowd seemed to perceive a towering and grandiose peak, extending beyond the domain, wreathed by the sun, moon, and stars, absurdly tall, with a great sun suspended above it and the profound chanting of scriptures echoing at intervals.
"That is Mount Sumeru, the fourth tallest peak in the world, and the origin of the lineage of ancient monks," someone recognized the peak's provenance, astounded.
The beings of this lineage have always been mysterious and unassuming, often moving silently through the world, choosing to live in seclusion among the dust of society, quietly contemplating the passage of time.
Occasionally, an ordinary temple standing in a simple field might reveal an immortal monk, unnoticed until they create a sensation.
Thus, no one dares to underestimate the ancient monk lineage; even a ragged, destitute monk demands reverence.
When the phenomenon of Mount Sumeru appeared, the sound of tides resonated between heaven and earth. In the sky, an immense watery expanse appeared, and several monks navigated in a small boat across this vastness, seemingly ferrying destined individuals and offering salvation to all beings.
"The ancient monk lineage believes this world is an endless sea of suffering, and their teachings center on ferrying others across this vast sea of suffering, hence their arrival by boat," someone explained.
"The person at the helm is a renowned enlightened monk. I once met him atop Mount Sumeru. He has long stepped into the realm of immortal monks, possessing profound Buddhist teachings and having saved many great demons and devils.
His standing in the ancient monk lineage is high, reputedly capable of directly conversing with the legendary unparalleled Monk King.
I never expected such a powerful immortal monk to also attend the grand event in the South Sea's Purple Bamboo Forest.”
“Aren't you aware? Hua Yun, that esteemed immortal, has a deep connection with the lineage of the ancient monks. In her youth, she practiced on Mount Sumeru, achieving remarkable accomplishments in the path of Buddhist teachings.
She even received guidance from the Immortal Monk King himself. If her ambitions hadn't lain elsewhere, she'd likely have joined the ranks of the ancient monk lineage.”
“But that's not the only reason. This grand gathering is quite unusual. So many eminent figures have come together, which suggests some ulterior purpose, possibly related to the recent disturbances near the border.
The warlike beings from the other realms have been wreaking havoc for several epochs, obliterating many ancient worlds and leaving chaos in their wake. Lately, they've been stirring trouble in regions adjacent to our world, prompting several prominent leaders to move there to deter them. I have a feeling this commotion is not going to be small; it might even escalate into full-scale war.”
A spirited young man spoke, clad in celestial attire from a True Immortal family, exuding an extraordinary demeanor. Around him had gathered a noticeable number of young strong practitioners.
His words carried a high degree of credibility, convincing many as they frowned in contemplation.
“A full-scale war is impossible. With our world's prominent figures in place, the beings from the other realm wouldn't dare invade. No matter how many come, they will meet total annihilation.” Some from the crowd, including descendants of True Immortals, countered his statement in this manner.
With that remark, the surrounding beings echoed their agreement, including the youth from the True Immortal family.
They held the strongest beings of the ancient primordial world in high regard, believing that as long as those names continued to illuminate this realm, the foreign lands would not dare to invade.
However, some were less optimistic. These individuals hailed from incredible origins and were privy to many hidden truths.
The ancient world was currently frail, with those legendary figures either journeying through other realms, disappearing without a trace, or deeply engrossed in unachievable doctrines, rendering them entangled and unable to emerge any time soon.
Certainly, the foreign realms had grasped this intel before making their move on the ancient world.
Of course, they did not proclaim it publicly to avoid further chaos and panic among the people.
Amidst heated discussions, a magnificent galaxy suddenly unfurled from the distant horizon. Nine robust and powerful celestial horses were pulling a mottled bronze ancient war chariot swiftly toward them.
Even before its arrival, an awe-inspiring aura had already reached, causing the purple bamboo leaves to rustle and the turbulent waves of the Southern Sea to rise and crash against the bamboo’s roots.
"Oh my god, whose carriage is this? It's pulled by nine pure celestial horses from the Converging Tao realm! Not even a true immortal has the right to such luxury—could this possibly belong to an Immortal King?" someone exclaimed, unable to hide their shock, thinking the nine celestial horses were pulling an Immortal King.
However, immediately someone spoke up, revealing the truth.
“This is the bronze ancient war chariot of the Celestial King lineage of the Wang family, a renowned artifact from their ancestral Celestial King, who once drove this chariot to vanquish four directions and annihilate Celestial Kings.
Look, the arrow holes and axe marks covering the chariot are remnants from Celestial Daoists, marks of glory and symbolism.”
“So, does this mean the Wang family's Celestial King has arrived? But wasn't this supreme figure supposed to have gone to the border to intimidate the invaders?”
“Of course, it wouldn't be the Wang family's Celestial King. As long as the crisis at the border isn't resolved, the Celestial King won’t return.
I speculate that the one riding on this chariot is likely the Wang family's Celestial King's son, who recently climbed to the top of the ancient monument, stunning the ancient realm. Among the remaining powerful figures of the Wang family, none are qualified to use such a level of conveyance.”
Upon hearing that the visitor might be the Wang family's Celestial King's son, who topped the Dao Realm on the ancient monument and became a supreme prodigy in the same tier, the area where the young prodigies were gathered erupted in excitement.
Everyone wanted to see what this supreme young prodigy, who was unmatched among his peers, looked like and just how formidable he truly was.
Several young beings with powerful auras glanced toward the bronze ancient war chariot.
Their identities were quite special, subtly ranking even higher than the descendants of True Immortals.
Gathered quietly in a corner, they formed a small group, constantly engaged in calm and lively conversation.