One Hundred Thousand Words

Chu Xingchen observed Wukong's expression. Since a favor had been granted, it was time to apply something else.

He signaled for Wukong to follow.

Two figures shot straight up into the sky.

Chu Xingchen stood in the air, gesturing for Wukong to look down and take in the entirety of the present-day Zhengyin Dharma Temple.

Although the Zhengyin Dharma Temple had been toppled, there were still many disaster victims who needed a place to live.

While many cultivators could work day and night without rest, they still needed buildings for certain tasks.

The cultivators had constructed the first batch of habitable buildings for the temple. Built in haste, they naturally held no claim to beauty.

It was essentially like cutting two holes in a box—this is the door, this is the window, this is the house.

If you asked whether the houses were crooked, the answer you'd get was—as long as they don't collapse, it's fine.

Most of the remaining structures were built by the disaster victims themselves, with the cultivators mainly providing layout plans. Therefore, neither the first batch nor the subsequent buildings had any aesthetic appeal.

They all carried the style of refugee shanties.

Chu Xingchen stood high in the sky, his gaze sweeping over the people of the Western Ox-Horn Continent, who could still manage smiles amidst the refugee shacks.

For a moment, he didn't know whether to feel comforted or saddened.

Chu Xingchen spoke softly to Wukong beside him:

"Many things can deteriorate to the extreme as long as no one acts. Similarly, just a little effort can steer matters back on the right track."

"Just a tiny bit. That tiny bit might just be a fleeting thought in many people's minds, yet for many matters, it's precisely this thought that's missing."

"It's true that most demons hide in various places, with only a minority within the Buddhist sects."

"Pursuing the fleeing demons first and temporarily allying with the Buddhist sects might be a good plan."

"But when it comes to who can stir up greater turmoil, right now, the entire Western Ox-Horn Continent is the answer."

"The Buddhist sects have you, so naturally they can't be said to be wholly corrupt. Yet, your Buddhas only need to remain silent to push things toward the worst possible outcome."

Wukong fell silent upon hearing this, truly unable to offer a reply.

Chu Xingchen's expression turned serious as he said:

"Let me be frank. The Western Ox-Horn Continent is just the beginning. Our goal isn't merely this continent, but to cross the Pudu River."

"The three great sects have joined forces to come here, not simply to clean up your mess or occupy territory."

"Once is enough for such a thing; I don't want a second time."

"You are the Buddha's Child. Now I ask you, which is more important: the Buddhist temples, or the multitude of common people below?"

Wukong let out a soft sigh:

"What does Sect Leader Chu want me to do?"

"The Buddhist sects are, after all, among the Eighteen Immortal Sects, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they rank within the top five," Chu Xingchen said calmly. "Directly moving against such a behemoth would be the most foolish action."

"It's also the outcome the demons most wish to see—a great conflict among cultivators, leaving both sides wounded."

"The best method is to dismantle it from within, just as the demons have done."

Wukong frowned upon hearing this. "Sect Leader Chu overestimates me. I am merely a Buddha's Child."

Chu Xingchen smiled. "You do have self-awareness."

Wukong was rendered speechless once again.

"Since you could meet me holding the token of the Radiant Buddha, I presume you have already found traces of him," Chu Xingchen said, looking sincerely at Wukong. "Only his Mahayana Dharma can dismantle the current Buddhist sects."

"To seek him out, you naturally cannot bring any burdens along."

"I have been waiting for you for a long time. Otherwise, did you think crossing the Pudu River would be so easy? I just didn't expect their movements to be so slow."

"Look down below, Buddha's Child Wukong."

"The fate of all under heaven, the great righteousness of the righteous path—it all rests on you now. Find him. Persuade him."

"I suppose you also dislike the thought of the five continents and four directions being plunged into misery and suffering?"

Wukong looked at Chu Xingchen's gentle smile.

The smile was indeed gentle, but the means of manipulation were also extremely sharp.

The emergence of this Mahayana Dharma was truly no different from taking his life.

Yet, words of refusal were something he simply couldn't, and didn't want to, utter.

Wukong heaved a deep sigh:

"I may not necessarily succeed."

Chu Xingchen, upon hearing this, clasped his hands in salute:

"The willingness to go is itself a great act of righteousness."

Wukong pressed his lips together firmly and returned the salute.

A moment later, a streak of rainbow light sped towards the depths of the Western Ox-Horn Continent.

Then, a figure emerged from within a formation.

Daoist Yuyang stood beside Chu Xingchen, his gaze also following the direction Wukong had departed. He inquired:

"Brother Chu, can those two monks be relied upon?"

"Success depends on human effort. We must at least try, as there's no better method at present anyway," Chu Xingchen gave an ambiguous answer, then continued, "Now that Buddha's Child Wukong has come, it's time for me to attend to the next matter."

Daoist Yuyang nodded with considerable satisfaction upon hearing this:

"I heard you've been quite idle lately. It's high time you got busy."

"As if you've been the one busy here all this time," Chu Xingchen snorted coldly. "I'm taking Baiqing with me, to spare her from enduring any more displeasure here."

Daoist Yuyang was taken aback, instinctively wanting to say something to persuade her to stay.

Although Chen Baiqing's methods were indeed unconventional, much like Chu Xingchen's, she got things done, and most importantly, she was extremely hassle-free.

Often, Daoist Yuyang didn't even need to give key instructions; Chen Baiqing would handle matters perfectly and then inform him—rest easy, I've taken care of all this.

If she left, wouldn't this somewhat laid-back life disappear, forcing him back to the days of constant overtime back in the Eastern Victory Divine Continent?

But strictly speaking, the part about 'enduring displeasure' was indeed somewhat true, which left Daoist Yuyang unable to refute it.

How annoying!

Where on earth did Chu Xingchen find Chen Baiqing?

Could he get one too?

So considerate—even if she were a demoness, or even a demon man, he could accept it.

You can lose the person, but not the battle of wills.

Daoist Yuyang waved his hand with a natural expression:

"I was merely giving your disciple a chance to gain experience. Take her if you wish."

"Tsk, what a sour smell."

Chu Xingchen raised an eyebrow, drawing out his tone.

"Tsk... I really can't understand Master's thinking."

Cui Hao lay on a reclining chair, legs crossed, basking in the warm sun, speaking while shaking his head.

Li Yingling was handling official business with a brush. When their master was here, he handled it. Now that he was gone, the task naturally fell to her, the senior disciple.

Fortunately, the forces currently gathered in the Western Ox-Horn Continent were immensely powerful. With their sweeping advance, there weren't too many troublesome matters to deal with, mostly just reports and some trivial, minor issues.

Handling them was still relatively easy.

Hearing Cui Hao's complaint, Li Yingling raised an eyebrow:

"Little Cui Hao, what amusing remarks do you have for us today?"

"Senior Sister, you staying behind is naturally because someone needs to oversee the overall situation," Cui Hao sat up straight, first casually flattering Li Yingling before continuing,

"But taking Second Senior Brother along is a misstep. Scholar Li and Fourth Senior Sister are both scholarly cultivators filled with righteous aura."

"Although Second Senior Brother is mighty, the setting isn't quite right; it doesn't quite match. Yet, I, your Fifth Junior Brother, am a genuine Confucian cultivator."

"Scholar Li, upon seeing me, would surely exclaim 'genius!' Based on camaraderie and sentiment, he should want to see me more."

Li Yingling, upon hearing this, also showed an expression of great agreement, nodding repeatedly:

"Hearing you put it this way, it does seem like a significant matter. Master's arrangement does indeed have some problems."

Cui Hao was stunned, not expecting his senior sister to actually agree.

Before Cui Hao could react,

Li Yingling put down the official documents in her hand, a mischievous smile appearing on her face.

"A matter of this magnitude must wait for Master's return. We will have to convene a full sect assembly to discuss it properly."

"Senior Sister?!" Cui Hao said with a look of terror. "You can't be serious."

Li Yingling laughed freely and said:

"Who said I'm joking!"

"Senior Sister, please spare me!" Cui Hao pleaded, his expression still showing fear.

"Do you remember that hundred-thousand-word essay you wrote disparaging me?"

"It wasn't disparaging you, Senior Sister... This junior brother was merely recording facts..."

"Hmm?!"

"Yes... it was this junior brother's mistake!"

"Good. I sentence you to write a hundred-thousand-word account of Senior Sister's glorious deeds. Do you accept this punishment or not?"

"This..."

"Hmm?!"

"I accept..."

Cui Hao nodded heavily, and in that moment, he made up his mind.

He could certainly write it.

But whether the fawning, syrupy account would be something Senior Sister could stomach would depend entirely on how thick-skinned she was!

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival.