Chu Xingchen glanced at Xie Lingyu's subtle expression, noticing it was no longer so tense. It seemed the little joke from earlier had eased her inevitable nervousness.
After all, standing before them was a large group of Tribulation stage cultivators, and the welcoming formation was incredibly grand.
To say she was afraid would naturally be underestimating Xie Lingyu, but no one would want to lose face in such a situation.
However, truth be told, the one who should really be nervous was Runan.
This time, the only people who came were indeed Chu Xingchen and Xie Lingyu. Bai Xuanling had already gone off to busy herself with the Heavenly Dao Map.
Huang Miao had the time to come, but he was only at the peak of the Tribulation stage. If the Buddhist Sect really decided to act out, Huang Miao would likely perish here as well.
Bringing him would be useless anyway, so to show his sincerity and good faith, Chu Xingchen decided to come alone with Xie Lingyu.
Coming to the Buddhist Sect alone naturally had more advantages than disadvantages.
Chu Xingchen was certain that during his time at the Buddhist Sect, Runan's attention would mostly be focused on him.
If anything happened to him, the entire Buddhist Sect would probably become the target of public criticism.
Setting aside the True Immortal Bai Xuanling, the Heavenly Yan Sect and the Profound Clarity Heavenly Sect would join forces under the banner of righteousness, backed by a group of sub-top-tier immortal sects yearning for spirit veins. The entire Buddhist Sect would definitely be skinned alive.
Such a massive formation was proof of this: firstly, it showed importance, and secondly, it showed extreme respect.
No one likes trouble, unless solving this trouble can eliminate an even bigger one.
For instance, his visit to the Great Thunderclap Temple this time wasn't because he wanted to come, but because it was time to come.
The previously discussed implementation of Hinayana Buddhism had failed in the Southern Jambudvipa. Anyone with a discerning eye would understand the situation; this required an explanation.
Secondly, only the Buddhist Sect's Western Aparagodaniya was stable, and the Buddhist Sect had the highest number of Tribulation stage cultivators.
This force naturally had to be mobilized as much as possible, ideally directed straight at causing trouble for Boluo. And the excuse was easy to find: Boluo had stayed in their Buddhist Sect for who knows how many years. When it came to familiarity with Boluo, no one in the world could surpass the Buddhist Sect.
This was also the main reason why a Buddha from the Buddhist Sect was invited to the last meeting.
Chu Xingchen puffed out his chest and slightly quickened his pace toward Runan, speaking in a gentle tone:
"Daoist Runan, it has been a long time. I have missed you greatly."
Runan, with a kind expression, nodded slightly and casually praised:
"Daoist Chu's demeanor is as impressive as ever. Your demon-slaying exploits in the East Sea are known throughout the world."
"It was just a matter of convenience," Chu Xingchen chuckled, his tone relaxed. "The formation today is so grand, I feel I hardly deserve it."
Runan's calm gaze shifted to glance at Xie Lingyu, and then he chuckled, offering proactively:
"If you wish to leave a visual record, it would be fine. The Great Thunderclap Temple's respect for you can naturally be made known to all."
Hearing this, Xie Lingyu was about to politely decline, but Chu Xingchen beside her spoke faster:
"Sure, then I'll trouble you, Daoist."
Chu Xingchen agreed very quickly. He then took out a Recording Stone, pulled Xie Lingyu around, and held the stone high to capture Runan beside him and the group of Tribulation stage Buddhas behind them.
Xie Lingyu felt a moment of confusion, and by the time she looked up, the Recording Stone was already aimed.
Chu Xingchen's voice was calm and clear: "Come, Daoist Runan, give us a smile."
Hearing this, Runan very cooperatively revealed a gentle smile.
Before Xie Lingyu could adjust her expression, the faint sound of the Recording Stone capturing the image rang out.
Such fast movements, without the slightest hesitation.
But whatever...
Xie Lingyu didn't know what to feel right now. After all, it was normal for Chu Xingchen to fool around occasionally, and once the fooling around was done, it would be time to get down to business.
However, the next moment, Chu Xingchen pulled out another brand-new Recording Stone.
Moving swiftly, he pulled Xie Lingyu in for another shot, taking three consecutive records before looking satisfied.
Without a word, Chu Xingchen first handed one Recording Stone to Xie Lingyu to keep safe.
But surprisingly, he also handed one to Runan.
Chu Xingchen offered the stone: "I borrowed Daoist Runan's prestige for this. I didn't bring any gifts when I came, so let this count as one."
"Thank you, Daoist." Runan straightforwardly reached out and took it. At the same time, he stepped slightly to the side, revealing the main doors of the Great Thunderclap Temple's Mahavira Hall, and said in a slightly more solemn tone, "Daoist, please."
Chu Xingchen nodded slightly and followed Runan's steady steps toward the Mahavira Hall.
Runan's tone was steady: "This is your first time at our Great Thunderclap Temple. I should have shown you around to see the sights of our Buddhist Sect, but after learning about your recent situation, I figured you probably don't have much time."
"I'm destined to toil..." Chu Xingchen sighed slightly, then continued as if he had suddenly remembered something, "By the way, regarding the matter of Hinayana Buddhism, wasn't it personally overseen by a Buddha Son named Wu Wang?"
Runan replied, "He handled the matter poorly. He has already returned to the Great Thunderclap Temple from the Southern Jambudvipa and is currently being punished."
"This matter cannot be entirely blamed on him. My group of unworthy disciples came up with quite a few terrible ideas," Chu Xingchen said with a sincere expression. "Today, I hope the Honored Buddha can do me a small favor and exempt Wu Wang from his punishment, if you please?"
Runan looked deeply at Chu Xingchen. He felt that although Chu Xingchen sometimes acted unscrupulously, in the end, he would always try to clean up the mess and wouldn't truly turn a blind eye.
"Since it is rare for you to ask, I naturally will not reject your request."
Runan nodded slightly, then gestured for Chu Xingchen to take the seat specially reserved for him in the Mahavira Hall.
The Mahavira Hall was not like a standard sect's meeting hall. All the seats inside were reserved for specific Buddhas, and they were suspended high around the perimeter of the hall, resembling a mural.
This vaguely aligned with the Buddhist Sect's conceptualization of the world, making it a unique characteristic.
Naturally, this characteristic inevitably had some drawbacks. When actually receiving guests in the Mahavira Hall, figuring out how to properly arrange the seating required some thought.
Runan's Honored Buddha seat was located slightly towards the back in the center. According to past conventions, truly important guests were seated next to the Honored Buddha's seat, just slightly lower to clearly distinguish primary and secondary status.
Chu Xingchen cast his gaze over and was immediately somewhat dumbfounded.
Not only was the chair arranged for him at the exact same height as the Honored Buddha, but a seat of equal height had also been arranged for Xie Lingyu, right beside him.
Chu Xingchen's footsteps paused slightly.
Runan naturally reached out, grabbed Chu Xingchen's sleeve, and led him forward, saying softly:
"Daoist, please don't be polite. Since you bear the Mandate of Heaven, it is a matter of both karma and our interactions. Logically, we should be at the same height; it is not overstepping boundaries. Truth be told, perhaps I should be sitting below you."
Runan paused, chuckled, and suddenly joked:
"If you would like to take a record of this, you naturally may."
Sure enough, the moral and shamelessness baselines of these thousand-year-old monsters were extremely flexible.
First, there was Bai Xuanling fooling him into thinking she was Xie Lingyu's older sister.
And now, there was the Honored Buddha Runan, who had learned to be mischievous within ten minutes of meeting.
Hearing this, Chu Xingchen burst into a bright smile. Since Runan wanted to test the limits of his thick skin, he would show off a little today to let Runan understand what true talent looked like.
"Since you have invited me so enthusiastically, I won't decline. We'll take a few good records later."
Hearing this, Runan looked at Chu Xingchen again with a hint of marvel in his eyes.
lanned to earn money steadily and take life at a slower pace. But he never expected... his father's remarriage, and the stepmother bringing along a dependent, would completely disrupt his life's plans...
ine. During your journey, you save an abandoned baby girl and become her elder brother】 【You rely on each other, becoming each other's support】 【At the end of the simulation, you shield the now-grown girl with your life, sacrificing yourself to block numerous demonic cultivators. You die, and the light in the girl's eyes fades】 …… 【Second Simulation: You are transported to a world where steam and magic coexist】 【You immerse yourself in the study of magic, obsessed with its research. One day, while out, you encounter a half-blooded demon girl wandering the streets. You take her in as your student】 【You teach the demoness what it means to be human, show her the beauty of the world, and nurture her into a miracle that surpasses even the gods】 【At the end of the simulation, you die of old age in front of the nearly immortal demoness due to your mortal lifespan】 …… One simulation after another, one encounter after another. Xu Xi suddenly felt something was off: "Wait, you said you're coming to the real world to find me?"
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
ive and Ruthless] Before his transmigration, Ye Xuan was playing a game called "Severing Emotions to Attain the Dao." The game's core wasn't about leveling up by fighting monsters, but about conquering various "bad women" with wicked personalities and cold, fickle natures. There was only one method to conquer them: stay unwaveringly by their side, then die at a critical moment, driving them to madness after losing the protagonist. The higher their level of regret, the higher the player's score. To dominate the server, Ye Xuan conquered all the bad women. In the early stages, he showered them with boundless tenderness, only to choose to sacrifice himself for them later, making them weep bitterly and drown in regret. Among them were: Xia Lengyue, the unfaithful immortal wife who chased after powerful men and discarded her husband like trash. Ye Qingcheng, the Demonic Venerable of the Joyous Union Sect, who appeared pure and innocent but was, in reality, promiscuous. Wu Lingxiao, the Empress of the Great Xia Dynasty, who lusted after men and loved maintaining a harem. Bai Qiangu of the Endless Demonic Sect: a bloodthirsty mass murderer. However, when the protagonist transmigrated into the game world, he made a horrifying discovery. Eight hundred years had already passed. The bad women he had conquered had now each become deities and revered ancestors. Faced with the endless stream of toxic women coming for him, Ye Xuan could only rely on his god-tier acting skills to carve a path of survival through this world of treacherous women.
