If you've known someone long enough, they become an old acquaintance—even if you've only met once

South Jambudvipa, Yuzhou City.

Yuan Kong stood quietly before the pagoda housing Yuan Jing's sarira.

Among all kinds of thoughts, the reluctance to let go was the most agonizing.

Perhaps it was simply because he had once possessed it, making it impossible to get used to its absence.

"Old monk, you held back back then. You never taught me how to let go." Yuan Kong reached out and gently touched the pagoda, feeling the rough, sandy texture beneath his fingertips. He spoke with a hint of helplessness, "Being a true monk in this day and age is the most bitter path of all."

"I want to be selfish, but I can't even do that. Why couldn't you have taught me some tricks of a fake monk back then?"

After sighing, Yuan Kong waved his earthy-yellow monk robes.

"But never mind, I can't blame it all on you. After all, you died early, and I hadn't grown up yet. Naturally, you didn't have the time to teach me every principle."

"Running all the way here from the East Purvavideha Continent has wasted quite a bit of my time."

"I made this special trip mainly to tell you that, in all likelihood, I won't be coming back for a very long time."

"Of course, chatting with you to alleviate the emotional burdens in my heart is also part of it."

"Also, Chanlin Temple is developing quite well. Their current management is much better than when you were in charge."

"So, if I come back later, I hope you'll still be staying here."

Having finished his words before the pagoda, Yuan Kong rolled up his sleeves and walked down the steps, leaving behind an earthy-yellow figure from behind.

Now that his cultivation had reached a profound level, the formerly dark-skinned monk had regained a fair complexion.

The little monk, who had decent features back then, now looked rather handsome.

Yuan Kong walked calmly out of Chanlin Temple. Then, he concealed his aura and began to stroll outward from the temple's exterior.

Yuzhou City had undergone some changes, though not drastic ones.

The occasionally passing patrol members of the Demon Suppression Division all had new faces. He wondered if the old acquaintances he once knew were still around.

Stepping onto the streets from his past memories always gave one the feeling of returning to bygone days.

Yuan Kong slowly walked out of the great gates of Yuzhou City. He then turned back, his heart filled with myriad emotions.

"Does it look good?"

"One's hometown naturally looks good."

Hearing the familiar voice, Yuan Kong answered instinctively. Only then did he snap back to reality, his gaze turning in horror toward the source of the sound.

Chu Xingchen and Xie Lingyu stood to the side, also gazing at the gates of Yuzhou City.

Yuan Kong was dumbfounded. "Why are you here?"

"Li Yingling sent me an urgent jade token, saying it concerned you," Chu Xingchen said, shifting his gaze to Yuan Kong. "I checked my schedule and decided to deliver the message to you personally. Don't worry, consider this an overflow of my compassion; I won't charge you."

"Concerns me?" Yuan Kong was completely baffled.

Chu Xingchen smiled faintly but said nothing, merely tossing a jade token to Yuan Kong.

Yuan Kong raised his hand to catch it, then sent his divine sense inside. His expression immediately became quite colorful.

"I won't offer an opinion," Chu Xingchen lazily stretched his back, then turned to leave. "It's not hard for the Tianyan Sect to support a martial artist, giving face to you, after all."

Clutching the jade token tightly, Yuan Kong's expression showed his inner conflict. He immediately trotted over to Chu Xingchen's side.

Along his journey, Yuan Kong had personally come to understand many principles.

When truly at a loss and without a clue, asking a senior was a very good plan.

Chu Xingchen was obviously a senior whose intellect and logic in handling affairs were vastly superior to his own.

As for the favors he owed, they had long become impossible to repay. Yuan Kong had already made up his mind to actually go and sweep the mountain gates for Chu Xingchen. Now, wasn't it just a matter of earning as much as he could by owing more?

"Senior Chu! Grandmaster Chu!" Yuan Kong followed closely beside Chu Xingchen, his tone flattering. "You know I'm a monk. Doesn't leaving the secular world emphasize a peaceful heart? Could you use your vast wisdom to guide me a little?"

Chu Xingchen's lips curled into a smile. "This is your private matter. Whatever you do makes sense, and whatever I say would just be flawed logic."

"Master!" Yuan Kong gritted his teeth and whispered. "You have to acknowledge a newly acknowledged master, right? According to seniority, Qian Qing should be considered your grand-disciple or something, right? This is a private matter between us master and disciple."

"Oh." Chu Xingchen stopped walking and sized Yuan Kong up. "You've made great progress over the years. Although calling me master feels a bit awkward, seeing your good attitude, as your master, I will give you a small suggestion."

Yuan Kong looked over with eager eyes.

Chu Xingchen held up a finger and said, "Send a letter to Qian Qing. Tell her you are temporarily unavailable and tied up with important matters, and that you will go back to see her when you have time."

Hearing this, Yuan Kong frowned slightly. After pondering for a moment and considering the depth of Chu Xingchen's dark heart, he whispered a guess:

"And then drag it out until she dies of old age? That's not very nice, is it?"

Hearing this, the smile on Chu Xingchen's face grew even gentler. Then, without hesitation, he slapped Yuan Kong on the head. A spiritual wind swirled, and the force was not light.

The sound from the head was crisp, not quite like a hollow-headed fool.

Yuan Kong groaned in pain and quickly rubbed his head.

"She is the first to reach the main gates of the Tianyan Sect as a martial artist," Chu Xingchen said calmly. "To find you, she even passed the Three Trials of Life set by the Hanging Temple three times."

"So, before you make a decision, you might as well try visiting the Hanging Temple. Let's see if a perfected grand cultivator at the Golden Core stage like you can pass the trials without using your cultivation."

Chu Xingchen raised his hand and pulled Yuan Kong up:

"Respect everyone who puts in effort. The decision you want to make might not be what's best for her."

"As for exactly what to do, it's still up to you."

"Also, that slap just now was to teach you to respect your master and honor the Dao. When trying to figure me out, it's best to use your utmost goodwill and imagine me as great as a saint."

"This is the first lesson I'm giving you as your master. No need to thank me."

Yuan Kong covered his head, listened to these words, and then nodded with a heavy expression:

"You write the letter. I'll take a trip to the Hanging Temple right now."

Having said that, Yuan Kong immediately prepared to shoot up from the ground and fly toward the Central Continent.

Chu Xingchen raised his hand and directly pressed Yuan Kong back down:

"Look, you're being impatient again. I told you I was delivering the letter in passing, so naturally, I also have business with you. Furthermore, you have absolutely no reputation right now. Why would the Hanging Temple let a mere Golden Core cultivator wander around in their trials?"

Yuan Kong nodded in understanding—Chu Xingchen indeed didn't have that much good intention.

"Tell me, what do you want me to do?"

"I have a collaboration with the Buddhist sect. I looked at their collaboration plan, and they practically want to split me into five pieces to use. It just so happens that you are my disciple and a Buddhist cultivator. I'll bring you along for some of the collaboration, let you grind some reputation, and then you can help them grind reputation on my behalf. You know, the burden of saving the common people rests entirely on my shoulders, so how could I have that much free time?"

Hearing this, Yuan Kong was left speechless. "I'm just a Golden Core cultivator."

Chu Xingchen patted Yuan Kong on the shoulder and said:

"Don't worry, I'm just asking you to show your face, not to do any actual work. All you need to do is smile. I've already arranged a contact for you; just follow his instructions. You know this person too, he is an old acquaintance. Once you make your face known, even the abbot of the Hanging Temple will have to come out and welcome you personally when you visit. I guarantee you will have plenty of face."

Yuan Kong was completely baffled. A Buddhist acquaintance?

His only two acquaintances in the Buddhist sect, Bright Buddha and Wukong, were currently wanted fugitives by the Buddhists.

"An acquaintance? Who is it?"

"Revered Buddha Runan."