Senior Sister Invites You to Enjoy Preserved Fruit

Dongsheng Divine Continent was a land where rivers overturned seas.

The Five Continents were vast and scattered. Even the more remote regions could hardly be called safe, and the cost of transporting goods by road—including feeding the people and horses—was an enormous expense that could not be ignored.

This was especially true when compared with the enormous ships that could truly ride the wind and break through the waves.

Although cultivators’ techniques were expensive, they were extraordinarily effective against enormous waves. Compared with the uncertainty and dangers of overland routes, sea transport by giant ships offered excellent value for money.

Thus, maritime transport had always been an indispensable method of transportation.

The major sects of each continent regularly maintained several stable shipping routes, clearing away sea demons and suppressing cultivators who attempted to plunder ships at sea. Naturally, the various shipping companies also had to pay a toll.

The fee was generally calculated according to the value of the cargo, at a rate of one percent.

Although that percentage sounded tiny, both the cargo capacity and the value of the goods carried by the giant ships were immense.

It was an extremely lucrative source of income—one might even call it a windfall. Earning a share of it was enough to live comfortably for the rest of one’s life.

The Eighteen Immortal Sects naturally took part as well, tacitly maintaining the maritime routes assigned to each of them.

Chuan Dao Hai was a famous and enormous maritime port in Dongsheng Divine Continent.

The spiritual light on a giant ship suddenly flared, and the churning sea instantly calmed.

With a thunderous crash, one of the giant ships relied on the cultivators’ ritual formations and rammed directly into the shore to dock.

Chen Baiqing wore a plain-colored dress, her jet-black hair coiled up with a jade-green hairpin. Standing at a high point, she calmly watched the porters swarming toward the newly docked ships.

Not all of these porters were mortals. Some were cultivators in the Qi Refining Realm who lacked backgrounds and resources, selling their labor here to earn spirit stones and sustain their cultivation.

Naturally, these cultivators earned far more than mortals.

Many giant ships were docking, and there was an equally large amount of cargo to sort and transport.

Lin Luoyu’s gaze followed theirs toward the port.

Cui Hao had taken care of the Cloud Dream Pavilion, and, by extension, the Evil Spirit Sect of Northern Dipper Continent. With that matter concluded, there were fewer places that required her master’s attention.

As for the matter involving Li Junzi in Southern Jambudvipa, Lv Xuan was already looking after it.

The message conveyed by the Heaven Evolution Sect to the outside world was clear: the Heaven Evolution Sect would not participate in this matter, but neither would it permit cultivators from any other immortal sect to become involved.

Lin Luoyu’s heart was filled with endless emotion.

Her teacher… had truly embarked upon the path to becoming an asura-sage.

At present, the only matter left on the surface was the ambiguous attitude of the Firmament Rhyme Hall in Dongsheng Divine Continent.

After Chu Xingchen arrived at the central hub and Yunxiao returned, he did not stand on ceremony. He directly brought Yunxiao, a core disciple of the Firmament Rhyme Hall, into the central hub.

From then on, all affairs in Dongsheng Divine Continent would be handled jointly by Chu Xingchen and Yunxiao, with Yunxiao taking care of most of the day-to-day matters.

Chen Baiqing had thus stepped down from the principal seat.

After vacating her position, Chen Baiqing gave only a brief explanation before setting out for Chuan Dao Hai, this immortal port. She had also seemingly requested reinforcements from her master, bringing a group of cultivators from the Profound Clarity Heavenly Sect to remain hidden in the shadows.

Lin Luoyu naturally understood. Either her Third Senior Sister had received a task from their master, or she had discovered that something was wrong here.

Along the way, Lin Luoyu did not ask many questions. By now, she had grown accustomed to her Third Senior Sister’s way of doing things. She knew that whenever Chen Baiqing could tell her the truth, she would certainly explain the matter in full.

Chen Baiqing watched ship after ship waiting to dock and asked softly, “Do you know which continent currently sends the most goods to Dongsheng Divine Continent? You may take a guess.”

Lin Luoyu thought for a moment. Northern Dipper Continent was relatively closed off, Western Ox Continent was impoverished, and Central Continent was a major consumer that mostly took goods in without sending anything out. It spent spirit stones like water. By all logic, only one answer remained.

“Southern Jambudvipa?” Lin Luoyu ventured.

“That used to be the case.” Chen Baiqing chuckled. “But now it’s Western Ox Continent.”

Lin Luoyu frowned in confusion. “What could Western Ox Continent possibly be selling that allows it to send so much here?”

“Exquisite Buddhist statues.” Chen Baiqing raised her head toward a giant ship that had just docked. “They’re extremely popular—and they’ve been popular for eight or nine years now. I only discovered this by chance while investigating another matter and looking through the archives.”

“The volume of goods brought in over these eight or nine years has only increased. Judging by the amount carried by the ships and the fact that their popularity has continued to grow…”

Chen Baiqing looked at Lin Luoyu with a smile.

“Compared with Western Ox Continent, Dongsheng Divine Continent is the true holy land of Buddhism. Everyone here owns two exquisite Buddhist statues and is even more devout than the people of Western Ox Continent.”

Lin Luoyu naturally understood what Chen Baiqing was implying. After pondering for a moment, she realized the truth.

“So the exquisite Buddhist statues are actually transporting faith power?”

“That’s what it looks like.” Chen Baiqing nodded lightly. “I don’t trust the Firmament Rhyme Hall, so I’ve deliberately allowed these exquisite Buddhist statues to circulate under my jurisdiction. I’ve turned a blind eye and made them believe that I haven’t investigated the matter and know nothing about it.”

“Now that I’ve been removed from my position, and with Master keeping the Firmament Rhyme Hall and all the other factions occupied, this is the perfect opportunity. If we strike unexpectedly, there should be plenty of pleasant surprises.”

“First, we’ll find out whose faith is so profound. Then we’ll trace the statues back to wherever they came from in Western Ox Continent.”

“Buddhism is not clean after all. Runan may not be unaware of this. By silently allowing it to continue, he has probably chosen to preserve the mortal-world Buddhists for the sake of stability.”

Chen Baiqing gently brushed at her sleeve and continued, “Master is always unwilling to use a few decisive, thunderous methods. He keeps thinking that if we can unite with someone, we should unite with them. But Buddhism is tangled together like a twisted ball of hemp. It might be more effective to scatter it and start over.”

“The Mahayana Buddhist teachings of the Bright Buddha will surely be enough to draw in those karmic Buddhists. Once that rootless group of mortal-world Buddhists begins acting according to their own agendas, even if they band together for a short time and establish a Little Thunderclap Monastery, it certainly won’t last.”

“When that time comes, there will be only two paths left for them, no matter how vast the world is.”

“Either they submit to the demons, or they come under Master’s command.”

“Then Master will have the Bright Buddha driving the karmic Buddhists from the front, while using his own methods to suppress those mortal-world Buddhists from behind.”

“Buddhism is such a vast institution. Once it falls apart, most of it will probably end up under Master’s control. And Master will certainly be better able to subdue them than Runan. When that happens, if he offers Runan a position, Runan might even join Master’s faction.”

“As for that spiritual vein beneath Buddhism’s Sacred Mountain…”

“What do you think? Should we take it for ourselves?”

“We can say that we’re only assuming temporary control and will return it to Buddhism in the future. But when that future arrives—or whether it arrives at all—wouldn’t that be up to us?”

Lin Luoyu felt her scalp grow numb after hearing this. Yet she had to admit that it did seem to make a great deal of sense.

Fortunately, this was not the first time her Third Senior Sister had voiced such thunderous plans. Lin Luoyu had developed at least some resistance to them.

Still, if Chen Baiqing were truly allowed to put her ideas into practice… Lin Luoyu did not know whether they would succeed, but the world would certainly become much livelier.

The sort of liveliness that involved fists and feet.

Chen Baiqing sighed softly.

“It’s a pity Master won’t agree.”

Lin Luoyu thought for a moment before saying, “I think the Myriad Blossom Ridge we built is no worse than the Sacred Mountain.”

Chen Baiqing’s eyes brightened. She reached into her spatial ring, took out a large candied fruit, and cheerfully handed it to Lin Luoyu.

“Well said. Senior Sister will give you a candied fruit.”