Secular Immortal of the Nine Realms - Chapter 248

Chapter 248: Benevolent Heart

The Moon Monastery’s guest room was located in a bamboo forest. It was quiet and elegant.

“Abbess Moonchaser, is your Moon Monastery facing problems?” Fang Chen asked with a smile after settling down on a seat.

“It’s not a big issue. A while ago, Clearlotus went down the mountain to train. While passing by the Qing Province, she stumbled upon a fae cultivator. Most fae cultivators, like the Blood Spirit Cultists, feed on the blood essence of mortals to advance their cultivation. Thus, Clearlotus used a Purple Lightning Talisman to clear the fae cultivator.”

Abbess Clearlotus pursed her lips in self-reproach.

“That Purple Lightning Talisman brought you trouble?” Fang Chen asked.

Abbess Moonchaser nodded. “This child is too innocent. A few disciples from the Qing Province Sword Sect were present and asked about the Purple Lightning Talisman’s origin. She honestly answered their question.”

She heaved a sigh before adding, “It’s not her fault. She has a pure heart.”

Fang Chen glanced at Abbess Clearlotus and saw that her cultivation had advanced to sixth stage Ki Refinement. She was only at second stage Ki Refinement when they last met.

She was growing much faster than normal cultivators even though she was nowhere as fast as Fang Chen.

Noticing Fang Chen’s astonishment, Abbess Moonchaser explained with a smile, “Our Moon Monastery’s cultivation method focuses on developing the heart. The more flawless one’s state of mind is, the faster the advancement in one’s cultivation. That’s why we pick disciples based on their character.

“Clearlotus has a pure heart, which makes her a good fit for our cultivation method. That’s why her cultivation grows many times faster than ordinary cultivators.”

There was a slight pause before she added, “It’s not just Clearlotus; it’s the same for our disciples too. Unfortunately, it’s inevitable for one’s state of mind to change when walking on the path of cultivation. Once that happens, the advancement in their cultivation would greatly slow.”

Abbess Moonchaser then turned to Abbess Clearlotus and said, “You have been wallowing in self-reproach over this matter, such that you couldn’t even focus on your cultivation… But I have made even more mistakes than you when I first joined the Moon Monastery.”

“Master, were you also as dumb as me back then?” Abbess Clearlotus instinctively blurted out, only to realize that she had misspoken. She nervously lowered her head.

Abbess Moonchaser stared at her with an impassive face before placidly replying, “You can say so. I was a little dumber than you.”

Abbess Clearlotus was both surprised and overjoyed. She looked at Abbess Moonchaser expectantly and said, “If I could become as smart as master in the future…”

“If possible, I’d rather you remain dumb.” Abbess Moonchaser shook her head. She turned to Fang Chen and asked, “Young master Fang, are you just passing by this area, or are you here to visit Clearlotus and Qingyao?”

“Both.” Fang Chen smiled. “I’m planning on heading to the South Heaven Sect. I happened to pass by the area, so I thought I should drop by and visit some old friends. How is Miss Qingyao doing? Has she adapted well to life here?”

“Our little junior is formidable! Master has already chosen her to be the next head abbess!” Abbess Clearlotus exclaimed in admiration.

Fang Chen was surprised.

Fang Qingyao did have a cultivation talent of seven tolls, but as the female sword cultivator who took Jade Fairy away said, Spirit Gauging Bells of their quality wasn’t indicative of a cultivator’s talent.

“If Clearlotus has a pure heart, Qingyao has a benevolent heart. She doesn’t like competing with others, but she seeks to bring salvation to the masses.” Abbess Moonchaser smiled. “It took her a month to forge her first immortal vein after arriving at the Moon Monastery, and she is now at third stage Ki Refinement.”

“Young master Fang, my master often says that it’s thanks to you that our Moon Monastery found our next head abbess.” Abbess Clearlotus chuckled.

Abbess Moonchaser shook her head before saying, “Qingyao is cultivating in our sect’s forbidden land. Our elders are guarding her. I’m afraid she won’t be coming out of seclusion any time soon, and it wouldn’t be good to disturb her either.”

“I see. I’ll meet her next time then.” Fang Chen nodded. “Abbess Moonchaser, have you found a way to deal with the Qing Province Sword Sect yet?”

“I have invited a few sect masters whom I’m close with for a negotiation with the Qing Province Sword Sect.” Abbess Moonchaser nodded.

At this point, she suddenly glanced at Liu Mu and asked, “I remember him. Didn’t he leave with Jinnan?”

Fang Chen nodded. “I’m here for that. Liu Mu should have been cultivating in the South Heaven Sect, but for some reason, I found him being used by a malevolent cultivator to nurture poison.”

Abbess Moonchaser was stunned. She closely examined Liu Mu and pondered about the matter before remarking, “I don’t see any traces of him nurturing poison.”

“He had to consume two 100-year-old Jadegreen Lotus Seeds to fully purge the poison in him,” Fang Chen replied.

“I see. That’s a good medicine for purging poison.” Abbess Moonchaser nodded. “I don’t think Elder Jinnan would stoop to that. There might be more to this matter.”

Fang Chen nodded. “That’s why I intend to seek an explanation from the South Heaven Sect.”

Suddenly, there was a loud explosion. The ground shook, and exclamations echoed outside.

Abbess Moonchaser’s face darkened. She immediately morphed into a flash of light and rushed outside.

Fang Chen grabbed Liu Mu and Abbess Clearlotus and rushed out as well. He arrived at the entrance almost at the same time as Abbess Moonchaser.

Shock flickered across Abbess Moonchaser’s eyes when she noticed Fang Chen’s speed, but the current situation was too severe for her to think deeper into it.

Young master Fang was really fast just now! Did he grow even stronger?! Abbess Clearlotus was astonished.

At the mountain’s entrance, a group of nuns stood in a face off against fifty cultivators dressed in different clothes. Their majestic entrance had been reduced to rubble. That must have been the cause of the earlier explosion.

“Thunderwind Sword Yao Dan, does your Qing Province Sword Sect intend on going to war with our Moon Monastery?” Abbess Moonchaser questioned a green-robed cultivator with a livid face.

That cultivator looked to be around forty years old, and he stood with his hands behind his back. The aura he emanated was no weaker than Abbess Moonchaser—he was a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

The cultivators he had brought here were at least at sixth stage Ki Refinement, and they glared menacingly as the nuns.

“Our Qing Province Sword Sect doesn’t want to start a war with you, but your Moon Monastery is being too greedy. You found the Purple Lightning Talisman’s legacy inside that fae cultivator’s stomach, yet you wish to monopolize it. No matter how I look at it, it simply doesn’t make any sense,” Yao Dan sneered.

He glanced at Fang Chen and remarked, “How rare it is to see a man in the Moon Monastery. Did you invite him here as a helper?”

Then, he smiled at Fang Chen and said, “How should I address you? This is a matter between the Moon Monastery and our Qing Province Sword Sect. I advise you not to get involved.”