Chapter 102: The Buddhist Son of the Northern Desert, The Looming Assembly of Words
Chapter 102 – The Buddhist Son of the Northern Desert, The Looming Assembly of Words
Yao Yingying of the Hateless Pavilion naturally commanded the attention of the masses.
Yet soon, the crowd’s gaze was pulled elsewhere by a thunderous commotion.
A giant elephant, its bulk comparable to a small mountain, plodded forward with heavy, earth-shaking strides.
Its tusks, stretching nearly a thousand feet, seemed sharp enough to upend the very foundations of the world.
Standing atop this titan was the Southern Plains’ foremost genius, Batulu.
Behind him stood two elders draped in coarse animal skins, their forms silent and still.
Though the two elders appeared withered and frail, the spiritual pressure radiating from them caused the hearts of countless cultivators to seize with primal dread.
In that same moment, Fu Yao, the Saint Son of the Yaoguang Holy Land, made his grand descent.
Celestial petals drifted from the Void, and with every step he took, a golden lotus bloomed beneath his feet to catch his weight.
Clad in pristine white robes and shrouded in a divine radiance, he appeared as a banished immortal returning to the mortal realm.
While many geniuses sought to outshine one another with such magnificent displays, two individuals chose the most inconspicuous path to enter the assembly.
…
“Young Master, are we really just… walking in?”
Gongsun Huaiyu watched the breathtaking arrivals in the sky, her eyes wide with a longing that bordered on envy.
The majority of those attending the Heavenly Talent Assembly were backed by titanic sects or ancient clans.
As such, their arrival was not merely a journey, but a display of the power and prestige of their respective factions.
Still possessing the spirited nature of youth, Gongsun Huaiyu naturally yearned for such a glorious spotlight.
Chen Changsheng spared her a brief, sideways glance. “And how exactly would you like to enter?”
“Su Tian and the rest represent their sovereign nations. I am but a solitary wanderer; naturally, there is no need for such empty theater.”
Gongsun Huaiyu pouted, whispering under her breath, “Young Master, who says you have no backing?”
“The relationship between you and my master… that alone should be enough, right?”
“Is that so? Then by all means, summon the Seventy-Two Wolf Smokes to escort us,” Chen Changsheng countered dryly.
“I guarantee you that our procession would be more ‘grand’ than anyone else’s in history.”
Gongsun Huaiyu rolled her eyes at the suggestion.
The Seventy-Two Wolf Smokes and the Kunlun Holy Land were mortal enemies. It was already a small miracle that she, a direct disciple, had been allowed inside.
If the Seventy-Two Wolf Smokes were to descend in full force just to see her to the gate, the Kunlun Holy Land would likely view it as a declaration of total war and fight them to the death on the spot.
Shuddering at the thought, Gongsun Huaiyu squeezed out a sheepish smile.
“Let’s forget I said anything. There’s no need to trouble Master over such a trivial matter.”
“Besides, my identity isn’t exactly… appropriate for a parade.”
“Since you realize your identity is sensitive, then obediently suppress your presence,” Chen Changsheng chided.
“Once the Heavenly Talent Assembly truly begins, there will be more than enough opponents for you to challenge.”
“I only hope you won’t be reduced to tears when the time comes.”
Gongsun Huaiyu bristled at the jab.
“Young Master, I may not be arrogant enough to claim I am the peerless number one, but I am certainly not so fragile that I’d cry!”
“I have survived many life-and-death struggles. I’m tougher than I look.”
“I never said you’d be fighting with your fists,” Chen Changsheng remarked. “The Heavenly Talent Assembly is a place for ‘arguing.’ Are you any good at a war of words?”
“Arguing?”
Gongsun Huaiyu’s face was a map of confusion.
“Precisely. A war of words.”
“The genius from the Northern Desert has already arrived, and his momentum is staggering.”
“A Northern Desert genius? He’s here?”
“How come I haven’t heard a word about this? I haven’t seen anyone from the Northern Desert at all!”
Gongsun Huaiyu scanned the horizon, searching in vain for any sign of a desert procession.
“Of course you haven’t heard. Your heart was too busy envying the flower petals in the sky.”
“That Northern Desert genius arrived a month ago, but he chose to travel to the Kunlun Holy Land on foot, step by agonizing step.”
“In that single month, he successively challenged the Zifu, Yaoguang, and Kunlun Holy Lands.”
“He systematically dismantled nineteen of their outposts.”
“Every Holy Land has a Saint Son and several Quasi-Saint Sons. Do you know why they are absent from the opening of this assembly?”
“Because they were all dispatched to intercept that lone Northern Desert genius.”
Gongsun Huaiyu felt a chill run down her spine as she sucked in a sharp breath.
A Quasi-Saint Son possessed strength far beyond the average genius.
To think that so many elites combined could not halt the advance of a single man… just how monstrous was his cultivation?
“Young Master, is he truly that terrifying?”
“As for the exact depth of his power, I cannot say. The three Holy Lands aren’t exactly eager to publicize their humiliation.”
“However, I do know the method he used to topple those nineteen outposts.”
“What was it?”
“A Debate of the Dao.”
“Word is that the one who has come is the Buddhist Son of the Northern Desert, a prodigy the likes of which hasn’t been seen in a thousand years.”
“His comprehension of Buddhist law is said to be peerless, a sovereign talent of this age.”
“Since you’re so full of spirit, I’m sure you’ll be able to leave him speechless when the debating begins.”
Chen Changsheng finished his explanation with a thin, mocking smile.
Faced with this blatant attempt to set her up for a fall, Gongsun Huaiyu laughed nervously.
“Young Master, I can swing a sword, but I am no scholar of the Dao.”
“As for Buddhist scriptures… I know how to say ‘Amitabha,’ but everything else is a complete mystery to me!”
“If you don’t know the Buddha’s path, then use the Dao!” Chen Changsheng countered.
“Whatever the subject, you must be able to hold your own. If you cannot even utter a response, the embarrassment will be unbearable.”
Gongsun Huaiyu looked even more aggrieved under his sarcasm.
“Young Master, stop teasing me.”
“Do you think my master looks like someone who understands the intricacies of the Dao or the Buddha?”
“If he doesn’t know, then naturally, I haven’t a clue either.”
Seeing her finally yield, Chen Changsheng’s tone softened slightly. “Do you still feel you are peerless under heaven?”
Gongsun Huaiyu shook her head vigorously.
“I do not.”
Since arriving at the Kunlun Holy Land, she had realized that her own cultivation was far from complete.
There were matters in this world that could not be solved by brute force alone.
At least, not until one became truly invincible.
“It is good that you have realized this, but do not belittle yourself too much.”
“The Dao resides in every heart. This is as true for the Buddhist path as it is for the Daoist path.”
“The reason you cannot speak of it is that you have not yet peered through the fog to see the Dao within you, nor have you found the language to describe it.”
“Reading the ancient texts is a way to study the Dao of those who came before, but more importantly, it is a way to verify the Dao within yourself.”
“Study and verification resolve the doubts of the soul. When doubts vanish, the mind becomes clear and unobstructed.”
“And once your thoughts are clear, it proves you have truly found your own Dao.”
“Do you understand what I am telling you?”
Gongsun Huaiyu stared at him, her expression as blank and bewildered as a hound gazing at the distant stars.
“Uh…”
“Young Master, maybe you could say that one more time? If I try really hard, I might get it.”
Looking at her lost, youthful eyes, Chen Changsheng chuckled softly. He adjusted Little Black in his arms and began walking toward the heart of the assembly.
There is a certain bliss in confusion, just as there is a profound burden in clarity.
The ignorant are fearless, but they are also remarkably happy.
She was still young. He would let her remain happy for a little while longer.