Chapter 556: A Perfect Silence Prevailed
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
The copper bell sounded crisp and was pleasing to the ear. The kingfishers jumped up and down on the road excitedly, welcoming the approaching people from Wa mountain. Among them, there were more than a dozen sadhus from Yuelun Kingdom wearing bamboo hats and holding iron scepters. The old lady with a wrinkled face and arrogant expression obviously turned out to be Aunt Quni Madi, a very influential figure in Buddhism Sect. Lu Chenjia, the Flower Addict, who was just as good looking as usual, but more haggard than ever, walked silently besides her.
The most striking thing among the crowd was the man-drawn carriage. It was covered with curtains that were embroidered with Buddha’s words and painted with beautiful images from Buddhist scriptures. It was unknown who was sitting inside it, but the abbot of Lanke Temple and Guan Hai and the core disciple of Master Qishan were respectfully accompanying the person.
After seeing the black carriage next to Jumping Tiger Stream and Ning Que holding an iron bow inside it, Quni Madi held her scepter so tightly that her veins began popping out, although it was unknown why Ning Que’s actions caused this reaction. She suddenly looked old and her eyes filled with increasingly heavy resentment. However, Lu Chenjia’s expression was impassive, making it seem like she did not see Ning Que.
Watching people walking up from the mountain path, Ning Que thought that Guan Hai did not need to welcome them himself if it was only Quni Madi and Flower Addict visiting, in spite of Sangsang. Thus he looked at the man-drawn carriage, guessing the monk inside it might be a very important figure from Xuankong Temple.
After realising that the approaching people were Aunt Quni Madi and the Flower Addict, all the cultivators saluted. They, like Ning Que, were guessing the identity of the person inside the carriage, as he dared to speak to the disciples from the Academy in the way a master did.
Quni Madi nodded indifferently in response to their salute. As she was one of the venerable seniors in the cultivation world due to her age, she did not have to make small talk with the younger generation. She continued to pay attention to Ning Que. If the resentment in her eyes had become flying knives, Ning Que would have been cut up a thousand times.
Flower Addict, Lu Chenjia, had always been indifferent and speechless, no matter how deferentially the cultivators saluted. She did not respond at all, seemingly ignorant to the things going on around her.
The person inside the carriage noticed Ning Que aiming at the old monk in yellow with his bow. He spoke in a calm and majestic way, “Evil attacker, you’d better put down your bow as soon as possible.”
Remaining silent for a moment, Ning Que loosened the bowstrings and moved the arrowhead slightly.
No longer being targeted by the iron arrow, the old monk in yellow felt the threat to his life disappear slowly. He only then realized that his kasaya had been sweaty. When he realized why he was fearful, he could not help smiling bitterly.
Witnessing this scene, the cultivators on alert felt relieved.
Looking at Ning Que, Quni Madi mocked him with a cracking and unmusical voice, “It seems that he only knows how to bully the weak… ”
Her vulgar ridicule suddenly came to an abrupt end.
Instead of lowing the arrowhead, Ning Que aimed at the Buddha carriage with the iron arrow.
In Quni Madi’s view, the monk in the Buddha man-drawn carriage could overpower the Academy. She wanted to take this chance to humiliate Ning Que, and yet she only found out how brave Ning Que really was.
She scowled, “Ning Que, how dare you!”
Since hearing the copper bells from the mountain path and his voice, Ning Que knew that the man within the carriage was a real sublime being from the Buddhism Sect, and even had a vague idea as to where he came from.
However, that would not stop Ning Que.
“Bullying the weak sounds interesting, and our Academy is very happy to do so. However, we like to smash those seemingly stronger things more, especially rules and poseurs.”
Aiming at the monk’s shadow inside the carriage, Ning Que said, “Today, you are the best among the crowd in turns of state and cultivation. I wonder, can you catch my arrow?”
The bowstrings tightened again, and the iron arrow was ready to be shot off. However, Ning Que was different from earlier when he shot at the old monk in yellow. A strong aura was emanating from his body.
Everyone felt the strong but cold aura released by Ning Que, even the kingfishers who were only just before jumping around excitedly besides the carriage and seemed fascinated by the merciful aura of the monk. They flew away, disappearing in to the deep bamboo grove after a few frightened cries.
As the wind became more powerful, the trees shook violently. Hundreds of shaking leaves fell around the black carriage due to the aura coming from the iron arrow.
Seeing the strong aura released by Ning Que, the cultivators at a high state were shocked. Cheng Ziqing, a master from the Sword Garret and the Knowing Destiny State was the most shocked by it, as he wanted to pull out his sword in response to its power.
Quni Madi looked ghastly, as she slowly connected certain things. But she could not believe that her greatest enemy got such a Lucky Chance.
Guan Hai knew Ning Que very well, and he said in shock, “Senior Brother, please put down that arrow quickly. The chief monk is the president of the Commandment Yard of Xuankong Temple, and you can’t behave like this.”
Hearing these words, the crowd was shocked and could not believe a word they heard. It was very difficult for ordinary cultivators to see people from the Unknown Place which was a legendary place in the cultivation world. But today in the Wa mountain they, they had not only seen the disciple from the back of the mountain of the Academy but also a master from Xuankong Temple. It was beyond their imagination!
As the Academy was a connected place between the land of the earth and the cultivation world, and all the people knew about the south part of Chang’an city, people could sometimes meet Unworldly Sublime Beings from the back of the mountain. However, Zhishou Abbey of Haotian Taoism and Xuankong Temple of Buddhism Sect only appeared in Classics and legends, and basically, nobody could meet them.
Everyone looked toward the carriage, and they wondered in shock whether he was a real monk from Xuankong Temple or not. It was beyond their imagination that the Pelagic club held by Lanke Temple could attract so much attention from Unworldly Sublime Beings.
It was natural that they were excited, but nobody dared to approach the carriage to salute as they had saluted Ning Que because the carriage was being targeted by the iron arrow.
After hearing Guan Hai’s words, Ning Que’s expression did not change at all. He held the iron bow firmly, like a mountain standing unchanged for a thousand years. He calmly waited for the answer from the monk inside the carriage.
…
…
The Academy versus Xuankong Temple.
Mr. Thirteen versus the president of Commandment Yard.
These names along are enough to shock the cultivation world. The cultivators beside the stream subconsciously suppressed their urge to exclaim in surprise, and they held their breath, staring intently at the scene.
The confrontation between these two Unknown Places would take place in the land of the earth, and ordinary cultivators could watch this battle themselves. How could they not be excited?
There was a sudden silence beside the stream. Only the cry of the kingfishers in the deep grove and the quiet noise of hooves made by the horses eating grass could be heard.
They were waiting to hear that vigorous voice from the carriage again.
They were wondering how the monk from Xuankong Temple would defend against the arrow from the Academy.
Nothing could be heard from the carriage, even after a long time.
The green leaves billowed, and the monk from Xuankong Temple remained silent.
Ning Que had asked whether he dared to catch the arrow or not.
The monk did not answer.
It meant that He dared not.
…
…
Ning Que was not surprised by the monk’s reaction.
It was common for ordinary cultivators to naturally revere the legendary Xuankong Temple.
However, he was from the Academy, and he had met monks from Xuankong Temple, so he was not afraid.
Since hearing the copper bell, he had been trying to determine the cultivation state of the monk.
He did not know where the Commandment Yard was nor who the president of Commandment Yard was. However, he was sure that he was by no means as powerful as the powerhouse, the legendary Chief Preaching Monk of Xuankong Temple.
The Buddhism Sect did not require people to cultivate the Five States, but it required them to get the power of understanding.
After hearing his words, he was sure that the monk was from Xuankong Temple and had a power of understanding which equated to the Knowing Destiny State.
If Ning Que had still been in front of Red Lotus Temple, he would have escaped when faced with someone in the Knowing Destiny State.
However, he had already reached the Knowing Destiny State in the autumn rain.
The cultivation state of the monk is higher than that of Prince Long Qing, but he was far behind Long Qing in turns of evil methods.
After Ning Que entered the Knowing Destiny State, it would be extremely difficult for ordinary cultivators from the same state to face his Primordial Thirteen Arrows without preparation. Furthermore, he had not shot his arrows out since arriving at the Wa mountain and thus this one would be extremely powerful.
Even if Long Qing reappeared here, he would not be able to catch the arrow anymore.
So he was convinced that the monk was unable to catch it, and he dared not try.
After silently looking at the carriage for a long time, Ning Que smiled and spoke.
“Since you dare not face it, please continue being quiet.”
…
…
“Since you dare not face it, please continue being quiet.”
Even the kingfishers in the deep bamboo grove understood Ning Que’s words. And they were too afraid to sing, as were those horses. An absolute silence struck the place.
Looking desperate, Quni Madi could not believe what she saw. Flower Addict who seemed to hold no opinion about anything around her could not help staring at Ning Que, who remained standing at the horse carriage, with a complicated gaze.
Nothing could be heard besides the stream. The crowd were too shocked to believe what they heard. Due to Ning Que’s words and the power of the Academy, the monk was forced to remain silent; this shocked everyone.
“One could unexpectedly enter the Knowing Destiny State after three years of cultivation… How could such unreasonable things happen in the world?”
Cheng Ziqing, a master from the Sword Garret of South Jin Kingdom looked at Ning Que standing on the horse carriage and spoke bitterly, “Senior Brother, you once said that Headmaster was like the tallest building in the world. You said it is hard to find a building as tall as Headmaster. But what makes people frightened is that there are a few more tall buildings in the Academy that are very close to being complete.”