Eternal Tale

Chapter 263: No Buddha in the Ten States, No Buddha in Heaven and Earth

In the Western Sea, an interesting event often occurred: a man, accompanied by two spirit beasts, frequently fished from a small boat. They appeared in various parts of the Western Sea, often getting submerged by the waves.

Sometimes, when a large merchant ship passed by, many cultivators would stare wide-eyed as the small, ordinary boat gradually disappeared among the waves. They wondered whether its occupants lived or perished, for the Western Sea was not a place for ordinary fishermen, and they couldn’t fathom how such a small boat could float there.

A year later, in a certain sea region, three figures aboard the small boat cried out in surprise.

“Huh?!”

“Moo?!”

“Brother Xun, it’s that big turtle!”

Xiao Chi laughed heartily, looking at the pile of seafood on their boat. “It’s reached the early Foundation Establishment stage.”

They had remembered the turtle’s aura from before, nearly branding it with a spiritual imprint. Its aura was exactly the same—this Western Sea truly was small.

The big turtle shrunk its head back and shed tears. The black net was too strange; even its spiritual sense couldn’t detect it. After a hundred years, it had once again encountered these three harbingers of doom.

The sea wind howled as it blew, making the turtle feel as if its shell and face were being scraped by sharp blades. Although it had reached the early Foundation Establishment stage, and could now be used by cultivators, it was still doomed.

Chen Xun gazed at it with an amused expression. The turtle’s mouth was shaped like a crescent moon, resembling a large fishhook, and its drowsy eyelids trembled.

"Well, young one, it seems fate has brought us together again," Chen Xun laughed, glancing at Black Ox and Xiao Chi. "What a coincidence!"

“Moo~~” Black Ox nudged the turtle, causing it to retract its head completely into its shell.

“Brother Xun, this turtle seems fated to be with us,” Xiao Chi chuckled, tilting his head to peer into the turtle shell. He was quite curious about these sea creatures.

But from the turtle’s perspective, those eyes were far too large! It shrieked in fear, nearly fainting.

As they continued chatting, a merchant ship appeared on the horizon, cutting through the waves and heading in their direction.

The cultivators on board were in high spirits, discussing the latest sensational news in Da Li as they sailed.

"Those bald monks are really caught up in internal strife, haha..."

A white-robed cultivator laughed with his hands behind his back. "Who would have thought a Buddhist cultivator at the Golden Core stage would dare to debate with a Deity Transformation Bodhisattva?!"

"Brother Feng, these are just rumors. It can’t be true. I think the Buddhists are just creating a spectacle to draw the cultivators of the ten states there."

The other cultivators around him scoffed. "A Deity Transformation expert debating with a Golden Core? That’s absurd. It’s just a ploy to attract cultivators to their ten states."

"You don’t understand," the white-robed cultivator said, waving his hand as if he knew more than the rest. "That Golden Core Buddhist cultivator possesses a dual Golden Core, and one of them is a Buddha Core—a rarity in ten thousand years."

“What? A Buddha Core?!”

The group gasped, their mouths agape. A dual Golden Core was already unheard of, but a legendary Buddha Core? That was the mark of a natural-born Buddhist cultivator!

"Never heard of that, have you?" the white-robed cultivator sneered. "My master was personally invited by Jue Zang Arhat to witness this once-in-ten-thousand-years event at the Ten States Debate."

“I see.” The others exchanged glances, their eyes showing newfound respect. This individual clearly had an extraordinary background.

"That Golden Core abbot declared, ‘No Buddha in the Ten States, No Buddha in Heaven and Earth,’ claiming that the Buddhist path was in decline, with no future. His Buddha Core emerged and stood in opposition to the Bodhisattva Qi Ji of the Pure Buddha Sect, shocking all of Da Li!"

The white-robed cultivator’s eyes were filled with awe, as if he had witnessed the event himself. "Those words shattered the Dao hearts of countless Buddhist cultivators. It’s rumored that even some Nascent Soul Buddhist cultivators attained Nirvana on the spot!"

“Is it really true?!” The group was stunned. They had thought it was just a rumor. "But the reality must be even more terrifying than the rumors."

"Of course. The Ten States of Buddhism have already fallen into chaos. The Spirit Pivot Chamber of Commerce and Da Li’s two Saint Palaces have intervened, and there are even hidden noble families involved."

The white-robed cultivator took a deep breath and turned slowly. "There are even rumors that the Jiang family is involved. The situation is more terrifying than any of us can imagine."

The others listened, their eyes widening further with each word, a sense of admiration rising. It was clear that those with connections had access to far more information.

The white-robed cultivator turned with a flourish, his aura as the leader of the group unconsciously emanating.

*Boom!*

At that moment, the ship trembled with a loud crash and came to an abrupt halt, waves crashing around it.

“Who?!”

“A sea beast?!”

…

Chaos erupted aboard the ship as cultivators rose into the sky, rainbow-like light flashing in their hands and spiritual power surging. Something was definitely wrong.

Their merchant ship was protected by formations. Even if blocked by a sea beast, it shouldn’t be completely immobilized, and yet, even the formation’s glow had dimmed.

"Hehe, fellow Daoists, don’t be alarmed. I just want to ask a few questions."

A voice echoed from all directions, and all the cultivators felt a jolt in their hearts—Nascent Soul cultivator!

"Greetings, senior!"

"Greetings, senior!"

…

The hundred cultivators on the ship bowed in every direction, knowing there was no hope for reinforcements in the vast sea. Compliance was the safest course of action.

The few cultivators at the forefront lowered their eyes to the sea, where a small, shabby boat floated. A man and two spirit beasts stood aboard, smiling warmly despite their worn and simple clothing.

The young man held a Mountain Splitting Axe, which, if they weren’t mistaken, was made of refined iron...

Strangely, the small boat was also filled with an assortment of fish, shrimp, crabs, and a Foundation Establishment stage sea turtle. The stench of the sea filled the air—were they… fishing?

"Please speak, senior," one of the cultivators, his voice filled with fear, stepped forward. This was surely an ancient monster of the Western Sea, with some unusual hobby. No cultivator could read his face.

Seeing the shabby boat, the cultivators dared not underestimate it. To roam freely in the Western Sea with such a vessel meant this person was at least a Nascent Soul master.

"That Golden Core abbot—is he from the Chan Yin Temple in Dinghui Prefecture?" Chen Xun asked calmly, sitting on the edge of the boat. "I mean no harm, just looking for information. Don’t worry; we’re good people."

The cultivators on the ship lowered their heads even further, staying perfectly still, not daring to make any move.

The white-robed cultivator, stepping forward respectfully, infused his voice with spiritual power. "Senior, he did come from a small temple, but whether it was Chan Yin Temple... this junior doesn’t know."

"Is the information you shared earlier accurate?" Chen Xun raised an eyebrow, wary that the white-robed cultivator might be embellishing the truth, as he had often seen Black Ox do.

"Senior, the information is absolutely true. My master witnessed it firsthand," the white-robed cultivator said, his forehead beading with sweat. "I wouldn’t dare deceive you."

There was no escape here in the Western Sea; even fleeing techniques were greatly hindered.

"Very well. We’ve heard enough," Chen Xun said, setting his axe aside and clasping his hands. "Thank you all. Since fate has brought us together, please accept these spiritual herbs as a token."

“Moo~” Black Ox waved his hand, pulling out two five-hundred-year-old sea herbs from his storage ring and delivering them instantly.

He also sent one to the merchant representative, a veiled woman with an elegant demeanor. She showed a look of surprise when the herb appeared before her.

“Thank you, senior.” The woman rose and bowed, her eyes smiling.

In an instant, the small boat sped off, cutting through the waves and leaving two towering waves in its wake. In the distance, faint cries of “Wahoo!” could be heard.

The cultivators aboard the merchant ship were left stunned, especially the white-robed cultivator who had received the herb. He silently offered his deepest gratitude to Chen Xun.

“Let’s move on.”

A clear voice echoed from within the ship’s cabin, snapping everyone back to attention. “Do not speak of this encounter again; let’s not invite unnecessary trouble.”

“Yes, my lady.”

Everyone bowed and returned to their duties. The suppressive force on the formation lifted, and the ship resumed its course, cutting through the waves back toward Da Li.

The large turtle was released once more into the sea, clutching a centuries-old spiritual herb in its mouth.

As it followed Chen Xun’s small boat for as long as it could, it offered its gratitude before

it could no longer keep up.

The turtle paused on the sea’s surface, deeply imprinting the images of the three figures into its memory. It then flipped over, disappearing into the vast ocean.