CHAPTER 203: THE MONK, THE DAOIST, AND THE FOX FIEND

The primal qi of heaven and earth had recovered. The old monsters that had been slumbering across the land—ahem, the old seniors had started to occasionally reappear as well.

Thanks to his experience communicating with the Seventy-Two Swords' formation spirit, Wang Sheng was not overly panicked when the old senior within the sarira suddenly took over his body.

He focused slightly and immediately heard the monk shouting something at the fox fiend using his voice. He could also feel a light surging around him, calming his heart.

This high monk might really have some kind of past with that fox fiend...

"You're still young. Do not let your thoughts become so tangled. Whatever you are thinking right now, I can sense it."

Wang Sheng momentarily felt awkward. The old monk immediately smiled and narrowed his eyes. They were now appearing within Wang Sheng's spiritual platform, though it was actually just a visualization of their mental exchange. The Buddhist light had gently suppressed Wang Sheng's consciousness here.

"Senior, please subdue that... celestial beast quickly. The present era is not like the ancient past. Cultivation has only just recently become possible, and modern people wield all sorts of powers that have nothing to do with cultivation. The authorities could flatten this mountain in an instant!"

"Do not worry. Xi Lian has already calmed down. She has been asleep for so long that much of the resentment in her heart has already faded."

The old monk sighed quietly, then softly asked, "Do you have any way to contact those who wield non-cultivation powers? Did non-cultivators unleash that technique just now?"

"Yes, that was a sky-based laser weapon. Senior, please use my body to shout at the sky. Something along the lines of, 'Cease fire. We are no longer in danger!'"

"I'm not familiar with the languages of this age."

Wang Sheng replied, "It's okay. We have experts who've studied ancient dialects in great detail."

"Amitabha..." The old monk nodded slowly and then closed his eyes.

The fox and Wang Sheng were now within the multicolored pillar of light. As Wang Sheng felt Buddhist light flow through him, his body looked to the sky and shouted, "Greetings! I am but the humble founding abbot of the Ziyan Temple. I am simply borrowing this young Daoist priest's body for a moment. The fox before me is not a fiend and has never taken a life. Xi Lian was still confused when she killed the corrupt monk; it was not intentional. I ask all of you, kind benefactors, to please show mercy."

The fox fiend suddenly looked up toward the sky, its eyes glinting fiercely.

The monk gently added, "Do not be afraid, Xi Lian. They are only trying to protect this place."

Buddhist light continued to soothe it. The fox fiend's gaze slowly softened again.

The monk's request naturally reached the military base. Someone immediately interpreted it in modern Mandarin, allowing many of the people to finally sigh in relief.

Meanwhile, on Wang Sheng's spiritual platform, the old monk gently said, "That's settled, then. Fei Yu... May I call you that?"

"You may call me however you like, Senior," Wang Sheng replied as he sat cross-legged.

"Then first, make a vow," the old monk calmly instructed. "Repeat after me—ah, this old monk is getting forgetful. I haven't even asked if you are willing."

Wang Sheng asked, "Senior, what exactly is this about?"

"A devilish seed has already afflicted Xi Lian. I spent over three hundred years trying to cleanse it, but I kept failing due to the deep resentment in her heart," the monk explained softly. "To me, Xi Lian is like a daughter. Back when the Heavenly Court summoned me, I cut off my cultivation and gave up ascending to blissful lands so I could stay here and watch over her.

"However, when the Heavenly Court left, the primal qi of heaven and earth was severed. My lifespan began to shorten, and I could only leave this sarira as a backup plan. It contains the culmination of my cultivation. In a moment, I will place it within Xi Lian. While I do, the last strand of my spirit will bind her to you with a life seal.

"This seal will not connect your lives. Instead, it will allow you to control her soul. If she ever falls back into a devilish state, you will have a way to stop her from harming the innocent. In exchange, however, you must swear three oaths."

Wang Sheng slowly nodded, his face serious. "You trust me that much, Senior?"

The monk said, "You're still young, yet you're already an elder of the Shu Sword Sect. That speaks for itself."

Wang Sheng answered, "I have to confess that I only have the title of Elder because I helped the Shu Sword Sect recover their long-lost Sword-Controlling Art. It's honorary."

"That alone says enough about your character," the monk said with a wry smile. "Wait, they managed to lose their Sword-Controlling Art? Are the disciples of the Shu Sword Sect these days that careless?"

"Well..."

"Let's get back to the point. This may be an opportunity, but it might also bring you endless trouble in the future. What do you say?"

The old monk's gaze showed a trace of hope, but also helplessness and apology.

Wang Sheng didn't hesitate much. If making a few oaths could eliminate the ancient-devil threat, he had no reason to refuse.

"I accept," Wang Sheng replied.

"Good. Now repeat the vow after me."

Within his own spiritual platform, under a sky full of stars, Wang Sheng swore three vows on his Great Dao.

First, he would never force Xi Lian to do anything against her will.

Second, if he ever ascended to immortality, he would do everything he could to purge the devilish seed from her and restore her freedom.

Third, if Xi Lian could no longer control her devilish nature and fell once more into darkness, he would do everything he could to bring back her sanity instead of destroying her soul.

Once Wang Sheng had finished swearing the vows, the monk sighed. "If it becomes impossible to save her, if she loses control and brings chaos to the world, then before she kills—"

"I understand," Wang Sheng solemnly interjected.

"Amitabha. Follow me."

The old monk waved his hand. Wang Sheng felt the world spin, and in the next instant, he was pulled into a land of dazzling colors. The place seemed endless. There was no sky above and no ground below; there were only waves of radiant Buddhist light.

"This is Xi Lian's heavenly abode—the place where her soul is anchored. Your cultivation is shallow. Do not explore too deeply."

"Understood."

The old monk gently beckoned. A snow-white fox surrounded by multicolored Buddhist light flew toward them from afar, affectionately rubbing against the monk when it arrived.

"Xi Lian, did you hear what we were saying just now?" the monk asked warmly.

The little white fox nodded slightly. Its eyes, filled with complex emotions, looked at Wang Sheng. It then sighed quietly.

Wang Sheng couldn't help but feel a little... disliked. Why does it dislike me?

"It has been a thousand years. I only have this last wisp of consciousness left," the monk said with a smile. "Stay by this Daoist priest's side from now on. Be mindful and cause no trouble. Protect him on his cultivation journey. When he becomes an immortal, he will help you remove the devilish seed and return your freedom. After that, you may search for Qinglin's whereabouts."

Wang Sheng suddenly had questions he hesitated to ask. He wanted to speak about the Heavenly Court's situation and how Qinglin had probably already perished, but he didn't want to stir up trouble. Hence, he could only remain silent.

"I have met many people in my life, and I have never misjudged one... Ah, time is nearly up."

The old monk looked at the little white fox with deep reluctance, yet also a sense of peace. The little fox raised a paw as if to grab him, but he dissolved into glowing golden Buddhist seals, which floated beside it.

The fox cried mournfully. A pure, thumb-sized orb of light flew from its forehead. Inside it, a curled-up white fox slowly rotated.

The Buddhist light wrapped around it, and layer upon layer of intricate seals then enclosed it. Afterward, the orb entered Wang Sheng's chest, merging into his body.

At that moment, Wang Sheng felt a new sense of closeness to the little white fox. The feeling of familiarity was quite strange. Before he could speak, though, countless memories from a fragment of its soul surged through his mind.

Scene by scene, Wang Sheng quickly understood everything. He finally realized why the formation spirit back then had spoken of the little fox in such a meaningful tone.

***

At the end of the Sui Dynasty, the world fell into chaos, allowing fiends and devils to run rampant. That was when Qinglin, a wandering Daoist who upheld justice, encountered a Buddhist master who roamed the land to spread the teachings of Buddha. The two quickly became kindred spirits and formed a deep friendship.

Qinglin was the direct disciple of the famous sect master of the Shu Sword Sect. Because his Daoist name had the character "Qing," he was naturally chosen as the next sect master.

The Buddhist master, with the Dharma name "Santong," had profound spiritual attainment. After traveling together and slaying many fiends and devils, the two eventually returned to their respective mountains to continue cultivating.

Several decades later, Qinglin broke through to a higher realm. Stirred by inner restlessness, he descended the mountain to visit Santong, who was cultivating in seclusion. Upon discovering that Santong had taken in a fox fiend, the two immediately entered a debate.

At that time, the fox fiend had not yet taken human form. However, thanks to Santong's guidance, its cultivation had progressed at an astonishing pace.

Qinglin believed Santong had gone astray for nurturing a fiend that could become a danger to the world.

However, Santong responded, "If humans can be saved, why not fiends? Buddha speaks of saving all living beings. If I teach her to do good, what harm is there in keeping her?"

Their disagreement became so heated that they nearly came to blows. Fortunately, Qinglin was not a rigid man. Seeing Santong treat the little fox like a disciple, he decided to stay for a while, hoping to persuade him slowly.

Ten years passed in that effort. The little fox eventually took human form, becoming a graceful young girl. Santong gave her the name Xi Lian.

Despite the passing years, the argument between Qinglin and Santong remained unresolved. Eventually, they agreed to let Xi Lian travel through the mortal world while they observed her in secret. They wanted to see how the world's beauty and chaos would affect her.

Her journey lasted a long time, yet through it all, her heart remained pure and filled with compassion. Buddhist teachings had long worn down the vicious nature that came with being a fiend. She helped others wherever she went, giving Qinglin no grounds for complaint.

Thus, the Daoist, the monk, and the young fiend cultivator began their mission to cleanse the world of fiends and devils. Their names soon spread far and wide.

Over time, the monk came to see the girl as his own daughter, and she viewed the monk as her father. The graceful, powerful Daoist master also slowly found his way into her heart. Unfortunately, her quiet affection was one-sided; it was destined to go nowhere. After all, the Daoist was the future sect master of the Shu Sword Sect.

When Qinglin realized how she felt, he began to distance himself and returned to the Shu Mountains, but Xi Lian's heart was already tied completely to him. Lost in longing, she failed to focus on her cultivation.

Santong had no choice. He moved to the area just beyond the rear peaks of the Shu Mountains and built a small courtyard, which later became the foundation of the Ziyan Temple.

Qinglin often visited Santong. The two would drink tea, play chess, and discuss the Dao and Buddhist teachings. The beautiful young girl served them quietly, carefully hiding her feelings.

Finally, Xi Lian made up her mind. The next time Qinglin visited, she would tell him how she felt. However, when he arrived, he brought news of great importance: the Heavenly Realm was recruiting, and he would be leaving.

Xi Lian was heartbroken. Instead of revealing her feelings, she buried them deep inside.

The Heavenly Court's decree reached the Shu Sword Sect first. Qinglin and his sect's elites stepped onto the clouds and left the mortal world.

Ten more years passed. Santong also received a summons from the Buddhist sects, but he was reluctant to leave Xi Lian behind. The few days of delay that his hesitation had caused led to a disaster.

Qinglin, now an immortal of the Heavenly Court, suddenly descended. He then struck down Xi Lian without warning, nearly killing her.

Unable to understand why, Xi Lian's resentment surged. The love she had kept hidden exploded. Only a few days after being sealed, she truly fell into the devilish path.

***

Wang Sheng sighed deeply, unsure of what to say. As he watched streams of Buddhist light seep into the small snow-white fox before him, he heard the old monk sigh as well. Alongside the fox, he saw a few more new memories.

***

Qinglin had only just suppressed Xi Lian when a team of heavenly soldiers and generals descended from the clouds. Smiling, Qinglin said the fiend had been subdued and would not escape.

After a brief exchange, the heavenly soldiers spared Xi Lian and took Qinglin back to the Heavenly Court. Before they left, Qinglin used voice transmission to tell Santong that the Heavenly Court would leave the world in ten years. He asked him to release the little fox once they left, unaware of what happened to Xi Lian just a few days after she was sealed.

The deeper the love, the deeper the hate.

In the end, Santong severed his own cultivation. He ignored the Buddhist summons and tried to use Buddhist teachings to purify the devilish seed in Xi Lian. Having fallen into darkness, though, Xi Lian no longer listened. Every day, she did nothing but frantically attack the seal. Left with no other choice, Santong reinforced the seal and founded the Ziyan Temple atop the sealed site.

Later, after the Heavenly Court departed, the primal qi of the world thinned year by year. Cultivators could no longer progress. Enchanted power and true essence began to wane, and for unknown reasons, even the lifespan of cultivators was greatly shortened.

Before his death, Santong already knew he could not remove the devilish seed from Xi Lian. Yet strangely, her lifespan did not seem affected.

Unable to bring himself to destroy his own daughter, Santong made further preparations.

***

The surrounding multicolored glow slowly faded, and the old monk's aura gradually disappeared. The little snow-white fox sat silently, tears falling from its eyes. On its body, glowing Buddhist swastikas had begun to appear.

The seals were meant to suppress her devilish nature. The old monk had poured all his remaining strength into this last layer of protection. Wang Sheng was the final safeguard, only to be used as a last resort.

The old monk's aura had completely vanished.

"Senior," Wang Sheng said, "I'll return to my body now."

The snow-white fox nodded slightly at him. Wang Sheng dissolved into a stream of light and slowly faded.

When he opened his eyes again, Wang Sheng had returned to his body. He stood before a giant fox that was several dozen meters long, its fur completely white. His right hand rested on her forehead.

The sarira in his left hand was gone.

All that remained was a bit of bone ash, which Wang Sheng hurriedly wrapped in his true essence.