Chu Xingchen's expression remained calm as he spoke indifferently:
"Then you definitely haven't been cultivating properly."
Lizhi was stunned at these words. Looking at the Nascent Soul Patriarch-level Chu Xingchen before her, she didn't dare say that she had actually been working quite hard at her cultivation.
She lightly pursed her lips, resigning herself to the fact that she was indeed a weakling.
Xu Jin cast an inquiring look toward Chu Xingchen.
At the Foundation Establishment stage, one should be able to see vow power. Chu Xingchen had asked so suddenly, and Lizhi's answer was off—so Chu Xingchen must have discovered something.
"Let's go." Chu Xingchen nodded, signaling the two to continue forward. "Let's first see how powerful the great Buddha inside is."
Xu Jin withdrew his gaze at these words and continued forward with a calm expression.
Since they had chosen to be teammates, the necessary trust should be there. Since now wasn't the time for explanations, he shouldn't keep asking questions.
Moreover, tricking him now wouldn't benefit Chu Xingchen either.
Chu Xingchen led the way toward the main hall.
There were many young monks around, but they were all busy collecting vow power into the Buddha statues.
The group passed through unhindered, walking among the many young monks under the gaze of various Buddha statues until they reached the main hall.
The main hall was extremely tall—roughly twenty to thirty meters high by rough estimate.
A golden Buddha statue sat with one hand on its knee and one hand extended, its expression neither sorrowful nor joyful, half-closed eyes looking down as if gazing upon ants.
The golden body was enormous, draped in luxurious yellow dragon-patterned silk, its height just below the main hall's crossbeam.
To the left and right of this main Buddha were other Buddhas, surrounded by Bodhisattvas, and further back were Arhats.
Yet in this vast hall, there was only one withered, elderly monk lightly tapping a wooden fish before him.
With each light tap, the vow power that nearly overflowed from the hall churned once more, being drawn into the Buddha statue.
Lizhi's breathing grew slightly rapid as she watched the elderly monk who looked like he might fall over in a breeze, her gaze extremely wary.
Chu Xingchen's eyes turned toward that elderly monk.
[Target: Ci Lin]
[Cultivation: Nascent Soul Early Stage]
[Purple Tag: Unwavering Mind]
[Blue Tag: Buddha Power]
[White Tag: Devotion]
[Black Tag: Vow Power Entanglement]
[Black Tag: Obsessive Attachment]
"May I ask where the benefactors have come from?"
The monk stopped tapping the wooden fish. His turbid gaze seemed to see through everything as he looked toward Chu Xingchen, his elderly tone carrying a strange sense of authority.
At the same time, an aura rose from the monk's body. The surrounding vow power began swirling madly, surging toward him.
Lizhi's heart skipped a beat in fright. She only felt that something was terribly wrong with the surrounding atmosphere, as if something terrifying was lying in wait, ready to ambush her.
Chu Xingchen spoke in a soft, gentle tone:
"Don't be afraid. He's bluffing you. He can't see you, and he can't hear us speak."
For some reason, hearing Chu Xingchen's words, Lizhi's initially startled heart instantly calmed.
Lizhi asked quietly, "He... what cultivation is he?"
Chu Xingchen pondered briefly, then answered, "I sense he's just Golden Core Early Stage."
"Golden Core Early Stage isn't like this, is it?" Lizhi looked extremely doubtful.
She had never seen a Nascent Soul stage before, but that didn't mean she hadn't seen Golden Core Early Stage.
The vice sect leader of the Sky Patrol Division was Golden Core Early Stage. She had briefly encountered him when she joined the Sky Patrol Division for training.
Golden Core cultivation was indeed very powerful. Lizhi's dream was only to reach the Golden Core stage and become a Golden Core big shot.
But a Golden Core stage's glare shouldn't be this intimidating, right?
Moreover, Lizhi only felt that the elderly monk before her had an aura as heavy as a great mountain, almost impossible to detect.
Chu Xingchen looked at the monk before him and casually answered Lizhi's question:
"Golden Core Early Stage is exactly like this. Are you Nascent Soul, or am I?"
Facing the cultivation suppression, Lizhi backed down again.
Lizhi looked at the elderly monk staring in her direction, neither saying a word. Chu Xingchen and Xu Jin also remained silent.
The scene suddenly became eerily quiet.
Lizhi pursed her lips and asked quietly:
"He's Golden Core Early Stage but still can't see us like those minions at the door? Is a difference of one major realm really that big?"
"Well, he's Golden Core Early Stage, and I'm now Nascent Soul Late Stage. On the surface, that's one major realm difference, but in reality, it's nearly two major realms."
Chu Xingchen's gaze began surveying the surrounding Buddha statues while signaling Xu Jin beside him to get to work:
"Add some of your mole vow power here too. This place clearly seems important—definitely be able to catch a big fish."
Mole vow power?
Xu Jin wanted to retort, but then thought about it and didn't know how to refute Chu Xingchen's words.
It was the kind of thing that sounded a bit unpleasant but didn't seem entirely wrong either.
But never mind.
Xu Jin openly began manipulating the mole vow power right in front of the elderly monk.
It wasn't that a Nascent Soul Early Stage monk couldn't even see a Fusion Stage cultivator. Rather, from the moment they entered the hall, this monk had been completely caught in Chu Xingchen's illusion without any resistance.
Lizhi's cultivation was too low, so naturally she couldn't perceive the spiritual energy fluctuations and techniques when Chu Xingchen made his move.
A Fusion Stage cultivator's illusion technique—serving it to this vow power-cultivating Nascent Soul Early Stage monk—this monk was truly blessed.
Lizhi looked confused, feeling that something Chu Xingchen said wasn't quite right, but not knowing exactly what was wrong about it.
After all, Chu Xingchen was a genuine Nascent Soul big shot, and the Golden Core stage monk before her indeed couldn't see her.
"If the benefactor is disrespectful, then don't blame this monk for taking action to drive you out."
The elderly monk suddenly shouted sternly.
The main Buddha statue instantly lit up, sending a terrifying might sweeping in all directions.
Xu Jin casually raised his hand to block this might, then quickly said:
"Control it a bit. The vow power can't withstand such折腾."
Chu Xingchen heard this and turned his gaze to Lizhi, asking:
"Do you know how to be a bit more fierce?"
"Fierce?" Lizhi was stunned, then quickly shook her head. "I don't..."
Chu Xingchen nodded lightly. "Then learn now. You'll definitely need it in the future."
Before Lizhi could respond, she felt a push on her back and stumbled forward a few steps.
The elderly monk's gaze immediately locked onto Lizhi.
His expression turned grave.
Lizhi felt her scalp tingling. Then she heard Chu Xingchen's voice:
"You're now a Nascent Soul realm expert. Just say what you want to say, do what you want to do. Don't worry—you have people above you."
Lizhi glanced back at Xu Jin, who looked completely at ease and unconcerned with the commotion here, busy with his work.
She silently turned back to face the elderly monk.
In the elderly monk's gaze, though Lizhi's movements seemed slightly stiff, her bizarre and terrifying aura was undeniable. Her strength... impossible to estimate.
He didn't care that Lizhi was dressed plainly and looked a bit nervous.
The elderly monk only cared that in her simple breathing, she gave him an indescribable signal of terrifying death.
Lizhi's comical movements seemed merely to be toying with him. The real her was a cultivator of extremely terrifying cultivation.
At minimum...
She should be at the Deity Transformation realm!
The elderly monk's tone instantly became much gentler:
"Benefactor... I wonder what brings you to this humble temple?"
Lizhi straightened up, raising her chin slightly. Her tone was fierce but with an undertone of lacking confidence:
"Damn it, who came here to teach you anything, you bald donkey with no hair on your head."
Facing the cultivation pressure, Lizhi backed down again.
Lizhi watched the elderly monk staring in her direction without a word. Chu Xingchen and Xu Jin also remained silent.
The atmosphere turned eerily quiet for a moment.
Lizhi pursed her lips and asked quietly:
"He's Golden Core Early Stage, and like those minions outside, he can't see us? Does a difference of one major realm really make that much difference?"
"Well, he's Golden Core Early Stage, and I'm now Nascent Soul Late Stage. Looking at it, that's one major realm, but actually it's nearly two major realms' difference."
Chu Xingchen's gaze began examining the surrounding Buddha statues, while gesturing for Xu Jin to work:
"You should add some of your mole vow power here too. This place clearly looks important—definitely able to catch a big fish."
Mole vow power?
Xu Jin wanted to argue, but then thought about it and didn't know how to refute Chu Xingchen's statement.
It was one of those things that sounded a bit harsh, but didn't seem entirely wrong either.
But never mind.
Xu Jin openly began manipulating the mole vow power right in front of the elderly monk.
Naturally, it wasn't that a Nascent Soul Early Stage monk couldn't even see a Fusion Stage cultivator. Rather, from the moment they entered the hall, this monk had fallen completely under Chu Xingchen's illusion without any resistance.
Lizhi's cultivation was too low, so naturally she couldn't perceive the spiritual energy fluctuations and techniques when Chu Xingchen made his move.
A Fusion Stage cultivator's illusion technique served up to this vow power-practicing Nascent Soul Early Stage monk—this monk was truly enjoying good fortune.
Lizhi looked puzzled, feeling something wasn't quite right about what Chu Xingchen said, but unable to pinpoint exactly what was wrong.
After all, Chu Xingchen was a genuine Nascent Soul big shot, and the Golden Core stage monk before her indeed couldn't see her.
"If the benefactor intends to be rude, then don't blame this monk for taking action to drive you out."
The elderly monk suddenly shouted sternly.
The main Buddha statue instantly radiated light, and a terrifying might swept outward.
Xu Jin casually raised his hand to block this might, then quickly said:
"Control it a bit. The vow power can't withstand such折腾."
Chu Xingchen heard this and looked toward Lizhi, asking:
"Do you know how to be fierce?"
"Fierce?" Lizhi was stunned, then quickly shook her head. "I don't know how..."
Chu Xingchen nodded lightly. "Then learn now while you can. You'll definitely use it in the future."
Then before Lizhi could speak, she felt a push on her back and stumbled forward several steps.
The elderly monk's gaze immediately locked onto Lizhi.
His expression grew heavy.
Lizhi felt her scalp tingling, and then she heard Chu Xingchen's voice:
"You're now a Nascent Soul realm expert. Just say what you want to say, do what you want to do. Don't worry—you have people above you."
Lizhi glanced back at Xu Jin, whose expression was completely at ease and who paid no attention to the commotion here, busy with his work.
She silently turned back to face the elderly monk.
In the elderly monk's gaze, Lizhi's movements were slightly stiff, but she emanated an extremely bizarre and terrifying aura. Her strength... was impossible to estimate.
He didn't mind that Lizhi was plainly dressed and looked a bit nervous.
The elderly monk only cared that in Lizhi's simple breathing, she gave him an indescribable signal of terrifying death.
Lizhi's comical movements seemed to be merely toying with him. The real her was a cultivator of extremely terrifying cultivation.
At minimum...
She should be at the Deity Transformation realm!
The elderly monk's tone instantly softened considerably:
"Benefactor... I wonder what instructions you have in coming to this humble temple?"
Lizhi straightened her body, raising her chin slightly, her tone fierce but with an undertone of lacking confidence:
"Damn it, who came here to give you instructions, you hairless bald donkey sand sculpture."
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