Return from Nirvana
Translator: CinderTL
Near the Jie Mountain Market, apart from rogue cultivators, most of the people were disciples of the Nine Palaces Sect.
Song Wen couldn't quite understand why the Mixed Yuan Temple had chosen this location to set up the Spirit Offering Formation.
Could it be that they intended to use the rogue cultivators and disciples of the Nine Palaces Sect in the Jie Mountain Market to heal the injuries of a certain monk from the Mixed Yuan Temple?
However, if the Mixed Yuan Temple truly wanted to use the Spirit Offering Formation to heal their disciples' injuries, they didn't need to go through such trouble.
They could simply capture some rogue cultivators or ordinary people and bring them to the Mixed Yuan Temple. There was no need to set up the formation in such a sensitive place as the Jie Mountain Market.
[Then let's cooperate with them in setting up the formation. Once the formation is complete, we'll secretly inform the Nine Palaces Sect about this matter. Let the Nine Palaces Sect and the Mixed Yuan Temple fight it out.] Song Wen sent a message to Yu Wen.
[Yes, Sect Leader.] Yu Wen replied.
...
In a meditation room within the Mixed Yuan Temple.
Si Ming stood with a bow, his face filled with shock and disbelief.
"Master Xiao Chan, are you saying that our ancestor Si Shan can return from death?"
Xiao Chan sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, a serene smile on his face.
"Not return from death, but from Nirvana. The Buddha Nirvana Sutra cultivated by Zen Master Fayan is the supreme technique of our Mixed Yuan Temple. When a cultivator's lifespan is nearing its end, they can extinguish their own vitality and transform into a Living Buddha Relic, with their body remaining incorruptible. After sixty years, the body can regain vitality, granting the cultivator another sixty years of life, with their cultivation surpassing their previous state."
"When Zen Master Fayan extinguished his vitality, he was at the mid-stage Nascent Soul realm. If everything proceeds smoothly, upon his return from Nirvana, he should reach the late-stage Nascent Soul realm."
Fayan was the monastic name of Si Shan.
TL/N: A similar concept of a Buddhist Relic Seed was mentioned in chapter 272.
Si Ming's face was filled with ecstasy, the sudden joy causing his body to tremble uncontrollably.
The return of their ancestor Si Shan meant the resurgence of the Si family.
Although Si Shan had entered monastic life, he had always taken care of the Si family.
In fact, the Si family was essentially built by Si Shan himself.
However, after Si Shan's supposed 'passing,' the Si family gradually declined. It was only through their relationship with the Mixed Yuan Temple that the family managed to barely survive, avoiding complete extinction.
During the great war between good and evil, the Mixed Yuan Temple suffered heavy losses, losing control of two massive mineral veins and the Yishi Ridge.
After that, the Mixed Yuan Temple wanted to leave a foothold in Yishi Ridge and secretly supported the Si family, allowing them to regain some strength and giving rise to Si Ming, a Golden Core cultivator.
"Master, when will our ancestor Si Shan return from Nirvana?" Si Ming asked with great excitement.
Xiao Chan replied, "Within this month."
"Master, is there anything our Si family can do to assist in our ancestor's return from Nirvana? Although our family is weak, we are willing to contribute in any way we can, even if it means exhausting all our resources," Si Ming said with determination.
Xiao Chan's smile remained, though it carried a strange, almost eerie quality.
"There is no need for the Si family to do anything. You only need to gather all your family members and await Zen Master Fayan's return from Nirvana. The Zen Master has always held deep affection for the Si family. If he can see many of his descendants upon his return, he will surely be greatly comforted."
"Yes!" Si Ming clasped his hands in acknowledgment. "I will return immediately to prepare and ensure that all family members are gathered."
After saying this, Si Ming suddenly remembered something, his expression turning hesitant as he asked.
"The ancestral land of the Si family, Tiancang Mountain, has fallen into the hands of the Asura Sect. When Patriarch Si Shan returns, I fear he will blame me, his junior?"
Xiao Chan replied, "Don't worry too much, benefactor. Although the ancestral heritage is precious, it is not as important as the lives of our clansmen. Zen Master Fayan will not blame you for this. As for the Asura Sect's occupation of Tiancang Mountain, after the Zen Master attains Nirvana, he will personally seek justice for your Si family."
Si Ming nodded, no longer dwelling on the matter, and instead asked, "Master, is the place of the Patriarch's Nirvana within your esteemed temple? Should I bring some outstanding clansmen to stay here temporarily to welcome the Patriarch's return?"
After the Si family was forced to leave Tiancang Mountain, Xiao Chan had allocated a spiritually rich area a thousand miles away from the Mixed Yuan Temple as a temporary settlement for the Si family.
Xiao Chan shook his head, "No, the place of Zen Master Fayan's Nirvana is not within the Mixed Yuan Temple."
Si Ming was surprised and quickly asked, "Then where is it?"
Xiao Chan said, "Walls have ears, so I cannot reveal this matter for now. Benefactor, you need not worry about it. Just return and wait quietly."
"Yes, I take my leave," Si Ming said, then turned and left.
Watching Si Ming's departing figure, a faint smile appeared on Xiao Chan's lips. The smile was somewhat cold, incongruous with his usually serene expression.
"Someone," Xiao Chan called out towards the outside of the meditation room after Si Ming left.
Hearing the call, a novice monk entered.
"Disciple pays respects to the Master. What are your instructions?"
"How are things at the Jie Mountain Market?" Xiao Chan asked.
"Master, Elder Hui Neng has sent word that the Asura Sect has agreed to cooperate with us. Within seven days at most, we will successfully set up the Spirit Offering Formation at the Jie Mountain Market," the novice reported.
A glint of sharpness flashed in Xiao Chan's eyes, "It seems that agreeing to let the Asura Sect establish their sect at Yishi Ridge was indeed the right move. Otherwise, it would have been difficult for our Mixed Yuan Temple to get involved in the Jie Mountain Market."
...
Half a month later.
Song Wen received a message from Yu Wen via the Starry Line Formation.
["Leader, the Spirit Offering Formation has been completed, and as per your instructions, we have reported this to the Nine Palaces Sect."]
["What was the Nine Palaces Sect's response?"] Song Wen asked.
["There has been no action so far. At least not openly."] Yu Wen replied.
["That is somewhat strange. Is the Nine Palaces Sect unable to spare the manpower? Or is there some other scheme at play?"] Song Wen pondered.
Yu Wen said, ["From what I know, a secret realm has recently opened in the Poisonous Swamp of the Corpse Demon Sect. Not only have the four major demon sects sent Golden Core cultivators inside, but each sect also has Nascent Soul cultivators waiting outside the secret realm. Could it be that this has left the Nine Palaces Sect with no time to deal with the matters at the Jie Mountain Market?"]
Upon reading Yu Wen's message, Song Wen suddenly remembered.
At this moment, it was the time for the opening of the Nether Soul Hall's secret realm.
Within the Nether Soul Hall, there was a Bronze Key Coffin, which was related to the Divine Blood Hall, and the Divine Blood Hall was connected to 'Divine Transformation'. The four major demon sects were likely determined to obtain this coffin.
The opening of the Nether Soul Hall would last for three months.
During this period, Golden Core cultivators who entered the secret realm could come out at any time.
To prevent their disciples' treasures from being robbed by other sects, the four major demon sects would probably leave at least one Nascent Soul cultivator guarding the exit of the secret realm.
The Mixed Yuan Temple clearly intended to use these three months to stir up some trouble near Jie Mountain.
However, Song Wen had a lingering doubt in his mind.
Why didn't Mixed Yuan Temple take the opportunity to seize the massive Spirit Stone mine in the Lost World Ridge, which was occupied by the Corpse Demon Sect?
After all, the Corpse Demon Sect had always claimed to the outside world that they only had one Nascent Soul cultivator—Gou Jun.
Although Gou Jun was powerful, he couldn't be in two places at once. It was impossible for him to simultaneously oversee both the Nether Soul Hall and the Spirit Stone mine in the Lost World Ridge.
On the other hand, the Nine Palaces Sect had a total of four Nascent Soul cultivators. They could easily spare one or two to temporarily guard the Spirit Stone mine at Jie Mountain.
"Could it be that there's something of extreme importance to Mixed Yuan Temple in the Jie Mountain market or the Spirit Stone mine?" Song Wen pondered silently.
[Have someone keep a close eye on the Jie Mountain market. If Mixed Yuan Temple or the Nine Palaces Sect makes any unusual moves, report to me immediately.] Song Wen sent a message to Yu Wen.
[Understood, I will follow your orders.] Yu Wen replied.
(End of the Chapter)
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