“What? Just a corpse and a few sutras?”

The words of the Azure Mystic Sacred Land disciple left the gathered cultivators utterly stunned.

How could this be?

This temple was exceptionally well-hidden, its restrictive formations were powerful enough to require a Mahayana Supreme Being, and it was suffused with profound Buddhist spiritual power. With so many protective measures, surely it must be hiding a great treasure?

There was nothing at all?

Even Guan Xuelan frowned slightly. “Did you search thoroughly?”

“Reporting to the Sect Master, we disciples searched absolutely thoroughly,” the disciple replied, bowing low. “The temple itself isn’t large. There isn’t even a single Buddha statue inside. Aside from a few Buddhist scriptures and that bald monk’s corpse, there is nothing else.”

“Even those few sutras were just mundane objects, extremely ancient. They crumbled to dust the moment we touched them.”

Several other disciples chimed in, their eyes full of sincerity. They were clearly not lying.

Yet, the more sincere they appeared, the more restless Jiang Xun became.

“This is impossible!”

“There absolutely cannot be nothing inside!”

Hmm?

The others looked at him in confusion.

Ignoring their gazes, Jiang Xun took the lead and rushed inside. Guan Xuelan frowned again but followed close behind. In a flash, she appeared inside the ancient temple.

It was exactly as the disciples had described.

The temple appeared dignified from the outside, but the interior was barren. The central altar, where a Buddha statue should have sat, was empty. In its place sat the cross-legged corpse of a bald monk, his brows lowered and eyes closed in eternal meditation.

This person’s strength during his lifetime must have been considerable. Though his vitality had been extinct for years, his physical body remained pristine and undecayed.

Apart from the corpse, there were only piles of dust on the floor—the remains of the crumbled scriptures.

“This is impossible…”

“The guidance cannot be wrong!”

“There must be a great treasure here! What exactly is going on? Where did things go wrong?”

“Damn it! Damn it!!!”

Jiang Xun paced frantically, muttering under his breath. His gaze darted around the temple, searching for hidden mechanisms. He even went so far as to search the venerable monk’s corpse, patting down the robes with increasing desperation.

A trace of resentment crept into his eyes.

Watching this scene, Guan Xuelan felt a pang of heartache.

Ever since his Heaven-grade treasured sword was destroyed, her beloved little disciple had been sullen and withdrawn. She had agreed to leave seclusion specifically to help him find this opportunity, hoping to cheer him up.

But now it seemed…

“It’s all this bald monk’s fault for making my disciple so sad!”

Guan Xuelan’s eyes turned cold. She glared at the venerable monk’s corpse with hatred, raised her right hand, and struck a palm toward it.

She used considerable force.

When she had broken the restrictions earlier, she had sensed a peculiar, weak force attached to the temple, which she had temporarily suppressed. Worried that the corpse might harbor some hidden danger, she didn’t hold back.

However, to Guan Xuelan’s surprise, the expected resistance did not appear.

Under her palm strike, the venerable monk’s corpse disintegrated instantly, turning into ash as if it were made of burnt paper.

“Did this bald monk use all his power to defend the temple? Had his physical body’s strength long been exhausted?”

Guan Xuelan quickly deduced the reason, but then felt even more puzzled. “Was this monk insane? Spending such great effort guarding empty air?”

As the thought crossed her mind, her finger suddenly throbbed with faint pain. That strange force she had sensed earlier coiled around her again.

A cold glint flashed in Guan Xuelan’s eyes.

She hesitated no longer. Mahayana power surged forth, obliterating the strange force completely.

However.

Just as that force was eradicated, a majestic hall far away in the West Desert trembled violently.

Immediately after, a voice capable of shaking the soul echoed through the hall:

“The Three Bodies have manifested in the Eastern Wastelands; karmic fruit has already entangled that person.”

“Faxiang, you shall go and retrieve the supreme treasure.”

As the words fell, a statue within the great hall—one that had been sitting with lowered brows and closed eyes—slowly opened its eyes.

Then, it stepped down from its lotus pedestal.

Step by step, it walked out of the hall.

It strode toward the East!

Golden Buddha light radiated from its body!

All who encountered it along the way prostrated themselves in awe.

A Venerable One had emerged into the world.

To subdue demons and vanquish evil!

Guan Xuelan remained unaware of the commotion in the West Desert.

She certainly couldn’t imagine that a living Buddha statue was marching toward her. At this moment, she had just returned to the Azure Mystic Sacred Land with her beloved disciple.

Returning empty-handed made her expression extremely unpleasant. Seeing Jiang Xun’s despondent look only irritated her further.

Still, she forced a gentle tone. “Jiang Xun, do not be discouraged. Your Second Senior Sister has already begun forging a new weapon for you. This time, even more rare heavenly materials and earthly treasures are being used. I believe it will be finished soon and will certainly surpass the Dragon Cry Sword!”

Jiang Xun snapped back to attention and hurriedly bowed. “Thank you for your care, Master.”

His expression, however, remained gloomy. “It’s just…”

“Just what?”

“It’s just that this disciple worries… next time… will that lightning…”

“Rest assured,” Guan Xuelan declared confidently. “This master will set up a grand formation for you this time and personally guard the process. If that heavenly lightning dares to come again, let’s see if I don’t shatter its thunderclouds!”

Hearing such a guarantee from his Mahayana-stage master, Jiang Xun finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Remembering his earlier loss of composure, he quickly pivoted. “Master, I’ve heard that our sect is severely lacking in low-grade talismans recently. Even Fifth Senior Sister has been working continuously for days. This disciple plans to go to Ink Scroll Peak to assist her and alleviate our Sacred Land’s urgent need. I hope Master will permit it.”

“Your priority should be cultivation…” Guan Xuelan hesitated.

“Master, cultivation can happen anytime. But compared to this disciple’s minor improvements, the sect is most important!” Jiang Xun said with sincere emotion.

Guan Xuelan smiled, touched by his dedication. “Very well. You have reached Great Perfection anyway. Breaking through to the next realm doesn’t require bitter seclusion. Perhaps going to Ink Scroll Peak might even help you find the inspiration to break through. It is good that you possess exceptional talent in talismans. With your help, I can rest easy.”

“Thank you for granting permission, Master! This disciple will not fail your trust!”

“Mmm, go on.”

Jiang Xun mounted his flying sword and sped away.

Watching his retreating figure, Guan Xuelan nodded approvingly.

Her little disciple not only possessed peerless aptitude and solid skills in The Six Paths, but most importantly, he had a kind heart and was utterly obedient.

Her thoughts then drifted to Gu Xiu—that waste who was silent all day long and even dared to use the Sect Severance Treaty to threaten her.

Suddenly, she felt that Gu Xiu leaving was a good thing. It saved her from having to look at his wretched face!

But just as the thought crossed her mind, Guan Xuelan frowned sharply.

Her figure vanished in a flash.

She reappeared instantly within a valley shrouded in gloomy energy.

This was the Azure Mystic Sacred Land’s Valley of Ten Thousand Puppets, and the residence of her sixth disciple, He Mengyun.

This disciple gave Guan Xuelan endless headaches.

He Mengyun had been taciturn since childhood, disliking conversation and preferring the company of puppets. In recent years, she rarely ventured out; even as her master, Guan Xuelan only saw her occasionally.

Guan Xuelan had grown accustomed to this eccentricity.

But over the past year, her sixth disciple had begun showing troubling tendencies.

Like right now.

He Mengyun should have been refining puppets. Instead, her soul had rapidly left her body and was charging straight toward the Soul-Shattering Stone—an artifact used for erasing the souls of rogue puppets!

If she collided with it, it wouldn’t just be a serious injury. It would be total soul dispersion!

“Rebellious disciple! Stop!”

Guan Xuelan acted urgently, her Mahayana power surging out to block He Mengyun.

Unexpectedly, He Mengyun was determined.

Though her soul was blocked by Guan Xuelan’s barrier, she struggled desperately against it, trying to force her way to the stone.

Suddenly, her soul turned to glare at Guan Xuelan with extreme venom.

“Let me go! Let me go!”

“Guan Xuelan! You vile woman! You deserve death!”

“No… it’s us… we all deserve death!”

“We all deserve death!!!”