With Cultivation Simulator in a Chaotic World-Chapter 127 - 126: Does Qi Fortune Truly Exist?
The True Spirit Divine Sense enveloped Jiang Ming’s entire body. In combination with the Invisibility Talisman and the Breath Concealing Talisman, even a Qi Refining Cultivator standing right in front of Jiang Ming would not be able to detect him.
At this moment, Jiang Ming’s eyes narrowed slightly. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺
Because that young monk was looking in his direction, seemingly aware yet subtle.
Had he... been discovered?
"Qi Fortune... does it truly exist?" This thought flickered through Jiang Ming’s mind.
It had been three months since Jiang Ming encountered Bi Zhu.
Bi Zhu was a Daoist from the Sea Suppression Main City.
The aura around him wasn’t particularly strong, approximately at the stage of newly awakening the Heart Lamp Ability, which corresponded to a Mid-Stage Qi Refining level of energy.
However, this Bi Zhu possessed a myriad of strange talismans, capable of wielding various abilities. He had a steady and cautious nature, yet was also eager to help others.
Whatever he did, it caused Chunyi Pavilion to lay low, resulting in Jiang Ming being unable to see the Celestial Demon Dance, which he found somewhat regrettable.
The boy named Li Tianming somehow ended up mingling with Bi Zhu.
This person was also at the stage of just awakening the Heart Lamp Ability, but his aura was significantly weaker than Bi Zhu’s. However, at certain special moments, he exhibited a mysterious burst of strength, escaping danger on multiple occasions.
Now, another figure emerged, Wuxin, this little monk was somewhat inscrutable to Jiang Ming.
"But so what, it conveniently draws attention away..."
Jiang Ming did not intentionally set out to probe the secrets of the Great Compassion Temple; it was just that around Mingwu City, there were no formidable supernatural beings, not even a single Mortal Transcendence level creature.
Reasonably, Mingwu City, being a large city, should have weaker and fewer supernatural beings around it, which made sense, but there was something subtly wrong about it.
In Jiang Ming’s hand, there was a throbbing heart.
This was the heart of the "Great Buddha."
These Great Buddhas were not mere sculptures, but powerful Mortal Transcendence Demons brought entirely by the Great Compassion Temple.
These Mortal Transcendence Demons were nailed alive to high platforms, covered in golden paint, their flesh gouged out and sculpted into the images of the Buddha.
And as soon as these "Great Buddhas" caught the scent of those Buddhist disciples, they would slowly awaken...
The disciples offered as sacrifices were said to be Enlightened Disciples, and through competition, only the most insightful disciples could earn a spot. Yet through Jiang Ming’s observation, among these disciples there were those like Wuxin, who had considerable knowledge of Buddhist Techniques, as well as some who were merely drinking and meat-loving fake monks.
But a common characteristic was that these disciples were not truly core disciples of the Great Compassion Temple; outwardly they were well-renowned, supposedly possessing ’Golden Relic Talent,’ and had significant fame among believers, but in reality, they were not the true lineage of the temple.
"This sensation... strangely familiar..." Jiang Ming couldn’t help but recall the lower reaches of the Qingqiu River, and how similar the current scene at the Great Compassion Temple was to it, both being scapegoats.
Jiang Ming clenched his hand, and the heart with a sculptural texture shattered instantly.
[Spirit Points +78]
A notification flashed through Jiang Ming’s mind.
These Great Buddhas’ Simulation Points were similar to those of the ordinary Mortal Transcendence Demons.
But there were a lot of Spirit Points.
"But where did the Golden Relics go..."
Jiang Ming pondered with doubt.
He had destroyed four Great Buddhas, but didn’t always manage to save people, and had even witnessed the sacrificial ceremony, or rather, what could be called a sacrifice.
The monks were devoured; the Great Buddha seemed to act as a conduit, channeling some kind of "Qi" from the monks into the Arhat sculptures, which then replaced them, thus resulting in the alleged creation of Golden Relics in these Arhat figures.
However, despite destroying them, Jiang Ming had not seen a single Golden Relic.
"The waters run too deep, there’s no need to delve further..."
Jiang Ming shook his head, quickly forming a hand sign, and a Spiritual Mark flew to the corner of Bi Zhu’s robe.
"This is work for a professional team."
"These tasks are better left to you all."
Jiang Ming understood these hidden truths largely due to Li Tianming and Bi Zhu.
He then swiftly took his leave.
Had it not been for the absence of the Mortal Transcendence Demons nearby, making the accumulation of Spirit Points and Simulation Points too sluggish, Jiang Ming might not have chosen to wade into these murky waters.
At that moment, Jiang Ming even considered leaving Mingwu City.
He was not overly curious about the secrets within Mingwu City; curiosity killed the cat, and being curious about things that shouldn’t concern oneself, especially without sufficient power, was a surefire way to court danger.
With a flicker of his form, Jiang Ming once again vanished into the darkness.
Only Wuxin’s eyes stirred slightly, a look of confusion as he gazed at the spot where Jiang Ming had vanished.
"Master Wuxin, what is it?" Bi Zhu noticed Wuxin’s unusual expression and inquired with puzzlement.
"It’s nothing."
Wuxin simply nodded.
"Gentlemen, where should we go from here?"
Bi Zhu and Li Tianming exchanged glances, "We have some companions in the city..."
................................
The nights in Great Lii are haunted by malevolent beings; even though the Mortal Transcendence Demons are now absent, the usual supernatural creatures are still numerous.
Jiang Ming took no issue with having an abundance of Spirit Points and Simulation Points, and wandered further into the wilds for a long time, collecting a batch of Simulation Points and Spirit Points.
Dawn began to break.
The sun hung in the eastern sky, its rays illuminating the land, banishing the vile spirits and dispersing the darkness.
In a temple, the remnants of the Great Buddha from which Jiang Ming had taken the core, now severed and charred, lay under the light; amazingly, the charred surface began to dissipate bit by bit.
Atop the high platform, a complete Dharma-Protecting Arhat appeared once again.
The faceless Arhats moved mechanically down from the platform, collecting the remains of the Great Buddha and piecing them back together.
The sound of flesh squelching and writhing echoed.
Before long, the Buddha newly painted with gold sat cross-legged on the high platform once more, its mighty visage appearing solemn; only the empty eyes betrayed traces of profound madness, which quickly vanished as if drawn into a vortex.
The Buddhist Temple became clean and tidy once more.
The golden Great Buddha sat on the high platform, its face slightly tilted downward, seemingly gazing compassionately upon all beings.
Surrounded by four faceless Dharma-Protecting Arhats standing guard.
As time passed, believers in the city began to visit the outer temples for prayer.
One by one, the devout believers arrived before the Great Buddha, kneeling in ritual worship.
Monks also came to light incense and strike the wooden fish, chanting scriptures; the scent of incense wafted warmly, the chanting was soothing, leaving each believer feeling as though their hearts were cleansed.
The golden Great Buddha continued its gaze of compassion and pity upon the world, though within its hollow eyes, something seemed to desperately strive to emerge, yet was restrained by some force.
The twenty-four Buddhist Temples outside Mingwu City returned to normal once more, with a constant flow of believers coming to offer incense and pray, hoping for the protection of Buddha and Bodhisattvas.
On an unnamed high mountain, one could overlook the four surrounding temples from this vantage.
Three figures clad in Kasayas stood there.
