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The figure of the man in the green robe was blurred as he stepped above the Buddhist Cauldron, slowly lifting his right hand and striking down with a palm.
Thud!
A seemingly casual palm shattered the heavily wounded demonic thought into dust.
Boom—
In an instant, clarity was restored between heaven and earth, and the terrifying demonic might dissipated in a moment.
The clouds dispersed, and the warm sun once again touched the ground.
The monks of Tianxu Temple, looking up at the figures in green and white robes hovering above, were utterly shocked.
The Buddhist Sect of the Eastern Land had exhausted countless efforts and still failed to eradicate this demonic thought, yet the wills of two lingering shadows managed to resolve it easily, overturning many monks' worldviews.
"It's him."
The Old Monk did not recognize the person in the white Dao robe, but he immediately identified the man in green.
Although the man's features were indistinct, the Old Monk was confident in his guess. In an ancient hall of the Buddhist Sect, many precious items were displayed, including a portrait depicting the man in green.
Legend has it that a long time ago, a top powerhouse from the Qing Sect visited the Buddhist Sect of the Eastern Land, seeking their help to completely pacify the demon abyss. However, the then-leader of the Buddhist Sect lacked the courage to take such a risk and politely declined the proposal.
The man in green did not insist and left after drinking a cup of tea.
After he departed, a young monk who had served him tea and water captured his likeness from memory and sketched it. Years later, the portrait was collected by the Buddhist Sect, serving as a token of remembrance.
Later on, the leader of that generation of the Buddhist Sect, feeling guilty towards both the Qing Sect and the Buddha, dared not gamble with the entire Buddhist Sect and instead severed his ties with it, heading to the demon abyss in the Imperial Province.
From then on, the leader of the Buddhist Sect and the man in green jointly suppressed the demon abyss and never returned.
As for the Buddhist Sect of the Eastern Land, it remained untainted by karma, living in ease, and its heritage grew unfathomably deep to this day.
"He once debated with the ancestors of our Sect, convincing a hundred Zen masters. The ancient texts say he stood above the nine heavens, subdued the Holy Lord of an ancient sect with one hand, and defeated the Old Ancestor of a great teaching with a flip of his palm, finding few equals in his life."
Without exaggeration, the Daoist in green could be ranked among the top three powerhouses of the Qing Sect, second only to the founder.
The Old Monk never expected that by invoking the might of the Qing Sect, he would accidentally summon the will of this venerable figure, and he was inwardly startled.
With the demonic thought eliminated, the two wills in the void quickly dissipated without leaving any trace, as if they had never appeared.
After everything had ended, everyone was in a daze for a long time before coming back to their senses.
The monks turned their gaze towards Chen Qingyuan, their eyes reflecting a dramatic change.
They were all well aware that the two wills had emerged from Chen Qingyuan's brow.
"Amitabha."
The monks, recalling how they had initially underestimated Chen Qingyuan, bowed their heads in self-reproach, feeling deeply ashamed.
Some senior monks decided to start reflecting on their actions the next day.
"Could he be?"
A few of the top monks seemed to recognize the identity of the man in green, their eyes sparkling with curiosity, but they hesitated to speak.
The portrait of the man in green had always been kept in a Buddhist hall, and naturally, the legend was preserved as well.
"Abbot."
Several elder monks looked at the Old Monk with meaningful eyes, seeking an answer.
The Old Monk understood their gaze and nodded slowly.
"The Buddhist Sect is not at peace."
An old-fashioned monk sighed deeply.
"To save all beings and aid the world," the Old Monk said solemnly, his voice hoarse, "The Buddhist Sect was wrong before. Now that I lead the way, we cannot repeat past mistakes."
"I am at fault for my narrow-mindedness; please punish me, Abbot."
The old-fashioned monk quickly admitted his mistake, realizing he had misspoken.
"Your punishment is to live in the mortal world for ten years without using Buddhist teachings, to experience the myriad facets of life as an ordinary monk."
The Old Monk decided it was time for change.
"Yes."
The old-fashioned monk nodded.
"Today's events, without permission, must not be disclosed or discussed. Violators will have their cultivation level stripped and be expelled from the Buddhist Sect."
The Old Monk swept his gaze over the monks, his Buddhist authority pressing down on each of them as he spoke sternly.
"We will follow the decree."
The monks, puzzled, dared not ask further questions and nodded in agreement with their hands clasped in prayer.
After dealing with these matters, the Old Monk descended from the void and slowly approached Chen Qingyuan.
"Child, it's time for you to wake up."
Then, the Old Monk withdrew his majestic Buddha's body and gently touched Chen Qingyuan's brow, pulling him back from the profound state to the real world.
Chen Qingyuan slowly opened his eyes, feeling extremely tired.
Seeing the Old Monk standing before him, Chen Qingyuan noticed the Buddhist Cauldron had become very quiet, and the monks were no longer chanting. He asked softly, "Master, has the demon been suppressed?"
"Yes, the demonic thought has been destroyed, leaving no disaster behind. We owe this resolution to the assistance of young Donor Chen."
The Old Monk's kind eyes and gentle demeanor remained as he smiled at Chen Qingyuan.
"But I didn't do anything!"
Chen Qingyuan was utterly bewildered.
"Your presence was enough."
The Old Monk's words left Chen Qingyuan confused.
However, Chen Qingyuan remembered being trapped in the consciousness space at the center of the jade platform, inexplicably, without knowing why.
"Master, I think I was in a strange consciousness space just now. What happened?"
Chen Qingyuan decided to ask about it.
"You will know in time."
The Old Monk did not intend to inform Chen Qingyuan about the Qing Sect's matters, at least not now, to avoid adding to his burden.
"Alright then."
Always mysterious, monks do love to keep secrets.
Chen Qingyuan stopped pondering these questions, as his own Master had once said something similar.
How did the terrifying demon in the Buddhist Cauldron suddenly get suppressed?
It was strange.
And even stranger things were yet to come.
When Chen Qingyuan decided to leave, the monks made way for him, standing respectfully on both sides with their hands clasped.
Even Daochen Monk, who had initially looked down on Chen Qingyuan, now showed deep respect and a hint of shame in his eyes.
What's going on?
Chen Qingyuan had just taken a step when he was startled by the scene before him and dared not continue forward.
Swallowing hard, he turned back to the Old Monk and asked in a low voice, "Master, how was the demon in the cauldron suppressed?"
"Donor Chen, you have a profound connection with our Buddha, and your wisdom is exceptional. Using the blood from your brow, it is enough to suppress the evil demon."
The Old Monk answered with a beaming smile.
"I see!"
Chen Qingyuan kept a straight face, but inside, a storm was raging.
Connected to the Buddha, could it be that the Buddhist Sect wants to take me as a disciple? Perhaps some identity like a Buddha's child, and that's why these old fellows' attitudes have suddenly changed?
It's highly likely!
I need to get out of here fast; I don't want to become a monk.
Chen Qingyuan shuddered and quickly walked forward, fearing he might be swarmed by a group of Old Monks.
"Young Donor, you are quite weak right now, walk slowly."
The Old Monk followed closely, not understanding why Chen Qingyuan suddenly started running so fast.