Chapter Thirty-Seven: Treading the Path in Search of Beauty

After hearing Kongxuan’s words, Zhang Xiao finally relaxed. “Come, let me help you refine this treasure into your body,” Kongling said, guiding Zhang Xiao to sit cross-legged and channel the Buddhist cultivation technique. In an instant, golden light burst forth from Zhang Xiao’s body, with lines of golden scripture swirling around him. Kongling took the Buddha’s Golden Wheel from the jade box, fingers flickering as seal after seal was pressed into the artifact, suppressing its divine glow to the barest glimmer. Then, with a single palm strike, she pressed the Buddha’s Golden Wheel onto Zhang Xiao’s body.

This supreme treasure, long since subdued and unable to resist, suddenly sensed the Buddhist power within Zhang Xiao and absorbed it greedily. Zhang Xiao shuddered as his spiritual energy surged uncontrollably into the Golden Wheel. Alarmed, he tried to resist, but Kongling’s voice rang in his ear: “Don’t fight it. Let it absorb. Focus on refining.”

Reassured by her words, Zhang Xiao poured his concentration into the process. Faintly, he sensed a great Buddha within the Golden Wheel, whose face was blank and featureless. “Amitabha,” intoned a resonant chant from the Buddha, and Zhang Xiao felt a tightening in his soul as an immense force pulled at his mind. Startled, he instinctively tried to resist, but then his spirit was suddenly freed, and the force vanished without a trace.

When he focused again on the Buddha within, he found that the blank face now bore his own features. The sight startled him—staring at the Buddha felt as if the Buddha was staring back, or as if he had split into two selves. Suddenly, the Buddha’s Golden Wheel dissolved into a thread of golden light, which entered Zhang Xiao’s brow. There, a faint golden mark appeared, subtle enough to be overlooked if not examined closely.

Kongxuan and Kongling exchanged a smile at the sight. Seeing that Zhang Xiao had not yet awakened, they quietly left, leaving him alone. After all, this was a supreme treasure; without Kongxuan’s help, Zhang Xiao would have needed at least half a year to refine it. Even now, absorbing all the knowledge the artifact imparted would take him three days and nights.

When Zhang Xiao finally awoke, he had no idea how much time had passed. Apart from the faint gold mark at his brow, he felt no obvious change, but in truth his strength had vastly increased. The Golden Wheel’s greatest power was not in attack, but in support: once refined, it was as though he gained a second body for cultivation. The artifact would ceaselessly absorb spiritual energy from its surroundings, converting it to Buddhist power. Whenever he needed it, this power would flow straight from the Wheel into himself. While understanding and enlightenment remained his own to seek, the artifact ensured that, once he broke through a realm, he could swiftly perfect his cultivation there. Such a miraculous ability was beyond the comprehension of gods or ghosts—yet this was only a fraction of its powers, limited by his current stage. Only upon reaching the Tribulation Crossing stage could he fully unleash the treasure’s might.

“Senior brother! You’re awake!” A clear voice interrupted Zhang Xiao’s train of thought. Turning, he saw Qingsong, the young disciple under their master.

Previously, Zhang Xiao had not seen through Qingsong’s depth. He had known Qingsong was powerful, but now, after refining the Golden Wheel, he could see the youth’s body filled with primordial chaos, hiding a force that struck awe in his heart. Qingsong, noticing Zhang Xiao’s silent stare, gave him a quizzical look. “Senior brother, why are you staring at me? Do I have something on my face?”

Snapping back to himself, Zhang Xiao realized his rudeness and quickly smiled. “Haha, junior brother, I haven’t seen you in some time. I missed you; forgive my manners.” He brushed off the moment with a casual excuse.

Qingsong smiled knowingly, clearly aware of the evasion but not pressing the matter. “Heh, our master asked me to see if you’d awakened. If so, he wishes to see you.”

“Ah, if Master wants to see me, let’s hurry!” At the mention of Kongling, Zhang Xiao sprang up and followed Qingsong to the main hall.

There, Kongling sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, with Zhang Xiao’s two junior brothers seated below in silence. Not sure what was happening, Zhang Xiao stepped forward and bowed. “Greetings, Master.”

Kongling opened her eyes, studied Zhang Xiao, and pointed at the center cushion before her with a smile. “Very good. Sit down; I have things to say.”

Zhang Xiao quickly settled himself. Kongling began, “I summoned the three of you today for three matters. First, in one year’s time, the Nine Sects Grand Competition will be held. The outcome concerns Maoshan’s future interests, so you must focus on cultivation. Second, after the competition, the elders and even the sect leader will retire from the forefront. Unless the sect faces annihilation, we cannot appear lightly.”

The disciples were shocked. With the elders hidden, who would lead Maoshan? Kongling, reading their thoughts, turned to Di Miao and Shi An. “The third matter concerns the Pavilion of Thousand Mechanisms. Though you two entered later than your senior brother and are behind in cultivation, you have inherited my true skills in artifact forging. After the competition, the Pavilion will be yours to manage.”

Di Miao and Shi An knelt and promised, “We will not disappoint you, Master!” Kongling smiled, then turned to Zhang Xiao. “Of all Maoshan, you were the first to seek us out and the first to become my disciple. Now, among your generation, none can match your cultivation.”

“Thank you for your guidance, Master,” Zhang Xiao replied.

Kongling chuckled. “You needn’t thank me. In truth, I’m somewhat ashamed. Your achievements are all your own; unlike your brothers, whose strength I built up with elixirs. Though you’ve been under my tutelage for so long, I haven’t truly been able to teach you. Tell me, have you ever resented me for that?”

Startled, Zhang Xiao quickly answered, “You taught me the cultivation method, guided me in artifact forging, and helped me refine a supreme treasure. How could I resent you?” These words were sincere—though Kongling had not constantly watched over him, in every critical moment, she had lent her aid. Without her, he would not stand where he did now.

Kongling was comforted. “You feel this way, and that relieves me. Here, this is my journal, containing my years of cultivation insights, notes on artifact and elixir crafting. Take it.”

Though the humble notebook seemed less than the Pavilion of Thousand Mechanisms, Zhang Xiao knew it was a rare treasure, the distilled wisdom and heart’s blood of his master. With both hands, he received it gratefully. “Thank you, Master.”

“Very well. I have said what I must. The coming competition is extraordinary—you must devote yourselves wholly. I will establish a cultivation ground in the back mountain and draw boundless spiritual energy for your training.” With that, Kongxuan finished.

Di Miao and Shi An immediately obeyed, but Zhang Xiao hesitated, frowning slightly. “Master, there is something I wish to ask,” he said.

Kongling had Di Miao and Shi An withdraw, then addressed Zhang Xiao. “Since your return from the Demon Sect, you have seemed troubled. What weighs on your heart?”

Hearing her pinpoint his concern so directly, Zhang Xiao could only smile wryly. He asked, “Master, I wish to ask: if a foe from one’s past life appears in this life, could they become one’s beloved?”

He could not reveal his rebirth, so he spoke obliquely. Hearing this, Kongling gave him a strange look and shook her head. “What belongs to a previous life’s karma ends with the past. The present life’s karma is its own. How can the two be confused?”

Zhang Xiao pondered her words, then asked, “And what about the future?” His heart pounded, hoping his master would reveal whether to abandon or accept.

Kongling burst out laughing, shaking her head. Zhang Xiao grew even more confused, not knowing what amused her.

“Ah, the future—how could a mere mortal like you judge it? Even the Buddha of Three Times cannot foresee every detail of what is to come. How could you hope to know?”

Faced with her string of questions, Zhang Xiao was at a loss, but Kongling did not press him. She said calmly, “You speak of the future, but did you ever imagine you would stand where you do today?”

A shadow crossed Zhang Xiao’s face, as if he had recalled something painful. Seeing this, Kongling became serious. “The past’s causes ended in the past. The future cannot be predicted, for it is constantly in flux. This moment is thus, the next may be otherwise. What you can grasp is the present—forget the past, seize the present, and you can shape your future.”

“Forget the past, seize the present, and you can shape the future,” Zhang Xiao repeated, his eyes suddenly brightening. Yes—Lan Fang may have betrayed him in his previous life, but in this life she had not, nor in the future. Though he had fared poorly before, now he stood as an elder of Maoshan. The past was not necessarily right.

Now that he had power, why not change his fate? He realized his error: the thorn in his heart was not Lan Fang’s doing, but his own. It was time to remove it.

Light returned to Zhang Xiao’s eyes. He rose and bowed deeply to Kongling. “Thank you for your guidance, Master. I intend to journey abroad.”

Kongling, sensing this was a knot in his heart, did not inquire further. “If it concerns your heart’s burden, you must go. But remember: you have one year. If you are not back three days before the Grand Competition, you will be considered a traitor to the sect.”

Startled by the severity, Zhang Xiao immediately agreed. “I will obey your command, Master.” He knew time was short—and to find Lan Fang among the masses would be no easy task. Without delay, he left the Pavilion of Thousand Mechanisms and made for the mountain’s teleportation array.

“Send me to Z City,” Zhang Xiao ordered as he stepped onto the array. Yet the disciples in charge sneered, “Heh, Elder of the Outer Sect, we just sent someone and don’t have enough energy left. You’ll have to wait a few days.”

The words ‘Outer Sect’ were emphasized, as if to remind Zhang Xiao that he held no authority over them. He suspected Wang Yanbo was behind this; otherwise, these inner disciples would never dare provoke him so openly. Smiling, Zhang Xiao asked, “Oh? And when will the array be ready again?”

The disciple, seeing Zhang Xiao’s polite tone, grew bolder. “Heh, even if you’re an outer elder, so what? Our cultivation is weak, it takes time to recover. Maybe in three to five days…”

He had not finished when a burly figure appeared beside Zhang Xiao. Before the disciple could react, he felt a sudden chill in his chest and looked down to see a gaping hole had appeared.

Zhang Xiao kicked him aside. The other disciples drew their spiritual weapons, shocked that he would kill a fellow disciple. But there were over ten of them, and they were not afraid.

Yet before they could act, the figure behind Zhang Xiao struck the ground. Countless stone spears shot up from below, seriously injuring the lucky and skewering the unlucky like candied hawthorns.

The figure was none other than Copper-Armored Corpse One, whose strength rivaled half a Golden Core expert—far beyond what these nobodies could withstand.

“Fools. I’ll let this go for now. Tell Wang Yanbo, if he crosses me again, I’ll ruin him,” Zhang Xiao said, stepping onto the array. Though there was no one to supply spiritual energy, Copper-Armored Corpse could barely manage. Setting his destination, Zhang Xiao ordered the corpse to channel energy into the array. Lights flashed, and with a flick, he put the corpse away and vanished from the platform.