Longevity Strange Immortal-Chapter 589 - 213 Li Mo, See You Again in the Immortal Realm

Chapter 589: Chapter 213 Li Mo, See You Again in the Immortal Realm

Ancient Cultivation World.

Over four centuries have passed since the first apocalyptic upheaval descended. Even in the Northwest, which suffered the least, the land is a desolate wasteland.

Buddhist temples rely on believers for support, but the mortal world itself symbolizes upheaval.

As a result, the scattered temples of the Northwest have been distorted by the "Word-to-law" phenomenon.

The exteriors emit Buddha Light, appearing resplendent in gold, but within, sinister objects resembling Buddhas are imprisoned, howling day and night.

Why is the Northwest regarded as a sacred land of Buddhism?

The prevailing folk saying goes, "Every ten miles, a temple; every hundred miles, a Buddha." Now, however, all these temples have become nothing more than prisons for sinister objects.

Even though Leiyin Temple and the Buddhist sect managed to stabilize the situation in the Northwest, initiating all the herders into the path through Dharma Transmission...

One truth cannot be denied.

It is all futile; the fall of the Buddhist sect is inevitable.

The sinister objects are unkillable, as they originate from mortal desires and thoughts about the Northwest. These sinister objects are all transformations of the Buddha statues once worshipped.

Pessimism spreads unabated, driving many Buddhist practitioners to flee to the Central Plains in search of the path to Feather Transformation Ascension, seeking to escape the bitter sea of the mortal world.

Yet, amidst all this, a singular temple remains resolutely secluded.

Even before the apocalyptic upheaval, it had ceased accepting disciples, devoting itself to vegetarian rituals and chanting scriptures, its reputation fading day by day.

Futuo Temple

Futuo Temple sits on a sheer cliff. Its fourteen centuries of seclusion have left parts of its structure collapsed and shrouded in dust. Trees have overtaken the area to such a degree that the temple is invisible from the mountain base.

This long seclusion nearly erased Futuo Temple from the annals of the Buddhist sect.

But fortune came from misfortune; as the mortal world forgot Futuo Temple, its remaining mountain gate was spared from the effects of the "Word-to-law" phenomenon.

The mountain gate is in ruins, the path overgrown with weeds.

A skeletal old monk is sweeping fallen leaves. His kasaya is patched all over, embodying the image of a man nearing his final days.

"Year after year, people change."

The old monk sighs deeply, trembling as he moves to the incense burner.

"Master!"

A seven- or eight-year-old novice monk runs out from the temple, carefully stepping over the terraces as if afraid a fall might worry the old monk.

Futuo Temple now has only two monks remaining. The novice monk is an infant the old monk found at the mountain’s base.

"Master Cheng Hua, didn’t you say the incense burner is no longer in use? Why have you kept lighting it recently?"

"Amitabha Buddha."

Master Cheng Hua clasps his hands together devoutly and bows to the incense burner. "This is called a test incense, only lit when awaiting a guest."

"Huh? Master Cheng Hua, how do you know someone is coming?"

"I don’t know either, except that my master told me that four hundred years after the upheaval, a guest would come to Futuo Temple to save the world."

The novice monk only half understands.

Master Cheng Hua, lost in thought, gently pats the novice monk’s head. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Young monk, I have yet to bestow upon you a Dharma name. If I enter Nirvana, you will inherit the ’Cheng Hua’ name. Remember this well: always remain at Futuo Temple, awaiting the savior."

The Cheng Hua Dharma name has been passed down for generations, allegedly for fourteen centuries.

Each time the line of monks at Futuo Temple seemed about to end, an infant would mysteriously appear around the temple, as if protected by unseen Buddhist karma.

And yet...

A trace of confusion flickers in Master Cheng Hua’s eyes.

Futuo Temple holds no records of this, only verbal accounts passed down through generations. The authenticity of the so-called savior is impossible to verify.

Master Cheng Hua’s cultivation is shallow, his lifespan nearing its end, and he is about to die and dissipate into oblivion.

But with the fourteen-hundred-year deadline approaching, if he dies now, the young novice monk may not even survive on his own.

Alas...

"Savior traveling from the West, before saving the world, can you teach me—how to save myself?"

Staring at the drifting candle smoke, Master Cheng Hua’s mind fills with fleeting images, his limbs prickling with a creeping numbness.

At life’s end, he finds himself unable to let go.

"I could have gone to Leiyin Temple to cultivate. Even if I could not attain Buddhahood, it would have been far better than dying in mere decades, wouldn’t it?"

"What’s the point of it all?"

"A lifetime of waiting, yet I haven’t even seen this so-called savior..."

Master Cheng Hua collapses onto the ground, tearing a large hole in his robe. He seems even more desolate and helpless, his face flushing red with frustration.

"Young monk, help me up."

Noticing the novice monk standing at the mountain path, looking around nervously, Master Cheng Hua repeats, "Young monk, help me up."

"Master! Master, someone is coming up the mountain!"

Master Cheng Hua’s eyes redden as he summons unexpected strength to prop himself up. He stumbles over to the novice monk’s side, squinting toward the base of the mountain.

Three grotesque figures are climbing the cliff.

One wears a bulky straw coat from which multiple arms extend, resembling a humanoid spider more hideous than any demon cultivator.

Another has a gaunt frame but a swollen belly like a pregnant woman. From its subtle movements, it seems a living being stirs within its stomach.

The last figure’s skin is entirely wrinkled. Even without clothing, the excess flesh forms a robe-like covering, without hindering its swift climbing.

"Amitabha Buddha."

"They’ve come, the saviors chosen by the True Buddha."

Rather than panicking, Master Cheng Hua trembles with excitement. The novice monk, however, hides in fear behind the incense burner.

After a short wait, the three figures arrive at the temple entrance.

"Amitabha Buddha, welcome, Benefactors."

"Is this... Futuo Temple?"

Master Cheng Hua nods and says, "Indeed, this is Futuo Temple. We have been waiting for you for fourteen centuries—it has been far too long."

Tian Changwen frowns and exchanges glances with Futu Hermit and Han Cai.

"What year of Da Li is it now?"

"The upheaval has lasted four hundred years. The dynasty has already fallen, and no one uses Da Li anymore. I am unsure how the outside world records the passage of time."

Tian Changwen’s expression darkens.

Using "Word-to-law" in Rong Town to reverse the flow of time, they had expected to arrive ten thousand years prior. Yet, traces of the apocalypse are evident everywhere—the timing is clearly wrong.

They are four centuries too late.

"Old monk, do you know who we are?"

Following Tian Chenzi’s guidance, they had reached Futuo Temple, though their inner Spiritual Power was unusable. Fortunately, the lingering effects of the Immortal Creation Body granted them enough strength to succeed.

"I... I-I..." Master Cheng Hua stammers in distress.

The novice monk nervously peers out from behind the incense burner, boldly asking, "Master Cheng Hua said you are saviors. Is it true?"

Tian Changwen arches an eyebrow, unsure where the title of savior originated.

"Quick, take them to the back mountain." Master Cheng Hua pats the novice monk’s back and points to the ancient pagoda behind Futuo Temple.

"Oh, oh."

Futu Hermit helps support Master Cheng Hua as the five of them head to the rear of the mountain.

The ancient pagoda houses the relics of past abbots. Only those at the Core Formation Stage and beyond are eligible, which is why no new pagodas have been added in a long time.

"This is..."

Tian Changwen’s pupils widen as he sees three statues among the pagodas.

The central statue bears some resemblance to himself, with a bulging belly, ornate kasaya, and a lifelike Heart Ape perched on his shoulder.

The statues on either side depict Han Cai and Futu Hermit, each garbed as Buddhas.

Master Cheng Hua solemnly explains, "Fourteen centuries ago, a True Buddha visited Futuo Temple and told Master De’en that his disciples must await the coming of the saviors."

"Master De’en, on his deathbed, molded a clay depiction of the saviors. To preserve it, the temple later cast it in bronze."

Han Cai murmurs incredulously, "It’s really Li Mo?"

Tian Changwen shakes his head. "Probably. Li Mo only instructed us to come to Futuo Temple; he did not explain what would happen afterward."

"Master De’en did say!"

Master Cheng Hua speaks loudly, "Five hundred years after the upheaval, Cheng Hua must guide you to Leiyin Temple to cultivate."

"Cultivate?"

The three exchange puzzled looks, unable to grasp the implications.

"Wait."

Futu Hermit, whose moniker is derived from Buddhist teachings, understands some of their secrets.

He grips a human-faced spider from his chest and conveys thoughts directly to Tian Changwen and Han Cai.

"The Buddhist sect fell because a reincarnated Living Buddha emerged from Leiyin Temple, likely at the five-century mark of the upheaval."

Han Cai interrupts, "Could the path to Immortality lie within Leiyin Temple?"

"Futu, continue."

"The surviving Buddhist texts mention that Leiyin Temple wasn’t destroyed but ascended alongside the Living Buddha during the upheaval."

Tian Changwen connects the dots instantly.

"Futu, could that reincarnated Buddha be the No-Life Mother?"

"Buddhist secrets are rarely spoken of—how do you know this, Old Tian?"

In Master Cheng Hua’s view, the three silently contemplate the statues. He motions for the novice monk to stay quiet and wait nearby.

Tian Changwen conveys his thoughts, "Don’t forget, the No-Life Sect was founded by the No-Life Mother. The Twelve Immortals are essentially Li Mo’s senior sisters."

"I think I understand why Li Mo sent us to the past."

Futu Hermit ponders, but Han Cai remains clueless.

Tian Changwen strokes the statue, narrowing his eyes. "We need to seize the opportunity for the monks of Leiyin Temple to ascend and become Buddhas. Then, ascend alongside Li Mo and others ten thousand years later... and reunite with them in the Upper Realm!"

"But careful planning is essential; the No-Life Mother cannot be trusted. Li Mo’s instructions also mentioned Yongle World."

Futu Hermit’s chest rises and falls rapidly.

Li Mo’s arranged opportunity is a shortcut to transcendence, but it is fraught with great danger.

"But we aren’t Buddhists—how can we infiltrate Leiyin Temple?"

"Old Han, could using relics to graft external spiritual organs transform the Immortal Creation Body towards Buddhism, converting Spiritual Power to Buddha Power?"

"Hmm, it’s plausible, but we are too few. Futuo Temple alone isn’t enough."

"Old Han, the Northwest is littered with temples. Aren’t the sinister objects within top-quality spiritual materials? Relics abound for our use."

Tian Changwen finishes transmitting his thoughts and addresses Master Cheng Hua softly, "Old monk, there’s a saying: to save others, one must first enter the mortal world. We wish to join Futuo Temple."

"That... that’s possible."

Master Cheng Hua agrees readily.

However, Tian Changwen adds, "Good. Then we will summon the remaining 9,000 members to formally shave their heads and join Futuo Temple tomorrow."

"N-9,000?"

"How can two or three people save the world? More is better."

Since arriving in the past, Tian Changwen felt constrained. The remaining disciples of the Creation Sect, hidden in erosion caves, were ready to be brought in waves.

Master Cheng Hua looked completely bewildered as Han Cai and Futu Hermit began reorganizing the temple.

Tian Changwen smiled.

"With the Creation Sect here, Li Mo, you’ll never lose this great cosmic game!"

"See you in the Immortal Realm!"