Chapter 319: Chapter 250: This Body Refining... Why Does It Feel Like Alchemy?

The courtyard gate of the Zen Room closed once more, and Yang An’s figure gradually faded into the distance.

Inside the Zen Room.

A cold smile crept onto Qing Kong’s face. He let out a soft snort and muttered under his breath.

"Hmph. The Buddha’s Son!

If he weren’t the True Buddha Reincarnation, taking advantage of such a huge boon, what right would a mere Fake Food have to bargain with me?"

A flash of jealousy crossed his eyes, but it vanished in an instant. Qing Kong quickly composed himself, suddenly pressing his palms together and chanting a Buddha’s name aloud.

"Amitabha! What a sin, what a sin!

I have actually broken a precept... broken a precept... Hehehehe."

His cold smile did not fade. With a sudden flick of his sleeve, he transformed into a black shadow and shot upstairs.

In his wake, a pool of black blood flowed down the Zen Room’s staircase in an instant.

Meanwhile.

As he walked out of the Mingli Zen Courtyard, Yang An stopped and glanced back in the direction he had come, his gaze fixed on where Qing Kong’s Zen Room was located.

A cold smile appeared on his face, a hint of disdain in his eyes.

’That bald donkey really has it all figured out.’

Although he had never seen a Kui Demon, this "bald donkey" Qing Kong seemed no different from the Kui Demon he described.

It was just a Fox Wolf Wood Heart. If he weren’t in urgent need of it, and if gathering it didn’t require such a long wait...

This kind of Spiritual Object wasn’t even particularly precious.

And yet, Qing Kong expected him to use his connection with Elder Monk Hai Shu to get the Kuimo Essence.

Yang An hadn’t agreed to it. He had only said he would try and seek an audience with Hai Shu Bodhisattva.

Of course, seeing Hai Shu Bodhisattva was a must.

Before long, Yang An followed the now-familiar path in his memory, crossing the vast plaza and ascending the thousand-meter-long flight of stairs. He arrived at the Ten Thousand Buddha Hall, the same place he had first met Elder Monk Hai Shu.

Hai Shu Bodhisattva usually spent his days here in the Ten Thousand Buddha Hall.

When he reached the entrance of the Ten Thousand Buddha Hall, the monks on guard stopped Yang An.

No one was permitted to rashly disturb the Bodhisattva.

Everything had to be done by the book. They couldn’t break the rules just because Yang An was the Buddha’s Son.

Yang An naturally understood and bowed respectfully outside the Ten Thousand Buddha Hall.

"Yuan Ji requests an audience with Hai Shu Bodhisattva."

A response soon came from within the towering, magnificent Ten Thousand Buddha Hall.

"Yuan Ji, come in."

It was the voice of Hai Shu Bodhisattva.

As the voice faded, the heavy doors of the Ten Thousand Buddha Hall swung open automatically.

Only then did the monks let Yang An pass, bowing respectfully before taking their leave.

Yang An walked slowly into the Ten Thousand Buddha Hall.

’It’s a good thing I left the Bow Lady in the Quiet Chamber of my Zen Room,’ he thought. ’Otherwise, coming here would probably have triggered some kind of stress reaction from her.’

It wasn’t just the Bow Lady. Even Yang An himself, upon stepping into the Ten Thousand Buddha Hall, felt as if countless gazes were emanating from the innumerable Golden Buddha Statues.

In the unseen ether, it was as if countless eyes were watching him from places he could not see.

Even he found the place incredibly oppressive.

"Yuan Ji, what brings you here?"

Hai Shu Bodhisattva still wore a kind and benevolent expression. He was like one of the eternally standing statues, perfectly still. At first glance, it was impossible to tell him apart from the Golden Buddha Statues.

Not much time had passed since the two had last seen each other.

After transmitting the Jade Kala Vajra Body to Yang An, Yang An had gone to the Grand View Cave Zen and then to the Mingli Zen Courtyard.

The entire process had taken less than a day.

"Have you encountered a problem with your cultivation?"

Hai Shu Bodhisattva asked.

In his view, Yang An should have already obtained the materials for cultivating the Jade Kala Vajra Body and begun his attempt.

For him to come seeking an audience now, the only possibility was that he had run into trouble during his cultivation.

Thinking of this, Hai Shu Bodhisattva sighed softly.

The difficulty of cultivating the Jade Kala Vajra Body was indeed too high. Many had tried and failed before, so it wouldn’t be unexpected if Yang An had failed as well.

"Bodhisattva, I have not come regarding cultivation, because I have not yet begun to cultivate."

Yang An replied.

’From Elder Monk Hai Shu’s words, I can tell he isn’t watching me at all times.’

This brought him a sense of relief.

"Oh? Then what is it?"

Hai Shu Bodhisattva asked with a smile.

Learning that it wasn’t a problem with cultivation allowed him to maintain a bit of hope.

"Today, after receiving the Jade Kala Vajra Body from you, Bodhisattva, I went to the Grand View Cave Zen to collect the cultivation resources. However, the Fox Wolf Wood Heart was missing, so I went to the Mingli Zen Courtyard to visit Zen Master Qing Kong..."

Yang An recounted the day’s events in detail, but when it came to his conversation with Qing Kong, he was purposefully vague.

"Qing Kong still has a Fox Wolf Wood Heart in his possession?"

"Indeed!"

"If Qing Kong has no use for it, just have him lend it to you for now. You can return it later."

Hai Shu Bodhisattva said with a laugh, as if it were a trivial matter.

But in response, a troubled expression appeared on Yang An’s face.

"Did Qing Kong not agree?

It’s fine if he didn’t. The Spiritual Object was requisitioned by him, so it naturally belongs to him. Even I cannot force him to give it to you. You should just wait a while longer. Do not be rash in matters of cultivation."

The reasoning was sound, but Yang An shook his head.

"Bodhisattva, though Zen Master Qing Kong did not agree to let me borrow it, he did tell me of another way."

"Oh?"

"Zen Master Qing Kong claims to practice the Sacrificial Meat Zen, one of the Thirty-six Zen. Therefore, he wishes to obtain some of the flesh and blood from this body in exchange for the Fox Wolf Wood Heart.

I... I was unsure if this was permissible, so I did not agree. That is why I have come to ask for your wisdom, Bodhisattva.

The Zen Master claims that if this act would cause me no harm, then... would it be acceptable for me to try?"