Urban Martial Saint

Since Shijia arrived, everyone stopped making other plans. The old fellow’s confident demeanor slightly reassured them.

Shijia handed the map to Ye Qing and briefly explained the situation on it. Patriarch Bodhidharma’s nirvana place is at Mount Wangyu, roughly two thousand kilometers away from Shenchuan City, a desolate area. Moreover, it belongs to the Northwestern Frontier, within the Wanyan Family’s sphere of influence.

After the Sun Shooting Bow incident, the Wanyan Family members vanished completely, moving their entire family without leaving anyone behind. But everyone understood that the Wanyan Family wouldn’t disappear so easily. Having rested and recuperated for nearly a thousand years, the strength they’ve amassed certainly isn’t just those that appeared last time. The eight Supreme Elders were only a part, and the true power of the Wanyan Family mustn’t be underestimated.

However, Ye Qing didn’t concern himself with these matters. He is now practically a half Peak Master, with formidable strength. Even if he encounters masters from the Wanyan Family, though he might not win, he can at least escape. Furthermore, under current circumstances, the Wanyan Family wouldn’t dare reveal themselves. Even if they aren’t afraid of the People of Shenchuan City, surely they fear the Corpse Ghost Dragon.

The Corpse Ghost Dragon is forcefully ascending, with an unmistakable attitude: follow me and flourish, defy me and perish. Everyone in the world, those willing to join him, become his people. Those unwilling become his enemies, and he absolutely wouldn’t spare his enemies.

In this scenario, many families have vanished, afraid to show their faces. Not just the Wanyan Family, even the Capital’s Nalan Family followed suit. After the Corpse Ghost Dragon appeared, the Nalan Family members also practically disappeared, no longer mingling. It can be said that Shenchuan City is now the last defense against the Corpse Ghost Dragon. If the people of Shenchuan City are defeated, then any other family, regardless of their strength, would be meaningless. Before the Corpse Ghost Dragon, their accumulated power is insignificant!

Thus, Ye Qing deduced that even if he reaches the Wanyan Family’s territory, they absolutely wouldn’t act against him. After all, if they attack Ye Qing, then there’s no one left to deal with the Corpse Ghost Dragon.

”Alright, I’ve understood the map.” Ye Qing put the map away and said, ”Monk, you’ve come at the right time, I have something I need your help with.”

Shijia clasped his hands reverently, saying with a solemn expression: ”Amitabha, Buddha said a word is destiny. Everything in the world revolves around destiny. Benefactor, suddenly seeking help from an old monk, isn’t it somewhat inappropriate?”

”Then what would be appropriate?” Ye Qing slightly furrowed his brow, Shijia this old fellow, trying to act pretentious, huh?

”Uh...” Shijia opened his eyes, said slyly: ”All temples have incense money, donate incense money, gain merit. With merit, one can pray to Buddha, do you understand my words?”

”If you want money just say so, no need for all this nonsense!” Ye Qing felt speechless, Shijia this old fellow is even more difficult than Old Wang Ba.

”Alright, straightforward, I like men like you!” Shijia immediately extended one finger, saying: ”Ten billion, whatever the matter, I’ll handle it for you!”

”Handle...” Everyone around was speechless, even Helian Tiehua from a gang background sighed. Is this Shijia a distinguished monk or an old rascal?

”Ten billion?” Ye Qing’s eyes widened immediately, saying: ”Why don’t you go robbing?”

Shijia: ”I also want to go robbing, but who carries ten billion every day, even the bank doesn’t release that much money daily.”

”Go, go, go!” Ye Qing waved repeatedly, saying: ”I’m not wasting words with you, first come over and help me deal with this matter here.”

”No money, no talk! Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing? What are you doing? Let go of the old monk, quickly let go of the old monk. Benefactor, if you don’t let go of the old monk, I will start cursing. I’ll curse your ancestors, is this kidnapping?”

Ye Qing ignored Shijia’s foul language, dragging him straight to Broom Star’s room.

”Look, the Purple Lotus Karma Fire on him, see if you can help extinguish it.” Ye Qing pointed at Broom Star.

Shijia didn’t even look at the situation in the room, while sorting his clothes he mumbled: ”Gosh, what kind of person is this? Not spending even 1 cent, stripping the elder’s clothes, almost taking off my kasaya.”

Ye Qing felt speechless, dragging Shijia over and aligning his head with Broom Star, saying: ”Monk, check out this scenario here. I am without fate with Buddha, but this child has great destiny with Buddha. If you won’t help me, at least help him!”

Only then did Shijia look at Broom Star, a flash of astonishment visible on his face. Going beside Broom Star, he reached out to touch the Purple Lotus Karma Fire surrounding Broom Star, exclaiming: ”It’s really the Purple Lotus Karma Fire!”

”Nonsense, would I lie to you?” Ye Qing said: ”This is the Purple Lotus Karma Fire left by Doctor An last time, transferred to this child’s body by the Corpse Ghost Dragon. Monk, do you have a way to extinguish it?”

”I don’t have a damn way!” Shijia shrugged, saying: ”Purple Lotus Karma Fire burns karmic power. How many Purple Lotus Flowers there are, that’s how much karmic power needs to burn. If karmic power burns out before the Purple Lotus Flowers, the Purple Lotus Karma Fire will keep burning indefinitely, and no one could extinguish it.”

”Ah?” Ye Qing widened his eyes, nervously looking at Broom Star, saying: ”He’s just a kid, what karmic power could he have? According to you, will this Purple Lotus Karma Fire burn him for a lifetime?”

”Stop talking nonsense for now.” Shijia walked over to Broom Star, observing him up and down, left and right, carefully for a while, and then frowned, ”Where did you find this child?”

”Picked him up,” Ye Qing replied truthfully.

”Picked him up?” Shijia glared at Ye Qing and said, ”Where did you pick him up? Go pick me another one so I can have a look.”

”A child from the orphanage, he’s a bit special, so I’ve kept him by my side,” Ye Qing said. ”Don’t be fooled by his young age; his words are philosophical, like an enlightened monk. Moreover, he understands Buddhist texts!”

”Really?” Shijia was even more astonished; it was clear he hadn’t known about Broom Star’s existence.

”Didn’t you know about such a child before?” Ye Qing looked at Shijia in surprise and said, ”Aren’t you supposed to know everything? Nothing in the world can escape your eyes?”

Shijia said, ”I indeed know everything within fate. But this child is not within fate!”

”He’s not within fate either?” Ye Qing looked at Broom Star in astonishment. This child was only five or six years old, yet he was beyond fate?

Shijia stared at Broom Star for a good while and couldn’t help but murmur, ”Strange, really strange.”

”What’s so strange?” Ye Qing looked at Broom Star and said, ”Perhaps this child is born with an innate Buddha Heart.”

”Hmph, if it’s just an innate Buddha Heart, he wouldn’t have such achievements,” Shijia said. ”His situation is very special, definitely not something as simple as an innate Buddha Heart. You’ve seen an innate Taoist Heart, that Shen Lingwei; do you think there’s a big difference between her and this child?”

Ye Qing thought about it and had to admit that Shijia’s remarks were factual. Shen Lingwei had an innate Taoist Heart, but she still displayed many ordinary human traits. However, Broom Star was completely different from his peers, even from normal people; the difference between the two was immense.

”Strange, really strange.” Shijia scratched his head and said, ”Why does this child seem so familiar to me? It’s oddly endearing.”

”Familiar? Did you know him before?” Ye Qing asked curiously.

”It’s the first time I’ve met him.” The shock on Shijia’s face was not feigned; he remained silent for a while before suddenly reaching out to press the top of Broom Star’s head.

”What are you doing?” Ye Qing asked curiously.

Shijia didn’t answer; he pressed for a while, his expression shifting several times. Ultimately, he returned to confusion. He slowly withdrew his hand, frowning, ”What’s going on? Why can’t I sense anything about this child? Even if he’s beyond fate, it shouldn’t be so thorough, right? He’s just a child!”

”Is something wrong?” Ye Qing asked curiously.

Shijia thought for a while, then suddenly turned to Ye Qing and said, ”It’s best you don’t spread word about this child—don’t let too many people know.”

”I’ve been keeping it a secret, but this time around, some of these peak masters have noticed his uniqueness,” Ye Qing said. ”Why keep it a secret? Is there something wrong?”

”It’s precisely because I don’t know what’s wrong that I ask you not to spread the word,” Shijia said solemnly. ”Judging by this child’s condition, he’s in a state of Nirvana rebirth. If he succeeds in Nirvana, he will undoubtedly become an extraordinary figure. However, if people know about him, someone is bound to target him, which would be troublesome. If Nirvana fails, this child would be utterly destroyed!”

Ye Qing was startled by Shijia’s words, and he nodded repeatedly, ”Rest assured, this child is always under my watch. With so many peak masters here, no one can harm him!”

”That’s good!” Shijia nodded slowly, still gazing at the child with a face that remained astonished and puzzled.

”Heaven and earth, only I reign supreme; this is a stance only the Buddha takes when descending to the human realm. With the Purple Lotus protecting the body and Karmic Fire burning, this is a realm where the Buddha, with Great Thought Power, subdues all that is evil. Meditating with Buddha’s thoughts, the heart is devoid of Bodhi.” Shijia took a deep breath and said in a low voice, ”Could it be, this child is born as a Buddha?”

”Born as a Buddha?” Ye Qing was shocked—could it be that Broom Star was born as a Buddha?

”Amitabha, it seems we have truly entered the legendary era!” Shijia clasped his hands once more, his expression becoming rare and solemn, replacing his usual sly demeanor with one of compassion and concern for the world.