Sunlight could not reach the entrance of the Demon Suppression hall. A string of prayer beads lay quietly on the Unraging monk's wide, fleshy hand, drawing over Li Qingshan's gaze.
There were only eighteen prayer beads on the string, and they were worn on the wrist. They seemed to be made of wood, perfectly round and uniform in size. Only one was slightly larger. They did not glow at all, so they did not seem special at all. They were no different from regular prayer beads.
However, Li Qingshan was not worried. Just like how sages kept their appearances hidden, powerful arcane artifacts and treasures were probably the same. The string of prayer beads seemed to be worn by the Unraging monk regularly, so they must be extraordinary. The treatment of his first disciple could not be any worse than Duoge's!
However, the Unraging monk's behaviour made Li Qingshan even more certain of this. He glanced at the prayer beads in his hand rather reluctantly before saying, "Damned disciple, extend your hand.
"Damned disciple, extend your hand."
Li Qingshan extended his hand, and the Unraging monk personally placed the string of prayer beads on Li Qingshan's hand.
Li Qingshan was secretly perplexed. He did not sense any pulses of spiritual energy at all. He tried to probe it with his soul sense, but he could not sense anything special either. However, there must be some other reason why his master treasured it so much!
The Unraging monk explained, "This string of prayer beads itself isn't some powerful arcane artifact, but my master personally handed it to me, so it holds extraordinary significance. In particular, after it fell into my hands, I wore it constantly and stroked it day and night, soaking it with my blood and sweat. You must remember to keep it safe and not lose it. "
"Isn't the difference in treatment far too great?" Li Qingshan glanced at the Demon Heart Prayer Beads on Duoge's neck again. He was tempted to remove the prayer beads and throw them viciously at the Unraging monk's smiling, chubby face. "Damned baldy, are you looking down on me? Apart from blood and sweat, there's also lard, goat oil, and butter! I've personally seen you drink and eat meat with this thing! "
Just like that, he viciously imagined it in his head. Obviously, he could not actually put it into practice. Li Qingshan clasped his hands casually. "Thank you for your great gift, master. I'll be taking my leave now." The string of prayer beads on his wrist became more and more greasy. He was tempted to take it off immediately.
If the Unraging monk had only given Li Qingshan a string of prayer beads as a souvenir, the Unraging monk would have given Li Qingshan a string of prayer beads. Li Qingshan didn't think there was anything wrong with it. However, he had given Duoge a priceless Demon Heart Prayer Beads earlier, and now he had given him such an ordinary thing. He couldn't help but feel that it was unfair. He was also a disciple. Aren't you obviously looking down on me?
The Unraging monk did not seem to sense Li Qingshan's displeasure at all. Chuckling, he said, "Before you leave, go to the Courtyard of Secular Affairs and collect a set of clothes for a layman disciple."
"Yes," Li Qingshan replied lazily.
"Once you're outside, you can't run amok under my name. If I find out, I'll never spare you!"
"Alright." Li Qingshan grew impatient. Am I the type of person who likes to borrow someone else's might?
"Before inner courtyard disciples leave the mountain, you can imbue a strand of the Chant of Deva-Nāga into your body. However, you're only a layman disciple, so you don't have the right to do that either. "
Li Qingshan shot a glance at him. Since I don't have the right, why did you have to mention it? He said, "I got it. I'm leaving!" before turning around and making his way out of the valley. However, he heard the Unraging monk say from behind him.
"As a result, if you encounter any danger, just report my dharma name. I think I'll give you some face. If it's useless, then crush the largest bead in the prayer beads. I'll rush over immediately and help you explain. "
Li Qingshan paused. Suddenly, he looked back, only to see the Unraging monk still sitting there with a chuckle. With a wave of his sleeve, he said, "Go, you damned disciple!"
The Unraging monk did not just have some face. In the territory of the Green province, even if Li Qingshan had offended the governor of the Green province, the Dragon King Of The Sea, the Unraging monk would still have the right to give him some face. If it were someone slightly inferior, even they would have to show some respect to Li Qingshan when they heard his name.
The string of prayer beads was basically a life-saving talisman. Li Qingshan glanced at the string of prayer beads on his wrist. His words and actions earlier had come off as too stingy. He sucked in a deep breath and turned around, bowing deeply. "Yes, master. I'll be going right now."
Li Qingshan made his way out of the valley and remembered the Unraging monk's instructions. He climbed up Great Buddha mountain again and arrived before the Chan Monastery of Deva-Nāga. He saw a young novice monk sweeping the fallen leaves. He went up and asked, "Little master, may I ask where the Courtyard of Secular Affairs is?"
The young novice monk pointed at the foot of the mountain. "There, it's all there. The main hall is on the other side of the mountain."
Li Qingshan had noticed a long time ago that there was a great swathe of buildings at the foot of Great Buddha mountain. They were row upon row, resplendent and like palaces. They basically circled around Great Buddha mountain, like the hem of the great buddha's clothes that draped over the ground. Only special places like the Demon Suppression hall Just Now were separated from them.
As it turned out, these were all properties of the Courtyard of Secular Affairs. However, in terms of size, none of the courtyards on Great Buddha mountain could rival it.
Not only was the Courtyard of Secular Affairs the largest in the Chan Monastery of Deva-Nāga, but it was also the courtyard with the most monks. It was responsible for many duties. One of them was receiving the worshippers who had travelled great distances, providing them with food and lodging. If there were not so many buildings, it would have been impossible to accommodate them all.
Li Qingshan circled around the monastery, looking around as he walked. He became more and more amazed by the Chan Monastery of Deva-Nāga's scale. Famed, ancient monasteries in the regular sense of the word were all located within the mountains, while the structures of the Chan Monastery of Deva-Nāga covered the entire Great Buddha mountain. Even the scale of the structures in Clear River city struggled to match it.
Finally, he arrived outside the main hall of the Courtyard of Secular Affairs. The people in the surroundings gradually thinned out. Unlike the hustle and bustle of the other places in the Courtyard of Secular Affairs, it seemed extremely quiet here. The ancient cypresses stood tall, and the cries of birds rang out.
Li Qingshan walked in leisurely, and no one stopped him. He heard the voices of people in the distance. Crossing the secluded path, he arrived in front of the hall. All he saw was a man and a woman conversing softly.
"What gift did senior brother Wang bring for senior brother Eternal Faith this time? It might be an eye-opener for us, "the female cultivator asked.
She seemed to be in her forties or fifties already. Coupled with the many methods cultivators could use to maintain their youthfulness, she definitely was not young. She was still at Foundation Establishment, and there was basically no hope for her to break through in this lifetime.
"It's just a small gift. It's not worth mentioning." Senior brother Wang seemed a little older. His face was like loose skin, and he carried a sword on his back.
Both of them were at Foundation Establishment. Their attire was similar to monk's robes, but it was slightly different from actual monk's robes. They both wore prayer beads on their wrists.
Li Qingshan did not hide his aura. Before he had even approached them, the two of them turned around.
"Fellow, where did you come from? Why have you come here?" Senior brother Wang saw Li Qingshan's dignified appearance and composed expression. Moreover, he was young, yet his cultivation had already reached mid Foundation Establishment. Not only did he neglect him, but he also asked politely.
Li Qingshan strode over and clasped his hands. "I've come to sign up as a secular disciple. Why have you come here?"
"We're secular disciples of the Chan Monastery of Deva-Nāga. May I ask how old you are, fellow?" Senior brother Wang asked rather curiously.
"I've lived for over twenty years in vain."
"I'm not even thirty yet! Fellow, you really are a genius. Even becoming an inner courtyard disciple would be no problem for you, so why have you come to become a secular disciple? "
Senior brother Wang was surprised. Originally, he thought Li Qingshan had only used some technique to maintain his youthful appearance, so he should be in his forties or fifties in reality. He never thought he would actually be so young, reaching mid Foundation Establishment in his twenties. He could definitely be regarded as a genius, but why had a genius like him come to become a secular disciple?
There were many secular disciples in the Chan Monastery of Deva-Nāga. Most of them lacked talent and comprehension, so they did not have the right to become inner courtyard disciples. However, they still spent some time to reach Foundation Establishment, so they signed up as secular disciples. It was basically a good way to enjoy the shade under a large tree. Even if they could not learn the greatest cultivation methods of the Chan Monastery of Deva-Nāga, the cultivation methods on the next level would still surpass the core disciples of regular sects.
There were countless Foundation Establishment cultivators in the world, but there were only a handful who could actually reach Foundation Establishment in their twenties or thirties. In particular, independent cultivators without the support of sects or clans. Most of them had only reached their current level through hard work.
"The abbot originally wanted me to become a monk, but I'm not done with the secular world yet, so I refused. They won't let me go either, so I can only become a secular disciple, "Li Qingshan said helplessly.
"The abbot? Ah! Are you talking about the Dauntless abbot? "
The female cultivator cried out before suppressing her voice in a hurry. She looked at Li Qingshan in disbelief, surprised that he could mention the Dauntless monk in such a disrespectful tone.
"Yeah, who else could it be?"
Li Qingshan said like it was a matter of course. Li Qingshan did not feel any pressure when he faced the Dauntless monk, because his actual cultivation was basically enough for him to clash with any second heavenly tribulation cultivator. Moreover, he was confident that he could constantly improve. There would be a day when he could stand on equal footing with the Dauntless monk and the others, or even surpass them. There was no weakness in his heart.
However, in the eyes of regular Foundation Establishment cultivators, the abbot of the Chan Monastery of Deva-Nāga, the Monk King revered by the Great Xia empire, was basically like a god. Being able to receive a proper glance from someone like that was already worthy of praise.
Not to mention the fact that the Dauntless monk had personally asked to take him into the inner courtyard. That was basically a supreme honour. However, he had actually turned them down, and the reason was actually because of some "unfinished ties with the secular world". What a waste of a great opportunity. The two of them were tempted to take his place.
Wang You thought of something and asked, "Fellow, are you Li Qingshan from the Ruyi commandery?"
"Yeah. Do you recognise me?"
Li Qingshan remained in the back of the mountain for over a month, but he had no idea that the Chan Monastery of Deva-Nāga welcoming Little Ann into the monastery with the greatest honour, and then the Dauntless monk personally tonsured him. This had already spread through the cultivation community of the Green province.
Little Ann's dharma name, One Will, had risen to fame too. He had already gained the title of the greatest disciple of the monastery. Even now, the repercussions had yet to settle down. The matter of Li Qingshan publicly turning down the Dauntless monk in the grand hall before being sent to the Demon Suppression Tower as a punishment obviously could not be hidden from these secular disciples.
"I've heard a lot about you, I've heard a lot about you," senior brother Wang said. The female cultivator also said, "We'll be fellow disciples in the future, so there's no need to be so polite. I'll just be ashamed to refer to myself as senior sister."
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