Chapter Fifteen: Choices

"Heh, as I said before, whoever becomes the Mountain-Opening Disciple in this sect competition will not only gain supervisory authority within the sect but will also be awarded a magical treasure. Do you know what kind of treasure it is?" Daoist Kongxuan, instead of explaining why he summoned him, asked with a smile.

Zhang Xiao was puzzled at heart. "Disciple does not know." Daoist Kongxuan had evidently been waiting for this response. With a turn of his palm, a seven-colored halo flashed forth. When Zhang Xiao looked closely, he saw that within the halo was a suit of armor.

"This is a grade-four magical treasure, the Seven-Colored Radiant Armor. Anyone clad in this armor cannot be harmed even by the full-force strike of a Golden Core expert. This treasure is the reward for the Mountain-Opening Disciple. I am now offering it to you. What do you say?"

Daoist Kongxuan's words shocked Zhang Xiao to his core. A grade-four magical treasure, and a defensive one at that—its value was immeasurable. Even if he sold everything he owned, it would not be worth a fraction of this armor. Yet now, Daoist Kongxuan was offering it to him—truly a pie falling from the sky. But instead of joy, Zhang Xiao felt a vague sense of foreboding. Lost in thought, he inadvertently glanced at Daoist Kongling.

At that moment, Daoist Kongling sat quietly with his eyes closed, like a stone statue. Suddenly, a spark of insight flashed through Zhang Xiao's mind. Gazing at the armor in Kongxuan's hand, he said, "Thank you for your great kindness, Master. But your disciple is neither meritorious nor worthy. It is more fitting that this armor be awarded to the Mountain-Opening Disciple."

"Mm—ha ha ha ha!" Daoist Kongxuan, hearing this, scrutinized him carefully before laughing aloud. "You are indeed sharp. Since you've seen through it, I'll not twist words. In this sect competition, I want you to take the position of Mountain-Opening Disciple.

As long as you agree, I will bestow this armor upon you. Not only that, I will also teach you a set of Maoshan secret arts. The great authority of our sect will be entrusted to you.

Do you know that our Maoshan outer sect disciples now number in the hundreds of thousands, and before long, they will surpass a million? Once you become the Mountain-Opening Disciple, the fate and fortune of all these lives will rest in your hands. A million people will be your servants.

Imagine the power you would wield—even inner sect disciples would have to obey your commands. If any dared defy you, you could expel them from the inner sect to the outer sect at will. What authority is this? All it takes is a nod from you, and everything I’ve promised will become reality."

Daoist Kongxuan's words were like a seductive melody from beyond the heavens, each note battering the defenses in Zhang Xiao’s heart. Who could resist such power? Indeed, if he possessed it, what would that scene be like?

For a moment, Zhang Xiao’s mind drifted into a fantasy of his own grandeur as Mountain-Opening Disciple. But just then, a sudden pain stabbed his mind, and a resounding Buddhist chant echoed from deep within his heart: "Namo Amitabha!"

The Buddhist sound was like a great bell, shocking him to his senses. No—this power, though seemingly immense, was all granted by others.

If Daoist Kongxuan could so easily give him such authority, he could just as easily take it back. He would be nothing but a puppet on a string—able to lord over others, yet before Kongxuan, no more than a dog.

With this realization, Zhang Xiao’s gaze hardened. "Thank you for your great favor, Master, but your disciple lacks both the will and the strength. The heavy responsibility of Mountain-Opening Disciple is not one I can bear. I hope you will choose another."

After he spoke, Daoist Kongxuan’s expression turned cold and grim, no longer as amiable as before. His eyes fixed on Zhang Xiao, devoid of any emotion. Suddenly, Zhang Xiao felt an overwhelming pressure descend upon him, heavier than anything he had ever experienced.

Time ticked by in silence. The Hall of the Thousand Mechanisms was deathly quiet, but sweat trickled from Zhang Xiao’s brow, the weight on his shoulders growing ever more oppressive.

Zhang Xiao could no longer care about anything else and, almost unconsciously, began circulating the Prajna Zen Sutra in resistance. The fearless Buddhist aura he cultivated grew ever stronger.

Under the pressure exerted by Daoist Kongxuan, Zhang Xiao finally grasped the essentials of the third layer of the Prajna Zen Sutra—his body and mind becoming utterly fearless.

A boom sounded within him. His inner Buddhist energy began to transform, threads of true Buddhist power coursing through his body, interweaving with the spiritual energy cultivated from the Profound Yin Sutra. His cultivation rose yet another step, reaching the peak of Qi Refinement.

The change startled both Daoist Kongxuan and Daoist Kongling. How could they not notice? Daoist Kongling, who had kept his eyes closed, now stood from his mat and scrutinized Zhang Xiao closely.

Daoist Kongxuan had intended only to suppress Zhang Xiao with spiritual pressure, not expecting that not only would the boy endure it, but his cultivation would even rise as a result.

They both knew Zhang Xiao had practiced Buddhist techniques upon entering the sect, but unlike Daoist methods, Buddhist cultivation could not be advanced with elixirs—only through step-by-step enlightenment.

Thus, they hadn’t paid much attention to Zhang Xiao’s Buddhist background. But now, standing there dignified and motionless, Buddhist energy swirling around him, it was clear he had stepped into the Buddhist Sramana realm.

From this point on, he was a true Buddhist cultivator. Kongxuan and Kongling exchanged glances, both with a hint of resignation. Buddhist practice was famously difficult— even Shaolin did not rely solely on Buddhism, supplementing with martial arts to forcibly raise their realm.

Zhang Xiao could not possibly have the means of Shaolin to force his progress; he could only rely on his own enlightenment. Even so, his comprehension alone was enough to make him stand out among all geniuses in the era of upheaval.

At that moment, countless Buddhist chants echoed in Zhang Xiao’s mind, as if he stood in the Western Pure Land itself. Each note seemed to convey a truth—though he did not fully understand, he was enraptured by the sound.

He did not know how long had passed—perhaps a long time, perhaps just an instant—before he finally woke from the trance.

Upon awakening, he found the world subtly altered. Details he had never noticed before now stood out vividly.

"Zhang Xiao! I did not expect your fortune to be so profound—advancing with such speed in both Dao and Buddhism. But you are a Daoist disciple; you must not neglect the sect’s teachings."

At these words, Zhang Xiao looked up to see both Master Kongxuan and his teacher Kongling regarding him. He quickly bowed and said, "Thank you, Master, for your guidance. This disciple will remember the teachings of both Master and Teacher."

Having mastered the third layer of the Prajna Zen Sutra, Zhang Xiao’s entire bearing and demeanor had transformed—Daoist ease now mingled with solemn dignity, giving him an indescribable presence. Though he remained as respectful as before, there was now an air of equality—respectful but neither servile nor arrogant.

Kongxuan and Kongling exchanged a knowing look. Kongxuan, seeing Zhang Xiao’s resolve not to become Mountain-Opening Disciple, could only force a smile.

"Since you do not wish to become the Mountain-Opening Disciple, so be it. With your current cultivation, you are only a step away from the Foundation Establishment stage. I’ve heard from the Elder of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion that you have already forged a superior spiritual banner.

The Yin-Yang Banner, though only a superior spiritual treasure, is more than enough for someone about to advance to Foundation Establishment. There is no longer any need for you to participate in this competition. As for the rewards and your future position in the sect, I will make separate arrangements for you after the competition."

"Thank you, Master, thank you, Teacher, for your guidance. As I have just broken through, I must stabilize my cultivation. If Master and Teacher have no further instructions, your disciple will take his leave." With these words, Zhang Xiao turned and departed.

"Senior brother, your disciple is truly extraordinary—a pity," Daoist Kongxuan sighed, watching Zhang Xiao go. But Kongling merely glanced at him coldly, saying, "Is it a pity he did not agree to be Mountain-Opening Disciple, or that he did not become your disciple?"

At this, Kongxuan laughed heartily. "Ha ha, senior brother, don’t be angry. I did try to poach your disciple, but I failed, didn’t I? Besides, you warned him yourself. Otherwise, even if he cultivated the so-called Exquisite Heart of Buddhism, he could never have seen through the intrigue behind becoming Mountain-Opening Disciple."

Kongling resumed his seat on the mat, ignoring Kongxuan’s remark about his warning to Zhang Xiao, and closed his eyes in meditation.

"Ah, well. Since you are unwilling to let your disciple take on the role, I’ll choose one from my own line. Truly, you never suffer the slightest loss," Kongxuan said with a resigned shake of his head, then left.

After Kongxuan was gone, Kongling opened his eyes, full of praise. Kongxuan had attempted a sneak attack today. Though Kongling had warned Zhang Xiao, he could not be certain the boy would resist such temptations. Yet Zhang Xiao’s performance was truly remarkable—not only did he see through the lure, but he used Kongxuan’s pressure to further his own cultivation, attaining the Buddhist Sramana realm and embarking on the path of dual cultivation. The series of events had caught even Kongxuan off guard and surprised Kongling as well.

"Child, fetch the three-leaf bitter ginseng from my alchemy room and this copy of the Maoshan Seven Arts, and deliver them to your Senior Brother Zhang," Kongling instructed, then resumed his meditation.

Back in his bamboo hut, Zhang Xiao focused on stabilizing his cultivation, savoring the sensations of mastering the third layer of the Prajna Zen Sutra. After a long while, he opened his eyes, feeling the two streams of energy flowing through his body like rivers, his strength now greatly enhanced.

He brought up his attribute sheet—he had already reached level thirty, just a step away from Foundation Establishment. More importantly, he had comprehended a divine ability. Zhang Xiao stood, took a step forward, and in an instant vanished from sight, reappearing several miles from the bamboo hut.

Divine Footwork—this was the supernatural power he had gained upon mastering the third layer of the Prajna Zen Sutra. With a single stride, he could traverse great distances in a flash. Though with his current cultivation he could not travel a thousand miles in a step, several miles were well within reach.

Moreover, Divine Footwork was not just for travel or escape; its greatest use lay in combat. As long as his feet touched the ground, he could instantly appear at any point within several miles that he could see. With this ability, his combat power had soared to new heights.