The Lord of Void and Real
Chapter 679

Chapter 679: Chapter 675: Exposure Chapter 679: Chapter 675: Exposure “Welcome, distinguished guests from Great Tang.” The monk with a golden crown gave a bow to the three men, a completely calm expression on his face.

The change in the monk's expression was fleeting, something the old Shen Luo might not have picked up on. But the current Shen Luo's sight was startlingly perceptive; he saw every subtle shift in the other's expression, missing nothing.

“Why did he look at me like that just now? Could he recognize me?” Shen Luo wondered to himself.

He was sure he had never been to the Western Regions before, so the only potential enemy he could think of was the yellow-faced monk from Bai County City. Could this golden-crowned monk be connected to him in some way?

Without letting his internal thoughts show on his face, he returned the bow with Chan'er and Bai Xiaotian.

“You are far too kind, monks. May I ask for your Dharma names?” Bai Xiaotian asked.

“I am Longtan, and this is Baoshan Chan Master.” The monk with the golden crown smiled.

“So you are Longtan Chan Master and Baoshan Chan Master. It is an honor,” Bai Xiaotian said, smiling as well.

Being from the Buddhist community themselves, Bai Xiaotian and Chan'er found it easy to converse with the monks. Shen Luo, with his limited understanding of Buddhism, quietly listened from the side.

Longtan Chan Master and Baoshan Chan Master had mainly come to greet Chan'er and others, to welcome them to the upcoming Mahayana Dharma Assembly, and thus did not stay long. They soon took their leave.

Seeing the group leave, Shen Luo's eyes flickered.

Despite not looking directly at him during their conversation, Shen Luo could sense Longtan Chan Master's continuous observation, as if confirming something about him.

After bidding farewell to the monks, Chan'er, after a long day of travel, was quite tired. He excused himself to rest.

Bai Xiaotian, on the other hand, wasn't tired, and being intrigued by the Red Valley City, decided to explore.

Shen Luo, choosing instead to stay at their lodging and maintain security around Chan'er. They had previously agreed to take turns protecting Chan'er.

“Duke, are Longtan Chan Master and Baoshan Chan Master part of the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar?” Shen Luo called over Duke and asked, rewarding him with a large bar of silver.

“Thank you, Elder! You are right. Longtan Chan Master and Baoshan Chan Master serve as the protectors on both sides of the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar, ranking just below Master Lin Da,” Duke, with wide eyes upon seeing such a large silver bar, respectfully answered after expressing his gratitude.

“So with Master Lin Da in retreat, is the ordinary business of the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar handled by these two?” Shen Luo pressed on.

“Yes. It's said that Longtan Chan Master manages external affairs, while Baoshan Chan Master handles the internal affairs of the headquarters in Red Valley City.” Although Duke was surprised by Shen Luo's line of questioning, the large bar of silver held him back from probing further.

Shen Luo continued to ask Duke several more questions about Longtan, Baoshan, and Red Valley City, each of which Duke faithfully answered.

“By the way, Duke, do you know of Bai County City?” Shen Luo casually asked at last.

“Bai County City? I do, it's a city on the border of our country.” Duke thought for a while before answering.

“Is the branch of the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar at Bai County City on very close terms with Longtan Chan Master?” Shen Luo continued.

“You've asked the right person about this, Elder Shen. Lama, the principal of the Bai County city branch, is the disciple of the brother of Longtan Chan Master. This is a highly confidential matter that very few people know about. I happened to overhear it when working in the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar a few years ago,” Duke excitedly explained.

A small smile played on Shen Luo's lips upon hearing Duke's words.

He further inquired about Lama, the one whom Duke had mentioned, confirming that he was indeed the yellow-faced monk. Shen Luo thus verified his suspicions that Longtan Chan Master had learned about Bai County City's situation and viewed him as an enemy.

Seeing that Shen Luo had no more questions, Duke discreetly excused himself.

Shen Luo sat in the hall, his face reflecting a variety of moods. He was trying to figure out the current situation.

The Longtan Zen Master was clearly hostile towards him, and he found the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar quite strange. However, the object Chan'er was seeking was in Red Valley City. No matter what, they couldn't leave. Fortunately, a grand Mahayana Dharma Assembly was take place in Red Valley City. Monks from the Thirty-Six Nations of the Western Regions were gathering, making it difficult for the Longtan Zen Master to harm him. He would have to take things one step at a time.

Without giving it a second thought, he cast a spell to create a prohibition within the hall, and then began to practice with the jade gourd he had taken out.

The situation was delicate, and any boost in strength was beneficial.

Soon after leaving the posthouse, the Longtan Zen Master returned to his residence in the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar — a luxurious and towering great hall.

“Leave!” He yelled coldly, and his attendants scurried away in fear. Soon, he was the only one left in the room.

He paced back and forth a few times, then suddenly stopped and clapped his hands.

“Master, you were looking for me?” A handsome young monk dressed in white arrived a moment later.

“I've found the person who stole the Thousand-Year-Old Snake Mei.” The Longtan Zen Master glanced at the White-robed Monk and spoke dispassionately.

“Really? That's great. Who is it? I shall immediately go and capture them and retrieve the Mei!” The white-robed monk expressed his joy and promised immediate action.

“It's too late. The thief has already consumed the snake gallbladder of the Thousand-Year-Old Snake Mei.” The Longtan Zen Master stated.

“What? How dare he! Even a thousand cuts will not be enough for his transgressions.” The White-robed Monk suddenly became furious, his usually gentle face turned ferocious, resembling a fierce ghost.

There is no need to panic, the situation isn't completely hopeless. The thief has consumed the snake gallbladder but hasn't completely absorbed it. The power of the gallbladder resides in his eyes. If we can take his eyes, we can reclaim much of the gallbladder's power.” The Longtan Zen Master gestured with his hand as he spoke.

“That's a relief. In that case, let's act quickly and gouge out the thief's eyes.” The white-robed monk exclaimed joyously.

“If it were easy to take action, I would have done so already. That thief is one of the monks from the Eastern Great Tang who have come to the Mahayana Dharma Assembly, now residing in the posthouse. The Posthouse is crowded with revered monks from various countries. Many of them have profound cultivation levels, so it won't be easy to act. Have some people watch them day and night. After entering Red Valley City, they will definitely move around. Once they leave the Posthouse, promptly notify me. This is a portrait of the little thief.” The Longtan Zen Master spoke coldly before taking out a piece of white Jade stone, revealing an image of Shen Luo.

“Yes.” The white-robed monk took the jade stone. He was about to leave when he heard:

“Wait.” Suddenly, there was a flash of golden light in the hall, and the figure of Baoshan Zen Master appeared out of nowhere.

“Baoshan, don't you sit comfortably in your Baoshan Hall? What brings you here?” The Longtan Zen Master frowned, and then grumbled unhappily.

“Master Lin Da has ordered that the three people from the Eastern Earth should not be watched and no malicious acts should be attempted against them.” Baoshan Chan Master pulled out a golden jade symbol and stated.

The Longtan Zen Master's complexion changed drastically at the sight of the golden jade symbol, he immediately fell to his knees.

The white-robed monk also quickly kneeled, not daring to raise his head.

“Master Lin Da's command is obeyed, I wouldn't dare to disobey, but if we don't act quickly, my power from the gallbladder… This…” mumbled the Longtan Zen Master.

“You dare to defy Master Lin Da's instruction!” Baoshan Chan Master said flatly.

“No, I dare not, I obey.” The Longtan Zen Master was covered in a cold sweat, and immediately agreed.

The Baoshan Zen Master snorted, put the jade symbol away, and disappeared with a flicker of his figure.

Only then did the Longtan Zen Master and the white-robed monk stand up. Their faces were grim, and they didn't dare to say a word.