Chapter 2874: Departing The Green Lotus Temple
Chapter 2874: Departing The Green Lotus Temple
At the mention of the Immortal Beast, Monk Hushu chuckled softly. "Indeed. And I shall focus on my own cultivation in the meantime."
Meng Bai gave the monk a sideways look. "You're already at the Sixth Tribulation Stage of the Immortal Realm. How far do you plan to go?"
Hushu's gaze turned to the mountain peaks beyond the temple, his eyes full of silent determination.
"As far as the path allows. I have great shoes to fill," he said, glancing meaningfully toward the sacred peak where Lin Mu had once stirred the heavens.
It was true. In the past years, Monk Hushu had experienced tremendous growth, breaking through after obtaining the second volume of his scripture. He now stood on par with Crown Prince Feng Shun, and many believed he would reach the Seventh Tribulation Stage within the next millennium.
But he knew that sheer power alone was not enough. His advancement required spiritual comprehension—true understanding of his sacred texts. Without that, all power would be hollow, his foundation unstable.
"I'll get as strong as I can," Hushu repeated.
The temple bells rang then, slow and solemn, their echoes washing over the mountains like ancient waves.
Lin Mu gave the monk one final bow, then turned to Meng Bai.
"Let's go."
Their journey would take them beyond the tranquil lands of the Silent Lotus Temple, into forgotten valleys and shadowed cities. There were whispers of an old darkness rising—one that neither sword nor sutra could heal alone.
But Lin Mu had both.
And with him walked the will of stillness, the promise of healing, and the strength of a heart untouched by corruption.
Lin Mu had a solemn look on his face as he remembered a meeting from a year ago.
In it, Monk Hushu had officially been confirmed as the next abbot and had earned the approval of everyone without a single dissenting voice.
Of course, Abbot Tianzhu was still as healthy as a stallion and had a long life ahead of him, but it was still important to have an heir ready to carry on the torch.
Once Monk Hushu reached the peak of the Seventh Tribulation Stage of the Immortal Realm, the Abbot would abdicate his position and allow the monk to take over.
Of course, the Abbot wouldn't be leaving entirely. He would merely become one of the temple's ancestors, cultivating in seclusion and taking on a more passive role.
Many of the current elders were also considering doing the same and had already chosen their replacements from among the senior monks.
The Green Lotus Temple had a rich hermitage, with many ancestors residing within its grounds. Lin Mu had yet to meet any of them, as they seldom left seclusion, preferring to remain hidden and cultivate in solitude.
Even when Lin Mu's heavenly phenomena had benefited them, they had only sent a word of thanks through the Abbot, never appearing in person. Though Lin Mu didn't mind—he had never sought recognition—it did reassure him.
The Green Lotus Temple had the depth and stability to endure for a long time to come.
Lin Mu had also learned that the temple possessed far more Transcendent Immortals than just Abbot Tianzhu.
Besides the abbot, there were four other ancestors who had reached the Transcendent stage. While their exact cultivation levels were unknown, it was confirmed that each of them had overcome at least one Transcendent Tribulation.
That alone was enough to solidify the temple's power, and it also put into perspective just how mighty Abbot Tianzhu was—having overcome two Transcendent Tribulations himself.
He had held power for a very long time, his age exceeding thirty thousand years.
Normally speaking, he could have retired long ago and taken his place among the ancestors. Most of those from his generation had already done so, yet he continued as abbot due to the lack of a suitable successor.
Now, however, with Monk Hushu rising to prominence, he finally had hope and was prepared to step down when the time came.
Feeling satisfied with the state of the Green Lotus Temple, Lin Mu finally departed.
There was no grand farewell; he simply flew off with Meng Bai atop Little Shrubby.
Monk Hushu was the only one who saw them off, his gaze lingering on the horizon long after Lin Mu had vanished.
"Amitabha. May your days be peaceful, Lin Mu," Monk Hushu prayed softly as he returned to his meditation.
Hundreds of kilometers away, Lin Mu and Meng Bai soared through the skies atop Little Shrubby. The green landscape below them passed like a fleeting dream.
They had already left the Lotus Prefecture and were heading west.
"Where are we going first?" Meng Bai asked excitedly. "The Xian Sword Sect, the Cloud Ground Lake, or the Darkhan Dynasty?"
"None of those," Lin Mu replied, shaking his head.
He had several objectives this time, and had also been entrusted with a few tasks. Not only was he to investigate the appearance of the strange corrupted cultivators and explore the world, but he also had several diplomatic duties to fulfill.
One such task was to reestablish communication between the Green Lotus Temple and one of the other Buddhist powers in the world.
"We're going to the Great Burden Monastery," Lin Mu stated.
This would be the first major stop on their journey, and it was a place Lin Mu had long wished to visit.
He had first learned about it from the Steel Horned General, Niu Juo, and had hoped to find clues there that could help him upgrade his True Gold Body Forging Technique.
He had long since realized that the technique was incomplete—perhaps even flawed. The Great Burden Monastery, known for its martial Buddhist traditions, might hold the missing pieces.
"Oh, that place in the central region of the continent?" Meng Bai raised a brow. "That's pretty far, isn't it? Are we flying nonstop?"
"We'll be taking stops along the way, but it's our first major destination," Lin Mu replied. "We'll of course visit other interesting places on the route and explore the cities as well."
"Great!" Meng Bai beamed.