Undying Life

Chapter 1033: Resilient Fate

"I hope you all will join me in this endeavor," Ying said, looking at everyone present.

The idea of slaying a Sage was enough to stir one's blood, but actually carrying it out required careful consideration of many factors. At the very least, Zhong Shan hesitated. While the prospect was grand, one needed the capability to bear such glory. Did the Da Ling Holy Court possess that capability at this moment?

However, since Ying had brought it up, especially within Chongtian Hall, it was difficult to refuse.

The group fell into a brief silence; no one spoke. Each person likely had different thoughts, but they all had deeper foundations than Zhong Shan.

"I understand your concerns," Jieyin suddenly spoke up, breaking the silence.

"Hmm?" Everyone turned to look at Jieyin.

"Let Tathagata stay and discuss the matter. Once a decision is reached, he can inform me. Zhong Shan and I have not seen each other for many years, and we have some personal matters to discuss. We will wait at the Great Leiyin Temple," Jieyin suggested.

Ying glanced at Jieyin, then at Zhong Shan. Finally, he smiled lightly and nodded, "Very well."

With that single word, Zhong Shan was temporarily taken out of the equation. As for what decision Zhong Shan would make after the discussions, that was a matter for later.

Zhong Shan nodded to Ying and the others.

As he and Jieyin walked toward the door, it swung open with a thunderous sound.

The two exited, and the door closed once more behind them, leaving Ying, Guiguzi, Lan, Zhunti, and Tathagata to continue their discussion of the grand plan to slay a Sage.

"Zhong Shan, are you alright? What did you talk about just now?" Hao Meili immediately rushed over, concerned.

"We're leaving Xianyang for now," Zhong Shan replied.

After a brief farewell to Li Si and Lü Buwei, Zhong Shan, Hao Meili, and the others who had come with Zhong Shan were whisked away by Jieyin with a simple wave of his hand, disappearing from the plaza of Chongtian Hall.

Sun Shen, who had been standing on the sidelines, could only bury his resentment deep within his heart once again.

As Zhong Shan's group departed, Lü Buwei and Li Si exchanged glances.

"Zhong Shan has left. I wonder if he will return," Li Si sighed softly.

"Zhong Shan has already helped Great Qin immensely. Whether he returns or not, Great Qin owes him a great debt—a monumental one," Lü Buwei remarked with a hint of admiration.

Had Sun Shen overheard this, he would have been even more conflicted. What had Zhong Shan done to warrant such gratitude from Great Qin? Shouldn't the gratitude be directed toward Zhunti? What did this have to do with Great Qin?

Flying through the sky, Zhong Shan quietly breathed a sigh of relief. The battle among the strongest was still far beyond his reach. He needed to grow stronger quickly, and so did Da Ling.

"Thank you for your help earlier," Zhong Shan said to Jieyin.

"Why are you thanking me? Ying was really out of line, trying to drag you into this mess! It's one thing if he drags me in, but you're only at the Eighth Heaven of the Grand Celestial Stage. That's just too much. I couldn't stand by and watch that nonsense!" Jieyin said, clearly annoyed.

"Uh?" Zhong Shan was a bit taken aback.

Was this really the same calm and collected Jieyin from earlier?

"Are you Su Afo, or are you Jieyin?" Zhong Shan asked, still unsure.

Jieyin's personality shift was just too strange.

Jieyin looked at Zhong Shan, then suddenly threw an arm around his shoulders, saying, "Ah, you figured it out! Your sharp eyes haven't dulled one bit!"

Zhong Shan: "..."

With such a dramatic personality shift, who wouldn't notice?

"I'm Su Afo, and I'm also Jieyin. Jieyin is my past life, and in this life, I'm Su Afo. But both personalities coexist; sometimes even I can't tell if I'm Jieyin or Su Afo. But it works out well because I'm still the same person. The two sets of memories don't conflict. I can use Jieyin's power and influence while living Su Afo's life. In one word—bliss!" Jieyin, or Su Afo, said with a carefree grin.

Zhong Shan: "...!"

"However, calling me 'Jieyin' does sound a bit more impressive, so just keep calling me 'Jieyin'," Jieyin said with a grin.

"Alright," Zhong Shan nodded.

"You mentioned earlier that Ying was trying to drag me into something again?" Zhong Shan asked, looking at Jieyin.

"Of course, who wouldn't want to—" Jieyin began, but then cut himself off.

After glancing at the others, Jieyin added, "Let's talk more in detail when we're at the Great Leiyin Temple, where we can speak privately."

Zhong Shan initially considered saying that it wouldn't matter if the others heard, but then thought better of it. After all, Jieyin was a different kind of friend, and there might be some things he wanted to discuss away from others.

The Great Leiyin Temple was located in Xiniu Hezhou. The surroundings were suffused with an aura of sacred Buddhist energy, and Ling Mountain was the heart of the temple, surrounded by numerous Buddhist kingdoms that were vassal states under the Great Leiyin Temple.

As they approached Ling Mountain, waves of merit rolled through the sky like tides, casting their light across the entire heavens.

When Jieyin led Zhong Shan and his group to Ling Mountain, many Buddhas took notice, but none dared to interfere.

Who was Jieyin?

At the Great Leiyin Temple, while the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas held Tathagata Buddha in the highest regard, their most devout reverence was reserved for this Amitabha Buddha!

On a mountainside, two figures—Randeng and Maitreya—stood together. Seeing the group approaching from afar, they exchanged a glance before flying over.

"Greetings to Buddha Jieyin!" The two bowed respectfully to Jieyin, then curiously looked over at Zhong Shan and his entourage.

Nearby, another figure clad in golden armor approached.

It was Hong Xiao, a former general of the Tai Chu Holy Court!

"Buddha!" Hong Xiao greeted Jieyin respectfully, then looked at Zhong Shan with equal curiosity.

"These are my esteemed guests, Hong Xiao. Please ensure they are well taken care of. Zhong Shan and I have not seen each other in many years, so we'll catch up in the Hall of Reception. See to it that they lack nothing," Jieyin instructed.

"Yes!" Hong Xiao nodded.

Randeng and Maitreya exchanged curious looks. Why was Zhong Shan always given such a grand reception wherever he went? Not long ago in the underworld, he was well-received by Ksitigarbha, and now here, Jieyin treated him like an old friend?

"You all go explore Ling Mountain for a bit. I'll join you later," Zhong Shan told his subordinates.

"Understood!" Nangong Sheng and the others responded promptly.

Though Hao Meili seemed slightly displeased, she nodded in agreement.

Zhong Shan and Jieyin entered a large hall, and the doors closed with a thunderous boom.

Inside, there were several lotus platforms for sitting, as well as a small lotus pond with exquisite, vibrant lotus flowers blooming within it, adding to the hall's serene beauty.

Jieyin invited Zhong Shan to sit on one of the lotus platforms. He then brought out a set of tea utensils and poured some tea for Zhong Shan.

As Zhong Shan took a sip, he felt an indescribable comfort wash over him, as though every pore in his body had opened to breathe. While this level of quality was not entirely absent in Da Ling, it was extremely rare—perhaps only one or two ounces could be produced in a century.

"Excellent tea!" Zhong Shan immediately remarked.

"If you like it, I'll pack a few pounds for you to take with you!" Jieyin responded, sounding like a generous tycoon.

Zhong Shan: "...!"

"By the way, earlier you mentioned something about Ying trying to drag me into something—what did you mean by that?" Zhong Shan asked seriously.

"Of course. Why do you think you were invited to Xianyang this time? It was to pull you into the fray. Haven't you noticed who those guests actually are?" Jieyin replied quickly.

"Oh? Please, elaborate," Zhong Shan said, his tone grave.

"Let's put it this way: Why does Ying value you so highly? Your abilities are one reason, and your character is another. But there are plenty of capable rulers like you, so why does he focus so much on you in particular?" Jieyin explained.

"Why?" Zhong Shan asked, genuinely puzzled.

"Because you're 'resilient,'" Jieyin said.

"Resilient?" Zhong Shan didn't quite understand.

"Yes, your fate is incredibly resilient. This might be the primary reason Ying values you so much. Your innate constitution is not just good; it's exceptionally broad and solid, all because of your resilient fate," Jieyin explained further.

"Resilient fate? How is that beneficial?" Zhong Shan asked, curious about the implications.

Jieyin claimed that resilient fate was an advantage, but Zhong Shan couldn't see how this translated to his physical constitution being particularly outstanding.

"I've done some digging into your past. In your small world, there was an incident involving a Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, correct?" Jieyin asked.

"Yes. People said I became its 'doom,' leading to its collapse. But I know that my role in that was minimal," Zhong Shan replied, shaking his head.

"No, you played a significant role. 'Doom' is one way of putting it, but there's another interpretation: your resilient fate actually caused the demise of the Pure Land," Jieyin said.

"My resilient fate caused its demise?" Zhong Shan found the idea peculiar.

"Exactly. Many people who have fallen by your hand may have done so because your resilient fate overcame theirs. Think back—does this ring true in any way?" Jieyin asked with a smile.

Jieyin's words seemed cryptic, but Zhong Shan couldn't help but reflect deeply.

Suddenly, Zhong Shan remembered something that Mr. Corpse had said when he was recruiting him.

"If you want me to join Da Ling and serve under you, first you need to have a resilient fate. Without a resilient fate, how can you dominate the world?"

That was what Mr. Corpse had said before submitting to Zhong Shan. Even he had mentioned the importance of resilient fate.

"This resilient fate of yours is your advantage. At Ying's grand celebration, the invited guests were all people with resilient fates. Among them, you, Tathagata, Lan, and Zhunti have the most resilient fates. Adding Ying's incredibly resilient fate into the mix, even if your group lacks strength, as long as you stick together, no one can harm you. Your combined fates are just too resilient," Jieyin said, his tone full of admiration.

"Fate has such power?" Zhong Shan mused, astonished.

"Yes, that's why 'fate' is ranked first in the saying, 'Fate first, fortune second, feng shui third, virtue fourth, and fame fifth.' A resilient fate allows one to counteract others, offering advantages that no one else can attain. Take Ying, for instance—he cultivates the body of a Jiangshi, which is not something an ordinary person could achieve. And to reach his level, only someone with a fate as resilient as Pangu's could do so," Jieyin said, marveling.

"Pangu?" Zhong Shan's expression grew serious.

Who was Pangu? In Zhong Shan's youth, Pangu was a figure from myth, the strongest being ever, even greater than the Sages. But hearing Jieyin mention Pangu again today piqued Zhong Shan's curiosity.

"Pangu? He might be the most dominant person I've ever encountered. Though he has fallen, his grandeur will never be forgotten. Back when the Seven Sages defied the heavens, we were all, to some extent, influenced by him," Jieyin reminisced.

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