Big Bodhi

Chapter 3: The Ancient Temple

The young Daoist wore an extremely large green Daoist robe, his features were soft and delicate. He looked no more than fourteen or fifteen years old. Obviously, it wasn't erroneous on the ghost's part to call him a child.

The young woman snorted coldly, and then withdrew her mountain ghost dharma, saying, "A runty kid who doesn't know how to quietly cultivate the Dao, but has come out to cause trouble. I'm letting you leave because I have a good temper, and do not wish to bother myself with you. Otherwise, you wouldn't have had the chance to retreat!"

"Fellow Daoist has high attainments in cultivation, and has cultivated yin energy to the peak of the True Dao Realm with the aptitude of a mountain ghost's body. It's rather impressive." The young Daoist spoke loudly as he sized up the young woman's body. His gaze swept over the layer of white light that constantly enveloped the young woman's body, and his eyes turned more solemn the more he observed it.

"If you are willing to take a step further, I can get rid of this body and present it to the gods, and ask them to grant a righteous position in the Heavenly Court, so that, henceforth, you'll be ranked as a mountain god, and enjoy the worship and incense offerings from the mortals in the surrounding thousands of miles."

No wonder he was so surprised when he looked at her. It was extremely difficult to cultivate a mountain ghost's body, and even rarer for someone to be able to cultivate it to the late stage of the True Dao Realm.

If she could get rid of this filthy body, and be listed among the ranks of imperial gods, she would be able to rise to the top by the virtue of her profound background. She could even hope to pry beyond her current cultivation stage if she persists and cultivates for a while.

"You are young. Perhaps this is your first time coming down to the Qingluan Mountain? As for prying the higher truth... I'm afraid I'll never break through in my cultivation ever again."

Hearing the Daoist's words, the young woman showed a self-deprecating expression. She shook her head as her figure turned into a bright light, and she rolled up a figure inside the pile of debris. She was about to descend into the forest.

"Wait!" The Daoist's eyes narrowed as he looked at the figure curled up in the white light around the girl.

The young woman slowly stopped her body, her back facing the Daoist priest wearing a green robe, and her beautiful face continued to distort, finally turning into a terrifying triangular grimace, and her voice became hoarse, "Little Daoist priest, are you not satisfied? Do you not want the toast offered to you, but ask for fine wine instead?"

Although her tone was flat, it carried a hint of ferocity.

Her yin-based cultivation was a step higher than the profound cultivation of the young Daoist who was at the initial stage of True Dao Realm. She had stopped because of the deterrence she felt from the powers lying behind the young man.

After all, she was a mountain ghost born from the northwest corner of the Qingluan Mountain range, and was confined to this territory. For this young Daoist to have accomplished such a high cultivation at his young age, there was no doubt that he had a terrifying force behind him. He wasn't someone she could provoke.

[TL Note: Qingluan translates to Azure Cloud, which when stitched together reads 'Azure Cloud Mountain(s)(ranges)'. I've retained the pinyin version of the translation, provisionally.]

It was just that... if the young and inexperienced Daoist could get angry, how could she not get angry as a mountain ghost who had devoured countless souls and spirits throughout the years?

On the other hand, the reason why the young Daoist had stopped was because he had discovered that the mountain ghost was a cultivator at the late stage of the True Dao Realm that one would rarely come across, and she was way beyond someone he could subdue. Thus, the two of them were able to talk to each other earlier.

"Fellow Daoist has mistaken me, Xiao Dao has no malicious intentions. Daoist had such high attainments in cultivation, yet you deign to kill a mortal, isn't it a bit too much?" The young Daoist shook his head and smiled. "If it's just for you to satisfy your appetite, I can understand, but doesn't the fellow Daoist want to take it a step further? If there comes a day when fellow Daoist has a breakthrough, and the gods of the upper realm find out that you have indulged in acts of cruelty and tyranny, I'm afraid that fellow Daoist won't be able to attain the mountain god position then."

"Breakthrough?" The young woman's body had already completely transformed into a mountain ghost, pitch black energy kept emanating from her. Moreover, her mind was disturbed and uncalm. "I have already said my words. I have no more chances to breakthrough in this life. The late stage of the True Dao Realm is my limit. You who possess such an acute mind, such cunningness... shouldn't play deaf!"

She fiercely roared the last words. Her entire body had completely transformed into a huge and terrifying mountain ghost. The mountain ghost had grown to be almost 50 meters tall. It had six legs, nine arms, and two heads. A pitch-black gale swept from her body, matching the ruthless aura emerging out of her body.

"Not good. My words seemed to have poked this ghost's weak spot. I'm afraid I won't be able to save him this time."

The young Daoist glanced regretfully at the human figure that was casually thrown to the side by the mountain ghost's aura, and silently recited in his heart. He didn't hesitate any longer, and with a flip of his green Daoist robe's sleeve, he shot out a streak of emerald profound light, and swiftly fled towards the distance.

Roar!

The two huge heads opened their mouths to their fullest, showing sharp teeth, and let out a roar that shook the mountain forest!

The invisible ripples wildly swept throughout the area, causing the rocks to collapse, streams to fall in chaos, and the entire northwest corner of the Qingluan Mountain trembled under the terrifying roar.

Bong!

Suddenly, the deafening sound of a bell rang throughout the Qingluan Mountain!

At first glance, this bell sounded very powerful, but if one listened carefully, it was full of strange and incomparable resentment, and even the Qingluan Mountain forest was covered with a light haze.

The bell rang in her ears, and the mountain ghost paused for a while. Under the condensed and contracted white light, her enormous body shrunk rapidly within a few breaths, returning to the form of a beautiful barefoot girl.

At this moment, the white light around her was shaky, flickering brightly and dimly. Her eyes were full of despair and resentment, and there was no longer the slightest bit of ferocity and ruthlessness left in it.

It only took a short while before she pulled herself together. A streak of white light covered the turbulence in her eyes. With a wave of her sleeve, Ji Yuenian, who had been unconscious for a long time, flew into the dense forest.

...

Ancient Temple.

There were no statues in the temple, only a few shabby but clean futons. There was a rough wooden table in the corner, which had accumulated dust, indicating that it had not been used for a long time.

A young man in commoner clothes walked slowly into the temple, threw the thick and heavy bell on the ground at will, and muttered in a low voice, "These things in the mountain have become more and more disobedient these days. Should I report to Master Egret to refine these ghosts and monsters into elixirs in advance? If I let them continue to make noises like this, it will really disturb my cultivation."

After hesitating for a moment, he still let go of the fleeting thoughts in his heart. After all, the Egret demon king was too majestic. Even for him, every time he went to see him, he had to be a little more cautious.

The young man in commoner clothes stepped a few steps forward, sat on the futon, and slowly closed his eyes. A mysterious true light flashed around his body as he gradually sank into his cultivation.

As the true light permeated the Ancient Temple, a small beast with golden fur slowly condensed on the top of the young man's head. If one looked closely, he would find that this little beast was also sitting upright. In this state, his eyes were tightly closed, which were no different from the cultivation posture of the commoner youth.

(T/N:- True light represents the road of morality, truth, and principle.)

......

In a water stream in the mountain.

A gurgling clear voice lingered around his ears as Ji Yuenian suddenly opened his eyes, and all he saw was the refreshing green mountain scenery that caused one's heart to feel serene. The bright yellow sunlight shone through the verdant trees, and there were patches of mottled light and shadow around him.

A few feet away on the side of the stream, a slender girl in white clothes was sitting on a rock, her bare feet dipped in the rapidly flowing icy water, and she said softly, "You're awake."

The pale white halo around her body had completely faded away, and her long jet-black hair fell like a waterfall. From Ji Yuenian's angle at this time, he could barely see her profile. The crystal-like jade earlobes partly encompassed by her hair were faintly suffused with a faint blush, which seemed no different from an ordinary mortal girl.

Slightly bowing his head, The half-foot long sleeves on his left arm swayed gently under the wind. From time to time, there was a sharp pain emanating from the wound, but it was better than before.

"Is the pain gone now?" The girl in white robe stood up, took a clean silk cloth by her side, and wiped the clear water droplets hanging on her calf and feet. "I casted a magic spell on you. It will not only make you temporarily pain free, but will also reverse the yin and yang, speeding up the healing of your wound, and your broken arm will be completely restored io more than ten days."

For some reason, the girl in white robe seemed to have completely changed her temperament at this time, and she no longer had the slightest trace of her previous viciousness.

Ji Yuenian was silent, his eyes lowered a little.

At the moment he was like a fish on a chopping board. No matter how much nonsense he says, it would be useless.

It was just that... the broken arm was not at all like what that mountain ghost said. At this moment, not only was there a burst of fiery pain from time to time, but Ji Yuenian could clearly perceive that the broken arm's regeneration speed had reached a terrifying level!

Under the cover of the half-foot long sleeve, a two-inch arm was formed from the originally severed arm, full of flesh and blood. At the end, it was still enveloped by the white light left by the mountain ghost. Within this white light, blazing light spots emanated from time to time and merged into the arms, catalyzing its growth every moment.

Looking up at the mountain ghost who looked like a mortal girl, Ji Yuenian's eyes dimmed for a moment before he lowered his head again and closed his eyes slightly.

After waking up this time, the corner of the images that appeared in the depths of his memory became clearer. Ji Yuenian immersed himself in his memories and tried to recall the terrifying image that made him tremble again.