Chapter 60: Chapter 52: The Man on the Turbulent Boat, This Time Aiding the Dragon Transformation
"And for someone as self-important as you—don’t even try to deny it.
Martial Uncle, you may be kind and warm to others on the surface, but deep down, you carry a certain arrogance.
It’s as if you believe everyone in the world is beneath you.
Even when you stood face-to-face with the Former Saint.
You were no different."
Xu Lei felt a little awkward.
He understood. It was because he carried the advanced culture, technology, and ideals of Earth that he couldn’t help feeling a sense of superiority toward the backward people of this ancient era.
He’d always thought he’d hidden it well, but it turned out they had seen through him long ago.
"The only time you don’t have that attitude is when you’re facing the two of us, who possess a Profound Spiritual Power that you lack."
Wu Gui said, "Otherwise, it is just as Hui Ming described.
But that’s to be expected.
Martial Brother, your master passed down so many extraordinary Skills of Worldly Affairs to you.
Now, in this world, wealth, women, status, and even power are all within your grasp if you so desire!
And yet, he refused to teach you the Longevity Technique!
Nine years ago, he sent you a dream saying he would come find you. Then, he said he wouldn’t.
Perhaps he already knew that you had discovered Hui Ming and I were not ordinary.
If he had come, you would have surely pestered him to teach you the Longevity Technique.
So he simply decided not to come.
Naturally, you can’t accept that.
You refuse to believe you truly have no future in cultivation.
You refuse to believe that cultivating would only be a waste of your remaining years.
Clever people always think like that.
They refuse to believe they can’t do something until they’ve tried it themselves.
It’s alright, Martial Brother Wu Tan. There’s no need to meet with the higher-ups of the Buddhist Sect.
Just do what you’ve set out to do.
I can promise you that if you can end this chaotic era...
...the Buddhist Sect will grant you the Dao Seed."
"Amitabha Buddha."
Xu Lei replied, "Since you’ve said as much, Martial Brother, there is nothing more for me to say.
In that case, Martial Brother, Martial Nephew, you two had best watch closely.
Watch how I bring an end to this chaotic era!
And of course, have that Dao Seed ready for me!"
Having said his piece,
Xu Lei turned and headed down the mountain.
He had mentioned wanting to meet the Buddhist Sect’s leadership, but he never said it was an absolute necessity.
He’d simply thought that Wu Gui and Hui Ming might stick to their original stance.
They might have argued that giving him the Dao Seed would be to his detriment, causing him to waste the rest of his life, and thus refuse or even deliberately stand in his way.
But now it seemed the two of them were even more rational than he had imagined.
In that case, there was nothing more to be said.
Although Wu Gui and Hui Ming were always secretive, there was one good thing about them.
They truly did not "speak falsehoods"—they upheld the precept of right speech.
They almost always kept their word.
Of course, there was another thing that made Xu Lei break out in a cold sweat: the nonexistent master he had casually invented all those years ago.
Even though there had been no sign of this master since—he didn’t even show up after supposedly promising to visit in a dream—Xu Lei hadn’t needed to explain a thing. Hui Ming and Wu Gui had filled in all the blanks themselves.
And Xu Lei had to admit, their fabricated explanation was surprisingly logical.
Wu Tan’s powerful and mysterious master had originally intended to visit and see how his disciple was faring in the Mortal World, and perhaps to reminisce about old times.
But upon learning that his disciple had discovered the existence of a true Longevity Technique, and knowing that with his disciple’s sharp mind, he would surely deduce that he, the master, also possessed such a technique...
...he decided not to come, fearing he would be pestered. Or perhaps he did come, but chose not to reveal himself before leaving again.
After all, if he had a moment of weakness and gave in, a person like Wu Tan, with his level of aptitude, who had already squandered half his life on wine and women, would have no future in cultivation even with a Dao Seed.
It would also be a complete waste of the master’s own Origin.
And so, the mysterious and powerful Enlightened Monk simply watched his disciple from the shadows for a moment before turning to leave.
Of course, Xu Lei knew that this entire narrative Hui Ming and Wu Gui had concocted about his master was pure fiction.
But naturally, Xu Lei wasn’t about to explain any of that.
Now that he had their promise, it was time for him to get to work.
「That evening.」
Xu Lei went straight to Shang Yin’s residence in Anqing Prefecture City.
"Amitabha Buddha."
Xu Lei wasted no time on pleasantries, getting straight to the point. "Patron Shang Yin, it has been a while. This humble monk has come to help you end this chaotic era, unify the world, claim the throne, and become the Emperor."
