Chapter 3: Grand Oath

In Zhang Xiaofan’s eyes, the clouds in the sky, whether white or black, had never come so close to the ground as they did on this night. The thunder had never been so deafening, and the lightning had never been so blinding, making it almost impossible for him to look directly at it.

It was as if the very heavens themselves were about to collapse.

He stood there, dazed, watching the black-robed figure and the old monk glare at each other fiercely within the crumbling temple, their auras clashing in a silent duel.

Suddenly, a thunderclap exploded overhead, ringing in his ears. At that moment, he saw a dazzling bolt of lightning streak across the sky, striking the earth and landing on the black-robed man’s sword.

In an instant, the black-robed man’s clothes billowed outwards, his eyes bulging as if they were about to burst. The intense light of the lightning illuminated the temple, making it as bright as day.

The lightning that danced upon the tip of the sword was so beautiful that Zhang Xiaofan held his breath, and a strange fervor returned to Pu Zhi’s eyes.

“Is this the great power of the Daoist true arts?”

With a loud shout, the black-robed man raised his left hand, forming a sword seal, and with a mighty shake of his wrist, a bolt of lightning shot towards Pu Zhi. The ground shook, and grass, trees, bricks, and stones were flung into the air, leaving a scorching trail in its wake.

Pu Zhi took three steps back, withdrew his hand seal, and pressed his palms together, his face solemn and glowing with a faint golden light. He murmured, “My Buddha, have mercy!”

With a sharp crack, the seven remaining jade beads before him shattered, transforming into a massive, radiant character for “Buddha” in mid-air, shining with a blinding golden light.

In the next moment, the lightning collided with the golden character.

Zhang Xiaofan suddenly felt his heart skip a beat, as if all the blood in his body had rushed backward. His limbs went limp, and he could not breathe. For a moment, the wind ceased, the thunder halted, and the entire world seemed to stand still.

Then, he found himself flying backwards, unable to feel fear before he saw a blinding explosion of white and gold light, far more brilliant than the sun. The dilapidated temple shattered into pieces, with the two combatants at the center, debris flying in all directions, including up into the sky.

His mind felt empty, filled only with the sound of the fierce wind rushing past his ears.

Terrified, he instinctively tried to curl up, but he was powerless. He could only let himself drift toward the unknown.

A thought flashed through his mind: Am I going to die?

A sudden, intense fear gripped his heart, causing him to break out in a cold sweat and tremble.

How should one face death when it is standing right in front of you?

He fainted, losing consciousness.

Pu Zhi slowly walked over, staggering, holding Zhang Xiaofan and Lin Jingyu under his arms. He carried them to a slightly cleaner spot, gently setting the children down. The pain in his body was excruciating, and he collapsed, exhausted.

He looked down at his chest, where a foul-smelling robe revealed a dark aura slowly encircling his heart, leaving only a small area untouched.

He gave a bitter laugh, reaching into his robe. His hand trembled violently, and it took a long time for him to pull out a red pill, roughly the size of a finger, unremarkable in appearance.

Pu Zhi sighed, whispering, “I never thought the Ghost Doctor would be right. I must still take this ‘Three Day Death Pill.'”

Hesitating for a moment, he finally nodded, swallowing the pill.

Then, he looked up at the distant mountains.

The sky finally began to drizzle.

Mount Qingyun stood tall amidst the rain, shrouded in a mysterious mist.

“The Daoist arts are truly wondrous, able to command the powers of heaven. If we could combine our Buddhist and Daoist knowledge, we might unravel the mystery of immortality. Alas, Master Daoxuan’s cultivation far surpasses mine, but he cannot let go of his prejudices and status. Sigh!”

Pu Zhi sighed, turning his gaze to the two children. The rain was getting heavier, soaking their faces. The dilapidated temple had already crumbled, and there was no place nearby to shelter from the rain.

His heart tightened, worried about the two children. He had used his remaining energy, combined with the power of the Heavenly Sound Temple’s Great Mantra, and the force of the Jade Beads, to fend off the evil man’s powerful sword and divine thunder. He had even managed to injure the man, forcing him to flee.

But Pu Zhi, already severely injured, was now on the brink of death, sustained only by the Three Day Death Pill given to him by the Ghost Doctor.

“That demon may be injured, but he will surely return to silence us. Not only these two children, but the entire village is in danger. What can I do?”

Pu Zhi was in a state of turmoil. Despite his high cultivation, knowing he was about to die unsettled him, and he was deeply concerned for the innocent villagers. The evil man was likely a high-ranking member of the Azure Ethereal Conclave, and seeking help from them would be risky.

But his greatest regret was that he would not fulfill his lifelong dream. As one of the four great monks of the Heavenly Sound Temple, he was revered, but his true aspiration was to unravel the mystery of life and death. He had long realized that, no matter how much he cultivated, he could not achieve this.

After years of contemplation, he had conceived an unprecedented idea. Combining the strengths of Buddhism, Daoism, and the demonic arts, which were the most advanced, could break the deadlock. But his open-minded senior brothers had opposed him, seeing it as heresy.

Now, with only three days to live, he was determined to complete his dream. He decided to teach a young boy both Buddhist and Daoist arts, thereby saving the children and fulfilling his mission.

“Brilliant! Even though my time is short, if I pass on my Buddhist skills to one of these boys and have him join the Azure Ethereal Conclave, I can achieve both. This way, I can save them and fulfill my dream.”

He became exhilarated, his cheeks flushed, and his eyes bloodshot. He considered Lin Jingyu but hesitated, realizing the risks. Then he looked at Zhang Xiaofan, who showed a stubborn spirit.

“Even if your talent is limited, it doesn’t matter. Your fate will determine the rest.”

Without further delay, he revived Zhang Xiaofan with his remaining energy.

Zhang Xiaofan awoke, his vision blurred and his ears ringing. After a while, he regained his senses and saw the old monk, heavily wounded and sitting in front of him. The monk’s left side was burnt, and his face was pale and gaunt, yet his eyes were filled with excitement. He also saw Lin Jingyu lying unconscious nearby.

“You, what are you doing?” Zhang Xiaofan stammered.

Pu Zhi didn’t answer but instead asked, “Young master, why are you here in this desolate place in such a storm?”

Zhang Xiaofan said, “I saw you in the temple earlier. When it started to rain, I thought it might get cold, so I brought you some food.”

Pu Zhi smiled, “Very kind of you. Everything is predestined. My Buddha has mercy.”

Zhang Xiaofan, confused, asked, “What do you mean?”

Pu Zhi explained, “I mean, you and I are destined to meet. I have a set of cultivation techniques. Would you like to learn them?”

“What are these techniques?” Zhang Xiaofan asked.

Pu Zhi chuckled, “They are just breathing and meditation methods. You must promise me a few things. Can you do that?”

Zhang Xiaofan, half-understanding, nodded, “Tell me.”

Pu Zhi said, “You must never tell anyone about this, not even your closest relatives. Can you do that?”

Zhang Xiaofan, determined, replied, “Yes, I won’t tell anyone, even if I die.”

Moved, Pu Zhi continued, “Also, you must practice this method every day, but only in private, at night. And, you must never use it unless it’s a matter of life and death. Do you understand?”

Zhang Xiaofan, still confused, nodded firmly.

Pu Zhi smiled, beginning to teach him the incantations. The incantations, though only a thousand characters long, were complex. Zhang Xiaofan memorized them after three hours of effort.

Relieved, Pu Zhi, exhausted, said, “I have never taken a disciple, but now, I shall call you my student. My name is Pu Zhi, a monk from the Heavenly Sound Temple. Have you heard of it?”

Zhang Xiaofan shook his head.

Pu Zhi laughed, “You are truly a child.” He then gave Zhang Xiaofan a deep purple bead, instructing, “Keep this bead secret. When you are safe, throw it into a deep valley. And, never reveal my name.”

Zhang Xiaofan, taking the bead, promised, “I understand.”

Pu Zhi patted his head, “We have a karmic connection. Kneel and bow to me thrice, and call me ‘Master.'”

Zhang Xiaofan, nodding, knelt and bowed. As he finished, he heard Pu Zhi’s low, sorrowful laugh. Before he could look up, a hand tapped his back, and everything went dark again.