A profound silence descended, suffocating the vast Buddha Palm Square. For the multitude of monks gathered below the platform, this was a battle that defied easy description, a clash of martial intent leaving countless words unspoken, a choked sigh held in countless throats.

Who could possibly deny Jinghai’s strength? Even the devastating combination of techniques that Jiang Wang had unleashed upon Yi Tang, he endured completely, not a single ripple disturbed, a testament to his sheer resilience. Among all the Outer Building cultivators Jiang Wang had faced thus far, Jinghai’s defense surely stood unparalleled.

Yet, in this clash atop the Dragon Subduing Platform, the rhythm, from beginning to end, belonged entirely to Jiang Wang, never deviating from his control. That opening gambit, the Thunder Sound Flame Sparrow, was too sudden, too brimming with spiritual essence, too utterly dominant! The transformation into the True Person Thunder Sound immediately established a crushing dominance. Following closely, the superimposed Five Senses Hell served as an almost perfect counter-measure, amplifying the power of the Thunder Sound Flame Sparrow to its zenith. Such was its force that Jinghai was compelled to instantly activate the Indestructible Dragon Subduing Golden Body, bolstered by the Six Paths Vajra Mantra for protection. Without these desperate measures, he would have been granted no reprieve, no chance of launching a counter-attack whatsoever.

However, in the crucible of battle, the first to reveal their ultimate trump card rarely finds victory. Jiang Wang had seized the initial advantage and maintained it, step by relentless step. Following the Five Senses Hell came the Flame Flower Burning City, which then directly exploded into the Fire Realm. Within the Fire Realm, the Flame Flower Burning City blossomed anew. Then, the Absolute Peak One Sword transformed into the Human Character Sword. Sealing arts, pupil techniques, secret methods, Dao techniques, divine abilities, sword techniques… all flowed seamlessly from his grasp, a symphony of martial prowess! He truly had integrated all he had learned, all he had contemplated. What should have been a tit-for-tat, thrilling exchange was instead rendered a one-sided display of sheer mastery.

Upon the Dragon Subduing Platform, before the stoic gaze of Master Ku Bing, the Head Monk of the Dragon Subduing Court, before the ancient monk Ku Jue, and before the assembled multitude of monks below, he performed his magnificent, brilliant offensive, flowing like clouds and water, forcefully shattering the seemingly unbreakable myth of the Indestructible Dragon Subduing Golden Body, a myth held sacred for cultivators of the same realm!

Why would he require Jing Li to reveal Jinghai’s weak points? He directly confronted Jinghai’s strongest golden body, his most formidable defense, and directly shattered it.

From the outset of this encounter, Jinghai, the foremost Outer Building disciple of Suspended Temple, had only managed to unleash a single Indestructible Dragon Subduing Golden Body and a single Six Paths Vajra Mantra. His initial intention was to seize a moment of respite, to free his hands for a counter-attack, but that fleeting moment, he stubbornly could not grasp. He poured all his strength into it, yet could only manage to reinforce one Thunder Sound and hold firm to the Six Paths Vajra Mantra… And these, coupled with the power of the Dao Path he released, were merely desperate attempts to stave off Jiang Wang’s relentless, tidal assault. His Indestructible Dragon Subduing Golden Body remained the sole battleground, a canvas for their confrontation. He could only continuously endure, the string of his resilience stretching tighter and tighter, until it finally snapped.

The eyes of Ku Bing, the Head Monk of the Dragon Subduing Court, held a complex gaze. The very opening of the battle, unexpectedly, stemmed from the stray Thunder Sound he had unintentionally dispersed. In other words, his direct disciple was beaten from start to finish, unable to retaliate, and he himself had contributed to this outcome… This could not but burden his mood.

Jinghai’s inherent strength was undeniably not weaker than Jiang Wang’s. Indeed, due to his mastery of the Dao Path’s power, he should have held the advantage. But the two combatants’ understanding of battle resided on fundamentally different planes. Even with Ku Bing’s profound cultivation, he could not deceive himself. Based on the performance of this battle, even without that initial Thunder Sound, the outcome likely would not have changed. At most, Jinghai might have managed to display a few more techniques… But he couldn’t help but think, even just a few more techniques would have been preferable. Anything to avoid a certain old eccentric from being so smug!

Beside Ku Bing, the old monk Ku Jue was laughing, his ancient face crinkling into a mass of joyful wrinkles, like a blooming old camellia flower. Neither of them paid any heed to Jinghai. Jinghai’s current state simply required waiting for the Indestructible Dragon Subduing Golden Body to self-repair. He was, of course, not dead, nor had he suffered any irreversible injury. Jiang Wang, after breaching his Indestructible Dragon Subduing Golden Body, had already sheathed his sword in a timely manner. At this moment, the sight of blood trickling from his seven orifices was indeed terrifying, but it was merely a consequence of fainting. Naturally, several months of recuperation were unavoidable.

Jiang Wang stood on the platform, turned around, and was met with the burning gaze of Monk Jing Li. Unable to resist, he asked, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Monk Jing Li lifted his head, his face alight with admiration, “Junior brother, you are truly amazing!”

A Divine Arrival Realm cultivator expressing admiration for an Outer Building Realm cultivator could easily be construed as mockery. But from Jing Li, it was undoubtedly heartfelt, a genuine outpouring of emotion. He himself was undeniably strong. Jinghai, possessing the Indestructible Dragon Subduing Golden Body, could be easily handled by him anytime, anywhere. No matter how one might look down upon his master, one could not deny his talent. Whether it was Glass Buddha Child or Little Holy Monk… but his little junior brother was genuinely astonishing!

Jiang Wang smiled, shifting his gaze towards the sallow-faced old monk. He had encountered this old monk many times before. Each meeting found him looking dusty and travel-worn, devoid of the slightest pretense of a contemporary True Person. He had been scolded by this old monk, physically disciplined by this old monk, and had his life saved by this old monk. Naturally, his heart held complex, ineffable emotions.

Previously, in East King Valley, when Chong Xuan Sheng had arrived with another letter, his journey of sword questioning was already complete. He had no plans to venture further. The reason for choosing Suspended Temple for his final battle before returning to Qi was simply this—to verify the entirety of his cultivation in the Outer Building Realm outside of Qi Country. He… wished to let Ku Jue bear witness.

Ku Jue, who had been laughing like an old camellia, self-satisfied, smug, and overwhelmingly proud, had been determined that no matter how cold Jiang Wang was, how he resisted, how he distanced himself, he could shamelessly proclaim that this was his own good disciple! This was the peerless genius he had nurtured! He could announce to the world on the front foot that he was leaving the mountain gate and on the back foot eagerly rush back. He could announce to everyone that he was the next abbot of Suspended Temple, even if he bore not a single responsibility of Suspended Temple. He had nothing to be embarrassed about. As for face, he had never known it.

But at this moment, facing Jiang Wang’s gaze, he suddenly felt a flicker of shyness. “Why are you looking at Buddha Grandpa like that?” he demanded, a disgruntled expression on his face.

Jiang Wang quietly gazed at the old monk for a moment. Then, on the platform, he bowed deeply to him.

“Thank you,” he said. “Regardless of your initial reason for seeking me out, and regardless of why you opened your heart to me.”

“Your multiple life-saving graces, Jiang Wang engraves upon his heart.”

“Though my shoulders bear the weight of ten thousand burdens, I cannot enter the empty gate. This body often walks alone, unable to perform master rites. But in my heart, the bond of master and disciple already exists.”

“Jiang Wang’s parents have passed away, no elders remain. Though I often jest with you, in my heart, I treat you as my closest kin.”

“This journey eastbound, upon this and stop. My cultivation, my intent, with this battle, I ask you to witness!”

Old Monk Ku Jue’s wrinkled face, for a moment, smoothed out, then wrinkled again, an unreadable expression of laughter or tears.

“Mother’s leg, yo,” he finally exclaimed. “You, this turtle-dog broken winter melon, you’ve made it quite touching.” Saying this, he rolled up his sleeves, rummaged through his robe, and produced a yellowed, tattered book. “You say it so sincerely, Buddha Grandpa not teach you a little something, very hard to end.”

Jiang Wang’s mind reeled, the emotion of the moment dissipating. “Ah, no need, no need, this—” This would simply solidify the master-disciple relationship!

But Ku Jue was already close to his face in one stride, completely disregarding his protests, simply shoving the tattered book into his arms, hoisting him up, and delivering a swift kick!

When Jiang Wang came to his senses, he was already outside the mountain gate of Suspended Temple. It truly felt like a dream! Below the mountain, believers swarmed like ants, the faint sound of bells drifting upwards. In the distant sky, a few idle clouds drifted, subtly shifting into strange shapes.

His As You Wish Immortal Robe lightly brushed away the shoe print on his buttocks. Jiang Wang took the yellowed, tattered book from his arms, momentarily speechless. He quickly shoved the old, tattered book back into his grasp, stepped upon a green cloud, and departed. In an instant, he had left Suspended Temple far behind, heading directly towards Qi Country.

Amidst the strong winds and flowing clouds that brushed past him, the figure in the green shirt with a sword suddenly halted. Jiang Wang stood in the clouds, his expression changing for a moment, before finally taking out the broken book that Ku Jue had forcibly thrust upon him. Opening it, he saw on the title page a line of Dao characters, profound and wondrous, which read—

Contemplate Self At Ease Ear.

This was the supreme secret method of Suspended Temple’s Contemplate World Court! It was the top method in the world for cultivating the consciousness of the ear. These four characters…

They both implied that this life’s cultivation was nothing more than contemplating oneself at ease. They also signified that this was a pair of “contemplate self at ease” ears. And the method recorded within encompassed cultivation from the Outer Building to the Divine Arrival, even to the Cave True! This was a direct path to cultivating the ear consciousness of a contemporary True Person, its value immeasurable.

Jiang Wang gazed at these four characters for a long time, feeling only a sense of profound weight. This yellowed old book in his hand held a peculiar feeling.

Jiang Wang flipped backwards a bit and discovered, within this unremarkable broken book, a few sheets of paper torn from somewhere. They were very casually clipped between the pages, hidden away in what was likely a very hasty manner, much like Old Monk Ku Jue’s monastic robe, messy and disorganized. Very untidy.

Jiang Wang picked up the paper, glanced at it, and discovered that it recorded a sound-killing technique, named Subdue Outer Dao Vajra Thunder Sound. It was a sound-killing technique, a method for subduing outer paths. Undoubtedly, it was a secret method transmitted within the Dragon Subduing Court, and very likely the foundation of the Thunder Sound cultivated by the Head Monk of the Dragon Subduing Court, Ku Bing.

And these two secret methods, simply like tailor-made for the current Jiang Wang, perfectly fit his current state. Once successfully cultivated, in the path of ear consciousness, he could immediately catch up to the level of Yi Tang of Renxin Hall, reaching the limit of this realm. Old Monk Ku Jue had truly put his mind to it.

But once these two secret methods were learned, the reality of his master-disciple relationship with Ku Jue would be cemented. Previously, although Ku Jue had helped him greatly, he had never formally learned a single move or technique from Ku Jue. Thus, he could still maintain his independence, treating grace as grace, sharing as sharing, and righteously proclaiming, “I do not enter the empty gate.” His journey to Suspended Temple, under Ku Jue’s witness, completing the final battle of his sword trial journey, was meant to settle the ledger between him and Ku Jue for all their shared experiences. To clearly express his heartfelt treatment as closest kin, having a master-disciple bond in his heart. But also to persist in his own path, not relying on external forces, not entering the empty gate.

Ku Jue’s response was to stuff these two secret methods into his hands and give him a kick.

At this moment, Jiang Wang stood in the clouds, as if seeing that yellow and wrinkled old face of Ku Jue, laughing and telling him—

Heart having master friendship. Treating as closest kin, I agree.

Not entering the empty gate… Hehe, I will strive again.

Good disciple, you will eventually know, worldly matters are all empty.

Jiang Wang pondered for a moment, took out a Qi Knife Coin, and casually tossed it towards the sky. He decided to leave everything to heaven’s will. If it landed face up, he would practice. If it landed face down, he would not practice.

But the knife coin fell halfway. He suddenly reached out and caught it.

He said to himself, “Forget it. Why be shy? When have I ever been a person who relies on heaven’s will?”

Plundering the empty leaves traces, traversing leaves marks, this body walks alone, seeking the heart’s intent, not heaven’s will. This heart, how could it deceive itself?

So, simply there on the cloud’s edge, he opened the book, continuing his flight while studying the Contemplate Self At Ease Ear. At this time, having integrated all his past knowledge, he was also precisely in a state of sufficient energy to study new techniques, not letting time be wasted.

In the Dragon Subduing Court.

The giant Buddha stood firm, the Buddha’s countenance still veiled in eternal mists. Everything on the Dragon Subduing Platform resided within the Giant Buddha’s palm, as if grasping the affairs of the world. The Buddha’s wisdom is unfathomable. The Buddha’s majesty permeates ancient and modern times. Worldly Buddha cultivators, for their entire lives, aspire to nothing more than to approach the greatness. And those who can achieve greatness, looking across the long river of time, are few and far between.

The World Honored One was born in the late period of ancient times, in the era when the second generation Human Emperor Youxiong Clan constructed the Gate of Ten Thousand Demons. At that time, the Dao Gate was still the mainstream of cultivation, while Confucianism and Legalism were already rising. He witnessed the terror of the demonic tide leading to extinction and also experienced the end of ancient times. After the demonic tide, many ordinary people’s hearts had nowhere to seek refuge. With supreme compassion, he walked barefoot to save the world. At times, he had three thousand followers; at other times, only a single person remained. People continuously followed him, and people continuously left him.

He passed through the end of ancient times and achieved greatness in the middle ancient times. In the war where the third generation Human Emperor Lieshan Clan drove the Dragon Emperor into the vast sea, he shone brightly. Then, the lineage was passed down, up to the present.

Buddha’s heart, Buddha’s intent, Buddha unknowable.

Standing in the Buddha Palm Square, Ku Bing glared fiercely at Ku Jue, “What did you give him?”

“My own disciple, I love to give what I love to give, can you control me?!” Ku Jue’s spittle flew, utterly righteous. As if what he gave to Jiang Wang was indeed his own secret method, and not something stolen from the Contemplate World Court. As if what he gave to Jiang Wang was also not something stolen from the Dragon Subduing Court…

Ku Bing was truly flustered by him. He let out a snort, then picked up the fainted Jinghai and departed.

Below the platform, a wave of bald heads shifted, reflecting the sunlight like ripples, as the crowd of monks successively left the field. Ku Jue paid no mind to anyone, striding out with eight-character steps, haughtily walking outwards. My disciple, is stronger than all of your disciples!

Jing Li, one hand pressing the hat on his bald head, quickly followed behind him. “Master, master, junior brother is truly amazing!”

“You’ve already said that once!”

“Master, I mean, you teach really well, you are indeed worthy of being our Suspended Temple’s supreme abbot!”

“Come. Expand and say!”

Two bald heads, one in front and one behind, thus walked down the Dragon Subduing Platform with laughter. Besides them, probably no one else would believe in Ku Jue’s knowledge, Ku Jue’s experience, Ku Jue’s wisdom. But Three Treasures Mountain was their home.

People from outside.

Seeking “home” in the empty gate.