The November sun, though bright, still carried a chill, its golden rays steeped in cold intent.

Outside the ancient camphor trees, the walls of the courtyard seemed to have lost their spirit.

A lone ant, seemingly lost, wandered aimlessly on the high threshold, detached from its fellows.

Jiang Wang and Jing Shi Ku Yi had been waiting outside the gates of the Dragon Subduing Courtyard for two hours already.

That messenger monk who had gone in to inform the head seat had not returned since.

Ku Yi stood with his arms crossed, radiating an air of importance. He resembled a creditor come to collect a debt rather than a pitiable soul who had been shown the door – even if all that lay before him was a firmly closed gate.

It was a testament to his resilience that he had maintained this chest-out, head-held-high posture for a full two hours, his stance unwavering.

Jiang Wang also stood, but in profound silence, like a block of solid green stone. He possessed an abundance of patience, always.

Jing Shi, wearing his bamboo hat, squatted to the side, occasionally glancing at his master. He seemed to want to say something, yet dared not.

“Cough.” Jiang Wang finally couldn’t bear to watch the yellow-faced old monk’s continued embarrassment. He offered, “Perhaps the head seat of the Dragon Subduing Courtyard isn’t in? We could return tomorrow?”

Ku Yi let out a breath. “My obedient disciple is right. That boy Ku Ji is likely far away. Even if he received my message and rushed back, he wouldn’t be here for a while. Another day, another day!”

He turned to look at Jing Shi. “Are you not going to quickly prepare some vegetarian food for your junior brother? Squatting there like a block of wood, utterly foolish!”

Jing Shi remained squatted, only raising his eyes to look at Ku Yi. “Master, I feel… we shouldn’t delay junior brother’s important matters.”

Ku Yi slanted an eye at him. “What do you mean by that?”

Jing Shi lowered his head, his voice muffled. “What I mean is, junior brother isn’t here to spar with uncle-master. Whether uncle-master is in or not is irrelevant. He wants to find Jing Hai. If I go in and inform Jing Hai, wouldn’t that be enough?”

“You think you have more face than me, is that it?” Ku Yi jabbed a finger at him, then turned to Jiang Wang. “Hahahaha, this boy actually thinks he has more face than me! Utterly unaware of the weight of the next abbot of the Suspended Temple! Wouldn’t you say that’s amusing?”

Jiang Wang clasped his palms together towards Jing Shi. “Then I shall trouble the young holy monk.”

Jing Shi, ever the obedient disciple, received Jiang Wang’s request but still looked longingly towards Ku Yi.

Ku Yi waved his hand impatiently. “Go on, go on!”

“Watch this!” Jing Shi grinned, revealing a mouth full of white teeth, like scattered snow.

He sprang to his feet.

His hurried steps then crashed through the side gate into the Dragon Subduing Courtyard.

Outside the massive, copper-studded main gate,

Only two people remained.

Truly an excellent opportunity to deepen their bond.

“Hey.” Ku Yi suddenly approached and bumped Jiang Wang’s shoulder with his own.

Given Jiang Wang’s rooted stance, he almost stumbled.

“I’m not just blowing hot air, you know.” He had already begun his boasts. “If it weren’t for the rules laid down by the Patriarch, forbidding anyone from causing trouble in the Dragon Subduing Courtyard,

Master would have charged in long ago,

And still turn to let that old man put on airs here? Do you even know what your master’s status is in the Suspended Temple?”

He continued his tirade. “I’m only letting Senior Brother Ku Ji have his way because of his age and his bitter fate.

I’ll let him serve for a few years first. Those countries, don’t they have retired emperors? Your master is practically a Grand Abbot! If you shave your head and enter the order now,

As your master, I can still arrange for you to cut in line a bit.

How about I be your master after that?”

Jiang Wang’s voice was low. “When I first came to the Suspended Temple, I specifically searched for some believers outside the mountain to ask about your whereabouts, to see if you were in the temple… I asked many people, and they all said they didn’t know who Master Ku Yi was.”

This matter was indeed a bit of a slap in the face. But what kind of person was Ku Yi? He showed not the slightest bit of embarrassment.

“Vulgar eyes cannot recognize a true Buddha!” He sighed with emotion. “Your master is humble! Devoted to cultivating the Buddha-dharma,

That’s called ‘telling scriptures until the hand is sore’. Do you understand? Just the principles of those Buddhist scriptures,

I’ve even told them with my own hand. So tell me,

What is there that your master doesn’t understand? Your master is indifferent to fame and fortune, unlike those senior uncles and senior brothers of yours who crave renown, occupying positions and refusing to let go. Those common people below the mountain,

They only know a few of their names, yet they don’t know,

The true Buddha is in the mountain, the true Buddha is on the road, the true Buddha…”

He reached out and pointed a circle around himself. “…grows like this.”

Jiang Wang pulled up the corners of his lips,

Returned a smile, and did not speak.

Ku Yi still wanted to strike while the iron was hot.

The main gate of the Dragon Subduing Courtyard suddenly swung open wide!

A massive voice was the first to erupt—”So your disciple wants to spar with my disciple?”

Then, thin and gaunt, seemingly on the verge of death but shouting like thunder, Ku Ji strode out from the courtyard.

A Buddhist holy land, a world-renowned sect, yet the truly capable person outside the gate was like a rogue,

And the truly capable person inside the gate was like a mountain bandit.

Behind Ku Ji followed the clean and handsome monk Jing Shi,

And beside the monk Jing Shi was that bald head,

Who one could assume was the current foremost figure in the Suspended Temple’s Outer Building realm,

The monk with the Dharma name Jing Hai.

Just as his master was thin to skin and bones, he was a large fatty. He was three times as wide as Jing Shi, his face piled high with fat,

Even fatter than Chong Xuan Sheng.

“Precisely my disciple!” Ku Yi stood with his hands on his hips,

Proudly declaring, “What of it?”

Ku Ji stared at him with wide eyes for a moment. “Who are you? Do we have this person in the Suspended Temple?”

No matter what the head seat of the Dragon Subduing Courtyard said, it was like thunder, causing one’s heart to tremble with fear.

“Uncle-master.” Jing Shi called out anxiously from behind.

Ku Ji grunted again, but truly let go of this matter. He turned and walked inside. “If you want to fight, then fight properly. That way, some people won’t be ignorant of the heights of heaven and the depths of earth, and some people won’t forget their origins!”

He directly issued an order. “Open the Dragon Subduing Platform!”

His voice was like heavenly thunder, shocking the ears and seizing the spirit. If one had evil in their heart, their soul would inevitably leave their body.

Ku Yi, completely unconcerned, dug at his ears, walking in with great swagger. He didn’t forget to greet Jiang Wang. “Obedient disciple, follow me! What did Master tell you? A mere head seat of the Dragon Subduing Courtyard dares to not give your master face? They’re even opening the Dragon Subduing Platform for you! Do you know what kind of specification this is?”

He leaned near Jiang Wang’s ear, covering his mouth with his hand. “The last time it was opened was because of that group of bald donkeys from Sumeru Mountain. How about it? Do you know your master’s status now?”

Jiang Wang blinked his eyes, only feeling that this yellow-faced old monk was indeed different from the ordinary.

The display of authority by the head seat of the Dragon Subduing Courtyard was casually turned into his own stepping stone.

Like Chong Xuan Sheng, Xu Gao and others, they were thick-skinned, but ultimately too young. They still needed to learn!

The group of people wandered through the vast Dragon Subduing Courtyard, turning left and right. Along the way, monks saluted respectfully, their gazes filled with curiosity towards Jiang Wang.

With Ku Ji’s open mouth, it was difficult for ordinary people not to hear. Of course, they all knew this person had come to challenge the monk Jing Hai, but no one came forward to chat.

Before long, the crowd arrived before a colossal Buddha statue.

Its height reached above its neck, where it was enveloped in high-altitude clouds and mist. Only when the clouds surged could one vaguely discern the outline of the Buddha statue’s face.

It sat cross-legged, its lotus platform like a towering mountain.

One of its Buddha palms was raised in front of its chest and abdomen, while the other Buddha palm was extended flat—this Buddha palm was none other than the Dragon Subduing Platform!

The thumb, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger of the Buddha palm were bent upwards, forming the high wall of the railing of this Dragon Subduing Platform. Only the index finger was extended flat, forming the path to enter the Dragon Subduing Platform.

The group flew upwards, enveloped in faint clouds and smoke.

Compared to the human body, even this strip of the Buddha’s finger path was incredibly wide, approximately wide enough for three horse-drawn carriages to drive abreast.

Those who walked on this path couldn’t help but look up at the Buddha and sigh, feeling deeply their own insignificance.

Upon entering, one would see that this Buddha palm was like a square, and at the center of the Buddha palm, a high platform had been built.

Beneath the platform sat a neat row of bald heads, their scalps uniformly bright.

And beyond the Buddha palm square, was the arm of this colossal Buddha, extending endlessly into the distance, connecting with the great Buddha’s body.

Ku Ji didn’t speak any unnecessary words. He simply raised his chin and said, “Go up.”

Jing Hai seemed to be very obedient to his master’s words. Hearing this, he immediately made a provocative expression towards Jiang Wang.

Jiang Wang smiled and nodded in response.

Just at this moment, the sneaky voice transmission of the monk Jing Shi reached his ears. “Senior Brother Jing Hai’s weak point in cultivating the Indestructible Dragon Subduing Golden Body is…”

Jiang Wang felt both amused and helpless, and immediately sent a voice transmission to stop him. “Master Jing Shi… little holy monk Jing Shi, I am here for a fair spar!”

Jing Hai looked at them with a vigilant expression. “What are you two sneaking around whispering about!?”

Jing Shi wrinkled his nose. “Which eye of yours saw us voice transmitting?”

Jing Hai was furious. “Both my eyes saw!”

Jing Shi pinched his fist and shook it at him. “You’re seeing things!”

Jing Hai immediately sought out Ku Ji to complain. “Master, did you see? Jing Shi, he’s eating from the inside and digging from the outside! Eating from the inside and digging from the outside!”

“Nonsense!” Jing Shi said proudly. “Junior Brother Jing Shen and I are from the same master’s lineage. We are on the same side!”

With the strength of the head seat of the Dragon Subduing Courtyard, Ku Ji could, of course, easily intercept Jing Shi and Jiang Wang’s voice transmissions, knowing that Jiang Wang had refused Jing Shi’s act of revealing secrets. Originally, he could have turned a blind eye, but since his own disciple had discovered it, he still needed to show some dignity and support his disciple.

He immediately pointed his thin finger outwards and said to the monk Jing Shi, “Get out of here!”

His voice was like exploding heavenly thunder, every word carrying a terrifying oppressive force.

Jing Shi looked wronged and looked towards Ku Yi.

Ku Ji also immediately glared fiercely at Ku Yi, with the attitude of “If you dare to speak up, I’ll kick you out too.”

Ku Yi just chuckled and tucked his hands into his sleeves, saying nothing.

Jing Shi had no choice but to walk out, taking three steps back for every one forward, looking incredibly pitiful.

He looked at the high platform for a while, then at Ku Ji for a while.

He didn’t make a sound with his mouth, but his eyes could indeed speak, filled with pleading.

Ku Ji turned his head. “Alright, alright, just sit there then, no more nonsense!”

His voice was still like rolling thunder. Even when saying nice words, it sounded like he was scolding people.

Jing Shi was overjoyed and rushed back, standing properly in front of the high platform.

Ku Ji shook his head. “A good Glazed Buddha Son, it’s a shame some people are leading him astray!”

He had no intention of concealing anything, and of course, with his super loud voice, it was also very difficult to conceal anything. Even his self-talk was shouted as if he were swearing at the heavens, as if he would curse the old thief Ku Yi to death in the next moment and clear the scum from the sect.

What surprised Jiang Wang was this.

Given Ku Yi’s usual demeanor, he actually didn’t utter a single curse or even retort today, as if he had undergone a change of nature and cultivated the Buddha in this period. That’s not right… he seemed to have been cultivating the Buddha all along.

Jiang Wang dismissed the irrelevant thoughts in his mind and took a light step, leaping onto the high platform.

At this moment, his bamboo hat was still on Jing Shi’s head, his rain cape had been untied, his green shirt stood alone, his spine straight and proud, his entire person like a sword, standing there.

His edge was still in its sheath, but it seemed no one could ignore his sharpness.

No matter how many bald heads stood below the platform, how many important figures watched, no matter whose home ground this was…

As long as he entered the fight, Jiang Wang’s eyes would only contain his opponent and all factors that could influence the outcome.

Jing Hai followed closely and flew up.

This high platform standing on the Buddha palm square had no extra decorations, but its aura was ancient and heavy, possessing a dignity that transcended time.

Even upon this high platform itself, Jiang Wang faintly felt a sense of closeness to the old dragon of the Forest Sea.

Dragon Subduing Platform, Dragon Subduing Platform…

Buddha palm subduing the dragon?

“Begin.” Ku Ji’s voice said.

His casually declared voice was like thunder descending from the nine heavens.

Jiang Wang almost immediately activated the Voice-Hearing Immortal State for the first time!

A jade light shimmered in his ears, drawing people’s gaze.

Jiang Wang always prioritized practical combat over flashy moves, and rarely displayed the jade light when using the Voice-Hearing Immortal State. To do so at this time was a sign of difficulty in controlling his power.

He had used the Voice-Hearing Immortal State countless times, how could he still have difficulty controlling it?

Naturally, it was because… he was trying to control power that did not belong to him.

It came from Ku Ji’s thunderous voice!

Jiang Wang’s Voice-Hearing Immortal State had always been primarily for gathering intelligence during battles, occasionally for countering enemy sound techniques. His Eight Sounds Burning Sea technique had gradually fallen behind the level of combat, and he rarely had the time to attack opponents with sound.

His battle with Yi Tang of the Benevolent Heart Hall had opened his eyes, giving him a more profound understanding of the path of sound.

At that time, Yi Tang had borrowed the sound of his drawn sword and used it to launch an attack against him, connecting his voice and advancing, directly breaking his Voice-Hearing Immortal State.

At this moment, he adapted on the spot, also taking Ku Ji’s unintentional thunderous voice and making it his own.

Thus, the crowd only saw—

Between Jiang Wang and the large fatty Jing Hai,

A large expanse of thunder light suddenly exploded!

Amidst the violent brilliance of the thunder light, a vibrant shape was outlined, and above the blazing white electric light, a circle of fire lines ignited. Amidst the interweaving of electricity and fire, a terrifying spirit was born!

One could only hear the crackling and sizzling of thunder throughout the sky.

One could only see the violent thunder light illuminating the entire field, leaving no empty space on the entire Dragon Subduing Platform.

It was… the Thunder Sound Flame Sparrow!

To use the thunderous voice of a true person for one’s own purposes was truly fantastical.

And it was truly a stunning move!

Firstly, Ku Ji had no intention of fighting, he had just casually shouted out his thunderous voice, thus this sound, once released, had no master and only had the possibility of being utilized.

Secondly, Jiang Wang’s Voice-Hearing Immortal State was precisely the top-tier method of controlling sound in this realm. His understanding of the path of sound advanced with each passing day, only then could he realize such a grand delusion.

But even so, it was still difficult to control the stability of the Voice-Hearing Immortal State.

But precisely because it was so difficult, the power it displayed at this moment was incomparably terrifying!

The battle had only just begun, and the foremost figure in the Suspended Temple’s Outer Building realm, the direct disciple of the head seat of the Dragon Subduing Courtyard, Jing Hai, was already submerged in the dense thunder light!

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