At this moment, Xuan Ci was acutely aware that Lu Yuan had already dispersed his power.
He had no intention of killing him, stopping strictly at the point of contest. To Xuan Ci, this was truly shocking enough.
He had deployed his strongest divine method, yet had still been effortlessly crushed by his opponent. This was genuinely something Xuan Ci had never anticipated.
No matter what, he was counted among the strongest tier of sequence prodigies. Even if he could not rival the Divine Sons and Holy Maidens, surely he would not fall far behind them, right?
Particularly at the same realm, Xuan Ci had believed that even if he were no match, he would not suffer defeat so swiftly.
Just as he had previously been confident that, given equal cultivation, he could hold his own even against the two Divine Sons from the Ji clan and the Eternal Clan. Thus, when facing Lu Yuan at the very same realm, he had still harbored some measure of confidence.
Yet now, Xuan Ci no longer thought so. The opponent before him was truly far too formidable. It was not because the divine abilities he practiced were inferior.
Rather, it was a comprehensive disparity across the board. He could clearly feel that if Lu Yuan wished, he could use any method at his disposal to crush him.
Thus, Monk Xuan Ci was thoroughly convinced of his defeat. Thinking back to how he had previously intended to suppress the other with sheer strength, he could not help but realize just how fanciful and deluded that had been.
"Since you have lost, you may leave," Lu Yuan said, withdrawing all his power. He had no intention of slaying the monk.
After all, from beginning to end, the monk had displayed no murderous intent, even when he made his final move.
It had amounted to nothing more than a sparring contest; there was no need to turn it into a fight to the death.
"Amitabha." Monk Xuan Ci chanted the Buddha's name and said no more. He prepared to turn and depart immediately, but before long, he looked back and added, "Benefactor, my departure does not mean the Bliss Star Sector will choose to back down. We shall meet again in the future. At the same time, Benefactor, beware of the other monks who come knocking on your door."
Having spoken these words, Monk Xuan Ci took a single step forward and vanished from Mount Tai.
As for the deeper meaning behind those words, Lu Yuan did not understand for the moment. Yet he could also tell that the monk was unwilling to say more on the matter.
Meanwhile, the onlookers and Beast Kings who had been watching from the side were utterly shaken by what they had witnessed.
The pressure exerted by Monk Xuan Ci's strikes had been immense. Those present even felt that even if they joined forces, they would be no match for him.
After all, an entire gap of two major realms separated them, and that monk was manifestly formidable in both talent and combat prowess.
It could be said that he was the most powerful enemy they had ever seen. Yet such a figure had barely displayed his methods before being completely suppressed by King Lu, subdued with effortless ease.
It had ended before it could truly begin—and that was under the premise that both were at the exact same cultivation realm!
Whether the Beast Kings or Zhu Qingyu and the other youths, all knew Lu Yuan was strong—unquestionably strong. But now, having truly watched him take action and drawn a direct comparison, every single one of them was utterly astounded. Especially since they knew this was still far from King Lu's true strength!
No wonder he could guard Earth all on his own. No wonder he could overcome all opponents single-handedly.
Was this not what it truly meant to be a peerless chosen prodigy?
"All right, don't just stand around crowding here. Go about your business," Lu Yuan said, shaking his head as he read their thoughts.
After having them disperse, he headed toward his residence, though he did not return inside. Instead, he sought out Jiang Ningxian.
She had spent the past few days in secluded cultivation and thus had not noticed the commotion outside. Just as Lu Yuan returned, she stepped out of her quarters. "I felt an extraordinarily powerful aura just now. It must have come from an extraterrestrial being. Has someone come looking for trouble?"
Jiang Ningxian had already resolved to shoulder any trouble alongside Lu Yuan; she simply had not anticipated someone arriving at their doorstep so soon.
"I happened to want to ask you about that very matter," Lu Yuan nodded, recounting everything that had just transpired.
"A monk from the Bliss Star Sector came?" Hearing this, astonishment immediately surfaced in Jiang Ningxian's eyes.
Only a few days ago had she discussed this topic with him, never expecting someone to appear so soon.
However, upon hearing that the monk had been completely repelled and would not cause trouble for the time being, she relaxed at once. "I've heard the Buddhist name Xuan Ci," she remarked. "He ranks third among the ten sequences of the Bliss Star Sector—extraordinarily formidable. Both his Dharma cultivation and his innate talent are among the absolute finest, placing him right below the two Buddhist Sons."
The Bliss Star Sector was widely renowned, and that held even truer for its sequence prodigies.
"Two Buddhist Sons?"
Upon hearing this, Lu Yuan could not help furrowing his brows. A Buddhist Son was equivalent to a Divine Son—hadn't it been said that a star sector could have only one?
"Indeed," Jiang Ningxian said, understanding his confusion. After a brief pause, she continued, "The situation in Buddhism differs from everywhere else. They emphasize the past, present, and future, with each governed by a Buddha. The Past Buddha can essentially be understood as the current master of the Bliss Star Sector. But the present and future represent what is unfolding and what has yet to come, and they too require Buddhas to preside over them.
"Therefore, there are two Buddhist Sons representing the present and the future. And for ages, these two factions have been at odds with each other."
Being "at odds" merely stemmed from doctrinal differences in their Dharma; they were not true enemies. After all, both belonged to the same sect and would still stand together at crucial junctures.
"The Monk Xuan Ci just now represents the Future Buddhist Son.
"And whatever the Future Buddha lineage endorses, the Present Buddha lineage will oppose."
At this point, Jiang Ningxian shook her head and added, "In short, the two factions are quite complicated. I am not part of the Buddhist fold, so I cannot explain all the nuances. You need only remember this: the Future Buddha lineage won't cause you trouble, but the Present Buddha lineage certainly will.
"What Monk Xuan Ci told you to beware of was undoubtedly this. Moreover, the Present Buddha lineage wields immense influence.
"Back then, the Eternal Clan suffered a major setback at the hands of that very faction."
A single lineage within Buddhism had been capable of contending against an entire clan?
Hearing this, Lu Yuan's expression shifted slightly as he asked once more, "Does that mean the Bliss Star Sector can be called number one in the starry sky?"
"Yes, but also no," Jiang Ningxian replied. "It is a complicated matter. Nowadays, no star sector dares claim itself to be number one under the starry sky. However, by our estimates, there truly are two or three star sectors capable of contending for that title.
"Star sectors like the Bliss Star Sector and the Heavenly Dragon Star Sector possess terrifying strength, whether in foundation or in other aspects.
"My Desolate Flame Star Domain and the Ji clan's Ziwei Star Sector can compare, but we are certainly no match for them."
Chapter 341