Immortality Path: From the Blind Man at the Pharmacy-Chapter 293 - 165, 166. Song Cheng’s Regret, Behind the Scenes, Before and After the Battle (Please Subscribe)

Chapter 293: 165, 166. Song Cheng’s Regret, Behind the Scenes, Before and After the Battle (Please Subscribe)

The deep winter at Holy Bright Temple remained bustling with incense burning, where even a slight approach allowed one to catch a waft of the mixed aromas, which intermittently drifted away with the wind...

A colossal golden Buddha, dozens of feet in height, was seated cross-legged amidst the burning incense, one hand resting on its knee, palm up, the other forming a seal across its chest. The Buddha’s face flickered in the incense smoke, somewhat obscured, with the rising sun at its back highlighting its dignified and majestic presence.

The Great Scholar led several young boys and girls, his relatives, to the temple to offer incense and pay homage to the Buddha.

The monks greeted them with smiles, the pilgrims prayed fervently, and the cries of street vendors selling their wares added to the peaceful atmosphere along the way.

As the state religion, the Holy Bright Temple was believed in by all. The Imperial Family had faith in it, followed by King Zhao, making it a place that "Though the world changes in myriad ways, the temple stands unyielding."

Song Cheng, inhabiting the body of a young man named He Zhen, had come to the temple under the pretext of seeking blessings. Among the youths accompanying him, only Qin Rong had an inkling of He Zhen’s true identity. Intelligent as she was, from time to time she provided cover for Song Cheng, even taking the initiative to explain his circumstances, which led to teasing that perhaps they "had developed feelings while practicing Buddhism under the Great Scholar’s roof."

Since entering the Holy Bright Temple, Song Cheng had started to observe his surroundings covertly.

His gaze swiftly swept over the area, assessing everyone and everything.

He skipped over anyone with a "minimum strength below five hundred."

On the other hand, the Great Scholar happened to encounter an acquaintance. They exchanged greetings and briefly chatted. Their conversation was not lengthy, but both expressed their concerns about the current chaos in the Imperial City.

On the stone steps, an old monk swept the dust with a broom, in the incense hall, a novice monk dusted away the ash with a feather duster, and others were selling protective Buddhist amulets...

Among the visitors were the young and old, couples visiting together, gang members, and academy students...

It was a bustling and noisy scene everywhere.

Song Cheng’s gaze suddenly fell upon a family of three, a father, and a mother holding the hand of their little daughter.

The little girl was dressed in a fluffy outfit, her endearing boots hopping about energetically. She held her father’s hand with her left hand and her mother’s hand with her right, occasionally playfully lifting off the ground or swinging back and forth like on a swing, her face alight with laughter...

And the parents’ faces showed deep affection and indulgence.

In Song Cheng’s mind suddenly emerged the busy Miss An hiding in a lonely village surrounded by the Ghost Tide in the north; the image of a little girl sitting alone on a tall stool, drawing twisted snowscapes, her face well-behaved yet shadowed...

An indescribable emotion arose in his heart.

Had he ever properly accompanied Ting, An?

Had he ever taken Miss An, Madam Tong, even Yu, Ying, or Ling to visit and stroll through places like these?

For a moment, he felt a weary urge to "end this soon."

The individual previously claiming to be the Saint Heavenly Buddha, Yin Mingzong, was either fake or deceiving the Arhats, as his strength was not much greater than theirs.

If the true Saint Heavenly Buddha and the Northern Region Arhat were similar in strength, then he would have to end everything quickly.

This was a very real possibility.

One piece of evidence was those "Pseudo-Profound Realm" Medicinal Humans in the Imperial Capital.

The limit of a Mysterious Level Grade D was the creation of Form Realm Medicinal Humans.

Mysterious Level Grade C equated to Qi Realm Medicinal Humans.

The Ghosts were a step up from that.

But the data of the Arhats and the Head of the Xiao Family were actually only within the range of Mysterious Level Grade C...

Assuming the Saint Heavenly Buddha was stronger than them, then... the Grand Tutor and the Great Scholar should have been under their control by now, and there would be no need for him.

So, regardless of Saint Heavenly Buddha’s previous Realm, or whether he had undergone Possession, rebirth, or suffered a grievous injury, his inability to control a Qi Realm being or create a Pseudo-Profound Realm Medicinal Human indicated that his current strength absolutely had not reached "Xuan-level B."

Yet, at this moment, Song Cheng himself was at a Xuan-level B, the same level as the Twin Ghosts...

More than the Saint Heavenly Buddha, Song Cheng was actually more concerned about the secrets linked to the Saint Heavenly Buddha.

Why was this Buddha enjoying the offerings while stirring up disputes across the world and speaking of "the great trends of the world which must unite after a long division and divide after a long union"?

Song Cheng made a round of the temple, but... he didn’t find even a "Profound Level little cat" in the Holy Bright Temple.

There were quite a few in the Qi Realm, but to him, those were no different from ants.

He could squash as many as he wanted.

After the incense was burned and the Buddha worshiped, the group returned to the Grand Scholar Mansion.

As everyone dispersed, the "Great Scholar" He Tu stood by Song Cheng’s side with a respectful expression, ready to receive orders.

He knew that inside his nephew’s body was a true deity, the one called "True Martial Emperor Monarch."

Song Cheng glanced at He Tu, noting his "100" loyalty, internally remarking on the effectiveness of a "Medicinal Human"...

"The Saint Heavenly Buddha is not in the temple."

Song Cheng thought for a moment and said, "He Tu, find out when King Zhao will return. If it is soon, I may need to stay at your residence for a while."

"As you command, Master."

The Great Scholar responded respectfully and then asked, "Shall I contact the others to arrange for Martial Artists to follow the Master’s orders? Besides Martial Artists, we can quickly mobilize three regiments of Imperial City troops, totaling twelve thousand men."

Song Cheng replied, "Be prepared, but there’s no need for now."

"Understood..."

The Great Scholar respectfully retired, and later on, he came back to report that King Zhao had still managed to integrate the troops of the Six Towns and was now preparing to return to the capital.