"Sword Hall, notify the Holy Cult's twelve Guardian Elders and eight Inspectors to go to the banks of the Tu River outside the capital."
Qin Mu closed the scroll and handed the Sword Hall Master his notes on the Spirit Treasure Immovable Zen Art, saying: "I've been studying the Spirit Treasure Immovable Zen Art these past few days and searching for its weaknesses. Everything is recorded here. Have them read through it first. All Hall Masters, do not act yet—wait for my instructions."
The Sword Hall Master acknowledged the order and departed.
Qin Mu summoned Fox Spirit and Dragon Qilin, instructing them to stay at the Imperial Academy for the next few days. He then went to the far end of Scholar's Row to find Wei Yong. "Brother Wei, has the Duke of Wei returned?"
Wei Yong replied, "He just returned from suppressing a rebellion two days ago."
Qin Mu said, "Please go home and tell the Duke that there's entertainment to be had at Nanda's Side Palace."
Wei Yong was puzzled and laughed: "Our old man does love a spectacle, but he won't attend just anything. If the matter isn't big enough, he absolutely won't go—he'd make sure the whole capital hears about it! What exactly is going on?"
Qin Mu said, "Just go. You'll know when you get there."
Wei Yong was baffled but went down the mountain with him. Qin Mu parted ways with him and headed straight to the Listening Rain Pavilion in Flower Lane.
Fu Qingyun hurried out to greet him: "Cult Master..."
Qin Mu raised his hand, signaling her not to say more. Suddenly, a series of cracking sounds erupted from within his body as his bones shifted and his frame grew taller and taller, transforming into a tall, lean man who looked like a barbarian from beyond the frontier.
Fu Qingyun was startled: "The Creation Art? I wonder which of the Seven Chapters of Creation this is?"
Qin Mu's body radiated a faint golden glow as he changed into rougher attire. He took the Thousand Banner Tower from his Taotie Bag—the tower stood over a zhang tall, held in his palm. The banners spun ceaselessly, producing a chiming sound as faint Buddhist chants emanated from within.
"Master Fu, stay here and do not move until I give you further instructions."
Qin Mu dragged the Thousand Banner Tower and strode out of the Listening Rain Pavilion, leaving Flower Lane and heading straight for Nanda's Side Palace.
Nanda's Side Palace had originally been the estate of the Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince. Nanda Temple was one of the Buddhist sects second only to the Great Thunderclap Monastery. After the abbot Sun Nanda submitted to the imperial court, Nanda Temple became one of the major sects under court jurisdiction.
Sun Nanda possessed profound Buddhist knowledge, maintained an upright character, and despised evil. He was called an Arhat and held the official rank of Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince. After Nanda Temple pledged allegiance to the court, many other Buddhist monasteries followed suit—none of which could have happened without Sun Nanda's influence.
After Sun Nanda converted the Grand Tutor's estate into Nanda's Side Palace, it became the most important preaching venue for Nanda Temple. Many young monks came here to listen to lectures, and women from noble and ministerial families with devout Buddhist hearts would attend as well.
However, these women were often lonely and bitter in their boudoirs. Some came with impure intentions, using the excuse of worship to entangle themselves with young monks and alleviate their loneliness. Some aging beauties kept young monks as lovers, and monks frequently entered and exited women's chambers—this was a common sight in the capital.
There were also old monks who kept young women, indulging day and night in revelry and toil, drawing considerable criticism.
Although Sun Nanda knew of the misconduct among his followers, he was burdened with heavy official duties and had no time to discipline them. Moreover, the capital's customs were liberal, women were quite bold, and even the empress dowager in the palace had a lover, so he had no heart to inquire into these matters.
The emperor had repeatedly bestowed marriage upon Sun Nanda. Sun Nanda refused three times but accepted on the fourth, making him a monk who was half-secular. He found it difficult to impose strict discipline on his disciples' conduct.
Shocking and offensive scenes occurred from time to time within Nanda's Side Palace, and Sun Nanda simply turned a blind eye.
Nevertheless, he still despised evil and showed no courtesy to officials of demonic origin in court, openly reprimanding them.
One day, a commotion arose outside Nanda's Side Palace. Monks from Nanda Temple rushed outside, and even many of Sun Nanda's personal disciples surged out, exclaiming: "Someone outside is selling a great Buddhist treasure! The Thousand Banner Tower—it's connected to our Nanda Temple's Spirit Treasure Immovable Zen Art lineage. It's the guardian treasure of Nanda Temple that went missing hundreds of years ago!"
Everyone arrived outside the palace and indeed saw Nanda Temple's lost guardian treasure, the Thousand Banner Tower. A crowd of monks surrounded it, blocking the street completely, with some women squeezed into the crowd as well.
Amid the crowd stood a pagoda. The tower was composed of a thousand banners, each carved from jade. It had seven tiers, each tier being a cylindrical section inscribed with sutras that could rotate. As they turned, the inscriptions glowed with light and Buddhist chants rang out.
Within each tier's sutra banners lay hidden treasures: glazed glass, jade necklaces, relic beads, lamps, topaz, agate, and other precious items.
A thousand banners layered together to form a tower—this was Nanda Temple's legendary guardian treasure, the Thousand Banner Tower!
Such a treasure had long been lost, vanishing during a period of turmoil. To think it could reappear in the world—the monks of Nanda's Side Palace flushed with excitement, itching to snatch the tower back immediately.
But this was the capital after all, and they could not act recklessly.
The one selling the Thousand Banner Tower was a young man of foreign appearance, standing beneath the tower and activating it.
The tower had originally not been tall—each banner was only about three inches high. But once activated by the young man, each banner grew to over a zhang in height. The entire Thousand Banner Tower soared to sixty or seventy zhang, quite a spectacle. The sutra cylinders on the banners spun ceaselessly, scriptures flashing with radiance as Buddhist chants resounded grandly.
The foreign barbarian spoke in a booming voice: "This is a family treasure, to be gifted only to one fated. I come from the grasslands beyond the frontier, a sorcerer of the Loulan Golden Palace. This treasure was passed down through my ancestors. An ancestor of mine once saved an old monk, who gifted this treasure in return. Now I've come to the Yan Kang Kingdom, wishing to meet the heroes of this great nation and find a worthy person for this treasure."
"Brother Yuanjing, is this truly our Nanda Temple's guardian treasure?"
A monk whispered to the handsome-looking monk beside him. Though young, Brother Yuanjing was one of Sun Nanda's personal disciples and held a high position. Having studied under Sun Nanda for many years, he knew Nanda Temple's history inside and out. He nodded: "It is indeed our Nanda Temple's guardian treasure—the Thousand Banner Tower! The sutras inscribed upon it are from the Arhat Nanda Sutra. Generations of abbots have blessed it with their Buddhist power. It would be impossible to counterfeit."
Monk Yuanjing's eyes flickered, then he called out loudly: "Barbarian, this is our Nanda Temple's treasure. Return it at once!"
Qin Mu glanced at him: "Monk, this treasure was gifted to me by a great monk. Since it was given to my family, it is mine. I only gift this treasure to the worthy."
Suddenly, another young monk smiled: "How does one qualify as a worthy person?"
Monk Yuanjing looked toward him with a cold realization. This handsome young monk was Yuanfeng—another of Sun Nanda's disciples. The two had long been rivals over a woman, competing covertly many times while maintaining a facade of friendliness. In truth, they had long since fallen out.
Clearly, Monk Yuanfeng intended to obtain the Thousand Banner Tower from this foreigner, earn merit before Sun Nanda, win the master's favor, and push Yuanjing out of contention.
Qin Mu set down the Thousand Banner Tower and declared solemnly: "I come from beyond the frontier, and having seen the splendor of this great nation, I am filled with admiration. I believed this land to be blessed with exceptional people. This Thousand Banner Tower is no ordinary object. I wish to use it to meet the heroes of this great nation. If anyone can defeat me at the same cultivation realm, I will gladly surrender this treasure."
Meanwhile, Wei Yong and the Duke of Wei emerged from the Duke's estate and arrived outside Nanda's Side Palace. The Duke took one look and shook his head with a laugh: "What's there to see? It's just a little brat from the Loulan Golden Palace making trouble for Nanda Temple."
His voice was so loud that people on several streets heard him clearly.
These streets were where nobles and ministers lived. Upon hearing the Duke's words, they poured out of their estates to watch from afar, and the scene immediately became lively.
Seeing more and more people gathering around, the monks of Nanda Temple couldn't simply seize it by force. Another monk in yellow robes smiled: "So as long as I defeat you, I can take the Thousand Banner Tower?"
Though not particularly enthusiastic, the Duke still called out loudly: "Baldy, the man said it has to be at the same realm. You can't just ignore the rules! Where's Sun Nanda? His treasure's appeared and he's off on some woman again?"
Wei Yong was puzzled, looking around and thinking: "How did Brother Qin know there'd be entertainment here? Where is he?"
Qin Mu said, "Defeat me and the tower is yours. Though the frontier may not match the splendor of your great nation, a man's word is his bond."
As the yellow-robed monk stepped forward, Monk Yuanjing suddenly moved ahead of him, smiling: "Allow me to claim the tower! Fellow cultivator, this humble monk is Yuanjing of the Five Stars realm. I'd like to challenge you."
Qin Mu declared solemnly: "Bangong Cuo of the Loulan Golden Palace, Five Stars realm!"
Monk Yuanjing's aura exploded as he activated the Spirit Treasure Immovable Zen Art. Buddhist light blazed around him, and behind him, the phantom of the Spirit Treasure Great Buddha manifested—a thousand-armed Buddha wielding a thousand treasures: glazed lamps, jade lanterns, bows, arrows, maces, vajras, and all manner of sacred implements.
The Great Buddha merged with Monk Yuanjing in an instant and vanished. Yuanjing's body glowed with treasure light, his hands forming the sacred seal. He took a single step forward, his hand seal transforming into the Glazed Seal. His palm emanated a glazed luster as he struck down at Qin Mu.
This was the true power of the Spirit Treasure Immovable Zen Art. This Buddhist technique was known as the Art of a Thousand Treasures. Upon reaching the Celestial Being realm or above, one could manifest the Thousand Treasure Great Buddha with devastating power.
Before reaching the Celestial Being realm, one could transform the Thousand Treasures into a thousand different seals, each with its own unique power and effect.
Though Monk Yuanjing was only at the Five Stars realm, his cultivation was formidable. He had learned over a hundred of the Spirit Treasure Immovable Zen Art's thousand seals. Additionally, the Art could cultivate the Arhat Body, rendering one's body as hard as diamond, impervious to blades and spears, with extraordinary defensive capabilities.
With this strike, Yuanjing's treasure light blazed. Within a radius of two to three zhang around his palm, the air solidified into what appeared to be a Glazed Realm. Buddhist chants echoed through the radiance—a truly extraordinary display.
Qin Mu stood in place, then simply raised his hand and brought it down. With a thunderous boom, the Glazed Realm, the Spirit Treasure Great Buddha, the Glazed Seal—all of it was scattered by a single slap. A massive crater appeared in the ground, and at its bottom lay Monk Yuanjing, smashed into a heap of mush.
The monks were startled. The Duke of Wei stroked his beard, puzzled: "Though this barbarian's technique is crude, his cultivation is absurdly strong... What's his name?"
Wei Yong quickly replied: "I believe it's Bangong Cuo."
The Duke of Wei muttered to himself: "Something doesn't quite add up. This technique doesn't quite resemble the Loulan Golden Palace's Sorcerer Supreme Lou Luo Sutra..."