Estranged - Chapter 84

Proofread by P. & Snake

Xu Jingxian never would have thought that she would see a Spring Palace play upon arriving at the legendary sacred lands of a famous Buddhist sect. 

Spring Palace: erotic

For some reason, Yun Weisi and the others who had been with her had now dispersed, loitering in the thick forest. That forest seemed to be a part of the Wanlian Buddhist Temple, but was at the same time independent of it. All kinds of trees were mixed there in disorder, and the forest could contain a small universe inside of it. Xu JIngxian went towards the edge of the forest. Beasts appeared in a flash, raising sand into the air, and turning stones over, before vanishing again, driven to the other side. She fell into a frozen land covered in snow, and even her spiritual powers were of no use there, failing to protect her. Had Xu Jingxian not advanced in her cultivation and gathered enough experience, she would not have been able to break the barrier around the thick forest and finally come to the place where she was now.

She had already lost track of time, and had no idea how long it had been since they had seen that mysterious light.

Perhaps, it had been several shichen, or maybe, even several days.

This place looked like an ancient grave or an underground tomb.

Xu Jingxian had not known of Changming’s point of view, that the Wanlian Buddhist Temple had gotten a hold of countless fragments, taking control of the whole You Capital. She thought that she had just fallen into a different formation, and was considering the possibility of there being an ancient tomb in the territory of the Wanlian Buddhist Temple.

Although the imperial tomb of the You dynasty was located on the northern outskirts  of the capital, all the previous dynasties here had flourished as well, so an imperial tomb being brought here did not seem strange.

There was flat green slabstone under her feet. It was covered in colorful murals, depicting the deities of Buddhism, their teachings and sutras. Some people were shown being greeted by beautiful devas after their death. These devas were showing the way to the Western Paradise, the waistbands of their skirts fluttering in the wind, encrusted with gold and jade, their thick hair in tall ponytails. Their graceful appearances could almost outshine the crescent moon, and the paintings were so life-like that even the swallows embroidered on their skirts were glittering in the moonlight, exquisite to the point of being called impeccable.

Devas: one of the 6 types of creatures one can be reborn into. Basically, they are close to being gods, since they live better and longer than people

According to folk beliefs, the more feeling there is to a mural, the higher the chance of it attracting the benevolence of a deity, granting its artist and worshippers luck. The murals on the walls at each side of the paved path were definitely unique masterpieces of the highest quality.

Could these murals be connected to the Wanlian Buddhist Temple?

Xu Jingxian’s thoughts were wandering as she followed the path. At some point, she suddenly heard moans.

“Mnnnh… Ah…”

She stopped.

Being a Demonic cultivator, Xu Jingxian could clearly tell apart the moans that were the results of receiving a wound and those from having intercourse.

The former betrayed suffering, and the latter—pleasure.

The man and the woman, who were right around the corner, were obviously indulging in the highest pleasure, paying no attention to Xu Jingxian, who was coming closer silently.

The two of them were lying on the ground. The woman was imitating the movements of a fairy maiden scattering flowers around, with her eyes brimming with tears and face flushed, while the man was playing her as he pleased, and she did not object. Her lithe body was trembling, as if in a Dance of the Deva-Mara, tempting to the point of making one wish to sacrifice their life.

Xu Jingxian was very interested. She even squatted down to inspect them carefully.

The couple she was looking at was not ashamed in the slightest, nor was the observer.

It seemed that they never got tired, remaining in the same position for eternity.

Where did these two come from?

This place seemed to be an ancient tomb, and living people should not be here. They had no spiritual powers, and did not look like cultivators. Obviously, they were just commoners.

But why would commoners partake in a Spring Palace play in a place like this?

Beautiful music rang out, gradually speeding up.

Xu Jingxian got a bit tired of staring for a long time, so she rubbed her eyes.

In a short while, when she opened her eyes again, she found that more than a dozen musicians had surrounded her, and were playing the se,  the sheng, and plucking the strings of other instruments skillfully.

Se: lute

Where had they come from? How could they just appear out of nowhere?

Xu Jingxian blinked, and did not take a step forward rashly, but did not retreat either.

This song seemed to contain a demonic power that calmed down people’s hearts, making them lose concentration.

It slowed down her movements as well, and she could not raise a hand or move a foot quickly.

This place was cool and peaceful, unlike the rest of this place, which was plagued with dangers and mortal perils. Every man and woman here were as beautiful as deities, and they seemed compassionate and peaceful. Even simply sitting here doing nothing did not seem like a bad idea. Was this place not the Western Paradise from legends?

Xu Jingxian looked into the distance. One of the musicians somehow resembled Changming. He seemed to have noticed her gaze, and raised his head, playing a flute and smiling at her at the same time. He looked graceful and otherworldly, refined like an immortal.

This smile of his felt like it was taking all the dust of worldly matters away as well.

She looked to the other side. Isn’t the one playing the zither Yun Weisi? The man had lowered his head, and she could not see his expression clearly, but his posture was very elegant. Xu Jingxian had been fed up with watching people fight evil spirits, and thus the musicians seemed even more pleasing to her eye.

Heh, isn’t the one playing konghou on the left of the front row Zen Master Buku? He was plucking the strings of the harp gently, thoroughly engrossed in the activity. Xu Jingxian could not help smiling and thought, So even you, the master of the Qingyun School, also have days like this.

She completely disregarded the abnormality of the situation.

Great, it seems like everyone is here.

Xu Jingxian saw a xiao of white jade lying on the ground nearby.

She knew how to play the xiao. When she used to live with her parents, she had mastered the four arts of a well-educated person: zither, go, calligraphy, and painting.

As if she had been enchanted, Xu Jingxian went over, picked the jade xiao up, and sat down on the right of the front row willingly, joining the ranks of the musicians.

Only then did she realise that the person sitting next to her winking at her aggressively had his ear taken. He was ridiculous and ugly.

Had his ear taken: in Buddhism, an ear is considered a source of sin

He seems familiar, who is he?

Xu Jingxian frowned slightly and stopped moving. She suddenly felt as if the painting in front of her was about to attack her. She was frightened, and wanted to retreat immediately!

Unfortunately, she was half a step too late!

An overwhelming power pulled her forward. Xu Jingxian tried to stop it with all her efforts, but still could not do anything. For a second, a bright light blinded her eyes, and in an instant, the painting had come to life.

She finally realized that the man and woman, as well as the musicians seemed overly flat, and not lively enough. But now they suddenly came to their senses, and the man who had been winking at her started to resemble a living person.

The music sounded even clearer, just like the sounds of nature. The man and woman had already gotten dressed, and were no longer naked from head to toe. But their clothes seemed transparent like clouds letting the spring sunshine through, and they looked even more charming.

What am I doing here?

Every single bone in Xu Jingxian’s body was screaming, this is wrong, and she understood it well in her heart, but this understanding was not enough for her to get her sluggish limbs under control. Her movements were slow, yet her mind was burning with impatience as she wanted to tear these thin shackles apart as soon as possible.

She finally recalled who this person winking at her was.

It was cultivator Qi Jingu, the one who had been bickering with Jun Zilan all the time.

It now seemed that Qi Jingu had already figured out that this place was abnormal, and wanted to get rid of the power controlling him, but could not manage to. Thus, he could only try to send her a signal by making that ridiculous and fierce face, unable to say a single word.

It was different for Sun Buku. Xu Jingxian turned her head slowly to take a look at him.

Zen Master Buku was still playing the zither, completely immersed in the act, as if he had not noticed her at all, and certainly had no intention of raising his head and partaking in their “winking”. It seemed that for him playing the zither was the most important thing he could do.

Could it be that the imposing master of the Qingyun School is but an exterior of gold and jade, with good looks yet no real worth?

Exterior of gold and jade: …but inside is only rotten material: no abilities, only good appearance

Then what about Yun Weisi, where has he gone? Could it be that he had also been dragged here? If Sun Buku is playing a zither, then what’s Yun Weisi doing, beating a drum?

Frantic thoughts were flashing through Xu Jingxian’s mind as she was trying to imagine Yun Weisi beating a drum with his stone-like expression. She even laughed at this thought in her head, but, unfortunately, the corners of her mouth were rising too slowly, one of the corners a bit faster than the other. From Qi Jingu’s point of view, that looked infinitely weird.

Unfortunately, he was not in much better shape himself.

The music resembled some of the Buddhists’, and sounded a bit like what one could hear during the sacrificial rites of a Buddhist sect. However, it was more pleasing to the ear, and brought a kind of ethereal lightness, making people forget every distress they had in the world. Xu Jingxian’s thoughts cleared up without her noticing it, but her movements as she was playing the song have become even more skillful, as if the music was being born in her heart, and she would be able to recall it under any circumstances.

Some time passed, and the song was finally coming to its final note. The dancers slowed down as well. Xu Jingxian’s lips felt numb, yet she played the last note on her flute correctly, like a puppet.

Before she could heave a sigh of relief after the song had ended, she saw the dancing man and woman leave, holding hands. The others put aside their musical instruments, and stepped aside, making way for the two of them and joining the procession afterwards.

What on earth are they up to?

Xu Jingxian was shouting loudly in her head, but her body would not obey her. Lining up behind Qi Jingu, she followed the rest of them. Sun Buku was standing at the front left, holding the zither in his hands merrily like an exemplary scholar.

The stone path was rather long. At first, there were only moonlight pearls illuminating their way, but it was still quite dark. But for some reason their path was gradually becoming more and more well-lit.

Xu Jingxian was doing her best to observe her surroundings, and noticed, to her surprise, that the ground was made of gold, and the moonlight pearls to the sides of the road had transformed into rhinoceros horns. The tips of the horns were faintly glowing with white light, covered in colorful glass and brilliant ornaments. The gold bricks were blindingly bright in the light cast by the horns, so the path ahead of them was perfectly clear.

The noblemen were collecting rhinoceros horns and treasured them deeply, but they were still inferior to these ones. There were white circles on the tips of these horns, which made them look even more aesthetically pleasing. Xu Jingxian remembered that there were ice rhinoceroses living under the glaciers of the North Sea. They were snow-white all over, almost transparent, their horns bright, as if they were made from glass with spiral patterns on top. This kind of beast was extremely rare. Some cultivators had been waiting for half of their lives in the North Sea, yet would not even see a single hair on one of these rhinoceros’ bodies. However, this place was sumptuously using the horns as candles, which was a wanton misuse of nature’s resources.

Moreover, Xu Jingxian had noticed murals on the walls. They depicted a couple, a man and a woman, dancing excitedly, their silk clothes slipping down, and crowds of people playing music behind their backs.

The more Xu Jingxian looked at them, the more frightened she became.

Because she suddenly noticed herself in the murals!

The woman was playing a xiao of white jade, while the color of her dress and the way it was styled was the same as hers. Although her head was lowered, her discontent posture also perfectly resembled Xu Jingxian’s.

And the ones close to her, a winking young man and a concentrated man playing a zither—weren’t they Qi Jingu and Sun Buku?

Xu Jingxian thought that she had seen a lot. She had the right to look down on most outstanding heroes, with some people from the largest clans and grandmasters living in dense forests in recluse being the only exception.

But what she had seen today was really too bizarre.

If this was an illusion, why was she aware of everything that was going on? If it was not an illusion, how could a mural depicting her appear?

After she had taken ten more steps, the murals changed. The musicians were still going forward, led by the dancing pair. They seemed solemn and respectable. Was this how they looked now?

She quickly looked ahead of her. After enduring another ten steps, Xu Jingxian saw new murals.

This time, there was a Buddha drifting up in a circle, looking down at them from the skies, having hitched the propitious clouds up. The people were kneeling in front of the Buddha, and looking up at the sky respectfully, as if they were listening to the deity’s instructions attentively.

The expression on the deity’s face could not be mistaken for compassion. He was aloof and remote, as if watching the living creatures from far above, regarding the humans under him for ants. Whether he would crush them with his feet or not, depended on the deity’s mood completely.

A certain woman in the crowd attracted his attention. Xu Jingxian felt that it was her.

What would happen next?

She was fighting her curiosity with difficulty, waiting for the crowd to move up to the next mural.

The tranquil spirit of the upper mural had dispersed, disturbed by the Buddha bursting with rage while pointing at them, as if preaching. The sky fire had descended to the earth, punishing the humans who were now crawling on the ground, submerged in a blazing sea of flames. Everyone, including Xu Jingxian, was wailing amidst the flames, their expressions distorted by agony. However, not one of them could escape the fate of turning into ashes.

After that, the murals stopped abruptly.

In other words, the stone passage had come to an end.

Now, they were inside a huge and magnificent round hall. As far as the eye could see, everything was paved with gold bricks. In the center of the hall, a statue of a deity was towering over the other sculptures of Buddhas surrounding it. Looking at him, Xu Jingxian felt that he was somehow familiar, but she could not recall his name. It was likely that he was a famous ancient fozun from the Buddhist sects. That incorporeal pressure was growing, making it hard for her to even breathe. She straightened up subconsciously, and even felt an urge to kneel down.

Such pressure?!

Xu Jingxian was terrified. This kind of strength did not resemble anything from the Human World, going far beyond what an expert cultivator like herself could exert. Even if it was Jiufang Changming…

Could it be that deities actually did exist in the world?

Everyone was saying that the deities of the past had either perished, or ascended. The last cultivator from the human World to ascend was Luomei, the founder of the Wanjian Immortal Clan, the shifu of Jiang Li. Since then, no one had managed to break through to the next realm, shattering the Void and becoming an immortal.

But Luomei was a Daoist cultivator from a sword clan, so he had nothing to do with the Buddha.

Qi Jingu, who was standing next to her, had already bent his knees. Obviously, he was trying to resist, and his legs were quite stiff, deserving to be called straight and unyielding. When they clashed with the gold bricks, Xu Jingxian heard a sour rumble. Xu Jingxian was able to hold on for a couple more breaths, but in the end still kneeled together with him.

However, when she saw Sun Buku kneeling as well, her heart filled with delight and pleasure. She wanted to say, You dared to threaten me before, but aren’t you allowing yourself to be ordered around now!

As this thought formed in her mind, something started falling down in front of her eyes. Xu Jingxian took a closer look and realized that it was petals.

They were fluttering in the air, descending from heaven, spotlessly white, accompanied by a delicate fragrance. The petals had covered the floor all around them.

They were paving the floor, and nothing else was moving in the hall. The sound of music was coming from some other place, the song faintly audible, like Heavenly music.

“You are all bound by karma.”

Xu Jingxian froze upon hearing the loud voice, rumbling like a large bell. All of a sudden, the Buddha opened his mouth, shaking Xu Jingxian’s ears with the loud voice, as if there was a hammer striking her heart again and again.

“No matter what disastrous decisions, sinful wrongdoings and malicious deeds you have accomplished in your past, you only need to put aside the cleaver, turn your head to see the shore, and you will be able to turn into a Buddha.”

“Freeing yourself from restlessness, refining your bodies, adhering to the vows both in thoughts and deeds, standing by integrity. Everything in your past was nothing but lies, and the red dust of mortal affairs, obsession with finding the truth and earning a name, all those desires. Where the law is uncertain, it will eventually be obtained. Be merciful to others as you are to yourself. Today, you have crossed the gates. Tomorrow, you might become a Buddha, reach the Western Paradise or become an immortal, leaving suffering behind and turning to compassion and enjoying happiness…”

Xu Jingxian felt every word enter her body, as if by some kind of dark magic, binding her and rendering her motionless. Her mind was also led astray, and she saw herself entering a land of hundreds of blossoming plants and exotic creatures, where phoenixes were gently singing their songs. Smiling people were coming and going, the hems of their robes and ribbons dancing in the wind, with deities and immortals all around. They saw her, but not only did they not reveal the usual revulsion or amusement upon seeing an intruder, they even stretched their hands to Xu Jingxian, encouraging her with smiles. It was as if she had always been one of them, yet they had been separated by misfortune for a long time, but eventually she had returned.

Could it be that I actually used to be an immortal?

She thought in a daze, and not a single part of her rejected that idea.

“Qi Jingu!”

The statue of the Buddha suddenly called his name.

“You were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, yet you pursued the way to immortality with your heart, leaving your home in spite. Because of your departure, your parents caught a severe disease. They sent over a letter, but could not hold on long enough to see you return. You were unfilial and disloyal. Yet what have you achieved today? You are nothing but one face in a crowd of mediocre people!”

Xu Jingxian trembled, trying to turn her gaze. From the corner of her eye, she seemed to have noticed Qi Jingu’s shoulders heave slightly, as the words made his head drop, and he felt too ashamed to show his face.

“Xu Jingxian!”

As her name was voiced, she shuddered. Her mind was influenced by it, and she was forcibly dragged away from the Western Paradise, falling into the abyss of misery with no chance to break free from its shackles.

Abyss of misery: lit. sea of bitterness: eternal suffering of the life that Buddhists strive to break from

“You were destined to practice Buddhism from the day you were born, but you were seduced by the empty words of unorthodox sects, entering a Demonic sect. Having taken one wrong step, you were bound to take another. Had you been cultivating Buddhism all this time, and been a virtuous monk today, would you have ever stooped so low?”

Hearing these words, Xu Jingxian thought that joining a Demonic sect was indeed a mistake she had no way to rectify. She could not help but feel grief welling up inside, and her eyes almost teared up. She fell onto the floor heavily, listening to the guidance from the skies.

There seemed to be a small voice echoing in the depth of her heart, doubting: Why am I listening to you? My great self has suffered for several years to become a master of Demonic cultivation, how can a single word from you dismiss my achievements?

But this thought was quickly washed away by cold water, leaving no trace. She only felt respectful and sad, pious with all her heart.

“Sun Buku!”

“As a disciple of a Buddhist sect, you should be sincere and devoted, promoting Buddhist doctrines. Yet devilish, heretic thoughts were born deep inside your heart, and you even questioned the doctrines of Buddhism?! What about your Buddhist heart?! You have long since let demons enter your body, and you do not deserve to be a part of my Buddhist sects!”

The voice coming from above was harsh, more and more stern with every other word. Even though Xu Jingxian was not the one being denounced, she paled from the pressure, gasping for air.

Xu Jingxian felt as if she was being ripped apart. On one hand, she was trembling with fear and trepidation, and did not dare refute a single word, kneeling at the feet of the Buddha and awaiting it to pass the judgement. On the other hand, she was watching the scene from aside, resenting his statements. She desperately wanted the second half to take over, and struggled against the heavens themselves. She was drenched with sweat.

“What are these Buddhist doctrines?”

A clear voice abruptly questioned the Buddha. Going over the crowd, the voice flew to the statue of the Buddha.

Xu Jingxian felt the pressure ease up a little, and she raised her head with effort, looking at the person speaking.

“What is a Buddhist heart, what are heretic thoughts?”

Sun Buku dared to ask the supreme Buddha three questions in a row!

He even got up to his feet, and raised his head to look at the Buddha directly.

“Buddhism is the rectification of one’s self, and my Dharma is Dharma indeed. In my opinion, you’re masquerading as a Buddha here, which is precisely what heresy is!”

Not only were his words arrogant, but not a single trace of fear showed on his face.

The Buddha was enraged: “You delirious child! How dare you be so impudent!”

Xu Jingxian could almost feel the Buddha pointing a finger at Sun Buku.

“You all are heretics. May you be condemned and sliced into a thousand pieces, no one would regret your deaths!”

As soon as the word “deaths” sounded, a glittering golden “卐” symbol appeared in the air, shooting towards Sun Buku!

Sun Buku laughed: “So nowadays you also aspire to leave the secular world and become Buddhas. Buddhism has come to its lowest indeed, and demons are running amok!”

As he was saying this, a cane appeared in his hand, and he brandished it. In a flash, the scene in front of them crumbled as a mural falling to the ground. Xu Jingxian got up on her feet, her thin silk back in her hands.

You have the nerve to trick this esteemed lady!

She sneered and stretched out her hand ruthlessly.

The world had been turned upside down, the heaven falling and the earth cracking.

The author has something to say:

Xiao Xu’s and Sun-er’s point of view is more important now. They’ll drag out the boss of the Wanlian Buddhist Temple, so there’s a lot of text describing their adventure. Originally, I didn’t intend to let Changming and Yun Weisi enter the stage in the next chapter, but, contrary to my expectations, they will appear.

Tn:

The musical instruments from the chapter:

se

zither (qin)

sheng

xiao

Jingu (jin — gong, gu — drum)